Vol. 24, Issue 2

THE ROAR NEWS

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1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 2018 | VOL. 24 NO. 2 | THEROARNEWS.COM

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FATE FOR

Despite parent worries, rezoned students adapt to new school environment, opportunities olivia conway | managing editor Last year, school board members announced the new zoning decision for the two high schools, including a decision not to grandfather several of the now ninth graders to their original high school. They expected the typical smattering of angry comments from parents upset about their child’s place of education, but the Fate for 58 movement that followed the announcement was unlike any previous public response. Parents took to Facebook to attack the school board decision, protests were arranged, impassioned speeches recorded and uploaded, but the children who were actually affected by the decision do not seem to share their parents’ outrage.

“I was okay with it--it’s like making new friends,” freshman Parley Marble said. “I already knew people here so even when I switched over I knew I could do the same things, and I wanted to take the medical path as it was already so I would have been switching schools [anyway].”

Marble is one of the several students who chose to

switch to Consol for ninth grade rather than waiting to switch for tenth. She remembers the process as being difficult, accompanied by extensive paperwork and official approval for her to switch for her freshman year, but she contends that waiting until tenth grade would have been a more jarring experience. So far her experiences have been overwhelmingly positive at Consol, contrary to the fears of the parents involved in the Fate for 58 movement.

“I was really nervous as to what would actually happen at this school and if I would be able to get along with the people here,” Marble said. “[But] I’ve made tons of new friends, and the teachers here are really nice too and you definitely get more one-on-one with them than you would at CSHS.” According to assistant principal Michael McEver, the Fate for 58 students have so far enjoyed their time at Consol. “[The] kids that I’ve spoken with, they say that our communities are welcoming, it’s a family environment, we look out for each other,” McEver said. “I haven’t

noticed any difficulties with the students integrating into our population at all.”

The lack of one-on-one time with teachers at CSHS that Marble observed is related to the reason for the school board decision. CSHS has exceeded its student capacity in recent years, which can create safety hazards along with simply decreasing the quality of education that teachers are able to provide. Consol, on the other hand, is not yet at capacity. Thus, the school board decided to transfer some of the incoming CSHS freshmen to Consol in order to alleviate the overpopulation problem at CSHS. School board member Carol Barrett maintains that this was the best idea at the time to ensure that both educational facilities were being properly utilized.

“We have to make decisions based on how we can make sure every student gets educated the best that they can,” Barrett said. “Sometimes you can get overcrowded and that creates issues for the administration to make sure that everybody is being taken care of. There [are] so many policies and regulations that we have to follow both

“rezoning” continued on page 3

inthisissue

news pages 2-5

opinions pages 6-8

feature page 9-16, 20

sports page 17

reviews pages 18-19

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UPCOMING

2 | in

DEC. 21 Early Release DEC. 24-JAN. 4 Winter Holiday JAN. 8 Boys Basketball vs. Magnolia West JAN. 9 Tiger Wrestling vs. Round Rock & CSHS JAN. 11 Lady Tiger Basketball vs. Katy-Paetow JAN. 15 Lady Tiger Basketball vs. Brenham JAN. 21 Holiday JAN. 24 Choir Musical

NEWS

friday, dec. 14, 2018

IN THE

Consol Speech and Debate compete in tournament

On Nov. 3, Speech and Debate students competed at Cyprus Lakes High School.

They won second place in squad efficiency. Allen Zhang got second in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking as well as Impromptu Speaking. Ayanna Rucker placed fifth in Novice Congressional Debate and sixth in Novice Impromptu Speaking. Jacob Eaker placed second in both Prose and Poetry. Lars Duetz qualified for semi-finals in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. Ruby Perry-Mize went to semi-final in both Original Oratory and Impromptu Speaking. Saanya Patel qualified for semi-finals in Impromptu Speaking and placed sixth in Humorous Interpretation. Srikar Satish got fourth in Impromptu Speaking.

Choir advances to final round of All-State auditions

On Nov. 5, nine students competed in the second round of All-State Choir auditions. In this round students sang three cuts of music and sight read a line of music within 30 seconds of viewing it. Seniors Aubry Hay, Grace Moore, Issac Harris and Kyle Gibson as well as freshman Silas Merrell will be advancing to the final round of auditions in early January.

Consol FFA students place at recent competitions

Freshman Mary Maltsberger prepares for finals by studying during Student Council’ s Caffeinate to Graduate event. PHOTO BY SAANYA PATEL.

On Nov. 27, several students and teams excelled at an FFA competition. Abby Garrett, Caitlyn Dietert, Harlin Cox, Madeline McKinney, James Golla, Zane Witt and Zoe Keller all placed. Anna Howeth, Emily Crowder, Ethan Dobson, Gentry Fox, Jackson Lee, Jacob Brooks, Meredith Poling and Peyton McGinnis placed at both this contest and state contest.

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Senior Khyjiah Thomas after signing a letter of intent to play soccer for the University of Louisiana-Monroe. PHOTO BY SAM DE FIGUEIREDO.

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friday, dec. 14, 2018

Affected students learn to love new school, administrators ease transition “rezoning” cont. from page 1

federally, state, and locally when we’re making decisions.”

The decision that caused the Fate for 58 response was made with the students’ best interests at heart, but Barrett understands that it was not popular with everyone. Some complaints attacked the school itself, while others addressed the inconvenience of the situation. Even those who were not particularly upset by the change recognized that attending a different school presented a new set of obstacles.

“Some of [the affected students] definitely did not want to go to school here because we all live on the other side of town,” Marble said. “It takes a longer time to actually get here and get home.

It’s a little inconvenient.”

A FEAR OF CHANGE Marble also attributes the impassioned response to a fear of change. Switching schools and meeting new people can be scary, especially for students who have to leave people they have known for years. Switching schools is changing to a new environment and some students fear that they will not feel as comfortable with a different set of teachers and friends as they had felt before.

“A lot of those kids didn’t want to be separated from their friends because a lot of people have fear of making new friends,” Marble said. “It’s just really hard and they don’t know if they would be accepted in a different place so that’s probably why it had such a big impact on everybody.”

Barrett agrees that an unwillingness to experience change was likely motivating some of the Fate for 58 movement’s actions. The leaders of the group took to Facebook and other public forums to express their displeasure with the board decision, a displeasure that was likely rooted in wanting to ensure that their children were happy and in the

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right environment.

“People struggle with change, [but] change can be a really good thing, I believe both of our schools are really good. They’re both nationally ranked and they both offer extremely good educations,” Barrett said. “I think what happens is people want to stay with their friends and that’s not really our job to make sure that you stay with your friends, as hard as that sounds, ultimately what the school board’s here to make sure about is your education.”

BETTER THAN EXPECTED Although the change might have been initially frightening for the

While Marble’s parents accepted the decision, others were not as calm.

The decision to not grandfather students was made rather late in the school year.

The affected students had already signed up for classes at CSHS and many had already started joining extracurriculars like athletic teams. Switching schools can be difficult. Beyond the emotional aspect of leaving behind friends and a familiar environment, a new school can cause disruptions to daily life.

“I don’t know if [the parents] were outspoken because they wanted their child to go there or if it’s because their child actually wanted to go there,” Marble

“I’ve made tons of new friends, and the teachers here are really nice too and you definitely get more one-on-one with them.” freshman Parley Marble

affected parents, their experiences were overwhelmingly positive.

“They’re happy to be here, [and] they really liked the environment that we have,” McEver said. “They feel like it’s been a good transition for their kids.”

According to Barrett, Fate for 58 was different from other responses to zoning decisions. The parents went to great lengths to try and convince the board to change their minds about grandfathering the eighth graders.

“It was different because it went to Facebook, it was different because it was campaign style, it was hard because it became personal about a lot of things-about the board members, about Consol, about the other parts of the community,” Barrett said. “It became a very contentious thing because Fate for 58 became personal, [but] the decision wasn’t made to hurt anyone.”

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said. “I don’t know how I really feel about that.”

