Personal Colum Hit or Miss
Staffer gives advice for incoming Freshmen Bus riders start scanning IDs
Mikaylah Stimage | Reporter
When I started my freshman year, I thought I had everything figured out. Looking back now, I realize there were a lot of lessons I had to learn the hard way, about time management. Middle school felt like it had prepared me, and I assumed I could just keep doing what I’d always done and still manage my time well. But high school is a completely different world, with new teachers, more homework, harder classes, and more activities competing for your attention. If I could go back and give my freshman self advice, here’s what I would say.
The first thing I learned was that procrastination is a trap. It’s so tempting to push off an assignment until the night before it’s due, especially when it feels like there’s so much time left. But high school assignments pile up quickly, and if you wait until the last minute, you’ll usually end up stressed, tired, and turning in something that isn’t your best work. I remember one week when I had three tests and a paper all due around the same time. I thought I could just “wing it” like I did in middle school, but instead I found myself staying up past midnight every night and feeling completely drained the next day. That was the moment I realized I needed a better plan. Planning ahead doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the best strategies I discovered was writing things down. At first, I thought planners were unnecessary, but once I started using one, I saw how much easier it made my life. I’d write down all my assignments, practices, and events in one place so I could see exactly what was coming up. Even using the notes app on my phone worked when I forgot my planner at home. Having everything laid out helped me break assignments into smaller pieces instead of being overwhelmed by the whole thing at once.
be used to review notes, start on homework, or ask a teacher a quick question. Those little bits of time add up, and they can save you from having to stay up late
I also had to figure out how to balance schoolwork with everything else. Freshman year often comes with new opportunities, clubs, sports, social events,and it can feel everything. But the reality is that there are only so many hours in a day. One mistake I made was overloading myself with commitments. I thought I could manage it all, but soon I was constantly rushing from one thing to another and had little time left for homework or even rest. Eventually, I had to step back and make choices about which activities were most important to me. Learning to prioritize was difficult, but it was also freeing. Sleep is another thing I underestimated. In middle school, staying up late didn’t feel like a big deal, but in high school, it really starts to matter. When I didn’t sleep enough, I struggled to focus in class, forgot small details, and felt cranky all the time. Once I started making an effort to get at least seven hours of sleep, I noticed a huge difference in my energy and ability to stay on top of assignments. Sometimes, the best time management strategy is just recognizing that your brain works better when it’s rested.
Another important thing I learned is how valuable it is to use small pockets of time. At first, I wasted a lot of time during the day scrolling through my phone or just sitting around waiting for the next class or practice to start. Later, I realized that even 10–15 minutes could
Finally, I realized that time management isn’t about being perfect, it’s about making adjustments. There were weeks when I planned carefully but still fell behind, or when unexpected things came up and I had to reshuffle everything. Instead of beating myself up about it, I learned to look at what went wrong and try again. High school is full of trial and error, and no one gets it right every time. What matters is that you keep trying to improve.
If I could give one piece of advice to every freshman, it would be this: learn how to manage your time early. It will make the rest of high school less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. You’ll have more room to focus on what really matters to you, whether that’s grades, activities, friendships, or just taking care of yourself. Freshman year is about finding your rhythm, and once you do, everything else becomes easier to handle.
This year, a new routine will be added to our daily bus rides: before stepping onto the bus, every student must scan their school ID. For some, it feels like a small adjustment; for others, it’s yet another rule to remember on top of the morning rush. The system has sparked plenty of conversation among students and staff, raising the question: is this new policy a helpful step toward safety, or just an unnecessary inconvenience?
The biggest advantage of the system is safety. By scanning ID’s, the school can maintain an accurate record of who boards the bus each day, ensuring that students are properly accounted for. If an emergency were to occur on a route—anything from a minor accident to a larger safety issue—administrators would have a precise list of passengers, which could be critical in responding quickly and effectively. This new procedure is a hit
School grounds receive visual improvements
The school has had some physical improvements over the past few weeks, making the school look nicer. From the new sign outside the front of the school, to the border outside the portables being redone.
The new look really suits the school, a brand new statue has been placed outside the front of the school making it look new and improved. The sleek new concrete near the portables make the area a lot nicer to walk into class. A benefit of having new additions to the school is to improve morale. With more morale the students are doing better in their classes. With fundraisers throughout the year, the new statue-resembling a letter ‘H’- was donated by the senior class of 2025. The seniors will be remembered for the generous donation to the future students of the school.
These new improvements are a hit
School changes to Electronic
Pass system
The school has decided to change the regular physical pass system to an electronic pass at the start of the year, which feels weird and badly timed.
While some might argue that this should be normal and the implementation of this is for the betterment of students.
This sudden change from last year without the proper explanation can create frustration among students, especially now that all non-school electronic devices are officially banned in the state of Texas.
Many students also feel that they are now forced to carry their chromebooks around with them all the time, as well as being forced to pull them out, and log in, and create a pass, just to go to the bathroom.
The main issue with the electronic pass, is the fact that they introduced it at a time where students can’t have their personal devices on during school hours, It causes this feeling of frustration.
Therefore this poorly timed electronic pass, after the statewide electronic device ban is a miss
Illustration by | Brittany Truong
Your Turn Staff Editorial
How do you deal with not using personal electronics in school?
“I kind of just watch YouTube on my chromebook, or play games on it.”
- Jace Sterling, 12
State phone ban majorly impacts Texas schools
The world today is built off of the technology that society has implemented into their daily lives. With how widely available technology is, many students have grown accustomed to daily use of technology, with one of the main devices used daily being phones. For years, students have used phones in school for all kinds of purposes, with a variety of good and bad uses among them. Now, a state law has been passed, banning phones completely in all Texas schools, challenging years of student culture and technological development.
