The Marquee Volume 38 Issue 3

editor in chief

Jennifer Banh

managing editor

Raksha Jayakumar online editor

Lex Paull section editor

Kaelen Reed business manager

JC Mays reporters

Astor Jones

Janisha Kesar

Mashiyat Khan

Jude Soape

Imaan Malik designers

Felix Oien

Colin Wilkes

Arushi Sharma photographer Anya Jain

Gabe Weaver adviser

Marie Jones principal William Skelton

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 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 469-713-5196. The Marquee is a standing member of ILPC, TAJE, ATPI, CSPA NSPA, JEA and Quill and Scroll.

cover

Jennifer Banh

Junior Rebekah Rogers sleeps under the spotlight as she takes the lead role as Spongebob from Jan 26-28. Photo by Gabe Weaver

EU calls for a cease-fire in Gaza

Palestinian death toll surpasses 27,000

STORY Mashiyat Khan

DESIGN Arushi Sharma

As the Israel-Palestine war continues to escalate, the European Union passed a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. Along with the EU, the United Nations and U.S. government are planning to get involved. The hope for these entities is to institute a ceasefire in Gaza and work out a “two-state solution” to ease tensions.

The conditions under which the ceasefire would occur is Hamas being demolished and all Israeli hostages being released. The calling of a ceasefire split European Union countries with differing opinions: 312 votes in favor, 131 against and 72 abstentions.

The “two-state solution” proposes establishing Israel and Palestine as two separate countries, putting Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories to an end.

The humanitarian crisis Palestinians are facing was taken into consideration while making this decision. They acknowledged the rapidly deteriorating condition of the Palestinian state and the importance of putting an end to fatalities.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, 1,139 Israelis have died. In Gaza, 27,478 people have died and 66,000 were left wounded, according to the Associated Press. It was concluded from the death toll that 1% of Palestine’s population of 2.27 million people prior to Oct. 7 have been killed.

Moneeb Sarmad, the Director of Education and Youth at the Islamic Association of Lewisville-Flower Mound (IALFM), said the local Muslim community is heartbroken seeing the tragedies in Palestine. He said it has made many residents fearful as Islamophobia rises across the U.S.

“In no shape or form does any Muslim feel comfortable as to what’s happening in Palestine,” Sarmad said. “The massacre of people, innocent lives being lost, and

people that have been pushed out of the houses. Unfortunately, it’s part of the whole saga that’s been going on for close to a century now. It’s absolutely devastating.”

Local Jewish resident and senior Kennedy Cagle said she understands

In no shape or form does any Muslim feel comfortable as to what’s happening in Palestine.

- Moneeb Sarmad, IALFM Director of Education and Youth

why both sides are fighting over the land. However, she believes that there are much simpler ways to handle the situation rather than the killing of innocent people on both sides.

“Hamas is a terrorist group,” Cagle said. “They’re just going to try and take over, and the President of Israel [felt], ‘Okay, bring it on. We’ll come right back at you.’ I think it’s wrong on both sides, and the President of Israel didn’t try to do anything first. They just started going to war instead of trying to calm the situation down.”

But the conflict has extended to Israel and Hezbollah — Lebanon’s government. While conflict between the two countries is not new, the Biden Administration and European countries hope the situation does not escalate and history doesn’t repeat itself.

Hezbollah claims they are not interested in spiking a war with Israel.

Because of Hezbollah’s allyship and support towards Palestine, if there is no cease-fire in Gaza soon, there will also be no border agreement between Lebanon and Israel. This introduces the potential of another full-fledged war.

Cagle said she believes that neither side of the conflict is completely justified. Moreover, she said there is a clear distinction between the civilians and governments of both Palestine and Israel.

“There are things Israel could have done differently, and there are things Palestine could have done differently,” Cagle said. “I stand with the people because they haven’t done anything wrong.”

Director Sarmad says a lack of humanity and empathy is what allowed the conflict to get to this point. He hopes people see Palestinians as human beings and put aside politics and prejudice to give people justice.

“Through this conflict, people have developed character, and resilience, and hope for themselves and the people in Palestine,” Sarmad said. “In our community it has brought people, interestingly, closer to God than before.”

Photo by CleanPNG

Junior launches baking and catering business

STORY Janisha Kesar DESIGN Jennifer Banh

As he sat down at the table with his mother, he began to tell her about his ideas. His passion needed an outlet, and he needed help to get there. Seeking her advice as to how he could start a business, junior Preston Vollet and his mother sat at the table contemplating. They bounced ideas back and forth as the hands on the clock seemed to outpace them. After every thought possible spilled out of their heads, Vollet finally figured it out: Preston V Catering and Cakes.

“My mom, who I’ve always been into a lot of my business with, I’ve always gotten a lot of advice from her,” Vollet said. “I kind of [felt] pressured and was like, ‘What hurts if we just posted out there on the local neighborhood groups and we got a couple of orders.’”

With this new journey ahead, he started to work hard. With time and effort, orders started to • • • Vollet began

looking into the business world in 2020. Decorating fun cakes and assembling charcuterie boards became an artistic side of his life. When the world was going through a tough time, he began his catering business.

“I started my business in the summer of 2020,” Vollet said. “Right when everything was kind of going down with COVID, I kind of used it as a creative

He was amazing. The food was amazing. His service was amazing. His detail was unbelievable.

- Elizabeth Adkins, Wedding Planner

outlet.”

Though it seems like catering has always been the goal, Vollet had other plans before catering entered the picture. Culinary school seemed to be the route at first.

“My idea of what my future would look like has changed drastically in the last couple of years, and honestly is still changing,” Vollet said. “I thought I would like to do culinary school. Go to Paris Le Cordon Bleu. After doing it for the last two, three years, I’ve understood that maybe I don’t want to spend that much time. I want to be on the business side.”

Charcuterie boards were popular at the time, and Vollet seemed to see joy in the boards. Vollet looked into the boards and started discussing with his mom.

“I said, ‘Whoa, well, Mom, I’ve seen these charcuterie boards all over online and it looks really fun to make,’” Vollet said. “We made one just for a family event and people loved it.”

When trusted with a customer’s orders, Vollet always aims to put forth his best work, but this process can be demanding. He knows that orders are not an easy task because they need to be carried out right.

“It’s always been very stressful to me because I know that this person has put their party or their event in my hands, and now I have to execute on that,” Vollet said. “Having my first order was really nerve-racking.”

Customers flock to his business to order his cakes, cupcakes, other sweet treats or his charcuterie boards.

“A lot will reach out to me via text or email, and I will walk them through how to do that,” Vollet said. “Then I will send them an invoice with the due date and the pickup location.”

• • •

Maintaining the balance between school and business can be difficult sometimes, especially during the holidays.

“May, December, November, those are some of my busiest months,” Vollet said. “I’m usually working until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, getting the orders done and then delivering them. There’s not really a lot of time to hang out with friends or do school work.”

With a lot of work on his hands, Vollet decided to hire a friend in his class to help out with the business. Though they didn’t know each other well, Vollet put faith in this new partnership.

“I found a friend in one of my classes that I didn’t know great, but I knew I

Vollet’s Mardi Gras five layer cake. A gorgeous cake on display at Flurries Market. A sign of Vollet’s creativity. Photo submitted by Preston Vollet

could trust her,” Vollet said. “We kind of had a first trial run and that was interesting to see how she made them and what her interpretation was on them, so now she can make them at my level if not better.”

Junior Reese Zilmer thinks the work environment is very positive. She gets along well with her collegues at work.

“I’d say Preston and I get along very well, which is fun,” Zilmer said. “There’s a lot of other things, just like good people who work there that I enjoy and get along with.”

Elizabeth Adkins, a wedding planner, has hired Vollet to do two events for her and finds his work professional. She admires his work ethic and was surprised to know he is just 17 years old.

“He was amazing. The food was amazing. His service was amazing. His detail was unbelievable,” Adkins said. “During that time, I found out that he went to Marcus High School, and I was so impressed.”

Vollet values his customers and appreciates their orders. He says each customer brings him one step closer to his dream. This is why he loves to add his twist of thank you cards to the end of his orders.

“There’s many people who have helped me. I always say I can do stuff myself, but really I can’t,” Vollet said. “I always want to find someoneand then together we can create the best possible thing.”

20, 2024

Preston Vollet displays a popular item at his business, the charcuterie board. Photo submitted by Preston Vollet

twirling to the tune

Knight has been dancing for 16 years and began with tap dance and ballet. She now focuses on jazz and contemporary and practices for 15 hours weekly.

Photos submitted by Ashlin Knight.

Sophomore wins second at national dance exchange

STORY Lex Paull

DESIGN Colin Wilkes

Silence. The warm glow of red lights bathes the stage as sophomore Ashlin Knight assumes her position. Strings of a guitar begin to fill the air as she turns to face the judges, rolling and swaying her body to the rhythm. Her heart pounds in her chest and nervous thoughts fill her head.

As the music plays on, Knight feels her jitters fade as she immerses herself in the tune. The fabric of her dark floral skirt follows her as she sweeps across the platform, her facial expressions mimicking the brooding tones of the music. She strikes one final pose before the lights dim and silence falls once more. All of her labor and determination seems to pay off when she hears her name called for two separate awards.

As she clutches her plaques, all of her hard times, doubts, and long hours of practice fade away. Her win is more than a personal achievement; it’s a huge step forward in her dance journey:

Second place for Senior Advanced Solo and a Judge’s Award. Artistic Dance Exchange is known for spotting talent. An award-winning dance convention, ADE travels across the country, providing master-taught classes with people like Alex Wong, Ian Eastwood, and Gianna Martello. Among the sea of unbelievable talent, they picked Ashlin Knight.

“Although I did feel pretty confident with my performance afterward, I feel that it wasn’t necessarily the best I could have done,” Knight said. “I was overall very pleased that I got second and that the judges selected me out of a lot of solos.”

Her leaps and fluidity seem effortless onstage, but that skill took years to hone — 16 years. She started with recreational ballet and tap dance at the age of two and

began competing at five. Now, 11 years later, she specializes in contemporary and jazz, devoting 15 hours every week to her craft.

Melanie Hunt, Knight’s contemporary dance instructor of eight years, helped

She really dances with everything within her, like with her soul, and with everything she has

- Melanie Hunt, Dance Teacher

her prepare for the ADE solo. The two of them were given only five hours to put together the piece, while most students are typically given months to practice. Hunt was unable to see her perform in person but watched her through a livestream with proud eyes.

“I feel like anyone can be a dancer, but to actually be a true artist and dance with artistry, that’s her,” Hunt said. “She really dances with everything within her, like with her soul and with everything she has.”

Her solo, titled “Wicked Games,” has a melancholic tune as it tells the story of falling in love with someone, even if it might hurt. Through her emotional and moving facial expressions, Knight portrays the tone of the song perfectly. Even without relating to the song on a personal level, Knight can still bring the character to life.

“I just feel like I do very good with these emotional pieces,” Knight said. “And it’s really easy to get in character for me... It’s just good to put my emotion into it and let it out on stage when I perform.”

Outside her four-hour daily training, Knight is also part of the Marquettes. To her, being a Marquette is about more than just dancing. It’s about valuing sisterhood while still adhering to their traditions and roots.

Despite the demanding work, which includes daily and after-school practice, Knight believes that the payoff is worth it, and she is incredibly grateful for the chance to share this space with the rest of the team. Because dance is such a commanding and time-consuming sport, she doesn’t see her family as much as she’d like. But since the beginning, her mother, Abbey Stanford, has been there to support her daughter’s musical journey.

“She just really helps me think positively,” Knight said. “Sometimes I can be a perfectionist and overly critique myself, and she just helps me get out of my head about it and really helps to boost my confidence. I’m very grateful to her for that.”

Along with her current awards, Knight possesses multiple national titles, a 2022 Teen Improv National award, and a High Scoring Soloist award. Knight also joined the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the rest of her Marquettes group. She plans on attending either the University of Tennessee or Mississippi and joining the dance team. As an adult, Knight would love to pursue a side career in choreography.

“If you’re passionate, and really take any opportunity handed to you, even if it doesn’t seem like the best opportunity, it can always lead to something better,” Knight said.

What is your favorite cereal? For sure Cookie Crisp, there’s no debate.

What 3 things would you bring with you to a deserted island?

Flint and steel, first aid kit, and a flare gun.

Where would you want to live if you didn’t live in Texas?

New York City, because I’m a city boy at heart.

TikTok or Instagram Reels? Why? TikTok, because it’s more engaging and addicting.

Starbucks, 151 Coffee, or Dutch Bros ? Why?

Starbucks, only because of the breakfast items.

If you could switch lives with anyone in the world, who would it be?

Tyler the Creator, he has a crazy car collection.

Which Disney princess would you be?

Jasmine, so I’d be able to fly around on a magic carpet with Aladdin.

Pancakes or Waffles.

Waffles, because you never see chicken and pancakes.

What was the most unique style or fashion trend you ever embraced?

Knee high socks.

Safety First

DESIGN Felix Oien

On Valentine’s Day, people get the chance to celebrate their love in a special way. Whether it’s romantic or platonic love, the priority should be to maintain healthy relationships. Relationships take hard work to stay successful. Without understanding the gravity of each decision, relationships can result in harsh side effects, both physically and emotionally. The best way to navigate this day of love is to protect yourself and set boundaries.

Safe Sex Practices Safe Sex Practices

STORY Raksha Jaykumar DESIGN Felix Oien

Public schools in the state of Texas are required to emphasize abstinence in sex education. In 2021, the access to sex education was further limited due to the introduction of House Bill 1525. This law requires written parental consent before children receive sex ed. The state of Texas took these stances in attempts to curb teen pregnancy, STDs, and more serious infections, such as HIV. The current state sex education curriculum

focuses mainly on goal setting, decision making, and preventing youth risk behaviors, according to Texas Health and Human Services. However, this education doesn’t place much emphasis on sex itself. In LISD, this subject is covered lightly in middle school and is taught as part of a high school elective called Health Education, but this information should be more widely and comfortably spread. Limited education on these matters and simply telling kids to not have sex the majority of the time provides

Resources

It can be daunting to ask adults for help about sex, but local psychiatrist Dr. Lisa Johnson encourages kids to have these conversations with their parents first. .

“I always want kids to have these dialogues with their parents,” Johnson said. “As much as no parent really is probably an advocate of ‘Let’s let my child be sexually active,’ hopefully, if their child is coming to them and talking about it, they’ll feel comfortable talking to them.”

Parents can give kids advice about sex and help them find proper medical care, if needed. Nearby emergency clinics can assist with STDs, pregnancy, and birth control. Gynecologists and obstetricians can offer help as well. The Internet can also be a good resource, but it should be used with caution because it can be difficult to discern fact from fiction.

After unprotected sex, it is important to visit a clinic. Underlying STDs can internally damage body systems, and signs may not be visible immediately after infection.

”I just tell [teens] to not let their fear of what they’ve done get in the way of taking care of their health,” Johnson said. “The long term effects of an untreated infection can be sterility and the inability to be able to have a baby at some later date.”

Dr. Marquis Nuby, a general pediatrician of 27 years, offers pediatricians as an alternative source to turn to when looking for sexual health resources.

“Since there’s not a lot that’s going to be taught in school, I think it’s an opportunity to talk with your pediatrician because that person has probably been there for most of their lives,” Nuby said.

Getting proper medical care can be difficult though, especially for those without insurance. Texas has the highest children’s uninsured rate in the country at about 11%. Without insurance, help can turn into a financial strain. In order to prevent unnecessary expenses, use adequate contraceptives and stay educated with reliable advice.

Teen Pregnancy

While the national rate of teen pregnancy continues to decline, the Texas teen birth rate is still 46% above the national rate, according to Healthy Futures of Texas. Dr. Johnson talks to local schools, educating kids about growth, development, and menstrual health. The sex education talk comes in middle school, a few years after the maturation talks. Dr. Johnson said she believes only teaching kids simply to not have sex is not fully educating them about what can happen.

“I don’t think that teaching them to avoid sex at all costs provides them information about how to not get pregnant,”

Johnson said. ”All women should just have an awareness of this because it impacts their physical health.” With teens still developing, the effects of pregnancy can be more extreme. According to Nemours Children’s Health, teens are more at risk for premature delivery, anemia, and high blood pressure. Dr. Johnson said the only 100% reliable form of birth control is abstinence, but barrier methods can prevent pregnancy too.

”Condoms are really, really, really important as a barrier,” Johnson said. “Hormonal types of birth control for females are usually about 98-99% effective, but 99% is not 100%. People using that as their primary method of birth control have to be aware of that.” After having sex, there are indicators to be aware of in case of pregnancy. “The lack of the menstrual cycle is probably the biggest predictor of getting pregnant,” Johnson said. ”If they [have] elected to be sexually active, they need to know when their last period was.” Other symptoms include nausea, strange cravings, fatigue, more emotionality or breast tenderness.

Because these symptoms are similar to a menstrual cycle, it isn’t always easy to differentiate between the two.

Dr. Nuby emphasizes the importance of barrier methods, but also the emotional implications of a pregnancy. He said having a child can greatly alter the course of a young person’s life. The struggles involved with being a teen parent, stem from not only emotions, but also financial issues that can be avoided by being safe.

“There’s a big financial responsibility and they do not have the money to do it,” Nuby said. “If you’re on different political aisles, I think one thing that

Statistics Statistics

Texas has had a total of 294, 055 cases of STDs reported - InnerBody

100, 700 people living with HIV in Texas in 2021 - AIDSVu

National teen birth rate: 12.9 Texas teen birth rate: 20.3 (each per 1000 females)

Consent

People should only engage in sex when they have explicit confirmation that the other party is willing to participate. Dr. James Pinkston, a behavioral health counselor, says a red flag in a partner is pushiness to participate in sexual acts.

“If it seems like that every conversation you have with someone you know they’re just directing it towards sex, that’s definitely a red flag,” Pinkston said. “Another one is someone who keeps pushing for more than what you’ve kind of consented to.”

In order to make sure consent is always mutual, partners should continue to communicate and check on each other the entire time.

“You always, 100% of the time, can say, ‘No I don’t want to do this. I feel uncomfortable with this,’” Dr. Johnson said. ”Then your partner has to stop.”

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Even if unprotected sex doesn’t lead to a teen pregnancy, STDs can be a side effect. Birth control itself, like the kind that is implanted, is not enough to offset these infections. Dr. Johnson explains that there are misconceptions about how these diseases can be transmitted.

”It’s not just a matter of penilevaginal penetration,” Johnson said. ”You can also transmit and receive sexual diseases through oral sex, through just fondling and touching.”

STDs can be dangerous because their effects may not be seen right away, lingering and causing long-term issues within the body.

“You’re looking for symptoms that occur in close proximity. You haven’t been sexually active, but some sexually transmitted diseases may not present for several months or even years,” Johnson said. “Untreated, sexually transmitted diseases, especially the bacterial ones, can disseminate to other organ systems, and so you can become very, very ill.”

Dr. Johnson said that oftentimes, people are reluctant to say that they have been sexually active in fear of consequences, but this will ultimately make their situation worse.

“They don’t seek treatment because they’re maybe embarrassed or because they know that they weren’t supposed to have sex or don’t want to tell a parent,” Johnson said. “They aren’t aware that maybe persistent vaginal itching or discharge that has a foul smell may be representative of an infection, so they don’t seek treatment.”

The more commonly reported STDs being reported by teens are gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. These infections can cause infertility if left untreated, but they can also be fatal in some cases.

“Gonorrhea can scar the [fallopian] tube and it can cause infertility in the future,” Nuby said. “Also, it can scar the tubes that lead to what are called ectopic pregnancies. That is a pregnancy that’s in a tube and not in the womb, which can

be life threatening, because it can grow and rupture.”

In order to avoid this, Dr. Johnson recommends discussing with the partner beforehand. She suggests asking how many people they have been with, if they have always had protected sex, and how they feel about having protected sex.

Student Interviews Student Interviews

What does love look like to you?

“Putting someone else’s needs before your own and doing things for that person they would love and appreciate”

“Sharing a vulnerable part of yourself with the person you’re with, that not everyone gets to see.”

- Ms. Dion - Chaz Belcher, 11

“I think it’s mutual respect and like, you just like equally care about each other. Like I think it doesn’t even have to be like romantic”

- Annalise Phillips, 11

What are some ways to practice self love?

“I kind of just try and eat right. I try and like to workout and I also try just knowing that like who I am.”

“Just doing what makes you happy, you know? When you’re feeling down or like you need to get your emotions out, just journal or find good distractions.”

“Self love is just focusing on your own self and like focusing on your morals. Focusing on the Lord, the Bible, and my hope, asking them to make me a better person overall. ”

What do you think people need to work on in all relationships?

“It’s very cliché but communicating. And not assuming the other person should know when they don’t know”

- Ms. Dion

“We lack honesty. We truly do like honesty. Just be mature about a situation. It always has to be pointing fingers. I feel like nobody can really love each other, that is more of like, hatred.”

- Zyhria Wills, 10

“Not being so focused about the end and just enjoying the relationship in the present time because its all an experience, so just enjoy it while it lasts”

- Chaz Belcher, 12

- Annalise Phillips, 10 - Allison Matteson, 10 - Kyle Keddy, 10

Hyperactive reality

STORY Imaan Malik

ADHD medication can often cause changes in personality, something Burpo has had to learn to balance out.

Kaelen Reed

DESIGN Jennifer Banh

Photo Anya jain

made her more aware of that sort of thing,” Burpo said.

Her mother found another doctor that was willing to do an ADHD assessment and while the process for her brother happened years ago, the age difference when the possibility of ADHD came up caused a divide.

“Usually it’s a different process because a lot of people who do get diagnosed when they’re kids, it’s because they were referred to that diagnosis. And so a teacher or a parent or a doctor is like, I think this kid needs help,” Burpo said. “But if you’re getting diagnosed when you’re older, most of the time, it’s because you’ve noticed something”.

Burpo and her mother went to the doctor’s home to take the varied tests and assessments involved with a diagnosis. Hours later, Burpo proved to be right.

“I felt relieved honestly, because it sort of made me feel like I could trust myself more,” Burpo said. “It just made me feel honestly more competent myself. After that diagnosis, I could tell there was a shift in my personality too, and how I was as a person because I just learned to trust myself more and learn to trust my instincts.”

I wasn’t hungry for it,” Burpo said. “And then I would go home and my mom was like you’re losing a lot of weight. This is a bit odd and then I realized at a certain point…this is probably not good for me.”

Ever persistent, Burpo found solutions to making sure both her mental and physical state were being properly cared for so she could continue to learn and grow with her newly started journey.

“I would make sure I ate something at lunch every day. Even if it was just like a bag of chips or something,” Burpo said. “I would eat something just so I could make

frightening to another.

“There is still this societal stigma about mental health,” Burpo said. “And for every one person who benefitted from that, there was another person who was internally freaking out.”

Those online who openly selfdiagnose are sometimes reduced to being attention seeking or romanticizing a mental illness by those more skeptical. Many individuals do not have supportive systems accessible to them for basic mental health care and others do not have the means to take professional assessments. According to the National Institutes of Health, costs associated with ADHD are estimated at $6,799 per child and $8,349 per adolescent. This can lead to those with limited access to use self-diagnosing when professional medical help isn’t readily available.

There’s a lot of stigma —that goes on with self diagnosis. A professional diagnosis is great, but not everyone is in a situation where they can get that.

- Sloane Burpo, 12

sure that I was getting all my needs met.”

While Burpo’s relationship with herself and her condition continues to grow, she is still aware that there will be people who both reject ADHD and those who romanticize it.

Accommodations, 504 plans, and medication were all in the process of helping to make everyday a little easier, but one had a glaring problem for Burpo. A brand new medication that actively affects one’s personality was going to change her, but would those changes be worth it? Past instances of her brother experiencing major alterations in his personality greatly affected her decision about taking medication.

“It’s like a core memory for me… of my brother saying to my mom, ‘I don’t want to take these pills anymore because I feel like they affect my personality and I feel like they don’t know who I am as a person’,” Burpo said.

Weighing the possibilities, she decided to move forward. Finding a balance between the needs to manage her ADHD and her physical well being began as a challenge, with important needs such as food becoming complex.

“There was a time in sophomore year where I was on medication, and I would just not eat lunch because

“I’ve never really understood why… there’s this glorification of mental illness when there really shouldn’t be; it’s not always fun,” Burpo said. “I think a lot of it is just attention seeking and people genuinely not knowing any better and genuinely thinking, ‘Oh, this is what this thing is,’ even though they don’t really that’s only one part of it. That’s only the tip of the iceberg.”

While online resources allowed Burpo to get to her current point, there are those who want to reject the idea of something being “wrong” with them. Even with much progress surrounding the topic of mental health, there are still many who deny or even vilify these conditions. Content about signs or symptoms of a mental health condition may be enlightening for some, but

“I do think in order to come out and claim that you believe you have something, research is very, very important,” Burpo said. “Because at the end of the day, it is a psychological thing. And you’re not going to get all the information you need from just from people on the internet.”

Burpo has found that within the murky areas both online and in person, the community of people uplifting each other is one of the best parts of receiving her diagnosis.

“Sometimes it’s 3 a.m., you can’t sleep, you’re like, is this a thing that’s normal for me?” Burpo said. “Just to have those people who you can find, and you can communicate, you can relate to. It’s been really good for me, and I’ve felt good about that.”

These people have allowed her to grow into who she is now and realize that past setbacks weren’t true definitions of her. The problems that ADHD had created didn’t take away from the person beneath the label, and the support of others allowed for a new narrative to take away from the negativity she’d faced for so many years.

“It felt later to me like maybe people should have realized this sooner,” Burpo said. “Just telling people it’s okay to feel this way. You might have a reason to feel this way. You’re not lazy, you’re not stupid. You’re not any of that.”

That’s the tea

Reviewing local boba stores and drinks!

STORY Kaelen Reed

DESIGN Colin Wilkes

Snowy Bingsu

Possibly biased rating here as I have achieved “regular” status at Snowy Bingsu, but with how amazing the place is, it’s no surprise my siblings beg to go everyday after school with an 85% success rate. Not only is the shop itself welcoming, but the staff is literally as sweet as their taiyaki. The walls are lined

with sticky notes done by customers of fun messages and little drawings. There’s plenty of activities to do for those stopping by for a little while. Their boba is just as great as the service with lots of options to customize the drink and a high quality result every time.

Chocolate & banana milk tea with agar boba (5/5)

I like to try new things even if I’ve been somewhere a thousand times, but this is definitely a go-to. Hot boba may sound a bit strange to those used to the iced version, but the warmth of the chocolate and banana is sweet and comforting (especially with the recent lower temperatures). The agar boba compliments the drink as it doesn’t have a noticeable flavor but still mimics the feel of regular tapioca pearls. The drink is on the sweeter side, so those who aren’t big fans of more sugary sips can have the sweetness level lowered.

TeaLatte Bar

TeaLatte Bar may be small in size, but their menu is vast. They have a variety of drinks such as lemonades, smoothies and coffee alongside signature drinks and teas. There’s also a large variety of toppings and adjustments to levels of sweetness, so each customers drink is as individual as them. Seafoam is definitely an eye catching descriptor, and even though it’s unusual, the drink itself is amazing. It has the refreshing flavor of the green tea and the egg pudding gives a fun texture and a fun harmony of sweet and salty.

Grapefruit jasmine tea (3.5/5)

Teaholic

While Teaholic doesn’t have a large variety of options, their classic milk tea is simple and delicious. The restaurant also has a wide variety of asian cuisine that’s as delicious as it looks. This is an awesome spot to get dinner with friends, or just stop in for a tasty tea. A thai tea was my first introduction to boba, and a classic flavor. If you’ve never tried boba before, this is a great option to try your first time. The orange color of the tea might throw you off, but it’s sweet and cool, with none of the flavors being incredibly overpowering.

Seafoam green tea (4/5)

1102 Bubble Tea

Along the various buildings in Parker Square lies 1102 Bubble Tea. The space is minimalistic but welcoming, with various areas to sit for groups of people. Rather than ordering via an employee, 1102 has an automated checkout which allows for a wide variety of specifications to be chosen easily. For people who aren’t ready to go far out with their flavors, a grapefruit jasmine tea is a wonderful first step. It’s fruity and herbal without being overwhelmingly sweet, and the classic tapioca pearls compliment the floral flavors.

Thai tea with boba (4/5)

Febuary 20, 2024

Viral Makeup Dupes

STORY Mashiyat Khan DESIGN Arushi Sharma

The beauty world has been through many trends over the years but the simpler everyday glam look has become a favorite. Instead of the high-end products, drugstore dupes have changed everyone’s makeup game. Here are six Tik-Tok viral makeup dupes that pass as the real thing!

Photos from Sephora, Ulta, iStock, and Pngtree

Setting Powder

For every makeup look, natural or heavy, setting powder saves the day. It locks all that product and technique into place. On TikTok, people have been set on the Huda Beauty Easy Bake setting powder, but the cheaper Wet n Wild Photo Focus setting powder comes close in comparison, maybe even better. Wet N Wild comes in translucent and banana shades. For deeper skin tones, I recommend the banana shade, and translucent for lighter tones. I apply it after I’ve finished my liquid and cream products. I use more under my eyes and t-zone and lightly set the rest of my face. The way this BLURRED my skin as soon as I applied was insane and it didn’t leave my skin feeling dry. I loved how my makeup lasted through the day.

Primer

Milk entered the realm of well-known makeup brands with this primer as it’s perfect to keep makeup durable all day. Shortly after the Milk Hydro Grip went viral, e.l.f. released their Power Grip primer for less than half the price. I immediately got my hands on it. I loved the concept of Milk’s primer but not the cost. The gel texture and formula creates the perfect grip on your skin without leaving it feeling dry or rough. My makeup was also substantially less greasy. Definitely a must buy product that will slay your makeup!

Lip Gloss

A good or bad lip can make or break your makeup. That being said, is the $21.00 Fenty Gloss Bomb worth it? The main difference between that and Maybelline’s Lifter Gloss (aside from cost) is texture. Fenty Gloss Bomb has a thicker, more lip gloss-like consistency, while Maybelline is less heavy and is more moisturizing. The Maybelline feels softer, almost like a lip cream instead of a gloss. However, Fenty gloss is more pigmented compared to Maybelline. Both are comfortable on the lips and last quite long. The Maybelline gloss line does have more shade options than Fenty, which is a significant variable to consider. Both products are solid options but for a budget friendly everyday lip, opt for the Maybelline Lifter gloss!

Liquid Blush

The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has been a hot topic, but e.l.f. ‘s recent release has left people in a hurry to get their hands on it. As someone with a mediumdeep skin tone, few viral liquid blushes have worked for me. But after trying this e.l.f. product, I’ll never go back to $20 blushes that barely show. The e.l.f. blush is much thicker than the Rare Beauty. I applied a dot to each cheek and blended it with a foundation brush. As soon as the brush hit my face, I could tell how pigmented it would be. Regardless of the thicker texture, it blended seamlessly, leaving a dewy finish on my skin. I proceeded to set my face with powder, and I didn’t have to layer the product with powder blush as I normally would with Rare Beauty. Overall, I would 100% say dupe over original for this blush!

Mascara Foundation

As someone who doesn’t use falsies, I’m always on the hunt for mascara that will make my lashes long and full without being clumpy. As others raved about the Benefit Roller Lash, e.l.f. took note and made a dupe for a quarter of the price. The first thing I noticed was the wand. Lengthening mascaras usually have long skinny wands to lift up and extend your lashes, while volumizing mascaras have thicker wands to get more product onto your lashes. However for this e.l.f. mascara, the wand was a combination of both. It was also slightly curved to fit your eye shape. After curling my lashes, I applied the mascara. With just one coat, my lashes were lifted and full. Compared to the Benefit Roller Lash, the original works, but you’re better off getting the same quality for a lower price.

Although I’m a fan of the Nars foundation, I save it only for special occasions. The Nars Natural Radiant Longwear foundation lives up to its reputation of being long lasting and giving full coverage. Between textures, the Nars Natural Radiant and Milani Conceal and Perfect have a similar feel that’s very cream However, the Nars foundation can feel heavier which is why I prefer it for a full glam routine. The Milani foundation on the other hand is very buildable which is my favorite aspect. It can be used for a natural look, or a special night out. If you’re someone who isn’t a huge makeup guru but wants a few products on their shelf, this 2-in-1 foundation and concealer is for you. Since you can control the coverage and heaviness, it functions as an ideal concealer. There’s no cakiness or creasing under the eyes, and it settles into the skin beautifully to last throughout the day.

Boom bahs Things we like

School Nominations

You can nominate your friends who show acts of kindness each week. You can also vote for teachers to be recognized each month for their hospitality. We are so glad to have such a fun way to promote positivity!

Teacher at cafeteria doors

Students who have senior-in or senior-out are probably familiar with the Security Guard who sits in the cafeteria to let students in or out of the building. We love and appreciate him so so much for keeping the school safe and greeting us with a smile.

Toxic feminism

STORY Janisha Kesar DESIGN Colin Wilkes

What is feminism? It seems the line is blurred on what it is and what it isn’t. Nowadays, feminism has been defined as a girlboss queen that doesn’t need a man and doesn’t dream about love. Someone who is born to be a leader and has big dreams. Buts what if this girl wants a simple life with a partner and a family? Why is this decision, that dream, so looked down on? Bringing down other women for their decisions isn’t feminism,

Am I any less of a woman for wanting a romantic future with a man?

it’s toxicity.

This ideology that all men suck, love sucks, and having kids sucks isn’t feminism. That line of thinking brings men down and limits the choices women have. When actress Rachel Zegler was promoting the upcoming Snow White movie she called the movie “outdated” and too focused on Snow White’s love life. She talked about how she thought Snow White should be “the leader she

knows she can be.” But is it really that bad to fall in love? Though I agree not all men are the best, women aren’t perfect either. So why is love so hated? I WANT to be in love and I WANT to be swept off my feet one day by someone who I trust. Am I any less of a woman for wanting a romantic future with a man?

Up until a year ago, my mother was a housewife who stayed at home and took care of her kids. She raised my brother and me, and I never felt she wasn’t there for me. She inspires me every day to be able to carry a household and be the strong-willed woman she is. Is she any less of a woman for being a mother, a housewife? No, she isn’t.

Taking care of kids is a job in itself, yet it is dismissed as not ambitious enough or “not doing anything with your life”. They aren’t. The repeating problem here is the judgment for picking one or the other. It seems that whatever a woman

Student Announcements

Hearing our friends’ names over the announcements brings a smile to our faces! It’s nice to have students receive recognition for their accomplishments, and it gives us more motivation to work hard.

does is judged by none other than fellow women.

Why can’t women be leaders AND have a family? There should be no issue having both or just wanting one. Feminism is a movement for equality and progress, NOT a judgment and restriction. Feminism is respect and understanding, NOT putting others down just to justify your life decisions. Feminism as a concept is great but is often twisted into something that makes women look bad and go against each other.

The fact of the matter is, that feminism can and has been portrayed in many different ways. Social media plays a big part in how it is being portrayed today. The trends that people will do on apps like TikTok, such as the vanilla wife trend. This trend was centered around women saying that they are better than a man’s future wife and ex as if it was an empowering act to belittle other women. That is not the “empowerment” we needed. Insluting other women and calling them and their livelihoods lame in the name of “feminism” and “empowerment” isn’t being a feminist.

We need to lift one another up and recognize that not all women are going to have the same dreams. One could want to start a family and work a simple job while the other could want to be the next girl boss CEO that runs it all. What MATTERS is what YOU define as success and happiness, and that no matter the role you want, you aren’t less of a woman.

Heys Things we don’t like

W-hall blockage

Getting from class to class can be daunting considering the amount of students crowding up W-hall. Walking through the halls on the right side instead of stopping to chat could make getting to class on time less of a struggle.

Bathroom mess

In the school restrooms, some students will leave trash in the sinks and the place messy. If we could raise awareness towards the issue, or encourage students to pick up after themselves we could make the school a lot more sanitary. It would also be a lot easier on the janitorial staff.

Clean up after yourself

After lunch, oftentimes students will leave food or trash on the tables for the kitchen staff to clean up when they already work so hard for us. Having teachers walk by and remind students to clean up their trash after they eat would make the lunch staff’s job a lot easier.

Weather men and fortune tellers

STORY Jude Soape DESIGN Colin Wilkes

An old woman sat behind the camera of the most watched news network in the country, holding a deck of cards. Beside her, Fox News host Jesse Watters explained the segment. The old woman, Paula Roberts, was going to draw a tarot card and make a prediction about how former President Donald Trump’s year was going to go.

Though I find it funny that Fox News has fully taken the plunge into making “news” for medieval peasants, I believe it speaks to a wider issue with American news media.

Over the last few years people’s relationship with information has fundamentally changed, and this change I believe has led to not just that little stunt on Fox, but a rise of sensationalism and fear mongering even amongst formerly respected stations. If you were to take just a cursory look at what news is on the airwaves it would seem like there’s just no quality reporting anymore among stations like MSNBC, CNN and Fox.

Fueled by Trump-era xenophobia, Fox News became both America’s most viewed and one of its most hated networks during the 2010s, but ratings began to crash in the 2020s. Fox resorting to airing actual magic is pretty clear evidence that the network is dying. I can’t say I’m particularly heartbroken by the news, but why exactly is this happening?

When CNN began to broadcast 24hour news, the small local channels

that had been the only source of news for many Americans, fell out of favor. The internet completely reorganized the way information is dispersed, so the natural side effect was the decline in the prominence of highly centralized cable news. This set the stage for the degrading of journalistic integrity to the point where Fox platforms a wizard.

The 24-hour news cycle has put cable news into a position where they have to both manufacture, and elongate stories. To be frank, 24 hours is just too much news, especially too much conservative news.

Conservatism relies on the premise that the past was better than the present, so for news to be conservative it must (for the most part) be negative. But this isn’t exclusive to conservative media.

Whether it’s anti-Chinese fear mongering, or the dehumanization of the homeless, cable news networks that portray themselves as progressive seem

to entirely abandon their ethics to help pad for time.

The degradation of Fox’s coverage definitely contributed to the station’s drop in viewership, but the final nail in its coffin seems to be the same issue threatening all legacy media.

Where independent leftist journalism can offer a unique form of coverage that’s critical of existing power structures in a way mainstream media never is, right wing independent journalism offers conspiratorial unethical coverage in a way the “lame-stream media” legally can’t.

In fewer words, Ben Shapiro can be more racist on the internet than someone on cable television, and that unfiltered kind of bigotry is alluring to many Fox viewers.

What can be done? Should something be done? I don’t think so. Fox is low quality news that’s genuinely dangerous at times, but beyond Fox, American news media overall is in decline.

Ratings across the board for cable news are in decline, and I believe it’s for all the same reasons Fox is struggling: The desire to remain profitable will drive any American news network, no matter how respectable, to air unethical, low quality meritless news.

To finish off her segment Fox’s desperate attempt at relevancy, Paula Roberts, drew a death card. Watters laughed nervously as she scrambled to explain that the death card only means change is coming. No matter how she tried to save the segment, I don’t think that card was just for the president. I predict Death is coming for Fox.

More than skin deep

STORY Astor Jones DESIGN Jennifer Banh

Growing up, I always had representation. My friends and I would sit looking at magazines of Marsai Martin and Beyoncé wishing we would become them one day. We would share a laugh going to the beauty supply store to spend an endless amount of money on shea moisture, tea tree oil, and rose water detangling masks. Our night would end by going over to each other’s houses to eat soul food by parents who treated us as their own. My favorite part was the bond that formed as our parents made us sit for hours, doing our hair, placing clanky beads and barrettes to perfect their craft. But when I moved into a new neighborhood, I was forced to face the reality that I could never build on those memories.

I started losing touch with my friends as I entered high school -- losing touch with my culture too. I had grown up surrounded by people who didn’t look like me, but I wasn’t sure how well I would blend in with these students. Walking through the shiny-silver double doors and onto the marbled tile, anxiety took over my mind. Would people treat medifferentlybecauseIlookeddifferent than them? My heart started racing. Looking around, my fears were fulfilled.

Everyone was the same. All fair skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, dressed in identical leggings and oversized tees. I looked down at myself, picking out every detail that made us different. My frizzy curls were nothing compared to their blonde hair that bounced as they walked. Inside, I knew I hadn’t grown up with the same experiences they had. I was ashamed of myself and how I looked. Nothing felt right; I didn’t want to look like me anymore.

I soon realized how much I was changing. The color faded from my friend group—all of them were white. I started to talk differently, and intricate words began to replace the slang I grew up with. I craved straight hair and felt

ashamed of the tight coils that shielded my eyes. My thick lips or my big nose was nothing compared to the button noses of my peers. I was the literal “black sheep.”

Through my quiet resentment, I noticed two girls walking together down the hallway. They were like me -- the old me. Their hair was in braids, with dangly beads on the ends. Their lips were glazed and their nails were decorated to a tee. Every laugh and giggle that came from

I always enjoyed spending time with them because I felt at home. I didn’t have to change my dialect or how I looked for any of them. The summer after school was out, I reconnected with them. Except something had changed. Looking around, my family were no longer people I could relate to. My cousins started parading around saying:

“You’re not black if...”

Every. Single. Time. I guess I wasn’t black enough because I didn’t do any of the things they listed. I was so confused on why I had to check items off a list in order to be a certain race. This wasn’t my home anymore. If I knew one thing, it was that I was too black for white people, and too white for black people, and I just wanted to be myself.

Looking back on it now, I realized I had it all wrong. I was so busy choosing sides, I couldn’t see that I was playing tug of war with two parts of myself. There’s going to come a day when you’re going to have to realize, no one is just white, or just black. Everyone is just simply themselves. We’re composed of multiple personalities, cultures, ethnicities, and we shouldn’t be choosing which parts to love. Love your full self, and never be ashamed of who you are. I wish younger me would’ve known that then. their mouth was asserted carelessly. That’s the kind of black girl I could’ve been. Should’ve been.

“Why are they so loud?” my white friends said. “They’re so ghetto, I wish they could be more like you.”

More like me? I knew what they meant. The condescending phrases that rolled off their tongue gripped my throat. They wanted the girls to be more white, like me. I was quiet and articulate, I repressed my thoughts, and because they didn’t, they were automatically “ghetto.” Because I gave up part of my identity, I thought I was going to fit in. But instead I lost myself completely. And I knew I had to get it back.

With family, there was always pressure to embrace my “blackness.” Every summer, we would have cookouts filled with food, dancing, and card games.

I craved straight hair and felt ashamed of the tight coils that shielded my eyes.

Can teenagers have healthy relationships?

Yes, but because of the lack of relationship experience, it can turn unhealthy because they can’t spot red flags.

- Scott Buksa, M9 Biology Teacher

I don’t think it’s possible because they’re so flawed with the way that they think. If they see someone they think is below them, they don’t want to be around them because it hurts their social status.

- Chimdineu Nnamani, 10th

Yes, they have to be very mature with it, they have to know their wants and needs. They have to have an open mind with communication.

I think if teenagers are mature enough to handle a serious healthy relationship, then yes, I think they can.

- Addy Cortez, 10th - Natalie Purvis, 12th

Love, actually

staff editorial

Love is an integral part of the human experience, but no two people will ever have the same experience with it. Each person has an individual idea. Some ideas overlap while others are starkly different, but different doesn’t mean wrong or bad, it just might not be what you expect.

One very complex part of loving is the type of love you feel. You can love family, friends, activities, experiences, and a special someone, and all of that is still love, just a different type. Not all people want or even need romantic love. Some people are more focused on the love for friends or family and some share their love for a certain activity. These are all valid expressions.

For romantic relationships, love is

difficult at times, and a key instigator is the reality of a romance. We see couples instantly fall in love with a dreamy meet-cute in movies, read about destined romances in books and watch celebrities talk about their “perfect” relationship with a partner, but these are only one side of the story. When a person goes into that relationship with unrealistic ideas, it can lead to the great despair known as heartbreak. Communicating your expectations and boundaries is imperative to allowing you and your partner to have a safe space to be emotionally and physically vulnerable.

One universal truth across all forms of love is the fact that people are at different places in their lives, and that the place you’re at may not fit with

others. This doesn’t make people bad friends or partners, and it doesn’t mean there’s no hope for a relationship. You just have to acknowledge and put effort into working towards being in a similar place as the other person. People have reasons for wanting – or not wanting –a relationship with another person, and the reasons for that can be complicated or incredibly simple. Respecting them and their boundaries is the first step towards having trust in any relationship and helping others be built up, not shut down. We as people have to learn that we all love in different ways; that’s what makes each person’s love beautiful.

Icing out the

COMPETITION

Cole Venuk scores to extend Marcus’ lead against Highland Park, with Marcus eventually winning 9-4.

Photo by Gabe Weaver

After a foul was called on Highland Park, the two teams faced off on the ice to start the game back up.

Photo by Gabe Weaver

Robert Wohiltz blocks Highland Park, the opposing team, in order to push towards the goal. Photo by Anya Jain

Riley Garrison lunges for the puck to secure a lead in their competition on Jan. 17.

Photo by Gabe Weaver