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1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019 | VOL. 24 NO. 5 | THEROARNEWS.COM
Long-term substitutes impact classrooms alex roeder & elise sawyer senior-executive editor & co-opinions editor This year at Consol, more and more substitutes have been necessary due to various issues. Because the need for long term substitutes affects curriculum, classroom flow, and teacher-student relationships, this leaves one wondering: what is it like to be a sub? How does the sub-hiring process even work, and why is it not always effective? For substitute teacher Jodi Schlather, the hiring process for substituting continues through the year, and often begins with a conversation with head principal Gwen Elder. The school recruits subs based on need, whether it be day-to-day or long-term. For example, Schlather subbed for the speech and debate class before hiring the now speech teacher Brian Alford. “Mrs. Elder stopped me before school started, and said, ‘What are you certified in?’ which is her favorite question to ask me. I said speech and English, and she said ‘we may need you to start school,’” Schlather said. “They had interviewed [Alford], but they hadn’t been able to confirm the hiring yet, and so I was Mr. Alford for two weeks.” Once Alford’s position had been filled, Schlather subbed for other teachers such as Jordan Lauhoff, before eventually ending up as the replacement for former English II honors teacher Trevor Bassett. “I was not planning to teach this year. I have two seniors, a senior in high school and a senior in college,” Schlather said. “It’s a busy year, but this was one of those opportunities that I just couldn’t let go by. So I started [substituting for Bassett] the 6th of January and have been with [the class] ever since.” For teachers anticipating their absence, there is a lot of preparation involved from leaving lesson plans to being sure their substitutes have the right tools. In the case of English II teacher Elyssa Bell, who missed the last two six weeks of last year due to maternity leave, preparation time was cut short. "What I had planned on doing was having a binder full of lesson plans and routines, but I was going to start pulling that together that last month [before my child was born], which as I found out was a terrible idea," Bell said. "My child decided to come a whole month early. [At least] I had started the process of reaching out to my long term sub, and making sure that he would be available. In my ideal, type A world, I definitely was going to have more day by day things planned out, but it did not work out that way.”
L I T N U E GON FURTHER NOTICE check out the senior issue pullout inside
“long term subs” continued on page 3
inthisissue
news pages 2-4
feature page 5
viewpoints page 6
feature pages 7-11
sports pages 12-13
reviews pages 14-15
brief | the roar
UPCOMING
2 | in
NEWS friday, may 17, 2019
May 17 Senior Sunset May 20-21 Caffeinate to Graduate May 22 Finals: 2nd, 5th, 7th May 23 Finals: 1st, 6th, 3rd May 23 Senior Picnic May 24 Finals: 8th, 4th May 24 Graduation June 4 Choir State Solo and Ensemble
IN THE
Eight students place at UIL academic contests
Junior David Asatryan nationally qualified for C++ Programming. Senior Allyson Fisher nationally qualified for Database Applications. Junior Tian-Da Huang nationally qualified PC Servicing and Troubleshooting. Senior Aabid Razvi nationally qualified for Extemporaneous Speech. Senior Ritika Annapareddy qualified to be an alternate for Legal Office Procedures. Senior Muhammud Sajid qualified to be an alternate for Computer Security. Senior Allyson Fisher placed first in Texas Merit Scholar. Senior Emmanuel Muyia placed third in Project Management Concepts. Sophomore David Chang placed fifth in Computer Programming Concepts.
Eighteen students attend for Skills USA state championships
Senior Ava Mohanty twirls and strikes a pose at the Humanitarian Club Fashion Show on April 6, 2019. She said this outfit was her favorite because it flowed dramatically. PHOTO BY OLIVIA CONWAY
Junior Tian-Da Huang and junior Alex Hilty won state championships for Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing). Senior Leah Liu won the state championship for Advertising Design. Sophomore Kate Primrose, senior Mitchell Kuppersmith, junior John Adams, and senior David Nguyen won state championships for Career Pathway Showcase in Information Technology. Senior Emmanuel Preciado and senior Muhammed Sajid won state championships for Cyber Security. Junior Ben Castro and senior Sam Chandler won golden state championships for Models of Excellence. Senior Ethan Martinez won the state championship for Technical Computer Applications. Senior Roger Wang won the state championship for Telecommunication and Cabling. In addition, Chandler and Castro, and senior Connor Fredericks will represent Texas as national officer delegates.
