The Reporter, Cy-Fair HS, Issue 4, Feb. 4, 2016, Vol. 68

the

REPORTER Volume 69

Cy-Fair High School

Issue 4

February 4, 2016

FORTUNE IN FISHFLOPS Senior owns million dollar flip flop franchise Page 9

COFFEE WITH A CAUSE Land of a Thousand Hills gives back Page 16

OPEN CARRY DEBATE Students debate the new open carry law Page 17

The season of love

Love is in the air. You sent in love letters, and we have ideas for you to do on Valentine’s day.

Pages 11&12

Seniors Rachel Sorrells and Brennan Passon exchange Valentines. Photo by John Sanchez

@cyfairpress

22602 Hempstead Hwy Cypress, TX 77429

www.cyfairreporter.com

02

INTRO

2016 Presidential Candidates Quiz NEWS

To Our Readers

JOHN SANCHEZ managing editor

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CURRENT RUNNERS?

6.

1.

Which Republican candidate is related to Franklin Pierce, the 14th president?

2016: A year of change. In just two months we have seen the new Open Carry law go into effect in Texas, and the beginning race for who will get the presidential nomination. For many seniors, this will be their first year to vote.

Voting is an essential part of our democratic process, and with new legislation like Open Carry, the peoples’ voices deserve to be heard. Yet Americans aged 18-29 only had a 20 percent voter turnout for the whole age group in 2014 according to census.gov.

While so many of us complain about problems within the government, we can only look to our voting turnout and see that we are simply complaining, and not doing anything about the issues. Especially when the voter turnout is as low as it is.

Yes, voting does matter. Even with the continued polarization of the political parties, your vote matters when it comes to solving our countries issues. Make the rest of 2016 the beginning of a new era, and cast your vote for the person you think will bring that change.

Which candidate owns more than 70 bass guitars?

A. Mike Huckabee B. Chris Christie C. Ben Carson

A. Carly Fiorina B. Jeb Bush C. Donald Trump

7.

2.

Which candidate is a longtime member of a Celtic rock band?

When he was 12, this candidate tried to stab his friend, but missed and just stabbed his friend’s belt buckle, for changing the radio station?

A. Hillary Clinton B. John Kasich C. Martin O’Malley

A. Ben Carson B. Martin O’Malley C. Ted Cruz

3. Which Democratic candidate

8.

Which candidate recorded a folk album in 1987?

ANSWERS

1. B 2. A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. A. 6. A. 7. C. 8. B. 9. C. 10. A.

won a Grammy Award in 1997 for the audio version of “It Takes a Village”?

Emme Enojado Co-Editor in Chief Julia Ryza Co-Editor in Chief

2. 4. 16

A. Carly Fiorina B. Bernie Sanders C. Donald Trump

A. Bernie Sanders B. Hillary Clinton C. Martin O’Malley

9.

4. Which Republican candidate

Which candidate was in an episode of “Fresh Prince of BelAir”?

A. Ben Carson B. Marco Rubio C. Ted Cruz

A. Hillary Clinton B. John Kasich C. Donald Trump

5.

10. Which candidate teaches

was born in Canada?

Which candidate was CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999-2005?

A. Carly Fiorina B. Donald Trump C. Bernie Sanders Sources http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/07/20/126-things-toknow-about-21-candidates-running-in-2016/

WE PROUDLY SUPPORT CY-FAIR BOBCATS! Amber Nall

Owner and Realtor

832-283-5634

amber@echelonteamrealty.com 13602 Kluge Corner Ln. Cypress, TX 77429 www.echelonteamrealty.com

Art by Emme Enojado

classes in politics at Florida International University?

A. Marco Rubio B. Bernie Sanders C. John Kasich

2. 4. 16

NEWS

Lights, camera, laughs

03

COMEDY SPORTZ TEAM HUMORS CROWD NICOLE SHAIR news editor

A genie tries to sell a shaggyhaired boy with an invisible picnic basket some wishes and another duo is acting as a father-son couple in a game of Acronyms Panel.

The game begins. The clock’s ticking and the competitors of this unusual sports league waste no time in getting down to funny business.

It’s just another night for the 18 members of ComedySportz, an improv team of students from all walks of high school life who participate in this hilarious competition to learn and grow as future performers and comedians.

People come from all around Cypress in order to watch two different schools duke it out for the audience’s amusement.

Among other things that occur

at these matches, challenges such as Acronym Panel, and games involving puns, like Letters From Camp. These are a few of ComedySportz captain, Peyton Tavares, most memorable games.

“They have certain games like Sleeping Beauty Replay,” Tavares said.

“You get a little kid to tell you how a fairytale works and then you recreate the fairytale and after every round you cut the time down and you pick someone on your team to fall asleep and you keep doing it until there is just one person playing.”

Tavares said that the point of these comedic show-downs is to have fun and improve their skills. No awards included.

“It’s just for fun. You don’t win money or anything like that, just pride,” Tavares said. “Pride and knowing you’re funny.”

But it’s not just the students who

benefit from being members of ComedySportz.

“When it came time to ask for sponsors this year, I was asked and I couldn’t say no,” Physics teacher Brittany Brown said. “I enjoy getting to know all of the students at CyFair.”

As far as who can participate in Comedy Sportz, the only requirements are a sense of humor and a willingness to put oneself out there. For those who just want to watch from the sidelines, the fee for a night of laughs is only five dollars.

All joking aside, junior member Jonah Garret says that the experiences he’s had and the friends he’s made are the best part of Comedy Sportz.

“Comedy Sportz has helped me to make new friends,” Garret said. “It has been a lot of fun to be a part of something that makes people laugh.”

Future Comedy Sportz Meet Dates DATE

HOST SCHOOL

Friday-2/12 Friday-2/26 Friday-3/4 Friday-3/31 Wednesday-4/11 Thursday-4/12 Thursday-4/21 Tuesday-5/5

Home Mayde Creek West Side Klein Tournament Cinco Ranch Home Home

VISITING TEAM 1 Stratford Cy-Fair Cy-Fair Cy-Fair @CsZ Cy-Fair Cy-Ranch Faculty

BATTER UP

Illustration by Lauryn Walker

An open space

SOPHOMORE FOUNDS GSA CLUB

LAURYN WALKER reporter

Senior Beau Orlando signs to play baseball for Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas and celebrates with his teammates. Two football players also committed Wednesday: Cody Chrest will play football at Harvard University and Spencer Wright will play for Harding University. (see photos on cyfairreporter.com).

Photo by Hunter Woods

The Gay Straight Alliance Club met for the first time on Jan. 26 and it was a full house with more than100 students who attended.

“Our goal is to give support to those who feel they do not have it and give a safe place for our LGBT students,” sculpture teacher and sponsor of GSA, Sarah Hartman, said.

GSA was born out of sophomore Lauren Clooney’s realization during a debate competition that other high schools had a similar club while Cy-Fair did not. She approached Hartman with the idea of creating this club and is now president of GSA. “People in general should be educated on gender identity and sexual orientation,” Clooney said.

Sophomore Gabriella Sherer also wants to help educate students. In order to aid other students in finding others like themselves, she has now become vice president of GSA. “I think that it will give people a place to come together and meet new people,” Sherer said.

Clooney and Sherer predict that the student body will accept and embrace GSA, however, they

Illustration by Lauryn Walker understand it is not for everyone.

“I’m sure there are going to be some people that are against it, but everyone has their rights,” Sherer said. “I think that we will have people who will want to go against it, but nothing that any members of the community or people who are allies haven’t seen before. It’s things we get every day.”

The club, which meets Tuesdays from 2:45 to 3:15 is open to anyone who is in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender spectrum as well as allies. Meetings are either in the Teaching Theater or Room 6016.

“Our club is open to everyone in the school who would like education on LGBTQ social issues, students who want the support, and students who want to show up as allies,” Hartman said.

According to Mrs. Hartman, the club’s official mission statement is as follows: “The mission of the GSA at Cy-Fair High School is to build progressive student alliances that will foster a positive sense of student self, which is the basis of educational achievement and personal growth, and to help ensure a safe school environment for all, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”

04

2. 4. 16

NEWS

Meet Mr. Silmon SWITCH BRILLO news editor

FORMER TEACHER BECOMES NEW AP

Silmon works at his new desk, and is responsible for students whose last names start with G-Ji. Photo by Ashley Nguyen The silent freshman sat in the middle of math class looking over the confusing worksheet in front of him.

He hated math, but it was the one class he was excited to go to every day.

“Freshman year, that teacher Mr. Sanford made me ‘get’ it,” said Mr. Silmon, a former PACE teacher

who replaced retired Mr. Ronald Link, who was an assistant principal at Cy-Fair for 16 years. “Math is my least favorite subject, but I actually liked going to math, you know?”

Because of Mr. Sanford, one of the first few male teachers in Silmon’s life, Silmon was inspired to do the same thing. “When someone asked me, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’,” Silmon said. “As a

freshman in high school, I said I wanted to be a teacher.”

With help from his sister and a college degree from Prairie View A&M University in English, that dream became a reality when Silmon moved to Houston in 2000 and applied for a teaching position at CyFair High School.

Silmon hoped to teach English, but all the positions were filled.

Coincidentally enough, a position almost perfect for Silmon, an Advanced Academic Strategies class (now PACE) needed a new teacher.

In PACE, he started the year off with telling every class that he loves them.

“When I tell my classes that I love them, what I’m referring to is not a love that would confuse you,” Silmon said. “I’m not talking about weirdo love. I’m talking about a love that is concerning, consistent and interacting.”

Sophomore Bailey Hunt had Mr.S Silmon for PACE last year.

“He was a good teacher,” sophomore Bailey Hunt said. “I loved him. He was supportive, as he came to my softball games.”

But after 15 years of teaching, Silmon wanted to make a bigger impact. “I want to have a greater effect on a larger scale. I asked myself, ‘What can I do to help more people?’,” Silmon said.

This inspired Silmon to pursue

his graduate degree to ultimately become an administrator. This spring he became an assistant principal. In his new position, his goal is to see students become successful and be optimally prepared to learn.

Moving from teaching in a small classroom to helping direct the entire school, Silmon hopes to make a positive influence.

