The Hawk Eye, Volume 21, Issue 3

The Hawk Eye

Staff contributors

Lily Andersson

Olivia Evans

Krista Fleming

Peyton Kuschmeider

Saahir Mawani

Shiren Noorani

Siya Patel

Madeline Rivera

Eyesha Sadiq

Adviser

Steven Jones

The Hawk Eye magazine is an official publication of Hebron High School. It is a student-produced magazine which strives to represent the student voice. We will aim to report all news relevant to Hebron High School and its student body without bias to race, religion or creed. Views expressed by columnists are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff. Editorials reflect the staff opinion and may not reflect the views of the school administration. We encourage reader input via letters and story ideas. Contact a staff member or fill out the contact form on our website, hebronhawkeye.com, with any of these items. The Hawk Eye is a member of Interscholastic League Press Conference, Texas Association of Journalism Educators, Association of Texas Photography Instructors, the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

The theater department will perform its first 24 Hour Play Festival in the black box theater March 9 at 7 p.m., where students are given 24 hours prior to performing to write, cast, memorize and produce a show. Tickets cost $5 for students and staff and $10 for general admission.

“There’s a certain level of ownership you have to take as an actor, director [or] technician,” director and Thespian president Max Turman said. “You have to be able to make choices without the help of your director and work under a time crunch. This is a great way to practice that skill for everyone involved.”

Those participating in the event will gather at a host house at 7 p.m., on March 8. There, they will split into predetermined teams and begin crafting two 15–30 minute plays. Scripts will be due between 10–11 p.m., and parent volunteers will drive them to school 7:30–8 a.m., the next morning.

DESIGNED

SIYA PATEL

Students will spend the next 10.5 hours switching between the black box theater, Drama Room A and the costume room in 45-minute increments. There, the teams will find costumes and set pieces, learn lines and rehearse. Lunch and dinner will be provided to students participating. After the performances, audience members can vote on which play they like best.

“

You have to be able to make choices without the help of your director and work under a time crunch. This is a great way to practice that skill.

- Max Turman, director and Thespian president

“People’s emotions get heightened when [they are] sleep deprived,” playwright Maya Ware said. “Being under the 24 hour time demand will increase tension in the room, and any show can automatically be a little tense.”

Both teams might be allowed to sabotage one another by getting rid of some of their time, snacks or drinks. To do this, a team would use a certain amount of their time as a currency, and buy the sabotages from a figure dubbed “Mr. Mister.” Turman said they are still unsure whether or not sabotages will be allowed due to heightened emotions from being awake for so long.

“Imagine spending 16 hours working on something in a row, then something sabotages you,” Turman said. “I’d cry. Through a healthy mixture of food and Monster Energy drinks, though, it would be OK.”

Story by Krista Fleming

This event has been almost fully planned by the Thespian Club’s officers. Head director Chelsey Thornburg oversees the meetings, but said she is letting the club plan the details.

“[The 24 Hour Play Festival] is a lot to ask of students,” Thornburg said. “It’s long. It’s tiring. Them having a voice in the planning process is important because this should be something they choose to do.”

March is National Theater in Our Schools Month, and the festival is one of the performances planned to celebrate. Along with it, theater will host multiple workshops and post on social media throughout the month.

“[The Thespian officers] have seen this year as a new era for Hebron Theatre,” Thespian Club secretary David Park said. “Especially with new projects like [the 24 Hour Play Festival], we’re trying to hit the ground running. We want future generations to build on top of our ideas and have the best possible experience.”

Though a total of 48 students applied, only 20–30 of them will be a part of the event. The winners of the competition will get a trophy and photo taken, which will remain in the department’s trophy case until a new winner is crowned the following year. Turman said the Thespian officers hope to turn the event into a tradition if the debut goes well.

“Something [Hebron Theatre] has been struggling with for a long time is autonomy and getting things done as students, rather than letting our directors take over,” Turman said. “This year, we’ve worked really hard on planning our own things. This is a big step toward that goal.”

The of a Story by Peyton Kuschmeider

survivor heart

Aug. 25, 2023, 5:30 p.m.

It was just another ordinary night. She was wearing her pajamas — an NFL Hall of Fame T-shirt and Santa Clause shorts — getting ready to watch a Rangers baseball game with her husband.

She walked to the bathroom, heard a pop in her chest and felt agonizing pain travel through her chest.

Special education teacher Deborah Corbet suffered a nearly-fatal aortic aneurysm that ruptured into an aortic dissection. What started as a normal day would end in a total of ten days in an ICU, four days in a room at Baylor Hospital and undergoing three total surgeries.

The aortic dissection

Deborah sent a text message at 5:30 p.m. She set her phone down and walked

department farther away was dispatched.

“I [was] screaming so much that the operator [could not] hear him,” Deborah said. “It [was] taking forever for the ambulance to show up; I [was] just in so much dire pain, but I [was still] awake.”

When paramedics arrived, they couldn’t diagnose Deborah. They went back and forth on multiple ideas. A broken rib? A heart attack? Nothing seemed to match her symptoms. The paramedics drove her to Plano Presbyterian Hospital while Kevin drove separately.

“I jumped in the car and took off,” Kevin said. “They hadn’t even loaded her into the ambulance yet. When I got to the hospital, she hadn’t arrived, so the lady at the emergency room told me to wait in the waiting room and they would call me when she got there. I was so nervous; I couldn’t sit down, I was just pacing.”

At the hospital, the medical staff ran a scan on Deborah’s chest, revealing she was suffering from an aortic aneurysm — an enlargement in her aortic artery that had ruptured. Plano Presbyterian did not have the equipment and staff to treat Deborah’s condition, so they flew her via helicopter to Baylor Hospital where she would receive immediate medical help.

“That was the longest 30 minutes of my life,” Kevin said. “[I was] just watching my wife sit there and struggle because they couldn’t do anything to help her, and she was pleading for them to give her some pain medication.”

While waiting for the helicopter to arrive, Deborah coded — her heart stopped.

“She took a real gasping exhale, [then] she kind of leaned back and her eyes rolled back in her head,” Kevin said. “The nurse was immediately on top of her with chest compressions and all I

“They [told me] ‘from this point forward, you have to fight,’” Deborah said. “You can’t go to sleep [and] you can’t give up — you have to fight. But, I [was] giving up. I [was] telling my husband ‘lord, take me.’ I said that for three days. It was just so painful and miserable.”

Deborah and her husband had signed Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders prior to this incident, but the papers were left in a binder at home. They signed the contracts after watching both of their parents die of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Deborah said they didn’t want that for each other but, at this moment, they realized the DNR wasn’t what they wanted.

“I just looked at my husband, and he said he hadn’t told me he loved me,” Deborah said. “I thought I needed to fight for him — I owed that to him. Even though he was there, this isn’t the sweetheart moment that we wanted: me on my bed at 95 years of age, with him sitting next to me saying ‘it’s OK, dear, you can go see the lord.’ I don’t think he was ready.”

The helicopter arrived, and Deborah was transported from the helicopter immediately into surgery.

“[The nurse] tore a piece of paper and she had it on her clipboard with all of her forms, and she asked for my phone number,” Kevin said. “I knew what it was for: in case [Deborah] died on the helicopter ride, they were going to call me. I kept looking at my phone like ‘don’t ring, don’t you call,’ and that was the scariest.”

Recovery

Deborah was immediately taken into an operating room, where cardiologist Dr. Charles Roberts performed surgery to repair her aorta and other damaged organs. The surgery lasted three and a half hours.

“It was shocking to see all of the tubes and lines coming out of her,” Kevin said. “I’ve never seen so many tubes on one person. It was 16-20 lines going into her, and that was really sad to see. She’s a strong woman and she pulled through all that. Little by little, they removed lines and she began to recover.”

To repair Deborah’s kidneys, they implanted a stent – a small mesh tube used to prevent blood vessels from narrowing. She was taken back into surgery two more times. Following her surgeries, her body and immune system

DESIGNED BY KRISTA FLEMING

were weakened. She was intubated for days, couldn’t speak and she lost feeling in her arm from the bypass machine.

“I couldn’t grab anything,” Deborah said. “I couldn’t hold a fork, so I ate like a baby would. I couldn’t talk, and I [still] fumble over my words. I’m not as confident because the anesthesia did its work on me. I don’t wish this [experience] on my enemy.”

After spending two weeks in the hospital, Deborah was cleared to go home.

“The first night we came home from the hospital, I thought I was dying,” Deborah said. “I felt different because I didn’t have monitors on me, I didn’t have a nurse coming in to check on me every two hours — I was afraid. When I was laying in bed, I really felt that I might die in [that] bed and no one [would] know because I [did not] have a monitor on me.”

Deborah said she was raised religious all her life, and she believes that the power of prayer and God saved her and allowed her to live.

“I wanted to know why [God] was putting me and my husband through this pain,” Deborah said. “But now I ask, why did he save me? I’ll never know why, but I do question that, and I’m able to question that because of my faith. It has made me stronger.”

Deborah and Kevin have to monitor her health more closely now. They have to watch her blood pressure to ensure it doesn’t go dangerously high or low, and she said she has to take life slower ever since the surgery. She is never expected to make a full recovery, but she has a life of physical therapy, doctors appointments and surgeries to help her along the way.

“Who’s to say if this is going to happen again,” Kevin said. “It’s something I still pray about. You just have to rely on the strength of God to get through this.”

Coming back to school

While Deborah was out of school, principal Dr. Amy Boughton sent an email out to the staff informing them of Deborah’s condition and absence.

“There were a few days of not really knowing,” special education teacher Karen Robinson said. “[Teachers] would see each other in the hallways and

check in like ‘do you know anything?’ or ‘does anyone have any news?’ There was just a general era of worry. I was supposed to cover one of her meetings, and I just couldn’t go in because I would burst into tears.”

Deborah was teaching sophomores at the time she left. Her absence began at the beginning of the semester, and she came back during finals at the end of the year.

“I just kept thinking and kept worrying about her,” Robinson said. “[I was] hoping she would do OK and pull through, and she did, which was great. She’s a fighter.”

While Deborah was in the hospital, students and staff members made her cards, sent flowers and purchased gift cards for food.

Due to multiple food allergies, Deborah has a restrictive diet, but when she was in the hospital, her husband didn’t know how to cook those foods – making the gift cards even more beneficial to the family.

“I don’t think I would have come back if I was anywhere else,” Deborah said. “I would have just said ‘forget it’ and just quit, but this campus is very supportive and loving. This community took care of us, so it was good to come back to this campus.”

An aortic dissection is an often-deadly condition in which the inner layer of the body’s main artery (aorta) tears. Blood rushes through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split (dissect). There is a 50% mortality rate for those who do not receive surgery in 48 hours.

Senior makes Drum Corps International group, The Blue Devils

The ‘check your status’ email pinged his phone, but he was too scared to see his results.

He thought he had bombed the first round of auditions, and with friends texting him about their results — watching them get callbacks – the pressure was high.

He eventually checked the email and logged into the Blue Devils website: he got the call back. What may have felt like the best day of his life was only the beginning of his journey.

Senior Mark D’sa was selected to play trumpet for the Blue Devils Drum Corps International (DCI) group on Jan. 14, and will attend monthly camps in preparation for this summer’s band camp and tour. He will compete in the DCI World Championship competition at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Aug. 8-10.

“DCI has always been in the back of my mind, especially every marching season,” D’sa said. “My dream has come true, and I [have] to work really hard to make sure that I can continue doing this.”

The Odyssey

D’sa was still

Zach Worley, encouraged him to try out for the Blue Devils – a DCI marching band based in Concord, California. Worley participated in the Blue Devils in 2017 and 2018.

“I’ve watched [D’sa] grow in his maturity in which he has handled his playing abilities,” Worley said. “He shows a strong enthusiasm for marching band and high notes, and the Blue Devils are known for having really good trumpet screamers. I thought with his marching and playing ability, and with him being so young, that he would be a great fit for the Blue Devils organization. They would see him as not just a talent for this year, but maybe a leader for the future.”

Story by Olivia Evans

there was a chance that I [couldn’t].”

The Blue Devils have won the national championship 21 times — the most titles in DCI history. They even set a record in 2014 when they scored a 99.65 on their show: “CUT TO.”

“As [D’sa] anticipates this summer he needs to be teachable and approachable,” Alsaffar said. “He’s gonna have a lot of times where he may learn something one way, then he’s going to have to ignore that way and learn it a new way.”

The preliminary round of the audition for the Dallas area was on Nov. 19, at LD Bell High School with an entrance fee of $50. The audition consisted of a marching and playing segment. Members who got a call back then had the opportunity to participate in the final round.

“When I went in for my audition, it was not as good as I wished,” D’sa said. “I knew I could’ve done better and qualified for a callback [to the finals round]. [But] I also knew with the way that I had played,

When he logged into the Blue Devils portal, he noticed he had gotten the callback and was immediately overjoyed. The callback camp was Jan. 12-14 in Fairfield, California. Those participating in the callback camp were required to fund their entire trip including transportation, hotel and food.

“I was just so happy to see I got a callback and I was able to give myself one more chance at making this top corps,” D’sa said. “[The Blue Devils] had a very high returning rate with people who had marched in previous years. So, there were less spots open [and getting that] callback was so meaningful.”

The first part of the camp was brass block – everyone received music and played fundamentals as a group. At the camp, they handed out the first part of the music that would potentially be used for this year’s show.

“It felt very close to home,” D’sa said. “The way they learn, teach and play music; it’s very similar to what we do here at Hebron. It felt really simple and nice – another way to continue what I’ve been doing here for the past four years.”

The second day of camp was focused on visuals. Members were taught similar choreography sequences and expected to perform the moves without a time

DESIGNED BY LILY ANDERSSON

D’sa hugs junior drum major Noorain Aziz after the band placed second at the UIL State Marching Championship in 2022. He has been a part of the band since sixth grade, and plans to continue marching and major in architecture after high school. (Photo via the Band Booster Club)

signature, meaning members had to listen closely to the music and determine when and where to move.

“I’ve never really taken a dance class in my life,” D’sa said. “There [were] people there that had taken ballet classes and a lot of other dancing classes to prepare for this camp — and I hadn’t yet. [It] was really hard for me because I’m just used to being told exactly what I need to do. [It] was a really different experience.”

“

I [thought], ‘if I make it, it would be so great, and if I don’t, I’ve played lead trumpet for the Blue Devils.

- Mark D’sa, senior

By the evening, they transitioned into the last part of the day: back to brass block. D’sa was handed the third part’s music; however, the main brass director, Cameron “Chip” Crotts, pulled him out and moved him to lead trumpet.

“I was so happy when he pulled me out; [it] was like a dream come true,” D’sa said. “Whenever I was standing in concert arcs, at the top of [my] section, playing all these super high notes – I [thought], ‘if I make it, it would be so great, and if I don’t, I’ve played lead trumpet for the Blue Devils.”

On the last day of the camp, the first part of the audition, camp members were told to do “show and tell.” Sections were called up to demonstrate what they had learned visually and marching-wise. A board of directors evaluated everyone and would call up small groups again to re-evaluate members more precisely.

“They want the best to march for them because they are such a high level corps,” D’sa said. “I completely bombed [the first part] because it’s slightly different exercises than what [I] would do at home, so it [wasn’t] complete muscle memory. I [thought]: ‘I’ve paid so much money to get this camp and I’ve spent so much time, and I just completely bombed my shot.’ I messed up speeds and everything and so I was really scared — I was on the verge of tears.”

The last part of the audition was a music audition. Members would go in one at a time, play the specified fundamentals and part of the show music they had been handed. D’sa said he played his etudes well, but messed up his fundamentals.

“[The directors] said, ‘we’re sort of confused because you can play really well, but you messed up a little bit in your fundamentals,’” D’sa said. “I said I was just really [nervous], and so they [told me] to ‘just play them again.’ [So], I played them again and they came out pretty well.”

Everyone was sent back to brass block to rehearse music together, while the judges discussed the scores with each other.

“[Everyone was] really scared because our audition process was basically over,” D’sa said. “Either all of our dreams are coming true, or they [were] getting crushed.”

At the end of the block, members were prompted to go into the middle of the gym, and judges came in and explained to them the process. They would be split into three categories. The third category were those who didn’t make it, but were encouraged to try again next year. The second category was the Blue Devils 360 experience: members who would participate in summer camps, but not on tour and swing/alternate spots. The last group, the first category, was for those who got primary spots for the upcoming season.

“[They explained] to us the situation, scenarios and everything and then they said ‘it’s time,’” D’sa said. “Everybody is really good at this camp, anybody can make it, anybody can’t make it: it’s all up to how you perform at this camp all around.”

It wasn’t specified which group was which to the auctioneers, so when two groups of names were called, both categories were ushered into separate rooms to discuss. D’sa’s name was announced with the last group, the first category.

“The main brass guy [came] back to us and said, ‘Congratulations, welcome to the Blue Devils,’” D’sa said. “Most of us were just sitting there in shock; there were people crying and hugging each other. We were all just so excited and happy that all of our hard work over the past years – especially these last couple of months – had really paid off.”

What is Drum Corps International?

DCI is a professional marching arts organization. They compete in more than 100 competitions, leading up to the national championship in Indianapolis. They compete in more than 100 competitions, leading up to the national championship in Indianapolis. Alsaffar marched for the Blue Devils DCI group in 2019 before coming to teach band.

him doing DCI due to the amount of time it takes up in the summer and the how much it costs — this year’s tour fees are around $5,000.

“We had to really sit down and talk [about] if it was going to be affordable and if the time commitment was really worth it,” D’sa said. “And, if all things come together, if it was worth it as a whole to put this much time and effort and money.”

After several days of talking to his parents and discussing solutions, his parents got on board. They said in order to participate with the Blue Devils, he had to do fundraisers and create a GoFundMe account. His goal is to raise $4,000, and the price will increase once he reaches his goal — the GoFundMe only covers tour fees, not camp or additional costs.

“My goal is to raise the majority of my tour fees from the GoFundMe,” D’sa said. “Since I’m working a job [at Chick-fil-A], I’m saving up money from my earnings.”

Whatever amount of money that is not covered by the GoFundMe, D’sa’s parents will pay for and he will pay them back later. He said he plans on getting a job in college to pay them back, and possibly save up enough money to pay for next year’s camp on his own.

“It may sound really silly, but it means a lot seeing that people are willing to donate and help me achieve my dream of marching this corps,” D’sa said. “This is the top of the top and I’ve dreamed of this day and summer [that I get] to march with them, for so long. So, finally achieving it is so great.”

D’sa’s parents, before and after he made the Blue Devils, were not on board with

MOVING FORWARD

2012 alumnus’s journey after teen pregnancy

Story by Olivia Evans

It was the night before New Year’s Eve — the night before Madie Mckasson’s wedding. She booked a hotel room in downtown Dallas with her daughter, Skylar Van Kuilenburg, and had a mother-daughter sleepover.

Madie was excited, but Skylar knew her mom wasn’t always comfortable in the spotlight. The wedding was all about Madie, and it only made her more nervous.

Skylar received beaded bracelets with individual quotes on them from her grandma during Christmas. Madie needed something borrowed for her wedding, and Skylar knew exactly what to give her.

Moments before going to bed, Skylar came up to Madie and handed her a gift. She was met with a tiny bracelet with the special words:

“You’ve got this.”

Years before, Madie was told to put the baby up for adoption, give the infant away and live out her dreams the way she intended. When she decided to keep her daughter, all she heard was “your life is ruined.” But deep down, she knew she wanted to keep the baby, raise her and give her everything that ended for Madie and Brandon in 2010.

Alumnus Madie Mckasson got pregnant during her sophomore year with her then-boyfriend, alumnus Brandon Van Kuilenburg, and had their daughter Skylar on April 5, 2011. Now, the two work together so their daughter can live out the dreams that they once had.

“I love my daughter and I would not change anything because she’s the best thing that [has] ever happened to me,” Madie said. “But I wouldn’t want [my experience] for her.”

April 20, 2011

Senior Jacy Marmaduke had talked to Madie and Brandon before, but they didn’t know each other very well. Word had spread that Madie was pregnant, and Marmaduke decided to interview her and Brandon about the teen pregnancy. The story would be an

It’s been almost 13 years since The Hawk Eye published the original story, “Baby steps, long strides,” in 2011. Since then, alumni Madie Mckasson and Brandon Van Kuilenburg have worked together to raise their daughter, 12-year-old Skylar Van Kuilenburg. (Photo by Nicholas L. Laning, provided by Madie Mckasson)

in-depth feature and would appear in the newspaper as one of the top stories. The interview with Madie was in the Starbucks off of Hebron, she was nervous. She was still unsure whether to do the story or not, but after talking to Marmaduke about the focus being on her experience, she felt comfortable enough to tell her life.

“It took me a really long time to tell anybody [that I was pregnant],” Madie said. “I was scared of what people would think or say. I remember people telling me that I was a slut, and that broke my heart because I did something that a lot of other people were doing; I just [happened] to get pregnant.”

The printed version of the story came out on April 20, 2011. Madie couldn’t believe her eyes. In big bold words on the front page read, “Sophomore Madie Mckasson and Brandon Van Kuilenburg won’t let their age hold them back as they enter the world of parenthood.”

“I remember people telling me that I was a slut and that broke my heart because I did something that a lot of other people were doing; I just [happened] to get pregnant.

- Madie Mckasson

“I thought it was just going to be a really small segment; I wasn’t even really sure how it was going to be presented,” Madie said. “When I saw [that the story had] come out [on the] front page, centerfold — I was shocked. I was honored, in the sense that it was an important enough story that they felt it worthy, but I was also a little fearful of the kickback that would come.”

Most people knew about her pregnancy, as Madie had already given birth when the story came out. While it was hard for her to even admit the pregnancy to her mother, Barri Lynn Mckasson, Madie already began posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram of Skylar.

“It’s good to make kids aware of these issues,” Barri Lynn said. “I get so choked up about [the story] because it’s been a long journey, and I just love her so much. I always tell Madie how proud I am of her, but the fact that [others] say [their proud]: I just love that.”

Once the story hit the school newspaper, everyone around Madie knew of her pregnancy. Some teachers and parents thought the story glorified teen pregnancy; however, Madie said that was never the case.

“I just wanted to be raw about what it was really like,” Madie said. “Whether that’s to help someone that it does happen to or to

Juggling responsibilities

Madie was able to graduate with Brandon in 2012 after attending an accelerated program at the Lewisville Learning Center. The two decided to break things off during their freshman year of college.

“I wanted things to work with Madie,” Brandon said. “I come from a split family, and it was pretty difficult growing up, packing a bag between mom and dad. My whole mission once we decided to keep [Skylar] was to marry Madie. Obviously, that changed, [because] we grew apart.”

After the two broke up, Madie still received help and support from Brandon, family and friends. They decided to attend college near one another to stay close and help raise Skylar.

“We’ve [had] a lot of support from our family, which led me into being able to do a lot of things I’ve done to raise [Skylar] as well as I have,” Madie said. “I’m very blessed because I know girls, mothers and women [who] don’t have that same level of support.”

Madie and Brandon decided against handling Skylar’s custody legally, and instead, created a system for how long she’ll stay at the other parent’s residence. For the past year and a half, Skylar has mainly lived with Brandon.

“With co-parenting, my biggest fear was what I had to go through, where things are one way at mom’s and things are one way at dad’s,” Brandon said. “It’s definitely been a challenge over the past 12 years.”

Madie wanted to play volleyball in college, join a sorority and major in business at her dream school: The University of Los Angeles. However, she chose to stay close to Skylar and instead attended Collin College for two years.

“When you become a parent, you want to be there for all [your child’s] moments, but when you’re a teen parent, you can’t,” Madie said. “You’re not able to be the mom that you wanted to be or envision being at some point in your life. It’s not really about what you want to do, it’s about what you have to do.”

Before having Skylar, Brandon didn’t care for academics. He said having Skylar made him realize how important school is and motivated him to be the first person in his family to attend college. Brandon was able to graduate from the University of North Texas in 2017.

“[I] constantly thought ‘What if?’” Brandon said. “What if I gave her up for adoption or what if I end up like most of the dads where they bail out of the kid’s life — go off and pursue my dreams? [Skylar] definitely made me who I am. Everything [I] do is fueled around [my children,] [and] it gave me a new passion.”

While working at a restaurant named Jasper’s, Madie met Ricky Walton in October of 2012. They were friends, and although Madie wanted more, she prioritized her daughter first before committing herself to a significant other.

“Our relationship was very slow in the beginning,” Madie said. “I was trying to figure myself out, [raise] a child and [go] to school. We were both on the same page, as far as the fact that we really cared for each other, but we weren’t ready to settle down.”

Their relationship became serious in 2015. Ricky didn’t meet Skylar for a long time because Madie wanted to be cautious about their relationship, but, eventually, he came into Skylar’s life when she was two and a half years old.

“[I knew he was the one] seeing how he handled understanding me being a mom, and that my daughter is a priority,” Madie said. “I can’t give everything to a relationship when my daughter needs me, and him understanding that and being OK with that was huge for me.”

Brandon got married to Hailey Nix on March 9, 2019. The two dated for six months before Brandon proposed. Currently, they have a 2-year-old son named Owen, and pregnant with their daughter, Ivy Kate.

DESIGNED BY OLIVIA EVANS

“[Skylar] and [Hailey] have a really special bond,” Brandon said. “I love [their bond]; it makes me feel I’ve made the right decision. It’s definitely a gift.”

Ricky proposed to Madie on January 1, 2022, in Breckenridge, Colorado, with the help of Skylar. The three took a horse-drawn carriage up the mountain, and once they reached the top – overseeing the lights –Ricky took out the ring and got down on one knee.

“I felt like we were ready for [marriage],” Madie said. “When he proposed, I was just excited and giddy. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with him.”

In preparation for the wedding, gift boxes were made for each bridesmaid with goodies and a slip of paper containing each bridesmaid’s name and role in the wedding. Madie handed the gifts to everyone and allowed them to open their boxes. Skylar’s eyes lit up, and she began crying.

“My [paper slip] said maid of honor, ” Skylar said. “I was nervous because that’s a lot of responsibility, [but] I felt very important and loved by her for picking me in that special [moment].”

“You’re not able to be the mom that you wanted to be or envision being at some point in your life. It’s not really about what you want to do, it’s about what you have to do.

On Dec. 31, 2023, Mckasson

“[Skylar] gave a speech and everything at the wedding, and it was so cute,” Madie said. “I knew I wanted her to be my maid of honor because she knows me so well. She brings me so much peace and I really wanted her to be there that day as my right- hand lady. She’s my little heart.”

Although Skylar said she wishes to have seen her parents together, she said she knows this is for the better. She loves each family deeply, and has made connections with each extended parent.

“Obviously every kid wants their mom and dad to be together if they have divorced parents,” Skylar said. “When I was younger, I always wanted my mom and dad to be together, but I learned as I got older that my [parents] were very different.”

Long strides

The journey was nowhere near easy.

“Not everybody is meant to be a parent,” Barri Lynn said. “I don’t want people to look at Madie and say, ‘Oh, we can do this.’ Madie and Brandon are very strong and they were capable of doing it, but it was not easy for either of them. I don’t want people to think this is such an easy thing, because it’s not.”

The sacrifice it took to get Skylar to where she is today is something Madie said she never wishes for any other teenager, especially her daughter.

“You can’t do the things you were doing,” Brandon said. “I wasn’t very focused in school; it wasn’t a priority at all. The biggest change was looking at myself and [realizing] there was someone else looking for care. It [made me] grow up pretty quick.”

Skylar is currently in sixth grade and attends Arbor Creek Middle School. She is involved in volleyball and plans to play next year. Skylar said she has dreams and hopes for

Igrew up watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

I was always intrigued by the bending of the elements and could never decide which type of bending I liked more. I wanted to be able to experience it all in real life, and the Netflix live-action allowed me to do just that.

“AVATAR: the last airbender”

NETFLIX’S exceeds my expectations

Released Feb. 22, Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is a liveaction remake of the original, made by Nickelodeon. The show follows a young airbender named Aang (Gordon Cormier) who is the Avatar. He must master the bending of all four elements in order to save the world from a war started by the Fire Nation. With the fate of the world on his shoulders, Aang journeys with his new friends Katara (Kiawentiio Tarbell) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) to master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord.

When watching the trailer, I had high hopes. It looked like everything was taken from the animated series and brought to life. The CGI was impressive, considering how hard it would be to make the bending look realistic.

Story by Siya Patel

The show did not disappoint. Each episode started with an attention-grabbing scene that had me intrigued for what was coming next. Throughout the show, you are able to feel every emotion portrayed by the characters. I would argue that this show appeals to the audience’s emotions even more so than the original.

One thing that is noticeably different from the original is the combination of different plot lines. Since the season is only eight hourlong episodes, they had to take many of the different subplots and make them fit into singular episodes. If you have watched the original, it may feel a little weird at first, but it is done in a way that makes sense within the show. If the live-action is the first you’re seeing of Avatar, then you won’t be able to notice the difference at all. You will still be getting to meet all the smaller characters that fans of the original show have grown to love.

There were many moments shown in the live-action that weren’t in the original and vice versa. I personally think that this made the show even better. Even though it is supposed to be a liveaction remake of the animated series, it still had a sense of individuality. The only things slightly off-putting in the show were the lighting and dialogue. Scenes that took place in darker settings felt very hard to see even with my brightness all the way up. However, this was only an issue in a few scenes; the majority of the show is pretty bright. The dialogue overall was enjoyable, but there were small moments that felt awkward, whether it was the delivery of the lines or the lines themselves.

Overall, there were many enjoyable things about this show, from the choice of background music to the development of each character. It is definitely worth the watch for both fans of the original and those new to the series. It lived up to my expectations and left me eagerly waiting for season two.

DESIGNED BY SAAHIR MAWANI

MarcH MADNESS

Story by Gavin Lambert

Once again, it is time for the most electric event in all of college basketball — March Madness. This season, there have been some upsets and surprise standouts already; however, some teams that stand out above the rest that have a shot at making a run in the tournament are University of Connecticut (UConn), Purdue, Houston, Arizona, Alabama, Creighton, University of North Carolina (UNC), Duke, Kentucky and Kansas.

UConn and Purdue are currently the two highest-ranked teams in college basketball and have shown great play all season. Last year, UConn won it all, but even as good as they have played so far, I don’t think they can win back-to-back. There is fierce competition around the country. Where Purdue is concerned, they have big man Zack Edey who has been phenomenal all season, but has also struggled at times, so this doesn’t seem quite promising.

UNC was the ONLY No. 1 preseason team EVER to not make it to the tournament

Historically, only seven teams have ever won back-to-back NCAA titles, and UConn will look to become the eighth team to do so. Now it’s definitely a possibility as UConn has consistently looked like the best team in the country this season. They rank top five in the country for assist/turnover ratio and have a top ten scoring offense. They also just recently blew out No. 4 ranked Marquette by 28 points. Their dominance continues to show this season and if they can maintain their current play. They will surely make a deep run in the tournament this year.

The usual favorites like Kansas, UNC, Duke and Kentucky are also some names to follow, but most of them have struggled against tougher opponents and have had rough patches throughout the season. If I were to pick one of the four to make a deep run, it would be UNC, as guard RJ Davis has been excellent all season. Of course, there are the lesser hyped-up schools like Houston, Creighton and Arizona. Houston has a really good shot this year as their defense has been incredible and they take control of games from the start. These are some of the teams who are almost guaranteed a spot in

DESIGNED BY SAAHIR MAWANI

this tournament; however, there are a lot of unknown teams that will participate as the tournament roster will be announced on March 17.

There are a total of 68 teams that will compete in the tournament, and only a select few are practically guaranteed spots. Starting out with the ‘First Four’ as lower ranked and seeded teams battle it out for a spot in the main tournament. The ‘First Four’ usually consists of the champions of the smallest conferences in the NCAA.

Low seeded teams are always some to look for as ‘Cinderella’ stories, as well as upset contenders. There have been plenty of ‘Cinderella’ stories throughout history, but some notable ones that come to mind are FDU’s run last year, 15-seeded St. Peter’s remarkable run to the Elite Eight a couple years ago and 11-seeded Loyola Chicago’s insane run to the Final Four in 2018. But those are just some recent ‘Cinderella’ stories and there will certainly be more to come.

The tournament is not called March Madness for nothing — something crazy happens every year. For instance, last year, bottomseeded Fairleigh Dickinson University knocked out No. 1-seeded Purdue in the first round and 15th-seeded Princeton knocked out No. 2-seeded Arizona. That’s the sort of stuff that makes fans love March Madness – the chance that an unknown team can make a deep run and the constant chance for upsets.

March Madness is and will always be the epitome of college basketball. The excitement and intensity of the play are unlike anything else in college basketball. The atmosphere is exhilarating and amplifies the play of teams and the intensity of fans. There is no better feeling in college basketball than lifting that trophy and winning it all. The tournament is packed with underdog stories of trials and tribulations and historic rivalries. This culminates to one moment in time where a victor is crowned and a lifetime of memories are made.

There’s simply nothing quite like March Madness.

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Love in different rhythms

Story by Shiren Noorani

The waveforms of one’s heartbeat is unique to each person and beats in different rhythms throughout the day. In the same way, words beat differently around the world, consisting of 7,117 different languages.

I grew up around people who are able to speak multiple languages, and though I may not be a mastermind in the many forms of Urdu and Hindi, I made it my goal to master the various love languages. I’m a rather loving person, and I’ve found new ways to express it every day.

The five major love languages are physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gift giving and acts of service. Rather than just different forms of expressing love, these love languages are different dialects, showing the same feeling in a different rhythm. People around the world speak different languages and we can’t always understand them, but that’s the beauty of it. Similarly, we all give love differently and expect it in different ways, too.

Many people face a disconnect in relationships because they don’t see eye-to-eye on how to express and receive love, which makes it even more important to truly understand ones’ love language. I’ve spent almost my entire life trying to perfect each love language so I can be there for anyone in any given circumstance and love them to my fullest.

I was never fond of physical touch, but my grandpa would kiss me on the head and put his hand on my head every night when I went to say good night. It was his way of showing his love, and he showed it every chance he could. I saw my grandpa take his last breath and witnessed his heart stop beating when I was only 13 years old. I thought him losing his battle to cancer meant I lost all of him, but I later learned how even

though he isn’t here, his love has its own unique and everlasting waveform that I find in different rhythms every day.

Every night when I’d say goodnight to my grandparents, I’d tell them I love them. They used to be the only people I’d say that to because as a kid, I felt words of affirmation only came in that form. As I grew up, I learned the importance of reminding people how much we truly love them and how proud we are of them but also showing it. Since then, I’ve started writing letters to people I love to give them those reminders and make them feel valued. I’ve always felt that there’s something special about handwritten notes that emphasize the effort you’re willing to put in for someone.

As I grew up, I learned the importance of reminding people how much we truly love them and how proud we are of them, but also showing it.

- Shiren Noorani, opinion editor and social media manager

It took me losing someone I love to understand how much I value quality time. I would do anything for one more minute with my grandpa because nothing truly compares to spending time with someone and enjoying it for simply just that – their company and being. After losing that with someone I love dearly, I started to never take little hangouts for granted.

My grandma has spent her entire life giving back, and my entire life teaching me the importance of it. As my biggest

role model and someone who has played a huge role in raising me since day one, being able to do even a fraction of what all she has done became a goal of mine. I’ve always been a giver, and gift giving has become one of my favorite ways of expressing my love for people. However, I don’t believe in the concept of just throwing money at something. Each and every one of my gifts has some thought behind it, whether it be sentimental or something that someone has truly wanted. I try to show my love through knowing someone well enough to give them something special.

Growing up with so many people around me gave me countless opportunities to do little things for the people I love and to learn their habits. Whether it be remembering that my best friend hates the grease on pizzas and handing her a paper towel every time we eat pizza, or making sure my grandma has two glasses of water at her bedside because she wakes up with cramps, I’ve tried to personalize my way of caring to each individual in my life and show it through little acts of service.

Becoming accustomed with each language has given me strong relationships in my life that stand on different things. There are very few people in my life who I say “I love you” to and even fewer I hug. With each relationship in my life being so unique, they are each valuable in their own way. Understanding the ones we love gives us a clearer path on how to love them. Every relationship in my life has its own unique and everlasting heartbeat.

SENIOR COLUMN:

Story by Madeline Rivera

Crutches. Wheelchairs. Countless hospital rooms.

Since November, this has been my new normal. It happened on one of the best days of my life, surrounded by my closest friends in a new, exciting city across the country — a city that very quickly became frightening and suffocating.

It was a cold night in Boston. The wind was brisk and frigid against my cheeks — wind I wasn’t used to. I remember feeling excited, as if I was on top of the world. My newspaper staff and I had achieved an incredible award: recognition as fifth best student newspaper publication in the entire

It has been two months since then. Two months of continuous, debilitating pain. First, the injury was a simple knee sprain. Then, it progressed to an unidentified ligament injury. Now, symptoms of hairline MCL and meniscus tears are appearing in my knee. It feels as though it’s a never-ending battle. One health concern after another, all piling on top of each other.

I can no longer walk in the grocery store for 10 minutes without wincing in pain. I can no longer wear jeans, simply because the fabric feels too uncomfortable with my knee brace. I can no longer work my nightly shifts and see my work friends – I can’t earn money to

and I can walk easily with my brace at school. But other days, I can barely get in the driver’s seat of my car and must take extra Advil in the morning.

However, during this scary process, my family and friends have been my crutch – pun fully intended. I’ve received countless messages of concern and encouragement from those I least expected. Additional help from friends by carrying my heavy backpack during school or picking up my groceries are common everyday tasks relieved that make my life much easier. It’s a breath of fresh air to notice how many people genuinely care for my well-being, a realization that I needed.

I am somebody who always puts my struggles and needs on the back burner, putting up a false front of unwavering emotional strength. With my severe knee injury, it has not only humbled me physically, but emotionally. I now realize and understand that it’s OK to ask for help from others, and that struggle is a part of life — no matter how big or small.

My injury has been an unpredictable cycle that may never end.

I am, unfortunately, having to come to terms with that. I may have a permanent limp when I walk, or seasonal soreness when the weather grows cold. However, the warmth and reassurance from my family and friends keep me going, motivated and determined to become healthy once more, even when I am feeling torn apart.

I wait for the bus to depart to the airport in Boston with my friends at the end of our trip. I had sprained my knee the previous night. (Photo by Peyton Kuschmeider)

Story

by

Senior Column: Gone to

Eyesha Sadiq

It was the last day of my sophomore year.

I stood in front of my counselor’s door, hovering over the piece of paper that would change the trajectory of my life — it would allow me to skip a grade.

I was sitting in advisory when my teacher told us it was time to select our courses for next year. I was fascinated about what junior year would hold for me. As I looked through the classes, I realized I had already earned most of the required credits needed to graduate. Then, it occurred to me — as much as I was scared to realize it — that I might be able to become a senior the next school year.

Before entering high school, I lived in Arkansas where I was given the opportunity to attend the No. 1 school in the state. Since my school was prestigious, it was easier to get ahead. I was able to take three out of the four math credits needed to complete high school and one science credit before even beginning my freshman year.

I grew up in a small town, where everyone knew everyone, and after two years of being virtual due to COVID-19, I moved to Dallas. My grandpa had recently passed away and I was never able to be close to him. So, my family moved to live closer to our extended family after realizing how important loved ones are. In my previous school, there were only 70 students in my grade. After the move, I transitioned to a new high school with nearly 1,000 students, knowing absolutely no one. I felt lost.

The majority of my freshman year was filled with loneliness and anxiety, as I never felt connected to anyone. I dreaded going to school and would cry on Sunday evenings, knowing I would have to repeat the week over again. I had always loved going to school and had friends in middle school, but high school was the opposite.

I would constantly wish

TE X A S

that my family had never moved – even though I now get to grow up with my cousins – so that I could have had a better high school experience with people who I shared experiences with and grew up with.

When sophomore year came around, I began to feel more comfortable. I joined the newspaper staff and started making friends who would soon become some of my closest. I was finally able to come out of my shell and use my voice through my writing. As I went on school trips, joined clubs and won awards, I started to finally find my niche. Newspaper became a safe place for me, one where I could be myself and not feel judged.

When I was given the chance to graduate early last January, I thought it was something I would never do. My sister, who I have always looked up to, had also graduated early just two years ago. But I didn’t want to leave my friends, teachers and the newsroom behind. I was scared of having to repeat the whole process of making myself feel comfortable again on an even bigger campus.

Since I had mentioned to my mom about how I had only a few credits needed to graduate, she sat me down and suggested the idea of graduating early. She thought it would be the best fit for me. At first, I did not understand why moving schools, once again, would be good for me; however, the more I thought about it, the more the idea of being able to have a fresh start — one with no isolation and without my high

when I questioned if skipping a grade was something I truly wanted to do.

I was told by many people that graduating early was not a good idea and that I should experience high school in its entirety and live that “high school” life. However for me, events like Homecoming and Friday night football games were fun, but the future was something that makes me even more excited, knowing I could have freedom and take classes in college that I enjoy.

After months of staying up late and living a double life of finishing up my junior credits and applying to college, I realized the only thing that kept me going during this stressful time was my social circle. My family and friends were my support system throughout this whole process, and I thank them for the countless shoulders I was able to lean on and the amount of cliche sayings I was told.

When applying to the University of Texas at Austin (UT), I was fearful of not getting into my major. I applied to the Moody School of Communications for Journalism, which is ranked No. 5 in the world for communications and media studies. When checking my status and seeing “Congratulations, Eyesha Sadiq to Class of 2028 for Journalism in the Moody School of Communications,” I knew I had made the right decision.

Becoming a senior in such a short amount of time was one the most stressful decisions I have ever endured. Immediately having to fill out college applications and ask for recommendation letters after just turning 16 was something I was not ready for. There were so many times I struggled to balance having a junior mindset while, on paper, being a senior, and I did not know what to tell people when they asked me what grade I was in. There were many times

I plan to major in journalism and psychology, so I can help people find their voices. I know how it feels to be in a room full of people and feel like you can’t say a word to any of them. I want to make a difference in our society and focus on the importance of mental health.

I think this school year has taught me more about who I am. Freshman me wouldn’t be able to recognize today’s Eyesha, who is leaving her home early, who was able to make new friends and who was able to come to school without having to feel anxiety.

Traveling my entire life, I have always felt lost and have never felt like I belonged. I have finally found my inner self in this journey, and although leaving the nest early was a big leap of faith, I’m so proud of who I’ve become.

I’m now “Gone to Texas.”

Love

Language Test

Choose one letter from each question. Count how many of each letter you choose to figure out what your love language is.

H = Words of Affirmation A= Quality time W= Gift giving K = Acts of service S = Physical touch

Receiving End: Giving End:

1. H. I like to receive notes of affirmations.

S. I like to receive hugs.

2. W. I like it when people give me gifts.

A. I like when my loved ones make time for me.

3. S. Hugs make me feel connected and valued.

H. I value praise and hate criticism.

4. K. What someone does affects me more than what they say.

A. I like when people listen to me and pay attention.

5. H. I feel loved when I’m told how much I’m needed.

W. I appreciate when someone remembers a special day with a gift.

6. K. Acts of service make me feel loved.

A. I like when people look at me while talking to me.

7. S. I feel secure when someone is hugging me or holding my hand.

W. I enjoy “just because” gifts – with no specific reason.

8. H. I like being checked in on every once in a while.

K. I like when someone does something for me that they don’t like doing.

9. A. I feel loved when people take time to understand my feelings.

W. I love when people put thought into their gifts.

10. S. I like when people kiss me on the head or cheek.

K. I feel loved when people do things to help me.

11. H. I feel loved when someone celebrates my birthday with meaningful words.

W. Several small gifts mean more than one big gift.

H A W K S

1. H. I like to give notes of affirmations.

S. I like to give hugs.

2. W. I like to give people gifts.

A. I like to make time for my loved ones.

3. S. Hugs make me feel connected and valued.

H. I value giving praise and hate expressing criticism.

4. K. I believe my actions speak louder than my words.

A. I make sure to be a good listener and pay attention.

5. H. I love reminding people of how much they’re needed.

W. I find it important to celebrate a special day with a gift.

6. K. I think acts of service make others feel worthy of my love.

A. I like to maintain eye contact while talking to others.

7. S. I like to make people feel protected by hugging them.

W. I enjoy giving “just because” gifts – with no specific reason.

8. H. I find it important to check in on others every once in a while.

K. I like doing things for people that I normally don’t enjoy doing.

9. A. I make sure to take time to understand others feelings.

W. I love giving well thought out gifts with sentiment.

10. S. I like to kiss people on the head or cheek.

K. I think it’s important to do things to help others.

11. H. I love celebrating others’ birthdays with meaningful words.

W. I believe giving someone several small gifts means more than one big gift.

H A W K S

DESIGNED BY SHIREN NOORANI

Peyton’s Pic(k)s

As multimedia editor, here are some of my favorite photos the staff has taken since the last print edition.

- Peyton Kuschmeider

Junior Keane Nair and senior Sophia Wheeler conclude their dance number near the end of the first half of “Matilda,” which was preformed on Jan. 22. (Photo by Krista Fleming)

Sophomore guard Brooke Thomas shoots a layup over a Plano East player at their game on Jan. 16. (Photo by Andrew John)

Junior Amir Cruz performs with the trumpets at the after school pep rally on Jan. 22. (Photo by Peyton Kuschmeider)

Seniors Jose Gallegos, Max Turman and Sophia Wheeler preform a scene during the opening of “Matilda.” (Photo by Peyton Kuschmeider)

Senior Samuel Sierra and junior Tristan Jackson preform with the drumline at the after school pep rally. (Photo by Peyton Kuschmedier)

Junior J’lyn Jenkins goes for a contested layup at their game against Plano on Jan. 23. (Photo by Gavin Lambert)