Lone Star Dispatch Issue #2 by The Dispatch

Commentary pages 2 & 3 News page 4 In-Depth page 5 Student Life pages 6 & 7 Entertainment page 8 Trends/Culinary page 9 Sports pages 10-11 Photo Essay page 12

News Briefs

Band takes third in Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional This year’s James Bowie High School Outdoor Performing Ensemble ended their season with an incredible finish. JBHSOPE placed third out of fourteen finalist spots in the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Super Regional. The ensemble competed over a two-day preliminary contest at the Alamodome against 64 of the finest bands in the nation. A successful win left behind a good attitude towards the performance given. “I felt like the students really rose to the occasion and gave the best performance of their season. We were extremly proud of them,” band director Stephen Howard said. “From here we just keep doing what we are doing and continue to push the students to achieve more.” Currently there are 273 students in Marching Band and every student is on the field during performance time. “I felt really good about our performance because we were competing against extremly good schools and we beat them by six places and we were all really proud,” junior Rebecca Ortiz said.

Science activities open doors for young children Science day has been an annual tradition for several years. This event, organized by the science department, brings local elementary students from kindergarten to second grade to Bowie for a few hours to participate in fun, hands-on science lessons taught by high school students. All science teachers encouraged their students to help develop and plan the science lessons. For some students who volunteer to act as a guide to show the elementary students around have to be trained on the expectations of being a guide. “It is a great event for both big and little kids and the science wing is transformed into a carnival with smiling faces as students move from one fun experiment to the next,” biology teacher Jill Harding said.

Volleyball coach, Jason Landers is making a comeback after being diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma last February. Landers as well as his current players speak out about his road to recovery. Saturday, October 26, friends and family gathered for a special event in support of Landers and his family. More on page 4.

Sports

News

James Bowie High School, Vol. 2013-14, Issue 2, 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749, November 18, 2013, www.thelonestaronline.com

Dispatch

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Table of Contents

Landers comeback

‘Dawgs step up their game After losing last years’ seniors, the boys’ Varsity basketball team is stepping up their game to fill in their shoes. Varsity coach, Celester Collier speaks out about his plans for this season, ‘Dawgs rankings, starting tournaments and more are located on page 11.

Homecoming victory

‘Dawgs pump up for homecoming game Bowie football players energetically charge out to the Burger stadium field just before the opening kick-off to the game. The homecoming game win launched the team into play-offs with a record of 9-1. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

‘Dawgs demolish Trojans behind Meyers’ four TD’s The Dawgs have continued to keep their nearly perfect record in Along with winning a great game, the team experienced another district with a resounding victory over Anderson on Nov. 1 for win when senior Keith McAlonan was crowned homecoming king the homecoming game. along with senior Audrey Baker as the homecoming queen. With a score of 35-14 they locked their spot in the “I had faith in our team that we would play to the best of our playoffs and played against Cedar Ridge on Nov. 15 ability and the hard work paid off. And I have to say that it was at 7:30 at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex who exciting in the locker room to hear one of the other players was 7-3 in the district. won king,” senior Joseph Lewright said. “The homecoming game was an amazing experiMcAlonan was congratulated by his teammates after he ence for us. The fact that it was our last guaranteed was crowned king. game at the Burger Center made it even more spe“Winning the game was important for the team. It gave us cial for the seniors. I’m very happy that we won. a great chance of making a deep run in the playoffs this year It was a great memory I’ll never forget,” senior but at halftime once I found out I won I was extremely happy,” captain Tyler Walker said. McAlonan said. “Being elected from my peers means a lot to The team had very high expectations for the way me. It was just an honor to be in the homecomthey were going to play during the homecoming ing court and once my name was called I was game according to senior Pedro Martinez. really surprised.” Homecoming “On top of winning, we wanted to start building some Senior captain Clayton Law and Lewright momentum going into playoffs and start to really click King and Queen, Keith think that if the team stays focused that they as a whole and that’s exactly what we did. It was pretty McAlonan and Audrey will hopefully become state champions. exciting having a large crowd and winning for our com- Baker. Photo by Photo uSee “Play-offs” pg. 11 Editor Ashley Stroud munity,” Martinez said.

Teen’s struggle for survival creates huge impact throughout campus

Support shown for Taylor family

What seemed like an ordinary day for senior Lauren Taylor quickly took a turn for the worst when she was quickly rushed to Dell Children’s Hospital due to an unexpected seizure. The seizure led doctors to conduct a series of tests on Taylor and on August 22 she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Lupus, an autoimmune disease that was attacking her brain and nervous system. She was soon admitted to the intensive care unit when she was also diagnosed with Hemophagocyctic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening immunodeficiency and Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS), a disorder that activates as a result of a preexisting autoimmune disorder/disease, which, in Taylor’s case was Lupus. Taylor’s soccer coach, Carrie Hoffman spoke out about how Taylor’s story has touched her and the team. “Lauren’s story has made me appreciate things more. It’s not all about winning and losing a soccer match.” Hoffman said. “Life is more precious, and we can’t take it for granted. She is a great student and athlete. As a freshman she listened and worked at perfecting her skills as a goalkeeper. Last year, as a junior, she was the starting goalkeeper for the varsity girls’ team here at Bowie. She is an outstanding goalkeeper that takes control of the defense.” Taylor’s determination on and off the field is what is expected for her new challenge. “Her sophomore year, she was recovering from a torn ACL and the surgery.” Hoffman said. “Her determination to get through that injury showed her dedication to her team. Now, she has a new fight against Lupus and HLH and MAS. Now, her determination arises again as she takes on a bigger fight.” Friends showed their support by creating a scrapbook containing pages of gluten-free recipes and Lupus diets for Taylor and talked about how her story has impacted them. “This process has made me have a new perspective on life,” senior Sarah Hall said. “It makes me realize that I should cherish every moment I have with someone and not take that time for granted because this could happen to anyone, even to someone who is amazing like Lauren. Her story has impacted me because I look up to her. I hope to be as strong as she is and able to fight through

Taylor Lauren smiles as she enjoys the company of her friends. Friends and family gathered at the Painted Horse Pavilion in Buda, Texas for an event in hopes of raising money for the Taylor family. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

hard times like she does.” Taylor’s fight has touched others including her long-term friend senior Lindsey Stites. “Lauren has been my best friend for ten years and the whole time I’ve known her she has never given up on anything. She’s always been there for me and taught me that everything is worth fighting for,” Stites said. Despite the tough times, Taylor’s mom, Angie Taylor continues to stay strong and see things in a more positive way. “She’s kind of quiet, not a very loud person but she’s a very committed individual,” Angie said. “She takes anything on whether its school or soccer or whatever it is that’s just the way she is. It’s a lot of waiting and seeing, its maddening because we just don’t know. It was a lot of just watch and pray and hope it works and that was not something our family was used to doing.” The Taylor family, a closely-knit group, has taken Lauren’s story as a lesson. “My dad died a very quick death about nine years ago so the process of me trying to live life to the fullest had already started a little bit and with Lauren, that belief has

only been solidified which is you just never know.” Angie said. “You never know what your day is going to bring, you never know what your life will be like. So we’ve always tried to teach our children that but we are so close as a family that when this happened to Lauren it happened to everyone so now I believe we as a family get that lesson which is nothing is a given.” Lauren wants people to take a positive lesson from her story. “As far as what I want people to take away from this experience it’s mostly for people to treat everyday like it’s their last.” Lauren said. “To appreciate the fact that they’re alive and healthy. To always remember to help those in need no matter the personal cost it would take. So in a nutshell to, ‘love thy neighbor as thyself.’” A benefit was held on November 10 at the Painted Horse Pavilion in Buda, Texas to help raise money for the Taylor family for medical expenses. Taylor returned home for the first time October 28. She is expected to make a full recovery. by Editor-in-Chief Meagan Prehn

ommentary

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 2

New bill changes testing requirements House Bill Five (HB5) recently went into effect and will be applied in the 2014-15 school year. The bill allows for more direct graduation requirements, less testing, and it removed once and for all a plan to factor STAAR scores into a students overall GPA. All of these are welcome changes for reducing standardized exams, but some of these changes will come too late for those currently enrolled at Bowie High School. Graduation requirements for the recommended plan are much simpler and require one less math, science, and social studies than under the current Texas graduation requirements. According to Austin Independent School District, “Students who start 9th grade in the fall of 2014 and thereafter must meet the new graduation plan requirements outlined in what is called the Foundation High School Program,” in an AISD Letter to Parents, dated September 18, by Paul Cruz, Chief Schools Officer. EOC testing changes are currently active. The act reduced required end of course exams from 15 to five. These five exams, Algebra I, Biology, U.S. History, English I and II, will account for State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing for the current high school students. Reducing the number of tests not only reduces a student’s stress, but also allows for teachers to focus more on the learning process. Initially the TEA gave a waiver for one year for the STAAR factoring into a students GPA, but the bill eliminated that part entirely. That was an important and good decision. It would be a catastrophe if the exam factored into a student’s grade average because a conscientious student strives to maintain their grade average and would be devastated

if a standardized test brought their grades down. Those opposed to the act dislike it due to the top ten percent requirement for college admissions. Starting with the incoming 9th graders, to be in the top ten percent, students must graduate at the distinguished level of achievement to be eligible for automatic admission into public state schools. This creates a problem because some students might achieve grades acceptable for top ten percent but may not graduate on the distinguished plan. Other opponents believe that the GPA factoring should be required as a motivator for students to take the exam seriously enough to want to achieve a better result. Some solutions to the minor errors created by HB5 include, allowing students to achieve top ten percent no matter what graduation plan they are currently on and an award system for doing well on the test. Top ten percent and college admissions should be based on the student’s grade point average and not what plan they are on track for. Another way to build a source of motivation for student’s to achieve excellence on the STAAR can be created in multiple ways. Teachers could offer extra credit or exceptional grade opportunities if a student excels on the test. There could also be a reward system created where students would get either extra credit, a GPA raise, or even a pizza party. There are endless possibilities to motivate a student into doing well without affecting their GPA. Overall HB5 creates a stable and efficient new way for student’s to work through high school. The EOC testing is reasonable now and everyone will benefit from HB5.

