February 2024 Hawk

Body of work Pages 6-8

Tattoos & piercings provide outlet for expression; poses possible obstacles

Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville. Texas 78660 Volume 17, Issue 4 February 2, 2024

In Inthis this Issue...

Issue...

5

Founder’s Day

9

Heart Health

12

Into the Woods

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2 Our Turn Opinions Volume 17, Issue 4

Hit or Miss

First tattoo leaves editor with no regrets Ban on food delivery proves necessary Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor When I heard about most adults’ tattoo experiences it was typically watered down to a story of regret.

They were young, went to some shady tattooer, and now wish they never got one in the first place. And, the adults who have no tattoos have expressed to me a distaste for them, highlighting their unprofessional and informal appearance.

When I first mentioned my desire to get a tattoo, I was warned about the pain, its permanence, and was again reminded of how I may grieve my choice. However, I am a product of my youth and for myself and many of my peers, tattoos are cool. Although I may come to lament my choice once I am older, I’m excited to e x p l o r e this side of adulthood and its p er m a n en ce is a part of why I got a tattoo. After all, that is the point of a tattoo.

I turned 18 early last semester and finally had a job to back the expenses of a tattoo. I had thought about the design and placement months in advance, and finally I had my appointment booked at Atomic Tattoo for 3 p.m. on Dec. 16. Although my parents aren’t too keen on tattoos, they were supportive.

I had chosen to get a dragonfly on my lower stomach to pay homage to my mom who also has a dragonfly tattoo; I think that swayed her approval.

On the day of, I confirmed my appointment and my girlfriend and I arrived early since I was nervous. We waited for around ten minutes until my artist came out and showed me the design he had created and the sizing options. The wings of the dragonfly were formed by a series of tight swirls resembling that of smoke, while its body remained simple. After I made my design decisions, I was then escorted into his office. There, I was instructed to lie down while he prepared the equipment. My girlfriend sat in the chair left of me, while a guy towards my right was getting his whole back tattooed. Similar to a lot of piercing and vaccine appointments, I started to disassociate while I anxiously waited for the pain. However, to my surprise the pain was very subtle. Occasionally, it felt as though a cat nail was being dragged across my skin, but for the most part it just felt like light pressure; not nearly as

bad as I expected.

Once my tattoo was finished, the artist gave me the quick run down on proper aftercare. He told me to gently wash the tattoo with an unscented cleanser and follow with an unscented moisturizer. Personally, I have an awful record of following proper aftercare procedures in terms of new piercings and in this case, tattoos. So, you will have to take the rest of my experience with that in mind.

For around two to three days after my appointment, my tattoo was extremely tender. No bandage was placed over my tattoo, so it was exposed to outside elements, which meant I had to be extra careful to avoid touching it.

Towards the end of the week, my tattoo rose, and the itching started. This was by far the worst part. It was consta ntly itchy and I could not touch it or scratch it.

O cca siona lly when I would forget about the tattoo and scratch the area, I was met with a regrettable amount of pain.

This i t ch i n g , although uncomfortable, was a good sign. This meant my skin was accepting the ink and healing. My skin had peeled away, and after around two weeks I was finally met with smooth, normal skin and a sick tattoo.

Overall, my tattoo experience was positive. It even convinced my mom to get her old tattoo touched up after years of feeling ashamed of it’s fading design. I went with her to get the tattoo fixed, and it’s become a fond memory of us bonding even as I am older. And, now I am able to guide her through something just as she has guided me through much of my life. Now, her and I both have beautiful dragonflies to represent both our growth and our closeness, something I love that we share.

So, to sum everything up, I am beyond happy with its placement and the design my artist created. The healing process went smoothly and generally it has been met with compliments. This is definitely not going to be my last tattoo, in fact, I already have my next design in mind. I’m excited to grow old with this tattoo and let it become a reminder of my youth and the life I have come to live.

Before the end of the last semester, the delivery of packages, especially food, was not allowed for students.

This has made it so students are unable to order food and have it delivered to them throughout the school day, which caused some pushback from students.

However, while the convenience of having one’s meals brought directly to the school may seem appealing, the delivery of food can cause many problems for both students and staff.

Students that have food delivered sometimes eat during class, which can cause distractions and messes in classrooms. These messes can also attract animals into the building, such as insects and rodents, an issue the school has dealt with before.

The delivery of food also brings unaffiliated people to campus, which can become a safety hazard if unidentified people are walking around. This can also cause unnecessary traffic that can slow procedures down. The only way food can be delivered to students throughout the school day is by having a parent deliver it during a students designated lunch period.

So, while the idea of food deliveries may sound enticing for students, the potential risks of the process outweigh the benefits of it. Banning the delivery of food hit. to the campus is a hit

POD makes a return after extended hiatus The POD recently opened its doors again, having previously closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The POD will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday through Friday, giving students the option to purchase snacks such as smoothies, chips, and cookies instead of being limited to the options in the cafeteria.

To purchase food from the POD, money can be added to your MySchoolBucks account. The POD’s return is a hit hit.

New requirements for off periods announced Recently, it was announced that in order for next year’s seniors to qualify for off periods they must be considered college ready. To be college ready, a student must have a SAT score of 480+ in English and 530+ in Math or have a 945+ in English and 530+ in Math.

Once again, those who test well are favored. A student who does not regularly attend class or is on the verge of failing a class could easily be granted off period privileges, while a student who struggles with test taking but does well in school would be denied.

