Vol. 21 No. 3

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Friday, Dec. 11, 2015

Vol. 21 No. 3

Common learning disabilities hinder student performance

maya girimaji & jennifer zhan

features editor & opinions editor

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2.4 million students in America struggle with conditions that impact their learning, the most commonly known being ADHD and dyslexia. Many of these disabilities are comorbid, or go hand in hand with each other.

At Consol, the 504 program provides for anything that may impair a student’s ability to learn, including learning disorders to anxiety issues and epilepsy.

“Section 504 is the kind of umbrella that gives kids accommodations in classrooms. It doesn’t modify their work; it doesn’t make their work easier,” school counselor Mindy Casper said. “504 just gives them some accommodations so that they can function in the classroom.”

“learning disorders” continued on page 3

inthisissue

news pages 2-4 opinions pages 5-7 viewpoints page 8

snapshots page 9 people pages 10-14

sports pages 15-17 entertainment pages 18-19

2 | news | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

Upcoming Events Tiger Mentors serve as role models for elementary students olivia garrett entertainment editor

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Just 30 minutes can shine a positive light on a child’s life and change a high school student’s worldview. Once a week, before school, a handful of Consol students visit local elementary schools to spend those 30 meaningful minutes with children in need.

“You get to talk and impact these kids’ lives,” senior Brittany Scott said. “We are old enough now that we can make a difference, and so I think you should talk to the kids and be their friend because it’s fun.”

The program, called Tiger Mentors, allows students to sit with the children, typically second or third graders and talk to the kids about their lives and help them with homework.

“It’s really not a lot of time, but it means so much to them,” junior Kaylie Olsen said. “It makes you feel good that they want you to be there.”

For Olsen, who aspires to become a teacher, participation in the program has given her

practical opportunities.

“I love kids and I’ve always wanted to be involved with them as an elementary school teacher,” Olsen said. “So, it’s really cool to get the experience of being around kids for that amount of time because I can help them with homework. It tests my ability to be able to teach later in life.”

For other participants, such as junior Jenna Gray, a second year veteran of the program, learning, rather than teaching, has been the highlight. “[The program] emphasizes how every child is different and that we have to get to know them and talk to them to realize what they’re going through and how to fix their problems,” Gray said.

“It’s taught me how to talk to people who aren’t really like me in order to understand where they are coming from.”

Many of the children in the program have behavioral issues and need role models. “[My student] is really outgoing and he’s creative.” Scott said, “Some of these kids, teachers label as bad kids, but once you talk to them, you realize that

they’re not bad kids; they just sometimes do not do the best things – they’re actually really great kids and they are awesome people.”

In this way, the high school mentors can have a significant impact on the kid’s lives.

“The lady that assigned me to my kid told me that he had behavioral issues, just with making good choices in class.” Olsen said, “And so, a lot of times, during assembly, he’ll goof off, and they just want me to help him make good decisions.”

Some of the children, such as the one that Gray is mentoring, have trouble fitting in with their classmates and feel bullied.

“It’s kids like these that we need to be there for and tell them that someone does care about them throughout all of their struggles,” Gray said. “He’s only in third grade.”

Yet, despite the struggles of elementary school, the kids impress their mentors with their positive attitudes.

“I find it super cool how kids have a lot more open minds,” Scott said. “The first day I met

my kid, he walked me around the school, he pointed me out to people, and he introduced me to the nurse and all his friends; first day I ever talked to him, I said like three sentences and I’m already his best friend.”

Although this year the Tiger Mentors program is smaller than in years past, the program is still looking to expand.

“Just think about it,” Gray said. “The more people that get involved, the more kids that will get helped.”

Scott, Grey and Olsen hope that more Consol students will consider participating in the program next year.

“It’s really cool and you should do it because it makes kids smile, and who wouldn’t want to see a kid smile?” Scott said.

Participation in Tiger Mentors is an easy way to reach out to and support children in need.

“These kids don’t really have people in their lives, but they will have us to count on,” Gray said.

“If they see our actions going every week and giving them advice, it will change their lives for the better.”

the roar | news | 3

friday, dec. 11, 2015

Students, teachers overcome challenges of learning disorders with Section 504 accommodations “learning disorders” cont. from page 1 ADHD/ADD

The classification of ADHD is a young enough concept that there is dispute over proper terminology. Originally known as hyperkinetic impulse disorder, it was renamed attention deficit disorder, or ADD, in 1980.

Although some healthcare professionals still prefer the term ADD, most now follow the American Psychological Association’s 2000 decision to rename the disorder ADHD and divide it into three types.

“One type is predominantly inattentive. That’s like when you see kids [who] are daydreaming, lethargic, just inattentive,” school psychologist Becky Hall said. “The next type is the hyperactive, impulsive one. You’ll see a lot of movement, a lot of distractions, and a lot of extraneous activity that doesn’t look purposeful. And finally there’s the combined type where you have both [hyperactivity and inattention] showing up.”

Although patterns indicate ADHD is genetically inherited, the exact reason why people get ADHD is unknown.

“The thinking that helps people pay attention and concentrate occurs in the front part of the brain,” school nurse Dianne Dusold said. “[In students with ADD or ADHD], the part of the brain that helps you pay attention, concentrate, organize things and put the brakes on impulsivity and unacceptable behavior just doesn’t seem to get signals. That part of the brain doesn’t have much to do with our intelligence, though.”

Freshman Andrew Perry puts it in less medical terms.

“When I was ten, my mom took me to the doctor’s because I couldn’t stay still,” Perry said. “Paying attention is still kind of a challenge, like focusing in a classroom and not getting distracted by something else.”

Along with these more commonly known symptoms, those with ADHD may also face self-esteem issues, forgetfulness, sleeping disorders and social challenges.

“I didn’t see that I was being a nuisance or a problem or was talking out loud. I was just being myself and apparently I made a lot of other students uncomfortable with my random outbursts,” art teacher Robert Houchins said. “[Most people] just thought I was hyper and ate too much sugar.”

To this day, some people do not believe

that ADHD is an actual medical condition and dismiss it as immaturity or excess energy that simply comes with being a kid. Casper says that a thorough medical examination is necessary for diagnosis because many of the characteristics associated with ADHD are also indicators of anything from stress to Asperberger’s syndrome.

However, she adds that ADHD isn’t just something that appears during childhood; in fact, it often continues well into adulthood.

“I’m able to deal with it now. I just try to move around more often and it’s not too much of an issue,” Houchins said. “Sometimes it still affects me.

Being in the same place every day, doing kind of repetitive tasks and staying in a confined area is challenging.”

DYSLEXIA

repetitively, every single day.”

Although junior Bridget Griesbach was diagnosed with dyslexia in fourth grade, she still feels very cautious about her reading.

“Whenever we’re reading books for English, I always have to listen to the audiobook or I won’t finish in time,” Griesbach said. “I don’t like reading out loud. I know the words but I just don’t say it as smoothly as other people do.”

However, Griesbach says she doesn’t let those struggles hold her back.

“I still challenge myself [by taking] all advanced classes [and taking] part in extracurricular a c t i v i t i e s ,” Griesbach said.

“I still do pretty well. It’s trying the hardest that really matters.”

And Guyton stresses that once dyslexic students figure out how they learn best, they can be very successful.

“My parents had me read chapter books every night when I was younger.

I got a lot of practice so my dyslexia doesn’t affect me as bad as it used to,” junior Mackenzie Rosario said. “Now if I have trouble with something, I can go back to the ways I learned : I can sound out a word if I have problems with it; if it’s spelling, I’ll keep rewriting the words until I get them down.”

“It’s like we’re putting all the tools in their tool belt and teaching them how to use the tools properly so they know which tool to pull out when they need it.”

