Tiger Times May 2016

texas high school May 20, 2016 Vol. 55, Issue 6

tigertimes

STEER AWAY FROM TEMPTATION IT’S NOT AS DANGEROUS. THE LAKE ISN’T CROWDED. DRIVING A BOAT ISN’T THE SAME AS A CAR. BUT YOU CAN KILL SOMEONE. AND PUT YOUR LIFE OFF COURSE. >>PAGE 14

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OUR socialNETWORK

photo by R. Lewis

#mybig faces of the game Senior track member Kaylyn Coleman. View this story on tigertimesonline.

JUNE 2

SPRING OLYMPIAD & POWDERPUFF “It’s fun because it’s just you and your friends competing to beat all the other people you know,” junior John Debenport said.

“It’s getting to see which club or friend group is competitive enough to win.”

JUNE 3

GRADUATION PRACTICE “I’m really excited to graduate,” senior Kaitlyn Krause said. “I’m not really looking forward to going through the ceremony twice, I’m just ready to graduate and be done.”

STAY CONNECTED

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL “I’m ready for the last day of school because this is the end of my sophomore year, there is a huge transition from being a lowerclassmen to an upperclassmen,” sophomore Addison Rogers said. “The last day of school is definitely something I’m counting down the days for.”

Braden Sellers, 12

by Lauren potter design editor Flashing lights, loud music, the floor shaking from all the dancing, students sweating with excitement.

Senior Braden Sellers and his friends gathered in the Truman Arnold center at Texarkana College for the annual prom on May 14. “[Prom] is a lot more fun [than homecoming or Sadie] because there’s so much more involved with prom than

JUNE 4

GRADUATION “I’m really excited about graduation because I’m ending a great chapter in my life but also starting a new one,” senior Aubree Cramer said. “I am sad about leaving Texas High, but I couldn’t have asked for a better four years full of great memories and friendships.”

AUG 22

SCHOOL STARTS “I’m excited for school to start because I’m going to be an upperclassmen which means I’ll get more privileges,” sophomore Claire Doan said. “On the other hand, it means I’m halfway through high school.”

ACT/SAT

ACT dates: SAT dates: June 11 June 4 snapchat: thspublications instagram: thsstudentmedia twitter: @thsstudentmedia facebook: THS Publications

photo by R. Lewis

JUNE 3

@jbil_06

SENIOR ASSEMBLY “Senior assembly is held at the end of the year so we are all definitely having mixed emotions,” senior Anna Catherine Boudreaux said. “Being a senior is very bittersweet. We have waited to be seniors and now its ending, it’s crazy how fast these four years have flown by.”

@tnbew

JUNE 1

@jonathan_the_great

MOMENT

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

My Orange Incubator

life, friends I’ve ever made, and games I ever played. I’ll miss every one of my team mates, love you guys, never change.”

KiaraLDouglas @“Why are we still learning!!!!”

the whole weekend so much better.”

Along with Slider, many of the seniors were excited to share their prom with Barber.

“I was just so much more excited,” Slider said. “I liked being able to spend the weekend with her and all my other friends because we are all such good friends.”

in this issue

Chickens relate to senior’s experience in high school

@SlyderGlen

@“Best JT_Morgan12 season of my

our favorite moment

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top tweets

“Putting off getting out of bed for as long as possible.”

just the dance,” Sellers said.

“Everyone prepares for it a lot more for it so it makes it ten times better.”

Sellers, seniors Chealsea Slider, Kip Williams, Colby Gillespie, Tori Miller, Jessica Bilimek and Jessica Emerson rolled into prom together along with Bailey Barber who moved from Texas High freshman year. “[Bailey and I] have been super close since middle school,” Slider said. “She got in the Thursday before, it made

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Saved by the Bell Additional class, different schedule aim to shorten school year

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Our Year in Review

Tiger sports make successful runs across the board, credit success to leadership

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Hair-raising Awareness

Blue dye makes more than a fashion statement for juniors

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news

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

SAVED BY THE BELL

Additional class, different schedule aim to shorten school year When the first bell rings for the new school year, returning students will flow into the bustling hallways, excited to start a new year while adapting to major changes in the bell schedule.

School will now start at 8:25 a.m. in an attempt to abide by a new law that counts mandatory school time in minutes as opposed to hours. This makes it easier to manipulate the schedule in order to shorten the length of the school year.

“In order for us to get out of school a little bit earlier in the year, we can bank that [five extra minutes] and change the time between classes to six minutes, so then we would get out early,” Principal Brad Bailey said. “The students’ last day would be May 25, which is a Thursday, and our teachers would get out May 26.”

Sophomore Cameron Tarpley is in favor of starting the school day earlier in order to not only conform to the new law, but also to get out earlier for summer.

“I like the whole deal about staring five minutes earlier,” Tarpley said. ‘It’ll give me more time to work during the summer.”

In addition to adding five minutes to the beginning of the school day, the school is experimenting with a new lunch schedule as well, planning on eliminating one lunch to give more room. Current lunch levels range from 350400 students, but the loss of one will increase that number to around 550 students.

“We’re anticipating that everything will go

smoothly, but this will be a transition year, and we can make adjustments as needed,” Bailey said. “The main thing I’m concerned about is the lunch line, making sure we get our food out quicker, so our cafeteria workers will have a little more pressure to have food ready to serve.”

The new lunch schedule isn’t just for experimentation; the high school is planning on installing an extra 30-minute class period into the school day with the time afforded by the eliminated lunch period. This was proposed in response to the small amount of time students have on their own to participate in extracurriculars.

“The reason behind this is to give more opportunities for our students to participate and have meetings,” Bailey said.

“For example, we’ve got tutorials and it’s hard to find time unless you pull kids out of class, so we can have a 30 minute assigned tutorial for EOC. We can do clubs and activities, like UIL academics.”

PROPOSED TOPICS FOR 30-MINUTE PERIOD • EOC tutorials • ACT/SAT prep • Club Meetings • UIL • Financial Planning • CPR • Job Application • Interview Preparation • Student Mentor • College Research

Sophomore Jake Weems looks forward to the 30-minute period to catch up on assignments or practice.

“The extra period

PROPOSED BELL SCHEDULE 1 A/B 8:25-9:10 (45 minutes, daily) 2 A/B 9:16-10:40 (84 minutes) 3 A/B 10:46-11:16 (30 minutes, daily) 4 A/B 11:22-1:24 (84 minutes)

1st Lunch

11:22-11:52

2nd Lunch

11:58-12:28

3rd Lunch

12:54-1:24

5 A/B 1:30-2:54 (84 minutes) 6 A/B 3:00-3:45 (45 minutes, daily)

photo by b. O’Shaugnessy

by CELESTE ANDERSON staff writer

ring the bell When school begins in August, a new bell schedule will incorporate six classes. The new class will be 30 minutes and meet daily. Students will be able to choose from a list of proposed topics.

gives us time to do stuff like finish up some asssignments we didn’t get a chance to finish the night before,” Weems said. “And I will probably use it to practice for band.”

Students may be confused about how the new 30-minute period will interact with their pre-existing schedules. In order to find classes that will fit in with students’ individual schedules, the administration will be composing a list of classes that are contenders for the new period, and then will take surveys from both teachers and students.

“For example, if there was an art class you couldn’t get into, then you tell us and if we can make that work, we’ll put that as part of a class,” Bailey said. “[The classes] won’t be for an extra grade, and we won’t put extra pressure on you for that part. It will be

an enrichment class and unweighted.”

Bailey said that students who did not pass EOC tests may be assigned to remediation tutorials during the new class.

“Depending on the need, we can make it work however,” Bailey said.

Some teachers find the new schedule beneficial, helping them fit in time for tutorials.

“I like the fact that we will be able to hold tutorials during this 30-minute block instead of losing [some of ] our conference period to hold tutorials,” English teacher Anita Badgett said.

“Groups and organizations can also hold meetings during that block, so they don’t have to meet after school.”

Other teachers find the new schedule harmful, speaking from their

SUGGESTED BUT NOT APPROVED CLASSES • Young adult literature/ poetry • Creative Writing • Genetics • Art (painting, Pinterest crafts) • Trivia • Fantasy teams • Video games and strategy • Budgeting • Zumba • Twirling • Self defense • Car maintenance • Hunting • Genealogy • Book club • Volunteering (where to do it) • Sport Literature • Radio Broadcasting • Calligraphy • Puzzles • Cooking • Sewing

previous experiences.

“Coming from the middle school, we’ve already had 30-minute classes,” world history

teacher Cedina Campbell said. “There were several complications, especially if students are in tennis or go to the college for some kind of class. Because of the changing of the classes for that 30 minutes, and coming in, getting settled, and getting ready to leave, I’m not sure there’s going to be a lot of time for instruction, so this is a big concern of mine, and I’m not sure I’m wholeheartedly excited about the new 30 minutes.”

Despite all of these changes, the administration remains optimistic that all will go smoothly.

“We’re still a work in progress, and we’re trying to make sure it will be effective and works well,” Bailey said. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from our teachers, and the next phase is to get with the students and see their thoughts on it.”

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news

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Out with the old, in with the new

by ALEX HEO sports editor Changes are on the way for the Independent Research program, which allows students to get AP weight for a regular class. The program will now be incorporated into the new 30-minute activity period. Students who are interested in participating in the program next year need to see their academic advisers to sign an intent form.

“If you want to do Independent Research, you will request to be in that activity period,” Assistant Principal for Student Advancement Lindsay Skinner said. ”You’ll have that time to work through your research. That will give more of a guidance with the teacher in there to help you along the process, make sure the quality is where it needs to be [and] make sure the time you put in is adequate.”

In the past, students would have to meet with their mentors, who were assigned to guide them through their research, either before or after school. Now, the Problems and Solutions activity period will open up time for those students to get direct help.

“The reason for the change is that we want to give students an opportunity to have a 30-minute period to visit with their teachers and get more feedback,” principal

Brad Bailey said. “It’s going to give more support to the students.”

Students admire the idea that it will be easier to work with their mentors for guidance on their projects.

“I like the idea of the activity period because it helps me stay on track and improve the quality of my research,” junior Kasey Kane said. “When I first did Independent Research, I was a little overwhelmed. I did rely on my peers who had gone through [it] previously to help me through. However, now that I will be in touch with a mentor, I will be able to contact them instead of my peers.”

While Bailey said it is undecided if the class will meet every day or every other day, deadlines will likely be modified.

“There will be more specific deadlines throughout the semester,” Skinner said.

“Like now, instead of the research paper component being due closer to the end, it will be earlier. It will be more lined out through the semester.”

The deadline to declare an interest in the program is Sept. 2. However, students are encouraged to sign their declaration forms before school is out.

