Vol. 26 Issue 5

The Roar News

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1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, apr. 9, 2021 | VOL. 26 NO. 5 | THEROARNEWS.COM

executive orders

economy small business

100 years of spring sports

PAGES 10 &11

essential workers airborne lockdown double masking pfizer ment inflation essenti worker

mask march 10 up

to mask or not to mask?

social distancing

required to moderna enter states rights

six feet

johnson & johnson capacity

Students, staff weigh benefits, dangers of lifting mask mandate, evaluate effect of virus alex roeder & piper hitchcock editor-in-chief & sports editor

Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially lifted the statewide mask mandate and opened up businesses 100% on March 10.

In a majority-conservative state, the move was popular among Abbottt’s supporters, but those more cautious of COVID have not been quiet about their discontent.

Many concerns have been raised since then, calling into question the safety of essential workers, the efficiency of vaccine distribution, and the unpredictable effects lifting the mandate may have on the state.

Others, however, hope that the economic benefits are worth the costs.

Although many agree they are ready to see masks go, freshman Abraham Guillen believes it is too early to make that move,

inthisissue

news pages 2-5

saying he is hesitant to roll back important measures, given how unpredictable the effects of the pandemic have proved to be.

“With something as distant as [Coronavirus] was at the time, it's very easy to feel as though it'll never affect me,” Guillen said. “I thought that it was possible that it would reach College Station, but I don't think I would ever have predicted that it would have been this widespread and would have lasted this long.”

Teacher John Tollett foresaw the intensity of the situation, but was disappointed by the media and government’s response to this distant threat, and believes preventative measures were necessary from the beginning.

“I hoped that we would take it seriously, but given the political environment, I didn't think that we were going to be successful,”

opinions pages 6-8

feature page 9-15

Tollett said. “A mask mandate initially would have been necessary during lockdown; we didn’t have one then. We didn't know what to expect [because] the CDC was taken over politically, which was unheard of that scientists would be gagged. So no one was giving us real data.”

Senior Hudson Allen raises concerns about the economy as well as mental health after seeing the problems that accompanied the nationwide lockdown in April of last year.

“I didn't really understand or agree with shutdowns; I don't think they're effective [because] they hurt the economy when millions of Americans lose their

“Masks” continued from page 1 sports page 16-17

reviews pages 18-19

brief | the roar

UPCOMING

2 | in

April 24 April 27 & 30 May 4 May 8 May 24 May 25 May 26

NEWS friday, apr. 9, 2021

Prom Baseball Districts AP tests Film Fest 5th, 6th, 7th Finals 3rd, 2nd, 1st Finals 4th Final

IN THE

Advanced Floral/FFA students participate in livestock show

Juniors Abby Garrett, Keeley Loyd, Hannah More, and Senior Nicole Alvarez participated in the Brazos County Livestock Show. Junior Keeley Loyd won Grand Champion, and Senior Nicole Alvarez won Category Champion.

Junior eligible to win major scholarship program

The seniors huddle up during the Powderpuff games, showing great team spirit.

PHOTO BY: MEDHA SARIN

Junior Brooke Bennett has a chance to win 1 of 600 scholarships from the competition of CyberStart America. CyberStart America was created to help increase participation and help lift women in the IT and cybersecurity fields. This program was nominated this past year by Governor Abbot to become the Texas Standard to introduce cybersecurity to high schools in Texas.

Nine students from HOSA advanced to State competition

Nine students from our AMCHS HOSA-Future Health Professionals advanced to State competition. Of these nine, three individuals or groups placed in the top ten. Junior Rebecca Kumar placed 6th in Medical Terminology, Junior Andrew Larsen placed 10th in Medical Math, and the team of Seniors Asma Maredia, Samiha Momin, and Insha Umatiya placed 7th in Health Education.

Wrestling team wraps up district duals, going 6-0

Tiger Theatre preforms their Trojan Women play at the Consol Auditorium, creating an unique experience for the audience.

PHOTO BY: RUBY PERRY-MIZE

The wrestling team wrapped up their District 10-5A Duals in Georgetown, beating Pflugerville High School 84-0, and Georgetown High School 51-19. The team went 6-0 in the district duals and outscored their opponents 405-58. They wrapped up districts on April 8th.

theroarnews.com

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Lifting of mask mandate leads to questions concerning authority, local policy decisions “Masks” continued from page 1 jobs,” Allen said. “I think there should be no school shutdowns either. We’ve seen mental health is a serious issue with the spread of COVID when schools are shut down. Kids are at home all the time and being locked in. School, especially at our age, is not completely about learning but [also] social skills.”

Speaking from personal experience, junior Troy Davis also recognizes the long term influence of an isolated learning environment and says that this will grow into a prominent concern for the next generation of the working class. “[Virtual school] is connected to when people are home-schooled for a very long time,” Davis said. “There is a lack of social development that happens with home-schooled and virtual learning that you would get in public school. I think that’s the biggest problem, that when these people go out and get jobs, they can’t really interact with each other. This will definitely be an issue in the future, too.”

STATE OR FEDERAL? Since the first shutdown, the constitutionality of mask mandates has been debated, most notably about whether it should be handled on a state or federal level. Allen believes that this particular power should be reserved to the states.

“There are certain parts of states that don’t do mask mandates and certain parts that do, for example Caldwell County [where] you have 15,000 people over 300 miles,” Allen said. “It just really depends in the sense of a federal mandate; North Dakota shouldn’t have the same restrictions as California.”

Davis even believes that masks should be mandated by the district, depending on number of cases and population.

“I say [mask mandates] should be handled by the state because there are different populations, different people per square mile,” Davis said. “I would even go so far to say [it should be handled by the county] because that’s a little more accurate. [For example], my grandma lives in the panhandle of Texas and no one lives there, it’s just big windmills. But then you have places like Austin where people are on top of each other.”

DISSENSION The timing of Governor Abbot’s announcement also caused dispute around the issue, as Abbott sent out the tweet only days after the devastating snow storm that left most Texans without power or water. Guillen says he believes that the lift may have been a way to please his constituents and to calm the grievances of the state.

“With the winter storm, Governor Greg Abbott was under a whole lot of pressure, he was receiving a lot of flack about how it was handled,”

Guillen said. “It is possible that he was grasping for anything that he could say. There is also the possibility that he believed with the vaccine being distributed that it would be okay [to lift the mask mandate]; however, the vaccine is not nearly widely distributed enough for [that]. So in the end, it may help [Abbott], but it doesn’t help the people.”

Many citizens are also put off by the phrasing of the announcement, his tweet simply stating “I just announced Texas is OPEN 100%. EVERYTHING. I also ended the state-wide mask mandate.” He has since deleted this tweet and reposted a more formal press release. “[Abbott] made a tweet and it sounded arrogant, kind of stubborn the way he said it: ‘That’s it, it’s done, Texas is too strong,’” Davis said. “It’s definitely possible that he lifted it [for the votes], to get on the Texans’ side of things. But I think there is definitely the possibility of [Governor Abbott] keeping this up to make people happy, since he thinks that’s more important [than health].”

The biggest concern, however, is for individual safety. Without masks, many are afraid that cases will escalate.