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the roar | news | 3
friday, may 17, 2019
Long term substitutes lead to change, some difficulties for students and staff “long-term subs” cont. from page 1 Though Bell was not able to provide specific lesson plans, the English teachers at Consol and at CSHS were able to help with curriculum. The long-term sub, Bob Hannett, was also an experienced English teacher, which helped relieve some stress. “I was able to download some general files off of Google Docs and send those to [Hannett],” Bell said. “It was easier [to plan] for English I honors, because Mrs. Slovak was there as our 9th honors level leader, [and] we were already working as a team. With English II Pre AP, all I was really able to do was rely on the fact that we heard that Mr. Hannett was a really good sub and he’d done English before.” EFFECTS ON THE CLASSROOM The students in classes with long-term subs often have to rely heavily on their substitute’s past experience, as well as adjust to a completely different teaching style. “We put a lot more stress on ourselves [with Schlather] because Bassett was more laid back,” sophomore Anna Townsend said. “With Mrs. Schlather she knows that we have [other] stuff to do and that we can make time for that, so she’s getting us ready for junior year when we do have to interpret hours for each class.” Students aren’t the only ones expected to be flexible. For Bell, miscommunications on both sides induced some stress and required adjustments to lessons and grading. “I was like ‘okay, I’ve got it all sorted out, I can just not worry about it’, and then some grading things started popping up, and I was like ‘wait, that wasn’t supposed to go with that’ or ‘wait, why did that get put in weirdly?’” Bell said. “Mr. Hannett was kind of going off on his own, and I felt stressed out that I didn’t know that information because [I was] no longer on the campus. I would’ve been way more helpful more often if I had known. It’s just hard because [I had] a new family member to pay attention to, and that was [the] number one priority.” Schlather deeply appreciates that being a substitute allows her to balance work and family, she says. Because of the more flexible schedule, she was able to be more present in her childrens’ younger years. “After we had our oldest daughter, I quit for awhile. I had a teacher call me and he said ‘I need a long term sub’. I went and talked to him, and I said ‘I like my kid more than I like your kids, so I don’t know if I can do this’,” Schlather said. “He [was] really in a pinch, so I went and subbed. That summer we talked and I taught the
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next year part time, because again, I liked being home with my daughters. When we moved back here, I was beginning to think that I was ready to start back teaching for real, but in the meantime, I sub.” Although Bell’s absence during her first year of teaching left some of her second semester units untested and somewhat experimental, she has embraced this change. “I get to see where everything works so much better [with the earlier units], because we’ve worked through it. Now it’s like being a first year teacher all over again because we’re gonna find out together [how lessons work out],” Bell said. “Sometimes you do bring in totally new units throughout the year, so it’s part of the teaching game anyway.” VERSATILE AND FLEXIBLE Figuring out the teaching style and content of the classroom is an important skill when substituting as well, and can play a role in the substitute hiring process, Schlather says. “In my situation, it’s more often the relationship I have with the teacher already. Mrs. Lauhoff had already spoken last summer about her being out. I am not a geography teacher, but I will work hard to make sure that I study and stay a step ahead of the kids,” Schlather said. “There was a shortage of subs last fall in social studies, and they could not find someone who was certified, but I [knew her] style and classroom. Sometimes I think the process is more defined, [but] in our situation, it was ‘we’ve got somebody knows the system, knows the teacher, and her policies, which is better than having somebody brand new.’” However, this luxury is not always available in an emergency situation. Sometimes student and substitute must both learn as they go and adjust accordingly, Schlather says. “Before [Bassett left], we were really outgoing. We had our groups that we hung out with, and in the class there was really a lot of activity,” Townsend said. “Then, Mrs Schlather came in. It was a change and we had to adjust to a new teacher. The curriculum itself got a lot harder [as well,] and with that new change and a new teacher it was very difficult for us to focus, because we had to adapt to how she teaches us, different from how Bassett taught us.” But for the most part, Schlather believes the teachers do a great job planning for subs, she says. “If it’s a day-to-day thing, it’s really not difficult-you can just go in there. If it’s the math teachers or the English teachers that I have subbed for, quite often I
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walk in knowing what we’re doing,” Schlather said. “Coming in and taking over in the middle of the year was challenging, because the students really loved Mr. Bassett and he left very abruptly. It’s hard for anybody to not have some kind of closure, so the very first thing we did after Christmas was talk about what was good, bad, what do we wanna keep, what do we want to change, that kind of stuff, and set down my expectations. There’s a battle with figuring out how much of your expectations you can include without overstepping, without making it so hard on students.” THE NEW NORMAL Both the students and Schlather ultimately managed to adjust into a normal classroom system. “Sometimes we have laid back days where we can read and talk to each other,” Townsend said. “But I think it’s really good to prepare for junior year and how stressful it’s going to be. It’s taken us quite a while to get used to how Mrs. Schlather handles the classroom, but we’ve definitely gotten used to it now. ” Overall, subbing has many challenges, but also many rewards. Between balancing different classroom environments, creating relationships with students, and adjusting a class to a different teaching style, a sub handles a lot of different tasks. “You get to see so many different students. I see students that I subbed for last year day-to-day, [and] I get to check on [them],” Schlather said. “I’m very blessed and lucky that I have a good memory for names and faces, so I can say ‘hey you did this’ or that kind of thing. I can take that interest in students, and it allows me to then have this wide variety of kids that I’ve gotten to know.”
