Lone Star Dispatch Issue #1

Commentary pages 2 & 3 News page 4 In-Depth page 5 Student Life

pages 6 & 7 Entertainment page 8 Trends/Culinary

page 9 Sports pages 10-11 Photo Essay page 12

News Briefs

Campus fund raiser helps out the Landers’ family Help volleyball coach Jason Landers with his fight against liver cancer. Gather at Bowie High School (4103 Slaughter Lane) on Oct. 26th, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday for a fund raiser to help Landers win his battle against liver cancer.

Dress up as your favorite superhero and then come participate in the three mile run, the one mile walk, the kid’s fun run & family fun activities. All proceeds raised will go toward the Landers family’s medical costs, with a portion also going towards cancer research.

Win prizes for Best Costume (Adult, Family/ Team & Child), Most Money Raised by a Team and more.

Registration will start a 9 a.m. on event day, or you can register at http://www. thelandersfamilyfund.com.

Suggested donations are $20 for Adults, and $10 for kids ages 5-12.

Visit The Landers Family Fund Website or The Landers Family Fund Facebook Page for more information and photos from the event.

Harding inspires campus with the Groundwater Stewardship Award On Sept. 26th, the Board of Directors of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District met and picked this year’s Groundwater Stewardship Award winners. Every two years, these awards are presented to individuals, organizations, companies, or agencies that have made strides towards the protection and conservation of water resources in the District.

One such winner was Jill Harding, a teacher of Biology and Physics in the Bowie Science Department. Harding helped coordinate restoration efforts for the on-campus cave, and physically helped with the excavation of the cave, with plans to make it safer for students, teachers, and the community to be able to visit.

Harding has inspired many students in seeking careers in science, and undoubtedly has done so even more with the acquiring of this prestigious award.

For more information on the Groundwater Stewardship Award, please visit the Barton

Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District website.

The 2013-2014 football team is receiving a lot of attention after starting the year 5-0, including a win against rival Westlake. The Dawgs could be in the running for the District 15-5A championship. Read more on page 10.

Student Life

Sports

James Bowie High School, Vol. 2013-14, Issue 1, 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749, October 15, 2013, www.thelonestaronline.com

Dispatch

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Table of Contents

Dawgs fight for wins

An old tradition returns After many years of not celebrating Homecoming with a dance, the 20132014 Student Council, 2014 Class Officers and PTSA have worked together to revive their long standing Fall tradition.

Special event kicks-off Sat. Nov. 2 Read more on page 6.

Mentoring program creates mixed feelings on campus Say goodbye to the weekly Thursday morning study group mentoring classes formerly known as “advisory”, a new program called FIT (Flexible Instructional Time) is the new flavor of the season as the new 2013 – 2014 school year begins.

“We’ve decided to change from advisory to FIT because we are trying to focus more on academic learning by providing opportunities for students to have extra time in areas where students are struggling and increase chances for students to graduate with the preparation skills for college,” Science Instructional Coach Robert Deckard said.

FIT will be held twice a week (Tuesday and Wednesday) for students to go to any class they feel they need to get most help in. All students are required to attend a class on a FIT day and to keep track of every FIT session across campus and every student attendance in the school the “Portal” has been created to make things easier.

It allows students to sign themselves up for certain sessions they want to attend,” Principal Stephen Kane said.

Not attending a session will result in serious consequences as this FIT program is to be taken seriously.

“The absence of a FIT session will be treated as if a student were to skip a class,” Deckard said. “Consequences will include a conference with an assistant principal, a phone call home, lunch detention and a possible at home suspension.”

FIT has created mixed feelings both positive and negative throughout campus from students having to adapt to this change.

“I really like the idea of FIT, for it allows us the opportunity to get ahead in our studies. Some kids have trouble finding tutoring hours, but with FIT it’s during our actual school time,” sophomore Madison Cooper said. “If I had a say in FIT, I would probably change the dates from Tuesday and Wednesday to days further apart to add time for kids to get more studies in that they actually need help on. Kids can’t learn that much in one day.”

FIT referral line-up Students gather around Assistant Principal Jorge Rodriguez to receive a referral as one consequence for not arriving to FIT on time. Students who are found outside of FIT rooms past the assigned time are rounded up by security, assistant principals, and other hall monitors and taken to room D109. Photo by Editor-in-Chief Rachael Crawford

Students are learning that maybe this change won’t be all that bad.

“At first I didn’t like the idea behind FIT. I thought it was going to be a waste of time and that students weren’t going to take it seriously,” junior Scott Mayo said. “However, after looking at the rigorous schedule that has consumed my life for the past four weeks, I’ve realized that FIT is going to very helpful. In fact, having FIT everyday may be an even better option. It eliminates the factor behind a confusing schedule and I think it would also allow students to get more of a feel for the whole idea behind FIT Some students think otherwise and feel it’s a waste of time for students who don’t need the help.

“If I had a say in FIT, I would make it longer, but not required unless a teacher requested you. Not all kids need that extra time, so it’s going to be a hassle for them to go,” senior Meagan Hudson said. “I also

would change the harsh punishments for being late because I think it’s sort of ridiculous to take someone’s lunch away for being late one time when we have shortened passing periods.”

Others think there’s simply no time to fit the new program into the academic schedule due to our passing period time limits and because time is already provided for us to get our work done.

“I don’t like the idea of FIT mainly because it takes away our already limited lunch and passing period times,” senior Joseph Lewright said. “Granted it does give more time to those who need it but they have the same amount of time now. What’s key is how you use it. Also, seven minutes to get all the way across campus is not a long time. I’m constantly seeing kids jogging to and from their classes to avoid getting referrals.”

by Editor-in-Chief Meagan Prehn

Outdoor performing ensemble comes out on top with a first place win at “Bands of America” contest The Bowie High School Outdoor Performing Ensemble (JBHSOPE) placed first in the Bands of America Austin Regional.

On September 28, the ensemble went headto-head against 25 of the finest bands in Central Texas and around the state. Despite some unfortunate (but expected) rain and weather delays, JBHSOPE came out on top with a total score of 84.50 points along with achieving Outstanding Visual Performance and Outstanding General Effect.

“Leading up to the announcement, all of us were really nervous because there were a lot of other amazing bands there,” junior Madeline McBride said. “But once we heard them announce us as first we were all so excited and relieved that all of our hard work had paid off.”

An enormous amount of training and practice went into the JBHSOPE’s critical schedule as they prepared for this big event.

“We worked for all of August with nine hours of rehearsal a day. Now, we practice at Burger after school at 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays and at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays,” McBride said.

Intense weekly practices have proven to have paid off and become a favorite as well as a learning experience.

“I was anxious waiting to hear the results. It was rewarding to hear that our hard work paid off that day. Practices are my favorite part of band. You have to take care of business while nobody is watching before you get to dance underneath the stadium lights,” senior Jordan Sanchez said.

But some members felt a little differently about the performance and had constructive criticism as well as positive feedback.

“It was a great experience, until we got our score recaps. Many people were disappointed that finals were canceled due to rain delays because they expected another shot at the show, but didn’t get a second chance. Our scores definitely showed it.

Bowie vs Westlake halftime show The band performed their ensemble “To B or not to bee” during the halftime of the Bowie vs Westlake game. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

We got ninth overall in music, first place in visual (marching) and first place in general effect. Ninth place is unacceptable and completely uncharacteristic for our band,” senior Moody Schoolar said. “I am look-

ing forward to great things at the next two competitions for our band. The future looks bright if everybody decides to get on the same level. I’m ready for everyone to live up to our uncompromising standards.”

Band instructor Stephen Howard, had positive things to say about JBHSOPE’s performance.

“I felt confident after their performance that they had done their jobs. Being rewarded for their efforts was just the icing on the cake. We rehearsed details and worked on consistency so they could be prepared to produce a great performance when it counts,” Howard said. “I always look forward to the moment in the season where the students start to “get it”. What I mean is when they finally realize what they are capable of and start to work twice as hard and twice as smart, as a team, to make their potential a reality.”

Members see the band as not only a sport but also a family and learning experience.

“My favorite part of band would definitely be the friendships. The people in band are like family to me. You get to meet so many new people who go through the same things you do. I think that the experience brings us closer together,” senior Franco Palomo said. “When I was a freshman I started the first day of school with about 250 new friends that I wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for marching band. Now those people have become some of my best friends.”

JBHSOPE competed at the Westlake Marching Festival on Oct. 12, UIL Region Marching Contest on Oct. 22, and the BOA San Antonio Super Regional on Nov. 1st and 2nd located at the Alamodome.

“The BOA San Antonio Regional is at the Alamodome and is arguably the most difficult contest in Texas, simply because there are 50+ of the greatest bands in the state competing for only 14 finalist spots.

It’s an exciting weekend,” Howard said.

by Editor-in-Chief Meagan Prehn

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ommentary

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 2

FIT proves beneficial for student body E

ditorial

Flexible Instruction Time (FIT) is a beneficial program for the student body excluding the glitchy and unfriendly A.I.S.D. portal system.

FIT has the potential to help the academic success of students because if they need extra help in class, tutoring, or even a simple study hall there is now a time and place to get it accomplished.

Teachers can use the FIT time to advise students who are falling behind in their studies.

A conscious student wants extra help and time additionally for their hardest class. These students can seek out the classes they would like to go to in order to get ahead and achieve better grades.

Tutoring can be important for academic success and achievement. With this additional class time during school, a student could learn what they need to know for an upcoming test, assignment, or project.

Study hall can be used simply for the student to decide what they need to work on the most. If a student knows they need to study for the test they have next period, they have time to cram. If other students are in a room together there is the advantage of asking questions learning from socializing and communicating with each other.

This time also allows teachers to identify the students that are struggling with academics. The teachers can now use this time to

try and explain a concept to their students.

There are problems with FIT. Some students and teachers do not agree with the idea of FIT. Other issues include: the portal is not accessible and runs terribly, shortened passing periods with a greater possibility of being tardy or late to class, and FIT does not provide enough time for additional instruction.

The A.I.S.D. cloud serves as the portal and it does not work effectively and efficiently. Multiple people have complained about the accessibility on their mobile phones. The only way a student can sign in or sign up for a class is through the portal.

For example, if a student has a smart phone they can use the portal but with limitations since it does not work well. Some students do not have smart phones. There is also the problem of having the entire student body and staff on the portal at the same time causing a shutdown in the system.

The passing periods are now seven minutes long and for a student it is much more complicated to get to class on time. There is little or no time to go to the bathroom and get to class. The three minutes is critical when it comes to changing classes.

For both students and teachers, 33 minutes is not enough time to truly accomplish any work. There is not enough time for teachers to prepare a lesson plan for the students. For students there is not enough time to get to a session and start working because by the time

Art by Blaine MacMorran

they arrive and get ready to work it is already half-way through.

Teachers do not have enough time to work one-on-one with each student if they are pulling them in to help clarify their subject.

Students are required to attend a FIT session whenever they are assigned to one. If the student does

D ispatch Staff Co-Editor-in-Chief | Rachael Crawford Co-Editor-in-Chief | Meagan Prehn News Editor | Marisa Marquez Commentary Editor | Ashlee Thomason

not attend a required FIT session they will be penalized with lunch detention.

This system is unfair because that student may not choose to attend and it should be their decision to choose whether or not they care about their academics. Academics successes should be based on stu-

dent choice.

There are solutions to these problems of the portal, passing periods, 33 minute time span, and tardies or absences.

The portal could become more user-friendly by creating a mobile application. This mobile application could lessen the problems. A seven-minute passing period could still be useful for the student if they did not socialize with their friends and hurry to get to class on time.

The 33-minute time span could be fixed by making FIT longer by at least 15-20 minutes where a student and teacher could get good use out of the time given. There would be more time for students to work together and use this allotted time to work hard and get ahead on their studies.

