1801 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY. S., COLLEGE STATION, TX 77840 | FRIDAY, May 21, 2021 | VOL. 26 NO. 6 | THEROARNEWS.COM
The Roar News
R onded to the a
100 years of senior traditions
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Fine Arts component of bond to renovate auditorium, provide new equipment
medha sarin & emily chen section editor and staff reporter
While the fine arts sector continues to create quality performances and works of art, they struggle from a lack of good equipment. However, fine arts, as well as other departments at the school, may receive a boost in resources in the near future. The district is creating a bond to improve the equipment and facilities of various departments—Deferred Maintenance, Technology, Fine Arts, CTE, Transportation, Athletics, and Land Acquisition, according to CSISD Fine Arts director Eric Eaks. Voting to approve the bond will take place in November along with other citywide elections. “We’re working to prioritize things [and] making a lot of decisions as far as what’s going to go into the bond... [and] how much money is going to be involved,” Eaks said. “We hope to finalize all of the bond planning by the summer, and then it’ll go up for voting. If they vote ‘yes’ for the bond, then we essentially get access to those funds that come from the city, based off of local taxes.” The bond will benefit the fine arts department through improving audio and video softwares in schools. “Specifically, for fine arts, we’re looking at really overhauling and upgrading a whole lot of inventories across the district,” Eaks said.
inthisissue
news pages 2-4
“We’re looking at upgrading the classroom sound systems [and] the video systems... because that’s all in need of updating and repair and replacement,” Eaks said. “Most of that stuff is 10 to 15 years old.” Also, the school auditorium will undergo significant upgrades. “[There’s] going to be a new sound system and a new lighting system, new seats, new acoustical panels, treatment paint-pretty much just a complete overhaul of this auditorium,” Eaks said. In addition, the bond plans to improve rehearsal spaces. “Our practice rooms are really, really old and outdated,” band director Steve Fry said. “There’s a lot of things acoustically that need to be repaired and fixed in all of our practice rooms.” Besides enhancing performing arts facilities, the bond will fund new equipment for fine arts programs. Teachers evaluated each of their current instruments and supplies to determine how money from the bond should be allocated. “This past spring, we sat down and analyzed every piece of equipment that we have,” Eaks said. “Based on our assessments, that’s how we know what needs to be replaced.” For instance, the band department ranked each of their instruments based on quality.
opinions pages 5-6
feature page 7-11, 16
“We’ve gone through all the instruments and given them a rating of excellent, fair or poor,” Fry said. “If they’re excellent, they’re in kids’ hands. If they’re fair, then they’re probably going to be replaced fairly soon. If they’re poor, they just need to be sold off. They’re instruments that don’t work. ” Also, fine arts teachers were given the opportunity to request equipment for their programs. “Pretty much all of the fine arts teachers were a part of the process as far as discussing what they need, what’s outdated, what’s old, what needs to be replaced,” Eaks said. The bond is worth more money than typical funding opportunities are, allowing for more effective departmental changes than usual. “We’ve made upgrades along the way, but they’ve been baby steps mainly because all of this equipment is just very, very expensive,” Eaks said. “There’s only so much that we can really do at a given time. With this bond, we’re able to really just come in and completely freshen everything up [in] one big swoop so that we can make the best impact for the programs.” TEACHER REQUESTS Antiquity was the common thread driving many teachers’ requests for
“bond” continued on page 3
sports page 12-13
reviews pages 14-15
brief | the roar
UPCOMING
2 | in
May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 Aug. 18
NEWS friday, may 21 2021
Finals 4th, 6th, 1st Finals 2nd, 5th, 7th Finals 3rd AST Testing Gradution Rehearsal Graduation First Day of School
IN THE
FFA students compete, place at CDE, advance to state contest
FFA students competed in an area around competition at the Career Development Event (CDE). In Vet Science, AMCHS placed first overall; sophomore Luke Sanders placed first; junior Megan Downie placed second; sophomore Abigail Kominczak placed third. In Land AMCHS placed third overall; sophomore Paxson Berkey placed first. In Poultry AMCHS placed third overall.
Student compete at UIL Academics state meet
Seniors Cooper Fedora, Nicole Alveraz and Ryan Shurtleff pose for Prom 2021 at the Humanitarian Fashion Show on May 15. PHOTO BY: CLAIRE GRACE FRANKLIN
Six Consol students competed at the UIL academic meet on May 1. Juniors Freddie Behmer, Valeria Macri and Andrew Sorescu earned second place in Current Events. In Cross Examination debate seniors Lars Deutz and Srikar Satish tied for third and sophomore Medha Sarin placed fifth for news writing.
McEver named principal at Creek View Elementary School
Assistant principal Mike McEver has been promoted to the new principal of Creek View Elementary. He will be taking on the position in the summer of 2021. McEver has been an assistant principal at Consol since 2016.
