The Dispatch, Vol. 34, Issue #2 11/05/21

An inside look into media sources that cause polarizing views

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Review of the locally produced goods at the Tiny Grocers shop

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THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

CULINARY COOKS UP A FALL STORM

PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

SOUTH CONGRESS TINY GROCERS SHOP

PHOTO BY Lucille Price

ART BY Isabella del Nido

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MEDIA AND ITS DIVERGING VIEWS

A Day in the Life of a Bowie Culinary student cooking fall dishes

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coming UP November 22-26 Thanksgiving Break December 1 Way-Back Winter Festival December 13 End of 2nd Nine Weeks

Vol. 34, Issue 2 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749

Pride in Publishing

First Nine Weeks Teacher Shortages Emily Lowe Dispatch Reporter

It's Monday morning, and you wake up feeling sick. You don't know if it's COVID, but you know you can't go to school. You call in to inform the administration and that's when they tell you there might not be a teacher to take your classes for the day.

As you put down the phone, you feel your stress levels starting to spiral, as you think of all the things that could go wrong in your classroom without a teacher there.

Although you feel terrible, you have to ask, is it worth it to go into school to make sure the students are being safe? This is the life of many teachers right now due to the profound shortage of teachers in Texas.

“There is a worker shortage everywhere, and admin has had a hard time finding enough qualified people who applied for the teaching jobs that we have had open," chemistry teacher Jeanne Westmoreland said.

For the first few weeks of the school year, there were various classes, especially in the science department, without teachers. These said classes had no instructors, but plenty of students, so they were being taught by substitutes and other Bowie teachers.

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Bowie's Incentive Policy is Back Alex Edwards Dispatch Reporter

For over half a decade, Bowie students utilized the school’s attendance incentives, but this year, until October 18, incentives were a thing of the past. With important factors changing leading up to the second grading period, incentives were able to make their return.

At the beginning of the school year, incentives were halted to help prevent students from coming to school sick. Now, with the spread of COVID-19 decreasing throughout the city of Austin and the COVID-19 risk stage lowering from Stage 5 to Stage 3, it became safe to reintroduce the incentives for the second nine weeks.

“We talked about what stage we would need to be at and we finally just decided to not put a number on it,” School Improvement Facilitator Ruth Widner said.

“Instead we left it open so we could evaluate all the factors.”

The incentives were resumed on October 18 with the introduction of the quarantine, or “QT” code. If a student has to quarantine the “QT” code is used, distinguishing the absence related to the pandemic from other types of absences and not counting against a student's attendance incentive.

One worry for teachers is students not keeping up with work while quarantining.

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INDEX:

CONVERSATIONS SPARK: Senior Andie Garza, Keira Folkers, and Isabella Grahmann wear orange t-shirts to school. On Oct. 20, 2021, Bowie students and staff wore orange to show support in efforts against vaping. PHOTO BY Sage Epstein ART BY Isabella del Nido

Vaping conversations

Student Leadership's ‘No Vape October' encouraged students to quit vaping Arushi Sharma Editor-in-Chief

John Smith felt the urge.

He was sitting in his algebra class, listening to a boring lecture about inverse matrices and he felt the need to go to the E hall bathroom to hit his vape.

He knew this addiction was not something that was good for him, but he couldn’t control it. He couldn't even think of the last time he had made it through the day without vaping.

Vaping had become a daily routine for him and he was unable to focus without it.

While John Smith isn't a real student at Bowie, the story is one played out everyday in the hallways. Addiction is a problem across the country.

In a recent report by the U.S. Health Public Service, between 2011 and 2015 e-cigarette use among high school students increased by over 900%.

The same report states that young people ages 15 to 17 are 16 times more likely to vape than people aged 25 to 34. With the rise of this increase and the effects of vaping, Bowie’s nurse Shari Petersen and Student Leadership have spent the past month implementing ‘No Vape October’ at Bowie.

“NoVapeOctober is an initiative that Nurse Petersen and my Student Leadership students are working on

this year to help Bowie students become aware of a program that can help students quit vaping in a teenage friendly way," Student Leadership teacher Vickie Benson said.

In 2019, a poll conducted by the Truth Initiative reflected the conclusion that two-thirds of people aged 15 to 21 don’t know that the product contained nicotine. Moreover, despite an outbreak in deaths or lung disease cases because of vaping, more than 20% of 18- to 38-yearolds called vaping harmless and nonaddictive.

“A lot of people think it's a safer alternative than smoking, and it's not," Petersen said. "In fact, it actually has the potential to make you more addicted and more dependent than actual cigarettes, because the amount of nicotine you can get in a vape is way higher than you actually get from smoking a cigarette.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 99% of the e-cigarettes sold in the United States contained nicotine. The article also conveyed the idea that various e-cigarette labels don’t disclose that they contain nicotine or mark it as having 0% nicotine, but actually contain this toxic chemical.

“Through NoVapeOctober, I learned the facts about the various negative consequences that occur through vaping,” senior Camilla Cooper said. “I hope that Bowie

students were able to educate themselves on the harmful effects of these e-cigarettes and have taken some form of help from the program.”

Last year during the pandemic, Petersen took a course where she researched information on vaping and its side effects. She found a program called ‘This is Quitting’ that assist students in understanding the risks that are associated with vaping, especially risks that are overlooked.

“The program is 100% private and anonymous, and it's free,” Petersen said. “Essentially, a student types in 88709 to their phone, and to that they text the keyword ‘NoVapeBowie’ and that starts them down the road to quitting. Once they text that it'll give them prompts to respond to such as tips to quit, helpful age-appropriate information, and responses to ‘SOS texts’.”

The ‘Truth Initiative’ organization, utilized by Bowie, has been directly responsible for keeping over 450,000 teenagers from starting to smoke. Moreover, in 2020 alone, the program has seen more than 41,000 young people subscribe to the service. Between 100-150 people sign up each day.

“The program been proven through research to be really effective to help teenagers quit," Petersen said. “It communicates with them on a way they understand through their phone. The information that the teens receive back through the text

messaging platform has been shown to be really helpful as it communicates with teenagers and helps them learn ways to fight those cravings and urges to vape."

Petersen emphasized the need for utilizing students as the best way to spread awareness and information.

Benson's Student Leadership class has spent the month of October making posters, writing messages for the morning announcements, playing no vaping videos in English classes, and encouraging students to wear orange in support of the initiative.

“My favorite activity that we've done in Student Leadership for NoVapeOctober was making the posters for campus that advertise the program,” senior Goretti Lopez said. “By implementing these activities to support the initiative, I hope students recognize that vaping is bad for you and it’s something that they should stop.”

While October is over, the ‘This is Quitting' initiative isn’t ending. Benson shares her thoughts about the impact that she hopes the program will bring to Bowie's campus.

“I’m hoping that something resonated from this campaign and people start to mature as they think ‘I do need to quit vaping,’” Benson said.

“If even one person on campus heard the message from NoVapeOctober and started going through the program to get help and stop vaping, I think that it was worth it.”

Model UN club makes a comeback after nine years Claire Scott Dispatch Reporter

The clock is ticking. Two more minutes till the countries have to vote on the bill in question. Will they vote in his favor? Sophomore Ma-

son Lilley has spent the last two months researching and thinking like a citizen in another country to learn about their political beliefs and views.

Since 2013, Model UN hasn't been a extracurricular

FIT MEETINGS: Junior Ashley Fuselier and World Geography and debate teacher John Mast discuss information during the ModelUN meeting. The club meets on Thursdays every week. PHOTO BY Angela Le

News 1, 2 Politics 3 Features 4 , 5

Sports 6, 7 Photo Essay 11, 16 Entertainment 12

activity that Bowie students can participate in. After nine years of dormancy, the club has made a return under world geography teacher Charles Stampley and debate teacher John Mast.

“Model UN is a competition where students roleplay countries and political figures, and they are graded on how well you represent the country or figure,” Stampley said.

ModelUN is a collaborative activity that involves multiple participants who act as delegates, namely a representative of their assigned country. Throughout the conference delegates voice their opinions for various bills and are allowed to form alliances with others.

Eventually their plans are brought to a vote, like the actual United Nations.

“I chose to participate be-

In-Depth 8-9, 10 Reviews 13 Opinions 14, 15

cause I thought it would be interesting,” senior Ethan Young said. “Additionally, this is Bowie’s first time ever doing Model UN after a while so I thought it would be a good addition to Bowie’s debate program.”

In a report by BestDelagate, the article states that ModelUN fosters creativity and out-of-the-box thinking into students in a way that regular academics doesn't. It also increases student's communication skills as they're able to engage with other delegates throughout the conference.

“Being in Model UN club has helped me in my world history class by expanding the way that I understand different topics and how countries react to different issues," Lilley said.

This club is often confused with other electives

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such as debate and mock trial, which are also Bowie organizations. Although these activities are alike, they have different motives behind their conferences and competitions.

“While both of the clubs are very similar in style with each other, Model UN focuses on international relations and representing an entire country while the other does no," Stampley said.

With the excitement to bring back this club to Bowie, Stampley reemphasizes the target audience for the club and encourages all students to join.

“Anyone interested in international relations should join," Stampley said. "It’s not a big time commitment and we participate in competitions frequently. Also, colleges love to see this club on college applications."

2 NEWS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

Guardian angels guiding young minds Restoring community outreach with PALs & Ready Set Teach after inability to visit feeder schools Dylan Zellner News Editor

Guiding the youth to excel, Bowie students part of Peer Assistance Leadership and Service (PALS) and Ready, Set, Teach (RST) spend their time going to different elementary schools to assist the teachers in helping grow these young minds.

However, with COVID taking over the world last year PALS and RST had to find other ways to help with their programs.

PALS is a nationwide program with the directive to provide counseling to young minds. PALS work with students from feeder schools, called PALees, through direct mentoring.

“Letting high school kids have a way to reach out to the community to provide good influences and a positive attitude in someone's life, it's so meaningful and impactful to so many people,” PALS teacher Alejandro Garcia said. “[Elementary school] is such an impressionable age, sometimes they really do need encouragement as well as support.”

While PALS consists of personal mentoring, RST uses a more general approach. The program assigns a student to a specific classroom to be an assistant teacher. At the beginning of the year students mainly spend their time only assisting the teacher with some assistance among small groups, and also assist individuals understand anything they are struggling with. However, students will begin facilitating lessons after the winter break.

“Ready Set Teach is offered for students who think they might want to explore a career in education or for students who want to explore a career working with children,” RST Instructor Kelly Langdon said. “So it's an opportunity to get our Bowie students off campus, in an internship setting. It gives them job experience and exposure to the field of education.”

These classes provide high school students with the opportunity to explore careers in education or working with children through experience.

“I'm not sure if I want to be a teacher but I know for sure that I want to work with kids, so I think it's good to have that experience before I decide to major in something in college,” junior Olivia Walker said.

PALS and RST don’t only provide the ability to explore careers,

ENGAGING IN GAMES: Senior Kelli Robinson plays card games with her Mills Elementary PALee. The PAL students go every Tuesday and Thursday to local elementary schools. PHOTO BY Anna Holme

but also allow students to outreach to their community and assist those in need.

“I impact the students by being a positive light in their lives,” senior Brodi Tokar said. “We stress the importance of being a friend and supporting them through whatever difficulties they have in their lives and classes.”

Tokar emphasizes the fulfillment being apart of PALS brings him and expresses why he decided to join PALS initially.

“I care about helping kids that go through similar problems I went through as a kid. Being a positive light in their life, while helping them become the best, happiest version of themselves means the

world to me,” Tokar said. “I know how much a PAL would have helped me at their age, so I feel honored to be in the place where I am a PAL.” During the peak of COVID, PALS was unable to return to elementary schools and was forced to find other means to pursue the class’s goals. Rather than PALS reaching out to other communities, they instead decided to work on improving the Bowie community.

They worked on team-building exercises, improving the campus, and assisted Bowie students via Zoom.

“Even with COVID still ever so present in our daily lives, in PALS, we are lucky enough to go to elementary schools and help the kids

just like we were supposed to in the beginning,” Tokar said. “I am so grateful we are back and helping kids in person.”

While PALS completely differed from their norm over COVID, RST found different ways for Bowie students to impact and interact with the young students. Initially they had Bowie students join Zoom calls with the elementary schools and occasionally joining breakout rooms to help assist students individually.

“There were more students in person at the elementary school level than there were at the high school level,” Langdon said. “It wasn't the greatest situation, but we did what we could.”

However, COVID didn't completely stop RST students from participating in the program.

“Towards the end of the year last year some of our students chose to do their internship in person,” Langdon said.

The COVID year also set students back academically making this year a year for catchup. Students were forced to spend the majority of their year online, unable to properly communicate with teachers.

“The biggest way [I’ve seen COVID affect students] is just the lack of socialization,” Langdon said. “Elementary school needs a lot more hand-holding and a lot more instruction and more one on one time. Six-year-olds shouldn't be standing staring at a computer all day.”

A growing need in hands to hold, RST can help lighten the load off teachers backs with assisting in one-on-one instruction to help struggling students succeed.

“Last year they missed out on a lot of school like a lot of learning,” Walker said. “It's just really important that we have to be there and assist them because teachers really need that extra help right now.”

However, these programs provide more than just educational support.

“They're more comfortable with us compared to the teachers, and we're able to make more of a personal connection to them,” Walker said.

With children 12 and under unable to get the COVID vaccine and some parents still questioning the vaccines’ validity, actions to keep the children safe are made; PALs bringing their own games and supplies while keeping any bowie students from interacting with a classroom of students or more than one other group of PALees.

“There's a lot that goes into [safety] this year,” Garcia said. “[We’re] trying to keep everybody as safe as possible.”

Garcia conveys his content with how the PALS program has transformed into after the previous years. “[COVID] forced me to rethink things, but the program itself at its core remains, and the idea of putting together a group of students who really do truly want to make a difference in the life of a kid,” Garcia said. “The evolution of the program has been a good thing. It's been a lot of work, but I'm extremely happy where we are today."

Harmonic return of student music organization Electrical Surge

Tesla relocates to Austin Texas

Julia Arriaga Dispatch Reporter

Gathering from all across Bowie, musicians come together to join the new competition club. The inactive TRI-M Music Honor Society makes its return to Bowie after more than a year of absence.

Music Honor Society is a national program that students and teachers all around the US participate in. With 84,000 active students around the globe, the TRI-M Music Honor Society is centered around music and service. There will be various opportunities for TRI-M members to perform and show off their skills.

“I would like to see [students] be able to have an opportunity to see other realms of music,” choir teacher Aaron Bourgeois said. “These contests will give the members of the honor society a space to take a step outside of their musical comfort zone and try something different.”

After taking notice that there were not as many ways student musicians are getting recognized for their talent, Bourgeois and choir teacher Randy Cantu decided to co-sponsor the Music Honor Society.

“I was wondering if there was a specific way to honor and award some specific students who do really well in my music class," Bourgeois said. "While it's not like the National Honor Society, it's definitely the closest thing that we have had to it."

Colin Barnes Dispatch Reporter

STRUMMING HIS GUITAR: Junior Ethan Smith plays guitar with his other friends in their after school guitar quartet. With the reintroduction of the Music Honor Society, Smith plans to audition as he hopes to be a member of the society PHOTO BY Mars Canepa

Currently, the society is holding auditions and once that process is over, the students will begin bettering their skills future competitions.

“We're looking for students that are committed to service and music, and we are looking to find opportunities to, you know, pat them on the back for the work that they do,” Cantu said.