“I want to get to know my students. And when I say ‘my students’ I don’t necessarily mean based on your last name,” Silmon said. “I am a firm believer in consistency. I try to see what students are going to deal with on a daily basis.”

Only a couple weeks in, he is trying to get adjusted to his new environment.

‘I believe a good name is better to be had than great riches.’

-Mr. Silmon “Mr. Link was a staple in this place. My desire to do the job to the best of my ability is the only pressure I feel,” Silmon said. “But it’s been nothing but support. I’ve gotten emails and personal congratulations from teachers and students.”

Principal Mike Smith said Mr. Silmon has what it takes to be

successful.

“He has the qualities of leadership that are necessary in order to be an effective administrator,” Smith said.

Next to the antique collectibles and framed pictures of two children sits the former PACE teacher inside his new office.

“I’m just trying to get my feet up under me and keep going where Mr. Link left off,” Silmon said. “As an assistant principal, I want to ensure that the learning environment is safe and that they’re optimally prepared to learn.”

In his free time, his love for his family, reading, Spanish, and vintage items is what keeps him going.

“What I want to do is live in a way that motivates people to live in a matter that my children, wife, and my family, would be proud,” Silmon said.

“I believe that a good name is better to be had than great riches.”

Under his name, Silmon wants to students to be successful and to be excited to go to school.

“For example, what if you don’t like English? I can still carry myself in a way and treat you in a manner each day that you’d like to come to my class. While we’re doing this ‘English’ that you might not like so much, we can have the best time while you’re doing it.” Silmon said. So that math class. I hate math right? I loved going to that class.”

“Because he made me get it. And we had fun doing it,” Silmon said.

Stop, drop and lock: BOND FUNDS UPGRADE SECURITY SYSTEM BLAKE NALL reporter

In January 2016, the school security system added a front door camera and buzzer to protect the school from intruders.

Students are prohibited from using the front door for passing.

Students that use the front doors as their routes from class to class must find a new way to get to their next class. Receptionist Lashell Shrock believes there are benefits and disadvantages to the new security measures.

“The camera makes me a lot more aware of who exactly is coming in and who’s coming out. I’m able to acknowledge everyone that comes through that door, and that keeps the school a lot more safe,” Shrock said, “However, students should not be coming in through the front [during passing periods]. They need to read the signs so they don’t have to wait for me to let them in.”

Getting into the building can be a bit more difficult, as Shrock could be busy with something else and can’t get to the buzzer in a timely manner.

Assistant Principal William Felder is happy to have the new changes in place, giving the administrators another tool to combat intruders.

“Functional, large organizations tend to be responsive,” Felder said. “We can use events that have happened in our near present, such as school shootings, to change

how we do things around here, like security measures.”

Approved in 2014, the Vision 2020 bond granted the district $1.2 billion to renovate old schools and build new schools. Of this money, approximately $55 million was spent on security district-wide. Felder claims security should always be on top of the school’s priority list.

“It keeps everyone safer. It grants students and staff peace of mind, and it also does add that extra layer of security. If we [the administrators] had to make a decision, we have much more time,” Felder said.

Sophomore Sarah Bybee does not think a new camera and buzzer is enough to secure the building.

“It’s only on, like, three or four doors,” Bybee said, “It [the security] needs to be more strict. There’s like 20 doors, and you can just bring anything into the school. No one bothers to check. We could wear school IDs, so you could know if someone is not a student.”

According to Bybee, measures in order to identify students would be a big step forward in school-wide security.

“School IDs could be worn on a lanyard around students necks so staff can identify students at a quick glance,” Bybee said. “Overall, the new security doesn’t really make a difference because it only affects people that come in through the front of the school.”

Junior Zachary Nelson believes

security should be a very big concern for all students, and he has a few ideas on how to improve it.

“I’d have lots of officers on duty, of course,” said Nelson, “Probably a few finger scanners for the doors and manned cameras at all times would be great. I don’t like the new buzzer and camera thing. Who’s to say an intruder can’t follow someone in?”

Felder received many ideas from students as to how he can improve the security over what has already been established. None of them are cost efficient enough to be viable for the security.

“We’ve gone from three secure doors to 15, that will be a total of 18 secure doors in the building. We also have an additional 40 cameras that are going to be added in the coming years,” Felder said, “As for the students IDs, the cafeteria uses one system, the buses use another, and the library uses another. Which one are we supposed to use? In order to make an ID system work, we would have to make a whole new system in house, and that would simply cost too much.”

The locked buzzer doors themselves cost around $6000, and something like retina scanners or finger scanners are not commercial or generic enough to use for the school, according to Felder.

“If we need to move the buzzers for the doors, that alone costs about $3000. What we have now is the best Sophomore Lexus Bullen uses the new security system. Photo by Gabi Armstrong and most cost efficient option for security.” said Felder.

2. 4. 16

SPORTS

Running the court GIRLS AND BOYS BASKETBALL START THEIR SEASON

05

EDWARD CATEN reporter

Running the court Sophomore Jacob Farrell lays it up during their Cypress Creek game

Photo by Joel Weckerly

Boys basketball is having a tough season as the games go by, but the players aren’t worried. They are only concerned about getting better.

“Our record is not ideal, but just the fact I got a lot of young guys,” varsity coach Chad Suleimanji said, “This is their first year playing varsity and they don’t have a lot of experience.

We’re just real proud that they show up every day and embrace the whole process of being a good team and trying to get better every week and the wins that we have had and they believe in that philosophy. I mean that’s the main thing is these kids work hard.”

Not only does the coach feel this way about the team and the season but also the players.

“We’ve been doing decent, we still have 10 games left in our season, hopefully we can fight through it and get the fourth spot and make it to the playoffs,“ senior Bekalu Walle said. “We have a very tough district. If we take care of our business, we should give ourselves a chance for the playoffs. We’re a group that’s inexperienced, but we work hard, and hard work always beats talent when talent fails to work.”

Almost done with season, the boys are in 7th place in the district with a record of 2-6.

“We’re working hard. We’re missing a few players right now, but I think we’re pretty good and can make it to the playoffs.

We’re bunch of scrappy guys who work hard and never give up,” sophomore Jacob Farrell said Not only do the basketball players work hard on the court and fight for the playoffs, but almost every week on Wednesday, they go to Lamkin Elementary School to read to the students.

“It feels great to read to the kids because they love it and we just read for them and act out, and they’re really into it,” junior Cameron Gimms said.

Lady Bobcats are struggling to make it into the playoffs with the district being as competitive as it is.

Many of the players and the coach are excited to show the rest of the district who deserves to be in the playoffs.

“We’re extremely competitive,” said Varsity head coach Ann Roubique. “Now where we stand today, we kind of trapped ourselves in a corner and were trying to get out. The situation right now is where we can’t let the games get away from us. We pretty much have to hold our own on the court and win some games and get that playoff spot.”

The season isn’t going the way they want. The team is almost done with the season and they are 7-3 in the district, tied for third place with Langham Creek.

“There have been a couple of bumps in the road but, you know were gonna come back up and I believe we can come back up for the playoffs,” Roubique said.

Getting close to the end of the season, the girls have some input on what they think about their team.

“Everyone is different,” said senior Angela Harris. “That’s what’s good about our team. Everyone has their own way.

Everyone brings different views to the table.”

Senior Kyler Wyatt finds her team to be very diverse and everyone has their own way and their own focus. Coach Roubique also feels good about the chemistry of her team.

“We’re getting better each and every day. They’re all together in the fight, and they want to be in the long haul of it. They’re not afraid of the situation we’ve put ourselves into and not backing down from it so I like that part of them. Hopefully as a group we can pull ourselves up and out of the spot were in,” Roubique said.

Got buckets Senior Angela Harris goes up for a lay up during their Langham Creek game.

Photo by Jen Willis

Finishing up the race SWIM TEAM WRAPS UP SEASON BRI GONZALEZ life editor

Making a Splash- Junior Varsity swimmer prepares for her event

Photo by Diego Martinez

Since October, the swim team has enjoyed plenty of sweet, splashy success, including victories over Cypress Springs and Jersey Village.

They recently took home a fourth place out of 16 other schools, the Tomball ISD New Year’s Classic.Swimmers dedicate up to nine hours a week to practice and coaches; the coaches offer up to six separate hour and a half long sessions.

Junior Cassiana Robinson said that swimming, like any sport, is a mental commitment as much as a physical one.

True love for the sport is what keeps her going.

“It is so easy to dread getting up early or going after a full day of school,” Robinson said. “But once you get in the water, you’re never sorry you came.”

Swimmers are expected to take punctuality and dedication very seriously, and do not disappoint. Coach Hannah Dore attests that her swimmers show the highest level of commitment and enthusiasm required.

“We have practices at 6 a.m. and they all come and are prepared to get in at that time, most mornings,” Dore said, “We have swimmers who work so hard at practice and when they finally see improvement at a meet, they get so excited, like all the work was so worth it.”

Camaraderie and team spirit is a key element to any team, but especially one such as swimming when so much is based on one individual in a particular event. Competing together and supporting each other is essential. It builds an unbreakable bond between swimmers.

Junior Rachel Dexter,

varsity captain, has been on the team since her freshman year and has gained respect for her teammates through all of their time together.

“Being on the team has allowed me to meet so many great friends and has taught me the importance of teammates working hard for something,” Dexter said.

Coach Dore is proud of the sense of family and strong, united atmosphere that resonates in her team, and values their team spirit as one of their greatest advantages.

“One of our biggest strengths is our teamwork,” Dore said, “Our kids are constantly encouraging each other to do well in a set at practice or cheering for each other at meets.”

Assistant Coach Samantha Weed joined the team this year. Like Coach Dore, Weed has a long history of competitive swimming. She

has been swimming since she was 9 and was even one of the top sprinters at Bringham Young University. This firsthand experience makes for a stern and efficient coach, according to Junior Austin Dooyema.

Dooyema, breaststroker and IMer, describes Coach Weed as attentive and methodical.

“Coach Weed’s style of coaching is very technical,” Dooyema said, “She pays very close attention to detail, which is great because in efficiency is everything in swimming.”

Her presence on the team has had a powerful and effective influence on the young swimmers, according to Dexter.

“Coach Weed has helped me so much in practice,” Dexter said, “Her coaching style really pushes you to try your hardest.”

