Tiger Times Oct. 29, 2015

Time of Transition As transgender students seek acceptance, schools face the task of adopting policies to balance the rights of all students. Will current policies remain the same or will new ones need to be created?

>> page 14 Texas High School • 4001 Summerhill Road, Texarkana, TX 75503 • tigertimesonline.com illustration by C. May/photos by B. O’Shaughnessy

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OUR socialNETWORK

photo by R. Lewis

#mybig faces of the game Senior varsity golfer Grayson Jones. View this story on tigertimesonline.com

NOV. 5

ROSEBUDS YOGA “Yoga is something that we get to do as a group that’s really relaxing and fun. We do it as a social gathering, but also as bonding,” senior Elizabeth Tullis said. “It’s a great break from the stress of school and an activity everyone seems to love.”

NOV. 6

PICTURE RETAKES “If you haven’t gotten your picture taken or if you don’t like it, you need to make sure you come to picture retakes so you can get in the yearbook,” senior Madison Maynard said. “If you aren’t in the yearbook did you really go to school here?”

STAY CONNECTED

MISS THS “It’s a scholarship opportunity for girls at Texas High,” junior Hannah Hayes said.

“It’s supposed to be a fun event where we get together and watch the talented girls compete.”

Anna Catherine Boudreaux, 12

by ELEANOR SCHROEDER staff writer

NOV. 19

FEAST AND FOLLIES “[It’s] a senior medieval festival celebrating the literature and traditions we studied from this time period,” English teacher Anne Fruge said. “[They] can dress up as Canterbury Pilgrims or any medieval character, and we have feasting, music, an art contest, photo booths and more.”

NOV. 19-22

MISTLETOE FAIR “At Mistletoe Fair I get to dance every year, and I really love going around to all the booths,” freshman Sarah Grace Boudreaux said. “It’s something my family and I go to every year and gets me into a Christmas mood.”

ACT/SAT

snapchat: thspublications instagram: thsstudentmedia twitter: @thsstudentmedia facebook: THS Publications

photo by R. Lewis

NOV. 7

@thehillzhaveeyez

CHEER CLINIC “It’s a cheer clinic for 3-year-olds to 8th graders.

We teach them cheers, dances, chants, work on jumps and do stunts with them,” junior Abby Norton said. “We like to work with them and get them excited.”

ACT dates: Dec. 12 Feb. 6 April 9 June 11

SAT dates: Nov. 7 Dec. 5 Jan. 23 March 5 May 7 June 4

On a crisp fall night, bright lights shine down on a crowd of orange. Flowers are held by 13 lucky girls. Butterflies are in those 13 stomachs. Families and friends grab hands as the crowd falls silent as the queen is announced.

Senior Anna Catherine Boudreaux was crowned Homecoming queen at the

@will_harrell3

OCT. 30

@kipwilliams350

MOMENT

Post your favorite moments on Instagram with #mybigmoment and tag @thsstudentmedia for a chance to be featured in the newspaper and be in a drawing for a $20 gift card.

top tweets

@“Star DatJohnnyBoy626 Wars is about to be amazing I’m so hype rn”

@“My diddlydarn parents try to

sneakily feed me eggs like parents sneak vitamins into a 5-yearold’s ice cream”

_Shortman10 @“Hit the Quan” @“Don’t Ckj98Jones stroll in the

woods of your enemy is hunting -Chase Watkins”

football game on Oct. 9.

“I was not expecting to win at all,” Boudreaux said. “When I heard my name called it didn’t seem real. It was just a huge shock.”

It took Boudreaux a moment to understand the honor she had just received.

“I was thinking, ‘Did they call my name? Oh my goodness’,” Boudreaux said.

“It didn’t feel like it was actually happening.”

our favorite moment Being crowned Homecoming queen is an experience that will stay with Boudreaux for the rest of her life.

“I felt so very honored,” Boudreaux said. “Texas High is a great school and has amazing people.”

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Help Wanted

in this issue

New mentor program aims to increase college readiness

10

I’ll Never Forget

Junior learns to grow from grandfather’s loss

20

It’s A Balancing Act Sophomore flips between competitve gymnastics, school, social life

23

Confessions of a Walking Jukebox Senior shares experiences of listening to live music

news

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Robotics team sets new year in motion

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submitted photo

by ALEX HEO sports editor After the departure of valuable seniors from last year’s robotics team, the T-Bots are operating under a new system of leadership. In addition, the program has admitted more students than past years.

“T-Bots are making a bunch of new changes this year,” junior Peter Azille said.

“We have a bunch of new leaders. We have a new leadership model. We have more members now than we ever had, so we’re hoping to see huge growth.”

With new leaders stepping up to the plate and revamping the club, they hope to accomplish many things.

“Well, it’s obviously [going to] be a hard time whenever four of your officers graduate,” senior Alex Markham said. “It’s kind of like a rebuilding year this year as we incorporate a little bit of new style into our things and get a bunch of new freshmen into the groove of things, but I think it’s going to be a good year overall.

We got a lot of talent and potential on this team, and it’ll be great.”

The new leadership style features a different set of officers than before,

such as chairman’s leader and building leader. Officers of each section are in charge of getting only their assigned tasks accomplished in order to split the division of labor.

“All the mentors decided it would work better that way, and it does work better,” senior Adolfo Camacho said. “That way, no one [person] is higher than the others and one person doesn’t have to worry about everything. We all worry about one thing, and then we come together.”

Realizing that they have much to learn, they want to seek professional criticism in order to foster their growth.

“If T-Bots could use anything right now, it would be the use of outside professional engineers who can not only see our designs but give us a little bit of criticism to how we’re thinking to give us a better perspective of what’s it like to be an engineer in the actual work force,” Markham said. “[We want to] pick their brain so that we can refine our ideas so that we can move forward with mindset.

One of the changes in mentors is engineering teacher Brandon Burnett’s departure and science teacher Julie Suelzer’s arrival. Suelzer’s experience in the

PASSING IT DOWN The T-Bots share their knowledge of robotics with Morriss Elementary students. Robotics classes are growing in both popularity and size in middle and elementary schools.

engineering field should allow the change to be a seamless fit.

“My degree is in chemical engineering, and I have many years of experience working in manufacturing. With that background, I support the engineering approach to design of the robot and systems of the team,” Suelzer said. “I can make real-world connections between some of the materials and equipment we have and what I have worked with in paper

mills. Many of the challenges are similar from a problem-solving perspective, so my background combined with the knowledge of veteran T-Bots students and mentors will help us continue to succeed.”

With new leadership, the group isn’t looking back but toward a new direction.

“I feel like through it all, [T-Bots] is not a sinking ship,” Markham said. “It’s just a captain has left the ship and a new person has to take control.”

History in the making

Revitilization of club leads to increased enthusiasm

by ELEANOR SCHROEDER staff writer For some students, history has become a dreaded class of seemingly unimportant knowledge. However, a small group of students have decided to embrace the past as a way to build a better future.

This year, the students of History Club have made big plans and reevaluated their agenda to fit the individual goals of the students.

“I joined History Club because I am honestly interested in history and learning new things,” sophomore Jillian Ross said. “Also, I have a lot of close friends in

[History Club], and that’s always a plus. I just hope that I get to learn new things as well and grow closer to my existing friends in the club and the new people I have recently met because of the club.”

The club plans to implement an environment much different than that of a classroom, so that they can make history fun and interesting.

“Most history classes have a tight schedule they have to follow,” club sponsor Lance Kyles said. “[In class] we have to follow a specific curriculum and cover all the required information by the day of the EOC tests.There is not very much extra time for kids to investigate topics that

interest them. So, History Club is where students can learn more about subjects they are interested in.”

History Club has many plans this year for field trips to learn about the history of the community, such as a trip to Old Washington to observe a Civil War reenactment, along with many activities that the historic town has to offer. Also, the club plans on taking a ghost tour of downtown Texarkana, touring The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, touring The Ace of Clubs House and participating in Trivia Night at Gusano’s.

“I joined History Club to learn more about American history while in a fun

setting,” President Celeste Anderson said. “I hope to accomplish a bit more understanding of history with my friends.

We are planning on going on field trips, so that’s one example of learning while having fun.”

History Club meetings are held every Thursday morning at 8 in Room 43. For more information, contact Kyles.

“It is a student-led club, so it is up to the members to decide what we do,” Kyles said. “History does not have to be boring, although my students might disagree after I finish a PowerPoint. History Club is a chance for kids to see the fun side of history.”

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oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Photo by K. Moreland

HELP WANTED

news

New mentor program aims to increase college readiness

by RAGA JUSTIN news editor A new program designed to alleviate some of the common behavioral problems found in students is pending.

According to Coordinator of Student Mentor Programs Stephanie Terry, the Tiger Mentor Program is aiming at helping create successful high school graduates.

“This is grounded in college and career readiness,” Terry said. “It’s going to address their academic life, their social life here at school and their character, so when they go to college they stay at college and when they go into the military they’ll stay in the military.”

The eventual objectives of the course are varied and ambitious.

The program aims to not only tutor kids in academics, but also to help with life lessons.

“The goals of the Tiger Mentor Program are to increase academic

“It’s not just going to be here, help me with my homework, I’m not doing a good job. It’s going to address [the students’] academic life, their social life here at school and their character, so when they go to college they stay at college.”

- Stephanie Terry, mentor program coordinator success, decrease behavior referral, increase attendance and get them involved,” Terry said, “And then just to give those students a friend.”

Along with a senior mentor, there will be community mentors as well, imparting real-life knowledge and skill set to the participants.

“We have training and

SERVICE WITH A SMILE Senior Madison Cook laughs with her mentee, junior Kayla Alston. The Student Mentor Program officially kicked off on Monday.

kick-offs for the [community] mentors,” Terry said. “We’ve been recruiting through churches. I wrote a letter to the churches inviting [mentors] to come.”

The seniors in the Student Mentor Program have high hopes for the work they are about to do.

They have been reccomended by various administrators in order to be considered.

“I’m really excited to be in this program,” senior Madison Cook said. “I do peer coaching also, so

I feel like that’s gotten me ready for this. I like helping people and making an impact in their lives, so I think it’ll be good for me.”

Sessions will take place after school and will run through a lesson geared toward aspects of success after high school.

“When we meet, hopefully twice a month after school, we’re going to talk about character, we’re going to do study skills, and we’re going to go through this curriculum called Road Trip

Nation,” Terry said. “It is also geared towards college and career readiness, and at the end students will do an interview and then they can post it on the website.”

The arrival of the program has raised high hopes as to the eventual tangible results.

“I’m pretty optimistic, I’m excited,” Terry said. “We’re building this from the ground up.

We have this in the hopes that it will grow. And that’s the beautiful thing, that this will grow.”

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

news

Hydrate the cause

photo by E. Meinzer

StuCo advocates for nonprofit organization that promotes awareness about world water supply

by ANNA GRAVES editor-in-chief You wake up. You take a shower. You brush your teeth. You flush the toilet.

Wash your hands. Get a glass of water. Water the lawn. Start the dishwasher.

Do a load of laundry.

The average American uses about 100 gallons of water a day. Imagine having to walk more than three miles from your home to collect just five gallons of water that isn’t even safe to drink.

The Thirst Project is a nonprofit organization that uses 100 percent of the funds collected to provide water wells for underdeveloped countries.

Representatives Madeline Lavery and Janani Muthaiya, also called Road Warriors, gave a free presentation on the program at the StuCo meeting Oct. 12. StuCo received this visit through

their involvement in Texas Association of Student Councils.

According to the Thirst Project website, over 600 million people in the world go without safe, clean drinking water. The process of collecting water is time consuming and dangerous, and these water sources are unprotected and dirty causing an average of one child to die of waterrelated diseases every 19 seconds.

Road Warriors visit different schools and organizations to spread the word about the program.

These young adults travel across the country meeting with at least one school a day.

“Being a Road Warrior is the best decision I have ever made,” Lavery said. “It has affected my patience, my communication skills, my public speaking skills, and even my passion. I feel very strongly about Thirst

Project.”

Thirst Project is the world’s leading youth water activism organization.

Middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country have gotten involved and are working to help end the water crisis and contribute to the cause in their own way.

“We need students to be the world changers because students are the future,” Lavery said. “We need to spread awareness. We need more people talking about the global water crisis and more people who are passionate and want to get involved.”

Thirst Project’s presentation impacted students and sparked planning in their minds.

“I really enjoyed their presentation,” Key Club President John Debenport said. “It’s a great thing for us to do because it lets us get involved in something that’s not just local. It’s

ONE SIGNATURE AT A TIME Sophomore Brianna Black signs the Thirst Project jug after making a donation to the organization. The Thirst Project will provide water wells for underdeveloped countries.

a broad cause that helps Texas High make a bigger impact. I think StuCo can definitely take a strong leadership role in this, and Key Club will join.”

Ultimately, the goal of Thirst Project is to end the global water crisis. But the organization has a more

specific, short-term goal as well: give the entire nation of Swaziland safe drinking water by 2022.

“Swaziland has the highest HIV/AIDS population density in the world,” Lavery said.

“Even if people have access to medical treatment,

5 the dirty water [they are drinking] will kill them faster than their AIDS. [Reaching our goal] is going to cost us $50 million, but by doing this we can use Swaziland as a case study to show to the United Nations and other water organizations so they can see the drastic change and help implicate [the water wells] everywhere.”

The goals and achievements of Thirst Project have inspired students to believe that they are capable of making a difference despite their age or position in life.

“I thought they were really inspirational,” junior Emily Meinzer said. “It definitely opened my eyes and made me realize that I can make a difference.”

Thirst Project’s goal for ending the water crisis is about more than just drinkable water. Giving a community a clean water source improves economic development, food security, health and education rates.

“Water changes every single sector of community life and development,” Lavery said. “So by ending the water crisis, you change all of that. Giving people clean water means giving people a future.”

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news

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Ways to fight the worry

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

STRESSED TEST to the

Simple solutions to staying sane and on task

1

Fuel up

mework, g your ho in ’t rt ta s re , you won Befo . That way e minutes k c a n s a t ea fiv up every be getting into the kitchen. A a to wander k can give you extr ac r healthy sn push through you to ple u o c A energy r. l dinne ti n u rk li o ple ke homew s that peo s with k c a n s t a apple of gre grapes or are chilled anut butter. pe

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illustration by C. Johnson

Prioritize

Before you b egin your homework, sort your wo rk in a way that mak e Popular way s sense for you. s hard assignm to separate it is second. Ano ents first, easiest the is AP class h r way to divide it om homework se ework first, DC cond and so on.

3

Turn it off

ay to common w ntly The most a is to const waste time your messages g be checkin dia, so putting e m or social rent e in a diffe keep n o h your p a c n e studying room whil work area free of your home you’re not willing s. If distraction arated from your se to be p n silent ply put it o phone, sim of your reach. and out

Take a break Sometimes when doing your homework for long amou nts of time, you start to feel antsy.

To avoid completely giv ing up on your homework du e restlessness, take a break to every 45 minutes to an hour. Du ring these breaks,do whateve r you need to, including stretching or checking your phone.

compiled by Celeste Anderson/ staff writer

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Competitive academics create pressured environment by emily mcmaster staff writer Piles of homework, along with multiple tests and projects, are given to students each week. Study time decreases with such an overload of extra work.

The need for sleep is seen in student’s eyes. Completing homework and studying for tests seems to leave no time for rest.

“I feel like loads of homework take the place of the time that you could be studying,” freshman Madison Brown said, “If you have too much then there is not a lot of time for studying, which affects your grade.”

Adults say high school is one of the most enjoyable times in people’s lives.

However, stress can easily overpower the fun.

“Anything that I do that counts as a big grade stresses me out to the point of no sleep,” sophomore Kamryn Hamilton said. “I’m restless around times when I have a lot of tests or projects. Even when I think I'm not going to stress, I still do. I think this is because of GPA and class rank.”

Those who commit less time to extracurricular activities find more time to complete assignments, as well as more freedom for leisure.

Less work time can lead to a decrease in stress for many students.

“I don’t feel as stressed after school because I don’t have any after school practices right now, and I can get all of my school stuff ready for the next day,” freshman Kaitlyn Gordon said.

However, participating

The need for sleep is seen in students’ eyes. Completing homework and studying for tests seems to leave no time for rest. in after school events is important. When viewing applications, colleges also consider participation in various activities, such as sport teams, clubs and community service.

“Colleges do look at class rank and GPA in connection to SAT and ACT scores,” said

Bettie Lynn Stark, Assistant Principal for College and Career Readiness. “Many schools look at a holistic review like how involved students are in extracurricular activities, community service hours, GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and even sometimes an interview process with students. With this being said I believe it is important for students to have a balanced mind on academics and out of school activities.”

Receive high ACT scores.

Be at the top of the class.

Apply for scholarships. These are just a few things students are constantly being told in order to be accepted into a college. Overall, school has become a competition between classmates.

“At the end of last year Mr. [Mark] Schroeder told me that since I had not taken an AP class as a freshman I was behind in class rank,” sophomore Caleb Snow said.

“So to be competitive it was imperative that I not take tennis again and instead take two or three AP classes. It makes sense, but it’s not fun.”

College Board officials say that college admission offices

SIGNS OF ACADEMIC ANXIETY • Dizziness • Sweaty, clammy hands • Headaches • Stomach pain • Inability to sleep • Fear of failure • Self-doubt

• Flushed face

have spent less time looking at class rank, so stress should not come from competition.

Stress has been proven to be harsh on the body; however, a decent amount of homework, enough to challenge them, has the ability to improve student’s thinking skills without dominating all free time.

“Although it is a lot of work, all the homework we get has better prepared me for all of the big test we have to take such as the ACT, SAT and PSAT” junior Tucker Douglass said. “The homework gets us used to things that are harder so that when we get to tests like that they don’t seem that bad.”

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

community

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viewpoint

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

tiger times

EDITORIAL

Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX (903) 794-3891 Fax (903) 792-8971

Sports?

Split Decisions

The Tiger Times is a student-run publication. The contents and view are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the opinions of the faculty, print editors-in-chief Anna Graves Tyler Snell online editors-in-chief Jessica Emerson Kristin McCasland news editor Raga Justin viewpoint editors Leah Crenshaw Alex O’Gorman feature editor Anna Cannon

School?

Students need flexibility when choosing between academics, other activities A student stares at the dates with horror. There’s no way around it. He can miss the ACT and make it to the district game, or he can miss the game and take the ACT. It’s his last chance for the year, and scholarship applications are due the week before the next test. He knows.

He checked.

With a growing feeling of dread, he signs up for the ACT test anyway. He’ll have to tell his coach the next day

illustrations by a. o’gorman

Speak

ut

What is an acceptable reason to miss an extracurricular?

and face his punishment. There’s nothing he can do about it. To the student’s absolute horror, when he tells his coach, he’s “politely” told to get his priorities straight or drop the team.

He skips the test.

With the emphasis colleges put on extracurriculars, many top scoring students find themselves pursuing several outside-of-school activities. As any varsity athlete can testify, it’s a serious business.

Most students can juggle their academics and extracurricular interests with at least some degree of success.

The real problem, however, is when the conflicts are irresolvable.

When an academic necessity– standardized tests, scholarship interviews, college visits– lands on the same day as an athletic event, many students face a grueling choice: should they skip an event vital to their academic career or vital to their athletic season?

Far too frequently coaches, directors or advisers expect their

“If you are really sick and have a doctor’s note it is acceptable, but even then you’re taken out of dances, so it’s an Valerie Ward, incentive not to 12 miss.”

activity to be the most important in a student’s life. On paper, the policy may be “academics come first,” but everyone knows that only goes so far. But this is problematic because most students will go to college based on their academic performance, not their athletics or arts.

With this idea in mind, extracurricular sponsors need to make more of an effort to be flexible with events like the ACT or SAT. With these tests scheduled so far in advance and so universal to high school students, it would be an easy fix for coaches and directors to avoid scheduling anything on test dates.

These sponsors also need to adjust the punishments given to students who must miss certain events. There is massive difference between a student missing to go to a college interview and a student missing to go to a hair appointment. Coaches, directors and advisers need to be aware of this distinction and react accordingly.

In the eyes of the coaches, students missing is a serious problem. Some players are irreplaceable, and they wouldn’t

“The only acceptable reasons would be if there was a death or if you were hospitalized.

You make a Hannah Terry, commitment when 11 you get into [an extracurricular].”

be on the team if they weren’t needed. When one member of the team misses, the whole team suffers. The coaches know that in joining a team, a student makes a commitment to their teammates to be there. It is entirely fair for coaches to expect their students to be serious about their sports.

It is entirely unfair, however, for coaches to expect their students to prioritize sports events over academic necessities.

Sponsors need to make just as much of an effort as students do to avoid scheduling conflicts. If a quarter of the team will miss a game for the ACT, then perhaps the game, not the students, is the problem.

Countless students this year will have to make the walk of shame to their coaches, directors or advisers and guiltily confess that they will miss some important event. Instead of giving unfairly harsh punishments, sponsors need to fully accept the idea that “academics come first.”

High school is for getting an education not getting a district win. Students should not be punished for making the right decisions for their futures.

“Say for instance if you’re failing a class, you won’t be able to participate in an extracurricular.

That’s the only valid reason to miss.”

Darren Simington, 10

indepth editor Caroline May sports editors Alex Heo Anneliese Hounsel entertainment editors Jillian Cheney Naveen Malik advertising editor Hannah Williams business manager Ashlyn Sander copy editor Molly Crouch design editor Lauren Potter photo editor Brianna O’Shaughnessy assignment editor: Rachel Lewis video editor Sara Vaughn public relations Abby Hill staff writers Celeste Anderson, Katie Biggar, Connor Brooks, Ricky Cooks, Robin Cooper, Conor Diggs, Bethany Dowd, Katie Dusek, DC Fortenberry, Matt Francis, Zach Friedman, Maddie Gerrald, Alyssa Gilbert, Meghan Harris, Grace Hickey, Colton Johnson, Langley Leverett, Emily McMaster, Ali Richter, Cailey Roberson, Eleanor Schroeder, Tye Shelton, Katherine Stoeckl, Laurel Wakefield, Jay Williamson photographers Morgan Bonner, Megan Brandon, Maria Frohnhofer, Dimitrius James, Lauren Maynard, Mary Miller, Emily Meinzer, Kayleigh Moreland, Misty Morris, Kayla Neff, Madeline Parish, Rachel Sorenson, Ayla Sozen, Piper Spaulding, Savannah York videographers Odin Contreras, Xavier Davis, Allie Beth Hatfield, Travis Williams advisers Rebecca Potter, Clint Smith principal Brad Bailey members ILPC, CSPA, NSPA

DRESSED TO IMPRESS...

Senior points out gender gap in dress code

42%

by Abby Hill public relations

of female students have been dresscoded

*

Almost every school across America implements a dress code.

I for one, am for creating an appropriate school atmosphere.

Leave the slippers at home, please!

However, certain dress code requirements seem to promote suspiciously misogynic views.

We live in Texas (and Arkansas for some), and that means that temperatures can soar in late summer and spring time. Wearing a tank top or a pair of momapproved shorts is not a sin; it’s practical.

I understand that we don’t want

young girls with short shorts and tight fitting clothing flaunting their bodies around. And I get it, there is definitely a line between inappropriate and appropriate. But where does that line exist?

A recurring problem is that young girls are being reprimanded for their bodies, which they cannot control. We feel as though the restrictions are because our bodies are detracting from the learning ability of others.

Some dress codes deem tank tops as inappropriate.

The dress code is in effect because it helps provide an appropriate school environment.

What may be appropriate at home may not be appropriate at school.

However, many girls feel as though they are becoming sexualized under the restrictive dress codes even if that is not the reason for the dress code.

The ages of these young ladies range from 14 to 18. As a 14-year-

TOP OFFENDERS:

22%

*Based on stratified random student surveying

Senior shares male view on dress code

by ALEX HEO sports editor Ever since I started my first day here, I always remembered the dress code as “no sagging and no sleeveless shirts.” I never had a problem with it because I don’t think guys should show their undergarments out of respect for others, and I only had a couple of sleeveless shirts anyway.

Other parts of the dress code were irrelevant to me because I’m a guy and there was no point in knowing the girls’ longer list of banned clothing. Over the years, I realized that the girls’ dress code

HEADGEAR

13%

LEGGINGS

17%

PUNISHMENTS:

43%

a progressively forward thinking one. A way to keep moving toward a delightful, equal society is subliminally teaching equality at young ages.

I understand if particular body parts are falling out of their clothing, but what is so bad about my shoulders? About my comfortable and warm leggings?

We say that each student has the right to an equal education, but how can we show that? We give financial support to those in need– that’s good. Now we should allow young girls to dress practically, and not shame them for having a young woman’s body.

I’m not saying we can cure society by letting high school girls wear shorts to school, but it will be a large step into saying “Hey, it’s okay to be you! You are a human being, not a distraction!”

I am not the problem. I am not a sexual object. I am a 17-year-old girl.

SENT TO ISS

5%

86%

9%

TOPS

old girl, you are a child, not a sexual object.

After the initial “You need to go change” conversation is exchanged, the reprimanded girls go grab a new, “appropriate” piece of clothing. This can involve waiting in ISS for a parent, walking to a car to change or even going home.

That takes at least 30 minutes out of the girl’s class time.

We are told that it is simply inappropriate, but we feel as if the reason is that we are distracting to others around us. We sacrifice our learning time to somehow make our bodies less noticeable.

Misogyny is ingrained prejudice against women. Sadly, we live in a misogynic society, one with wage gaps and “meninists.” But, one characteristic of our society is that the youth can sway the future.

We move more away from the 1900s “women stay at home” mentality each year. Our country has been slow, but it is

TOLD TO CHANGE

WRITTEN UP

SHORTS

9

viewpoint

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

PIERCING

5%

...OR BE SUPRESSED?

should be a problem for guys, too.

While most dress codes are written equally for boys and girls, they’re not enforced equally.

For instance, in a professional setting, women are allowed to wear sleeveless shirts while boys aren’t allowed to. This reason for the enigma confusing. Is this because females have far more attractive shoulders? Does society think male shoulders are so terrible looking that they have to be shunned from the world? I don’t know.

Whatever the reason is, the rule is not the same. If the dress code was made equal to everyone, then enforce it the same way for everyone. The same goes for girls, too. While guys like myself have

the ultimate freedom and comfort of having the privilege to wear gym shorts to school, the women don’t.

The official reasoning for the dress code is to prevent students from wearing “inappropriate” articles of clothing. However, it is unfair that the school gets to decide on what is and is not inappropriate.

When I have dinner at my house, it is inappropriate to eat with my elbows at the dinner table. Eating with my elbows on the table is deemed inappropriate by who I usually eat with, which is my family.

The term “inappropriate” is set by one’s surroundings and the people in them. Therefore, why

couldn’t the students have a voice in deciding what’s inappropriate here? After all, we make up the majority of people who come to school five days a week.

If anyone is affected by inappropriate clothing, it is the students. We should have the power to shape our own dress code through vote or our elected student government leaders.

Is it so unreasonable of a possibility that we have our student government leaders, department chair leaders and our front office creating a dress code together through meetings? Each person would have a say and a time to voice their opinions.

It’s not ludicrous. It’s called representation.

10%

of male students have been dresscoded

*

10

I’ll never

by KATIE DUSEK staff writer

Repeated questions.

Stuttering words.

Forgotten names.

Living with someone who has Alzheimer’s has brought many new adjustments and lessons in my life.

To look into the eyes of someone who was once known for being so strong and independent and seeing nothing but childlike wonder strikes you. It’s a different type of grief. It’s a different type of saying goodbye.

In the beginning, I didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. I just always assumed that grandparents would forget the little things like where he set his glasses down, or how to record something on TV. But as the disease began to progress, I was abruptly awakened.

He suddenly couldn’t get his words out just right, or remember what day of the week it was.

The forgetting, I could handle.

The changing in moods, I didn’t understand. He began to exclude

viewpoint

forget

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Remind 101...

Junior learns to grow from grandfather’s loss

Tips for coping with a family member who has Alzheimer’s 1. Be patient.

Listening to the same stories and questions over and over can be exhausting, but it is important to keep in mind that he or she believes that they are saying it for the first time.

2. Remember that the person is not their disease. submitted photos

himself from social gatherings. The man who once told me that the best part of living was laughing, was no longer out with people sharing laughter.

I could see the toll it took on my grandmother as well. She no longer had her best friend by her side. Of course, he was still here, but he wasn’t who he had always been. It was like saying goodbye to someone while they are still living.

It was a huge adjustment for my grandmother and I. We had to make a set schedule and do our best to stick to it. Having a routine is a necessity for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease. He would

become frazzled and upset when he was out of routine.

We had to become more patient and understanding.

Whenever he was in the middle of a sentence and couldn’t get his words out, we couldn’t become upset.

The more that we got used to it, the easier it became for us to handle. That isn’t to say that there aren’t still bad days. Days when my grandmother and I don’t exactly know how to handle the situation.

But we have to remember that he is more than his disease, and getting agitated will only make it worse.

I get called back into my grandfather’s room many times in one night. He calls me in there to ask me a question, but he can’t

recall what the question is so he just stares at me for a long time.

“Katie,” he finally says, “I love you.” The way he says it isn’t just a placeholder because he couldn’t remember what to say; it’s a genuine thought.

I have had to become unbelievably patient with him. I no longer become upset when he cannot remember people or places.

I have learned to not become annoyed when he accidentally messes up his TV. My grandfather can still crack his usual witty jokes. He can still look at me with his large blue eyes with nothing but kindness. That’s what he has taught me after all of these years: kindness. I can never forget his lesson.

The loved one that you are caring for is still the same person they have always been. The disease may be altering their mind, but inside they’re still the same.

3. Keep a schedule.

People who are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease need to be on a regulated schedule. If not, their confusion and delirium worsen and they become upset.

4. Be supportive.

Remember that your loved one may not know that anything has changed.

They still need your love and support. compiled by Katie Dusek

No laughing matter : Rape jokes are never OK Have you heard the one about...

What was the one about...

Wouldn’t it be funny...

by MADDIE GERRALD staff writer questions girls are asked when they confess to being raped.

Meanwhile, accused rapists are asked few questions about the incident because so often, innocent girls have been victimshamed and believed to be at

fault.

Sexual assault leaves psychological scars that few tragedies can replicate. Girls, years after the incident, are still sitting in their rooms scratching at their skin trying to get the

photo by K. Moreland

Girls in today’s society are warned about the dangers of rape far before they even know what the word rape means. Our parents drill into our heads to always watch what we wear, never accept any drinks from anyone and to never walk the streets at night. Rape is a quiet subject that we are taught is a big deal until it actually happens.

Over 200,000 girls are raped yearly and nothing is done about it. Girls, feeling so at-fault to their rapist, are terrified to say anything. When girls do speak up to the authorities, counselors, or even parents, often it is blamed on them.

“What were you wearing?”

“Why were you alone?”

“Did you lead him on?”

These are just some of the

feeling of his hands off of them.

Rape jokes are one of the most prominent features of rape culture. Rape culture is a phenomenon in which rape is normalized by society by sources of social media and the Internet.

Books and movies like scenes in the popular shows, American Horror Story and Game of Thrones glorify rape and abusive relationships, causing people to assume relationships like that are emotionally and physically acceptable. Young people see these types of things and are influenced by these ideas, so they pass them along to their friends.

Media like that encourages rape to be a normal thing, where it’s not seen as something bad, but seen as something common.

Boys everywhere tease girls to

the point of harassment due to the extreme normality of rape.

Rape jokes are tossed around in class. In the hallways. Anywhere that rape culture has reached out and influenced, rape jokes will be there. These “jokes” affect people in ways that no one can see or understand.

About 13 percent of girls attempt suicide after they are raped. The comments people make raise these statistics drastically. Girls whose names are lost because no one ever hears their personal stories of assault, never overcome their battles.

One out of every six American women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. That’s nothing to joke about.

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

community

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12

feature

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Out of the JUNGLE Veteran shares WWII experience of being stranded for 94 days

by ALEX O’GORMAN viewpoint editor

H

submitted photos

e can feel the muggy air around him, clogging up his throat and settling like rocks on his chest. His feet and lungs burn— they’ve been on fire for weeks. His torn clothing is molded to his exhausted body, and he only gets the chance to unstick them in the river under the cover of the night. This life, he thinks, is much different than the one he left behind in that small farming town in Arkansas.

It’s been two months since the plane crash, and he is still walking.

Constantly walking. Constantly trying to find a way out of the expanse of Indian jungle that he and 15 other servicemen have been trapped in for 63 days and counting.

The forest that serves as a sanctuary for so many animals has become his prison, and possibly his future grave.

On Dec. 10, 1943, 20-year-old James Brown shipped out from an Army base in Virginia to begin his time of service in World War II. Upon his arrival in India, Brown was immediately stationed at a base in the city of Kharagpur, where he readily assumed his duties of transporting supplies from India to China.

“There was no supply squadron in China, so everything that went to China had to be flown over there,” Brown said.

“No telling how many times I flew the [Himalayas] back and forth from supply depot to supply depot.”

On one of these trips crossing the Himalayas, or the Hump, as it was called

by Allied pilots, an event occurred that would change the course of Brown’s life.

“On one trip coming back, and I

wasn’t even on the crew of this B-29. I was... I call it hitching a ride back. There was only 16 aboard that plane,” Brown said. “These B-29s was the first B-29s that was out [and] the engines would be malfunctioning and other things would be malfunctioning.”

When two of the plane’s four engines began to malfunction, a state of panic swept over the crew members. Almost everyone on board grappled desperately for parachutes and supply kits. The pilot saw an opportunity to land the aircraft, and slowly started his descent towards the sandbar of a nearby river.

“All of [the crew] jumped out except for me, the pilot, and the co-pilot,” Brown said. “[Once they landed on the sandbar] all three of us started running away from [the plane]. And by that time it caught fire, so it was just gone.”

In a stroke of good luck— the last one they would have for a while— every one of the 16 passengers survived the crash. Once they regrouped, the group was divided into two groups, with eight in each. The group that Brown was not in entered the jungle, leaving behind their crewmates which they would never see again.

“There were eight of us [in my group] and the pilot, he decided to take part of the crew and he let me take the other part, which was four people,” Brown said. “I wanted to go west and he wanted to go south-east.”

Immediately after beginning their trek through the sprawling terrain, Brown and his three companions realized that the territory was not unoccupied. Headhunters, tribes of hostile, cannibalistic people, were scattered throughout the jungle.

“At night, we slipped down into the river, ‘cause [Headhunters] was in the area,” Brown said. “One of us decided he would go during the day, and he got captured. We don’t know what happened to him.”

The imposing threat of the hostile tribes drove Brown and the other men into extreme caution when navigating the forest. They were only able to travel by the faint moonlight that broke through the gaps in the trees above them— the trees

that were also the only place to settle down without the risk of being attacked.

“We’d climbed up in those trees and we had little ropes and things that we’d tie ourselves with,” Brown said. “Then, if you started falling out, then you’d be hanging there.”

Every night, after determining that it was safe enough to continue, the men surged forward. Alone, aside from the constant buzz of the mosquitoes ringing in their ears, they stumbled across the abandoned camps of the other groups but never encountered them.

“We just picked up and tried to figure out where we were and how we were going to get out, and we just started walking,” Brown said. “Two or three times, we found [a camp site] where they had been.”

If Headhunters weren’t a big enough problem by themselves, there was also the ever present issue of the sparsity of food and water. The first few days, the men were able to rely on the supplies they had taken from the plane.

“All the people on the plane crash had jungle kits, which gave you food, and we all had to put them on when we started to land,” Brown said. “Now, this jungle kit would last about 10 days.”

Once the 10 days of rations had run out, however, Brown and his group were forced to resort to other ways of obtaining sustenance.

“Well, you could watch birds,” Brown said. “If they eat a berry, or something like that… Of course, we didn’t eat any worms, but if the bird ate something we knew it was safe to eat.”

While the food was a struggle, water was nearly impossible to locate. Due to the possibility of contracting an illness from the river water unable to be purified without fire, Brown relied solely on the showers that the jungle produced. In the tropical environment, the rain came often, but not often enough.

“We didn’t have fire. We didn’t light no fire ever,” Brown said. “Sometimes the rain would rain on you, and we’d get leaves and things like that, and licked [the water] off of them.”

See JUNGLE on page 18

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

community

13

A DIFFERENT WAY TO WELCOME • A DIFFERENT WAY TO LIVE • A DIFFERENT WAY TO TEACH

A DIFFERENT WAY TO PLAY • A DIFFERENT WAY TO LEARN • A DIFFERENT WAY TO SUCCEED

Texas A&M University-Texarkana • 7101 University Avenue • Texarkana, Texas 75503 • 903.223.3000 • TAMUT.edu

14

BIG TRANSFORMATIONS

by TYLER SNELL editor-in-chief She walks to the bathroom, thinks of the bullying, the taunting, the slurs. She thinks of the consequences of going in the girls’ bathroom, the awkward looks, the gossip. She decides to use the gender neutral bathroom instead.

This scenario is becoming more popular in high schools across the nation as the discussion of transgender issues begins to arise. Defining gender has become more complex than traditional views of anatomy.

“Gender has already been proven to be more than just two-dimensional. There is not just male and female. There is a scale on which people can fall,” senior Olivia Corbett said. “To finally be comfortable with yourself to express your true identity, but be looked at funny just for going to the bathroom is an incredibly low blow to self-esteem.”

On April 29, 2014, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights included gender identity under Title IX, a law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs. Since then, schools have been dealing with such issues as bathrooms, locker rooms and dress code.

Principal Brad Bailey said the district follows the rules and guidelines set forth by the Texas Association of School Boards. According to documents released by TASB, while there is no Texas law that specifically protects transgender status, they should not be discriminated against based on their gender identity and the expression of it.

“We are going to continue to follow what our procedures and policies are. If a law is passed, that dictates what we do, we need to follow those,” Bailey said. “Right now, I think there have not been very many issues or reasons to change anything. If there is a reason to do that, then we will do that.”

BATHROOMS

Students want to use a bathroom of their gender identity, and this will be the first issue that schools will face. Some students argue that their rights are threatened and they are being discriminated against.

California passed a bill in 2013 that allowed transgender students to use facilities consistent with their gender identity regardless of the gender listed on their birth certificates. Texas has yet to legally settle the issue.

Superintendent Paul Norton said if a student requests to use a bathroom other than the one of their gender at birth, the school, parent and student will meet to find a reasonable solution.

“There are some rulings in other states where students can go to the restroom of their gender identity, but when that becomes a disruption for other students who use that bathroom, that is when you can have issues,” Norton said.

“The restroom question is just an individual conversation with the student, the parent and the campus to see how we can best resolve the situation.”

While Texas looks to the courts for a solution, others think the bathroom issues with transgender students will be more understood through awareness.

“I think people need to be properly educated on transgender conflicts. They don’t need to attack [transgender students],” sophomore Omar Matos said. design by Caroline May/in-depth editor

15

in-depth

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

“I think it will take someone who is transgender to go through surgery and advocate it before something big is done.”

DRESS CODE

As more transgender students become prominent, it raises questions on how district dress code policies will be affected. Regardless of their preferred gender, transgender students must follow all dress code guidelines.

“The dress code is the same no matter what your gender identity is. If you can follow your gender identity, you can follow that dress code. They can’t be told to have a different dress code,” Norton said. “If there was a transgender student that identified as a girl and they violated the dress code, they have to follow it just as everyone else.”

According to TASB, transgender students should be able to wear clothing of their gender identity.

“I believe that if you are a naturally born female or male then you should identify that way for life. However, I do believe that you should be able to express yourself however you feel,” sophomore Sarah Stark said. “I think that if someone considers themselves a girl, then they should abide [by] those rules and same for the guys.”

As with any dress code problem, issues arise when clothing causes a distraction in classrooms, but there is speculation on what definines the line between a distraction and self-expression.

“It does become a distraction in the classroom [when] other students cannot receive the quality of education they want or need,” Norton said. “A lot of times in the research I have read since transgenders are such a hot topic right now, these students just want to fit in. These adults just want to fit in.They aren’t going to cause that kind of distraction.”

Norton also said that a distraction is labeled as when another student’s education opportunity is compromised.

“The state of Texas has a long way to go,” Norton said. “And I think the distraction is when it hinders another child’s opportunity to receive the same level of education if that element was removed.”

At La Feria High School in South Texas, a transgender student received approval to wear a tuxedo for the yearbook photo, and Spring ISD allowed a student to wear a dress to prom. “[Transgender students] could wear what they want to express themselves, if the dress code was changed,” junior Justin Moore said. “I don’t see an issue rising as long as everyone accepts it. As long as no one is stuck up about, there aren’t any problems that would happen.”

As society changes, school policies will have to be evaluated SYMBOL The transgender symbol integrates elements of the male and female gender signs. In the top left, a combined symbol emerges to represent those going through transition.

BEHIND THE COLORS

The Transgender Flag was designed by Monica Helms, and was debuted in 2000 at a pride parade in Arizona.

Helm’s reasoning behind the coloring was that light blue is the traditional color for baby boys, pink is traditional for girls, and the white represents the transitioning people.

The pattern is put together so that no matter how you fly the flag, it will always be correct, symbolizing the correctness that people need to find in their own lives.

by Bethany Dowd

IN THE

OLYMPICS: Allows transgender athletes but they must have had gender reassignment surgery, legal recognition of their assigned gender, and two years of hormone therapy.

PUBLIC EYE This summer, Caitlyn Jenner professed her true identity after submerging it for years. Now, she is a famous transgender of modern times.

Despite her contributions to the Caitlyn Jenner U.S. Olympic track team as a man, she is now mostly known for her roles in reality TV. She has inspired many transgender people to come out.

Laverne Cox is best known for her role as Sophia Burset in the hit show “Orange is the New Black.”

She has used her fame to advocate for trans women.

She was the first transgender person Laverne Cox nominated for an Emmy, and continues to break barriers in the trans world.

Janet Mock is a successful writer living in New York City. She formerly was an editor for People Magazine, and now is a published author and trans activist.

She was able to Janet Mock hide her past of being born a boy, but was moved to share her story after hearing of trans kids committing suicide.

Jazz Jennings is the youngest transgender to come out publicly.

Before getting her own reality series on TLC (“I Am Jazz”), she was a YouTube star. She also sells a line Jazz Jennings of mermaid tails online because she believes trans people can easily identify with mermaids due to their lack of genitals.

Chaz Bono, born Chastity Bono, is the only child of the famous Sonny and Cher.

Initially he was just a supporter of gay rights, but soon revealed his identity as a Chaz Bono male. Although his transition is no longer considered recent, he still works as a trans activist in the media. compiled by Ali Richter/staff writer/Creative Commons photos

KNOW THE TRANSLATION

UIL: One has to play on the sports team with the gender their birth certificate says they are. UIL has sent a new proposal to superintendents of member schools to vote on.

Transgender students’ path to participation

NCAA: A trans male/ female must have a medical exception for treatment with testosterone/testosterone suppression and is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s/men’s team without changing that team’s status to a mixed team. Any athlete not taking treatment must participate in sex-separated sports according to their assigned birth gender.

compiled by Jay Williamson/staff writer/designed by Tyler Snell/photos from Creative Commons

SPORTS

Sports are more than just competitions. They can be a source of enjoyment. Some students, however, are limited on what sports they can play because of their gender.

In some states, transgender students are allowed to participate in the sports they identify with, but Texas’ athletic governing body, the University Interscholastic League, advises schools to use a student’s birth certificate to determine gender, although they have no formal written policy.

“I feel like it is up to each individual school system to decide.

[If transgenders] are still boys that want to play a girls’ sport, then I think they need to have surgery and get changed in a separate area,” junior Chase Watkins said. “It is more of the fact that we have to appease one or two people by alienating the majority.”

Last week, the UIL legislative council decided to leave the decision of making birth certificate use a formal policy to district superintendents. They will likely be asked to vote on the issue in January with the policy taking effect Aug. 1, 2016.

“It doesn’t bother me at all that this decision is being passed to superintendents to vote on,” Norton said. “I would rather have a vote than have people in Austin make a decision like this.”

Because the issue is relatively new, school officials are looking to UIL and future court rulings for direction.

“I feel like it is going to have to be a court ruling to change [the policy]. We are going to have to wait and see how [the UIL] handles it, and we will take our lead from that,” Athletic Director Barry Norton said. “Someone will have to define things and pass it down to our schools.”

Opponents of using birth certificates to determine gender say it would ban transgender students from participating in athletic programs. However, Paul Norton sees it as UIL trying to keep the playing field level.

“The proposed legislation would not bar transgender students from participating in UIL activities but rather define what UIL activities they can participate in,” Paul Norton said. “From my understanding, they are not trying to remove transgender students from participating in UIL but rather

simply defining which activities these students are allowed to participate in.”

Others who support the policy say it is hard to argue with biology.

“Personally, I think that you are created as a specific gender for a reason. Nothing is wrong with a person liking something that the opposite gender enjoys because that is strictly based on stereotypes and culture. However, I don’t think it is okay to identify yourself as another gender,” sophomore Brett Denson said. “I don’t judge them. I just think it is wrong.”

LOCKER ROOMS

When it comes to changing areas, the transgender student doesn’t know where to go, but in some states like California, students may change in gender neutral bathrooms or the one they identify with. Some students say the rift between male and female negatively impacts transgenders.

“LGBT youth as a whole all ready have high rates of suicide and depression, and to be quite honest there is a larger percent of the population than is known, so a very high percentage of students is being forced to swallow all this alone,” junior Olivia Corbett said. “They don’t have an outlet. They don’t have anyone they feel they can turn to. It impacts grades, mental health and the well-being of a school populace as a whole.”

Some people however are worried about the inappropriate behaviors that could result from co-ed dressing areas.

“I think that because they shouldn’t be in the same dressing room because of privacy,” Denson said. “I know I wouldn’t be comfortable with a girl getting dressed in the guys locker room.”

However a person feels, these issues are quickly becoming the topic of school board meetings, policy changes and a dominant force in the media.

“This is just a progression of things such as when tattoos started and earrings and piercings and all those things, and so this is just the next thing in line,” Paul Norton said. “The State of Texas has kind of lagged behind in their policies and procedures and law with dealing with transgender students and gender identity. We are going through the process as a state, and as the state transitions their laws, we will adjust as those come out and progress.”

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community

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Men in Tights

17

feature

Slippers & Sweat

Sophomore challenges gender stereotyping by expressing love for dancing The air feels heavy around him as he makes his way to center stage. The lights beat down and illuminate every stitch of costume, every scratch in the storied wooden floor. The crowd watches in anticipation, but he will never know; their faces are drowned in shadow, and the stage lights create a partition between the worlds of reality and fantasy.

His years of preparation flash through his mind as he makes his debut as the Nutcracker.

Sophomore Ben Goesl has been dancing for 13 years, and has been a staple in the Nutcracker Ballet and several other performances. Goesl started dance when he noticed the gender gap in the dance community and the stigmas that often kept boys from joining.

“I’ve seen a lot of male dancers on Broadway and stuff like that, and a couple boys go to my dance school, but I haven’t seen a lot of guys otherwise,” Goesl said. “I wanted to encourage other guys

to start dancing because there’s nothing to hide. It’s not saying anything about you.”

This year marks the largest part Goesl has ever had; he will play the role of the Nutcracker prince in Texarkana Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.

“I am very grateful to have this part,” Goesl said. “I’ve wanted it for a long time, and I think it will be a lot of fun.”

One of the staples of the Nutcracker is the dance between Clara and the Nutcracker. This year, Clara will be played by freshman Sarah Grace Boudreaux.

“At first I was a little nervous because I had never partnered with anyone, but it ended up being great,” Boudreaux said. “He is a lot stronger than he looks.”

Dance has given Goesl an opportunity to increase his strength and stamina, which has helped him in other aspects of life. It has also sharpened his mind and temperament.

“Dance is very athletic,” Goesl said. “It’s benefitted me in basketball and band. You don’t get tired as fast, and you’re not so

• GET GOING: Dance

requires great aerobic capacity, so cardio workouts are helpful.

• HIT THE WEIGHTS:

submitted photo

by anna cannon feature editor

What it takes to take the stage

sore after a workout. It helps you improve your character and your attitude. Your memory gets better, and you get to meet new people.”

In the past, Goesl has dealt with bullies who found his hobby out of the ordinary. Cliches about the dance community have caused some to form judgements about him, many of which are inconsistent with the truth.

“I used to get teased for it, when I was about nine or ten,” Goesl said. “It’s not a problem now. I think people have matured

CARRYING THE TUTU Sophomore Ben Goesl dances with freshman Sarah Grace Boudreaux in preparation for a previos Nutcraker performance.

since then.”

Even though Goesl no longer worries about bullies, he’s aware of the stereotypes that surround those who share his interest.

“There’s definitely a stereotype about people who dance, especially men,” Goesl said. “They think, if I may say this, that a lot of guys who dance are more feminine than most. Yes, there may be some, but that doesn’t include every guy who dances. I wish that people wouldn’t judge dance, because it really changes your character for the better.”

A super amount of strength is necessary even when you may not be the one doing the lifting.

• CUT THE JUNK: Just

like any athlete, a healthy diet is vital to performance. Next time you’re reaching for a snack, grab an apple instead of chips.

• STRETCH IT OUT: A

lot of flexibility is required of ballet dancers. On average, dancers display a much higher capability than most.

• START PRACTICING:

Most dancers put in hours of work per week. It takes a lot of training to make it to the next level.

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Meet the teacher

feature

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

More than just coloring maps by cailey roberson staff writer Do you know where Guyana is? Is Sao Tome and Principe an indie rock band or a country in Africa? Why is it so difficult to memorize the names and locations of Middle Eastern countries? Who is Chad? Without geography teachers like Erin Buchanan, many of these questions are left unanswered.

Q: What made you want to teach?

A: My mom was a teacher, and I loved my teachers growing up. I loved playing school with all my dolls and with my older sister. It just seemed like the logical thing to do.

Q: Do you have any funny teacher stories?

A: My kids are crazy, but I’m crazy too, so it works.

I fell out of my chair once.

I thought that the class was gonna bust out laughing, but all these guys rushed over and tried to help me.

They were like, “Oh my God, [let me] come help you up.”

I was like, “It’s fine, it’s fine,” and nobody laughed. They were

seriously concerned. It was at the very beginning of the year and these kids didn’t know me and I thought they were gonna laugh. But it wasn’t until months later that they were like, “Do you remember that time you fell off the chair?” and then we laughed about it.

Q: So, do you like kids?

A: Oh, I love kids. I call them kids my baby nerds; I adore them, and it’s fun to teach ninth grade because you get to see the kids grow up. I get to see that transition, and I constantly have kids poking their head in. When graduation comes, I’m just all tears.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about teaching?

A: Probably seeing my students grow up. It’s remarkable to see freshmen in August versus freshmen in June who are completely different people. They don’t realize the changes they’ve made yet, and it’s very touching. It’s awesome to see. I love it. I love that change that they make over time.

Q: What is your philosophy about work?

A: Work hard, play hard. I think teachers need to be positive, but also realistic. You can be firm but still be encouraging. You can be positive and still have high expectations. I want to let students know that it’s not always about sunshine and roses. We have rough days, but it’s about how you bounce back and how you deal with the stress and negative things that come at you. photo by E. Meinzer

JUNGLE from page 12 These unlivable conditions proved fatal for two of the four that were in Brown’s small group.

“We had one that died of malaria,” Brown said. “And then one guy, he was… he just died of exposure. We just covered him up and went on. The others, I don’t know what happened to them.”

On day 89 of being trapped in the jungle, Brown and his only surviving companion came across someone who would prove to be vital to their survival in their weakened state: a boy who looked no older than 10.

“He knew where the tribes were nearly,” Brown said. “He would go up to the tribes and see if they was friendly, and see if they would give us some food or something to eat.”

Despite the fact that going ahead of the group meant death if the tribe was hostile, the boy did it anyway, communicating only in broken English that he had learned in a Christian missionary camp.

“He came back to us and said ‘let’s go on,’ and we walked on,” Brown said. “Five days after we found him, well, he pointed us out to a Gurkha guard camp.”

The Gurkhas (soldiers from Nepal) were stationed at a camp that was one of many positioned as guards for India. The

Gurkhas did not perceive them as a threat and pointed Brown and his fellow survivor to an English base a few miles away.

“We went to the English base and then they flew us back to our home base at Kharagpur,” Brown said. “From there we were hospitalized, naturally, then they sent me to a rest camp.”

Ninety-four days. Ninety-four days spent in that mossy, humid prison. Four of the 16 people who entered had made it out, two from Brown’s group and two from the pilot’s group. While Brown had at last been rescued, the aftermath remained. He had contracted malaria. His weight had dropped from 151 pounds to 94 pounds.

“I thought I was coming home,” Brown said. “But we got ordered to fly over to China, then to Manila, in the Philippines.

Then we got ordered from there onto Honolulu.”

After leaving Honolulu, Brown travelled to Guam, Saipan, Okinawa and I-Shima. Wherever he went, the war seemed to follow.

“They were still bombing Okinawa, and Saipan when we were there,” Brown said. “There was bombing, and there was guns too. Well, we just had [.45 caliber handguns].”

Afterward, Brown received the Bronze Star Medal, the award ranking below the Silver Star Medal, for his bravery and courage in the seemingly impossible situation.

“I don’t know how I got it, but I just took it and run,” Brown said. “Pilots and those kind got silver stars; I got bronze.”

After two years of service— two years that would follow him for the next 72 years, and more years to come— Brown was honorably discharged. He returned to Texarkana a different man than he was when he left.

“When I got home, well there was no write-up or nothing in the paper,” Brown said. “‘Cause there was thousands of others coming home too.”

His family, who had not received a single scrap of information about Brown since the day he shipped out from Virginia, welcomed him back with tears in their eyes and choked up greetings caught in their throats.

“They didn’t know where I was,” Brown said. “Well, they didn’t have time to let [my family] know. God knows if they’d’ve known if I had gotten killed in those [months in the jungle.]”

Adjusting to civilian life wasn’t easy.

Eventually, however, Brown was able to re-

learn what it was like to not live in a war zone. He began with picking up where he left off before being drafted.

“Before I went in [to the service], the reason I didn’t fly a plane was I didn’t have a high school education,” Brown said. “I left the year we’d graduate. When I got back, I went to get my G.E.D. at Texarkana College and graduated.”

Some aspects of life were not so easy to re-learn. The memories from the war affected Brown in ways that could not be understood by most. To this day, he doesn’t eat fish, and refuses to allow one drop of water to enter his mouth.

“I hadn’t drank any water, I don’t guess for 60 years, maybe longer than that,” Brown said. “Back in the service, the water wasn’t too good anyways. It had that chlorine in it like nobody’s business. You could taste it, the chlorine.”

Looking back 72 years later, Brown recounts his greatest fear during the three months he spent in the desolate and harsh environment of the Indian jungle.

“You didn’t have the proper food, didn’t have the proper sleep and you didn’t have proper nothing; you just didn’t know if you were gonna make it or you wasn’t gonna make it,” Brown said. “So here I am at 92, and I’m still trying to make it.”

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oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

photo by C. Smith photo by C. Smith

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photo by E. Meinze r photo by E. Meinze

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Football team advances to playoffs, co-district champions

by Jessica emerson online editor-in-chief

M

ud matted in their jerseys and wide grins on their faces, the football team has fought through adversity and doubt, currently placed in a three way tie for the district championship with a 6-2 record after defeating 7-0 Marshall on Friday, 27-7.

“Well [Marshall] was a perfect game for us, we needed a good tough football game,” head coach Barry Norton said.

“Going in, they were leading the district.

They beat Longview, Longview beat us, we were able to get the win, and it gives us a chance, if we win our next two, that we share the district championship, which is important to our kids.”

Although the team fell to Longview and Kilgore earlier in the season, the loss taught them to overcome their difficulties and grow stronger as a team mentally.

“I think this season has actually taught us a lot from our losses,” senior captain Jacorien Walker said. “I feel like sometimes we would get too high. We need to stay at a consistent level and never get too high or get too low. I feel like the season had us going through things that we needed to. We faced things early so

that we can always remember when we take off through the playoffs.”

Physically, they have learned to play larger and quicker than anticipated, adjusting to injuries and being prepared on both sides of the ball. Although the team lacks size, they have enhanced their strengths to compensate.

“Some of the challenges we’ve had as a team are a few injuries here and there, and we’re a little undersized on the defensive side of the ball,” senior Matthew Knobloch said. “But we make up for that by being fast and our will to win.”

With a heartbreaking and unexpected loss to Kilgore following the victory over Arkansas High, the team has learned to not expect a win, but to play hard each half.

“We prepared for it, but we didn’t come out and show it,” junior Quan Hampton said. “We just had to push through it the whole game. We can’t come out and start and then stop working. On the defensive side we let them run through us, on the offensive side we didn’t keep the momentum going. We’d catch a pass and then stop.”

Longview, the first district loss of the season, increased the intensity for the Marshall game. While the defensive end

lacked a spark, the loss ignited a flame that burned through the downpour on Friday. “[Defense] could have came out more aggressive in the first half [of the Longview game],” senior Jacoryn Larry said. “Our intensity wasn’t as high as it was in the second half. That factor played a big role in the game. But it gave us a fire; we don’t like losing.”

As the rest of Texarkana played their games earlier in the week due to rain and flooding in the forecasts, the Marshall game remained to stand strong under the weather conditions. Facing a team that averaged 480 yards a game, with a small but dedicated group of fans, the team went on to win their biggest game of the season thus far.

“I think the Marshall game was good for us because there weren’t too many fans out there and we just had to feed off of each other’s energy and I feel like that was a good deal,” Walker said. “That was something that we never had to go through before. But we actually did really good, we played really good against a good offense. They had averaged 480 yards coming into the season and we held them to 187. I think offensively we did a really good job. J’Kardi Witcher got back on his ‘A Game’ against Marshall, so it was good.

I feel like if we keep it up on these two games we have left in the season that we can keep it going through playoffs.”

With playoffs looming over them, the team is mentally and physically preparing to fight through a tough team, feeding off the confidence of a successful season. “[The season] has gone a lot better than just about everybody expected,” Knobloch said. “Everybody expected us to lose to Marshall, and I think we proved ourselves by beating them pretty good. We definitely have a lot of competition in the playoffs right now because we’re probably going to end up playing Lufkin, which is a really good physical team. We’ve got our work cut out for us, but I think we can do it.”

After a week of practice and preparation, they will face Greenville tomorrow night in the senior night match up.

“I feel like the game I played against Marshall was good,” Witcher said. “Me and my team, we executed how we were supposed to from practice. We came out on Friday and we did it so hopefully this week of preparation can be the same kind of way. We can’t go in underestimating any team. Hopefully we’ll get the win if practice goes as well as it did last week.”

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sports

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Serving up

photo by R. Lewis

GAME FACE Junior Zack Moore stands ready at the net. Tigers qualified at area and are moving on to regionals.

SUCCESS

by Ricky cooks staff writer It’s match point. You’re up 40-30 and nervous as ever. Every second you wait for the opponent to serve feels like a century. The serve finally comes, you play an intense point and emerge victorious.

The tennis team played at the UIL Team Tennis area competition in Tyler on Oct. 21. The Tigers had team members playing singles and doubles, and competing in matches against people from all over northeast Texas.

“I think I played well,” freshman Alec Rommel said. “I know that it’s mainly because everyone on the team gave me all of the support that

I needed.”

With new coaches and a short time to adjust, the team went into the competition with trepidation. “[Area] was a huge deal for the team,” junior Hutch Tidwell said.

“We’ve got a lot of new members, so I believe we made a statement by winning so many of our matches.”

Because of the team’s solid wins, they will advance to the regional competition in Rockwall Friday and Saturday. Confident in their abilities, the team looks forward to the next step in their fall season.

“I’m very excited about regionals,” Cramer said. “I think we have the potential to perform really well.”

But there is another reason for the high levels of anticipation. The team’s

photo by M. Morris

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

LA DODGERS

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Tennis team advances to regional competition

DALLAS MAVERICKS

long-time rivals, the Longview Lobos will be at regionals. The Lobos had beat the Tigers earlier in the season, so the members are excited for a rematch.

“I’m looking forward to the chance to play [Longview] ,” junior Ali Richter said. “We lost district to them, and I’m hoping for some revenge.”

If the team succeeds at regionals, they will advance to the statewide competition in College Station, Texas.

“I hope we continue to play well and win [at regionals],” junior Cullen Schoen said. “I’ve got some things I need to work on and improve, but it would be huge [for the team] if we made history at Texas High.”

FANATIC about our teams

“I grew up in Arkansas and I attended the University of Arkansas. In fact, I had a great grandfather who played on the first football team that the Razorbacks ever had. It’s part of our family tradition. We’re all big Razorback fans.”

Linda Teeters, math

“My favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

My favorite memory was when I was able to be on the field before the game.

I was picked as one of the best players from my conference in baseball and was selected to play a game on the field.”

Danny Williams, history

“I am a Longhorns fan because I had a brief, unsuccessful career as a student at UT. They represent the greatest university in the world in my unbiased opinion. I plan on forcing all six of my kids to go to school there so I can have an excuse to go to games.”

“I like the way Mark Cuban has Rick Carlisle as a coach.

I like the way he coaches, and the way the team plays as a team. They don’t have a lot of individuals even with a superstar like Dirk Nowitzki.

He’s more down to earth than other superstars.”

Lance Kyles, history

Richard Stahl, assistant principal

As the leaves change to shades of orange, yellow and red, teachers adorn their favorite sports’ teams colors.

Many people show their school spirit through simply wearing a shirt while others go above and beyond with relics, sweatshirts and decorations for their rooms and desks. These teachers and administrator embody the spirit of having an extreme love for a sports team. compiled by Jay Williamson, Connor Brooks, Katie Biggar, Celeste Anderson/staff writers

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

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sports

October

Outcomes

More teams have started to prepare for the upcoming competition as the season for two athletes has come to an end.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Sophomore Will Harrell competed at regionals individually on Monday. He missed the cut to make it to state, finsihing 59th out of 195 athletes with a time of 17:05. “It’s one of the best races I’ve ran in,” Harrel said. “I think that I peaked at the right time. I was pleased because [II’m] a sophomore. Overall, I think I ran well and I don’t have any regrets.”

SOPHOMORE WILL HARRELL

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Sophomore flips between competitive gymnastics, school, social life by celeste anderson staff writer Hands dusted with chalk, heart beating rapidly and sweat dripping down her face, sophomore Meredith Maynard steps up to repeat her bar routine once again.

The determination on her face separates her from the rest of the compelled gymnasts that practice alongside her.

“I practice four and a half hours a day, five days a week,” Maynard said. “I don’t skip school because my last period class is considered ‘off campus P.E.,’ so after fourth period, I immediately go start working [at the gym].”

All of this practice is not in vain; competition season is almost in full swing for Maynard.

“I compete starting in December and end somewhere in April or May,” Maynard said. “I go to two or three Invitationals, and then I go to District. If I get a high enough score at District, I go to State, and then at level seven I have to qualify to go to Regionals.”

While her attitude and manners may come off as polite, she’s a force to be reckoned with during competitions.

“The highest title I’ve ever won is ‘State Vault Champion’ at level six State,” Maynard said. ”I won it when I was a freshman in the spring of 2015.”

Although she competes at many different competitions during the year, she does have some favorites.

“My favorite competition is either State or Candy Cane Classic in December,” Maynard

“It can be really difficult to balance having a social life outside of gymnastics because you have to plan around your gym schedule.”

-Meredith Maynard, 10 said. “I like state because, up until now, it was the highest I could go for my level, so being able to qualify for State meant that I could compete against the best girls in the entire state. I like Candy Cane Classic because it starts off the

competition season for me, and it’s a lot of fun because I don’t have to worry too much about placing.”

Even though gymnastics takes up most of her time, she does have to stay on top of her schoolwork and friends.

“It can be really hard to balance school and gym,” Maynard said. “I often stay up really late trying to finish my schoolwork because I don’t get out of gym until 7:30 every night. By the time I get home, eat dinner and finish my schoolwork, it’s normally somewhere around midnight. It can be really difficult to balance having a social life outside of gymnastics because you have to plan around your gym schedule.

Like, if my friends wanted to go to a movie during the week, I can’t join them because I have to work out.”

Despite the fact that Maynard has enjoyed her career so far, she is starting to think of her future with gymnastics.

“My ultimate goal is to compete at a collegiate level,” Maynard said. “Gymnastics has also taught me that it’s okay to not always be perfect, but you should always strive to be the best you can be and work your hardest.”

Photo by M. Morris

LEAPS AND BOUNDS Sophomore Meredith Maynard teeters on the balance beam at gymnastics practice after school.

Senior Clarissa Blalock represented the girls cross country team at regionals Monday in Arlington, Texas. Finishing 100th, she came up short in her attempt to make it to state. “It went well for me,” Blalock said. “I’m proud of my team and thankful for my coaches for all the support.”

SENIOR CLARISSA BLALOCK

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Lady Tigers basketball team lost two of its vital seniors last years. Although junior Grace Brooks and senior Jessica Emerson are the only returning starters, the team is excited for the new talented freshman. The coaches have implemented a new practice schedule and added an extra practice at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.

JUNIOR GRACE BROOKS

BOYS BASKETBALL

Even thought the team lost former head basketball coach Jacob Skinner, coach Keith Jones will impliment similar pinciples this season. The team wiill continue to play small-ball due to their lack of height by using their speed to gain an advantage.

The boys also will start to use zone defense in addition to their press.

JUNIOR LAVON BROWN

GIRLS GOLF

The girls golf team lost several important seniors and new players have to adjust. Junior Kasey Kane and senior Natalie Portwood are the only two returning athletes from the last year. The girls will compete at the Brickyard Invitational Friday and Saturday in Corsicana, Texas. It’s a huge tournament that will give the girls an chance to see how they stack up against their competition.

JUNIOR KASEY KANE

BOYS GOLF

After making it to state for the past two years, the boys golf team has ambitions to make it to state for the third year in a row. Sophomore Matt Prieskorn rcently finished first at the Tiger Classic and his growth has helped the team.

The team will receive a boost when senior Reece Nichols returns to the team in the spring.

For the past two years, Nichols has been the third best player on the team.

SOPHOMORE MATT PRIESKORN photo by M. Brandon, L. Maynard, R. Lewis, K. Moreland, file photos

compiled by Eleanor Schroeder & Jay Williamson/staff writers

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oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

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entertainment

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Confessions of a walking jukebox Live concert recordings receive standing ovation over studio mixes

by anneliese Hounsel sports editor It’s the loud cheering of the crowd.

It’s the instrumental prologue that sets the mood for the song. It’s the extra harmonies. It’s live music.

Most people aren’t a fan of live music recordings because you can hear the whole crowd cheering over the song or because it doesn’t get right to their favorite part. I, on the other hand, love live music. Growing up, that’s all I remember listening to when my mom would play vinyl records of live recordings of bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin as we cleaned house on the weekends.

My parents had two completely different tastes in music. My mom is attracted to the ‘60- ‘70s era. Through her I was exposed to Woodstock recordings. They were mesmerizing. The flow of Jimi Hendrix on his guitar and the crowd cheering him on in between each chord progression put me in a trance. The Grateful Dead’s folk genre pumped me up, and then Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” was sung by the audience; if I closed my eyes it was

almost like I was there.

My dad and his family, on the other hand, are more attracted to country-blues of any era. Every Christmas, an old cassette player played live recordings of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline.

When it wasn’t the holidays, my dad’s truck was like a traveling concert; there was always some type of live recording playing. You could hear every conversation between the singer and a band member, every adjustment to the guitar and switches in lyrics depending on the concert atmosphere and the heavy twang in the female voices and the rumble of the low voices of the male singers.

Live music is so captivating that I prefer it over studio recordings. It offers such a personal connection between the individual and the song. For example, in Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” live recording, the connection that Cash is trying to make with the inmates can be felt as they comment after each line of the song. It’s almost like the artist finally lets loose when they are performing.

There aren’t any restrictions of a studio surrounding them.

This obsession for live recordings

spurred the love of concerts for me. Of course I couldn’t go and see the musicians I grew up listening to, so I found contemporary artists that I grew fond of. Stevie Nicks, Jason Lancaster, Bon Iver, Two Door Cinema Club and Needtobreathe were just a few of the bands that I found that fit my music tastes.

In 2012, I saw Needtobreathe, a rock band, in concert, and I had never been so thrilled.

Hearing Bear and Bo Rhinehart, the lead singers, live rather than on a CD was much better. I could hear every rasp in their voices

and the added harmonies for the songs.

Live music offers much more than just a recorded song. If people would open up and give it a shot, they would see that it brings the performance to them. The artist appears right in front of them, and their atmosphere changes as they become one with the cheering audience. Live music exposes the real sounds of a desired artist, something a studio recording can’t do.

Despite my friends’ radio taste, I will still rock out to live music.

From Jimi Hendrix’s soothing voice to Jason Lancaster’s bold vocals, if it’s live, I’m listening.

photo by R. Lewis

UPCOMING EVENTS TO EXPERIENCE IT LIVE

What: Voodoo Fest When: Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 Where: New Orleans, Louisiana Who: Florence + The Machine, Zac Brown Band, Ozzy Osbourne, etc.

ON THE RADAR 25 Adele is back by popular demand with her new album, titled 25, and intriguing fans everywhere.

Usually, with music from popular artists, a track or two is leaked before the actual release date for promotion or because of extremely dedicated fans.

However, there’s next to no knowledge about this album, except for its title and a few nods from outside sources - plus a new single “Hello”, released last

Friday. It’s available on iTubes and YouTube. Already, it has most of her fans in a frenzy. The predicted release date is Nov. 20, and there are a few big name songwriters who have claimed association with Adele on her upcoming release. The singer tweeted about the subject matter of the lyrics, and describes it as a “make-up record” rather than a “break-up record.” Regardless, the soulful tunes Adele is known for are sure to make a reappearance, and the new album will be enjoyable for people of all ages.

Keep an eye on the shelves for this sure-to-be big hit.

by Jillian Cheney

What: Fun Fun Fun Fest When: Nov. 6 - 8 Where: Austin, Texas Who: ScHoolboy Q, Benjamin Booker, Rae Sremmurd, Neon Indian, etc.

What: Lights All Night When: Dec. 31 - Jan.1, 2016 Where: Dallas, Texas Who: TBA

Current & upcoming entertainment to look out for

APPLE CAR Apple announced on Sept. 21 that it will be releasing a new car in 2019. This will be the first time a computer company has ventured into the automotive industry. For the most part, Apple has kept the development of this car under the radar. This car will be fully electric, which means it will have a lower range than more popular hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius. It will be competing with some big companies that have more experience with the industry, such as Tesla and GM. They have

already hired people from inside Apple and Tesla employees for the project.

The car is being designed to resemble a minivan, and “may or may not” have self-driving functions. If the car had self driving capabilities, this would put it in a whole new class competition wise. It would be competing with Google’s longrunning “self-driving car project,”

which is already running in Texas and California.

The car is expected to cost roughly $41,000. The price may seem high, but many people will buy anything from Apple because of the company name.

Apple is anticipating a five-year development period. At this point, it’s a concept car- meaning it is not certain if the project will be completed past the early stages, as the company has a history of making promising ideas that end up shelved. Time will tell if this is a successful investment of time and money.

by DC Fortenberry

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entertainment

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Body shaming is a waist of time Social media presents harmful beauty standards for teenagers

by JILLIAN CHENEY entertainment editor Swipe. Talent: being the ugly friend.

Swipe. A picture of a chubby baby with the caption: when you look cute, but your body is not ready for the summer. Swipe.

Roses are red, pizza sauce is too. I ordered a large and none of it’s for you. Swipe. A plus sized model, touched up and smiling, with the caption: “She’s beautiful.”

The question that’s begging to be asked is: Why is she beautiful? Why do people call themselves ugly and then call an overweight girl beautiful?

You can claim any physical features as the reason she’s attractive, but that’s not the thought in anyone’s subconscious.

No, it’s the fact that she’s overweight, and people who run popular social media accounts have to make sure their followers know that they aren’t judgemental and, yes, they can believe fat people are pretty,

too.

That’s the thing about overweight people on social media. It’s as if people pity those who aren’t stick thin or fitness buffs, so they feel the need to say something nice in order to have at least mentioned this foreign sort of people. But only because they feel bad.

While some women are already body positive, it’s difficult for most to overcome the standards that say a woman can only feel comfortable in her body at a certain weight. In fact, plus sized models and other bold figures - usually popular on some form of social media - are applauded by magazines and websites because they are somehow overweight and not obsessed with becoming skinnier. Ideally, that’s how every woman should feel. Weight should not determine beauty.

And yes, it’s important to stay healthy, and most healthy people are going to fit in the average BMI for their height and age,

but not everyone does. It’s also ridiculous to promote unhealthy behavior (eating a whole pizza on your own, or claiming to have done so) and assume that people are going to be unhealthy and skinny. Not everyone has a high metabolism, and not everyone is interested in playing an intense sport - which is more than okay.

There are certain rules of social media that have developed regarding weight, and most of them aren’t worth following. If multiple individuals - besides those who have set the precedent - opened up to universal beauty, unaffected by weight, social media would become a much more positive place, and women would feel much more accepting of their own bodies.

That being said, here are a few tips to remember while you’re scrolling: Fashion is not dependent on body type.

There’s no specific person who can “pull off” any certain style of clothes - from crop tops to Nike shorts. As human

Diets and styles of

‘20s

This decade signaled the beginning of fad diets, such as the cigarette diet (where women would smoke rather than eat) and scientists introduced the idea of calorie counting. The ideal woman’s body was boyish and curveless.

‘30s

This decade established Hay Diet, and most meals consisted of the “plain food of the American table” such as meat and potatoes. The ideal body type was curvy and girlish to fit the role of housewives in society.

by Robin Cooper/staff writer

beings, we’re given the liberty to decide what we wear. Remember that being skinny does not give the exclusive right to make a piece of clothing look good.

It’s good to live healthy. This doesn’t necessarily call for the creation of a fitness Instagram sponsored by protein powder or weight loss tea. Just don’t glamorize overeating, then expect everyone to be stick thin. Not to say that pizza should be banned, but the saying goes for “too much of a good thing.” Don’t encourage eating disorders, either, even in a way as indirect as glamorizing the “perfect” hourglass figure. It’s not realistic, and it isn’t healthy by any means.

Body shaming is not cool. Don’t call someone “porky” or tell them they gained weight over the break. It’s not cool, and there’s no way it actually makes you feel better about yourself. Accept other body types with your words, and you won’t be so judgmental in your head, either.

the decades

‘40s-‘50s ‘70s The cabbage soup diet (which involves a lot of cabbage soup and water) became popular during the forties, and carried on for a few decades. Women started becoming more independent due to WWII, and their bodies started becoming more curvy and full figured.

‘60s

The Weight Watchers program started in 1963 and is still used today by women looking to lose weight. Women in the ‘60s flaunted twig-like and bony figures.

The Atkins low carb diet was the trend of the ‘70s. Because carbs were eliminated from the average woman’s meals, slender bodies with curves embodied the ideal figure of the decade. Tanning beds rose to popularity near the end of the decade and women enjoyed enhancing their natural glow.

‘80s

The ‘80s were known for the Beverly Hills diet, where women started by only eating fruit, then gradually adding in other foods. This was done in order to achieve the coveted hourglass figure featuring wide hips and broad shoulders. Wholesome figures were idealized throughout the decade.

‘90s

This decade introduced the Blood type diet, where you eat the foods compatible with your blood type that “link you to your historical, evolutionary ancestry.” Women’s bodies were almost skin and bones and had no curves.

entertainment

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

1

“It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” has been a tradition since 1996. It still keeps the same childish fun to Halloween for people who are growing up. Plus, if that isn’t enough Charlie Brown for you, “The Peanuts Movie” is coming out in theaters Nov. 6.

Eat it

2

1

2

Pillsbury’s Pumpkin Shape Sugar Cookies are a holiday staple and a food welcomed for weekend Netflix binges. If nothing else, the designs on these cookies will get you in the mood for fall. They’re available now in most grocery stores.

3

it the

Watch it

list

4 4

3

6

5

One Direction has released two songs, Infinity and Perfect, from their album “Made in the A.M.”, scheduled to come out Nov. 13. They released the music video for “Perfect” on Oct. 21. These are the first songs the band has released since the resignation of beloved former band member, Zayn Malik.

6

Wear it

compiled by Laurel Wakefield, Naveen Malik & Jillian Cheney

Play it

There was a mobile version of NBA 2K16 released for Android and iOS users on Oct. 14. This is the seventeenth installment of the fan favorite video game series, and it has sold over 4 million copies since its release.

Listen to it

5

Flannels are the most comfortable clothing in the world, but they’re also fashionable. You can wear them as a light “jacket” or you can tie them around your waist as a simple accessory to highlight your lumberjack chic.

25

Visit it

The Haunted Basement is open Friday and Saturday opening at 7 p.m. The basement is located at the Music Country USA Theater in New Boston. It will be reopen for Halloween night. If trick-or-treating isn’t your thing, take a trip to a land of terror 30 minutes away.

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entertainment

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

Sophomore describes magical experience at Orlando theme park

by colton johnson staff writer All the witches and wizards who sat waiting at their front door for owls that must have been interrupted while delivering their special invitation to Hogwarts Castle know that there is an escape from the Muggle world. With the absence of the precious letter, we missed out on magical classes, and instead, we were confined to the walls of Muggle schools, with classrooms lacking cauldrons, potions or spell books, and roaming

administration rather than friendly ghosts.

However, there is hope in this tragedy, and it remains within the hidden wall leading to Platform 9 ¾ at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. Diagon Alley, Ollivander’s Wand Shop, Kings Cross Station, Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle itself are just some of the attractions that have come to life for all of us wizarding folk to experience.

As I entered Diagon Alley, I was no longer in Universal Studios. The Harry Potter theme song filled the air, and the dragon, guarding Gringotts, blew orange flames that danced across the black sky and illuminated the faces that

looked up in awe. The Daily Prophet and countless other shops showcased brooms, books, owls and other magical necessities.

I transformed into a giddy, 11-year-old version of myself, desperate for what every young witch or wizard dreams about– their own own unique, personal wand from from Olivander’s.

Gringotts Bank was guarded by goblins, waiting to be approached by witches and wizards. Platform 9 ¾ bustled with people pressing forward with excitement. White smoke erupted around the crimson train, and the doors slowly slid open for us to enter.

Hogsmeade was lined with snowcapped houses, and the

turrets of the massive castle came into view, jutting into the blank expanse of sky.

Statues of pigs that bore enormous wings guarded the castle with their stony eyes.

Dumbledore’s chamber was filled with dusty books, small magical trinkets and a feeling of nostalgia. The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was filled with desks and skeletons of magical creatures.

A spell was cast, and a blizzard of white flurries erupted from the ceiling.

Intricate paintings greeted us as we passed. We flew with Harry, came face to face with fire breathing dragons and giant, hairy tarantulas. We encountered dementors more than ready to suck our souls away.

This is for the witches and wizards who stayed up looking for an owl. This is for the ones who found a birchwood stick that they presumed to have a unicorn hair core capable of casting a Patronus. This is for the ones who looked to the trees and saw the Forbidden Forest. The Wizarding World is waiting, and if I had learned to apparate, I would be back there right now.

I’d love to use my time turner, but alas, they are only to be used in dire situations.

In this Muggle ridden world where we seem to stress over pointless issues, it is important to remember Dumbledore’s wise advice: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

submitted photo

Anything but Slytherin...

Take the quiz to find out which Hogwarts house you belong in

1. What’s your favorite food? a. Chocolate chip cookies at every meal. b. If it involves meat, I’m eating it. c. Salad, or something healthy. d. Red grapes and apples.

3. What are you most afraid of? a. Being betrayed by someone I’m close to. b. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. c. Someone proving me wrong. d. Being caught in a lie.

5. What’s your favorite song? a. Happy by Pharrell Williams b. We Are Young by fun. c. Style by Taylor Swift d. Love the Way You Lie by Eminem ft. Rihanna

2. If you had to read any book, which would it be? a. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen b. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen c. Textbooks for my homework, obviously. d. The Shining by Steven King

4. What’s your ideal superpower? a. The ability to fly, so I could travel the world. b. Super strength, so I could show off. c.Telepathy, so I could read minds. d. Invisibility, so I could sneak out at night.

6. What’s your greatest weakness? a. I help too many people and forget to take care of myself. b. I can be too cocky in certain situations. c. I always have to be right. d. I’m not very trustworthy.

If you picked mostly As...

If you picked mostly Bs...

If you picked mostly Cs...

If you picked mostly Ds...

Hufflepuffs are “just and loyal,” and are known to be the friendliest house out of the four. You value hard work and don’t frequently disagree with people. So you aren’t a big hero, but that’s alright. Being kind and responsible are two traits you should be proud of.

“The brave at heart” reside in Gryffindor.

You’re not afraid of doing what’s right (or what’s stupid) to achieve a goal. Bravery is an admirable trait, but can allow for excessive cockiness. If it helps, your persona is totally a knight in shining armor. Rock on, Gryffindors.

Only those of “ready mind, wit and learning” belong in Ravenclaw, the house known for its sophistication and intelligence. You have original ideas and aren’t afraid to use them even if it’s different from the crowd.

The “cunning folk” in Slytherin are often given a bad reputation. That’s totally fine, though, because you know what you want and you’ll do whatever it takes to get it, which works for you most of the time.

oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

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oct. 29, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com