Tiger Times Dec. 2017

December 14, 2017 • Vol. 58, Issue 3 texas high school

Your name. Your identity. Your life.

All summed up in a series of numbers, its importance disregarded – not out of ignorance, but rather a lack of awareness. These numbers in the wrong hands, and your life is no longer your own. continued on page 14

IDENTITY BREACH

Texas High School • 4001 Summerhill Road, Texarkana, TX 75503 • tigertimesonline.com

illustration by a. kift & c. johnson

2 NEWS

JANUARY

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Selected students will go to THS Real World College Experience in the PAC to listen to alumni give advice at 9:30 a.m.

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

WHAT’S ON OUR

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The Tiger Theatre Company will perform “Oklahoma!” on Jan. 12 and 13 from 7-9 p.m., and on Jan. 14 from 2-4 p.m.

There will be a parent workshop for “Building the Foundation for Senior YearSophomores” from 6-7 p.m. in the PAC. All students enrolled in Dual Credit classes will register for their second semester all day on the second floor in the Math and Science building.

LifeShare Blood Center will host a blood drive on Jan. 29 and 30 in the gym. Sign up to donate blood with Debbie Nicholas.

STAY CONNECTED

ALL AMERICAN STAR

GRATEFUL FOR HIS FANS Senior Tevailance Hunt gives thanks to the community, the football team and everyone involved. Hunt will be traveling to Florida to play in the All America Game Jan. 4.

Hunt expresses thanks for opportunity to play in football game

BY MOLLY KYLES STAFF WRITER Senior Tevailance Hunt will play in the All America Football Game in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 4, 2018, at the Camping World Stadium. Hunt went through four rounds of public voting in order to claim a spot in the game. American Family Insurance visited Texas High to congratulate him on Nov. 30.

“We’re going on our 10th year [of the All America game],”

selection tour representative Nickloas Bradley said. “It’s an amazing time for the student athletes, lots of great coaches will be down there to assist in the teaching of football skills.

It’s a great time for the student athletes to compete and get to know each other.”

The All America game brings together top student athletes from around the country. Hunt is one of 90 students that are participating in the event. Some athletes that have played in this

game in the past have gone on to have professional football careers.

Hunt was presented with an honorary game jersey commemorating his selection.

“I would like to thank my fellow brothers for voting,” Hunt said, motioning to the football team. “And our wonderful cheerleaders and HighSteppers, and the rest of the community, I thank y’all for everything, because without y’all, I wouldn’t be here.” mollykyles@tigertimesonline.com

SAY MY NAME School policy prohibits use of preferred names

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I WITNESSED Meeting the Clintons makes lasting impression

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STRIKE A POSE Freshman spreads happiness throughout student body through dancing

Fall 2017 Semester Exam Schedule

snapchat: thspublications instagram: thsstudentmedia twitter: @thsstudentmedia facebook: THS Publications aurasma: thsstudentmedia mobile app: TigerTimesOnline

Monday, December 18 8:25-9:50 A1/B1 Exam 9:57-11:03 B2 11:10-1:04 B3 1st lunch 11:10-11:40 2nd lunch 11:52-12:22 3rd lunch 12:34-1:04 1:11-2:18 B4 2:25-3:50 A5/B5 Exam

Tuesday, December 19 8:25-9:45 A2 Exam 9:52-11:12 A3 Exam 11:20-12:40 A4 Exam Wednesday, December 20 8:25-9:45 B2 Exam 9:52-11:12 B3 Exam 11:20-12:40 B4 Exam

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A SNOWFULL OF EXCITEMENT Learn about different activities to do during the holiday season

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

NEWS

photo by a. higgins

SAY MY NAME

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Policy prohibits use of preferred names, nicknames

BY AUDREY HASKINS STAFF WRITER A school policy that prohibits the use of preferred names specifically affects those who are transgender. According to the policy, the school must use students’ official names listed in TEAMS, the district’s data management system.

“We have to follow what’s in TEAMS,” principal Brad Bailey said. “I have asked our faculty and staff to not use nicknames and other names in order to be consistent.”

Texas Education Code 25.0021 requires that a student be identified by his or her legal surname, or last name, as that appears on the birth certificate or other legal document. However, the code does not address first names.

“To be consistent on everything, I sent out an email to all the staff on the first of the year to let [the staff ] know that students have to be called by their regular name,” Bailey said. “We have to follow the policy because if they do call someone else [their preferred name], then it’s like an open door and you’ve gotta do it for everybody.”

However, Bailey said is was permissible to use a shortened version of a name, as long as it isn’t a nickname.

For transgender students, this policy creates an uncomfortable environment where they feel unaccepted. Sophomore Atlas Hines, a transgender student, said he has disassociated himself with his birth name.

“It doesn’t feel like they’re talking to me,” Hines said. “It’s kind of like biting down on a butter knife and then pulling it through your teeth.”

Consistency plays a significant role in the decisions regarding names; however, Hines’ main concern is not focused on a pattern but compromise.

“I know when I was living with my

dad, school was the only time I got called by the name I associated with,” Hines said. “For some people, it’s really important and their only form of being able to deal with anything. If we can’t go by our preferred pronouns, then we have to have a middle ground.”

Transgender students, often desperate for some form of recognition from their educators, find the matter overlooked and thrown into a gray area.

“Gray areas exist because there’s no way to put people into a category that is this or that,” Hines said. “There are ways to do things that can appeal to everybody, and names don’t affect anyone but the person who you are calling them by.”

Using a student’s last name is an alternative option, Bailey said.

“If they don’t want to be called by their first name, then we can call them by their last name, but I think the thing is consistency. I think I was very clear with our teachers on how we need to approach our students,” Bailey said. “You want to respect everybody’s gender identities, but we have to keep in our guidelines and take our personal feelings out of that equation and go by the equation we should follow.”

According to Kali Cohn, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, there is legal support for the rights of transgender students to use preferred names.

“Title IX and FERPA both protect a student’s right to have their appropriate name and pronouns used in school,” Cohn said in an email. “Additionally, the American Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists, and National Association of Secondary School Principals all advise maintaining records consistent with a child’s gender identity.”

Title IX is a federal law that protects transgender students from

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The policy prohibiting the use of preferred names impacts transgender students.

discrimination, bullying and harassment.

Under FERPA, the Family Educational Right and Privacy Act, students (or their parents) have a right to seek to amend school records if they are “inaccurate, misleading or in violation of the student’s right to privacy.”

Since issues that affect transgenders students in public school are relatively new, organizations released guidance documents that address situations that school districts will ultimately face. A document published in March by the Texas Association of School Boards states that transgender students are protected from discrimination.

According to TASB’s “Legal Issues Related to Transgender Students,” transgender students should be permitted to wear clothing that aligns with their gender identity, and school districts should use the preferred name and gender of the transgender student unless specifically prohibited by law.

Districts are legally required to have permanent academic achievement records, transcripts, that include a student’s legal name and gender.

However, the TASB document states, “In contract to permanent records, school districts often verbally address students by, and have non-permanent school records that reflect, preferred names or nicknames that are not a student’s legal first name. A school district should apply this practice equally with transgender

students.”

Bailey said making sure everyone is treated equally and fairly is his top responsibility.

“I am for the students. I’ll do everything I can to make sure everyone is consistent in how we do that,” Bailey said. “I’ll look at what’s legally right and what we have as far as being consistent.”

Hines hopes that change will eventually come.

“Nothing will change if we aren’t doing anything about it,” Hines said. “I guess I can see from his side in the sense that if someone wanted to be called something outrageous, but I’m pretty sure you can play that by ear. Maybe that’s being unfair to ask, but even then, who is it hurting?” Hines said. “I know there are more people who are going to be upset by not being able to go by the only thing that makes them comfortable, than people who have to say a name that they think is weird to say.”

Bailey said policies would be reviewed annually.

“This is a big discussion topic right now, and we are going to evaluate annually to see how things change so that it’s consistent,” Bailey said. “There’s always something we can look at to see if it’s open to change. If there’s a way to do things that is going to make our students feel better, then there’s always an opportunity for that.” audreyhaskins@ tigertimesonline.com

4 NEWS

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

DEFYING THE ODDS

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Administration reinstates organization to create more opportunities, diversity in AP classes

BY MISTY LOPEZ & JOSEPH RODGERS FEATURE EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR The decision must be made once again. A yellow paper with hundreds of choices rests on the table. There’s an academic adviser at the front of the room speaking, but most of what she says is a blur. It’s between advanced placement, dual credit or regular.

Regular sounds like the easiest option.

Regular sounds like what his parents and teachers expect of him. Regular sounds doable with his job. He can’t afford a dual credit course, and he’s “not smart enough” to pass the AP test, so this is his best bet.

Every year, students are faced with choosing the courses they want to take. These decisions will affect their high school careers and possibly follow them into college. The problem is that sometimes students don’t choose courses that reflect their full academic potential.

“We want to get the word out about the courses that we offer to make sure that all student populations know that it is available, and we don’t want anything to deter someone from participating in higher level courses,” said Carla Dupree, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction. “This is an initiative that Brad Bailey, our school principal, has been interested in researching for a

while now. He expressed his interest in getting our students in higher level classes to take active roles in our district and community.”

Because of the desire for a more diverse representation in higher level courses and the support that those students could provide, AP Ambassadors was organized. This organization will provide volunteer opportunities among its members to present the potential benefits of enrolling in higher level courses to the TISD district schools.

“I was at the National AP Conference in Austin, and some teachers from the metroplex were talking about trying to get more inclusion among underrepresented groups in their AP classes,” AP U.S. history teacher Chuck Zach said. “Another school tried it on their campus, and I thought it was something we should pursue, so I brought it back and talked to Mr. Bailey about it.”

Ideas as to how the organization can help each and every student accomplish their goals are currently being discussed.

The main objective is to prepare every student for college and to help them believe that they can be successful.

