The Dispatch, Vol. 36, Issue #1, 9/29/23

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FEATURES Senior Joanna Tebbs competes in motorbiking alongside her twin brother. pg. 5 PHOTO COURTESY OF Joanna Tebbs

IN-DEPTH Students discuss HB900, a new law that could potentially ban numerous classic books. pgs. 8-9

SPORTS Sophomore Rowan Cox wins the gold at the Speedo Junior National Championships. pg.

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PHOTO ESSAY Students attend annual fundraiser "Bulldogs and Hotdogs" to support Bowie. pg. 6

ART BY Asher Hagan

PHOTO COURTESY OF Rowan Cox

PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Vol. 36, Issue 1 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023

Pride in Publishing

Threat highlights communication flaws

Students express concern for their safety after recent incidents affecting Bowie campus Emerson Traugott Executive Editor: News

Two recent incidents have uncovered communication breakdowns between Austin Independent (AISD) and Bowie to parents and students.

It started on Aug. 18 when a student was taken into custody for making threats to the school campus.

However, staff, parents and students were not alerted to the presence of a threat until 9:19 a.m., after they arrived to school.

“The morning that everything occurred on campus, we were actually just pulling into the drop off lane when my daughter started getting texts about a rumored school shooting attempt expected that day,” parent Liz Wildwood* said. “Rumors were flying on campus and kids were sharing posts they claimed were new. Which, combined with the fact that school administration delayed information, left my daughter and me increasingly scared.”

According to Bowie students, the presence of the threat to campus has heightened tensions and aroused emotions surrounding school safety.

“I’m just not sure in those kinds of situations that teachers will have enough training to know what to do and keep kids calm,” senior Barbra Smith* said. “When we got the threat, I feel like most of the information I got was from rumors and some Facebook group, I think people really twisted the truth, and I don't really know what to believe. No one knew what information was correct which made the whole thing more confusing.”

The second incident that caused uneasiness about Bowie’s communication practices and response to threats at band practice on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4. The same student who made the original threats to campus two weeks prior was arrested at gun point by the Austin Police Department

(APD) for trespassing on the Bowie campus. Questions have since arisen concerning the actions taken by staff to continue band practice.

“I’m grateful for the swift response

by AISD Police Department (PD), but I was shocked that students weren’t hurried inside as soon as the former student showed up on campus,” Wildwood* said. “And students did not leave immediately after such a shocking event.”

For many students present at the band practice, this was their first time seeing a gun, which in itself disconcerting.

“I saw a student who wasn’t a band member pacing in front of the school,” senior Joshua Harwood said. “When the police arrived, I was super confused, and I couldn’t exactly process what was happening. When the police officer pointed a gun, the whole band scattered off the field.”

The required sequence of communication and verification between levels of administration within AISD slowed the opportunity for instant communication with parents, student and staff.

“Once I am informed, I immediately contact my supervisor, Dr. Torin Wooldridge, who then begins to notify the people that he reports to in the district,” Principal Mark Robinson said. “[Those] people include counseling, communications, the superintendent's office, and the police. Once we have determined the level of crisis, then we notify the community. We want to make sure that all those folks are informed. When it comes to taking care of the kids at school, the worst thing we can do is create chaos in that situation where there's already anxiety or potential panic.”

Teachers say they feel put in an uncomfortable position to balance constant vigilance while remaining a peace-keeper and student advocate.

“I understand why they didn't put

that information out to the community immediately because parents might react in a way that would keep their kids from coming to school,” teacher Chrissy Hejny said. “But at the same time, it would have been nice to have a heads up about the number of cops that would be present on campus that morning. Because police presence makes some people feel incredibly uncomfortable.”

In the incident with the band, the director made sure students were given the opportunity to leave and not continue practicing.

“I trusted that the band directors would only continue rehearsal if it was safe,” Harwood said. “I don’t know if any students left, but I highly doubt there would have been any consequences for any students who did leave.”

When the administration discovers or is alerted of a potential threat to campus, a subsequent procedure must be followed.

“When there are things that are circulating out there in social media, then we rely on students and parents to bring those to the attention of staff so that they can be reviewed by law enforcement," Robinson said. "In those situations, everybody has a role.

And my role as principal is to be the network of information. That's why we depend on our communication staff. There is a process that they go through to make sure all communications are vetted and accurate.”

While many parents agree that the notion of ‘see something, say something’ is imperative for the safety of students and staff on campus, they continue to advocate for communication reliability and timeliness in threatening situations.

“I would appreciate a communication plan that surfaces known threats, even ones that are not ultimately found to be credible, when the administration becomes aware of them,”

James Bowie High School

ART BY Asher Hagan

Wildwood* said. “In an age where students and parents alike are getting most of their information via social media, in the absence of official communication from the school, rumors are all the community has to go on.

The University of Texas, for example, sends text alerts whenever there are reports of violence or individuals suspected of having weapons. I have seen other school districts more openly share their knowledge of threats they

Updated ID policies are implemented Peyton Dorsey Dispatch Reporter The Bowie ID policy saw some minor changes this school year. Similar to last year, students are still required to wear their IDs while they’re on campus at all times. However, starting this year, there have been QR codes placed in all classrooms that are linked to School Cash Online. Students can use this website to purchase a replacement sticker ID for one dollar or a plastic ID for five dollars.

The ID purchased will then be brought to the student’s classroom from the book room in A107, so that they don’t miss any class time or instruction.

The old policy frustrated teachers, because they were required to send students without IDs to the office for a replacement. On occasion, the students would take too long, and miss important instruction that was essential to the lesson. Multiple teachers brought this to administration’s attention, until they updated the policy and made the appropriate changes to respond to staff’s needs.

“A lot of teachers were complaining, ‘Hey, have you have you seen this kid? I sent him

for an ID.’And it was just continuous and it was just too much of a disruption,” assistant principal Hector Munoz said. “Our understanding was, you will tell us you need the ID you're gonna stay in class, you're not going to lose this instruction, this learning, and we'll bring it to you, so that way, there's no kids wandering around.”

Students are asked to wear their IDs when on campus as an extra safety measure. ID’s are meant to identify everyone on campus and their purpose here. If every student and staff member are displaying their ID then it is very obvious who is and who isn’t meant to be on school property.

“We have a lot of exits and entrances to this campus, architecturally it was built to feel open for everyone.” English teacher Megan Holden said. “Which is great except now it’s open to everyone and we need to be able to see at a glance who does belong and who doesn't belong.”

IDs aren’t only being used to identify who is and who is not meant to be on campus.

They are also being used to identify students who have had medical issues and are unable to answer questions. If this student is wear-

SIMPLE EXCHANGE: The chromebook room in A117 is not only home to technology support for students, but is also a place to purchasing a new ID. A student is given a new ID badge by Tonya Snow before classes begin. PHOTO BY Emerson Traugott

INDEX:

NEWS 1, 2 STUDENT VOICE 3 FEATURES 4 , 5

IN-DEPTH 6, 8-9 SPORTS 10, 11 ENTERTAINMENT 12

ing their ID, it can help staff find out who that student is, and contact their guardians or other emergency contacts as needed.

“A lot of students, staff, parents, and community members don't realize how many medical events occur on this campus,” Munoz said. “Many health issues happen and the fact is the first thing we do is try to identify the kid. So, as soon as we identify the student, then we can make contact with their parents.”

Many students are reluctant to wear their IDs even though teachers and staff are constantly having to remind students to put them on.

“I obviously remind kids when they come in to make sure to wear their IDs appropriately like we're supposed to. And I sometimes feel like I'm a broken record,” front office clerk Venessa Kimball said. “But I keep doing it with a smile on my face, and I thank the students that come into the office with IDs on because I appreciate those students that are making everybody's job a little easier and keeping themselves safe.”

There are still students who do not like wearing their badges, and some indicated that there wasn't a strong enough effort being made to enforce the policies.

“The staff lets students slide. For example, you can walk out of campus and get back in so easily without an ID. I don’t think they care enough, " sophomore Aria McBroom said.

Several students only feel obligated to wear their IDs if it is required by a teacher, otherwise they’ll just leave it in their backpack.

“I don't really need it for most of my classes. If they ask for my ID, I just pull it out of my bag,” sophomore Abby Evington said.

While the decision to enforce the rules falls on the administration and teachers, students feel like more could be done. According to McBroom, a more diligent check at the front gate would help.

“It could help encourage students to wear their IDs if you had to check your ID to get into campus, or students wouldn’t be allowed in without them,” McBroom said.

REVIEWS 13 OPINIONS 14, 15 PHOTO ESSAY 7, 16

are aware of being shared on social media, either via email or their own social media accounts."

There was a community safety meeting that was held by the district at the Bowie campus on Wednesday, Sept. 27, after the Dispatch was sent to press. *Some names have been changed to protect the anonymity of the source.

News Brief

Theater director "Betsy" Cornwell's death shocks student body

On August 13, the Bowie campus was told that theater director Diane “Betsy” Cornwell had passed away.

“We found out on the first day of school and everyone was very much shocked,” senior Starlight Theatre Company (STC) member Brighton Toland said. “There was obviously a lot of people who were upset because she was our teacher for years for many of us.”

Cornwell worked in Austin ISD for more than 40 years and spent more than 30 of those years at Bowie.

Many of the plays Cornwell produced as part of the STC won UIL awards at all levels for theatrical excellence.

“The fact that Ms.Cornwell was a constant in the theater department at Bowie since the school opened.

Just by the nature of time, it has an impact that is significant,” Principal Mark Robinson said. “Ms. Cornwall’s legacy with the Bowie Theatre Department will always be as the creator of the Starlight Theatre.”

While being a theater director, Cornwell produced more than 1,000 shows and many of her students have gone on to star on Broadway or to pursue careers related to theater like television.

“The most important thing is that we continue to provide theater education as a way for students to express themselves as a creative outlet,” Robinson said.

“So, it will be important that those doors continue to stay open to our students as long as Bowie is here.”

With her death, the school has hired a new theater teacher, who comes into a historically rich program and a new state-of-the-art theater building.

“There is a history with that program that the current teaching staff will have to pick up and carry forward in a way that honors her memory and purpose as an educator,” Robinson said.

A week after students and staff learned of her death, a memorial was held in the Bowie theater.

“The moment that was most impactful to me was a former student walking on stage and delivering a full monologue from Midsummer Night Dream,” STC senior co-president Finn Alexander said. “They then tied that in with their performance background and how that was shaped by their time at Bowie,” Counselors and teachers at Bowie have made themselves available to help students who are grieving.

“The counselors have opened all their doors for us, which is very encouraging,” Toland said. “And obviously theater officers are always open to talk to people.”

STORY BY Katie Grumet

FIND US AT @jbhs_dispatch

2 NEWS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023

State law introduces new vape policy HB114 requires students detected with nicotine on campus to be removed to ALC Gabriella Bochey Dispatch Reporter With the start of the new school year, there have been numerous changes to student life. An important one being a new bill surrounding various vape products. This law, House Bill 114 (HB114), went into effect on September 1, although many school districts, including AISD, began enforcement on the first day of school.

HB114 requires teachers and staff members to report students caught with vape products. If they see students on campus or at school-related events with vapes or cannabis (THC) products, they are legally required to report those incidents.

“The new laws on vape products, specifically including nicotine as one of the offending substances, is absolutely appropriate,” geography teacher Matthew Parente said. “One of the challenges for young people is that they don’t realize you do not have a fully formed brain until you are 25, sometimes even late 20s or early 30s. To experiment with highly addictive things, such as nicotine; you just don't know how you will react, and you don't have that executive function yet to figure it out.”

HB114 redirects students into a

KEEP BOWIE BEAUTIFUL: Posters with information regarding restroom policies can be found in each the bathroom.

The posters encourage students to report any criminal behavior via QR code.

PHOTO BY Gabriella Bochey

ART BY Asher Hagan

District Alternative Education Program (DAEP) if they are caught under the influence on or near campus. They will also be sent to a DAEP for selling and delivering addictive products on, or around, campus.

“I don’t think students should be sent to ALC, because there are kids there for bringing guns and knives to school rather than vapes,” senior Susan Fry* said. “There's such a fine line.

There’s a huge difference between the two allegations, and I think they should give the kids an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.”

Before HB114 was passed into law, students were sent to in-school suspension (ISS) and detention for being caught with vapes or e-cigarettes, but sent to ALC for 10 days for having marijuana or THC substances.

“According to state law, any student in any Texas public school district is required to be sent to ALC if they are caught with a tobacco vape or electronic vape,” vice principal Hector Munoz said. “It's a state law. So, it's something that's out of the Bowie administration’s hands.”

Students sent to ALC are removed from their traditional high school learning experience for their illicit actions, such as misbehavior and not following specific school rules and policies. Many students sent to ALC have expressed they fall behind because of the “poor” learning program.

“One of my friends went to ALC for the first week of school and said, ‘ALC doesn't really teach you that much there. It's really just an easy 100,’” Fry* said. “So, if you want kids to learn and focus, how do you expect them to do that by putting them in a place where they don't get the education they need? I think it sets the kids back more by sending them to ALC.” Since the introduction of vapes and e-cigarettes in 2003, they have gained world popularity from advertisements in social media sites and television advertisements. Because it is more common for young teenagers to become addicted to nicotine, many marketing companies take advantage of that. Studies produced by the National Library of Medicine show that these advertisements have selectively

been aimed at younger audiences to attract a longevity of customers for the company's profit.

“I have two younger sons, and when they were in high school, their friends were using vapes and nicotine and a number of the different things that kids are getting access to. It's complicated, and it's difficult to have those conversations with high school students,” Parente said. “The kids feel like they're experimenting or exploring.

I get that, but at the same time, they cannot understand the full implications of it. And that's where things are, you have to have that level of trust in order to have this conversation with students.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, addiction is most common at 18-20 years of age. In terms of minors, according to the Tobacco-Free Kids report, out of 332 youths who had used tobacco, 40% had reported symptoms of addiction. Over the past 25 years, Truth Initiative states that, out of 100 people attempting to

quit nicotine “cold turkey,” only three to five of them will withstand longer than six months sober.

“You don't know what you're putting in your body. We've had instances in the past where a student’s first hit of a vape triggers a chemical imbalance, or a reaction, and then they're seizing, or having a medical emergency,” Munoz said. “And next we're responding to something and we don't know exactly what's happening, because the kids will never admit to it or they're too incapacitated to let us know.”

Around Bowie are flyers and signs that direct students to a variety of resources for those wishing to quit using vapes and nicotine. There are also many online sites such as “Truth” and “American Lung Association” that students can access on their devices.

“Mental health is another aspect, because a lot of the kids that are vaping or getting high every day do it to get through class. That's not a sign of, ‘Oh, they're being a teen’, that's a sign that they need serious help,” Fry* said. “Instead of helping them, this bill is turning these kids, who are obviously struggling mentally, and punishing them for trying to find a way to cope. It isn't the best way to go about solving the issue at hand.”

*Some names have been changed to protect the anonymity of the student.

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New law bans gender-affirming care for Texas minors Charlotte Koellner Executive Editor: Content

side,” AP government teacher Dalton Pool said. “Republicans have pushed the bill knowing that the majority of Senior Lee Terrell's stomach their supporters would agree with plunges. His smile drops from his them, so it's a way for them to score face as he feels the fear begin to claw easy political points.” at his throat. What was just a normal Texas citizens are pushing for proconversation with his friends took a gression each election, but fall short shocking turn, as they warned him about a potentially life-threatening law every legislative session. Republican incumbents have been reelected at that will grip the state of Texas this every opportunity, resulting in the summer.

Republican Party’s three-decade hold Senate Bill 14 (SB14) bans all on the state. practices of gender-affirming medical “The Texas legislators don’t want care in Texas. This bill, which went into effect September 1, makes it more to talk to transgender people, or the people who are actually affected by challenging for transgender minors in this new policy,” Warren said. “They Texas to receive the care they need to just talk in their little circles with their comfortably express themselves. like-minded colleagues. They never “I was both shocked and not shocked at all, to hear that the bill was hear a differing opinion, because they talk in echo chambers, so they think passed, because this is definitely a law everyone in Texas thinks similar to that Texas legislatures would push for,” Terrell said. “I think Texas created them, but this isn’t the case.”