Student competes at state track and field meet
At the track and field state meet in April, sophomore Maria Ireland competed in shot put, 100 meter dash and 400 meter. In shot put she beat her personal record with a 16.4ft throw and earned third place. In the 100 meter dash she placed sixth overall with a personal best time of 21.53. In the 400 meter she placed sixth overall. Senior Georgia Carrino (Ursala) and junior Leanne Ji (Ariel) perform “Poor Unfortunate Souls” in the production of The Little Mermaid, Jr. PHOTO BY: ALEX ROEDER
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the roar | news | 3
friday, may 21, 2021
Fine arts teachers discuss planned improvements to equipment, changes to auditorium “bond” continued from page 1 new supplies. Not only has instrument manufacturing evolved over time, some of the orchestra’s equipment and uniforms are decades old and should be recycled out, says orchestra director Jane McCormick. “The cellos and basses are more than 30 years old, and while they’re usable, probably we need to upgrade in terms of quality,” McCormick said. “[With] technology, even constructing instruments is improved. [We need to be] replacing cases and stands that go bad. We still have some uniforms that are probably 30 years old.” The band suffers the same fate; although some of their instruments are new, others are far past an instrument’s normal life expectancy. “For example, we have two marching tubas that we bought within the last three years, so they’re very good, but the other four are about 15 years old, so we’ve got to replace those,” Fry said. While filtering out low-quality instruments is a key objective, Fry also hopes to purchase a new band tower because the current one is “outdated and dangerous”, as well as uniforms and projectors. “We don’t have a large screen to project a lot of things for our students, so technology is pretty limited in that area,” Fry said. “With the new bond, we’re going to be able to put some screens in the band hall that will help with what we do on an everyday teaching basis. It will help with
announcements; we’ll be able to show marching videos to the students and we won’t have to go to the lecture hall anymore.” On the other side of the fine arts department, the art classes’ most prominent needs are related to their insufficient storage options and workspaces. “We requested storage shelves—things that will last us a long time—and upgrades to some of our cabinets. Also, some new art tables,” art teacher Lindsey Gough said. “We requested a new kiln, a larger kiln, for the sculpture department, but also for the Art One kids so that we can do more clay stuff more efficiently.” Like many band and orchestra instruments, the art tables are old. They have become bumpy and hard to draw on from repeated use, says Gough. “We needed bigger tables,” Gough said. “Some of the wood tables [are] carved into because they’ve been there for a really long time. We’re gonna upgrade to tables that couldn’t be carved into, that were newer [and] that will last us a long time.” Thus, Gough’s classes were forced to adapt. “We’ve kind of worked around it. We’ve used boards so that it doesn’t affect when they’re drawing, but that’s a Band-Aid sort of situation,” Gough said. Additionally, a new and better kiln would allow students to create clay projects in a more efficient and timely manner. “As far as the kiln goes, it’ll affect the art kids because we can fire larger loads of clay, and they can get their projects back faster. You can fire more things all at one time,” Gough said. “Firing things now can take up to a week because you have to do small loads and it takes about 18 hours or so to fire a full load.” In fact, two of the three art classrooms were originally science labs, making them less effective for art purposes. “These two rooms didn’t have the storage capacity for the amount of art supplies needed,” Gough said. “[The bond will] help make the art room more efficient long term.” THE AUDITORIUM One important part of the bond will influence not just fine arts, but the school and local community as a whole: the auditorium. Unfortunately, the auditorium’s lighting systems sometimes malfunction, causing trouble for the theater department’s performances. “There’s some lights that blink on and off; we don’t know why,” theater teacher Randy Williamson said. “We have to figure out how to do lights and it’s a
challenge to make sure everything is lit. We need more control. We need to be more up to date.” The theater does “top rate” work, says Williamson, but the poor sound system sometimes holds them back. “The acting and performances and music and all that is very, very good,” Williamson said. “But they are affected by the fact that our sound system cannot do the voices correctly. Sometimes we have a hard time working [and] finding microphones and recording.” The changes would even make it easier for theater students to perform during plays. “That allows us to be able to perform much better on stage, look at things better, hear music and sound effects, and just improve the whole quality of that theater,” theater director Randy Williamson said. The auditorium is in serious need of the bond’s planned renovations, considering how important it is to the local community. “Our auditorium definitely needs those updates,” Fry said. “That’s a main focus of our school that a lot of people use, whether it’s for meetings…[or] concerts, and we want to have a top-notch facility to invite the community out to come in and sit and enjoy.” POSITIVE AND BENEFICIAL The band regularly analyzes their equipment, but because of the sheer amount of money involved in the bond, Fry feels he has been able to think more deeply through the evaluation process this time. “[The bond] provides so many resources that on a normal year, a normal budget, it just could not do,” Fry said. “This has allowed us to probably go more in-depth and maybe give some more forethought.” For Gough, the bond is “fantastic” because of the support it provides to fine arts, a sector which she has seen go unnoticed. “[Fine Arts is] a department that sometimes gets overlooked or can get overlooked,” Gough said. “Working in art in other districts, it definitely did. I’m happy to work at CSISD where it’s not overlooked [and] where people are putting money into it, which really shows that they value it.” Overall, Eaks feels the fine arts component of the bond, as well as the entire bond itself, sends a very positive message and has plenty of benefits. “[The bond is] going to get us to be in a much more competitive place when it comes to items that maybe other schools have that perhaps we don’t have,” Eaks said. “It’s going to completely lock all that together and will give us great advantages. But above all else, this is going to enhance the overall Fine Arts experience for all the kids that are involved. Whether you’re in art, band, choir, orchestra, theater, dance, every aspect of Fine Arts will benefit from this bond.”
4 | news | the roar
friday, may 21, 2021
sora’ing to new heights Recent e-books program connected with Larry J. Ringer creates more reading oppurtunities
allison segers & alexia carnes entertainment editor & staff reporter Bookworms will jump for joy at the possibilities that Sora brings to the table this school year. After facing the challenges of getting books to students, district librarians got together and eventually came up with the idea for Sora. “The idea for Sora was not initially mine,” librarian Chauncey Lindner said. “A librarian who works in our district who’s named Mrs. Gary brought it to all of us as a thing that we could use this year, during the pandemic, because we had so many kids who were coming to school in person.” One of the benefits Sora provides is that it works together with audiobook companies so that students can easily find books that interest them. “During the summer, prior to this school year, I signed up for AudiobooksSYNC and it was hosted on the app, Sora,” Denise Gary said. “I was allowed to download two books each week and it was nice to be able to listen anywhere, whenever I had time.”
