Vol. 25, Issue 1

The Roar News

R

1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, Sep 17, 2019 | VOL. 25 NO. 1 | THEROARNEWS.COM

staffing

population

popularity

Another Piece of the Puzzle demand

class conflicts

class sizes

Students, staff discuss irregularities with scheduling due to school population, staffing needs ruby perry-mize & elise sawyer managing editor & opinions editor

For most electives, five people in a class period would be alarmingly small. But for Animation II, whose current enrollment is just that, a class of five is nothing special. While such low numbers and other scheduling anomalies may seem ridiculous, they simply illustrate the balancing act student demand and the school’s needs create.

Because Animation II is a loosely structured and project-based course, its small size doesn’t present as much of a problem as it would in other classes, says Animation II student sophomore Daniel Beck.

“We’re pretty tight-knit,” Beck said. “We can interact without distracting the class. And we can ask for each other’s help. It’s a really cool environment where you can do your own thing.”

Such a tiny number of students does come with its disadvantages, Beck says. Fewer people means fewer resources to draw on for help.

“There’s less perspectives to ask for,”

inthisissue

news pages 2-4

Beck said. “If you’re having trouble, [the other students are] learning with you, and they don’t know. So you kind of have to fall on the internet.”

There’s a reason Animation II is an outlier in terms of size: most classes with such small populations are cancelled before the start of the year. Decisions about which classes make are largely based on individual circumstances, says counselor Paul Hord.

“It kind of depends,” Hord said. “There's no set number, but I would usually say if no more than 10 students sign up for [the class], we're not going to offer it.”

Simple numbers aren’t enough information to determine whether a class will make the cut, says assistant principal Mike McEver. Schedule conflicts also complicate the process.

“It’s not necessarily that fifteen kids signed up for [a course], it’s that it would work in fifteen schedules,” McEver said. “We put the class on the board, and we do what’s called a class conflict run.”

Essentially, the counselors analyze which

opinions pages 5-6

feature page 7-11, 16

other classes in each student’s schedule will conflict with the desired course. Common conflicts stem from electives and advanced classes that are only offered in certain periods.

Classes sometimes have to be scrapped as a result.

“The way [some classes] shook out, there’s only like six or seven kids it could fit in the master schedule with at any one time,” McEver said. “At that point we have to look at our resources. It’s not justified to have a class of sixteen when our on-level or honors English would jump over thirty.”

Electives that don’t require teachers who are needed for other subjects aren’t as beneficial to cut, Beck speculates. He believes Animation II’s continued existence may have to do with its relationship to math and science as well.

“Our school is really good with STEM programs, so they wanted to probably keep that,” Beck said. “And it’s pretty much self teachable. There’s not a really big point to cutting it, I guess.”

Creative Writing, on the other hand, was

“Scheduling” continued on page 3

sports page 14

reviews pages 14-15

brief | the roar

UPCOMING

2 | in

Sept. 30 Oct. 1 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 4 Oct. 5 Oct. 10 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 16

NEWS friday, sept. 27,2019

First day of second six weeks Mr. Consol Homecoming Spirit Night Homecoming Football Game Homecoming Carnival Homecoming Dance ASVAB testing Staff Development (no school) PSAT

IN THE

Five seniors named National Merit semifinalists

A total of 11 CSISD seniors , five of whom attend Consol, were named semifinalists in the 65th-annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Savyasachi Dixit, Eric Gan, Alexander Hilty, Tian-Da Huang and Amanda Rasmussen have joined the pool of approximately 16,000 semifinalists nationwide and are competing for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth a total of approximately $31 million. About 90% of the semifinalists are expected to be named finalists and of those, around half will win a National Merit Scholarship and earn the prestigious National Merit Scholar title.

Speech and Debate members place at competition

The Consol Speech and Debate team competed on September 16 at Alief Early College High School. Junior Celine Choi recieved 1st place in Domestic Extemporaneous speech, with junior Lars Deutz as a finalist. Sophomore Andrew Mays recieved 4th place in Congress debate with Choi and junior Allen Zhang also placing in this category. Junior Ruby Perrry-Mize recived 3rd place in Original Oratory.

Cheerleaders hype up students at Blackout Bryan football game. PHOTO BY ALEX ROEDER

Maroon Men seniors Michael Krenek and Reid Foster get ready to greet football players as they enter pep rally. PHOTO BY HEIDI FAHRENWALD

The Roar News

The Bengal Belles perform their hip hop routine at a pep rally. PHOTO BY HEIDI FAHRENWALD

R

theroarnews.com

the roar | news | 3

friday, sept. 27, 2019

Complex student, staffing demands create scheduling anomalies, affect class size “Scheduling” cont. from page 1

cancelled because the counseling office had to prioritize where to put a limited number of teachers who were qualified to teach in that subject area.

“That was an English teacher that was going to teach it,” Hord said. “We had more of a demand for that teacher to pick up an extra section of English.”

Webpage Design, and Commercial Photography, and are other courses that didn’t make it into classrooms. For new courses to be proposed and fail is common, Hord says.

“Every year, we ask departments, ‘If you can think of a new course that you would like to offer, then let us know what it is’,” Hord said. “We put it in the course catalog, then we see how many students sign up for it.”

STAFFING Student registration, however, is not the only factor when it comes to which classes fail. Staffing is another element-and in a complex game of certifications and resource allocation, few can survive.

“We’re in the beginning talks of offering a Forensic Science class next year,” McEver said.

“But if we steal a physics teacher, we’re pulling her out of a class of 30 [to teach] a class of 10 or 12. We’ve got to weigh those options.”

Efficiency with class sizes is key. By working with the staff on hand, the counselors can make schedules that, for the most part, work smoothly.

“We ask the departments to

set the caps on their class sizes,” Hord said. “A class like calculus [has] over 30 students in it. Onlevel algebra one wants those classes smaller. So it’s a matter of working with departments and finding out what’s going to work in the schedule.”

But as staffing changes, some teachers must adjust to inflation. New physics teacher Cody Turner is not only adjusting to teaching both biology and physics but also to large class sizes.