D ispatch Staff Co-Editor-in-Chief | Rachael Crawford Co-Editor-in-Chief | Meagan Prehn

art by Anna Brandt

AISD’s misuse of money

Where is all of the district’s money going from the $892 million bond?

E ditorial Policy The Lone Star Dispatch is the official student newspaper of James Bowie High School. It is published six times a year, generally once per six weeks for the school’s students, staff and community. The Lone Star Dispatch is an open forum for student expression. The Lone Star Dispatch is not reviewed by school administration prior to distribution, and the advisor will not act as a censor. Content represents the views of the student staff and not school officials. The Lone Star Dispatch will work to avoid bias and/or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful, timely and interesting to our readers. Our articles will reflect our genuine objective of reporting news and will be held to a high standard of quality. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lone Star Dispatch staff or administration as a whole. The Lone Star Dispatch welcomes reader input. Please send any letters, articles, comments or corrections to bowie.journalism@gmail.com or mail them to 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749 or drop them off in room F-203 with advisor Michael Reeves or an editor. Letters must be signed, and emailed letters will require verification before publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. The Lone Star Dispatch does not necessarily endorse the products or services of advertising.

The district just recently announced the passage of a nearly $900 million bond according to article in the Austin American Statesman by Melissa B. Taboada.1 I wonder where that money is going. I haven’t noticed any changes, have you? It’s not the schools fault we can’t use independent bonds for anything other than what they were given to us for, those are the rules, it’s not like we can change them. What do you mean they request bond money on silly things? Tiny slow computers in metal crates are the best things we’ve ever had.

there’s a fire 10 feet away and someone’s either getting trampled, burned, or killed. But that is never going to happen, so why fix it? This school was designed to provide education in Austin 25 years ago, when the population of Austin was 464,118 people. Now that population is 842,750, a 90% growth.3 That couldn’t have anything to do with our school though, could it? Don’t worry; our student

art by Madison Wallace

Lets lay off more teachers too, that will greatly increase class sizes, giving kids less of a chance to have an education. And don’t get me started on textbooks. Did you want schoolbooks, well sorry, we kind of ran out. Lets not post the books online either, if you miss dog days, good luck passing class, it’s not our fault you can’t make the one chance you have all year to get your books.

“ e’d love to have you over to visit our lovely campus littered with dried gum and rusty metal stairwells.”- Elyas Levens. “The current system of school finance fails to address growth” Austin Independent School District board said in a report on October 24, 2011 over “Adoption of Resolution to Participate in School Finance Litigation and to Authorize Superintendent to Engage Thompson & Horton LLP Regarding Same”.2 Well I would have never guessed growth was a problem here, the parking lot is overflowing, the halls look like a slaughterhouse, and the class sizes are probably close to violating fire regulations. Try to get 35 kids out a door in a minute while

population definitely hasn’t increased with the city population. Circle C has only grown 154% in population since 1990.4 A dozen mobile homes should be enough to hold any extra students that do somehow make their way into our campus. How about the buildings themselves, those are great too. Oh the roof leaks when it rains, well cry me a river, like the ones that run through the halls when it rains. We would love to have you over to visit our lovely campus littered with dried gum and rusty metal stairwells. What about staffing?

Now, let’s get to the real world, the school has problems, and they need to be fixed. I know it’s not easy to fix those problems, and I know it is not cheap, but solar panels aren’t cheap, iMacs aren’t cheap, and using a forest of paper a year isn’t cheap either, so what’s the big deal? Oh, and you said the boys’ bathrooms don’t have doors in the stalls? So what if you can’t do your business in peace, it’s a bonding experience. by Staff Writer Elyas Levens From Statesman.com From Austinisd.org 3 From AustinTexas.gov 4 From homes.point2.com 1

C The Lone Star Dispatch

ommentary

Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 3

Hallway herds are packed like sardines Mountains of students fill the densely populated hallway as the last bell rings and the overcrowded classrooms release a stream of students. Like animals, the student body is under an enchanting spell of follow the leader. There is a problem at Bowie with the jam packed hallways and classrooms that contain too many people. A new high school in this area is needed for the overflowing student population. The problems with Bowie’s population include, filled classrooms, crowded hallways, and bathrooms that always have lines of people. Some classrooms at Bowie do not have

As many of you know, Flexible Instructional Time also known as “FIT,” is designed to give students more freedom and opportunity of choosing what they need additional help with academically. In the past many students have complained and asked why were not granted more time to get our work and extra studying done and now with FIT, we are granted that opportunity with out it taking up our free time. Classes are designed to have a certain amount of time each day. An issue with this technique is that if a student didn’t understand the lesson taught and needed further instruction on FIT it, it’s hard to get that done in the amount of time granted. The second week FIT was going on, I had this problem. My first thought was to log on to my student portal to see if there was a session on the particular subject, and there was. While I was on my way to the session I couldn’t stop thinkart by Ashlee Thomason

enough desks for students to sit in. In that case there is a major issue in the learning environment when there are not even enough desks. A contrasting problem includes interference in learning because with many students in one classroom it becomes more difficult for one to stand out. Individual attention is necessity in high school for one to get the help needed for that class. Sometimes there are classrooms that have enough chairs for every student in the class, but the amount of students in the room is too much. The classrooms seem to be getting smaller and smaller as the years go on in high school. When there are too many students shoved into a classroom then it becomes harder for an individual to be distinct. It is

much harder to learn in at atmosphere filled with people when everyone has a million thoughts all crammed into one room. As soon as the bell rings the hallways are filled with hundreds of students searching for an exit as everyone scrambles to get home. Upperclassmen scamper to the parking lot brimming with student cars. Due to the immense population there are many students rushing to leave and the parking lot traffic is intense for a young teenager. There are constant problems and issues that arise with expanding traffic as more and more students get their license. The bathrooms at Bowie are not only stained with age and leaking roofs, but most of the time the concrete slab of a bathroom is filled with an uncomfortably cramped line of people. There needs to be new bathroom

art by Ashlee Thomason

FIT

ing about whether or not I was going to get the help I needed, and if it would make effect on the grade I was going to make. Once I was there the teacher allowed me to freely ask any questions I needed answered and thoroughly explained what I needed help on, with this I got a better understanding of the material which resulted in me getting a good grade on the test that had slipped my mind. With FIT we are given the opportunity to sign up for any class we feel we are not strong enough in and get the extra help we need. If a student is not assigned to a particular subject, that means a teacher specifically pulled them aside with the mind set of them needing extra help with that subject. That student is now being given extra class time to learn more on a past topic that they are weak in. With FIT you may be losing 10 minutes of lunch, and a couple minutes during your passing period, but you are being granted extra helping time that will reflect on your overall grade, which is far more valuable. by Staff Writer Paige Rife

On paper FIT seems like it would be beneficial to students and give an extra edge on academics, but there have been complaints all over campus about the changes the new sessions bring. Chaos flooded the halls as over 3,000 students scrambled to find a free session during the 2013 FIT trial week. Despite overflowing classrooms and the confusion that surrounded the FIT practice run, the administration remained determined to make FIT a permanent reality. Teachers and administration patrol the halls during FIT to make sure everyone is in their assigned sessions and not skipping During one FIT session I had been asked to run an errand for my teacher and before I was even 40 feet out the classroom I felt like I was being interrogated. I was stopped twice in one hallway and honestly was a bit scared. I understand taking FIT seriously, but I don’t think students should be treated like prisoners. Calling attention to these issues will hopefully help make FIT into the viable ses-

upgrades in order for the school to function properly. On rainy days the bathrooms consist of puddles from the rain water that leaks and the air within the bathroom is steamy and revolting. A new high school would solve all the problems of overcrowding at Bowie. With so many students it will only increase more in more in size as the years go on if a new high school is not built within the area. If there is no new high school there should at least be upgrades in the school. There needs to be new bathrooms, a theater that will hold all of the events at Bowie, a new small gym that is not being used by multiple organizations and other significant upgrades. Overall, Bowie needs an upgrade or a new high school needs to be built because the problem will only increase in the future. People cannot run away from a problem forever. by Commentary Editor Ashlee Thomason

sion it can be. For those who struggle in a core class, FIT may be a blessing, but some of the students who really need the extra help aren’t going to FIT anyway. In order to make room for FIT, lunches were cut down by 10 minutes and passing periods to seven. Students have found it harder to be able to make classes on time and still get what they need to do done. Another issue that I find with the shortened passing periods is being able to use the rest room and still have time to make it to class. Referrals are given to those who do not attend their assigned sessions or simply skip FIT altogether. There have been complaints about the FIT cloud portal students are expected to sign up for FIT sessions on. Many students are worried that they will get into trouble or even earn a referral for not signing up despite how difficult it is trying to find a certain teacher’s session using smart phones. Fixing the online portal may offer FIT as a more viable and simpler solution. by CoEntertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce

First lunch causes hunger throughout school day

Eating an early morning “brunch” is not ideal for eating habits at school really distracting and annoying. I’m always hungry during eighth period because I have Nutrition and looking at a textbook full of food is hard. Also, when I have first lunch the day seems to drag on and on. Having three class periods in a row is difficult especially when they are my hard classes, like

The cause of having two lunches is the fact that this school is so big and overcrowded. There is no way 3,000 students could all share the same lunch, although that would be ideal for people that don’t have there friends in the lunch they have. No one would have a place to sit and the cafeteria wouldn’t be able

to keep up. The first lunch situation can’t be fixed easily, but the school staff has to do something about the students, like me, who want to get the best grades. Eating lunch so early in the morning disturbs me from doing the best I can academically. by Staff Writer Lauren Blevins

Lexie Ramirez 12th

g speak out

Shelby Johnson 10th

Will Davidson 9th

BULLD

chemistry and geometry. Finally, being hungry leads to snacking during the day, which has been proven to not be good for your health. Going to the vending machines to keep you energized isn’t good because it is all unhealthy snacks that won’t give you enough energy to get through the rest of the school day.

Ment Morris 11th

I would rather have second lunch because of the problems that come with having lunch at 10:30 a.m. for first lunch. No one is hungry to eat “brunch” that

early. First, I don’t have energy later in the day and some teachers don’t allow you to eat in class. If I have a test later in the day, I don’t feel as focused as I would be if I ate at later in the afternoon. Another problem with first lunch is being hungry during class. For me it’s

How did you get asked or asked someone to the homecoming dance? “So I went to Avery Williams’ house and I put little pieces of paper that had each letter of homecoming in balloons. And then she had to pop the balloons. And then spell out homecoming. Then, she said yes and I was glad that we were going together. My mom and my sister gave me the idea of how to ask someone to homecoming in a creative and fun way.”

“I had some of Chris Gough and I’s mutual friends come into D’lites, where he works, each with a word on either a T-shirt, ribbon or button. They stood in a line spelling will/ you/ go to/ homecoming and then I came in with a cake which said “with me?” Chris was clueless, it took a little time before he put it together. He was shocked when it hit him and completely embarrassed that he took as long as he did.”

“I asked Ali Davidson to the homecoming dance by picking out some of her favorite things and putting them in a pinata. We both have a passion for music so I chose a guitar pinata. There was 11 rubber ducks that each had a letter on them from the word homecoming. I then left the pinata with her mom to hang up before she got home from school one day. A blind fold and stick were laid out too. She came home and broke it and then I drove up and surprised her.”

“Zach Franz and I were in Ms. Flick’s AQR class and Flick handed me a sharpie and told me to hold on to it for later. I had no idea why, but I went along with it. Later, Zach came up to me and asked me for the sharpie. I turned around as he ripped off his jacket which had Homecoming? Written on it with yes or no boxes. I checked yes of course. I was so surprised but happy.”

by Editor-in-Chief Meagan Prehn

Photos by Ashley Stroud

EWS

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 4

Support for coach Landers at benefit While most people with his diagnosis would be beat down and defeated, Bulldog volleyball coach Jason Landers remains standing tall, motivated and unwilling to let anything get in his way. In February of 2013 Landers received a diagno-

sis of Adenocarcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma, which affects the liver and bile ducts. “It definitely makes you look at life a lot different. When the doctor tells you that you potentially only have so many years to live, the glass is definitely half

Super hero run Participants wore their best superhero costumes. They ran and walked the track at the benefit. Photo by Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz

full,” Landers said. “Sometimes we fret little things in life. We go through the drive-thru and didn’t get our coke. We got diet coke. Some of those things don’t bother you nearly as much as they used to.” Landers continues to fight the disease and has to complete chemo once a week until the cancer goes into remission. “We’re still doing chemo once a week, every Wednesday. Everything has been good scan wise. The tumors have shrunk and calcified, so they have died,” Landers said. An estimated 350 people gathered together in their best super hero outfit on Saturday, October 26 to support Landers fight against liver cancer. Participants were given the option to run three miles, walk one mile, or even just hang out. Hundreds came out to show their love and support for the cause. “It was a lot of fun to just see everyone hang out and

dress up; it was a really neat day,” Landers said. Back in February when the news was shared the team members were astonished. “We were all devastated. I have never been afraid to go to Coach Landers with my problems, because he doesn’t judge. He’s always been so insightful on the court, off the court, and about life,” junior volleyball player Dana Neal said. Landers’ story has touched many people both on and off campus. “Coach Landers has impacted everyone in many ways across the Austin area. Seeing him sick made me feel bad, he’s the backbone to our team. I’m blessed to have him in my life, he has made me a better leader and a stronger person,” junior volleyball player Kennedy Godsey said. Landers has much appreciation for fellow staff members, students, and players who have given him support. “What really helps me

Landers speaks at event Coach Landers gave a speech at the benefit that supports helping fight his diagnosis. He expresses his appreciation for those who attended. Photo by Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz is the kids, they’re so sup- much better. They’re all supportive. All of the other porting me and they’re my teachers and coaches are so friends so it’s nice,” Landsupportive of me. They’ll ers said. by Staff Writer do anything; it makes it that Paige Rife

Staff wins award at TAJE Silver Stars participate in Champions 4 Children

Upcoming Silver Star open audition

Winning photo Taking a superior award, this photo was shot during the on-site competition. It was the only photo that received a superior from the yearbook staff. Photo by Staff Writer Brenda Saucedo

Yearbook wins Best-in-Show award Bowie yearbook and newspaper staff members went to the annual Texas Association of Journalism Educators convention in hopes of bringing back awards in a variety of categories, and to interact with high school journalists from around the state. “We were excited because we got a second place ‘Best in Show’ for large yearbooks, so that was a big deal to us,” yearbook advisor Deanna Dellana said. Brenda Saucedo, Jamie Dorsey, Kaitlyn Monroe, and Taylor Farr all won individual awards for their photography. “I didn’t expect to win at all because I had seen other people’s pictures which

were really good and I was really surprised that I won,” sophomore Brenda Saucedo said. Saucedo won two honorable mentions and two excellence awards for her photography. “I was really excited when I got the superior because it felt like such a high honor and I hadn’t heard anyone else that got it,” sophomore Jamie Dorsey said. Dorsey was the only person on the yearbook staff to receive a superior photography award. “This was our first time to go to the convention, so we didn’t really know what to expect because it was our first time, but we kind

of know what they’re looking for because they provided us with critiques of things,” Dellana said. “So when we go back next year we’ll know a whole lot better what’s expected of us so we can bring home a few more.” Bowie’s Lone Star Dispatch received an honorable mention rating in small newspapers. Despite not knowing what to expect, eleven different photography awards were won by yearbook staff in different categories, like people, taste of San Antonio, action-reaction, sport, architecture and cityscape, and an open category. by News Editor Marisa Marquez

The Bowie Silver Stars are known for their halftime performances at the football games and their dances in the stands, but many people don’t know what they do outside of the stadium. The Silver Stars are involved in the non-profit organization Champions 4 Children, which sponsors children with rare or undiagnosed diseases and allows them to be an honorary member of a sports team of their choosing. “Champions 4 Children is a non-profit organization that helps raise funds for children and their families who have rare or undiagnosed diseases,” Silver Star director Jennifer Dawson said. Kayleigh chose the Silver Stars to join and current captain of the team, Maddie Hacking, couldn’t be happier that she did. “We were lucky enough to have Kayleigh pick us. Kayleigh is a part of our team and a part of our family,” Hacking said. Kayleigh goes to the football games and participates with the Silver Stars in the stands and in the victory line. “She comes to the games in her own uniform, partici-

Little silver star Kayleigh joins the line up at the Westlake game. Maddie Hacking shows her the moves. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

pates in the victory line with us at home games, and sits and dances with us in the stands,” Hacking said. Dawson believes that Kayleigh’s time spent with the team has positively affected her. “I think the Silver Stars have helped her by lifting her spirits, and giving her hope that they will find help for her undiagnosed diseases,” Dawson said. The Silver Stars are holding open auditions from Monday, November 18th to Thursday November 21st after school from 4:30 to 6:30

and many girls are expected to audition. “We typically have a hundred girls try out and we’re looking for overall technique and performance ability,” Dawson said. The auditions are meant to showcase a dancer’s many talents as the dancers perform different kinds of routines. “They learn a kick routine, a jazz routine and then perform in front of a panel of judges,” Dawson said. Current Silver Stars have been through many auditions and have an understanding of what the girls are feeling before they try out. “Never underestimate what you’re capable of. It will be hard and there will be things that don’t go perfectly, but potential is something the judges look for,” Hacking said. “Work hard, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and smile.” Freshman Corin Taylor is motivated to make the Silver Stars team. “I love to dance and I think it will be a great way to meet more people,” Taylor said. “I also think it would be a great way to get involved and support our by Staff Writer school.” Annika Holm

Art department collaborates for Dia de los Muertos Day of the Dead, often called Dia De Los Muertos, is celebrated throughout Mexico, and serves as a time for family and friends to remember those who have died. The event takes place over three days, October 31 to November 2. These days are called All Hallows’ Eve, All Saint’s Day, and All Souls’ Day. In addition to being celebrated across Mexico, this holiday is recognized in Texas. “The project was to collaborate as a department to create an ofrenda to celebrate Day of the Dead,” teachers Carlye Brookshire said. “The holiday traditionally focuses on gatherings to remember friends and family who have died.” Brookshire and teachers Mindy Le Jeune, Ryan Logan, and countless students participated in the art project. To celebrate, and remember the deceased, many art students worked to create an ofrenda. An ofrenda, which is Spanish for “offering,” is a set up to honor a specific person. The offerings, placed on altars, can be quite intricate and unique. Oftentimes, they feature Marigold flowers and decorated sugar skulls, also known as Calaveras. “I like how the holiday is very colorful and festive,” freshman Olivia Roberts said.

Being arguably one of the most important holidays in Mexican culture, it’s accompanied by decorations, festivals, crafts, and much more. “I was inspired by all the decoration they put of for the holiday with all the bright colors and flowers,” freshman Allison Segura said. As well as including a majority of the art department, artists collaborated with the World History Department, including teacher Nicholas Stamper. Before now, collaborations between departments were fairly uncommon. “We all are excited about the possibility of working with other departments.” Brookshire said, “I think cross-curricular study gives students a real time, real world experience. This is an important part of a student’s growth, as this type of enriched curriculum maximizes learning, and increases meaning.” In addition to bringing a change in project and curriculars, there came a change in setting around the school. To make room for the Dia De Los Muertos paintings and tributes, the large display case in upstairs F-hall was by Staff Writer Michaela cleared out. Norton

Painting skulls Eric Moe paints his skull to be displayed along with many others. The ofrenda contained many art students’ work. Photo by News Editor Marisa Marquez

N-DEPTH

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 5

Bill changes graduation requirements Education legislation reduces testing and introduce endorsements After years of the four by four high school graduation plan, the Texas State Senate has approved House Bill 5, which includes less standardized testing, new graduation requirements, and different requirements to be considered in the top ten percent for automatic admission to public Texas universities or colleges. Students entering 9th grade in 2013 or before continue on existing graduation plans, while students entering 9th grade in 2014 and beyond will adopt the new graduation plan. Austin ISD will follow the new educational laws under the bill, however the Texas Education Agency may make changes to the graduation requirements. After TEA make its final decision, AISD administrators will work to ensure that graduation policies are amended for the incoming freshman class according to counselor Karina Reyna. “This plan will be in effect next year, it will only be set in place for incoming freshman, so this should not affect our current students and/or scheduling process,” Reyna said. The final ruling on House Bill 5 will be determined in late January. “We as counselors, will have to work fast to ensure that our classroom presentations to incoming freshman will be accurate and up-todate,” Reyna said. “I don’t foresee a huge problem, if you look at the basic requirements of HB5, you will see that they are similar to our current Recommended plan.” The new graduation plan allows for more students to

graduate on time and allow them to enter a 4-year university according to Reyna. “I think ultimately this is a way for all students to be successful and be given the opportunity to take courses that fulfill their own unique interests,” Reyna said. Students will no longer be required to have 16 credits total of English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science, four of each, but four English language arts, three mathematics, three social studies, and three sciences. “I think it’s not fair to all the preceding classes because we had more required core academic credits,” senior Natalie Pelayo said. Pelayo believes some students will not take the optional math or science course, ultimately putting them in danger of not being prepared for college. “During the review period at the beginning of the school year, I usually feel like I lost most of the knowl-

“

technology, engineering and mathematics, business and industry, arts and humanities, public services or multidisciplinary. “New reforms encourage partnerships with industries that provide high-demand jobs in construction, manufacturing, transportation,

endorsements that will give meaning to these kids’ otherwise meaningless lives,” Custer said. “I can’t think of a better way to trick these saps into thinking that they are worthy of anything.” As of now, the basic requirements are the same for each endorsement, as long

through their four years,” Reyna said. “I know that there has been a discussion of how counselors and parents would be involved in that process, but I suspect it would entail a parent conference with the student and counselor.” The 15 STAAR tests required for graduation has been reduced to five, additionally some districts will have the options to give students end-of-course exams in English III and Algebra II. “By emphasizing fewer tests, students will spend more time in the classroom with focus on five critical subjects: English, English II, Algebra, Biology, and History,” Campbell said. The education reforms will allow students that are unable to attend college to find more opportunities according to Campbell. “Every student could

ltimately this is a way for all students to be successful and be given the opportunity to take courses that fulfill their own, unique interests. ” -Karina Reyna

edge from the school year before because of the [summer] break from the material,” Pelayo said. “I can’t imagine entering college after a year-long break from math or science.” With less required core classes, students will be required to earn one endorsement or more in science,

and utilities - jobs that make up a quarter of the workforce,” Texas District 25 Senator Donna Campbell said in a letter to Texas residents. Senior Garrett Custer believes the endorsements will allow students to find the field they are interested in. “Just think about all of the

as the student meets the requirements that endorsement and takes Algebra 2, two advanced sciences, and completes a Performance Acknowledgement, students may change which endorsement to complete. “It [HB5] is written in a manner that allows for students to change plans

Art by Mansa Prasad

use vocational training,” career and technical education teacher Kimberly Nunnery said. “It helps with real world experiences. It gives you more insight on what a career or field will be like. Not everyone will go to college. Some people don’t follow the traditional path, not everyone is a four-year college kid.” Students interested in qualifying in the top ten percent of his or her class for automatic admission to any Texas public college or university must have earned the Distinguished Level of Achievement. “The bill will not benefit the incoming students. They will be required to take more steps in order to qualify for automatic admissions,” sophomore Garrett Jordan said. “Getting and staying in the top percentile required for the University of Texas in Austin is a hard task to acby Incomplish already.” Depth Editor Nancy Tran

House Bill 5

Qualifications for Automatic Admissions to a Texas public college or University

Requirements for Diploma

- 4 English Language Arts -English I, II, III, IV - 3 mathematics - Algebra I, Geometry, advanced math - 3 Social Studies -World Geography or World History, US History, Government & Economics - 3 Science -Biology, two additional science – IPC or advanced - 2 Languages other than English - 1 Fine Arts - 1 Physical Education - 0.5 Health - 0.5 Communication Applications or Professional Communications - 1 Technical Applications - 3 Electives - Passing scores on STAAR End-of-Course Exams on English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and United States History

- Must be in the top 10% of his/her class - Graduate on the Distinguished Level of Achievement

- Includes credits for Diploma

- 26 Credits including:

- 4 math credits (must include Algebra II)

- 4 science credits (must include an

advanced science credit)

- Earned an endorsement -Areas:

- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

- Business & Industry

- Arts & Humanities

- Public Services

- Multidisciplinary from Texas Education Agency General Overview Studies of HB5 with SBOE Decision Points

Art by Nancy Tran

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TUDENT LIFE

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, NOV. 18, 2013 Page 6

House of Torment scares its way to the top for the McCullough family

Hours before the scare The House of Torment is located at Highland Mall just off of Airport Blvd. Hours before Halloween night, the McCullough family and House of Torment staff prepare to put on a show that had people leaving the house with nightmares. The House of Torment had over 15,000 people show up this year. Photo courtesy from Madison McCullough

House of Torment ranks ninth best haunted house in the nation A place so twisted and demented that not even the owners daughter can walk through the hallways. Sophomore Madison McCullough’s family are the owners of the House of Torment. Although her family owns the house, she does not actually work there or take any part in role-playing. “I love working with my family and with people but I am too much of a chicken to scare people or actually walk through the house. I do not like going through the house,” McCullough said. Many students enjoyed spending this Halloween being spooked at the House of Torment which is composed up of three different attractions, the mental asylum, the slaughterhouse and the cursed tombs. Each is filled with crazy lights, blood and guts, weapons and insanely realistic monsters. “The scariest thing was a the slaughter house’s monster because of how real they looked. They got really close and

followed you around the most than any other house,” sophomore Hadley Kopser said. The House of Torment has been around for sixteen years. It started in the backyard of McCullough’s house, and was basically a neighborhood event that scared a few kids down the block, but eventually became one of the top haunted houses in the nation. The house was successfully ranked ninth “Scariest Haunted Attraction” in the nation by http:// www.hauntworld.com. “It took all of the family’s help and many, many years of planning and preparation to get where we are now,” McCullough said. Sixteen years ago, McCullough’s parents were working two full-time jobs while having a scary house in the backyard was just something on the side. It all started with her dad’s interest in haunted houses. “We choose haunted houses because my dad has a cre-

ative mind and he always loved haunted houses,” McCullough said. Having a top-ranked haunted house that’s popular around the country sometimes means a lot of traveling. “We’ve gone to Paris and stayed there for six weeks while my dad was helping people there building a haunted house and we just got an offer to go to Dubai to go there and help build a haunted house there,” McCullough said. The House of Torment has expanded extensively. The house has moved from several locations throughout the sixteen years that it has been open. It used to be located at an old post office near Anderson which expanded and moved its location to North cross mall. The house continued to expand and became a one-hitwonder. The new location of the haunted house is now at Highland mall located on 6001 Airport Blvd. by Student Life editor Sandra Cuadros and Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz

Guy twins continue to stand at the top of their class She keeps her head up high and her rank up higher. Junior Jasmine Guy always expected to be so close to her college dream since she walked into the high school doors freshman year. Ranked number 31 in her class with a GPA of 4.15, Guy remains at the top of her peers when it comes to grades. Twin, Jack Guy climbs the ladder to claim spot number 6 in the class of 2015. Jack and Jasmine Guy are two talented twins who both compete for top positions in the class ranking system. Although Jack has a hard time and huge struggle with procrastination, he knows just when he needs to kick into gear and get it done. He manages to have lots of self-discipline with his schoolwork. The huge accomplishment for the Guy’s is an outstanding achievement. Due to self-motivation and devotion, the twins realized that anything is possible. “It’s a cool accomplishment, especially since my class of 2015 is very competitive academically. The biggest think I had to learn was to care-its surprising how successful you can be if you are motivated,” Jack said. Both Jack and Jasmine attended public school all their lives. From Cowan Elementary to Baily Middle school, the two have been prepared for their successful high school careers to carry them on to bigger, better things in college. Both strive to stay at the top, although most students may not know how ill at ease it comes to them. “Most of the time I just procrastinate. I spend a lot of my free time just watching Netflix and putting off homework. I just try to finish it at school but or save it for later,” Jasminsaid. The expertise of studying and diligent work runs in the family according to the Guy’s. Both their parents and siblings ranked top in their class and displayed extremely excellent achievement in school. Former student, Brittney Guy, sister to Jack and Jasmine ranked in the top 10 % of her graduating class of 2012. The Guy family has many expectations and

Going their own way Jack and Jasmine Guy walk to class down the F hallway on campus. The two hold backpacks strapped to their backs filled with papers from their classes, pre-ap phyiscs, AP U.S history, pre-ap precal, AP spanish IV and AP english. Photo by Student Life Editor Sandra Cuadros

achieving a position in the top-10 percentile is one of them. “Our parents just kind of expect for us to have good grades and to maintain above 4.0 GPA’s. They aren’t really concerned about our grades ever because it’s just a given that we are doing okay,” Jasmine said. While Jasmine and Jack both share outstanding grades and genes, they actually are very different when it comes to

personality and opinions. “Besides the fact that we do well in school, we’re pretty different. Jack likes computers and programing while I like to read and watch Netflix,” Jasmine said. The twins do their part in representing the class of 2015 as class officers. The spend lots of time in the same extra curriculars. by Student Life Editor Sandra Cuadros

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S The Lone Star Dispatch

TUDENT LIFE

Monday , nov. 18, 2013

Page 7

Twitter fun turns into double dare It all started with a bet and one tweet. It read “500 rts and I’m jumping off Town Lake bridge naked and going on Instagram.” Sophomore Tyler Hudson didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he tweeted on Oct. 14. He ended up getting a total of 511 retweets and 50 favorites by

Oct. 17 and actually jumped off of the bridge naked on Oct. 19. He didn’t come up with this idea on his own though. “I picked this because my YoungLife leader said that his friend did it because he lost what are the odds and we were talking about it and that’s when the whole bet thing came up,” Hudson

said. Hudson’s plan was to videotape the jumping off the bridge and putting it on the popular social media network, Instagram. My friends and I made a bet because they didn’t think that I would do it so I told them if I got five hundred retweets in four days that I would,” Hudson said.