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4| news | the roar
friday, may 17, 2019
walk for the greater good Student participates in muscular dystrophy fundraiser, raises awareness of disease allen zhang | online editor Consol is home to a wide range of different fundraisers. Each has a own goal with members to support it. But lately, organizations aren’t just there to raise money, they’re also there to provide support. The Muscle Walk, a fundraiser for those affected by Muscular Dystrophy, has become personal for junior Peter Ramirez. Ramirez’s family has had close ties with Muscular Dystrophy ever since he was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a disorder that affects muscle movement. “Muscular dystrophy can affect any muscle. Even daily tasks that we don’t even think about can be hard,” Ramirez said. “In some instances, people who have been affected by it have a hard time just breathing or swallowing.” The fundraiser was created to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association which is then distributed to families affected by the disorder. “The fundraiser has helped kids with MDA pay for medical visits and medical bills,” Ramirez said. “They’ve also helped pay for medical equipments for kids from 7 to 18. I have experienced the benefits and it has helped me tremendously” Through Ramirez’s battle with muscular dystrophy, the Muscular Dystrophy Association has been with him every step of the way. The association has helped his family pay bills and has even allowed him to go to a Muscular Dystrophy
summer camp. “Personally, it has done so much to support me and my family,” Ramirez said. “I want to expand it so it can help everyone.” Under the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the main source of fundraising comes from the Muscle Walk, a 5k marathon supported by the College Station Police Department. When the Muscle Walk first started, it was the first fundraiser in College Station that brought awareness to the cause. Ramirez says that even though the marathon is fairly new, more than $500 has been raised, but he wants to see that expand. “In the future, I do see [it] growing in both size and profit. It would be really impactful if we could work this onto the national or state level,” Ramirez said. “And even though it’s only still on the local level, there’s still a lot we can do, such as creating competitions between high schools or grade levels.” Aside from raising money, the association is also able to raise awareness. To Ramirez, that’s just as important. “I want to help shine a light and bring more attention to those affected by muscular dystrophy. I think the fundraiser is the best way to do so,” Ramirez said. “This year showed us the potential for the fundraiser and I think it will definitely turn big in the future.”
Scan for more information about the muscle walk Junior Peter Ramirez poses with friends at the MDA Muscle Walk. The walk occured on April 6. PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARLA RAMIREZ
the roar | news | 5
friday, may 17, 2019
THE grind never stops Students and faculty describe benefits, purpose of summer school material into as short a span of time as possible. Students are encouraged to work individually in the interest of efficiency, Johnson says. The sun is shining, the grass is dying, and “Summer school is fast and furious,” Johnson summertime is on its way. For most students, the start of summer means freedom from school and said. “It’s 3 weeks and 2 days. So it’s really a short studying--at least for a few months. But for others, time frame to learn everything from a semester. It’s work at your own pace, so you can get it done it’s simply a change in pace. Summer school takes place for a few weeks each yourself.” While the time saved is often what draws year. It’s an opportunity for students to recover lost credits in order to graduate on time. It also allows students to summer school in the first place, it can students to get required courses out of the way to create problems for them. Giles was taken aback make room for more electives. Assistant Principal when she realized summer school was almost over Ke-Ke Johnson is tasked with managing summer and she hadn’t finished her geography credit. “I took a semester under the impression that I was school, and has a wide range of responsibilities. “First and foremost it’s to advertise summer taking the whole year,” Giles said. “Then I finished it, school and let students know,” Johnson said. “It’s and they were like, ‘ah, so do you want to finish taking hiring staff. It’s making sure we have the right staff-to- the second semester now? You don’t have much time left.’ I had student ratio. three days It’s payroll, to complete it’s budget, it’s an entire making sure semester--so we have all no, I didn’t do the supplies it.” that we need assistant principal S o m e for students KE-KE JOHNSON classes work in summer better than school and others in the coordinating summer school format, Giles says. She recommends all those things.” The two main reasons for taking summer school taking social studies, but not necessarily other are catching up or getting ahead, Johnson says. Some courses. “It would depend on what class you’re taking,” students enroll to make room, while others do so to Giles said. “History works, because that’s something graduate early. “I would probably say that students recovering that can be paced differently.” Johnson considers summer school a chance to credit is about 65% [of] all summer school,” Johnson said. “You [also] have students who are trying to get prepare for the future, and how to do that depends on the individual student’s goals, she says. This ahead.” Sophomore Sydnee Giles is one of those viewpoint was shaped in part by her son’s experience students. She’s made a habit of taking her social with summer school. “He was an athlete, so it was more beneficial studies courses during the summer to make room for extra classes like Animation. For her, it’s a chance for him to graduate a semester early, so he could start training early and get acclimated to college,” to expand her horizons. “There’s a lot of classes that I would like to Johnson said. “To me, it’s all about what you want take,” Giles said. “I really like school and I really like to do. It all depends on what your future goals are.” learning, it’s just I don’t always have time for all of it.” Saving time is what summer school is all about. It’s a top-speed learning effort meant to cram as much
ruby perry-mize | opinions co-editor
“Summer school is fast and furious It’s 3 weeks and 2 days. So it’s really a short time frame to learn everything from a semester.”
Link to summer school registration: http://collegestationisd.ss19. sharpschool.com/cms/one.aspx?portal Id=1301524&pageId=11526322
Summer School Administration: KeKe Johnson Principal kjohnson@csisd.org 979-764-5500 Chad Bronowski Assistant Principal cbronowski@csisd.org 979-764-5500 Andy Marcus Assistant Principal amarcus@csisd.org 979-764-5500 Paul Hord Counselor phord@csisd.org 979-764-5500
Cost Information: In Person Courses: $100 per 1/2 credit Free or Reduced Lunch $50 per 1/2 credit Online Courses: $150 per 1/2 credit Free or Reduced Lunch: $75 per 1/2 credit
6 | viewpoints |
the roar
friday, may 17, 2019
Is standardized testing necessary to measure
STUDENT
SUCCESS? According to the National Education Agency, the College Board and its exams have been around for over a century, and standardized testing in some form or another has existed since before the Civil War. In the modern day, American public-school students take an average of 112 mandated exams from preschool to twelfth grade. Whether standardized testing is normal is no longer the question. The answer we are owed now is whether it is necessary.