“If you want to do Independent Research, you have to declare it early,” Bailey said. “We’ve got to make sure that once you declare for Independent

submitted photo

Independent research to be incorporated into activity period

DRIFT AWAY Senior Tyler Snell, junior Matt Francis and sophomore Will Norton help children participating in a swim clinic learn how to float. Snell organized the all-day event as his independent research project last semester.

Research, you’re in. If you decide you don’t want to do Independent Research [later on], that’s fine. We’ll put you in another course.”

Sophomore Will Norton, who plans to complete project during his junior and senior years, said he agrees that the activity period will help students stay on task.

“I think its a cool idea to make use of the 30-minute activity period [for Independent Research],” Norton said. “I think having a set period to go there every day or every other day [is nice]. It’s good to keep yourself on schedule and the class will help with that. I could probably use the extra structure.”

The program is open to juniors and seniors who may complete one project per semester. Seniors who previously participated will be allowed to complete two per semester. Beginning 2017-2018, all students will be allowed to complete one project per semester. Ultimately, the structure aims to increase the quality of products and mentorship. “[The teacher is] not going to do the work for you by any means, but it’ll give [the students] some guidance,” Bailey said. “It’s also going to hold your ‘feet to the fire’ per se, where we get some higher quality products from it, and [the teachers] push you a little more.”

‘If we talking student body’ Officers reflect on senior year in Student Council

by KATIE BIGGAR staff writer From the endless dinner theater practices to the hours spent volunteering their time, the current Student Council senior officers put in more behind-the-scenes work than they’re credited for. As the school year is coming to a close, it is time for the student body to elect a new group of leaders to represent the school.

Although welcoming a new crowd into these positions can be exciting, the leaving seniors find this realization to be bittersweet.

“As the face of the student body, I’ve tried my hardest to be a positive role model and to lead by example,” student body president Caroline May said. “In order to be a positive influence you have to promote school spirit and get people involved.”

All of the current senior officers have been active members of student council since their freshman year. The leadership skills they each possess are a reflection of their years as student council members.

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news

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

“I have been a part of StuCo for four years, and held an office each year,” student body vice president Anna Catherine Boudreaux said. “I was class secretary during middle school, and I really enjoyed being involved. So I just decided to keep on running.”

With the responsibilities that each officer has, it can be slightly overwhelming to juggle everything at times. Finding a balance between school work and this extracurricular is essential.

“Student council isn’t all business, and neither is being an officer. So enjoy it while you have the chance,” student body parliamentarian Madison Maynard said. “I know I have, and it’s helped me grow in my school.”

Being a student body officer takes the same amount of dedication as being a class officer. One quality that must stand above all others is teamwork.

“This year there was a lot of teamwork between all of the senior officers,” senior class vice president Chelsea Villanueva said. “I feel that

everything went really well because of that.”

Being a devoted member of student council leaves each individual with necessary skills that will be used in life outside of high school. These skills will aid in preparing them for college and the rest of their future.

“My years of student council helped me make up my mind to be involved with class councils at A&M next year,” senior class vice president Tyler Snell said. “If I wasn’t VP or hadn’t run for it, I think I would be less likely to jump aboard the idea of doing it in college.”

When running for an office it’s important to know what a candidate is getting into. Taking advice from the current officers can be helpful in understanding the impact one is making in their school.

“It’s a lot of planning and organization, so I would advise the next person taking office to be prepared,” senior class president Anna Graves said. “It can be overwhelming at times, but it’s been the most rewarding part of high school.”

New officers take on positions “I want to run Student Council a little differently. I want to implement themed student sections at all sporting events in order to increase our school spirit.”

Ricky Cooks, president “I hope to get it approved to allow the upperclassmen to be able to personalize their parking spots or get another dance at the end of the first semester.”

Hannah Hayes, vice president “I want to make Student Council for everyone and encourage everyone to get involved, not just the people who are in that type of group.”

Grace Hickey, secretary ”I want to bring a new edition of change to the school and make it a place students want to be, not dreading the tardy bell every day.”

Tye Shelton, treasurer “I hope to accomplish school unity, club interaction and higher school spirit at pep rallies and sports events.”

Slyder Welch, parliamentarian “What drove me to run for a student body office was the opportunity to represent the band to the entire school.”

Odin Contreras, historian photos by k. moreland

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community

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

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editorial

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

tiger times

Working the Stage Without the Wage

Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX 75503 (903) 794-3891 Fax (903) 792-8971 •

The Tiger Times is a student-run publication. The contents and view are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the opinions of the faculty, administration or TISD board of directors.

by alex o’gorman

Theater department should benefit from working during rentals A rental group appears, and a weary coalition of students appears at the catacombs of the theatre to attend to them. They work long, hard hours, and at the end of the day, they get nothing to show for it.

These students are members of the Tiger Theatre Company who run the technical equipment for any group renting the use of the Sullivan Performing Arts Center and John Thomas Theatre. Students for technical theater classes are required to log 24 out of school hours as a grade, but frequently this minimum is achieved by November with some students amassing more than 300 hours.

Students spend their time volunteering to work tech for any and every rental show that comes through the John Thomas Theatre anyway. Their reasoning is simple: no one else can do it. If no one volunteers, the technical director winds up managing the rental alone, assuming a literally unbearable workload.

These students also love technical theater, and many can fondly acquire amazing memories and bonds forged in the fire of a 36-work hour weekend. The system is efficient. Students get countless hours of real world experience that makes them experts in solving problems.

All of this is nice, except for one thing: none of the money from rentals goes into the theater’s club account. The theater belongs to the school district, not the Tiger Theatre Company, so when TTC students put in 40 plus hours a week, TISD gets the cash.

According to TISD Director of Public Relations Tina Veal-Gooch and Chief Financial Officer Deidra Reeves, money for rentals goes into the TISD general fund where it is intermingled with all of the district’s revenue sources. This fund pays for all costs of TISD, of which the PAC is a tiny portion.

On paper, everything looks normal. In reality, however, students are working for no pay, with no say and no reward for their organization. TISD schedules many of the rentals, ignores the fact that about three students work for every second of every single one, then collects the cash at the end. This treats the students like unpaid laborers.

There are many ways injustice could be averted. For starters, some money from rentals could go into the Tiger Theatre Company to actually benefit the students earning it. As of right now, rental rates for the John Thomas Theatre are significantly lower than rates for comparable venues. If this is corrected, the

cost to rent the theater could cover everything from utilities to equipment to the manpower present. Once the portion for utilities and janitorial help (kindly provided by the school district) is paid, the rest could go to the Theatre Company/THS Drama Club to benefit the students who earned it.

This solution would also help fix some problems caused by rentals in the theater.

Money could go toward fixing or replacing equipment that overuse and abuse from “guests” has ruined. Money could also go toward helping the Tiger Theatre Company do things for the students who drive it: anything from college show field trips to food during the painfully long rentals that they work.

As it stands now, administration is working on a solution, but nothing is set in stone.

Until this solution appears, students do the work while TISD gets the cash. In other activities–most notably football–profit from student work goes back to benefit those students. Because technical theater is obscure and sequestered away to odd hours at the top of the hill, no one seems to care that these students are acting more like unpaid employees than volunteers for their theater.

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

SPEAK OUT

Do you think the Tiger Theater Compay or theater tech students should benefit from working non-TISD rentals?

print editors-in-chief Anna Graves Tyler Snell online editors-in-chief Jessica Emerson Kristin McCasland news editor Raga Justin viewpoint editors Leah Crenshaw Alex O’Gorman feature editor Anna Cannon

Madison Sutton, 11

Patrick Gresham, 12

Gabe Lohse, 11

Approximately 180 hours

Approximately 300-400 hours

Approximately 40 hours

“A lot of times if the students aren’t up here, the shows can’t happen because most of the rentals rely on us to do the lights and sound and all the grunt work. If we didn’t do anything, TISD would have to hire people to do that, so I think we should benefit.”

“Probably. If the students and Mr. Hanna weren’t here, pretty much all of the shows would not be able to happen. They all require sound, lights and music. Even the professional people need stuff from us, so I think we should benefit at least a little bit.”

Absolutely. TISD should get the money from the rental of the actual facility, but a percentage of [ticket sales and whatever else] should go to the theater department.

If not to pay the students individually, it would be nice to have something that would benefit the company.”

videographers Odin Contreras, Xavier Davis, Allie Beth Hatfield, Travis Williams advisers Rebecca Potter, Clint Smith principal Brad Bailey members ILPC, CSPA, NSPA

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viewpoint

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com submitted photo

My orange incubator Chickens relate to senior’s experience in high school

by TYLER SNELL print editor-in-chief

more chicks, some old, some young and learns to be a better swimmer and volunteer. A small corner of the orange incubator held a disciplined room with deadlines and fascinating stories, all new to my eyes. I made new friends while quickly realizing that we were all the same– stumbling chicks with half our shells on.

The little chick starts to dry after surpassing its halfway point of serving his time. The stress adds some feathers, but doesn’t kill him. He looks to his neighbors and sees that they all have wings locked to stand against the heat in the third year. The incubator malfunctioned and dumped on them burning papers and books just to see how tough each of its chicks really were.

The daunting task

finally reached me, and I had to balance papers and projects while still trying to shed the last bits of my shell. Many times I found myself late to the nest after studying, work nights or practices. The newfound freedom was bizarre. Time management was my aid in helping to take off the last parts of my shell that held me back from truly escaping it.

The chick is finally free of his shell and about to dive to the ground after spending four years in the incubator and under his parents’ wings. He does not know what lurks below but believes that the new birds he will find will be in the same boat as him.

As I write these final words, my senior year is drawing to a close. The orange, teacher-filled incubator will soon become

photo by s. vaughn

I grab the chicken feed.

I replace the water and gather the eggs. I deal with any emergencies, and I try to make their lives enjoyable. My flock of five hens greet me each night, and I’ve been a chicken farmer since seventh grade.

Over the past six years, I’ve noticed how the life of a baby chick relates to the struggles and lessons of a high schooler.

Just a little peep. Rolling in his shell and trying to navigate the walls of the giant, orange, teacher-filled incubator. He stumbles to each class. He tries to find his voice. He tries to find a system, a group.

I go through my first year of high school with just a little hole in my shell.

I meet new chicks who

have the same situation as mine, along with meeting the giant birds who were about to leave. I start to find out that it is okay to make the hole in the shell wider–to bring in more light and explore the world.

Baby chicks have to learn to walk much like how I learned to be comfortable with others looking at me while speaking.

The peep gets a little bigger and a little louder as he gets three-quarters of the way out of his shell.

One year of roaming the incubator has passed, and soft breezes make their way through the holes. The chick has learned to walk, but still hasn’t passed the daunting academic task ahead.

The little chick shakes in his shell as he thinks about the lessons and work the following year. He meets

a memory. I learned to eat, drink and walk while slowing taking off my shell and drying my feathers.