MAKING PEACE District officials did their best to make amends by meeting with the affected students to help them with the process of signing up for classes at their new school and joining the extracurriculars in which they had hoped to be involved. In some cases this meant adding spaces to athletic teams for students who had been selected before it was announced that they must switch schools.

“If [the students] made a team, their spot was honored as they moved over,” McEver said. “We had a tour for our school that was specifically for anybody who might have been at CSMS who would have gone to CSHS when they transferred over here. We gave them a tour of the building, the different fine arts programs, [and] the athletic programs

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[and] got them in communication with the sponsors.”

For other families, the zoning and grandfathering decision split up siblings.

Older children were allowed to remain at CSHS, while incoming freshmen began high school at Consol. This could create problems both because parents would need to take children to two separate schools, and because of the strong rivalry between the two high schools. This rivalry has been diminished recently due to district rebranding efforts, but dividing families could foster competition rather than unity between siblings. But Barrett believes that the reluctance of the Fate for 58 parents to send their children to Consol was not meant to disparage the school.

“Anybody who’s been through Consol knows that it is a fabulous school.

I think sometimes we get caught up in what the outside looks like versus what’s really going on on the inside,” Barrett said. “I really believe in my heart that no one intended to make anyone at Consolidated feel less than. I just think they wanted their way so badly that [they] unintentionally hurt the other side of the community.”

Despite the parents’ fears, the transition to Consol has been relatively simple. Marble has found a place for herself in the Consolidated community, proving Barrett’s point that the students are willing to look past school rivalries and zoning boundaries.

“You as the students [are] friends across any district line and you support and help each other and when we’re on the football field perhaps we’re different but I look at homecoming and I see students from either side and I see students at games supporting their friends even if they go to the other school,” Barrett said. “I wish parents could learn from the students because I think students have the right idea about having rivalry.

I think they really get it.”

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4| news | the roar

SAFETY SEALED

friday, dec. 14, 2018

CSISD implements new changes to address safety concerns allen zhang | online editor Administrators and school officials have been hard at work this year deciding on potential security measures to help increase school safety. This year, both at the front office and side entrances, the doors have been padded with a alarm system that sounds when opened. In addition, the number of lockdown drills each semester has increase from three to four.

Executive director of facilities Jon Hall has helped to oversee and guide the implementations.

Over the years, his team has helped to make sure the security is always at its best across campus.

“We have security consultants with the district’s emergency team,” Hall said. “We set up a spreadsheet and talk about the pros and cons of every idea. The district will set up good ideas and coordinate fundings.”

The changes so far are largely centered around the entrances and exits of the school.

“The latest changes that we made were [geared towards] improving our visitor management system,” Hall said. “It’s more safe [to know] who is in our school and wandering around.”

As more and more active shooter scenarios are playing out across the country, CSISD has been looking to make security as one of their top priorities.

“We’ve come up with some new training and some new lockdown procedures so we have a more aggressive stance on lockdown procedures to deal with [potential] active school shooters,” Hall said. “We’ve upped our game with security cameras, they can click up any camera in real time. They have a great advantage.”

Hall explains that most of the security measures taken are in response to nation-wide tragedies like school shootings.

“If we see more active shooter scenario events happening, it’s going to pressure us to up our game even more,” Hall said. “[If it

gets too bad], we may even have to add ballistic film on glass.”

Students like sophomore Srikar Satish support the school’s stance and see the actions of the district as necessary to create a safer environment.

“Everyone thinks that the threat may be far away from our school, and that we will be safe from this, [but] that is exactly what causes too many schools to not be ready for a threat,” Satish said. “In our day, it is imperative that schools must be ready for an attack, and the doors are an amazing initiative to be prepared for potential upcoming threats.”

But not all students seemed to approve it. Students like sophomore Ayanna Rucker have voiced concerns over the new system.

“It is effective for keeping students inside the school but I am not sure if it works to keep people outside the school,” Rucker said. “In class, I hear the alarms go off, but I don’t know how effective they are.”

Satish does acknowledge that there’s a lot of loopholes with the new changes. He suggests a ID-access door over the alarm-sound door to make entering or exiting a lot more efficient.

“Whether they are high schoolers or parents, the new doors make it very difficult to let people in. The current system is like a lava pit, dangerous people can’t cross, but neither can helpful people like people that get locked out,” Satish said. “I believe that the new security system can be improved by allowing for ID access to solve this problem” Although Rucker does disapprove of the small failures in the system, she acknowledges the significant amount of progress that the district has achieved.

“The strategies are probably not as effective as we think, but the district has put in their best foot towards achieving perfection,” Rucker said. “I think it’s small progress that gets us to the larger goal.”

Recent Additions: Instead of doing all safety audits for all CSISD schools congruently every three years, CSISD will have safety audits done on some schools each year.

College Station Police Department has worked with CSISD to increase their presence on school campuses.

CSISD employees and students will receive training regarding the “Standard Response Protocol” and “Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events” training.

-Updates from June 2018-

the roar | news | 5

friday, dec. 14, 2018

CHORAL QUARRELS Choir director attempts to resolve understaffing, stress to provide future for program sam de figueiredo editor-in-chief Due to a busy schedule and inadequate staffing, there has lately been more dissonance than usual in the choir hall. Choir director Emily Ramos started noticing a problem when her students became reluctant to come to her for help.

“The students that are confident enough to come to me will say ‘Ms. Ramos, I know you’re really busy but…’ then whatever the question or request is,” Ramos said. “And that’s only the few that are confident enough to come to me. I wonder how many more students need or want something, but they don’t have that confidence because I am so busy.”

The program’s choir helpers, who have entire class periods dedicated to helping Ramos, have also been frustrated with the unrealistic expectations. Senior and choir helper Nate Reeder says they have roles similar to that of an assistant

director, but lack the authority.

“When it comes to juniors and seniors, that’s when I start struggling because they won’t respect me as much because I’m just their age,” Reeder said.

“You have to draws that line of being their friend this day, but being the meanest person they know the next day.”

paperwork.”

The interns are a semi-permanent and professional version of the choir helpers. One of these interns, Consol grad Marissa McShane, views her job as doing everything Ramos mentioned, and then some.

“We aren’t trying to take anything away from the choir helpers,” McShane

“It’s not a fix, it’s a band-aid to a larger problem of having so many students,” ” choir director EMILY RAMOS

This drift between the students and Ramos drove her to create a solution to take some things off of her plate.

“Now it’s not a fix, it’s a bandaid to a larger problem of having so many students,” Ramos said. “But we now have two choir interns who do everything from warmups to sectionals to voice lessons to

said. “We’re just here to do anything [Ramos] wants us to and hopefully relieve some stress.”

Reeder says he thinks the new interns will remove some of the pressure from his duties as technician.

“It will definitely make it easier for me to be able

to sit down and actually focus on fixing one part on a system,” Reeder said. “It’ll also make it easier for Ramos to get that one-on-one connection with students.”

That connection between students and the teacher is extremely important to Ramos, who has nothing but fond memories of the relationships she formed in her high school choir experience.

“My choir program in high school shaped me to who I am and I’m still friends with the people in it to this day,” Ramos said. “I want the kids at Consol to have the same or better experience that I had.”

With the addition of new interns, Ramos says she hopes she can learn more about the students’ lives outside of the choir hall, which Reeder says separates Ramos from most other teachers.

“It shows that Ramos isn’t just there for a paycheck,” Reeder said. “She cares about what’s going to happen to those seniors after high school, and not just while she has them for an hour in the day.”

friday, dec. 14, 2018

going the distance

alex roeder senior executive editor

Sisters find being apart gives stronger bond As long as I can remember, when I’ve met somebody new who tells me they don’t have sisters, I automatically say “I’m so sorry”. Then I move on, knowing there is a disconnect with that person that can never be remedied-- they will never understand how much my sisters mean to me.

When my parents had me, they were 42 years old, and my sisters, Audrey and Andie, were 12 and 10. Most people would think that this would create a divide between my sisters and I, but the less-thannormal situation actually made us closer than any other siblings I know.