SB14 saw immense backlash this law out of ignorance, and not throughout the law’s development, knowing the true impact the law has including protests and interrupted on the group that it targets.” public House hearings, which ended The bill prohibits physicians from with the arrests of those opposing prescribing puberty blockers, such as SB14. Despite the vocal retaliation, testosterone and estrogen shot, to papoliticians have still voted to enact the tients under the age of 18, even if they bill along party lines. have parental consent. The bill also “Thinking about potential ways for bans gender reassignment procedures, people to fight the bill now that it’s or surgeries that physically alter a transgender individual's body to match been passed, people can join interest groups,” Pool said. “There's a lot their identity. of interest groups around this bill “I don't know if I'll be able to specifically, but also around the LGBT receive any hormones or medical community in general. Advocating care, even after I turn 18,” senior for transgender people, and donating Clyde Warren said. “With the way time and money to politicians that that things are going, especially after would fight the bill, is also an option this bill, it's unclear if we'll even have for people who disagree with the bill. access to any care at all, because there Overall though, it have been plenty of comes down to future states, like Florida, elections. So if you that are trying to get disagree with the rid of gender affirming I hope that students bill, then you need to care for everyone.” for future canThe bill was first have a safe space vote didates that will do introduced to the to be themselves, something about the Texas Secretary of State Patsy Spaw, on and if they don't, just policy.”

Many of the proceMarch 8, and passed know that there are dures denied by this the senate on April 4. are considered The Texas House of options available for bill lifesaving, because Representatives then them. they allow transgenread and amended the der individuals to bill; it was passed with Matt Flickinger express themselves, a final vote of 19-12.

English teacher and without that Governor Greg Abbott form of accurate signed the bill this self-expression, their June. self-esteem is negatively impacted.

“It's a headline-grabbing bill that The disproportionately high suicide immediately divides the public, since it's one of those culture war bills that's rates for transgender youth is often attributed to their negative self-esteem going to grab people's attention, and and body dysmorphia. Discontinuing everyone will eventually lean to one

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PROTESTING LEGISLATION: Texas families attend a protest at the Texas capital in support of transgender Texans, hoping to delay the passing of SB14. The bill went into effect on September 1, despite the immense push-back from the public. PHOTO BY Mazzy Warren

the distribution of the treatment outlined in SB14 could be interpreted as a violation of the trans community’s personal freedoms.

“I can understand if someone, personally, wouldn't want their child to transition when they're super young, but I don't think personal decisions like healthcare should be brought into a courthouse,” Warren said. “That decision should be made between the parent, the child, and their doctor.

It’s disgusting that the government is trying to take over life-saving health care like this.”

According to studies collected by the National Library of Medicine, transgender individuals are more prone to suicidal thoughts and mental illnesses in comparison to their cisgender peers. A large reason for that statistic is that they often don’t have access to the appropriate medical care, leading transgender individuals to find alternative options.

“I've had conversations with transgender students that are very concerned about the bill, so I know that a number of students are frightened,” English teacher Matt Flickinger said. “I read stories in the news about students leaving the state to seek certain medical care, and I hope that doesn't happen to any of my students.

well as certain teachers, including Bills like this are pushing fear of our myself, that pride themselves on being differences, and that is never going to a safe space for students, who just bring us together as a society. I don't need to exist and feel validated in our think the people pushing this agenda community here at Bowie.” care about that, but I think it should According to data collected by the be an overarching goal of ours to come Williams Institute, Texas is home together to express ourselves, enjoy, to nearly 30 thousand transgender and celebrate our differences.” people between the ages 13-17, and, There are resources available for according to the Trevor transgender stuProject, nearly 150 dents here at Bowie, thousand LGBT youth who might be have experienced suistruggling with the cidal thoughts. implications of this Being trans just “It's really hard and bill. Teachers and means being more scary to be transgencounselors are availder,” Terrell said. “It’s a able at school, and open-minded and lot harder and scarier websites such as the allowing yourself than it seems, and now Trevor Project and without having access the Crisis Text Line to experiment with to that medical care, it are committed to gender expression. cuts off a lot of options providing confidenfor us. Being transgential counseling for Who is it hurting? der means you're more the LGBT communiopen-minded and are ty virtually, 24/7.

Lee Terrell more open to being “I hope that all Senior experimental with how students here have you express your a safe space to be gender. It's very themselves, and if disappointing to think that there's they don't have that safe space, just people out there who are against us know that there are options available because, in reality, what are we for them,” Flickinger said. “We have a great Sexuality and Gender Acceptance hurting besides a politician's own fear of progression?”

(SAGA) club, run by Mr. Morgan, as

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STUDENT VOICE 3

New year, new exchange students

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

Check out the Dispatch's Instagram @jbhs_dispatch for the answers!

1

A brief look into some of Bowie's newest exchange students Asher Hagan Executive Editor: Art/Graphics

test.

“I had to go to camp where we were reading the rules and everything to see how the Junior Giorgio Cocquio emU.S. is,” Stefaniank explained. braces his brother after his long “They prepare us mentally to time away, while hearing the show us how to go through stories of his brother’s travels these bad times that we will in America, an idea starts to have during Christmas or form in his mind. something when we will miss Every year Bowie takes in and we will be homesick, etc. several exchange students from So it was hard for us to leave various countries around the our family, but I can tell you world. These students come that it's worth it. It's definitely to America, and to Bowie, for worth it. So other than that, I many different reasons. had loads of paper to sign too.

“My brother did the experiSo lots of documents, lots of ence in Pennsylvania last year,” paperwork, etc.”

Cocquio, an exchange student Despite all of this preparafrom Italy said. “He told me tion, it is still difficult to adjust that it was beautiful, and he to a new school and a whole had the possibility to travel all new country. over the United States and to “The biggest change is the make a lot of friends and firstly, weather,” Stefaniank said. “In because he wanted to learn bet- Poland we don’t have these ter English. In Italy. It's not so types of temperatures. So that’s special, how we speak English. the weather, but the other And so like, I thought, yeah, difference is about the people. why not? I can afford it. And I see that people are different. I it will be a great experience don't know how to describe it. based on what others have told I see just a difference between me. So, I like to speak better people in Poland and the peoEnglish. I like to travel. I like to ple here. Like wearing pajamas see every part of the world so to school is why not?” weird, and the For others, flip flops and like junior socks, etc.”

Tynka StefaOne thing niank from I wanted to drive a that American Poland, she public schools yellow school bus to wanted to exhave that not perience what school...I wanted to many schools an American in other see how it is being high school countries have was like. an American girl in are electives, “I wanted and at Bowie high school. to see what we have over is in a bigger 150 options. school,” SteTynka Stefaniank According faniank said. to Austin Junior “I wanted to ISD’s webdrive a yellow site, Bowie’s bus to school enrollment and make is also higher relationships, and all of that. than any other high school in I wanted to see how it is like the district. being an American girl in a “I don't know if it is because high school.” we are in a huge city, but this Across the world there school is like 10 times mine,” are many different agencies Cocquio explained. “So in that help students go through Italy I have 300 students in my the process of becoming an school. And the big difference exchange student. In addition, is that here you can choose the every state in America has subject that you will want to different laws and regulations follow. In Italy you have math, for exchange students. In Italian, English, philosophy, Texas, you have to be between art, and PE, and you do all the the ages of five and 21 and have subjects every time and you're to pass a language proficiency obliged to do them. And so you

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stay in the same class every week, every hour here and the teachers change the classes.

And then we go to school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Saturday.”

In addition to the sheer mass of the school, Bowie has other things that are unique to the school and the district. One of these things is Flexible Instructional Time (FIT), a mandatory period that takes place everyday after first period.

“I didn't understand how the FIT worked,” Cocquio said.

“So, like the first few days I was around the school, I didn't see anybody and I was wondering why and someone stopped me and asked me ‘Oh, do you know that you have to? You're supposed to be in FIT.’ And so then I learned and I understood in the first week how to get around the school because we don't have that. We don't have to change classes in Italy. It’s all in the same classroom.”

These exchange students are not all on their own however.

Councilor April Guiffre is in charge of the “International 'Dawgs” and helps guide them through their time in Bowie by setting up things like FIT sessions. Adapting to a new environment that you are not

ART BY Asher Hagan familiar with can be a difficult thing, but a lot of people would be willing to go through immense change to have a fulfilling experience.

“So yeah, I'm in the U.S.,” Cocquio said. “For me just being in the U.S. is a big thing for any European. We go on to the U.S. on vacation if you're lucky and if you have the money. So being in the U.S. for a year is already a big, big experience for me.”

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Across 3. What number senate bill bans gender affiring care for minors in Texas? (pg. 2) 5. If you are in possetion of a ____ you are sent to ALC under new state laws. (pg. 2, 15) 9. Bulldogs and _______ is an event featured in the photoessay on page 16.

10. The last name of the theater teacher that passed away. (pg. 1) 11. A movie that came out on the same day as Openheimer. (pg. 7)

Down 1. What animal is the mascot of Bowie?

4. Under House Bill 900 books can’t be sold to minors if they are deemed sexually _______. (pg. 8) 6. Bowie is restricting more and more of what kind of hall passes? (pg. 14) 7. The name of the bookstore that first filed a lawsuit against Texas for House Bill 900. (pg. 8) 8. The Barbie movie helped highlight what social movement that deals with women’s equality? (pg. 7) CROSSWORD BY Asher Hagan

tudent Spotlight

"Augustine"

Patt Collings Senior

This student did not submit any additional information.

"Somewhere in Europe"

Ryan Kohler Senior

"I Created this piece sophomore year in Art 2 for a watercolor and ink project. It took me 3 months to

Want to submit your own art and photos?

complete it and it was one of the first artworks I completed with watercolor and ink.

It is 18 by 20 inches."

Scan the QR Code!

Natalie Grassian Senior

"I created this piece because I wanted to draw someone whose hair was like a lake. There isn’t really any meaning I just created it to make something pretty! This painting is Gouache on canvas and is 18 by 35 inches."

"Koi"

4 FEATURE

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY SEPT. 29, 2023

New member flies into Austin Ice Bats

Junior Arys Peradi returns to Austin after two years, to play in local Junior hockey league Sophia Sanchez Executive Editor: Writing

with how free and balanced you feel on the ice,” Arys said. “When I am skating I feel free and open and I’m Stick in hand, cold air prickling able to clear my mind. When I’m playhis face, junior Arys Peradi passes the ing the game and I’m active, my brain puck to his teammate in hopes of scor- is all over the place but you gotta be ing a goal. This will be Peradi’s first so dialed in on hockey that you’re not season playing with Austin Ice Bats thinking about much else. When I’m and he is determined to impress. sitting on the bench I’m singing songs “Arys has always had an incredible in my head and thinking of all sorts of self-starting and hard work ethic,” stuff.”

Arys’ father, Eric Peradi said. “He puts Junior level hockey ranges from 16 in the extra time and is always trying to 21 year olds and is an organized to be the best at whatever he is doing, league that provides a pathway to sports, school, etcetera. As a father collegiate or professional hockey. After and coach, those are the types of indimoving back from Connecticut, the viduals and leaders that you hope your Austin Ice Bats coach reached out to son or daughter will become, and Arys Arys to come and skate with the team has always been that son and player.” members. Shortly Multiple coaches after, Arys signed to from across the counplay with the team try have expressed full time. interest in Arys as “I first saw Arys With the Ice Bats I an athlete. For the play at the Corpus past two years, Arys am excited to see Christi IceRays North has lived with host American Hockey him grow as a player families in Dallas, and League (NAHL) Prein Connecticut to play and develop his Draft camp in Austin with an elite hockey earlier this summer,” skills to be able to academy, this year reAustin Ice Bats coach turning back to Austin achieve his dream of Kirk Golden said. to play for the Austin “Arys’ speed, skill, playing Division 1.

Ice Bats. and toughness stood “Austin Ice Bats are out to me. He has Eric Peradi completely different,” continued to improve Bowie parent Arys said. “They have in the short time a very nice facility I we’ve had as a team play at and I love all this year. It is great to have the local my teammates and the coach. These talent return to Austin to play Junior coaches practice with us, they kind of A hockey.” feel more like teammates than coachForechecking is a tactic that adds es, which I like way more.” pressure to the opposing team in order Arys’ introduction to hockey was to gain control of the puck, while the through his father, a former D1 hockey job of a forward and winger is to supathlete, and he found his passion for port the center and score goals. Arys is the sport while playing alongside his persistent and dedicated to improving brothers. his technique in multiple fields and “I’ve never skied before, but I heard positions. it’s a very similar feeling to skiing,

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STEPPING ON THE ICE: Arys enters the rink to play the first game of the season against the Texas Road Runners. According to Arys, he looks forward to honing in on his skills and bonding with his new team members. PHOTO COURTESY OF Arys Peradi

EYES SET ON THE GOAL: Junior Arys Peradi prepares to take a shot at a goal alongside his teammate. The Austin Ice Bats will be playing at the Ice and Fields at the Crossover venue for the rest of the season. PHOTO COURTESY OF Arys Peradi

“When I’m on the ice and my adrenaline’s going I don’t really feel as much pain when they shoot the puck,” Arys said. “An important job of a forward or winger is to block that shot so doesn’t have any chance of going in.

I’m very good defensively at blocking shots and clearing the puck out and then I have always been a good hitter and forechecker. I’ve wanted to improve my stick-handling with the puck and improve my skating skills.”

Living in the south, being a hockey player wasn’t always the norm, and opportunities were hard to come by.

“Being a hockey player in Central Texas is not always easy with football and other sports getting all the attention,” Eric said. “I am so proud of young men like Arys and the kids in our organization that dedicate their time and energy to a sport I love so much and has brought me so many opportunities in my life. Being able to give back and seeing my own son do the same makes me the proudest dad I know.”

Despite the challenges of living in an area where hockey is considered a minor sport, Arys continues to push himself in order to pursue his dreams.

“I think back to my younger self watching my first National Hockey

League (NHL) games and college games and just thinking how I really want to be there and do that,” Arys said. “I’ve definitely had moments where I just want to quit. But then I remember that the good of hockey definitely outweighs all the bad. So when I get sad I kind of just wait it out and go through it, and then eventually I start to love it again.”

The Austin Ice Bats began practice in early September. According to Golden, the team is extremely diverse, with teammates from seven different states, and others born in four different countries “My favorite memory on the team so far is playing soccer with the boys and just hanging out with everyone,” teammate Alex Swanson said. “It’s great being surrounded by people whose goal is to make you a better person and hockey player.”

Adjusting to new coaches and teammates is no new experience for Arys. According to Eric, Arys’s dedication to hockey and friendly attitude are his most admirable qualities.

“With the Ice Bats I am excited to see him grow as a player and develop his skills to be able to move on to the next level and achieve his dream of playing D1 hockey,” Eric said. “Having

him come home and play in Austin after being gone for two years is amazing and will really show the local kids that the Ice Bats are an opportunity for them in their future.”

The Austin Ice Bats game schedule has been posted for the upcoming months. Arys plans on using this competitive experience to prepare for collegiate hockey, with eyes set on the national level.

“It’s always been my dream to play in the National Hockey League for the pro teams,” Arys said. “But right now I want to set the goal of playing Division One hockey at any college I’ve just been asked to play there.”

Not only is Arys looking forward to achieving his goals on the ice, he is excited to be involved in the classic high school experience.

“I feel like this year is going to be different,” Arys said. “I’ve never been to school-like events. I’ve never been to a school football game, assembly, dance, or anything. This year I’m at home, and we play fewer games this year than I did last year. I’m going to have more free time to be able to experience high school and I think it will be really fun to go to homecoming and football games, and be a kid but also be able to play hockey.”

Senior theater student pursues dream of directing films Charlotte Schwarte Dispatch Reporter

Hazy lights dim in and out, as crowds of people wait with hushed breaths. In front of them words are spoken so loud they reverberate throughout the set. In the center of it all, the director stands, calling the shots.

