the marquee the marquee the marquee the marquee
editor in chief Raksha Jayakumar
business manager
Roger Sader
design editor
Felix Oien
graphics editor
Arushi Sharma
photo editor
Anya Jain
reporters
Astor Jones
Grayson McCrate
Jude Soape
Lucy Baysinger
Sofa Heidlerova
Gabriel Weaver
Macy Doan
designers
Caleb Kim
Renee Rodriguez
Sian Byon
photographers
Atharv Vundyala
Calista Mahendran
adviser
Philip Leone
principal
Dr. Cody Koontz
The Marquee newsmagazine is a studentgenerated 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 refect 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 469-713-5196. The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.
cover Sian Byon
08
22
Father-Daughter Frights
Junior constructs haunted house with dad
Life of a Content Creator
TikTok star opens up about experience
24 Critter Costumes
Cute halloween ideas for pets
Senior Offcer Kyra Mckay leads the Marcus Marquettes in preparation for the entrance of the football team before the “Battle of the Axe,” versus Lewisville on Sept. 21. Photo by Calista Mahendran
dark secret in denton
Local lore surrounding infamous “Goatman’s Bridge”
STORY Roger Sader, Jude Soape
DESIGN Raksha Jayakumar
Of the road to Denton, there’s a bridge that connects a small gravel lot to a thick gray forest, straddling a shallow, muddy creek.
“Tere’s a litle gravel parking lot past the entrance. You reach a fork in the road,” a former Marcus student said. “To the lef is a long trail deeper into the woods.”
At night, the air around the old Alton Bridge is thick with the earthy scent of damp leaves. It emerges from the darkened woods, brown and rusty, cracking with the weight of years.
Te bridge is fanked on either end by misshapen trees growing in every direction. Every step reverberates and ripples down into the emptiness below, where the Hickory Creek runs black and silent.
Constructed in 1884, Old Alton Bridge, commonly known as Goatman’s Bridge, has become a point of interest for people in our community and in the wider supernatural world.
Te bridge has become a central landmark of Denton, but the story which
Oct. 28, 2024
People have allegedly felt chills and unexplained sensations on the bridge. Rumors say that the goat-man will throw you of the bridge if you knock on the railing three times. Some have even claimed to see strange people conducting rituals in the woods.
In modern times, though, it seems like that the legend is starting to fall more and more into obscurity.
With the rise of the internet, local culture like the story of Old Alton has begun to fall out of favor, with each generation seemingly having less of an interest in these local ghost stories.
Whether people care about the stories or not, Goatman’s Bridge will remain in those woods for those still interested in the supernatural.
inspires its fame carries a darker streak, more than just a halfgoat man.
Oscar Washburn was a peaceful African-American goat farmer who lived near the bridge, accordingly dubbed “Te Goatman” due to his great success.
In the 1930s, however, his prosperity and a sign that read “Tis Way to the Goatman” caught the atention of the local Ku Klux Klan.
One night, they invaded his house, took him to the bridge, and hanged him above the side of the bridge.
But as they peered over, his body was gone into the dark creek beneath. From that day forward his spirit a half-man, half-goat creature haunts the bridge, enacting vengeance on anyone who dares cross.
Old Alton Bridge initally opened in 1884 in order to connect Denton with Copper Canyon.
Photo by Calista Mahendran
Splashing to state
Water polo captain, Kroh, aims for repeat state championship
STORY Grayson McCrate
DESIGN Caleb Kim
Screams and cheers echo throughout the towering ceilings of the Josh Davis Natatorium.
Senior Owen Kroh fnesses his way into scoring a goal, puting the Marauders Water Polo Team up by two points in the state championship.
Teir opponents, Boerne Champion, came into the game with a 25-3 record and had won 11 games straight.
But the scoring onslaught by the Marauders continued to 15.
Despite their lead, Kroh and his teammates refused to take their foot of the gas, playing every second of the game like their lives depended on it.
“We were all super anxious and
stressed,” Kroh said. “Te adrenaline during that game was actually ridiculous.” Te game would end in a 25-12 rout for the Marauders a fting end to a dominant season for Kroh that earned him all-district honors.
On the long bus ride home from San Antonio, the reality of being a state champion set in. All the hours spent in the pool practicing, weight training, and training with his teammates came to fruition. Tis dominance wasn’t by accident for Kroh, though, as water polo is practically infused with his DNA.
Growing up in California, Kroh was surrounded by the sport. His family was fooded with water polo players, as his grandfather, aunt, and father all played. His father also coached for the local high
like
while everyone
Asher Brunner, Owen Kroh, and Zachary Bradshaw warm up in sync before practice. The Marcus Waterpolo team brought home its frst state championship last season. Photo submitted by Owen Kroh
- Water Polo Coach Brandon Dion
school team. Early on, Kroh’s dad would occasionally let Owen get in the pool and compete with the high school players.
It’s
he’s playing chess
else in the pool is playing checkers.
During these early years, Kroh would unlock his true love for the game.
Kroh eventually moved to Texas, a state known more for football than water polo, when he was nine. Despite the move, water polo remained a vital aspect of Owen’s life. He continued to stay involved in water polo leading up to high school, playing for his club team improving every year.
Entering his freshman year at Marcus, Kroh made the varsity roster. While being put on varsity immediately was defnitely a relief for Kroh, it also came with the anxiety of fting in with his new teammates, many of whom were older. Tese fears quickly faded though when he was welcomed to the team with open arms.
“I kind of clicked with the guys and they made me feel welcomed,” Kroh said. “I got invited to hangout with them a lot out of practice. Te guys did a great job at making me feel welcomed.”
During his freshman season Kroh
“Right now I’d say I’m more of a controller,” Kroh said. “I help people fnd where they need to be on ofense and defense. I set up plays so that I can help people shine.”
Mahendran
was dwarfed by his opponents and teammates in the pool, his style of play had to account for his stature. Instead of going head to head with larger players in the pool, Kroh acted as a “pool general” telling teammates where to go and dishing out assists to open teammates.
As Kroh’s time in the program continued, he added bulk to his frame, allowing him to improve on other parts of his game such as his defense and atacking on ofense. Tese improvements allowed Kroh to open up his game more, making him a staple as the team's main ball handler.
sports
Oct. 28, 2024
Much of Kroh’s individual success can be atributed to his IQ for the game. Due to Kroh’s experience playing water polo since he was young his feel and knowledge of the game exceeds that of many of his opponents. Tis allows for Kroh to quickly exploit breakdowns in opponents defenses and fnd open lanes for himself and his teammates to score.
“My favorite part of coaching him is his ability to read what’s going on,” Brandon Dion, head water polo coach, said. “It’s like he’s playing chess while everyone else in the pool is playing checkers.”
Kroh’s skill at waterpolo doesn’t just allow him to succeed for the school team, it has also opened up opportunities to travel the country and play with his select club. Tis past year, he and his team competed at the junior olympics and placed 16th afer falling to the Stanford University water polo club.
“Tat was a big achievement for the team,” Kroh said. “A lot of teams underestimate us because of where we’re from. But we go out there and we smash teams, and we put up close numbers with some of the best teams in the country.”
Kroh’s performances at these tournaments, along with school games, has helped garner the atention of college scouts. While Kroh doesn’t know where he will play in college, he does know that
he wants waterpolo to remain in his life for as long as possible.
Before his senior season Kroh was named one of the captains of the team that is currently 22-0 and headed to another state tournament. As a captain, Owen takes on the responsibility of maintaining a winning culture and leading his younger teammates the same way he was when he frst entered the program. Owen’s main goal as a captain is straightforward: bring home another state championship.
“We haven’t lost a single game this year, and we don’t plan on losing any,” Kroh said. “I’m looking forward to maintaining the title and proving to everyone that last year wasn’t just luck.”
We go out there and we smash teams and we put up close numbers with some of the best teams in the country.
- Owen Kroh, 12, Team Captain
Owen Kroh calls for the ball in a game against Southlake Carroll. Marcus would go onto win this game 17-12. Photo by Atharv Vundyala
Owen Kroh - No. 2
Photo by Calista
Clicking On Dreams
Sophomore Harper Zilmer’s life as a high school influencer
STORY Macy Doan DESIGN Arushi Sharma
White monkey pajamas, a bare face, and her ginger hair pulled back.
“Get ready with me for the day!”
It wasn’t your normal stepby-step GRWM. It was one minute of ironically funny faces and quirky noises, clips set at 2x speed, a Musical.ly lip sync throwback segment, and pretending James Charles was her makeup artist. One minute of pure chaos, but also just sophomore Harper Zilmer being herself.
Harper and her friend sophomore Addy Bean were hanging out in Addy’s room when Harper checked on how the video was doing just an hour afer posting. It started as a way to have fun, but Harper wasn’t expecting the sudden atention she was geting.
“Addy,” Harper said. “I have 70,000
In excitement, Addy stood up on the
“Tey’re going up every minute.” 95,000 likes. 100,000 likes. 200,000 likes. 300,000 likes. 500,000 likes.
Harper and Addy counted together as the number continued growing.
“Oh my gosh, Harper. You’re going
In January 2023, when she was in eighth grade, Harper posted her frst “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) video with her friend, sophomore Sophie Stankiewicz. Te pair’s TikTok got thousands of views online. Te next day, Harper posted a solo GRWM — where her viralism began.
“It was like a weird GRWM,” Harper said. “I was acting funny in it, and that was when it blew up. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna post a new one,’ so I did and that one got, fve million views.”
Her frst viral video now has 29.1 million views and 2.9 million likes, and now most of Harper’s recent TikToks get well over a million views. In June 2023, Harper started the LOL Podcast with Cash, Maverick, and Kate Baker where they talk about hilarious stories and crazy topics and feature guests. Tey currently have 2.1 million subscribers on YouTube and 8 million followers on TikTok.
It was always Harper’s dream to be famous. However, being an infuencer wasn’t her long-time passion since the atention she frst received was so sudden. Instead, since Harper was litle, she had dreams of a diferent type of spotlight: singing.
“I love singing so much,” Harper said. “I’m obsessed with it and it’s always been my passion. I remember in sixth grade, I was obsessed with Ariana Grande. Maybe my dreams could become a reality one day.”
In December 2023, nearly a year afer her frst viral TikTok, Harper released her frst song, “Qeen B,” which was a diss track against Piper Rockelle, another famous content creator. When she came back to school, there were many negative reactions, but Harper found ways to deal with it, saying that it was for the clout and the money.
“I just got the courage because my manager posted it for me and I didn’t have to press that post buton,” Harper said. “I kind of blamed it on me being a freshman and being young, but, honestly, I had a lot of fun making it.’”
Entering high school with a suddenly viral TikTok account came with some weird and uncomfortable experiences. Socializing became diferent for her, but Harper learned to adjust. Being more cautious about who she is friends with as well as staying away from creepy “fans,” are some of those ways.
“People can use you, try to get clout from you and fame,” Harper said. “Tey can be fake to you, but at least they’re nice up to your face.”
Harper also experiences scary
encounters in public. Grown men have approached her to ask for pictures for their daughters, and people have followed Harper and her friends, Addy and sophomore Brooke Morgan, on the street, back to their hotel rooms on trips or when they are just walking around.
“Harper gets very uncomfortable,” Brooke said. “We have a thing too; she looks at us a certain way or says ‘My mom’s calling me,’ or something. Obviously, it’s hard for her too because those are the people that made her famous, but there’s defnitely certain signs to it.”
Along with content creation, Harper is also a Marcus cheerleader on the Junior Varsity team. She ofen sees her
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Oct. 28, 2024
fans when she goes out to cheer events or even just hanging out with her friends.
“Any cheer competition I go to, it ends up like a wrap around the whole building of fans coming,” Harper said. “It’s defnitely harder to go out in public, but I honestly enjoy seeing fans and stuf.”
Harper taught Coach Jenna Wilkins, the Marcus varsity cheer coach, more about PR, communications, and how to manage social media accounts and Marcus cheer garnered thousands of followers and gained more atention. Her infuence contributed greatly to the entire cheer program.
“Te minute she posted herself in a Marcus cheer uniform was the minute that everybody came to us to try to fnd her,” Wilkins said. “We’ve learned to kind of deal with it and make it where it’s not all about her—it’s a team thing, but she defnitely is part of the reason why we have, like, 75,000 followers on TikTok now.”
Harper is now managed by a Hollywood agency, WME, an agency that big names like Olivia Rodrigo and Rihanna are also associated with. In November, Harper will be traveling to Vancouver to star in a Nickelodeon movie, and plans to do school online while flming. Despite being busy with her life on screen, she also thinks about her academic future.
“I have been kind of debating [going] to college,” Harper said. “Do I go to college, a whole new place in life, or do I stick with my dream and keep going? I have no idea, but I do take college classes just in case I do end up going.”
Wilkins has tried to help Harper the most in all of this. Juggling content creation, being a cheerleader and student, as well as just being a teenager is something Wilkins has tried her best to support Harper in.
“Sometimes I feel like the world in school and in life is overbearing,” Wilkins said. “You don’t want somebody to feel pressured or overwhelmed in a school situation. You want her to be a normal high school kid.”
Harper’s personality was the reason she frst went viral, where, on the screen, she acts funny and goofy. According to the people she is close with in real life, even ofine her character is the very same.
“One thing about her is that she is very authentic,” Wilkins said. “What you see online is exactly her in real life. She is very charismatic and she’s kind of comedic relief sometimes in cheer.”
When Harper creates her videos, she does it for her younger audience who looks up to her, despite being young
herself.
“I’m trying to help litle kids be themselves,” Harper said. “I’m a 15-yearold girl on the Internet being crazy and not really caring about what they think. I really hope kids and other people too are like, ‘If she can be herself then I can [too].’”
Harper says she doesn’t feel like a celebrity, just someone who is popular on TikTok. She’s still a typical teenager, hanging out with her friends on the weekend and going to school like normal. Harper wouldn’t change anything about her life or her success now and trusts where her future is going.
“It’s all on God’s plan,” Harper said. “At the end of the day, it’s all planned out, so I just kind of have to see where time goes and where my life goes. I just hope it goes how I want it to be.”
Harper will be starring in a Nickelodeon movie in the upcoming months.
Photo by Briefly News
Togetherness for terror Junior builds haunted house with father
STORY Astor Jones
DESIGN Raksha Jayakumar
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH” a litle girl screamed.
Leaves crunched as she quickly ran away with a handful of candy in her fst, leaving a trail of chocolate bars lef on the uneven sidewalk.
Te night of halloween, junior Abby Bachelor put on her costume and walked outside to the haunted house she and her dad, Ryan Bachelor, had
built. She eyed every corner, ploting on the right hiding spot to scare people.
As the litle girl walked through the haunted house, tension thickened the air. Abby slowly creeped around the house and planted her feet near the candy bowl.
When the girl got to the end of the house, Abby knew it was time to perform.
Te girl reached into the candy bowl and grabbed a handful of chocolate bars.
Abby slowly squated around the candy table and crawled behind her victim.
“BOO!” Abby
yelled with her arms spread out. Abby chuckled as she completed her mission of scaring a trick-ortreater.
When Abby was 12 years old, she started noticing that her neighborhood always went all-out for Halloween. Everyone’s houses were always covered in decorations like spider webs and Halloween decals.
One October afernoon, two weeks before Halloween, Abby’s dad was driving home from school.
“I have an idea,” her dad said. “Let’s build a
haunted house for our neighborhood.” Abby smiled and quickly agreed to help out.
For her, it wasn’t random for her dad to be asking to help with his projects. Since Abby was litle, her dad would ask for help doing crafs that included mechanics as their way of bonding.
But the relationship between her and her father wasn’t always “smooth sailing.”
For Abby, spending time with her dad through her teenage years had been difcult. Her and her father found it more complicated to fnd time to connect.
Not only was the haunted house something fun to do for their neighbors, but it also made time for them to catch up afer a busy week.
A few days before they started building, Abby and her dad went to their local Lowe’s to grab supplies. Her dad drew sketches of designs for the haunted house, and she chose which one she liked best.
Abby’s dad mainly handled most of the building supplies like
Abby takes one week to individually hand paint each detail of the haunted house with her dad. Photo submitted by Abby Bachelor
I really enjoy using my creative abilities and seeing everything come together.
- Abby Bachelor, 11
tarp and pipes, while Abby stuck to the fun stuf. Going through the Halloween decorations brewed excitement in Abby for Halloween.
“Decorating is always my favorite part of building,” Abby said. “I really enjoy using my creative abilities and seeing everything come together.”
Now their relationship has grown much stronger, but there are still stressful moments. While assembling the haunted house, this past year, Abby and her father had to spend extra hours fxing the haunted house afer bad weather struck it down.
Tere were high winds throughout the area and rain gathered at the top of the tarp that acted as the “roof” of the haunted house, causing it to collapse.
Walking outside to see the damage, they both looked at each other in awe. Abby let out a deep breath knowing they both would have to come up with a plan to fx what the whole neighborhood had been looking forward to.
With only three days lef until Halloween night, they rebuilt the haunted house. Although they were both stressed out, they knew in order to fnish, they had to work together.
With less than a day to spare, they were able to rebuild and repaint, thankful they fnished it all in time.
Looking back on it now, Abby and her dad laugh. It was a way for Abby to learn how to cope with stressful moments. Despite what may happen in the future, she knew her dad was always there to help her.
“By the end of building the haunted house, I feel a lot closer with my dad than I did before,” Abby said. “I feel like
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Oct. 28, 2024
that’s what I enjoy most about building it, that I make so many memories and talk about my feelings with him.”
Ryan Bachelor, Abby’s dad, enjoys seeing his daughter to expressing her creative abilities. Being able to be a part of the challenges they’ve faced while building and the laughs they’ve shared, made the experience for both of them memorable. Although it takes a lot of time and efort, it is always something he looks forward to every October.
One of her dad’s favorite memories was the frst time they built the haunted house. Abby had to connect the tarp to the PVC pipe on the very top of the house, securing it in place. She nervously climbed on the ladder to get to the top of the house, but her dad made sure to hold it tightly.
Although she wasn’t scared of heights, the possibility of falling from a tall place made her nervous. On her way back down, she fell of of the ladder and the lefover top fell on her. Abby brushed herself of and quickly got up. Tey both shared a laugh together and continued building.
Te memory slowly turned into a bonding moment as they built and shared a story to remember that they would be able to talk about for the rest of their lives.
Throughout the month leading up to Halloween, kids in the
neighborhood passed by her house looking to see the progress her and her dad made everyday. Tey waited eagerly for the haunted house to be built and always showed excitement when it was fnally done.
“Tis is the frst time in years that someone has beat me in decorations” Abby’s neighbor, Joe, said. “I’m so glad the kids have something like this.”
Tis year Abby and her dad have started seting up the PVC pipes in front of their house. Gathering supplies together again, they are both excited to see what new layout they come up with.
If you want a scare, thrill, or simply just want to go for the candy at the end, Abby and her dad have the perfect solution that everyone nearby looks forward to seeing.
“It makes me so happy seeing all the kids’ faces when they pass by the haunted house and see it’s fnally done,”
Every Halloween, kids around Abby’s neighborhood wait eagerly for her and her father’s haunted house to get fnished.
Photo submitted by Abby Bachelor
What are you going to be for Halloween? I currently don’t have any ideas, but if I were to choose, I’d probably be the nonchalant new character guy.
What’s your favorite Halloween candy and why?
My favorite Halloween candy has to be Peanut M&Ms simply because they’re yummy
What’s your favorite horror movie and why?
My favorite horror movie is this Korean horror movie called “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum” because it’s really scary, and I had to sleep with the lights on.
What’s your favorite thing about fall? My favorite thing about fall is probably that it’s actually cold and it’s not hot.
Scan the QR code to watch the October broadcast
606ONDS
Do you have any plans for Halloween? Probably just hanging out with friends and like driving around and stuff.
When do you think it is too old to go trick or treating?
When you reach “unc” status, which is probably 18 years and
What’s your favorite Halloween memory?
When I was seven years old, I dressed up as Superman
What’s the best trick or treating spot?
I low-key don’t know, but there are a lot of spooky places around here.
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Ballot Breakdown
presidential election nears, tensions between diferent political party members continue to rise. Tis growing political divide is worsened by the algorithms of social media, which mainly present the users with opinions that afrm their own biases. To help share a selection of perspectives, Te Marquee collected the sentiments of each major party's candidate for the House seats in District 26. By sharing what these candidates believe, Te Marquee encourages students to become more involved in the political state of their community and to seek out multiple perspectives before forming an opinion.
What issues do you find most important this election cycle?
*data from a poll by The Marquee of over 300 Marcus students
STORY Raksha Jayakumar DESIGN Felix Oien
Ernest Lineberger III
House District 26 dem. Canidate
Education: University of Southern California - Aerospace Engineering
Job History: Lieutenant Commander in US Navy, Surface Warfare Ofcer, Semiconductor Factory Industrial Engineer
“We need to increase taxes to a reasonable level on corporations, and also the top 1, 5, 10% of wealthy people in America. You can’t really increase taxes on people who don’t have money. President Biden has always said that if he raised taxes, he would only raise it on the people who made more than $400,000 a year. It’s not a whole lot of people.”
Economy Immigration
“When someone uses the word ‘asylum’ on American territory, it is our international law that we have to process their claim. If we had more courts, we could process these people quicker. Tey don’t have full documentation. It’s even difcult for them to fnd work, and it’s a very hard life at that point. Te number one thing that I think is going to ease the situation is puting more money on immigration courts.”
*all information and photo courtesy of interview with candidate, as well as candidate’s website: www.linebergerforcongress.com
education + Job history
second amendment
“I’m a retired naval ofcer, and I have fred a lot of weapons, and I have used guns. I believe guns are important in our society. I would like to put the responsibility back in responsible gun ownership. We have a lot of young children that just fnd a gun lying around. Tey pick it up, play with it, and they end up hurting someone else or themselves. I would like to have some storage requirement rules and red fag laws.”
lgbtq+ rights
“If people fnd someone they want to partner with, I think we should let them. People are too quick to judge. My dad was a Navy Chaplain and a Lutheran minister, and I grew up listening to his sermons. It’s prety simply, ‘Love your neighbor,’ and we’re all neighbors. I’m sure there are Biblical passages that say one thing or another, but we’re here to love and support all people.”
Womens’ issues
“Te rate at which women die from being pregnant in Texas is terrible. It’s outrageous. We need to honor people’s personal rights. We need to get the government out of the doctor’s ofce and let the women and their doctors manage their own personal choices.”
Brandon Gill
House district 26 rep. Canidate
Economy
“Our current system is crushing American families. Te Federal government should seek to maximize economic prosperity, raise wages of the working and middle-class, and reduce the defcit to get infation under control.”
Immigration
“Biden’s open-borders policy is an abomination. It’s extremely dangerous to our communities, and it’s tearing our homeland apart. Our borders should not be controlled by cartels trafcking drugs and people. Tis has to stop now, and the solution is simple: seal the border and end this invasion of our homeland.”
second ammendment
“Our Second Amendment exists so that we Americans can protect ourselves against a despotic overreaching government. Our Second Amendment is the one that protects all the others. As a proud gun owner myself, I stand by our Founding documents -- Our Second Amendment shall not be infringed. I will not give an inch on gun control.”
lgbtq+ rights
“Our children deserve protection from irreversible decisions pushed by ideological agendas. Subjecting minors to life-altering surgeries for gender transition is outrageous. We adamantly oppose any practice that risks the well-being and future of our youth in the name of ideological conformity.”
Education: Dartmouth CollegeEconomics and History
Job History: Founder of conservative news outlet DC Enquirer, Wall Street investment banker, hedge fund analyst, flm producer
education + Job history
Womens’ issues
“I am unabashedly pro-life. Every child is made in God’s image and deserves the right to life. Future generations will look back on abortion the same way we look back on slavery. Abortion is an abomination that needs to be abolished.”
*all information and photo courtesy of candidate’s website: www.brandongillforcongress.com (candidate’s offce was contacted with no response)
endorsed by Sen. Ted Cruz & Former Pres. Donald Trump
Student Opinions
STORY Anya Jain & Macy Doan DESIGN Sian Byon
ETHAN ROBERSON,11
VEDA GANESAN,11
MASON PARKER,12
What do you think the purpose and responsibility of the government is?
“Te government’s responsibility is to enforce laws for the public good and regulate industry. Tey provide public infrastructure and beneft services like education, roads, plumbing—all that sort of thing—and also to regulate commerce and the economy.”
What
“Holistically, the government should be responsible for the welfare of every person. It’s really hard because the government’s not perfect, but there’s some politicians who also try to maximize the welfare of minorities.”
“To keep the country functioning. Tey’re supposed to keep America running and make sure we don’t crumble.”
do you think are the most crucial issues in our country right now?
“For the economy, the GDP isn’t growing as much as we’d like to and the unemployment rate is higher than it traditionally is. Socially, a major issue is abortion rights for women and the United States’ declining birth rates and how that’s going to afect our demographics 20 years down the road, when we have a much older population.”
“Tere’s several hot topic issues that are prety much argued at every presidential debate which I think are really important, that being infation, immigration, abortion, and how we’re managing our international afairs. Also addressing domestic violence within the country, within states specifcally.”
“I think the homeless numbers and the amount of kids without fathers. I think that if people just got out there and applied to easy jobs like a fast food worker or a janitor—something like that—then that issue would be resolved. If people learn to wait until marriage or when they’re stable, then they’re more likely to stay together and raise the child together.”
How do you think the upcoming election is going to go?
“Polling and political analysts suggest that there’s a slight edge for Kamala Harris to win the election currently, but the margin is so razor thin that I could see either candidate winning if any minor event were to upset either candidate.”
“I’m honestly not sure who will win because their ideas are so diferent. If I was comparing the two, Harris has good ideas about the future, but it’s lacking a clear plan. Trump is more focused on how he can fx the issues that the Democrats have, not really for improving the economy or the nation more. “
“I think Trump is up to win. Both of the big two candidates have good beliefs, but Trump has already been in ofce. Te party is really strong, and even though I’m not as heavily involved, I think the party is stronger than it’s ever been considering the shooting/ assasination atempts with Trump.”
educated voters guide
STORY Jude Soape DESIGN Sian Byon
Though the process of preparing to vote varies greatly in difficulty between counties and states, the two most challenging steps are usually researching local candidates and locating polling places.
candidate research:
Tis November you won’t just have the opportunity to vote for president. In 2024, president, US senate, US house, railroad commissioner, Texas Supreme Court, Texas court of criminal appeals, state board of education, Texas senate and Texas house are all being voted for. Tough
these positions range in importance, it’s vital that if you chose to vote down the whole ballot that you do proper research. Some good places to fnd information include freevotersguide.com and the NAACP Texas voters guide. If, afer reading a voters guide, you’re still conficted, you can research specifc candidates through impartial sources like USA.gov, the Texas Secretary of State website or even Wikipedia.
fnd a polling location:
Locating your polling place can ofen be challenging especially in areas with less than logical districting. Tankfully, there are many online resources to help you locate your voting booth. Te QR code will take you to vote.org where you can easily fnd where to vote.
what to bring:
It's important to remember that once you fnd your polling place you need to bring some form of photo identifcation such as:
- drivers license
- passport
- Texas personal ID
- citizenship certifcate
- birth certifcate
- military ID
- state of Texas handgun license
Top 5 punishments for fantasy football League Losers
STORY Grayson McCrate, Gabe Weaver
DESIGN Arushi Sharma
Ever heard chater from obnoxious groups of guys talking about how a star player is out, or how they can’t believe they didn’t win this week? Odds are, they’re talking about fantasy football.
Fantasy football is a game where you and a group of friends draf a team of NFL players from diferent positions such as quarterback, receiver, running back, and tight end. Your team scores points based on how the players you drafed perform in real life. Each week a team is matched up against another, and the team that scores more points at the end of the week wins.
At the end of each season the league standings are fnalized. Tere is a frst place winner and, of course, a loser. Some leagues reward the winner with money, a dinner or a trophy. Some leagues choose a more creative route and decide a last place punishment for the loser. Here’s some ideas for your league’s last place punishment.
Milk Mile
A classic punishment that’s easy to do and relatively tame. All that is needed is a track and a gallon of milk. Te goal of the challenge is simple: drink an entire gallon of milk before atempting a mile-long run. Tis punishment tests the league's loser’s endurance and stomach resilience as they atempt to not “lose their lunch” while completing their mile.
Public Street Performer
For this punishment, the last place fnisher’s whole day will be fully booked, and they might be the most embarrassed they’ve ever been. Tey must be a street performer who plays recorder and tries to raise $100. Tey can’t leave until they reach the goal. Te recorder alone won’t be enough to raise $100, so wear an embarrassing outft and have a sign that says “I lost fantasy football.” It might help the loser raise money faster.
Photo of Lamar Jackson by Britannica
Find Your Way Home
Have you ever been lost on your way home with nothing but a GPS? For this punnishment, the loser has to be driven one hour away in any direction choosen by the leauge with nothing but an Air Tag and a camera to record. Te loser can hope and pray that somone nice crosses their path and helps them get home
Comedy Club
Te loser taking on this punishment will be subject to performing at an open mic comedy night with zero preparation. Just before the loser goes up, they are handed a list of jokes writen by the rest of the league mates. Watch as the league loser bombs on stage in front of a full crowd. Te one rule for this challenge: no mater how bad the league loser bombs the show must go on!
Waffle House
Find the nearest Wafe House and be prepared to stay a while, this won’t be your average visit. Rather than leaving afer you’re full or done with your food, the loser has to stay in Wafe House for 24 hours but can shave of an hour for every wafe they eat. Hope the loser comes ready to eat!
Condiment Caged Animal
Te loser for this punishment gets locked in a cage while each person in the league chooses a condiment that they get to pour on the loser. From queso to syrup, there are countless condiments that the league can choose from, and the loser in the cage can’t do anything about it… except draf a beter team next season!
28, 2024
DIY DISGUiSES
Cute costumes for our cuddly creatures.
STORY Macy Doan, Felix Oien
DESIGN Renee Rodriguez
PHOTO Anya Jain
Spooky season is here! Everyone’s busy planning their own costume, but we can’t forget our best buddies, our sweetest companions, our dearest pets! Include your pet in the Halloween fun regardless of their
Our furry friends love sweet treats, but we all know that our doggies are the real candies. All you need, to turn your pet into the sweetie they are, are just fve materials—aluminum foil, white printer paper, a marker, scissors, and tape. Wrap the foil around your pet to act as the candy wrapper and crunch another piece of foil into cone shape like the top of a Hershey’s Kiss. Cut a rectangular strip from the white paper and write “KISS” along the paper with the marker. Attach the paper onto the cone with tape and put the cone onto your pet’s head. (Disclaimer: Don’t leave the foil on your pet’s body for too long due to heat conduction.)
fed animals and plushies, so bring back the nostalgia by turning your fur baby into your very own TY Beanie Baby. Using white and red paper or felt, you can draw or cut the TY logo tag and easily attach it to a string to gently put around your pet’s neck to resemble the ed animal brand. Make sure not to mistake your fur
Paws and smell the fowers (pun intended). If your pets love stopping on walks just to snif the grass or eat fallen leaves along the sidewalks, bring them even closer to nature by transforming them into a futtering fower. Using felt (the color of your choice), cut out petal shapes with scissors and glue them onto a sof headband. Carefully place the headband onto your pet’s head to complete the costume and enjoy your new, fowery friend!
Whether it’s a dish on a plate or a Halloween costume, name a better duo than soy sauce and sushi. If your pet has a buddy, have the two of them match as a piece of sushi and a bottle of soy sauce using felt or paper for the labels, rice, and fsh. If you have more pets, they can also be diferent types of sushi or toppings to complete a full platter. (And, yes, peanut butter and jelly sounds like a better —and just as tasty — combo, but, trust us, it makes for quite the messy pet costume.)
Unlike dogs or cats, tiny pet owners don’t have the luxury of store bought cos tumes. But with the power of crochet, we can “chain” up this terrible reality and give our small-bodied friends their own tailor-made costumes. Given their nat ural habitat, it’s only normal to put hamsters in the wild west — presenting a crochet cowboy hat! If using smaller crochet hooks (like 2.5 mm hooks), scale the project down and skip 10-11. For bigger hook sizes, I recommend doing 1011, but it’s up to personal preference and what your furry friend is. I also added a small brown thread to the hat for detail.
28, 2024
things we like
Sandwich line
Are you missing Chipotle and craving to build your own meal? Look no more because your very own customizable sandwich line is here. It may not taste as good as Chipotle, but it sure is delicious! Food is VERY important to picky eaters, so this line calls their name.
Peprallies&Parades
At our school, pep rallies are always a highlight of the year. We love coming together as a community to show school spirit, support our teams, and get pumped for upcoming games. The energy is contagious, with everyone cheering, chanting, and enjoying performances from the cheerleaders and band. It’s a time to break from classes, have fun, and celebrate what makes our school great!
Pinterest Perfect boombahs
STORY DESIGN Astor Jones Lucy Baysinger & Sofa Heidlerova
While peacefully scrolling through Pinterest, I carefully analyzed the pins that popped up on my feed.
Pictures of girls with perfect blowouts and friends wearing matching white Brandy Melville sets appeared on my screen.
Te same thoughts ran through my head.
“Tey’re so perfect. I wish my life looked just like theirs.”
I dreamt of my Pinterest perfect day. I would be wearing a denim mini skirt, a top from Edikted with Adidas sambas. I would go shopping at the mall with my friends, and we would spend endless hours trying on cozy sweaters and buying everything in sight. Ten afer that we would go to an aesthetic boba cafe and talk about any and everything.
But then I snap back into reality. I am laying in my bed, in a black hoodie and shorts. Empty glass bowls are on the desk beside me, and I have no makeup on.
I fll my Pinterest boards with pictures of how I wish my life was. One color, one aesthetic, everything I love. Regardless, there are imperfect moments in my life. I’m not perfect, even though I want to be.
My favorite thing has always been
wearing a cute outft, and making myself look “presentable” to the public eye. I spent hours making my hair look perfect, and puting on a good outft. Te next day, I showed up to school in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. While I looked at the other students, I compared myself to the other girls in the
media that looked so much beter than me.
I was consumed with self-doubt about not being the most perfect or not feeling like I belonged on a pinterest board. Achieving that goal made me heavy with only thinking about how I looked to everyone else.
I realized that life isn’t confned to one picture. Tere are so many experiences the media, especially Pinterest, hides
SpiritDays
Spirit days at our school are always a blast! We love dressing up according to fun themes, whether it’s showing off our school colors, wearing crazy costumes, or getting creative with matching outfts. It’s a great way for everyone to come together, express themselves, and build excitement for big events like games and rallies. Spirit days bring out the best in our school community, creating memories and a sense of pride that we all share!
because it’s not “aesthetically pleasing” enough.
Tere’s so much pressure from social media for everyone’s life to look picture perfect. Like something that belongs on a pinterest board. I myself have fallen victim to spending hundreds of dollars going shopping to put my boards on social media with the hashtags #cuteoutftinspo#pinterestaesthetic #lifeaesthetic #pinterestperfect Life is full of mistakes, challenges, and things to overcome. Some of those things aren’t Pinterest worthy. Te media’s ideals of the Pinterest perfect life, is a dream that isn’t reachable.
Tere is so much stress to show only the perfect moments in life, but it’s not always drinking a matcha with the perfect skin, the perfect outft, or perfect hair.
They’re so perfect. I wish my life looked just like theirs.
HEYS things we don’t like
Biglightsinclassrooms
I’M BLINDED BY THE LIGHTTTTTTT by The Weeknd, except it’s not only during the weekend but also during the weekdays in your chemistry classroom. When you sit down in your frst period class, the last thing you want is a bright light making your eyes hurt, wishing you just stayed in bed.
Atriums closed for lunch CricketEpidemic
The cafeteria can get extremely full with people, and the only thing you’re craving is the sandwich in your backpack and to sit outside. Everyone needs a little bit of fresh air after being trapped in a classroom since 8:20 in the morning. There’s something about eating your lunch outside that makes it taste better. Everyone doesn’t have to be punished for a few people’s graffti.
Recently, the school has had a terrible invasion with crickets. Not only are they grouped up in front of the cafeteria doors, but also in the classrooms. It does seem a little funny when the classroom goes silent and the only thing you can hear is the crickets chirping. Yet, the thought of them jumping on to you or even in your backpack, is not something to laugh about.
Properties of Patience
STORY DESIGN Roger Sader Renee Rodriguez
It was but a board – square, colorful, and deceptively unassuming. Harsh living room lights shone across it, creating a glow around the familiar property cards, tiny green houses, and pair of dice. I stared at the silver hat, my regular token, as I rolled the dice. Te dice tumbled to a six – my journey had begun.
Troughout my life, I have regarded Monopoly as more than just a board game; it consumed me like an obsession.
During every family gathering, Monopoly stayed at the forefront of our minds. We competed in a marathon of strategy and negotiation, ultimately leading to an array of betrayals and surprises.
Initially, I was captivated by the idea of winning in a fashy way. I ensured I owned Boardwalk and Park Place, the two most expensive properties on the board. Impatiently, I would buy as many houses as possible, crossing my fngers that someone would land on them, making my victory inevitable.
I was too blinded by the illusion of progress to realize the mistakes I made. I immaturely based my success on pure chance with no real planning. No mater how ofen I got those expensive properties, I went bankrupt long before
Oct. 28, 2024
the game concluded. As a spectator, I noticed my sister buying up the cheaper properties, building up her wealth slowly so she could last the entire game and win.
With this newfound insight, my approach changed entirely. I read articles, watched videos, and played relentlessly
with friends to perfect my strategy. I realized Monopoly wasn’t about quick wins but about patience and long-term strategy.
I stopped prioritizing the expensive properties; instead, I bought up railroads and utilities. Tough they didn’t yield huge rent, they generated a steady cash fow, slowly growing my empire.
Te more I employed this strategy, the more I understood Monopoly is a test of resilience and perseverance.
Tis lesson echoed far beyond the
game and seeped into my personal life. I learned the importance of patience when navigating through life and its challenges. I realized that the meaning of true success isn’t a singular major accomplishment, but an amalgamation of small deliberate choices made over time. Tat understanding was put to the test when my family had suddenly immigrated to the United States.
I felt as though I had been sent back to “Go” in the game of life. I was leaving my friends, routines, and comfort in a place so signifcant in my memory yet so insignifcantly small as I few overhead. Te oncoming changes felt overwhelming. As a defense mechanism, I tried to force everything back to the way it was back “home” and was unable to adapt to a new environment.
But just as in Monopoly, I learned that to move forward, I had to take it one step at a time. I started with small goals: meeting one new person per week, exploring one new place in town. Gradually, I began fnding my footing. What felt like a setback became an opportunity to build anew this idea called “home” — one piece at a time.
In life, just like in Monopoly, true success is built through resolve and steady progress that leads to the creation of an indestructible framework for life. As I prepare for the next chapter of my life, I know I will be ready for wherever the dice lands.
Halloween’s Costume Crisis
Over-sexualization of women’s bodies haunts our spooky season
STORY Lucy Baysinger & Sofa Heidlerova
DESIGN Renee Rodriguez
A chill breeze fows through her hair, and crisp leaves crunch beneath her black boots. On the hunt for a Halloween costume, she makes her way into Spirit Halloween. As she grazes through each display, she wonders, “When did spooky turn sexy?”
Te growing trend of sexualized Halloween costumes and its impact on teens afect perceptions of body image and self expression.
As children, we dress up as our favorite characters from shows, animals, or superheroes to embody someone or something else for a night. However, as we get older, culture around Halloween costumes begins to transform in ways that refect broader societal issues, the over-sexualization of costumes.
When young women reach a certain age, Halloween becomes less about character portrayal and more about showing your skin. Costumes are beginning to be marketed and designed to accentuate the body, ofen with litle regard to the original character.
Once-iconic costumes like witches, superheroes, and even classic movie characters are now being marketed in ways that emphasize revealing cuts and tight-fting designs.
Tis trend prioritizes physical appearance over authenticity, reducing
“Specimen A gets slapped by specimen B.” - Cafeteria
“You looked all depressed, and then your goon squad came.”
- C Hall
many costumes to litle more than provocative clothing, while sidelining the creativity of the characters they’re meant to portray. Tis happens ofen when portraying innocent things like nuns, nurses, and maids.
Tis trend also feeds into broader cultural norms that sexualize girls at increasingly young ages. As younger teenagers seek to mimic older role models they are ofen pushed towards outfts that prioritize appearance over their imagination.
All of these points contribute to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem. Body dysmorphia is at a high currently due to social media and toxic comparisons. With every rising social media platform,
“On my entire bloodline, I do not want her!”
- Commons
“I want Wingstop so bad right now.”
“What are your thoughts on your
envy plays a part. Women are accused of editing their bodies to appear thinner and smaller, or just simply wearing body contouring outfts and accessories.
Allowing these unrealistic body standards to plant seeds in developing brains causes hurtful ideas to sprout. Tese buds are what lead to negative self-perception.
Some may argue that dressing provocatively on Halloween is simply harmless fun; however, we need to consider why this has become the dominant narrative for women’s costumes and what messages it sends to younger generations.
Te costume industry targets college students - they partake most heavily in parties and events. Tis makes sexual harassment at parties a big issue. Before leaving the house on Halloween, many women arm themeselves with pepper spray or some form of defense.
Te over-sexualization of Halloween costumes refects a major issue where women’s bodies are ofen objectifed for entertainment or proft. Halloween, a festive season full of opportunity for creative expression, has become a platform to reinforce harmful stereotypes and unrealistic body standards.
By designing, marketing, selling, and encouraging more inclusive, diverse, and empowering costume options, we can shif the focus back to creativity, fun, and self-expression for all.
REMARKS
Do you think voting is important?
“If you don’t vote then you’re never going to get what you want out of your government, you’re going to allow other people to control you, and it’s your duty as an American.“
-Carey Petkoff (AP Government teacher)
“Our vote matters in a sense, but I feel like if it was just popular voting it would be a little bit better, but I understand the reason for the electoral college.”
-Aiden Kerkhof (12)
“It makes sense to me because if you care about the country you live in, it’s important that you also care about its needs. However, I’m not going to judge someone whether they believe voting is important or not because voting shouldn’t be the nation’s top priority.”
-Kyle Keddy (11)
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28, 2024
“Everyone believes in something different just because of the way they were raised, so it’s important to have your voice heard by voting for candidates you believe in.”
You can purchase an ad in our paper issues or to go on our website: www.mhsmarquee.com!
-Saanvi Jeereddy (12)
Atharv Vundyala, Calista Mahendran
Tour of San Antonio
student photographers,
Student photographers get ready to take a picture. Photographers were tasked to take fve photos of different categories, including student journalists. Photo by Grace Anderson
While walking along the
together,
The Marcus Journalism department traveled to San Antonio over the weekend of Oct. 1214 for the Texas Association of Journalism Educators Conference. Out of dozens of Texas schools, The Marquee and MOB won 4th place for Best in Show. Several staffers also brought home individual honors.
Yearbook photographer, Grace Anderson, led the way by winning three awards. Mackenzie Ahring, won two awards in digital photography. Marquee reporter, Astor Jones, took home honorable mention in Review Writing.
M.O.B also earned several honorable mentions: Rishi Hanumandlu & Kristen Renner for video sports; Christian Urea & Mateo Romero for feature story; and Anuva Rashid & Aly Evola for their video feature story. Congratulations to all of these Marcus Media
Riverwalk
a woman dressed up as Wonder Woman dropped her keys in the water. The man with her then jumped into the water to retrieve them. Photo by Grace Anderson
Helping
a man on a skateboard does tricks for a sports action photo. He performed multiple skateboarding tricks for people on the street. Photo by Grace Anderson