“Dyslexia is a difficulty with hearing and manipulating sounds, so either putting sounds together to make a word or taking sounds apart to spell a word,” dyslexia specialist Michelle Guyton said. “Print is not actually involved in the underlying cognitive process, but when students struggle with the cognitive process of hearing and manipulating sounds, we see that manifest itself as a difficulty with reading, writing and spelling— where print is involved.”

Because of this, Casper says that problems with fluency, decoding words and spelling are possible indicators of dyslexia.

And since reading and spelling are heavily integrated in the school day, Guyton explains that dyslexic students can get frustrated that they aren’t doing as well as their peers.

“If I was asked to do something every day that’s difficult for me, I would be down on myself too,” Guyton said. “I think [it can be] really tough on students when they’re asked to do tasks that they’re not good at,

dyslexia specialist Michelle Guyton

WHAT CONSOL DOES TO HELP

Nearly every learning disability or disorder can occur at varying levels of extremity. For example, one student with ADHD might only need to take a medication that affects the chemicals and nerves in the brain, such as Adderall, in order to concentrate and be successful.

However, a student with a more extreme case might need to combine medication with a support program in order to reach the highest level of success.

That’s where Section 504, the program which provides accommodations for students with disabilities, steps in.

“[It’s] basically a program that helps level the playing field,” Griesbach said. “If I need to use my extended time, I can tell my teachers. It makes it so much easier because without it, I feel crammed for time because I can’t read things as fast and will still be reading when other people are done.”

Other 504 program ‘interventions’ include being closer to the teacher, having cues to get back on task, peer tutoring, having a self-management system with rewards and receiving a copy of the teacher’s notes.

The type of accommodation given out is decided at a 504 meeting at the beginning of the year.

“It’s usually the counselor, assistant principal, the nurse, parents, students and teacher’s information that we gather together,” Casper said. “We determine what accommodations that student needs in the classroom. [Once the committee is] in agreement, those accommodations are sent out from our office to all of that student’s classroom teachers.”

However, Guyton stresses that it’s not just a group of adults making decisions for the students.

“They’re a part of the team. What we initially put into place may or may not work over time — it may be what they need at that moment in time, but as they develop a skill set, [the accommodations] may need to change and grow with the student,” Guyton said. “They need to share what works and what doesn’t for them, and then we can really help so much more.”

Guyton says that over time a lot of growth is seen.

“It’s like we’re putting all the tools in their tool belt and teaching them how to use the tools properly so they know which tool to pull out when they need it,” Guyton said. “And then they’re ready to face the learning.”

Because it can be frustrating to not have those ‘tools’, Casper said students who find out they have a disorder or disability aren’t usually scared.

“It’s more like, ‘aha! This is something I’ve been thinking it was,’” Casper said.

“Sometimes it just helps to have a label so they can get help.”

Casper reminds students that they are always welcome to visit the nurse’s or counselors’ offices if they have any concerns.

“Seeking help is not a bad thing,” Hall said. “You do not have to do it on your own.”

4 | news | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

Students participate in radio program, gain passion for communications haley mitchell online and photography editor Every Friday morning at 7:30 in the morning, sophomore Cassie He is awake and listening to herself on the radio.

“Every month we go to the recording station and we record one or two scripts,” He said. “In the morning they play the two minute segment called the Invisible Jungle.”

The Invisible Jungle is broadcast by A&M’s student radio station, KAMU. He and fellow sophomore Madison Huff became involved with the program through a professor at A&M. “Last summer there was a contest where you could enter to write a script and if you won then it would be on the radio, and we wrote a script about the hygiene hypothesis,” Huff said.

Anything can spur inspiration for a script.

“I read something about how people in the US get more allergies than people in underdeveloped countries and I did a lot of research on that,” He said. “It’s basically because we’re really clean in the US so we don’t have this developed immune system, and our immune system is pretty jank and it overreacts to a bunch of stuff and that’s why we have aller-

‘‘

gies. That was the first recording that we did, and then after that I started becoming more interested in microbiology.”

Though the Invisible Jungle focuses exclusively on the small-scale world of microbiology, it is a broad field.

“My mom is a microbiologist. She would always tell me interesting things, we’d be having a conversation and she would remember an interesting fact she’d just tell me about, so over the years I’ve accumulated lots of useless facts about microbiology,” Huff said with a laugh.

Huff now uses this knowledge to write scripts which she reads on the radio. The sophomores also consult sciSOPHOMORE ence websites like ScienCASSIE HE tific American and New York Times Science. But it takes more than research to complete the show.

“We go for a practice session where we read our script to Dr. de Figueiredo and he critiques us and tells us how to say a lot of words that are hard to say and makes sure that we rehearsed it,” Huff said.

Overall, the process and preparation that goes into every radio broadcast and script is unique.

“It’s different from Science Olympiad or Science Bowl because you get to actually interact with the community and learn facts,” He said. “But it’s about being able to teach people in a way that’s easy to understand and use science in a more practical sense than if you were to read a textbook or take a test.”

MAKING WAVES

radio stories from the Invisible Jungle

It’s about being able to teach people in a way that’s easy to understand.

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One Man’s Trash Is Another Bacteria’s Treasure A microbial species’ ability to use carbon as a source of energy could reduce landfills.

The Golden Cure for Cancer CRISPR-Cas9 offers a new way to edit genes in order to cure genetic disorders.

A Cutting Edge Way to Modify DNA Gold nanoparticles have proven to be an ineffective combatant against malignant tumors.

Are We Too Clean?

The Hygiene Hypothesis offers insight into why being ultraclean may cause allergies.

the roar | opinions | 5

friday, dec. 11, 2015

“You just don’t understand.”

Differences too often seen as conflict, not opportunity for understanding

rachel lamb

senior editor “You just don’t understand.” What a great end to a conversation. It supplies a clear consensus, and a good mutual conclusion, I wish. Just yelling “you will never understand” would be easiest way to end a conversation, but that doesn’t fix anything.

Developing a level of understanding for someone else’s situation is difficult. But, we can not cast off not understanding as equal to meaning that the problem or situation is not important. We should strive to understand.

Empathy is defined as the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

Understanding another person’s feelings can be extremely difficult, particularly when this person is close to you. Determining whether he or she is angry with you, is in love with you, or is frustrated by you is usually pretty confusing. So it seems like a pretty tall order to expect people from different backgrounds to be able to understand how their peers feel, or even recognize the

experiences behind their emotions. Yet this is precisely why having empathy shouldn’t merely be a valued trait, but also one considered central to our lives as a whole. This being said, having the ability to connect to and apprehend those around us can make the world a better place. Meeting new people can help provide perspectives and experiences that are interesting, and can provide a new attitude towards the world around them.

Although society as a whole lacks empathy, individual humans do as well.

Many lack the ability to shoulder other’s’ feelings and the ability to understand why they feel the way they do. The fact is, no one expects others to be able to comprehend their situation.

Yet it is important to try. While no one can truly live another person’s horrors or obstacles, this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try to empathize. There are many issues that are easy to brush off and ignore, especially if it is difficult to understand them, but we should nevertheless try to understand others’ issues and face them head on. The first step should be connecting with others, stepping around boundaries to greet other people, and having a conversation about the problem at hand.

I’m not the best at following my own advice. Most of the time when I get into

arguments, I am pretty confident that I am correct. It is really easy to only acknowledge my own beliefs, and to cast off others as inadequate. Not only can this attitude create conflict, but it leads to a general lack of perspective. I should value the opportunity to be faced with differences of opinions more.

Confrontation shouldn’t be a yelling match about opinions, or a means to harshly state opinions, but a time for talking and honesty. Because the reality is, no individual is exactly like another. There is no specific definition for each person, each group of people. The complexity of people, of society, transcends our own social groups as well. This inability to have a constructive conversation can be seen in all aspects of society.

This is often observed in politics, where the respectful, constructive and openminded are not often seen.

