The Dispatch, Vol. 35, Issue #6, 6/16/23

SPORTS Sophomore Jayden White competes on American Ninja Warrior, set to air in 2024. pg. 4 PHOTO COURTESY OF:

THE DISPATCH

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2023

The 2023 senior class graduates in style

Emerson Traugott News Editor

The sea of black caps and gowns swarms Burger Stadium, the turf almost completely covered as hundreds of students sit in symmetrical rows waiting patiently for their names to be called to accept their diplomas.

Cameras flash and parents wipe their tears as the last 18 years have all led to this moment of academic closure. From track and field days to senior skip day Bowie's class of 2023 embarks are their last tradition.

“To me, graduation day itself shows the end to this pretty big chapter of your life, and the beginning of another one,” NHS Co-president Shabbir Akhtar said. “I guess for so long we’ve kind of had our parents there to hold out hands, but now as we enter adulthood and seek out whatever our futures may hold we have to be ready to do it on our one, to pave our path, if you will.”

This class was sent home in the middle of their freshman year and returned as juniors to finish off high school.

, “Since we are one of the classes that jumped right back into “normal” high school after the pandemic and I think a lot of my peers felt boxed in and less social than in previous years but again people found a way to come out of their shells,” Akhtar

said. “And overall, as a class, I feel like we have grown so much and have managed to become more social and tight-knit than before COVID.”

In three months when summer comes to an end, many students will leave the security blanket of home to either a new state or city or even just a new place to live. Where the boundaries between academic and social life become intertwined.

“I think the part of college that terrifies me the most aside from being truly on my own for the first time is the heavy workload I am about to face,” recent graduate Shelly Kleinerman said. “Especially as a STEM major at UT [University of Texas].”

"I hold these ceremonies in a special place in my heart because it's one of the happiest days for our students as well as staff!

April Giuffre School Counselor

other members from our staff) usually meets for the first time in the fall semester, but we have multiple meetings in the spring semester starting in January, to meet upcoming deadlines,” A member of the planning committee and school counselor April Giuffre said. “[Though the biggest struggling in planning is} for the staff members finding time to plan it.” However even after the plans are made and deadlines are met, there must always be a contingency plan in place to reduce the level of panic if something goes wrong on graduation day itself.

ty Center (indoors) to limit the number of guests allowed in.”

Graduation is a day filled with excitement from seniors and parents alike, happy to see the 12 years of hard work pay off. However, some teachers have seen countless graduations, sending their students into the next phase of life.

“I love planning and working on graduation because this is the culmination of all our students' work and efforts and is such a celebratory sendoff to all of them,” Giuffre said. “I continue to hold these ceremonies in a special place in my heart because it's one of the happiest days for our students and their families, as well as staff!”

Every class has the opportunity to leave a legacy of their impact and the differences made to their campus.

where they will spend the next four years after high school, whether that is entering the workforce, a gap year, trade school, or the traditional universities or colleges.

classes over the years leads to a single day that signifies the end of a 12-year-long journey, and a symbol of the major milestone that has just concluded.

Graduation day is heavily planned by a group of staff members who meet regularly throughout the year to ensure that the day runs smoothly.

“The graduation committee (consisting of an assistant principal, counselor, registrars, and

“Our district creates an inclement weather plan for each high school, so we normally do not have to do much planning in regards to that other than clearly communicating it to families,” Giuffre said. “This year, for instance, students were given wristbands in case we had to move from Burger Stadium (outdoors) to the Burger Activi-

“I think that the class of 2023 is a group of strong learners and that we can really get through anything. We have been through so many weird years, but we have still adapted,” salutatorian Sienna Szczesny said. “Since going to online school was really hard to get used to, and then quickly adapting back to in-person, we have shown everyone we can overcome adversity and be stronger because of it.”

The 1,461 days that include the time an average American spend in high school shapes a student's life and determines

“There are a lot of irreplaceable experiences that I have had in high school that have changed my life and made me the person I am today. But I would say that one of the most valuable of those experiences was meeting all of my wonderful teachers. A lot of the time people come to class, they just sit there do their work, and get out as fast as they can. But really, if you sit there and you like, ask questions, you get to know your teachers,” Akhtar said. “You can get truly learn from them. My own teachers helped to guide me down my own path because they've been through it all themselves, so they can help anyone go through it as well.”

“Everyone's grad day is different but for me, I was so happy to run across the field to go and hug my best friend,” Kleinerman said.

Graduation day itself shows the end to this pretty big chapter of your life, and the beginning of another one

Shabbir Akhtar NHS Co-president

"The last piece of high school is held on the same field where countless football games took place, where the homing court crowned the king and queen. And where students say goodbye to well-known acquaintances and hug tightly the close friendships will soon become long-distance ones.

After endless hours of homework and hundreds of

“It's kind of a bittersweet feeling leaving a school you know so well but I differently learned a lot from my teachers, as well as my peers,” Szczesny said. “But if I were to go back and give my freshman self one piece of advice it would be to work hard, but don’t take everything too seriously.”

Bowie programs prepare for camps throughout summer

As the school year ends and summer begins, flyers for camps pop up everywhere. Each summer a ton of programs from Bowie hold camps and opportunities for not only the current student body in specific programs, but also for younger kids.

Most of the athletic and fine arts programs offer camps throughout the summer. For returning athletes or incoming freshmen, some of these camps are mandatory to keep players in shape or get them into shape for the upcoming season of their chosen sport.

“For football the camps in the summer are full of conditioning and lifting to prepare us for the season, and are barely skill based,” sophomore Ryan Cormier said. "They are required.”

Most athletic camps are required like football to keep their athletes in shapes. Or just to

prepare them for the upcoming school year and season.

Like Cheer and UCA camp. UCA is a required team bonding experience that also is a way to improve the functions of a cheer team and their overall performance level.

“UCA is really nice because even though its not optional we still have a lot of fun and get to get closer with the rest of the team,” sophomore Avery Fechter said Most of these programs also hold kiddie camps, some of the most popular being Bowie Cheer camp, and Silver Star Dance camp.

Most of the kiddie camps have different day options for parents to choose from, like half day versus full day. The prices of these camps vary for $125-$500, and also change based on the choice of half or full days.

“I think cheer kiddie camp is worth the price because it gives the kids a week of fun with the

older kids that they potentially look up to,” junior Aisley Bennett said. “They are also active during the entire week and it gives the kids something to look forward to.”

Not only do the summer camps make for a fun week for the campers, they Bowie students find enjoyment in working at the camps.

“My favorite part of kiddie camp is getting to know the kids throughout the week,” Bennett said. “It’s so fun to form relationships with them, get to know their personalities, and serve as a sort of mentor."

While these camps do serve as fun opportunities for the kids and families surrounding Bowie, they also benefit the programs.

“Kiddie camp helps the cheer program a lot,” Bennett said. “On the financial side, it helps fund a lot of our competitions, but it also gets our name out there to gain support for other fundraisers and games.”

PHOTO BY Alex Edwards

PHOTO ESSAY The senior class walks across the stage as they go form students to alumni and they begin another chapter. pg. 7

PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Jayden

TRACING THE LINES: Junior Aisley Bennett uses a pencil to make the final touches to the poster for the Junior 'Dawg Cheer Camp. The camp is open to kids entering kindergarten through eighth grade. PHOTO

Kate Davis

Isabella Verette Dispatch Reporter

CAPS ON: With their hands in the air, the graduating seniors gather together during the ceremony to celebrate the completion of their high school education. This year, the graduation was held at Burger Stadium.

PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Ben Tillisch

News Editor

Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940). McCollum v. Board of Education (1948). Engel v. Vitale (1962). All of these monumental court cases represent Supreme Court rulings in favor of freedom of religion and conviction in the idea that school is not a religious platform. The introduction of Texas Senate Bill 1515 however, challenged these constitutional rulings by asserting, if passed, the Ten Commandments of Christianity must be displayed conspicuously in all public school classrooms.

Even though the United States does not have a national religion, the majority of Americans, and more specifically Texans, most closely align with Christianity or Judaism. United States history teacher Wendy Uzzle discusses the effects of these demographics, as well as the potential consequences and backlash of S.B. 1515.

“We live in a society that is very Judeo-Christian and Christian centered, and a lot of the people assume that they are the only values or that they're the correct values,” Uzzle said. “We have to acknowledge that we live in a society where there are people who believe different things. By having a government entity, like a public school, only representing one of those religions, I feel like it could be very problematic and that it would be challenged in court.”

This is not the first instance in which the Texas Senate has passed a bill regarding religion’s role in school.

In the 2021 legislative session, Senate Bill 797 passed the house, enforcing the recognition of the national motto“In God we Trust” - in public schools, as well as colleges and universities. Since its passing, this bill has faced opposition, for teachers and administrators feel it creates an uncomfortable

learning environment for students of all backgrounds. “The primary requirement that has to be met before kids can learn is they have to feel comfortable,” Uzzle said.

“If the 10 commandments are the only thing that's posted, I think that can alienate some students and create a classroom or climate where it's not easy for kids to learn.”

If the bill were to be passed, Mus lim students, as well as students from other religions, would be faced with the 10 commandments in each of their classrooms. Senior Ben Locke believes this could create an environment in which students feel as if their religious beliefs and perspectives are incorrect.

“It’ll limit what people feel comfortable saying, especially people coming from religious views outside of Christianity,” Locke said. “Seeing support of Christianity, Muslim students might not feel comfortable talking about their religious points of views. When you're looking at the commandments and thinking, 'that’s the way they want me to think,' it might not allow people to feel as comfortable talking about their own religious views, even though they should.”

S.B. 1515 required that the 10 commandments must be conspic uously placed in all public class rooms. This implies that starting in kindergarten, children will be exposed to religious teachings that are very polarizing in a public space such as school.

“I think for some people, it'll really reinforce their beliefs, espe cially those that follow the 10 com mandments,” Locke said. “It gives the impression that Texas, and the United States are supporting your belief and validating that. At the same time, I think there's definitely other students that did not grow up in a religious household that

With summer finally in full swing, many teenagers are looking for an easy side hustle to keep themselves busy. These summer jobs make for a fun way to make a bit of money whether that be to spend or save. In the Southwest part of town there are many different places that teens could work at such as: ice cream shops, grocery stores, shopping centers, pizza restaurants, and pools. In addition to the businesses in that area, summer camps are also always in need of camp counselors. Parents are putting their children into summer programs as a way to keep them busy during the hot summer months, so help is needed.

Working a summer job can provide something for teens to direct their time and energy towards during the break from school. Many students find themselves enjoying their ability to keep busy during their free time, as well as make money.

“Summer jobs can be important to teens because it gives you a hobby, and it gives you the ability to do fun activities with your friends,”

sophomore Fiona Padalino said.

Additionally, students find that working a job grants them some feelings of independence, both financially and socially, as well as the opportunity to expand their work experience and skill set.

