The Dispatch, Vol. 37, Issue #1 - 9/27/24

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FEATURES Teenage gymnast Ellie Grigsby vaults to great heights achieving a gymnastic level ten pg 5

PHOTO ESSAY Bowie band and color guard perfecting their performance in early morning practice until Friday night lights pg 6

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO COURTESY OF Team Photo

PHOTO BY Will Olenick

PHOTO BY Cooper Ford

PHOTO BY Isadora Para

Bulldog cross country hotshots race across the finish line to secure their spot as 15th ranked team in the state pg 10

Senior choir class belts out a new tune embracing modern hits in their performance pg 12

Vol. 37, Issue 1 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

Pride in Publishing

ATTENDANCE LAW

AISD reinforcing state attendance law

Schools within the district bring back the 90% requirements to receive class credit Peyton Dorsey News Editor

Schools across the Austin Independent School District are reinforcing a mandated state law requiring students to maintain at least 90% attendance in a class to receive credit for their transcript.

“The 90% attendance law was put in place by the state and says that if a student attends school less than 90% of the class days, they won’t receive credit for the course,” school improvement facilitator Whitney Vohl said.

“Even if the student’s grade is passing, they would still lose the credit.”

The requirement for 90% attendance is a state law, but AISD has not had to enforce it during recent years.

The state offered districts with waivers during the Covid years, and AISD has previously been eligible for the waiver until it was revoked this year.

“It was still the state law, but the state was supplying districts with waivers,” Vohl said. “They didn’t have to enforce the law and were able to find alternate, creative, and campus-central solutions.”

Attendance was difficult for schools to manage during Covid taking into consideration all the factors of online school, so districts began looking for different strategies to help kids still receive credit during that time.

“There were ways that schools could be creative in assisting kids to still be eligible for their credit even if they didn’t meet that 90% requirement,” Vohl said. “There was a little bit more leeway in how that could be enforced, and now it’s moving back to how it used to be pre-pandemic.”

Since this law is being enforced again, if a student falls below this

requirement, they will have to make up the missed class in attendance recovery sessions. Bowie does not currently have a plan in place for these recovery sessions, but they are in progress.

“The administration has not yet figured out how we’re going to that attendance recovery,” content interventionist Wendy Uzzle said. “Or what system we will use to help students earn that attendance credit.”

Previously, Bowie has tried multiple different methods of attendance recovery. Since the planning process is still taking place for this year’s method of recovery, administration will be looking at what’s worked in the past and what will be best for Bowie students now.

“We’ve done Saturday school before,” STEM instructional coach Cindi Carroll said. “We've also tried after school programs as the most recent recovery plan.”

Administrators also have to take into account budgeting resources for these attendance recovery plans, as well as staff to run them.

“This also requires a budget that would allow the school to pay for staff to host those sessions outside of contract hours,” Vohl said. “And that is another challenge we’ve had in planning.”

Funding for schools is also considered in the application of attendance laws. If students are present, the school receives a certain allotment of funds decided through a funding formula based off of the

Running out of space Passes for A Lot oversold, many students are left without parking Before the school year starts parking passes go up for sale, with seniors boasting the highest attendance getting access to them first, and then juniors gaining access.

No sophomores or freshmen are eligible to buy parking passes. Many students woke up early one day this summer like senior Alyssa Lusk hoping to purchase a $50 parking pass to gain access to A-lot.

“I woke up early and went on my computer,” Lusk said. “I refreshed my tab until the parking passes became available for me to buy.”

After looking further into the situation on the website Ride-In, the company that students purchase their passes on, band lot and A-lot were both listed, allowing over 180 passes to be sold. A lot’s max capacity in the fall semester is only 77.

Only seniors had access to buy passes thanks to the Bowie admin team finding Ride-In’s mistake quickly.

“The admin discovered the permits had been issued improperly,” campus safety monitor Andrew Padgett said.

“Thank goodness it was during the middle of the summer and they were able to put a stop to it.”

109 students bought

INSIDE:

Andrew Covert

A lot passes but did not gain access due to them being oversold. After going back in the purchase logs, Bowie admin gave the first 80 students who purchased a pass access to A-lot.

“We wanted the correct students to receive priority and looked in the logs to give them to the first 80 people,” STEM instructional coach Cindi Carroll said. “We still wanted to compensate the affected students and decided to give these students lot B spot without an extra charge since they were inconvenienced.”

These students were also given another option of a full refund. Most students who were given the option chose spots in the garage for the discounted $15. The students who purchased a pass to A lot but were unable to use them were given priority if they choose to use it when the rest of A lot opens up after marching season.

STORY BY Andrew Covert

NEWS 1, 2 POLITICS 3 FEATURES 4 , 5

pulveda

phia Se

o ART BY S

Talerico said. “These students who don’t perform well academically generally become more costly to taxpayers over time.”

Bowie administrators made a preemptive plan to insure most students wouldn’t fall below the 90% attendance rate. This was done by applying incentives for end of year tests to student’s attendance. Before incentives, students were missing class until they fell below the 90% and were missing valuable instruction. Bowie’s incentive policy helped improve campus attendance and keep kids in class.

“In the time before incentives students would take discretionary absences, people believed they could have up to 10% absences,” Carroll said. “But by spring, if they hadn’t used them all, they would miss class to spend their absences; that was just the culture that we had.”

Some students really like being able to have incentives, but some see it as unfair to those who miss school for unforeseen circumstances and lose their incentives.

