The Paw Print - November 2018

NOVEMber/ 2018

The Paw Print MY DSHS STUDENT MEDIA - DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX - VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 2 SNAPCHAT MYDSHSSNAPS

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Bring on the PLAYOFFS Meraki Mic Night Tuesday November 6 6 PM - 8 PM DSHS Library Refreshments will be provided Open to all DSHS students and staff.

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NEWS

November, 2018

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Young Writer Chosen as Winner in 2018 Texas Teen Book Festival In early September, sophomore Gabrielle Avena entered the 2018 Texas Teen Book Festival “We Need Diverse Books” essay contest with her piece titled “Yearning to Breathe Free”. The essay contest, “The Hero I Want to See”, focuses on the lack of diversity in books that teens are reading and prompts participants to talk about the kinds of protagonists that they would like to read about. After two weeks of eager anticipation, the results were announced and Avena was announced as one of the 30 winners.

Photo by Makayla Banton Avena first learned about the contest through English teacher Sara-Jane Sheppard, who emailed her over the summer to encourage her to enter the competition.

“Ms. Sheppard has always been really good about getting me involved with writing activities that I really enjoy,” Avena said. “I’m more grateful for her support than words can convey.”

In the weeks following the contest, after not receiving a congratulatory email during the time period in which winners were supposed to be notified, Avena had little expectations of winning and was surprised with the good news when the emails were sent out later.

“If you want a bit of flowery prose you could say bits of [disbelief, exhilaration] skyrocketed my heart into the stratosphere,” Avena joked. “If you want a normal, more

Jade Berry

literal response you could also say I was an News and Entertainment incoherent mess for the rest of the evening.”

The prompt Editor of the essay contest asked writers to describe what they each would like to see as a representation of themselves, and as a result Avena’s essay was written not to give a message to the public, but to send a message to herself.

“The central issue of my essay is one I question constantly, and I think writing in such a forceful and confident way helped me accept its very existence,” Avena explained. “I don’t imagine that my essay will somehow inspire an author to write a solution to my problem; that seems more to me like something I’ll have to do myself.”

The success of her writing in this competition has provided Avena with a sense of validation, not only in her writing itself but in the subject of her writing as well.

“The knowledge that there’s really something here, that it’s enough to go even or only this far, it gives me hope that fuels my will to continue,” Avena said.

Writing is an important aspect of Avena’s daily life in more ways than might meet the eye: previous works and authors have lent a hand to her character and her passion for writing, and she fully intends to pursue it as a career.

“More than expression, it’s communication,” Avena said. “Compared to the complexities of more regular human interaction, speaking through written words has a level of control that I greatly prefer. Above all, writing allows me to let go of my anxieties and be a more honest person.”

“In the end, all I want to see is myself. Humans are selfish in that wayaching for centricity from how we arrange the cosmos to our belief in full control over our conscious minds.”

-Gabrielle Avena

Cadence Russell Staff Writer

It’s a Queens Court

Photo provided by Faith by Baxter

On Oct. 7, the Hays County Queens Court awarded seniors Emily Brown, Ashley Smith, and Kaitlyn Baker the title of duchess while giving junior Faith Baxter the title of princess.

“Being the princess means that all my work has paid off in a sense,” Baxter said. “That even though I didn’t

make it in my freshman or sophomore year, I really do deserve to be here this year, and that I am good at what I’m doing, and I’m trying hard.”

The main goal of the Queen’s Court is to be a mentorship program for rising Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4H members, and help them lead their livestock during almost every Hays County FFA event so that they can show to the best of their ability.

“Queen’s Court was a really big thing,” Brown said. “Being a queen in the livestock show is just super cool, and you look up to those girls, and they get to hand out ribbons and wear crowns. It doesn’t seem like much but it’s cool.”

The Queen’s Court also gives the students opportunities to volunteer in their community, and each person on the team has something they are working on to help the court reach their goal.

“To me, [being on the court] means that I was selected. They think that I’m worthy of this, so I need to give to the best of my ability and my best self to that team,” Baker said.

The process to be selected for the court is extremely difficult; a candidate must have a good academic standing, be well versed in agricultural knowledge, be a

good person, and show willingness to volunteer within the community.

“There’s an application that has about seven questions on it, and you have to submit a resumé, and you have a personal interview with a panel of three judges,” Baxter said.

Applicants are scored separately in each section, which is later culminated together for a final score, resulting in the highest as queen, the second as princess, and so on.

The state of Texas has the largest number of chapters in FFA with 1,032 total chapters and 115,941 members involved, meaning the importance of positive roles models for these students is really vital when there are so many of them.

“I love FFA because it’s not just a club that you’re in, it really is a family,” Baxter said. “FFA is one of the largest student-led organizations in the world, and everyone who is in FFA has this love for FFA and for agriculture.”

Every student on the Queen’s Court is heavily involved with the school’s chapter: Baker is the high school’s FFA President, Smith is the vice-president, Baxter is the secretary, and Brown is the student advisor.

“What I really love about FFA is that I get to advocate for agriculture,” Baxter said. “Not everyone who’s in FFA has grown up in agriculture, but they do see the beauty and the importance of agriculture.”

Amnesty International Creates Refugee Awareness Project

During October, the new Amnesty International club worked on a project aiming to educate students and staff about the refugee crisis by cutting out paper people and displaying them in The Paw. “We’re trying to explain to people the magnitude of the issue, because a lot of the time in our daily lives, it doesn’t really affect us, especially living in Dripping Springs,” senior and club president Lily Sethre-Brink said.

“And so, [we’re] really trying to make it real for people.”

The refugee problem is at an all-time high with around 68.5 million displaced persons - 22.5 million of those are refugees.

“We did it to scale,” Sethre-Brink said. “We have about 800 different paper people; the goal is to tape them together and hang them up with some statistics about it [to] inform people [about the issue] and have the exhibit be eye-catching so that people will talk about it.”

The club started off with about 280 sheets of paper with eight paper people per page, and over the course of several days, the club came together during lunches, after school, and before school to cut them out with some members even taking sheets home to work on.

Each paper person represents 300,000 refugees. The club also has one person with red-colored in feet that represents the 45,000 refugee quota the U.S. has in place.

“Ideally, it will get people motivated to help and try to address this crisis from where we are in the world,” Urgent

Action Coordinator senior Ryan Nowicki said.

Amnesty International is a global, nongovernmental organization with over 7 million supporters and members.

“There’s not a huge leadership overhead, so it’s mostly

Cadence Russell Staff Writer

[is important] and we should say that this isn’t a privilege; this is a right.”

The club has already contacted state representatives this year along with looking into having a guest speaker to come talk about the refugee crisis.

“I think a lot of people don’t know what’s going on in the world, so I think that the other point is to educate,” Sethre-Brink said.

The club meets on certain Thursdays in the morning in A.102. An information board at the back of the classroom has different ways to get in contact with the club and all the things Amnesty International is doing.

“It’s just basically saving human lives and enforcing human rights - just what we believe to be natural born rights,” sophomore Sofia Albini said. “There aren’t many opportunities within our school to contribute to things like that and in ways like Amnesty is.”

reliant on people going out and actually taking action,” Sethre-Brink said. “And, to me, I think it’s one of the most unique organizations, because a lot of them just ask for your money, but this one gives you concrete actions that you can do.”

Amnesty International isn’t just focused on the refugee crisis; they are also working on other human rights issues like gender, sexuality, identity protection, and ending gun violence.

“I think that for me, we’re all humans. We all have human rights that you are born with, they’re inalienable,” Sethre-Brink said. “I think that educating people on that

Photos by Cady Russell

NEWS

NOVEMBER, 2018

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Youth and Government Club Continues Mellen Growth, Standard of Excellence Mckenzie Contributing Writer The Youth and Government club allows students to learn about the different branches of government through simulation activities. There are different sections in which students can participate, including trial court, appellate court, legislative, state affairs, and various types of political media. The club meets on Wednesday mornings, while two separate judicial groups have a meeting on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings.

The club is focused on preparations for district competition on Nov. 10 and fundraising for state competition at the end of January. Legislative participants like president Addie Mae Villas are writing mock legislation in preparation for their section. Villas is also running for Youth Governor of Texas Youth and Government.

After state competition, the focus will shift toward community service projects.

“To go to district, even if you don’t make it to state, it’s really good real life experience,” second year witness sophomore Mckayla Mellen said. “[You get to] compete with other people and do it professionally.”

There are two different courts in state in which members can qualify - the high court and a lower court. Once qualified for the higher court, participants have a chance of going to nationals. Additional benefits from participation include a letterman jacket after two years and a graduation cord honoring involvement with the organization.

Youth and government has been around for 70 years in the state of Texas through the YMCA. The organization would promote activities on their web site when several students seven years ago discovered the opportunities and just

participated in Youth and Government on their own.

“I’ve been doing it for four or five years now, and originally there was an English teacher who was with me, but she moved away,” Jerri Ybarra, sponsor and social studies teacher, said. “So, for a while, I had to go it alone, until I brought in Mr. Bixby.”

Ever since Ybarra has been a part of the program, they’ve had at least one person go to state each year, even though they use to just have a handful of students participating. They have since expanded and had a year where they reached 16 students and qualified all of them three years ago.

“I’ve never done this before, so I don’t have much experience, but I know the attorneys are preparing questions and preparing the witnesses,” first year witness sophomore Ella Johnson said. “They come up to us and say, ‘Here is what you’re

supposed to be doing, here’s what you might want to be doing in response to this, here’s what you definitely don’t want to say, here’s how you want to be acting,’ and stuff like that.”

There are multiple aspects to Youth and Government and a variety of preparations under way for district. There are witnesses and attorneys in a trial court, and they all have their roles to play, but new roles in the club further exemplify the growth in the program.

“We have two broadcast media competitors and, for the first time, this year, we have a photojournalist,” Ybarra said.

Several students are also competing as judges. The numerous opportunities show students the paths in government that might not be as obvious.

“It’s pretty interesting,” Johnson said. “I like it because it’s a new perspective on things.”

FEATURES NOVEMBER, 2018

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Turning the Next Page

Q&A with Alice Massara, Italian Foreign Exchange Student

Madeline Tredway As his professor

rambled about something he could understand but did not want to pay attention to, a young Travis Crain mindlessly wrote poetry in the back of the room. After all, it wasn’t as if he would publish it. Little did he know, he would do that exact thing years later, his 38-year-old self directly contradicting the kid in the back of the room.

In late July this past summer, creative writing teacher and basketball coach Travis Crain published an anthology of his poetry entitled The Back Pages. The book, along with the publication process he details, drew positive reactions from students and faculty alike and fulfilled a lifelong dream of Crain’s.

“I had this collection of stuff,” Crain said.

“Stuff that was always there, stuff that I always liked, and why not put that out there?”

Crain wrote these poems in college during lectures, and although he recognizes

that his style had not fully developed by then, he views the poems as valuable insight into his younger self.

“It’s a snapshot of me ages 22-24,” Crain said. “I’m able to look and reflect, and it’s interesting to look back at that window of what was going on with me at that time.”

Crain also feels he gains more by manually editing these poems in the present.

“I’m lucky to be able to edit them now that I’m in my 30s,” Crain said. “I enjoyed finding the ones that still had meaning to me.”

Although Crain was slightly apprehensive at the prospect of broadcasting his work to a student population, especially considering his students consist mostly of those with sports backgrounds, he was at times overwhelmed by the support from the student body.

“Everyone has been really cool, which is awesome,” Crain said.

“You never know how that’s going to play out with poetry.”

As far as familial support goes, Crain has felt nothing but warmth from his relatives, something he views as a virtue.

“I asked my wife when it came out, ‘How many do I need to sell for you to not think this was a complete waste?’”

Crain said, laughing.

“She said 10, and we sold 10 in the first week.”

Crain reflected on a specific conversation with his grandfather, a man in his late 80s, concerning his poem entitled “A Lesson from my Grandfather”. “[The poem] is based on an actual conversation I had with my grandpa when I was 8,” Crain said. “I took it and distorted it, made it a poem, and he read it. To have him tell me how proud he was is a memory I will cherish forever.”

Crain regards his published anthology as a longing to do something he had wanted to do for forever; moreover, he felt as if his time was running out.

“My son’s growing up,” Crain said. “I realized at some point I’m going to stop being Travis Crain and start being [my son’s] dad. If I’m going to do things, I need to do them.”

Crain encourages not only his students, but writers everywhere, to stop letting their stories collect dust and to instead share them with the world.

“My only hope is that someone reads it and finds at least one or two poems they connect with,” Crain said. “If that happens, I’ve done my job.”

Why did you decide to participate in a foreign exchange program?

Well, I’ve always loved to travel, and that was a big, big experience. I’ve always been afraid, like people will tell me, you know English, so you should try and do it, but I’ve always been very, very afraid, but then I started thinking about it, and I feel like when I really started thinking about it, I decided that I wanted to do that.

How is it different here than from Italy?

Everything is different, like school.

Here you stay basically all day at school, and you do everything at school. You stay here for classes, and then you have electives, and then you have sports and clubs and stuff like that. We don’t have that. We just have, in the morning, classes, and then you go home and if you want to do something like a sport or something like that you have to find it on your own and organize it on your own. It’s not something that the school enrolls you in, so it’s really cool here.

just a little thing, but people in the hallways, if they see some shoes and they like it, they’ll say, ‘Oh, I like your shoes, and in Italy, it’s not like that. People just don’t talk to each other [that way].

What did you expect America to be like?

I expected it to be pretty much how it is, because I always see movies, and it’s always like high school is a big thing, school spirit, football games, and all this cool extracurricular stuff. So I expected it to be like that, but even if I expected it would be like, a big thing, it’s even better, because it’s important and people take you seriously. If you want to take a sport, people take you seriously, so yeah, I like it.

What are some things you find interesting about Dripping Springs?

I feel like, here, the people are really welcoming, and there are some great opportunities.

Everything is different, but in all [of] the United States it’s different. Here, people are really welcoming, and they want to know about you and where you’re from, and they want to talk. It’s

In Good Health Madeline Tredway

“They came into the emergency room, and their arm was completely mutilated, almost ripped off, from the car accident.”

The entire class gasps and cringes at the thought, rubbing their arms as if to make sure they’re still there.

Jessica Chambers, Health Science teacher and past respiratory therapist, is teaching the class about first aid.

She provides them with a harrowing personal anecdote that is nothing less than the actual experience of a medical professional, a motif that will be constant in the class.

Beginning this school year, Health Science Tech II has undergone a name change from the aforementioned to Health Science Practicum. What hasn’t changed, however, is the impact it has on the students taking that class and the quintessential experience garnered by future doctors and nurses.

“It’s one of the most rewarding experiences I can have as a student,” junior Eliana Glenn said.

Health Science Practicum is a higher level Health Science class that focuses more on giving students

experience rather than knowledge of vocabulary, with a selection process that reflects the value of the class.

“The students have to go through a selection process that includes a lot of interviews and research on your grades,” Glenn said.

Glenn classifies Health Science Practicum as extremely hands-on in terms of the things they learn.

“It’s definitely for someone who’s serious about being a medical professional in the future,” Glenn said.

According to Glenn, the class helps students gain direct exposure to the medical world rather than just learn about the human body.

“We actually go to assisted living facilities and help out the patients there,” Glenn said.

Health Science Practicum students go to many different institutions and facilities during the year in order to launch themselves into their future careers.