06

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SPORTS

2. 4. 16

Who’s got spirit?

CHEER SQUAD WINS GRAND CHAMPIONS

07

We Are the Champions Cheer Squad poses with their banner after winning grand champions at a competition in Austin. Photo

provided by Ashley Crone

HANNAH WILLINGHAM business manager

The competition floor is brightly lit. Before they get to the floor, assistant coach Ashley Crone tells them immediately to try to adjust their eyes to the lights so they don’t get blinded.

From the stage, the girls can only see the judges, and this can be intimidating. The whole performance only lasts about 2.5 minutes.

On Jan. 10, 19 out of 23 cheerleaders participated in competitive cheerleading in San Antonio. They placed first in their division and they were also overall grand champions for the high school teams.

Sara Poulter is one of the senior captains on the squad. She has been in competitive cheer for two years, and she also has a background in gymnastics.

“We can not focus on how tired we are but instead push through to finish out the routine with a huge smile on our face the whole time,” Poulter said. “The performance is also exhilarating. Every time our stunt hit, I could hear the crowd yell for us, which motivated me to try even harder.”

Sophomore Kami Aguilar was the youngest cheerleader to compete, and she has been in competitive cheer for three years.

“Before you go, you’re super nervous, but when you actually start doing it, you’re like, ‘oh my gosh, this is so much fun,’” said Aguilar, who has been following in her mother’s footsteps since she was a little girl. “And then you get so much adrenaline from being in front of so many people.”

Aguilar’s coaches recognize her talent in her ability to base, back spot, tumble and dance.

“She was placed in the very center of the routine because she’s an amazing dancer, and she was definitely shown off throughout the routine,” Crone said. “Kami is simply an all star athlete. She is one of the most talented cheerleaders I have ever worked with and she is one of the most positive and genuine individuals you could ever meet.”

Aguilar values the ability and opportunity to learn new skills and make new friends while being in cheer.

“It clicks with me, you know?” Aguilar said. “It just fits. I feel like without cheer, I probably wouldn’t be the same person that I am. It has helped me out of my shell a lot. After cheer, I was

more comfortable to try new things.”

In December of her junior year, Poulter had back surgery for a herniated disc that was pinching her sciatic nerve. Her injury prevented her from cheering for several months and she was constantly in pain throughout the entire left side of her body.

She recovered quickly and was able to try out again in March.

“I am driven to try my hardest by the constant support of my friends, parents, and most of all my teammates. I am so grateful for every girl on the team and the memories we have shared over the past three years. We push each other to succeed and celebrate with each other when we do,” Poulter said.

Because there are numerous injuries in cheer, often times someone has to fill in. During her first year on varsity, junior Kaly Garza, who has been in competitive cheer for eight years, was placed on the competition squad three weeks before the competition after a flyer, a girl that is being held or thrown up into the air, was injured.

“She had the least amount of time to learn the routine. She did a fantastic job and hit her stunts better than some of the girls that had been practicing with the competition squad from day one,” Crone said.

Garza was worried about messing up her new stunts, and she didn’t want to bring down the team.

“When I got put on the squad I felt like I wasn’t as good as everyone else who has been preparing for months, but I just realized that I needed to be confident,” Garza said.

Despite the late start, Garza enjoys competing and she appreciates her supportive team.

“I love cheer because it is such a team sport and everyone has to put in 100 percent effort during practice and at competition to win. I love that you have to push yourself everyday and when you do that great things can happen,” Garza said.

Nationals will be held the first weekend of February 6th and 7th.

“The girls have been working so incredibly hard and I am just blown away by them,” Crone said. “They have literally put their blood, sweat, and tears into this routine and they definitely had something to prove.”

Good team, proud coaches Cheer coaches Jacquelyn Hornell and Ashley Crone pose with the Grand Champion trophy.

Photo provided by Ashley Crone

08 SPORTS

2. 4. 16

Take a look into upcoming SPRING sports CLAIRE MYNATT sports editor

Girls Soccer - Midfield

Dharia Hajny | 12th grade

Softball - 3rd or 1st base

Allison Driskill | 12th grade

Girls Track - 100, 200, 4x2

Kindra Mingo | 10th grade

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

Q: Who is your biggest competitor?

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

A: I’m really excited. We have a lot of young people and they bring potential.

A: In district, it’s Cypress Woods and Cypress Ranch. Out of district, it’s Katy. We have a very long history with them.

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

A: I’m excited. I’m ready to show what I’ve got even though I’ve been in basketball the whole school year.

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

A: Work together. We want to win as many games A: We all want to make it to state and to make it as possible. The overall goal is to make districts and past third round and prove that we are still the best. to get far in playoffs.

A: I want to break the school record for the 4x2 and become a faster runner.

Boys Soccer - Center Midfielder Baseball - Short Stop

Boys Track - Pole Vault

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

Reese Lance | 12th grade

Beau Orlando | 12th grade

Harrison Wilhelm | 11th grade

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

Q: Who is your biggest competitor?

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

A: I feel good. We finished our final pre season tournament and we made it to the semi-finals, so I think we’ll be good.

A: Cypress Ranch, and I guess Langham Creek because they took us out of playoffs last year.

A: I’m so excited, I can’t wait to run and pole vault.

I’ve been looking forward to this all school year.

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

A: I want to make all-state at the end of the year, as A: We’re striving for district champions and to move a team we want to make it to playoffs. further into playoffs than last year.

A: I want to break the school record for pole vault.

LIFE

2. 4. 16

Fortune in

09

SENIOR OWNS MILLION DOLLAR FLIP FLOP FRANCHISE

AUDREY GRAY culture editor

Left: On the spot.

Senior Madison Robinson answers questions from Fox 26 reporters in Galveston.

Sea breeze smiles.

Madison Robinson holds Fishflops® characters during a photo shoot.

Middle: Chic chanclas.

Two designs of Fishflops® that stores like Nordstrom carry.

Photos courtesy of Madison Robinson

Senior Madison Robinson was born on Galveston Island and grew up surrounded by the beach. She grew a certain love for the ocean and all of the different types of life that comes with it.

Sunny days consisted of swimming, fishing and the occasional beach combing. After an exhausting day at the beach, Robinson returned home with the idea of a drawing. Little did her eight-year-old self know that it would turn into an investment being sold in some of the most popular department and sports stores in the country.

“I made an outline of a flip flop, my favorite shoes, and added my sea

creatures,” Robinson said. “I took the drawings to my dad and said, ‘Hey, look dad, Fish Flops’” Robinson’s dad immediately saw a future in her idea and bought the domain name later that day.

Since then Fish Flops has flourished with several countrywide stores investing in them including Academy, Nordstrom and flip flop stores.

Being 8 years old and starting a business is definitely rare, but it’s given Robinson some of the best experiences. Through Fish Flops she has interviewed with Steve Harvey on his personal show, and spent the day with Kelly Ripa and toured the production set in New York.

Although Fish Flops has brought Robinson and her family great success, that is not what Fish Flops is about to them. It’s about changing lives.

Fish Flops works closely with Shoes for Orphan Souls, an international organization that provides socks and shoes to orphans and vulnerable children around the world. So far Fish Flops has donated over 20,000 pairs of shoes to hospitals, military families and to children who have no protection to put on their feet.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Robinson said when asked what it was like to know she was changing children’s lives, “I want to do my part

in life and make a difference. I do my best to use my success to help inspire others and help children through charity work.”

But human lives aren’t the only ones that matter to Robinson.

Recently Fish Flops teamed up with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to support their campaign for Saving Animals from Extinction.

“Through this, I was able to go behind the scenes of several zoos,” Robinson said, “I’ve given an elephant a bath, fed a giraffe, held a sloth, and played with penguins.”

Juggling a business and trying to apply for colleges can be a lot, but Robinson makes sure to use her time wisely and make priorities.

She spends at least an hour working on Fish Flops everyday, but the majority of the work is done on weekends and breaks.

“My school activities and studies always come first,” Robinson said.

“My dad gives me daily updates and I read emails on a regular basis.

I create the designs, approve the samples, and attend trade shows where I interact with the store buyers.”

Robinson loves how Fish Flops has opened her eyes to what a single idea can do, and what it can teach.

“If you have an idea that you love and can see the possibilities, then go for it,” Robinson said. “You never know where it will take you and how you will be able to help others with what you’ve done.”

Senior uses hobby to help others HANNAH HELGREN business manager

A bleached hair affair Caitlin Ryan bleaches sections of senior Bianca Limons hair during 6th period Cosmetology. Photo by Cody Brown

Senior Caitlin Ryan has brought her talents into her home and does all the magic from her bathroom.

As a cosmetology student for the last three years, Ryan got into her cosmetology work because of the amount of requests from people who wanted her to do their hair. Now, she’s gone off on her own to create her own personal “salon”.

“This isn’t a business, It’s more of people in my life supporting me in my journey of earning my license and being able to have as much knowledge and experience as possible when I do get my license,” Ryan said.

This side hobby has grown to about 20 clients (mostly family and friends). One of her closest friends and styling guinea pig-Hannah Guidry, is extremely proud of her best friend in the work Ryan is doing.

“She’s very organized and sensitive to each client. Before she

begins the working of your hair, she talks you through exactly what she is going to do. You can’t help but feel comfortable with her,” Guidry said.

“I remember the first time I let her cut my hair. I just needed a trim and her face lit up and she asked if she could do it for me. I did hesitate, but then I decided if I was any sort of decent supportive friend, I would let her trim my hair. She did an excellent job.”

After taking the classes and learning the techniques to cut hair and chemistry in dyeing and bleaching hair, Ryan started branching out.

“Before she knew it she was getting calls from friends at school, church members, and neighbors,” Guidry said.

Doing hair and makeup has always been a hobby of Ryan’s. She was creative ven in middle school, and could be found experimenting with different styles. Pretty soon she

started discovering her passion for hair styling.

“I really enjoy being able to do hair. It’s kinda one of those things where you can see your work and your effort immediately,” Ryan said.

Ryan is happy with her elective decisions.

“When you’re younger you say you want to do something and you don’t really know if you’ll actually end up doing that,” Ryan said.

As her work became more recognized, Ryan started getting jobs at salons after school, washing hair and shadowing stylists. This progressed to receiving calls to do hair for homecomings, proms and weddings.

To view Ryan’s work, she posts pictures on her Instagram account at @Purejoyystyles. her instagram account. In fact, the owner of Evia Spa, a Texas day spa and salon, offered her a job soon after she began posting.

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CENTER

LETTERS OF LOVE, TRULY FROM YOURS

To all the students who come to Room 8027 every day, Happy Valentine’s Week! In case I’m the f irst one to tell you, or the only one to tell you: I love you.

Truthfully, I’ve loved you since even before I met youfrom the minute your name showed up on my class roster, you were “my kid”. But it gets worse than that.

I like you too. You make me laugh; you keep me guessing; you expect me to be a great teacher, which makes me expect me to be a great teacher.

You are smarter than you know, and the amount of world-changing potential that crosses the threshold of my classroom each day is staggering. I hope you know your value.

Thank you for the fun, and the learning, and the inside jokes. Thanks for participating in the greatest day of the year, my birthday, and making me feel so special. But most importantly, thanks for showing up.

Love, Ms. Davila

For 24 hours you are there for me From the wake of the morning To the midnight warning I know from me you will never f lee Your beauty glistens like the grease from your fries Your fresh sweet tea fulf ills my thirst You still love me at my worst And I still melt every time I meet your eyes I love you, Whataburger Your loyal customer, Emme Amanda Nguyen, Happy Valentine’s Day to my beautiful best friend! So glad I have you in my life! Thanks for tolerating me and being my BFF. Without you, who would I go to rant to, and crack my lame jokes to? You the real MVP. No one could replace you.

I love you, Caitlyn Axelrod

My dearest, Angelica “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day” I trust you’ll understand the reference to another Scottish tragedy without my having to name the play. They think me Macbeth, and ambition is my folly. I’m a polymath, a pain in the butt, a massive pain. Madison is Banquo, Jefferson’s Macduff and Birnam Wood is Congress on its way to Dunsinane. And there you are, an ocean away Do you have to live an ocean away?

Thoughts of you subside, then I get another letter I cannot put the notion away...

-A. Hamilton

To Jake, I’m sorry you didn’t hear this enough. You told me that actions speak louder than words. I told you, and here I am writing this.

I love you dearly, sincerely, and deeply. You were a wonderful person. Anyone would have been lucky to be your friend in this life.

You always called me four eyes, but that’s because I was jealous of your motivational Dr. Seuss tattoo. Even though I knew you for night days, you will always have a special place in my heart. I know you and I will meet some day again. It will be just a matter of time before so, I hope you’re in a better place now. You deserve it.

Love, Your four eyed friend, (A)

My dearest Alexander, You must get through to Jefferson, sit down with him and compromise, don’t stop ‘til you agree.

Your favorite older sister, Angelica, reminds you there’s someone in your corner all the way across the sea. In a letter I received from you two weeks ago, I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase It changed the meaning. Did you intend this?

One stroke and you’ve consumed my waking days It says: “My dearest Angelica”, with a comma after “dearest.” You’ve written, “My dearest, Angelica.”

Anyway, all this to say, I’m coming home this summer at my sister’s invitation. I’ll be there with your fam’ly, if you make your way upstate. I know you’re very busy, I know your work’s important. But I’m crossing the ocean and I just can’t wait.

You won’t be an ocean away You will only be a moment away…

-Angelica Schuyler

Dear Owen Hunt, I have been in love with you since you pulled the icicle out of Christina’s abdomen, maybe even when you f irst walked into Seattle Grace Hospital.

Your expressive icy-blue eyes melt me to my core and your beautiful smile makes my heart skip a beat.

I love how sweet and supportive you are and especially how whenever Christina is sad you envelop her in your arms, where she knows she’ll be safe.

Owen you are so amazing and wonderful and I love you more and more each season.

Love, Alexandria White

My dearest J, I gotta say what's on my mind.

Something about us doesn't seem right these days.

Life keeps getting in the way.

Whenever we try, somehow the plan is always rearranged.

It's so hard to say, but I've gotta do what's best for me. You'll be okay.

I've got to move on and be who I am. I just don't belong here, I hope you understand. We might f ind our place in this world someday, but at least for now, I gotta go my own way.

I truly am sorry for everything that I have ever done to you, and I wish from the bottom of my heart that I could have you back.

Yours truly, J.S.

Dear E, I think you’re really cute and funny, and I wish you were single.

But it’s whatever. Lol, The Magic conch told me “maybe someday”.

-J.R. To my crime partner, Lauryn ClooneyHappy Valentine’s Day... ugh I know how much we hate this date because we believe that relationships are a waste of resources, but our friendship is better than any relationship in the world, we both have the same interests, we love and hate the same things, we spend 27 hours together almost every Friday through Saturday debating, feeling sad, running, playing, thinking about how much we suck and how superior we are... Anyways Happy Valentine’s Day Clooney I love you so much. Stay the way you are.

-Diego Martinez

THE SEASO

LO LO LO LO

YOUR QUIC THE FAMOUS

To Kell Bell, Thanks for being a great friend.

Hope your Valentine’s Day is f illed with chocolate! Love you to the lunch line & back!

XOXO, Alyssa Paige Bradley Kayla B., Jazmine Garza, and Miah HamiltonThank you for always being there for me and for just being my best friends. I love you all so very much, you guys have been the best part of my life. I don’t know what I’d do with out the three of you.

-Kaimyn Williams

Dear Junior Year, It’s not me; it’s you. I can’t handle all the pressure you’ve put on me to be the best student that I can be and to please your high standards of academic and social success that, as a junior in high school, I am supposedly expected to achieve. I’m sure you could f ind another student to pile all of your endless homework assignments and ridiculous SAQ’s on. There are other students in the halls that would love to have so much pressure put on them and would welcome the chance to thrive under the weight of countless Pre-Cal worksheets and strenuous Physics lab reports. I just hope that we can be friends-you know, the kind that silently hate each other but always act like we’re BFF’s in other people’s presence and memories.

P.S. I hope that when you see me senior year, that my face makes you feel just as bad as I did after I took the SATs. -”Love”, Nicolette Barnes

2. 4. 16

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ON OF

OVE OVE OVE OVE 7

ALEX WHITE public relations

CK GUIDE TO FEBRUARY 14

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LIZZIE FARIA online editor

ways to spruce up your Valentine’s Day

IN DESPERATE NEED FOR THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO GO? SEARCH NO MORE

ART MUSEUM

What better way to celebrate the day of love then looking at art? Houston has many museums located downtown, so the selection is almost endless. You get to take aesthetically pleasing pictures for Instagram of your significant other. It’s a win-win.

ICE SKATING

It’s a simple way to be closer with each other for the night and have a good laugh. Unless both of you guys are ice skating pros, there’s a chance one of you might fall- which is fine! It’s an ice breaker (no pun intended) to not feel so uptight on the date.

MOVIE DATE

We’ve all heard of Netflix and chill, but it’s actually a clever date idea for those who just want to relax minus the chill part at least. Netflix has many suggestions for movies to watch on Valentine’s Day specially rom-coms such as Leap Year, Stuck in Love, 50 First Dates, The Best of Me, Love Actually, 13 Going on 30, 10 Things I Hate About You, Sleepless in Seattle, Jerry Maguire, and more.

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CONCERT

Houston most of the time has many concerts for inexpensive prices during holidays. Your date will be focused on the concert and you’ll be focused on your date. Mini cafes have small bands playing so be sure to check some out!

PICNIC DATE

Picnic dates are a classic inexpensive cute way to eat together with your date. Buy a wheat basket, plaid blanket, and some peanut butter sandwiches then you’re set to go. Houston has almost endless options of parks to go to.

BRUNCH AT THE VINTAGE

Grab your close friends, drive to The Vintage, and eat at the creative places they have to offer. You guys can come to Shogun Japanese Grill & Sushi, Coco Crepes Waffles & Coffee, and Sub Zero.

BAKING

What’s cuter than decorating cookies?

Stop by Barnes and Noble, buy a cookbook, and bake with your other. You guys can crank up some tunes and dance in the kitchen while the sweets finish baking.

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LIFE

STAR OF THE SCHOOL Playing to compete Buss advances to f inals at the Grand Stafford Theater.

Photo courtesy Cheryl Buss

HANNAH WOODRUM reporter

With two hit singles and an album coming out, senior Sarah Buss’ life is anything but normal.

It all started with her church choir.

“I started singing in the church choir when I was real young. I’ve loved music since I was little and that seemed to be the best way I could get involved and I loved it,” Buss said.

But before finding the confidence to perform, she had to go through a life changing experience.

“I have experienced anxiety in the last four

years due to a traumatic experience. I was hospitalized for a week due to a bunch of symptoms like double vision and headaches. So after being in the hospital for what seemed like forever and having blood test, MRI’s, EEG’s, and a spinal tap, I was finally diagnosed with intra-cranial hypertension also known as pseudotumor.

After going home from that I started having terrible anxiety and since then the only thing that could bring me out from behind fear was performing,” Buss said.

For Sarah, there was one thing that could help her make it through the

hardships.

“There was something about walking on stage that had me intrigued and excited.

The feeling of being in front of a crowd and sharing something that you brought to life is incredible,” Buss said.

Hearing her songs on the radio in Nashville is even bigger for Sarah.

“I heard my song being played on a radio station in Nashville about six months ago,” Buss said. I would like to say I was calm, cool and collected, but I definitely screamed for at least an hour.”

From people watching her videos on Facebook to coming out with an actual album, Buss

‘HER LIFE IS ANYTHING BUT NORMAL’ attributes staying calm to her success.

“After my parents would post on Facebook my videos many people would ask if there was any way they could get the songs,” Buss said.

Her inspiration came mostly from personal experiences for writing the songs in her album.

“It was experiences. From being a teenager in high school and going through breakups,” Buss said. “Most of the time, it is hanging on or hanging up. My songs vary from trying to make love work to breaking up.”

There was also someone who inspired her to start singing and pursue her dream.

“My dad has always been into music,” Buss said. “There is always music in his ears. My dad has always had music in his blood and I was honored when he first showed me how to pick up a guitar. He was, and will always be my inspiration for everything I do.”

Singing has given her life, purpose and meaning.

“Singing has given me something to stand for,” Buss said. “Music has given me an escape but also opened doors.

Music is something that without it, I don’t know where I’d be. Singing has given me a

From enemies to best friends

reason to work hard and play hard.”

And she isn’t planning on stopping her dream anytime soon. Whether her career is in signing or not, it will always be a part of her.

“I do plan on pursuing singing in the future,” Buss said.

Her next step is going to Belmont University.

“I am attending Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee this fall and upon going there I will be in the heart of music,” Buss said.

But outside of her busy schedule of writing and producing her own music, she still leaves time for her own life outside of the music world.

“I love to write, that’s how I come up with most of my songs is from my writing.

During my free time I sit at Starbucks and write as much as I can, it’s a huge stress reliever. I am also really into fashion. I got into clothes during the fall of my junior year and I’ve been addicted since then.”

Her success hasn’t come easy either, but that’s only made her work harder.

“I’ve had minor health issues throughout this process along with the stress that comes with balancing a career

and school. I get offered things that sound wonderful, but I have to turn them down because I have like a science project due the next day.

There will always be bumps, but that is part of the process, it makes me better and gives me a reason to push through, work harder, and achieve more.”

Coming this far has Buss encouraging everyone to go for their dreams.

“It’s honestly indescribable.

I thoroughly encourage everyone to follow their dreams because it is enchanting when you see yourself achieve more than you could ever imagine” Buss said.

Mother Cheryl Buss is extremely proud of Sarah. It’s been a really difficult path to follow and she’s very proud of Sarah’s accomplishments.

“I’m extremely proud of her. Every time I see her perform I just feel so proud.

I know it’s an extreme task to do but it’s also extremely rewarding,” Cheryl said.

Fans can subscribe to her YouTube channel, Sarah Olivia Buss to stay updated on her career.

“My fan base is growing each day and it’s a very welcoming fan base so feel free to join,” Sarah said.

“I would talk to each one to allow them to vent, get one twin to understand the other, and apologies were in order,” Ms. Sancho said. “This went on for quite some time.”

During seventh grade, things started to change.

Vanessa got interested on basketball, while Victoria started playing volleyball. The two began to work out and do drills together. Through their love for sports, Vanessa and Victoria found common ground and bonded.

“In the time that we fought, we were so diverse in almost everything, so sports gave us something to talk about and enjoy together,” Victoria said. “Even now I love to come to watch her play.”

Vanessa said that humor is a way that she and Victoria get along.

“Our sense of humor is the same, and we like the same shows. We like to keep up with The Walking Dead

and Friends,” Vanessa said.

“Humor is how we get along, because we laugh all the time.

We get serious now and then, but most of the time we just laugh and make jokes. It’s pretty optimistic now.”

Ms. Sancho said she finally has them where she wants them.

“I finally have twin daughters who love, and respect each other- which the love I’m sure always existed,” Ms. Sancho said, “But today it’s so wonderful to watch them hug, giggle, and share secrets.”

Victoria said she was glad that her relationship with her twin strengthened.

“We started to spend all our time together and actually enjoy each other’s company,” Victoria said. “I’m so grateful that everything turned out okay because I don’t know what I would do without her; she’s my best friend for life.”

ANGELINE PHAM contributing writer

FRESHMAN TWINS FIND BOND AFTER YEARS OF FIGHTING The loud voices. The frustrated faces. Anger and annoyance. This was just another one of those arguments with her twin sister. They bickered almost every day.

Starting from four years old, Vanessa Oviedo didn’t get along with her sister Victoria during elementary and middle school. They would take opposite perspectives on issues. The arguments were negative and frequent.

Victoria, Vanessa’s twin who was born two minutes before her, said at one point she and Vanessa hated each other.

“We were annoyed at everything the other twin did,” Victoria said. “I felt a mixture between anger and frustration, mostly the latter.”

Vanessa and her twin often fought about sharing. Vanessa said that twins would have to get the same things at the same time, and one couldn’t

get anything better than the other.

“What we mainly argued about was sharing things,” she said. “She would take things from my room alot without asking, and I would get mad when she didn’t want to do anything with me, and she’d get mad because I got mad.”

Vanessa said she felt that her sister didn’t care about the fact that they weren’t getting along.

“I wished I would get along better with her. Because you know, she’s my twin sister.

That’s pretty special. I wanted to be closer to her,” Vanessa said. “I think she just really didn’t care, and was OK with not getting along.”

Victoria said she knew her limits during the arguments.

“I really can’t say my heart was into the arguments because I remembered that she was still my sister, and if I crossed the line then I felt immensely guilty,” Victoria

Teletubbie twins Vanessa and Victoria Oviedo together as children. Photo courtesy of the Oviedo family

said.

Victoria said she thought her sister felt the same way.

“She also knew not to cross that line and since we were young, we never talked about the argument,” Victoria said.

“It was like we had a silent agreement to put the past behind us and continue our lives without being mad at each other.”

The twins’ mother also got involved. She would try

to collaborate the two girls together to find a solution.

Vanessa said her mother scolded the two of them.

“My mother would say, ‘This is a stupid argument, you shouldn’t have to fight over this. You’re twins, you’re supposed to get along better than this,” Vanessa said.

Ms. Sancho, Vanessa and Victoria’s mother, said she did not take sides in their arguments.

CULTURE

2. 4. 16

Slammin’ good poetry

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A PERFECT WAY TO SPEND YOUR WEDNESDAY NIGHT EMME ENOJADO co editor-in-chief

On the corner of Westheimer road and Taft street, a garden hides. But this garden is no secret. On Wednesday nights, hundreds of people from all around Houston fill the parking lot and surrounding streets.

Founded by writer and poet Amir Safi, Write About Now is a poetry slam and open mic that begins at 7:30 p.m. at Avant Garden Wednesday nights until around 10 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge.

The outdoor setting spawns an enchanting atmosphere with circular tables and chairs sprawled underneath the gentle glow of lanterns and string lights.

If you come with an empty stomach, a taco truck in the parking lot called Taqueria El Palomo is said to serve some of the best tacos in central Houston for a reasonable price.

Equally comforting and tempting, the venue is flooded with the scent of the truck’s fresh Mexican food. Special features and renowned figures in the poetry world also come to speak their word on the stage.

I went to an Open Mic, also called “the Olympics of Poetry”, featuring Rudy Francisco, the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion from San Diego, CA who now conducts guest lectures and performances at

colleges and venues across the nation. On the night that I went, 15 artists signed up to share their poetry. They were each given a maximum of three minutes to present, and then they are judged by five random people from the audience on a scale from 0.0 to 10.0. The scale translates to the “poem is so bad that you want to physically shove something down the poet’s mouth so that they never see the world again”, and 10.0 meaning that the poem is so good that “you changed your mind about something, your heart is palpitating, and you are physically sweating,” according to the host of the show, who was incredibly witty and sharp. The top five scorers compete in a “showdown,” scores are recalculated and the top three winners walk away with cash prizes.

I consider myself to be an avid poetry reader, but listening to poetry through the artist’s own voice transported me into a whole new dimension. Spoken word, as reading

poetry out loud is called, is much more aggressive and intimate than traditional written poetry. Each poet’s voice adds a spectacular amount of passion to his or her piece, allowing immediate speaker to audience connection.

The poems also feature a wide array of emotions; in one single night, you can travel from laughing to crying to contemplating the universe and your own place in it.

If reading poetry can move you, spoken word can transform you.

Write About Now evokes the inner artist in every spirit. It’s truly a magical experience from the first moment you step on the brick patio floor to the sensations that it leaves you with to take home and spread. So, if you are a poet, a fan of poetry, or simply down for hearty Mexican food and socializing on a Wednesday night, Write About Now is for you.

Bring you. Bring a friend. Bring your passion. #packthegarden

Black and white: Poets from around Houston performing.

Color: Avant Garden performing venue.

Photo courtesy of WAN poetry

COMBINES LOVE, DESTINY AND Fresh take on a tale of love BOOK WAR IN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY Art by Lizzie Faria

JULIA RYZA co editor-in-chief

Anthony Doerr has captured the sublimity of science and the human condition in his Pulitzer Prize winning novel ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ with a fresh take on tales of love, destiny and the harrowing reality of war.

The novel is centered around two main characters’ lives before and during World War II - and how their fates will ultimately collide.

Yet the two main children are not famed heroes who bravely stand up to the Nazi terror machine, but simply two children who are plunged into war, and whose characters are inspired by the thousands of unnamed children who lived through the atrocity.

Marie-Laurre Leblanc is a young French girl diagnosed with cataracts and loses her sight by the age of 6 , leaving her father, a master locksmith working for the French Museum of Natural History, to take care of her. Her father is the center of her universe, explaining and guiding her throughout the hectic world she now lives in with tender care and encouragement that is indestructible. He builds her an intricate miniature model of Paris, which helps her find her way home for the years to come.

Hundreds of miles away lives Werner Pfenning, an orphaned German boy living in the desolate mining city of Zollverein, and is destined to be sent to work the mines that fatally crushed his father years before. Werner soon discovers he has a passion and gift for all

things electrical- especially radios. This talent will catch the high government’s attention, and will send him to one of the most elite and brutal schools for exemplary youth in the Third Reich, revealing how systematically heinous the Nazis truly are.

This whirlwind journey is stained by a hungry Nazi officer looking for a special stone, and whose frightening physical appearance of neck tumors and sickness match the unforgiving and evil mindset Nazi Germany created. His actions will ultimately test those who are engulfed in Hitler’s machine- and those who still hold the capacity of goodness.

Doerr’s sensory style writing presents a hauntingly beautiful story mixing the world of science and its beauty as Marie finds herself imagining a life of adventuring through jungles across oceans, feeling the soft shells of a thousand different species of snails as she grows up in the halls of the museum and living in a world not masked by destruction. As the war wears on, Marie and her father flee to the sea-side city of Saint-Malo, and live with her Uncle Etienne, a veteran of the Great War. I have never read a book that intricately paints images so beautiful and so relentless.

Doerr’s story of war is not told with fairy tale heroism or desensitized violence. It is real, and its chapters bring tears. Werner and Marie’s story are flawlessly seamed together, showing that even war cannot keep the light from shining, even in darkness.

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CULTURE

Death of a Bachelor, Birth of an album

PANIC! AT THE DISCO HAS DONE IT AGAIN NICOLE SHAIR news editor

LIZZIE FARIA online editor

Panic! At the Disco’s new album cover. Photo by Cody Brown.

Don’t Threaten Me with Death of a Bachelor a Good Time As the title for Panic!’s new album, This song is the definition of waking up after a huge party and trying to remember what happened the night before. Not knowing where you are and having bits and pieces coming back to you is one example.

Don’t threaten me with a good time is very reminiscent of a surfer movie or the Beach Boys.

Before his wedding, Brendon Urie, lead singer of Panic! At the Disco, recorded the album Death of a Bachelor to celebrate his final days of being a bachelor. The album has a total of eleven songs and all have their own feel and vibe to them. Death of a Bachelor is very different from the band’s other albums, but that’s what makes it so unique and fresh. The title of the album is great not only because Urie recorded it before his wedding, but it’s an interesting way to perceive going from a bachelor to being a married man. The album’s namesake is also a tribute to Frank Sinatra which is why it gives me a vintage, almost jazz-like feeling.

Crazy=Genius If you could imagine, for a second, that the Joker put on a Broadway show, Crazy=Genius would be exactly that. It’s one of my favorite songs on the album and rightfully so.

It’s a Broadway musical with jazz and modern elements. It’s not your run of the mill Broadway show either. The song takes the idea of its namesake and how crazy can also be perceived as genius. It has the right amount of eccentricity to it to be called brilliant.

It’s something completely unexpected from Panic! but it fits perfectly with the rest of album.

Victorious

The Good, the Bad and the Dirty

Starting the album off strong is Victorious. Victorious is the kind of song that you’d listen to during a party, a bachelor party to be exact. An anthem that’s sung after winning a battle. Victorious is something you’d raise a glass to and have a good time.

Bringing it back to their roots, The Good, the Bad, and the Dirty is a throwback to the band’s older albums and songs. Which isn’t a bad thing; it’s a nice change of pace in the album to their older sound. It’s a song that has a message: if you want something, fight for it and you better put up a good fight. Or, you do what you can to make it by. It’s about fighting for what you believe in and getting to that point which makes it an inspirational and relatable song.

Hallelujah Hallelujah is the type of song that you would start waving glow sticks to at a concert. It’s as if 50’s show tunes and punk rock had a baby. The song that’s a victory anthem, the ending of a close game, and the end of a fight, all wrapped up in one. The night you’ll never forget for the rest of your life.

That’s how I’d describe Hallelujah.

Emperor’s New Clothes A choir, an old children’s saying, and taking back a throne is Emperor’s New Clothes wrapped up in a bow.

The song’s namesake is based off of an old fairy tale that tells the story of the rise and fall of an emperor/king who had everything only to lose it all. It has a dark vibe with a choir that gives off a sense of eeriness by how much it sounds like a choir of demons.

With lines like “Dynasty decapitated/ you just might see a ghost tonight”, it’s the perfect balance of haunting and eerie. The video is an amazing and unexpected follow up to This is Gospel from the band’s last album Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!.

It’s by far my favorite on the album.

this song is expected to be one of the most amazing tracks on the playlist and it doesn’t disappoint. Death of a Bachelor is a complete 180 from their typical sound of rock-pop vibe. Urie’s love of Frank Sinatra is obvious in this hit, with the jazzy tune of saxophones and the music video’s black-andwhite theme paired with an elegant, 1960’s jazz club. This has got to be one of the best songs on the album because it’s so different from Panic!’s usual sound but it works so well with the rest of the album’s music that, really, how could you ask for more?

Golden Days

House of Memories Compared to the other songs on this track, House of Memories is more like the Panic! we all know and love; a song about love, loss and hope that those we used to love will remember us even after we’re gone. Urie begins the song with his thoughts on what it’s like to be in love with a fear of falling.

Then, there’s a piano-filled chorus of emotion and hopeful wishes that he’ll be remembered even after his lover’s “fantasies become (their) legacies”.

The song then goes on to talk about what happens after the love is gone, heavy drums and electric chords echoing as Urie questions if she ever did love him and if she remembers him like he does her. For all those going through a break-up or caught up in the memories of past loves, this one’s for you.

LA Devotee Back to Panic!’s typical style, but still keeping to the album’s more jazzlike tune, LA Devotee, according to Urie, was meant to be a love letter to the famous city of Los Angeles.

Considering that he wrote the entire album under these static palms and lives there with his wife, he’s got quite a bit of love to give to this beloved American city. With lines like “the black magic of Mulholland Drive” and “sunsets on the evil eye/ Invisible to the Hollywood shrine”, Urie includes all the things he loves about LA which most people would find strange. But to the lead singer, these are what make LA the famous “city of dreams” that it’s known as.

When I first heard this song, I didn’t think much of it. I was too focused on driving home from school to really listen beyond the funky, electronic keyboard and the main phrase “Golden Days” that’s repeated throughout the song. But when I actually sat down and listened to the lyrics, I realized that Golden Days was a lot more than some pumped-up beat. The chorus is an amazing mix of energetic rock and carefree vocals.

It makes me want to get in my car on a sunny day, roll all the windows down and blast this song on the radio There’s so much emotion from Urie in this song that it makes him seem more like a person than the eccentric singer people see on stage. This is the perfect tune to play on repeat as you hang with friends and make memories in the hot, Texas sun.

Impossible Year If you’re looking for a lighter beat and something to dance to, Impossible Year ain’t it. Slow piano and low trumpets sound in the beginning, leading into a hauntingly beautiful song recounting all that Urie has gone through in the past few years from losing some of his closest friends and band-mates to all that has changed for the lead singer throughout his career. I’ll be honest; this song legitimately makes me want to cry whenever I hear it because I can relate to it so much. From lines like “there’s no sunshine/ This impossible year” to “storms full of sorrow that won’t disappear”, it’s clear that this wasn’t meant to be an optimistic song of love and fortune. But even though the tune is sorrowful and the lyrics are kind of dark and dreary, I can’t stop listening to this song, and I don’t think you’ll be able to either.

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2. 4. 16

CULTURE

Up the Down Staircase entertaining, relatable KAITLYN COATS assistant business manager

A rowdy classroom. A bad boy student on the verge dropping out. An overwhelmed teacher. 1960s fashion. All of these took center stage in the auditorium of the school’s latest production, “Up the Down Staircase”.

The play opens with Sylvia Barrett, a new teacher (played by Alyssa Andrichik), getting ready to embrace her first class and later getting bombarded by a cascade of loud students.

The duration of the play is followed by her struggling with the problems of her students and herself.

A recurring part I really enjoyed was the students acting out their letters put in the suggestion box and Mrs.Barrett reading them aloud. These scenes really gave personality to the students and made them seem like real people with real substance. One by one a student would take the spotlight with a confession to their teacher, some comedic and some heartbreaking.

Another part that was great was the character development of Joe Ferone (played

by Vincent Nguyen), a trouble-prone youth fighting with Mrs. Barrett on whether or not he should drop out. Nguyen plays Ferone effortlessly, giving him a great bad boy swagger,

but still manages to give the heart-to-heart talks a natural feel.

Two students who also stood out were Alice Blake, a quiet love stricken student (played by Bri Gonzalez), and Jose Rodriguez, a subdued and often neglected kid (played

by Noa Kalana). These two students were by far the quietest in their class, but because they were well cast have incredible character development.

Blake caught my attention because of her quiet nature, her terrible home life and her crush on Paul Barringer, her English teacher (played by Stephen Ortego). Gonzalez plays a timid, yet tortured teen letting the audience know her introvertive ways, even in scenes where her character doesn’t speak.

Rodriguez had tremendous character development in his heartbreaking notes to the confession box. The note had the audience looking out for Rodriguez in the next classroom scenes to come. Kalana, like Gonzalez, uses body language to portray his quiet nature.

Overall, I liked the play because of the relatable characters, the acting, and the 1960s costumes that were historically accurate. The play was entertaining and give it 3.5/5 stars.

SUZY VAZQUEZ opinion editor

Children of Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Gary Chapman and Land of A Thousand Hills

Coffee with a cause LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS GIVES BACK SUZY VAZQUEZ opinion editor

Your daily choice of where you get coffee can bring life-changing work to communities and people in Rwanda.

Coffee Shop Land of a Thousand Hills recently opened a new storefront on 9935 Barker Cypress Road and it is the newest addition to the boardwalk development in Cypress’ Towne Lake community. This shop is the first location to open in Texas.

Land of a Thousand Hills brings caffeine lovers quality coffee and farmers in Rwan-

da fair wages. This newest addition to the boardwalk development has to offer Rwandan specialty coffee, craft espresso drinks, and delicious fresh baked goods.

In 1994 Rwanda, a small country in Africa, experienced a massive genocide that resulted in close to one million deaths. The genocide left orphaned children, widows, and a broken country.

This horror inspired Jonathan Golden, the founder of Land of a Thousand Hills, to

The cast. Catching up with the crew during a rehearsal for the big show.

Photo by Austin Baker.

Miss Barrett. Alyssa Andrichik writes her name on the board in preparation for her new class.

Photo by Bri Baiza.

work with the Rwandan people to help their communities.

Golden had the idea to start a coffee company that could provide the people of Rwanda with steady income jobs. This initiative has brought enemies together to not only make coffee but to create peace in a war torn country.

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee helps families provide for themselves with sufficient wages, they build homes for orphans, care for widows, and have given hope to entire coffee growing communities.

The coffee beans are grown, washed, processed, roasted, and then sold in shops all over the United States. The farmers work with Land of a Thousand Hills to create quality cups of coffee and in my book they have succeeded tremendously.

I drink coffee like it’s water and this coffee was one of the best cups I’ve ever had. The flavor was bold and rich and created a bright and slight fruit flavor.

I accompanied my latte with a maple scone.

The scone was balanced and wasn’t overly sweet, but still kept its maple taste.

From espressos, to lattes, to teas and more, Baked goods. Photo by Lillian Harris.

Land of a Thousand Hills didn’t fail to make every cup delicious as well as their pastries.

They have an assortment of sweets including blueberry danishes, peanut butter cookies, and coconut dream bars that can all be paired with whatever you order to drink.

Along with the drinks and pastries, Land of a Thousand Hills has a brilliant atmosphere.

They have free wifi and are open Monday through Thursday 6:00AM to 9:00PM, Friday and Saturday 6:00AM to 10:00PM. The shop is quiet with multiple people scattered around working on computers or reading a book in a lounge chair by the fireplace.

It’s the perfect shop for whether you’re out late with friends and need a caffeine boost, if you want to open a book and sit by the fire place undisturbed, or to meet up before a game at the Berry Center because they are less than a five minute drive apart.

The walls are covered with pictures of some of the children and families that have been given new opportunities through Land of a Thousand Hills. The people are smiling, and although it’s a small thing to just order a coffee, I smile too because I know it’s bigger than just a cup.

OPINION

2. 4. 16

17

The Open Carry debate

Art by Emme Enojado

Guns for hands

PRO VS. CON

SENIOR DEFENDS THE RIGHT TO OPEN CARRY

EMILY SCHULTE culture editor

If someone said we couldn’t practice our religion in public, there would be an uproar across America. The right to bear arms is a right just as simple, and yet we choose to disrespect it. We cannot speak about the importance of preserving the rights given to us if we only want to pick and choose what we consider valid.

Guns don’t kill people. Sick minds and the will of evil humans is what kills people. It’s poor thought and action that are at fault and we cannot continue to pin traumatic results on objects and ideas. We don’t have a gun issue in America. We have a morality issue accompanied by a loss of respect for human life.

If people are upset about those who carry a gun holstered, they are going to be upset if the gun is concealed. They are afraid of the gun. It is that simple. It seems that the root of most of these fears stem straight from lack of education. Open carriers are afraid that they are going to offend someone if their gun is visible. A form of self defense should not “offend” someone by any means. This fear is not factual. It is purely emotional. It’s important to remember that those who carry have an entirely different experience than those who do not.

Kimberly Corban, a survivor of rape and a mother of two small children, recently challenged president Obama’s executive order to intensify gun control at a CNN town hall meeting.

“You know, it seems like being able to purchase a firearm of my choosing, and being able to carry that wherever my — me and my family are — seems like my basic responsibility as a parent at this point,” Corban said.

Corban proves to be a living and breathing example of how not allowing open carry would be detrimental to someone’s life and safety.

People have gotten so caught up in the idea that they could become a victim by chance that they have completely disregarded the fact that there are people who are actually victims of merciless crimes that seek the sense of security and protection that a gun provides.

It is a man or a woman minding their own business, obeying the law, and simply exercising their rights the same way someone would exercise their freedom of speech by protesting the government. It is a non event.

It is a weapon. It is there for self defense.

It is NOT some inflated egotistical way for

someone to show off their power. These are common misconceptions when people hear the term “open carry”. Someone with a gun holstered to their waist does not make them a criminal or a thug and if you think that, you are part of the problem here. A good man or woman with good intentions who practices open carry is a neutral or positive addition to an environment.

No one is saying that by putting open carry into effect you must carry a gun. It’s asking people to respect the right to do so.

People give criminals way too much credit these days. They are not skilled military tacticians. A man barges into a corner store waving a gun and demands cash. He is not thinking about the woman who is openly carrying in the candy bar aisle. His mind is focused on the cash register and the chance of the man behind the counter pulling out a gun.

No, a thief is not going to take out everyone in that store who might be carrying a weapon before he takes what he came there for.

With the increased gun violence in America, the phrase “we should just ban guns” has become far too common. Legalizing open carry seems to only fuel that fire. Think about it in other terms, we could ban every drug that exists. People are still going to find a way around them. Ban guns and people are just going to find a way around that too. If someone wants to hurt you or a group of people, they will accomplish it and I can guarantee they won’t think twice about the legal issues.

This is not a groundbreaking event isolated here in Texas. As of November 2015, 45 other states in the United States allow open carry.

Even then, 30 of those states don’t require a permit to do so.

As active member of the military, someone can obtain a license for a concealed handgun license in Texas. Factors that may exclude someone from being able to receive a license include committing a felony or misdemeanor convictions, chemical or alcohol dependency, any form of a restraining order, and certain psychological diagnoses. So no, it is not “easy” to obtain a license and no not “just anyone” can. Even with the license and the allowance of open carry, there are still a number of public and private owned places that do not allow guns on their premises. Places like schools, churches, and parks still have signs that prohibit open carry.

The goal here is to not become a victim in the first place. Some people prefer not to wait until they have been bloodied and bruised to show that they are indeed concealing a gun and can defend themselves. Why wait for legitimate danger to ensue for a proper reaction?

It is your right. It is a principal function that requires no jurisdiction to exercise whatsoever.

Limiting that right requires some sort of an explanation.

‘This law is problematic’

SOPHOMORE FEELS OPEN CARRY IS DANGEROUS

KAITLYN COATS assistant business manager

As of January 2016, Texas’ new Open Carry gun law, which allows citizens with permits to openly carry their gun went into effect, In theory this sounds like a reasonable idea, but in reality this law is problematic.

I would like to say that my argument isn’t against guns. It’s against the idea that the open carry law is OK and actually does anything good. If someone really needs a gun to protect themselves why must it be out in the open? Open carry provides barely any more protection than when it was concealed.

The argument that guns are used for protection no longer applies under the open carry law because when the owner has easier access to their weapon so do pick-pocketing criminals. What happens when the gun used to protect yourself against criminals is now in the hands of one? Your stolen gun is now in the possession of someone dangerous and this person could go and commit a crime such as murder. Your unnecessarily-out-in-the-opengun could be responsible for another human being losing their life.

This is just one scenario, but there are hundreds that very well could happen under this new, ridiculous law. This scenario brings up the problem that under open carry law, loaded firearms are now much easier to be stolen.

If this law wasn’t dangerous enough it also allows open carry in state-run psychiatric hospitals. Seriously, someone can walk right into a mental institution with a loaded weapon right on their hip. These highly visible guns could be easily stolen and be put in possession of a mentally disturbed person who should have no access to a firearm whatsoever. If patients get access to a loaded gun they might shoot themselves, the other patients, or a staff member. Also, the gun in a holster for everyone to see could scare the patients and hinder their treatment.

This new law brings Texas back to the Wild West. With everyone having a gun right on their hip, instead of the more safe option of a

concealed gun, it provokes fear and makes the gun less of a object for safety and more of a scary fashion piece.

If open carry law is a good thing, then why do businesses like Starbucks, HEB and Planet Fitness alongside dozens of others ban open carry guns? It’s because parents don’t want their children around a loaded gun. It makes them uncomfortable and puts their children in a possibly dangerous environment.

The gun could also be stolen by a naive child.

Whataburger President and CEO Preston Atkinson said in an official press statement, “We’re known for a family friendly atmosphere that customers have come to expect from us.

We’re the gathering spot for Little League teams, church groups and high school kids after football games. We’ve had many customers and employees tell us they’re uncomfortable being around someone with a visible firearm who is not a member of law enforcement, and as a business, we have to listen and value that feedback in the same way we value yours.”

Aside from open carry guns putting others in danger it could also put the owner of the gun in danger as well. The open gun can make them a prime target in situations such as when a criminal comes in with a gun to commit a robbery or a shooting. The first person they are going to go after is the one they see with the visible gun before they can be stopped. With a concealed weapon it provides more protection in situations in which someone might actually need to use a gun. It is tactically more effective to prevent and protect yourself from crime by having a concealed weapon. “I think the element of surprise for someone who may be attempting to rob you is a lot better than to have it open where they just shoot you in the back of the head and take your wallet because they see a gun on you,” Houston Police Officer’s Union President Ray Hunt said.

Not only are major businesses across the nation against open-carry, but so is Police Chief Charles McClelland. McClelland has openly expressed his thoughts against this law. “Well I’m opposed to open carry,” Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland said. “As a police chief trying to keep two and a half million people safe, I’m just opposed to inserting more guns into a situation that I feel like could cause more harm.”

Why open carry your weapon when you can have it concealed and exclude all these problems and more that this law arises?

GUN STATISTICS

-92% of Americans support a measure requiring background checks on all potential gun buyers.

-74% of NRA members and 87% of non-NRA gun owners support requiring criminal back-

ground checks of anyone purchasing a gun.

-The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has blocked more than 1.9 million permit applications and gun sales to felons, the seriously mentally ill, drug abusers, and other dan-

gerous people who are prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms http://www.joycefdn.org/gunviolencemyths/

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2. 4 . 16

OPINION

Raging about road rage

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT EXPRESSES FEELING ON THE HOUSTON TRAFFIC CODY BROWN life editor

I have been driving for the good part of 17 months, and it is one of my favorite activities for stress relief and thinking. I can start up my car and end up in who knows where and have a great time nonetheless. That being said, while I do know that Cypress had mainly German immigrants that first colonized its soils, I didn’t know they had brought the autobahn with them, and that we actively practiced it on a daily basis as if our streets were freeways with no speed limit

My parents didn’t pay my driver’s ed instructors hundreds of dollars so that I could go out on the road only to forget everything my instructors taught me. It seems that once someone finally earns his or her driver’s license after the arduous months of drive times and learning to parallel park, he or she can use their status as a legally licensed driver to completely disregard the courtesy and dignity that driver’s ed teaches us to foster and reinforce every time we get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

I’m not here to rant, but I’m utterly sick of my own peers cutting me off even when I’m going 12 miles over the speed limit. I’m tired of the kids younger than me who haven’t even had their licenses for a year who shower me with obscene gestures and words when I don’t let them pass me in their tricked-out trucks. And most of all, I’m tired of adults who have been driving longer than I have tailgating me because they elected to dawdle and end up late for work rather than be proactive and leave early to beat the morning rush.

I shouldn’t have to fear for my life every time I leave my neighborhood and drive down Spring Cypress on my way to school, just because someone wants to treat a two-lane street with a 45-mile-per-hour speed limit like it’s an interstate highway with a 75-mileper-hour speed “suggestion.” There’s a reason

we have laws on roadways that we as licensed drivers are obligated to follow and respect, and it’s not just so we don’t have to fork over our money when the police catch us misbehaving.

Drivers and pedestrians alike has a symbiotic relationship, each one looking out for one another, in order to keep everyone safe. Something as simple as remembering to use our turn signals when we actually plan on turning allows our fellow drivers to understand our intentions on the road, rather than forcing us to guess which direction someone wants to drive at a three-way intersection. It saves us headaches, and it can actually save lives.

And the number of lives that remembering a good driving habit as simple as using a turn signal can save is indeed staggering. A survey

that the Society of Automotive Engineers conducted in 2012 found that more than 2 million accidents occur as a result of failure to use proper turn signals, which is more than twice the number of accidents as a result of distracted driving.

Even scarier of a prospect is that, in a 2015 survey that the Connecticut-based auto club AutoVantage conducted, Houston ranked 11 in the nation for cities with the worst fits of road rage, and Houston also ranks 8th for worst traffic in the nation- at a staggering 62 hours that the average driver spends stuck in traffic annually- in a survey that Inrix conducted in 2014.

But even though our parents contribute their fair share of statistics to the pool of

facts, we teenagers aren’t quite as innocent as we believe. An Automobile Association of America’s Safety Foundation study in 2010 found that a teenager is 44 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash with one passenger under the age of 21 in the car, and that number doubles with two underage passengers. Considering that many teens carpool, that’s a scary statistic when many of us haven’t even been driving for two years, especially on a road with other teenagers itching to kick off their shoes and take a power nap before they dive into their homework.

Clearly, we aren’t retaining the information we learned in driver’s ed. It’s about time we change that attitude for the better, for everyone’s sakes.

As many reminders as it takes to encourage young drivers that turn signals and other driving courtesies are indeed worth the flick of the wrist necessary to activate them, teenagers want to push the limits of authority. We’re rebellious, still trying to figure out what we want in the world. And it may very well mean that we get a couple speeding tickets before we realize that rules are worth following.

I’m no stranger to bending the rules, seeing as how I tend to impatiently drive at 55 miles per hour on my way home down Telge, but I enforce my obligations as a licensed driver to be courteous to both pedestrians and fellow drivers alike, and that includes always using every tool at my disposal to make other drivers aware of my intentions.

I’m not callously calling out my peers for treating every street like a highway with no other drivers around, but there is a reason that we follow the rules of the road. Without them, we run the risk of hurting others or ourselves, and no one likes paying a fine every time we misbehave. But, that being said, it’s human nature to learn by experience, and we owe it to everyone we encounter to make that learning experience a pleasant one.

Toxic relationships could take over the teenage world MADI CHRISTIAN opinion editor

Crying in bed until slowly falling asleep.

You wake up, dreading to leave the comfortable bed, the one safe place. Bruises on legs and arms are covered up by jeans and a sweatshirt.

A broken heart disguised by a fake smile on a tear stained face.

Walking down the hallway involves more strength than usual because at the end of the hall is the person who broke you into pieces. The memory of all the yelling, hitting, and name calling from the night before pop ups in your mind..

Eyes looking at the ground, trying to hide the pain you slowly see the heartbreaker walk up. The phrase “I’m sorry” is thrown out.

Those two words have been used a lot recently between the two of you.

Domestic Violence is different for everyone involved, but it’s still a major problem overall.

Emotionally and physically are the two ways that domestic violence presents itself.

According to loveisrespect.org, nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year, and only 33 percent of teens told someone about the abuse.

Teens may feel trapped and afraid to tell

Art by: Lizzie Faria

anyone about the abuse. Some victims are scared that the abuser will figure out that they told someone and go after them. Being frightened that by just telling someone will bring them more harm.

The victim may feel as if the abuse is not significant and will just go away. The abuse will most likely only get stronger and ten times worse. What this leads to is your freedom being taken away and your partner gaining control of your life. Your high school years will fade away.

No more going out to football games or to a friends house. Your partner is going to want to know where you are at 24/7.

As teenagers in high school, when we meet the perfect someone who makes us

smile we think we are in love, but do we truly know how that feels? We are blinded by the compassion we feel in our hearts that we don’t even realize we are in an unhealthy relationship. Some teens fall in love with words, instead of actions. Words can hurt more than actions. Bruises fade away but you can always replay the painful words being said in your mind over and over again.

Internal and external scars are noticeable to the surrounding people. We never notice them until we finally crack and fall into the pieces. By that time it’s too late to fully mend ourselves. It becomes hard to trust people again, every time someone lays a finger on you, you can’t help but flinch.

In the mind of a victim, we think we can fix what’s broken but in the end we are the ones shattered into pieces. Sometimes we fall for the “ you make me a better person” speech. Hope fills our bodies because we believe everything our partner says.We believe that they have matured into a great person.

Realization hits, and instead of being a better person, they bring us down, making us feel worthless. Does breaking someone apart make them feel better about themselves? In the mind of a victim, bad thoughts fill our mind. “ What did we do wrong?” “ Do we deserve this?” The answer is no. You don’t deserve the agony.

The best thing you can for yourself is ask for help. There is no harm in telling someone.

The harm is letting it just slide. The abuse has a lasting affect on your life. The longer you let it go on the worst the lasting effect will be.

Domestic Violence is nothing to joke about. It can cause serious damage. If you see anyone in an unhealthy relationship, confront them. Let them know that they have someone who truly cares about them around. Let this generation be loved.

OPINION

2. 4. 16

19

STAFF ED

the REPORTER staff

Co-Editor in Chief JULIA RYZA Co-Editor in Chief EMME ENOJADO Managing Editor JOHN SANCHEZ Sports Editor CLAIRE MYNATT Opinion Editors MADI CHRISTIAN SUZY VAZQUEZ Culture Editors AUDREY GRAY EMILY SCHULTE News Editor NICOLE SHAIR SWITCH BRILLO Life Editors CODY BROWN BRI GONZALEZ Business Managers HANNAH HELGREN HANNA WILLINGHAM KAITLYN COATS Public Relations ALEX WHITE Copy Editor LAURYN WALKER Reporters, Artists EDWARD CATEN,, HANNAH WOODRUM, BLAKE NALL, MELODY BERRYHILL, LILY ADAM Online Editor LIZZIE FARIA SWITCH BRILLO Adviser LILLIAN HARRIS OUR POLICY The Reporter is a Cy-Fair High School student publication. Its purpose is to inform and entertain the student body and faculty, and also to serve as a lab for students enrolled in advanced journalism classes. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Reporter staff, the Cy-Fair High School faculty and staff, the Cy-Fair Independent School District or the school board. The Reporter maintains the right to refuse any goods or services that it deems inappropriate for teenagers. The Reporter is a Quill and Scroll, TAJE, NSPA and JEA member. Cy-Fair High School is located at 22602 Hempstead Highway Cypress, TX 77429. Please contact the journalism classroom at (281) 897-4658 to advertise in this publication or email Lillian.Harris@cfisd.net.

Art by. Lizzie Faria

The golden rule of public school

PROBLEMS WITH DISRESPECT IN THE CLASSROOM The buzzing of fluorescent lights. The occasional coughing and clearing of throats and the persistent, bothersome flow of words that leave students’ mouths. In the very front of the classroom, but in the background of all the noise, stands a frustrated, exhausted teacher, straining her voice to speak over the constant chatter.

Naturally, students are asked to stop talking.

They laugh and do the exact opposite. This shows disrespect in the simplest form and it is something that needs to be stopped.

As you move up in grades in public school, there’s more homework, increased competition, increased expectations of respect toward teachers, and more independence and need for self drive to get work done. One rule has been a constant: don’t talk while the teacher is talking.

However, this rule, above all else seems to be the hardest of all for high school students to grasp.

It’s annoying when you are trying to speak, and no one is listening. The frustration of being talked over and disrespected is not something anyone likes. In the classroom, this is a commonly occurring frustration. As teachers try to speak, present slideshows or teach lessons, their voices are muffled by the ever flowing stream of words that students can’t bother to hold back. No matter how loud a teacher may raise her voice, some students just do not stop talking.

The biggest issue is not that the students “talk.” We are humans, with mouths and consciences. We are bound to talk. The problem is the showcasing of complete disrespect and disregard for teachers’ time, patience, and hard work.

Education in America is under appreciated. According to dosomething.org, teacher quality is one of the most significant factors related to student achievement. In the

U.S., 14 percent of teachers resign by the end of their first year, 33 percent leave within their first three years, and almost 50 percent leave by their fifth year. This could possibly be attributed to the wearing down of a teacher’s’ patience and tolerance of disrespect, to the point of quitting. If we have no teachers, that obviously means no education. Although, there is a resolution.

The resolution: If students will not listen to the teacher when asked to stop talking, they will listen to each other. If classmates have been asked to stop talking by a teacher, and don’t relent, say something. We listen to our peers more often than not, and respect their opinions and views of us, maybe more than we do adults.

If teachers do not have to repeat themselves, they are much less likely to be frustrated. A happy teacher always means happy students.

Tell classmates to be quiet while the teacher is talking. The disrespect of teachers is a nuisance and a trend that needs to be over with.

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2. 4. 16

PHOTO ESSAY

Bubble Ballin’ AUDREY GRAY culture editor

Clockwise from top left Messi takes the W Members of the winning team, it’s About to get Messi, take a break in the shade between games. “Everyone felt super excited and accomplished because we won the first bubble soccer tournament,” Booth said. “We went and celebrated at Buffalo Wild Wings afterwards.”

A pro bubble baller Senior Bryce Whigham celebrates another win for their team, The Uniballs. “My favorite part about bubble ball was that you could lay people out non-stop,” Whigham said.

Bubble bumpers Senior Jes Chauviere collides with a member of the opposing team. “It didn’t really hurt, but it was hard to see so it felt like you were getting blindsided,” Chauviere said. “It was exhausting having to get up again after being knocked over so many times.”

Bubble down Freshman Kyle Reece falls after being hit by another bubble.

“It was really fun, but it got tiring,” Reece said. “It was fun getting knocked around.”

Bubble on a mission Freshman Garrett Orlando charges at another bubble to tackle them. “I thought it was really fun until I got hurt and couldn’t play anymore,” Orlando said.

Fun in the sun Members of the Bubble Blowing Double Babies team take some time to relax and hang in the sun. “I thought it was really fun. It was fun being able to run into people without hurting yourself,” senior Kellie Huffmeister said.

Photos by Audrey Gray