Tiger Time May 2018

TIGER TIMES May 18, 2018 • Vol. 57, Issue 6 • texas high school

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

Vaping is the sensation taking the world by storm. Its popularity as a recreational device is increasing, though originally intended to be medicinal. Many questions remain hidden inside the smoke.

See PAGE 14

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

photo illustration by k. gordon

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MAY Semester Exams will begin in first and fifth periods. A and B-day exams will follow on the next two days.

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

WHAT’S ON OUR

radar

WHAT’S

inside

photo by h.rainwater

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May 24 will be the last day of school for TISD. The band will have an end-ofthe-year picnic at Spring Lake Park at 5:30 p.m. Seniors will have graduation practice at First Baptist Church Texarkana at 8:30 a.m.

Graduation will be held at First Baptist Church Texarkana at 2:00 p.m.

JUNE

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The SAT Test will be held in the Math and Science Building at 8 a.m. An ACT Prep Session will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Rooms 33 and 34.

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The ACT Test will be held in the Math and Science Building at 8 a.m.

STAY CONNECTED

BURSTING HER BUBBLE Junior Brittany Kile helps a student make bubbles. The Tiger Strong Field Day was held on May 1.

TIGERS EARN THEIR STRIPES

BY KATIE BIGGAR STAFF WRITER

With six TISD schools, over 100 special need students and 300 plus volunteers all participating, the first Tiger Strong Field Day was held at the Texas Middle School soccer field. The B2 Leadership class hosted the event and put it together from top to bottom.

“The Tiger Strong Field Day was fabulous because students from various clubs and organizations united for a common goal: to bring happiness to others,”

Student Council adviser Susan Waldrep said. “Our student helpers learned joy and determination from our participants.”

The field day started at 9 a.m. and ended around 1 p.m. with a constant flow of games and various activities for the students to enjoy.

Senior Brianna Black and junior Mallari McClaran worked for two school days to arrange the event.

“It was amazing just seeing everything we had hoped for finally come to life,” Black said.

“We had an idea as a collective class and turned it into something

great, I like to describe it as fun chaos.”

There were several clubs that donated their time and service to making the day exceptional.

Leadership wanted a variety of students from other organizations rather than just student council to help them on such a special day.

“I am so grateful for all of the people who volunteered from all of the different clubs,” McClaran said.

“All of the kids loved their buddies and we got such great feedback from their teachers.” katiebiggar@tigertimesonline.com

Spring 2018 Semester Exam Schedule

TIGERS TACKLE EUROPE Students prepare to visit Europe with social studies teachers

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LASTING EXPRESSIONS Beloved math teacher leaves lasting impact on students before departure

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LAPPING THE COMPETITION Track and field teams finish off season in style

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WHAT’S NOW Check out what is happening over the summer including “Solo: A Star Wars Story” on May 25

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

TIGERS TACKLE EUROPE

NEWS

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Students prepare to take trip with social studies teachers

BY MOLLY KYLES STAFF WRITER This summer one group of students, teachers and parents will be taking to the skies. The group will depart for a 10-day trip to London, Paris and the Alps on July 6. Teachers Erin Buchanan, Lance Kyles and Danny Williams are among those chaperoning the trip. The trip is open to all high school students, even those not attending Texas High, and any interested parents.

“I think we do more harm than good by not travelling and learning about other cultures and embracing new and different ideas,” said Buchanan, a world geography teacher. “It's so necessary, particularly while you’re young and still learning to develop that appreciation.”

The locations, London, Paris, the Swiss Alps, Munich and a few other stops along the way all encapsulate the Europe experience. Each city has a significance to the world and the trip. London, the first stop, is a world city with a history stretching thousands of years.

“London is an international city, and so I hope we get the opportunity to see a variety of people doing lots of different things,” Buchanan said. “Texarkana is

just a small town, so to be thrust into the middle of this mega metropolis and have to navigate our way around and see what daily life is like for other people is just going to be incredible.”

Travel can be an educational experience too, according to Buchanan.

Witnessing other cultures firsthand can spark curiosity and discovery. This trip offers a learning experience in a safe environment.

“It's cool to see those lightbulb moments and those moments of discovery for students. It's an experience for yourself but it's also an experience for them,” Buchanan said. “I think it makes it safer, we are with a company that has a good reputation versus going it alone and not really knowing things, you have that help to kind of navigate all the spaces you're going to be in.”

For students that haven’t gotten a chance to travel much before, this trip offers an opportunity to explore.

The teachers that are chaperoning the trip add an extra layer of security and familiarity to an experience that would be intimidating by oneself.

“I’ve been wanting to just travel the world for a while and this was a good opportunity to travel because I knew a

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photo by m. kyles

PREPPING AND PACKING Sophomore Macie Webb attends a meeting about the Texas High trip to London, Paris, Munich and the Swiss Alps. She will accompany the group to travel to Europe on July 6.

lot of the people going on the trip and a lot of the supervisors,” sophomore Macie Webb said. “I’ve had a lot of the teachers that are going, and my mom thought it was just a good experience for me to go. I would definitely encourage other students to sign up for this this trip. It sounds like everyone is going to have a great time and I’ve been looking forward to this since I found out about it.”

It’s not too late to register for the

trip, and while spots are not guaranteed at this point, EF Tours is willing to accommodate any last second sign-ups as best as they can. The cost is $4,100.

“Sign-up for the trip isn’t closed yet,” said Kyles, a U.S. history teacher. “If anyone is still interested, they can stop by to see me in Room 101, Ms. Buchanan in Room 36, or Mr. Williams in Room 102.” mollykyles@tigertimesonline.com

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TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

MUSIC TO OUR EARS

Band director adds new honor society to fine arts department photo by a.valle

BY JHOVANY PEREZ FEATURE EDITOR The fluttering of the flutes.

The belting of the choir singers.

The vibrato of the violins and cellos. They all have something in common: musicality. Yet, they are not unified at school, but band director Steve Bennett plans to change the disconnectedness between the musical departments of the school.

In this coming school year, Bennet is planning to bring Tri-M, a brand new program, to the school which will bring together the various parts of the musical department. The program is recognized at the national level, but it has never been implemented at Texas High.

“It’s something that [band director Arnie] Lawson brought to my attention, and we looked into it,” Bennett said. “We saw the student leadership that it incorporates, and we passed it on to [Principal Brad] Bailey.

A NEW, LOUDER VOICE Sophomore Grey Johnson performs at the Four States Marching Contest in the Tiger Marching Band. The Tri-M Music Honor Society will begin at Texas High in August 2018.

The honor society will include the three musical organizations on campus which consists of band, choir and orchestra.

He said that it would be a great organization to have on this campus.”

With the start of a new organization, Bennett hopes to accomplish various goals in the upcoming year.

“[One] of the goals we want to accomplish through Tri-M is to find ourselves as musicians within the student body and in the general public,” Bennett said. “[We are going to become more visible by]

being volunteers and helping out in certain areas, whether it be performing or assisting outside of these walls, off the field and football field. [We want to] get the students to use their talents to instill a positive outlook about the youth and our community, and start instilling leadership within the students.”

Bennett has shown his dedication for this organization and has inspired the majority of the band to apply for the organization.

“I applied because I like music,” sophomore Madaline Criddle said. “I figured that it would be way to get more involved, and Mr. Bennett said that it would have opportunities to play for the community outside of this band program, which is exciting.”

Bennett hopes to make this a student led organization and has inspired many students within the various musical organizations to join and be willing to be active members.

“I’m looking forward to

contributing ideas, for not just our band program, but the students in it and the community in any way we can,” junior Kamryn Johnson said. “I remember a couple of years back I was volunteering at a retiring home, and I told the activity director that I was in band, and she told me that it would be nice for the band to perform there. I didn’t have any way to facilitate that, but with Tri-M, I will have a way to hopefully bring joy to the elderly.”

With the start of Tri-M underway, Bennett is already looking to the future and what it could possibly expand into.

“It involves orchestra, band and choir,” Bennett said.

“Now eventually, it’s going to encompass the middle school too, but we are starting off right now with the high school.

Once we get the ball rolling, we will reevaluate and look into expanding it [to the middle school].” jhovanyperez@tigertimesonline.com

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

COMMUNITY

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6 EDITORIAL

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

Texas High School 4001 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, TX (903) 794-3891 Fax (903) 792-8971 The Tiger Times is a student-run publication. The contents and view are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the opinions of the faculty, administration or TISD board of directors.

WE’RE USED TO IT Exposure to crime, death desensitizes individuals

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our phone pings with yet another news alert. “Breaking News” reads in big red print.

Another unjustified death, another mass shooting, another bombing.

It’s tragic, but it happens, right?

Tragic events have overwhelmed our TVs, phones, computers and news. We’re used to it. To name a few, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School shooting, the Kentucky School shooting, the Waffle House shooting, the New York helicopter crash, the Amtrak train crash, the Austin bombings, and so many more just in the five months of 2018.

The constant stream of violence that circulates seems to be normal. Tragic events are losing their effect. The presence of all of the death and terrorism is starting to normalize. As a society, we are becoming desensitized.

Desensitization occurs through repeated exposure to crime and death, which leads to insensitivity and lowered emotional response. Not only are we exposed to crime and negativity through news channels, but through TV shows,

video games and social media. In many TV shows, crime is portrayed as not the serious issue that it actually is and it occurs so frequently that it appears normal. The effect on society is lessened.

With the advancements in technology, video games have become increasingly popular, and the visuals are better than ever. Kids will sit down for hours and stare at killing, theft, fighting and drugs.

Not once will they turn away because the images are too much to handle. The violent nature of video games starts exposure of violence at a young age. They begin to see destruction and gun violence as a regular occurrence and something not to fear.

This year, there have been a total of 18 shootings at schools, and since 2012, 1,607 mass shootings. As the number of victims rises, society’s willingness to do something and take action decreases.

This is known as psychic numbing.

It claims that tragedies turn into abstractions and are then ignored or forgotten.