“It just gives me a lot more time to study, and I get my work done on time now.”
- John Castillo, 12
“It was pretty easy for me because last school year I had the same rules, so it didn’t really affect me much..”
- Tyrone Blue, 9
“I honestly just continue using my phone even though there is a law about it. I just use it still, and if I’m not allowed to have my phone and they see me do it, I’ll just play games on my computer.”
- Emma Branch, 9
“I’d say dealing with not having electronics was a struggle at first, but the more I think about it, and the more I’m in school, I communicate a lot with other people. I’ve been making friends, and focusing a lot more in class, so it’s definitely been mostly a positive thing.
- Alyssa Lee, 12
“I kinda just mess around with my Chromebook you know, find random websites, do random stuff on there.”
- Elijah Choi, 12
The phone ban has been at the top of the main concerns for both students and teachers alike as of the start of the new school year. The phone ban puts enforcement of keeping phones away during the school day at the top priority of all school and district rules, forcing students and teachers to adapt to a true nophone environment. The law entails both positive and negative consequences overall to the schools of Texas.
The phone ban led to some unintended consequences regarding the areas in which phones were actually used in school, as most schools did not have proper time to prepare for the law, which was passed over the Summer. Outside of the classroom, schools often have various posters for events, clubs, and other information that students would often use their phones to keep track of, and QR codes typically requires phone cameras to access. Within the classroom, phones were used for a variety of purposes, depending on the class they were used in. Any apps that were used for assignments are out of the picture while on campus, and some classes had to adapt with completely new methods. Newspaper itself was affected as well, as recording devices were implemented to record interviews in place of phones since the ban.
Alongside banning phones outright, the law also stated that the use of any earbuds or headphones on personal devices is prohibited as well. Personal devices in this case also include devices specifically used for music, such as MP3 players, iPods, and so on. This poses a challenge to students that listened to music often throughout the day, as some used it to help them focus on assignments or studying. The use of headphones, however, is still allowed on computers used within the school, which also means that students can listen to music on their
On a more positive note, the phone ban has led to a spark in increased communication among students in school. Without the ability use social media, and talk mostly online, direct communication has returned to being the main method of socialization between students and teachers. The ban has also led to increased creativity as a result of adapting to the changes, and students have even found new methods of online communication with one another. Overall engagement with school as a whole has increased, as more focus
goes into the actual environment of students, with most previous activities now going offline
The law has its fair share of good and bad, and the most that can be done for the time being is to ease into the new environment. The decision was made by law, so no school in Texas has a choice to say otherwise, so this environment is one that is here to stay. While some things won’t be easy to go through without phones, Texas schools will continue to function into the new era of the no-phone school environment.
Illustration by | Brittany Truong
Cover art by Karina Bon
Marcos Hans | Editor
For the first time since 2019, Hendrickson has earned an “A” in its state accountability rating.
Principal Michael Grebb says it’s the result of steady growth and teamwork from both students and teachers.
“We got the A in 2019, and then after COVID we had to rebuild,” Grebb said. “Kids, especially in high school, lost some of those crucial skills from middle school. But now, with students coming in from Kelly Lane, Park Crest, and Cele with stronger foundations, we’ve been able to build on that.”
That hard work is shown in the numbers,
New Texas 10 Commandments Law stirs confusion School earns an “A” rating after years of growth
Hutton Weirich | Editor Schools are sent into confusion over the separation of Church and state due to a new Texas law requiring teachers to hang up the 10 Commandments in classrooms.
“I don't really think it can improve classroom environments,” AP U.S. History teacher Helen Barczi said. “But I do think it can hurt 'cause it gives focus on one religion over another and that could make a student feel alienated or that their religion is not as good.”
Texas Senate Bill 10 is a new law that is bringing up arguments on whether displaying factors of one religion in schools is constitutional or right.
Since public schools consist of students and teachers with multiple different religions and customs, everyone’s journey with religion in school is different.
“[For me] There's not been much of a journey,” Barczi said. “Because usually I've been in public school, so public school is a separation of Church and state. So, my religion in school would just be, me personally, having my faith but not
as the school’s rating has climbed from an 84 in 2023, to an 88 in 2024, and now sits at 92.
“It’s just building on what we had and making kids better along the way,” Grebb said. “The teachers did a great job, and the kids took the test seriously so we could improve.”
The rating comes from a mix of factors, including STAAR results, SAT and ACT scores, college readiness measures, and attendance.
The school offers the SAT on campus for all juniors, and the College and Career Center also helps students with the TSI Assessment to ensure they’re ready for
life after graduation.
“That’s really what pushed us over to get the A,” Grebb said. “Everyone took everything seriously, all the tests, attendance, and being college and career ready.”
We also earned distinctions in English Language Arts, Science, and Academic Progress.
These honors reflect not just high test performance, but also growth over time.
“For example, they’ll look at what a kid scored in English I and then how they did in English II,” Grebb said. “We’re showing growth and closing gaps so every student here has the same opportunities.”
Even in classes where scores are already high, like history, with a 98% pass rate, the goal remains improvement.
“We want to level up every student,” Grebb said. “If a student has approaches, we want them to reach Meets. If they’re at meets, we want them to reach masters. The goal is for kids to feel confident tackling any question the state or college board throws at them.”
Grebb credits the achievement to a shared effort.
“If the teachers do the teaching and learning, and the kids show up and do their best, everything is going to work itself out, and it did,” Grebb said.
Matthews places 9th in nation
Mikaylah Stimage | Reporter
This year in speech and debate, senior Natalie Matthews competed at nationals this year, and placed 9th in the nation. She reflected on the unique structure of the event. Instead of competing solely with her schoolmates, she joined district teams that combined students from different schools. The experience was both rewarding and memorable.
“Nationals was really, really fun this year,” Matthews said. “I got to collaborate with other schools. Last year, I worked with James Bowie High School, and this year I worked with Dripping Springs.
“It was fun being able to collaborate and create lifelong memories.”
Natalie encouraged novices to take risks and explore all that debate has to offer.
“Try everything, go for everything,” Matthews said. “Because when it comes to debate, a lot of it can be very intimidating because it’s an activity where you have to advocate for your personal beliefs. So, you need to try to have an open mind so that even if you don’t win every single round, it’s still valuablebecause you learn more about the world and yourself.”
As a senior, Matthews has already
achieved many of her competitive goals, including reaching the top 10 in the nation. Looking ahead, she is focused on giving back.
“I want to set up success for my team next year, solidify my legacy, and most of all have fun while I’m still here,” Matthews said.
For students considering Nationals in the future, Matthrews shared one final piece of advice.
“Nationals is so much fun, genuinely,” Matthews said. “Even if you don’t do as well as you hope, it’s still an amazing experience.”
putting it onto anybody else.”
The laws themselves, especially to those who consider themselves Christian, seem to be pretty reasonable and easy to follow.
However, the thought of students being forced to look at elements of one specific religion in school while following another religion can be seen as immoral or unreasonable.
“I disagree with it because of the separation of Church and state. Now the state Legislature's say that it had a big impact on American history and Texas history,” Barczi said. “But I still believe that it should not be in the classroom because there should be a separation of those two factors.”
Adding the Commandments into classrooms may also have social repercussions. If only one religion is represented in school, it may lead to students feeling superior, inferior, or more or less welcome than others.
This could lead to a student avoiding school due to feeling like they don't belong.
“I just believe that, again, that it could focus on one group being quote ‘better than another one,’ and that could cause division possibly,” Barczi said. “But that y'know some people just might feel inferior or just don't feel as important, and socially that might cause issues, y'know, with people feeling they're either better than someone or less than someone.”
Although it has not happened yet, worries have still arisen about the idea that classrooms may soon have to obey the law and hang up the Commandments despite having students with different religions.
The 10 Commandments bill (Texas Senate Bill 10) is a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott that requires all Texas public school classrooms to hang up a 16-by-20 inch poster or specific English version of the Commandments in a framed copy on classroom walls in an easily visible place.
Barczi explains what action she would take if her classroom ever gets affected by the law.
“I would not necessarily like it,” Barczi
said. “But if that's the law then I will try to find the other religion's rules and also hang those in my room.”
Despite the efforts of the State Legislature, the law has recently been delayed due to a Federal Texas Judge blocking it.
However, it is still unclear whether or not the State Legislature will still try to pursue enabling the law once the delay has passed, especially considering that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has appealed the ruling for the delay.
Schools must only hang up the posters if they are provided by someone else or a different organization, such as a near-by church.
“I think it most likely will be struck out and we will not be forced to put the 10 Commandments in, just looking at things that we've had in the past,” Barczi said. “But that does not mean that there will not be some school districts that choose to keep it up. But I doubt it's gonna be a Texas state law that's gonna force everybody to put them up.”
New Electronic Pass System initiated for school year
Hutton Weirich | Editor
In an effort to prevent school issues, students are now required to use electronic hall passes.
The school started the passes hoping that they’ll have potential benefits the old passes lacked, and could therefore help improve the school environment.
However, many students feel as though the passes are more of a struggle than they’re worth.
“I see what they’re trying to accomplish,” senior Madie Berndt said. “But I don't think it's the best.”
The new passes require requesting a pass from a teacher via computer and the teacher accepting it.
Then, the pass starts a stopwatch to keep track of the amount of time a student has been out of class, and once the student returns to their class the teacher must end it.
Along with the timer, if students are going to the classroom of another teacher, said teacher must confirm to the previous teacher via the online pass that the student made it there.
“You know, I really like the digital passes because kids can initiate them. And it tracks the time outside of the classroom so we can find out kids that are struggling,” Principal Michael Grebb said. “Maybe they've been out in the hallways too long or they're abusing the privilege, going to the bathroom or going to drink water, going to the nurse, whatever.”
These new passes may help on some school matters, but they also have taken a toll on some students and teachers.
In theory, the passes requiring long processes and having better security could be a clever way to improve student
behavior.
However, those same factors can instead start creating inconveniences and problems for students and teachers.
Berndt shares certain classroom issues she has experienced due to the new passes.
“Definitely having to wait,” Berndt said. “But then again, that is kind of something that happened with the other passes, but also, like I said, interrupting teachers and, yeah, just long wait time.”
Not only do these news passes affect the school as a whole, but they could also have various effects, either positive or negative, on students individually.
there during the fire drill, and I'll probably get in trouble for that.”
Although the passes continually tracking kids while in use can occasionally present issues, the knowledge of where students are can become an aspect of safety in case of emergencies.
“I like it too because there’s also the safety aspect,”
Senior Alyssa Lee requests an online hall pass. “At first I wasn’t used to it, like putting in the electronic passes; I thought it was weird,” Lee said. “And then when I started using it in my classes it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Photos
by Ryleigh Mackey
The strict nature of the passes makes it difficult for a student to explain any possible misunderstandings or accidents.
This alone could cause students stress and make them feel negatively towards the passes.
“One negative I had was that during the fire drill, I was about to go to the bathroom,” Berndt said. “but now my pass says thirty minutes because I was out
Grebb said.
“Like, if we have a drill, if we have something happen, we know who's out in the hallway so we can figure out where they're at so we can make sure they're safe.”
Another common complaint about the passes is that they just seem unnecessary and excessive.
Many students attending this school don’t participate in the activities that the passes were put in place to prevent.
For this reason, some students dislike how the passes were enforced onto everyone, especially considering that they didn’t do anything wrong themselves.
Some students also believe that the passes won’t have much influence on decreasing the amount of school issues that occurred with the old passes.
Berndt expresses how the passes may solve some problems, but could also have negative effects on other students.
“I really think the only potential benefit is that they'll possibly catch kids that have been vaping or whatever,” Berndt said. “But if they don't wanna get caught, they're not gonna get caught. I don't think this is gonna change anything.”
The school, however, has hopes that the passes can later be involved in other school processes for ease, efficiency, and organization.
“You know, I like was trying to figure out a way to do something for off campus lunch, but I think the ID system's working. The kids just dropping their IDs. So, we'd like to do a little bit with that,” Grebb said. “And then, as we start lunch detention, we're gonna try to assign the kids a pass so they know that they have to go to lunch detention.”
Because the school year has just begun, it is unknown if the passes will have a positive or negative impact on the school as a whole.
If the passes show to have made improvement by the end of the year, it can be presumed that the school will continue using them.
Berndt talks about her opinions regarding the future of electronic passes at Hendrickson.
“I think they'll continue to use them because of how many upgrades, downgrades, whatever they've made over this just this school year. But I'm a senior, so it's not really going to affect me next year,” Berndt said. “But I do feel bad for some of the underclassmen that are gonna have to keep experiencing it if they do continue with this.”
New Laws include changes for LGBTQ+ community
Asher Park | Reporter
A Texas bill was recently passed into law restricting the LGBTQ+ community in Texas schools, from having to do paperwork with permission from guardians to have a nickname, or a preferred name, to restricting LGBTQ+ clubs.
The uncertainty released along with this new law is also reaching the upper ranks of the school, including principal Michael Grebb.
“Students are allowed to initiate the groups and do all that. So, I don’t think they’ll be affected, but again, it’s a little early with some of these laws,” Grebb said. “We don’t know how they’re gonna play out. And so, kinda just keeping an eye on it and we’re gonna do whatever the law tells us to do and make sure we’re following all the district guidelines, school policies, and then, obviously, the Texas Education Code
to make sure that we’re following the law.”
Another issue presented by the numerous new laws that went into effect Sept.1 has to do with name changing. Going by a nickname, or going by a new name that students want their teachers to call them now requires paperwork and permission from a guardian. Some questions are focused on how the graduations will go moving forward.
“Last year, we did call preferred names. But on the actual diplomas, whatever your official name is from the records we have, birth certificates, stuff like that.
As for 2026, I have not heard whether we will be able to continue with the preferred names,” Grebb said. “If somebody doesn’t want their middle name said or something like that, we always ask that the parent give permission for us to make any changes to the name during graduation.”
Some concerns come from parents that
are confused on how this new law will work in the district.
“When new laws come in, the school board adopts school board policies that follow the laws. So, I’m sure they’ll do whatever they need to do to make sure the district’s in compliance with any of the new laws or new rules. So we’ll wait and see, cause a lot of these new updates are gonna come out this fall now that the laws have taken effect,” Grebb said.
“Now, every local school board has to adopt rules and there’s two school board policies. There’s the law that everybody in the state follows and then local where you have some control to adjust, to fit the needs of your community. So, we’ll have to wait and see what those say when school board policies are updated.”
New laws limiting students have them questioning whether they get to have such freedoms. A lawsuit is currently in
place by Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) suing Texas for unconstitutional laws.
“I think every kid and every adult is still protected under the United States constitution. But, every two years the Texas legislature passes new laws, and there’s new things that we have to do as a school or as teachers or as students.” Grebb said. “So, it’ll be interesting. You know, somebody asked me about the cell phones the other day, and I said, that probably won’t change for another two years because the legislator only meets every two years, and they’re actually still meeting right now to talk about the STAAR test and talk about some other stuff. So there’s still things I think that could change over the course of the school year.”
Lost Signal : New law bans
Students adjust to new Statewide electronics ban
Marcos Hans | Editor
Texas House Bill 1481 the new statewide “cell phone” ban has changed the way schools operate.
The law, which took effect this fall, requires public schools to keep students’ phones and other personal electronic devices put away during the school day, while for some students, it feels like a big adjustment.
For teachers and administrators, it’s a return to something more familiar.
“The biggest challenge right off the bat was that we relied on phones so much,”
Principal Micheal Grebb said. “We were having kids do QR codes, apps, assignments, all kinds of things on their phones. Now, we’ve had to reframe and go back to Chromebooks or even paper and pencil. For teachers who taught before cell phones were a thing, it’s not that different, but for students, it’s a shift.”
Some students however, have gotten used to using their phones as a study tool during the day.
“There’s potential for learning with phones, sure, but mostly they’re distractions,” Grebb said. “Everybody already has a Chromebook. We don’t need a cell phone throughout the day.”
To help students adjust, The school rolled out the policy in stages.
“Until Sept. 18, we were in more of an education phase,” Grebb said. “The first time was a warning, the second time you picked it up at the end of the day, and the third time your parents had to come get it.”
After the education phase ends on September 18, the rules become much stricter.
“Now, the first time a parent has to pick it up. The second time, the student also gets ISS, and the parent still has to pick it up,” Grebb said. “We wanted to ease everyone in, and honestly, it’s gone really well so far.”
The ban covers more than just cell phones.
“Wireless headphones, walkie talkies, smartwatches, pagers, basically anything Bluetooth that can communicate,” Grebb said. “We want students focused on school, not their devices.”
However, there are some exceptions, but they’re rare.
“We have students with medical needs, like diabetics who use monitoring apps, and those are approved,” Grebb said. “The band also uses an app for their marching show, but that went through district approval. Same with career prep classes that require certain apps. So, yes, there are exceptions, but they’re limited and paperwork has to be filed.”
One of the biggest concerns both students and parents have shown is safety, and since phones are banned, concerns rise regarding how students will reach families in the case of an emergency.
Grebb reassured that the school is prepared.
“Every classroom has a phone, and most students will have their cell phones stored in their backpacks,” Grebb said. “If we had to evacuate to the stadium, for example, we’d absolutely let kids call their parents. We also have communication systems in place as a school. In fact, sometimes cell phones make emergencies worse, rumors spread, panic spreads, and it becomes harder to get accurate information out. With this system, we can communicate clearly and effectively.”
According to Grebb, the transition has been successful so far.
“I think it’ll really help kids concentrate more on school and not be distracted by a text message, a game, or social media,” Grebb said. “In the end, it’s about making sure students have the best chance to focus and learn.”
Principal Discusses New Phone Restrictions
Presley Hall | Reporter
Phones have been so prevalent in the last few years, it’s hard to imagine going an entire school day without so much as even glancing at a phone. People all throughout a school could be seen at least once a day with their phone in hand just a few short months ago,
“So when I’m in the cafeteria, I try not to be on my phone,” Principal Michael Grebb said. “You know, because it’s not fair if I’m not doing that.”
Students will know how hard it is to deal with such a sudden change but the people in charge might just feel differently.
“Kids are happier. I think their mental health is better. They are laughing. They’re not looking at a screen,” Grebb said “They’re looking at a human,””I think it’s a positive for everybody.”
But Grebb does not have only positive things to say about these phone laws.
“I’ve been trying to not use my phone as much, which is hard because a lot of people text me during the day” Grebb said “I think the worst thing about it is I think some teachers were using it. Some kids were learning using it for learning tools, research, and things like that.”
bans cell phones in school
Students search for entertainment without phones
Antonio Garcia | Editor
For years, phones have been a device used by students for a variety of different purposes, with one of them being for entertainment. Whether it was listening to music, talking to friends online, or recording and watching videos, phones were there to provide. But that reality changes as a law passed by the Texas senate bans the usage of phones entirely during the school day.
With phones being banned under the law in Texas schools, students seek ways to keep themselves entertained in order to pass the time throughout the day. One of these forms of entertainment was music, but it served as more than just entertainment to some.
“Listening to music is one of the things that helped me stay focused throughout the year,” sophomore Colt Walls said. “I find it a little harder to focus as much this year because of the phone ban.”
While phones and other personal devices are banned, wired headphones are still allowed for use on Chromebooks and school computers, allowing for an outlet
for students to still listen to music through.
“I’ve been listening to music through YouTube on my Chromebook,” senior NeVaeh Scott said. “I also downloaded songs to listen to on the Chromebook itself. It doesn’t feel too different when I can still listen to what I like throughout the day.”
Without phones, more focus has gone into using computers to pass the time. Since the internet is still mostly accessible on the school network, students use a variety of websites for entertainment.
“When I didn’t really have anything to do, I’d usually go onto YouTube to watch videos,” Walls said. “Even before the ban, I spent most of my free time on my Chromebook instead of being on my phone.”
Outside of the use of technology, the phone ban has promoted more communication between students in person. Without the ability to talk online, in-person conversations return to the front.
“It’s different for sure, and I’ve noticed that it has made people socialize more,”
Scott said. “I’ve been more focused on my work, and I’ve been talking to people more as well.”
With phones being off limits all around the school, there is concern regarding the lengths of which the ban extends out to.
Phones were used to pass the time outside of the classroom as well.
“I think they should restrict, but not ban phones completely,” Walls said. “It’s fair when it’s in the classroom, but it starts to get tedious when it’s banned everywhere else, including at lunch.”
Despite the phone ban leading to more socialization, there are still times in which the environment will be quiet. Without much socialization in the classroom, technology comes back to mind.
“Some of my classes are quiet, and the other students aren’t very talkative,” Scott said. “Even with the phone ban, there are people that still struggle to really socialize like everyone else. When I’m not able to really talk to anyone, that’s when I find that I wish I could be on my phone.”
by | Karina Bon
Students find positives in phone restrictions
Presley Hall | Reporter
Despite the negatives of the new phone restriction law, some students are finding benefits
“I think it’s pretty good,” junior Ben Oieson said. “I think kids can actually, like, talk to each other more and just be more focused in class overall.”
Not having access to phones might be a difficult change for students, but it might not be as hard as one might think to see the bright side.
“I think now that there’s like more people talking, people are more open to talking to new people, because, like if they get bored they can’t just go on their phones,” junior Lyza Daud said.
“And I think it’s good in that sense.”
In a survey done by the Pew Research Center, it was found that 72% of U.S. high school teachers say phone distraction is a major problem in the classroom. Which seems to coincide with statements
made by students who claim to be more focused since the phone ban.
We have also seen many changes in people’s opinions
“I think my opinion has changed,” junior Olivia Limas said “I think I’m seeing the positives of the phone law ban.”
And many students agree
“Now that, like, I’m not using it,” Oieson said, “I realized I needed it a lot less than I thought I did.”
Though there are things about this policy that could use some evaluation
“Sometimes I’ll, like, I’ll need to, like, text my mom or dad about, like, how to get home,” Daud said “And, like, I realize that I can’t.”
Overall the positives seem to outweigh the negatives for these students.
“I think, people look more approachable. That’s one thing. And I also think I’m able to focus more on class because I remember last year I was in AP bio and I
would always be on my phone,” Daud said
“But this year, like, even in classes where we would have gone on our phones last year, like, I think I’m able to pay more attention and retain more information.”
Illustration
School mascot gives insight on life inside the suit Behind The Mask
Addison Curtis | Editor
The warmth of feathers. The yellow beak. The sound of cheers all around you. This is the point of view of one of the most mysterious members of the cheer squad. The mascot, Henry the Hawk. This beloved bird has been attached to Hendrickson’s identity since its inception in 2003. However, not many know what being the mascot truly entails.
“It’s actually not as hot in the suit as people think it is,” Henry said. “Like it is hot, but eventually it gets cooler.“
The current Henry the Hawk decided to audition at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
The audition to become the beloved bird consists of choreographing a skit to impress the cheer coach, Dana Haub.
“I did an Usher halftime show for mine,” Henry said. “ I even had other cheerleaders help me with the performance, and then I got in.”
This was the new beginning for Henry. A new opportunity full of unexpected things.
“I didn’t expect there to be so much improv,” Henry said. “It’s all basically entertaining, so it’s a fun skill to build.”
During the week, Henry has business to attend to, so he often doesn’t attend any practice. So the real work comes during games and pep rallies.
“I eat lots of food before football games because they’re really long and tiring,” Henry said. “For pep rallies, I listen to music to get myself hyped up.”
Henry’s favorite concessions during football games are popcorn for his hunger and Powerade to quench his thirst. While game days and other events can be stressful, Henry has a great support system behind him.
“Everyone in cheer is so kind and uplifting and inclusive,” Henry said. “They make it such a positive environment to be in.”
This year will be the twenty-second year that Henry the Hawk has been representing Hendrickson. From socializing with kids, cheering on the team, and putting a smile on people’s faces, Henry will continue to keep the spirit of Hendrickson light-hearted.
5 Fun Facts About Henry
Henry was not always our mascot’s name. Originally, he had no name, and in 2014 there was a contest to decide what his name should be.
The name that was chosen for him was actually Harley, not Henry.
There have been approximately twelve students that have played Henry the Hawk over the time of his inception here at Hendrickson.
This is the third costume that has been designed for Henry since his time here at Henrickson.
All mascot costumes throughout the years have been designed by the cheer team and sent to a design company that custom makes the costume.
Every year, there are about two-to-three students who take turns playing Henry during football games and pep rallies.
The Beginning of a New Chapter
Hendrickson welcomes two new fine arts directors
Addison Curtis | Editor
During the summer, the Hawk Drama Theater Department got news that no one was expecting. One of the two theater directors, Nicole Malone, would be leaving the department after 15 years.
So, it was crunch time to find somebody to fill the position before school starts. The person selected for this position is Wes Narron.
For the past eight years, Narron has worked at Connally High School, but when he saw the opportunity here, he felt the need to apply.
“I was involved in the hiring process, so it wasn’t a surprise that he was hired,” Theatre teacher Michael Fisher said. “Narron talked a lot about his experience with theatre, and I was excited to bring his sense of optimism into the department.”
Many staff and students had worked with Malone for many years. So, it would be a big transition for the staff and students. But getting along with people isn’t an issue for Narron.
“I was impressed with how many of the staff members already knew who Narron was,” Fisher said. “And even more impressed at how many people were excited to see him.”
Because Narron has been working in Pfisd for many years, he had an existing relationship with Hendrickson.
“I always tell people, don’t ever go after a job where somebody’s been 15 years or more,” Narron said. “But my relationship with Connally and Hendrickson was kind of meshed, and I felt like I knew the department well.”
After working at Connally for many years, it was difficult for Narron to make the decision to leave.
“It was hard for me to leave Connally, I loved all the kids and teachers there,” Narron said. “But, I’m really blessed I was selected to come here.”
The classes that Narron is now involved in are Technical Theatre 1, 2, and 3/4. Additionally, he helps out with the Musical Theatre class and Fisher’s acting classes.
Narron’s first couple of events as a director will be coming up in the Fall, with the Musical Theatre showcase and Advanced Theatre’s class shows.
It wasn’t hard for me to feel like I could step into this department,” Narron said. “Because anything is easier when you know you’re coming into a place full of love.”
Addison Curtis | Editor
At the end of last year, the Hawk Band learned department-changing information. The Head Band Director, James Harriston, made the heavy decision to leave the program.
Following the resignation of Harriston, the person coming in would have to be ready for the new band season. The person who got the role is Dean Surface. Before he got the job here, Surface was working at another high school, Timber Creek High School, as an assistant band director.
“The students in the band program care more than any other band kids I’ve worked with,” Surface said. “ And the campus culture seems really positive towards Fine Arts and Athletics, which it’s really fun to be at a school like that.”
A new job in itself is a big transition, but this isn’t even the biggest change Surface is going through right now. Right now, all the members of Surface’s family are living in different households.
This is because his wife is teaching at Baylor University, his oldest daughter is a junior at Baylor, and his youngest daughter is attending Keller High School.
“Right now I’m living in a trailer in Manor,” Surface said. “It was very overwhelming to be offered the position, because I didn’t know what my life would look like.”
Harriston had worked as the Lead band Director for 6 years. So, this transition was a journey for everyone involved in it.
“When I first met Surface, I thought he was very kind,” Assistant Director Isaac Medina said. “ He’s somebody who is obviously emotionally intelligent in a way that they could read a room, or be able to speak openly and kind of feel the vibe of a room.”
Medina had worked with Harriston for many years, so getting used to a new person in the band director circle would be something to get used to.
“I think it’s just getting used to maybe new systems that are going to be put in place,” Medina said. “You know, we grow in different ways, and so we’re just finding our groove right now.”
Even in his short time being here, Surface has already made an impact on the band directors and students.
“He’s brought a level of kindness to the band and allowed a space for that to be explored in our program,” Medina said. “He’s able to bring a new perspective on how to do music and how to do marching band.”
This year the marching band show is called “Emergence.” This seems to be unknowingly symbolic of the new stage the Hawk Band is emerging into.
One more time
Boykin adds a season after early career injury
Landon Green | Reporter
Super Senior Romelo Boykin is doing something barely any other student has done. He’s in his fifth year of high school, for football. After he missed his sophomore season, Boykin is allowed to play another year of football due to UIL rules.
“I’m happy about the rules, I’m very thankful cause I can make a comeback, set everything straight, and get good grades,” Boykin said.
During the summer of 2022 when he was going from freshman to Sophomore, Boykin and his buddies met up with a man from Facebook marketplace to buy his friend a new pair of shoes. It was supposed to be a quick meeting. But the meeting turned into violence. Boykin and his
friends were shot. Boykin spent a month in the hospital, he had surgeries and spent a week in the ICU. Boykin survived but his friend Aaron Davis did not. Boykin’s health took a turn for the worse, mentally and physically. And Boykin couldn’t play football.
Fast forward to his senior year. He passed all his classes, he had a great year in football. But when the time came for colleges to reach out to him, barely any said anything.
“I have to do what I have to do. I had to do the best option,” Boykin said.
For Boykin, that option was another year of high school.
“The pros of being back are more help with the real world, one more year of football,” Boykin said. “But the cons are
you’re seeing the same people.”
Boykin thinks that long term this is going to help him get into a better school. He thinks that it helps him with grades, and most importantly shows how much he cares about school, and football.
“My mom supports me all the way through,” Boykin said. “My brother is happy about it too. He’s happy about both of us being in high school”.
Boykin’s brother is a freshman, so they wouldn’t be able to be in the same school, if he didn’t take another year.
“I did want to do another year if I had to, because it is the best option,” Boykin said. “ I think it’s going to be a smooth year.”
In the first games of the season, super senior Romelo Boykin locks in to help take the varsity to victory. “They were big games,” Boykin said. “The first game I got a touchdown, and the second game I got two touchdowns. The team did good, and I did good.” The Hawks beat Leander 38-0 and Hays 42-41.
Photos by Ryleigh Mackey
Photo by Miles Lehmann
Volleyball players share input on new season
Nazayha Miller | Reporter
Volleyball players Caia Custis, Giselle Manning, and Kaylee Hughes shared their thoughts on this upcoming season.
“I might just try to think that, you know, doing your best and, to take one step at a time. If you rush too much or think too much,” Cutis said. “You know, you can lose the thought and space and just start messing up. So just take your time, breathe through everything.”
Working together while communicating will ensure each player is having fun while knowing what their doing and keeping a positive spirit.
“More communication and working
together," Cutis said. “I would say it’s something big that we need to change.”
Kaylee Hughes explains how she prepares herself before a game.
“I always will dance around with everyone.” Hughes said. And then I take a second before each time I get on the court, and I remind myself that I'm doing good, and I am where I'm supposed to be.”
Being confident while having fun can enhance the player’s performance.
“Hughes said. And then I take a second before each time I get on the court, and I remind myself that I’m doing good, and I am where I’m supposed to be,” Hughes said.
New coach heads up cross country team
It’s a new school year which means a new cross country season begins. With a new head coach, new members of the team, and high hopes for the future, here’s what some of the cross country members have to say about the season.
“So after Castro left, I took over. I feel like the numbers got a lot bigger. We went from, like, a team of 20 to a team of almost 50, Coach Hector Flores said. “Our summer numbers jumped up a lot. We had a lot of kids show up during summer training.”
With runner Morgan Nelson who competed at state last year and has won first place in all four meets she has
competed in this year, along with the team basically doubling in size, the athletes are showing confidence as well as hope for how this season will play out.
Julian Callejas, who is a sophomore, already has his goals set up for this season.He has belief in his own ability and knows what he is capable of. Even when school wasn’t in session, he was preparing himself and putting a ton of practice in to ensure that he would meet his goals this year.
“During the summer I would go to a running program in Austin that would get me into really good shape,” Callejas said. “I don’t feel like I have any pressure to get number 1, for me my goal is just to get into
the top 20 at every meet and even if I don’t get that goal I know that I tried my hardest and that’s the main thing I go for.”
Alongside Callejas and other runners, junior Morgan Nelson has done other running events including running at state last year.
“It was really exciting because it was my first time, and it’s just exciting to be there, Nelson said. But also nerve wracking, obviously, because the competition was gonna be a lot different.”
With all of the excitement felt from competing at state, lots of nerves came with it too. Nelson had a lot of pressure when going to state but knew no matter what happened, it was only up from there.
“That was just such an accomplishment on its own getting there,” Nelson said. “But, I think there’s gonna be more to come. But, yeah, there was pressure.”
Overall, cross country is mentally a team game. With everyone doing their own thing whether it’s during the meet or outside of school itself, in the end it’s a team effort.
“With cross country, we all do the same thing, and we run the same distance,” Flores said. So I feel like it’s a little more mental, a little more, of a team effort compared to track.”
Nate Wilkerson Reporter
Freshman Addison Schaeffer plays at Weiss High School on Sept. 9.
Freshman Damian Tran runs at the Temple Invitatonal, 8, 15, 2025.
Senior Matthew Miller running at the Temple Invitational, 8, 15, 2025.
Sophomore Aubrey Latinn running at the Temple Invitational, 8 15, 2025.
You want fries with that? Staff reviews favorite fast food side dish
Chick-fil-a
Nate Wilkerson | Reporter
A fast food restaurant that everybody is familiar with, Chick-fil-a. The restaurant is notorious for its delicious, crispy chicken, but what about their french fries? Let’s start out with what’s different from their fries to other places, waffle fries.
When you think of french fries, you might think of the traditional stick-built ones that you see at basically every fast food chain. In that perspective, Chickfil-a is unique. Their waffle fries are as crisp and perfectly salty as ever, and with the wider frame of the fries, it feels like you’re eating even more.
Next, we have the price to cover. While it may seem like the medium price of their fries is quite expensive at $3.49, a lot of other fast food places share basically that same price. Of course, some fast food places like Mcdonalds have cheaper fries but overall, Chick-fil-a is in the middleexpensive category for their fries.
Lastly, it doesn’t matter if you’re going through the drive through to take home the food or if you’re going to eat there. The food will stay warm, flavorful, and crispy. Overall, the experience and the quality of the french fries at Chick-fila-a is very worth it and a great choice if you want fast food.
Raising Canes
Asher Park | Reporter
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, one of the best places to go get anything chicken related. With their signature sauce making it all the more savory, but the fries are surprisingly more popular than the chicken. All served with a side of some of the best Texas Toast in Texas. Today though, I went for the fries. I got the box combo, with extra fries instead of coleslaw, and I have to say, the fries with the cane’s sauce is the best sauce combo
I ever tasted. The savory sauce with the salty fries make the even ketchup seem like bare minimum. The fries, cooked just as perfectly as every other time I have been, the chicken is just as crispy, and the Texas toast make it the perfect unbalanced meal. They may not be as classic as McDonald’s, but they are just as good, if not better than the classic restaurant that ruled our childhoods.
Anybody who eats at Popeyes should get their fries. Every time I eat Popeyes, I always get the fries as a side, they are generously seasoned, and they manage to make fries taste immaculate even if they aren’t very crispy. Popeyes fries can be paired with their BBQ sauce to enhance the taste, which, if you haven’t had their barbecue sauce, please do. It will change your life. Another way to enjoy them is to dip them in gravy, it is equally as tasty.
From every fast food french fries I have eaten, Popeyes is in my top 3. However, the only downside that they have is that there aren’t different sizes you can choose from, you either just choose between a small cup, or a basket of them. Either way, Popeyes fries are still very worth eating, especially if you’ve never had them before.
Faris Hamad | Reporter
From the variety of french fries I’ve tried, In-N-out is probably the most interesting one. Most hate it, but I think they’re basic, they are salty, although they can be smaller than most fast food fries, the taste is adequate. I believe that McDonald’s fries are a worse version of In-n-out’s fries. 90% of the time I’ve had McDonald’s fries, they are soggy, plain, and uninteresting. In-N-Out’s fries are just a better version of McDonald’s fries. A lot of people dislike In-N-Out’s fries for them either being too small, too salty, or just plain-tasting. Personally, I think they are your average fast food fries you would find at a burger place. I don’t understand
how people can enjoy McDonald’s fries over In-N-Out’s fries, while In-N-Out’s fries are made fresh in-house unlike McDonald’s fries.
In-N-Out decided to try something different with their fries by serving a food item named ‘Animal Fries’. They are french fries loaded with grilled onions, cheese, and their signature sauce/spread. The combination of the ingredients along with their fries make it a staple at In-NOut. I believe if another restaurant tried to replicate In-N-Out’s Animal fries, it would not be as tasty, simply because the fries give us a fresh taste, instead of plain french fries you’d find anywhere else.
Terry’s fries are a solid choice when you’re craving something classic and satisfying. They have that golden, slightly crispy exterior with a soft, warm inside that makes each bite
comforting and easy to enjoy. However, there are some minor set-backs that can turn customers
The potato flavor stands out more than in heavily seasoned fries, which is great if you appreciate a more natural taste, but it also leaves you wishing for just a bit more kick. While they’re definitely tasty and pair perfectly with one of P. Terry’s signature sauces, they could benefit from using more salt to bring out the flavor even more. The current seasoning feels a little light, which makes the fries risk coming across as plain if you’re eating them on their own.
Overall, their texture and freshness give them an edge over a lot of other fast-food fries, and with just a slight adjustment in seasoning, they could easily rank among the best. P Terry’s fries upholds a lot of potential, considering that numerous customers already visit their restaurant with the natural potato taste.
McDonald’s
Landon Green | Reporter
McDonald’s, land of the nuggets and burgers. The place where our imagination would grow. It was the place to be. But it wasn’t just a place of happiness, it was children’s cuisine. The nuggets are golden brown, and the ice cream, [if lucky enough to get] was sweet and amazing. However, the fries are the main topic of this story.
I went to McDonald’s to get the new McDonald’s Land Pack, and of course it came with the fries. The fries were golden brown, with a soft texture, the right amount of salt, and they go with any sauce under the sun. McDonald’s may not always have their ice cream machine working, or may not have the nicest bathroom, But they will always, always have delicious french fries in your bag.
P. Terry’s
In-N-Out
Faris Hamad | Reporter
Popeyes
Illustration by | Brittany Truong