I can say with all sincerity that I am glad to have spent my time at Texas High, but now it is time for me to crow

in College Station. The incubator may be bigger and filled with different hens and roosters, but I know that I cannot forget what I learned as I rolled out of my shell in this orange, diverse and spirited incubator.

All about preference Each person’s path fits their purpose according to senior

Counting the never ending silvery-grey strands of hair and concealing baggy eyes that served as an aftermath of junior year, I believed I had the rest of my life figured out. By July, my college essays were ready, applications started and hand permanently fixed into a shape resembling a longhorn.

After my first visit junior year, I didn’t look anywhere else. I was determined to go to the University of Texas. They sold me on “the forty acres,” “the biggest and best in Texas,” and I believed it wholeheartedly.

I memorized the fight song, I knew the best places to eat around campus and I could tell you the nicest place for freshmen to live. I knew it all, embraced it all.

Only two weeks after submitting my application, I found out I was accepted in the Moody Communications College at UT in the journalism major, the third best

journalism school in the country. Only 500 out of approximately 3,000 applicants got accepted. “What an honor,” I was told.

“Of course you’re going,” was reiterated.

“You’ll do great things,” replayed on an endless loop in my ear.

As fall arrived things fell into place. I took the quasistereotypical “Gone to Texas” photo and JESSICA EMERSON updated my online editor-in-chief social media, joined the “UT Class of 2020” Facebook page and met my future classmates. The nerves and jitters of life in a big city had yet to encroach in my thoughts.

As Thanksgiving hit, everything else came crumbling down. The realizations absorbed, and I questioned a decision I thought I had made over a year ago.

It was raining outside and I loved the way the rain turned the trees an almost black color, surrounded by the green grasses that were almost brighter under

a cloudy gray tint. It was something I looked forward to: rain, grass, trees, mud.

Something, I had just realized, Austin would have very little of.

At first, I brushed it off and told myself that it would be a commodity I enjoyed when I came home, something to look forward to when I didn’t want to leave the ATX. With the rain, more fears poured in. As I fought through the cluttered and busy hallways, I realized my distaste for crowds.

My road rage and disdain for traffic added another fear, “You’ll face a lot of traffic in Austin,” I told myself. My stress and my fears a linear pair, I was terrified.

It was December, deadlines were closing, what used to be a dream became an almost doom. I realized not only was I not suited for a big city, but I also didn’t believe I was grown up enough. I was a dependent trying to throw myself into a city filled with independents.

I began looking at small liberal arts schools. I wanted a liberal arts degree at a great school, not too far away from the comforts of home, but far enough that living at the house wouldn’t be acceptable.

Naturally, I chose Hendrix College, residing in the center of the Natural State.

Being named the best school in Arkansas, in a cozy environment, I took to the idea.

I loved the trees, nature, location of the school. I could travel and hike whenever I pleased. I was within four hours of five states.

My parents agreed that Hendrix was the best option for me, and we put my deposit in shortly after visiting. While some disagreed, appalled that I’d turn down one of the best schools for my career choice, for a small school in Conway, Arkansas, others rejoiced in my decision, and saw my fears and stress fade with the dull shades of winter. Spring came, and with the heat came my passion and excitement for the journey I had ahead.

A Texas journalism dean told me he had a former student turn down the New York Times for a small local newspaper, where she could thrive, stand out, and be her own. Her talents shone, and she was hired

by Google shortly after. By turning down Moody Communications College, I’m giving myself the power to create my own legacy at a small school. It’s like comparing a seasoned, timeless local restaurant to a chain, cookie cutter Red Lobster. It’s all about preference, and I prefer small and homey.

viewpoint

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com submitted photo

Outside

9

of the textbook

High school teaches senior important life lessons

Swimming upstream

4 ANNA GRAVES print editor-in-chief

Senior chooses college that breaks from family tradition

by CAROLINE MAY in-depth editor I am the salmon. I am swimming against the current, going in my own direction. The stream keeps pushing me, trying to make me turn around and follow everyone else. But I keep moving upstream because that’s where I believe I am meant to go.

I come from a long line of Longhorns. My grandfather played on the University of Texas tennis team, my grandmother went to UT as well, followed by my mother who was then followed by my brother who is finishing out his sophomore year of college. Needless to say, for the first 17 years of my life, I have known exactly where I was going to college.

I would listen to people talking about the pros and cons of different schools and was thankful that I would never have to make such a tough decision. The only college I was interested in was UT, and I was glad of that.

However, up until this summer when I looked at different colleges, I realized that there were actually other options that may suit me better than UT. I toured Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University that summer feeling certain that they would not even compare to the “best school in the U.S.” For SMU, I was right. Mustangs were not for me.

TCU, on the other hand, changed my whole perception of where I was meant to be.

The moment I stepped on campus I was mesmerized by the beauty of it.

It seemed like everything there was perfect for me, but I didn’t want to

admit it. There were so many things already planned out for me at UT, and I didn’t want to stray away from family tradition. I wasn’t worried at first because I knew I had to get a huge scholarship from TCU in order to go there and didn’t think that I would actually receive one. Every day I went out and checked the mailbox eager to see if I got the scholarship, and when I did, it was bittersweet.

I was ecstatic, but I knew this meant that I had to make the hardest choice I have ever faced. Choosing the right path determined the next four years and possibly how I spend the rest of my life.

My mom always told me that I needed to choose the place that made me happiest and never pressured me to go to UT. That’s probably one of the reasons that it was easier for me to make the decision to go to TCU. But, my brother made it harder. He is arguably one of the biggest Longhorn fans in Texas and thinks that anyone who is accepted to UT but chooses to go elsewhere is insane. I also knew that it would be good to have my brother at college with me to make my freshman year less stressful.

After a while, I decided to make a list of pros and cons for each school and obviously the biggest pro of TCU was that it was where I felt I fit in best.

For that reason, I am glad I chose to swim against the current. I trust that although I am going in a different direction than the rest of my family, TCU is right for me. I believe that it will make for the best college and life experience for me even if I’m not bleeding burnt orange. Purple looks better on me anyway.

After four years of pep rallies, early mornings, stress and summer anticipation, seniors are looking back on their “glory days” trying to compute what knowledge they have actually gained while monotonously walking these hallowed halls of Texas High. Well, after a thorough self reflection, I have come to the conclusion that maybe high school has taught us something more than just the fact that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.

While hours of class work will hopefully serve us well in the long run, I trust it’s the things we’ve had to learn on our own that will stick to our conscious and hold on tight for years to come. So here are some helpful bits of knowledge I’ve gathered over the years and listed conveniently, so that you seniors don’t have to wrack your brains, and you remaining high schoolers can hopefully get a bit of a leg up on how to survive this thing we call growing up.

1

Don’t stress: At the end of the day, it’s your transcript on the line, not your life. No one knows your GPA, and no one cares. Try your hardest, then get some sleep.

But don’t be too concerned with sleep: Go get ice cream late at night with your friends. Stay up on weeknights to chat with your mom. Go to the midnight premiere on a school night. Never skip out on possible memories to get in a few extra hours of snooze. You’ll remember how much fun you had, not how sleepy you were the next morning.

5

Make it not lame: In the wise words of Hannah Montana, life’s what you make it. Sure, pep rallies and dances in the school cafeteria aren’t everyone’s favorite part of high school, but why can’t they be yours?

You are in control of how much fun you have. Grab some friends, and make it cool.

6

Those parents aren’t lying: They actually were right. They do know everything.

That party they suggest might be bad news, it is. Those friends of yours they claim are up to no good, they are. They’ll know everything before you even consider it. You won’t believe them, but you should.

7

Don’t throw away your orange T-shirts too soon: Stay tiger strong until you walk across the stage. You have four more years to wear your college colors, soak in the orange.

8

Don’t worry underclassmen, we don’t care: I wish I could go back and tell my freshman and sophomore self to chill out.

I spent way too much time worried that upperclassmen were laughing at me. Now I can confidently say that upperclassmen aren’t worried about anything but themselves and getting the heck out of here.

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3

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But, stress (sometimes): OK. I know that stress is the torturous devil that should be avoided at all costs, but some days it may not have been such a bad thing. I think that stressing over school was often the only motivation I had left. Stress forced me to finish each essay and study a little harder.

Can’t live with it, can’t live without it.

Sleep: No matter how hard you cram, you can’t pass any test with your eyes closed. A few hours of shuteye will be more beneficial than a few extra hours of staring at your books. Sleep, trust me. You’ll be nicer, and people will like you more.

Share a little love: This school is full of different kinds of people, and, whether you have realized it or not, all of these people have lives of their own. Every life comes with its own set of problems. Too often we forget how much we are unaware of. Everyone deserves some love, and everyone wants some. Throw around a little kindness, it’ll be good for everyone.

Just smile: You’re in high school.

At the end of the day, be thankful for that. You have a place to go, friends to be around and hallways full of orange. It’s not the worst situation possible. Finishing my final days, I think it was pretty dang great.

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viewpoint

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Don’t worry, about a thing ‘Cus every little thing is gonna be ALL RIGHT

Thirty-five on the ACT. 2290 on the SAT. National Merit Scholar. (1/7400 in the nation) US Presidential Scholar. (1/161 in the nation. The only girl in Arkansas.)

GPA: 4.0 (99/100) AP Distinguished Scholar Fourteen Texas High Academic Awards, state title for Technical Theatre, state awards in newspaper.

Captain on the soccer team; VicePresident of the International Thespian Society, Rosebuds, Quill and Scroll; Viewpoint editor on the newspaper.

My resume is pretty impressive; my college applications ever more so.

Or so I thought.

In actuality though, I applied to 10 schools. I was accepted to three of them.

To sit there on March 31 and open seven rejection emails was a horrible experience.

There aren’t very many parts of my life in which I have ever felt like a complete and total failure–I work hard specifically to avoid that feeling–but there I was reading over and over again that despite the admissions committees being “humbled by my talents and achievements,” I wasn’t good enough.

Weirdly enough, an unexpected shame rose up at the thought that I had wholeheartedly believed I was good enough. I honestly believed that these schools were within my reach. I felt stupid for having flown across the country to see schools that, in retrospect, I clearly wasn’t good enough for. I felt silly for believing that my choice of where to apply was important, because every school that I wanted to apply to didn’t want me. My

“Bad experiences are like failed experiments: they tell you a lot, even if it isn’t the information you were wanting.”

LEAH CRENSHAW viewpoint editor

choice didn’t matter at all.

I visited each school with earnestness and imagined myself walking the campuses in six months, living it up in whatever Yale Residential College I got into. I imagined myself walking under the snow-laden trees as I stared at Princeton’s gothic architecture. I imagined myself taking weekend adventures into the mountains or to the beach with all of my new friends at Stanford. I imagined myself opening an acceptance letter to one of the best schools in the country and immediately bursting into tears.