Senior Jadon Demetri has been in theater for seven years, from Gorzycki Middle School theater to Bowie’s Starlight Theater Company (STC). He has acted, sung, and danced, but now he is ready to move on to a new stage.

“I’ve been enjoying helping coach pieces and work on pieces in Interpretation and assistant directing for shows,” Demetri said. “Senior One Acts and Children’s Shows kind of helped me realize that I have a passion for directing.”

Demetri has been interested in a wide range of careers, spanning all the way from writing to computer science and cybersecurity, however his chosen path of directing is closer to his theater roots.

“What I really enjoy is seeing a finished creation and getting to see my work and be all

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excited about it,” Demetri said. “I also have had fun working with actors in the past and getting to mess around and create interesting ideas. It’s that aspect of really putting my imagination into a piece and getting to watch it at the end.”

Demetri’s dream of directing came about recently, with him deciding in his junior year what he wants to do for the rest of his life.

“I always knew I wanted to do something somewhat creative,” Demetri said. “I wasn’t sure if it was writing or maybe just doing anything else.”

Demetri’s goal is to attend film school after graduating from Bowie, with his top choice being Emerson College in Massachusetts. He is aware of the film industry’s focus on experience and skills rather than collegiate degrees.

“I’m gonna go into this with the philosophy that if I can get a job or some sort of connections,” Demetri said. “Then I will drop out of college because the degree doesn’t really matter.”

The directing industry is small and competitive, and according to emerson.edu, 35% of undergraduates are still looking for jobs after graduating from Emerson Liberal Arts College.

“As a mom, I worry that it is a hard industry,” Jadon’s mother Stacy Demetri said. “But I also know he is a hard worker, smart, determined, and talented.”

Jadon is also a second-year captain of Oral Interpretation, a subcategory of Speech and Debate. He’s also planning on directing in the aforementioned Senior One Acts and Children Shows.

“He has a good instinct of seeing an overall picture,” theater teacher Marco Bazan said. “I can trust him to communicate the idea and kind of get the performers to understand the vision as well.”

Jadon has assistant directed for two STC shows and created two short films, one of which, ‘The Glory’, has been submitted to the Austin Film Festival Young Filmmakers competition.

“I’ve learned a lot. It definitely takes a lot of preparation in advance,” Jadon said. “I think you just need to go into creating a short film having a very clear vision as to what you want.”

One of Jadon’s role models in this career is filmmaker Wes Anderson, known for his symmetry, recognizable pastel sets, and unique cinematography.

“I kind of liked just in general, how he sort of flipped film on its backside and did something very unique and interesting,” Jadon said. “It’s

PERFORMING TO THE CLASS: Senior Jadon Demetri has been a part if Bowie’s Starlight Theater Company since his freshman year, this year helping to direct a couple plays. Demetri plans on attending a film school in hopes of directing his very own film one day. PHOTO BY Will Olneck

like you could watch a movie and be like, ‘Oh, there’s a Wes Anderson movie’ without even knowing.”

Jadon is Co-President of The Filmmakers Club at Bowie alongside senior Sofia Chavez. She also aspires to be a director and they are heading down the path together.

“I’ve never met anyone who’s as interested and invested in film as I am and watching his face light up when we talk about film and talk about directing and everything is so great,” Chavez said. “I feel like I get so excited and I have that spark that I think he also has.”

In the four years of highs school with Jadon, Chavez got a front row seat to a lot of his performances and growth in theater.

“He also brings so much power and emotion into his roles,” Chavez said. “They really showcase his talent and I think that he is not only a

skilled and gifted director, he has such a creative mind.”

In his freshman year, Jadon qualified and placed at the state competition in Oral Interp, but he has no qualms about moving on from the bright lights. ”I love acting,” Jadon said. “I think it’s very fun. I think I might continue doing it as a hobby, but when it comes to a job, I wouldn’t really care to do acting.”

Jadon stresses how important it is for aspiring directors to start as soon as possible and gain experience in the film field. But overall, he is choosing a career he has passion for.

“My end goal is to just have created a movie that I’m proud of,” Jadon said. “I don’t really care to be famous. I more just want to be able to live that life of creating creative aspects that mean something to me.”

FEATURE 5

Wheels squeal as senior kicks up dust FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

Joanna Tebbs is filled with adrenaline as she faces danger performing on her motorbike Samantha Bode Dispatch Reporter

Motorbiking is a competitive sport where athletes race their competition on either a dirt track or The sound of engines fills the air a trail on motorized bikes. Track ridand the race is about to start. As the ing is when you race on a designated last few seconds on the clock tick motocross track that has jumps and away, and the barricades begin to fall, corners, while trail riding is when senior Joanna Tebbs is hit with a rush you race on actual trails in more of adrenaline as she revs her engine, rugged areas. Trail riding is very knowing that she is ready to race. similar to mountain biking but on a Tebbs has been involved in motormotorized bike. biking since 2019. She picked up the “I got more into track riding,” Josport because her dad was involved anna said. “I tried trail riding once, in it when he was but then I got stuck in younger. the middle of the trail “It was a lot of a couple miles out. fun for him when I was riding a really he was younger, so We used to go to janky bike, and I had he thought it would to push a 200 pound this track called be cool if I got into bike back.” it,” Tebbs said. “He Murphy’s. We One of Joanna’s fasigned me up for lesvorite parts about mowould practice sons and everything. torbiking is being able I thought it was really there at night to see the progression fun, so I just continin her skills. She likes because they had ued with it.”

FLYING THROUGH: Joanna Tebbs rides around a dirt course, showing off her riding to work towards her Through moFriday Night Lights. goals, such as landing skills and orange motorbike. Tebbs has done motorbiking since 2019. PHOTO COURTESY OF Joanna Tebbs torbiking, Tebbs a big jump or getting a Joanna Tebbs has made tight knit came over, and they had gotten my where.” faster time, and she’s Motor biker friendships with dad and carried me over to the truck.

Like other extreme sports, motormade a lot of good memother riders, but one I don’t know what happened honestly biking can lead to serious injuries. In ories because of it. of her main riding but I just magically came to in the fact, it’s common to see someone get “My favorite memory partners is her twin brother, senior car.” was when I went to my first, less local, injured and have medics rush over to Connor Tebbs.

With this dangerous sport comes a them during a race. Joanna has seen a more professional track,” Joanna said.

“We used to go to this track called lot of safety precautions and expensive fair amount of injuries, but she’s also “It’s called Freestone. I did one race Murphy’s,” Connor said. “We would gear, including helmets and pads. gotten some serious injuries herself. there, and I actually didn’t turn out practice there at night because they “They have neck braces so there’s “The time I got a concussion and I in last place, which is great. I was 15 had Friday night lights, so all the also messed up my knee,” Joanna said. less chance of concussions, and there’s years old at the time, and I was racing lights would be on, and it was perfect also knee protectors,” Connor said.

“I don’t even remember it because I a bunch of 20 year old guys, so it for biking around in loops.”

“The most important protection is was so out of it. This group of dads made me realize I’m getting some-

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boots because if you land too hard on a flat surface, your ankles will pop, so it’s important to get good boots.”

According to Joanna, despite the dangers of the sport, it’s still worth participating in because of the rush she gets when she’s riding.

“It’s that adrenaline rush you get when you’re going at that speed and floating through the air,” Joanna said.

“I feel like you have to experience it to understand it.”

Something that comes with being a part of a motor sport is gaining general mechanical skills. If a rider is able to repair their bike themselves instead of relying on a shop to do it for them, it can teach them a lot.

“At one point I was working on a lot of my repairs by myself,” Joanna said. “It made me realize how accessible learning how to work on mechanics is. Even with an oil change, most people go and pay for that. You just have to realize that it’s not hard at all.

You could do that if you wanted to.”

According to Joanna, motorbiking has provided a great sense of community and given her connections to a whole other world and people she wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.

“It’s a good sport to get into,” Joanna said. “There’s a really nice community that you get into that you wouldn’t think you were getting into.

People kind of gravitate towards you.

The community is very positive, and they’re always going to be there for you.

Otto Wu’s Zines club: a fun and expressive outlet for creativity Bentlee Toland Feature Editor

Zines, a funky word used to express creativity and individuality.

The Zine club is a student-led club at James Bowie High School created by senior, Otto Wu. Zines are a small box of self-published work texts and images similar to a cartoon, but can be used in multiple ways. Zines is a club where students create their zines together and express their creativity in a safe space.

“I like making zines. They’re these little booklets that you can make on whatever, bands, music, or recipes. You can do collages of photos,” Wu said. “They’re really easy to make. You can just draw it on a piece of paper, make copies of it, staple things together, so it’s very easy, cheap, and affordable.”

Zines Club offers opportunities for students to start expressing their art to an audience. They meet in Matt Flickinger FIT in A206 every Friday.

“An average day at the club I would say we usually have a table that’s got supplies and blank zines that people can use,” Wu said. “Then we’ve got some examples of zines that people can bring in and I usually bring some that people can look at for inspiration. People talk and we kind of make our little groups and we just hang out and draw and write. It’s pretty fun.”

Not only does joining the Zines club provide the chance for students to create zines, but also make new friends “My favorite part of the zines club is probably the people,” senior Raven Kemenesi said. “I’ve met a lot of really awesome and creative people. I also love how it gives me a space to be creative.”

Zines have been around for a long time, but are often unrecognized. There are numerous events and festivals dedicated to zines, such as the Lone Star Zine Fest, which takes place in Austin.

“I love finding community and making art,” said senior Vivian Jordan said. “I’ve been to some zine fests before and love the idea of trying to make my work too, and Zine club is perfect for that. People are so creative and nice with zine making, it’s super cool to see what everybody

DEEP IN THOUGHT: Senior Otto Wu is Thinking about what to draw in his Zine titled: “How to Make Your Own Graphic Tee.” Wu founded a club dedicated to the creation of zines. PHOTO BY Nick Wong

makes.”

According to Kemenesi, Wu is an amazing leader and creator of the Zines Club. With his strong passion for zines, many people in the club look up to him.

“Otto is one of the nicest people I know. I’ve known him for years at this point, and he’s just a genuinely good person,” Kemenesi said. “He’s very relaxed and happy to teach new people and talk about zines. He’s a passionate person who loves art, and that much is clear with his love for the Zine club.”

Wu’s art comes in all shapes and sizes and has gone viral on Instagram since he was in middle school. Wu currently has almost 76,000 followers and is gaining more and more each day. With his fame, Wu has many fans who look up to him and make art inspired by his work.

“I started taking it seriously around middle school and in high school,” Wu said. “It’s just something that’s always been in my life as something that I can do for fun and as a job. I started posting on Instagram when I was 11 because I draw a lot of fan-art for shows that I like and I just wanted somewhere to post that. But then I started

blowing up like. When I was 13-14, it was stressful. Because I spent all of my teens with a bunch of people looking at my art it was so much pressure.

I’ve kind of grown into it now and I can handle it better. It’s not a big deal.”

Wu’s process of making art can depend on the piece, but finds that it’s not that difficult with zines. This is one of the main reasons Wu made the club, so everyone can express themselves.

“I think it’s just really accessible. It is an accessible way to self-publish your work,” Wu said.

The Zine club is a way for Wu to express their imagination in a mannered environment with friends. Wu also focuses on more complicated and mixed art pieces.

“I’m working on one right now at home. It’s pretty big. I think it’s 12 by 18 inches. I do all the pencils and then I do it over in ink. Then I color with markers and I go over the marker with colored pencils if I want to grab details,” Wu said.

“That one’s been pretty hard because I am using a lot of photo references for it. It is like a picture of me, like a cartoon version of me. Then the background is a bunch of drawings I made based on photos of me, my family, and my friends. Those

are in black and white and not in color. It’s cool.”

Due to Wu’s willingness to use different types of complicated art styles, their dedication can lead to a possible future career.

“I’m applying to college. My first choice major is drawing and painting,” Wu said. “I made these digital brushes. I have them up on my shop online, but I don’t advertise. I think they cost $1.00 now.

I mean, they’re just brushes. I don’t want to gatekeep because they’re good versions.”

According to members, the zine club can have many positive outcomes for students. It provides supplies and time for members to create their masterpieces.

“Zines are a great way to express yourself in ways that I feel are kind of hard to do in other forms of publishing your work,” Wu said. “Zines it’s all up to you. You decide what’s in your zine.

You’re printing your zines, you’re distributing them so you can put what you want to be in there.

There’s very minimal interference from publishers, editors, and stuff like that. It’s very freeing.”

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YEARBOOKS ARE ON sale

basically, THE BEST TIME TO BUY IS NOW get yours at bowieyb.com lone star 2024

6 PHOTO ESSAY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2022

‘Dawgs team up for annual fundraiser

FACE PAINTING: Senior Brighton Toland painted faces for kids at Bulldogs and Hotdogs. Toland and others were a part of the Starlight Theater Company’s booth. “If I could, I would volunteer again next year.

It’s so much fun,” Toland said. PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Community bonds at Bulldogs and Hotdogs Arden Ray Photo Essay Editor

BAND FATHEADS: Color Guard member Charlie Tamez walks holding a sign with a man’s face on it. The Band sold custom signs to fund raise at Bulldogs and Hotdogs. “The parents/people in band buy the signs so we can sport them in the stands,” Carney said. PHOTO BY Arden Ray

BOBBING FOR DUCKS: The Bowie Swim and Dive Team held a duck fishing activity at their booth.

Junior swimmer Harriet Lewis participated with her team at the booth. “It was really hot, but the games we had were fun,” Lewis said. PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Senior Brighton Toland roams around the courtyard looking for a new shirt to rep her favorite Bowie team. Glancing around, she sees her fellow students laughing with their friends and showing their Bulldawg pride. Every year, Bowie holds their annual fundraiser “Bulldogs and Hotdogs.” Bowie classes, clubs, and teams set up booths with games and activities to raise money and support for their group.

Students have the opportunity to volunteer at their clubs’ booth. Senior Brighton Toland helped the Starlight Theater Company at their booth.

“The best part of Bulldogs and Hotdogs to me is getting to meet so many new people and see new faces,” Toland said. “I wanted to participate in Bulldogs and Hotdogs because I love meeting new people and representing my company as a leader.

Throughout the afternoon, students and parents walk around all the booths to purchase things from merchandise to snow-cones to support Bowie clubs and teams. Some clubs raised money by offering activities at their booths like bobbing for rubber ducks and spin-thewheel games. The Starlight Theater Company offered face

“We were selling Bush’s painting to people attending Chicken, and shirts and also Bulldogs and Hotdogs. had a duck pond where you can “I did face paint for my win prizes,” Lewis said. booth. Our booth did attract a Main contributors and dolot of people because it’s face nors at Bulldogs and Hotdogs paint and kids love face paint,” are the Bowie parents. Many Toland said. “There were some parents are involved in booster people at the front who were clubs for teams with the monand clubs. ey box and “Parents the popcorn helped run [our] and if you booth and hanwanted face dle the money,” paint you told Lewis said. them and you Bowie parpaid then you ents bring in a got In line for lot of attention face paint.” to the Bowie Like the clubs, but at Starlight theBulldogs and ater company, Hotdogs lots of Besa Carney young kids play and the Bowie Brighton Toland the games at difBand used art Senior ferent booths. to raise mon“The parey by selling ents were very custom signs helpful and we appreciate that,” with faces on them to parents Lewis said. and students.

Bowie students also come “This year they were selling out and support their friends signs that have the director’s and classmates by participating faces on it, and one of the in activities and buying food director’s dogs,” Carney said. and merchandise. Everyone be“This year [the money] is for ing outside, doing fun activities our trip this November to Indiand eating good food creates anapolis.” a positive and exciting atmoAnother booth at Bulldogs sphere for everyone involved. and Hotdogs was the Bowie “The energy of Bulldogs and swim and Dive team. Junior Hotdogs is fun and happy,” Harriet Lewis volunteered at Toland said. “I 100% think the booth and helped with the students were into it.” activity.

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I believe the turnout was good.

Everyone is having the time of their life because you’re surrounded by friends.