“I started in Northwest Arkansas, and the school there had 40 kids a year,” Turner said.

“This is the largest school district I’ve ever taught in. So I was kind of nervous.”

With increase in AP class enrollment for college credit, and an increase in students taking honors classes as the to improve class rank, teachers have had to adjust their methods to suit the growth.

“The fact that the AP classes are growing in number says there’s a demand,” AP US History teacher Chad Cryer said. “I think most kids are looking for college credit. it’s been a positive side, and I think students are seeking challenge.”

ADVANCED CLASSES Hord adds that the limited interest in new electives might result from the scarcity of honors credit.

“I’ve heard students say before that there were elective classes they would love to take, but they felt like they had to have 5.0 classes on their schedule,” Hord said.

Because of the increase in AP enrollment, Cryer has had to adjust to a high volume of students who aren’t used to the format of an AP class.

“If we have a student taking a course for the first time that involves heavy writing, it’s really tough,” Cryer said. “So I allow for makeup exams now. That way it’s a little more of a level playing field.”

This policy comes at a cost to Cryer, who now has to grade makeup exams as well as regular ones. But the benefit to students is worth it, he says. “it increases the workload on me three or four hours a week,” Cryer said. “But the scores are outstanding. If the student wants to come in and learn it, that’s fantastic.”

While teachers are finding ways to adjust to larger classes, counselors don’t always have the same option. They sometimes have to place students in alternate courses, especially when some classes the student wants are offered only once or twice a day--known to the counselors as “singletons” or “doubletons.” “[Alternate placements are] more common with students taking a lot of advanced classes because they’re not offered very many times,” Hord explained.

“Let’s say a student is signed up for seven classes that are just singletons and doubletons; there’s going to be conflicts.”

When schedule conflicts inevitably occur, the counselors do their best to ensure students can take classes they are interested in.

“If a class isn’t going to make, we try our best to communicate with the students and let them know what their alternatives are,” Hord said.

CLASS POPULARITY McEver thinks students’ decisions are a combination of class reputation and which credits they need to earn with their electives. Floral design is so popular because it combines the two, he says.

“You get to go do something creative, [and] you get a fine art credit too,” McEver said. “[Students are] like, ‘Oh, how can I get my fine art credit that’s required by the state? Oh, I’ll do floral design.’”

Hord acknowledges that some factors of class popularity rely on the groundwork done by adults, but believes most come down to students.

“Maybe we could do a better job of advertising the course,” Hord said. “[But] some students know exactly what they want to take, and they don’t want to deviate from that. There’s a lot of different factors; it varies.”

Cryer believes while the effort a course requires has some sway over how students choose which classes to sign up for and stay in, the top predictor of course’s success is its teacher.

“I think the most critical factor is how difficult the course is, how much work it involves, and how well the teacher teaches it,” Cryer said. “[If] the teacher works hard, [students are] much more likely to take the course.”

4| news | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

LAST BUT NOT LEAST New addition to lunch system brings changes, creates scheduling problems for students alex roeder & heidi fahrenwald editor-in-chief & staff reporter

The addition of about 120 students prompted a change in the lunch system this year, and has created mixed reactions among students and faculty.

The change affects students’ ability to travel during Academic Success Time, but was necessary, principal Gwen Elder says, as it reduces the amount of students in the cafeteria for safety reasons. “[Safety is] our main priority,” Elder said. “Can students get through the lunch line within 30 minutes? Can we can we exit the cafeteria successfully if we needed to, within a certain amount of time?”

The fourth lunch decreased the number of students in every lunch from around 525 to less than 500, which aids the teachers in keeping track of student activity.

“It’s nice to be able to look around and be able to see what people are doing,” Elder said.

“If you notice, we don’t have as many lunch tables, because with them, we just can’t keep a close eye on our students.”

Though the new system offers safety advantages, it minimizes the opportunity for tutorials, which provide students with one-on-one help.

“My schedule isn’t as hard

as it was last year, but I used [success] at least a few times a week to go to different teachers’ classes, just to get caught up on stuff I was behind [with],” senior Connor George said.

Math teacher and golf coach Justin McKown agrees that Academic Success Time is a vital time for students, whether to make up tests or get individual help.

“I understand the need to go to four lunches because we got bigger, but at the same time I think we took choices away from kids,” McKown said. “So now, the only time I can be here is in the morning for tutorials, [but] the majority of my kids can’t come in in the mornings, and they can’t come in for success because our successes don’t match up.”

To make up for the loss of success, the use of “Brown Bag,” a lab that always has core subject teachers available for tutorials during lunch, has become the new normal.

“Regardless of what success period you have, they have a science [teacher], [teachers from] the core areas, and you can go and get support,” Elder said. “So that’s a good thing as far as how can we make it work and provide support to our kids.

This is one way to compromise.”

Sophomore Lauren Hightower says Brown Bag works as a substitute for success time in her schedule.

“I don’t like not being able to go to some teachers,” Hightower said. “But a lot of the time I can go into brown bag and eat lunch there and get tutoring help. So [not having a success period] hasn’t become a problem quite yet.”

Even with the safety benefits of the new system and Brown Bag for tutorials, George believes you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

“I mean, they say that we needed four lunches. And I’ll take their word for it,” George said. “But if we could go back to the old system, I want to do that, because I’m missing it now. I’ve been doing it for three years, so it’s what I’m used to.”

Though there are no plans to go back to having three lunches, McKown believes the school population will eventually shrink and the schedule will revert back to the old system.

“I think there’s talk about getting a third high school, when that happens we may go back to three lunches again,” McKown said. “But it’s going to be predicated on the growth, [and] I don’t see us getting smaller anytime soon.”

A

B

C

D

the roar | opinions | 5

friday, sept. 27, 2019

hold on tight

heidi fahrenwald staff reporter

senior discusses future, apprehension towards unknown It’s crazy how fast three years of my life have gone by. From my freshman to sophomore years, it seemed that high school was a black hole with no end in sight.