Sora makes it easier to access books with a variety of options. “Initially, I was a bit skeptical because I personally am not somebody who reads ebooks. I like to have a physical book in my hands,” Lindner said. “But as soon as I got it, I started to work with it and realized how easy it was and how many books we had available. It kind of changed my tune about it. I think it’s going to be very beneficial for students.” In addition to a large assortment of books students can choose from, Sora is available on both the Apple Store and Android market, and is straightforward and easy to use. “The app is really simple,” Lindner said.
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pile of books at their house can continue to [check out books from] the library through Sora.” Along with the easy accessibility Sora provides, the staff is optimistic that Sora will fix many of the problems they have. “One of the frustrations we have in the library is that when teachers ask students to do readers workshop, a whole bunch of students want the same book at the same time,” Lindner said. “This will be a way for there to be multiple copies of the book around.” English teacher Becky Slovak agrees, saying that with the addition of Sora, classwork involving individual reading will become more flexible. “When we do reading workshops where everyone is picking their own without having to fight over the three books in the library, it would make an amazing small group kind of thing,” Slovak said. With the benefits that Sora provides, the library is excited for the opportunities that it brings to the school. “The biggest moment for me was when I first logged into Sora and looked at how many books we had,” Lindner said. “When I clicked over to add the Bryan College Station Public Library, my eyes got big. They have so many books. It was really exciting to open up both our library and the public library to our students.” Gary shares his enthusiasm, saying that Sora will provide students with faster access to a variety of books. “I am excited because when a book is checked out from our library, we can refer the student to Sora and there is usually a copy available,” Gary said. “Students don’t have to wait or put a hold on a book, they can just read it digitally.”
It was really exciting to open up both our library and the public library to our students.” librarian Chauncey Lindner
“There’s a button that asks you what school you go to. You click it, and as soon as you do, it will take you to sign in through your CSISDsign in information, like when you sign into a computer, and then you are in the app just like that.” With Sora’s easy functionality, the app provides twenty-four hour access for students who don’t have daily access to the library. “I was tinkering with it and figuring it out, [when I realized] that when the school closes for the summer, Sora doesn’t close,” Lindner said. “Students who don’t get to the bookstore as often as they want or who don’t have a big
the roar| | opinions | 5
friday, may 21, 2021
Back in middle school, I used to devour books. Page after page, I consumed the words as if they were breakfast cereal. I envy the days when I could finish a book in one or two days, when even an hour or two away from the book of the week would create this burning hunger, ready in anticipation for the next chapter. But as I reached high school my passion for reading abruptly came to a close. At first, I thought it was because of lack of free time, as I was hammered with a new amount of homework freshman year that went beyond my naive middle schooler’s wildest dreams. I tried to pick up a book here and there, but the passion, the fire I felt for reading in the past just wasn’t there. Sometimes it was jarring, discussing books with friends. It feels like I’m talking about a past
life. If I mention how I enjoyed a certain book, someone may suggest I read the next in the series or another book by the same author. I may nod my head enthusiastically, but deep in my heart I knew I would never actually pick the book up. Over quarantine, I tried to pick back up with reading as a cure to the seemingly never ending boredom that suddenly surrounded me. Selecting the cheesiest young adult fiction novel I could find, a book given to me over christmas, I began turning the pages once again. And, like so many other books that had failed me, this one did too. So it wasn’t just time, it was me, my fire for reading had finally gone out. Thoughts of doubt soon clouded my head. I had lost an integral part of me. For so long, books were such an important part of who I was as a person. If I didn’t read books anymore, who was I? The books that were once so important to me, may not be as important to me now. Although I may not be a book worm right now, I have settled on one truth: Just because I don’t read now doesn’t mean those books weren’t important to me, and it doesn’t mean that books can’t become important to me in the future. So now, when I pass by a bookstore or library, places that used to electrify me with thought, I no longer soberly wonder what could
have been. Instead I stare, pondering all of the stories which have taught me so much. And, despite my lack of reading, I have found other outlets to replace the hole reading has left in my heart. In some ways, the amount of time I used to spend reading has now been replaced with time spent writing. Even before I joined the newspaper staff my sophomore year, I was writing English essays and lab reports. Being able to communicate information both quickly and efficiently is an incredibly valuable skill to possess and is much more challenging than it may first seem. Recently, I have also begun reading web comics. Even during my reading phase, Manga books always seemed so intimidating. But webtoons are more accessible, short and released weekly. Webcomics combine my love of art with my love of literature. They allow me to continue to consume stories, but in quick, easy to digest chapters. Most of all, I’ve realized that I would use my love of reading as a shield from the rest of the world. I could dive into a book, become so invested in the underwater treasure trove of story that I would completely forget about the outside world. But, now that I’m in high school, with a close knit group of friends and a wonderful news staff I realized I don’t really need books all that much after all.
A whole two and a half months of freedom: there are no projects, no tests, and most importantly, no homework. Summer break is the time for students to let loose and have fun. Most people are planning vacations, group hangouts, or even coffee shop dates. Summer is the time to socialize and regroup with people. On the other hand, I have been planning dates with the couch, Netflix, and a tub of ice cream. In past years, getting the motivation to be productive during the summer has been a constant challenge for me. I normally spend most of my summer days just lying around and eating and sleeping. It once took a bucket of ice water to wake me up at one in the afternoon! Recently, I had an unexpected epiphany that changed my boring summer plans when a Bob Ross painting tutorial suddenly popped up on my homepage on Youtube. I didn’t know who Bob Ross was, only he was an American painter. I clicked on the video. I could’ve sworn it was an accident. I had no interest in painting whatsoever, knowing my “fantastic” art skills and remembering my painful failures from previous years. I also had a vague memory of people
hyping up Bob Ross socks: a sock that had a face of a man with an afro that I thought was no big deal. For some reason, I actually enjoyed the video. It gave me an impulsive urge to paint like him, and then be able to proudly say, “I followed a Bob Ross tutorial!” Who knew a painting tutorial could motivate me to change my boring summer plans to move my butt off the couch? Despite his popularity, I never realized how famous Bob Ross was and the reason so many people love him until I finished the video. I loved his philosophy: anyone could paint, enjoy painting, and learn from their mistakes. On top of that, Bob Ross had a really calming voice that I could fall asleep to and his passion for painting is really admirable. His tutorials have become a daily inspirational ritual that makes me so excited to finish freshman year and get right to painting. Bob Ross made painting look like a walk in a park and it makes me feel like I could do the same. I love how he made his videos like free therapy sessions, and just simply watching him paint makes me very happy. I don’t care about
PAINTING WITH A TWIST
ellie hague section editor
BACK TO THE BOOKS
Former bookworm reflects on the impacts of reading
emily chen section editor
Bob Ross inspires summer break plans
the overpriced paint and supplies that will make my wallet cry, (the current total is around $150 as of now), or the fact that the canvas would be half my height, I only want to set free and find my long-lost creativity. After many years of being lazy during summer break, I finally found the motivation to be productive. I probably won’t be very good at painting, but according to Bob Ross, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” And honestly, I totally feel like I could become the next Leonardo da Vinci.
6 | viewpoints | the roar
friday, may 21, 2021
Should students continue to wear masks despite Governor Abbott’s new executive order? 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
Masks can no longer be required by schools in the state of Texas as of June 4, according to Governor Abbott’s new executive order. After a full school year of face coverings being required by the school district, it seems hard to go back to learning and living any other way. However, if students continue to wear face coverings for the 2021-2022 school year it would make for a safer and healthier student body, regardless of the number of COVID-19 cases in the county. The effectiveness of face coverings goes down significantly if not everyone is wearing them. For the most part, our campus has had a relatively low number of cases, and most of the spread has not occurred on campus or during school related activities. Additionally, cold, stomach bug, and flu cases have been relatively non-existent, likely due to the mask policy. Continuing to wear masks even after the COVID-19 pandemic comes to close will reduce the number of students out of school because of sickness. Most public places are fairly hygienic, but schools are like huge petri dishes full of disease. Online students would also feel safer coming back to campus if more students were wearing masks. Online teaching is exhausting for both teachers and students. However, many online students have varying reasons for not returning to school, such as not wanting to spread the disease to
at-risk family members. Decreasing the danger that these students face when returning to school will help make students feel more comfortable whilst lessening the burden on the school and teachers. Vaccination numbers have soared in the past month, through increased manufacturing, new safety regulations, and the creation of new vaccination centers. In response, the CDC has released new guidelines that center around lifting restrictions for face coverings for vaccinated individuals. However, Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine was only recently approved for use in children 12 and older, which means that while all high school age groups could be vaccinated, very few are at this time. Although higher vaccination numbers and recent changes in guidelines given by the CDC make many optimistic about masking policies both inside and outside schools, a larger percentage of the public needs to be vaccinated before the community can truly feel safe and return to normal. Although masks won’t be required by the school next year, students should still continue to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of illness. Masks will not be required by the district next year because of Governor Abbott’s new executive order, but students who want to wear face coverings still have the option to do so.
Governor Greg Abbott’s New Executive Order Beginning May 21, according to Governor Abbott’s new Executive Order No. GA-36 states that: “No governmental entity, including a country, city , school district, and public health authority, and no governmental official may require any person to wear a face covering or to mandate that another person wear a face covering” Exceptions include: government run or owned hospitals and living centers jails, criminal justice facilities, and juvenile justice centers. Although the law takes effect May 21, schools are not required to go mask-optional until June 4.
“I think everyone should still wear their masks for the saftey of some of our peers or their loved ones, [even though wearing masks] is optional.” -sophomore Zach Clough
“I think masks should be optional, it should be everyone’s individual choice. Since more people have the vaccine, I don’t really see a need for masks.” -sophomore Emile Reid
friday, may 21, 2021
who wore it better?
the roar | snapshots | 7
claire grace franklin & piper hitchcock senior editor & sports editor
student-led fashion show benefits charity supporting people with cystic fibrosis
Senior Alex Roeder struts the runway in a red dress for the Solo Walk. “It was definitely nerve racking walking down the runway, but it helped me own my confidence and sense of style,” Roeder said.
All proceeds from the fashion show were donated to Beau Means Business. The organization works to connect children and families who have been impacted by Cystic Fibrosis to resources within the Brazos Valley.
8 | centerspread | the roar
the roar | centerspread| 9
friday, may 21, 2021
centennial celebration Staff uncovers history of senior traditons
2010: “Fire and Ice”
SENIOR WELLNESS
1983: “The Time of Camelot”
PROM 1993: “A Knight to Remember”
1968: ”Moon River”
2001: Camp Tejas Typically, Consol seniors join in the tradition of wearing their decorated overalls on pep rally days.
Unlike many other schools, Consol has always held prom for both the junior and senior classes every year. The passing of time can be represented in the change of prom-wear styles. Students are in charge of planning the dance and then setting up for the big night.
2006
SENIOR OVERALLS
myla cathey & ellie hague section editors The senior class gets to skip school for a day, taking their annual trip to partake in recreational activities. This location has changed throughout the years, but the fun is always present.