This lack of basic conversations leads to the diminution of empathy, and furthermore, the inability to communicate, acknowledge and respect others’ beliefs. Pervasive problems in society such as quick stereotyping and hate often stem from lack of understanding. In addition, individualism and diversity in opinion make society way more interesting.

Rachel is the senior editor of The Roar.

Interested in discussing empathy? Email her at the.roar.lamb@gmail.com.

“Having empathy shouldn’t merely be a valued trait, but also one considered central to our lives as a whole.”

em·pa·thy : the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

ting t e g

friday, dec. 11, 2015

hot

It’s

6| opinions | the roar

in here School attendance policies questioned by periodically sick sophomore

jennifer zhan opinions editor

It’s that time of year again — the months when high school students live in fear. No one is safe. No one can be trusted.

That’s right. It’s cold season.

I’ve always had a pretty weak immune system.

Pneumonia, bronchitis… you name it, I’ve probably had it. At first, this only translated into more lollipops from the doctor’s office. However, it quickly became a greater inconvenience to miss a week or two of school. I was relieved to see that by the time I started high school, I wasn’t regularly getting anything more serious than a cold.

But it turns out only an amateur thinks that the common cold is harmless. Pop quizzes, angry teachers, presentations without notes… nothing can compare, for few things are more terrifying than waking up with a faint tickling in the back of my throat. If you’ve got a 104° fever or you’re throwing up uncontrollably, you know you have to stay home. But a cold? So much easier to deny...

“That’s strange. I’m kinda thirsty. Oh well, this will go away. Definitely. Yup. Nothing to worry about here.”

A couple days later my throat is on fire. It hurts to swallow. “I CAN’T GET SICK NOW. PLEASE NOT NOW- ANY WEEK BUT NOW, PLEASE I HAVE SO MANY TESTS COME ON,” I beg.

It’s useless. Three days later the war begins. I arm myself with cough drops, a water bottle and pure determination. Suppressing coughs during class is a battle in itself, making me look like I’m briefly possessed by a demon every 15 seconds.

I’m a hypocrite, though, because when someone near me appears to be attempting to regurgitate their lungs, I wonder why they don’t just stay home. How incredibly selfish. Think of all the germs they’re spreading. I would never do that to my peers.

Except I do. No matter how much I cringe when I see a sick person staggering around school, I know in their situation I would be doing the exact same thing.

Because this is high school. No amount of lollipops can make up for missing one class period of school, let alone the week it would take to fully recover. We love to hate schoolwork; we insist we would jump at any chance to skip doing it. But in that annoyingly realistic part of our minds, we understand that whether we’re there or not, the homework and labs and quizzes and tests and notes will go on. That’s one of the great constants in life.

Each year at this time, some of my friends insist that their good hygiene will save them.

Others fold into themselves and refuse to get within a certain distance of any sick person. I, however, have finally accepted that this cycle is never-ending. We know exactly who is responsible for getting us sick, and who we spread it to. Our internal war isn’t just physical, it’s mental, too. We force ourselves to stagger to school. We are the ones who lurch through the hallways, coughing and sneezing and wiping our leaking noses. We try desperately to ensure that we don’t get left behind. Where our immune systems are weak, students tell themselves to be strong.

Isn’t that kind of sick?

Jennifer Zhan is the opinions editor for The Roar.

Sick of classmates coming to school when they are ill?

Share your story to the.roar.zhan@gmail.com

ARTWORK BY ERIKA SALZMAN

the roar | opinions | 7

friday, dec. 11, 2015

LIFE IN PLASTIC

Korean-American discovers country’s problematic beauty ideals during visit june jeong | assistant editor I visited Korea this summer and felt really, really ugly. Although my family was generally welcoming and lovely to me, some of my relatives ganged up on me every now and then, casually noting that I wore an excessive amount of makeup which made me look like a “nalali,” which is basically a trashy, cigarette-smoking, high-school dropout. Or mentioning that my arms are freakishly long and I’m so gangly I look like an orangutan. Or telling me that my knees look like knobby crayons. Or that my eyebrows are super sparse and bizarre looking.

At first, I assumed the thoughts applied only to these particular relatives, so I didn’t care very much, but the judgment of physical characteristics unfortunately didn’t lie solely within my family. On subways, at restaurants, or at malls, I often felt uncomfortable under the fixated and judgmental glances and sometimes straight-up stares of Korean women. It was a culture shock. Some forms of close-mindedness (sexism, racism, homophobia, and stress on physical conformity) are still considered acceptable in Korea.

Even knowing this, after one particularly brutal night of backhanded compli-

ments and rude comments, I got in a heated adults who barely knew me made hurtful argument with one of my aunts and ended comments regarding my appearance, nodup heading outside the apartment and cry- ding or smiling sweetly, as though they ing in frustration and righteous fury. In were doing me a huge favor by telling me retrospect, I acknowledge that my relatives I looked bad. Only now do I realize that do genuinely love me and care about me. these judgments are mostly founded on But for better or for worse, Korean culture societal manipulation. has consistently centered on bluntness over It breaks my heart that so many Korepoliteness. At times, they loved me the only an women (1 out of 5) go under the knife way they know how, harshly and honestly. to appease these conformist voices. UnderRather than spreading a supportive type of going cosmetic surgery has been added to love to me, they atthe already lengthy tempted to better list of things women It’s not so much the people, must do to be socially me by unknowingly stabbing at but the crisis of internalized accepted, like shavthe very heart of racism, xenopohobia, and ing body hair. Not my insecurities. that there’s anything general superficiality.

But this wasn’t the wrong with somefirst time. one choosing to do I went to a lot of Korean dinner par- these things; people should do what makes ties when I was younger. I recall going to them happy. But the reality is, the decisions several and having a bunch of older Ko- many Korean women are making regardrean women evaluate my current state of ing cosmetic surgery aren’t founded on physical appeal while I listened submis- personal happiness. They are founded on sively, embarrassed and uncomfortable. insecurities and self loathing. Something is “You would look a lot better without that deeply messed up when a country basicalacne.” I felt like I was essentially expected ly has a bullet-point list of traits that make to be thankful for their advice and remarks people beautiful. about my skin or the shape of my features.

Korea’s culture has many beautiful Instead of asking about my interests, my aspects: respect of elders, conservation of passions or even how I was doing, some temples and natural resources, safety and

“

religious tolerance, for example. But there’s nevertheless a problem pervasive in the society. It’s not so much the people, but the crisis of internalized-racism, xenophobia and general superficiality that lies at the core of the country’s ideals. An epidemic on “beauty” has completely swept this nation. People’s views are twisted and an already pretty homogenous culture is currently being shoved into an even tinier box of standardized beauty.

I would be lying if I claimed that I’m now completely satisfied with who I am. I guess that might sound superficial and unsatisfying, especially when there are people facing so much worse than I am, but it’s the truth. And I can’t keep belittling how I feel.

I think with patience though, I can continue to overcome at least some of my bad thoughts about myself. I challenge anyone who also faces feelings of insecurity to remember something pretty cheesy: anyone can look at you and make a judgment concerning your physical appearance. Anyone can see the flesh. Only those who love you will see your heart.

June is an assistant editor for The Roar. Want to discuss similar experiences concerning body image? Share your opinion to the.roar.jeong@gmail.com.

8 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

When Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist, shot a beloved IS SOCIAL Zimbabwean lion named Cecil, people began leaving angry comments on his business page and sent him messages expressing their MEDIA disapproval. Palmer disappeared from the public eye until online backlash died down. On a smaller scale, too, it’s easy to use social SHAMING media to villify people when they say or do something offensive.

But is this type of ‘social media shaming’ okay?

ACCEPTABLE?

the roar’s consensus

w

THE ROAR

11:00 PM

50%

student opinions brittany scott | junior I think the best thing to do is ignore them. Block them or whatever, but don’t put yourself in the situation and talk them down because that makes you just as low as them. t’ajia foster | sophomore You should not be attacking the person, but it’s okay to voice your opinion about what they did. You have the freedom of speech. parth sarin | sophomore Social media does create a powerful platform for change, but it’s not the proper medium for shaming.

