The Marquee Volume 35 Issue 3

Vol. 35 Issue 3 • Feb. 12, 2021 • Edward S. Marcus High School • 5707 Morriss Road Flower Mound, TX 75028

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Coach discusses former pro basketball career

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Music for every relationship status

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Theatre cancels plans for musical

Opening the closet door P. 15

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 Maya Hernandez

Sophomore Raegan Sucher swings at the ball during fourth period junior varsity softball practice. Photo Brooke Luther

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Celebrating culture

MLK contest, Black History Club shift in light of recent events

Fighting for change

Districtwide movement advocates for more diversity in curriculum

Best dressed

Quarantine helps senior find himself beyond fashion

Switching it up

Checking out the best impulsive hairstyles of the year contents mhsmarquee.com

Musical canceled due to COVID-19 story Sophia Craig

5:30, but recently we only have them until 4:30,” Mylett said.

According to Tooch, it’s been difficult not to be able to have the musical experience this year.

“I miss the process with the kids,” Tooch said. “I miss seeing the journey that they take. I love watching them learn their music and be able to sing amazing songs and do amazing choreography and put everything together.”

Mylett said that even though they were all initially upset, the students let it go and started to place more focus on adapting to the new protocols.

“Everyone was kind of disappointed because we were all hoping for one,” Mylett said. “But I think collectively we all understood that it was the best decision.”

•••

Early in the year, theatre knew that putting on a musical would be a challenge, but it was one they wanted to face because it meant a lot to the community. According to varsity theatre member and senior Finn Mackimmie, they were prepared to put on a show.

“We all held on to that little bit of hope that we would get to participate in one,” Mackimmie said.

At the beginning of the year, theatre director Denise Tooch worked to find a musical that would be safe during the pandemic.

“We had two plays to pick from, depending on the circumstances,” Tooch said.

“They were plays that could The students have be performed in multiple continued to work on circumstances and multiple honing their acting and venues, depending on what singing skills. They don’t COVID was going to give share props and learn us.” to display emotion and In the last few months as relationships while socially the virus has continued to distanced and masked. spread, changing protocols “One of the things that have made it hard for theatre we’ve been really focused to make decisions about the on is just building our skill musical. Tooch said she Theatre director Denise Tooch sets up an iPad for senior set,” Tooch said. “What we continued to make plans Doris Olenkiewicz to attend class virtually. Photo Maya Hernandez can work on in a distance without giving the students situation that will really the title of the musical. refine our sensibilities and “We didn’t want to put ourselves in a situation where we were going to disappoint the our processes when we can get back together again.”

This has been a challenge for the actors who are used to kids ahead of time,” Tooch said.

However, due to the limitations, Tooch and the other fine using physical touch to convey closeness.

“It’s definitely hard because a lot of theatre is movement arts directors recently canceled the show to stay true to the musical’s tradition of a large, inclusive cast and to keep the and touching someone,” Mackimmie said. “It’s changing our perspective on how we do things.” students safe.

Canceling the musical will cause problems for the department Tooch said that this is the time that the theatre, choir, orchestra, band and dance departments work together each as a whole, as losing the profits from their biggest show will year to put on one big show for everyone in the district to cause a shortfall in funds. While there is allowance left over enjoy. Their performances bring in hundreds of students, from last year, theatre has to find other ways to fundraise for the future. parents and administrators.

In addition to funding the theatre program, a lot of the “It’s been really difficult as a performing arts teacher to not get to see your students engaged in the thing they love the proceeds from the annual musical go to charities.

“We’re not getting funding and we don’t get to give back to most,” Tooch said.

For varsity theatre member and junior Erin Mylett, theatre our community,” Mackimmie said.

Even though this school year hasn’t been ideal for theatre, felt different since the start of the school year. She said in a typical year students stay long hours after school and on Tooch continues to stay positive and focus on the possibilities weekends for months to rehearse for the musical, but this year for next year. She hopes that theatre will have the opportunity to put on a larger show than usual to make up for this year. most of their practices have taken place during school hours.

“We can’t do anything but have hope,” Tooch said.

“Usually right off the bat we start going from class time to

news Feb. 12, 2021

design Tara Connick

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Club adjusts its celebration of Black History Month story Shriya Mukkavilli & Muna Nnamani The Black History Club’s annual African-American food fair, Taste of Soul, will be held virtually on Feb. 25. According to club sponsor Sherri Sistrunk, some club members will cook soul food dishes on video, as well as carry out other plans that are yet to be announced.

Sistrunk said that while they are unable to hold Taste of Soul in person this year, the event was a place where community members could come together in the past.

So you feel that love, or just a sense of pride throughout the community for at least 28 days out of the year, which is cool.

- Tamyra Kelly, 12 “It’s a good unifying event, not just amongst the club, but parents, the school, administration,” Sistrunk said.

“So we’re really disappointed that we won’t be able to have this event.”

Sistrunk said that Taste of Soul allows the club to spread African American culture within the school.

“A lot of love goes into our food,” Sistrunk said. “That’s why it’s called soul food, and we just like to share that with others.”

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The club members are planning other events for the month. They will also proceed with hosting speakers and sharing Black history moments over the announcements, as they have done in previous years.

Black History Club president Tamyra Kelly joined the club last year, when trivia about civil rights organizations and lesser-known Black historical figures were main discussion points. However, she said that she noticed a shift since then, as meetings this year have fostered discussions about issues highlighted in recent events.

“We had a meeting earlier this year... over systemic racism,” Kelly said. “And that was cool to be a part of because we don’t really talk about systemic racism in school, so it was nice to have a lesson where everyone gets a general idea of what problems we still have going on in this country.”

A large part of Black History Club is pride in Black culture, especially during Black History Month. Kelly compared the excitement of members of the Black community during February to anticipation during the holiday season.

“Especially because in the media, often, it’s more saturated with Black content and stuff like that,” Kelly said.

“So you feel that love, or just a sense of pride throughout the community for at least 28 days out of the year, which is cool.”

Kelly said she has benefitted from spending time with other students who are proud of their culture.

“I’ve gotten to be around a lot of cool people,” Kelly said. “The energy overall of Black History Club, especially in person, is really nice, because it’s just a bunch of kids hanging out, having a good time.”

While the discussions are based around Black culture and history, Sistrunk said that the Black History Club is not only for Black students — rather,

Senior and Black History Club president Tamyra Kelly helped plan the group’s events for Black History Month. Kelly also spoke at the MLK contest virtual celebration. Photo Maya Hernandez

they welcome all members of the student body.

“We have members of all diverse backgrounds,” Sistrunk said. “So it’s good to see everyone becoming knowledgeable of history.”

BHC meetings: •

In-person: Room B211 on main campus

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Virtually: Webex at https:// lewisvilleisd.webex.com/meet/ sistrunks

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Dates: second and fourth Wednesdays of each month

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Time: 4:10 - 4:50 p.m. after school

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For more information, email club sponsor Sherri Sistrunk at SistrunkS@lisd.net

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Justice for all

MLK contest highlights recent events

story Shriya Mukkavilli & Muna Nnamani LISD’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. contest was held virtually on Jan. 18.

The event was pre-recorded and featured speeches from author and lecturer Tracy Brown, as well as performances by LISD

Junior Saloni Mistry was recognized for her entry, titled “No Justice No Peace.”

Mistry said she was inspired by events over the summer. Photo Maya Hernandez

students. The theme for the contest and event was “A Beloved Community: Justice For All.” Senior Tamyra Kelly helped announce the contest winners for the event.

“I did participate in the competition a lot before, and being able to be behind the scenes was really cool,” Kelly said.

Junior Saloni Mistry took home the Chairman’s Grand Prize for her painting, “No Justice, No Peace.” She said that the purpose of her piece was to spread awareness.

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Junior Saloni Mistry’s painting, pictured above, won the Chairman Grand Prize in the MLK contest. Photo submitted by Saloni Mistry

“I just wanted to show that there are still injustices happening, and with the recent Black Lives Matter protests, people are still fighting for this stuff,” Mistry said.

This year’s MLK event was the first one after the death of George Floyd on May 25. The incident played a role in influencing students’ submissions, including Mistry’s painting, which she said was inspired by the protests after Floyd’s death.

“I was pretty mad that that happened,” Mistry said. “I was shocked. I told my parents about it, and they had their opinions. It shouldn’t have happened.”

AP Art teacher Melissa Bellevue helps her students shape their pieces for the contest. She said that this contest’s entries focused more on reflecting the flaws of the last year than in the past.

“I think this year the subject of everything not being perfect was more allowable,” Bellevue said. “Usually it’s trying to show everything that’s great and everyone’s happy.”

The district also asked Kelly and some other students to give reflections over the year, which were played at the beginning of the ceremony. The students were asked questions such as, “What did you learn from 2020?”

“We have a long way to go in the mission of achieving equality, but I’ve also learned that there is immeasurable strength in the communities we build with each other,” Kelly wrote in her response. “And that if we come together, we’re extremely powerful.”

Black History figures: •

Katherine Johnson was a

NASA mathematician who helped calculate the trajectories for the first American human spaceflight and Space Shuttle missions. Her efforts were highlighted in the movie “Hidden Figures.” She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 by President Obama.

•

Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to serve in Congress.

She represented New York’s 12th congressional district from 1969 to 1983. Chisholm was also the first Black person to seek the Democratic nomination for president.

•

Jesse Owens was an Olympic track runner. He is best known for his performance in the 1936 games, where he won four gold medals and set three world records. These accomplishments were seen as disproving Hitler’s principles of White superiority.

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W.E.B. DuBois was a prominent Civil Rights leader in the late 1800s to the early 20th century and the first Black man to graduate from Harvard with a PhD. He later founded the NAACP. DuBois was also part of the Niagara Movement, which fought for social equality for Black Americans.

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Sophomore manages ADHD with virtual learning story Madi Olivier Sophomore Charley David describes living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, as starting each day with a blank sheet of notebook paper.

The tasks she needs to complete are like her math notes.