The Roar 2018-2019 Staff
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 Editor-in-Chief Sam de Figueiredo and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District. Managing Editor Olivia Conway Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to Senior Executive Alex Roeder edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a Editor letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not Online Editor Allen Zhang be considered. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor and opinions editor. Opinions co-Editors Ruby Perry-Mize The Roar is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Elise Sawyer Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The Roar is a Staff Reporters Saanya Patel winner of the CSPA Gold Crown, the 1997, 1998, 2000-2016 ILPC Piper Hitchcock Claire Grace Franklin Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and 2005, 2014,2016 ILPC Bronze Star and Emmeline Duhon 2007-2013 2015, 2017, and 2019 Silver Star. Allison Segers College Station Independent School District does not discriminate Faculty Adviser Michael Williams on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Monica Jones, Director of Human Assistant Adviser Chauncey Lindner Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-7645412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the The Roar Editorial Board nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Molley Perry, Executive Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Sam de Figueiredo • Olivia Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate Conway • Elise Sawyer • Ruby compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section Perry-Mize 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
the roar’s consensus
Standardized testing is an ineffective and downright destructive way to measure student abilities. Its proponents argue that it is a useful metric for schools to self-evaluate, comparing themselves both to schools around them and to their own performance in previous years. However, advocates themselves acknowledge test scores can fluctuate crazily based on unrelated factors such as fatigue, test anxiety, illness, and even cultural barriers. One proposed solution is to look at test scores in the context of the student’s performance throughout the year. But neither the public school system nor the outside agencies responsible for the tests have anywhere near the kind of time and resources they would need to analyze each student’s score individually. Even if they did, that would make the testing process all the more convoluted, and defeat the purpose of a simple and objective source of data. Schools would be better off spending their time focusing on the students in front of them, not the numbers behind them. Not only are tests unproductive, they’re actively harmful. They are too often used as weapons: when schools do badly on government-mandated tests such as the EOC and STAAR tests, they lose funding. Given the schools that do poorly largely do so in the first place because of economic strain in the district, this practice only adds to their problems. Ultimately, state tests disproportionately hurt poorer districts. They contribute to cycles of inadequate education and poverty. Standardized tests can also pressure educators to “teach to the test”. In short, this means teaching students not the material itself, but how to hack the test. When teachers’ evaluations and their jobs are on the line, they can find it very difficult to truly educate their students. Instead, they are forced to prioritize teaching them to divine the graders’ whims. The effect is a decline of real learning in the classroom. But the most devastating effect of all is the detriment to students’ self-esteem. Because standardized tests are so formalized, and because many teachers spend the entire school year emphasizing their importance, students often place more value on their test scores than on getting an education. This immense pressure to perform may cause some of the very things widely understood to hurt their scores--fatigue, anxiety, and illness. Poor performance on a test ups the ante on all these factors, creating a vicious cycle held together by ever-climbing self-doubt and despair. The upshot is that students experience significantly more mental and emotional distress than they would otherwise, as a result of exams that are supposed to enrich their education. The principle of standardized testing is a respectable one. An objective measure of student achievement sounds like an excellent idea. In practice, however, they do more harm than good. External organizations insist on administering the tests, but have no way to do so effectively. Students are left in a bizarre limbo: standardized tests care enough about their academic performance to drive some to panic attacks and physical illness, while at the same time not caring enough to do the job right. If we as a country are serious about helping students succeed, we’ll either abandon standardized testing altogether, or better yet, adequately fund the public school system to treat its students right.
“[Standardized testing is] necessary for certain aspects, but there’s certain things about each individual student that are different, and a standardized test for everyone isn’t going to accurately measure the intelligence of that certain student.” senior grace weaver
“I feel like [standardized tests are] more of a test of memory than knowledge. It’s not a ‘learn this to use it in the future’ kind of thing.” sophomore amaya bowman
friday, may 17, 2017
care to dance?
the roar | snapshots | 7
Student Council discusses obstacles, rewards of planning prom ruby perry-mize opinions co-editor Beautiful venue, perfect decorations, and great music: prom is a popular way to finish up senior year. But behind all the elaborate centerpieces and classy finishing touches (free valet parking, anyone?) is a small group of students who dedicate much of their junior year to making it happen. Prom planning is always difficult, but this year a change in venue was thrown into the mix. “The AMCHS proms have traditionally been at the Expo Center, but there was a really bad car wreck on the way back from prom last year,” junior and Student Council Executive Committee member said. “So the school administration and the PTO asked us to not hold it at Expo Center.” Though the new location at the Ice House on Main is in part a result of tragedy, it did bring new benefits to the table for this year’s dance, says junior class sponsor Lee Graebner. above: junior Alejandra Moreno and junior Yulissa Beas sing “The Ice House is really beautiful,” Graebner said. “We can do minimal decorations because it is such a unique venue. We’re paying half the price [of] the venues on campus.” along with the dj. “There was really good spanish music so we Even with the money saved on the venue, the budget for prom depends on fundraising, which starts freshman were having a good time,” Moreno said. year. “We raised fifteen thousand dollars for prom,” McGuffey said. “Normally the object for a class is to get around twelve thousand. That’s been the product of a ton of work from so many kids.” One reason Student Council had to do so much fundraising is that they stopped charging entry for juniors and seniors at the suggestion of principal Gwen Elder. “Other schools have prom ticket prices that are 50, 60, even 90 dollars,” McGuffey said. “But we know that would rule it out for some students, and that’s honestly just not okay for us.” Money isn’t the only factor in planning for prom. The process is complicated and starts as soon as junior year does, if not before, says junior and class treasurer Hart Ray. “Once school started, we had dance meetings,” Ray said. “During the summer, we went to the venue to look at it.” One of the most time-consuming processes is choosing a theme, Ray says. “That part was the most difficult, because everyone had so many ideas,” Ray said. “That’s why we had to start so early, because [of] getting one picked out that everyone wanted to do.” But the hard work isn’t over once the theme has been chosen, Graebner says. Every aspect of the dance has to be considered. “There’s little minute details that you don’t think of,” Graebner said. “Like, do we have enough plastic cups? Is everybody going to use one cup, or is everybody going to use four cups?” However, part of what contributes to the payoff is the hard work that goes into it, McGuffey says. above: junior Timothy Bradford eats a popsicle with his group. “[It’s] rewarding for me as an Exec member seeing the good effort that a lot of students have been putting in for “We were actually talking about Game of Thrones,” Bradford said. this, and seeing how much work for the school [they’ve put in],” McGuffey said. “It’s an ego boost really, because it’s really cool to see us working for the school in that way. “
above: junior Alyssa Laymon slow dances with Bryan High student Caleb Merell. “We were dancing and talking-- we had a great time,” Laymon said.
