The Dispatch, Vol. 36, Issue 5 4/19/24

Annual dance planning

'Dawgs prom preparation produces the perfect evening

Shining dresses and fitted suits dazzle as students dance, have fun, and create special memories at this year's prom. Bowie's prom took place on Saturday, April 13 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Austin, and this once-ina-lifetime event was on many senior’s minds.

This year's prom theme, chosen by the 2024 class officers, was Viva Las Vegas.

“I think the theme creates a ton of potential for fun, mostly because I have convinced Mr. Lauer to dress as Elvis,” prom sponsor Whitney Vohl said. “There were also some guest dealers for games, as well as other surprises.”

Prom is a memorable event for many students, so extensive planning for the big night is crucial.

“As class officers, we're in charge of organizing the prom,” senior Xingyi Zhu said. “We set up the budget and we're in charge of deciding the decorations and location. I enjoyed helping out with prom because I feel like I don't do a lot around campus, so helping with prom makes me feel like I contributed.”

While planning prom is very important, each student must make their plans, too. These plans consist of what to wear, who to go with, where to go to dinner, and after plans.

“My friends and I are tanning, dress shopping, and buying jewelry,” senior Natalie Gerold said. “We’re deciding what to do for our makeup and hair and also where to go to dinner.”

One of the most memorable parts of attending prom is the company. Senior Luke Earle geared up for a memorable prom with a unique prom-posal.

“I surprised my

girlfriend by saying her car wasn’t starting, and when she popped the hood there was a sign I made asking her to prom,” Earle said. “She was surprised, and she said yes.” Being a major event that falls in the last quarter of the school year, prom can signify the end of high school for many seniors.

“Prom is a really fun event for seniors,” Vohl said. “It's a great way to celebrate all of the hard work and remember the good times of their four years in high school.”

The big night consisted of tons of dancing, food, and even a revolving photo booth. Looking back on the evening, the class officers had their favorite moments.

“It was nice seeing all of the decorations and songs come together,” Zhu said. “I thought it was funny when we saw the poker chips with Mr. Robinson’s face because we came up with that, but I didn’t think it would go through.”

Seniors sprint to the polls

Young voters emerge during the 2024 Presidential Primaries

Senior Marley Hall visited the voting polls with her parents long before she was eligible to vote.

So, when it finally came time for her to cast her very first vote in the 2024 Presidential Primary Election, she was overjoyed to be voting alongside her family.

The 2024 Presidential Primary election early voting began in Texas on Feb. 20, 2024, and continued until March 1, 2024. Election day voting occurred on March 3, 2024, and eligible voters were able to choose which day they voted.

“It was my first time voting and I voted with my parents on election day,” Hall said. “My mom has a tradition where she does a mid-jump photo each time one of her kids votes for the first time.

So, when it was my older sisters' first time voting they did a photo jumping in the air with their ‘I voted stickers,’ and I got to take my photo this time.”

LMK of any changes you might need

Now that the 2024 prom season has concluded, the magical evening may be on the minds of the juniors. For any juniors interested in coordinating prom, Zhu has a few pointers after this year’s experience.

“Juniors should start planning early and actively engage with other students,” Zhu said. “This way they can get input on what the general student population would like from their prom night.”

According to the Texas Secretary of State, in the state of Texas, an individual is eligible to register to vote if they are a United States citizen and will be 18 or older on or before the next election day. Eligible voters must register to vote within 30 days before the future election. Because Texas lacks an automatic voter registration system, some eligible voters are hesitant to register, despite the fairly simple process.

“When my students turn 18 I always give them a voter registration card for their birthday,” economics teacher Ruth Narvaiz said.

“I also tell my students that they can register at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) when

Only 41%

they go in to renew their license.”

In addition to registering through the DPS, eligible individuals can visit VoteTexas.gov to fill out a voting registration application. They will then be mailed a voter registration card, and the

future voter will simply need to mail that card back once their information has been filled out.

“My parents helped me register before I turned 18, so that, when it came time for me to vote, it would be seamless,” Hall said. “They helped me register to vote when I renewed my license online.”

According to Common Cause Texas, it is not unheard of for Texas voters to face complications during their voting experience. In the 2022 election, Texans faced paper shortages, long lines, and poll booth opening delays. Despite these possibilities, senior Serena Hinahon believes that the majority of voters’ experiences will be similar to theirs - effortless and fun.

“Voting for the first time was super easy and was a very positive experience,” Hinahon said. “I went with my older brother and there were so many elderly poll

workers who were helping with the voting process, and when I told them it was my first time voting they started cheering and clapping for me.”

While there are a few obstacles that Texas voters face on election day, history teacher Dalton Pool believes there are ways to limit these anxieties so that an individual can enjoy their voting experience.

“I think the biggest obstacle is lack of knowledge of candidates or propositions on the ballot,” Pool said. “It can be intimidating to vote, especially if you only know a few of the candidates or haven't formulated your own opinion. So, just make sure that you're up-todate with news and making sure that you understand what's on the ballot is a great strategy to make your voting experience easier.” READ MORE “Student voter engagement shapes election” pg. 2

Environmental program blossoms after plant sale success

An elective in desperate need of funding, the environmental systems class hosted a plant sale during lunch for a week. The profits earned during this sale will help fund the materials needed to preserve the class for the remainder of the year and into next year. Each plant sold was grown on campus, either in the gardens near the portables or in the greenhouse behind E hall. A large selection of flora was put on display, ranging from amaranth to aloe vera. The sale raised over $150, which will go towards new pots, soil, seeds, and greenhouse materials.

“The money earned from the sale will finance the restoration of weathered materials,” environmental systems teacher Dane Smith said. “For instance, in the greenhouse, two fans blow hot air out which makes the space too hot

for plant life. The money is used for improvements either by buying supplies or improving the current situation.”

The budget for the environmental systems class derives from any leftover money from the science department funds that aren’t used during the school year.

“There's a budget for the science department,” Smith said. “However, usually, that money goes towards buying markers, paper, or supplies like that. Administration does have a request form where teachers can request materials to be purchased with extra funds. But, there is no definite area in the current budget for soil and seeds that I need for my class.”

This year’s sale is the first of a potentially annual plant sale organized by the class. These sales will further the small budget that the class is originally allocated. Although a profit was made from the sale, the money raised will only cover a portion of the materials the environmental systems class requires.

“I want to do more plant sales in the future,” Smith said. “I thought about doing one towards the end of May, with more flowers. Something that we might look into in the future is doing some flower sales or finding out what people are interested in buying. For this first

sale, we primarily grew things that I had talked about in class. I hadn't considered flowers, but I think those would have been popular.”

The plant sale was advertised over the school’s morning announcements the week before the sale. Additionally, posters created by environmental systems students gained the sale publicity.

“The plant sale was advertised over the announcements, but that was the week before spring break. So, when everyone got back from break they forgot,” junior Sara Santos said. “In class we also made posters to put up around the hallways, which I think helped raise some awareness.”

The turnout for the sale was on a smaller scale compared to other fundraisers held during school hours.

“I was thinking that if we posted the prices of the plants, which are between $2 and $7, we may have more luck because they’re selling for a lower price than what some people might assume,” junior Zoe Stull said. “So, price tags along each section of the plants could help. I also think that if we did a better job with advertising the sale, either through physical posters or social media, we would have gotten a larger turnout."

Charlotte Koellner Executive Editor: Content

Emerson Traugott Executive Editor: News

STORY BY Liberty Pittman ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY Charlotte Koellner

PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman Xingyi Zhu, 12

PHOTO GALLERY BY Nick Wong

of young adults voted in 2020

INFOGRAPHIC BY Sophia Sepulveda SOURCE CIRCLE

PHOTO ESSAY Students dive into the eclectic world of second-hand clothes at these popular Austin thrift stores. pg. 6

PHOTO BY Arden Ray

SPORTS Former 'Dawg Evan Mallett discusses his life-altering paralysis journey that transformed his senior year. pg. 10

PHOTO BY Austin Ikard ENTERTAINMENT Grey Area band, consisting of five senior students, auditions for Bowie's Got Talent pg. 12

PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

SB 4 revives anti-immigration policies

New controversial bill will potentially ban refuge in sanctuary cities for Texas immigrants

cials enforcing immigration reform is new and scary to some.

“I don’t think that ruling should be in the control of an everyday person,” sophomore Chris Magnus said. “There should be a system that a deported immigrant has to go through to make sure that justice is being held and people aren’t being mistreated.”

"Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) is a bill approved by Texas lawmakers during a special legislative session in 2023 that establishes the act of crossing the Texas-Mexico border in between legal ports of entry as a state crime. If this bill survives a court challenge and enforced, state and local police who are not specialized in immigration enforcement will have the legal authority to question and arrest any person suspected of crossing the Texas-Mexico border illegally. If they do not actively possess legal status of immigration, the suspect will then be arrested and tried in a state court.

“SB 4 will definitely lead to more instances of racial profiling, and it puts certain populations at risk when it comes to their interactions with police,” government and politics teacher Dalton Pool said. “The bill will also potentially cause certain people to live more in fear.”

On February 29, Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement regarding SB 4. Abbott said that PresidentJoe Biden has a constitutional duty to enforce federal laws protecting states, including the laws already in place mandating the detention of illegal immigrants. Abbott claimed that Texas has the right to defend itself because Biden has failed to protect Texas from invasion at the border.

That ruling shouldn't be in the hands of an everyday person, there should be a system that a deported immigrant has to go through.

Chris Magnus Sophomore

The enforcement of SB 4 in Texas would give the state government the power to enforce immigration law, which has previously been only a federal jurisdiction.

“Texas does have reason to be upset,” Pool said. “The federal government has dropped the ball when it comes to responding to the current crises as Congress has failed to pass any meaningful legislation related to the problem.”

CUTOFF

SB 4 was originally going to go into effect on March 5 of this year, but was temporarily blocked on February 29. As of March 18, the law has been indefinitely blocked by the Supreme Court, and it has not yet been determined when the Supreme Court will decide their stance on SB 4. On March 19, the law was temporarily activated but then rescinded again and put on a pause later that evening by the Supreme Court.

“I expect the Supreme Court to side with the state of Texas,” Pool said. “The Court definitely has a conservative tilt right now and SB 4 represents the conservative perspective on immigration.”

"

“If SB 4 takes effect, it will give far more leeway for state law enforcement officials to racially profile and create environments in which ‘appearing or sounding like’ an immigrant could make someone a suspect of a criminal violation,” Austin mayoral candidate Carmen Llanes Pulido said in a press release. “The enforcement of SB 4 actually makes law abiding citizens and residents more hesitant to call law enforcement when needed, which can contribute to more crime.”

For decades, deportation in the United States has been dealt with by the federal government and federally trained officials who deeply understand immigration status and how to handle those situations.

“The Constitution is clear that matters of immigration should be handled by the federal government,” Pool said.

“Historically, state governments have very little to do with immigration because of the U.S. Constitution.”

This bill would give law enforcement more opportunities to question someone when there is probably no reason to.

Nicole Magnus Senior

SB 4 is constitutionally controversial because of its challenge on the power balance of federal and state governments. Since immigration is a long-standing federal issue, the possibility of untrained state government offi-

According to an official statement from the White House, the Biden Administration strongly disagrees with the Supreme Court’s order that allowed Texas’ harmful and unconstitutional laws to go into effect. The statement continues to say that the passing of SB 4 will endanger communities in Texas, burden Texas law enforcement, and cause chaos near the Southern U.S. border.

“This bill gives law enforcement more opportunities to question individuals when there is probably no reason to,” senior Nicole Magnus said. “It makes immigration status more difficult to achieve because this bill could prolong the process of becoming a citizen in a way that is not needed.”

Affordable prom dresses offered to students

Elizabeth Yowell Dispatch Reporter

In the months leading up to prom, popular dress chains and small dress boutiques are stocked full of dresses dedicated to the event. With the average price of a prom dress being several hundred dollars, some students may find it difficult to cover the cost of a quality dress even without considering the multitude of other prom expenses. Bowie special education science teacher, Kristin Mijares, is offering students the opportunity to find a dress without the stress of a price tag.

Mijares is building a collection of donated prom dresses to provide free to students in the convenient proximity of their school. She has set up her classroom so that students can come to browse or try on a dress before and after school and during both lunches.

“This is brand new, so I'm learning as I go. The idea was just something I thought of randomly in order to help the students here,” Mijares said. “If the girls want to go try on a dress, I'm literally the class right next to a bathroom, so they can go try on a dress if they want to, there's really no structure. It's kind of like a trust system.”

Spreading word of her plans by email, over morning announcements, and posters hung throughout school halls, Mijares garnered the interest of several teachers and staff who supported the cause. Economics teacher and Starlight Theater Company costume volunteer Ruth Narvaiz offered her tailoring skills to make alterations if students needed them.

“I hope I give them the opportunity to feel comfortable in their clothing,” Narvaiz said “I've had a similar conversation with lots of theater students when we start fitting. I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable because if it's prom, and you’re not fully comfortable, you can't have fun. I want students to be comfortable and I hope they'll remember that somebody helped them and pay it forward someday.”

Student voter engagement shapes election

CONTINUED from pg. 1

As students begin to form their own political opinions, Narvaiz emphasizes the importance of turning to neutral news sources for education and facts.

“Looking at reputable news sources and politically neutral resources is important because you're just reading unbiased facts, and you’re not going to hear someone telling you what to do or think in regards to politics,” Narvaiz said. “The League of Women Voters and C-Span are two great resources that I use regularly with my students in class.”

According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), 41% of registered voters aged 18-29 in Texas cast a ballot in 2020. However, the age group that appears to prioritize voting the most is citizens between ages 65-74, with 64.5% casting a ballot in 2022, according to The United States Census Bureau.

“A large majority of people that don't vote in the U.S. are young adults, and a lot of people that do focus on voting are older,” Hinahon said. “So, it's super important that young people use their voice to advocate for themselves in politics because we have such a powerful opportunity to do so.”

In recent elections, young voters have offered unique views on politics that otherwise may not have been considered. According to the League of Women Voters, this one-of-a-kind perspective stems from the youth’s diversity. Considering the factors of race, sexuality, economic status, and gender, citizens aged 18-29 represented the most diverse backgrounds in the last election. Through representing a variety of demographics, this age bracket is responsible for presenting a new array of issues that may pertain to many voters.