Additionally, the requirements to be “college ready” do not actually ensure a student is or isn’t prepared for college. Many schools no longer require SAT scores, and some are even fully test blind. Therefore, the new miss. requirements for off periods are a miss

Photo provided by | Lilianna Moran

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Opinions February 2, 2024

Your Turn “I think it depends on the job. Like if I’m going to be a cashier then I don’t think you should be able to not hire me because I have tattoos or something.

But, if I’m going to be a daycare worker and going to see a bunch of babies, I wouldn’t want to scare them.”

-Izzy Crim, 12 “I think it depends on the job because if you work at a fast food place, like I do, I think you should be able to have dyed hair or tattoos or whatever piercings you want as long as it doesn’t interfere with the food.”

- William Doseck, 10

“I think it depends. I don’t think employers should discriminate solely because someone has body modifications unless there’s a valid reason to prohibit them.

As long as they are not offensive, overly distracting, or completely unprofessional it shouldn’t matter whether people have them or not.”

- Tessa Calabrese, 12 “I feel like it’s really unprofessional judging someone by their looks because that’s ignoring the skills they can give you.”

-Dylan Abbott, 10

“If you’re going to hire someone, it should be because of their work. And second, you want to have a diverse workplace. Everyone can’t be the same or it’s going to be a boring workplace and you want your employees to have a good time as well.”

-Bryson Nieto, 11

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Staff Editorial Self expression remains important in workplace

As students are getting older an opportunity they have more frequently is the option to get a job. While a lot goes into getting a job, one major concern is what to do if you have tattoos and piercings.

Employers very often want employees to represent the company or business they work for, which includes their appearance. For this reason many employers have strict dress codes to keep their workers looking professional, clean, and organized. It is common in a lot of work places, to have rules that require and employee to have a limited amount of piercings, tattoos, and maintain a natural look.

This is where the issue of tattoos and piercings comes in, as these are much more p er manent b o d y modifications that many p e o p l e would like to not have to hide when working. The key issue here is that many people do not want to see the person taking their order, scanning their groceries, or even fixing their computer to have tattoos or piercings. This in turn links into the idea of “professionalism” and what represents that this person is capable of doing their job.

All of this culminates in the expected employee dress code, and what will show the client or consumer that they are in trusted hands. This all comes down to the idea of forcing someone to be the perfect employee, rather than the real human being who is being paid to be there.

Self expression is an important, and also very common part of being a human. For centauries people have tried to show off who they are through clothes, hair cuts, and yes, tattoos and piercings. This all comes to a halt however when suddenly the regular person cannot show off that they have a life outside of their job, and that that may include having body modifications.

The counterargument to this is the idea of unprofessionalism, that someone who has sleeves or an eyebrow piercing cannot properly serve you. It should be known that if someone works somewhere there is an almost guarantee that they have gone through proper

training and should be capable of doing their job. If a person cannot do their job there is a much better chance that their place of business is incapable of training their employees rather than their piercings and tattoos are making them somehow unable to work.

The forcing of common people into small boxes to make them look ‘capable’ and ‘professional’ depletes workers’ enjoyment of their jobs and most importantly takes away the reminder that they are in fact human. The lack of humanism will only make it easier for customers to lack empathy and forget that they are talking to a regular person and not a machine, leading to more yelling and argument s and the complete disregard for the employees feelings.

Additionally, it creates issues of employability for individuals who already have such b o d y modifications and are unable or unwilling to remove them. For instance if and individual has all the qualifiactions for a job but have a tattoo sleeve that goes against the dress code, they are then faced with the choice of paying to remove the tattoo or cover it, or be denied of said employment.

Another large reason people should be allowed to have tattoos and piercings is that it shows who the employee is, and their own individuality. Every human is unique, and while a tight uniform group may look aesthetically pleasing in something like a performance, it is ultimately best to show off what makes each individual who they are. This can help promote customers seeing that the person they’re talking to is in fact an individual, and promote productivity and morale, as the employee feels valued and trusted with who they are.

In all, tattoos and piercings should be not only accepted but welcomed in the workplace, as they show the workers true colors and display who they are. It is the best step that more workplaces allow their employees to not only have but show off their tattoos, piercings, and whatever makes them human.

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Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2,134 Staff: 180 Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Michael Grebb www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper

The Hawk, the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.

Opinions expressed reflect the beliefs of the student author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Hawk Staff, the Hawk Adviser, the Hendrickson Faculty and Staff, or the Principal.

Letters to the editor are welcomed, and may be dropped off in E211. Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff.

The Hawk is printed monthly at Community Impact in Pflugerville, Texas.

1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body for free before school on publication day and on newsstands throughout the building.

Editorial Staff Editors

Co-Editors: Kate Hayes, Lilianna Moran Copy Editor: Sophia Johst Assistant Editors: Eliana Grant, Gia Patel

Reporters Emily Rodriguez Travis Tellez

Artists Diane Salazar Eliana Grant

Associations Interscholastic Press League Texas Association of Journalism Educators Journalism Educators Association National Scholastic Press Association Columbia Scholastic Press League

Honors ILPC Bronze Star 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 ILPC Silver Star 2021 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018

Illustration by Diane Salazar

Illustration by | Avery Howe

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News Volume 17, Issue 4

Silver Dancer and Hawk Cheer Booster Club hold winter formal Ryleigh Mackey | Photographer

Sophomores Lucy Piggott, Piper Garvis, and Mackenzie Piggott enjoy the music played during winter formal. “Me and my friends were dancing and having a lot of fun while the DJ played music we all listened to in our childhood, “ Garvis said.