According to some psychologists,

there is no value for human life because that value diminishes in the shadow of a larger tragedy.

The Columbine shooting claimed the lives of 12 students. This shooting got around-the-clock coverage that shook the nation. It opened our eyes to the idea of school shooting. This year in just four months, there have been 18.

What has caused us to become so careless? The truth is that we feel helpless. We see people dying, violence everywhere and we feel like we aren’t able to help. How is a single act supposed to help? We feel powerless and therefore we shut off our sense of empathy.

We have to remember that keeping the memory of these tragedies and the victims is important. It reminds us that just because these tragedies don’t affect us, doesn’t mean we can forget about them and pretend that they don’t matter.

People don’t act until they are directly impacted, and by then it is too late. We need to keep these events alive and the legacy of the lost lives forever in our minds.

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

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

THE WEIGHT OF THE WORDS Newspaper provides opportunity to impact student body

VIEWPOINT

BY ELEANOR SCHROEDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF I will be the first to admit that I am a gossip. I cannot keep a secret, and my stories are consistently filled with hyperboles.

Despite my tendency to exaggerate situations, I can truly defend the claim that publications changed my life. I would not be who I am today, and I would not have the opportunities ahead of me without Room 50.

The most powerful advice I could give to any struggling underclassmen is to join a group of diverse and hardworking people who allow each other to succeed. Here is the story of how it changed mine.

Tearful goodbyes traded by high school seniors are normally saved for the bittersweet months surrounding graduation, not for the harsh, unexpected grasp of death.

A terrible trifecta disguised as the first week of senior year: fatal car wreck, gory suicide attempt, death of a football hero.

These three tragedies left a void in the heart of our entire community. Witnessing the anguish of my classmates grabbed my soul and ripped it from my body. What could be done in this despair, at a time when the ugliness of the real world broke into our small town high school and took three of our classmates?

Hurt and pain burdened the hallways, with only one school counselor for almost 2,000 students. When the editors interviewed our lone counselor for the school newspaper to investigate our mental health resources, or lack thereof, she explained that, at any given time, 18 percent of students consider suicide as a way to escape their problems, indicating that 300

students at my school consider their lives to be worth nothing. Both the recent loss of our classmates and these suicide statistics fostered an unhealthy environment.

Our administration rescheduled the entire school day for a pep rally that same week, yet did not hold any sort of counseling seminar on how to cope with our losses.

Unbelievable. We cared tremendously about my peers and could not stand by as our classmates suffered.

Fortunately, we had a voice. Through the school newspaper, we started the Positivity Project, a letter writing campaign, to combat the despair that overcame our community in the wake of these tragedies.

We reached out to several student groups to partner with the journalism department to solicit letters of encouragement. Within three days, we wrote and distributed over 700 letters to students and teachers expressing appreciation and encouragement for each one of them. A Positivity Wall in the main hallway allowed students to grab a sticky note of positive words reminding them to remain optimistic. Each small act of kindness opened someone’s eyes and contributed to a rise in morale.

Soon afterward, we covered the problem of the lack of grief counseling in an issue of the newspaper. I produced a news feature video about the Positivity Project and published the final product on our school website. The video captured the impact of our efforts to generate awareness about the importance of mental health.

Leading this constructive effort allowed me to find purpose in a time of absolute hopelessness, and to answer the inquiry that has been thrown at me since before I could spell my name: “How are you going to

change the world?” I had finally found the power to make the world a better place.

My reaction at this traumatic time helped me find my passion: improving the lives of those around me. You can make a difference even if you do not have all the answers and that courage to take even a small action can bear considerable results. Although my school still faces difficulties, my choice to advocate for my peers stimulated a small step in the right direction as our work sparked a conversation about mental health.

The letters became a means for students to put the pieces of senior year back together.

We carried each other forward, one letter at a time.

And maybe that’s what it takes: letters.

Words, even mine, have the power to make a difference. eleanorschroeder@tigertimesonline.com

SENIOR FINDS STRENGTH IN GOD Through Christ, senior overcomes troubles

BY LOIS LEFORS NEWS EDITOR My first day of high school was the beginning of a long journey of learning to overcome insecurities and self consciousness. Walking through the front doors was the beginning of a four year lesson that would forever change how I viewed the girl in the mirror.

Habitual comparison played the biggest part in my self-consciousness. I would constantly look at girls around me and do quick evaluations in my head. If someone everyone else deemed pretty was of similar physique to me, then I would think that maybe I could be pretty too. But, if someone who was skinnier or had better skin or longer legs than me was deemed pretty, I felt hopelessly inadequate.

I’ve sat in tears on my bedroom floor with piles of rejected outfits surrounding me. I’ve tried crash diets, juice cleanses and impossible-to-maintain workout routines. But, every time I cheated on my diets or missed a workout, I would feel like a failure. I would feel

like I had let myself down.

No amount of makeup or fluctuating numbers on the scale could make me feel like I was really worth something. No attention from boys or compliments from girls in the bathroom could make me feel truly beautiful.

That was how I existed for my freshman and sophomore years. It was a constant cycle of surface-level confidence that could be shattered with a single word or sideways glance. I hit an all time low during the beginning of my junior year after I had just had just gone through a rough heartache that blindsided me and left me devastated. I never felt more alone.

Unable to carry the weight of my burdens any longer, I hit my knees on my bedroom floor late on a September night. I begged God to help me. I told Him that I was exhausted from trying to fix things on my own and that I was tired of being alone. I was tired of feeling like I would never be enough, and tired of depending on other people that always let me down.

I opened my Bible for the first time in a long time all

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the while praying that God would give me something, anything. And the first verse I turned to was Psalm 16:8, and it said “I know the Lord is always with me, I will not be shaken for He is right beside me.”

Jesus Christ changed my life that night. I’ve never been the same. God has restored me, showed me where my true worth lies and blessed me with so many incredible friends. He showed me a love that I could never even begin to understand, but I will spend the rest of my life walking in grace and thankfulness.

My last two years of high school stand in stark contrast of the first two. However, though insecurities still may come up and I don’t always approve of my pants size or the number on the scale, at the end of the day, I know where my true worth lies. I know that I am never truly alone.

If there’s one thing I could impart to all girls in high school it would be this: you are beautiful. You are priceless. Your worth does not lie in outward appearances or affirmation from the people around you.

The creator of the universe says that you are beloved and that you are made in His image. You have so much worth, so much beauty and so much potential. Don’t allow insecurities to take over your life or let you to believe lies. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. The Lord is always with you. You will not be shaken. loislefors@tigertimesonline.com

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TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

WAKE ME UP WHEN SENIOR YEAR ENDS

BY LANGLEY LEVERETT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF I have stood on the cliffs of Nova Scotia and walked on the dust of New Mexico. I have touched the waters of the Gulf, climbed the highest peak in Arkansas. I have seen the Manhattan skyline, glimpsed the sunrise high above the clouds. I have danced alone in the middle of a crowd, appreciated a long drive with nothing but a Pearl Jam CD for company.

I have felt the tears of a lost loved one. I have held the hand of a friend in need. I have driven 100 mph down the interstate, imagining myself crossing the finish line first. I have seen some of humanity’s greatest artworks, read the testimonies of survivors, and touched the roads that have been traversed long before my time.

I have endured the pain of the infamous first love, watched a friendship cycle, and bitterly witnessed a divorce.

I have sat on the first pew with hands clenched and heart yearning for peace, heard the sermons of people who mean well, have prayed myself to sleep, and have no doubt, foolishly asked God, “Why?” I have loved with my whole heart, jumped into the waves with two feet in, cried spontaneously, and accepted the unknown with one eye open. I have overlooked the value of a number, whether it be on a report card, a scale or even an age. I have learned that maturity is brought with experience, not an amount of time. And good Lord, have I mentioned that I have sung at the top of my lungs in the shower, not caring one bit who heard?

I wore my chucks to homecoming, my baseball cap to award assemblies and never ran out of the desire to go thrifting with my best friends. I have cherished all the late night Waffle House adventures and drank an ungodly amount of coffee at midnight. I will most likely always pretend I can play the drums on my steering wheel and continue to disillusion myself with the notion that I truly do know how to use a switchblade.

I have gained a profound sense of self-worth, and I know how to say no without explanation simply because I don’t owe anyone an explanation. I know

when to cut the cord. I know when to hit delete, block or any other modern medium of saying, “I am done with you.”

I know where my limit is, I know what God I have, I know where my faith resides. I know the value of respect, of doing a job well done, and I definitely know the meaning of “don’t spread yourself too thin,” even though I will probably continue to do so. (I have always liked challenges.)

The past four years have been bittersweet, overwhelming, life-teaching, and something along the lines of borderline insane. I have lived, loved, grieved, rejoiced, laughed and embraced.

Everytime I thought I was done, I picked myself right back up and kept walking. My heart has been thrown around like a Texas football, my strength has grown weary, my wisdom has fallen short, many, many times. But, in the words of Ernest Hemingway, “the sun also rises.”

So with all of this, embrace the confusion, embrace the “what if,” and always always always keep your chin up.

Accept the bitter truth even if it hurts, and make a good playlist so you can jam it out afterward. High school is such a bittersweet blimp in time, so don’t waste one precious second trying to perfect the instances of uncertainty. Don’t cringe from it. Don’t run away from it.

Welcome the possibility, welcome the changing times, and for the love of all that is holy, take AP U.S. History.

Travel, appreciate the ocean and the skies and the ground under your feet. When you’re left empty-handed, remember the moments that defined you, remember everything you have survived, and know in your heart that you have a purpose, you are loved, and you are going to very, very bright places.

Time has swept me up like a river and is rushing me down into the future of possibility, turning me over and inside out — never failing to shake me up when life has grown increasingly mundane. Time, my friend and enemy, has been the motivator and the reason for actions taken, and actions not delivered. langleyleverett@tigertimesonline.com

HOW TO AVOID MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE MATT PRIESKORN SPORTS EDITOR There are a lot of things that I could tell you to do that would help in your high school experience.

However, the one thing that I have learned throughout my years of high school is to learn from your mistakes. And trust me, I have made plenty of them. So instead of giving whoever is reading this random tips, let’s look at the mistakes of my life, and hopefully, you all will not make the same.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME

For my first mistake, let us magnify this and look at my two years into newspaper. I originally joined because I wanted to write stories that people truly wanted to read. I loved writing, and I thought this would be a good experience for me. I got settled into the class and figured out the freedoms that we are given. That is when things went south. People now know me as “the person that never gets work done,” and that is not a very good legacy to leave behind.

When you graduate high school, you want to be able to look back and think about all the people you have touched or influenced. When you are given free time, do not waste it.

Time flies, and if you are not careful, your motivation could fly with it.

That is what happened to me and now people look at me as lazy and not diligent. Take advantage of every free moment to be productive and live life to the fullest. You will not regret it.

LIVE OUT OF THE ORDINARY

This one I cannot stress enough. Let me start out by saying that having a routine is not bad, but it can be dangerous when that is all you have.

This is my second mistake. When I look back at high school, a majority of my days were spent doing the

same thing. Wake up, go to school, go to golf, go home, and go to bed.

I would hang with my friends some, but I was perfectly content with just doing my normal routine. I shouldn’t have been. High school is all about the people. Hanging out with the people you love and doing things out of the ordinary is what makes life fun. And if you are reading this, and you don’t think that you have anybody, well, somebody else is thinking that too. Go find people, be brave and live large. Because humans are not made to just coexist, we are made to live. To live with people around us that help us strive to do better. So do not go through high school doing the same thing.

Go through high school doing something different, something fun everyday, because I sure wish I did.

SLEEP

Honestly, if there is one thing I look back on and think, “I am so stupid,” it is that there are so many nights that I could have gotten so much sleep, but I decided to watch some show or something.

Sleep equals energy, and energy equals productivity. Just try and get some sleep because there are times when you will not be able to. Take advantage of those no homework nights to actually get to bed at a decent hour, and maybe you won’t be as tired all the time. I have no magic formula or pep talk for this, but it is honestly quite simple: try and get some sleep.

To close, high school was fun for me. I had a lot of great moments and memories, but I wish I had worked harder. Knowing my mom will see a newspaper video of me saying, “I didn’t work hard,” is not something I am proud of, and it is honestly quite embarrassing. Take advantage of your time here, because it’s short. You never know, it might not turn out as bad as you think. mattprieskorn@tigertimesonline.com

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

VIEWPOINT

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HERE’S TO THE MESS WE MADE

BY COLTON JOHNSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In four years of high school, I have lived through 2,102,400 minutes.

Minutes of beautiful moments — stories of bliss, of chaos and of overwhelming joy. Stories of love and heartache, laughter and tears.

It is impossible to wrap up the insufferable whirlwind of the last four years, but simply put, it was a mess. A beautiful mess; one of sleepless nights, of fools who dared to dream, and of the rejection that made me, me.

It’s been a long and arduous journey, and my heart hurts, but it hurts because it mattered. This mattered. It still matters.

Amidst all the heartbreak, all of the times I was denied, I became someone to be proud of. I am who I am because of all the times I was told no. All the times I was almost the one they chose.

In these minutes, I cried over calculus grades that I no longer remember, pulled all-nighters perfecting independent research projects, broke out in hives the week before prom, and somehow, surprisingly survived the dreaded junior year despite the odds. In the substantial weight of the stress, however, I found peace. I think I finally did indeed reach the nirvana of understanding our grades don’t define us, as Mr. Zach told us on the first day of school. It took failing to understand that and to step outside of the micromanaged box I had built up for myself.

In these minutes, I built a wardrobe I am proud of, and yet, been called gay in a derogatory manner to my face for the clothes I wear. But I have learned that people’s words only hold weight if you give it to them. I spent one too many of my minutes forcing myself to kneel at a toilet after a meal because of my own judgmental thoughts and hence learned that imperfections are only imperfect if you believe them to be so.

I have struggled to forgive people, and myself. I have learned that forgiveness does not mean forgetting what they did or welcoming them with open arms; it means living your life separately, without harboring negative energy toward them. I needed that pit in my stomach of feeling broken and backstabbed to understand what it meant to move on.

In these minutes, I have been cut off in auditions, blanked in the middle of a monologue during a college audition, and been denied parts and programs that I poured my heart into preparing for.

Because of this, I have mastered a Persian accent for one of my favorite roles, Ali Hakim, in “Oklahoma!” and found my

place in the University of Houston’s acting program after discovering I had been denied acceptance to Texas State’s and spontaneously driving five hours to audition the day before. I honestly didn’t believe people when they said it was going to work out. I was tired of hearing that, I was ready for it to just work out.

Through theater I learned that not getting something doesn’t mean you did a bad job, you just weren’t what they were looking for, and that is OK. Doors really do open when others close. You just have to be willing to give them a chance.

In these minutes, my heart broke over first love, I grew distant from friends who made me who I am, and because of this, I learned the importance of patience, of listening and understanding the friendships I came to make. I learned that people of immense difference can unite over a shared passion. I also learned how to let go and stop dwelling on negativity. I learned that you never truly get over someone until you find something better. Seek it out, kiss someone on a ferris wheel, surround yourself with good and never be afraid to put your heart on the line.

In these minutes, I have been grounded, and God knows I deserved it. I have muttered things I regret and made my mother cry. But because of it, I learned that I really did not know everything I thought I did. I promise you, no matter how ridiculous it seems that your parents won’t let you go out on Friday night, there is a reason.

I have learned the importance of making my own mistakes, and of accepting my reality with open arms.

In all of the mess I didn’t think I would make it out of, I am here. I have paid my

dues, and I’ll never forget it.

I’ll never forget dancing to “Come on Eileen” and feeling energy radiate off of other people at the part where it starts slow and speeds up. I’ll never forget standing out of sunroofs and screaming at the top of my lungs. I’ll never forget prom and the magic in that night specifically when “Sign of the Times” played and the lights glowed.

I’ll never forget the giddy excitement of the Mockingjay triple feature movie premiere, and navigating the streets of New York with my directionally challenged best friends. I’ll never forget the few times we were lucky enough to have the Tuba Song at the football games and the beautiful world of 1920 New Orleans in The Axeman’s Requiem.

I’ll never forget the first time the curtain opened in “Cinderella” and the anticipation from the audience.

I’ll never forget shaking the hands of Holocaust survivors and touching the walls of Central High School. I’ll never forget writing on makeup mirrors before a show and walking around the track in PE freshman year and the unexpected friends I made there. I’ll never forget the tedious hours we put into burn makeup for “Silenced on Barbour Street” and that one rehearsal that ran until midnight where everyone ended up hilariously delirious.

I’ll never forget newspaper. I’ll never forget fighting for what I believed in despite the odds, and as if to knock me off my pedestal of winning for once, getting papers back with misprints. I’ll never forget getting paint in my eyes at the paint war and the time we only had bread at the Italian food work night. I’ll never forget Jillian playing “William Tell

Overture Finale” when we didn’t think we were going to meet deadline.

I have changed more than I can even believe since freshman year. I am no longer The Hunger Games-obsessed Hollister boy who wore cargo shorts as a fashion statement. I am proud of who I have become, but I will never forget what it feels like to be 16 years old. I have lived, and every minute has been something new. I have listened and understood. And as much as I hate Texarkana, I will miss that feeling.

I will miss my friends, as everyone is expected to. I poured my heart into them, and they gave the same to me, and that is all I can ask for. But I promise you, my loves, that as much as you may think life will be different once we leave, it really won’t be. Your life will go on. You will write your own messages on your own makeup mirrors for your own shows.

You will fight your own battles for the newspaper and social justice. You will choreograph your own dances and cry your own tears whenever it’s your turn to leave. And that is OK. Give high school everything. No matter how little you may end up with to give. You get what you give, and your attitude will make or break you, I can promise you that. Love deep and fall hard. Feel every emotion intensely, it will make you the person you will become.

This is just a glimpse of my story. As I said before, it’s impossible to fit all the beautiful and terrible moments into this page. I want you to know that it gets better. That above all things, there are always, always better things to come.

So here’s to the mess we made in the 2,102,400 minutes. coltonjohnson@tigertimesonline.com

10 VIEWPOINT

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

AN ODE TO HIGH SCHOOL

High school proves to be place of personal growth

BY EMILY MCMASTER COPY EDITOR Everyone is placed in a specific location at a specific time for a reason. Instead of acting like you have to attend school, act like school is where you are called to be. This attitude makes all of the difference, and can produce an inner gratefulness even on the roughest days.

Dear high school, The time for me to receive my diploma is soon to come. Despite the never-ending countdown that has been on my phone for quite some time, I am thankful for the opportunities you have provided me.

Thank you for teaching me about true friendships.

You brought me a support system that is priceless. I learned to be a light for others, and that I, too, should only surround myself with those who would shape me into a better person. I am grateful for those who have stood beside me without mean judgment as well as those lost friendships that I learned so much from.

Thank you for transforming my previous insecurities

into a secure confidence. You encouraged me to expand outside of my comfort zone each day; the voices inside my head that demanded doubtfulness have vanished because of you. You helped me realize the power of servanthood and created opportunities for me to pursue missions locally and internationally. I am forever changed by this.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do what I love through drill team. It was my sanctuary at the end of a hard day and a reminder that every day is a good day. It taught me to smile even when I mess up. You taught me that it’s okay to laugh at myself on occasion and to always get up faster than I fell down. I will carry this advice for the rest of my life.

Thank you for my senior class that I have created

memories with that will last forever. We have been there for each other during the best moments as well as the worst. Words cannot describe how much I will miss them, but I am so thankful to have been a part of such an amazing class.

Thank you for the tears. I have learned that I am not defined by a letter grade or a number in class rank.

However, you made me realize that hard work leads to success, even if it is not immediately. You have made me a stronger person.

Thank you for the teachers whose lessons expanded outside of the curriculum and will help guide me in the future. Thank you for the ones who always had an open door when I needed further explanations or just someone to talk to on a rough day. I am so appreciative of those who supported me compassionately and never let me lose faith in myself.

Yes I am ready to graduate, but I am thankful for you.

Love, Emily emilymcmaster@tigertimesonline.com

MY NEW COMFORTABLE

Graduation offers opportunity to explore unknown

BY KATIE BIGGAR STAFF WRITER I have been contemplating what I wanted my senior column to be about since August. At first, I was going to talk about body image, but I’m honestly tired of pouring my heart into that. I wanted to change my theme a little bit, say something that means something to me. I wanted to speak life into those who have struggled with storms all four years of high school like I have, ranging from absent parents, to the war that perfectionism wages on high school students. I wanted

to make it uplifting, but since I’m a writer, it’s kind of my niche to depress you or make you contemplate your life once you reach the end of this article.

I am terrified of comfort. It doesn’t make sense to be scared of something so warm, so content, but to me, there is nothing more repulsive than a sense of permanence. When I think of comfort, my mind shoots to a desk job with family pictures surrounding me in my cubicle. I think of dollar aisle stationery bits that scream, “I’ll be right here at my desk if you need me.” I am scared of predictability — it seems absolutely terrifying to wake up each day at the same time and go to the same job, eat lunch, go home to my picture-perfect family, then do it all over again.

I crave the unknown. I want to see culture in every form. I want to have conversations that matter instead of making friendships off familiar small talk. I want to challenge the female stereotypes and rise from those who have fallen. If we as a generation settle

for comfort like those before us, what makes us any different? What makes us resilient and able to stand out from the people that blend in if we spend our whole lives trying to do things the safe way instead of the uncertain way?

When I leave high school, I don’t want to find myself back where I started at a desk being fed instructions by someone who doesn’t care if I fail or flourish. I want to travel and work for people who are as spontaneous as I am. I want to wake up to a new day each morning with new adventures and new faces that will make up new memories. I want my life after high school to be comfortably inconsistent.

If you fear growing up to only live a mediocre life, I’m here to say that no matter who tells you that it isn’t “safe,” tell them what will make them comfortable and just say, “You’re right.” They aren’t used to people like us. katiebiggar@tigertimesonline.com

100 volume

to be continued

Get a yearbook before they’re gone. Stop by Room 50B. Cost is $65

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

VIEWPOINT

MY STYLE DEFINES ME

11

Dressing nice boosts confidence level, impacts how others think of you

BY CONNOR BROOKS SPORTS EDITOR When “Connor Brooks” is mentioned in a conversation, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is how I dress. I have always taken my style seriously because of the emphasis my parents put on the impression my clothes give to others.

Parents love to dress up kids, and my parents always picked out nice clothes for me to wear. Every day: tucked in Polo shirt, leather belt, khaki short or pants, and dressy shoes was what I wore. I didn’t have a choice, but I also didn’t complain.

This trend has continued into my current life. No, my parents don’t tell me how to dress everyday, but yes, I still dress in a “preppy” way. I can’t help but dress this way. Being able to wear a button up shirt and nice shoes is comfortable to me even though it isn’t for most.

This style also got encouraged more once I got into high school as people gave me compliments about how frequently I dressed up.

Clothing isn’t the only thing that goes into my style.

My hairstyle also means a lot to me. I can always rely on my friend, Marc, who is currently in barber school, to give me the perfect cut, and I always go to him for haircuts because he is extremely talented.

The first reason I wanted to change my hair was that I wanted to have something that stood out, so I began searching for haircuts online until I found one that I liked. I loved the fade and also the haircut had

a distinct line in it which was unique and appealing.

Obviously, my hair was not going to be exactly like that style in the picture, but I left it up to Marc to get it as close as possible. He did an amazing job, as I knew he would, and now I have gotten it the same way ever since. Also, having a specific gel allows me to achieve the style I want every morning, and I have gotten it down to a science.

My parents, mainly my mom, have shaped my stylistice choices into how they are today, and it has changed my perception about certain things. For example, I will catch myself frequently looking at someone’s outfit, and I will think of how I would change it. I know that sounds snobby, but I just devote so much time to fashion, that I can’t help but to make these observations. I now almost feel obligated to make suggestions to friends about an outfit to make it better.

This style addiction is also influenced by other sources such as clothes people are wearing on a show on Netflix or Youtube. People in the world of film production know that appearance is important; therefore, they typically spend time and money on it.

Now obviously I am focusing on the plot during any show I am watching, however, commenting on styles either to a person or thinking about them in my head is typically something that happens when I’m watching TV. Casey Neistat, a Youtube vlogger with over 9 million subscribers, recently uploaded a video titled “Why I Wear a Suit?.” In this video, he uses the last few

photo by k. gordon

minutes of the vlog to sit down and give his reasoning in which he states he was inspired from a movie. He also says he wants to distinguish this new vlog season from his last.

My point is that behind everyone’s dress habits there is some type of reason, and I guess mine is slightly similar to Casey’s in which I am slightly influenced by things I watch. connorbrooks@tigertimesonline.com

MY ADVICE FOR THE RIDE Tips to surviving high school

BY JAY WILLIAMSON MANAGING EDITOR High school can truly be antiquated to riding a roller coaster with your eyes shut.

In the beginning you had an idea of what to expect, but out of nowhere comes these turns and flips, some of which cause you to throw up a little and others you can’t help but open your eyes and appreciate. Once that ride has been completed, however, you’re able to safely step up off and look at all the things you accomplished and made it through. Those unexpected turns that resulted in you experiencing something you had no idea you were ever going to be a part of, or that huge drop at the middle that easily illustrates the jump

over from middle school to high school.

Like a roller coaster, this is an extremely chaotic journey where everyone is expected to graduate, but everyone goes through unique circumstances to get there. No two rides are the same between individuals, and each ride results in special experiences per individual.

Looking back at my own journey to this place I reside today, there’s a little bit of information from my own experience I hope that can be used in making other journey’s more enjoyable.

A year removed from AP Biology, and I couldn’t even come close to describing the different functions of a cell. For 90 percent of my high school career it was always about how high my grades were in comparison to my peers, the amount of leadership points I had, and whether or not I had checked every box on the model student box. Yet as senior year has progressed there is a certain perspective I wish I’d come into high school with.

I doubt this will sound as profound as I expected it to but welcome to every

English paper I have ever written. You’ll never remember the grades you made quiz by quiz in world history or what you made on that one assignment in pre-cal.

What you remember is the relationships (not just who you dated) you formed and the memories you made.

High school is about finding yourself, and in my case, being proud of the 6’ 5’’ asthmatic person I am, you should work as hard as possible to do great in your classes as it truly will matter. However, a class should never come in the way of you doing something, whether is participating in a club or even starting your own organization. Feeling limited by coursework is the exact opposite of what high school is for. Find yourself, find what you love and pursue that passion, whether it be helping other people or just simply playing board games. Seriously though, focus on your grades because that’s pretty important too.

Finally, don’t let people come into your life that continually hurt you no matter

how small it is. We are only in high school for four years, and this can be where you make your closest friendships, so pay no mind to the haters.

Never be ashamed to be a part of something that others don’t see the usefulness in. For me, it was always UIL. For awhile people believed it was just basically an extra class that I didn’t gain anything from. However, now it is something that has created some of the best memories of my high school career and allowed me to be up for numerous scholarships. Whether it is a new club you want to start, or something like UIL in my case, don’t feel limited when it comes to participating in something just because your close friends are part of that group. Being involved is truly what can make high school special no matter what you’re a part of. Having an organization or a team that relies on you and gives you an extracurricular to be a part of is unbelievably beneficial and should be considered a must for high school. jaywilliamson@tigertimesonline.com

12 VIEWPOINT

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

THE STORM ONLY LASTS A LITTLE WHILE

BY CELESTE ANDERSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF It’s almost here. The day that I’ve been waiting for since the middle of my freshman year of high school.

Graduation. High school was full of ups and downs, happy times and sad times. In the course of my four years, I’ve learned quite a few valuable lessons that I’d like to share.

You grow. I don’t mean physically, but rather mentally and emotionally. The difference in your behavior and attitude from freshman to senior year is shocking, and you probably wouldn’t recognize your freshman self if she stared you right in the face. Who I was at 14 years old and who I am now at 18 are two completely different people in my opinion.

I used to trust anyone and anything, and I thought that everyone had everyone’s best interest at heart. I believed that people were the same wherever they went and whoever they were with, and the term “fake” didn’t even exist. Boy, was I wrong. In the course of high school, I’ve learned that people are generally selfish and hold their own self-interests above everything else. I learned that most people are judged based on appearances, wealth and possessions. But most of all, I learned that high school was an everyone-for-himself situation, and you need to watch out. All of this is not to say that I’ve never been guilty of these things myself, because that is honestly not the case.

The main thing I’m trying to say through all of my rambling is one thing: be yourself. It sounds so cheesy and cliché, but if there is one lesson to take out of high school, it is to be yourself. As you grow, you become more aware of the type of person you are and your personal morals. Don’t change these things to get along with certain people. Seriously, don’t. Stay true to

your values and yourself, and if someone doesn’t like that, then that’s too bad for them; they missed out on someone great.

This brings me to my next point: you are awesome.

There are so many great qualities and quirks that make you unapologetically you. If you put on your “fake face,” you don’t let people see the real you. They see the person you’re trying to be, but not who you actually are, and that’s sad because you could’ve made so many real friends by just being you.

You’re going to fail in a lot of different areas. You’re not going to do as well as you thought you did on a test you studied forever for. You’re going to let your parents and family down in one way or another. You’re going to upset your friends. However, don’t ever believe you’re a failure. Just because you don’t make straight 100s on every single assignment (or even straight 80s), or you don’t act like a perfect angel for your parents or friends all the time, don’t believe for a second that you’re a failure. Think of all the amazing talents you have, all the great characteristics about you. Maybe you’re the best artist since da Vinci. Maybe you’re the next Kobe Bryant or Mia Hamm. Whatever it is, there is something about you that surpasses everything bad you’ve ever done and every mistake you’ve ever made, and make it serve as a reminder to you that failing, even if it’s repeatedly, does not make you a failure, it just makes you someone who learned a lesson the hard way.

High school is not all about school. Yes, grades are important, but in no way are they more important than your health and sanity, and sometimes they’re not even as important as being social. A lot of people assume that I’ve learned this lesson the hard way, but that’s not true at all. People are always surprised when I tell them that I’ve never stayed up past 11 p.m. doing homework, even during my junior year when I was in five AP classes and three DC classes. Because of the health issues I already have, I know the serious negative effects of over exerting myself, so I always make sure that I get enough sleep, and this lesson goes for everyone. Grades are important

for passing and getting into a university, but if you’re doing your best, don’t worry about making perfect grades. Also, don’t be afraid to drop a class that is too much for your schedule or causing a great deal of stress, especially an AP class that has a lower-level equivalent.

Speak up. In high school, you, or someone else, are going to encounter uncomfortable and scary situations.

Don’t be afraid to speak up if you’re in a dangerous or uncomfortable spot, and always tell an adult if you see someone you think is struggling with bullying or mental health. You’ll be glad you spoke out and got them help or maybe even saved his/her life.

The storm only lasts a little while. There will be times in high school where you go through bad mental patches or bad home/school situations, and they might even make you question if it’s all worth it. Just know that the bad is temporary, and there are many great times ahead. Graduation. Getting a car. Getting into college. New college friends. Friends. Family. Puppies.

Summer. Your favorite food. The list goes on, but the main point is that there is good in every day and great in every life, and you are here for a reason.

It may be hard to see through the fog for a little bit, but find something in each day to be grateful for and hold onto it, and keep gathering things to be thankful for and keep them close. The good times will come back. However, if you are seriously thinking about harming yourself in any way, do not hesitate to reach out to trusted friends, adults or counselors, and please call 1-800-273-8255 (the National Suicide Prevention Hotline) if you feel that you can’t talk to someone you know. There is no shame in asking for help.

As you can see, there are so many lessons you learn in high school, and this is a narrowed down list. I could go on for days. However, just as my column comes to an end, so does my time at Texas High. This will be you way sooner than you think, so hang on to all the good times and memories as they roll in, but don’t forget that you have a short time here, so make it count. celesteanderson@tigertimesonline.com

THE HISTORY WE LEAVE BEHIND High school classes provide more than academic knowledge

BY MADDIE GERRALD STAFF WRITER People often tend to have a lovehate relationship with history at Texas High. They hate the subject but love the teachers in the department. There’s a few people I have encountered who enjoy memorizing the facts of the past and analyzing how they relate to the present, but I for one, love seeing how the past has shaped us into the people we are today.

History is a nonstop cycle that sometimes can be repeated, but regardless, it is a whirlwind of wars, emotion, movements and leaders.

History can be made right before our eyes, such as sitting front row to the heated 2016 election, or it can be a ripple effect felt from past events.

History molded men and women whose influence is still with us, even if it’s subconscious. History is inescapable.

My senior year has been filled with

two kinds of history. From AP European History to UIL Social Studies, my mind is filled with uncommon knowledge of Russian leaders and the Renaissance.

The other events that fill my head are the past four years at this school. The pep rallies, the Friday night lights and most importantly: the friendships.

History is the collection of past events connected with someone or something.

Each thing we do as students at this school leaves a legacy, whether you think it does or not. History is made when you step foot onto the campus, leaving your name printed in the yearbook.

My biggest piece of advice is to not take that for granted. Don’t just leave your legacy behind, but burn it into the minds of your friends and teachers. Be loud. There are no quiet leaders in the history books. Share your ideas. Every

revolution, movement or law began with one person speaking out for others. Write your own history and leave behind a mark that will last for ages, whether it’s on Texas High, a teacher or your friend group.

As for me, I’ve memorized the moments that will leave me as I walk across the stage and gain a diploma.

Each “last” that has been checked off my list has been added into the high school archive in my mind. High school will not be the best time of your life, but it is remarkable. Don’t let it fall into the forgotten parts of the past. History has been there for me granting me a window into past lives and cultures, but never once did I forget to look up from the window and look around myself at the people who I was surrounded by. maddiegerrald@tigertimesonline.com

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

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13

14 INDEPTH

WHERE THERE’S

SMOKE,

Popular rise of e-cigarettes contains potential health effects

BY JOSEPH RODGERS & VICTORIA VAN NEWS EDITOR & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Y

ou huff. And you puff. And you blow a fat cloud. But unlike asthma, there is no medicine for vaping.

Ever since Americans realized the consequences of smoking cigarettes, the tobacco industry has developed various methods to replace nicotine in the cessation, or halting, of smoking. Nicotine patches, nicotine gum and in recent years, vaping, or the usage of e-cigarettes, have allowed former ex-smokers to gradually wean off of their addiction to nicotine.

“The original purpose for e-cigarettes and vapes was to kick the habit of smoking and [decrease use] of traditional cigarettes, which have over 35 carcinogens in them,” pulmonary doctor Christopher Bailey said. “This way, they could use the vapes as a nicotine substitute to principally administer nicotine with an optional flavoring element.”

However, as youth culture continues to be defined and redefined in America, vaping has infiltrated the lives of millions of young people ever since it was considered trendy by popular culture icons.

Vaping for nonsmokers has been shown to act as a gateway to smoking.

“It has become the hip thing

to do,” Bailey said. “It is a way to fit in with the rest of [one’s] peers, and lots of teenagers who were not smokers to begin with start to vape. In fact, over 50 percent of young folks who vape will begin to smoke cigarettes within a few years.”

Despite the original intent of e-cigarettes to assist smokers to quit their habit, the nicotine in vapes has proven addictive enough to attract new users.

“There’s a lot of originally developed [solutions] for helping with smoking cessation, and it’s mostly in the young folks,” Bailey said.

“They’re abusing vapes because they don’t see it as harmful. The vapes have been more deceptive than any other nicotine product.”

As the user becomes more addicted to nicotine in the vape, they seek out more by vaping through a particular method. Dripping, a process in which users drop vape liquid directly onto the heating coil, allows them to produce a thicker, more flavorful smoke.

“The big problem, though, is that even though it doesn’t have all the carcinogens traditional with the cigarette, there are some of the devices and some of the methods by which people abuse the vape,” Bailey said. “There’s a process called dripping, and it actually concentrates more nicotine per

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY. 18, 2018

puff when they manipulate the e-cigarette.”

Even though nicotine is highly addicitve, it is only one of many chemicals that is addicting and commonly abused or used.

“There’s so many things that we’re exposed to that have that same potential character [of addictiveness], so it’s not the product,” Bailey said. “It is like demonizing coffee. It’s nicotine smeared with a stimulant, and it’s a highly addictive stimulant.”

The addictive and habitual desires caused by nicotine from vapes can also be stimulated through the hand to mouth use of the cigarette to simulate a traditional cigarette. The potential drawbacks from this “hand to mouth” syndrome are weight gain and vaping after smoking.

“Part of the problem with many smokers is that when they do try to quit, individuals can end up gaining tremendous amounts of weight,” Bailey said. “Instead of having the hand to mouth function of the cigarette, they take up the fork instead. Due to the fact that their taste buds function better when they quit smoking, food tastes better.”

Furthermore, vapes cause long-term health effects, such as increasing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

“Even though there is a low carcinogenic rate with e-cigarettes, a vape’s height net carcinogenic potential would increase by abusing this drip technique,” Bailey said.

“As far as if it’s safer from a cancer perspective, if you use [a

vape] the way it was originally designed, it is actually lessened considerably. However, you increase your risk for exposure to those aldehydes and the risk for carcinogenic potential [when dripping].”

Even without dripping, e-cigarettes have long-term health consequences.

“Health hazards increase with the utilization of methods to strengthen the ‘high’ from vapes, such as cancer risk, increased cardiovascular disease, increased risk for smoking, and stroke risk for smokers,” Bailey said. “As a society, we hope to reduce risk for cancer, and vapes appear to be doing the opposite.”

Critics have accused e-cigarettes of being a gateway to drugs, but this is not necessarily the case.

“I do not believe in a ‘gateway drug’ because any use of a drug always has the potential to establish habituation,” Bailey said. “It’s how the person who’s using the drug looks at it. ” Despite the high risks, little is being done to expose the dangers of vaping.

“It’s a matter of personal choice. There needs to be more education on the risks involved with vaping at a young age and vaping for the wrong reasons,” Bailey said. “But, there’s no campaign right now to really pursue that. If you look at the federal government, they’re not spending any money to educate young people about vaping very much.”

56% 38%

of students have friends that vape

of vapers become smokers

josephrodgers@tigertimesonline.com victoriavan@tigertimesonline.com

THERE’S

FIRE

THE NEXT AIRBENDERS

of surveyed seniors vape

50% 39%

of total students vape

*out of 100 Texas High students surveyed

15

Traditonal escapism now available as e-cigarette

BY MISTY LOPEZ & MADISON BROWN FEATURE EDITOR & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

E

verything the teacher says is a blur.

Each second passes as the teacher turns around to wipe away the equation on the board. Time is at an apparent standstill.

This is it — the perfect opportunity.

The student slips a thin, metallic object out of the backpack lying on the floor and puts the device up to his mouth. The button is pressed with a single motion of his thumb.

Inhale. Hold. Exhale. There’s only one focus, one objective for the student: don’t get caught.

Recent studies have shown that about 38 percent of high schoolers nationwide have tried a vaping product within the last year, not considering the regular usage of the product and about 39 percent of students have tried a vaping product on campus.

Vaporizers, vape pens and e-cigarettes (popularly known as vapes) have made a recent comeback and are continuing to grow in popularity, especially among teenagers.

Vapes are rising in use, once again becoming a source of controversy.

“There has been an increase of vaping at Texas High. In my classes, that’s all you hear about,” junior Daisy Rosas* said. “They’re either talking about the kind of vape they have or getting students to vape in class while the teachers aren’t watching. They sometimes vape in the bathroom.”

Vapes were originally developed to aid smokers who were addicted to cigarettes, but teens are now using them for other purposes.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, manufacturers don’t have to report

e-cig ingredients, so users don’t know what’s in them. Most teenagers say it’s just flavoring, about a fourth don’t know, and the rest either put nicotine or marijuana in them.

“My first exposure to vaping was seeing my parents do it when they were quitting cigarettes,” junior Reece Jones* said. “I know that vaping can cause popcorn lungs and possibly a nicotine addiction.”

Their ability to produce interesting smoke effects while being easily concealed and generating the pleasure of a buzz have prompted more students to hop on the bandwagon.

“I tried vaping because I wanted to learn how to do the cool tricks that some professional vapers do,” senior Jose Lopez* said. “When I first started vaping, I thought it was cool because of the amount of smoke you could exhale.”

Unlike cigarettes, the health risks of vaping are not as studied, publicized or well known, which leads to many misconceptions and has increased the number of students who participate in this activity.

“As far as I know, vaping doesn’t have the major effect that smoking does of causing lung or any other type of cancer, but that definitively doesn’t mean that there are no negative effects,” sophomore Cameron James* said. “An addiction is an addiction, whether it is directly harmful or not, so I think that there are still possible consequences that need to be explored.”

Although vapes can’t be purchased as a minor, students have found loopholes to this law, whether it’s getting it from a friend, a parent or from online. The quest for this fix has not been hindered.

“I ordered my vape on eBay, which doesn’t have strict checks over age, and used my debit card,” freshman Jake Patrick* said. “They simply just drop off the package if no one is home, so it was easy for me to get my order while my parents were at work.”

Vaping, which is not directly referenced in our student handbook, has opened up new territory when it comes to disciplinary action. Vapes have caused a misunderstanding between administration and students in terms of consequences.

“They gave me ISS. I have to take all my semester exams, and I couldn’t go to prom,” senior Seth Carson* said. “I wish I hadn’t done it at school, but I think they were excessive with my consequences.”

Administration is determined to crack down on vaping. The age restriction for vaping is 18, which makes any kind of consumption a legal offense. Vaping will be presented with the same consequences as tobacco and marijuana.

“We’ve made it tougher on discipline,” Principal Brad Bailey said. “We would advise teachers to be aware and address any students vaping by reporting them to administration.

With the advances in the technology, it’s harder for us to identify some of the devices they are using to vape. However, a puff of smoke or scent is a strong indication of someone vaping. I think we can do a better job of educating our staff on what vaping is and what to look for. Also, it’s important to let everyone know of the consequences of vaping and how it is not allowed at school.” *denotes name change mistylopez@tigertimesonline.com madisonbrown@tigertimesonline.com

WHY DO YOU VAPE? “I LIKE THE BUZZ.”

“I DON’T. MY MOM WOULD KILL ME.”

“IT WAS A FIVETIME THING.”

“TO SEE WHAT THE HYPE WAS ABOUT.” page design by c. crawford and v. van

16 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

FEATURE

SQUARING UP Math teacher Nicole Ayers teaches a class via computer courses, making mathematical concepts click with the students. Ayers will be leaving to take a position at St. James Day School.

LONG-LASTING EXPRESSIONS photo by b. cranford

BY JENNA WILLIAMSON STAFF WRITER She’s a light in the lives of many students. A dearly beloved will now be leaving the Tiger family to find a new home.

STEM Pre-AP Algebra 2 teacher Nicole Ayers will be pursuing a new dream as a teacher at St. James Day School next school year.

“I have accepted a position teaching math and science at St. James Day School next year,” Ayers said. “They recently voted to add seventh and eighth

17

grades to their campus, and I will be part of the team planning and implementing their upward expansion. As much as I hate the thought of leaving Texas High School, I look forward to this new venture.”

While the Tiger family will be experiencing the loss of a successful teacher, she will be getting to experience new things that she may not have been able to anywhere else.

“While I am excited about the curriculum planning, this is much more personal for me,” Ayers said. “I now have the opportunity to teach my oldest son.

Math teacher will be missed as she makes move to private school He is still young enough that he wants me around, and I know that this will not always be the case.”

Ayers expresses great excitement about her new job. However, the transition will still be a bittersweet experience for her.

“The thing I will miss the most about Texas High will be the people,” Ayers said. “I have always felt the support from administration, and I appreciate how they have given me the resources and freedom to try new things in my classroom.”

In addition to her students, she will miss her colleagues.

“The teachers at Texas High are the most amazing people to work with,” Ayers said. “I have learned so much from my colleagues over the past three years.”

Though many are saddened by her departure, Ayers is confident that this change will take her career in the right direction.

“Leaving Texas High will be one of the hardest things I have ever done,” Ayers said. “I do believe that this is a door that God has opened for me to grow as a professional and to grow closer to my family.” jennawilliamson@tigertimesonline.com

18 FEATURE

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

STRENGTHING DEDICATION Competitive combat sports prove athletic commitment

BY VICTORIA VAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Inhale, exhale. Sweat beads down his head and he pushes forward, never pausing to take a break. With every swing and kick adrenaline pulsates through his body as his muscles tighten rapidly. Each motivational thought surfaces to his mind and powers his unstoppable endurance.

Senior Brendan Jackson has made it his goal to strive for dedication in all aspects of his athletic endeavors since moving from Louisiana. Jackson’s pursuit in experimenting with and mastering sports such as boxing, track and taekwondo has led the way to him living a fulfilling high school career.

“The first sports activity I did was track and field,” Jackson said. “I’ve always been active and wanted to run around and play since I was little. I’ve always liked combat sports, so boxing seemed like a perfect fit. It’s a huge step above taekwondo. It’s an adrenaline rush.”

His athletic victories have been shaped by teamwork and efforts to successfully communicate with his team in order to achieve wins that mean more than just the grandeur of a gold medal.

“During my sophomore year, I ran track in Louisiana, and we won at the state championships. I was the anchor leg, and the win made all of the hard work and dedication I put myself through worthwhile,” Jackson said. “The opposing team had a large lead over us, but I eventually caught up and led our relay team to the championships. I learned a lot about my team and the experience shaped a lot of my motivations that go beyond just winning.”

One of the biggest hardships Jackson faces daily is the stamina required for rigorous training in the sports he

plays as his philosophy of never giving up and to keep going contribute to achieving any goal.

“With any sport, the training should be the hardest part because it’s a routine that you have to consistently work at to achieve your desired goals,” Jackson said. “If you train really hard, you can win really easy. The routine you have to put yourself through is difficult but making time is necessary for anything you want to reach for in sports and real life situations.”

Fear of loss set Jackson up to grow as an individual who can overcome any obstacles that steer him away from potential successes.

“I was always scared of losing, especially since I considered myself good as a red belt to go against black belts,” Jackson said. “Every time before a tournament thoughts were racing in my head about losing and nervous feeling overcame me. Yet, I got out of my head and persevered through my difficulties.”

True grit and work were implemented into Jackson’s routine as his struggle to pay for his taekwondo classes ceased to place a burden on his commitment. Enduring every Saturday and Sunday dedicated to cleaning up Jackson’s large taekwondo class studio taught him about the impact of responsibility and accountability.

“I was so in love with the sport of taekwondo, and for a while I couldn’t pay for classes,” Jackson said. “So, my instructor gave me the opportunity to clean up the studio one night. Whenever I didn’t have to work, I would ride my bike 12 to 15 miles on highways and hills during the hot summer. I knew I had to work hard and push through every week because my passion matched my work ethic.”

Jackson attributes his motivations to begin every task by displaying the necessity that the start of anything is the most difficult part of the goal one tries to reach

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JUMPING INTO ACTION Senior Brendan Jackson competes in the long jump competition where he landed first place.

submitted photo

within a given time.

“The best thing that’ll at least get you started on your training or workout if you ever feel unmotivated is to simply get up and begin the task,” Jackson said. “The start is always hard, but go with the motions. That’s the most important thing to do in order to achieve any goals that you set for yourself in life.” victoriavan@tigertimesonline.com

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

FEATURE

TRADING BEEF FOR LEAF STUDENT GOES GREEN IN ORDER TO BE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER

BY MISTY LOPEZ FEATURE EDITOR She sits at the dinner table. Without a thought, she intakes the serving, munching on the tender strands of meat as the flavor runs along her taste buds.

She ingests more until the bones go clean dry and are scattered across the empty plate. She had no idea of how this food came to be. Eventually, she knew.

That warm satisfying pleasure from her meals was now a sickening regretful feeling knowing that the food she ate was a killed animal.

Junior Abby Deleon started out eating meat. Confused as to how her food was produced, she never really thought about what she put into her body. It wasn’t until she was educated on the processing of her food that she transitioned to veganism and continued her journey.

“I grew up eating meat and dairy. I always thought that when animals died they were made into meat,” Deleon said.

“But when I see meat foods like chicken, fish or ribs, it’s hard for me to see it any longer as food and not as a dead animal.”

The process of becoming vegan wasn’t always simple, but with the guidance of other influences Deleon was able to make her transformation much easier.

“Through social media and YouTube, I found role models who also happened to be vegan. Veganism always made sense to me,” Deleon said. “After a while of really thinking about where my food came from but ignoring it for convenience sake, I eventually couldn’t look at meat the same way anymore and felt sick eating it.”

Deleon sometimes gets criticism for her choices, but she has always believed that respecting others and being open to their eating habits and nutritional needs is significant.

“I don’t tell people that I’m vegan,” Deleon said. “Most people think it’s interesting and tell me that they ‘could never do that’ and others offer counter arguments like ‘but bacon.’ Vegans get a bad rep for being pushy and telling others what to do with their bodies and diets, so I go out of my way to make others feel comfortable eating around me.”

Even though it was an immense change for Deleon, becoming vegan came with its benefits that have changed her outlook on her own health and her perspective of the planet and animals.

“A pro of being vegan is knowing that you are not contributing to the suffering of animals, depletion of natural resources, and dramatically lowering your risk of heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in America,” Deleon said.

“Going vegan has made me appreciate

19

food so much more, pay attention to what my body is telling me it needs, and has made me more conscious of my nutrition and health all together.”

Of course, with any pro, comes a con, but Deleon has learned how to work through it, and is grateful that restaurants have become more considerate to the diets of vegans.

“The biggest con would have to be convenience. Going out to eat with friends or family at steak houses can be tough, but there is always something you can eat most everywhere. Websites like happycow.net can tell you the vegan options available to you at most restaurants in the US,” Deleon said. “The world is becoming more vegan friendly everyday with vegetarian and vegan items being added to many restaurant and fast food menus, so now more than ever is a great time to become vegan.”

It’s a long process, but there are sources online to help out people considering a vegan life, and the best way to start is by making the decisions for oneself.

“The biggest advice I could give to anyone who is considering a vegan lifestyle is to do your research and remember that it’s a journey that doesn’t have to be exactly right. Easing your way into it by taking a few meatless days of the week is what I believe would work best,” Deleon said. “Going vegan is about loving your body, the earth, and the life that’s on it. Share that love with others and explain your reasoning if they’re curious and allow people to make the choice for themselves.” mistylopez@tigertimesonline.com

2018-2019

Parents, Guardians, Grandparents and Community Members are the answer to a more rounded learning environment for our students.

Volunteers in Public Schools encourage parents to volunteer a small portion of their time to work at the school in an area of their choice.

You can make the difference in your child’s school.

We look forward to working with you.

For more information contact: Jo Ann Rice Assistant Superintendent of Student & Community Development 4241 Summerhill Road • Texarkana, TX 75503 903.794.3651 ext. 1035 • jrice@txkisd.net

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

ON THE RISE

A STAR

20 FEATURE

EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO SHINE Freshman Cate Rounds steals the spotlight and belts out her solo, “I Can’t Say No.” She played the part of Ado Annie in this year’s winter musical, “Oklahoma!”

Aspiring actress gets on road to making it big

BY COLTON JOHNSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

dward s

ards

by r. e

y r. edw

photo

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FROM THE BEGINNING Freshman Cate Rounds runs around the stage performing her heart out in the show “Oklahoma!”

Stars are looked up to in awe. There is magic in them that mesmerizes people and captivates their gaze. Only the best and brightest people serve the honor of being compared to something so beautiful. It is without a doubt to say that freshman Cate Rounds is a star on the rise to find herself amongst these people of greatness.

Cate Rounds, though she is only a freshman, already landed a lead role in the winter musical, “Oklahoma!,” as Ado Annie and has been involved in the theater community from a young age. She has built an impressive artistic resume that has opened doors of opportunity to the aspiring actress.

“I started theater whenever I had just turned 10 and immediately fell in love with it,” Rounds said. “I knew I wanted to be on Broadway, and as I got older, I started meeting more people who were telling me about intensive workshops.

When I got into the first one, I wanted to find more so I could grow as an actress when I went out into the real world.”

With the drive to make it big, Rounds began looking into national programs that would cultivate her talent and allow her to grow as an actress in hopes of finding her place on stage in a professional setting.

“I auditioned for Camp Broadway, a musical theater intensive in New York,

when I was 13 and got in, and I get to keep going back until I am 18,” Rounds said. “It’s a nationwide search, and about 50 to 60 kids get to go to it. We work on songs and dance numbers, and that Monday, at the end of the intensive, we perform in Carnegie Hall.”

Rounds attended the camp again, April 28-30, and found it just as enriching as it was the first time she went.

“My favorite part is the dances that we got to learn. We’re performing a number from ‘Newsies’ and from ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ and it’s so much fun,” Rounds said. “I also love the friends I make here, some who are already getting work. Of course, the shows I’ve gotten to see have been better than I could’ve imagined.”

Aside from the thrill of performing with other talented and driven students, the program acts as a great learning experience for young people with big dreams of making it in acting. They have the chance to work with people working successfully in theater.

“You definitely get to know how the professional world of theater works. You learn that everyone is just as good as you are, and you’re going to have to work really hard, but everyone’s also working with you. You get so much knowledge at such a young age through Q and A’s with people who are on Broadway sharing what they know; you see what it’s like to actually work with people in a professional company, ” Rounds said. “Last year, we had dancers in the Broadway Company of ‘Anything Goes’ teach a master class, and we were singing with Ashley Park who is Gretchen Wieners in ‘Mean Girls.’”

Along with Camp Broadway, Rounds recently auditioned for The Performing Arts Project, a summer intensive composed of acting, singing and dancing. She was accepted and will attend it from June 24-July 8. It’s a nationwide search as well, and auditions are held from New York, to Chicago to Los Angeles. They also have video submissions, and Rounds was one of 50 chosen.

“My audition in Houston was nerveracking. There were around 20 to 30 people, all my age, all amazing. I just had to wait and listen to them going on for their voice and monologue auditions, and I just kept thinking, ‘How am I going to be as good as these other people?’ But I went in, and it went well. I actually hit part of the song I always mess

up,” Rounds said. “I prepared 32 bars of two songs, which I worked with my voice teacher, Melanie Jenkins, and a monologue, which I worked with Mrs. Newton on, and a piece of my choice. I did a slam poem, and they really liked it.”

The auditioning process is a daunting task to master, and like anything, the more experience one can get, the better they become at it. However, not every audition will always go well, and Rounds has learned to accept rejection gracefully because of it.

“I have learned that I need to get in control of my nerves. I get very anxious,” Rounds said.

“Even though I might not get a part, it doesn’t mean I didn’t do a good job, it just means I wasn’t right for the part, and that’s OK. And I need to keep going and keep trying because I could get the next one.”

In all of this, Rounds is doing what many people are afraid of. She is putting herself out there, defying others’ negative opinions about pursuing the arts and chasing her dream.

“You know that there is going to be so many more of just you. I’ve been told that whenever you’re in high school, you’re a big fish in a small pond, and whenever you go to college, it’s a big pond with plenty of small fish,” Rounds said. “Everyone is just as talented as you are. You have to work hard and know that you aren’t going to get everything and understand that that is going to be OK.” Rounds has talent in her bones and has proven herself on the stage. Remember Cate Rounds. Get her to sign a program now, it’ll probably be worth something whenever she too is amongst the great stars of Broadway.

“My end goal is not about being famous, I just want to be performing in any way that I can,” Rounds said. “I want to be on Broadway, but I would be fine even if it’s in Houston in a bigger city. I just want to perform.” coltonjohnson@tigertimesonline.com

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

COMMUNITY

21

22 SPORTS

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018 ROAR WITH PRIDE Senior Austin Flippen (17) and junior Chris Lyles (16) break the huddle before a game. The Tigers won the district championship earlier this season and look to advance all the way to the state tournament.

BRINGING IT

HOME Baseball team claims first district title since 2016

BY JOHN MORGAN, ABRIL ALVARADO AND AUTUMN GOLDEN SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITERS Mayhem.

Exuberance.

Relief.

These feelings flooded the baseball team on a warm May night in Paris, Texas, after they did something that no Tiger baseball team had done in seven years. After claiming the district championship earlier in the season, they defeated Lucas Lovejoy and The Colony in back-to-back series sweeps to finally advance in the playoffs.

The Tigers rode the arm of junior Walker Davis, who pitched a two-hit shutout in Game 2, and the bat of Chris Sutton to wins against Lucas Lovejoy. Against The Colony, they used an eight-run third inning to chase the starting ace off the mound and ultimately win the game 8-5. Their next challenge will come against Forney with Game 2 to be played at home tonight at 7 p.m.

“This has meant a lot to us because we’re the first team to pass the first round since 2011,” junior Chris Lyles said. “It was amazing. We broke the curse.”

This playoff run has not only been fascinating but also historic. It has caught the attention of various people around town including alumni who find this occasion rare.

“People who went to Texas High four years ago have applauded us,” senior Cole Christen said. “None of the big three sports have made it out of the first round since they were here, so for us to do that makes this a milestone.”

This season has seen previous developments finally come together for the team. Veteran leadership along with young talent have put the Tigers in the position to make it far in the playoffs.

“It seems like this year, everyone plays as a team,” Christen said. “There are no selfish

people. There is no star player. We’re all just scrappy. We all come together to win.”

The team has come together not only when a game is in progress but also in practices and free time. Tradition, such as eyebrow notches, and typical group activities has strengthened their chemistry as a unit.

“We care about each other on and off the field,” Christen said. “We’re always hanging out together and will do anything to see anybody on the team succeed.”

Moving forward, the team looks to keep their eyes on the prize and punch their ticket to the Dell Diamond in Round Rock in June.

“Our expectations are very high,” Lyles said.

“We’re the top seed, so we should be able to win.

I believe in this team, and I think we can do it.”

The winner of the series will play the winner of Midloathian and Joshua in the regional semifinal. This would be the furthest the Tigers have been in the playoffs since 2009, in which the team was state champions.

“All the [games] from here on out are going to be big games,” Christen said. “Those teams are going to become better and better, so we have to get better and better as well.”

The first game of the series against Forney was on Thursday night at Rockwall Heath.

If necessary, Game 3 will also be played at Rockwall Heath at 3 p.m. on Saturday. johnmorgan@tigertimesonline.com abrilalvarado@tigertimesonline.com autumngolden@tigertimesonline.com

SLIDE IN Senior Cole Christen gets tagged out after leading off at first base. The Tigers are looking to slide into the regional semifinal with a win over Forney this weekend.

SWING FOR THE FENCES Junior Connor Allred makes contact with a pitch against Mount Pleasant at home. The Tigers would go on to win this game 9-4.

photos by k. gordon

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

EVERYDAY THEY’RE HUSTLING Track team performs well, yet falls just short at regional meet JUMPING THROUGH HURDLES Junior Nia Wilson leaps over a hurdle at a track meet in Hallsville. The track team advanced many members to the regional meet but did not have any state qualifiers.

photo by a. parker

SPORTS

23

BY ADDISON CROSS STAFF WRITER The track team recently finished their season without advancing to state.

“The team did well,” sophomore Owen Likins said. “We were second at district, and at area, we were third, so that was pretty good for us.”

The team was faced with some disadvantages that differed from past years.

“We didn’t have many senior or returning varsity guys,” Woodruff said.“We performed pretty well for a group of juniors. We did what we could. There’s always next season.”

Likins, in particular, faced a serious road block in his success this season.

“I was on track for a huge new [personal record], but then I fell three steps from the finish line,” Likens said. “I broke my wrist, but I’m definitely proud of how I did. [The top four] were really pushing it, so I guess I pushed myself to the limit.”

Junior Drakailen Woodruff also learned valuable personal lessons this year while racing if various relay events.

“I think I started learning how to run the race” junior Drakailen Woodruff said. “It’s more about how you run than actually getting out there and doing it.”

The team also improved as a whole through much needed group bonding. It helped many team members to have a strong support staff behine them.

“This season, we were closer,” Woodruff said. “We have developed better ability to work. Our goal next season is state.” addisoncross@tigertimesonline.com

24 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

M

arvel Studios celebrates a decade of superhero fiction movies with the $641 million worldwide box office opening of “Avengers: Infinity War.” The movie is the pinnacle of the franchise, and the result of the cohesiveness of three phases of Marvel movies, from the first “Iron Man” to “Guardians of the Galaxy” to “Black Panther.”

“Infinity War” shattered records by becoming the fastest film to be on track for $1 billion worldwide, but the movie also changed the Marvel Cinematic Universe forever.

“Infinity War” is a fast, action-packed film that will keep you on the edge of your seat for all of its runtime.

From feeling resentful of Star-Lord (Peter Quill) for not stopping Thanos and saving the multiverse to going on a tangent about all of the superhero deaths, the movie has a wide array of passionate emotions.

“Infinity War” contained a lot of deaths, but the disintegrations are most likely temporary since Marvel has sequels such as “Black Panther 2” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” planned for later years.

After all, we have only truly known Black Panther for a few months. However, the deaths of Loki, Heimdall and Vision are likely to be permanent since they were all killed by the hands of Thanos.

The deaths of our favorite

characters are still emotional, as many fans were brought to tears after Gamora’s death. The scene on Vormir was definitely the most emotional and powerful in the entire film.

However, the “Avengers: Infinity War” co-director Joe Russo confirmed that Gamora is not dead, but rather trapped inside the Soul Stone, setting up fan theories that everyone who disintegrated is alive and trapped inside the Soul Stone.

The Infinity Stones were an overpowering waepon as Thanos showed them off quite nicely.

From transforming Knowhere with the Reality Stone to bringing down a moon with the Power Stone, the power of the stones and evil of Thanos combined to craft him into a perfect villain, finally solving Marvel’s villain problem.

The unique interactions between heroes were explored including the reckless Tony Stark and the calculated Doctor Strange. The ‘superheroes’ here divided up into three main groups: Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Doctor Strange and half of the Guardians of the Galaxy as one group, Thor, Groot and Rocket as another group and the rest of the heroes including Captain America, Bruce Banner (Hulk) and Black Panther in the last group. After following the Avengers’ conflict in “Captain America: Civil War,” the cast was split up brilliantly by

ENTERTAINMENT

purposely keeping Tony Stark and Steve Rogers (Captain America) apart.

The film was not shy of action with the Armageddontype battle outside Wakanda and the showdown with Thanos on Titan in the latter half of the movie. The Avengers had many smaller showdowns with Thanos’ minions called ‘the Black Order’ which were awesome, sinister characters.

Wakanda appeared much weaker in the film than when it did in “Black Panther,” but the action was epic nonetheless.

One of the themes in the film was that every life has value.

The interactions between Vision and Captain America show that a life does not have to be lost to save the lives of many, which turns the traditional view of sacrifice on its head.

Even Thanos’ love for Gamora shows that even he values another being despite his evil characteristics.

Overall, the movie is a 9/10 with the presence of a decade of superheroes, action, emotion and humorpacked moments and the dramatic cliffhanger at the end. Only time will tell if and how the Avengers can stop Thanos and reverse his devastation on the universe.

25

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND New Avengers movie turns Marvel Universe upside down

BY JOSEPH RODGERS NEWS EDITOR

josephrodgers@tigertimesonline.com

Which Avenger are you?

What superpower would you have? a. Flying b. Brute strength c. Invisibility d. Telepathy

Who is your celebrity icon? a. Cardi B b. Dwayne Johnson c. Sia d. Adele

Weapon of choice? a. Bodysuit b. My fists c. Anything I can grab d. Controlling flames

What are your weekend plans? a. Building something b. Playing a sport c. Staying at home d. Being with family

Mostly A’s, you are the genius billionaire Iron man. Your smarts can lead you to great places in your future that involves a large fortune.

Mostly B’s, you are the powerful Hulk. Anything that involves strength and athleticism is right up your alley.

Mostly C’s, you are the sly Black Widow. You can quickly process information and are a gifted strategist.

Mostly D’s, you are the powerful Scarlet Witch. You are calm, sweet, but only use your powers when you need to save your loved ones. quiz compiled by g. johnson, s. downs, j. rodgers and v. van

26 ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT’S

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

NOW WHAT IN

SUMMER

DO IT In an arena that puts you and five others against a team of six, laser tag is simple fun. With friends, flashing lights and a pitch black environment, you can have a really good time making unforgettable summer memories.

VACATION

Trendy ways to spice up your summer break

VISIT IT

WEAR IT Skechers Flex Appeal shoes are essential for casual summer walks.

They contain lightweight shock absorbing midsoles.

These shoes, with breathable fabric, don’t need laces and are easy to simply slip on.

BUY IT

WHAT TO KNOW Frisbees were invented in the 1870s as pie plates. It wasn’t until the 1940s that students started throwing the platter as a game.

July

is the national month for ice cream.

There are more than

12,000 SEE IT Being out in the beautiful sunlight, hanging out with friends and wacky flavors bring people to Southern Tropics. It is the place to go for shaved ice and fun.

The new Star Wars movie centers around the adventures of Han Solo. The movie will be exciting and give a deeper look into the life of Han Solo before he joined the Rebel Alliance.

summer camps in the United States.

The sun stays out the longest in summer.

Hanging out with friends in the sunlight is also made better when you’re stylish. Clout goggles are the new trend for the summer.

compiled by g. johnson

7,000 are overnight camps while

5,000 are day camps.

MAY 18, 2018 • TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM

PHOTO ESSAY photos by a. runnels

JUST PEACHY Culinary arts students plate peach cobbler for dessert service. The peach cobbler was baked just prior to dinner service so that it would be warm for the guests.

CHOPPED Senior Shaderrika Sanders slices the pork loin with a knife for the fundraising event. Teacher Cory House demonstrated this technique before letting his students try it.

Culinary students cater fundraising event at Silvermoon

By KAITLYN GORDON Photo Editor Culinary arts students got to put their skills to work during a fundraising event May 10.

The event, "For The Sake Of One," was held at the Silvermoon Children’s Theatre and Silvermoon On Broad. This event was held in order to raise funds for the foster and orphan care ministry in Texarkana.

Teacher Cory House and his culinary students, senior Shaderrika Sanders and freshman Aaron Bradford, were given the opportunity to cater the event.

Sanders plans to attend the Culinary Institute at Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock, Arkansas, next fall. Bradford is a freshman who was recruited to help after demonstrating leadership and drive in the introductory level culinary class.

House and his students served herb crusted, center cut pork loins, sour cream mashed potatoes, sauteed garlic butter green beans for the main course, and peach cobbler for dessert.

THIS LITTLE PIGGY Freshman Aaron Bradford delicately places slices of pork loin onto dinner plates for a stunning presentation.

Students are taught in Cory House's culinary arts classes that presentation of dishes are just as important as the way the food tastes.

ALL SCOOPED UP Scooping up portions of peach cobbler, culinary arts teacher Cory House makes sure there are equal portions of cobbler into each guest's dessert bowl.

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAMWORK Culinary arts teacher Cory House and senior Shaderrika Sanders and freshman Aaron Bradford work in an assembly line fashion to put the guests' plates together, ready to serve.

In his culinary classes, House not only teaches his students to prepare food but also to present and serve the food they make in a delectable way.

TYING UP THE EVENT Culinary arts teacher Cory House untrusses the pork loin as students slice it for dinner service. The pork loin is tied with butcher's twine to ensure that the pork is evenly roasted.

27

28 COMMUNITY

TIGERTIMESONLINE.COM • MAY 18, 2018

GET AHEAD & SAVE MONEY WITH

If you’re graduating: Start at TC this summer and transfer your classes to your college/university in the fall—or get a head start on earning your associate degree at TC!

If you’ll be in high school next year: It’s now easier than ever to enroll as an Early Admission student at TC! Call (903) 823-3012 to learn how.

Summer registration is open now.

Go to texarkanacollege.edu/summer2018 to browse our schedule.

Summer I // June 5-July 5 Summer II // July 9-Aug. 9 Day, evening & online classes available.

texarkanacollege.edu/summer2018 // (903) 823-3012 TC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs or activities. The following person is designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Human Resources Director, 2500 N. Robison Rd., Texarkana, TX, 75599 or (903) 823-3017 human.resources@texarkanacollege.edu