When Hudson first tweeted, he only expected to get 70 retweets at the most, but once the number grew higher and higher, he started to get nervous. “I started regretting my tweet as it got closer and closer and then when I was at four hundred I just started planning it out so I wouldn’t get arrested,” Hudson said.

511 Retweets, 50 favorites Tyler Hudson posted the dare tweet on twitter on October 14, 2013 at 11:05 pm. Within hours Hudson recieved 511 retweets and 50 favorites. That following Saturday, Hudson jumped off the town lake bridge. Photo by Editor-in-Chief Rachael Crawford

Public indecency is class one misdemeanor and public indecency to a minor is a class 5 felony, so when he jumped, he was fast to be careful not to get caught by the police, especially because there was a lot of traffic by the bridge. “I probably would have ran if the cops came and if that didn’t work then I guess I would get arrested,” Hudson said. After he completed the cold jump he was relieved that it was over and that he didn’t have to do it again. “I was happy it was over with and hoped my friends didn’t mess up the video and that no cops would pull up,” Hudson said. Hudson’s video can be found on his Instagram proby file, tylerhudson16. Editor-In-Chief Rachael Crawford

Task completed Sophomore Tyler Hudson posses after taking a freezing dip into the Town Lake waters. Relieved that the jump was over, Hudson had accomplished completing the dare. Photo courtesy from Tyler Hudson

Key Club designs mums for Life Skills to show spirit Key Club gathers ribbons, bells, and faux flowers to surprise the Life Skills students with homemade mums. Every year students sport his or her mums during school on the day of the homecoming game to show school spirit. After attending the Texas-Oklahoma district meeting in Dallas, Edeline

Ong, District 24S Lieutenant Governor for Key Club, thought it was a good idea to make homecoming mums for the Life Skills students on campus. “I wanted to make the special education students a part of the school,” Ong said. With the leftover funds from the previous year, Key Club financed for 10 mums

and seven garters. “I went to Michaels and bought a lot of supplies,” Ong said. “One of the ladies who worked there heard my story and offered me half off for the pre-made mums.” After Ong announced the mum-making opportunity on Key Club’s official Facebook page many members rushed to get a spot within a few hours. “This whole experience has been really fun but at the same time very time consuming because I had to meet with volunteers to tell them the procedures, hand them the supplies, and then get it [the mum] back from them,” Ong said. “It was super time consuming but very, very, very rewarding.” Sophomore Ksneia Vlassova said the volunteer opportunity was an enjoyable experience and plans to volunteer with Key Club more in the future. “When I started making the garters with my friend Emily, I thought we were going to make the worst ones ever because there was a hot glue gun everywhere and it was super messy,” Vlassova said. “Emily even burned herself with the hot glue gun. But in the end it turned out pretty good. I plan on stayMum excitement Kayla Rodriguez poses with her mum recieved from the Bow- ing in Key Club through the years in high school and volie key club. Photo by Staff Writer Shannon Wiedemeyer

Exchanging mums Senior Elijah Gero recieves his garter from the Bowie key club. The Key Club gathered many materials and supplies to put the mums together so that the Life Skills kids could have free mums. Photo by Staff Writer Shannon Wiedemeyer

unteer more and more every year.” With an abundance of supplies left, Ong made seven mums consecutively and added the final touches before handing the mums to the students. “By the end of the night my back and shoulders were aching,” Ong said. After all the mums were finalized, volunteers were

given the opportunity to personally hand his or her final product to a student on Oct. 31. “It was rewarding to see my hard work turn into a smile when they received my mum,” senior Natalie Pelayo said. Life Skills teacher Wayne Johnson appreciates Key Club for supporting the special education students.

“It makes them feel like they are apart of the regular general population,” Johnson said. “It also shows what wonderful students we have, that think of other people beyond themselves. We feel very honored to be supported by other people. Its really nice to know that our students think about our kids.” by In-depth Editor Nancy Tran

Rain doesn’t just go away for Huebner’s household

The flash flooding on October 13th devastated many areas in Austin. The rain

was so severe it caused the cancellation of the last day of ACL festivities, along

House destruction Senior Tristian Huebner’s fence collapsed compleletly due to the serious rain. Inches covered the inside and outside of Huebners house. Photo courtesy of Tristan Huebner

with the closing of several businesses. Many houses were damaged and flooded as well, including senior Tristan Huebner’s home. Despite the heavy rains the day before, no one was quite prepared for the severity of the flash flooding. “It was the night of the 12th when it started; we didn’t know it was going to be as bad as it was,” Huebner said. He explained that the game room in his home sits lower than the rest of the house and was already flooded by the time they went to check up on it. The family started pulling out everything they could grab, and got the majority of the stuff out the same night. The harsh rains started at midnight and carried on into the early morning. “Around 4 am it started raining again and by about 6 the creek came back up and the room started to flood again but this time it didn’t last long and it went down quick,” Huebner said. Up to 9.5 inches of rain were recorded in Austin from that night, and the Huebner home got its fair share of it.

“Once the water came in it kept rising and at the highest point there was probably about five inches of water in the game room,” Huebner said. The flash flooding brought about a lot of damage to his home. “Other than the room flooding it also washed away our fence in the back yard and wasted out our drive way to where we couldn’t drive on it,” Huebner said. Huebner’s father, Dan had built that home when he was 26 years old and was shocked by the aftermath of the flooding. “It’s the worst I have ever seen it,” Dan said. “I’ve lived there all my life and it was tough on me so I can only imagine how bad it was on my dad,” Huebner said. Austin received devastating flash flooding again on Halloween night. Up to 14 inches of rain were recorded that night. More than 100 people were evacuated and rescued from the floodwaters, and more than 500 homes were damaged. by Sports Editor Maryam Hussain

Five inches of water About five inches of water fill up the rooms inside Huebners house including his game room. The game room was filled with water and completely had the tile floor covered. Photo courtesy of Tristan Huebner

NTERTAINMENT

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 8

Music festival welcomes genre mash-ups Fun Fun Fun Fest is a yearly music festival that attracts music lovers of almost every genre. One thing that sets the festival aside from a normal concert is that it gives people the opportunity to discover different styles of music that they would normally not listen to on their own. Fun Fun Fun Fest also showcased various comedy acts as well as athletes such as BMX legend Matt Hoffman and one of skating boarding’s biggest names, Christian Hosoi. The festival sets up five different stages for these various acts, each stage has its own color to help people know which stage to go to. There are five stages for each genre/subgenre; the black stage consists of metal bands as well as punk bands, blue is techno/rap/hip hop, orange is the indie rock/soft rock stage, yellow is the comedy stage, and green is where people would go to find Christian Hosoi, Matt Hoffman, and all of the other world famous athletes It is not unusual to have crazy things happen at music festivals or even at concerts. Each show has its oddball, but what some people may find fun others may find strange. It is said that at Fun Fun Fun Fest, anything goes. Senior Nick Montana knows first hand how abnormal things

can get at the festival. Like others who attended Montana walked away with just a little more. “I witnessed a couple get married and have their first dance with a girl crowd surfing around them with a stolen guitar,” Montana said. “Their wedding cake was a Twinkie. Only at Fun Fun Fun Fest.” As expected for a main headliner there was a lot of buzz for Slayer. Metal fans gathered around the orange stage, which was known as the indie-rock stage/rock stage. With an eager crowd pushing their bodies together to get closer to the stage senior Eric Ross managed to make his way up Metal Storm to the second row Slayer pays tribute to deceased band member, Jeff Hanneman, at 2013 Fun Fun Fun Fest. The band remains together after to see his favorite more than 30 years. Photo by Staff Writer Shannon Wiedemeyer. thrash band. had been waiting for so long finally ence of the festival was a lot more got to see bands I hadn’t expected “I was psyched to see Slayer after seven years of came and it was an awesome ex- fun than I thought it would be, I to.” by Co-Entertainment Edilistening to them, this moment I perience,” Ross said. “The experi- discovered some new bands and I tor Blaine MacMorran

STC brings shows to kids Fans exuberant over most recent Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire

Starlight Theatre Company officer and senior director Christian Haddad brings major motion picture, “James and the Giant Peach,” to life with the help of a handful of students and just weeks to pull it off. Eight shows, directed by seniors will be showcased to elementary schools around Austin for the 2013 children show productions. “To say there’s a lot of pressure is a gross understatement, but being a senior director means making ‘it’ happen, when before I had just been a part of the show,” Haddad said. Directors decide what costumes, props, set design, sound, and lights will be in the performance.

“It’s one of those things where you snap your fingers and hope something comes to you, which may be 99 percent of being a director,” Haddad said. The seniors are chosen by directors and put in more than eight hours a week after school and on weekends preparing for shows. “It’s like being a bagger at HEB and looking to be the manager, once you’ve made that then you look to be the regional manager and so on. Being a senior director is finally getting there,” Haddad said. Haddad chose among his friends and peers for his production and decided who would make what part and how he wanted them to por-

It’s for you Senior Jake Ryan confronts senior Belana Torrez about her son stealing his boat parts in STC president Dane Ralph’s children show. Photo by Co- Entertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce

tray each character. Haddad began his acting career at a young age, starting with commercials and UT films through the talent agency, Acclaim Talent. Playing lead character, James, in Haddad’s show, Sully Dildine, acts in his first production ever. “I had been hoping and dreaming, but it was one of those ‘I hope I win the lottery things’,” Dildine said. Children Shows and senior one-act plays allow directors to take a step back and allow senior directors to learn from experience and teach other students. “I have full confidence of the students in the company. I think they have gained knowledge that they need from class with us and that they’ve made great decisions with their children shows, ” tech and theatre teacher Kalyn Holloway said. While Children Shows are rehearsing directors are working on the musical and helping out the senior directors if needed. “The students here are naturally talented and coming from teaching at other schools I can say that I think this is the best school in Austin for theatre,” Holloway said. Along with Haddad’s show, seven other senior directed plays will be performed in the auditorium on Thursday Nov. 14 through Friday Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. and Saturday Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. for 5 dollars at the door. by Co-Entertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce

May the odds be ever in your favor at the 75th annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games, a trilogy of children from ages twelve to eighteen fighting to the death until one lone victor remains standing. “I love The Hunger Games because I think that it shows a great life lesson and it shows who you want to be and express yourself,” freshman Kelsey Powers said. Powers collects Hunger Games merchandise and is an adament reader. “I own a bunch of Hunger Games memorabilia I have four posters, a cardboard cutout of Katniss, a Katniss Barbie doll, a movie kit, a keychain, a mockingjay pin, and two Hunger Games t-shirts. I bought my tickets in September and I am going to the midnight premier,” Powers said. The Hunger games made a great impact on Power’s reading habits. “Catching Fire was my favorite book out of the whole trilogy and I love the idea of how they brought back the tributes who won for the past districts and made them battle again,” Powers said. “I discovered The Hunger Games in seventh grade and got hooked to reading. I would never read unless I had to and now I can’t stop reading unless I have to.” Many fans are excited about the upcoming movie and are interested how true

Represent Freshman Kelsey Powers shows off her Chuy’s Hunger Games paraody shirt. Powers plans to attend the midnight showing, which she bought tickets for two months in advance. Photo by Staff Writer Fuaad Ajaz.

the movies stay to the books. “Like any book lover, I began reading the Hunger Games in search of a book that would get me hooked into a superficial reality where I could fall in love with characters and wish myself into a book,” junior Laurie Bengoa said. I like how it is cleverly written and the characters are just so easy to connect with. The series is amazing and I can’t wait until the next movie.” Some people love it so much that they bought their tickets months in advance. “Yes, call me crazy but I did buy my movie tickets five months before the mov-

ie came out but I just really love the books and have been waiting for Catching Fire for such a long time.” freshman April Briggs said. “I love Catching Fire because I like how they bring back the old tributes who have won the past games and whatever shape, size, age, and health they are in they have to compete unless they get a volunteer and I thought that was cruel and it made me want to read it more.” Now lets see which lone victor remains in Catching Fire and how the movie ends. Catching Fire comes out November 22nd. by staff writer Fuaad Ajaz

The English indie rock band has earned five Brit Awards, were nominated twice for a Grammy Award, and performed at Madison Square Garden on March 22, 2012. Vocalist Alex Turner has tried the music scene prior to Arctic Monkeys with the side project, The Last Shad-

ow Puppets, as well as a solo artist. The bands first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, released in early 2006, and became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. With their indulging sound the band continues to impress critics and fans as they tour major cities in the US, Europe, and Canada. The band is currently working on another album, which they expect to release later this year. by CoEntertainment E d i t o r Kamryn Bryce

Music Review Austin is known for being the live music capital of the world, many musicians have come out of this town and have inspired generations of local musicians to get out and play. June marked the 30th anniversary of the legendary Austin guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan’s debut album, Texas Flood. This album is known for its classic songs such as “Love Struck Baby”, “Pride And Joy”, and “Texas Flood.” Within the first three songs of the album Stevie’s iconic style can be heard from the opening track “Love Struck Baby” his energetic and unique

guitar playing lay down a landscape for the rest of the album. Each song illustrates the band’s influences, for example track seven “Mary Had A Little Lamb” this song holds characteristics of classic rock, blues, and jazz giving it a sound of its own. With every good album

there is a balance between soft and energetic, the title track “Texas Flood” exemplifies the sound of soulful blues. Each bend of the string and each line of vocals have emotion that can be felt by the listener. Because of the solid groove of the album and the emotion put into every song it is easy for the listener to connect to the songwriter. It is safe to say that Texas Flood is an influential album in blues-rock history that will be transcendent generations. by Co-Entertainment Editor Blaine MacMorran

Full of cutting edge rhythm and distinct vocal sound, Arctic Monkeys pave their way to the top of music charts with songs like “One For The Road” and “Arabella” on their latest album, AM. Making a successful run at the 2013 ACL concert, the band continues to gain a following. With over 550,000 fans on the social music media Spotify alone, Arctic Monkeys spread sounds of soft beats and indie vocals. Since their debut in the break of the 21-century, the band has produced five albums and over a dozen singles.

rends & Culinary

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 Page 9

Culinary cooks up bake sale goodies The smell of freshly baked goods filled the halls Friday, October 25th as the culinary arts program presented their 14th Annual Bulldog Bakery. Students were inspired and pleased with not only the preparation but also the results of the sale. “The week we spent baking in the kitchen was probably the most exciting and high energized week ever. It looked like a real commercial kitchen and everyone in culinary was so proud of what they made that they ran around school telling everyone to come and buy it,” junior Katelyn Ruel said. “The whole thing was a little

stressful putting together but I wouldn’t mind doing it all over again.” The culinary arts program sold out of all of their baked goods and made over $2,000. “Our first bakery and luncheon was a success. It took a lot of focus, technique, and knowledge. For our bakery we made about 150-200 cookies and bars, which took all week to do,” junior Ciara Ruiz said. Despite the stressful week-long preparations, students found that there were more rewards than just finishing on time. “We started baking at the beginning of the week

Good eats and yummy treats Junior Katherine Mayo works at a table during the culinary bake sale on Oct. 24. She sold grasshopper cookie bars to students as they walk past the array of homemade sweets. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

to make sure that everything would be done in time for the sale. It was really exciting for me because I personally like baking and seeing the reactions of customers on our pastries felt good because I felt like the class and I did well,” senior Elena Granados said. Chef Richard Winemiller designs his program in a way that the students learn more than just about how to bake. “Besides teaching the basics of baking, the lesson is about learning time management skills, and how to work in large quantities. A lot of people have made a little batch of cookies but actually scaling that out and using your resources is a big part of the lesson,” Winemiller said. “Every second counts.” The bake sale is only one of the many successes of the culinary program. Upon drawing attention from the outside community, the students came together to cater an awards ceremony for Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer water conversation on Nov. 9 in the southwest room of “F” hall. Regardless of what these chefs-in-wating set their minds to, they strive to work hard in bettering their skills as they work together. “When times get hard we all come together and help as much as we can. We all have strengths and weaknesses but don’t ever make each other feel less than the other. We better ourselves and teach one another,” Ruiz said. by Staff Writer Paige Rife

Order up Junior Paige Taylor works at the local water conservation awards banquet on Nov. 8. She served attendees culinary-prepared gourmet meals. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

“Water bottle craze” kicks disposables to the curb CamelBaks and Thermoses take over typical plastics

As senior Daniela Diaz wanders through the hallways she sees at least one of the three items with a student: backpack, books and water bottles. The recent trend of specialized water bottles has become a huge phenomenon on campus, something many students are starting to convert to. Due to the lengthy class periods on block schedule, more and more students seek hydration. “During the longer class periods I tend to crave water because it keeps me awake and feeling refreshed,” sophomore Cody Wooten said. A favorite reusable water bottle on campus is the CamelBak Eddy, which is

composed up of a flip-top bite valve and handle. The water bottle is one of CamelBak’s best selling water bottles and a popular icon on campus. Many students choose CamelBak’s because of its unique bite and suck drinking method. “I really enjoy using the CamelBak bite and suck because it is fun to drink out of and it is a reliable water bottle,” Diaz said. There are several different brands of water bottles being used on campus besides the Camelback. Another popular favorite are the Nalgene water bottles, which do not offer a drinking straw but a screw cap. The cap screws on and off which allows for easy access

to filling up water bottles and an attached cap with a handle. Although the use of reusable water bottles is popular, prices vary depending with brand. The CamelBak water bottles run anywhere from $20-25 dollars and up for a basic Eddy water bottle. Nalgene water bottles range from $7-10. A recently developed CamelBak water bottle has started roaming the hallways. The new CamelBak Eddy Insulated allows for the water to be kept cool longer and the reduction of water condensation. “I really love my insulated CamelBak because it is much better quality than the basic CamelBak water

bottles. The fact that is insulated means that I don’t have to worry about it spilling all over my desk or papers and overall a well-rounded water bottle to use,” junior Miriam Diaz said. Other students such as senior Amaris Teter choose not to use water bottles because of having to keep track of them and the high probability of loosing them. “I have gone through so many reusable water bottles and either lost or forgot them somewhere, which results in a waste of money. I would rather have water I can refill throughout the day and then throw away when I am done using it, “ Teter said. by Student Life Editor Sandra Cuadros

Filled to the brim Sophomore Kaylen Combs shows off an Austin City Limits water bottle. Many students are beginning to use bottles like these as opposed to disposables. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

A few of your beauty questions; asked and answered How can I get rid of bags and dark circles underneath my eyes? Asked by: junior Lily Howard Dark under-eye circles can be caused by stress, sleep deprivation, allergies, etc. After long nights of studying (or watching a series obsessively on Netflix), some students find it hard to not appear like a flu victim the following morning. “I do try to use under eye concealer but it really doesn’t work 100% of the time,” Howard said. Tess Reuter, senior and beauty consultant at Beauty Spa and Salon recommends Glo Therapeutics Eye Fix along

with Ceramide Eye Gel by Mario Badescu for under-eye puffiness, both sold at the store’s Sunset Valley location. When relying on makeup for coverage, choosing a darker concealer tend to be good options. Any concealer that is too light can cause the areas to look gray, actually making the problem worse. “Also, pat your eyes lightly when using under-eye makeup, don’t rub. This will really help to prevent wrinkles underneath your eyes over time,” Reuter said.

Should I wash my face in the morning even if I washed it at night? Asked by: senior Jason Galarza

Throughout the day, dirt, sweat, and oil collect on the surface of the skin, a reason many take care to wash their faces prior to falling asleep. “I wash my face in the morning and at night. I wouldn’t imagine that my face really collects a lot of stuff during the night while I’m sleeping though. I only wash my face in the morning because it wakes me up,” Galarza said. Though over-washing can be harmful to people with Beauty buying bargains Senior Tess Reuter explains products from the Glo Therapeutics line during her shift at Beauty Spa and Salon where she works as a beauty consultant. The store’s location in Sunset Valley carries multiple solutions to undereye dark circles and puffiness caused by sleep deprivation and stress. Photo by Trends & Culinary Editor Ali Davidson

normal skin types, there are several options for those who feel like once is not quite enough. “If your skin is really oily, you could always wash your face again in the morning or pick up a toner to help remove access oil,” beauty consultant at Beauty Spa and Salon at Sunset Valley, Ashley said. Washing your pillowcases often can also help to prevent “bedtime breakouts” and oily skin each morning.

Is there any way for me to undo too many sprays of perfume? Asked by: sophomore Taylor Nibblet

In an attempt to hurry out the door, over spraying perfume is not an uncommon problem that many people actually face. “When I know that I have too much on, I just leave it usually and hope it’ll start to wear off,” Nibblet said.

According to Red Book, perfume should be sprayed from about 10 inches away. If you feel you’ve put on too much, dabbing rubbing alcohol or hand-sanitizer on the sprayed areas will help everyone within 50 feet breathe easier. by Trends & Culinary Editor Ali Davidson

PORTS

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, nov. 18, 2013 Page 10

Swim team makes a splash into season

Swim to success Senior Chance Meier swims the 200 breaststroke at the swim team’s meet against Anderson and Austin High. Meier won his race. Photo by Editor-In-Chief Rachael Crawford

Playoffs

uuCont. “Play-offs” pg. 1

“It feels good that we’ve done so well all season to earn a good spot in the playoffs. Now we just have to keep winning and see how far we can go,” Lewright said. Law and Lewright both give credit to the student body, teachers, and administrators for their support in cheering them on and keeping them going throughout each game. According to Law, the school has the best and most excited student section in our district. “The school support is unreal. Looking up into the stands at the Westlake game, I can’t even describe the feeling of seeing a packed stadium like that and playing in front of them,” Lewright said. The team continues to stay focused despite the fame they have earned from keeping second place lead in the district with a record of 9-1. “Before all the games all I think about are my plays and what I have to do to win,” Law said. The football team as a whole is getting

ready for playoffs by practicing and focusing on the next game they have to play and not thinking about anything else. “I’m excited to be able to continue playing past regular season and the ‘life or death’ like thrill that comes with every game is incredible and scary at the same time,” Lewright said. Last year, the team only played two games in the playoffs, but is shooting to go further this year and prove that the Dawgs are ready to fight. “I think that we have done better this year because we have better team chemistry. We also have focused more on our games,” Law said. The team thinks that going to the playoffs is going to be a great experience for the community, school, and team. “All summer, all season, our coaches have been talking about this season being special and as a team, I feel we have bought in completely to make to make it deep in the playoffs and ultimately making it to state for the first time in Bowie history,” Martinez said. by Editor-In-Chief Rachael Crawford

Spotlight player Ben Setterquist

Q: Why did you start playing football? A: My football career started at Baranoff Elementary. I can remember playing everyday at recess. As I grew older I began to realize I was a pretty good athlete, and that sports were something I really enjoyed. When middle school came I tried to play every sport I could, and football happened to be the first season. Q: What does football mean to you? A: I love the sport, and I love competing in athletic events, but football is a lot more than that to me. I have become extremely close to the team and I love that we are all working for a common goal. Q: What has your favorite moment been while playing football? A: My favorite moment while playing football occurred while we were playing Westlake. The defense had stopped Westlake with about two minutes left in the game and on our side of the field. It was fourth down and we opted to go for it instead of punting. Austin made the first and this gave us enough downs to kneel the ball and let the clock run out. Watching the clock tick down toward out victory was the best feeling I have had this season. Photos by Editor-In-Chief Rachael Crawford and Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

Last year the Bowie swim team had difficulties with four different coaches through the year. This year however they have one single coach, Dean Lackey. With coaching issues out of the way, the team has been able to focus more on their swimming. As a result of that, many of the Bowie swimmers and divers have placed at meets. “It has been much better having only one coach this year. Our team was put under a lot of stress last year with many coaches, but this has made our new season a great one,” sophomore Brandon Crawford said. Lackey spends the day juggling his jobs at Bowie and Reagan High. “I stay very busy, which is how I like it,” Lackey said. He considers the team captains, seniors Anissa Morales, Abby Meyer, Brian Jordan, and Zachary Cootes to be the backbone of the team. “Their leadership has helped me tremendously,” Lackey said. Cootes takes his leadership position very seriously. “My job as captain is to lead everyone and be a role model for them,” Cootes said.

Aside from the team captains, Lackey appreciates the support he gets from various people in the community. “Like last year, the Bowie Swim Team booster club has also been fantastic, helping me in every way possible,” Lackey said. “In addition, I’m grateful for the support of Jeff Ables, Bowie athletic director, and Ines Perez in our AISD Athletics. With everyone involved, my part is easy.” With such great support the swim team’s good season has paved their road to the district championship meet. “This season has been unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what the rest of our season holds. We’re definitely gearing up for an exciting finish in January at the district championship meet,” Lackey said. Cootes took two first place medals at the AISD Swim Classic, winning the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley. Meyer took second place in the 100 backstroke, and Madison Martell placed third in the 500 free. “A huge new highlight for us this year is divers. Our Bowie swimming and diving Team are represented accordingly now, and scor-

ing points for the team,” Lackey said. At the AISD meet, divers sophomores Nate Cootes, and Julianna and John Anges placed third, fifth, and sixth respectively, earning a combined total of 13 points for the team. The level of talent on the team is broad, and getting deeper by the day. “Many of our swimmers are on the verge of breaking into an entirely different level of swimming,” Lackey said. “I hope to invite a few recruiters to see the entire team before the end of our season,” Lackey said. Seniors Stephen Kim, Michaela Teague, Madison Martell have toured several college programs already this year. “I motivate myself by just looking forward to college,” Zachary said. The team has been making improvements along the way, and hope to continue doing so for the rest of the season. “We’ve made lots of improvements since the beginning of the season, and if we keep that up, we can do really well at districts and regionals,” Crawford said. by Sports Editor Maryam Hussain

Mac runs for yardage Senior Mac McGarah attempts gain as much yardage as possible at the game against Akins. The Dawgs won the game with a score of 59-17. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

Famous number retired Griffin retires jersey at Akins game Former Bowie standout Michael Griffin, who now plays professionally for the Tennessee Titans, had his jersey retired before the game of the ‘Dawgs win over Akins. Griffin’s jersey number 42 was retired despite the fact that Bowie was officially the visiting team versus the Eagles because of the timing of the Titans scheduled week off. “This is my bye week so this was the only time I had a chance to,” Griffin said. “Un-

fortunately we are the visiting team but we are still playing at Burger Stadium and this is where I played at so this seemed like the right thing to do at the right time.” He was a two-year starter for Bowie, as a running back and a defensive back. He was All-State Class 5A honorable mention award recipient his senior year. He was the District 25-5A MVP while rushing for 1,181 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior year. He was also on both the basketball and track and field team in high school. When he graduated he went on to play at the University of Texas before being drafted in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Titans. Griffin was very honored to be able to come back and to have his jersey retired. “Man, it’s a big honor, especially since they have been doing real well they only lost one game so far, “Griffin said. “I’ve been hearing a lot of good things whether its through Instagram or Twitter, and I continue to keep up with the team. I talk to Coach (Jeff) Ables regularly, it’s a good time and I get to be around where it all started for me.” Griffin was accompanied by his immediate family including his parents and his children on the field when Where it all began Ables handed him his jersey. Michael Griffin’s family supported him to retire his jersey by Photo Editor Ashley number. Griffin now plays football for the NFL team, the Stroud Tennessee Titans. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

ports

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, nov. 18, 2013 Page 11

Boys basketball prepares for rivalries Coach Collier pushes players to work on weaknesses before games start With 34 years of teaching and coaching, varsity basketball coach Celester Collier has high hopes for this year’s team. “This year we’re better at taking care of the ball and turnovers,” said Collier. “We’re looking forward to some of our younger guys returning too.” After many seniors graduated off the team last year, sophomores and juniors are taking over. “11 seniors left last year,” Collier said “We want to see how the young guys can fill in and improve.” Many players from the team are playing football, and won’t be back until football season ends. “Once we get to the second half of the season, we’ll be solid,” Collier said “We have some spots that need to be filled from football.” The team is still working on defense and rebounding before the first official games of the season. “Our defense in general needs some work,” said assistant coach Brad Ingram. “We are pretty good at protecting the ball and handling though.” Cody Lee, a junior on the varsity team, plays center and thinks there’s still more to work on. “There’s a lot we need to work on,” Lee said. “Coach Collier says we need to work on discipline and defense especially, mostly just doing what we need to do.” Practice is currently centered on defense and playing competitive scrimmages. “Right now at practice we mostly scrim-

Carried to the net Junior Cole Kuykendall carries the ball to the net to score for the team. The team won their first game against San Marcos on Nov. 12 at Bowie. Photo by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

mage and work on defense,” Lee said. The ongoing rivalry between Westlake and Bowie is also going to be a factor in this year’s season. “Always, we are always in a rivalry with Westlake,” Collier said. “Austin ISD is gen-

erally a really competitive district.” Akins is also going to be in the competition this year, since they are right next door. “Akins is right in our backyard so of course they’re a rival,” Collier said “They’ve got a good ball club.”

Lake Travis and Westlake are going to be some of the bigger competitors from last year as well. “You’re always in store for a good ball game when we play them, always,” Collier said. Coach Collier, the 1995 Bowie teacher of the year, really impacts his students and inspires them to do better. “I really like coach Collier,” Lee said. “He is awesome and really gets us pumped to do better and practice.” Some students can think that coach Collier is kind of scary, but once you get to know the guy he’s super cool. “Yeah when he’s mad he can be really scary,” said junior and former student in Collier’s health class Vaughn Osterhouse. “But he’s really cool most of the time and loves basketball.” Bowie’s team is generally very competitive, so they know what to do and how to get it done. “Yeah, it’s always super cool to watch the game,” said junior Alan Varela. “They’re way better than lots of people I know and definitely know what to do.” The team is coming back from last year’s with a 16-16 record at the Varsity level. The team is ranked 250th out of 1,721 total campuses across Texas and 1,516 in the nation according to MaxPreps.com. The team’s next game will be tomorrow at McNeil High School starting at 5:30 and all boys teams will be playing. The first boys tournament will be November 21-23 at Ausby Staff Writer Elyas Levens tin high.

Volleyball spikes to playoffs Girls basketball team gets ready to destroy the court The Bowie volleyball reached one of their season -long goals by qualifying for the play-offs after missing out last season for the first time in 13 years. “Since we didn’t make playoffs last year it made making playoffs even more special this year. It was a great feeling to know that we were one of the top teams in our district to make it to playoffs,” sophomore Taylor Beltz said. Their first round opponent was Round Rock who quickly ended the ‘Dawgs season with a three game sweep, 25-17, 25-17, 25-16. Losing to the Dragons wasn’t the end the ‘Dawgs were expecting, but the route to the play-offs was exciting for the squad. After losing to Austin High on Sept. 24 the Lady ‘Dawgs had to win the rematch to earn a post-season berth. The rematch didn’t start well for Bowie, as the lost the first two games. But

they rose to the challenge and swept the final three games for a win, 22-25, 1925, 25-14, 25-29, 15-9. “It took hard work and extra practice to make it, we practiced hard to win the

games we needed to make playoffs,” junior Kennedy Godsey said. The volleyball team has many young players but don’t have any seniors this year. “Because we have no seniors on varsity, we were all forced to come together to make it work. Bonding over this obstacle has made us stronger,” junior Keely Penn said. While the team has had their far share of obstacles, they came through to playoffs. The bond the team has is what they believed helped them make it to playoffs. “The team holds a great bond. We see each other almost everyday and we have team dinners once a week,” Godsey said. According to the volleyball players, Coach Landers holds high expectations for all the girls. Volleyball The team finished the Sophomore Zoe Franz practices to get ready for her next year 11-15 over and 3-4 tournaments. Photo by Sports in district play. by Staff Writer Isabel Rosales Editor Maryam Hussain

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Filled to the brim Senior Jada Riley dribbles the ball to score a point for the girls basketball team. Riley was voted to 2nd Team All District. Photo by Staff Writer Isabel Rosales

Lady ‘Dawgs hungry and focused The pressure is on for the Lady Bulldogs Varsity basketball team as they defend their title as champions. Last year the team finished the season earning the title of Regional Quarterfinalists with a final record of 20-13. These ladies were granted big awards finishing off the season strong and returning again this year to do even better. Last year sophomore Kianna Ray was voted as the Newcomer of the year. Senior Jada Riley was voted to 2nd Team All-District, and juniors Desiree Lampkin and Lydia Baxter were voted to Honorable Mention All-District. “As a team we have a really good bond and it really helps with out chemistry on the court,” Ray said. These groups of ladies have trained hard in off season and have very high hopes of coming back and defending their title. “Our off-season this year has been the best off-season since I’ve been in the program. We’ve worked hard and countless hours on the court, and in the weight room. Our improved athleticism acquired this off season will definitely boost our game,” junior Alyssa Kuykendall said. The varsity basketball team has only one senior, Riley, and two freshman. Riley is the leader of the team and has been playing basketball since freshman year and is now the only one left from her class. “To defend our title we have to work hard all the time, hold each other accountable, and play as a team and not individuals,” Riley said. The team has a very strong bond and they participate in team bonding. The relationship the girls have together show on and off of the court. “The bond between our basketball team is like no other. We’re not like a family we are a family. We are all best friends and we can rely on one another for anything on and

of the court. We push one another to do our best, and to be our best person everyday, holding each other accountable for our actions. We love each other a lot. Our bond is ionic; hard to separate,” junior Kuykendall said. This time of the year is a very stressful time having to be an athlete as well as a student, between working hard at practice. “The balance between being a student and an athlete gets pretty challenging. I miss school a lot due to tournaments so make up work packs up but I always find a way to get it done plus teachers are pretty understandable,” freshman Savannah Ralph said. Although the basketball didn’t lose many games last year, those losses motivate the team, especially Riley. “After we lose a game I usually think about all of the things that I could have done better and all of the things that could have made a difference in winning or losing the game and then I make a note to do those things better next game,” Riley said. The way I feel after a loss depends on how I played if I played good but we lost I feel disappointed like maybe there was something more I could have done that I didn’t do, and if I played bad in usually pretty mad and I feel like I’ve let my team down.” The theme of this year is hungry and focused meaning that they will work hard every day and will give nothing but the best. “I am in love with the theme this year it to remind us that we are hungry for the championships and will do whatever we need to get there. I know that my team and I are full of determination and will not stop until we get the result needed,” Ray said. The basketball girls are holding a varsity tournament to raise awareness about eating disorders. There will be a dinner for the participating teams and the first night of the by tournament they will have a speaker. Staff Writer Isabel Rosales

hoto Essay

The Lone Star Dispatch Monday, nov. 18, 2013 Page 12

out,” Baker said. ”It was nice being able to relax while getting my nails and toes done because that doesn’t happen often.’ When the game hit half-time Baker was down on the sidelines standing with McAlo and the rest of the homecoming court. Once it was time for the announcement of the king and queen, Baker and McAlonan walked to the 45-yard line and stood there while looking at the faces of the student body. “It was a little nerve-racking standing out on the field, but it was still a great experience,” Baker said. While standing there the announcer revealed the 2013-14 homecoming king and queen were Baker and McAlonan. “I was shocked to be nominated. I never thought I’d ever win, especially running against two other very deserving, beautiful, and talented young women,” Baker said. After being announced queen Baker then had to prepare for the dance since this was the first homecoming dance in eight years. Baker planned on going with her boyfriend Jackson Helling. “Since I didn’t get to experience homecoming in my previous years it is rewarding getting to go with Audrey,” Helling said. Baker then spent the next day setting up the school for the homecoming dance that she would be attending later. by Photo Editor Ashley Stroud

A dress to wear Audrey Baker displays her dress on her nightstand along with shoes and accessories. Baker has had the nightstand since she was a young girl. “I hung up my dress so I could look forward to wearing it,“ Baker said.

Not just a stroll through the park Audrey Baker and Keith McAlonan walk through the JROTC Arch of Sabers waking to their spot on the field. They stood on the 45-line while names were announced. “I thought it was going to be difficult walking in heels because I don’t have much experience wearing them, but it wasn’t hard at all,“ Baker said.

The biggest win Audrey Baker and Keith McAlonan smile at each other once they hear their name called for king and queen. They both then embraced in a hug while the crowed cheered for them. “It was awesome meaning my name be called as well as Keith’s,” Baker said. “Keith and I just smiled and laughed because we were so happy.”

Audrey Baker brings the heat to homecoming competition Being nominated for homecoming queen never passed through senior Audrey Baker’s mind. Working after school, helping out with student council, and balancing homework and soccer, Baker never had time to even think about being homecoming queen. However the student body thought otherwise, when Baker was honored with a nomination along with Beeta Salsabilian and December Williams. “At first I was really shocked about being nominated I wasn’t expecting it at all what so ever but I’m so thankful that the student body did, it’s nice to see that they think highly of me,” Baker said. The next week after the votes were counted Baker was informed that her male partner was senior Keith McAlonan. “When I found out that I was paired with Audrey I was very happy, we have been friends since we were kids so it felt really good to be paired with a good friend,” McAlonan said. The week of homecoming wasn’t an average week for Baker. Along with doing schoolwork and working at her job, she also had to prepare for the weekend ahead of her, from picking out the dress to getting pampered at the nail salon. The day of the game Baker spent lots of time getting ready for the big night. “Prepping for the game was actually really fun. I never wear any makeup, none what so ever, so it was interesting to try it Earrings to top it off Audrey Baker looks at herself while she puts in earrings. She had a few earrings to select from but chose diamond studs. “They match my dress the most. These are simple and I don’t like anything that is too much,” Baker said.

Mani-pedi time Audrey Baker relaxes while getting pampered at the salon. She chose red for her toes and a French tip for her hands. “It was nice getting to relax before the eventful weekend,” Baker said.

Mirror mirror Sheryl Baker helps to fix her daughter Audrey’s hair before leaving for the game. Many hairstyles were tried before deciding to just let it lay straight. “It was really fun getting ready for the game, it made me excited for it,” Baker said.

To pick a perfect dress Audrey Baker lays out dresses on her bed and looks over them trying to decide which one she will wear to the game. There were seven dresses she had to choose from. “The one I picked was the classiest of them, I also thought it represented me well,” Baker said.

Pinning the mum Audrey Baker and Jackson Helling laugh while Helling tries to put the mum on Baker. Helling tried very hard to not jab Baker or himself. “I was kind of scared to poke my beautiful princess but I knew my immense amount of love would protect her,“ Helling said.