1996
1996
1971: under 200 people
1996: Camp Tejas
2010: over 600 people
2010: Camp Tejas 1977: “Candlelight and Roses”
PROM SET UP
1996: “Mystical Evening”
1977: Camp Beans in New Braunfels
The population of Consol has fluctuated with population growth and new high schools since the school’s opening. For comparison, the first graduating senior class size of 1923 was 24, and the senior class of 2021 has 392 graduates. 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
1996: Camp Tejas
GRADUATION
2001: about 500 people
10 | feature | the roar
friday, may 21, 2021
harvesting knowledge FFA members show animals, learn about agriculture through competition events them alongside others in that class.” levels, it becomes more expensive.” Throughout FFA’s events, Despite the sometimes hefty one event in particular, Veterinary fees, members of FFA can find Most people probably associate FFA with Medicine, allows students to benefits of every kind. Crowder cows, plows, and sows. In reality, the Future pursue their interests and get explains the unforeseen benefits Farmers of America program offers a little experience for their future careers, that come with being involved in something for everyone. Crowder says. FFA. “We do everything from nursery landscape “Our Vet Med team has “I’ve learned about leadership, to livestock judging [and from] floral design to about eight people,” Crowder and it’s helped me grow in the poultry judging,” junior Abby Garret said. “We said. “It’s for people who want classroom,” Crowder said. “It’s made have a wide range, and so many teams went to to be a vet. They go, and they me more knowledgeable. I feel like I state this year.” intern at a vet clinic during the would not be as knowledgeable as Through Future Farmers of America, seventh period. It’s a lot of animal I am right now if it wasn’t for FFA.” students also have the opportunity to show and Not only do members raise animals. Consol FFA actively participates involvement.” Students in the veterinary experience growth within the in this event, sophomore and secretary Luke program also can compete school environment, but they Sanders explains. also find themselves growing as a “We show heifers, which are female cows at contests to display their knowledge on different veterinary person. who haven’t had calves, and steers,” Sanders subjects, Sanders says. “I used to be such a shy said. “You can also show goats, hogs, pigs, At a county fair, sophomore and “We have to identify person, especially in public rabbits, and poultry, such as turkey or chickens.” secretary Luke Sanders shows off different tools, speaking,” Crowder said. “I the goat he trained. The time commitment p a r a s i t e s , know I used not to be able to varies depending on how organs, and talk in front of people at all, and PHOTO PROVIDED BY involved a student wants to different breeds now I can, and I’m comfortable. LUKE SANDERS be with raising an animal. of animals,” I know that’s a lot of people’s “Sheep and goats are Sanders said. experience.” more of an intermediate “We also perform skills in front Students also get many opportunities to project of about 8-10 of judges, as well as a quiz over receive benefits that carry them through the months,” Sanders said. “Pigs things we have to know.” following stages of their education. are about six months, and To be a part of FFA and “You can get a lot of different scholarships chickens and rabbits are compete in events, a student must from it that help you throughout college, even about 6-8 weeks.” be enrolled in an FFA-regulated if you don’t plan on partaking [in] an ag career,” As well as the time class, and the rest is taken care of, Crowder said. aspect of raising an animal Garrett explains. Although FFA remains one of the most to show, lots of work has to “FFA can help you with active parts of the school, competing at many go into getting an animal everything, and you don’t have contests, COVID-19 has affected their program, contest ready. to pay. Our booster club pays for Garrett says. “[Training] is everything,” Garrett said. “People aren’t at school, so they don’t hear trying to get them ready Senior Nicole Alvarez (left) and junior Keeley Although, depending about it, and they aren’t going,” Garrett said. and do showmanship, Loyd (right) pose with their floral arrangeon which event a student Despite this year’s unforeseen setbacks, the so they know how to ment, winning Grand Champion in Ornamenparticipates in and at which program is as steady as ever and encourages tal Horticulture at the Brazos County Youth walk and perform to their level, the price rises, Sanders every person interested to join. Livestock Show. best ability,” Sanders says. “FFA isn’t just cows. It’s so much more: its said. “The show is “At a county show, you can leadership, plants, really whatever you want it to PHOTO PROVIDED BY usually in March for this spend anywhere from $600 be,” Garrett said. “You can learn so much about @AMCFFA INSTAGRAM county. You show them, to $1000. It’s a lot of money,” the agricultural industry beyond showing a cow.” walk them, and present Sanders said. “As you go up
emmeline duhon | section editor
the roar | feature | 11
friday, may 21, 2021
in the books Yearbook students use new skills, teamwork to produce memorable issue myla cathey | section editor Only a yearbook can cause even the most apathetic student to feel reminiscent about their school experience. However, that nostalgia does not come close to the thrill the yearbook staff feels when opening their books for the first time. The staff appreciates it not only for the memories, but also because of the countless hours they spend creating it. Yearbook supervisor Freda Carraway believes the staff produces a journalistically exceptional and creatively original Tigerland Yearbook year after year, especially considering their age and experience. People are often quick to criticize a misspelled name or a misassigned grade level, but the audience overlooks the necessary learning curve that comes with the task. “It is a publication that is produced almost entirely by 16 and 17 year olds, and it’s a 304 page book,” Carraway said. “They do all the writing, all the photography, all of the coverage, all of the design, except for the portrait pages and the team photos. Sometimes people forget that what it really is at its heart is a class where they’re learning.” Unlike other classes, junior and index editor Caroline Williams feels that the class is a mix of working to satisfy customers while still getting education. “Yearbook isn’t really a class, it’s more of a job,” Williams said. “I’ve come up here on off-days and other classes, and I’ve just learned a ton.” Through the class, the staff learns photography, journalistic writing, interviewing, money management, business ad sales, and how to use programs like InDesign and Photoshop. “The skill set that they leave that classroom with is immeasurable,” Carraway said. “To me, the product is really awesome, but the process is so
much more important.” One of the most significant skills that senior and sports editor Lindsey Cave has improved on from the class is communication. “You have to talk to people like an interview,” Cave said. “You have to be respectful and know how to talk to teachers and students and principals.” Senior and co editor-in-chief Sloane Simmen agrees that yearbook class has increased her confidence with communicating. “I was so shy when I was a freshman,” Simmen said. “It definitely taught me that speaking up or putting yourself out there is not embarrassing or bad. It’s just what you need to do.”