Currently in FIT there are tardies and absences punished with lunch detention. If a student is caught wandering in the hallways when the bell rings or in the bathroom they are charged with detention.

This can be resolved by easing off on enforcement allowing students to go to the bathroom and get to class with greater expectations.

There could be an extension of how many minutes a student has to get to class before being punished.

While FIT has great intentions and focuses on creating a helpful academic plan for students, but it is still in the first phase and has yet to get fully on its feet. There are glitches to FIT that need resolution to fully establish the programs success for the Bowie student body.

Dress code enforcement remains drastically strict

The administrative staff crack down on student attire during school days

In-Depth Editor | Nancy Tran Student Life Editor | Sandra Cuadros Co-Entertainment Editor | Kamryn Bryce Co-Entertainment Editor | Blaine MacMorran Trends/Culinary Editor | Ali Davidson Sports Editor | Maryam Hussain Photo Editor | Ashley Stroud Advisor | Michael Reeves Staff Writers Fuaad Ajaz | Lauren Belvins | Stephanie Hernandez Santiago | Annika Holm | Elyas Levens | Marisa Marquez | Michaela Norton | Paige Rife | Isabel Rosales | Selma Sanchez | Shannon Wiedemeyer

E ditorial Policy The Lone Star Dispatch is the official student newspaper of James Bowie High School. It is published six times a year, generally once per six weeks for the school’s students, staff and community.

The Lone Star Dispatch is an open forum for student expression. The Lone Star 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 Lone Star Dispatch will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful, timely and interesting to our readers. Our articles will reflect our genuine objective of reporting news and will be held to a high standard of quality.

We will 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 will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph.

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 Lone Star Dispatch staff or administration as a whole.

The Lone Star Dispatch welcomes reader input. Please send any letters, articles, comments or corrections to bowie.journalism@gmail.com or mail them to 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749 or drop them off in room F-203 with advisor Michael Reeves or an 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.

The Lone Star Dispatch does not necessarily endorse the products or services of advertising.

There’s no such thing as a moral dress, it’s people who are moral or immoral.

Saying a person’s dress is immoral is like saying that a gun picks itself up and shoots someone.

Today it’s not uncommon to see a girl in short shorts or a guy in athletic shorts and a tank top, it almost seems like they want to show as much skin as possible. And the fact is, they do. Today’s vision of beauty is perfect skin, soft hair, and a good wardrobe.

Short shorts on girls and tank tops on guys are not that from jbhs.org student code of conduct handbook page 14. uncommon to see around school, especially in the dress code in some form most people breaking dress Texas heat. But there is no or other and half the time code could easily walk by reason that there should be a the assistant principals and one of them and not have dress code banning them. monitors don’t even enforce anything happen to them.

Guys try to show off their the rules.

Thirdly, high school teenmuscles as much as they Almost nobody in the agers aren’t children anypossibly can to impress the school takes the dress code more, they’re about to go girls trying to show off as seriously but they still pass into the real world and they much chest and legs trying school just fine. Basically won’t get anywhere in life to impress the if they are boys. all the exact “ lmost no one in the school takes the Sometimes same. they can go so dress code seriously”- Elyas Levens.

Diversity far as to make in personality themselves is one of the look ridiculous and don’t ac- this completely contradicts most important things in this complish anything but em- the idea of dress code, prov- world. If dress code restricts barrassing themselves. them to look the same as the ing it irrelevant.

One would think that Second, kids should be next person then we’d end since adults were teenagers able to show people their up with a bunch of zombies they could realize that dress personality and eventually on the work force. code is irrelevant, and would if there is no dress code they Our principals and staff try to sympathize with us. will learn to control them- think dress code to be the But turns out that they think selves and dress like a stu- most important thing in the dress code to be the most dent coming to school for world, and don’t think we’re important thing in the world, school. not grateful for all that they not the fact that our school is Teenagers are in their do, we are, but dress code is literally falling apart. most rowdy years and trying one of their worse ideas.

During the first two to make them follow silly To sum things up, dress weeks of school half the air rules is only going to make code is, simply put, useless. conditioning was out. Last them want to break them It isn’t enforced properly, it time it rained the roof was even more. isn’t taken seriously, it isn’t leaking and the halls were If the dress code was re- diversifying the generation, covered in water. ally necessary then the mon- and it isn’t effective. by First off, many people itors and APs would enforce I see in the hall is breaking it with more seriousness, Staff Writer Elyas Levens

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ommentary

Tuesday, Oct.. 15, 2013 Page 3

Social media damages teenagers minds Rise and destruction of social media takes over the world in mobile form

and most troubling social media issue is sexting. Social media allows the power to spread damaging images or videos containing suggestive pornographic images.

Numerous stories have appeared in media displaying the corrupt idea of toying with another person’s online image and ruining their lives. These bully actions

Seniors are stereotyped by poking fun at “fish”

ing. Right now with it being first semester, I don’t know one senior who isn’t stressed about something. Whether it’s about college applications, college essays, core and elective classes, school schedules etc... it’s still stressful for seniors right now and although we’re all ready to give up its not really an option right now.

Now, don’t get me wrong as soon as college applications/essays are completed, late night, last minute study sessions for finals are through, winter break rounding the corner and second semester arrives I know seniors will let go more and relax the rest of the year; and yeah the senior attendance will slowly diminish as the end approaches for us. But can you blame us?

In conclusion, I don’t think anyone actually realizes how quickly high school flies by until they’re a senior.

Being a senior makes you want to enjoy every second of high school, (although we say we’re ready to move on), because you know the end is near and will be here before you know it.

It seems like the older you get the more school spirit you gain and togetherness you develop as a class because of the realization that this chapter in our lives is coming to an end and a new chapter is about to begin.

by Co-Editor-in-chief Meagan Prehn

Stress, pressure, and grades Ac-

ademics challenges the inner self

High school is a crucial phase in a student’s life. It is the time period in which a student must prepare and showcase their best of abilities for the next big step - college. In these four years students are constantly pressured by the high emphasis on grades and outstanding performance, leading to an overabundance of stress.

As a junior I feel that I am constantly worrying more about my grades than the content of the work being studied. All I’m concerned about is how to improve my grade and boost my GPA enough to pass with decent results and be accepted by an appropriate college.

After talking to counselor Kyle Haenisch, I learned that according to the fourby-four plan, students must take and pass four English, four math, four social studies, and four science classes in order to walk the stage with their class in May. Otherwise students are required to retake classes over the summer and may be forced to walk the stage in August. Creating not only an academic pressure, but also a social pressure. Students feel threatened by the thought of the embarrassment they would face if they were unable to walk the stage with the rest of their graduating class.

The importance of class ranks in college applications also creates a competitive atmosphere amongst students. Some students become over-competitive due to the social pressure. They begin to worry more about being better than the next person, and beating them at little things rather than actually focusing on the big picture.

This, then, hinders their grades, leading to more stress.

Every grade level has obstacles of their

own to face. In freshman year I was a little lost, and tried to make sense out of the new fast pace lifestyle I had become a part of.

As a sophomore I had begun to get a hang of things a little more, and tried to focus on my grades. As a junior I’m constantly stressing about grades, and I am nervously anticipating taking the SAT and ACT test.

I had always heard that junior year is one of the toughest and assumed it must be the most stressful.

To my surprise, Haenisch told me that senior year is definitely the most stressful.

He explained that not only do seniors have to deal with the pressure for grades, but they must also keep up with college applications and face many deadlines. Some of them even have jobs to keep up with.

Along with all of that, this being their last year in high school, they try making the most of it, and have to balance out social events such as prom, with academics.

At times it gets hard to organize myself and prioritize my work. Every teacher intensely signifies the importance of his or her own class. I begin to stress too much about a single assignment and the thought of having to do seven more like it leaves disoriented. I don’t get anything done, and all my work begins to pile up.

I’ve learned that the trick is to take one thing at a time. I try not to think of all the other assignments I have yet to finish and just focus on the one I’m currently working on. Also, as hard as it may seem, it’s important not to take advantage of block scheduling and get your work done the day it is assigned. That way you are constantly on top of things and ahead of the game.

It’s difficult to not let the stress get to you. We’re over pressured to put our all into everything, and are left with very little leeway. We begin to stress more than we work and that only harms our grades. Despite all the stress and pressure I will still continue to use my own little techniques to work my way through things. by Sports Editor Maryam Hussain

g speak out

Collette Provost 10th

Alden Howard 9th

BULLD

counts of others. In social media everyone expects other people to be flawless.

Some say that social media is a communication device, but I don’t think it is. Instead of talking faceto-face to someone we are using means of texting and other various forms instead of simply communicating.

Social media is not a means of communication. When asking teenagers social media is a device to brag about their lives by posting.

Social media is directing us to a place where, in the future, people will be detached from each other.

by Commentary Editor Ashlee Thomason

Derek Thomas 12th

A dull concrete parking garage known as school filled with towering shadows of seniors with vicious looks on their faces as they scheme for ways to taunt their next “two feet tall” victims known as “fish” seems to be every freshmen’s vision of their first day of high school here at Bowie.

But maybe just one day couldn’t hurt since seniors are never seen again after the first day right?

Seniors are constantly stereotyped as huge blockades that stand in front of the academic building on the first day of school to taunt and humiliate incoming freshmen. As well as never attending school and simply just not caring about our classes in general anymore.

Well I don’t believe that’s exactly accurate.

Let’s start with the first day of school scenario.

As seniors, we are just pumped up to represent our graduating class and prove whose “top dog” to the younger classmen. It’s not about “hazing” or hurting the freshmen in any way at all.

In fact, it’s just a tradition at our school for seniors to hand out fish necklaces,

spray silly string and yell out our year for everyone to and hear to recognize us.

I feel that freshmen should not take anything the seniors do personally because one day they are going to be in our shoes and want to do the same thing.

I know our school is really strict about having silly string or anything to spray freshmen with but I feel that as long as it’s not harmful to anyone it should not be confiscated or taken so seriously.

To me, the first day of school for seniors is just a big celebration where everyone comes together to kick off the last beginning of our year together and show off an enormous amount of school spirit. And the school spirit doesn’t stop there, every football game our student section is filled with seniors ready to support and encourage our team and I know we are the loudest and rowdiest group there.

I think it all just goes along with savoring every minute of our last football games as we come and make the most out of it because we won’t be able to come together and do this again.

Now onto thinking senior year is a blow off year where seniors don’t care about school and stop com-

are causing an increase of suicide rates. These posts in some cases lead to suicide.

Teenagers are losing sleep due to the interrupting images and texts that are communicated via internet.

During the middle of the night your cell phone lights up, as the notifications pour out.

On social media pro-

files people tend to create an unrealistic image by portraying themselves to look more content and attractive than in real life. According to “Time” magazine 76% of Americans said they believed their social media profiles made their image more appealing.

The number of likes on a photo creates a sense of panic for students. From a teenager’s perspective, less likes than desired generally lowers their self-esteem. This constant pressure of appearing better than others online is present.

Feeling worse about your life occurs more often when reading the personal ac-

Enrique Trevino 11th

Life would be less complex without social media.

Social media dictates the lives of teenagers, which affects their day-to-day moods. Teenagers can’t grasp the concept that social media is always hovering above them. Social media is a risky element for us.

Years ago teenagers were not bound to something that could potentially harm them in the future. When scrolling through social media sites you can find that teens tend

to treat the internet as a freefor-all with no limitations.

Obscene images and words can be found instantaneously.

Today’s teenagers face the same issues as previous teenagers, but unlike other generations, we must contend with reality that every thing we do is public record if we use social media.

Teenagers haven’t come to the realization that what comes around goes around pertains to the internet. In the future, interviewing for a career or applying for college, social media history could potentially cause issues.