Similar to how she plans how much space for each section on one page, David plans out her day, giving herself enough time to complete each task.

But as the day goes on, she writes too big. What she thought needs three lines takes up six. The equations grow boring and David finds herself wanting to draw instead, taking up valuable space.

The end of the day comes faster than David expects. She runs out of space — or time — before she can finish everything.

This repeats day after day.

“You go, ‘Oh, well, this little section shouldn’t take up much space,’ and then you start on it, and then it ends up taking

half the page,” David said. “And you’re like, ‘Well, half my day is gone. What am I supposed to do now?’”

David, who was diagnosed with ADHD in third grade, is taking all of her classes virtually this year, so she

assignment,” David said.

This means that like with her leftover math notes, David struggles to finish everything in one day. Even if she wakes up early in the morning and doesn’t stop working until that evening, it never feels

Sophomore Charley David was diagnosed with ADHD in third grade. It mainly affects her ability to focus, which she had to overcome while taking virtual classes this year. Photo Brooke Luther

doesn’t have a teacher or class periods to structure her day. Suddenly, the pages that represent her days didn’t have lines anymore; she is expected to manage time completely on her own, which she has struggled with since elementary school.

“Sometimes, literally in kindergarten, my teacher gave me a timer on my desk so I knew how much time I had for an

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like she has enough time.

“It makes me wonder a lot, ‘Was my hard work this morning for not?’” David said. “Because I’ve still been working all day, I could have just paced it differently.

It confuses me and stresses me out.”

According to guidance counselor Michelle Schwolert, David isn’t alone. ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in kids.

People with the disorder often thrive in a structured environment where they can receive guidance and hands-on learning, which is difficult to provide virtually.

“You’re just kind of left on your own

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and self starting initiative, those are not generally strengths of kids with ADHD,” Schwolert said.

For over a decade, David has been stuck in this battle with her own mind.

She knows that she should focus, but sometimes it feels like no matter how hard she tries, her brain won’t do it, instead getting distracted by every little thing nearby.

It’s not that David doesn’t want to do her work. She grew up knowing that she was often behind her classmates. It’s like they were sprinting, but no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t do more than jog.

“I have to speed up to get at the pace of everybody else,” David said.

David stood out compared to her neurotypical peers in other ways as well. She never sat still and had anger issues. She had a bad reputation, even though she tried her best to behave like everyone else.

However, it all made sense after she was diagnosed. It was proof that she wasn’t a bad kid. Her brain is just wired differently.

“This impacts me in every way,” David said. “There’s a reason that I’m a troublemaker or feel like I overtalk.”

The first step David and her family

This impacts me in every way... There’s a reason that I’m a troublemaker or feel like I overtalk.

- Charley David, 10 feature Feb. 12, 2021

took after her diagnosis was learning to manage it.

“I think what really helped is that my mom started to look at stuff for ADHD because I’m the oldest kid,” David said. “So I noticed the way she gave instructions change, like instead of ‘Go do this,’ like, ‘I need you to look me in the eyes. I need you to do this and then this.’”

David was on strong ADHD medication from fourth to sixth grade.

Although a prescription is often seen as an effective treatment, this wasn’t the case for David. It severely suppressed her appetite and made it difficult for her to sleep. She always came to school with bags under her eyes and left without eating her snack.

“It was weird because I couldn’t get sleep,” David said. “Probably part of the reason I was underweight is that I just didn’t finish my lunches, and I was supposed to be growing.”

David has been off of the medication since middle school and now takes fish oil supplements. Although her health improved, this meant that she had to learn how to manage her ADHD without a safety net.

“If you don’t have the medication, you can still be successful,” Schwolert said.

“It just might be a little harder, and you’ll have to be more intentional about it.”

David has used these strategies while learning from home. After a few weeks of trial and error, David began to enjoy the freedom of virtual learning.

“If you do it right, you can be a lot more productive than you are at school,” David said. “You can pace yourself like you want to. You can order your classes depending on how much attention they require.”

David considers herself lucky. She was diagnosed with ADHD early, so she has had years to learn how to win the fight against her own brain.

She said that this is what it comes down to when someone is diagnosed with ADHD — figuring out what works for them and having self control. This can be the difference between passing a class with flying colors or turning every assignment late, especially when learning virtually.

However, David said that it’s a learning process. She hopes students in a similar situation won’t give up, as

Study tips Limit distractions Avoid distractions by setting timers on your phone so you know when to take a break and when to study. You can also put your phone where you can’t see it.

Break up assignments It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a huge project or five-page paper. Break up each assignment into smaller pieces and set mini goals for yourself to make it more manageable.

Make a study space Choose a specific spot to designate as your workspace. Do all of your homework there and leave when taking breaks, so you know that it’s time to get to work when you sit down.

Write it down Make a to-do list for each class and check things off as you complete them. If you don’t have homework in a class, write down “nothing” and cross it off so you still get a sense of accomplishment.

Take breaks Nobody wants to do calculus homework for two hours straight, especially since you’ll quickly burn out. Work for 30 minutes to an hour, then take a 15 minute study break. If you’re really struggling to focus, take a quick nap.

everyone has the capability to be a great student, even if they think differently or walk a few steps behind their classmates.

“By the end of the day, you don’t have to have it all done, so don’t be upset at yourself when that’s not the case, because you can make up time,” David said. “That time is flexible, but you should still have motivation.”

design Amber Luther

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Seen and heard

Student group pushes for inclusive curriculum story Shriya Mukkavilli

organization allows students like her to become more involved in social justice causes.

“I was really excited when I heard about it,” Rodriguez said. “I think it’s really good that this started because it brings a lot more awareness and it makes a lot more issues accessible for kids our age to help.”

Rodriguez said that as a Hispanic student, the Eurocentric approach has made her feel excluded from what she

Brininstool agrees that the history curriculum often takes a Eurocentric approach.

LISD SEE, or Students for Educational “I would say that most ethnicities, Equity, is a student-led organization religions, races and genders are given that is advocating for a more inclusive just sort of a passing glance,” Brininstool history, English and science curriculum. said. “And that the preponderance of The group has over 130 members from again, specifically American history, is schools across the district, and are predominantly taught through the lens expanding to have advocates in each of of White men.” the five high schools.

Kumar believes that having difficult Leaders of LISD SEE met with the conversations in classes about race district’s Secondary Social will help students be more Studies Administrator, Nicole empathetic and gain a greater Michener, as well as the ELA understanding of different Those conversations are cultures. She hopes that administrator in October.

“I really do appreciate so critical to have, and students will learn about the students who share ideas racist events that took place the place we start to fix centuries or decades ago, even and reach out and want to know more,” Michener said. all these issues is by talking if some people would rather “I welcome the opportunity to forget them. about it and through education visit.”

“Those conversations are so For founder and Hebron critical to have, and the place because racism is taught.

High School junior Nandita we start to fix all these issues Kumar, LISD SEE means longis by talking about it and term changes to education education because - Nandita Kumar, LISD SEE Founder through that will include people from racism is taught,” Kumar said. all backgrounds.

“Hatred is taught, and if we “The inclusive and equitable learns in history classes, and that other can stop that at a younger age, then that portions of our message are really minorities likely feel the same way. would be so amazing, and I would love to interconnected,” Kumar said. “You can’t “For me and other people of color, it be a part of that.” have equitable schools when they’re not makes us feel like we are less a part of Brininstool said that history teachers inclusive, and when they don’t make a American history, when that’s not the and the district as a whole should be open very intentional effort to be anti-racist case at all,” Rodriguez said. “I just think to having conversations with students of and to be equitable to students with all that the White parts of history are more different backgrounds to discuss their sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds.” highlighted.” ideas.

Junior Denise Rodriguez said that the AP Humanities teacher Debbie “I think that what we need to

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Graphic Brooke Luther understand as a district is that this is an incredibly diverse district,” Brininstool said. “I hope that what most of us are doing as teachers is just having conversations, or that we’re creating environments in our classrooms where students feel free to share their cultural reality.”

Some students believe that there is also limited diversity when it comes to discussing other marginalized groups such as women and the LGBTQ+ community. LISD SEE’s Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs and Hebron senior Arushi Biswas, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, said that a more inclusive curriculum would impact minority students greatly.

“When students see themselves represented in media, literature, history, it makes them feel seen,” Biswas said. “It makes them think, ‘Oh, there are other people like me out there who did this and that.’”

••• According to Kumar, the district has generally been receptive to the group’s ideas.

“Everyone’s ready to listen, but not everyone’s ready to put in the work and take action, “ Kumar said.

On Aug. 24, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Rogers announced that district employees will be taking part in cultural proficiency training.

“These efforts to learn and grow are never truly complete, but LISD will

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continue striving to become a better organization,” Rogers stated in an update on the district website.

Assistant Principal Jason Mullin said that staff training currently promotes inclusion for students and teachers of all backgrounds. According to him, the training does not focus on one specific group, but rather promotes overall diversity and understanding.

“I think it’s been very helpful, and not necessarily from a ‘let’s recognize this particular culture, or this race, this economic level of students or families,” Mullin said. “It’s kind of all of that together.”

Michener said that the district’s history curriculum is constantly modified to reflect changes from the

said. “So that could mean people from various minority groups, and how they were specifically involved in that event.”

Michener agrees that inclusion of different races and ethnicities is vital to students’ learning.

“I do believe diversity is very important,” Michener said. “Because really, when you think about...our history, stories from all groups...really give us a more thorough and complete understanding of the past.”

••• Demographics vary across the school district, so Hebron-based LISD SEE is seeking outreach leaders at each high school. The group’s Instagram is @lisd. see.

“Hopefully those leaders will be able

Editing History The Texas State Board of Education last revised the High School US History TEKS in 2018.

Changes between the 2010 and 2018 TEKS: Removed • The Tuskegee Airmen • The Flying Tigers • The Navajo Code Talkers • Oprah • Dolores Huerta state school board.

“Curriculum is something that I really think of as a living document,” Michener said.