Instead, people should make information available for others to create their own decisions. david columbus | freshman I feel like it’s good to an extent. If someone does something bad, you shouldn’t call them out, but if people are being really rude, you should tell them that’s not right.

With the rise in social media, we’ve seen an equal increase in the numbers of “social justice warriors” — those who dedicate time to bring attention and advocate for certain causes through the Internet. The Internet has provided the perfect platform for anyone — with a computer and the passion — to accomplish what used to be controlled by celebrities, the media or politicians: in the past couple of months, we’ve seen posts and videos promote racial and income equality, as well as highlight the inconsistency in media coverage on terrorist attacks.

However, that same facet of social media has given rise to the counterpart of social media activism — social media shaming. In those same few months, we’ve seen professors from Missouri and Connecticut fired for certain actions and comments, all because of a viral video.

But, while social media shaming does serve to pressure employers and the public to take action (whether or not they agree), it fails to accomplish any significant and lasting change. To forever haunt someone’s life because of one incident will not change any mindsets; to force someone to resign or lose their job does not have the effect of true change.

Besides, it’s entirely hypocritical that some people feel the need to criticize and guilt someone who in their eyes has erred in order to generate progress, as we all can fall short of the mark in others’ eyes. Somewhere we’ve read, “let he who is without sin...”

The Roar 2015-2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Senior Editor Online & Photography Editor Assistant Online Editor News Editor Features Editor Opinions Editor Entertainment Editor Staff Reporters Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser

Annie Zhang Stephanie Palazzolo Vi Burgess Rachel Lamb Haley Mitchell Josh Weimer Darcey Rydl Maya Girimaji Jennifer Zhan Olivia Garrett Yanichka Ariunbold June Jeong Michael Williams Chauncey Lindner

The Roar Editorial Board Annie Zhang • Stephanie Palazzolo • Jennifer Zhan

The Roar is produced by the Advanced Journalism class at A&M Consolidated High School, 1801 Harvey Mitchell Parkway S., College Station,Texas, 77840. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words.

The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor and opinions editor.

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Desi me rollin’

friday, dec. 11, 2015

the roar | snapshots | 9

PHOTO BY MAYA GIRIMAJI

Students celebrate, observe South Asian culture with traditional clothes, foods

rachel lamb senior editor

Twice a year, the country music stops playing in the halls and the school becomes alive with vibrant colors and lively music as students come together to celebrate diversity.

“Desi Day is basically a day where we celebrate the Indian, Pakistani and Desi culture and just celebrate being different,” junior Nooran Riaz said. “We extend that to people who aren’t Desi, and we celebrate by dressing in Desi clothes, eating Desi food, playing Desi music in the halls and just trying to do everything Desi that day.”

Desi Day hopes to offer a glimpse into the Desi ethnicity for people who are not from South Asia.

“I feel like dressing up is one of the easiest ways to involve people in your culture,” senior Diya Girimaji said.

Not only does Desi Day introduce people to the Desi culture, it also provides a way for Desi people to connect to their own culture.

“I know personally, for myself, when I dress up in Desi clothes, I feel more attached to India,” Girimaji said. “In America, I’m in American clothes every day, so the one day I get to dress in Indian clothes, it makes me feel closer to home.”

Additionally, the day serves as a time to

recognize the diversity of cultures at Consol.

“It’s important to let people know that just because we are in America, and just because I have lived here all my life, doesn’t mean that I am going to let go of my other culture,” Riaz said.

Desi Day, exclusively celebrated at Consol, takes advantage of the diversity throughout the school.

“I think because A&M is here, we have the opportunity to learn about so many different types of cultures,” Desi Day sponsor and credit recovery teacher Elizabeth Cuhna said. “This is one day we can learn about this [culture] and really take advantage of the fact that we have students from all over the world here in our campus, and so for me, it’s just really an opportunity to celebrate that.”

Girimaji hopes the Desi Day experience will encourage the celebration of other cultures as well.

“I think it’s just important to be exposed to different things,” Girimaji said. “I like to have Desi Day, but I think they should also have other cultural days because I think it would be really cool to learn about other people’s cultures.”

Freshmen Avha Mohanty, Samantha Defigurerdo and Ritika Annapareddy strike a pose during the Desi Day celebrations. PHOTOS BY RACHEL LAMB

above: Juniors Shlok Mohanty and Sujay Shankar play a game of carrom. far left: Sophomore Morgan Kehrberg and seniors Christi Koufteros and Ester Araujo enjoy the refreshments offered in the Learning Lab. left: Senior Diya Girimaji was placed in charge of organizing Desi Day for 2015.

10 | people | the roar

friday, dec.

fathering responsibility

the roar | people| 11

11, 2015

Teenage fatherhood fosters maturity, growth, despite obstacles vi burgess & june jeong executive editor & assistant editor Senior Austin Landers was ready to step onto the baseball diamond when his girlfriend texted him that she was about to take a pregnancy test.

A few months later, their son, Miles, was born.

“I teared up, I’m not gonna lie. It was just kind of like, ‘Wow, is this really happening?’”. A lot was going through my head, I couldn’t even think straight,” Landers said. “It was definitely one of the best moments of my life. [I felt] pride, and on top of that, what are people gonna think, and all of that.”

While Miles’ birth delivered much joy for Landers and his girlfriend, it also sparked many challenges.

“It was hard at first because I’m the type of guy that needs my sleep,” Landers said. “I’d much rather see him than go to school, so I’d stay at my house. He’d keep me up all night and I wouldn’t want to go to school the next morning, but I’ve managed to get through.”

Furthermore, Miles has reshaped Landers’ plans for the future.

“I’ve always wanted to go play baseball in college, see how far I could go in that, and then I never really had the work ethic,” Landers said.

“Ever since he was born, I guess I’ve had something to work for, and it’s changed a whole lot.”

The experience also kindled Landers’ sense of devotion.

“It’s a different kind of love,” Landers said. “[It taught me] a lot of things, [like] how to become a man; you just grow up a lot faster than most people are used to.”

Among the many aspects of Landers’ life that Miles has changed is Landers’ schedule; he now leaves school at 12:30 p.m. each day for work periods. Unlike several other teenage parents, he is not enrolled in the Parenting Ed class.

“I’m still in high school; I still want to experience that experience a little bit, but it’s not going to be the exact same as everybody else in life,” Landers said.

As a junior, Landers was forced to assume a responsibility that many will not face for years to come. Fortunately, some choices were clearer than others.

“I couldn’t live with myself knowing that my kid is out there and I’m living life like every

other kid,” Landers said. “I’d rather have this responsibility than know that a little me is running around out there and I’m not the dad.”

Landers has many plans for both himself and his son in the upcoming years, including teaching his son to play baseball. “[I want him to] do a lot better than I did; [I want to] just raise him the right way, lead him in the right direction, do whatever I can to help, and be the best dad I can be,” Landers said.

Like Landers, sophomore Victor Scamardo found out that he was going to be a father during his sophomore year.

“I asked one of my friends if she could get a test for [Anna Torres],” Scamardo said. “She got it and took it and it came out positive. She took four and they all came out positive.”

Scamardo’s parents were initially disappointed in part because his mother was also a teenage parent; however, Torres’ mother “likes to talk about what she wants to do with the baby, like taking pictures,” according to Scamardo. “[Our parents] weren’t hoping to have anything like this yet, and they were kinda upset, they were more hurt than mad, but it’s been okay,” Torres said. “We’ve all talked about this, I know what I’m having already, and everybody’s excited and ready.”

Scamardo and Torres have developed a stronger bond through their child, a boy due in June to be named Victor Scamardo, Jr. “It’s impacted [my relationship with Torres] a lot. She and I are closer. Before this, we fought, but we didn’t fight a lot,” Scamardo said. “But now that we’re together, we’re working together.