The arrival of the latest

How do you feel about Bowie bringing back a Homecoming dance?

“I think it’s great that there’s a homecoming this year because it gives people the opportunity to hangout before they leave Bowie. I also think freshmen shouldn’t be allowed to go because there’s so many of us and we don’t want to ruin it for the upperclassmen and when we’re seniors we won’t want freshmen their either.”

“I love the idea of Bowie having a homecoming dance again. I think it’s a great idea because you can only go to prom when you’re a senior so having a homecoming dance sounds like a lot of fun and gives the rest of Bowie something to be excited about.”

“I’m really happy we are, homecoming is a long standing high school tradition that I’m glad to see that we are getting to enjoy. I think this will bring the school closer together and give us more pride in our school.”

“I think that it’s a positive change for Bowie because it’s a good opportunity for students of all grades to bond and not be so segregated.

I think it’ll be a great turnout this year.”

by Editor-in-Chief Meagen Prehn

Photos by Ashley Stroud

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The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 4

Hope4JD event brings much success

Take the stage for JD Ment Morris and Ali Davidson performed at this year’s Hope4JD charity event. The event was created to help kids who suffer from an injury caled hypoxic/anoxic brain injury and who have financial problems and cannot afford treatment. Photo by Ashley Stroud

It was on a typical Saturday, the Hartman’s family experienced a terrible event.

JD Hartman was a happy, loving 11-year-old boy that had three sisters and two parents that loved him very much.

However on October 2008, things changed when he was playing near their pool, according to JD’s dad, John Hartman.

“He was at the bottom so I pulled him out and performed CPR,” John said.

The family thought it would be nothing major since they got him out alive, but that was not the case.

JD was rushed to the hospital immediately after the accident. There, the Hartman family was told that JD had experienced something called hypoxic/anoxic brain injury (HAI) and is due to the lack of oxygen in the brain.

HAI essentially disrupts

oxygen flow, starving the brain and preventing it from performing biochemical processes.

JD was in the hospital for five months and was in a coma for one year.

“One hard part is realizing you don’t have control over everything kids do,” his mother Beth Hartman said.

Approximately 6,000 children ages under-21 suffered from a non-fatal drowning in the United States in 2011. The recovery for this type of injury is difficult, if not impossible.

Untreated children with severe brain damage progressively deteriorate. Their bodies deform and they are susceptible to serious illness such as pneumonia.

The medical cost for HAI can be up to $180,000 a year for long-term care. The emotional, physical and financial strain of caring for a disabled child takes an enormous toll

on families.

The Hartman family has experienced this, so over the time they have organized a charity called “Hope4JD” to support families of children who suffer from that injury.

Hope4JD provides support through financial and recovery-based support services to families that are having a problem such as they were.

Now time has passed and JD has a completely different life.

“We have learned to love the other and new part of JD,” John said.

Now JD’s life is different, he takes therapy and has to have liquid meals every day.

He has to eat through a feeding tube and that is how he gets his vitamins.

JD is currently attending Bowie High School as

by Staff a sophomore.

Writer Stephanie Hernandez

Debate Team starts off the Rain doesn’t stop the fun season strong with a win

Debating competitions used to be populated by nerds in white-starched shirts and ties. Now in schools across the world, and especially in urban schools, debate teams are becoming popular again.

The Bowie Forensic Team kicked off the season with a big win, getting 2nd place Sweepstakes lead by the new coach Brian Alford. The team only lost by a handful of points to Hendrickson who had triple the competitors.

Last year to this year, it has been very different for the debate team switching coaches. Coach Alford takes the place of coach Shumate.

“Our team definitely misses our old debate coach Shumate, but our team loves Alford,” sophomore Miguel Lozano said. “I haven’t gotten to know him too well, but I definitely look forward to him becoming part of the family.”

“It is an amazing experience, you get to meet a lot of amazing people at the tournaments,” sophomore Jamie Godwin said. “It’s a lot of dedication but completely worth it.”

The team took top awards in almost every event they entered, including another big team award- the Squad Efficiency Award, which goes to the team with the best ratio of awards to student competitors.

This tournament was the first for Tanner Berg but with the knowledge of his experienced partner Miguel Lozano they came out victorious.

Lozano and Berg participated in the duet acting section of the tournament and are now state qualified after winning two tournaments in a row.

“State qualifying in two tournaments has definitely been great, we make a great team and we cannot wait for the state tournament in Houston in 2014,” Lozano said.

As for Havlin and Godwin, this was also the first tournament for them both.

They proved that they were able to stay with the big dogs and came in second place in duet acting.

“I love working with Dana.

She’s definitely helped me a lot throughout this process,” Godwin said.

In dramatic interpretations, fourth place went to Brooklyn Boreing, fifth place to Dane Ralph, seventh place Lily Howard, and eighth place to Halen Wilson.

This is the beginning of ongoing experience and learning. Students on the debate team are looking for ways to improve.

“Our team has grown so much from last year,” Hoban said. “The actual debate programs’ attitude towards competing is a lot more geared towards qualifying for state and doing well in the tournaments we attend.”

Bowie students on the debate team say that debate is not only rewarding with many life benefits but it is also very challenging and comes with many responsibilities.

“As a captain, I also have to encourage people when they are winning as well as when they are losing. One of the hardest parts of debate is losing rounds because it really discourages people,”

by Staff Hoban said.

Writer Isabel Rosales

Pheed is a new social craze for teens. Essentially, it’s a social media app that combines all of the ones that are used today – Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and Vine.

Users can post plain text, pictures, videos, and songs.

The concepts of following/followers and “liking” a post are the same, however, what’s different about Pheed is that users can “dislike” and directly comment on other user’s posts.

Another very unique feature is that users with a lot of followers, such as celebrities, can charge to view their

content.

Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus have supported it.

“At first, I found it confusing to figure out, but it’s actually pretty fun to use,” senior Alexa Boone said.

“It’s all these social medias wrapped into one convenient app.”

Pheed uses the easy Facebook layout for the dashboard.

“It’s convenient to be able to do so much with it, but I don’t like having to learn how to use yet another social media,” junior Karla Castro said. “I’m also unconvinced that it’ll catch on.”

Vine users have flocked to the app, which launched in October of 2012.

The creator felt Instagram was too simple.

“It’s somewhat easy to navigate, but it won’t become popular simply for the fact that between Twitter, Vine, and Instagram, it’s unnecessary to get another social media that does what all these other ones already do,” senior Ramiro Huerta said.

Even though the idea of Pheed is clever, it seems to not have good reviews among Bowie students.

by News Editor Marisa Marquez

The newest social media

Bulldogs and t-shirts The junior class of 2015 sold many of their class shirts at Bulldogs and Hotdogs. Many students lined up to buy a t-shirt to support their graduating class. Photo by Fuaad Ajaz

Yearly event Bulldogs and Hotdogs continues on dispite bad weather Even though it started pouring rain like someone opened a faucet, that didn’t stop the annual Bulldogs and Hotdogs social event from happening.

There were many booths and people who showed up including students, teachers, principals, and others involved in the Bowie community.

One of the many people there was Bowie’s principal, Stephen Kane.

“As usual the event was very well attended and we had great support from the boosters, clubs, and the PTSA. They did a very great job organizing the event,” Kane said. “The rain made me hesitant that people would not show up or start going back home . It was so early in the event but, after the rain cleared up we had an attendance as we usually do or even better. So, overall I think that Bulldogs and Hotdogs was a great success.”

Many people were there to hangout with friends and watch the pep rally.

“The rain ruined a lot of the stuff but I still had fun hanging out with my friends,” sophomore Noe Barrios said. “The pep rally was really fun and especially when the power went out. It was really exciting. Playing soccer at the soccer booth was really fun. I got to see what my speed was when I kicked the soccer ball. Overall I thought it was fun to be there and hang out with my friends and see all the stuff that Bowie has to offer.”

Not only cheerleaders and silver stars participated in the pep rally, behind them was the band.

“I performed with the band and then sold tickets for the choir cabaret. We raised over $2,000 dollars selling the tickets,” freshman Ethan Berdofe said.

“Bulldogs and Hotdogs was great because I got to see it from a different perspective.

Not only that, but I liked seeing all the fun things Bowie had to offer. I also got to eat some good food. Watching the choir live music booth

was fun because I got to see the talented singers we had.

I though that Bulldogs and Hotdogs was great.”

Graduating classes sold class t-shirts as well.

“The class of 2014 was selling class t-shirts at Bulldogs and Hotdogs and also had a silent auction,” class of 2014 sponsor Michelle Shadwick said. “We were doing great until the rain started because the silent auction was in the middle of the courtyard. We had to relocate, but after that we did great. The community helped out tremendously with our donations. Everything for the silent auction was donated from nearby stores and the Bowie community. The officers did a great job helping us organize everything and it was great.”

This year’s Bulldogs and Hotdogs was a very great success. According to attendees, the rain didn’t stop many people from showing up, helping, and having fun.

by Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz

New cell phone policies and dress code enforcement Snatching cell phones has been a top priority for teachers to keep the classroom strictly a learning environment. Starting this school year, teachers have been cracking down on the distraction.

Students think taking up phones is a good idea, but only if there is a true purpose.

“I think it might be during a test, and in some classes where you’re working a lot the whole class because

the kids don’t have time to use their phones or they could cheat on tests,” freshman Jacob Blacklock said.

In order to enforce this new policy, some teachers give students extra credit points for turning their phone in at the beginning of class.

“I do believe more students will turn in their phones if they are given extra credit because they are receiving an incentive,” math teacher Dana Stiles

said. “Most of my students care about their grade and understand my reasoning for taking up cell phones so they are willing to put their phone up for the period.”

Students also like the idea of extra credit.

“Almost everybody has a phone and even if you don’t, it’s just a little bit of extra credit so it won’t hurt you,” Blacklock said.

However, most teachers require students to put their electronic devices up.

“I thought the best option is: I take them, I put them in the cabinet and there not on you, they’re not where anyone can steal them, they’re not distracting you, and that’s why I decided to do it,” chemistry teacher Denise Sanders said.

Teachers at the school are willing to fight for their attention.

“Cell phones are a battle that I have chosen to fight because I cannot stand being disrespected when I am

presenting important information,” Stiles said.

Another important change at the school is the enforcement of the dress code. Specifically, the rule about the length of girls’ tops when they wear leggings.

“If they want to dress code people wearing leggings, then they need to be dress coding over half of the female student body,” sophomore Katy Jacobs said.

The intense, southern

heat is also a factor of how students dress.

“Leggings should be allowed because they’re comfortable and suitable material for Texas weather,” sophomore Karla Boone said.

Some students feel the dress code is impractical.

“The leggings rule shouldn’t be a rule because they’re pants just like jeans,” sophomore Erin Crowley said.

by Staff Writer Lauren Blevins

I

N-DEPTH

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 5

Volunteers strive to make differences

Senior Edeline Ong remembers when she first volunteered with her mother at the food bank in Kyle, TX. “When I volunteer at places like the food bank, by giving out food to the less fortunate, seeing the smiles on their face is such an amazing feeling that you can have after waking up at five in the morning just to volunteer,” Ong said.

Students have the ability to join student-run organizations on campus dedicated to volunteering such as Key Club, Red Cross Club, and National Honor Society.

Key Club is a student-based organization that makes an impact on the community by preforming acts of service. With 217 members, the club was awarded for the 75% increase in membership, for participating for the eliminate project and BRO project, and paying their dues on time. Key Club volunteers at local organizations, marathons, and at elementary schools.

“I volunteered at Brown Santa last year,” Ong said. “We wrapped four or five gifts for each kid in a less fortunate family, where the parents couldn’t afford to buy them Christmas gifts. Me and some other Key Club members spent our morning in a cold warehouse wrapping all kinds of toys. It was very cold, but we kept going until it was time for us to go. That morning was definitely well spent by having our fingers almost turn another color because we got to help out the less fortunate kids by getting presents to them from Santa.”

National Honor Society is an organization composed of students that have a cumulative grade point of a 3.75 and have an outstanding performance in scholarship, service, leadership, and character according to the official site of the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society.

NHS presidents Rachel Jones and Brooke Oliver have planned to set up bingo nights at Emeritus retirement home and other service opportunities at elementary schools.

“We would like to make NHS more than just people serving the community, but make it a family of closely knit friends who have fun together and truly enjoy giving back to their community,” Jones said.

During Jones’ eighth grade year,

she created an eight-month long initiative to create a plastic/aluminum recycling program in their middle school cafeteria with two other girl scouts.

Through public service announcements and guides for other schools to follow in their lead, they saved 117 pounds and 17.95 cubic feet recyclable material per day.

“Our program was so successful that it won first place in the Keep Austin Beautiful Youth Scouting award and second place in the Keep America Beautiful Youth Leadership award,” Jones said.

“Anyone can make a difference in

Emeritus retirement home aside from serving the campus.

“I’ve showed the teachers and staff at Bowie how much they are cared for through teacher breakfast and luncheons,” Oliver said.

Oliver remembers setting up for a birthday party for a woman with Alzheimer’s. “[Since she had Alzheimer’s] I didn’t know the last party she remembers having or the last one thrown for her,” Oliver said. “It was sweet to see her enjoy it especially when her life is full of suffering and staying put in the nursing home.”

With the service hours required for Boy Scouts, senior Thomas their Demopoulos began to volcommunity unteer his sophomore year with a little effort and with the Capitol Area Food something to be pasBank and Blue Santa. sionate about.”

“Even after I had the Some students amount of hours I needed, I volunteer with still went back to volunteer,” organizations outDemopoulos said. “It is a good side of the camway to give back to the compus. Junior Lauren munity and it makes me feel Laird volunteers good knowing that I am helpwith Austin Stone ing people who may not be able Church in the kids to help themselves. I know my department and for service brings smiles to the the Thomas Write people who benefit, myself, Homeless Ministry and God.” downtown.

Volunteering at the food “I love bebank about once every quart ing able to help due the food bank being the homeless at packed, Demopoulos sorts, Thomas Wright,” inspects, label, and packLaird said. “On Satages food that goes tourday afternoons I ward hunger relief am able to serve a programs. ts o o Tran sh ng Megan meal and just let the “There is an aters duri n n ru t ra ran powde ancy T struggling families titude in the air of colored to by N o h P . e un rac know that they’re the warehouse of cooperaColor R still cared about.” tion and teamwork,” Demopoulos Laird remembers said. “All of the volunteers are so haphelping an elder woman that was es- py working for the benefit of others. caping an abusive relationship at the It is an experience like no other when Thomas Wright Ministry. you know you’re helping people.”

“She had decided to come back Ong believes volunteers can gener[to the Homeless Ministry], knowing ate a better community. that the entire volunteer team would “Others should volunteer because be there to back her up,” Laird said. after serving your community, you “This experience made my work feel will have a sense of satisfaction that significant.” you can’t get from other places,” Ong Oliver volunteers for her church, said.

by In-Depth Editor Nancy Vacation Bible School (VBS) and Tran

Key Club

m.

Meeting at 8:15 a. or 4:20 p.m. eeting at 8:15 a.m.

Monday, Dec. 9: M or 4:20 p.m. m.

Meeting at 8:15 a.

Monday, Jan. 13: or 4:20 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 4:

E.A.T. OutRea ch

Give access to nour ishing and whole fo od to the hungry. Volunt eers needed for transporting bread from Central Marke t South to Central Texas Fo od Bank.

For more inform ation please contac t rocco@eternalway .org or call (512)-445-1080

Volunteer Opportunities Planting Trees in Austin

Sign up on www.treefolks.org/volunteer Upcoming dates: - Oct. 26, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Daniel Ruiz Library, 1600 Groove Blvd.

- Nov. 9, 9 am - 12 p.m. at Ramsey Neighborhood Park, 4301 N. Rosedale Ave

Homework Help After School Provide academic support by working oneon-one with a single student or in small groups to ensure that homework is accurately understood and completed.

Email volunteer@thebehiveusa.org or call (512) 658-1101 for more information Location: The Behive at Pecan Springs

Elementary, 3100 Rogge Ln. Time: Now - Jan. 12, 2014.

Mon. - Thurs. 3:15 p.m.

to 5 p.m.

Volunteer opportunity brings student to Guatemala

Senior Laura Phillips receives third Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Stove protects women Senior Laura Phillips poses with church group in front of a stove they built for the women in the Mayan villages. Each stove took two to three days to make, starting at around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday. Photo courtesy of Laura Phillips

Senior Laura Phillips juggles marching band, tennis, academic life and manages to volunteer as well.

“When I volunteer it is usually for a cause that I think is important, which makes the work really easy,” Phillips said. “It’s always cool to see the people you serve and see how the work you are doing is making a difference, it’s what motivates you to keep going.”

Having volunteered for Birthday Blessings, Center for Student Missions, Highland Support Project, Be the Match, Salvation Army, and other organizations, Phillips recalls her biggest project to be the bone marrow registration for her “Gold Award” for Girl Scout.

“This project was important for me because my dad had leukemia when I was in sixth grade,” Phillips said. “He needed stem cells, so they had to take DNA from him and look at a registry to see if there was a possible donor. I wanted to educate people on campus and register them to be a possible donor, so someone like my dad could go to the registry and find a match.”

After registering 40 people for the drive, one person was called back for additional testing, indicating a possibility that the person was a match for a patient.

“A lot of people think there are crazy big needles involved and is it a super scary Frankenstein process, but it’s not,” Phillips said.

“All they had to do was get a q-tip and swab your mouth… This drive was so close to me

and my family. The reason my dad is alive is because of a drive like mine in Oregon.

Someone saved my dad’s life, and it’s cool that I can give that back.”

Phillips and her church group have traveled to Guatemala this past summer to build stoves in Mayan villages.

“These families would cook with open fires in their homes - a cinder block room,” Phillips said. “The women would stay in their house all day tending the fires; they would develop respiratory diseases and other health complications. Our group traveled there and built stoves with chimneys, so we created a safer environment in their homes. With this project, this made me realized that my work paid off. We made their lives easier, so they could do something as simple as breathing.”

Phillips has received the presidential volunteer service award three times in the past three years. After volunteering her time to others and organizations for the past 13 years, she believes that others should volunteer.

“You’re privileged enough to give back to your community,” Phillips said. “The work is usually really easy, fun, and you meet people and you are doing great things. You should keep your eyes out for volunteering opportunities.”

Phillips plans to go on a mission trip this summer to Chicago and hopes to plan another bone marrow drive on campus this year.

by In-Depth Editor Nancy Tran

Presidential Volunteer Service Award - Recognizes and honors volunteers who have set a standard for service, encouraged a sustained commitment to civic participation, and have inspired others to make service a central part of their lives.

Hands on with miles of thread Senior Laura Phillips begins to weave thread together to make material used for clothing in the Mayan villages. Phillips learned to weave from local women. Photo courtesy of Laura Phillips

- Awards are given to individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard, measured by number of hours of service during a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime. Awards are given to ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours; 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. Individuals who have provided more than 4,000 hours of service during a course of their lifetime are recognized with a special President’s Call to Service Award.

For more information visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov

S

TUDENT LIFE

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 6

Student’s jobs take time from studies Summer or winter, rain or shine, homework or no homework, senior Lauren Frank reports for duty at the South Austin YMCA swimming pool just as she typically does every day after school.

Sitting elevated on the platform, she forgets about the school work that awaits in the back of her car as she looks left and right continuously, gazing at every square inch of the water. The fact that it only takes a split second to miss someone drowning forces Frank to take her job very seriously.

Frank is a lifeguard in Austin for the YMCA and continuously works with adults and kids, keeping families alive and safe at the swimming pool. Frank has been a lifeguard for five months and hopes to pursue life guarding all throughout college.

“A lifeguard must be fearless, bold and caring because it is going to take a lot more than swim lessons to be a hero,” Frank said.

Although it can be a tedious process, Frank has to stay committed.

Prior to her first job, Frank had to obtain life guarding, CPR and first-aid certifications, which was included in her 35-hour class, she took. The class costs $250 and calls for hours of non-stop swimming and studying.

“I remember I put down all my school work just to study for my lifeguard certification which definitely tore

me away from my school priorities,” Frank said.

For Frank, working is an option to help pay for her gas and other personal expenses. Working is a great way to get real world experience and to make money during free time.

“I wanted a job because I wanted to make money and have something to do with my time over summer and throughout the school year,” Frank said.

Although Frank juggles

school and work, she enjoys working as a lifeguard, saving lives.

“I enjoy working as a lifeguard because I get to interact with friendly adults and children,” Frank said.

Co-worker, senior Charles Asquith is also a lifeguard at the South Austin YMCA. Asquith rushes to his car to beat the after school traffic just to make it to work on time.

Asquith doesn’t have much of a choice when it

comes to having a job. He pays for a car, gas, insurance and other personal desires.

“I need a job because I have to pay for my own gas, along with paying for half of my car,” Asquith said.

Handling school and work is definitely not an easy task according to Asquith. \Getting home past 10 p.m. on a school night, exhausted from work with stacks of homework waiting to be completed can be

stressful and impossible.

“School and work is stressful because there are only so many hours in one day and another responsibility like homework is another load on top of that,” Asquith said.

At the YMCA, working early and late hours into the night is mandatory. Staying after closing hours to sweep, cover and clean the pool results in Asquith arriving late to his house and to get started on homework.

Lifeguard on duty Senior Lauren Frank walks up and down the aisle of the pool at the South Austin YMCA swimming pool. With a whistle around her neck and first-aid bag at her side, she is prepared for anything to happen at any moment. Frank has been life guarding since the beginning of summer and continues working in the lifeguard career, taking things seriously.“I take my job very seriously because I know that a drowning can happen at any moment and ultimately it’s up to me to do my job right,” Frank said. Photo by Sandra Cuadros

Soft-serve it up Junior Chris Gough serves up Almond Joy ice cream at D’lites Austin located on William Cannon. He enjoys having a job at a place where he can interact with families and eat ice cream.

“I enjoy working at D’lites Austin because I get to engage with really fun, nice, friendly people and eat over 150 flavors of greatness,” Gough said. Photo by Sandra Cuadros

Senior Tiffany Gore demanded a last period off just so she can get work hours and get home at a decent time to work on homework and college applications.

Gore is a barista at Starbucks and makes above minimum wage to make drinks and serve pastries. Working at Starbucks requires punctuality and working a great deal of hours, hours that Gore doesn’t have time to waste on homework.

“Before I had an off period, I was dealing with mounds of stress and living off less than six hours of sleep, now that I finally have an off period, I am able to maintain school and work,” Gore said.

Senior Christian Haddad manages to pull of the impossible, working not one but two part-time jobs. Haddad works part-time at H-EB and part-time at GameStop.

Apart from working, Haddad is also affiliated with The Starlight Theatre Company. He is a senior director and also apart of many show acts. Haddad barely has time to do homework because of his busy schedule.

“I am extremely stressed about handling two parttimes jobs and theatre. Since I only have time to work at nights on weekdays, I rehearse until 6:30 p.m. and go to work at 7 p.m., work until midnight and go straight to bed to get up at 6 a.m. for show choir,” Haddad said.

by Student Life Editor Sandra Cuadros

Make that a venti Senior Tiffany Gore makes a venti frappachino at the Starbucks located inside of Target off of Mopac on a busy Saturday afternoon.