“We want to offer sessions during the summer on Wednesdays called ‘Donut forget your summer reading,’ and hopefully, we can meet in the library

from 10-12 a.m. We wish to encourage people to come with doughnuts and run a bus to pick up students without transportation so they can come and finish their summer reading in groups,” Dupree said. “What I envision is more of a college environment where our AP and Pre-AP students are supported by [faculty]. I want the AP Ambassador students to set up study sessions before and after school in the library.

Also, during enrichments for each core subject, I would like to have AP Ambassadors in their area of strength so that maybe the younger students who are in that class can sign up for that enrichment and be tutored.”

The announcement of who will be a part of AP Ambassadors will be Jan. 19.

“I’m really excited about it, and I think it’s the perfect time,” Dupree siad. “I’m hoping that students grab their applications which will be turned into a committee that will review them.

We’ll announce AP Ambassadors Jan. 19, and then we’ll start having some organizational meetings. I’m going to reach out to the elementary and middle schools to see if they can host UIL academic events. I’m really excited about the outreach to our younger students in the district.”

The faculty believes that no matter what race, ethnicity, religion or social

class, every student can achieve their goals in school to prepare themselves for their future.

“I think for underrepresented kids, it’s an opportunity for a door to open that they may not realize is sitting there for them,” Zach said. “It’s all about overcoming peer pressure, and earlier hurdles that may have been put in front of them. It opens up a lot of opportunities for kids who are hoping to move onto college,” Zach said. “This year’s classes have been the most diverse that I have seen. I would like to be able to look out over the AP classes that I teach and see a population that’s representative of the entire school. It’s an academic challenge for anybody, and it’s open for anyone.”

The TISD district hopes to see success within the students of the community, and with the guidance and encouragement of AP Ambassadors, that vision can become a reality.

“I think it will be beneficial to the freshmen who have questions,” junior Alliyah Vayson said. “A lot of kids don’t take AP courses because their friends aren’t doing it, so it would be good to have people in AP push them. It’s a great opportunity for kids who don’t know if they want to be in AP or not.” mistylopez@tigertimesonline.com josephrodgers@tigertimesonline.com

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

NEWS

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BY JOSEPH RODGERS NEWS EDITOR They enter the room. The door closes. The delegates take a seat as the chairpersons begin to announce the names of the Member States that they represent. They raise their placards in response.

Model United Nations members traveled to the University of Texas at Tyler on Dec. 4 to compete against other schools at the annual Model UN conference. Model UN students represented the Russian Federation and discussed country policies and found a resolution to a wide array of issues throughout four different committees.

“The conference was so much fun,” junior Davis Miller said. “I got to debate about nuclear dismantlement, so as Russia, we didn’t want a whole lot of that, and our resolution ended up getting approved. It was a very enjoyable way to spend the day.”

This was the first time Model UN students participated in a conference, and to their surprise, they received the award Outstanding Delegation, which is the equivalent of first place.

“I was extremely impressed with our team’s dominant performance,” junior Thomas Strutton said. “I anticipate

submitted photo

Model UN students win award at event

RUSSIAN TO A SOLUTION Sophomore Addison Cross and junior Hannah Klein quickly write a joint-resolution to resolve the Cyber Terrorism issue in the Security Council committee.

the same will occur next year since the majority of our delegates are juniors.”

Model UN was created in December 2016 and is based on a collection of countries that resolve various global problems. The committees that Model UN students represented were the General Assembly, the United Nations

Environmental Assembly, the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization, and the Security Council.

“I was in UNESCO, and we debated education for sustainable development.

I was a bit nervous because I had no idea how the other delegates were going to be,” sophomore Logan Revalee said.

“After we started, we got to know the policies of the other countries and collaborated on a joint resolution, which was unanimously voted upon. Although we had some disagreements over policies, it was a good experience in regards to cooperation and adaptability, and it was a fun and memorable experience overall.”

Model UN students believe that the researching, debating and resolutionwriting skills will help them throughout high school, college and beyond.

“Staying up to date politically is important to me, and researching for Model UN has kept me informed about current events, ” junior Hannah Klein said. “I like learning about the perspectives of different countries. Being required to debate has also helped me work toward becoming a better public speaker.”

Model UN students are hopeful that the experience that the conference has given them will help them in future conferences, and even possibly to host their own conference in the future.

“As for the location of our conferences, it is not a concern for me,” Strutton said. “I just want to continue having good results, and I think it would be an accomplishment for us if we hosted our own conference in the future.” josephrodgers@tigertimesonline.com

6 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

LEAVE ME MY NAME

Ambiguous policy works against individual freedoms

EDITORIAL

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Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX (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.

illustration by m. debenport

We all feel in limbo at school. We feel our energy drained and our mental health sapped by social and academic expectations, but we each have an identity we call our own–at least a large majority does–and our names are a primary part of that identity. The school policy that forbids the use of preferred names disenfranchises some Download the students and should be AURASMA app changed. from the App State law requires that Store or Google schools use a student’s Play to hear legal last name. It also what students requires that official have to say documents, like about this issue. transcripts, contain the Search for the student’s full legal name thsstudentmedia and gender. It does not channel. address first names, leaving schools able to create their own policies.

At the beginning of the year, teachers received instruction to use only the name

in TEAMS, the school’s data management system. Shortened versions of names, like Will for William, are acceptable. This puts transgender students at a disadvantage, making them feel as though their identities are not respected by the school system.

While the policy is meant to promote consistency, it limits the opportunities for students whose names are not aligned with their gender identity. This puts these students in uncomfortable and embarrassing situations that interfere with the learning environment.

Another problem with the policy is that it’s too loosely used. Some students have been known by their nicknames since they began attending school, so this makes them more easily transferred to the school environment where teachers and administrators use them. Students with foreign or difficult to pronounce names can have preferred names that are accepted without question. However, the issue is frequently avoided when it comes to students with non-conforming gender identities.

The solution is simple: a name change form. Parents could request that their child’s

preferred name be added to TEAMS. Other schools in Texas and around the country have already implemented them. The obvious limitation of a name change form is that students whose parents do not submit a form cannot use a preferred name. However, this is a step in the right direction.

There may occasionally be a parent who turns in a form with a nickname that seems a little outrageous by traditional standards, but these instances are likely to be minimal. When they do happen, they can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

This policy disenfranchises not only the students with non-conforming gender identities but also students who prefer their popularized nicknames. Administrators and teachers are caught in this gray area between policy and performance: no one knows what is right, so nothing is done.

Principal Brad Bailey said that policies are reviewed annually. If this one comes up, and it should, administrators should be looking to improve such policy so that it supports a healthy learning environment for all of us who walk the halls of Texas High.

editors in chief-print Colton Johnson, Eleanor Schroeder editors in chief-online Celeste Anderson, Langley Leverett managing editor Jay Williamson news editors Lois LeFors, Joseph Rodgers viewpoint editors Craig Crawford, Lindsey Egger feature editors Misty Lopez, Jhovany Perez sports editors Connor Brooks, John Morgan, Matt Prieskorn entertainment editors Madison Brown, Victoria Van advertising Maddie Anderson copy editors Paisley Allen, Emily McMaster photo editor Kaitlyn Gordon video editor Katie Biggar staff writers April Alvarado, Emma Anderson, Maddie Anderson, Joseph Asher, Katie Biggar, Hollan Borowitz, Jackson Cheney, Addison Cross, Margaret Debenport, Savannah Downs, Amanda Garmon, Maddie Gerrald, Autumn Golden, Jenny Gonzalez, Kaitlyn Gordon, Audrey Haskins, Alyssa Higgins, Grey Johnson, Anna Grace Jones, Molly Kyles, Andrea Loredo, Matthew Martin, Nick Mitchell, Cameron Murry, Connor Powell, Alexis Runnels, Emilee Slayton, Greylyn Tidwell, TJ Wall, Jenna Williamson photographers Breannan Cranford, Rivers Edwards, Alyssa Higgins, Anna Kate Jordan, Dawson Kelley, Alyssa Kift, Grace McGuire, Auryeal Parker, Holland Rainwater, Rachel Sizemore, Angela Valle, Laurel Wakefield videographers Cameron Alcorn, Kara Jefferies, Taimoor Malik, Karson McDonald, John Morgan, Eleanor Schroeder, Emilee Slayton, Sarah Stark, Joseph Rodgers advisers Rebecca Potter, Clint Smith principal Brad Bailey members ILPC, CSPA, NSPA

8 VIEWPOINT

A DISTASTE

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

FOR ALCOHOL

Effects of alcohol, abuse leave lasting impact The rain came from nowhere. Each droplet fell to the rhythm of my pounding heart and the intakes of my panting. I had begged him to stop, we all had, but that bottle of poison possessed him. It was too late.

This summer was the best summer I’ve ever had. I saw my family, and it couldn’t have been more perfect, but of course, every rainbow has its storm.

The day seemed normal at my brother’s house. It was my niece’s first birthday; it was time for celebration. We left for my sister’s house, stopping at Target to get a gift for her baby. I was so excited because for the first time in four years, I would get to be with the family in my hometown: the niece I never got to see and my brother, now out of jail.

Upon arrival, everything was running smoothly. We had a cookout, music and babies everywhere. But, like always, there was alcohol. I remember vodka, whiskey, tequila–anything, you name it.

By that point in my life, alcohol had been something I wasn’t too fond of.

The party continued. My brother and my dad weren’t on the best of terms, but my sister and I still wanted the family together for the baby’s first birthday, so we invited him. I hadn’t thought anything of it. I just thought they would bond and it’d all be OK. But I forgot that my brother was starting to get drunk,

and it worried me that if he saw my dad, a side of him that only alcohol can summon would be unleashed.

When my dad got there, my brother invited him to drink. The night went on.

They drank, they sang, they yelled, they cried, they drank. They morphed into different people, but I wasn’t worrying.

My sister began cleaning, and everyone helped. People were leaving, only a select few were there, mainly family, and all the children were inside.

My brother, thinking that the party was over, called for his daughter, my niece and me and told us that we were leaving. He could barely stand or talk, so of course, I told him no, that I didn’t think he was in the best state to be driving us home. That was a mistake.

