March 6 Issue by The Oracle

ORACLE

the

Stratford High School • Wednesday, March 6, 2019 • Vol. 46 • Issue 6

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Take a look at your choices for future classes and determine which course is right for you, DC or AP.

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Check out the spread to “crack the code” of how your specific brain works and functions in everyday life.

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Take a look at what students and staff really think about the facial hair policy implemented on our campus.

news

The Oracle March 6, 2019

News in Brief Time for Success COMPILED BY MCKENNA TANNER

NATIONAL LOCAL STRATFORD

• Feb. 22: English teacher

Kelli Bolen was named Stratford’s Teacher of the Year. • March 7: The University of Missouri visits during Spartan Time.

• March 11 to March 15:

Stratford lets out for Spring Break. • March 20: The New York Film Academy visits Stratford, and a post-secondary fair takes place. • March 28: School starts at 9:30 a.m. on a late start day. • March 29: Bradley University and the University of Arizona visit during A lunch. Illinois Wesleyan University visits Stratford. The Stratford ComedySportz team plays Houston Christian and Cy-Fair in a home match.

• Feb. 11: A tiger was found

in a cage in an abandoned house and was taken to a wildlife refuge the next day. • Feb. 12: Rodeo officials responded to an online petition asking Cardi B to cancel her performance at the event, which it claims abuses animals. •Feb. 25 to March 17: The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo takes place.

• Feb. 12: The Mexican drug

lord “El Chapo” was found guilty on all 10 counts with which he was charged in a federal court. • Feb. 13: Monica Witt, a former Air Force officer, was charged with espionage after she allegedly defected to Iran and gave highly sensitive information to the country’s government in Tehran. • Feb. 14: Congress passed a spending bill to avoid another shutdown, which President Trump signed the following day although it did not include money for a border wall. • Feb. 15: President Trump declared a national emergency in order to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Creative Side

PHOTO BY MADDIE DAWSON Junior

Bea Jeon expresses her creative side as she does one of her favorite hobbies, painting. Stratford shows creativity through all different forms of art.

Hour lunch gives teachers ‘additional tool’ to help students WRITTEN BY MCKENNA TANNER In an effort to give all students greater opportunities to succeed, the administration will implement an hour long lunch next school year. During this lunch period, students will have a plethora of possible activities to do, both academic and extracurricular. “The most important part of this and the main reason for doing it is to ensure that all students have academic support in their areas of need,” building principal Chad Crowson said. “But, beyond that, there are going to be things for other students to do because you’re not always going to need that level of support.” These other options include tutorials so that allowing students who cannot attend in the morning or afternoon a chance to get help, counselor visits, and possibly club meetings. The library will be open, and the gym will possibly be available, too. There will, of course, also be the option to simply relax with friends for an hour. In addition, there will be a sort of “catch-up room,” a quiet place for students to work. Any student who chooses may come, but teachers can assign it, as well. “If you’re a student who doesn’t always turn their work in on time, it’s like a, ‘Hey, you haven’t been doing what you’re supposed to be doing; you need to go to the catch-up room and take care of your business,’” Crowson said. The focus, however, will be on academic intervention. Teachers will be able to ask students to come see them during class to cover topics with which they’re struggling and ensure all are able to succeed. This time will be treated as a class, with the same consequences for skipping as any other class. “[The main thing is] to provide that sort of personalized support that students need in either a small-group setting or one-on-one to get the help they need,” Crowson said. “So, if you are struggling in biology, and you take a quiz in biology, and you don’t do well, then your teacher will be able to say, ‘Hey, come see me during intervention tomorrow, and I’m going to help you to master this concept and then maybe we’ll retake the quiz and move on to the next thing.’”

PHOTO BY AMARIS SMITH

GRAPHIC BY EAMONN FITZPATRICK

Although it’s true tutorials already exist to serve this purpose, Crowson said the administration felt they weren’t sufficient. “I don’t think it’s fair to always ask kids to come after school for tutorials because students are busy doing other things— they’re involved in extracurriculars, athletics, they have jobs and other things that they’re doing,” Crowson said. “It became clear at some point at the end of last year that we had to do something, that we had to provide a time during the school day, where students were already here, where they could get the academic support that they need.” Crowson said he believes this will be helpful because, during his previous year as Stratford principal, he noticed students in a variety of situations could benefit from extra help.

“I saw that as something that was happening across the board,” Crowson said. “We’ve been working over time to develop systems to provide a safety net for all students.” Stratford has over 2,100 students, and giving all of these students a place to sit and eat during this extended lunch presents a challenge. To address this, Crowson said the school is looking into additional seating and will allow students to eat in classrooms with teacher permission. “I visited another campus that’s doing this, and I talked to their principal, and what I was basically told is that students sort of fall into a pattern,” Crowson Lunch Shift said. Not everyone This may be what lunch looks like now, but next year’s is going to eat right intervention period could make for a different picture.

Got Seats?

With over 2,100 students eating during one lunch, how many can Stratford’s available spaces fit? Cafeteria: 595 Snack bar: 336 Middle gym: 500 Competition gym: 689 Library: 72

To t a l : 2 , 1 9 2 Counts for all except snack bar based on posted maximum occupancies. Snack bar count based on seats available. at the beginning of the lunch period. Not everyone is going to eat at the end.” Crowson said the school is prepared to alter the set-up should problems arise. “In truth, we’re probably gonna see what happens and then sort of react to that, so if it’s just a huge crush, and there’s no way for people to fit, find a place to eat, then we’ll look at other options,” Crowson said. “Until we do it, it’s hard to know what the situation’s going to be.” There’s a similar system at Spring Woods High School, English teacher Shane Russo says the set-up has worked out favorably at his school. “Students who take advantage of the longer lunch can catch up on classwork, late work, or even use the time to coordinate with groups to compete work that cannot be finished during class time,” Russo said. “Students do have to wait in lines for a bit, but multiple lines help with congestion and students have naturally fallen into lunch shifts on their own.” Although some teachers are hesitant to embrace the change, Crowson said the feedback he received was mostly positive. Spanish teacher Vickie Herrera is one of the teachers who supports this change. “I have so many students who don’t have to opportunity to come to me before or after school for extra help because of work, taking care of siblings or extracurricular activities and this time within the school day will definitely benefit them,” Herrera said. “I know it will be a good thing for Stratford; the logistics might be bumpy at first but we will figure it out.” Crowson is confident that, in the end, this change will help teachers accomplish their goals for helping students. “Teachers get into this business because they care deeply about students having opportunities to be successful not only in school but in the world after they graduate,” Crowson said. “This is just an additional tool in their toolbox to assist them in providing students the support that they need.”

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

news

The Big Day

Throwback to last year and what to expect for this one WRITTEN BY BECCA DAWSON PHOTOS BY MADDIE DAWSON

Fun and Games

Last year, a group got to play games out on the soccer fields with kids. They love to just run around and have fun. The Big Day has been a day full of volunteering for the past six years. Students come together to give back to their community and help out the people that need it. For the past few years, it has been Stratford’s goal to

help in anyway possible because our community gives us so much and we just want to give back. Before the Big Day arrives, a team of students come together to plan out all of the logistics behind the scenes. The committee consists of juniors and sophomores who are trying to make an impact in their community. With help from Ms. Yonkin, Ms. Johnson, and Ms. Jackson, the students Hard at Work plan everything from The guys basketball the beginning to the team worked very hard end. This year, the to clean up around their Big Day Committee community. They fixed has worked very hard basketball hoops and to make sure that everything is organized cleaned the Sherwood pool all day. and efficient. Without having this committee, the Big Day wouldn’t be able to happen. After months of planning, their hard work finally pays off.

Last year, the Big Day helped the community with relief from Hurricane Harvey. After this natural disaster occurred, so many of our own Stratford families were devastated by the loss of their homes. Multiple organizations went to people’s homes to help them with the aftermath of Harvey. We were so glad to get the opportunity to help the ones we love and care for. This year on March 23, Stratford is having the 2019 Big Day. Students will come to the school in the morning, receive a chicken biscuit from Chick-fil-a, get a Big Day t-shirt, and start volunteering.

Everyone Has A Group If you think that there is not a group for you, join Isa and the no groupers!

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

Class of 2019 Student Turns Candidate

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Marcel McClinton’s journey from high school senior to city council candidate

WRITTEN BY RACHEL DIETERT

PHOTO BY DAN TATULESCU AND PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCEL MCCLINTON

Campaign Kickoff on Campus

Senior Marcel McClinton is using the auditorium to start his campaign for city council at-large position three. At first glance, senior Marcel McClinton seems like a pretty normal teenager. He loves Twitter, hanging out with his friends, and has odd quirks. “I’m obsessed with Dr. Pimple Popper and that is what I watch every night to go to sleep,” McClinton said. However, unlike most seniors who are celebrating college acceptances and attending graduation parties, McClinton is celebrating the start of his campaign for Houston City Council At-Large Position 3. “I decided when I was like 7 that my two options were commercial airline pilot or politics,” McClinton said. While he knew he wanted to go into politics, he did not know what he wanted to do in the political realm until he was on the Mayor’s commission to end gun violence. “Through that, I saw how gun violence

and violence specifically affected the city on a different level,” McClinton said. His activism regarding gun control has allowed him to meet some well known politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and Cory Booker. The only ones left on his bucket list are “Barack and Ellen,” McClinton said. “Those are the two people I want to meet still.” He also became friends with Beto O’Rourke and others connected to O’Rourke’s campaign. “The day after election day in El Paso, I had lunch with Jody Casey, Beto’s former campaign manager,” McClinton said. “She wanted to go back to the public sector and just work in energy and that the only candidate whose campaign she would run is mine if I ran for something.” He was still unsure. He knew he wanted

to run for something but after college. “She was like, ‘But you can run next year,’” McClinton said. “And so I explored what I could run for.” School board or city council: those were his options given his age. However, he had difficulties actually finding that out. “I had to go back and forth with the city for the minimum age requirement because they didn’t know,” McClinton said. McClinton feels that because of his age, people will be quick to disregard his ideas. “That’s what makes me anxious because I want to say something or I’ll want to have a crazy idea and because of my age I don’t want to look too childish but I don’t want to look too grown because then it’s fake,” McClinton said. “It’s finding that middle ground I’m having trouble with.”

Still a Student

While McClinton may be a politician, he is still a teenager. He played football last year and plans to attend college in the fall.

However, McClinton feels that his age would help him in one aspect: his capacity to learn. “I think that young folks are best to have an office because we adapt and learn faster than a lot of other folks who are our senior,” McClinton said. “We’ve literally learned for eight hours a day and have been for years and years and years. Also, I bring entirely new fresh ideas from my generation and from folks who I’ve worked with for the past like year and a half two years.” While McClinton is excited about his supporters, he is also facing some harsh comments about his age. “Thirty percent of it is just people who are ‘There’s no way in h*** I’m voting for a kid,’” McClinton said. “‘There’s no way this kid knows about the budget and policing and X,Y, and Z.’” However, McClinton says he’s been learning as much as he can about these issues. “I’ve spent crazy amounts of time learning about the budget, learning about local economics, what city council can and can’t do,” McClinton said. He’s also learned not to respond to everyone on Twitter. “When on Twitter, I used to find folks who I disagreed with a lot and then would call them out,” McClinton said. “Now it’s more of, ‘Hey, this is the issue and here’s how I want to fix it.’ I found a blend of how to call folks out but also be really respectful and professional about it. I’ve changed.” Marcel is still planning to go to college, and he is applying to the schools in town. “It’s not an ‘instead of’; it’s ‘in addition to,’” McClinton said. People frequently ask him how he plans to juggle going to college while holding a position on city council. “It’s going to be hard to do both, but it’s not going to be impossible,” McClinton said. “I think that if you have the right mindset and the passion behind both, they can both get accomplished and both successfully.”

life

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

The Choice is Yours

Comparing advanced placement and dual enrollment WRITTEN BY CAROLINE DINA Course selection will always bring one thing: stress about what class to take. While the multitude of options provides an amazing variety of classes, it causes much confusion and a debate of what classes are most beneficial for college. As juniors and seniors, students are able to start receiving college credit in their English, history, science, and now math classes. This provokes a debate over which method of receiving college credit is best: AP or Dual Enrollment. Although both classes earn you college credit, students still debate on which one is “better.” Most students don’t really understand the difference between the two. In both courses,

students may receive high score of 3 or higher. Some school and college credit. universities only take a The AP course requires 4 or higher and others you to take an AP test will only accept a 5. Dual and score a 3 or higher Enrollment is guaranteed to get college credit to be accepted at all at a university. In Dual public schools in Texas Enrollment, and most students may private receive “AP classes have universities. high school Regardless credit helped get me of what when they course you ready for the successfully take, you complete intensity of my will need the course to see what future college type of and college credit your classes.” credit if desired they pass college the course. accepts. Another debated There are a variety of element of the two reasons that students classes is which schools choose an AP course over will accept your credit. a Dual Enrollment course. AP is accepted as credit “I took AP to have an throughout the nation, opportunity to get college but usually requires a credit and to have a more

challenging class,” senior Carol Gebhardt said. There are also a multitude of reasons why a student would take a Dual Enrollment class. “I took Dual Enrollment because I want to save money for college. I am going to college in state, and I’m not a good test taker. Class helped me gain some experience on what some college professors may be like,” senior Kaitlyn White said. By taking the college course at Stratford, White is avoiding having to pay a higher cost for these classes in college. Regardless of what class you decide to take, both have great benefits that will help you in your later college endeavors.

What Vacation Should You Go On This Spring Break?

WRITTEN BY HANNAH TIMMRECK PHOTOS BY RILEY TIMMRECK AND ELEANORE WILLIAMS

Take this seven question quiz to find out your ideal spring break vacation spot. 1. What kind of activities are included in your ideal vacation? A) Sitting on the beach with a lemonade B) Stay-cation! Chill out with some Netflix C) Visiting historical monuments and landmarks D) Bungee jumping and taking risks

2. Indoors or outdoors?

A) I like the outdoors when the weather is nice, but otherwise no thanks! B) Indoors always C) Outdoors but I like to keep my distance from nature D) I like a good balance of both

3. How do you plan your vacations?

Science

Chemistry Biology Physics I Physics II Environmental Biology

comfort zone? A) I like to keep doing what I’m doing so I don’t stress myself out B) I’ll doing anything if my friends are up to it C) I might, it depends D) Taking risks is no big deal!

6. Which word best describes you? A) Introspective B) Laid back C) Cultured D) Adventurous

Pick a continent. A) Europe B) Asia C) South America D) North America

U.S. Government Economy U.S. History World History Human Geography

English English III English IV

Statistics Calculus AB Calculus BC

Social Studies Science

Earth and Space

Math

Pre Calculus Algebra II

U.S. History Government (DC) Social Studies Topics 1

English

English III English IV (DC) English IV (ECP)

Mostly A’s: The beach- You should book your tickets for a tropical vacation! You wouldn’t mind having a week full of relaxation and serenity. Remember your sunscreen and swimsuit, it’s time to hit the beach! Mostly B’s: Stay at home!- It seems like you’re down for a stay-cation this spring break. You’ve been super stressed and would rather chill at home than go through the work of planning a trip. You need a full week to escape from the high pace schedules of school and work.

like? A) Hitting the mall with some friends B) Napping after a long school week C) Staying in to get a head start on some homework D) Spending time with family

5. How likely are you to step out of your

Social Studies

Math

4. What does your typical Friday night look

A) I typically do what others tell me they’ve

enjoyed B) I chill out and see where the day takes me C) I like to plan each and every second of everyday D) I usually plan one big thing for each day, but other than that I go with a flow.

Mostly C’s: Rome- You love to travel, and now is your chance! Pack your bags, and get ready to undergo the cultural beauties of Rome. The Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, it’s all yours to experience!

Mostly D’s- Big Bend National ParkThis spring break take a road trip to Big Bend National Park located in southwest Texas. The park is home to desert wildlife, mountain ranges and steep limestone cliffs. You enjoy spending time with family, so bring them along! Big Bend will bring you many opportunities that you will never forget!

life

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

Laughing It Up

ComedySportz’s ‘controlled chaos’ gives students a chance to shine WRITTEN BY MCKENNA TANNER PHOTOS BY DAN TATULESCU Junior Adam Leif fondly remembers one Hagedorn, who joined the team in 2016, ComedySportz match where he played said. “It’s a great motto to apply to life, one half of an advice-giving mystic and too.” rabbit duo. A favorite memory of Hagedorn’s came “The mystic, me, was energetic and from her using this attitude when a player quite strange, while the rabbit was a kind from another school had a bizarre request of straight-man character,” Leif, who is regarding what he wanted to do in their on the team for his second year, said. scene. “Our responses got a bit weird, but the “I, in the ‘yes, and’ attitude, said, characters’ interactions were pretty funny, and the audience seemed to think so, too.” And that is the goal of ComedySportz, where each performance is a series of short games involving improvisation, or improv, based on audience suggestions. Players act out scenes, make rhymes, create characters, and invent puns with only a few words from the audience. It’s a two hour show created entirely on the fly, no rehearsals or scripts—just practices to learn the games Final Countdown and the players’ creativity, as junior and returning player Izzy Junior Adam Leif and sophomore Jackson Flores described. Cockrum are the only students left standing “The things we learn at against two alumni in a rhyming song game. practices encourage us to act on our instincts, and those instincts have been known to take us ‘Sure,’ then he crawled on top of me in the scene,” Hagedorn said. “It was the on unexpected and wild journeys in the form of scenes and games,” Flores said. weirdest thing that has ever happened to me, but it got a great laugh from the “Our imaginations know no bounds and audience.” they thrive in the structured environment ComedySportz gives us.” This act of creating something entertaining from the unexpected is senior These “wild journeys” have gone everywhere from an “African Pikachu,” Isa Terrazas’s favorite part of being on the team, which she’s been on for four years. which was listed while playing a “I love how a bunch of random kids can come together who are strangers and put on a great performance because we’ve all ‘got each others’ backs,’” Terrazas said. Although, contrary to the name, Nothing but Rhyme ComedySportz The ComedySportz team lines up with team alumni to play involves little Da Doo Ron Ron, a game where players make rhymes and athletics, having improvise a song. a good team is Concentration-like game with the as important in it as any sport on the field, suggested category of “Pokemon,” as junior Jackson Paul, a two-year veteran, believes. to an armadillo mistaken for a potato “On stage, you are trying to make when he rolled onto the field, an action a good scene that the audience will the player was made to reverse and repeat several times in a game called enjoy,” Paul said. “However, you can’t “Forward Reverse.” Unusual? Sure, but, do it alone. You have to work with your fellow teammates in order to succeed, in ComedySportz, players are taught the so working towards that point where you “yes, and” mentality; they accept the can really do that is probably my favorite situation their fellow players create and add to it. part.” “[It’s about] going along with anything It’s a people-oriented activity, and senior Brittany-Anne Bonneté, who joined the that comes your way,” junior Janet

Run Ahead of Yourself

A counselor highlights the importance of perseverance through his encouraging experiences WRITTEN AND PHOTOS BY GRACE HARE Just one week past getting his diploma They tell a story of a fight that took place from high school, counselor Darryl White’s inside, and sometimes those are the father passed away unexpectedly. hardest battles to win. “The death of my dad, I wasn’t expecting To understand the true courage of what it,”he said. White does every day by encouraging and He was motivating left feeling students lost, to see the because opportunities of what an that are important available role his for them, dad had you have to in his understand academic what success success. means for “No White, and matter that opinion what life is shaped gave you, through the there were power of blessings educating to count. yourself, and He didn’t the pursuit of like feeling knowledge. sorry for “Many himself or having Award Winning Counselor very successful Counselor Darryl White proudly holds the other people people are very pity him; he medals he won in a marathon. These medals educated,” wanted to work are a symbol of his emotional perseverance. White said. to make himself “Education better. My dad always valued education, doesn’t always mean having a Ph.D. or and when I got older, I learned to value it having a Masters degree, sometimes too,” White said. it means searching for knowledge and Sitting in White’s office, marathon medals working with other people, and that can line his wall. For those who have met make you educated” him, or even just seen his dancing videos For students who feel like high school for course selection, he’s recognizable is not leading them anywhere, Mr. as a funny, kind man who works hard White will speak honestly, but also with not only to understand his students but encouragement, because everyone has a help them see that they are capable of future and the goal is to work for the best accomplishing anything they are willing to one. work for. “You should figure out what you want “After my dad passed away, a friend of out of life and make a plan,” White said. mine helped me deal with my grief, by “Work for your goals. My fifth-grade finding an outlet through exercise,” he teacher used to say, ‘There are four main said. He taught me how to work out, and places to go after high school, college, he saved my life.” the military, a career, or jail.‘ You should Suddenly, the running medals around be doing everything you can to avoid the the room stand for something more last one. Find what you want to do in life profound than physical perseverance. and do what you can to seize it.” team her freshman year, finds that the most rewarding aspect. “I’ve made great friends in the process of competing, and seeing each other at city-wide matches is always an awesome time,” Bonneté said. “Everyone is so accepting and enthusiastic that you always feel welcome no matter what school you are at.” This accepting environment gives students like Flores, whose fear of forgetting her lines limited her enjoyment of onstage productions, an opportunity to perform without a script to worry about sticking to. “It’s improv, so there’s nothing I have to worry about getting wrong,” Flores said. “When I step onto the field, I can stay out of my head and experience the pure joy that performing brings me.” Hagedorn appreciates ComedySportz because it lets her learn more about

performing comedy, a field not often available to high schoolers. “I like to watch and observe as much comedy as I can, and ComedySportz is an incredible opportunity to learn something new at every practice or match about performing,” Hagedorn said. “Even though I’ve been doing it for three years, I have never stopped learning and having fun. Every match is different and has something new to learn.” In the end, Stratford’s players agree that ComedySportz is something everyone can enjoy. “ComedySportz is a friendly environment that gives students from all walks of life who have a passion for improv a way to connect and have fun,” Bonneté said. “It’s all about ‘having each other’s back’ and making the audience laugh.”

life

The Oracle •March 6, 2019

El Gato Coffeehouse: As a cat lover, I was very excited when Houston got its very own cat cafe. Pull into the parking lot of the El Gato Coffeehouse and choose between visiting the cat cottage or the onsite food truck (complete with vegan and vegetarian options). All of the kitties in the cottage are up for adoption through Friends for Life and are very friendly. The cottage even hosts events like cat yoga, meowvie night, a cat lover’s book club, and painting with cats. This place couldn’t be more purrfect.

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens: Settle down in the soft grass, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming, all around you there are trees swaying in the wind. The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, owned by the MFAH, sits nestled in the River Oaks community on fourteen acres of garden space. This place is the ideal spot to go for an afternoon picnic or stroll. Take some time over spring break to smell the roses, or in this case the azaleas.

The Houston Zoo: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The Houston Zoo is a given if you’re planning on staying in town for spring break. If you feel like waking up before 11:00 am, you can watch the elephants get bathed, or a featured reptile/ amphibian be fed their breakfast. However, there are plenty of things to do if you’re not a morning person, like feeding the giraffes. And if you don’t want to leave your house to go see the animals in person, you can always watch them on the live webcams on the Zoo’s website.

The Ultimate Staycation COMPILED BY AMANDA YOUNGJOHN AND CHARLOTTE BENES PAGE DESIGN BY CHARLOTTE BENES PHOTOS COURTESEY OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, TROVER.COM, YELP.COM, 365THINGSTODOINHOUSTON.COM

The Houston Museum of Natural Science: It’s probably going to rain over spring break, but just because the weather sucks doesn’t mean you can’t have an adventure. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is home to the famous butterfly center. You know, the place you were you inevitably ended up with butterflies on your jacket. Not all of us are excited by the butterflies, and that’s ok. The museum has an observatory, a planetarium, and other exhibitions to visit. The current Biophilia exhibition displays artist Christopher Marley’s three dimensional art using plant, animal, and mineral specimens.

Rice Village: For the shopper who is tired of city center and the mall, weary of the galleria, and thirsty for some sunshine and fresh air, Rice Village is the perfect shopping destination to visit this spring break. This outdoor shopping center is home to a variety of options ranging from boutiques to big-name clothing stores and plenty of spots to stop for a quick bite (or two).

The Menil Collection: If you’re taking art this year, an aesthetic enthusiast, or simply dazzled by the pretty lights, you should check out the Menil Collection. The art spans from contemporary to Byzantine and is housed in different buildings scattered throughout a 30 acre neighborhood. Currently there are outdoor sculptures, the Dan Flavin Light Installation, and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel. If the prospect of an outdoor stroll and time spent admiring a diverse collection of art doesn’t appeal to you, there is also a restaurant. Bistro Menil is famous for their afternoon tea, and extensive dessert menu.

Honey Art Cafe: For the hungry artist, the color enthusiast, the matcha addict, and the amateur watercolorist, an outing to the Honey Art Cafe is just what the doctor ordered this spring break. This creative dining experience allows you to eat while crafting, offering attendees not only a food and drink menu but a crafts menu to order from as well.

Retropolis: Looking to update your wardrobe with some quirky vintage threads? Head on down to the Heights for a day of up-scale thrift shopping at locations like Retropolis on 19th Street. The expansive collection of this unique store is sure not to disappoint the old-souls among us.

The Museum of Fine Arts: We have all been on boring art museum trips with grandparents or out of towners, and admittedly, the experience is not for everyone. What many people don’t know about the Museum of Fine Arts Houston is that in addition to its marvelous permanent collection of art from all over, it lures some of the top exhibitions in the world, and this spring we’re getting a real treat. From March 10th through June 27th the exhibit “Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art” will be open to the public. This exhibition will display over 50 of Van Gogh’s acclaimed masterworks, highlighting four critical stages of his career as one of the pioneers of post-impressionist art. Here’s hoping that regardless of your familiarity with Van Gogh and his work, some of you will be willing to Gogh give this exhibit and the rest of the museum’s marvelous art a visit.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: And lastly, it wouldn’t be springtime in Houston if we weren’t all buzzing about the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This is one of the classic Houston experiences that somehow never seems to get old and always delivers. Whether you are just going for fried oreos, rides and games, or you’re seeing a big ticket performer, you’re guaranteed to have a good ole’ Texas time.

8 in•depth

The Oracle / March 6, 2019

Cracking your < code />

Our brains are wired differently. Discover which personality types make up your “code” by taking these three tests.

16: Myers Briggs

in•depth 9

2: Right vs. Left Brain

The Oracle / March 6,2019 2019

This test measures which side of your brain you use more, the right or left. There isn’t a set test that you can take, however the one we recommend is the sommer test. It only takes 30 seconds and doesn’t require a lot of thinking. At the end of the test it gives you a handy graphic that explains what percent of each side you got.

Left

Right

Analytical, methodical, strategic

Creative, artistic, imaginative

This test tells you which of the 16 personality types you are. After taking it you receive a sort of code for how your brain works, as well as an in depth analysis of your personality. This analysis contains your strengths and weaknesses, your romantic relationships, friendships, parenthood, career paths, and your workplace habits. This code is made up of four letters which represent four different categories, energy direction, how you process information, how you make decisions, and your lifestyle. There are a total of 16 codes, or personality types, that fall into 4 different categories. These categories are the analysts, diplomats, sentinels, and explorers. Each type has a name within each of these categories.

The “code:” ENERGY DIRECTION E- extrovert I- Introvert HOW YOU PROCESS INFORMATION N- intuition S- sensing HOW YOU MAKE DECISIONS T- thinking F- feeling YOUR LIFESTYLE P- perception J- judgement

The personalities: The Analysts

INTJ- Architect INTP- Logician ENTJ- Commander ENTP- Debater

The Diplomats

INFJ- Advocate INFP- Mediator ENFJ- Protagonist ENFP- Campaigner

The Sentinels ISTJ- Logistician ISFJ- Defender ESTJ- Executive ESFJ- Consul

The Explorers

ISTP- Virtuoso ISFP- Adventurer ESTP- Entrepreneur ESFP- Entertainer

COMPILED BY MADDIE SUERTH AND CHARLOTTE BENES All information compiled from: braintest.sommer-sommer.com/en/, www.16personalities.com/personality-types, AND enneagraminstitute.com

9: Enneagram

The Enneagram is much more than a personality test, in fact, when understood and used properly, it can be a powerful tool for empathy and understanding not only your own motivations and basic desires but those of the people around you as well. According to the Enneagram Institute, “everyone emerges from childhood with one of the nine types dominating their personality.” That being said, most people can see a bit of themselves in the description of each type and there are many connections between the types such as the arrows of integration (growth) and disintegration (stress) and the wings (one of the two types adjacent to yours).

1. The Reformer: Principled, purposeful, self-controlled and perfectionistic 2. The Helper: Generous, demonstrative, people-pleasing, and possessive 3. The Achiever: Adaptable, excelling, driven, and image-conscious 4. The Individualist: Expressive, sensitive, creative, and melancholic 5. The Investigator: Perceptive, innovative, secretive, and isolated 6. The Loyalist: Engaging, responsible, anxious, and suspicious 7. The Enthusiast: Spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, and scattered 8. The Challenger: Self-confident, decisive, willful, and confrontational 9. The Peacemaker: Receptive, reassuring, complacent, and resigned

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The Oracle •March 6 ,2019

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End of Season Report Talking girl’s basketball with Coach Hill

WRITTEN BY ANA SOFIA MEYER PHOTOS BY NATHAN SICILIANO goal. Whether I end up being the head coach or not, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done over the next few months here in offseason, to make sure that when this school year is over, we’re a lot better basketball team than we are right now.” As to what Hill brings to the table as a head coach, knowledge and experience are two of the biggest factors; he’s coached girls basketball for many years, including at Ridge Point High School for one year. Hill also expressed a very optimistic Looking to the Future point-of-view on whether this program, Coach Hill converses with other in one of the most competitive 6A UIL coaches about the future of Stratford districts in the state, facing opponents sports. such as Jersey Village with Gonzaga After a year of almost total change for University commits Kayleigh and the girls basketball program, the season Kaylynne Truong, and State tournament came to a close after a win against Semi-finalist team Cy Creek, “The talent Spring Woods on Senior Night. Seniors is here. The athletic ability is here. Elizabeth Babinek, Samantha Green, and There are little things that have to get Mary Clare Robbins were celebrated by better, and that just takes consistent their teammates, peers, parents, and work,” Hill said. “You have to work on coaches. improving things every day, you can’t But they weren’t the only ones being take days where you’re not working as celebrated, interim Head Coach Darryl Hill celebrated his 300th win as a girls basketball coach after the Tuesday game. To really appreciate the end of the season, one must know everything that led up to it. During the summer before the current season, Head Coach Buffie Matthews announced her resignation as a basketball coach and teacher to become an assistant principal at Memorial High School. The day after the first district game, Coach Hill was assigned interim head coach, “Taking over as head coach in the middle of a season is tough on everybody,” Hill said. “[Maybe] more on the players than me because we’re changing what we’re doing. And typically, you have a few months to get ready for that, but we didn’t. Everything was instantaneous.” Even through the sudden changes Game Plans there were highlights of the season, Coach Hill goes over plays with “I think the best parts of the season Varsity, directing senior Mary were just going through the second Clare “MC” Robbins. half of district being so much better than we were the first half,” he said. hard, and a lot of that comes down to “Unfortunately that didn’t translate into me, or whoever becomes the coach, a lot of wins, but just the way the games consistently motivating y’all to go to went were so much better and just work every day.” watching the improvements, I thought, Hill also emphasized, “[As an athlete,] was tremendous.” you’re going to go through tough times. Even though the team didn’t finish with You kind of learn to deal with adversity, a lot of wins or a spot in the playoffs, Hill going through that, and I hope that me, considers the outcome of the season or whoever ends up being the coach is positive, “From where we started in early able to teach y’all to deal with things that December, to where we ended, I think aren’t going good, that way when other everything improved, play on the court, things happen later in life, when you’re our outlook on things, our work ethic.” going through adversity, you have the Although Coach Hill hasn’t officially strength to deal with them. been offered the position of Head Coach Throughout this entire year of ups and of the girls basketball program, he has downs, Stratford Girls Basketball remains some hopes for the futures including one of the closest-knit programs we have “Making the playoffs. That’s the main at Stratford today, withstanding adversity.

sports

Sport Spotlight: Boys and Girls Lacrosse

BOYS

11 ATHLETEOFTHEWEEK The Oracle • March 6, 2019

WRITTEN BY JOHN PAUL GRAHAM & ANA SOFIA MEYER PHOTO BY DAN TATELESCU

GIRLS

Boys lacrosse has seen some success in the recent Similar to their male counterpart, years, and is a program founded on hard work and girls lacrosse has seen lots of a city championship mindset. The team is coached success in the last years, winning by Ben Janes and assistant coaches Mathew First, their division and earning third in Stewart Graham, State last spring. Kurt Jones, and Brian They are Winkler. coached by All have Stratford Business extensive lacrosse Information backgrounds, Management playing vital roles teacher, Scott in the success of Elmore and the team. This past assistant Brandin 2019 Aggieland LeBlanc. tournament, the boy’s At the lacrosse team won Aggieland the entire tournament tournament, they Stratford vs. Memorial for the first time in ten years. Senior Reagan Mansfield on two earned second A step in the right direction defenders to score at Grob Stadiumplace, losing to rival towards winning another city Plano in the finals, championship as was previously done back in 2015. the same team that knocked them Each and every player has a fiery passion to win out of contention for the State title and compete, and according junior Joe Ledet, last year. “We have a pretty decent chance to win the city The team hopes to go back to championship this year, and that’s pretty much what State and overcome the obstacles most of us are focused on and determined to do.” they fell to last season. With this sort of drive from most of the players, They are currently undefeated in and continued growth in the sport, there is a good non-district play. Varsity takes on chance the Stratford boys lacrosse program will be a Awty International at Awty on March legitimate force among the division two programs. 17th.

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Emma Stephenson sets new State Record in 50m Free WRITTEN BY ANA SOFIA MEYER

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA STEPHENSON

Senior, Emma Stephenson is known two relay records in the 200m medley and around the state as one of the most 400m Freestyle. dominant female swimmers there is. Going into meets with highly This weekend at 6A UIL State in Austin, competitive opponents, she has a very she went out and broke the UIL 50m set mentality, “For higher level meets, Freestyle, clocking in at a 22.7 seconds, a typically I’m not one of the fastest feat most would qualify as impressive. swimmers there,” She said. “With that As one of the said my mental most successful approach is a bit swimmers to ever different [from other be at Stratford, meets]. One thing Stephenson credits that I constantly her competitive remind myself is nature and mental that I belong at toughness for the meet. I cant helping her make be intimidated or her mark on not only fear other people’s Stratford swimming, speed. I must focus but at State as well. on my own races “Swimming is 85 and how I’ll swim Flying Through State percent mental and them. The rest will Stephenson races in the 100m 15 percent physical. I work itself out.” Butterfly, a race she’s notoriously have to believe in my Stephenson is dominant in. training, my coaches, committed to but most importantly Texas A&M for myself. When it’s race time the only swimming, she plans to swim collegiately thought running through my head is ‘I’m for four years. She also hopes to qualify going to do whatever it takes to get the for the 2020 Olympic Trials in Omaha, job done’,” she said. Nebraska and eventually she hopes to Stephenson also holds three individual make the Olympic team and swim for the records, in the 50m Freestyle, 100m USA Team, as well as win NCAA’s as a Freestyle, and 100m Butterfly, as well as freshman in college.

sports

The Oracle • March 6 ,2019

The Spartans Push for Playoffs Boys Soccer looks to finish strong in district play

STORY BY NATHAN SICILIANO, PHOTO BY JILLIAN DONLEY

Fightin’ for the top spots The boys varsity soccer team has just completed their fist round of district play. In their first eight games, the team finished with a record of 3-3-2. With wins against Cy-Creek, Northbrook, and Jersey Village, the team looks to carry over their successes into the second round of district. They currently sit at 5th in the table, but are not far away from a playoff spot. Stratford has 11 points, while Cy Ridge sits above them in 4th with 15 points. If the Spartans can continue to win games against teams below them, and win some crucial games against teams above them such as Cy-Falls, and Memorial, then their playoff hopes will be within reach. The team recently suffered two close losses against Spring Woods, and Cy-Ridge. But, with solid performances in both games, they look to take advantage of their potential and win crucial games going forward. Their is a strong spirit of unity among the group, as the team looks

to push for playoffs. With upcoming games against Jersey Village and Cy-Falls, two solid teams, two wins would secure a playoff spot after previously playing Northbrook, Memorial, Cy-Creek, and Cy-Fair. The varsity soccer team has made playoffs the past four years, along with placing second in district last year. However, they have struggled to make a playoff run, as they have lost first round in every year they have made it through district play. However, with a late push to obtain a place in the top four in league standings, the momentum could very well carry over into the team making a playoff run. The group of boys has grown closer through facing adversity this season, and their determination to be successful is prominent among the group. Mark Wallace, the varsity soccer coach, has played a large role and Stratford’s recent successes. He has coached the team to make playoffs every year he has been at Stratford. Currently in his fifth year, he looks to continue this trend. Coach Wallace teaches Physics at Stratford, and is well known among the school community.

One on One with Coach Hoskovec WRITTEN BY JACKSON ALLRED PHOTO BY ASHLEY CALAHAN

Q: What is the most imperative aspect of developing an athlete into a better swimmer? A: The most imperative aspect is a willingness to take instruction mixed with a boatload of internal motivation.

A: Swimming is a sport where the lion’s share of the work is done in season. The week before the big meet is resting, details, and mental preparation, such as visualization. Q: In your coaching experience, what do all of your outstanding swimmers have in

Seniors Steven Yoo (left) and James Sam (right) double team an attacker in efforts to get the ball back. Steven and James are two of seven seniors on the varsity soccer team. They look to lead the team into playoffs.

A: There are many constants. The basic structure and plan for workouts is similar. I try to change about 10-15% of what they do in practice from one year to the next. The early mornings are also constant. Each team will have its own personality and chemistry. It is always interesting to see how the team dynamic differs slightly from year to year.

Varsity Girls Are In It to Win It Girls soccer continues strong as they approach playoffs PHOTOS BY HALEY SYAMKEN

Defending as a team

Senior AK Ford weaves her way past two opposing team members to make her way to the goal. Ford’s persistence and dedication never fails to lead her team to a win.

Life with a ball at his feet

Defending as a team

Q: From year to year, season to season, what stays the same within your team and what changes?

Q: How do you prepare your swimmers (mentally and physically) the week before a big meet?

The team will play Jersey Village, a team they have previously beaten, on Tuesday, March 19th at home. Stratford’s support for the team has been outstanding, and as March 19th is the last home game of district, the continued support would be greatly appreciated.

Milan Jokic, a junior, dribbles away from a defender and looks for an open pass. Milan is an influential player in Stratford’s attacking play, and has been on varsity since his sophomore year

common that make them special? A: There are a few things. They HATE losing. They enjoy success, and they ALL performed at their best when it matters most

Kickin’ ‘Em to the Curb

Senior Peyton Nichols passes the ball while advancing to the goal. Nicholas is playing strong as she is about to close out her last year on Varsity Soccer.

Making a Play

Junior Rachel Cole dribbles the ball down the field towards the goal. Cole is a strong player and a essential piece to the team.

perspectives

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

Our Lives As One of 16 Personalities

All about the Meyers-Briggs personality quiz WRITTEN BY AMALIA SANCHEZ KNOTTEN When the mother-daughter team of Kathrine Briggs and Isabel Myers sat down more than 70 years ago to create the Myers-Briggs personality test, the idea that decades later their test would be used for everything from job-applications to dating apps was outside their wildest fantasies. Yet shortly after its release, it gained instant popularity. Today, around 25% of the big corporations on the Forbes 500 list have stated that they use the Myers-Briggs test in some form to enhance efficiency and collaboration in the workplace. Dating sites like TypeTango use the Myers-Briggs test to match their users up with the perfect “type” for them, and around the world people are arranging conferences for their specific personality type to meet and mingle. The Myers-Briggs personality test is being used for exactly what Briggs and Myers intended when they first created it in 1942 - to make human interaction easier to navigate. But how accurate is the test really? The premise of the Myers Briggs 16-personalities test is simple. Everyone in the world, can through answering about 50 questions about how they behave in their everyday life, be sorted into one of 16 unique personalities. The “type” you might fall under in the test are based on whether you’re extroverted (E) on

introverted (I) , sensing (S) or intuitive (N), feeling (F) or thinking (T) and either judging (J) or perceptive (P). Mixing those personality traits, you become a certain type: an INFJ or an ENTP, with all the quirks that come with it. According to the most popular online website dedicated to the test today, the sorting can work on anyone, and is even being used to “sort” celebrities and historical figures. After taking the test, the website will immediately present you with careers, hobbies, and even relationship advice suited specifically to what personality you have. Though the Myers-Briggs test is among the first ever personality tests of its kind, and has inspired countless other measures of personality that have come after it, there has been discourse about its legitimacy among the psychology community for years. Though some people swear to it as both a useful and accurate tool, many psychologists have answered the question

of whether the Myers-Briggs test is legitimate with a vehement no. The results of the test have been proven to often be inconclusive. Psychologist Annie Murphy Paul, states in her book The Cult of Personality Testing that more than a third of people who have taken the MyersBriggs test several times have been sorted into more than one type. Adam Grant, a writer for Psychology Today, speculates that the test might miss the mark because it simply refuses to consider different personality traits, such as extroversion or introversion, to be part of a spectrum. In the Myers-Briggs test, you can only be one or the other. But the disapproval of the psychology community has done nothing to stop the Myers-Briggs test from being used by global corporations and the everyday man alike. Why do we continue to use these personality tests if they have been proven to be inaccurate? Maybe there’s something in them after all?

Prevention Protocol A debate over whether vaccines should be mandatory has existed for decades WRITTEN BY BLAKE TODES

GRAPHICS BY BENJAMIN SICILIANO

PHOTO BY DAN TATULESCU

Vaccines have been vital for preventing Hamon, only “a handful” of Stratford diseases like polio, measles, and chicken students are not vaccinated for non-medical pox in the past decades. Nobody probably reasons, or about less than ten (roughly 0.5 enjoys the thought of a needle being percent), which is a lower proportion than injected into their the district-wide rate of arm. However, 0.81 percent. there are people Some parents, that are against according to Hamon, vaccines for much do not vaccinate their different reasons children because of than pain. Concerns symptoms of autism of associations with or immunosuppressive autism, exposure conditions and use to so-called a “conscientious dangerous chemicals exemption” to allow in vaccines, their children not to be and “religious” vaccinated. Professional View Nurse exemptions lead Many students, such many parents to as new immigrants to Connie Hamon believes not vaccinate their the country or children parents should always have the children. Thus, without insurance, also choice over their children’s causing significant often lack the vaccinations vaccinations. She has, however, controversy over or vaccination documents stated that more research is whether it should required when they first needed on vaccines. be mandatory for arrive at the school. parents to vaccinate their children under However, there is a 30 day waiting period, federal law. and nearly all of the students that were not Nurse Connie Hamon supports parents vaccinated receive their vaccinations at a making the decision over whether children free or low cost vaccination center within should be vaccinated or not; however, the 30 day period. she believes vaccines only work when Hamon also believes more research is an extremely high percentage of the needed to make vaccinations more effective population is vaccinated. According to and to ensure their safety, especially for

individuals who have compromised immune systems, such as children with leukemia or hepatitis. Because live viruses are injected into your body with vaccines, immunocompromised individuals may not be able to fight off the virus and get the same protection as ordinary individuals who receive the vaccine. Even though the rate of children who are not vaccinated for non-medical reasons has quadrupled since 2003, only one case of a vaccinepreventable disease has occurred during Hamon’s 7 years as a nurse at Spring Branch. Hamon says these outbreaks of preventable diseases are rare in districts with high vaccination rates, such as Spring Branch and Houston ISD. There has also been a major push with nurses to get nearly 100 percent of all students vaccinated, which may be why vaccination rates at Spring Branch ISD are so high compared to the overall greater Houston area. Houston has the lowest vaccination rate out of any metro area in the nation at 88 percent, and vaccines only ideally work when 90 to 95 percent of the population is vaccinated, leaving Houston at risk for major preventable disease

I asked several Stratford students if they had previously taken the test, and to my surprise nearly all of the people I spoke to had. When asked why she had taken the test in the first place, Jenny Calhoun responded: “A lot of my friends were taking it, and it just seemed really interesting. Mostly I just wanted to know if I’d get the same type as anyone I knew. And maybe a part of me wanted to see if it could help me get to know myself better.” Several of the people I spoke to also said they felt the personality they’d gotten was accurate. “When I read more about my type,” said Caleb Belladeras, an INFJ, “It really did sound like me. It’s also really fun to see what people have the same personality type as you. I realized a lot of my friends have types similar to mine, and it all seemed pretty accurate.” But when asked if they thought the Myers-Briggs test had taught them anything new about themselves, the overall consensus was that it hadn’t. “More than anything, I felt like it just enforced things I already knew,” said Belladeras. But what became clear was that whether the test was helpful or not, it surely supplied entertainment.

Student Protection

15% No

According to an 85% Yes Instagram poll, an overwhelming 85 percent of students believe parents should be legally accountable for not vaccinating their children. outbreaks, such as the ongoing metro Houston measles outbreak affecting at least six individuals, including five children under the age of two. However, a small proportion of people believe vaccines have done more harm than good for society. One local resident believes that vaccines are harmful due to the “dangerous chemicals” found in vaccines, as well as the injection of live viruses into your system. She is not vaccinated herself and says she would never get vaccinated because of the aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, and live viruses in vaccines. This anti-vaxxer believes, in theory, vaccines are supposed to be beneficial to society; however, she believes that the government and medical professionals are using vaccines as a “giant money scheme” to “control the population.” What she means by this “population control” is that she believes vaccines have been so skillfully manipulated and are received so frequently that they are “dangerous.”

See Prevention pg. 14

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

Prevention continued from pg. 13

She, like other anti-vaxxers, also believes the government is controlling population through vaccines because “they cause autism, dangerous defects, long-term health issues, cancer, and allergies.” According to her, cancer rates have rapidly increased over the past twenty years due to vaccines, and doctors are okay with this because “doctors and the government get money from this.” In response to the suggestion of the parents who refuse to vaccinate their children being prosecuted for child endangerment, she believes this “is not fair.” Her reasoning behind this is that she should not be arrested for giving her child mercury at home, while the government and doctors are allowed to because of once again, money. Even though many people are against vaccinations, many anti-vaxxers use misconceptions about vaccines as their reasoning, including the local anti-vaxxer I interviewed. Her assertion that vaccines are dangerous because of the chemicals and live viruses contained within them is 100 percent false. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more formaldehyde is found naturally occurring in our body than the trace amounts found in vaccines, and thimerosal, the mercury compound the anti-vaxxer was referring to, was taken out of childhood vaccines in 2001. In addition to debunking the dangerous chemical myth provided by anti-vaxxers, the CDC also debunks the myth about the danger of injecting live viruses into your body. The CDC states that the live virus injected is a weaker form of the virus, so your immune system can fight off the virus and develop an immunity to the disease. The anti-vaxxer is also false in saying that vaccines are the cause of diseases and disorders such as cancer and autism. In fact, cancer rates have been going down since the early 1990s. While formaldehyde is classified as a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CDC states that the trace amounts of formaldehyde found in vaccines are not enough to be carcinogenic. Also, there has been no evidence that vaccines are linked to autism. Both a 2011 and 2013 study conducted by the CDC, as well as many other studies beginning in the 1990s, have found no link between vaccinations and autism. Vaccinations have been one of the most important human inventions in history. Because of vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated, and polio has been nearly eradicated; however, the threat of anti-vaxxers threatens the potential eradication of deadly diseases like measles, meningitis, and HPV. The high risk of disease, as well as potentially death, presented to young children from lack of vaccination shows why parents should be held accountable for not vaccinating their children, both legally and morally.

Cookie Clash

WRITTEN BY ALEXIS GARZA PHOTOS BY ALEXIS GARZA AND EAMONN FITZPATRICK The simplest, most classic American treat is a chocolate chip cookie. They are a simple dessert but can be fashioned in so many different ways. Everyone has a recipe that they swear is the best chocolate chip cookie on the planet. They are a staple in most people’s recipe boxes, but the original recipe was made popular by Nestle Toll House. Just about every bag of chocolate chip cookies in the grocery store has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies on the back. The Oracle staff went on a mission to find Houston’s best chocolate chip cookie.

Tiny’s Milk and Cookies Chocolate Chip Most of these cookies are within 15 minutes Of Stratford. However, you’re going to have to drive a little for the best cookie in Houston. Tiny’s Milk and Cookies is located in West U and they have the best cookies. They are thick and fluffy and airy in the middle. The edges are crispy and golden brown. The chocolate chip to cookie ratio is spot-on. It is not so gooey that your face and fingers are covered in chocolate, but each bite is soft and delicious and full of chocolate. They are a dream. Even though Tiny’s is far away, their bakery is excellent and they have a full functioning restaurant just around the corner from their cookie bar in the wall. Tiny’s cookies came in at number one on this list for being an all-around wonderful cookie.

Tres Market Buffalo Chip Cookie

Tiff’s Treats Chocolate Chip

My second favorite chocolate chip cookie was the Buffalo Chip cookie from Tres Market. It is stickier and chewier than the cookie from Tiny’s, and it is filled with chocolate chips (obviously), coconut, and walnuts. I had never had a cookie from Tres Market before, and I was pleasantly surprised. The cookie was dense and flavorful and its chewy center and crispy edges were delightful. This cookie was ugly, which put it below Tiny’s. Tres Market is conveniently located near Town and Country, and is just a short drive down Memorial. They have a bakery but mostly sell refrigerated pre-made meals. I really liked the cafe area and their cookie was absolutely excellent.

Tiff’s treats is always a fan favorite because of their super convenient warm cookie delivery. However, for this cookie we went to their store at the Beltway and Briar Forest. In my opinion, Tiff’s Treats had a slightly above average chocolate chip cookie. It was good, but there was nothing too special about it. The cookie was light in color and flat. It lacked the fluffiness in the middle that Tiny’s and Tres Market boasted. The cookie was heated, which made it soft and flimsy. The warmth of the cookie (it was the only one heated) made it melt in your mouth. I had mixed feelings about this cookie because it was small and would fall apart if you picked it up. However, it tasted good and reminded me of a homemade cookie because it was good but not perfect. It left me wanting more because it was not too sweet and not too filling.

Three Brothers Bakery Split Cookie The split cookie from Three Brothers Bakery was disappointing to be honest. One half was a regular chocolate chip cookie, and the other side was a double chocolate chip cookie. The idea seems nice- two cookies in one bite. Unfortunately, the reality was a disaster. For starters, the cookie was tough and dusty . The flavor was weird and the balance between the regular chocolate chip cookie and the double chocolate chip cookie was way off. The double chocolate chip flavor was overpowering when you got both sides in the same bite. I was very disappointed with this cookie because of the dry, tough texture and the underwhelming flavor. However, Three Brothers other cakes and breads are fantastic. I would go back for a cupcake or a little Italian rainbow cookie. It is just too bad that they missed the mark with this cookie.

Making the Grading Period This year Stratford students and teachers have adapted to yet another schedule change. The switch from six to nineweek grading periods was intended to help teachers and students not stress about turning in grades for report cards, and ultimately improve student’s overall grades. We are almost halfway through our second semester, and still the student body remains divided about whether six or nine weeks is better. Junior Katherine Whelen said she feels

perspectives

there is no difference between the two. “Either way all of your grades are getting averaged together, so there is no advantage to one or the other” Whelen said. Although this may be true, there are some students who strongly hate this years nine-week grading period. Sophomore Chelsea Gorman prefers the six-week grading period compared to the nine-week one. “I like the six-weeks grading period better because it’s not as dragged out and we have more food truck fridays!”

WRITTEN BY MADDIE BURKE

Gorman said. There is a large portion of the student body who prefers six-week grading periods over nine, but there are many student who do not. Senior Catherine Garza believes nine weeks is more advantageous than six weeks. “Nine weeks is much better than six weeks because there is more time to improve your grade and it makes the year go by faster” Garza said. History teacher Cody Schwartz said he prefers the six-weeks rather than the current nine week grading period.

“I like six weeks, I was able to get all my grades in because we have to have a certain number of grades and I was always able to get that number, but I know for some teachers that was hard. From an athletic standpoint, we get hit with back to back reports about the athlete's eligibility status with the six week progress report and the nine week report card” Schwartz said. The new grading system has been an adjustment this year, and our students and teacher still remain split about it.

perspectives

The Oracle March 6, 2019

Trouble with the stubble

Students and staff take on the “no facial hair” policy WRITTEN BY: ANTHONY SALVA Distractions in school are issues that school teachers, principals, and district superintendents are faced with on a daily basis. As students, we are told to limit our facial hair in order to help minimize the “distractions” present in school. Facial hair is different from the rest of these “distractions” for one reason: it’s controversial. In Spring Branch ISD, if you are caught with any facial hair that is not a mustache, teachers are required to send you to the campus nurse in order to shave. “I’ve never been in a district that has a rule like that” Spring Branch ISD Superintendent, Dr. Scott Muri said. The facial hair policy falls under the “student dress code,” which is set in place collectively by campus administrators. For this reason, each school district has different policies for students facial hair. School districts nearby, such as Houston ISD and Alief ISD, have no policy that prohibits students from having facial hair. In fact, most of the policies of these neighboring districts are practically identical to ours except for this one anomaly. Even a number of people who carry much influence in the district are not quite certain on the policy’s purpose. “It was in place before I came [to Spring Branch], so I don’t know the history of it.” Dr. Scott Muri said. Many against the facial hair policy claim that the policy carries little to nothing beneficial to students and the

“Facial hair is an expression of a student and holding a student back from truly expressing themselves is a disservice to the student. The no facial hair rule started during the Cold War to ensure that gas masks would fit. However, there is no immediate nuclear threats so I believe facial hair should

be allowed,” senior Ronan McDonnell said.

ORACLE

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Editors-in-Chief *Charlotte Benes *Maddie Suerth

Associate Editors *Isabella Waltz *Rachel Dietert

Photo Editors *Dan Tatulescu *Maddie Dawson

News Editors Yasmin Talbi McKenna Tanner

Life Editors

What does Mrs. Sharp think?

“I don’t like students having facial hair because it looks unclean and is against the dress code. Students should have pride in themselves, their work, and their appearance,” English teacher Suza Sharp said. learning environment. “It takes away freedom of expression. In fact, shaving during class is actually wasting time that could be spent learning.” Junior Franco Grimoldi Calo said. So why do we own this policy? What benefits do the supporters of the facial hair policy advocate for? According to data scientist Josh Velson: “Many hairstyle policies, including facial hair, are put in place because people want to minimize the disruption that unique, eye-catching, or particularly unkempt hairstyles might cause” As far as the future of this policy,

some are hopeful for change.“I hope that in the future you are allowed to keep your facial hair. If you have a clean, overall non-distracting beard, that should be fine” Grimoldi Calo shared. This change is certainly feasible. “[The principals] can create the change if they feel the change is necessary. So, the first place to start is with your principal” Dr. Scott Muri shared when asked how to bring change to this policy. The SBISD administrative team has reportedly been discussing the dress code recently, but no decisions have been finalized as of publication.

What do the students think? “There is no

point in shaving, it doesn’t distract anyone and it’s just a basic body function to grow hair. If girls can dye their hair any color they want then we as guys should be able to grow facial hair. It also makes us look better to have facial hair so that is another upside,” senior Josh Miller said.

Let us know what you think contact thestratfordoracle@gmail.com

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Reporter

Building Principal

Amaris Smith

Photographers Ashley Calahan Eamonn Fitzpatrick Bowen Jackson

Benjamin Siciliano

Chad Crowson

Advisor Janice Cummons *Editorial Board

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The Oracle newspaper is the official, schoolsponsored student media of Stratford High School, 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas 77079, 713-2513454. The Oracle is published monthly by the Journalism Department and is also available online at shsoracle. org. The newspaper is a member of Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, and Interscholastic League Press Conference. The Oracle serves as a public forum of student expression

and is open to contributions submitted by the readers. Readers may submit material via e-mail to info@ shsoracle.org. All letters to the editors must be typed and contain the author’s full name, grade and signature. Submitted material is subject to editing based on space and/ or content. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the staff, the administration or the school district.

Publication costs are covered through advertisements. For more information, contact thestratfordoracle@gmail.com OR call at 713-251-3454

photos

The Oracle • March 6, 2019

One Last Time

LAYOUT BY BECCA DAWSON PHOTOS BY MADDI SANGI AND ALLIE WIEDMAN

Spartacus Supports Us

Our favorite mascot, Spartacus, goes around talking to students during the exciting pep rally. He comes to all of our games to cheer on our Spartans, even when it’s not football season. Spartacus would never miss the opportunity to come to one of our energetic pep rallies.

Color Guard for the Win

It’s Decision Time

The senior cheerleaders preformed a great routine at their very last pep rally. They all wore their college shirts as they begin to pick where they are going to spend the next four years.

We see our amazing color guard at football games, but what do they do during football’s off season? They are winning awards! They competed in a big competition and won first place for our incredible school.

Senior’s Last Horrah

Sparties’ Sneak Peek

Four years ago, they were only freshmen, now they are graduating seniors. In their last pep rally, the seniors class comes together to win one last game.

For our last pep rally, the Spartanaires showed us a sneak peek of one of contest routines. They have been working so hard to perfect these dances.

Hey, Seniors! Scan this QR code to tell us your post-high school plans by mid-April for the senior edition of the Oracle.