And I know she’s going to be moody sometimes, so I try to keep calm.”

In addition to emotional support, Scamardo has been accompanying Torres through the more practical parts of her pregnancy.

“He tries to be there more; I take these classes on Thursdays that are called ‘Momma’s Club,’” Torres said. “I’ll go at night, and he goes with me, and I’m starting to take night classes for parenting and stuff and he goes with me, so he helps.”

Scamardo has begun to feel an added sense of responsibility. Currently, he is looking for a job to support his new family.

“Now, I feel like an adult. I have to stop talking to other people and focus on me. I try to focus on school during school and after, I worry about family stuff,” Scamardo said. “They’re starting to treat us like we’re adults.”

Scamardo’s world history teacher, Sarah

Manning, has offered her support in order to help them manage school, work and parenthood.

“I think Victor is highly intelligent and very capable. And I know that in the end he will be successful. Right now he’s obviously got added pressure, so I hope for him the very least [that] he graduates from high school,” Manning said.

“I know that in the end, he’s going to find a good career and a good job. I just want him to become a really good father and a really responsible father to take care of that baby.”

Manning’s advice for all teenage parents is to confide in an adult; for Scamardo, Manning was this adult.

“Mrs. Manning is cool about it. She told me that if we needed a ride to the doctor, she would give us a ride. And she helped us with the food pantry and some other stuff,” Scamardo said.

“We talk about a lot. We talk about the future and how [Anna and I] are both going to go to college and get a good education, so we can get good jobs and money.”

Scamardo and Torres are determined to defy the stereotypes surrounding society’s expectations of teenage parents.

“I just told [Anna] in the hallway, ‘I’m going to be a cool dad.’ She was like ‘No, because then I would be the bad one.’ And I was like ‘Nah,’” Scamardo said.

Scamardo hopes to not only be a fun parent, but to also make certain that his child makes good decisions.

“I hope that he’s not like me because I was bad,” Scamardo said. “In elementary school, I was good, but when I hit my teens, I didn’t care.”

For teenage fathers-to-be like Scamardo, Landers offers some advice garnered from a year of parenthood.

“Don’t give up on your kid. Kids need their parents, especially their dads. I’ve heard a lot of people say [that they] still struggle to this day because their dad wasn’t in their life,” Landers said.

“If it happens, it happens, but it’s an innocent little baby. They didn’t do anything; it was your choice, so take responsibility and make that kid’s life as good as it can be.”

Landers feels that this responsibility of parenthood has helped him mature as a person.

“It’s definitely made me a better person; it made me strive for better goals,” Landers said.

“I guess I’m proud of [Miles]. Not proud of the way he came, but he’s a blessing, just not the way most people would see it. He’s my world.”

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE PALAZZOLO

12 | people | the roar

STRAWN-minded man

Bob Strawn works as Consol’s main computer technician. PHOTO BY YANICHKA ARIUNBOLD

Strawn’s website displays many of his woodworking projects. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BOB STRAWN

friday, dec. 11, 2015

Computer technician finds fullfillment in variety of hobbies yanichka ariunbold staff reporter Jack-of-all trades and computer technician Bob Strawn can be seen around the school fixing teachers’ computers, giving tai chi lessons, discussing woodwork, talking about his newly released fantasy novels — or all of the above.

“I have a web page called toolmakingart.com, where I talk about gardening, woodworking and mostly hand-tool use,” Strawn said. “I have another website that I’ve just recently created, robertdavidstrawn.com, and that’s for my books — the authoring and the links.”

Strawn has worked at the school as a computer technician for over 15 years, primarily maintaining the computers and the computer labs, although his job has evolved throughout the years.

“I used to do a lot of the purchasing, but I don’t do that anymore, which is both ill and wonderful,” Strawn said, laughing.

“So, I’m a little bit of a hoarder — unless a bit of equipment is absolutely useless, I will keep it and strip parts out of old computers to fix new computers.”

Originally motivated to write so that he could read stories to his wife while she had pneumonia, Strawn decided to create a novel, which ended up becoming the fantasy series Headgames. The first two books are now available on Kindle.

“I was going to make this little bitty short young adult book, but my outline kept expanding,” Strawn said. “I’m already two-thirds of the way through the third book. They’re all really big, and I think it’s going to be six books now from the outline.”

Strawn cites that his inspiration for his books stem in part from the fascination with cross-cultural parallels in lore and language that he and his wife share.

“There are a lot of fairy tales that are shared throughout the world that are very similar, nearly identical. Some of those speak about the commonalities in human, how the human mind works the same way,” Strawn said. “It’s like, there are some words that are puns in English, and if you learn Japanese, you find that the same word might mean the same thing and have both meanings in Japanese. So,

oddly enough, a lot of puns that work in Japanese work in English, without any change.”

Among Strawn’s other passions lie gardening and woodworking, which he values for their “bond with the past.”

“I’m doing something that reaches back to the dawn of civilization,” Strawn said. “I’m sharing and using skills that have evolved and grown with man since his most humble beginnings.”

Furthermore, after injuring his back seven years ago, Strawn started to practice tai chi to alleviate the pain and has been an active participant ever since.

“Tai chi is training you to move. If you want to climb a tree, dodge something, lift something, tai chi is an appropriate exercise,” Strawn said. “Yes, it can be used for fighting, just like strength can be used for fighting. But it’s not limited to conflict; it’s open to life. So for me, tai chi is the way to go.”

Sueli Rocha-Rojas, Strawn’s sifu, or tai chi teacher, encouraged Strawn to develop his tai chi skills and believes Strawn has “surpassed the Master.”

“I thought I was never going to be able to do certain moves in tai chi. So I thought to myself, ‘Give it up. That’s not going to happen because people with my level of injury never get to that level in tai chi,’” Strawn said. “Sueli insisted and said, ‘You are now a teacher. You should teach this.’ I’m not her equal, and my tai chi is nowhere near as pretty, but now I can do it all.”

Strawn, a self-proclaimed “geek,” considers his many interests passions rather than just hobbies.

“People think that geeks and nerds are technical, but geeks and nerds are people that are interested. They’re people that easily develop passion,” Strawn said. “The whole concept of geek or nerd means that you didn’t lose your childhood joy.”

To Strawn, having varied passions is representative of youthfulness.

“The day you’re old is the day you don’t see why someone is interested in something because at that point, you’re withdrawing from life,” Strawn said. “And I don’t want to withdraw from life.”

friday, dec. 11, 2015

the roar| people | 13

PHOTOS BY MAYA GIRIMAJI

STRAIGHT OUTTA CONSOL NIO

R SAM B

L

Y

OR NI

H AL E Y G

RA

“You’re not working for somebody. You’re working for yourself.”

SE

N

ES R W TIN BI S IO

“I want people to look at me as someone who influences others to do what they want to do.”

P HO

SE

It’s November.

High schools are stressing ACTs and SATs. Stacks of college applications are rising. Scholarships are opening up. A majority of students are pushing to meet deadlines.

An even smaller number of students, however, are not dealing with this anxiety.

“I decided I wanted to attend trade school to become a mechanic [when] I got more into building random stuff around the house,” senior Weston Bishop said. “I really like working with my hands instead of working in a classroom or working on a computer.”

Despite some unpopular questions Bishop has received, his determination has stayed steady.

“I have been asked, ‘You want to be a mechanic and you want to know about engines, [so] you want to be an engineer?’” Bishop said.

“My answer is always that I don’t want to sit at a desk all day. I want to turn wrenches and work with my hands.”

By attending trade school, Bishop will be able to graduate in roughly two years and head straight to the workforce.

“I will work for wherever I can get a job at the beginning of the game, which should be plentiful,” Bishop said. “After a couple of years, I want to open my own shop, do regular repairs and start doing custom builds like you see on “Gas Monkey” or “Fast and Loud”.”

