The Lone Star Dispatch 2014_15 Issue 4

James Bowie High School

the

Lone Star Dispatch Vol. 2014-15

Issue 4 4103 W. Slaughter Lane Austin, TX 78749

February 9, 2015 www.thelonestaronline.com

Debate Cancer diagnosis doesn’t stop Gomez en-route to State Kamryn Bryce Editor-in-Chief

Maryam Hussain Editor-in-Chief

With the potent eyes of several important elected officials fixed on him, senior Ethan Roberts stood confidently in the state capitol building embracing his opportunity to debate various key issues like medical malpractice and the condition of Ukraine at the UIL state tournament for congressional debate.

“It’s a really unique experience when you’re debating something with people in high school, which typically feels fake, but when you’re in the capitol building and you have real senators and real representatives watching your rounds it feels a lot more real and more purposeful and more meaningful to be able to debate on such a level and to debate topics that actually mean something to real people who can do real things,” Roberts said.

“It’s just a really distinctly unique experience for me as far as my entire debate career goes, it’s something that I definitely hold true value of .”

Out of the 22 different topics debated at the capitol, there was one which Roberts found particularly enjoyable.

“My favorite debate actually, was the police body cameras one,” Roberts said.

“That was because I’ve talked about that topic a lot throughout the whole season, so it’s enjoyable to be knowledgeable and informed on the topic and be able to engage actively in the debate itself, so that topic in particular I enjoyed the participation I gave and my actual debate arguments, as well as the participation I got in engaging myself in the opposition.”

UIL began recognizing congressional debate last year, which was also Roberts’ first time making it to the state level. This year however was his chance to make a comeback and do even better than the last year.

“Last year Ethan went to UIL state and made it to finals but did not place in the top six which is all they give medals to,” debate coach Brian Alford said. “This year we went back and he made it into the prelim rounds and made it into the finals and then finally made fourth place out of the entire state, out of all the 60 kids which is really good because a lot of the kids that he’s been beaten by before were there and he actually beat them this time.”

The Debate team’s ultimate goal for the year is to qualify for the TFA (Texas Forensics Association) state tournament. Read more:

“Debators prep” pg. 6

An ex-marine, theatre teacher, and technical director who’s taken students to more than half a dozen UIL State competitions, Roberto Gomez is probably the last person you’d expect to be battling America’s least favorite word, cancer.

A community reaches out to a man whose generosity and dedication can be measured by the stage sets he has constructed, alongside his wife, or by the lives he has touched in 31 years as an educator.

Going in for a regular operation on Nov. 7 to remove a tumor found in the left lobe of the liver just below the heart, doctors found that the tumor was in fact, inoperable.

After two months of recovering from the unsuccess-

ful surgery, Gomez began teaching his technical theatre classes again.

But what followed immediately after surgery was a touching surprise for the entire Gomez family.

“When we first starting networking, which started from everyone wanting to know how things were going, we wanted to let people know without having to let everyone know individually,” wife Rachael Gomez said. “Now, his ex-students from over 30 years of teaching are reaching out and the communities in the valley have been so supportive. You don’t really think of things like that until it happens.”

Husband and wife work together in the Starlight Theatre Company here on campus, met working together at their old school district in the valley. Now, their daughter Lauren Gomez is an active theatre student as well.

“It’s amazing because this old man, my dad, finally discovered Facebook and he went on

and within days he had hundreds of friends. People were flying in from all over the country; friends, ex-students, and co-workers,” Lauren said.

The fund

raisers and community organizations that have banded together to support and contribute to the Gomez family has made a large impact in their coping with the news. Read more:

“Theatre tech teacher” pg. 6

art by Maryam Hussain

Annual teacher of the year award announced Band teacher Kimberly Shuttlesworth wins TOTY for 2014-2015

Kamryn Bryce Editor-in-Chief

expect to get that kind of thing. At Bowie there’s a high quality level of teaching, so anybody could probably get it,” Shuttlesworth Met with a parade of confetti, said. “I mean they’re just fantrumpeting, and staff members, tastic teachers. If I had a teacher Kimberly Shuttlesworth was like the one’s here I probably awarded 2014-2015 teacher of would’ve done better in school. ” the year.

There are about 400 students Once a year a teacher who has involved in James Bowie High shown an outstanding amount School Outdoor Performing Enof effort and dedication to his/ semble (JBHSOPE). her students is rewarded with the “The way she acts towards us, ‘teacher of the year’ award. For it’s like we are her kids, I mean Shuttlesworth this was her first she really cares about us,” junior win, but not her first nomination.

Henry Cardenas said.

“She has been nominated evShuttlesworth keeps her office ery year that I have been at Bowdoor open to students as part of ie,” senior Bree Zuberier said. her ‘open door policy’.

Shuttlesworth has been work“Some of the seniors she’s ing as the band director on camknown for fours years will defipus for eight years now.

“I was just working at my desk Celebration time: Band teacher Kimberly nitely go in there and just talk with her. She does so much for and all of a sudden I hear this Shuttlesworth celebrates after winning us, she’s in her office 24/7, stacks the Teacher of The Year award.

Photo by racket going on outside, students of papers on her desk, and still banging on drums and trumpets, Jasmine Correa be a role model for us, so I think then the principal and some staff According to Shuttlesworth, even she’s the most deserving,” Zuberier came in here and popped confetti,” though it was far from her first time said.

Shuttlesworth said. “I’ve had so being nominated she was not expectStudents describe Shuttlesworth many arrangements of flowers I’ve ing to win the award. as both an inspiration and someone tried to share them with students.”

“I was in shock, you just never who truly challenges her students.

Athletics

Soccer players kick off the season with a bang The varsity boys soccer team is off to a strong start to the new season after days of practices with an impressive 4-0 in district play already.

See page 10 for more details

Inside

Coping with a situation: Theatre tech teacher Roberto Gomez’s wife Rachael Gomez speaks with her daughter junior Laren Gomez after school in her class room. Rachael has been filling in for her husband while he takes some time off to recover from an unsuccessful surgery performed after being diagnosed with kidney cancer. Photo by Hazel Rodriguez

“She pushes you past your limits,” senior Angela Traylor. “She’s very hard on you, but you know she’ll always be there for you. Like if you say, no I can’t do it, she’ll come back and support you and show you that you can.”

According to Shuttlesworth, she inherits her love of music from her parents.

“My mom was in music education for 30 years, although my dad would tell you I got all my talent from him. She’s definitely been my source of inspiration and my mentor,” Shuttlesworth said.

Shuttlesworth and the other band teachers are not the only ones staying at school after hours.

“Theatre is always here late, the guards are here, the orchestra, even the coaches. I mean we always say good night to each other,” Shuttlesworth said. “The teachers all work late nights and even weekends, because that’s the demand we want to give the kids.

Science teacher Jill Harding and math teacher John Graff were the other teachers who received nominations.

In-Depth

New Hands-Free law causes commotion

With the new law on the roads banning drivers from using their phones while driving, Austinites are left attempting to cope with the safety regulation.

See page 5 for more details

Commentary

“Meninists” out to highlight the flaws in Feminism

After Feminism trended all over social media in 2014, some men created a group and took a stance to call out all the double standards in the campaigns.

See page 11 for more details

Student life 2-3 News 4-5-6 Photo Essay 7 In-Depth 8-9 Athletics 10-11 Entertainment 12-13 Commentary 14-15 Photo Essay 16

Student Life

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 2

Dirty clothes making a difference in community for special need students Life skills students work to help make an impact at school Hazel Rodriguez Staff Writer New doors have opened for the life skills students as they are now taken to different places like Clifton and GattiTown where they are trained to work and learn new skills.

The life skills department was also provided with a new washer

Working at the wash: Life skills student Andy Vasquez washes clothes for the Athletics department. These students travel to help out at places like North by Northwest.

and dryer with funding allocated by principle Steven Kane this year so they can help the athletics department washing the sports uniforms.

“That makes me feel wonderful because all students have a place in my heart, but they have a special place in my heart,” Kane said.

“I think they deserve as many opportunities as everyone else and I think it’s important that we try and provide those opportunities.”

Going out and having new experiences in real life jobs has an impact on their lives, according to Kane.

“They start to learn that they are part of society and can be affective citizens; it also helps them in their confidence. That they can do things and they can be effective and successful,” Kane said.

Life skills teacher Wayne Johnson dedicates his time in helping and teaching the students how to use the new washer and dryer located in B-hall. “We’d like to thank Mr. Kane for the new washer and dryer,” Johnson said.

Special Education teacher Rachel Smith believes it’s so important that the life skills students go out to the community and learn how to work at job sites, because they don’t have the opportunity to do it very often.

“It is incredibly important for anyone to learn social and work skills,” Smith said. “With our students, it is especially important because society puts up barriers and we want our students out learning appropriate work and social skills so they are seen just like everyone else.”

Every day of they week the students are taken to do something different except for Tuesdays where they stay and work at school.

“Mondays and Wednesday we have two groups that go out,” Smith said. “One group goes to Clifton, where they fold laundry for the districts athletic and kitchen department. The other group goes to North by Northwest where they roll silverware and fold napkins for their breadbaskets. Thursday we travel to GattiTown where they prep their party rooms for the weekend. This might be one of their favorite places to work at. They are able to eat lunch, interact with others, and learn appropriate social skills.”

Seeing progress in the life skills students’ from working and completing a job by themselves brings is an accomplishment for Smith.

“Our students are no different than you and I, and being able to provide them with opportunities to excel both socially and in the work environment is an honor,” Smith said. “To see pure joy on their faces when they complete a task independently is priceless.”

Life skill students are often looked at differently by their peers and many are afraid of their capabilities, but once they show off what they can actually do people learn that they are just like any other young adult, according to Smith.

“Some people fear others who have special needs because they are different than they are so when we are out working, it allows people to see that our students can be and are successful and it breaks down barriers,” Smith said. “When these barriers are broken down, it then gives our students more opportunities.”

With the installment of these shiny, white machines the special needs students should be able to give back to the community as well as learning valuable life skills.

You love em’, hate em’, but date em’ Gabby Bourgeacq Co-Student Life Editor They’re in the movies, they’re in books, and they’re also in your schools hallways; high school relationships.

Two students, senior Anna Ambrosino and sophomore Ethan Long both expressed their feelings towards their relationships.

“Tyler Collins and I have been dating for almost two and a half years,” Ambrosino said.

While Ambrosino’s relationship is long term, Long has been in his relationship for a little less than a year.

“Sophia Garcia and I have been dating for almost nine months,” Long said.

Students tend to think high school relationships, or any relationship for that matter, are a lesson. For both students, they think having a relationship in high school is better and helps them as a couple.

“High school has helped our relationship because we can balance our time with school and each other that way we aren’t around each other too much,” Long said.

On the other hand, history teacher Alejandro Garcia, has a strong opinion on high school relationships.

“I think high school relationships are learning experiences where you figure out the qualities you like or don’t like in

someone who could be a potential wife/husband in the future,” Garcia said. “Some relationships are damaging to both people involved, whether it is be-

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ck er cause you start neglecting your grades be- cause you only want to spend time with your boy/girlfriend or you start neglecting your other friends and family to spend every waking moment with your significant other.”

Regardless of how long couples have been dating, there is a possibility of breaking up and obstacles they have to overcome.

“Tyler and I can get through every tough situation that we encounter,” Ambrosino said.

“We still argue and bicker every once in a while but we always find a way to communicate really well.”

Garcia is able to see problems that

happ e n in a high school relationships because he watches his students deal with this everyday.

“The biggest problem I see every year is that when two people get in a relationship, one or both of them become so obsessed and infatuated with their new “love” of their life that everything else becomes an afterthought. Family, friends, grades don’t really matter because you have someone you love to spend time with. But, when that relationship inevitably comes to an end, who is left to support you?”

Garcia said.

Though these problems exist, Ambrosino and Collins have been able to manage them.

“Tyler and I don’t spend every moment with each other,” Ambrosino said. “I still enjoy hanging with my friends and family as much as I enjoy hanging with Tyler.”

Like Long and Ambrosino, Garcia thinks balancing out school, friendships and your relationship is really helpful.

“The key is finding the balance between spending time with the person you’re in a relationship with and all the other friends who have been by your side way before this new person entered the picture,” Garcia said. “Don’t obsess over anyone, make time for everyone, and don’t try to grow up too fast.

There can be a struggle in a relationship when you don’t prioritize correctly.

“Sophia and I are able to balance out our relationship and friends pretty easily,” Long said.

“If we weren’t able to, out relationship wouldn’t be as strong as it could be.”

Whether high school relationships can be good or bad, they still have the potential of a great future and can eventually grow into something bigger.

“High school relationships can be really good because you’re with someone that makes you happy and you always have that one person by your side,” Long said.

New year, new blog Gabby Bourgeacq Co-Student Life Editor When starting a new year, people normally set goals for themselves, also known as New Years Resolutions. For Kristel Martinez, her goal is much more than a resolution.

“I think the idea behind a New Years Resolution is really good,” Martinez said.

“Change is always a nice thing, but it starts to lose its meaning when people don’t stick to them.”

Before 2015 even started, Martinez was already working on her goal. Martinez created a blog that she hopes becomes popular and read by many.

“My blog is basically just a photo journal. It’s just a collection of all the photos and memories I’ve been able to capture so far this year,” Martinez said.

Even though Martinez’s blog just started, she already has a few fans, one of them being senior Lily Howard.

“Kristels blog is an awesome showcase of her talent. I’ve known for a while how great of a photographer of she is and now so many more people can see her work,” Howard said.

Like most blog or photographers, there is usually an inspiration that started their passion for what they enjoy doing, and there is usually a deeper meaning to it.

“I’ve always been into photography and I got a new camera this Christmas which really inspired me to start capturing the important and enjoyable events in my friend’s lives and mine,” Martinez said.

Having a passion to share things people enjoy doing is one thing, but creating a blog and showing it off is a different part of the process.

“I was looking for a place to store and share some of my photos and found this website,” Martinez said. “I found it was one of the most user friendly while still being aesthetically pleasing.”

Martinez is part of the Starlight Theatre Company and enjoys taking pictures of the on and off stage activities to show a bigger side to the company.

“I think what’s great about specifically Kristels theatre pictures is that she gets a bunch of the backstage stuff that most people miss out on,” Howard said. “Since everybody knows and loves Kristel nobody is afraid to be themselves as she takes the pictures. She really has a gift for capturing personality.”

Not only does Martinez take joy out of what she does, but she also aims for other people to take joy and inspiration from her blog as well.

“I think pictures are really important.

They hold the memories that won’t ever change,” Martinez said. “For me, it helps me to document everything eventful happening in my life, and as for my friends, they seem to really enjoy my photos and I think it will be nice for them to look back at the memories as well.”

Martinez hopes her blog has a big future for her and everyone else.

“Hopefully I’ll still be keeping up with it and if not, it would still be really cool just to look back at to remember all the memories and friends I had and just see how much my life has changed,” Martinez said.

Not only does Martinez enjoy her blog and sees potential, so do her friends and fans.

“I see this becoming a big thing for her.

Especially as she moves into college I think she will continue to get better and better. She has so much potential,” Howard said.

Picture Perfect: Senior Kristel Martinez takes pictures of her friends after school, which she plans to put on her blog. To see Martinez’s blog, go to kristelmethod.vsco. com

Student Life

Deborah Moreno starts music career by joining Son De Rey

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday February 9, 2015 Page 3

Sophia Mora Student Life Editor

Her first year playing full time, junior Deborah Moreno talks about her experiences being in the Latin band, Son De Rey. “This is my first year, my dad formed the band with my grandpa in 2004 or 2005, so it’s been a band for the longest time,” Moreno said.

Deborah plays bass and does background vocals for the band. Her favorite part about performing is when there is a huge crowd at their shows.

“We perform almost every weekend and it’s a really good feeling, especially if there’s a big crowd,” Deborah said. “If there’s a big crowd, it’s just a really good feeling because all these people came to see us.”

Being the youngest of the

Recording lifestyle: Deborah Moreno listens to instructions as she works on the new album. Son De Rey recorded for Grammy Award winner, Savian Hernandez. Photo by Sophia Mora

band, some of the music is challenging for her, but she still works her way through it.

“We have a lot of practices, so if I don’t get it, then I’ll get it sooner or later,” Deborah said. “I’m good at picking up music so after I hear it a lot more, I get the hang of it.”

The second youngest band member, Luis Ramirez, is the lead singer. He thinks Deborah is a good fit for the band because she adds that young vibe to the group.

“She has a great musical background, she knows music, she understands pitch, she can read music very well and that, by far, is one of the best qualities you can have as a musician,” Ramirez said. “She’s easy to work with, she’s got a great style, good ideas and she’s just not afraid. We kind of put her in situations that a lot of singers her age never really get to experience until they’re much older, we just kind of threw her in.”

Deborah is also apart of orchestra, choir, and the musical.

“She’s able to juggle school, her extra curricular activities, and music, and then putting more practice just shows that she’s a hard worker and it shows that if she goes out into the real world, she’s going to be able to do so much and tackle a lot,” Ramirez said.

Deborah has been into music ever since she was little and it has always been something she loves to do.

“I started out listening to

Selena and she was someone I looked up to with music when I was younger,“ Deborah said. “I grew up in music, ever since I was able to talk I feel like. It’s something my dad has been doing also and I just picked up on it.”

Her father, David Moreno, was one of the people who first started the band, then Deborah joined last year.

“She’s the youngest in the band and when Deborah starts performing, all the attention just focuses on her,” David said. “Whether it’d be her singing her solo, singing backup, or playing the bass, it just becomes all about Deborah all of sudden.”

Deborah has that ‘likeability’ factor along with talent and appeals to the audience every time she performs.

“She’s appealing to different audiences and people are remembering her every time we have shows,” Ramirez said. “She just has something that people like and that’s a huge factor.”

The band is working on finishing up their new album, and hoping lots more opportunities can open up for them.

“I’m looking forward to a bunch of different doors opening up for us and playing bigger shows, playing out of state, even getting nominated for awards,” David said.

With their new album, listeners will hear personal stories and experiences they’ve gone through.

“We are looking forward

First Session: Deborah works on her part for Son De Rey’s new song. This was her first session with the band. Photo by Sophia Mora.

to finally showing people what we’ve been working at for the last couple of years,” Ramirez said. “You’ll just see the growth of the band throughout the years and how our style has changed and how our music has changed and different things that we’ve done.”

Ramirez is not only the lead singer of the band, but also writes songs for them too, some which will be going to be in the new album.

“A lot of our music we write, we write based on our own personal experiences and based on what we know our audience likes,” Ramirez said. “You’ll get to see whether I was upset at something or David was

playing some chords in the garage. You kind of see the whole evolution of everything and the different story lines and the experiences in love and life over the course of the four years, so it’s a really awesome story and we can’t wait till people will be able to kind of delve into it.”

They not only write their own music, but also do covers of many songs.

“Our English pop songs are always fun to play,” Moreno said. “I love playing our covers of neon trees because it’s just something I like to do and it’s the kind of music I like to play.”

Son De Rey also takes popular pop songs and adding their Latin flavor to

them.

“We took Royals by Lorde and turned it into a Cumbia,” Ramirez said. “We also took grenade by Bruno Mars and turned it into a salsa song. We just like adding that lasting flavor.”

Son De Rey continues to work on their new album and is excited for their release with Deborah’s addition to the band.

“Deborah and I just get each other. We understand each other and we have similar backgrounds, so it’s easy to work with someone who has the same minds set as you, similar visions, and just as creative as you are,” Ramirez said.

Students talk about the award of being an Eagle Scout and making the highest rank achievement Kamryn Bryce Editor in Chief

In the midst of surviving the four short years that is high school, a handful of young men are accomplishing something that takes 12 or more years to earn, and they’ll carry it with them for the rest of their lives.

The award of Eagle Scout is the highest-ranking achievement for a Boy Scout. It’s an achievement that employers, colleges, and the community as a whole regard with high esteem.

“For me, it’s when you go visit colleges or interviews, you’ll meet other people who are also Eagle Scouts and right off the bat you have something to talk about.

And if not, people still understand it and respect it,” senior Angus Scouller said.

Scouller started his Boy Scout career when he was six-years-old.

Throughout his years of being a boy scout he has been able to do things like canoeing in the north, shark fishing, and teaching younger scouts while working at a summer camp for three years.

Although it seems like all fun and games, juggling school, life, Boy Scouts can be quite an accom-

plishment all its own.

For senior Matt Schiller, who has also been in Boy Scouts since first grade, getting his Eagle Scout project done before he turns 18 is more stress than a journey.

“It is definitely an accomplishment. This week alone has been so hard, struggling to get the project done and I’ve barely slept at all,” Schiller said.

The Eagle Scout project itself takes months of planning and

throughout elementary.

“It has given me the tools to succeed in life,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner is still in touch with the other members of his troop; since they have been together as a team since childhood it’s created a lasting relationship.

“Six out of seven of the Flying Eagles all made it to Eagle Scouts, two of them are in football, one’s in art here on campus. The last one of us just got his Eagle Scout

“

I loved the friends I made and what I Clearned.

O U T U R E I carry it with me to this day.

- Jim Rouen

preparation, it also has to be approved by the Boy Scouts Board.

Each aspiring Eagle Scout does his own unique project.

Scouller created an outdoor learning center for Gorzycki Middle School, with arbors and trails.

The whole planning and building process took him four to five months.

Suite 3 project is still underSchiller’s way and he is creating safety im-

COUTURE

provements to the campuses theatre fly system.

Senior Curtis Faulkner, on the other hand, worked on a project that hit close to home.

“I went back to my elementary school, Boone, and made it handicap accessible from all entrances,” Faulkner said. “I did that because my sister grew up with a disability and couldn’t make her way from the sidewalks to campus. I also did things like trimming the bushes,

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making places for people to sit, and easing traffic by making these giant granite blocks.”

Faulkner started boys scouts as a tiger Cub Scout, the lowest rank.

He worked his way up through elementary school from tiger, to bear, to wolf, and so on until he graduated to a Boy Scout.

He received the “Arrow of Light” badge, meaning he started and stayed with Boy Scouts

about two weeks ago, we were all there for him,” Faulkner said. “It was right after an Evita rehearsal, so I walked home, my parents handed me dinner in the car, and we rushed over to the ceremony to be there for him.”

Being a Boy scout, an Eagle scout especially, is an accomplishment and mind set that can stick with you long after high school.

School SRO/AISD police offi-

cer, Jim Rouen, earned his Eagle Scout at just 15. As the youngest of three, his two older brothers had helped him along the way in Boy Scouts.

Now, after being a cop for 18 years and with three boys of his own, Rouen is still in touch with the boys he knew in Boy Scouts.

Some of the men were even in his wedding.

“I would say it absolutely influenced my decision to become a police officer, I wanted the job because I enjoyed helping people and I got that drive from boy scouts,” Rouen said.

Rouen’s Eagle Scout project involved creating an exhibit for a park. He took leaves from various trees around the park and pressed them to make a display.

“I loved the friends and what I learned. I carry it with me to this day,” Rouen said.

Boy Scouts of America was founded Feb. 8, 1910 and since then has grown to be a program involving over two and a half million youth members.

As Shiller, Scouller, and Faulkner graduate this year, they will be taking with them an accomplishment that will hopefully make a difference in their lives, just like how it did for Rouen’s.

It happens in the yearbook

$65

for 396 pages of JBHS memories

Order forms available in F206 or order online @ jostensyearbooks.com

N ews

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015 Page 4

Texas County Youth Show features fierce competition

Varsity cheer wins first at state

Fuaad Ajaz Staff Writer

The varsity cheer team recently competed in the United Cheer Association (UCA) South Texas Open Championships competition on January 25, 2015. The team has never entered into the competition before, but despite their inexperience they won first place.

The championship competition was the last that the team will enter into this year, and it was what they’d been preparing for since the school year began.

“State was the last competition so it was just a roundup of everything we’d worked hard on,” sophomore Brandon Hertel said.

The team also competed in and also won first in the regional competition. Teams had to win first in regional cheerleading competitions to move on to the state competition.

“Winning state was amazing,” senior Rylee Barrios said. “We had been working so hard for the past five to six months and when they announced our team as first everyone was ecstatic.”

For the competition teams must choreograph a two and a half minute routine to perform in front of a panel of judges that is usually more challenging than the cheerleading they do at football games.

“When we’re competing it’s a routine with a long cheer, difficult jump sequences, and harder stunt sequences,” Barrios said.

“When we cheer at football games we call generic cheers, jumps, and simple start sequences.”

According to Hertel the main difference between cheering at a game and cheering competitively is the amount of fitness required.

“It’s stressful,” Hertel said. “You have to be really fit to lift them and do all the things you have to do.”

Since their competition season is over the team will be cheering at upcoming football games and getting ready for their tryouts in march.

“We have tryouts coming the day of spring break and after that we’ll get to know everybody and then cheer at basketball games,” Hertel said.

This is the third time that the team has won first place at the state competition. According to cheer coach Ervin Knight the team’s biggest competition is usually themselves.

“As one of the better cheer teams in Texas when we go into a competition we’re usually trying to compete with ourselves,” Knight said.

Historic competition: Junior Ashley Franco shows her pig at the TCYS competition. The Texas County Youth Show began in 1938 and since 2005 has been a premier livestock show and youth fair. Photo by Granger Coats.

well I took him into the ring and he seemed kind of scared,” Fisher said.

“I got 11th place and I feel like he was a good enough goat where he could have gotten a higher place.”

After three days at TCYS students had to make up many assignments and also missed many days of sleep.

“I loved being at TCYS but it was super exhausting and I had to make up tons of work and catch up on a lot of sleep and rest,” Robarts said.

There are many different ways FFA students prepare for the youth

show but the students have special things they have to do to prepare their animal.

“My goat had to go walk on this special treadmill for goats and I had to walk him around to build up his muscles for the showing because that is what judges look for at TCYS,” Fisher said.

Not only do goats have to prepare but there is many thing to do for preparing pigs too.

“I had to polish her hooves, make her skin soft and clean, make sure she kept her head up, give her a bath

Caitlin Devlin Athletics Editor

Marching past Big Ben and performing in front of more than 2.5 million people are just some of the images that will remain in the memories of the James Bowie Outdoor Performing Ensemble.

The band’s trip to London was an unforgettable and long awaited experience.

In April 2013, the Bowie Band was invited to perform in the 2015 London New Year’s Day Parade by Lord Mayor of Westminster, Duncan Sandys.

The band’s fierce reputation and multiple awards made them a favorable choice for the parade, along with performers from twenty different countries.

After more than a year and a half of fundraising and preparation, the band was able to hop on an eight and a half hour flight en route to London.

“Honestly, I think the travel itself was rough, but once where we were there it was a really neat experience,” junior Ty Harmon said.

The London New Year’s Day parade began in 1987.

The parade is 2 miles long, and attracts over a million spectators every year.

The parade starts near the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly and finishes in Parliament Square.

“I had a great time, and didn’t even realize that the two mile parade was over when it was,” sophomore Lauren Aman said.

More than 300 band and guard members went to London, and many families of band members went with them.

The band was split on three separate flying groups, taking a bus from Bowie to the Houston airport, and then taking a very long flight to London.

Larger instruments and flags had to be shipped in advance to London, while smaller instruments were taken on flights as carry-ons.

“The first flight was only eight and a half hours, so it was easy to busy myself with movies,” sophomore Linda Garza said.

The hotel that the band stayed at, the Park Plaza Riverbank, was located on the River Thames, near Big Ben and Houses of Parliament.

Band members roomed together in groups of two or three, and the band would collect together at least twice a day on the negative fourth floor’s ballroom to discuss the following day’s plans.

“The hotel itself was really nice and had good food and the view from our rooms was spectacular,” sophomore Jessica Stachew said.

“

It’s so satisfying to have people appreciate what you do.

Linda Garza

The band, split into several tour groups, traveled to many English sightseeing locations, such as the Tower of London, Oxford University, and Windsor Palace.

“My favorite tour was the audio tour in Westminster Abbey. It was a great experience to walk down the checkered isle that Prince William and Princess Kate walked down when they got married,” sophomore Grace Larner said.

On the second day of the trip, the band members put on their bright grey and red uniforms and marched into Trafalgar Square for a quick performance with the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band.

“We felt like rock stars,” Garza said. “London doesn’t have marching bands, so they’re not used to bright red plumes and cool uniforms. As per-

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formers, it’s so satisfying to have people appreciate what you do and, better yet, go nuts when you walk past,” Later that day, an ensemble based on the members’ region scores performed a concert in the intricately designed Saint James Church with many other bands, choirs, and orchestras.

“Playing my instrument in the Saint James Church was a truly memorable and a once in a lifetime experience,” Larner said.

Early in the morning, on the first day of the new year, the band packed themselves into a block on Piccadilly.

There, they began the parade, marched the two and a half miles, and finished in Parliament Square.

The streets of London were lined with people waving their LNYDP Union Jacks and taking pictures of the performers passing by.

“The parade was extremely fun. I got to see so many people from my position and the energy from the crowd was contagious,” Aman said.

From the black banner announcing the band, to the color guard’s sweeping silk flags, to the band’s striking red plumes, the outdoor performing ensemble was an impressive sight.

“It was an amazing feeling to march as one unit with 300 band members. We performed for 2.5 million people in the London News Year Parade and everywhere we looked, there were people taking pictures of the Bowie Band with our bright red plumes,” Larner said. “We marched three miles and all the band members didn’t want the parade to end.”

Travelling 5,000 miles to the historic city of London to not only sightsee, but perform is a chance that not many people get to experience in their lifetime.

“The whole process of getting to be in the parade and the entire gratification of that comes with being so recognized across the globe is totally worth it,” junior Kylie Dugan said.

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everyday, and also I had to be ready too make eye contact with the judge so there is a lot of things we have to do to prepare for TCYS,” Buning said.

Buning had help with preparing her gilt for youth show but the person who helped is a big part of her FFA time.

“I’ve learned my showmanship skills from Ashley Franco, she is a great friend and mentor and she helps me with everything I do,” Buning said.

Marching band travels abroad for New Year’s parade with millions watching

“

Annika Holm News Editor

TCYS or the Texas County Youth Show is a competition where FFA and 4H students show their animals, which can be from a tiny chicken to a massive steer.

The competitors get placed and win a ribbon and some even get their animal auctioned from placing.This year’s show was held January 15-18 at the Travis County Expo center.

Waiting in the pen with her pigs while they sleep, sophomore and FFA officer Samantha Robarts waits for her time to show her two pigs Walter and Wriggley.

“I showed my two pigs, entered two pieces of photography, and entered salsa in the culinary portion,” Robarts said. “ I didn’t place with my pigs but for my photography I got class champion and reserve, with my salsa I got a blue ribbon.”

Despite her injury sophomore Kate Buning was dedicated to her gilt, the name for a breeding pig, named Kim and getting to show at TCYS. “My gilt, Kim, got third place but I don’t get to go to auction because she’s a breeding pig,” Buning said.

“I had knee surgery a couple months ago and got my cast taken off about a week before the showing, so I was still in pain during the showing and it made it harder for me to walk in the sand.”

TCYS had about 40-45 goats compete this year and for freshman Luke Fisher this year at TCYS wasn’t the greatest.

“I showed my goat, Odis, the at youth show this year it didn’t go so

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The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

School wide Science Fair competition held

First place: Junior Jeremiah Gause talks to a judge about his project ‘Austin’s Water versus Terrestrial Stressors’. Gause won first place in his division, which was Environmental Science. “I was pretty happy because it was a lot of work and it took forever and it was a lot of money too,” Gause said. “I spent about $170.” Photo by Fuaad Ajaz.

Projects sorted into divisions and students given the opportunity to move on to the regional science fair Annika Holm News Editor

The Science Fair competition was held Thursday, January 22 on campus.

The fair was smaller this year because only the students in PreP Biology were required to complete projects.

“There were probably a little over a hundred,” Biology teacher Jessica Davis said. “It was smaller this year because chemistry students didn’t do projects.”

Teachers offered a grade incentive to students to compete in the fair.

“So everybody had to do science fair and on their boards in class the highest they could get would be a 95 and if they chose to compete at the Bowie fair they could get up to a 100,” Davis said.

Students competed in nineteen different divisions ranging from things like Medicine and Health to Environmental Science.

Students who placed in the fair will be moving on to the Austin Energy Regional Science fair which will be held on Thursday, February 19 at the Palmer Events Center.

At the Regional Fair students from Bowie will be competing in the Junior/ Senior division and they will have the opportunity to move onto the ExxonMobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, or the I-SWEEP International Olympiad fair.

“If they place in the Bowie Science fair then they will move on to the Regional Science Fair,” Davis said.

“Depending on the category there could be up to five

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placements, or sometimes just two depending on the number of people entered in the category.”

Juniors Ksenia Vlassova and Van Anh Van-Dinh won best in fair for the project they worked on together called ‘Investigation of Exosomes Derived from Bodily Fluids of Healthy Human Donors and Cancer Patients’. They were the sole competitors in and winners of the cellular and molecular category.

“I think we placed because we worked really long to get all of our data,” Vlassova said. “Also we practiced our presentation so the judges understood everything that we did very well.”

Vlassova is thankful for the opportunities that competing in the science fair could bring.

“Competing and moving on in any school activities looks really good on college applications,” Vlassova said.

“So I wanted to move on in something science related because I want to go into the medical field when I grow up.”

Freshman Kyle O’Rourke competed and won first in the Environmental Science division with a project called ‘Macro invertebrates as Biomonitors for Stream Quality’ an idea he says he got from his eighth grade science class.

“I basically went to different streams and picked out different bugs and then I was able to determine the water quality,” O’Rourke said.

Students competing in higher up fairs are offered the chance to win scholarships for their work.

“I think it’d be cool to go

to state because I’ve heard that they hand out scholarships there,” O’Rourke said.

Biology students are required to start working on their science fair projects during the summer as their summer homework.

This early start helped freshman Shravani Deo, who won second place in the biochemistry division, come up with her idea by observing how the heat of summer affected the ripening of bananas.

“So I was just eating a banana in the summer and I noticed how the bananas

seemed to be ripening faster which I thought could be from the heat,” Deo said.

Along with the chance to win scholarships and add to resumes students competing in the fair recognize the benefits that come from working on science fair projects.

“I think science fair helps with your communication skills because you have to effectively communicate to a judge and show them that you are good enough to go on to the next level and show them how much time you put into the project,” Vlassova said.

Page 5

News Briefs

Mr. Bulldog pageant to be held Valentine’s Day For 20 years now, Bowie has held an all male pageant show called “Mr. Bulldog” and this year the show will be Saturday, February 14 at 7 pm.

There are 15 guys participating, the tickets will cost $8 and they are expecting 200 people at the least.

“This year it is going to be the cherry on top of a big ice cream bowl,” said student council adviser Jimmy Ellerbrock said.

At last years show, senior Braxton Manley was crowned Mr. Bulldog and the student council members are excited to see who the title will go to this year.

“I’m very excited, it’s going to be funny watching all the guys participate,” senior student council member Lance Blue said.

The show has a various amount of diverse guys who participate, but in the end there is only one person who is crowned “Mr. Bulldog”.

“I don’t really care about the outcome, just the fact that I’m participating in the show and I’m having fun while doing it is what matters the most,” Blue said. “I think it’ll be different this year, it will be something you won’t Alyssa want to miss.”

Martinez

On Friday, January 16 the Austin Independent School District (AISD) police responded to a call regarding a potential weapon on campus. After an extensive investigation it was determined that there was no weapon on campus.

Bowie principal Stephen Kane sent out an e-mail a day after the incident assuring students, faculty and parents that the campus is safe and being protected by the AISD police department.

“Friday afternoon, AISD’s police department received a report of a possible weapon on the Bowie campus,” Kane wrote in his e-mail. “AISD police immediately launched an investigation into the situation. No weapon was found.”

Kane reminded students and parents that possession of a weapon on an AISD campus is forbidden by the code of conduct

and is also illegal. Specific weapons that are prohibited include, knives, BB or air guns, mace/pepper spray, stunning devices and firearms as defined by state and federal law.

“Possession of a weapon on school property is a violation of the AISD Student Code of Conduct,” Kane wrote in his e-mail.

“I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to review the Code of Conduct with your students, which outlines items not allowed on school property.”

Kane thanked the AISD police for their service and their quick response.

“We thank the AISD police department for their quick investigation based on the lead, which confirmed our campus is secure,” Kane wrote.

Kane encouraged students and faculty to notify the school police if they ever feel unsafe on campus. Annika Holm

The Scholastic Art and Writing Competition is well known across the nation with thousands of entries per year. Out of those thousands that entered in the local part of the competition, two students on campus, senior Eric Moe and junior Nathan Hull won awards in the art portion of the competition.

Awards in this competition are handed out in keys, gold being the highest, followed by silver, then honorable mentions.

“Each teacher gets 25 entries,” art teacher Caryle Brookshire said. “For me to select a student, they need to show discipline and commitment to what they work on in and outside of class.”

Entries had to be submitted by December 10,

the winners were announced on January 14, and the gallery reception for the winners was on January 25.

“Initially, I was shocked that I won,” Moe said. “I’d submitted things years before and didn’t win anything. I also submitted some drawings on top of the design portfolio and sculpture.”

Their works, were on display at the Scanlan Gallery at the Helm Fine Arts center, located off of Lake Austin, until February 6.

“It felt really good to win,” Hull said. “I really didn’t expect to win any awards from this.”

Out of the 170 awards won, only 56 people won gold keys, and 62 won silver keys. Michelle McDonah

Potentially dangerous situation handled by AISD/APD joint team

Eric Moe and Nathan Hull awarded for art

Human Behavior: Freshman Zanib Rashid explains to a judge her project in which she compared the number of times that men and women blinked in a certain period of time. Photo by Hazel Rodriguez.

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The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015 Page 6

Debaters get ready for long trip to El Paso

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a big caretaker for the family and so it’s hard for him to watch us do a more. He has to know we are okay, no matter what happens.”

For Lauren, seeing dad at school every day, interacting with students and seeing how much he is admired by kids and teachers is a lesson all it’s own.

“You learn to appreciate the little things and the material stuff just isn’t important anymore. I mean he is always wanting to do everything and he has pushed himself to the point where he just goes home and falls asleep cause he’s so tired,” Lauren said. “It’s a different lifestyle, everything is more cautious about things like diet and exercise, and yet the healthiest person I know is still affected.”

While the emotional changes can be hard enough to get used to, what cancer really means is going to the hospital for chemotherapy

him through every chemo therapy and letting him know what to expect,” Rachael Gomez said.

As students have been there for him, Gomez has been there for his students.

Just last January Roberto adopted a former student, named Freddy, whom he had grown close to while the student was in high school.

“He became a born again Christian in high school, but he was a wild kid before then.

It was a problem because he lost a lot of his friends since he wasn’t like them anymore so I helped him through that rough period,” Roberto said.

“He started introducing me to people as his father, so one day it just popped into my head, and I asked him how would he’d like the idea of me adopting him, and he said he would like that very much. I just thought, I love this boy why can’t I adopt him.”

Roberto and Rachael

It changes how you view life a lot. I mean we always knew what was important, but now even more so. -Rachael Gomez

Eyes on the prize: Junior Jade Capello practices his public speaking in class as his debate mentor, Brian Alford, examines his skills and prepares to give feedback. The team is doing everything from current events tests to in class debates in order to prepare for the upcoming UIL tournaments. Photo by Hazel Rodriguez

persuasive speaking, they’re taking current event quizzes every week to keep up with the world and issues around them, and they are going to be doing some in class LD debating in order to qualify for the LD team.

“It’s a lot of hard work and extra hours, but it’s interesting and despite it all seeming very overwhelming at times, at the end of the day I’m always glad to have gotten to be a part of it all,” senior Alisa Hoban said.

All the extra hours put into debate both in and out

of school has given the team an opportunity to bond with one and other and enjoy their all their experiences together.

“This team is a bunch of very strange, very odd, very intelligent, but very, very unique people. They all get along very, very well, and the team travels so much together, like they’re together every weekend and they get along very well. They’ve even gotten to know me very well and I’ve gotten to know them, more than I need to know them,” Alford said.

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The Gomez family also set up an open Facebook page that anyone can see or help contribute to.

“There’s a big fund raiser going down in my former school district, they’re doing a pizza night with the five high schools, but a lot of my friends who live up state couldn’t come down but still wanted to contribute. That’s why we made the site, but I never expected the Bowie community to come out as supportive as they were,” Gomez said. “I thought my Facebook was mostly for people from the valley, but all of a sudden I started seeing contributions from people I didn’t even know. Then I realized it was parents and students, I mean we are very appreciative. I’ve almost got the hospital bills covered.”

Now that Robert is back to school and just finishing up the deconstruction of the 17 ft. tall set for STC’s musical Evita, he and his family

“

Unlike UIL, not everyone can go to it, in TFA participants do not go through a traditional process of elimination. Instead, each tournament students place in, throughout the season gets them what are know as “state points”. Those points then add up and the teams with the most state points are qualified to move forward.

“Right now in TFA we have the second most qualified people for the state tournament out of all the high schools in Texas, and depending on how the next few tournaments that we have left go we may have the most in the state of Texas which is really impressive,” Roberts said.

The state tournament is held in El Paso in March and the team has already begun preparations for the trip.

Last year, 18 students went to state, this year its almost double with around 30 students going.

“The state tournament in El Paso is absolutely by far, the hardest tournament that we go to,” Alford said. “Last year we had one person place and she was in congressional debate, this year I hope that we will come home with at least five state medals between the interp and debate team, but I think everyone going is very well qualified for becoming a medalist.”

Its always one big event after the next in the debate world, so with the TFA season coming to an end, the team is actively gearing up for what’s ahead.

“Up next is UIL season which is always important because that is where the school gets all its recognition,” Alford said. “We also have the Ronald Reagan great communicator debate coming up in two weeks which four kids will be going to and they will have a chance to win a trip to California and win their share of about $30,000 in scholarship money and finally it’ll be our district meet in nationals in the summer.”

In preparation for UIL debaters are giving speeches in class every week till the competitions, they are working on their informative and

Technical theatre teacher Gomez battles an unexpected disease

are adjusting to new routines and how their perspective has changed due to the disease.

“I’ve been feeling pretty good. The musical was really stressful, although there were really only two days during the construction of the set that I went home feeling really bad,” Roberto said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle it, with chemotherapy every two weeks. The first two days after, I feel nauseous but after that I can start functioning normally again.”

Gomez’s family has been handling the changes with emotional changes, rather than physical.

“It changes how you view life a lot. I mean we always knew what was important, but now even more so,” Rachael said. “Everyone has to pitch in, he has always been

more times than one would like to count.

“Basically what they’ve told us is this is his routine for the rest of his life. It’s not curable unless it’s operable, and there’s no guarantee it will ever be operable,” Rachael said. “At the moment, it’s not effecting his organ functions or stopping his body from doing whatever it needs to do. They told us that every time it doesn’t grow it’s a win. So for the rest of our lives it’s ‘as long as it doesn’t grow’.”

Besides the hundreds of people around the community and the state supporting Gomez through his battle, one person has been there for him in a way not many could.

“One of his ex-students who just turned 40 has cancer and she is that person who has been the closest to

plan to put on a production together for STC’s spring show block. Roberto discloses that he is waiting until the end of the year to see if he will be coming back to campus next year, since in early March doctors will be taking cat scans of the tumor to see if it’s changing. If it’s shrinking or not growing then he’ll return, but if it’s growing then he will not.”

The doctors have been surprised by Roberto’s progress as even on chemo he has managed to gain some weight back that he had lost while recovering from the surgery.

He can be seen in his technical theatre classes that he teaches every other day on B days, scaling 20 ft. ladders and has even been working out at the gym again.

“If anyone can beat it, he can.” Rachael said.

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P hoto Essay

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 7

The whole production of Evita Jasmine Correa Photo Essay Editor

Standing 17 ft. in the air on a massive pink platform on wheels, the first scene of the theater show Evita commences.

From Jan. 22 through 25 and Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 the Starlight Theater Company preformed the Argentinian musical production, Evita.

Senior Curtis Faulkner is one of four guys that played the lead role of Peron, a military officer who was elected three times as president of Argentina, for Evita.

“There are two male leads. Che is the narrator and Peron is Evita’s husband,. I was double casted with Noah Steele,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner has been in several musicals, all of them here at Bowie, but he has hopes to be in more after high school.

“I’ve been in five musicals so far throughout high school,” Faulkner said.

He prepares himself for musical theater productions by attending various camps.

“There is one camp called Texas Musical Theater Workshop at UT and people from all over the nation come to Texas. We had people come in from Broadway and helped work with us,” Faulkner said. “We met one of the original Broadway Tracy’s and learned choreography from her, and we got to meet a bunch of people from broad way.”

Faulkner plans on continuing with musical theater in college.

“I am majoring in it and I have been accepted to Texas State and OU,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner is going to be trying out for the theatrical program in Illinois after their last showing of Evita.

“I still need to get into the programs. I will be flying to Chicago at about six in the morning, the day after our last performance,” Faulkner said.

While Faulkner had planned to fly out Sunday, along with Morgan Martel, a friend in theatre, Faulkner’s flight was cancelled due to weather. Although he was unable to make it to Chicago, his auditioned for the part anyway by sending in a video.

Freshman Maddy Sparks is one of the six Eva’s in the musical and couldn’t be any more ecstatic about it.

“When I found out I was one of the leads I was so excited.

I was nervous the seniors would think it was unfair for a freshman to have the lead but I kept trying to do my best and focus on the point that I was really enjoying being a lead,” Sparks said.

Sparks didn’t plan on actually going for the lead part of Eva. “In the audition I originally wasn’t going to try out for a lead, and the third president told me to go back on stage and try out. Once I was on stage I felt relieved after I did my audition,” Sparks said.

Eddie Garnet is a lighting tech but his job is more than

He’s fighting for her: Junior Paige Bradbury, plays the young Evita in the first act of the show. Bradbury and the three other Evita’s rehearsed a lot together making the show a success. “The cast got to bond a lot over the course of rehearsals, so when we were on stage together it was pure joy while performing,” Bradbury said.

just lights.

“My job involves making sure the lighting and my assistant, Olivia Robert, don’t mess up,” Garnet said. “As well as if anything goes wrong backstage I’m there to fix it. Whether it be the platforms that need to be lubricated or a curtain that needs to get hung. Basically I’m here to fix anything that goes wrong.”

For the whole production of Evita, Garnet has put in time, hard work, and dedication.

“I help build the platforms, the frames for the walls, put trim on the walls, create the special effects lighting for the windows, hang the painting, and focus all of the lights,” Garnet said.

Head theatre director, Betsy Cornwell, has been apart of more than 20 musicals since the school opened in 1988.

“I have directed at least one musical a year, sometimes two. I directed at least ten before Bowie,” Cornwell said.

The only breaks the students involved in the production were given were the holiday breaks; even then they had been called in for two workdays during the break.

“We generally spent three months putting the musical together with breaks over Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Cornwell said.

Evita, a classic musical, was chosen to push the students along with the directors in order to help them excel and better their performances.

“We love doing musicals with challenging music and a good story. We always peruse all of the musical catalogues,” Cornwell said. “And look at the vocal ranges assigned for each part to see if we have several students who could sing and act the parts.”

In the spot light: Junior Paige Bradbury walks down the stairs to the front of the stage during the song “Goodnight and Thank you.” Bradbury played one of the three Evita’s in the musical that night. “It’s an incredible opportunity and it’s so amazing to get to be one of the characters shaping the story,” Bradbury said.

Dark scene: Junior DJ Fortner plays the lead role of Che, the narrator of the whole show. Many changes were made to the chorus making it harder for Fortner to adapt to it at first. “I had to be able to change what I had already been practicing to fit what the chorus was doing,” Fortner said.

Final touch ups: Gisselle Lozano is a sophomore and was one of The Magaldi girls, which were featured dancers for Agustin Magaldi. Lozano enjoyed being apart of the production “Being able to see how great it turned out to be was absolutely amazing,” Lozano said.

Freshman lead: Maddy Sparks preforming while the narrator of the play, DJ Fortner talks over her as well. Sparks was the only freshman playing a lead role in this musical.

“A lot of people tried out for the part of Evita, and there were only three freshman that got a call back,” Sparks said.

Final high school show: Curtis Faulkner dresses for his last show. He has been in school productions long before high school.

“My first role was Gaston in Beauty and the Beast in middle school,” Faulkner said.

Practice makes perfect: Junior Leonela Hernandez stretches a few minutes before the show began.

Hernandez is dedicated to the musical theater program and put in months of hard work to perfect this show.

“It was about two months of coming everyday after school and even Saturdays from 4:30 to 6 sometimes 7 on the week days and 10 to 4 on Saturday,” Hernandez said.

Serenading Eva with his voice: Junior Miguel Lozano plays Agustin Magaldi, a musician. Lozano prepared before every show whether it was relaxing himself or just warming up his voice. “Overall, the important thing before a show is focus. Focus to allow you to become your character,” Lozano said.

Tech lights behind the senses : Junior Eddie Garnet, is the lighting tech and is in charge of making sure that everything runs smoothly from lighting, set building, to anything someone may need help with. Garnet has been doing his job since the beginning of the second semester of Sophomore year. “It took me 71 hours to get all the preparations done that I needed to do for the show,” Garnet said.

Dress up time: Junior Stephanie Hernandez looks for her costume for the show. Hernandez helped others through out the entire show. “If anyone needed help zipping up their dress or just running backstage and telling the actors a message from our directors. Their were many ways to be able to help others in this musical,” Hernandez said.

I n-Depth

The Lone Star Dispatch

I n-Depth Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 8

Hands free cell phone policy enacted A driver is 23 Ashlee Thomason Managing Editor

It is pitch black at 10:15 pm and in the car a small light is visible through the windows. The police are allowed to investigate this incident as it might be that the individual was using their cell phone while driving.

This new law that came into effect January 1, 2015 prohibits the use of any electronic hand held device while operating a vehicle or a bicycle. Austin police only issued warnings for the first month the law was enforced, but in February they started issuing citations with fines.

According to the city, fines will vary but could be as high as $500. A solution that can easily fix the dilemma over not being able to

that individual will not be penalized.

In addition it is not clearly stated that the law allows an individual to use a handheld electronic device while at a complete stop. This gives individual’s the opportunity to pick up their portable electronic device while at a stop light or not in motion.

These numerous grey areas of the law are being questioned by individual’s.

Some of the grey areas that have been scrutinized are: does a police officer have the right to confiscate a cell phone if he/she believes it was used it while driving? How does the officer judge or prove whether or not the phone was being used legitimately? Should the city of Austin have signs showing that this law is enacted in this area of Austin? Was the message of this law enactment clearly notified to the public?

times more likely to crash if they use a cell phone while driving

The Lone Star Dispatch

Monday, February 9, 2015

VS

Justice Capello Online Editor In a society often filled with policies derived from two opposite sides of a legislative spectrum, our result is often a shade of grey composed of many questions that are subjective and should be judged on a “case by case basis.” This same grey fog is cast upon the citizens of Austin regarding the “hands free” law enacted with the dawn of the New Year.

Although this law may be a great cause, the application of this law has many faults including the current process on enforcement.

Drivers are expected not to use their cell phone while driving, but may still continue their normal, every day routine including (but not limited to) reading books, eating Chinese food, applying deodorant, and listening to extremely loud music through the use of ear-buds.

But of course, safety first.

Forget the constant chirping of crows nested on power lines, the dazzling neon advertisements businesses on South Congress placed at just the right angle so you are able to view them from over a mile away.

There is no distraction like the hypnotic trance that mobile devices enthrall to your every day Austinites.

If not, we, the people of Austin, will be forced into a dark age of driving in which our mind will be controlled and subjected to the will of those same individuals who originally enacted this safety policy.

Austin must continue to uphold its reputations as “weird,” and what better way to do so than to continue to pass paradoxically enforceable laws to ensure our safety?

Michelle McDonagh Staff Writer Everyday I see people calling or texting or looking up directions on their phones. To try and stop this and the accidents caused by it, the City of Austin passed the Hands Free law, making it illegal to do anything on your phone or on your radio while driving. I think that this law is wonderful, and will cause a drastic reduction in car crashes.

A law very similar to this has existed in California since 2007. Originally only preventing calling and driving, as times changed, so did the law. In 2011, the law included texting and driving, which essentially means that you can’t hold your phone and drive.

Statistically, according to carinsurancecomparison.com, Texas drivers are the 4th worst in the nation when it comes to driving. This statistic includes number of wrecks per population.

I think this law will lower the statistics and make Texas a much better driving state, starting with Austin.

Texting while driving is the leading cause of teen deaths in the United States, according to safety.trw.com, a website about driver safety. According to USA TODAY, cellphone use causes one in four car accidents annually. Imagine one out of every four of your friends getting into an accident just because of someone’s smiley face emoji that they just had to send to their best friend while driving.

On the other hand, this law could be seen as destruction to civil liberties. It is the driver’s choice to text and drive, or call someone, or to look up directions on Google maps. It is their choice to do all of these things, but in the end, this new law is meant to help prevent deadly and unneeded crashes.

Multi-tasking or texting while driving may be the most dangerous thing on the road!

.08%

Common Driver Distractions text and drive are hands free systems.

Some of these systems include; headphones to talk through, a mount or stand for a portable electronic device, a mounted GPS system, or built in bluetooth wireless.

Although these are common solutions to the problem of not being able to use an electronic device while driving they still cost money.

A few bluetooth systems that cost less than $100 to install are a Tom Tom Hands-free car kit, Plantronics k100 bluetooth, Belkin car audio connect AUX with bluetooth, or a Tranzit link by iSimple solutions (http://kxan.com).

Of those students who are not yet driving, the hands free policy still makes an impact on their life.

“I think that the hands free policy recently in effect in Austin is a good way to keep people safe,” junior Marielle Lopez said. “However, as a non-driver, I have witnessed in many instances not only the car that I am in but in those surrounding me. Many people break the no texting while driving rule anyway. Texting has been illegal for a long time, and daily I see people breaking that rule, so the fact that calling and all the other things illegal as well won’t change the degree by which the rule is being followed.”

Newer cars typically come equipped with bluetooth wireless systems and Siri is an activated voice control system to operate a cell phone without using your hands.

Even though these systems are proven to be 100% hands free, there still seems to be many glitches because when operating Siri or bluetooth sometimes voice activated control does not accurately understand your voice commands.

Operating these voice command systems still causes distractions while driving if not more than simply operating it yourself.

An exemption to the law is that if someone needs to dial 911 in emergency for crime, a medical issue, or if an individual is in danger

The police officer’s judgement of whether or not an individual was using their cell phone is based on their vision.

A police officer is required to have a warrant unless it is a matter of life or death that puts the officer’s safety at risk and he/she has no time to collect a warrant to confiscate an individual’s cell phone.

As stated in the fourth amendment in the U.S Constitution, individuals have the right to privacy.

According to kxan.com, the city of Austin is relying heavily on social media to deliver messages to the general public regarding the enforcement of the new law.

There are no road signs posted yet to notify people traveling through Austin or the citizens of Austin. Road signs are in the future plan for the city of Austin.

There is also a common misunderstanding that Sunset Valley is a part of Austin but it is actually a community surrounded by the city of Austin, so the hands free policy does not apply to that area.

Making the roads safer is the biggest advantage to the law according to senior Lauren Guilette.

“I think the new hands free policy will make the roads safer,” Guilette said. “So many people are constantly texting and playing games that they stop focusing. Hopefully having a high fined ticket will cause less wrecks.”

Some students are not opposed to the hands free policy because they believe it helps prevent accidents on the road and keep citizens safe.

“I am for the hands free policy,” senior Stacy Stacher said. “It promises to be a successful way to prevent a lot of texting related accidents.

I personally haven’t known anyone who was involved in texting related accidents but I’ve read some of the studies on them and agree that it is important to prevent these accidents.”

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Using a cell phone while driving, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08%.

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In-Depth page created by Ashlee Thomason

The average text message takes your eyes of the road for nearly five seconds. When traveling at 55 MPH, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field.

A thletics

World champion hits the target

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 10

Brooke Landry is the highest ranked female knife thrower in the world Sophi Mora Entertainment Editor

Just starting at five years old, junior Brooke Landry knife throws and competes with different people from all over the world with five different distances that they throw from.

The objective of the sport is to score the highest amount of points.

“You throw at three targets and in each target, you can get a maximum of five points,” Landry said. “So for each distance, you can get fifteen points total and there are four rounds. The highest score is the winner.”

Landry has been knife throwing with freshman Gillian Sittler ever since she was little and were apart of a team together for five years.

“She’s been throwing since she was like five and has just been committed to it for a really long time,” Sittler said.

She’s been throwing for almost twelve years and that’s how she’s gotten to be topnotch at the sport.

“I got into it when I was five, so it’s just the only thing I’ve ever really done,” Landry said. “I’ve done it for a while and I guess I’ve gotten pretty good at it, so it’s just something I’ve done all the time.”

Brooke’s father, Mike Landry, is the person she looks up to with her sport and it’s how they bonded.

“He’s always loved it too but cant really do it because he has problems with his legs.

His knees and feet don’t work as well, so I always do it to make him proud,” Brooke said. “This is definitely our thing.”

She throws around her father when she practices and there’s about twelve inches between Mike and the edge of the board that she hits.

“She throws ten knives around me. She starts at the knees and work her way up to the head,” Mike said. “She’s done this since she was about eight-years-old, throwing

Ready, aim, throw: Junior Brooke Landry works on her technique as she throws the knife at the target during her practice time. Landry has her own section of her backyard with targets to practice her knife throwing. Photo by Jasmine Correa

around either myself or her instructor and she’s never hit us yet.”

Brooke has won first place at the world championships three times and it’s one of her biggest achievements.

“When I first started throwing, my first year I won first place at the world championships and then my second year, I won first as well. Then a few years later, I won first again,” Brooke said.

Not only is she a three time world champion, but has also achieved something many other things.

“She was the youngest person to break 200,” Sittler said. “She was for a while the

highest ranked female knife thrower in the world and one of the youngest.”

In knife throwing, the highest score you can get is 300. Brooke got a score of 200 which made her at the expert level.

“200 is what gets you to what’s called ‘The Expert Level,’ and she was the first female to ever achieve a 200 score,” Mike said. “Which made her an expert in the eyes of the knife throwers and apart of The International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame.”

Landry has gotten many opportunities with her knife throwing. She got to attend an Eagle Scout ceremony as the entertainment with her knife throwing.

“There was a young man who is autistic and he’s a Boy Scout. He’s been following her on Facebook, watching her knife throw since she was really little and he’s a year younger than her. He earned his Eagle Scout and for the entertainment, he emailed Brooke,” Mike said. “The young man reached out to her and she didn’t even hesitate, she just went out and did it.”

Landry continues to play this unique sport and enjoys doing it everyday.

“It’s really unique, no one ever believes that I do it,” Landry said. “It’s a weird hobby, but it’s definitely different than anything else.”

Three bulldog baseball Boys soccer kick their players sign to continue game into high gear their baseball careers Alyssa Martinez Staff writer

Michelle McDonagh Staff Writer

Baseball season is about to kick of for players and fans alike, but not before some players sign with colleges to continue the sport that they love.

12th graders Chris Logan, Kyle Gray, and Joe Davis signed with different colleges in a mock signing held on January 23, including Ranger College, Blinn College, and the University of Houston.

“The signing was really cool,” Chris Logan said.

“I’ve seen a lot of friend do it.”

Playing baseball since he was a kid Davis never thought he would be signing to the University of Houston.

“It feels pretty good to sign, as a kid I didn’t think about signing,” Davis said.

“It’s a blessing.”

Wanting to continue his career of baseball ever farther than college Grays signs to Blinn College hoping to make it pro.

“It’s a good feeling that all my hard work paid off and it was exciting to sign to Blinn College because it’s a good college to get me to the pros,” Gray said.

Parents weren’t the only people at the event there were many friends and supporters their to see them sign.

“Along with a lot of parents, the whole team was there,” Logan said.

After the signing comes the anticipation to start the season.

“I’m looking forward to playing Lake Travis and Westlake,” sophomore Matt Milliner said. “Lake Travis because they are really

good, and Westlake because they’re our rivals.”

Coach Samuel Degelia is looking at their chances in general rather than a particular team to play against.

“We used to have a four out of six shot to make it to the playoffs,” Baseball coach Samuel Degelia said.

“Now, it is a four out of eight shot. It’s only a 50-50 shot.”

Although the stakes are even higher, the team knows they have a good coach to guide them and are confident in his coaching style.

“He’s a players coach,” Logan said. “He stands up for us when we need it.”

According to Davis the team will go far with the support of coach Degelia.

“He’s shown what persistence does, he shows patience and discipline to us,” Davis said.

The family atmosphere hits home for everyone on the team.

“They’re like my brothers,” manager Sara Hughes said. “Life would be weird without them.”

Degelia is feeling good about the new season and cant wait to start it with the team.

“I’m confident in all of our skills and all of our players,” Degelia said. “We have about six returners this season and a whole new outfield.”

Degelia isn’t the only one feeling good about the new season.

“I’m excited for this season,” Sara Hughes said.

“I think we will do really well.”

According to Davis the seniors are making the best out of it being the last season they have here at Bowie.

“I feel like its going to be a good season,” Gray said. “ I feel confident in hoe we all will do.”

There are many opportunities to watch the players take the field.

“We have 16 district games, and we play everyone twice,” Degelia said.

“Our ultimate goal is to make district playoffs this season.”

Baseball signing: Seniors Chris Logan, Kyle Gray, and Joe Davis sign to college to continue their career in baseball. The three young men sign to different colleges which include Blinn College, University of Houston, and Ranger College. Photo by Jasmine Correa

This year, the varsity soccer boys are kicking off the season strong and are 4-0 in district play.

For the players the soccer season consists of practice everyday after school, weight room and conditioning during their class period and allot of film watching from their games.

“We get to see the guys before season even starts since we have an actual class period this year, so it really gives us more time to prepare for the season and just find a way to work on skills and team chemistry,” head coach Ryan Logan said.

The players of the team have goals they set for themselves but the coach has some he wants the boys to really try and meet, according to Logan.

“I definitely want them to make playoffs, get to a regional tournament and just to find a way to overall play consistently every time,” Logan said.

Soccer requires hand-eye coordination and improving their skills during practice is something the boys do a lot, according to varsity player Cash Cavitt.

“We practice everyday after school so I’m really trying my best to improve on my shooting which is really important since I play forward,” Cavitt said.

The guys are going to continue pushing themselves and playing hard hoping they will qualify.

“I’m really looking forward to the playoffs this year because I think we’re going to do really well,” Cavitt said.

The soccer players have lots of experience from when they were younger and working to become better players is what mat-

Attention Grabber: Junior Johan Vasquez runs across the field with the ball passing defense. Vasquez’s position is mid fielder. Photo by Isabel Rosales

ters the most, according to Cavitt.

“I’ve been playing basically my whole life and I’m working to get better and do great my senior year,” Cavitt said.

With many years of experience Thompson has continued to improve his skills thought out his high school career.

“Through years of experience and training I have been able to build up my skills,” Thompson said.

The team currently has four captains: seniors Enrique Trevino, Chandler Thompson, Ely Womack and junior Jarrod Tomasek.

Their jobs as captains are to guide and help their teammates out in any way that they can as much as possible.

“As a captain, it’s my job

to take charge of the team and support them, I direct them on the field when we play,” Thompson said.

Thompson has been playing soccer since he was four years old and will be graduating this year, possibly leaving his soccer career behind.

“There are a lot of kids on the team who I will miss and I’m considering playing soccer in college but my main goal is to continue my flying school to become a pilot,” Thompson said.

The soccer season is just getting started but it’s going to be bittersweet feeling when it ends, according to Thompson.

“It’s not a good feeling knowing that I won’t he out on the field next year but I plan on making this season count,” Thompson said.

Athletics

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015 Page 10

Softball girls prep for Glen Lewis takes over the upcoming season coaching the season Caitlin Devlin Athletics Editor

Alyssa Martinez Staff Writer This year, the softball girls are preparing themselves for a killer season and among those girls are nine seniors who are ready to do big things, since it’s their last year to participate while still in high school.

“The leadership and commitment we get from our group of nine seniors this year is different from any other group of girls we’ve ever had at Bowie. They all want to accomplish the same things and work to accomplish goals and that’s something very rare to find,” coach Rose Ruffino said.

For the senior girls, they’re doing the best they can to make this season memorable but like the rest of the girls are accustomed to the routines of being a high school softball player.

“I’ve been playing softball since I was nine and I’m really looking forward to going to state and our Houston tournament, it will really give us a chance to bond,” sophomore Sarah Williamson said.

Williamson is on varsity and is working to become a more consistent player at the plate.

The seniors are all going to continue playing after high school, but the rest of the softball girls still have time to think and decide to

Toss and trap: Junior Hailey Walker throws a softball to her partner in the fine arts hallway duirng practice. Softball players have practice in the mornings, throwing and catching. Photo by Alyssa Martinez

what they really love and want to do in the end.

“I am definitely going to stick with softball throughout high school and college, hoping that I get a scholarship,” Williamson said.

Improving their skills is something all of the girls work hard to do and it’s crazy to remember how it all started in the beginning of their sports career, according to senior Cassandra Grimaldo.

“I remember making varsity freshman year and loving the upperclassmen and now I’m in their position,” Grimaldo said.

With much support from the coaching staff, the girls are able to reach their full potential and show their skills out on the field.

“The coaches here at Bowie have made an ex-

treme impact on the player that I am today, a big percentage of the credit goes to them but it all comes down to the fact that I’ve always wanted to get better and that’s what any coach wants for their players,” Grimaldo said.

Most of the girls have been playing for a huge chunk of their lives and many of them have been playing together even before high school.

“It’s bittersweet because all of us seniors are so close, we’ll cry our eyes out on senior night because we’ve all been playing with each other for a while now and were all going our separate ways for college. So what better way to end our senior season then with a bang,” Grimaldo said.

Wrestlers use their arms, hands, and legs to contort their bodies in ways that will take down their opponent. A wrestler’s strength is their weapon in matches, and that strength used in the right way can be key to winning these matches, and ultimately tournaments.

“I thought it would be cool to be able to control your body so well, as well as being able to control your opponent’s body at the same time,” sophomore Grace Lemm said.

The Bowie wrestling teams are very successful in tournaments, with many Bowie wrestlers placing first. The way to success is to not only have a strong team, but to also have a strong coach.

“Coach Lewis is the best, he pushes you to be the best you can and teaches you to the best of his ability,” sophomore Audrey Chiman said.

Last year, Coach Glen Lewis was the assistant wrestling coach, mainly teaching and training the girl’s varsity team. Spike Fogle, last year’s head coach, moved to teach in Missouri, leaving Lewis in charge of the team.

“When I found out I was going to be head coach I was excited, and nervous at the same time. This is one of the most successful wrestling programs in the central Texas area, so coming in

Top Dawgs

and taking over the program like this is a big deal,” Lewis said.

Lewis didn’t have any wrestling experience prior to becoming a coach. In 1999, he was a football and baseball coach, but became the assistant coach for wrestling after the initial wrestling coach quit.

“I kind of fell into it, and I ended up really liking the sport,” Lewis said.

As well as being a coach, Lewis also teaches economy classes for seniors.

“You have to be able to multitask as a coach. You can’t concentrate on one thing at a time and leave other things alone,” Lewis said.

To make sure wrestlers can fight to the best of their ability, the wrestling coaches work out and condition their team not only physically, but mentally. The

wrestlers train with weights, practice matches, and hypothetical situations.

“We spend a lot of time during practice just talking about what to do in certain situations,” Lewis said. “We have portions of practice where I’ll tell them ‘Okay, you’re down this certain number of points, you have this long, what are you going to do?’, and we talk through it and execute that in practice.”

Ultimately, being a coach means to be structured, responsible, and caring. A coach must know how to effectively train an athlete both physically and mentally to help them do their best in matches.

“Coach Lewis is hard on us, but it helps us in matches.. He’s trying to help us succeed because he knows there’s a lot of potential in us,” Lemm said.

Bowie vs. Westlake: Sophomore Joey Brown pins down a wrestler from Westlake during the Bowie vs. Westlake duel.

The duel was hosted by Bowie, and was held in December for the boys JV and Varsity Teams. Photo by Granger Coats

Standout athletic performances

Elijah Hall photo by Isabel Rosales

Starting off the season strong the ‘Dawgs have a goal to go to state.

With games twice a week the team is beginning to play all district games.

“We have a very busy season, we have games twice a week and when we don’t have games we have practice till six after school,” junior Elijah Hall said.

For Hall soccer is his favorite sport because of the team chemistry.

“I love soccer because my team is awesome and they make everything else so mh fun,” Hall said.

Despite all the injuries Hall has had he continues to play soccer because he loves the game.

“I wouldn’t play any other sport besides soccer all though its very physical its super fun and when I’m out on the field I get a rush of excitement to play the game,” Hall said.

With a long year full of tennis senior Daniela Griffis continues to improve on her game.

Excited for district she continues to practice hard to aim for the goal to continue on to regionals.

“I’m excited but scared at the same time,” Griffis said. “Westlake and Lake Travis have great players.”

With only having practice time during the tennis class period Griffis practices on her own outside of school.

“I really enjoy tennis and I don’t see practice as practice it’s more like playing for fun,” Griffis said.

Making the best out of her senior year Griffis wants to end on a good note.

“I want to make my senior year the best, I want to leave with accomplishing my goal of going to regionals,” Griffis said.

Daniela Griffis photo by Isabel Rosales

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E ntertainment

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

UIL competition lies ahead of us Jasmine Correa Photo Editor

On Saturday, Feb. 28 at McCallum High School solo ensemble will be held. Choir students have been preparing for this competition since the beginning of the second semester.

Choir director Ben May says that ensemble groups are more popular than the soloists competing this year.

“More students have been participating as members of a small ensemble than singing solos in recent years,” May said.

Solos take more time to prepare than ensembles because time has to be set aside to make sure the music is memorized.

“A solo generally takes more individual work and requires the student to have a private voice instructor,” May said.

For those who aren’t able to make it to the UIL competition at McCallum have the opportunity to compete but aren’t able to go to state if they receive all ones.

“The students that can’t make it to the UIL competition are able to compete in a mock UIL and still get judged as if at UIL but if they get a one they don’t get to move on to state, ” May said.

All ones in the UIL competition will get moved to the state competition.

“Those who advance move on to the Texas State

solo and ensemble concert,” May said.

Sophomore Ilyanna Santos is competing for her second time.

“I’ve already done it once before and it’s the most fun thing we do all year,” Santos said.

Santos doesn’t feel as ready as she did last year, but still expects the best.

“Last year we got all ones, but this year I’m not too sure because we didn’t have as much time to prepare. I’m still hoping we are able to get all ones,” Santos said.

For junior Stephanie Hernandez this is her first time competing with the mixed varsity choir.

“Competing with varsity for the first time has been such a great experience,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez will be participating in the ensemble part of the competition and feels confident about where she is with her music.

“I feel pretty confident with the music we do know already,” Hernandez said.

May says it is important to teach music to students and Plato couldn’t have said it any better. “‘I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns and all arts are the keys to learning.’ Is a quote by Plato and our society tends to shun the arts and relegate them to the ‘optional’ part of education,” May said.

art by Justice Capello

Page 12

Evita takes the stage

Shelby Becker Student Life Editor

She was from the slums, but she climbed the social ladder to become the First Lady of Argentina. Who is she? Evita.

The Starlight Theatre Company is performing the production, Evita, for their musical this January.

“While most of Argentina loved and worshipped her, this story also shows some of the not so glorious moments of her life as well,” theatre arts teacher and director Kalyn Holloway said.

Eva Peron, Evita, was looked at as a saint to most of the Argentine people.

“She really connected to the people because she came from poverty so the poor felt like they could relate,” senior Lily Howard said.

The directors decided to not have one student play the lead, but three students per show, making six girls total playing Evita.

“The three Eva’s represent the three main stages of her life,” Holloway said.

“Her youth and vibrant stage, her marriage to Juan Peron where she rose to power, and the stage where she found out she had cancer that led to her death.”

The girls playing Evita had mixed feelings about there being three on stage during each show.

“I was a bit unsure of how it was going to go with splitting her up into three parts, but I think everything ended up for the better,” senior Morgan Martel said. “I was excited, but also curious.”

The six girls were already friends, which helped them through the process.

“It wouldn’t have been pulled off if all six of us girls weren’t as close as we are,” Howard said. “There isn’t a lot of competition between us, and even though we weren’t excited about it at first, it really has worked out for the better.”

Let the show begin: The spotlight shines on sophomore Jake Anderson and senior Morgan Martell. Martell played the role of Evita, the first lady of Argentina and one who was viewed as royalty. Photo by Jasmine Correa

Along with a large group of leads, there is also a large group of directors.

“Since we have four directors, blocking wise, we split up everyday for rehearsal,” junior Paige Bradbury said.

The rehearsal process for the musical is busy time for the cast.

“The rehearsal schedule can be crazy, you can be called in multiple scenes that are all rehearsing at the same time so you have to manage your time well,” Howard said.

The leads and the chorus were split up through out majority of the rehearsal time.

“The rehearsal process has been a little bit different,” sophomore Chloe Byars said. “The leads haven’t been able to rehearse with the chorus, so at moments we feel unprepared, but it always pulls together.”

Besides the stress, the

students have fun as well.

“Rehearsals have been really fun, it has been such a great experience,” freshman Maddy Sparks said. “When everyone cooperated they were so much fun and everyone could just enjoy it.”

Big dance numbers are included in the show as well.

“I think Buenos Aires is probably one of the best dance numbers that I’ve seen through the Bowie musicals I’ve been part of,” Martell said. “I’m excited for people to enjoy that number.”

With Holloway’s dance experience, she choreographed the dance numbers.

“Choreography is so much fun,” Holloway said.

“I have always loved to dance, so doing the choreography for the musical lets me create something I love.”

When it comes closer to opening night, the orchestra is brought in.

“My favorite part is working with the orches-

tra,” LaRue said. “That just helped bring everything to life and made me excited for the show.”

Along with the orchestra bringing things together, the chorus and leads finally working together made it all fall into place.

“The coolest thing was going into rehearsal and seeing all of these dance moves and seeing it all come together,” Byars said. “I didn’t know that they were doing all of these awesome things while we were just rehearsing our songs.”

When everyone starts putting all of their hard work together, things really start to fall into place.

“There’s so many talented kids involved, from the choir to the band and orchestra,” Howard said. “It’s so magical that it all comes together so well.”

The girls have to wear elaborate wigs for the performances.

A new year calls for new and unique flavors

Lauren Blevins Entertainment Editor

The Girl Scout season has officially begun and the craze has already spread throughout the school.

According to www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/ history.asp, the sale of these cookies begun in 1917. The fundraising of these cookies are a way to support and finance troops.

This year the Girl Scouts started selling cookies online as a way for customers could receive cookies right on their doorsteps.

“Personally I feel that Girl Scout Cookies being sold online should not be allowed because cookies being sold online takes away the experience of getting to practice a girl’s people skills because if cookies are being sold online, a Girl Scout is not practicing their people skills by asking customers if they want to buy cookies in person,” sophomore Gabriela Gonzalez said.

Selling cookies allows girls to learn communication skills and selling strategies.

“When I first started Girl Scouts, I was in second grade and I was very shy, but selling cookies helped me get over my shyness because I would have to ask people that I didn’t know if they wanted to buy cookies, which over time did help me get over being shy,” Gonzalez said.

As well as the digital switch, the organization has also introduced new flavors. These flavors include: Rah-Rah Raisin, Trio, and Toffee-Tastic. The Rah-Rah raisin is an oatmeal cookie with raisins, the Trio is a cookie with chocolate chips, oats, and peanut butter; lastly the Toffee-Tastic has

bits of toffee and butter in it. The Trio and the Toffee-Tastic are both gluten free, which thousands of customers have asked for according to www.girlscouts.org.

“I was really excited when I found out they were selling gluten free Girl Scout cookies because I haven’t been able to have a Girl Scout cookie in about six years,” junior Amy Baker said. Cookie sales aren’t the only goal for Girl Scouts across the nation.

“To me being a Girl Scout is not just about selling cookies and wanting to beat your neighbor, but being the positive change you want in the world and trying to reach your goals for the world,” Gonzalez said.

In Girl Scouts, members earn badges for important life skills such as financing and literacy. Interested students can go to www.girlscouts.org to find a troop around their community.

Girl Scouts are encouraged to be a role model and spread the goals of the Girl Scout organization throughout their schools and communities.

“I am in Girl Scouts to help others, to be a role model to younger girls, and to meet new people by camping or by traveling,” Gonzalez said. “Another reason why I am in Girl Scouts is to make a difference in this world so that the younger girls who look up to me or older Girl Scouts, will spread the sisterly love of Girl Scouts, and will help those in need like I have done whether just being a friend to a lonely person, or starting a food drive to try to end local hunger.”

Girl Scout troops also help teach young girls the importance of helping others and the importance of working together as a team.

“One girl cannot do something alone, so that is why we all belong to a troop to help us, and to know that they have our backs and want to help if ever needed,” Gonzalez said.