SPIKEBALL: Bowie volleyball players play a game of spikeball with parents attending Bulldogs and Hotdogs. This was the fundraising activity for the volleyball team’s booth. “The best part is the people and hanging out with friends,” Lewis said. PHOTO BY Arden Ray

IN-DEPTH 7

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

THIS BARBIE IS A FEMINIST

ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORES BARBIE - 2023 CRITIC SCORE: 88% AUDIENCE SCORE: 83%

Barbie movie sparks controversy and conversation about feminism Kate Davis Editor-in-Chief

ferent careers and even landed on the moon before Neil Armstrong.

Barbie’s wide range of professions Ten year old Brighton Toland inspired a new generation of femsits on her bedroom floor, holding inists to continue to fight for the Doctor Barbie who is ready to drive same opportunities and treatment off to work in her pink Corvette. in the workplace.

Already sitting in the car are As“There’s this lovely long list tronaut Barbie, Pilot Barbie, and of rights that white men gave to Architect Barbie. themselves long ago that women Now a senior, Toland has taken and people of color have had to Barbie’s advice and is pursuing fight for item by item,” English and her dreams of being an on-stage Ethnic Studies teacher Chrissy Heperformer with Bowie’s Starlight jny said. “After women got the right Theater Company to vote, they had to (STC). Taking after demand the right Film Director Barto work, to choose bie, Toland is now their own reproa senior director in ductive path, to an Feminism gives me education, to their the STC. “I grew up with the power to go after own homes, to open parents that told their own bank acwhat I want and to counts. Little things me women could do anything men turn my world into that you and I take could do, and that’s for granted were something better. The hard-won by the what I did with my Barbies,” Toland goal of feminism is for women who came said. “My Barbies’ before us.” everyone to win. had all the big jobs The early generand Ken was a stayations of feminists Chrissy Hejny at-home dad that were primarily English and Ethnic Studies Teacher watched the kids. I focused on women’s just thought it was suffrage. Despite fun that Barbie got having accomplished this, today’s to do all the cool things and make feminists are passionate about exthe money.” ploring new avenues and goals for The first Barbie doll was created the future of women. in March, 1959 and was the first “I think that women have made toy doll that was an adult, rather a lot of progress, looking back to than a baby. That Barbie was a fash- the times when women couldn’t ion model and could be seen wearvote,” senior Tatum Wilson said. ing a black and white swimsuit.

“We have definitely evolved and “I think it was really gained a lot more rights and reground-breaking at the time that spect. But at the same time, we’re Barbie was an adult because it still not done and we have to keep showed that women are capable of on moving. We have to continue to becoming more than just mothers,” try and gain equal rights because senior Karen Merryman said. “Baralthough so much progress has bie can be anything and women been made, there’s still so much can be anything, that needs to be not just mothers. I done.” think it’s importThe values and ant to note that purpose of feminism Barbie has never are often disputed, been portrayed as a We have evolved with the notion of mother.” often being and gained more misandry At the time of discussed. According Barbie’s creation, rights and respect. to the Merriam-Webfeminism was not ster Dictionary, misBut at the same a new concept, andry can be defined and women had time, we’re still not as the hatred for the right to vote. which accorddone and we have men, However, it was ing to many feminists still uncommon to keep on moving. couldn’t be further for women to have from their intentions.

Tatum Wilson jobs outside of “I don’t hate men, Senior their homes, but and I don’t know Ruth Handler, the a single woman or inventor of Barbie, feminist who hates didn’t let that stop her. men. The patriarchy hurts boys and “I think she was an incredimen, too,” Hejny said. “The other ble woman and role model who misconception is that women want changed the lives of many,” Merryto flip the script. To make it a swap. man said. “She revolutionized femThat we want to oppress men the inism for the younger generation way they’ve oppressed everyone and helped lead to the lives women else for centuries. Not only is it lead in the 21st century.” hilariously illogical, but the truth Following the creation of Fashis that what feminists want is for ion Model Barbie, the doll expandeveryone to have the opportunity to ed her resume into hundreds of dif- live their one precious life free from

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discriminatory institutional barriers. Feminism isn’t a game that ends with winners and losers. The goal of feminism is for everyone to win.”

In July of 2023, the Barbie movie was released into theaters. The film followed the lives of the many Barbies and Kens living in Barbie World and quickly rose to popularity due to its commentary on sexism in the real world. As of September 5, “Barbie” has taken the box office by storm, earning more than $1.38 billion worldwide to become the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros.’ 100-year history; the highest-grossing film ever from a female filmmaker at the domestic box office; and is the largest worldwide film release of 2023.

“I thought it was very feminist in a good way. I loved it,” Toland said. “I think it kind of woke people up to what the world was really like here. How all the Barbies were acting toward the Kens is how men act toward women in real life. I think that was important to show and I thought it was really good.”

Not only did fans of the movie enjoy the emphasis it placed on uplifting women, but it also tackled more serious conversations which resonated with many viewers.

“I loved the film, and I struggled with it. I seethed with anger and discomfort when Barbie was expected to comfort Ken after she had just experienced her own dark night of the soul,” Hejny said. “I talked to my therapist about it. My therapist asked me, “Where do you see Chrissy in that scene,” and it hit me. I am Barbie. I spend every waking moment comforting everyone else, making sure everyone else feels good, comfortable, and confident, but no one does that for me. They call me a queen and tell me to get up, dust off, and straighten my crown, but they don’t tell me I’m enough.”

Despite the immense amount of support for the movie, it created significant amounts of controversy.

Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro was notably upset about the movie, and went viral for his 43-minute-long video expressing his discontent with the film, all while burning a Barbie doll.

“This movie is not just a piece of s**t. This movie is a flaming piece of dog s**t piled atop an entire dumpster on fire piled atop a landfill filled with dog s**t,” Shapiro said. “It is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. On every possible level, it is a horrific movie.”

While some people like Shapiro had an intense reaction to the movie, others only had minor grievances with the film’s feminist commentary.

“I felt like the way the movie portrayed women in the real world made it seem like no one was able to rise above the odds and that we were still in an entirely oppressive

society where women were just on the lower echelons of every company and place that they’re in,” Merryman said. “In reality, I feel like a lot of women have stepped up and there’s more women in power than there ever have been before. I preferred the movie as a comedy more than a social commentary, but I did see the message they were trying to portray.”

Criticism is not new to the Barbie franchise. The company received significant amounts of backlash for a lack of diversity in body type, and its effects on the generations who grew up with the toy. According to Harmony Healthcare It, “69% think Barbie dolls can lead to body image issues” and “82% think Barbie dolls portray unrealistic body images to girls and women.”

“Personally, I was too young to really look at Barbie and think ‘this is what I should look like,’ because I hadn’t really matured, I was just playing with these Barbies,” senior Tess Nielson said. “I think now they’re more inclusive, have different bodies that are more realistic, and they’ve grown. But I don’t think it affected me that much. It might have affected the teenagers who saw them and were more aware of that, but I don’t know if they were really playing with Barbies as much.”

As the Barbie company continues to grow and evolve, so does the fight for equality. Many feminists are now focusing on expanding the movement to support all women, not just women of certain races, origins, or ethnicities.

“Women and people of color have been fighting for equality and for an end to every form of discrimination for centuries,” Hejny said.

“Every action has an equal opposite reaction– as long as sexism and misogyny continue to plague our systems, feminism will be here.

There’s no opting out of this conversation.”

ART BY Kate Davis

What were your thoughts on how the Barbie movie portrayed feminism?

GRACIE RULAND - 9 “I think the way feminism was portrayed in Barbie really showcased how it is in real life. Barbie World is the opposite of the real world.

In the end, Ken is more heard but still an accessory to Barbie, and that’s how women feel now.”

PHOTO BY Kate Davis NATALIE SMITH - 10 “I think that the Barbie movie portrayed feminism really well. The contrast between the Barbie World and the real world showcased how women are treated. I also like how it didn’t put down men, it just brought up women.”

PHOTO BY Kate Davis

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AVERY FECHTER - 11 “I think they portrayed it well. They talked about how men are expected to be perfect and not have their own identity and how women are expected to fit all standards. I like how it shows that neither of these have to be the case.”

PHOTO BY Kate Davis NIAM PATEL - 12

BARBIE THROUGH THE YEARS:

BARBIE IS BORN: The first Barbie doll was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler. This Barbie was a fashion model.

This Barbie was groundbreaking as it was the first doll to be an adult rather than a baby.

KEN IS CREATED: Ken was launched two years after Barbie in 1961 to be the doll’s All-American boyfriend. He was a blondehaired surfer and came dressed in red swim shorts and sandals.

BREAKING BARRIERS: In 1980 the first African-American Barbie was released alongside the first Latina Barbie. Following this, Barbie released over 40 dolls from different nationalities and ethnicities.

BARBIE GOES BALD: In 2012 Barbie released a bald doll known as “Chemo Barbie” to support young cancer patients. This Barbie doll broke the gender stereotypes which said women needed long hair to be pretty.

CREATING DIVERSITY: Barbie released their Fashionista line in 2016, which featured dolls of seven skin tones, four different body types, and over 20 different hairstyles, allowing young girls to find Barbie’s just like them.

ART BY Kate Davis and Sophia Sepulveda

“I thought it had a good feminist message. I don’t agree with the idea that it was too feminist or too political. It’s a movie about women, for women. As soon as it came out, people I knew were talking about it’s message. You go girls.”

PHOTO BY Charlotte Koellner JADON DEMETRI - 12 “The Barbie movie does an amazing job at portraying the struggles of being a woman in our society. It is really eye-opening, and watching it for the first time really helped me put into perspective the gender roles in our society.”

PHOTO BY Kate Davis

IN-DEPTH 9

8 IN-DEPTH

STUDENT READERS: SHOVED OFF THE SHELVES Local bookstore files lawsuit against authors of HB900, a bill that would potentially ban hundreds of books from school libraries for sexual relevance THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023

? ? ?

ART BY Asher Hagan

1637 First Book Ban The Puritan government enacts the first book ban in Massachusetts, against Thomas Morton’s New English Canaan.

1873 Comstock Act

Mazzy Warren Editor-in-Chief

Hearing about a new proposed law, junior Avery McMahon was shocked. As co-president of the Bowie book club, she was disgusted. Reading further, she couldn’t help but think: school libraries are under attack.

Researching the proposal further, she found that House Bill 900 (HB900) allowed books to be removed from schools based on what, she believed, were the personal opinions of Texas Republican politicians.

She had questions: What kind of government dictated what an individual could read on their own time? How did HB900 even get passed, when legislators know that it puts students’ futures at risk?

“Books are powerful, because they teach us about the world and our place in it,” McMahon said. “How are we supposed to have these discussions if we can’t read challenging literature? If the state can get away with this legislation, then they might go after the Austin Public Library, then start attacking private book vendors. Eventually, some of our books will be outlawed, and we’re not going to be able to read them because the state arbitrarily believes they’re inappropriate.”

THE BOOK BAN HB900 was scheduled to take effect September 1, alongside over 770 new laws passed by the Texas Legislature. This law requires booksellers to rate all books based on their depictions of sexually explicit topics. Booksellers believe this law, also known as the Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act, truly aims to unconstitutionally regulate free speech, which is protected under the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

“This bill absolutely restricts free speech, because the whole point of reading a book is to learn information and to tell a story,” senior literature club vice president Katherine Kuster said. “Not allowing people to read the books they want in school is stifling self-expression.

It’s another try by Republican lawmakers to stop information spreading around.”

According to Bowie librarian Tara Walker-Leon, the required ratings are based on vague standards; the law’s broad definitions leave too much room for personal opinion. If the Texas Education Administration (TEA) disagrees with a bookseller’s rating, it can overrule their decision without explanation. Senior Grace Steffenson believes this gives the government absolute authority to decide what books are allowed in schools.

“Any law that restricts literature, or any type of free speech, is never in anybody’s self interest,” Steffenson said.

“It’s not for children’s’ benefit, the laws are only used to push an agenda. The real purpose is to manipulate, to benefit a (political) party and its members.”

Under the law, books that are rated “sexually explicit,” meaning they contain content considered “patently offensive” by unspecified community standards, are banned from the shelves of public school libraries. Books that are rated “sexually relevant,” meaning they have any representation of sexuality, can remain in school libraries, but can only be read by a student outside of school, with written parental consent.

“I think this is hilarious,” Walker-Leon said.

“You tell kids not to read a book, and now that’s exactly what they want to read. We challenge orders like this, it’s human nature.”

As a member of the Bowie literature club, Steffenson believes that banning classic works would restrict important learning that students wouldn’t find anywhere else. The broad definitions of HB900 could result in banning these works, such as Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, Anne Frank’s Diary, The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird and many more respected works. Even the Bible could be at risk under the bill’s definitions.

“There’s a reason that classic works are classic,” Kuster said. “They were typically written in politically tense times, and they offer important political and social commentary. Making it difficult for students to read these books stops that information from being spread around, so students don’t realize that they can stand up for what they believe in, and that you can speak out against what you think is wrong.”

The bill grew out of a 2021 inquiry by former state Representative Matt Krause, who asked Texas school districts if their libraries contained any of 850 books that he considered offensive, primarily related to race and sexuality. This list inspired Rep-

The first federal law is enacted against “obscene” literature.

1876 ALA Formed American Library Association begins promoting libraries.

resentative Jared Patterson to remove about three dozen books, which he identified as personally offensive, from his own school district.

“When that list came out, I had my library aides go through the whole thing,” Walker-Leon said. “We looked for commonalities in the books, and we noticed they are all books that question racism, LGBTQ awareness, or abortion. So it’s clear that HB900 will extend to attack those groups, too.”

Patterson is now the primary author of HB900. McMahon believes the bill removes local control over school libraries in favor of a “statewide regulatory regime.”

Instead of leaving decisions to parental and community input, the state has seemingly seized local libraries, opponents say.

“This bill makes reading feel bad,” McMahon said.

“Instead of showing you all the books you can read, and telling you to find one you like, the government is saying: ‘Here’s all the books– but we’re going to tell you what you can read.’ Everyone prefers reading the things they want to read, versus being assigned a book by the government.”

CENSORSHIP?

THE LORD OF THE FLIES

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

HARRY POTTER

trying to ban books and stop people from expressing themselves. None of this is in kids’ self-interest, and it doesn’t actually help anybody. You could even hit it from an economic stand point. This could ruin the econTHE BLUEST EYE omy, because thousands of books will stop being sold to schools. They’re just messing up everything.”

The moment she heard about HB900, Walker-Leon Walker-Leon believes this is a problem that students knew something was wrong. This bill could have major need to pay attention to; according to her beliefs, when Me and Earl and the Dying implications on the school library that so many of her the state starts attacking public institutions, they are takstudents rely on, the library that she has dedicated much THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO ing a dangerous turn into fascist territory. McMahon fears of her life to. She runs the library by herself, and spends that state control over school libraries is censorship in its all of her time ordering books, organizing shelves, and rawest shape: censorship which starts at the school level ensuring things run smoothly in Bowie’s literary home. and expands to control the state, and soon might sweep “The Bowie library is a place for all students here on the entire nation. campus, no matter if they’re a big reader “In history, when they start taking or not,” Walker-Leon said. “This is a libraries, they start to control and suppress community space, and we work to make our voice,” Walker-Leon said. “When any sure everyone feels included here.”

Books are powerful, government wants to control knowledge, First reading about the bill, she was control information, and suppress difoptimistic that it wouldn’t pass. After because they teach ferent groups of people, it’s incredibly all, she believed it was an obvious problematic. It’s under the guise of us about the world infringement of Americans’ 1st Amendprotecting our children, but really they ment rights. Attending the Texas Library and our place in it. want to use this legislation to control Association conference last April, our children.”

How can we discuss THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK though, she began to lose hope.

McMahon encourages students to “I got a chance to talk to fellow this if we can’t read protest this change. She believes one of SCARY STORIES (SERIES) librarians, colleagues, and vendors, and those books? the greatest ways to effect change everyone was freaking out,” Walker-Leis to get directly in contact with on said. “I realized that it was actually Avery McMahon Texas’ legislators: to her, pevery serious, and it was probably going Book Club Co-President titioning and sending letters to pass.” are the best ways to protest.

The Bowie library stocks its shelves Walker-Leon wants students with books from multiple different to know the method to protect the people vendors, such as Follett, MackinVIA, and BookPeople; from targeted legislation such as this: stay with the unclear standards established in the bill, how aware. are these different companies all going to get on the same “So many people are so busy, I get it, but ANNE FRANK’S DIARY page when rating these books? they’re not paying attention,” Walker-Leon said.

“I don’t think publishers can all agree to one rating,” TROPIC OF CANCER “It’s important to be aware, to stay McMahon said. “It’s hard for that to happen, when everyinformed. Follow educational outlets on one who reads the book will have a different experience social media, make it your business to with it, and a different idea of what the book’s about educate people. Then, vote accordingly. based on their own understanding of it. They’ll take a Voting is a weapon, so we long, long time to agree on one rating.” need to make sure to vote for Both Kuster and Walker-Leon believe HB900 targets politicians who support us student readers and school librarians. As publishers fight and the public libraries our the state over the rating system, school libraries will state is attacking.” become emptier and emptier while orders

SILENCING STUDENT READERS

Girl

OF MICE AND MEN

"

Since the law was introduced, BookPeople CEO Charley Rejsek has been protesting it. BookPeople is the largest independent bookstore in Texas, and has been an Austin staple since its doors opened in 1970. Blue Willow Bookshop has a similar reputation in Houston; these two bookstores, aided by a team of literary defense organizations, have filed a lawsuit in hopes of blocking HB900.

“I’m glad they sued, because this bill was another one of those restrictive laws that relies too much on personal interpretation,” Steffenson said. “It’s the same concept as the Critical Race Theory argument, people don’t even know what it actually means, but they’re against it anyways. They just hear these keywords and go crazy about it, but nobody actually knows what these bills are doing, and what they can potentially take away from us.”

The plaintiffs believe HB900 violates the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. According to the complaint filed July 25, this law “is an over-broad and vague content-based law,” which “targets protected speech” and is not “narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest.” for books become delayed.

“Setting aside the fact that this “Texas is just creating more obstacles law is clearly unconstitutional, than necessary to steal books from the booksellers do not see a clear path hands of kids,” Walker-Leon said. “It’s anforward to rating the content of Making it difficult for other one of the state’s attacks on public the thousands of titles sold to education.” schools,” Rejsek said. “Booksellers students to read So why would Texas choose to create should not be put in the position classics stops them a bill like this? Why would legislators of broadly determining what best take library control from the community, serves all Texan communities. from realizing that they and reserve it for the state? Walker-Leon Each community is individual and can stand up for what believes the blame lies on the parents. has different needs. Setting local “Parents are probably freaking out guidelines is not the government’s they believe in. because they can’t control what their kids job either; it is the local librarian’s have access to,” Walker-Leon said. “Their and teacher’s job, in conjunction kids have their phones in their hands, with the community they serve.” they have access to all different kinds of Literature Club Co-President According to the plaintiffs, the inappropriate materials on the internet.

“Book Ban” compels library venParents can’t control that; but they can dors to express the government’s control the books in their schools.” views, even if they don’t agree with those sentiments.

She believes parents are using their frustration to This can be interpreted as prior restraint, which is a form control libraries and public schools. She recognizes this of censorship that allows the government to review writmovement as another attack on public schools, which she ten content and prevent its publication. believes contributes to a larger, systematic attack, which “The Book Ban harkens back to dark days in our aims to privatize education in Texas. nation’s history when the government served as licensors “The way the privatization movement contributes and dictated the public dissemination of information,” the plaintiff group said, in the public complaint issued against to this problem, just makes me aggravated with the whole thing,” Walker-Leon said. “I’ve been a teacher the bill. “The lessons from our history should be learned, for 20-something years, and I used to think I was being not ignored, and the constitutional prohibitions against paranoid, believing that they’re trying to destroy public censorship regimes should be respected, not rebuffed.” education. Now, though, I’m certain they are.”

Alongside the ethical concerns, book vendors are shocked to hear that the state will be providing no funding for the completion of this task; they are given more work, and no money to do that work.

“There are so many logistical nightmares here I don’t even know where to start,” Walker-Leon said. “Nobody wants to rate these books, it’s a game of censorship hot District Judge Alan D. Albright, who presided over the potato. It’s a mess, and I think it’s illegal. They are going lawsuit filed by BookPeople and their team, has granted a to put book vendors out of business and run school librar- temporary injunction, meaning the state cannot enforce ies to the ground.” the law. The fight isn’t over though, as the lawsuit is onThe Texas House passed the bill 95-52, with 12 Demogoing. McMahon believes students still need to protest crats in support. The Senate voted 19-12, zero Democrats and make their voices known. in support. Governor Greg Abbott signed the Book Ban “When students have something that frustrates them on June 13. It was scheduled to take effect on September enough, they’re very good about inspiring change,” 1, and applies to the 2023-2024 school year. Katy ISD was McMahon said. “Even if you don’t read that much, and the first to cease all library book purchases after the bill’s think this doesn’t affect you, you need to care about this. passage. Dripping Springs ISD now requires parental If your friend reads, your brother reads, your sister reads, permission for all books categorized “YA.” Some of these your friends read, if you know anyone who reads, they books are considered literary classics, like Fahrenheit 451 should be able to pick what it is they’re reading.” and Lord of the Flies.

What makes this bill unfair? Literary advocates believe “If students are confused about something that hapthat the books often singled out by politicians, like Reppens in a book, they should be able to explore, and to resentatives Krause and Patterson, are those that explore question, and to have conversations about the things they sexuality and race; advocates claim these topics have been saw or read, that opportunity shouldn’t be locked away caught in the crossfire of culture-war politics, but remain from them,” McMahon said. “We’re not really kids, we’re important for teens as they grow into the individuals teenagers about to be adults. Shielding us from the real they’re becoming. world is not going to help us, at all. It’s only going to hurt “Texas lawmakers are historically Republican, and us in the future.” they’re very radical,” Kuster said. “These bills are

"

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

BELOVED

THE COLOR PURPLE

THE BIBLE

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

LOLITA

GREEN EGGS AND HAM

THE GRAPES OF WRATH

HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST All Boys Aren’t Blue

Katherine Kuster

THE SATANIC VERSES

WHY BOOKS GET BANNED:

1984 DRAMA: A GRAPHIC NOVEL

Offensive Language

BRAVE NEW WORLD

RETURNING BOOKS TO THEIR SHELVES

Sexual Content

ULYSSES

Age-Inappropriate Violence Homosexuality

THE DA VINCI CODE

Religious Viewpoint

FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY

Occult/Satanism Portrayal of Marxism

Gender Queer

Drugs/Alcohol/Smoking

THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN

Racism Anti-Family

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

Nudity

V FOR VENDETTA

AMERICAN PSYCHO ART BY Mazzy Warren

1957 Roth v US

1982 Banned Books

Comstock Act outlawed with SCOTUS ruling in Roth v. United States.

2021 - 2022 More Bans

2021 Inquiry

2023 HB900

ALA launches Banned Books Week in response to a surge in book bans.

July 2021 through June 2022, 801 books are banned across 22 Texas school districts.

Former state Representative Matt Krause releases inquiry that asks public school libraries if they contain any of 850 books he identified as personally offensive.

HB900 is drafted, and later passed

by Texas legislation. It was scheduled to go in effect September 1, but was blocked with a temporary injunction on August 31.

ART BY Mazzy Warren

10 SPORTS

A

THE DISPATCH SEPT. 29, 2023

THLETES SSERT

Senior defensive back discusses football landscape

Swim star splashes competition

Cole Jaynes Defensive back Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

We started off our season by losing our two non-district games to Vista Ridge and Cedar Ridge in close battles.

Though it shows on the record as 0-2, that doesn’t truly tell the whole story of our first games.

Against Vista Ridge, we were in control at half time leading 14-0 and then two big offensive plays put Vista Ridge back in the game and eventually led to them winning in overtime.

Against Cedar Ridge, it was a similar story. We came out of the gates hot, leading 14-0 before letting Cedar Ridge close the gap to 17-14 going into half. Like Vista Ridge, we had some calls not go our way and ended up falling to Cedar Ridge 24-17 on another last second touchdown.

While we felt that we were one or two calls by the referees from winning both of those games, as a team, we decided we needed to keep the game out of the referees’ hands.

Another thing that we identified as something to work on is finishing the game, especially in the third quarter which we struggled in our first two games.

Keeping these fixes in mind, we put the non-district games in the past and went into Del Valle with a goal to start 1-0 in district.

With a strong defensive showing, we shut out Del Valle 33-0 in a big game for our confidence. Even though we were heavily favored to win the game, I think it gave us some much needed momentum going into Anderson, one of the biggest games of the year as both of us were fighting for a playoff spot.

Against Anderson our offense came alive, scoring 20 points in the first half, putting us up 20-9 at half.

However, our second half struggles continued by letting up three touchdowns in the third quarter and completely flipping the tables on ourselves.

However, this time, we didn’t panic, the difference ended up being a couple big plays that would ultimately put us ahead 34-30 and win us the game.

This was a huge win for our playoff hopes and gave us more confidence in our ability to win those close games, as we were 0-2 in them up until that point and it was good to finally get in the win column.

Heading into Dripping Springs, we knew that not many people outside of our coaches and team thought we had a chance to win, so we used this opportunity to go into their stadium and play with nothing to lose.

Both offense and defense played great in the first half leading to us going into halftime down 14-12.

However, the second half did not go the way we wanted it to and we ended up losing 49-12.

While the game ended terribly, it showed us what our potential is when we are playing well. It also brought to attention our continued struggles in the third quarter as Dripping Springs scored 21 unanswered points after halftime.

Overall, as a team we know we have to figure out how to stay consistent on offense, minimize the big plays on defense, and put together a complete game as a team which we don’t feel we have been able to do all season.

As far as playoffs go there are three must-win games: Austin High, Buda Johnson, and Akins. We feel like if we can start to finish games like we know we can, we can be successful down the stretch. *Have a sports opinion? Contact bowie.journalism@gmail.com to be the next feature columnist.

TAKING A BREATHER: Rowan Cox breaks the surface of the water to catch his breath during a freestyle race. Cox is currently ranked ninth nationally, and first in the Texas class of 2026 rankings. PHOTO COURTESY OF Norah Cullicot (used with permission, @njcimages)

Sophomore Rowan Cox becomes 100 meter ‘fly Junior National Champion Ben Tillisch Executive Editor: Sports Pushing against the block, sophomore swimmer Rowan Cox lunges in the pool instinctively and powerfully propels himself forward through the water. Reaching the opposite end of the 50 meter pool, Cox turns with unmatched technical efficiency knowing the 100 meter butterfly race is defined by his ability to endure the second half of the race.

Conscious of the onslaught of encouragement offered by his team, Cox wills himself to swim faster. Lunging forward

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with his finger tips, Co touches the wall and breaks the surface of the water to see his name listed as the 2023 Junior 100 meter butterfly champion.

“At first, I didn’t believe it,” Cox said. “I’m going to be honest, I was shocked. I didn’t go in expecting that I would even be in the top eight, and it was just crazy that I won. I didn’t believe that I won for a solid two weeks.”

Held in Irvine, California, the 2023 Speedo Junior National Championships boasted the most talented youth swimmers in the nation. Beyond winning the 100 meter butterfly, Cox competed in five relays and four additional individual races, including the 200 meter butterfly.

“200 meter butterfly is probably the hardest event in swimming, other than open water racing,” Cox said. “I knew that 100 ‘fly is more of my strength, so I didn’t panic when I didn’t get the result I wanted in the 200. I used to freak out after not doing great, but something just clicked for me and I managed to stay calm and pull through in the 100 ‘fly.”

Even though he was unable to finish as a front-runner at nationals, Cox managed to shave six seconds off his 200 meter ‘fly time over the course of the season. Because of this, Cox attributes his success in

the 100 meters to his dedication to improve in the 200 meter race.

“I’ve never really trained for the 200 butterfly, but I realized that if I want to be a really good butterfly swimmer, I’d need to improve my stamina through the 200 ‘fly,” Cox said.

“I started to put in the work in practice, and at Nationals I finished the second half of the 100 ‘fly a second faster than last year, which I credit to the endurance I got from training the 200 ‘fly.”

Cox traveled to Southern California with a team of the most elite swimmers in the greater Austin area. Tristan McCain, a sophomore at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, watched as Cox solidified himself as the fastest 100 meter ‘fly junior swimmer in America.

“Competing with Rowan is always somewhat shocking,” McCain said. “He has a plan for what he’s going to do and he executes it. He believes in his ability every time he swims and does what he can. When he won the 100 ‘fly at Junior Nationals, the entire team including myself were on deck waiting for him. There weren’t many more words to describe it than breathtaking. I don’t think it’s a moment I’ll ever forget.

He turned around with just the brightest smile on his face.”

Competing at the Junior Championships on behalf of

READY FOR LAUNCH: Rowan Cox braces against the starting block alongside his opponents prior to a race. Cox won the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 53.10 seconds. PHOTO COURTESY OF Rowan Cox

COMING UP IN SPORTS:

Longhorn Aquatics youth team, when it comes to preparing for competitions,” Carr said. “He Cox’s training schedule is very does what he needs and in an rigorous. As a result, Cox must individual sport like swimming, balance his work with the Bowie swim team and the Longhorn each athlete has their own way of preparing. My role in this Aquatics along with his school is making sure he has enough responsibilities. time to warm up, he’s fed, and “Rowan loves the sport, he he knows we’re there cheering always has,” McCain said. “We for him no matter what.” spend over 20 hours a week The National Collegiate in the water, plus working out Athletic Association (NCAA) on land. That means getting prohibits student athletes from up ungodly and coming to communicating with collegiate school with almost no sleep. programs before the summer Like I said, he’s just happy to transitioning be there, and into their junior that makes year of high all the differschool. This ence. He is being said, top embedded in At first, I didn’t level colleges the sport and believe it. I’m going were present his free time, when Cox even when to be honest, I was was crowned he’s not in shocked. I didn’t go the 100 meter the water, is butterfly chamspent thinkin expecting that I pion. ing about would even be in the “For my it. He lives individual and breathes top eight. races, I just try swimming.” to get myself Cox comRowan Cox in the zone so peted alongSophomore Swimmer I can swim my side McCain fastest,” Cox in the 4x100 said. “Swimmeter and ming is a very mental sport. So, the 4x200 meter freestyle reI think I just need to focus on lays. In the 4x200 meter relay, myself and my team, and not Cox and McCain contributed focus on what college recruiters to a top eight finish, while the pair’s 4x100 meter relay ranked are thinking. It’s important that I always stay positive, even if among the top-40 teams in the I do bad. For relays, I can’t get nation. in that zone because I need to “Rowan’s talents in and out help my teammates by hyping of the water always push everythem up.” one on our team to be a better Taking place in June 2024, version of themselves,” McCain the Junior Olympic Trials seek said. “He has an extremely to find the two fastest youth bright personality and livens swimmers in each event. Cox up the pool when he steps on plans to use the momentum deck.” from his success at the Junior Having successfully repreNational Championships to sented Longhorn Aquatics on the national stage, Cox refocus- compete for a spot on the junior United States swim team. es his attention to the Bowie If Cox makes the team, he swim team’s fall season, where would travel to Senegal in 2026 he’ll display his talents against on behalf of his country. some of the fastest swimmer “When I train butterfly by in the district and state. Head myself, I have to push myself,” coach Chloe Carr discusses the Cox said. “I have a bunch traits that have contributed to of teammates with different Cox’s success throughout his strengths though, so I can career. train with them on a skill that “Rowan loves swimming they’re better at than me. If I’m and the sport as a whole,” Carr going slower than someone it said. “He’s not there to make gives me motivation to swim friends, although he’s made faster.” some pretty great ones. He’s Cox’s success was not limthere to swim and he loves it. ited to his individual competiA lot of athletes don’t have the tions, as he was the lead swimsame discipline and passion mer in the Longhorn Aquatics for their sport that Rowan has.