I wanted to be done with high school for so long, and then I woke up one day and I was starting my senior year. It’s a strange time when you realize that high school really does come to an end, and that you have your whole life ahead of you.

Everyone seems to expect me to know what I’m going to do, where I’m going to college, or what I’m going to make of myself, and the truth is that I have no idea. I haven’t even started to apply anywhere yet.

I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t have to have all the answers right at this moment-- I have half a year to figure it out. But when time goes by as fast as it has for me, I know that ‘half a year from now’ will be here before I know it.

The concept of time has always scared me. There are some moments so incredible that I want to hold onto them forever, but then, just like that, they slip away and I’m left with memories years later that could’ve taken place just yesterday.

It’s safe to say that my high school career hasn’t been full of wonderful times, but it’s still terrifying to think about how fast these moments of importance have gone by.

My family used to go to an amusement park every summer when I was a kid. My sister and I were rollercoaster fanatics: we could ride them dozens of times and not get sick.

The ride starts with getting strapped in your seat and then slowly climbing up that first hill in anticipation.

Before you know it, your stomach is dropping and you’re being thrown every which way in this exciting chaos.

But the ride only lasts a minute or two, and then you stop abruptly and it’s over

when it barely just started.

The reality you live in as a teenager can be extremely frustrating. It can feel like so many things are the end of the world, but in reality everything is just beginning. It can seem like cliques, mean girls, ridiculous homework demands, and parental supervision will last your whole life.

I remember watching my sister go off to college in Hawaii at the end of my freshman year and wishing that I could blink my eyes and be off to my own fresh start. Now I’m finally here left wondering if I wasted my time waiting for everything to be over.

I guess I have this existential crisis that one day, I’ll wake up when I’m 50, my whole life will have gone by, and I won’t have been able to experience every minute of it as fully as I wanted to.

I tried explaining this fear to a friend of mine, to which she turned her head and looked at me oddly.

“Heidi, you’re seventeen. You are so young.”

I know I am. And maybe it’s juvenile of me to want to be young forever, but I know above all else that I don’t want to waste my life. Not one minute of it. Now that high school is almost over, the rest of my life is staring dead in my face, full of all of these expectations. It’s beautiful, and terrifying, and wonderful.

Let’s go back to the rollercoaster experience. The ride is over, and that sucks. But when you lie in bed that night, your stomach is still flipping, and you remember that feeling of bliss when you were shooting straight down at 80 miles per hour.

I might be done with roller coasters and adolescence, but now there’s this whole new adventure waiting for me, and I know it’s going to be greater than I could ever begin to imagine.

Want to talk about the future (or rollercoasters)? Contact Heidi at the. roar.fahrenwald@gmail.com

Walking into the library, I notice a strong theme on the “new arrivals” cart right by the door.

A lot of the books have titles to do with secrets or expectations, written in moody cursive. They’re glossy and thick, and a few have stylized teenage figures on the front, staring awkwardly at each other.

Many have rainbow-colored cover art.

My lungs seem to shrink. I drop my eyes and hurry past, feeling my face grow hot.

Anyone who knows me well might be surprised to learn that’s my reaction to the surge of LGBTQ liturature in the library. If someone challenged me on it, I probably wouldn’t know what to say. I feel guilty that I’m not out there to #represent my community in that way.

One would think a loudmouthed queer gal such as myself would be encouraged, expecially given the fact that I generally see precious little acknowledgement of my existence in mainstream entertainment media.

One would think I would have a heightened appreciation for what representation I do see, that I would latch onto it with a vengeance.

One would think.

In fact, I experience a strange set of emotions in association with LGBTQ media that I can’t seem to explain to anyone’s satisfaction.

There are the surface-level problems: the issues these pieces try to address are very complicated, and YA novels and Netflix originals sometimes handle them clumsily.

In attempts to drive home the point of inclusion, they can lose nuance. The plot gets boiled down to sexuality and nothing else. Characters sometimes have no personality other than their identity.

Sensitivity also tends to suffer for the sake of emotional impact. The real experiences of real people in real towns all over the world (including several I

know) wind up commodified as cheap tragedy.

But those are honest mistakes made by well-meaning authors. They would account for mild annoyance on my part. What I feel seeing those books--not even reading them, seeing them--sometimes physically hurts me.

The truth is less about books, and more about me.

Because here’s the thing: those books are real for me. The emotions, the fear, the social complications they’re trying to get people to understand don’t need to be explained to me. I know. I know already.

And every time I see those books, I remember in a rush that I’m not “normal”. It all comes down on me at once, instead of being white noise in my head. Usually the fear and shame are something I can ignore. Rainbows on the spine of a book force me to look at them.

So let’s say I pick up a book. Let’s say I start to read it. What happens then? Those characters are standins for me. Every major crisis and tiny humiliation is happening to me. And unlike real life, it’s being narrated. There are words to give shape to every prick of shame.

The stakes are too high.

I don’t mean to say authors should stop writing those books. Of course they don’t appeal to me. They’re not for queer kids at all. They’re for straight kids. They’re an attempt--a crucial one-to portray the struggles of the LGBTQ community to those outside of it, to give them the tools to understand what we’re facing.

I still feel a little guilty about not loving those books. But if my sexuality is legitimate, my feelings about it are too.

It’s just not that simple. And I’m going to have to be okay with that.

Want to talk about representation in media? Contact Ruby at the.roar.perry. mize@gmail.com

word-weary ruby perry-mize managing editor

student discusses impact of media representation

6 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

should we change our lockdown drill procedures?

According to the Washington Post, as of May 2019, approximately 228,000 students have been in a school during a school shooting since the Columbine shooting in 1999. This could explain why 96 percent of schools in 2015, according to the Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics, hold active shooter drills. Our school has felt the effect of recent shootings— the Santa Fe High School shooting in 2018 was a little more than a two-hour drive away from us, and we have not been immune to threats ourselves. We are also in proximity to a recent media debate— the topic of school lockdowns and how they should be handled, further raising the question: should we adapt our drills, keep them as they are, or abandon them entirely?