E ntertainment The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015

Trivia Crack ‘Craze’

Page 13

Golden Globes take front stage

Michelle McDonagh Staff Writer

Spin to win: Sophomores Grady Stracener, Rebekah Harmon, Jonathon Aleman, Patrick Arce, and Coleman Price play Trivia Crack to pass the time. Players can compete against random people around the country. Photo by Alyssa Martinez

The new game has got teens hooked on beating the competion: their friends and family members

TRIVIA CRACK -Made by Etermax -86,008 reviews on itunes -4.5 out of 5 stars -number one on itunes chart

www.itunes.com

art by Lauren Blevins

Fuaad Ajaz Staff Writer

“

The game has also been known to become a distraction to hard-working students.

“I actually had to stop playing for a little while

Trivia Crack spread through the school like a wildfire.

matter of days and became an instant success.

“Trivia Crack spread through the school like a wildfire,” junior Nick Anagnos said.

Players think the game brings out their competitive side.

“I believe it is addicting because one of the main goals of the game is to out smart your friends and once you start you can’t stop,” Nguyen said.

Although the game has six categories, there are still more that aren’t included.

“I don’t really like how they only give you certain categories,” James said.

“They should put math.”

The random, outrageous questions can sometimes leave players to make an educated guess.

“It’s enjoyable and addicting when you get answers right because you feel cool when you get a question right that you didn’t think you would,” Zahorik said. “I also love the challenge aspect where you are able to go head to head against your friends and test your general knowledge.”

because I was busy and it was distracting me from doing homework,” Zahorik said.

Players are given the opportunity to submit their own questions to be in the game.

“The questions are common questions that people know,” sophomore Marco Moreno said.

“My favorite parts of the game are being able to create my own questions and winning crowns against my friends.”

James started playing the game about a month ago after finding out about its popularity.

“I heard about it before but I didn’t think it was a big deal and then I looked in the app store and found it and then I started playing it,” James said.

It is also a way for students to bond with friends.

“Usually when I play I’m around my friends and they would help and it’s really funny because we all laugh and have fun with it,” James said. “I think overall it’s nice.”

Upcoming Award Shows 57th Grammys on Sunday, Feb. 8 Live broadcast: CBS at 8 p.m.

69th Tony Awards on Sunday, June. 7 Live broadcast: CBS at 8 p.m.

87th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 22 Host: Neil Patrick Harris Live broadcast: ABC at 8 p.m.

http://www.post-gazette.com/

art by Kamryn Bryce

In Review: Unbroken I enjoyed how the movie showed the difficult family times Louie had had when he was young and as punishment his brother would make Louie run. Eventually, Louie started to love running and went to the Olympics for it.

The movie followed a timeline, which showed all the big moments in Louie’s life.

It starts off with the young Louie, to teenager high school track athlete, to an Air Force pilot, to a prisoner of war. A great part was how they showed all the different events in his life and how the producers portrayed them.

One of my favorite parts in the movie was when Louie and his friend’s plane had crashed and three people had survived. Louie, Phil, and Mac were stranded on a raft for 47 days with a limited amount of fresh water, two chocolate bars, and life jackets. As the days passed they showed how they were affected by their surroundings, the sun burn-

ing their skin and making there lips dry, their ribs showing due to lack of food and water, eventually Mac died from dehydration and malnourishment.

The one person I disliked in the movie was “The Bird,” though he did make the movie better and more intense. He was who was one of the Japanese camp coordina-

Unbroken

Rating: PG-13 Actors: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, and Garrett Hedlund Director: Angelina Jolie Box Office: $31,748,000 (opening weekend) Genre(s): Biography/Drama/Sport Staff Rating:

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From a young Italian immigrant boy, to an Olympic athlete, to a prisoner of war in World War Two. The movie “Unbroken” really captured audience’s hearts with many scenes that showed drama and emotion.

When I hear the name Angelina Jolie I think of the beautiful actress who is involved in many charities. But I never thought that Angelina Jolie would direct a movie that got seven stars on IMDb and raised over $140.7 million in the box office.

The movie starts off with the young Louis Zamperinior, “Louie”, an Italian immigrant who moves to America with his family.

From a young age Louie was a troublemaker, from hiding alcohol from his parents to getting caught with the police for stealing.

that you didn’t know like facts and it challenges you to think more,” freshman Yellena James said.

The game spread throughout campus within a

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The game tests players’ knowledge on entertainment, science, history, art, sports, and geography. The object of the game is to win six crowns before your opponent. Players are only given three lives to play games.

The app is free, but without ads it costs $2.99.

After about 20 seconds of watching an ad players are able to skip it.

“I really like the layout and design of the game and that it’s just simple and having to answer questions

about a sub genre of six different categories,” junior Nicole Zahorik said.

Trivia Crack provides a new, amusing way of learning about common subjects.

“The thing I like about Trivia Crack is that it makes you think and learn about different subjects but in a fun and competitive way,” junior Minh-Thi Nguyen said.

The facts in the game can get specific, which leaves players guessing and eventually learning a new fun fact.

“I like Trivia Crack because you learn new stuff

“

Lauren Blevins Entertainment Editor

The lights, glamour, and red carpet were out at the Golden Globes this year, with hosts Tina Fey and Amy Pohler hosting for the last time. But, on campus, it seems that not a lot of people cared about the Golden globes, but about other shows.

Senior Allie London isn’t into the award show scene.

“I don’t think I have ever watched the Golden Globes,” senior Allie London said. “It tends to be on with other stuff I watch. I’m apathetic, it’s just another show to me.”

Only 20.9 million people watched the Golden Globes in 2014 in perspective to the over 100 million people who watched the Super Bowl the same year.

“For some people it’s important,” junior Abby Clayboss said. “I don’t really watch award shows. Not since middle school.”

Some feel that award shows aren’t that big of a deal.

“I feel that award shows are cool and all, but they are making a big deal out of something that’s not that important,” senior Lucy Benschoter said.

Others, though, feel differently about the award show scene in general, including the Golden Globes.

“The shows encourage people to watch award-winning shows they normally wouldn’t watch,” hospitality teacher Barbara Frazier said.

Students on campus also feel this way.

“I love the golden globes,” senior Sabrina Der said. “All the shows I normally watch win awards, and it’s really fun to watch.”

While some love the Golden Globes, others are unsure as to what the golden globes are.

“I think they’re something like the Grammys,” Benschoter said. “I’m not really sure. I’ve never really watched them.”

Some have said that the Globes that movies win are a good indicator of what the Academy Award winners may win, but some disagree.

“They are two different things and judged by two different panels of judges,” Frazier said.

There are other award shows that are very popular including the Academy Awards, which will be held February 22.

“I watched the CMA’s a few months ago,” Frazier said. “I just watched them for fun.”

Some students, though, haven’t watched award shows in a long time.

“I think the last award show I watched was the KCA’s way back in middle school,” Clayboss said.

So, while the glamour scene is for some students on campus, for others it’s almost meaningless.

“I don’t really care about the Golden Globes,” London said. “It has nothing to do with me, so I don’t watch them.”

art by Lauren Blevins

tors who was horrible to the prisoners, and beat them. “The Bird” had more hatred for Louie since he never listened the first time.

Because the movie was more intense I never knew what punishment the Bird was going to use. Was he going to beat Louie with the wooden stick or make all of the American prisoners in the camp punch Louie until everyone has beat him?

Louie had many up’s and many down’s in his life, one of the biggest up’s I thought was that Louie went to the Olympics in Germany and was in the track and field portion. This showed how much passion he had for running, it was the one thing he would do when he was at the base to clear his mind and just relax.

The movie was one of the best movies I saw in 2014 with all the emotion and drama and that it was based on a true story.

C ommentary The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Feb. 9, 2015

Page 14

The past isn’t just in the past Editorial

America is a land of social trends, from silly bands to pizza rolls, we live in the now.

But eventually all social trends end, and are forgotten as quickly as they became popular, even the ones that really mater.

When was the last time we heard about Palestine and Israel on the news, or Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Ebola, how about the Superbowl? We are a country with a bad case of attention deficit, meaning someone could jingle their keys and we would forget that 12 people were shot dead in France over some comics.

It’s not like we don’t care, there is what looks like a passion for the subject for a while, we protest, we share links, we use hash-tags. Then, poof, it’s gone, and we’ve moved on to the next major headline while the others are pushed to the side.

George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon Martin is currently in headlines again for throwing wine. Wine.

It’s not only the media’s fault, people eat this stuff up and the media knows that. Recently the Today show, which has over 1.4 million viewers, added a newscaster named Wrangler, a Golden Retriever puppy. The fact that a puppy brings in more viewers than two cops who were shot dead in New York while sitting in their patrol car in late December did, says something about our great nation.

People would rather joke around with their friends than talk about things that are

“depressing.”

People can only name the few men shot by police who were featured on TV and no one else. It’s not a white and black discussion either. Ask them to name the Native American man killed a day after a Native Lives Matter march. They can’t.

People’s opinions are subjective, if one cop’s bad, they’re all bad, if one man dies, everybody’s in danger. This is one trend that people would be happy to see end.

People would rather watch something like Nancy Grace, who argues over the most controversial stories of today in order to get higher ratings, than Al Jazeera, an Arabic-based world news network that covers everything from Iraqi bombings to South African hit men.

The Ukraine is still a country in a massive amount of turmoil, but that hasn’t been on the news in a long while.

Remember when Nelson Mandela’s death was quickly pushed to the side when Fast and Furious star Paul Walker died? They’re both tragic incidences, but Paul Walker didn’t single handedly unite a nation.

This story isn’t trying to make you switch news sources, it’s not supposed to make you feel guilty: nobody can keep up with everything going on in the world. It’s supposed to make you realize that you can do something

art by Elyas Levens

I wonder what else is going on in the world...

NEWS SUPER BOWL & PUPPIES In other news Armageddon has begun

to make sure things aren’t so easily forgotten.

It may not be easy to think about all the bad things, and there are plenty of good ones happening all around us. But we can’t forget about the ones that really matter, and we can’t just jump around from issue to issue

doing more damage than good.

So try to do some good, volunteer, donate, protest; even talking about the issues instead of changing the subject will make a difference. Spread the word and let people know that the issue is still an issue not another skeleton in the closet.

Graffiti becoming part of Austin’s artistic culture Kamryn Brice Editor-In-Chief

To most cities graffiti is a sign of vandalism, but if you look around at the eclectic beauty that is Austin it’s the graffiti that make venues like Jo’s Coffee and Castle Hill famous.

When I went to Ireland two years ago my first impression of the city was very different from my expectations. While most of the country is the lush, green landscape you’d expect, it’s the cities and towns that are far from what you were anticipating. As I passed by a small, random town on the subway, I noticed that while the old architecture and stone buildings were charming, the graffiti sprayed all over the walls ruined its appeal.

I had to wonder about the difference between Austin’s artistic charm and the vandalism that spoils Ireland’s cities.

Graffiti in definition; writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place, is no compliment. To most people I can imagine how the art form can seem like a destructive practice, especially since you now have to be 18 to even buy spray paint.

But, with all that said, Austin would not be Austin without its art. When you drive over Town Lake and you see the Lamar Train Bridge and it’s infamous art plastered on the side what do you think? The first thing that comes to my mind is how lucky I am to live in a city so open and unique.

Even simple art or just wording can become a landmark of sorts, like the “I love you so much” wall.

On Jan. 13, 2013, just over a year ago, the wall was reported vandalized and was followed by a huge uproar from the media.

While some cities would’ve called the famous words vandalism to begin with, people in Austin were angry that someone would ruin the art and change it into something dis-

Dispatch Staff Editor-in-Chiefs | Kamryn Bryce/ Maryam Hussain

Student Life Editors | Shelby Becker/ Sophia Mora

Managing/In-Depth Editor | Ashlee Thomason

Photo Editors | Granger Coats/ Jasmine Correa

News Editor | Annika Holm

Entertainment Editors | Paige Rife/ Lauren Blevins

Commentary Editor | Elyas Levens Online Editor | Justice Capello

Athletics Editor | Isabel Rosales/ Caitlin Devlin

Advisor | Michael Reeves Staff Writers Fuaad Ajaz | Ethan Archbold | Gabby Bourgeacq | Zuha Lateef | Alyssa Martinez Michelle McDonagh | Samantha Perry | Hazel Rodriguez | Casey Shrout

Editorial 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 without indicating that the photographer is an illustrator.

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.

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graceful. A picture of the vandalism was posted on twitter, which featured the word “love” crossed out and above it replaced with “hate”. So the wall now read, “I hate you so much”. So I wonder what was the real vandalism, the words spray painted on the wall to begin with or the “editing” made to them?

More places are treating graffiti as an art form, rather than a crime.

At 18Below concerts, an Austin organization that supports young musicians by providing them with stage time, there is always an art display that usually demonstrates graffiti art to the public. art by Fuaad Ajaz Of course there are times when spray painting a building is considered defacing rather than art, but making age restrictions on the paint is buildings and neighborhood fences for their only making it even more tempting for rebel- blank canvas.

Whether an art or vandalism, graffiti is a ling teenagers.

Maybe giving artists or even just ex- part of creative culture and can very easily perimenters a place to express the art form become a mark of society if given the chance would keep them from looking to office to be.

Gas prices hiding the reality Granger Coats Photo Editor

Lower gas prices automatically suggest a positive for the American people but the downsides are huge and are often hidden in the shadow of cheaper prices.

The first hidden problem is the effect it has on our environment.

According to CNBC, SUV and large vehicle sales are on the rise as gas prices lessen with Ford saying it’s boosted its profits in North America by $281 million.

The number miles driven nationally went up 2.6 percent in October, the fastest such increase in recent memory according to The Arizona Daily Star.

Another reason for cheap gas comes from the way it’s extracted. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing is a way of extracting the natural gas from shale deep in the ground by pumping the ground full of water and chemicals at very high pressure.

This way of extracting natural gas is booming in the United States especially in our own state of Texas but the effects are looming and scary.

According to Environment America fracking contaminates ground water, pollutes air, and can completely wreck landscapes in its wake. In Dimock, Pennsylvania, Cabot Oil and Gas has reportedly paid $109,000 on water systems to remove methane from well water in 14 households.

Fracking also uses an immense amount of water sometimes as much as 8 million gallons of water to complete each fracturing job, according to the dangersoffracking.com.

According to the Official Texas state water plan they plan to spend $400 million on projects to support mining with 42 percent of mining water being used in fracking.

Another problem with lower gas prices is the effect it will have on are long term economy.

The cheap prices could endanger the oil companies which in turn would slow down the American economy. If low prices continue, oil companies will have to lessen production, according to the New York Times.

Also low gas prices could affect things on the national level. Russia and Venezuela count on oil for revenue and are facing recession. According to the Associated Press Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez called for an emergency Organization

Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC meeting to get countries to cut production to keep prices above $100.

Although low gas prices do have serious ramifications and affects on our economy and environment there are upsides.

Lower gas prices mean saving money for the consumer at the pump, with gas prices reaching a four-year low according to Desert News National. . According to the Austin American Statesmen, families are reported to save $750 this year.

Low gas prices are hard to not be happy about as who doesn’t like saving money?

But the problem is that it is not that simple.

Be aware of your actions, just because gas prices are low doesn’t mean you should drive all over the country. Take care of your environment, after all it has been here longer than you and it’s the only one you have.

Ride your bike more, try carpooling, drive only when it is necessary.

Consumers shouldn’t get too comfortable with their extra money warns Edward Chow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“The problem is that countries get accustomed to a certain level of income, and then spend,” he said.

C ommentary

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Feb. 9, 2015 Page 15

Pushing equality for all Justice Capello Online Editor

art by Maryam Hussain

Feminism, as defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary: the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities; organized activity in support of women’s rights and interests.

Meninists as defined by Urban Dictionary: A person who supports the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.

Only within the past century have women gained certain rights that have been long available to men. Throughout history, men have always been in positions of power. This could easily be seen today with the fact that every one of our president’s has been a male, and what is more of a prestigious title than that of the President of the most important country?

It is an amazing country! A country in which we continually establish justice as any form of “equality,” we deem fit for the overall population of society. A country in which men continually attempt to push aside the fact that we are more privileged than the women of our graceful land.

This over-prideful attitude is seen easily in the entire “Menininist,” movement on social media today. A group of men created an account in order to mock feminism and defend themselves against double standards that society has given men, or just to be jerks (whatever reason for creation one

Humans of Bowie

What was your New Year’s

resolution?

chooses to believe).

Male privilege is a topic in which I have experienced first hand through my encounters with what some might deem as sexist corner store clerk. The clerk charged the women ahead of me one dollar for a reusable bag, but upon my trip to the counter, I received a bag for free.

After this experience, as well as

“We should carry on a society that is more accepting of others” reading the menininist twitter account, I have realized that it is this very sense of entitlement that is holding us back as a society.

Progression is only gained through experience. As the old saying goes, those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and with the look

of how our society is currently behaving, we are only destined to repeat this continuous loop of un-just treatment of all of the beings who reside in our land if we do not make a change, and soon.

Menininism as whole is a concept that should cease to exist for the sake of our entire state of being. Instead we should focus on a society that is more accepting of others wishes and necessities.

This could easily be done through the teaching of each individual the definition of true justice, and what it means to be tolerant of others who don’t necessarily have the same views as others do.

We should continue to embrace diversity, as opposed to attempting to cloak our differences, as it is these same contrasts that help to promote a sense of individualism in each person.

If this task is completed, we will see a more tolerant society, in which every person is able to be treated in a just manner that helps to promote the advancement of not just our country, but for mankind as a whole.

“My New Year’s resolution was to not talk as much and pay attention in class so that I can actually pass classes. I’ve been told I’m annoying and don’t focus so I don’t want to be that kid anymore,” freshman Gerran Molina.

“My New Year’s resolution was to make myself healthier and to exercise more so that I can live a healthier, happier life,” sophomore Nicole Muragh.

North Korea opening new film studio

Ashlee Thomason Managing Editor

E n d ing the year with a spark of cont r o v e r s y, hackers infiltrated the Sony Company along with releasing the film “The Interview” online.

The Sony hackers threatened the company with blackmail, using the horror of 9/11 and said there is not a guaranteed safety for Americans. The FBI was quick to target the hackers directly to North Korea.

“The Interview” stars James Franco and Seth Rogen as a double duo of American journalists planning to assassinate the North Korean leader, “KimJong Un” during an interview at the request of the CIA. The movie was given an average rating of 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. So what made this movie so controversial in the first place?

Maybe it was the killing scene of Kim Jong Un getting his head blown off like a giant firecracker as Katy Perry’s song “Firework” blares in the background.

North Korea does not do well with criticism, especially towards their ‘beloved’ leader whom they worship as a ‘God’.

The Sony hackers not only interfered with the release of “The Interview” but also the films: “Annie”, “Mr.Turner”, “Fury”, and “Still Alice”. “The Interview” was still shown at a limited amount of theaters despite the threats. The Sony movie studios lost approximately $90 million from this film scandal.

Not only did the Sony hackers target “The Interview” but they emailed dozens of nasty emails that contained Hollywood secrets.

For example; some of the emails claimed that “American Hustle” stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence were paid less than their male co-stars as well as stating that director, David O’Russell was abusive towards Adams and the rest of the cast. Whether the extent of these emails was true or not, several other emails targeted numerous celebrities.

Franco and Rogen got a lot more out of their film than intended. “The Interview” was surrounded by controversy but is now expected to rake in at the DVD market just as ‘Kim Jong Un’

“My New Year’s resolution is to be more humble and kind hearted. I wanna do that because I believe that to be humble is a better way to live so that way you don’t live life with regrets and don’t feel the need that you owe anything to anybody,” junior Ciera Nanez.

Dictator of the year

art by Elyas Levens

blows up at the end of the film.

Was it a hoax meant to make the movie popular with widespread fame?

Or did America have a terrorism attack on our cyber system?

Waiting until New Year’s to put off resolution goals for another year

When it comes to a New Year, comes a New Year’s Resolution.

Whether it is to go to the gym more, eat healthier, or to stop old habits, many people have different opinions on New Year’s Resolutions.

Frankly, I think its quite pointless.

Why? Because I don’t think it should take a “new year” to decide when to change or when to better yourself. If it is as important to some people as they make it out to be, why not just change tomorrow? Or today even? Why does it have to be January first?

Don’t get me wrong, I think the idea

is great considering its been a trend for decades now. But it is way too cliche for my liking. I also think its too similar to Lent. Both a New Year’s Resolution and Lent involve giving up something or making yourself better.

Also, there have been many times people make a New Year’s Resolution and don’t even stick with it for more

“

“Always remember that failure is part of the process to success”

“

Gabby Bourgeacq Student Life Editor

than a couple weeks, myself included.

Even though I think its pointless, there could be a good outcome with some people.

Just the thought of a New Years Resolution can temporarily make someone

feel better about themselves. It brings motivation and positivity, and that’s always a good thing to have. But the thought of it doesn’t do much without the action of it.

Even though many people don’t stick to their New Year’s Resolution, it can be harmful to some of the people that do. They can become obsessive over reaching their goal and they forget the fact that they have a whole year to reach it. It can become a negativity in their life rather than a positive factor of it.

In my opinion, if someone wants to make a New Year’s Resolution, start out small. Lets say someone wants to lose weight, start in baby steps. Don’t make it an unrealistic goal, or the chance at failing will be higher. If you mess up, don’t wait again until next year, keep trying. And always remember that failure is part of the process to success.

Overall, New Year’s Resolutions are just a hype that nobody seems to really follow.

“I wanna be better at golfing, last year I didn’t have much time so senior year with less work I hope to put more time into it. It’s kind of fun to see how I can push myself in other sports that I’ve never really played before, so it’s nice to really focus on a different sport than I’m used to,” senior Bradley Mayo.

“My New Year’s resolution was to run at least five days out of the week to keep up with my husband.

I used to run probably that often at least and I haven’t for probably two years. So I want to get back into it and start doing triathalons again this year,” Science teacher Jessica Davis.

Photos by Hazel Rodriguez Interviews by Elyas Levens

Prepping the pig (Middle): Freshman Shane Lockhoof walks his pig around the shows grounds. After walking his pig and getting it loose Lockhoof walked to the competition line and waited for his weight class to be called. “The day of the competition you want to feed him just enough to keep him going you don’t want to try and bulk him up,” Lockhoof said.

Wake up (Middle left): Freshman Shane Lockhoof wakes up his sleeping pig. Lockhoof wakes his pig up before competition to get him moving and ready go which takes a lot of work and patience. “FFA teaches you how to adapt and change to different situations,” Lockhoof said.

Feeding the beast (Top right): Freshman Shane Lockhoof feeds his pig Rex. Lockhoof takes great care of his pig, constantly checking in on it, giving it food, water, and attention. “It takes a lot of time and effort, Shane is a swimmer and he is really good at handling his busy schedule of swimming and school and taking proper care of his animal,” Agriculture teacher Brad Pierce said.

Waiting to be called (Top middle): Sophomore Robert Guerra and freshman Shane Lockhoof wait by his pig Rex. Lockhoof’s pig is in the heaviest weight class so Lockhoof is the last to go. “My pig is a 265 pound market barrow crossbreed,” Lockhoof said.

Thirsty pig (Top left): It was Shane Lockhoof’s sister that first got him into FFA.”My sister started doing [FFA] and she raised goats and I saw how much trouble they were so I decided to raise pigs,” Lockhoof said.

Shane’s pig is a black and white crossbreed.

(the pig) would eat 30 pounds of food a day,” Lockhoof said. “You have to walk him more at the show than before because he is on concrete which makes him colder and you have got to keep the joints warm and loose and also watch the judge to see what he likes,” Lockhoof said.

Lockhoof explains what activities must be done before the show to get the pig ready.

“Shane was very impressive, his work ethic at the farm was superior, he listened to instructions and followed in detail,” agriculture teacher Brad Pierce said. “The most impressive thing about Shane though was that he was extremely devoted to the work ethic and what it takes to win.”

Lockhoof takes pride and care in his work.

“My family was very proud of me and excited because eighth place makes auction so that means people will bid on me to give me money as a reward,” Lockhoof said.

Lockhoof placed eighth in the heavy weight category for crossbreeds which qualified him for getting bids.

With numerous students competing in such a large event Lockhoof proved to be a talented and well preforming competitor and the Bowie community looks forward to what lays ahead in his future.

Photo Essay story and photos by Photo Editor Granger Coats

Back to the pin (Bottom right) : Walking his pig back to his pin after the show, Shane Lockhoof just completed what he and his pig had been preparing for months. Shane was proud of his pig after the show and gave him an apple for his good work. “Shane’s performance was very impressive,” agriculture teacher Brad Pierce said.

Post show picture (Bottom middle): The TCYS event photographer motions for freshman Shane Lockhoof to stand by his pig with his ribbon in hand. Lockhoof was awarded eighth place. “I was proud of Shane he did really well,” sophomore Robert Guerra said.

Show time (Bottom left): The judges watch freshman Shane Lockhoof as he walks his pig around the rink during competition. The goal is to show that you have good control of your pig and to show his body off. “You show off your pigs chest and butt and how the pigs muscles flexes,” Lockhoof said.

First the manure greets you, filling you with the smell of farm animals and their bellowing sounds, then, comes the jovial and kind smiles of the crowd.

Young farmers dressed in button downs, jeans, boots, and cowboy hats gather, looking and talking about the spectacle before them. Pigs saunter from left to right as high school students and parents steer them to their destination.

A true world of its own, the Travis County Youth Show or TCYS gathered students from all backgrounds and even ages to show off their animals.

Shane Lockhoof, a freshman on campus, raised a 265 pound market barrow crossbreed pig for the show.

“I would walk him every day. Then about four weeks out from the show you would time the pig, starting at 20 minutes, and gradually getting your way up to 30-35 minutes a day without him getting tired, because when you’re in the rink you have to walk them for awhile,” Lockhoof said.

Lockhoof goes over the process of raising the pig and getting it ready for the show.

“When you are preparing for the show

Granger Coats Photo Editor

From farm to show; the journey of Shane Lockhoof and his pig

P hoto Essay

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, February 9, 2015 Page 16