Even though it was risky to defy him, I stood my ground. He yelled and cursed in protest, thinking that we were taking his daughter away, but we were only trying to protect ourselves. My sister began to argue with him, enraged.

He took the butcher knife they used to cut the meat and stabbed it into one of the tables. He flipped the grill, the chairs and began breaking things. My sister’s husband, angry at what my brother had done, told him to leave. My brother, threatened, turned around and sucker punched him.

At that moment, they began to fight

and slammed into the garden that was behind them. Everyone then ran in — my aunt, my uncle, my sister — all of them, except for me. All I could do was scream for them to stop because my brother had pulled out his pocketknife and no one noticed. I grabbed a small pole from the canopy and began to hit his hand trying to make him lose grip of the knife. But it didn’t work.

My dad turned around from the fighting to grab a pipe. All down his arms was blood. I had to contain myself from crying. Once he had the pipe, my dad tried to hit my sister’s husband, but he backlashed at my dad with his fist.

While looking around, I saw my sister with blood down her arms. I wasn’t sure if it was my dad’s or hers. But then I saw my uncle with blood too. I was confused and nauseated.

My brother got up with the knife still in his hand, smiling. I ran to him, and I looked him in the eyes. Crying, barely able to breath and scared, I begged him to stop. But what he did still haunts me — he just laughed in my face. He then left, and so did my dad, because my sister had called the cops but her husband was rampaging, so he ran with the pipe to where my brother had gone. And I grabbed a pipe to stop him, but when I got there my brother had sped off. He had hit my brother with the metal pipe

photo illustration by a. kift

on his head. My brother was drunk, blind without his glasses and hurt.

I spent that night shocked, afraid that someone could’ve died, afraid that my brother would go to jail again. We got to the hospital: my sister needed five stitches, my uncle five too, My dad told us that he needed seven, my sister’s husband busted a lip and banged up her hand. My brother broke his ankle and bruised his head. So yes, I spent the night in the hospital, waiting for everyone to get fixed up. I had a panic attack, and needed someone to talk to.

I have a problem with people who abuse alcohol, and I’m not saying that it was my brother’s fault or that it wasn’t.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It happened, and everyone was under the influence.

We’re all victims to our own needs.

No one was who they usually were, and that’s the thing with drinking. You don’t know who you are, you don’t know what’s going on, and you say and do things that you may regret for the rest of your life.

Alcohol has always been a real issue, it always will be. I can’t stop it, this story is one of many that have happened, and will continue to happen, but if anyone ever reads this, think of your family.

Think of your life because a night with a few drinks, can turn into a life or death situation. writter wishes to remain anonymous

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM I WITNESSED

Encounters with Clintons leaves lasting impressions

BY HOLLAN BOROWITZ STAFF WRITER A little girl stands attentively and looks up hopefully at the podium.

Her mom says, “This woman is very important.”

“Why is she important?” the child asks.

“Her husband was president until right before you were born, and she could be the first woman president.”

That little girl was me. And the woman on the stage was Hillary Clinton.

Since I was a toddler, I have had an affiliation with the Clinton family. My aunt worked directly with Hillary and Bill. She prayed and prayed that Hillary would win the 2016 election because she wanted to get a White House internship for me.

When Obama was in office, she took me on a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor. She brought me to Washington, D.C. to see Pope Francis on his first official visit to the United States. More than anything, however, she loved to take me to Clinton functions around Texarkana where she could get me backstage and expose me at an early age to the expansive world of politics.

I’ve listened to Hillary and Bill talk countless times. I’ve picked apart what they’ve said and taken it to heart. I’ve done my homework on what affects our government today. I’ve learned to see through the veil of politics and into the heart of the human on stage.

When I first met Bill, he showed true character.

I was in Little Rock, Arkansas with my little brother and some family friends at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park, known to us informally as the Clinton Library. We were just skimming the aisles of books when we saw a mass of men in black suits walk in the side door of the building. The Secret Service.

They marched perfectly in step in a neat square around somebody unknown to us. All we saw was a hand sticking up out of the group in a light blue sweatshirt, gently waving at the library visitors.

As the group passed us, the man in the middle asked the group to stop. He broke free of them and showed himself to us.

“Hey guys!” Bill said. “How are you doing today?”

We were stunned! Not once did he stop smiling.

Not once did he give any sign of insincerity.

Not once did he show distaste with us children scrambling to get in position for a picture. Not once would I have guessed a man could be so kind to four unsuspecting kids and their parents. That was the real, human Bill Clinton.

My experiences with Hillary have been nothing shy of wonderful, either.

In July 2015, I attended the annual JeffersonJackson Dinner in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Hillary headlined the fundraising dinner for the Democratic Party of Arkansas. Due to connections

POWERFUL IMPRESSION Along with her aunt, Betsy Lavender, sophomore Hollan Borowitz has her photo made with former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

my aunt had, I was able to go behind the stage where the Clintons were. I got to speak with Hillary in an informal way, and the person I met was not at all the “cold-hearted, impersonal politician” people take her to be.

First and foremost, she recognized me. She remembered me from my aunt, and she called me by name. I’m one of thousands of people she’s met, yet she remembered an almost insignificant 14 year old girl.

Next, she gave me a warm, inviting hug. Hillary has a genuine aura that flutters around her, and I went from quaking in my boots to calm in the presence of someone with enormous influence in our country. The swift change brought about by simple actions told me that there was a motherly side to Hillary that is not all business.

Finally, she thanked me for being there and for being involved so early. After taking our picture, she told me that she was proud of me for taking advantage of my civil duties to learn about politics and that I would grow up to do great things.

Respectful, genuine and loving. That is the Hillary Clinton I know.

The Clintons are more than the projected image of the political family you see speaking about our great nation on television. They are personable, inviting people who left an impression on me so great that it has influenced my view on politics as a whole.

There is a person behind the one you see on television. There is a set of good intentions behind everything they do. There is a heart for our great country beating proudly behind the words speaking to crowds nationwide.

The Clintons are people, not a party, with genuine personalities and a love for the United States, and we should treat them as such. hollanborowitz@tigertimesonline.com

VIEWPOINT

When I Knew...

I WANTED TO BE A HUMANITARIAN

BY CRAIG CRAWFORD VIEWPOINT EDITOR My experience with grief began at an early age.

The events leading up to May 17, 2007, are still hazy to me. I could not have known then the hardship of losing a loved one. I could not have known at 7 how hard it is to live and love life. My mother was clenching my hand, pulling me from the car to the hospital. I could not have known how little time there was when I tugged away from her because she pulled too hard.

My last grandfather–the other died before I was born–passed away sometime that day.

We expect to grieve. We expect the grief to test and reshape us into fundamentally better people.

We expect that the funeral will be the maw of the beast, the meat grinder that gnaws off our bad parts and leaves the bones of a better person. But grief can be obliterative, make us literally crazy and keep us up at night trying to close the holes in our hearts.

My biggest regret is not knowing how important it is to cherish the living. He was the man that took me fishing, taught me how to draw and took me on rides in his truck. On the day of his death, I failed to recognize him for who he was to me. This was my first heartache, and if not my first, my most important.

The worst part of waking up with heartache is that we are forced to be normal, to submit to an impassible earth of callous people. We must assimilate to the imperturbable routine of a world where “normal” is as insensitive to both the rich and poor, who experience irrepressible grief and indigestible heartache.

And I never really knew how far away and out of reach people are from each other until he died, until I saw my mother cry for the first time, until I saw how there are dinner seats that stay empty for years, until we laid tombstones in the backyard.

Sylvia Plath said, “Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies,” and I don’t necessarily know if death is the drawbridge from childhood to adulthood, from fantasy to reality, but I certainly know that there are people out there up at night trying to close the holes in their heart, and we can’t always do it by ourselves.

Whether I am a doctor, a writer, a musician, it is not important, because I can help people: I can give them a smile, a kind word, a dollar or two. I knew I wanted to be a humanitarian when I realized I can give them a piece of their heart back. craigcrawford@tigertimesonline.com

Submit a story about a memory that defined your life for a chance to get it published in the newspaper’s “When I Knew” column. It should not be longer than a page and needs to have your name on it. Email your story to lindseyegger@tigertimesonline.com or craigcrawford@tigertimesonline.com

9

10 VIEWPOINT

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017 photo by a. jordan

A CONDITION IN ROUGH CONDITIONS

Student teaches from struggles with diabetes

BY CELESTE ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Walking into Randy Sams, it’s almost impossible not to see someone nod his head toward me or give me a warm, welcoming smile. The residents pile toward the front of the shelter, eager to see what the entertaining lesson of the night holds. But this lesson is different. It is not teaching residents how to apply for a job, how to build their resume or even about buying an apartment.

My first visit to Randy Sams was nerve wracking. I wasn’t used to talking to a couple people at once, much less a whole shelter full. I smiled at both the skeptical and excited faces as I started the “lesson”: a diabetes education class.

Most people don’t realize the work, determination and expense that goes into managing this disease. Even worse, others brush it off as a non serious disease. ‘They did it to themselves,’ I hear them say. ‘Maybe if they hadn’t eaten so much junk.’ ‘Why am I supposed to feel bad for someone who didn’t take care of themselves in the first place.’ These people are all wrong.

Terribly and horribly wrong. Most of the time, diabetes is caused by genetic and environmental factors, with a small percentage based on lifestyle choices, such as unhealthy eating, but this is only prevalent in one type.

There are two different types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and has no bearing whatsoever on what the person ate or how he took care of himself. It strikes at random times to random people, and it is non preventable and non curable. I’m entirely sure that a two-month-old baby did not get type 1 diabetes from eating too much fried chicken. Type 2 diabetes generally strikes adults and most often relies on genetics or whether there have been previous cases in the familial line. This type is also caused by diet and exercise, but I repeat that this is not the sole reason.

