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WORTH THE WEIGHT?
5.0
4.0
sics Fundamentals of Phy
Literature
TEXAS TREASURES
The
Practice of Statistics
for the AP Exam
Students express frustration over weighted grading sytsem, suggest ideas for change olivia conway & alex roeder managing editor & senior-executive editor For some students, identity becomes associated with numerical values. Academic and disciplinary records are classified under nine-digit ID numbers, athletes are identified by the numbers on their jerseys, and whispers of class rankings swirl through the hallways--a few decimal points marking the difference between happiness and disappointment. But one number--listed on applications, transcripts, and resumes--has sparked some controversy. GPA, measured at Consol on a 4.0 or 5.0 scale, has caused displeasure among students. Complaints range from differences in grading styles between teachers of the same course to too few grades in a marking period that matter far too much, but the conversation often circles back to the differences, or lack thereof, in the weighting system for different course levels. On-level courses, athletics, CATE classes, and the first two years of fine arts are weighted on a 4.0 scale, while honors and AP classes are weighted on a 5.0 scale. While administrators and the school board agree there should be a distinction in grading between the on-level and AP/honors courses, some students feel that the difference in academics between the AP and honors courses warrants an additional tier to the grading system. Other districts in Texas use a 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 weighting system to acknowledge the additional difficulty often attributed to AP courses that may not
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be present in honors courses. “I have friends [that have] said ‘when I was in high school, I graduated with a 5.1’ and I was like ‘come again?’,” sophomore AnnaLynn Lewis said. “Before coming to high school, I thought it was only possible to get a 4.0, and that extra point was something incredible, but now we know that there is something else that is held back from us.” According to English teacher Ryan Goodwyn, the differences in workload may not be apparent, but the environment of AP classes is more demanding than that of an honors course. He believes that at least in the English department, doing well in an honors course is more dependent on student work ethic, while AP English courses require higher-level skills in reading and writing. “I teach honors and I do agree that it's rigorous, but I also know as the [10th grade] level leader what goes on in 10th grade Pre-AP and it is a more challenging course,” Goodwyn said. “[It’s] not necessarily more work, but more challenging.” This difference in difficulty may lead some students to consider AP classes too much of a risk to their GPAs, Lewis believes. Especially since they can receive the same boost from taking an honors course instead. “[My classmates] take advantage of the system, which is smart,” Lewis said. “But it’s the system’s fault that they’re taking advantage of it, because they will take all honors classes, and get a higher GPA than people that are taking AP classes, therefore pushing them out of the top 10% of graduating seniors.”
viewpoints page 6
“grading system” continued on page 3
feature pages 7-11
sports pages 12-13
reviews pages 14-15
brief | the roar
UPCOMING
2 | in
APR. 8-12 APR. 16 APR. 19 APR. 24 APR. 28 APR. 29-MAY 3 MAY 3 MAY 4
NEWS friday, apr. 5, 2019
Assistant Principal Week Choir UIL Good Friday (No School) Admin Appreciation Day Prom #WeAreConsolWeek Belles Spring Show CSISD Art Show
IN THE
BPA members advance to nationals at state competition
On March 6-9, students competed at the Business Professionals of America State Competition. Seniors Aabid Razvi, Allyson Fisher, Muhammud Sajid, James Rude and Emmanuel Preciado, and juniors David Asatryan and Tian-Da Huang qualified for Nationals in individual events. Seniors Emmanuel Muyia, Noor Bains, Ishna Maredia, and Allyson Fisher, junior Tian-Da Huang and sophomores Pravalika Manchi, Nisha Bhaidani, David Chang, Denise Kumar, Asma Maredia, Samiha Momin and Insha Umatiya were all named national alternates in the group events.
Students place in recent French Symposium competition
Sophomore Lauren Moore sings “Should’ve Been Us” in the Acapella Extravaganza. Earlier this year, Moore was named Outstanding Soloist for her performance. PHOTO BY ALEX ROEDER
Learn to drive the SafeWay!
On March 22-23, 32 members of French Club participated in the Texas French Symposium competition. Senior Selena Li, junior Mia Maness and sophomores Clara Tremblay and Brett Hyman placed in the Quiz Bowl event. Senior Selena Li and junior Eren Akleman placed in the Drama event. As part of the Beginning Drama Group, sophomores Sam Lightfoot, Bill Wang, Clara Tremblay, Georgia Carrino, Angela Harry and Dorian Novasad all took 2nd place. For the comic strip competition, freshmen Angela Harry and Brynn Lund (Level 1) took 2nd place, sophomores Robin Erickson and Tanya Nguyen (Level 2) took 2nd, juniors Eren Akleman and Madyson Shroyer (Level 3) placed 2nd, Selena Li (Level 5/6) won her event, junior Logan Parker and freshman Aideen Gabbai (Level Experienced) took 2nd. In the individual events, sophomore Nicolas Hilty placed 2nd in Drama Solo category in Level Experienced. Senior Selena Li (Level Experienced) placed 1st overall out of about 700 people. Senior Olivia Conway (Level 4) placed 5th overall out of about 700 people. Senior Madi Booth (Level 4) won Drama Solo category, while junior Mia Maness won Guided Speaking. In Level 1, freshmen Harper Cunningham placed 3rd in Guided Speaking and the Grammar Test, Freshman Angela Harry placed 3rd in Sight Reading, Dorian Novosad placed 2nd in the Drama solo category, and sophomore Brett Hyman placed 2nd place in Poetry and 3rd place in the Civilization Test.