In individual schools, efforts are seen in including more diversity in history lessons. U.S. History teacher Kaitlyn Wilson said that she takes care to provide her students with perspectives from diverse historical figures.

“When I’m teaching about specific events that have happened, I want to provide multiple narratives of individuals that were involved,” Wilson

Added • Jim Crow • KKK • War on drugs • AIDS epidemic • Rosa Parks to use the connections they have with students and staff to find out what can be improved on and work with their peers and work with their administration to make on-campus reforms,” Kumar said.

The LISD SEE leaders hope the work their organization is doing will motivate younger students to continue the cause, even after the current leaders and members graduate in the near future.

“We have so much untapped power that we can utilize and we can strategize,” Kumar said. “We have to be the change that we want to see.”

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Ball in a new court

Coach reflects on NBA and Euroleague career story Hyunsung Na It may surprise people to find out that former professional basketball player James Singleton played more chess than basketball growing up. The recently hired coach brought his love for the chessboard to the way he lives his life — accomplishing one move at a time, while constantly calculating the next.

Singleton was born in 1981 on the south side of Chicago, a community with a reputation as one of the most dangerous in the nation. Growing up in the middle of gang violence and substance abuse, Singleton had only one goal: escaping.

In high school, he saw his childhood friends join gangs. They abused drugs and alcohol.

Singleton was determined to avoid that. He never gave in to peer pressure and got into fights over it.

“That’s the quickest way to six feet under,” Singleton said.

While serious about some things, the young teen was free spirited, a class clown who didn’t take life seriously.

Early on, he was smaller and played some sports, but mostly chess. Anyone looking at a young Singleton would never have expected him to have planned to use sports for his future, but he knew basketball was his only option besides joining a gang.

“Chess helped me understand you have to take it one step at a time, plan ahead, and when you get the opportunity, checkmate,” Singleton said.

“My checkmate was getting out of there.”

When he had his growth spurt to 6 foot 6 inches his sophomore year of high school, he suddenly had an escape route.

In 1999, Singleton was 6 foot 9 inches and graduated highschool with a scholarship to Pearl River Junior College.

He realized his hard work paid off, as he had another chance that he wasn’t going to waste.

However, in his first year at Pearl River, Singleton tore his ACL while trying to get a rebound. He lost multiple offers from other colleges. With schools turning their backs on him, it seemed his future had flatlined.

Assistant Basketball Coach James Singleton guards Kobe Bryant during his time on the Dallas Mavericks. Photo submitted by James Singleton

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The only way for me to get an opportunity was to dominate wherever I went.

- James Singleton, Baseketball Coach “Because teams thought I was done, I thought I was too,” Singleton said.

For the first time in years, Singleton gave up on himself. He planned to go back to Chicago.

However, his coach at the time, Richard Mathis, pushed Singleton to continue. Every morning at 6 a.m, Mathis dragged Singleton to the weight room for rehab with a cup of coffee in his hand, a banana and newspaper in the other.

“That is burned into my nose for life,” James said. “Everytime I walk into a weight room I smell coffee and bananas to this day.”

A year and a half later, he got back on the court and had a great season at Pearl River. In his junior year, he transferred to Murray State, a D-1 college with a renowned basketball program.

At Murray State, Singleton led the Racers to the Ohio Valley Conference title and played in an NCAA tournament.

Due to his college success, Singleton got a call to play in the Legadue, an Italian basketball league. Singleton knew playing overseas could put him on a path to the NBA.

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“Being from Chicago, I played against NBA players every summer, so I knew I could play with them mentally and physically,” Singleton said. “...The only way for me to get an opportunity was to dominate wherever I went.”

Singleton also saw moving to Italy as a way to see what the world was like outside of Chicago.

“You see these things on television,” Singleton said. “You read it in books but you don’t see it from someone else’s perspective. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

In Singleton’s first year in Europe, he averaged stats that caught the attention of the NBA. After two great seasons in Italy, Singleton signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2005 and played there for two years.

He had climbed every level from high school, to college, to Europe, finding a way to play for the NBA. In that moment, he only had one thing on his mind — success. Singleton was enjoying it, but knew this was just the beginning.

“Now I have to work even harder,” Singleton said. “Getting there was the easy part. The hard part is maintaining being there.”

Now I have to work even harder. Getting [to the NBA] was the easy part. The hard part is maintaining being there.

- James Singleton, Basketball Coach Singleton gained attention from teams worldwide, including Spain’s team TAU Vitoria, now known as Saski Baskona. He signed to play there for the 2006 season, becoming the highest paid player in Spain and gaining a lot more playing time.

But during a game, Singleton got hit while attempting to dunk and landed awkwardly. He felt a surge of pain in his knee.

He knew he tore his ACL again.

Back at Pearl River, Singleton had no idea how he was going to get through it and almost abandoned his dreams. However, this time there was no feeling of despair. He was going to do it, one move at a time.

The local media called Singleton, asking about the injury.

“I’m not done. You’ll be seeing me in five to six months,” Singleton said.

The interviewer said there was no way he could come back from a full ACL tear and play that season.

Singleton disregarded the comment. He was sure he could do it.

••• Four and a half months was all it took.

During practice, Singleton dropped his crutches to jog with

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Assistant Basketball Coach James Singleton plays against the Bucks during his NBA career before starting his new job on campus. Photo submitted by James Singleton

his team. They yelled at him to stop and the trainer chased him, but Singleton was stubborn. He knew where his body was at, and he needed to prove himself.

He was given five minutes to play in their next game, but ended up playing 22. Singleton was back and nothing was going to stop his team. TAU Vitoria played Barcelona in the League’s Finals, beating them 3-0.

“That championship meant more to me than anything,” Singleton said. “Not only did I get over personal adversity, I went against all the odds.”

Singleton returned to the NBA in 2009, playing for the Dallas Mavericks, the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards.

During his time on the Mavericks, Singleton played with Dirk Nowitski, a Texas legend. The two had a rivalry since they played each other years ago. Every day, Nowitski and Singleton competed to see who could shoot a certain number of baskets

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learn about player development.

••• Last spring, Singleton talked with Head Basketball Coach Shane Rogers about the vacant spot as the varsity assistant coach. While coaching always came naturally to Singleton, he would also be teaching world history, an entirely new experience to him.

“I was a jack of many, master of none,” Singleton said. “But I’d always done basketball camps, training, coaching, so I said, ‘Cool, I’ll figure this out.’”

Now into the season, Rogers appreciates how valuable having Singleton on the staff has been.

“I feel like James has been an unbelievable addition to us and what we were already doing,” Rogers said. “I think we had this program headed in the right direction... and James has been a great Assistant Basketball Coach James Singleton instructs junior Christian Weddington addition to that.” during the game on Feb. 2. Photo Maya Hernandez Rogers said the most valuable of all has been Singleton’s dedication to his first. Singleton did everything he could them. day-to-day responsibilities.

Early on in practice, Spurs Head Coach to beat Nowitski.

“For him to be willing to come up here “Dirk had a different gear when it Gregg Popovich asked Singleton to guard early in the morning, and stay late some came to shooting,” Singleton said. “I say players. He was 6 foot 9 inches and could nights, sacrificing time away from his we shot against each other about 500 still move like an athlete, giving him an family, it just shows how good of a guy times. I never won once.” he is and what he’s willing to do Singleton was later traded to to help others,” Rogers said. the Washington Wizards, but Senior point guard Jalen Lloyd being able to play with Nowitski said the entire team sees Singleton was an incredible learning as a source of knowledge on how experience. to get to the collegiate level.

“I give that man nothing “It definitely helps a lot for but credit for everything he someone who’s been there and helped me out with my career,” beyond to tell you exactly what Singleton said. you need to fix and what to work ••• on,” Lloyd said.

Singleton spent his last After he officially joined the couple years in the NBA school’s coaching staff, many bouncing between China and people wondered why Singleton the Wizards. After leaving the - James Singleton, would take a major pay cut from NBA, Singleton played overseas an NBA coach to a high Basketball Coach being in China, Israel and South Korea, school one. where he was a player-coach.

“I’m not here for the money,” “I wanted to come and coach Singleton said. “I’m here because on the court,” Singleton said. “I’ve always advantage over the majority of the other A. It’s close to home, and B. Marcus is coaches. had a passion for it.” a 6A school, which means it has an “That was huge for player outstanding program.”

Singleton interviewed for a coaching position with the NBA’s minor league, development,” Singleton said. “Because Most of all, he decided to coach high the G League. He was hired by the San not only can I tell a guy to do something, school to spend more time with his family.

Antonio Spurs’ G League team the next I can get out there and show him.”

He has two sons and a daughter, who he Singleton was anxious to look for a missed while playing professionally. day.

Singleton was nervous to begin head coaching job after two years with “I saw my [oldest] daughter’s first coaching. He knew some of the players the Spurs, but realized he had more to steps via Skype,” Singleton said. “I missed like Kawhi Leonard and Lamarcus learn. He began training any player that a lot, and I wasn’t going to miss another Aldrige, but now Singleton was coaching wanted it, no matter their skill level, to moment.”

I wanted to come and coach on the court.

I’ve always had a passion for it.

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Still kicking

Boys’ soccer finds success despite COVID story Garrison Acree The date is Jan. 9, 2021. It was frigid on the soccer field. The contrast between the athletes’ body heat and the cold left their lungs burning. Head Coach Sam Garza watched from the sidelines with pride as the Marauders played in the North Texas Elite Showcase.

“It’s one of the top high school showcase tournaments in the nation,” Garza said. “Usually we get teams that come from as far as California, Arizona, Mississippi, Louisiana. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that this year because of COVID.” Although there were less teams, the tournament went on.

It was the final game of the tournament. The Marauders fought hard to get there over the course of the last month, so they wanted to start the game off strong.

The McKinney Boyd Broncos struggled to keep their goal guarded as the Marauders approached. In that moment, sophomore Avery Estell saw an opportunity. There was an opening in the wall of athletes guarding the goal.