above: junior Kasidy Meyer holds her shoes. “Ym feet hurt and I wanted them off,” Meyer said.
above: junior Aoife Farrell dances with her date. “I loved the throwback and country music they played,” Farrell said.
friday, may 17, 2019
8 | student life | the roar
KEEPING BUSY
Summer jobs bring valuable work experience, lifelong lessons claire grace franklin and allison segers | staff reporters
Through oddball jobs and praise and worship, sophomore Hudson Allen learned about the importance of relationship while interning at First Baptist Church. Allen explained his parents approached him to start taking responsibility for buying what he wants. “I didn’t really want a job,” Allen said. “My parents were just like,‘it’s time to get a job you need to start paying for some of your own stuff.’” Allen finds working at a church is not a typical job for a high school student and says he was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere. “I get to meet a lot of new people,” Allen said. “It’s a very unique job; it’s not like working at a restaurant or at a grocery [store] or something like that.” Allen appreciates the diversity the job brings. “Because of the people that I am surrounded with on staff I get to meet just tons of people from different backgrounds and different countries even ethnic groups,” Allen said. “It’s pretty cool.” Allen has found that there are benefits to having a job and says it is an important part of growing up. “Getting a job during the summer is important,” Allen said. “It helps you mature.”
the roar | student life | 9
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From learning through the year to instructing swimming during the summer, junior Aoife Farrell learned to balance school, her activities and summer job as a swim instructor. “I just [wanted] something to do over the summer,” Farrell said. “I used to be on the swim team, and I really enjoyed working with kids and teaching, so that was a good mashing ball for me.” Farrell says she found a job that interested her, but struggles with balancing work and school. “I think you just have to go for it and make sure that you have the time to do that, because I know that I have extracurricular activities, and they start over [the] summer, so that can cause conflicts,” Farrell said. Farrell has found that with a job, her personal life has become hectic. However, she makes time to spend with those close to her. “A lot of my friends are in band, so it gets a little bit crazy near the start of the school year but on the weekends I find time,” Farrell said. “Also during the summer I have time to spend with friends.” Farrell explains she is rewarded with the improvement of her students and enjoyed walking the kids through learning. “Just working with kids and seeing them improve over time and watching them grow,” Farrell said. “That’s really enjoyable and fun.”
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From stacking sandwiches to cleaning floors, junior Carl Edwards learned valuable life lessons and met lifelong friends while working his part time job at Jason’s Deli. Edwards said that he learned the hard truth that good honest people are not always treated the same way they treat others. “Just because you are a good person doesn’t mean everybody’s going to be nice to you,” Edwards said. However, he was amazed by the majority of customers’ kindness and good nature. “The customers, would come in and be really happy, or they would ask how day is and good energy,” Edwards said. Edwards learned the valuable lesson of balancing education and a job. “I feel like now if I were to go to college like I could work and go to school, because you know I learned how to balance it and separate the two,” Edwards said. Edwards was tasked with the so-called impossible of working a job while being a full time student. “When you’re working, you are going to be there a lot and the people around,” Edwards said. “You are like classmates and they are kinda like a second family, because you are there all the time.”