As it turns out, the tears were the only part of that brilliant, technicolor fantasy that came true. I did open three acceptance emails: Hendrix, Grinnell and the University of Arkansas. I didn’t even have the good sense to feel excited because I was still waiting for decisions from the schools I actually loved, not these “safe” schools. Then, karma punished me for my complacency by leaving me with nothing else.

People keep asking me where I will go to school, having followed my progress

through the extensive application process.

I struggle to smile and focus on the positives of the school that seems to be the ideal choice: Hendrix. “It’s where my parents and brother both went,” I smile and say. “It’s one of the best schools in Arkansas,” I add. Silently, I can’t help but think It’s the only school that wanted me.

I like to think of myself as a positive person. In times of trouble, I replay Bob Marley in my brain over and over again because “every little thing is gonna be all right.” It will. There’s no point in wallowing in sadness and self-pity when I could be focusing on the positives.

When I am down in the dumps, I’ll force a smile on my face and remind myself that I am a catch, gosh darn it. They say “fake it til you make it,” and that’s exactly what I do as far as confidence. I am a valuable person. My college rejections do not define me, and no, I do not want to read the CNN story about the girl who was accepted to all eight Ivies. I do not want to read that article and wonder what makes us so different. I definitely do not want to cry for a few hours after. (Update:

I did all of those things, and everyone thought my swollen eyes the next day were from allergies.)

I want to focus on being happy. There is nothing I can do to change the things that have already happened. There is no way I can see into the minds of the seven application committees who didn’t think I was up to par. I can only focus on me.

Did I put together the best application I could? Yes. Did I do my best throughout high school? Yes. Did I exceed the expectations of the people around me?

No. Does that matter? Of course not.

Will I be happy in college and make my life into something I can be proud of?

Absolutely. Is every little thing gonna be all right? Always.

Bad experiences are like failed experiments: they tell you a lot, even if it isn’t the information you were wanting. I know now where I stand on the national scale, and I’m not ashamed of my position. I’m not ashamed for reaching for the highest goal and not achieving it. How else would I know that I am reaching high enough? I’m not Albert Einstein or Condoleeza Rice or Superman. I’m just me, and as long as I’m being the best version of me that I can be, I’ll be fine. In three months, I will go have the best four years of my life at a college I will love. Does it matter that it isn’t an Ivy League school? Not anymore. Does it matter that you’re surprised that I didn’t get in? No, stop telling me. Does it matter that people thought I could do it and I didn’t? No. All that matters is that I did my best.

I did absolutely everything I could, and absolutely everything will be all right.

Mamba Out: Failure creates worthwhile detours One of my most memorable moments was running on the track on the second day of high school. It was basketball tryouts, and I was lapped countless times.

There were three types of people at tryouts: the athletically-gifted kids who bursted out of the gates as soon as the coach blew his whistle, the so-so kids who got tired but were fast enough to push through, and the kids who smoked since middle school and will probably need another lung soon.

They all lapped me multiple times.

Evidently, I didn’t make it far through tryouts (plot twist), so I spent the rest of the year walking around the basketball court in PE (I got lapped several times by other people there, too).

ALEX HEO sports editor

Having never made even the middle school basketball team, I knew my chances were slim heading into tryouts. I knew it was an uphill battle, but basketball had been my favorite sport since third grade.

I used to spend so much time shooting in

the driveway, treating trash cans as actual defenders. I was just a mediocre player hoping to become the second coming of Jeremy Lin at best.

This failure forced me to pick up a new sport that doesn’t involve getting lapped: golf. Although I was mediocre in that sport, too, it was fun, and I enjoyed the challenge, despite only spending two years with JV golf.

Because I hate the feeling of coming home from school, I had to be involved in school more and joined newspaper, one of my favorite extracurricular activities I enjoyed in high school. As I became a part of newspaper, I got the opportunity to eventually become sports editor and cover

many sporting events at Texas High like, ironically, basketball (#ball-iz-life). Now, it seems fitting that I’m writing my final newspaper story the same year other fellow legendary greats in the sports-world like Peyton Manning, Kobe Bryant, Charles Woodson, and David Ortiz have played their last game.

Although high school didn’t pan out as I dreamed it would, it’s OK. High school forces you to fail and to take a detour, and sometimes, that new road is a better path to go down. I still have a lot more competitions and races to fail in college, and I’m prepared for that now.

Hopefully, I won’t get lapped again.

Mamba Out.

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Love yourself

viewpoint

Participate in activities that give a sense of fullfillment My high school career has been interesting to say the least, and if I had to leave behind any sort of wisdom it is to do what you want. I know, it’s cliche, but I truly mean it. I spent years doing activities just because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I thought there wasn’t another way to do high school. Some of those misguided decisions worked out for the better, like joining newspaper, but mostly I felt unfulfilled.

I take a pill every morning just to get me out of bed. I know, it’s sad. I should be dealing with it with strength and endurance, but depression tends to overwhelm your body with apathy and fatigue. This made everyday activities overbearing and grey.

I battle this monster for many reasons, but the most significant is that I did nothing that made me feel fulfilled. There were quick moments of fulfillment, but they fell through my hands like sand before I could get a hold of them.

I’m not saying that all the numerous activities I joined are bad or a waste of time, for the most part they are extremely beneficial. However, they were not for me. I didn’t see myself in the activities, and therefore, didn’t gain anything out of the experience.

I thought if I didn’t join newspaper, a sport, Student Council, Leadership, National Honor Society, Rosebuds, Mu Alpha Theta, and whatever other club they tell you needs to be on your resume that you would be a total dud. A high school loser that wasted their time.

I was so wrong.

Although all of these clubs are positive, they don’t mean anything if they don’t make you happy. I would have still gotten into college. I would have still had

ABBY HILL staff writer

friends. I would have still been successful.

The catch is that I did all these things, everything I was suppose to do and more, and I wasn’t successful. Maybe in the conventional sense, but not in any form that matters. I was quite the opposite of happy.

As Marina said in her song “Primadonna Girl”, “I’m sad to the core, every day is a chore.” That’s the thing, our lives shouldn’t be a chore. Even though I value education, I didn’t receive fulfillment from getting an A on a test. I didn’t receive fulfillment from attending every StuCo meeting. These things aren’t bad, they just aren’t meant for me.

My depression was sneaking up on me faster and faster. I was drifting off into a grey universe of monotone lights and emotions. People act as if you reach that pinnacle moment of your life, the time where you realize what it is you’ve been missing, in a switch of a light, but it takes much longer.

I remember being in my therapist’s small, lavender room admitting this lack of fulfillment. She looked at me and said “So, you have no joy in your life.” When she said it like that it really hit me how hard this is taking a toll on me.

“No. I don’t” I replied. The few times I actually felt joy was when I felt acceptance within my family and love

from my significant other. I had been living such a dark life.

The thing about depression is that it’s not just being sad all the time. I still laughed and joked with my friends, enjoyed good weather and even giggled with excitement as I ventured into uncharted territory.

It’s this monster who hangs on your back, keeping that small feeling in your gut unavoidable. That feeling of complete and utter emptiness. A figurative hole in the middle of your stomach.

The real problem with the monster is that he’s familiar. You don’t want to continue with this grey life, but you don’t want to leave your monster. He’s confusingly comfortable, like the blanket you keep on your bed from when you were a baby. You know you should move on, but you don’t want to let go.

However, there comes a time in life when you absolutely have to. No matter how terrifying and how painful it may seem. I was pushed to really find who I was and what I wanted out of this life.

That’s all we have in the end, ourselves.

And if we don’t push ourselves to be the best we are, then our life seems like a waste (I know that’s pretty pessimistic, but remember, I am depressed).

I devoted myself to keeping up with my health, valuing the wonderful people in my life, and just chasing things that make me smile. It’s a long progress, nothing that’s going to “cure” you, but it’s a start. It’s a start to loving yourself and the life you have, even if it is composed of eye-burning greys.

I didn’t think I was lovable. I convinced myself I was the complete opposite. I “knew” that my parents loved me, but how could they when I was nowhere near good enough. I was so wrong.

Single life hasn’t been all that bad “I have a thing for books and writing and alternative music and polysyndeton.

I may or may not have a slight caffeine addiction. I greatly enjoy photography and museums. I’m worth nine goats // howmanygoats.com.”

This was my Tinder bio before deleting the app. Was I genuinely looking for a relationship? Probably not.

I have been perpetually single throughout high school, and for the most part, I’m perfectly fine with that.

I can genuinely say that my happiness has never been dependent on another human being.

I have seen the happiness that relationships bring other people, and

BRIANNA O’SHAUGHNESSY photo editor for those people, it is awesome. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with having a significant other. I’m saying that this stigma of single people being unhappy is not true.

I know so much about myself, and I appreciate that. I have earned my self-confidence this way. I have the

ability to walk into Starbucks and sit confidently alone.

I enjoy the fact that I’ve never had to pay for another person’s meal, never spent hours searching for the perfect gift, never had to confirm my plans with someone else, never have to worry about going to a different college, never had to worry about arguments and never worried over a broken heart.

We go to school to get a higher education, but it's forgotten that we need to learn about ourselves. Yes, I can successfully analyze a piece of literature or perform a chi-square test for goodness-of-fit, but when will that be asked in an interview.

Just chill out

11 Senior recognizes importance of stressfree living

NAVEEN MALIK entertainment editor

Sometimes I wake up, rush to the shower and by the time I’m out, the mirror is fogged up. I throw on clothes from a pile of clean laundry, and swipe on mascara as I rush down the stairs. I climb into my car, only glancing in the rearview briefly. I don’t look in the hundreds of mirrors or car windows in the parking lot, and I never find myself in front of bathroom mirrors.

Sometimes I go full days without seeing myself or hearing my name, As strange as it sounds, days like these are refreshing. Sometimes it’s nice to forget your name and what you look like and who your parents are and what car you drive. Temporary ignorance of all of these things leads to happier days and a happier you.

All the time you spend sitting in silence, stressing about your eyeliner, your body or what that boy across the room thinks of you, could be better spent paying attention in class, reading a book or just being happy.

After having a few rushed, mirror-free days, I realized that I feel so much happier when I don’t worry about these things. I never feel like I have to complain about my shoes so people know that I’m not satisfied with how they look. I don’t pray for an opportunity to go the bathroom and fix my hair. I don’t worry about comparing myself to people who I will never be, and people who will never be me.

For three years of high school, I struggled to pay attention in class or perform normally because I was so worried about what I looked like to other people. But this year, after showing up to school without makeup on, wearing the clothes that I slept in, I truly understood what people meant when they say “no one cares.”

Exactly that. No one looks at you funny for wearing a wrinkled T-shirt or for not concealing a break out.

Rather than putting on layers of makeup to look flawless every morning, study for a test.

