Kingwood Park TIMES
Students, staff adjust to weapon detectors
The new morning routine includes four entrances which open 30 minutes before the first bell.
By Shelby Townsend Yearbook Editor-in-Chief
Students have had to adjust to new protocols due to the activation of Evolv weapon detectors this week. The district has mandated these machines across all the high schools as an effort to increase campus security and safety.
Instead of walking in any of a possible seven entrances before school, students now have just four options.
“It’s not going to hurt us, it’s just going to be really annoying for a good few months,” sophomore Scarlett Perez said.
The four entrances that students are allowed to enter in each morning include the door nearby the PAC, the Larry Cooper Athletic building, the front entrance, and door 37 in the North Lot.
These open at 6:45 a.m. and lock at 7:25 a.m. Four to seven staff members are at each entrance, ensuring the process runs as smoothly as possible. One staff member reminds students to remove items from their bags. Another staff member monitors items that can’t pass through the Evolv, while two more monitor an iPad connected to the Evolv machine and check backpacks at the resolution tables.
The detection system was busy on the first day as students learned what triggered it.
“Binders were the number one thing setting off the detectors,” assistant principal Michelle Wilson said. “Or if students forgot they had an umbrella in their bag, or forgetting they had a sunglasses case in their bag.”
Tuesday was the first time the machines were fully in effect, and the process went relatively smoothly besides the few incidents when a student couldn’t determine what was in their bag that continually set the detector off, holding up
Associate principal’s administrative assistant Lisbeth Kloesel prints IDs for students as they walk in if they are missing them. No student could enter without a regular or temporary ID. Photo by Fallon Head.
the line.
“I had this really big metal sign in my backpack, which probably wasn’t a great idea to have,” junior Cooper Wolocko said. “I had a white elephant gift exchange last semester, and it had been sitting in my backpack and I just hadn’t taken it out.”
The Evolv weapon detectors are specifically designed to be as noninvasive as possible, meaning you can walk through with everyday
items like your phone, keys and wallet. But students do have to remove larger items that contain metal like laptops, binders and spiral notebooks.
“I think a lot of the [baseball] boys were actually having problems with their belts,” junior Michael Segura said. “But I have a metal bat and three baseball belts and it didn’t go off. But all my friends were saying they had to take all their belts and bats out of their bag and put them to the side.”
The weapon detectors have received mixed reactions from the faculty and student body. Some deem the new addition to the school as necessary, while others see the process as more hassle than help.
“We thank everybody for their patience,” Wilson said. “We have amazing kids, and it’ll go much smoother now that we know the process.”
Sophomore Adrian William walks through the Evolv weapon detectors as the light turns green. The new security procedure was implemented on April 1. Photo by Rocco Huerta.
Principal Wes Solomon leads junior Cooper Wolocko to the resolution table after he sets off the alarms on the first morning using the detectors.
Photo by Fallon Head.
14 advance in UIL Academic events
By Fallon Head Editor-in-Chief
Astrong showing at the UIL Academic District Meet led to seven individual district champions and three team district champions on March 29. Fourteen regional qualifiers will advance to the next round.
“[Advancing to region]’s a big deal for school pride because it just is a way to represent the academic excellence that we have at Kingwood Park High School,” head coach Theresa Robison said.
One of the teams advancing includes the computer science team, which includes juniors Jacob Rother, Nate Webb and sophomore Jeremiah Head. They are the first in the school to advance as a team in
computer science.
“I did not expect [advancing to Region] at all,” Webb said. “It’s definitely a big event.”
To advance to Region, the team placed first in the hands-on competition, where the teams are given computer coding problems and have to work through it to find ways to solve them. The more problems they can solve, the more points they earn.
Rother also placed first in the written test, earning a spot at region. Webb is an alternate, placing fourth at district.
“It means a lot, honestly,” Rother said. “I never really thought I’d be going to Region, much less in my junior year. I thought it might be in my senior year, so that’s really cool.”
The team plans to get extra practice in to prepare for Region by looking over test questions for the written and old questions to work through for the hands-on event.
Senior Kashikala Mundemba is the first from the school to advance to Region in the accounting event. Region is on April 26 in College Station. It is there the kids will compete for the opportunity to go to State.
“I honestly believe that who we’re taking is quality,” Robison said. “I see them studying. I see them motivated, like everybody’s faces were lighting up as we were seeing and it’s a lot of seniors who should be winding down their year. But it rejuvenated their interest and desire. And so they’re making plans to study. They’re fired up.”
Caitlin McLain
By Marie Wakefield Staff Writer
How many times have you competed at region?
A: “I’ve made it to Region every year. Freshman year, I didn’t really make it on my own, I made it as part of the team, like riding the coattails. Sophomore year, I made it on my own and got fifth, which was sad because only the top three advanced. I was really close. So, this is my third year and I’m really excited.”
Which event are you most looking forward to?
A: “Definitely Lincoln Douglas, because I’ve never qualified for it and I really enjoy doing it. So I’m hoping this is my year.”
What has made this year different from past years for you?
A: “I used to be one of the younger kids, like as a sophomore and freshman, but now I’m one of the older kids teaching how to debate and all that, so it’s definitely an interesting change.”
How have you chosen your events?
A: “Well, they are really different, but they all have the same themes like history or English, or in general just speaking. So they all have kind of a common theme. You’d never find me competing in math or something like chemistry. That’s not my thing.”
Sophomore Jeremiah Head, juniors Jacob Rother and Nate Web pose with the first place plaque from Academic Team UIL district meet. The team is the first to advance to district for the team computer science event. Photo by Fallon Head.
New specialized art class added
By Cameron Minatrea Staff Writer
Next school year, the campus will introduce a new Art 1 Specialized class for students to take.
Art 1 Specialized differentiates itself from the standard Art 1 by allowing students to jump into more advanced techniques and skills compared to the regular fundamentals taught in the original class.
“For Art 1 Specialized, those students already have experience in art and they already have a good
feel for the basics,” art teacher Sarah Wyatt said.
“We won’t have to hit them as hard, and we’re able to go into more indepth projects faster.”
Applications opened on March 19 and are due May 2. Applications require a portfolio of up to three to six pieces of artwork provided by the student. One of the pictures must be an observational drawing, and it also must include preliminary sketches and relevant sketches.
Students often take Art 1 in order to fulfill their fine arts credit, even if
they don’t have any plans of continuing with art in the future. This is one of the benefits of specialized art as art teachers can have a class of young and dedicated artists.
“I love my Art 1 students and I love being able to teach and help them,” Wyatt said. “But to have a student who already comes in with those basic skills and to be able to teach and develop the students, it’s inspiring.”
Because the class is being introduced this spring and starting in the fall, many previous Art
1 students wish that they were given the same opportunity.
“I’m so excited for all the new students coming that have something like that,” sophomore Charlotte Terrell said. “I wish they had something for Art 1 like this when I was in it.”
Art teachers hope the new class will give younger students a jumpstart into their art careers.
“We’re just really, really happy that it’s finally happening,” Wyatt said.
Spears, McCreight earn All-State honors
Senior Holden Spears and junior Joey McCreight were two of 12 Humble ISD students to be TMEA All-State recipients this year.
In order to qualify for this recognition, students had to go through several rounds of auditions to make it up to the AllState level. They started from a pool of over 70,000 students from across the state, going through district, region and area before getting to the state level.
Spears earned the All-State honors for the second time, while McCreight earned it for the first time.
“That’s basically the hardest thing to make state in because we’re in Texas, which is the hardest state for music in the country,” band director Bre Osbourn said. “If you can make All-State in Texas, you’re pretty much guaranteed a scholarship to any school in the country you want to go to.”
Spears, who plays the euphonium, said the challenging process was worth it.
“My favorite part is probably all the people you get to meet, because you get to go to those auditions with other schools,” Spears said. “Really the best part is making friends.”
- By Soleil Cavallo, Fallon Head
robin@flowersofkingwood.com
Senior Ryder Lowery works in art teacher Miguel Alvarez’s Art Draw 2 class in January.
Photo by Bishop Scott.
‘Royal Gambit’ collects awards despite disqualification
By Sydney Ortiz Sports Editor
After seven weeks of preparing for the UIL One-Act Play competition, theater performed the “Royal Gambit” at the UIL 5A District 18 Zone A competition on March 17.
The play told the story of King Henry VIII and his six wives.
The UIL One-Act Play competition is different from the other plays and musicals the theater classes produce. The actors and crew must follow specific rules that include strict time and set requirements.
“It’s more rewarding than other shows may feel, but it’s also one of the most difficult and stressful times in theater,” said junior Emerson Harris, who played Anne Boleyn in the “Royal Gambit.”
This one proved especially difficult when the cast went over the maximum time allotment of 40 minutes by a mere 20 seconds. The mistake disqualified the group from advancing to the next level.
“We got off stage and it’s always quiet, but it was like dead quiet,” Harris said. “It was scary quiet. And I saw our directors come backstage, and I just knew in my heart we went over time.”
The actors were able to hold their emotions in until they were in their safe space – the dressing room.
“It was really hard to see my friends hurt like that because some of them are seniors and this was their last show here, so it was really sad,” Harris said.
Senior Olivia Brenner, who played Jane Seymour, was caught off guard when she realized they had gone over time.
“It was definitely disappointing for everybody,” Brenner said. “It was shocking because we had never gone over before, so no one was expecting it.”
Although going over their time limit cost them a spot advancing to the district round, the cast and crew still qualified to receive critiques and awards.
Harris was named Best Performer. The cast also had two All-Star cast members – seniors Mackenzie Wilkey (Katarina of Aragon) and
Jaxon Garrett (King Henry VIII).
In addition to the acting awards, junior Maebeth Potter won Best Technician, while seniors Ashlynn Nash and Harper Toth along with Potter and junior Amara Amadi won Best Crew.
“Winning Best Crew was something really amazing,” Harris said. “Our crew is comprised of four people, and some of them do multiple jobs during the show. They’re all so talented and excellent, so I know that they’re so proud of themselves for their work there.”
Although “Royal Gambit” was their last big show of the year, the
varsity theater department still has some fun events that will help end their year off on a positive note. Seniors have the opportunity to direct their own show with the underclassman and then they will do their annual lip sync battles.
After an emotional day of performing and results, Brenner still was able to look back with a positive attitude.
“Even though we did get disqualified, I’m really proud of the show that we put on,” Brenner said. “It was a really good show to go out on.”
Award Winners
A number of cast and crew members received awards at the UIL 5A District 18 Zone A competition on March 17.
Best Performer: Emerson Harris
All-Star Cast: Mackenzie Wilkey, Jaxon Garrett
Honorable Mention All-Stars: Sammy Requena, Ada Stokes
Best Technician: Maebeth Potter
Best Crew: Maebeth Potter, Ashlynn Nash, Harper Toth, Amara Amadi
Senior Olivia Brenner’s Jane Seymour holds a child as Ada Stoke remains in the background.
Senior Jaxon Garrett performs as King Henry VIII in the “Royal Gambit” for the varsity theater’s UIL One-Act Play.
Seniors Mackenzie Wilkey and Jaxon Garrett perform a scene together in “Royal Gambit.”
Junior Emerson Harris portrays Anne Boleyn in “Royal Gambit.” She was named Best Performer at the Zone competition. All photos by Jack Coffey.
minecraft mania
“The Minecraft Movie” was released April 3 and high school students were excited to see a fixture from their childhoods on the big screen.
What’s your favorite Minecraft mob?
“I would say my favorite overworld spawn is probably the enderman.”
- Pierce Buchan, 11
“Hot take, but a chicken.”
- Jeremiah Head, 10
“Chicken Jockey.”
- Lucas Ridley, 10
“Sheep.”
- Cole Anderson, 10
“Skeleton Horse.”
- Riley Fitch, 10
“Creeper.”
- Madelyn Haynes, 10
“Ghast.”
- Jeanne Hanson, 10
“Creeper.”
- Andrew Glover, 10
“The Minecraft
Movie was
great!
Jack Black is so funny. He also voiced Po in Kung Fu Panda. He was the perfect pick for both movies.”
- Sophia Artola Villaorduna, 10
Freshman Kylie Nash, freshman Vanessa Garay, sophomore Darcy Gordon Claassens and sophomore Ayden Richardson.
Sophomore Colton Clemons.
Sophomores Sophia Artola Villaorduna and Leonardo Peña.
Pages by Danielle Nalley, Pilar Retamales and Fallon Head
Which of these female actors stars in “The Minecraft Movie?”
A. Catherine Ohara
B. Jennifer Coolidge
C. Zendaya
D. Ariana Grande
What type of jockey does Jack Black call out when a baby zombie faces Jason Momoa?
A. Chicken
B. Dolphin
C. Spider
D. Goat
What type of mineral is combined with steel to make a portal to the Nether?
A. Stone
B. Limestone
C. Flint
D. Iron
Who is the creator of Minecraft?
A. Jack Black
B. Bill Gates
C. Steve Jobs
D. Markus “Notch” Persson
What monster is found only in the End?
A. Enderman
B. Ender Dragon
C. Zombie Villager
D. Witch
What material helps you enchant things at an enchantment table?
A. Lapis Lazuli
B. Emeralds
C. Diamonds
D. Redstone
What is the strongest type of armor?
A. Leather
B. Iron
C. Diamond
D. Netherite
Answers: B, A, C, D, B, A, D
Juniors Ky’Mre Cunningham and Maria Williams.
Sophomores Cate Fowler, Charlotte Swanson and Elin Dailey.
Sophomores Cayden MacMath, Jack Parker, Brayden Gray and Lionel Spears.
Sophomores Jacob Brauner and Padme Polomsky
Junior Selva Al Khalil.
Natural disasters keep community on edge
Houston Mayor John Whitmire works with city officials to prepare
Mas Kingwood residents brace for hurricane season.
By Sydney Ortiz Sports Editor
ayor John Whitmire understands that Kingwood residents are frustrated and worried. Hurricane season begins on June 1, and many families in the “Livable Forest” are still recovering from last July’s Hurricane Beryl.
During the Beryl recovery, families spent more than a week without power in an intense heat wave. Power lines laid dangerously across hundreds of backyards. And debris lined the
streets of Kingwood well into August.
“Kingwood has a legitimate complaint and concern,” Whitmire said.
That is one reason he is working hard with Kingwood’s city council representatives as well as local first responders to strengthen the relationship between the Houston mayor’s office and Kingwood.
“I think every community that is hit repeatedly starts to feel a little torn by Mother Nature,” said Angela Blanchard, Houston’s Chief Recovery and Resilience Officer. “But the truth is, if you look across the world, these incidenc-
A tree on Rustic Woods Drive in Kingwood remains uprooted from July’s damage during Hurricane Beryl. While the majority of cleanup throughout the city has been completed, there are still reminders from the damage of Beryl. Photo by Sydney Ortiz.
A tree is snapped in half off Rustic Woods Drive in Kingwood. The damage from Hurricane Beryl remains in parts of Kingwood. Photo by Sydney Ortiz.
es, especially for a coastal city like this one, have increased in frequency and severity.”
Kingwood is full of vulnerabilities during storms. It is situated near the West and East forks of the San Jacinto River. It also sits 80 miles away from the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the community is filled with trees. Kingwood bills itself as “The Livable Forest.”
Being a part of a coastal city, Kingwood is prone to more rain. With the San Jacinto River surrounding most of the suburb, it is susceptible to flooding.
The problems with flooding and storm damage in Kingwood made national headlines for the first time when Hurricane Harvey hit in 2017.
In August 2017, the Category 4 hurricane brought more than 20 inches of water toward Lake Conroe. In response, the San Jacinto River Authority did an emergency release of water from the Lake Conroe Dam.
That release caused Lake Houston to rapidly overflow its banks, flooding Kingwood days after the hurricane hit the area. As a result around 5,000 homes, numerous businesses and even Kingwood High School flooded.
Harvey was referred to as a “100-year flood.” But two years later, the community was reeling again.
In May 2019, a storm caused severe flooding after the community received 10 inches of rain. About 400 homes were flooded, and students were stranded at school for hours. Two students even spent the night at Kingwood Park. More students spent the night at Kingwood Middle School and Elm Grove Elementary. It ended up being called “the May floods.”
Just four months later, Kingwood was hit again on Sept. 19.
Junior Elena Amos was in sixth grade when she huddled on the dining room table with her dad and little sister as water rose in their home.
Tropical Storm Imelda dropped 30 inches of rain, becoming the fourth wettest tropical cyclone to impact Texas.
Amos lives in Harris County, but near the Montgomery County border. Her dad called the police four times asking to be rescued. No one showed up.
After four hours of huddling with his daughters on the tabletop, Amos’s dad spotted a police boat motoring by. He caught their attention. Even though they said they had not received any of his calls, they took the family to safety.
“It was so scary my dad had to go turn off the electricity so it wouldn’t catch on fire. My sister was just holding on to me so tight. She wouldn’t let go.”
-
“It was so scary my dad had to go turn off the electricity so it wouldn’t catch on fire,” said Amos, whose home also flooded four months earlier in May. “My sister was just holding on to me so tight. She wouldn’t let go.”
about
2019.
The day traumatized Amos and her little sister.
“For a while, anytime they said there might be a hurricane coming, we would just put our stuff up high and go to my grandparents’ house,” Amos said. “Anytime my sister would see rain at her preschool or thunder, she would freak out. She would start crying.”
Just last May, a derecho storm hit the Houston area, leaving around a million Houstonians without power. Kingwood Park had power and held school, but its feeder schools lost power and had to cancel classes. Most Kingwood Park families were without power for more than 36 hours.
One big concern after the derecho was the fact that hurricane season had not even started yet. The concern ended up being valid.
On July 8, Kingwood residents woke up to the damage of Category 1 Hurricane Beryl. The hurricane brought winds of 80 mph, and it is estimated that the winds impacted about 50% of urbanized-area trees. Trees were snapped in half or were completely uprooted in almost every corner of Kingwood.
The storm left around three million people in the Greater Houston area without power. Most neighborhoods zoned to Kingwood Park were left powerless for more than a week. In many neighborhoods, like Woodland Hills, homes had to be completely rebuilt. Some still have not returned home.
Chemistry teacher Laurie Rosato has experienced her share of hurricanes. She survived Hurricane Andrew in Miami, Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Hurricane Harvey in Kingwood.
Through it all, she has learned what she can handle and what she can’t. She left Kingwood right after she lost power during Beryl.
“I never think, ‘Oh my God, I might lose my house,’” Rosato said. “I mean, I sometimes kind of think that, and I’ve done things like try to lift my furniture or my stuff to protect it. But I’m just such a princess that the thought of no power makes me like, ooh. That’s why I want to evacuate. It’s because of power.”
In Louisiana, Florida and in Texas, Rosato has seen so many families lose everything. And she hopes the government makes tangible changes soon.
HURRICANE, continued on page 12
Houston mayor John Whitmire is in the midst of his second year as mayor. He is working to improve the relationship between Kingwood and Houston with improved resources for natural disasters. Photo by Sydney Ortiz.
junior Elena Amos, talking
her Kingwood home flooding during Tropical Storm Imelda in
There’s no place like home
Families remain displaced from their homes eight months
after Hurricane Beryl.
By Fallon Head Editor-in-Chief
Eight months after Hurricane Beryl, sophomore Karis McKinney waits after school until 4 p.m. for her mom to be able to pick her up.
Eight months after Hurricane Beryl, sophomore Bella Barrett struggles to see her friends after school since she temporarily lives in Porter.
In two months hurricane season starts back up, and both the Barretts and the McKinneys are still in rental homes. Their homes are still under construction because of damages from Hurricane Beryl.
Barrett’s home was hit by a tree right over her sister’s room. The tree broke to cover the house and bend into the backyard. This caused structural damage to the home, with cracks creeping up walls. The hole in the roof led to flooding and let animals in. Mold was found all through the house from the heat and water damage.
“The very first moment happened and my sister still being in
her room sleeping was very, very scary because we heard it and we have this big window at the back of our house into the backyard,” Barrett said. “And you saw this big part of the tree just fall, and we really didn’t know what had happened to her.”
The family evacuated to their neighbor’s house. After the hurricane blew over, the Barretts went to salvage whatever they could
HURRICANE
In case of power outages, keep batteries on hand for any battery-powered devices you may need.
from their home. They got some of their clothes, some personal belongings, but most things were lost to water damage.
“You know that feeling like we lost something, that was very important,” Barrett said.
They moved into a hotel for three weeks. Her whole family was sharing one room, with two beds. Bella and her sister, freshman Sophia Barrett, were re-
The American Red Cross suggests having one gallon of water per person per day. Plan on three days for evacuation and a two-week home supply.
sponsible for looking over their 11-month-old foster brother Ewan when their parents were at work.
The Barretts were also struggling to maintain the requirements to keep their foster child, who is also Barrett’s cousin. They had a limited amount of time to move into a new home that meets all the checks to be able to keep Ewan in their care.
In case of power outages, a flashlight is an important necessity to have in order to see in the dark.
A rented dumpster still sits in Bella and Sophia Bennett’s driveway where construction continues on their home, which was damaged during Hurricane Beryl in July. The girls have lived in a rental home with their family the past eight months. Photo by Fallon Head.
Right before the school year started, Barrett and her family moved into a rental home, where everyone could have their own space and belongings. This came with bittersweet memories of getting new beds, backpacks and other essentials for the school year.
“[It] kind of sucks,” Barrett said. “I mean, I wouldn’t have to do this if it didn’t happen. But I found enjoyment in the fact that I could start something.”
The Barretts are now waiting on the floors to be finished, walls painted and fixtures installed.
Back in July, McKinney ran downstairs to check on her family with the sounds of wind and rain, but had to run back upstairs to get the cat. When she came back
downstairs, a loud crash echoed through the house. A tree lay through a wall to the home office, letting water in from the storm and burst pipes.
Her cousins helped their family get their belongings out of the house, and stayed with them until they found a rental house to stay in.
“That was stressful,” McKinney said. “My cousins made it way, way easier. Me and my cousins are really close, so like they were always super nice to me during the whole thing. We’re all really close. We grew up together.”
The house was torn down to the studs, and built back up.
During the process, McKinney is thankful for her mom’s support.
“It would be my mom [who
The American Red Cross suggests having a three-day supply of non-perishable food for evacuation and a two-week home supply
helped me most],” McKinney said. “Well, my mom’s actually one of my best friends. She’s just a really good person. I mean, I feel like I can tell her anything. We just have a good relationship.”
One issue Barrett and McKinney came across after relocating to rental homes was the increase of time required for travel.
“It’s also kind of difficult going to school sometimes too, because now we live in Porter,” Barrett said. “It’s not super far, but it’s still on the border. So like it changes going to school, how I do stuff or like going to friends’ houses and for projects or anything.”
McKinney leaves her home earlier to get to school, and waits here until around 4 p.m., when her mom can pick her up and head to pick up her sister in middle school.
Both students are expecting to move back into their homes in the next few months, almost a year after Beryl.
“It sounds kind of funny thinking like we’re just grieving about the house,” Barrett said. “We did lose a lot of memories that were very, very important to all of us. And so I feel like a lot of us are grieving those now. We had to deal with that together and now we have each other. That was something we had to learn to have the realization.”
In case of any medical emergencies, a first aid kit is an important necessity to have.
HURRICANES THROUGH THE YEARS
Hurricane Beryl June 28-July 11, 2024
- Category 1 on landfall
- 3-6 inches of rainfall
- Sustained winds of 75 mph, gusts reaching 90 mph
- More than 2.7 million lost power
- $3 billion cost in damage
Hurricane Harvey Aug. 25-30, 2017
- Category 4 when it hit Houston
- Cost $120 billion in damage killed 68 people.
- Sustained winds 130 mph
- Rainfall in Houston: 50 inches
Hurricane Ike Sept. 13, 2008
- Category 2 when it hit Houston
- 10 inches rainfall
- 110 mph wind
- 37.5 billion in damage total
Hurricane Rita Sept. 18-26, 2005
- Rainfall 5 inches
- 113 deaths directly related to the evacuation of the hurricane
Sources: National Institute of Health, National Hurricane Center
In case of evacuation, personal documents such as birth certificates, passports, social security cards and more are important to have for wherever you are going.
The Barrett family has not been able to return home since Beryl hit in July. Construction is still underway. Photo by Fallon Head.
Beading connects art, culture for Hammond
By Olivia Brenner Staff Writer
Adesire to connect with her Native American roots led senior Zadie Hammond to find a passion for beading. She beaded a special medallion and matching earring set that advanced to the state level in the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition. She will be the lone representative of Kingwood Park when she travels to the state competition at San Marcos High School on April 25-26.
This year, Hammond takes Art Drawing and Art Sculpture. She is also in the art national honor society
Why did you start doing beadwork?
“I started doing the bead work, because as I’ve grown up I’ve really wanted to get into my Native roots. Beading is one of the things that I wanted to try for a really long time. And so a couple of years ago, I started doing it. This year, I began to really find a deep love for beading and representing my heritage.”
Why did you choose a medallion for your project?
“I had the idea for a medallion, just because I thought it was cool. It’s something different that you don’t usually see at art competitions. The meaning behind it was basically ‘In the middle of the sun.’ It kind of represents new beginnings, because I am the first beader of my family. And these type of things, like medallions and stuff, you don’t really get to buy those unless you have a beader in your family. They get passed down to people, and so it’s going to be a new journey for me to start doing this and being able to hand down all of
What was your favorite part of the VASE competition?
“I always think it’s really scary to go back and do the judging, but after you do it all and you really think back to it, it’s just a review of all the work that you’ve done. And I think it’s a really cool, needed experience. You get to explain why you made it, how you made it, and what it means to you. You also get critiqued, which I think is super helpful. Sometimes it’s a little difficult to hear those, but they’re so helpful.”
What was your reaction when you found out you made it to state?
“It was a really neat call, just to get to hear that you’re going to state. And because there were a ton of beautiful, beautiful pieces there, and it was a little bit more challenging this year. Mine was definitely a little bit more simplified compared to the other ones. They’re like, really big and extravagant. Mine was kind of smaller. And so I thought it was super cool to have that experience.”
Why did you start your small business Na’awa Creations?
“There’s not a ton of people who do [beading]. I’ve been to a couple of pow wows. I’ve seen the stuff that they make, and they sell them for a lot. If they can do it, why can’t I? I can be making money off of this. And I love my craft. I love it. I’ve really grown and like to learn different ways and different techniques to make it better. And not only do I get to sell the work that I do, but I also get to have that deeper love for my thing. I want to show it to people and show them how special beading is.”
City officials urge families to have plans in place for disasters
HURRICANE
, continued from page 9
“We’ve got to get the infrastructure that needs to be in place so that more flooding doesn’t occur – to control the flooding, to control the power grid,” Rosato said. “And support, there needs to be governmental support for people who lose their homes. Because if you don’t have insurance or even if you do have insurance, and then they cut you off, you need to be able to recover from that.”
The challenges faced in Kingwood and throughout Houston during Beryl led to Whitmire’s latest goal.
The city is working toward having
generators at critical places in communities like police and fire stations, multi-service centers, libraries, water pump stations, sewer plants and animal shelters.
“We have a real ambitious goal to try to find 100 city service centers for generators,” Whitmire said.”We are well on our way. Everybody has to have access to generators. We’ve got to be able to provide cooling spaces, heating spaces and certainly refuge.”
This administration has made it a priority for every Houstonian to be able to call emergency services, turn on water and get to places of refuge during disasters.
Other than providing generators around the city, the mayor’s office continues to work with councilmen,
state officials and federal officials to prepare for any disasters that may hit Houston soon.
“There are some resources that are always going to have to come in from the outside, and expediting that requires good relationships and trust,” Blanchard said.
Before becoming mayor, Whitmire spent 50 years in the legislature.
“State officials trust our mayor,” Blanchard said. “That has meant millions more dollars to recovery than we’ve gotten, and his work with TDEM (Texas Department of Emergency Management) and the governor’s office has meant an expedited funding.”
As much as the administration wishes to prevent every Houstonian from being impacted by any disaster, it is just not plausible.
Blanchard said she believes that everyone should have an emergency plan at their home, in their car, and people need to be aware of the plans at their schools and places of work. She emphasizes all families need to be “360 degrees prepared for 365 days,” meaning be ready for anything at any time.
As hurricane season nears, the mayor advises Houstonians to stay vigilant and listen to city officials and first responders as disasters arise.
“I don’t shout wolf. I don’t play scare tactics. I don’t have unnecessary press conferences,” Whitmire said. “We’re direct, we’re factual, we’re compassionate and experience matters. I would urge people to listen to the authorities.”
my beading stuff to my family.”
Zadie Hammond and her state award-winning bead work.
Livestock provides valuable experiences, fun
By Soleil Cavallo Staff Writer
Brayan Skero, 11 Grand Champion steer
What was your biggest challenge?
“Probably just showing honestly because my steer was a bit ornery, the entire year I just couldn’t get him where I wanted to be.”
What was the most rewarding part of show for you?
“The most rewarding part was definitely winning, because it’s just what I’ve always dreamed of basically.”
Ashlyn Stadelbacher, 10 6th place goat
What was the most rewarding part of show for you?
“Just making a spot and seeing my hard work paid off.”
Do you have a favorite story from showing?
“When I was younger, I showed 4H, and I would always have a goat get out like every single year, but luckily one didn’t get out this year.”
Cameron Spangler, 12 3rd place chickens
Do you have a favorite story or a funny story from show?
“This girl was holding my chicken and then it ended up dying. And we tried to hold in the laughter because she was just holding up a dead chicken.”
What was your biggest challenge?
“Probably holding up the birds for a long time it gets kinda exhausting.”
Junior Brayan Skero celebrates after his steer was named Grand Champion at the Humble Livestock Show. The steer was auctioned for $27,000. Photo courtesy of Josh Koch.
Ashlyn Stadelbacher, 10, shows her goat named Kermit. Photo submitted by Ashlyn Stadelbacher.
Cameron Spangler shows off one of his chickens. Photo submitted by Cameron Spangler.
Hardin embraces second chance
Elbow surgery threatened to derail Hardin’s baseball career, but he worked his way back onto the field.
By Tricia Darcy Visuals Editor
During a baseball tournament in eighth grade, senior Nick Hardin woke up one morning with a swollen elbow. The night before, Hardin felt no signs of an injury. However, when he woke up, Hardin and his family immediately knew something was wrong.
Hardin ended up needing an Osteochondral Autograft Transfer Surgery, or OATS, in his elbow if he wanted to play baseball again.
The Osteochondral Autograft Transfer Surgery took healthy cartilage and bone from other joints and replaced the damaged cartilage and bone in his elbow. Hardin underwent the procedure in November 2020.
“At the time, we were nervous because it was one of those things like, it just kind of depended on how he recovered,” Hardin’s mom Devin Hardin said. “But he was back to throwing a baseball and swinging a bat not even three months later.”
Yet the recovery process was not easy for Hardin.
For months after the procedure, Hardin went to physical therapy multiple times a week so he could return to his favorite sport. Once he was cleared to play, Hardin spent time with his stepdad in hopes of returning better than before for his freshman season.
Hardin’s stepdad started coaching his travel team almost immediately after he started playing and continued through his high school career.
“I had surgery, and then I just spent countless hours with my dad in the cages throwing and just taking countless reps,” Hardin said. Hardin, who has been playing baseball since he was 7, said that some of his biggest influences are his parents.
For most of his childhood, his weekends were spent with his parents at tournaments with his travel team. After joining his travel team his stepdad especially became a big
part of his successes.
“I think we just learned to eat, breathe and sleep baseball,” Hardin said. “Just everything involved baseball. Baseball was all we did and it consumed us. Our nights were filled with baseball practices and our weekends were filled with games.”
After the injury, Hardin’s decision to continue playing baseball was an obvious choice.
“It’s just really the only sport that I’ve ever really loved,” Hardin said. “And the type of relationships and friendships you make during it, it’s just priceless.”
in after the injury and during his childhood, Hardin became a key contributor to this year’s team.
He is one of the captains and leads the team in batting average, doubles and stolen bases.
College made a visit over the summer and watched him play. Soon after, Hardin received a call with the offer.
“It’s just the next step,” Hardin said. “I mean, not a lot of kids get to experience that. So, all the hard work that I put in, really just pays off.”
“Baseball was all we did and it consumed us. Our nights were filled with baseball practices and our weekends were filled with games.”
Because of all the work he put
“Nick is just an overall great young man,” coach Christopher Buechner said.
“He is one of the hardest workers on our team, and he is not afraid to hold others accountable.”
Hardin also decided to continue playing baseball next year and signed with Mississippi College.
For Hardin, the recruitment process was easier than others. The coach for Mississippi
Because of the injury, Hardin had to relearn a lot of different aspects of the sport. He also continues to face some challenges because of the injury. Specifically, Hardin is unable to fully straighten his arm which makes certain plays challenging. Despite this, he learned how to work around the obstacle.
The injury has pushed Hardin to work hard during team practices and in his spare team, which has contributed to his success.
“It’s put me behind the eight ball a little bit,” Hardin said. “But it’s really taught me adversity and pushed myself to do the extra work and outwork everyone. It just gave me the type of competitiveness I need.”
- senior Nick Hardin, pictured with his stepdad
Senior Nick Hardin reacts after hitting a triple in the team’s game against Clear Springs on Feb. 20. Photo by Zachary Ford.
Nick Hardin hangs out around his baseball team after undergoing surgery on his elbow in November 2020. He returned to throwing a ball three months later, but he was no longer able to pitch.
Photo submitted by Devin Hardin.
Nick Hardin shows off his first uniform. Photo submitted by Devin Hardin.
TWINNING WINNING
AND
Gregory sisters enjoy coaching alongside each other as they help Panthers chase playoff goals.
By Emily McKithern Staff Writer
Lindsay and Lacy Gregory, have spent nearly their entire lives in each other’s company.
From the time they were young to their college years to present day, they have been inseparable. Now, they are in their first season leading the softball program together.
“I don’t remember spending a day apart,” head coach Lindsay Gregory said. “We shared a room until we were in high school, so there really was no getting away from each other.”
The identical twins fell in love with softball at a young age and continued to play together at Kingwood High School. Later, they played together at the University of North Texas. They both played middle infield
– Lindsay at shortstop and Lacy at second base. This partnership carried them through their playing years, leading to many unforgettable memories, including a State Final appearance during their freshman year of high school.
“Getting to play together in college and accomplishing the goals that we set out when we were younger together was probably one of my favorite memories,” said Lacy, who is in her first year as an assistant coach at Kingwood Park.
Lacy’s decision to join her sister at Kingwood Park as a coach was a turning point that brought the twins back together to make up for a little time apart after college. A year ago, Lacy was teaching at Creekwood Middle School. She often showed up to Kingwood Park softball practices on her own time to help out. However, when the assistant coaching position
opened up last summer, it felt like the perfect timing for a change.
The chance to work alongside her sister in a professional capacity was an offer she couldn’t resist.
“It was the right timing and the right opportunity, it was just too good to pass up,” said Lacy.
Lindsay was ready to share the field again.
“Making up for lost time has really meant the world to us,” said Lindsay.
Coaching together has been a seamless transition for Lindsay and Lacy, as their long-standing bond and shared love for softball are obvious each time they step on the field.
While Lindsay serves as the head coach, Lacy is an assistant with Connor Grant.
The two sisters each bring their own strengths to the table. They balance each other out with
Lindsay’s leadership and Lacy’s support and attention to detail.
Their shared history as teammates allows them to communicate effortlessly, understanding each other’s coaching style and complementing each other’s approach.
“We kind of balance each other out in every way. I think that my weaknesses are her strengths and vice versa,” Lacy said.
Whether it’s coaching the team, preparing for practice or simply enjoying each other’s company, the Gregory sisters have built a coaching dynamic that’s rooted in both professionalism and family.
“I think initially we didn’t really know how it was gonna be working together every single day, but we truly can’t get enough of it” Lindsay said. “It’s been great.”
Assistant coach Lacy Gregory talks with freshman Lexie Barbontin as she walks off the field between innings in the Panthers’ 9-5 win over Porter on March 21. Photo by Zachary Ford.
Head coach Lindsay Gregory talks to her players in huddle toward the end of the team’s win over Porter on March 21. Photo by Jacob Dinh.
Golfers dominate district meets
By Tricia Darcy and Jacob Dinh
The girls and boys golf team have started their postseason and are looking to make appearances at the Region and State tournaments. With returning Region and State members on the team, both teams are looking to advance to the tournaments
“I mean, ultimately the state championship is going to be our big event,” coach Angela Chancellor. “That’s what we’re trying to get to. But we got to get through step one at district. We need to go and take care of business there first.”
The girls team competed in the district tournament on March 2627 at Atascocita Golf Club. The team won first place, with a score of 786. Freshman Lilly Raymond led the team with a score of 167 over 36 holes. Sophomore Jamie Ingalls (3rd place), sophomore Gracie Ingalls (4th place), sophomore Padme Polomsky (6th place), and senior Aubree Keenan (8th place) all contributed to the win.
The boys team competed in the district tournament April 7-8 at The Golf Club at Margaritaville Resort. The team won first place, with a score of 638.
Junior Cory Case led the team with a score of 149 over 36 holes. Freshman Parker McGehee (160), junior Seth Ferguson (164), senior Cole Mayon (166), and senior Wyatt Rodriguez (171) all placed in the top five.
The boys also took a second team to the tournament, where they finished third with a score of 786. Junior Max Raymond placed ninth, with a score of 182, advancing individually to the Region tournament.
Senior Cole Mayon putts during the Atascocita Varsity Shootout earlier this month. The team finished third against 6A competitors.
Two of the keys at the district tournaments are newcomers. Each team has freshmen who have made impacts already this season. McGehee and Raymond have stood out to Chancellor because of their improvement.
“Lilly Raymond came in and she’s our No. 1 golfer right now on our women’s team,” Chancellor said. “So for her to be able to come in and kind of shoulder the load this year, and she’s done it amazing. Like, she just comes to work everyday, she just handles her business, she’s always open to new concepts and what she needs to do to get better and how she can help the team.”
Mayon and Case, who are state returners, have helped lead the team all year and especially helped younger members of the team. Because of this, McGehee fit right into the already strong boys team.
“The guys kind of got a hold of [McGehee] and were able to nurture him along,” Chancellor said. “For a kid to come in and be able to play the longer courses, play the harder courses and play harder tournaments from the very beginning is very difficult to do in our division.”
With the addition of the two freshmen, the expectations for the postseason have only grown.
The girls team will compete in the Region tournament at Margaritaville Resort April 14-15. The boys will compete April 1617 at Margaritaville Resort.
Along with making a State appearance, both of the team’s goals this season is to establish the culture of the team.
“Our culture is very good,” Case said. “We’re very close as a team, and I think that helps us play better.”
In the middle of the green, freshman Lilly Raymond practices her putting on March 5. She has emerged as the No. 1 golfer this season on the girls team. Photo by Tricia Darcy.
Junior Cory Case tees off during the Atascocita Varsity Shootout on March 7. He defended his title from a year ago and helped lift the team to a third place finish amongst 6A schools. Photo by Tricia Darcy.
Photo by Tricia Darcy.
Penalty kicks end postseason run for boys
By Tricia Darcy Visuals Editor
Soccer coach Christian Boehm walked around the field and hugged all his seniors. Their season came to an end after losing in penalty kicks to Lake Creek in the Region Final matchup at Turner Stadium. As his players cried, Boehm became emotional.
“It’s my first freshman class at Kingwood Park,” Boehm said. “My previous school, I was only there for three years so I didn’t get to see them become seniors. Here, I got to see them become seniors, and it’s the absolute world. I feel like they’re part of my family.”
After ending regulation and overtime still tied at 0-0, Lake Creek (18-4-3) and Kingwood Park (20-42) went into a penalty kick shootout to decide who would advance to the state semifinals. Senior captain Chase Bennett scored the first penalty kick before the Panthers fell 4-1.
The matchup at Turner Stadium was the program’s first Region Finals appearance since the 2021 season when they eventually lost in the state finals, 3-2.
Junior captain and goalkeeper Noah Laughlin was a key reason Lake Creek remained scoreless in regulation and overtime. Late in the first half, Laughlin blocked a Lake Creek penalty kick.
The back row, including seniors Blake Lawson, Mason Sagendorph and Jonathan West were also crucial to the shutout.
“We were able to hold the 0-0 shutout, but we just couldn’t get it done in the PK shootout,” Lawson said.
The leadership and chemistry on the team was also a crucial part of the team’s playoff run. The players credited the team’s chemistry with how they were able to connect better on the field and create more memories outside of the sport.
“It’s just a good group of guys,” Lawson said. “We’re a team. It’s the epitome of a team. Team dinners, Chipotle late nights, outside of school and inside of school, we’re coherent as a team. That’s what’s
given us success this season, but it just didn’t happen tonight.”
That team mentality was evident all season. Twenty players on the team recorded at least one goal this season.
Junior Ronan Flaherty, who missed the first three playoff games with an injury, finished the year with 15 goals and eight assists. West finished with a team-leading 16 assists.
Bennett, sophomore Kye Wehby and senior Grant Jimerson each also finished with 10 or more goals and seven or more assists.
The depth and skill on the squad was not what made Boehm most emotional after the game though.
“I’ve never seen such leaders at this age in my entire life,” Boehm
District 18-5A Superlatives
Boys Soccer
Most Valuable Player: Grant Jimerson Co-Forward of the Year: Ronan Flaherty
1st Team All-District: Kye Wehby, Ronan
2nd
said. “I’ve been working at three different high schools, I was in the Air Force for six years and I just haven’t seen it. The leadership on this team is insane and what they do for each other each and every day is invaluable.”
Valdez, Nathan Brenner
Girls Soccer
Forward of the Year: Madi Moffitt Co-Defender of the Year: Krisslyn Boyles
1st Team All-District: Krisslyn Boyles, Bailey Fovargue, Madi
Salima-Marcano, Peyton Smithson, Liani Villegas
2nd Team All-District: Journie Feliciano, Sydney Ortiz, Alyssa Toppass, Isa Price
Honorable Mention All-District: Alexis Carbajal, Avy Day, Morgan Sagendorph
Flaherty, Grant Jimerson, Blake Lawson, Noah Laughlin, Jonathan West, Chase Bennett
Team All-District: Alex Hartnett, Luca Onut, Mason Sagendorph, Sean Mitchell, Ethan Segura.
Honorable Mention All-District: Pierce Buchan, Sebastien
Moffitt, Flavia
Sophomore Kye Wehby covers his face as the Regional Final ends at Turner Stadium. The game finished in a 0-0 tie with the Panthers losing to Lake Creek, 4-1, on penalty kicks. Photo by Zachary Ford.
Senior Chase Bennett celebrates after scoring a goal against Port Arthur Memorial in the second round of the playoffs. Photo by Zachary Ford.
Senior Grant Jimerson dribbles the ball down the field as a Port Arthur Memorial defender is on his back. Photo by Zachary Ford.
Kicking it as a family
Sophomore Rafael Hall sacrifices for soccer.
By Sydney Ortiz Sports Editor
ophomore Rafael Hall only has to look a few yards away to see his 2-year-old brother sitting on the sidelines cheering his name. It doesn’t matter if it is a soccer game or practice, Gael Hall is always there.
Hall plays in the elite soccer development league MLS Next, practicing or playing six days a week.
The 5-foot-9 defensive midfielder has been a steady presence the past three years in the starting lineup for Global Football Innovation Academy. The Under-16 squad is one of the best club teams in the region. This year, Hall participated in the ODP national pool in Orlando and attended Mexico National Team invitational tryouts in Toluca, Mexico. He even trained with a professional team in Spain in August.
He missed 21 days of school in the first semester while playing soccer in Spain, California, Tennessee and Maryland.
With so much travel and so much soccer, the main constants in his days have been his parents and his little brother.
“They’ve sacrificed so much for me,” Hall said. “They have very little free time because of driving me to practices and driving me to games that are very far away.”
One of the places Hall wishes he could play but hasn’t is Kingwood Park. His club team’s rules do not allow it. Without high school soccer, mostly just parents and scouts line the sidelines at Hall’s games.
That is one reason why Gael has been such a fun addition to his cheering squad.
Gael is his favorite fan and passing partner – even if Gael is a little too young to know exactly what he’s doing. Hall spends as much free time as he can with Gael. Of course, kicking a ball is sometimes involved.
“I want him to feel included because I know we have a large age gap, and I don’t want that to affect our relationship,” Hall said.
During the first 12 years of Hall’s life he was an only child, but he always wanted a little sibling. When he found out he was going to be a big brother, Hall was thrilled.
Gael by his side – or on the sidelines – is a bright spot in days often filled with the stress of high expectations he has set for himself at soccer and school.
Handling both has taken a careful balancing act. To avoid late nights, Hall attempts to finish as much schoolwork as possible during his classes.
“He’s learned the workload at school started to be bigger when he was in middle school,” his dad Andy Hall said. “I think he learned how to take advantage of times that he could be just sitting around at school.”
Maintaining a high GPA and
playing a key role on GFI’s Under-16 team takes most of his time.
“I almost have zero time to hang out with friends, so when someone asks me I have to let them down, and I always feel really bad about that,” Hall said.
Spending time with friends was a sacrifice Hall made when deciding to play competitively.
Since he was young, Hall sought competition. During recess in elementary school he would always play soccer. By 10 years old, Hall had attempted almost every sport possible. He ultimately decided to play soccer, because he liked the team aspect and thought it was the coolest sport.
Being competitive taught him many lessons. When he was younger, Hall struggled with being too hard on himself.
“Even though he was one of the best players on the field, if he made a bad pass he would mentally crumble,” Andy said.
Both parents pitched in to help Rafael get over the mental barrier. His mom Yamel Hall grew up playing tennis. His dad grew up playing soccer. They met as student-athletes at the University of Montevallo. With each of his parents’ unique experiences in the sports world, they taught him different techniques to get over the
The Hall family (Rafael, Yamel, Gael, Andy) make a number of sacrifices to make sure Rafael is able to travel and play soccer at an elite level. Photo submitted by Rafael Hall.
psychological battles he endured.
His mom had the opportunity to work with a sports psychologist at Montevallo. She used some of the lessons she learned during that time with Rafael to help him overcome those barriers.
His father helped teach him how to just enjoy the game and look at it differently.
As Hall has worked through his struggles, his parents have seen major growth,
“He has become more mature in knowing that ‘I’m going to make mistakes and that’s OK because I’m more than this mistake. I can provide more than this. I can overcome more than this on the field and off it,’” his mom said. “He has done tremendous work on that.”
Some of that growth is evident in the way he enjoys and appreciates having his little brother Gael and his parents nearby at every game and practice.
Hall hopes to play in college at SMU and study engineering. Part of Hall’s draw to SMU is its consistency as one of the nation’s top soccer programs and its academics. Being in Dallas is also an added benefit. While Hall wants to play soccer professionally, he never wants distance to break his bond with Gael.
Hall cannot imagine a soccer game without Gael on the sidelines yelling his name. And when Gael is the one playing, Hall doesn’t want to miss a game. He plans to be as much of a fixture on the sidelines of Gael’s games as Gael has been for him.
Dakoda Dement sets new record, chases bigger shot put goals
By Cameron Minatrea Staff Writer
Junior Dakoda Dement is already off to a hot start this track season. He set a new school shot put record with a throw of 54 feet 7 inches at the Viktor Lopez Classic at Rice University last weekend. His throw surpassed the previous record by 6.5 inches set by Josh Bloom in 2012. Dement hopes to just keep increasing his distance as the season continues.
Q: What do you think made you get to that point where you could break the record?
A: “Really, it just came down to me just working and getting better, self-improvement. Ever since I’ve ever walked into the school, I was like, Oh, there’s a record. I want to break it.”
Q: Now that your name is on the wall, do you think that you can break it again?
A: “Oh, for sure. I mean, in my eyes, it’s not a record anymore. It’s a PR. And PR is meant to be broken. I have a whole year ahead just to work and improve and keep doing what I do. And I should be able to break my own PR. It’s not just a school record anymore. I already got that. But I got to work on myself, and I’m not just working to get myself on a plaque anymore. It’s working to improve myself.”
Q: What are some different things you worked on in the offseason that helped you get to this point?
A: “In the offseason, I kinda just stuck to what I knew. I got on my grind. I was in my own headspace. I stuck to doing what I do because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Q: What was your mindset the day you broke the record?
A: “I was excited. At the Caney Creek meet, I threw like 6.5 inches under the record. I was like, Oh, I really need this. Then two meets after that, I couldn’t perform. I was throwing under what I should have been doing. Then I feel like something clicked inside of my head. I was talking with my coach, and I was like, “Wait, what if I get my right hip just through just a tad bit more?” If you just work on the tiny things, they could give you the greatest results.”
Q: What do you think, by the end of your senior year, what is your main goal for shot put?
A: “At the very absolute most, 65 feet is my goal. It’s ambitious, but that’s if everything goes perfectly. Last year, I was doing 45. Now, I’m doing almost 55. That’s 10 In a year.”
Rafael Hall dribbles the soccer ball in his driveway when he was younger. By age 10, he had played almost every sport. But soccer was his favorite.
Photo submitted by Rafael Hall.
Junior Dakoda Dement screams toward his teammates after realizing he had thrown a personal record in the shot put at the Caney Creek meet. He went on to break the school record in the same event just a few weeks later. Photo by Rocco Huerta.
Boost in safety worth minor inconvenience
On Tuesday morning, students were required to pass through weapon detectors on their way into school for the first time. Leading up to the installation of the weapon detectors, many students were wary of the decision because of the delays and inconvenience they could cause. Long lines were expected to get into school, and administrators even warned us that it might take longer than usual to get inside the building.
STAFF EDITORIAL
necessary items got in quickly. The only time students struggled with delays is if their bag set off the detector. They had to go to a table, have their backpacks searched, and then sent back to go through the EVOLV system again.
Tuesday morning, however, proved that those fears may have been exaggerated. The weapon detectors ran pretty smoothly, and the long lines that other schools in the district have seen after the installation were not present at Kingwood Park. Students who removed all of the
The slight inconvenience is worth the safety and security the weapons detectors provide. In the past four years or so, Kingwood Park has seen gun threats and even an instance of a student bringing a weapon to school. While administration and campus police have dealt with these kinds of situations before, the weapon detectors provide an additional level of security, so hopefully those kinds of situations, or worse, will not arise in the future. Administration told students ahead of time to remove threering binders, laptops, umbrellas, and eyeglass cases, as these items
Kingwood Park TIMES
April 2025
Volume 11, Issue 5 Kingwood, Texas 77339
EDITORS
Fallon Head, editor-in-chief
Kaitlyn Sitton, editor-in-chief
Tricia Darcy, visuals editor
Sydney Ortiz, sports editor
STAFF WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Olivia Brenner, Chase Canlas, Preston Carpenter, Soleil Cavallo, Shawn Chaney, Jack Coffey, Jacob Dinh, Zachary Ford, Emerson Harris, Rocco Huerta, Jordan Hutchinson, Michelle Klanke, Rionna Martin, Emily McKithern, Cameron Minatrea, Danielle Nalley, Pilar Retamales, Bishop Scott, Claire Slaydon, Paisley Thomas, Marie Wakefield.
Adviser: Megan Ortiz
Cover: Drawing by Shelby Townsend
will set off the detectors. Some unlucky students seem to be finding that other items such as their spiral notebooks or small, metal tins also set the alarm off, but this is not the case for all students. While it is annoying to have to go back through the weapon detectors, sometimes multiple times, students will learn with time what to remove from their backpacks and how to get through the detectors quickly.
Students should be able to feel safe at school, and the temporary learning curve of the otherwise efficient weapon detectors is worth the security and peace of mind that they provide to students and staff, knowing that our campus is weapon-free.
KP MEDIA EDITORIAL POLICY
KP Media is the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by KP Media students. KP Media has been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may – and should –coach and discuss content during the writing process.
Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of KP Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.
The media will serve the best interest of the students and faculty of Kingwood Park High School, keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the media itself.
All writing in the media, other than letters to the editor in the newsmagazine, will be written by students of the journalism program and will not be accepted otherwise.
The media will specialize in and emphasize on informing their readers of school news and unique students of the Kingwood Park High School community.
The media will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the school community, and includes local angles.
The media will strive to provide coverage to all school organizations and functions.
Any decisions affecting the publications on all levels will be made by the editorial board, the adviser is allowed to give legal advice and his/her opinion, but the final decision rests in the hands of the editorial board.
Only the editorial board may prevent material it judges to be in violation of the media editorial policy, from being printed.
Letters to editor will be printed in the opinion section of the newspaper or on the website. Letters to editor should not exceed 300 words, must be signed and must include writer’s address and phone number for verification. Letters to the editor will be verified by a member of the editorial board to determine the authenticity of the writer.
The school newspaper will be distributed free of charge to all students every 6-8 weeks. The paper is completely financed by advertising revenues and fundraising. The money raised is used to pay for the school media printing costs, supplies and other media expenses.
See the entire staff editorial policy at KPTimes.com
Senior Nathanael Maskow has his bag searched by health science teacher Leanna Rockwell on Tuesday when the Evolv weapon detectors were implemented at the entrances to the school. Photo by Fallon Head.
‘Sunrise’ adds history to Hunger Games franchise
Iremember when I got my first Hunger Games book. It was the eve of a very long car ride, and my parents wisely bestowed upon me a gleaming, beautiful, pristine and perfect 25th edition Hunger Games set.
Needless to say, each book was subsequently devoured in a ravenous fashion. And then again. And again. I must have read them all at least 10 times.
By Marie Wakefield
Even in the present day, though they rest lovingly on my bookshelf, they are no longer pristine. They have been read to death. And the same is true for the later “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
I bought a brand new hardcover of “Sunrise on the Reaping” from Amazon. It’s still pristine. And, sadly, it’ll remain somewhere in that range. It’ll be read again, but not to collapse. The book jacket will stay firmly on. The binding will not be ripped almost beyond repair due to years of excessive reading.
If it were a normal book by a mediocre author, I would not be holding it to such a high standard.
But “Sunrise” isn’t a normal book, and Suzanne Collins is a transcendent literary genius, one of the best authors of our time, and I know this book could have been better. I’ve read and reread every single one of her books to know that’s the case.
And this one just felt so forced and rushed. Haymitch’s voice just isn’t right. Collins writes Katniss and Snow’s voices almost effortlessly, but there seemed to be some struggle in writing in Haymitch’s voice. It just didn’t read with the ease I’ve been used to.
The plot as well was a bit… loopy. It was all over the place, and too much focus was put on
the beginning and not enough in the actual arena.
Also, Haymitch had an inconsistently written character. One minute he’s proclaiming that he will never play the Capitol’s game, and the next, he’s happily killing his opponents. He didn’t have a clear underlying motive and a proper explanation when his motive switched.
It’s also not exactly plausibly defensible with the other books. For example, in the first chapter we discover that the Capitol doesn’t broadcast live to the other districts. Instead, the video airs five minutes later and they can edit out anything in those five minutes.
So, all of Katniss Everdeen’s “inflammatory” acts on the screen that inspired rebellion could have just been edited out all this time, therefore preventing the districts from rising up and destroying the Hunger Games.
Major plot hole. Maybe it can be elaborately explained why it could work, but once you have to get into the weeds to explain it, you’ve made it too complicated and you’ve failed.
Now, in all fairness, it had its
good points.
Suzanne Collins is very, very good at writing setting. It’s a component that is present in her books and will be strong no matter the plot. And this book was no exception. It wasn’t the grunge setting of the Games we saw in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” or the posh dystopia in the original trilogy, but somewhere nestled comfortably and plausibly in between.
Most people I’ve talked too have really liked all the references to characters. And I did too. It lends a bit more relevance to the story and adds depth to some previously one-dimensional characters. There are even some origin stories peppered in. It made me smile or gasp aloud when I recognized a name or a calling card. It made it more fun to read. I even skimmed through “Catching Fire” again after I finished just to see it with new backstoried eyes. However, as plentiful and satisfying references are, they can’t substitute for quality plot, character development and tone. I don’t love Suzanne Collins or her books any less, but this just didn’t reach her typical standards.
WHAT’S HOT?
Minecraft Movie. Chicken Jockey!
Senior assassin. This is getting intense.
Butter yellow. It’s the color of the year.
Summer. Just a couple months away.
Headphones. Sometimes some noise barriers are required, and the music is always great.
Nacho line. There’s a reason the line is out the door.
WHAT’S NOT?
PDA. You are not in a romcom, please stop.
AP tests. Fingers crossed I earn credit.
Weather. It’s cold in April...what’s happening?
Allergies. Why is pollen everywhere?
Offseason workouts. Why are there so many smells in the athletic hallway?
The latest Hunger Games book takes readers back to the 50th Hunger Games, which focuses on Haymitch Abernathy’s experience as a tribute from District 12. The book takes place 24 years before the original “Hunger Games” book. Photo by Marie Wakefield.
Ticket to Hogwarts
Harry Potter’s world comes to life in dream trip.
My dream came true. I am a big Harry Potter fan, but in Germany we don’t have many things you can visit that are about Harry Potter. So I just went with my family to an exhibition with some of the costumes and props from the films, and I watched “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” three times.
Because of this, I was very excited when my host family told me that they were planning to travel to the Universal Studios-Orlando Resort in Florida during my exchange year.
BY MICHELLE KLANKE
At the beginning of January, the time had finally come. My host mother, my two host sisters and I went to Orlando. I was really nervous and excited to find out if it was really as good as everybody says. The first thing we did when we arrived was going to Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. When I walked into Diagon Alley I felt like Harry Potter when he first saw Diagon Alley. There were so many details.
For me, it was like I was going to shop for things for Hogwarts for the first time. Gringotts looked so real that I was ready to go to my vault and get my Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. The fire-breathing dragon on top of Gringotts transported me to the scene when Harry, Ron and Hermione broke out of Gringotts. Knockturn Alley was so dark that you couldn’t really see where you were going, and I had the feeling that a Death Eater could come across me at any time.
Hogsmeade was really beautiful. It felt like I was on a Hogsmeade weekend from Hogwarts. I really liked the snow on the roofs, especially because it was cold, so it
didn’t seem fake and it gave a magical appearance.
The shops were also amazing. The design inside, outside and in the shop windows have so many details that you can never see all of them. I also really liked the merchandise that you can buy in the shops. At Ollivander’s you can buy wands, at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions you can buy robes and other clothes and at Honeydukes you can buy sweets.
When I finally saw Hogwarts, it was like my dreams came true. It was beautiful and looked exactly like the movies. The waiting area from “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” was where I felt like I was finally a student at Hogwarts. I loved the details, like in one room the four founders were talking as paintings and the mandrakes in the greenhouses. You could even see the Fat Lady painting before you entered the Gryffindor common room.
At “Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure,” I loved that
it had magical creatures from the books, like a silver unicorn and a golden foal unicorn. When I read about the Blast-Ended Skrewts in the books I could never imagine how they looked, so I liked that they were built into this ride. I really appreciate that the people who built the Harry Potter World showed that they have read the books and are not just using things from the movies.
In the Harry Potter parks, you can do spells with the wands they sell. After I bought a wand, I was really excited to try the spells. My host sister, Josie, is also a big Harry Potter fan. We tried to do all of the spells in both parks. It was sometimes difficult to activate the spells, but that made it more exciting if it worked. Some of the spells were hidden and that was more difficult because you didn’t know what movement you had to do.
The Universal Orlando Resort, especially the Harry Potter World, was better than what I expected and was one of the highlights of my whole exchange year.
5Things to do at Harry Potter World
Asan avid Harry Potter fan, I was very excited to experience all the parks had to offer during a four-day period. These are my Top 10 things you must do when you visit Harry Potter World.
1. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - Best ride in the Universal Orlando Resort. It is a mixture of techniques and puppets, which makes it so real. In the waiting area, it’s like you are inside of Hogwarts.
2. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure - With many creatures from the books, it is good for fans of the Harry Potter books. It is also a really good roller coaster, because the speed changes, you are going backwards and there is a drop. When I rode it for the second time, I sat in the front and it was so much fun.
3. Hogwarts Express - As a connection between the park, it is definitely worth a visit for Harry Potter fans. Especially the way from platform nine and three quarters is really good, because it includes scenes from the films.
4. Ollivander’s Experience - During this show, you’re watching a child, who is chosen by a wand. It really feels like you’re in the first movie.
5. “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” - This show is especially for fans, who read “The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” because it brings the tale of the three brothers to life with puppets and masks.
Exchange student Michelle Klanke enjoys the Hogwarts Express at Universal Studios in Orlando. Photo submitted by Michelle Klanke.
Netflix needs to make changes as popularity falls
Netflix isn’t what it used to be. Netflix used to have full-length shows and good acting. Now you have to wait months for part two of a season, and they’re normally shows that take years to come out.
For example, “Bridgerton:” How are you going to take a year and a half to make a season and then split it into two separate parts? “Stranger Things” has taken three years to come out with a season five and it still doesn’t have an official release date.
“YOU” season 4 came out in 2023, which was (surprise, surprise) also split up into two parts. All of these shows are good in my opinion. They have an entertaining storyline and decent acting. These are fan favorite shows, but it gets to a point that people lose interest when you take years to make an eight to 10 episode season.
It seems like instead of making quality shows, they’re more focused on making money. I mean Netflix increases their prices every year. You can’t even have multiple accounts that aren’t within your household. Along with the new Netflix mobile games, Netflix added live events that always seem to crash, like the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight as
By Paisley Thomas
well as the WWE Monday Night RAW. It feels like Netflix is trying to stay relevant with all of these bells and whistles instead of making quality content with quality actors.
Netflix has shows that are incredible but decide to cancel them because they “didn’t get enough attraction.” If anything, Netflix needs to listen to their audience and bring certain shows back, like “The Society,” “Everything Sucks” and “I Am Not Okay With This.” They drag the worst shows out. Meanwhile, the good ones are either limited series, take eons to be produced or are quickly canceled.
They spend their money making seasons upon seasons of poor TV shows and movies. Then when they see that a show is successful they run it into the ground with spin off after spin off, instead of making another show with the same great qualities. At this point Netflix is the new CW.
Weapon detection bag check
By Shelby Townsend
By Claire Slaydon
Netflix
LAST LOOK
Ahighlight of Physics class each year is when students build their own boats and then race them across the pool. This year was no different with each boat finding out quickly if it was going to sink or succeed.
Juniors Ethan Hundley and Daniel Goains cheer as they win the last tiebreaker of the day, after losing the first race and tying in the second against the “Pink Pony” boat. Photo by Jacob Dinh.
Physics teacher Glenn Taylor looks toward the crowd with shock as two teams tied. Around him, the two teams argue who’s the actual winner. Photo by Fallon Head.
Juniors Emily Le and Brooke Bowman push their way across the water in a close race with the other team. Le chanted “Row, row, row” as the team tried to stay in sync during the race. Photo by Fallon Head.
Senior Jake Garza and junior Libby Bicknell try to keep their boat from sinking. Photo by Preston Carpenter.
Juniors Logan Bear and Dylan Bodkin paddle during the race during fourth period. Photo by Preston Carpenter.