10| feature | the roar
shifting the spotlight
friday, may 17, 2019
AVP program looks back on year after undergoing changes with new teacher alex roeder & claire grace frankilin senior executive editor & staff reporter When new Audio and Visual production teacher Taylor Gade walked into the AVP II class of nine students, he knew he had work to do. After laying down the law on expectations and goals for the class, Gade walked into the class on the second day to see 5 students remaining. However, as the year progressed, the students who stayed were able to bond and build their skills. “There were some expectations that the class was going to be a blow off environment, and then I came in and was like ‘this is how we run the ship!’” Gade said. “So I was worried [about] how long it would take or if people would really come around, [but] it has become a safe place, so we can feel comfortable and be creative, but when I need you to toe the line, you’re going to toe the line.” For students returning to the class, the shift in time commitment came as quite a shock, but was still a relaxed environment, junior Brian Shoenemann said. “There used to be a stigma that AVP is a blow-off class,” Shoenemann said. “And it’s a class that’s not super intensive on homework and assignments, [but] it’s definitely one of the harder working classes. I spend more time
here than my full time job.” Sophomore Sarah Hilal entered into her first year of AVP with little expectations of what the program was or could be, she said. “This year everybody has been asking what’s AVP? What’s AVP? It has been such a good program,” Hilal said. “Mr. Gade has done a really good job expanding that, whether that is through staying after school and until 10 p.m. helping us film. He’s a really good teacher and he knows how to execute the material.” With a new teacher, the Principles of Audio and Visuals and AVP I classes changed up their curriculum, and covered more advanced material, including lighting, unique shots, and use of equipment. “It was definitely the end of an era for my class,” Shoenemann said. “The tech one and the PAAV kid are better than us, and I’m a tech two. They are already playing with after effects, photoshop, green screens -- things that I didn’t even know coming into Tech two.” With these skills, the AVP I class was able to create a professional quality film called Ghost Cop for the 21st annual film fest, Gade said. Film fest is an event where the AVP students showcase the films they’ve created throughout the year and celebrate the work they’ve done.
“It was a group project where I assigned everybody a specific job and said, ‘Okay, we’re going to work together to make this thing,’” Gade said. “It’s the most well made thing in the entire [fest]. I think that it’s made by the AV ones will bode extremely well for the future.” Though students accomplished a lot this year, Gade has plans to improve the program and grow his students’ skill sets. “One of the goals we have for the news next year is trying to build the identity of Consol,” Gade said. “We want to make this a place where you know it’s great that AV is here and it’s great that we’re in AV but we want to be cheerleaders and really champion the school, and kind of restore some of the culture, school spirit and pride that we used to have and that I feel is not as prevalent now.” Overall, the program came together as a safe space for students to express themselves creatively while being able to create amazing films, Shoenemann said. “AVP is the one place where whenever I have a bad day, I can lean on everyone in there,” Hilal said. “Everyone in there is really close, and we all joke around. It’s a great environment to be in.”
11| feature | the roar
certified to care
friday, may 17, 2019
CNA students discuss certifications and personal experiences in the medical field
emmeline duhon & allison segers staff reporters
As junior Ben Fisher watched a patient experiencing an anaphylactic episode, he quickly helped stabilize the patient’s plummeting temperature. In the Certified Nursing Assistant class, or CNA, students are not only there to get a certification. The class provides insight to many circumstances and gives the students a leg up in their future medical careers. “I wanted an opportunity to excel and get a certification that can help me in the real life before I even graduate,” Fisher said. Along with classroom experience, Fisher has gained insight from the more experienced people in the field. “I like that I got a lot of clinical experience where I got to work under doctors and nurses and they taught me all kind of tricks in the trade,” Fisher said. Junior Cate Steel also joined out of interest in the medical field. Steel realizes the class has prepared her for helping people during their everyday life. “The skills we learn to be CNA certified, is not just talking to them, which is very important, but it’s just helping them do daily things that like they can’t do by themselves.” Steel said. “Knowing that I’m able to make their lives easier makes me feel good. And it probably makes them feel good, too.” During the school year, the students learn CNA skills and use them to care for nursing home and hospital patients. “They’re not dolls, I know it sounds like it
is. It’s really just hands on experience that you can’t get in the classroom,” Steel said. During the first semester, to receive the certification, students in the class prepare for a written and technical aspect of the test. “Doing the actual certification test is very nerve racking. There’s a written portion, and the hands on skills,” Steel said. “It’s not like any other test you have taken before.” After students pass the certification test, they go to hospitals to make rounds. For many of the CNA students the very first day is stressful. “I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t want to mess up, and I didn’t want to seem inexperienced,” Steel said. “I think doing the skills I was very nervous, but after that it felt very rewarding, and I just felt proud of myself, and it just felt calming knowing that it’s actually easier than I thought it was.” Junior Tori Frank was one CNA student who was pleasantly surprised by the scenes she witnessed in the hospital environment. One particular moment, helped her to realize what the medical field is really like. “I’ve always played myself out to be a tough person, but standing in there and watching them up close, like two feet away from you cutting a person open, was just kind of like ‘oh well that’s how it is,’” Frank said. Frank believes that the program will benefit her in pre-med and medical school, because the certification teaches the fundamentals of medicine, and pushes the students to their maximum potential. “Being pushed out of our comfort zone
really helped me realize that there’s not really any limitations to our fears when it comes to medicine, getting to watch surgeries I realize it’s scary, but like people can do it,” Frank said. Frank said that being in close contact with many people is bound to spark friendships. “My favorite thing is getting to be with a bunch of girls that have the same interests as me, just being with a bunch of people, and getting to go to the hospital,” Frank said. “It kind of touches on everything that I enjoy.” Along with the relationships made with others in the program there are also relationships formed between patients and students. Fisher is one individual who has experienced these meaningful friendships. “There was a woman I had just gotten an opportunity to take care of, and we had spoken for hours. This deep relationship that had been made, was rewarding for me. I didn’t know how it impacted her until my last day when I said goodbye,” Fisher said. “She grabbed hold of my arm and said, ‘You’re one of the most impactful people, you’ve stopped to care for me. Even my own family doesn’t come and visit me, but you have and for that I am very grateful,”said Fisher. Although the work put into the certification is intimidating, Fisher can see the benefits and rewarding nature of the program. “Well I can tell you there were some crazy hours that we spent and so it’ll take a lot of time and energy but it is so worth it and rewarding because of the relationships you build, the experience you gain,” Fisher said.
