The Dispatch, Vol. 34, Issue #3, 12/10/21

Holiday season brings kindness on campus through the 'KIND' hands poster

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Senior Cash Peters works with Nike as a model for their products

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THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

STARLIGHT THEATER CHILDREN SHOWS Theater performs children shows at local elementary schools

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Bowie students share their opinions on

SCHOOL SAFETY INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY

Arushi Sharma

Arushi Sharma Editor-in-Chief It started off as a normal Friday with the 9:05 am bell.

Thirty minutes later, sophomore Martin Piorkowski’s substitute teacher was singing loudly to the song Toxic by Britney Spears on a karaoke machine.

This wasn’t what he expected in his Spanish 2 class first period.

“Once we got in the classroom, after waiting for our substitute teacher who showed up late, he started telling everyone about how he had been kicked out of Utah and California school districts, trying to make everyone laugh,” Piorkowski said. “After that he started telling everyone to invite our friends to the classroom to watch the karaoke show, and then he started singing really loudly.”

Known as the @therealchillsub on both Instagram and TikTok with over a thousand followers on Instagram, he has been posing as a substitute teacher and posting karaoke singing videos in classrooms on his social media.

On Friday, Dec. 3, the teacher was hired to substitute Tatiana Chavez’s Spanish classes.

“The fact that he brought a karaoke machine onto campus and wasn’t questioned is concerning,” parent Kimberly Skeene said. “So either he was ignored and no one ever noticed the machine or they saw it and didn’t bother to ask questions.

Both of those scenarios raise concerns. What if it had been a gun case? A bomb? It raises questions about the check-in procedures for teachers, especially

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Zaid Daud Senior

At Bowie, the gate in the back of the school and the main entrance door is always open and there’s not always security guards on the doors, so that makes me feel unsafe since anyone can come in.

Also there’s not a lot of cameras that are around the school.

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Luci Wilkinson Sophomore

I think that if someone wanted to come on campus they could with ease, since it's pretty open for the most part. However, I feel like Bowie is in a good area so I don't think that it would happen.

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Leaks leave learning lacking Claire Scott Dispatch Reporter

ing so I did not go to the bathroom for the entire school day because I didn’t want to walk to the athletic building,” sophomore Lauren Riegler. “I Hallways filled with the sound of student didn’t hear it was as big of a problem as it was, I voices as they started leaving their classes before personally think that the staff was trying to keep any bells rang on Nov. 1, 2021. the low end so students didn’t just up and leave.”

That day the school learned there was a major Students were not the only ones impacted water leak that required by the water leak them to shut off water events. All staff, to the school. This led including teachers, to the closure of nearly Having all the water leaks really were also affected every bathroom on as there were many messed up a lot of teachers in campus, and no running students who left water in the academic terms of planning and the way we early, and teachers building. were also only able were set up to do things.

In response, students to access specific were allowed to leave bathrooms. Some are Kiersten Berton school for the day, with still dealing with the World History Teacher an excused absence. By lost teaching time the end of the day, most from those three classes were empty, as days.. students left campus for safety reason.

“I think that having the water leak really But Nov. 1 was just the start of the problems messed up a lot of teachers in terms of our planin terms of the water leak. The following day ning and the way we were set up to do things,” saw the same problems with additional leaks. world history teacher Kiersten Berton said. “BeAnd a week later, another day was disrupted by cause of the water leak, I know that I have one a different water leak issue. There was a fourth class that is extremely behind because I couldn’t issue that impacted the baseball fields which teach them for three days because of the water were flooded. situation.”

“I did hear that the bathrooms weren’t workREAD MORE “Water Leaks”pg. 2

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for substitute teachers.”

While the substitute teacher didn’t have a formal AISD badge, he was checked in and was processed through the Raptor system, and was AISD approved. Once the administration learned of @therealchillsub’s actions on campus, he was escorted off the Bowie campus, and hours later posted from the Austin High School campus.

“What students need to hear that ultimately safety and security is everyone's responsibility, because it depends on all of us,” principal Mark Robinson said. “It's important for students and staff to follow three rules whenever they're on campus: see something, say something, always wear your ID so we know who you are and don't leave doors propped open.”

After hearing about this intrusion, an anonymous source shared that this wasn’t the first time that they have heard of someone being on campus that wasn’t supposed to be. They explained that there is a girl who visits Bowie each week who doesn’t even go here and hasn’t been caught.

“Even though I’ve met her a couple of times and she’s non-threatening, the idea that someone that's not supposed to be here and is allowed to walk around for the majority of the day is concerning,” the anonymous source said.

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, just three days before the substitute teacher incident, a student brought a 9-mm rifle to Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. Around noon, the student opened fire in a classroom killing four students and injuring eight after firing over 15 rounds of ammunition.

“In light of everything this week from what happened in Michigan, to the lock down at Akins High School, it seems almost unreal that there was an unknown intruder who was an adult in a classroom full of students,” senior Sarah Yoo said. “It makes me question who I see on campus now, adult or student, and what weapons or harmful items they might carry.”

What has been classified as the ‘epidemic of gun violence', school shootings have heavily increased, despite the COVID-19 pandemic inter-

December 13 End of Second Nine Weeks December 18January 4 Winter Break January 5 Classes Resume

Vol. 34, Issue 3 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749

Pride in Publishing

THE DOOR IS ALWAYS

BULLDAWGS SPEAK OUT

INDEX:

SENIOR MODELS FOR NIKE

PHOTO BY Angela Le

PHOTO BY Arushi

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BE THE 'I' IN KIND INITIATIVE

coming UP

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rupting the trend line, with 29 school shootings resulting in injury and death in 2021.

“I've always had a lot of anxiety about being caught up in a school shooting,” senior Digby Matthews said. “Especially before COVID-19 when there were a lot of school shootings, it was really hard to focus most of the time in class because I was afraid of Bowie being shot up by an intruder.”

Matthews isn’t alone in his fear of a school shooting occurring at Bowie. With the recent incident of the substitute teacher, rumors about other students coming on campus freely, and the recent Oxford shooting, this feeling has echoed among other students as well.

“Being on an open campus, it does make me feel more unsafe as there are many ways a person can get on campus,” sophomore Matthew Pogonat-Walters said.

“The various unlocked doors and how it’s extremely easy it is for anyone to get in and out is extremely unsettling.”

A recent study conducted

by Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun-control advocacy group that uses news reports to track gunshots being fired on or into school property, recorded 138 of these gunshots on school property in 2021 alone, all in the United States.

“In America, especially Texas it seems like gun violence is more prevalent as other places they have measures in place to prevent events like this,” Pogonat-Walters said. “Especially since it’s possible to implement these regulations, so I think it’s bad that we don’t have them in place as it can prevent something harmful from happening.”

Compared to other countries, America which has less than 5% of the world’s population, has 46% of the world’s civilian-owned guns. Moreover, America also has the highest homicide-by-firearm rate of the world’s most-developed nation.

“With everything going on, it makes it difficult to feel safe on campus because nobody knows or can predict what can happen,especially on such a large campus,” Matthews said. “While we’re in a safe area, there is still this constant overwhelming fear that someone is here on campus that’s not supposed to be.”

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AISD Proposes a New Block Schedule for next year Corinne Piorkowski and Arushi Sharma Editors-in-Chief A choice sheet.

A list of possible classes from Algebra 2 to the Introduction to Journalism.

A chance to broaden the high school learning experience and fall in love with a career path or class. One that can determine the adventures that an individual may go through throughout high school.

The eight-period block schedule allows for 32 credits over a four-year period for students to choose from and take. With budget cuts looming, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde has proposed a change to the current bell schedule for the 2022-23 school year and beyond.

The proposed plan would change the current eight-period block schedule to a seven-period one, where instead of switching off of A and B days, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays would be seven periods, each 54 minutes long. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, there would be an A and B day, Wednesday with three periods, 98 minutes each with an early release to give teachers an hour for planning, and Thursday with four periods, 98 minutes each.

“My initial reaction was that the schedule would not work at all for special programs such as CTE, ACC classes, ON RAMPS, etc due to

Reviews 13 Opinions 14, 15 Photo Essay 6, 16

the uneven M/W and T/Th schedule,” parent and teacher Ginger Davis Jarosek said. “Then I realized that it would also reduce the number of elective classes a student could take.”

While the Board of Trustees will vote on calendar changes at their December board meeting, the decision to alter the daily schedules lies directly with Elizalde and her immediate staff, according to members of the Board. Superintendent Elizalde ultimately has the power to decide on the block schedule change without the consent of the board of trustees, according to multiple AISD Board members, including District 5 trustee Lynn Boswell.

“This is an administrative decision, not a board vote, since it deals with the day-to-day operation of schools, so any feedback that needs to be shared should go to Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde who will be making the decision with her team and to the AISD board who can voice their opinions on behalf of the community in ways that are informed by the experience of students, families, and educators,” trustee Boswell said in a post to the Facebook group.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT thedispatchonline.net

FIND US AT @jbhs_dispatch

2 NEWS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

BE KIND

Culinary bakes Students spread positivity with loving wedding cakes written messages Lily Bourgeois Dispatch Reporter

BEING THE "I" IN KIND: Senior Natalie Munoz, junior Ben Merriman, sophomore Brett Rice, and junior Mia McPike pose in front of the kindness poster outside of A hall. The poster features hand-shaped cutouts with encouraging messages on them. PHOTOS BY Arushi Sharma

Well-loved display celebrates its fourth anniversary Kate Davis Dispatch Reporter

Approaching B Hall, on her way to her life skills class, teacher Brittany Norton hears the first insensitive comment of the day.

She sees other Bowie students listening.

She wishes they would say something.

She wishes they would tell the perpetrator to knock it off.

She wishes that other students would comfort the person getting hurt.

She wishes people would BE KIND. Four years ago, in 2017, Norton, a Special Education teacher decided to bring the ‘Be the I in KIND’ project to campus after seeing it all over social media, and the response was indisputably positive.

"We tried it out for one year," Norton said. "Ever since then they've asked us every year to do it again. It's a great way for people to remember to just be kind, especially in a world with everything going on right now."

Norton's students were enthusiastic about the project, excited at the opportunity to tackle any bullying issues they or others may face at school and help inspire others to make a positive change.

"Our students love to be advocates for each other and they want to make sure their voices are heard," Norton said. "We talked about how important kindness is and how just a small act of kindness can go a long way for everyone."

The project includes a large poster, located outside of A hall, filled with student hand prints, and a spot for people to take photos. Norton conveyed her hope that the project encourages everyone to continue to be compassionate towards other students and themselves.

"I hope that it gives people the courage to stand up and speak for themselves if they are being bullied," Norton said. "And I hope that anybody who may be bullying themselves, it's a friendly reminder to just be kind."

Norton stressed the importance of positivity for the future, and urged young people to join the fight for kindness.

"This affects us now and the future.

We're all about trends so why not be the positive trend," Norton said. "Why not have a positive future and bright future for everyone rather than continuing to make it a negative environment."

Aside from the positivity that can come from this initiative, being kind can have positive health impacts as well. According to Dr. David R. Hamilton, acts of kindness create emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. This hormone reduces blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.

"The hands that are put on there are such a wonderful reminder of all the positivity that does exist," senior Natalie Munoz said. "You never know if you need that other reminder."

Norton explained how any students or

faculty can contribute to the project by taking a picture in front of the poster and post it with the hashtag #BowieKind. She emphasizes the hope to spread awareness and put it over different social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok. “I really love the idea of the Bowie KIND initiative because it spreads kindness throughout campus, which is something that we all need,” senior Zoya Faisal said.

“Especially through everything that’s going on in this world, it’s so important to spread love and kindness to everyone because you never know what the other person is going through. I'm excited to see the posts on the hashtag.”

Norton emphasized that there are other ways for young individuals and adults to address injustices in their schools and neighborhoods, all starting with one person.

"Once one person speaks up it's like a domino effect," Norton said. "I'm hoping that if one person has the courage to put an end to all the injustice that's happening, then more people will want to help as well."

Norton wants this project, just like the past four years, continues to impact students and faculty in a positive way, encouraging kindness and respect among the community.

"I hope that it helps, even if it's just one person," Norton said. "If people haven't already, I would definitely say please go look at all the hard work they put in."

One wrong measurement and the whole thing is ruined, all of the delicate work wiped away in one simple move.

It's about teamwork and collaboration.

The Bowie Culinary department recently wrapped up another successful project.

Students in the culinary department were challenged with creating wedding cakes from scratch and had just one week of planning and five days for execution. The project was student-led with just a few parameters they had to meet.

“There were about four or five students in each group and they got to have complete creative freedom for their wedding cakes. They had to choose the flavors, the fillings, the icing and it just had to be three tiers tall. That was the only parameter I told them,” culinary teacher Kathryn Bugni said. “Then they had a bunch of resources so they could watch wedding cake videos, icing videos and they kind of just took it and ran with it and it was really fun to see what they came up with.”

The wedding cake challenge evolved on a larger scale from gingerbread making in years past. Chef Bugni has worked hard to bring her own ideas and curriculum to an already successful program.

“The heart behind it was that my wedding was coming up. I had a COVID wedding last year and so this year I got to do it all over again, big, and so that's what inspired it,” Bugni said. “Then the winner of the wedding cake competition had their cake displayed at my rehearsal dinner.”

There were many things the culinary students could look forward to in their wedding cakes based on all of the freedom they were granted.

“I personally had never made anything that big, not even just scale but just like that big in general,” senior Ana Diaz said. “We had access to a full kitchen and things to decorate it with like different icings and other toppings that we could add. It was really fun how we all got to brainstorm what we wanted and also were able to tell her what we needed to buy. We had open range for whatever we wanted to do.”

Baking in general has to be extremely precise with little room for error. Baking wedding cakes has its unique difficulties that students had to work around and adjust accordingly.

“The challenge with my group was actually the cake itself,” senior Emma Graham said. “Baking the cakes and having to stay after school

THREE, TWO, ONE BAKE: Culinary students bake three layer wedding cakes during class.

After they were completed, chef Bugni voted to have at her wedding cake rehearsal. PHOTO

BY Rachel Maddox

or after class actually just to make sure our cakes would be okay. Getting them out of the oven and into the cooler and making sure they are cooked and the whole process is just smooth.”

At the very start of the wedding cake process, students hit a road block when Bowie experienced all of the water leaks. That caused an overall angst and anxiety throughout the rest of the process.

“We lost so many days from the water thing. Coming to school the next day, I was like there’s no way we are still doing this, it's definitely going to get canceled,” Diaz said. “But then when chef told us it was still happening and we had like two and a half days to put it together, it was crazy because we all hadn't seen each other so it was really scary.”

The winning cake of the wedding cake project that was displayed at Chef Bugni’s wedding rehearsal dinner was an espresso chocolate cake with dried orange slices made by culinary students. However, for the taste section of the project the winning cake was a blackberry mojito cake. Bugni shares her feelings about the overall experience.

“It was so fun, it was a little more chaotic than I expected and it was a great reminder that baking is tough, it's a very exact process,” Bugni said.

“With cooking you can tweak things here and there, you can problem solve you know, you can check the timing you can fudge those little bit but with baking its very precise and when your doing that amount of baking it's just very chaotic but it was so fun we laughed a lot, we smiled a lot and I just love my students and we had a great week.”

Water leak sparks bond conversations

ART COURTESY OF Raven Kemensei

CONTINUED from pg. 1 Once the news broke to parents about the water leak situation, there were various responses that were made about the situation. Some parents made posts to Facebook Groups updating others with what they heard and knew about the situation. Others called the front office, hoping for an update from the administration, while others just picked up their students.

“Well the students obviously missed a lot of learning time which I know caused a lot of confusion,” parent Susan Riegler said. “It was very frustrating, as a parent. I was mainly frustrated with the staff because if there was something they could have done to fix the water leak ahead of time that would have made the situation less chaotic.”

With the creation of a new athletics and fine art building, plus parking garage, several parents expressed concerns about why previous bond money didn't take care these problems.

“Bowie was built in 1987 and because of its size there are miles and miles of old pipes beneath the buildings and in these systems circulate cold water, hot water, drinkable water, and wastewater,” AISD Chief of Operations Matias Se-

gura said. “Now to replace the pipes you have to go beneath the buildings or you have to dig up. We can’t really do that while schools are in session. If we did it with school in session we wouldn’t be able to have classes, so we have to do it in the summer time, and that's a very short time to do any work."

When the bond was passed on Nov. 7, 2017, 72% of Austin voters passed on the bond to focus on updating the learning spaces for AISD students in over 15 schools. Some of the key projects in the bond included constructing new or modernized campus facilities, improving facilities to address overcrowding, and district wide improvements to technology for teachers and students and transportation.

“The bond money has it written into law that this money can be used for this specific project and so the money is spent for the new buildings that was decided on four years ago," Berton said. "Would it be really cool that we could take some of that money and use it on the academic building’s plumbing? Yeah, but we can't.”

A bond is created when a school district asks the community to support the school system with additional taxes.

The most recent bond included

the construction of the athletic facility and fine art building on the Bowie campus.

“Bowie should invest in bathrooms and weatherproofing the whole building because of increased weather volatility due to climate change,” senior Caroline Rasmussen said. “The only thing to add is that Biden’s infrastructure bill might help the problem.”

One of the main problems with the water system came from the winter freeze in February. Since that time, the system's pipes have been weakening and may continue to cause problems.

“The district took on about $16 million dollars in water breaks, water damage, and damage to the boilers, especially after the February freeze last year,” Segura said. “This includes the HVAC units going down because water expands and it freezes and destroys the system inside it.”

Although it is nearly impossible for schools to do big projects without a bond, there are often questions and misunderstandings about how an AISD bond truly works, especially how a bond is created in correspondence to a school and their needs.

“The bond is really a mechanism that allows institutions to give us money and that we pay

them back over time,” Segura said. “Think about a credit card or a loan to buy a house.

We take this opportunity and money to go and make these improvements."

While bonds help fund projects for schools throughout the entire district, the process to plan, vote, fund, execute, and follow through takes time.

In the past, aside from 2017, there have been bond projects in 2013, 2008, and 2004.

"We always want to be proactive and plan, but sometimes things happen and we have to respond to it," principal Mark Robinson said. "We try to do that and communicate that out."

Currently, the AISD staff is in the process of finding solutions to not just Bowie’s system issues but also other schools as well. Segura emphasized that the portable restrooms and water bottles were the fastest way to fix the problem with the pipes in a short period of time.

“There had been a lot of repairs that we've done to fix the symptoms that were affecting the leaks from the past month,” Robinson said.

"We're hopeful that we'll be able to continue to maintain a consistent water supply and not have to experience the water leak again."

POLITICS 3

FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

New COVID-19 pill enhances vaccine

First COVID-19 case reported in the U.S.

December 14, 2020

The Pfizer Vaccine becomes FDA authorized and is made available to the public

May 28, 2020

Pfizer begins to seek approval for new vaccine "pills"

May 10, 2021

FDA authorizes COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12-15

February 1, 2021

ART BY Isabella del Nido

COVID-19 Death Toll surpasses 100,000

January 20, 2020

More Americans are now vaccinated than there are infected with COVID-19

November 16, 2021

FDA releases new vaccination solutions in order to help close out the lengthy pandemic Carey Wooley Politics Editor After months of parents anxiously waiting to see if their elementary school aged children could get vaccinated, the time finally came.

The FDA released a statement that children aged five to eleven are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

At the end of October the age limit for the vaccine was extended and talk of approval for a new type of pill for those infected with COVID-19 started. The Merck COVID pill was FDA approved and recommended for immediate use by the FDA. “Whoever is eligible should get vaccinated as soon as possible. It is the best way to prevent the spread of the disease and protect yourself and loved ones,” AP Government teacher Dalton pool said. “It is good to see

the FDA and CDC have done their due diligence and adequately tested the vaccine at the various age levels before determining it to be safe and effective.”

According to junior Nadia Petru, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as her younger brother was finally able to get the long awaited vaccine. Petru stated that she hopes everyone that can get the vaccine does, as it is the most effective way to end this pandemic.

“Overall I think it would be so much easier if people could get the vaccine when it is available and they are able to get it,” Petru said. “The COVID pills could also be effective, but overall the vaccine can help reduce cases by a lot.”

According to the FDA, the Pfizer vaccine is 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 for 5-11 year olds. For this age group, the FDA did

intensive testing of it’s effectiveness and compared those findings to other age groups like those between 16 and 25.

“I think the expansion of the COVID-19 vaccine is amazing,” senior Caroline Rasmussen said.

“The vaccine appears to be the best tool scientists have for mitigating the pandemic and curbing new variants from mutating.”

Having this new age group being eligible for vaccination is encouraging as five to eleven year olds make up 39% of COVID cases among those younger than 18. Having this age group being on the road to vaccines will help reduce cases and concerns over kids returning to school in person.

“It is way too early to know much, but I seriously doubt the pill will curb the spread of COVID-19,” Pool said. “As far as I know it is just seen

as a potential treatment for COVID. The best hope is that new treatments, including pills, lower hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19.”

This pill will be given to patients currently with a positive test result for COVID-19 to help reduce their symptoms and help reduce their overall reaction to the virus. The FDA is encouraging its immediate use and backing up its effectiveness to be used by doctors.

“It is way too early to know much, but I seriously doubt the pill will curb the spread of COVID-19,” Pool said.

“As far as I know it is just seen as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

The best hope is that new treatments, including pills, lower hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19.”

The new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has caused a rise in cases in many other countries so concerns have also risen around

Austin's own in Texas congressional race

people. But with Republican leadership at the state capital, we continue to see corporate interest prevail over working people. ” In November of this year, Austin voters rejected Prop A, a proposition put forth by the Political Action Community (PAC) Save Austin Now, to expand the budget of the Austin Police Department. Although Casar is accepting donations, he stated that he will rejecting corporate PAC money, as well as the money from donors of the Save Austin Now PAC. “I will fight for Medicare for All, good jobs, and affordable housing for working people and not corporate interests,” Casar said in his campaign video.

Many progressive Democrats are in support of Casar’s campaign, as they feel he has done numerous things for underrepresented communities; for instance, he voted for a recently pass law that raised the minimum wage of City of Austin employees, expanded abortion access, as well as acted as an ally to undocumented immigrants.

“I think it’s good to have balance,” Sur said.

“Texans are mostly Republican, so [if he’s elected] we’ll get opinions from both sides, and we can make choices that reflect what everyone needs.”

Because electing certain people into office has the potential to have a large impact on students and their surroundings, many teachers believe it’s important for students to vote in elections such as this one.

“It’s everybody’s obligation to vote when there’s an election,” Narvaiz said. “When you turn 18, you should register to vote. You need to know what’s going on with our government.

Voting is a lifelong obligation that all students should be devoted to participating in."

PHOTO COURTESY OF Greg Casar for Congress Campaign

Texans deserve more reproductive rights.

They deserve good jobs, affordable housing, and medicare for all. They deserve a strong democracy and a better Texas. These are democratic Austin City Council member Gregorio Casar’s beliefs, and he plans to make these changes by running for the Texas Congress.

Casar is currently serving his third term as an Austin City Council member, where he’s done work to defend abortion rights, expand shelters for survivors of family violence, and stop immigrant families from being separated. He’s also brought new investments into his district’s parks, infrastructure, and transportation systems.

“He’s progressive, and that’s bad for his campaign because Texas is mostly Republican,” sophomore Kate Sur said. “However, the areas of Austin and Travis county are pretty democratic, so he might gain popularity there.”

Casar is running to represent Texas’ 35th Congressional District (TX35), which covers the area from East Austin to San Antonio, containing four counties: Bexar, Comal, Hays, and Travis.

He’ll be competing against U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett and State Representative Eduardo Rodriguez in the Democratic primary, which is scheduled for March of 2022.

“The fact that he’s on City Council has shown that he can win an election,” government teacher Ruth Narvaiz said. “As a member of Congress, his constituency, the people he represents, are going to be a lot broader because those barriers go outside of Austin, where his progressive ideas aren’t quite as popular. That may make things more difficult for him.”

The congressman currently holding the

seat for TX-35 is democrat Lloyd Doggett, who has been described as “middle-of-the-road," according to his biography on BallotPedia, meaning he doesn’t lean far left or far right.

By electing Casar, the communities under his jurisdiction would be represented in a more liberal light, due to Casar's public liberal beliefs.

“He’s running for the seat that Lloyd Doggett sits in, which means he doesn’t have a chance to get elected,” Narvaiz said. “[Doggett] has been in office for a long time so people recognize his name. Typically, what gets someone elected is name recognition.”

Doggett's job is to oversee and decide on the city budget, local taxes, amendment of laws, and creation of ordinances and provinces. As a congressman, he would represent district TX-35 residents and serve on state committees.

“Their primary job is to make laws,” Narvaiz said. “They make laws and represent us in Congress, and because they’re our representatives, they should be voting the way that we would like them to. They should vote in a way that’s going to be beneficial for us and represent us.”

As he stated in his campaign video, his goals are to make living in Texas cheaper and based upon equality. He’s also suggested that he wants to undo many of the decisions made by Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Some of the changes Casar would like to make concern Abbott's laws about abortion and discrimination against LGBTQ+ students.

“In the richest country in the world, we should be able to provide everyone a decent life,” Casar said in an interview conducted by the Texas Signal. “In an area that’s growing as quickly as our neighborhoods, we should be able to make sure that growth benefits everyday

MEET GREG CASAR

QUICK FACTS ABOUT CASAR:

1. He is the youngest person to ever be elected to the Austin City Council

is one of the leading 2. He investors in Austin

Infrastructure including parks and transportation

ART BY Isabella del Nido

Mazzy Warren Dispatch Reporter

how it will affect cases in the United States. Although this new variant is concerning, the CDC and FDA are looking into the effectiveness of the current vaccines against Omicron and have assured citizens that the current guidelines in place are very effective in protecting individuals against COVID-19 in general and this specific variant.

“I think normal will be redefined.

Much like things never completely went back to "normal" after 9/11, we will never completely return to life as it was in 2019,” Pool said. “Instead, we will settle on a new normal that is more conscious of deadly disease and its potential to spread throughout societies. The new variant will keep COVID in the front of our minds longer than if it didn't develop, but COVID will be in the back of our minds for generations to come. It is part of the human experience now.”

worked closely 3. Casar with Planned Parenthood to prevent clinic closures in Austin

BULLDAWGS SPEAK OUT Do you think the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over?

INTERVIEWS BY Emily Loewe PHOTOS BY Nick Wood

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Yes, because people are still getting the virus and are still in danger of it, even if some people have stopped wearing masks.

Andrea Gonzalez Senior

Hannah Wood Freshman

Yeah definitely. It’s still a thing and I think people should continue to be cautious of it and their surroundings because people are dying and it’s still relevant.

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Yes, I feel like people are definitely acting like the pandemic is no longer a thing but it is and it’s still really dangerous and keeps spreading if people don’t wear their masks.

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Caitlyn Griande Freshman

Olivia Ray Senior

I think that even though our numbers are lower, it'll never really go away especially with new variants but we'll learn how to live with it and it'll fade over time.

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4 FEATURES

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

Dharwadker uses heart condition to inspire creation Sammie Thompson Managing Editor

emitted throughout it are not working properly.

Arrhythmia can often be treated with medicine. In order to determine how to treat a specific case of arrhythmia, a tool called an electrocardiogram (ECG) can be used to measure the exact electrical activity of the heart.

“I can’t always feel the irregularity but when it’s more severe I can,” Dharwadker said.

“I want to know how often it’s happening and when I need to up my medication and stuff like that.”

At the beginning of the school year, Dharwadker took matters into his own hands.

He decided to create a

Sitting in the room of a doctor’s office under the bright white LED lights, junior Rohan Dharwadker couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Dharwadker had just been diagnosed with an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which means that as his heart beats, the electrical currents that are

WHAT COMPONENTS MAKE UP THE MINI ECG?

Mini electrocardiogram device - measures the rhythm of the heartbeat and stores the data to transfer it to a computer

Lead wires - attaches the mini ECG to the electrodes

Electrodes - attach to the skin and carry electrical signals from the heart to the device ART BY Sammie Thompson

3D-printed mini-ECG device in his independent study computer science class that could record his heart’s rhythm and send the data to software on a computer for him to look at.

“The device is kind of like what you see in hospitals with the graphs and stuff,” Dharwadker said. “I did a lot of research on which components I needed to use, but it was a big challenge to get ones that will make it smaller but still as effective.”

The independent study computer science class is a course in which students like Dharwadker can work together to build creative projects without the barriers of a curriculum.

“In the independent study class, I see myself as a facilitator and the students are the teachers, providing constructive feedback and useful resources to their classmates,” computer science teacher Kris Maniscalco said. “Our goal is to build a community of learners with a passion for computer science that can support and encourage each other to continually expand their knowledge and understanding of various computer science concepts.”

This community has proven to be helpful for Dharwadker, as he has faced several challenges while going through the process of creating the device.

“Soldering all of these components [in the device itself] together was tricky because the size is really small,” Dharwadker said. “As I’m putting more stuff in, the old stuff would break.”

Dharwadker emphasizes that he couldn’t have made the mini ECG without the support and constructive criticism from his peers or the tools provided to him from Maniscalco.

“I had a few inputs from classmates,” Dharwadker said.

“My teacher was definitely really helpful. She gave me some resources like access to soldering equipment, which I have, but it’s

COLLECTING IMPORTANT DATA: Junior Rohan Dharwadker plugs his 3D printed mini electrocardiogram device into his computer. Dharwadker was diagnosed last February with an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and made the device so he could know the exact electrical activity of his heart at a given moment. PHOTO BY Sammie Thompson

nice to have it at school too.”

While he only received a diagnosis last February, Dharwadker’s condition is caused by a genetic mutation that he has likely had his whole life. He believes that his creation could help others know early if they have a heart condition, and if so, how severe it is.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death so it’s helpful to know your heart’s rhythm because a lot of times you won’t be able to tell if it’s dormant or it’s so small that you won’t be able to feel it or know that something’s wrong,” Dharwadker said. “If I hadn’t been diagnosed, I wouldn’t have known something is wrong, I would’ve assumed that that’s what the

normal is.”

Junior Gavin Letulle sits next to Dharwadker in the independent study class and has felt inspired watching him create his device.

“Sitting next to Rohan has been nice because it’s cool looking over to see what he’s working on every now and then,” Letulle said. “We help each other with homework and most of the time we just work on our own independent projects while listening to music.”

Letulle appreciates the freedom that the independent study class allows.

“Independent Study is one of the best classes you can take at Bowie because you get to work on whatever you want the whole

year,” Letulle said. “No one is telling you what to do and you can be independent.”

Dharwadker isn’t done with his project yet. He is currently working on creating the software for the ECG’s data to go into by measuring heart rhythms and deciding what constitutes a regular and irregular heartbeat.

He is also planning to make an enclosure for the device to make it wearable, likely as a watch.

“In this class, students are encouraged to take risks and think outside the box,” Maniscalco said. “Rohan challenged himself to design and create a mechanism that could save lives.

It is impressive, to say the least, watching him take an idea and turn it into a reality.”

Downtown cultural center pays tribute to student’s family

Nic Lee’s grandmother, Emma S. Barrientos, was a well-known Mexican American activist Sophia Sanchez Dispatch Reporter

PHOTO BY Sammie Thompson

It’s 2009. Nic Lee’s hands are linked with his mom’s as they look at an old photo on the wall. An upbeat song is playing in the background as the rest of their family members dance. Lee, a current junior, and his family are honoring his grandmother, Emma Serrato Barrientos, following the anniversary of her passing.

Two years later, Austin’s downtown Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) was renamed after Lee’s grandmother, who was a well-known cultural activist and Texas state representative.

“My grandma was always an advocate for the Mexican Nic American culture being expressed,” Lee said. “I know that she was always helping my grandpa with things and she wanted to have a proper representation of Mexicans in Texas.”

Barrientos grew up in a modest neighborhood in Galveston, Texas with her four siblings and was introduced to multiple cultures at an early age.

“I can still remember the three-bedroom house she grew up in and the little corner store she visited as a child,” Lee’s mom Alicia Barrientos-Lee said. “With each visit to Galveston, my mom shared many stories of her youth. She was introduced to multicultural foods, music, and dance because of her neighbors and neighborhood. However, her exposure to the Mexican cultural arts was incomplete until she left Galveston.”

After Barrientos’ high school graduation, she and her new husband Gonzalo moved to Austin to start a family and attend college. Gonzalo went to the University of Texas.

“My mother was not only passionate about the arts, but also an activist, advocate, and leader of her communi-

ty,” Barrientos-Lee said. “She was my father’s biggest support and hardest worker.”

Barrientos and her husband quickly became involved in Civil Rights issues with the growing racial discrimination in the late 1960s. They collaborated with many Mexican-American workers who sought for improvements in their industries.

“When she moved to Austin, she had a vision,” Barrientos-Lee said.

“She wanted everyone to be able to better understand our culture, history, and traditions.”

Barrientos’ passion was to educate and share with her community about Mexican American culture.

“Acknowledging Mexican American history allows us Lee to embrace other customs and expand our knowledge of Mexican American culture,” senior multicultural acceptance club president Trinity Thompson said.

“This brings our community together because so many people in the Bowie and Austin communities come from Mexican or Hispanic backgrounds.”

Barrientos always loved museums and the arts, and became engrossed in the communities of local creators.

Barrientos and other MACC supporters joined the non-profit Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts and contracted the city for operations.

“The City of Austin Bond proposal for a Mexican Cultural Center failed the first time in 1992, but passed in 1998,” Barrientos-Lee said.

Combining her love for art and her culture, Barrientos used her voice to advocate for the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin.

“It’s important for the Bowie community to know that [the MACC] is a hidden gem,” Barrientos-Lee said.

“There is something for all ages, children, parents, and even events for the grandparents.”

After years of effort organizing

THROWBACK: Current junior Nic Lee poses with his grandmother, Emma Serrato Barrientos. In 2011, the downtown Austin Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) was named after Barrientos for her efforts as a cultural activist and Texas state representative PHOTO COURTESY OF Alicia Barrientos-Lee

committees, attending meetings with organizations, and later becoming the first Mexican American state representative, Barrientos created a name for herself around Texas.

“I think my grandma left a good legacy of representing the Mexican culture and having to express it in Texas,” Lee said. “It’s important for Bowie

and the community to know [about Mexican American culture] because you don’t want to know nothing about other people and other religions in the world out there.”

Several years later, the opportunity to rename the Mexican American Cultural Center was proposed. Barrientos-Lee knew how hard-working and

dedicated her mother was and felt it was only right to have her mother’s pride and joy be named after her.

“As the driving force behind the creation of a cultural center in Austin, she never gave up,” Barrientos-Lee said. “She met with several organizations of different ethnic backgrounds and numerous elected officials for their support, not to mention the countless hours of research.”

The Barrientos family all came together and contributed to the renaming of the MACC. “When the discussion to rename the Mexican American Cultural Center arose, our entire family was involved,” Barrientos-Lee said. “We sat in meetings, had discussions with community leaders, got petitions signed, went before the Austin City Council, and supported the center in any way we could. I personally curated an exhibit which shared the story of my mother, who she was, and her life.”

In the end, the families’ contributions were worth it. The Mexican American Cultural Center was named in honor of their family member in 2011.

“It honestly seems amazing to be related to someone who left such a impact on Mexican communities and influenced change,” Thompson said.

Even after Barrientos’ passing, her legacy continues to go on both within her family and at the center.

“Every year I go over to the Mexican American Cultural center and make a mural for my grandma,” Lee said. “On her birthday we always go to the center, pray, and look around.”

Barrientos’ actions and words have left a impact on the Mexican American community in Austin and beyond.

According to Barrientos-Lee, her ideas and beliefs continue to inspire others.

“Her friends and family sometimes referred to her as a gentle sledgehammer,” Barrientos-Lee said. “Her words and approach were always delicate and gentle but the results were always powerful.”

Making it in modeling

FEATURES 5

FRIDAY, DEC. 10 2021 THE DISPATCH

Banana Sam’s joy appeals to Bulldogs Mazzy Warren Dispatch Reporter

PHOTO BY Nick Wood

look forward to it,” Frossard said. “They enjoy having that comedic relief, because it’s Ziipppp. not just a Friday, it’s a Banana Junior Sam Frederick is Friday! That’s something we ready. He steps into the school can all enjoy.” building, another Friday down.

He runs an Instagram acAs he walks down the halls, count, @banana_sam1, where students give him smiles and he shares photos of fanart, selfist-bumps; people even shout fies taken with other students, out his nickname, “Banana and wishes his followers happy Sam!” Banana Fridays. His bio also Frederick — or rather, Bareminds his followers to mark nana Sam — looks forward to their calendars every Friday for every Friday, where, since the Banana Friday. superhero spirit day in October, “[The account] is getting a he dresses up as a banana to lot of traction, and he’s very spread positivity around the proud of it,” Frossard said. school.

“He came up to me and said, “What I really like about it ‘I started a thing.’ Now I think is the fact that I can just walk it has over 100 around the school and followers and he’s get random high fives only been running and compliments,” Bait for a couple of nana Sam said. “People weeks.” cheer at me and I see He found inpeople smile because it’s spiration to begin something that anybody Banana Fridays could join in on, to enjoy from his mother, a this random person in a contract lawyer who banana suit at school.” owns and managEvery Friday since Sam Frederick es her own brand he started in Ocand law firm. tober, Banana Sam “Her whole has attended school in his brand is built on her being a banana suit in an attempt to positive person,” Banana Sam be “passively ridiculous.” He said. “So when I started doing even dressed up on the Friday Banana Sam Fridays, I thought during Thanksgiving break, so it’d be fun to be like her and try he hasn’t missed a day since he to spread a positive message.” started this tradition.

Banana Sam’s reach ex“I just put [the costume] tends even farther than Bowie. over the normal clothes I usual- During the Bowie girl’s basly wear to school,” Banana Sam ketball tournament on Friday, said. “Sometimes I take picNovember 12, Banana Sam was tures with people, and usually recognized by students from I post on Instagram, reminding different schools, who called people that it’s banana Friday. his name out when they saw Otherwise, it’s a completely him. normal school day.”

“Even outside of Bowie, The costume — a bright people have seen the Banana yellow suit sporting flaps that Sam Instagram account, so they can be zipped down to “unknow him without even knowpeel” him — was an impulse ing him,” Frossard said. purchase on Amazon.

The costume is not only a “I bought it because I had way to make people smile, but just earned an allowance and I it’s also something he’s planfelt like I wanted to buy somening on including in his college thing,” Banana Sam said. “So applications. But Frossard I thought, ‘what is something believes that it’s not just a good that would be fun to buy?’ thing for the school or for his and I got the banana costume. college applications, but it’s When superhero day came also a good thing for himself. around for [spirit] day, I decidHe uses the time between ed to wear it because I thought Banana Fridays to “recharge” it would be funny. Then I wore his social battery so he can let it the next week, and then the out all of his energy at once on week after that, and then I kept Fridays. doing it.”

“Sam the person is a little Many believe he’s had a bit more quiet and reserved,” positive impact on Bowie’s Frossard said. “The costume community. One student, soph- lets him be more social and omore Lydia Mikkelsen, thinks more outgoing, without it adds more light to student’s that fear of ‘I’m just another Fridays. person’, instead he gets to be “Imagine someone’s having Banana Sam.” a really bad day at school, and As of now, Banana Frithen they see some guy walking days are an ongoing tradition around in a banana costume at Bowie. This custom has and saying good morning to impacted the school’s staff and [them],” Mikkelsen said. “That students, who are excited to has to be just so cool and make know they might see Banana [them] feel a little bit better.”

Sam on upcoming Fridays.

Even staff believe he’s a “Fridays are always nice positive person to have around when he’s in your class, and it’s the school. One of his teachers, just really fun because it’s so mathematics instructor Alexrandom that someone would andria Frossard, anticipates wear a banana costume to Fridays with Banana Sam in school,” Mikkelsen said. “It her class, as she believes it’s an 100% makes others happy, it’s entertaining break in everyday always something to look school routine. forward to and talk about. It “I think his classmates really just spreads positivity.”

JUST DO IT: Wearing a black and white outfit, Peters poses for the camera. He started modeling this past May. PHOTO BY Angela Le

Senior Cash Peters discovered a new passion, modeling for some of the most well-known clothing companies Dylan Ebs Features Editor

Silver Stars

Teacher of the Week

PHOTO BY Dylan Ebs

The opportunity happened because of pure chance.

Veronica Canto-Ponce, a director at ONE Management in New York, has a sister who’s a real estate developer in Austin.

Her sister had just bought a house from senior Cash Peters’ friend’s mom. When they sold the house, modeling came up during a conversation.

All it took was one look at Peters’ Instagram account. Canto-Ponce’s sister told her that Peters would be a great fit for modeling, and Canto-Ponce agreed.

That experience changed senior Cash Peters’ life, to say the least. He’s signed to ONE Management and models for major companies, including Nike and Gap. “I was kind of iffy about it and didn’t really want to do it because modeling wasn’t really my thing,” Peters said. “It just didn’t seem 100% appealing to me. I guess that’s gone away as I’ve continued to model but for the most part, I’m really kind of an awkward person when it comes to taking pictures.”

His mom had a different view.

“She was really pushing for me to do it or at least give it a chance,” Peters said.

“She’s just like, ‘Are you an idiot? It’s probably the easiest money that you ever make in your life. And you might as well do it while you still are young and in good shape.’”

His doubts about modeling changed as he began his first photoshoots. He credits the photographers and their assistants with helping him ease into modeling.

“It’s actually completely different than I expected,” Peters said. “Everybody’s super nice. You know, like you watch the movies or anything, they’re all mean and everything. But they’re super understanding and tried to help me and make me feel more comfortable.”

Peters credits senior Nate Morgridge, his best friend, with supporting him during his modeling journey.

“Cash is a decent looking guy so I think pursuing modeling is a great idea for him,” senior Nate Morgridge said. “His modeling career hasn’t affected our friendship at all.

I am just very proud of him for pursuing something big like modeling for Nike and companies like that.”

A typical photoshoot for Cash starts around 8 am. With a full breakfast and his outfit selected, Peters gets on stage. He starts with a warm-up before the pictures start, which helps him get ready for the photoshoot.

“You wouldn’t think you’d have to get warmed up for taking pictures, but you get the awkwardness out,” Peters said. “And it gets easier as you go along.”

LOOKING OUT: Surrounded by trees, Peters looks out at the Circle C Park. During one photo shoot, Peters said he posed in about 20 outfits. PHOTO BY Angela Le

One particular modeling experience that stands out for Peters was a campaign he did with Spiritual Gangster, a yoga and lounge-wear clothing brand.

“That was pretty fun because I got to model with other people and it was more outside,” Peters said. “So I wasn’t just inside a building standing there and you get to do more of your own thing. We also did videos for the campaign which was pretty fun.”

Peters faced a difficult decision this year because of his love for football. His love for football clashed with his desire to start modeling, so he had to pick between the two.

“I wasn’t able to do any modeling during the whole football season,” Peters said. “And my coach said that either I would have to quit the team or model. I

had to choose between the two so it’s like only six months of football. I’d rather do football for my last year than model, which I have plenty of time to do in the future.”

For now, at least, Peters sees modeling as a part-time thing, not a full-time job.

“It’s a side gig until it blows up and gets super big and then I do that,” Peters said.

“As of right now, I’d rather just get to college, like do something and see if anything interests me and I can always do this on the side.”

His agent, Canto-Ponce, attests to his work ethic and effort that Peters puts into modeling.

“He’s been modeling really well, and this is just the beginning,” Canto-Ponce said. “He’s great, he’s professional. My goal for him is seeing him on billboards and campaigns. He’s that good of a model.”

Kimberly Wiedmeyer English teacher

How are you preparing for finals week?

I’m directing my energy to make sure students are in a healthy headspace.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee, all day everyday.

What’s your go-to song?

Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel. It gets me in a happy mood.

What motivates you?

I try to be as joyful as possible and bring joy to others in my life.

6 PHOTO ESSAY THE DISPATCH DEC. 10, 2021

Theater tours and performs for children

The Senior Directors showcase their performances by touring at AISD elementary schools Anna Bea Heise Photo Essay Editor The Bowie Theater Company has been touring their Children’s Shows at AISD elementary schools since 2003. From the beginning, they have been led by senior directors who not only manage the plays, but create packets for the elementary school’s teachers to use while watching. These performances are presented to roughly 1,000 students, as well as any parents or staff who would like to come watch them.

“Senior Directors submit titles to me over the summer,” Drama department chair Betsy Cornwell said. “They have to cut them down to 30 minutes, can’t have audience participation, and have to have a lot of action to hold the attention of the audience.

I supervise all of the paperwork: submission, deadlines, costume lists, set needs, and more.”

Cornwell has been the theater teacher and Drama Department Chair since the school was founded in 1988. Cornwell was also made the Fine Arts Department Chair 10 years ago.

“Our company members always talk about how much fun they have performing for the kids,” Cornwell said. “I love watching the reactions of the children.”

The senior directors have almost complete creative control over the Children’s Shows. They are also in control of the audition process, as they have to create descriptions of the characters for students to audition for, create the callback list, cast the official roles, and then direct and block the actors and their performances.

“The audition process was not too bad for me, and it’s honestly really fun getting to see everyone’s auditions,” senior director Mckenna Couch said. “I just had to know what I was looking for in the auditions for different characters, and that helped with my decision making.”

Couch has been involved in theater since middle school, and was a theater officer for her middle school theater class. Couch’s involvement in theater has continued throughout her high school career as well.

“The show I chose is honestly just really silly and fun,” Couch said. “I think I just wanted a show that kids would really enjoy and would be fun for both the actors and the audience.”

The process for becoming a senior director begins prior to the school year, as the

chosen directors must also plan for the shows they want to direct. Only a select few get chosen for this role in the theater.

“I actually became invested in senior directing when I was in eighth grade,” senior director Erin Everette said. “One of the Bowie shows came to my middle school and performed. I remember thinking to myself how I wanted to do that, and luckily I was able to.”

Everette is one of the senior directors this year. The show she chose for this performance was called Happily Ever After, and was about an intern wanting to become a fairy godmother who had been unsuccessful in the past.

“My advice to any students who want to become a senior director is that it’s going to be a lot of work,” Everette said.

“In the end, that work makes a beautiful result. You have to be willing to put in the work, and you have to lead with kindness as well.”

These shows are different from the other ones put on by the Theater Department as they have to be able to be performed in elementary school auditoriums. They also have to follow certain guidelines given by Cornwell, like not having any audience interaction.

“One challenge that I ran into was figuring out how we would travel with a six-foot contraption that acted as a magic door,” senior director Arianna Ritzie said.

“Luckily, we got two amazing schools with wonderful stages, and we used their curtains to make more room for the actors to disappear behind.”

Ritzie first discovered theater in seventh grade at her middle school. She then knew she wanted to become a senior director by her eighth grade year.

“I believe I became involved in theater because of the people,” Ritzie said. “You can express yourself, and everyone involved in theater wouldn’t judge you.”

Despite the obstacles these unique set of shows may have presented for the directors, all directors were able to perform their shows both at Bowie and the elementary schools.

“I think the show went absolutely well,” Everette said. “During the Bowie performances, I was sitting at the back of the theater clutching onto my assistant director’s hand because my actors took my notes and performed a beautiful show the way I had envisioned.”

CRY YOUR HEART OUT: With hand on heart, Jadon Demetri cries out as his character, Toad, is overwhelmed with emotion. Demetri starred in The Wind in the Willows, and his character’s obsession with cars led he and his friends to get into trouble. “I think we had very good comedy,” Demetri said. “Everyone was really good at hitting the jokes, and it seemed pretty clear as to what was going on. I personally think I could’ve picked up lines faster to have less pause in between them.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

EVERYONE FREEZE: Nadia Petru (left), Megan Sewell (middle), and Jason Forst (right) freeze in their scene to prevent them from being caught by Country Mouse. This show, Country Mouse and the Missing Lunch Mystery, featured a mouse losing their food before going to have lunch. “My audition process for the show was really fun this year,” Forst said. “I was an assistant director for this show so I got to watch all of the callback auditions and decide with the senior director who we want to play in our show.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

DO TELL: Junior Ella Kulczar leans to read off of the cereal box she found for her cast-mates’ characters. Kulczar starred in Charlotte’s Web and played the role of the mouse Templeton. “My whole cast was super fun and made it almost a little hard to stay focused because we were always messing around during rehearsal,” Kulczar said. “The actual show is super sweet, and I love how the story is about the importance of friendship.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

ON YOUR MARK: Will Louis gets into running position as his character, the Hare, is about to begin a race. Louis first got involved in the school’s theater department after auditioning and being cast as an ensemble member for their musical Big Fish in 2020. “In most performances, I am always nervous,” Louis said. “I was worried I would mess up one of my lines and cause an awkward pause, but I was pretty calm about the rest of the show.” PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

PRINCE CHARMING: Jayden White debuts his character as he walks on-stage for the first time. White first began acting in third grade at KidsActing. “My absolute favorite part about Children’s Shows is cast bonding,” White said. “It’s a great opportunity not only to have a lot of fun, but also to get to know your cast-mates better and have a better connection with them onstage.”

PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise EYES ON THE PRIZE: Megan Sewell admires the food her character plans on stealing.

Sewell played one of three kittens in her show that continue to take food from Country Mouse. “My favorite part about Children’s shows is that, since they are for children, you get to be over-dramatic and animated as you want,” Sewell said. “They are also directed by seniors so you get to be directed by your friends.”

PHOTO BY Anna Bea Heise

PHOTO COURTESY OF Vanessa Nguyen

Brijette Galvan peered around nervously.

It was the first day of high school, and her first day being back in person for school in almost two years.

Tall buildings, chaotic directions, countless hallways, and with only a little yellow piece of paper to guide her, she began to sweat and panic.

“What class do I go to first?”

“What is a block schedule, and why do I only have four periods today?”

“How much homework will I have?”

As the questions piled on, Galvan reflected on the hardships of coming into high school as a freshman, especially coming off of the lengthy COVID-19 quarantine and remote learning, and trying to adapt to new high school procedures when her last full year of school was sixth grade.

“Personally, adjusting to in person school was a little hard for me and my friends,” Galvan said. “Since it is our first year in high school, we don’t know our way around the school or know as much about the school as others, which made me nervous that I wouldn’t get the hang of being in high school, especially after quarantine.”

After being in isolation for 18 months, underclassmen have entered high school without previously being in an in-person classroom since middle school, and for freshmen, their last full year of school was in sixth grade, when they were just 11 or 12 years old.

According to an article from the Harvard Crimson by Yuen Chow and Natalie Kahn, 63% of freshmen reported that COVID-19 resulted in a decline in their mental health.

“91 and 67% of this subset cited social isolation and stress, respectively, as additional causes,” Chow and Kahn

said in the article. “Additionally, before the pandemic broke out.

“Although I am shocked 16% of respondents pointed about the severity of the to income insecurity from the misbehavior, I also think it’s pandemic as a factor that worsexpected because they have ened their mental health.”

Due to this abrupt shift from been isolated for 18 months,” senior class president Vanessa isolation to in-person, many Nguyen said. “With lack of examples of bad behavior and social interactions, teachers’ acting out have arisen from rules, and school expectations underclassmen. Just at Bowie, often provided at school can students have set a fire in the lead to acting out, which is the bathroom, written on walls, situation we’re seeing at Bowie attempted to flip tables, poured currently.” milkSince the shakes pandemic on other caused a students’ decline of heads Although I am shocked learning for from the about the severity of the students second globally, floor misbehavior, it's expected their maof the because they have been in turity and academic development building, isolation for 18 months. have ultithrown mately been food at stunted, each according other and to an article at walls,

by Emily and Henderson more. from News “With Vanessa Nguyen Medical Life only Senior Sciences. In being at the article, Bowie she notes for althat 80% of parents believe that most one semester, there are their children are learning less some things that have been from digital system and that happening that are out of the their levels of understanding ordinary,” Galvan said. “For exare sinking. ample, vandalism, especially in “COVID-19 and online the bathroom; there is almost school have hindered a lot of always a lock in a stall that is broken, or a soap dispenser that our social interactions, which has caused problems in the is missing, and there are always underclassmen’s behavior and some drawings on the sides of their development in the last the bathroom stalls.” years of middle school, which As administrators have inare crucial to their success in vestigated, it has been discovhigh school,” Nguyen said. “Beered that most, if not all, of the ing in school tends to keep your acting out has been initiated by maturity level in check, so it’s underclassmen, those who hahard for them to adjust when ven’t been in high they haven’t had any of school those experiences; I assume

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Corinne Piorkowski Editor-in-Chief

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that for teachers, it’s been hard to teach when the class’s maturity level isn’t where it’s supposed to be.”

According to Academic Dean Kaylin Brett, the behavioral misconduct at school is a representation of an “unfinished learning” concept, creating an environment for these underclassmen where they feel as if because of COVID-19 isolation, they will never catch up, will continue to fall behind in classes, and therefore act out.

"If I had to put it in a nutshell, it's the fact that kids went from having total power to now having to be structured, and that it feels like they're being micromanaged," Brett said. "Not having that control anymore is what's causing the retaliation we're seeing this year."

On top of coming back to in-person school, many grading policies and strategies have been implemented, especially non-senior core courses.

This is another factor that has contributed to the frustration of grades from underclassmen that led to their actions.

Freshman Isabella Verette has had first-hand experience with these actions this year.

“My friends and I in Algebra 1 hate the new grading policy,” Verette said. “Me personally, I’m not a good test taker and only giving me five questions for 75% of my grade when I might be succeeding in classwork and homework makes taking the tests even more stressful.”

Moving forward, Brett believes it’s crucial for students to continue playing catch-up throughout the year inside and outside of classes, with homework, and joining clubs, with the help of upperclassmen student leaders to aid them in adjustment to high school following the 18 months of quarantine that took early high school away from them.

"Administration relies on student leaders to help underclassmen get involved in school," Brett said.

"With the help of seniors, they can set the example for future kids, while finding their place by getting involved in activities."

STU DE N

FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

TAL HEALTH N E SO M T

NS TIO LU

Maturity and behavior broken by social isolation

IN-DEPTH 7

POST-QUARANTINE

Social Isolation

• Provide and use support groups in schools for postquarantine anxiety • Encourage social engagements in classes, even if it means eliminating exams • Confide in teachers and counselors when needed

Remote School Stress

• Prioritize your physical and mental health over assignments and tests • Make sure you are eating and drinking enough water and sleeping enough • Check in on your friends, communicate feelings

Fear of illness Follow suggested COVID-19 precautions in public and in school • Wear your mask properly • Get your vaccine/booster • Practice social distancing in public and in school • When in public, wash hands frequently

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8 IN-DEPTH

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

The Independent

Completed 2019

The Austonian

Completed 2010

Austin housing prices skyrocket as pre-existing communities are being pushed out Anna Holme Editor-in-Chief

partnerships with non-profits, realtors, or other with the new money coming into the area. They es and services unless they moved eastward. organizations.” see the cheap land as a chance to open up a busi“It is our recommendation that the nearest There have been many other efforts to research ness for less money. And it’s caused the demoapproach to the solution of the race segregation She has six brothers and two sisters. A father and plan how to prevent gentrification. The city of graphics in the area to change.” problem will [be] the recommendation of this who works below minimum wage. She was told Austin created the Anti-Displacement Task Force One of the major corporations that has recently district as a n*gro district; and that all facilities she would have to move out because her landlord moved to Austin is Tesla. In 2020, CEO Elon Musk in 2018. In 2017, the Mayor’s Taskforce on Instituand conveniences be provided the n*groes in this just sold their house. Under such short notice, tional Racism and Systemic Inequities was created, announced the company’s relocation from Califordistrict, as an incentive to draw the n*gro populatheir new house is three to four times smaller with a successor organization called the Central nia, and on December 1, officially named Austin tion to this area,” the and significantly more Texas Collective for Racial Equity being created in its headquarters. Other technology companies like Master Plan, written expensive. This scenario 2020. The UT Uprooted Project was created to reGoogle, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, AMD, NXP, in 1928 by consuldescribes the teenage search gentrification and inform policy. While the and Oracle all have locations in Austin. These tech tants Koch and Fowler, experience of Susaefforts to prevent gentrification companies have some dramatic stated. na Almanza, an East are extensive, Almanza argues effects on the housing market The Master Plan Austinite who has been that there isn’t enough tangible in the area. wasn’t the only a resident in the city her action being taken.

“It has driven the cost of discriminatory policy whole life, for over 69 “It’s not that the city doesn’t living up in Austin by having An all-white city council enacts a endorsed by the city, years. know about these recommendathese tech companies come however.

Communities discriminatory plan that divides the With Austin’s recent tions, it is that it hasn’t bothered in,” Shirack said. “To [these of color were consiscity and pushes Black Austinites population boom, to implement these recommentently denied the ability companies], it’s an incredible housing prices have eastward by denying them services dations,” Almanza said. “Because deal. I have a friend who just to purchase homes or skyrocketed. According [the city] doesn’t really care about moved and sold her house for gain loans to buy propon the west side. to Norada Real Estate the poor or communities of color. half a million dollars. And that erty on the west side of Investments, From And that’s a great, great injustice. was double what she had paid Austin, a process called 2010 to 2019, Austin’s We need to think about everyfor it five years ago. And it redlining. Austin was Susana Almanza median home price inbody, but specifically, we have to was bought by someone from redlined along the east East Austinite and director of creased from $193,520 California who was basically side so that communithink about the most vulnerable to $318,000. Some PODER buying an investment property. ties of color were only populations and the city really estimates, as reported She got 10 offers, all over the allowed to buy property isn’t doing that. [The city] is

by KUT, have even esasking price. That’s how crazy there. looking at the middle class, uptimated that within the the market is.”

“Redlining created a per-middle-class, and the rich, so past year, rent prices in These corporations have brought segregated city,” Canepa this is totally an ‘out of sight out of mind’ when it Austin have risen 20%, Austin adopts an “urban renewal” in a plethora of new jobs, with many of these said. “People of Black comes to the working-class people.” even though the rent inpositions being filled by employees moving in or Hispanic background The largest piece of legislation in regards to plan to remove districts of “slum and crease per year normally from out-of-state. According to Texas Realtor’s were forced into East gentrification that has been adopted by the City blight” in the city. In reality, this plan is around 5%.

2021 Texas Relocation Report, Texas gained over Austin, and then white Council is the Austin Climate Equity Plan. The With the cost of destroyed many homes in Austin’s 500,000 new residents in 2019. people on the west side plan lays out goals for affordable housing as well, living climbing higher “I think tech coming in is a good thing and a of I-35. Redlining really aiming to “preserve and produce 135,000 housing Black and Latino communities. and higher, many fambad thing,” senior Malaika Beg said. “It’s a good did create two separate units, including 60,000 affordable housing units” ilies are struggling to thing that more people can get jobs through these Austins. It still continby 2030. keep up and are being tech companies, but the bad thing is that people ues to affect us because “I know that the climate plan Austin has adpushed further out of are coming in and taking away those jobs from opted is a pretty large step for affordable housAustin’s urban core. This phenomenon reflects Austinites that have been living here.” ing,” Canepa said. “But we need to hold the city what is known as gentrification.

Jobs aren’t the only concern associated with big generationally, people have stayed in those areas accountable and make sure they follow through on “Gentrification, in Austin, is the displacement tech’s arrival in Austin. and wealth has stayed their promises and actually execute their goals in of indigenous peoples in East Austin who were Tesla’s new headquarin those areas. So it’s an effective and timely manner.” forced to move,” Almanza said. “Gentrification has ters is located in East created socio-economIf gentrification trends continue, downtown been displacing low-income and communities of Austin. This means that ic and racial disparity Austin will become increasingly less diverse. In color from their traditional home base and gentrithe land surrounding disparities within the UT professor Dr. Eric Tang’s study called “Those fying that area. Most of the houses that were built the Tesla area is now city.”

Who Left,” From 2000 to 2010, Austin’s Black and bought in East Austin were bought and built in high demand from Countless efforts population decreased by 5.4%. Additionally, when for $2,000 to $8,000. Those homes are now worth workers who want were made to reinforce surveying Black ex-Austinites who had moved out $350,000.” to live close to their these redlined districts, of the city, 56% of respondents cited “unaffordable The city finishes building I-35, Almanza saw early on in her youth the way her headquarters. This has such as the construchousing’’ as their primary reason for leaving, and which reinforces Austin’s redlined community was being affected by gentrification, problematic implication of Interstate-35 63% of respondents lived in East Austin before such as her family being pushed out of their home districts along the east and west tions for the people in the early 1960s. moving. when she was a teenager. She decided she wanted already living in the I-35 acts as a physical “I feel like, overall, kind of, we’re losing the side. to take action, so she co-founded the organization neighborhood. barrier separating the stuff that makes us special,” Beg said. “What PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth “We’re already east and west sides of makes Austin such a unique city, we’re losing and her Resources). PODER consists of a group under siege because of Austin. that because we have so many people moving in. of Chicano and Chicana activists and community Tesla,” Almanza said.

“Definitely just People who are a lot richer, who have more money, leaders in East Austin. One of PODER’s focuses “Montopolis (an East looking at the change are moving in and taking out people who’ve been has been East Austin’s gentrification issue.

Austin neighborhood) on the east side is just living here for a long time.”

“We’ve seen a lot of a small mom and pop is only about eight to the absolute biggest Austin is only becoming a larger and larger businesses go under, and we see new restaurants 10 minutes from Tesla. part of gentrification city, with a 21% growth rate in the last decade that are more expensive, that cater more to the up- in Austin,” Students Montopolis has one of according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Many believe per-middle-class income earners,” Almanza said. the highest amounts Organized for Anti-Racgentrification is bound to become a larger issue as Austin establishes the Anti-Dis“So we have seen major devastation.” of poverty, the median ism (SOAR) sponsor the demand for housing grows in Austin.

Austin zip code 78721, located in East Austin, placement Task Force in order to income for the residents and yearbook teacher “Without any sort of an intervention, I think was ranked the fourth most gentrified zip code is I believe is $33,000 Lindsey Shirack said. we’re going to continue to see a lot of what we’re expand affordable housing, conin the entirety of the United States by realtor. a year for a family of “Austin was fully segrecurrently seeing, which is, those areas that had trol land use, and identify issues com, with a five-year median sale price increase four. So that really gated, and placing I-35 previously been neglected will continue to become of 148.2%. The drastic soar in housing prices and regarding gentrification. shows you that this is where it was and how areas that only higher-income people can live in, property taxes has forced many East Austin resia poor, working-class they developed and aswhich will continue to force families out onto the dents to move to the outskirts of the region, like community. We’re now signed neighborhoods edges and make it so that people are living even Pflugerville, Manor, or other parts of North Austin, was very much done having half a million further away from where they work,” Shirack said. where the cost of living is cheaper. with segregation in mind.”

“It doesn’t feel sustainable to me, something’s got “I’ve seen the local businesses that I love so dollar homes built in a poor community because Austin has had a plethora of other policies put to give.” much not be able to afford rent in the area,” senior in place to force communities of color and lowwe’re only eight to 10 minutes away from Tesla. So Gentrification is an issue that reveals itself over Cristina Canepa said. “I’ll come back and they’ll there’s another side to this big corporation coming time. Almanza argues that younger generations er-income communities eastward. Austin’s “Urban be replaced and a Starbucks will be where the little Renewal” (now called “Urban Removal”) project because nothing is behave a mindset that will taco shop that I loved used to be. That’s kind of ing put in place to stop in the 1960s aimed to renovate neighborhoods of be beneficial to combata small way where I’ve seen corporations come the displacement.” “slum and blight” by eradicating historical homes ing gentrification and in and be able to buy out smaller businesses in In response to in East Austin. gives advice for young order to renew the area, but it takes away from the the gentrification in “The city came back and said, ‘this area is a activists who want to personality of the Austin area.”

East Austin, in 2018, slum and blight area, and we’re going to redevelop get involved.

While gentrification has accelerated in recent Almanza and her colthis area,’” Almanza said. “They used eminent do“I feel it is the young years, this problem is not new. Austin has had a leagues Fred McGhee main, they forced the people to move out and took people, and this young long history of segregation that pushed lower-inand Jane Rivera introtheir land, and then told them ‘your land is only generation, that has Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, come, communities of color to the east side. And duced the People’s Plan worth this much’ more of an understandannounces the company is now that to the City Council, when in essence, ing that diversity is Austin has moving to Austin and creating a plan describing six it was worth 100 something to embrace,” expanded, resolutions to combat more times and Almanza said. “I think of a $1.1 billion manufacturing these commudisplacement in Austin. what they were that younger generafacility in the city. nities are compensated for.” The plan includes contions just need to stay being forced cepts like establishing The historion the path of justice. out. low-income housing cal East Austin There is an old indige“If you and creating a commucommunity is nous saying that goes looked at the nity land trust. now experiencing like this: there was a city of Aus“The city owns a hardships as their time when we were all Cristina Canepa tin’s ‘Master lot of properties, and land has become sisters and brothers, the Senior Plan’ in 1928, when I talk about the more valuable. night sky our ceiling, that was the city, that’s us as public Large corporathe Earth our mother, plan that taxpayers,” Almanza tions are buying out land and raising the property the sun our father, our would start to relocate African and Mexican Amersaid. “The city owns taxes in the area. Many lower-income families, parents our leaders, and Austin’s City Council adopts icans to East Austin, and that would become sort disproportionately represented by Black and Latino thousands of properties justice their guide. If we the Climate Equity Plan, which of like the modern reservation of where people of where it can actually communities, are struggling to keep up. continue to follow that color would live,” Almanza said. be building low-in“East Austin now instead of being considered addresses issues like affordable concept of justice being Austin’s Master Plan was adopted by an allcome housing. The the ‘bad side of town,’ has become like the ‘cool, our guide, by looking at housing and zoning for low-inwhite, all-male city council. The plan worked to city has the ability to hip side’ where you want to create a little startup fairness and equity, we come communities. strategically move communities of color to East really build low-income company or you want to go for brunch and other will become a better Austin by way of denying them necessary resourchousing, whether it has stuff,” Canepa said. “So I’ve seen gentrification society.”

1928

Frost Bank Tower

Completed 2003

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Austin’s “Master Plan”

[The city] doesn’t really care about the poor or communities of color. And that’s a great, great injustice.

1949

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“Urban Removal”

1962

PHOTOS BY Anna Holme

Interstate-35

2018

Anti-Displacement Task Force

2020 Tesla

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I’ve seen corporations come in and be able to buy out smaller businesses in order to renew the area, but it takes away from the personality of the Austin area.

Average Home Price in the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Area Over Time

600k

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Austin Climate Equity Plan

200k

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ART BY Anna Holme SOURCE: recenter.tamu.edu

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

ATHLETES ASSERT

2021 NBA season invokes surprise, excitement, and curiosity Sam Vane Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email: bowie.journalism@gmail.com

Golfers drive to success Sam Vane Dispatch Reporter

Westlake, Anderson, and...

Bowie? While Westlake and Anderson were expected to be heavy hitters during the golf season; Bowie was an afterthought by many, but with the fall season over and the spring season coming up Bowie is looking to compete with the top dogs on the golfing scene.

One reason for Bowie’s success is the new abundance of great golfers who are freshman and sophomores.

One of these new stars is freshman Michael Vienneau who has been playing golf his entire life.

“I started playing golf since I had plastic clubs, probably five years old,” Vienneau said. “My dad started signing me up for tournaments when I was eight and I started playing in them [tournaments] more consistently when I was 11.”

Although the team has utilized new freshmen and sophomores, the loss of senior leaders has made the young players step up even more.

“It’s always tough to lose seniors, especially the leaders that we have, but I knew Steven Noack was going back and I knew he’d be a good leader this year,” coach Karl Lauer said. “We also have some good young golfers.”

Like other sports, golfers have a routine before tournaments to prepare themselves accordingly for the following event.

“I prepare for tournaments by going to the range the day before,” Vienneau said.

“Depending on the course, I may even lookup the yardages of each hole beforehand, so I know what to look for when I play.”

Because Vienneau is a freshman he had no idea how he’d stack up against the other golfers, but Vienneau had confidence he’d do well “When I heard about the golf team I didn’t think about tryouts too heavily, I knew I was a good player I just had to show my game off for a few

SWINGING HIGH: Freshman Michael Vienneau practices his swings. He has been playing golf since early childhood. PHOTO

BY Ben Tillisch

practices and I knew that I would likely make the team,” Vienneau said.

Vienneau has high hopes for the spring season due to the success of the team during the fall season.

“I think expectations were exceeded as a team. We didn’t come away with any wins, however, we did finish runner-up several times and we had some great individual performances from all members of varsity and JV,” Vienneau said. “With the spring season coming up I believe we can compete with the best of the best.”

Along with the boy’s golf team, the girl’s team has also done great as junior Lola Cantu placed at the girl’s last tournament “I started playing about a year and a half ago,” Cantu said. “I was first on the team last year and started playing more since then.”

Cantu who has played in tournaments since last year has started to create a practice routine before tournaments “Before tournaments, I like to set a game plan for myself and tell myself to keep a positive mentality,” Cantu said.

Like the boy’s team, the girls have high hopes for their spring season.

“I can’t wait for the spring season. I think we are going to surprise a lot of people,” Cantu

Olivia Moreno’s journey to a national championship and future goals Kate Davis Dispatch Reporter

2020 High School Wrestling Nationals 1st place winner

Standing at the corner of the mat, breathing heavily. Looking her opponent in the eyes. Her coach and teammates hyping her up in the background. This is the moment she’s waited for all year. The High School Wrestling Nationals.

Two years ago junior Olivia Moreno began her wrestling journey, following in the footsteps of her older brother, and an entire family legacy.

“I started wrestling mostly just to try it out because my mom wanted me to,” Moreno said. “My whole family had been interested in wrestling for a while so they wanted me to try it out too and to be honest I didn’t really think I was interested in it at first but after a few weeks I started to love it” Moreno’s family expressed their support and excitement for her to carry on the legacy, leaving her own mark on their wrestling history.

“She initially didn’t want to wrestle,” Moreno’s mom Lynn Moreno said. “We wanted her to get some conditioning training to supplement her softball career.

Once she started to learn, she realized how much she enjoyed it and has never looked back. She took it to the next level on her own and we are very proud of all that she has accomplished so far. It feels pretty darn good. Especially since she has raised the bar for our family. We are so proud of her and her accomplishments. We get so much support from family, friends and the large wrestling community that we have been a part of for so many years.”

Lynn also emphasized that Olivia’s brother, Joshua Moreno, who is also a wrestler, played a large part in Olivia’s interest in wrestling.

“I would also say it was more like stubbornness and competitiveness,” Lynn said.

“Since she was little she was always competing with her older brother. They were going to want to beat me. I just have to so close in age and she was always really wrestle like I know how to and I should be upset when she couldn’t do something her okay.” older brother was doing. When he started Moreno explained that this newly acschool, she couldn’t wait to start school. quired title impacts her upcoming season When he got homework, we had to make in motivating ways. pretend homework for her. She always “This win, just like my win at state, was came in with the mindset, whatever he can a big one, except a step greater,” Moreno do, so can she. He’s a blessing for us all as said. “It helped me see where I am as a Joshua loves her very much and looks out national wrestler taking on people from all for her all the time; Joshua has always been over the U.S. It gives me confidence that I one of her biggest fans. And, vice versa, as can win bigger tournaments like Fargo if I she roots for him all the time.” have the right mindset.”

Back in April of 2021, Moreno won the Moreno stressed that her winning repuUIL State Championships, bringing her tation affects her in a stressful manner and undefeated sophomore season to a close. is setting an intimidating, yet motivating “Winning my state title was great, it tone for her upcoming season. made me really relieved but I don’t think “Yes I feel tons of pressure,” Moreno I should’ve gotten anything less,” Moreno said. However, I won’t let that bother me said. “Months before state I was planning when I’m on the mat. I was telling my for my victory, I was planning what celebra- friend the other day that one thing that tion I would do after I won, back-flip, and keeps me going is knowing how much I with anything less I would’ve been really hate losing. And now that I know people disappointed. I was happy with the result are going to give me their best wrestling but I wasn’t satisfied with myself because I every time I go up against them, it makes know there’s more I can do.” me want to wrestle the best I can. That’s Moreno believes that this win was so all I can do.” meaningful due to the motivation it proMoving into the 2021 season Moreno is vides for future competitions. setting goals with coach Strmiska to make “What inspires me to train hard is plans to achieve them. setting higher “Our one-year goals,” Moreno goals include said. “Every time Fargo ChampiI achieve a goal ons, and making I make it a point a UWW Cadet to make another World Team,” one exponentially Strmiska said. higher. I not only “The sky’s the set higher goals limit for Olivia, but I make myself and will depend believe I can do on her continit.” ued hard work Moreno and commitadmires that ment to her numerous people craft. I can see in her life helped her competing lead her to these in D1, making championships, national teams, READY TO RUMBLE: Junior Olivia Moreno preexpressing her and Olympic pares for her match. Moreno is on the 3F Wrestling gratitude for their aspirations if it team outside of school, as well as the Bowie support. is the lifestyle team. PHOTO COURTESY OF Farah Sheehan “All of my she chooses.” coaches or anyone As she who has ever worked with me to help me keeps improving, her passion for the get better throughout this sport is who I sport continues to grow throughout each would say helped me get the win in Iowa,” accomplishment, and she doesn’t plan on Moreno said. “My parents and family being deviating from her discipline anytime soon. able to provide me with the travel and “I am very tunnel visioned as a person support me at every tournament. I would so when I see something I want, I put all never be able to go there without my of my work and effort until I am satisfied,” practice partners at Bowie and 3F WresMoreno said. “Thankfully I haven’t been tling because they push me to work harder. satisfied with myself in this sport so all I And another big shout-out to my coach at want to do is work harder and get better so 3F wrestling, Martin Strmiska, I would say I can be the best.”

I owe my whole wrestling career to him Though all the effort Moreno puts into because he has helped me develop as a her wrestling pays off on the mat, there are wrestler and a person, he believes in me so certain adversities that prevent her from much and he’s always straight up with me. placing all her energy into wrestling.

They are all the reasons I was able to win “The greatest challenge I have faced this that tournament.” season is the stress of school,” Moreno Recently, Moreno was named the 2021said. “I’m exhausted by the time I get to 2022 pre-season national champion for after school practice and sometimes I have high school girls wrestling, after competing to take a step back and take a break from against other state champions. wrestling so I can keep up with grades.”

“Many people probably know who I am Aside from the stresses school places on in this sport so it makes me a target for Moreno, wrestling also has its difficulties competition,” Moreno said. “Everyone is and Moreno continues to battle against

2021 Pre season Nationals 1st place winner

record: 48-4 pins: 32 techs: 7 majors: 4

weight: 128

The NBA, the most prestigious basketball league in the land, has started up again and teams are starting to get into championship form, but only a few are true contenders.

New NBA players join the league through the NBA draft every year, but this year is different as the top three in the past draft have been some of the most sought-after prospects ever.

Those prospects are Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley, all of whom have shown flashes. The best rookie however has been Scottie Barnes as he’s been the top option on a good Toronto Raptors team, If Barnes can continue this top play he could receive some hardware for his outstanding play.

By December the best NBA teams start to separate from the rest. This year it’s been the surprise team Warriors led by the resurgence of former MVP Stephen Curry and young guard Jordan Poole. The Warriors have jumped out to a 19-3 record and first place in the Western Conference.

The Jazz and Bulls have been a cut above everyone else this year. The Jazz have continued their stellar play from last year as guard Donovan Mitchell is becoming a top-10 player before our eyes, along with the play of Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, and Jordan Clarkson who have all contributed to the Jazz top play and they may be able to finally win a champion-

ship for Utah. The Bulls, unlike the Jazz, were big buyers this offseason adding Lonzo Ball, Demar Derozan, and Nikola Vucevic all of whom have led to the impressive start for the Bulls, along with the improved play of young stars Coby White and the Bulls are slowly getting back to their 1990s days of stardom.

While teams start to separate themselves as a cut, above others start to fall to the bottom and show their cracks.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one, as they are below .500 and are struggling to find good guard play from their offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook as he has been inconsistent in his play. Mixed with the offthe-court controversy Lebron James has held to deal with and the Lakers could be missing out on a playoff opportunity with the Western Conference being as deep as it’s been in the past ten years.

The MVP, is the biggest award in basketball given to the best player in the entire league.

As always this race will be close like past years, but one player is starting to emerge, Steph Curry.

Curry is coming off an injury-riddled season last year and has been dominant as he is on pace to beat his 3-pointers record in a season (402) that many thought to be unreachable even by Curry standards.

Trailing behind Curry is his former teammate Kevin Durant who is doing Kevin Durant things and behind him is last year’s NBA finals MVP Giannis Antetokoumnpo who has been unstoppable as of late and could lead the Bucks to another championship.

Junior slams down a win

PHOTO By Reagan Zuniga

10 SPORTS

them.

“The hardest part about wrestling is the work ethic.” Moreno said. “To be good at this sport, just like any sport, you have to work just as hard as you want to succeed.

A lot of people who have been doing this sport for their whole lives say wrestling is mostly a mental sport, meaning in order to become successful it’s not about how athletic you are because any person with the right training can become as technical and as athletic as they need to be, but it’s how hard you push yourself without giving up, it’s about the extra time you put in when you don’t feel like it. That’s the hardest part.”

Moreno conveyed that she enjoys being a part of the school wrestling program, and working with her peers.

“I love being on the Bowie wrestling team because of the people and watching the potential everyone has,” Moreno said.

“My first love for the sport started with Bowie and I think if someone on this team wanted to succeed they could.”

Other people who’ve worked closely with Moreno attest to her positivity at practice and her love for her teammates.

“Olivia likes to dance, literally and figuratively,” Strmiska said. “She brings energy and a smile to workouts, adding that to her competitiveness and its fire. It’s not uncommon for her and her girl teammates to break out in dance mode during practice. That energy is contagious, and I know while we are going hard, they are having fun with the process. I would say she wants her workout partners to succeed as much as she wants to succeed, and that’s a rare quality.”

Moreno’s teammate Elayna McKinney also enjoys having Moreno as a teammate and vouches for her alacrity at practice.

“She makes practice so fun and interesting, she likes to be goofy but also works hard,” McKinney said. I love having her as a teammate because she also helps teach you different techniques and ways to do a move. She is so good at pushing herself and her teammates to do better. She sets goals for people to try to achieve what she did and encourages people to push themselves to try and beat her when we wrestle her in practice. She brings out the fun side in wrestling as well and makes everybody laugh.”

Moreno encourages other young women to give the sport a shot, encouraging its benefits athletically and personally.

“To all women, you’re making a change as soon as you commit to this sport,” Moreno said. “Step on the mat and fight as hard as you can every single time and you’ll be surprised with how much you develop as a person because the challenge is only going to make you stronger physically and mentally.”

So despite all the adversity she’s faced, and things she’s accomplished. Moreno’s self-discipline continues to persevere.

“And it can be stressful but I’ve never regretted the work I put in because it shows when I wrestle,” Moreno said. “It’s a lot of time and effort and I think that’s what has separated me the most from people.”

coming UP in SPORTS December 21 Varsity boys basketball vs. Westlake @Bowie

December 21 Varsity girls basketball vs. Westlake @Westlake

J a n u a r y 7 V a r s i t y b o y s b a s k e t b a l l v s . L a k e Tr a v i s @ L a k e Tr a v i s

J a n u a r y 2 6 V a r s i t y g i r l s b a s k e t b a l l v s . L a k e Tr a v i s @ L a k e Tr a v i s January 26 Bowie Wrestling Dual @Bowie

F e b r u a r y 6 Va r s i t y b o y s b a s e b a l l v s . P f l u g e r v i l l e @ B u r g e r

SPORTS 11

FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

Zack Munger breaks records at state

Cross country runner overcomes adversity, matching all-time school record at state Dimitri Silva Sports Editor

to Munger, pushing him to be the best.

“He had a really strong freshman An ear erupting bang vibrates the year but struggled his sophomore year air. The sight of the smoking gun sigwith some health issues,” Pool said. nified the race had begun. It was Zack “I wasn’t counting on him to be a top Munger’s time to prove himself. In runner this season, so when he bethe race, Munger finished sixth place, came our top runner by the end of the setting himself up for a run towards year and then qualified for state I was state. pleasantly surprised. But at the same Munger, a junior, has been invested time, Zach has always worked hard, in running since he was 12 years old. and we both knew if he figured out his His dad inspired him to participate in health stuff, he could be successful.” the sport when he noticed how fast After Munger made it to regionals, and quick he was. he felt at the top of his game. He con“I started running cross country tinued practicing with the team and because its what I’m good at,” Munger pushing himself despite the health said. “I found issues and other something setbacks.

I didn’t like “Patience is a at first, and huge challenge I never liked for me because training over-training is a because it’s big thing. I always running. Some want to work out people like constantly, and running for I never want to fun, but I like rest,” Munger said. winning and “But this season, I finishing my prioritize taking off races.” days and just making Zack Munger Munger’s sure my body’s fully cross country recovered before I Junior career started do my next workout. slowly with Patients helped me taking the stay fresh, and fosummer off to cusing on my mental participate in the Junior Olympics. He health also helped.” returned his freshman year, but during Munger’s training finally paid off his sophomore year, his season was when he placed 14th at regionals put on hold when he got back blood which helped the team qualify for the test results stunting his progress. state meet.

“I came back, and I had an iron “Regionals was a hard race, it was injection because I took a blood test, 90 degrees and right next to a sewage and my iron levels were low,” Mungplant, which was terrible,” Munger er said. “The doctors said this iron said. “The team didn’t do good, and I is supposed to help you run faster placed 14th, which was lucky because because your blood will be more oxI barely made the cut-off. They sent 40 ygenated. This really hurt my season, kids to the state, including me.” but my team and coaches helped me When the state competition began, get through it.”

Munger was ready to compete, warmCross country coach Dalton Pool ing up with the team and listening has supported Munger since he joined to music to get him locked in for the the team. Pool has been an inspiration

2nd fastest 5k by a Bowie runner 39th in state: 15:15 minutes 14th in regionals: 16:15 minutes 6th in district: 16:31 minutes

”

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12

ART AND PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

Patience is a huge challenge for me because over-training is a big thing. I never want to rest.

Average amount of miles completed during season:

Started running at age:

45 a week

race distances: xc 5k xc 2 mile track 400m track 800m track 1600m

race.

“Crossing the finish line, seeing the time because they have a big clock at the finish line,” Munger said. “There isn’t much to it; people worry a lot about warming up, and the night before, what are you eating? How much sleep are you getting? But the only thing that can prepare you to be better than everyone else in that race is your training.”

During the state competition,

Munger set a new personal record by 20 seconds, earning the title of the 2nd fastest 5k runner in Bowie history.

“Knowing that I’m setting this record is awesome,” Munger said. “I feel like all my hard work and dedication is finally paying off. My coaches and teammates really supported me through everything, and doing so well at state felt like a team effort.”

Munger’s progress and redemp-

tion after his sophomore year season surprised Pool. Munger stuck to his diet plans, workouts and supported his team, all of which played a role in his state performance.

“At a certain point to become a great runner, you must be self-motivated,” Pool said. “Zach has always been harder on himself than I have been on him. Which is just one more reason why he achieved so much success this year.”

New coach wrestles with young team and a new season Locked in a fierce battle, bodies smack against the rubber mat, as encouragement is offered to the two high school wrestlers, each looking to best their opponent and bring their team closer to victory.

First year Bowie head coach Tyson Dobinsky commands his team from the bench, instructing the Bowie wrestlers and willing them to success.

From rival to ruler, Dobinsky arrived from cross-town high school, Westlake, replacing Glen Lewis as Bowie’s wrestling head coach at the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Dobinsky looks to build the Bowie wrestling squad into one of the most prominent in the state, but he also understands the importance of his athletes’ development.

“Winning is at the end of their career,” Dobinsky said.

“Winning is the discipline that they get from wrestling, that they carry forward into their studies that they carry forward into, their college, or their employment, their families. Those things are the winning.”

As a coach, Dobinsky is very involved with his student-athletes, making sure each wrestler is successful in all aspects of school and the sport of wrestling. In his time at Bowie, Dobinsky has developed several relationships beyond just being a coach.

“I look forward to building those relationships where, yeah, it’s about wrestling, but it’s also what they’re doing in

preciated Dobinsky’s efforts to life, and how they’re doing,” help his personal development.

Dobinsky said. “Those things “Coach Dobinsky focuses on are important to me, making the smallest details, analyzing sure they’re taking care of their every single member’s skill academics, and that they’re and is able to guide us in the preparing themselves so that right direction to perfect our they can be a really successful own craft,” Moreno said. “He adult.” represents Bowie as a whole Sharpening his coachwith class and confidence. He is ing skills as an assistant at always looking out for everyWestlake High School for the one, and will always help, even past five years, Dobinsky was if you are a total stranger.” already familiar with many of Dobinsky’s impact has the Bowie wrestlers. Senior been instant, specifically on varsity wrestler Joshua Moreno many of the less experienced has encountered Bowie’s newunderclassest coach men. Readily throughout accepting the his polished new head high school coach, sophocareer. more Cooper “I have Fike has taken watched notice of the him after effect of Dobinmatches sky’s arrival. where I “Coach had just Dobinsky has finished had a major my match effect on me and he was Cooper Fike as a wrestler off coachand person by ing his Sophomore changing my students, attitude and individually outlook on critiquing things,” Fike said. them so “Wrestling is a sport of what they can do better next time,” you put in, you get out of it Moreno said. “That type of and he pushes me mentally and ability as a coach has definitely physically.” strengthened my respect for As a first-year head coach, him.” expectations are high for the A confident presence on the future. Dobinsky envisions the bench, Dobinsky constantly Bowie wrestling team as a state works to improve the characcontending program, and he ter, skill, and athleticism of has made that clear to all of the his subjects, making sure they Bowie wrestlers. make the best of their poten“Coach Dobinsky has really tial. In the short time they have brought a change of tempo to worked together, Moreno ap-

”

Ben Tillisch Dispatch Reporter

Coach Dobinsky has had a major effect on me as a wrestler and person by changing my attitude and outlook on things.

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GETTING COACHED: Wrestling coach Tyson Dobinsky shows freshman Quinten Joy a technique in practice. The team practices after school Mondays and Wednesdays to prepare for their tournaments.

PHOTO BY Arushi Sharma

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Bowie Wrestling,” Moreno said.

“He has changed our belief as a team; he has helped our newer members focus on a goal and demonstrate what they need to do to accomplish that goal.”

Accepting the role as the head coach of the Bowie wrestling team, Dobinsky teaches both boys and girls in the art of wrestling. An ever-growing sport, compounded with girls’ wrestling individual excellence at Bowie, offers a sturdy base for Dobinsky to build upon.

“I would really like to work on recruiting and growing our girls wrestling team,” Dobinsky said. “It is the fastest growing scholarship sport in women’s college athletics, with universities like Iowa and Oklahoma State adding it this year. So, there is an absolute opportunity for our girls here at Bowie.”

A physically demanding sport, the will of each student-athlete is tested in wrestling. Mentally, Dobinsky preaches persistence, accepting nothing less than his team’s best effort.

“And so, it builds that character, that toughness,” Dobinsky said. “You have two choices: you can quit, or you can push through and get better at that point.”

A duel between two athletes, wrestling packages immense personal responsibility.

Dobinsky mentions the power each of his athletes hold, guiding them to apply what they have learned through wrestling into becoming a young adult.

“I think mentally, if they’re growing and developing the discipline, wrestling teaches

12 ENTERTAINMENT THE DISPATCH DEC. 10, 2021

Grace Gum goes all the way in All-State

The violist wins the prestigious Orchestra competition for the fourth year in a row Nicole Rooney Entertainment Editor Senior Grace Gum steps on stage. With sweaty palms and shaky legs, she prepares for a nerve wracking matter of minutes. Thoughts of doubt run through her head, but she sees through them.

With a make or break performance, as a fourth year All-State competitor, the nerves don’t go away for Gum. “Unfortunately, I still get very nervous,” Gum said.

“Having one shot to share what you’ve spent dozens of hours perfecting puts you in a very vulnerable position, as you want to prove yourself.“ To qualify for All-State, you play six excerpts at an in person audition. From there, in one shot, a sound engineer records your performance and you are judged based on that.

“The audition is terrifying,” Gum said. “The stakes feel so high that I always shake and get sweaty hands. I normally sleep all day after the audition after coming down from the adrenaline rush.

With all of the different factors that come with competing, nerves will always be there.

Luckily Gum has found coping mechanisms to calm them.

“I think the best way to avoid being nervous is to show up prepared,” Gum said. “I don’t consider myself ready to perform a piece until I have it completely memorized, regardless of whether or not I have to play the piece by memory in the actual performance. By showing up very prepared I can play with confidence, knowing that I am absolutely capable of playing everything well and that I’ve done my job. If you haven’t done your due diligence and practiced enough, you deserve to be nervous.”

Gum has been an All-State finalist for all four years of high school. This has given her opportunities in and outside of school.

“It’s been a very rewarding experience, as it’s shown me that I can achieve any goal I set

if I work hard enough,” Gum said. “Getting into a TMEA All-State ensemble means that you are chosen to attend a week-long convention in San Antonio, where you perform with many of the most talented young musicians in Texas.

This week is always extremely inspiring and fun, as you get to hang out with like-minded people that you otherwise never would have met.”

Gum has received lots of recognition from her winnings and work ethic. Along with recognition from programs, Gum has received recognition from peers because of her hard work and dedication.

“Grace Gum is an incredibly dedicated student and worker from what I’ve seen, she always gets work done by the deadline and the work is always in stellar condition,” senior Rauno Meneses-Halmari said. “She doesn’t need help from others to get things done as is able to generate a much better product alone than most people can in groups” Although Gum has been in orchestra all through high school, her journey with music has lasted longer than four years.

“I always wanted to play violin as a kid, but my parents insisted that I play the piano, which I played from age eight to 14,” Gum said. “When sixth grade rolled around, I signed up for orchestra and decided that I would play the violin. Shortly after, however, I met some stern professional musicians who told me that, being 11, I was ‘too old’ to pick the violin, and that I should choose the less competitive viola.”

Students find ways to express themselves in many different ways through programs and other extracurriculars, and orchestra is not just a fun hobby for Gum, but a way of expressing herself.

“Playing in an ensemble is extremely cathartic. I get to play my heart out during pieces that speak to my soul,” Gum said. “Playing and listening to great classical music conjures

SHOWING OFF HER INSTRUMENT: Senior Grace Gum smiles for the camera. Gum has made it into the All-State orchestra in all her four years of high school, and is the first Bowie student to accomplish this feat since 2018. PHOTO BY Nicole Rooney

so much imagery and emotion in me, and can transport you to different places and times.”

With her hard work ethic, Gum has been able to inspire others and make them feel comfortable around her.

“I’ve played a role as a friend

who is also aiming at the same goal of improving as a musician, but I wasn’t even able to compete with how well she placed at events like All-State until recently,” Meneses-Halmari said. “So maybe there was some unspoken friendly

competition along the way, in the sense of pushing one another to do better. Something I’ve enjoyed about working with Grace is her overall skill in different fields. It’s enjoyable to work with someone who is much more than competent in

the subject at hand.”

Gum has not only inspired her classmates but has also made so many others proud such as her orchestra director.

“Grace is a joy to work with,” orchestra director Joseph Smith said. “I never have to be worried about lack of preparation, and she is one of the most polite and respectful students I have ever taught. Gums talent with music has lasted all through high school and she does not plan on ending her journey here. I have enjoyed seeing her blossom into an incredible musician.”

For Gum, music is something she want to continue, but maybe not as a future career.

“I’m not going to major in music in college, but I plan to be in UT’s chamber music program and in one of their orchestras,” Gum said. “I don’t want to diminish my love of music by depending on it for my income. No matter what career I go into I’ll still be a musician, and plan on playing forever.”

Although Gum is choosing not to major in music while in college, her director believes that she has the ability to do whatever she wants to with her talent.

“Grace has all the options in the world - she could be a professional musician, or really anything else she might want to be,” Smith said. ”Grace is one of the hardest working people I know. She is consistently prepared, bringing not only polished work to the table, but also with ideas for continued growth.”

Throughout all of the ups and downs in orchestra Gum has learned a few things that she will carry on in the future.

“Being in orchestra and playing the viola for the last six years has taught me that I’m capable of learning anything,” Gum said. “It has also taught me to be patient when it comes to seeing progress, as it takes several years of practice until you’re able to play an instrument well.”

Varsity cheer overcomes adversity and Band takes on Seattle secures a bid to Nationals at Disney Donna Kim Dispatch Reporter

Amilia Velez Dispatch Reporter

Aine Flaherty takes a deep breath and opens her mouth to cheer loudly for her friends as the Bowie High School Varsity cheer team takes the mat at their competition.

The varsity cheer team competed at the UCA Regionals, which were held in Louisville, Texas on November 14. This was the first competition of the year for the cheerleaders, and the team was hoping to get a bid to UCA Nationals in Disney World.

“A few weeks before the competition I got hit while practicing and got a concussion,” Flaherty said. “This was a huge bummer to me because I was unable to compete with my teammates as a senior.

However, it gave me a new perspective of the competition.

I was able to shift my attitude and become the support of the team and cheer my teammates on throughout their practices and competition.”

The varsity cheerleaders placed third in the traditional category. They ended up securing a bid to Nationals after the judges picked select teams to compete with schools from all over the country.

“Everyone on the team was ecstatic to be able to perform at Disney,” Flaherty said.

“Especially us seniors because it meant we would be able to compete together again.”

It was not all smooth sailing for the cheerleaders. The girls had to face several challenges such as limited practice space and multiple injuries.

“I was very proud of my team, and even if not everything hit, we still have worked

as hard as we could to get where we are,” senior Emma Jellison said. “We have had to change our routine so many times because of many injuries, and we were having to practice outside on the track. We were able to adapt to changing the routine so many times and still did the best we could.”

The team spent countless hours practicing and preparing for this competition and they will need to continue practicing all of their routines before the upcoming nationals competition.

“We knew we didn’t do as good as we wanted but we are now fixing the routine so we can get a better score at the next competitions,” Jellison said. “The low score of this competition has resulted in the team working harder so we can do better at UIL and Disney.”

With the obstacles they’ve faced, the cheerleaders knew they had more work to do to be before with their upcoming competitions. Flaherty believed that a positive mindset would help the team work together.

“I think the results motivated us as a team even more,” Flaherty said. “The results gave us some goals to work towards and made us motivated to meet those goals.”

Along with the girls on the team getting feedback from the competition, cheer coach Alyssa Alex received feedback on how to take the routine to the next level.

“All the judges said that they were impressed overall, but that we needed to spend more time cleaning the small details such as footwork and motion placement,”Alex said.

“I got some feedback on needing to add some more floor

LOUD AND PROUD: Senior Emma Jellison gets lifted into the air at the Del Valle game. Performing difficult stunts and hyping up fans is a large part of cheering at football games. PHOTO BY Seslee Sagbiel

work and ripples to add some more ‘wow factor.’”

This competition is just the beginning for the cheer team and they have more opportunities to show their skills in other UCA competitions.

“I am proud of what we accomplished at the competition,” Alex said. “It was not perfect, and we have some

cleaning up and work to do, but the team powered through a lot of changes and not ideal conditions. This is definitely the most resilient group of athletes I have worked with.

They were determined to do well so they took the hits that came at them, kept their heads high and accomplished their goals.”

Two years ago, the top band of Bowie High School submitted three different recordings to the Western International Band Clinic (WIBC). Last year, they were formally invited to Seattle, Washington and on November 18, the Wind Ensemble flew out to Washington to perform at the Double Tree Hotel in front of an audience of 100+ people. Cole Pennington and Ruby Hodenfield were two juniors who had the opportunity to go on this trip.

“Boarding time was at 5:40 in the morning, so we had to get up at around 3:00 just to get ready and drive to Bowie,” Pennington said. “We were all super tired, but we were also all excited to perform at such an event.”

WIBC is a four-day conference where bands from all over America are selected to perform in front of international guest conductors and other high school bands. Only four bands were selected for this exclusive conference, and Bowie was one chosen to perform at such a prestigious event.

“Our performance was from 9:00 to 10:00 pm, and it was in front of many people, including WIBC officials,” Hodenfield said. “We performed on a platform that was big enough to fit all 40+ of us, and we all had to dress in fancy black outfits.”

For the WIBC conference, high school bands are expected to choose five songs to perform.

“On the third day of our trip, we performed at the hotel,” Hodenfield said. “For our first song, we played Deus Ex Machina. This was followed

by Shenandoah, Four Scottish Dances, Acts of Congress, and our encore, La Boda De Luis

IN THEIR FANCIEST ATTIRE: The Bowie Band performs at the WIBC in the middle of November. They spent a few days sightseeing before and after their performance. PHOTO COURTESY OF Bowie Band

Alonso. The audience was so impressed by our performance, that we even signed signatures on performance booklets after the event was over.”

Because of the prestige of an invitation to this event, the band had to practice many hours in order to perfect their music before departing for Seattle.

“We had practice a lot during and after school,” Pennington said. “Because this was such an important event, we wanted our songs to be close to perfection. Me and my friends were all very stressed, though, because there were bands from across the globe. I’m pretty sure there was a high school band from Australia.”

Despite this trip being solely for the WBIC clinic, the band also got to go to many tourist attractions in Seattle to celebrate having a successful performance.

“The first day of the trip, we went to Pikes Place and we rode the ferris wheel,” Hodenfield said. “The second day, we toured the Seattle Hawks Stadium and went to the Museum of Pop Culture. Then, we went to the Bowing Exhibit.

This trip was one of the best experience, especially for the band, and we all hope to be invited to something so special again.”

coming UP in ENTERTAINMENT Dec. 17 Spider-Man: No Way Home movie release Dec. 22 Sing 2 movie release

Jan. 8 Mother Mother concert Jan. 21 Still Woozy concert

Jan. 22-23 Musical Performances Jan. 29-30 Musical Performances

REVIEWS 13

Apart from Trail of Lights, there’s also Luminations at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center. Taking place all of December and January, you can get tickets up to $25, free for ages up to four.

What makes this place different is that this is actually a walk through event where you can look at all the different sights of light and sculptures.

Their path goes around the whole wildflower center with a cafe too. You can find the map and more important information on their website at wildflower.org/luminations.

SPARKLING SNOW: The entryway to Mozart’s Coffee Roasters is decked out with white lights to look like snow. Mozart’s is open from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. PHOTO BY Angela Le

PEPPERMINT MOCHA

Looking for the perfect winter activity? Ice Skating at Whole Foods on Lamar Blvd is that and so much more. They have an ice skating rink on the top floor, only during the winter, where you can show off your ice skating moves.

They also serve hot chocolate as well if you’re parched after skating. The tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door per person. The rink is open from 10 am-10 pm daily however they have special hours on holidays.

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WHOLE FOODS ICE SKATING

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BY Luc

TOWERING ABOVE: Mozarts’ iconic pink tree sparkles in the sky. Mozart’s serves hot chocolate and lots of snacks to enjoy at the light show. PHOTO BY Angela Le

PHOTO

The Peppermint Parkway is another light show that takes place at the Circuit of Americas. This is also a drive through event just like Trail of Lights, however they have activities such as a kissing booth, go-karting, small amusement rides, delectable treats, and even a zip-line.

The parkway hours are from 6:30-9:30 pm with the Peppermint Plaza open from 5:30 pm-10:30 p.m. Each ticket is per vehicle (up to eight people) starting at $40.

During peak hours, wait times can last between 45-65 minutes. To avoid the rush, come early right at 6:30 pm or purchase a Twilight Ticket for entry between 8:30-9:30 p.m. Twilight Tickets are $5 less than the standard ticket.

Traditionally, this is the time when The Parkway has minimal wait.

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PEPPERMINT PARKWAY

I ordered the Peppermint mocha, iced, and honestly I was really disappointed. I expected the peppermint flavor to pair well with the mocha and espresso flavor, but it just didn’t taste good together.

This drink was very sweet and I wanted it to have much less syrup.

I liked the peppermint, and I think it could have been much better without being so sweet.

I also thought that the mocha was really rich and the espresso was too. I don’t usually like chocolate combined with coffee, but if you like this combination, then maybe this drink would be for you.

I did however love the little dark chocolate shavings on top of the drink and it added some more texture to the drink.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this drink and I would rate it a one out of five stars.

CARAMEL BRULÉE LATTE The first drink I tried was the Caramel Brulée Latte, and it was certainly a must-try. I ordered this one iced, and it was really good, but next time I’d want to try the hot version.

I sort of expected it to taste like a créme brulée mixed with caramel and I wasn’t sure if Starbucks would be able to capture the flavor, but they definitely didn’t disappoint.

The Caramel Brulée Latte didn’t taste too much like créme brulée, it tasted more like caramel, but it was still really good.

I think next time I order this drink, I would ask for less sugar because it was overpoweringly sweet, but if you like sweet drinks then I would recommend this one.

Overall, the flavor was great and the coffee wasn’t bitter and it was really delicious despite being a little too sweet.

BULLDAWG OPINION: What is your favorite holiday activity around Austin?

What is your favorite holiday drink from Starbucks?

Trail of Lights (47%)

Peppermint Mocha (36%)

Ice Skating at Whole Foods (23%)

Iced Sugar Almondmilk Latte (34%)

Mozart’s Light Show (15%)

POSING FOR PICTURES: Mozart’s light up wreath is a great picture place. Mozart’s offers their iconic light show tickets this year from Thursday, November 11, 2021 to Thursday, January 6, 2022. PHOTO BY Angela Le

LIGHT UP GARDEN: Purple roses and green vines are on display in the Mozart’s light show.

Mozart’s uses almost a thousand extension cords to power their light show. PHOTO BY Angela Le

Last but not least, Mozarts Coffee Roasters on Lake Austin Blvd in Oyster Landing. With the winter season coming along they’re hosting light shows with live music.

It’s best if you reserve a table ahead, four-person tables are $20 and six-person tables are $30, to get the best view and experience because it gets really packed.

They serve warm treats and have a hot chocolate stand that is always packed. For information and to reserve a table go to their website mozartscoffee.com.

Chestnut Praline Latte (25%)

The Nutcracker Ballet (6%)

Pumpkin Spice Latte (5%)

111 Students polled via Google Forms

Celebrating the season on the screen With Christmas just around the corner, and the season of giving and family time close by, new movies are being released that are perfect for those holiday themed movie nights with family. With this in mind, here are a couple movies that you can watch with your family that are perfect to celebrate the Christmas spirit.

RED NOTICE

DAZZLING STRING LIGHTS: Mozarts’ rows of string lights are hung to create a beautiful image. Mozarts is located next to Hula Hut restaurant for a nice place to eat before coming to visit the show. PHOTO BY Angela Le

Peppermint Parkway (8%)

The Driskill Tree Lighting (1%)

Donna Kim Dispatch Reporter

MOZARTS COFFEE ROASTERS

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LUMINATIONS

One of my favorite drinks I tried was a Chestnut Praline latte. I will say it was very sweet and had a strong flavoring taste and not so much of a coffee taste.

I ordered it iced and Starbucks definitely did not disappoint on this one. It tasted similar to the Caramel Brulée Latte, but had a different flavor. It didn’t exactly taste like a praline, but it didn’t really need to because it was very delicious.

It had a nutty roasted flavor and it was really creamy and sweet. Again, I wish it was a little less sweet, but other than that I loved it.

The drink had spiced praline crumbs on top and they helped add more texture and they tasted flavorful too.

Overall I really liked this drink and would recommend this one. I’m rating the Chestnut Praline Latte a four

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BY Luc

SHINING BRIGHT: The Trail of Lights sign is on display for everyone to see. Trail of Lights is open from 5:45 pm to 7p.m. PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

CHESTNUT PRALINE LATTE

PHOTO

The Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte was my favorite. Although it’s usually served with almond milk, I had to order oat milk instead because Starbucks ran out of almond milk that day.

I’m not sure how much a difference the milk substitution made in the way the drink tasted overall, but I loved it with oat milk.

It was pretty sweet and it would have been better if there was less syrup, but I didn’t mind the sweetness too much and I really liked the way the coffee combined with the sweetness. I’m a really big fan of the blonde roast espresso that Starbucks uses as the base for this drink, it has a really calm flavor that I love.

Overall, I loved this drink and I’m rating it a five out of five stars. If you don’t like the flavor of dark espresso, you should give this one a try before it leaves the holiday menu.

new holiday menu.

Not to mention, all of the hot holiday edition drinks are served in Starbucks’ iconic cup.

I loved how all of the drinks had some sort of topping that went with its flavor. I loved trying the Chestnut Praline Latte, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Sugar Cookie Almondmilk latte, and the Caramel Brulée Latte if you need a coffee treat over the holidays.

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SUGAR COOKIE ALMONDMILK LATTE

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Starting off with the most prominent holiday activity in Austin, the Trail of Lights.

This light show will take you throughout Zilker seeing various light shows. A perfect, romantic idea for a date or even with the family.

This year, just like the last, it will be a drive through event. This is to ensure COVID protocols and safety. The general admission starts at $30 per vehicle. You must reserve and buy your tickets before going to the attraction.

Sadly, the amusement rides such as the carousel and ferris wheel will not be open this year. However, concessions will be available for purchase as you wait in the queue but feel free to bring your own drinks and food. For more information you can go to austintrailoflights.org.

Winter is finally here and no brand does holiday treats quite like Starbucks. Every year the company brilliantly combines America’s love for coffee and Christmas treats into a lineup of holiday beverages and food.

On Thursday, November 4, Starbucks launched their highly anticipated seasonal

drinks along with a new addition. This lineup debuts a Caramel Brulée Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Chestnut Praline Latte, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Peppermint mocha, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, and the newest feature added to the seasonal menu, an Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk latte.

If you’re looking for a sweet coffee that captures holiday flavors and gets you caffienated, definitely order from Starbucks’

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TRAIL OF LIGHTS

Lucille Price Reviews Editor

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BY Luc

Tis the season in warm Austin, Texas. Still with the air getting colder by the minute, there are so many winter activities to do in the city. If you or your family are ever in need for an event to celebrate the Holidays, Austin is surely the right place for you. From Mozarts Light Show to Luminations, Austin has it all.

Exciting new drinks are sure to sweeten your daily routine

il

BY Luc

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

Angela visits holiday attractions in Austin that uplift Christmas spirit

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Angela Le

Holidays brewing at STARBUCKS

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Austin Adventures with Angela

FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

This is for the readers who don’t celebrate Christmas, but enjoy family movie nights. Red Notice is one of Netflix’s new movies featuring Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson (a trio we all needed to see).

When a priceless artifact is stolen, an Interpol agent must team up with a thief to track down the most wanted art thief in the world.

This movie was truly a comedy, and contained thrilling action scenes. I never expected a movie from these iconic actors, but they truly delivered an amazing movie about art and history. This is the perfect movie to watch with family to exchange good laughs.

HAWKEYE

Although it is not a holiday movie, Hawkeye will spark Christmas spirit in Marvel fans in this new series part of Phase 4 of the MCU. When there are new sightings of Ronin in New York City, Clint Barton must partner up with Kate Bishop to

confront his past, and so he can get back to his family in time for Christmas.

Though all the episodes are not out yet, Hawkeye is, so far, an incredible show that focuses on new character Kate Bishop, and dives deeper into Clint Barton and who he is.

Hawkeye is an amazing show to binge for Marvel and superhero loving families who also enjoy celebrating Christmas.

LOVE HARD

Imagine thinking that you have met the perfect guy on a dating app that likes everything about you, and imagine you fly out to another state to see him for the holidays. Now imagine that you have been catfished all along, and the dream guy you met on the dating app looks

nothing like he does in his pictures.

This is what happens to Natalie Bauer in a new Netflix movie called Love Hard, featuring prominent actors such as Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang.

Before watching this movie, I had very low expectations, as it looked like another cheesy holiday movie with unfunny comedy. But after finishing this movie, I can say that I enjoyed it. The humor is very millennial-esque, and the plot seems very unrealistic, but I ended up getting very invested, as it does teach a very valuable lesson in the end.

This movie is perfect to watch when you don’t know what holiday movie to watch with your family.

14 COMMENTARY THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

Potential new schedule hurts students EDITORIAL

AISD superintendent Stephanie Elizalde recently released a proposal that would change the current eight period schedule district-wide for all secondary schools starting the 202223 school year.

The proposed schedule change from her office would alter the current eight class period schedule to a seven period schedule and teachers would teach six out of seven classes instead of the current six out of eight periods.

While the board will hold discussions about the plan in early January, the ultimate power to make the final decision rests entirely with Elizalde.

She will make the final ruling, regardless of any board decisions.

This proposal has sparked major concerns from the whole student body, their parents, and teachers about how their academic future will be affected when applying for colleges with the current course requirements and the limited amount of elective spots available in the proposed schedule.

The Dispatch leadership team is concerned about this proposal, which will not address the needs of students and teachers. If implemented, students will not be as competitive as they currently are in multiple areas. We urge Elizalde to explore other options and to not make this change.

This proposed schedule, with just seven classes per year, is not reflective of what students need to be academically prepared for college, and is inconsiderate of teachers' time.

Students currently take 32 yearlong classes over four years, but the proposed schedule would cut that by one class per year to 28 total.

The current state requirement of 16 core classes, combined with fine arts requirements, PE credits, foreign lan-

guages, and the required health credit leaves very little time in a student schedule for electives.

The lack of elective options throughout the four-year high school experience leaves no place for students to branch out and find a "home" where they can find a future when they head off to college or the workplace.

Most students will only have a single option across four years of enrichment. And if they decide to switch tracks, will never reach the capstone, or final year class in any sequence.

Each member of the Dispatch leadership team are seniors, and we are all in capstone classes for a course that was not our first option when we started high school. This means that all of us would have missed out on the chance to fully participate in our current classes, if we were held to the proposed challenge.

For athletes, who almost always double block classes, would only be able to take their required courses and their sport class. This is the case for at least 300 students and if a college was looking over their transcript they would not be able to get the full picture of that student’s academic ability.

This is not the fault of the student, but the district not prioritizing their students' academic successes.

Another problem is the loss of off periods. Many students take part time jobs, and depend upon having these periods to get to work on time. There would be none of these in the future.

As for teachers, the Dispatch leadership team believes that this new proposed change will only make teachers’ jobs more challenging. This is because the schedule change will inevitably make teachers have more work because they would see each of their classes four times a week. Teachers will need to make more lesson

plans and they would have less time to do so because one of their conference periods would be taken away.

If this plan is implemented by Elizalde, it would negatively impact students and teachers.

There are other, creative ways to make the changes that will address the budget deficit which is at the root of this plan. The district could do any of the following to save money: change the schedule to a four-day calendar, with a three-day weekend and extend classes on those four days to make up the minutes required; look at middle management salaries and determine where changes could be made at the district level to save funding; or, and this is our strongest recommendation, refuse to make a full payment to the state for recapture. Hold back the $61 million needed so there are no cuts to be made. The state would still get more than 50% of Austin taxpayers' dollars, which is scheduled to be more than $700 million next year. Holding back just 11% would balance the budget.

We believe that the district should value its most important stakeholders, their students, at the highest level, and it starts with the most important group, high school students. We are on our final steps before entering the world, and we need our transcripts to remain versatile, and competitive when it comes to getting into college.

This plan will not benefit students in the long run.

We think the future of AISD students is more important than saving a few bucks by eliminating teachers whose classes change student's lives. Every adult we know remembers that single teacher that changed their life. Don't get rid of someone who might be one of those people. Do not make this change.

ART BY Isabella del Nido

The proposed seven period block schedule alters ability to have a versatile college transcript

Alec Baldwin prop shooting sparks controversy in Hollywood

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A loaded gun on movie set results in a death

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The movie industry has been buzzing with attention and concern over what happened on October 21, when actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun on the set of the movie Rust which he was filming in Santa Fe, NM. The shot fired killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchings and injured director Joel Souza.

According to Souza, the prop weapons had been checked before the crew broke for lunch and someone then yelled “cold gun” before passing the prop gun to Baldwin, meaning that the gun had no live rounds.

Even before the fatal accident, problems had already occurred on the set, including two accidental gun discharges according to an LA Times report. Alec Baldwins’s stunt double reportedly fired two rounds after being told the gun was

“cold”only days before the fatal shooting occurred. While many may be asking what happened that day, I think the big question is why?

There’s plenty to blame, but somehow, some way, a live round made its way into the chamber of a prop weapon. What is clear however, is that safety procedures were not followed, resulting in the death of one person and injury of another.

Moreover, this is not the only time deaths have occurred on a film set because of a prop miscommunication or malfunction. To be clear, I believe that live rounds of ammunition should never have been on the set of the movie and that this accident could have been prevented, had safety procedures been adhered to or had a real weapon not been used.

Because of these kinds of incidents, many are questioning whether real guns should even be used on a set in the first place. Given advances in cinematic technology and special effects, rubber guns should more than suffice as a movie prop.

Actor Dwayne Johnson has committed to using only rubber guns and not real guns on the sets of movies produced by his production company Seven Bucks productions. If others in the indus-

try follow Johnson’s lead, perhaps the idea will gain enough traction to become an industry standard. Ultimately, this will save lives and prevent further injuries on the set.

Working conditions and long hours also may have contributed to the tragedy on the set of Rust. Just hours before the fatal shooting, several camera crew workers walked off the set to protest working conditions. Their complaints included long hours, long commutes, and delayed paychecks. While this walk-off may not have been a direct cause of the shooting, it’s clear that long hours and working conditions likely contributed to an environment where policies were not followed, and mistakes were made.

Film crew members are known for spending long working days, as many as 15 to 19 hours a day on set. This is simply too long for a human to function under pressure, especially when lives and safety are at stake. 12 hours on, 12 off should be the standard shift in the film industry.

Other industries, such as aviation and trucking do dictate breaks for sleeping and rest between shifts. But on movie sets where prop weapons, stunts and even explosions are taking place, no such mandates exist.

There are several ways to alleviate these safety concerns on film sets. First, the entire industry should move to a 12 hours on, 12 off standard for those working on the set to prevent fatigue and mistakes. In addition, the industry should adopt a standard, mandatory set of safety protocols for stunts, explosions, and weapons effects. Finally, real weapons should not be used.

Without action on this issue, more preventable tragedies will occur.

Some argue that such mandatory safety protocols are expensive and unnecessary.

Moreover, they would place a larger burden on low budget, independent films. However, cutting corners when it comes to safety can have horrific repercussions. Movie productions should focus not only on the production of the movie but also their actors’ safety and safety on the set in general.

Lillian Hoover Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

Correction: Neurodivergence Editorial In the first issue of The Dispatch, the staff editorial covered the subject of neurodiversity. It has come to the attention of the leadership team that there were concerns regarding some facts and interpretations mentioned in the editorial. The leadership team acknowledges the possible misrepresentation of specific information presented in the story.

Corrections are as follows: 1. Each student in the 504 program is invited to meetings.

We apologize for these errors.

2. Parents are not participants in every meeting, although they are always invited as well.

The Dispatch Leadership Team

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) 841-7825, mail them to 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749 or drop them off in room F-203 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.

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PRIDE IN PUBLISHING Friday, December 10, 2021 Vol. 34, Issue 3 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane Austin TX, 78749

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

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

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

COMMENTARY 15 FRIDAY, DEC.10, 2021 THE DISPATCH

ART BY Isabella del Nido

Application season sparks college debate

Students reflect on whether or not college after high school is the best option for everyone Ava Wong Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

intelligence and growth potential to control changes and contribute positively to the development of modern technology.

A college education offers lifetime skills such as the ability to attack a wide array of problems, professionally communicate with others, and the ability to efficiently manage projects and problems.

Without a college education, an individual does have the ability to gain some of these skills but a four-year degree is able to expand and offer extensive experience with these skills.

Through an abundance of classes, learning opportunities such as internships or research and interpersonal interactions, students are prepared for a diverse working world. These skills can often be looked at as useful but again, the job market and technological world is changing, and these skills will help individuals change and flow with it.

America has great privilege when it comes to college, a promising factor in our country’s future. It’s important to take advantage of that privilege to better yourself and our future as an economically and relationally advanced world. A college education is obviously not the only path out there, but it’s proven to be the strongest path toward job and financial stability which is a highly important factor to consider when deciding what path is best for you.

“When I was in college…” the story so many students hear from their parents during high school. The standard of attending college is impressed upon students as soon as elementary school, narrowing the way they view their future. Many students stride through high school with the underlying perception that getting admitted to college is the only option. Despite the impression we receive from adults and authority figures throughout our lives, college is not the best option available to everyone.

College has significantly increased its admission requirements regarding academics, personal values and philanthropy. The system of admissions has been majorly reformed. What makes an applicant attractive to the admissions office has become significantly stricter and centralized around GPA, class rank and various other academic rankings.

Obsessively monitoring our GPA’s, enduring the intense preparation for standardized tests, we subject ourselves to the enormous process of getting admitted to our dream college.

With parental and societal pressure, college feels inevitable, as if it is already decided. This overwhelming pressure leads students to feel as though these numbers define them.

The degradation of self-worth through the application process discredits students of their natural talents and presence both in their school and in the world.

Furthermore, college has become unaffordable. To attend the University of Texas at Austin; tuition, living ex-

ART BY Ava

Wong

The cost of pursuing higher education is rising and with that, so does student debt. With that narrative going around the U.S., many may have reason to believe the value of a college degree is in decline. However, there are a number of important reasons why that is wrong.

A college education is more important now than ever before as a college degree is still the most secure way to increase wage potential in later stages of life. In addition, the modern world is rapidly growing with a rise in artificial intelligence and technology calling for multi-talented, intellectual, flexible critical thinkers in our workplaces proving that college is, and will increasingly be, the best way to prepare for an extremely industrial and uncertain future.

Looking at wage alone, college is crucial in finding job security in the very unstable and uncertain economy of the 21st century. A report on the value of higher education conducted by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University found compelling evidence that “people who earn bachelor’s degrees and work full-time can expect to earn 84% more than their peers with a high school diploma over their lifetime.”

Even beyond the significant raise in wage earnings, college graduates also receive increased employer-provided fringe benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans that result in better health and longer life expectancy. This shows the important role a college degree plays in longterm job stability and the earning of a sufficient wage for your future.

Not only will a degree help you but may also help your community. The Chronicle of Higher Education states that “graduates with bachelor’s degrees pay $563,000 more in taxes than high-school graduates who never attend college,” proving that your earnings benefit you as an individual but the greater economic environment.

A college degree will help you become a better worker in future environments. Rapid advancements in all aspects of life, most importantly technological advancements, are changing the landscape of what it means to be a worker. The rapid spread of these advancements will limit the amount of available job options shifting focus to more STEM and technology based jobs. These jobs need to be filled but require employees with those STEM backgrounds such as engineering and software development along with communications, business and humanities backgrounds with the ability to market products, recruit potential investors and interact with clients and the media. College graduates offer the specific

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Grace Harris Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

penses and other essential amenities land above $30,000 yearly. Even the application fees range from $50-100. This is unmanageable for many families and presents unfair advantages to those born into financially stable households.

Since the 1980’s tuition to public universities has risen an astounding 213%. With the assistance of financial aid and scholarships students can get the price reduced to just above $13,000 a year. These total’s are still unreasonable for students of low-income. The investment required to receive an education in America is unjust and for many is not worth the money.

Although college is definitely a valuable experience with many positive opportunities for education and future success, you can find the same success without a college degree.

For those who choose to not attend college, there are plenty of opportunities for success. Society often represses our recognition of alternate options. The standard tells us that graduating college is the only way to achieve success and stability. This is completely untrue and it is important to explore alternate options as closely as you examine different universities.

Although college is definitely a valuable experience with many positive opportunities for education and future success, you can find the same success without a college degree. Some of the most common paths those who intend not to earn a four-year degree pursue are; cosmetology school, earning a real estate license, welding school, enrolling in nursing school, applying for internships that interest them, apprenticeship, and going to a community college first.

By pursuing their interests after high school, many find passion and financial stability without the increasing costs and stress of college courses.

Although college is the best option for those who aspire to pursue careers such as a doctor, or engineering, for those unsure in the financial and life changing commitment to college, more appealing alternatives can be considered.

Societal pressures and expectations surrounding college should not influence the personal decision if college is the most valuable option after high school. There are so many benefits of investigating the advantages of other opportunities. With the unreasonable financial commitment as well as mental degradation of college, everyone should explore other options as thoroughly as they research universities. The decision rests on the goals and an individual’s situation, but college is not always the best available option.

BULLDAWGS SPEAK OUT Do you believe that students should go to college after high school?

INTERVIEWS BY Emily Loewe PHOTOS BY Nick Wood, Arushi Sharma, and Sammie Thompson

”

I think it’s important because while a lot of jobs only require a high school diploma, you might be more likely to get a better job with the better education that you have.

”

”

”

”

Sahara Wan Sophomore

William Hestiah Senior

Yes, for the most part I think that it’s important to go to college straight after high school. I think that it is important to go right after high school than to wait and miss your opportunity.

”

”

Kate Sur Sophomore Going to a four-year university increase knowledge in and helps you learn more about the field that you’re interested it. Also, it makes it easier to get hired for more higher paying jobs and makes an individual more competent in finding a job.

Yuri Lee Senior

I think it’s that going to college after high school is extremely important if you know what you want to do in the future. It’ll be easier for you to get a job, make good money which makes your life better.

”

16 PHOTO ESSAY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE

THREE, TWO, ONE, GO: Marley Anthony and Will Louis hold the lead in their three-legged race against Katherine Crosley and Ella Maedgen. Student council hosted the game, and incorporated the winter theme of the event into the three-legged race by tying the participant's legs together with Christmas ribbon. "My favorite part of the event was getting to sit back and see people actually participating and genuinely having some fun," project manager Ava Webber said. "It's really difficult to come up with something that will engage high schoolers in general so getting to see so many people playing the games and enjoying themselves was really rewarding." PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

Student Leadership hosts a nostalgic winter event Reagan Zuniga Managing Editor

PICTURE PERFECT: A group of junior friends gather at the photo booth hosted by the photography club for a photo. All pictures taken at the booth were posted on the photography club's Instagram. "The Way Back Winter event went better than I could’ve imagined," senior Ava Webber said. "It was really exciting to see it all come together, especially because it was really stressful planning and putting things together prior to the event." PHOTO BY Reagan

RECOGNIZING DIFFERENT CULTURES: Emma McCarthy attempts to get candies out of a cup with chopsticks. This game was hosted by the Asian Americans and Allies club. "I think event contributed to the No Place for Hate initiative in the sense that it really brought people together, which was one of our main goals from the start," senior Ava Webber said. PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

Walking around a circle of chairs with their hearts racing, rushing to grab a seat when the Christmas music stops, high schoolers are brought back to the times they once had as little kids. Games like musical chairs that bring back feelings of childhood bliss and naiveness were recreated at the Way Back Winter event.

Way Back Winter was an event organized by Student Leadership in conjunction with the No Place for Hate initiative.

The purpose of the festival is to host activities for students to promote inclusiveness and kindness through nostalgic childhood games that were enjoyed in elementary school.

“We were inspired by the fall festival that had been held during my freshman year and had decided it would be fun to host something similar,” senior Ava Webber said. “We also wanted to create an event that would bring people together

after COVID-19 and would create a sense of community again. The idea behind the “way back” part of way back winter was that we could help students feel like kids again, so we came upon providing fun games and a pajama day to bring students back those days in elementary where we would have fun holiday gatherings.”

All grades were invited to participate in the event with each grade being dismissed at the end of different periods.

"It was nice to see the kids outside and having fun since I know a lot of my students feel overworked and overwhelmed, so some enforced fun is what they needed," English teacher Kimberly Wiedmeyer said.

Student leader Steven Noack believes the event fulfilled its purpose promoting inclusiveness and looks forward to hosting similar events.

"It’s important to host such events to remind students that no matter what, we are all humans and everyone deserves to be included," Noack said.

Zuniga

SPREAD LOVE NOT HATE: A group of students sing karaoke together. The karaoke booth was one of the more popular attractions among all grades at the event. "I think the event helped get students back into the norm of in person school and being all together again," senior Steven Noack said. PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga

FINAL TWO: Addie Purcell and Patrick Kenny get cheers on as they get to the final round of musical chairs. The musical chairs booth was hosted by the Student Leadership class." The musical chairs and the bead making stands are good examples of bringing random people together to help get to know everyone and make everyone feel included," senior Steven Noack said. PHOTO BY Reagan Zuniga