“I like the idea of incentives,” Tishgart said. “But the fact that you can only miss a few days before losing them just isn’t reasonable.”

Those who enforce the policy know some students disagree with it, but ultimately it does help to keep the campus attendance average up.

“Most of the time people are somewhat oblivious to the policy until they don’t earn one,” Carroll said. “The reason being they got sick, or surgery, or something very legitimate happened, and they previously are not very aware of the policy and now think it’s unfair, like something was taken from them.”

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

New admin aim to normalize inclusivity This year, the James Bowie administration team welcomes two new Assistant Principals, Christina Burbank and Amanda Pfieiffer.

Burbank will work with the fine arts department and students with the last names Chi-Gel, while Pfieiffer will oversee the math department and students with the last names Os-Smi. Pfieiffer spent four years as an assistant principal at Kealing Middle School, but before that she taught English at Bowie from 2006-2020. At Kealing, Pfieiffer focused on fostering Fine Arts, ELA, and Social Emotional Learning programs. “[Being an administrator] is a way to support more students on a larger scale all the time,” Pfieiffer said. “But, being a teacher here was tremendously awesome.”

In her 22 years of education preceding her time at Bowie, Burbank focused on fine arts and athletics programs. From Hidalgo Independent School District to Crockett High School, Burbank spent time as a varsity soccer coach, a theater teacher, and a dance teacher. Most recently she worked as a Supervisor of Marketing and Events for AISD, but she remains motivated to cultivate student and teacher connection through extracurricular activities.

“The reason students come to school is being a part of something bigger than yourself, being a part of a team, being part of a community, and fine arts and athletics,” Burbank said. “This is a huge value system for me.”

As part of their efforts to encourage participation in extra-

curriculars, the new administrators have been visiting clubs and athletic meets. One of their recent visits was to the new line dancing club.

“They were hanging out with us and getting to know us a little better,” senior Emiliano Martinez said. “I feel like a couple of years ago I wouldn’t have even known their names.”

For Burbank and Pfieiffer, extracurricular activities aren’t the only way to create community.

Both administrators are adamant on continuing to strengthen inclusive programs. As a teacher at Bowie, Pfieiffer worked to implement a pride week in March and intends to continue the celebrations to ensure the representation of LGBTQ+ students. Because pride month falls during summer break, this gives students an opportunity for representation that they may not have gotten otherwise.

“What you can do in the immediate is make inclusivity normal, through events, through our messaging,” Pfieiffer said.

“This is basically the message: this is how we are, we love each other, and everyone can be who everyone wants to be.”

Students are excited at the prospect of further inclusivity on campus. Junior Simone Brock, a member of the Gay Straight Alliance, agrees with Pfieiffer's interpretation.

“I find Pride Week to be a great way to feel safe in who you are,” Brock said. “It’s an opportunity to be able to express yourself without feeling the shame of other people.”

In her position as a Supervisor of Marketing and Events, Burbank facilitated the expansion of commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History

IN-DEPTH 7, 8-9 SPORTS 10, 11 ENTERTAINMENT 12

REVIEWS 13 OPINIONS 14, 15 PHOTO ESSAY 6, 16

Sofia Yardonova Reporter

Alyssa Lusk - PHOTO BY

school’s average daily attendance.

“I think it’s a bad idea for schools to receive funding based on attendance,” junior Cameron Tishgart said.

“It can force unnecessary stress onto both teachers and students.”

Schools with chronically absent students face an issue in this aspect of tying funding to attendance.

“Experience tells us that students who don’t show up for class often don’t perform well academically,” Texas State Representative James

SMILES WITH A STATEMENT: New Assistant Principals Christina Burbank and Amanda Pfieiffer are making their presence known on campus. The APs are showing their support for the student body, and paving a path of acceptance for the Bowie community. PHOTO BY Koko Badgley-Finan

Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

“If you can find that comfort, if you can find a safe space, then it’s more likely it's going to increase your attendance,” Burbank said. “It's going to increase your academic achievement, and hopefully your self esteem and your self-worth.”

While expanding inclusivity, the new administrators are excited to find their place in the Bowie community despite potential challenges. For Burbank, Bowie is constantly offering new experiences and opportunities, from club meetings to yearly events.

“What I'm finding here is that there's so much history, and the large community extends to so many people,” Burbank said.

“Having conversations with people and finding those connec-

FIND US AT @jbhs_dispatch

tions, I wouldn't change.”

While the enthusiasm for Bowie is mutual, Pfieiffer has a unique view of the school as a previous teacher turned administrator.

“They get everything done really, really well, and it's all very student centered,” Pfieiffer said.

“It did make me realize how impressively organized and well run Bowie is.”

The new team is excited to fully immerse themselves into Bowie culture throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Having already visited various clubs and a cross country meet, Pfieiffer is ready to immerse herself back into the Bowie traditions.

“Every year I go to the shows,” Pfieiffer said. “And so I'm excited to do all that again.”

2 NEWS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

RECYCLE & FUND

Fundraising for fun, Color Guard recycles Using BOPA and shredding as a way to get the community involved in Bowie fine arts Katie Grumet News Editor

ment, so we’re like sign spinners but we hold signs and we have flags, and we’re just dancing Junior Color Guard member trying to get people’s attention.”