The society allows students

to do more than compete in different music competitions. Later in the spring, the honor society has plans to assist in music oriented activities centered around helping the community.

“I feel for the amount of time and contribution being a dedicated musician at Bowie there should be a lot more ways to be officially recognized in their ability to do that,” Bourgeois said.

With the re-introduction of the honor society to Bowie's campus, Bourgeois shares his hopes for the impact and directive of this club on its members.

“As the honor society makes its return to Bowie l, I hope that its members learn and continue to expose themselves to everything that is available music world because it's always fun to soak in the music world a little bit," Bourgeois said.

Tesla is a tech giant responsible for the most popular electric vehicles on the market, and that giant is marching its way to Texas.

Recently Tesla announced that they are planning to build the all-new cybertruck at a new factory just outside Austin.

Several months ago Tesla stated they would be moving their headquarters from Palo Alto California to Austin Texas alongside its announcement of the cybertruck factory moving to Texas as well. “[The move was] likely due to the lower taxes and the car culture here in Texas,” junior Jake Reiman said.

Tesla will also be constructing their Cybertruck factory near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to allow for quick and easy shipping across the country.

“It will be the industry leader, once the population becomes more accustomed to [electric cars] in the future,” Reiman said.

Tesla stated earlier this year that the cybertruck will be built and shipped in a multi million-dollar factory just outside the city.

Many speculate that this will lead to a heavy influx of Tesla's' on the streets and highways of Texas.

“I believe that electric cars are the future,” Reiman said. “However, I can't imagine an all-electric highway anytime soon, but maybe in the near future.”

During a presentation at Tesla’s design studio in 2019, the cybertruck was unveiled and tested in front of a live audience showing its protective windows and its heavy-duty steel body. During the demonstration, the cybertruck took a full swing from a sledgehammer, in order to present it's highly engineered stability.

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POLITICS 3

New money allocations for homelessness FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Carey Wooley Politics Editor

According to the organization End- What is being done with it?” Warren said. “I ing Community Homelessness Coalition think if the city is putting in so much mon(ECHO) over 3,000 people are not living in a ey on an approach that isn’t working, they Months have passed after voters approved traditional home and are experiencing home- should switch gears and figure out better proposition B, the legislation banning camp- lessness. A part of this number are living in uses of that money.” ing in Austin. With this in place local citizens shelters but most of this 3,000 are living in Based on polls done by ECHO, over half are now wondering what will come next. tents, cars, of Austin’s In September over $100 million was al- and in population located to help different organizations fund abandoned are living with ways to give people experiencing homeless- buildings. a disability.

The new camping ban disregards ness a form of permanent housing. Then this “The best Over half of homeless people as actual people. month Austin was given over $400 million s o l u t i o n s this populato use over the next three years that will be for hometion are also Clyde Warren given to different organizations to also pro- lessness are chronically Sophomore vide homeless individuals with shelter. initiatives homeless or “The new camping ban disregards home- to help peopeople who less people as actual people,” sophomore ple at the have experiClyde Warren said. “Homelessness is not genesis of enced homegoing to be solved by preventing homeless the problem, rather than dealing with home- lessness for more than a year. people from living in public areas, I think the less camps in the short term,” senior Jack“Home insecurity has its roots in mental government needs to change its plan so that son Bloder said. “Having a public option for health, job security, effective healthcare, food it is actually taking care of the issue.” healthcare, starting national, state, or local security, education, and legal protections,” The previous money allocated to this programs that provide rehabilitation, not Hendricks said. “It's also something that cause was earmarked to create new housing just the overly expensive rehab facilities people struggle with after major events that to fund already existing and successful proj- that only the top third of Americans have we can't always plan for or prevent, and I ects. Mobile Loaves and Fishes and Commu- access to.” think if we understand the roots and causnity First! were given $50 million, and an Many Austin-based organizations, like es, we're more likely to respond in ways additional $50 million was sent to a group the Austin Justice Coalition, have startthat address them instead of focusing on of seven organizations making up the Travis ed petitions and held many meetings just the effects.”

County Supportive Housing Collaborative. discussing plans to help the homeThe federal government is respon“I don't know that there is one right solu- less population of Austin. The sible for the $400 million Austin is tion,” AP world and US history teacher Kris- goals of these petitions were to using to solve the crisis, with $16 tin Hendricks said. “Especially because we gain the attention of this cities million has already n use. Most of are suffering through a pandemic that affects government, so they take acthis money is going to be used those who are home insecure in very differ- countability and fund orgaon housing projects throughent ways and the COVID fallout in the job nizations that can help the out Austin so they are able to market and economy that have added to peo- people affected by homemove these camping sights ple struggling to support themselves, there lessness. to more permaare a lot of different factors that we as citi“Where is nent housing. zens and our government need to consider all the mon“I think in order to help our community.” ey going? that without careful ART BY Carey Wooley

consideration and intentional planning to address the myriad causes of home insecurity, money isn't necessarily used in the most effective places,” Hendricks said. “These are systemic issues that have to be addressed at the personal, local, state, national, and global levels.”

The mayor of Austin, Steve Adler, has said in a statement that the city is very close to being able to end homelessness. Part of Austin's solution is having a mix of permanent housing and emergency shelters that people could be moved into immediately while they wait for a more long lasting solution.

“I just really hope that the people in charge of the use of that money come up with some bright ideas, because I very much do not want for there to be either a stalemate with the homeless crisis, or Republicans able to use a blunder with money as political gunpowder,” Bolder said.

The current pandemic has become another stressor on homelessness. The economic pressures of the last year on housing and rent have caused many individuals to enter homelessness. Evictions this past year have risen as well as job loss which has lead to the rising homeless population.

“The biggest feeling I have regarding the government’s response to homelessness is that it is absolutely without empathy,” Bloder said. “It feels as though we treat the unhoused like cattle in America, as if they are not full human beings with autonomy and thoughts and feelings and past lives. All of the verbiage surrounding plans and city bills, as well as the plans and bills coming from state and national governments do not treat the un-housed like human beings.”

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Prop A and Prop B debates: policing and parkland space Voters overwhelmingly reject Prop A, pass prop B, according to election results

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I encourage all seniors who are 18 to go vote and do their civic duty.

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that we do get that more of the parkland, because [we will] still have maintenance sites, it’s not like they’re going to completely stop taking care of the parks,” Power said. “And I think people will enjoy it, especially since some people are still cautious about COVID, [and] it provides more park space to spread out and not be super close.”

Because this property is considered parkland, the city needs voters’ permission to sell it, as both state law and Austin’s city charter require citizen approval with the selling of a cityowned park.

“Austinites really take their downtown parks space seriously, it’s part of our culture. So I feel like it is important [to vote on this], especially as more people are moving here and [our parks] are getting super crowded on the weekends,” Power said. “I do believe it's somewhat of a formality, [as well as] a For cultural thing for Austinites.”

Although Prop B was approved, the deal isn’t immediately finalized, it just opens up the nine acres to any bidders interested, which would then need to be approved by the City Council. Land on the edge of the Colorado River is being considered for this trade.

For “While we don't know the final construction of the land exchange," Pool said. "I think we know enough as a city to give them our consent - or not consent - when it comes to this time.”

Props A and B are the only propositions for Travis County voters on the November ballot. Campaigning has taken place in hopes to get a wide range of voters, including first time voters, to the polls in November.

“A functioning democracy works best when more and more people are engaged and educated on the material,” Pool said.

“It's a civic duty to vote, and it’s our responsibility. We need to realize the effect that our government - whether it's local, state, or federal - has on us, and voting is our key way of sharing our opinion on different issues, and it's the most obvious way that we affect our government. I encourage all seniors who are 18 to go vote and do their civic duty.”

op Pr

lice department to do their jobs, and to keep the city safe,” Pool said. “Whether or not the city has [enough] money right now, is also Austin voters decided the future of two in question. If it meant taking that money local propositions on the Nov. 2, 2021 city from other places and moving it towards the elections. On the ballot, there were two police after already passing a large police propositions that Travis County citizens will budget, that's something I'd be skeptical of.” make decisions on, Prop A and B. Critics believe the proposed budget is a Prop A is aimed at increasing staffing for mis-allocation of resources, while supporters the Austin Police Department (APD). Sug- believe it’s a necessary amount for improvgested by the local political action communi- ing safety in Austin.

Equity PAC, another loty (PAC) Save Austin Now, Prop A presents cal organization, formed the opposing camthe requirement of 20 sworn officers for ev- paign No Way Prop A to convince voters not ery 10,000 Austin citizens. Save Austin Now to pass this proposal.

Leaders of this associaco-founder Cleo Petricek has said that APD’s tion agree that Austin doesn’t have the funds officer shortage is putting the community in for this proposition, and some members also harm’s way, including a rise in homicides and believe that the police department is systemdelayed response times. atically unjust.

“Prop A is very politi“The bottom line is, cal, and I think it goes all the way we do policing the way back to the fallnow does not make us feel out of the George Floyd safe. We don’t need more murder,” AP government cops,” Austin Justice Coateacher Dalton Pool said. lition founder Chas Moore “All the protests and said at the No Way Prop the actions of many city A launch event. “We need councils, including our more resources for pools, own, caused a decrease we need more resources Dalton Pool in police funding. After for mental health, we need that, the Save Austin Government and Politics more resources to go inNow PAC had a lot of vest in our communities.”

Teacher [political] success, and Instead of spending now they’re picking up money on the APD, oppothis political agenda item nents believe the money to expand police funding in reaction to the could go to funding different public adminoriginal decreases.” istrations in Austin. They believe that other Save Austin Now also requests standing systems of Austin’s community could be imofficers to be issued a minimum of “35 per- proved with the kind of funding that Prop A cent community engagement time”, meaning suggests for the police force. time spent not responding to calls. In addi“There's a lot of different avenues that I tion, if it’s passed, Prop A will require every think the money could be spent on,” Pool officer to participate in 40 hours of post-ca- said. “The city has done a pretty good job det training each year. of improving our park system, but I think “Tying back to Black Lives Matter, it is there's a lot more they can do. Also, the important for [officers] to get more training healthcare industry is really struggling right and psychological background training just now, especially with COVID, hospitals are to make sure there's not the racial biases and struggling with hiring.

The city could get inprejudice in the police system,” senior Livia volved in those areas.”

Power said. “But I don't know if it needed to Prop. B is the other issue on the ballot, be done, [and] if that much money is neces- and it is in regards to the City of Austin asksary for that training.” ing for permission to trade one piece of land These changes are expected to cost the for another. city of Austin somewhere between $54.3 The land being traded away is nine acres million to $119.8 million per year for the of city-owned property on which Austin’s next five years. This is added on top of the Parks and Recreation Department has a stordepartment’s new yearly budget of over $443 age and supplies facility.

The city has deemed million, the highest allowance the APD has these buildings insubstantial for their purever had. These budget changes would also poses, so the property on which they stand reverse the 2020 funding cuts that were will be traded for land from the highest bidmade in response to local BLM protests. der, likely to be Oracle, a software company “The fact that the city just passed a [new] with headquarters in Austin. police budget should be plenty for the po“I'm expecting most people to say yes, and

Pr op o

Mazzy Warren Dispatch Reporter

Swaps one piece of land for another. Austin wants to gain a piece of land to turn into a park ART BY Carey Wooley & Dylan Ebs

4 FEATURE

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

SAGA club provides supportive space Senior officer Lindsay Nixon shares their experience leading the acceptance group Sammie Thompson Managing Editor

The familiar ringing of the school bell resounds throughout the classroom. It’s 4:35 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon, and it’s time for senior Lindsay Nixon to walk to room A210 for their favorite part of the school day: SAGA club.

Nixon is an officer in the SAGA, or Sexuality and Gender Acceptance, club. The group meets after school every Wednesday to take part in bonding activities, hold discussions about topics related to sexuality and gender, and to be an accepting community for all students who walk through the door.

“I just think it’s kind of a fun thing to meet other people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and just be able to provide a safe space,” Nixon said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something.”

According to a 2019 report from the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 55% of LGBTQ+ students surveyed felt restricted from expressing themselves. While Nixon does not consider herself to be one of these students, she believes that SAGA can help those who do.

“I originally joined just because I mean, I’m gay,” Nixon said. “When I came out, I was just surrounded by love.

I really wanted to make sure that everyone else who is gay could find a good place to be accepted. We mainly just want the club to be like a safe space for people who don’t feel like they have anywhere else to go.”

A new school year back

LEADING THE DISCUSSION: Seniors Arlo Craft, Elissa Wechsler, and Lindsay Nixon participate in a Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) club meeting. The three seniors are officers in the club, which exists to provide a accepting community for students to express themselves. PHOTO BY Sophia Sanchez

in-person means new goals for the SAGA club.

“Freshman year I went to one meeting, but it just seemed kind of disorganized,” Nixon said. “So that’s what we’re trying to do this year is kind of make it a little more organized than before.

It’s been at Bowie for a couple of years, but I feel like this is

of LGBTQ+ students were prevented from using their chosen name or pronouns

of LGBTQ+ students were prevented from using the bathroom or locker room that aligns with their gender identity

Source: GLSEN 2019 National School Climate Survey

55% of students felt restricted from LGBTQ+ expression

my creative writing class and I wanted to make sure they had a safe space. Also, I have really enjoyed the community we have become. It brings me a lot of joy.”

In addition to Nixon, there are three other SAGA officers this year: seniors Elissa Wechsler, Arlo Craft, and Tennyson Tole. Wechsler has

18%

of LGBTQ+ students were prevented from wearing clothes because they were deemed “inappropriate” based on gender

ART BY Lauren Wright

29%

20%

the first time that it’s like actually something.”

English and creative writing teacher Bree Rolfe recently took over the role of club sponsor from English teacher Chelsea McCaffrey.

“I decided to take it over because of the students who were involved,” Rolfe said.

“They are really wonderful in

also found SAGA to be an encouraging club and group of students.

“At Bowie I’m really lucky to have a very supportive community and group of friends,” Wechsler said. “Even so, it’s very important to have a safe space to simply be around people with shared experiences and have a support group to talk and relate to.”

One of Nixon’s goals as officer is to educate students and faculty on experiences that LGBTQ+ high schoolers face. Some teachers have implemented classroom policies this year that Nixon believes should stay.

“I’ve had nothing but support and acceptance from

people [at Bowie],” Nixon said. “I also do notice that a lot of teachers make efforts to be LGBTQ+ friendly. I remember filling out all the beginning of the year forms and they have stuff like, what are your pronouns and what names do you go by, and I think that’s really great.”

In addition to spreading awareness among the school population, the SAGA club holds discussions among its members to learn more about each other’s differing backgrounds.

“The most important thing about SAGA for me, aside from having the group to talk to, is making the campus as a whole more understanding and educated,” Wechsler said.

“There are a lot of things I think back on about myself that weren’t very accepting or understanding and I really wish I had just understood more about the community like I do now.”

The last few weeks have been busy ones for Nixon and the other SAGA officers.

LBGT History Month is celebrated in October, as well as National Coming Out Day, which was held on Oct. 11 this year.

“We went on [the announcements] for National Coming Out Day, which is a pretty big deal because it’s about accepting yourself and getting others around you to accept you,” Nixon said. “I think it’s just important to be aware that we’re people who exist and that we’re not like some distant alien species.

You can’t pick a gay person out of a crowd.”

Nixon and the SAGA club have many plans for the remainder of the school year, like learning about significant figures in gay history and continuing the grow the SAGA community.

“Lindsay is so enthusiastic and excited about activism,” Rolfe said. “So far, their passion and energy has been so wonderful to witness. I believe that we will be able to accomplish a lot as a group this year.”

Rother plucks her way to first chair in TMEA Region 18 Sydney Crum Dispatch Reporter

Hannah Rother could barely take the anticipation. She nervously flipped over the sticker that corresponded to the audition order and double checked her number.

Finally. She was up next.

Rother, a senior, plays harp in the Bowie orchestra and is one student who participated in The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 18 Orchestra audition. This audition is an annual event open to students in the surrounding Austin area who want to become a part of the Austin regional orchestra, which performs at the AISD Performing Arts Center (PAC). “[The auditions are] usually stressful,” Rother said. “You come up to the front and they give you a sticker with your number on it because they can’t call you by your name. The judges are behind a screen so they can’t see you and you can’t see them. It’s just the other people with you who are also auditioning from the same region.”

This year, Rother tried out with pieces for both the harp and piano sections. After practicing since the end of last school year, all of her hard work paid off when she was named first chair out of all the other harps in the district.

“Sophomore year, I also made the Region orchestra, which was really fun,” Rother said. “[This year], I started practicing around the beginning of the summer. I practiced for about an hour every day just by playing the audition pieces.”

Rother has been playing the harp for a while now after first discovering her interest for it at the end of middle school.

“I’ve been playing harp for about three and a half years,” Rother said. “There was a harp in my middle school and I was only there for the last two months of eighth grade, but just the opportunity of having a harp was good to be able to start doing it.”

Orchestra director Joseph Smith considers the competition to be one of the most important events of the year for his students. The auditions determine whether or not you get the opportunity to play in the regional orchestra and continue on to compete for a spot in the prestigious All-State orchestra. ¨It’s kind of the biggest deal out of the year for most students in the AISD orchestra program,” Smith said. “It takes hours and hours of practice away from everyone being really disciplined all summer long just to get into this orchestra that only ends up lasting for three days.”

Students have been participating in this event for many years and around six to ten Bowie students usually compete at the event. Those that got involved this year rehearsed their audition pieces during class and at home in the months leading up to the recital.

“I help my students if they want help, but it’s mostly their individual practice time,” Smith said. “They have to really commit to doing it by taking private lessons or just practicing on their own. It’s a very difficult thing for them to find time to do.”

Sophomore Ashira Fronk, who also plays the harp in the Bowie orchestra, was one source of support for Rother during the audition process.

“I don’t play with Hannah very often in school because she’s in a different orchestra than I am,” Fronk said. “But we like to help each other with auditions and other harp problems like restringing. Hannah and I are both part of a Girl Scout harp ensemble that we practice with every week, so I still get to play with her outside of school.”

The days before the auditions are stressful for everyone competing.

“In the days leading up to the auditions, everyone who’s auditioning plays in front of everyone else in the class,” Fronk said. “It’s nerve-wracking.”

After waiting in anticipation, finding out the results of the competition is an exciting moment for both the orchestra students and teachers.

“I was so happy when Hannah got first chair because she’s a senior and she thought she didn’t do very well and ended up getting first chair,” Smith said.

“I’m just so proud of all of my students. I’m excited to see them all performing together again very soon.”

The hours of practice and hard work aren’t over quite yet. Rother will continue on to compete in the All-State orchestra auditions later this school year in an attempt to be a part of the orchestra that performs at a Texas convention.

“There’s a separate audition day for All-State,” Rother said. “I really hope I get in. I’m very excited for the All-State convention.”

Through her dedication and hard work, Rother has learned a lot from this experience. Practice and support from friends and teachers has helped her reach her goal of becoming a part of the Region orchestra.

“You just have to play your best and not worry about what everyone else is doing because performance anxiety keeps you from FOCUSED ON THE NOTES: Senior Hannah Rother practices music doing well,” Rother said. “[This experience] excerpts for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region has taught me that if I work hard I can achieve orchestra auditions. Rother earned a spot to participate in the Allmy goals.”

State auditions later in the school year. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

FEATURES 5

FRIDAY, NOV. 5 THE DISPATCH

Swantner shines on Star Dance squad

Junior overcomes adversity and challenges on his journey to make dancing a career Kate Davis Dispatch Reporter

Walking off the field with his head held high, JV Star Dancer junior Luka Swantner’s adrenaline wears off quickly as the Austin High football fans begin to verbally harass him.

They shout disparaging words at him. Teasing him about being a boy participating in a girls sport.

He shrugs it off, like he does every time this happens. What those people shout at him doesn’t bother him. Swantner uses those moments to motivate, not to deter.

“It’s really hard,” Swantner said.

“They just say negative comments, they just say hurtful things. So we perform and everything and they decide to call me, call me words that are, I can’t get into right now.

They were just really disrespectful about it.”

In his freshman year, Swantner decided he wanted to become a dancer after watching the Silver Stars 2019 Fall Show. Swantner practiced alone daily to prepare for the dance team tryouts that upcoming April, where he would make the team and become the only male dancer on either drill team at Bowie.

“I was just so proud of myself,” Swantner said. “I just made a whole dance team without even going to a whole studio.”

Though he hasn’t been training long, Swantner has always taken LEAP OF FAITH: Rocking his Taylor Swift sweatshirt, JV Star Dancer Luka Swantner leaps into the air. According to Ella Knudsen, Swantan interest in dance, being enticed ner’s friend, Swantner first got the chance to pursue his dance passion at tryouts during the summer of 2020. PHOTO BY Natalie Cullen by its beauty and athleticism.

“He never really got a chance to pursue it, until the summer dance teachers are telling me they “They can’t see that being a boy of 2020,” Swantner’s friend Ella are really positive that I can make on a dance team is different, it’s Knudsen said. “But I definitely it next year.” not always the same, it’s never gothink he’s always been interested JV Star Dancer’s co-director Le- ing to be the same,” Swantner said. in it. It’s always been kind of a se- anne Bilnoski confirms Luka’s pos- “If we all just learn to accept it, it cret passion of his.” itive contribution to the team and will eventually get there.”

Other team members on the her hopes for him.

The Silver Stars program has Star Dancers said that the team “We really love having him in been very effective in preparing camaraderie isn’t heavily affected the dance program. He is a bright and exciting Swantner for his fuby having a male on the team, but light in class and a great addition ture.

Swantner emphasizes that it can be to the team,” Bilnoski said. “We’re “We get taught by seniors and isolating at times. excited that he has an opportunity juniors who are literally going to “I think that dancing with girls, to dance in high school.” be having a dance career someday,” it’s kind of terrifying,” Swantner Aside from the isolation that Swantner said. “It’s really cool said. “You don’t see yourself fit- comes from being the only male to see that that could be me next ting in just because of the way you dancer, Swantner has also experi- year.” look.”

Swantner is working towards enced adversiBody shaming ties and losses his goals through countless hours is a common isin his social life, in the dance studio, improving his sue in the dance due to a new technique and learning life lessons. industry and “The chance to be on that dance bustling schedThey don’t have the amount Swantner is not team has taught him a lot of teamule. of courage and the amount of without his own “It wasn’t work and cooperation,” Knudsen experiences. His really me los- said. strength to do what I’m doing frustration with Swantner’s teammate Sierra ing friends, it now. body shaming was me losing Zellers backs up Knudsen’s stateis more directdistance from ment, attesting to his undying posed towards the them, and com- itive attitude. dance industry “He makes the team a lot more munication as a whole rathwhich made fun,” Zellers said. “It’s not super, er than focusing it more diffi- strictly drill. It’s like he brings on his own excult to balance some fun into the team.” periences.

Swantner’s daily schedule is my dance life Luka Swantner “Not everyand social life,” busy, which includes 4 hours of one has to be Swantner said. dance practice. Due to this motiJunior the same way,” “Eventually it vation, Swantner has goals for a Swantner said. just turned into dance career in the future and is “Every dancme losing some excited to achieve said goals. er has a special “One of my dance goals is actufriends but then thing inside of them, they are a gaining some dance friends.” ally getting a major in dance and dancer and they will always be a Despite the constant tempta- a minor in teaching so I can actudancer.” tions to go back to his relaxing, ally be a dance director at a high Swantner expressed hope that pre-dance life, Swantner has man- school,” Swantner said. “Another HOLD YOUR POSE: Swantner works on his balance during his 2nd other dancers maintain their indif- aged to keep his priorities straight. thing I would like to do for a side period dance class. Next year, Swantner hopes to make the Silver Stars dance team. PHOTO BY Natalie Cullen ference, and don’t let negativity im“It makes you lose some things job is perform in background vidpact them or their dancing. you have,” Swantner said. “It eos and music videos from famous “I think that a lot of dancers makes you realize, oh wow, if these artists, go on tour with them hopeare judged by each other,” Swant- people are waiting, and if [dance] fully just perform, one of my main ner said. “I think that every single isn’t going to wait, then I know goals.”

Dylan Ebs dancer is just their one special way, what I need to do, I just need to Swantner’s friends and team team player,” senior Finn Dowe Features Editor they are their own special dancer, keep doing dance because that’s my members acknowledge his bravery said. “He gives call outs and they don’t always have to look at priority.” for being a male dancer, highlightcoaches us on how to play each When senior Andres Galvan other dancers, they don’t always Through the negativity, Swant- ing his indifference to the negativisituation better. He noticed there was no have to try to be other dancers.” ner has realized that his goals ar- ty he receives. drives the whole team Rainbow Six Siege team Dancers are often described to en’t going to make sense to every“They always say that I’m really to improve while makat Bowie, he took matbe either masculine or feminine, one. special in that I have a lot of couring it enjoyable.” ters into his own hands. however, Swantner aims to break “People question why I’m danc- age and I have a lot of motivation In addition to coachHe reached out to anthe norm, proving that dancers ing and why I’m on a drill team in towards [dance] because they say, ing the Siege team, Galimation teacher Andrew don’t have to be defined by a singu- a high school,” Swantner said. “It’s wow you’re so brave and bold for van competes on the Nourse, the sponsor of lar, gender-based label. kind of different, and people just, actually being a boy dancer and not swim team. the eSports club, to back “A male dancer can be feminine, I guess some people just don’t ac- caring what other people think, be“On top of running his idea for a Siege team. at the same time as being mascu- cept that.” cause that’s what I do,” Swantner two [eSports] teams I Galvan’s dedication to line,” Swantner said. “I like to mix Swantner understands that the said. “I love performing, I don’t also have to take care start a Siege team paid Andres Galvan of school,” Galvan said. them both.” backlash has nothing to do with care what other people say or think off. His team of six repThough he didn’t make the var- him, and everything to do with the about me dancing. It’s just some“I got school, the high school resents Bowie at various eSports team, and my select team. That’s sity team at the following tryouts, perpetrator, expressing that it’s thing I really like and enjoy.” competitions.

Swantner is seeing significant im- likely due to their own insecurities.

So despite all the backlash, ada struggle to balance between the “We’re hoping that it stays homework, coaching my high provements in his confidence need“I feel like the reason they do versity, and time that goes into alive even after we leave as se- school team and playing with ed to work towards his future in that is because they don’t have the dance, Swantner keeps his leaps niors,” Galvan said. “I want to them, and then getting on evdance. amount of courage and the amount flying high and his head held highmake sure this thing actually ery day so I can [practice] with “I still had a lot of motivation, of strength to do what I’m doing er. stays around.” which made me get better over the now,” Swantner said.

“So this is just me,” Swantner my select team, and going over His teammates attest to his our matches after they’ve been summer, which made me realize Regardless of these experiences, said. “Not caring about what other skills, both as a competitor and played.” that, oh my gosh, I am starting to Swantner has hope that the stig- people say, not caring about what READ THE FULL as a leader. get better, I’m starting to see that matization of male dancers and other people think, it’s just me try“Andres helps by being a good ARTICLE AT I’m getting close to their levels,” the dance industry, in general, can ing to get somewhere I believe I thedispatchonline.net Swantner said. “My professional come to an end. can be.”

”

”

Senior starts Siege team PHOTO COURTESY Bowie Swim

6 SPORTS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

On par with the disc golf team

ATHLETES ASSERT New sports team strives to perfect the variation of the classic golf game Mid-season Super Sam Vane Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email: bowie.journalism@gmail.com

The Lombardi Trophy, a shiny seven pound trophy that only the greatest can hold. 32 teams fight for it every year but only a couple good enough to hoist it at the end of the year Justin Herbert, the MVP of the league thus far has led the Chargers to a 4-2 record, along with the best receiving pair in the NFL (Mike Williams and Keenan Allen) and this offense is giving the chiefs a run for their money for the best in the NFL. While the defense is not close to a Super Bowl caliber group, the offense is just so good for anyone to pass on them and a Bills vs Chargers AFC Championship could be in the works.

The Bills are the best team in the AFC this year as Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs are continuing their tear from last season and dominating their competition and with running back tandem Zach Moss and Devin Singletary helping establish a powerful run game the Bills offense is in go mode and shows no sign of slowing down. As long as the defense continues to play great I wouldn’t be surprised if Buffalo finally gets the Super Bowl trophy they deserve.

How bout dem Cowboys.

After an abysmal 2020 campaign filled with injuries, the Cowboys have come out firing to a 5-1 record putting them atop the NFC East.

After last year’s seasonending injury Dak Prescott has shown no sign of injury as he is top five in both completion percentage and passing touchdowns. Add in a hard-hitting defense and the Cowboys much to the dismay of all of America could be returning to their super bowl ways.

The Cardinals are flying high as 3rd-year quarterback Kyler Murray and star receiver Deandre Hopkins have led a high powered offense to a 7-0 record. This offense was expected to be great, but the defense has been the real shocker as they are 6th in interceptions and 5th in the least rushing yards allowed. If the Cardinals continue their stellar play then a deep playoff run could be in their cards.

In the early 2000s, the Rams had the greatest show on turf, with the turn of the decade it looks like the show is back in town. Led by the offseason acquisition of Matthew Stafford and the improved game of Cooper Kupp the Rams offense is rolling.

With the defense still dominating as they have been for the last couple of years with Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald and the Rams could follow in the footsteps of the greatest show on turf and bring the Lombardi trophy back to L.A. The reigning super bowl champion Buccaneers have continued their run of dominance. Led by the G.O.A.T. Tom Brady and their dominant defense which ranks 1st in the least rushing yards allowed, 4th in interceptions, and 4th in the least rushing touchdowns allowed, and a repeat could ensue if they keep this up.

Ben Tillisch Dispatch Reporter

through playing disc golf with other members is that the friendships outweigh Known as the gentleman’s the venue,” Munger said. game, golf is played all across “Having a good time is more the world, and is a sport important to me personally synonymous with prestige, than being the best.” talent, and excitement.

The sport’s versatility in By the laws of evolution, location has allowed it to different variations of golf thrive in the world’s battle have formed over time, and with COVID-19.

With consequently, disc golf was over 30 courses across the born. Now a growing club, general Austin area, disc golf the Disc Golf team gives has made great strides in students an opportunity to popularity engage with in the past p e e r s year within socially the school I’ve enjoyed playing and nature physically. disc golf because it’s population and among Joining Au s t i n i t e s pretty laid back and the long list I’m able to just enjoy as “a whole. of school A s clubs, the myself while playing it turns disc golf out, the with my teammates. team was pandemic f o r m e d is largely Sawyer Boyd at the responsible conclusion Sophomore for the of the 2020exponential 21 school growth of year.

The the sport teacher-sponsor Bowman in the last year and a half,” Brannon, a disc golf Brannon said. “The current enthusiast, readily took on club has more than twenty the role of organizing a club members, most of whom for all students aspiring to just started playing in the play. last year or so.”

“My students know that Honed through consistent I love to play disc golf,” weekly practice and a positive Brannon said. “It’s a game mindset to get better, the that is played outside with disc golf team preaches a low-cost entry, and an positivity, assuming a stressopportunity to enjoy time free environment, while with friends and family they continue to improve. while also social distancing, By doing this, students are so it is the perfect hobby for able to compete without too our current situation.” much pressure, forming a Played competitively or friendly atmosphere for all for fun, disc golf offers a way types of students. to socialize with peers, while “It’s important to focus maintaining an active and on smaller things in the healthy body. Club president game that need work such Zack Munger appreciates the as putting and [specific] low stress level of the activity drills,” Munger said. and the friendships he has “[Brannon] also talked to built with other members of me about challenging myself the club. by competing against better “One thing I’ve learned players than me to get better;

”

Bowl contending teams

”

GONE WITH THE WIND: Captain Zack Munger preparing to throw the disc at the target he’s aiming at. The team practices on Thursdays after school at the Circle C Park. PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

it’s okay to lose sometimes.”

Asa growing club, disc golf is open to all students, meeting once a week on Thursdays.

Experienced in the sport, sophomore Sawyer Boyd discusses the advantages and attraction of disc golf.

“I’ve enjoyed playing [disc golf] because it’s pretty laid back and I’m able to just enjoy myself with playing with my teammates,” Boyd said. “I didn’t know there was a club for the disc golf

team, but I would definitely be interested in looking into [joining] it, because I’m sure it offers a good way to exercise and socialize.”

Despite its increase in popularity, Brannon and Munger believe even more students would benefit from the tranquility of a club like disc golf, and the process and background of the actual sport. As of now, the team is composed of a small group of devoted disc golfers, but it lacks female representation.

“I would like for the club to experience the work that goes into developing and maintaining local courses, perhaps joining a workday with Austin’s Waterloo Disc Golf club,” Brannon said.

“Most students in the club see it as a fun, relaxing way to socialize and get some light exercise in nature. I think it would be great to see more females involved in the club as Austin has a great support system for talented female Disc Golfers.”

Mid-season injures plague the cheerleaders Amilia Velez Dispatch Reporter

make difficult decisions in other to protect the had the second highest number of concussions, health of her athletes. Coach Alyssa Alex needed behind football. In most cases concussion recovery to strategized and keep in mind the health of can take about seven to 10 days to resolve, but The start of football season her athletes, and had to make tough decisions sometimes these injuries can take longer. has been exciting for the varsity regarding their injuries. She believed that while After more cheerleaders were injured cheer team, but concussions it was important for the team to p u s h during this football season, some of the and various other injuries have themselves, concussions are serious and varsity cheer members, including been a major roadblock. This the team could not afford any more.

Madi Noe became worried for their season alone, three girls have gotten “The athletes who were injured, own safety as well as the health of concussions and the team has had to for the most part, did everything they their injured teammates. perceiver and adapt to have a successful n e e d e d to do to heal quickly,’’ Alex “Watching people get hurt either season. s a i d .

“With concussions that means during practice or at games made me Sophomore Emily Gallia, a base on limiting how long you are in a little nervous because concussions the varsity cheer team, got a concussion loud places and the amount of are pretty serious,” Noe said. “This preparing for a pep rally. Stunting time you are on the screen, so experience showed me that I have to be requires everyone to play their role and they all had to make sacrifices to careful because you never know what can there is little room for error, especially in get better.” happen.” a pyramid, teamwork is so important and Because the team had to push According to Noe, overcoming these the team dynamic needs to be spot on. forward and keep practicing for obstacles was a huge triumph for the “My flyer got unstable and fell out of performances despite the several team. Despite several injuries, both major the stunt so she grabbed my head,” Gallia injuries that were occurring, more and minor, the cheerleaders were able to said. “I basically broke her fall with my responsibility fell on the healthy successfully complete all of their performances head. After she hit me, I felt dizzy, my athletes to get their routines cleaned, and the injured girls are currently working vision went black and I saw stars. especially for big performance on recovery.

Gallia’s concussion happened so opportunities like pep rallies.

“We just kept practicing after quickly and left little time for the rest “The team was very the injuries kept coming, we kept of the team to process because of the flexible and hard practicing our technique to hopefully sport’s fast pace; her concussion was working,” Alex said. “They prevent future injuries,” Noe said. pretty jarring for the team, according knew that the athletes “Sometimes injures can just happen to Gallia. With injuries being so being out might cause because cheer is a dangerous sport. common in cheer, a JV cheer formations and other You just have to keep pushing through member was able to step in and things to change, but and do your best.” take Gallia’s place. they continued to In light of the upcoming competition “The team didn’t really see me get work everyday. season, Alex believes that the team hit except for the people around me, I was more than will have to keep up motivation, even but once I got hit everyone was in impressed by how with the chance that possible injuries shock,” Gallia said. quickly they learned other stunting may occur. They have spent a lot of In a research study done by positions and spots in routines.” time practicing with different stunt the Journal of Athletic Training, Using data from the groups and becoming more versatile. during a one year period, more National High School Sports“The team morale was more than 30,000 cheerleaders go to the Related Injury Surveillance positive than I originally expected,” hospital for cheer leading study from the 2013Alex said. “We were all stressed, but injuries such as concussions KEEPING HER BALANCE: 2018 school the girls were focused and muscle strains. When Junior Zoe Kanz and Emma years, the POSING STRONG: Senior Sophia and really made sure they Bowie cheer leading injuries Kloninger practice a stunt. The r e s e a r c h e r s Baer poses on top of a trio during were all giving 100% so increased, Bowie head cheer cheer team performs at football i d e n t i f i e d practice. This is Baer’s third year as the program could still coach Alex emphasized the games as well as competitions. that cheer a flyer for the varsity cheer team. succeed despite the needed to strategize and PHOTO BY Sophia Sanchez l e a d i n g PHOTO BY Sophia Sanchez injuries.”

coming UP in SPORTS November 5 Varsity girls basketball vs. Vista Ridge @Vista Ridge November 6 Varsity boys basketball vs. Judson @Bowie

N o v e m b e r 9 V a r s i t y g i r l s b a s k e t b a l l v s . @ H o u s e Pa r k

N o v e m b e r 1 0 Tr a c k m e e t @ R o u n d R o c k H S

November 10 Varsity softball vs. @Liberty Hill HS

November 13 Bob Stallings Swim Invitational @A&M University

SPORTS 7

FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Girls’ lacrosse leaps into new season Team works for more attention from school community through practices and games Sophia Sanchez Dispatch Reporter

ly grew to love the sport.

“Some aspects I have found interesting is definitely the sport itFrom hosting events and putting self,” Ramirez said. “The style of up posters, Bowie Girls Lacrosse the game is a lot different from the continues to gain attention to their sports I’ve played in the past. I have sport as competition season inch- been an athlete my whole life and es closer. The lacrosse team brings then finding the love of lacrosse many benefits to an individual’s through my friends and then learnhealth and social life and gives ing the game was really fun.” them a chance to participate in the With many new members joinfastest-growing sport in the United ing this year, the team continues to States. grow, learning new techniques and The team’s captains, seniors welcoming all who decide to attend Kinsley Quintanilla and Reese Wil- practices or join the group. son, played for “I really want the Bowie girls to get more athlacrosse all four letes involved years of their from other high school caIt’s truly been teams, we’ve reer. Over the always had lots an encouraging years, Quintanof success with environment where illa and Wilson multi-sport athhave seen the everyone is pushing letes,” Wilson team grow close said.

“We’ve each other to play the together and, had numerous best they can. because of it, girls join in the create lifelong past from volfriends. leyball, track, Kinsey Quintanilla “The team cross country, culture is realSenior and basketball ly awesome,” teams and it’s Quintanilla said. insane to me “This year we have a lot of new how fast athlete intuition kicks in players so It’s been fun to meet ev- on the field; even when trying a eryone. We’ve been trying to have new sport. Another way we could a lot of team bonding so every- improve is building more of a comone gets along. It’s truly been an munity with our men’s team and encouraging environment where trying to advertise our teams more everyone is pushing each other to together.” play the best they can.”

Sophomore Andy Magana joined Sophomore Maly Janick has the lacrosse team after the deadline been a part of the team since her date. Although she joined late, the freshman year and saw many new sport was easy to catch up with and athletes have a smooth transition gave her new experiences. onto the team.

“I got to meet new people,” Ma“You don’t need much experi- gana said. “You [also] get to shove ence, all you really need is a good people, and wear mouth guards mindset,” Janick said. “Most of the and goggles, which is funny.” equipment is provided too.”

With the new season, the new Team member Nadia Ramirez coach, Leslee Feldman has brought has tried out many sports over her new energy to the team and imlife; the introduction to lacrosse proved training for the athletes. fascinated Ramirez, and they quick-

”

”

UTILIZING TEAMWORK: Freshman Lola Javan, Becca Mendoza, and senior Kinsey Quintanilla wrestle for the ball at practice. The girls’ lacrosse team practices multiple times a week to prepare for their games and community awareness for the team. PHOTO BY Nick Wood

“The coaches this year have been amazing; they both have helped add some structure to the program,” Quintanilla said. “They’ve also gone above and beyond to create a good foundation for everyone to work off. Especially since they have a lot of experience coaching and playing lacrosse on a higher level.”

With the beginning of the season mainly consisting of practices and tournaments, Bowie girls lacrosse hopes to gain new players by the second semester when their

season begins.

“Before the season starts, we go to Aggieland, which is a tournament in College Station, and we play in small tournaments with other schools every once in a while,” sophomore Ava Rainey said. “Once our actual season starts, we play against other schools in our district or area.”

Practices for the team are at Bailey Middle school on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and Saturdays from 9-11. To sign up or

volunteer for Bowie girls lacrosse, visit Bowielax.com or email one of the head coaches, Leslee Feldman.

“I feel like our season this year will be a totally new experience for our program,” Wilson said. “With only two seniors, including myself, and having the majority of our team be sophomores, this season will really challenge our younger girls to go all out in their playing,” “This will definitely be a year to remember and to look forward to and I’m excited for the new season.”

Woman coaches form alliance for workforce representation Dimitri Silva Sports Editor

teams are coached by women. This organization is designed to keep women in the coaching workforce as many are quitting and historically have little representation.

“A colleague of mine and I launched this organization a couple of months ago,”

LISTENING TO AN EXPERT: During girls basketball practice, coach Lora Tilson gave advice to two different athletes. When preparing for the season, the team practices every day during school. PHOTO BY Cyrus Mitchell

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girls basketball coach Vickie Benson said. “It’s an organization that started in attempts to keep women in the profession of coaching, and they are a lot of coaches that are male which, there’s nothing wrong with, [and] I think there’s some really great male coaches, but we’re losing the female side of it, [the female coaches] are quitting.”

According to Benson, female coaches aren’t quitting due to higher amounts of male options, they are leaving because they have children at home and other personal issues.

“I like solving problems, and I really like to mentor and I see WCA as an opportunity to mentor women who are just getting started,” Benson said. “I’ve been there and done that with a lot of what they’re struggling through and so just giving them this solution is what I’ve been working for.”

The organization also aims to help female athletes feel more comfortable while playing sports, especially sports that are mainly dominated by men.

“I think the WCA will solve how female coaches

see themselves as coaches long time. However, Hart beand be proud of what they lieves otherwise and thinks are doing for women’s coaching isn’t children and an issue in sports. themselves,” “I don’t believe junior varsity a lack in women’s soccer player coaching is a probHelena Hart lem because I know said. “I also tons of female aththink the WCA letes, and they hawill help young ven’t shown that it women perform makes them uncombetter as an athfortable while playlete and grow ing,” Hart said. “I to be comfortable Coach Benson think women should be with themselves playing and brave enough to coach and working with a team.” be willing to help children The Alliance has also perform their sport better.” helped many former BowWith the organization ofie female athletes become ficially launching this year, coaches and pursue coaching Coach Benson has been as a career. 2015 graduate working on advertising the and former Bowie student WCA to many different feKianna Ray went on to be- male athletes and coaches come a basketball coach for across the nation to spread TCU. the impact further than just “Ray is an up and coming Bowie. coach, and it’s an opportuni“We just launched our ty for her but definitely one first newsletter in September of the things we want to do and the second one is comis get the word out to high ing out this week, so we’re school girls that are consid- highlighting another differering coaching as a profes- ent female coach in Texas sion,” Benson said. “So that each month,” Benson said. one day they can have a place “It’s not just basketball-spein the organization as well.” cific, it’s for any female According to Benson, a coach, it could be women Lack of women’s coaching that coached boys, we’re just has been a problem for a excited about the future.”

PHOTO BY Nick Wood

The Women’s Coaches Alliance (WCA) is an organization designed to help female athletes perform and feel more comfortable when playing their selective

sports. The WCA started this year and has many former Bowie students participating in the program to support the women coaches they learn from.

According to the New York Times, only 40% of women’s sports college

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America D I V I D E D

IN-DEPTH 9

FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Political polarization impacted by media bias and perceptions

DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN MEDIA

The scope of news media used to be much smaller than it is in the 21st century. Initially, there were limited numbers of news mediums available for any given American. Print newspapers and radio stations were the predominant forms of news for the country up until the invention of the television and subsequently the internet. “[Media’s] changed, especially in the last 150 years, because we have more sources,” Pool said. “Not just actual news media outlets, but also how we get our news and how we get our information. It used to be that there were only newspapers or only word-of-mouth, then you get the radio and that adds a new element, and then you get the television that adds a new element, and then you get the internet and that adds a new element. So as we get these different layers of news, the media has figured out how to use those different mediums.

Specifically, print newspapers have seen a large shift over time, a shift that puts their existence in jeopardy. From 2017 to 2018, just one year, the Pew Research Center reported that print newspapers saw an 8% audience decline.

“When sources like Apple news and other online media sources have become widely available, as long as you have an electronic device, I think print newspapers are seen as irrelevant,” Rasmussen said. “Especially when you can cater your news more to your interests, people would rather read something they already believe in and that affirms their beliefs.”

A recent movement in news media has been the emergence of social media and online news sources. According to the Pew Research Center, from 2019 to 2020, the number of monthly unique visitors to online news websites rose 11%, from around 29 million to 32 million. This growth is similar to that seen in social media viewership. About 53% of Amer-

50.3% of Bowie students view mainstream media as “EXTREMELY BIASED”

292 STUDENTS POLLED 10/ 25-28 /2021; Polled via Google Forms 107 Females, 160 Males, 14 Non-binary/Other, 11 prefer not to say 34 Seniors, 100 Juniors, 108 Sophomores, 50 Freshmen

80

BOWIE STUDENT OPINION: How different do you think the current values of the Democratic and Republican parties are?

77 (26.6%)

ART BY Anna Holme

60

49 (17%)

40

38 (13.1%)

20 0

5 (1.7%)

3 (1%)

5 (1.7%)

1: Their values are the same

2

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36 (12.5%) 33 (11.5%)

33 (11.4%)

10 (3.5%)

4

5

6

7

8

9

10: Their values are completely opposed

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The extent to which people explore their media options is shrinking. The Pew Research center found that Americans who utilize social media as their main form of news tend to have lower political knowledge than Americans who use other forms of news.