12 | sports | the roar
CLUB GOIN UP
friday, may 17, 2019
Student athletes reflect on effects of club sports on their athletic ability, overall play “I continue to play club because I genuinely love the sport and the competition,” Hawkins said. Both volleyball players agree club has caused them to change their schedules to School athletic teams are not the only way students are able to participate in sports. Joining sports clubs provides them with another opportunity to better their accommodate for the practice times. “The downfall of club [is] staying up game. late after practice. Generally my practice Players such as freshman Cameron Zavala ends at 9:45 p.m. and I still have to get home, find playing on a club team to be a large time shower, and do homework I didn’t finish,” commitment. Hawkins said. “I try to do my best to do my time manageHowever, Zavala said long practice ment but sometimes it gets really overwhelmfreshman hours and tournaments have helped her being” Zavala said. come a better player. Even though playing for a club team can be “[Club] has taught me to not give up. difficult it proves to be rewarding. I try to preserve through and it makes me “A positive aspect of club is that I get to play mentally tougher,” Zavala said. with different people and learn from different Club not only fosters new friendships coaches,” sophomore Ashlynn Hawkins said. but there is also a unique atmosphere cultivated by the players and coaches. Though club is an out of pocket cost it is worth it for Zavala. “If you mess up [your] teammates are right there to pick you back up again. “The people that I meet there are some of my best friends and it’s even better [everyone] cheer[s] you on when you do something good. They’re always there to because some of them go [to] Consol and it’s a great environment,” Zavala said. motivate you,” Zavala said. Hawkins said a love for volleyball also makes club an activity she enjoys.
saanya patel | staff reporter
“If you mess up [your] teammates are right there to pick you back up again.” Cameron Zavala
friday, may 17, 2019
the roar| sports | 13
Bengal All the Way Bengal Belles strive to impress during football offseason at spring showcase piper hitchcock | staff reporter There ain’t no party like a Bengal Belle party because the Bengal Belle party don’t stop. And although they are most visible during football games and pep rallies, the Bengal Belles’ most eventful season takes place during the springtime. The dancers transition from football and basketball to competitions, the Spring Show, and the spring pep rally. “We go into contest season right after football season, which consists of us learning routine dances and getting us ready to compete,” senior officer Maddie Stubbs said. “We went to three competitions this year and won various [awards] with that.” Freshman Avery Hutchinson explained further what changes the team makes when they move into competition season. “We stepped up more and were [working
Maggie Ealy pauses for dramatic effect.
harder],” Hutchinson said. “Harder stuff, harder moves, harder dances because we were putting our best on the table for competition.” With this increased intensity comes a feeling of stress for many girls on the team. “[Competition season] is more stressful, but at the same time it’s more fun,” Stubbs said. “We get through it together and when it’s all over it’s worth it.” However, some dancers feel less pressure when the Belles move into spring season events. “It’s a little more laid back, because we’re focused more on the skills that we’ve had all year and showing those,” junior Zoe Fletcher said. Overall, the team thinks of the competitions as fun, Fletcher said, while gaining many memories along with earning trophies. “There are about sixty teams [at the competitions] and each team has twenty girls, like us, or some of them have more,” Stubbs said. “It’s a whole day where we get there at 6 a.m. and it goes until 11 p.m. sometimes.” The unforgettable feeling of performing in front of a large audience sometimes brings nervousness, Steiner said. “Right as they call your name over the microphone your stomach erupts with butterflies, but as soon as you get on the [floor] it goes away,” Steiner said. Unlike Steiner, Stubbs does not get nervous when performing in front of a crowd. “I personally get excited because I like performing in front of people,” Stubbs said. “But for some people it is definitely nerve wracking to perform, especially to the student body, because it’s people you know and not just some random ones watching you.” After the competitions end, the team
switches their focus to the Spring Show, which is where the dancers showcase their solos and group routines. Unfortunately, the event is not widely known across the school. “We wish that other people knew we did more stuff than just football season because football season is our easy season,” Stubbs said. “Spring Show season is for the student body so we want more people to know about it.” Bengal Belles thrive despite being overlooked by the student body during the springtime. “We get it, people don’t really see us in [spring] season because it’s not really something we showcase,” Steiner said. “But we try and perform at basketball games to make sure that they can see that we’re not just the drill team that does the field dances. We keep our spirit up and [work hard].”
Bengal Belles group together to perform their third dance. PHOTOS BY ABBY SAWYER
14 | review | the roar
app-titude
friday, may 17, 2019
the roar reviews: popular apps saanya patel | staff reporter I downloaded Happy Color due to its claim to provide relaxation to the mind. I have to admit I was quite skeptical at first but I went ahead and installed it. Upon opening it, my eyes fell on an intricate image of a butterfly. As I began to fill color in the numbered spaces I became engrossed in seeing the final piece. Seeing all of the fun colors made me excited. When I finished the butterfly it looked beautiful. After completing the picture I realized that I had not once thought about all of my pending assignments. My stress was not reduced but it was momentarily forgotten. Overall I think this app is a fun way to pass the time or take a break.
