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volume 54 • no. 4 • feb. 13, 2015 • 4001 summerhill rd • texarkana, tx 75503 • www.tigertimesonline.com
BONDING OUT OF WRECKAGE Four minds, four hearts and four bonds that will never be broken. A memory that will never fade. On this night, the lives of four innocent girls nearly ended, but through faith and healing, they overcame the unimaginable while managing to keep a smile on their faces. >>page 12
“I just remember seeing the trees and screaming and just the impact. I went out.” -Carley Wallace, 11
“I just remember waking up, and I thought it was a dream. I tried to move, but the steering wheel was on my chest so I couldn’t move.” -Paige Gibbert, 11
“I’m the only one of us that remembers everything. Right after we stopped, it was like time did too. We were screaming for help, but it was like nobody was listening.”
“We were just jamming to the music, and then I don’t remember anything else.” -Lauren Gibbert, 12
-Madison Winchell, 11
INSIDE
news 2-4 • viewpoint 6-8 • feature 9-13 • sports 17-20 • entertainment 21-22
news
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
Dance like it’s the last night of your life StuCo prepares for upcoming production of ‘On the Edge of Texas’
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file photo
by DANIELA CORREA staff writer Student Council will host their annual dinner theater March 1 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. Tickets may be purchased for $15 from StuCo sponsor Susan Waldrep in Room 23 or from any leadership student. The money from the event will fund StuCo projects such as Remember 9-11, Community Cafe and Powderpuff. “The entertainment is going to be fabulous,” Waldrep said. Entertainment will consist of numerous acts, as well as the play. Every grade level will have a
@datjohnnyboy66: “you don’t have to be lonely at farmersonly.com” @tsnellquotes: “I hate you people” @annietarh2o: “If you drove past my house you would think we are having a Super Bowl party, but we always have 8 cars in our driveway actually...”
musical number. Dinner is included. “We have several numbers with a band, singers and dancers,” Waldrep said. “It’s going to be a great show.”
THE HOT SPOT
sports series In the previous issue, readers got a chance to hear about senior cross country athlete Lauren Gibbert. Now, continuing the tigertimesonline. com series “Faces of the Game,” junior Jaylen Rhone shares his experience as a varsity basketball player.
what’s happening Baseball ScrimmageFeb. 13 Varsity baseball will be scrimmaging against Liberty Eylau at Texas High. Boys and Girls Soccer Game-Feb.13 Varsity soccer will be playing against Sulpher Springs at Grim Stadium. Varsity Baseball GameFeb. 20 The Tigers will be playing against Atlanta at Texas High. Girls Soccer-Feb.27 The Lady Tigers will be playing against Marshall at Grim Stadium.
Dinner Theater-March 1 Student Council will be putting on their annual entertainment event. It will be held in the Dan Haskins Student Center.
in this issue a yellow dog among elephants
Page 8
Being a liberal Arkansan is normally considered to be an oxymoron. by Robert Hoover
Cheer Clinic and TryoutsMar. 2-6 Cheer tryouts will take place in the multipurpose facility, and the clinic will be held in the gym.
breaking waves
Baseball TournamentMarch 12 The Tigers will be playing at the baseball fields behind the track and multipurpose building.
Page 17
Tigersharks win Regionals and look forward to succeeding at State. by Jessica Emerson
ACT Dates April 18
shake it up
Page 22
Local business man, John Ryden will open Steak N Shake on Cowhorn Creek Loop behind Red Lobster. by Lauren Potter
photo by f. rhone
tigertimes Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX 75503 (903) 794-3891 Fax (903) 792-8971
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, administration or TISD board of directors.
Print Editors in Chief Madeline Hunley and Robert Hoover Online Editor in Chief Caroline Purtle Managing Editor Amanda Hackleman Co-News Editors Tyler Snell & Anna Graves Viewpoint Editor Kristin McCasland
Feature Editor Molly Crouch Sports Editor Jessica Emerson Co-Entertainment Editors Conor Diggs & Brianna O’Shaughnessy Design Editor Caroline May In-Depth/Copy Editor Maggie Coleman
Public Relations Abby Hill Calendar Editor Daniela Correa Advertising Manager Hannah Williams Business Manager Rachel Stuart Photo Editor Savannah Pritchard Staff Writer Anna Cannon
Jillian Cheney Ahja Cherry Leah Crenshaw Katherine Doan Bethany Dowd Matthew Francis Alex Heo Grace Hickey Hannah Higgins Anneliese Hounsel Raga Justin Naveen Malik Lauren Maynard Alex O’Gorman
Karlee Post Lauren Potter Cailey Roberson Ashlyn Sander Luke Smith Photographers Kelsi Brinkmeyer Savannah Pritchard Faith Rhone Sara Rogers Lauren Gibbert Paige Huddleston Alyssa Olade-Glavin
Carli Sharp Ashley Tyson Israel Arias Rachel Lewis Jordan Rowe Michaela Stiger Augusta Welcher Daylan O’Neal Brianna O’Shaughnessy Sara Vaughn Kristin McCasland
Israel Arias Augusta Welcher Daylan O’Neal Sara Vaughn
Videographers Ashley Tyson
Members NSPA, CSPA, ILPC
Advisers Rebecca Potter & Clint Smith Principal Brad Bailey
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
Flushing bathroom breaks Administration closes facilities in math/science building after vandalism by ANNA GRAVES co-news editor
HARVESTING CANNED GOODS Camille Wrinkle, executive director of Harvest Texarkana, helps with unloading food and supplies for the regional food bank. photo by k. brinkmeyer
Mobile food pantry program in need of volunteers by ANNA CANNON staff writer Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank has created the Mobile Pantry Program in an effort to reach out to impoverished families living in rural or isolated areas. Because of its small staff, the program needs volunteers to help distribute food to these families. “Outside of Miller and Bowie counties, there are very few options for hunger relief services,” said Mallory Grounds, the development director of Harvest Texarkana. “Sometimes those services require a bit of a drive, and most of these families can’t afford the extra fuel cost.” The Mobile Pantry brings boxes of shelf-stable
food to towns such as Nashville, Murfeesboro, Stamps and Waldo, and serves roughly 120 families in under two hours. “Each family receives about 75 pounds of food,” Grounds said. “It’s not enough to feed a family of four for a month, but we say it’s enough to help them get through the month.” The program depends on its volunteers and is grateful for any students that can come to help. “We have a small staff of only eight people, and it would be impossible for us to do this on our own,” Grounds said. “We really rely on the support of the community and various organizations, groups and clubs to come in and volunteer.”
School bathrooms are often known not to have the best reputations. Most students have heard horror stories about what went down in the bathroom during class or about what new object was shoved in the toilet. Administrators have closed the math and science restrooms during third period in an effort to end the constant bathroom vandalism. “The restrooms had toilet paper being thrown all over the stalls, soap dispensers broken and toilets being clogged with unnecessary amounts of paper,” Principal Brad Bailey said. “This [restriction] will give our custodial team a chance to clean and re-stock restrooms.” Administration observed the condition of the restrooms before determining a possible solution. “I inspect the bathrooms about four to five times a day,” Associate Principal Richard Stahl said. “One day I checked and four out of six of
CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Restrooms in math/science building are ropped off to try to stop continued vandalism. photo by l. gibbert
the boys’ commodes had toilet paper rolls stuffed into them, along with three oranges. Paper was everywhere and soap was all over the floor. The girls’ bathrooms are just as bad.” Many students are upset with the decision. “Now, I have to go further from my classes to get to a bathroom that’s open,” junior John Norton said. “I don’t think this is going to change anything. If you make more rules, there’s just going to be more rule breakers.” Even students who realize administration’s efforts to solve an issue have their doubts about it’s anticipated outcome. “I understand that they are trying to solve a problem by closing the bathrooms,” sophomore Ali Richter said. “But I think that this will actually cause other problems elsewhere and in other bathrooms.” Some agree with the decision to
close the restrooms, thinking that it is a necessary action. “Closing [the math and science bathrooms] for a time frame will bring attention to the students that it is was a serious issue as well as a safety issue,” teacher Linda Teeters said. “Administration is closing them during the time when there is the least amount of oversight, and I think that will address whoever is consistently destroying the restrooms.” The decision to re-open the restrooms will be based on the amount of attention needed to repair and secure the condition of the restrooms. “I am very optimistic that this is a short-term closure,” Bailey said. “I realize this may cause some hardship on those who use them appropriately, but it is our hope that students will make good decisions when the restrooms are open.”
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
Falling into Place Tiger Theatre Company prepares for musical by CAROLINE MAY design editor
READING THE LINES Tiger Theatre Company students, senior Jessi Chapman, junior Bethany Dowd, senior Caroline Parks and sophomores Madison Sutton and Linda Sanchez rehearse “Funny Girl” in preparation of opening week. photo by l. gibbert PRACTICING THE MOVES Sophomore Gabe Lohse acts his part during theater practice. “I know that everybody is going to do a wonderful job, and I’m really excited to see how the set looks because it’s a really extravagant show.” photo by l. gibbert
to practice everything from directing to acting.” A show this big doesn’t come together overnight. Practicing on and off of the As the curtains slide open, the stage, the students have been working butterflies that have built up fade away, diligently to get ready for show time. and the many hours of preparation are “We’re doing a finally put to use. lot to prepare for the The theater Showtimes show,” sophomore Gabe department is Feb. 19-21, 7 p.m. Lohse said. “I’m even putting on their Feb. 22, 2 p.m. practicing lines while second performance I’m doing schoolwork. of the school year, It’s just a really extensive “Funny Girl,” on process in order to fully Feb. 19-22. It will prepare yourself for the be held at the John show. You aren’t just Thomas Theatre singing. You are acting inside the Sullivan and dancing all at the Performing Arts same time, but it’s really Center. Tickets are fun.” $10 for adults and With the many hours $5 for students at the door. TISD employees will receive free of practice the department has put in, the students have high hopes for the outcome admission with their badge. Senior Caroline Parks will play the lead of the play. “I feel like everyone is making leaps role as Fanny Brice. and bounds from where we have started,” “Fanny is a girl trying to go into show senior Reece Griffin said. “I already see business, but she can’t because people a lot of progress being made. I think say that she doesn’t have the right look,” the play is going to turn out great. Mrs. Parks said. “This will be the biggest role [Lindsey] Thompson is a great director, that I have had, but it will hopefully be a and I see no way that it could go wrong.” good thing. I think it’s a great role for me
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
community
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viewpoint
SPEAK OUT
EDITORIAL
FRIEND OR FOE
Courses with two separate teachers need improved regulations Two teachers. Two tests. Two homework policies. One class. Teachers have different tests, class work and homework, yet they are the same class, creating unfair advantages for competing students. The predicament over having two separate teachers teach the same subject has reached a point where something must be done. Students are receiving higher grades in classes just because the teachers use different policies. A program should be instituted to make sure that students are receiving the same content and equal opportunity to pass. Students read the same books for English or cover the same chapters for math or science, but have different tests. If students are enrolled in the same class, teachers should collaborate to make tests with the same level of difficulty for these students. A student in one class should not receive more multiple choice questions while a student in the other class has more short answers. This presents an unfair advantage for students in classes with identical weight. Students should not receive As because of easier tests or projects while students in the class across the hall receive Bs and Cs. While teachers should be able to alter their styles to their individual strengths, the course content and level of difficulty should still be the same. Some would argue that the current layout prepares students for college where students have different professors. Not every teacher teaches the same nor are they obligated to provide equal opportunity for all students. However, there are differences between high school and college. In college, students are able to choose their professors; whereas in high school, this freedom is not readily available. High school grade points and rank affect students’ scholarship and college opportunities. They should not receive less money because one teacher grades tests harder. Differing projects and tests helps prevent cheating, but this hurts students by not allowing them to develop teamwork and leadership skills by working across classes. Students should be able to work with others in the same course even if they have different teachers. This cannot happen when the students do not have the same projects. Also, the course structure should be identical regardless of who the teacher is. One teacher should not base daily grades strictly on quizzes while another teacher uses worksheets. Class work should not be different for the same subject and same level class. To solve this issue, more stringent curriculum alignment guidelines would make the academic program even stronger. Students will be more qualified for college by going through a program that ensures that students are receiving equal opportunities to be successful. Projects should be similar in order for students to be covering the same material and receive the same chance at getting a higher or lower grade. Quizzes, tests and homework do not have to be identical. However, they need to be similar in order to provide students with the same learning outcomes.
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
How do you think Texas High should regulate classes with different teachers? “I think Texas High should offer a more set educational lesson plan. The teachers need to be more in line with how they teach their students and communicate better because some students are Gabe Lohse, 10 failing a class while others are doing exceptionally well.”
Khyla Lewis, 10
“Some teachers give different assignments and teach a different way, so I think that they should all have the same exact thing to do. Like same assignments in every class and same projects.” “Technically [classes] are already fair because you have specific teachers for specific students, so they’re already regulated in a way.”
Jared Martin, 12 “Well personally, I wasn’t aware that this was an issue, but I think that [administration] should take steps to make sure that everybody gets the same quality of education.” David Mitchell, 11
“I think that the classes are really fair, but [administration] might need to add some more things that everybody can work with. I think that it’s really fair over all.” Vy Doan, 9 “I think that they could probably switch out teachers. Like one or two days out of the week, one teacher could teach one class, and they could switch out.”
Illustations by Alex O’Gorman
Sidney Phillips, 11
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER America still serves as the stage of racial injustice, even after the scars of our past seemed to be remedied by the mass protests of the civil rights movement
The sound of thousands hundred years ago, bathrooms, of feet on pavement echoes in schools, restaurants and even the humid air. The air buzzes public transport were segregated. with excitement and the crowd People were beat, men were marches through the streets. hung from trees, their bodies Opposing them, lines of police burned. These horrific acts were officers ready with their guns committed for one specific and batons. Slurs reason: skin color. In and insults are the minds of many, it is thrown, but the hard to fathom. There people march on. are men and women They marched alive today that marched for the rights of beside leaders such as oppressed people Malcolm X and Martin even as they were Luther King Jr. Looking AMANDA beat back with all HACKLEMAN back, one must realize the force the police managing editor that it wasn’t long ago could muster. at all. Now, they are pictures in 2014 was a year defined by our history books. Their faces racial injustice and bloodshed. define a movement that shook In early August, protests were America to its very core. Now, it set off in a small town named seems history is repeating itself, Ferguson, Missouri, when as once again black Americans young Michael Brown was shot take to the streets in protest of by officer Darren Wilson. As if the injustice. the senseless murder wasn’t bad The American Civil Rights enough, Darren Wilson escaped Movement seems, to many, charges being filed against him a thing of the distant past. in late November. It didn’t take However, when one looks at long for the fires of passion to the actual time frame, it was spread across the nation. Social not that long ago. Less than a media lit up with people calling
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. photo courtesy of creatvie commons
out the system for its brutality and apathy. Injustice was no longer a quiet event; now it was a national crisis. On Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Junior Day, protests once again stirred. Social media was trending with #reclaimMLK. This movement, largely inspired by the nation’s youth, once again began the outcry for the injustices to cease and equality to reign. The fever of revolution once again burned hot at the slaughter of innocent black people. People begin to march,
refusing to accept the status quo. In times like this, it’s important to remember the words of our predecessors. The ones that fought before us, for us. The ones who gave their everything for the movement. Even their lives. It is these words that must inspire the generation to continue to fight for the equality that we so richly deserve. Whether black or white, it is important that we strive to make the world a fair and equal place for all to live.
Alone with my fake smile
Junior thinks back on mother’s last words, to painful memories of losing her
Music didn’t sound as good, food tasted bland. Everything that happened before seemed to lose all importance. When it happened, the initial shock was blinding and all consuming. The death of someone close to you can rearrange your perspective of life. Nothing made sense, my mom was gone and my entire view of the world changed. I consider myself a brave person. I told myself not to freak out. I was aware of my mother’s condition and what the terminal meant in terminal cancer. I continued to tell myself that there was nothing to worry about, convince myself it would turn out like one of those happy ending movies, with the heartwarming miraculous recovery. It turns out my life is not a Hallmark movie. The night before I had spent time with my mom. We were laughing and being as goofy as we normally did. Her smile and my smile were mirror images. I was happy she was being cheerful, people in her place are not known for being the joyful type.
AHJA CHERRY staff writer
After laughing until there were tears in both of our eyes, she sobered up and gave me a serious look. The things she said next would be the last words my mother would ever speak to me. She said, “ Ahja, you know I will die sooner or later, most likely sooner.” I didn’t say anything for a moment. I hated when she was morbid. I nodded my head in reply. “ I love you Ahja boo. OK, it’s getting late. Go on up to bed.” And with that, I silently kissed her cheek and went to bed. I would never talk to her again. Jan. 3, 2012, was a regular day for most people, the first day back from winter break. I was excited for school, and had
not given a second thought to the conversation I had with my mom the night before. The school day was pleasant, and I was ready for my routine of jumping into my mom’s bed after school and telling her every minute detail. The couple of blocks walk from the bus stop seem to be a blur. As my brother and I approached the house, there were unfamiliar cars in our yard. When we walked through the door our father whisked us to his bedroom upstairs. When he told us our mom was on her last leg, it didn’t really sink in for me. My mom was tough. She outlived so many doctors’ life expectancies. She could beat cancer, she had before. I had no worries. In my eyes she was a superhero, she was not going to be beaten by cancer. I was wrong. She died that night. I didn’t want anyone to tell me they were sorry for my loss. Or that things would get better. I was only 13 years old. I didn’t want that to be my reality. Although, I wanted to crawl under a
rock and never return, I couldn’t. I was not the only person who lost a mother that night, my brother did too. He also lost his best friend. My mom and I were close but not like she and my brother. I wiped my tears, put on a fake smile and hugged my brother. I understood that we both couldn’t be broken, or we would never heal. As time passed the tears came less and the smiles became more genuine. Over time I’ve realized I will never fully heal, I can only put a `2 on and live through the pain. Now, I’m mostly at peace with her being gone, except for the times when I think about all the things she will miss. My mother won’t be there to see me say I do, graduate, or see me achieve any of the dreams I used to tell her about while lying in her bed those afternoons after school. But I know she will be watching from a distance. And that’s enough for me. I never said it back that night, so I guess I’ll say it now. I love you too, Mommy.