“I definitely fear that we’re going to see yet another spike; with the lifting of the mask mandates, we’ve already had numerous spikes, one of which was on top of another one,” Guillen said. “I hope with all of my heart that people will be safe, and that we won’t see the increase in deaths and increase in hospitalizations and the increase in cases that we’ve seen before. But I do think that it is very, very possible that we will see an increase in infections.”

AFTER EFFECTS Behavioral changes are already emerging outside of school, as well. Many witness people without masks in grocery stores, gyms, and especially in restaurants.

“I already see that a lot of people [don’t wear their masks] in restaurants,” Davis said. “I can understand if you’re sitting at the table and you don’t have your mask on, but I think entering a place without a mask, you don’t know if you’re going to be seated or not. If you have to wait in a closed area with benches, or you have to sit next to people, COVID can easily be spread.”

For others, the lifting of the mandate will not stop them from instituting preventative measures, or even becoming more cautious.

“I will still keep wearing my mask, as will most of my family, but it will most likely make me more wary of being out in public and going around to public spaces,” Guillen said. “Now

there is that constant worry in the back of my mind that I’ll run into people who aren’t being safe.”

POLITICAL DISCOURSE The controversy has only progressed since the decision to lift the mask mandate, causing many to feel uncomfortable expressing their opinion on the matter due to the fact that the conversations often get too heated. We approached several teachers, but only Tollet agreed to go on record.

Allen, however, says in a country of free speech, expressing your opinion shouldn’t be a harmful act.

“On both sides of the argument, they can’t be fully backed up by facts which is scary, because it becomes really opinionated,” Allen said. “I hate how we politicize it so much that we’ve made more of a gap between the two parties.”

Davis also understands that it is easy to be consumed by the passionate arguments made by both sides of the scale; however, the politicization of human health and the virus is not constructive nor a solution for the long term. Davis concedes that it is most important throughout these trying times that people unite under the common cause of saving lives, rather than arguing over how we go about doing so.

“Everyone has the right to their own opinion, you can think whatever you want to think,” Davis said. “But I definitely think there’s a lot of criticism, and that the opposite poles of opinions are extreme. It’s because of this that no one wants to reach out or say anything, out of fear of rebuttal.”

4 | news | the roar

friday, apr. 9, 2021

two weeks’ time Quarantine policy affects school life, extracurriculars, mental health medha sarin & alexia carnes section editor & staff reporter Although the vaccine rollout has been a breakthrough, quarantining remains a constant in everyone’s lives, with students, staff and teachers having to stay home if they become infected or have close contact with a COVID case. People have entered and exited quarantine throughout the year— in fact, whole teams have had to quarantine, like the girls basketball team last semester.

Junior Sarah Hathorn took her COVID test only a day after experiencing symptoms. She was the first student on the basketball team who had to quarantine, and she felt responsible when other players were also required to stay home.

“I was really surprised and sad that our team had to quarantine,” Hathorn said. “It all happened so fast. In between I was stressed because I was picturing our whole team having to go into quarantine because I got the virus.”

On the other hand, freshman Clayton Osborn was in close contact with an infected person and didn’t feel responsible for others like Hathorn did. Yet, he said he had mixed feelings of relief and worry when he learned he’d have to quarantine, feeling that this was similar to last school year’s stay-at-home order.

“I was in my cybersecurity class relaxing,” Osborn said. “Then I was called up to the nurse’s office and the nurse told me, ‘A person close to you has gotten COVID and you were in close contact with them,’ so my mother had to drive here and pick me up.”

It was difficult adjusting to quarantine at first, says Hathorn, but eventually, her at-home stay improved.

“At the beginning, it was definitely hard balancing the workouts and not being lazy, but after a while, I got in good routines, and it was a lot better,” Hathorn said. “I started working out

more and I could tell I was getting better and maintaining my health throughout quarantine.”

However, the lack of communication from in-person school caused issues. Even though Hathorn went on runs and did workouts recommended by her coaches, she struggled with isolation from her fellow players.

“I was disappointed because we couldn’t work out and get better as a team,” Hathorn said. “It was just boring overall because we had to be self-motivated. We didn’t have coaches pushing us and telling us what to do and holding us responsible.”

As for Osborn, unreliable WiFi was a source of difficulty.

“My grades did take a small dent from [quarantine] because the internet during that time was being wonky, so I couldn’t access a few tests [and] quizzes online,” Osborn said.

When English teacher Abigail Follis was quarantined, she had to rely on her inperson colleagues to keep her up-to-date on classroom happenings. She also completely utilized Schoology and had her students submit assignments virtually so she could access them from home.

“I made videos in order to teach the class as best I could,” Follis said. “I tried to get in touch with the sub and with different teachers in the hallway to try and see what was happening in the classroom so I could get an idea if any kind of learning was happening or if the classroom was just totally chaotic.”

Follis’s experience was made more problematic since she had to quarantine in September, near the beginning of the school year. According to her, it’s important to have teacher-student interaction from day one.

“I couldn’t really be there for behavior management, or to really start to get to know the students, especially because it was at the start of the year,” Follis said. “The start of the year is crucial for setting up classroom

expectations and developing a relationship with students. If you don’t do that, or you’re not present, it makes it much harder in the months that follow. Even missing a week makes an enormous difference.”

Hathorn’s return to school was met with hesitance from her teammates; however, she says she understands the reaction.

“I was excited to come back to school and be with my friends and my teammates,” Hathorn said. “But honestly, I feel like a lot of them were scared that I still had [the virus].

They were still trying to avoid me in general.

Honestly, it wasn’t welcoming, but I would do the same thing if someone just came back from quarantine.”

Regardless, Hathorn advises student athletes to note that their efforts during quarantine will pay off once they’re doing inperson practices again.

“For athletes, just stay motivated,” Hathorn said. “Remember that the harder you work during quarantine, the better you’ll be off in games. Also, don’t be lazy, just know it’ll pass, and have a positive mentality.”

From a teacher’s perspective, Follis recommends staying in contact with the substitute, other teachers, and students by any means necessary.

“Maintain some kind of communication line to the classroom,” Follis said. “Make faceto-face videos and reach out to students on Schoology as much as you possibly can. Get the numbers of the teachers near you... [and] know who your sub is so you can talk to them.

Otherwise, you’ll go crazy.”

Osborn recognizes how difficult quarantine can be for some and is thankful his own quarantine is over.

“Though it may be dull, push through it,” Osborn said. “Yeah, it can be tough, and some people aren’t as fortunate as I was or as other people are. I’m blessed I’m back.”

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ALL STATE ALL STARS Students earn highest musical honor, adapt to new conference structure ellie hague & ja’den johnson section editors Being selected for All-state is every high school musicians’ dream. And for four lucky students, that dream has become a reality.

In order to make All-state, well rounded musicians must have lots of focused drive and practice, put in extra time and take private lessons, and have lots of patience.

Over 70,000 high schoolers audition for the region choir, and only a small number advance to All-state auditions. Students audition for Region band by playing selected pieces and sight reading. “[For choir we] first begin with Region auditions, [then] Pre-Area auditions, and then the final audition is [the] Area audition,” junior Silas Merril said. “This year we did not have sight reading, we only had to sing three different pieces for the final round. Normally we would have sight reading, but that got cut because we had to go online and they can’t really monitor it through an application.”

For Orchestra and Band, however, the audition process differs and does not contain a Pre-Area audition round.

“You go into an audition room, and you’d have one chance to record each of your excerpts until you have like a total of [about] six recordings,” junior Jeremy No said. “But this year, you could do as many takes as you wanted to until you found the tape you liked the best and then submit that before the deadline.”

Students who are selected for allstate typically attend the annual Texas Music Educators Associations All-State clinic in San Antonio, but the event was made virtual this year because of concerns about COVID-19. Senior Lauren Moore, who made all state choir as a junior and a senior, was able to attend last year’s clinic.

“The All-state singers would rehearse all day. We rehearsed for like seven hours for five days straight.

It’s intense, and it doesn’t sound that fun, but it really is because you’re just in the room with all of these amazing musicians that have worked so hard to get to that point. The sounds that come out of those like rehearsal rooms [are] incredible,” Moore said. “At the very end, they do a big concert and it’s just really cool to get to be with all those other really amazing musicians.”

Musicians spend lots of time preparing and practicing music for the all state audition. Junior Sabrina Hu says that the key difference between students who are selected for all state from other musicians is work ethic and practice methodology.

“It just comes down to practice and putting in the detail work. Everyone likes learning new pieces and

playing the music but when it comes to the dirty, technical work [it] is really hard to put in [the] hours,” Hu said. “You have to be willing to have that grit. It’s not like you have to be super talented or anything; if you put in the work in, you will have the results.”

Because All-state audition music can be challenging, musicians develop unique ways of practicing the music to nail the audition. “[Some] musicians practice by running through the entire piece from top to bottom,” Merril said. “[I found that] Working backwards in chunks, is a really good way to practice, and listening to recordings of yourself is just infinitely useful.”

Many students also utilize outside resources in order to make All-State, such as taking private lessons or enlisting help from the school directors.

“Listen and learn to like actively listen to all of the people around you, listen to your upperclassmen and see what they can teach you. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people, reach out to your director and have them help you along in the process,” Moore said. “Just remember why you’re doing it because you can kind of get a little lost in the auditions and the stress of it all.”

Although not every musician who makes all state wants to pursue music as a future career choice, All-State helps many musicians form meaningful connections with other talented individuals as well as hone their personal craft.

“I used to take piano lessons very rigorously, but once I got kind of relaxed on [piano lessons] I started to enjoy playing the piano a lot more,” No said. “That’s what I’m going do with the cello because I definitely don’t want to be like a music major, or anything in college to do with music. But yeah, I hope to keep [playing as a] hobby as something I enjoy.”

6| opinions | the roar

friday, apr. 9, 2021

CATCHING SOME Z’S advice, analysis on regaining healthy sleep schedule amid high school stresses Sleep deprivation is something many students struggle with. Getting enough sleep can benefit you, but if you don’t get enough, you could hurt your physical and mental health.

I struggle with getting enough sleep, which has led me to notice the consequences of not sleeping enough.

When I stay up for less than 6 hours, I lose focus and alertness during school. I tend to slow down, which leads to my grades dropping.

I stay up extremely late and don’t have enough energy to do notes and activities, which can also hurt me academically. This is hard for me mentally--I expect myself to make high grades. I want to do well and be able to do things outside of school, but I end up failing due to sleeping in classes, removing the possibility of participating in after-school activities.

After not sleeping for 24 hours, I lose control of my moods. I get really angry, and I end up yelling at people who don’t deserve it. It took a huge toll on my happiness and made me sadder as time went on. Eventually, I realized the problem. I tried many methods to calm my sadness and anger, but the only thing that suppressed it was the sleep I never had the time for.

Not sleeping also increases the chance of developing a panic disorder. I have noticed that trying to sleep would give me anxiety, keeping me up for hours. Just trying to fall asleep can be a struggle when all I can think about is the act of sleeping itself.

alexia carnes section editor There are many different ways to stop staying up late, but it’s hard to find one that works. I have tried going to bed an hour earlier, avoiding my phone before sleep, et cetera. only to find that it’s not the method itself that matters. It takes dedication to get more sleep for some, patience for a few, and many other factors as well.

Going to bed early takes dedication because it is so tempting to grab my phone and be on it for what feels like half an hour only to realize it’s been three hours. That’s why dedication to me is so important, because without it, I wouldn’t be able to stick with it, and then what’s the point?

I believe patience factors in as well, as it will take time for your mind and body to adjust to sleeping earlier.

I would have to listen to music or something to clear my mind so I stop thinking about sleeping and just do it, which takes patience.

Lastly, I know relaxation is extremely important. Without relaxation, how on earth is anyone able to sleep? This is where I listen to calming sounds, take a relaxing bath, or do whatever else relaxes me to be able to sleep.

Sleep deprivation can do horrible things to you, but there are many ways to stop it--even some that I didn’t list. In my opinion, as long as you relax, push forward, and don’t procrastinate, sleep won’t be a problem. Just try to get some sleep early enough for your body to heal and replenish itself.

I giggled joyfully, racing barefoot through the still-damp grass, dodging the scattered pine cones and low-hanging branches. I bounded over hills and kicked up fallen leaves as I went. Behind me, I could hear the laughter of my sisters as they followed my winding trail. Making our way through the trees, I spotted a creek shimmering in the reflected sunlight. The creek was gorgeous, canopied in trees and moss-covered rocks, winding its way through the forest like a giant snake. And to three small kids like ourselves, this creek was a land of never-ending adventure. Stepping off the rocks, I dipped my foot in the cold, rushing water. Making my way against the current, I heard a loud splash as I was drenched from behind with the freezing water. Laughing, I spun around with an ambush of my own as we playfully kicked water at each other.

Through the spraying water, I noticed the reflection of a small child. It was almost as if I were looking into a mirror. Leaning closer I realized it wasn’t myself I was looking at, but a little girl in a pale blue dress, who looked uncannily like a miniature version of the three of us. She was goofy and carefree, running around with a lopsided grin and a worn pink blanket trailing behind her. She carried herself in a way that radiated joy, without a single worry. She lived in the moment. Not in the stress and

anxiety of what lies ahead. Not in the memories of the past. She was living in the present, just like the three of us used to.

My life has been very different since the birth of my sister three years ago. And even though she brought about a huge change, it is a change that I have willingly embraced. She’s helped me to slow down and enjoy life while it is happening, rather than being anxious about the future, or even wasting my time wishing my life was the way it used to be. She helped me to realize that time is precious, it is a gift that most of us take for granted. I’ve learned the value of spending time with the people who mean the most to me. I’ve learned to take a step back and live in the moment. There’s only one thing more precious than our time, and that’s who we choose to spend it on.

Time is a thief, and when we aren’t looking, time flies right over us, leaving only its shadow.

We only have our memories, and I’ve realized that I’m okay with that. Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters, so just trust the process and enjoy life as it happens.

Embrace the moment and let that time become a memory, moving forward knowing that there are more memories waiting in the shadows of a sunlit creek.

SELFREFLECTION allison segers entertainment editor

junior considers the passage of time and its impact

the roar | opinions | 7

friday, apr. 9, 2020

A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING student emphasizes values of service, donation during unprecedented times After the U.S was blindsided by COVID-19, the economic safety of families was dramatically damaged. Many were forced into a low-income lifestyle or complete homelessness, which caused approximately eight percent of Americans to file for unemployment.

Many people have found this situation extremely heartbreaking to watch. This prompted me to think about all the stuff I don’t wear anymore or food I waste. I’ve always been a stickler about donating to and helping those in need--and with the current state of America, it’s even more important than previous years. When I did my own personal research I found that 500 thousand Americans experience homelessness per year.

Currently, I have been going through old clothes and shoes, weeding out what I don’t wear or want anymore, in order to lend a helping hand to those in unfortunate situations. I remember that, when I was in fourth grade, there were some students in my classes who were not able to buy clothing or food. Anytime our school had food or clothing donations, I would fullheartedly give what I could. In spite of this, I believe everyone has clothing and shoes they don’t wear or like anymore, and they are just reluctant to take the time and give to others. If these clothing items were donated, it would decrease the amount of children in need, who would otherwise have to wear the same clothes everyday.

I read a story of an 11 year old, Kuzlik, and her dad who founded a charity called “Coats For Hope”, which is dedicated to providing coats to those who experience poverty or domestic violence. In the six years since, Kuzlik and her dad have collected 35,000 coats and raised $25,000 dollars

ja’den johnson staff reporter for domestic abuse survivors. Recently, the now-16-year-old Kuzlik said, “However much you may go through in your life, you can always turn it out positive, and you can always find a way to bring your life around with it”.

An organization or action similar to this would have a positive influence in Brazos County and could have a great economic effect on the people living here. It could help encourage others to donate for the first time or do it more often than they normally would.

Allowing the normalization of clothing donations in our county and surrounding areas would promise kids clothing on their backs.

If you are interested in donating in Bryan or College Station, there are drop off points in local convenience stores and thrift stores such as Second Chance and Goodwill.

If you are interested in helping, you can get involved with your local Goodwills or other businesses with ideal goals to clean and process these clothes as if they were brand new and give them to low-income families. Donating may help families who are struggling financially and can not afford an abundance of sturdy, protective, or stylish clothing for themselves and their children.

After hearing about the circumstances people have endured because of poverty, I have planned to become more involved with clubs and activities that focus on service-related topics. Although I’ve never experienced poverty or the fear of not having clothes on my bed, I wouldn’t want any child to experience this growing up.

WANT TO BE PART OF THE SENIOR ISSUE? The Roar’s yearly senior-focused publication is almost here, and we need information from the class of 2020-21!

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8 | viewpoints | the roar

friday, apr. 9, 2021

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

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of the editorin-chief, managing editor and opinions editor.

The Roar is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The Roar is a winner of the CSPA Gold Crown, the 1997, 1998, 2000-2016 ILPC Award of Distinguished Merit, the CSPA Gold Medal Award, the NSPA All-American distinction and 2005, 2014,2016 ILPC Bronze Star and 2007-2013, 2015, and 2018 Silver Star.

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

The Roar 2020-2021 Staff Alex Roeder Ruby Perry-Mize Allen Zhang Claire Grace Franklin Saanya Patel Elise Sawyer Emmeline Duhon Allison Segers Piper Hitchcock Ellie Hague Medha Sarin Ian Curtis Myla Cathey Emily Chen Alexia Carnes Staff Reporter Ja’den Johnson Faculty Adviser Michael Williams Assistant Adviser Chauncey Lindner

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Senior Editor Online Editor Opinions Editor Feature Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Section Editors

The Roar Editorial Board Alex Roeder • Elise Sawyer Ruby Perry-Mize

On March 2, Governor Greg Abbott announced the lift of Texas’ mask mandate through an executive order. The move proved controversial, and many businesses have maintained that masks are required within their buildings.

As of April 6, according to data from the New York Times, Brazos County is still considered to be at a “very high” risk level for Covid-19 infections, although the reported cases and deaths per day in Texas have decreased. As new coronavirus variants have caused some to question the possibility of future infection “waves”, a question arises: does the end of the Texas mask mandate present future health problems?

The executive order itself claims that, due to a decline in hospitalization rates and new cases, as well as an increase in vaccinations, many of the requirements for masks and business operations can be rescinded. Abbott, in a press release, claims the end to the mandate will ensure “that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny.” The order still seems to encourage that Texans wear masks, stating that “individuals are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings over the nose and mouth” when unable to socially distance.

The order itself is supported by statistics. Data from the Texas Department of Health Services suggests about 16% of Texans have been fully vaccinated, which will increase in coming weeks as more people become eligible for the vaccine; when examining the numbers, Texas seems to be slowly returning to the “normal” that was lost last spring.

If the Texas government still encourages people to wear masks, as per the executive order, then the end of this mask mandate would make sense.

However, a combination of misleading wording and

the continued politicization of COVID-19 means that there is more than just reassurance in this legislation.

The main problem comes in the fact that it is not rooted in “freedom” at all: in fact, it drastically limits the power of county governments to respond to COVID-19 cases through requiring local hospitals to meet a minimum threshold of virus patients for at least a week before a county judge is allowed to consider imposing restrictions.

Even when meeting high-case thresholds, the counties will still not be allowed to close or restrict the occupancy of most businesses. While this seemingly provides more freedom for businesses to design their own responses, new regulations such as April 5’s executive order about vaccine requirements are already attempting to restrict who is allowed to ask for proof of vaccination. The Texas government’s actions are more focused on letting the politicization of COVID-19 endure than ending its relevance to its constituents and actually letting life go back to the way it was.

The lift of the mask mandate has not caused COVID-19 infections to skyrocket. The state seems more prepared to handle a sudden increase than it has before. However, what the legislation restricts is the ability to handle small, specific scenarios in various counties, such as the risks still present in places such as College Station with high risks of infection.

This means that the responsibility to help stop the spread of COVID-19 is, more than ever, centered around our own behavior, as the ability to respond at a local level faces more and more restrictions. At the end of the day, wearing a mask and following CDC guidelines for just a little longer is not only the most simple solution, but the most necessary to finally put an end to these “unprecedented times”.

“I support him rescinding the mask mandate because people have the choice to wear the mask according to their comfort level.”

-sophomore Cate Catalena “ I feel like we should all have [been] vaccinated first before he lifted it, because people just don’t protect themselves. I just think [the lift was] dumb.

-junior Kiara Felder

the roar | snapshots | 9

friday, apr. 9, 2021

Boot Scootin’ Boogie Elite Wranglers develop wide range of skills, build relationships while two-stepping claire grace franklin & elise sawyer senior editor & opinons editor

Wranglers, a group of dancers who travel and entertain around Texas, have been swinging since 2000. The Wrangler life is glamorous but entails funny and odd experiences.

“I wouldn’t say [I’ve] been kicked in the face a lot, but [I’ve been] hit in the face a lot,” senior Luther Stover said. “And some of them weren’t even from my partner. They were someone next to me or in front of me.”

Although many of the Wranglers have known each other for years through school and children’s dance groups, any student can join. After hearing about the opportunity, junior Carson Sieber found that many of his skills from playing football translated well to dancing.

“I never really danced competitively or danced in general, so I had to learn a lot of different types of dancing,” Sieber said. “There’s this thing called jitterbug moves where we throw the girls around, through us, above us, around us. I’ve been taking those classes along with the team and classes where we learn routines and stuff, where we perform.”

The program does not just teach dancing, but also skills like teamwork and leadership.

“When you are in leadership, you are taught to speak in front of people because you announce who we are; you’re the MC for the team,” Stover said. “Learning to perform in front of people is pretty hard. We’ve performed in front of 1000s of people. We’ve danced at halftime shows for professionals, like the Rockets [and the] Spurs. We’ve also danced in DC, we were in the inaugural parade four years ago.”

Senior Allison Gallagher has had similar experiences to Stover as the female captain of the Wranglers.

“Throughout Wranglers, I have to do public speeches,” Gallagher said. “And I’ve been interviewed a few times for certain things. It helps me with the public speaking.”

The Wranglers allow students to be exposed to new places and integrate into different social groups other than school. Overall, Sieber has bonded with both the new and old members of the group.

“In my one year of being a Wrangler, I’ve learned so much about dancing, and I’ve made bonds with kids,” Sieber said. “I was a little bit worried about joining so late [but] I was able to integrate pretty well, and the group is supportive. I have been able to get cool opportunities and dance in cool locations.”

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY @LILWRANGLERS INSTAGRAM

Junior Austin Comte holds his partner in a can opener pose.

Senior Luther Stover lifts his partner on his shoulder for pictures after a competition.

10 | centerspread | the roar

the roar | centerspread| 11

friday, apr. 9, 2021

allison segers & myla cathey entertainment editor & section editor

centennial celebration Staff uncovers history of spring sports

Baseball

Jose Quiros races with the opponent to gain control of the ball.

Softball Pitcher Roland Jones was the top player for the season.

The Tiger Baseball Team competed in a Class-A district for the first time. This season, they remained undefeated for nine games before their loss in the district championship play-offs.

Lady Tigers track team had an amazing season, winning first place in four district meets, earning them second overall in the district, winning second place at regionals, and sending five girls to the state competition.

Melinda Clark, who also went on to state, clears the bar in high jump.

Angie Williamson winds up for a pitch.

Consol history was made with the first ever Lady Tigers softball team. The athletes pose together for a team picture with their coach, Stillwell.

Erica Batker bunts the ball.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: The A&M Consolidated Centennial Committee: Randy Bond, Brad Corrier, Marc Parrish, Shelly Peters, Julie Schultz, Katy Scott, Heather Simmen and Kelly Waguespack Tigerland Yearbook

Chris Milier pushes the ball toward the goal.

Boys Soccer

GIrls Track Suzanne Wolfenden, who went on to state, competes in long distance running.

Girls Track claps as they are recognized at the banquet.

Guess what decade these photos were taken in using the QR Code below!

Spring Sports Banquet Coach Schaffer honors the Tiger tennis team.

This groundbreaking boys soccer team went to the top 8 in the state, the highest rank ever accomplished by a Tiger soccer team.

Tiger Club sponsored an annual Spring Sports Banquet, the Spring Steak Fry, at Hensel Park. At the event, spring sport athletes were recognized and everyone enjoyed food and actvities.

12 | sports | the roar

friday, apr. 9, 2021

switching sidelines Gender-flipped football game helps girls to learn, grow respect for sport emmeline duhon and claire grace franklin section editor and social media editor On any given Friday night boys can be seen hashing it out on the field while girls cheer them on from the sidelines. Powderpuff allows gals and guys to break gender norms and learn more about high intensity sports.

“I thought it’d be really fun to do one less senior thing because I didn’t get to sign up last year,” senior Anna Townsend said. “And it’s like a really great opportunity to hang out with some people I might not have classes with.”

The juniors were able to try out for positions, and the coaches helped identify their talents.

“The coaches separated us on whether we wanted to run or catch, and then they determined our positions from there,” junior Ava Derbes said.

“Or if they saw someone that had certain characteristics, such as being tall or fast for a receiver.

Many of the girls have known each other for an extended period of time but are open to meeting new people to make a strong team.

“Some of us have grown up together,” Townsend said.

“And some of us have met each other this year, or have known each other [for a while].

So it’s really great to find that I like to get

to know people and it’s really great because we can all like to laugh about things together.”

Boys on the football team sign up to coach the girls, which allows for more freedom among the practices. The coaches are able to create entertaining practice while pushing for success.

“Having players as coaches is a lot different, but really fun since they’re on our level,” junior Gracen Harrell. “It makes playing and participating a lot more fun.”

The coaches are able to plan the difficulty of training and teach a variety of techniques to prepare players for the final game.

“They try to plan a routine for us like warm ups,” Townsend said. “We go through drills, we do plays and they try to have everything set up for us before we get there.

Players felt the game was more difficult than expected and challenged the players and exposed the girls to a new type of sport.

“When we were running plays, this was really hard,” senior Audrey Ament said. “To make a play successful [is difficult]. Usually, like it’s never going to be successful.”

Playing tackle football allows the girls to understand the intensity of sports like football.

“We played for maybe 25 minutes at a time,” junior Sameritta Pappoe said. “But at times, they were just yelling at us. And we gained respect. It’s a lot harder than I thought. I was like, these guys have been playing football for a long time. And people are chasing you. And it’s scary. I was so scared.”

The powderpuff team is open to anyone regardless of athletic ability or background. This year’s team has a variety of people and talents.

“I think the unique part is that it is athletes and non athletes, we have volleyball players, you have softball players, track people, tennis players, swimmers, just people from all different kinds of sports,” Townsend said.

“And then people who are in non sports, they could be in choir, band, orchestra, or they’re in a club, like, you know, just people who wouldn’t join the sport, just like, because they like it.”

The practice environment has been described as a judgment free zone and it is full of fun.

“All of us, like, we’ll be running around, not even caring,” Ament said. “We want to be good. But that’s definitely not what anybody cares about.”

Players are taking advantage of the fun atmosphere and building up the team hype.

“Personally it is beneficial, but I’m doing it for the clout,” Pappoe said. “I like to tell people that I do it for fun. And one day, maybe I will be a safety in real life for the NFL.” In the end the experience is positive and the players will leave with good memories.

“Everyone is really just there to have fun,” Derbes said. “We’re all coming from a background of having no idea how to play, so it is a very chill and welcoming environment to anyone who wants to play.”

PHOTOS BY MEDHA SARIN

friday, april 9, 2021

the roar | feature | 13

bowling for soup Art students use pottery to help end hunger in community myla cathey & allison segers section editor & entertainment editor

Students that dedicated their time in art class to sculpting and decorating artistic bowls directly contributed to ending hunger in their community with the annual Empty Bowls Jr. event. With the purchase of just one student-made bowl, an attendee of the event helped feed a child who has gone hungry for too long.

Art teacher Lindsey Gough attended the event for the first time this year, and her experience was smooth and successful.

“A bunch of people came out and bought the bowls and got free soup from local restaurants with the purchase of a bowl,” Gough said.

“Then all the money went to the Brazos County Food Bank as well as local schools and banks, including ours.”

The steps of creating a bowl involve shaping the clay, allowing it to dry, firing the bowl in a kiln, and then glazing it. The task can become lengthy and challenging, but Gough believes the final products made the process worth it.

“My favorite part was when people

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: LINDSEY GOUGH

came to look at the bowls [and] their comments about them,” Gough said.

“Even the bowls that maybe weren’t the most traditionally beautiful, they would look at them and they would see things that even I didn’t see or that student didn’t see, and they loved them.”

Despite the bowls being a part of the art curriculum, freshman Madison Jackson found that learning to make the bowl was an enjoyable experience.

“We used different clay techniques,” Jackson said. “We do spirals, or sometimes little balls and then we molded around a bowl, and then we scored it and made it smooth.”

Jackson agrees that the project was time consuming, but she feels the actual task was easy enough considering the big impact it made.

“It was a good experience and it was nice to know that someone else was going to be giving what you create,” Jackson said. “It’s not too much. It’s not a lot on your effort, [and] it means a lot to the food bank.”

The designing aspect of the

project was freshman Klayton Kurtz’s favorite part of participating in Empty Bowls Jr. He has been involved in the fundraiser in the past and believes in the importance of ending hunger.

“The kids that are in school [are] helping the kids that nobody really knows that they’re going through hunger and that they don’t have food at home,” Kurtz said.

As for the final fundraiser, Gough was pleasantly surprised by the turnout, as over 65 bowls that her students donated to the event were sold.

That amount of sales will allow many children to experience the benefits of a simple school assignment. “[I like] being able to contribute to a community who I feel has contributed so much to me personally by lending me their kids to teach everyday,” Gough said. “It makes me feel great to be able to give back anything and to be able to do that with the curriculum that I teach is priceless.”

Students being able to help end hunger in the form of a fun art project proves that even the smallest actions can produce a major impact.

“Not everybody can do everything, but everybody can do a little something,” Gough said.

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friday, apr. 9, 2021

SEX CRIMES

SMENT S RA

about 69% of victims are between the ages of 12-34

BY THE NUMBERS

every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted

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Source: University of California Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

T AUL S AS Occurs when physical, sexual activity is engaged in without consent. This may include physical force, violence, threat, intimidation, ignoring the objections of the other person, causing the other person’s intoxication or incapacitation or taking advantage of the other person’s intoxication.

1 in 6 American women are victims of sexual violence with young women (age 16-24) at the highest risk 1 in 33 American men are victims of sexual violence about 21% of transgender/ genderqueer/gender nonconforming college students report sexual assault Source: RAINN

Physical sexual acts without the consent of the other person or when the other person is unable to give consent. Sexual violence includes sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

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Behavior such as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other conduct of a sexual nature. Conduct that affects a person’s employment, education, interferes with a person’s work or educational performance, or creates an intimidating or offensive environment.

SEXUA LV I

RESOURCES

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emily chen & saanya patel section editor & online editor

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14 | feature | the roar

Call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone and online chat. (National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline) Other free downloadable material can be found at https://taasa.org/resources/

WHAT IS CONSENT Consent is an affirmative, conscious decision made by all participants regarding all agreed-upon sexual activities. Consent can not be a result of coercion, force, threat, or intimidation. Consent can be withdrawn at any time and must result in the sexual activity immediately stopping. Consent is given in the context of the present. Past consent or relationships do not count as consent for the present. If a person is intoxicated, unconscious, or in any other way unable to make a clear, conscious, uninfluenced decision it is not a valid form of consent.

Source: University of California Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

the roar ¦ feature ¦ 15

friday, april. 9, 2021

prepping for prom Student council plans around-the-world themed prom during COVID-19 allen zhang executive editor After a year of quarantine and travel restrictions, this year’s prom event promises to take students on an adventure “around the world,” as the theme is aptly named.

“Since students aren’t able to travel and explore, we decided to bring the adventure to them,” junior class president Mary Maltsberger said.

This year’s prom will be held April 24th at the Hildebrand Equine Complex. The event will be different from previous proms—which were held in the Expo Center—in order to meet safety concerns and CDC guidelines.

“We have been planning diligently by touring venues, creating different subcommittees, contacting sponsors, and working with the school board to ensure [everyone has a] fun time while following COVID-19 safety guidelines,” Maltsberger said.

Students will be required to wear a mask at all times, and social distancing will be enforced.

“Prom will definitely be different since students and parents are concerned about our restrictions,” student body president and senior Ashanti Williams said. “Safety is our number one priority, and we’re continually adjusting our prom plans.”

In addition, STUCO sponsor Brittney Hawkins says that this year’s prom will be more exclusive. Students are only allowed to bring dates outside of CSISD with approval from their assistant principal.

“Tickets are free for AMCHS juniors

and seniors, students just have to claim a ticket during lunches,” Hawkins said.

“If students want to bring a date that is a student in CSISD but is not a junior or senior at our school, they have to purchase tickets.”

Behind the scenes, STUCO members have been working to make the event a possibility.

“There was a lot of work put in on the front end just getting the event’s approval from the superintendent’s cabinet,” Hawkins said. “We had to find appropriate venues, write up proposals with extreme details on how everything would be safe for students, and what students could expect.”

Many features of past prom events will still be maintained, and the After Prom Bash will continue to be held, this time at the high school itself from 11:30 PM until 3:00 AM. Students will be offered activities such as an obstacle course, poker games, inflatable games, and marketplaces for prizes and drawings, as well as competitive games of basketball and indoor soccer with food and refreshments provided throughout the night.

Despite the changes to this year’s prom, Hawkins hopes that students will appreciate and participate in the event.

“We are expecting turnout to be about the same as many students have expressed their excitement about this event,” Hawkins said.

Tickets are free for juniors and seniors and can be claimed during lunches. They can also be claimed by emailing amchsstuco@gmail.com.

Best-Rated Places for Prom Prepping Nails and Hair: • Color Nails and Spa • Naturally Flawless Hair & Makeup Design • Sola Salon Studios Corsage and Boutonnière: • University Flowers • Postoak Florist • Aggieland Flowers and chocolates Alterations: • EDT Tailor & Sons Alterations • Bea’s Alterations • Pro Cleaners And Alterations Prom Dress shopping: • Nolen’s Formal Apparel • David’s Bridal • JCPenny’s • Dillards Tuxedo Rental: • Men’s Wearhouse • Al’s Formal Wear • Suit Warehouse Online Prom Shopping: • JJ’s house • Nordstrom Dinner: • MESS • The Republic • Primrose Path

the roar | sports | 16

life goa ls

friday, apr. 9, 2021

Girls soccer team triumphs on the field; grows stronger despite setbacks ian curtis | section editor

PHOTOS TAKEN BY MEDHA SARIN

10-0. That’s the combined score of the girls’ soccer team’s first two playoff games, a pair of 5-0 wins over Montgomery and McCallum.

One doesn’t see a score like that every day, especially in the playoffs.

Especially twice in a row in the playoffs.

But that’s not even the Tigers’ most dominating performance this year. To put it in layman’s terms, this is a very good team. And considering what they’ve gone through, this season’s results are all the more impressive.

“We’ve had the entire team quarantine [due to] contact tracing,” Head coach Caleb Blakley said. “And then twice, we’ve had six-plus girls that were quarantined based on contact tracing as well. We’ve had four season ending knee injuries, and we’re on five concussions at this point. It’s difficult to highlight [just] one, two, or three girls who stepped up. We had an awesome team effort this year.”

And step up they did. The Tigers outscored all opponents 66-17, district competition 37-5, and playoff teams 14-5. They finished the season 17-5 after a loss in the regional semifinals to Friendswood.

Seven of those wins came by at least four goals, and 14 of them were shutouts.

“There’s been games where we had six starters that were out because they were quarantined,” Blakley said. “Yet we found a way to go in and play Magnolia, the district champs, and play them tight.

We’ve gotten to a point where when one girl comes off and another comes on, it doesn’t tend to be a step down. [It’s] someone who can fill in the gap.”

One game in particular stands out: On March 2, A&M Consolidated defeated College Station High School 2-0. It was Consol’s first victory over the Cougars in school history. For the players that made it happen, it’s a memory they’ll never forget.

“We all kept looking back at the clock thinking ‘hopefully it ticks faster because we want this game to be over,’” senior Kayla Tomlinson said. “As soon as it hit zero, I remember running back to [goalkeeper Alyssa Crites] and my sister Grace. Celebrating with them was the best part.”

Above: Junior forward Julia Henderson blocks and kicks the ball across field.

Blakley hopes that the win will change the perception of the rivalry in the minds of both teams.

“I want it to mean that now, they’ll be coming to us,” Blakley said.

“The first Tuesday of next season [we want them] being like, ‘man, I really hope we can beat this team’ We want to flip the script and make them start to fear us and realize we’re a formidable foe that they’ve got to bring everything against, or they’re not going to win.”

One thing the team has worked on this season is simply becoming closer to each other off the pitch.

“We get to know each other outside of soccer,” Sophomore Isa Bergeron-Prejean said. “You can’t really get through challenges just by knowing each other as teammates. You have to know each other as more than just teammates to be a family, and we’re a family this year.”

It’s not just the culture of the team that’s made this year special. In his first year at Consol, Blakley has noticed that the school itself has made an impact on the Tigers’ performance. “[The] culture here is really different from other places that I’ve coached at,” Blakley said. “Whether it be the fans, parents, JV or varsity, everyone just loves being a Consol Tiger. If someone’s playing soccer [at any school], they love the game and they’re gonna play the game.

But when they’re playing for something bigger than themselves, [such as] a school community, they’re going to do better.”

Beginning the year with a brand new head coach is never easy, but Blakley’s vocal enthusiasm has drawn the support of his players.

“You never know with a new coach, but he’s always had our backs,” Tomlinson said. “We’ll be playing and he’ll be yelling on the sidelines, in past years that hasn’t happened. We know he cares about us.”

Senior leadership has definitely contributed to the team’s success, but a great freshman class and several sophomore stars have ensured that Consol will be more than prepared for the coming years.

“The future is bright. Once [the current seniors] all graduate we will still be a good team,” Bergeron-Prejean said. “We’’ll be progressing every year. Senior year, we’ll be better. [And] with these freshmen, once they’re seniors, the team will be golden.”

Above: Junior forward Isabella Thompson and senior forward Abby Ross guard the ball.

friday, apr. 9, 2021

hitting the trail

the roar | sports | 17

Mountain biking team’s intensive training, travel pay off in bonding experiences, memories medha sarin & ellie hague section editors For some people, getting a bicycle is a rite of passage in the midst of childhood, an early life-lesson in independence and perseverance. For others, a reliable source of casual exercise, like a walk in the park, only faster.

But for the College Station Composite Mountain Biking Team, who take their bikes through miles and miles of rocky uphills and sloping downhills in the mountainous regions of Texas, the twowheeled transporter means something more.

The team puts in hard hours, training three times a week at Millican Reserve, Gabbard Park, and other local parks with biking trails. Practices consist of everything from hour-long rides to the perfecting of technique at difficult parts of the course, like sharp turns.

“Most of the days, we’ll just ride just to keep in shape, but some days we work on certain skill sets,” senior Ella Maxwell said.

To prepare for monthly tournaments, which are typically in far away cities, athletes arrive at the racing site early and either camp there for the night or book hotels. Although both options have their benefits, camping allows riders to bond closely with their team, Maxwell says.

“Some people stay in a hotel [the night before the race] because they like to be well rested before a race, but some take the opportunity to engage with [their] fellow teammates [and] get to know them a little better,” Maxwell said.

The morning of the tournament, bikers have a “pre-ride” where they do the trail prior to the actual race.

[For pre-ride] we just ride the course and get a feel for it,” senior Grace Krinhop said. “Generally for [mountain biking], you need to see [the track] before you [race] because there can be pretty dangerous spots.”

But how can someone do mountain biking when Texas is not very mountainous? Krinhop feels the terrain is a commonly misunderstood part of the sport. “[The biggest misconception about mountain biking is that] we’re in the mountains,” Krinhop said.

“You’re not literally biking up a mountain, [you’re] trail riding in some areas with pretty hilly regions.”

Not only is College Station mountain biking confused with riding in actual mountains, it’s also confused with riding on flat ground, according to Krinhop.

“Also, it’s not road biking,” Krinhop said. “For example, I got a concussion and my leg was hurting badly. “[People] were like, ‘How do you fall off your

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bike when you’re on the road?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m not on the road.’ It’s more technical than that.”

The topography of mountain biking courses has elements that College Station does not, which makes replicating it in practice a losing battle. “[In courses, there’s] a lot of uphill,” junior Jackson Shannon said. “That hit us hard, because around here, there’s nowhere to ride that’s uphill. It’s all flat. We’ve been trying to do a lot of practices to get in more hills.”

Unfortunately, Maxwell feels mountain biking is not well known locally, making it an underappreciated sport.

“Since [mountain biking is] not done through the school—it’s kind of its own separate club—not a lot of people know about it,” Maxwell said. “It’s one of those things that you have to do to realize how hard it is. I feel like it’s underrated.”

Despite its seeming lack of popularity, all three teammates encourage interested athletes to just go for it sooner rather than later. Plus, the team provides bikes to people who don’t have them.

“It’s a really fun sport, and all the coaches are really, really nice. They’ll motivate you and it’s really easy to bond and connect with them,” Maxwell said.

“The races are really fun, especially since you get to go camping. Overall, it’s probably the most fun thing I’ve done in high school.”

1. Extra innertube If the original innertube is punctured, the cyclist can replace it.

2. Puncture repair kit Contains patches and glue to seal holes in the tires.

3. Tire levers If the cyclist needs to access the innertube or replace sealant, they use these to remove the tires from the rims.

4. Co2 cartridge For inflating punctured or new innertubes 5. Co2 cartridge connector Links Co2 cartridge to the tire.

6. Multitool Has a variety of tools for quick bycicle repair

the roar | review | 18

friday, apr. 9, 20212019

Staying In, Working Out The Roar staff reviews workout programs saanya patel | opinions editor I did the Chloe Ting Get Fit Challenge. Initially I hated it because I had to do physical activity but as I kept on doing the workouts I started to like it. The videos are really helpful because I can see exactly how to do each exercise. It takes about 20 minutes to an hour each day. My personal favourite day of the work out was the core work out day. After a while this work out routine became a fun part of my evening. I definitely will keep this up. The program is free and easily accessible on any device.

alex roeder | editor-in-chief This past year, I joined OrangeTheory Fitness. My best friend and her mom were super into it and kept bugging me about it, so I finally caved and attended a class. I won’t lie, that first class totally kicked my butt-- like, I couldn’t walk up the stairs the next day kind of kicked my butt. But the environment was pretty addicting-- it was really hype, super nonjudgemental, and surprisingly easy to follow.

Every class follows the same structure-three stations (treads, rowers, and floor) with different “blocks” that are basically just sets.

On the treads they work incline and speed simultaneously, and on rowers the focus is on meters and stroke rate, giving a pretty well rounded cardio regime. The floor usually focuses on a specific area, like arms, legs, or core with weights, stretch bands, and TRX bands.

The catch is, you’re connected to a heart monitor the whole time, and being within a

ruby perry-mize | managing editor Before the pandemic, I wouldn’t be caught dead in tennis shoes. But there’s something about exercise being all there is to do that makes it much more appealing. So I had high hopes for my thirty-day free trial of the Daily Burn. I liked the system overall--there were hundreds of workout videos to choose from, categorized based on difficulty level, pace, type of workout, and length. That was good for me, because I needed to stick with short videos I could fit

into my schedule. Another benefit was that the variety kept me on my toes. Even though I was only working out for about 20 minutes at a time, I was a lot more sore the next day than I usually am even after an hour-long jog. All that being said, I’m a cheapskate who firmly believes that fitness can be achieved without a paid subscription. So I’ll be cancelling my trial. But if you’re willing to shell out a little cash, I certainly recommend the Daily Burn.

certain heart rate zone will earn you “splat points.” By earning 12 points, you ensure “after burn”, which means you will burn 15-20% more calories in the next 24 hours while you’re recovering. The best part though in my opinion is the community.

When you become a member, the team works really hard to learn your name, your preferences, and keep you accountable to your goals. The only drawback, besides how hard the workouts are, is how expensive it is.

The most basic membership starts at $80 a month, and the most expensive is $150.

They do offer almost constant promotions and challenges that can earn you discounts, but the program is simply expensive, making it totally inaccessible to a good portion of the school.

Overall, if you want a great workout, a great community, and are willing to spend a good bit of money, I highly recommend Orange Theory.

friday, apr. 9, 2021

Oscar-Worthy

the roar | reviews | 19

the roar reviews: academy award-nominated films

ellie hague l section editor

II am all for a good feminist film, if done right. A Promising Young Woman does an okay job talking about rape culture and addressing common missconceptions, however, the premise--a woman pretending to be drunk to entrap predatory men--is a little silly. I wish the topic had been talked about with a little bit more nuance, especially towards the end of the film. Feminism is shoved down your throat, but I think the film is self-aware in that sense. The soundtrack was lackluster, and the “twist ending” was far too predictable. Another issue with the film is that, although being labeled a dark comedy, it would be better categorized as a thriller. However, the cinematography impresses with interesting use of color and symmetry to show contrasts between the moods of the scenes. Carey Mulligan’s performance was also excellent, and she portrayed her character with lots of nuance and thought. Ultimately, though, she couldn’t stop Promising Young Woman from feeling like a very long, bad, Black Mirror episode.

piper hitchcock l sports editor Pacifists say ‘screw you’ to the system while practicing their right to protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. A group of conchies rise above political power and unite the nation under the common goal of ending the Vietnam War. An organization calls for peace. Many of these factors attracted me towards Trial of Chicago Seven, but my unhealthy obsession with Eddie Redmayne made the movie top of my list. I hadn’t expected much of the film--I was more interested in the star-packed cast--but was pleasantly surprised following the opening quarter. Not only does director Aaron Sorkin capture perfectly the political and racial atmosphere lingering in the end of the sixties era, but he also strings together characters that bring a humorous perspective of aloofness to the situation without disregarding its intensity. I will refrain from revealing spoilers, but strongly suggest watching this film for free on Netflix.

20 ¦ etc. ¦ the roar

friday, apr. 9, 2021

Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, ruby perry-mize Daoyou Feng, R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Stephen Tran, Sungmin TO DONATE: HOWElcias TO REPORT: managing editorRyo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen,HOW https://actionnetwork.org/ Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias https://www.wnapaba.org/page/ Obviously the shooting was very upsetting because it fundraising/support-georR. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, HateCrimeResources was a direct hate crime on Asian Americans. But what gias-asian-american-communiHasTang, information forms for Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Thomas Vilma,and Kari, Delaina Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, was really upsetting was how we reacted to it; instead ty/ Tang, Vilma, reporting a crime Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas of getting to know the victims, most of the news For victims and Hunter, victims’ famiReport toAshley local police Kari, Delaina Yaun,departPaul Andrecoverage Michels, was Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Noriko centered around the killer.

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I have Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin tion-fund Advocacy group only seen a sliver of the hate Asians have been facing.

Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias The way we see world directly ourStephen actions,Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryoour Oyamada, Jennyaffects J. Chen, Rose 149% (from 49 to so ifYaun, we don’t out the gaslighting andTan, the microThomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Paulcall Andre Michels, Xiaojie Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, HATE CRIME VS.Delaina Ashley 122) between 2019 and agressions that are shown to P.O.C., then a shooting HATENoriko INCIDENT: Darrell Hunter, Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, 2020--survey of police reports like this will happen again. incident=any hostile expression Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Hunter, by centerDarrell for study of hateNoriko and -junior Kelly He (verbal harassment, spitting, Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang,extremism, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley while hate crimes shunning) overallNasu, dropped Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Ryo 7% Oyamada, Incidents are underreported Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre MiHate crime=bias-motivated Stop AAPIJenny Hate J. had 3795Stephen #stopthehatespreadthelove chels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Chen, criminal act (assault, vandalism, them Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andreincidents Michels,reported Xiaojie to Tan, Daoyou threats) between march 2020 and feb Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, 2021 Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. HerMost incidents seem to target nandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, ThomNATURE: women-2.3 times as many as as Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Physical assaults-11% of those reported by men (AAPI) Hunter,reported Norikoto Nasu, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, StopRyo AAPIOyamada, Hate Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, DarrellSOURCES: Hunter, Noriko Nasu, VerbalJenny assaults-68% Ryo Oyamada, J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, https://www.statista.com/ Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, SlursXiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Paul Andre Michels, Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenchart/24442/anti-asian-hateof responsibility for Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul ny J. Accusations Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin crime/Andre Michels, the COVID-19 pandemic Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, https://www.politifact.com/artiSungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, cle/2021/mar/19/hate-crimesshunning-20% Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephenagainst-asian-americans-whatTran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Coughing or spitting on them Cheng, Thomas Tang, Vilma, Kari, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng,numbers-s/ Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, Darrell Hunter, Noriko Nasu, Ryo Oyamada, Jenny J. Chen, Stephen Tran, Sungmin Kwon, Elaine Cheng, Thomas

stop the hate Advocates speak out in light of recent hate crimes