Gina Linasalata arrives at Bowie People began to line the band early in the morning. She takes parking lot with cars containing her place near the exit of the recyclables and as people drive band lot, and she holds up her through the lot, their recyclables sign. get handed to a parent or color On Saturday, Sept. 14, Color guard member which then gets Guard hosted their annual BOPA placed in an available truck to and paper shredding fundraiser be driven to the recycling center. event. This is the third time Then the person who has just that they’ve hosted this event. donated recyclables is asked if Students and their families are they would like to donate to the invited to bring various items color guard. that are typically hard to recycle “It’s really easy, you just to Bowie to get rid of them in a pull up and drop off your items, more environmentally friendly it's completely free, and you way. can choose to “We are donate,” junior recycling Kendall Laney batteries, oil, said. “My dad’s paint, and anone of the tifreeze, but if Winter guard truck drivers, you don’t have so he drove a doesn’t get funding any of those, bunch of stuff we can’t recycle from the school to the recycling them. People center and they because it's can get rid of disposed of it.” their junk,” classified as a club, They also Linasalata said. provided paper so we have to make “Make sure that shredders so everything is up all the money that people can sealed. We canshred docuourselves and this is ments not recycle open that they oil cans and one of the ways we can’t shred at anything that home. This is do it. is not in BOPA the first year which stands Color guard member that they’ve for batteries, added the oil, paint and shredder to the recycling event. antifreeze.”

Previously, people could only Early that morning morning, recycle batteries, oil, paint and the Color Guard arrived at the antifreeze. school to set up for their recy“This is our third year doing cling event. Different members [BOPA]. A former Color Guard of the guard set up in various parent who heard about this corners of the lot to spin flags idea brought it over to our orgaand hold signs to draw attention nization,” advisor Daniel Riley to the event. They also made said. “We get a lot of people that sure to have multiple empty come through dropping off old trucks with eager parents of colstuff that they’ve had forever. or guard students ready to drive BOPA is helping people cleanse them to the recycling event once that stuff and also helps the the trucks are full. environment as well.”

“We have this thing called BOPA is not only a recycling razzle-dazzle, and it’s people event but it’s also a fundraising who go outside with flags and opportunity for the color guard. spin them in the street,” LinasThe Color Guard are required alata said. “It’s like an advertiseto fund their budget all on their

Gina Linasalata

"

"

own because they are considered a club, which means that they have to get creative with fundraising ideas.

“Winter guard doesn’t get funding from the school because it's classified as a club, so we have to make up all the money ourselves and this is one of the ways we do it,” Linasalata said.

“I hope that we raise $2,000 this year. We usually do good with about 50 people showing up, so I’m hoping we can double that this year.”

There isn’t a lot of planning that has to go on to help facilitate the event each year. The biggest thing the color guard has to organize each year is making sure they have vehicles that can take the recyclables to the recycling center. Other than that, everything else stays the same from last year.

“I think it’ll benefit the community because a lot of people just have this stuff in their house and they don’t know what to do with it and now we can take it from them and we can dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way,” Laney said.

“Hopefully it's a good fundraiser for us and I’m glad that we get to help people get rid of stuff.”

The group was able to raise over $5,000 within four hours.

They plan to use the money for the winter guard activities. This money is extremely helpful to the guard because a lot of things needed for the winter guard are very expensive. They have to buy costumes, props and pay for transportation to competitions.

“The money raised goes towards our winter guard organization, and that's so helpful because it is so expensive,” Riley said. “It helps lower the cost for our trip to nationals at Dayton, Ohio. Since we’ve hosted BOPA for three years, it's an easy fundraiser to do.”

Other than the BOPA event, the color guard has several other fundraisers to help them gain money to fund their program.

They host events throughout the year with different themes

REMOVING RECYCLEABLES: Senior Aiden Wettengel carries paint products from a drop-off car to be placed in a color guard parent driver truck which then will be taken to the recycling center. BOPA, a recycling event sponsored by Bowie color guard ran from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday Sept.14. PHOTO

BY Sophia Dudich

and purposes to get the community involved and interested in donating.

“We have a winter fundraiser that’s coming up and we will also be doing a clinic for younger kids so we have a bunch of other events that happen throughout the year,” Riley said. “Considering that our season goes all the way through mid-April. We also have sponsorships that are running all year long.”

Riley hopes that students

TOUGH TURF

who help lead this fundraiser gain ideas for future fundraisers that they run and that they can make some money while at it.

Next year, members of the guard hope to improve the way they spread the word about their fundraising events and start the event later in the day to adjust to the fact that many people sleep in on the weekends.

“I think the thing we could improve [for next year] is pushing the event back an hour

later because I feel like on a Saturday people are getting up a little later and more traffic is coming in at a later part of the morning,” Riley said. “BOPA is for a good cause, and [members of the color guard] can use BOPA for ideas in the future when they have organizations that they want to work with and help make some money.”

Bowie's soccer turf causes chaos for student athletes

Athletic fields are in desperate need for a change from grass fields to synthetic materials Marissa McGowan Review Editor

As they sprinted through the damp morning grass of the practice fields, the pothole in the distance approached closer and closer. Suddenly, they slipped on the uneven ground, scraping their knee and rolling their ankle just before the biggest game of the season.

Students and coaches at Bowie High School have complaints about the installment of turf fields being neglected. The athletic department has had a bond from 2022 that was passed to go towards school modernization, safety improvements new technologies and to install turf to replace Bowie's main field. The installment process has been postponed multiple times for many reasons including Bowie being located in the Edward's Aquifer recharge zone but girls soccer coach, Carrie Hoffman-Howell now believes the task is underway.