But the window was closing fast and their goalie was prepared to take the hit — if Estell took the shot, there would be a low chance of it actually scoring.

“I was really just shocked that I found myself in that position,” Estell said.

“Getting the ball in front of the goal, I was pretty excited.”

Estell received the ball, took a deep breath, and lined up the shot. He ran and kicked the ball, sending it through the air towards the goal.

“I really didn’t think anything,” Estell said. “I had no time.”

••• According to Garza, there is no single driving force behind the team. He believes that everyone has pulled their weight both in practice and on the field.

“I never want to call out just one or two, three guys because everyone on the team has contributed to getting us this far,” Garza said. “So really, I want to call

sports Feb. 12, 2021

out my whole team.”

It was this same attitude that kept the team together when COVID-19 forced schools across the world to go online, ending last year’s soccer season.

Through it all, the team kept in touch via WebEx calls and other digital platforms.

They also kept exercising with what they had at home, in the hopes that they would get a season this spring.

Sure enough, in January 2021, the team got their wish. The season picked back up, but the virus had changed the entire sport. Soccer is an activity where it’s hard to socially distance.

There is currently no program for

Senior Sam Coad runs down the field during the game on Jan. 16. The Marauders beat the Rowlett High School Eagles 5-0. Photo Maya Hernandez

participating in soccer virtually, so all team members are either in-person or Virtual Plus.

Along with the changes in attendance, there were new locker room rules. Only in-person students have lockers, while virtual plus students, such as senior Jack Golden, don’t. They take their belongings home with them after practice.

“We all have to socially distance, and it just doesn’t have that same feeling that it used to have,” Golden said.

The games also look different this year. People are required to social distance everywhere, from the bleachers to the sidelines. Athletes are required to mask up while they’re not on the field.

“While you’re on the sidelines, you have to have your mask on and the benches are spaced out six feet apart,” Golden said. “It’s weird because you don’t get that same ‘rah rah’ moment.”

Nevertheless, the team adapted to the new environment. Although sanitizing equipment seemed like a daunting task, Garza’s father came to the rescue.

“My dad works in the pesticides industry, so he has a bunch of sprayers,” Garza said. “He actually gave us some sprayers and sanitizer fluid, and then we clean off our balls, equipment and stuff that we use on a daily basis.”

••• But in that moment in the North Texas Elite Showcase, the new COVID-19 guidelines didn’t matter to Estell. All he was focused on was the quickly closing window of opportunity to score a goal.

He took the shot.

The ball flew past McKinney’s goalie and into the net. The team leaped up in celebration.

“Honestly, it didn’t even feel real,” Estell said. “It’s one thing just to score during preseason, but to score during this tournament against a decent team. It didn’t really set until later that day.”

That would go on to be the first of three goals that the Marauders scored in the North Texas Elite Showcase finals. They came out on top of the Broncos, making them the tournament champions.

Golden said that winning the tournament put the team on track for a successful season.

“It was definitely a huge confidence boost for everybody, for us to go out there and perform the way we did,” Golden said. “It really helped us figure out some key movements to understand how we all play. It was a great step in the right direction for the district.”

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compiled Sophia Craig photo Maya Hernandez

What fashion trends do you think should be brought back and why?

If you could dye your hair any color, which color would you choose?

“Track suits because they’re funny and kind of fun.”

“Maybe blonde just to see what I’d look like. I was blonde as a kid.”

What slang do you want to be brought back?

What’s the best, most useless object you own?

“I don’t know if this is just like I say it.

I don’t know if lots of people do, but ‘sick.’ I just think it’s fun.”

“My plants.”

What was your worst fashion crime as a kid?

“Learning how to swim. I can sort of swim but I never legitimately had lessons or learned. I just kind of figured it out.”

“A high side ponytail. It was rough.”

What is a very common thing that you have never done?

Ruby Dilts, 11

2001 Morriss Road #108 Flower Mound Texas 75028 214-285-5977

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All entrees come with plain fried rice 1940 FM 407 # 112 Highland Village, TX 75077 (972) 317-0589

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MOre teens Openly Identify As LGBTQ+

story Madi Olivier, Sophia Craig & Shriya Mukkavilli

Finding pride

LGBTQ+ identity increases among teens

Recent trends show that today’s teenagers are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than previous generations.

In 2017, GLAAD found that 20 percent of people between the ages 18 and 34 identify as LGBTQ+. The number decreases with age, going from 12 percent of people between 35 and 51 to seven percent of people between 52 and 71. Five percent of people over the age of 72 said the same.

UNT alumni Gabby De Lima Rosa, who did research on LGBTQ+ students in Texas schools, said that members of the younger generation are also more likely to come out before they go to college.

“I would say, definitely formative years of schooling, so before they even go to college, more kids are coming out than ever before,” De Lima Rosa said.

UNT professor Jara Carrington teaches various classes that fall under an LGBT studies minor at the university. She agrees that many kids are beginning to feel like they’re being misgendered or are in the wrong body at a younger age.

“They can tell you that something hurts and it hurts to be feeling like you’re not in the right space or people aren’t treating you the way that you would like for them to,” Carrington said.

leaders in the fight for equality. Although slower, adults seem to be becoming open to the LGBTQ+ community as well, as seen in recent elections.

Many teens celebrated when same sex marriage was legalized in 2015. Five years later, a historic Supreme Court decision that said workers could not be fired for being gay or transgender dominated headlines and caught the attention of the younger generation. Most recently, LGBTQ+ teens watched as Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was sworn in on Feb. 3, making him the first openly gay Cabinet member.

“They’re understanding that the status quo is no longer as strong as it used to be,” De Lima Rosa said. “That there’s a lot of opportunity for change.”

UNT professor Jara Carrington, who has been teaching for four years and graduated from UNT, said that students are more comfortable identifying as LGBTQ+ than they were when she was going to school.

“I would say that I see people more comfortable expressing their gender and their sexuality in different kinds of ways around campus, just generally speaking,” Carrington said. “So you see lots of people kind of gender nonconforming walking around or people holding hands.”

The instance on the UNT campus is a small part of a broad cultural shift.

Carrington said that in addition to a change in gender roles in the past few decades, many parents and peers are more open to having conversations about being LGBTQ+ with kids.

“I think all of those things together just kind of make it a safer cultural moment to kind of come out,” Carrington said.

acceptance There has been a notable increase in LGBTQ+ acceptance in recent years.

According to the Pew Research Center, 51 percent of Americans believed that homosexuality should be accepted by society in 2002. That number increased to 72 percent by 2019.

Senior Hayden Patrick believes that Americans should accept others and hopes to see the percentage increase even more in the future.

“I think we all just need to keep in mind that we’re all different people, and that’s the great thing in life,” Patrick said.

UNT alumni Gabby De Lima Rosa believes that this greater understanding of the community, both by society and by the legal system, has played a role in the increase in young LGBTQ+ community members.

“If you think about Baby Boomers, your grandparents’ generation, and then the generation before, there was always open persecution against LGBT people,” De Lima Rosa said. “So even if you were, you didn’t want to talk about it.”

According to De Lima Rosa, teens today are seeing changes in LGBTQ+ acceptance in real time, often becoming

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representation There has also been increased LGBTQ+ representation in the media.

According to GLAAD, out of the 110 films counted in 2018, 18.2 percent contained LGBTQ characters, a 5.4 percent increase compared to the previous year.

According to UNT alumni Gabby De Lima Rosa, a major step was the release of “Love, Simon” in 2018.

“You can see the power of representation in media very clearly with how ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ were so important to so many people when they came out,” De Lima

bullying Although LGBTQ+ acceptance has increased in recent years, students still face difficulties. In a 2019 study by the Pew Research Center, 28 percent of Americans did not believe that homosexuality should be accepted.

The same year, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the number of anti-LGBTQ hate groups increased by nearly 43 percent and remained stable in 2020.

The SPLC identified these groups as any “organization that... has beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people.”

Anti-LGBTQ groups were further specified to verbally and physically attack members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as spread false propaganda.

Junior Sydney Benson believes that homophobia is tolerated to some degree.

“I look back when I was a kid, and it’s so ingrained to be homophobic, to be transphobic,” Benson said. “I feel like we live right now in a state where it’s okay to be casually homophobic.”

This can also be seen in schools. In 2017, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network reported that 70.1 percent of LGBTQ+ students experienced verbal harassment at school because of their sexual orientation, while 28.9 percent were physically harassed.

Rosa said. “The same thing with ‘Love, Simon’, when that came out, it was a big deal.”

Representation has also increased in pop culture. Singer Jojo Siwa went viral after she came out as LGBTQ+ on Jan. 20.

Siwa posted a TikTok lip-sync video to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Junior Sydney Benson believes that Siwa coming out will help normalize being LGBTQ+, especially since her audience is mostly kids.

“All it does is help people realize, ‘Oh, queer people, gay and trans people are

literally just normal people,’” Benson said. “...She’s really just a regular kid who happens to have a platform and go on tours and all this. Her being potentially gay or bi or whatever does not change any of that.”

UNT alumni Gabby De Lima Rosa wrote her thesis about how K-12 educators in Texas interpret and implement policies that directly affect LGBTQ+ students. During her research, she found bullying to be a major issue.

“Why you hear a lot of bullying against LGBT people... in Texas, is that

missed at least one day of school in the past month because of this.

LISD’s local policy regarding bullying states that prohibited conduct includes “harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, or disability.”

Although the bullying policy does not specifically mention sexual orientation, the student handbook prefaces a list of examples of genderbased harassment by stating it is “regardless of the student’s or the harasser’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Assistant Principal Kyle Smith said that all bullying on campus, including any on the basis of sexual orientation, is not tolerated.

“We want everybody to be treated fairly and respectfully and if they can’t be treated that way, then it has to be dealt with in a disciplined manner,” Smith said. “If they’re being bullied or harassed or something like that, then administration would get involved and then handle it appropriately.”