“Working in a fast-paced work environment gives you the responsibility of the work environment and allows you to learn customer service,” sophomore Peyton Shwartz said. “It also helps build your social skills and gives you work experience.”

Working a job requires that employees follow the expectations of their workplace, and offers many opportunities to grow leadership skills. Having work experience, no matter the rigor, can

could lose respect for other religions, because it's so in your face that it feels like it's hard to respect people that are trying to force it on you.”

In the First Amendment of the Constitution is the protection of an individual's right to the freedom of religion. Alejandro Garcia, a world history teacher responsible for teaching the origin and

Bowie, believes the Texas Senate is defying that constitutional right by publicly glorifying Judaism and Christianity through this bill.

“I believe not having other religions represented is exclusionary, and in a public school, which is not a religious entity, everybody should feel included,” Garcia said. “If something that's posted on the wall makes someone feel excluded, that's a problem.”

Religion has a very prominent role in world history. Garcia points out that prioritizing one religion in the classroom takes away from the students’ ability to effectively learn.

“I would not feel comfortable posting anything from any religious books in my class, because it's world history,” Garcia said. “We study it all.

They don't need to look at it every day on the wall.”

Freedom of religion is one of the core ideals of American society, and with the Texas state senate considering this bill, opponents suggest they are undermining the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

“I would see what would happen if I printed the 10 commandments in Arabic, and posted them,” Garcia said. “If that's a problem, then the issue is not religion, it's exclusionary ideas. That's not accept-

The bill is reflective of the current senate make-up and according to proponents, is protecting American and Texas values.

“I think people would react even more negatively to an Islamic law than to this because, even if people are against the bill, there are still a lot of people in Texas that follow the 10 commandments,” Locke said. “I think there's a lot fewer people in Texas that follow Islam, so I think the reaction would be really strong and really nega-

This bill dangerously flirts with the concept of freedom of religion. Per Locke, openly supporting a religion

in the presence of impressionable students is against the first amendment. “I would say it's violating because it shows government support for a certain religion,” Locke said. “I think if you're forcing teachers to put up the commandments of a certain religion, expressing in a way that that religion is the correct religion in Texas, that really violates the freedom to participate in any religion you choose.”

Added under the Eisenhower administration, ‘One nation under God’ was meant to unite American school children against communism, once again highlighting the protection of traditional American values.

“It would become something like [the pledge of allegiance] to where it's not even a noticeable thing,” Garcia said. “By people not acknowledging it and fading into the background like ‘One nation under God’, that would defeat the purpose of what they want the 10 commandments in classrooms for anyway.”

As a senior, Locke is not nearly as impressionable as children that could potentially be raised with the ten commandments being constantly displayed in class. Locke believes S.B. 1515 would have irreversible consequences in the lives of many children forced to recognize a certain religion while in school.

“I think it'll be very polarizing,” Locke said. “It'll validate some people’s beliefs, whereas for other people, they're so affronted everyday in the classroom, they’ll struggle to see different points of view as they grow up.”

increase the probability of being employed in the future.

“I think having a job helps someone become more responsible and well-rounded,” junior Lily Florance said. “Working in the service industry really helps build character and social skills,

which can help you with future jobs and an adult life in general.” Getting hired at a summer job has numerous steps, beginning with researching what places will hire teenagers. In Austin, it is common for jobs to require that their employees be at least

Uzzle

The bill recently reached the Texas House of Representatives, where it ultimately met its demise, when numerous bills, including S.B. 1515, did not receive a House vote before the deadline.

"I think it dying in the house shows how important freedom of religion is in the U.S. and Texas," Locke said. "It's passage would have been a big departure from that freedom, and this shows that most people really respect the right."

14 years of age.

“When applying for summer jobs I found it was easier to drive around my area and search for places that are hiring,” Padalino says.

Next in the process is applying for potential jobs. Some places will offer their applications on their website, but it is often easiest to ask workers for the application directly.

“It’s best to apply to places a month before summer and when the summer is ending,” sophomore Lexi Lashinger said. “This is when people are coming and leaving from school.”

After receiving an application, it is important to follow the instructions it lists. Turning in an application in-person can have many benefits, such as allowing the employer to remember the applicant's face alongside their application. Additionally, applying to multiple businesses provides more opportunities to get hired.

Following the application process, is interviews. It is common for job interviews to be conducted by the owner or lead manager. Many students report that preparation and professionalism is a key part of being hired, when it comes to the interview portion.

“The best thing to do when being interviewed is to ask questions,” Lashinger says.”It shows that you care and aren't just there to be there.”

The first day at a new job can be intimidating, but making a good impression among colleagues is a step in the right direction. Forming relationships alongside fellow employees can make the work experience more enjoyable, and limit any stress that may come with working.

“If you’re a new employee: try to make friends,” Florance said. “Having a job becomes way better when you have someone to ask questions, complain with, and laugh with. The more you engage with and befriend your coworkers, the better your work environment will be.”

Derby jammer rams past competitors

Sophomore Mabel Gatsche aims to compete along side international roller derby team

Sophia Sanchez

Feature Editor

The sound of roller skates travels through the floor, in a flash, a helmet with a big white star bashes through the groups of girls. Sophomore Mabel Gatsche is wearing the helmet, and she makes no move to slow down. Gatsche has been involved in roller derby for nearly four years. Her interest began in middle school when she started to experiment with roller-blading.

“Mabel aka Mr. G, her derby name, became interested in roller derby after watching a Texas Roller Derby bank track game in 7th grade,” Gatsche mom, Nicole Gatsche, said.

”After the game she came home and watched the movie Whip It and within a week she signed up to be a member of the Texas Junior Roller Derby. Then in 2022 she joined a second Roller Derby Team Rockin City Rebels in Round Rock.”

Mabel is now a member of two separate derby teams, Texas Junior Roller Derby and Rockin City Rebels.

“I saw an adult Derby game and I thought it looked cool,” Mabel said. “After it, I was like, I want to try that. I roller bladed it a little bit, but I wasn’t very good. It was really scary when I signed up because I thought it was just normal practice, but it ended up being a scrimmage. So, I saw a relatively good one with a bunch of kids. I don’t remember it too well, but I just remember falling a bunch and not understanding how people were able to skate.”

Roller derby is an all-woman sport with multiple positions in the ring. The high-contact games main purpose is for the jammer, who wears the white star helmet, to pass the opposing teams members and jammer. Each player they pass counts as a point and the team’s main goal is to try and block the opposing jammer.

“I’m usually a jammer,” Mabel said. “That’s what I prefer to do. My favorite part is probably the contact and the fact that you like to get to like, roll in, hit people as hard as you want.”

formed a special bond with other athletes and continues to form relationships within the roller derby community.

Roller Derby has had a positive impact in Mabel’s life. It has taught her if she works hard at something she will succeed.

Nicole Gatsche

Mabel’s Mom

Mabel’s talent in roller derby does not go by unnoticed. According to sophomore Jayden Malone, Mabel’s confidence during games is one of her most admirable features as a jammer.

“She is super strong and can get through anybody and isn’t afraid of getting hurt or getting a penalty,” Malone said. “I’m not on her team or have really been around her team, but as her friend my favorite memory of her sport is seeing all the action photos caught by the team’s photographer friend. Mabel always looks super cool while playing.”

Over the years, Mabel has

"“I think derby gave me an outlet for energy and stuff,” Mabel said. “It’s giving me a lot of opportunities. I’m going to Denver in a bid for finals and I think it’s at the end of May, possibly, or next month. And there’s a whole underground Derby world that I’m meeting and it’s just like everywhere and everyone in the derby world is connected somehow. It’s a tight community and it’s all over the world. So like everyone’s connected it’s so weird, but it’s so fun.”

Cedar Park

Middle School student Bunny

Toft, and Taylor Middle School student Myla Martinez are members of Mabel’s derby team. According to Toft their team bond is strong and this positive energy rubs off during games.

“My favorite memory of the team was last weekend when we won the game against the Sugar Skulls,” Toft said. “I got emotional and Mabel was right beside me the whole time. She is an amazing team leader figure and an even better derby player.”

The strength Mabel adds to her teams is undeniable as she brings a positive energy to the group and never slows during games.

“Mabel’s strong suit in roller derby is that she is a very well playing teammate,” Martinez said. “She is always wanting to achieve something she wants, she is a strong player and is a very great hitter and a hit taker.”

Despite the thrilling moments during and after a game, there are some aspects of derby that can wind up the players.

on her derby team during the pandemic allowed her to explore different skating styles that have influenced her skills today.

“I love skate parks,” Mabel said.

You can hear people screaming your name from across the place. I’m not the best at encouraging myself but everyone supports each other.

Mabel Gatsche Sophomore

“Sometimes, since it’s such a fast sport, not everything gets called legally,” Mabel said. “It gets really frustrating when there are illegal actions and a bunch of stop rules are being broken. That gets really frustrating.” According to Mabel, the hold

"“Over COVID I did a lot of skate park skating and it built up a lot of stamina and muscle but it didn’t have the derby skills, but it’s like a little roller coaster. It’s so fun. I can drop in and do like quarter pipes and just like rocking back and forth and doing tricks like that, it’s a lot of fun.”

According to Gatsche the hard work that Mabel has put into her derby skills, and how she continues to push herself is, what she is most proud of

“Roller Derby has had a positive impact in Mabel’s life,” Gatsche said. “The group of skaters are a great support system for kids. We recently traveled to Taos, New Mexico for her first roller derby tournament. Her team had to play a bigger, more experienced team. They lost the game with smiles on their faces and made lots of new friends.”

The roller derby community spans across the world, and provides multiple opportunities to the teams. As Mabel proceeds down this path in her life, she hopes to continue to improve her skills and climb the ladder of derby teams.

“I want to hopefully try out for Team Texas,” Mabel said. “Then if I get into Texas, I want to try out for Team Junior USA. I’m just gonna try for next year because I’ve been reaching out to this one girl over TikTok, who’s on Team USA and asked about the tryouts and stuff. Team USA, they go to France to play like Junior France and it sounds so fun.

Final goodbye to starlight theatre president Nadia Petru

Kate Davis Managing Editor

Looking out into the ecstatic crowd, feeling the heat of the stage lights, senior Nadia Petru completes her final theater performance with the Starlight Theater Company.

Petru joined the theater program as a freshman, and has spent her years in the company participating in numerous productions, as both an actress and member of the tech crew.

“It’s been a great learning experience,” Petru said. “It’s been really tough because of all the challenges that I feel like normally wouldn’t happen in a regular four-year time period. However, I learned a lot about myself and about who I want to be and how I want to work. And I also had some of the best times of my life with all my really close friends.”

For her senior year, Petru was named the Starlight Theater Company President and used the opportunity as a way to expand her theatrical knowledge into more behind the scenes work.