4x200 meter race that finished He will take any coaching or eighth in a field of 36 teams any mistake and turn it into a from around the country. positive lesson. He learns from “It was a surreal moment to it and moves on. This is what look around and realize what makes him a great athlete.” we accomplished as a team,” Given Cox’s talents, it Cox said. “You’re at the biggest is Carr’s role to harness his meet in the country and we ability so that Cox can fulfill finished as one of the top eight his potential individually, and teams in the country. It’s crazy on behalf of the Bowie swim because we are all friends that squad. Because of this, Carr just chill out and practice gives Cox freedom to succeed. swimming together.”

“Rowan does his own thing

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OCTOBER 10 Va r s i t y s w i m

OCTOBER 12 Va r s i t y f o o t -

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E a n e s A q u a t i c Fa c i l i t y

son High School

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and dive Quad-Meet @

ball vs. Johnson @John-

volleyball vs. Akins @

b a l l v s . L a k e Tr a v i s @

SPORTS 11

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

Fabulous freshman making her mark

Volleyball star Jazzlyn Hepburn has made an immediate impact for varsity Lady ‘Dawgs Michael Vienneau Dispatch Reporter

ATTACK AND KILL: Freshman Jazzlyn Hepburn goes up for the kill against the Lake Travis Cavaliers. The Lady ‘Dawgs ended up losing to the Cavaliers in three straight sets, 3-0. PHOTO BY Nick Wood

Eyes intently locked on the ball floating through the air, freshman outside hitter Jazzlyn Hepburn tenses her legs and explodes into the air. Trusting her muscle memory, Hepburn mechanically strikes through the ball and scores yet another kill. Despite being a freshman, Hepburn leads the Lady Dawgs’ in total kills.

Currently 21-11, the Lady ‘Dawgs success is due in a big way to Hepburn’s offensive contributions. That success has lightened the load of the pressure felt by the underclassman prior to the season.

“Going into the season I was nervous,” Hepburn said. “I think connecting with a few teammates coming into Bowie helped me a lot.

Talking to Simone Baskin helped me feel more at home and made me feel that Bowie was the right place for me. Also having another freshman on varsity made me way more comfortable with the position I am in.”

The Lady ‘Dawgs began their season going 8-1 in the first nine matches. Including match sweeps against LASA, St. Andrews, and El Paso.

The team began district play August 29, with the final regular season game being October 24 versus Dripping Springs, before the playoffs start.

“It’s been a great experience playing for Bowie so far,” Hepburn said. “We have an amazing team that works hard every day, and we continue to improve and grow as a team.”

Hepburn follows a very rigorous schedule. On top of representing the Lady ‘Dawgs, Hepburn plays club volleyball and runs competitive track.

She also attends several camps and clinics to create exposure for herself to college coaches.

“My strengths are hitting and my vertical jump,” Hepburn said. “I also consider myself to be a very good teammate, I love hyping up my teammates and I always try to bring the best energy possible.”

Hepburn began playing volleyball in 4th grade. She started playing recreational volleyball before joining a club team, where she has played ever since.

“Bowie gives me a new opportunity outside of club volleyball,” Hepburn said. “I get to play with different people of different ages. It is great meeting new people I would have never met playing just club.”

On August 15, Bowie defeated Hays 3-0 in straight sets. This was the team’s first non-dis-

trict away game. Hepburn started the season strong by leading the team with 11 kills in the win.

“Beating Hays was a super good confidence booster,” Hepburn said. “The student sections were so loud which made the environment so much fun to play in. The team came together and played really well.”

Baskin is a junior and co-captain playing in her second year on varsity for the ‘Dawgs. She is a middle blocker and has been a mentor for some of the younger players throughout the season, including Hepburn.

“My favorite moment of this season was at our away tournament where we played a game called Hot Seat,” Baskin said. “It was a fun way to learn each other’s deepest secrets by answering questions honestly. It for sure translated to the court as we built great chemistry from it.”

Being a volleyball captain comes with a lot of responsibilities and expectations. Baskin uses her status as a captain to help the team improve by setting an example for her teammates.

With two freshmen on varsity, Baskin’s role as a captain is very important in providing them with the necessary support and confidence needed for them to play at their best.

“Jazz has impressed me a lot,” Baskin said.

“She always takes feedback really well and makes adjustments to always get better. As a player she is so fun to be around and her bubbly energetic personality makes her really fun to be around.

She finds so much success because of her effort.

She always goes one hundred percent in practice, all gas no breaks.”

After struggling last season, the Lady ‘Dawgs turned to a new coach to hopefully bridge the gap and help the team improve. Head coach Danna Wincher has nearly doubled the win total from last year with several games to go.

“The team has performed well so far,” Wincher said. “We still have a lot of room for improvement. Our team is very passionate about the game which keeps me very optimistic.”

Led by Hepburn, the team has four games left in districts before the playoffs begin. Wincher believes that Hepburn’s talent as a freshman will translate to future success for herself and the program.

“Jazzlyn has impressed me a lot so far, her power and her vertical jump as well as her dedication makes her such a great player,” Wincher said. “She wants to be great and will be.”

New coach, new beginnings for the Bowie cheer team Sam Vane Sports Editor

It’s Friday night and everyone’s watching the Bowie Bulldogs play football. Bryana Bauhs is no different as she will attend games on Friday, however, she is more focused on the people in front of the stands. The cheerleaders. Bryana Bauhs isn’t just a cheer fan, she’s the new Bowie cheer head coach.

Bauhs’ journey to becoming Bowie’s head cheer team coach is a very unique story from other coaches.

“I was originally coming to Bowie this summer to be an assistant coach,” Bauhs said. “But, when I got here they said there was an opening for head coach and I got the job.”

Bauhs isn’t new to coaching, as, before becoming Bowie’s head cheer team coach, she was a coach at Bastrop High School. She is also a former collegiate cheerleader.

“I coached [cheerleaders] just like how my coaches used to coach me in college and that really helped me become a better coach,” Bauhs said.

“All the conditioning and drills that

we run are ones that I learned from my college coaches, so I owe a lot to them.”

Even with the college cheerleading experience, Bauhs has plenty of coaching tools to learn.

“This is new for me because I’ve never coached a football game-style [traditional] cheer team,” Bauhs said.

“But I think the team has been really supportive and I think I’ll be able to help the team improve their traditional cheer.”

Bowie’s previous coach, Alyssa Paramski, has more of a dance back-

GO BULLDOGS: The Bowie cheer team doing their routine on the sidelines of the varsity football game against Del Valle. After each touchdown, the cheer team does a back flip for each point that the ‘Dawgs have scored. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

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routines that we do, but I also had to ground, and has moved over to assist tell the team that not everything will with the Silver Star Program. Senior stay the same with the new coach, captain Aisley Bennett, who had both which was upsetting as coaches, has noto them,” Bennett ticed the differences. said. “It’s my job to “Coach Bauhs has make us the best we a lot of cheer experican be so I had to tell ence, which I think is There’s a lot of the team that even really going to help though they wouldn’t us improve,” Bennett motivation and it.” said. “She makes us determination to be likeCheer has two do conditioning which seasons: football and was new to us, but it the best team not competitive cheer. really helps us become just in the city but While they do overbetter and stronger.” lap, they are comBennett, who used the in the state as pletely different, leadto do competitive club well. ing the cheer team to cheer, is used to less have to practice both intense training in Bryana Bauhs at the same time. school cheer, as there Head Cheer Coach “Unfortunately, are more restrictions our competition seaon what coaches can son is during football do. However, Bauhs season,” Bauhs said. “If I had known has really kicked up the intensity for I would be the head coach before the the cheerleaders. summer I would’ve focused summer “She’s already pushed us really practices on football, so we would be hard,” Bennett said. “We’ve already able to practice our competitive rougone full out, which is when we do all tine during the school year.” of our skills and sections twice. It’s a Even with the challenges of two pretty big deal because the last two seasons the cheer team still keeps moyears we only went full out twice before the competition and we’ve already rale high with the high workload.

“She always puts the team first, done it earlier which helps a lot.” which is like a pretty big deal conBauhs was brought in as a head sidering she has a lot of things going coach during the summer. So, it was a quick transition for sophomore varsity on outside because she just became cheerleader Vivi Ryman-King, who had the coach half a month before school started,” Bennett said. “I think it’s only been in the program for a year. just the fact that she’s still putting “I think the teams reacted pretty the team first is really helping us stay well,” Ryman-King said. “Everything excited and cheer well even with the flows really smoothly still, and our change.” team seems to be working a lot better Bauhs has set the bar pretty high together even with the coaching already in her first year as a head change.” cheer coach and hopes to not only The coaching change hasn’t just meet those but exceed them. been hard for Bauhs, as Bennett, the “We definitely should make finals, cheer captain, has taken on more there’s no reason why we don’t make responsibilities than usual. finals,” Bauhs said. “My goal, of “It was hard on my part because I course, is first place at finals.” had to help her know all of the cheer

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12 ENTERTAINMENT THE DISPATCH SEPT. 29, 2023

Student musicians to perform at ACL

Five talented students take the stage at Austin Kiddie Limits Music Festival this October Savannah Linscomb Entertainment Editor

Every October Austin is flooded with excitement as celebrities and tourists alike rush into the city to strike up the band and attend the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an Austin staple for many decades.

This year four Bowie students will gear up to become a part of this long living tradition as they take the stage at ACL’s kid-targeted event, Austin Kiddie Limits.

Bowie students Alex Frost, Kobe Johnson, Gavin Carney, and Corbyn Haley will take the stage at Austin Kiddie Limits this year performing as a part of their music school, the School Of Rock.

Justin Pratt the show-runner for House band which is the top band at School Of Rock aids the students in all things music as he helps them with preparation for the show.

“We do a lot of outside School of Rock events,” Pratt said. “We’ve played neighborhood parties we’ve played public festival events” Taking the stage at ACL will be nothing new to the seasoned members of the School of Rock house band who have played in and around Austin.

“We played out in a place called the 310 which is actually underneath the Moody Theater downtown,” Pratt said. “We played a Fourth of July celebration event at the Hill Country Galleria.”

The opportunity to play ACL was given to another Austin location of School of Rock until last year when

the Southwest location was offered the opportunity.

“The Anderson Lane location has been doing it for a couple of years now,” Pratt said. “This will be the school’s first time playing an ACL.” According to Pratt the performance itself is taking place in the portion of ACL dedicated to the children of parents attending the festival dubbed Austin Kiddie Limits.

“It’s just kind of a low-key thing, it’s the daycare center of ACL,” Pratt said. “There are drum circles and ice cream trucks.”

Although the performance itself takes place in a subsection of the festivals, the performers will get the opportunity to explore the rest of the festivities after their own performance.

“They still get a chance to get the real ACL gigging experience because they get backstage passes,” Pratt said.

“They can go to this village and meet all their heroes who are playing that event.”

According to sophomore Alex Frost the group meets each Monday to rehearse for the show. Frost hopes for the performance to be a fun opportunity to improve his stage presence. “ I’m just excited to have energy.

Yeah, hopefully not be boring,” Frost said.

Frost has been interested in music for most of his life, plays multiple instruments, and has been taking music theory classes here at Bowie.

“It started in second grade,” Frost said. “Someone brought up the idea of playing the drums, and I just wanted

INTO THE MIC: Corbyn Haley belts it out on stage at a School of Rock performance. Haley, who plays multiple instruments and sings, will be performing at ACL. PHOTO COURTESY OF: Amanda Wisniewski

ROCK & ROLL: Shredding the cords, sophomore Gavin Carney is playing for school of Rock. Carney is practicing for his upcoming ACL performance, Carney plays multiple instruments and switches between the, for each show. PHOTO COURTESY OF: Amanda Wisniewski

to beat stuff.”

All of the Bowie students in house band are underclassmen including freshman Corbyn Haley who plays multiple instruments and sings. She joined School of Rock two years previously.

“I started in sixth grade at my school. I was in a little guitar class.

And that made me get into the guitar,” Haley said. “I did a trial lesson at School of Rock and enjoyed it.”

Haley who has only been at the School of Rock for a short time has used the program to her full advantage with multiple professional gigs students’ instruments can change from gig to gig giving them ample opportunity to decide what they like best. “ I play guitar, bass, sometimes keys and I can play a little bit on drums but it’s not my main thing,” Haley said.

According to Pratt students are encouraged to get out of their comfort zone in order to discover which instrument they enjoy, and hopefully learn multiple in the process.

“If they play guitar, they sing a little bit as well,” Pratt said. “Alex plays keys as well as drums, and Gavin can pretty much play anything you throw at him.”

Naturally, the group strives to get as much practice as they can. Soph-

“Usually they’re songs we know so it omore Gavin Carney, a member of goes much smoother.”

House Band, started out playing the The performance is met with an drums but now plays many instruoverall positive ments. response from the “We have all beBowie student come good friends body who are in the program,” It’s awesome to excited to see their Carney said. “There peers perform are about ten of us witness a group on stage. Senior and we are all comof Bowie students Odin Lowe an avid fortable with each music listener other on stage. performing at such a and member of Long practices big event! It’s always the band looks aside the group forward to this focuses their inspiring to see a opportunity. musical expertise student-led music “Awesome to spans over multiple witness Bowie genres, focusing program thriving. students at an mainly on covers event like that,” of songs although Odin Lowe Lowe said. “Always they strive to evenBowie Senior cool to see a tually perform origstudent-led music inal songs along program performwith their covers. ing.”

“We mostly do covers of songs,” This hardworking group of student Carney said. “We do have one original musicians will spend the next couple song we rehearse but I don’t think of weeks preparing for their perforwe’re going to perform it.” mance while simultaneously balancing For now the band sticks with school work and social lives. covers that their audiences will know “I’m amazed by all four of their wand love according to Carney covers time-management abilities,” Pratt allow the band to focus on stage pressaid. “Their commitment to managing ence and engage the audience. so much and still being able to bring “I think we all feel more comforttheir A game is impressive.” able with cover songs,” Carney said.

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Theater students prepare for Bowie’s yearly fall shows Lucy Johnson Entertainment Editor Lights, camera, action! Every year, theater holds a week of shows that consist of a variety of plays acted out by Bowie students. This year’s fall shows are held in the Bowie Theater. Bowie kids will be a part of three separate shows; A Flea In Her Ear, Comic Potential, and Beautiful People. These productions will explore futuristic, comedic, and dramatic scenes giving a wide range of visual interest to the viewing audiences.

In preparation for the fall productions come auditions. Auditions were held back in early August and students have been preparing since then. Theater students presented their lines to the directors in hopes of achieving the role they desired. Theater student Bubba Infante shares his experience.

“Day of auditions we show up for our time slots and wait for our turn. The directors ask us a few questions and then we perform our piece,” Infante said.

After auditions, students wait for their callbacks. Students will only perform in one out of the three productions available.

“Normally a company list comes out, which is you don’t directly know what character you’re gonna be, but which production you are gonna be,” Infante said.

Infante scored the role of Don Carlos who is the husband in Flea In Her Ear. “I wasn’t fully set on it personally, but then as we started reading the script, and when I found out who my character was, I was like oh my gosh okay,” Infante said. “The plot line is very fun, and chaotic in a good way.”

When theater students retrieve their roles they will start rehearsing. Preparing for the shows occurs after school and over some weekends.

“On Saturdays, we have workdays where we rehearse and get the tech elements in order,” junior Audrey Nixon said.

After-school rehearsals go till 6:30 p.m. In those rehearsals students will run the shows, and make edits as they go. These rehearsals involve drilling their lines, practicing their spike marks, and rehearsing their entrances and exits.

“On these work days, I prepare by going through my lines and thinking like why do I say this,” Infante said.

In addition, further preparation occurs for the actors and their characters. They discover their mannerisms and how they want them to move, talk, and laugh.

“I prepare by researching my character like what her life is like, what her goals are, and stuff,” Nixon said. “I also prepare, by going

FALL SHOW PREP: Senior Harry Kowtarapu makes changes to a piece of the fall show set during his technical theatre class. The class works on sets and props during theatre show blocks. PHOTO BY Madison Rasp

FALL SHOW PREP: STC officers line up before a Fall show dress rehearsal. STC president Amelia Cook delivers an update before releasing the companies for rehearsal. PHOTO BY Madison Rasp

through my lines, and thinking about what they mean.”

One of the shows that students will be preparing for is A Flea In Her Ear which is produced by theater teacher Matthew Humphrey. Flea In Her Ear is a story about a girl who believes her husband is having an affair. There will be lots of drama regarding the husband and wife and the friends of the couple. The characters go down a rabbit hole, falling through loads of emotions and fast-paced comedy.

“It is very farce and it’s a lot of physical comedy and it’s really fun,” Nixon said.

Another show that will be produced is Comic Potential. This show is produced by theater teacher Marco Bazan. Comic Potential is another love story, however, it is set in a dystopian futuristic world where human actors are replaced by robots called Actoids. This production explores the relationship between the Actoids and humans and their coherence.

“The main character of the show is a human writer who comes to this industry, and he falls in love with one of the Actoids,” junior Jayden White said. “It kinda deals with its journey together and the Actoids finding her human qualities.”

White is performing in Comic Potential and his role will have quite a chauvinist attitude.

“I play a misogynist, crazy, neurotic director, who likes to yell at everyone,” White said.

Lastly, the final show that will be produced is Beautiful People, which is directed by Colton Berry. This production is set right after the Great Depression and is told through a family who are on the hunt for happiness. This show will follow a young girl who she had once fallen in love with and as time goes on she will start to see how love isn’t what she thought.

“They’re looking for the innocence and the beautiful part of life in such a depressing time,” junior Brielle Boreing said.

In addition to the actors and their talented qualities, the shows will be further brought to life with the magnificent sets that they help to build. Building the sets for the three productions is taken on by the theater students and producers during class time, after school, and weekend rehearsals. Students participate in any way whether that be leveling, cutting, drawing, sawing, or painting.

“On Saturdays, we come in and build and do our costumes,” senior Brighton Toland said.

These sets transform the plays and make them come to life. With every intricate detail and the help of the actors, each play gives an immersive experience for the audience.

“In Flea In Her Ear, we had a revolving bed that was a necessity for our show,” Nixon said.

“It really contributed to the comedy of the show.”

REVIEWS 13

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

Try a brilliant bite at Brodie Lane bakery

Haley Cakes and Cookies provides customers with a variety of mouth-watering desserts Claire Scott Review Editor The nostalgic aroma of confectionery sugar wafts to every square inch of the bakery, fluorescent blooming flowers create a vibrant ambiance, and sugar-high kids run to the glass displays filled with delicately decorated desserts.

Haley Cakes and Cookies is a local bakery that makes a wide range of sweets. From cookies, to cupcakes, and even custom designs to your liking, they have it all.

Established in 2013 by Haley Evans, Haley Cakes and Cookies has made their mark in the Central Texas area with their delicious, yet beautiful desserts. The bakery has three locations: 1700 South Lamar Boulevard, 9001 Brodie Lane,

and 10601 Ranch Road.

This bakery is a perfect place for Bowie students to go, whether that be after school or during the weekend. Not only is the Brodie location close in proximity to students that live in Shady Hollow and Circle C, but the bakery has also accumulated a four out of five star rating according to Google Reviews and Yelp.

If you choose to go in-person, be prepared for limited seating, as this bakery is not properly equipped for crowds of people. However, you can order online from their website at haleycakesandcookies. com.

As soon as I entered the bakery on a Saturday afternoon, I was shocked with interior of the bakery. Inside, there is a pink grand piano,

Out of all the desserts I tried, the Carmelita was by far my favorite.

This is a sheet cake style dessert, with a heavy caramel flavor profile. The treat is drizzled in caramel and topped with a spoonful of white icing. I loved how the sweet icing balanced out the salty aspect of the caramel, which overall emphasized the taste of the Carmelita. Not only that, but the texture was extremely satisfying,

bright flowers hanging from the wall, and detailed glass light fixtures hung throughout the restaurant.

And to my surprise, there was minimal guest occupancy in the building, with only a couple of customers seated at the front of the store. Despite the tight spaces, the staff was extremely kind and helpful, as they recommended some of their popular and well-loved desserts.

The bakery offers gluten-free variations of sweets, breakfast items, an extensive coffee menu, and of course, their mouthwatering desserts.

According to some Google Reviews, there is a comparison between Haley Cakes and Cookies and Crumbl Cookies, a chain restaurant that specializes in gourmet cookies.

In my opinion, Haley

Cakes and Cookies is nowhere near the same as Crumbl Cookie. Haley Cakes and Cookies focuses less on their cookies, and more on their sheet cake style treats.

However, Crumbl Cookie’s cookies are notably better than Haley Cakes and Cookies, because that is what they specialize in.

The only types of cookies that Haley Cakes and Cookies had to offer when I went was sugar cookies decorated in frosting. I bought one of their sugar cookies to try it out, and it was nothing special, and it was more parallel to a sugar cookie you can buy at a local grocery store such as Target or Walmart.

It was so hard to choose what treats I wanted to review, but I had to settle on the Carmelita, the Brookie,

Carmelita

the crunch of the crispy top mixed with the softness of the sheet cake was just about flawless.

This treat is so sweet that it could actually be mistaken as a caramel candy. Anyone with a major sweet tooth and a love for caramel will definitely become fond of this popular menu item.

However, if you’re not someone who wants a sugar overload on their taste buds, you may

the Razzle Dazzle Cupcake, and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake.

Many desserts you get from chain grocery stores often taste bland, or similar to one another. Not only that, but the treats are also mass-produced, and don’t get a lot of attention to detail when they’re being made. I never really realized this until I took the trip to Haley Cakes and Cookies and saw the quality of their desserts.

Haley Cakes and Cookies is definitely a place I would recommend to go when you’re craving something for your sweet tooth.

The menu is diverse, the desserts are very flavorful, and the inside of the bakery is a perfect photo booth spot for social media.

SCAN THE QR CODE!

want to steer clear of the Carmerlita.

I would rate this sugary dessert a five out of five stars, because it perfectly encapsulates the heartwarming caramel flavor and has one of the best textures I have ever experienced in a sweet treat.

$5.15

Brookie

Although I’m not the biggest fan of Oreos, I was able to appreciate the Brookie.

This is also a sheet cake style dessert, with chocolate chip cookie on the bottom, crushed Oreos in the middle, and brownie on the top.

The incomparable taste of this dessert is other-worldly, as it has so many different flavors in one bite. And the crunch from the Oreo crumbles in the middle mixed with the softness of the cookie and brownie was perfect, and it is

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three different types of breads.

I would rate this sweet treat a four out of five stars, because although it has such a wide variety of delicious flavors, the Brookie is still dry in every bite.

definitely something I recommend trying if you love unique desserts.

I absolutely recommend this sweet for anyone that loves Oreos, because the taste of Oreos completely dominates this treat’s flavor profile.

And not only that, but the dessert is topped with sweet icing and a mini Oreo.

However, this treat is quite dry, and you don’t get a lot of moistness in between the layers. This could be because the dessert is jam-packed with

$5.15

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake My favorite cupcake of the two that I tried was the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake.

This sweet treat had a sweet bread with mini chocolate chips baked into it, and topped with raw cookie dough icing and a triangle of a chocolate chip cookie. I loved this cupcake so much, and it was definitely one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. The texture of the chocolate chips in both the bread and the icing had my mouth

watering.

The one flaw to note about this dessert is that it’s pretty drying at the first bite. Although it has raw cookie dough icing on the top, the bread didn’t have a lot of moisture. And the dry cookie on top didn’t help its case either. This issue could be easily fixed on the bakery’s part if they incorporated less flour into the cupcake.

I would rate this cupcake a four out of five

stars, because the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor was spot on to actual raw cookie dough, and the design of the cupcake was pleasing to the eye. However, I just couldn’t get past the dryness of the cupcake’s bread.

$5.15

Razzle Dazzle Cupcake

The most distinctive sweet on the menu that I tried was by far the Razzle Dazzle Cupcake.

This cupcake has a rich raspberry flavor profile, topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. I am a big fan of cream cheese frosting, but the sprinkles on top added so much more than I expected. The sprinkles added a crunchy texture to contrast the softness of the frosting, and the sprinkles’ sugary coat compli-

mented the fruitiness of the raspberry taste.

The one setback from the dessert is the size of the cupcake. The actual bread of the cupcake is relatively small, and it doesn’t make sense that you get over a tablespoon of frosting for something so tiny. My first initial bite of this cupcake was a mouthful of frosting, and although I liked the frosting, I wish there was more cupcake bread to balance out the cupcake.

I would rate this cupcake a four out of five stars, because although the cupcake icing was creamy and delicious, the raspberry flavor was fruity, and the sprinkles added the perfect taste and texture, the ratio of bread to icing threw me off.

$5.15

PHOTOS BY Claire Scott

Popular escape room successfully captivates its players Maddy Franco Dispatch Reporter Prepare to embark on a journey, as you step into a mysterious series of rooms to navigate your way through a vast amount of mysteries.

You can find a number of escape rooms around the Austin area, but according to Google Reviews and tripadvisor.com, PanIQ Escape Room Austin is known as one of the best. It is also the only escape room located in the South Austin area.

Located between South Lamar Boulevard and Collier Street, you can find the escape room located in the South Lamar Business Center next to a few restaurants.

Pan IQ has a ton of locations all over the United States, Asia, and Europe. This escape room offers several themed rooms ranging from Pirates of Tortuga, Cartel Crackdown, Wizard Trials, Insane Asylum, and The Haunted Manor.

Getting into the South Lamar Business Center where the panic room is located was a little difficult, since everyone was trying to turn in and out at the same time.

Depending on what time you arrive, you may be able to find parking near the building, but I wasn’t, so we had to drive around and wait for a spot. This strip mall does offer a lot of parking spots so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a spot, and parking is also free, which is another plus.

According to paniqescaperoom.com, it says that they only allow up to a group of seven, however I had a group of eight. We called ahead and they allowed it since sometimes if it’s under a special occasion they will allow up to one more person in your group.

I would recommend finding enough people to fill up one room so you aren’t paired with people you don’t know. PanIQ was made specifically for team building, and it is way easier to work with people you know instead of people you don’t. You can either purchase tickets on their site or through sites like Groupon for a better deal.

My group showed up a few minutes before our scheduled time but it seemed to be fine since we didn’t end up starting the room for another ten minutes. Just to be safe, I would say to show up

ART BY Maddy Franco

at least 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled times so you can get everyone situated. The place offers a lot of places to sit, so if you’re waiting around for a while you won’t have to stand the whole time.

My group chose the Pirates of Tortuga room, which was about trying to find out the plans of the pirates and escape before the pirates returned or else you would be sent off on a ship to somewhere unpleasant and work for a lifetime. This escape room con-

sisted of two rooms with the goal of finding the key to escape.

Something I enjoyed about the company was that they have a kiosk in each room which gives you any amount of hints you want.

With a simple click of a button, our guide would type out a hint to help us figure out the clue. This really helped us out when we were stuck on a difficult clue.

The difficulty of this room wasn’t as bad as some other escape rooms that I have heard of. On a scale of one to ten, one being the easiest and ten being the hardest, I would say this room was about a six. It includes enough elements to where you are questioning yourself but also some of the clues were pretty self explanatory.

Each room at PanIQ consists of a time limit between 45 minutes to an hour. For our room, we had an hour and we finished with 16 minutes and 38 seconds left to spare. Depending on how many people you have in your group and each member’s performance, you will probably have enough time to escape with time to spare.

Pirate of Tortuga had a unique feel to it. All of the scenery around the room was very detailed and added a great touch to the entire experience.

I don’t want to spoil any clues, but you start out in a jail cell where you have to find your way out of it. From there you enter the room the cell is in and you are trying to find the combination to unlock the second door. The next room consists of all types of clues and leads to the last door where you escape.

I recommend that you avoid solving random clues so you don’t end up undoing a clue out of order. My group did this and we spent a while trying to find out what each clue meant.

If you’re ever stuck remember there is always the hint kiosk to help out. The kiosk also helped us do the clues in somewhat of an order.

If you’re looking for a good time or doing your first escape room, I would definitely recommend going to PanIQ Escape Room Austin. It has a great atmosphere and all of the employees were very laid back and explained everything thoroughly.

After my first time doing an escape room, I enjoyed it and I would definitely go back to try out more of their rooms.

14 COMMENTARY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023

D ISPATCH STAFF Dispatch Print Co Editors-in-Chief Kate Davis, Mazzy Warren

Dispatch Online Co Editors-in-Chief Alex Edwards, Austin Ikard Executive Editor: Content Charlotte Koellner Executive Editor: Writing Sophia Sanchez Executive Editor: News Emerson Traugott Executive Editor: Art/Graphics Asher Hagan Executive Editor: Sports Ben Tillisch Executive Editor: Multimedia Mars Canepa Junior Leadership Team Vivi Lopez-Stern, Arden Ray News Team Peyton Dorsey, Gabby Bochey, Katie Grumet, Alec Morse In-Depth Team Liberty Pittman , Elizabeth Yowell Feature Team Savannah Riggins, Sam Bode, Bentlee Toland, Isabella Verette Entertainment Team Savannah Linscomb, Maddy Franco, William Balke, Lucy Johnson Sports Team Sam Vane, Cooper Ceniceros-Fike, Noah Ellinger, Michael Vienneau, Caroline Baxter Review Team Claire Scott, Val Tikhonova, Maddy Franco, Fiona Padillino Opinion Team Vivi Lopez-Stern, Madeline Travis, Gianna Gonzalez Arts/Graphics Team Sophia Sepulveda, Iola Bidwell, Lane Foxcroft Multimedia Team Slyder Degelia, Madison Rasp, Nick Wong, Reagan Tso, Zach Tishgart, Quinn Wilkinson, Audrey Cullianane, Adrianna Choueiry, Pierre Vandervennet, Nick Wood, Noah Bihan, Arden Ray, Arlo Haug, Will Olenick, Ryan Zuniga, Charlotte Schwarte, Harrison Austin Advisor Michael Reeves, MJE

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Poor communication causes tension

Recent saftey concerns highlight the need for administration decisions to be more public EDITORIAL When students arrived on campus on August 18, the first Friday of a new school year, they expected to be greeted by eagerly waiting friends and to plow through the eight long hours standing in the way of their well-deserved weekend. Instead, students were met with a distressing scene, as police cars and motorcycles lined entrances and left students feeling uneasy and kept in the dark.

A day previous, the Bowie administration was notified of a threat made by a student. While actions were taken to contain the threat, students and parents were not notified until 9:20 a.m. on Friday. This meant that students arrived at school while police officers were still in the process of addressing the situation.

In this instance, the Bowie administration failed to provide timely and transparent communication regarding the threat at hand which demonstrated a lack of consideration for the safety of the Bowie community. Because of this response, the well-being and best interests of the students and faculty did not seem to be a top priority of the administration.

One reason this response was problematic is because it violated students’ and staff’s right to show up to school feeling safe. This includes the right to know if any activity might hinder their security. Because the community was not notified when their safety was jeopardized, they were also denied the right to make an individual decision of what would be the best measures to take for their unique situation.

Additionally, the miscommunication surrounding this threat could created an environment of mistrust towards the Bowie administration. It’s imperative that this community, more specifically high school students, are able to trust their administrators so they feel comfortable alerting someone

should they need assistance with a difficult situation. If students feel like their inquiries won’t be taken seriously or communicated with the community if necessary, they may be less likely to reach out if they need help or overhear information that requires attention.

Finally, parents received no notification of the incident while it was being addressed. This meant that they may have only learned about the threat itself once their kids had already been dropped off at school and had no idea the status or specificities of the situation. This decision was unfair to parents who had little or no information about the security of their children.

While some people may believe that this response was well-executed and necessary to ensure the safety of students and staff, it’s not viable to say the actions fully considered the well-being and safety of this community. The lack of communication, and absence of crucial information being passed between Bowie administration and this community display the lapse in judgment that caused officials to not take students and staff completely into account.