Junior Olivia Gomez dances with friends during winter formal. “I really like dancing and having fun with my friends.” Gomez said.

Emily Rodriguez | Reporter On Saturday, Jan. 13, a Winter formal was held in the cafeteria to raise money for both the Silver Dancer and Cheerleading programs.

“The money raised is going towards helping for the Spring Show and Spring Banquet, the estimated amount that was raised for the Silver Dancer organization was $1900,” Gia Binkowski from the Silver Dancer Booster Club said.

The hosts greatly appreciates all the help they received from anyone who had volunteered for it.

“We are very thankful for all the volunteers and school staff involved in making this a successful event,” Gia Binkowski said.

“The dance was designed as a fundraiser put together by Silver Dancers and Cheer Booster Clubs. We are very pleased with the outcome and hope it has opened a door for future events.”

By fundraising, it can help the booster club improve on many things happening during the school year.

“Having this Winter Formal can really bring more in future finances and more within the school,” junior cheerleader Addison Shirley said.

Speech and Debate leaves UIL state championship victorious

Junior Waleed Haider takes home the UIL state championship in congressional debate on Jan. 11 at the Texas capitol—a feat that he feels still hasn’t registered.

“I was pretty shocked,” Haider said.

“It’s a 16 person chamber for the final round and they were announcing the top six. So, they’ve gone six all the way down to second, and I was like, “oh wow, I didn’t even place in top six.” And then they said my name and I’m still in disbelief even as I’m on stage.”

In order to make his way up to state, Haider had to start at the district level.

There, he placed first in his event and

broke for state. At state, Haider then had to compete against 80 other individuals to advance to that final round.

“For me, it was really significant because I had the privilege of debating inside the Texas State Capitol for that state final round,” Haider said. “Not only was it in front of a huge audience, but it was just in a place that has huge significance as part of a real government.

So I think it’s significant not only in terms of beating a lot of people, but also in terms of getting closer to the type of advocacy and action that I want to be a part of in my future.”

Outside of his own hard work, Haider feels his team is what made his victory possible.

“My team reacted really positively,” Haider said. “I think they were happy because winning a state championship is a team effort. We work together to do research, to write arguments, and to practice speeches. So, when I win, it means everyone in our team won.”

Haider hopes this is only the beginning of his successes, both in speech and debate as well as his future career.

“I want to try and make it into more elimination rounds at national

tournaments,” Haider said. “But beyond that, I just want to make sure that I’m spreading a positive message and positive advocacy through speech and debate. When I’m in types of debates, like congressional, where I choose the side that I’m on, or other events where I choose the topics I speak about, I want to make sure I pick stances and speeches that speak to every audience I’m in front of. I want to advocate what my view of a better world is.”

Travis Tellez | Reporter In order to foster healthy relationships among teens, an open mic produced

by Girl Advocates, Advanced Drawing, and Hawk Haven revolving around Teen Dating violence Awareness will be taking place on Feb 13.

The event that is hosted every year has a goal of shedding light on the importance of promoting positive and respectful connections while addressing the alarming issue of relationship abuse among teens. In the United States, 1 in 3 teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before becoming adults, and nearly half of college women will experience some type of dating

relationship abuse. The project is made to help put a stop to any sorts of abuse that may occur.

“Raising awareness is crucial in helping students identify warning signs, as well as to teach them how to set boundaries and what their rights are in a relationship,” social worker Lori Carl said. “Information is power and will help students to recognize and make healthy decisions and get the support they need.”

Carl originally founded and has been passionately working on the teen dating violence awareness project for 15 years.

“This was a program that came to being after a beautiful student was murdered by her boyfriend in school,” Carl says, “The

cry for awareness and action was what got me to bring this program to HHS and it has been going on ever since.”

This year, that passion will continue to push the message of dating awareness even further.

“Every year we partner with Girl Advocates, Advanced Drawing, and now Hawk Haven to bring awareness through social media, information tables and activities throughout the week of Valentine’s Day,” Carl said, “We display a mural and put on an Open Mic Coffee House in the library where students share through poetry, spoken word or music about this important topic.

As the project continues to spread the message of keeping teens safe

throughout their dating ventures, Carl will continue to work on the project for the foreseeable future.

“Teen dating violence is real and I am proud that our students continue to address this through awareness, and I am proud that our principals and staff support all of our efforts and value the importance of this campaign,” Carl said. “I encourage students to check out www.loveisrespect.org. It is created by and for teens and has a lot of really good information even if you are not in a dating relationship. If you have questions please come to C211 as I am glad to share information and give support.”

Girl Advocates hosts teen dating violence awareness open mic

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News February 2, 2024

20 Years Later

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Art teacher recounts past two decades of teaching at the school Gia Patel | Asst. Editor 20 years ago, Hendrickson was a different place. It became the third high school in Pflugerville ISD, with only a few hundred students and less than 70 staff members. Art teacher Monica Lawrence was a part of the faculty that helped open the school and is still at Hendrickson.

“It was very tiny,” Lawrence said. “We

had very few students, very few teachers, around 300 students and about 60-70 faculty members. We knew everybody, we knew all the students, we knew all the teachers, which is not the same now.

It was like a big family.”

In two decades, it’s normal for schools to change.

“A lot has changed in the past 20 years, but that’s normal for education,”

Lawrence said. “We’ve had a lot of different principals and we’ve gained a lot of different ones. So, each time you get a new principal, you get new policies and stuff like that.”

Working at Hendrickson since it first opened its doors, comes with learning new lessons along the way.

“I’ve learned that I can teach more than just art,” Lawrence said. “I’ve learned

that because I had to teach multiple subjects besides just art, so I know I can teach more than just that.”

Although a lot has happened in the years the school has been open for, some things remain the same.

“I still think that we’re a family,” Lawrence said. “I still feel like that.”

History of Hendrickson

School namesake served as Pflugerville educator

Robert E. Hendrickson standing with PfISD board members Kenneth Thompson, James Hamann, and Clifford Damstrom at the dedication ceremony for Hendrickson High School on September 13, 2003.

Photo provided by | Heritage House Museum

Gia Patel | Asst. Editor Robert Earl Hendrickson was born on February 2, 1921 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. On February 2, 2024 we celebrate “Founders Day” as it marks the campus’s 20th anniversary as well as his 103rd birthday.

He became a pilot when he was 16 and then went to college at Drexel University in Philadelphia majoring in aeronautics.

He served in the Air Force during World War II where he rose to the rank of major and was a pilot. He came to Texas since serving the country paid for his college education as he went to school at the University of Texas at Austin to earn his degree.

One day he was driving around the country, and he came across the quaint town at the time of Pflugerville with only

300 residents. He came across an old school in town, and he stopped by and was hired on the spot since they have an opening where he taught classes such as Algebra I, World History, US History, Government, and 8th grade history.

Later on in his teaching career he coached the football team and led them to the district and regional championships helping the team reach their full potential and be their best, a motto he followed throughout his lifetime.

Due his outstanding impact on many as well as the district, Robert E. Hendrickson High School opened its doors in 2003 in the honor of the late educator.

Board member reminisces about school namesake, former teacher Gia Patel | Asst. Editor The memory of Robert E. Hendrickson stays alive as his former student and member of the PfISD Board of Trustees, Vernagene Mott of Robert E. Hendrickson recounts the moments closest to her heart.

“He was my teacher and my principal,” Mott said. “He was very stern, but he had high expectations and I think that was because he was an encourager.”

Being the only girl in her class at Pflugerville High School, Hendrickson supported Mott through it all.

“I was one of the only girls that went to college in my class because it wasn’t an expected thing for females back then,” Mott said. “He was very influential in me going to college and becoming a teacher.

I modeled a lot of my teaching after the way he taught, with really pushing students to their full potential.”

Hendrickson felt the need to help out his students.

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“Pflugerville for many decades was a very poor school district,” Mott said. “So even when he was principal, he saw the need to help students. He started Honor Society in Pflugerville and he got the National Charter so that all of our schools could have a National Honor Society organization. He also spent money for golf clubs so that the school could have a golf team.”

Mott helped recognize Hendrickson after the impact he had on her life as well as her career.

“After he retired in his last years, I helped to navigate getting people to sign a petition to get a school named in his honor,” Mott said. “When he was an elderly gentleman, I would stop by to be sure if he needed anything, and one of the things I have at home that he gave me was a little porcelain angel that was a gift of gratitude from him.”

Hendrickson’s life and legacy left a mark on Pflugerville ISD.

Robert E. Hendrickson with Color Guard and Hawk Cheer members at the dedication ceremony for Hendrickson High School on September 13, 2003.

Photo provided by | Heritage House Museum system. He wanted Pflugerville to be a “He set the tone again of high good place recognized in academics and expectations and excellence,” Mott said. extracurriculars and I think that that’s a “Hendrickson gets a lot of accolades and thought that has been carried throughout we spread the word of our great school the district even today.

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Feature Volume 17, Issue 4

Body of work

DISCLAIMER: The Hawk Newspaper does not endorse self-piercing or self-tattooing

Teachers share tattoo stories “I have three tattoos. I was smart enough to know that you should probably keep them to where they can easily be covered, and honestly ever since I’ve moved here I feel like people don’t look down on tattoos, but I’ve lived other places where I’d make sure they were covered up. My favorite is a sun and a moon; the moon is over the sun and the moon’s cracking. too. I have always been fascinated with history and astrology and temples that people built in certain spots where the sun and moon eclipse. Also, I was 18 years old and it sounded good at the time. I was surprised that it didn’t really hurt as bad as I expected. It was just a vibration or weird feeling. A part of me was like, “Keep going. Keep getting tattoos.” And now part of me is like, “You’re too old.” I like them, though. They remind me of ‘95 and everything was a lot easier back then.”

Principal Michael Grebb

English teacher Emily Hall

English teacher Liana Gonzales “I have 10 tattoos. I have a shark, a globe, and I have a butterfly. I have this really terrible tattoo that I got when I was exactly 18 years old and I hate the font. That’s one, two, three, four — two more, that’s six — I have a little alien — seven. A crescent moon — eight. And then I have a strawberry and a cowgirl ghost. My cowgirl ghost is my favorite because I love Halloween and horror and all things spooky, but I also like girly things and I’m from Texas so I wanted something that embodied me. I always wanted a cowgirl, so I thought why not mesh that with a spooky moment. I’ve had this tattoo for two years now. Out of all my tattoos, I think it represents me the most. It kind of felt like a bee sting at first then that area goes numb after a while, so it hurts but it’s bearable because you know that at the end you’re gonna have something really cool.”

“I have a full sleeve and then maybe 10 to 12 random other ones that aren’t connected. My sleeve is my most meaningful tattoo.

It’s floral, made up of all the flowers in my bouquet when I got married. I actually just finished it in January — at least I hope I finished it. I’ve probably done six or seven sessions, so quite a few. With the arm, some places you don’t feel at all, and then others are extremely painful. The most painful part was the ditch, the inside of my elbow. Because we worked on little sections at a time it made it much easier to heal. My tattoo artist was also the florist at my wedding, so she was my artist for florals and tattoos.

I have some other tattoos that I probably wouldn’t have gotten or gotten in a different location. I have some on my ribs that are just totally blown out, but I also don’t really want to get them removed because they represent me when I was 20 and what I was going through at the time.”

Senior reveals heartfelt sentiments behind body art Sophia Johst | Copy Editor Senior Chatrina Do has 20 tattoos with a variety of sentiments ranging from remembrance of those passed to matching tattoos with her close friends. Among her many tattoos, each has a different meaning and memory attached to them that is reflective of her and her relationships with her loved ones “My first tattoo I got when I was 16, it was of my mom’s handwriting and fingerprint,” Do said. “It was after my break up, so I kind of just got it as a little reminder that I’m always gonna have my mom there.”

While the permanence of a tattoo

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frightens some, Do appreciates that aspect of tattoos. The permanent memories associated with them are ones she hopes to be able to reflect on in her adulthood.

“It’s gonna be more meaningful whenever I grow up,” Do said. “So, if she [her mom] passes away I’m always gonna have her on me.”

Do’s favorite tattoo is an homage to one of her friends who passed away in 2023, Kaden Johnson. The tattoo is of a weave of flowers forming a heart with a quote in the middle. Do had been considering new tattoo ideas and texted him asking for a quote from him.

“The quote says ‘always a bit of light

whenever it’s dark’ because he knew I was in a rough place after my break up and I always am giving and never receiving,” Do said. “So, he was always like you got this and you can push through it.”

Do also has a tattoo of a flower for one of her longtime friends.

“He’s been a part of my life since elementary school, so he made a really big impact on my life,” Do said. “He’s been in my life forever and I don’t know how he did it.”

While Do has various tattoos honoring her loved ones, she also shares matching tattoos with one of her close friends.

“My friend Tavee has the sun and I have

the moon,” Do said. “I really vibe with her and we work together, and then we hung out after work and after school and I was like yeah, she’s in my life forever.”

Some of her other tattoos feature her love of the water through a tattoo of a beach, a turtle, and spiritual numbers along her arm.

“One of the ways I can express myself through my tattoos,” Do said. “Most of them are matching tattoos or relate to someone who is a part of my life that’s had an impact on me, so I get something that symbolizes them in our relationship.”

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Ink, Iron, and a Dream

Feature February 2, 2024

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Apprentice begins career in tattoo industry Lilianna Moran | Co-Editor Senior Emily Corpus carefully places the ink filled gun onto a pound of synthetic flesh. Her steady hand slowly follows the transferred design on the skin and the rhythm of her work begins. Push, buzz, wipe. Push, buzz, wipe. Her sore wrist wipes away the last bit of ink and finally her tattoo is complete.

“It’s something I’ve always looked up to since I was very little,” Corpus said. “I’ve always thought tattoos were very cool. I think making artwork on a sheet of paper is one thing, but making artwork that’s going to last forever on somebody, that person’s going to remember you forever.”

Corpus’ desire to pursue a career in tattoo artistry bloomed out of her childhood love of art.

“I would always do art with my dad,” Corpus said. “So, growing up my dad would let us paint outside and we would do a bunch of little crafts. I got really into art in middle school, then COVID happened and I got back into it in high school and I started winning awards.”

Combining her passion for the arts and her admiration of tattoos, Corpus began her tattoo journey last year during an eyebrow piercing appointment at a local

tattoo shop. There, she was offered an As a beginner apprentice, Corpus is apprenticeship unable to practice on once she people, so she is given became an a variety of practice adult. However, work instead.

Corpus rejected “I’m given the offer in homework, which favor of her is to watch videos current mentor about needle depth,” and tattooist.

Corpus said. “I also “I went on have to draw stuff on Instagram and my iPad and I have to I searched make sure the lines ‘tattoos near are straight with no me’ and I saw help.” him,” Corpus In addition to the said.

“He lessons her mentor wasn’t actually has taught her, Corpus my style but spends much of her then I went freetime refining her in and asked skills. if he could “I have two tattoo tattoo me. I machines,” Corpus told him how said. “So, right now interested I was I’m just trying to do in becoming the basics with line a tattoo artist, work and doing circles so he’s been and curves. I draw slowly teaching different designs on me.” the iPad, then I put Photo provided by | Emily Corpus

them on transfer paper, and transfer them to fake skin and do [the tattoos] there.”

Currently a year into her internship, Corpus is working towards earning a blood pathogens certification so she can begin tattooing on people. After some more practice, Corpus hopes to see her career start to kick off.

“In a year, I hope to be slowly starting my career with actual clients,” Corpus said. “Since I would still be really new to it, I would be doing work for free or doing small touch ups. But, I hope to get to a point within a year that I start charging people for my work.”

Along with expanding on her tattoo designs, Corpus is on her own personal tattoo journey. She frequents her mentor’s shop multiple times a month, and currently has a variety of tattoos on her left arm and leg.

“I’m going to have my entire body tattooed by summer,” Corpus said. “I remember being four years old and always looking at tattoos and wanting tattoos. I was just amazed by them. And because they’re permanent, you might want to outgrow them, but it represents who you were at the time. It creates a map of your life.”

Students explain body art journey “I have a tattoo of the outline of a hammerhead shark and it has a red flower print inside of the shark. I have been obsessed with sharks for like the past three years. I don’t know where it started, but honestly, they’re just cool. They’re great animals. And they need representation, so I felt like getting a tattoo of one. Getting a tattoo of something that I love and that needs more appreciation from everyone brings attention to them. Sharks are so misunderstood, I think sharks are really just a beautiful species that deserve as much love as any other animal.

I went with my mom to get my tattoo. We both got one and it was a lot of fun. My mom got Pennywise on the back of her arm and it says ‘you’ll float too.’ My mom has a lot of tattoos and she uses them to represent each moment in her life. She has one for each of her kids. So it’s really nice to get something with her. It’s another moment to share with her and now it’s on us forever. And now, I get to share a passion and a hobby that she has as well.”

- Senior Kelsie Herold

Photo provided by | Kelsie Herold

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“It’s an American traditional style of a skull with two flowers on the sides of it. It kind of just shows how the beauty in life is connected. Also, my father has one of the exact same tattoos, so it shows the connection in our family.

Since I’m below 18, I was in Sandusky, Ohio and there was a famous tattoo parlor, so me and my dad went and we showed him our design. We talked about size and price and what colors I wanted. And once you did that, the boss went to a back room and he shaved off some hair where we were gonna get it on my right shoulder and then he just started tattooing. It took about 45 minutes and then I was out.”

- Junior Gabriel Combs

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Feature Volume 17, Issue 4

Body of work

DISCLAIMER: The Hawk Newspaper does not endorse self-piercing or self-tattooing

Junior discusses self-piercing process Sophia Johst | Copy Editor Piercings, ranging from lobe to naval, have regained popularity in recent years especially among teenagers. With the growing popularity, limitations such as parental approval and cost are posed.

These issues lead many underage people to self-pierce.

“I’ve done one piercing myself, right below the cartilage on my lobe,” junior Katelyn Kral said. “Honestly, it just felt like you’re getting a shot.”

An issue often brought up concerning

self-piercing is the lack of knowledge on how to safely pierce. Most nonprofessionals, and especially teens, do not have access to the proper equipment and they do not have the knowledge of how to prep the area that is being pierced.

“I used alcohol and then a clean earring,” Kral said. “I took a clean needle, made a hole, and then I put the earring in.”

A main concern regarding self-piercing is the risk of infection. Professional piercers provide proper sterilization, tools, and placement of the piercing that most

people cannot, thus risking rejection, infection, and even permanent scarring.

“I got a little behind on cleaning my piercing, so it got swollen and formed a bump,” Kral said. “But it did end up healing.”

The decision of whether to get pierced professionally or not has a variety of influences. For many teens, it usually has to do with age restrictions at piercing shops and the high cost. Additionally, parental disapproval of a piercing also often leads teens to turn to self-piercing.

“I’d been wanting a piercing for a while, but my parents said no,” Kral said. “So, I ended up doing it myself.”

Although Kral is satisfied with her piercing, she would advise others to seek out licensed piercers.

“I don’t regret it because it’s definitely cheaper than going to a professional,” Kral said. “But if you have the money, I recommend going to a professional.”

Eliana Grant | Asst. Editor There are many aspects to consider when getting a tattoo, but one of the most important is where on one's body it will be. This affects many things such as pain, visibility, and even the cost.

“So I have both of my arms [tattooed], I have my shoulder blade, I have both my collarbones, I have my ribs, and then I have my leg,” English teacher Jordan Smith said. “I think all of those spaces are tattooed.”

The most painful areas to get a tattoo on include areas with thin skin, less muscle, and close to the bone. This includes areas like the face, stomach, armpits, chest, etc.

The location of the tattoo is important to consider because each person's own ability to take pain may affect the tattooing process.

“It's always gonna be a little bit painful to have needles digging into your skin.

It's a really particular kind of pain,” Smith said. “It is kind of a dull lower pain that goes on for longer compared to getting an injection or a shot or something. So it's painful but it's a lower grade of pain.”

When a person considers getting a tattoo, this is one of the bigger things they may focus on. If someone has a lower pain tolerance, they should consider using a numbing cream, and getting tattooed in

a place like the arms, legs, or upper chest.

It is also important to stay hydrated, eat properly, and to control ones breathing during the appointment.

“The worst, most painful tattoo I ever got was my shoulder blade, which is apparently very unusual because that's not a painful area for a lot of people,” Smith said. "But that's where all of the tension in my body lives. So if you tattoo overly tight, tense muscles, it's worse. Also, typically going over bones is going to be worse, less because of the bony part, more because you can feel the vibration of the tattooing process happening in the bone and it's very uncomfortable.”

Whatever decisions are made before getting a tattoo, the most important thing is to go to a professional, and do plenty of research to keep fresh tattoos healthy and clean.

“Go get a professional to do your tattoos, don’t do them yourself,” Smith said. “Just because you can buy a tattoo gun on Amazon does not mean you should use it. Infection is really bad, and my tattoo artist says the coverup industry is going to be thriving in the next ten years with all of the bad at home tattoos people are doing.”

Location of tattoo impacts pain level

“I’ve had [my eyebrow piercing] for over two years. It just fits my style. My dad had one when he was in high school and college. My ear piercings hurt more than the eyebrow, so on a ranking from one to ten it was probably a one. It didn’t hurt at all. Healing was not really difficult; sometimes I forgot it was there. I still like it and I still think it fits my style, so I don’t plan on taking it out anytime soon.”

- Senior Brooke McNiel “There was this one TikToker who looked so pretty, and they had snake bites, so I was like, “I need them.” I’ve had them for a good five months. It was the only one my mom would let me have on my face. I’m gonna get more later though; she can’t stop me after I’m 18. I want to get my nose done, I want to get my eyebrow, my dimples, and I want to get dermals under my eyes. On a scale of one to ten pain was probably a five or a six. It was not bad. You just have to wash it once a day, and that’s it. Mine didn’t really swell as much as other people’s did, because I’ve heard that a lot of people’s swells. I was able to eat anything and everything. It’s so simple. It’s a small little pinch, and then the best thing you’ve done in your life. But, if you want to get them, be sure that you want to, because when you take them out there’s a hole there.”

- Senior Janisa Miles Diane Salazarcastaneda | Artist

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Feature February 2, 2024

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The Season of Healing School nurse gives advice for Heart Health Month Gia Patel Patel | Asst. Editor The month of February is American Heart Health Month, where Americans are encouraged to focus on their heart health.

However, it is important to care for our hearts year round, not just this month.

Throughout February, a lot of light is shed on hearts romantically and emotionally because of Valentine’s Day, but we tend to focus less on the physical health of our vital organ and what we can do to prevent risk for heart diseases and live a heart healthy life.

According to the school nurse Lindsey Gonzales, to keep hearts healthy daily, the two most important things for us are 1) daily exercise and 2) a healthy and balanced diet.

Adding exercise is an important activity that we can add to our daily schedule to take care of our hearts. 150 minutes of physical activity and movement is recommended by

health professionals.

Consuming foods that are “heart-healthy” lower the risk for heart disease and benefit heart health.

Foods such as fish, lean meats (pork, chicken, turkey), and eggs are beneficial. It is also important to decrease saturated fat as well as decrease salt and increase our fiber intake from veggies, fruits, beans, and whole grains.

Any form of physical activity that increases our heart rate is good for us including walking, dancing, gardening, cycling, jumping rope, swimming, and running.

In order to keep our heart in the best possible condition and prevent issues in the future, it is important that we keep in mind to eat healthy, avoid smoking, be conscientious of our weight, and increase physical activity.

Illustration by | Gia Patel

Students, staff work to overcome seasonal depression Eliana Grant | Asst. Editor A common problem many students may be facing as the winter months progress is seasonal depression. This common form of depression should be taken seriously, which is why social worker Lori Carl contributes on ways to overcome the disorder.

“Seasonal depression, also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder,) is a pattern of sadness that correlates with the seasons,” Carl said. “It is thought to be caused by shorter days and less sunlight.

It is more prevalent in people who live in the North, like Alaska or New England. It is less likely in Texas or Florida. Research shows that with less sunlight, your body may produce less serotonin. That’s the

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feel-good brain chemical that helps to regulate mood.”

Seasonal depression affects many different people in many different ways, and students should consider reaching out for help. Seasonal depression can be helped through seeking out therapy, which according to Carl, includes light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, and vitamin D. “There are things that can be done to help with depression like regular exercising, this prompts the release of endorphins that help boost mood,” Carl said. “Cutting back on social media, research has shown that social media can worsen feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Students

can build strong relationships and support systems. Reduce stress, don’t over commit and practice mindfulness or meditation.

Learn to let go of things you cannot control. Depression is something that can and should be treated by a clinical professional.”

At times like these bleak winter months, it can be helpful to see the perspective of fellow students and turn to advice from like minded peers, such as juniors Jackson Collins and Erin Garcia, both of which experience seasonal depression.

“Some options I recommend are to get outside, whether you go somewhere with friends or just take your dogs for a walk, go outside,” Collins said. “I also

recommend talking about it. Bottling it up doesn’t help in any way, and people are more understanding and open with the idea of seasonal depression being a real thing that affects people.”

One particular thing that makes seasonal depression especially prevalent around January and February is that the holiday season has ended. Now that there are no more holiday lights, celebrations, or things to look forward to, which can cause some people to fall deeper into their sadness.

“Being with my family for so long and not seeing anyone else makes it harder,” Garcia said. “I kind of just ride it out, but I’ll read or try to talk to my friends. I know it’s rough but just try to distract yourself.”

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Sports Volume 17, Issue 4

On the Court...

Nol Sarnpanich | Photographer

Seraph Spivey-Sorrells defends the ball during the Varsity Girls game against East View on Jan. 12. “[Basketball] is definitely an outlet,” Spivey-Sorrells said. “It helps me get away from school, and I mostly play it because my big sister played it, and she’s a big inspiration for me.” The Lady Hawks’ victory was the fifth in a row of the season.

Friends and family of the Varsity Boys basketball team wave cut-outs of the players’ faces. “It’s for the seniors so it’s kind of special,” senior Evan Millard said.

“I feel like it’s cool and funny seeing our big faces in the stands.”

Afomiya Michaels attempts to catch the ball during the Varsity Girls game against East View on Jan. 12. “East View was definitely one of our easier competitions that we’ve played,” Michaels said. “We had recently played against Pflugerville and Georgetown so we were already prepared. It was a good game; I think everyone did very well.” Michaels went on to successfully catch the ball and pass it to one of her teammates. The Lady Hawks emerged victorious from the Eastview game with a score of 75 to 36. Nol Sarnpanich | Photographer

Photographer | Zoe Ewing

Arrival of basketball season sparks reflection Emily Rodriguez | Reporter With the arrival of basketball season, there’s a lot for the players to think about since their last game, like what they learned or improved on.

“Since the last game, I’ve had a better understanding about the game and what strategies to do differently,” senior Jasmine Hicks said.

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Even with good things that happen, some unfortunate things can happen as well.

“The worst moments that have happened by far are our losses,” sophomore Christopher Davis said.

Viewers might not know much about basketball other than scoring the ball into the basket, but there’s more to it.

“Most people might not know that basketball is a mental game more than it is physical,” Hicks said. “It’s all about what you’re thinking in your head and what’s going on.”

While every season comes with its worst moments, there are often unforgettable moments.

“A moment never forget is our first

playoff game last year. It was our first playoff win and we won by 50 points,” senior Evan Millard said.

Basketball can mean so much more to the players than just winning games.

“Basketball, to me, is about bonding with other people and trying to push yourself and overcome many obstacles,” sophomore Tristan Thomas said.

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Sports February 2, 2024

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... And on the Course

Golf team talks regionals, future plans Sophia Johst | Copy Editor The golf team has begun practice in preparation for their first tournament of the Spring season. The start of the season will take place Feb. 6 against Bastrop High School at the Lost Pines Golf Club, where they hope to compete well in their first tournament.

“We compete individually at the tournament against different schools,” junior Sarah Moreno said. “The judges then count up how many times you hit the ball and if you have the most you’re going to be last.”

A standard tournament consists of varying courses with the goal being to make the ball into the hole with the fewest amount of hits. In preparation for tournaments, their practices heavily resemble a standard

tournament.

“We usually go to Black Hawk Golf Center to practice,” Moreno said. “We just pretend it’s like a real tournament and practice putting and stuff.”

Through consistent practice, the team is working to improve from last year and achieve both personal and team goals.

“We are working continuously with the team in order to prepare them as we move closer to District,” golf coach Brian Westerfield said. “We are continuing to encourage them to practice as much as possible on their own, and are seeing our upper level golfers work daily with the newer golfers to help them improve their game.”

Their main goal as a team is to make it to District as they did last year, so they can

Sophomore Isabella Vasquez studies the ball before putting it into the hole. “Golf is like a getaway for me,” Vasquez said. “It’s really fun because I get to spend a lot of time with my friends, and a lot of them are on the golf team.”

Photo provided by | CADY Photography

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qualify for regionals.

“We want to make regionals again this year,” junior Isabella Acosta said. “We made it last year, and hope to go further.”

In 2023, the varsity girls team made District Girls Runner Up, which allowed for them to compete at the Regional level.

They placed 11th as a team at regionals.

Individuals also have the availability to qualify for regionals. Andrew Cordova, an individual competitor, tied for 48th at regionals. The team hopes to pick up where they left off last year.

“Our goal is to have the girls return to Regionals as a team and get the boys team back there,” Westerfield said. “The boys had a streak of 3 straight years at Regionals snapped last year and only had an Individual Medalist, Andrew

Senior Pete Figueroa readies to swing his club at his golf ball. “You have to make sure the handling on the golf club is correct,” Figueroa said. “Have your fingers placed on the right spot, so the club doesn’t swing the wrong way.”

Photo provided by | CADY Photography

Cordova, represent the team at Regionals after qualifying on his own and the girls extended their streak of qualifying for Regionals to 2 years in a row last year and we hope to keep that streak going.”

Another main goal of theirs is to help new golfers adjust and improve following the graduation of many former golfers.

“We want to see improvement from all returning golfers at District compared to how they did last year at District,” Westerfield said. “We also want to get our newer golfers introduced to the District Golf atmosphere to prepare them for the future as they carry on the team moving forward.”

Sophomore Jaxon Jett carries a golf bag. “Carrying them is definitely annoying after seven or eight hours,” Jett said.

“But I’ve gotten used to it by now and it’s really not too bad.” Photo provided by | CADY Photography

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Entertainment Volume 17, Issue 4

Happy Ever After

Theatre performs musical “Into the Woods”

Eliana Grant | Asst. Editor Ryleigh Mackey| Mackey Photographer

The Bakers Wife (Presley Copeland) and The Baker (Jackson Durocher) look over their baby. “I think it’s a longer musical than we’ve ever done,” Copeland said.

“We all had to work much harder than I think we ever have before.”

The Witch (Bella Monet) songs The Last Midnight as a warning to the othern characters that danger is coming. “It was crazy, it was a super fast process, but it was a really enjoyable one,” Monet said. “We learned all of our music very soon and we just did all the blocking in January, and we kind of married the show with everything we’d been doing over months of time all in one month” The evil step sister (Hadley Wimmer) and the narrator (Lili Jones) meet each other. “That’s at the end of the show, and pretty much, I’m going through the woods and I see the evil step sister, and pretty much we just connect on the spot,” Jones said. “We’re just together and we’re finally free from just being restricted” Jack (Ian Viscarra) talks with his mother about having to sell his cow for food.

Little Red (Addi Villegas) packs up to go to the Bakers for help.

“Into The Woods was a really fun show, it was super long and it took a lot of hard work, but it was super worth it,” Villegas said.

Cinderella’s Prince (Gavin Johst) flirts with the Bakers Wife (Presley Copeland). “My singing range is very limited, there’s this one note in Agony, which is one of the songs,” Johst said. “I had to build up to it over a span of months and I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to hit it, and I kinda do, so that was something that I had to work through.”

The cast stare at Cinderella (Emma Rowe) after the final number.

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