“We definitely are on it. We

thought we might have had [turf] by this summer, but it's coming,” Hoffman-Howell said. “They're planning on turfing one of the two fields. And once that happens, yes, that will solve a lot of problems.”

Athletes and coaches have expressed multiple issues with the current practice fields, including the improper field conditions, the inconvenient distance from the athletic locker rooms, and the impact of the weather.

The installation of turf would significantly improve these conditions.

“Obviously, we're hoping for turf, and that will help us,” Hoffman-Howell said. “ For one, that'll cut the cost of field maintenance, and we wouldn't have to mow the field so often. Turf would probably keep the snakes off the field too.”

With the field's distance from Bowie campus, athletes are forced to cross Slaughter Lane, a heavily trafficked road, which could lead to potentially dangerous interactions for both ath-

KEEP YOUR GUARD: Sophomore Carter Jones defends his goal during soccer practice. Soccer students have practice every day after school. PHOTO BY Will Olenick

letes and coaches.

“We have to cross Slaughter Lane, that's always terrifying,” Hoffman-Howell said. “I'm mainly worried about the fast cars but luckily I'm there helping the girls cross.”

The current fields require constant maintenance and can’t withstand any harsh weather conditions. Boys soccer coach Ryan Logan explains that with soccer season coinciding with when precipitation is highest, it’s extremely inconvenient and the weather is unpredictable for practicing.

“As of now teams cannot practice outside when it rains or fields are muddy,” Logan said. “With turf, you can play in the rain, and it is never muddy, and sports would not lose days of practice waiting for it to dry out.”

The unsteady terrain of the current fields has contributed to injuries in soccer. With turf providing a consistently flat surface, and being more durable, it often helps prevent injuries across all sports and would be beneficial to preventing injuries since the current field is unstable which is a significant issue.

“I've never gotten majorly injured on the fields, but there have definitely been some scary moments with rolled ankles,” junior soccer player Cameron Alsup said. “Turf would give a flatter playing field which would help with the number of injuries."

Students have mentioned the inconvenience of there being a hill in the middle of the field, which doesn’t allow for a full-length field. This inconvenience limits athletes and coaches from completing drills and replicating game day.

“There's a hill in the middle of the soccer field, so it's not a full-length field,” Alsup said. “Which gets annoying and makes it extremely difficult to replicate a real game, also we are limited on the drills we can do, because of the terrain, space, and equipment.”

Compared to others, Bowie is one of the few schools in the area that doesn’t practice on turf. While Bowie's soccer teams still play games on turf, Bowie practices on grass, which makes it more challenging for athletes to replicate a game-like environment while practicing.

“Almost all of the teams that we

FALLING APART: Bowie's soccer field is worn down grass from years of use from various sports using this field to practice daily. A bond passed in 2022 would allow the school to replace the current grass with artificial turf. PHOTO BY Mara Brandt

play against practice and play their games on turf,” Alsup said. “It's definitely a challenge, and feels like a little bit of a disadvantage at times, but the team does a good job of working through it.”

Although the athletes and staff have expressed their complaints about the fields, they are still grateful for what they have been given. Previously, soccer didn't have its own field and shared Bowie's' main field with various other athletic teams and clubs.

“We are lucky to have [the field],” Logan said. “Before we had to use the football practice fields and they

were being overused and were unsafe to practice on for all sports, with the lack of grass and hard dirt from over usage.”

The old turf has been an ongoing problem for the Bowie soccer teams, both coaches and athletes are eager for the installment of turf. There is no official date set for the installment yet, however there are hopes that they will start working this spring and turf could be in place by fall of 2025.

“I'm excited to get turf fields,” Alsup said. “It'll make practices more enjoyable and efficient, it would be a huge upgrade.”

POLITICS 3

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

RECAPTURE

Recapture, and its effects on schools

The system of Robin Hood and its implications to the Texas education system Savanah Riggins Politics Editor

wealth of the businesses.

“Some of the districts that pay the highest percentage in recapture are places that have a lot of petroleum extraction and petroleum refining,” AISD Trustee Lynn Boswell said.

“Other places that pay a higher percentage are locations like Port Aransas. These places have a lot of vacation homes. Those are not communities where people have a lot of wealth.

That wealth leaves the community and goes to industries like resorts and oil rigs, not to the people that go to schools.”

Recapture was created following a lawsuit. It was the Edgewood ISD v. Kirby case.

This case was significant to recapture as it regarded school funding. According to texaspoltics.utexas.edu “the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed suit against commissioner of education William Kirby on May 23, 1984, in Travis County on behalf of the Edgewood Independent School District, San Antonio, citing discrimination against students in poor school districts.”

“Recapture was a system created after a lawsuit,” Boswell said. "It was created to help make sure that every district in the state had fair funding.”

Before recapture districts were funded based on their local property wealth. Which does not always correlate to the wealth of the people in the community.”

According to the Equity

Center Executive Director Josh Sanderson stated that recapture does not affect district revenue.

Students sit listening The Texas legislature decides attentively, fingers poised on what every school district's keyboards and pens pressed funding will be each year. The against paper in apprehension to recapture amount is then detertake detailed notes on what the mined by the excess of revenue speakers of the Texas Capitol from property taxes.

Journalism Conference have to “A school district is entitled say as they delve into details by law to receive their funding about school funding and the every year,” Sanderson said. system of recapture.