madison stanfield | journalism student When I download any game off the app store the only standard that I have is something to keep me entertained. It might not seem that difficult of a task but my short attention span doesn’t make things easy-- most apps that I download I end up deleting a few minutes later. However that isn’t the case for Toon Blast. The bright colors immediately caught my attention, and the seemingly infinite amount of levels added to my curiosity about the game. The game is pretty easy but there are levels that you can get stuck on for a few hours or a few days. Overall I would recommend this game to anyone who has a hard time finding games that hold your attention.
claire grace franklin | staff reporter I spend a lot of time waiting for adds to play through so I can continue playing my game of watching a video. One of there so-called “stupid” games caught my eye; it was called Crowd City. The goal of the game is to “absorb” as many other teams in into your crowd in three minutes. As you increase your personal record you get new skins that can range from elves to spiders and giraffes. Throughout the game you can rank on the game on an anonymous board. A perk to the game is that is doesn’t play an ad every round. Crowd City is also a game you can play on airplane mode on long car rides without killing your battery.
the roar | reviews | 15
friday, may 17, 2019
Frost Impressions The Roar Reviews: Snow Cones
piper hitchcock | staff reporter Chill Out Snow Cones is an small treasure in the city of College Station. It provides a wide variety of snow cone flavors, including sugar free options, and outdoor seating. However, the hours depend on the weather and differ from what they say online- it closes at 7:30 pm, not 8 pm. I tried the Tiger Blood snow cone and was not disappointed. Unlike other places, there was enough juice to reach the bottom of the cup, allowing the ice to be flavorful until the end. Also, you can get a large amount for a cheap cost, and who wouldn’t want to do that? The only bad thing was that the ice was not as smooth as I had hoped, but the cone was still excellent. I would highly suggest trying Chill Out Snow Cones.
ruby perry-mize | opinions co-editor I’m not exactly in the habit of touring College Station looking for new snow cone stands to try. If anything, I’m a creature of habit--for years now, my summer haunt has been Chill Out Sno Cones, and while I love it, I thought it would be best for me to go somewhere I’d never been before this time. This resulted in a twenty-minute drive to JJ’s in Bryan, at the end of which I was rewarded by not one, but two snow cones. I tried their two most popular flavors: Caribbean Splash and Blue Sharpie. Caribbean Splash was sweet and fruity, with just enough tang from the mango. Blue Sharpie was sour, but not overwhelmingly so. One thing to consider when eating at JJ’s is that they close in bad weather, and so their hours are somewhat unpredictable. This made for some problems initially, but overall, I definitely recommend this stand. The tasty sweets combined with the hospitable outdoor picnic area made for a delightful experience.
claire grace franklin | staff reporter
PHOTO BY RUBY PERRY-MIZE
I grew up having a snow cone only a few times a year. When I moved back to the United States I was told about a place that sold snow cones called Bahama Bucks. I had no idea that so many different types of snow cones existed. I tried the blue cotton candy snow cone because of my love for sweet fluffy treat. I was a bit skeptical whether or not it would be an enjoyable flavor due to it being a sweet sugary dessert. I was surprised with how soft the ice was and that the flavor was not overbearing. The service was impeccable and the staff was inviting. The whole establishment, including the bathrooms were clean. The decor and atmosphere made me feel as if I was at a beach and taking a break from surfing to get a snow cone.
16 | etcetera | the roar
friday, may 17, 2019
REVAMPED BY CAMP
Girl scout members experience transition from camper to counselor saanya patel | staff reporter Attending camp is a common summer activity. However, for some camp is not a time to let loose but a time to be responsible and step up as a counselor. Freshman Erica Gritter finds the task at Camp Howdy, a week long Girl Scouts camp, fulfilling as well as fun. “[Campers] feel like they’re with you as a comfort spot away from their parents. It’s a family bond,” Gritter said. However, it’s not all fun and games as hard work is necessary to be a successful counselor. Getting campers to their activities and making sure they are fed and hydrated are a few of a counselor’s duties. “[We] get break times and in between break times [we] can get things done that [we] couldn’t,” Gritter said. Gritter said this is one of the reasons transitioning from camper to counselor can feel in-
timidating. “As a camper [I] have a set time for everything, it goes in order. As a counselor [I] have to make that time and tell [campers] what to do,” Gritter said. Attending Camp Howdy for many years made sophomore Madison Roberts realize she wanted to continue attending. “I didn’t want to stop going to the camp because I was older. Becoming a counselor helped me stay there,” Roberts said. While attending Camp Howdy Roberts was able to create many memories. “[One of] my favorite memories is going on all the trails and singing songs with the girls,” Roberts said. Pranks and jokes are another way for the counselors to forge a bond with the campers they are working with. “[The theme] was CSI our year so we went out and took spray paint and laid down in the grass and made body prints,” Gritter said. “We
took caution tape and crossed off every bridge so no one could cross them.” Camp Howdy also encourages counselors to promote keeping a positive attitude. “If one person is in a bad mood then it affects how you are and how you act towards the little girls. You always have to smile,” Roberts said. In addition to developing leadership skills, counselors find the skills acquired at camp can help in other aspects of their life. “The way you handle the girls is the same way you handle your siblings. The skills you learn in camping I’ve definitely used. I really enjoyed [it],” Gritter said. For Gritter, the campers and Camp Howdy are special. “I over the years have built a bond with not just the people but the camp because you’re there for one week out of the whole year so you really have to treasure [it],” Gritter said.