“Voting is important because you can't complain about politics if you don't vote,” Hall said. “It's important for young people to know what's going on in the world now, so that when they’re older they can take more political action.”

The dresses in Mijares’ inventory, all of which are donated, range vastly in price, style, and age, offering a wide variety of choices for students to browse. Because a prom dress is usually only worn on one occasion, they are almost always new or in a similar condition.

being able to pass things on that other people can use that are new to them.”

“I was helping a friend organize her closet and she was getting rid of a lot of stuff. So, when I saw Mrs. Mijares’ email, I thought, ‘oh, I can donate some of my friend’s stuff,’” math teacher Jamie Lankes said. “For things like prom dresses, you're probably just going to wear it once, maybe twice. Holding on to it for years is wasteful. I love

As Bowie’s 2024 prom season comes to a close, Mijares is reflecting upon the project’s impact, and assessing how to improve for the future.

“This is the first time we've done it, so we’re learning as we go,” Mijares said. “So, it might be completely different next year. If students aren’t interested it might not happen, I honestly don’t know.

Maybe I’ll keep the dresses that haven’t been donated or used, and keep them for next year.

We’ll have to see."

According to the Pew Research Center, young voters display the most progressive ideals regarding social and political issues. These issues range from climate change, racial discrimination, humanitarian crises, and LGBTQ+ rights. In response to these issues, 70% of youth surveyed in a data set by the Pew Research Center reported saying that they believe the government should play a larger role in politics.

“There’s a lot of preventable issues going on right now, such as climate change,” Hall said. “So, it’s important for all eligible voters to vote for candidates who will take actions to prevent these issues from growing, especially if you're 18. Voting is one of the best parts about turning 18, and it’s definitely what I was most excited for.”

Peyton Dorsey Dispatch Reporter

ART BY Sophia Sepulveda

BY Gabby Bochey

Girl Scouts discover new opportunities

Certain students branch beyond scouting before completing their Gold Award project

Katie Grumet Dispatch Reporter

According to the AP News, in 2021, the youth membership in Girl Scouts declined 30% from about 1.4 million to around 1 million in one year. This decline was due partly to the pandemic but also due to a lack of time and/or a desire to pursue other interests.

Sophomore Hannah Vanhorn joined Girl Scouts in 4th grade. She joined because she already knew people who were in the troop. Vanhorn eventually quit in 8th grade because she had no time to go to the meetings.

"to code while she was still a member of her troop. Despite leaving scouts, the experiences she had gained during her time in scouting helped get be more prepared for the coding class.

“Coding in Girl Scouts helped me prepare for my future. It gave me a head-start in robotics class and prepared me for a tech based world where knowledge like that would be valuable,” Vanhorn said. “It also taught me proven solving skills through trial and error of coding.”

I was really busy and just didn't have the time. My troop slowly started dissolving, and everybody left the troop.

Hannah Vanhorn

"I was really busy and just didn’t have the time,” Vanhorn said. “My troop slowly started dissolving, and everybody left the troop.” Through scouting, Vanhorn participated in community projects with her troop to complete her Bronze and Silver awards, service projects where scouts pick a problem in their community and fix it to create lasting change.

“For our Bronze, we built Buddy Benches for schools in the area to help kids make friends,” Vanhorn said. “And for our Silver Award, we made chemo kits for Dell Children’s Hospital with stuff to entertain and help the kids through their treatment, we made roughly 50 kits.”

Hannah also learned how

Similarly to Girl Scouts, atschool clubs are a great opportunity for students to learn more about their interests. Through the Society of Women Engineers club, young women get the opportunity to learn about engineering as a career path with the convenience of being at school.

“In terms of already being on campus and just staying after school, it is a lot easier than getting transportation to a different location or having to deal with it on weekends too,” Society of Women Engineers sponsor Alonna Beatty said. In the Society of Women Engineers, girls can connect with women who are already in the industry and learn about their experiences.

“I think it’s very important for young women to have role models,” Beatty said.

The Dispatch Crossword

“Our president from last year came back at the end of the fall semester to talk about her first-semester experience. It was really interesting for [the girls] to hear her firsthand experience in college.”

Freshman Ella Parmer remains a Girl Scout with the prospect of getting a scholarship for college for being a scout. She initially joined Scouts back in kindergarten because she wanted to make friends and have something fun to do outside of school.

“I knew I could get a scholarship for being a Girl Scout,” Parmer said. “Being in Girl Scouts can be good for your future.”

Some scholarships can only be awarded to girls who live in a specific area of Texas or to girls who have completed their Gold Award. Some scholarships can be offered from an individual college like Abilene Christian University. They offer Girl Scouts in Texas is a $1,000 scholarship to any student who has obtained the following awards through Girl or Boy Scouts; Eagle Scout, Venturing Silver, Sea Scouting Quartermaster, Gold Award, or the American Heritage Girls Stars and Stripes.

“It’s hard to be a Girl Scout during cookie season and balance that with other things you have to do,” Parmer said. “Once you’re older, a lot of people will leave because they grow out of [Girl Scouts].”

Sophomore Sophie Estrello, ended up leaving Scouts because her troop wasn’t participating in activities she was interested in. Her friends were a part of scouts and she thought it would be a good opportunity for her to help others through

volunteer activities.

“We played bingo at a special living home and planted flowers at a retirement home,” Estrello said. “My time in Girl Scouts helped me become well rounded because I had gained customer service skills through

Across:

selling cookies.” As Estrello got older she became busier, which made having time for extracurriculars outside of school difficult. She advised anyone who is struggling to balance multiple extracurriculars to choose what

activities they're interested in or will benefit them in the future.

“If you’re thinking about leaving Girl Scouts, just do it, it will be fine,” Estrello said. “Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout.”

1. Val T. said that the crinkle cut fries at Hattie B’s were ______ . (pg 13)

5. Piano teacher Randy Cantu is pursuing a masters degree in ______. (pg 4)

6. What was this year’s prom theme? (pg 1)

7. Senior Josh Harwood said one of his favorite hip-hop songs was _________ by J. Cole. (pg 8-9)

8. What place did Allie Dunn get at the Texas State finals? (pg 11)

9. Who is the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) sponsor? (pg 7)

11. Bentlee T. wrote that most clothes are made from _________ materials. (pg 13) Down:

2. Senior Serena Hinahorn says “it’s important that young people use their voice to __________ for themselves. (pg 1)

3. What is the name of the artist who helped create the new mural in the fine arts building? (pg 6)

4. According to the __________, only 27% of people have a job that is related to their college major. (pg 15)

10. One of the new rules of the Nerf wars is that players have the ability to open doors of _______ cars. (pg 12)

Back to school time for Bowie teachers

From leading to reading, Bowie teachers tackle a new chapter, and a lot more school

Isabella Verette Feature Editor

Trading in red ink for books and papers, teachers take on being taught, going back to school to earn a higher education, to provide more opportunities for their future.

Higher education, like earning a master’s degree or a PhD, can provide a wide array of opportunities for teachers, and is something that multiple Bowie teachers have decided to take on, on top of teaching themselves.

tions on campus.

“I learned a lot about school policy and law,” Pool said. “Not only will it be vital to my career path but it’s still helpful when I’m in the classroom to have a deeper understanding of how to deal with situations.”

While pursuing higher education will provide an opportunity for Pool to enter into an administrator role, it will also provide him with other benefits

“I have two little kids at home I need to provide for,” Pool said. “Being able to make more money while still doing something meaningful is the best case scenario for me and my family.”

"Dalton Pool, who teaches US History and AP US Government and Politics, is currently working on certifying after recently finishing his graduate program, while other teachers like Caren Garza, an Algebra Two and AP Calculus teacher and Wendy Uzzle who, teaches AP US History already have their master’s degree.

“Before pursuing a masters degree in education, I held a bachelor’s degree in history and a teaching certificate,” Pool said. “I just received my masters degree in education, and I am currently taking courses to procure a principal-ship certification, which would let me eventually hold an administration title.”

Uzzle who didn’t go straight into education after graduating from college originally graduated with a degree in sociology.

I think a lot of teachers get their administrative degree and i think it helps provide them with a broader view of the school system.

Wendy Uzzle AP U.S. History teacher

With the goal of becoming a vice principal within the next five years, continuing to work in the education field is important to Pool.

“I only see myself in the classroom for so long,” Pool said. “Going back to school opens up a lot of opportunities as far as the jobs that are available to me within education.”

Working towards his masters degree also brought along more information that Pool didn’t even realize he needed.

“Having taught for ten years I didn’t think there was much for me to learn and I couldn’t have been more wrong,” Pool said. “I’ve learned so many new teaching strategies and ways to look at the profession”

Not only did Pool learn new things to help him in the classroom but also things that could help him with day-to-day life and situa-

“I was an alternatively certified teacher,” Uzzle said.

“I had worked outside of education for a couple of years before deciding I wanted to become a teacher.”

Once Uzzle decided that she wanted to teach and be in the classroom, she jumped straight back into school.

“I started working on my masters degree in special education and my teaching certification,” Uzzle said. “I ended up getting my teaching certification first and then my masters.”

Like Pool, Uzzle hopes to one day have a job that’s not specifically in the classroom teaching.

“I always thought I would leverage my special education background and my general experience, and make those two into a new role,” Uzzle said. “This year I’m in a new position as an instructional coach and it helped to give me a broader school perspective.”

Garza, who also got her degree earlier on in her education career, got it for a specific reason while working at another school.

“I knew that I wanted to teach higher level courses,” Garza said. “At my old school we had kids taking college courses on campus, so instead of having a professor come in, anyone who has a masters degree could teach those classes.”

Her love of teaching math is shown with her love of learning math. Garza got her bachelor’s degree in Science, with a major in math and a minor in middle school math and then got her masters degree in Science and applied mathematics.

“I was taking semester class in between and also teaching throughout the year,” Garza said. “It was really rigorous and took a long time to finish, but I graduated with my masters and started teaching those higher level courses that I strived to.”

While Garza is proud of her education and is glad she has the opportunity to teach more advanced classes, she also is aware that for every person, higher education has its different reasons and benefits.

“I think it’s all about what you want to teach or whether or not you want to stay in the classroom,” Garza said. “For me it really was about teaching other classes higher level math classes.”

Garza acknowledges that not everyone

returns to school with the same hope of staying in the classroom.

“I think for some teachers that want to get outside of the classroom and become an administrator its benefits are different,” Garza said. “Getting that degree then provides you with the opportunity to obtain the type of job you want, while mine was more about teaching the classes I wanted to.”

Uzzle believes that getting higher education can help you understand numbers, where they are coming from and why they are happening.

“It’s helped me learn how to analyze data,” Uzzle said. “Looking at school performance data and studying it helps you understand how you can change the data and numbers along with why they are important.”

Uzzle also believes that numbers in the teach-

ing field and understanding them isn’t the only strength of obtaining a higher degree.

“It helped me especially when I was working in special education,” Uzzle said. “It really helped me understand the population and how to provide appropriate support.”

While Uzzle and Garza are not sure if they will go into holding other positions in the future like online teaching, or another type of role on campus, their degrees have provided them with a large amount of knowledge.

“I think a lot of teachers do their administrative degree and I think it helps provide them with a with a broader view of the school system,” Uzzle said. “Giving a school wide perspective rather than just their classroom or program, and even if they don’t go into administration I think it has its benefits.”

Sturzl strides to success at English riding competition

Sophia Sanchez Executive Editor: Writing

Reigns in hand, the wind blowing past her face, sophomore Emily Sturzl and her horse Sir leap over the nearest rail, eyes already set on the next. Sturzl was introduced to horse riding from a very early age and quickly picked up the family hobby. Shortly after learning the basics, Sturzl began her journey as an equestrian.

“My parents got me my first horse when I was two months old,” Sturzl said. “When I was about seven I started riding in a barn and got introduced to English style. And so I went through equitation, dressage, then the hunter division, and then I moved barns and started show jumping.” English riding consists of multiple categories of horse riding ranging from show jumping, dressage, hunting, and much more. Each differentiates depending on the complexity of that competition.

“I’m fairly new to show jumping,” Sturzl said. “I did Hunter division for close to 10 years. It is still jumping, but less focused on speed and height and more focused on if you use proper techniques and if you can make the jump look nice.”

Sturzl’s passion for this complex sport does not go unnoticed as her skills in the show jumping field continue to grow.

“She has been talking recently about some upcoming shows and how excited she is for them,” agricultural teacher Kaitlyn Platt said. “She is always telling me stories about her rides each week and her time spent training horses. She has a real passion for the equine industry and her horses.”

Show season is almost year-round, with the spring season just starting to pick up. According to Sturzl, one of her main goals is to get her show horse, Sir, more comfortable in the ring.

“I’m riding maybe four or five times a week, and I’m riding a bunch of different horses so that I’m very versatile,” Sturzl said. “Sir hears the bells

and he just wants to go, I guess it’s something from being on the track. He’s very tense when we’re out so this season I’m less focused on placing and

more on getting my horse adjusted.”

Along with training horses, Sturzl has also been practicing with three different trainers to meet her goals.

I’m actually doing it. As I’m going over the jump, I’m already thinking and looking towards the next one. It’s just it’s a lot.”

"According to Sturzl the dangers of the sport require the rider to learn horse mannerisms and how to maintain muscles for horse riding.

“Emily is determined with everything she does,” junior Meredith Lynch said.

“She can decide on something and she’ll do anything to get to that goal. She’s determined and she’s incredibly patient. She will spend like hours just listening to the horse and it’s incredible.”

According to Sturzl, at times the dangers of the sport have put a weight on the mentality portion after the death of fellow riders. Despite this, Sturzl lives in their memory wearing their matching pins to many of her shows.

I think everyone should ride horses. It brings you a good community. Once you find your people like they stick with you forever.

Emily Sturzl sophomore

The environment of a competition can become rowdy with all the excitement, stress, and potential prizes at the end. To ensure riders’ and horses’ safety, trainers emphasize the importance of calculating the next steps.