“I also started to explore stage management which is a lot of leadership and communication with other people,” Petru said. “I liked the idea of being able to help a lot of people, and being a central person for the program. You have to communicate with the directors, your classmates, and every different part during a show. I liked being the central person that allowed that.”

Many of the cast members supported Petru as president, and found her to be a strong leader for the program.

“Nadia handled her presidency very well,” senior Sara Caballero said. “I never saw her get frustrated or lash out at anyone. She was very friendly to all and very easy to work with. She was very good at balancing her many

responsibilities and handled everything with an amazing amount of patience and class. She liked to have fun but knew exactly when and how to get work done.”

Throughout the four years Petru

spent in the theater program, she found a tight-knit community among her fellow company members.

“We have really late rehearsals, and when we would be leaving them with everybody walking together to their

cars, everyone’s tired. Everyone’s just a little bit delirious,” Petru said. “So, always walking out of a rehearsal with everybody is always really fun. It’s something that I remember doing all four years and thinking that these are my people. Those were really good moments.”

Prior to joining the company at Bowie, Petru participated in middle school theater productions, allowing her to form connections with castmates far before reaching the high school program.

“My fondest memory with Nadia is probably when we were playing counterparts as Paulette in the production of Legally Blonde Junior in eighth grade,” senior Megan Sewell said. “It’s always great to work with her in shows, and that particular production was really fun.”

“I like the idea of going somewhere close and being with my family, and I love Austin as a city so much,” Petru said. “I’m excited to meet new people. I’m excited for a new routine. Getting put into a new school and a new living situation. It’s definitely really scary, but I am ready to get into it.” Though the transition into her university life, Petru feels conflicted about leaving Bowie and the Starlight Theater Company.

I believe I have done every show in the past four years for the Starlight Theatre Company, except the very first one my freshman year.

Nadia Petru Senior

Alongside her work with the Starlight Theater Company, Petru has participated in productions done outside of Bowie.

“I did Zilker Hillside Theater last year, which was a great experience, and I plan to do it this year for the summer as well,” Petru said. “Last year, their musical was Newsies and this year it’s Matilda, which I applied for. During the school year I did a show with Jarrett Productions, which is a production company in East Austin.”

Petru plans to continue her education at the University of Texas (UT), to receive a Bachelor of Science in a communications degree, specifically radio, television, and film programs.

"“Sometimes I’m like, I just like I got to go, It’s time to leave. I’m ready for the next step,” Petru said. “But then other times I just sit in class and I’m like looking at all my friends and like all of the underclassmen that I’ve gotten really close with and I’m thinking about what am I gonna do without them. I think I’m excited for the future, but I’m definitely scared of change.”

As she begins to enter this new stage of life, Petru is aiming to live in the moment, and avoid getting caught up in the details of her future.

“I really just want to do a lot of stuff. I know that sounds broad but I feel like I have so many options,” Petru said. “I want to do the whole college experience and get all the knowledge that I need. I want to be able to do this for like four or five years and then if I’m bored of it, I want to be able to jump from different jobs and just try everything I possibly can in my career. My ‘fancy career’ of a lifetime.”

Additional Contributions By: Savannah Linscomb

It’s awesome.”

SPEEDING BY: Sophomore Mabel Gatsche joined her first roller derby team in middle school. Since then she has become a member of two derby teams, and travels to out of state tournaments with them. PHO-

TO COURTESY OF Mabel Gatsche

MR. G: Mabel Gatsche, wearing the black helmet with white stars, pushes through the opposing team. According to Mabel, aka Mr. G, playing jammer in games is what she prefers to do because of the speed and ability to push the opposing team members. PHOTO COURTESY OF Mabel Gatsche

HANGING THE BANNER: As president of the Starlight Theatre Company, senior Nadia Petru was very involved in all aspects of theatre, from acting to helping set up for plays. Petru will be attending UT Austin this upcoming year, studying fort a Bachelor of Science in a Communications degree, and will additionally be participating in television and film programs. PHOTO COURTESY OF Nadia Petru

THLETES SSERT A

Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans full 2023 NFL Draft Recap

Cooper Ceniceros-Fike Sports Columnist

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

The 2023 NFL draft had one of the most entertaining drafts with surprises such as two running backs taken in the first 12 picks, and three quarterbacks taken in the first four picks. For the first time in the common draft history, each pick in the first round came from major college conferences.

Even before the draft, we had a big time trade with the Carolina Panthers acquiring the first pick of the draft from the Chicago Bears for two first round picks, two second round picks and star wide receiver, Dj Moore. The Panthers took Bryce Young, quarterback from Alabama as the first pick and then the Texans turned it on.

The Texans traded up with the Cardinals to acquire the third pick to take Will Anderson right after taking their franchise quarterback, CJ. Stroud.

The Texans had a solid draft, drafting nine players in positions of need. In the second and third round the Texans helped Stroud by drafting Penn State center, Juice Scruggs and the University of Houston wide receiver, Tank Dell. Both have high ceilings and could be veteran starters in this league.

I like Dell the most as a prospect, he has high red zone ability with 14 touchdowns in the Cougars last nine games.

The Dallas Cowboys had a mid level tier draft, drafting players of need for depth. Dallas has everything need on their roster to compete for the championship, they need to put it altogether to do so.

They picked up two Michigan players in the first two rounds with defensive tackle, Mazi Smith with the 26th pick and Luke Schoonmaker with the 58th pick.

Smith is 6’3 330 pound linemen with upside as a disrupter on the defensive line. In his junior season at Michigan, he recorded 49 total tackles with 23 solo tackles. I see him being a starter early in his career. Smith next to Micah Parsons is a scary duo.

Schoonmaker is a big physical tight end standing 6’6 and weighing 250 pounds. He’s a good blocker with receiving upside.

In the third round, they picked up star linebacker from the University of Texas, Demarvion Overshown. I like this pick because you can place him anywhere, he played a position-less role at Texas and I don’t see a problem in doing so now.

Overshown has high upside with being a linebacker able to rush and sit back in coverage. He also is a good tackler, in his last season with the Longhorns, he recorded 95 total tackles and 49 solo tackles.

The most heart warming pick of the draft was seeing Deuce Vaughn's dad, long-time Cowboys scout call to tell him with the 212th pick, they were selecting him.

If I were to give both teams a grade for their draft class, I would give the Houston Texans an A, and the Dallas Cowboys a B.

The Texans got their quarterback and defensive end of the future, the only thing hurting their draft is giving up their first round pick in next years draft.

I gave the Cowboys a B for their draft because of the lack of need they have on their roster. They drafted smart this year, but didn’t have enough draft capital to go after the bigger names in this years draft.

I don’t believe both Texas teams will be in the contending anytime soon, but I do like the future they are directed in. Both teams have good young talent on their team which will be around for a long time.

I think that the fans should be excited for whats in store for both teams, both teams have high upside to be contenders.

Jayden

White jumping for glory

The sophomore is ready to compete in the show American Ninja Warrior

Ben Tillisch News Editor

Despite being defined as anything that requires physical exertion in order to best an opponent, the general scope of sports is widely limited to mainstream competitions like football and basketball. As a result, many athletes are not recognized for their interest in less traditional sports.

Unbeknownst to many, sophomore Jayden White is one example of an extremely gifted athlete flying under the radar. Recently competing in the 2024 airing of American Ninja Warrior, the sophomore was first attracted to the sport due to its uniqueness in comparison to other sports.

“A big appealing part of this sport for a lot of people is that you never know what you're going to face,” White said. “In a lot of other sports you know what is going to happen at games and tournaments and things like that. At Ninja, it’s new every single competition. There's new obstacles, new courses, and it's fun to get to run a lot of different courses and be surprised with what you face.”

different. This variability tests contestants’ mental aptitude to adapt to different obstacles.

“It's actually very much a variety of emotions because in any course, anything can happen,” Jayden said.

“Sometimes I'll do better than I thought I would do and I'll be pretty happy with it. Other times I won't exactly get to the point where I wanted to or won't exactly get as fast at times I wanted to, and it's a little disappointing, but a big part of Ninja is just to make sure you keep your head up because everyone has their struggles and every competition works out differently.”

He made it this far through his own motivation and hard work, and he truly amazes me with all his drive.

After the first American Ninja Warrior gym opened in Austin in 2018, White was able to access professional equipment to help him train more efficiently. As a student-athlete though, White is not always able to take advantage of this equipment, as he is forced to balance his training regime with his school and extracurricular commitments.

“I definitely have a lot of things going on with school and theater here and then I try to find time to train,” White said. “It's really nice to still continue training because it's like my break from all the stresses of school when I'm at the gym.”

As an ever-growing sport, American Ninja Warrior has gained popularity since its creation, but it still lacks the widespread following characteristic of other sports. Because of this, White’s mother, Aleita White, praises Jayden for his personal desire to pursue his passion.

“Besides having a coach for a short time when Jayden first started, he has reached the competitive level he is at now through self-teaching and training,” Aleita said. “He made it this far through his own motivation and hard work, and he truly amazes me with all his drive.”

As previously mentioned by Jayden, American Ninja Warrior is unlike many sports in the manner that each course is

"In many sports there is a large emphasis on performing the basic skills at the highest level. Jayden points out the application of this idea in American Ninja Warrior, as well as the persistence needed to improve.

“Once I get a new skill, there’s a moment of feeling so accomplished with what skill I was working on,” Jayden said. “A big part of that Ninja though is to remember to keep working on that particular skill because you want it to become second nature. Consistency is definitely a really big part of it.”

An individual sport, American Ninja Warrior is structured for athletes to compete one at a time. This often results in waiting, and Jayden explains the nerves and emotions that set in, as a contestant readies for their run.

“I usually try not to think too much about how the other athletes are doing,” Jayden said. “Obviously in the back of my mind, I look at what I've seen people do before me, because it’s good to know what obstacles I need to get through, and I do get a little nervous. I just make sure to take deep breaths and remind myself that when I'm in my run to focus on and just go for it in the smoothest way possible.”

Originally requiring contestants to be 21 years old, American Ninja Warrior recently reduced the minimum age to 15. This rule change made Jayden eligible for regional qualifiers in Los Angeles in March of 2023.

“I think a big mistake I made in preparing for it is that I focused a lot more on physical preparation rather than mental,” Jayden said. “ I think next time I will try to be much more mentally prepared. It’s good to constantly remind myself, even though it is a TV show, it’s all about me and how I do and not to focus on everyone watching.”

Even though the sophomore did not perform the way he would’ve liked to in Los Angeles, Jayden exceeded many expectations to reach regional qualifiers in the first place.

“Jayden found a sport he is truly passionate about, keeps him physically active, and can continue far into adulthood,” Aleita said. “I’ve always encouraged and modeled physical fitness as a key aspect of good health in my kids.

I’m so grateful Jayden found this unique activity that brings him so much joy and confidence.”

Sophomore Eli Cabello, a close friend to Jayden builds on Aleita’s comments and describes the impact competing in American Ninja Warrior has had on Jayden and his peers.

“Jayden is so inspiring because he never gives up,” Cabello said. “When he gets discouraged he always bounces back, and I think Ninja has helped him

a lot with that. It has boosted his confidence in general and really made him grow as a person.”

Competing at such a young age, Jayden is grateful for the opportunity to compete against some of the best athletes in the country. The experience provided by the regional qualifiers in Los Angeles reinforced Jayden’s desire to continue his unique trade.

“It was just absolutely the coolest thing I've ever done in my journey,” Jayden said. “Stepping up to that start line knowing that I got there after so many years of training, regardless of how it went, it was an incredible experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world.”

Bowie Round Up: Softball and Baseball

Lady Dawgs' season ends in heartbreaking fashion in playoffs

The powerhouse that is Bowie girls softball season came to a close, narrowly losing to New Braunfels 14-13 on May 11. The Lady Bulldogs were led by star junior Anya German who is committed to Crieghton to play softball.

The Bulldogs had countless All-District players, 15 to be exact, of those 15, four of these girls, sophomore Kate Bookidis, freshman Josie Busceme, sophomore Valeria Feeny, and junior Anya German, made the First Team, All-District as well.

Bowie Softball has always been in the 6A bracket, and this season was no different. After a shaky start, the team finished strong and ran the table making it all the way to the third round of the playoffs.

German and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs have been playing together for a longtime and as a result have created lifelong bonds.

“It gave me lifelong friendships and lessons about how to deal with life, failure and everything which I think will help me in the long run into my adult life,” German said.

German has been excellent and because of this play will be playing for Creighton University in college. She has been a huge leader to the younger kids, helping them find their place on the team, according to other players.

“I had to take a leader role and I feel

Bowie Baseball spectacular season comes to an end

athletes.

like helping the younger girls was a big part of our success this year,” German said.

Assistant coach Karl Lauer didn’t know what to expect going into this year, as Bowie would have plenty of new starters, but Lauer's worries were ultimately not true as the girls ended up stepping up.

“We had a lot of first time starters. We were pretty freshmen and sophomore heavy,” Lauer said. “We came together and put it all together because we had a lot of growth, peaked at the right time and went three rounds in the playoffs when it looked at the beginning that you know, playoffs were not a sure thing.”

The graduating Lady Bulldogs are passing the torch onto the incoming talent. With many of these young players becoming starters, the program is anticipating to have successful seasons in the future.

Lauer has high expectations for next year after a surprising season this year filled with tons of excitement and ups and downs.

“I think we have a really good team and everyones young,” Lauer said. “We are really going make some noise next year I believe and think we have one of the best chances softball has had in years to go far in playoffs.” Story by Sam

Vane

Bowie Baseball finished a stellar season, ultimately falling to Johnson 12-3 on May 12. The season wasn’t in vain however, as multiple first year starters shined and made impacts for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs were led by a three-headed pitching monster of junior Cole Miller and seniors Lucas Bole and Jonathan Gonzales. Head coach Degalia had tons of praise for the pitching this season.

One of these pitchers, Cole Miller, was especially exceptional in his second year on varsity expressing tons of praise for his team

“I think we did really great as a team,” Miller said. “I think we played great defense. John [Gonzalez] had a great season on the mound. We hit the ball very well.”

Miller, who was one of the only sophomores on the team last year, had to step up as a leader and knew his ability to help the team went beyond the field.

“I knew coming into this year I had to be more of a leader to some of the younger guys,” Miller said. “I wanted to be the best leader that I could be for the team cause I knew that was a way I could help the team.”

Miller is not the only junior who took on the responsibility of being a leader, the team has multiple standout

“We got about six or seven other guys that can come in and help us win games,” Degalia said “Anytime you've got depth at pitching. You've got a chance to win ball games and fortunately for us we had the guys.”

The goal was always to win the district games, which Bowie fell just short of, finishing third in the district behind Westlake and Lake Travis.

“We got out of the first round of the playoffs and we made it to the second round of the playoffs,” Degalia said. “That was a goal that this team set along with trying to win the district championship. We were actually in that that all the way up till the last week of the season.”

The Bulldogs finished well overall with wins over teams like Westlake, who played for the state title earlier this month, being one of the many bright spots this season.

This marked the end of Degalia's 10th year and it even though they lost in the second round of playoffs he still sees this season as a success.

“Our season was a pretty good little season and a lot of fun,” Degalia said. “This is my 10th year as the head coach, we didn't reach our goal but we finished second in the district behind Westlake. It was a pretty successful year for us.” Story by

Sam Vane

SWINGIN' AROUND: Sophomore Jayden White swinging from one bar to another in preparation for his appearance on American Ninja Warrior. White trains most of his time at Move Sport Austin in order to reach his best before his competitions. PHOTO COURTESY Jayden White

Aleita White Jayden's mom

Stuck in the social media

Students are caught in endless algorithm loops, as outlets for personal expression drag them into questioning:

Mazzy Warren Managing Editor

Junior Imaan Dadabhoy rolls out of bed to the sound of her alarm. She glares at the bright phone screen, blinding in the dark room she lays in. She shuts down the alarm. Sitting up, she taps on the screen, opening Instagram. With the rise of social media, Dadabhoy uses them all. TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, BeReel, even Facebook. She was sucked into these apps, fueled by the desire to stay connected with everyone in her community.

“Social media has been a good thing for finding more people to talk to and connecting with people who I haven’t seen in a long time,” Dadabhoy said. “But, at the same time, I feel like it’s had a big, negative effect on my mental health. It creates new insecurities for me, and I waste so much time on it, when I could be doing better things for myself.”

THE HISTORY

Social media finds its roots in 1997, with the release of the first platform, SixDegrees. The rise in popularity became apparent in 2004, the year that MySpace became the first social media site to get a million monthly users. AP

Psychology teacher Kristina Grandinetti-Johnson remembers the first social media she ever installed: Facebook.

“I resisted it for a long time,” Grandinetti-Johnson said.

“It wasn’t until an old high school friend called me, saying I need to get on Facebook, that even considered using it.

It’s fun because you’re connecting with people that you may have forgotten about, it’s nice to see how their life is going. That connectivity is a tremendous part of it, but it took time for me to come around.”

Not all platforms have experienced success, though. Sites like Hi5, MySpace, and Friendster were all once on Facebook’s level, but have since lost popularity. Modern apps face similar scrutiny; Dadabhoy has deleted Instagram on and off, unable to stay away for too long.

“I hate having social media, but addiction is a real thing,” Dadabhoy said. “It feels pointless, and Instagram especially creates new insecurities for me. It’s unhealthy for my mind but I can’t help but re-download it.”

Less than a generation ago, social media was unthinkable; now, it plays a role in the everyday life of one-third of the world’s population.

Growth in popularity is matched by the release of new platforms. TikTok launched in September of 2016, but by mid-2018, it already had halfa-billion users. Sophomore Avery Solis believes TikTok plays a large role in what she feels is the largest mental health crisis in history

“I love TikTok, and I like

how easy it is to find happy, funny videos on it,” Solis said. “But it causes mental health problems, especially with our generation. Doomscrolling is so damaging, but I can’t help but do it, because of how addictive TikTok’s little videos are.”

STUDENT OBSESSION

Teens make up the majority of modern social media users. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, over 90% of teens ages 13-17 use social media regularly. At Bowie, Grandinetti-Johnson believes the apps distract students in the classroom.

“I can’t even imagine how many times I’ve told a student to put away their phone,” Grandinetti-Johnson said. “Every time I address the class, I need to call out to specific stu

dents to tell them to put their devices away.” Because social media is still relatively new, it’s not clear what factor plays the largest role in teen obsession. Senior Chris Abarca believes younger people use media to discover new trends. Dadabhoy believes peer-pressure plays a larger role. She wonders if teens will continue with their use as they mature.

“As we grow up, I think we’ll use social media less and less,” Dadabhoy said. “We’ll be much more busy, having a life, putting food on the table, paying the bills. We won’t have time for it. We may use some of them, but definitely not all the ones we use right now.” There’s a difference between social media use and social media addiction. Addiction is characterized by excessive media consumption, a reliance on social media to feel good, and an inability to stop obsession despite detriments to a student’s personal, physical, and social lives.

“I don’t know how many people at Bowie are actually addicted, but it’s scary either way,” Solis said. “Knowing that it’s possible that me or my friends could get chained to these apps is pretty freaky, because that would affect our lives in a lot of ways.” As a coping mechanism, social media can leave users feeling empty, jealous of, or frustrated with what they see. To fight addiction, they can replace social media with more effective coping mechanisms, like mental and physical activity. When she’s stressed, senior Maddy Marino turns to art.

“After I deleted my accounts, I had more time to spend on my hobbies,” Marino said. “When got stressed, instead of going online, I worked on my crochet projects. I’m so proud of how far I’ve come with my crochet skills, and spending time off social media helped me.”

Social media stands on pillars that capitalize on teen’s attention. Algorithms are a way to organize a person’s feed based on relevancy, so users see content related to their interests, inciting them to continue using the app. Developers design algorithms to be addictive, so users see more ads on the app, therefore making the company a profit. To control intake, Grandinetti-Johnson suggests students set screen time limits to avoid getting “sucked in” to the online world.

unrealistic depictions of daily life. Instagram has caught criticism for its effects on users’ body images, as studies indicate that Instagram hurts self-esteem for one in three teenage girls, and that 6% of teens who reported suicidal thoughts traced those feelings back to Instagram; Marino has experienced this first-hand.

“When I was on Instagram, I always compared my own life to what I was seeing,” Marino said. “It made me feel ugly, like my life was so much more boring than others. I knew that the posts weren’t realistic, but it was hard not to let it get to me.

MENTAL HEALTH

Dadabhoy wasn’t born in Texas; she moved from Seattle to Austin last year. She believes social media plays a helpful role in allowing her to stay connected with friends who still live far up north in Washington.

“Instagram and Snapchat are my main forms of communication with the friends I left behind in Washington,” Dadabhoy said. “I’m glad I’m able to stay connected with them, even though I live far away from them.”

As Solis continues to recover from quarantine, she found social media necessary to connect with others, having been locked away throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media has also been helpful for those who have limited independence, or suffer from social anxiety that limits them from making connections. “I definitely think that different outlets of social expression is positive, but it’s not healthy to use social media to avoid addressing deeper issues,” Abarca said. “Using it to ignore your social anxiety is worse than doing nothing at all.”

technology on creating connections.

“Social media will continue to grow bigger and bigger, because our reliance on it is growing,” Dadabhoy said.

“Advertisements are shifting from magazines to ads on your TikTok page. We do our shopping online, and now our knowledge of businesses are on our phones, too.”

The future of social media is limited only by the imagination of its creators; changes in society will contribute to these transformations. Humans are social creatures, and as people like Grandinetti Johnson, Dadabhoy, Solis, Abarca, and Marino continue on their social journeys, they can expect social media to evolve with them.

It’s important to see if social media is positive or negative for you. It can help you grow into a stronger, smarter, better person.

“I hope social media grows in a positive way, where we can all use it and be happy with it,” Solis said. “It’ll take a lot of work, but I think we can make the online world more accepting if we focus on making apps more positive.” Abarca believes it’s important to take a step back and analyze the role of social media in teenager’s lives. In her own life, Dadabhoy thinks social media can have a positive impact on teens’ lives, as long as it’s used to lift oneself up, developing and growing someone into a better person than they were before.

“It’s really important to figure out if social media has a positive or negative impact on your life,” Dadabhoy said. “Identifying the ways it affects you can help you restructure your life in a way that makes you happier. It can help you grow into a stronger, smarter, better person.”

Is social media healthy?

1 in 3 adults see social media as harmful

Not all aspects of social media are positive, however. Young adults who use social media are three times as likely to suffer from depression, making suicidal thoughts and behaviors more common than they may be.

“Social media worsens mental health because it creates new insecurities for us,” Dadabhoy said. “They show you influencers who flaunt a curated lifestyle, who edit their photos to the point it gives us unrealistic expectations of our bodies and our lifestyles.”

Social media is a representation of everything wonderful and good about us, and everything horrible and bad about us.

“Social media is a representation of everything wonderful and good about humans, and everything horrible and bad about humans,” Grandinetti-Johnson said. “There’s an addictive quality to it, but there’s much more to it than just addiction: when you spend more time on your screen, you’re interacting with real life people far less, which is ultimately bad for humans as a social species.”

Algorithms also capitalize on users’ self-esteem, as they incentivize excessive editing and

Social media removes the barriers between the user and audience. Grandinetti-Johnson believes this can influence people’s decision-making, causing them to act on impulse, and post things they may regret later. This also leads to a rise in cyberbullying.

“There’s so much negativity and hate online,” Grandinetti-Johnson said.

“People feel like they can say whatever they want, and pass whatever judgment they want, criticizing and commenting on stuff that’s really none of their business, just because they can get away with it. You don’t see who they are, but they can go into somebody else’s life and just spew hatred.”

Grandinetti-Johnson believes it’s not the social media that decides how someone’s mentality is affected, but their personal outlook that decides how they perceive what they see online.

“If you pay attention to the negative, you’re going to hear everything that you think is negative, disparaging, insulting, whatever it may be,” Grandinetti-Johnson said. “When you’re using social media, you’re going to hear and see more negativity. But if you have a tendency to balance that, not see as much of it, you’ll be happier online.”

Grandinetti-Johnson questions whether the blame for the online mental health crisis lies on social media, or if the root of our problems stem from personal outlook, rather than any external factors. She believes working to change sites’ algorithms can similarly change user’s happiness with time spent on screens.

“Social media adds another log to the fire, but it’s not necessarily what creates a problem,” Grandinetti-Johnson said. “It can make it worse or make it better. I don’t think it creates as many new problems as we think it does, our issues mainly lie in our own human tendencies.”

THE FUTURE

Social media has experienced rapid growth in the past few decades, and Grandinetti-Johnson doesn’t expect it to stop soon. The future of social media will be shaped by advances in technology, developments in the industry, and the growing role of

353 million monthly active Twitter users

Grandinetti Johnson wants students to look at the way they use their devices, and ensure they’re using them as a tool for their own happiness, and not using them to seek topics that endanger them or their states of mind.

150% increase in suicide among

girls

“Bad things are always going to happen,” Grandinetti-Johnson said. “That’s the nature of the game. You’re not going to live pain-free, nobody does. But are you constantly looking for beauty? Or are you constantly looking for pain?. If you’re focused on suffering, your confidence will hurt from that. You can control what you focus on, and you need to teach yourself to look for beauty.”

Seniors celebrate graduation day

“I wanted my fellow graduates to feel included and a part of a cohesive community despite having such a large class,” Szczesny said. “I hope that my speech allowed them to look back on how Bowie has shaped them into the person they are today.”

One of Szczesny’s biggest takeaways from her time at Bowie

is that things can change and mistakes are okay. She has also learned to always be true to herself.

“The main lesson that I learned while at Bowie, specifically right before graduation, was that sometimes things won’t go according to plan,” Szczesny said. “Mistakes can be made and there can be obstacles that are difficult to overcome. Don’t be afraid to step up and use your voice to speak the truth that you know you deserve.”

Following Szczesny’s words, Valedictorian Ben Locke gave a speech to his fellow classmates about the importance of their peers.

“The message I wanted my classmates to receive is that no matter what we accomplish as students or outside of school, everything is because of the people around us and the support they provide,” Locke said.

Fellow graduate Anika Ratakonda also attests to the fact that graduating was quite an achievement, regardless of where she ranked.

“It’s a milestone. I mean, it’s a celebration of 12, or four, long years of hard work and perseverance and challenging yourself and overall growth,” Ratakonda said. “I think in celebrating that you look back at the past four years of your

life and what you want for your next four years. I think it’s a good milestone to look back and forward in your life and celebrate what you’ve done so far.

Locke reminded his fellow graduates to remember the people who helped them achieve their accomplishments and the ones that supported them through their lives. Locke also wanted his peers to know how great of an accomplishment graduating is.

“It’s important to remember the people who helped you be successful,” Locke said. “I think positions like valedictorian and salutatorian are nice awards to celebrate certain accomplishments, but ultimately shouldn’t make you feel good or bad whether you achieved them or not, because the real honor is being able to graduate.”

Locke’s biggest tip for incoming seniors is to enjoy it and to not overwhelm yourself with plans for after graduation.

“The best advice for incoming seniors is to work on college applications and scholarships, but to make sure they don’t stress you out,” Locke said. “You’ll make it where you need to be and this year should be such a fun year, that you don’t want to lose that worrying about college.”

GLANCING OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE: Senior Jason Forst stands among his fellow graduates, looking out into the stands filled with family and friends watching the ceremony. The graduation took

place at Burger Stadium.

TOSSING CAPS:

The graduating class of

FROM THE HEART: Senior Ben Locke speaks to his peers as during the

Arden Ray

Photo Essay Editor

As speeches were given, medals handed out, and caps tossed, the Bowie class of 2023 brought their senior year to a close. The graduation ceremony took place at Burger Stadium on Friday, June 2. All students were honored by the AISD superintendent and principal Mark Robinson, with empowering speeches and diplomas. One of the speakers of the ceremony was senior Sienna Szczesny. Salutatorian award recipient, Szczesny gave a speech about being united as a student body. Szczesny spoke about the importance of making memories by reflecting on some of the big events that happened during the class of 2023’s time in high school. Szczesny wanted her peers to bring their high school memories into their adult lives.

Silver Stars host their annual Spring Show starring all members of the dance program

Kate Davis Managing Editor

Spotlights shining, the crowd erupting in cheers, the Silver Star dance team takes their final bow on night three of their Spring Show, bringing an end to their season.

During the second semester of every school year the Silver Stars host their annual Spring Show, which stars all members of the dance program, including the varsity and junior varsity dance teams, and the dance classes.

“We do most of our contest dances, and then we also come up with new dances so we have more for the show,” senior Shay Gist said. “The show is basically to show off what Silver Stars and the dance program can do and have been working on throughout the year.”

The show featured over 20 routines, with varying styles including contemporary, novelty, and traditional kick.

“My favorite number to watch was the tap company routine,” JV Star Dancers Assistant Director Alyssa Paramski said. “It was so much fun. Their costumes were fun, their music was fun, and tap is just one of my favorite styles ever to watch on stage.”

Alongside the various styles displayed on stage, the show contains routines from the full team, the companies within Silver Stars, and solos from the Silver Star Captain and First Lieutenant.

“I was in 14 dances this year,” Gist said. “I would say I enjoy doing team dances better than a solo because I like feeding off of everyone else’s energy, rather than just being by myself. Solos are also just generally more difficult for me.”

Putting on such an extravagant show takes months to arrange, so the dancers begin

preparing at the beginning of the second semester.

“The week of the show consists of two tech rehearsals. Those are about four hours long and we take act one and act two and divide it into two nights,” junior Peyton Nowell said. “During these we work with costumes and lighting. Then the day before opening night is a full run through of the show.

Leading up to all of that we take all of our choreography and re clean it from competition.

We also take time for the officers to teach choreography to the team for all of the new pieces.”

These tech rehearsals proved to be necessary, as the dancers were working with a new theater and stage.

“Getting the lighting right was difficult, with it being the first show in the new theater, and it being a lot bigger of a stage than we were used to working with,” Paramski said. “Ms. Bilnoski did a great job of just making sure that the lighting all looked really good and complimented the numbers, but that was definitely a challenge.”

Dancing on a stage provided other difficulties beyond the technical aspect, it directly impacted the routines.

“After the contest we have to re-block all of our dances so they fit on the stage because we’re used to doing them on a gym floor, and the stage is a lot smaller,” Gist said. ‘So we have

to re-block all of those and then we learn our new dances. So we have practice every morning, planning all of the dances and then the week of the show we practice in the theater every morning.”

Every year the show has a new theme, this year’s being Found In The Attic, which forms the thematic basis for all the routines, costumes, and music used in the show.

“I think one of the hardest challenges for preparing for the show was finding things that are going to fit with our theme best,” Nowell said. “It was kind of hard finding music to put all of the numbers to and for the costumes because it was difficult to figure out how to make something fit with our theme since it’s kind of unique.”

After long months of preparation, opening night of the show finally arrives and the dancers are finding new challenges that come with the rapid pace of the show.

“For me the most difficult part was stamina,” Gist said. “Being in almost every other dance is very difficult and it’s hard to do the entire show with high energy and performance.”

"For Gist and the other dancers who are in the majority of the routines, the short amount of time backstage in between numbers is very chaotic.

“I have one quick change, which is when I had two minutes to change costumes, which is really stressful,” junior Nikita Karivelithara said. “I think one of the other dancers had about four dances in a row. I think quick changes are something that quite a lot of the dancers had and it’s pretty stressful.”

In addition to performing, many of the dancers have their choreography featured in the show, especially the team offi-

cers.

“My favorite part of the show is choreographing the dances,” Gist said. “Officers choreograph a lot of the dances, so getting to show off our choreography is fun. It also gives us the opportunity to practice choreographing for a performance and showcase our depth as dancers.”

Since the show features many routines used during their contest season, the dancers are able to reflect on their prior competitions.

“I honestly prefer the Spring Show because you’re performing for your friends and family, which is less stressful than contest season when you’re also being judged and competing against other people,” Karivelithara said. “There’s less pressure during the Spring Show, because although you’re still performing and it’s still important, there’s no winning or losing. It’s just showing off your dances and performing for the fun of it.”

While the show is intended to display the talent of the dancers, it also highlights the directors and how they’ve developed the program.

“All of the directors through my time on Silver Stars have been so understanding and so willing and I’m so thankful for the trust they’ve shown me,” Nowell said. “Especially this year, now more than ever, because I’ve had a leadership position on the team. If it wasn’t for them giving me all the lessons I’ve learned and always doing everything they can to help me grow, I would not be the leader and the dance team member I

am today.”

For the directors of the dance program, the show acts as a reflection of all the growth and progress made throughout the season. “I just love getting to watch everybody work really hard to accomplish goals, get new skills, and put on a good show,” Paramski said. “I love getting to see how excited they are when they perform on stage and are improving. ”

Choir conducts cabaret show titled Hidden Connections

Amelia Velez Dispatch Reporter

With closed eyes and a deep breath, junior Laura Schulze readies herself for a momentous performance. The air fills with anticipation as the crowd buzzes, while fellow choir students exchange whisper words of encouragement, silently wishing each other good luck.

The Bowie Choir Program debuted its Cabaret piece titled “Hidden Connections” which premiered on May 12 and May 13. Students from all grades came together to perform a vocal and theatrical mix of entertainment. Schulze was featured in the varsity treble song Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler.

“The Cabaret is basically a big Glee show,” Schulze said. “It consisted of a ton of singing, dancing, and collaborative work with the whole choir program.”

Hidden Connections featured many different pieces from solos, duets, and ensembles. The Bowie choir program hosts a cabaret each year, but according to sophomore Bubba Infante, this year was special in the way that there were more theatrical elements than ever.

“This year’s cabaret consists of a lot more theatricality,” Infante said. “We have full choreography, props, and staging. The communi-

cation on stage with all these elements made the show great.”

According to Infante, the preparation process for the cabaret was intense, as the group wanted to ensure a quality performance that kept the audience entertained.

“While we preferred to have in-class, work-time, we ended up practicing outside of school a lot,” Infante said. “For the week leading up to the cabaret we had a lot of rehearsals for choreography and blocking so we could feel confident going into the performance and get the choreog-

raphy ingrained in our brains.”

The choir program hosts many different events throughout the year such as competing in UIL and hosting different concerts for the community. According to Schulze, the cabaret is special because of the number of individual talents that are featured.

“I take voice lessons at Bowie and it has helped me a lot because it’s taught me to be open with my voice,” Schulze said. “I used to be really shy singing solos, but I’ve grown to be a lot more comfortable singing which helped a lot in the cabaret.”

Choir teacher Aaron Bourgeois agrees that the cabaret has a lot of opportunities for individual expression. In the preparation process, students were able to prepare their own solo to bring to the table.

“The kids bring songs to auditions that they really love and enjoy,” Bourgeois said. “I think with that element, you really see their performance shine more than usual because they care a lot about making sure those songs are performed well. Letting students prepare their songs shows in their expression as well.”

Infante was one of fifteen soloists who were chosen to showcase their talent in the cabaret. Infante prepared and auditioned with a Spanish song, Besame Mucho by Christina Aguilera.

“The Bowie choir program has helped me grow tremendously as a singer,” Infante said. “I’ve been put in positions where I’ve had to really push myself. Ever since making the second chair at the state competition, I feel like I just have to one-up myself every

time I perform which helps my singing improve so much.”

The students in the cabaret were selective and most have been in choir since middle school. According to Bourgeois, the feeder middle schools leading into Bowie have strong choir programs that bring a lot of talent to the table.

“Many people think of Performing Arts electives as an easy class to be in,” Bourgeois said. “But to do really well at singing, it takes a lot of concentration and focus. The kids who are in this program, for the most part, have been really building up their skills over the last few years.”

According to Schulze, as the choir program finishes out the year, they are excited for new members and the opportunities that will arise next fall.

“If you like singing in any capacity, even if you’re afraid of singing by yourself, you should join the choir program,” Schulze said. “Choir is such a good community and no one will force you to do anything other than have fun.”

TO SEE MORE ON THE CABARET:

LOOKING INTO THE CROWD: The JV Star Dance Team performs their novelty routine at the beginning of the show. The team has been preparing for the show since the beginning of the semester, choreographing new routines and re-working old ones. PHOTO BY Alex Edwards

REACHING UP TO THE SKY: The Silver Stars perform the show’s opening number, dancing underneath golden spotlights. The show features all members of the dance program.

PHOTO BY Alex Edwards

SUNGLASSES AND SUITS: Junior Jason Bulnes (far left), junior Joab Astran (left), freshman Quint Cheshire (center), senior Liam McLemore (right), and junior Marcelo Canepa (far right) perform the song “Peg” by Steely Dan at the cabaret show. The show consists of numerous theatrical music performances from the entire choir program. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

I think the cool thing about Cabaret is that there’s a lot more individuality with it. It just has a little bit more expression.

Aaron Bourgeois Choir Director

"

I just love getting to watch everybody work really hard to accomplish goals, get new skills, and put on a good show.

Alyssa Paramski Bowie Dance Teacher

Finish with a bang because the year goes by fast. Once Spring Show is over the year is over, so end on a good note.

Shay Gist Senior

Latest Marvel movie hits the theaters

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 forms a difficult standard to beat for future Marvel movies

Claire Scott Review Editor

Bright colors of emission nebulae gleam into the universe, the desolate and hollow sound of the universe infiltrate the theater, and suddenly the faint whirring of a spaceship engine grows closer to the audience.

Ranked in the top-20 best movies of May, according to Movie Insider, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has taken movie theaters by storm, and I only anticipate this film to obtain more traction as we move forward in 2023.

Despite the fact that many movies and shows associated with the Marvel saga leave their audiences starstruck, the newest Guardians of the Galaxy film completely exceeds that expectation.

Just about every movie in the Guardians of the Galaxy series never seems to disappoint in regards to plot-line, castings, sets, and CGI.

Without fail, the third movie of the Guardians of the Galaxy has left both new and old fanatics in complete admiration of what Marvel is capable of.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released in theaters on May 5, 2023. And since then, the movie has earned $289.3 million in revenue at the box office.

Subsequent to its release, the film in its entirety has acquired numerous astounding reviews from social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And according to Collider, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to bring in hundreds of new Disney Plus subscribers, as it will be released for streaming in August of 2023.

Filled with absolutely remarkable cinematography, captivating subplots, and emotional scenes, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has completely changed the game for many Marvel movies to come.

Be prepared to go on more than just a spaceship ride, as director James Gunn takes you through yet another thrilling adventure with the fan-favorite Guardians.

To summarize the first film of the Guardians of the Galaxy series for context, we are introduced to Peter Quill, played by Chris Pratt, who is the main character out of all three of the movies in the Guardians of the Galaxy saga. He is on the run from bounty hunters, but eventually finds himself with a group of misfits that he eventually becomes acquainted with.

In the second movie, we get a lot more information about each of the misfits. The overall plot of the film is that Quill and his team are hired by aliens to protect special batteries. However, the team finds themselves in trouble, and the aliens turn against them. Towards the end of the movie, we learn about Quill and his interesting past with his father.

Volume three of the series is the perfect followup to the previous films. Not only that, but it is the perfect closing storyline, as Marvel has stated that there will be no more additions to the Guardians of the Galaxy series after the latest movie.

Although Quill is the main character, we

really get to dive deep into Rocket Racoon’s character, played by Sean Gunn. There is so much more depth and intensity that is added to the latest film because of Gunn’s character, and it is definitely the most dark and emotional storyline out of all three movies.

As heartbreaking as the third movie is, director Gunn was able to implement the other side character’s personalities accordingly to soften up the harshness of the plot.

Surprisingly, new characters are introduced into the third movie. However, just because they

are new, the characters still follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe storyline.

The audience is presented to Lylla, played by Linda Cardellini, who is Rocket Racoon’s otter friend from his past. And Master Karja, played by Nathan Fillion, is reintroduced to the Marvel storyline as a leader of the Sentries that work for Orgoscope, an intergalactic organization.

Because these personable actors and actresses have been apart in the latest film, their presence has attracted fans of the movies Scooby-Doo, Green Book, The Suicide Squad, and Uncharted.

Because of this, Marvel as a whole has secured more attention to their movies and shows in the month of May.

There is no denying that every movie has its bad qualities, and there are definitely some worth mentioning in regards to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The film has so much excessive animal-cruelty and gore. And although the animal abuse is important to the backstory of Rocket Raccoon, I think the directors could have laid back on the inappropriate scenes.

It honestly seems like the screenwriters tried too hard to evoke emotion from the audience that they went to the extent of unrestrained animal abuse scenes.

Because this film will likely make your stomach lurch in disgust, I recommend kids under the age of twelve refrain from watching it. Even as a sixteen-year-old, I still found the movie quite revolting at times.

In terms of heavy topics revolving around the plot, the latest movie incorporates a lot of that aspect into the storyline. The concepts of losing loved ones, PTSD, and so much more are quite relevant to today’s society, and are intensely mixed into the film’s plot.

Because of these negative attributes, parents and guardians of children should think twice before watching this movie. And according to Common Sense Media, parents recommend that kids over the age of 13 watch this film.

Although the unfavorable aspects of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 should be put into perspective before watching, there are still some highlights that make this movie worth the watch.

For instance, that classic Guardians of the Galaxy humor continues to shine through, even throughout the third movie. The film also has some positive messages that are conveyed. An example being the promotion of the importance of friends and family.

Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still takes the prize for being the theatrical sensation that it is. The features that make this movie amazing completely transcend over the rather unappealing qualities. As provided by Google Reviews with an overall ninety five percent of watchers enjoying the film, eighty two percent from Rotten Tomatoes, and 8.3 of 10 stars from IMDb.

These ratings are astonishing, considering how recent the drop of the latest movie was. Therefore proving that Marvel never seems to fail when it comes to impressing their audiences.

Pulling from Rotten Tomatoes reviews, a majority of the critics state how director Gunn has a talent for mixing humor and heart, which I entirely agree with. And from Google Reviews, watchers rave about how rich every character’s backstory is.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 deserves all of the praise and attraction that it has been receiving from the Marvel fans.

The love put into the plot, talent that radiated off of every character, excellent cinematography, and enticing film sets are expected to leave you in awe with the final film of the Guardians of the Galaxy saga.

Fan-favorite video game is produced into an animation

Fiona Padalino

Dispatch Reporter

On April 5, 2023, Mario Movie, a new animated film distributed by Universal Studios, hit the theaters. The Super Mario Bros. movie was an animated adventure film that was based on Nintendo’s Mario Brothers video game. In this movie, we learn about the origin story of the Italian-American Mario brothers which turns into an action packed adventure into saving the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach from Bowser’s control alongside the Koopas. This movie was ultimately a fan-made movie targeted towards the viewers who loved playing any Nintendo Mario game.

Before this movie was released, there were mixed reviews from the critics, but after the release the response has been positive, and it rates a 4.7 stars out of 5. In my opinion, I loved the Mario Movie and I thought it was funny, creative, and reminded me of my childhood when I played Mario video games.

The opening of the movie, I was giddy with excitement and there was never a predictable moment. I was wondering how they would incorporate the alternate world as the brothers in the movie were from New York. They found such a creative way to make them find their way into the alternate world but I also loved how they included the culture of Italian-

Americans with their family dinner scenes. We got to learn more about Mario and Luigi’s home life and their motives for being plumbers.

The clear contrast in personality between the brothers is really well written, even though they obviously will be there for each other every time. I thought that the storyline was clear and not confusing and you could easily follow it.

95%

SOURCE: Rotten Tomatoes

The sound effects in the show were really well thought out and targeted towards the fans. There would be moments where the music was altered in a way that would take the video game sound effects and turn those into a song. When I heard these moments happen I got really excited because it brought me back to the classic games such as Super Mario Bros, and Mario Kart. I really like how they brought in the classic catchphrases and had Chris Pratt say them before he went onto an adventure.

They included all the best parts such as a traditional Mario course, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, the Rainbow Road, and power-ups. Each scene in the movie was carefully crafted towards the market audience.

Because this is a kids movie, I would say that the message to take away is very important for them. It shows how teamwork and never

giving up can show positive results. If Mario had stopped working hard to defeat Bowser, then he would have never saved his brother and would have never saved the Toad Kingdom. Even though times can be rough, the persistence of Mario can show kids to never give up and to always keep trying.

Luigi’s character shows that even though you might be scared, to overcome that struggle you can find courage and be able to beat those battles. This shows that everyone has their struggles, but it is up to you to be able to overcome them.

Princess Peach is a great representation of female strength and shows that just because she’s a princess, she is independent and is able to beat her battles. This movie doesn’t have the classic the guy saves the girl lore, which a young girl can be empowered by when watching. Before Mario is able to go on the adventure with Princess Peach, he has to complete an original Mario course. This includes power ups that increase his size and allows him to beat the course. At first his struggles show that he really is just a human trying to succeed in a mystical world. After numerous attempts to defeat the course, he ends up defeating the course, and so Princess Peach and Mario head off on their adventure. The comedic relief of Toad wanting to come on the journey allowed the audience to feel relaxed.

If you are a super-fan of the Mario franchise, then every reference in this movie was a nod to each branch. There was a scene of Mario vs. Donkey

Kong and they actually played Donkey Kong in the Monkey Kingdom. During the battle, the crowd was singing the Donkey Kong song. Promptly after the battle, there was a Mario Kart scene where Bowser’s army was coming after Princess Peach, so they had to escape by going on Rainbow Road.

There were the classic power-ups such as the red shell, green shell, and being able to drift. The attention to detail was spot on which made the whole movie watching experience completely immersive.

After this, there was just more of the movie that was made for the plot, but what I thought and what had to be my favorite part of the film was when they combined the mystical world and the human world. They had Bowswer come through the pipe which brought everyone through. Bowser’s motivation for world domination was originally to impress Princess Peach and make her marry him. Obviously she said no, and so his next option was to get the Superstar and just conquer all of the land.

So, when they all came through the magic pipe and into the human world, the star gets thrown across the street. Then it is a battle between Mario and Bowser to get to the star. When a turn of events and character development occurs for Luigi, he gets to the star and then Mario and Luigi team up to defeat Bowser.

The music and dramatic effects when Mario and Luigi power-up are comedic and accurate to when you get the star in the real games. They then defeat Bowser and use a small power-up to shrink him and capture him in a jar. To the towns surprise, they all come out of their house to congratulate Mario and Luigi which is a change in attitude from the beginning of the movie. They started from getting no business to getting loads of calls everyday to do plumbing.

In the end I really enjoyed this movie and thought that even if you aren’t a fan of the Mario franchise, it still has a great plot, effects, and attention to detail.

Obviously, if you are a fan of the franchise the movie is way more enjoyable. The casting for the characters was perfect, even though Mario didn’t have an Italian accent, I thought it was creative to make them from Brooklyn, New York because of the lack of the accent as a lot of Italian families live in Brooklyn.

Furthermore, the casting of Jack Black for Bowser was spot-on and his performance of his song for Princess Peach should get a Grammy.

59%

SOURCE: Rotten Tomatoes

Overall, I would consider this movie to be better than most animated movies that have come out recently and I would definitely recommend that you take the time to go and see it.

ART BY Asher Hagan

Trump's indictment calls for accountability

Former United States President Donald Trump indicted for a second time on 37 counts

tling social nature of the property, it can be assumed that these documents were not at all secure, and therefore the sensitive information they hold is potentially compromised.

Accountability.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accountability can be defined as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.”

On March 30, 2023, Trump was indicted by the Manhattan grand jury on 34 counts of his alleged involvement in falsifying business records. More recently, on June 9, 2023, Trump is facing his first federal indictment, on 37 counts surrounding the retention of classified government documents, all of which include the breaking of seven federal laws.

It is the first time in United States history that a former president has been accused of federal charges, and the trials that are to come will certainly set the tone for how the US deals with presidential scandals such as Trumps. As the legislative branch proceeds through these cases, it is essential that the notion of accountability is emphasized, and thoroughly reiterated.

We, the Dispatch editorial board, believe that this indictment is legally valid and sets the much needed precedent that nobody is above the law. Nobody is above accountability.

When searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in August of 2022, 197 classified documents were found being stored in boxes at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Many of these documents detailed highly secretive information such as the nation’s nuclear programs, defense plans, and possible vulnerabilities of the United State’s military, according to reports.

These documents were found spread throughout the Mar-a-Lago estate, in ballrooms, storage rooms, and even bathrooms. Due to the bus-

Evidence has also been found that proves Trump showed some of these documents, which described classified information about the military, to unauthorized viewers. This disclosure produces a potentially dangerous threat to U.S. security and military, and that of the nation’s allies. Trump, as a former government official, had no authority, or legal right, to disclose any of this information, and is proving to be hazardous to the safety of our nation.

Trump must be held accountable for the considerable risk he has put the United States at, and his indictment does just that. By holding the former president to the same legal standards as the rest of the US, the nation’s legislative branch is setting the standard that nobody is above the law, which is a concept that must be prioritized.

Following the investigation at the Mar-a-Lago estate, the grand jury asked Trump to hand over the classified documents that he had unlawfully retained. He did not comply and there is evidence he hindered the investigation through allegedly asking that his attorney lie to the FBI and grand jury, claiming that Trump did not possess the documents he was being asked to return.

This blatant obstruction of justice is notably harmful to the security of the United States Intelligence Systems, and sets a dangerous precedent that people of power in this nation can easily avoid any sort of retribution for their unlawful actions. The indictment helps to counteract this standard, by providing accountability for Trump, and his accomplices in the retainment of these government documents.

As stated before, this is not Trump's first encounter with the law, nor his first indictment. Earlier in 2023, Trump was indicted on the state level,

CLASSIFIED

by the Manhattan grand jury for the falsification of business records. Prior to that, Trump faced four charges regarding the 2020 presidential election, and the insurrection on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2021. The knowledge of Trump’s prior engagements with criminal investigations only strengthens the validity of the most recent indictment, by proving the lack of accountability that he, and other people of power in the US, have priorly been held to. Time and time again Trump has proven to be a risk to this country and completely reckless when it comes to the law.

Furthermore, Aileen Cannon is the federal judge appointed to Trump’s most recent case regarding the classified documents. Cannon was initially appointed to the bench by Trump in 2020, and handled one of his former cases, regarding the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago residence.

It is extremely concerning that the judge handling this case has shown prior legal support for Trump, and provides a basis for potential biases towards him in court. If she has ruled in favor of him before, why should we expect different?

In 2016, during her time as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was scrutinized for using a private email server for public communications, rather than that of the state department. It was ultimately found that nothing of a classified status was sent or received through this email server, meaning Clinton was not indicted.

Following Trump’s indictment, many people, specifically members of the Republican Party, began to claim that Trump’s case was handled in an inequitable manner as compared to Clintons. This is completely untrue, as the majority of Trump’s charges came from his obstruction of justice

ART BY Kate Davis

and refusal to turn over the documents when asked.

Additionally, the documents found in the Mar-a-Lago estate were classified, unlike with Clinton, pre reports. Therefore, Clinton and Trump’s cases were entirely different, and were rightfully handled differently. The argument that Trump was unfairly treated is invalid and blatantly inaccurate.

We at the Dispatch completely support the indictment of Trump, and encourage the jury and Judge Cannon to exercise a sense of accountability.

We as a nation can no longer contribute to the dangerous precedent that is continually set, where people of power can get away with any unlawful action.

Let’s make accountability the norm. Let’s make accountability apply to all citizens of the U.S.

Let’s make accountability great again.

Standardized testing provides no benefits to students

Madeleine Travis Dispatch Reporter

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

Imagine you’re nine-years-old and for weeks, you have to sit silently in a chair, taking 60+ question tests for an average of five hours a day. This is the reality of standardized testing for many students.

Originally developed to help prepare students for college around 1916, standardized tests now haunt students from grades three to twelve. For most students in Texas, the STAAR test is the first big test introduced early in elementary education. This test stays very prominent until the introduction of SAT, TSI and AP tests students are burdened with, on top of the STAAR.

Upon entering high school students are introduced to AP testing during sophomore year. Many students will also take AP electives like computer science or music theory in addition to the core classes.AP classes aren't mandated for students to take but students are highly pressured by parents, staff and even other students to save money in college.

Tests that are mandated in high school include the SAT, TSI and the STAAR test up until senior year. These tests consist heavily of math and reading-based curriculum and are extremely strenuous and boring to take.

These tests normally take four or more hours which is hard for anyone to stay focused the whole time.

Standardized testing should be a thing of the past, there are so many other professions that people can go into these days that have nothing to do with math or reading which is making these big tests fade in relevance.

On top of the unnecessary aspect of the tests in this day in time, they cause students great stress while taking them.

The SAT and AP tests are both timed along with other materials that College Board produces. For people who already have a great deal of stress while test taking looking up to see a clock ticking away does a huge disservice to them.

In one of my first AP classes, we were trained to take one minute per question on the multiple-choice section of the test. All of the questions aren't the same and some have huge paragraphs that you have to read including the questions which means you either take extra time to read it fully or rush through all the answers to avoid losing that time.

Students’ scores on these tests may not be entirely accurate because they’re too busy trying to scan the passage and the answers, which means they won't be able to fully process the question and have a higher chance of getting it wrong. Not to mention many of the multiple-choice answers are

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extremely similar, resulting in many students picking an answer that's incorrect.

Standardized testing is overused and doesn't measure a student's knowledge, the tests are one-size-fitsall approach and this leads to inaccuracies. The student’s learning style and overall personal experiences aren't taken into account when taking the test. A student with broad knowledge of the topics and testing anxiety could fail the test just based on the fact that they aren't a good test taker.

Nevertheless, they’re given a score that will “define” their academic abilities. This is problematic because some students will base their self-worth on a letter or number grade, which causes a snowballing negative effect later on. Another issue with standardized testing is most of the parental support is still behind it. This makes it hard for change to occur when most adults say that standardized testing is a good thing. This is unfair to the students because they’re the ones actually taking the standardized tests. Meanwhile, the adults are obsessing about the numeral grades and not the real effect it has on the students and possibly even future generations.

The standardized testing system is also corrupt because the areas that are suburban and wealthy get tested more frequently as opposed to schools with lower income or rural areas. Meaning the people initiating the tests are

picking and choosing which areas they want to report from and not getting a fair view of the community.

Overall, standardized testing should be done away with because it causes loads of stress, and lowers students' creative opportunities. This

ART BY Madeleine Travis

also decreases students' self-confidence and increases the lack of motivation in students. Which in turn is hard on the school and community as a whole because students aren't motivated to do the things they’re passionate about.

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AI threats human dedication to writing

New ChatGPT application presents a serious danger to human writing in all settings

the purpose of writing anything at all.

Imagine for a moment that it’s the final stretch of the semester. You only have four projects, three tests, and two essays left to go…all over the span of two weeks, of course. As you finally finish your note card for your pre-calculus test and check the clock, it’s already 11:00 pm. The last thing you want to do is go to sleep late again because you have to finish your essay for English. So, you turn to a new viral Artificial Intelligence (AI) application, named ChatGPT, and in less than 30 seconds your essay has been submitted and you are sound asleep.

Released in November of 2022, ChatGPT is a conversational bot that was launched by the ever-evolving AI company, OpenAI. ChatGPT is programmed to respond to its users request; if you ask it to make you laugh, it will respond with a unique joke; if you ask it to simplify a complex topic such as DNA replication, it will clearly state the steps undergone during the process. Similarly, if you ask it to write a 300 word essay given a certain prompt, it will quickly produce the requested assignment.

While the rate at which ChatGPT responds can at times be convenient, it is vital to remember that there are multiple disadvantages to calling on this digital robot for every assignment.

Above all, it’s important to note that submitting any writing that was not completed as your own can flag you for plagiarism. Getting caught plagiarizing a piece of writing can result in suspension or expulsion, depending on the institute you attend.

As a student in high school, these transgressions can tarnish your reputation and damage the remainder of your educational experiences, limiting your access into universities or even eliminating potential job opportunities.

Aside from the career-altering repercussions resulting from plagiarism, having an AI site, such as ChatGPT, write your assignment for you defeats

Human beings are so unique because of our complex thought process that is incomparable to other organisms or to even the most modern computer. If you ask a robot to do the writing for you, you’re eliminating the most valuable element from your piece of writing: the fact that you were the one to write it. As our world is developing faster and faster, it is becoming more and more challenging to come by genuine and honest storytelling. As humans, we write about experiences, emotions,

and tragedies; all of which have a deeper meaning to us. As a computer, however, the only form of context given to it before completing a request is the binary digits programming its response. To a computer, writing is just, “zeroes and ones,” and will never evoke the same sentiment that human writing will. Additionally, employing ChatGPT to handle your assignments for you reduces creativity. Since creative tasks such as writing and drawing can now be completed in seconds by computers, people will start turning to AI to complete those tasks for them in efforts to try and save time. This is a concept that, in theory, should harmlessly optimize our strenuous schedules, but, realistically, will quickly get out of hand if a person uses ChatGPT repeatedly.

Not only will using ChatGPT to save time on your own work reduce long-term creativity, but it is also disrespectful to the people who chose to do the work themselves. These inconsiderate scenarios of bypassing responsibilities, cheating on assignments, or falsely claiming work as your own are applicable in school and work settings, and can negatively impact anyone.

SOURCE:

On top of reducing human creativity, excess utilization of AI bots in the future has the potential to harm adolescent development. Not only can the exposure to computer screens cause attention deficits in future generations, but

normalizing the everyday use of AI will allow young learners immediate access to answers and disrupt natural creative thought processes, including the trial and error approach necessary for many learning experiences.

Also in a classroom setting, the increased accessibility that students will have to websites such as ChatGPT can result in the banning of computers in some English classes, depending on the school you attend. Increased access to ChatGPT, and the inevitable creation of similar sites in the future, will increase the likelihood of a student using a digital robot to write their essays, giving some teachers a greater motive to require hand-written essays in their classrooms.

A hand-written essay requirement will cause negative effects for students who are given extra time to write essays, dyslexic students who have difficulty spelling and rely on auto-correct, and even just students whose handwriting is too large or illegible to fit onto their page. Potential bans would result in an inequitable learning environment for students.

Despite the numerous disadvantages listed above, I will agree that AI bots such as ChatGPT can be used beneficially, such as aiding a writer in research and in turn preventing extensive writer’s block.

When used to catalyze human creativity and knowledge, I know that AI can act as a helpful bridge between the human world and the world of technology. However, AI becomes a threat to the world of literature especially when it is used to inhibit human productions or compete against them.

As writers enter a new, more modern age of technology, it is important to note when to turn towards AI and when to shy away from it. It is also essential to remember that our product is unparalleled beside the work of a computer.

When it comes to the delectable world of brownies, there is one slice that stands above the rest—the revered corner piece. With its unique blend of textures and flavors, the corner piece offers a culinary experience that is simply unparalleled. From its crispy edges to its gooey center, it captures the essence of brownie perfection.

The corner piece of a brownie is a culinary masterpiece, showcasing an enticing combination of textures. As the batter bakes, the edges of the brownie transform into a delectable golden-brown crust, providing a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, moist interior. This harmonious interplay of crispy and fudgy textures creates a sensory delight that lingers on the taste buds, making the corner piece a true feast for the senses.

Beyond its textural allure, the corner piece of a brownie boasts an unmatched flavor profile. The extended exposure to heat during baking caramelizes the edges, creating a slightly toasty and caramel-like taste. This caramelization process intensifies the richness of the chocolate and enhances the overall depth of flavor. When combined with the irresistibly moist and fudgy center, the

corner piece becomes a symphony of chocolatey goodness that indulges the palate in the most delightful way. Each bite offers a burst of decadence, leaving a lasting impression that keeps us yearning for more.

In addition to its sensational taste and texture, the corner piece offers practical advantages that further solidify its reign as the best part of a brownie. Its distinct shape and defined edges make it easy to hold and enjoy, providing a satisfying grip as we relish in its heavenly goodness. Moreover, the corner piece tends to be slightly larger than other slices, offering a more generous portion of the coveted crispy edges and gooey center. This generous serving ensures a more indulgent and gratifying experience, leaving us completely satiated. In the realm of brownie appreciation, the corner piece reigns supreme. Its perfect balance of textures, intensified flavors, and practical advantages make it the crown jewel of brownie enjoyment. So, the next time a tray of brownies graces your presence, embrace the allure of the corner piece and savor the unmatched pleasure it brings—a truly blissful experience for any brownie enthusiast.

Which

BULLDAWGS SPEAK OUT !

Brownies. Rectangular prisms of chocolatey goodness. Some of the greatest grub we’ve got on the whole globe. One of the best things a baker can build. Though their quality is nearly undisputed, one area where controversy may arise is in the debate between which is better, the brownies on the edge of the pan, or the ones in the center?

When one makes brownies in a pan, the brownies on the perimeter of the pan usually have a subtle but noticeable difference from the ones in the middle. The border brownies usually have more crispiness to them while also retaining some softness. Meanwhile, the inside brownies are soft and gooey through and through.

Personally, I prefer the brownies on the edges of the pan. These brownies have a certain nuance to them the inner brownies just don’t capture. The outer brownies, if cooked correctly, not only have a level of softness to them, but are crispy on the outer sections. You get the best part of the inner brownies and more.

The crunchiness the outer brownies possess is satisfying to chew and tasty to eat, similar to a good cookie. Then, you’re also lucky enough to have a softer section in addi-

tion to the crispy one. Some may not like these brownies as they are chewier than the center ones but I wholeheartedly disagree and think it helps you to take your time eating it.

I do understand why some people would prefer the inside brownies and the way they can melt in your mouth, especially the elderly. Personally, however, their simplicity is in my opinion a detriment to their quality.

Not only do the edge pieces taste better, these brownies are just more functional overall. Border brownies have a solid shell holding them together, helping to make sure they don’t fall apart in your hand. The inner brownies do not have this, and as a result can be annoying to hold. Not to mention making it miserable to try and dip them in a glass of milk, which is an underrated way to eat brownies, and just isn’t as satisfying with the softer brownies.

It’s hard to mess up a brownie. No matter where in the pan you take the brownie from it’ll probably be pretty good. For a brownie that rises above just pretty good, look to the outskirts of the batch. What you’ll find are brownies perfectly balanced in every way. Truly, the peak of the pan.

I like the edge pieces more because they’re crispy but still a little gooey. There’s also more of them in the brownie pan.

Middle piece because of the balance of crunchiness and gooeyness. They’re also easier to hold.

INTERVIEWS BY Charlotte Koellner

PHOTOS BY Charlotte Koellner

I like the middle piece because sometimes the edge pieces are too crispy and then they taste bad.

ART BY Charlotte Koellner

ART BY Asher Hagan

SOURCE: contentdetector.ai

contentdetector.ai

Dispatch class of 2023 senior goodbyes

Throughout high school the Dispatch newspaper has been such an important part of our lives. These four years have brought unforeseen changes to our lives but this program has always remained a constant. When we all originally joined the class we had no idea it would become such an important part of our lives but we are so thankful it is. Behind the six issues we produce each year is a team of incredibly talented and driven people who see the importance of journalism.

There is no one person creating our paper, it is truly a team. The people that make up this staff, individually pour so much time and effort into this product and we will be forever thankful for them and all the memories we share. From Saturday morning work days to brainstorm sessions we are so proud of all of you! You have been such a joy to work with!

Part of the way our newspaper team works is we teach the next group of editors about leadership and some of the behind the scenes tasks that we as editors are responsible for. Getting to know this next group has been such an honor. They are dedicated, kind, resourceful, and truly some of the coolest people you may ever meet.

Mr. Reeves is such an important part of our program and helps drive us to meet our deadlines and produce work we are truly proud of. Thank you for your years of teaching and laughs. Your

class is what brought us all together and what taught us to love this program so much.

We are so proud of how far the Dispatch has come and all the people that have helped us along the way. To future staff keep working and trying to make the paper even better. Harness your creativity and write the stories that inspire you the most.

TO READ THE SENIOR GOODBYES: