Stephen F. Austin High School
NEWS LGBTQ Rights Under Fire with Texas Legislature
Volume 89 // Issue 2
LIFE & ARTS Holmes Honored at White House Student Film Festival
February 13, 2017
SPORTS Senior Athletes Commit to Play at Collegiate Level
Women’s March on Austin
Estimated 50,000 come together to protest Trump presidency and stand up for women’s rights.
NEWS
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WOMEN’S PROTEST Students attend largest protest ever held in Austin.
COMMENTARY
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THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE Our editorial staff argues for and against our nation’s winner-take-all system.
LIFE & ARTS
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SENIORS TRAVEL TO DC McCutchen and McCaskill participate in national education conference. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS Learn about Austin High’s evolving culture, from the 20s to now.
SPORTS
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COMMITMENTS Senior athletes commit to play at the collegiate level.
ENTERTAINMENT
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WARHOL BY THE BOOK Blanton Museum explores the career of artist Andy Warhol.
IN THIS ISSUE contents
CHECK US OUT ONLINE www.sfamaroon.org
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KAHS without Gil by Luca Cendon
ON THE COVER
Women’s March on Austin by Eleanor Estrada - p. 4 Photograph by Lily Harris
Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Currie-Buckner Managing Editor Natalie Bennett News Editor Django Fox Life & Arts Editors Olivia Heinze Tyler Scott Entertainment Editor Auston Abrego Sports Editor Victoria Diaz Commentary Editor Miranda Gershoni Online Editors Eleanor Estrada Violet Frolich Copy Editor Tessa Lehman Photo Editor Ireland Tendler Social Officers Reagan Jackson Drew Dowell
Editorial Policy
Staff Writers Margot Becker Angie Black Tatiana Brown Luca Cendon Zayna Chouman William Crosnoe Doni Daughtry Mickey Ferguson Sirena Gatica Maddie Gaynor Jayden Hamilton Lydia Heisel Elizabeth Kent Maddie Korstad Cezanne Lossing-Cann Evan Myers Luke Myslik Jake Paterson David Ramirez Cole Ratliff Willa Roberts Ana Rosero Bryan Sak Joslynn Sanchez Tiarnan Santillana Blaze Savage Sadie Spaeth Michael Tiemann-Daniel Angie Torres Brianna Tovar Olivia Tudor Colin Wade Hannah Walls Lauren Ward Hazel Westervelt Publications Adviser Jena Weber
The Maroon is published four times during the school year by the newspaper students at Stephen F. Austin High School. The publication strives to meet the highest ethical and professional standards for news and advertising. It will strive to be an inclusive publication that will be free of prejudice against race, creed, national origin, handicapping conditions or gender. Information in this publication is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Neither the newspaper staff, the adviser, Austin High School administration, nor Austin Independent School District can be held responsible for errors or omissions in content. All editorials are the sole viewpoint of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organization. Letters to the editor are welcome for topics of general interest to the readership of The Maroon. Letters must be typed or neatly written in ink and include the writer’s signature, grade and contact phone number. Editors reserve the right to determine which issue the letter goes in, making every effort to print the letter as soon as possible and the right to edit the letter for grammar, length and repetition. All persons are hereby informed that all advertised products/services or establishments are available on an equal opportunity basis.
meet the EDITORS
Natalie Bennett managing editor Hey, I’m Natalie, and you’re watching Disney Channel. This is my third year on staff, and you may recognize me as that girl that knits during class. My greatest aspiration is to own at least 10 pugs simultaneously and to travel to as many places as I can afford.
Victoria Diaz sports editor Hey, I’m Victoria, and this is my third year on staff. I’m a major Grey’s Anatomy fanatic, and I love having a cup of coffee while giving my daily morning rant.
Eleanor Estrada online editor in chief Hi, I’m Eleanor, and this is my second year on staff. Most people know me for my handwriting, and I hope to one day learn five languages and bring an end to the belief that you can’t be a cat and dog person.
staff
Stephen F. Austin High School Publications Department 1715 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703 sfamaroon@gmail.com www.sfamaroon.org
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Young and old, male and female came together in Austin to take part in what is perhaps the largest protest in U.S. history. Voices and signs were raised to show solidairty and support for a mulitiude of women’s causes.
Women March for E
news
Photo by Eleanor Estrada
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Photo by Rhyan Patterson
Photo by Miranda Gershoni
Photo by Jena Weber
EQUALITY Photo by Rhyan Patterson
Photo by Eleanor Estrada
Photo by Eleanor Estrada
ELEANOR ESTRADA
M
illions of men and women across the globe gathered to march for women’s rights on Jan. 21, just one day after Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration. In Austin, an estimated 50,000 people gathered at the Capitol and marched down Congress. Nationwide millions gathered; from DC to Los Angeles to Miami, the march marked the largest single protest in the Nation’s History. Beyond US borders, supporters from over 50 countries joined in to rally for equal representation and equal rights. Senior Desiree Reyes felt that it was important for her to go out and continue the fight for women’s rights that has been going on for centuries. “We still don’t have equal pay and I think that it’s very important not to be sectionalized into a different aspect of a business because of our gender,” Reyes said. A memorable aspect of the march for many was the hundreds of pink caps that could be seen throughout the crowd. People around the country originally began knitting the hats to send to marchers
in DC, but it quickly spread to women in cities everywhere. Biology teacher Jennifer Giannou took part in the knitting phenomenon. “I think there’s this underlying sexism that has been perpetuated in our society for a really long time, whether it’s someone looking at a woman, glancing up and down her body and checking her out, or blatant sexism like what Trump was saying in the video,” Giannou said. “I thought [knitting hats] would be a really good way to give back and help support the Women’s Movement, because not everybody knits, and I’m sure a lot of people wanted to do it.” From fighting sexism and racism to demanding human rights; men, women and children gathered to fight for what they believe in. Many at the rally made sure that it was known that they aren’t going anywhere. Junior Eleanor Estrada is the online editor in chief of the Maroon News.
news
ONLINE EDITOR IN CHIEF
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ACADEMIES New learning communites implemented for fall semester
AUSTON ABREGO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
SCIENCE & INNOVATION
Classical Studies, Science and Innovation, High Tech, and Global Studies are the four academies replacing the comprehensive program for future students. Next year, the incoming freshmen zoned for Austin High will rank which academies they want to be in Capstone Research Course and be put into a lottery system to determine which of the four academies Problem Based Learning they will be put in. Transfer students write multiple essays and follow the Inquiry-Based Learning application process in order to be considered for placement in an academy. The new academies will not affect the current senior, junior, sophomore, or freshman classes unless they decide to join a pilot class. “One of the main benefits to having academies is that students will be in a small learning Interdisciplinary Problem community, so they will get to know each other and their teachers very well as we see it happens in Based Learning focused on AGS,” AGS director Nicole Griffith said. “We believe that’s what’s best for all students; to be able to Global Issues have a family feel in a large school.” Senior Capstone Project Like AGS, each academy will have a specific focus for their curriculum. The Science and Experimental learning Innovation academy focuses on solving problems through hands-on learning and capstone research for a major service project.The High Tech academy focuses on utilizing technologies to support learning and Service learning teaches coding and digital citizenship. The final new academy is the Academy for Classical Studies. This In-country and international academy is currently being tested with members of the class of 2020 and uses Socratic seminars to lead the learning expeditions discussion into deep logical and philosophical analysis of humanity and the community. Students will investigate the “A lot of students who wanted to be in [the pilot class] were supposed to be in an athletic or fine world, recognize perspectives, art program that was only offered at that same time [as the pilot class] so they want to do it next year,” take action, communicate ideas Classical Humanities teacher Andrea Payne said. “[The students in the pilot class] really enjoy it, and they are very receptive and they participate and it has a lot more energy than the typical English classroom.” Creating and executing a new curriculum has brought Payne roadblocks that she must overcome with quick thinking and problem solving. Quick thinking and confidence like this are 1:1 device ratio what Griffith says will make transitioning into the academies a smooth process. Computer Science with “We are trying really hard to think of all the problems that might occur and one business partnership of the issues is just making sure our teachers feel comfortable and feel confident and have the time and space to come together and think about what experiences they want Blended Learning Model their students in each academy to have, so we are going to provide that time Senior Capstone Experience and space,” Griffith said. “At the end of the day, they’re teaching English or Interdisciplinary units focused on digital citizenship teaching social studies or whatever in their classroom, but they are teaching in a different way with integrated classes.” Utilizing innovative technologies to support learning Auston Abrego is a second-year staff member and entertainment editor. He keeps his shoes comfy and his stories true. Innovative Solutions to Problems through Scientific Discovery Multiple learning styles and activities Hands on and experimental learning
GLOBAL STUDIES
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
CLASSICAL STUDIES
Socratic Seminar and Dialectic Intructional Focus
news
Interdisciplinary units around central classical themes
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Curriculum of Great Works and Global Conversation Emphasis on the universal virtues of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness Students will study the art of Logic and Rhetoric and communicate eloquently
MUNSA Students win at Model UN conference VICTORIA DIAZ SPORTS EDITOR
The Austin High Model United Nations Delegation competed at the Model UN San Antonio Conference at Trinity University on January 4-6. Students represented various countries and committees at the conference. “This year we got assigned Japan and Saudi Arabia, with around 20 delegates representing those two countries,” senior Ryanna Chouman said. “We also got a few Irelands and some other countries as well.” Delegates prepare for the conference by collecting various research about their country or person of a country. “We were assigned to create a research binder on our country or person,” junior Elena Propst said. “In the research binder we wrote position papers [essays about our country], and we did research on past actions performed by the country on the topic. I researched all the fellow delegates in my room and their positions on the topic. I researched my person’s foreign policies, my allies, and different strategies and solutions that I would bring to the committee.” MUNSA is an international conference that brings schools from around the world to simulate themselves in various countries and foreign cultures. “It’s a dorky climate; [there are] kids who are interested in foreign cultures and great speakers,”
Delegates pose with their awards after the concluding ceremony.
news
The award ceremony was held at Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium.
senior Joe Williams said. “Everything is run by students so you see students who are everywhere. It is the largest student-run conference in the nation.” Miranda Gershoni, Luke Ocasio, Ryanna Chouman, Joe Williams and Elena Propst were awarded the Best Delegate award in their committee. Junior Tessa Barlyn received the Honorable Delegate award. “I was surprised that I won the Best Delegate Award because there was a lot of amazing delegates in my room,” Williams said. “I learned a lot. I improved as a delegate over the last few days, and I was really proud. It is really great for the program and [our delegation] did better than we have in any other Model UN competition. I just felt happy that I could do something that means so much to the school and to Mr. Miller and Mr. Mast.” Senior Victoria Diaz is a third-year staff member and is the sports editor.
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Up for Debate Proposed bills under fire for discrimanatory implications HB 192
HB 428
SB 89
HB 569
seek to prohibit discrimination in housing
exempt religious student organizations from schools’ nondiscrimination policies
void the enforcement of federal laws that violate the Texas Constitution
penalize mental health care providers attempting conversion therapy
HB 225
seek to prohib discrimination in ho
ALEXANDRA CURRIE-BUCKNER
commentary
EDITOR IN CHIEF
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The 2017 legislative session has sparked controversy with the consideration of two bills critics are arguing discriminate against the LGBTQ community. Up for consideration is one bill that would prohibit transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice and another bill that would allow the disclosure of all school records concerning a student’s “general physical, psychological, or emotional well-being” to their parents. Senate Bill 242, deemed the “right-to-know” bill, was filed by State Senator Konni Burton late last year. The wording of the bill attracted the attention of the LGBTQ community with critics arguing that the bill is a direct attack on LGBTQ students. “They’re treating them like another scapegoat. You’ve seen the suicides and you’ve seen the kids being abused and attacked,” GSA and No Place for Hate sponsor Kevin Gillion said. “This is just another way to make it more official.” School employees may face disciplinary action if they fail to comply. “I find it strange that a college student’s records are protected from their own parents, but a high school student can have every secret or problem they’re going through betrayed to them,” senior and GSA member Claudia Durand said. “I think it’s a decision best left up to professionals, like teachers and counselors who work with students and are able to exercise their judgment on what their parents need to know, rather than this bill which doesn’t allow for any
nuance and could potentially expose to students to dangerous situations.” The bill does not explicitly use the words “sexuality” or “gender” and Burton has denied claims that it targets LGBTQ students. “[T]he focus of our bill has nothing to do with issues of sexuality and gender, and everything to do with how parents are treated by the government entities they fund,” Burton said in a statement on her website. “I would firmly stand against any policy that treated parents as unessential in their child’s life, regardless of what group the policies were intended for.” Burton filed for the bill following the Fort Worth school district’s enactment of expansive transgender policies, under which transgender students are allowed to use the bathroom of their gender identity. Burton says that the new guidelines put parents on a “need to know” basis and disagrees with its claim that “notifying a parent or guardian carries risks for the student is some cases.” “In those guidelines, the school district treated all parents as potentially dangerous and completely marginalized their role in their child’s life,” Burton said. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has continued to push for the “bathroom bill” to be a top priority this legislative session. Patrick has championed the bill due to potential threats to safety. “Transgender people have obviously been going into the ladies’ room for a long time, and there hasn’t
“I would firmly stand against any policy that treated parents as unessential in their child’s life, regardless of what group the policies were intended for.” -Senator Konni Burton
prohibit in housing
HB 290
SB 242
SB 6
prohibit sex discrimination in compensation
entitles parents to all their child’s school records
prohibits transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice
been an issue that I know of,” Patrick said during a press conference. “But if laws are passed by cities and counties and school districts that allow men to go into a bathroom because of the way they feel, we will not be able to stop sexual predators from taking advantage of that law, like sexual predators take advantage of the internet.” The bill has been met with controversy and multiple protests at the Capitol. “I think it’s bigoted, it’s a travesty, it’s shameful, and I think it completely lacks any sense of empathy for real people,” Gillion said. “ What I think these people don’t realize is what they don’t want is people who are transgender going to the bathroom of their birth certificate, I think that’s more confusing and awkward then just letting someone go to the damn bathroom that they want to go to. Every time any person walks into a bathroom, their privacy is potentially threatened by any other person in that bathroom, regardless of the person’s original birth certificate gender.” The bill would allow schools to have a singleoccupancy bathroom and establishes fines for schools that do not comply. “I can only imagine this bill, besides coming out of a place of hate, comes out of a place of profound ignorance on the way people act,” Durand said. “Most trans people are not going to cause a fuss going to bathrooms. They simply want to go to the bathroom and often, they frankly look like what they’re supposed to go into the bathroom as they look
just fine.” The proposed bills come after a recent wave of similar legislation. North Carolina passed House Bill 2 last year which prevented transgender individuals from using the bathroom that does not correspond to their biological sex and is now in the process of appeal. “It’s this group of people who are afraid that they are losing their privilege and their power in our society,” Gillion said. “This is a group of people that for whatever reason still believe that, or maybe are just blind to the fact that we live in an increasingly diverse society where we need to make space for each other so that everyone can be their authentic selves.” For some, the implications of the bill extend beyond the LGBTQ community. Gillion points to another issue as the driving force for the conservative legislation: feminism. “If we live in a society that doesn’t value the work of women equally as the work of men or the voices of women equally as the voices of men, we’re always going to have problems with anything that relates to that and in this case, it’s gender identity,” Gillion said. “It all comes back to gender. In my view, it’s all about white male privilege and white male privilege is on its way out, whether people in this country realize it or not, and I can’t wait to help usher it out. In the meantime, we still have a lot of hard work to do.” Senior Alexandra Currie Buckner is editor in chief of the Maroon News. She is a third-year staff member.
commentary
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“I can only imagine this bill, besides coming out of a place of hate, comes out of a place of profound ignorance on the way people act.” -Senior Claudia Durand
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What does a Donald Trump presidency mean to you?
Following a very controversial and out of the ordinary election, many are left wondering what the next four years will bring. From terror to excitement, there are mixed emotions over the future of the United States of America with the 45th President. Cezanne Lossing-Cann (11) "I do not agree with a Donald Trump presidency, mostly because Donald Trump, so far has expressed ideas that would be similar to a dictator. For example, he was criticizing the New York Times, and he said before he won the election that he would cut off all the different newspapers that were disagreeing with statements from him. He was saying ideas that directly conflict with our constitution, and I think that’s pretty crazy. His entire cabinet is [made up of ] strongly Republican people who are a little bit crazy. You can’t impeach the guy cause the vice president is even worse."
Sean Sutton (10) "Honestly, America has some things to figure out, about what we’re going to do. I don’t really support him, but I hope that he makes America great again."
Aleena Alvarado (11) "A Trump presidency means an unpredictable change that could be good or bad. But a Trump presidency gives America a chance to try and come together and support our newly elected president to help America for the better. It means to me that we should not judge or give up on Trump before he has a chance to prove himself in office."
Anthony Herrera (12) "To me, I don’t think that it’s something that we need, but I will support him now because he is president, and I want to make this world a better place. So I will support him just because I want this world to be better. I didn’t really support him, but now that he is president I feel like I kind of have to support him, I have to, just because I want this world to change, and he’s the one that can probably do it the most."
commentary
Tessa Barlyn (11) “Considering the fact that I am a young, happy teenager with my life full ahead of me, this brings a very dark and weary sense to my light days. A Trump presidency means the beginning of a movement among the young people of the United States who will stand up against tyranny and their oppressors."
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Lauren Black (11) "I’m not that supportive of it, but I’m not going to protest or anything. I’m not broken up or anything over it, but I also don’t support it at all. I think that he has no experience at all, he doesn’t deserve that position, he doesn’t know what he is doing, and he says things without thinking."
STAFF EDITORIAL
Should the Electoral College be abolished?
PRO
Today, people have access to more sources for education in broadcast news, social media, and print news, to name a few. Because voting takes time and can be inconvenient, it can be assumed that people who are voting are invested in the outcome of the election and are at least somewhat educated on the stances of candidates, especially in regard to the issues about which they care. Because of the way the Electoral College system is implemented in most states (winner take all), some votes truly do not count. In states that have a pretty predictable sway, voting for the candidate from the party that rarely wins that state is like throwing away a vote. In the same way, voting for third party candidates is like throwing away a vote, because the majority winner in a state wins all of the state’s electoral votes and it is unheard of for a third party to accumulate enough support to win a majority. And the votes that do count for something does not necessarily carry the same weight between states. In small states like Montana and Wyoming that only have one representative in the House of Representatives, the majority of the electoral votes come from Senate representation. To put in perspective the effect
of this, the 2016 population of Texas, according to The Census Bureau, is approximately 27,862,596, and Texas has 38 electoral votes. If you split each vote among the people, there would be one electoral vote for every group of about 733,226 Texans. In Wyoming, the 2016 population was about 585,501, and Wyoming has three electoral votes. Split among the Wyomingites, there are approximately 195,167 people per electoral vote. With this in mind, the vote of a Wyomingite counts for about 376% of a Texan’s vote, a significant discrepancy in voter equality caused by the Electoral College system. An issue that arises as a direct effect of the Electoral College is a disproportionate focus on candidates on “swing states.” Because many states are consistent in their voting patterns, candidates do not feel the need to campaign as much in the states they know they will win or lose. The states that could go either way end up dictating the outcome of the election, giving more power to those states than the predictably red or blue states. Due to the Electoral College system, hardly any voters have the same influence on the outcome of the election.
CON
In considering its reasons for being founded, the Electoral College continues to serve its original purpose. While it can be said that people have more opportunities to educate themselves on political matters, it is not necessarily fair to assume that they take advantage of those opportunities. According to Pew Research Center, as of 2016, only 57% of adults in the U.S. get their news from TV, the most popular news source. With so few American adults taking advantage of the educational resources crucial to making an informed decision, it is important that the Electoral College be in place as a buffer between an uneducated public and a decision that carries such significant weight. By not legally requiring electors to vote for the candidate from their party, electors have the power to, if the need arose, prevent the people from electing someone who is unfit to govern. Also, the Electoral College does its job of representing small states more effectively by allowing each state two electors for their Senate presence. The electors allotted for Senate presence allow small states to have more of a voice in regard to the outcome of the election because a candidate must have 270 electoral votes to win the election. The weight
placed on the votes of citizens of smaller states compensates for the significantly larger number of electoral votes in large states. In addition, the Electoral College plays an integral role in ensuring the most widespread support of the candidate that wins by involving voters in all states. Because each state plays a role in determining the outcome of the election, the candidates running for president are forced to appeal to states all over the country in order to obtain the 270 electoral votes to win a majority. If the outcome of the election was determined by popular vote, candidates would likely focus primarily on appealing to populous areas rather than the country as a whole. The presence of the Electoral College ensures that the election will end with the candidate that appeals to the most voters as president. With a popular vote, a candidate could win the most votes and still not have the majority. By electors voting in accordance with the party that won the majority of their state’s votes, the Electoral College awards the presidency to the candidate who appeals to a majority in many states.
commentary
The Electoral College was established in 1787 to give small states better representation and to prevent the direct election of a president by what the founding fathers considered an uneducated population. In the Electoral College, each state has a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress, two electors for their representation in the Senate and an elector for each representative in the House of Representatives. Though each elector can choose how to vote, in some states electors who vote against the winner of the majority vote can be fined.
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It gets
better.
A senior’s evolving relationship with self-confidence TYLER SCOTT LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
commentary
A
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ll throughout my school career, I’ve never been one of the cool kids, as lame as that sounds. From having, quite literally, no friends in elementary school, to going through several socially-condemning phases in middle school, to frankly just being a bit of a weirdo now, I’ve dealt with bullying my whole life. Even before school when I joined a junior softball team, I was picked on mercilessly until I had to quit. I’m not one to complain about stuff like that, but I feel that maybe by sharing my experiences, others can know that they’re not alone and understand exactly what they’re going through. Starting off, I was very oblivious to what was going on. Kids wouldn’t want to sit with me or groan when they were put in a group with me or would move away when I came close. I mostly kept to myself, so this wasn’t too much of a problem, but as I got a little older and a little more sociable, it began to hurt. People would call me annoying or ugly and tell me to go away. I began to hate myself very young because I blamed myself for not having friends. I was still loud and annoying, and I knew it. I just wanted someone to give me a chance, but I pushed everyone away. Eventually, I managed to find my crowd, but it was the so-called weirdos, so I was still picked on by the more “normal” kids.
I never had anyone to hang out with. I was always left out of sleepovers and parties and groups, even among my friends. I felt so alone, so I kept to myself and turned to alternative means to occupy my time. Such began my lifelong obsession with video games and the internet. This is much more accepted today, but before, it was all I had. I finally met friends online that I had things in common with, so I devoted myself more to maintaining those relationships than trying to make real friends. I finally felt accepted, at the cost of being even further removed from my schoolmates. Thus began the vicious cycle of growing closer to my online friends and being ever more rejected by those I knew in person. This took an emotional toll on me. Not hanging out with friends at school and beyond made my “quirks” become even worse, and I became a huge attention seeker to help feel validated, I guess. Around the time I started middle school, I began to feel very depressed, and it affected my schoolwork and what little social life I had. Before I go on, I was not and still haven’t been diagnosed with depression, so I don’t think it’s fair for me to say I was “depressed”, but I don’t know what else to call it. I never told my parents, and even if I had, we didn’t have the money to go on a non-emergency trip to the doctor to see if I had
Physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school, and declines in high school.
Verbal Abuse
Physical Abuse
Verbal abuse remains constant.
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
160,000
teens skip school each day because of bullying
1
10
in
3.2
million students are bullied each year By age 14...
less than 30% of boys and 40% of girls will talk to their peers about bullying
17%
of American students report being bullied 2 to 3 times a month or more
*statistics courtesy of dosomething.org
commentary
depression. That said, I hardly ate, I stayed inside all the time, I cried so much, and I had suicidal thoughts all the time. I acted on them a few times during middle school because I felt so alone and rejected by everyone. I felt that it was all my fault and always had been. To an extent, I still feel this way. I have doubts about whether I’m actually likable or if people just put up with me, but it’s gotten better as I’ve gotten older; everyone’s become more mature and I’ve chilled out. I wish I could say I had some uplifting reason getting over it all, but I don’t. I just found my crowd and grew up. I don’t like complaining about my problems. I know others have had and continue to have it a lot worse but I hope maybe my words resonate with someone who has gone/is going through this and show that it does improve as you grow up. Especially to the younger ones: things will change, you’ll grow up, and it will get better. I wish I had known that a long time ago. This is senior Tyler Scott’s third year on staff and first year as an editor. He enjoys writing and playing video games in his free time, that is if he has any as he’s usually doing something for theatre. He loves photography, and his dream is to travel the world and tell a story with pictures he takes. Or he could just keep playing video games.
students drop out of school because of repeated bullying
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Capturing the World and Presidential Attention
Senior takes on White House Student Film Festival VICTORIA DIAZ
life & arts
SPORTS EDITOR
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T
he “Big Apple” is known for its big, bright lights and chaotic Times Square. But senior Quinn Holmes captured what most tourists do not see when visiting New York City. Since then he made a film called The World I Want to Live In, and was honored as one of the finalists at the White House Student Film Festival. “I was in New York City over the summer; I was biking around Central Park and I saw this protest going on,” Quinn said. “I checked it out, [and] they told me it was about Black|Lives|Matter.” Quinn went home and joined a #BlackLivesMatter Facebook page, and through that, he was able to join protests in areas like Manhattan and Brooklyn. Quinn took the subway, and his camera, to start filming. “There are a lot of issues in this world that I am really passionate about; I didn’t have the opportunity to make a film about them, but once I saw this protest, I found an opportunity,” Quinn said. “The first protest I joined and went to started off as peaceful, but then it got sort of out of hand, there were a lot of people who got arrested in the protest not just African Americans, but some white people got arrested.” Quinn quickly realized that his camera did not make him immune to the danger around him. “There was a time where this girl actually got ripped out of the protest right in front of me by a cop,” Quinn said. “That is when I turned around, and there were a bunch of cops behind me and I had to run into this alleyway. I was alone. I got home around 1:00 am. By then, it was raining and I thought my camera was broken. My mom was freaking out, but she was also super excited for me, because I just did something super risky, but it
was totally worth it.” The short film features Frank, a 52-year-old African American man, also known as “Blades,” who narrates his personal experience with discrimination. “It was the second to last day that I was in NYC: I was in the lower eastside projects walking around and I went up to this man who was reading his newspaper,” Quinn said. “He was sitting on a bench, so I sat down next to him and said, ‘Hey, I know this is a very personal question, this is very personal to you. I am making this film about racism, and I would love to get some of your thoughts about racism in the United States.’ From there we just walked around, we found a cool spot to film at, and it was amazing to find someone who was so open to talking about [their experience].” Frank’s willingness to speak out about his experience with racism gave the film an authentic perspective that Quinn had difficulty finding elsewhere. “That entire week, I went up to people and asked them if I could interview them, and here I was, this white kid, with a backpack and a camera, asking super personal questions about super personal issues about racism,” Quinn said. “There wasn’t this connection with people, which was difficult. Frank made it very easy for me to connect with him.” During Quinn’s time at the White House for his short film screening, he met the cast and producers of Stranger Things, as well other celebrities and filmmakers. “The people I was inspired by the most were The Duffer Brothers. They were so cool,” Quinn said. “They said a lot of things that resonated with me, and it made me feel really good about where I was in my filmmaking
career.” Quinn had the opportunity to attend the first annual South by South Lawn (SXSL), hosted by President Obama, which was inspired by Austin’s 2016 SXSW Interactive Event. “I got to go in the White House and I got a photo taken by artist Chuck Close, which was so dope,” Quinn said. “After that, I was in the South Lawn of the White House, just listening to music and getting to meet people. There were so many celebrities there - you could just walk up and talk to them.”
“The biggest thing that I have learned is to just get involved in whatever you can.” Some of the panels at SXSL highlighted key issues such as climate change. “Leonardo DiCaprio was there, but he wasn’t walking around,” Quinn said. “He came out for a panel. It was amazing. In fact, Katharine Hayhoe, who is a professor at Texas Tech, she was talking about global
warming with President Obama and Leonardo DiCaprio and that was amazing. After that, which was the final piece of the event, we watched DiCaprio’s documentary called Before the Flood.” Quinn’s short film is the second short film made by a student in the Media Arts program that has been accepted into the White House. “I am thrilled for Quinn because I know what an amazing experience it was to go,” former media-arts teacher Gil Garcia said. “More than anything, though, I am proud of Quinn for the work that he put into making this film.” Quinn advises young filmmakers to get involved and to embrace their passion for filmmaking. “The biggest thing that I have learned is to just get involved in whatever you can,” Quinn said. “You can have so much talent, but if you are not applying yourself with that talent, it doesn’t mean anything, It took me a week to shoot in NYC, and another two weeks to edit this film. But because of those three weeks of hard work, I was able to go to the White House. Little things like continuing to push yourself and get yourself involved in projects, will get you somewhere.” Senior Victoria Diaz is the sports editor for the Maroon News. She is a third-year staff member and loves to write features while watching Grey’s Anatomy.
life & arts
Quinn’s film The World I Want to Live In received national recognition at the White House Student Film Festival. Photo Courtesy of Quinn Holmes
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Educating Educators Seniors join the conversation at national SEL conference ALEXANDRA CURRIE-BUCKNER
life & arts
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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For two days in Washington, DC, superintendents, researchers, policymakers, teachers, and students from around the country convened for a nationwide discussion on the integration of social and emotional learning into academia. The event hosted by the Aspen Institute, a think tank devoted to supporting and promoting social change, marked the organization’s launch of their new commission for Social, Emotional and Academic Development (SEAD). Among those present was MAPS teacher Keeth Matheny. Matheny was invited to be part of the Council of Distinguished Educators for the recently launched commission. “They wanted people from the bird’s-eye view of the political landscape, they wanted people from the high view of a district-wide landscape, like a superintendent, and they also wanted people from the one-on-one classroom environment that are teaching and doing the work day-to-day,” Matheny said. After receiving his invitation, Matheny sought to recruit student representation. “When I was getting ready to go, I was asked what I thought would make for a really great launch of this commission,” Matheny said. “I said they should get student voice involved and they should get students to come in and lead some of the programming and the people at the commission said, ‘We don’t have any students that could lead programming,’ and I was like, ‘Well, I do.’”
Seniors Daniel McCutchen and Juwon McCaskill were selected to accompany Matheny to DC. “It’s an opportunity that not many high schoolers would have,” McCaskill said. “For someone to ask me to go to DC to represent, not only Austin High, but all students taking social emotional learning on a national scale is really amazing.” Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a movement in education designed to teach emotional intelligence to students around five key competencies: self-awareness, selfmanagement, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. “You have to meet basic needs before you can reach the high-hanging fruit on the tree,” Matheny said. “Kids have to understand how to manage their emotions and how to build healthy relationships
and how to organize for success. They have to feel safe and be in an environment where they feel comfortable before they can really get to more challenging and rigorous content or understandings. If you meet more basic needs, then they are more comfortable reaching for higher achievement.” The Aspen Institute broadened the definition of SEL to include academic development. “It’s important to acknowledge that social and emotional learning is not necessarily separate from academic development, that by learning these skills, it improves academic development,” Matheny said. “So, rather than people feeling like you’re competing for the same time, one actually enhances the other. It’s a synergistic relationship, rather than an either/or.” McCutchen and McCaskill led a fifty-minute session for the commission over effective collaboration. “They taught SEL educators and experts from across the country norms on how to effectively collaborate in that space,” Matheny said. “Not only did the teachers love hearing it from the students and were extremely engaged, but for the next two days, they used those norms and used some of the things that Daniel and Juwon taught.” McCutchen was also invited to speak on the Youth Commission panel. “Overlooking the national mall, with glass all around, JFK’s nephew, Tim Shriver, speaks, then-governor John Engler speaks, then the Professor of Education at Stanford University, Linda Darling-Hammond, speaks, and then they ask to hear from a few students,” Matheny said. “The first
“It’s an opportunity that not many high schoolers would have.”
Seniors Daniel McCutchen and Juwon McCaskill, along with MAPS teacher Keeth Matheny, attend the SEL Conference in Washington, DC. Photo Courtesy of Daniel McCutchen
way of learning because Mr. Matheny’s class is only one specific example,” McCutchen said. “All the people there had different ways of implementing SEL. It was really a discussion of not what we’re going to do, but how we’re going to do it.” The discussions that took place at the convention will launch the Aspen Institute’s recommendation process. “The big point that I wanted to communicate is just how needed this is across the country and how important it is that we bring it to scale quickly because there are so many students who desperately need this content and these skills and are not getting it and I feel that we really need to speed up the process,” Matheny said. “I worked hard to make the point that this ties into mental health, that social emotional learning is teaching basic skills that
improve overall mental health of not only the students involved, but eventually the students they become and over time, if we spend time teaching these skills, we’re going to have a lot fewer mental health crises in this country.” McCaskill sees the convention as evidence of not only the importance of SEL, but the importance of the nation’s youth in this process. “People are really eager to hear from our perspective, which I wasn’t really expecting,” McCaskill said. “It’s exciting to see that we as the youth have a voice, that people are eager to hear what we have to say, and that we can make an impact. Senior Alexandra Currie-Buckner is editor in chief of the Maroon News. She is a fourth-year staff member.
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three students all told horror stories of undiagnosed depression or bullying or unsafe things around their school and how important SEL was to address some of these issues. Then they asked Daniel to tell his experience and Daniel basically said he had some challenging experiences in middle school, but he had a transformative experience ninth grade when he was able to be part of an SEL class. It was a really powerful moment and the entire room gave him a standing ovation afterward.” In addition to describing his personal experience with SEL, McCutchen extended the discussion to encompass the overarching issues he wishes to see addressed. “The education system is pretty rigid and there’s a big emphasis on quantitative academic analysis and endless testing,” McCutchen said. “Teachers only have a certain amount of time to teach students, so they don’t really care about the students other than teaching them the material for the full length of class. It can be difficult to develop any sort of relationship with them, so you can’t really bring your emotions into the classroom, you’re just dropping them at the door and then you listen to the teacher throw information at you. A lot of students don’t have the skills to actually retain this information because they don’t know how to develop study habits or anything like that; they’re not learning how to learn.” Matheny recalls the experience of watching his former student speak to an audience of national leaders as an emotional one. “I will admit that I was tearing up and it’s kind of funny because Dr. Carstarphen was sitting two seats down from me and she was the superintendent here when we started the program and she knew all about it, so she’s beaming and smiling at me as I’m crying listening to Daniel tell his story,” Matheny said. “It was really a very powerful moment and I would easily say that the highlight of my education career so far was that moment, in front of those people, on that setting, having a student say how important the class was to him.” The convention marks the beginning of a multi-year effort to discover the best ways to incorporate SEL into every school across the nation. A list of specific recommendations will be released in late 2018. “It’s not necessarily a class yet; it may just be an advisory or some kind of another
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OLIVIA HEINZE LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
life & arts
After 135 years, seven buildings and thousands of students, Austin High has remained an epicenter of city pride, academic excellence, and a place for many people who are forever loyal to the school they love. This year, 2,000 students will walk these halls, some new, some returning. New schools will be rivaled, new tests will be taken and new relationships will be made, but, while Austin High’s future is unimaginably bright, this is a story about Austin High’s history. “When this building was built, it was built with an open classroom concept,” pre-calculus teacher Debra Windham said. “The social studies wing had no walls You walked into those double-doors and it was just open. So when I came, that was different, and the commons, which you now know as the place where there’s a couple vending machines, that was a big, concrete, open space that was almost like a garage but not for cars. And you could skateboard through these little things and people could sit, and it was completely shaded.” The physical building that houses Austin High
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has transformed. The second and the first floors now have walls. Until about seven years ago, the school was almost entirely carpeted. Just last year all the freestanding lockers were taken out, and new furniture was moved in. However, while the space has changed, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Jenkins argues that what makes Austin High special has not changed. “I think that the essence really hasn’t changed that much,” Jenkins said. “I mean the kids, obviously, their style has really changed. I would say that the pressures of life have changed, in general for students and teachers. I don’t know if it’s really Austin High or just humanity.” Windham and Spanish teacher Lawrence Sclerandi were here between 1994 and 1999 as well, not as teachers, but as students at Austin High. “I like that Austin High still has a culture of excellence,” Windham said. “People here want more for themselves. I don't walk around the halls and feel like no one cares. I like that in one classroom, I’m gonna have basically a cross section of all of Austin. I’m gonna have people from every neighborhood,
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people from every clique in the school, people from every background.” Austin High focuses on acceptance and tolerance for all students. The population of the school is diverse, which is a source of pride. But Austin High has not always been known for its openmindedness. “When I was a student here, there were some very real racial tensions,” Sclerandi said. “There was the west-side population, and there was the East side of Austin population. And they butted heads. There were actually race riots in the school on the second floor, right there in that area that overlooks the cafeteria. There were all-out brawls. It was really scary I was a freshman when that stuff happened. So now, it’s amazing. I mean, there’s still racial tension at this school, but it’s much less now; it’s more diminished.” Currently, Austin High offers a variety of clubs, programs, sports and electives, ranging in focus from anime to mountain biking. Clubs such as the GayStraight Alliance, Feminism club, and Black Lives Matter coalition, are open for any student to join. “There’s something here for everybody, that there’s no reason they should feel alone at this school,” Sclerandi said. "There are kids here with the same kind of attitude and interests as they have. There’s a group here for anybody, and they just have to look for it.” Austin High is a school rooted in tradition and pride, whether it be screaming your class year during the pep rallies or linking pinkies when the band plays the school song. “There’s school pride, but not just focused on athletics,” Jenkins said. “I mean, athletics is a big
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1950s importance, but I think that debate, and band, and just everything that is this school is a tradition in itself.” Once a year, the students, teachers and staff of Austin High gather to celebrate one of the school’s most recognizable traditions, Dedication Day. On this day, Alumni are honored, and some of the most accomplished graduating students are inducted into the Maroon Society. “If someone has never been to Dedication Day before, I would say they need to go and see what it’s about,” Windham said. “It’s about celebrating our past and our present, and no one else has a Dedication Day. That’s our day to celebrate the fact that we have this history that’s 135 years old.” When the fifth-generation Maroons stand in the student section, and when the Alumni from over fifty years ago are honored, it’s obvious that Austin High is more than just a high school. “This school, for some reason, people love this school,” Sclerandi said. “That is something that you cannot quantify or really fabricate. It’s this emotion that we, as teachers and as students are engendered to feel, and we really own it.” The memorial benches, the groomed trees, the uniforms that the Maroon sports teams wear; none of this would be possible without the support of Austin High’s parents, community members and volunteers. “Austin High is a microcosm of the city, from the arts, to politics, to the environmental interests of Austin,” Jenkins said. “You can see that all under this roof. If you just take Austin as a city and break it down to one place, that’s our school.” Junior Olivia Heinze is a second-year staff member.
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Photo Courtesy of Nick Shaughnessy
TAKING STOCK VIOLET FROHLICH ONLINE EDITOR
F
or senior Nick Shaughnessy, his worries center around thousand-dollar deals instead of the typical worries of grades and extracurriculars. Shaughnessy has been involved in business from a very early age, and his focuses have expanded into a viable career: all before the age of 18. Shaughnessy remembers his fascination with economics and merchandising starting with his family. His family owns their own business and has been involved in a variety of business, from pawn shops to jewelry stores. From this family connection, Shaughnessy got his
life & arts
“I can make money in my robe at home, and that’s way better than being in the summer heat, detailing yachts.”
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own start in his middle school years. “I had candy and stuff in my locker that I sold, and I started having my own business ideas,” Shaughnessy said. “I would mow other people’s lawns, and last summer, I had a car business. That was my first real business.” Shaughnessy owned and operated a car detailing business in the summer between junior and sophomore year. His business, which he described as successful, consisted of him and four other workers. Shaughnessy eventually sold his clientele list for a profit, but looks back fondly on the variety of patrons that his business treated, from cheaper cars to sports cars to even yachts. Shaughnessy emphasizes that while the price tag on each
job varied, the level of service and personal care did not. “I had clients all over the area. The level of details that went into the product, that’s what changed,” Shaughnessy said. “Everyone got the same treatment, minivan vs. Ferrari.” Shaughnessy eventually got out of his car detailing business in order to focus on work that was more profitable and less laborious: stock trading. “I can make money in my robe at home, and that’s way better than being in the summer heat, detailing yachts,” Shaughnessy said. So far, his work is solo; he does most of his investing work from home, but as his business expands, he plans to hire people who can learn about the tax code and write SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) reports in order to streamline his business and make it more expansive. Shaughnessy is currently in the process of getting investors, and is working on improving his track record. Shaughnessy says that one investor, who has shaken hands on a $100,000 agreement, has had his earnings expanded by 30%. “I am avidly getting investors as we speak,” Shaughnessy said. Shaughnessy emphasizes how important his clientele is to him, as well as some of his motivations for success in the market. “My investor’s best interest is all I’m concerned about. These people have worked hard for their money, and I want to make their money work hard for them now,” Shaughnessy said. His plans for the future are uncertain, but he plans to tread carefully in terms of investment and, as he says, take education on the sidelines. Senior Violet Frohlich is the online editor of the Maroon News. She is a third-year staff member.
Kent Flies on Silk
Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Kent
ANA ROSERO
Freshman Elizabeth Kent is stressed with homework and grades, what any other 14-year-old girl goes through. One of her biggest hobbies is Aerial Silks. In the future, Kent hopes to get better and improve her live performances. Aerial Silks is a type of performance in which one or more artist perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a fabric. “Silks is so much fun, I love how you put in so much effort on a simple move and in the end when you’re performing you feel like it all played off,” Kent said. Kent has always been an athletic person. She says her mom is the one that pushed her to get involved in extracurricular activities. “I’ve been doing aerial silks for a little over a year,” Kent said. “I started to do gymnastics when I was six, my mom was the one that got me excited about it.” Kent did gymnastics for six years she got into silks while she was doing gymnastics, after doing gymnastics for so long she decided that she wanted to try aerial silks instead. “While I took gymnastics, I was kind of over it so turns out that my coach was in Cirque du Soleil and did silks and she thought I should try that,” Kent said. Kent likes silks better than gymnastics because she doesn’t feel like she’s necessarily competing. “What I love about silks, in general, is just being in the air and above everything. I get to see the world from a new point of view. Doing drops and hanging upside down 30 feet in the air is exhilarating,” Kent said. Kent goes to practice twice a week on Monday and Friday for the past year and a half. “I believe that silks have helped me on more of a physical level than anything else. I’m a lot more flexible and physically aware than I was a year ago,” Kent said. Kent has advice for anyone that is thinking about doing silks. “Well I love silks,” Kent said, “but I think you have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy it. I have seen many people come in just for one or two classes then leave, usually because it’s hard or scary. It’s scary and hard for me sometimes too but I think it’s really worth it.” Sophomore Ana Rosero is a second-year staff writer. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, hanging out with friends, and trying new food.
life & arts
STAFF WRITER
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First Place Futures Seniors Commit to Play in College
In the academic world, going to college is a high achievement. These dedicated seniors, who balance education with their sport are a part of a special group of athletes who have committed to play at the collegiate level. These are their stories.
Grant Reed
AUSTON ABREGO
sports
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
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aking up early in the morning to jump into freezing cold water to swim laps every day sounds like an exhausting task for most, but for senior Grant Reed swimming 24 hours every week is part of his daily routine. Having grown up in a family of swimmers, Reed has been swimming since he was young. “I began swimming in the seventh grade,” Reed said. “Both of my older sisters swam club and were both very successful, going to top D1 and D2 swimming schools, so I decided to try it for myself.” Reed’s sisters were also coached by Reed’s high school coach, Drew Calver. Calver has known Reed since he was in elementary school, and has seen him grow from a “skinny, scrawny kid” into a strong swimmer. “By the time he got to high school, Grant was incredibly fast, but he still has greatly improved over the years,” Calver said. “It has been a pleasure getting to know him. He is such a tough trainer and competitor, but he is also a lighthearted, down-to-earth, fun kid.” Reed’s hard finally paid off, and now Reed has been recruited to swim as a Missouri Tiger next year. “It is often hard to find the time and energy to get homework done on school nights and be able to go out with my friends on weekends,” Reed said. “I am very excited to be able to swim at University of Missouri next year.”
After taking his first recruiting trip, Reed knew that Mizzou was the school for him. Out of the pool, Reed plans on majoring in accounting or marketing. “Very quickly I fell in love with their facilities, the school, and the team,” Reed said. “I had several other trips planned to Denver University and the University of Wisconsin. I took the trip to Denver and realized that there was no other school I’d rather go to than Mizzou, and I canceled my Wisconsin trip.”
“I am very excited to swim at the University of Missouri next year.” While Reed looks forward to his future at Missouri, his swim career is not over at Austin High. “The college environment is tough and highly competitive, but it is so fun to be a part of a great, closely-knit team doing it all,” Calver said. “He is going to do great things there, but before then, let’s see him win state his last year at Austin High! Go Grant!” Sophomore Auston Abrego is the entertainment editor for the Maroon News. He writes stories with comfortable shoes and keeps his stories true.
Makayla Dominguez
VICTORIA DIAZ
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SPORTS EDITOR
help my mom out with paying for softball tournaments so I could continue to play,” Dominguez said. “I committed to UT Tyler because when I visited the campus for the very first time, I instantly fell in love with it and, of course, the field.” Off the field, Dominguez plans on majoring in veterinary science. “I wanted to go to a school where I could also belong and fit in and UT Tyler is the place where I can do that,” Dominguez said. “I am planning on majoring in veterinary science in hopes of becoming a veterinarian.” Dominguez is excited about her future at UT Tyler and hopes to continue to grow as a softball player. “I am looking forward to continuing my softball career at the collegiate level and having the opportunity to continue my education as well,” Dominguez said. Senior Victoria Diaz is a third-year staff member and is the sports editor. She loves to eat tacos and listen to various genres of music.
Cat Sustaita NATALIE BENNETT MANAGING EDITOR
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hile some seniors anxiously wait to hear back from colleges, senior Cat Sustaita can rest easy knowing she will be playing softball at East Texas Baptist University in the fall. Sustaita signed with ETBU earlier this semester and plans to major in criminology. Sustaita has been playing softball since age eight and has been on the varsity softball team since her sophomore year. Though she did not always enjoy it, softball has become a significant part of her life. “I didn’t want to play when I started out; my parents wanted me to have a hobby, though,” Sustaita said. “Then I realized I liked it. It’s a good way to meet new people, take out anger, and develop skills physically and mentally.” In her time spent developing her skills, Sustaita has faced many obstacles. “I’ve overcome a lot of people telling me I
would never be good enough, having my own insecurities, wanting to quit because of school, work, playing softball, and having a social life became too much for me,” Sustaita said. Sustaita’s perseverance has paid off, as ETBU will be paying part of her tuition to attend. She looks forward to meeting new people and experiencing independence at a university that fits her. “I loved everything about the campus,” Sustaita said. “It had exactly what I want to major in, the location was ideal: a small town far away enough from home, it’s very diverse, and the softball team is really good.” Senior Natalie Bennett is a third-year staff member and the current managing editor. She spends the majority of her time knitting and waiting impatiently for season 12 of Criminal Minds to go on Netflix.
sports
triking out during a seasonal game, the crowd cheering as the runner goes out. For starting senior varsity softball player Makayla Dominguez, this is softball. Dominguez has been playing since she was young. “I have been playing for 13 years,” Dominguez said. “My mom put me in softball when I was little. I have made a lot of friends over the years and I ended up falling in love with the game as well.” Starting on varsity as a freshman, Dominguez looked to her teammates for guidance throughout her high school softball career and led to her college commitment. “The teammates that have had more experience than me helped me mentally when I made a mistake,” Dominguez said. “I took that with me and that made me become a better leader [for my team].” Dominguez has been recruited to play college softball at the University of Texas at Tyler next fall. “I have had to work during high school to
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Mr. Maroo's Delivery Dash
Mr. Maroo has only 25 minutes to deliver food from the top 10 places to eat around campus to his sophomore and junior friends! Help Mr. Maroo pick up food and get back to school before the bell rings!
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Price Range: $2-$6 Wait: 10-15 Minutes Call In
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"I get a big flour tortilla, chunks of beef, dirty rice, a little bit of cheese, and some black beans. Chipotle is hella good." -Junior Asher Evans Price Range: $6-$12 Wait: 5-15 Minutes Drive Thru "I love Cane's! I love the Caniac! I would recommend and my belly would recommend it to everbody!" -Sophomore Jakob Geissler
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Price Range: $4-$9 Wait: 5-15 Minutes Drive Thru
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Price Range: $6-$8 Wait: 5-10 Minutes Drive Thru
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Maroon News
Price Range: $4-$9 Wait: 10 Minutes Call In
Maroon News
Price Range: $6-20 Wait: 5-10 Minutes
Honorable Mention
"Torchy's Tacos flavors are drastically diffrent from everywhere else. They mix up their sauces and combine them with different flavors that no else has." -Junior Jackson Clemens
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Price Range: $6-$11 Wait: 5-10 Minutes Call In
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Price Range: $2-$7 Wait: 5-10 Minutes Call In
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Price Range: $5-14 Wait: 5-10 Minutes Call In
3. Price Range: $4-$12 Wait: 5-10 Minutes "ThunderCloud is good. The California Club is my go to every day!" -Sophomore Molly Munn
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TOP 10 RATING BY TIARNAN SANTILLANA
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BY THE BOOK
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BRYAN SAK STAFF WRITER
Photos by Haley Prescott
entertainment
Located on the University of Texas campus, the Blanton Museum of Art’s recent exhibition featuring works from Andy Warhol has given the city of Austin a chance to view the works and influences of one of America’s greatest artists. Warhol by the Book has given visitors of the museum the opportunity to understand Warhol’s roots, as well as his legacy. Featuring more than 250 objects, spanning from books and records to letters and enormous paintings, Warhol by the Book gives an interesting look into the life of the artist. One of the most interesting parts of the exhibit is the way it showcases American culture of previous decades. Large prints line an entire wall of the exhibit, featuring news bulletins describing the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November of 1963 as well as Warhol’s own works of Kennedy. These prints reflect vibrant, bright images of Kennedy campaign posters and headshots. Also on display are silk-screen prints of some of the 20th century’s most influential people, such as author Truman Capote and singer Dolly Parton. Today, most individuals likely know Warhol through his most famous pieces, like the Campbell’s Soup can and the ultra-chromatic prints of Marilyn Monroe. However, the exhibit goes into detail on some of Warhol’s lesser-known works, such as the illustrations of a number of book covers and advertisements. Warhol’s eccentricities can truly be seen in this exhibit, such as his 25 Siamese cats that all seemed to respond to the name Sam. Warhol by the Book gives the visitor an idea of Warhol’s life before and after fame, and the progression of his career through the years. In a particularly cozy section of the exhibit, visitors themselves can listen to vinyl records from decades ago, including those of The Velvet Underground, the world-renowned New York band led by Lou Reed. Warhol managed the band for a number of years and was responsible for producing perhaps their most famous album cover, an image of a banana on the cover of The Velvet Underground and Nico. Other records range from those of jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie to British pop artists such as the Beatles. Also in this section of the exhibit are pieces from Warhol’s 1985 collection Ads. Incredibly popular brands such as Apple Inc. and Chanel are put on display in a number of different colors and styles. Warhol’s continued use of pop culture in his art gives visitors the ability to have a better understanding of the time period, especially younger visitors that were not around when Warhol was producing art. Andy Warhol is commonly regarded as one of America’s most influential 20th-century artists, and his work continues to be seen on T-shirts, shopping bags and other places in everyday life. Warhol by the Book provides insight on why the artist is so highly regarded and is an interesting way to explore theculture of the past. Junior Bryan Sak is a first-year staff member. He’s into photography and playing loud rap music.
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