“When I’m in the ring showing, I have two trainers on the sideline yelling at me telling me what’s next,” Sturzl said. ”A lot of it is me listening to them, but then also observing if the horse is showing any signs that he’s gonna act weird in this corner or towards this jump. There’s a million things going on.”

Despite the stress, Sturzl maintains focus on the track and obstacles in front of her. According to Sturzl the mentality of horse riding is equally is the key factor in succeeding during competitions.

“Over the jump you have to be focused on every single part of your body and where it is in correlation to your horse,” Sturzl said. “I’m focusing on before the jump, over the jump, and after the jump 20 seconds before

“I think the main challenge is just the unpredictability,” fellow horse rider senior Charles Earl said. “It’s just like walking with anything else. It’s an animal and animals are unpredictable, and at the end of the day they are they have a mind of their own. It’s it’s like trying to teach a baby to walk sometimes.”

As the competition season continues, Sturzl aims to succeed along side Sir, taking each show one at a time.

“I’ve been able to kind of figure out who I want to be,” Sturzl said. “I think this has brought me a great community. I’ve made so many friends, they don’t even have to be your age like I’m friends with like 30-year-olds at the shows. You find your people and it’s so worth it, being so connected to them is very calming.”

In addition to this new family, Sturzl’s talent with horses has provided experience for her future aspirations.

“I want to be a large animal veterinarian when I’m older,” Sturzl said. “I’ve fallen in love with racehorses, and I own a couple right now that have come off the track and I’ve trained into show jumping, and so I would love to go to Kentucky and be an equine vet for racehorses and work just specifically with racehorses.”

CAP AND GOWN: Babies in hand, government and economics teacher Dalton Pool poses with his family at graduation. For the past couple of months, Pool has been taking courses for a principal certification in hopes of becoming a vice principle in the future. PHOTO COURTESY OF Dalton Pool

WINNING RIBBONS: Sophomore Emily Sturzl shows off her ribbons after a competition, winning second place in one of her events and fourth in two others. Sturzl plans to continue show jumping with her horse Sir through out the current season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF Emily Sturzl

ART BY Isabella

Verette

Senior Eagle Scout makes an impact

Nadia Ramirez achieves highest rank possible within Boy Scouts of America program

The sun shines bright as Senior Nadia Ramirez hangs the final evacuation sign on the fence surrounding Bowie High School, she is filled with a sense of pride.

Ramirez joined Boy Scouts in 2021. That decision has shaped the last three years of her life. Her first experience with the Boy Scouts of America or BSA was going on a backpacking trip in the mountains of New Mexico.

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The trip proved to be a challenge and Ramirez even ended up getting frostbite. But that did not deter her interest in the program.

“It was so much fun, but also very difficult,” Ramirez said. “We got stuck in a large hailstorm, but it was a blast. I’m going to Philmont again this summer and I’m so excited for round two.”

ern Star Scouting only about 6% of all Scout BSA members earn the eagle rank. And according to Ramirez only about 4% of that demographic is female.

“It means a lot knowing I worked hard and was able to earn it,” Ramirez said.

“There’s a sense of accomplishment that I did it because a lot of guys within scouts right now still don’t think females should still be in scouting.”

It means a lot knowing I worked hard and was able to earn it. There’s a sense of accomplishment that I did it.

Nadia Ramirez Senior

Philmont was brought to Nadia’s attention during a Girl Scout camp. Which is another organization she is a part of. During this camp she met a Boy Scout leader who proposed the idea for Nadia to go on the high adventure.

Ramirez decided to pursue the Eagle Scout ranking after watching her older brother earn it in 2020. That inspired her to chase the same goal.

“My entire attitude changed though, throughout the process because I realized I was doing it for myself,” Ramirez said. “I earned one of the hardest accomplishments a youth can earn within Scouts BSA.”

Ramirez began planning her Eagle Scout project in March of last year and completed it in July but, before reaching that goal there were other boxes she needed to check. Upon joining BSA members have no title. The next step is to earn Scout, which Ramirez did in December of 2022. Ramirez earned Tenderfoot, the next rank in February of 2022. In spring of 2022 Ramirez earned the Second Class rank and earned the First Class rank in August of 2022.

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“I have been in Girl Scouts since fifth grade and during a camp I met a Boy Scout leader,” Ramierez said. “She was like, ‘do you want to go to Philmont?’ and I said yes.” Nadia has met new people through scouting; one of these is sophomore Riley Redmer. The pair met at a leadership training camp called National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). This camp focuses on team-building and improving leadership skills.

It means a lot knowing I worked hard and was able to earn it. There’s a sense of accomplishment that I did it.

“At NYLT we did a lot of team-building and communication,” Redmer said. “We also played games that focused on building our team working skills. My favorite memory with Nadia was when we were camping and we built a catapult.”

Nadia Ramirez Senior

Since joining the program Ramirez has been very active within the BSA community. She has earned the Eagle Scout rank which is a highly valued accomplishment. According to North-

“At the point of First Class you then had 16 months until you’d be eligible to earn Eagle,” Ramirez said.” “So, I earned First Class and then I eventually earned star and then life, which are other ranks before Eagle. As well as the community service project I also had to earn 21 required merit badges and then within my troop I had to show scout spirit and leadership skills.”

After meeting the requirements Ramirez began her community service project. She chose to collaborate with Bowie. Coordinating with her assistant principal Joel Espinoza, she was able to configure her project “Nadia was awesome in that she had everything ready to go, ” Espinoza said.

“I was there to provide guidance- get and give approvals. For the most part-

what made working with Nadia so easy was her work ethic and her preparedness.”

Ramriez’s community service project was to create 49 emergency evacuation meeting points all around campus. On the side of school there are fences surrounding the woods and Ramirez added wooden signs to those fences. She also put cement pavers into the ground numbered one through forty-nine.

“If in any case you had to evacuate the school there is now a more streamlined, effective process,” Ramirez said. “Teachers know exactly where to go and the fire department could find each class. It is also a way for parents to know exactly where their students are.”

According to Ramirez this accomplishment is the result of high dedication to her goals, sleepless nights, and a strong work ethic.

“Looking back, I’d say I’m just proud that I did it,” Ramirez said. “I thought it was impossible, and I wouldn’t be here but I made it. I’m an Eagle Scout and it took a lot of work.”

Bowie students advance careers in Animation III class

Asher Hagan

Executive Editor: Art/ Graphics

As senior Monica Arce moves her stylus, the final line is placed, and as she pushes play to view her final product, a sense of satisfaction washes over her. She has spent hours on her animations and draws inspiration for her work from her cultural background. Arce is among many students at Bowie that wants to pursue a career in animation.

Animation is one of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways at Bowie. Students must take a prerequisite before moving on to animation class where students have more freedom to create personalized projects. Arce is in the highest level of Animation at Bowie, Animation III.

“I think we’re incredibly fortunate to not only have a teacher that’s so legitimately passionate about animation, but also to have access to so many amazing resources,” Arce said. “I’ve known people that go to other schools, and they’re always amazed when they hear that we have anything that you could possibly need in the real industry in this classroom. I’ve also seen a lot of students choosing to do this career just from how fantastic this program is.” Animation I typically focuses on the basics of the of the craft, but higher levels allow students to explore their own independent projects. This means that students work at their own pace, learning new techniques with the help of their teacher or the internet. On occasion, this freedom can lead to stress for students.

“Sometimes I wish I could just ask someone

how to do something and have them give me a lesson plan on how to do that thing,” senior Joopsy Addison said. “Except for Animation I, we don’t really do that. Besides that, most of it’s just figuring it out yourself and it can be difficult, but, overall, this style of learning has more benefits than challenges.”

At Bowie, animation students are instructed by teacher Andrew Nourse, who has been at Bowie for 18 years and has been teaching for even longer. Nourse’s first interaction with making animation was in his last year as a student at University of Texas at Austin. When he graduated, he started teaching animation classes at Austin’s Dougherty Arts Center, eventually transitioning to teaching middle school art full time.

“The best thing is when I see students who spend so much time on their work get recognized for it. They light up,” Nourse said. “When a student’s work gets recognized it’s a priceless moment for me not only as an individual, but also as a teacher. The ultimate goal is to get your work out there and have it be seen.”

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they came out with a 2D animation software that you can use on an iPad,” senior Corey Madden said. “Because you don’t need some massive computer and you can animate anywhere, I think it is going to help 2D start to come back against 3D just because it makes animating more convenient.”

While Nourse agrees that 2D animation will persist, new technology is yielding new challenges for the community. He remembers the panic among animators when 3D animation started to become more prominent in the 90s and can see the lasting impact it has made.

When a student’s work gets recognized it’s a priceless moment for me not only as an individual, but also as a teacher.

Andrew

Nourse Animation Teacher

Many students want to work for studios such as Dreamworks and Pixar. Though animation continues to be a prominent component of the film industry, in recent years major studios have focused more on 3D animation as opposed to a more traditional 2D style. This leaves students like senior Patt Collings, who primarily does 2D animation, feeling discouraged.

“2D animation is such a laborious animation style and it’s sad having to sacrifice your artistic integrity for what a focus group or a major company thinks,” Collings said. “I think both 2D and 3D are very interesting and beautiful forms of art, but I think the fact that 2D animation is getting shoved to the corner isn’t great. There are still opportunities for 2D animators in that space, but it’s disappointing to see something that you’re really passionate about being undervalued.”

Although students in Animation classes have access to multiple animation mediums such as stop motion and 3D animation, Nourse says 2D animation is one of the most commonly used forms among his students. This leads some students to believe that 2D animation will persevere.

“There is an art program called Procreate and

“Back when Pixar emerged, 3D animation started taking over and traditional animators were worried that 2D animation was going out of style, but it hasn’t really,” Nourse said. “Now, Artificial Intelligence is emerging and we’re afraid that it’s going to take away the appreciation of human made art. AI is going to be around for a long time but so will animators, maybe forever.”

One of the most common uses of animation is children’s shows and movies. Due to the number of children’s content that is animated, many in the industry feel that people consider animation more childish than other forms of media.

“Animated movies, even though people perceive them as childish, they’re not,” Addison said. “Studio Ghibli movies, for example, are some of the best movies ever and they recently released The Boy and the Heron. It was one of the most moving movies I’ve ever seen. I was in the theater crying and I don’t cry over movies often. Animation has a lot of power over us.”

In 2023, Linearity found that only about 60% of animators were employed globally. That same year, the New York Times found that 44% of all employees in the United States felt they were going to be laid off by the end of the year. Despite uncertainty in the job market, students continue to pursue animation as a career.

“Animation is one of the most human art forms,” Arce said. “Every frame that you see has been worked on tirelessly and you know someone has poured their life into it. People don’t really go into animation for the money and there’s no guarantee that you’ll do well in this industry. People do it because of the love and the passion they have for the art form.”

Savannah Riggins Dispatch Reporter

Senior Joopsy Addison works hard on her latest animation project, using a tablet and

Addison plans to pursue an animation degree in college. PHOTO BY Asher Hagan

SAFETY GUARANTEED: A white sign labeled 25 hangs on the fence outside of Bowie, one of many which indicate to teachers where to meet during evacuations. Senior Nadia Ramirez hung this as her Eagle Scout Project. PHOTO BY Savannah Riggins

SMILING BIG: Senior Nadia Ramirez holds her Eagle Scout certificate in hand as she poses for the camera. Ramirez first joined the Boy Scouts of America in 2021, after being inspired by her brother, who was named an Eagle Scout in 2020. PHOTO COUR-

TESY OF Nadia Ramirez

The ‘Dawgs love PA V E M E N T

Downtown thrift stores makes big impact in Austin

Arden Ray Photo Essay Editor

A local thrift store, Pavement has become popular among high schoolers and college students. With two locations downtown, students have an opportunity to buy second hand clothes and sell their own clothes.

Seniors Katelyn Dillard and Bella Barkkume like to shop at Pavement for in-style, affordable, and environmentally friendly fashion.

“[Thrifting has] definitely become more of a trend recently, so most of the good items are taken if you don’t time your shopping right,” Barkkume said.

One of the main appeals of Pavement and other thrift stores is affordability. Since the clothes are second hand, they are typically cheaper than stores with new clothes and accessories.

“I think that some things could be overpriced but they do have a pretty expensive selection and choose good items to resell so I think the pricing is good,” Dillard said.

Unlike Goodwill or other nationwide thrift stores that rely on donations, Pavement gets most of their inventory from buying used clothes from people. Dillard and Barkkume have both sold numerous items to the store.

“I love to sell my clothes that I don’t wear or want anymore,” Dillard said. “I think it’s just beneficial for me to be able to sell my clothes and potentially make money while others can have more selections when shopping.”

Since Pavement is paying for the clothes, employees have a choice whether an item is worth a certain amount or if it’s even in condition to be put in the store.

“Sometimes they are super picky depending where you go, but most stores in Austin, especially Pavement definitely don’t pay enough for high end clothes,” Barkkume said.

A big complaint about second hand stores is that they deny good items or don’t pay enough for clothes.

“I think [thrift stores] can be a little picky like Uptown Cheapskate and Pavement, but

it is fair since they already have so many clothes,” Dillard said. Pavement and other thrift stores buy a wide variety of clothes and accessories. From ball gowns to rain boots, there are options for everybody and accommodations for many different styles.

“I like the fact that you can go thrifting and see tons of different brands and items where in a regular store it could be more expensive, and may not have what you are looking for,” Dillard said. “I see much of my personal style at Plato’s closet and Pavement but not much at big stores like Goodwill.” Besides the seemingly endless options of clothes, thrift stores make a good impact on the environment by helping prevent waste from people who might just throw away their old clothes rather than selling or donating them. Senior Odin Lowe believes the culture around thrifting contributes to its eco-friendly impact.

“Reusing clothes keeps them out of landfills and gives them a new purpose,” Lowe said. “Also in my experience, the community that surrounds thrifting is eco-conscious and it’s refreshing to find that among younger people.”

With the rise of online shopping and fast fashion, Stores like Pavement give clothing items another life. Unlike reselling used clothes, big fast fashion companies create a lot of waste with the constant release of new items to maintain popularity.

“Fast fashion is awful for the environment , so I try my best to avoid buying from big online corporations,” Barkkume said. “I think that thrifting is better because people are saving money and re-purposing items, not just throwing them out.”

Being environmentally and budget friendly, Pavement attracts all kinds of customers with trendy clothes, shoes, bags, and more.

“I really enjoy thrifting and places like Pavement. It’s fun to go with your friends, there’s so much history to the clothes, and it’s pretty cheap,” Lowe said. “Every time you go in you will find something you’ve never seen before. They always have new and cool stuff.”

ADVERTISING TO AUSTIN: Pavement

Kate Davis Editor-in-Chief

A knot growing in their stomach, hands shaking, and sweat running down their neck, sophomore Roni Newsom walks up the stairs to their first period class, on the first day of the new school year. Anxious thoughts run through their mind: Will the teacher ask for their pronouns? What about their preferred name? Will they be accepting?

As Newsom approaches the door, the only sense of consolation is the pride flag hanging above the classroom entrance.

RISING LEGISLATION

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in 2023, a total of 510 bills were introduced in the United States which would negatively impact the LGBTQ community. As of March 15, 2024, 479 bills have been introduced, setting a precedent for the remainder of the year.

“It just makes me feel hopeless, and wonder what the future is going to look like,” senior Clyde Warren said. “I feel like especially in Texas and the south, LGBTQ rights are not respected by people or the government, who are constantly trying to pass bills to limit our rights. It’s not right and it makes me wonder, what is the future going to be like, if this continues?”

According to the ACLU, 190 of the bills introduced thus far in 2024 target education, through censoring curriculum, forced outings in school, bans on school facilities and sports, and more.

“I'm in touch with a lot of students who are LGBTQ and would be impacted by these bills,” Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) sponsor Jacob Morgan said. “Frankly, they're very worried about it. These are students who tend to deal with more bullying, more harassment already, so it’s only going to make that worse. As an educator, my number one job is to make sure students feel safe in the classroom, and this gets in the way of that.”

STUDENT SAFETY

On Feb. 7, 2024 a queer student in Oklahoma died following what was cited by police as a physical altercation in a high school bathroom. According to the New York Times, witnesses of the incident state that the student killed was assaulted for their gender identity, ultimately reigniting criticism of anti-transgender laws in the state. This event has sparked unrest among members of the LGBTQ community, with many people fearing for their own safety.

"everywhere.”

Not only are students apprehensive of the potential harassment they could face inside school bathrooms, faculty also acknowledges the anxiety queer students may be experiencing.

“It was very upsetting to hear about the incident and I thought about all the students that I work with,” Morgan said. “The child involved was not any different than someone you’d see walking the halls of Bowie. I think it’s playing on cultural fears and it’s using people’s base fears or worries in a way that exploits the students, and educators who are just trying to make a safe space for students. It kind of feels like we’re being used as fodder for a bigger political and cultural war going on.”

With these feelings of apprehension growing, students are urging school admin to encourage safety of students in the LGBTQ community.

“I know last year the admin would occasionally send campus security or assistant principals into the all gender bathroom urging people to respect the space and use it wisely,” Newsom said. “While I wish they continued to do this, I know that there are now QR codes where you can directly report incidents happening and there are cameras outside the bathrooms.”

THE IMPACT

According to the American Psychiatric Association, members of the LGBTQ community are more than twice as likely to struggle with a mental health disorder such as depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse.

“I mean, this increase in legislation is very devastating,” Morgan said. “I think it is targeting a group that already goes through so much, targeting a group that has a higher suicide rate and a higher murder rate than the rest of the population. Targeting people who in general tend to struggle more and it feels very much like they’re using LGBTQ people as ammunition in a culture war. I think devastated is exactly the word to use for that.”

"experiences with healthcare and insurance, which deterred them from seeking treatment for mental illnesses, which they are more than two times as likely to experience.

“I’m not yet sure how this legislation would affect me personally, but my mom has several mental disorders that make it very difficult to function,” Newsom said. “So, if there’s less available healthcare for her I imagine it could potentially shorten her life span, because she wouldn’t have access to what she needs to function. It would make my family’s life a lot harder.”

CREATING CHANGE

In efforts to create an inclusive campus, many teachers express their support of the LGBTQ community and are passionate about cultivating a positive learning environment.

“I am really intentional about using genderfree language for all of my students," English teacher Chelsea McCaffery said. "I make sure to respect everyone's pronouns and preferred names, and make sure everyone else in class respects them too. Also just having things like pride flags, so students know that this is a place where they can be themselves. It's my job to fight for them, so I'm going to do that."

While they appreciate the support of school faculty, members of the LGBTQ community are urging their peers to educate themselves and become more respectful of their classmates.

“Just be aware of trans-phobia and speak out when you see something,” Warren said. “It’s so easy to ignore if someone’s being intentionally rude to a trans person or mis-gendering them. When they see it, people should step in and say something. Even just something small like that can make a huge difference."

Hopelessness can be weaponized, and I think that hope is in itself an act of defiance to that. I want people to stand strong and be hopeful.

Queer students on campus are already feeling the effects of the recent events, expressing their fear for their own comfortability and safety on school grounds.

If these bills are passed there will be less opportunity for people to learn and grow when it comes to things like prejudice.

“To hear that something so terrible happened and there’s not much being done to punish the perpetrators is heartbreaking,” Warren said. “It’s just really disgusting, especially the people on social media saying that the student deserved it. It’s really heartbreaking. It makes me feel less safe. Living in Austin, I feel like I don’t need to worry about my safety as a trans person. But then I hear stories like this one, and I think “dang, maybe I do need to worry.” It’s really scary. It makes me feel like trans people don’t belong in society, and that’s just not the case. We belong

Clyde Warren Senior

Jacob Morgan GSA Sponsor

“It would make a lot of people feel unsafe in their own skin and have to hide who they truly are,” sophomore Simone Brock said. “I feel like it could lead to me being overly outed or subjected to bullying and harassment at intense levels for how I identify and who I am. I don’t think there’s enough action being taken to prevent incidents like what happened in Oklahoma. I feel like if more isn’t done, incidents similar to what happened in Oklahoma could happen in schools all around AISD.”

In addition to the impact that this uptake in legislation will have in educational settings, students are recognizing the effects it may have on their personal lives. According to a survey conducted by Mental Health America, over half the respondents had negative

According to a survey done in 2021 by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 68% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe on their school campus due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Both students and teachers on the Bowie campus seek to lower this statistic, through fostering respect and inclusivity.

“No one knows more about what’s going on inside of a person, than the person themselves. So, I think listening is so important,” Morgan said. “Supporting every student who may be experiencing bullying is so important. It can be as simple as asking a probing question when someone says something hateful or intolerant or helping somebody pick up their stuff when they drop it. We talk about microaggressions, but I think there are also micro-affirmations, and ways that you can show support and love. Also, join the GSA to promote acceptance on our campus.”

In addition to his focus on improving the safety of students on the Bowie campus, Morgan is encouraging queer students like Newsom, Brock, and Warren, who may be struggling to look towards the future with optimism.

“I think that hopelessness is a thing that can be weaponized against people. And I think that hope is in itself an act of defiance to that," Morgan said. "I want people to stand strong and be hopeful, and to know that we’re in it for the long run, and it’s going to get better.”

1 in 3

Cullinane

Raps and rhymes changing times Raps and rhymes changing times

Students recognize the importance of social change as musicians speak against institutional issues

THE NOTORIOUS

"It starts with a simple beat. A rhythmic tap-tap-tap, coupled with an audio clip of a man delivering a powerful speech. Soon more instruments flood in, and senior Abigail Paz can’t help but tap her foot to the music pouring from her headphones. She sees a body moving in her mind’s eye, a dancer creating combinations to match the powerful song playing around her. As a dancer and musician, Paz loves to listen to music, scout out its beats and rhythms, and create a visual representation of the music and its message. That’s what she loves most about dance: using her mind and body to express, uplift, and explore the music around her.

“Music has impacted and affected me, a lot,” Paz said. “One of my favorite styles is hip-hop; that genre really got me into the dance world, and I love the way can dance with it. Listening to it, dancing to it, and following the hip-hop style, has definitely shaped me into the person and dancer I am today.”

acknowledge members of oppressed groups. “There’s never one origin point for a genre,” Grantham said. “Instead, it’s like a tree with roots that span a wide area; and a lot of those roots touch on the community aspect of bringing people together with music. But there’s also a degree of introspection that’s allowed, when you really sit down with something and make it your own, and it took a little while for hip-hop to develop the social consciousness it’s known for. When people started taking the art form seriously, it forced us to listen to it in a different way and appreciate both what it took to make it, and what they’re making it for.”

Accessibility means there’s always a way to push a boundary, and hip-hop is all about pushing boundaries.

Alongside its impact on individuals, hip-hop culture has influenced music, fashion, entertainment, language, politics, media, and more. Audio engineer Will Grantham feels that hip-hop is one of the most important art forms in modern music. Grantham works for the Electric Deluxe recording studio in Austin, where he produces music for Adrian Quesada, producer and guitar player for the Austin-based band, the Black Pumas. With his involvement in the Austin music scene, he has fostered a deep understanding and passion for creating and listening to music.

Will Grantham Audio engineer

“Hip-hop is fascinating to me because, at its core, it is created from sampling, from pulling elements of other songs and reworking it to make it your own,” Grantham said. “What I love about it, and what I find important, is the accessibility to creativity. To make a great hip-hop song, all you really need is a laptop and a bit of software; that ease of use and accessibility has led to rapid growth and change; people will say that old school hip-hop is dead, but that’s just because the younger generations have moved on to other cool things that they can make with the genre. There’s always a way to push a boundary, and hip-hop is all about pushing boundaries.”

HIP- HOP HISTORY

According to Brittanica, hip-hop is a cultural movement that provides the background for the rap music genre. The art originated in the late 1970s, in the economically depressed Bronx section of New York City, predominantly inhabited by African-American families affected by poverty, drug abuse, and gang violence; hiphop is recognized as a product of these struggles.

Senior Adrian Ferretiz feels that these elements have historically encouraged hip-hop artists to put on a “mask” that denies expressions of weakness or emotion. He believes this has changed over time, and modern hip-hop is now more accessible for people from all different areas of life, experiencing and expressing their own personal struggles. He feels that this gives every era its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, which express the changes among the genre and the society it reflects.

“In the 90s, you had Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Biggie and Ice Cube, people who often put on an inflated persona, which expressed that the world hates them,” Ferretiz said. “But they put on this gangster mask, and try to show what and who they are through their music. Now we have a lot of artists that don’t have to put on as much of an image, people like Kenny Mason, J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar, and people that are able to express themselves differently.”

According to the African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS), the “golden era” of hip-hop was a crucial moment in African American history; Paz believes this era of the genre facilitated societal change, especially as it relates to civil rights, racism, and inequality.

“Rappers usually talk a lot about cultural issues and societal problems,” Paz said. “They use their art and skills to speak out against the problems affecting their communities; it’s a great method for getting a message out into the world.”

CHANGING COMMUNITIES

In this golden era, many rappers used their platforms to bring attention to the problems that impact poor and working-class black communities, issues like police brutality, drug addiction, state-sanctioned violence, and misogyny. According to AAIHS, rappers were seen as organic black intellectuals, speaking out against the government, educational, and media systems that failed them. Senior Josh Harwood believes this commentary continues to flourish in modern hip-hop.

Civil movements like the Million Man March, Vote or Die, and Black Lives Matter all encourage support for African-American communities.

Alongside hip-hop artists, social workers, political activists, and community leaders embrace these messages, with a common goal to drive social change and push for justice in their communities.

"it used to be. Whether it’s country blues, jazz, rock, hip-hop, rap, the younger generation is always going to do something new,” Grantham said.

Artists have a passion and a strong opinion on the things they’re writing about. Their music is a reflection of themselves.

“Music is important because it’s something we’ve been doing for forever. Knowing people around me, and the artists that I aspire to, music has had a huge impact on me and on everyone around me,” Ferretiz said. “Seeing the way people express themselves, and hearing them express their views on certain issues, influences us to look into new events and issues in our world, and have learned things that were very valuable for me and my identity. We just have a natural affinity to the messages in music, it’s a universal language.”

Abigail Paz Senior

YOUNG LISTENERS

Harwood has been playing percussion since sixth grade, and he enjoys the expression that music facilitates. According to Medium, the hip-hop genre provides a platform for marginalized youth to express their identities, as it relates to their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. Harwood agrees that this expression is crucial to helping create a sense of belonging and validation among teens.

“Music has been a big part of my life for a long time, and I have always loved playing and listening to it,” Harwood said. “There are so many songs that have such strong meanings, so it’s a good way to express yourself and cope with your problems. It helps you connect with other people, which is super important for our community.” By placing social commentary in their lyrics, artists have the ability to raise awareness among youth who may be uninterested in other forms of media. Paz believes discussions of inequality and racism encourage youth to become more socially aware, and allows rappers to be engaged as citizens.

“These artists continue to do their profession because they have a passion for it,” Paz said. “They have a passion and a strong opinion on the things they’re writing about, and that is what really inspires them to make these kinds of songs. Their music is a reflection of themselves, but they also observe their community and uplift those perspectives, which gives their community an outlet of expression.”

“There’s always this urge to push a boundary, and with hip-hop, it’s easier to push those boundaries because it’s such a fresh genre. It’s not that the genre is dying, but simply transforming into new things, as we have new people pushing new boundaries, making music authentic to the younger generation.” Although some feel the genre’s future feels precarious, Grantham believes hip-hop will continue to transform lives and generate change. Ferretiz believes hip-hop has become more than just a genre of music; it has become a movement for social change and empowerment, with its affinity to expose social issues, provide creative avenues for expression and healing, and empower marginalized communities. Grantham believes, as artists continue to follow this path, hip-hop will continue to grow and change to reflect younger generations’ love and concern for their communities.