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the roar | news | 3
friday, apr. 5, 2019
School considers merits of three-tiered GPA system, acknowledges drawbacks “grading systems” cont. from page 1 Sophomore Claire McAdams agrees with Lewis that giving AP and honors courses the same weight may force some AP students out of the top percentages of their class, but she does not think that the weighting system will have negative effects on students’ futures. “In the end, admissions officers are smarter than you think,” McAdams said. “They do make cutoffs for SAT scores, but they will see that you took an AP class, and [someone else] took an honors, and even if he had a 95 and you had an 88, they will see that the AP class is a lot harder.” While the difference in difficulty may be evident to the students taking the courses, counselor Mindy Casper does not think that the differences between AP and honors courses are as clear as they seem. “I’m sure all courses are taught differently and of course instructors have different ways of teaching courses,” Casper said. “I think AP courses are more standardized from one school to another, where [with] honors courses it depends on the curriculum as far as what the rigor is.” ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS School Board member Jeff Harris agrees that a 6.0 scale would reward academic rigor, but is concerned that with the switch students may be too concerned with their GPA to consider classes not weighted on the 6.0 scale. He wants students to focus on other aspects of high school beyond their grade point averages. “The high school experience and getting prepared for life after high school is about more than the grade point,” Harris said. “I see the importance of GPA in college and scholarship applications, but even with that said there is a broader world out there and the holistic development of one’s skill set and experiences” Though Harris sees the issue of being solely focused on GPA as associated with moving to a three-tiered system, Goodwyn points out that this problem already exists and may be perpetuated by keeping honors and AP courses on the same scale. With college being the next step for many Consol graduates, GPA holds great importance on a competitive application. What Goodwyn has noticed, however, is that students often take a class that may not be as challenging for them in order to achieve a higher GPA. “Kids are [playing] the numbers game,” Goodwyn said. “They’re trying to game the system as much as possible to get the highest GPA, and I think it’s part of
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a larger problem that we have with education across the state. We put so much value in kids’ minds on the grade and the GPA and the numbers instead of the education.” This excessive focus on the numerical values can result in students taking classes that may not be right for them, Goodwyn says. Additionally, it can skew a student’s idea of their own intellectual accomplishments since the basis of comparison is often reduced to class rank or GPA rather than learned material or personal fulfillment. THE GREAT DEBATE Beyond just the effect on her GPA, Lewis wants to know that the work she puts into her classes isn’t being overlooked or misinterpreted because of how the system is set up. “I think the purpose of getting a 6.0 scale is to gain recognition of the level of difficulty of classes and to be recognized for the level of work that you put on AP tests,” Lewis said. “Because our school ranks really well nationally with the College Board and all these other AP level ranks.” Though switching to a three-tiered grading system may have benefits for the students according to Lewis, it would not be a simple process. Even now with the twotiered system there are discussions about the criteria required for receiving the 5.0 credit as well as which classes have the option to receive a 5.0 credit. These problems would persist with a three-tiered system, Harris believes. “It’s kind of a tenuous balance between all the factors--not quite as simple as just regular, honors, and AP classes,” Harris said. “[There are] a bunch of involved issues: things like CATE programs and how those fit in the point system or fine arts programs [or] students who participate in athletics.” But these factors are still related to the overall problem of focusing on numbers that Goodwyn has noticed. As the swim team coach as well as an English teacher, he wishes that the 5.0 credit offered to core classes and some fine arts programs would be extended to athletics as well. “We’re saying that this extracurricular activity is more valuable than this extracurricular activity and I think that’s a real disservice to the kids who decide to do athletics,” Goodwyn said. “I think it’s unfair that you force them to a position to either take their athletics for no credit or not take it as a class because they’re scared of the numbers and the grade and the rankings.” While determining the point values for athletics requires a different conversation, Goodwyn and Lewis
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think that establishing a three-tiered system would alleviate some of the problems of the numbers game. However, not everyone believes that students choose classes with the sole motive of boosting their GPAs. “Most [choices] are based on what the teacher recommendation is,” Casper said. “I don’t see that very often at all that they would just want the points. Generally, kids will go with what their teacher recommends.” Though there are conflicting views on why students register for certain courses, Goodwyn believes that there may be a solution that satisfies both sides. “I’ve always thought that the best compromise would be to do 10 points and 5 points--get a 5 point bump for honors, get a 10 point bump for AP,” Goodwyn said. “That would, for the kids who are only in it to play the numbers game, force them up into the AP class, but for the kids who maybe it’s their first time to take an advanced class, honors can help.” Adjusting the weighting system might solve the problem of students choosing classes based on GPA, but McAdams considers the environments of AP classes with the current weighting system to be relatively positive. “It really makes it to where the AP classes are filled with kids who are all willing to work really hard, and are not necessarily just focused on getting the best GPA,” McAdams said. “They’re here to get the best education, and I think that’s really nice.” CURRENT OBSTACLES Regardless of whether or not the grading system deserves a second look, a project of that magnitude would not be feasible for the school board to complete in a short time frame. While some students, like Lewis, may wish for immediate change, they also understand that it would take time to change this policy. “They don’t want to completely restructure their whole system, at least not right now in the middle of a semester,” Lewis said. “They have other more immediate things to do. But, this is something that I think really needs to happen, if not now then in the year.” The ultimate goal for the school, according to Harris, is to produce students that are prepared for their next steps after high school, whether that is college, the military or joining the workforce, and thus far, he says it’s difficult to argue with the results. “We have some of the most impressive graduates around,” Harris said. “I’m consistently impressed and that’s attributable to the whole system that’s in place-the work of the students and teachers, but also [of] the systems that are in place to support them.”
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4 | news | the roar
AHEAD OF THE GAME
friday, apr. 5, 2019
Students, counselors discuss effectiveness of credit by exams in certain subjects elise sawyer | opinons co-editor With a course load including Pre-AP English II, Pre-AP Chemistry, and Pre-AP Pre-Calculus, freshman Sabrina Hu is years ahead in math and science.. Through the credit by exam system, she tested out of required classes to make room in her schedule for additional science classes she’s been interested in. “The tests themselves were sort of like EOCs, but a little shorter. For science, I read the textbooks a lot, and it was still kind of hard to pass,” Hu said. “I want to take all the AP sciences. That’s five classes, It would be really fun and would be a good experience that I wouldn’t get if I didn’t skip grades.” The district provides free credit by exams administered in either May, June, or July, which students can register for on the CSISD website. Students can also pay and register to take an exam at any time through Texas Tech or UT. If the student scores an 80 or higher, then they will receive credit for the course.
Jamie Boyd, the counselor who primarily manages credit by-exams at AMCHS, said that students often take the exams to make room in their schedules for something else they are interested in. “It can alleviate a course in a student’s schedule when they need to take something else that they want for college, or a career choice, or maybe just to figure out what they’re interested in,” Boyd said. “If a kid can test out of it, then I say ‘why not?’ Do it, and make room for something that you’re really going to enjoy.” In addition to making room for alternative classes in her schedule, Hu said skipping grades gave her an introduction to harder high school material before everyone else in her grade. “Taking biology early helped me gain experience,” Hu said. “It’s nice, because middle school classes were easy for me. Taking classes in advance gave me opportunities to expand my knowledge.” Credit by exams are also popular among those willing to pay the exam fee in hopes of gaining credit
for classes they previously failed. Though the failing grade still appears on a transcript, these students can receive a course credit that counts toward graduation requirements. Despite the many uses of these exams, however, Boyd said she doesn’t recommend all of them, especially the math exams. “Even if you make an 80 on a test, that still shows that you don’t know 20 percent of the content, and if you’re moving on to a more advanced math, then that can hurt your grade,” Boyd said. “I think you’ll see some deficits from not understanding or having a good foundation.” Hu also recognizes that the exams aren’t beneficial for everyone, and only recommends them for people who feel they aren’t learning enough in their classes. “Everyone has different paces of learning,” Hu said. “If you try to skip more, it might just end up making you overwhelmed and too stressed, so that’s just not the best idea for everyone. So be careful.”
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scan here for more information about CBE exams
PHOTO BY SAANYA PATEL
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the roar | opinions | 5
friday, apr. 5, 2019
pressed for time
emmeline duhon staff reporter
Teen discusses pressure behind career decisions The first time I had to confront my future, I was 8 years old. In elementary school, we had a career day. It was an exciting day to show off what we aspired to be when we grew up. The whole day was “fun”--as the teachers said--but it wasn’t up to the hype. It was honestly just a bunch of coloring packets filled with pictures of firefighters and doctors, and way overanticipated. During the day of “fun,” we talked about the different choices available to us in the career lineup. I had always been very broad-minded on the subject of jobs. I didn’t give much thought to it, and changed my idea every few weeks. My teachers would always tell the class, “it’s never too early to start preparing” and “you don’t want to get behind”, .Phrases that continued to appear more frequently in the recent years. It was a bit too much pressure to put on a third grader’s shoulders, especially when my thoughts of the future only extended to recess, summer and what was on Disney Channel after school. From that moment on I focused on finding the perfect interest to prepare for a career. I spent hours searching for my possible passion, and thought deeply and carefully about my future. I might have been only 10 years old, but in my mind, over-preparation was necessary to be competitive for the job I wanted. As more and more teachers joined in on the craze, I couldn’t help but wonder when it all began. When did preparing so early become normal? When did the over preparation hype become a necessity? My parents told stories of their older family members taking risks for a job they knew nothing about and still succeeding. Because I was so conditioned to think preparation was best, I had always thought these people were lunatics.
Continuing on through the years, the various career days started to disappear into distant memories and a tacky costume of a doctor. College fairs and career-centered field trips soon took their place. Every new grade presented itself with a new career aspect. Each grade level added weight to the expectation that we should know our future plans. You enter the state of feeling like you’re getting nowhere, and stress soon becomes a normal part of life.a lot of people go through this state of being stressed and unaware of what is in place for them in the future.at some point it is okay to worry about it, but in this time period it’s common to overthink at a young age. Teachers, parents and even fellow peers seem to think that preparing for future careers and plans are at the top of your list of priorities. Extensive preparation for the future has clearly become a trend. But beginning the preparation process in elementary school is overkill. A kid is supposed to worry about things a kid is supposed to worry about, like playing four square on the playground, juice boxes or legos. Kids shouldn’t be torn from their present to prepare for the looming future. Now future generations will grow up and not think anything about the concept of preparing. There will be no question about whether or not they are doing the right thing. My peers and I have always been told that it’s never too early to start preparing. The pressure forces us to choose a path that might not even be right for us, and it overtakes our lives. If we weren’t taught to stress about our futures at such a young age, perhaps we wouldn’t learn to fear them. Want to talk more about the pressure of career decisions? Contact Emmeline at the.roar.duhon@gmail.com
True confession: I have shown up to school while sick as a dog, to avoid taking finals that were causing me an insane amount of stress. If I chose to stay home sick,the principal would deem me unworthy of exemptions upon my return. The entire student body continually faces this dilemma.The policy is unfair because attendance doesn’t always determine success. I have found that attendance is an unnecessary step to gaining the ability to exempt finals. if a student can keep their grades up even while skipping class five days a week, they should have the option to exempt. The policy’s loose definition of an excused absence creates confusion and an unlevel playing field for students. UIL events do not count against exemptions, but extended absences for medical reasons do. Students who have doctor, dentist, and orthodontist appointments throughout the year receive excused absences. But when students are out for extended periods of time for the flu or family emergencies, they are no longer eligible for exemptions, even if these students have their work done and maintain high averages. This policy poses an important question: are exemptions a reward for successful grades, or merely for clear attendance? Students already experience intense workloads and amounts of stress, so why is there the added anxiety of determining the eligibility for exemptions? Personally, I have had to reschedule doctor and dentist appointments around the classes I wish to exempt. I imagine this is a problem for other students as well, considering the inflexibility of our school schedules and the lack of availability of appointments. If administrators took into account the so-called “excused” absences racked up by visits to doctors and dentists and staying home sick, more students would be eligible to exempt their finals. The attendance policy for exemptions also risks the overall health of the school.
claire grace franklin staff reporter
Students often come to school while contagious and risk others’ health to maintain their ability to exempt. My friend had pink eye and was told by a medical professional to stay home for two days. However, because she wanted to exempt her finals, she went to school anyways. My friend’s actions seem illogical, but they aren’t uncommon. In fact, I acted similarly when I came to school with strep throat.Though difficult to admit, I threatened my peers’ well-being by exposing them to my extremely contagious sickness. These school rules are unfair. The policy should be reevaluated to better suit the needs of the students. However, the adminstors have full authority to remove the opportunity of exemptions. Administration should definitely consider stress and health when deciding the exemption policy. If there were more up-to-date evaluations of the requirements to exempt finals, more students would have the opportunity to do so. This would not only decrease student anxiety surrounding finals, but also would potentially reduce the number of finals that teachers have to grade. I am grateful for the opportunity to exempt finals, but I, and probably many of my peers, would appreciate a change in the requirements for the exemption policy. To remedy this broken policy, administrators should create a new policy under which exempting is dependent on either absences or grades. For example, if I missed half a week for sickness but maintained a passing grade, I should be able to exempt. Meanwhile, if someone obtained a perfect attendance record, but received a high C or low B through a course, they should still be able to exempt. As a student body we should consider policy and also keep in mind the authority l of the administration. Want to talk about exemption policies? Contact Claire Grace at the.roar.franklin@ gmail.com
sickening policies
Student speaks out on exemption policies
6 | viewpoints |
the roar
friday, apr. 5, 2019
Is the new four-lunch plan the best course of action?
With approximately 200 new students coming to AMCHS next fall, the cafeteria will be under even more pressure than usual. To address this situation, the administration has decided to return to the previous fourlunch system, with staggered advisory periods. These actions have sparked a debate over whether a four-lunch plan is really the best way to go.
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The Roar 2018-2019 Staff Editor-in-Chief Sam de Figueiredo Managing Editor Olivia Conway Senior Executive Alex Roeder Editor Online Editor Allen Zhang Opinions co-Editors Ruby Perry-Mize Elise Sawyer Staff Reporters Saanya Patel Piper Hitchcock Claire Grace Franklin Emmeline Duhon Allison Segers Faculty Adviser Michael Williams Assistant Adviser Chauncey Lindner The Roar Editorial
Sam de Figueiredo • Olivia Conway • Elise Sawyer • Ruby Perry-Mize
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, 1812Welsh, 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 (979764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
the roar’s consensus The four-lunch plan is the best course of action because it carefully takes into account the needs of the students and school. The restructuring is based on common sense and will resolve common cafeteria problems. Opposition to this plan is simply due to miscommunication and can easily be resolved through information. Even with no increase in new CSISD students, there will likely be 1900 students next year at AMCHS. With the current system, an alarming 600 to 650 students would be in each lunch. After the system redesign, the number of students in a lunch class would be reduced to about 475 students per lunch. Through this, lunch lines will be shorter, there will be more seating space in the cafeteria, and hallways wouldn’t be as crowded when students exit and enter the cafeteria. Not only does this lunch system significantly cut queues in the food lines, but it also helps make the fifth period class more convenient. Currently, the three-lunch system forces classes with B lunch to divide their instruction and test-taking time between two halves of a period. Under the new system, classes will be guaranteed an entire class period without interruptions. This will also allow fifth period teachers to develop a deeper connection with their classes, as they will spend 4th and 5th period with the same students. In addition, 4th period will be a way for students to become more aware of school events through announcements, as nobody will likely make up a test during then. The primary criticism of the new system is the removal of a universal time for the fourth period “success” class. With the new schedule, teachers will likely be unavailable to meet with students during this time, either because they will be teaching or eating lunch themselves. . Although a class period specifically dedicated toward traveling to other classrooms for help is convenient, forgoing this period is not the end of the world. Students will still able to go to different classrooms before and after school. To further students’ success, administration is organizing specialized lunch groups for students who need to work on projects during the school day. In general, the administration is working to ensure that students who need help will get help, even with the new shift in the lunch system. This four-lunch system will bring organization and efficiency to the school’s growing population, making it clearly the best option we have.
A-Lunch
Lunch: 11:05-11:35
Success: 11:40-12:05
4th period: 12:10-1:05
B-Lunch
Success: 11:10-11:35
Lunch: 11:35-12:05
4th period: 12:10-1:05
C-Lunch
4th period: 11:10-12:05
Lunch: 12:05-12:35
Success: 12:40-1:05
D-Lunch
4th period: 11:10-12:05
Success: 12:10-12:35
Lunch: 12:35-1:05
the roar | snapshots | 7
friday, apr. 5, 2019
Junior Moriah Scott dodges the defense as she sprints down the field. Scott scored three touchdowns, more than anyone else on her team.
Senior Will Harris cartwheels in the endzone after a touchdown. He said the cheer team spent hundreds of hours “perfecting” their stunts.
roleplay
Juniors Maddie McKinney and Caitlyn Marie run towards the endzone. McKinney said the hardest part of playing was understanding her coaches, who almost always used confusing “football terms”.
Junior team wins Powderpuff game 34-32 ruby perry-mize & alex roeder opinions co-editor & senior-executive editor Senior Gunnar Coker didn’t fully understand the intensity of cheerleading until he crashed into the ground after being hurled into the air during the Powderpuff halftime show. “Sometimes you sit in the bleachers and see the cheerleaders do a routine and think, ‘that would be easy,” Coker said. “Then you actually have to try to learn it, and it takes like two hours to figure out a small part of it.” Both groups gained new insight into what the other endures while playing their sport. Junior Maddie McKinney said she took pride in proving her capability in the unfamiliar sport. “[Playing] was weird, but also really empowering,” McKinney said. “[People are] not going to expect you to be really good at [football], but when you are, it’s super fun.” Junior Jolee Fedora treated Powderpuff as an opportunity to play the game she had never been able to directly participate in before. “It was actually really fun because I’ve always been on the sidelines or in the stands,” Fedora said. “I finally got to play that [central] role, and experience what the guys have to go through and the adrenaline that goes with it.” There’s more to Powderpuff than trying new things, however. The game fostered a unique community among the players, Coker said. “There were a lot of girls on the team that may not have been that good of friends before,” Coker said. “But you’d see someone make a good play, and someone they may have never talked to before would go up and congratulate them. [It] really was a team bonding time.” Coker said this community is especially important on a large campus, where it can sometimes be difficult to pull together as a school. “Even though we’re a fairly large school, we still have that small town high school feeling, which is what I love about Consol.” Coker said.
Junior coaches Brian Darby and Nate Floyd celebrate after their team’s win.
The senior cheer team launches senior Gunnar Coker into the air during the halftime show.
Senior Shelby Bruffet pushes the ball upfield as junior Elizabeth Brieden trails closely behind.
8 | student
life | the roar
friday, apr. 5, 2019
BEHIND THE SCREENS
the roar | student life | 9
CSISD news writer reflects on experiences in media field, sheds light on contributions sam de figueiredo & allen zhang editor-in-chief & online editor
it also creates pressure for media producers to rapidly share mediocre content. Glenewinkel tries to ignore this pressure, saying even if his news isn’t always timely, he always checks that the final product is in-depth and accurate. “Sometimes, the stories take a while,” Glenewinkel said. “Here or there, I have Although Director of Communications Chuck Glenewinkel serves as the main to do some researching on my own, because when we’re writing, more questions voice for CSISD’s news, he said he prefers to stay out of the spotlight. come to our mind. We make sure that the news gets out, as our students and staff “I’m kind of a more behind-the-scenes guy. I basically make sure everyone is there at the right time,” Glenewinkel said. “It’s really exciting learning what’s put in so much hard work.” This process can be time-consuming, but Glenewinkel feels it’s worth it to happening every day.” fulfill his duty of informing the community. Glenewinkel’s goal to stay unrecognized has been fulfilled, partly because he “We’re showcasing what our students do. It’s [not] coming from person, but chooses to post news updates on the district website anonymously. rather the collective district,” Glenewinkel said. “We don’t want [the news] coming from “We just want to let everyone know everything one person, but rather the collective district,” that Consol is doing.” Glenewinkel said. “We are kind of our own After finishing a news story, news service.” Glenewinkel then has to decide where to share Glenewinkel has plenty of experience in the finished product. the realm of news, as he worked for 11 years “There’s different levels,” Glenewinkel said. at Texas A&M’s media and public relations “I’ll put something maybe sometimes on social office before moving to CSISD’s central office. director of communications media, sometimes on on our website, sometimes His current duties range from organizing the local news station.” CHUCK GLENEWINKEL media conferences to creating press releases. Glenewinkel’s connections to the local media “It’s pretty much the same stuff for the network have made this step of the process fairly office here and the one at the University,” easy. Glenewinkel said. “Anywhere you go, “I get text messages from KBTX asking for media relations is about being timely and certain stories and they follow up on our press releases,” Glenewinkel said. “They responsive.” kind of filter their way through the system. ” Glenewinkel said he has to closely follows school calendars and community The interconnected nature of the media community in College Station is one of news to stay up-to-date. Among his variety of responsibilities at the District office, Glenewinkel said maintaining the District’s online presence is the most significant. the best things about working in town, according to Glenewinkel. “It’s a blessing, because our local news does a lot of stories about our students, “We’ve had the website for a long time. Before technology, you got the news things that wouldn’t be told like Houston, Austin, and those types of places,” from the newspapers and the TV. That was the news cycle: the morning and then the evening,” Glenewinkel said. “Now there’s news every minute of everyday from Glenewinkel said. “That’s the fun part of my job, I get to tell people about all the cool things our students are doing.” Twitter and Facebook.” While this change may have made news more convenient, Glenewinkel said
“We’re showcasing what our students do. It’s [not] coming from one person, but rather the collective district.”
to learn more about your school, check out these links:
TWITTER: @CSISD WEBSITE: www.amchs.csisd.org FACEBOOK: A&M CONSOLIDATED HIGH SCHOOL
10 | feature | the roar
friday, apr. 5, 2019
from econ to admin AP adjusts to new role, finds fulfillment saanya patel & allen zhang | staff reporter & online editor During every passing period, there is always a familiar face roaming the hallways making sure the school is a safe learning environment. After teaching social studies for 20 years, assistant principal Jason Pratt is quickly learning the ins-and-outs of his “totally different” administrative role. While Pratt’s former job emphasized interactions with students, Pratt said his new tasks and responsibilities are more centered around working with teachers. “It’s a more difficult job, and you have to deal with a lot of situations a lot of people don’t want to deal with,” Pratt said. “It’s challenging and the learning curve is high.” Though some aspects of the job are unfamiliar, Pratt said he abides by the same values as he did before he took on the new role. “I always try to be the most positive person in the world,” Pratt said. “Unless I’m busy or focused on something very specific, if I see you in the hallway, whether I know you or not, I smile at you and I say hello.” These small gestures of kindness have made the transition to an administrator seamless in the eyes of former students like senior Payton McGinnis, who said Pratt hasn’t changed at all. “I know a lot of people [who] get an officer or authoritative position, and their demeanor changes towards people. They think they’re better than them because they have that higher position.” McGinnis said. “That’s not the case with Pratt. He’s still the same sweet, fun-loving guy that he has always been.” Assistant principal Andrew Marcus agrees, saying Pratt has maintained his character despite the change in title. “I don’t think there’s any doubt for his love to his students,” Marcus said. For McGinnis, this love has been well-received, as she said Pratt has made a lasting impact on her life. “He gave me the opportunity to grow and develop as a person and as a leader,” McGinnis said. “I am forever grateful for that.” After a year of working as an assistant principal, Pratt wants to continue to make classrooms a safe learning environment. “There’s a lot of great things happening in the classroom. I [want to do what I can] to help [teachers] ensure success,” Pratt said.
PHOTOS BY OLIVIA CONWAY
the roar | feature | 11
friday, apr. 5, 2019
from student to sister New club works to make positive impact through relationships with high school girls emmeline duhon & ruby perry-mize staff reporter & opinions co-editor AMCHS students have a huge array of options when it comes to clubs. With 50 organizations on campus, there’s no shortage of ways to achieve. But the newest group on campus, the Sisterhood of Aggie Mentors (SAM), has a more one-on-one, relationship-based approach to the high school experience. Texas A&M student Dannie Hoving, the co-founder and vice president, explained the organization’s purpose is to model and teach personal strength, integrity, and self-esteem to high school girls. The 65 college-age “mentors”, or SAM members, visit Consol every Thursday to connect with the student members. Relationship building is a key focus of SAM, Hoving says. “We think that a huge part of mentorship is just getting to hang out with you guys and getting to be friends with y’all,” she said. Much of the inspiration for the club came from prior experience mentoring students in Hoving’s and co-founder and president Kate Tyson’s home town of Amarillo. “We looked at the girls that we had been mentoring in Amarillo, and it’s hard for us to think about that whenever we leave, there’s not big sister figures that were able to step into those roles when we’re not there,” Hoving said. “So we want to do that for other high school girls.” To Tyson, the importance of a mentoring presence is especially evident because she lacked that kind of guidance as a high schooler. “I never had a mentor,” Tyson said. “[I] wished I would be able to have one, I had friends who did, and I think [SAM is] definitely something I could have benefited from in high school.” Tyson said she was surprised at the amount of people who shared her understanding of the importance of mentorship, as far more college students than expected volunteered to help with SAM. “I was blown away by how many girls are passionate about going out in the community and see[ing] high school girls on a weekly basis,” Tyson said.
The positive atmosphere the girls have created appears to have paid off, Hoving says. The high schoolers involved in SAM seem to be actively enjoying the club. “I was expecting that the girls were going to be a lot more closed off, so it’s been cool to see that a lot of girls want to keep coming back, and they want to hang out with us and talk to us,” Hoving said. “People have been a lot more open than I thought they would [be].” Tyson agrees the girls have been unexpectedly receptive to mentoring, even within the short 40 minutes of the meetings. “It’s definitely been cool to see different high school girls come up to me and ask, ‘Hey where’s such and such? Have you seen this girl?’” Tyson said. “Just being able to see how they have gotten to know [college students].” Hoving has also noticed connections beginning to develop between mentors and high school students. “It’s been cool to listen to other SAM members say, ‘Hey, I had a really cool conversation with my girl today,’ or, ‘She wanted to stay after and just talk to me,’” Hoving said. “That’s so cool to see friendships forming between younger and older girls.” The weekly meetings alternate between joint activities with Anchor club, social gatherings, and lessons relating to themes such as insecurity and motivation. The goal of this system is to promote useful advice and wisdom between the mentors and mentees, which coincides with both of the founders’ intentions Tyson says. “My personal goal is being able to see it all come together,” Tyson said. “Seeing the girls interact with the high school girls and setting up relationships and friendships.” Hoving’s objectives are more oriented toward her individual influence on the path of a student. “My goals look a lot like me wanting to build a relationship with somebody that is on the outskirts of things, and needs something where they feel as special and loved as they are,” Hoving said. “SAM can be that.” The club is not only beneficial to high school students, but also to the college students who participate, Hoving says. “It’s cool to see this fire being lit inside of them,” she said. “They feel a sense of belonging within a community of women who are all striving for the same thing.”
Learn more about SAM at sisterhoodofaggiementors.com. SAM meets on Thursdays from 3:50 to 4:30 PM.
12 | sports | the roar
DIAMOND DUOS
friday, apr. 5, 2019
Siblings reflect on memories, gain experiences from participating in sports together are admirable, as stated by Annalise. “She can be really annoying and aggressive,” freshman Analise Zaragoza said. “[But] we work together…and our bond is our strength.” Though both sisters recognize their special connection, Skylar said it’s For three pairs of Tiger siblings, family extends beyond the home to the home sometimes harder for her to look past their sibling conflicts on the field. plate. “We always have our arguments with each other,” sophomore Skylar Zaragoza Brothers Daniel and David Pugh, who both play varsity baseball, said team said. “We try to keep it off the field, but sometimes we just get at each other’s throats.” activities have strengthened their relationship. Daniel agrees, saying playing together has heightened the sense of rivalry “Bus rides are pretty fun just because we usually have the same sense of humor,” between him and his brother. junior David Pugh said. “So we laugh at the same things and we send each other “I can’t let him catch up to me, and if it’s too close, then I have to start doing memes and things like that--just silly things.” better, ” Daniel Pugh said. “I don’t think [he was ever a better player than me], but he Senior Daniel Pugh said these shared team probably does.” experiences allow them to get along even more On the contrary, David said he avoids than before. comparing himself to his older brother, “He’s kind of become more of a friend since it often adds unnecessary pressure to than like a brother,” Daniel Pugh said. “Then the game. you could also say that everyone here is like “Don’t feel overwhelmed about living a brother, so we’re just kind of like one giant up to that,” David Pugh said. “Just work as family.” sophomore hard as you can and try to be the best you Senior Josh Valenzuela witnessed firstcan be. ” hand the bond described by Daniel while Josh agrees with David’s mentality, serving as the manager of the baseball team. saying focusing on his own strengths and “The baseball team kept me close and they taught me values of friendships... weaknesses has improved his performance as a manager. and how you don’t need to be related to be family,” Josh Valenzuela said. “It’s like a “You’re never really going to be good enough. It’s how you make do with what big brotherhood and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” you have, ” Josh Valenzuela said. “That’s when you excel, when you’re good at what Josh is also able to work closely with his sister, freshman Brianna Valenzuela, you’ve got. ” who manages the softball team. He said Brianna’s attitude toward her job is Skylar said sibling duos shouldn’t be blinded by competitiveness, instead enjoy “heartwarming.” Brianna Valenzuela gave similar praise to her brother. the memories that come with playing together. “[Josh] is a very good people person, he will take into account what people “Have fun because your siblings are always going to be there for you no matter think,” Brianna Valenzuela said. “He doesn’t want anyone to feel left out or down... what, ” Skylar Zaragoza said. “You’ve got to go home to them sooner or later, so just so he’s very good when it comes to taking in everyone’s opinion and stuff like helping have fun with them being around.” them out.” David also advised to make the most of the time playing together, as it passes Similarly, David said he’s learned to admire the traits his sibling displays on the by quickly. field. “I have had a good time playing with [Daniel],” David Pugh said. “It’s gonna be “When [Daniel] puts his mind to something, he works really hard at it,” David tough when he leaves next year because I am going to have to adjust to that at home Pugh said. “He’s good at influencing others as an alpha male type of thing.” and on the field. He has been a lot more of an influence on me than I thought, but On the other hand, sisters and softball teammates Skylar and Annalise Zaragoza I’ve had fun with him.” take a different viewpoint. Not all the discovered personality traits from the siblings
piper hitchcock & claire grace franklin staff reporters
“Your siblings are always going to be there for you. You’ve got to go home to them sooner or later, so just have fun with them being around.” SKYLAR ZARAGOZA
friday, apr. 5, 2019
the roar | sports | 13
IN THE FAST LANE Athletes bring attention to often overlooked events in track and field olivia conway | managing editor Meet Schedule: April 26/27: Region III May 11/12: 5A State
PHOTO BY: OLIVIA CONWAY
Track is known for speed: sprinters taking that final stride across the finish line, long distance runners drawing on a final burst of energy after a two-mile run, relay members carefully watching as their team members approach. But track is merely the shortened title for a far more diverse sport that encompasses skills beyond running quickly. Track and field includes events like shot put, high jump, and pole vault--events that are critical to team success, but often overlooked. “I definitely think field eventers are overlooked, and sometimes it comes down to the points that the field events kids score,” track coach Sharolyn Wilson said. “You want to win all these relays and win all the races on the track, but sometimes it comes down to that one point you got in shot put or discus that might make or break who wins.” The wide variety of field events offer athletes an opportunity to become part of a team, even if their skills do not necessarily lend themselves to the strictly running events. “A lot of kids may be fast on the track and are good at sprinting, but then there are those kids who may not be fast on the track, but they can jump really far, they can jump really high,” Wilson said. “I like the field events because it gives kids an opportunity to find their niche.” For junior Grey Derbes, Wilson’s sentiment holds true. Derbes had tried other sports like volleyball and golf before, but found that she preferred competing in field events. Derbes has competed in high jump since she was in sixth grade. “I started at a Rec College Station Middle School meet-I succeeded and it [was] a good adrenaline rush,” Derbes said. “I do jumping and it’s just a fun sport, it’s different.” Derbes said she likes field events because of their individual nature--the opportunity to depend solely on herself rather than on teammates. “Track and field is more laid-back and I like how it all depends on your performance,” Derbes said. “You’re not relying on other teammates.” Senior Josh Ellison also enjoys that field events allow him to compete on his own and reach his own goals. Ellison competes in shot put, which he started in middle school to diversify his athletic experience.
“[Shot put] teaches you how to compete against some really good people,” Ellison said. “There [are] kids that throw further than other people do, so it pushes you to try to beat what they throw.” Wilson attests to the benefits of a sport in which the athletes have the opportunity to set goals for themselves and then work toward reaching them. “Every week you want to jump higher or throw further than you did the week before,” Wilson said. “I think whenever they reach those goals and are able to set another goal that’s very rewarding.” Ellison remembers one moment in his freshman year when he was able to reach an ambitious goal and earn himself a spot on the district team. “I had to compete against a senior [in shot put] and whoever won got to go to [district meet],” Ellison said. “I won.” While Ellis reflects on this experience with a feeling of pride and accomplishment, Derbes acknowledges that competing in her event can be stressful. “You have three attempts for each [jump] and [if] you’ve missed your first two, you have one more chance to get over [the bar],” Derbes. “That’s stressful.” In order to prepare for their respective competitions, Derbes and Ellison both practice regularly to perfect their techniques. The field competitors train with the sprinters as well as participating in workouts specific to their events. Both Ellison and Derbes agree that the field events they practice are perhaps more difficult than they may appear to those unfamiliar with the sport. For both shot put and high jump, certain techniques are required to ensure success and prevent against injury. “I feel like [high jump] looks really simple whenever you clear [the bar] but there’s a lot of things that play into it,” Derbes said. “I started at a young age, but I feel like it could be [difficult] if you started now.” Wilson cites the competitors’ hard work in practice as responsible for their reliably good performances at meets. “We have a great group of kids that compete in our field events and make our program competitive,” Wilson said. “They add to the depth of the overall track and field program here at Consol.”
14 | review | the roar
claire grace franklin | staff reporter In school, most required books are frowned upon by students. That was my original outlook on “Romeo and Juliet,” and I was dreading reading the story. But my teacher’s approach to the book was unique to past experiences. We studied the story as a class discussion, which was preferable to reading alone every night and discussing the next day. The Elizabethan English used for the story makes it slightly complicated to understand, but my teacher made the topic easy to grasp making me enjoy the storyline. As a class we were given opportunities to understand the story on our own while also given input and explanation from our teacher. I was able to read and understand the story. The setting and approach gave me a greater interest and love for the story. I enjoy the atmosphere in which I learned about “Romeo and Juliet” and hope that there are similar approaches to premodern english stories.
ruby perry-mize | opinions co-editor When given several options to choose from as assigned reading in history, I went for “All Quiet on the Western Front”--possibly the most well-known and iconic war novel of all time. Whether this was a result of genuine interest or plain old pretentiousness, we may never know, but I am glad I read it. The prose was written in a slightly older style that was somewhat tiring to work through. However, the quality of the characters and the story made it well worth my while. The plot follows Paul Brauer, a German infantryman in World War I who at the beginning of the book is only nineteen years old. His first-person narration chillingly captures the horrors of war, as well as matter-of-factly laying bare the tragedy of youth stamped out by pointless violence. The end of the book left me in tears. While this is hardly an unusual occurrence in my case, (my friends can testify), it is still an indication of the book’s quality. I recommend “All Quiet on the Western Front” for anyone up for both an emotional and an intellectual challenge.
friday, apr. 5, 2019
it’s on the syllabus the roar reviews: required books A&M Consolidated High School 2018-2019
Reading List “Romeo & Juliet” William Shakespeare
elise sawyer | opinions co-editor The best word to describe the reading list of English II PreAP is ‘different’. Each book is unlike the other, from the humorous “Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the tragic short story “And of Clay We Are Created”, to the exciting drama “12 Angry Men”. However, one of my favorites is the novel I was assigned to read over the summer, “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles. “A Separate Peace” follows a boy named Gene and his experiences at his prep school during World War II. When his rivalry with his best friend cause an accident that changes his life, he struggles to make sense of war and humanity. This book is my favorite from the sophomore reading list for several reasons. First, the plot is engaging, well-paced, and very tragic at times. The main character is also written well, and although he does inexcusable things, I am able to feel bad for him. Although it isn’t perfect, “A Separate Peace” is a good book and one that I would definitely read again outside of class.
“A Separate Peace”
“All Quiet on the Western Front” Erich Maria Remarque
John Knowles
the roar | reviews | 15
friday, apr. 5, 2019
fried and gone to
heaven
the roar reviews: french fries
HULLABALOO’S DINER
HOPDODDY’S
sam de figueiredo | editor-in-chief These fries were crispy and seasoned really well, making them my new favorites in town.
piper hitchock | staff reporter The fries were made crispy by fried bread crumbs and coated in a salty seasoning.
SONIC
allen zhang | online editor The fries were well salted and standardly cut. Not spectacular, but no complaints.
BJ’S BREWHOUSE
HARVEY WASHBANGER’S
olivia conway | managing editor
elise sawyer | opinions co-editor
BJ’s Brewhouse is renowned for their pizookies, but their fries are worthy of recognition as well. Medium-size with crisp breading, their fries fall in that blissful area between too soft and burnt to a crisp.
Their fries are great for a large size and flavorful, but make sure to order them well done-- otherwise they might be too chewy.
BURGER KING
alex roeder | executive editor The words “Burger King” don’t arouse feelings of happiness. Personally, I think of gas stations and grease, and that’s about what the fries lived up to.
WHATABURGER
ruby perry-mize | opinions Being fast food fries, these weren’t as crispy as they could have been, but they had an excellent flavor.
FREDDY’S
saanya patel | staff reporter
WINGS N’MORE
emmeline duhon | staff reporter
Crunchy and flavorful, but lacks substance.
My fries were soggy, seemed undercooked and poorly seasoned.
THE PROUDEST MONKEY
saanya patel | staff reporter After sitting at an uncomfortably close distance from a mirror for a long time the order was taken. The fries came out pretty quick and were nice and hot. The fries were the perfect size and crispy. The seasoning was excellent. While the fries were top notch there were way too many people in the small establishment.
16 | etc. | the roar
taking care of business
friday, apr. 5, 2019
BPA members succeed at competition, practice skills, pass torch to underclassmen sam de figueiredo & allison segers editor-in-chief & staff reporter Last month, four members of Business Professionals of America qualified for the National Conference to be held in May. Senior Allyson Fisher, one of these qualifiers, placed 5th in Database Applications. To prepare for the State competition, she said she had to study every aspect of Microsoft Access. “I had to take practice tests in the month leading up to the test,” Fisher said. “BPA is pretty self-paced because you practice everything on your own time.” Fisher also competed in the Administrative Support event, in which she and the rest of her team placed 4th. “Our whole team was super excited when they announced us,” Fisher said. “We were all in different places, so we had to run up to the holding area and we were jumping around and really excited.” Because the team placed within the top eight spots, they will serve as alternates for the national competition. “We weren’t even sure we were going to advance to state this year, and we ended up being national alternates,” Fisher said. “It’s fun to experience that stuff together.” In addition to a bid to nationals, Fisher also received the Statesmen Torch Award, recognizing her contributions to service projects throughout the year. Despite her tremendous success individually, Fisher said she was proudest of the underclassmen performance.
“They’re newer, so I wasn’t expecting them to do so well,” Fisher said. “Even making state is a big deal for sophomores.” One of these sophomores, David Chang, said BPA is an opportunity to interact with other students with the same interests. “You collaborate really well together [because] it’s what you’re actually interested in,” Chang said. “There is no downside. You make a lot of friends.” Though Chang didn’t advance from state this year, he hopes to increase his involvement in the club and hopefully win a spot to nationals in the future. “I’m looking for a leadership role because like I think that [I can] help the freshmen and sophomores who join,” Chang said. “I plan to do this year’s events to help the school and the club such as volunteering and participating in fundraising occasions,” In addition to providing service opportunities, Chang said the club is preparing him for entering a career in computer science. “Last year I did events related to web design, and this year I did events related to programming and finance,” Chang said. While Fisher said her events don’t directly relate to her planned major, elementary education, she said she still learned valuable skills. “The events that I’ve competed in taught me Microsoft, which is just good for common knowledge,” Fisher said. “I don’t think I wasted any time being in the club.” Chang agrees, saying his favorite aspects of BPA are the relationships built while competing. “You’ll make a lot of friends from this club who are interested in the same things as you,” Chang said. “There’s a lot of opportunities and different competitions, so you can definitely [find something] that you are interested in.”
BUSINESS of america
PHOTOS BY OLIVIA CONWAY
professionals