Sleep in a little more. Shower the night before and sleep in your clothes. It hurts a little bit at first, sitting through the day naked of those pretty facades. But boys will like you just the same. Girls won’t sneer and whisper to their friends about your “incomplete” face. No one cares, and you shouldn’t either.

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viewpoint

Keeping up with the

Burned out

FUNERAL SCENE

Senior year is filled with ups and downs

Mourning enthusiast explains strange hobby

photo by r lew is

MOLLY CROUCH copy editor

Senior year is a sunburn.

It’s your last first day of school, and you’re bouncing around trying to tug on your shorts–- I mean pants. No shorts allowed at school. (My favorite rule in high school.) You rush to fix your hair and maybe even add a swipe of mascara. Can’t let the senioritis get to you this early.

It’s your last Hell Week, Texas vs. Arkansas game and you’re screaming because we’ve just scored again. We win, and we’re so glad we go to THS. We’ve still got eight more months, so it hasn’t hit us that at the next Battle of the Axe, we’ll be those college kids that come back for the weekend just for the game. (Maybe it won’t be as lame to do that next year.)

You’re in the shade; it is falter (that weird transition between fall and winter) after all.

Homecoming and all its cheesy glory have passed. If you’re me, you really don’t remember much, and your mom pretends she isn’t constantly looking at you out of the corner of her eye.

Semester exams are coming up, and senioritis is gradually invading your immune system. Littman’s final project is due, and you waited until Thanksgiving Break to do it.

(You must hate yourself. I did.)

This shade you’ve been relaxing in is suddenly a little too warm. Colleges are spamming your inbox, and you keep lying to yourself that you're going to finish your applications. If you’re me, you wait until day of deadline to submit. (Again, I must hate myself. Or I’m the worst adrenaline junkie known to man.)

Now it’s full blown winter. I mean if that’s what you call an 80 degree Christmas. Break is just a tease, and you hate all those lame college students who still have another three weeks of their break while you’re sitting at a sticky orange desk. You’re 18, an adult just like them, but you have a curfew, you have to come home right now and you have to raise your hand to go to the restroom. The Senioritis epidemic has swept the class of 2016.

You forgot to put on sunscreen, and you’re burned. Burned out really. Burned out on the papers, the studying and the drama.

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

A shrill sound emitted from my alarm clock fills my ears, and I hastily roll over to slap it off. I groggily get out of bed, grab a familiar black dress from my closet, slip it on and pad to the bathroom. I carefully secure my hair back and add a little bit of makeup to make me appear a little less dead than the corpse I’m preparing to see. I pull on my heels, grab my keys and make my way to the church for the third time this week.

Oh, I guess this doesn’t make much sense. Hi, I’m Bethany, and I’m a serial funeral attender.

It probably sounds BETHANY DOWD a bit morbid, but it's staff writer

JUST

honestly very peaceful. I’ve been making appearances at random funerals for a little over a year now. Every few days I’ll crack open the obituary section of the newspaper and pick out some funerals that I want to go to. There’s no funeral I haven't attended–middle aged people dying of heart attacks, children dying too early and elders who have finished their journey.

Now I’m not saying it isn’t depressing; sometimes funerals can leave me in a contemplative state for hours. Countless people ask me if I’m all right, and for the most part, I am. But it makes it all worth it when someone in the family thanks me for coming. Even if they are silently wondering who I am, I think they're happy that yet another person showed up to commemorate the ending of their loved one’s life. This is especially true when I go to

funerals with only a handful of people present, and even one time, I was the only soul present in the chapel.

There are a lot of reasons why I go to funerals, but I don’t even remember why I started doing it in the first place. I guess it all roots back to my deep respect for people who have lived full lives. I think that the end of such a beautiful thing should be celebrated, even if the circumstances aren’t exactly desirable.

So yeah, I’m that girl who attends funerals rather than parties in her free time and actually enjoys it. I know it's strange. I know it's kind of morbid. But it's just another facet of my personality, and I’ve chosen to just let life happen.

When I die, maybe I’ll have a room full of strangers at my funeral. That wouldn’t bother me one bit.

DIVING IN

College is nothing to be afraid of KRISTIN MCCASLAND online editor-in-chief There’s nothing better than diving into cold water in the morning. The feeling is more energizing than the strongest cup of coffee. I spend hours swimming countless laps back and forth in silence with only my mind to keep me company. Although this may seem like an monotonous chore to some, swimming gives me the necessary time and space to think amidst my hectic life.

What I think about while swimming varies day by day, or even minute by minute. Sometimes I use the time to review information for a test. Other times when I’m less focused, I like to

imagine I’m swimming across a deep ocean. Recently, however, I’ve been reflecting on my time at Texas High, and I’ve realized a few important things.

When I was a freshman, high school felt like the ultimate freedom. I could go wherever I wanted (as long as “wherever” was my next class) and I could do whatever I wanted (as long as I didn’t wear Nike shorts). It was great. However, this feeling eventually disappeared as the years went by. Now, at the end of my senior year, Texas High feels more constricting than holding my breath underwater.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some great experiences here. Most of my teachers have been wonderful, and I’ve met and made friends with some of the best people here. But I’m ready to leave.

Probably 90 percent of my graduating class feels the same way as I

do. We don’t deny the good high school experiences, but we’re ready to move on to bigger and better things.

What will next school year be like for me? I have no idea. More than likely, I’ll be studying hard and trying to make a name for myself on the Henderson swim team. Other than that, however, my future is uncertain. I don’t know who my new friends will be, I don’t know how much I’ll miss the ones I love, I don’t even know if I’ll get along with my roommates. These thoughts would have terrified me as a high school freshman, but now I look forward to the uncertainty.

So underclassmen, although you may not completely understand how I feel now, you will someday. Don’t feel sad about the seniors leaving. We’ve all worked hard to get to this point, and we’re finally ready to move on.

community

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Experience

TAMUT

375

acre campus

40+

student organizations

27

5

athletic organizations

15

graduate degrees

undergraduate degrees

Schedule a Campus Tour this Summer www.TAMTU.edu | 903.223.3000 | #TAMUT 7101 University Avenue, Texarkana, TX 75503

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in-depth

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

UNDER THE INFLUENCE New law aims to keep boaters safe while someone is

21% of fatal boating accidents are attributed to alcohol

4,016

Accidents in 2014

248

277

Accidents were caused by alcohol

injuries out of 2,678 involved alcohol

108 out of 610 deaths

47%

Accidents occur on motorboats

photo by istockphoto.com

were caused by alcohol

stats from uscgboating.org design by Tyler Snell, Jessica Emerson and Lauren Potter

by Jessica EMerson online editor-in-chief The hum and buzz of cicadas fill the summer heat, as tan, slim bodies lounge around on a party barge, each holding a Solo cup. The driver gazes off with hazy eyes and a heavy cinnamon scent of Fireball. The sun hits the horizon, casting a red glare upon the water. Rihanna plays loudly out of the speaker, as the boat cuts the water like scissors on tissue paper, moving and gliding at 55 miles per hour.

In a flash, the faint hum of cicadas is drowned out by the roar of colliding fiberglass. Rihanna fades as the speaker shatters. The sun falls below the horizon, and the water acquires a new red tint.

Texarkana native and former Arkansas High student Trey Varner was killed in a boating accident involving alcohol in May 2013. The death of Trey inspired his mother, Sandy Varner, to change boating and drinking laws in Arkansas.

Many students believe boating under the influence is safer than drinking and driving a car, but the United States Coast Guard has cited that more than 50 percent of fatalities on the water involve alcohol use. Even a boater with a blood alcohol content of .10 is 10 times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than a driver with a blood alcohol content of zero. “[I’ve been on the lake] and had a few brews,” senior Albert Fisk* said. “It’s not like having to stay within 10 feet like a car. There’s less traffic. It’s a massive area. You’re not going as fast. If you’re on the lake and there’s a few people, it’s not that big of a deal. I know it’s against the law but what was I supposed to do? Swim back and abandon my boat?”

The legality of the issue is not taken seriously to avid boaters. In most states it is illegal to operate a boat with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher, according to BoatUS.org. Approximately four beers in one hour will surpass the legal limit, and operating a boat or car is prohibited, but people still continue to drink and drive on the lake.

“I’ve heard it’s a lot easier than drinking and driving [a car], but I’ve never done that,” senior Ronaldo Wilson said.

“It’s way wider, not many boats out there, you aren’t worried

about much. I’m sure it’s still pretty dangerous and illegal, but still.”

After completing their junior year finals, Varner and his best friend Rachel Swetnam traveled to Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees with their friends on May 14, 2013. Planning to celebrate a newfound freedom as they headed into their final year at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

“They had gotten a phone call from this guy whose parents had a house there and had a boat,” Sandy said.

“Everybody was through with the semester, graduation was Saturday night, and you know how that goes, just like in high school.”

Before Varner and Swetnam arrived at John Deselms’ lake house, the friends they were meeting had been partaking in alcohol and drug use. According to the incident report, prior to getting on the lake, Deselms had ingested 10 beers, two tequila shots and an antidepressant that was not prescribed to him.

“I guess John had actually drank more than anybody realized,” Sandy said. “He had also taken some Xanax. They got there and went down to the dock, gotten their stuff unloaded and took pictures. Then they take off from the boat dock in front of John’s home.”

As the group stepped on the boat, Deselms, harboring a blood alcohol content of .24, got behind the wheel.

“It’s just like being in a car,” Sandy said. “[You should] have a designated driver. Know before you get in the boat with somebody if they have been drinking or doing drugs because it isn’t always obvious. I talked to one of the girls that was in the boat that had been up there with him. I asked her if she realized that John was that drunk, and she had no idea.”

The boat made it only 100 yards in the water before crashing into a parked houseboat, claiming the lives of Varner and Swetnam.

“Trey, Rachel and Taylor were in the front of the boat,” Sandy said. “One guy jumped in the water. He was yelling [at Deselms] to turn left, and John doesn’t remember. He has no memory.”

Earlier that day, Deselms had been sighted driving recklessly in a no wake zone.

“Amanda Sullivan, who was an investigator, had gotten

a phone call earlier that day about some kids in a boat who were cutting donuts in a no wake zone,” Sandy said. “She had been in the cove looking for them, and she went back to the office and got the phone call [about the wreck].”

Deselms was convicted of two counts of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Varner’s and the Swetnam’s came to an agreement that if Deselms served a clean year in prison, with no problems, he could be freed and serve the rest of his sentence on parole.

“He has a felony conviction the rest of his life,” Sandy said. “He can never own a gun. He can’t vote. He can’t hold public office. There’s a lot of the things he can’t do.

If in any of the next 13 years, if he gets any kind of ticket, except a minor traffic ticket, if he gets picked up for DUI or possession, he goes back to prison for the 14 years.”

Although Deselms actions took away the life of her son, Sandy’s heart goes out to his family.

“It was heart breaking, not just what we went through, but what his family went through too,” Sandy said. “To know that all of these kids, they all had the same friends. I mean Rachel went to high school with this guy, and Trey was friends with them. It was really hard on them, on all of them. In an instant, he was distracted. He had done some Xanax and drank alcohol on top of that. The sun and wind can intensify that. He couldn’t see, it was late in the afternoon. There were so many factors. It was the perfect storm.”

After attending Trey’s funeral, Sandy got to speak to Deselms and make amends.

“I said to him ‘Please do not let this ruin the rest of your life. There are some changes you need to make, and don’t ever forget it, but don’t let it ruin your life,’” Sandy said. “I don’t want him to not have a life, that would just be another tragedy. He owes it to those two to not make another mistake like that. It affected all those kids. They are dealing with all kinds of issues. You don’t see what they saw and it not affect you.”

To memorialize Trey, Sandy teamed up with local Arkansas Senator Jimmy Hickey and Representative Prissy Hickerson in order to partner offenses on the water with restrictions on drivers’ licenses.

“One of the things we found out was that in Oklahoma you can kill someone, and it doesn’t affect your ability to operate a motor vehicle at all, if you’re on the water when it happened,” Sandy said. “It doesn’t affect your driver’s license at all. It’s a fine only offense.”

Hickey composed a bill, and it passed unanimously through the house and senate. Now in Arkansas any offense on the water, such as a BUI or wreck, can potentially lead to the suspension of a drivers’ license.

“They signed it into law on Trey’s birthday,” Sandy said.

“That was pretty emotional. The legislature there in Little Rock did a standing ovation when it passed.”

Two years prior, another fatal boating crash claimed the life of two people in Jay County, Oklahoma, involving high speed and alcohol abuse. Although two tragedies occurred within three years, Oklahoma still failed to pass the law.

Many believe that the change will create a safer boating environment, but not a lasting effect.

“I think there might be a little change at first, but it isn’t going to be really dramatic,” senior Zack Phillips said.

“You’ll always have adults and kids that want to drink and drive a boat at the same time just wanting to have fun, trying to impress all the people around them. It might take effect if the police start cracking down on it, but people are still going to do it.”

As boaters continue to get behind the wheel under the influence, they do not fully realize the impact of their actions on what could be a stranger, could be a loved one, a family member, a friend.

“As they say some people’s lights are too bright to shine very long,” Sandy said. “I think that about Trey and Rachel.” *Names have been changed to protect identity

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community

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

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feature

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Hair-raising awareness

Blue dye makes more than a fashion statement for juniors

by ANNA CANNON feature editor As they walk down the hall, they begin to notice the odd glances and the smirks.

There are a few pointing fingers, a few giggles and a few who just stare. It’s all right though; they didn’t dye their hair bright blue for kicks. Raising awareness is all about getting attention.

At the beginning of April, juniors Dawson Black and Manny Banks dyed their hair blue in order to participate in Autism Awareness Month. Black’s twin brothers both have autism, and he and Banks believed that their blue hair would make a statement.

“I was just going [to] wear blue, but I knew no one would know,” Black said.

“When I’m out with my brothers, they stand out because they have autism and people notice, so I was like, ‘What’s something I can do that will stand out?’

So I went with dyeing my hair. I’ve never been one to dye my hair and people thought it was weird, but everyone noticed and everyone asked, so it got out faster than anything.”

Black decided to change his hair color to support his brothers, 13-year-old twins Clayton and Lucas. Clayton is lower on the autism spectrum, so his symptoms are less severe than Lucas’s.

“Clayton is high-functioning. It’s like

BLUE MAN GROUP Juniors

Manny Banks and Dawson Black stand with Dawson’s twin brothers, Lucas (center) and Clayton (right).

photo by L. Maynard

he has Asperger’s, so he’s basically like a normal kid. It’s just his concept of things is so much slower,” Black said. “Lucas, you can tell he has autism when you look at him. He wasn’t able to talk until he was 4 or 5, and so even when he talks it’s just like phrases, it’s not like actual sentences.

His sentences are off and he has trouble with social issues. He can’t just sit there and have a conversation with you; he’ll just tell you what you want, and then he’ll go on.”

Banks and Black have been friends for years, and Manny is close with Lucas and

Clayton. He dyed his hair after Dawson asked him to.

“Dawson came to me one day and he said, ‘Let’s dye our hair blue.’ And I was like ‘Why?’” Banks said. “Dawson said, ‘It’s autism awareness month. We’ll just dye our hair and show people how autism is a thing, and we can let people be aware of it I guess.’”

Even though there are some people who joke about the boys’ hair, the response to their decision has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Since it’s my first time ever dyeing

my hair, people crack a joke every once in awhile,” Banks said. “But a lot of people really like it and they’re like, ‘That’s really cool, why’d you do it?’ And I get the chance to say, ‘Hey, it’s Autism Awareness Month.’ So it fits the purpose.”

Black was 3 years old when his parents began to realize his brothers were born with autism. His family doesn’t consider their situation difficult; for them, it’s ordinary.

“We don’t really consider anything much of a challenge because we’re so used to it,” Black said. “Lucas may throw a tantrum in the middle of a store and people will look, but to us it’s just everyday life. It happens all the time. People have asked my mom, ‘How do you do this?’ and we always say, ‘It’s just how we do it.’”

Autism awareness isn’t just about understanding the disorder. It’s also about teaching people how to interact with and respond to people with autism.

“When we’re in the car, when [Dawson’s family] would give me rides home before I could drive, it would throw off Lucas’s schedule, which is ‘get picked up and go home,’” Banks said. “So he’d start getting cranky, and in situations like that people would need to understand how to handle that. Be calm, say, ‘Hey it’s okay. I’ll be gone in a minute, and you can go right back to doing what you’re doing.’

Awareness would help a lot.”

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feature

Speaking ut

by KATHERINE STOECKL staff writer As the laughter and loud voices reach him from his spot near the wall, he tries to make himself invisible. He doesn’t know all these people or why they’re acting this way. He’s confused and overwhelmed, and even though he tries not to show it, he begins to cry.

Junior Elijah Lovett grew up in a strict Pentecostal home. After experiencing the real world, he has found a new path and chose to stick to it.

“Growing up, I would attend church every Sunday, and at a young age, I didn’t really think anything of it,” Lovett said. “But when we first got television in 2007, I started to realize that there was a world outside of mine.”

Lovett had little interaction with people other than his family members. His main friends were his six siblings, even though he attended The Rock Elementary in Liberty Eylau beginning in the first grade.

“I attended public school, but I had no idea what a DS was, I didn’t know what Pokemon was or anything,” Lovett said. “So I had a hard time making friends because I didn’t know what was going on around me.”

It is uncommon for Pentecostal parents to send their children to public school.

“Very few [kids] go to public school,” Lovett said. “I think that it’s that way to kind of keep them isolated. That’s the way we used to do it, but when I got to public school, it was really weird.”

Over Easter weekend a few years ago, Lovett was baptized at a Pentecostal camp for kids from elementary school through college.

“At this camp we had a lot of free time, and one evening they asked who wanted to be baptized,” Lovett said. “Two people raised their hands, and when we got out to the pool, I decided I wanted to be baptized too. It was like the parting of the Red Sea because I raised my hand and everybody turned around really fast and divided themselves, and I walked through the crowd.”

As Lovett continued through the public school system, he began to realize how different other people could be.

It was then that he started to branch out from his strict religion.

“When I got in middle school, I entered my rebellious stage where I didn’t want to do what my parents told me,” Lovett said. “With my religion, I’m not allowed to have long hair or wear shorts and a lot of other things, and that’s when I started to do them.”

Recently, Lovett attended a funeral and went to go

“When I have kids, I’ll raise them with more exposure because I do not want them to feel how I felt. I remember crying on the first day I went to public school because I didn’t know what was going on.”

-Elijah Lovett, 11

make himself a cup of coffee. Upon entering the kitchen, he was politely bombarded with women offering to make the beverage.

“The Pentecostal denomination is very traditional,” Lovett said. “The women are supposed to be in the kitchen. They cook, they clean, they tend to the children, and the men are the ones who work.”

Just as gender roles are largely respected, dress code is strictly enforced.

“It’s so weird,” Lovett said. “Women are not allowed to cut their hair; they’re not allowed to wear pants or makeup. The reason why I’m not allowed to wear shorts is because they used to be a woman’s garment in the 18th century, maybe.”

The restriction of dress is considerably more strict than marrying someone outside of the sect, which is neither frowned upon nor preferred.

“My mother was raised a Baptist,” Lovett said. “I’m not sure how my father was raised, but when he got out of the Navy, he found this religion and converted my mother.

There is no rule that you have to convert.”

According to Lovett, Pentecostals believe that the world is going to end soon.

“Brother William Branham, he’s like our prophet,” Lovett said. “He had these seven predictions, all of them have come true by the way, of how America is going to end, and the sixth one is that there would be a woman leader, Hillary Clinton, and the seventh is about America just getting blown up by an atomic bomb.”

The Lovett family goes to the Tabernacle Church in Little Rock for a service every new year, but does not go every Sunday because it is so far away.

“The sermon usually lasts four or five hours” Lovett said. “I’ve asked my parents why we don’t go to the Pentecostal church in town, and they told me it’s because they don’t believe the way we do.”

Lovett once attended Streamline, a nondenominational youth group, and found that it was surprisingly similar.

“I went to Streamline once and it wasn’t all that much different,” Lovett said. “We sang songs and stuff, just like at my church where there is usually an accordion player and a singer.”

There are sects within the Pentecostal denomination that differ in regard to the standards.

“There is Pentecostal and then there is like sects or little groups,” Lovett said. “I have learned that there are things that we don’t do. They’re called the standards, which means you have a choice. In some sects, like ours, wearing the skirt is not an option. You wear skirts, you wear dresses, you don’t have a choice.”

When Lovett is with his family, he is Pentecostal. His personal views and his schedule have caused him to draw away from his upbringing.

“I am not the biggest fan of my particular religion,” Lovett said. “And with the activities I’m involved in, I don’t have much time to practice it any more. All my friends and experiences in the world kind of go against what I was taught from a young age, so there’s conflict there.”

Lovett has discovered that he enjoys the freedom he found by exploring other religious views.

“I like where I am, and I like what I can do,” Lovett said. “When I have kids or something, I’ll raise them with

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Junior finds freedom in breaking tradition more exposure because I do not want them to feel how I felt, because I remember crying on the first day that I went to public school because I didn’t know what was going on.”

Lovett has applied to the Texas Humanities Program at Lamar University and may not return to Texas High for his senior year if he gets accepted.

“The program is for students who are still in high school that have finished their sophomore year,” Lovett said. “Those who are accepted get to live on campus and attend college classes with people that are not in the program, which is actually really cool.”

Lovett’s experience with his religion has not kept him from considering other denominations or religions.

“I haven’t closed myself off to other religions,” Lovett said.

The main concern I have is that [religion as a whole] isn’t very concrete. It doesn’t allow for me to explore other possible ways of life, or live how I [want to] live. At the end of the day I am happy with my choices.

That is all that matters, is that you are happy.”

photo by K. Moreland

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feature

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

learning to

LOOK AHEAD Teachers plan retirements

GRACE HICKEY staff writer

Teachers seem to always be here.

Waves of students flow in and out of the halls.

The teachers stay.

A line of seniors march across a stage each year to take their diploma and leave.

The teachers stay.

Until one day they don’t.

This year seven teachers are at least partially vacating their positions to embark on new adventures.

This year, seven teachers aren’t staying. illustration by g. hickey photos by m. bonner

“It is not my grand wish to leave Texas High.

However, after crunching the numbers, it best serves me financially to retire from Texas, but continue to teach in another state. My students hold a special place in my heart.

Preparing for college and the AP Calculus test, we work hard together, get frustrated together, and sometimes even cry together. But one thing is for sure, we always rise to the challenge together.”

-Lindy Ditmore Will teach in Arkansas

“Health reasons were one of the deciding factors [on my retirement]. [I will miss] the students each year that you feel like you really have a connection to and made a difference in their lives.”

-Linda Baker Will pursue personal interests

“I have a series of 24 paintings that I have completed. So far, I have 9 in print. I am planning on getting the complete series printed and get my website going to sell them. I have always felt like I was called to teach. No matter what course I taught, I felt like I was here to help my students figure out who they were and there is a purpose for their life.

I will miss encouraging and helping kids reach their potential.”

-Kathryn Franklin Will pursue personal interests

“Someone once said of a teacher that they would know when it was time to retire. In February, I realized it was time. I plan to spend more time with my family, but I will miss the students and staff.”

-Gary Bynum Will pursue personal interests

“Hopefully [I will] enjoy teaching at Arkansas High for five to 10 years, then enjoy total retirement. I hope to travel, garden and do things with my granddaughter.

I will miss my many colleagues and the supportive administration, but most of all, I will miss my wonderful, smart, funny and sometimes exasperating students.”

-Linda Teeters Will teach in Arkansas

“[I decided to partially retire because] I need time to go on adventures while I’m still healthy.

I’m going to drive my car a lot, and find historic things to touch.”

-John Littmann Will teach part time at Texas High

“I have enjoyed teaching math, but I felt like this was the right time in my life to move on to other adventures. I have been getting up and going to school since I was 6 years old. I am a board member for the Texarkana Friends of the Shelter, so now I will have more time to help as a volunteer. It will just be nice to have the freedom to do whatever comes to mind.”

-Beverly Carter Will pursue personal interests

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IN REVIEW

Tiger sports make successful runs across the board, credit success to leadership by tye shelton staff writer

In the wake of former coach Jacob Skinner’s departure, the boys basketball team had a new leader with Coach Keith Jones. Despite the new transition, the boys won 11 of their 14 games and became district champs. Some of the highlights in the season were wins over Marshall and Pine Tree. The Tigers met defeat in the first round of playoffs.

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

SOCCER

At one point, the girls were ranked eighth in the state for the 5A division. The lady Tigers had key wins over Pine Tree, last year’s rival, along with wins over Sulphur Springs and Mount Pleasant, which came in overtime. Finishing with a 12-6-3 overall record, they advanced to the first round of playoffs, but were defeated by Lufkin.

BASKETBALL

photo by S. York

It was a year of opposites at Texas High, the incredulous difference in age between varsity teammates accommodated with the success featured on campus. The football, basketball, baseball and tennis teams were all led by their senior athletes. However, the success of the girls soccer team can mainly be attributed to the youth of the team.

As a season draws to an end, many athletes reflected on their best and worst moments. The hours of sweat and tears paid off with district and regional titles along with state bids. The teams stand together for their last huddles, and the lights fade on another eventful Tiger sports season.

photo by M. Fronhofer

OUR YEAR

sports

TENNIS

The baseball team had a successful season.

With the leadership of the seniors and the new infusion of talent from the underclassmen, the team posted a 19-7 record, finishing first in district with a 12-2 record. The baseball team advanced to the first round of playoffs but were met with defeat

by Whitehouse in a best of three series.

photo by R. Lewis

photo by E. Meinzer

The tennis team made an appearance in state this year. In College Station, the team made history as the first to make it to state. This week, junior Cullen Schoen and senior Aubree Cramer competed at state in doubles.

BASEBALL The football team fared well through the season, featuring a win over crosstown rival Arkansas High, after losing to Kilgore in the final minutes of the first district game. The biggest win of the season for the Tigers came with defeating the Marshall Mavericks who were 7-0 before entering Grim Stadium. The Tigers fell short to John Tyler in the playoffs for the second year in a row, finishing the season off with an 8-3 record.

photo by M. Morriss

FOOTBALL

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

Sprint, Move, Return

sports

May

file photo

Memories

Senior track star moves before returning to school he loves

JUNIOR KYLE CHOATE

by Katie Dusek staff writer The announcer calls to take his mark. As he crouches down to take his stance, the crowd is utterly quiet. Sweat drips down his forehead, and his lip quivers in concentration. When he hears the pistol go off, he runs, drowning out the cheers and focusing only on how fast he is going. It is a familiar feeling for senior Jacorian Walker because he has been a part of the track team for all four years of his high school career.

Walker is universally known around school by a nickname created during middle school.

He goes almost exclusively by this nickname, and it has grown to shape his identity.

“Back in sixth grade I was at [Texarkana College] because I had swim class, and my friend Sterling James, told me ‘You got fat lips, so I’m going to call you Juicy Lips, but Juice for short,’” Walker said. “It was catchy, so everyone started calling me Juice.”

His sophomore year, Walker was on the winning state team for track. The experience of being part of the team stuck is something he will never forget.

“Winning state was different because a minute before we won, we thought that our hopes of winning state were gone because we were up against one of the best teams in the nation running to win first place, and [Lancaster High School] lost,” Walked said. “It was great being around all those seniors, it’s their last time going out.”

Walker left Texas High in the middle of his junior year due to family difficulties. He was gone for the first semester

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The BASEBALL team fell in three games to the Whitehouse Wildcats in the bi-district playoffs. However, a controversy surfaced after the game. In a video that senior Kip Williams posted on Twitter, an umpire is shown attempting to hide the home plate with dirt as senior JT Morgan rounded the bases after a homerun.

Morgan eventually uncovered the plate and touched it in order to prevent being called out. The umpire’s action calls the officiating integrity of the series into question. The Texas Association of Sports Officials is now investigating the umpire’s actions.

Toward the end of the season, the SOFTBALL team defeated the Marshall Mavericks 13-2 and Longview Lobos 27-1 in order to grab the final spot in the playoffs. In the playoffs, the team faced the Lufkin Panthers, the first seed of their respective district and lost the first two games of the three game series.

Senior Chealsea Slider is the only senior playing college softball. Starting in the fall, Slider will play for Texas A&M University - Commerce.

SOPHOMORE BRALEY TURNER passing the baton During his sophomore year, senior Jacorian Walker runs in the baton relay during the 2014 Watty Meyers track meet. Walker moved to Smith High School during junior year before returning to Texas High for his senior year

and went to Smith High School in Carrollton, Texas.

“My junior year I left because my home life wasn’t going correctly, and I had to move with my dad,” Walker said. “I had to get my life together a little bit, and let my family get theirs together.”

Walker returned to Texas High with a newfound appreciation and excitement for his old school.

“I moved back to Texas High School because I missed Texas High a lot. I realized that as soon as I left,” Walker said.

“I missed everything about Texas High like my friends and football. I never wanted to leave in the first place, but when things happen in life you have to make arrangements.”

After Walker graduates, he plans on maintaining his love for running.

“My plans after high school are to attend UNT or UTA for track,” Walker said. “My plans after college is to run for a company like New Balance

or Nike and try to get to the Olympics.”

Although Walker made many great accomplishments in football and track, he will always cherish the other moments of high school that were less talked about.

“My biggest accomplishment was being someone that younger classmates could look to, for help and [encouragement],” Walker said. “It wasn’t even state. My greatest accomplishments [were] creating the relationships that I did in high school.”

In his high school career, Walker faced many hardships that shaped his perspective of the world. However, he came out of high school with a more positive outlook.

“Nothing is as bad as you think it,” Walker said. “Just relax and do what you have to do, and while you have the opportunities, take them because they will go away soon.”

The TENNIS team had five double teams winning district. Of those five teams, one team advanced to state. Junior Cullen Schoen and senior Aubree Cramer competed at the state championship in mixed doubles at College Station this week. The duo has won every tournament this year, except one, losing in Allen, Texas, earlier in the spring season. The team will lose four seniors next year. Of the four, one is playing college tennis.

Senior Carson Rommel will play for Rhodes College.

FRESHMAN GRIFFIN JOHNSON Two TRACK girls team members competed in the Track and Field State Championship at the University of Texas - Austin on May 12-14. In discus, junior Hannah Higgins placed second, and senior Kristen McDuffie placed third at the championship. Sophomore Will Harrell of the boys track team advanced to regionals. However, Harrell suffered a stress fracture in his right leg.

The boys four by 400 relay team of junior Devuntay Walker and seniors Jaylen Rhone, Chaz Davis and Jacorien Walker advanced to regionals finals.

However, the team lost Rhone to a pulled hamstring, causing the boys to finish in last place. Rhone pulled his hamstring while competing in the 300 meter hurdles earlier in the day.

SENIOR KRISTEN MCDUFFIE compiled by Jay Williamson, staff writer photos by D. James, R. Lewis, E. Meizner, K. Moreland

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sports

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

On the road to Rio

Summer Olympics to be held in Brazil

by RICKY COOKS staff writer Billions of screaming fans from all over the world. Each nation watching with pride as their favorite athletes play for the gold.

Everlasting memories of glory and reaching new heights.

Kicking off on Aug. 5, the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio de Janeiro. With a history trailing back to ancient Greece, this year’s games will be a medley of 42 events performed by athletes from up to 206 countries.

“What I like most about the summer games is the atmosphere around it,” senior Trevor Danley said. “It seems so much more hyped up and anticipated than the winter games.”

Falling shortly behind the FIFA World Cup, the Summer Olympics is the second-most watched sporting event in the world, with approximately 2-4 billion viewers. Students are getting excited for the event, especially for those invested in specific sports.

“I think [the games] will be really cool,” sophomore Meredith Maynard said. “Since I do gymnastics, it’ll be interesting watching the different countries compete for it. I possibly

see the Olympics in my future— if I work hard enough, in a few years I will have that chance.”

The participants in the Olympics are selected through Olympic Trials, held separately by each country before the summer games.

“I like to watch track and field, seeing how fast people can run,” junior Hannah Higgins said. “I like seeing people work hard, doing what they do best.”

National pride is one of the biggest aspects of the event, with each nation desperately invested in their atheletes’ performance.

“It’s crazy how something as simple as sports can be the one thing to bring the whole country together,” freshman Nick Graves said. “[The Games] make me proud to be American.”

With the closing ceremony to be held on Aug. 21, the summer games in Rio will be a worldwide spectacle of unison.

“The summer games will be a great event to watch,” Danley said. “I believe they’re important because they show that even on this giant earth with so much diversity, we can come together and compete in orderly ways that are fun and respectful.”

TOP MOMENTS IN US OLYMPIC HISTORY Berlin, 1936

Jesse Owens wins four gold medals for track, overcoming negativity from Nazi authorities.

Lake Placid, 1980

A rag-tag team of American hockey players beat the Russian team with a serious victory streak.

Beijing, 2008

Michael Phelps wins eight gold medals, beating the worldwide record for one Games.

Los Angeles, 1984

Mary Lou Retton overcomes a knee injury and becomes the first female gymnast to win the all-around title from outside Eastern Europe.

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

community

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entertainment

Hitting the Books Reading for pleasure remains important For many bookworms, there comes a point in life when staying up late to read no longer sounds quite as fun as it did in the past. Or when buying books is an unnecessary expense, and when reading becomes something you have to do for school, and not

by ANNA CANNON something that you feature editor love to do.

Fortunately, that point hasn’t come for me.

I’m the kind of person you have to watch in a bookstore, because if left unsupervised I’ll end up spending the money I’m supposed to use for food. I have to keep books away from me when I do homework, or else bad things are bound to happen.

Throughout high school, I’ve noticed a decline in reading for fun. Mostly, it’s because there’s no longer time, and it takes dedication to find time to do it. Furthermore, high school (especially AP classes) redefines reading as something to be done out of the need to pass. No longer does reading mean curling up with fiction on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Now, it means poring over a textbook late at night when you really just want to go to bed.

It’s a shame, really. Reading for pleasure has long been proven to have a positive effect on intellectual, emotional and even physical health.

According to The Reading Agency, frequent reading for pleasure has been linked to lower

levels of stress and depression and a decrease in the likelihood of Alzheimer’s Disease. These findings are certainly plausible, as reading is usually relaxing, and reducing stress is definitely a way to reduce depression. Recent studies have found that an active mind limits the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is caused by “plaques,” deposits of the protein beta-amyloid, and “tangles,” twisted strands of the protein tau. Frequent stimulation and use of the mind has been found to reduce the symptoms of the disease, even if the person has the characteristic plaques and tangles.

Outside of health reasons, reading has been found to improve the reader’s empathy, cultural awareness and sensitivity to differing world views. Again, these findings are entirely plausible; after all, there’s no better way to sympathize with someone else than to “walk a mile in their shoes”. Authors often use their position to raise awareness for people of different backgrounds, cultures and world views than the reader, which introduces the reader to a mile in the shoes of someone they would never have met otherwise.

After all, there’s a reason many bookworms have a reputation for open-mindedness.

Among students, reading for pleasure has been linked to a better attitude towards school and more willingness to do homework. Once again, the benefits of reading are far more numerous than they at first seem. So next time you have a free afternoon, find a good book to occupy your time; it might be a step toward a good habit.

If you’re looking for...

A WORK OF GENIUS

Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch falls into an entirely different category of literature.

It follows the life of Theodore Decker, a New York boy essentially orphaned when his mother is killed in a terrorist attack on an art museum. The book delves into drugs, alcohol, sex and the dynamics of a dysfunctional family. It’s heavy stuff, but Tartt’s themes of childhood neglect, dishonesty and the consequences of being in the wrong company require some dark explanation. Say what you will, but there’s a reason The Goldfinch won a Pulitzer Prize. It may just be the best book I’ve ever read.

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

If you’re looking for...

AN ADVENTURE

The first time I tried to read The Mortal Instruments, I never got into it. When I decided to try again, I read all six books in three weeks and devoured The Infernal Devices, The Bane Chronicles and any other Shadowhunters material I could get my hands on. While Cassandra Clare’s work won’t likely be preserved with the reverence of Jane Austen, she is an amazing storyteller, and her characters are some of the most memorable I’ve come across.

If you’re looking for...

A MODERN-DAY CLASSIC

No recommendation list would be complete without a mention of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. The seven-book wonder is one of those rare ones that will be hailed by later generations as a classic.

Before that happens, a great deal of us have been lucky enough to grow up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. And when we matured, we were able to read them again and see the themes that Rowling so expertly wove into her story. Consider yourself lucky to have read them now.

Students in the future will probably have to study them for English class.

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A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE

Authors have been writing about mental illness for years, but for me, few are as poignant as Fig by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz. Fig tells the story of a young girl whose mother has schizophrenia.

It takes place before mental illness was as researched as it is today, so Fig faces serious bullying because of her “crazy” mother. As someone who had never before dealt with mental illness, the story was eye-opening about the challenges that mental patients and their families face. It’s incredibly sad, but totally worth it. Just keep a box of tissues nearby.

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entertainment

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

marvel-ous movies Latest film in cinematic universe brings new excitement to the table

by JILLIAN CHENEY entertainment editor

“Who is this old guy?” you’re probably asking. “I want to hear about superheroes.” And we’ll get there. First, meet Stan Lee. He’s known for his creation of all Marvel comics and characters. What those who aren’t familiar with all things Marvel may not know, however, is that Stan Lee appears in every recent Marvel movie.

From Spiderman’s greatest giver of advice to a disgruntled chess player, Lee’s cameos are worth keeping your eyes peeled for when you watch these movies. Plus, he has an awesome web series of sarcastic comments and funny viewpoints you can watch on YouTube.

They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. “Captain America: Civil War” deals with what you do when you can’t tell the difference between each person you know.

As the third installment of the Avengers movies, this film doesn’t disappoint. Its dynamic is certainly different from other Marvel movies in that it gives an ambiguous view of who is good and who is evil. Both sides believe that their actions are morally correct, but it’s up to each individual to pick his side.

This ambiguity includes some interesting advice about upholding your morals and being stubborn when it counts. Superhero or not, it’s a good moral for dealing with situations in which your beliefs are quesrions. The niece of Agent Peggy Carter– a beloved character from the first Captain America movie– provides some great advice: “Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say ‘No, you move’.”

The argument begins with the guilt of Tony Stark– guilt that’s mainly brought upon by angry parents.

After the first two Avengers movies, people are tired of seeing their loved ones killed by the Avengers. (Which is some seriously flawed logic, people. Why not blame the monsters from other worlds who are set on world destruction? But I digress.) This leads to the Sokovia Accords, a document that requires the Avengers be under the supervision of many government agencies.

Superheroes like Steve Rogers are intent on the belief that the job of a hero is to protect the human race, no matter what. He understands that

submitting to panels and governments will limit the actions of the Avengers, and they may not be able to be in the right place at the right time. He believes in the fight for the greater good, and the more lives saved the better for the planet.

Superheroes like Tony Stark believe that it’s a hero’s job to keep people happy. For some reason, he alone is the one who gets backlash from individuals, and is overcome with the guilt of having caused innocent deaths. He has dealt with enough dignitaries to believe that the Accords will allow the team to save people and keep civilians happy.

The two deal with these beliefs along with other personal experiences to reach their disagreement of epic proportions, and the other team members– plus a few other super individuals– join in based on their opinions and their many frienships with each other.

Spider-Man makes an appearance in an Avengers movie for the first time, and it’s glorious. Tom Holland reprises the role, and he’s the best yet. Like a combination of awkward, old-school Toby Maguire and hipster, nerdy Andrew Garfield, Holland has plenty of witty dialogue and promises excellent spinoff movies in the future.

Spider-Man is a familiar face to fans of the Marvel universe, but new to the franchise is Black Panther, a neutral player in the game. It’s nice to have a hero (with amazing powers and a cool suit) that’s more concerned with justice and his personal vengeance than the others.

You probably thought it was cool four years ago when Loki tossed Iron Man out of a window and his armor joined him on the way down. Everyone did. But the battles are more intense than ever, promising to cater to fans that live and breathe superhero technology. Among a few notables include: the car chase scene– in which the Winter Soldier grabs a moving motorcycle, the airport battle – in which Ant-Man increases to the size of a commercial plane, and the legendary battle between Iron Man and Captain America.

Rest assured, you’ll probably be on the edge of your seat for a good portion of two and a half hours. Sadness comes at the end of the movie– it always seems like such a long wait for the next one– but there’s also a certain relief in being able to shout about your strong opinions with friends.

Don’t let your hatred for one team and love for another consume you as you exit the theater, however; the after-credits scenes are coming as always, and you don’t want to miss out.

photos from creative commons

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it the

list OF THE YEAR

Compiled by Naveen Malik, Jillian Cheney and Colton Johnson

entertainment

sept. 25, 2015 • tigertimesonline.com

May 5, 2015

June 26, 2015

Long gone are the days of the ChaCha Slide and Cupid Shuffle. The newest repetitive group dance song came by storm through social media and schools of all levels.

Many people began to whip for the sake of irony, and others began to whip it simply for the fun of it. As sophomore Laurel Wakefield said, “Whipping is a fun way to get down and funky.”

This year is literally one for the history books. Though textbooks probably won’t catalogue Kardashian drama, June 26, 2015, will be remembered and studied by all as the year gay marriage was legalized. Out of the closet and into the chapel.

#watchmewhip

#lovewins

August 6, 2015

December 14, 2015

April 23, 2016

This school year was historical in many ways, but the most popular Broadway show of this season fits the bill perfectly. “Hamilton,” a hip-hop musical chronicling the life and times of the first treasury secretary, has won the hearts of many theater fans and otherwise, enough that it helped persuade Congress members to keep Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill. There’s no better way to stress the importance of pop culture in politics.

When Blue Bell was taken off our shelves, the South grieved together. We had to replace the ice cream we used to eat by the tub, in both our happiest and saddest moments, with a foreign off brand. In March, however, Blue Bell returned to Texarkana, and once again completed our lonely Friday nights and topped off birthday cakes in homes across Texas.

From the moment she strutted onto the Superbowl field delivering a jaw dropping performance with her entourage of flawless backup dancers, to the bone chilling album, “Lemonade,” Beyoncé made a confident comeback in 2016, slaying the game as always. The queen bee is back and better than ever.

Rachel Ray is suffering, but the queen is banking. #BeckyWithTheGoodHair #SaveRachaelRay

#Hamilton

#bluebellisback

#queenbee

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

community

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community

may 20, 2016 • tigertimesonline.com

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