Let’s give some context for this media debate. The beginning of the school year across the nation, just like in recent years, churned out several viral tweets from parents becoming aware of what ‘lockdown drills’ entail for their children (including the infamous ‘Kindergarten Lockdown Nursery Rhyme’ or a recent picture of a 7-year-old who wrote ‘Love Mom and Dad’ on her arm during a lockdown in case she died). Another current controversy has added to this awareness: unannounced simulation drills. In some schools in Florida, Virginia, and New York, districts have held unannounced ‘fake shootings’, some including fake blood, gunmen, and gunfire— in some cases traumatizing students and creating backlash towards drills. These news stories have prompted a debate: with some arguing that lockdown drills are an unnecessary, psychologically taxing experience, some arguing that lockdown drills should be like how they are here— for practicing hiding in the event of a school shooting— and some arguing that more schools should adopt more realistic drills by barricading doors and preparing students for an actual attack, potentially even like the unannounced, fake lockdowns with imitation gunmen.

So what should we do?

We certainly shouldn’t abandon drills entirely. The argument that we should reject safety preparation due to a parent lamenting that their child could be traumatized by the thought of an event is outright ridiculous— school shootings happen and they do impact people, and it is better to be prepared than unaware when one occurs. By that thread of logic, it could be claimed that giving fire drills, discussing ‘stranger danger’, or explaining how to dial 911 is too ‘scary’ for children.

However, we should not make the switch to the simulated drills that some schools have used recently, especially at the beginning of the school year (such as what Long Island’s West Babylon Junior High School did on August 30). With no prior preparation, these drills would not work, as nobody would know what they should do in this situation.

Knowingly preparing for these events would work better than purposefully pretending that the lives of students are in danger (especially since it would take a long time to tell parents and siblings of the students that it was a drill). Also, if an active shooter situation occurred, people should be able to at least know if it is real or not— otherwise, people might take a real situation for false and not be as concerned as they should.

So should we keep our current drill system— ‘locks, lights, out of sight’— intact? Yes… and no. Practicing at the school’s current interval and waiting until an administrator specifically visits a classroom and instructs students to continue with their class is a good system, but our school should work to prepare students, or at least better inform students, for how to respond to such a situation during lunch, assemblies, or passing periods. We should also potentially practice additional strategies during these drills, such as blocking a door with desks, instead of leaving it up to a teacher to do anything other than lock the door, hide students, and turn off the lights. And although some might argue that these drills are unnecessarily traumatizing, or that they just inform potential attackers of the best strategies to carry out their plans, knowing how to prepare for these situations is the best solution for a society that exposes students to active shooters.

“I think it’s dumb, because if a school shooter is inside the building, they’re basically teaching them our drill. If [the shooter situation is] real, I think we should all run out of the school.”

-Ahmya Carson, sophomore

“I like what they do now. They don’t even tell anybody (when the drill happens) now. So I like it.”

-Evaughn Todd, senior

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 The Roar 2019-2020 Staff obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor Editor-in-Chief Alex Roeder and opinions editor.

Managing Editor Ruby Perry-Mize The Roar is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Executive Editor Allen Zhang Senior Editor Claire Grace Franklin Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA).

Online Editor Saanya Patel The Roar is a winner of the CSPA Gold Crown, the 1997, 1998, Opinions Editor Elise Sawyer 2000-2016 ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Feature Editor Emmeline Duhon Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and Entertainment Editor Allison Segers 2005, 2014,2016 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007-2013, 2015, and Sports Editor Piper Hitchcock 2018 Silver Star.

Social Media Editor Madison Stanfield College Station Independent School District does not Staff Reporter Heidi Fahrenwald discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, Faculty Adviser Michael Williams sex or handicap in providing education services. Monica Assistant Adviser Chauncey Lindner Jones, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination The Roar Editorial Board requirements of Title IX. Molley Perry, Executive Director of Alex Roeder • Elise Sawyer • Ruby Perry-Mize Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Roar News

R

the roar | snapshots| 7

friday, sept. 27, 2019

WHAT MAKES THEM TIK students express themselves with style inspired by social media

allison segers & heidi fahrenwald entertainment editor and staff reporter Tik Tok, the streaming app, has skyrocketed into a social media sensation since its launch in 2017, engaging its users with short videos.

Teens are spending between five and six hours of their day using various social media platforms such as Tik Tok for entertainment. Students use Tik Tok as a medium to express their individuality with unlimited access to a range of style and trendy ideas.

“I spend an enormous amount of time on Tik Tok. I spend way more time on it than I should. I probably spend about an hour a day on it,” senior Reagan Johnson said. “At school I’m on social media about 15 minutes out of the whole school day and on the weekends probably about 2 hours.”

The app offers a seemingly endless stream of videos of viral dances, art and painting, and humor. Many stylistic trends have emerged from Tik Tok, which are cultivated by influencers who adopt an online persona.

The various trends can be hard to keep up with.

“I know enough of the people on there to understand it, but I usually use it just for memeing,” sophomore Penelope Morris said. “I know there are different groups and styles and stuff. Other than that I follow art accounts.”

Sophomore Grace Johnson enjoys making her own Tik Toks. She describes her videos as “super dark,” incorporating gothic makeup and clothing.

“People watch them, and they say, ‘You’re not like that at school,’ and I’m like, ‘well I mean…’ I kind of got it to entertain myself,” Grace Johnson said.

Grace Johnson says that she has made Tik Tok a unique outlet for art and self-expression. She gets inspiration from content curated by other influencers.

“I saw people on there doing all of this weird stuff like dressing in neon colors, or they would have a lot of piercings,” Grace Johnson said.

“I was like, ‘Wow, you know this is like a family, almost. I won’t get bullied for being myself.’ So that’s where my self-expression kind of came out and I was like, ‘this feels nice.’”

Pop culture allows for all kinds of people and celebrities to share their brands and styles. With the vastness of social media, inspiration can be found everywhere. Morris says that her style is inspired by some musicians.

“Louis Cole [is] one of my favorites,” Morris said. “He’s really funky and he wears what he likes. It’s cool.”

Apps like Tik Tok often show styles that are more flashy than what pople in real life would like to wear everyday. Self-expression is just as meaningful when it comes from personal inspirations and fashion choices.

“I do a lot of thrifting. I’m a costumer as well so I really like vintage styles,” Morris said. “I see what I liked from the past and I say, ‘Hey, I like that a lot, and I want to wear it, and I want to find more of it.’”

Exposure to new ideas through Tik Tok and personal experiences is important, but it can turn into a chase for fulfilling a certain aesthetic rather than keeping originality. Reagan Johnson says that she feels most like herself when she is wearing what she is comfortable and feels like herself in.

“Be yourself and just do your own thing. Don’t copy everybody else,” Reagan Johnson said.

8 | student

1.

2.

life | the roar

the roar | student life | 9

friday, sept. 27, 2019

3.

4.

Welcome to the Club Lesser-known clubs make their mark on campus early in the year

1. Metal straight needles, 2. Circular knitting 3. Cable needles, needle, used on large good for patterns best for beginners 4. Double pointed needles, projects 5. Wooden Straight needles, used for small projects best for beginners Knitting club has already woven its way into the school over its brief existence.

Acting president senior Amanda Rasmussen is happy with the club’s recent growth.

“I originally joined the club through my sister,” Rasmussen said. “The first two years, Knitting Circle was quite small. We didn’t really advertise it much. It was a very--forgive the pun--tight-knit group.”

In the past, Knitting Club stayed inside its own bubble, averaging only a few members per meeting. But, recently, due to Roar Camp and posters around the school, Knitting Club’s presence has become more public.

“This year, we really started to branch out,” Rasmussen said. “We want to continue to let people know about the club, and have more people learn how to knit and learn to enjoy knitting as well.”

Rasmussen is confident in the club’s process of learning to knit, and enjoys watching members’ personal growth over the school year.

“At the beginning of the year we’ll work on teaching the basic steps of knitting.

How to knit, how to pearl, how to cast on, how to cast off,” Rasmussen said. “As people learn how to knit and are comfortable knitting, we get more into projects, such as knitting scarves or hats.”

The club believes knitting is a lost art, so Rasmussen and the entirety of Knitting Club are hoping to bring the trend back to modern times.

“I think it’s unique that we work on developing a skill. I really like that our club focuses on helping people to learn and enjoy knitting,” Rasmussen said.

“Knitting is a great skill, I think, but it’s not a common skill. It’s much more personal development and learning on your own.”

Senior Kathleen Bellon is co-president of Consol’s Literature Society, an exciting addition to the pre-existing clubs, and she is looking to reach other bookworms such as herself. The club is one of a kind, anybody can join and share their love for reading. As Co-President of the club, she hopes to inspire those who have had poor experiences due to required school reading and change their views of the hobby. She also aspires to influence others to find passion in reading and cherish it as she does.

“The purpose of [Literature Society] is to unite people who like to read,” Bellon said. “[We want to] introduce readers to a diverse amount of genres that might not have been exposed to them in English classes.”

Bellon describes the meetings as having a laid back atmosphere; more than one would expect, which is a unique quality that many members appreciate.

“I know other book clubs require that you can’t join if you haven’t read over six books, but for us it’s very low-key and informal,” Bellon said. “We normally have an assigned book to read for the month, and we all gather around and create a list of questions that will spark discussions about the characters, themes, and fun things about the book that we liked.”

Literature Society also attends the Texas Teen Book Festival in Austin, Texas. The event caters to book lovers, and is a key part of the club.

“Every single year in Austin there is a book festival for teen books, and we always go,” Bellon said. “It’s really fun because we get to meet authors and talk to other book clubs across the state.”

Literature Society is growing rich in knowledge, but not so much in numbers, but for them, it’s not about the attention received by the student body, but the students’ lives they are able to impact through literature.

“People think reading is boring from English classes, but reading is just like watching a T.V. show or a movie,” Bellon said. “I would encourage people to join so they would love reading too.”

Literary society book recommendations

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

moves forward one space at a time

Vicious by V. E. Schwab

BISHOP(2)

ROOK(2)

QUEEN(1)

KING(1)

moves only diagonally

KNIGHT(2)

emmeline duhon & piper hitchcock feature editor & sports editor

5.

PAWN(8)

moves only in straight lines

moves one space at a time, any direction

any distance, any direction

moves in L-shapes, any direction

ROOK PAWN

KNIGHT

QUEEN

BISHOP

KING Among the various clubs at Consol, Games Club is a unique option to the student body. The small number of members only adds to the excitement of playing ping pong on the second level of the school. Senior David Asatryan is the president of Games Club and continues the club’s simple legacy.

“We set up the ping pong tables, we set up chess, and we play,” Asatryan said.

A unique aspect of the Games Club is their laid back environment.

“Generally the atmosphere is very friendly, there are people who are competitive in either ping pong or chess,” Asatryan said.

Apart from other clubs on campus, Asatryan is confident in his club’s individuality and laid back vibe, which is a breath of fresh air, he says.

“We are one of the only clubs where you can just go have fun.” Asatryan said.

Junior Davis Xu is a member of the Games Club, and enjoys having an activity to cure the symptoms of boredom.

“It’s a time to hang out with friends, just have something to do after school,” Xu said.

The Games Club is lax towards their publicity. Upcoming fundraisers are planned to raise awareness of the club and raise money for the club’s supplies.

“We were thinking of doing tournaments. We would have a chess tournament where you would pay to enter. If you win, you get a small bit of the profit,” Xu said.

10 | feature | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

Changing the Beat

High school band welcomes eighth grade percussionists, anticipates their musical future allison segers & saanya patel reviews editor & online editor The 2019-2020 school year is in full swing, and so is the A&M Consolidated High School Band. Director Steve Fry is excited for both his high school and, for the first time, his middle school students to showcase their hard work and dedication to the student body.

“We’re off to a fantastic start,” Fry said. “I think that people will be very pleased with what they see at football games.”

This year band is performing a new routine based on the seasons. They play different music and have different formations dedicated to each of the four seasons of the year.

“I think it’s also going to be a fun halftime show that everyone can really enjoy and really understand,” Fry said.

Part of the new performance is the inclusion of four eighth graders from A&M Consolidated Middle School in the percussion section. Fry found this helpful, as there are not enough percussionists.

“Because we graduated five [percussionists], we didn’t necessarily have some [of the] numbers in our freshman [and] sophomore

class,” Fry said. “That’s why we invited eighth graders to be part of the percussion section with us at football games and competitions this year.”

By inviting eighth graders to the band the middle schoolers are able to have a small amount of the band experience before they officially join as high schoolers. “ [This] a great way to see who’s going to be in a band next year, and nurture their skills’” sophomore Isabella Baxter said. “The eighth graders have a ton of potential in a band. I’m excited to see them in high school.”

Baxter knows the band has to work hard during the limited amount of practice time they have with the eighth graders.

“We have a lot of eighth graders in front and center and they really enjoy what they’re doing. [Because of this] they join us for morning practice occasionally,” Baxter said.

Freshman Dorthia Jones believes this opportunity is beneficial for the eighth graders who chose to join the high school band, because they really get a feel for what band is all about.

“Eighth graders get to learn more parts, and upperclassmen can help them figure out what they’re doing wrong,” Jones said.

Baxter agrees, saying that being a mentor to the eighth graders allows her to form positive relationships with them. “[I like to] talk to them and interact with them about drumline, front ensemble and what they enjoy [playing],” Baxter said.

Fry’s decision to invite eight graders has allowed for the band to compensate for the low number of students in the percussion section.

He hopes the percussion section grows in the coming years.

“We’ll probably have to [invite eighth graders] one more year so we get the numbers to make sure that we’re stabilizing for that particular section,” Fry said.

Even though the band may have to invite eighth graders again, Fry believes the current eighth graders are looking to join band as high schoolers.

“They’re 100% bought in,” Fry said. “They love [band]. They’re going to go back and tell their friends ‘Hey, this is super fun; we love it; this is a great time’.”

the roar | feature | 11

friday, sept. 27, 2019

Hi(gh) Tech Teachers begin using technology in their classes, encounter new issues, and benefits allen zhang | executive editor Since the invention of the SMARTboard in 1991, Consol has gradually adopted the trend of digitization. Traditional teaching methods such as chalkboards were replaced with computers. Even though the change started as far as 20 years ago, it is still evolving today.

With the recent addition of the new educational software Schoology, Flipped Geometry teacher Michael Slaughter has begun to embrace technology as an essential part of his teaching, he says.

“I don’t think I could’ve taught flipped geometry without technology,” Slaughter said. “Everything I do is possible because of it.

I can interact with kids, I can alert kids about tests. Nowadays, technology has practically integrated itself into our school system.”

Technology not only ensures a better learning environment, it also makes teaching more efficient, Slaughter says. With its addition, he thinks that the students are learning significantly more overall.

“Digital teaching offers styles of teaching that traditional teaching can’t,” Slaughter said. “For example, I can show [students] how graphs move shift and change, which is hard to grasp on paper. Once they’re

[in the classrooms], they’re not just writing down notes, but actually learning.”

Schoology is also relatively userfriendly and easy to navigate through, junior Lars Deutz says.

“Honestly, one of the biggest reasons that I prefer technology is because it’s pretty straightforward,” Deutz said. “It easily allows me to instantaneously edit [my work] as well as collaborate in group projects.”

Although there are a wide range of benefits, technology also comes with numerous drawbacks.

“For the most part, these digital softwares are easy to work around,” Slaughter said.

“However, when you get super in-depth, like writing quizzes, it might get a bit tricky. It took me a couple weeks to really get the hang of it.”

Many of the setbacks aren’t just with managing the software, but with gaining access to it in the first place.

“Nowadays, devices are pretty much a requirement for class,” Deutz said. “Teachers post everything on [them]: homework, answers to reviews, and quizzes. But that automatically assumes people have devices and access to the internet.”

While Deutz does acknowledge the problem, he believes that at the pace Consol

is moving, access will no longer be an issue in the future.

“Given the recent developments with technology, I don’t think that this will be a problem forever,” Deutz said. “Internet access and technology sharing mechanisms have gradually gone to households that did not have them before.”

Slaughter hopes that the district will continue to make repairs and purchases towards improving the digital infrastructure of the school. Even though Consol has already incorporated new electronic devices, he believes that the technology can be taken a step further.

“I would really like to see us move away from paper,” Slaughter said. “But in order to do so, we need to [allow] students access to devices as well as getting the wifi on point.”

However, Deutz is still hesitant about a complete transition. He worries it could detract from fundamental aspects of education.

“While technology does bring in a new aspect of how to learn material, it shouldn’t [replace] human contact,” Deutz said. “I don’t want the next generation of students to lack creativity and only do things to satisfy an algorithm.”

12 | news | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

Outstanding in the Field Cheer, Belles, and color guard work through summer to prepare for fall alex roeder & madison stanfield editor-in-chief & staff reporter For most students, summer means a break from school activities and an opportunity to relax. But from the week school ends to the end of the next years’ first semester, color guard, Bengal Belles, and cheerleaders are on the football field preparing for Friday nights.

Training begins for guard by with foundational skills like drop spins and throws, and ends with a summer intensive where the team learns counts and the routine for the halftime show and competitions. As the team trains, they encounter the same physical demands and challenges as the football team.

“They’re always out on the field working on something,” Mulholland said. “Much like football, we have rehearsals. They have practices, [and] they have to build muscles. So do we.”

Over the years, the amount of athleticism and skill involved in all of these sports has certainly increased, Belles coach Stephanie Ross says. Instead of keeping a “sit still, look pretty” mindset, the teams are evolving to improve their routines.

“The high school dance world has changed over the course of about the last 10 years,” Ross said. “It’s getting more and more competitive every single season. People are recognizing, ‘Oh my gosh, this is hard, let’s compete,

give some credit’. And that just adds an element of difficulty. Which is awesome, because people notice it.”

Having a competition season for these sports has brought on more dancing and complex routines for the football-focused aspect of the sport, like pep rallies and game day routines.

“The sideline stuff has a lot more dancing to it than it did when I was in high school,” cheer coach Jodi Schlather said. “The routines certainly have improved and gotten stronger and better because of what you know how to do and how you have the skills to do it.”

Because of these competitions, the teams have a whole new aspect to prepare for, and success in the sport takes on a new meaning. As the season progresses, the goal for guard is to slowly improve the routines one week at a time, Mulholland says, and gauge the success of the guard by what they were able to build on.

“It’s not a competition against other people,” Mulholland said. “It’s ‘How did we grow as a guard? Where did we start? And where did we get to?’”

However, color guard captain Nikki Nomin says that guard, Belles and cheer are an integral part of football games and engaging the crowd, and

she recognizes that role in her sport, even when others overlook it.

“We love football,” senior color guard captain Nikki Nomin said. “We cheer them on [and] dance to the songs, and we do our best to support them. If I’m being completely honest, we don’t always feel that support back.

But I do understand, that’s not necessarily their job. [Cheering the football team on] is kind of what we do on Friday nights.”

For cheerleaders, being on the sidelines is more personal because of the bond they have with the football players.

“When we’re on the field, we’re cheering for [the team] and individuals,” varsity cheer captain senior Ellie Rhoades said. “You’ll find me cheering for my specific friends and specific numbers that I know. We’re close at school, but then when it gets to football time, we’re even closer because we’re cheering each other on.”

According to Schlather, these sports help unite the student body despite their different interests and encourage school spirit, which is the goal she has for her team. “[We] should have packed stands at every volleyball game,” Schlater said.

“And when it comes time for basketball, we should have stands that are absolutely rocking. Because we can get excited about each other’s things.”

the roar | sports | 13

friday, sept. 27, 2019

JUST KEEP SWIMMING Swim team recovers from loss of beloved coach, adjusts to change in leadership ruby perry-mize & piper hitchcock managing editor & sports editor

In 2004, head swim coach and English teacher Ryan Goodwyn captured the school’s attention when he swam 26 miles across the English Channel to raise money for Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation.

His reputation for perseverance and strength followed him into the classroom and pool, where he was both loved and respected by students, colleagues, and swimmers.

So it came as a shock to most of the swim team when he announced in May that he was leaving his position and moving to Austin.

Stepping in as his replacement was former assistant coach Jenny Marquardt, who was herself reeling from the loss.

“For me, it’s like losing a brother, because I’ve coached on deck with him for years,” Marquardt said. “For the swimmers’ there’s a period of grief, but walking together through that brings [us] really close.”

Marquardt was reassured of the team’s continued stability after discussing with Goodwyn the shared aspirations they have for the future of the team.

“I was heartbroken initially,” Marquardt said. “Then when Goodwyn and I talked about [his departure], and what were our dreams and goals, we did have shared goals for this specific team going forward.”

The news of Goodwyn’s resignation near the end of May blindsided many of the swimmers, but sophomore Connor McGuire had anticipated the announcement for quite some time.

“He really made a lot of last year,” McGuire said. “He made a lot of memories with us and added a few more traditions that he would leave. I prepared myself a little

more than some people did. Other kids on the swim team were in tears.”

Before leaving Tiger Swim, Goodwyn impacted the athletes and coaches he worked with, both in their swimming careers and their personal lives. “[Goodwyn] reconfirmed for me that the biggest thing we want for swimmers is that they are good, kind humans who think about what they’re doing,” Marquardt said.

Sophomore Connor McGuire learned the importance of friendship and healthy competition from his time on the swim team.

“It’s always important to make good friends that you can be competitive with,” McGuire said. “It’s that good competition-always striving to be better-- that was the best thing I learned from having [Goodwyn].”

Junior Brett Hyman agrees that competition is one of the most important parts of community on the swim team.

“The people you’re swimming with are [your] best friends out of the pool,” Hyman said. “But once you’re in the pool practicing [and racing against them], Goodwyn taught us to push ourselves hard.”

Because Marquardt has already established a bond with the athletes and has a coaching style similar to Goodwyn’s, the transition in leadership has been relatively smooth, McGuire says. However, Marquardt is implementing changes to suit her personal

coaching techniques. “[Marquardt] is letting sophomores be captain now, she’s opening that opportunity to us,” McGuire said. “She’s giving us a lot more responsibility and it’s a good learning opportunity.”

Despite the change in leadership, McGuire anticipates a successful season, even if the team dynamics shift. “[The season] will definitely be different, but similar,” McGuire said. “We’ll still go to state and everything like that, but I think it will have a different impact than previous years.”

However much change Tiger Swim faces, the program will continue to grow with similar values, because loss only brings a family closer together, McGuire says. “[Goodwyn and Marquardt] both love the idea of making a swim family, rather than everyone being so separated,” McGuire said.

“If you’re going to have a team, you might as well be close to everyone on it. It is a team sport, even though we compete against each other.”

Out of all the dreams Marquardt has for the swim team in upcoming years, her main ambition is to create relationships with the swimmers that go beneath surface level.

“I want to have our swimmers know that each and every one of them has two coaches that are completely behind them and supporting them, whether they are lights out, can’t-believe-your-eyes-so-fast in the water, or whether they’re not the fastest swimmer on the team,” Marquardt said. “I want [the swimmers] to know they’re loved and treasured for their whole person rather than just their athletic ability.”

14 | reviews | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

dressed to the nines the roar reviews: boutiques saanya patel | online editor I should preface this review by saying my style leans on the side of comfort wear. Hemline is a sleek up-scale boutique located in Century Square with a variety of brands. I often pass by the shop and look through the window at the bold and colourful clothing. When I went in I was greeted by a very friendly employee. She had an exceptional amount of knowledge when it came to the pieces and was extremely helpful. The clothing had a very fall vibe given autumn is around the corner. I personally would not wear many of these pieces but for those who like to experiment with clothes this is a wonderful place to shop.