The Starbucks menu items come naturally to Gore since she has trained since day one. “I have been working at Starbucks for 18 months now, everything is pretty easy to make now,” Gore said. Photo by Sandra Caudros

Project Student Body mentors struggling students

Senior Sarah Martin realized she wanted to dedicate the rest of her life to improving the lives of others after returning from Costa Rica where she was an exchange student.

“After living in a country where the students didn’t have the opportunities that I did, I felt a great desire to do my part in changing that,” Martin said. “On the flight back, I came to the conclusion that I needed to start with my community, and then little by little branch out.”

Martin created Project Student Body, an organization that promotes the importance of education through mentoring and tutoring elementary school students “The main focus of the program is working with kids on a variety of different educational activities,” se-

nior Megan Tran said. “The kids have fun while they are learning, and so do we.”

Through tutoring kids from Williams Elementary school this past year whom need assistance with mathematical and reading concepts, the group hopes to enrich tomorrow’s leaders through education.

Martin believes that Project Student Body has given the students the tools to make a better life for themselves.

“It is my highest goal to see them turn around and that they will turn around and share everything they have learned with others,” Martin said.

While enhancing the students’ academic abilities, the Martin believes that the group has become friends with the students as well.

“On the last day with working with Williams El-

ementary School, one of the girls I had been mentoring was going through a rough time,” Martin said. She decided to call me over and share with me what was going on. It was touching to know that I was not only her tutor, but someone she trusted. It is moments like this that, make me know how important it is to be in this organization.”

Martin hopes that this is the first step to dedicating her life to helping others.

“I want to be a volunteer doctor and treat patients on every continent,” Martin said.

The group’s next project collaborates with the Austin Public Library.

“Our goal is to design a reading program to present to children at the library,” Tran said. “We are currently in the process of creating the project, and hopefully in the

Will work for free Senior Sarah Martin works with elementary kids to help improve math skills. Project student body incorporates fun activities to enhance learning. Photo courtesy of Sarah Martin

upcoming months we will be able to start presenting the program in libraries across Austin.”

Martin hopes pass down

Project Student Body to an aspiring student after this year.

“I hope to start more branches of Project Student

Body,” Martin said. “I want to plant seeds everywhere I go and encourage others to join in on the fun.”

by InDepth Editor Nancy Tran

Teens Finding Freedom in Christ for Hurts, Habits, and Hang-ups

the

Landing

Celebrate Recovery for Teens in 6th-12th Grades For more information: Contact Mollie Axtell 512-656-1192 mollieaxtell@yahoo.com www.fefc.org

Monday Nights Community Hall 7-9 PM Begins Sept 9th!

First Evangelical Free Church

S The Lone Star Dispatch

TUDENT LIFE

Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013

Page 7

Hot off-campus lunch spots in area F E

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$=Inexpensive $$=Moderate $$$=Pricey $$$$=Ultra-high end

Senior takes her own route to college in Canada It’s a stressful year for the Bowie seniors. Senior year of high school is the year to slack off, have fun and relax, but most of the time it’s the most stressful time of all.

Between the madness of college applications and with graduation fast approaching it can be very difficult to determine how exactly to spend what are supposed to be the best months of high school in stress.

For Senior Ashley Rogans it is worth stressing right now to make sure everything is perfect to have a smooth sail into the University of British Columbia where she will be spending the next few years in the college.

Going to the college and keeping a tradition can make it a bigger endeavor and creates more pressure to get accepted. It will keep family tradition alive if Rogans goes there.

“There wasn’t one specific thing but my grandfather

Hard work in action Senior Ashley Rogans works fast and diligently in yearbook to get all her work completed.Rogans will use these skills and yearbook in her college resume to appeal more the the admission officers of The Universtiy of British Columbia.

Photo by Ashley Stroud

went there,” Rogans said.

Going out of state to college can be very costly because of the expenses of dorm living as well as getting to know the surroundings.

Ashley had no intentions

I

go down a lot,” Rogans said.

Imagine how hard it can be to have restless night over college applications where students have everything at their fingertips.

Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy for Ashley. Her new

phone just because the international line is always busy so I never get the questions I have answered.”

Vancouver is a large campus with many amenities.

It is only 30 minutes away from the center of Vancou-

“ have always thought that Vancouver was the prettiest place ever so of course I would love to live there” -Ashley Rogans to stay close, not only is she leaving the state, she is leaving the country, and is going to extraordinary lengths to go to her dream college and luckily it didn’t come with a big expense.

“Since I didn’t want to go anywhere in Texas and schools out of state can get very pricey I told my dad I was interested so he lived there (Canada) all my junior years so I could get my Canadian citizenship which makes the price of the tuition

school is thousands of miles away making it extra difficult for her to accomplish everything that is needed.

“The application looks much more different than any other application in Texas. Instead of being an essay there are short answer questions which can only have 200 words and sending transcripts and test scores is a pain just because you have to mail everything,” Rogans said. “And it is very difficult to talk to anyone on the

ver.

“I have always thought that Vancouver was the prettiest place ever so of course I would love to live there,” Rogans said.

Rogans will go to UBC to pursue a nursing career in which she plan on majoring in.

UBC has a very large nursing academy with award-winning leaders in nursing and health care.

by Staff writer Isabel Rosales

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Though several years have past since homecoming was last celebrated with a dance, Student Council, 2014 Class Officers, and PTSA have worked together for the revival of the tradition in the fall of 2013.

On Sat. November 2, the campus courtyard is expected to transform into a surprise-filled dance floor open to all students.

The planning committee hopes for high attendance and a lot of fun, wanting to create a successful re-launch of the homecoming dance.

“The entire school is invited. We are going through a lot of trouble to prepare for this and we hope that everyone will come so that we can revive the tradition,” Stu-Co sponsor Jimmy Ellerbrock said.

In the early stages, the pressure of finding a date was thrust upon the ladies after the dance was dubbed a “Sadie Hawkins”. Though the idea gained social network popularity and was originally accepted, during a September meeting, the plan was revoked.

'Regardless of labels, everyone is welcome no matter what,” Co-StuCo president, senior Wesley Higgins said.

Luckily for students’ wallets, tickets will not be very expensive, most likely around $5. Unlike in preparation for prom, students are not expected to spend excessive amounts money on limos and tuxedo rentals.

The homecoming-court voting process is not expected to change yet the announcement of finalists most likely will.

As in previous years, the senior court of “King and Queen” will be announced on the field at the homecoming football game, played this year against Akins High at Burger Stadium on November 1. The announcement of prince, princess, duke and dutchess is expected to take place during the dance.

“I think that having a dance is great because then it lets not only the court but the whole student body celebrate homecoming in a fun way,” 2013 Homecoming Dutchess, junior Kate Buf-

Mum’s away!

A typical red mum. Photo by Ashley Stroud

fler said.

This type of homecoming celebration will be different from any kind seen within the past several years on campus. (The whole student body is invited to come and have a blast in the exciting environment.)

“This dance is going to be legendary. Safety is not guaranteed, but fun is,” Higgins said. by Trends/Culinary Editor Ali Davidson

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NTERTAINMENT

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 8

Fall shows shed light on dark comedies With more than 40 productions under her belt, aspiring actress junior Dana Havlin took on a British accent, along with on stage romance in her latest role.

Havlin portrayed Susanna Hall, Shakespeare’s daughter and the notoriously unfaithful wife, in Herbal Bed directed by Betsy Cornwell.

“I’ve never been in a dark comedy before, but I love the challenge as well as playing dramatic roles where the character struggles with life and love,” Havlin said.

Preparing for her role, Havlin did more than getting into character, as she practiced on stage kissing with her character’s love interest, Rafe Smith, played by senior Jake Ryan.

“Along with my double, Avery Larue, I play the adulterer, which in order to do right by the playwright and stay in character takes a lot of professionalism,” Havlin said.

Starlight Theatre Company is no stranger to hard-hitting and risqué topics.

“We definitely perform shows that no other program would even consider doing, especially in high school, because of the talent and commitment that our students and directors offer,” Havlin said.

Havlin began her acting career at the age of nine. Since then, Havlin has worked with nearly a dozen companies and has honed skills from tap dancing to shooting guns while dangling from a 15 ft. platform.

On stage and Off Junior Dana Havlin beckons for Nicole Moore, Havlin’s daughter in the play, to come and hug her before leaving the garden. As a treasurer of the company, Havlin is in charge of not only acting but the money and tickets of a performance. Photo by Kamryn Bryce

“Her presence on stage is authoritative, but also very comfortable. She brings a lot to the table with all her experience,” Ryan said.

While it was neither Havlin nor Ryan’s first romantic role, they attempted to make it as real as possible while maintaining character and performing in front of dozens of people.

”The hardest part is creating meaningful relationships between characters that are supposed to have known each other their entire lives,” Havlin said.

With just under a month to go from auditioning to performing actors and actresses work long hours after school and weekends in order to bring a production to life.

“Some people in the company average close to a thousand hours a year. Not only is it rewarding to see all your hard work unfold in something so many people can enjoy but colleges love to see such dedication in any club,” Havlin said.

The theatre company showcased not only the true story of Herbal Bed, but three other dark comedies that put a twist on popular lore.

Mariner, directed by Robert Gomez, showed the audience another side of famous discover Christopher Columbus as his life is reviewed while on trial in purgatory.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, directed

by Marco Bazan, told the tale of the trial against the betrayer of Jesus.

Finally, Transylvania Clockworks, directed by Kayln Holloway, warped the audience’s view on notorious Count Dracula, as he is now perceived as the misunderstood.

“It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance, but I believe it is the most rewarding thing to be a part of at Bowie, on stage and off stage,” Havlin said.

Productions opened to the audience Oct. 3. through 13., Thursdays through Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets were sold at the door for 10 dollars or purchased from actors in the shows for eight dollars.

by Co-Entertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce

Vinyl makes a comeback in today’s digital age of music

When people think of an outdated way to listen to music they may automatically think of a CD. In fact some people may not even know what came before the compact disc or cassette tape, or even know how to use a record player. Before iPods, the CD, or cassette tapes there were vinyl records.

A vinyl is more commonly referred to as a record, or analog, long-playing records. This piece of music history has been available for more than 100 years, although records weren’t always made of vinyl. Up until about 1948 records were made with material such as shellac and rubber, but these records often became too brittle and would break, and thus the use of vinyl came into play.

Some people may argue that the reason for vinyl records making a comeback is the difference in sound quality.

Senior Mathias Andel believes that vinyl has more to offer than an mp3 or CD, because of the significant dif-

ference in sound.

“Vinyl has so much soul, you can taste it.” Andel said.

“It has the authentic sound that I feel the artist intended for it, I don’t think that mp3 even compares.”

Although, mp3 is meant to have a clear tone and higher quality, some people may see it as lacking the character that vinyl has.

What separates vinyl from other sources of music is

that it is taken straight from the studio where the music is perfected by engineers and then etched into the lacquer of the vinyl. This process gives a different tone than what listeners would be able to get with a digital file of music.

Analog is usually preferred over digital by people who love classic sounding records.

“Analog recordings

Back in more than black Senior Eric Ross’s collection showcases more than the usual stack of black vinyl’s, ranging from neon green to marble. Photo by Blaine MacMorran

evoke great nostalgia, it’s like living decades before your time, when music was music and not all digitalized,” Andel said.

For some people there is something that makes it worth going out and buying a vinyl for $20 instead of just simply paying $10 to download the digital copy from iTunes.

Senior Alex Copeland is one of those individuals who is willing to spend a little extra money and the time to go out and buy the vinyl at a record store.

“It’s the experience I get of putting on a record that you just can’t get with an mp3, that makes it worth listening to,” Copeland said.

In ways some people believe that vinyl comes with more music, and what that means is that the mp3 is essentially the most stripped down version of the music that the buyer can get, because it is so compressed.

“It’s not really that it sounds better, it’s just that it adds almost another layer to the music like with the

size of the record. You can almost feel the music,” Copeland said.

The most significant difference that few people can hear is in the sound of the vinyl, something that the mp3 doesn’t offer because of the difference in frequency.

Junior Ment Morris is fortunate enough to be able to tell the difference and hear the different frequencies.

“Mp3 file sound nowhere near as good as vinyl or cds.

Mp3 compresses the sound and takes out high, mid, and low frequencies; making each song sound flat,” Morris said.

For senior Eric Ross it isn’t just the sound that is appealing to him. Vinyl records have become more valuable over time, as many things do; but as a collector they have even more value than just money to Ross.

“I started collecting vinyl because I wanted to have classic albums in their true intended from,” Ross said.

“I also collect vinyl records so when I’m old and wrinkly I can look back and see the

albums I loved when I was kid.”

When purchasing a vinyl people tend to get more than what they see. Each package is different and has a specific style of products in it.

“My favorite thing about having vinyl is all the goodies that they come with,” Ross said. “When you buy vinyl, it comes with lyric sheets, sometimes posters and stickers, etc. You also get to see the artwork in really big form.”

Vinyl has an immense variety of styles, layouts, and colors. The typical color is classic black, but over the years record companies have put out more unique and creative records.

Some collectors prefer colored vinyl because of their rarity as well as their look.

“The best genre to collect in my opinion is metal, because metal bands tend to put out really brightly colored vinyls instead of just

by Coblack,” Ross said.

Entertainment Editor Blaine MacMorran

Silver Sounds prepare for upcoming choir competitions

Senior co-president Rachel Tarrant and the rest of the Silver Sound choir group are gearing up for a competition in which they will work to model themselves after Glee.

Silver Sound is a competition portion of the choir. They will be headed to a competition in Dallas where they will participate in a Glee-like contest.

“We are very much similar and modeled after Glee,” junior Hannah Briggs said.

The idea of the Silver Sound group promotes the same types of events and issues.

But it is not a glee production. This is a new thing we are trying out.

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Choir will start practicing for competition once they are finished with fall concert.

“We will practice two hours every week until February,” senior Rachel Tarrant said.

“I am very excited to participate in this com-

Competition is in the near future.

“We are doing a number for the fall concert and that’s what we are working on right now,” junior Robyn Arnecke said.

“I do not plan on doing anything involving music outside of high school choir, but choir is a good place to belong, and you can never know too much about music.”

This is the first high school choir group from Austin to go to this competition. Competition was tight due to limited spots on the team.

“It is our elite show choir. There are 24 spots given to the best combination of danc-

e are the first group in Austin to enter this competition.” - Robyn Arnecke said petition with this extremely talented group of singers and dancers. We have not yet picked the songs because we are focusing on Disturbia, which is a thriller mash up for the fall concert,” Tarrant said.

ers and singers,” Tarrant said.

“We do more difficult choreography than the regular show choir and we will be competing in Dallas in the spring. We are the first group from Austin to enter this competition, and the hosts will be very excited to have us.”

There are two parts of the choir program that students can qualify to sing for.

“I am in a big show choir and the smaller, competitive one is Silver Sound,” Arnecke said.

Choir is now juggling multiple events that they will be producing and presenting to the public within these upcoming months. by Commentary Editor Ashlee Thomason

Music Review “Escape” by Journey: Rating of eight out of ten; an original composition by classic rock legends.

Journey is best known for their song “Don’t Stop Believ’n’”. This iconic rock song is featured in commercials, movies, and TV shows, with the most famous being featured on the hit TV show Glee.

This song is the opening track to the 1981 release Escape, which was the band’s seventh studio album. Unfortunately this one song overshadows this incredible album as well as the rest of their musical masterpieces.

From the heavy opening riff of “Dead Or Alive” to

the soft vibe of “Still They Ride” and the classic rock feel of “Keep On Runnin’” this album has a wide variety of amazing songs. With lead guitarist Neil Schon’s iconic guitar tone, lead singer Steve Perry’s piercing voice, and the harmonious gang vocals performed by the band it is hard to go wrong with any Journey album.

Throughout the album the band puts together different feels and emotion with each song; each track lays down a different landscape.

Track 10 “Open Arms” has a light intro that transforms the whole mood of the album; this song slowly builds from a single instrument playing, to a powerful ballad.

Journey is also known for their ballads that touch the soul. Each note, chord, and vocal melody is meant to have passion that the listener

can hear and relate to.

by Co-Entertainment Editor Blaine MacMorran

Cage the Elephant’s, “Thank You Happy Birthday”, revives today’s music scene with retro punk in a generation of pop tarts and synthesized sound.

The band slams the media, in songs like “In One Ear” from the their first album, by brushing off the criticism that came with setting their own standards.

With rough and nearly whiny vocals from singer Matthew Ray Shults, Cage the Elephant stands apart from the usual overly smooth and practiced Top-40 artists.

The band mixes sounds similar to Nirvana, modern rock, and even flavors of

reggae.

Just seven years ago the five band members emerged from a small town in Kentucky, earning a name for themselves from a crazed fortune-teller.

Since then they have sold over 550,000 copies and spent 73 consecutive weeks

on the Billboard Top 200.

The album features remarkable songs like “Always Something” and “Shake Me Down” that show the bittersweet sides of life.

Despite the band being punk rock, Cage the Elephant continuously writes songs of beautiful lyrics and strong meaning.

Cage the Elephant unleashes a type of music that is energetic and striking.

Increasing in popularity, the band seems to be only a few hit songs away from a major breakout.

by Co-Entertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce

T

rends & Culinary

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 9

sparks student creativity Online “pin-board” inspires wanna-be bakers, crafters, designers and bloggers Pinterest, the creative online “pin-board”, out the worry of money. Many find that through “do-ithosts art, design, fashion, food, and crafts, inspir- yourself” (DIY) projects, they are able to conserve money ing students and spurring them on in creativity. that they would otherwise spend on store-bought items.

Junior Bailey Schmitt finds herself consumed “Last year for Christmas, I was stuck on what to give in the bustling world of Pinterest, using it to con- my teachers,” Schmitt said. “I really wanted to show that stantly explore new ideas for the past three years. I cared but at the same time, not spend a lot of money. As “It really broadens my horizons. I get to try so many new always, I looked on Pinterest. I found this amazing pumprecipes and crafts that I never would have thought to do or kin spice cupcake recipe… they were so good and so, so, been able to come up with on my own,” Schmitt said. “If I’m so simple and all of my teachers were very appreciative.” struggling with finding an outfit even, I just go on PinterAccording to Pinterest, most active users are feest and find inspiration.” male, making up for around The virtual program interest is a cool way to make nor- 80% of the site’s visits. has encouraged cre“I don’t get on Pinterativity since its launch est,” junior Kyle Mealey said. mal things not so normal anymore in 2010 and accord“I think that typically it is a -Juan Gomez. pretty feminine thing. The ing to Pinterest, is the third most popular girls in my youth ministry social networking site in the world, generat- and my sister are all on it though. My mom even loves it.” ing 27% more revenue per click than Facebook.

The “Popular board” on Pinterest displays current Upon joining, members can create “boards” for plan- trends in a multitude of categories. Trending items often ning projects, outfits, parties, weddings, meals, and change regularly as seasons, holidays, and ideas circulate. events by pinning from a multitude of pictures and links.

In fashion, messy waves, autumnal tights, and From what to wear to where to travel and anything in statement necklaces reign though with the changbetween, Pinterest helps its community explore, organize, ing of the seasons also comes the changing of the style. and redesign everything that they love in order to pursue Cheesy, buttery vegetable recipes continue to arise in cutheir passions and sometime share in them with others. linary sections, offering simple, healthy recipes to pinners.

“I had this crazy good desert that a friend made me recent“Dream-wedding” boards are plastered with lantern-filled ly and she told me that she found them on Pinterest. Now, I trees, lace-covered tables, and creative alternatives to the tradidefinitely think that Pinterest is a cool way to make normal tional guest book providing ideas for brides and dreamers alike. things not so normal anymore,” senior Juan Gomez said.

“My wedding board is totally my biggest board People on the site can enlighten their on Pinterest. I love all of the dresses and decoration minds without lightening their wallets. and it makes me really excited for when I start planPinterest offers homemade recipes, crafts, and handy, ning my wedding in the future, “ junior Alex Koke helpful projects in order to allow users to create with- said.

by Trends&Culinary Editor Ali Davidson

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Yummy treats from Pinterest recipes Junior Bailey Schimtt holds the chocolate/peanut brownies topped with fresh strawberries that she made from a recipe she recently found on Pinterest. She often searches different recipe “boards” to find new treats which she makes and shares with her friends, gives as gifts, or sometimes just saves as a treat for herself. Photo by Ali Davidson

Retro styles of the past come off the rack to rock the halls

Idols like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn that inspired fashion over 60 years ago are having a renewed impact on clothing all over school, through the 50’s and the 80’s.

This popular trend, including mini-skirts, animal prints, and saddle shoes, has recently resurfaced among students; sparking thrift shop crazes, as well as appreciation for hand-me-downs, and vintage clothing.

“I really like shoes, you could have a pair for every outfit and situation,” junior Lourdes “Lulu” Horning said.

Opinions on favorite aspects of this trend vary.

“I love the shirts, they’re

Going old-school Senior Brandon goes 50’s with his slicked-back hair but stays classy by pairing a vest with skinny jeans.

Photo by Ashley Stroud.

so crazy, they’re all different,” junior Miranda Moore said. “I have a lot of tacky shirts... It’s good to have fun with clothes.”

Having fun with clothes can extend beyond simply wearing them; thrift shopping has become popular.

“It’s fun, you’re just searching for things, sometimes they’re plain ridiculous,” freshman Callier Creedle said.

Soeme see thrift shopping as an opportunity to stumble upon a great item of clothing.

“You don’t go in there with a mission, you go in there to find what you find,” Moore said.

Moore describes thrift shopping as an adventure, not as a time to seek out specific articles of clothing.

“Most of my best purchases have been ‘wow, this is so cool!’, while going to the mall is like ‘I need to get some jeans, let’s go to the mall’,” Moore said.

Most of these extravagant styles have been drawn from a mixture of 50’s and 80’s fashion, though inspirations expand beyond Grace Kelley and Elizabeth Taylor.

A good example of this is Horning’s fashion idol, Lady Gaga, who brings out her “inner monster”.

Moore is inspired by the “hippie” look, particularly of John Lennon.

“Hippies gave me the weird clothing idea that I really like, I try to go for that fashion sense,” Moore said.

As a whole, the fashion

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Vine becomes an addiction

Capturing the moment Junior Ment Morris models different shots for a Vine video, moving across the screen to create movement in each frame. Vines are short clips, shot in the app by pressing on the screen and then releasing to create a string of movements that fit together. Photo illustration by Ali Davidson

Students admit to their obsessions of the six-second videos Rocking the style Junior Miranda Moore dresses in a pin-stripe highwaisted skirt and black, ankle strap flats. Photo by Ashley Stroud.

of the 50’s was very elegant, though not completely, as jeans became popularized in the 1950’s and “came back” again in the 1980’s.

Fashion in the 1980’s involved many extraordinary items of clothing and styles including neon, prints, crazy hair, and too many regrettable trends to list.

The future of fashion is an entirely different area for discussion.

“The only constant in life is change. You could either go back in time, or go futuristic, fashion is just a way to define who you are, and this is how I define myself,” Moore said.

by Staff Writer Michaela Norton

The hallways of campus circulate with talk, laughter, and filming of the six-second clips known as Vines shared through twitter and other smart phone apps. .

Vines are short, smart phone-filmed videos made simply by touching and releasing the screen to create a string of movements.

These films can be recorded for six consecutive seconds as well as in small increments to create humor or the sense of illusion.

The multi-billion dollar company, Twitter, bought the rising social media company in 2012 just as it began to gain worldwide popularity.

Vine obsessions have spread throughout campus, sometimes taking hours a week out of students’ schedules.

“They’re funny and entertaining and it’s a cool type of social media,”

senior Anna Orlowski said.

“I spend 45 minutes to an hour watching vines a day before going to sleep.”

Vine has proven itself to be popular to both sexes, a quality in which some social media sites fail.

“Vines are great because people are creative and fun and the way they make the vines are really funny and unusual. I have made two videos and they are just about me recording the Sponge Bob theme song when Sponge Bob plays the flute,” freshman Jesse Shaw said. “Yup, I’m an addict I watch 30 minutes of Vine a day.”

Some students who participate in after school activities still find time to be addicts.

“I love them because I can be on there for hours and I can relate to many of them and they make me laugh all the time,” junior Rylee Barrios said.

“I spend about 1 hour and 30 minutes a day watching Vines, mostly during breaks in cheer practice.”

Many “Viners” find it fun and entertaining to create videos with friends and family.

“I made a Vine once about me and my friends going through a closet and jumping out the other side yelling, ‘Where is Narnia,’” Barrios said.

Humans are not the only Vine stars. Some people use their furry friends to get laughs and “revines” on their short films.

“I made two vines about me making my dog do funny tricks like playing dead and shaking my hand,” Orlowski said.

Though some have no care for Vine , many find the it entertaining. Some “Viners” are crazy about the application and others are just plain addicts.

by Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz

Local sno-cone joints cool down sweltering community

Filled to the brim Senior Eliza Monta enjoys a strawberry-colada on a sunny day at “Bahama Freeze”. Monta said that she often enjoys cool treats like this one. Photo by Selma Sanchez

Expanded polystyrene and mounds of crushed ice infused with a wide spectrum of flavours never sounded so scrumptious.

Popular snow cone stands such as “Sno-Beach” located downtown and “Bahama Freeze” at a distance of 2.1 miles from Bowie High School are the eyecatching niches of many.

Students may take a fiveminute drive from home, or a quick walk from an afternoon downtown to order from one of the dozen workers and in a matter of seconds, witness the making of the concoction.

“It tastes good…you can buy shirts and it’s conve-

nient, at a convenient location,” senior Eliza Mota said.

Sno-cones aid in the most subliminal ways, freezing and crystallizing water at 32 degrees has the capacity to change a person’s state of mind.

“They cool me down, I have really bad tempers and the ice cools me down,” senior Jasmine Murray said. “I go three to four times a week, and I can’t get enough.”

This sno-cone eating trend has many followers.

Most sno-cone stands have lots of assorted flavors from a typical Cherry, Kiwi to the insane Caribbean Mudslide and Polar Punch to “fulfill” its unique

snow-cone-lovers cravings.

“My favorite flavor is Chamoy, because its delicious and I like the little tang it has,” Murray said.

The little things such as “light, ripe, velvety” are what compose the enjoyment of it as a whole.

These assorted choices inspire crushed ice eaters to create their own flavor. This results into some new and nifty idea for the creatively inclined.

“Purple O...

Powerade, Sprite, cranberry and vanilla,” Mota said.

Leaving a snippet of the never-ending fictitious prismatic ideas of the community.

“Colorful like a rain-

bow but only have one flavor,” Fernandez said.

Most beloved snow cone trailers wistfully have their melting point.

Windows of “SnoBeach” and “Bahama Freeze” are open for service from when the flowers commence blossoming until ghoulish Halloween night.

This is vital due to the short seven-month snow cone hoarding opportunity in the seasons of heat that provide the perfect environment for sales.

“All the time, every time of the day. They should be open at night”

by Staff Murray said.

Writer Selma Sanchez

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PORTS

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 10

Dawgs keep 5-1 advantage in district beat Chaps, but lose to the Cavaliers Game against Lake Travis ruins winThe student section is screaming, the band is playing, and the cheerleaders are cheering, all pumping up the football players as they fight to keep their close-to-undefeated season going.

The 2013-2014 football team has gained more public attention than any other year at Bowie, until the loss at Lake Travis, according to senior quarterback Austin Eschenburg.

“Since we lost [against Lake Travis], we are not going to get anymore attention.

It won’t be a problem anymore,” Eschenburg said.

Eschenburg continues to keep his head in the game

and not focus to what other people are saying, which is going to be helpful in order for the Dawgs to continue to beat other teams in the district.

So far this season, the Dawgs have a 5-1 advantage losing one game against the Lake Travis Cavaliers. If the Dawgs work hard enough, they could possibly be in the running for the District 155A championship.

“Being a contender for the district title is always awesome. We just have to take one game at a time to work towards our goal,” Eschenburg said.

The Dawgs lost their

Filled to the brim Running back Cole Meyer attempts to gain yardage while being tackled by a Westlake player. Meyer completed the carry for a first down. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

only game so far this season to the five-time state championship winners, the Lake Travis Cavaliers, by a score of 41-0.

“It was just disappointing that we lost our first game,” Eschenburg.

Eschenburg will not be playing in the game against Austin High on Oct. 11 at Burger Stadium.

He separated his shoulder during the game against Lake Travis. He will play again against Akins on Oct. 25.

The student section “blacked out” Westlake, the Dawgs biggest rivals, with a “W” on Sept. 27 by a score of 21-16. This was the first time that the Dawgs have beat Westlake in two years.

“It was for JD,” Eschenburg said.

JD Hartman suffered a brain injury from a neardrowning accident in 2008.

He is working towards a full recovery with the support of many.

“He hasn’t been able to talk, eat, or go to the rest room by himself since he was 11 years old. He probably would have been on the team with us now if that didn’t happen,” Eschenburg said.

JD’s dad, John Hartman, talked to the team before the game which brought the team to tears. According to Eschenburg, he brought out the heart in everyone.

Junior running back Cole Meyer dislocated his knee cap during the game and later returned to the field.

“I was running and I just got hit from the side and it made a loud noise and I knew something was wrong,” Meyer said. “It hurt really bad and the rest of the game was pretty painful but I knew I had to keep playing for my teammates and JD. He was a big inspiration for that game.”

Meyer played in the

Spotlight player Keely Penn

Q: What is your favorite thing about cross country?

A: My favorite thing about Cross country is that it’s a team and individual sport all at once. We are really close as a team, and I couldn’t do it without them.

Q: Why is cross country so important to you?

A: Cross country is important to me because it makes me different. Not everyone can, or wants to, run long distances.

Also, running has been part of my life forever. I love to push myself to beat my personal records and achieve my goal.

Q: Describe your favorite moment so far while running.

A: My favorite moment this season was finishing fourth with a personal record at our meet in St. Andrews, with both shoes untied.

Captain’s walk with JD Senior captains, from left to right, Austin Eschenburg, Tyler Walker, Andrew Alvarado, and Clayton Law walk hand in hand with JD and his dad onto the field. Bowie won the coin toss and started with the ball. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

game against Lake Travis and will continue to play the rest of the season.

“We don’t change anything just because it’s Westlake or Lake Travis. It’s just another game. They have to play Bowie. That’s how we look at it. Not we have to play whoever,” Eschenburg said.

Being the huge competitor that Eschenburg is, he plays his hardest to make sure that his team is going to win, which is why his favorite moment so far this year has been the comeback the Dawgs had against Round Rock on Sept. 12 at the Dragon Stadium.

“At halftime I could tell we weren’t going to lose because of the fight and heart everybody had. And just seeing it come out on the field to get the ‘W’ was just awesome,” Eschenburg said.

One of the most influential people in the game against Round Rock was junior kicker/punter Con-

nor Flannigan, who nailed a 40-yard game-winning field goal to break the tie against the Dragons.

“When that fourth quarter hit and the game was as close as it was, I knew the situation of me kicking a game-winning field goal was a likely possibility. I tried to mentally prepare myself on the sideline kicking and as the clock dwindled down and the score was tied, I knew that’s what I had to do,” Flannigan said.

Parents and students watched nervously from the stands, as well as on television, as Flannigan stepped up to kick the field goal of the season. Flannigan’s nerves were crazy as he stepped onto the field and kicked the ball in between the goal post.

“The nerves when I stepped on that field were unreal and like nothing I had ever experienced before. Everything happened so fast and when I saw the

ball go through the uprights and everyone scream it was the best feeling in the world.

After I did it, it was sheer joy and the energy of everyone on the sideline made it a very memorable experience,” Flannigan said.

Immediately after the game against Round Rock, twitter was bombarded with a flood of tweets with the hash tag #cflan to congratulate Flannigan.

According to Flannigan, staying humble and knowing that the team plays hard every down for him to perform his task is key.

“This year’s team chemistry is ridiculous. Everyone has been playing football with each other since we were eight and nine years old,” Eschenburg said. “Everyone loves everybody.

No conflicts. Everyone just plays and has fun. It’s a brother hood. You would do anything for the man beside

by Editor-in-Chief you.”

Rachael Crawford

Sports Briefs

Swim team prepares for first meet With practice having started the second week of school, Bowie swim team is anticipated to do well this year.

“I think we’ve improved as a team from workouts over the summer,” said senior Amaris Teter.

The coach, Dean Lackey, teaches at Anderson High School and began with the team during the second semester of last year, after a the fourth coach quit.

He holds practice at 6 a.m. so he can drive

back to Anderson in time for school to start.

The swim team went from being coached by five people last year, including Coach Dean Lackey, to just one.

This year’s captains include Zachary Cootes, Brian Jordan, Abby Meyer, and Anissa Morales.

The swim team’s upcoming meets include the Round Rock Invitational on Oct. 24, and the AISD Invitational Preliminaries on Nov. 1.

Varsity tennis defeats Austin High The varsity tennis team beat Austin high ten matches to 4 in the district playoffs. They will be advancing to Area.

Biology teacher and coach, James Dammann currently coaches both the JV and Varsity teams.

“We have six USTA super champs and three USTA champ level players. That puts us on the map,” Dammann said.

Leading the ladder on varsity for the girls this year are Mariya Shkolnaya, and Jackson Cobb for the boys.

The junior varsity tennis team so far has Westlake, Anderson, and Akins beat with only one loss against Lake Travis.

“We now have a class period to practice this year, so we’ve gotten a lot better,” senior Sarah Martin said.

Here at Bowie, all sorts of people are in cross-country, and with school starting again, it’s a great way to run and get in shape.

“We encourage anybody interested to give it a try,” head coach Rita Gonzales said. “We have lots of over-achievers, people have to keep their grades up and a lot of other things.”

At first cross-country can come across as very challenging and difficult, but most tough it out.

“It’s hard, it’s really hard,” 11th grader Alejandro Pena said. “I ended up staying because I like something about running in the morning.”

To train, the members of the team run in-

tervals, long distances, uphills, and more “We run six miles Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,” Pope said. “On Tuesdays and Thursdays we run intervals.”

The teams this year are well spoken for as well as the individuals.

“I think both teams show a lot of promise,” assistant coach Matt Flick said. “This is probably one of the best girls teams Bowie has ever had.”

The top runners for the girls are Keely Penn and Paz Zizman, and Michael Orlando and Chris Muyshondt for the boys.

The varsity and JV girls placed 1st in their divisions at the meet at Del Valle, with the boys placing 2nd.

Girls varsity cross-country place 1st

S

ports

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 Page 11

Gymnastics combines with horses to create a unique sport, horse vaulting Junior puts two of her favorite things together to compete with horses

Gymnastics is already hard enough on solid ground, let alone performing on a 2,000 pound moving animal.

Eight years ago junior Maya Leseten was up to the challenge when she began horse vaulting, which is performing a gymnastics routine on a horse while it is in motion.

“I rode horses before, and I also did gymnastics, and when I saw trick riding in the rodeo I wondered if I could join a club and do that and then I found vaulting,” Leseten said.

Maya’s dad, Michael Leseten, wasn’t surprised when she began vaulting because it combined two of her favorite things.

“I wasn’t too surprised when Maya started vaulting because she loved horses and gym so it fit for her,” Michael said.

Although horse vaulters may make it look effortless, a lot of work goes into the sport.

“We go to the mats and barrels and start warming up, stretching and practicing in our barrels. Then, we run through our routines with

music,” Leseten said. “Then we go to the horse and do a few walk-rounds to warmup the horses, then we do writhing at a canter.”

The vaulters on Maya’s team, the Lone Star Vaulters, practice very hard on and off the horse, even on days they don’t have practice.

“We have practice every Tuesday and Sunday for two hours,” Leseten said. “We do weight training and different kinds of aerobics every night at home.”

Leseten and her team have competed in over five states as well as many competitions in Texas.

“Although we do demonstrations at rodeos sometimes, it’s definitely a competitive league that I’m in and there are teams in almost every state,” Leseten said.

Vaulting competitions agree with the old phrase, “If you fall off your horse, get back on” and that’s what horse vaulters almost always do if they mess up during a routine.

“It’s kind of like gymnastics, or any performance really, if you mess up you just try to keep going,” Leseten

said. “You have one minute to get back on the horse if you fall off and you just try to work through it.”

Vaulters learn their tricks on a stationary horse, or a barrel, before they move onto a real horse.

“A barrel is kind of in the shape of a horse and has handles on it, and we just try different moves on that and work our way up from there,” Leseten said.

Although Leseten admits to being occasionally scared to try a new trick, she knows that you just have to try.

“Really, you’ve just got to do it,” Leseten said. “If you’re scared to do it on the barrel there’s no way you’ll do it on a horse. But if you do it on the barrel and you feel comfortable, you just go to go and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”

Although the coaches are there to assist with routines most of the work put into the routines is done by the vaulters.

“We decide our moves and our music and our coaches can help us to work with transitions to make it all fit, but most of the vaulters

can do it themselves,” Leseten said.

Although they compete in the spring and summer the vaulters are practicing year round to train for their competitions.

“We do a lot more in the winter because it’s not so hard on us, or the horses, but competition is the spring through the beginning of fall,” Leseten said.

Anyone interested in vaulting is encouraged to do so by Leseten, even people without prior gymnastics training.

“Definitely give it a try, you don’t have to have any prior experience or anything, you just have to work hard for it,” Leseten said.

“And you’ll get in the best shape ever.”

Sophomore teammate, Danielle Pounds, thinks people interested in vaulting should give it a try.

“It’s a challenge, but it keeps you fit,” Pounds said.

“It’s also pretty uncommon, so it’s neat to tell people what you do.”

Leseten also encourages people to watch vaulting.

“If you ever get a chance

Horse vaulting Junior Maya Leseten flips off her horse at the USEF/AVA National Championship horse vaulting competition in Denver, Colorado. She completed the flip and landed on the ground. Photo by Lynne Owen to watch vaulting, I’d do it,” will keep you on the edge of Leseten said. “It’s the most your seat the whole time.” amazing, interesting and by Staff Writer Annika exciting sport to watch and Holm

Team forms special bond for playoff opportunities

Varsity Volleyball Practice Sophomore Shelby Johnson sets the ball over the net during practice. The Lady Dawgs train for their second round of games. Photo by Sports Editor Maraym Hussain.

Despite a slow start to the season the Lady Dawgs volley ball team has been practicing to improve for the second rouund of games.

“The season has been good, I’m just ready for second round so we can beat all the teams that beat us first round,” player Kennedy Godsey said.

The coaches are hoping to get the girls to play-offs this year and advance in them. Last year was the first year in 13 years that they did not make it to the playoffs.

“We have a young team without any seniors, but I’m confident we can pull through and make playoffs,” player Keely Penn said.

Beating Anderson at home was a great victory for the team.

“My favorite moment this year was beating Anderson because that is one of our biggest rivals since my coach is best friends with the Anderson coach,” Godsey said.

“It was the best match of the year,” coach Jason Landers said.

He said he enjoyed watching the girls play as well as they could play and really do well.

Even though the team lost to Lake

Travis they learned that they could compete with anybody in their district.

“At times this season has been rocky,” Penn said. “Losing to Austin was tough, however we did take Lake Travis to five sets, and swept Anderson in three sets.”

Junior Kellen Dunn and Godsey’s performances have made the highlights of the season so far.

“What motivates me to play volleyball is the girls that are with me everyday in the gym practicing,” Godsey said. “The only experience I have playing volleyball is through playing in school.”

For sophomores and freshman these young players have really grown into their positions, according to the coaching staff. A few younger players who have had stand out performances are freshman Elli Crosley and sophomores Alicia Morales and Shelby Johnson.

“You know volleyball is all about team and you doing your job, so that’s probably the biggest thing is these girls get their job done, and they do what the team expects them to do for the most part, and they do that regularly,” Landers said.

He has really high expectations of his players and tries to hold them to those expectations as best as he can.

As a result he believes that the girls respond, and have been having a great season as a result of that.

“I am pretty demanding and pretty hard,” Landers said. “It’s probably harder than I need to be. We always talk about leaving the gym with our heads held high knowing we gave our best effort.”

There are a couple of rules the volleyball team tries to follow. The first is that they play every point the same regardless of the score and the second is to give effort for every ball.

According to some players, this year the team is getting along really well and holds a strong bond. The squad even goes to a team dinner every week.

With high goals for playoffs, the Lady Dawgs continue to practice early in the mornings and late in the afternoons to prepare for their matches.

Catch the last of the Lady Dawgs season on Oct. 15, Oct. 18, Oct. 22, Oct. 25 and Oct. 29 against Anderson, Austin, Del Valle, McCallum and Westlake.

by Sports Editor Maryam Hussain

Football fasting formidable Envision waking up every morning having to go to football practice for hours in 105-degree weather knowing you can’t have any breakfast and you can’t eat or drink anything until sundown.

This was the dilemma faced by Asan Beg, a freshman, who was determined to balance out his strong religious beliefs and passion for playing football.

Every year during Ramadan, this year it ran from July 8 through Aug. 7, Muslims fast every day from dawn till dusk for a whole month and are not allowed to eat or drink anything. Not even water.

This year football practices happened to fall right in the middle of Ramadan.

“It’s a billion times harder to play football while fasting,” Beg said.

He explained that not being able to eat isn’t what made it tough. Rather it was not being able to drink any water, which created the biggest obstacle for him.

“When you’re drinking

water you feel fine during practice because it doesn’t feel as hot and your mouth isn’t dry and you can actually do stuff… when you’re fasting you feel like you can’t do anything. You can’t go on,” Beg said.

The intensity of the heat and the strain that coach was putting on players really dehydrated Beg. “I considered breaking my fast every 30 seconds,” Beg said.

“I worried for Asan because the weather was extremely hot, approaching 100 degrees, and a person can get de-hydrated and get sick,” Beg’s mom Suboohi said. “He was physically very tired and very thirsty and irritated but he maintained the fast till the sunset.

We were watchful and concerned but supported him maintaining the fast.”

Because Beg joined late, he had to go to practice every day without exceptions. He had already missed enough days of practice and couldn’t afford to skip anymore.

Collin Macias, one of

Beg’s teammates, was astonished when he heard about Beg’s fasting.

“I don’t think anyone knew he was fasting that whole month,” Macias said.

Beg further revealed that very few people knew of his fasting and that he didn’t feel it was important to announce it to the whole team.

He said the few people who did know constantly talked about it and tried pressuring him into breaking his fast. Despite all that, Beg didn’t break his fast a single day.

Macias greatly acknowledged his fellow teammate’s effort.

“It takes a lot of determination to do something like that; I would never be able to do it because I love food too much,” Macias said.

“Fasting is his duty and football is his choice which should also be accomplished properly. It was worrisome especially in the hot weather in June/July when Ramadan again next year,” Suboohi

by Sports WritBeg said. er Maryam Hussain

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hoto Essay

The Lone Star Dispatch Tuesday , Oct. 15, 2013 Page 12

“If I Ruled the World” show a success

Barry’s summer planning beneficial The choir program began the year with the show Cabaret, titled “If I Ruled The World” and was directed by senior Shannon Barry. The students were all dancing and singing, but Barry also had to direct, plan and choreograph, as well as dance and sing.

“I have been thinking about Cabaret since my freshman year and it started as a dream, but once I was chosen as a director at the end of my junior year, I revolved my entire summer around it, planning and organizing, trying to choose the right songs,” Berry said.

In the show 20 songs were preformed ranging from, “We Built This City” to “ We’re Not Gonna Take It”. Each song had a choreographed dance to it, 18 of which were choreographed

by Barry. Senior Belana

Torres and junior Curtis Faulkner choreographed the other two.

“My favorite song to preform was “We Go Together” because we got to roller blade on stage,” Torres said The choir did have a limited number of weeks to practice in preparation of the performance. With only three weeks to put the show together choir members met before and after school for rehearsals. Even with such stressful situations the Cabaret team was ready by the night of the performance to put on a show.

“One of the strong points that we had was the cabaret team really made the show strong, and the powerful music brought it together and made a full circle,“ Barry said.

Students, who joined, worked to help Barry with

the performance so that they could help her with the productions of Cabaret.

“I joined Cabaret because I had lots of fun in it last year and wanted to be more involved in the process of it,” sophomore DJ Fortner said. “I’ve known Shannon for a long time and I knew how much she cared about this show so I wanted to help make her dream come true.”

Making sure that everything got done on time Barry worked over the summer just to make sure this turned out as successful as she wanted it.

“I made sure I got everything done at the right time, I even had a to-do list, I made sure that all the rehearsals were gong well, we even met over the summer to record some of the dance,” Barry said.

by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

Staying strong together Junior Scherina Young, sophomore Olivia Lombardo and seniors Evelyn Forsyth Samantha Butler, stands holding hands in a circle before the show. Before every show the Cabaret members stand in a spirit circle and do exercises to get pumped for the show. “Standing in the finale circle we realized we pulled it off,” said Butler.

Warm-ups before the show . Codirector Caitlin Obert-Thorn works with the choir before they go out to preform on stage while sophomore Carla Jose belts out her song. They practiced “ Trashin’ the Camp” from the movie “Tarzan” while jumping and dancing around. “ This year with Cabaret was really student directed and really student led and they really stepped up and were the leaders and it made my job really easy because I could just sit back and give them feed back and watch them create this awesome show,” Obert-Thorn said.

Standing spotlight After the first Cabaret performance, Shannon Berry looks to her team after the last song with a smile on her face. Berry then bowed and was swarmed with hugs from her team. “I felt truly successful. I was proud to say we didn’t just “pull it off,” we really did it,” Barry said

Singers and skaters Senior Sarah Alvarez, and sophomore Madison Byrd, dance while skating around the stage.

Sophomore DJ Fortner assists’ Byrd as her dance partner for the song “I was so scared at first because the guys were our whole support. After a couple falls and catches we were able to figure it out.”

Going solo Senior singer Shannon Wiedemeyer sings “Fix You” at Cabaret. She preformed this song as a solo and practiced for two weeks before to prepare. “It was nerve racking I felt like a wiener dog in a hot dog costume,” Wiedemeyer said.

Photo Essay by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud