The Marquee Volume 35 Issue 4 by The Marquee

Local family searches for bone marrow match

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Vol. 35 Issue 4 • April 6, 2021 • Edward S. Marcus High School • 5707 Morriss Road Flower Mound, TX 75028

P. 14

ISOLATION: Year in a bubble

Athletic trainer honors son in Ironman triathlon

Guide for putting together a DIY prom

editor in chief Madi Olivier managing editor Tara Connick photo editor Maya Hernandez design editor Emily Seiler news & entertainment editor Shriya Mukkavilli graphics editor Amber Luther business manager Sophia Craig reporters Garrison Acree Hyunsung Na Muna Nnamani Vaibhav Sridhar photographer Brooke Luther designer Alex Thornfelt adviser LaJuana Hale associate adviser Corey Hale principal William Skelton The Marquee newsmagazine is a student-generated publication of Marcus High School. It is produced, edited and maintained through the efforts of the school’s advanced journalism class. The Marquee is designed to serve the school and community as a forum for open discussion and student expression. The Marquee encourages letters to the editor as part of its mission to educate, inform and provide an open forum for debate. All submissions must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit all material. Editorials reflect the opinion of the staff, not necessarily that of the administration. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author. Advertising rates are $70 per 1/8 of a page, with discounts available. Patron ads are available for $100. Online advertisements are also available. For more information call 469-7135196. The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.

cover Amber Luther

Freshman Kevin Ditto competes against a wrestler from Frisco during a match on March 13. Photo Brooke Luther

08 20 22 24

Captured memories

Photography teacher reflects on career

Raising the bar

Sophomore elite gymnast works for Olympic dream

State bound

Varsity gold hockey wins state championship

Perfect blend

Reviews of the best local smoothie bowls contents mhsmarquee.com

Changes made to SAT, AP tests story Vaibhav Sridhar

specific subjects such as math and physics, unlike the traditional SAT test, and have also been an important part of evaluating students for college. “In regards to subject tests, I was planning on taking a few, so that was also a really odd change,” Gajera said. For students like junior Melody Munoz, the removal of the subject tests has been more impactful than the essay, thanks to time spent studying that they feel has been wasted. “There’s not really a way that you can

more notice and elaboration on the changes. “We got an email in the middle of the school day, basically just saying SAT The College Board has discontinued essays were gone, and subject tests were the essay portion of the SAT and all gone,” Gajera said. “It was really abrupt SAT subject tests. Additionally, some and kind of confusing.” modifications have been made to this The school is waiting on guidance year’s digital AP exams, including full from the district to offer at home digital length tests online, the inability to move AP exams. Last year, many students back and forth through questions, and struggled with online home tests due new anti-plagiarism software. to being used to in-person classes, and The College Board has decided to Gajera fears these difficulties may be met end SAT subject tests mainly again. because of the AP program, “It just felt like we weren’t which evaluates similar skills. as prepared for the exams as “We’re reducing demands we would’ve been in a normal on students,” the College year,” Gajera said. Board wrote in a statement The test times have been released on Jan 19. “The changed significantly from expanded reach of AP and its last year. At home digital widespread availability means exams will be synchronized the subject tests are no longer across time zones to prevent necessary for students to cheating. This means students show what they know.” in countries like China, Japan As for the removal of the and India may be forced to essay portion from the SAT, take digital exams late in the the College Board decided it evening, or even in the middle was an unnecessary section of the night. that covered skills already Wagner believes this assessed by other parts of the change will give some regions exam. an advantage over others, and SAT subject tests have been discontinued due to further “Writing remains essential sympathizes with students development of the AP program. Photo Maya Hernandez. to college readiness and the worldwide. SAT will continue to measure “Study after study after writing and editing skills,” study have shown that the the College Board wrote in the same specifically study for an essay but I feel best time to take a test is morning,” like there’s a way to study for subject Wagner said. “Students are going to feel statement. While it has been optional, many tests,” Munoz said. like some have a leg up.” However, SAT subject tests have been high school students consider the SAT Munoz feels that the timing change is essay an important part of their college the subject of controversy for years, necessary, and has its own benefits. and their potential removal has been up applications. “There’s an advantage and a Its sudden removal has been a shock in the air. PSAT team teacher Coleman disadvantage, like for the kids who have to students like junior Suhani Gajera, Wagner believes the tests have become to take [the tests] at weird hours, but you who has been preparing for it since the obsolete, and their removal is necessary. also avoid the cheating,” Munoz said. “If you have AP tests and AP classes seventh grade. Wagner believes that while the “I was looking towards having a already available to students, and AP is changes may be daunting, they are really good essay score, just because I’d able to cover a wider range of subjects, something students must become been preparing for it for so long, so it’s I think it is a bit redundant to have SAT accustomed to. definitely a disadvantage not having that subject tests,” Wagner said. “I understand “Change always feels uncomfortable, anymore,” Gajera said. “I’ll have to work the change and I think, overall, it will be but the reality is… you’re going to take on my standardized test scores, so I think beneficial to students.” 10 more, 15 more tests in your life, and Students received the news of both all they’re all going to be different,” my application’s going to look really these changes last month. Gajera feels Wagner said. “They’re all going to be different.” The SAT subject tests focused on the College Board should have offered administered in different ways.”

news April 6, 2021

design Alex Thornfelt

#AudreyStrong

Community holds bone marrow drive for family story Muna Nnamani When Briarhill Middle School student Audrey Gronberg went for a routine doctor’s appointment on Dec. 8, 2020, her mother, Kim, wasn’t expecting a call back from the endocrinologist. “The doctor called and said, ‘Oh, there must be a mistake,’” Kim said. “‘We need you to come back in and repeat the blood work because it’s showing that all of her numbers are low.’” But after a few more tests, they knew it was no mistake. On Dec. 12, 13-year-old Audrey was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia — a rare condition where the body stops producing enough blood cells. If left untreated, 70 percent of patients die within the first year. “I think you just go into the mode of, ‘What do we need to do to take care of this?’” Kim said. “And of course, you go into the mode of just praying to God just to heal your child.” Audrey’s sister, sophomore Morgan Gronberg, said that acceptance was initially difficult for the family. Life had been so ordinary before, with winter ski trips and family game nights. “We’re just a normal family and we never thought anything like this would ever happen to us, and to Audrey,” Morgan said. ••• The most effective treatment would have been a bone marrow transplant, but neither of Audrey’s siblings were compatible marrow matches. Audrey started daily medications while the family looked for a donor. Her immune system was weak, so once the family got home, they pulled up all their rugs to clean the floors and wiped down all their surfaces. They had to be careful to not expose her to any germs. “We got lucky that she had not ever gotten sick, but a lot of kids that have this aplastic anemia, they’ll spike a

design Alex Thornfelt

Briarhill Middle School student Audrey Gronberg and her mother, Kim, welcomed donors during the bone marrow drive on Jan. 9. Over 300 people drove through to register as donors. Photo Maya Hernandez

fever,” Kim said. “And if you ever get a fever, you have to pretty much rush to the hospital so they can get you on IV antibiotics right away.” Audrey also had to stay away from people who could be sick, so the Gronbergs stopped seeing their extended family. Kim and her husband Erik began working from home. Because Morgan also couldn’t risk going out, she had a choice to make: either stay with her family and switch to virtual school for the next semester, or stay in school, where she knew she would learn better. “[My mom] ended up having to be like, ‘What is going to be good for you in this situation is for you to go do normal life, be at school with your friends, and go live with your grandma,’” Morgan said.

Audrey also had to learn virtually for the next semester. As a kid who used to spend plenty of time with her close friends at school, barely seeing anyone outside her immediate family was a hard transition. “You just want to be a normal kid and go to school and hang out with your friends, and so it’s hard not knowing how long this journey’s going to be,” Kim said. ••• On Jan. 1, Audrey was checked into the hospital for treatment. Only one parent was allowed to be with Audrey because of COVID, so Kim and Erik took turns. When Kim was with Audrey, they walked in circles around the hospital, played games and watched movies, but sometimes Audrey had to rest.

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“A lot of times, she didn’t feel like doing a whole lot of anything,” Kim said. Audrey’s blood pressure spiked, and she had a severe headache that made it hard to sleep. Kim watched as her daughter, who used to dance competitively, got winded from small amounts of exercise. Kim said that Audrey was always mature and continued to be after the diagnosis. She was in the room when the doctor first said the words “aplastic anemia” and completely understood what was happening. But it was obvious that she was in pain. “There’s nothing worse than seeing

You just want to be a normal kid and go to school and hang out with your friends, and so it’s hard not knowing how long this journey’s going to be.

- Kim Gronberg your child hurting,” Kim said. “And you just wish so badly that you could take it away from them.” ••• Kim texted her close friend and neighbor Tamara Lisby about Audrey’s condition soon after she was diagnosed. Tamara was devastated. She and Kim had become friends when their kids started kindergarten together, and Tamara’s son’s first play date had been with Audrey. Since then, the families celebrated life milestones and birthday parties together.

To join the marrow registry: feature April 6, 2021

“Audrey is such a sweet, caring and giving young lady who would absolutely without hesitation give the shirt off her back for anybody,” Tamara said. Tamara wanted to help, so she and some other friends immediately started organizing a bone marrow drive to Hannah Hawkins, a friend of Audrey Gronberg, makes posters take place on Jan. before the bone marrow drive on Jan. 9. 9. Photo submitted by Tamara Lisby “Once we got that, we at least had a mission,” Tamara willing to help and held three more said. “We at least had a way to try to feel drives. The community also gave Audrey like we were doing something productive valentines, organized a parade to drive past their house, and made shirts that for the family.” Word about the drive spread quickly say “#Audreystrong” on the back. “I know the impact that [the through the Gronbergs’ church, news stories and social platforms. People even Gronbergs’] support has given them called the Gronbergs’ friends and asked has been more powerful than they ever dreamed of,” Tamara said. “And I think to volunteer. A group of Audrey’s close friends, it’s probably what’s helping them day to including Tamara’s son, Fox, jumped at day.” ••• the chance to help. They made posters Morgan moved back in with her for the drive and held them on the side of the road, asking people who drove past family in early February after Audrey started responding well to therapy. to consider donating. “I have to have my mask on, of course, “Once we got the news, [we] were heartbroken,” Fox said. “And we decided and keep distance, but it’s going uphill,” to talk about it and we kind of made Morgan said. If Audrey continues to improve, she plans, and decided that we needed to do might not need a transplant, but the something and help our friend out.” Over 300 people showed up on the Gronbergs are still looking for a donor. day of the drive to donate, while almost All Kim can do now is wait for a donor and remain hopeful about the future. 70 people registered online. “It’s definitely a hard place,” Kim said. “It was overwhelmingly emotional,” “But we also just depended on our faith, Tamara said. Audrey didn’t get a match, but the to know that we have to give this over group wasn’t discouraged — they were to God, and trust that this is going to be excited about the amount of people OK.”

• Go to http://join.bethematch. org/audrey and follow the instructions on the page. • Text AUDREY to 61474 • Scan design Alex Thornfelt

District hires new Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion story Madi Olivier The district created a new leadership position, the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, earlier this year. Matthew Morris was hired to fill this role. He started in January. “I get to create, and imagine and bring things together, so it is so amazing,” Morris said. “This is what I was made for.” Morris believes his new job serves as a physical reminder of LISD’s core values, which encourage inclusive spaces and opportunities for growth. “I think this position is saying, ‘This is an accountability measure,’” Morris said. “‘This person is a visual representation of our commitment to creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.’” In his first few months on the job, Morris has been focusing on researching the current state of diversity in LISD by meeting with trustees, students, staff and community members. This will allow him to determine the best steps to take in the future.

“This is our opportunity to guide those who are coming up and to let them know how to navigate the system and realize that the system can be adjusted,” Morris said. Morris said that he didn’t know what to expect when he first started this new position, but he was pleasantly surprised to see how diverse LISD already is. A few years ago, the district implemented a cultural proficiency framework, which consists of training teachers and staff. “When you go to most districts who are just beginning and creating an officer for diversity, you think, ‘Okay, you’re starting from ground zero,’” Morris said. “That’s not the case… From an outsider coming in, you guys are doing a whole lot more than people across the nation.” Currently, Morris’ plan mainly includes encouraging student leadership, whether it’s centered around discussing complex issues like racism or simply starting a book club at school. He believes this will help all students feel welcomed. “It brings joy to my heart, to my soul, because there’s so many times, so many people, who come into our school buildings every single day, who don’t feel that they are seen or don’t feel like they’re a part of the experience.” Morris said most people have been receptive to his position so far, but he is most eager to have conversations with those who do not support it. “On the district end, we have all of this, ‘How do we build a larger table to have more people come and join the table?’” Morris said. “We don’t need to build incentives, but how do we get people to come together? Because they’re here. We’re all here. So how do we hear and amplify those voices?” Before he moved to LISD, Morris worked in administration in Richardson ISD. He wasn’t looking for a new job at the time, so Morris said it almost seemed too good to be true when he stumbled on LISD’s online post about needing a Director of Equity, Diversity and LISD hired Matthew Morris as the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion after creating the position earlier this year. His shirt is made with traditional Kente cloth, which he wears in celebration of his culture. Photo Brooke Luther

design Tara Connick

Inclusion in October. While he said it was difficult to leave his old job behind, Morris couldn’t shake the feeling that LISD found him instead of the other way around. “There’s a greater work that needs to be done,” Morris said. “This is not an opportunity, this is a call, and I need to pick up the phone.”

This is not an opportunity, this is a call, and I need to pick up the phone. - Matthew Morris, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion However, Morris’ experience in the field began well beyond his first teaching job. Growing up as a Black, middle class student on free and reduced lunches, Morris felt like his school didn’t have anyone who empowered him or saw him as a real person other than his accomplishments. Morris dedicated his life to becoming that person for other kids. As a first generation college student, he received degrees from Huston–Tillotson University, which is an HBCU, and Columbia University. “When studying education policy, I realized that I needed to go into the classroom, and see where the greatest need was and then build upon there,” Morris said. Now that Morris is the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, he hopes to work himself out of the job. Because when he is not needed anymore, that means he created an environment where all students feel represented. “No matter if it is a person of native background, Hispanic heritage, African American, someone who’s from an affluent community, someone who was in section eight housing, to when they define LISD... they see themself,” Morris said.

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Senior Austin Lilly shapes his project using a pottery wheel. Photo Maya Hernandez

SCULPTING THEIR CRAFT

Senior Austin Lilly creates a pot for his project. Photo Maya Hernandez

photo page April 6, 2021

Senior Emma Tettleton uses sand paper to smooth out the edges of her ceramic. Photo Brooke Luther

Sophomore Emily Neill holds up her ceramic project to paint it. Photo Brooke Luther

design Tara Connick

Life in snapshots Teacher shares father’s love for photography story Shriya Mukkavilli photos Brooke Luther When students enter photography teacher Kathy Toews’ classroom, their eyes are drawn to the left wall of the classroom. Cameras hang along it, ranging from the film cameras of the early 1900s to the first digital ones. Once Toews started photography,

Photography teacher Kathy Toews poses with her first camera, an Olympus OM-1. Toews has taught for 25 years and shares her and her father’s love for photography with students.

design Emily Seiler

friends and family who supported her interest gave her vintage cameras. After becoming a teacher, some students gave her their cameras as well, including a $4,000 camera. It was his dad’s, who used it as a doctor. “So as cameras got better and better and better, this wouldn’t be worth anything anymore,” Toews said. “So he brought them in and gave them to me to hang on the wall.” The cameras all started in different places from boxes in attics to inheritance from random relatives before ending up on display in Toews’ classroom. “Slowly and surely people gave them to me,” Toews said. “Rarely have I ever purchased a camera.” Each camera has its own character. The Agfa Karat keeps its lens hidden like a secret. The Polaroid Land Camera has a lens that pops out and extends. The viewfinder of boxy Anscoflex II points straight down. For Toews, the display represents the importance of photography. “It’s the history of man, man’s inquisitiveness, man’s desire to create, to document,” Toews said. ••• Toews grew up in front of the camera. When she was a child, her family lived in India and Pakistan. Her dad, a professional photographer, documented many of her early memories, like monkeys dancing at her third birthday

party. Now, she has thousands of photos to look back on. Although Toews didn’t pick up photography until later, watching the world through her father’s camera lens inspired her. “My father was an amazing photographer, a natural photographer,” Toews said. “I always admired the fact that he could take such beautiful pictures.” When she was younger, some of Toews’ fondest memories were gathered around family and friends’ projectors, looking at slides of vacation photos. While some found other people’s pictures boring, Toews felt different. “Sometimes other people’s pictures aren’t as interesting to you as your pictures are,” Toews said. “But I have always been drawn to everyone’s pictures.” Toews initially studied art at UNT, but switched to a printmaking degree after falling in love with the different ways she could turn her pictures into art. “Once I started taking pictures, I just became consumed with photography,” Toews said. “I spent all my time in the darkroom, working with microfilm and cameras.” The first few pictures she took weren’t staged. They were candid moments she found interesting. “They’re not just portraits, [they’re] pictures of things [that are] cool, like a hubcap on a car at the parking lot,” Toews said. “Things that will catch your eye.” Toews also remembers taking photos at the Texas State Fair, of the marching band and the kids playing games, the stuffed animals and balloons. The cameras became an extension of her, always ready for when she saw

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something worth storing in a photo memory. Later, Toews traveled throughout the United States with her cameras, from up and down the California coast and Big Bend in the Texas desert to snowy Colorado. She has also taken them internationally, to Thailand, Italy, Switzerland and other countries. “You name it, we ended up there,” Toews said. However, no matter how far she traveled to chase the perfect lighting and scenery for a photo, they never seemed to compare to the portraits Toews took of her father. They traded their childhood roles, and he became her favorite subject. “He was very special to me,” Toews said. “So taking pictures of him was a lot of fun.” When she looks back on the pictures she took in the past, Toews wishes she could capture more. However, she remains motivated to continue creating art with her work.

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“It’s not a nagging thing,” Toews said. “It’s more like, ‘Hey, you can’t rest on your old images. You have to keep making new ones.’” ••• When Toews first came to the school 25 years ago, teaching photography was not her first choice. She thought that teaching kids would lessen her love for the art. However, the departing teacher convinced her to because otherwise there wouldn’t be a photography class. “I said, ‘Okay, well, I better do that, because I don’t want photography to go away,’” Toews said. “And I found that I loved it.” Advanced photography student and junior Annie Smrstik said that Toews helped her develop her own style and become confident as a photographer. “She’s taught me to be myself, and... expressing that through photography is really nice,” Smrstik said. “You can get so much emotion out of just one photo.” Toews’ favorite part of teaching photography is the connections with her students and her impact on them. She loves getting to know them as people and photographers, watching them grow to develop their own style. “They take these amazing photos,” Toews said. “And they even come back years later, they might have gone and

got a degree in photography and are teaching it themselves. So I think that’s really exciting.” Toews’ classroom shows her journey from her father’s subject to a photography student to a teacher. She still has the first camera she used when she started taking pictures, an Olympus OM-1 film camera. The model has been around for almost 50 years, but she still teaches students to use older cameras like it and have the same appreciation for them she discovered when she was young. “This thing will work until it falls apart,” Toews said. Through her teaching, Toews expresses her passion for photography that she picked up on from her dad, sharing it with future generations of photographers and continuing his legacy. “Photography is very much about capturing a moment,” Toews said. “And then that moment’s kind of sealed up in this little image, and you can pull it out anytime you need to look at it, remind yourself of what you did, what you looked like, where you’d gone.”

design Emily Seiler

story Madi Olivier photo Brooke Luther

Miles for Miles Athletic trainer honors late son in Ironman triathlon

Aug. 2, 2015

Morning of the race Athletic trainer Cade Ogilvie woke up at 4 a.m. for the Ironman triathlon in Boulder, Colorado. He had toast with peanut butter and a banana for breakfast. He packed and unpacked his bag to make sure he had everything — armband? Check. Tracking chip? Check. Running shoes, cycling cleats, wetsuit? Triple check. He loaded his bike onto the car before driving to the race with his pregnant wife, Brooke, and their young son, Madden. His siblings, parents and friend were going to be there as well. When they arrived, they were greeted by 3,000 people who were crazy enough to compete in the Ironman. Consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run in 17 hours or less, it is one of the hardest one-day sports events in the world. While a few world-class athletes compete to win, most just hope to finish. In Boulder, Cade said about 1,000 people didn’t make it. “It is one of the most taxing things I think you can do, not only physically, but mentally,” Cade said. The athletes were all there for different reasons — to push their limits, to prove a point to their gym buddies, to finish first. But Cade was there because of what happened on May 25, 2014. The day he lost his son, Miles Lon Ogilvie, who passed away at only 2 months and 8 days old. Oct. 31, 2013

Diagnosis As an athletic trainer, Cade knows

design Tara Connick

all about the human find out about these conditions, and then body and what hap- the more you try to research on your pens when it fails. own, the more bad news you hear on the But when he was internet.” working at a football game on Hallow- Aug. 2, 2015 een 2013, he wasn’t thinking about the athletes’ sprained ankles and concussions. Cade loved the thrill of a race before Cade’s mind kept wandering back to his he knew what a triathlon was. Motivated baby. by constant competition with his brother, An earlier ultrasound showed abnor- Jason, Cade grew up playing almost mal results, so before the game Cade every sport imaginable and continued sat through a two-hour sonogram with exercising well past college. Brooke, who was 20 weeks pregnant After seven months of training, Cade with Miles. He was now waiting to hear stood among the 3,000 other athletes, the results. anxiously waiting for the race to start “I helped the athletes,” Cade said. “I was there for them without letting them see what was really going on, but that was a hard game to work.” After the game, Brooke told him that Miles had a rare heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning the left side of his heart didn’t develop. He also had It’s still dark outside as the Ogilvie family, including Cade (left), Brooke (middle) and Madden (right), wait for the race to heterotaxy, a conbegin. Photo submitted by Cade Ogilvie dition that caused his organs to be on the wrong side of his body. Although Cade understood the at 7 a.m. Cade was in one of the first anatomy behind it, the future was groups. unknown, which is what scared him the Suddenly, the sound of a cannon most. exploded, signaling the start. The first “That was a hard time, trying to deal athletes ran towards the reservoir, and it with ‘What do we do?’” Cade said. “You wasn’t long until it was Cade’s turn.

Starting the race

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With 140.6 miles ahead of him, Cade took his first step towards becoming an Ironman. March 17, 2014

Meeting Miles Brooke and Cade had a 22-month-old son, so the delivery room wasn’t foreign to them when Miles was born on St. Patrick’s Day. But nothing else was the same. Miles’ skin was deep blue and Brooke didn’t get to hold him immediately. Instead, he was quickly moved to the neonatal ICU for tests while Cade followed. “They cut the umbilical cord, they put him under this lamp, they do all this stuff, and then they take him away,” Cade said. “So you just feel empty.” Cade went to see his family in the waiting room. “Once I saw my dad and my mom, I just lost it,” Cade said. “Broke down. I just couldn’t handle it.” Brooke and Cade held Miles for the first time when he was two days old. The world was still asleep at 5 a.m. and he would be having his first heart surgery in an hour, but getting to touch more than his thumb was special. “It’s just kind of like the calm before the storm,” Brooke said. “You know what’s about to happen to him, so that’s hard, but it’s really sweet. That’s definitely a moment I remember very vividly.” Brooke and Cade stayed in the hospital for a week, then they took turns with Miles in the cardiac unit. Every day seemed to bring a new accomplishment to celebrate — getting off a certain medication, requiring one less tube. The nurses called Miles “Super Baby.” But on the seventh day, Brooke and Cade almost lost their newborn. “When you’re a dad, you just want to be able to help your kids become these great men, and there’s nothing that I could do that was helping my son at that point,” Cade said. “Having to take a backseat to that and have somebody else step in was hard for me.” Brooke was at the vending machine when she heard the nurses call code blue for Miles. She then got a text from Cade.

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Don’t come back. “I think he was just trying to protect me from not going in, but I was like, ‘No, I’m definitely going,’” Brooke said. ‘“I don’t care. I need to know what’s going on.’” The doctors came in and out of the room for about 30 minutes, updating Brooke and Cade constantly. With each piece of news, they relaxed — the doctors were able to save their baby. However, the fragility of Miles’ condition suddenly seemed all too real. “I think for us, that was a reality of ‘We really aren’t in control here,’” Brooke said. “He could pass away.” Aug. 2, 2015

Swimming Cade dove into the cold water among hundreds of other swimmers. It was like a jam-packed highway, with everyone pushing to reach the shore without crashing into each other. “It’s just a really neat experience to try to get in the water with 2,000 other people and try to swim,” Cade said. “You get kicked in the face, your goggles come up, you got to stop, you got to orient yourself and you got to somehow keep

Athletic trainer Cade Ogilvie kept reminders of his son, such as the phrase “Miles for Miles” on his wetsuit, with him throughout the Ironman. Photo submitted by Cade Ogilvie

going.” As the swimmers moved across the reservoir as one, something about Cade stood out. His wetsuit wasn’t plain black. Cade and Jason had worked together the night before to write “Miles for Miles” across the front. They also drew a special Ironman logo, created specifically to represent Miles. They wanted it to be perfect to remind Cade why he was there. “It just seems so funny for two grown men to doodle this little logo on a wetsuit, but it was heartwarming,” Brooke said. April 21, 2014

Going home After 35 days in the hospital, Miles was finally able to go home. Brooke and Cade knew taking on Miles’ extensive medical care would be an uphill battle, but they were excited to be together as a family. Madden immediately fell in love with Miles, who he called Bubba. “He’s like the perfect big brother for what we’ve gone through,” Cade said. “He was great. He was always very gentle, not playing too hard around him, and he would always just give him kisses.” After Miles came home, Madden slept on the floor so he could peer through the crack under his door when he heard his parents in the middle of the night with Miles. “If he would hear Miles cry, he’d be like, ‘Oh, Bubba crying,’” Brooke said. “Or if he heard us, anything with him, he would, ‘Oh, Bubba diaper change.’” Miles required 24/7 monitoring, so they took turns with him through the night. Their newborn would be too hot or too cold. He had to constantly be fed through his G-tube. And just as everything was finished, his IV machine would go off, so they’d have to give him medicine. They barely slept. But even with the exhaustion, the quiet moments in the middle of the night were some of the times Brooke felt closest to Miles. He was always cold to the touch, so she’d often rest his cheek against her warm one. It’s a feeling she’ll never forget, just like the way he stared at her during those times. “He had very soulful eyes,” Brooke said. “People have said that too looking at his picture. When he would

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look at you, it was like he was looking at you through your soul or something.” Aug. 2, 2015

Biking Cade mounted his bike to begin the 112 mile ride. The two-loop course went through Boulder and other neighboring towns at the base of the mountains. “It was really pretty cool because they didn’t shut the towns down, but people were set up in lawn chairs along the road to cheer you on in kind of key spots,” Cade said. Brooke watched with pride as Cade flew through the race. With pumping adrenaline and muscle memory from years of athletics, the difficulty of the race hadn’t hit Cade yet. “He seemed determined and focused and fine,” Brooke said. “I mean, he would smile at us, wave. He did not seem like he was in distress.” But towards the end, the course got hilly, and for the first time, Cade began to struggle. Even though the thought of still doing a full marathon would make most people sick at that point, Cade refused to give up. Because when he hung his head, Cade locked eyes with Miles. “I taped a picture of him on my bike frame so that anytime I was feeling down and looking down at my bike, it would remind me to keep going,” Cade said. May 25, 2014

Miles’ last day Exactly 34 days after coming home, Brooke decided to go on a run while Cade stayed with Miles. By the time she got back, Cade knew something was wrong with Miles’ breathing. They quickly called 911. Brooke rode in the ambulance with Miles, while Cade drove behind them. “When I walked in, I saw people freaking out and working on somebody in a room, and I didn’t want to believe that was my kid,” Cade said. “But I could tell.” After waiting for what felt like forever, the doctor told them they couldn’t save

design Tara Connick

Athletic trainer Cade Ogilvie (left) runs alongside his brother, Jason (right), who motivated him to keep pushing towards the finish line. Photo submitted by Cade Ogilvie

Miles. Cade felt the doctor’s words all the way down to his bones. “I’ve never felt like that, not being able to control my body,” Cade said. “I was cold. I was hot. I had goosebumps. Just nothing was working right.” In the weeks that followed, depression settled in. Cade did nothing and everything at the same time to occupy his mind, even building a full deck in their backyard. “I’m a pretty positive person, but that was a hard time to do anything,” Cade said. “I tried to distract myself with projects and things... but it doesn’t ever really help. It just puts off the grief or a little bit longer.” Slowly, everything that they used to help Miles for the past five weeks was taken out of the house. “I remember them coming to pick up the IV machine and that was hard because that was like an extension of him, it felt like,” Brooke said. “And then the medical equipment kind of went away and you have this room, you have this nursery, you have all these things set up, and they’re just gone. The world does not make sense in that moment.” As Cade was coping with this loss, it took a few months before he returned to

working out. “Exercise has always been a good release for me,” Cade said. “A way to kind of clear my head, and I think about a lot of stuff when I run or bike.” Almost immediately, Cade knew he wanted to do the Ironman. He had been thinking about doing one for years and even ran a half Ironman before, but after competing, he couldn’t imagine doing a full one. It would be too difficult. But after losing Miles, he didn’t care how painful the Ironman would be. In fact, Cade wanted it to hurt. “I wanted to suffer physically and mentally for one day, so maybe I could get a glimpse of what [Miles] was going through for his 69 days here on Earth,” Cade said. So, three months after losing his son, Cade registered for the Ironman, which would take place on Aug. 2, 2015. He also signed up to fundraise for the Children’s Heart Foundation and ultimately raised $3,000. “Friends and family and people that just hear your story and donate, it’s kind of eye opening at how generous people can be,” Cade said. Cade started running, swimming and biking regularly on Jan. 1, 2015, and he trained for a minimum of two hours almost daily. During the week, he woke up at 5 a.m. to run or bike before work, then swam during his lunch break. He ran and biked longer distances over the weekend. “I thought about [Miles] every time I did a swim, a bike, a run, anything,” Cade said. This went on for months, increasing in intensity as the race got closer. “It was difficult to do, but I knew what my end goal was, and I knew I had to do these things to get there,” Cade said. The training eventually took a toll on Cade. Being an athletic trainer meant he had the resources and the knowledge to combat general soreness, but when he developed a stress fracture in his left leg in mid-June, there wasn’t an easy fix. The race was less than two months away, but the pain in his shin made it hard to walk, much less run. Cade was going on runs as long as 16 miles at that point, but it became clear that those days were over if he wanted his leg to heal in time for the Ironman.

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Although a stress fracture mere weeks before a big race would seem like a nightmare for most athletes, Cade wasn’t worried. He knew that his marathon training would carry over on the day of the race. Until then, he adapted his plans, cycling his legs in a running motion in the pool for hours. Beyond that, Cade barely thought about his injury. In his mind, a stress fracture paled in comparison to what Miles went through. If crossing the finish line meant he had to grit his teeth and run through the pain, so be it. “I knew once I got to the run, I didn’t care if my leg just hurt and was painful,” Cade said. “I knew I was going to finish the race.”

never seen him this fatigued before. “Just seeing him like that, that made it more real for me,” Brooke said. “... Cade is always mentally tough, so even if he’s having struggles or he’s having a hard time, he doesn’t really voice that very much.” Cade’s brother, Jason, who was volunteering at the race, saw it too. He ran onto the course and fell in stride next to him. This motivated Cade; It was like they were kids again, racing from the grocery store to the car. Cade picked up his pace, and Jason — the man who was by his side when they fought as kids, and when Miles was born

Aug. 2, 2015

Running After Cade finished the 112 mile bike ride, he was too tired to change into his running shoes, but a full marathon still stood between him and the finish line. “After everything that you’ve been through that morning, that’s the only thing you got left, and so I think a big thing of it is, you got to tell yourself positive thoughts,” Cade said. Cade asked someone to help him change his shoes before putting on a beaded necklace he packed earlier. It was given to Miles through the hospital’s program, Beads of Courage. For every step in his treatment, such as a surgery, Miles got a new bead. Now, Cade needed some of that courage to get him through the race. So, with Miles around his neck and in his heart, Cade started running. “I think we all want to make Miles’ life meaningful, and I think this was Cade’s way of doing that,” Brooke said. “When you lose a child, there’s just a part of you that you lose, and I think you want the name of your child to carry on.” Cade felt good for the first half, but once he got to mile 14, he felt like he hit a wall. “My vision was narrowing,” Cade said. “It was super blurry.” Cade walked for the next four miles. The reality of how difficult the Ironman is settled in for both Cade and Brooke, who watched from the side. She had

feature April 6, 2021

Athletic Trainer Cade Ogilvie finished the Ironman triathlon to honor his son Miles, who passed away from hypoplastic left heart syndrome at 2 months and 8 days old. Photo Brooke Luther

and died decades later — did the same. “Just having him at the race was pretty awesome, especially because he knew everything that I did that race for,” Cade said. They stayed that way until the last mile, which Cade had to run alone. He could already hear the crowd cheering at the finish line. He pushed forwards, until finally, he made it. “Hundreds, maybe thousands, of people in downtown Boulder just line the streets, watching you cross the finish line,” Cade said. “[It was] unreal, very exciting.”

Cade had finished an Ironman, but he didn’t think about the countless miles he trained or the 140.6 miles of the race. To Cade, the word wasn’t about distance. It was his son’s name, which would carry on. “I do know that I’ll always have him with me,” Cade said.

After the race Cade doesn’t know if he’ll ever do another Ironman, but he and his family find other ways to honor Miles. They celebrate his birthday by visiting his grave and doing a random act of kindness. “We just strive to live the best life we can with our kids that are here and spreading love, spreading compassion, spreading empathy to people that are hurting or have been in similar situations as us,” Brooke said. The Ironman tattoo on Cade’s right calf, which includes a heart, and the red Children’s Heart Foundation bracelet that Cade has worn for the past seven years after he signed up to fundraise are daily reminders of their son, as is the song “Oceans” by Hillsong UNITED, which they often played when Brooke was pregnant. “There’s always little moments that are surprises that just kind of bring me back,” Brooke said. “... Some of them are God wings.” Miles’ memory is also kept alive by Madden and his little brother Major, who was born shortly after the Ironman. Madden was only a toddler when Miles died, but he remembers his baby brother and often talks about him. Two years ago, he wanted to share his favorite cookies with Miles, so he taped two vanilla wafers to a balloon and released it outside. “For Madden to remember those things, it means everything,” Brooke said Cade said that no matter what the future holds, he’ll never forget everything Miles and the race taught him — to challenge himself, cherish the present and keep perspective on what truly matters. “It was very, very cool to become an Ironman, and the purpose behind it,” Cade said. “I was just so happy. The people there were so happy for me. It’s just a great way to honor my son.”

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compiled Hyunsung Na photo Maya Hernandez

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?

If you could meet one celebrity from any time period who would it be?

“A sphinx cat. I don’t know what my fascination is about hairless cats, but I really like hairless cats.”

“Leonardo Da Vinci because he invented so many things and I just want to know what he’s thinking.”

If you could become any fruit, which one would it be?

If you could have any sea animal, what would it be?

“Banana, because then I have the peel as a blanket. I could stay cozy in there.”

“A blue whale. They’re ginormous and pretty cool. I’m just kidding. A great white shark.”

If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

How tall do you wish you were?

“Pizza. It’s very tasty and makes me happy.”

“6 feet 2 inches. It’s a good height.”

Sebastian Ruiz, 10

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COVID weighs heavily on mental health photo Maya Hernandez

Last spring, sophomore Caroline Lehmann rested her head on her pillow and tried to sleep. But her mind wouldn’t stop racing. I still have to turn in Canvas assignments. I’m not ready for AP exams. I have so much to do. After an hour, Caroline finally drifted off, but one thought still lingered. I’ll have to get up in the morning and do it all over again.

Continued on page 18

Tips for COVID anxiety: Bring attention to your breathing, stretch or meditate to relax.

Pandemic harms students’ mental health

Try to eat healthy, wellbalanced meals. Honor cravings in moderation.

story Shriya Mukkavilli and Sophia Craig

The pandemic has taken a toll on students’ mental health. According to a study done by the KFF, a national Go on a walk or jog with a health polling institution, 56 percent pet or a friend (masked). of young adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during Get plenty of sleep. the pandemic. Scientists suggest at least Students went home for spring eight hours of sleep for high break 2020 and came back months later, schoolers. masked and socially distanced. At first, when spring break was extended, many students like sophomore Jordan Mims didn’t think that the pandemic would be a life-altering event. “I thought we were going to be able to finish the school year,” Mims said. “I didn’t think we’d be in lockdown for an entire year.” However, many students like junior Kennedy Grogan - Skylar Cahoone, 10 have gained a new sense of self-awareness and an appreciation for personal health and that of others. In early 2020, Drink less coffee or Grogan’s mom was diagnosed with cancer. Because cancer weakens the caffeinated beverages if they immune system, Grogan was worried make you feel jittery. about her health and her mom’s, who is a healthcare worker. Get vaccinated as soon as “I’m definitely more aware of my vaccines are available to you. personal space and really making sure that I’m healthy and my family members Make time to unwind. Read are healthy,” Grogan said. a good book or take a hot The rising number of deaths from bath. COVID has also left many students feeling helpless. Student Assistance Stay connected to Counselor Michelle Schwolert said that organizations that are more students have reached out to her important to you. While for help. The main issues she’s seen social distancing measures are students experiencing burnout and are in place, try connecting feeling unmotivated, lethargic and not able to focus. online, through social media, “I hear these words all the time: ‘I or by phone or mail. just don’t care,’” Schwolert said. “And so much of it is because our brains are *information sourced from so emotional right now. That’s really the CDC

“

Sometimes it feels like there’s no one to talk to and you’re kind of alone.

design Amber Luther

leaving little room for our brains to think rationally and into the future about the situation.”

Isolation Virtual students like junior Emily Jacoby have struggled with not seeing their peers on a daily basis. “Personally, I like being in an actual classroom and surrounded by people and just having that face-toface interaction,” Jacoby said. “It’s not really a social connection, like a student to teacher connection. It’s student to screen.” Sophomore Skylar Cahoone, who is fully virtual, said being away from other people increased her anxiety. “Sometimes it feels like there’s no one to talk to and you’re kind of alone,” Cahoone said. In-person students may also struggle with forming connections, according to Schwolert. “Even though some kids are coming to in-person school, there’s still a sense of isolation with the Plexiglass and not being able to be closer than six feet from a friend at lunch,” Schwolert said. The issue extends beyond campus as well. Local psychologist Dr. Laura Hart said that she has seen an increase in patients to the point where she has had to turn people down. Hart said that teens are especially vulnerable because they rely more heavily on their peers. “I think it’s very painful, hugely painful,” Hart said. “It’s a time in our lives developmentally where our peers are maybe the most important influence.” Hart said even students who have been talking to their close friends are likely to feel loneliness because of the small relationships they lost, such as acquaintances who smile and wave in the hallways between periods. “Those more kind of higher importance type relationships are still hanging on there,” Hart said. “But the more casual ones have fallen to the side for a lot of people.”

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Parents who said that their teens have shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition since the start of the pandemic:

46%

Parents that said the pandemic has negatively affected their teens’ connections to friends: Mental health visits to emergency rooms increased by

31%

75%

in 2020.

*information sourced from the CDC

Social media During the pandemic and the stay at home order, many teens took to social media to fill the gap in their lives, including Junior Emily Jacoby. “We can’t really do much in person with people,” Jacoby said. “So we feel like we have to kind of escape on Instagram or TikTok.” Junior Kennedy Grogan said that she had seen different viewpoints on the pandemic through social media. “It was just kind of frustrating to me that people didn’t believe that the [pandemic] was actually happening or they’re trying to blame certain people,” Grogan said.

Anxiety and depression Both sophomore Skylar Cahoone and her mother have relatively fragile immune systems. Out of an abundance of caution, Cahoone and her siblings decided to do school entirely virtual this year. However, Cahoone’s entire family still caught COVID-19 in 2020, which gave her immunocompromised mom permanent lung damage. Cahoone said this has increased her anxiety and fear for her family’s health. “It was really concerning because we didn’t know how it was going to affect

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“

I hear these words all the time: ‘I just don’t care,’ and so much of it is because our brains are so emotional right now. - Michelle Schwolert, Student Assistance Counselor

her,” Cahoone said. Because of the anxiety that students like Cahoone have from the fear of catching COVID and depression that others may face due to isolation, Schwolert said they may not be able to think as clearly. “I think your brains are just constantly dealing with adjustment and change and the uncertainty of everything, the unknown, feelings of isolation,” Schwolert said. “And that affects your ability to focus and cognitively function like you normally would.” While students were excited to return to school, many were worried

*information sourced from National Poll on children’s health at Michigan Medicine

about potentially being exposed to and spreading the virus, including freshman Patton Morgan. “After being away from society for so long and just in my home, coming back was kind of scary because I didn’t know what to expect,” Morgan said. “Especially going into high school for the first time.”

Looking forward On March 9, CDC released guidelines stating that a group of fully vaccinated people can gather indoors unmasked. Junior Emily Jacoby said that even though people will be able to gather more safely later this year, she hopes they will still proceed with caution. “We still need to work through it slowly and just make sure everybody’s staying safe,” Jacoby said. “But I think the first thing people are going to want to do is just spend time with each other again.” Vaccines are becoming more widely available. On March 29, the vaccine became available for all people 16 and up, which Hart said will help improve people’s mental health. “As a psychologist, one thing I know for sure about life is that everything changes,” Hart said. “While we might not be sure how things are going to change, I know that it won’t be like this forever.”

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inches

6 ft 8

story Muna Nnamani

inches

Caroline panicked and hunkered down on schoolwork. Between studying and running every day, she rarely relaxed. Caroline had struggled with anxiety when she was still in school, but could always get extra tutoring if she didn’t understand her work, or spend more time with her friends if she was lonely. Last spring, however, she felt alone. ft “It was this weird middle ground between I was stressed about a lot of things but I still had nothing to do,” Caroline said. Caroline felt like she was being held to an impossible standard in her

difficult classes. She became frustrated every time she barely managed to submit an assignment, only Continued from page 15 to get comments on Canvas about how Caroline’s family traveled to Colorado she could have tried harder. for spring break 2020, but flew home one “It felt like no matter what I did, I day after they arrived because of the couldn’t do it right,” Caroline said. worsening pandemic. Caroline and her In May, she found out that the brother’s activities were canceled, and annual summer cross country trips were her older sister had to finish her senior canceled. Caroline was disappointed year of college at home. — she had made good memories the Meeting high standards always summer before and had looked forward brought Caroline a sense of fulfillment. to doing it again. Even as a freshman, she ran cross “I would be lying in my bed and just country and was in multiple AP classes thinking about all the things that I was and clubs. Having a clear schedule was excited for that were coming,” Caroline new for her. said. “And now I kind of felt as Caroline’s family spent more though maybe they weren’t going time together, playing board to happen anymore.” games, riding their bikes and Slowly, Caroline spent less time walking their dogs so much that with her family, which had kept the dogs stopped being excited to her afloat when everything else go outside. It was like vacation. was canceled. Her stepdad went “Even though at the time I back to his office, and her mom probably said I was sick of it, it’s became swamped with work. Her nice to look back on and know brother started doing homework that we had that time together as by himself. It felt like the world a family,’” Caroline said. was moving on but she was still Teachers started sending out there. announcements about Canvas “I just felt very stuck,” Caroline assignments, but Caroline pushed said. herself less because she thought Talking to her parents seemed they were easier. She often did out of the question. Her mother homework with her younger was in charge of her company’s brother, which made it more fun. COVID-19 response team, so it was But when the announcements difficult for Caroline to talk to her about AP testing were released about her emotions without feeling in April, it was a wake up call for like she was being overdramatic. Caroline. The vacation period was “I knew that they were over. experiencing the same thing, “I realized that we were still but maybe even worse than me,” going to be taking the AP test, Caroline said. there was still going to be testing Caroline didn’t feel like she After school was shut down last year, sophomore for college credit, and it still mattered could open up her friends either. Caroline Lehmann struggled to meet the demand a lot what I was doing and how I was As an introvert, she rarely reached of AP classes and felt isolated. Submitted by studying,” Caroline said. out to her friends outside of school. Caroline Lehmann

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They had always been at track practice, in class or at club meetings when she wanted to see them, so she didn’t know how to initiate interaction when school was taken away. A feeling set in — one that made her uncomfortable. Caroline alternated between ignoring it and wallowing in it —loneliness. “I tend to think of loneliness as kind of a feeling where you feel as though you have nowhere to go, and no one to turn to,” Caroline said. “And even if you know there’s a million people around you, you still don’t feel comforted by their presence.” ••• As Caroline typed, the words just seemed to flow. Her English teacher had assigned her class a community poem. Each student would add some stanzas to a shared Google Doc, beginning with “What I’m learning about ___ is ___,” and all their entries would make up one poem. When Caroline read the instructions, she was automatically interested. English was one of her favorite classes, and she’d always found it easier to write about her feelings than talk about them. She opened her Notes app and everything from the past month came out. Isolation. Inadequacy. She wrote things she didn’t even know she was feeling. “I was kind of thinking about it and reflecting while I was writing, and it’s like, ‘I wonder if I really did let myself completely feel this isolation, stress, and everything, if anyone would notice,’” Caroline said. She ended her poem with, “What I’m learning about holding on is that I’m starting to slip and I don’t know if anyone will be there to pull me back up.” Caroline hoped for the best and pasted it into the Google Doc. ••• Although she felt better writing about them, Caroline realized that talking about her emotions helped. One high point of those first weeks of quarantine was talking with one of her teachers virtually. Caroline shared some of her stress, and after they talked for an hour and a half, she felt lighter. “It was nice to hear from someone

in-depth April 6, 2021

who I respected and who was older,” Caroline said. “And from that teacher perspective, to hear that everybody was feeling kind of the same stress and craziness at the time.” After a few weeks of hard work, summer arrived. Stressors like AP exams and school were gone, and track practice started again. The runners were organized into small training groups instead of together, but Caroline saw it as an opportunity to get to know Abby, one of the girls in her group. They hadn’t been close before, but they

“

I tend to think of loneliness as kind of a feeling where you feel as though you have nowhere to go, and no one to turn to, and even if you know there's a million people around you, you still don't feel comforted by their presence. - Caroline Lehmann, 10

bonded while running together every morning. When COVID regulations loosened up, Caroline’s mom let her choose one friend to spend the summer with, and she chose Abby. They had picnics together and drove around their neighborhood. On Caroline’s birthday, they got Chick-fil-A with the rest of their training group. “Even though we didn’t really get to do much besides go through drive-thrus and go sit somewhere and eat, or go on runs together, it was still a little bit of the sense of normalcy and of the interaction I hadn’t had in a while,” Caroline said. Caroline had never been great at understanding her emotions, but she knew that she felt better.

••• Caroline is doing virtual plus this year, with track as her only in-person class. She still holds herself to high standards, but the biggest difference is the way she treats herself when she can’t meet her goals. “I’ve been learning to give myself grace,” Caroline said. “And to recognize that I can’t do everything. I can’t accomplish everything all the time. And that’s okay.” She’s making sure that she keeps a support system through class group chats and virtual study sessions. Sometimes they focus on work throughout, and sometimes Caroline just needs to vent. Whichever way the conversation goes, the calls make her feel much better. “It kind of reminds me that I’m not the only one who’s doing it this way,” Caroline said. Her parents are always there to talk to when her anxiety is too much to handle by herself. Her dad walks Caroline through her emotions when she needs to process them, while her mom offers solutions. “My parents together are the perfect team for dealing with it,” Caroline said. Caroline used to believe that opening up to others about her emotions is burdening them, or blowing her own problems out of proportion. But she’s noticed that when she recognizes her negative emotions and lets other people help her with them, she dwells on them less. “I’ve been working on that, and am still working on it,” Caroline said. “Allowing myself to recognize and feel those emotions, and not just bottling them up and letting them come out into a big breakdown, because that’s not healthy.” When she needs something to hold on to, Caroline thinks of her future — the time when she’ll achieve her goals and when her mental health will improve. But for now, she’s determined to value all seasons of life, whether they’re happy or painful. “All I can do is enjoy where I am now,” Caroline said. “And know that as long as I keep enjoying where I am now and pushing where I am now and working hard, I’m going to make it to the places I want to achieve.”

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Reaching for the rings

Sophomore gymnast hopes to qualify for Olympics story Sophia Craig

gymnast walked into the gym. Sydney watched what the older girl was doing and mimicked her flawlessly. The coaches turned and saw what she was doing and When Carine Barros signed her were amazed. Without any coaching, daughter, sophomore Sydney Barros, up Sydney had taught herself how to do a for gymnastics as a 6 year old, she never kip. Kips are often considered to be one could have imagined that 10 years later, of the most difficult and frustrating skills she would be one of the top 50 gymnasts to learn, and gymnasts frequently spend in the country. She never would have up to a year working to achieve them. thought that her daughter would have “[The coaches] were like, ‘Watch this, fan pages dedicated to her or that she just did a kip, that’s hard to do,’” she’d get the opportunity to become an Carine said. “So we realized, ‘Oh, okay, Olympic athlete. this is something special.’” Sydney’s family recognized that she Early climber had potential and were willing to move Sydney started gymnastics for the halfway across the country to allow her same reason most kids do — she was a to keep progressing through the levels. daredevil. When Sydney started climbing After she completed level 10, the up the kitchen cabinets, Carine knew Barros family moved to Texas so 11-yearthat she needed to find a safer outlet old Sydney could train at Texas Dreams, for her daughter’s energy. After seeing a rigorous gym known to produce some a Groupon for a nearby gym, of the best gymnasts in the gymnastics seemed like the country. It is owned by Olympic perfect solution. medalist Kim Zmeskal. In the first three days at the “We felt like that would be gym, Sydney fell completely the best place to go,” Sydney in love with the sport. Less said. than a year after she started, According to Carine, people she caught the attention of recommended that Sydney live coaches and was asked to join in Texas with a host family so her gym’s competitive team. that the Barros family could “They gave me a very quick stay in Georgia. assessment to see if I could “I really appreciate that but really handle that, so I did a I feel like it’s really difficult couple drills and they were for me to just send her off to like, ‘Yeah, she’s ready for live with some other people,” level two,’” Sydney said. Carine said. The morning of one of Sophomore Sydney Barros (center) receives a 5th place award Instead, Carine moved with Sydney’s first meets, she on vault after competing for USA at the 2019 Inaugural Junior Sydney into an apartment for woke up with a bad stomach World Championship in Gyor, Hungary. She stands with her the next year and a half, away bug. She couldn’t keep any teammate, Kayla DiCello (USA) and Wei Xiaoyuan (China). from her dad who needed to food down and was lethargic. Photo submitted by Carine Barros stay in Georgia for work. Carine decided to let her go Last month, Sydney moved gyms to the meet anyway to cheer on her competitive gymnastics. She found herself spending the majority of her time again and now attends World Champions teammates. When Sydney got to the meet, her waiting for others to catch up rather Centre, or WCC, in Spring, Texas. coach whisked her away before Carine than learning how to perform new skills. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, could explain that she was sick, so She had also started teaching herself who is often considered the best gymnast 6-year-old Sydney decided to compete, advanced skills just by watching other to ever compete for the U.S., trained at despite having not eaten anything in the gymnasts perform them, which set her WCC after her parents founded the gym. In the gymnastics world, Texas morning. She went on to win first place apart from the other kids. Carine said that one day, she was Dreams and WCC are the ivy leagues. in the whole meet. To compete on the same level as some As time went on, Sydney never slowed observing practice when a higher-level

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down. According to Carine, Sydney’s performance and her dedication to the sport made it clear that gymnastics was more than just something to occupy her time. “I realized how important it was to her,” Carine said, “So I was like, ‘Okay, we’ve got to start taking this a little more seriously.’” Gymnastics is broken down into levels. Each level increases in difficulty and intensity, and gymnasts must meet specific score requirements to advance to the next level. Typically, gymnasts take about one year to complete each level, but Sydney moved at a significantly faster pace than usual, passing all 10 levels in under four years. While the coaches worked with the gymnasts to teach them the skills they would need to progress, Sydney started to get bored shortly after starting

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of the best gymnasts in the world, Sydney follows a strict daily schedule that combines rigorous training with all of the homework and other responsibilities that come along with being a sophomore in high school. Every morning, Sydney wakes up at 6 a.m., throws on a gymnastics leotard, brushes her teeth and puts in her contacts. She walks downstairs, grabs a breakfast bar and heads out the door. She spends the next 4.5 hours at the gym and an hour doing intense conditioning. After her workouts, she comes home to do school work virtually before her second gym session which lasts two hours. In total, Sydney spends 34 hours per week at the gym, working toward her ultimate goal of becoming an Olympic gymnast. A normal school experience is just one of the many things Sydney’s had to give up for her gymnastics career. Because she spends so many hours at the gym and moves so frequently, Sydney has been homeschooled since was young. She’s always been alone in her learning. She’s willing to sacrifice the normalcy of her life as a teenager for the chance to one day perform for millions of people in the Olympics. Since LISD has embraced virtual learning, she’s gotten the opportunity to experience her sophomore year at Marcus. This year has been the first time in her high school experience that she has seen classmates.

Becoming Elite

Soon after Sydney joined Texas Dreams, she qualified for USAG’s Junior International Elite at age 13. Level 10 is a huge achievement, but it’s something a lot of people are able to attain, while Junior Elite is a combination of the level 10 skills and natural ability. In 2021, only 18 gymnasts in the country qualified for Junior Elite meets. Elite level is a crucial step to becoming an Olympic athlete, and Junior Elite is a lower level made for younger athletes. Being a Junior Elite gymnast allowed Sydney to compete in other countries, such as Italy and Hungary. Sydney’s skills also caught the attention of UCLA. Sydney went with her friends and family in 2018 to visit the campus and talk to athletes and coaches. “I got to meet all the teammates that

sports April 6, 2021

were there for the visit and I got to meet all the athletes on the team as of that year,” Sydney said. About a month after Sydney’s original college visit, the UCLA gymnastics head coach, Chris Waller, called the Barros family to ask if Sydney would be interested in a scholarship. Sydney quickly accepted the offer and, as a freshman in high school, verbally committed to UCLA. “He was confident in his decision and I was confident in my decision that I wanted to go there,” Sydney said. “So it was as easy as a phone call at the time.” Sydney didn’t stop there. She kept attending camps and meets and training over 30 hours per week, pushing herself to Elite. After three years Sophomore Sydney Barros performs a floor routine at of hard work, Sydney her first international competition in Jesolo, Italy in 2018. Photo submitted by Carine Barros achieved Elite status in 2021 at 16. She is now one of 50 Elite gymnasts in the United Olympics in Tokyo. The road to the Olympics from Elite States and a quick Google search of her name brings up dozens of articles, meet isn’t easy. To be considered for Olympic records and photos of her performing Trials, gymnasts’ scores from past competitions are considered and they gravity-defying skills. After advancing to Elite, some have to attend a special camp. At the end of the camp, the committee, gymnasts can become household names. Instead of performing in big local made up of some of the biggest names arenas, Elite gymnasts are watched on in gymnastics, decides who goes to the trials. international television. Because many of the gymnasts Sydney Sydney is well-known in the gymnastics world and competes against is competing with have been training for Olympic gymnasts such as Simone Biles the 2020 Olympics for years, she doesn’t and Laurie Hernandez. The people at the want to get her hopes up. “I would love for this year,” Sydney top of the gymnastics world have their eyes on her as a potential future Olympic said. “But there have already been gymnasts who have been working super champion. “Elite is the only thing that’s going hard throughout these years that have to make me able to have [the Olympics] been eligible for a number of years to be at this Olympics.” within my reach,” Sydney said. Even if Sydney doesn’t qualify this year, she plans to work toward the 2024 Olympic dreams Because of the decision to move the Summer Olympics in France. “This is what I want to do in life,” 2020 Olympic Games to 2021, athletes like Sydney who were born in 2005 Sydney said. “The Olympics is my now qualify, giving her a chance at the ultimate goal.”

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Junior Griffin Joy (86) is surrounded by teammates after he scores a game-winning goal against Denton County in their second matchup of the season, putting them ahead 2-1. Photo submitted by Griffin Joy

Winning on the ice Hockey team wins state championship after historic run story Hyunsung Na The Flower Mound Marcus hockey’s varsity gold team won the state championship game with a score of 2-1 over Frisco on March 30. This is the first time FMM has qualified for the state championship in program history, and the team will play against Omaha, Nebraska in the national tournament. To qualify for the state championship game, FMM beat Southlake Carroll 6-1 and Keller 5-4. The state tournament was held by the Texas Amatuer Hockey Association. FMM plays in the AT&T Metroplex League, which all the nearby high school teams compete in. This is junior Griffin Joy’s third year playing for the team. He believes there’s only one goal the team should ‘ve had as they head into the tournament. “The state championship is what everyone has on their minds,” Joy said. “It’s the biggest accomplishment you can earn.” While experiencing one of their best seasons to date, FMM hockey hasn’t always been a successful association. These teams were created by parents to help meet the demand for hockey in the town, although hockey is not a UIL sanctioned sport. Eight years ago, Flower Mound and Marcus had individual teams that didn’t even have enough players.

Eventually, the teams merged, creating the FMM hockey organization that exists today. Along with this, FMM hockey is a division two team, which meant they were seen as less talented than the other division one teams they competed against in the state tournament. All of this created low expectations going into the season, but Joy said the team was ready to start winning. “All season we’ve been the underdogs, so to come out and show everyone wrong has been very satisfying,” Joy said. The FMM hockey team also went through their share of problems created by COVID-19. Before the season started, FMM Hockey President Chris Turner, the head of the board of the organization, was ready to do whatever he could for a safe season. “This is all about our players, giving them the - Griffin Joy, 11 opportunity to play the game they love for their schools and our town,” Turner said in an email. “And anything I could do as the head of the association board, I wanted to do.” For Turner himself, the experience of running the association significantly changed. One particular change he had to face was not being able to hold the hockey team’s yearly concession stand at the school’s football games. They usually use it as a fundraising opportunity and to raise awareness for the team.

All season we’ve been the underdogs, so to come out and show everyone wrong has been very satisfying.

design Tara Connick

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But while on the ice and in games, not much was different, according to Turner. The main thing the players had to get used to was social distancing and less team bonding overall. “Not having full benches throughout most of the season due to quarantines has meant players don’t get to spend as much time together as they might usually, which can be a challenge for team cohesion and camaraderie,” Turner said. “Some of this was mitigated by group chats on Snapchat and texting, but there’s nothing like playing together as a unit to build a team identity.” Though it might seem that a team made up of two rival schools would create some tension in the locker room, Turner said that’s just not the case. “The parents and coaches who merged the teams are FMM: Flower Mound/Marcus, a winning combination, not a contentious competition,” Turner said. Along with this, Turner believes not being a UIL recognized

Sophomore Robert Wohlitz (12) skates after behind another player on Keller’s team. In the midst of their season, FMM Hockey played Keller at Farmers Branch, losing 1-5. Photo submitted by Robert Wohlitz

I’m super stoked we’ve made it this far. There was a point where we thought this wasn’t even possible. - Robert Wohlitz, 10 sport has also helped prevent any division within the organization. “Given we receive no direct support from either high school or Lewisville ISD...that in and of itself is something of a unifying aspect,” Turner said. “If we’re going to play hockey for Marcus and Flower Mound High Schools and this is the only way to do it, then we are going to have to do it ourselves.” In a town where football takes the spotlight, bringing attention to a hockey team outside of the school has brought its challenges, according to sophomore Robert Wohlitz. “Not many people know that Marcus has a hockey team, and sometimes the rinks can be about 30-45 minutes away, so raising awareness is already pretty difficult,” Wohlitz said. “We still do end up having our little cheering section though.” However, playing hockey and representing Flower Mound has always mattered to Wohlitz. “Playing for Flower Mound is an awesome opportunity,” Wohlitz said. “The reason I started playing for this team was to represent my community.” While the team was adamant about winning a championship, Wohlitz was just grateful for even the chance to play in the tournament. “I’m super stoked we’ve made it this far,” Wohlitz said. “There was a point where we thought this wasn’t even possible. It’s surreal, we went through a very big rough patch, but now we’re excited for the tournament.”

sports April 6, 2021

Junior Griffin Joy (86) enters the offensive zone with FMM teammate, Miles Mcgarvey during their second game against Denton County which resulted in a 2-1 win for FMM. Photo submitted by Griffin Joy

Sophomore Robert Wohlitz (12) faces off against an opposing Keller High School player. The two teams were playing in Farmers Branch and was the first time FMM played Keller. The game ended in a 1-5 loss for FMM. Photo submitted by Robert Wohlitz

design Tara Connick

Berry delicious

Best local places to get smoothie bowls Nekter - 5/5

story Madi Olivier photos Brooke Luther

5810 Long Prairie Road I’ve heard multiple people gush about Nekter Juice Bar, located only a few minutes from campus. After walking in, I began to understand why. The shop is laid back and has a great aesthetic, which is clear as soon as you are greeted by the sight of succulents and a wall full of plants. It also has comfy chairs and pillows, making it the most welcoming out of the four juice bars I visited. I ordered the acai banana berry bowl, which is a blend of acai, strawberries, pineapples, blueberries, bananas and cashew milk, all topped with hemp seed granola, strawberry slices, blueberries, banana slices and agave nectar. The fruit

blended to a rich purple color, making it almost too pretty to eat. It was also made quickly, which is a plus. Although the banana was overpowering at first, the bowl was delicious and had a strong berry flavor once it was mixed well. The smoothie itself was cold and had a smooth texture, while the granola gave it a nice crunch. Nekter managed to find the perfect middle ground between being too thick and too watery, making it a refreshing treat. It also had the perfect amount of toppings for the size of the bowl, so I didn’t run out halfway through and have to eat half of the smoothie by itself.

Rush Bowls - 4/5 2400 Lakeside Pkwy

Rush Bowls has the most extensive menu out of the four locations. It also offers more unique smoothie bowls, many of which are made with frozen yogurt. The shop itself is quite small, so it only has space for the line and a few chairs. However, the environment is still upbeat and makes up for limited space with outdoor seating. The shop also allows customers to choose which type of milk and a topping they want. I ordered the choco strawberry bowl, which is made out of strawberries, bananas, chocolate sauce, milk — I chose almond — and frozen yogurt. This blend is all topped with

design Alex Thornfelt

granola, chocolate sauce and another topping. I chose strawberries, but there was a long list of options. The choco strawberry bowl was thicker than the other smoothie bowls, and was the most filling. It was also piled high with toppings — almost to the point that it was difficult to stir without spilling. But once I tasted it, it was clear that they played a major role in making it a choco strawberry bowl, as it was hard to taste those flavors with the banana. However, everything worked together to make it sweet without adding extra sugar, making it a great summer dessert.

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Jamba Juice - 4/5

3180 FM 407, The Marketplace of Highland Village Jamba Juice in the Marketplace of Highland Village is known to be the place to go for a smoothie, as it’s convenient and cheaper than most juice shops. Although seating is removed due to COVID-19, the shop normally has a lot of tables available. Jamba Juice also has a brightly-colored interior and the smell of fruit hits you as soon as you walk in, which makes it hard to not enjoy the environment. I didn’t even know Jamba Juice offered bowls until I started working on this story, and considering that their website only lists four options, I didn’t expect much when I ordered a chunky strawberry bowl. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted

the smoothie, which is a blend of strawberries, soy milk, bananas, nonfat Greek yogurt and peanut butter. It was topped with granola, strawberries and bananas. The Greek yogurt was definitely a standout addition to this smoothie bowl, which had a texture and taste extremely similar to strawberry Yoplait. In fact, the only thing really separating it from the brand name yogurt was the peanut butter and toppings. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It still tasted great, and sometimes it’s nice to eat something simple. It was also the biggest portion out of all the places I tried, which is a cherry on top when it was already the cheapest.

I Love Juice Bar - 3/5 2701 Cross Timbers Rd

Although I gave this smoothie bowl from I Love Juice Bar the lowest rating, I will say that the shop itself is adorable. With light green walls and a relatively open juice bar, the shop uses its limited space well to create a happy environment that reminds me of the outdoors. I ordered the tangy pitaya bowl after practicing how to pronounce the word “pitaya” on the way there. The smoothie itself is made out of apple juice, dragon fruit and mango. It’s topped with granola, bananas, strawberries and local honey. I had no idea what to expect, and although the bowl took a while to be made, I was happy to see its pretty pink color.

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The honey was extremely thick and didn’t seem to want to mix into the smoothie, no matter how much I tried. The granola was also really thin — almost to the point that it looked like seeds — so it was hard to taste. Despite this, the fruit blend itself was thinner than the rest and tasted pretty good at first, especially when eaten with the strawberry slices. However, I found myself growing tired of it after a few bites. It was really sweet and reminded me of watermelon Jolly Ranchers, which isn’t what I was expecting. Although this smoothie bowl wasn’t my favorite, it would likely be a good option for people with a strong sweet tooth.

design Alex Thornfelt

How to host your own mini prom story Madi Olivier

If there’s one thing students know after growing up on Disney Channel movies, it’s that prom is supposed to be one of high school’s most magical nights. From sparkly dresses to punch bowls and awkward couple photos, everything students dreamed of about prom changed when the event was canceled because of COVID-19.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean students — especially seniors — have to miss out on the experience. Instead, they can plan their own mini prom and choose everything from the date to the music. If done correctly, it can be just as fun as the real deal. Here is a guide to pulling off your own prom, pandemic-style.

Outfits Let’s be honest — nobody wants to spend their whole paycheck on a dress or suit when they won’t be able to show it off in front of the entire graduating class. Unless you have a dress still sitting in your closet from last year, nearby thrift and consignment stores are a great option if you want to find a new outfit without breaking the bank. There are several online shops as well, such as

thredUP and Depop. Meet up with a small group of friends to look for dresses, suits, shoes and accessories. If you’re willing to sort through the racks for a while, you can find some beautiful and unique pieces that aren’t offered at department stores. After wearing them for your makeshift prom night, wash and donate your clothes back to the thrift store or charity.

Theme Although they can be cheesy, prom themes like “a night in Paris” or “under the sea” are part of what makes the dance so charming. However, it’s even better knowing that you’ll get to choose the theme this year. And since masks are a mandatory accessory, why not embrace them and host a Masquerade-themed prom? You can buy or make masks

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that match your dress or suit and deck them out in elegant beads and gems, or keep it simple with a plain one. If you want to fully commit to the theme, you can pair your face covering with an eye mask, which is a staple of Masquerade parties. But if the Masquerade look isn’t what you’re going for, get creative and pick a theme that fits your group best.

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Photos Food While dining in at your favorite restaurant with your friends is always an option, everything looks different this year because of the virus, so why not make your prom night dinner a unique experience as well? Pick up food to go — whether it’s pasta from a nice Italian restaurant or burgers from a local fast food joint — and have an outdoor picnic after you take photos with your friends. You can bring dessert like cake or chocolate-covered strawberries as well for extra points. But If you’d rather avoid restaurants altogether, have each of your friends cook food for the picnic and be the judge of who is the best chef.

Taking prom photos is half the appeal of the night anyway, so it’s good that COVID-19 hasn’t taken that away. Decide which few friends you want to be next to you forever in your Instagram post and your mom’s scrapbook, then work together to choose an outdoor location that makes for a scenic background while also allowing social distancing. Some options include Parker Square, the Riverwalk, the Dallas Arboretum and even someone’s backyard. If you want to take your photos to the next level, you can check out the Museum of Memories in Dallas, which has different sets and photo opts to match anyone’s Instagram aesthetic. When the day comes, mask up and meet your group to take the photos. Try to take pictures with your family before you leave your house to avoid making your group any bigger than necessary. Keeping your group small and wearing your mask when not posing for the camera is key to having a happy, healthy photoshoot.

Dance Although it might be disappointing to miss out on seeing the random kid who sits behind you in math class dance to TikTok songs for an hour straight, you can still have fun at your own mini dance while staying safe. Before the big night, work together with your friends to make a prom playlist. This will get you excited for the event and guarantee that you will get to listen to all of your favorite songs without having to elbow past 30 classmates to make a request at the DJ table. As for the dance itself, you can either host it in the same location as your photos if permitted, or you can move it somewhere else. While someone’s backyard or house is always a great option to prevent contact with others, you can even look into renting outdoor party spaces, such as a park pavilion, or banquet rooms to live out your pandemic prom dreams.

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Other options Even when there isn’t a pandemic, many students only attend the dance for about an hour before leaving to hang out with their friends. If you’d rather not have a dance at all, take this as an opportunity to do other fun activities with your group. The options are limitless, ranging from hanging out at someone’s house to playing mini golf. If you decide to skip the dance, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get dressed up. Just wear your prom outfit and turn heads wherever you go. Besides, how often can someone say they baked cookies or went bowling in a full dress or suit?

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things we like New classes Seeing new classes when signing up for schedules is always exciting, especially when the courses are as cool as those being offered next year. It’s great to know that the school makes sure students will always be able to find a class that interests them, such as Robotics.

Spring spirit days

Permanent subs

As we get closer to summer break, it can be difficult to keep school spirit high, especially when a lot of kids aren’t on campus. However, the Student Council has done a fantastic job combating this by hosting more spirit days this semester. Students love an excuse to wear pajamas or face paint to school.

As more teachers miss school due to quarantine, it’s great that we have our two permanent subs to rely on. No matter if it’s Chemistry or Calculus, they’re there when students need them. They sometimes even work all day without an off period, and their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

My first best friend column Sophia Craig @sophiacraig03

As a toddler, I used to sneak into my mom’s bathroom, grab her GreatLash brownish black mascara, and smear it all over my face to make myself pretty like her. I had a mini ironing board and iron-no heat of course--and a mini Dust Devil vacuum cleaner so that I could “help” my mom with chores. I spent hours playing in my toy kitchen, making spaghetti, croissants, potatoes and everything else I ever saw her make. My mom is the nicest woman I’ve ever met. If you see her in public, she’ll smile at you, whether you’re her closest friend or she’s never met you in her life. Her smile lights up the room and eases my stress instantly. My entire life, I’ve wanted to be exactly like her. She’s always volunteered at mine and my siblings’ schools, gone on all of our field trips and taken us to all of our extracurricular activities. Despite how much she does for my siblings, she never tries to hold it against us. It’s just how she is. She’s happy to do anything for us. I aspire to be as selfless and kind as she’s been to me my whole life. A lot of people love their moms, but I can truly say that my mom is my best friend. She and I know each other so well that I can trust her with anything. She puts up with my daily rants without ever telling me that they’re stupid

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or unimportant. She’s always willing to make me an awesome homemade costume or stay up absurdly late watching episodes of “Dateline.” She and I can make each other laugh over anything and everything. We have a million ridiculous inside jokes and can be totally goofy with each other without

worrying about being judged. She was there for me last spring when I tried out for a dance team that meant a lot to me. I’d spent over a year taking outside classes and practicing. When the day came to try out, she spent all day in the garage recording me from different angles, cheering me on and making sure that I stayed hydrated. The next day, the roster came out and I found out that I hadn’t made the

team. I was really upset, but my mom reminded me that just because one thing didn’t work out for me didn’t mean that I would never be good enough. She laid next to me and massaged my shoulders as I cried with disappointment. We spent the rest of the day thinking about what new things I could try. That’s why I joined the newspaper staff. She’s the reason that I know how to get back up when I’m knocked down. I’ll take this knowledge with me in a couple short years when I go to college. While it’s exciting to think about all of the new possibilities that come with college, I’m also really nervous about leaving my best friend. So I make sure that I spend all the time with her that I can until that day. I know that, even after I move out, she’ll only be a phone call away, but our relationship won’t be the same. It can’t. We won’t be living in the same house, able to talk about random things and spend days running errands and thrifting for things we don’t need. Hearing her voice won’t be the same as her hugging me and telling me everything will be fine. I’m okay with that, though. I know that the dynamic of our relationship will change, but I also know we’ll be close forever, just like how she and my grandparents are. I know that she’ll always be there for me and I’ll always be there for her. Most of all, I know that she’ll be my best friend forever.

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things we don’t like Virtual announcements? B hall bathroom Half of the sinks have not been working in the upstairs girls B hall bathroom for weeks. Some of the soap dispensers have also been empty. It’s always important for students to wash their hands, but it’s especially critical during a pandemic. The bathroom should be fixed to keep students healthy.

It can be difficult for virtual students to keep up with important school information, especially when they’re not here to listen to the announcements each day. It would be great if the administrators could copy and paste the information on the announcements spreadsheet and send it in a daily email to the students who need it.

Speeding students While it’s obvious that a bunch of teens who got their driver’s licenses a year ago won’t be the best behind the wheel, nobody wants to feel like they’re running across the highway while walking in the parking lot. Please be courteous and try to remember the basics of driver’s ed, so nobody has to dodge four Toyotas just to get to their car.

Lost in translation column Shriya Mukkavilli @shriyam_294 Ever since I was little, I loved to read. My mom would pick me up from school and take me to the library, where I’d get 10 books for the week. I’d read them at breakneck speed, anticipating the next trip. In elementary school, my reading log was filled within three days. I always went for the more complicated stories. “Little House on the Prairie” instead of “Green Eggs and Ham.” The “39 Clues” series instead of “Where the Wild Things Are.” Mom read to me until I started to take the book from her hands, wanting to soak up the words on my own. I used to pride myself on reading all the popular series before everyone else did, like the “Hunger Games” and “Percy Jackson.” As I got older, I would do word searches and crossword puzzles, expanding my vocabulary. Mom made me fill out handwriting books, working on my penmanship. This helped me develop a love for writing and reading, and overall have strong English skills. But on the other hand, I can’t speak, read or write my native language, Telugu. I can only understand it. When my parents talk to me in Telugu, I respond in English. Every time I try to

opinion April 1, 2021

open my mouth and speak it, the words catch and I stick to what’s safe. My biggest fear is being judged for sounding “too American.” Sometimes I wonder if I traded fluency in one language for another. Whenever the kids in elementary school asked me if I could say something

in Telugu, I would say something basic, like introducing myself. I always cringed at how the words sounded choppy instead of rolling off my tongue the way they do for my family. My classmates couldn’t tell, but it was glaringly obvious to me. My parents tried to help me learn.

I took classes for a couple years in preschool, but I remember very little today. I have a decent vocabulary, but forming a sentence is where I struggle. However, I don’t blame my parents for not pushing me to become fluent. I would’ve felt insecure if I had an accent when I speak English, or if I had difficulty talking to my friends at school. But at times it feels like I traded one insecurity for another. I can use big words and write stories in English, but I need my mom to translate when I speak to my grandparents on the phone. It is painful. I feel like the language barriers I face are ones I built myself. It also gave me comfort in knowing that some of my friends who are also children of immigrants felt the same way. While some of them are fluent, others are like me, stuck in the awkward in-between. Many of us feel a pressure to assimilate, and the less we associated with our native cultures, the more we could fit in. I’m still connected to my culture through our celebrations and traditions. Just because I can’t speak my native language doesn’t mean I’ve lost that part of who I am, even though I may lose my language over time. Culture can be expressed in many ways like family recipes. We can all value the cultural parts of our life that make each family different.

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“Have yourself turned into a dead body, free of charge!”

“A cat peed on you?”

- Band Hall

- Cafeteria

“Why is it NOT national hot chicken day?”

“...and that’s why I move so much. Just kidding, it’s the ADHD.”

- Cafeteria

- Commons

A path I wanted column Vaibhav Sridhar @BlobHippo Stepping into a Hindu class for the first time, I immediately felt out of place. Around 60 kids sat on mats on the floor, the guru waiting for everyone to settle down. For the next half hour, we chanted prayers, quietly scolded by the parents seated around us if we went silent or whispered to the other kids. Afterwards, teachers split us up into rooms for hourlong studies. Even at 5, the weekly class felt more like a classroom than a place of worship or belonging. Hinduism is a formless religion; it can be practiced differently depending on personal preferences, and is widely regarded as a path of faith decided by oneself. Knowing this as a kid, being fed information instead of getting to choose how to worship was frustrating, but the class was the only place I could study the hundreds of deities and stories. Hinduism was never forced on me, but it was the only spiritual avenue I knew for six years. I left the Hindu class at 11, following years of arguing with my parents. I wanted to stay Hindu, but without formulaic assignments and lectures. I resolved to pray on my own time, my own way. For a time, it felt like how belief should’ve been, but thoughts intruded. Uncertainties flooded through holes made by the structure of that Hindu school, and I began to doubt whether I truly believed in what I and those around me claimed I did. Going through a slight rebellious phase at the time, I finally decided I didn’t believe in the deities I had spent

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years worshipping. Looking back, I was, at best, unsure, but the arrogance of a middle schooler won, and I labeled myself an atheist. Of course, my beliefs didn’t line up at all with the definition of atheism, but, having cast off a label I carried my entire life, I felt like I was on top of the world. I still visited the temple on holy days, prayed at the altar at home, and lived a Hindu lifestyle, but, secretly, I claimed to not believe in any of it. I felt like I finally believed in something of my own volition.

Throughout middle school, I began to look into religion further, and discovered the actual meaning of atheism: the concrete disbelief in the existence of God or gods. I clung to the label, insisting it was true, but inevitably gave it up, realizing I’d eventually have to accept I wasn’t absolutely certain in my beliefs. Searching for a replacement term, I happened upon agnosticism, the belief

one will never know the truth of the existence of God and gods. It seemed like common sense at the time; how could one know definitively the existence of something so beyond us? Deciding to spend less time worrying about the topic, I resigned myself to a lifetime of never knowing the truth of the divine. During quarantine, I started looking into philosophy as a replacement for spiritualism, and began to ponder the most foundational question in philosophy: the meaning of life. I spent months down that rabbit hole, sifting through countless answers and ideologies. Finally, one quiet night, I sat and thought about my beliefs in their entirety, and asked myself, “What term could describe all that?” There was no answer. Ever since I’d cast off the beliefs I’d held since childhood, I’d been searching for something to classify myself as, but the truth was I didn’t need anything. I can live life without worrying about religion, or whether or not anything has meaning. Of course, these terms may be necessary and simple for others, but I had to learn that, for me, they were unnecessary, and only a burden. These beliefs are perfectly valid, but I had to stop drowning myself in them to live. Now, I haven’t thought about what to classify my thoughts as in months. I’m sure there’s some term out there to explain it, and it could even be one I’ve used in the past. I could be agnostic, existentialist, or maybe, somewhere in my soul, I’m still a Hindu, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore. Living life in the moment, for the sake of experiencing it, is meaning enough for me.

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compiled Garrison Acree photos Maya Hernandez I learned a bunch of new crafts and stuff, like whittling....I haven’t whittled anything in particular, just messing around with it.

- Sarah Wilson, 12

What’s something that’s happened during the pandemic that you’re grateful for? I learned guitar, and I think it was cool because I picked up new things. And I think I reached out to more people, so that’s pretty awesome.

My grandparents moved in with me for a little bit because they couldn’t live in an apartment anymore. And that brought me closer to them, and that was great.

The one thing I might be grateful for is people trying to be safer and making sure they’re not doing things that aren’t healthy. Things like exercise became more normal so that’s great.

- Tatiana Abulail, 11

- Alston Hackler, 11

- Giovanni Watson, 9

Rebuilding school community vital for next year staff editorial This school year hasn’t been what any of us expected, and it has posed unique challenges to students and teachers. The new COVID-19 requirements were certainly a culture shock, but social distancing and mask-wearing are easy compared to the mental issues that some people have been facing. Many students have struggled to feel an emotional connection to the school, so it should be a major goal to rebuild the sense of community next year. Most years, especially during football season, our school is full of school spirit. The pandemic made it impossible to have in-person pep rallies and greatly limited the number of people who could attend sporting events. Without the fun parts of school, many students find it hard to stay motivated. To keep students engaged and to improve morale, the school could offer opportunities for students to bond in a pandemic-friendly way next year. It is important to acknowledge the differing comfort levels between students when it comes to COVID-19 and to offer

opinion April 6, 2021

activities that can include a variety of people. The school could offer field trips to parks, zoos or other outdoor places where students may wear masks. Pep rallies could also be brought back, with students attending in groups, such as grades. Each group could go to the MAC to watch the pep rally one at a time, so everyone can enjoy it socially distanced. Since the pandemic began, mental health struggles have become more commonplace among the student body, which can make it difficult to find a sense of unity. Group counseling is a good way to combat this. Although the Marauder Time Rithm lessons are a great mental health resource, students often brush them off, and sometimes don’t provide honest answers. So to make Rithm entries more meaningful, school counselors or affiliated therapists could give Marauder Time lessons where people can share how they’ve been doing. Real human interaction and the Rithm AI tracking students’ mood over time could be a great combination. It would be a great idea to encourage students to talk to each other. Rather

than focus on lectures in the classroom, collaboration and conversation should be prioritized to help create classroom unity. After all, it would be ideal to at least be acquainted with the people you’re spending a semester with. If the pandemic doesn’t end this summer, it will be vital to acknowledge that our situation is not ideal. We’ve never been through something of this magnitude before, so we can’t call it a “new normal.” We have to acknowledge that the past year has been a low point in our history, and millions of people have been significantly affected by this virus. Knowing that you’re not suffering alone can lessen the burden at least a little. After a year of isolation, it may be difficult for students to be thrown back into a social environment next school year. However, forming connections with other people is extremely important to our overall well-being and will make it easier to get through hard times. From connections in the classroom to pandemic-friendly social events, there are so many things that could make next year one to remember.

design Emily Seiler

Senior Wesley Jordan slides into home plate just before an IMG Academy catcher tags him. Photo Brooke Luther

Senior Mickey Scheetz throws water in senior Cade Bradford’s face in celebration of his pitch. Photo Brooke Luther

Senior Owen Shaw celebrates after senior Wesley Jordan scores a run. Photo Maya Hernandez

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Baseball secures wins on MLB field The varsity baseball team played IMG Academy on Feb. 27, winning 6-5. They also won against Southlake Carroll the day before 5-1. The game was a part of a high school showcase being held on the Globe Life Field in Arlington. The game was close for the majority of the innings, but eventually the Marauders were able to come out on top.

Senior Tyler Schott runs past third base to home after his teammate’s successful hit. Photo Brooke Luther