D
FEATURES Sculpture students create handmade bowls for local soup drive, the Austin Empty Bowl Project pg. 4
PHOTO ESSAY Behind the scenes photos from culinary students preparing for their weekly bake sale pg. 6
PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell
IN-DEPTH Students and teachers discuss the important difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation pg. 8-9
PHOTO BY Nick Wood
SPORTS Freshman Quinn Loyd trains for her first Muy Thai competition with the help of her father and coach pg. 10
ART BY Mazzy Warren
PHOTO BY Adriana Choueiry
Vol. 36, Issue 2 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Pride in Publishing
Special session sparks debate News brief State discusses school vouchers and changes to public school funding Charlotte Koellner Executive Editor: Content
"
1,740 300K PRIVATE 8,161 SCHO STUDE OL 11K NTS 5.4M PRIVA SCHOOTE IN TEX LS AS
$
“I can see the appeal of vouchers because I don't think that Texas’ current education funding system What if there was a functions well,” senior way to attend a prestiKate Sur said. “Vouchers gious private school, free make private school faciliof all expenses? As alarm- ties more accessible, but I ing as it may sound, this can also see how it would may be a possibility for defund public school Texas students, although resources.” it may still come at a cost. According to the Texas Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1) Tribune, the proposwould allocate $8,000 al would siphon $500 to Texas families that million away from public are interested in moving school campuses, where their children from a 5.4 million Texas stupublic school to a private dents are taught daily. In institution. This money comparison, only 300,000 would come in the form students are enrolled in of vouchers, issued from private schools in Texas, S.B. 1, officially titled, according to Ballotpedia. 'Empowering Parental “It’s frustrating to Rights -- Education Savhear that people want to ings Accounts (ESA) for divert money from public Texas Students.' schools,” senior Niam Pa“Public schools are tel said. “Lots of extracurfunded based on enricular activities at Bowie rollment,” government rely on those funds, and teacher Dalton Pool said. not having access to that “If vouchers pass, there can eliminate opportunicould be a decline in ties for students.” public school enrollment As stated by the Texas and an increase in private School Coalition, the school enrollment. As the average amount of money student body population given to public school goes down, we receive districts for each student less money to support enrolled teachers is $6,160. that are This value already has not employed, Abbott is essentially increased buildings since the holding school that are 2019-2020 already school funding hostage, built, and year, but which is pretty infrastrucGovernor ture that Abbott sickening to me is already has as a public school offered to put in place.” increase teacher. The this Dalton Pool funding amount, Government teacher for these only if payments S.B. 1 would be sourced from is passed. According to Texas taxpayer money Pool, this plan is disapthat would alternativepointing. ly be utilized in public “I believe Governor schools. Abbott’s current proposal
AVERAG PRIVAT E TEXAS E TUITIO SCHOOL N COST
$6,160
STAYING HYDRATED: Sophomore Abby
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TEXAS
Laine hydrates in the shade. New AISD rules require more water breaks for student athletes. PHOTO BY Peyton Dorsey
District releases new weather guidelines
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
PER PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILD
SOURCE Ballotpedia and Texas Education Agency PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY Sophia Sepulveda and Will Olenick
is increasing allotment by $5 billion; if we wanted to stay up to speed with inflation, Texas schools would need a total of about $14 billion,” Pool said. “So, his proposal is a drop in the bucket, compared to what we need when it comes to school funding. He will not offer an increase to school funding until vouchers are addressed, and in doing so, he is essentially holding school funding hostage, which is pretty sickening to me as a public school teacher.” Governor Abbott declared a special session necessary to discuss
school vouchers. Special sessions occur between the regular two-year legislative session, are much shorter, and can only be authorized by the governor. The first special session regarding ‘School Choice’ began on October 9, and S.B. 1 was approved by the Texas Senate. However, the Texas House of Representatives failed to vote before the end of the session, resulting in Abbott calling another special session on November 7. “Rural Republicans are the ones that are holding out against vouchers. There aren’t a
lot of private schools in rural areas, and usually, the places that employ the most people in these areas are public school districts,” Pool said. “So, Abbott may attempt to pressure rural Republicans to support his bill, possibly by threatening a lack of support in future Republican primaries.” Websites like ‘Just Fund it TX,’ are resources that students can access to learn more about school funding and the implications of vouchers on their communities. Ethnic studies and English teacher Chrissy Hejny believes students
should do their own research and decide whether or not to support or fight this bill. “Students can go down to the capitol and give testimony for the public education committee,” Hejny said. “I began testifying when I was in college, and I’ve done it ever since. The more people who participate in politics, the better we’re represented. Students can email representatives, make phone calls, and, most importantly, vote.” READ MORE “Abbott attempts to reallocate school funding” pg. 2
Floral design program b l o o m s into action Gabriella Bochey Dispatch Reporter
Bowie's agriculture and floral design program, Bulldawg' Blooms, is blossoming on campus by providing colorful, seasonal arrangements available for purchase throughout the school year.
These arrangements are individually selected by students in the program and include a pamphlet with directions to ensure the arrangements stay vibrant. “We order flowers, and since the flowers are delicate, they take a few months to arrive,” Bulldawg' Blooms member
Hannah Fellers said. “We then have to write out what we want to do for the arrangement and begin planning.” Creating a floral arrangement is a very lengthy and time-consuming process, which changes depending on what flowers and materials are being used.
DESIGNING A DISPLAY: Sophomore Mya Mendoza gracefully arranges flowers and leaves into a bouquet. The personalized bouquet will be sold to a Bulldawg' Blooms customer. PHOTO BY Gabriella Bochey
INDEX:
NEWS 1, 2 STUDENT VOICE 3 FEATURES 4 , 5
IN-DEPTH 7, 8-9 SPORTS 10, 11 ENTERTAINMENT 12
“First, we start with soaked floral foam, a green foam block that acts as a sponge, which then goes in the vase we’re using,” Fellers said. “Next, we use tape to keep the flowers secure. Whenever we’re using flowers in an arrangement, it’s helpful to cut the stem off at an angle, so as much water gets into the stem as possible. Then we add the statement flower, and from there start adding smaller flowers, incorporating the general theme that the class has decided to work with.” The arrangement themes are mainly decided by season as well as holidays surrounding the months. “Students in Bulldawg' Blooms have a meeting each month,” Bulldawg' Blooms adviser Paige Gomes-Green said. “During this meeting, they decide what the arrangement themes will be. The theme is usually based on holidays or the season during that month.” The arrangements are purchased by semester or full year. The fall semester costs $90, and the customer receives arrangements for October, November, and December. The spring package costs $150, and the customer receives arrangements for January, February, March, April, and May. A fullyear subscription is $200. “As the teacher, I don’t individually decide the prices,” Gomes-Green said. “My
REVIEWS 13 COMMENTARY 14, 15 PHOTO ESSAY 6, 16
SCAN TO SEE MORE!
VIDEO BY Arlo Haug
wholesaler does. I base prices on what the wholesaler is selling their flowers for. From there I price out each individual piece that we use for the arrangement, and then we add up the total cost to determine the price range.” The arrangement's prices are dependent on the quality of the flowers used. Bulldawg' Blooms is known to use high-quality supplies. “I think the arrangements are worth the price because the flowers are high-quality and expensive to get imported,” junior Olivia Nanda said. “So, it’s a really good deal. I remember when I ordered floral arrangements last year, the arrangement was extremely well done and lasted much longer than any of my store-bought arrangements." READ MORE “Class raises money by selling handmade floral displays” pg. 5
FIND US AT @jbhs_dispatch
Sweat drips down varsity tennis captain Abby Laine's face as she swings her racket, fighting against the unforgiving Texas heat. Following nearly 80 days of temperatures 100 degrees or higher, and an increase in heat-related illnesses, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) has implemented stricter heat guidelines. These guidelines require more frequent water breaks, time limits on outdoor practices, and a new weather monitoring system. “I wasn't aware of the new guidelines. I am usually the one who alerts our team about high heat,” Laine said. “My coach said once before a particularly warm match, ‘Keep going, we don’t want to forfeit a match,’ and I told my teammates, ‘Actually, if you feel bad, stop playing. It's better to take a forfeit than get sick'.” Laine has suffered the effects of heat sickness firsthand, similar to many of her teammates. “I have thrown up multiple times while playing in the heat,” Laine said. “My old doubles partner has thrown up during every single game she has played.” Heat sickness is a serious illness, and the Bowie training staff is well-equipped to handle heat sickness and treat its symptoms. “I've been trained to take care of players when they're experiencing heat exhaustion,” senior athletic trainer Clayton Laney said. “I've also learned from two really great adult trainers who will take care of players when necessary.” Preventative care is important in the treatment of heat sickness. Being well-hydrated and preparing your body to handle the heat can help lessen symptoms of heat exhaustion. “I caution everyone to drink lots of water,” Laney said. “If you start feeling bad, go under the shade, and tell an adult how you're feeling.” Coaches have also been taking preventative actions for their players and paying attention to how their players are feeling. “When it was really hot at the beginning of the year, the coaches would move practices to the morning, when the temperature was cooler,” Laney said. “They added more water breaks to practice, and the trainers were told to watch more attentively for signs of heat stroke or heat sickness." The new guidelines have been established to protect AISD’s athletes and provide them with a better chance of battling against heat during games and practices. “I think these guidelines will help players a lot,” Laney said. “They will allow students to stay safe in the Texas heat." STORY BY Peyton Dorsey
2 NEWS
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Elevating solutions for unreliable campus systems
Staff and students face issues regarding the functionality of faulty infrastructure Emerson Traugott Executive Editor: News
ing, these raised concerns for student health. “The rats didn’t directly affect my classroom, but I’ve seen traps placed around the building,” Math teacher Charles Cowey rolls up to the English teacher Matthew Flickinger said. “At elevator on his scooter to see the bright yellow one point I reported a sewage smell. It was then ‘out of order’ sign plastered across the doors. His quickly brought to my attention that it was not broken foot doesn’t allow him to climb stairs like the smell of sewage, but rotting rat flesh from he used to, so he has to use the only elevator to one of the traps.” get to his classroom. Concerns have been addressed by building Today, he can’t. maintenance quickly, as new resources are asThe elevator connecting the first and second signed to alleviate the progressing issue. floors of the academic hall experiences continu“Austin Independent School District (AISD) ous issues. During the last few contracted ABC pest control to weeks of the 2022-2023 school come out here,” Assistant Managyear, the elevator ceased operaer to the Principal Samuel Cabrera tion for the foreseeable future. “They worked underneath The frustration grows said. Cowey was forced to take leave the building in the crawl spaces for the entirety of that time, as because we're and sealed off all the different his mobility issues stopped him pipes and areas that the rats could putting band-aids on from using the stairs. come through. They also put traps “I had to use up my sick 40-year-old systems above the ceiling tiles and in some time, and my personal time, behind teachers' desks. I that no longer heat rooms when the elevator was broken know there's still a few classes last year,” Cowey said. “Which or cool a building that are still infested. I've seen or kind of irritated me because I heard them in the walls, but we've this size. had to use my time for somecaught a lot of the rats with the thing that I couldn't control, help of the ABC pest control.” Alejandro Garcia but the school should control. In the past year, AISD purHistory Teacher When I returned to work this chased and installed a new HVAC year, it was still broken.” system. Costing the district In mid-October, the elevaaround $1 million. Despite this tor was repaired and is currently functioning, update, dozens of classrooms still experience rebut with its age, many issues are recurring. The curring problems for extended periods. Garcia’s elevator serves as the only access point to the classroom, in C hall, was one of these classrooms second floor of the academic wing for those that didn’t have a working A/C for over a month. using a wheelchair or similar device. “In my entire career, the A/C has always been “It was difficult trying to get my classroom an issue,” Garcia said. “But this year was a little routines down because I'm upstairs for two days, bit worse than normal because of the new sysI'm in the library for five weeks, then I'm back tems that they brought in with the chillers that upstairs again,” Cowey said. “I think it should weren't connected correctly, which caused the have been fixed over the summer, but adminA/C to be pretty much non-existent. So, the first istration was supportive, and tried to provide couple weeks of the year, at least on a couple ocoptions when it did break.” casions, I had to take classes to other rooms beBowie has encountered a multitude of issues cause it was just too hot. It's frustrating, and it's concerning the aging state of hard to have enthusiasm, to teach the campus. From ruptured a lesson, when it's so hot in here. pipes to faulty heating, venAnd it’s hard for students to learn tilation, and air conditioning it is so uncomfortable.” When I was injured when (HVAC) system to the unreliTexas summer temperatures able elevator. Over the years, the elevator was out reach the 100s for months at a hundreds of work orders have time, and rooms that do not have of order, so I had been submitted and met with properly working A/C units can short-term fixes. reach into the high eighties. to hop my way up “The frustration grows every “The intense temperatures are the stairs. This took distracting, year when we can't seem to especially when I'm figure out how to permanently trying to do my classwork,” senior a toll on my body fix the problems because we're Kay Cook said. “And I think that endurance-wise. putting band-aids on 40-yearit’s really annoying that so much old systems that no longer of the money from that bond Pace Sanford heat or cool a building this went to athletics and fine arts, it's Senior size,” history teacher Alejandro just really unfair.” Garcia said. “Faculty also has to Finding a permanent fix for develop a little bit of resiliency, these necessary amenities has because we just have to endure it every single been a long and expensive process. AISD alloyear.” cates roughly $12 million annually on mainteThis year has presented a new problem renance and repairs for the aging facilities. garding the growing number of rodents infesting “We have the newer systems in fine arts and the academic hall. Beginning in A hall and imme- athletics so their systems are fine, but the draw diately affecting the rest of the academic buildfrom the water to the fine arts was more than
"
"
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY Emerson Traugott
they thought it would be,” Cabrera said. “That's why not enough cold water is getting to the academics. So we're trying to relieve the mechanical room that runs the entire campus by adding some temporary chillers. One currently runs to B hall to push more water to the other hallways. I think they want to add another chiller, probably behind F or E hall.” Students and staff who face temporary or long-term mobility issues have faced more obstacles due to the elevator's inconsistencies. “When I came back after getting injured the elevator was actually out of order,” senior Pace Sanford said. “I had to kind of hop my way up the stairs, which took a toll on my body, endurance-wise because having to get around on crutches with a backpack is really hard. Since it got fixed it has been better, accommodations like that help a lot.” Steps have been taken to find a permanent
TEA appoints monitors to oversee AISD Liberty Pittman Dispatch Reporter
Sitting in her classroom wondering if her students will ever get the help they need, Special Education (SPED) teacher Danielle Zuniga reads the news explaining that two monitors have been appointed to the Austin Independent School District (AISD) SPED department. On October 5, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) appointed Sherry Marsh and Lesa Shockle as those monitors. Their role is to watch over the SPED department, ensuring that the corrective action plan made by the TEA is completed accurately. According to the TEA document, Support Seminar 3 Special Education, there are four special population categories; Special Education, English Learners, Gifted and Talented, and students in section 504. To categorize a student as one of these four special population categories, evaluation is required they will then qualify for specific accommodations. “Accommodations change how a person accesses information, but they do not change the information given,” Zuniga said. “For instance, I'm five feet, two inches tall, and I can't reach the top shelf in my kitchen, but I can grab a step stool to reach the shelf. I didn't change my kitchen, I just used a tool to help me access the shelf that all my other family members can reach. Accommodations are personalized to the individual's needs and can vary based on that need.” In 2021, AISD made the decision to lay off almost their entire team of SPED evaluators to reorganize the SPED Department. Due to this, AISD was not meeting their deadlines for evaluation, which was a breach of federal guidelines. This is what allowed the TEA to intervene. “AISD is in this position due to multiple factors,” Zuniga said. “For years, the TEA has cut millions of dollars of funding for SPED students and programming, which has impacted the allocation of funds. Burn out and the increased cost of living have educators leaving the profession. Growing numbers of students being identified with a possible need for services is coupled with less staff to handle the evaluations, leaving the SPED staff that haven't left with increasing caseloads. The AISD Leadership’s decision in 2021 to lay off all Special Education Evaluators exasperated the situation even further.” AISD was flagged in 2021, but just
ART BY Liberty Pittman
recently in March of 2023 the TEA sent out a deal stating they wanted to appoint conservators over the SPED department. Following this AISD put a plan in place to work on the issues they were flagged for. “A year ago the district hired more people in the special education area so that we could actually do evaluations on kids, because we were backlogged for multiple years,” math teacher Natasha Weissmiller said. “Currently, we are trying to make sure we are all up to date, and that our Bowie population is doing well.” AISD also added a new mandated course for teachers to complete. The Bowie SPED department head, Victor Vickers, says that teachers have a canvas platform similar to students where they complete modules, watch videos, and take tests. Teachers at Bowie can work on these courses on professional development days and just recently completed the first one on October 9. “The course just demonstrates how to deal with kids that have disabilities,” Vickers said. “The big thing right now is dyslexia because, they didn't used to, but now a student who qualifies for dyslexia falls under special education.” AISD showed progress towards a better
evaluation system, and an organized SPED department, and TEA ended up appointing two monitors instead of conservators. “The TEA was on the verge of stepping in, but AISD is saying, ‘we're going to put these actions in place to show that we are in good faith of getting these evaluations done and getting the kids what they need’,” Vickers said. “So that is what we are trying to do; The TEA is like ‘okay, we love your actions, AISD, so we are just going to do a little bit to make sure this doesn't happen again, and to make sure that everyone is trained in special education, especially dealing with children with disabilities’.” According to Vickers, going through school without the needed accommodations can change a child's view of school, and the new appointment of monitors will positively affect students, because they will get evaluated for accommodations quicker. “If a kid doesn't feel like they're learning anything at school, then it makes them think 'do I really want to go to school’,” Vickers said. “I believe the monitors will help because they will be doing checks and balances. The TEA wants to make sure that everything we're doing is what we should be doing, that way our actions develop into good habits.”
solution for the prolonged complication to student and staff accessibility. “The elevator is dated, we have already put in several work orders this year. It was down for a little bit of time because the parts were not available,” Cabrera said. “Now with all the issues last year and this year, AISD is going to modernize it. So, now we've kind of qualified for an elevator modernization, the same way that the fine arts and athletics were modernized."
SCAN TO HEAR MORE! PODCAST BY Adriana Choueiry
Abbott attempts to reallocate school funding
to operate, they are not required CONTINUED from pg. 1 to follow the same guidelines or This is not the first time curriculum that public schools Texas Republicans have advocated for school vouchers. Texas do. Examples of these self-regestablished a voucher program ulated acts include a lack of in the 1950s to grant parents standardized testing, religious the opportunity to keep their teachings, and choosing not to children's schools segregated if enroll certain students based they were against public school on admission’s personal ideals. integration. According to Education Next, “The private school moveprivate schools can decide not to enroll students if they are ment started after schools were of a certain race, religion, sex, racially integrated,” Pool said. economic class, or have a special “A lot of private schools are education need. populated by wealthy people “Not every kid is going who don’t want their kids to go to fit into every community," to school with other kids who look different or are from differ- Hejny said. "Different learners ent socio-economic realities. So, need different resources, and if a child needs an alternative a private school itself is a praclearning space, they're going tice of segregation. Vouchers to get that space through the are a way to pit private schools public education system. We try against public schools, to steer to meet everyone's needs, and more resources towards private when we're properly funded, we schools.” can meet those needs. However, According to Private School if the parents don't like what's Review, 59% of private schools taught in public schools, then it in Texas are religiously affilishould be their responsibility to ated. Because school vouchers finance an alternative space.” will increase the likelihood of Hejny believes schools are tax dollars going to a religious fundamental to producing a sucinstitution, Pool views Abbott’s proposition cessful society, but schools are to be a violation unable to provide students of the Establishwith the necessary tools until they are properly ment Clause funded. of the First “I'm a public school Amendment, teacher, my children are which outlaws public school students, government and I care deeply about support of a domthe public education inant religion. system,” “The courts Hejny said. right now are split “It's where on whether or not all our kids this is a violation," are housed Pool said. "The Governor Greg Abbott all day, Supreme Court ART BY Asher Hagan every day, would probably and it's where our citizens are look past these school vouchers, built. More children are going to but there are precedents in the go through the public school past that prohibit government system than anywhere else, no money from going to religious matter how many vouchers institutions, so we've seen both Abbott tries to give out. When examples. What conservatives schools have what they need, want is a court fight that will and when kids are well-educatallow them to send state dollars to religious institutions.” ed, well-fed, and well-treated, Provided that private schools then we have a better, happier, remain tuition-based instituand more prosperous society. That should be our goal." tions and do not use state funds
STUDENT VOICE 3
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
Book Clubs turn to a new chapter A break down of the history and dynamics of Bowie's book clubs
1 2 3 4
Asher Hagan Executive Editor: Art/Graphics
For the completed crossword go to @jbhs_dispatch on instagram 5
6
As the final bell rings out on the PA, English teacher Judd Pfeffier waits for students to flood out of his classroom, only for more to come back in. Pfeffier is the sponsor of Bowie’s Literature Club and they meet in his classroom every Tuesday after school. “I teach an elective called Literary Genres: Contemporary American Novel, and I had students in that class who were interested in forming this club,” Pfeffier said. “They asked me to be their sponsor and I was happy to do so. They are the kinds of students that enjoy reading on their own, and I have always loved teaching kids like that.” The founders of the Literature Club include senior Madison Shaw and senior Katherine Kuster. Literature Club isn’t the only book club on campus, though; in total, Bowie has four groups AROUND THE TABLES: Lit Club members Katherine Kuster, Maddy Shaw, Clyde Warwho dedicate their time to the art of ren, and Addisyn Simmons listen to each other as they discuss the latest novel they reading. Literature Club, Banned Books read that week. Lit Club meets every Tuesday after school. Since their establishment, Club, Bowie Book Club, and Battle of club members have read many different works, ranging from Animal Farm by George Orwell to Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. PHOTO BY Asher Hagan the Books. “Bowie Book Club is, as far as I know, the longest standing book club Club is so great,” McCaffery said. Club is not the only book club where here on campus,” Bowie Book Club “Book Club is a really great opportunity students obtain educational value from sponsor Chelsea McCaffery said. “Book for them to talk to like-minded folks their meetings. Club has been here for maybe eight or that really enjoy reading like they do.” “Our members’ conversations are ten years. Then, Banned Books Club Book Club has passed through the incredibly insightful,” Pfeffier said. “I was a district initiative, and Battle of sponsorship of many different teachers do think their ability to analyze comthe Books is a UIL competition. Lastly, in its tenure. The club was handed to plex works of literature Lit Club started McCaffrey five years ago by English is improving because of about two years teacher Kimberly Weidmeyer. Unlike these conversations. For ago.” those students who are in the Bowie Book Club, Lit Club was Though they only created recently. Advanced Placement LitI try to think of tend to focus on “I know with Lit Club, they wanted erature (AP Lit), it helps different aspects of reading less as to read different books than what the with those classes bereading, the book other clubs were reading,” Pfeffier said. cause they are practicing something I have clubs do have some “They want to focus on studying the analyzing complex works. things in common. to do, and instead classics. They started the Lit Club to I also think it's preparing All of the clubs have them for a college setting, focus on books that they were interestas something that suggestive deadlines ed in reading.” where they read and then to ensure members I get to do. Despite the various goals and hisdiscuss books.” have read the same tories of the four different book clubs, The fourth club on amount by their next Clyde Warren they all come from the same root: the campus is the Battle of meeting. According Senior student body’s love for reading. the Books Club. Battle to senior Clyde WarLit Club Member “Being a part of this club is definiteof the Books is a UIL ren, Lit Club reads ly worth the time it takes to read an event, where students a book about every entire book in two weeks, but also just from various schools in two weeks. the experience of reading a book that the area challenge each other on their “It can definitely be stressful to read I otherwise wouldn’t have chosen,” knowledge of a few select books. an entire book in two weeks, but I try Warren said. “There have been plenty “We are given ten books sometime to think about reading less as someof books that we’ve read where I know in the first semester that we have to thing that I have to do, and instead as for a fact that I would read,” senior Saffron something that I get to do,” Warren have never picked it Hartreeves said. “You said. “So, if I ever end up swamped up had I not been in don’t have to read with work and I can’t read the book, the club and I ended all of them, but you I just drop it and move on because up loving it.” should probably read I know the club won’t care if I fall For a lot of One common about seven or eight behind on the reading. We get busy students, when appeal of any club is of them. Then, we sometimes, it happens.” meeting a group of go to a school and Unlike Lit and Book Club, Banned they're in school, people that share a compete against other Books Club was formed as a result of they don't get a lot common interest as schools from the area a district-wide initiative last year, in you. This sense of about our knowledge response to the wave of new legislation of choice in what community is another of the books. We do banning various books across America. they read, which is thing that connects “I love the deep discussions we have activities like trivia for the clubs together. Jeopardy-style conabout the novels we read and how they why Book Club is “I joined Book Club tests, it’s really fun.” connect to society as a whole,” senior so great. my freshman year According to SchoGeorgia Schmit said. “I am the co-presthrough Zoom,” lastic’s latest bianident of the Banned Books Club and Chelsea McCaffery senior Book Club nual Kids and Family am really proud of what we’ve done English teacher president Olivia Reading Report, 70% in Banned Books, and the awareness Book Club sponsor Devore said. “I joined of children aged six to we continue to spread about this this group because it’s eight read books for important topic. We also partner with been around forever, enjoyment, wherea local bookstore, Black Pearl Books, and I was really bored and looking for as only 46% of teens 12-17 read for who gives us free copies of our books, something to do with new people. I enjoyment. Some people attribute this which is awesome.” change to the differences in reading lev- stayed with the club because I think Banned Books Club aims to not finding a community of people that els among various grade levels. only spread awareness about nation share your interests, and being able to “For a lot of students, when they're and state-wide book bans, but also get talk about something you love doing, is in school, they don’t get a lot of choice its members talking about why these really amazing.” in what they read, which is why Book books may be banned. Banned Books
"
7
8
9
Across: 4. The Texas Education Association took over _________ education in Austin ISD. (page 2) 6. What book club was started as a district initiative last year? (page 3) 8. The In Depth on page 7 explores the topic of ______ status. 9. Sculpture students make what for their soup drive? (page 4) Down: 1. Karen Merryman helps teach English to students from what country? (page 4) 2. A story following color ______ is featured on page 12. 3. The Double Truck takes a look into cultural __________. (page 8) 5. The Editorial on page 14 talks about arming what group of people? 6. Bowie's floral design program is putting on Bulldawg __________. (page 1) 7. The broken __________, AC, and rodents frustrate students. (page 2)
S
tudent Spotlight
"
"Trent Crimm, The Independent"
Patt Collings Senior
"Over the summer, the show Ted Lasso had completely taken over my brain and it’s just been living in my head ever since. More specifically, I fell in love with this one reporter character named Trent Crimm. So I decided to draw him!"
Recommendations from club members INTERVIEWS BY Asher Hagan
Georgia Schmit
Clyde Warren
Olivia Devore
Saffron Hartreeve
recommends:
recommends:
recommends:
recommends:
Banned Books and Lit Club Banned Books and Lit Club
Book Club
Battle of the Books Club
"Wanted in STYLE"
Brett Rice Senior
"I just wanted to make this art in time for Sonic Superstars. I am really excited for this game to come out."
Want to submit your own art, photos, or writing?
Jazz Toni Morrison
Kafka on the Shore Haruki Murakami
Truly Devious Maureen Johnson
Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo
SCAN THE QR CODE! or go to bit.ly/DispatchSV
4 FEATURE
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Students share soup drive sculptures
Upperclassmen create handmade bowls to donate for charitable event at local food bank Elizabeth Yowell Dispatch Reporter
Molding, spinning, wet hands gradually turn a firm lump of clay into a smooth work of art. As senior sculpture student Mia Schwartz places another drying piece on the rack, the Austin Empty Bowl Project gains another $30 towards their cause. “I’m glad that I can use my skills towards something that can make a difference,” Schwartz said. “Make a cohesive piece, and help out a bunch of people at once.” Austin Empty Bowl Project (AEBP) is a non-profit fundraiser for organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Central Texas’ Meals for Kids, and the Central Texas Food Bank. “It’s a good community service project,” sculpture teacher Ryan Logan said. “It’s something we’ve done in the past, it helps out our homeless and the food shelter.” On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, AEBP hosts famSTEADY HANDS: Senior Mia Schwartz molds clay into a small bowl during her sculpture class for the Austin Empty Bowl ilies and friends from all over Project. According to Schwartz being able to contribute to her community through her artistic abilities encourages her Central Texas to enjoy music to continue with her passions. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell and eat soup out of $30 donated bowls like the ones the sculpture building their experience, as well using coil and creating a coil “I would love to think of a students are making. career in art in the future, or bowl that’s completely smooth as an incentive to be meticulous “The actual Empty Bowl look into college majors based on the inside and then detailed with their pieces. event is the culmination of a lot around studio art and fine arts,” “This project is different from decoration on the outside, or of hard work by a lot of people, Schwartz said. if it’s just a really clean thrown the others I’ve done because all volunteers,” AEBP significant usually there isn’t much of a For students like Schwartz bowl from the wheel from the donor and workshop teacher considering pursuing art in potter’s wheel,” Logan said. rubric with the potter’s wheel,” Nancy Hallmark said. “It’s the the future, AEBP is the perfect Making a piece of pottery Schwartz said. “It was interestperfect combination of peoplace to experience how this takes practice and focus, espeing to have some rules.” ple from many parts of Austin can look, and meet a number of cially if throwing is the techIn addition to functionality coming together to celebrate the and food-safe cleanliness, AEBP potters who have been producnique of choice. start of the ‘giving season’.” ing art for a long time. “Making a bowl is a sort of challenges participating students Hallmark has been an avid “There’s a lot of professional long process,” Schwartz said. to apply some artistic indepenparticipant in AEBP for a long artists that support the orga“It starts with wedging the clay, dence to a piece that ultimately time; she contributes a large nization and they’ll be able to shaping it, centering it on the has a deeper purpose. number of her own wheelbat, poking the hole in the mass, go down and see their bowls “Instead of based on them thrown and hand-painted bowls and purchase bowls from them and pulling it into the wanted learning to do something or to the non-profit each year and also,” Logan said. shape.” learning a technique or a skill teaches an AEBP workshop for With Bowie’s donations to When throwing on the wheel, this is something for them to art teachers. AEBP and the annual can drive the process can get messy and throw that they “I learned about coming up in November, the sometimes go the wrong way, can be proud of the Empty Bowl campus is a strong contributor that’s why potters must be and take out in event many years to the Central Texas Food Bank patient with the clay and the the community,” ago when it was and organizations similar to process. Logan said. I think a community being run out of “I decide what my bowl wants it. Participation in these projSchwartz is service project, a pottery studio ects has proved to be crucial in to be on the spot,” Schwartz one of the highcalled Clayways,” having them do teaching students like Schwartz said. “Sometimes I’ll make er-level students Hallmark said. and fellow young artists the something, and the clay just who is throwing something every “It made so much does not vibe with me that day.” importance of serving the comdonated bowls year to connect to sense to me that munity. Schwartz is passionate about on the pottery I could make the community, is “I think a community service wheel; she brings her art, whether that be acrylic bowls that would project, having them do someoriginality to her painting or throwing on the good for the kids. be sold to raise thing every year to connect to wheel; working on bowls for creations using money for people the community, is good for the AEBP gives her an important her talent in Ryan Logan who’s bowls were kids,” Logan said. “Something addition to her portfolio and painting. Sculpture Teacher empty.” they’re doing could eventually an opportunity to take a larger “I’m most Like Hallmark, help somebody else out that’s proud of this one perspective on her art. Logan is a firm be“I feel productive knowing my in need.” bowl I made that liever in the project’s cause and bowls are going towards a good I did a bunch of glaze details practicality for an artist’s expecause and something that will on,” Schwartz says “I made it SCAN TO WATCH! rience when it comes to making help others,” Schwartz said. look like a porcelain piece, and bowls that will eventually serve With the 10 to 15 bowls that spent a lot of time on it.” a purpose. Schwartz makes a week, her exBy applying different tech“It’s good for the kids to perience and skill is clear. There niques to the potting process, make pieces that are good are plenty of ways to showcase students like Schwartz are able enough to use and give out to her talent in the future, includto take their own creative liberhelp out our community,” Logan ties with their bowls. ing how Hallmark participates said. “It has to be functional.” in programs like AEBP, that “Everybody’s bowl will be a VIDEO BY Reagan Tso and Participating in the non-profit little different, whether they’re Schwartz can apply. Pierre Vandervennet is beneficial to the artists and
"
Make a bowl with Mia
THROWING THE CLAY: The first step to creating a bowl is to slam the ball of clay on to the center of the wheel. After making sure the clay is steady, Schwartz utilizes water when needed to mold the bowl. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell
SHAPING THE BOWL: Once the clay is malleable, it is time to form the opening of the bowl. In order to keep the bowl from caving in, Schwartz applies steady pressure by pulling and pushing in order to get the desired product. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell
FINISHING DETAILS: Once the clay has dried carving tools are used to cut off imperfections and add details. Bowls are then dipped or hand painted with a variety of colored glazes before being put in the kiln. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell
FINAL PRODUCT: After hours of being in the kiln, the bowls are retrieved and wrapped to deliver to the Austin Empty Bowl Project for low income families to use. Bowls will continue to be produced until the Sunday before Thanksgiving, when the event will take place. PHOTO COURTESY OF Mia Schwartz
Senior tutors Ukrainian students through ENGin program Sophia Sanchez Executive Editor: Writing
Birds chirping, light shining through the window, senior Karen Merryman sets her computer on the table. After double-checking her presentation, she opens up
GoogleMeet and sees Anastasia Brynzas’ smiling face, ready to study the English language. ENGin is a nonprofit organization that pairs Ukrainian youth with English-speaking tutors for free conversation
practice to improve their dialect. Merryman has been a part of the program for nine months. “I had a friend who was doing the program,” Merryman said. “I was like, that sounds cool, you should send
CONVERSING THROUGH THE SCREEN: Senior Karen Merryman and her student, Anastasia Brynza, run into camera complications during their meeting. The pair meet up weekly for conversational based learning in order to improve Brynza’s English dialect. PHOTO BY Kate Davis
me the link for that. Then that following month, I submitted my application and set up an interview.” Merryman responded to the questions over personal facts and preferences to find a partner who seemed most compatible and close in age. Shortly after the interview, Merryman and Brynza shared emails to set up their first formal meeting. “I love that Karen is making contact with someone from another culture and getting to know her,” Merryman’s mom, Shelley Merryman said. “I think it is important to know people from other cultures and I hope that Karen’s Ukrainian friend will grow in confidence and skill as she practices English.” Before their first meeting, Brynza knew how to speak some English, while Karen did not speak any Ukrainian. Despite the language barrier, the two have formed a
friendship, and have figured out how to approach their lessons for the best results. “Thanks to her, I learned a lot of new words, some phrases and most importantly to think in English,” Brynza said. “It has been much easier to communicate and understand each other.” ENGin’s goal is to provide a safe learning environment for all Ukrainians looking to learn more about the English language. According to junior Charis Hill, this program has not only offered a way to support Ukraine but also allowed her to form friendships. “I tutor a girl named Anastasia Zhuk. She’s 18,” Hill said. “We have a lot in common. A lot of times I try to find fun topics that are easy to have a conversation about. Most of the time we end up talking about fashion and other stuff that we have in common. I didn’t know a lot about their culture, just the
basic things. I’ve learned a lot of interesting things just from creating lessons, even if it’s not directly related to Ukraine.” Hour-long lesson plans are shared with the tutors to help prepare for meetings. The topics vary from American holidays, movies, fashion, and much more. “I’d like to wait for them to put up a Halloween lesson because I want to do a slideshow on Halloween,” Karen said. “I do a presentation that I screen share that has the questions on it so she can read and hear it. I found it easier since orally speaking is just me saying it and like her just listening and that can be difficult, especially with the internet connection. SCAN TO READ FULL ARTICLE! STORY BY Sophia Sanchez
FEATURE 5
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
Junior jumps into the world of music Knox Cannon explores new hobby with his guitar, a friend, and thousands of followers produce my music.” Since October 2022, Cannon has continued to post TikTok’s, covering a variety of songs, Sitting in his room staring including ‘Sparks’ by Coldplay at his phone, an idea strikes and ‘Cherry Wine’ by Hozier. junior Knox Cannon. Grabbing Alongside his popularity on his guitar, a pair of cowboy social media, Cannon has begun boots, and jumping onto his to receive comments praising his bed, Cannon unlocks his phone skills. and opens TikTok, and decides “Amazing, fabulous, talent to hit record. Covering a song by right here,” a TikTok user comthe Pixies, “Where’s My Mind”. mented on his cover of “Where’s The next morning was like any My Mind,” by Pixies. other morning for Cannon until Cannon has even received he opened TikTok. Flooded with comments from notable people, thousands of likes and comsuch as award-winning actress, ments from friends and McKenna Grace. strangers, that one video “It really just became the catalyst started out for a career in the of nowhere,” music industry. Cannon said. Beginning by just “My friend and performing for family I sat down one and friends, Cannon day to hit record, now has the opporand now I have tunity to pursuing a over 150 thousand more public career. followers.” “My plans for the Cannon and near future are to his friend, Hudson start making more Ingram, a junior music and start at Regents High marketing the reSchool, started to lease of my debut post content on album,” Cannon Instagram and TikTok said. together in late 2022. Cannon, who “We get together has an undying every once in a while love for music, to film a TikTok or just has been playplay our guitars togething the guitar er,” Ingram said. since middle Ingram and Cannon ART BY school. He have only known each Isabe lla Ve is now a rette other for a year, but have member of Bowie’s Varsity quickly formed a special guitar and Varsity Tenor-Bass bond. choir. “We realized we both have “Growing up, I listened to a a shared interest in music,” lot of musicians who inspired Ingram said. “From there on me to start playing the guitar,” it was kind of an immediate Cannon said. “More recently, connection.” Dominic Fike and Harry Styles Ingram has already released have inspired my decision to music himself, but when it start focusing on a career.” comes to writing and composing With support from his family, the songs, Cannon takes a part and an increase in social media in it. followers, Cannon has had more “Whenever we get together confidence and hope for a career. to play or film a TikTok we end “My parents are as supportive up writing at least part of a as they can be,” Cannon said. song,” Ingram said. “I remember “They don’t know much about the first time I ever played with the music industry, but they pro- him. We wrote an entire song vide me with the tools I need to that night.” Isabella Verette Feature Editor
While Cannon has always had a passion for music, he has stuck close by his guitar. Recently, he has decided to branch out of his comfort zone and try something new within the music world. “I joined choir this year to improve my voice for, hopefully, a future music career,” Cannon said. “As well as preparing myself to release my own music with vocals.” So far, Cannon has learned different warm-ups and breathing techniques that are useful in choral music, but also for any singer in general. “Choir has not been everything I was truly expecting,” Cannon said. “However, it’s still turned out to be a helpful tool.” Junior Bubba Infante, a third year member of Bowie’s choir, has been observing Cannon since he joined the tenor-bass choir this year. “Choral music really broadens your voice and your diaphragm as a person,” Infante said. “It could possibly mean he can reach a range in his music that he wasn’t able to before.” Bowie’s Choir had their first concert on September 28, where Cannon made his first public debut in singing. “I think it will be a really good experience for him,” Infante said. “It gives him a taste of what it’s like to perform live, even though it’s in a group setting.” Cannon is hoping within the next two years to be able to perform by himself at different public music venues in Austin. “Currently, I’m looking at trying to book a night to play at Emos and other local venues to get more exposure and also just be able to perform live,” Cannon said. Trying to break into the music world is a challenge, but Cannon is prepared and ready to give it a shot. While he’s working on producing music for his debut, he is still actively posting on his TikTok account, and providing content for his fans. “Producing all my own stuff, while posting on social media is
STRUMMING AWAY: Junior Knox Cannon poses while playing his guitar outside. Cannon has recently ramped up a large fan-base on TikTok, acquiring over 150 thousand followers. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard
a lot, but it really is important to me and what I want to do,” Cannon said. More recently, Cannon has produced more intimate videos on his social media platforms. These videos are less staged and resemble more of a one-on-one interaction. “His videos being less produced without the spinning camera, and cowboy boots, is really nice,” junior Jayla Neal said. “It makes me focus on the music and his talent rather than a whole production.” Through the rest of this year Cannon will continue to work to further his involvement in the music industry. “Recently I’ve been using a platform called ‘Logic,’ it’s similar to GarageBand but more advanced,” Cannon said. “While I don’t play an instrument other than the guitar, using the software on Logic I’m able to produce a better backing track
for the songs I’m working on.” While singing was never something Cannon shared with the public before, he is currently working on a single “Find another” where he not only will be playing the guitar, but also adding in some vocals of his own. “I’m trying to focus on pop-rock music,” Cannon said. “Something you would hear on the radio, something anyone could enjoy and listen to, more like the music I grew up with.” In the upcoming months, Cannon plans to begin marketing and continuing to gain exposure for his music that is coming out in November. “I’m going to start to sing along with the guitar covers that I’m already doing,” Cannon said. “I’m going to mainly market on TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify, but there will eventually be access to my music on all platforms.”
As the end of 2023 creeps closer, so does Cannon’s debut single, and his big break into the music industry. “Its hard to find people that are as interested as you in that world, Knox has made it less of an isolating thing for me and more interactive,” Ingram said “Its really refreshing, and I’m really excited to see the feedback he gets when he release his song thats truly full of passion.”
SCAN FOR VIDEO INTERVIEW!
VIDEO BY Austin Ikard
Class raises money by selling handmade floral displays CONTINUED from pg. 1 Bulldawg’ Blooms purchases their flowers and greenery from the company ‘Southern Floral,’ whose prices determine the cost of arrangements. “A single arrangement could vary from $20 at the lowest, to $200 maximum. The price depends on what flowers are being used and how much the wholesaler is pricing them,” Gomes said. “Typically with arrange-
SCAN TO BUY A FLORAL DISPLAY
ments, it depends on what type of arrangements are being made, and whether the flowers are artificial or real, since there are different processes for each.” The floral design class is offered as a fine arts credit at Bowie, with a beginner class prerequisite leading students to the floral design pathway. “I would recommend joining Principles of Agriculture first as a freshman because that is the intro class to all of the agriculture classes,” Gomes-Green said. “After that class is completed, you can continue to the floral pathway and take floral design. Beyond that, students would take advanced floral and then floral practicum.” This year, the Bulldawg’ Blooms program did not receive nearly the amount of orders they were hoping to, making it very difficult to keep
creating arrangements for the student body and staff. “We’ve only received about five orders this year so far. Last year they did not have a lot of orders either,” Gomes-Green said. “We’re kind of in a little recession, and it’s been a challenge. To grow our numbers in the coming months, we will need to advertise more and provide examples throughout campus, to allow students to see the true value of our arrangements.” Students interested in purchasing personalized floral arrangements can help support the Bulldawg’ Blooms floral program by scanning the QR code on page five to register and buy monthly floral arrangements from the ‘Dawgs. “These purchases help fund our program,” sophomore Bulldawg’
PRACTICING WITH PETALS: Elisa Morgali and Meredith Lynch crack jokes while creating a floral design. Students need to keep symmetry, proportions, and contrast in mind while arranging. PHOTO BY Gabriella Bochey
Blooms member Brooklyn Soptick said. “I want potential buyers to know that the arrangements are handmade
by students who truly put a lot of work into them, with the enjoyment of the Bowie community in mind.”
YEARBOOKS ARE ON sale
basically, THE BEST TIME TO BUY IS NOW get yours at bowieyb.com lone star 2024
6 PHOTO ESSAY
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Bulldawgs show out for Homecoming
Annual celebration is bigger than years past Arden Ray Photo Essay Editor
DANCE PARTY: Students dance together in the courtyard at homecoming. A DJ provided all the music for the dance. “A lot of people would dance when there was an old song playing,” Sara Hernandez said. PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
Bowie held its annual Homecoming dance on October 28. Students had the opportunity to get dressed up and enjoy themselves with food, a movie, music, and games. Since the school year started there has been much planning and preparation for the dance. Student Council leaders, presidents, and members put in a lot of time and effort into making the Homecoming a night to remember for Bowie students. Senior Student Council President Riley Harris helped lead the rest of the Student Council to make homecoming happen. “The preparation to set up took a long time,” Harris said. “We have been planning for a while and talking about it for a couple of months.” Student Council’s goal was to turn Bowie into a fun and exciting environment for all students to enjoy. They wanted to increase student attendance and the experience from years past. “I think this year people enjoyed it more because it was a better environment resulting in a better time, this also resulted in a great turnout,” Harris said. Preparation on the day of the dance took a lot of time and many people were there to put in the work. Student Council members and parent volunteers spent the day setting up everything “During the day though it took around three-and-a-half hours,” Harris said. “Stuco helped set up tables, decora-
tions, drinks, and put everything together at school. My co-president Charlotte Hill and I as well as the vice presidents and regular student council volunteers help with the student council and get other people to help.” Along with Student Council, parents volunteering through the PTA is important for the dance’s success. Student Council advisor, Alejandro Garcia, and the PTA planned and organized all of the outside businesses to be at the dance like the food trucks and DJ. “The PTSA got all those people, but they started working on that at the beginning of the school year,” Garcia said. “I think for the actual DJ, they start at the end of last school year when we find out the day of Homecoming because they had to secure themselves or secure those vendors.” Garcia led Student Council members through the planning process by allowing them to work together to design decorations and plan advertisements. “I kind of provide that guideline or the outline of what needs to happen,” Garcia said. “I let the students’ creativity take control, like whatever they want to do.” Student Council took charge of getting the word out and promoting the dance to students by posting online and telling faculty. “Social media posts, we had posters everywhere, flyers everywhere, word of mouth everywhere,” Garcia said. “Mr. Robinson’s announcements, just everywhere you looked there was information about
when the homecoming dance was.” Junior Sara Hernandez heard about the dance from students around school and through the advertisements made by student council. “I think it was definitely well advertised because they’d make announcements about it everyday and there were a bunch of posters around the school,” Hernandez said. Hernandez came with her friends to see the music and enjoy all the games and activities. “My favorite part of homecoming was being able to enjoy it with my friends and take lots of pictures together,” Hernandez said. “I also loved seeing everyone in their dresses.” Along with other students, Hernandez had feedback about the dance and how it can be improved to keep getting better compared to the years before. “I think it could’ve been set up a little better only because everything was outside and it was really hot that day,” Hernandez said. “Other than that they had good food and good decorations.” The dance floor in the pit of the courtyard and the photo booth were very popular places the night of the dance. The photo booth gave students the opportunity to create memories with their friends. “I think the area you could take photos in and the area where everyone could dance was the biggest hit. Everyone was taking pictures with their groups of friends,” Hernandez said. ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY Liberty Pittman and Elizabeth Yowell
ALL SMILES: Sophomores Brandon Beeler and Olivia Nanda enjoy their time together at the dance. Students came dressed up to take photos and make memories. “I loved being able to dress up for a nice occasion,” Nanda says. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell STATEMENT SUIT: Senior Finn Alexander shows off his bright red suit. His boots also matched the color of the suit. “My fit was inspired by both the colorful suits of the Venice Carnival and the embodiment of fire,” Alexander said.
GAME TIME: Students play a competitive game of ladder ball in the courtyard. Ladder ball was one of the most popular activities of the evening, and was set up by student and parent volunteers earlier that morning. “We came together that evening to just enjoy our school and enjoy being altogether,” history teacher and student council sponsor Alejandro Garcia said. PHOTO BY Elizabeth Yowell
CONNECT FOUR: Sophomore Grace Guzman plays connect four with Deareon Dawson at the dance. Many games were set up for students to play. “ It was just like a great moment to have so many people in one place,” Alejandro Garcia said. PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
THE LEGACY L A D
IN-DEPTH 7
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
AR
TB YA
she
rH
ag
an
Students receive exclusive advantages in college admissions through legacy standards
UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS OFFICE
Percent of Harvard University legacy admits who are white 30% other
70% white
STATISTIC FROM New York Times
Percent of students at elite colleges who are in the top 0.1% financially 16.67% in the top 0.1% percent
83.33% in the bottom 99.9% percent
STATISTIC FROM New York Times
Percent of legacy applicants who scored within the 50th percentile range of test scores for various elite colleges 18% below range
34% above range
48% within range
STATISTIC FROM Inside Higher Ed and Naviance
Kate Davis Editor-in-Chief
DE
R
“Ivy America, so it’s not at all equitable status,” Elwood said. “But for some Leagues between races. I’m upset that legacy of my applications, it does annoy me would be status still exists, when affirmative that some people will have a better Turning the key, senior Katherine more equitable,” Elaction was shut down; it’s so unbechance than me, just because their Kuster opens her mailbox door to wood said. “The stulievably frustrating and stupid.” parents have given money to and see a letter from her dream univerdent body would be On June 29, 2023, the Supreme attended the university before.” sity. Shaking with anticipation, she more diverse and they would have Court jointly ruled on two cases Elwood is not alone in these runs back to her house to rip the en- concerns, and many students believe a wider variety of students. From involving nonprofit group Students velope open. Her eyes fall upon the what I’ve heard, most Ivy Leagues for Fair Admissions (SFFA): SFFA v. that there are more important first sentence: “We regret to inform have lots of rich people in their own Harvard and SFFA v. University of factors than legacy status in the you that after careful consideration cliques. I think that the environment North Carolina. Both of these cases admissions process. we are unable to offer you admisquestioned the validity of affirmative can be dismantled as well.” “Obviously your grades should sion.” Now, Kuster is left wondering With bans placed on affirmative action programs at those universibe considered, but they should also what she could’ve done differently. ties. Affirmative action is the process action, Elwood believes the racial consider leadership positions, if you Why wasn’t she accepted? What did demographics of participating uniof favoring historically marginalized start a club, volunteer hours, or if someone else have versities will likely change. While groups in admissions, to address you're very focused that she didn’t? Elwood is hopeful that these changthe disadvantages which result from on something that’s Across the es will increase campus diversity, previous discrimination. outside of school,” nation, select others are considering alternative The plaintiffs of these cases arKuster said. “Schools students qualify consequences. gued that the consideration of race, should see that you L egacy standards for “legacy status” “I think it’s going to be really or the existence of racial quotas in have a passion, and give an extra privilege you want to be able at elite universicollege admissions, violated the 14th interesting to see how that affects ties. This status diversity on elite campuses, esAmendment of the Constitution, to continue that pasor opportunity to indicates that a pecially since this is the first year which grants all US citizens equal sion in college. They people who have student’s parents, that some schools are removing protection under the law. The courts shouldn’t focus on or their extended your parents, because ruled in support of the SFFA, stating affirmative action,” Hill said. “I probably lived a family, attended don’t think anybody can say for that the affirmative action programs your parents aren’t very privileged or the same universure, but I think that these changes are unconstitutional. you.” sity. This grants will likely make these schools more “If you’re following the interIn addition to the opportunity-rich life. the students a exclusive. I think it’s hard, because pretation used in SFFA v. Harvard, educational benehelpful boost in the Dalton Pool you can’t consider race anymore legacy should be hindered because fits of attending a application process. AP government teacher and there’s only so much that can it’s a very similar situation; a certain reputable school, Now, students are balance those inequalities. This is a group of students are given advanstudents who attend questioning the confusing and unfortunate problem tages for reasons outside of their these universities are validity of legacy that we shouldn’t have to deal with, control,” Pool said. “If the Supreme provided with advantages and constatus in the college admissions especially if you’re not rich, white, Court wants to be blind to their apnections after graduating. Students process. or if you face other institutional plicants' non-academic characteriswith legacy status are provided an “I would be fine if it was one con- automatic access to those post-secbarriers.” tics, and they want to be consistent, sideration of many, but I think far In addition to the potential then they should shut down legacy ondary education benefits. too often, legacy status is too large effects that legacy programs have on standards.” “It‘s just an extra opportunity of a factor in the admissions process, that students from prominent famcampus diversity, some believe the Following the ruling of these casespecially in the top-tier univereradication of these programs could es, many students now support the ilies have, as compared to students sities,” AP Government teacher have consequences on the universiremoval of legacy who don’t have Dalton Pool said. “It perpetuates the those connections, ties’ monetary gain. standards, in order divide we have in America, between “Without legacy programs, these to make university generational wealth, the haves and the have-nots, the schools will probably get less donacampuses as diverse or those institutionI think it’s a really wealthy versus the lower class. It tions from influential families and and equitable as al relationships,” gives an extra privilege or opportuPool said. “So, long unfortunate problem possible. However, alumni,” junior Simone Baskin said. nity to people who have probably “It just benefits the universities by argue that term, it could make that people shouldn’t others already lived a very privileged or making families pay more, so their the two programs universities less opportunity-rich life.” children who might not be qualified shouldn’t be cordiverse, and stifle have to deal with. According to the New York for the school have the wealth to related. the debates that Especially if you face Times, among students with famcompensate. It’s essentially a big “I feel like affirimprove the educailies in the top 0.1% financially, transaction. So, Ivy Leagues would mative action was a tion on university other institutional those with legacy status are sevlose a good amount of money in good concept, but if campuses. That barriers. en times as likely to be admitted diversity is going to eradicating legacy status.” schools really cared to elite universities than those While he didn’t qualify for legacy about giving back to be hampered, and it Charlotte Hill without legacy status. status when he applied to college, the community and will lead to a larger Senior “Legacy status Pool emphasizes that legacy stanhelping lower class gap in society.” reinforces classism. dards can have advantages for those minorities, then With the influx If you have a lot of who do benefit from it. they would actually of wealthy students wealth already, you’re attending Ivy Leagues, oftentimes “I like the idea of family tradiinvest in invest in their pre-college guaranteeing that education, rather than trying to fix it tions and being able to go to the as a result of legacy standards, the your children will at the very end when they’re going diversity between social classes at same university that your parents get into the same into college,” Elwood said. “I feel these universities has suffered. went to,” Pool said. “My dad went college that you like legacy status is a whole differ“Parents who go to an elite unito the University of Texas, I went to went to,” senior ent thing. Legacy status benefits versity go on to make lots of money, the University of Texas, and I think Chris Elwood said. the advantaged, and and they might donate that money that’s so powerful. “I think it’s unfair affirmative action back to the school, benefiting the I like that educato middle-class benefits the disadvanlegacy status program,” Kuster said. tion can become a or lower-class fam- “Legacy students at Ivy Leagues have taged. If affirmative family tradition.” ilies who don’t action is removed, parents who make lots of money, so Despite the Legacy standards are controversy have the same then they should they can afford to go to prestigious opportunities. It not fair to the people surrounding these supplement it with schools. For example, at Princeton I reinforces generbetter investment into think around 60% of their students legacy standards, that put their heart ational wealth, those communities, get need-based financial aid. It’s many people have which isn’t fair and soul into school, recognized the especially if they’re wild, especially because anyone who to people who going to continue makes below $400,000 dollars gets efforts being made and just didn't have are trying to legacy standards.” need-based financial aid. So, around by universities make their own parents with the same to diversify the According to the 40% of their student body has parwealth and opWashington Post, ents who make over half-a-million student body. opportunities. portunities.” legacy status will dollars per year.” “I’m not trying Elwood Alongside the benefits that legacy continue to be conto hate on anyone Katherine Kuster is among status provides for the wealthy, there sidered at Harvard, who is benefiting Senior the highest are also substantial advantages given Yale, Duke, Cornell, from legacy status, ranked students and several others. based on race. According to a study or benefiting from of Bowie’s 2024 gradConversely, there are conducted by the New York Times, the removal of uating class. He has several reputable schools who have roughly 70% of all legacy admits to affirmative action. I just honestly worked hard to ensure made the decision to discontinue Harvard are white. believe that legacy admission his position as a top their legacy standards, including “I think that legacy programs, shouldn’t have existed in the first student, but is aware of Carnegie Mellon University, New by nature, aren’t equitable by race, place,” Hill said. “That being said, I the effects that legacy York University, and the Massachubecause a lot of black, indigenous, think a lot of public institutions are status may have on his setts Institute of Technology. With and people of color haven’t had the trying to help minority groups and admissions process. the possible ban of legacy standards, same generational opportunities provide other opportunities for “A lot of the unistudents are forced to consider the that white people have had,” senior people of underprivileged or versities I’m applying effects its removal would potentially Charlotte Hill said. “A lot of legacy underrepresented races and backto don’t have legacy have on elite universities. programs go back to old money in grounds.”
"
"
"
Admissions advantages for students in top 0.1% financially
ART BY Layne Foxcroft and Kate Davis SOURCE FROM New York Times
students without legacy status students with legacy status
seven times as likely to be admitted
ART BY Layne Foxcroft and Kate Davis
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Likelihood to be accepted with the same test scores
1
0
8 IN-DEPTH
ACKNOWLEDGING APPROPRIATION
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Need someone to talk to?
g Ha
an
N
er
N O I T A I R
Students consider compassion in addressing cultural questions
TIO
TB Y
As h
P
(800)852-TEEN(8336) (512)472-HELP(4357)
AR
APP R
O
Teen Helpline Travis County Hotline
APP
A I C E R
Mazzy Warren Editor-in-Chief
“The way I see it, as long as there isn’t any clear disrespect, it’s okay for people to explore traditions from other cultures. For example, Sophomore Izi Kalyoncuoglu lives in two wearing a traditional dress for a cultural event very different households. is okay, because you are wearing it in an apAt her mother’s house, Kalyoncuoglu celpropriate setting, and are showing off a beauebrates the Hispanic heritage that has traced tiful part of the culture. But wearing it to get her mother’s ancestry for generations; at her more likes on social media is a different story; dads, she explores her Turkish culture with you’re not appreciating the culture, you’re the language, food, and traditions from her simply exploiting it for fame and attention.” father’s history. Senior Daria Abramovitch left Israel when She loves nothing more than caring for and she was five, moving to live in America with supporting her family, no matter how differher immediate family. Even though she has ent they can be. Displayed on the ofrenda in left Israel, she hasn’t left the culture; she her mother’s home, Kalyoncuoglu smiles especially values the holidays and food that at the nostalgic photos of her late family connect her with her community. and friends, happy to recall the way “Being further from my extended family her family comes together, celebrating has made it even more important for me to their love for each other and their connect with my culture, because it’s what culture. ties me to my heritage,” Abramovitch said. “Both halves of my family are “It’s important to make sure my religion isn’t extremely different, but I’m used misunderstood or misrepresented, because to it,” Kalyoncuoglu said. “There are Judaism has a uniquely violent history that many aspects of our home cultures that we has resulted from the misrepresentations of stick to; my parents speak the languages that my people.” relate them to their history. This is great for According to MTV Decoded, there is an me, because it gives me a unique opportunity incorrect belief that, in holding someone to relate to the cultures and to be exposed to accountable for acts of cultural approprithings that others in America ation, they are unfairly may not get to experience.” being labeled as racist. She loves that her heritage Discussions on cultural allows her to share different We are stealing their appropriation focus on cultures, and she doesn’t undermisrepresentations of marculture, while our stand how anyone could attempt ginalized cultures; it does to hurt the communities she nation is separating not purposefully target the loves so much. Kalyoncuoglu dominant white culture, their families and knows that cultural approprior consciously attempt to ation is a common problem in holding them at the accuse all white people of the United States; she believes it appropriation. border. Does that is a problem that will always be “If you get called out for around, hurting her community seem fair? appropriation, you need with each and every instance to adjust your actions,” Chrissy Hejny of incorrect assumptions and Abramovitch said. “If stereotypes. Ethnic Studies Teacher someone from that culture “Our education system often explains why your actions speaks about history and culare harmful, but you decide tural developments through a single, white, to continue those actions anyways, you are colonial perspective,” Kalyoncuoglu said. being extremely racially insensitive.” “Not everything they say is correct, and it is According to the New York Times, cultural very biased. We aren’t taught from multiple exchange occurs when members of different perspectives, so we are shown depictions of backgrounds share their own heritage and culture that often give misleading or incorrect customs with others. This is different from information.” appropriation, because the exchange is mutual, and members are being invited to enjoy the culture. Ethnic studies teacher Chrissy Hejny believes cultural exchange can be a great tool for cultivating understanding. According to Britannica, cultural appropri“Exchange is very important, but we don’t ation takes place when members of a majority have enough of it,” Hejny said. “We tend to group adopt cultural elements of a minority fear other cultures, because they’re different group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stefrom our own. Appropriation happens when reotypical way. This occurs when dominant we give into this discomfort, and we start groups borrow cultural practices from cherry-picking what we like from other culmarginalized groups who have histures, and don’t participate in exchange with torically faced oppression for those genuine understanding.” same practices. Low DiversityAlthough white culture is the largest force “Cultural appropriation Big Increase of appropriation, this practice isn’t exclusive; can often be mixed up with anyone has the ability to appropriate elecultural appreciation,” ments of marginalized cultures. Abramovitch Kalyoncuoglu said.
"
CULTURE?
ASSIMILATION? EXCHANGE?
APPROPRIATION
INCREASING DIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES COUNTY-LEVEL CHANGE IN DIVERSITY SINCE 2000 SOURCE: The increasingly diverse United States of America, Washington Post ART BY Asher Hagan
"
CONSUMPTION
PERSONAL OFFENSE
38.4%
High DiversityBig Increase
Low DiversityLittle Change
believes that it’s often white culture that reservations in unfair circumstances.” appropriates, but they are also the largest According to Education Week, this erasure demographic to defend minorities for actions stems from American education, as Native that she believes aren’t truly offensive. people are hardly mentioned in standardized “Cultural appropriation is a multifaceted textbooks after the 1890s. Hejny believes this problem,” Abramovitch said. “White Amersuggests that Native culture was wiped out by icans tend to attack appropriators on behalf white settlement. of a culture they aren’t part of. These people “As children, we are taught about how have the least say, so they should leave the Natives lived ‘back then,’” Hejny said. “While minorities to decide what offends them.” I understand that it’s not appropriate to teach One of the most well-known kindergarteners about the debates over appropriation current struggles with adcenters around dreadlocks. diction and poverty among According to Esquire, this Native peoples, we can still We are often hairstyle has historically been balance that narrative, and uncomfortable worn among African American teach real stories of the communities to symbolize a with things that are Natives who are here today, connection to Africa, and a reliving their very real lives.” unfamiliar, but we jection of Western domination. The Maori of New ZeaAlthough anyone can wear land wear facial tattoos that need to get out of their hair in this style, African hold familial and cultural that safe zone and Americans often face stigma for significance. In 2007, French wearing dreads; some compaexplore other ideas. fashion designer Jean-Paul nies and schools even prohibit Gaultier used these tattoos dreads. Meanwhile, white in a sunglasses ad, stripping Izi Kalyoncuoglu celebrities receive praise for them of their cultural meanSophomore wearing these hairstyles. ings to sell his products. “The problem isn’t that “Consumerist culwhite women want to wear ture affects everything in their hair like that, we should all be able to America,” Abramovitch said. “You can’t get wear whatever hair we want,” Hejny said. away from it, and advertisers have been using “The issue is that black women have been different methods to get attention for a long, discriminated against for their hair, for centulong time. Misrepresenting cultures is damagries. They’ve not been able to wear their own ing, and this practice doesn’t help.” cultural hairstyles because white supremaIn the seasonal area of the local grocery cist culture doesn’t allow it; but there’s no store, HEB, there sits a section filled with problem when white women decide to wear items featuring Dia de los Muertos products. dreads.” Plates, mugs, napkins, straws, and pillows all replicate the distinct Latino style used to celebrate this holiday. According to Hejny, this portrayal is exploitative and unfair. “What are we doing with this? We are curNot all appropriation is intentional. In fact, rently keeping these people, this culture, on Hejny believes that most appropriation stems the other side of a barbed-wire border,” Hejny from consumerist culture in America, which said. “We are stealing this one aspect of their takes the desire to show appreciation for anculture, a part we don’t even truly underother culture, and turns it into a thoughtless stand, and putting it on display. All the while, item to be bought and forgotten mindlessly. our nation is forcing these people out of the “Appropriation is hurtful because it paints country, separating their families and holding a false picture of different cultures and peothem at the border. Does that seem fair?” ples,” Hejny said. “It takes a belief, an idea, and turns it into something that can be used for consumption, as a capitalistic commodity or as entertainment. It’s generalizing, it’s stereotyping, and it’s unacceptable.” Appropriators don’t usually believe their Take the example of indigenous peoples. actions are offensive; Hejny claims this is Every year, the Halloween costumes return because it is not their culture getting disanew, featuring feathered headdresses, mocca- respected. Some may say that they received sins, and colorful leather clothing. According permission from someone in that culture, so to the National Museum of the American their actions are not offensive. Abramovitch Indian, dressing up as a Native American is believes everyone should remember that one never appropriate, and costumes like these are person doesn’t speak for a whole community. inherently harmful examples of the stereo“It’s always safer to ask if your actions types placed on indigenous people. are okay before doing something you’re iffy “Costumes perpetuate the narrative that about,” Abramovitch said. “But it’s important indigenous people are a thing of the past who to remember that one member doesn’t speak no longer exist, which isn’t true,” Hejny said. for everyone, that’s just poor representation.” “This idea helps us ignore the fact that there Plenty of people don’t believe appropriaare millions of indigenous people in the Unittion is a real problem. To them, Hejny says ed States, who have been shoved off to live on this: You’re not listening.
High DiversityLittle Change
AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE PART OF A NON-WHITE MINORITY GROUP.
“You aren’t listening to the stories and experiences shared by other people,” Hejny said. “You aren’t listening to hundreds of years of discrimination and systematic oppression against groups based on their religion, their language, or the color of their skin. Please, just sit down and listen; because it’s not about individuals being bad, it’s about systems being bad, and we can dismantle those systems if we just listen to one another.”
MOVING FORWARD Hejny believes appropriation is becoming less common among individuals, although it still runs rampant among many companies and corporations. Social media has been credited for raising awareness for cultural appropriation, with movements like the hashtag campaign #mycultureisnotacostume. Conversely, Abramovitch believes that social media has further contributed to the issue. “Social media gives you access to so much negative information,” Abramovitch said. “I don’t think appropriation would exist if social media didn’t, because I have never seen anybody perform these damaging acts of appropriation, except on social media.” Hejny encourages students to recognize the acts of appropriation that occur around them. Students should ask themselves: Does this culture face a history filled with oppression? Am I able to simply remove something when I get tired of it, and return to a privileged culture, when others can’t? She encourages students to learn, ask questions, and be curious. “Students and future generations should not be taught from just one, colonial view, but from multiple cultural viewpoints,” Kalyoncuoglu said. “Humans are often uncomfortable with things they are unfamiliar with, and they try to forcefully change it into something more familiar. But we need to get out of that safe zone and explore other ideas. Visit the homes of those cultures. Speak to members of those groups. It’s a great way to expose yourself to the many cultures in other parts of the world.” Cultural consciousness is not meant to discourage exploration of another culture. The goal isn’t to shame others out of enjoying diverse cultures, but to inspire a movement of valuing the voices of that background. The goal is to show genuine love, respect, and understanding for the things that aren’t your own. “Culture is our life,” Hejny said. “It’s our way of living and speaking and acting every day, it’s our ideas and our values, which have been passed down for generations and generations. It’s important to live your life and to love your life, but you also need to allow and enable others to do the same. In doing so, you will be promoting the love and understanding that our country needs so badly right now.”
45.1% SOURCE: United States Census Bureau 2020 Report
TOTAL TRAVIS COUNTY POPULATION IDENTIFIES AS NON-WHITE
HOW IMPORTANT IS EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR SENSE OF IDENTITY? (% VERY/EXTREMELY IMPORTANT) 74% 67%
77% 69%
63%
57%
44%
DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
55% 55%
51% 41%
35%
50%
WHITE
45% 32%
34%
HISPANIC AFRICAN AMERICAN ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER SOURCE: How We Understand Diversity in America, Hartman Group
MY CULTURE
MY RELIGION
MY RACE
MY ECONOMIC STATUS
ART BY Mazzy Warren
IN-DEPTH 9
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
CULTURAL ARTIFACTS Objects created by a culture that gives important insights to the people and the history it relates to.
NATIVE AMERICAN WAR BONNET: Eagle feather headdresses are worn to symbolize power and authority among Native Americans. It is not just an accessory; it is reserved to commemorate specific achievements. The war bonnet as a contemporary fashion accessory perpetuates erasure of post-colonial Native groups. SOURCE Khan Academy ART BY Mazzy Warren
HIJAB: In Islamic teachings, it has been said that God asked women to wear hijab to achieve modesty and to redirect focus from the materialistic world to the spiritual world. Hijab are various head coverings worn by many Muslim women; there are controversies surrounding hijab as it was transformed into a symbol of oppression in Iran. Hijab is not just an accessory; it is a sense of religious duty. SOURCE World Hijab Day ART BY Mazzy Warren
MATRYOSHKA DOLLS: Also known as “Russian dolls,” each wooden doll symbolizes fertility. The largest doll is considered the matriarch of the family, while the smallest is called the “seed,” representing the soul. Together, a set of matryoshka dolls is said to represent a chain of mothers who are carrying on the family legacy through the child in their womb. SOURCE Corinthia Group ART BY Mazzy Warren
HENNA: Henna designs are temporary tattoos that decorate someone’s body during celebrations like weddings and birthdays. Henna has been practiced in Pakistan, India, Africa, and the Middle East for over 5,000 years. The art symbolizes good health and prosperity in marriage, and in some cultures, the darker the stain, the deeper the love between two individuals. SOURCE Her Culture ART BY Mazzy Warren
KIPPAH: Also known as a skullcap or koppel, this is a brimless cap traditionally worn by Jewish men. Some communities choose to wear the head-coverings at all times, while others choose to wear them while eating, praying, studying Jewish texts, or entering religious places. There is no requirement to cover one’s head, but it is considered a sign of reverence for God. SOURCE My Jewish Learning ART BY Mazzy Warren
GANESHA: The elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, who is traditionally worshiped before any divine enterprise. His name, Ganesha, is said to mean “Lord of the People.” He is seen as a remover of obstacles, and a ten-day festival devoted to him in late summer. This festival is called the Ganesh Chaturhti; this year, it takes place from September 19 to September 28. SOURCE Hindustan Times ART BY Mazzy Warren
10 SPORTS
A
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
THLETES SSERT
Senior soccer player shares D1 recruiting experience Olivia Christodoulides Center Midfielder Questions? Concerns? Email:
bowie.journalism@gmail.com
Per the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the college recruitment process for soccer begins June 15 of your sophomore year of high school, which really means colleges can start talking to you directly on that day. For me, that day was pretty eventful, meaning I got a few calls, but nothing really came out of it. Throughout my sophomore and junior years, I would try to email coaches every two weeks or so to keep updating them with my games, highlight reels, and academics. I think the biggest mistake that I made during this process was not staying on top of my emails because it is important to every coach that they know you are interested in them. Another huge part of the process was the out-of-state tournaments. They are designed for college coaches to come watch and recruit players, so it was crucial to play my best soccer at those events. I had a few schools express interest in me, but it wasn’t anywhere that I could see myself playing soccer and definitely not living for the next four years of my life. That was really important to me. I knew that I wanted to play soccer in college, but I also had to take into consideration the campus and the programs that the school had. It was very important for me to find somewhere that offered a place I could see myself living and going to school. Eventually, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) began showing interest in me. I’m not sure what tournament UTSA first saw me play in, but their interest in me started near the end of my junior year. Luckily, I had private training every morning before school and the coaches at that training were good friends with the coaching staff at UTSA. This was really significant for me because I tore my ACL the summer before going into my senior year and I was already considered to be “late” in the recruiting process. Having both the private training coaches and UTSA coaches watch me play and train prior to my injury allowed the UTSA coaches to be confident in recruiting me. A few days before my ACL surgery, head coach, Derek Pittman, called me for the first time. He told me he had faith in my skills as a player and knew I would work extremely hard to not only get back to where I was, but better. My first time ever communicating with coach Pittman, he offered me the chance to play for his team. It’s valuable for me that Coach Pittman was willing to offer me a spot on the team despite my injury, because it shows that he has confidence in my ability. Once I could walk after my surgery, I went on an official visit and loved the atmosphere of the team. All of my worries about being able to continue to play the sport that has shaped me to be the person I am today left when I got to meet my future teammates. Another big part of my decision to commit to UTSA was the fact that they are putting a lot of effort into growing the women’s soccer program. They just built a new locker room for women’s soccer as well as a brand new athletic building for all of the athletes. The athletic building has a weight room, training room, hot and cold tubs, athletic massage as well as study rooms for only athletes. The day after my visit, I decided that UTSA was the place where I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life. *Have a sports opinion or story to tell? Contact bowie.journalism@ gmail.com to be the next feature
Father-daughter dancing in ring Freshman Quinn Loyd practices mixed martial arts form Muay Thai with coach Caroline Baxter Dispatch Reporter
opportunity to bond with his daughter. He always enjoys quality time with Loyd and his Freshman Quinn Loyd narfamily. rows her eyes at her father who “I really enjoy spending dances on the other side of the time with her at the gym and ring. Closing the space, Loyd traveling back and forth,” Jaylin lashes out a powerful kick, Loyd said. “It gives us time to which she follows with a series just talk about whatever comes of ferocious hits. up, silly or serious.” Loyd has been training for Jaylin started training in the her first Muay Thai, a form of art of Muay Thai 18 months mixed martial arts, competition ago, thereby enlisting Quinn to which will take place in June join him 14 months ago. Quinn 2024. Despite only fighting for has the advantage of youth on a short period of time, Loyd’s her father, but Jaylin uses his father has helped her prepare athleticism from other activsince she first showed interest ities during his high school in the sport. years to help her train. “My dad noticed that there “I participated in fencing was a Muay Thai gym across and wrestling in high school,” the street, so we joined it,” Jaylin said. “I only started Loyd said. “I was like, ‘Dad I learning Muay Thai at Warrior want to do that as soon as I’m Family in February 2022.” done with cheer.’” Since both Loyd and her Originating from Thailand, dad started around the same Muay Thai is a form of boxing time at Warrior Family Muay that incorpoThai, they have rates kicks, been training elbows, and together their sweeps. Loyd entire time Muay Thai is was first introthere. duced to the “In some basically a form of sport when her aspects, I think super aggressive dad began atit’s a benefit tending Warrior that he’s not dancing. It’s a good Family Muay afraid to corway to get out Thai which was rect me if I’m located near her wrong. He’s anxiousness and cheer gym. very focused nervousness. “I love trainon me,” Quinn ing with him said. “He’s Quinn Loyd because he’s like ‘Don’t get Muay Thai fighter a really great knocked out.’ person and a We definitely very important have different person in my life,” Loyd said. skill levels and he is still older.” “I wouldn’t have been able to Quinn doesn’t let the possisocialize as easily because they bility of getting hurt affect her are mostly adults. So, he kind training work ethic. She loves of eased me into it.” how aggressive Muay Thai is Conversely, Jaylin Loyd, and how similar it is to dance, Quinn’s father, enjoys the which she’s done in the past.
"
THROWING A PUNCH: Loyd readies herself for training by using a punching bag. Loyd practices everyday to prepare for a competition in June. PHOTO BY Adriana Choueiry
IN COMBAT: Freshman Quinn Loyd spars with her father. Quinn was first introduced to Muay Thai, a form of mixed martial arts originating in Thailand, by her father. PHOTO BY Will Olemick
“I’ve been a very athletic person my entire life. Muay Thai is basically a form of super aggressive dancing,” Quinn said. “It’s a good way to get out anxiousness and nervousness and feel more settled and sound with yourself.” In what started as a simple chance to bond with her father, Quinn has since considered pursuing Muay Thai competitively. Now, Quinn has until June 2024 to prepare for one of the biggest competitions in the country, Thai Boxing Association Classic. “MDL stands for Muay Thai Development League. It’s similar to a scrimmage or practice scenario,” Quinn said. “It’s for people of all ages and different skill levels. Right now it’s not a fight, no one is winning or losing. But coming up in June I will have an actual fight, with a good chance of getting a belt.” One of her coaches, Oskar Estrada, believes that with more training, and Quinn’s natural ability to fight, she’ll be ready to go for her next competitions. “I do believe she’s a fierce competitor,” Estrada said. “With the right training and
coaching she can go far in this sport. There’s plenty of talent in her division and she can be up there, but it will take dedication and passion.” The first belt you can get in Muay Thai is a white belt. According to Estrada, Quinn has many good fighting attributes and has strong suits when it comes to earning Muay Thai belts. “Quinn is still developing a fighting style, but she’s an aggressive pressure fighter,” Estrada said. “Quinn is best at her kicks and she can execute them well. Her best attributes are that she listens well and takes direction from us coaches when competing or sparring.” As Quinn is getting ready for her major competition in June, she has a rugged training schedule, practicing up to five times a week. These practices include skills training, punching bags, weight lifting, and conditioning. “It’s pretty rigorous,” Quinn said. “Monday there’s two classes, and Tuesdays I do one class. Wednesdays is homework. Thursdays I do two classes. On Fridays, I do two classes too. And then Saturdays,
there’s a very long training day, but if you are fighting you come early to run.” Quinn credits the support she gets from Jaylin and her sister, Avery Loyd, for her continual growth in Muay Thai. “My sister is very much into it. If she is ever there she’s going to scream. But my dad has been there at every single class and always checking me to see if I am okay,” Quinn said. “I think my dad is my biggest supporter. He’s almost like my coach in the aspect where he tells me what I need to do to fix these things. All my dad wants for me is to get better.”
SCAN TO SEE MORE!
VIDEO BY Will Olemick
Special teams completes ‘Dawgs in playoff push Cooper Fike Dispatch Reporter
Taking a deep breath, senior kicker Seediya Jabbi readies himself for the ensuing play by mentally visualizing the ball soaring through the uprights. Nodding to the holder, Jabbi watches as the ball is snapped and spun, laces facing away from him. Striding forward, Jabbi strikes through the center of the ball, propelling it into the air. Seconds later, thanks to Jabbi, the ‘Dawgs have added three points to the scoreboard. With a background in soccer, Jabbi originally began kicking for the ‘Dawgs during his sophomore year. “I felt like I was naturally good at kicking,” Jabbi said. “I knew I had the potential to be good, so I stuck with it.” Jabbi was first given the chance to kick for the varsity ‘Dawgs in the 2022 season, but was officially named the starting kicker this year as a senior. So far, Jabbi has accounted for two touchbacks and averages just over 46 yards each kick-off attempt. “It felt good to have put in the work and it paid off,” Jabbi said. “The season has been going great and I’ve been playing well. It has been important for me to stay consistent. The team relies on me to make the easy points, so I need to do my job.” Jabbi has statistically been one of the best kickers in the district, making 90% of his points after attempts. Furthermore, Jabbi has successfully converted
COMING UP IN SPORTS:
ICING ON THE CAKE: Senior kicker Seediya Jabbi kicks an extra point attempt after a ‘Dawgs touchdown. Jabbi has made 26 of his 29 point after attempts this season. PHOTO BY Nick Wood
on four of his six field goal attempts this season. “The mental side of kicking is one of the biggest aspects,” Jabbi said. “You have to be confident when kicking. For me, it’s easy to have confidence because
of the support group around me. My whole family goes to the games and my coaches support me fully.” Coach Sam Miller is the special teams coordinator. His job is to determine the players that kick for the
‘Dawgs, and in doing so has determined Jabbi to be the best option for the team. “When we’re looking for kickers and punters, we look for consistency,” Miller said. “Nowadays, kickers and punters specialize and we’ve had kids these last couple years that specialize in those traits and have done a great job for us.” According to Jabbi, coach Miller has been instrumental in his on-field success. “Coach Miller pays attention to how I play and helps me by figuring out what works for me to be successful,” Jabbi said. “Overall, he’s given me the chance to play and perform.” While Jabbi specializes in kicking extra point attempts in field goals, senior Jacob Pulido is responsible for punting the ball. Pulido began punting his junior year and has quickly solidified himself as starting punter for the ‘Dawgs. “I felt like it was an easy position to play so I tried out,” Pulido said. “Now I don’t believe that at all. There’s always going to be a lot of pressure. This being said, if one of my punts is bad I try not to let it get to me. I know I will have another chance, and I know I can do better.” Through nine games and 44 punts, Pulido has amassed a total 1310 punt yards, his longest being 46 yards. Overall, Pulido averages 30 yards per punt. “I think everyone thinks that playing on special teams is super easy,” Pulido said. “Fans don’t understand how hard it is to get the ball to go where you want it to go.”
NOVEMBER 17 Va r s i t y
NOVEMBER 20 Va r s i t y b o y s
DECEMBER 1 Va r s i t y g i r l s
DECEMBER 8 V a r s i t y b o y s
Camp Moody YMCA
Bowie High School
@Bowie High School
Burger Stadium
s w i m m i n g Tr i - M e e t @
basketball vs.McNeil @
basketball vs. Anderson
s o c c e r v s . Ta y l o r @
SPORTS 11
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
Double trouble featuring Cedric Walls Junior ‘Dawg juggles responsibilities on and off the field for both band and football Sam Vane Sports Editor The first half ends and the football team heads to the locker room. Except one. Junior Cedric Walls goes to grab his trumpet and gets into formation to perform at the halftime show with the rest of the Bowie band. Despite his simultaneous success, Walls’ teammates were unaware of his versatility and achievements in both programs, including wide receiver Carmine Elisarraraz. “I was a bit shocked. I’m not gonna lie, because I thought he was kidding,” Elisarraraz said. “I had always heard that he was in band, so when he went out to perform with them at halftime I couldn’t believe it.” Walls has performed for the band numerous times throughout the football season during halftime. Pairing these responsibilities with being the starting left guard on the football team would deter many from doing both, but Walls chooses to persevere. “Honestly, I don’t know how I do it sometimes,” Walls said. “Even with my busy schedule I still love them both and wouldn’t quit either for the other.” Walls’ story is viewed by many as an anomaly. The head band director, Jennifer Hanford, can’t believe that he was able to do both. “Some schools don’t allow
for people to do both at the same time,” Hanford said. “So, we were happy to help make it happen for him this season.” With the ensemble of support that Walls has received, the task of switching between football and band has been easier. “The band members have always loved football, but we’ve never had someone who was in the program and in football,” Hanford said. “So, now they are even more engaged because they have a friend to cheer for on the field.” Walls has accumulated years of experience in both football and band, coming to learn that he can succeed on both fields. “I have been playing this amazing game for about 12-13 years and I’ve played trumpet for about six years,” Walls said. “So I’ve basically been playing both at the same time for my whole life.” Walls’ schedule can get pretty hectic. However, he is able to persevere by remembering his original reasons for continuing both throughout his high school career. “The thought of quitting one to do the other full time has crossed my mind, but the community and companionship that both have are worth the nonstop business and grind,” Walls said. “It isn’t all bad though, I find time for myself and to have fun with friends.” Since band and football take place in the same season, Walls occasionally has to decide
AUDIBLE! AUDIBLE!: Junior Cedric Walls listens for the audible called by the center against Akins. The Bulldogs ended up beating the Eagles 56-7 to pick up their fourth win of the year. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard
which practice to attend, but this hasn’t caused significant issues for the football squad. The practices he has missed
ONE TWO THREE MARCH!: Cedric Walls gets into position at halftime of the Bowie-Westlake game. The Bowie band performed at the Bands of America Nationals in early November. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard
hasn’t caused trouble for the band either. “It definitely hurts when he’s out but we have a really good backup and Cedric always makes sure to keep up with play calling so he won’t miss a beat,” Elisarraraz said. Having to miss practice has not only affected the football team. The band practices their show frequently, and Hanford has had to adapt to Walls’ absence from rehearsal. “We have Cedric sharing a spot with another talented trumpet student,” Hanford said. “So, in the time that Cedric is not at rehearsal, that spot will not be empty.” Given the rough and physically demanding nature of football, Walls is able to find peace in band that he sometimes can’t get in football. “Band is a relaxing change of pace allowing me to not be afraid to talk and being able to have fun in a different way than I do with football,” Walls said. Being in band has also
provided an unexpected benefit, which has helped Walls excel on the offensive line this year. “In a sport like football you need quick feet,” Walls said. “The dancing we do in band allows me to be a little bit more relaxed and nimble which helps me play my best in the game.” With the football team losing a significant amount of starters going into the season this year, Walls was forced to take on more responsibility. “He definitely became a huge leader this season,” Elisarraraz said. “The offensive line lost some guys last year and now the younger guys on the offensive line look up to him and so does the team overall.” With the Bulldogs football making the play-offs the schedule got complicated for Walls. Because the same weekend the first round of playoff starts also happens to be the Bands of America Grand National competition which the Bowie band qualified for. It meant Walls had to make a decision.
“I will be going to the Grand National with the band, meaning that I won’t be at the football game,” Walls said. “So, the coaches weren’t too happy to hear that the team would be without their starting left guard for our first playoff game against McNeil.” This hard decision is one of many to come, however this decision hasn’t given Walls any doubts about continuing his journey. “The plan is to keep going with band and football and finish high school doing both,” Walls said. “One, so I can get my letterman jacket for both, and, two, because a half-football, half-band letterman jacket would go so hard.” Walls motivation to continue looks past this year as he wants to set a precedent for his children. “I want to keep going so I can tell my kids your dad did band and football so you can do whatever you put your mind to,” Walls said.
Tarleton State commit pioneers sand volleyball program Micheal Vienneau Dispatch Reporter
Beneath the blazing heat of the sun, and the backdrop of golden sand, senior split blocker and defender Bella Parayno skillfully dives and gets another dig, leading to yet another point for her and her teammate. Parayno is a sand volleyball player for Silver Beach, a local team that started in Austin, Texas. Along with playing sand volleyball year round, Parayno also starts on the court volleyball team at Bowie. “Sand volleyball is much more challenging in a sense where you have to be very conditioned,” Parayno said. “You have to be prepared to play in 32 degree weather with rain and in 100 degree heat. You also have to be very mentally tough to play beach volleyball because it is just you and your teammate. Being able to coach yourself through different plays and situations is much different than court volleyball.” Parayno recently committed to play sand volleyball at Tarleton State uni-
years. versity, a Division I school out of the “I think one of the reasons I Western Athletic Conference in Stebecame successful in volleyball is bephensville, Texas. Tarleton State just cause of my strong work ethic,” Parayrecently added sand volleyball to their no said. “I also feel athletic offerings, and as though I am very Parayno will be a part of coachable which the inaugural team. makes it easier for “I have made so She is an all-around me to learn and pick many memories playing new skills that in the junior circuit great player, and she up can help me become for beach volleyball,” has a great attitude. even better. I want Parayno said. “I will to be better than the always remember She radiates a lot people I play against competing in Hermosa of positivity, which and I just love the Beach, California for whole aspect of two weeks and getting makes her a lot of competing. I feel as to compete with teams fun to play with. though I am well across the country. Getrounded as a player ting second place in the Charli Haynes and I also know how Beach Volleyball Clubs Junior sand volleyball player to have fun when I of America tournament am out there.” was also an incredible Junior Charli experience.” Haynes is a teammate of Parayno at In 2021 Parayno made an Instathe Silver Beach volleyball program. gram account dedicated to her beach Over the summer, Haynes committed volleyball career. She uses the Instato play Division I volleyball at Florida gram account to garner the attention Gulf Coast University, and will begin of coaches across the country, while playing in 2025. also showing her progress over the
"
ORDER FROM YOUR PHONE.
3601 W. Will. Cannon ph. 512-891-6782 OR
1807 W. Slaughter (at Manchaca)
SUBS, SOUPS, SALADS ALSO: BOX LUNCHES & PARTY TRAYS
ph. 512-282-2255 www.thundercloud.com
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE BUY ONE--GET ONE FREE!
Buy any SUB and REDEEM THIS COUPON for a FREE sub of equal or lesser value, Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with other offers. IN SUPPORT OF BOWIE HS
Valid only at 3601-D William Cannon OR 1807 W Slaughter Expires: Expires: 7/31/24 7/31/23
“I love working with Bella,” Haynes said. “She is an all-around great player and she has a great attitude. She radiates a lot of positivity which makes her a lot of fun to play with.” Silver Beach has rankings based on how well the player performs in the tournaments they compete in, with the more competitive tournaments being weighted more heavily. In the rankings, Parayno ranks 37th out of 296, in the 18 and under division, while Haynes ranks 8th out of 295, in the 17 and under division respectively. “Bella and I work super well together even though we are both defenders,” Haynes said. “I remember playing with her in a club tournament in California, we played really well together because we communicated with each other. She is super competitive and takes it seriously, but also knows how to have fun.” Senior Kirstin Morris, another one of Parayno’s teammates, is an attendee of Smithson Valley High School in New Braunfels, Texas. She has recently committed to play volleyball at Southeastern Louisiana University.
“We have so much fun together,” Morris said. “She has an amazing drive to be an amazing player. I have watched her grow so much and she continues to make me laugh while also making me better.” Along with volleyball, Morris competes in CrossFit, and she plans to compete in both. However, like Parayno, she wants to pursue a volleyball career, and has dreams of competing professionally. “We both have big dreams and aspirations,” Morris said. “I know she will do great things and I can’t wait to keep track of her progress as she continues to grow as a player and person. She is truly an amazing person
SCAN TO SEE MORE! VIDEO BY Nick Wood
JEWEL MOTORS Quality Pre-Owned Vehicles Buy • Sell • Trade www.jewelmotors.com
512-892-8626
12 ENTERTAINMENT THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
Take a look Inside Bowie Color Guard Students support Bulldawg Nation between class loads, competitions & ‘Dawg pride ‘GAME DAY’ IN THE LIFE OF
COLOR GUARD WITH SENIOR
KENNEDY KILDAY 5:00am - Wake up call 6:45am - Call time for rehearsal 8:30am - Rehearsal ends 9:05am - AP Biology 10:35am - Guard fit 11:07am - Guard Period 12:43pm - Off Campus lunch 1:23pm - Varsity Treble Choir 2:59pm - AP Literature 4:35pm - Dinner, Hair, Makeup 5:30pm - Travel to game 2nd Quarter - Warm up
Halftime - Performance
Post Game fight song 11:30pm - Return home
"
KENNEDY KILDAY “My favorite part
about color guard is my teammates. I feel like I know so many people know, especially within other grade levels. It really broadened my community.”
PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
GRAPHIC BY Mazzy Warren
Savannah Linscomb Entertainment Editor Halftime air swirls through the field as the band plays with pride, and large flags grace the busy air with colorful beauty. The unseen contributors of the band, the Bowie Color Guard, once again show off their carefully rehearsed moves and steps complimenting the band perfectly. “First semester we are with the Marching Band.” Color Guard Director Daniel Riley said. “Which is part of the Outdoor Performance Ensemble.” Riley is in his third year of directing the Bowie Color Guard and has aimed to improve and grow the program since the COVID-19 Pandemic. “If you’re someone who needs to work a lot it’s not going to offer that schedule for you,” Riley said. “Just someone who has a flexible schedule and time to give is someone who’s going to be better for the program.” The program which suffered in 2020 during the pandemic and online school has grown substantially since in-person learning began again in 2021, more than doubling the amount of students in the two years since. “We had 16 kids when I first started and now we’ve grown to 34,” Riley said. “With this number, we are looking into starting a JV team.” During the fall semester, the Color Guard competes along with the band on both district and state levels, in the winter the Color guard competes by themselves in the Winter Guard. We separate so we’re now by ourselves,” Riley said. “We compete locally and nationally as well, just like the band does.” Senior Kennedy Kilday has been in the Color Guard since her sophomore year and has competed numerous times with and without the band. “Last year with the Winter Guard we placed third in state,” Kilday said. “We get to compete in front of some pretty big audiences, everyone is very passionate about it.” On top of her massive commitment to the color guard Kilday also gives her time to various other Bowie programs including being the Vice President of the Bowie Choir program. “I am here at school for so much time all of the time,” Kilday said. “ But I feel like I know so many people, especially within other grades and I’m much more involved.” Not only does color guard amp up her already impressive college applications but it’s given her ample opportunity to make friends and become part of a group here at Bowie. “My favorite part is the
LOCKED IN : Senior Kennedy Kilday focuses on practice with her teammates. Kilday and the rest of her color guard community are practicing for their upcoming national winter guard championship, which will be taking place in Indianapolis. PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
team,” Kilday said. “I feel like I know so many people, especially within other grades.” Being part of the team is a huge part of color guard, each member needs to be a team player, Lily Flanigan a junior at Bowie is already part of the weapon line of color guard, where instead of flags they toss plastic rifles. “I love competitions and football games when we take the bus rides to and from that’s when you like Get to know your teammates the most,” Flanigan said. The intermingling of grade
levels is part of being in high school level sports and events, in Bowie Color Guard each member is given equal opportunity despite their grade level. “It’s been a great way to make a community within Bowie and that’s how I made most of my friends coming into Bowie,” Flanigan said. “I made it onto a weapon line this year.” Color guard is welcoming to all levels of skill and members often come in with no actual color guard experience. “I would recommend it to people with a dance background, but maybe don’t want
to do Silver Stars,” Flanigan said. “Color guard incorporates a lot of dance techniques along with the flags.” Each member of color guard puts forth a profound amount of time and effort into Color Guard along with balancing grades, jobs, family life, and so much more, according to Riley. “We are always putting in lots and lots of work and hours, and for them to be able to keep up with grades, and be engaged with their family, and then also do this, it’s a lot so it’s amazing to see them succeed,” Riley said.
Starlight Theater Company brings children’sshows to life Lucy Johnson Entertainment Editor
Tip-toeing into pages full of exquisite creatures, colorful trees, fairytale princesses, and endless curiosity, theater students present their annual Theater For Young Audiences shows. Seniors end their final year directing their own show and collaborating with other schools within AISD. Senior directors have the chance to showcase their productions to at least two local elementary schools, along with two more shows at Bowie. “What is super special about the Theater For Young Audiences is that each individual show gets to travel to one to two elementary schools each and perform for kids at those schools,” senior director Josy Stevens said. “This is a lot of people’s favorite part about this show-block, as
we are extending our program to young audiences, and helping young audiences become passionate about theater.” Stevens will be directing a fairytale, Rapunzel. Stevens will have a co-director, helping alongside with different aspects of the production. “I am so thankful to be co-directing with senior Sofia Chavez,” Stevens said. “Having someone to collaborate with on all these different elements has made this process truly magical.” To create such a magical performance, the directors work relentlessly to get their show to reach fairytale standards. Beginning with the first steps, picking what shows to produce. “The directing process for these shows is quite extensive, but it teaches the directors so much about what goes on behind the scenes of putting on a show,” Stevens said. “From there,
BIG BAD WOLF: Junior Milo McKinney scares fellow actor sophomore Charlotte Schwarte, who plays grandma in their show, Totally Red. PHOTO BY Zachary Tishgart
we write synopsis for the shows and put together callback materials.” Picking the story and writing synopsis is just half of the work the co-directors do in order to prepare the movie-like production. “We watch all the auditioners, take notes, and select a smaller pool to call back,” Stevens said. “Then we all get together with the directors and theater faculty, and cast our shows.” With the help of the student directors and cast members, Rapunzel along with many other nostalgic classics are performed to children and getting them involved with the production. “I’m most excited about touring to the elementary schools because my character talks to the audience,” cast member Olivia Nanda said. “I’m excited to see their reactions and responses to what I say.” Performing to elementary school audiences gets the cast members excited to perform with the extra enthusiasm that they don’t usually get to act with. Captivating the audience is a must for a magical show. “To make the show more entertaining, we play up each scene to make it more dramatic and make our movements big and intentional so the kids stay engaged,” Nanda said. “I am able to make my acting big and cartoonish without having the audience not believe the story. A story book show like Rapunzel also had a lot of hidden lessons, messages, and meanings that are played out through the duration of the show. The directors and the cast members hope that the children walking away from these shows see the message and maybe learn from it. “I hope the children leave the show knowing that they are perfect just the way they, Nanda RED RIDING HOOD: Sophomore Amelie said. “They are incredible, and they should Baker and junior Milo McKinney perform out know that they can do anything they dream to the audience. PHOTO BY Zachary Tishgart of.”
REVIEWS 13
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
Experience extraordinary art in Austin Wonderspaces Austin provides unique yet immersive art that leaves visitors speechless Claire Scott Reviews Editor Vibrantly twinkling lights hang from the ceiling, the sound-waves of instrumental music slowly spread to every corner of the cafe, and kids silently gaze in awe at the beautiful artwork before them. Wonderspaces Austin is a local museum that showcases a variety of art exhibitions. From interactive works to virtual reality headsets, you will be left speechless no matter what you see. Established by co-founders Jason Shin and Patrick Charles in the summer of 2020, Wonderspaces has called attention to our community in Austin. The museum is located at 1205 Sheldon Cove and has two other locations in Pennsylvania and Arizona. This museum is the perfect place to create incredible memories with your friends and family. It is close to student neighborhoods, and has a four-out-of-five stars rating. To enter, you must purchase a ticket ahead of time on austinwoderspaces.com. For a single day pass, the general admission price is $25. For students, seniors, teachers, healthcare professionals, admission is $20. For children three to 12, admission is $15, and children three and below get in for free. Walking into Wonderspaces Austin on a Wednesday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the traction, there was no line to the front desk, and the exhibits weren’t crowded like I feared they might be. The museum showcases 17 different exhibits, each being completely
different from the next. There seems to be no common theme, which makes the viewing experience very enticing. The first interactive exhibit I came across was “Sun” by Philp Schütte. This piece was special for the meaning behind it; it was designed to build a connection between technology and the curiosity of the human mind. At the exhibition, you will find a ball placed in front of a projector, which showcases a live visual of the ocean and the sun. The sun on the projector will move with the ball, to wherever you choose to place it. I enjoyed Sun, so I give it four out of five stars in terms of experience. Getting to control the sun in the sky sparked my creativity, and I got to explore Schütte’s unique ideas of interaction. The one downside to this exhibit is that, because it’s so simple, the experience wonder last very long. The next design was “Rules” by Paola Ibarra Llano; it struck me with amazement. This exhibition has a very personal touch to it, as Llano created Rules to visually represent the connections that each human shares with one another, regardless of whether they’ve met or not. In this exhibit, you will come across a metal tin filled with tape made of different shapes, sizes, and colors on a large wall. You can pick a piece of tape to place anywhere along the wall, next to thousands of other pieces of tape. I rate “Rules” five out of five stars. I loved how immersive this design is, and how no matter who you are, you can become an artist with the piece. This was a great way to connect with
ADMIRING ART: Visitors explore the museum, interacting with pieces of art. Wonderspaces Austin features many immersive exhibits. PHOTO BY Claire Scott
friends and family, and out of all the exhibits I visited, this was my favorite. The next design was “Body Paint” by Memo Akten. I enjoyed this design because it created picture-perfect moments and was a fun way to break away from the slow, quiet nature of a museum. Akten’s design captures the beauty of the body and human energy. At the exhibition, there is a projector screening paint on a wall. When you move in front of the wall, the paint will move with you, and fluctuate into vibrant colors and shapes. I rate “Body Paint” four out of five stars because it was a unique way to bring movement into art. There was a crowd surrounding this one, though. There are more than just interactive designs. One of the most wellknown exhibits is “Submergence” by Squidsoup. The artist created this design to evoke feelings of awe and inspiration while moving in the physical space. “Submergence” is an exhibit composed of 8,064 individual hanging lights. Visitors can explore freely, as the lights change colors corresponding to the calming background music. “Submergence” gets five out of five stars because it was very intriguing and well-designed. This exhibit was perfect for taking pictures, and I loved how aesthetically pleasing it was to see the lights change with the music. The second floor is arguably better than the first. Moving upstairs, you will find a whole room dedicated to a virtual reality (VR) experience. There are two VR settings to choose from, and I picked “Shigeto: Hovering” by Conor Grebel and 79Ancestors. Seeing “Hovering” through a virtual lens was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. The creators take you through an extraterrestrial dying planet, filled with elements from nature on Earth. Grebel created this experience by combining digital and analog technology, paired with music by 79Ancestors. Further on is “The Last Word” by Illegal Art. This is another immersive experience, where visitors can participate in the piece. Just like “Rules,” I enjoyed this design for its inclusivity. At “The Last Word,” you will find hundreds of tightly rolled pieces of paper. You can write down your own thoughts to place with the rest, then pick someone else’s to read. Some papers had funny phrases, while others spoke about serious moments in their lives. The variety that came from the experience was eye-opening. The last experience I recommend is “Human Study #1, 3RNP” by Patrick Tresset. Here, three robot artists draw a portrait of you for free. However, if you want to keep the portrait, you must purchase it at the cafe.
DANCING WITH PAINT: Visitors run, jump, skip, and dance in front of the screen, which follows their every movement with gorgeous splashes of digital paint. This exhibit was created to capture the beauty of human energy. PHOTO BY Claire Scott
At the experience, you will sit still in front of the three robots who sketch you; once your portrait is done, the artwork will join another design, “The Collection,” which features over 36,000 pages of the robots’ portraits. All in all, I would rate my time at Wonderspaces Austin five out of five stars. The facility was neatly prepared and all ages were able to enjoy the unique exhibits. This is a perfect place to visit in your free time, as the museum offers a plethora of creative, interactive designs to enjoy, plenty of perfect photo opportunities, and bunches of
unique experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in Austin. I highly recommend that you go to this location to see the fantastic sights yourself. Have fun!
SCAN TO SEE MORE! VIDEO BY Nick Wong
Slurp sensational smoothies at shop on William Cannon Fiona Padalino Dispatch Reporter
The familiar sound of sharp blending and the slicing of fresh fruits and vegetables fill the room as you prepare yourself for a clean, and delicious juice. Clean Juice is a locally-owned juice bar that specializes in juices and smoothies, but they also offer a wide variety of food items such as salads, wraps, acai bowls, toasts, sandwiches, and protein smoothies. Every item that they make is 100% certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), making their store completely organic and clean, hence the name Clean Juice. The idea of Clean Juice was first created in 2014 by husband and wife, Landon and Kat Eckles, with their first store opening in 2016, making Clean Juice the only store with an idea of 100% clean resources at that time. Clean Juice recently opened their William Cannon location on July 29, making it the second location in the Austin area, the other location being in Round Rock, Texas. The location of this store is very convenient for the residents and students of Bowie, no matter if you live in Circle C or Shady Hollow, the drive to this location is roughly six to nine minutes and you shouldn’t have too much traffic or many complications. Upon arrival, I noticed that there are plenty of spots to park, and Clean Juice also provides two reserved parking spots directly in front of the store. To add on, I also went to this location on a Tuesday night around 6 p.m. and to my surprise, there were very few customers around. When stepping out of my car, I saw that this location has an assortment of signs making the entrance very welcoming and inviting. They also have a sign promoting their new apple-flavored fall edition products, such as an apple spice shake and acai bowl. When walking inside, you are immediately greeted with a clean interior design that makes you excited to try a refreshing and healthy item. The establishment had soft background music that wasn’t overbearing and allowed you to order without having to raise your voice. There was minimal seating and if the establishment was busier, there wouldn’t have been anywhere to sit. Although, that doesn’t really matter as the majority of their food items can easily be taken to-go. However, if you had a food item that required you to sit down to finish, you might need to rethink the place to sit down, because there
may not be an available chair or table during busier times. One of Clean Juice’s competitors is JuiceLand, which has many locations across the Austin area. Both businesses offer juices in varying flavors, but Clean Juice only offers one size of their drinks, 12 ounces. On the other hand, JuiceLand offers three different sizes, 14 ounces, 18 ounces, and 24 ounces. The price for the juice at Clean Juice was $9.95 for the 12 ounces, whereas at JuiceLand the 14 ounces, which is bigger, ranges from $3.25-$8.95. Clean Juice is really delicious, however, the prices at JuiceLand might be more reasonable for the teenage demographic. I purchased a 12 ounce juice, and my total price was around $13, which is far too pricey for me. I would much rather go to JuiceLand and get a $4 smoothie that is even larger. The Clean Juice menu offered copious amounts of options to choose from, and the staff at the location were incredibly nice and helpful. If you’re indecisive like me, the staff recommended five different products which helped me narrow down my options. I ended up trying the juice flavor called The Glow One, which is listed on the menu under the Fresh Juice flavors. On the menu, the calories and ingredients in the juice are listed under the drink name, so you know exactly what you are eating or drinking. The Glow One includes organic apple, cucumber, kale, and spinach. After ordering this drink I saw the worker pull out a fresh cucumber and start slicing away. I then promptly saw him put all the respective ingredients in the blender and blend it up. There were no unnatural ingredients added, showing that they truly do take pride in providing healthy items. After receiving the drink, the first sip was a nice, cold, and delicious rush of fresh ingredients, and tasted exactly how it sounded. It was sweet from the apple, but had strong notes of cucumber which provided a refreshing taste. The next juice I tried was The Creamsicle One. This juice gives the option to be made with either whey protein or hemp protein. It also includes organic orange, banana, almond milk, vanilla, and honey. This drink was a delicious mix of citrus and sweet, with a tinge of banana to balance it out. The almond milk was a perfect choice because it added a creamy swirl to the tartness. I especially liked that this drink offered whey protein because it increased my protein intake for the day. I would definitely recommend this drink because orange creamsicle is one of my all-time
BLENDING FRESH FRUIT: A Clean Juice employee blends together a mix of fruits and vegetables behind the metal counter for customers. PHOTOS BY Fiona Padalino favorite flavors, and this juice certainly surpassed my expectations. Clean Juice opening a location in south Austin was definitely a smart choice on their behalf, because our city loves to be outdoors trail-blazing, biking, or running. There is a Lifetime Fitness gym and Arbor Trails near the establishment, and after a vigorous workout, a fresh juice, smoothie,
or acai bowl is a perfect way to replenish and quench your thirst. I recommend Clean Juice because it offers a delicious, all-natural, and healthy juice menu. You can try any one of the various drinks listed on their menu, because no matter what you choose, I guarantee a delicious, exciting experience for you, your friends, and your family.
14 COMMENTARY
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
D ISPATCH STAFF Dispatch Print Co Editors-in-Chief Kate Davis, Mazzy Warren
Dispatch Online Co Editors-in-Chief Alex Edwards, Austin Ikard Executive Editor: Content Charlotte Koellner Executive Editor: Writing Sophia Sanchez Executive Editor: News Emerson Traugott Executive Editor: Art/Graphics Asher Hagan Executive Editor: Sports Ben Tillisch Executive Editor: Multimedia Mars Canepa Junior Leadership Team Vivi Lopez-Stern, Arden Ray News Team Peyton Dorsey, Gabby Bochey, Katie Grumet, Alec Morse In-Depth Team Liberty Pittman , Elizabeth Yowell Feature Team Savannah Riggins, Sam Bode, Bentlee Toland, Isabella Verette Entertainment Team Savannah Linscomb, Maddy Franco, William Balke, Lucy Johnson Sports Team Sam Vane, Cooper Ceniceros-Fike, Noah Ellinger, Michael Vienneau, Caroline Baxter Review Team Claire Scott, Val Tikhonova, Maddy Franco, Fiona Padillino Opinion Team Vivi Lopez-Stern, Madeline Travis, Gianna Gonzalez Arts/Graphics Team Sophia Sepulveda, Iola Bidwell, Lane Foxcroft Multimedia Team Slyder Degelia, Madison Rasp, Nick Wong, Reagan Tso, Zach Tishgart, Quinn Wilkinson, Audrey Cullianane, Adrianna Choueiry, Pierre Vandervennet, Nick Wood, Noah Bihan, Arden Ray, Arlo Haug, Will Olenick, Ryan Zuniga, Charlotte Schwarte, Harrison Austin Advisor Michael Reeves, MJE
PRIDE IN PUBLISHING Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 Vol. 36, Issue 2 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane Austin TX, 78749 PATRON SPONSORS Vane Family Tillisch Family Ikard Family Ceniceros-Fike Family Baxter Family Haug Family Travis Family Bihan Family Schwarte Family Edwards Family Wood Family Warren Family Sanchez Family Traugott Family Verette Family Hagan Family
Journalism Organizations
TAJE JEA NSPA CSPA ATPI SIPA Quill & Scroll UIL/ILPC SNO SPLC
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. • The Dispatch works to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We strive to make our coverage and content meaningful, timely, and interesting to our readers. Our articles reflect our genuine objective of reporting news and will be held to a high standard of quality. • We make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph without indicating that the photograph is an illustration. • Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Dispatch staff or administration as a whole. • The Dispatch welcomes reader input. Please send any letters, articles, comments or corrections to bowie. journalism@gmail.com, call (512) 841-4184, mail them to 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749 or drop them off in room F-214 with adviser Michael Reeves or any editor. Letters must be signed, and emailed letters will require verification before publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
Schools shouldn't arm staff
A controversial solution to gun violence in schools sparks debate ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
EDITORIAL Teachers are an essential part of a student's experience at school. They are tasked with the enormous responsibility of creating a safe environment for all students and fostering a relationship of trust that not everyone gets the privilege of having at home. One can only imagine the detrimental impact that undermining this relationship would have, if one of the only support pillars for a student has a lethal weapon in their possession at all times. With a growing number of school shootings and the continued heartbreak that plagues communities as a result of lives lost, a controversial proposition has led to heated discussion. According to an article by NBC news, Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, believes the state of Texas should ensure school employees are armed. Additionally, House Bill 3 (H. B. 3) requires that an armed officer is present on each campus. However, the Dispatch’s stance is that the solution to disrupt this cycle of gun violence and trauma should not involve the very weapon that causes it in the first place. The right answer to this ongoing argument is clear: you can’t fight fire with fire. Attempting to combat this widespread issue with the same weapon that causes it is ineffective and unsafe. In fact, it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the actions that need to be taken in order to stop this problem once and for all. If an entire team of armed, trained law enforcement couldn’t stop one teenager with a gun at the Uvalde Elementary School shooting, how could an armed teacher make any more of an impact? Bigger policy change that actually addresses the complexities of this prevalent issue is necessary, if any significant improvements are going to be made. One reason why combating gun violence by arming teachers is wrong,
is because various real-life instances have shown that when trying to de-escalate situations, the addition of more weapons is often ineffective in resolving the circumstance. For example, according to the Texas Tribune, it took a team of roughly 376 armed officers in Uvalde over an hour to stop a shooting carried out by one teenager with a semi-automatic weapon. Because the sole purpose of these semi-automatic weapons is to kill indiscriminately in circumstances such as war, a handgun poses virtually no match to the destruction these highly-dangerous weapons cause. Furthermore, assault weapons similar to AR15s are often used in mass shootings such as these and can be accessed by a process simple enough for an 18 year-old to follow. The ease with which these weapons can be obtained and their lethal nature poses the question of what impact a teacher with a handgun would even have against someone armed with a weapon this deadly. Additionally, adding more guns to the equation
doesn’t address the issue of how these weapons are continuously falling into the wrong hands. Another reason why the solution of arming teachers is problematic is because there have been various instances of violence between armed officials on campuses and students. According to an article by CNN, this presence is also likely to impact students of color at a disproportionate rate. The presence of armed officers on campus may not always come as a relief to students due to factors that not only include their race, but also the possibility of prior trauma resulting from gun violence. Extending this precarious responsibility to teachers could foster feelings of mistrust among students, jeopardizing relationships imperative to a student’s success if they no longer feel safe in the presence of their teacher. Finally, it’s important to remember the logistics required to implement this concept. Each individual teacher would need to complete proper training, extensive paperwork, pay for a license, and be
order to decrease the unacceptable amount of mass shootings that have already surpassed the number of days gone by this year. It is important to consider the role mental health plays in these events. However, if tighter restrictions actually regulated the acquisition of deadly weapons, these tragic, and completely preventable events wouldn’t occur. It’s difficult to believe that politicians and lawmakers are invested in resolving this problem, when they only attempt to propose half-baked solutions such as arming teachers; a solution which completely sweeps this prevalent issue under the rug. When it comes to combating challenges that are as widespread as this one, it’s imperative to remember that each individual plays a role in policy making and creating the reality they want to live in. If there is really going to be change for the better, that minimizes the unnecessary loss and hardship that so many have already faced, it’s going to take every individual to act on the critical issue at hand.
Crickets and rats run rampant on campus Gianna Gonzalez Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:
bowie.journalism@gmail.com
You finally get a chance to use the restroom. You enter the bathroom and there’s one problem, crickets. They chirp loudly and are incredibly disturbing. Your uncomfortable surroundings make you want to head back. You suddenly hear a rattle in the vent due to a rat, and it scares you horribly. The school is infested with insects and rodents. Due to the pests found throughout campus, the work environment is made unsafe and potentially harmful for the Bowie community. Walking in the halls or bathrooms knowing at any moment a rat or cricket could spontaneously appear is scary. Students and staff may also have concerns regarding this noisy chirping, and many have undergone their own experiences with these pests.
Bowie students bond over their shared disdain for the insects and rodents by sharing pictures and proof of their presence via social media. This impedes on the school’s ability to have an exemplary reputation, which the community strives for. Incoming students are aware of the issue because of our student body posting photos of crickets, bugs, and rodents. Additionally, many teachers have shared their input about how it affects their teaching and ability to get student’s attention by having to get rid of rodents, squishing bugs, and trying to keep students focused. Rats, like any other rodent, carry multiple diseases such as Hantavirus, LCMV, Tularemia, and Salmonella. Having such diseases in our school can create an unpalatable environment and can spread unneeded sickness around. Crickets can also carry E. coli and Salmonella. No students at Bowie ever want to experience or be exposed to these types of harmful diseases on a daily basis, but it is possible that if these pests continue to crowd our environ-
CURRENT STAFF AWARDS • NSPA Print Pacemaker Winner, 2023-24 • NSPA Print All-American, 4 Marks/Distinction, 2023-24 • JEA/NSPA Print 2nd Pace Best in Show, Fall National Convention Boston, 2023-24 • CSPA Hybrid Silver Crown, 3/3 All-Columbian, 2021-22 • SNO Distinguished Website 2023-24 • SIPA Print All-Southern, 2022-23 • SIPA Online Superior, 2022-23 • UIL/ILPC Print Gold Star, 2022-23 • UIL/ILPC Online Silver Star, 2022-23 • TAJE Fall Fiesta First Place Best in Show, 2022-23
provided with a weapon. According to the Texas Tribune, schools have already faced numerous struggles with positioning an armed officer on each campus with regards to covering salaries, and in some cases providing equipment or vehicles. With the reality of already underfunded public school systems, the possibility that a policy requiring teachers to be armed could actually be enforced is not likely. While some may think that arming teachers is the only solution that could make a difference within a realistic timeline, it fails to address the root of the issue. Even if an armed teacher were successfully able to de-escalate an active threat, other students would still be put through unnecessary trauma. Furthermore, it’s possible that multiple individuals would be harmed before anyone is notified and able to react to the threat. Therefore, this solution does nothing to combat the cause of this issue, the fact that firearms in the state of Texas are far too easily accessible. There needs to be policy change on a large scale in
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
ment, the stated illnesses can get closer to the surfaces students often come in contact with. Crickets are almost anywhere. They have been found especially in bathroom corners, stalls, and counters. These insects are often found jumping around in classrooms and squished in areas of a room. Many crickets have also been seen inside of ceiling lights because they are attracted to light. If pests are constantly jumping and making noises students won’t be able to pay attention to their classwork. This distracting environment could have an impact on a student's performance, and ability to focus. Rats can be even more damaging than crickets. They could enter through small holes in a corner or wall, and they are capable of destroying wires by chewing them. This could have a noticeable effect because the academic building on the Bowie campus has already experienced structural challenges. Additionally, chewing on specific electrical wires means they will no longer be functional, which could create significant obstacles considering that the Bowie community relies greatly on technology. These rodents could also leave urine and feces in the vents, causing unpleasant odors that students and staff must tolerate throughout the day. It is clear that the staff at Bowie aren’t necessarily focused on the rodent issue. Due to numerous unfortunate circumstances last month regarding an issue of school safety, Bowie isn’t solely focused on the problem of crickets and rats. However, the more we push aside this significant matter, the more students will notice and get worried. Students don’t want to share learning space with crickets and especially, not rats. Custodians at Bowie work hard to keep our environment clean but it is not their job to take care of dead crickets and messes from rats. Calling pest control could be a probable solution so that administration can overcome this out-ofcontrol problem. If pest control isn't an option, setting traps and spraying certain areas of the school would be another option to prevent the prevalence of crickets and rats on campus. Crickets and rats may not seem like an important problem right now, but if administration doesn’t prioritize necessary improvements around the school, it will progressively deteriorate overtime. The Bowie administration should take action against this issue promptly so that these pests don’t continue to impede on the community's school experience.
COMMENTARY 15
FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023 THE DISPATCH
Flipped classrooms obstruct learning
Students deal with increased workloads resulting from damaging classroom techniques
C l a s s
H
o
m
e
ART BY Layne Foxcroft
BULLDAWGS SPEAK! What is your biggest concern with the crickets and rats?
Syrell White Freshman
Marley Jensen Sophomore
Liz Luck Junior
“I think mainly, that insects and stuff lead to other insects and they get in places and cause disruptions and sickness.”
"
“Bowie is the type of place that people would just start getting sick and people would say ‘oh it’s not a big deal.’ but it really is.”
"
“One of my biggest concerns with the crickets is them getting in my bag, and carrying them around thats just so disgusting.”
“I don’t want to come to school it’s really uncomfortable, because I hate Iris Carpenter crickets. I don’t think there’s a Senior reason not to be
Vivi Lopez-Stern Commentary Editor bowie.journalism@gmail.com
PHOTOS BY Madeleine Travis
"
"
“To me, it feels like I’m coming face to face with the apocalypse, it’s the rats. And then it’s the locusts, I Megan Holden just feel it’s kind of Teacher biblical.”
"
Questions? Concerns? Email:
bowie.journalism@gmail.com
“No homework” is something students will always be relieved to hear when they walk into class on the first day of school. Their relief is shortlived when the teacher begins to explain what “no homework” really means for their classroom. The flipped classroom style is what some teachers now have in mind when they say no homework at the beginning of the year. This is a method of teaching that was designed in Colorado by high school chemistry teachers in 2006. This system is intended to give teachers the option of allowing students to do class activities and homework during the scheduled class time, and the students are expected to learn the material itself on their own time through video lectures. This method had likely risen in popularity due to school being more asynchronous during the 2020-2021 school year. This is because many students were participating in more self-paced lessons on Blend, whether they attended school online or in person. This style of learning made the workload easier for students to manage during the abnormal situation. Now that everyone’s back to in-person school this particular format of teaching is still being used because some teacher’s chose to carry it over from the
quarantine. This style of teaching isn’t overused, but when it is used, it’s more difficult to manage from a student’s perspective. Students are expected to learn the material on their own without the support of someone there to teach it to them and help if they’re struggling. This gives teachers more of an incentive to do hands-on activities in class, but at the cost of the student’s academic success. This learning style generally ends up with the teachers actually assigning homework on top of the notes you’re supposed to do on your own. The hands-on activities tend to take more time than the regular assignments this just means the students have to do the notes and the assignments on their own time. The students have to do most of the heavy workload on their own as well as learning the material themselves. Most academic activities that are done in class, are supposed to be beneficial so students see how the skills they’re learning would work in real-life situations. However, this doesn’t actually help with the work on paper they receive that doesn’t apply to the real world in the slightest. Some may argue that a flipped classroom helps students with their independent learning skills and makes it easier for students who miss class to catch up. This, in turn, is only beneficial to a small number of individuals. Most of the traditional work that’s as-
signed outside of class will have the same effect on students’ independent learning skills as having to learn the material and then practice it on their own time. This can be increasingly harmful to students because as they move into higher levels of education, they start seeing their instructors less and less. This means that students will have to take time out of their already busy schedules to discuss material that should’ve already been taught during class time. The flipped classroom work styles still tend to be ineffective for students who may not have adequate technological resources. Most flipped classrooms rely on videos to take notes and learn the material, but not all students have access to the internet or working technology that would allow them to access the curriculum. This also proves to be an issue for the teachers because of the lack of face-to-face contact they’ll get to share with their students. Generally, if teachers get to know their students, they see areas where they are struggling and ways they can help them improve. In this style of learning most class activities would be very hands-on and it will make it more difficult for the teachers to identify the areas where their students are struggling. Finally, the idea of a flipped classroom generally looks good on paper having students do many hands-on activities.
Students question the rationality of legacy status in admissions process Questions? Concerns? Email:
INTERVIEWS BY Madeleine Travis
Madeleine Travis Commentary Editor
Most high school students dream of this feeling; the uncontainable excitement that builds when they receive highly-anticipated college decision letters. Some students have waited their entire lives, and put in countless hours of hard work, to experience the rush of overwhelming joy when reading an acceptance letter from their dream school. But what if this stress-inducing, suspenseful situation isn’t universal? Well, some may be surprised to find out that not everyone needs to go through years of pressure and dedication to secure their spot in a reputable school. In fact, for some students, their biggest advantage over other applicants has nothing to do with persistence or intellect, but rather whether or not one of their parents attended the school. According to the Washington Post, some of the most highly-acclaimed colleges in the nation, including Duke, Vanderbilt, Harvard, and Yale offer so-called legacy preferences. This means that students whose parents have attended any of these prestigious schools, will receive extra consideration on their applications over students who have no previous ties to the school. The concept of legacy status during the college application process is completely unfair, and has significantly detrimental effects on the students it doesn’t benefit. At 18-yearsold, many students applying for college will complete this process more or less independently, some students don’t even have the privilege of being advised by a parent or sibling who’s already navigated college applications. Therefore, it’s unjust that a deciding factor in a student’s admission has anything to do with their parents. One reason why legacy consideration is unfair is that it gives students who have parent alumni an unjustified advantage over students who have put in hard work and dedication to be admitted to one of these reputable schools. During their high school years, many students put in hours of studying, participate in extracurriculars, and still may not be admitted into a school because neither of their parents attended it. Basing any part of the college admissions
process on a student’s parent takes the emphasis off a student’s capabilities and accomplishments, focusing more on the status that student inherits from their parents. Furthermore, legacy admissions often favor white, affluent students who are more likely to have a parent privileged enough to have attended the school first. While affirmative action was a system in place to increase opportunities for underrepresented communities and eliminate unlawful discrimination in the admissions process, according to NBC News, it was outlawed by the Supreme Court in June of 2023. The systemic racism deeply rooted in our society already puts people of color at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving equal opportunities in higher education. This inequality is perpetuated by the legacy admissions system as students of color, who are equally deserving of the opportunity to be accepted into one of these schools, may not be considered just because their parents didn’t have the resources to attend it before them. Finally, this concept upholds larger systems of inequality as it generally benefits white, wealthy students who will receive degrees from these reputable schools boosting their chances of being considered for lucrative careers in the real world. This pertains to students interested in career fields such as law, or STEM. According to information listed on the Harvard website, students accepted to Harvard will be provided with resources to aid them in applications for graduate school and fellowship programs. Ivy League schools like Harvard are set up with the intent of providing their students with plentiful resources and connections that increase their chances of achieving profitable careers in law, science, medicine, etc. Because of this, the conclusion can be drawn that the affluent students who benefit from legacy admissions will acquire advantages to receive well-paid jobs which may not be awarded to students of color who are not accepted because they don’t have legacy status, and therefore might attend a university with less bountiful resources. While some people may believe that legacy status doesn’t have much of an impact on the admissions process, an article by the CNN includes research from non-profit organization,
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
Education Reform Now, that concludes legacy applicants at Harvard University are two times as likely to be admitted as non-legacy applicants. Another article by the Washington Post includes information about the broader impact of this system, through a report from the Education Department, claiming that legacy status could impede the racial and socioeconomic diversity of a university. The verdict is plain and simple; legacy status on college applications is entirely unfair,
however, the solution may not be so easy to reach. While the Supreme Court has already deemed affirmative action unconstitutional, the United States Congress can still attempt to make efforts creating a more just admissions process. In order for equality to truly be reached in college decisions, legacy admissions should be outlawed, and federal law must be implemented to ensure that schools which participate in this discriminatory system to face appropriate consequences for their actions.
16 PHOTO ESSAY
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, NOV. 17, 2023
FALL into flavor with the culinary class
Students create cinnamon and pumpkin spice treats to purchase at seasonal bake sale Noah Bihan Photo Essay Editor The air is filled with the inviting aroma of freshly baked pumpkin spice bars, cinnamon-laced snickerdoodle cookies, and banana bread muffins, offering a comforting seasonal embrace to all who walk past the culinary kitchen. As culinary enthusiasts gathered, the Bowie courtyard resonated with the nostalgia and warmth of traditional, home-baked favorites. “I think the first bake sale has been quite successful,” senior Bodhi Rosen said. “People seemed to really enjoy the baked items we made today.” The pumpkin bars, in particular, stood out as crowd-pleasers. Their unique combination of ingredients added a touch of novelty to the baking process. “My favorite is definitely the pumpkin bars,” senior culinary student Lexi Lashinger said. “They taste really good, and they smell amazing.” While many culinary students have honed their baking skills in the classroom, it’s evident that for most, their passion extends beyond the school walls. Baking is a cherished hobby for many, providing a creative outlet for their rich and delicious aspirations. “It was a bit of a pickup hobby for me,” Lashinger said. “I started cooking about four years ago, but I quickly discovered my passion for baking, too.” This school year Bowie’s culinary program is under the guidance of a new chef, Rick Howard, and the program has undergone quite a few exciting changes. Instead of focusing on making as many products for bake sales as in previous years, the class now focuses on creating a realistic and professional kitchen environment. “Preparing for bake sales has been quite the experience with this year’s changes,” culinary co-president Will Louis said. “We put a lot more attention into all the recipes and we make a test batch about two days before the sale.” The Bowie culinary program will continue their frequent courtyard bake sales, featuring more delicious treats than in previous years. “Last year we would make 500 of one item,” Louis said. “Rather than making 100 of five items, like we do this year.” This year’s new culinary advisor, Chef Howard has expressed more active involvement in bake sales. Compared to previous culinary teachers, his teaching style has added a professional touch to the program, creating a dynamic and engaging environment where culinary exploration can thrive among talented bakers. “He was very involved with our first bake sale compared to our chef last year,” Louis said. “His guidance has been super beneficial and although the first years were sort of quickly thrown into it, they’ve been really good at learning and adapting to the whole new way of things.”
FILLING THE MUFFIN TRAY: In the loud, bustling culinary classroom, seniors Erin Cain and Bodhi Rosen collaborate in perfect harmony, working together to focus on creating fresh banana bread muffins for the hungry student body. Cain carefully scoops the banana muffin batter into a muffin tray, while Rosen holds the edges of the batter bowl, keeping it steady for the next scoop. “There was a lot of thought and care that went into the baking process,” Rosen said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood
OVEN BOUND: The smooth and creamy banana bread muffin batter is gently dropped into its tray, ready to be baked to perfection. The muffins were a fan favorite from the bake sale, selling out during both lunches. “Fluffy and sweet, perfect for a mid day treat,” senior Blane Vidotto said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood
WHAT’S ON THE MENU? ART BY Noah Bihan
Banana Bread Muffins
Creamy Pumpkin Coffee
Snickerdoodle Cookies READY TO LEARN: Juniors Jacob Galan, Breck Radloffe, and Layla Burns gather around Chef Howard, listening attentively to his instructions. They are learning the order of steps to take in order to perfectly prepare their muffin batter. “We’ve been putting a lot more attention into all the recipes this year,” Will Louis said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood
CREATING A LEGACY: Second year culinary student Erin Cain leads first year juniors Ava Stewart and Lily Flanigan, teaching them the precise amounts of muffin batter to place in the tray. This bake sale being the first of the year, several first year students were excited to experience their first bake sale ever. “Many first year students are excited for a chance to learn cooking skills in the classroom, and sell their creations outside of the culinary kitchen,” Lexi Lashinger said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood
FOCUSED ON FUNDS: Lexi Lashinger efficiently works the cash register, while Georgia Schmitt sells treats to a crowd of students. It’s a moment of culinary delight and camaraderie in action. “People really like the baking items we made for today,” Bodhi Rosen said. PHOTO BY Nick Wood