“Later in the year, we get to Seton, the hospital in Austin, and we get to spend time there,” Glenn said.

At Seton, they can utilize what they have learned by shadowing doctors.

Students Take the Stage

“This class isn’t for people who have an inclination toward health science,” Glenn said. “It’s hands-on learning that you’re only going to value if you plan to be a medical professional.”

Glenn highly recommends the class for those who do plan to be doctors and is adamant about the unique experience she has gained.

“We get to demonstrate and show our teacher how we’ve been learning,” Glenn said. “As a person who plans to be a health professional, it’s incredibly aweinspiring.”

Are You a Gourd or a Pumpkin?

TAKE THE QUIZ NOW!

By Samantha Moore

Walking onto the stage, the adrenaline is going, and students prepare to open up like books to a room of welcoming strangers.

Meraki Mic Night is an event hosted by the creative writing department where people have the opportunity to perform and share their art.

“They should expect to hear things that make them cry, make them laugh, give them a [mix] of emotions that allows them to have a really cool evening,” Travis Crain, Creative Writing teacher, said This will be the sixth Meraki Mic Night that the creative writing program has held.

“It’s a safe place where you can come and show people what you have to offer and come out of your comfort zone,” junior Madison Johnsen said. “I think it will be fun to have people get involved with the Meraki and come and share their work.”

Crain believes that the Meraki Mic Night represents the program as a whole as well as the students’ desire to broadcast their work to a wider audience.

“I really want students to have an intrinsic want to read their work,” Crain said. “That’s an essential part of being a writer.”

This year at Meraki Mic Night, a variety of poems, short stories, art, music, etc. will fall into the spotlight.

“I never want anything we do in here to be a rinse and repeat, where we just recycle stuff,” Crain said.

“So we are really critical on what has worked and what hasn’t worked, what we can do to improve, how can we change the set up, and how we can make it a great experience for people.”

The Meraki Mic Night will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 6 in the high school library.

“I participated in the one two years ago,” senior Leanna Cobb said. “I helped plan and set up before, and I performed.”

The advanced creative writing class has worked to plan and make changes in an effort to improve the event.

“There will be some changes with where the stage is at and how we handle people that are getting ready,” Crain said. “We are always trying to refine it a little bit.”

The Meraki books from past years will sell for 5 dollars at the event.

“It’s a form of expressions,” Cobb said. “[It’s] having the confidence to share with all those people.”

QR codes line the hallways at school requesting submissions of original works at the Meraki Mic Night.

“I feel like if we can leave that person thinking,” Crain said, “if we can leave them impressed with what they heard that night and give them a wide range of emotions, that’s a good day.”

OPINION

November, 2018

What is CAM?

Any type of Complementary and alternative Alternative Medicine medicine practice Yoga that is either used with or in place of western medicine A comprehensive system of postures and breathing for well-being

Diet Therapy A tailored combination of specific foods and drinks for patients Ayurveda of specific illnesses to A traditional reduce science that side dates back effects 5,000 years, and designed to improve bring the body into overall well- balance so being it can heal itself from indisposition

Although astrology dates back thousands of years, today 70 percent of people read their horoscope and 51 percent of people value its advice according to a poll taken by The Conversation.

However, it’s been proven that now our astrology signs don’t even match up with the present day alignment of the planets. So why do over half of the people in numerous surveys still agree that their sign matches their personality?

Astrology is an unreliable way to lead our life and even pressures people to act a certain way. Star signs tend to categorize us into who we should be, instead of giving us a deeper

connection with the world.

Psychology has proven that conforming to a narrow set of ideas can decrease the probability of new ideas to be formed. Our society has a large effect on this. If everyone else agrees with an idea and follows it, that idea is less likely to be questioned or debated by others.

So if one person believes that their astrological sign relates to them exactly, or predicts their

future, another will be less likely to think otherwise.

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Jami Holmes Staff Writer

This could cause a decrease in individuality.

People also feel the need to be informed by correct information, and when in doubt, turn to others for correct information whether it is correct or not. Since astrology dates back millions of years and has to do with the planets, many assume that it has to be right.

Especially when they read about their sign and it defines their actions in a situation exactly how they would react. However, these horoscope descriptions are generalized and vague, so everyone is able to relate. If a person read another’s sign description, they could likely relate to that one as well.

For example, the word “sonder” is a general descriptive

myDSHSsnaps @my_dshs_news

Holistic healing techniques have been used to treat illness for almost 5000 years. Holistic medicine, also known as complementary and alternative medicine, considers the whole body, including the mind and spirit. This practice, however, doubted, is valid and an incredibly safe and reliable healing method.

Holistic healing started as a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This medicine is based on the theology that the human body is capable of healing itself. One of the practices in this method is called herbal medicine, which focuses on plants and their extracts to improve and maintain wellness. By ingesting herbal supplements or switching up a diet, herbal medicine has been credited with relieving conditions such as high cholesterol, depression, memory loss, and migraines. Herbal medicine is also credited as a natural and reliable means for weight loss. Various studies from 2011 and 2012 have provided support for herbal medicines healing ability, specifically with allergy management, anxiety and depression related to PTSD, pre-hypertension, and military service-related chronic pain.

Another holistic form of medicine is called

word for Pisces.

Sonder means the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. However, anyone and everyone could have this thought cross through their mind.

Lastly, the month we were born in cannot affect and define who we are.

Parents could be a completely different sign than their child, while their children may resemble their personality almost exactly.

Our signs may tell us we are more attracted to controlling people or less controlling people, however, our parents or home life can determine that as well.

Having a controlling parent growing up could affect children to resent people that are controlling or end up feeling more comfortable

Features Editor Katie Haberman ‘20

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Tessa Stigler Opinion Editor

Holistic medicine is often invalidated by the fact that its effects are not currently accepted in our scientific culture.

However, the majority of alternative viewpoints relating to science take centuries or more to be widely accepted. It was Nicolaus Copernicus’ idea that Earth rotates

the sun that took over a century to be accepted. In addition to the lack

of studies conducted on holistic medicine, it is widely hypothesized that the assumed majority of ancient published work on holistic medicine has been destroyed throughout the destruction of the Library of Alexandria.

Holistic medicine should not be ruled out as an alternative or complementary medicine technique. Despite the lack of scientific evidence linked to holistic medicine, holistic medicine is known and trusted by individuals’ appraisal. This form of medicine has survived over 5,000 years of opposition, and that’s really why you cannot rule out a multitude of successful healing therapies. Implementing holistic medicine is as easy as picking up a new tea for anxiety or eating more aloe vera for weight loss. No matter the reservations, just try it.

A Brief History of Babylonians used astrol- Astrology

Tessa Stigler Opinion Editor

ogy to predict recurrence of seasons and celestial events

Astrology spread to the Greeks and was regarded as a science

by Plato and Aristotle Astrology spread from the Greeks to Romans and Arabs, and eventually the rest if the world

OPINION

Editor-in-Chief Giselle Galletti ‘19 & Camryn Horst ‘19 Sports Editor Rigley Willis ‘20

homeopathic medicine, or homeopathy. The basic belief behind homeopathy is in the phrase “like cures like”. In other words, what brings on symptoms in a healthy person can treat an illness with similar conditions in small doses by triggering the body’s natural defense.

For example, since red onion can make eyes water, it is used as a remedy for allergies in small doses.

Homeopathic practitioners weaken the ingredients by adding water or alcohol. Then, the mixture is potentiated by shaking it. It is this process of potentization which is credited with transfer the healing essence.

An Australian study published a little over 10 years ago, found no conclusive evidence of homeopathic medicines healing ability, partially due to the fact that is it not currently possible to explain in scientific terms why a product containing little or no active ingredient can effectively treat a condition.

Despite lack of scientific evidence, homeopathic remedies have been found to work on a more individual level.

According to a Harvard study, homeopathic use has jumped 15% which could be tied to the fact that homeopathic products are now monitored and tested by the FDA.

with someone that has a similar characteristic to a parent. The same idea applies to political views, foods, mannerisms and so much more.

Yes, a sign may confirm our love for art compared to another signs’ love for math. Although this could be true, the influences in our lives are really what defines us.

Astrology is always fun to dive into, but in the end, it could not determine who we are the most compatible with or how we act at parties. All in all, so many other factors contribute to who we are as a person and how we develop, rather than Venus’ alignment with the sun. We are so much more than how we should act and what we should like. We are complex human beings with a wide range of feelings and don’t have the time to be a certain way in order to “fit in”.

MEET THE STAFF

Creative Editor Jade Howe ‘19

@myDSHSnews @myDSHSsports

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You Should Try Old Medicine

Tessa Stigler Opinion Editor

More Than a Sign

ThePAWPRINT

Opinion Editor Tessa Stigler ‘20

News & Entertainment Editor Jade Berry ‘19 Staff Writers Hanna Gaither, Jami Holms, Samantha Moore, Evelyn Peterson, Cady Russell, Andrew Spiegel, Collin Spires, Madeline Tredway, Mitchell Williams

The Paw Print welcomes reader viewpoints through letters to the editor and guest columns. Opinions expressed in Paw Print are not necessarily those of the Dripping Springs High School or Dripping Springs ISD administration

EDITORIALS, COLUMNS, & LETTERS

Editorials express the opinion of the writers. Letters and columns are the opinions of an individual and not Paw Print

LETTERS

To submit a letter, email DSHSstudentmedia@dsisdconnect. com. Letters should be a maximum of 400 words. The letter is not guaranteed to be published.

CREATIVE NOVEMBER, 2018

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ThePAWPRINT

A Perfect Balance

Samantha Moore Artists of DSHS Paw Print Staff Writer

Interests: Music and playing bass, writing, and running Inspirations: A lot of my inspiration comes from nature and things that have happened to me.

Who are some of your favorite artistic inspirations?

Paul McCartney is by far my biggest writing inspiration. He has a very unique style of writing where, in his songs, instead of telling stories directly about himself, he creates characters, such as Polythene Pam and Maxwell Silver.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

The most influential person in my life is my dad. He taught me how to be creative and to never stop finding inspiration.

What does your art mean to you?

To me, art is a form of expression and a chance to voice my thoughts in a constructive, entertaining, and beautiful way.

What is your first memory of creating art?

My first memory of creating art in a serious manner is in 8th grade.

I never had even realized writing was an option or something I could do. It had just never crossed my mind up until around December of 8th grade. Some bad things had happened to me leading up to the decision to start writing. When I started writing, I noticed that using it as an outlet really helped me process.

What is your work space like?

My work space is usually wherever I am when creativity hits.

Sometimes that’s while I’m doing homework in my room or when I’m on a run. Usually, whenever I get an idea, I stop whatever I’m doing and write it down to make sure I don’t forget it.

Comics By: Jade Howe All Work and No Play By: Lauren Sanders All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy All the other kids are blind to the ploy All the daylong Jack’s head wastes away All his labor is the due he pays Where the institutions failed Jack’s education started Mother‘s little boy had been derailed As his obedience departed Maybe there’s just more to his head Than all the other boys at school But he’ll never let himself be fooled Jack knows when not to follow the rules They’ll never poison Jack’s mind Or return his stolen time The system is quite contradictory Do the other boys see the trickery?

They tell him do as I say not as I do Until your last breath I will own you But Jack will never let it be that way Jack won’t believe what the grownups say They tell him look at me when I’m talking to you Jack, listen I’m talking to you But there’s an awareness hidden behind his eyes Like glass Jack can see through their lies All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy All the other kids are blind to the ploy All the daylong Jack’s head wastes away All his labor is the due he pays

A dance between two minds, a balance of wit and humor, a tie of logic and creativity, a connection that holds the power to slow time.

Together, we are a balanced unit, two whole pieces of a detailed puzzle.

As well fit as a polished key to its only lock.

And a touch like the early hours of morning.

When the world is so blissfully unaware of anyone’s presence but their own.

And you’re essentially completely alone.

And a voice that is like birds singing, or that of a flute or violin’s smooth noise, gliding across the evening air.

Poem By: Samantha Moore

Photo Credit: Gracie Johnson

LIFESTYLE & ARTS ThePAWPRINT

NOVEMBER, 2018

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7

Meet the Cast of Rumors Preston Willis

Austin Dunn

Q: What is your summary of Rumors?

A: Rumors is a show about a man who shoots himself through the ear on

Q: What is your summary of Rumors?

A: Rumors is a comedic play about four

the night of his 10th anniversary party. In an effort to cover up what just happened, the first group of guests at the party tell the arriving guests a series of lies and excuses until they hear the real story.

couples who find themselves in the middle of what seems to be the death of their friend who hosted the party they are all attending in the first place. As the couples try to piece together what happens they begin to mix truth with rumors and the show unravels with hilarious twists, turns, and the occasional back spasm.

Q: Who do you play in the

production? How do you relate to this character?

A: I play Glenn Cooper, a

Q:

Republican politician running for New York State Senate with a foreign wife, a little bit like another politician we know. It’s honestly hard to find common ground between myself and my character. Glenn always likes to be in-the-know and he’s a very logical and analytical thinker, so I guess I can relate to that much.

Glenn also has a secret that he’s trying to cover up that I can also relate to, but you may have to come to the show to figure that one out.

Q: How do you prepare for a show?

A: Preparing for a show like this takes a lot out of a person. This show

What is something you are most excited about for this play?

A:

I’m excited to be doing a farce this year for our fall show. We haven’t done something this funny in a while, and I think it always does really well with crowds.

Grace Denny

Q:

What is something you are most excited about for this play?

has to be high energy all the time, and we can’t bring the energy down or else it gets boring. And the rehearsal process has been fun, but because we are always high energy, we have just about none left by the end of the day.

Austin City Limits

A:

I am so excited to show everyone the fast paced comedy.

There are so many moments that will make the audience want to fall out of their chair in laughter.

Photos from @dshstheatre

Q: How do you prepare for a show?

A: For this show, I get ready by listening and practicing my accent to make

sure I have it prepared. I also try to clear my mind of everything outside of the story I want to tell the audience.

Andrew Spiegel, Staff Writer

Hosted in the beautiful Zilker Park of Austin, Texas at the beginning of October, Austin City Limits (ACL) is a two weekend-long annual event that many Austinites patiently wait for all year. ACL has seemed to do the impossible year after year by capturing the excitement and aura of living in Austin including the live music to local food vendors to Austin artists.

This year ACL hosted over 140 artists and had about 450,000 attendees. The festival has hosted artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Eagles and most recently Travis Scott and Sir Paul McCartney.

ACL includes a wide range of genres that appeal to everyone; from the head-banging metal jams of The National to the calm, soothing rendition of Hozier. The festival had elements of nostalgia provided by performances like Sir Paul McCartney and Metallica while also displaying future stars like Khalid, BROCKHAMPTON, and Travis Scott.

Water and food are essential at any music festival, especially one in 90 degree weather. This year ACL did an amazing job in the realm of food. Gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options were available within the park. Local restaurants like Skull and Cakebones, Salt Lick, Torchy’s Tacos and many more got spots at this year’s festival as well.

In-Depth IceBreakers

Skipping the Small Talk

Before asking my question to my peers, I expected blatant, short, and vague responses. Collecting an interview can be difficult, especially when talking to students my own age, but I decided to continue with my question: What do you want to do before you die?

Realizing this question was food for thought but could still be perceived as vague, I decided to elaborate on the idea of Big Talk and ask a second question to see if the answers differed: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today? Honestly, I expected the majority of the answers I received to be about self gain or doing something for yourself, but I was shocked and inspired when my peers wrote about doing everything they could to make an impact on the world, or writing letters to everyone they have ever loved. As someone who loves learning about people and what they believe is the meaning of life, I felt very inspired after learning about my peers and friends’ responses and things that have occurred in their life that I hadn’t known.

Senior Jalen Miller shared what he would want to do with his life if he were going to die tomorrow in an extremely poetic way.

“Before I die, I’d like to raise a family,” Miller said. “I know that seems bland and perhaps surface level, but growing up, I really only had one parent and held a deep amount of resentment towards the other. I still battle with my demons and specifically trust issues today. Despite this, the older I get and the more I learn about my family, the more I respect my mother.”

He added that he wants to pass on everything his mother taught him and everything she exemplifies as a person onto his children.

“I also see it as the chance to become the father I never had,” Miller said. “I had to look towards other strong male figures in my life to instill discipline and strength with the absence of my own father. It’s a little resolve of mine to be able to be there for my own child, boy or girl.”

Junior Hope McFarlin said she wished to be completely comfortable with who she is as a person before she dies.

Her wish of what she wants to leave behind, though, is a letter.

“I want to write an article to leave my mark and my experiences here on Earth,” McFarlin wrote. “This question makes me want to get to know the people we see every day on a deeper level and have more connections with people you have known your whole life. It makes me want to live in the now.”

The topic of love was also addressed multiple times throughout my interviews. I personally believe love and being loved is the most powerful emotion, whether that be in romantic relationships, friendships, or family. Hearing my peers speak of how they want everyone they have loved to know the impact they made on them made me realize I can connect with some of my peers in ways I didn’t know.

Sophomore Preston Salce wrote about wishing to find true love. While this may sound cheesy to some, it is honorable to me.

“My biggest fear in life is not finding the true love of

“What do you want to do before you die?”

Camryn Horst, Co-Editor-in-Chief and Lifestyle Editor

my life,” Salce said. “To me living a happy life with my soulmate would be my biggest goal in life, and that’s what I want to do before I die. Hearing this reminded me to keep trying to live my best life and made me reflect on what I’m doing to get to that place.”

Emily Rapp, senior, talked about how she wanted to feel what it is like to truly live and to have moments that can last forever as a memory. Her answer was one that really resonated with me, as family and finding a deeper meaning have always been important to me.

“I want to experience the world in all it’s glory and the different stages of life that I can grow from,” Rapp said.

“To answer this simply, I want to live life and eventually have a family that I can grow with.”

Austin Harper, junior, said he wishes to make an impact on the world, no matter how big or small. He said he wanted to do something that impacts others and could possibly inspire future generations. In simple terms, I realized so many of my peers are going to change the world, and speaking to them built my excitement to watch this happen.

“If I have had conflicts with people in the past, I would resolve them, reconnect, and not leave the world with unresolved issues,” Harper said. “If there was somebody I loved deeply, I would tell them, and I would share a moment with them before I’m gone. I would want to leave the world with a clean slate, a positive image, and nothing left unsaid. Life is too short. We must live in the now, not reflecting on the past or dreaming too much about the future.”

Sophomore Brennan Frickel described his wish to travel and spend time with his family. After answering the question, Frickel shared that my question left him temporarily speechless.

“It really made me think hard about my answer,” Frickel said. “I didn’t want to say something too outrageous, but I know that there is definitely a possibility for that to happen.

Family was the first thing that came to mind. This question that hit me, because there are many things I would love to do before I die, so it puts things into perspective.”

Senior Sarah Dugan’s response was simple, short, sweet, and to the point, in my opinion. Her answer perfectly combined some of the responses I received and inspired me, just as my other peers had.

“I want to see the world. I want to love people fiercely. I want to be myself fully and completely every day,” Dugan said. “Before I die, I want everyone in my life to know the impact they had on me and my life. That question makes me want to strive harder for those things. If I were to die tomorrow, I would want to tell everyone that I’ve ever loved how much they meant to me and that they made me a better me. I would want to forgive the people that have done me wrong, even if today I am not ready to forgive them. I wouldn’t want to leave the Earth with any regret.”

Senior Sadie Cunningham said she wanted to experience even a single moment of pure happiness where it seems everything has fallen in place. Junior Matt Gustafson said he would make sure his family was happy,

and that he was, as well. Senior Hanna Gaither said she wants to love without limits and create art without fear of others’ interpretations. Senior Justin Rogers said he wants to perform on stage in front of thousands of people.

Sophomore Nicole Bolinger said she would want to throw a party celebrating her life as a way to say goodbye to all of her friends and family. Senior Adeline Furlow said she wants to see how other people around the world live. Senior Amber Cahill wants to thank the people who helped her through difficult times, whether that be famous celebrities or friends and family. She added that she is looking forward to being able to eat lunch with her dad again, as he recently passed away. Senior Samantha Wells wants to be able to see her siblings get married.

This compilation of responses moved me and my goal, as an editor, is to stir something inside whoever is reading this, or will read this. My goal is to inspire others to think about the deep questions and understand that life isn’t promised.

Be kind to others, as you never know what they are going through that they can shield from the public eye.

Connect with your peers. As a senior, something I wished I had done sooner was ask my peers these questions.

I learned so much about my classmates and fellow students from just a few questions than I ever thought possible. Skip the small talk.

College Application Advice The earlier...the better!

There’s only four steps. Don’t overthink!

Acceptance isn’t only based on scores.

Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable in your essay.

Hanna Gaither Staff Writer

Colleges want to know YOU.

Keep track of your awards and involvement.

SPORTS

November, 2018

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8

ThePAWPRINT

Volleyball Continues Streak

Testing the Waters

By: Rigley Willis

The swim team had a handful of talented seniors leave last year, providing new opportunities for incoming team members. With spots to fill on the relay teams, especially, the Tigers encounter new challenges in the pool.

“The seniors last year were a big part of the team and, so, losing them impacted the team quite a bit,” sophomore Rafe Vickery said, “but we got a lot of new guys, and the girls won state last year, so we got a lot of new girls in the freshman class that will help.”

Relays are a crucial part of the swim meets and to lose a big chunk of the seniors, new spots must be filled to try and make up those points. The task for the coaches is finding where everyone needs to go and what event everyone is best at to maximize the overall team score.

“We’re having to redo a lot of our relays, because a lot of the seniors last year basically were the relays, so now we have to kind of figure out where everyone can best fit,” junior Kiara Bobb said.

Already the team has found success with the boys winning at the Belton Invitational and the girls finishing in second.

“I think it’s just all the interaction with the kids. We have a really neat group of kids this year and especially our team captains,” Head Coach Andrea McCarthy said. “The four team captains that we have, two guys and two girls, all seniors, and they’re just very conscientious, they’re all four very funny, and they all four help coach.

They’re just a big part of the whole, making it very enjoyable for myself and Coach Clark this year.”

Head Coach Michael Kane encourages his team from the sideline during the Pink Out match. Photo by Mark Lebovitz

By: Collin Spires

The Tiger volleyball team has maintained their sustained dominance over the past seven years as they take down Lockhart three sets to none. Since then, the Tiger volleyball team has gone 94-2 with 73 consecutive matches ending in a win. The culture of winning was built from the ground up by Michael Kane and his coaching staff, and now the sky is the limit for this year’s team.

After defeating Lockhart on Oct. 16, the volleyball team cemented their place in history with a 7th straight district title and a 28-game district unbeaten streak. Over the past couple of years, work ethic has been one of the focal points for the team.

“We know what it takes to win, and Coach [Kane] has shown us the ways to be great, and that begins with the work we put in during practice,” junior Mackenzie Murray said.

After breaking the record, the players were ecstatic, but they are looking forward to the road that lays before them.

“This means a lot to us, but we have a lot more ahead of us. The playoffs are a different beast, and we’re going to have to practice even harder in the upcoming weeks,” senior Necie Watson said.

The training for the volleyball team has always had a strong-willed mindset along with a mentality that head coach Michael Kane has instilled within the team.

“I’ve always preached hard work and [being] relentless on both the court and in the classroom and the community,” Kane said. “Not only do I want my girls to be outstanding players, I want them to be upstanding women and leaders in the world.”

Junior Josh Dowdy dives into action for the Tiger swim team at the home meet Sept. 22 at the YMCA. Photo by Alana Bruni

Tiger Tennis Moves On

Team tennis lost a tremendous amount of seniors last year. The Tigers face new roles and new competition.

Despite the loss of the seniors, the team has prevailed, winning the district tournament and moving on to the tennis playoffs.

“We graduated 13 seniors last year, which has been our largest group in over a decade,” Head Coach Cary Jackson said. “Fortunately, many of our returning players were able to gain valuable experience during our playoff runs over the last few years, so they have been able to step up to the challenge.”

The team has been winning match after match in the fall, including a 10-3 victory over Wimberley and a difficult Kerrville Tivy team in preparation for playoffs.

Players have described the team as having great chemistry and friendships.

“My favorite moments of the season, so far, has to be when we as a team celebrate when we win and hold each other up when we lose,” junior Katherine Farber said.

Moving through the playoffs, the team still seemed to be dominating the opponents they play, including a bi-district match beating Veterans Memorial 10-0.

With rainy, cold weather being a big factor late in the season, the team has had to adapt to the new conditions in front of them.

“Our biggest obstacle this year has been Mother Nature, as we have multiple rained out cancellations and postponements,” Jackson said. “The weather has also limited our practice time, but everyone in the state is in the same boat.”

The team continued to proceed in the playoffs; the Tigers earned the win over Northside Harlan 10-1 in the area round and then beat Boerne Champion 10-2 in the regional quarterfinals, Tuloso-Midway 10-2 in the semi finals, before falling to Alamo Heights 10-3 in the final.

The team will quickly turn to focus on the spring season.

“I’ve been able to work on my skills,” junior Owen Tuohy said. “It’s been a positive impact.” By: Collin Spires

Freshman Whitney Robbins returns the serve of her Kerrville Tivy opponent. Photo by Jessica Stamp

QA &

with Adam Burnett

Favorite Movie?

The Benchwarmers Favorite Artist?

Ariana Grande Favorite Player?

Derek Jeter Favorite Team?

Texas Rangers Favoite Place?

Disney World

By: Mitchell Williams