It probably helped that when my sisters first got to know me, I was just a baby who didn’t want to butt in on their friendships or borrow their clothes. For me, they were my inspirations and role models. Our age gap created an environment where we could just hang out and there wouldn’t be any drama. But mostly, we are close because we recognize the amazing qualities we bring out in each other, and we’re able to find and appreciate the common ground between our vastly different stages of life.

By the time I was in first grade, we were all pulled in seperate directions. I obviously stayed with my parents and went through elementary school while Audrey went off to A & M for college (we lived in Cypress at the time, so this was a bigger deal), and Andie moved to Chicago to go to Moody Bible Institute.

Through this separation, we relearned how to communicate with each other and stay connected. I visited Audrey most weekends throughout her college career.

Andie and I decided to write letters, which I still have tucked away in my closet to look through from time to time when I really miss her. Though this was probably one of the roughest stages of my life because everything I was used to was suddenly gone, I’m grateful it happened, because it helped the Roeder sisters discover that even thousands of miles

apart, we could still be best friends.

I’ve never been able to have this kind of connection with any other person I’ve met, and I know the same is true for them. That’s why we treasure every second we have together, because these days, our time together is scarcer than ever.

Recently, Audrey and I traveled to Chicago, where Andie lives, to visit her.

Andie was going through a particularly hard time in her life, so we wanted to support her.

Not only that, but the three of us hadn’t had a trip that was just us sisters in years, and let me tell you, it was time for one.

One night, as we were cooking at Andie’s house, the three of us got to talking about life and what we’d all been going through, and we eventually circled around to our relationship with each other. Audrey began to tell us all the things she loves about us, and it made me realize that my sisters are some of the only people who can truly make me feel my actions are noticed and appreciated. By the end of the night, all three of us had hysterically laughed, cried, and remembered all the reasons we hold our sisterhood above other relationships.

It’s a hard connection to understand if you’re not experiencing it yourself.

Maybe it’s because we share the same blood, or maybe we would all be best friends even if we weren’t related. Or maybe we would all be completely different people who have no idea what we are missing out on, but a few things are for sure; No one else understands, affirms, encourages, inspires, loves, and cherishes me like my sisters do. They can make me see things in a completely new light, straighten me out when I’m being a jerk, and calm me down when I’m too upset to have words. Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without them. And all I can say is that I’m very blessed to call them my sisters.

Want to talk about sibling relationships?

Contact Alex at the.roar.roeder@gmail.com.

the roar | opinions | 6 literal school shootings). I might sound like a bit of a pretentious entitled teenager while asking this (and, let’s be real, I kind of am), but why do people feel the need to constantly refer to those younger than them as different negatively? This problem isn’t even new. It’s been around for generations upon generations. Sure, there are the ‘cell phone obsessed teens who are too sensitive and once had a laundry detergent fad’ that news articles point out to show why us going into the adult world is a sure sign of the apocalypse. But is that really different from the teenagers of the 1950s that ‘relied on buses too much’? Or the young people in the 1790s whose ‘access to romances, novels, and plays has poisoned the mind and corrupted the morals of many a promising youth’? The sad thing is, when I attempted to find examples to use in this column, I found list after list of articles showcasing paragraphs with the same types of criticism ringing through centuries. Although I had always assumed that this sort of criticism had started a few generations ago, it clearly had gone on longer than I could imagine.

Truthfully, I’m unsure what to do with my sudden epiphany that the criticism and confusion that divides adults from teenagers is not a new thing. I hope that one day, adults and teenagers will learn to listen to each other instead of refuse to acknowledge the new or the old. But as I get older, and as I see my peers begin to start criticising their younger siblings on the shows they watch or the technology they’ve grown up surrounded by, I realize that the cycle of separation has already started again.

Want to talk about the difference between teens and adults? contact elise sawyer Elise at the.roar.esawyer@gmail.com

“Can I see your issue of the Roar?”

This is a question I have received from many family members ever since I joined the newspaper staff last year. My relatives enjoy reading not just what I have written but the entire paper, making their comments on various articles and designs. I often recall a comment over the design of the senior issue in the sixth issue from last year.

“Do high schoolers know what those are?” A relative asks, confused, pointing out the cassettes on the cover. The section’s twelve pages are decked with nostalgia, primarily through pictures of cassettes with a mixtape-themed table of contents and polaroids on the back cover.

“Of course we do. Why wouldn’t we know what cassettes are?”

“I don’t think high schoolers do. You all are too young to understand. The design is still pretty though.”

I don’t respond, even though a thousand responses seem to come to my mind. We clearly did know what cassettes were, considering that was what our theme was based on. I myself had used cassettes on an almost-daily basis for music, movies, and home videos when I was younger. It didn’t even matter if we knew what they were or not, since it was just a page design and not something that had to be understood for us to read the articles.

Their brief comment is one of many comments that I and others hear and remember from adults looking at us in confusion, from brief remarks about teenagers not understanding cassettes to tweets mocking teenagers protesting over relevant issues that are beginning to affect us as we grow up (such as referring to students as sensitive when they are upset about

opinions co-editor

the great divide

Teen tries to see adult perspective

friday, dec. 14, 2018

a stitch in time

the roar | opinions | 7

saanya patel staff reporter

Procrastinator attempts reform It is the passing period to get to the next class. All around me I hear the hallways slowly coming to life, filling with conversation and laughter. Then there’s me: rushing through the hallway while I frantically try to scribble the last few answers to my homework from the night before, which is due in approximately three minutes. As I do this I promise myself to do my homework in a more timely manner. No more last minute homework sessions in the hallway. However, once I get home from an exhausting day, that promise slowly slips from my mind as I busy myself with various other activities.

Being the procrastinating human I am has become a fact of my life. I have come to accept that;. I cannot deny itthis fact even if I tried to. The harder I try to be more efficient about my work, the more I naturally begin to stall.

Even when I try to be productive, I fail, because my brain is unresponsive to productivitybeing productive and getting anything done in a timely manner. It is as if my brain has a sensor embedded in it, and it is programmed to go off when I try to be productive.

While many of my peers can argue that they do their best work when they procrastinate or wait until the last minute to do their work, I am unable to make such a case. Doing things in the heat of the moment turns out to be disastrous for me. My thoughts and ideas bleed together to create an atrocious final product. Perhaps my self deprecating nature causes me to think poorly of my work.

More likely, though, it is truly a mess.

Though I am able to get a high A on most of my daily

assignments, my procrastinating nature hurts my major grades.

Because I drag out doing assignments, I am unable to put effort into my work. Instead of proudly handing in a masterpiece, I half-heartedly turn in pass a hastily-put-together eyesore sword.

Due to the lack of effort put into my work, I do not get the grade I could have had I put time into doing it. Another problem with procrastination is I’am unable to double check my work and make sure it matches the expectations of the teacher via the rubric. Once a blue moon, I am able to turn in a good assignment, but it fails in the eyes of the rubric. Ttherefore it receives a not-so-happy grade.

Throughout the years, I have realized that if I do not fix my habit of procrastinating, I will be unable to succeed in life. As I go on in school and life, I am bound to struggle to keep up with my peers if this problem is not solved.

With that said, I have been trying to keep up with my assignments.

As I continue to push myself to be productive, I must learn to be more organized and focus. Once acquiring the skills of focus and organization, I will be able to overcome the challenge of being a procrastinator. It is a known fact that I will never be able to completely overcome my problem--, I will always stall--, but I can try to minimize how much I stall. Minimizing my procrastination will help me in the long run, because not only will I be able to get higher grades, I will be able to stay on top of my work load in the real world.

Want to talk about the struggles of time management? Contact Saanya at the.roar.patel@gmail. com

It can wait til tomorrow

8 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

Is Schoology beneficial?

Yes

No

“I think [Schoology] is not worth the money they paid for it. Yes, it has benefits, and I’m sure that it’s supposed to do more, but barely any benefits have been seen on my end.” junior keziah musoba

“I really like Schoology, because instead of having to go to a bunch of websites for each teacher, [materials are] all in one place and I can access [them].” junior ellie rhoades

The Roar 2018-2019 Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Senior-Executive Editor Online Editor Opinions Co-Editors Staff Reporter

Sam de Figueiredo Olivia Conway Alex Roeder Allen Zhang Ruby Perry-Mize Elise Sawyer Saanya Patel

Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser

Michael Williams Chauncey Lindner

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.