A better solution would have been to notify parents of the situation before sending their kids to school. Responding to the threat this way would have allowed families to make a decision that was right for them, individually. This decision-making process is imperative in a circumstance like this one when families, all in different positions, are posed with such a serious choice.

It is important that legislative change is made on at the state level that restricts access to guns, so that threats such as these become increasingly less prevalent. Until those advancements happen, however, change is necessary on a campus level to ensure the safety of our community, including better communication on the end of administrators, not just with parents, but also with students so that they feel like a priority. This should

ART BY Asher Hagan

also involve increased access to resources that can provide help for students who may be struggling.

It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that it has become common for children to go to school worried about how the threat of gun violence may impact them.

In order to create a more secure Bowie community, there need to be more actions taken by this campus as a whole to recognize that taking safety seriously can’t be done without better communication that truly prioritizes the best interests of all those involved.

struate have unexpected issues that come up randomly throughout classes. If someone runs out of passes it just creates an awkward situation to explain. Explaining about your menstruation to a teacher just adds more stress to something that’s already quite stressful. No one should have to explain personal information to a teacher that may cause an unforeseen reason to use the restroom.

That’s a private matter that should be respected.

There’s also a good number of students who get distracted in class when they need to use the restroom. Whenever someone needs to go the only thing on their mind is getting up and getting the pass.

Getting out their pass and hav-

ing teachers sign it just disrupts the class, when it can be an easy situation.

Students are capable of going to the restroom and coming back in an efficient manner. Being in a class for an hour and thirty minutes can be super draining, especially if no breaks are included. The restroom is a good reason to get up and move. It’s refreshing to just go to the bathroom, fix your hair, take a breather, and then head back to class.

Teacher’s are handing out these limited bathroom passes because they are upset with the students who leave for 20 minutes. They believe that the bathroom is a distraction, instead of a normal situation that occurs. Teachers also believe that students should only take a couple minutes. Students should be able to manage their own time and determine what’s enough time and what isn’t.

I agree with the regulation that teacher’s enforced this because some students will be gone for 20 minutes or more. It can be frustrating when students do this because it backs up a bathroom pass line and interrupts the productivity of the class. Teachers should just have a talk with those specific students instead of creating a policy that affects the entire class.

Students need to be able to go to the restrooms whenever they please, within a reasonable time frame. Going to the bathroom isn’t something that can be timed and a limit can add unnecessary stress as well. It’s unfair if students have to worry about coming back to class in a certain amount of time just to accomplish a basic need.

A good solution would be to allow two to three passes per week for students. Teachers should also create brain breaks in their lesson plans. Students won’t have to worry about needing a break or being limited to using the restrooms.

Teachers could create a sign-up sheet and try to establish a system for students to take restroom breaks.

I believe that as long as we create a compromise as a school, it could create a better work environment. Bathroom passes shouldn’t be limited and should just be a given right. It’s an easy fix and students shouldn’t have to explain personal issues with teachers when it comes to the bathroom. We as a community can work together and help make Bowie a positive environment with communication and fairness.

Bathroom passes have become a luxury Gianna Gonzalez Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

During the day students are focused on school work, lunch, and attending FIT sessions. They don't get many chances to use the restroom, and when the need arises, it's the only thing they can think about. In some classes getting the chance to go to the bathroom is a difficult challenge for a variety of reasons.

Some teachers at Bowie are only giving students four to five bathroom passes per semester. If someone runs out of passes, they have to ask a friend for one, or are not able

to use the bathroom at all. There is also a certain time limit in which students are allowed to be out of class to take a restroom break, which is two to four minutes. If students don’t use all the bathroom passes they receive extra credit.

I believe that bathroom passes shouldn’t be limited because going to the bathroom is a basic human need. When students need to go to the bathroom, but can’t, it distracts them during class. It could cause them to not participate in discussions, or have an effect on their ability to focus. If students are allowed to use the restroom whenever and come back in a timely manner, it’ll encourage student involvement during class.

Additionally, people who men-

EDITORIAL POLICY • The Dispatch is the official student newspaper of James Bowie High School. 3500 copies are published and distributed for free six times a year, generally once per six weeks for the school’s students, staff and community.

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The Dispatch is not reviewed by school administration prior to distribution, and the advisor will not act as a censor. Content represents the views of the student staff and not school officials.

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We strive to make our coverage and content meaningful, timely, and interesting to our readers. Our articles reflect our genuine objective of reporting news and will be held to a high standard of quality.

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BATHROOM PASS • •

15 minutes after class starts 15 minutes before class ends

IE

BOW

FIT

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ART BY Layne Foxcroft

COMMENTARY 15

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2023 THE DISPATCH

Teacher shortage causes conflicts

Unpredictable changes with school employees create scheduling issues for students Madeleine Travis Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

The COVID-19 pandemic was hard on all communities throughout the world, but educators are the ones who got the brunt of the backlash. In the years after the 2020-2021 school year, the retention of teachers at all institutions was at an all-time low.

This is a big issue because students get detrimentally affected from something that’s very much out of their control.

Students have been put under unconventional learning conditions due to the lack of educators in their local area. Some examples of this include larger class sizes and major changes in scheduling, both of which take up unnecessary time and resources.

A substantial change is the amount of new teachers that have surfaced in the educational field. Many students have teachers who have just graduated from college and are in their first or second year of teaching. This is something that’s completely out of the student’s hands and they end up being the test run for many of these first-year teachers, when their education is on the line.

The turnover rate, which tends to be one to three years, is so out of hand to the point where the teachers who may have a decent amount of experience are leaving before they’re able to make an impact on their

students.

Another result of this shortage is that fewer people are wanting to come into the field of teaching. A study in 2022 concluded that less than one in five people have wanted to become teachers since the end of the pandemic.

This is due to factors such as low pay rates, lack of basic classroom materials, and stressful work environments. These numbers have continued to drop since the end of COVID-19.

Furthermore, the heavily taxing work environment that many teachers face has just amplified the situation.

Teachers have been challenged with hybrid classroom designs forcing them to adapt to situations that they never experienced before. Having to tackle those challenges as they arise further builds on an already demanding field of employment.

Due to the results of the pandemic, teachers themselves also have to work harder because many students didn’t learn anything during online and hybrid school. Teachers who find themselves re-teaching entire classes, along with the curriculum that they already have to teach, face increasing levels of stress. Many teachers have

resigned after the pandemic due to this difficult work environment and unfavorable conditions.

Students have recently had to undergo drastic schedule changes to level up or down in courses. Students who like their schedules are more inclined to stay in courses that are either too hard or too easy for them to avoid the arrangement of all their classes.

This in turn will impact many student’s grades because schedule changes are increasingly complicated to get right.

Which means many people will be in courses where they either don’t challenge themselves or where they’re struggling too much as a result of the extreme shortage of educators in school districts.

This issue is also prevalent when trying to improve the school’s physical and academic structure overall. When the administration is simply trying to find people to teach it makes it hard to perfect the skill of our educators. If teachers leave every other year there’s no time for teachers to grow and perfect

their skills as educators. This impacts the student’s ability to learn if the newer teachers are also learning themselves.

This also brings the school community as a whole down. If all of the efforts are being put into finding people to teach, it makes it hard to make improvements to the physical campus which may cause conditions to deteriorate.

This also impacts changes to the curriculum, as educators won’t be able to push their students to their fullest potential if they are just learning the basics

themselves.

Consequently, educators are under extreme stress due to unrealistic working conditions.

Hybrid working conditions may be favorable to students who are more inclined to stay at home but are extremely damaging to teachers.

Administrators can relieve some of this burden by making the environment more accommodating to newer teachers.

This could be done by listening to their concerns. More experienced staff can provide help in teams and groups.

I don’t know any of these teachers...

ART BY Sophia Sepulveda

New vaping policy should better support students Vivi Lopez-Stern Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

Most high school students know the experience of walking into an unpleasant school bathroom, thick with clouds of smoke and its overpowering odor.

Despite a new policy in place to deter vaping, it seems the number of times I’ve been in this situation has only increased. The other day, the line of students passing vapes between each other made it practically impossible for people to actually access the restroom.

While I agree that this issue needs to be addressed, I believe there’s a better way to do so than the current approach. A new law states that “all e-cigarettes (THC or tobacco) are prohibited at or near public schools and events;” this includes vapes. ‘ Therefore, if students are found vaping, the policy would be to remove them from school to attend a 20 day disciplinary alternative education program where they would participate in more isolated and corrective instruction.

In my opinion, this solution is plainly ineffective. Based on personal experience, the amount of students vaping hasn’t decreased significantly. In addition, no

high school student deserves to suffer the effects of addiction at such a young age. Vaping causes countless health-related issues, physically and mentally, and students who are struggling with addiction deserve more than to be chastised for it.

From my perspective, the current policy in place would actually do more harm than good to the students it affects.

Many students who vape likely do so because of factors that take a toll on their mental health.

These factors may include stressors such as anxiety. If a student were forced to attend this 20 day course, away from their friends, and everyday routines, it’s likely this would only make their mental health deteriorate. This doesn’t actually take into account what resources the student might need to combat their addiction.

Because of the way this policy neglects to consider the main factor that drives this issue, it won’t attain its goal of decreasing the number of students vaping on campus. What is deterring students from going back to school and falling into the same routine?

There needs to be more focus on providing assistance to students who are struggling. This would more effectively discourage them from vaping rather than punishing them for it, serving as a more impactful and long-term deterrent, rather than just sweep-

ing the problem under the rug.

While some people may believe that high school students are at an age where they should be held accountable for all of their decisions, it’s important to remember that our brains are still going through some of the most significant stages of development.

Furthermore, when dealing with a concept as serious as addiction, it’s important to note that the person struggling will not benefit from being shamed or made to feel guilty. They may have decided to participate in the first place because they felt it was their only option at the time.

I believe that a better solution to this ongoing issue would be to have mental health and substance use resources on campus that are available to students who would like to quit vaping. This would actually combat the prevalent issue of vaping on campus as it wouldn’t only temporarily remove students participating, rather it could reduce the amount of students who vape substantially by addressing the root of the problem.

Reducing vaping on campus is a significant issue on the hands of the administration. Those enforcing this policy are posed with an option: either turn their back to the detrimental effects vaping has on the Bowie community, or provide options that

ART BY Layne Foxcroft

Interviews By: Madeleine Travis

Bulldawgs Speak!

Photos By: Madeleine Travis

How do you feel about the recent threat to our school?

“I think they could make [students] feel welcome to maybe, so they don’t say that stuff on social media especially not saying those things in general taking ownership over their actions.”

“I was scared but when I saw the police were here it wasn’t as scary. I think the most concerning part was that he might have actually been a serious threat.”

“I really didn’t see a lot about it mainly because I just straight up didn’t hear about it. But I walked into school coming through the parking garage and saw so many cops and it was a little bit startling.”

Freya Larsen, 9

Hazel Price, 10

Julia Low, 11

“It happened a day before school on the weekend. They didn’t tell us until we were at school, they knew a day before about threat but we didn’t know and I feel like if someone threatens school, they should be on lockdown.”

Bianca Noak, 12

“The staff was notified of the person’s appearance and told to look out for him. If an individual has expressed that they have ill intentions against the school that they have access to. I don’t know why they would continue to have access to that school.”

Matt Flickinger, Teacher

16 PHOTO ESSAY THE DISPATCH SEPT. 29, 2023

A day in the life of a mountain-Baker

LIFTOFF: Sophomore Carson Baker launches himself over a newly built jump deep in the woods. These jumps are very routine for him, and led him to every win. "Winning the Cat 4 championship was definitely a stand out moment for me,” Baker said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood

SPEED AND STYLE: Baker turns his wheel and whips his tail at the Slaughter Creek greenbelt, where the many trails offer a large range of challenges for mountain bikers in the form of rocky terrain, big jumps, and alternate routes that vary greatly in speed. Baker has been riding these trails ever since he started biking and knows them like the back of his hand. “I love that I get to hang out with my friends and we can go on long rides around the neighborhood and around Austin, both on the road and on trails,” Baker said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood

Carson Baker finds his passion through competitive mountain biking Noah Bihan Photo Essay Editor In the midst of Austin's picturesque landscapes, sophomore Carson Baker embraces the art of mountain biking, navigating the rocky trails and challenging terrain with every pedal and leap he takes.

“It's where you truly connect with the sport,” Baker said.

“You get to see the nature in the trails along with the sheer joy of riding.”

Baker’s introduction to mountain biking started when he joined a group of riders with a shared passion for off-road cycling. With this group, Baker found his passion for the sport, surrounded by like-minded individuals who only propelled his passion further.

"I started mountain biking around sixth grade with the Bulldogs and immediately fell in love with the sport," Baker said.

What truly enamored Baker with mountain biking was the sense of community and explo-

ration it offered.

"I love that I get to hang out with my friends," Baker said. "We can go on long rides around the neighborhood and around Austin, both on the road and trails."

The camaraderie among the riders underscores the strong connections forged through their shared passion for mountain biking. Collectively, they exemplify the adventurous spirit that characterizes this tightly-knit community, gaining respect between themselves through their biking skills and prowess.

“Carson taught me a lot about mountain biking,” sophomore Sid Caraway said.

“He really proves how working hard on skill and technique is important.”

The groups’ genuine friendliness is evident through their open invitations to events and group outings, creating an environment where riders of all skill levels can connect and bond over their shared passion for biking. This welcoming

ethos not only strengthens the sense of unity within the community but also encourages newcomers to embrace off-road cycling.

“Everybody is really friendly and everybody's invited to events or to just hang out as a group,” Caraway said.

Among the standout moments etched in Bkaer’s memory were victories on the racecourse, particularly his win in the cat four state championship. For him and Caraway however, the sport is not about the podium or success; mountain biking is about the shared experiences, like simply riding through a forest on their own hours together, that truly made an impact.

“Carson isn’t too much of a talker when he’s focused,” Caraway said. “I think it’s part of what makes him really cool to be around though.”

Despite the joys of mountain biking, Baker recognizes the sport's challenges, with its considerable time commitment topping the list. Managing rig-

orous training schedules alongside academic responsibilities was a juggling act that demanded discipline and dedication..

"The hardest thing is probably just like the amount of time it takes up...it's definitely a time commitment, but it's worth it," Baker said.

Baker's insights shed light on the essence of progress in mountain biking. It's a simple yet powerful concept that resonates with anyone seeking to improve in the sport or any endeavor.

"The best way to work forward is simply incredible amount of practice and repetition," Baker said.

Baker’s favorite trail, Rattlesnake, is one he spends the majority of his solo practice rides in.

"The trail is close just across the river," Baker said. "I like that the turns are smooth and I can ride very quickly."

Knowing good trails is essential for mountain bikers, as emphasized by Baker.

Quality trails offer thrilling

rides and opportunities for skill development, making them a vital aspect of the sport. Baker’s experience highlights the significance of well-chosen trails in elevating the mountain biking experience.

“The right trail can make all the difference in how enjoyable and rewarding a ride can be,” Baker said.

For individuals interested in an entry into the realm of mountain biking, Baker provided some practical advice through his own personal experience aimed at helping newcomers navigate the exciting but sometimes demanding journey ahead "I recommend finding a friend that already mountain bikes and knows what they’re doing,” Baker said.

“Go on rides with people that are better than you, join a team, and slowly work your way towards better gear."

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ALL HANDS ON: Baker tests the brakes before getting started . Knowing the difference between your front and read breaks is crucial, for success especially when there are limited competitions every year.

"We have six races a year in the spring," Baker said. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

FROM ABOVE: As he comes around the bend, Baker visualizes the jumps and prepares. Ahead of him is a series of jumps that are all different sizes and require different speed, knowing how fast to take them is necessary in having a good smooth jump. "I think that the right trail can make all the difference in how enjoyable and rewarding a ride can be,” Baker said. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

EYES AHEAD: While in the air, Baker keeps his eyes locked on the landing, and as his momentum carries him forward, he hopes to land both wheels at the same time to get a perfectly smooth landing. Many wipe-outs over time gets Baker used to falling and teaches him what hes doing wrong so he can improve. " I started in mountain biking around sixth grade with the Bulldogs and immediately fell in love with the sport," Baker said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood