December Chronicle

chronicle the

VOLUME 28 • FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL • 900 N. RESLER DRIVE • 915-236-2200 • DECEMBER 2019

WINTERFEST, GIFT GUIDE & MORE TO DO IN THE SUN CITY THIS WINTER

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INSIDE: Harmful Habits The vape epidemic has already claimed lives. New legislation has been created in Texas hopes to thwart teen usage.

READ THE STORY ON P. 4.

Balancing Work and School Employed students have to keep their academics in check all while working to earn an income.

READ THE STORY ON P.7.

Silver Starz Shine in Second Year In just two years,the drill team has doubled in size, but their growth is more than just numbers.

READ THE STORY ON P.10.

Need Something To Do This Break?

El Paso and the neighboring communities have a full schedule of holiday events for the whole family.

FIND THE LIST ON P.17.

Seniors: Still Not Sure On a Major?

College features are always in the Chronicle. This issue we feature engineering schools. Find more features online at fhschronicle.com FIND THE LIST ON P.19.

Faces and Places Find photos by Chronicle Staff members. More galleries are available on fhschronicle.com SEE THE PHOTOS ON P. 32.

CHRONICLE

STAFF

V O LU M E 2 8 • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL • E L PA S O, T E X A S 7 9 9 1 2

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | ANDREA GARCIA REPORTERS | KAROL FLORES, JAVIER GARCIA ALLYSON LITTLE, AMYTHEST MASSAQUOI, LEILA PETTIBONE, CLAIRE QUINTANA, VALERIA SILVA, EMILY TOLES, NICHOLE VALENZUELA PHOTOGRAPHERS | NOELEE AGUIRRE, MAYTE ALONSO, CHEYENNE KAYLA BATEMAN, HOLLY ELMORE, ISABELLA ESCHBACH, BETEL HUDSON, KAYLA MARTINEZ, SOFIA MEJIA, JIMENA MORALES, ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY DESIGNERS | AARON MARTINEZ, ANDREA GARCIA ADVISER | SABRINA RODRIGUEZ PRINCIPAL | SHAWN MENA Views expressed in the Chronicle are those of the reporters and do not express nor represent the views of Franklin High School or the district. “Letters to the Editor” submissions must be typed and signed. The letters can be emailed to franklinchronicledrive@ gmail.com or can be dropped off in room W103. The Chronicle staff reserves the right to edit for grammar, spelling and length.

harmful HABITS

Vaping has turned into an epidemic among teenagers around the world. Something so foreign has become so common in such an unlikely place, High School.

ILLUSTRATION BY CHEYENNE KAYLA BATEMAN

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State changes tobacco purchasing age

by Leila Pettibone reporter & staff reports You can see them loitering around the back of Walmart or near McDonald’s during lunch and after school. Groups of students huddle around a JUUL or an NJOY hoping to get a quick hit of nicotine.

The scene is all too familiar at high school campuses across the country.

According to federal data, students are using vapor and e-cigarette products at continuously higher rates.

E-cigarettes are battery powered devices that deliver nicotine and other flavors to the user through an aerosol.

In 2017, 11.7% of students admitted to trying vapes and e-cigarettes - last year that number rose to 60%.

In a move to curb underage usage of e-cigarettes and vape products, Texas raised the minimum tobacco purchasing age.

The new law went into effect on Sept. 1. making the legal age to purchase tobacco or vapor products 21.

Texas joins 17 other states who have raised the minimum tobacco purchasing age.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than one in four

high school students vaped or used e-cigarettes.

Opinions on the shift have been mixed with some feeling it is pointless and others feeling it was a necessary move.

17-year-old Senior Aldo Escudero feels the shift was a good decision.

“Raising the age limit to purchase tobacco is the right move,” Escudero said.

Although Escudero was not directly affected by the law change, students his age and others who turned 18 after the law went into effect now have to wait longer to use these products.

Escudero feels the age limit should be raised even higher until the brain is done developing.

“I believe it could and should be raised even higher to about 25,” Escudero said. “In high school and even in a university there is too much pressure to do certain things and many fall victim to this.”

Senior Emiliano Esparza was frustrated about the policy change. The 18-year-old celebrated his birthday four days after the ruling.

“It’s dumb that they changed the rule,” Esparza said.

Esparza felt that purchasing tobacco was a coming-of-age type of event.

Although Esparza said he hadn’t tried the products he had heard it could help with the pressure students face.

“Others told me it could help to release

stress,” Esparza said.

Federally the crusade to crush e-cigarettes has been fierce.

Cases of illness related to vaping have popped up in recent months prompting more studies on the effects of these products on the brain and body.

According to the CDC, vaping has been linked to many health issues like lung cancer and breathing problems.

Tobacco use can also affect the developing brain in adolescents and teens.

Sophomore Leo Manzo hadn’t heard of JUULS until entering high school.

“I saw a lot of people carrying a JUUL last year,” Manzo said.

Before attending

Assistant Principal Alex Seufert discusses the types of consequences students could face if caught vaping or using an e-cigarette device.

PHOTO BY ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY

According to JUUL manufacturers, 1 pod is equal to the nicotine in approximately 1 package of cigarettes.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHEYENNE KAYLA BATEMAN

Rise in teenage usage grows to 60 percent from 11.7 percent, CDC says

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News rettes.”

According to Seufert there isn’t one demographic caught using vape products over others. The problem affects the whole student body.

“There is a real mix of students who get in trouble for these things,” Seufert said. “There is not one group that we can single out in this, it is a student population problem.”

Franklin High School follows a strict policy when dealing with students who are caught vaping on campus.

“It is automatic (In School Suspension) ISS for two days for a first-time offender,” Seufert said.

The device is also confiscated from the student.

Additionally, the student is re-

“It’s bad. dumb.”

“(Students don’t) know, they can die from doing it. I don’t think anybody should be doing it.”

DIEGO RANGEL, 10

JENNIBELLE TREVINO, 9

“I think the people that do it, do it for fun. They don’t need to vape.”

It’s

just

“Vaping is bad, but I can understand the temptation.”

ymously agreed the law change made it harder but he didn’t think it made it impossible.

“New Mexico is really close,” he commented. New Mexico’s purchasing age is 18.

The student said he first tried vaping when he was in the 8th grade.

“When I first tried it in the 8th grade I didn’t like it. I coughed, I put it down,” the student revealed.

“Freshman year I used it and got a buzz and that’s when I started liking it.”

The student revealed that at the height of his addiction he was using a full pod over the course of one or two days.

He still vapes or JUULs although he says he recently cut back.

Cougars weigh in on teens and e-cigs

“It’s sad because a lot of the kids don’t know what they’re doing.”

“It’s just bad for people and they take up space in the bathroom.”

INFORMATION COMPILED BY JOSEPH STUART | ARIA RODRIGUEZ | PHOTOS BY BETEL HUDSON

“I don’t like it. I’m actually against it.

Don’t do it.”

“There’s more harm done than good at this point.”

LENZY McCALLISTER, nurse

JOANNA PRECIADO, 12

AJ BARON, 11

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TEEN VAPE USE?

EMILY DO, 11

ANAYAH GREEN, 10

ENRIQUE GONZALEZ, 9

SOUNDOFF

quired to attend a nicotine awareness class.

The class is hosted by MB Anderson and is offered to the student at no cost.

According to Seufert these methods have worked well they rarely see the same students repeat this offense.

Although the change in law is new, Seufert feels it was a good change.

“Although we have not seen the long-term effects of it,” Seufert said.

“I do think it was a good law to put in just for the effect of making it harder to get these things.”

However, not everyone wholeheartedly agrees.

A male junior who agreed to speak candidly if presented anon-

JOSEPH DARLING, 12

high school in Texas, Manzo went to school in Georgia.

“When I used to live in (Georgia) I used to hear about kids smoking and getting caught by the cops,” Manzo said.

“It makes me feel happy that my parents raised me better.”

Apart from the health consequences associated with vaping, students caught with e-cigarette devices face a variety of penalties, especially in an educational setting such as Franklin High School.

Assistant Principal Alex Seufert says the school has seen a rise in incidences of vape use.

“It is something that we have seen an increase in the past few years,” Seufert said. “Now that it is getting cheaper and more prevalent - we are seeing more e-ciga-

“I think it’s terrible and I’m afraid because we don’t know the long term effects or what it will do to people using over a long period of time.”

“Teen vape use is very bad right now because we have kids with respitory problems.

Vaping is an epidemic right now.

OFFICER J. TATUM

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T H E

J O B

Senior Dana Marquez and coworker Kaitlin Flores organize menus during their Saturday morning shift at Ihop. Marquez works in order to have more independence with her finances.

PHOTO BY ANDREA GARCIA

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Balancing work, school not an easy feat

by Karol Flores reporter Senior Ashley Tarango seems like a normal high schooler but on the inside her mind is going about 100 miles per hour.

Work, school, catching up on tv, boyfriend, the next statistics test, reading a whole book before the next English class.

The main cause of her stress is the struggle of balancing high school and work.

Tarango sees working as a necessity.

A normal day for Tarango begins with waking up at 6 a.m. and attending school until 3:55 p.m.

Her shift at work begins at 4:15 p.m.

She hardly has time to run across the street and change into her uniform in time for the start of the work shift.

“There have been times where I don’t even have time to eat,” Tarango recalled. “So I just don’t.”

Tarango works at a local fast food chain. According to the US Department of Labor about 35 percent of students work.

While on the clock she rotates between working as cashier and drive-through.

Her shift ends at 11 p.m. but that isn’t the end of her day.

“I would be scheduled on days I made it clear I couldn’t work. I’ve also had to work night shifts on school nights.”

- Stephanie Gonzalez, 12

PHOTOS BY ANDREA GARCIA Ihop hostesses Kaitlin and Sandra look over the dining room table layout together in order to seat guests appropriately.

Sandra and Kaitlin are local students who also balance work and their studies.

She heads home and still has to tackle her homework for the next school day.

Tarango tends to go to bed at around 1 a.m.

Tarango admits the appeal of money sometimes outweighs the commitment to study.

“Sometimes I’ll put off studying for a test in order to make more money,” Tarango said.

This leads her to only getting roughly about five hours of sleep a night. Working over 30 hours a week leaves her drained.

According to the College Board working more than 15-20 hours a week could potentially affect a student’s academic performance.

Over working would also have negative social consequences. Students may isolate themselves from friends and family in order to pick up more hours to earn more money.

Senior Stephanie Gonzalez works with Tarango.

According to Gonzalez, she has had to work the majority of her high school career.

“Throughout my high school career I’ve had to work multiple jobs in order to save up for college,” Gonzalez said.

“The jobs I’ve worked have almost made me believe that work was more important than school.”

In Texas, employers cannot schedule teenage employees under the age of 16 past 10 p.m.

Gonzalez recalled former managers who rarely regarded the law.

“My managers didn’t care about my school,” Gonzalez said.

“They cared about who would be working the overnight shift.”

Ultimately, working long nights has caused Gonzalez to arrive late to school or even miss days.

“I would be scheduled on days I made it clear I couldn’t work,” Gonzalez said.

“I’ve also had to work night

shifts on school nights.”

Gonzalez is now working a job with flexible hours but agrees the paycheck motivated her.

“I guess you could say I became obsessed with the idea of making my own money that I made work a priority,” Gonzalez said.

Spanish teacher Heather Kendrick believes that having a job has positive and negative effects on students.

“Having a job makes students feel more organized and prepares them for college,” Kendrick said.

“It also takes away from sleep and homework.”

Kendrick has been teaching for 27 years and has seen many students struggle with balancing work and school life.

“Students who work really late hours have a hard time staying awake during class,” Kendrick said. “Throughout the years I have noticed students who work long hours struggle with their grades.”

Holiday Cheer

Classes gather to decorate trees for Christmas Holiday

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PHOTO BY ANA RIVERA

Seniors sweep tree decorating contest Members of each class council gathered after school in the main foyer on Wednesday, Dec. 4 to decorate their class trees. Clockwise from left page: The winning tree belongs to the senior class. They chose El Paso as their team. Seniors Nathaniel Odell and Kristen Mendoza cut letters out to decorate their tree. The freshman tree was themed to “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” They placed fourth. The Sophomore tree was themed to the Grinch. They placed third. The Junior tree was themed to Willy Wonka. They placed second Members of the sophomore seek Class President Yolie Bueno about how to proceed. A hand painted “El Paso” sign decorated the front of the winning tree.

PHOTO BY ANDREA GARCIA

PHOTO BY ANA RIVERA

TREE PHOTOS BY ANDREA GARCIA

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The Silver Starz drill team performs at the last home football game of the 2019 season on Thursday, Nov. 7.

PHOTOS BY SOFIA MEJIA

Silver Starz make their mark at FHS

Drill team grows in members in second year, improves technical quality, coach says

by Valeria Silva reporter The start of the Silver Starz was a new beginning for Franklin High School.

“Ms. Mena wanted to start a drill team for Franklin,” Silver Starz Co-Captain Junior Alex Marquez said. “We were the only school in El Paso that didn’t have a drill team.”

The Silver Starz team began in

the 2018-2019 school year.

“This year’s team is more organized because we had no idea what we were doing last year,” Marquez said.

Last year’s team only had about 20 girls, but as word got out about a new team at Franklin the numbers started growing.

Sophomore Jessica Nidadhal was one of those new members.

“There are like 50 of us now when there used to only be 20,” Nidadhal said.

Coach Amanda Magana is one of two drill coaches; Magana has been with the team since the beginning and has seen a drastic change in the team.

“This year’s drill team is more technical as far as kicks and drills go and there are way more girls now, which makes everything more difficult,” Magana said.

Coach Magana and Coach Rebekah Muñoz have worked hard to create a team that has leadership and discipline.

“We want this team to set up an example of Franklin High School and what Franklin students should be.” Magana said The Silver Starz have changed the lives of many people around school campus.

“The Silver Starz have changed me in a positive way,” Junior Brianna Arreola said.

Senior Patricia Colon joined the Silver Starz this year and it has helped her get things off of her mind.

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Features “This team is the only thing that gets my mind off of school,” Colon said. “Every morning I come, it just takes the stress off of me.”

The team is a place where people get to express themselves without having to worry about being judged or just simply using their words, and Sophomore Braelinn Anderson gets that feeling.

“This team lets me express myself around the people that I love, I don’t ever have to worry about being judged,” Anderson said.

According to the Starz, it is the adrenaline rush that gets everyone excited, especially when it’s time to perform.

The thing that drives the Silver Starz is the moment right before they hit the field.

“Hearing your name being called from the stands is pretty cool,” Co-Captain Marquez said.

According to Coach Magana, the only thing that makes a coach happy is seeing their students perform their work beautifully.

“Seeing them perform and seeing the progress they make in such a little amount of time gets me excited; I’m really looking forward for what it’s going to look like by the end of the year,” Magana said.

The Silver Starz want to be the team that everyone is waiting for to perform, they are looking to strive for perfection - and with the help of their captains and officers they are looking at a straight path.

“The captains and officers are really dedicated to us, they push us and help and want us to do our best,” Anderson said. “Our coaches all so want to us do to our best, that really keeps me motivated to go on.”

All of the teams around El Paso have things in common, but the thing that makes Franklin’s drill team special is the ability to call each other family.

“We are as close a as a family,” Anderson said.

PHOTO BY SOFIA MEJIA

PHOTO BY MOANA TEAGLE TOP: At center Senior Patricia Colon dances for the Silver Starzs at her final football game of the season. The Starz will continue to perform throughout the year at varsity basketball games. BOTTOM: Junior Celeste Hatch performs during the Homecoming Pep Rally.

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ISABELLA ESCHBACH

Cell phone addiction rising among teens

by Claire Quintana reporter 12:00 pm. Look at phone. No notification.

12:01 pm. Glance back at phone. Three Snapchat notifications. 12:05 pm. Check phone again. This is the reality for teens who have fallen into the phone addiction. The little bright boxes have re-wired the brains of most American teens today.

Re-wired teen brains so much that their phone has become an addiction. The excitement of the many positive aspects of social media has left teens coming back for more. But all of the negative aspects leave some people questioning the hidden motives of the social media trend.

Why would teens put up with the devastating feelings of comparing themselves with others? Or the guilt and shame that comes with the horrible act of cyberbullying. Could social media be as addictive as a drug, with all the

“I like Instagram because it’s like Snapchat and Twitter combined. I can use it to see stories and I can see what other people are posting.”

-Sophomore Destiny Villarreal

negative physical effects covered by the dopamine and endorphins?

Instagram and snapchat are the biggest culprits of the social media craze. Instagram with 501 million daily users Snapchat with 310.7 million daily users.

Instagram focuses on the communication and creative side of social media. Over 100 billion videos are offered on Instagram, all categorized to fit the personalities and likes of different teens. The ability to post something permanent on users’ profile and the ability to keep up to date with loved ones attracts teens as well.

Sophomore Destiny Villarreal says Instagram is her favorite social media app. “I like Instagram because it’s like Snapchat and Twitter combined. I can use it to see stories and I can see what other people are posting.”

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4:39

?

Get Help > How do you know you’re addicted to your cell phone?

People who are addicted to their phones show signs of trouble completing simple tasks What other signs do they show?

Isolation from friends and family & having FOMO (fear of missing out) when you haven’t checked your phone in a while Ugh, I totally have FOMO when my phone is dead People who are addicted tend to get irritable and anxious when their phone dies or it is left at home.

oop- I think I’m addicted to my phone.

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA GARCIA AND AARON MUNOZ

What most teens don’t know is Instagram is probably one of the most damaging social media apps, mentally and scientifically. According to a study, conducted by researchers at UCLA Brain Mapping Center, the brain damage from Instagram is a very scary reality.

The ability to earn and give likes on Instagram activates different parts of the brain. This in turn causes teens to develop a need for likes from social media, which can cause them to go on it more.

With more and more research coming out with the way Instagram can affect teens and young adults of today, the company has decided to do something about it. Business Insider wrote that Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced that Instagram will remove likes from posts in the US. This experiment has already been conducted in seven other countries.

Only those included in the test will have their likes removed and the change will not be permanent. Instagram spokesperson told Business Insider, “While the feedback from early testing has been positive, this is a fundamental change to Instagram, and so we’re continuing our test to learn more from our global community.”

Snapchat’s main focus is also on the communication and creative side to social media, with more time put into Snapchat. By using Snapchat, it is very obvious that the creators wanted to provide a more convenient way of texting on the phone. And for most teens, that is what they did and continue to do.

Junior Claire Patin agreed with this statement. The longing to talk to her friends when she can’t always see them is most appealing to Patin. “I think Snapchat is my favorite app, I just always find myself going to it,” she said.

While social media can be an amazing utilization of technology, there have been things like peer pressure and false expectations that have become a reality for American teens.

The ability to see what someone is doing and make assumptions based on a bunch of pictures and videos can be misleading.

Sabrina Rodriguez, Journalism teacher, believes that false expectations are more easily built with social media. “I definitely think that social media can be detrimental because it builds up false ideas for some people, false expectations of what reality could be. This makes it easier for kids to fall into drama.”

Not only can the social media addiction be harming to the human brain, but it can also be harmful to human relationships. The ability for teens to have face to face conversations with their friends and even strangers has decreased immensely.

According to Rodriguez, teens have a harder time communicating verbally. They are more comfortable being able to text someone or e-mail them, and some even view communication with their teacher can be scary. “A kid is more likely to come ask me for help on Remind than they are to do it in person,” Rodriguez said.

Information courtesy of helpguide.org and compiled by Andrea Garcia

Santas IN DISGUISE

Junior Remi Sanchez helps wrap gifts during the wrapping party on Saturday, December 7 at Franklin High School.

PHOTO BY ANDREA GARCIA

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Community donates $18k in gifts

by Brooke Taylor reporter Rivals?

Only sometimes.

Franklin and Coronado’s rivalry hits a peak every autumn during the Westside Bowl but that tension comes to a complete halt during the holidays.

For the last six years, Franklin and Coronado have co-hosted a holiday gift drive for an elementary school within the district.

This year, the groups chose Travis Elementary. Travis Elementary is located near Fort Bliss in Central El Paso.

“We choose an EPISD school that is not affluent,” Student Activities Manager Angel Santa Cruz said.

Each year, the schools work

to complete holiday wishes for school children in the area.

Students and faculty from both campuses come together to provide the gifts for each student.

According to Santa Cruz, about 315 students will receive gifts from the councils next week.

Franklin students and faculty were responsible for providing for 160 students, Coronado covered the remaining.

Each gift is valued between $60-$75 dollars. Gifts include a variety of items.

Each student is guaranteed a complete outfit or a pair of shoes, a blanket and a pair of pajamas.

Students also receive specific items on their wish list such as books, toys and games.

Junior Paola Trevizo has sponsored a student for the last three

years.

“I sponsored a kid in my algebra class,” Trevizo said.

Trevizo helps solely because she wants to give back.

“I want to help and give back to those in need,” Trevizo said.

Overall the groups raised around $18,000 in donations for the project.

Coronado Senior Ethan Spurbeck has helped for the last four years and has sponsored eight children during his career at Coronado.

“I’m always the first one (to turn in gifts),” Spurbeck said.

Trevizo plans to help next year.

“I feel very happy knowing that I’m helping those who don’t have as much as those who do have what we’re lucky to have,” Trevizo said.

PHOTOS BY ANDREA GARCIA Above: Freshman Wyatt Rose helps place completed gift packages in L134 on Saturday, December 7. Rose and members from Franklin and Coronado’s Student Council gathered to wrap gifts for students at Travis Elementary. Right Top: Junior Paola Trevizo wraps gifts on Saturday, December 7. Trevizo spent 6 hours wrapping gifts. Right Middle: Senior Erik Acosta writes out appreciation notes. Right Bottom: Coronado Senior Vicky Le wraps gifts on Saturday at Franklin High School.

H O L I D A Y H A P P E N I N G S

El Pasoans enjoy ice skating on Friday, December 6 at Winterfest in the Arts Festival Plaza. Ice skating is available every night.

PHOTO BY JIMENA MORALES

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THINGS TO DO IN EL PASO DURING CHRISTMAS

W

by Ana Valdes • repor ter

hat’s better than Christmas and a flurry of things to do around the Sun City? Fred Loya’s annual Home Light Show will show every Friday through Sunday night from 6 p.m. It will light up your holiday with joy. Downtown hit the ice from now until Jan. 6 at El Paso’s Winterfest. The rink is located in the Arts Festival Plaza. Make sure to warm yourself up with some tasty treats from local food vendors.

Fred Loya’s Home Light Show

When: Friday through Sunday with shows at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. through Christmas Day What: 230,000 colored lights set to music.

Where: 120001 Paseo de Oro in East El Paso Additional Info: Show is nine minutes long.

Christmas Lights at Eastridge

When: Every evening throughout the holidays.

What: The neighborhood of Eastridge invites you to drive through and view their decorated homes.

Where: Eastridge in East El Paso

Navidad De La Fe Luminaries

When: Saturday, December 17 What: La Fe Family Clinic will light up Scenic Drive with thousands of luminaries.

Where: Scenic Drive Additional Info: Sightseers are invited to donate canned goods.

Winterfest

When: Every night; Market on the weekends.

What: Annual downtown Winterfest with vendors, performances and ice skating rink.

Where: Downtown El Paso.

Additional Info: epwinterfest.com

Food Truck Winterfest

When: Wednesday, December 21 from 5 - 9 p.m.

What: 13 food trucks and local vendors will fill the Plaza de Las Cruces for last minute Christmas shopping.

Where: Plaza de Las Cruces

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Borderland Rainbow center empowers, provides resources, support for El Paso

by Leila Pettibone reporter You wake up, you are immediately jolted out of the bliss and promise of a happier life that occurred in your dreams.

You wake up, dragging your feet out of bed, wishing you didn’t have to face the burdens of reality.

You have been recently kicked out of your home, the place you lived and had fond memories in, all because of who you are.

Your parents call your identity a choice, and hurl hurtful names that tear at your self-esteem.

The saying proved to be false, words can break your bones and hurt more than sticks and stones.

You can’t walk the streets holding your partner’s hand without worrying about the implications.

You have to hide your true self from your coworkers, fearing that you may be fired.

These scenarios may seem like a far-fetched nightmare for individuals who have never experienced them, but they are a reality for numerous individuals that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or any other identity that lies underneath the colorful umbrella of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Borderland Rainbow Center (BRC), located in downtown El Paso, Texas, makes it so the effects of hatred are lessened on the community. This center provides a refuge for people of all backgrounds, which countless community members rely on. However, this center is not widely known about or publicized, causing those in need to not

PHOTO BY NOELEE AGUIRRE El Director and co-founder of the Borderland Rainbow Center, Brenda Risch (left) speaks during a meeting on Nov.7. The Borderland Rainbow center is located at 2714 Wyoming Ave.

receive key resources needed to live.

Brenda Risch, the Executive Director and Co-founder of the BRC spoke about the organization in an interview. She describes the center as something that “empowers the community, [the center] creates opportunities for people to heal and to grow, learn and become stronger.” According to an article posted by the Washington Post, LGBTQ+ youth only make up 7 percent of the United

States population; however, 40 percent of the 1.6 million youths that experience homelessness in the United States each year identity as LGBTQ+. To make matters worse, “46 percent of homeless LGBT youths ran away because of family rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity; 43 percent were forced out by parents, and 32 percent faced physical, emotional or sexual abuse at home.” These young people did

nothing else, other than reveal who they love. Furthermore, this increased prejudice and hate that is inflicted onto LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those that are people of color, has led to an “increased rate of bullying, suicide, and alcohol and drug use among those who are LGBTQ+,” reported the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The BRC recognizes that attention is not being given to these topics as vastly as it should. This is because many individuals still consider the topic of LGBTQ+ people to be taboo or inappropriate and do not discuss their presence as they would other topics. This prevents LGBTQ+ people from being seen as equals, and instead creates stigma around them, causing hate and violence.

This need for an open environment for healthy communication is the reason why Risch started the center. The BRC began when Risch saw the community demand for a transgender support group when there was no longer one in the area as the original agency that facilitated it closed its doors. Upon realizing the demand, Risch developed a community needs assessment to determine the exact LGBT related services the community needed.

The response was overwhelming.

She ended up receiving over 560 respondents. From there, she put together a brief and began asking for resources to satisfy the needs she recorded. It was also from this survey that the BRC realized what services they needed to provide, and why they offer select services.

Though she did not immediately get the support that was needed, she persisted, eventually securing

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Features a location for the community center that would become the BRC, officially opening on September 2, 2016.

Most of the staff are part-time or full-time volunteers, giving their time to help the community blossom. The main services that they provide include: a local food pantry twice a week, therapy, they are equipped to train mental health and educational professionals and clinicians to work with the deaf and LGBT community, they do social events such as karaoke, they have five different peer support groups including: the family and friends of transgender people, addictions anonymous, the HIV support group, and the LGBTQ teen support group.

They also teach workshops that educate individuals about inclusivity, self-care, and social justice. They have also gone into immigration detention centers to help LGBT immigrants that flee their native country because their lives were endangered because of their identity. They help these individuals legally prove that they are LGBT so that they will not be deported. “We provide things that are educational... to things that are about helping people survive and heal,” said Risch.

In addition, the BRC has been increasingly involved in helping the refugees that pour into El Paso each day. Risch specifically became involved with this crisis when she received a call that revealed that people were being dumped at the Greyhound bus station in the middle of the night, with just the clothes on their backs.

She immediately responded. She and her wife gathered clothes, shoes, first-aid supplies, and food and immediately rushed to help in any way they could. This is the moment that the BRC also became involved with the crisis, as she sees those individuals as “our brothers and sisters, they are our family. I don’t have to be related to someone to know that they are my family, I know that because I am

PHOTO BY NOELEE AGUIRRE A small pride flag hangs on the wall in the Borderland Rainbow Center. For more information on what the organization does, visit borderlandrainbow.org

The main services that they provide include: a local food pantry twice a week, therapy, they are equipped to train mental health and educational professionals and clinicians to work with the deaf and LGBT community, they do social events such as karaoke, they have five different peer support groups including: the family and friends of transgender people, addictions anonymous, the HIV support group, and the LGBTQ teen support group.

a queer person, and we know that family is not just blood... anybody who has had to suffer and be hurt because of who they are and who have literally walked thousands of miles, are our family.”

However, the road to the creation of the BRC has not been easy. Because it is located in a largely conservative state, there has been a lack of state funding and resources and other organizations that in comparison to a state of about the same size that is liberal. In addition to the large finan-

cial burden that affects the BRC, there is a significant emotional and mental burden on the individuals running the organization “there are days where you get tired and you cry, when you just want to stay in bed and give up because there is a constant on slot of hatred, ... but then you realize that you are the one beacon of hope in this whole place, so we can’t shut the doors, we have to get up, we have to open, we have to be there because someone is going to need us today,” Risch said.

To conclude, the Borderland Rainbow Center is an environment that not only provides a safe place for those in need, but it saves lives of all people in the community, not only LGBT people. It helps individuals feel acceptance, love, and gives them a chosen family, which is sometimes the most important.

To learn more and get involved with this organization, as well as to find the list of staff and the volunteer application, individuals interested should go to the BRC’s website: www.borderlandrainbow.org.

20

Opinion

Q: What is the obsession with Minecraft?

A: We like Minecraft because it was one of the first video games we played as a child, and it brings us a nostalgic feeling to play it together in a group again.

- AJ BARON, 11

DECKER SMITH, ENGLISH

Q: Do you

hate me?

A: No,

you’re a real nice guy.

- JOSEPH ODEH, 12

JAMES BARTON, HISTORY

COUGAR TO COUGAR Teachers satisfy their curiosity by asking their students questions

by Leilani Benford, Aurora Holt, Isabella Eschbach • reporters, photographers

Q: What is

your ultimate goal?

A: To be the

best version of myself.

- ARYAN SHAFIEE, 9

JOANNE JUAREZ, HISTORY

Q: Do you not

understand how to turn your laptop into a hamburger while I’m teaching?

SHANNON DEVEREAUX, ENGLISH

A: I do, I can make

it into a hamburger and a taco.

- JOHN-MICHAEL FREISEN, 11

21

College

ENGINEERING COLLEGE TOUR

Not sure what to major in or where to go? The Chronicle has you covered! Each issue and online we’re featuring different schools and top majors to choose from.

by Sami Odeh • reporter

University of California, Berkley Out of State tuition: $43,176 Acceptance Rate: 15.1% Requirements: GPA: 3.85 SAT: 2171 ACT: 33

Branches of Engineering offered: Bioengineering, Environmental, Civil, Electrical, Computer Science, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical and Nuclear.

Stanford University Yearly Tuition: $53,132 Acceptance Rate: 3.64% Requirements: GPA: 3.95 SAT: 680-780 on Reading, 700-800 on Math ACT: 31

Branches of Engineering offered: Aeronautics, Astronautics, Chemical, Civil, Bioengineering, Systems, Electrical, Material Management, Computer Science

Carnegie Mellon University Out of State Tuition: $52,310 Acceptance Rate: 17.1% Requirements: GPA: 3.84 SAT: 1510 ACT: 33

Branches of Engineering offered: Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Environmental, Electrical, Computer Engineering, Engineering and Public Policy, Materials Science and Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Out of State Tuition: $48,452 Acceptance Rate: 7.9% Requirements: GPA: 4.17 SAT: 1531 ACT: 33-35

Branches of Engineering offered: Aeronautics, Astronautics, Biological, Civil, Environmental, Electrical, Computer Science Instate for Data, Systems and Society, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Computer Software Engineering

22

Opinion

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ISSAC BASURTO (CHICK-FIL-A) AND JARED HERNANDEZ (POPEYES.)

The sammie that changed it all

by Gala Garcia reporter It was a subtweet that turned America against itself.

Chicken sandwich consumers across America have argued online, have physically fought and even murdered over a singular product: The new Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich has been on the menu since August, but after Chick-fil-A tweeted out that their sandwich was the original, the new sandwich quickly gained viral fame.

It quickly sold out across the country and with it sparked mayhem.

Kevin Tyrell Davis, 28, of Maryland was murdered on Nov. 4 because he cut in line waiting for his sandwich. A man confronted Davis and stabbed him outside the Popeyes in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Apart from Davis’ death multiple fight videos have surfaced over Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for millions to see.

Demand for the product was high and Popeyes announced that

it was sold out on Aug. 27, the same month that it premiered.

The company relaunched the sandwich on ‘National Sandwich Day’ which happened to fall on a Sunday. Competitor Chick-fil-A is famously known as being closed on Sunday.

The Experience I decided to see what the hype was all about surrounding the sandwich. I went to a Popeyes near me and the line was extremely long, I entered the restaurant at 2:15 p.m. and got my sandwich around 2:51 p.m.

The sandwich was advertised as having a delicious golden fried chicken breast between two buttered, brioche buns. The sandwich also includes pickles and mayo.

To compare: Chick-fil-A sandwich also features a fried chicken breast served on a buttered bun with dill pickles to top it off.

When my sandwich was finally presented I thought it was a joke, I had waited half an hour for a chicken sandwich that had com-

COURTESY OF POPEYES VIA TWITTER.

pletely flat buns and hardly any spicy mayo with about 2 pickles thrown on.

However, I wasn’t going to judge on the looks of it, there had to be a reason as to why this sandwich was so popular.

When I bit into the sandwich I could hear the nice crunch to the chicken, (Popeyes fried chicken has

always been a favorite of mine.)

It was a great sandwich, the spicy mayo tasted great with the chicken, however next time I hope they add more. The pickles were a great choice to pair up with it.

The Popeyes chicken sandwich did not disappoint, it was an delicious meal, maybe even more appetizing then Chick-fil-A’s.

23

Entertainment

Alebrijes dance in DTEP to celebrate day of the dead

by Azul Portillo & Jessica Nidadhal

reporters

Men, women and children dressed in alebrije costumes and calavera masks lined the streets from Santa Fe to Main to participate and watch the ‘Desfile de Alebrijes’ Parade.

The parade kicked off the Dia De Los Muertos festivities hosted by the Downtown Arts District of El Paso on Nov. 2.

To kick off the month of November, members from Ciudad Juarez and the El Paso community came together to celebrate and honor the lives of those who have passed away.

This year, the celebration was dedicated especially to the lives of those who passed away in the Aug. 3 mass shooting.

The alebrijes and larger than life sculptures were shared by Colectivo Ultima Hora, an artist collective from Mexico City, to display in the parade.

Among the vibrant flower decorations and alebrije artwork, the El Paso Museum of Art had an altar that honored celebrities such as José José and Edith González Fuentes along with crosses with the names of the August 3 shooting victims.

El Pasoan Berta Hernandez feels pride that the city is honoring the victims.

“I’m proud and happy to know El Paso will always remember and honor those of the Walmart shooting,” Hernandez said.

A variety of free hands-on activities and live performances were hosted by The El Paso Museum of Art and the El Paso Museum of History for people of all ages to enjoy.

Face painting stations and workshops in crown making and papel picado were held to share

A representative from the Art Museum leads a larger than life ‘catrina’ through downtown El Paso for the ‘Desfile de Alebrijes’ on Nov. 2.

Hundreds of El Pasoans turned out to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos.

PHOTOS BY ANDREA GARCIA A representative from the Art Museum leads a larger than life ‘catrina’ through downtown El Paso for the ‘Desfile de Alebrijes’ on Nov. 2. Hundreds of El Pasoans turned out to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos.

the traditions of the holiday in a creative and entertaining way.

Sunset Heights resident Carlos Diaz enjoyed coloring with his granddaughter.

“We always try to make it out to events like these,” Diaz said.

“They are enriching for the community. I love that El Paso does that.”

Performances by Camino Real Ballet Folklorico as well as live mu-

sic by Fontera Bungalú created a positive atmosphere where everyone was free to dance to the authentic music played.

Roberto Fuentes and his wife Maricela were those within the crowd that danced the evening away.

Other performances were hosted by EPCC Faculty Music.

Visitors of this celebration were also free to enjoy The Downtown

Art and Farmers Market.

The artisan market, features original arts and crafts, food vending, regionally grown agricultural products and entertainment from local artists at Cleveland Square Park.

Food trucks were parked behind the Plaza Theatre, serving a variety of foods, ranging from Mediterranean cuisine from De Nile Foods to Asian food from Sushi Grill.

Other food trucks included El Doggy, Panini Bus, The Top on Wheels, Formula, Kona Ice, and Antojitos & Caribeños.

24

Entertainment

MUSIC CONNECTIONS ALEC WIGDAHL

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX WIGDAHL

GENRE: INDIE POP YEARS: 2017-PRESENT SPOTIFY STATS: 30,152 MONTHLY LISTENERS SONGS: MISBEHAVING, TOO BROKE, QUARTER LIFE CRISIS, (NO HALO BROCKHAMPTON COVER)

KREWELLA

Review: The Mandalorian lives up to hype

by Andrea Garcia Editor-in-Chief With Disney fever in full force, Jon Favreau and Lucas-films have taken full advantage with the release of the Mandalorian; a Western-style series that takes place within the Star Wars Universe.

The Mandalorian has something for those who love the original Star Wars’ lore and for the newcomers curious to see what the Baby Yoda craze is about.

The Mandalorian rises to the challenge of a live-action Star Wars series and soars far beyond expectations, currently sitting at a 94% average with critics and fans on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Mandalorian is a standalone series within the ever-growing Star Wars universe and is based around a rogue bounty hunter who finds himself taking care of the very target he was paid to recover.

The Mandalorian, whose actual name has yet to be revealed, is

ILLUSTRATION BY ISSAC BASURTO

apart of a small tribe of Mandalorians and works for a bounty hunting Guild.

On one of his missions he takes on more than what he initially bargains for and is forced to become the care taker of another nameless character known canonically as “The Child” and popularly as “Baby Yoda.”

Much of what lies ahead for

this unlikely pair has yet to be revealed and with a different director for every episode bringing something new and exciting to the series there is much to await and even more to come.

The Mandalorian does live up to the Star Wars buzz and will likely continue to do so until the series’ conclusion on December 27th.

ON THE SILVER SCREEN: FROZEN 2 PHOTO COURTESY OF COLOMBIA

GENRE: DANCE, EDM3 YEARS: 2007-PRESENT IF YOU LIKE KREWELLA THEN YOU WILL LIKE: ADVENTURE CLUB, SEVEN LIONS, FLUX PAVILION, PEGBOARD NERDS SONGS: GOOD ON YOU, NEW WORLD, ALIVE

INFORMATION COMPILED

BY CHRONICLE STAFF.

Queen Elsa of Arendelle and Princess Anna are back for Frozen 2. This animated adventure takes you back to the once frozen kingdom of Arendelle for another sisterly adventure.

The girls embark on a journey to discover why the forest is shrouded in a magical fog.

Soon Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven find themselves within the fog and trying to discover the mystery that has plagued the kingdom for many years.

Although filled with action,

this iteration of ‘Frozen’ fell flat musically. Nothing can top the magic that was ‘Let It Go.’ This sequel features the song ‘Into the Unknown’ but it does not have the same catch and appeal as ‘Let It Go.’ They say the original is always better than the sequel and this time we have to agree.

The movie did not fall short on sisterly love, empowerment and acceptance which were strong themes in the first film.

- Review by Andrea Garcia

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISNEY

RATED: G GENRE: FAMILY DEBUT: 11/22/19 GRADE: B-

25

Entertainment

Review: ‘Jesus is King’ vibes with gospel fans; appeals to new market for Kanye West After the much-anticipated wait after his last project “Ye”, Kanye West is finally back with his new album “Jesus is King.”

The 808s rapper has taken a different turn with this album, it is much more of a religious album then anything else.

It still has his great production and beats, everything Kanye is good at, but many fans aren’t excited that it is a religious album. Kanye has become very religious this year, even going as far as to create his own church, Sunday Service. “Jesus is King” features his Sunday Service Choir, Ty Dolla $ign, Ant Clemons, Clipse, Kenny G, etc.

The intro song “Every Hour” shows how powerful Sunday Service Choir can sing.

It makes you feel uplifted as if you were in a church listening to the choir and piano in the background. A true testament to the vocals of Sunday Service. The third song on the album “Follow God” Kanye takes us back to his prime with his chopping up of soul music samples. “Follow God” is a fan favorite because of his production.

“Closed on Sunday” the fourth song on the album was probably left on the album to get media attention.

The intro lyrics are “closed on Sunday, you my Chick-Fil-A, you’re my number one with the lemonade.” Kanye most likely knew these lyrics would become a meme and did it for sales and streams. “Use This Gospel” is the strongest of the 11 tracks, it has a saxophone solo from Kenny G accompanied of course with great Kanye West production and samples.

Overall I give “Jesus is King” a 6 out of 10 stars because there are a lot of bland songs, but on the other hand it gives his fans songs like “Follow God” and “Use This Gospel” which are bangers with great production and samples that are just as good his first studio album “The College Dropout.”

But it can be said for sure that West’s newest album definitely has some great additions to the artists infinite music library.

- Review by Ethan Lawrence

review: Marriage Story What seems like a simple story about love and how people can fall out of it, isn’t the case for Noah Baumbach’s personal narrative that is Marriage Story. It’s complicated and at times makes you confused about who to trust and who caused Nicole and Charlie’s marriage to fall apart.

Marriage Story follows the falling out of Scarlett Johansson’s Nicole and Adam Driver’s Charlie and how they navigate through divorce. Charlie is a theatre director to a theatre company and Nicole is the lead actor in the majority of Charlie’s plays and the two raise their child, Henry together.

When an opportunity for Nicole arises in Los Angeles, she realizes that she has only been living vicariously through Charlie and this prompts Nicole and Charlie to separate.

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson offer performances of their careers as they over serve change through their family, a child’s growth and how their separation has affected him, each with their own ideas and environments. The dialogue sets up perfect gags for later on in the film, as if every word has been meticulously planned. The score which was created

by Randy Newman, gives the beginning, the happy beginning to the sad story, an Up (2009) feel to it.

Overall, Marriage Story does what it’s supposed to do and more. It makes you feel conflicted and tugs at the heartstrings and it grounds itself how love can be and how things can go from bad to worse. It has to be one of the best films this year.

Score: 4 ½ out of 5 - Andrea Garcia, EIC

COMINGUP DEC. 21

GHOST TOUR YULETIDE SPIRITS CONCORDIA • 9 P.M.

DEC. 31

TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL SUN BOWL STADIUM • NOON

JAN. 1

NEW YEAR FIRST DAY HIKE

WYLER ARIEL TRAMWAY • 8:30 A.M.

JAN. 17

MEDIA FEST AMC EL PASO 16 (ALL DAY MOVIES) 9 A.M. T0 9 P.M.

JAN. 29

CHARLIE & THE CHOC. FACTORY PLAZA THEATER 7:30 P.M. • MUSICAL

26

Entertainment

FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE: BAD VIBES FOREVER The self-proclaimed “final’ posthumous album from rapper Jahseh Dwanye Ricardo Onfroy, more commonly known as his stage name, XXXTENTACION was resealed by his team on December 6, to great criticism.

This project has many features, like common XXX collaborators such as Trippie Redd, PnB Rock, and Craig Xen, Killstation and Joey Bada$ , but also many unexpected collaborations such as Joyner Lucas and blink-182, a band that was a favorite of the rapper, even before his sudden rise to fame.

With up-beat quick

songs suck as NorthStar, to his slower melancholy sounds, every fan has something to look forward to in the late rapper’s immense library.

Onfroy was killed on June 18, 2018, after being shot at.

The rapper shared this message to his Instagram account before his death.

“Bad Vibes Forever coming soon. It will be a mix of all genres you have seen me dabble with, if you are not a fan of me this is not an album for you, it is for core fans only,” Onfroy posted.

I personally enjoyed many of the tracks, with

CORE FAN PLAYLIST:

• looking for a star • I don’t want to do this anymore • Slipknot • riot - COMPILED BY JAVIER GARCIA

Rapper Juice Wrld, 21, dies of seizure at Chicago airport

by Jimena Morales & Caiden Ryland

Reporters

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMPIRE

Bad Vibes Forever Vol.1 by XXXTENTACION Rating: R Grade: A+

some fan favorites such as “numb the pain”, “ATTENTION!”, “wanna grow old”, and “HEARTEATER”.

The album was a perfect representation of the rapper’s feelings, artistic values and skills.

- Review by Javier Garcia

• hate will never win • A Ghetto Christmas Carol • #PROUDCATOWNER • “King’s Dead Freestyle” • BAD!

2018’s Lucid Dreams top billboard charts and No. 2 a year later popular rapper, songwriter, and influencer Juice Wrld, 21, died on December 8, after he suffered a seizure at the Chicago airport and was pronounced dead at 3:41 am at the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak lawn.

The famous rapper jarred Higgins first started his career in high school at the age of 15.

His first song “forever” was released on SoundCloud. Recording most of his high school career on his cellphone. “Juice Wrld” was inspired by the role Tupac Shakur played in the film juice and wrld represents “taking over the world.”

His first track “Too much cash” was released in 2017.

Higgins released his debut 9 9 9 on June 15, 2017, featuring his most popular songs “Lucid Dreams” that accumulated 399 million views on the famous internet platform YouTube, also certifying sextuple platinum by the RIAA. Higgins released “Goodbye & Good Riddance” in May 2018, the album debuted at No.4.

INTHEATERSNEARYOU>> COMPILED BY MOANA TEAGLE

DEC. 20 Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker

RATED: PG-13

DEC. 25

Spies in Disguise RATED: G STARRING: WILL SMITH, TOM HOLLAND

JAN. 17 Dolittle

RATED: PG STARRING:

ROBERT DOWNEY JR., JESSE BUCKLEY

JAN. 17

JAN. 24

RATED: NR STARRING: WILL SMITH, MARTIN LAWRENCE

RATED: NR STARRING: MACKENZIE DAVIS, FINN WOLFHARD

Bad Boys For Life

The Turning

27

Entertainment

XMASGIFTINGGUIDE

by Katelyn Farran and Nichole Valenzuela • repor ters

The holidays are here and it’s time to get gifts for your significant other. Just like your boyfriend or girlfriend caught your eye, these gifts will too.

1

A watch to remind you to spend more time with your boo

Shoes to remind you of how far you’ve walked

According to GQ, when picking your watch make sure to opt for something you can swim with and one with scratch resistant glass.

2

NS SY OF VA COURTE

Some jewelry to show off how much they shine bright

5

We live in the Sun City.

Don’t forget to protect those eyes when looking at the beautiful sunsets of the 915.

Couple photos to help cherish your memories together

PHOTOS BY GILLIAN ROMAN, NICHOLE VALENZUELA, ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY

Snacks because what’s better than a Disney+ marathon

AY ITO L F FR O Y RTES COU

Switch your camera to selfie mode and hit that shutter or if you’re into retro prints, Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 8 creates instant prints.

Shoes are an easy way to match with your significant other or just personalize your style. Picture strolling downtown with your significant other and fave new pair of Vans.

Sunglasses because your future together is bright

Rings are on trend this season. Find friendship rings and bracelets online at a variety of retailers. For the Chronicle staff, we love the rings and bracelets on puravida.com.

3

4

Every Mickey needs his Minnie, every Donald Duck needs his Daisy. You know what they say? The best way through anyones heart is through their stomach.

6

28

Entertainment

Forte Senior Alyssa Trujillo performs during her final fall show.

F A L L

PHOTOS BY ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY

life through dance S H O W

C A P T I VAT E S

PHOTO BY ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY Clockwise from top left: Mia Van Slyke, center foreground, performs during the fall show. Senior Fusion Caption Chiara Schafer is pictured in the background. Camille Caux performs to choreography. Senior Madison Morgan flips backward. Sophomore Damara Baustert and Sophomore Sarah Holden show a lot of emotion during their performance. Senior Forte Captain Aliseana Lopez performs during her last fall show.

30

Sports

Lady Cougars to play against state champs at tournament

Basketball warms up as teams prepare for district play

by Allyson Little reporter As the fall semester slips by and football and volleyball seasons comes to a close, a spring sport that feels more like a winter sport will begin. Soccer season officially began on Dec. 2.

The Lady Cougars varsity soccer team swept last year’s District, Bi-District, and Area meets to become champions with an overall record of 22-1.

With such a successful season under their belt, the Lady Cougars were accepted and will be heading to the 2020 National Elite Prep showcase in Dallas from Jan 2 through the 4.

This showcase is hosted annually by Southlake Carroll. Southlake Carroll is a high school located North of Dallas.

Southlake has a successful soccer program and won the state championship title for 2019.

Needless, to say, this is one of the biggest events that our girls’ soccer program will be a part of this season until playoffs.

Despite their impressive record last year, the Lady Cougars, are not favored to win the tournament.

There is an extreme level of skill from the larger city high schools in the Dallas, Austin and Fort Worth areas.

Regardless of the level of competition the girls’ soccer program continues to work hard every day during this time leading up to the showcase, in order to insure that when they step on the field, they make a statement, for themselves, for the school and city.

PHOTO BY MAYTE ALONSO Clockwise from left: Junior Noel Moreno blocks a pass by the opposing team during a tournament. Senior Roman Garcia, 30, charges against Onate for a shot. Senior Daniel Duru tries to steal the ball from opposing team. Senior Colby Borak prepares to guard the net during a free throw by the opposing team. Junior Brandon Castro prepares to shoot a free throw.

5 THINGS TO LOOKOUT FOR IN THE NBA

by Jakob Wogoman reporter The start of the 2019-2020 season has been exciting to watch.

There has been a plethora of success in LA as expected, the surprise of the Suns, the downfall of the Warriors, and so much more.

Here’s 5 things to lookout for in the 2019-2020 season.

The first thing you need to lookout for is the Phoenix Suns. They have been surprising teams all year long. Last year they tied for the second worst record in the NBA with an abysmal 19-63 record.

The Suns have young talent with Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton but lacked a true point guard with Tyler Johnson starting at the one. In the first seven games of the season they have collected the second-best record in the west of 5-2.

They added Ricky Rubio and Dario Šarić to facilitate and run their offense. They have dominated the league beating the last undefeated team, the Philadelphia 76ers.

However, DeAndre Ayton has yet to play a single game because of a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policies.

Another thing to look out for this season is the Miami Heat. For the past couple years, the Heat have been drafting high quality rookies without lottery picks.

They have gotten stars like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Kendrick Nunn. Tyler Herro dominated the 2019 NBA Summer League averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Kendrick Nunn who was signed by the team in the summer went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft. Nunn

1.

2.

took the league by storm when he checked into his first NBA. He has averaged 18.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

Nunn was the first rookie since Kevin Durant to score 100 points in his first 5 games. Adebayo is going into his third year in the NBA and has made massive jumps in his play each year.

In addition to all their young talent the Heat have signed one of the best two-way players in NBA in Jimmy Butler. He has been playing at an elite level since he won the most improved award playing for Chicago in 2015.

The Heat have been predicted to finish as the 8th seed but with all of this talent there is no reason why they can’t finish as a 5th seed.

After the 29-point win over the Houston Rockets the Miami Heat have shown the NBA who they can be.

The third thing to look out for in the 2019-2020 season is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers in the 2018 offseason signed Lebron James but failed to succeed with their young talent due to injuries sidelining Lebron and Lonzo Ball for significant amounts of time.

Throughout the season they made it clear their intentions were to either trade for Anthony Davis or sign him in the 2020 offseason.

All of the trade talk caused tension in the Lakers locker room limiting the amount of success for that season. In the 2019 offseason the Lakers constructed a trade for Anthony Davis Consisting of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and multiple draft picks. At the start of this season the duo of Lebron James and Anthony Davis has proven to be one of the toughest to stop in the NBA notching a 6-1 record.

They have combined to average 52.7 points, 19.2 rebounds,

3.

and 13.8 assists. If any team wants to have a chance at stopping this team from winning a championship, they will have to stop Lebron and AD. The next thing to lookout for is Ja Morant. Over the summer the Memphis Grizzlies notched the number 2 overall pick in the draft after a 3349 record. They traded away their best player Mike Conley to make space for a new athletic guard with Russel Westbrook comparisons.

They traded him to the Utah Jazz for Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyler Korver and the 23rd overall pick. Ja Morant has been dominating the league averaging 19.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. Ja has shown from this year’s rookie class he is the most NBA ready. He has not only been trying to look for his shot but has been facilitating for others. Most young stars take a few years to be successful in these aspects of the game but Ja has found a way to play-make at a high level in his first seven games.

A fifth thing to look out for this season is the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is coming off a season where he averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists on 57.8 FG% with the second-best defensive rating.

The only thing that made the MVP race between Giannis and James Harden a contest was his lack of a three-point shot.

He only shot

4.

5.

25.6% from three.

This year he is shooting more threes and is shooting at a high percentage. With the

development of a three-point shot he is becoming even more unguardable than before. Giannis is dominating the league the same way Shaquille O’Neal dominated in the 1999-2000 season. There is no other player at his height with that kind of mobility and strength.

In the 2019-2020 season Giannis is averaging astounding numbers.

He has averaged 29 points, 14.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists on 59.2 FG%.

Giannis has led the Milwaukee Bucks in all statistical categories for the past three years. He has not only scored efficiently and was an anchor on defense but facilitated the entire Bucks offense.

Looking out for all five of these things the NBA season will be more exciting than ever to watch. With new looks on multiple teams and surprising young teams the 2019-2020 season will not disappoint.

2

PHOTO BY BETEL HUDSON

3

1

PHOTO BY HOLLY ELMORE

FACES & PLACES 6

1. Junior Mercedes Salcedo performs during halftime on Nov. 7. The Cougars faced off against Socorro. They defeated the Bulldogs 63-6. 2. Coach Adam Castillo talks to his varsity team during a game against Oñate High School.

The Cougars lost to Oñate 58-50. 3. Junior Eleanor Schoenbrun cheers on the crowd as she performs her colorguard routine. 4.

A dedicated band booster parent helps build the set for their fall halftime show at NMSU. 5. The Silver Starz practice before school. 6. Junior Amanda Wimberley performs during the dance departments fall show on Nov. 20.

PHOTO BY SOFIA MEJIA

4

PHOTO BY ANASOFIA NORZAGARAY

5

PHOTO BY AUDREY MOLINAR

PHOTO BY VALERIE SILVA