But while Bishop seeks to build an interest in trade school from a hobby, senior Haley Gray is devoted to helping the family business.

“My mom owns one of the top three massage businesses in College Station, and there are a lot of massage therapists here,” Gray said. “I hope to be able to help people and help her.”

Gray’s specific area of work is not one found at a typical college. “[I would first go to] Healing Hand Academy in College Station for about seven months to do a human massage course,” Gray said. “I would learn all about the human muscles and how to relax them, and go back after a year and a half to do equine massage. Equine can be used for other animals like dogs.”

Unlike preparing for college by studying for tests, preparation for trade school requires more physical work.

“So far, I’m trying to build up my strength so I will be able to go through a full hour of massaging people,” Gray said. “I have massaged a few people for practice, and it takes a lot of energy out of me, so I have

to prepare, make sure I’m healthy enough to get through a massage.”

Even though trade school offers different aspects of exposure, Gray understands there are benefits in both career options, and the ultimate decision lies in one’s end goals.

“I am also thinking of going to college and making massage therapy my backup so I can teach legally or get a degree,” Gray said. “I don’t know how I’m going to tie that in, but I want to go to massage therapy first.”

On the other hand, senior Sam Beal’s target after graduation is to run his own business.

“My whole Korean side [of the family] has owned restaurants,” Beal said. “[This] made [my goal] seem more possible.”

A struggle that Beal also discovered when planning his future was his continual uncertainty in deciding exactly what he wanted to do.

“If I jump into [running a business], I’d be learning as I go, rather than learning in a classroom about how to run a business but never actually doing it,” Beal said. “There’s no shame in failing.”

Vice president and retired General Manager of Nucor Steel Corporation John Sheble believes greater awareness of post-graduation opportunities should be given to help high school students make a more efficient decision that may be better suited to their type of learning environment and experience.

“I believe that high schools should promote trade schools because not everyone is cut out to go to college,” said. “By attending a trade school, a student is able to continue their education in a field of interest that could be applied to their profession in later life, and employers are able to hire people who have a background in those areas.”

In addition to an individual’s personal contributions, the demand for workers has steadily increased.

“The popularity of trade schools has increased,” Sheble said. “Because the employee pool has reduced, companies are expanding their searches. Formerly, employers were able to draw from a vast experienced workforce, but the number of jobs today exceeds the number of available skilled workers.”

Trade school offers many rewarding opportunities for students in addition to its significantly low cost.

“Trade school is a simple way to get to the point of what you want to do,” Gray said. “It is a simple course to earn a certificate or license, and I chose it because I like getting to the point.”

SE

darcey rydl I news editor

EA

Seniors discuss trade school, other non-collegiate plans for future

“Don’t choose a job for money. Choose a job for the work.”

14 | people | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

noteworthy

talent

Participation in symphony introduces new facet to young musicianship jennifer zhan opinions editor A symphony might conjure up images of a high-class event, something where professional musicians with decades of practice come together. But for three Consol students, performing with a symphony is just a normal part of life.

“The Houston Youth Symphony includes mostly students from the Houston metropolitan area, but there are a few people like us who come from about as far as College Station,” senior French horn player Nick Farmer said.

Members of the prestigious orchestra are required to attend three hour rehearsals every week. Four or five hours are added for the commute and dinner. However, they are expected to learn and practice their own parts at home.

“Especially if you have a lot of homework, you have to get it done earlier because you don’t have as much time to do it on Sunday,” senior violinist Minha Kim said.

So why do it?

“I enjoy playing with high caliber musicians who are serious about what they do and know what they’re doing,” Farmer said. “There’s no flippant or careless attitude towards what’s happening.”

And it’s not easy to find a group of people who all genuinely love music, says sophomore violinist Hannah Chang.

“I wish people, for example, in our school orchestra, could attend one of our rehearsals and sit side by side with HYS players,” Chang said. “They’d truly see how dedicated everyone is, how willing… the energy is so positive, nothing else compares.”

Chang says that experiencing this atmosphere firsthand really made her aware of how talented people were outside of College Station.

“In HYS you meet people who are literally first or second in the state,” Chang said. “It’s really mind-opening because you have to work really really hard to attain a good chair.”

Because of their skill level, HYS members have the opportunity to play more extensive pieces that normal orchestras would not be able to put together.

“It’s probably the closest you can get to a professional orchestra that’s still an amateur orchestra,” Kim said.

However, she stresses that anyone can join.

“A lot of people think programs like this are exclusive to a specific kind of people- like, they think you have to be mature to a certain level in music,” Kim said. “But it’s not like that. There are different levels, and lots of little kids start in the lowest one and grow into the program.”

Chang, Farmer and Kim are all in the most advanced orchestra, Symphony. It has been nationally recognized for its performances in competition and concerts. But while HYS members are serious about what they do, they know how to have fun, too.

“At one concert during the encore, we surprised the audience. We pretended to get our instruments up, but we

all started singing instead,” Kim said. “The flutes got really excited and started screaming. That was a great day.”

Participation in HYS has been the foundation for many strong friendships.

“Being so dedicated to an instrument brings together people from different areas,” Chang said. “I just like the satisfaction of when it pays off, like when you play in groups and you sound really good. You get a really warm feeling.”

The quality of music inspires her to work hard.

“I think one goal is just staying in HYS throughout high school because of how busy the next couple of years will be,” Chang said.

Farmer hopes to be in the principal horn position by the next concert. Meanwhile, Kim wants to get the highest chair possible, but she also has another goal.

“I want to practice to a point that I can start making music, not just playing,” Kim said.

Kim said music provides much more than a way to express herself “I can use my violin to play with other different kinds of people. I don’t have to play by myself,” Kim said. “And sometimes people can understand your music better than they can understand your actual opinions and thoughts.”

Farmer also echoed that sentiment, saying that music is a chance for him to express emotion without any accompanying logic.

“Something I wish other people knew about HYS?” Farmer said. “It really is as good as it sounds.”

friday, dec. 11, 2015

literal goals

Senior graduates early, heads to A&M on soccer scholarship

annie zhang | editor-in-chief For fifteen years, senior Callyn Walton has been waiting for this December.

It will be her last month of high school and her last month of non-collegiate soccer before she plays for Texas A&M University next January.

“It’s scary, but it’s always been my dream, since I was three. I’ve been going to A&M games since I was that little, and it’s always been my dream,” Walton said. “It was always a big reach though, because every little girl wants to go to A&M to play soccer.”

Walton began playing soccer at the young age of three, though her love for it developed some time later.

“When I first started playing little pee-wee soccer, I would cry the whole time. But then after the games, Mom and Dad would ask if I had fun, and I’d be like, ‘Yeah! I had so much fun,’” Walton said. “My dad tried to pull me out, but my mom said, ‘She said she’s having fun, even though she’s crying.’ She kept me in it, and shut up my dad, even though he was like, ‘I hate to see her cry.’”

By eighth grade, Walton was dedicating hours a week to drive to Houston in order to play for the Challenge soccer club.

“We had to make a decision because I had to move to a different club in a bigger area with better teams and better coaching,” Walton said. “That’s when I decided to stop playing all the other sports and focus on soccer.”

Although her middle school coaches were “upset” that Walton had to quit her other sports, such as volleyball, it became evident to others that soccer indeed was her sport.

“Soccer is her life. I can’t even describe her love of soccer,” Walton’s best friend and senior Kelsey Sevcik said.

“She’s wanted to play it since she was out the womb. Every single goal she’s ever set, she’s met so far, and I think it’s really awesome that she’s so passionate about something and so driven to be the best she possibly can.”

But, with games and showcases located everywhere from Dallas to Seattle, the journey wasn’t easy.

“I’d had to miss out on certain things, like events at high school and things that my friends went to but that I had to miss because of all the games and all the practices,” Walton said.

Still, her dedication paid off when in January of 2014, A&M gave her an offer to play for its soccer team.

“Sophomore year was the year that I was offered by Auburn,” Walton said. “I fell in love with Auburn, so then it came down to either Auburn [or] A&M, and [when A&M] offered me, I committed then to them.”

Despite her ambition and drive on the field, Walton remains “one of the sweetest and nicest girls,” Sevcik said.

“She’s so competitive on the soccer field, and she’s really a different person than when she’s with me, when she’s with people,” Sevcik said. “She never wants to hurt anyone.

On the soccer field, she’ll knock you down, but she’s the opposite in person.”

Walton’s biggest sources of inspiration, in addition to her coaches, are Ashlee Pistorius, who Walton will replace this year as #24, and the other girls on the A&M team.

“I already know all of the girls [in my recruiting class]—we’re super close and talk all the time—and with me being able to live here and have season tickets, I’ve gotten to know all the freshman that are there right now,” Walton said. “I’ve met everyone, but I’m excited to be friends with them.”

Walton will major in Allied Health, with aspirations of eventually becoming a doctor or surgeon. “[A&M] is very good at being student-oriented. They make me have a study hall every week; I have to meet with my advisor every week; they have a person, who, if I miss class, will tell my coaches, unless I’m deadly sick or something crazy happens,” Walton said. “You have to do well in your studies before you play soccer.”

Yet A&M’s offer is merely the first step to Walton’s final goal: “With A&M being so competitive in their soccer program, no one is guaranteed any playing time. I’m going to work my butt off to play, because as a freshman, you have to earn your time,” Walton said. “I work really hard, and every goal I’ve said I’m going to do, I’ve done it. And my goal is to play, so I’m going to play.”

the roar | sports | 15

“Soccer is her life. I can’t even describe her love of soccer.” senior Kelsey Sevcik

PHOTO BY VI BURGESS

16 | sports | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

Tennis ends season with regional victory, celebrates individual achievements josh weimer assistant online editor Soon after the Tiger’s win at Regionals, a video of junior Tory Templin’s dramatic victory was shown all throughout social media and even school projectors at lunch and in the main hallway. This last second clutch secured the Tiger Tennis team’s spot at state for only the 4th time in school history.

“What happened in the video was I won the match and qualified us for state,” Templin said. “In the moment I was so excited and the pressure had built up, and it was a relief that we actually won.

Everyone ran onto the court because state is a really big deal, it’s hard to qualify for and a big feat.”

While Templin may downplay his victory, this tournament came down to the wire. The regional competition was composed of 19 individual matches, with AMCHS and CSHS each winning 9. Templin’s match was the final one, and if he won it, the team would go to state.

“It was nerve-racking honestly,” senior Chad Nguyen said. “He was up 6-1, and then he goes down 7-9, and then he comes back, and it was really a rollercoaster experience.”

Due to this being the final match of a tied competition, there was a lot of pressure to succeed.

“I was concentrated for sure, because you have to be concentrated to block out the other team and block out the negative things that come with missing a ball,” Templin said. “There was an aspect of nervousness, because you want to perform, you don’t want to play bad in front of your whole team.”

While there was a lot of pressure on Templin in the final game, he didn’t feel intimidated.

“I personally liked it because I like being watched, I like to be cheered for,”

Templin said. “It’s something I would want to feel again, if I got the opportunity I would be comfortable doing it again.”

Although Templin played an important role in securing the team’s trip to state, in the end the victory was a team effort.

“I was proud of my teammates and I know they were proud of themselves. We all played our best,” Templin said Templin wasn’t the only athlete to receive recognition for his achievements though. Senior Rachel Tindall also was recognized, winning the TGCA 4A/5A/6A girls player of the year award.

“I was shocked,” Tindall said. “There were a lot of girls there, and I think they decided it based on team spirit. It was cool.”

These victories for the Tiger Tennis team extend beyond this year though.

Nguyen thinks that the recent successes will benefit the team in the coming years.

“It sets a good tone for the younger kids to succeed in the future,” Nguyen said. “There’s a couple good kids coming in from 8th grade, and that will help the team. Our team next year will be stronger than this year’s team, I believe.”

Following in the footsteps of last year’s tennis state thing, Templin feels that this is only the beginning of what the tennis team can accomplish.

“Going twice in a row feels like it starts something,” Templin said. “If we’ve gone twice I know we can go a 3rd time and a 4th time and I think it starts momentum for the coming years, and whenever I’m gone the youngers kids will look back and say ‘these guys did it so we can do it too’.”

All in all, the Tiger Tennis team had a great season and an amazing performance at regionals and state.

“It was just a big honor for all of us to go back for a second year in a row,” Senior Chad Nguyen said. “It was a big privilege and we were all really excited.”

“I was proud of my teammates and I know they were proud of themselves. We all played our best.” junior Tory Templin

order in the

COURT Season Stats Opponent........Score

Katy Taylor.......10-9 Montgomery........13-6 Allen........3-16 Plano East........12-7 Texarkana Texas........10-8 Midland........6-13 Huntsville........19-0 Groesbeck........17-2 Willis........16-3 Bryan.......17-2 Houston Clear Lake........13-6 Conroe Caney Creek........19-0 Katy Seven Lakes.......3-16 Klein.......11-7 College Station........10-9 Houston Langham Creek.......19-0 Houston Cypress Ranch........3-16 Bryan Rudder........19-0 Livingston........19-0 Conroe The Woodlands.......3-16 Georgetown........9-10

Playoff Results

Waco........10-0 Willis........10-2 Magnolia West.......10-3 Richmond Foster........11-3 College Station........10-9

top of

the roar | sports | 17

friday, dec. 11, 2015

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE PALAZZOLO

their game Wrestling team discusses love for lesser-known sport stephanie palazzolo | managing editor Each day, a group of athletes spend three hours grappling and fighting, three hours of pinning and headlocking with just one thought in their minds: get the opponent on the mat.

And then they shake hands, help each other up and grab dinner afterwards.

“As wrestlers, you’re sitting there, beating each other up all day,” junior Harley Coons said, “so if you can sit there and beat each other up and not completely take out all your anger on someone, you start to love that person as a family member.”

The athletes pride themselves on their closeknit team, brought together by the grit of wrestling. Although it is considered an individual sport, the wrestlers emphasize the importance of camaraderie and support from their fellow teammates.

“Once you perform and the light is shining down on you, that’s where you’re by yourself, and that’s when it really matters,” Coons said. “But people don’t understand that if you don’t have a good team that is set, solid, ready to wrestle, [then] no one’s going to get better.”

Even after losses, the wrestlers agree that they can rely on each other to lighten the mood.

“I try to make the best of times when everybody gets down, and [although] it seems like I’m a bully because I’m [getting onto] everybody, I just want the team to be strong and know that we have each other’s backs,” Coons said. “I try to encourage and make things funny because that always makes someone smile.”

Coons, who has wrestled since he was four, credits much of his success to his long experience with wrestling. Fellow wrestler, freshman Mason

Kruljac, agrees and adds that his love for wrestling has encouraged him to start a local club. “[When] we moved here [three years ago], there wasn’t a kids’ program, so I just came in and worked out with Coach Salyer while he was back at Bryan,” Kruljac said. “About a year ago, my dad, a few others and I started a local kids’ program.

[The kids] are going to tournaments every one to two weekends; it’s about 20, 25 little kids in there.”

The team is highly decorated, with wrestlers winning district and regionals, placing at state and participating in national competitions; despite this, though, most of the players agree that wrestling, especially in Texas, tends to be an underrated and sometimes even stigmatized sport, hidden under football’s shadow. “[Wrestling] definitely scares people, especially knowing that you’re getting slammed,” Coons said. “But you could say football is violent, you could say soccer is violent, you could say ice hockey and dance are violent. Wrestling is a beautiful sport to me, and I see anger getting let out and you either overcoming, winning and knowing you did good or failing and knowing you can learn from it.”

Although some wrestlers use the sport as an emotional outlet, others stress the importance of composure and control during a match.

“If you really get angry, you will lose focus during the match and lose,” junior Za’Maia Marshall said. “In my weight class, there’s not that many strong girls, maybe three out of the whole weight class. They’ll get mad, but I stay calm and under control so I [can] actually win the match.

I know that they [are] stronger than me, [so] I

[have] to use something else to beat them.”

Furthermore, many people feel uncomfortable with the physical contact in wrestling, but Coons says that it stems from “just being uncomfortable with yourself ” and “not knowing what wrestling is.”

Others simply state that wrestling doesn’t pose any challenges, but the athletes argue that wrestling is one of the most difficult sports. “[Wrestling] takes a lot. You can’t just have muscles,” senior Antonio Valadez said. “What’s the point of being really strong and having all this experience if you get tired out easily, and you don’t have any energy left? You’re just going to fall and not have enough energy to get back up.”

Also, instead of stable objects like bats or balls, wrestling relies solely on the most complicated machine in the world: the human body.

“It’s not as easy as basketball where you just have to dribble a ball and shoot and hope you make it,” Marshall said. “You’re literally going to get another human body and try to get it to the mat and get a bigger advantage over this person.”

In the end, though, the wrestlers agree that overcoming the obstacles that come with wrestling is what truly drives their love for the sport, not the prospect of winning or pleasing their coaches.

“In every sport, you always have that fear of losing, making [your] coach upset, and you can’t focus,” Valadez said. “As you join the match, there’s going to be guys that intimidate you, but you can’t listen to that fear. You have to realize, ‘I worked my butt off to get here, I’m going to give it my all and whether I win or lose, I’m going to wrestle.’”

18 | entertainment | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

The Roar compiled a list of stocking essentials to give to your friends and family this holiday season.

R A RO

T HE 1. chapstick

2.

You’ll either lose them again, or someone will steal them.

Be prepared for mistletoe.

3.

earbuds

anthing dinosaur related

More people need to be aware of the amazing world of

beanie babies

4.

Now you’ll always have something to keep you company.

paleontology. Also, ROAR.

5.

a deck of cards

a taco casa calendar

Cheap and portable entertainment.

You really can’t get much better

Taco Tony doesn’t lie when he says, “They make great gifts.”

6.

2016 calendar

than that.

the roar| entertainment | 19

friday, dec. 11, 2015

The Roar reviews unique, local eateries around the BCS area When turning on Dominik Dr. in College Station, the vines at Blue Baker may pull your attention their way, but if you pay extra close attention, you will find a small restaurant called Centro American.

As soon as I walked into the restaurant, the waiter did not hesitate to provide me with menus and a comfortable seat.

The small building was not overwhelmingly crowded and the environment was quiet and peace-

darcey rydl news editor

ful — with the exception of the Spanish speaking TV. However, customers may not be used to the slower-paced environment the restaurant offers, so I would recommend eating there when you have no other events and are able to enjoy the entire atmosphere.

As for the food, it tastes very authentic. The only thing I did not care for was the watermelon juice. It tasted like I stuck a straw inside the middle of the watermelon and took a sip, but if this is your ideal way to drink fruit juice, I say go for it.

Overall the place was clean, the food was delicious, and the service was very accommodating.

Centro American Restuarant & Pupusaria

Don’t let the outside appearance fool you, Shannon’s, a soul food restaurant in Bryan is the real deal, offering delicious homestyle cooking.

It has a really friendly, welcoming atmosphere along with delicious food. I had the smothered chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and corn bread. While

everything was delicious the mashed potatoes with gravy and corn bread were the best part.

Shannon’s has a daily menu, has a bunch of different options each day, and offers breakfast, and lunch and closes in the afternoon. Shannon’s is a delicious, cheap restaurant with a very friendly staff.

Shannon’s Cafe

rachel lamb senior editor

Tastes of the

BCS Although I’m far from being an expert, I’m not an amateur to Korean cuisine because I eat it on a daily basis since I’m Korean.

It was funny though, because the waiters at Ohana assumed I was American or Japanese or something and talked for about two-three minutes between when my order arrived, explaining the meaning behind the name of my order “Tansuyuk”, and a fellow staffer’s arriv.

The service was overall pretty nice, but I sometimes felt uncomfortable and awkward because the waiters checked on me a total of nine times. The quality of the food was good and the sauce on the chicken was wonderful, but the overall dish was unfortunately not spectacular or particularly mind-blow-

ing. But considering the relatively low price, $12, for the amount of food I ate, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking to try something a bit exotic and authentically Korean.

Ohana Korean Grill

june jeong staff reporter

20 | etcetera | the roar

friday, dec. 11, 2015

social media Devoted vlogger changes to YouTube, emphasizes authenticity annie zhang editor-in-chief For one summer, junior Amanda Clegg was famous.

An avid vlogger, Clegg was featured on YouNow, a social network platform for audience members and vloggers to interact through live stream videos. “[I started vlogging] two summers ago with my friend. [YouNow] was one of those top-grossing apps, and we were like, ‘Let’s get famous on there,’” Clegg said. “[She] and I gained a lot of followers on that app: it shows who has the top broadcasts, and that’s how you can tell if you’re famous or not. We [were] on that for an entire summer.”

The two friends recorded themselves completing the cinnamon challenge, drinking pickle juice or applying makeup on their male friends.

“Looking back, it’s like, ‘What was I doing?’” Clegg said. “The one I specifically remember we filmed at my friend’s house, and her cousin and

brother were there. One of the commenters [asked my friend to] kiss her cousin, and it was just really awkward.”

But with viewers from around the world and commenters leaving her notes in several different languages, Clegg decided to continue vlogging three times a week. “[YouNow] shows how many people are viewing your videos, and it may seem like a low number compared to YouTube, since YouTube [isn’t] a live feed, but at one time, I had 2000 people watching my videos at one time,” Clegg said.

Though Clegg has deleted a good portion of her old videos because “she had braces in them,” she maintains that it was “fun and exhilarating.”

“People were actually interested in what I was doing, and sometimes I would just talk about random things,” Clegg said. “It’s just what you’re doing in your life then. I thought it was really cool that we were kind of famous on the app. You see all these Instagrammers with comments and likes [on their photos], and you think, ‘Wow, I’m kind of like them on this app.’”

Still, an incident towards the end of the summer forced her to stop vlogging for a few months.

“Some random guy posted my IP address in the comments, and I was scared about what he would do with it,” Clegg said. “That kind of showed me the dark side of the Internet, so I stopped doing vlogging for a little bit.”

Combined with her heavy course load, Clegg’s vlogging schedule slow-

ly dwindled, and when she resumed a year-and-a-half later, something else occurred to her: “When I first started vlogging, I definitely did care about views. But when I picked it up again, I didn’t really care; I didn’t have a set agenda of what to say to get people to listen,” Clegg said. “It stopped being ‘me vlogging for views,’ but ‘me vlogging for myself.’”

At the same time, Clegg began looking into a different media site, YouTube. But her experiences with YouNow may be just the key for her to stand out amongst a crowd of aspiring YouTubers.

“I feel like a lot of YouTubers are missing the ‘realness’ of people. In editing those videos, it kind of takes away the quality of who you are, your personality and I feel that if I start a YouTube, I want to show the realness of me, in the moment,” Clegg said. “I don’t want to be like, ‘This is what you have to do in order to post a makeup tutorial,’ because they all start to be look the same after a while. I want to branch out and incorporate a different aspect and make it unique. Make it me.”

And how exactly would Clegg describe that ‘me’?

“I’m funny, I’m really blunt, and I’m really good at contouring,” Clegg said. “People might read this and think I’m crazy, but hey, that’s just me.”

PHOTO OF AMANDA CLEGG BY ANNIE ZHANG