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
A yellow dog among elephants Maybe it’s The South is known for rodeos and barbeque, not acceptance and equal treatment for all. Yes, that seems to be a reoccurring problem. Being a liberal Arkansan is normally considered to be an oxymoron; however, I’m one of the few proving it to be possible. I’ve been persecuted my entire life because I support a political party that is unpopular in the area I live. Southern hospitality has exceptions, and people with opposing views tend to get little to none. Anytime a dispute arises in the government, which is fairly often, I suddenly become the whipping boy for my Republican peers. Whenever people decide to start spewing off what they’ve heard on Fox news, I am usually the only liberal around. Mob mentality takes over and I face a swarm of angry people, all trying to give their two cents. I’ve become tired of having to constantly defend myself; however, I will never stop trying to hold my ground. One stereotype I find unwarranted and hurtful is the belief that all Democrats are ungodly. One of the most common questions I get after arguing with people is, “You aren’t a Christian are you?” Usually directed
ROBERT HOOVER/co-editor-in-chief
in the most condescending tone imaginable. I’ve been a Methodist my entire life and would never do anything to hurt others that share my beliefs. However, I plan to protect others ideologies with the same amount of passion. Last year I was trying to sell chocolate bars for a fundraiser the Young Democrats were doing to go on a field trip to the Clinton Library. At first, all went well and I had sold about half of my box, then things took a turn. Some of my friends came up to buy
some from me, and out of curiosity one of them asked, “Hey, what is this even for?” After they found out it was for a democratic-based club, they lost their appetites. My own friends wouldn’t buy fundraiser candy out of pure hatred for my political views. I struggled after that to sell the rest of my box with people openly admitting they didn’t feel comfortable supporting my club. I bought the last 10 myself because I was tired of begging people to look past political differences for candy. It seemed a little ridiculous, but maybe that’s just me. I understand that I am a minority where I live. I’ve accepted that. However, that doesn’t mean I should have to accept being treated differently. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and everyone gets to drop their ballot in the box on election day. I hope the day will come when people may know my political views, but they don’t pretend to know who I am because of it. I’m not just some tree-hugger, gay lover, yellow dog or any other derogatory term. I’m a Southern Democrat, and if you want to learn more, meet me at the next Occupy movement. I’ll be the one wearing Red Wings and eating a slice of pecan pie.
Never take teachers for granted Too many people take advantage of their teachers and never care what they have to say. These teachers try their best to educate kids so they can advance in the subject they are learning in, but often these helpers are forsaken. Laughter and insults are whispered behind their backs as they write something useful on the board. It’s strange to take advantage of people who are CONOR doing their best to DIGGS co-entertainment help you become a editor better student. I, for one, never take my teachers for granted. Even if I feel they are being unfair at times, I’m still nice and respectful to them. As long as you remain grateful, they will treat you as their equals. The phrase “I have friends in high places” truly applies to anyone if you befriend your teachers and show them that you are making an effort to do well in their class. In my opinion, most of the time,
people have a terrible time trying to communicate with their teacher because they assume that the person is going to be an insensitive monster, which often results in bad relationships between the two. A teacher is a person as well, not some monster whose goal is to torment you and make your life terrible. That’s not their job. A definition of a teacher is a person who teaches something in a classroom full of students and is willing to make an effort to see their kids pass with stupendous grades. They do not want to see students fail; it’s is even worse for them when they have to fail someone who works diligently in their class, but just doesn’t get the hang of the subject. If you are a dedicated student, just go in and ask for help. I guarantee you, it always works to ask for help instead of sitting around and hoping for the best. Teacher’s have hearts, and most of the time, if you show them you care about your grade, they are merciful. However, they can also be extremely merciless if you remain ignorant and act arrogant towards them. You need to wave a red flag if you’re going to need
some help. Most teachers believe that if you don’t notify them about your troubled grade you couldn’t care less what the grade is. Yet, everyone cares about how they do in classes deep inside. The feeling of failing is truly a terrible experience. I was naive my freshmen year and failed geometry by two points for a six weeks because I assumed that my teacher would round my grade to a C. Unfortunately I was wrong. When I think of that memory, I feel a sudden urge of shame. I could have stopped that from happening if only I had talked to my teacher about my grade. Times have changed and I realize that teachers are not evil and monstrous. They are here to help students pass and ascend into greatness. I would’ve been in the same position as I was freshman year if I hadn’t gone to my Pre-Cal teacher when I started to realize I needed help. A wise student never neglects their teacher, just remembers to be nice and respectful. You will be surprised what teachers are capable of doing and how they can alter your fate in class.
makeup-free Student highlights female dependence on cosmetics
The alarm clock shrieks as I slam my hand on top of it to get relief for a few more minutes that turn into thirty minutes. As I scramble to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I have a choice to make. Should I eat breakfast to be on time to school, or should I put on makeup? The answer is obvious of course- makeup. The bell rings just as I take my seat in first period, with my stomach cramping from hunger. Well, at least my eyeliner wings look good. Makeup has become an absolute necessity, and has become second nature. The thought of going to school without my makeup on is inconceivable. I can’t imagine what people would say, or worse, what they wouldn’t say. They’ll wonder why I didn’t even BETHANY DOWD attempt to cover up my staff writer acne, or why I didn’t use a little mascara to bring out my eyes. They’ll wonder why I don’t put a little effort into my appearance. And when they smile at me, I know what they think because they’re the same things I’ve thought about other girls who skipped putting on makeup that morning, probably because they decided to eat instead of creating a smoky eye. “Beauty comes from suffering” is what my mother always told me, more as a joke while she was pulling my tangled hair into a ponytail, but now it seems that myself and the majority of the female population live by it like a creed. Activities that should be nothing but fun, like swimming or sports, have become an insecurity and a handicap. What if I sweat all my makeup off? What if I accidently dunk my head underwater? What if my makeup comes off? People who don’t have to wear makeup to feel confident will never understand why it’s important to the rest of us, mainly because they have never seen us without it. Boys, for example, do not have to wear makeup. Why do boys get to be good looking without makeup? How is that in any way fair? The reason boys don’t have to worry about makeup is because society hasn’t told them they look ugly without it. If girls felt good about their appearance, then where would Maybelline and Covergirl get their funds? That’s the thing–they wouldn’t. So yes, if you ask any ordinary girl, they will say they’d rather wake up 30 minutes earlier than go to school without makeup. They would sacrifice much needed sleep to get the perfect coverage for their face. So maybe the next time you see a girl whose makeup seems flawless, just think of what she had to go through to achieve it.
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
feature
‘LIFE IS GOOD’
by MOLLY CROUCH/FEATURE EDITOR
W
She couldn’t keep still. Shadows tiptoed around her as the all-knowing doctors and sympathetic nurses hustled past her. They whispered the C word in hushed tones while more shadows flew up under her eyes. She finally crept toward the familiar room where no shadows lived. Only sunshine burst from her mother’s hospital bed and rays of warmth from a long hug and beams that dried the cloudy drizzles from her eyes. Though these moments seemed fleeting, they were senior Kallie Phillips’ lifeline as her mother battled with stage four ovarian cancer. Susan Phillips was diagnosed in May of last year. The cancer began in her ovaries and eventually spread to her liver, esophagus and kidneys. After months of treatment, Phillips passed away on Dec. 5, 2014. “It blind sides you,” Kallie said. “[Dad and I] knew something was wrong with her, [we] just didn’t know what. She was losing a lot of weight and showing a lot of symptoms. We knew we had to act fast.” The next week, she was in Houston being tested. While her mom stayed with her sister, Kallie’s visits at the hospital were sporadic in the summer.
SENIOR COPES WITH LOSS OF MOTHER
“I went around softball,” Kallie said. “Every time I went, I probably spent about five days down there, and then I’d come back. She didn’t get to come back until July. When she started treatments, she would go down there for a few days, then she’d come back. If she had to stay longer, I would visit her any time I could.” Disappointing news were the only answers the doctors seemed to be able to provide the Phillips family. “You just hope for the best because we literally got bad news every single time we turned around, like there was nothing good about any part of it,” Kallie said. “It was like you hoped the entire time, you were scared the entire time.” Kallie was well aware of her mother’s condition and worked to build their relationship. “Before we were just typical mom and daughter having sarcastic fights, but during, it escalated so quickly that it got so much more serious,” Kallie said. “I definitely knew that when I was with her, it had to be special because I knew about halfway through the six months, which is how long it took, that she’s not going to make it through this. I got a lot more serious about it, and I tried to get as close as possible, like every little moment.” Kallie’s mom realized her pain and encouraged her to fight for both of them, to wrangle her sadness and to not let her cancer delay Kallie’s own life. “She didn’t want me to stop living,” Kallie said. “She knew I was 18. She knew I was going to want to do things, and she wouldn’t let me stop. She wanted me with
“I think everybody takes their mom for granted. I was like ‘Yeah, everyone has a mom, and if they lived their life without one, [they] are just used to it.’ Then when you have your mom for a majority of your life, and she’s just gone, you are literally lost.” -Kallie Phillips, 12 photo by s. pritchard
her constantly, but at the same time, when I had things to do like softball or going out with friends, I’d want to stay home or not go play. She wouldn’t let me. She was like ‘No, this is your life. You’ve got to live it. I can handle mine.’” As Phillips’ health dwindled, she still remained a comedic relief for Kallie, their family and her caregivers. “On the good days, she was always on pain meds, but she was still herself, so she would always joke around,” Kallie said. “She was so sarcastic. It was constantly funny, and she was always on pain meds, so she would never remember what she said. Then we would always give her crap about it later. Even then, she still taught people and loved people. The doctors and nurses loved her because on the good days, they knew they were going to come in there and visit with her for an hour.” Although the good days outnumbered the bad ones, they took a toll on both Kallie and her mother. Kallie turned to prayer to help her through the rough times. “The tough days were just hard to deal with,” Kallie said. “They would go from her resting, and everything quiet to getting real tough and arguing. You know, you don’t want to argue with her because she’s so sick. Tough days were just tough. There’s no other way to put them. You do what you can, and you pray to make it through and hope that she would get to feeling better and pray that the next day will be a lot better than the last.” Even the strongest person has a chink in their armor, and her mom’s was her persistent, headstrong attitude to want to nurse her daughter, instead of herself. “She was never worried about her,” Kallie said. “When she found out, it was hard on her, but it would be hard on anybody. I don’t know how she felt about herself. I know she was scared, but she was always worried about me. So in that case, I never really found out how she felt about it, what her specific concerns were about herself because it was always her wanting me to be doing something, especially on her bad days. Even on the day she found out, she was just worried about me, and what I had done at school that day. It was never about her.” After Phillips died, Kallie treasured the time she had with her mother and appreciated that she got to spend those limited moments knowing they had to count. “[Waiting on her] was better for me, definitely,” Kallie said. “In a way, she knew it,
submitted photo
hite coats. White walls. White floors. White noise. Like ghosts, the haunting corridors of the too clean, too confining hospital loomed and cackled at the shuffling feet of the 18-year-old girl.
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but at the same time, she wanted to see me graduate. That’s what she told the doctors, so she was sort of still in denial. I don’t know if it helped her, but it helped me. I wouldn’t have made it this far without completely losing it.” Their sense of each other helped Kallie when her mom passed away. Their connection is one of the glues that keeps Kallie together today. “My mom and I had this understanding,” Kallie said. “I had prayed about it. In a way, there’s really no way to prepare for that, but once you come to an understanding, then you learn to accept it. Once you accept it, you can be at peace with it. You can remember your mom for what she taught you and who she was. That’s really how you get through better than most who haven’t yet accepted it.” After two months, Kallie manages to find different ways to cope and distract herself with the loss of her mother. “I have to constantly be doing something or be with somebody,” Kallie said. “Friends helped a ton. Everybody thinks that I’m all happy, but really it’s just to get my mind off things with my mom and stuff that surrounded that. I always want to make people happy. I don’t want them to go through what I have, so making other people happy is how I get through it. That’s what pushes me to not think about all of the things that hurt.” Kallie’s mom saw the best in everyone. Kallie wants to live by her mom’s motto. “There is one thing she always said, and it was ‘Life is good,’” Phillips said. “That’s what she always said to everybody. She loved those shirts that said that and that’s what she lived by. She was always happy. She always wanted to make everybody else feel loved and feel special. That’s really what she taught me, and I think that she’s one of the main reasons that that’s what I try to do for people. I think that’s one thing that I’ll become more and more like her even as I get older. She taught me more through her actions, through her life, but she always wanted me to have fun and just live because she always believed that life is good.”
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feature
A RISING STAR Senior expresses love for upcoming musical
T
by BETHANY DOWD staff writer
he music escalates to a crescendo as senior Caroline Parks belts out the last line of “Cornet Man.” Applause erupts from the dark theater seats, and she smiles at the audience as she gets ready to sing yet another chorus. Her smile never wavers as she continuously harmonizes with the music, and she truly personifies Fanny Brice, a rising starlet trying to make it in show business. Parks whose lead role in Funny Girl centers this tale about a young woman’s determination to make a life for herself in such a judgemental industry. Because of her unconventional appearance, she has to define her career on her comedic talent instead of beauty. The musical, with the
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015 photo by p. huddleston
“I’m up here for every rehearsal which usually lasts from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and after that I help out with costuming and backstage stuff as well,” Parks said. “Every night I’m working on my lines. When I was out on a trip touring a college, I was in the hotel room, and I had my entire family working lines with me.” While Parks is ecstatic about her role, she still has her challenges, especially when portraying a character as eccentric as Fanny. “I would say the most challenging thing about this role is taking it and actually studying the character as well as focusing on my character and not everyone else’s,” Parks said. “I’ve always been in shows, but I’ve never had a role as big as this one before. I researched who has played her before, and I researched the time period as well. It’s taught me that the more you develop your character opening performance Feb.19, features a cast past productions have helped her hone her and learn about them, the more you fall singing 12 lively and energetic songs. skills in this show, especially accents. in love with them and understand them “My personal favorite song is called “I started performing when I was little, making your overall performance is better.” ‘Cornet Man,’ and I love it because it but I was never actually in a show until I While the show is extremely hilarious, it has some really great harmonic vocals started high school,” Parks said. “Fanny has has a underlying realistic tone that can open and it’s extremely jazzy and sassy,” Parks a Brooklyn accent, and my freshman year the eyes of the audience. said. “There’s also some other really great I was in a play as Officer O’Hara who also “I think it’s a great show, it’s funny and funny songs like ‘Rat tat tat tat’ which a had a Brooklyn accent. It took me forever it’s lighthearted most of the time,” Parks lot of people really like because it’s such a to learn, and it didn’t come easy, no accent said. “It’s about being in love in show great dance number, but ‘Cornet Man’ is comes easy. It’s torture. It’s misery, but when business, and how it doesn’t work out definitely my favorite.” you get it, you have it forever.” because money gets in the way. You can Parks participation in UIL theater, two Parks has been putting in endless hours come and have a good laugh, and you can theater production classes and her roles in of her time for the production. have a good cry.” BOPPIN’ TO TOP Senior Caroline Parks is starring in the Tiger Theatre Company as Fanny in “Funny Girl.” Performances begin Thursday.
Sophomore has great expectations for future by ASHLYN SANDER staff writer
DREAMING BIG Sophomore Roland Echols aspires to work various jobs and share his wealth with his friends. photo by s. pritchard
A lumbering figure hulks through the crowded hallways. He talks to everyone he can with a big smile on his face. A LSU backpack haphazardly dangles from one broad shoulder. His distinctive laughter floats over passing students heads. Everyone sees his unwavering enthusiasm, but many don’t know where it comes from. Sophomore Roland Echols was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He moved to Texarkana and has been here ever since. He lives with both his parents and 11 year-old sister. His mom was a scientist for the Navy, and his dad is a doctor. “My mom who is my biggest critic but also my biggest fan, she’s my everything along with my dad,” Echols said. “I do everything I do for her. She has fought for our country. She’s fought for me, and she’s fought for my sister and my dad just to have a better life.” Echols went to St. James in elementary and sixth grade. In seventh grade, he trasnitioned to Texas Middle. “It was scary at first with all these new faces,” Echols said. “I remember my ride or die buddy, my best friend Hutch Tidwell, he took me under his
wing. Then I started to meet people and I started building who I am today.” As Ehols became a freshman, he became friends with an older crowd but kept many friends from junior high. “High school is so much better for me than middle school,” Echols said.“I know most of [the upperclassmen], so I’m friends with them, whether they’re my workout buddies, or I just say hi to them. Also the friendships I made in middle school are important too, because you never want to throw all your friends away and make new ones. You always want to remember the memories with your friends.” Echols has been playing football since he was nine and is currently starting on JV as left tackle. “Football is the best because you don’t know that feeling of running through that tiger, the adrenaline and the fans cheering. It’s surreal,” Echols said. “I’m a third generation. My grandad played it, my dad played it and I play it, that’s why it really speaks to me.” Echols has big ambitions for his life and his plans with his career. “I dream about a lot of things,” Echols said. “I dream about playing in the NFL and MLB, owning my own
basketball team, being a director or writer, an engineer, a professor and a Nobel Prize winner. I aspire to do a lot of things, and the reason I do is just for my family. I do it because I love it." Out of all those aspirations, Echols would pick being a technical engineer as his occupation. "Google is my favorite technology, and I aspire to create a business bigger than Google," Echols said. "Not only do I want to be rich, but you can also change the world with technology. I remember in my grandparents age when they had the big cell phone with the antenna and the flip phones, and now we have the iPhone, so it’s great how technology has evolved, and I want to get a piece of that pie.” With these goals, Echols plans on using his wealth to benefit the people around him. "If all those dreams do come true, you always have to give back because there’s other people less fortunate than you," Echols said. "If I was rich enough, I'd start my own foundation to fight deadly illnesses like cancer, give to the homeless, the hungry and ASPCA. I want to be rich, and I dream big, but at the same time I can't forget about the people who helped me on my journey.”
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k. brinkmeyer
submitted photos
SLIPPERY WHEN WET MORE THAN LUCKY Looking
back at pictures of the truck, the girls said they realize how their lives were saved by the grace of God and that luck had nothing to do with them making it out alive. “Just looking at the pictures of the truck,” junior Carley Wallace said, “there is no way we could have made it through that wreck without God.”
