The Dispatch, Vol. 32, Issue #3, 12.13.19

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JUNIOR JEWELER Student creates trendy earrings with unique materials

MISGUIDED MACHISMO The perils of a culture centered around toxic masculinity

pg. 5

pg. 8

OK BOOMER How a phrase illustrates the disconnect between generations

pg. 14

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 13, 2019

Pride in Publishing

TAKE OFF: Colonel Joanne Macgregor and her crew take off after finishing their demonstration. The Texas Army National Guard performs demonstrations at high schools throughout Texas. PHOTO BY Peter Dang

Texas National Guard demonstrates aviation to JROTC and STEM classes The morning sun shines across the field, the skies are clear, the air cool and brisk. From the Northwest a US Army Black Hawk helicopter appears, the air is filled with the chopping sound from the blades as they cut through the air as the helicopter approaches. The helicopter

circles the field and then descends onto the practice football field, grass is blown in every direction. The demonstration started as an offer to the JROTC from Bowie parent Colonel Joanne Macgregor who pilots Black Hawk helicopters. After getting school and district approval, STEM classes were invited to join the event

HANDS ON: Chief Warrant Officer Billy Black shows senior Walter Esparza the helicopter flight controls. Black was a cadet in JROTC when he attended Bowie. PHOTO BY Peter Dang

as well. “I thought it was a great opportunity to come out and share a little bit about what the National Guard does for our communities and to educate,” Macgregor said. “It was also a great opportunity to talk to students about science and engineering in aviation, and to talk to the Air Force JROTC cadets about opportunities in the National Guard.” For Chief Warrant Officer Billy Black, coming back to his high school to demonstrate his job is special to him. Black is a maintenance test pilot and maintenance manager for the Texas Army National Guard. He manages the health of the helicopters and verifies the airworthiness of their aircraft to make sure they are ready whenever they are needed. “I went to Bowie from 1995 to 1999, I was in the Air Force Junior ROTC,” Black said. “To be able to give back to the school that provided so much for me has been wonderful.” Black recalls deciding what he wanted as a career after going to a demonstration similar to this one. “I was recruited as a junior in high school through the Texas Army National

Guard program just like this, but the JROTC took me out to see the helicopters and instead of bringing the helicopters to the students.” Black said. “My hope is that some of the students are maybe thinking about this as a career and if nothing else they know a little bit more about what we do for the state of Texas.” In addition to the crew that flew to Bowie in the helicopter. A swift water rescue swimmer from Texas Task Force 1 also came. He brought his rescue gear to demonstrate how he works with the National Guard and its helicopters in search and rescue missions such as in flooding situations. “I liked the rescue swimmer from Task Force 1,” senior Derek Perez said. “It was really interesting when he was explaining how he connects people to the helicopter when rescuing them. It was really neat.” Students had many questions to ask the helicopter crew. Students were curious about the mechanics of the helicopter and the materials it is built of. Many had questions about what different buttons, switches and controls did when they sat in the cockpit.

“We had some really curious folks which I loved, they wanted to know everything about the helicopter,” Macgregor said. “I was very impressed with the level of their questions the students asked, they were very advanced.” After cadets were done with their tour of the helicopter, Macgregor asked cadets how many of them were interested in ROTC in college or in serving in the armed forces. Almost every cadet raised their hand. “I have already considered the military because they will pay for college,” sophomore Liana Tidwell said. “The National Guard is interesting because I like doing more local things.” For cadets, this is will not be the last time that they will get to spend time with the crew and around the helicopter this school year. “We are planning on giving cadets a ride in a helicopter in the spring because they are enrolled in ROTC they're allowed to fly in the back of a helicopter,” Macgregor said. “For cadets interested in aviation, they can get a sample of what it's like to fly a helicopter to see if that's something they want to further explore.”

Security improvements made in the past year Peter Dang Editor-in-Chief

One year after the school was vandalized by a delinquent who threw rocks and other items at windows and doors, security improvements have been made to the campus. These changes were made in response to the vandalism. Other security changes were made in response to safety concerns like “In terms of security enhancements, a lot of them have been in response to preventing school shootings and other tragic events like that,” principal Mark Robinson said. “Not necessarily what happened last December, which was more like a random act of vandalism.” After the vandalism happened, the Bowie PTSA worked with the administration to raise money for additional school security improvements beyond improvements allotted by the district. Money was raised through the yearly Build Up Bowie initiative. “Build Up Bowie is an annual project

INDEX

News 1 , 2, 3 Reviews 13

where the PTSA raises money for something tangible, we work with the administration in deciding what the project will be,” Bowie PTSA president Ashley Vavasour said. “In previous years we have raised money for water bottle refill stations and modernized the library.” Money raised from the project has mostly gone towards upgrading the video surveillance system around the school. “There have been additional cameras that were installed in some areas where there used to be blind spots,” Robinson said. “Cameras were very helpful in catching the perpetrator of the vandalism because the community was able to identify that individual with released photos and videos.” Other security changes have included oneway window tinting that only allows people inside the school to view what is outside the school but people outside of the school can not see inside the school. The tint is applied at exterior exit doors around the school.

READ MORE “Security” pg. 2

Feature 4, 5 In-Depth 6, 8, 9

EXIT ONLY: The exterior doors of the school have window tinting and stickers applied. The purpose of the tint is to not let people outside of the school see inside. PHOTO BY Peter Dang

Photo Essay 7, 16 Sports 10, 11

Dec. 20-Jan. 7 Winter Break Jan. 8 Classes Resume Jan. 20 MLK Holiday Jan. 30 Late Start

Vol. 32, Issue 3 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane Austin TX, 78749

Army Black Hawk touches down

Peter Dang Editor-in-Chief

coming UP

Entertainment 12 Commentary 14, 15

Behind the Fence

Tower crane proves usefulness Behind the fence that separates the old parts of Bowie and the new parts of Bowie, lots of work has been completed in the past semester. Construction has moved from the first floor of the garage to the second floor. “Since the school year has started, lots of work has been done,” principal Mark Robinson said. “It is amazing to see how much work has been done in this time.” Crews started pouring the first floor concrete slab at the end of November. The slab was poured in multiple sections due to the size of the slab. Crews started assembling concrete shores on top of the slab after the slab had cured enough to work on. Shores are vertical supports used to support the form work for the second floor. “Now that we are finishing up the first floor, we are starting on the second floor,” project engineer Jack Whaley said. “It’s exciting to start building up.” After the tower crane was constructed, crews have utilized the crane to work efficiently. The crews have set forms, moved concrete buckets, and moved materials with the crane. “The crane has been one of our biggest time savers,” Whaley said. “Now that we are working on the second floor, the crane is even more useful because the forklifts can only reach so far.” For students and staff on campus, some may have never seen a tower crane so closely like the tower crane on campus. “I have never seen a tower crane up so closely,” senior Connor Malone said. “It spins around really quickly for such a large structure.” Riggers who attach materials and forms use radio transceivers to communicate with the crane operator. Only certified riggers are allowed to work with the crane. Riggers have a sticker on their hard hats so that the crane operator can locate riggers from the cab of the crane. “The riggers take extra precautions to ensure safety when moving objects with the crane,” Whaley said. “The crane also has sensors to make sure loads are managed properly." Work on the second floor has been started and considerable progress will be made over the winter break. Rain and precipitation has caused some delays in scheduling but crews have been busy catching up to stay on schedule. "We plan accordingly for weather, we sometimes have to pick up days on Saturdays and find ways to kind of improve our process," Whaley said. "We are on schedule to finish next summer." STORY BY Peter

Dang

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