“One of the big issues with how people consume media is they go only to one source, or only to a few sources that they tend to agree with,” Pool said.

“Social media enforces a lot of that. Social media is going to surround us with people that we are friends with or that we tend to agree with, and we’re going to be regurgitating a lot of the same information. So it’s that endless feedback loop within these little bubbles of certain biases.”

The consumption of only one ideology or perspective, especially within the news, creates what is known as an “echo chamber,” where one’s beliefs are reinforced and intensified due to a lack of ingesting other viewpoints.

“It’s easier for people to just consume one side,” Peterson said. “Because of technology, we’re able to just get one viewpoint, and if I only want to see what I want to see then I can feed it to myself. It’s so easy to avoid the other side or educate yourself on both sides of the story.”

Echo chambers have the potential to fuel misinformation, especially among older generations interacting online.

A study published in Science Advanced reported that Facebook users over the age of 65 shared articles from fake news outlets at a rate seven times higher than younger users.

However, as social media is becoming more common, many hope America’s youth will be able to break the misinformation cycle.

“Our generation and younger generations, they’re going to be more like literate of digital sources, they know that stuff out there isn’t just 100% true all the time,” Rasmussen said. “I think that means that they’ll be less inclined to believe some sketchy stuff on the internet. But, I also think that we have a generation that’s going to be distrustful of mainstream media.”

Regardless of the future of the media, most Americans can agree that the news is important. A report done by the Knight Foundation states that 81% of Americans think news media is “critical” or “very important” to democracy. The American Press Institute asserts that “the foremost value of news is as a utility to empower the informed.”

“A healthy democracy needs reliable journalism and reporters in order to make informed decisions,” Pool said.

“News outlets and news media need to be held accountable and make sure that they’re presenting accurate information and make sure that their motives line up with the best interests of the American public.”

do

GRIEVANCES WITH MODERN MEDIA

Isa

Which major news outlets do Bowie students most often utilize?

ceive that,” Peterson said. “It’s like, how are you ever gonna be able to compromise with the other side if you’re only feeding yourself one side? I genuinely don’t think conservatives all have it right. I definitely don’t think liberals or Democrats have like 100% right. It seems that our biggest problem right now, especially with the filibusters and gridlock that’s been happening, is no one’s compromising.”

Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania Amy Gutmann and Professor of Political Philosophy at Harvard University Dennis Thompson state that a lack of political compromise comes from “principled tenacity,” the unwillingness to sacrifice, and “mutual mistrust,” which increases opposition between political forces.

“It isn’t as black and white as ‘media needs to treat the other side better,’” sophomore Will Gum said. “The point of media is for the broadcasting or media company to make money. I think that if people make an effort to complete more educated research on their own, and not via the media, then their opinions will have a more positive impact.”

T BY

MEDIA POLARIZATION

AR

G N I N A E -L IA T F LE MED

Senior Caroline Rasmussen has heard the same story before. The election was stolen. Her step-grandma has been sending her conspiracy videos espousing claims that Donald Trump is still the true president of the United States. Rasmussen’s story isn’t the first of its kind.

This reflects the phenomenon known as “political polarization,” the way by which political party beliefs are becoming more ideologically opposed. To exemplify this, in 2019, a study done by the Pew Research Center found that around half of Republicans think Democrats are “lazy” or “immoral.” Similarly, 75% of Democrats view Republicans as “close-minded.”

“Even just how I talk to people, if we find out we have opposing views, they immediately kind of shift how they think of me,” senior Cerelia Peterson said. “Because we have different political views, they’re more harsh to me.”

Polarization doesn’t just extend to political parties. Recently, the term “media polarization” has been coined to describe the way news outlets have become more partial and are shifting people’s viewpoints further apart. An article written by professors Filipe Campante and Daniel Hojman at Harvard University asserts that “changes in media environment can contribute to polarize or depolarize the ideological views of citizens who are exposed to it.”

“Polarization in the U.S. has a lot of different causes, and I would say the media has a lot to do with it,” history and U.S. government teacher Dalton Pool said. “Specifically, how different sources choose to cover politics, government, and just the news in general. The media has an agenda that doesn’t always match up with the best interests of the public.”

ican adults get at least some of their news from social media.

“Now that there’s more social media and there’s more

news media that has popped up, they’re all competing for Recently, many Americans have reported distrust in mainviews,” Cerelia said. “I wonder how much the data is skewed so you continue reading [the article], or post it, or re-share stream media. A digital news report done this year by the it. I feel like [news is] more for clout now then actually try- Reuters Institute found that only 29% of Americans trust the news, the lowest figure out of every country reported. This ing to educate the people.”

Researchers from the University of Mississippi and Uni- trust is especially low for conservative Americans. According versity of Oklahoma found that after analyzing over 1.67 to the Pew Research center, out of 30 news sources that covmillion Facebook posts from 153 news outlets, that around ered political news, Republicans distrusted more than 20 of 25.27% of the posts employed “clickbait” headlines. “Click- the sources.

“There’s been enough times where we’ve found out that bait” refers to flashy headlines and articles that intend to [articles] are not true, or that things have been skewed,” Peattract viewership to the company’s website. terson said. “Media “A lot of [media] outlets are more has to do with their willing than ever desire to make to skew their data, money, and a lot of or what they’re rethat leads to them porting on, to get either trying to views more than choose, or narrowanything else.” cast, to a specific There is a large audience, or to covgap between the er super controverperceived media sial topics so they bias between politiget more viewcal parties. Accorders, so as they get ing to the Pew Remore clicks they search Center, 49% get more money,” of Republicans and Pool said. “A great 150 responses 130 responses 57% of conservaexample would be tive Republicans the most recent see “a great deal” infrastructure bill of media bias. This that’s trying to go number is only through. A lot of 32% for Democrats people don’t know 83 responses and 35% for indewhat’s inside the pendents. bill, because the 90 responses “Part of the media hasn’t done 81 responses Republican Party a great job of coveragenda, and one of ing the details. InOut of 292 students who were polled, the following five sources were their big speaking most commonly selected. Participants were allowed to choose more stead what they’ve points, is that the than one option. done is they’ve media is biased,” covered the big Pool said. “At the headlines like the same time, a lot of conservative Americans will look at the fact that it’s $3.5 trillion.”

Besides trying to gain profits by attracting viewers, many news sources, and they’ll see that they disagree with a large large companies have attempted to monopolize the media portion of them. And instead of acquainting that disagreeindustry. There are five notable corporations that own a ment to maybe there’s a different perspective out there, it large portion of the news industry: the Walt Disney Compa- can be easily chalked up to, ‘oh that’s just a biased news ny, National Amusements, Comcast, TimeWarner, and News source’ or ‘that’s a source that shouldn’t be trusted.’”

A poll by The Economist and YouGov reported that ReCorp. These companies own news outlets such as CBS, ABC, ESPN, CNN, TIME, LIFE, NBC, FOX, the WSJ, the New York publicans and Democrats have vastly differing trust in various news outlets. Democrats reported having the highest Post, and many more.

“News media is controlled by just a few companies, which trust in sources like The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, means that the news reporting is going to be tilted towards and The New York Times, with all of their trust ratings being the interests of the companies, not necessarily the interests around 60%. This was virtually the opposite of Republicans, of independent journalism,” Rasmussen said. “When that with their least trusted news sources being The Washington happens, you have more influence from parent companies. Post, The New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC, with trust You have even more political polarization as parent compa- levels at or below 20%.

“People will just follow all conservatives and all consernies direct their subordinate companies, like to what to do vative media, or they’ll follow all Democrats and only reand promote that aligns with their malevolent interests.”

number of students

Anna Holme Editor-in-Chief

51.7% of Bowie students believe unbiased reporting is “VERY IMPORTANT”

10 IN-DEPTH

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

Digital credibility crucial for Gen-Z LEFT LEANING

CENTRIST

PREFER NOT TO SAY

RIGHTLEANING

18%

23%

14%

45%

ART BY Isabella del Nido

Senior Brodi Tokar checked his phone one winter afternoon, immediately his phone was filled with notifications from different news outlets; something had happened at the United States Capitol involving outgoing president Donald Trump supporters and Capitol police regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

From CNN, he noticed coverage on the extremity of the extent the rioters went to to prove their point, while from FOX, their articles pleaded with viewers to acknowledge the protesters’ frustration and therefore justified their actions.

The difference in the stories coming out confused Tokar. He wondered which side was telling the right side, the factual side of the incident. He wasn’t sure where to look for an unbiased reporting of the riots, a reality for many Americans reading or listening to the news.

“Finding accurate news is hard nowadays because there always seems to be biases within everything you read,” Tokar said.

There are a magnitude of ways to obtain news, such as social media sites, television broadcasting, candidate rallies, and paper newspapers. In recent decades, the expansion of technology has led to the polarization of media, and therefore many sources being biased to one political side. Even so, there are steps students can take along a path to find unbiased media and information sources.

Political blogger Andrew Blotky provides tips to people on how to read news efficiently. He aims to help people consume informational media to better protect individuals’ rights as voting citizens.

“Regardless of your political persuasion, part of being an effective communicator, leader, and citizen means being a better consumer of news and information,” Blotky said in an article from Medium. “Taking control of what you consume and where you consume it is something we can all do a little better and a lot more often.”

For children and teenagers the prominent media source that is played by their parents in their homes is what guides them the most, according to political scientist Jeffrey Lyons.

In a study, he reported that roughly threefourths of children grow up to share the political views passed down to them from their parents, and that this makes it much more difficult for them to create independent views.

“I definitely think my parents’ political views influenced me because it’s the first thing I hear in my house and over time it’s impacted the way I think,” Tokar said. “Then again, as I’ve gotten older, my views have become a bit more independent from theirs because as I grow I can find my own news and make views for myself.”

A tip mentioned on Blotky’s blog for consuming unbiased information is to strictly discriminate sources between facts and opinions. He claims that even those uneducated on politics have the power to distinguish between the two and ingest media based on that.

Government and politics teacher Dalton Pool claims that the distinction between facts and opinions being clear is very important when ingesting news.

“As long as you know somebody’s opinion, then that’s fair; separating facts from opinions is the biggest challenge when reading news, and that honestly just takes a lot of practice,” Pool said. “It also takes looking at a variety of sources, and usually they’re required anyway to say whether its category is news or opinion, but it can be hidden in the headline or byline as well.”

With this said, Tokar concedes that focusing on fairness in sources, rather than a complete erasure of bias, is also effective in gaining information because of the plethora of bias in all forms of media in the past few decades.

“I would rather find my news from somewhere completely not biased, but honestly it’s very hard to get unbiased news nowadays because so many sources are biased somehow,” Tokar said. “My parents will either be on Fox News or ABC News, which are both biased towards different directions; I’m sure there’s platSTUDENT DATA: HOW DO BOWIE STUDENTS LEAN POLITICALLY? forms that aren’t biased, but it seems that everyFor Pool, communicating with friends and given by the University of Tennessee is to where I look has some sort of lean to it.” dissect words and phrases in the articles for family on media sources is important for him When beginning to search for informa- hints of bias towards a political side. Their when digesting news and expanding his view tional sources, evaluating the source care- site provides a quote investigator that can of information regarding it. fully through background research before identify keywords in media sources and de“Sometimes, I’ll share an interesting storeading the article given by them will give cipher their potential biases. Chambers also ry with family or friends, but I fall victim to one a better understanding of its credibili- has methods for identifying whether or not a what a lot of Americans do, which is that my ty, according to an article by the University source has biases in their articles. friends and family usually side with me reof Tennessee. The article also mentions a “Almost every time you read an article or garding a lot of political issues,” Pool said. site, AllSides, which provides information news site that leans either way on the polit- “With this said, I also don’t shy away from and statistics on the bias of specific sources ical spectrum, you can tell which side they mindful conversations; if something’s in the people get their news from, in order to ad- favor,” Chambers said. news, my wife and I will equately determine how accurate the news “For example, more libdiscuss it, and I think is. Chambers has used this site and branched eral news sites almost that’s one of the most imoff of it into other sources she feels are reli- always use “immigrants,” portant things, especially able as well. citing your sources when whereas more conservaFinding accurate news is “I usually try to get my news from unbi- tive sites usually always you are talking about it hard because there always ased sources, such as The Associated Press, say “illegals” or other with people.”

NPR, and CBS because these are all reliable derogatory terms to deseems to be biases within On the other hand, disources that are known to be almost com- scribe those coming into gesting politics individeverything you read. pletely unbiased, yet are all very informative the United States; anothually and analyzing the on issues that we as a society are presented er example is the use of stories read is also helpful with,” Chambers said. “BBC is also another COVID-19 by liberals or for Tokar before bringing reliable source for more global controver- those who lean left to dethe conversation of global sies.” issues to talk about with scribe what the pandemic Once the was caused by, whereas friends. s o u r c e s conservatives will use “I feel like I kind of h a v e words such as hoax.” keep it to myself if it’s Brodi Tokar b e e n not a global issue because In addition to specific i d e n - words, another stressor Senior talking about politics with t i f i e d , Tokar notices when idenpeople can be a slippery another tifying sources and depicting their credibility slope these days,” Tokar said. “Of course, on tip is the targeting at parties or politicians hint- big issues like the capitol riots, I immediate292 STUDENTS POLLED 10/ 25-28 /2021; Polled via Google Forms 107 Females, 160 Males, 14 Non-binary/Other, 11 prefer not to say 34 Seniors, 100 Juniors, 108 Sophomores, 50 Freshmen

Corinne Piorkowski Editor-in-Chief

”

MEDIA LITERACY

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MEDIA LITERACY

ART BY Isabella del Nido

ARE THEY LOCAL?

STEP 1 IDENTIFY SOURCES

LOOK FOR BIASED KEY WORDS

STEP 2 ANALYZE CONTENT

ASK FRIENDS OF THEIR NEWS

STEP 3 COLLABORATE

FOLLOWED THESE STEPS? YOUR MEDIA IS UNBIASED

ed at by certain sources or articles.

“It’s the diction that they use, definitely derogatory, towards a certain RESEARCH: ARE party or a politician that makes me see its bias,” Tokar said. “Certain THEY CREDIBLE? slang that they use is obvious regarding how they speak upon others; it’s a little different towards different people like they’ll praise some people, but then play down or talk bad on other people, and then I can obviously see which side they lean towards.”

Even before reading the article and identifying biases within it, Pool catches immediate biases in a story or on a source that help determine whether or not he wants to continue reading or listening to them.

“The quickest way to pick up is headline, which are usually phrased in questions that try to make it more dramatic, almost treating it like a sports event or entertainment instead of news,” Pool said. “You can tell a lot about the story from its headline, and usually if the headline is biased, the story will also start with a lot of opinions, rather than facts showing both sides of the conflict.”

Another step to learning from the media is sharing information with friends and family to get their input on certain topics and have mindful conversations about them, according to a collaborative learning article from Dartmouth University by Barbara Knauff.

“Collaboration helps students deSEEING RED velop a sense of audience, and gives FLAGS? them practice in analyzing writing,” RE-EVALUATE Knauff said in the article. “Collaborative exercises work best when YOUR SOURCES they are given multiple points of view.”

READ HEADLINES

DEBATE ON DIFFERENT OPINIONS

ly told my friends about it because everyone was talking about it; I think it really depends on the significance of the issue, but if it’s important, collaboration helps everyone better understand and digest what’s happening around us in the world because talking about things always helps.”

In the Dartmouth article, Knauff claims that collaboration also helps students understand writing as a public act they can share with each other, rather than one that isolates them and that they should digest alone. For Chambers, sharing politics with her friends and family allows her to be more comfortable sharing her own views.

“Most often, the news in which I read is then discussed with my family, and I tell them about what I learned in news; I enjoy hearing my family’s differing or agreeing viewpoints to mine, because talking to them gives me an outlet to share my opinions, too,” Chambers said. “If I communicate the news that I read with my friends, it sometimes will be delivered in a biased fashion, as my friends and I stand on the same side.”

Beyond examining for blatant biases in media and avoiding them completely, Pool tries to acknowledge biases in sources and learn from them as well, even while trying to read from places that are as information-based as possible.

“I know that all sources are not completely unbiased, so our goal shouldn’t be to seek out sources with no bias because there is no perfect source, so we should look for fair sources; I advocate for a diversity and a variety of sources,” Pool said. “Our goal should be to understand bias within everything and as we’re consuming it, see the bias that’s in there and take it into account because even biased sources can be very helpful; opinions are okay at times, we just need to be able to see them.”

PHOTO ESSAY 11 FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

Fact or fiction: the mere exposure effect

ALL SMILES: Keira Folkers plays with one of her two Great Danes, Parker and Duncan. They were adopted together, as they are brothers from the same litter. “We picked Duncan and Parker for their names because my dad at first didn’t want to get dogs, and the only way we could get these dogs is if he got to name them,” Folkers said.

“My dad is a huge Spurs fan so my dad picked those names after Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

Students share the reasons they selected the dog breeds they adopted to help debunk the psychological phenomenon Anna Bea Heise Photo Essay Editor

PUPPY LOVE: Keira Folkers pets both of her Great Danes as they stand around her. Parker and Duncan were adopted by Folkers’ family when they were puppies, and they are now four years old. “They were thrown into a kill shelter and were thankfully rescued,” Folkers said. “Parker was considered unadoptable because he had lost his eye, but we took them

TAKING A WALK: Olivia Vienneau takes her family dog, Darby, for a walk. Darby was already three years old when she was adopted. “We got her because one of our dogs passed away and we were looking for a new addition of the family,” Vienneau said. “We thought she was the perfect fit for us.” PHOTO

BY Anna Bea Heise

DOG DAYS: Olivia Vienneau spends time with her pet look-alike as they sit. Darby was adopted by her family through a shelter. “My parents chose her name because my brother and I were really young at the time,” Vienneau said. “They picked out her name because they thought it sounded pretty.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

The Mere-Exposure Effect is a psychological phenomenon that theorizes how people tend to be drawn to those who share physical similarities due to feelings of familiarity. This theory is often seen with pets, as their owners may have subconsciously chosen that specific pet due to their physical similarities.

“I don’t think we picked our dogs because they look like us,” Keira Folkers said. “My dad isn’t super tall so I think we picked them because they are Great Danes, which is what my family is used to.”

Folkers owns two Great Danes that contrast her smaller size. When it comes to having pets, she only ever remembers her family owning at least one Great Dane at all times.

“I kind of like how they have differences from my family,” Folkers said. “They’re just very funny, and I love their personalities. I would say it is more about their personality and just how comedic they can be than the actual look of the dog.”

On the other side of the spectrum, Olivia Vienneau owns a Black Lab mix that she often gets told looks similar to her.

Both her and her dog have darker hair, hazel eyes, and a similar size.

“I definitely think we look alike because her and I both have strands of gray hair on top of our darker hair,” Vienneau said. “She also just shares a bunch of physical similarities between her and my family in general. My family all has dark hair so she looks like she belongs.”

Although her family was not searching for a specific look when they were trying to adopt, Vienneau’s dog, Darby, has a similar look to the dog’s her family has owned in the past. Vienneau’s fami-

ly dogs have always been mid-sized with darker hair.

“We usually get medium-sized dogs, which I guess is a similar size to me, because I have a little sister,” Olivia Vienneau said. “We don’t want them too big, but we don’t like small dogs because they are known for being loud.”

This psychological phenomenon is thought to occur because it can reduce uncertainty due to the familiarity. It is also said to occur as it allows us to understand things easier as these similarities in appearance are features we are familiar with.

“In pet world, I don’t think I have ever gravitated towards a pet just because of the way they look,” Folkers said. “In real life, I think I have maybe done it with friends because I feel like a lot of my friends kind of look like me. But at the same time, I also have a ton of friends that don’t look anything like me so I think it’s kind of a balance of both. I think it’s more based on the person or the animal itself than what they look like in my opinion.”

While this psychological occurrence can be a fun observe to make within one’s daily lives, it can influence one’s mind’s to miss out on new opportunities they have yet to have seen. This phenomenon can be limited by going out of one’s way to identify diversity within your everyday lifestyle.

“I think the Mere-Exposure Effect definitely occurs, especially in my family, because we’ve never had a dog that doesn’t share similar characteristics, like a yellow-haired dog,” Vienneau said. “In my life in general, I feel like I tend to get drawn to brunettes more I guess because I too am a brunette. For example, I feel like I am more drawn to brunette celebrities.”

FURRIEST OF FRIENDS: Olivia Vienneau pets Darby as they hangout in her backyard. Darby is the only pet in the household. “One time, we got Tiff’s Treats just for fun they disappeared,” Vienneau said. “We discovered that Darby had eaten all of the chocolate chip cookies and got sick.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

12 ENTERTAINMENT THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

The theatre playfest winners win big

Winners in the Texas Education Theatre Associations Playfest earn more than a win Nicole Rooney Entertainment Editor

Building a play from the ground up, senior students Kaelie Douglass and Lindsay Dahl both qualified and won in the Texas Educational Theatre Associations Playfest.

The Texas Educational Theatre Associations Playfest is a playwriting competition. This competition was created to encourage high school and college students to create a piece special to them and submit it to be performed.

“Well I base it loosely off of me and my sister,” Dahl said. “It’s about two sisters, Penelope and Winnie, and they’re playing. They have to play together but one is more into Barbies and all this sort of more girly-type things, going to the mall and everything while the other is more into superheroes and spies and basically it goes between them kind of bickering and having to play together.”

When creating a piece, it is more than just the writing itself. Every detail whether it comes to stage lighting or costumes is a variable in how the piece turns out.

“A 17 year old girl, Aiela, struggles to come to terms with her grief and guilt over a tragic loss. Her mom won’t discuss it. Her classmates whisper around her. And the San Francisco waves grow louder each day. Can Aiela learn to live in this distorted world? Will her mom ever open up?

But more importantly, will the voices ever stop?”

Kaelie Douglass “Dear Mr. Rabbit of San Francisco Bay”

“I use a lot of sound and lighting my show to capture the ocean sounds and blue waves that haunt Aiela after this experience as well as other theatrical elements to create a disjointed and haunted feeling in the house,” Douglass said. “It follows her relationship with God, her mother, the various colors of grief, and the survivor’s guilt over the event.”

There are a lot of different variables that go into creating a story for this competition. Bringing all of them together is what turns the play into something special.

“Playwriting is important to me because I think it’s always important to tell our own stories and create our own work,” Douglass said.

“Theatre is a magical way to bring people together of different backgrounds to share stories. Being a part of the crafting of those stories is such a beautiful part of that process.”

Both Dahl and Douglass have been doing theatre throughout their high school experience which has resulted in a close connection with their teacher Betsy Cornwell.

“I knew both Kaelie and Lindsay had good plays when they began working on their assignments in our playwriting unit in the second semester of Theatre 3,” Cornwell said. “The students in the class and I encouraged them to keep working on the project. I was so excited about it that I contracted with a New York actress/playwright to do workshops with them over the summer. Their final presentations were read on zoom with New York actors. It was so exciting to hear their words spoken by professionals, and I knew they were winners.”

The process of actually developing the play itself is very time consuming as well as rewarding.

“Working on this play, it was very interesting. It was like a weekly thing. First, I’m doing the playwriting class, then I’m working on it with a professional playwright in New York and it’s really cool, but also a little nerve wracking because I’m showing my work and I’m just

ALWAYS IMPROVING: Senior Lindsay Dahl gives feedback to freshman Gibson Gelfer after their first run through of Dahl’s play at after school practice. With things like set changes and other factors, there are a lot of variables that go into running a smooth play. PHOTO BY Nicole Rooney

like, I hope he likes it, and having to read it aloud as well,” Dahl said.

“It’s interesting having to write as little kids too, and like trying to think of what a little kid would say in a certain situation when I’m 17 years old and haven’t been seven and 10 years.”

Another unique thing about theatre is that every performance is different. Not one play is ever the same, no matter how many times it is performed.

“There is something so beautiful and magical about watching a story unravel in front of your own eyes. You are essentially being able to witness people “living” in front of you,” Douglass said. “You aren’t watching someone act on a screen that has been cropped and filmed and edited multiple times, instead, you are watching people bring a story to life in real time, and every performance has the potential to

bring something new and it’s exciting.”

Theatre brings people together in many different ways, because of the connection that they have when acting and writing.

“Theater. Well, there’s lots of things I enjoy about theater. I enjoy performing because I’ve made a lot of my very close friends in theater,” Dahl said. “And so, I enjoy being able to work with them and put on shows for other people. Having friends and family come and see them and just being able to have fun and entertain.”

One thing that halted theatre in the past year was COVID-19, making it hard to have a connection on and off the stage.

“Because doing it online, you lose that, and that’s a lot of why I love theater but online it’s really hard to do that and connect,” Dahl said. “So, once we finally started

going back, in the spring semester last year, there was a very large difference in being online where we’re able to see each other in person, go to rehearsals, and we’re able to be with each other while online, you just don’t have that same connection.”

Theatre has helped students not just gain unique experiences, but strong life lessons and boost their confidence.

“I learned the lesson of ‘you are enough’. Of course you are imperfect, we all are. We all have many flaws. We will make a lot of mistakes. But there is a beauty in imperfection,” Douglass said. “I have learned to be kinder to myself in regards to wherever I am at in my acting or writing journey. I have learned that you cannot be too critical of yourself, as it only encourages self-doubt and stunts your growth.”

Debate teams craft convincing arguments in competition Ben Tillisch Staff Writer

Every argument has two opposing ideas and opinions, and there is not always one definitive solution, for everyone has a different perspective. Leading into competition season, it is the Bowie Debate team’s job to effectively convince judges that their argument is superior to that of their opponent.

In debate, students converse and argue current world issues that many students are unaware and uneducated about. Bowie debate team officer junior Cristian Abarca appreciates the exposure he has received in his time with the debate team.

“We deal with foreign policy issues, domestic policy issues, and a lot of things that are probably so crucial for learning in high school before you go on to college,” Abarca said. “I think that’s what draws a lot of people into the debate, as well as the community.”

Often, people base their arguments on their personal opinion, creating a biased stance on a subject. Abarca works to avoid such bias, as most competitions do not allow students to choose their side of an argument, making a fact-based argument very important and effective.

“The way I adapt to it is trying to take personal opinion out of it,” Abarca said.

“You need to be able to eloquently argue both sides of an argument for and against something with equal prow-

CELEBRATING: Sophomore Amelia Cook, sophomore Bella Barkume, junior Megan Sewell, and sophomore Jadon Demetri smile after their first debate round.

After the preliminary rounds, Demetri found out that he had made it to finals for the tournament. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

ess. Of course, there is always one argument you will naturally prefer, but you should always have good arguments on both sides.”

Having an opinion on intense subjects is important, per sophomore debate member Yash Tate. The debate team grants students the privilege to express their opinions, building their confidence and structuring their

perspective on the world.

“A common misconception about debate is that it is nonstop arguing, but that’s not true,” Tate said. “The majority of debate is spent giving your speech to express your opinion. And to be honest, I was scared of debating at first, but then I [decided to] give it a shot, and turns out, I liked it.”

Governed by Texas Foren-

sic Association (TFA), competitions are composed of numerous pre-elimination and elimination rounds. The nature of debate makes winning consistently very difficult, placing immense pressure on the shoulders of young students to perform.

“You can [debate] your hardest and still lose, and sometimes that’s just the way,” Abarca said. “It’s more

about the fun and experience you have with it than necessarily just winning. And once you grasp that, the anxiousness starts to fade.”

Prior to a competition, adept preparation is a necessity for the debate team. Reflecting on past competitions enables students to acknowledge their mistakes, allowing them to hone their skills and perform better in the next opportunity to debate.

“There’s a certain balance we try to practice between [reflection and development],” Abarca said. “It’s always good to look back on [competitions] and reflect on notes you took to see if there’s any responses you didn’t have an answer to and develop responses to that.

Sometimes, you need to move on. You need to keep your head up and just start preparing for the next tournament.”

The interpretation team, including sophomore Amelia Cook, experience parallel preparation plans. Offering a competitive stance to theatre and acting, interpretation have also begun competing.

“We prepare by learning our assigned piece and working on performing as that character,” Cook said. “It also helps to perform for others for feedback, and the people [in interpretation] are always willing to help one another.”

Confidence in a student is vital to their development and success. Enjoying her time in interpretation, Cook believes that being a part of interpretation has allowed her to sharp-

en socially relevant attributes other students lack.

“Interpretation is a very self-driven class,” Cook said.

“It has helped me in becoming a better actor and it can prepare you to do things like public speaking, which is a very valuable trait to have.”

High school is a stepping stone for students to prepare for college or a career path.

Joining the debate team as a freshman, Tate believes his time on the debate team has allowed him to grow the knowledge that is necessary for the next step of his life.

“The advantages of being in debate is that it helps you develop writing and speaking skills,” Tate said. “And because of all the different topics, you get to learn about current events and things about nations you didn’t know existed.”

Debate is a semester-long course that is paired with economics for seniors. According to Abarca, introducing students to worldly issues is massively neglected. Debate allows students to shape defendable opinions on certain topics that other students do not get exposure to, preparing them for the future.

“It’s a lot of stuff that naturally, people just don’t get to learn about now in high school,” Abarca said. “[Debate] is very crucial to me and an integral part of society. You need to have an in-depth understanding of politics, economics, etc. It really opens your eyes to the workings of the world.”

coming UP in ENTERTAINMENT Nov. 5 Final Band Competition Nov. 13-14 UCA Regional Cheer Competition

Nov. 13 Speech and Debate Tournament Nov. 17-18 Children’s Show Performances

Nov. 20 Theater Elementary School Tours Dec. 2-4 Dance Department Fall Show

REVIEWS 13

FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Small business takes South Congress

Opened earlier this year, Tiny Grocer sells local products and fresh produce Lucille Price Reviews Editor

When I first stepped foot in Tiny Grocer located at 1718 South Congress Ave, my immediate thought was that it reminded me of New York. From it’s small area and its healthy, yet expensive produce, to its outside standing-eating arrangement, it definitely looked like a store to be found in New York.

One of my favorite things about Tiny Grocer was that many of the products said where they were made on the price tag. I also think it’s really awesome how much of the inventory was local.

From lemonade to chips and chocolate bars and bug repellent, so much of Tiny Grocer’s product was made right here in Austin and I appreciate that Tiny Grocer supports local businesses. I think the prices were a bit on the expensive side, but the quality of the products are worth it and I think if you are willing to pay a little more for locally produced products, as I am, then this store is for you.

Tiny Grocer is open every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., which I think are great hours espe-

SATISFYINGLY STOCKED: The shop’s cans are organized in a neat and appealing order.

The owner Steph Steele opened her small business on Monday, March 8, 2021. PHOTO BY Lucille Price

cially for a new, small business for sure.

One of the main things I noticed when I walked in is that this is much more than a grocery store, there’s a soft-serve ice cream machine, a deli/ cafe area, and a huge table filled with unique products and gifts such as apothecary, perfumes, and locally made jewelry.

If you ever need a nice gift for someone, you should look at Tiny Grocer.

I also must point out the chocolate bar section. Tiny Grocer had many unique types of chocolate bars.

I found a lavender chocolate bar and a spicy one too, and even a rainbow unicorn one and so many of them were locally made.

I also checked out the produce aisle which was really plentiful, there were berries and all kinds of greens and fruit. I found locally made dressing, herbs, carrots, and much more.

I also spent a lot of time admiring the cafe/deli area, filled with all kinds of foods like salmon fillets with lemon, soup, and pasta. I really could not pick what to order, everything looked so delicious and honestly I don’t think you could go wrong ordering anything from here.

I wish I had ordered a coffee or a drink from the cafe menu, but next time I visit I’m definitely going to be trying the matcha latte and one of the pastries.

After shopping around and looking around at all the great products, I ordered a Ham and Swiss cheese croissant sandwich, and I bought a locally made lemonade. I also tried a Veggie Frittata and a personal size berry pie.

The Ham and Cheese Croissant sandwich was probably my favorite thing I tried at Tiny Grocer. The employee taking my order heated it in the oven beforehand, so it was warm and perfectly toasted. I loved the Swiss cheese and I thought it tasted really good in combination with the buttery and flaky croissant. This is a must have if you visit Tiny Grocer and it’s a ten out of ten from me.

The locally made lemonade I tried was called Me and the Bees lemonade. It was perfectly sweet and sour and I would definitely recommend this as well. Not to mention, it felt really good to purchase from a local business and knowing that my product was made in Austin.

Angela visits different fall activities around Austin Angela Le

Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email: bowie.journalism@gmail.com

VIBRANT SELECTION: Tiny Grocer’s selection of local and organically produced vegetables are on display. The store serves coffee, pastries and has a deli as well. PHOTO BY Lucille Price

The Vegan Frittata was also really delicious, it had a soft texture and was warm. I usually wouldn’t order this, but I did not regret it one bit. All of the vegetables brought so much flavor and I would certainly order it again. I’m giving this an eight out of ten.

The Berry pie was also amazing, it was a little too sweet for my liking, and I think I would have liked it better if it was served warm, but it was the perfect personal mini sized pie.

The filling tasted really authentic and fresh and not artificially made.

I’d rate this a seven out of ten.

The vegan vanilla soft serve ice cream was really delicious as well.

The texture was super smooth and really refreshing. I loved how strong

the vanilla flavor was and I’m interested in trying Tiny Grocer’s other flavors considering how great the classic vanilla was. I was surprised that there was no dairy products in it because it tasted like authentic ice cream.

After I had gotten my food, I walked outside expecting to find somewhere to sit, but there was just a little area out front where I just stood to eat my food. I loved my experience at Tiny Grocer, but I think it would have been really nice to have a place to sit like an outside patio.

Overall, I loved this store and I will definitely back and I recommend you visit it too. I could see myself stopping here for a casual dinner or delicious ice cream.

A new season of YOU grasps the attention of fans Donna Kim Assistant Editor

“WHO ARE YOU?” “I NEED TO PROTECT YOU”

“I BARELY RECOGNIZE MYSELF”

“LOVE IS COMPLICATED”

“IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT”

“AXE MURDER” child become the only reason he stays with her, but it is hard when the person you are married to gets obsessed over a mysterious woman he finds attractive.

In the end, Love is not able to outsmart Joe, and she ultimate dies after confronting Marienne, Joe’s most recent obsession.

Joe pins all the murders in the town on Love, fakes his death, and moves to Paris in hopes of finding Marienne.

I disliked the ending, it felt lazy and I wanted to see Love make it out of the season alive and maybe even show a few episodes through her point of view.

Something repetitive about this show is Joe obsessing over a girl, doing whatever it takes to get her attention and make her love

him, and then find someone new when all else fails. In the case of Love, Joe wanted to leave so badly, but couldn’t because of Henry.

Joe moving to Paris in hopes of finding Marienne seemed like the writers couldn’t think of anything else, and that the repetition of Joe being a stalker-murderer will continue for the show. I was honestly hoping for an ending where Joe makes a mistake, and gets caught in all his lies.

While the season had its flaws, it still captured Joe’s unreliable and comedic narrations of his inner thoughts.

Something unique about this show is how it shows you what Joe is thinking whenever he is in a situation, and how he views the people and

ART BY Sydney Crum

The thrilling saga of You continues, with the release of season three on October 15. Season three continues with Joe Goldberg and Love Quinn moving into a nice, suburban city with their new baby, Henry. As much as I enjoyed the first two seasons of this show, season three definitely has a few flaws that stood out. But before you continue reading this review, spoilers ahead.

Season three kicks off with Joe and Love, and Joe immediately taking interest in their quiet and weird neighbor, Natalie. After Love finds out about a night Joe had with Natalie which did not lead to any sexual activities, she kills Natalie in a fit of rage. All in the first episode.

For Joe and Love, murder is a reoccurring action that they both commit while not feeling any sense of remorse or guilt (most of the time).

When Love kills someone, Joe gets upset, not that she just took someone’s life, but because he knows how much he must do to hide the evidence, clean up, and cry because his wife is so deranged and has clear issues.

When Joe kills someone, it is out of jealousy and obsession, and so he can get what he wants.

Joe and Love’s extremely toxic relationship really stood out in season three, and I was honestly rooting for Love throughout the show because of how mad Joe made me.

All Love wanted was for Joe to love her and not let her

Austin Adventures with Angela

the world around him. The twist is that Joe is essentially a sociopath and an extremely unreliable narrator, so you end up rooting for him because we don’t really know what is going on through other characters’ perspectives.

Despite the fact that You is a show that centers only around Joe, it would’ve been nice to see some episodes through Love’s point of view, seeing how twisted and broken of a character she is.

You also get a lot of backstory on Joe’s character and who he really is. The season contained many flashbacks of him in what seems to be a boys’ home, and how he was left there by his mother.

These flashbacks explained a lot, and why Joe seems to

have “mommy” issues that stem from him being abandoned from his own mother.

These flashbacks also explain why Joe seems to have a savior complex, which stems from him being bullied by the kids in the home, and getting attached to a nurse who “moved away”, but was always there for Joe. Something I really liked about season three were the residents of Madre Linda.

The Conrads, who was the “it” family of the small city and were considered the perfect family, the gay couple next door, the young teenager who was chasing Love, and so many other diverse characters that we got to see through Joe’s perspective.

Sherry Conrad is introduced as the “queen bee” of Madre Linda, running popular mom blogs, feeding into “Missing White Woman Syndrome”, and being an extremely performative activist.

But when Sherry and her husband, Cary, are trapped in Joe’s cage, we really get to see what Sherry went through, and that she is more than just a pretty face.

Sherry became one of my favorite characters towards the end, and it made me happy to see her and her husband get a happy husband.

You is a thrilling show with murder, tension, passion, and lots of stalking.

Season three was questionable when it came to Joe and Love, but still an enjoyable watch.

With season four being confirmed, I am excited to see what the producers come up with for the next chapter in Joe’s unpredictable life.

Fall is right around the corner along with the cool mist in the air. This calls for exciting fall activities and warm, comforting foods.

Right now is the perfect time for pumpkin spice with everything.

Fall season in Austin is something everyone needs to experience. The weather is never too cold here during fall and this makes for a great selection of activities to participate in.

For example, Sweet Berry Farm is the perfect place.

With outdoor activities such as mazes, pumpkin painting, bounce houses, and you can pick your own flowers as well which is all COVID-friendly.

Sweet Berry Farm also has goat petting, horse-riding, and so many amazing activities for kids, but also adults.

It would be the perfect place to go for a date, a weekend with friends, and as a family experience.

Sweet Berry Farm is a little far, located in Marble Falls but well worth the drive. Of course, this farm is seasonal so go during this fall or you will have to wait till next year. The farm closes on November 7.

There are so many delicious hidden coffee spots in Austin. They have a comforting environment with the sweetest baristas that will make your day. Most of the coffee spots in Austin have outdoor seating and are dog friendly.

The first hot-spot is Mozart’s Coffee Roasters where you can get a fresh cup of coffee and delicious goods.

With a fresh cup of coffee and a great atmosphere with a spectacular view on a lakeside patio which is dog friendly. Not only that but an amazing outdoor space to enjoy your food and talk to friends.

Bring your friends for a study session or with a partner for a romantic setting.

This cafe’s setting is perfect for any situation. I like coming here after dinner for a fresh baked dessert.

An amazing spot for dinner or lunch is at Hula Hut right next to Mozart’s cafe on the lake. Hula Hut serves hot Tex-Mex and has a large patio for seating. A great place to watch the sunset and enjoy a hot Tex-Mex dish.

They serve lots of traditional Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas, fajitas, and quesadillas. They also offer burger and sandwich options if you’re not feeling Tex-Mex. They have an outdoor bar on the patio that serves lots of drinks.

The farmers market at the Soco Select Farmers Market is fun and a great place to find fresh, homemade goods.

It is open Friday, Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 1:30pm-5pm. You can get more information on their website which also shows pictures of what kinds of goods they have to offer.

Summer Moon Coffee has been gaining more attraction over the years and it definitely deserves the recognition.

They are located right on Slaughter Lane with a drive through that goes around the plaza. Also they have variety of coffee, matcha, chai, hot cocoa. I deeply adore their mugs and cups. They also serve baked goods and they have partnered up with TacoDeli, which is in the same plaza, by serving their breakfast tacos at the cafe.

They have some outdoor seating but lots of room inside with a great atmosphere and with very kind baristas.

And that’s a wrap on fall activities in Austin.

14 OPINIONS

Teenage minds are clouded by vaping THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

EDITORIAL Vaping, an epidemic impacting high school students world-wide, has invaded Bowie's bathrooms.

Bathroom stalls are filled with students during passing periods, lunches and during classes, fiending for nicotine. The addictive chemical protrudes in the lives of our student body throughout the day, every day.

It is imperative that Bowie students stop vaping and take back their lives.

In a 2021 study by the FDA, it was released that over two million high school students in America admitted to using e-cigarettes. In a survey released by SingleCare in 2019, 27.5% of high school students confessed to vaping regularly.

An alarming amount of American teenagers have become dependent on nicotine products in recent years, and Bowie kids participate in the problem.

Despite teachers and administrators efforts to spread awareness regarding vaping, it is a big issue at our school.

Striving to battle the epidemic,the Bowie administration is doing what it can to educate students about the toxic chemicals e-cigarettes contain, and the consequences of using vape pens.

It is important that this information reaches more students so they

know the truth about what they are inhaling and its effects on their bodies.

These devices contain chemicals like toluene, an ingredient in nail polish and paint, formaldehyde which is used to preserve corpses, and lead which is a known carcinogenic.

These toxins fill your lungs and constrict blood flow. Many are proven to cause cancer, leukemia, kidney failure, and damage to lung tissue.

No matter how much the administration does to educate students, the powerful addictive chemicals combined with the peer pressure behind smoking means not enough students are breaking the habit.

For many it starts with insecurity, defiance, internal struggles, or just simply taking a hit with a friend in a weak moment.

The best solution is that the school works to offer anonymous support for students. Two groups on campus have started this process.

Student leadership worked with school nurse Shari Peterson to bring a new program called 'No Vape October' to campus.

The goal of the program is to provide support for students who want to quit and to encourage those who might start to avoid vaping.

Students who sign up by texting 'NOVAPEBOWIE' to 88709 are

ART BY Grace Harris

Vaping creates a magnitude of negative mental and physical effects on young students

connected with a support group that is there to send encouraging messages, and even emergency texts.

We strongly support this program, and even though the imitative is only scheduled to run through October, we hope that various groups across campus will continue to help their fellow students kick their vaping habits.

There are other consequences to vaping, as students who are caught vaping are susceptible to a referral or suspension and any offense requires parent involvement or an

administration decision.

Students should be aware that these kinds of actions leave marks on their permanent records, which might lead to future problems with college applications.

It isn't just school where kids might have problems, the use or possession of these things are also illegal off-campus as you have to be over 21 to own or purchase nicotine products.

This issue isn't just about vaping but it's about your future. You are putting yourself at risk every time you take a hit on that vape pen.

You are risking your life. You need to stop in order to protect yourself.

We want Bowie to be an educational environment where students feel comfortable to learn. The vaping issues hurt our reputation as a top area school.

Do the right thing Bowie, stop vaping. Seniors, set a good example for the underclass students and go out in the world without that addiction hanging over you.

If you need help, there are resources and people who can support you. It starts with a simple text to 88709.

Tesla's gigafactory brings Austin economic opportunity Lillian Hoover Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

ART BY Lillian Hoover

On October 7, Elon Musk announced that Tesla would bring its headquarters to Austin, along with the already-announced Gigafactory. The move was not totally surprising given the public battle Musk has been waging with Alameda County (CA) over COVID-19 related shutdowns and restrictions. The Gigafactory will produce the Tesla Semi, Cybertruck, Model 3 and Model Y. It is expected that the factory will bring over 10,000 jobs to central Texas.

I believe that this new move could be game-changing for residents. Austin has long been home to many major innovative companies such as Google, Apple and Dell, that already boast a presence in the city. Tesla’s move will bring greater opportunity to the capital of the Lone Star state such as new jobs, green energy and additional services pushing positive attention towards the city.

Elon Musk tweeted in March 2021 that “Over 10,000 people are needed for Giga Texas just through 2022!” This represents double the original 5,000 jobs originally promised, as Tesla appears to be taking advantage of the vast talent pool that Austin has to offer.

A link to the company’s job postings currently shows over 350 open positions in Austin, TX. At 10,000 employees, this would place Tesla near the top of the list of Austin’s largest employers, according to 2018 Chamber of Commerce figures. Given the enormity of Tesla’s operations in Austin, their suppliers are anticipated to have a greater presence in the area as well, bringing additional jobs to the city’s economy. For example: suppliers such as Plastikon and Simon North Ameri-

can have both indicated plans to open facilities in nearby Kyle, TX. Along with thousands of job openings for Tesla, the East Austin area in general will be able to receive more opportunities and services. With Tesla bringing more activity and attention to the East side of Austin, the people who live there can use that attention to their advantage, something they haven't been able to do before.

The Del Valle school district that covers much of East and Southeast Austin is expected to benefit greatly from the tax revenue that Tesla’s factory will bring. The area is also expected to benefit from the housing, stores, and medical facilities that will be attracted by the employee growth and demand.

Tesla has also indicated that it will seek to partner with local high schools, colleges, and trade groups. The company will also be accepting applicants without college degrees.

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.

• The Dispatch is an open forum for student expression. 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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Tesla’s move will also bring an increased focus to the benefits of green energy to Austin and the entire state. The historically fossil fuel driven state will now have a green auto-manufacturer headquartered not far from its state capital. In addition, Tesla is partnering with two real estate companies (Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra) to bring a sustainable residential community to East Austin.

The sustainable features will include solar and battery powered products, with the goal to reduce demand on the electric grid and eventually create an energy-neutral community. The use of renewable energy over traditional fossil fuels will result in less water and air pollution. Renewable also creates lower greenhouse gas emissions. Overall - renewable energy is better for our planet.

While this big change will enhance many important factors in the Austin area, it could

PRIDE IN PUBLISHING Friday, November 5, 2021 Vol. 34, Issue 2 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane Austin TX, 78749

also bring along some worrisome problems.

With this expensive car company moving into a more rural part of Austin, it could raise the costs of living and life in general.

The median price for a home in Austin is now $549,000 according to Refin, representing a 40% increase over the last two years.

Clearly, the demand for housing by people moving to Austin to fill these new jobs will exacerbate the existing affordability problem in Austin.

However, the arrival of Tesla did not cause the current affordability crisis in Austin.

Affordable housing has been a challenge in Austin for years, if not decades. For housing to be considered “affordable” - it would typically be defined as a household that spends less than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Austin’s population growth has outpaced the housing market, which has created an expensive housing market.

Our city leaders should expand funding for affordable housing projects and partner with private businesses. In addition, they should also promote private investment in the Strike Fund (managed by nonprofit Affordable Central Texas) to purchase affordable land for later development.

Another solution is for Travis county to expand the homestead tax abatement policy for older adults, preventing increases in property taxes so residents can continue to reside in their current homes. Austin and Travis county should also consider cutting assessments for landlords that offer affordable housing for lower income families.

I consider Tesla’s move to Austin a necessary change that will bring more good to the city. Where better to relocate their headquarters than Austin, the home to many technological innovators. The Gigafactory will not only allow for a green energy filled environment and cars, but also bring in so many new opportunities to follow.

THE DISPATCH STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Anna Holme Corinne Piorkowski Arushi Sharma MANAGING EDITORS Sammie Thompson Reagan Zuniga NEWS EDITOR Dylan Zellner POLITICS EDITOR Carey Wooley FEATURE EDITOR Dylan Ebs ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Nicole Rooney REVIEW EDITOR Lucille Price COMMENTARY EDITORS Grace Harris Ava Wong

SPORTS EDITORS Riley Payne Dimitri Silva PHOTO ESSAY EDITOR Anna Bea Heise DIGITAL EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Natalie Cullen Izzy Rejino ARTS/GRAPHICS EDITOR Isabella Del Nido DISPATCH STAFF Julia Arriaga Colin Barnes Lauren Bogard Lily Bourgeois Oscar Campbell Mars Canepa Sydney Crum Kate Davis Alex Edwards Alli Ekrot Sage Epstein Audrey Hagen

Lillian Hoover Austin Ikard Donna Kim Angela Le Azul Lin Emily Loewe Rachel Maddox Cyrus Mitchell Sophia Sanchez Claire Scott Ben Tillisch Sam Vane Amilia Velez Mazzy Warren Nick Wood Lauren Wright ADVISER Michael Reeves, MJE PATRON SPONSORS The Holme Family The Hensley Family The Cullen Family The Vane Family The Thompson Family The Tillisch Family The Gonsalves Family

OPINIONS 15

FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Free menstrual products are overdue

Tampons and pads have recently been installed into every girls bathrooms for open use Spooky SZN (orange) FFA552 Dark orange BA5624 Purple 934D6F green C4D6B0

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women and girls on campus need access to menstrual products. Periods may be considRIO N ered a taboo subject for some people but we DS A Questions? Concerns? Email: M need to recognize just how many people this A U RE bowie.journalism@gmail.com H affects and benefits.

NO A But why are periods considered such a taTT S I AB In 2017 a law was passed in California reboo subject? Well, in my opinion, the answer E N OO quiring public schools in low income areas to to that is simple: Misogyny. It’s no great seIE P G ER provide free tampons, pads, and other period cret that throughout history power has been Y H IO products in bathrooms. Recently, the Calipassed on from man to man. Men have alL DS A fornia legislation has expanded that previous ways been the ones in positions of power to AR U R EN law to say that all public school bathrooms make meaningful decisions, including deciT S ON must stock free menstrual products starting sions about women’s bodies.

T E IS In fact, a study conducted by the New Y T M TAB next school year. This year, Bowie is followR E OO POV T ing that model and putting free menstrual York Post in 2018 found that 42% of women ERIOD H P P L A E G RE I products in our restrooms as well. have been shamed for their periods before. If R S I Y T I R OD ER V O In my opinion, having free menstrual prodwe work to break down these biases and talk P N SA APERIOD L ucts in our restrooms is a positive and long about these subjects then it will help norA M R E EN TY IS R HU R overdue decision. In most cases, the people malize discussions about bodily functions.

E V O OT DP A making laws about menstrual products are Because of the expenses put on menstruPERIO T S AB I men that either don’t understand women’s al products some people may argue that it OO NE experiences, or are too embarrassed to talk will cost the school district or state too much E PE GI Rmoney. about them. This has caused the majority of Others might not want their tax dolY I O H women’s rights to go unnoticed and not talklarsDto go to paying for someone else’s pads SA L A ed about. and tampons.

RE At the end of the day you’re RU Throughout history women have been still going toNhave T O to pay taxes and schools S shamed for their periods and it has negativeare going to doTwith N TA their funding as they BOa lot this year to try ly affected the way we interact with the nor- ME please. Bowie is doing mal bodily functions. For instance, a 2019 and make school a more O comfortable and acKentucky bill was proposed that would make cepting place. How can trying to make stuOther necessities like groceries, water, dents more comfortable at school be a bad menstural products non-taxable. It didn’t lion girls around the world are out of school even make it out of committee. Shying away at some point each year due to not having and prescription drugs are exempt from tax- thing? from this subject is one of the reasons that access to sanitary menstrual products. This es in the state of Texas, so why shouldn’t We as people have a tendency to live in so many people don’t have access to the san- means that not having access to these essen- menstrual products be as well? For so many our own little bubbles but the prospect of tial commodities directly affects women’s women living in Texas these products are a simply not having the funds to get menstrual itary products they need.

A lot of female students also have to leave education with the lack of school recognition necessity. products is a very real reality for not only According to a CNN article in 2021, wom- people around the world, but in Texas and at school due to not being prepared to manage and support.

Additionally, I think it is a good thing free en in America spend approximately $20 mil- Bowie. Everyone deserves the right to be a bleed through. A CNN survey from this menstrual products have been made avail- lion dollars every year purely on the taxes comfortable in their own skin and not stress year showed that one fourth of women in the U.S. alone have missed a day of school due able in our bathrooms. Period products can that come with menstrual products. Having about whether or not their period will affect to their period. Most commonly this absence be expensive and not everyone can afford these free menstrual products in our re- their education. Having free menstrual prodis due to not being prepared or not having them. Only 10 states in the US have no tax- strooms may take off some financial pressure ucts in our bathrooms is something that will es on menstrual products and 30 states have for some students and families. access to the necessary period products. affect a large group of people and is an overKeep in mind that half the Bowie popu- all positive and necessary societal implemenAnother study from the Global Citizen in luxury taxes on them. Luxury taxes can be 2018 showed that approximately 131 mil- as high as 20% like in Mississippi, Alabama, lation is female, that means around 1500 tation. and even Texas.

Audrey Hagan Dispatch Reporter

G RI

PE

ART BY Isabella del Nido

Facebook manages and magnifies the hate and misinformation spread on it’s platform.

The company denies this saying that it has maintained necessary safeguards, though it is quite obvious that safety has been removed to some degree.

This is prevalent in the spreading of right-wing conspiratorial content that populated people’s phones leading up to the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building, according to Haugen.

From physical violence, to the mental side of things, Haugen shared that Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has been proven by their own internal research to have negative mental effects on teenage girls.

Since 2018, Facebook has prioritized MSI (meaningful social interactions), an algorithm that shows predicted content based on content an individual has shown to interact with the most, such as comments, likes and reshares.

Facebook promotes MSI, saying it is beneficial for relationships and well-being, although its proven to increase divisive, abhorrent content.

False information is easily

Ava Wong Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

In late September, 1,000’s of internal Facebook files were leaked revealing Facebook’s own executives and researchers are well aware of the harm their platforms cause.

Knowing this, they have chosen to ignore the damages in order to profit. The documents were given to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Congress and the Wall Street Journal.

About a week after they were leaked, the whistle-blower came forward.

Her name is Frances Haugen, a former data scientist for Facebook.

Haugen worked for Pinterest and Google before joining Facebook in 2019. When she started, she showed interest in working with the company to stop the spread of, and protect the public from misinformation after losing a close friend to online conspiracy theories.

She revealed herself on a “60 Minutes” interview where she thoroughly explained the extent to how

spread to the feeds of these girls’ Instagram’s that push self-image ideals and eating disorders.

The more teenagers believe these ideas, the more they interact with the posts, which the algorithm picks up and continues to display this content, continuing the horrible process.

Teenagers are trapped in an endless cycle of mental health and body issues because it profits Instagram.

As a teenage girl, I’ve seen first hand the negative effects Instagram has had on myself and people around me. To know there is truthful research to this, and the company ignored it to keep us on the app, feels like a stab in the back. Violence is all around social media, it has to stop.

Facebook global head of safety Antigone Davis was questioned about Facebook’s negative and harmful effects on teenagers and children during a hearing late September after the documents were leaked.

Shortly after, Haugen testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Capitol Hill. Here, Haugen explained the extent of

ART BY Ava Wong

Facebook employee exposes the company’s intentions

harm forms of social media causes young people.

Several senators discussed proposed bills that would add safety provisions for young users. Haugen even suggested increasing the minimum age for any person using social media to 17 years instead of 13 years, which is a little extreme.

We should first and foremost strengthen security because it is not just teenagers affected by the harm.

Adults are constantly being fed misinformation and it can be just as harmful and lead to events such as the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.

Haugen also pointed out that these few documents were just the tip of the iceberg. She encouraged lawmakers to demand more documents and internal research from Facebook, stating that it was the only way for Congress to have complete trans-

parency and understanding when it comes to regulating social media.

Facebook disagreed with her testimony but admitted new regulations for the internet were long overdue.

Times are constantly changing and social media is constantly changing. With this change we also need order and law to keep everyone safe and open to truthful information. It’s time for Congress to act.

BULLDAWGS SPEAK OUT

What measures do you think should be taken to address the homeless situation in Austin?

INTERVIEWS BY Mazzy Warren PHOTOS COURTESY OF Nick Wood

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I think that it should be talked about more in Austin, we have a pretty bad homeless issue. So I feel the government, needs to start taking care of them, by building tiny houses like California did.

Ren Alma Junior

I think we need to supply more stuff to homeless people, like food and other things that they can use, [and] we could use taxes or fundraising to pay for it.

”

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We want the government to help the homeless. I think they should fund homeless shelters by increasing taxes for funding.

Lydia Mikkelsen Sophomore

Mackenzie Kirk Senior

I personally think we need to actually do something about it.

There’s been a lot of bills, which I think is a good thing that they’re getting off the streets, but it’s just a problem of where they’re going.

”

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Mitchell Navarrete Freshman

Rose Westerman Substitute Teacher

I would say I think that they should implement some of the policies where there is housing and resources for the homeless in a community-type setting.

”

16 PHOTO ESSAY THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2021

Culinary makes dreams crumb true Meet the Sous Chef

The creator of the recipes and head of the kitchen

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During the summer time in elementary and middle school, my mom would often tell me to go through cook books and find something to make when I got bored. I had a lot of fun making little treats for my family and I just never stopped.

Noelle Bruinings

”

Sous Chef Noelle Bruinings hosts the first pop-up of the year titled: "Pumpkin Lane" Reagan Zuniga Managing Editor

PREPARING TO COOK: Noelle Bruinings separates the before cooking it. The culinary students have been preparing for their event for several weeks now to be able to perfectly execute their meals and treats for the students and faculty.“We started by making cookies and muffins and then moved on to soup and bread for sales,” Noelle Bruinings said. “Our prep was more so practicing working in the kitchen as a whole." PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

PACKAGING: Sous Chef Noelle Bruinings prepares the sample plate for the pumpkin gnocchi. Gnocchi is usually made with potato but was substituted with pumpkin to correlate with the pumpkin theme of the event.

“I was blown away by the amount of work my students were able to get done during our first pop up,” Chef Bugni said. “I mean, we made homemade pumpkin gnocchi.”

PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

PICTURE PERFECT: Portioning out the veggie cassola, Noelle Bruinings leads preparing the plates to make sure they look exactly how she wants before sending them out. "The most challenging aspect for me was grocery shopping," Chef Bugni said. "I filled up two full shopping carts and it took two hours to get all the ingredients. Everyone kept asking me why I had 18 butternut squashes." PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

Culinary students rush around the kitchen hurriedly constructing over 150 meals in preparation for their first event of the year. The culinary class returned to the kitchen to deliver their first pop-up of the year called “Pumpkin Lane,” created by Noelle Bruinings. Bruinings has been interested in cooking since a young age but has recently been putting her skills to the test.

“I took Mrs. Langdon’s nutrition class during sophomore year of high school and I always had a blast when we would go into the kitchen and cook,” Bruinings said. “And so when it came time to sign up for classes for junior year I thought it would be cool to join culinary so that I could continue cooking new things in school.”

Bruinings is now a second year culinary student, which gave her the opportunity to create her own concept for a pop-up restaurant that offered a variety of dishes that all had a common theme or concept. The theme for

this event was pumpkin.

“I found the pumpkin fritters in the Sardinia Italy section of the Blue Zones cook book I was looking in and so that narrowed down my choices of meals to Italian,” Bruinings said.

“Then Chef Bugni was talking to us and telling us we could have different themes for our pop-ups and I thought that a pumpkin theme would work perfectly since I really wanted to keep the fritters.”

While every advanced culinary student gets to host their own pop-up, Bruinings was the first to design a full menu to be served for delivery only since the COVID pandemic has closed the dining room.

“When it came to deciding who went first, the second years decided amongst themselves,” Chef Kathryn Bugni said. “Noelle really stepped up and offered to go first which was incredibly brave since the commercial kitchen has not been in operation for about a year and a half due to COVID. Noelle's menu had lots of Fall ingredients, like pumpkin and acorn squash, so it also

made logistical sense for her pop-up restaurant to be in October.”

As the sous chef, Bruinings had the responsibility of creating the menu, leading the cooking and delivering process, and more.

“The biggest challenge is that we have to rewrite each recipe we find so that it works with our kitchen at school,” Bruinings said.

“What helped me the most was testing each recipe at home. I would check for flavor, test plating ideas, and would get an overall feel for how each dish would need to be prepared.”

Bruinings thinks the event was a huge success for the first event of the year and is now looking forward to future events that culinary is hosting.

“I am most excited to make wedding cakes and for our Thanksgiving potluck,” Bruinings said. “I've never made a wedding cake before and I've never really spent a lot of time decorating the cakes I make at home, so I'm really excited to get to do that. It'll definitely be a challenge but I'm ready for it.”

FINISHING TOUCHES: Dusting the pumpkin fritters, Noelle Bruinings adds the final touches to her dessert. The pumpkin fritters recipe was Bruinings' inspiration for the pumpkin theme of the event. “Noelle's menu had lots of Fall ingredients, like pumpkin and acorn squash, so it also made logistical sense for her pop up restaurant to be in October,” Chef Bugni said PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

What's cooking?

Pumpkin Gnocchi

Veggie Cassola

Apple, bacon, and caramelized onion turnovers

Sweet Pumpkin Fritters

Sardinian Flatbread