The Roar is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The Roar is a winner of the CSPA Gold Crown, the 1997, 1998, 2000-2016 ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and 2005, 2014,2016 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007-2013 and 2015 Silver Star.

College Station Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Monica Jones, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Molley Perry, Executive Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

On January 25, 2018, the CSISD Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a learning management system from Schoology, Inc, which has begun implementation throughout the district in the 2018-2019 school year. Through the service, teachers have been able to put resources on a website for students to access, and teachers can announce important events or even put out assignments for anyone with access to that class to see. Students can also communicate directly with teachers through messaging. Now that students, teachers, and parents have all used this service for several months, the question arises: has it been beneficial and, ultimately, been a wise investment?

Centering the school on an online learning management system, while being great in theory, is not the right move for AMCHS for several reasons. First, the implementation of Schoology within AMCHS is based on the assumption that every student has an equal amount of access to technology outside of school.

Although some students have their own computers, phones, or reliable internet at their own homes and are therefore able to access Schoology any time they want, this is not the case for every student at AMCHS. This is a problem because many of the ways Schoology has been used at AMCHS requires students to have access to internet, a device that can connect to Schoology, and enough free time throughout their day to check Schoology for new posts from their teachers. For example, Schoology provides the ability for teachers to post assignments that need to be done within a certain timeframe, so a student could be unaware an assignment was posted, miss the deadline, and get a zero in the gradebook because they cannot access a learning

management system. An even worse problem with this is that teachers are able to put a wide variety of classroom materials such as presentations, copies of notes or assignments, videos, keys, and other additional resources online through Schoology. Students who own devices are able to access materials that will help them get better grades and succeed more in school at any time, while students who do not own devices will be unfairly locked out of opportunities for their own success: causing the implementation of Schoology to promote an environment of inequity within AMCHS. A second reason why Schoology is not ultimately beneficial is because of the extra strain it puts on teachers in AMCHS. One of the primary features of Schoology is the ability to send a message to a teacher at any time, which creates an increased reliance on communication with teachers. This not only takes more time away from teachers who are already busy but also leaves students unprepared for college, where professors are not necessarily just a phone tap away. Educators also have an increased workload through Schoology as they have to put out resources for their classes on Schoology as well as schedules and announcements for their classes on the website, as well as respond to any student questions they may receive. Malfunctions in Schoology could also mean that teachers could lose or be unable to post assignments. In general, Schoology provides unequal access to educational resources for students and creates a heavier workload for teachers, and although it does have benefits for students, it could create an increased expectation for such resources to be readily available in college environments.

friday, dec. 14, 2018

the roar | snapshots | 9

Season RECAP

Senior players look back on successful season, lessons learned ruby perry-mize & allen zhang opinions co-editor & online editor “I used to be the one looking up to other players, but now other people are looking up to me. It’s a big change. It makes you be a better person, a better player, and it pushes you to be your best.” “[Football] keeps me out of trouble, it keeps on the right track, and it helps me in the classroom.”

-senior Josh Ellison

“I had to become a better presence on the field with communicating to the offense and the coaches at the same time” “I wouldn’t be anything without football. It’s my life, my passion and my love, I can’t wait to hopefully start coaching later in life so I can continue the sport I love.”

-senior Caden Fedora

WILL HARRIS

CADEN FEDORA

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CADEN FEDORA

JOSH ELLISON

“When the coaches expect you to motivate others, it’s motivating for me. It helps me work harder. Because I know I’m not just working for me, I’m working for the whole team.”

“The game itself is fun, but the real benefit of [football] is playing with the people I grew up playing with, and all the bonds I’ve developed over the years, and seeing the hard work we put in pay off.”

-senior Will Harris

“The step was so big, you have to find out where you are. It’s about doing your job at the right time and it’s not always about you but how you interact with you team.”

“I don’t know I would be without the A & M Consolidated Football program. It brought me some of my most happiest moments and even saddest ones with losses. It’s all worth it.”

-senior Sam Presnal

SAM PRESNAL

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ALEXIS CALVERT

10 | student

life | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

College application process provides new experiences, difficulties for many students olivia conway | managing editor

For students planning to attend college, the fall semester of their senior year is marked by a flurry of essays, recommendation letters, and endless streams of questions about academic interests and extracurriculars. The application process is necessary, but it is hardly easy.

Some of the difficulty, according to students, comes from the new experiences associated with filling out applications. While some students may have created resumes before, most are not familiar with the type of writing required for an application. For senior Aimee Deng, the process was daunting, especially when paired with work from her school courses.

“It just feels like everything is closing in and collapsing,” Deng said. “Even if I only have a few assignments due, having a college application due on top of that weighs everything down and makes everything seem like so much more.”

Deng is applying to art schools, meaning her applications are even further removed from anything she is familiar with. Instead of the typical personal essays, the majority of her work is creating art pieces for her portfolios along with the occasional artist’s statement or scholarship essays. As one of few people applying to art schools, Deng feels alone in her efforts.

“Even though I’m surrounded by people who are doing the same thing, I just feel like there’s nobody that could relate to the experience,” Deng said. “I feel like that’s exacerbated because I’m surrounded by people who are just filling out university applications and I can’t really share my experiences with them.”

Besides being lonely, students consider the application process to be stressful.

There are deadlines to remember, a variety of pieces of information to collect, and the idea that the applications have at least some role in determining one’s future. Having watched her students apply to college for years, science teacher Michelle Jedlicka understands that application season is a difficult time for seniors.

“They’re going completely insane by writing 50 million essays in addition to all of their schoolwork and it’s just too much,” Jedlicka said. “It’s stressful and chaotic and drives our students insane, but I don’t know that there’s a better way to do it.”

Jedlicka admits that many seniors start the school year unprepared to apply to college. The senior English teachers try to combat this problem with assignments related to writing personal essays and creating resumes, but for some students this is too little, too late.

“A lot of our students [are] starting that process and some of them [are] trying really hard to finish that process over the summer,” Jedlicka said. “If they’re doing those things even in the first six weeks of the school year it’s a little late.”

Senior Mitchell Kuppersmith agrees that the school’s efforts to educate students about the college application process should take place earlier. For example, the counseling office held an assembly for all senior students in the first few weeks of school with some instructions about the requirements for applications, which while helpful in theory, holds little benefit for students who had to submit applications in the summer.

Kuppersmith, who completed many of his applications before the school year started, had the advantage of watching his older sister apply to college two years before, but he still feels that he missed out on some important information.

“They should have talked to us our freshmen year about the importance of high school in college admissions because most people come in here freshman year, they don’t really know what they’re doing,” Kuppersmith said. “Freshman year is incredibly important in determining initial class rank and initial GPA and [they] should know what [they’re] preparing for.”

The counseling office tries its best to help students who come for advice, but their ability is limited due to the personal nature of some aspects of the application process.

“I’ve had lots of kids come in and ask for help completing the FAFSA [and] I can get a student started, but I really don’t like to get into their family’s financial information,” counselor Mindy Casper said. ”I can help them get up to that point and then I have to back out, but we will do whatever we can to help our students.”

Casper also thinks that the school’s implementation of Schoology could help provide more information for students who might not receive it elsewhere. Some students who are the first members of their family to apply to college, for example, are at a

disadvantage in regard to knowledge of the application process. Since the beginning of the year, the counseling office has used Schoology to send reminders to the senior class about application deadlines, instructional sessions for filling out the FAFSA, and other pieces of advice that might be helpful.

“There [are] some kids who are professors’ kids coming in who know a lot about the process just because they hear [about] it every day at home, but there are a lot of kids who don’t have any [information] and we just try to help them through it,” Casper said. “I think Schoology’s helping this year to put some reminders of when you need to get this stuff done.”

Deng also believes that success in the application process is at least partly impacted by whether or not students grow up with the expectation that they will apply to and attend college.

“People that don’t have this environmental pressure to apply to college in the first place and they don’t have that pressure to look at colleges or their parents aren’t always asking ‘What college do you want to go to?’ [are at] a disadvantage,” Deng said. “[The environment is] motivating to go look for colleges and other people don’t have that.”

Even for students like Deng, whose parents both attended college, the process is complicated and difficult to navigate.

“I did not know what was going on; I did not know how to manage the time; I did not know what I was supposed to be writing about; I just had to learn as I was going,” Deng said. “I had to make a lot of lists of things I had to do and those lists became increasingly abstract like think about how you’re meaningful in this world for one hour on Thursday night.”

To better help students through the application process, Deng recommends that the school could take a more comprehensive approach. Rather than simply make the information available to those who search for it, the school could attempt to actively guide students through application season.

“We could have a success class for seniors where instead of telling us about the school, they tell us how to do college apps or they give us little tips,” Deng said. “I think it’s nice to have an environment where all I have to do is think about [college apps as] a thing I have to do.”

But the stresses of the college application process do not end when the final applications are submitted. The time period spent waiting for admissions decisions can be just as nerve-wracking as time spent applying.

“Throughout high school you’re preparing yourself to be the best version of you [that] you can be and this is sort of like the ultimate judgment of how you were as a student or as a person,” Kuppersmith said. “It’s the fear of getting rejected [that’s difficult].”

The gravity of the situation also tends to weigh heavily on students. Many see their applications as determining their future, creating added pressure to craft perfect personal essays and resumes.

“First there’s the emphasis that this decides your future and second, you’re putting yourself out there and there’s always this fear that what if it’s not good enough because I’m not good enough,” Deng said.

The emotional aspect of college applications and the fear of rejection can create unhealthy environments of self-doubt and isolation for students.

“I feel like everyone feels alone like nobody’s going out to hang out with their friends enough, nobody wants to talk to each other just because everyone is a negative source of energy,” Deng said. “Everyone I’ve ever talked to, you can feel how stressed they are about the applications.”

Jedlicka shares her students’ stress, but she remains adamant that the process usually results in happiness, even if students do not always get exactly what they want.

“I feel like I apply to college every year because I have so many of my students coming and talking to me about their college applications so I feel the stress and the joy and the sadness,” Jedlicka said. It’s good because “I like it in the end because students sometimes who are crushed by finding out they didn’t get into their dream school find another school and absolutely love the place they ended up.”

the roar | student life | 11

the final test

Application Checklist

words of advice

Recommendation Letters

“It benefits you not to challenge yourself. For example, for UT’s top 6% rule you get rewarded for taking easier classes because honors classes and AP classes are on the same weighting scale. [Also] get involved in clubs. There’s so many different ways you can get involved and you can do a lot of really unique things.”

FAFSA Form

Transcripts

Senior Mitchell Kuppersmith

“Make a separate email for colleges. Maybe for personal email link schools that you actually really want to go to, like your dream schools.”

Application Questions

Senior aimee deng

“The best way to approach the college application process is to have all of your documents together. You want to have your transcript, any volunteer hours, your parents’ financial information, and letters of recommendation. If you can have all of that together then you can add those things into your application as you go.”

Counselor Mindy Casper

“Find a place that works for you and that you feel at home, not where anyone else is telling you to go. As stressful as it is, it ends up working out well for most of our students.”

Science teacher michelle jedlicka

Personal Essays

Application Fee Helpful Hints Visit the scholarship portal on the AMCHS Counseling website for information about applying for scholarships.

Turn in the FAFSA form as soon as possible.

Send standardized test scores to colleges.

12 | feature | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

THE SISTERHOOD OF THE DONATED BOOKS Sisters create non-profit to promote literacy, donate books to local children, schools local groups to help them get everything done on time. This not only helps draw attention to Books and a Blanket, but also connects them with their community.

For freshman Harper Cunningham and her sister Maggie, reading was never “The A&M swimming and diving team came and volunteered,” Maggie Cuna solitary activity. Both girls were avid readers from a young age and enjoyed ningham said. “[There were] about 35 of them, and it was really fun. I’m a swimsharing their love of literature with others. When the girls found out that some mer, so that was really special for me.” families viewed books as an expensive luxury, they knew they had to take action.

The collection and packing process happens throughout the year, but the At the respective ages of nine and seven, they began their non-profit, Books and donations occur mainly during winter. a Blanket.

“There is more than one way we give out books,” Harper Cunningham said.

“We wanted to make sure that other kids had the same opportunities,” Harper “The most common way for us is the bags, but we also have whole school asCunningham said. “So we decided to make semblies, where if the need in the school is a project that would give books and blankets really big, then we will give to every kid in to kids in need at elementary schools.” the school. It’s a big assembly and the kids The first year they collected books for a get to pick out 5 books and a blanket.” single donation to their elementary school, Books and a Blanket has given 80,800 South Knoll, but the event was so popular books over six years through individual that they now continue it annually. and whole school donations, and plans to “We actually didn’t think it would grow freshman grow that number in the coming years. into [a] non-profit,” Harper Cunningham “Our goal for this year is to have given HARPER CUNNINGHAM said. “But we got so much help from other out over 100,000 books in total to kids in people that we were able to give to multiple need,” Harper Cunningham said. “And elementary schools in the area with 119 [we’d] love to be able to give to more whole bags [the first year].” schools, that way every kid in the school can receive books and blankets.”

Harper and Maggie Cunningham run the charity on their own, receiving Though the non-profit started out small, the Cunninghams were able to grow help from family and community members only on smaller tasks. the charity into something that has impacted families throughout the Brazos “Everything from grant requests, to interview requests, to speeches where County. they fly around the country they must approve,” mother and Books and a Blanket “When it comes to Books and a Blanket, they are truly a force,” Melissa Cunsecretary Melissa Cunningham said. “We don’t plan things for them. Even when ningham said. “It’s wonderful as a parent to see them work together and come up the Today Show called, I said to the producers ‘Thank you so much for calling, I with different ideas, and they’ve had to change some of the process throughout the need to talk to Maggie and Harper and see if they’d be willing to be on your show,’” years but they’ve gone with that and done it, and they’ve done it together.”

Though the girls run the show, they receive volunteers from several A&M and

alex roeder | senior-executive editor

“Our goal for this year is to have given out over 100,000 books in total to kids in need, that way every kid in the school can receive books and blankets.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MELISSA CUNNINGHAM

friday, dec. 14, 2018

the roar | feature| 13

TAYLOR-MADE Long-time teacher leaves, students reflect on his lessons saanya patel |staff reporter Former student and co-worker, PatOne of Consol’s technology career path rick Powell, agrees with Djomo. He adds Taylor teacher of 18 years, Bart Taylor, will be leaving strives to create a safe and welcoming environat the end of the fall semester. After leaving he ment for his students. will be pursuing the next phase of his career as a “It’s the relaxed nature of himself but then SkillsUSA Texas District Coordinator. it’s also just his ability to be accepting of lots of For Taylor making the decision to leave was hard. Consol has not only been a large part of his different students and ideas that help get into the flow of the classroom,” Powell said. career but his life as well.

Senior Muhammad Sajid further explains “This is a magical school with beautiful peothat Taylor’s welcoming and fun personality ple, inspirational people that really shaped and contributes to his magnetic presence. changed my life,” Taylor said. “[Mr. TaySkillsUSA, lor] both is lova partnership ing and carefree of students, “I’ve always wanted them to learn to make a great at the same time. teachers and impact on our community. Wherever they go regard- He really cares industry to his students,” ensure a skilled less of degree, regardless of where [they’re] at, just to for Sajid said. workforce as well For Taylor as a provider of be good people.” education goes competitions, BART TAYLOR beyond the class has been just one curriculum and way Taylor has further than transformed his the classroom walls. He wants to teach them life students lives while here. lessons as well.

“SkillsUSA is an enhanced learning experi“He has really taught me how to trust in ence. [It] is a journey and experience that I can provide the students that walk into my classroom myself, dream ambitiously, and put a plan into action,” said Djomo. that goes beyond the classroom,” said Taylor While he wants his students to take as much Taylor is able to foster a unique relationship possible from his class Taylor wants all of his with his students through the experiences he is students to remember one lesson, how to be a able to provide from the SkillsUSA program. He good person. is not only a mentor but a friend to many of his “I’ve always wanted them to learn to make students. a great impact on our community,” Taylor said “He has a beautiful, huge heart,” explained “Wherever they go regardless of degree, regardformer student Delphine Djomo “[Mr. Taylor] less of where you’re at, just to be good people.” gives so much love to everyone around him. He is the kind of person that can make any moment, every dull time joyous”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BART TAYLOR

14 | feature | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

MADE WITH LOVE Consol cafeteria workers reflect on their impact on school “Church is very important to me, my family is very important to me, so really I see my job as a means of doing those other things. My job is not who I am,” Muenich said. “But at the same time, I want to do an excellent job at what I’m doing.”

Muenich says she strives to carry this attitude beyond the Cafeteria worker Tammy Muenich had always cooked for her cafeteria. family, but when her youngest child left for college, she decided to take “I wanna have the same character regardless of where I am,” her skills elsewhere: the Consol cafeteria.

Muenich said. “I wanna work hard, I want to try to be excellent, I want “I had a lot of experience to be patient with people, and cooking, because I had such encouraging to them.” a large family, Muenich said.

Similarly, cafeteria worker “This job was kind of a natural Victoria Peterson says she likes progression in the skills I already brighten the days of the kids that had.” go through her cafeteria line. cafeteria worker Although the job is a natural “I’m a fun, quirky and happy fit, Muenich still has to face daily TAMMY MUENICH person,” Peterson said. “I don’t difficulties. bite.”

“There’s something Peterson says she gets to challenging and interesting with know different students the most feeding 800 people every day,” during lunchtime.

Muenich said. “Always something different.”

“The different kids going through the line have all sorts of Muenich says one of the biggest challenges is facing equipment different personalities,” Peterson said. “You have kids that come failure. One time, the cafeteria’s cooler went out, forcing the staff to through that like joking or you have someone that likes to talk to you, throw away all of the food while still figuring out how to serve quality and that’s the interesting part.” food on time. Muenich says these experiences have taught her to be be Muenich says she believes these daily playful interactions have a creative and think on her feet. lasting impact on the students.

“You can see it as being stressful, or you can see it as a challenge “We believe that education is important for kids, and we’re just and ‘can I deal with this in a good way?’ and still have a good attitude,” part of that process. You can’t learn if you’re feeding your body and Muenich said. “I hope that I chose to see it in a positive light.” having the energy to learn, so it’s kind of what makes our job worth While things at work might get busy, Muenich says she makes sure doing,” Muenich said. “I’m just excited about them [Consol students], to separate her career and personal life. and I think they’re gonna do great things in the future.”

sam de figueiredo & ruby perry-mize editor-in-chief & opinons co-editor

“My job is not who I am, but at the same time, I want to do an excellent job at what I’m doing.”

friday, dec. 14, 2018

Beyond Words

the roar | feature | 15

Students who have lived in other countries reflect on language, culture elise sawyer | opinions co-editor “Wow! That’s so cool! Can you say something in Swedish?”

Junior Mona Birgisson commonly hears this when someone finds out that she is fluent in Swedish. Birgisson says usually people then ask for her to say swear words.

“I don’t think it has much significance to them, since it’s a language they won’t ever use, words they don’t know how to say, and words they won’t even apply in their life,” Birgisson said. “But they say ‘Oh, cool, yeah, I have a friend that speaks Swedish.’”

After being born in the United States, Birgisson lived in Sweden from kindergarten until sixth grade, and found moving back to the United States in tenth grade to be a big culture shock.

“There was more trust in other people. When I was younger, I went outside for hours by myself. [My mom] knew that in my area, no one would want to harm a child-everyone was so nice,” Birgisson said. “But here, even when I’m six years older than I was in Sweden, I would never want to go outside by myself, especially as a woman.”

Sophomore Lily Gonzales, who lived in Mexico for six years before coming back to Texas, where she was born, has also struggled with readjusting to life back in Texas after moving back a month ago. ”People look badly at me, seeing that I’m from Mexico. They think I’m different and weird, even though lots of people here are Mexicans too,” Gonzales said. “They still look at me, saying ‘where are you from’ and ‘why are you here’. I’m here because I was born here and I have the right to be here just like them.”

Gonzales said part of the reason readjusting has been so hard is that Mexican culture is very different from culture in the United States. “[In Mexico,] we learn how to respect each other. We learn to value one another,” Gonzales said. “There, we don’t gossip as much and we don’t look down at each other.

We help each other and learn.”

Gonzales also sees differences in the way in which people get around. As opposed to taking a car everywhere, Gonzales said she walks “anywhere and everywhere” in Mexico. “ Here, it’s harder because we need rides [and] money for everything. There, you don’t need money to walk to somewhere. You didn’t need money to go out anywhere,” Gonzales said. “Even though you had to walk a couple of miles, by the time you got there you would relax and have fun.”

Freshman Silas Merrell has found fascination in learning other languages including Spanish, Latin, Japanese, and Russian through living in Kazakhstan and traveling abroad.

“I’ve always really loved culture from just about anywhere,” Merrell said. “I’ve always wanted to visit Japan.”

Merrell enjoys comparing the different languages he is learning. “Latin is supposed to be the mother of Spanish and English, of all Romance languages. I know [Spanish and Latin] have very similar grammar systems. Russian is supposed to have very few subjunctive and indicative forms of verbs. Japanese will always have its verbs on the end, a lot like Latin, but there’s only one word for “to be”. It’s kind of hard to get around, because there [aren’t] exactly conjugations for Japanese, however there’s a bunch of different forms you can use.”

Merrell’s only issue with this is how he can get his languages confused.

“I’ve tried to speak Spanish and what comes out is Japanese,” Merrell said. “It’s kind of annoying.”

Gonzales became fluent in Spanish while living in Mexico, and plans to continue speaking the language.

“Spanish is a beautiful language and it is one of the common languages that people should know,” Gonzales said. “I’m fluent in Spanish because I have been speaking it for six years. I still speak it today because I don’t want to lose a part of [myself]. The language becomes a part of you. Even if you want to forget it, you can’t.”

Birgisson advises for people to immerse themselves in books and children’s TV shows if interested in learning another language.

“I’m pretty sure that’s how I learned 90% of my Swedish,” Birgisson said. “Also, don’t be afraid to talk to someone in that language. People will appreciate that you’re making an effort to talk to them in their own language, and it shows that you value them as a person.”

Merrell adds that a slower pace can benefit those who want to learn in the long run.

“If you stay slow on a language, then you’ll be able to get every little thing that you’re trying to learn, Merrell said. “So start slow, go as slow as you need to, and don’t stop.”

Birgisson has stopped speaking Swedish regularly despite it having been part of her childhood.

“Sometimes I just think ‘oh no, I’m forgetting my Swedish’,” Birgisson said. “I miss Sweden a lot, but I think it’s just because I grew up there, and that’s what I think of as home. But I would love to go back and just see how the area I grew up in changed.”

Gonzales, however, believes that the Spanish language, and Mexico, will always be a part of her life.

“My childhood was here for ten years, but me growing up and opening my eyes has been there,” Gonzales said. “I’ve seen two different sides of life, I’ve learned two different cultures. I’m still learning one. And the other I won’t leave behind, no matter what.”

16 | feature | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

grace bead unto you

Students transform jewelry business into charity alex roeder | senior executive editor Juniors Sydney Knoop and Avery Hamff began [products].” their journey of entrepreneurship and charity work Each unique piece of jewelry costs around five with an instagram page. to eight dollars, and a portion of each sale goes to “We were at golf practice,” Knoop said. “And we an organization called Compassion International, were looking on Instagram, and we saw chokers and which is a charity that ‘sponsors’ children around stuff, and we were like we could do that.” the world and provides them with education, food, Knoop and Hamff ran with the idea and started and financial aid. Through this organization, Strand their own business, of Grace sponsors Strand of Grace. two children.

Soon the girls This philanthropy had products to provides the bring to school founders with an and deliver to opportunity to students. give back while junior “Everyday staying behind Sydney would the scenes.

AVERY HAMFF come to study “I’d say we’re hall, and one day both pretty shy she came and she people,” Hamff said. had this little bag with their first chokers,” sophomore “We’re not used to [being] personally out there, so we Lauren Moore said. “And the next day she’d come and like having something [that] makes a difference, but they’d be personalized, and it would grow each day we don’t have to be the center of it.” with what they brought” Donating to Compassion International has The process for making the jewelry is fairly pushed Strand of Grace in a new direction. Knoop and simple, but the girls knew that a unique approach Hamff took a short break this semester to regroup the was necessary for success, so they found a design that business and focus on school, but the shop reopened became very popular among Consol students and December 1 with a new mindset for the future. people nationwide.

“This time when we go for it, it’s going to be much “We get [our supplies] either online or at Hobby more philanthropy based,” Knoop said. “[The business Lobby,” Knoop said. “Then we have set patterns, will be] more about the cause than the profit.” and our big thing is that we have clasps on all of our

“We like having something that makes a difference, but where we don’t have to be the center of it.”

Hamff holds up her favorite piece from the new collection.

She said it takes about 15 minutes to make one choker.

The founders of Strand of Grace lay out the rose gold seed choker, which is Knoop’s favorite piece because it “goes with every outfit.”

Knoop and Hamff pose together. They said they have been best friends since they met at golf their freshman year.

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friday, dec. 14, 2018

the roar | sports | 17

Setting the Standard Varsity volleyball player encourages relationships in team

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SARAH MORGAN

saanya patel & olivia conway managing editor & staff reporter Senior Sarah Morgan is the ideal teammate.

She lights up the volleyball court: her voice ringing out in cheers of support for her friends, her every serve accompanied by characteristic determination and energy, her caring personality shining both on and off the court. And her teammates and coaches take note of this.

“Sarah’s one of those kids that comes into the gym happy every day,” head volleyball coach Jennifer Kazmierski said. “She loves her teammates, she’s all about picking [them] up and helping them do well.”

In fact, Morgan’s strong connections with her teammates are the primary reason she stayed with volleyball for all four years of high school, despite a heavy course load and little free time.

“There were times that I wanted to quit or I wasn't having as much fun, but I became friends with people that I didn't want to lose and that's been really worth it for me,” Morgan said. “There are a lot of girls that I probably wouldn't have been friends with if it wasn't for volleyball.”

Beyond making new friends, volleyball provided Morgan with an opportunity to join a unique community at the school. Volleyball was more than just a sport; it was also a close-knit group of people that Morgan might otherwise never have met.

“I was able to become friends with a wide range of people--not everyone's in the same mold,” Morgan said. “The people in my classes were very different from the people on my volleyball team so I feel like it made me more well-rounded.”

Morgan quickly became known on the volleyball team for her optimistic energy and supportive nature. Both her teammates and coaches describe her as happy, joyful, and always enthusiastic about volleyball-related activities.

“She's just always really happy, even if she wasn't playing she would always be the person on the bench who was cheering the most,” friend and teammate junior Sydney McCorkle said. “If anyone was having a bad day she could tell [and] would always ask; she's just a really good person and

teammate.”

This was Morgan’s first year on the varsity team, but she took advantage of her years on JV as an opportunity to serve as a leader and encourage her teammates.

“I was the only junior on JV and I was with a bunch of sophomores so it was easier to be a team leader and just be energized for the team because everyone was just there having fun together,” Morgan said. “I just felt so good and we only lost one game that season.”

The theme of Morgan’s volleyball career has been to choose to be joyful in most situations.

By focusing on the positives, she found her own unique place among her teammates.

“I learned how important it is to encourage others and just have joy all the time [because] that will bring stuff to the team that other people can't,” Morgan said. “I don't have to be the most competitive person or fit a certain mold to be a volleyball player, I can just be myself and the whole team will fit together.”

Part of Morgan’s role on the team is to serve as a leader and mentor both on and off the court.

Instead of letting volleyball interfere with her academic endeavors, she chose to use volleyball as a chance to share her experiences with others.

“It’s fun to listen when we ride on the bus [because] people would be asking her advice on tests and classes and she was always willing to help,” Kazmierski said. “I think that [Morgan’s] brilliant.

It’s really hard to balance academics and what you do in volleyball.”

Although Morgan’s time playing volleyball will end in high school, Kazmierski is confident that Morgan’s determination and upbeat personality will serve her well later in life.

“I think that whatever career that she pursues, the assets and the characteristics that she has will absolutely carry over,” Kazmierski said. “We’re gonna miss her completely; if I had a kid for my daughter to look up to and model, it would be Sarah Morgan.”

friday, dec. 14, 2018

18 | reviews | the roar

REad all about it the roar reviews: favorite books that everyone should read Dress Codes for Small Towns

ruby perry-mize | opinions co-editor

The reason I picked up Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens in the first place is that it had a picture of Doc Martens--my signature footwear--on the cover. But I proved able to connect to the story on a much deeper level than a fun shoutout to my favorite shoe brand. The main character, Elizabeth “Billy” McAfree, is a preacher’s daughter in a small southern town who is struggling to reckon with what makes her different while surrounded by people who all seem the same. With the help of her five best friends and her trusty boots, she confronts nuance and ambiguity with never-failing humor. While this may seem like a bit of a tired trope, Stevens puts a new spin on it with sparkling wit and refreshing frankness as Billy navigates the confusing territory of identity, friendship, family, and culture to find the courage to come into her own in a world that doesn’t have a way to understand her. With its clear-eyed account of a young girl’s complicated world, Dress Codes for Small Towns is a must-read for any teenager--in fact, for any human being.

elise sawyer | opinions co-editor

olivia conway | managing editor

The Book Thief

I have always been an indecisive person. When I heard that I had to pick one of my favorite books, I panicked-- since there was no way I could just pick one.

Because of this, while reflecting over all the books on my shelf and finding issues with every novel, I noticed something-- The Book Thief. It was my favorite book when I was twelve, and when I saw my battered copy, I realized that I had not read it in at least a year.

This brought up my test-- would I still enjoy a book I loved three years ago?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a book about a girl in Germany during World War II who is adopted into a foster family after she witnesses her brother’s death and all the events that happen to her within the following years, but the book describes itself as is about “a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery”. The story is made more interesting through its narration, since the entire story is narrated by Death. The book has a notable use of metaphors, and the storytelling is unique as well through its “foreshadowing”-- which was, usually, blatantly spoiling later events in the book before they happen.

So, after reading this book, I faced two questions-- did I still like it, and would I recommend it to most people as a book they should read? I would say yes and no. I still really enjoyed the story, however, I would not recommend it to everyone. I know there are many people who dislike the metaphors, the storytelling style, or dislike the way it discussed World War II. But overall, I was glad to read The Book Thief again and enjoyed its unique storytelling style.

The Chips Are Down

I read Les Jeux Sont Fait (The Chips Are Down) by Jean-Paul Sartre after a friend recommended it in the comments of my Instagram post. My original favorite Sartre plays had been either No Exit or The Flies, but The Chips Are Down quickly rose to one of my favorite pieces of literature in existence.

The story is beautiful and heartbreaking: two deceased soulmates given another chance at life to find each other only to be pulled apart by problems in their respective personal lives. Each sacrifices their chance at love and life in favor of attempting to save the people they love the most from tragedy. I couldn’t find an English translation online so I read this play in the original French, which while difficult, was incredibly rewarding. I struggled with some of the French phrases (it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out the meaning of coup d’oeil), but I am grateful to have read the play without losing any of Sartre’s brilliance to a faulty English translation. Sartre’s themes of love, sacrifice, regret, and personal responsibility almost made me cry multiple times, and the play’s ending left me with a lingering wistful, nostalgia for epic romance.

The plot was thought-provoking, addressing ideas of the uncomfortable nature of powerlessness. Only after dying, and losing their power to affect human life, do the main characters learn that their loved ones are in danger. They are granted another chance at life, presumably to cultivate their love for each other in a single day in order to prove they deserve to be resurrected, but each uses the precious time to try to help the people they love. The two protagonists demonstrate an admirable selflessness in their decision to attempt to fix the situations they left behind rather than pursue their own happiness, even though they did not succeed. In perhaps one of the saddest written moments that I have ever read, they speak sadly to each other of love, already accepting the fact that their chance at a relationship has been lost. This play changed my life and I hope to read more of Sartre’s work in the future. I recommend The Chips Are Down without reservation. It is a perfect story of responsibility and sacrifice complete with a lovely romance and a bittersweet ending.

19 | reviews | the roar

friday, dec. 14, 2018

coming in

hot

the roar reviews: local coffee shops alex roeder | senior executive editor sam de figueiredo | editor-in-chief The Tipsy Bean is a modern coffee shop and wine bar with great coffee and delicious pastries. I ordered a cinnamon roll and a latte. I’m not a coffee connoisseur, and most coffee tastes the exact same to me, but this coffee tastes different. It’s boujee and not as watery as others.

The design of the shop is streamlined and aesthetically pleasing. But while the design is pretty to look at, it’s hardly functional for a student. The limited amount of uncomfortable seating makes it an undesirable place to study. In addition to the limited seating, the soft lighting makes the atmosphere a social one as opposed to a study one. The lights dim once it hits nighttime, making it hard to cram for a test due to limited lighting.

While it isn’t the best place to study, it is a great place to have a good cup of coffee and socialize. Overall, the dim atmosphere might be great for adults, but I don’t think I would choose it over other coffee shops as a place to study.

However, if you’re just looking for a snack and a mocha, the Tipsy Bean is a great place to go.

From the moment I stepped in Lupa’s coffee, I felt at home. From the warm lighting, polite greeting from the baristas, and the slight hum from friends chattering around the shop, the whole place just had a great vibe.

After discussing drinks with the cashier for a I ended up ordering a basic drink- a caramel frappe, in the hopes that in case their coffee wasn’t amazing, the sugar would make up for it. Fortunately I didn’t have to worry too much about it because the drink ended up being delicious- not quite as sweet as a starbucks drink but sweet enough to mask the coffee’s acidity.

I sat down in the front room where they have individual tables for studying. It was a great environment to get schoolwork done even though most of the time I was on Instagram. My favorite part of the experience was people watching. All around me people were talking, laughing, and frantically cramming for their classes. All-in-all, if you like good coffee, good people, and good vibes, I would reccommend Lupa’s to you.

saanya patel | staff reporter Gogh Gogh Coffee Company is a local coffee shop in town. Always being on the lookout for a good place to have a cup of coffee and study I gave it a try. It is in a relatively accessible location. Although from certain parts of College Station getting to the actual shop is something of a process. Once I got there I discovered that parking was decent. Walking in the atmosphere is wonderful. The windows made the room bright and welcoming. The wood interior is very aesthetic. Personally the strong smell of coffee raised my expectations. I ordered the Cafe at Midnight. Because I went at an odd hour in the day the service was fast. While I do enjoy a good cup of coffee I am extremely picky about what I like. My first sip was taken immediately upon receiving the cup which resulted in burning my tongue. After I took a second swig of it at drinkable temperature I found it to be quite sweet and the coffee part of it to be non-existent. I did not find the lingering sweetness in my mouth appealing. My mother, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed the coffee. She finds sweet coffee to be delicious. To her it was the perfect balance of sweetness and coffee flavor.

Gogh Gogh has created a great atmosphere but in my opinion the coffee is not a good choice for someone looking for the strong flavor of coffee.

20 | feature | the roar

man’s best friend(s)

friday, dec. 14, 2018

Students discuss benefits of unique pets, appreciate their role ruby perry-mize opinions co-editor

Senior Wynter Houpt’s father David Houpt had always loved birds, especially parrots and their smaller relatives, parrotlets. So when he and his wife Lorri Peters got a pet cockatiel about two decades ago, they happily chose the name Cassandra and welcomed their new family member into their home. There had been just one slight misunderstanding.

“When they first got him, they thought he was a female, because he had female markings on the bottoms of his feathers,” Wynter Houp said.

“But he was not. They had another cockatiel called Calypso, and she would always lay eggs.

So that’s how they found out that he was male.”

For students to own dogs, cats, or even fish is fairly common. However, some students have less conventional pets, which play less conventional roles in their lives.

Just as Houpt had an affinity for birds, sophomore Sloane Simmen’s father Will Simmen had always wanted to own a horse. His city upbringing made that dream impossible until he and his family moved to the outskirts of College Station, and were able to buy some twenty miniature ponies.

“He really liked horses, and he grew up in a neighborhood in Houston, so he only had dogs,” Sloane Simmen said. “So when he moved here and he had all this land, he was like, ‘I’m gonna get horses because I want horses, and raise them for a while.’”

The reason sophomore David Chang purchased his Nerite snail was much more practical. The snail, which has no name, is there only to keep the

fish tank algae-free.“We wanted a snail that wouldn’t reproduce a lot, [so] our ecosystem wouldn’t be run over by snails,” Chang said. “It [also] takes care of itself,” Chang said. “You put food into the tank, and our fish are messy eaters. The snail can get nutrients from those pieces of food, and also the algae that’s in the tank.”While the Simmens’ miniature horses are more trouble than the Nerite snail, they’re significantly lower-maintenance than full-size horses, with none of their complicated health issues.

“They’re kind of in between dogs and regular horses,” Sloane Simmen said. “They follow you around, and they just want food a lot. They’re really sweet. They’re actually pretty calm unless you spook them.”

with a miniature horse--naming him on the basis of a kindergarten education in Spanish.

“Right after he was born, we took him to this other farm, and his eye got kicked out,” Simmen said. “And so he had one eye. So my dad was like, ‘what do you want to name him?’ And I was like, ‘oh my gosh, Uno!’” This memory is just one of many Simmen has involving miniature horses. They were a major part of her childhood.

“I grew up around them,” Simmen said. “My dad used to pay me a quarter when I was little to go out there and feed the horses and put the hay out. I learned skills, in a way, from that.”

The horses also taught her valuable lessons about not making assumptions based on appearance.

“It’s not judging a book by its cover,” Simmen said. “Because you see a horse, and you’re like, ‘oh that’s a horse.’ But our miniature horses are really sweet. when you first see them, you don’t think of something like that.”

The benefits of the Nerite snail are much more utilitarian. Its appeal is entirely related to its ability to clean the tank.

“They’re excellent at their job, they’re minimal maintenance, and they’re pretty much wonderful in general,” Chang said.

The appeal of Houpt’s cockatiel is less related to the jobs he does or the lessons he teaches than to the simple companionship he provides.

“He’s a constant in my life that I can trust is always there,” she said. “I can be like, ‘Okay, today was wild, but, hey, look at this thing that’s normal.

Look at this thing that’s there.’ I grew up with him. He’s always been there.”

“I grew up around [horses]. My dad used to pay me a quarter to go out there and feed the horses and put the hay out. I learned skills, in a way, from that.” sophomore SLOANE SIMMEN

The Houpts’ cockatiel needs a good deal of interaction and attention, not only for his happiness, but for his health.

“Birds are a huge commitment, because they’re incredibly social,” Wynter Houpt said. “If you do not spend time with your bird, they can die of loneliness and depression, [and] they can become severely ill.”

This sociability makes Cassandra extremely interactive, and guests at the Houpt household are often captivated by the bird.

“He has such animated reactions to anything you do: if you put your hand up next to the cage, he’ll squawk at you,” Wynter Houpt said. “He’s just an interesting guy.”

Sloane Simmen still remembers one of her first meaningful interactions

PHOTOS BY ALEX ROEDER