Although homophobia can be difficult to deal with, De Lima Rosa believes that there is a better future for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think we’re going toward a direction where more people are going to have more rights,” De Lima Rosa said. “That’s why we see so much backlash.”

"

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I feel like we live right now in a state where it’s okay to be casually homophobic.

-Sydney Benson, 11 they don’t really fit into the mold that has been created and put into place to keep America the way that it is,” De Lima Rosa said. “To keep American society thriving and keep that heteronormativity.”

In the same study, the GLSEN reported that 59.5 percent of LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation. The survey also found that 34.8 percent of those students

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True colors

story Shriya Mukkavilli Junior Sydney Battiste came out when she was 11 years old. She identifies as bisexual. Photo Maya Hernandez

Junior reflects on coming out to friends and family Junior Sydney Battiste didn’t know how her mom would react to her coming out as pansexual and genderfluid at 11.

Her mom was supportive when other family members came out before, but Sydney still had doubts.

Would I be kicked out? Would I be treated differently?

She texted her online friend, who was two years older and had already come out.

All I want for Christmas is for my mom to accept me.

Sydney already made a plan B in case her mother reacted badly. She asked another friend if she could live with them in Washington. The friend was ready to book her a train ticket.

“I was really just so scared that she wasn’t going to accept me,” Sydney said.

The same day, Dixie, Sydney’s mom, was looking through her daughter’s messages. Sydney was in fifth grade, so Dixie wanted to make sure she was safe.

That night, Dixie asked Sydney about the texts. The two of them talked in the kitchen and Sydney told her mom everything, including her fears — being disowned, having to find another home.

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“I’m a single mom,” Dixie said. “It’s always been just me and her, so we’ve always been very close. So I think she was worried that if I wasn’t accepting that she was going to basically lose most of her family.”

However, Dixie had seen the way family friends reacted when their daughter came out. They weren’t accepting of their daughter’s sexuality, saying that she wasn’t their child anymore.

Dixie remembers thinking she couldn’t see herself doing anything but accepting with open arms. She believes that it shouldn’t matter what someone’s sexuality is, as long as they’re with somebody they love.

“This is my kid, she’s always going to be my kid no matter what,” Dixie said. “And I love her and adore her and support her. Regardless of anything.”

•••

Sydney identified as pansexual and genderfluid up through seventh grade. In eighth grade, she began to identify as bisexual.

“I still don’t have a label for my gender identity, and I’m fine

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with that,” Sydney said.

Dixie said that at first, she was surprised when Sydney came out. She had to learn more about what pansexuality meant. She also had questions about what were the correct pronouns to address her daughter by.

At first, Sydney had trouble defining her sexuality and gender identity. She said that she was exposed to many different labels on social media when she was younger, which confused her. Sydney now identifies as bisexual and uses they/ she pronouns.

“Being so young and impressionable, I definitely struggled with the label part of it,” Sydney said. “So I constantly changed who I thought I was, trying to fit in until I just decided not to worry about it.”

Besides educating herself, Dixie also joined a group called Free Mom Hugs Texas. The group is made up of parents of LGBTQ+ kids who attend pride parades and offer hugs to LGBTQ+ people who were disowned by their biological parents.

While Sydney said most of her family was accepting, some were more hesitant to understand, like her grandma.

“She was very conservative, no mixed race couples or anything,” Sydney said.

“And I remember I told her over the phone because I was so nervous.”

Her grandmother sounded confused after Sydney first told her she had a girlfriend, but then her tone shifted.

Sydney realized she was being condescending.

“I knew how she was and I was kind of prepared for that,” Sydney said. “But then it still really hurt just because I would hope that knowing that someone in her family that she loved was like that, she would change her opinion.”

While her friends were supportive at school, not all of Sydney’s classmates accepted her sexuality. In seventh grade, a boy in her math class called her a slur while they were waiting by the door.

“D*kes are gross.”

At the time, she had a short haircut, styled like a boy’s.

Sydney also had a girlfriend.

Taken aback, Sydney remembers being frozen to the spot.

“I was just really shocked,” Sydney said. “It was so unexpected.”

Although nobody else said anything to her face, Sydney felt like like the boy in her math class wasn’t the only one who thought that way.

"

“It was definitely scary not knowing exactly what they were saying and being a topic of discussion,” Sydney said.

Sydney believes that part of the reason she was targeted was because not many people were out at her middle school.

“Two people throughout middle school messaged me, talking about how they felt they were bi or something and they didn’t want people to know,” Sydney said. “It was just uncommon at that point.”

Sydney said that she has also faced some issues with people not wanting to address her using her preferred pronouns.

“A lot of people find problems with pronouns even though everybody has them,” Sydney said. “A lot of people will even just refuse to use the ‘they,’ which was really hurtful just because it doesn’t affect you.”

I think she was worried that if I wasn’t accepting that she was going to basically lose most of her family.

•••

Even though Sydney has faced some difficulties because of coming out at a young age, Dixie believes that her daughter is in a better place now that she is older.

“I think now she has a really good support system,” Dixie said. “Her best friend is very supportive as well.”

When Sydney was younger, she felt as if she had to rush to label her sexuality and gender identity. Now, she believes that other LGBTQ+ kids can take time to figure out who they are.

“I was lucky enough to come to terms with it a long time ago, so now it’s just something I acknowledge about myself,” Sydney said.

Sydney wants her LGBTQ+ peers who aren’t out yet to know that she supports them, even if not everyone in their life does.

“Know that you are who you are, and that’s perfectly okay,” Sydney said. “And if people can’t accept that, or they won’t accept that then they aren’t meant to be in your life.”

Sydney said that she knows not everybody has supportive people around them, and is thankful to have family and friends that love and understand her.

“I’m definitely grateful that I can go to an accepting house every day,” Sydney said. “And I’m really, really lucky for that.”

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Bisexual student dates while closeted from parents story Madi Olivier *Names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved At Kate’s* house, sound is everything.

It’s the reason she and her girlfriend, Sarah*, prefer to stay there. Kate has the top floor to herself, so the two girls can blast the TV, binge-watching their favorite shows without being told to turn it down.

But the softer sounds that often go unnoticed — footsteps on the stairs, doors closing, voices across the house — resonate the loudest to Kate.

No matter how loud the TV is, Kate is always listening for the quiet warnings of her parents’ presence. Most teens do this for a few minutes, but Kate can’t stop. She can’t risk falling asleep and missing the footsteps or voices, no matter how tired she is.

She doesn’t know what exactly would happen if she wasn’t vigilant; if they walked in while Kate and Sarah were sitting next to each other on the couch and didn’t give them enough time to jump apart.

“There’s cuddling with random friends on a couch, and then there’s spending my every waking moment with this girl,” Kate said.

Kate’s siblings, Sarah’s parents and their friends are supportive of their relationship, but Kate knows that her parents would never accept that she is bisexual and dating another girl.

She said that her stepdad is extremely

homophobic, and her mother adopted many of his beliefs after they married.

Getting kicked out or disowned is what many LGBTQ+ teens consider to be the worst case scenario when coming

“

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Kate said. “There’s always that feeling in the pit in your stomach of something could go wrong, because it could be so detrimental. If my parents came, who knows if I’m going to college or if I even have a place to live?”

Kate said she was never close with her stepdad to begin with, but it’s losing her mom that would hurt the most.

Kate believes that even though her mom might have told her to marry a man, she probably would have accepted Kate’s sexuality if it weren’t for her husband. If her stepdad wasn’t part of the picture, Kate wouldn’t worry about losing her home because of who she loves.

“My mom’s getting more like him and I’m getting less like both of them,” Kate said.

••• Kate and Sarah didn’t fall in love at first sight. They weren’t brought together by a grand romantic gesture like in the movies.

Their story started in class.

They immediately clicked and became friends, hanging out whenever they could.

“We just kind of blended well,” Sarah said. “I didn’t really think anything of it. It was normal, but I got along with her a lot better than anyone else.”

After about a year, Kate realized that she had a crush on Sarah, but she convinced herself she just liked her as a friend. She didn’t want to ruin anything.

They saw each other constantly over quarantine. Sarah expected to grow tired of seeing her every day, but it never happened. Instead, she began to fall for Kate.

I have a girlfriend and I’ve had a girlfriend for seven months, and you don’t accept me and I can never tell you.

- Kate out, but Kate said it would likely become her reality. This means she has to keep her sexuality and her relationship with Sarah a secret.

If she slips up, she could lose everything.

“It’s mentally and emotionally taxing,”

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“We weren’t being subtle about it at all,” Kate said. “We were just flat out flirting with each other from March, April, May. Those three months were just her and I totally peacocking to get each other’s attention.”

In May, they decided to try dating, just to see where it went. It felt like they were

“

It’s like walking on eggshells.

- Sarah

back in middle school, with butterflies in their stomachs at the sight of each other.

“It started working really well,” Sarah said. “It was like, ‘OK, this is something that I can see myself in.’”

••• Kate almost came out to just her mom in 10th grade, but was stopped before she could begin saying it.

“I was crying, talking to my mom and I was like, ‘There’s something I have to tell you and I just feel like I can’t,’” Kate said. “And she was just like, ‘You can tell me anything. I mean, you’re not gay or something, are you? You don’t want to be a boy?’... The worst thing she could imagine for her kid is for me to be transgender or for me to be gay.”

Kate believed coming out to her mom wasn’t an option anymore; at least not until she’s financially independent after college.

This was the final crack that broke the relationship between Kate and her parents.

Although it hurt, Kate wasn’t surprised. She said she hasn’t been close with her parents in years. She often stays out until curfew, so they’re asleep before she gets home. They might have a quick conversation in the morning, but some days, even that is too much. When they ask her about it, she can’t even begin explaining why.

Then, the cycle repeats.

“I’m just like, ‘I don’t know. I’m

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tired,’” Kate said. “But really, it’s like, ‘I have a girlfriend and I’ve had a girlfriend for seven months, and you don’t accept me and I can never tell you.’”

Whenever Kate’s parents are home, she and Sarah are always on edge. They can’t do anything that most couples would, like holding hands under the table. Anything that even seems slightly romantic has a risk.

Sarah has to think about everything she does, making sure any dates or gestures aren’t too obvious.

“It’s like walking on eggshells,” Sarah said.

Even when they aren’t around her parents, Kate and Sarah can’t escape homophobia. Although they haven’t received much backlash from community members, living in a conservative area means that they can never fully relax in public.

Wherever they are, Kate and Sarah have to be aware of their surroundings and what belief the community holds about LGBTQ+ couples. They only hold hands in well-lit areas, where they feel less threatened by people nearby who may disagree with their relationship.

Kate finds it difficult feeling like she can’t express her love for her girlfriend the same way straight couples can.

“Out in public, I’m scared to get hate crimed or beat up,” Kate said. “I don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong and it [stinks] that other people care so much.

It’s not any of their place, no matter what their religious or social beliefs are.”

She began to suspect that she was bisexual in middle school, so felt like she had no sense of self after pretending to be somebody else for so long. Everything felt like it was piling up, causing Kate to grow desperate. When she had no way to cope, it got to be too much, so she turned to drugs and alcohol.

Kate took pills and smoked weed constantly, leaving her high for almost two years straight. She doesn’t remember much from the time.

“It was kind of a way to block out the lingering ‘There’s stuff I’m not telling people’ in my head and ‘There’s still stuff from the past that I haven’t told people,’” Kate said. “But also constantly feeling like I have to pretend to be someone else around my parents, around my friends.”

However, Kate said meeting Sarah saved her. Even when they were just

friends, Kate has been able to find that missing love and support in Sarah, who liked her for who she truly was, not the fake version she had created.

Sarah didn’t know about what Kate was going through, but she was always there to remind her friend that her feelings were valid. “[Sarah has] been there for me when they weren’t, even before we were dating,” Kate said. “Even before we were best friends, she was always the one person in our friend group who cared about me.”

Although her future with her parents and Sarah is uncertain, Kate knows one thing for sure — she got to fall in love with the pretty girl from school who became her best friend. And for Kate, that’s enough for now.

“I can’t imagine a life without her,” Kate said. “I can imagine a life without my parents. I haven’t needed them for a

“

I’ve known for a while now she’s

who I want to

spend the rest

of my life with.

- Kate while other than literally to have a bed.”

When Kate thinks about her future, she imagines going to college and getting an apartment with Sarah and roommates. She hopes to discover who she is and build her own life, where she can finally watch a movie with her girlfriend without listening for footsteps.

“I’ve known for a while now she’s who I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Kate said. “I love her so much.”

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Fash ion for ward

Senior rediscovers himself during quarantine story Muna Nnamani As senior Jaelon Dennis walked into Lewisville High School as a freshman, people stopped to stare.

He wore ripped black jeans and white Air Force 1’s. His black shirt sported gold spots. A gold chain glistened around his neck. He watched the peers who picked on him the year before point and whisper.

He glided past them with a growing sense of satisfaction. For the first time, he felt like himself.

••• Confidence isn’t foreign to Jaelon.

Fashion has helped him hold his head up high since his freshman year.

Last year, this was obvious in the way he experimented with clothing, daring

like, ‘What am I doing to you guys?”

Nobody tried to befriend him — they didn’t want to be associated with the kid who was deemed uncool or unattractive.

“I didn’t want to go to school anymore,” Jaelon said. “I didn’t want to get out of bed.”

••• On the last day of middle school, Jaelon went home crying again. His selfesteem was nonexistent. But this time, he’d had enough.

“I was like, ‘I’m tired of feeling like this,” Jaelon said. “I’m tired of feeling insecure.’”

Jaelon knew something had to change.

Over the summer, he played baseball and lost weight. But what changed him the most was watching “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” He was drawn to their relentless confidence.

All of his role models, including singer Nicki Minaj and wrestler Carmella, turned their hardships into positivity and looked good doing it. It was in them that he started to see clothes as art.

“Carmella was on WWE,” Jaelon said. “...

And then as I started watching her, I fell in love with the character.

I fell in love with her fashion.”

Jaelon didn’t begin putting together outfits until his dad took him on a birthday shopping spree later in the summer. Jaelon browsed through rue21, and a pair of black ripped zipper jeans caught his eye. He loved them, but automatically thought about what his classmates would say .

They would call him fat. A wannabe.

They would ridicule him like they always did. He put the pants down.

But then he picked them back up.

He grabbed a black, gold-splattered shirt and went into the dressing room.

What he saw in the mirror was the

I was so terrified because all I had was fashion. All I had was going out. Fashion was my escape from reality.

- Jaelon Dennis, 12 to move past standard Nike shorts and sweatshirts. He wore everything from fishnets to leopard print.

“I want to look different,” Jaelon said.

“I want to feel different.”

But he had to work for confidence.

Jaelon was bullied in elementary and middle school for everything from his weight to his high voice. His peers made fun of him for not being masculine enough and would call him “Gaylon”.

“I would go home crying from the bus every single day because people would just pick on me and bully me on the playground,” Jaelon said. “And I was just

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design Amber Luther

opposite of what he expected.

“I was like, ‘I actually kind of like what I see in the mirror,’” Jaelon said. “‘I like who I am right now.’”

The jeans fit perfectly. For a minute, the voices that pelted him with insecurities were silent. As Jaelon saw himself dressed up for the first time, he felt unfamiliar confidence.

“I never felt like I wanted to look in the mirror,” Jaelon said. “I wouldn’t even look in the mirror in eighth grade.”

And now, because of the clothes, he could smile in one.

••• Jaelon wanted to feel the way he did in the dressing room every day.

He wore the rue21 outfit to his first day of high school and spent freshman year trying different styles. Slowly, his self-esteem grew.

Jaelon’s parents gave him money to shop, but he also got creative. He mixed and matched his clothes to find new outfits and traded clothes with his brother. Jaelon cut, ripped and added stickers and logos to his old clothes.

To Jaelon’s surprise, he suddenly went from being the school’s target to the fashionable kid. When he moved to Marcus his sophomore year, his fashion sense developed even more and he bought a new wardrobe.

Jaelon was happier than ever. He used to find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, but now he woke up early to pick out the perfect outfit.

“Clothes make me happy,” Jaelon said.

“They make me confident. They make me realize that I love myself no matter what.”

••• Like most kids, Jaelon was relieved when the bell rang for spring break of 2020. He saw it as an opportunity to rest and catch up with friends. But a few days after the break was supposed to end, Jaelon’s parents grew concerned about COVID-19 and wouldn’t let him go outside.

“I was like, ‘Okay, now I’m getting tired,’” Jaelon said. “‘I’m getting tired of

feature mhsmarquee.com

Photos submitted by Jaelon Dennis

being in the house and I want to go back to school.’”

His days of dressing up for school were over. What had brought him confidence and an identity was gone.

“They don’t know me because I’m smart, even though I am,” Jaelon said. “They don’t know me because I’m athletic. They don’t know me because of my amazing hidden talents. They know me for my fashion sense.’”

His parents’ jobs slowed down, so he couldn’t go shopping.

feature Feb. 12, 2021

Jaelon wore pajamas and baggy hoodies around the house. His hair grew into an afro because he didn’t bother styling it. Empty soda cans and junk food were strewn across his room. He ghosted his friends. Posting on Instagram was out of the question.

“I was so terrified because all I had was fashion,” Jaelon said. “All I had was going out.

Fashion was my escape from reality.”

••• At the beginning of the summer, Jaelon started spending more time with his older cousin, Shanice. She lost her job because of COVID-19, but she stayed positive, which inspired Jaelon. He started going on hikes with Shanice, which was unexpectedly therapeutic.

“I kind of found myself through those hikes and through those talks in her car, and through those long emotional nights with her on the phone,” Jaelon said. “She really just kind of saved my life.”

Instead of stress-eating, he wrote about his emotions in his journal and read earlier entries to see his progress. Whether it was playing volleyball at the lake or spending time with his family, Jaelon began to discover new parts of himself. They filled the hole in his life that fashion had left.

“As time grew and as time went on, I realized that although I love clothes and they are who I am, I don’t need them,” Jaelon said.

“Clothes are just the appearance.”

••• While it was difficult for Jaelon to choose virtual learning, being at home is easier now that he’s figuring out who he is.

“Freshman year, I found who I was on the outside,” Jaelon said. “I found [that] I love fashion, but I didn’t really find who I was on the inside. So I just think this quarantine has been a blessing and a curse.”

He’s learned that he’s an artist. A good athlete. And to his surprise, a good student.

He used to call himself a “dumb blonde,” but this year, he’s keeping up with his classes and is applying to college almost entirely on his own.

He still dresses up when he can. He goes overboard with stylish clothes when buying necessities and wears skinny jeans and bracelets to go on jogs.

“I don’t go out a lot, like I used to,” Jaelon said. “So I might as well dress like it’s Fashion Week at Paris to the Dollar Store.”

Jaelon is currently planning his graduation outfit and is thinking about switching up his style again in college. Only this time, he knows who he is beyond his clothes.

“I had to realize that fashion is a part of me, but it’s not all of me,” Jaelon said.

design Amber Luther

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AMPing up relationships With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, our relationship statuses become more important, socially speaking. Whether you’re looking back on your past relationships, trying to get into a new one, or wallowing in your loneliness, there’s no denying that Valentine’s Day is always better with music. Here are some playlists for each story relationship status.

Garrison Acree

Breakups

Ah, breakups. The inevitable event of most relationships that usually leave people with their hearts run over by a bus. The sudden change from being in a relationship to being normal can be hard. These songs are great for singing along when you’re heartbroken and want to forget your ex.

“Before He Cheats”Cheats” Carrie Underwood

“Irreplaceable”- Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”

“Lonesome Town”Town” Ricky Nelson

“Happier”- Marshmello (feat. Bastille) “Happier”

“Let Her Go”Go” Passenger

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” - Taylor Swift

“Bohemian Rhapsody”Rhapsody” Queen “Love Yourself”Yourself” Justin Bieber “Memories”- Maroon 5 “Memories” “Goodbye”- Jason Derulo “Goodbye”

Single

Singles, you’re the only people that this writer can relate to. Being alone in this world can be a blessing; people can ruin you when you’re seeing things through rose-tinted vision. Although on Valentine’s Day, it’s hard not to contemplate where you went wrong and why you’re still alone. These songs are great to listen to while you have a crisis.

“Girls Just Want To Have Fun”Fun” Cyndi Lauper

“Single Ladies”Ladies” Beyoncé

“Falling”- Harry Styles “Falling”

“Ridin’ Solo”Solo” Jason Derulo

“Lose you To Love Me”Me” Selena Gomez

“Perfectly Lonely”Lonely” John Mayer

“Be Kind”Kind” Marshmello (feat. Halsey) “Goodbye Moonmen” Jemaine Clement “22”- Taylor Swift “22” “Rockstar 101”101” Rihanna

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design Alex Thornfelt

entertainment mhsmarquee.com

It’s Complicated

They say they love you and leave you on read. They don’t tell you where they are when you’re worried about them. Maybe they’ve even been eyeballing other people. Complicated relationships can be horrible, especially when they’re sending mixed messages. Hopefully these songs can help.

“Complicated”- Avril Lavigne “Complicated”

“Thinking Out Loud”Loud” Ed Shearen

“Campus”- Vampire Weekend “Campus”

“Love is War”War” American Young

“Boyfriend”- Big Time Rush “Boyfriend”

“It’s Strange”Strange” Louis The Child (feat. K.Flay)

“Talk”- Khalid “Talk” “Irresistible”- Fall Out Boy & Demi Lovato “Irresistible” “Hot N Cold”Cold” Katy Perry “Tomorrow”- Chris Young “Tomorrow”

In a Relationship

There’s nothing quite like cuddling up with your partner (six feet apart with masks on, of course) and listening to some music together. And when it’s the day of love, that feeling of tranquility is amplified. So while you live the single person’s dream, why not listen to some tunes?

“Perfect”- Ed Sheeran “Perfect”

“Love You like A Love Song”Song” Selena Gomez

“Mine”- Beyoncé (feat Drake) “Mine”

“Strings”- Shawn Mendes “Strings”

“Forever”- Lecrae “Forever”

“Where’s the Catch?”Catch?” Jake Blake (feat. Andre 3000)

“This Magic Moment”- The Drifters “Into You”You” Ariana Grande “One Call Away”Away” Charlie Puth “Yellow Hearts”Hearts” Ant Saunders

entertainment Feb 12, 2021

design Alex Thornfelt

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Which 2020-2021 impulsive hairstyle should you try? story Muna Nnamani People channel their 2020-2021 stress in many ways. For some, it’s by taking a walk or journaling. But if you’re like most people, it’s by ruining your hair.

Drastic hair changes are the backbone of every crisis, so take this quiz to choose the one for you. Just make sure to keep a certified hairdresser on speed dial.

What did you do the most during q uarantine?

A) Take time to recharge and reflect B) Watch Netflix C) Play Animal Crossing D) Eat ice cream and cry

Describe your sleep schedule: A) You need those eight hours to do your best every day B) Just enough to get through the week C) You catch one to four hours a day, all during classes D) There’s a stash of energy drinks under your bed exclusively for 3 a.m. binge watching

How do you cope with stress?

A) Exercising or reading a good book B) Spending time with your friends C) Listening to music or drawing D) Donating all your clothes and buying a completely new wardrobe

How educated are you about current events?

A) You try to not look at the news too much B) Most of your knowledge comes from social media C) You don’t really know what’s going on at this point D) You didn’t sleep at all on election night

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design Emily Seiler

entertainment mhsmarquee.com

Who do you mostly follow on social media?

A) School organizations and charities B) Friends and influencers C) Artists and YouTubers D) Political commentators, all with very loud opinions

How much do you care about your appearance?

A) You put a lot of effort into your style B) You try to keep up with the latest trends C) Not that much — everything you wear just seems to work out D) As long as you’re wearing clothes, you’re good

Mostly A: Bangs This year’s been tough on everybody, but you’ve somehow managed to keep your emotions in check. Since you’re emotionally stable and your decision to make a drastic hair change is probably only impulsive, you’ll need a generally safe hairstyle. Cut your own bangs using only a pair of safety scissors and your bathroom mirror. If you do it right, they’ll look cute. If not, you can wear a thick headband until the hair grows back.

Mostly B: Dyed hair You’re cool and trendy enough to know all about the 2020 dye trends, so try a different hair color. Gather inspiration from influencers online and dye it using boxed color from the closest beauty supply store, whether it be the tips of your hair or the entire thing. Convince your friends to do it too, and you can look like a pack of Skittles together.

Mostly C: Mullet Congrats, you’re part of the lucky few who can pull off a mullet! You’re creative and unique, and too blissfully unaware to care about how unpopular mullets are. Things naturally look cool on you, so this short-in-front, party-in-the-back hairstyle will too. Spice things up by dying it your favorite color.

Mostly D: Shaved head Between the current political, medical and economic situations, and your non-ideal coping methods, you’re at the end of your rope. Shaving your head is a good way to express your panic. Since you’re used to switching up your style, going bald won’t be such a big stretch for you. You can justify this poor coping mechanism by donating your hair to charity.

entertainment Feb. 12, 2021

design Emily Seiler

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things we like Grade and turn in flexibility Teachers who give a small extension on a due date or two have really been a bright spot this year as everyone works through this pandemic. Now stressed students don’t have to take a 45 as a daily grade and teachers aren’t forced to grade rushed, incomplete work. It’s made the world a better place.

Hardworking janitors

Classes in cafeteria

In a messy 2020 where avoiding a virus has been our biggest priority, the school’s janitorial staff has been insanely reliable.

Every day, students touch hundreds of surfaces in the school and spread their germs. Yet our COVID case numbers have been fairly low compared to other schools in Texas. Cleaning that much is a tough job that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Adjusting is the name of the game of this year, and having classes socially distanced in the cafeteria is just another change being made for students to continue in-person learning. Honestly, compared to the alternative of crowded classrooms, it’s not bad. Props to the administration for finding such a creative way to safely hold classes.

Hardly a STAAR test column Garrison Acree December, 2019. I’m taking the freshman reading STAAR test in the gym. There’s a rug laid out on the floor along with hundreds of chairs, all in rows. The lighting is dark and the air smells of chemicals. The distant hum of the lights above is subtly audible. I power down my phone and put it in my backpack, which we all put in a pile at the side of the room. I find the desk with my name on it and sit down.

As I wait, I think: “Why do people not like this test? I’ve done well on them so far, so why should this time be any different?”

After some instruction from the testing adviser, an administrator walks up to my row and sets a large packet on my desk.

Hour one: Okay, the questions don’t make a lot of sense and I ran out of water 20 minutes ago, but I still have hope of passing. Although, I’ve developed this nagging feeling that something about this isn’t right. Like this test was intentionally designed to trick me into selecting the wrong answer. I’m getting a slight headache.

Hour two: There’s almost no hope of passing this. Every answer means the same thing. I just read a question that had 100 words, the majority of which were there as a distraction. That nagging feeling is stronger than ever, and I can’t focus on this 52-page packet.

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Hour three: Who designed this test?

The reading passages feel endless, and this repetitive testing formula feels like a broken record. And the worst part is, people in the room are starting to finish, which leaves me with anxiety that I’ll be the last person to keep everyone waiting.

Hour four: I’m finally done with that long test, but the ending is just as impossible to deal with. The teachers

took up our belongings when we entered the room, so all I can do is stare at the wall in front of me. Some teachers allow us to read, but having anything unauthorized at your desk isn’t tolerated. I try to sleep, but the desks are impossible to relax in. Something about this feels dehumanizing.

The testing style is a walk in the park for some people who have mastered these types of questions, but a jarring

experience for the rest of us. The tricky questions are meant to challenge a student’s ability to pick up on when an answer is false. But just because a student has trouble picking that up doesn’t mean they’re a failure. It means they think differently. Every student learns differently, and this test doesn’t have room for individual thinking.

The test results are formatted in a way that shows how well students will be prepared for the next grade. It measures reading level, percentile among other students in the state, and comprehension of the test material. This sounds like a nice idea in theory; it gives students pointers on what areas they need to improve in to prepare for the upcoming year. But how can a test accurately measure a student’s preparedness when it was intentionally designed to try to trick them?

Rather than expect students to fall into a specific category, the test should be based on career choice. The questions could be based on what the students are interested in, their personality and work ethic. Then, the test results could guide them in choosing a career. Nobody has everything immediately figured out after graduation, and it can leave people feeling confused. When choosing something as delicate as what students will spend their lives doing, it’s vital to have as much help as possible. And if those changes were to be made, I can say for sure that the STAAR test could truly become a star test.

opinion mhsmarquee.com

things we don’t like Pandemic parties Blocked content in LISD Some search results are understandably blocked from being looked up. The issue lies in the fact that we lack the freedom to look up basic words that aren’t inappropriate. How do you expect high school students to take research seriously when they can’t even look up the word “teen?”

Small gatherings that follow COVID guidelines are fine, but large parties at your friends’ house in close proximity with 20 people go against every protocol to ever exist. Then after these parties, those students go to school and potentially spread COVID. Sacrificing going to large parties shouldn’t be that hard to do. Putting people at risk is mega uncool.

Not enough virtual meetings A huge portion of virtual students are only required to attend two or three Webex meetings a week. While students can email teachers if they need extra help, it can be difficult to clearly discuss assignments without talking face to face. We know teachers are busy this year, but it would be great if they could host one optional meeting each week for students who need it.

Perfect blend column Tara Connick @connicktara Getting into my best friend’s red convertible was a daily occurrence during spring semester last school year.

She always let me play my music on the way, no matter how many times I made her listen to “Breezeblocks” by alt-J on repeat. We ended up at Starbucks almost every day after school, and our order was always the same: two venti cold brews, light ice.

We’d spend hours sitting there and watching the world go by, surrounded by the smell of slightly burnt coffee beans as we pretended to do homework, convincing ourselves that staying until the cafe closed was at least a little productive. We talked about our days, our background, our futures and everything in between.

It wasn’t just after school though.

We got coffee almost every time we saw each other. We drank cold brew while catching up with friends at the lake or before going to hang out at the park. We got caffeinated to do everything in our lives, and somehow it always made it so much better. Even if it was a group event, getting drinks first was something that was just ours. Not only did I get one of my favorite things in the entire world — coffee — but I got to spend more time with my best friend before she had to move away for college.

•••

opinion Feb. 12, 2021

But I don’t just drink coffee with my friends. My mom and I always get a peppermint mocha and an iced gingerbread coffee with oat milk. We order them ahead and go in to pick them up together. We drink them while driving home, talking about what my sisters are up to at college, what’s going

on with school or what we hope to do for the holidays.

Sometimes we get coffee because it’s been a hard day. Sometimes we’re celebrating the good days. Sometimes it just makes sense.

We always end up sending a picture or rating of each flavor to my sisters.

Most of the time the oldest will reply with a picture of herself drinking coffee too. It’s such a small thing that we never

think much about it, but it’s nice to connect over something as insignificant as a drink, even when we’re hours apart.

••• I started drinking coffee for the same reasons as everyone else: to stay awake and focused. But it has become so much more than that. Coffee has become a love language. If I know one of my friends is having a bad day, I’ll bring them a drink before class. If my mom is stressed, I’ll make us coffee to drink together. If my sister has spent a little too long doing homework, we’ll take a break and go grab Starbucks.

Coffee is such a convenient way to show someone that you care and connect with them before life gets busy.

Things as small as having a friend’s order memorized, getting them a new mug for Christmas, or making them a cup when they seem overworked can make a big difference.

If I had known that I would love coffee for a reason completely unrelated to the caffeine when I started drinking it, I would think it was ridiculous. Spending $5 on a coffee used to seem absurd, but now I get it. It’s not always about the actual drink. It’s about getting to know the people around you and spending time together without having to worry about the details and plan in advance.

As silly as it sounds, coffee is a lifeline. It bonds people in such a unique way, and of course, the caffeine is a nice perk.

design Tara Connick

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“Would you rather take on one massive duck or 500 little ducks?”

“I caught my hair on fire this weekend!”

- B Hall

- B Hall “Why would you want to be Gibby?”

“He looked like the thumb men from Spy Kids.”

- S Hall

- Parking Lot

Finally seeing me guest column Reya Mosby @ReyaMosby A picture of Kamala Harris’ parents, a Brown woman and Black man, appeared on my TV as I watched the Democratic National Convention. I looked to my mother and father who looked like the couple on the screen, and tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away before anybody could see. My sister’s eyes were glued to the screen, and a small smile spread accross her lips.

“She looks like us.”

I gripped my sister’s hand a little tighter and watched as Harris’ story was being told.

Nana and Pawpaw sat rocking in their chairs, humming in approval at the screen. Pawpaw looked at me and smiled.

“She reminds me of you.”

As Harris closed her speech, my family jumped up, cheering. All I could do was sit dumbfounded on the couch, thinking about what had just happened.

Finally, I could see somebody like me.

•••

On Jan. 20, Harris made history as the first Black and Indian woman to be sworn in as the vice president. She has truly defied all odds and gained a unique spot on a global stage.

Women make up half of this country, but it was only 100 years ago that women even got the right to vote. Harris stepping into this position is huge for women. She has shattered the glass ceiling of old white men in politics.

The sooner we recognize this country’s immense flaws, like the government patriarchy, the sooner we

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can make strides to combat the injustices that are embedded in America. Harris’ vice presidential victory is a huge step in the right direction.

Additionally, Harris is the first African and Indian American vice president. I’m also a proud Blindian, as I call it.

However, growing up, I constantly

felt like an outsider. The Brown kids in school excluded me because I wasn’t Brown enough. The Black kids excluded me because I wasn’t Black enough. The White kids excluded me because I was too “exotic.” As a child, those feelings of isolation, desperation and insecurity were traumatic. I never felt comfortable in my own skin.

This caused me to carry a lot of insecurity and self hate, and I never had anybody to talk to. My sister was too young, my parents weren’t biracial and couldn’t understand, and there aren’t many Blindians in the predominantly white area I live in. I felt alone.

A lack of representation also led to feelings of isolation. Being Blindian isn’t common. I never had a powerful Blindian woman to look up to in my favorite shows, movies or even in politics. I never had a chance to see someone like me be successful.

There are so many people and groups to represent, and those of us who are in the hazy territory, overlapping categories are just left forgotten in the margins.

When I was little, I promised my family that I would be the first Blindian President of the United States, and my big dreams still remain. Although this is a sign of passion, it’s sad that I felt forced to be the first. This made me work hard and, at some points in my life, made me feel special; however, the pressure I felt from a lack of representation made me miserable.

As I got older and began to understand the world around me, the harsh reality of my impending future became scarier each day. As I continued to see not a single Blindian in positions of power and being successful, my dreams began to feel impossible.

I felt like I was drowning.

However, when Harris first came onto the scene as a serious contender in the Presidential election, I finally started to gain back hope. I don’t agree with everything she has done, but she has given me the chance to see myself.

I feel like I can finally release the pressure to be a trailblazer. I want to be as strong, resilient and impactful as Harris for other little Blindian girls to see themselves in and bring them that sense of security and hope. Harris is the reason that I can finally breathe.

Thank you, Kamala Harris.

opinion mhsmarquee.com

compiled Sophia Craig & Shriya Mukkavilli I hope that four years from now our country is in a better place in terms of population, in terms of economics and the state of everything.

-Tristen Jander-Paulus, 11

What do you wish for Biden’s presidency?

I hope that he can stop people from trying to overthrow the government. Basically keep everything under control and try not to let the country tear itself apart.

-Rushil Gangisetty, 12

I want him to get more vaccinations out of course and I want him to get people out for marijuana use.

Check up on cops getting them more training and fix community policing.

-Dylan Stiggers, 11

Despite my disagreements with him, I hope that he leads the country into a better place. I hope he makes the right decisions. So far I’m not so happy with him, but hopefully it’ll get better.

-Wade Wilson, 11

Representation matters in history curriculum staff editorial We’ve all heard that America is a melting pot with different identities blending together to form one diverse nation. However, from the time we start grade school social studies, we hear stories of White men who are credited with the discovery of America. While it is important that we are aware of the stories of our Founding Fathers, it is critical that we learn the role that all races and ethnicities have played in American history.

The percentage of our population made up of White people is declining while Latino, Hispanic, Asian-American and Black populations are rising steadily, according to the Brookings Institute.

Despite our diversifying demographic, history textbooks still don’t reflect many students’ backgrounds sufficiently.

Often, our country’s history is told from a White perspective, including the story of Christopher Columbus, Pocahontas and the first Thanksgiving.

Throughout our textbooks, there is an overarching theme that Western Europeans brought civilization, when in reality, the Indigenous people of the land lived in highly sophisticated societies well before their arrival. However, we learn little about these Native American tribes and nations and often leave

opinion Feb. 12, 2021

out their mass genocide and rape by Europeans. Although love for one’s country is a positive thing, it can lead to blind patriotism when the negative history is left out.

We learn the stories of Black Americans’ suffering from the effects of slavery, Jim Crow and their struggle for civil rights. Throughout history, White men have had power while people of color have been oppressed. This means that the history of White men is better documented than minorities’.

Students are taught about a few select people of color but even those are covered shallowly, mainly known just for their contributions to civil rights.

For example, all students know about the contributions for minority rights of Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks and Sojourner Truth, but that is all we learn about them. Not enough students know that Frederick Douglass taught himself and other enslaved people to read and write before he escaped his owner to become an abolitionist leader and a women’s rights activist. We need to hear more about the lives of people of color.

This approach to history views minorities as side characters, even afterthoughts. Some argue that our curriculum can’t be changed because students must be prepared for the STAAR or AP test and don’t have the

time to learn multiple angles of history.

Of course, passing those exams is important, but it is also important that students learn the full story of America.

Learning with the goal of passing the test does not prepare students to enter the real world with an open mind. We cannot expect today’s students to be well-rounded adults without teaching them all sides of American history.

While it is important to teach the mistreatment of different minority groups, it is also vital that we make note of their accomplishments. America would not be what it is today without the contributions by people of color.

History should be taught with a multifaceted approach, inclusive of more than one race. For minorities, it is difficult to stay engaged when they can’t personally relate to any of the stories.

We’ve all been told that it’s important to be aware of our history so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes.

All countries make mistakes, but it’s important that we learn about them, try to mend relationships with people we hurt and continue to educate ourselves.

By whitewashing our history curriculum, students are being done a disservice. Students and educators must continue pursuing multiculturalism knowledge and stop accepting outdated curriculum.

design Tara Connick

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Finishing strong Marauders complete sweep of district rival Farmers design Amber Luther

The varsity boys basketball team played against the Lewisville Farmers on Feb. 2. The Marauders started the game off close but ended strong, getting their second win over Lewisville, 51-43.

Junior Luke Smith and a Lewsiville player reach for the ball, which was passed by junior Zane Hicke.

Photo Maya Hernandez

Junior Christian Weddington blocks the ball from opposing players before passing it to a nearby teammate.

Photo Brooke Luther

Junior guard Dallas Dudley jumps in front of Lewisville players to pass the ball to an open teammate.

Photo Brooke Luther

Senior Brock Susko knocks the ball out of a Lewisville player’s hands. Photo Brooke Luther

Senior Cale Martens shoots a layup and makes a basket.

Photo Maya Hernandez

Junior Christian Weddington jumps to get past a Lewisville player, allowing him to shoot a basket.

Photo Maya Hernandez