TUPAC SHAKUR : One of the most well-known artists in history, with over 75 million records sold worldwide. On top of his reputation as a legendary rapper, he is known to be a poet, activist, and revolutionary for his socially conscious music. His work not only exposed oppressive systems, but examined the ways those systems worked in black communities. His music continues to inspire and encourage the minority groups it was designed to represent. INFO Rock the Bells

B.I.G. Widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time, he is revered for his impact on ‘90s East Coast rap. Also known as “Biggie,” he was willing to use his music to address the vulnerability and harshness of life in the hood. INFO Biography.com

INFO Harvard Hiphop Archive

“The future of this genre is going to be interesting,” Grantham said. “It’s starting to circle back, and we’re seeing it get pushed into new genres, which really inspires us to take a step back and look at the older music we enjoyed, and see how we can enjoy it alongside newer art forms. There’s always going to be something new pushing the genre forward, but there’s also always going to be a reflection of what made it great in the first place.”

SNOOP DOGG Known affectionately as “Snoop,” this artist’s influence extends far beyond his music and contributions to hip-hop culture. He has become a cultural icon, transcending typical generational and genre boundaries. His music has made many contributions to West Coast culture, and it developed the gangsta-funk sub-genre. He has raised funds for youth sports organizations, cancer research, and affordable housing efforts. INFO Look to the Stars

DR. DRE : Lofted as a trailblazer for transforming rap, music, and popular culture in the 80s and 90s. Having created his own influential music, he also worked as a producer for other artists, like Eminem, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and more. Outside of his contributions to the hip-hop genre, Dr. Dre has also donated millions of dollars to schools to support art and education for youth in California. INFO Britannica ethic, and her skill; her music worked to educate the world on the love, power, and beauty of hip-hop and its impact. She also established the Refugee Project, an organization designed to help underprivileged youth.

"“Hip-hop started as an outlet for expression, created by the people in urban areas,” Grantham said. “When you start writing, you’re going to start writing about what’s important to you, and if all you really know is struggling, fighting, and poverty, that’s what you’re going to express. This really sets the genre apart from others, because it’s allowed to focus on the negative aspects of society. Other genres don’t always get quite as real as hip-hop, because the art is based on the authentic experiences of the people making it.” This marginalization formed the platform on which black youths created the foundations of hip hop, to express their struggles against institutional disadvantages. According to Icon Collective, hip-hop culture consists of four elements: DJ’ing/turntablism; MC’ing/ rapping; graffiti; and break-dancing/Bboying, which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude. Occasionally, a fifth element is added to this list. “Knowledge of self” or “consciousness,” refers to the knowledge someone needs to truly understand their community, a mix of spiritual and political consciousness designed to

“One of my favorite songs is called Love Yourz by J. Cole,” Harwood said. “In it, he sings about how you won’t have the best things in the world, but that’s okay, because if you can appreciate what you have, then you have everything you really need. It’s a strong message, and I really love that song because of it.”

The kings and queens of hip-hop have always been pioneers of social justice. Rapping calls for people’s attention.

Adrian Ferretiz Senior

According to the Columbia School of Social Work (MSW), hip-hop has made a profound impact on society by empowering underrepresented communities, advocating for social justice, and providing opportunities for self expression and connection. Songs like “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy and “Changes” by Tupac Shakur directly address racism, police brutality, and inequality, and thereby imbue their music with purpose: to educate and to encourage action.

“Hip-hop’s a great factor of social change, because the lyrics often put an explicit message in the song,” Ferretiz said. “The people that are seen as the kings or queens of that genre have been pioneers of social justice, and they are always discussing the things that should be talked about. Rapping calls for people’s attention, and it is always gonna get the word out in terms of music.”

EXPLORE

According to MSW, music fosters a sense of unity within a community, by providing teens with a sense of identity and belonging. Among communities marked by economic hardship, racial discrimination, and limited opportunities, hip-hop has flourished as a means to express and bond over shared experiences. Alongside junior Julian Sullivan, senior Otto Wu, and senior Diego Dominguez, Ferretiz performs in a local alternative rock band called “No Tuition.” Ferretiz feels his band has immersed him in a unique community, and he loves the way music allows him to connect with others.

“It’s really fun working as a group, because it’s easier to get things done when everybody is pushing towards a goal,” Ferretiz said. “With a band, it’s less exhausting and it’s always a lot more fun to work with everybody, than doing it alone. It’s really cool to get to create with them, it’s a community where I can always take my mind off things and just have fun.”

TODAY’S STAGE

According to Ferretiz, rap music is on a decline; Grantham disagrees, as he feels the genre isn’t weakening, but transforming. Statistics from Billboard do show that the genre’s growth is slowing, with 27.6% of the overall 2022 market share, a decline from the previous year’s 28.4%. Despite this, it still remains the most listened-to genre of music in America.

“Throughout musical history, no matter where you are, there’s someone saying that it’s not as good as

TYLER, THE CREATOR One of the most renown modern rappers, this artist has impacted not only the modern hip-hop

TREND IN GENRE POPULARITY

Mazzy Warren Editor-in-Chief

THLETES SSERT A

‘Dawgs Boys Baseball lead playoff push through heartbreak

This season of baseball at Bowie has been a really fun and competitive one. We are currently 18-7 overall and 8-3 in district, coming off a sweep against Akins. I have really enjoyed playing with my best friends and watching them succeed and play super well.

Seeing the guys I have played with since before freshman year live out their dreams with me has been a super cool and exciting process. Our seniors have carried the majority of the load, with Cole Miller and Ryder Melsa leading the way on the mound. They have both done a really good job shutting down opposing teams and taking a big workload.

Sadly though, our starting right fielder, Senior Joaquin Welch was critically injured in a game against Dripping Springs and will not be back out on the field this season, so we hope to continue winning for him.

I think the whole incident really brought the team together and was just another reminder to be grateful for the opportunities we sometimes take for granted. He was such a key piece in our rotation, not just as a player but as a person. One of the funniest and whole hearted guys on the team.

Coming back the next game and beating Dripping after the loss of Joaquin just shows what type of team we have.

Coach Degelia did a great job refocusing the team and preparing us to continue playing well. That was by far the best memory from the whole season.

Everyone was emotional after the game because everyone knew the significance of the win and we knew Joaquin was going to be so excited when he found out. It was a special moment in honor of a special teammate.

We have a few more tough games and match-ups on the schedule. We play Westlake and Lake Travis in back to back weeks, followed by Del Valle to wrap up the season.

Our goal is to finish at the top of the district and make a deep playoff run for our seniors who have done so much for us already this season.

As for me, a junior with inconsistent playing time, I try my best to just stay ready whenever it is my turn to go out and compete. It is super important for me to be the best teammate I can be, especially in such a wild season that we have had so far.

I know I am not the star player, but sitting behind some amazing players I think have really helped me learn what it takes to be really good. It has kept me very motivated and it translated to me getting more time on the field which is great.

The seniors have been such great people to all the juniors which has allowed us to really develop and hopefully succeed next year. It has also allowed us to play some really good baseball in a really tough district.

We have shown we are able to compete with some of the best teams in Texas. It’s now all about gaining some momentum and getting “hot” at the right time.

Texas is a powerhouse state for baseball, as a lot of the best teams in the country are within just a few hundred miles of Bowie. This being said, anything can happen in the playoffs with baseball, because it is a best of three series which means there are a lot of upsets. If we remain focused on the present, we have the talent to make a deep run into the playoffs. I believe in our guys.

*Have a sports opinion or story you want to share? Contact bowie. journalism@gmail.com to be the next feature columnist.

New beginnings: Mallett’s story

Former football captain recovering four years removed from near-fatal wreck

Ben Tillisch Executive Editor: Sports

In a singular moment, the trajectory of Evan Mallett’s life changed. Despite taking and bouncing back from countless hits on the gridiron as a Bowie quarterback, this collision would prove to be much more difficult to overcome.

On April 25, 2020, Mallett was involved in a single-car accident that rendered him quadriplegic. For nearly a month after the crash, Mallett remained in the severe trauma intensive care unit (ICU) at St. David’s Medical Center in downtown Austin, where he was treated for a fractured neck, spine, and skull.

“Being in the hospital put it in perspective, what could have happened,” Mallett said. “I knew I was pretty messed up, but the nurse told me that I probably should have died. It was almost like a feeling of second chances. Like, it was a very unfortunate situation, but it could have not been a situation at all. It could have just been nothing.”

While being treated in the St. David’s ICU, doctors discovered pneumonia in Mallett’s lungs. As a result, Mallett was transferred to Tier Memorial in Houston, where he was placed on a ventilator until he regained the ability to breathe unassisted.

“It was pretty brutal, because I would feel myself breathing by myself, and then I’d have to be plugged back into the ventilator,” Mallett said. “It was hard. I would try to go against the ventilator as best I could. The feeling of breathing myself was the type of thing I wanted back.”

To progress past the need for the ventilator, doctors would test Mallett with timed checkpoints of breathing unassisted. Eventually, roughly two months after the wreck, doctors determined Mallett no longer needed the ventilator to breathe, thereby enabling the former quarterback to talk and eat solid food for the first time as well.

“Hearing my voice was hard at first because it took a lot to get the words out, but it definitely felt good,” Mallett said. “It was progress, and that was the biggest thing, which was that we were taking steps forward for me to eventually go home.”

Because of Covid-19 restrictions, contact with Mallett was strictly limited in the subsequent months of the crash. In order to show support, lifelong friend and then teammate Mark Chada, a current junior at the University of Texas, organized and participated in an overnight vigil while Mallett was in the hospital.

“Honestly, it was very hard at

the beginning to see Evan,” Chada said. “I had known him so long that it almost didn’t seem real. I know everyone says that tragedies similar to Evan’s cause you to see life from a different perspective that allows you to appreciate the little things. Having something happen to a close friend really forced me to take that to heart.”

At the time of the crash, Mallett was preparing for his third and final season as the Bulldogs quarterback. Four years later, Mallett recognizes that a return to the gridiron is unlikely, yet he continues to find alternate avenues to regain the thrill of competitive sport.

“One of the biggest things I miss is football,” Mallett said.

“The gravity of my situation

compared to football makes it seem like nothing, but I love football, and I miss playing it. My goal has been to find pathways to do things like football just in a different way.”

Specifically, Mallett has taken an interest in Wheelchair Rugby, which has been a Summer Paralympic sport since 2000. Chada asserts that Mallet’s innate determination to improve his situation is contagious.

“I still see Evan when we both get the chance,” Chada said. “We are both very busy, but we make time to just hang out. Seeing him do daily tasks and especially getting better at them really shows how strong he is. He even started driving recently and is thinking about joining a rugby team, which is pretty cool.

Evan is a great friend to have and seeing him push himself every week makes me want to push myself as well.”

Head football coach Jeff Ables coached Mallett for his sophomore and junior year as varsity quarterback. However, according to Ables, Mallett was a leader first and foremost and represented the program at the highest level.

"meant a lot, and it was nice because I met a lot of people that had supported me behind the scenes, so I got to thank them.”

The ongoing challenges are also the motivators for me to go to college and live my life. I have my goals and I know that I’ll achieve them.

Evan Mallett Former Quarterback

“He’s an example of how something can happen in your life, and you can take what’s happened and make the best of it,” Ables said. “He had a great attitude, and he was always a competitor. That fighting spirit after his injury made him able to get back to where he needed to be and overcome what had happened.”

Mallett was still named team captain for his senior year, despite the fact he never put on football pads again. His journey spurred a new perspective and appreciation of the sport throughout the entire football program.

“Life is precious,” Ables said. “You never know what’s going to happen, and you can’t take anything for granted. As a coach, you try to remind your players that [football] is just a game. Everybody likes to win, but it’s really about trying to make an impact and a difference in a kid’s life every day.”

Along with being named varsity captain for the 2020 season, Mallett was honored as the 2020 homecoming king. Beyond the football team and Bulldog community, Mallett was also recognized by Kendra Scott and Craig O’s Pasta and Pizzeria, both of which organized fundraisers on his behalf.

“It was surreal going back to Burger Stadium for the first time,” Mallett said. “A lot of my family and friends were there. It

For the past four years, Mallett has been on a mission to live his life on his terms. In order to do so, Josey Silva, an occupational therapist, has channeled Mallett’s determination into relearning functional tasks like cooking and driving.

“I’m very impressed with his attitude, because a lot of people give up and feel sorry for themselves, but not him,” Silva said. “He will try anything and keep trying until he gets it. He’s very well adjusted and ready to move on to do whatever he can to be successful.”

Since the wreck, Mallett has graduated from Bowie, and he currently attends classes at Austin Community College. A sophomore in terms of credits, Mallett plans to transfer to the University of Texas in the fall of 2024, where he study business.

“When you first initially get hurt, a lot of people think their life is over,” Mallett said. “When I got into the wreck, I got a whole new perspective on everything. It’s given me a new appreciation of the small things.”

Mallett’s injury has resulted in ongoing challenges, including a lower back surgery in 2022. Still, Mallett continues to maximize life’s possibilities with his unwavering resolve and work ethic.

“The setbacks that I’ve had have probably been the hardest part over the past four years,” Mallett said. “But, the ongoing challenges are also the motivators for me to go to college and live my life. I kind of look at each setback as a bump in the road. At the end of the day, I have my goals and I know that I’ll achieve them one day.”

WORKING HARD: Former Bowie quarterback Evan Mallett works on a strengthening exercise to increase mobility. Mallett has been in occupational therapy since

2020 crash that left him quadriplegic. PHOTO BY Austin Ikard

Lady ‘Dawg swimming at state meet

Sophomore swimmer Allie Dunn is a forced to reckoned with in the 500-meter freestyle

Caroline Baxter Dispatch Reporter

Sophomore swim superstar Allie Dunn glides through the water pushing herself to the limit, stroke after stroke. Dunn made her first appearance at the UIL Swimming State Meet competing in the five-hundred-meter freestyle.

Dunn is one of the two swimmers at Bowie to final during the Texas State finals this year. This was Dunn’s first time qualifying for state, let alone making finals at state.

“I was very happy when I qualified for state,” Dunn said. “I worked very hard this season and to accomplish this goal was an amazing experience for me.”

Dunn ended up finishing 14th in the event, with a time of 5:02.38. It isn’t easy for a swimmer to qualify for state. First, they have to compete in regionals, which acts as the qualifier for state. Only a small number of swimmers per event can qualify for the state finals.

“Regionals is very competitive because everyone knows that is their way to state,” Dunn said. “You can also get a call-up, which happened in my case, but usually only 16 kids in each event can compete at state.” The effort needed to achieve the state level is very high. The work ethic they have needs to be consistently very high. One of Dunn’s swim mates, sophomore Audri Harris complimented the hard work Dunn always puts into her workouts.

“She is a very hard worker this year for the swim team,” Harris said. “She got the highest points award meaning she scored the most points out of everyone on the team.” Freshman Mia Broccolo believes

that Dunn is a hard worker. Dunn however, stands out to all of her teammates. Broccolo expressed her praise on Dunn.

“Dunn is inspiring because of her dedication to swimming at all times,” Broccolo said. “She inspires everyone to be their best constantly and that with work put in, we can be great swimmers.”

Dunn inspires others but she also has gotten inspired but people herself. Dunn has her sister, Audrey, to thank for getting her into the swimming world. Even without her, Dunn thinks she would have found her love for swimming anyway.

“I have been swimming since I was five years old after I watched my sister

start swimming,” Dunn said. “She was good at swimming and I kind of got forced into it, but I am very glad I was in the end.”

As well as being a hard worker while swimming, Dunn puts in the effort during school too. Dunn would like to continue to swim throughout college and also after graduation.

“I am planning to go to college to swim except I don’t have any preference yet on where,” Dunn said. “I don’t care if I go Division 1, Division 2, or Division 3, I just want to keep swimming.”

Dunn believes that her swimming will help her later in life when she needs to find a job. Her dedication and determination to swim gives her

the qualities needed for life outside of sports.

“I think it’ll open a lot of doors for me in the future,” Dunn said. “It has improved my work ethic. Also, it has taught me to get work done early because I miss quite a bit of school for meets and competitions.” Since Dunn is enthusiastic about going to college to swim, her personality shows her energy towards college. Harris thoroughly enjoys Dunn’s presence in the pool but also out of the pool.

“Dunn’s personality is quiet but when you know her she’s one of the funniest people I know,” Harris said.

“She can and will make you laugh all the time and just overall has a very

goofy personality.”

Dunn loves to show her silly side at practice. This doesn’t mean that she isn’t focusing on her goals. Dunn practices multiple times a week and maximizes the effort she puts into her practices

“I do goof around at practice but I also make sure to do the best I can,” Dunn said. “I know that the effort I make in practice can correspond to how I do at the meets and to where I end up finishing.”

In the District 26-6A Championship, Dunn finished third in the two-hundred yard freestyle. Advancing her to the next level.

“Since Dunn now competed at state, we all know now that we have the potential and ability to do the same,” Broccolo said. “I have so much respect for her and I feel pushed now to keep giving it my all.”

Dunn has become a role model for many swimmers in the Bowie program. Broccolo expressed her like for Dunn and the reason she keeps swimming.

“Dunn has become an example for the standard of Bowie swim after her amazing season,” Broccolo said. “I thoroughly enjoy watching her swim and the style of her swimming is incredible, making me strive for more.” Dunn has many more years of swimming ahead of her, but she is already giving advice to the younger generation regarding swimming. She believes that anyone can become great with the right amount of hard work and dedication.

“My advice is even if you think you can’t do it anymore, you can,” Dunn said. “I had a point where I was burnt out. You just need to find the right people to swim with and you’ll have a blast.”

Bowie boys ready to compete in volleyball tournament

Sam Vane Sports Editor

Every year when April turns to May, the Bowie girls volleyball team has a special event unique to Bowie. While many sports are ending they suit up again for this competitive tournament; the boy’s volleyball tournament.

“I’ve always been semi-athletic, and that I can adapt and play most sports,” Burcham said. “I don’t think my volleyball skills are going to be so bad where I’ll be a liability.”

Current Bowie coach Danna Wincher, like Sines, is a big advocate for boy’s volleyball as a sport, and putting this tournament on brings more popularity to the sport and hopefully could lead to a team in the future.

"This tournament is a longstanding tradition for the volleyball team, and senior Natalie Erickson is already a seasoned veteran when it comes to the tournament.

“When I came in as a freshman, former head coach, Coach Sines had already been here for years and was doing the boys tournament to advertise boys playing volleyball,” Erickson said.

The tournament is set up in a bracket style form, with girls from the varsity volleyball team acting as coaches and picking the players for their team. One of Natalie’s players, senior Lucas Burcham, explained the rules.

Even though I’ve never played in the tournament before, I’m really excited to finally play and participate in this Bowie tradition.

“Each member of the volleyball girls volleyball team creates their own team, and acts as a head coach picking ten players to be on the team,” Burcham said. “Then the teams play each other in a single elimination tournament.”

Many of the players are new to volleyball entirely, however most play other sports like football or soccer which helps with volleyball.

“I want the guys here to know that we support them,” Wincher said. “We want to think it’s awesome that Bowie is able to expand with all genders playing and hopefully one day we can field a team for a season.”

Seeing as the tournament is just for fun, the volleyball team always tries to come up with creative and funny team names. Erickson and her team put a lot of thought into the name making sure it was able to be funny but also witty.

“Our team’s name right now is ‘Senior Swingers’ because in volleyball you swing,” Erickson said. “I’m pretty impressed to be honest by the creativeness and I think it’s one of the better ones I’ve heard of since I joined the program.”

While Erickson revealed her team’s name, the girls usually keep it secret from their coach in order to make it a surprise when they reveal them.

“The girls are being really secretive right now,” Wincher said. “So, I asked them today to go ahead and share with me because I have to

approve it before we actually publicize it but I’m excited to hear the names.”

Burcham isn’t short on confidence going into the tournament as he has been working hard and believes he can lead his team to victory.

“I’ve been going to the courts every day and doing 100 serves,100 spikes, 100 sets, and 100

kills,” Burcham said. “I’m gonna work my tail off and I’m gonna leave it all out on that court when it’s game time.”

Erickson also believes in the team and thinks that expectations are high for her squad.

“I think we got some good confidence and we’ll do well and go far,” Erickson said.

TAKE A BREATH: On the final stretch of her race, Allie Dunn pushes herself to the limit. Dunn had a successful second season as a Bulldog swimmer. PHOTO COURTESY OF Allie Dunn

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Senior Lucas Burcham practicing his volleyball serve after school. The tournament is only a couple weeks away, starting the first week of May. PHOTO BY Nick Wood

Lucas Burcham Bowie Senior

School tradition returns to the stage

Gazing

On Saturday March 30, Student Council and the fine arts programs sponsored Bowie’s Got Talent (BGT), a collection of acts performed by Bowie students. Previously called Bowie Idol, the last time the talent show was held in person was in 2019.

“It was one of those cultural moments that everybody loved,” Student Council sponsor Alejandro Garcia said. “And since it’s been five years since we’ve had it in person, students don’t know that yet, so I hope this year is the beginning of building love for this event back into Bowie students.”

For its return, the talent show’s name has changed to Bowie’s Got Talent to encompass the variety of acts that can be performed, and the popularity that the television show experiences. After an attempt at rekindling the talent show last year didn’t succeed, Garcia credited advertising throughout the school as a help to this years efforts.

“Student Council members also were the ones who were like ‘We want to bring this back, this is our tradition’,” Student Council President and BGT host Riley Harris said. “So, we proposed the idea and got it up

and running.”

Along with Student Council, fine arts programs including choir, theater, and orchestra all participated in assembling the event.

“Each organization sponsored a group to participate, and so we had representation from all programs,”

Choir teacher Randall Cantu said.

“Students from each program sit on the panel of judges and selected the acts. They were involved in selecting the acts for the show, and everything with preparing the show.”

To appear in the final performance, Bowie students had to audition with their acts in front of a judging panel. From the applicants, 15 acts were chosen to showcase on the Bowie stage.

“It was definitely a hard thing to do as they’re all my peers,” Harris said. “But most of them that stood out were the ones that made it through. Everyone did a fantastic job, but we only had enough time for an hour and a half show.”

The audition process was not only stressful for the judges, but according to some people who tried out, the preparation and anticipation around the tryout was high.

“I didn’t have a lot of practice,” BGT winner Finnegan Alexander said.

“I did not know my words to the song all the way. It was a lot of hoping and a little bit of worrying. Just getting ready to give it my all.”

Student Council member Lucas Burcham was alongside Harris as host, while fellow StuCo president Charlotte Hill handled backstage matters.

“All the judges; teachers, choir directors, and student council presidents, scored auditioners based on skill and entertainment value,” Garcia said. “We looked at the people who had the top scores as the people we wanted to be in the show.”

After the audition process, the final planning steps were carried out. A rehearsal was completed with technicians from theater running light and sound cues for transitions along with participants getting a short run through with the hosts.

“It was really a team effort,” Cantu said. “Everybody had their own little niche and every program and teacher was responsible for different components of the project. What I really liked about it was that it wasn’t run by one individual.”

On its first and final night, Bowie’s Got Talent drew in students and families to fill the auditorium seats. Hundreds of people sat in rapture of the singing, beat-boxing, orchestrational number playing acts.

“They get a chance to perform in

front of maybe the biggest audience of their life, and it could be something that sparks a love of performance for them,” Garcia said. “It could be them overcoming their fear to perform in front of people. Could be just to showcase what talent they have. And I think it’s just so cool to be able to provide an opportunity to allow them to do those things.”

After every act had made their route across the decorated stage, a separate set of judges from the audition trials discussed the different talents and chose five to be considered in the running for BGT winner.

“A lot of the judges were either past Student Council presidents or people who had been in the show before and won or were really popular,” Harris said. After five acts were selected, the show turned interactive as audience members voted for which of the five should be crowned winner through an online poll. After a brief hiatus of bar code scanning, the winner was revealed to be none other than Finn Alexander with his performance of My Way by Frank Sinatra.

“I went into my audition thinking I probably won’t make it any further because I wasn’t memorized yet,” Alexander said. “I thought, ‘I’m one of a bunch of vocalists here, it would

be a big surprise if I got anywhere further than the instrumental groups that are winning state.’ Winning was just fascinating for me, I really did not expect that. That is not modesty. That is just surprised.”

A standing ovation was delivered, as Student Council members fired confetti cannons around Alexander.

“The audience was very receptive,” Alexander said. “I was very excited just having heard them for the period of time that I was backstage listening. I had more excitement than nervousness because of how kind they were to all of the acts. Everyone was cheering, and I heard a ‘marry me’ at one point.”

"reproductions.

“We’re giving students an opportunity to express themselves,” Cantu said. “It gives us an opportunity to bring people together from different parts of the campus that don’t necessarily come together, which builds community. I feel like this project was a meaningful way of contributing to students and staff developing a sense of belonging.”

Alejandro Garcia Student Council Sponsor

This sense of community surrounding watching their peers perform is the point that planners and school staff aim to build with Bowie’s Got Talent, now and in future

The final product of Bowie’s Got Talent will certainly be a milestone of the 2023-3034 school year, as students came out of their shells to deliver their message through what they love most.

“It’s the idea that the arts can be celebrated in a way with a little bit of healthy and friendly competition where everybody gets recognized and appreciated,” Alexander said.

Foam bullets fly through the cool spring air as students engage in stakeouts, battle, and dueling. Bowie Nerf War is back for 2024, bringing new rules to the age old tradition.

Seniors Lucas Burcham and Colin Rice, who are running the competition this year, made the account and detailed document of rules.

“We definitely used some of the same rules as the people who ran it last year,” Burcham said. “But we added a few new rules too.”

A notable regulation for this year is that players have the ability to open doors of opponents cars and shoot into the vehicle or hide in the vehicle and wait for their opposition.

“I think the rule could definitely be an issue between strangers,” Burcham said. “But most people playing know it’s good fun.”

During the first week of the Nerf war, a video made its way around campus via Instagram of a car door being pulled open on the busy intersection of Brodie and Slaughter during the lunch period.

“The people in the video are friends of mine,” Burcham said. “They are also friends with each other so that situation was a good laugh.”

Rules have also been put in place to ensure that people playing the game will not be interrupted during work so as to not get in trouble with their employers.

“I think the rules that protect people at work are probably the most important,” Burcham said.

“I’ve heard that people have gotten in trouble for opponents showing up at their jobs and we don’t want to get their jobs involved.”

Outside of school and work almost everywhere is fair game. Some students even utilize their parents to assist them in the war. Glen Lewis, a Bowie Social Studies teacher, has been helping his son Easton throughout the war.

“It kind of builds community, it’s something fun for students to do.” Lewis said. “And they can win money in the end, which is awesome.”

Lewis has been teaching at Bowie for many years and has seen many Nerf wars although he is a fan, he does have concerns about the way some students drive.

“As a parent it can be a little worrisome seeing the way many teens are driving,” Lewis said.

“Of course, we want our kids to be safe. It’s pretty crazy to try and catch or evade an opponent in a vehicle.”

Students who have parents helping them out can have quite the advantage, parents have been lookouts, decoys, and even planners.

“I help strategize for Easton’s’ team; they’re not really sure what to do,” Lewis said. “And I’m just thinking if I was playing the war would be over by now.”

Information is key in Nerf War, students must figure out their opponents addresses, workplaces and even car make and models.

“During the first round I was pinned against a team with just one team member who knew me well,” junior Hayden Dusterhoft said. “They knew my address and where I work and what my car looks like.” Dusterhoft who was a victim of the ‘unlocked doors is fair game rule’ plotted diligently with his team members until his unfortunate loss.

“We had a plan we were going to do that night,” Dusterhoft said. “My doors unlocked when I put my car in park and I was done for.”

Knowing your teammates is a huge advantage but some people can be very hard to find.

“One person on our opposing team knew all our addresses and cars,” Dusterhoft said. “He was also the only person on that team we had information on.”

Charlotte Schwarte Dispatch Reporter

down on the audience stretched before them, the spotlight brightens on the performers faces.

Savannah Linscomb Entertainment Editor

Quest for the best thrift store in Austin

An inexpensive shopping hobby becomes a new way to support the local community

Bentlee Toland Dispatch Reporter

Shopping for second-hand clothes used to be seen as a need. Now, thrifting clothes is considered less of an essential and more of a fashion statement. Austin is home to over 30 thrift stores and it has become a trend to go thrifting. Thrifting started to become a fashion trend during the pandemic thanks to TikTok.

According to a study at the University of Colorado Boulder Americans throw away over 13 million tons of clothing each year. The majority of clothes are made from synthetic materials, which can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills When consumers thrift, they help reduce the massive amounts of clothing sent to landfills each year. Shoppers should not only feel good about disposing of unwanted clothing by donating, but also through saving hard money.

One of my favorite parts of shopping at thrift stores is the atmosphere and life that lives in these stores. Stores like Pavement have an amazing ambiance so much creative artwork all around the outside of the building. Many people

will pose outside and take pictures. Even with it having crowded colors around the building it’s very clean, spacious, and organized. But a common issue with thrift stores like Pavement is the clothes can be more expensive and they are pretty picky about what they accept in donations of clothes. Overall, I like shopping at Pavement and would recommend it especially if you are looking for accessories like jewelry, sunglasses, and purses.

If you’re still looking for good thrift finds after Pavement, right next door is Buffalo Exchange. Parking can be difficult on this street with limited spacing. But along with Pavement, the outside has lots of color with cheetah print covering most of the front. They also have a good selection of jewelry and sunglasses and a good variety of shoes. Regarding the clothes, Buffalo Exchange has a good selection but can either be a great deal or overpriced. Based on many reviews the staff can not be very friendly but in my personal experience, the staff has never been rude. I have never had a bad experience here but sometimes Pavement can have a better selection of clothes.

The last store I found with a good atmosphere was Top Drawer Thrift. It’s clean and well laid out. The atmosphere was fun, and the decorations were cute and quirky but they had very little selection. They did have reasonable priced antiques and collectibles but it’s not the place to go for clothes more of nicknacks. I liked the spirit in this store: very friendly staff and people shopping there.

Something I noticed with some thrift stores like Thrift Land, Thrift Town, and Thrift Center is the weekly or even daily discounted colors. The deals are great there and can save an insane amount of money. The best thrift out of those stores I would say is the Thrift Center. It’s kind of cozy, nice and clean, even if it’s a little cramped. I thought the deals at all of these stores were great but there are some major problems with Thrift Land and Thrift Town.

My main issue with both is no public restrooms anymore. Thrift Land doesn’t have fitting rooms and only accepts cash, but they have an ATM in the store that charges you a $3.75 fee. With Thrift Land, there were a lot of complaints from customers about closing early, not by just

Hats off to Hattie B’s Chicken

Hattie B’s Chicken is a restaurant founded in Nashville, Tennessee and their main focus point is great chicken.

The restaurant was opened by Nick Bishop Jr. After seeing his dad and his grandfather in the restaurant business their whole lives, he decided that he was going to open one of his own. His goal was to bring hospitality into a restaurant that felt familiar and to bring authentic Nashville style chicken to other states.

Hattie B’s is open 11 a.m.10 p.m. on weekdays other than Friday, and 11 a.m. to -11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and they’re located on 2529 South Lamar Boulevard. Hattie B’s menu consists of different “heat” levels of chicken, meaning different levels of spiciness. White chicken, dark chicken, and parts of the chicken that you’re able to purchase like wings or breasts are available. They have chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches that you can customize based on what part of the chicken you want and how spicy you want it to be. They also have waffles.

They offer countless sides like mac and cheese, potato salad, crinkle cut fries, bacon cheddar grits, baked beans, coleslaw and pea salad. They

chicken. One of the first things that I noticed going inside was that the music that they were playing inside was extremely loud, it sounded like it was hurting the speakers it was coming out of, it was a bit distracting.

Walking in you first see the line you stand in to order, shirts and other merchandise you’re able to purchase to your right and a huge menu on the same wall to look at while you’re in the line.

We purchased the mac and cheese, crinkle cut fries, coke float, peach cobbler, and the ½ Bird and it all came out to about $26.

When you order you’re given a number that you attach to the paper towel holder on whatever table you chose, it was quite busy when we went so it took a while for our food to come out, but it wasn’t too long of a wait. The layout of the seating is one big room that is half inside and half outside.

The sides we ordered are pretty common for the most restaurants, and they were just what we expected. The mac and cheese had little flavor and had bits of pepper in it which sounded good but didn’t taste amazing, and the bits of pepper overpowered the mac and cheese. The container itself was not filled up very much, maybe 3/5ths of the cup was

flavorless and just made them bland overall.

The peach cobbler was actually pretty good, it looked mediocre when it was given to us but it tasted better than expected, it was given to us hot and the bits of pie crust tasted great with the peaches. I enjoyed it.

The coke float was okay, I’m used to getting a bit more than one small scoop of ice cream in a float so it was a little less than expected but I liked the ice cream they used and the cup was filled to the brim.

The chicken that we ordered was called ½ Bird which was just one quarter of a breast with one leg quarter. It was about $15 and it came with two sides.

I’d say the price is reasonable considering that we received a large amount of chicken in our order. The chicken was cooked well and wasn’t dry at all. We chose the medium spicy option and I’d say it correlated with the flavor. The seasoning slightly reminded me of the flavor of a taki, this isn’t bad but it was different from the chicken I’m used to eating. I have had better but it wasn’t bad.

Overall, considering the service, environment and food, I liked Hattie B’s Chicken; It was a fun place to eat at and a lot of people seemed to like it too because it was packed. I’d

10 minutes, but like an hour earlier. I went there earlier in the day so I can’t say this was my personal experience. The only other thrift store I found with no dressing rooms was Goodwill Central TexasBrodie Lane. Since this store was remodeled many complaints about it being hard to push carts around the store and of course complaints about no fitting rooms. For me, This thrift store is more for good deals on furniture rather than clothes. Something I think more stores would do is the drive-through drop-off. They have you just pull up and they’ll help you unload your donations. Overall, it’s not a bad thrift I have gotten some good clothes from here but not my top choice for a thrift. I hate to say this but from my experience, the worst thrift store I went to was Flamingos Vintage Pound. Every time I have gone here it’s been understaffed, with only one worker who is

always very quiet. But something cool about this store is you pay by the weight of the things you buy. For the most part Flamingos Vintage Pound is not bad with clothes but I just got a strange vibe in the store.

Last up is Uptown Cheapskate. This store had a lot of good reviews online than some of the others in Austin. They have reasonable prices and many reviews about nice staff, and they have quick assistant in the dressing rooms. In-store credit never expires and it stays with your account. It was hard to find a bad review compared to the other thrifts.

If you are looking for goods for a lower price I would recommend going to any of these.

But for my favorites, it would be Pavement and Uptown Cheapskate. I have never had close to bad occurrences at either. I think thrifting is a great way to not only not waste goods but to find great deals.

Beautiful Blanton museum displays brilliant exhibitions

Claire Scott Review Editor

Vibrant rays of sunshine gleam through the tinted glass, beautiful works of art sit still amongst crowds of fascinated people, and whispers of amazement come from a nearby room.

The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest university art museums in the United States of America. The museum dedicates 189,340 square feet to permanent, temporary, and interactive exhibitions from across the ages. From immersive sonic landscapes to plaster casts of ancient Greek statues, you’ll surely find yourself in awe no matter where you look.

The museum doesn’t just housing art exhibitions, it also contains classrooms, study halls, a cafe, an auditorium, and a gift shop for the students of the University of Texas at Austin and the general public that pays for admission.

Established in 1963, the museum has created a ripple effect for creativity amongst the imaginative minds of the community of Austin. The Blanton Museum is located at 200 East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard.

This museum is the perfect place to explore with friends and family, take pictures for an Instagram post, and break away from the hectic pace of the city. Although the drive downtown is daunting, the venture is worth it, as the museum has four-out-of-five stars according to Google Reviews and was voted the best museum in The Austin Chronicle.

To enter, you can purchase tickets at the museum’s front desk or ahead of time at blantonmuseum.org. The entree fee for adults is $15, $12 for seniors, $8 for youth, and free for children under five years old and active teachers. All visitors get free admission every Tuesday because of the Moody Family Free Day Endowment.

In regards to parking, the museum is conveniently adjacent to the Brazos Garage. The fee is $4 per hour and it’s best to get there early for a guaranteed parking spot.

I was starstruck when I went to the museum on a Sunday afternoon. I was intimidated by the crowd the people lined up at the front desk, however, everyone dispersed throughout the thousands of square feet of the museum which made it feel less busy.

The museum temporarily showcases eight exhibitions made by artists worldwide. Aside from the temporary art, the Blanton Museum holds seventeen permanent installations. The first temporary exhibit I came across was “The Floating World: Masterpieces of Edo Japan” from the Worcester Art Museum. This collection of pieces was unique because it highlighted the history and artistry of Japan after its centuries of foreign conflict.

At the showcase, you’re in a room with multiple walls that display a variety of woodblock prints and painted scrolls. Although the exhibition’s pieces are for looking rather than touching, it’s interesting to physically see the lifestyle of the urban world and its connection to samurais, geisha, and kabuki actors in palaces, landscapes, and boats.

I rate this exhibition five-out-of-five stars. I loved the variety of pieces, how the museum included education context beside every display, and the excess space used to make sure the room didn’t get crowded.

The next collection I visited was “Meet Melecio Galván: The Secret Artist and His Mexican Contemporaries”; it pleasantly surprised me. This display has multiple jaw-dropping Mexican contemporary pieces that you won’t find anywhere else.

In this room, you’re surrounded by over forty of Galván’s drawings. The pieces portray scenes of maternal love, men riding horses, and groups of violinists.

I rate this exhibit four-out-of-five stars. The designs are thought-provoking, eccentric, and unique, however, the lighting in the room made the visuals difficult to see.

The last exhibit I visited was “Austin” by Ellsworth Kelly. This design is an installation outside the museum’s courtyard. I loved this architecture because of the unique design and Kelly’s incorporation of tinted glass.

At this exhibition, you’ll walk into a white building with different designs of tinted glass that create a rainbow of light on the inside of the design. Kelly gifted this design concept to the Blanton Museum as a tribute to his seven decades dedicated to the arts.

I rate Kelly’s exhibit five-out-of-five stars because it allows visitors to walk into the artist’s design and is the perfect spot to get an iconic picture of one of the most well-known structures in downtown Austin.

All-in-all, I would rate my entire experience at the Blanton Museum five-out-five stars. The facility was equipped for people of all ages and backgrounds and each exhibit was nothing like the next.

I highly recommend that you check out this Austin hot-spot for yourself. The museum creates a safe space for everyone to explore art from around the world, the immersive exhibits are like no other, and there are many picture-perfect spots all around the facility.

Val Tikhonva Dispatch Reporter

MUSEUM MAGIC: Beautiful architecture stands tall at the Blanton Museum of Art. The museum features work from artists all around the world. PHOTO BY Claire Scott

Pierre

Anti-trans rhetoric harms students

Increasing efforts to limit trans rights are placing children in danger

EDITORIAL

Picture the feeling of going to school in fear, worrying about being bullied and harassed by peers, or constantly being addressed by incorrect pronouns or names. These are only a few of the struggles that transgender students face which are exacerbated by harmful, anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric that is perpetuated by many politicians in the United States.

One recent victim of such hatred was a 16-year-old non-binary student named Nex Benedict, who was targeted and brutally attacked in a school bathroom. They allegedly took their own life the following day. With an increase in trans-phobia and brutality directed towards young individuals, it is clear that this oppressive legislation is not achieving what many claim it is intended to accomplish: keeping kids safe. The Dispatch Editorial Board believes that this harmful rhetoric only puts children in danger, as it causes them to ponder whether life is worth living, and generates hatred that can lead to students physically harming their peers.

According to CNN, a record number of bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights were introduced in 2023. Additionally, homeland security officials have stated that they have witnessed a rise in violence directed towards the queer community, according to an ABC News article. This surge in violence is likely due in large part to the increase in anti-trans legislation being passed.

Furthermore, a significant percentage of the anti-trans legislation that was enacted in 2023 targeted transgender or gender non-conforming kids as stated by NBC News. These bills place restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare, the right to play in school sports, use of pronouns that don’t align with an individual’s sex in schools, and more.

According to the American Psychology Association, bills that target trans rights have contributed to an increase in self-harm and suicide rates among young individuals. This trend demonstrates that these pieces of legislation do not have the best interests of children in mind. They set the precedent that the lives of some kids are of lesser importance, and place a target on the backs of children who fall victim to bigotry and violence solely for existing.

CUTOFF CUTOFF

trans kids are told that their identity is entirely made up, that they’re just confused because they don’t fit into one or the other box of the gender binary. Trans children are alienated from their classmates and experience various forms of oppression disguised as policies that preserve childhood innocence.

In addition, the reasons that many individuals give to support the stance that these bills keep children safe do not take into account how trans kids and their sense of security may be affected. From the time they are in elementary school,

Finally, many of the legislators pushing for the passage of anti-LGBTQIA+ laws claim these bills protect civil liberties, giving families the freedom to decide whether or not to have certain conversations with their children. That said, this legislation fails to protect the rights and liberties of all children because it systematically attacks the right of trans kids to simply exist. It is not possible to protect the individual freedoms of American families while passing legislation that actively revokes the rights of trans kids and their families to make decisions that are best for them independently.

Anti-trans legislation only trains children to develop hatred directed towards a community

of people that will continue to exist, regardless of laws passed that undermine the fundamental freedoms of U.S. citizens. If politicians truly want to safeguard kids, they should repeal bills that promote harmful rhetoric which has played a role in the deaths of numerous innocent children in the United States. Additionally, individuals should educate themselves on this issue to combat the spread of uninformed beliefs that lead to the vilification of an entire community. Legislation that revokes trans rights is put forth by officials who use fear as a political tool, jeopardizing the lives of children. As stated in an NPR article, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis argued that it was inappropriate to teach young kids they can be anything they want to be ahead of signing the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Under this onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation, the only thing being taught to children is that they won’t be loved or accepted by society due to the aspects of their identity that cannot be changed.

Israel is not the villain: Hamas terrorists are

Israel. This also leads to the destruction of multiple housing and public health buildings as Israel is forced to destroy the launching docks in order to save its own citizens.

EDITORIAL POLICY

During the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, a day that was supposed to be filled with music, laughter, and love was interrupted by Hamas, a European Union (EU) and U.S. designated terrorist organization, who opened fire on innocent civilians at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival. This was the catalyst for the latest chapter in the long line of battles and wars between Israel and Palestine. Fast forward five months and Israel and Palestine are still fighting with most of the public backing Palestine and citing Israel as the aggressor in this complicated subject. However, Israel should not be as heavily criticized by the media and the public as they have, instead Hamas should be universally condemned as Israel is not the enemy, Palestinian civilians are not the enemy, Hamas and its entities are the enemy.

Hamas has consistently put its military before its citizens, as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has published multiple photos and reports of Hamas using hospitals and schools as missile launching docks. This decision by Hamas puts Palestinian citizens directly in the crossfire of constant missile launches from both Hamas and

Many criticize Israel for bombing these launching docks saying that it leads to mass civilian casualty and displacement. However, Israel uses multiple policies to limit civilian casualties including the “Knock on Roof” policy. The Knock on Roof policy used by Israel is a communication system where the Israel Defense Force publicly announces on social media, drop fliers into Gaza, and tell over loudspeakers that they are going to bomb a building and evacuate the premises.

Israel is one of the only countries to do this, directly jeopardizing some military operations just to save lives.

Israel has also been under major scrutiny from the public for not reaching a permanent ceasefire with Hamas in order to end the war. This is because Hamas has not moved from its original position on the ceasefire. According to The Times of Israel Hamas told mediators it is sticking to its original position on the ceasefire and the details involved.

This rejected ceasefire by Hamas would release 100 Israeli civilian hostages in return for a permanent ceasefire. While this may seem fair to the naked eye, Hamas has routinely broken ceasefires before including the ceasefire that was

In the Feb. 16, 2024 edition of the Dispatch, on Page 2, News, there was a misleading transition statement in the story titled "School traffic poses a dangerous threat to student life."

The story was about a car accident that caused injury to a student during dismissal at the end of the school day.

A witness,

in place on October 7, when they attacked the Supernova music festival.

So, what is the solution to this complicated problem? Personally, I believe Israel should absolve Palestine, but not permanently and not for the reasons most think. While this may seem like a violation of sovereignty for Palestine, it’s far from it. Most of Palestinian workers have to travel to Israel to work and go through various checkpoints just to provide for their family. If Palestine becomes part of Israel these checkpoints could be reduced, allowing for smooth transit to work and allowing for Palestinians to work more and earn more money.

Israel should also give Palestine a predetermined number of seats in Israel’s Parliament, allowing Palestine to have a voice in decision making of the country.

Finally, Israel can provide education to the younger generation of Palestinians teaching them that Israel is not an enemy but a friend. This would eventually lead to a new generation that wouldn’t harbor hostility towards Israel and would be developed economically and politically to function as a sustainable and thriving country.

While Israel is not perfect, they are far from the enemy in this war as Hamas is directly hurting Israeli and Palestinians citizens and must be eradicated in order for this war to come to an end.

speed was not a factor in the accident and that the angle of the sun as it shines on the exit of the garage played a bigger role in the accident. In the same issue there was a

ART BY Sophia Sepulveda

Staff pressures to stick with courses

Teachers tend to put high incentives for students to finish pathways to the practicum

Sam Bode Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email: bowie.journalism@gmail.com

As the spring semester rolls around each year, future Bowie freshmen are visited by counselors to talk about the possible courses they could sign up for. The counselors present the students with an overwhelming abundance of elective pathways they get to start their freshmen year and complete when they eventually become seniors. They heavily advocate that these students should start the pathway now so they can complete all four classes within the track.

At first, it seems that these pathways are being promoted as a great opportunity, but the more you explore it, the more it seems like a necessity where students have to choose a career path freshman year and then continue to pursue it into their early adult life. Bowie staff puts too much pressure on completing an elective pathway which then puts unnecessary stress on students.

Because elective paths are so rigid, it can make students scared to grow as a person and find their true interests because they feel the need to stick with the course path they chose. Students’ passions and career goals often change from the time they’re in eighth grade to when they graduate high school. They may be inclined to switch elective paths during their high school career but won’t because they feel they are already committed to another path.

This decision can lead to them feeling unfulfilled with their career choice down the road. According to a survey done by district administration, 42% of students don’t feel great confidence in their career choice. If teenagers don’t feel like they are allowed to explore interests that strike them after eighth grade, they aren’t going to be happy with their high school experience or their choice of major or career

as a whole.

Bowie faculty’s goal is to make students college, career, and military ready, so students are pressured to find a career path as quickly as possible. It scares students into believing that they cannot be successful in life if they don’t stick to one elective track for all four years of high school.

Making a large commitment so early in life is extremely unrealistic and overwhelming for many students.

According to the Washington Post, only 27% of people have a job that is related to their college major. Since most adults have jobs that aren’t related to their major, it would be expected that teens would be taught that a career path does not predict their entire future, but Bowie is in fact preaching the complete opposite.

The idea that teenagers can happily stick with the same career path they chose at fourteen years old until they secure a job in the workforce is entirely unreasonable.

Many courses, like graphic design and health science offer certifications that show that a student is qualified since they’ve completed all four classes within the path. This can be put on their applications and resumes and it shows that they have some experience within the field.

While these are great opportunities for students, the persistent pressure put on them makes it seem like this opportunity is more important than anything else. Students who are inspired to join the career path during their later years in high school might not receive their certification and may be discouraged from continuing because they feel they are already behind and can’t catch up with their peers.

Parents can sense the pressure their student is being put under and use it to their advantage. Parents may use the pressure their kid feels to keep them on the elective track that they think is best for them. Parents and school’s pressure to find a respectable career quickly kills students’ ambitions to have new experiences and

CTE Pathways offered at Bowie Agricultural Science to Floral Design

explore new interests.

Many believe that getting to the practicum level is an amazing opportunity for students because it gives them early experience in a specific field. Because of this, they think that advertising this opportunity to incoming freshmen is insanely important. While making these paths known to students is important, schools are going about it all wrong. It’s advertised as more

of a necessity than an opportunity. In reality, students can have an incredibly successful high school experience without completing any career pathways.

Overall, schools need to find a better way to promote elective paths to students. High school is about finding something that we're passionate about enough to make a career or hobby out of it. Students shouldn't be

expected to already know their true calling when they first walk through the campus doors. Choosing an elective track shouldn’t dictate a student’s high school experience or career, and teenagers should feel comfortable finding their true interests without feeling the crushing weight of their future career already on their shoulders.

Texas should be consistent with their immigration laws

every individual is being caught and documented which means only the individuals who are caught get punished as opposed to everyone being treated fairly in the situation.

Going into effect early in the month of March, the Senate Bill 4 was proposed in Texas last year dictating that any individuals who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally can be arrested. The bill states that anyone crossing into the U.S. is able to face up to six months in prison.

The law has since hit a snag where the Supreme Court argues if the law should still stand. Since hitting the setback in the Supreme Court, the law has been patchily enforced with some people getting caught and others getting to slip past with the outcome being completely random whether they face any consequences. The bill also states that immigrants can only be arrested if they’re totally without immigration documentation If the law is going to pass through the Senate it should be enforced and there shouldn’t be such a back-and-forth between the lawmakers and the ones carrying out the enforcement of the laws. The law is not consistent either meaning not

BULLDAWGS SPEAK!

The law got stuck because of challenges that it faced in the Department of Justice because of the undermining of the federal government’s authority. This is a valid point that the Justice Department makes because it should be a choice of the country as a whole on immigration laws in order to make restrictions even throughout the whole Mexico border.

This law has caused conflict in the authorization process due to the fact that it goes behind the back of the federal government as something that the state doesn’t have the power to enforce its borders independently.

According to the Texas Tribune, Article 1, Section 10, it prevents states from engaging in independent wars unless actually invaded. The Texas government has not suffered enough “irreparable harm” according to the Constitution for them to enforce a law on the border specifically applying to their state.

This also puts a disadvantage on asylum seekers because individuals are told to ask for help at

the border. There are too many individuals in sheer numbers that the border system is overwhelmed and there is no concrete or efficient way to get all of the people safely to get the help that they need. Individuals are then forced to cross the border in illegal ways. Due to the huge amount of people immigrating, individuals who are caught face repercussions, whereas those who don't successfully make it across the border. This is a huge inconsistency with the law as a whole.

Overall, Texas lawmakers should be in firm agreement on a law and enforce it accordingly. If there are discrepancies in the effectiveness of the law it makes it hard for individuals to follow it and therefore puts many individuals in an extreme situation where they could possibly get arrested.

This is a slip-up on the lawmaker’s part and they should always make sure that the laws that are produced are in alignment with the U.S. Constitution. Texas needs to make sure that their laws correspond with the needs of the federal government and make their intentions extremely clear to individuals who may be affected by these laws.

INTERVIEWS BY Sam

Do you think teachers push students to stay in elective courses for all four years of the course?

I

think that they encourage it a lot because

they

know

that it’s

hard to fill the spots for the fourth year of the course.

They want to do what’s best for you and they want you to do something within the career path with your life.

It’s definitely encouraged, especially in theater and fine arts, because they want kids to stay in that kind of elective.

Teachers tend to think that completing courses will help prepare and guide you to you college major.

The desires of the coaches and teachers running the programs is they want for their students to succeed within the program.

Sadie Dauterive Freshman

Bode

Isabella Reynosa Sophomore

Eleanor Blue Sophomore

Andrea Abundis Junior

PHOTOS BY Sam Bode

Ivan Inovejas Senior

ART BY Layne Foxcroft

BY Kate Davis and Madeleine Travis

Dull to

Students and commissioned artists install artwork

Emerson Traugott

Executive Editor: News Bristles brush against the wall as advanced art students place the finishing touches on the mural in the newly modernized fine arts building. A vibrate extension of artistic possibilities within the fine art extracurriculars.

“It was cool to have such a hands-on experience with a large art project like creating a mural,” senior Olivia DeVore said. “There were a ton of different kids working on it over several weeks but the finished product turned out really nice, but it was cool to see how everyone’s own additions to the artwork come together.”

Along the heavily populated hallway is the second mural within the fine arts wing. Over spring break a local graffiti group, Color Cartel, led and established by artist Andrew Horner, created the new piece of art. They were commissioned by the administration to design a mural that encompassed Bowie’s pride in performance.

“Typically, my way of doing murals is to have one image, or one subject that is more than 80 percent of the mural, but for the large and narrow space we were given I felt it was appropriate to kind of break it into several different subjects throughout the wall,” Horner said. “That way, there are different pieces of art to look at as you go down the hallway instead of one large image. So, that is how the mural began to come to life.”

The timeline for the mural done by the Color Cartel was continuously adjusted. Despite the originally scheduled time for completion during spring break of 2023, the project did not officially commence until the first week of January this year.

“It was complicated to try and find a time to get the mural done because we can only work when students aren’t at the school,” Horner said. “So, we had to schedule around that and make sure no one was going to be in the building.”

Graffiti and murals stand out against traditional art mediums and therefore pose difficulties with building a portfolio and gaining experience in the field.

“I personally really like enjoy

the imperfectness of graffiti,” senior Lee Terrell said. “How it can be unique in that way and you can do a tag that some people may not think is up to standard, but that is kind of the point, that is just for you not for anybody else. I want to improve on my skills as a graffiti artist but there aren’t a lot of places to work on a large graffiti project.”

Horner began to break into the world of art in Austin nearly ten years ago. His transition was not only between locations but also his attitude towards graffiti as an art form.

“When I got to Austin, I barely considered myself an artist I would say I just did graffiti,” Horner said. “For me, art and graffiti were not the same thing necessarily. I was also trying to figure out how to do graffiti and be Mormon at the same time, which is kind of complicated if you’re trying to be true to yourself and your beliefs.”

Art was a difficult career for Horner to put his full faith into, and start over in a new city.

“I just thought I wasn’t a very good fit, for the Austin scene,” Horner said. “However, after only being here for three months, I got an art solo exhibition at Texas A&M. After the art show I realized I had not been taking myself seriously as an artist, and it made me think about how I go about creating my art differently. But I still had a lot of things to change before I could fit in with the art scene in Austin.”

The road to understanding and committing to his passion for art was unpaved, but a moment of clarity enabled Horner to begin to take graffiti and his talent seriously.

“One night in college I was painting and it just hit me that this was what made my world simple,” Horner said. “I always felt like I was at the bottom of the totem pole. I was trying to make my teachers happy, my parents happy trying to keep the cops happy, trying to prove myself every day to people. But when I was doing graffiti I didn’t feel like I had to prove anything to anybody. I was just doing it leaving my mark. Sneaking around in the middle of the night when everybody was asleep it felt like the world was mine. After that

night I thought to myself that I was going to get good and I was going to get good spray point and get permission to paint walls, and I was going to do it in the daylight.”

Several years later after moving to Austin, Horner created his own brand and graffiti group, Color Cartel in 2011. He was able to get a studio space and began to prompt commissioned murals, clothing, and individual pieces of art.

“I had worked on commissioned work through schools before but nothing of the size that we created for Bowie,” Horner said. “They specifically contacted me and said they wanted a mural installed in the school but they didn’t know where. So we went to the school and chose a wall that got a lot of traffic.

Horner has created a specific process for creating commissioned murals.

“After I talk to the people who commissioned the mural I then create three different concepts which we call thumbnails, just a rough sketch, and presented the ideas,” Horner said. “For Bowie they wanted it to be graffiti style, which is great for me, and, gave me a list of things to inspire to be inspired by. After creating a more detailed plan, six artists including myself worked on the project over that week, of spring break and were able to complete it.”

Every day students flood into the fine arts wing and see both murals on display. A creative depiction of the Bowie community.

“Traditional styles of art generally speak to a larger group of people, but graffiti is very controversial,” Terrell said. “So, it is cool to see it on a large scale, especially at a school.”

ZEROING IN: Andrew Horner works diligently on his next piece which will go up for sale shortly. Horner works off of commission but also off of art shows, individually created pieces, and clothing inclusive under the Color Cartel brand. “The process of creating a mural can differ depending on circumstance,” Horner said. “Like if it’s a live painting, they don’t care what I’m

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VIDEO BY Alex Edwards and Austin Ikard