Because of the misinformation and the lack of care, some residents, specifically the diabetics at the shelter, find themselves lost. Additionally, many are so focused on basic survival that their health takes a back seat, and their lives are in peril. To counteract this problem, I

“Because of the misinformation and the lack of care, some residents, specifically the diabetics at the shelter, find themselves lost. Additionally, many are so focused on basic survival that their health takes a back seat, and their lives are in peril.”

A HELPING HAND Senior Celeste Anderson devotes time to teach and inform the residents of Randy Sams Outreach Shelter about diabetes.

started a small group for shelter residents who have diabetes, are interested in diabetes or who want to help their diabetic friends. We talk to each other and learn from each other. We share our experience. We support each other. I also take this time to ask the group if they’ve heard something about diabetes that they wanted to make sure was factual.

Unfortunately, not all group meetings have positive stories. There have been people who have lost their feet because of diabetic complications, or worse, their lives. There are people who don’t know what type of diabetes they have, which is of paramount importance in insulin and medication. There are people who have been to the hospital because of complications many times and are told

not to come back simply because they are homeless.

When I say that I learn from the residents, I am truly being honest. They make me grateful for all that I have, including insurance to cover the extreme costs of diabetes. My small group also puts me back in my place.

As we all do, I sometimes get caught in the material things of life, such as wanting a new laptop or nice clothes.

However, the residents of the shelter often pull me back to earth in terms of what’s important and what’s not. Because of them, I go to sleep at night thankful for the people and health that I have rather than bitter about what I don’t have. celesteanderson@tigertimesonline.com

BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE What it’s like to not belong to a group I don’t recall the first time I knew race was a thing. Sure, I walked in the numerous mosaics of people, picked out the perfect Barbie doll that looked exactly like me and even drew pictures, with different colored crayons, depicting our diverse skin colors. I knew there was a difference.

But if I had to pick a specific time in my life, I would say that third grade was the first time that the world’s assorted shades of skin colors had an actual meaning in my young mind. However, it wasn’t until I was in the sixth grade that I truly understood what those array of shades meant.

I’m here to tell you my personal experience of living in a world were blacks and whites specifically have a divide. A world that I am stuck in the middle of.

Just to clarify, yes, I am black. That’s right, Black, African American, non-

MADISON BROWN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

white. Whatever you want to call me just know I’m black. You can ask my biological parents, look at my skin color, do whatever you need to do to stick this fact in your brain. This is not debatable, point blank.

Throughout my life, numerous people have told me, “Don’t worry. You’re one of us.” They’d laugh and pat me on my back as if this was a congratulatory moment, something to celebrate. They would say, “It’s a compliment,” and expect me to smile, nod my head and agree. I have for most of my life. I’ve smiled back, nodded my head and agreed with all of these statements, happy to be included in something. Except I’m not included in this group. This group is assembled by people who are not like me. They are

white. I am not.

I don’t blame whites for assuming that I am like them. In today’s society, if you are black and act the way I do, then you’re are considered to be “acting white.”

However throughout my 17 years on this earth, I cannot see how this is possible.

What exactly is “acting white?” If you try to justify this phase by saying “You speak proper” or “You don’t act ghetto” then you’d be implying that every black person is uncultured. Not only is this offensive but it’s stereotypical. Not every black person is poor just like not every white person lives in a mansion. Not every black person can cook just like not every white person hunts. There are a variety of people with a variety of lifestyles in every race.

Don’t get me wrong, white people aren’t the only ones who classify me with a race that is not my own. Black people have criticized the way I dress, the way I talk, my taste in music and just about everything that makes me who I am.

Because I do not listen to rap music, have a preference for watermelon or Kool-aid, I am not considered black.

Because I wear Kendra Scott necklaces, take AP classes, and take dance lessons, I am considered white. I understand that these are abnormalities and that the majority of people I spend my time with are white: however this does not make me one of them. This is who I am, but I am not accepted; I am different.

The truth is that I’m not accepted in either racial group. White people expect me to see the world through their eyes; however, my personal experiences do not allow this. Black people see me as a traitor or high and mighty, as if I am too good for my own race.

I live my life split between who I am and how everyone else sees me. I can’t escape it. In this society, I am a white person, trapped inside a black person’s body. An “oreo” who wants the world to look past its outside appearance and just enjoy what’s inside. I know that I am not the only one who feels this way, but this story never gets told, only mentioned.

I just hope that one day, the racial divisions will blur and we could all just be ourselves, without the stereotypes. madisonbrown@tigertimesonline.com

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

FEATURE

A CAPTURED

“Don’t let people say you can’t do this, don’t pay attention, burst through and go on your journey.”

DREAM Teenager starts photography business

TAKE YOUR SHOT Sophomore Oren Smith prepares his camera to achieve the best image possible.

BY JENNY GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER No emails. The following day repeats with the same news, no emails. Each dreaded day slowly passes by. Every time there’s nothing but the words inside his head telling him don’t give up, this is just the beginning.

Sophomore Oren Smith’s love for photography sparked around the eighth grade, and last year, he began his own business as a photographer.

“I was in a photoshop class that I didn’t want to be inat first. I thought it wasn’t going be fun, but it turned out to be amazing,” Smith said. It was really interesting seeing what you can do with pictures, and how it reflects art itself. You can show many emotions in one picture.”

With the help of his parents, Smith was able to begin a new chapter in his life

photo by d. kelley

pursuing what he loved.

“My parents are friends with a photographer and they showed my pictures to [the photographer],” Smith said. “He bought me my first camera, and it was all awesome. Later for my birthday,

[my parents] bought me a professional camera. I bursted into tears of joy upon receiving it because I was so excited to start.”

Like any other business, it started out small, and while things didn’t seem to be

A WORK OF ART

BY JHOVANY PEREZ FEATURE EDITOR The paint brush glides across the small crevices of her artwork as she adds every detail possible. Her imagination soars as she interprets someone else’s idea, an idea she turns into a masterpiece. Junior Mckenzie Brown began in middle school doing commissions for people who desire an art piece and henceforth began a mini-business.

“I started doing my first commission in 8th grade,” Brown said. “My first piece for commission was a colored pencil drawing of my teacher’s baby.”

Although painting all started as entertainment, her passion manifested into something else.

“I began doing commissions as a hobby,” Brown said. “I love art, and I myself could never think of topics to paint, so it was nice to paint what others envisioned.”

Brown makes sure that her work environment is always in optimal conditions, so that every art piece is made

to her best ability.

“The amount of time I spend on a piece is always different,” Brown said.

“It depends on the amount of free time I have, the access to good lighting, the motivation I have to work on the piece, and most importantly what it is I am drawing or painting.”

Even though most of her pieces seem to be simple and straightforward, there is a whole process in which the artwork goes through that is anything but simple.

“When given a new commission, I am typically told to take the person’s general idea and make it my own,” Brown said.

“The people want their ideas out on a canvas, but they don’t know how to display it, so they use me to show that.

When I approach a piece, I start with brainstorming sketches. I decide on what ideas work and ones that don’t. The hardest part of every artwork is getting started.”

A job can be associated with stress, but Brown doesn’t have this issue with her commissions, it’s rather quite the opposite.

“I generally enjoy commissions,”

11

going very well at first, they started to get better as more people knew about the photography business.

“It started up slow, as a normal business. I started advertising by wordof-mouth and gained two to three customers who told me, ‘You have to get your marketing out,’” Smith said. “Now I go home and I have at least 20 emails from people that are interested.”

Smith manages to find a way to balance his photography work, school and extracurricular activities.

“A lot of people look at me and think, ‘Wow, he’s got it easy,’ or, ‘He is managing all of his time.’ Well, it’s harder than it seems. I have a planner specifically for photography, and I have to work around school and maintain my grades,” Smith said. “You look at everything to see how much you have to keep up with.

I have to manage my time and remember to stay organized.”

Even though at first it was a struggle, Smith learned to organize his time and not let obstacles interfere with what he aspires to do.

“Go for your dreams. Don’t stress about it because if you stress you are going to just break down and give up, and you never want to give up,” Smith said. “Go after what you want and continue. Don’t let people say you can’t do something.

Don’t pay attention to them, but instead burst through and go on your journey.” jennygonzalez@tigertimesonline.com

Junior earns profit from bringing visions to life through artwork

Brown said. “I am taken out of my comfort zone when I am given new topics I have never encountered, and I grow as an artist because of that.”

With school and another job at Chicken Express, Brown has been working on commissions more slowly than usual.

“I have done around 20 commissions.

It is hard to fit them around my busy schedule so I have not done as many as I would like,” Brown said. “I think that due to my busy schedule I won’t have as much time as I initially planned, but I will always find free time to make art and hopefully profit from it.”

Brown loves art, but the

world sadly doesn’t value art as an occupations. This has led Brown down a different path.

“I’ve always wanted to be a tattoo artist, but I think being a nurse practitioner is more practical. Nursing will take up much of my time in the future” Brown said. “I love art and I feel it is very benefiting to me, but I don’t think it’s what’s going to get me through life.’ jhovanyperez@tigertimesonline.com

SCULPTING IT Junior Mckenzie Brown morphs clay into the shape of a head with precision for an art project.

photo by a.valle

real

12 FEATURE

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

STRUCK BY A SMOOTH DANCER

BY VICTORIA VAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

GROOVING TO THE MUSIC Freshman Jurman Williams shows off his skill and love for dancing at a school pep rally.

photo by a.valle

JURMAN’S PLAYLIST • “Whatcha Mean” by Lecrae • “Come and Get Me” by Lecrae • “GDFR” by Flo Rida • “Gameface” by KJ 52 • “DNA” by Kendrick Lamar • “Bounce Back” by Big Sean • “Green Lights” by NF • “Beat It” by Michael Jackson • “Congratulations” by Post Malone

Background music is heard as a striking figure begins to move his body, never once going off beat and producing a spring to his step that cannot be hindered. For every movement he makes, cheers echo from the audience as they continue to be awed.

Freshman Jurman Williams actively seeks to bring joy to the students around campus by dancing and finding other ways to improve everyone’s overall mood.

His desire to manifest an eager smile by being himself enables his hobby to be more than a trivial pursuit.

The first venture into the world of dance and music for Williams began in first grade when his public display of dancing to a popular song garnered attention from his classmates. An unfamiliar emotion overwhelmed him, establishing a sense of happiness unknown to him.

“When I was in first grade and they put on Michael Jackson’s song, ‘Beat It,’ my body started moving,” Williams said.

“I had never danced before, so all of a sudden, I got up and started dancing. I got the beats of the music and the flow going through my body. The next day, I found out that they actually had me in the school newspaper.”

Since transitioning from the small bubble of middle school, Williams has found the importance of maintaining his responsibility of a growing happiness within the student body.

“People react differently, but since I’ve come to high school, I’ve been making people’s day. It made me realize that I should be doing it more because I love seeing people happy,” Williams said.

“My number one goal every single day is to make someone smile. When people smile, it signals the key to happiness.”

Williams’s admiration for the art of dance stemmed from a place of underlying negativity in his life. His striving attitude toward reaching his goal by using negativity as an accelerating factor helped shape his philosophy in life.

“I let all that pain, hurt and agony go because at that moment, I’m being myself no matter what people say,” Williams said. “I don’t let the things people say about me stop my positive thinking.

The bad things they say shouldn’t stop you from reaching your goal either. If anything, use that to encourage you to do better than how they’re doing.”

A release of suppressed emotions strike Williams in a way that many can relate to in all creative aspects. While others write, paint, sing and invent, Williams finds comfort in dancing to melodious music.

“Over time, I started finding music that connected to the circumstances in my life and chose to follow that into making people feel my emotions,” Williams said. “I feel very free when I’m dancing to the point where there’s nothing bothering me.”

Tragedy has shaped Williams’ life through the death of his mother and led to a transitional state of not knowing the direction of his life. Outside

Freshman hopes to provide happiness through dance influences impact Williams in a positive manner to aid in his search to alleviate stress and move forward in his endeavors.

“When I lived with my mom, I felt very physically and mentally abused, but now none of that ever happens,” Williams said. “Now, I live in a good, stable environment filled with happiness where I reflect on the past and still move forward with my life.”

Perspectives about the necessity of maintaining one’s individuality with no limits widen as Williams unearths his message about keeping faith in the Lord.

“Every single day, people talk down to me and I want to give the message that no matter if it hurts, no matter what people do to you, always stay true to yourself, always know that what people can say will impact them in their life and keep God in your heart. There’s always a way to be free, and I use dancing to express the hidden emotions within myself.” victoriavan@tigertimesonline.com

photo by a. valle

DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT Astounding the audience, freshman Jurman Williams smoothly drops his body to the music during a pep rally.

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

COMMUNITY

campus

EXPERIENCE THE

SCHEDULE A VISIT TODAY! WWW.TAMUT.EDU | 903.223.3000 7101 UNIVERSITY AVE., TEXARKANA TX

13

14 INDEPTH

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU

HACKING INTO YOUR LIFE

BY ELEANOR SCHROEDER & CELESTE ANDERSON EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

SOPHIE LOWER 12 “I went to a gas station to buy a package of gum before school, and I paid for it with my debit card. It was only like $1, but by the time I got to second period, my dad texted me and asked me why I had spent over $100 that morning. I said, ‘I hadn’t, I just bought some gum.’ Somebody stole my card number and had been using my card to buy things, and I had to cancel it and get a new one.”

ANNA MORGAN 12

graphic by l. leverrett

page by c. johnson

“I was out-of-state interning for a company, and my mom texted me and asked if I had made any purchases online, but I had not spent any money at all in the past two weeks.

She told me that there was an order for a $1 sticker on my account. I called the bank because I was suspicious. They said that my identity might have been stolen because what criminals sometimes do is make a cheap purchase to test your card and see if it works, and if it doesn’t, they will move on to another card. Since my card went through, they were probably going to spend more on it. It was a good thing that we caught it then because they could have spent a lot more money.”

N

ame. Date of Birth. Address. Age. Gender. Ethnicity.

Social Security Number. Fingerprint. Insurance Numbers. Bank account information. These attributes make up our identities. We are classified by these qualifications, and they make each individual distinct from the next person. But what happens when the very components that make up who you are are taken away?

In today’s age of rapidly advancing technology, the world of crime is concurrently becoming more progressive, making it more difficult for civilians to avoid victimization. These faceless offenders singlehandedly have the ability to deprive the innocent of everything they own– most significantly their identity.

Many people have misconceptions regarding the typical ways in which a thief acquires their private information. Many think that a criminal has to physically have a credit card or the victim’s information in his hand. Others believe that filling out online scams or practically giving away their information are the only way to steal someone’s identity. However, the potential to compromise security is present in all of these situations and more.

“When you are talking about identity theft, you are talking about something that you are not even aware of a lot of the time until you know several months down the road,” said Shawn Vaughn, Public Information Officer for the Texarkana, Texas Police Department.

“It’s not unusual for somebody to come and dumpster dive from the trash that you leave out on the curve and pull out credit card offers that you’ve gotten or go through your mailbox before you have the opportunity to check it. Quite honestly, most of the time it’s just somebody that has come across your information.”

Using the same technology that is found in debit card chip scanners, felons have created skimmers that they hide inside card readers at places such as gas stations. They can be so small that they are completely unseen or undetectable.

“We were posting several weeks ago on our social media about skimmers, where you swipe your credit

card at the gas pump or the Redbox or something similar to that,” Vaughn said. “If there’s a skimmer, the culprits are actually collecting your information from your credit card.”

At these stations, you would theoretically drive up to a pump and insert your card. If a skimmer had been placed there, the card would most likely be declined, so you would think the pump was malfunctioning and simply move to the next pump. However, a criminal nearby could possibly be watching and waiting until a few people have swiped their cards, yet it was actually copying their information.

“We’ve not had any skimmers that we have located or found locally here because, traditionally, they’ve only been on the machines for 15 to 20 minutes,” Vaughn said. “They’re not left for a long period of time and usually the thief is nearby anyway, so if a cop pulls up, the thief would probably find a way to pull it out before anybody knew anything about it.”

Also, some skimmers have become able to use Bluetooth so that someone could be across the parking lot and electronically retrieve the card information. In this case anyone could be a victim.

“They say that if you check your Bluetooth on your phone and you tell it to connect or look for discoverable items and you come up with one that is just a long series of numbers and letters that makes no sense, then there is a possibility that there may be a skimmer in use somewhere in range,” Vaughn said.

“We aren’t sure how accurate the Bluetooth trick is because all it is going to do is say that there is a possibility of something being there. You may want to think twice about using Bluetooth. Also, physically pull on the machine to see if it’s loose.”

In addition to skimmers, there are cases of restaurant employees taking someone’s card and copying or taking a picture of the information when they’re supposed to be using it to pay the bill. The only way to monitor this is to check your statements every month.

“If you’re at a restaurant and you hand your card off to the waitress and she walks back there, she doesn’t even have to have a skimmer,” said Christian Pool, Director of Risk Management at Red River Credit Union. “She can take a picture of your card on her phone and have your card information. It really does

happen. You have to be safe with the information on your card.”

When you are protecting your identity, the most time-consuming yet necessary process is the constant attention to the charges on your cards. If you notice a purchase that is unfamiliar or strange, you should notify your bank as soon as possible.

“It’s kind of unfair because there’s a time limit after you know that your credit card information has been stolen,” Vaughn said. “If you notify the bank within two days, then your liability is limited to $50. If you don’t and wait just five days, your liability jumps up to $500. After 60 days you are completely on the hook for whatever the charge was. Don’t be afraid to challenge any statements you don’t recognize or don’t remember making.”

Because there is a limited amount of physical evidence available from the crimes, the police must rely on bank records tracking the purchases made on the stolen card and surveillance video.

“We have a lot of what we call frequent flyers,” Vaughn said. “We spend 80 percent of our time dealing with 20 percent of the population. Because of this, a lot of times, if the detective has a case, they can send the picture out over an email to their colleagues who many times can identify them. If that doesn’t work, they will send the picture to me, and I’ll send it out on social media. A lot of times, civilians will identify the suspect out of a sense of civic responsibility or because Crime Stoppers will pay them up to $1,000.”

Due to the competition and increased police attention, thieves have begun targeting certain groups, especially the elderly and teenagers.

“On the internet, there are drawings that you can fill out,” Pool said. “The drawings usually ask for your email or you might get an email from Walmart or some other store that says you’ve won a $100 gift card and they ask you to fill out some information. These identity thieves are smart and it can look exactly like an email from Walmart, and that’s a way that they can steal your identity.”

Some may say that online forms are an obvious scam, but little do they know that thieves lurk behind many trusted internet websites.

15

Advancing technology increases the need for indentity theft precautions “Always make sure the lock is in the browser and make sure you’re on a secure website,” Pool said. “[Identity thieves] are very smart, especially with computer technology. There are some websites that even may have that lock there. It’s gotten so bad that the thieves know how to make the locks look identical, and make sure that everything has the disclosures that say that the website you are on is safe and secure. You may want to call the phone number on the website if it makes you that nervous.”

If you notice that your debit or credit card has been compromised because a small amount of money is taken, it often just takes a quick trip to the bank to get a new card.

“In some cases, we will encourage you to close your account and get a new one,” Pool said. “We can stop that card and get you a new one, and it won’t affect your account. When [identity thieves] take that debit card information, they’re not taking your account number, so we don’t necessarily have to close your account out. You can still have your account number and just get a new card.”

For someone to get his or her identity back or to mend the effects of a long-lost stolen credit card, the process if often long and arduous.

“When you realize that your identity or credit card have been compromised, you need to go to the police department and report it,” Pool said. “We will advise you to report it to one of the three credit bureaus. If you notify one, it notifies all three, and you can put a restriction on your credit. That way, when a merchant or a lender pulls up your Social Security number, they will have an alert on there that you’re a victim of identity theft.”

The best tip is to be vigilant in protecting your information and when using debit or credit cards.

“I’ve actually come to the conclusion that if somebody wants to do something bad enough they’re going to figure out a way to do it,” Vaughn said.

“You just [have to] try to be on guard as much as you possibly can to avoid being that person that they victimize.” eleanorshroeder@tigertimesonline.com celesteanderson@tigertimesonline.com

FALSE SENSE

F SECURITY

16 FEATURE

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

What is

Net Neutrality?

The assertion that the internet should remain a free and open public utility, and should not be controlled by corporate interests.

the GREAT DEBATE

for NET NEUTRALITY

FCC to vote on repeal of internet regulations today

What you need to know:

On Dec. 14, the FCC will vote on the current Net Neutrality rules, and whether or not they will be repealed.

WHO

ISP’s

FCC

WHAT OPINION provide consumers with internet

regulates communications via radio, television, wire, satellite and cable

AGAINST

AGAINST

USE THE INTERNET YOU DECIDE

How will the internet change and effect others if the vote passes?

ISP’s want to charge consumers for different content, and they could possibly block certain websites that don’t fall under package deals.

The new regulations could potentially widen the digital divide between economic demographics.

55 percent of the world’s population has no internet access. page by l. leverett

BY LANGLEY LEVERETT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF He scrolls through his Reddit feed, eyes glazing over from the lack of interesting content. There is a streaming podcast in the background, a song playing from Youtube on the monitor and every so often, a text message will sound through.

Although, when a red image with white bold letters slide past the home page of Reddit, he stops. He scrolls back. He reads. The post reads: “URGENT. If you’re not freaking out about Net Neutrality, you’re not paying attention.”

On Nov. 21, the Federal Communications Commission’s chairman, Ajit Pai, announced a plan that would rollback democratic rulings during Obama’s presidency regarding internet regulations.

In early 2015, the former FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, worked to prevent the internet from becoming overrun with business interests, and to instead remain a free and open public utility. In classifying broadband internet as a common carrier under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, it resulted in pushing the internet into the realms of federal management.

This order from Wheeler extended the internet’s Net Neutrality in the US. However, shortly afterward these orders, internet service providers like Verizon and ComCast challenged this order in court, but it withstood.

The ruling prevented ISP’s from throttling internet speed and simultaneously charging prices for different benefits.

When Pai was appointed as the chairman in early 2017, he called the Net Neutrality rules “heavy-handed” and “unnecessary.” He doesn’t discern the government’s involvement as a necessity, and emphasizes that Net Neutrality is a facet of consumerism that is being micromanaged.

Since that proposal from the FCC, internet users across the country have taken to calling congress over a thousand times a day, sending emails, writing letters and flooding the market with posts.

Reddit and Twitter have been the most prominent proponents of Net Neutrality, and are working to elevate

the voices of their users to lawmakers in congress.

In an interview with former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, hosted by Corning-Painted Post High School in New York, he relates that the choices regarding the open internet should be made by the public. He also expresses that the ISP’s are at the peak of economic success, and questions why the previous rules would be stripped.

“The sad thing now is that the Trump FCC is ignoring the outpouring of comments, about 98 percent of people said ‘Don’t take the open internet away,’ and they’re being ignored,” Wheeler said. “Since the adoption of the open internet rule, there has not been a decline in investment. The companies, that are required by law to tell their investors, whether there are any adverse effects of policies like this, have not told them that there has been any risk.

Their stocks are at an all time high.”

In simple terms, Wheeler explains why having an accessible internet is crucial to the American population. “‘Is there going to be open access between all the students, anybody on the internet, and any service provider?’ We have seen instances over time where those who control the network are monopolies for the most part, and two-thirds of homes in America have at most, one choice as to where they would get their high speed internet. If you don’t have any choice, the monopoly makes the rules and [they have] the economic incentive to maximize their

position as a gatekeeper, and they have the technological capability to pull that off.. [this] should not be abused. The internet is the most important network in the 21st century. The rules for that network, should be made by the people, rather than the networks themselves.”

Many are fearful that given new guidelines under the FCC, ISP’s will manipulate internet traffic and basically perform behind-the-scenes censorship of consumer material.

“Net neutrality hasn’t prevented any censorship from happening.

Facebook has been accused of pushing more liberal topics during the election process. Other social media outlets were also rumored to have done this,” computer science teacher Mark Ahrens said. “There will always be some censorship of ideas due to biases being present. Net Neutrality was already in place and it did nothing to stop this. ” The internet is more than a business interest; it is an encompassing community for innovation and competition.

“It’s super important that companies acknowledge equality amongst all internet content and this this content is is equally accessible whether you are on a laptop with ComCast internet, a cellphone using Sprint, or on a game,” Senior Micheala McAdams said. “The internet isn’t just for entertainment, it’s a place where people can get their message out or spread news and information.” langleyleverett@tigertimesonline.com

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

MEDICAL CONDITION CAUSES JUNIOR TO EMBRACE DIFFERENCES

BY MISTY LOPEZ FEATURE EDITOR It had changed. It wasn’t some typical decision like wanting a new look or making a statement. It just simply changed on it’s own, and there was nothing he could do to reverse it.

Around the fourth grade, junior Alex Holt lost all color in his hair, transforming his once brown hair to white.

“One night my mom was cutting my hair and saw quarter sized bald spots across my head, but upon inspection my parents had no clue what was going on,” Holt said. “The next couple of days we went to the hospital

“Don’t be afraid to be different. Don’t be afraid to be yourself.”

-Alex Holt, 11

to check and see, but they also had no clue even after the blood work was done. I was perfectly healthy.”

Confused and unable to find the answers to what had happened to Holt’s hair, they then sent his results to Little Rock to be further analyzed.

“They said to give it about six to eight months, but a week later the doctors wanted me up there,” Holt said. “My parents’ and my immediate thoughts were that I had cancer since it was major that they wanted me up there so quickly.”

Upon arriving, it was not what Holt or his family had expected. The doctors seemed calm and were curious as to what the young boy looked like.

“When we got there, they said they just wanted to look at me because they have never seen anything like this, and then they sent me on my way home,” Holt said.

Although Holt’s case wasn’t life threatening, it quickly changed his perspective and his feelings. With so many emotions all at once, Holt was then unable to handle them.

“My family was kind of scared, but didn’t show it, and

FEATURE

17

photo by a. jordan

I AM NOT MY HAIR

IN THE THE EYE OF THE BLIZZARD Because he has no pigmentation that gives hair its color, junior Alex Holt’s hair is white, but he chooses to move foward despite his differences.

my friend’s became my enemies because I wasn’t the same,” Holt said. “With all of this emotion from the doctors and my parents, I was terrified and hated having this hair color. I hated being different.”

Because Holt’s hair wasn’t fully white at this time, Holt and his mother decided to fix it.

“Since my hair wasn’t fully white, we went to the salon to bleach my hair all white so it would match. When bleached, my hair turned to a very light blonde,” Holt said. “That night when I took a shower, the dye washed out like shampoo and

my hair was different shades of white and grey again.

Living the daily life of going to school was difficult for Holt because of the various things that had been said to him after the occurrence.

“Throughout the rest of my elementary and middle school years, I was given the name skunk. After that, I definitely hated my hair and myself. Then I got the nickname ghost, but it didn’t really stick,” Holt said.

“I then got the nickname Snow, and that has stuck for as long as I can remember.”

With time, despite all the

nicknames, stares, and questions, Holt was finally able to accept himself for who he was and what he looked like.

“To this day, nothing is wrong with me. I just don’t have the pigmentation in my skin that allows you to have hair color. If anyone else is in this situation, I wouldn’t say to hate it or to change it,” Holt said. “I come to school with a smile on my face, and no matter what is said to me about my hair, I just throw it out. Don’t be afraid to be different. Don’t be afraid to be yourself.” mistylopez@tigertimesonline.com

18 SPORTS

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

BALLIN’

BY CONNOR BROOKS SPORTS EDITOR This may seem cliche, but the boys basketball team have to focus on building themselves as a team to have a booming season.

“I want to get the team involved and make sure everyone is doing their job,” junior Cole Drumm said. “I’m just trying to make sure everything is right and set up perfect so we can do a lot of big things this year.”

A basketball team is developed not only on the court but also off of it. The success of a team requires a lot more than just practice.

“I feel like we have gotten closer than last year,” Drumm said. “I have played with a lot of my friends who came up from junior varsity this year which lets us have a greater chemistry and bond like a family.”

However, on the court, the team has many ways in which they can improve and they are knowledgeable of how they can do that.

“Our main thing we need to work on is boxing out because we are a smaller team,” junior Kyle Wright said. “Also, we need to work on transitions so we can have the ability to make easy buckets.”

A long time of preparation is key to a prosperous season and the guys have done that.

“We worked out a lot during the preseason and ran a lot,” Drumm said. “We worked out a lot in the weight room and conditioned so we can outrun the other teams during the season.”

The team has certain things that accent them as a standout group of competitors and will allow them to progress through the season.

“Highlights this year will be exciting fast-paced games filled with a lot of threepointers and occasional monster dunks,” head coach Keith Jones said. “We plan to be contender for the district title and a playoff team.” connorbrooks@tigertimesonline.com

Basketball teams discuss preparation for seasons

UT

BY ADDISON CROSS STAFF WRITER

CROSSING ‘EM UP Junior Nia Wilson (front) and junior Kyle Wright (back) plan to be dominant pieces during the season and will be using their teamwork and individual skill to achieve this goal.

photo by a. higgins

The Lady Tigers are kicking off the season with high expectations as they look to bring their success to new heights.

The team is working to assure their connection as a team on and off the court, so they can come into their district games stronger than ever.

“Our goal as a team is to communicate and play as a team,” sophomore Sadeya Finley said. “We work hard in practice mentally and physically to achieve this goal.”

The girls have put ample amounts of time into building personal relationships with each other before they try to step up and play in unison.

“I feel excited because we are better than we were last year since we play more as a team and not individually to show off,” junior Nia Wilson said. “Our coach has stepped up to help us bond with each other and become more of a friend to us.”

The girls have continued to grow their relationships by spending long practices together. The difficult conditioning and hours of running plays also contribute to their success.

“We’ve put in many hours of working hard, and Coach has run us half to death making sure we’re conditioned,” Wilson said. “We have picked each other up as a team in practice.”

The atmosphere at practice is also a factor in the equation of being a successful team.

“Practice is very intense, very loud,” Wilson said. “You’re gonna get bumped and go home with bruises and knots on your legs, but at the end of the day you’ll be fine.”

The unity in the team has grown since the past season. They also have benefitted from having players that have played with each other for many years.

“It’s really early to know a lot about our team this year, but there seems to be more chemistry with our kids this year on and off the floor. I think a big part of that is just the fact that a lot of them had to play as freshmen and sophomores, and it’s a natural progression for our kids to mature, especially around their junior year,” head coach Craig Collvins said. “I think the biggest highlight is seeing how we grow and compete as a team throughout the season. I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far.” addisoncross@tigertimesonline.com

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

SPORTS

GET THE BALL ROLLING

oto

file ph

THEIR OWN GOAL Junior John Powell (left) and sophomore Daniel Garcia (right) look to be promising attacking pieces for the Tigers. Both returning varsity players lead a new core as the team looks to build a firm foundation for the future. file photos

Girls’ soccer team experiences coaching change

BY ELEANOR SCHROEDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF After six years under head coach Dustin Holly, the Lady Tigers soccer team has changed leadership. Coach Jesus De Leon, formerly at Sulphur Springs, replaced Holly, who accepted a position in his hometown as the boys’ head coach.

Holly coached many of the players in the local club soccer team beginning when they were ten years old. This results in many of the players being apprehensive about the change.

“Coach Holly has coached some of us since we started playing soccer,” junior Sarah Jane Paddock said. “Obviously this change was hard for us to adjust to, but we have managed to overcome it.”

Although the team is sad to see Holly leave, they completely support his decision.

“Although it is difficult, our team knows it is what’s best for Coach Holly because he can be closer to his family now,” Paddock said.

Despite uncertainties for the upcoming year, the first few weeks of practice with Coach De Leon have been positive.

“Coach Holly was an amazing coach, and he will be missed, but Coach De Leon has big plans for our team this season,” senior Jillian Ross said. “I think we are all ready to work our hardest to not only win district, but also make it past the first round in playoffs.”

Texas High and Sulphur Springs have

19

Boys’ soccer team looks to forget previous results, reinvent team identity

BY JOHN MORGAN SPORTS EDITOR “The worst soccer team in all of history.”

This is the punchline that highlights a video of the boys’ soccer team’s performance last season posted by a student from Mount Pleasant after a 14-0 defeat.

This game seemingly punctuated a winless district record and cemented the team as the laughing stock of the region.

Defeat hurts, especially when it’s all that you know. That makes this season for the team of much significance as the new and established varsity players look to shed their former reputation both physically and mentally.

“As the season dragged on, it became hard to be motivated to give maximum effort,” junior Thomas Strutton said. “That failure has hopefully given us the extra drive to regroup this year and succeed.”

Rebuilding for the future starts with a change in mindset for the team. Rather than remain a divisive unit, players look to create a new sense of unity in the locker room.

“Last year, we weren’t pushing ourselves hard enough off of the field to succeed,” sophomore Daniel Garcia said. “This season, we want to boost our chemistry as a team by staying encouraging and gaining self-confidence rather than putting others down.”

As always, the team has

a long-standing rivalry in all district sports, making the transition interesting for both parties.

“I’m very happy to be here because everybody has been very welcoming to my family and me,” De Leon said. “I have competed against Texas High in the past and have always admired them. Now that I’m here, it has been even better than I expected.”

As after-school practices have begun, the team is preparing for a competitive, yet successful year.

“The administration and athletic department have been very accommodating and supportive,” De Leon said. “All the ladies on the soccer team are great. They care about the team and about each other. We have high hopes for the year, and I am confident that we have the talent and drive to reach their goals.” eleanorschroeder@tigertimesonline.com

relentlessly been training in the offseason to surpass their own expectations, but this time around, a sense of urgency can be detected in those who wish to forget the past.

“We had many individual players stand out last season, but it didn’t amount to anything,” junior John Powell said. “We need to improve in many areas in order to get to where we need to be.”

While the team will hope to avenge all of their previous defeats, some contests stand out. Wins against cross-town rival Pleasant Grove and district opponents, who counted out the Tigers last season, remain top targets.

“We just have to take things one game at a time and then worry about the rest of the season,” Garcia said. “We’ll see what we need to fix after each result in practice and always look to improve.”

The climb back into district contention certainly won’t be easy, but many players look to create a solid foundation for younger players to carry on for years to come.

“Discipline and cooperation have definitely been stressed for this season,” Strutton said. “The upperclassmen know that the rebuilding process will not be easy, but we look forward to reinventing the team’s identity for the younger players to adopt for the future.”

The Tigers begin their season on the road versus Evangel on Dec. 29. johnmorgan@tigertimesonline.com

CLEAN SLATE New coach Jesus De Leon conducts practice in the multipurpose building.

The former Sulphur Springs coach comes to a team looking to advance far this postseason after falling in the first round last season. photo by g. mcguire

20 SPORTS

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14 2017

PONDering the season

Go the distance Half marathon training leads to healthier lifestyle

Athletic department adds weight room coach for offseason training

BY ELEANOR SCHROEDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WEIGHT ON HIS SHOULDERS Coach Pond organizes his training regiment at a girl’s soccer practice. Pond uses different conditioning techniques to meet the needs of each sport due to the variety of traits and schedules that each team must work around.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Junior Kendyl Myers participates in Coach Pond’s strength and conditioning training during practice. Many sports have cited this new initiative as beneficial to their endurance and performance on the field.

photos by g. mcguire

“I think it is something that is important to our community,” Stanford said, “getting out there and supporting and helping our community. It is encouraged that each sport finds a service project that they can do that is beneficial to somebody other than their sport.” eleanorschroeder@tigertimesonline.com

Go check out TJ Wall’s Pigskin Report with weekly NFL updates

photo by a. higgins

“There are only two things you can do right now: breathe and feel pain. Don’t show weakness.

The legs feed the wolf. Don’t be soft. Kevin Gates doesn’t get tired so neither should you.”

As the sore bodies utilize every ounce of energy to hold the plank, bear crawl or complete each rep, the athletes begin to slowly adapt to this rigorous schedule.

The athletic department created the role of a weight room coach. Coach John Pond began this challenge.

“An integral part of high school athletics is having a really good strength coach,” Athletic Director Gerry Stanford said. “Coach Pond has done a tremendous job playing this role for all sports, not just in football.”

After leadership changed in the athletic department last year, Stanford chose to re-evaluate and create a new plan to be as successful as possible in all sports.

“Obviously, in football, we lift a lot of weights, but it’s vital to build athletes, not just players,” Stanford said. “So, we are trying to build athletes and strength training has a large part in building athletes as a whole. That’s Coach Pond’s goal.

Within Texas High, we are trying to build the best athletes we can for every sport, and this allows us to be an effective and efficient athletic program.”

Many sports who have never done any serious weightlifting are now learning the proper ways to build muscle and also how to challenge the body.

“It’s not required [for all sports to use Coach Pond] and there are no rules necessarily, but we are highly encouraging all head coaches to develop a strength program as far as getting kids into the weight room,” Stanford said. “Coach Pond will create an individualized plan for each sport and work with all other coaches.”

Even though this is only the third semester of this process, players are already more fit, doubtlessly making them better in their respective sports.

“We want to be very consistent,” Stanford said.

“I think this is something we definitely want to happen every year. We started this summer with our workouts being all sports working together, not separated out. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with separating them, but we did want all sports to have the opportunity to get a good workout everyday.”

In addition to this, a new request is for all sports to complete a community service project.

On Feb. 18, 2018, Texarkana will be holding the Run The Line half marathon. 13.1 miles of running is asking a lot for most people and requires lots of training to be prepared for the big day. In preparation of this event, I have been on a strict schedule of running and other workouts to make sure I am prepared to do my best.

Running that many miles may seem insane to KAITLYN GORDON many, but it’s more staff writer than worth it.

Through training I’ve become much healthier and gained some control over my asthma.

My schedule is busy enough with school work, photography, friends and so much more, but living a healthier lifestyle and accomplishing a huge goal is something I’m more than willing to make time for. Every morning, I’m up running, doing yoga or some other sort of workout. Obviously, I wouldn’t be able to start out running the whole half marathon distance, so when I began running, I first ran shorter distances, like 2 miles, and I am slowly building up to longer distances throughout the training. The gradual increase in distance will help to build stamina to be able to run 13.1 miles all at once with little trouble.

Another huge part of training is making sure I’m not only active, but also being healthy even when I’m not training physically. I make sure to get plenty of sleep and eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Getting enough sleep is crucial; if I’m too tired in the morning, I can almost guarantee that I will hit the snooze on my alarm and go back to sleep before I ever consider getting up and going to work out. Being a vegetarian and loving fruits and vegetables definitely makes eating healthy much easier. Keeping up on these aspects of training are as important, if not more so, than the workouts.

This is not all to say that I absolutely love or even enjoy running, but I do love and enjoy what it’s doing for my life. I’m now more active, happier and healthier. kaitlyngordon@tigertimesonline.com

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

SPORTS

21

TIGER REPORT JOSHUA ASHER, 10

DYLAN ROSSER, 11

KAITLYN CROSS, 11

MACKENZIE PARKER, 9

DIVE

SWIM

VOLLEYBALL

GOLF

The dive team showed off in their first major TISCA meet of the season and came home with a first place crown. A core of veteran divers with a consistent group of new faces have highlighted the group’s successes. The team looks to only gain momentum as they push toward a spot in the UIL state meet in February.

The swim team also continued its march toward the state meet at the TISCA meet.

The guys secured a first place finish with solid performances all around while the girls saw strong showings from some of its younger members and managed to place in eighth.

CHRIS SUTTON, 11

FOOTBALL

In the bi-district round of the playoffs, the Tigers ran into perennial 5A powerhouse Highland Park. After falling behind early, the team rallied in the second half yet fell short after pushing the Scots–the defending state champions–for four quarters. Despite senior quarterback Riley Russell racking up 500 total yards of offense and earning Mr. Texas Football Player of the Week honors, the Tigers lost in a close affair, 56-49.

The volleyball team climbed to second place in the district and had a chance to reign supreme in the region before losing a hard-fought district championship match against Sulphur Springs.

The team attempted to rebound but suffered defeat at the hands of Forney in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

The golf team sputtered a bit toward the end of their fall season, but signs in practice seem to be looking upward for a solid performance in the spring.

As the team prepares this offseason, team chemistry and unity has been a clear positive aspect as they approach district play.

Compiled by j. morgan and a. jones/photos by a. valle, r. sizemore, a. jordan, k. gordon, b. cranford

22 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14 2017

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

MEET THE CAST

Which character show are you?

BY COLTON JOHNSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

he Tiger Theatre Company will bring the upbeat, timeless American musical, “Oklahoma!,” to the stage Jan. 12-14. The rolling plains of this classic are being brought to life under the direction of the visionary Melissa Newton.

The show is complete with a dramatic love triangle, lively characters and country hoedown throwdowns. “Oklahoma!” is filled with good old fashioned humor, stage combat and astonishing duets that will captivate the audience.

Vocals are being coached by the professional, operatically trained choir director, Jennifer Colton-Fowler, and dance numbers are being choreographed by Amber Reynolds, director of the award-winning HighSteppers. The sunrises, wagons and farmhouses are being constructed by the detail-oriented technical director, Trent Hanna.

This show is sure to be a “hoot ‘n a holler” and will leave the audience feeling like they just entered the Great Plains of Oklahoma. coltonjohnson@tigertimesonline.com

What do you want in a relationship?

A) You want to find your soulmate, get married and settle down.

B) You would rather not get tied down to one person and want to have a little fun without strings attached.

C) You are a hopeless romantic with commitment issues.

D) You know what you want to settle down, but the person you want isn’t committed.

E) You don’t need a partner and are happy just living your life.

What would your ideal night be?

A) You would like to go to a local club or party to meet new people.

B) You would like to go into the city to find adventure.

C) You would like to be taken on a romantic date.

D) You might want to go to the fair with someone you love.

E) You would like to stay home with a few friends.

What do you value most?

A) Love B) Money C) Attention D) Loyalty E) Independence

MOSTLY B: ALI HAKIM MOSTLY C: ADO ANNIE MOSTLY A: LAUREY OR CURLY Laurey He is a traveling salesman who She is blindly smitten with the idea wants nothing more than to find her travels from town to town. He’s a of love. She is torn between the soulmate and purpose in life. She clever lad and extremely persuasive. exciting and daring Ali Hakim and has dreams of a fulfilling life and He does not want to be tied down settling down with the kind and sometimes wishes for things that are good-hearted Will Parker. At the out of reach. Curly is a hard working, to anything or anyone, but still wants to have fun along the way. end of the day, she just wants to be respectable cowboy. He has integrity treated like a princess. and cares about the people around him. He wants to find his true love and settle down.

MOSTLY E: AUNT ELLER MOSTLY D: WILL PARKER She is a fun loving, young at heart and a He is head over heels for Ado Annie respectable old woman in the town. She and would do anything to marry her. cares about the friends in her life and However, he is oblivious to the fact wants people to get along. She, much that she “loves” another man as well. like Mr. Carnes won’t take anything from He is a simple, kind cowboy who just anybody and is not afraid to threaten wants to be with her and make her someone with a shotgun if she has to. happy.

Sophomore Emma Daniel is sure to be remembered in the theater and is eager to play the iconic role of Laurey.

Her vocal range will bring chills while her polished southern drawl will captivate the audience.

Junior Andrew Davis will take the stage as Will Parker in his trusty cowboy boots, ready to lasso up the audience with his charming smile.

Davis is perfect for the role of the cow ropin’ hopeless romantic.

Freshman Cate Rounds is ready to fill the shoes of the ditzy, boy-crazy sweetheart Ado Annie. Her high energy and beautiful voice will without a doubt make the crowd fall in love with this rising star.

Senior Mason Higginbotham may be a nice guy off stage, but when he fills the boots of Ado Annie’s father, Andrew Carnes, he won’t take anything from anybody. He is expected to deliver a strong performance.

OKLAHOMA! Cast members shed light on upcoming musical

23

24 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

STACKING UP ON SWEETS “During Christmas, my family sometimes will go to IHop. I also like to go to the park because I enjoy how the pond kind of freezes when it gets really cold.”

-MACY SLOAN, 9

ENTERTAINMENT

25

FASHION GETS UGLY

THE SEASON OF GIVING

“Ugly sweater parties are really fun and the best part of Christmas. I usually shop for [ugly sweaters] and it’s really fun.”

“Christmas is my favorite holiday.

My family gets together on Christmas Eve, and we open our gifts at midnight.”

-AUDREY MOHON, 11

-JAEDA JOHNSON, 10

SNOWFULL OF HEATING UP IN THE COLD “Winter has to be my favorite season.

It’s the season for hot chocolate. My family used to have this big winter hot chocolate drink-off to see who could finish first.”

-DAMIEN HAMILTON, 12

EXCITEMENT Five cozy ways to spend your Christmas break

BY CAMERON MURRY AND ALEXIS RUNNELS STAFF WRITERS illustrations by a. smith, a. runnels and v.van

Victoria’s Comics

The struggle of studying for finals

BY VICTORIA VAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

A CHRISTMAS ANGEL “This year I’m participating in supporting a child to give them Christmas presents and a Christmas their family can’t afford. I’m really looking forward to doing that with a couple of my friends in leadership class.”

-BRENNON COPE, 12

26 ENTERTAINMENT

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

WHAT’S

WHAT TO KNOW

NOW

LISTEN TO IT

SNACK ON IT

[53]

WEAR IT

“I enjoy the mystery Oreos because they are different and have a fruity flavor, which I normally wouldn’t try.”

PERCENT of 15 students surveyed prefer PUMPKIN pie over CHOCOLATE pie

-MEREDITH MAYNARD, 12

“‘Gucci Gang’ is a song that’s become increasingly popular. It’s due to the sensationalization of Lil Pump and the growing love of heavy bass based music.”

“The True Grit jackets are really popular right now. I know some people had them last year, but I’ve seen a lot more this season.”

-COURTNEY LOURENS, 12

VISIT IT

READ IT

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

“Garven Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs is a place people go to. Around Christmas, they put up tons of lights on the trails.”

-RHETT YOUNG, 9

44%

32% photos by a. parker, a. higgins, k. gordon and g. mcguire compiled by a. jones, g. johnson and v. van

7,600

According to Spotify, Mariah Carey’s

“Perfect Chemistry: it’s a love between two people, and they end up succeeding and not killing themselves like Romeo and Juliet.”

-KEARSTAN WILLIAMS, 11

Pitch Perfect 3

In Saskatoon, Canada, more than

people came out to throw snow at each other on Jan. 31, 2016, in the largest snowball fight ever.

-GABRIEL WEST, 10

WATCH IT

DID YOU KNOW?

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the most popular Christmas song.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

24%

DEC. 14, 2017 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

PHOTO ESSAY

27

photo by a. higgins

BOUT TO COP SOME GIFTS Officer Scott Hobbs and his child sit on the aisle floor picking out which Paw Patrol toy he wants. The only restriction children at Shop With A Cop were given was a $100 limit.

Shop with a

NABBED Officer Scott Sartor and child horse-play during check out.

During this event, many officers create silly, heartfelt memories with their child.

COP

Police, firefighters bring joy to children during annual event

BY KAITLYN GORDON PHOTO EDITOR Children stand on the concrete sidewalks outside of Target watching and waiting for the cars to come. As the air thickens with excitement, the sirens scream louder as the police and firefighters vehicles travel down the road. The first cop car is in their sights, and a child's smile begins to widen, their eyes brightening up like Christmas lights.

On Dec. 5, Target hosted the annual Texas side Shop With a Cop event, which providing disadvantaged children with Christmas

photo by a. runnels

photo by r. sizemore

presents.

City board member Christy Alcorn was filled with joy and shock at the heart warming experience.

"Today's Shop With A Cop has been an enlightening experience for me; it's blessed me," Alcorn said. "I didn't really know what to expect.

To see the joy on all of the children's faces, it brought tears to my eyes.

Officer Shatelia WalkerScott views this event as a way to show that they care.

"The children get to see that we really do care," WalkerScott said. "We're here because we see there's a need."

PULL UP ON THE SCENE Texarkana Texas Police Department and Fire Department parade through the Target parking lot while the children cheer in excitement. Blaring sirens and flashing lights could be heard down the streets as the departments' cars traveled to Shop With A Cop at Target.

photo by a. runnels

photos by h. rainwater

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE TOYS Officer Jerrika Weaver with her child decides the toys she wants for Christmas. During Shop With A Cop, officers often create memories and relationships with the children they are assigned to that give the children give them, some of who don't have many happy

days like these, a sense of love and friendship. HIGH-SPEED CHASE A Shop With A Cop participant rides throughout the aisles of Target. For many children, this would be their only chance to get the things they wanted for Christmas. NEVER LET GO Officer Aaron Lewis and his child wind their way

through the toy aisles. The two were often seen horse-playing and goofing around during their shopping trip at Target on Dec. 5. The annual event helps children develop a more positive relationship with law enforcement officials.

28 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • DEC. 14, 2017

AT TC, YOU’LL FIND...

Academic associate degrees that transfer.

State-of-the-art nursing and health sciences programs. Hands-on career training and certificates. Vibrant campus life and community. Scholarships, grants and financial aid available to help fund your college education.

SEE FOR YOURSELF Schedule your campus tour at texarkanacollege.edu/tour or call (903) 823-3012.

texarkanacollege.edu/start • (903) 823-3012