There are so many cool statement tops and fun bottoms along with cute accessories to choose from. The only drawback of Hemline is the price: clothing ranges from about $30 to upwards of $100. If you are looking a statement piece to go with items you already have this is a great place to find it however I don’t recommend purchasing an entire outfit as it can get very expensive. Overall Hemline is an awesome place to find good quality clothes that are also unique.

merge boutique emmeline duhon | feature editor Merge Boutique is located in Century Square, a new, and popular destination in the College Station area. When I entered the establishment I was greeted in a friendly manner by one of the employees. The customer service was exceptional, and made me feel welcomed and inclined to purchase. As for the actual merchandise in the store, it was not any different from other boutiques I have previously visited. Setting that aside, there were countless options for all occasions. There was also a good variety of attire, anyone could walk in and find something they like. The store itself had a very lax atmosphere. It was colorful and personalized, and also had a very aesthetic vibe. Price wise, the boutique caters to a wide range of budgets. Although the prices are more expensive than common retailers, as most boutiques are, the quality of the items I purchased stood up to the price.

alex roeder | editor-in-chief As a somewhat trendseeking and fashion loving teen, I was very excited to check out Runway seven. I was met with a very pleasant experience. The staff is the right kind of attentive, not suddenly appearing in every direction you look to ask if there’s anything you need, but willing to give feedback on outfits, provide recommendations, and bring you different sizes as needed. The clothes, though somewhat pricey, were very cute and seemed well made, like they wouldn’t fall apart after a trip to the washing machine.

The atmosphere was very calm and not too overwhelming. The store had a lot of options, but it wasn’t overwhelming to look at. If you’re looking for a trendy, fun new place to shop, I highly recommend Runway Seven.

friday, sept. 27, 2019

the roar | reviews | 15

an egg-quisite breakfast the roar reviews: breakfast places madison stanfield | social media editor I’m going to be honest, every time I would drive by or hear The Kettle mentioned in any conversation my first thoughts were that it seemed super sketchy. So you can imagine my surprise when I walked into a country style restaurant with a southern charm that reminds you of home. The service was amazing, and the waitress was super friendly, she made me feel right at home. The Kettle serves breakfast 24 hours, and they have an extremely large variety of options. I ordered the french toast with two eggs. The french toast came in four slices, with powdered sugar on top. In all honesty, it was the best french toast I’ve had in awhile. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and even though I’m not a big fan of eggs, these were surprisingly good. If you’re looking for a good home-cooked meal, and the Kettle is the place to go.

alex roeder | editor-in-chief Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so I had big expectations for First Watch. I didn’t realize the restaurant’s popularity, so when I walked in and asked for a table, I was a bit taken aback when I was greeted with an hour long wait time. Thankfully, it was a cool day so I waited outside by the pleasant-looking storefront until my name was finally called. My waitress was very sweet and helpful, but wasn’t extremely attentive due to the amount of customers. I ordered the avocado toast by recommendation of many of my friends, along with an iced coffee. Both were very delicious- the coffee was the perfect kind of sweet (but I like my coffee pretty sweet), and the avocado toast was flavorful and filling. The pricing was a bit more expensive than somewhere like Denny’s or IHOP, but it was still reasonable for a slightly more upscale experience. If you’re looking for a fun place to go get brunch with your friends, First Watch is the perfect spot!

16 | etc. | the roar

friday, sept. 27, 2019

Mum’s the Word Floral Design students create homecoming mums as fundraiser preceding dance claire grace franklin | senior editor Texas mums have impacted homecoming traditions since the early 1960’s and have continued to make their mark in modern times. A&M Consolidated High School’s Floral Design program continues to create mums for the students, with excellence and pride.

“I think it looked really good,” Senior Sarah Ilman said. “I think we do a fantastic job and there is a lot of work going into them.”

The Floral Design department creates a detailed order form, with varying options, suited for every Consol student.

“There’s a very detailed order form, or pretty much open and trying a bunch of these names after school activities, clubs, sports, stuff like that,” Junior Catherine Killingbeck said.

Every year, the students in the Floral Design learn to build team skills and how to keep up with an activity based atmosphere. Both of these skills help them create a system to make mums.

“As a classroom, there’s lots of moving parts,” Killingbeck said. “So we just divide and conquer and it all comes together.”

The students see joint effort as a building block of creating a mum. There is, however, an independent aspect of creating the individualized homecoming mums for their peers.

“Teamwork is a big thing,” Killingbeck said. “Whenever you’re creating a mum,

it’s easy to have kids in a class focusing on one thing at a certain time, but the ability to divide work as a team [is important],” Killingbeck said.

Aside from providing mums, Floral Design is highly recommended by the students and is praised for its comfortable atmosphere.

PHOTO BY ALEX ROEDER

“I personally recommend joining Floral, because it is such a great class and you learn so much,” Ilman said.

Apart from creating mums, students in Floral Design can explore a considerable variation of different projects associated with the class; from wedding table arrangement and five foot long garlands, to arranging flowers inside of pumpkins.

“It teaches you a lot of different things, even if you don’t like mums,” Senior Ashton ...said.

Floral Design is more than just cutting ribbon and arranging flowers for homecoming mums. Students learn a variety of skills while enjoying a comfortable classroom experience.

“Overall Floral Design is a great class,” Killingbeck said. “You get to learn lots of awesome skills, and we’re doing a bunch of crazy stuff. We’re doing our mums then it transfers into Halloween; we’re cutting out pumpkins and putting fun flowers inside.” Killingbeck said The Floral Design students explain how a family setting is created through working together, and creating a productive system. The students are also given the opportunity to interact with peers from multiple grade levels, instead of staying with their class a majority of their school day “[It] gives you a chance to kind of intertwine and get to know the other classes,” Killingbeck said. “You get to have a chance to take a class that isn’t just everyone in your grade.”