2020-2021 Yearbook staff PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TIGERLAND YEARBOOK Along with building professional speaking skills, the staffers also build lasting relationships with each other that make for a welcoming and productive environment. “Most of the time, people keep coming back year after year, and then you get introduced to a small group,” Williams said. “Everybody has a really good relationship because we’re in here two plus hours every day. It’s not really cliquey; it’s super easy to just go up to anybody in the room and talk to them.” The award-winning yearbook is possible only due to the staffers’ teamwork, as it is vital to
bounce ideas off of each other to construct an impressive and unique publication. “We got closer because we all ended up helping each other on pages,” Cave said “It’s definitely an environment where you have to have a good relationship, or it just doesn’t work out.” Because of the close-knit atmosphere, the staff overcomes challenges to ensure the best yearbook possible. For example, it was impossible to know which events they were allowed to take photos at and which events would even happen at all due to the pandemic, but they prevailed, Carraway says. “At the end of the day we’ve actually done better on our coverage than we have in years past when things were easier to access,” Carraway said. “Maybe that’s just a product of having to work harder to get what you needed.” Against all odds, the staff was able to create an extremely original book that not only features a page celebrating the school’s centennial, but also uses brand new design techniques that the students decided to establish in order to make the book more unique. “We had basically no color rules, so there were a lot of different tints to the colors- a lot of different transparencies,” Simmen said. “Every page is just so different from the next one.” No matter what obstacles they face, the yearbook never fails to impress not only the viewers, but also the staff members that have dedicated their school year to producing the book of memories. “The moment that I love the most is delivery day when those books arrive on campus, and every student in that class is just beyond excited,” Carraway said. “It represents the culmination of many, many, many hours of blood, sweat and tears.”
12 | sports
opinion | the roar
friday, may 21, 2021
rolling in his grave
Why Howard Schnellenberger should be in college football Hall of Fame ian curtis | section editor As it currently stands, Howard Schnellenberger will never be inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame, which is a travesty. You may have heard his name recently. His passing in March sparked reactions and remembrance from all around the college football world. But before that it wasn’t a stretch to say that Schnellenberger deserved far more attention than he received from modern (and younger) fans. Here is why a coach you may not have heard of before reading this deserves to be honored alongside the sport’s all-time greats: To grossly oversimplify a complicated situation, currently in college football there are two main types of Hall of Fame-worthy coaches. Type A is what I’d like to call the standard legendary figure; the type of guy to win multiple national championships, be it at one or two different schools. Most of the time one or both of these schools are already established powers. For example, see Urban Meyer at Florida and Ohio State and Nick Saban at LSU and Alabama. Then you have Type B. These are the coaches who stay at one school for forever, building them up because that job is their home, coaches like Bill Snyder at Kansas State. This is definitely less common than Type A and usually less successful by appearance, but the job is just as (if not more) impressive than the above. But Schnellenberger is the rare Type C coach; one who is seemingly only interested in rebuilding/building programs and—this is key—can successfully do it multiple times. Let’s take a look at Schnellenberger’s three main stops in the college ranks: Miami, Louisville, and Florida Atlantic. Two incredible rebuilds, and one program that he literally constructed from scratch. In 1979, he took over an abysmal Miami Hurricanes program that was very nearly dropped by the university only a few years before he arrived. In 1983, his Hurricanes sealed a national championship with an Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska. 41-16, in five short years at Miami, from 5-6 in his first year to winning a national championship—the school’s first ever.
Schnellenberger returned to his hometown to coach the Louisiville Cardinals beginning in 1985. The program’s last winning season came eight long years before his arrival. And while his overall record at the school was only 54-56-2, he took a team that played in a minor league baseball stadium, played second-fiddle to the basketball team, and was in serious jeopardy of dropping down to what is now the FCS, and six seasons later thrashed Alabama to win the Fiesta Bowl. The 1990 Louisville team finished eleventh overall in the final AP poll of the year. This was the first time a Cardinal team had been ranked at season’s end—ever. After a mildly disastrous single season at Oklahoma, Schnellenberger next turned up at Florida Atlantic University in 1998 when he was named the Director of Football Operations. One problem: FAU didn’t have any football operations to direct. Schnellenberger’s job was to change that. He would raise funds, lobby, plan and do whatever is necessary to get the FAU Owls on the gridiron. In 2001, the Owls did play their first game with Schnellenberger as head coach. Beginning life as an independent in what is now known as the FCS, by the time Schnellenberger’s tenure ended in 2011, FAU had made the FCS playoffs once, made the jump to the FBS play, won a Sun Belt championship, and won two bowl games. With a national championship, a 6-0 record in bowl games, two incredible rebuilds, and the creation of a program itself, putting Schnellenberger in the Hall of Fame is a nobrainer. So why is such a legendary coach excluded from college football’s highest honor? Well, let’s take a look at the National Football Foundation’s eligibility requirements for head coaches. According to the Hall’s website, a coach “must have been a head coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.” Seems fairly straightforward, right? Here’s how Schnellenberger stacks up. With 27 years as a head coach in the college ranks, he passed the first two marks with flying colors. But then things start to go south. Due to his aforementioned tendency to build and rebuild rather than creating a dynasty,
Schnellenberger holds an overall record of 141-133-3 as a collegiate head coach. To spare the math, that’s a winning percentage of .514, oh so close to the magic number of .600. And thus, one of college football’s greatest to ever coach the game is left out of its greatest hall of honor. And that, to borrow a phrase from our president, is a bunch of malarkey. That qualification clearly punishes the style of program building Schnellenberger perfected and explicitly (even if unintentionally) rewards the type of single-or-double-stop dominance that is all-too-prevalent in coaching today. Sure, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer’s career paths may have been ridiculously impressive, but Schnellenberger’s was equally, if not moreso. Rescuing two programs from abysmal fates, turning one of them into a longterm national power, and creating an aboveaverage program from scratch is the type of thing you’d see in an installment of the NCAA Football video game series. It just doesn’t happen in reality. But it did. And it deserves to be honored. Creating an exemption, changing the rules, etc is all on the table. But how it’s done doesn’t matter. It just needs to be done. Howard Schnellenberger never got to see himself enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame before his passing, and now he never will. The least the National Football Foundation could do is let his family live to see the day.
friday, may 21, 2021
aces of bases
the roar | sports | 13
Softball team reflects on last year’s turbulent season, importance of good leadership piper hitchcock sports editor With the devastating loss of their previous season, the softball team entered the spring semester with an unshakable determination. Before ending their season with a strong beacon of hope for next year’s team, the girls had to overcome multiple obstacles, predominantly concerning lack of high school experience. “We are experiencing a lot of growing pains, but it’s time for us to figure out who [our players] are and to come together,” coach Heather Slaton said. “It hasn’t been an easy year when you’re bringing not only four different grades of students together, but also have students who have never played before because of last year not having a season. They haven’t worked through adversity together.” The softball program struggled overcoming the barrier of having a young group since high school softball offers different experiences than travel teams, junior Claire Sisco says. “We played one district game last year, that’s it,” Sisco said. “[That] most definitely set us back because our sophomores didn’t have a whole freshmen season to prepare, so they are basically another set of freshmen. It’s not that [the freshmen] are inexperienced, because they all play travel softball, but I think high school softball is a lot different.” Another problem emerged when the players began mixing a large group of under and upperclassmen. Despite the initial struggle, many players express how bus rides are one of the most anticipated parts of the season that greatly builds t e a m relationships and impacts the quality of play. “Going to g a m e s on bus rides makes you bond, and also going through the same situations helps a lot,” junior Aiyana Coleman said. “Random things will come up and we’re a l w a y s laughing. We try to
have fun with it. I think that when people are having more fun they definitely play better.” Although softball did not name team captains this year, some student leaders stepped into the role to help improve and prepare the team for next season. “[Leaders] are a huge aspect [to] what we’re able to accomplish as far as the season goes because coaches can’t always be the people who are motivating the team or the players,” Slaton said. “To be a team leader, you need to come early, you need to stay late, you need to put in all the reps, you can’t cheat the game, you can’t cheat yourself [and] you can’t cheat your teammates. We can see how leadership can really make or break a team, make or break a season. It makes a huge difference.” Sisco, who has gained respect through her attitude and experience on varsity, also reflects on the hardships that come with accepting a leadership position. She agrees there are many factors to take into consideration. “As a leader, you can’t have a bad day, even if you had a bad day in school. You have to go out to practice and be encouraging, which is a little hard,” Sisco said. “[Leaders have to push players] in practice by reminding them to stay on task and focus. I’m going to tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear because I feel like that’s going to help make you better than if I’m nice to you all time. As a leader, you also have to set a good example.That way when you leave, the freshmen can step up and be leaders.” One of the most significant parts of handling a position of authority is how you influence the other players. “I use [my leadership] to inspire others and help them feel better about themselves,” Coleman said. “I use it to spread positivity.” In order to build this sense of leadership within a team atmosphere, the players agree that a good candidate is a person who they can trust. “Communication and having everyone’s trust is especially important in softball,” Sisco said. “[Leaders enforce this through] making sure everyone is on the same page and everyone knows what we
need to do.” Slaton has also recognized the importance of reliability in a leader, and expands on what exactly this means for her players. “If your teammates can’t trust you to do the right thing, and if your coaches can’t trust you to do the right thing—even when it’s difficult, even when it’s hard, even when no one’s looking— then are you a real leader?” Slaton said. “Who is trustworthy, and who do their teammates feel is trustworthy?” With these factors in mind and the team building on their chemistry and individual leadership qualities, they anticipate the success of their coming season. “I see us getting better next season,” Coleman said. “Now that we’ve built more friendships it should be a lot more fun; we’re getting off on the right foot.” Many of the struggles faced by the team has also helped them progress in their skills and how to better prepare for the following season. “We are growing for next year,” Sisco said. “Since we struggled, this was an awakening; maybe we need to do things different in preseason so that we are prepared for next season.” Even though the team did not make playoffs this year, they have seen dramatic advancements in the last few games of their season, most recently when they beat Magnolia West, who had previously gone undefeated. This has built confidence in their playing and assurity for the success of next season. “We are going to be very competitive,” Slaton said. “We know that our district is competitive not only locally, but also statewide. We are really looking forward to next year because we have a lot of returners, and our program is going to be flourishing. But also we always know and keep in the backs of our minds that it’s always going to be tough. It’s never easy.”
14 | reviews | the roar
friday, may 21, 2021
beefing it up the roar reviews: barbecue places
ian curtis l section editor Barbeque, along with annoyingly catchy country music and overly zealous football fans, is among the most prominent products of the southern United States. With southern passion comes a very particular nature on what exactly makes good barbeque. But resident fanatics have no need to fear, for J Cody’s is the place to go for comfort-style barbeque. Every meat on the menu is enjoyable, and the sides are just as good as they are plentiful. And don’t worry about the oh-so-important element to the quality of every barbeque establishment— the sauce is excellent. It’s mostly sweet, but it has a kick that builds up over the meal. However, J Cody’s biggest strength is their variety. Between a wide selection of meats and non-barbeque offerings, it’s the type of place to go to when you’ve got family in town who would typically spend anywhere from 1-3 hours arguing over what and/or where to eat. There’s something for everyone.
J’Cody’s https://www.jcodys.com/ at 3610 S College Ave PHOTO BY IAN CURTIS
claire grace franklin l senior editor
Boomtown BBQ https://boomtownbbq.com/ at 3125 Texas Ave S PHOTO BY CLAIRE GRACE FRANKLIN
Barbeque places are a beacon of hope for the meat lovers of the south. Boomtown BBQ is a straightforward place with easy to understand options. My only warning is when the staff is referring to something on the menu in a boat, they are referring to a paper bowl similar to the ones at baseball or football game nachos. The serving size was almost perfect and kept me full hours past my expectation. They took a more unique approach to their sauce, it was a stronger vinegar base and it added a sweet spice, but did not oversaturate the food. My only critique is that their BBQ bowls should be layered instead of meat directly on top of the chips.
the roar | reviews | 15
friday, may 21, 2021
another man’s treasure the roar reviews: thrift stores piper hitchcock | sports editor
emily chen | staff reporter
In the midst of chained businesses such as Goodwill and Uptown Cheapskate, a hidden gem lies within the borders of our community in Downtown Bryan. Not only does Sweet Resale Repeat offer a wide variety of items ranging from furniture and kids toys to prom dresses, but it also provides a learning experience through their payment method of bargaining. The store has an entire coat rack dedicated to the most awesome leather jackets known to man, and has a thousand and one chick flicks produced in the early 2000s. If you are not afraid to get your hands a little dirty for the coolest finds, Sweet Resale Repeat is the store to be at.
When craving for some thrift shopping, Goodwill is the place to go. They offer a wide variety of items that exceeded my expectations: ranging from their collection of those Barron’s AP books people are crazy for, to numerous mugs with cute quotes. The prices are cheap enough for any high school student to afford and it’s much more affordable than the overpriced designer clothing brands. Goodwill had quite a few cute pieces that are totally picture day worthy. In addition, Goodwill also had easy-to-navigate organizations that made life much easier and shopping was a fun experience. If you’re looking for a good place to thrift, I highly recommend Goodwill.
myla cathey | section editor From the moment I entered Alice’s Attic, I could tell I was in for more than I anticipated. From the outside, the store looks rather small, but once you’re inside, you keep discovering new areas to explore. One might think a thrift store has old junk and less-than-stellar upkeep, but Alice’s Attic has a welcoming atmosphere and organized merchandise. Its rustic decor and cute paint theme adds to the greatness. Though the store’s clothing items are more for older demographics, younger shoppers have options too and can also thrift the older styles into something new. The Downtown Bryan shop not only has clothes, but also an endless selection of other diverse items: furniture, children’s toys, books, appliances, accessories, and I even saw a piano. I’ve never had a very unique style of my own or been into thrifting, but after visiting Alice’s Attic, I’m interested in continuing my thrift shopping experience.
Sophomore Myla Cathey poses with a straw hat in Alice’s Attic. PHOTO BY MYLA CATHEY
16 | etc. | the roar
friday, may 21, 2020
Taking Care of Business Student businesses teach life skills, customer service claire grace franklin & ja’den johnson | senior editor & section editor
A&M Photography Wanting to capture every moment while living during such a historical time, sophomore Ally Duan and freshman Maggie Whitten’s hobby turned into a part-time business. They launched their photography business, A&M Photography, in the midst of the pandemic. “We started in the summer of last year, but we didn’t actually go out and take pictures,” sophomore Maggie Whitten said. “We started setting it up during quarantine.” The photographers have been creating a business that focuses on school events. “We do like main events, like we did prom pictures, we did HOCO pictures,” Duran said. “We don’t do small photoshoots because mainly we were all really busy students.” Running the business has shown Whitten the importance of communicating with people and having an impactful first impression. “It’s really fun going out and like interacting with people,” Whitten said. “Meeting new people is kind of hard. Doing this business has helped me get to know people.” Though their business is doing fairly well, they never thought it would be more than a hobby, Whitten said. “Originally it was a hobby,” Whitten said. “I got [into photography] before it was on my birthday. I think like, number three, I got a camera. In quarantine, I was bored, so I just got to practice.” Despite not being able to fully launch their business last summer, they hope to expand in the coming months. “We just were looking forward to the summer and doing a lot more,” Duran said. “We’ll have more time and we’re going to put more effort into it when trying to get more photo sessions in.”
Hippy Happy Hippo
Sophomore Maddie Wilson could have never imagined that her freshman year business would “stick” around and grow into Hippy Happy Hippo. “As an online student, it has been easier to manage both my business and school this year,” Wilson said. “You have to be dedicated to both sides, really plan out what time you have to prioritize certain things and stick to your goals.” With more time to grow her clientele and business, Wilson says Hippy Happy Hippo has become an extension of herself. “My company reflects how I feel at any point in time,” Wilson said. “I am able to be creative and really mold my designs exactly how I see fit. I am able to express myself with every design I make, and I feel that all of them are a reflection of me.” One of Wilson’s customers, sophomore Grace Yeh, enjoyed how Wilson kept an open line of communication throughout the buying process. “Maddie made me feel comfortable throughout the entire process,” sophomore Grace Yeh said. “She gave me updates and let me know when she was working on it and dropping it off. I love the stickers I received and am very happy with my order.” Wilson hopes to expand her business out of school and into the city. “My driving goal for my business is to spread love and positivity to the Bryan/College Station area through motivational graphic designs,” Wilson said.
Sophomore Ari Granda poses for her birthday photoshoot. PHOTOGRAPHED BY A&M PHOTOGRAPHY
LOGO PROVIDED BY MADDIE WILSON