Hydroplaning occurs when water gets between the tire and the road. It starts gliding on water, and there is no longer any traction. According to defensivedriving.com, the best way to deal with hydroplaning is to let off the acceleration and make sure not to break. Plan to go in the direction the car is taking you and not against it. Things to keep in mind while it’s heavily raining are to keep cruise control off and make sure you have enough tread on your tires.
GIVING THANKS Wreck victims, senior
Lauren Gibbert, juniors Madison Winchell, Paige Gibbert and Carley Wallace, visit the firefighters to thank them for saving their lives. “We went to see the firefighters because we just just wanted to thank the people that saved our lives,” Lauren Gibbert said. “We wanted to let them know that because of them, we are alive and doing well. It meant so much to me to actually see their faces, talk to them and hug them. It was an amazing experience to meet our heroes.”
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IN A MATTER OF SECONDS Four lives changed in the wake of tragic event by MADELINE HUNLEY co-editor-in-chief
Senior Lauren Gibbert and juniors Madison Winchell, Carley Wallace and Paige Gibbert photo by k.brinkmeyer
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
It was a regular Friday night. Almost repetitive as juniors Paige Gibbert, Carley Wallace, Madison Winchell and senior Lauren Gibbert piled into a vehicle while reminiscing on the day’s activities. Weekends are for spending time with your friends and clearing away the stress from the long week, but never would they have imagined that evening turning into a nightmare. “We had been mudding because it had rained, and that’s why the three of us were in the front seat,” Wallace said. “We were just going to grab my bag from my house.” The driver, Winchell, was making her way to Wallace’s house on Nov. 21 as the rain covered Myrtle Springs Road. Within seconds, the car hydroplaned and spun out of control into a telephone pole. “I remember spinning side to side and I was thinking ‘Oh my God, what is happening?’ Something told me we were going to wreck which scared me to death,” Winchell said. “It’s just like your life flashes before your eyes in a matter of seconds.” The unexpected crash that night frightened classmates and parents as the news spread quickly that the girls were in critical condition. “I remember seeing the truck turn, and the front coming around the back. Waking up, I thought it was a dream, and I tried to move, but the steering wheel was on my chest,” Paige Gibbert said. “I originally was in the front, middle seat, but I slid over into the driver’s area. I was in the splits, and it was uncomfortable. I couldn’t feel my leg.” Shocked but more so scared for what was yet to come, the girls spoke to each other in order to make sure everyone was conscious from the impact. “I woke up at one point, and I think Carley was screaming out prayers. I was going in and out of consciousness, and I remember waking up and there was a seat
belt wrapped around my neck,” Lauren Gibbert said. “I remember people hovering over me, and then I don’t remember anything else.” Screaming for help, Paige Gibbert, attempted to wake her sister. Without a response, the girls thought the worst had come for Lauren Gibbert. “I was really just screaming for her, and she wouldn’t answer me,” Paige Gibbert said. “I thought she was dead, and I was really scared. She’s my best friend.” Confined and unable to move in the vehicle, the girls yelled as loudly as they could hoping someone could hear them. The crash had been witnessed by a bystander who called for help. “Right after we stopped, it was like time did too. It was so dark and quiet, and we were screaming for help, but it was like nobody was listening,” Winchell said. “It was the scariest moment I’ve ever been in for sure. Just the thought of us all not being okay made things even worse.” Once help arrived, Wallace was comforted by a family friend and then was shortly taken out of the truck. The other three were stuck inside for the next 45 minutes. “She reached in the glass and held my hand. It calmed me down a little bit,” Wallace said. “I remember falling into my mom’s arms at the wreck and feeling her shaking all over. Seeing the fear in my dad’s eyes, I had never seen my dad that scared before, but actually seeing him was really different.” All four girls were safely removed from the vehicle and taken to the hospital. Still in serious pain, they attempted to make each other laugh to forget about the injuries. “I woke up in the ambulance, and I
remember Madison was holding my arm. I was thinking about where everyone was, and I was trying to figure out how we crashed,” Lauren Gibbert said. “I tried to lighten the mood when we were in the ambulance and crack a joke to Madison about her driving skills.” The arrival at the hospital was just the beginning of what was ahead for these four girls. Separation, shock and pain filled the air as the girls were treated for their injuries. “When I was in my room in the hospital, my dad came in there to tell my mom the update on Lauren, and I knew it was bad because he looked like he was about to cry. He was bringing my mom into the hall to tell her, but then he came in the room and told her that Lauren’s neck was broken,” Paige Gibbert said. “I wanted to know, and I just started bawling. I couldn’t stop crying because I have never been so scared. I was really worried about her, and I just wanted to see her. They wouldn’t let me leave.” Suffering from numerous injures, the girls still kept a positive outlook through it all. Winchell came out of the crash with both broken hips and pelvis, her right femur, pubic bone and rib. She is currently recovering from the accident and should be back at school soon. Wallace broke her vertebrae in two places and her ankle. Paige experienced a collapsed lung, and Lauren broke her neck, ankle and her wrist. “Some days are harder than others. Sometimes my mind just starts thinking of how it’s my fault because I was the driver, even though I know it wasn’t anybody’s fault. I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Winchell said. “I think we’ve all done very well considering the circumstances. We’ve had our fights, but it has not changed the
“I thought [Lauren] was dead, and I was really scared. She’s my best friend.” -Paige Gibbert, 11
relationship between us at all.” Paige Gibbert returned to school shortly after the wreck, but Lauren Gibbert and Wallace stepped foot on the Texas High grounds after Christmas break. “Now, I don’t take anything for granted, and I always tell my parents I love them because you never know what could happen,” Wallace said. “There is no way we could have made it through that wreck without God, just looking at the pictures of the truck. I would never want to go through that again.” The support system offered from friends and family has given the girls a positive outlook on their situation. “I think that having so many people that care, and so many visitors has helped me the most,” Lauren Gibbert said. “I love hearing them tell me how much they are happy and that we’re still here; it just keeps me happy.” Without God on their side, the girls feel like none of this would have been possible. “God was really protecting us because the doctors said that everyone who has the same break in my neck as me was either paralyzed or dead. I am so lucky,” Lauren Gibbert said. “This experience has strengthened my faith in God; He is always there when you need Him.” Almost three months since the night of the crash, the bond between the girls has continued become stronger everyday. “We’re still best friends. I think the thing that has helped me the most are my friends and family,” Winchell said. “My boyfriend and all my friends have been amazing every step of the way with me.” Through all of the tears and heartache, the girls couldn’t be more grateful for their health after the accident. “It’s something that taught me more than hurt me. It taught me that some people can’t even go to school, so I should be grateful I get to come everyday, and I’m healthy enough to do that,” Paige Gibbert said. “It taught me to be grateful for the little things.”
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
u r C s’ se
V-Day Single Survival Guide 101
d
by GRACE HICKEY staff writer
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Sweet or tart, you have my heart Chocolate Roses. You can find these in any Valentine’s
Day–little powdery hearts proclaiming “You’re Mine” or “I Love You” are extremely popular. While they are fun, they’re best used for you and your friends to read and laugh about, not for your significant other to prove they care for you. On a romantic scale, if they get you conversation hearts, you’d better start planning ahead for breakup.
Be your own Valentine.
While seeing couples exchange flowers and those little chalky message hearts can be sometimes be sickening to the single, chalky-heart-less community, people in relationships do not have to be the only ones who get presents or flowers on Valentine’s Day. Buy yourself that ridiculously large box of chocolate or that massive teddy bear. Be your own Valentine instead of getting down over the lack of one.
Help someone else.
Couples give relationship advice
Conversation Hearts. This candy is a staple for Valentine’s
One guaranteed way to feel lonely on Valentine’s Day is to spend it, wait for it, alone. Take advantage of all your other single friends and celebrate without any romantic undertones or strings attached. This holiday, although affiliated mainly with romance, is also just about spending time with those closest to you. A get-together with people, who would otherwise probably be alone (excluding a large box of tissues and Sam Smith in the background), can reduce the amount of everyone’s seething rants against Cupid.
If you can’t have your own ooey-gooey relationship this Valentine’s Day, why not revel in someone else’s? Grab your comfiest blanket, find anything starring Patrick Swayze, and go nuts. Let a tear-jerker be the cause of the waterworks this year.
an
Read online:
Valentines Day is on the way, and everyone’s concerned about one thing: What kind of candy will they receive from their significant other? In cases like these, the entire relationship depends on this deciding factor. Here’s a breakdown for the clueless to tell you what the candy means.
Celebrate with friends.
Have a movie marathon.
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by BETHANY DOWD staff writer
Every year as soon as February rolls around, singles everywhere shudder and brace themselves for the upcoming disaster: Valentine’s Day. Of course for couples, this holiday is filled with mushy-gushy sentiments of romance and an almost tangible feeling of love in the air. However, for those deemed to be relationship-less, V-Day seems more like D-Day, with every Cupid’s arrow aimed straight at them and each red, heart-shaped box of chocolate sitting in the aisle uneaten, mocking them. Nonetheless, contrary to popular belief, it is still possible to enjoy Valentine’s Day even when not in a relationship. With that being said, that does not include curling up under a blanket crying about your ex. Try something different this holiday in order to make V-Day seem less like D-Day.
Day aisle in town, and while they are very pretty, the actual ratio of chocolate to plastic is pathetic. You get about 25 percent chocolate bud (hollow chocolate I might add) and 75 percent plastic stem and leaves. Not worth it when you get down to it. So in this case, the relationship has moderate balance, but don’t put too much stock into it.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. You might not have the cookie cutter Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean someone else can’t either. Help a friend plan a surprise or come up with gift ideas. Or better yet, volunteer your time with someone who has no expectation of having an enjoyable holiday, whether that be for a friend that just underwent a messy breakup or helping at a shelter. Giving your attention to someone else can help take some of the focus off of you and your February-induced sulking and replace it with a warm, fuzzy feeling that does not require a Valentine’s Day card.
Assorted Chocolates. If you receive a cardboard heart full of Oversized Hershey Kiss. Now like stated before, chocolate is the way to someone’s heart, and a huge Hershey Kiss will definitely do the trick. It might not be as personalized as a container of truffles, but it’s certainly a huge step up from a chocolate rose. This means the relationship is stable, but maybe you guys should get to know each other a bit better, add some personality to the attraction.
truffles, your relationship is in the clear. And when chocolates are specialized for your favorite candy, such as a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Heart, it shows that your partner knows you and your preferences extremely well.
Homemade Cookies. Homemade cookies are by far one of the sweetest things your partner can do for you. Homemade cookies means they worked hard and probably picked up some culinary skills after a few failed, burnt attempts. They might not be the best cookies in the world because who can really beat Pepperidge Farm cookies, but they made something for you to make you happy. This is a wonderful relationship. Do not let that one get away from you.
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
sports
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FLYING INTO STATE Kristin McCasland practices the 100 yard butterfly in preparation for the state meet in Austin. photo by k. brinkmeyer
BREAKING WAVES at regionals Swim looks toward successful run at state meet by JESSICA EMERSON sports editor
The swimmer lines up behind the blocks. Takes his mark. The buzzer sounds and within an instant he is submerged in water with heart pounding adrenaline. The Tigersharks made a splash at regionals on Feb. 7-8 in Lewisville, Texas, with both the boys’ and girls’ teams taking first place. This was the 17th consecutive win for the boys and the 6th for the girls. The girls’ team began their impressive run with the 200-yard medley, consisting of sophomores Linley Murdock and Alex Jones, freshman Kristen Clayton and junior Kristin McCasland, taking first place. “I think we did really good on the relay, but we could have done a lot better,” Jones said. “Regionals wasn’t our best time, and personally, I should have done a lot better. At state hopefully we can break the record. We’ve gotten really close before.” Continuing the girls reign, the 400-yard freestyle relay also took first, consisting of senior Brenna Moore, junior Kristin McCasland, seniors Oralia Basurto-Ruiz and Lexi Watkins. “The girls 400 freestyle relay went really well, and we’re looking really fast right now,” Moore said. “By state we should be able to beat the record, or get really close to it, if we give it all we have.” The ladies were also successful in their individual events. Senior Maggie Lopez got second in the 200-yard freestyle, McCasland got second in the 100-yard butterfly and first in the 100-yard backstroke, and Clayton got first in the 100-yard breaststroke. “I don’t really train backstroke, so
winning it was kind of a surprise,” McCasland said. “Well, I’m not that fast compared to all of the people who are going to be at state, so it’ll be different.” Although the Tigersharks were triumphant, they did not have a flawless meet. The girls 200-yard freestyle relay was disqualified during prelims. The officials claimed that Clayton had a false start. “I wanted the relay to go back [to state], and there was a possibility it could go back, but it didn’t,” Watkins said. “We have better opportunities now, we can focus more on the other relays now. I’m not as bitter about it anymore. I was heartbroken at first.” The boys side of the competition did not disappoint, with the 200-yard medley relay winning, composed of seniors Seth Ream and Zack Norton, junior Conor Diggs, and sophomore Reid Porter. “The 200-freestyle relay was a really close relay,” Norton said. “I feel like everyone did their job. Seth had a great leadoff, Reid and Tyler kept it up, we were neck and neck with Nacogdoches. When it came to my leg, I swam and all I could think about was how bad we deserved to go to state for all the hard work we put in. Next thing I know I touched the wall, and we won by half a second.” In the individual boys’ events, three swimmers brought home wins, contributing to the compilation for victories the Tigersharks. Diggs set the pace after taking first in the 100-yard breaststroke, followed by the 100-yard butterfly, where Norton took third and Porter took second. “I actually did not feel too great when I won, because I didn’t break Zac Baker’s time from his junior year,” Diggs said. “I had no
happiness at all.” Momentum built up from the previous races and contributed to the boys’ 200-yard freestyle relay win, made up of Ream, Porter, Norton and Snell, and Norton and Snell also contributed to the boys’ second place win in the 400-yard freestyle, along with juniors Luke Calhoon and Zack Wolf. “It went well, we did better than we anticipated. We dropped time, and made call ups for state,” Calhoon said. “We are looking to get even faster and beat White Oak, who beat us at Regionals.” Dive was victorious, both girls and and boys achieved first place, with sophomore Lauren Potter taking first for the girls, and senior Calvin Lourens for the boys. Also going to state for their second-place finishes are senior Roy Hood and freshman Courtney Lourens.
“I got first, but I didn’t really achieve the goal that I was reaching for,” Lourens said. “I really was shooting for a higher
score. I also believe that we will do really well at state, even though we have one diver who is injured. We will be practicing really hard these next two weeks and we will do our best.” Even with an effective showing at regionals, the Tigersharks still believe they need improvement before competing at the
BEST STROKE Junior Conor Diggs swims the breast stroke at the Mansfield meet. photo by k. mccasland
state meet on Feb. 20-21 in Austin.
“There’s always things we can work on, but I think leading up to state we really have got to work on making sure that our relay starts are safe but fast enough to compete with the other faster schools that will be at state,” Snell said. “I’m really excited for state because it will be the last meet with our seniors, and it’ll be bittersweet.”
FREESTYLING Senior Oralia Basurto-Ruiz competes in the Freestlye race at the district meet. photo by a. oalade
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Tigers with tears Krysten Dansby, 12 Basketball “I tore it when I had stolen the ball and I was dribbling down the court. I switched to my right hand, and my knee popped out to the left. I can’t play basketball anymore.”
Trevor Danley, 11 Football “I tore it running down on a punt, covering and making a tackle, and my knee gave out. It has effected me a lot, especially in baseball and not being able to play is emotionally tough.
Hannah Brantley, 12 Soccer “It was during a game my freshman year. I got tackled and I landed wrong and I twisted it and it popped. It was rough my freshman year, but I feel like my knee is stronger. It’s just worked out well.”
Alex Gooden, 10 Basketball “I tore it when I was practicing one day. I was running down the court, and I planted my foot and my knee gave out. I want to be on the court so much, and [the tear] has really brought me down.”
Chanell Hayes, 12 Basketball “I tore my ACL by playing softball. This whole thing has made me stronger. The comeback was really tough. They told me I wouldn’t come back the same, but I had to prove them wrong. I worked as hard as I could.”
Kiera Muldrew, 12 Football “I tore it by going in on a blitz and I missed the guy and it popped out of place. It made me a better person and feel like things happen for a reason. All good players get injured.”
sports
Brace yourself Senior gets back in game after 2 ACL tears
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
BATTER UP Senior Nick Richter prepares to enter his final season of baseball after recovering from two ACL tears. photo by a. tyson
by ROBERT HOOVER co-editor-in-chief Senior Nick Richter is back in the game. Richter has torn his ACL twice during his sporting career at Texas High School. With both happening in the span of his sophomore year, he is only now getting back involved with the activities that he loves. “The Saturday before school started sophomore year, I’m playing at the JV Pleasant Grove scrimmage and I go out on a pull play,” Richter said. “I’m blocking on the corner and the running back rolls into the side of my knee and the whole pile crashes into me.” At first, Richter was unaware of what had happened to him. It wasn’t until later he realized that something had gone wrong. “I mean it hurt but it wasn’t that bad, I just walked off the field,” Richter said. “On the bus ride back is when it really started hurting.” When the pain progressed, he sought out medical assistance. Unfortunately, it was much worse than expected. “The next day I went to the trainer. He called in Doctor Mitchell and he said that it was probably a torn ACL,” Richter said. “I went and got an MRI that Monday, came back Tuesday and they said it was torn. My ACL was completely gone, it was obliterated.” Despite this serious injury, Richter was able to go through surgery and jump back into sports that same year. “I had surgery Sept. 15, 2012. It took six months, until spring break, to go back playing baseball,” Richter said. “I felt really good for the rest of the season.” His baseball career continued to flourish and Richter was even able to get back into football. However, just as things seemed like they were back to normal, tragedy struck. “Coach Norton decided to have spring football and I had sat out for most of it. Then on the last day of practice, I decided to go for it and it tore again,” Richter said. “I was doing a basic
blocking drill and I just planted wrong.” before I tore it,” Richter said. “A whole Due to this second tear, he will never year off is just too much to overcome.” be able to play football again. Even though he can no longer play “My parents said after the first surgery football or possibly play baseball in that if anything major happened like college, Richter looks at the bright side tearing it again or anything big because and is excited he will get to play baseball of football, then I’m done,” Richter this season. said. “And, I mean, I kind of agree with “I’ve been in baseball all year in off them.” season and I’m going to play this year,” School was coming to an end for the Richter said. “I took it really slow this year and Richter wasn’t ready to miss time and I already knew the therapy more time with his friends over the stuff and I got a nice brace so I know I’m summer. ready.” “Instead of having surgery right away, I decided I wanted to enjoy my summer some, so I waited two months,” Richter said. “I was able to run, swim and enjoy myself.” Richter had his ACL, when in place, Femur (thigh bone) second surgery July 25, connects the femur to 2013. This time, he the tibia, acting as a decided to be careful stabilizer, preventing the tibia from moving and wait longer before forward. getting back involved. “I sat out of all physical activities all of junior year,” Richter said. “For baseball, I was still with them LCL (lateral because I knew I was collateral ligament) gonna play again, so I MCL (medial traveled with them and collateral was basically a glorified ligament) equipment manager.” Being off the field for so long has been hard, and has caused Tibia (shin bone) some unexpected problems. “I had dreams of illustration by a. o’gorman playing sports in college
ACL TEARS
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sports
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
BASES LOADED
Softball focuses on upcoming season by KARLEE POST staff writer
LINE DRIVE Sophomore Braley Turner hits the ball looking to get on base. photo by k. brinkmeyer
When all students notice is a blur of yellow, unpredictable weather and girls walking the halls with gloves, they know softball season has started. Off season has come to an end, no more heavy conditioning, just players focusing on making those big wins. Texas High has its variety of sports throughout the school year. Beginning the year with football and volleyball, to both girls and boys basketball, then fading from swim to tennis. Now it’s time for a little bat and ball action. “I’m glad softball season has started,” freshman Ashley Wyrick said. “Now people will be talking about the sport that I play, I love, instead of football or basketball.”
The girls have started to take the field and get back into daily practice that includes field work and batting exercises. This work prepared them for their first scrimmage that took place Feb. 5 2014 against Liberty Eylau. “I feel like we have a decent team this year, we have been fielding and batting for the past week,” sophomore Kenzie Dickson said. “We have a few spots that need to be filled, but overall, we should be ready to go by the first real game.” It isn’t easy getting ready for the season, especially when there isn’t an indoor softball field when the girls need it. Swinging into the season comes with taking chances on the weather. For the girls whose last season here is cherishable, they want it to be superb and want everything
and everyone to meet their expectations. “Since this is my last year as a senior, I want to make sure that my last season is the best,” senior Kallie Phillips said. “We need practice and it doesn’t help when we don’t have access to the multipurpose building because of the other preferable sports.” The softball team is determined to do big things this year, even with foul circumstances. The more practice they get, the more skill they gain, and maybe have a few bruises along the way will help them succeed to this year’s playoffs. “If we come together, like I hope we do, this season will end in a roar of excitement,” Phillips said. “Practice like you play and you’ll be in for a show on game day.”
There’s no place like home Senior prepares for final high school baseball season by ALEX HEO staff writer
in 2012 with Team Texas. I won state multiple times. This last summer, we won Sunflower seeds scatter state in Greenville,Texas the dugout. He grabs his with a legion team. [I] helmet and bat then walks went to Arizona to play up to the batter’s box. and all that stuff,” Kugler All eyes are now on him. said. “I went with my allBaseball, America’s pastime, star team three times. Last has been a huge year, we went with VARSITY part of senior Alex legion, Texarkana BASEBALL Kugler’s life since his Bulldogs, and we WILL SCRIMMAGE childhood. won state.” LIBERTY-EYLAU “I was introduced TONIGHT AT 4 P.M. Kugler to baseball by my attributes his HERE dad,” Kugler said. “I success to his started playing when I was family and friends. From 4 years old, and I haven’t providing advice to helping stopped since.” him reach goals, they have From then on, Kugler been instrumental to his has traveled all over the improvement and growth. the country to compete. “Mostly my dad and my With various teams, he mom [helped me]. I got achieved many feats and some help along the way accomplishments. from good friends,” Kugler “I won the World Series said. “[They gave me] tips,
PITCH PERFECT Senior Alex Kugler pitches the ball in hope for a strikeout. file photo helped me get from point A to B and just get better.” This year will be different from Kugler’s previous years of playing baseball. His closest teammates will no longer be with him through the batting practices, bus rides
and dugouts. “What I miss this year is that all my best friends graduated, and I won’t be playing with them this year.” Kugler said. “I played with all my best friends last year, my cousins. We won a lot of games, played a lot
and I just got close with the guys.” Kugler hopes to extend his baseball career past high school. He is planning on taking his game to the collegiate level in the near future. “I hope to go play
college ball somewhere, not sure where yet.” Kugler said. “I’ve been talking to a few colleges.” For Kugler, baseball simply is second to none. “I enjoy playing it,” Kugler said. “It’s the greatest sport in the world.”
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Swinging into a different motion
BATTLING THE BUMPS AND BRUISES
Senior golfer, cheerleader reflects on important choices growing up Here I am. Contemplating whether I made the right decision. Whether it was best for me to choose this, or because it was what I wanted. Decisions, a noun that ceases to uphold my existence. If you think about it, decisions are what make the world go round, and without them we would all be indecisive beings roaming around the earth. Harder choices HUNLEY must be made, and this MADELINE co-editor-in-chief was only the beginning to the decisions I will have to face in the years ahead. Growing up, I felt that I never made choices on my own. I relied on my parents to choose what was best for me and how it would help me in the long run. For example, dance. Although I loved performing and being put on the end of almost every dance because of my lower-than-average height, I imagined myself doing something more rewarding and exhilarating. This is when cheerleading came into the picture. Six-year-old Madeline had no idea what she was getting herself into, so the tiny-but-mighty “baby doll” walked into the room only to find that this was completely different from dancing. I remember going to every cheer practice with a smile on my face. I remember being thrown into the air so high that I felt like I could touch the brown beams on the ceiling. It was also rewarding to have the chance to perform with the “older girls” whenever they needed an extra flyer. It’s normal for a child to try almost every sport or activity. How else are they going to figure out their so called “calling in life?” Once I completed my dancing and cheerleading phase, I decided to pick up a golf club. Very different from my previous activities, but I wanted to try something that I could experience with my dad; also known as the golf obsessor. Shortly after, I was entering small tournaments around the ArkLaTex and doing surprisingly okay. I thought I would hold on to this hobby and maybe, just maybe, I could take it to high school. Fast-forward to senior year. The year that every student dreams of as they complete the dreaded, junior year. It is also the last year. No more second chances and no more looking back on what you could of done to make it even better. I decided to begin my senior year on a high note. Making the varsity cheer team, I began to feel like I was my old self again. It allowed me to gain confidence and also lose my voice after almost every football game. I enjoyed being around girls who shared the same love for cheerleading as myself. Managing both cheerleading and golf had become my life outside of school. Getting out of class at 3:45 then making the 25 minute drive to the course was my routine. It was like having the best of both worlds. Looking back on it all, I am not only thankful to have been able to participate in both of the things I love, but to have been around those who supported and allowed me to make the right decision.
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
photo by s. pritchard
Soccer player questions real reasons for playing game by LEAH CRENSHAW staff writer One yellowish bruise on my right arm. Two purple bruises on my left. An angry red turf burn on my right knee. Another angry red burn on my left ankle. A seemingly permanent ache in my neck from whiplash. A set of permanent scars on my knees from a scrapes that never healed correctly. No, I do not frequently get into minor car accidents. As the goalkeeper for the varsity girls’ soccer team, I’d be lying to say that soccer never hurts me. Soccer hurts me all the time. Showering after practice feels like bathing in acid instead of water. No one can ever say that scrubbing the staph-laced rubber dust out of a turf burn is pleasant. It’s not. An accidental exhale in the middle of a dive yields painful results upon hitting the ground with empty, crushed up lungs. It hurts. If you stand close enough, you can hear a sound similar to that of a cat being stepped on. Missing a ball in practice and hearing the words “Come on goalkeeper!” hurts a lot. After all, failing the team in practice is just the first step to failing the team in a game. But the pain of those words is nothing compared to the pain of missing a ball in a game and hearing, “You should have had that.” It hurts to stand there, at the edge of the box and stare at the scoreboard showing 2 to 2, silently beating myself
over the fact that 20 minutes ago we had been winning 2 to 0. Crying in front of another team would be unforgivable, but sometimes it’s hard not to. But I don’t play soccer because it
“I buck up, hold my head high and my shoulders back when the game doesn’t go in my favor. It’s worth every bit of pain.” hurts. While I am incredibly proud of all the sweat, blood and tears that I have put into my sport, I do not like torture. There is nothing pleasant about feeling like the absolute failure that couldn’t do her job right when the team needed it. I play soccer because sometimes it feels euphoric. Literally nothing in the entire world feels better than saving that one shot everyone thought couldn’t be saved. Nothing feels better than staring down on an opposing player before dropping low, grabbing the ball and ramming through them at the same time. Soccer, or more specifically my position as goalkeeper, puts me in a bipolar emotional state. I feel either a fight-a-grizzly-bear (and win) level of excitement or a soul crushing sense
of being the biggest failure ever to set foot under the lights of Grim stadium. There isn’t much of an in between. Logically, there are lots of factors that go into whether a shot becomes a goal (the defenders, where the shot comes from, what kind of hit the offender gets on the ball). It’s still hard sometimes to keep that kind of logic in mind when protecting the goal is my job, my purpose and my reason for being part of the team. Invariably, everything feels like it is all my fault when a goal goes in. It’s hard to think logically while staring at the scoreboard as a red 0 turns into a red 1. It’s hard to not be angry while fishing the ball out of the net so it can be passed back to the center. Still, the emotional highs are mightier than the emotional lows. I could never give up the feeling of being “in-shape” all the time. I could never give up the feeling of crashing into another player at full speed and coming up clutching the ball. I could never give up the feeling of a dive and a catch happening in the same action. I could never let the disappointments drive me away from the sport that I love. I love playing too much. So instead I buck up, hold my head high and my shoulders back when the game doesn’t go in my favor, and promise to do my best to turn it around. Sometimes I win; sometimes I lose. Either way, it’s worth every bit of pain, every drop of blood and every ugly feeling. To me, soccer is worth everything.
entertainment
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
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Sophomore discusses hypocrisy in young adult novels
by ALEX O’GORMAN staff writer A collective gasp of horror is almost audible from the audience of The Hunger Games as the readers learn the atrocities of the Capitol. A shudder from the readers of the Giver. A cry of “that could never happen in real life!” from the fans of Divergent. Young adult dystopian novels are consumed with extreme vigor by youths
and adults alike. Readers swarm to universes with oppressive governments or lack of justice like moths to flame. The well-liked protagonists of these novels go against the unfair rules and regulations of the governing body, and often emerge victorious. Fans consume this media guiltfree, because nothing like that could ever happen in today’s society, right? Wrong. A staggering amount of similarities exist between dystopian fictions and current reality. Most of said reality takes
place in the totalitarian nation of North Korea, lead by the dictator Kim Jong-un. One doesn’t have to look far in North Korea to see some form of propaganda. Whether it be in the form of art, film or song, works praising the nation’s leader is not hard to come by. Similarly, in Suzanne Collins’ ‘The Hunger Games,’ the Capitol projects regular video propaganda that citizens are required to watch. The similarities do not end there, however. In ‘The Hunger Games,’ there are 12 districts that provide the necessary supplies for the Capitol to live in luxury while the districts live in poverty. Roughly half the population of North Korea lives in extreme poverty, while the wealthy class resides in the country’s capital city. The world of Lois Lowry’s ‘The Giver’ is one of uniformity and brainwashing. The residents of the Community take special medication to prevent them from seeing color and to suppress ‘abnormal’ emotions; this is so everyone will look and behave exactly the same way. North Korea frowns upon, if not outright forbids, unorthodox hairstyles (such as long hair on men) and clothing with English words on them. Young children in ‘the Giver’ are instructed on how to behave and to not ask questions. North Korean
Kindergarteners are told by teachers tales of how majestic their leader is and of the evils of foreigners. In both ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘The Giver’ themes of public executions and death can be found. When someone has rebelled from the government somehow, or shown doubt, they are often silenced in the most gruesome of ways. One North Korean refugee spoke of watching her friend’s mother being publicly executed for possession of South Korean films. Another told of a woman forced to drown her baby in a concentration camp. Citizens can be sent to a prison camps as punishment for speaking ill of the leader, owning foreign films, or even watching a show. When compared, it becomes obvious that the situations in many dystopian novels are nearly identical to that of North Korea’s. Why then, do so many turn a blind eye to the blatant human rights violations committed by the totalitarian state while simultaneously feeling horrified at the ones in fictional stories? If anything’s for certain, ‘The Interview’ seems a lot less funny once one finds out what exactly Seth Rogan is mocking.
Junior celebrates musical movie trend sweeping nation by LEAH CRENSHAW staff writer For some people, nothing sounds better than a three hour, live action, song infused cinematic testament to the glory of American musical theater. For others, “Why was there so much singing?” is the natural reaction after hearing the Wolverine sing to Gladiator while the princess of Genovia dies in a gross hospital. Musical theater is a little out there to some people. However, the lack of experience most people have about the massive American art form that has been around for over a century may soon be fading. This is all due to the resurrected trend of musical
movies. For the greater part of the century, musical movies have blossomed in cycles with surges about every 20 years. Now, with the releases of Burlesque (2010), Les Miserables (2012) and Jersey Boys (2014), it seems that one of these revivals of musical movies is upon us. The newest editions include Annie (released Dec. 19, 2014) and Into the Woods (released Dec. 25, 2014). Many musical lovers have every hope that this trend
will continue to grow with new support from the average movie-goer. Compared to seeing musicals live in theater where tickets can cost up to $70, musical movies are inexpensive. Musical movies can also utilize all of the editing and special effects that are unavailable to live theater shows, allowing film directors to clearly communicate what stage directors had to leave to the imagination. These two attributes combine to make musicals much more accessible to the average
person. Into the Woods presented a brilliant, technicolor, magicfilled adventure at only $9 a ticket. All of these new positive characteristics of musical movies make help to make them a unique cinematic experience, combining the best parts of both musicals and films. Already, several famous musicals including Wicked, Spring Awakening, Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, Cats and South Pacific have already begun the first steps
of becoming films. This musical movie movement has the potential to grow up, both acquiring new fans, and maintaining the theatre fans it already has. Musicals represent the combination of classic Americana entertainment and modern film styles that audiences are known to enjoy. And really, who wouldn’t enjoy a song-filled Sondheim version of the assassinations of four of our presidents? (Everyone loves Assassins.)
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it DO IT!
Mardi Gras Connect with your inner Cajun. Celebrate the traditionally monthlong festivities on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17, with beads, masks and an ohso-delicious slice of King Cake.
entertainment
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015 READ IT!
Saint Odd Turn all the lights on and lock all the doors with this chilling Koontz novel. In this final installment to the Odd Thomas series, Odd, who can speak to the dead, returns to the town where it all began.
LIST
WEAR IT!
DRINK IT!
Spirit Jersey
Shamrock Shakes
Make sure this slice of Southern style is in your wardrobe. Whether you are going out on the town or staying in for the night, these jersey shirts are the perfect piece for any outfit.
Enjoy this green treat in March celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. These popular milkshakes are part of the McDonald’s seasonal menu, so make sure you get them while you can.
PREDICT IT!
WATCH IT!
TRY IT!
The Kingsmen
March Madness
Southern Tropics
Follow a group of incredibly attractive British teens as they become part of a giant secret organization of spies. In theatres now, The Kingsmen premiers today starring Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and up and coming Taron Egerton.
The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments begin the second week of March and last through the first week of April. Sixty-eight teams will be vying for basketball’s national championship.
Get ready for warmer weather with a delicious Southern Tropics’ snow cone. Try out many different combinations of flavors as well as other signature creations. The popular shack will be opening again on March 1.
SHAKIN’ IT UP Popular eatery set to open in May by LAUREN POTTER staff writer Local business man, John Ryden will open Steak N Shake on Cowhorn Creek Loop behind Red Lobster. The opening date for the establishment is set for May 4. “It is a very proven restaurant franchise,” Ryden said. “Texarkana is going to love it.” The Ryden family chose to open Steak N Shake because of it’s affordable offers compared to other local restaurants. “The only steak burgers in town are $10, $11 dollars a piece. They’re expensive, if you’ve ever had Smashburger or Mooyah, they’re just really pricey,” Ryden said. “They have a gourmet burger for under $4 and to also get the fries included is pretty cool, I’m anticipating on it being a very popular place.” The incoming restaurant is set to be the
biggest Steak N Shake in America. “It will have lots of parking, motorcycle parking,” Ryden said. “It will seat 180 inside and 60 outside.” With the economy changing, Ryden began to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant. “It’s something I have wanted to do for a while,” Ryden said. “I wanted to have a restaurant just because I knew I have a knack for the restaurant business. I’ve been in the apartment business for quite a while, and that was kind of getting old. This was a good time to get out of the apartment business and put all of our money into the restaurant.” Six of Texarkana’s future managers have begun training in Chicago. “Up in Illinois is kinda a place where Steak N Shake was invented. That’s where their corporate stores are that do the training,” Ryden said. “They have to go through
‘STEAK’-ING CLAIM Texarkana’s hot, new restaurant, Steak N Shake, has commenced construction off of Cowhorn Creek. It is scheduled to open on May 4. It is set to be the biggest Steak N Shake in America. photo by r. lewis
10 weeks of extensive training.” The Ryden’s wanted to open something Texarkana did not already offer. “Texarkana didn’t need another chicken place., We didn’t need another steak house.
We didn’t need another mexican food restaurant. You know we didn’t need more Italian,” Ryden said. “Texarkana, they don’t know what’s about to hit them; it’s just what Texarkana needed.”
tigertimes feb. 13, 2015
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tigertimes feb. 13, 2015