“The recapture that districts like Recapture, also known Austin pay is funding that the as Robin Hood, is a system district has locally in property that divides schools into two tax revenue above what they categories. The first category is are entitled to. That is why it is the districts that must spread important to have the legislathe wealth, and the second is ture increase school districts those that need money. These entitlements so that the school categories are determined by the district can have more funding price of property taxes in the and the recapture amount goes district. Currently, the Austin down.”

Independent School District is Recapture began as just a paying the most when it comes way to fill some gaps in funding to recapture amounts in Texas. but has now grown into one of “Recapture means that propthe major contributors to school erty rich districts like Austin, funding. Recapture has become have to surrender money to the one of the biggest generators of state from their property taxes,” revenue for the whole state and worksite representative for Edua lot of recapture is collected cation Austin and Bowie English and has reducing the share of teacher Jake Morgan said. “The funding that is coming from state then reallocates money to state sources. the property poorer districts in “Recapture was intended the state.” to make sure every school had Property taxes are the main adequate funding,” Boswell contributor in deciding how said. “What has happened much a district pays in recapinstead is that we have gotten ture amounts. Property taxes to a place where no school in are calculated by multiplying the Texas has enough. Because the property's appraised value by state determines how much per the tax rate. The appraised value student funding we have in our of a property is an estimate of public schools, and they have the attributes worth at a specific chosen to fund us in the bottom point in time. Tax rate is the 10 states nationally.” ratio at which people are taxed This is impacting Austin and it differs depending on schools because AISD pays the where homeowners live and the most when it comes to recaplocal taxing authorities. ture amounts. This is driving up “The property taxes that we the prices of homes, businesses pay in Austin, which are high and goods and services. because of the property values, “The local Austin community fund our education system,” pays twice as much money to Morgan said. “Places where get the same amount of funding property values aren’t so high that everyone else has,” Boswell they end up getting less monsaid. “We paid $698 million ey. So, recapture is kind of an dollars in recapture this effort to balance that.” year. That is a lot of Since recapture is money and it is hard directly affected by to wrap your head property taxes this is around. It doesn't negatively impacting mean we have certain districts. less money in Districts with a lot our schools. of industry like We have hotels or oil rigs. the same These are high amount of value properinadequate ties and often funding times the as every surroundother ing homes SMILING FOR CHANGE: AISD Trustee member Lynn Boswell educates about the district do not in the recapture system. She shared the districts plan for more funding. PHOTO BY Will reflect the Olenick state,

SPREADING KNOWLEDGE: Equity Center Executive Director, Josh Sanderson shares important information. Sanderson goes into detail about the process of recapture while being interviewed at the Texas State Capital PHOTO BY Gabby Bochey

but what that does is make our housing more expensive, whether you buy or rent."

Homeowners aren’t the only people who pay recapture in the form of property taxes. Businesses also contribute to that fund.

“HEB pays recapture, Whataburger pays recapture and when you go get gas, the gas station is paying recapture,” Boswell said. “When you go to the bank, when you get your car washed, when you buy dog food.

All of these businesses are paying recapture. So, we are paying it for everything we do.”

AISD has proposed a tax ratification election called proposition A. This proposition will appear on voters on local ballots in November and asks voters if they want more funding for the district in the form of a tax increase.

“We are asking for a nine cent tax increase,” Boswell said.

“That would be about $34 per month for the average homeowner. As our taxes go up, our recapture goes up, so the same time we bring more money into our schools we will also be increasing our recapture. Overall,

right now we pay about 49% in recapture payments. If the tax ratification bill passes we would be paying about one percent in recapture.”

The district is also currently advocating for an increase in per student funding. When the per student funding goes up that will decrease the recapture amount.

“There is a legislative session coming up and we will be advocating with districts all over the state to increase that per student funding,” Boswell said.

“If that funding goes up, that recapture will go down. We will also be asking the legislature to look at the impact of recapture on housing affordability.”

Schools have put procedures into place in an attempt to increase the per student funding. This is the amount of money given to the school based specifically on the attendance of its students. For example, Bowie has implemented the incentive program, which allows students who reach certain attendance standards to replace their grade on the final with their class average.

“We’re a big school,” junior

Reed Watts said. “You can see the incentive program that was put in place to make sure people are attending, because the school needs money that they get from attendance.”

To combat the issues with recapture trustees, teachers, and advisors have advocated to the legislature for a change in how schools in the state of Texas are funded.

“I honestly think the main solution to how the issues with Texas’s recapture system can be solved is by reconfiguring the funding formula so we’re not losing almost a billion dollars per year,” Morgan said. “Most of all I encourage people to educate themselves on the issue and to advocate for a recapture system that is equitable and doesn't leave urban and property rich districts suffering. I think kids deserve more than that.”

SCAN TO SEE MORE VIDEO BY Gabby Bochey

AISD TAX BILL

AISD's tax bill asks voters to consider school funding A close look into the new proposition that will appear on the voters ballots in November Sara Fowler Dispatch reporter A student walk through the humid hallways. Sweating as they make their way to class, due to the lack of air conditioning. This absences of AC is a result of poor school budget funding.

Facing a $119 million budget deficit, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) Board of Trustees asks Austin voters to increase their property taxes to help fund the district.

On August 19, 2024, the AISD Board of Trustees voted in approval of placing a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE) on Austin’s November election ballot. Bringing in additional tax revenue, a VATRE would reduce district budget cuts and increase staff compensation.

“We have one tool left,” AISD Trustee Lynn Boswell said. “We're going to be asking our voters to approve that tax increase.”

The VATRE, named Proposition A

GAINED REVENUE Deficit Reduction

$20m.

Compensation Plan

$130m.

$17.5m.

State Recapture

Additional On-Campus Resources

$3.5m.

$171m.

TOTAL REVENUE SOURCED FROM Equity Center

ART BY Sophia Sepulveda

48%

43% 7%

(Prop A) on the ballot, asks voters to increase AISD’s maintenance and operation tax rate, proposing an increase of 9.1 cents per $100 of taxable value in comparison to 23-24, totaling the AISD tax rate to 95.05 cents per $100 of taxable value. This would result in a $412 annual property tax increase for the average homeowner in Austin.

“We know that when we ask for an increase in tax funds, we're asking our community to do something that, for some people, is not easy,” Boswell said.

AISD’s 2024-25 budget totals $954 million in operating expenses, but currently, AISD has $834 million in funding, leaving a $119 million gap, or deficit, in the budget. Despite Austin taxpayers truly generating $1.525 billion in revenue for AISD, $691 million of that revenue is sent back to the state of Texas in the recapture program. Additionally, the Texas state per-student funding allotment has been virtually stagnant since 2019, as state lawmakers tie public school funding bills to politically controversial school vouchers, preventing them from passing in the Texas Legislature.

“It's sad to me because our state has a $30 billion surplus, so we're in a very good financial situation, but yet we want to play politics with our education system,” Business, Market and Finance teacher Mark Dawson said.

“I wish our political system wasn't so heavily involved with education funding, and it was just simply about the choices of what's right for kids and what's right for our schools.”

Passing Prop A would bring in an additional $171 million of revenue for

compensation plan will not take effect, AISD, but $130 million of that reveand the only pay increase for district nue would then be sent to the state of staff would be a one-time incentive Texas in recapture, leaving AISD with payment of $500 to regular, full-time a net revenue increase of $41 million. employees.

Meaning, that AISD would still be left “The surrounding schools are able facing a budget deficit of $78 million. to get teachers raises,” Dawson said.

“Less money should be going to “Eventually people will just decide the problem that we're initially trying to leave. We're already seeing that. to solve, which is, money going back So, I hope eventually we can fix this to the state,” senior Julia Low said. problem.”

“If this passes, it allows them to have Breaking down the proposed a larger hand to continue to take spending of the additional $41 million money.” of revenue that would be gained Unable to incur a large amount of from Prop A, $3.5 debt without suffering million would go credit loss, leading to towards additional difficulty surrounding campus resourcbonds and their interes, $17.5 million est rates, AISD must would go towards a significantly reduce its compensation plan budget deficit by tens for staff, and $20 of millions. This reducmillion would be tion would have to be used to reduce the made either through current budget defibudget cuts combined cit, though AISD with the additional would still be left revenue brought in facing a $78 million from Prop A, or if Prop deficit and budget A fails to pass, solely . cuts. through budget cuts.

“We are taking “We are already at AISD Trustee what little money a point where budget we have left and cuts are going to cut distributing it extremely thinly over into the quality of Education,” History all the things that need to happen,” teacher Matthew Parente said.

Parente said. “There needs to be a Additionally, Prop A would fund more focused effort, whatever that a compensation plan for AISD staff, might be, but right now we are in too which would provide market admany different directions and there's justments to all employee salaries, not enough funds to go all the with classified employees, such as different directions. It's basically just custodians and bus drivers, receivgoing to start falling apart at the ing a minimum pay increase of 25 seams if it hasn't already.” cents per hour. Without Prop A, the

Lynn Boswell

"We are

already at a point where budget cuts are going to cut into the quality of Education "

4 FEATURE

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY SEPT. 27, 2024

ENGLAND’S TOP-TWENTY

Splashing throughout the continents

Sophomore Alexander Eland has gone from country to country sailing through the water Isabella Verette Senior Editor-in-Chief Gliding through the water and making a splash on his way through the continents, freshman Alexander Eland made the move to the United States four months ago.

“I lived in South Africa until around the age of nine,” Eland said. “We lived in a small town called East London that was on the south coast of the country.”

Growing up in East London, on the southern coast of South Africa, Eland made lots of memories and a connection with the water.

“While South Africa is one of the most dangerous countries in the world I think it beautiful,” Eland said. “The scenery and the natural beauty. It’s just absolutely amazing.”

Eland started swimming from a young age and enjoyed the water.

“I didn’t compete much while in South Africa,” Eland said. “I was in some meets but nothing very serious.”

The fondness that Eland holds for East London and South Africa as a whole remained even after he moved to England when he was nine.

“We moved to London right before Covid,” Eland said. “There just weren’t enough job opportunities in South Africa at the time, so we moved to England for more opportunities.”

While more opportunities arose for the family as a whole there was a cultural adjustment once they arrived in Barmouth, a small town on the southern coast of Wales.

“The culture is really different there than in South Africa,” Eland said. “It can be quite grumpy sometimes there, but eventually I connected to the place and the people and I really enjoyed my time there.”

Once Eland got to England and adjusted to the new environment, his love for swimming MAKING A SPLASH: Bulldog swim team starts practices at Circle C pool for the upcoming season. Bowie Swimmer splashes into action, racing through the grew and he started to take the sport more water. PHOTO BY Will Olenick seriously. weight room and equipment that I can use diversity and an overall positive attitude to the really fun getting to talk and “I didn’t start to take swimming that I didn’t have access to before .” team,” Ellinger said. “He’s a great guy and he’s swim with him that that seriously until around three While being used to being close to the coast going places.” day.” years ago,” Eland said. “I had all of his life, Austin has been a nice change.

Sanders and Ellinger aren’t the Once the school been competing for a while “While it’s a change it’s not that big,” Eland only ones who share this sentiment year started Eland but I started to win county said. “Austin has a lot of really cool rivers and about Eland his other teammates see jumped from championships and was in lakes.” the same things. club practice the top-10 for most races in Eland also continued his swimming “Alex always shows up to practice with Sanders to the region.” journey soon after he arrived in the United with 100 percent effort and with a school practice.

Other than basic local awards States. Junior Alexa Sanders, knows him good attitude,” senior swim team “I think he’ll Eland reached recognition in the from not only the Bowie’s swim team but member Avery Archer said. “He be a great addition United Kingdom as a whole. also their club team Whitecaps of Westnever complains about the sets to the team,” Sand- ers “I‘m not sure exactly where lake. and is always determined said. “I’ve seen him at practices I would be ranked right now, now “I saw him first over the to be better. His work ethand he has a really strong work that I’m in the United States,” summer but our team was ic is admirable and I think ethic so I think he’ll be great for Eland said. “But I was ranked really big and it was crazy he is an amazing addition to the team.” around 20th in the country getting everyone in lanes,” this team.”

Since swim practice has started when I was in England.”

Sanders said. “When all the With his strong work ethic and Eland’s efforts haven’t gone on Eland, who moved here when college kids left to go to their talent Eland is ecstatic to be part of a notice by his new teammates. his sister decided to go to college respective schools that’s when I great team, and compete with the bull“Alex being only a freshman is at the University Houston four got to know and meet him.” dog swim and dive team. absolutely insane to me,” senior month ago, is excited to be part of Eland not only is a skilled “It feels more like a team than teams co-swim team captain Noah the Bowie community. and talented swimmer but also I’ve been on, in the past,” Eland said.

Ellinger said. “He is very diligent “I think it’s the extremely friendly and social.

“Instead of just working for yourself it and his form and speed are inbest and nicest “The first time I met him he feels like a community.” credible for his age.” school I’ve was in my lane and he immeEland’s positive energy and ever been to,” WINNER,WINNER: A young Alexander SAY CHEESE: Eland poses with former team-mate in diately sparked up a conversaspirit are something that shine Eland poses with teammate after winEland said.

Wales after placing in his events. PHOTO COURTESY OF tion,” Sanders said.

“He was through at practice. ning at a swim meet.

PHOTO COURTESY “There is a Alexander Eland bubbly and friendly, and it was “I think Alex brings nothing but OF Alexander Eland crazy gym and

DRUM MAJOR

Senior drum major Sophie Thollander makes a bang Capri Wyatt Dispatch Reporter

As Friday night lights shine down on the football field, senior Sophie Thollander directs the band through the halftime show with sharp movements of her hands. Being the head drum major for the 2024-25 school year means that the entire band is watching Thollander.

“After we perform it makes me so happy to hear the cheers,” Thollander said. “Especially the ones I know are from my friends in the stands and on the field.”

Thollander is following in her brother’s footsteps, Ben Thollander, who was the head drum major during the 20212022 band season. She also had another brother, Jacob Thollander, who was a section leader.

“Whenever my brother was drum major, I actually didn’t want to be drum major because I saw how much work it was,” Thollander said. “And then after he left, my directors were like, oh, you should be a drum major.

And then it was more enticing after he left, because I saw the impact that I could have.”

Head drum majors in the band are expected to do many different things, ranging from starting rehearsal, getting equipment out, and leading rehearsal alongside the directors. Drum majors are a vital part of the band, and they play a significant role in the overall performance.

“We feel her impact everyday,” band teacher Tyler Jacks said. “We can depend on her to tell her what needs to happen in any given situation and she figures out a way to take care of it.”

Alongside being the head drum major, Thollander balanc-

of drum major.

“I don’t think in our process of selecting her as drum major, we were ever like, thinking about her brother and like, oh, it would be great to have this legacy situation,” Jacks said. “I think it was really just you’re doing all the things that we would want to see you doing, and that kind of checks out.”

Making sure that everyone in the band is on the same page is a very important job that Thollander has, and it ensures that everything runs smoothly during football games and rehearsals.

“My biggest strength is probably my ability to communicate, because that is really important with communicating with your other drum majors, your directors, and the people that you’re leading,” Thollander said. “Just to make sure that everyone’s pushing for the same goals.”

Though being a drum major is not an easy feat, Thollander describes it as a rewarding and fulfilling experience that she will never forget.

“This experience has shaped me into the person I am,” Thollander said. “I have learned how to be confident, empathetic, and hard working, and it has truly made me into the best version of myself.”

SHARP MOVEMENTS : Senior Sophie Thollander keeps the rhythm at half time. With the Bowie bands competition seasons fast approaching drum majors take the spotlight on and off the field. PHOTOS BY Chance East (left) and Will Olenick (right)

es a heavy workload with all advanced classes and other inschool commitments that take up a large portion of her time.

“Being drum major is a lot of its own, but with other things, it’s very difficult,” Thollander said. “But I love it so much

that I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

To her peers, Thollander is the perfect mix of a kind but hardworking leader. She is able to be a good mentor and friend outside of band rehearsal, while being a leader in rehearsal.

“We’ll finish rehearsal, and she’ll put on music while we’re getting ready before game days, and we’ll run around, and we’ll dance to Footloose and do the Whip and Nae Nae,” junior section leader Fiona Sobosinski said. “But then whenever

rehearsal starts, or whenever a performance starts, you can tell she’s focused.”

Though Thollander has had previous family members in leadership positions on the band, her determination and talent is what got her the position

SCAN TO SEE MORE

PHOTOS BY Chance East

FEATURE 5

WOMEN IN SPORTS

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

Teen gymnast vaults to great heights Ellie Grigsby achieves gymnastic Level 10 after 12 years of hard work and dedication Charlotte Schwarte Feature Editor She claps her hands together, eyes downward as a plume of chalk surrounds her. A deep breath in, and out. She can feel the seconds ticking by from this one last moment to prepare, before she bends her knees slightly, and the world spins around her.

Ellie Grigsby is currently a sophomore at James Bowie High School, but outside of scholarly activities has achieved the status as a Level 10 gymnast. She has been involved in gymnastics since she was three years old, and states it was the first sport she had a strong connection with.

“It was fun,” Grigsby said. “I feel like it’s so different from a lot of other sports. I could just go to the gym, kind of flip around. It was just completely different from anything else I’ve ever done.”

The initial appeal that Grigsby felt for gymnastics has led her to a lasting athletic career, in which she continues to train, twelve years later. The entirety of Grigsby’s gymnastic journey has taken place at Austin Elite Gymnastics Center, where she currently trains six days a week, Monday through Saturday.

“Some of my closest friends are through gymnastics because we spend so much time with each other,” Grigsby said. “We see all sides of each other, good, bad, ugly, so we’re all pretty close.”

Gymnastic practices typically consist of training on the different equipment, doing drills and strengthening exercises, and working on new skills.

“I feel like gymnastics taught me discipline from a young age,” Grigsby said. “Because in the sport there’s always so much going on at once, if you don’t have any self-discipline, you’re not gonna go anywhere with it.”

Gymnastic levels are based not on age, but on the progression of skill a gymnast holds.

Advancements are made to the next level once a certain set of skills are able to be completed, such as a back handspring or even a cartwheel.

“After level 10 is Elite,” Grigsby said. “Which is pretty much the people who are home-schooled and want to go the Olympic route.

Even girls who are the best of the best don’t go Elite. Some people just choose to stay level 10.”

Most novices start at level one or two, and level four is the first of the required competitive levels.

As Grigsby is in level 10, she regularly goes to gymnastic competitions that last a total

of four hours with gymnasts has fallen prey to dislocations, competing in the four events; concussions, and torn ligaments vault, uneven bars, beam, and like any other. floor routine.

“Most of my setbacks have “I’d say my gym has a pretty been injuries,” Grigsby said. positive environment, but “When I’m hurt, I try to do as there’s also a lot of discipline,” much as I can, and only stop Grigsby said. “We need to know when it’s the breaking point. what we’re supposed to do, and Not everyone has these setat this age, backs, and I have it’s really on to make up you if you for it.” don’t. We Like just recently many extragot a new curriculars, head coach, gymnastics so we have has chala lot more lenges that structure.” make its Juan participants Jimenez is true testathe head ments to the Austin Elite Coach sport. As coach at Elite Gympractices ocnastics and has clear ideas on cupy a large portion of weekends how to best help his students and time after school, Grigsby train and prepare for all gymnas- has settled into a routine to jugtic situations ahead of them. gle her other commitments.

“I have to create an envi“It’s definitely hard,” Grigsby said. “I try to get as much ronment where the girls feel schoolwork done as I can in comfortable failing,” Jimenez school, but that doesn’t always said. “I know it sounds odd, but in this sport failure is a tool. The work. I do homework in the car, on the weekends when I have girls fall a lot. If I can’t create an time.” environment that is encouraging Weekday practices are four and helpful, the girls won’t want hours long, and Saturday practo try their best.”

One prestigious achievement tices are typically from 9 a.m. to Grigsby obtained was placing 2 p.m. at the Western Championships.

“She has so much love for She is ranked first on vault in the sport, because of how much her region, which consists of six of a time commitment it is,” states, with nine competitive friend Vera Lee said. regions in the entirety of the US. Outside of gymnastics, Grigs“Ellie is incredibly resilient,” by participates in JBHS track Jimenez said. “This sport is not and field, where she advanced easy. At the levels that Ellie is to the state meet for 100 Meter performing in, it takes a huge Hurdles last year. During the toll on the athletes. Over the spring, her school days become past eight months Ellie has sandwiched between early track pushed through a lot of progress mornings and after school gymdespite some minor setbacks.” nastics practices.

Gymnastics is a sport with “She has really good time a high level of injuries, with its management,” Lee said. “She athletes averaging 2.6 injuries is really good at balancing out per gymnastic season, accordfriends, school, and gymnasing to BMJ Journals. Despite tics. She’s a good friend to be being a younger athlete, Grigsby around.”

Juan Jimenez " Ellie is incredibly resilient. Gymnastics is simply how she chooses to show her greatness. "

THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN: Ellie Grigsby does a handstand as part of a routine, feet pointed to the sky. After a vault routine, Grigsby is shown arms up in a salute. PHOTO COURTESY OF Team Photo

Although Jimenez has only been training with Grigsby since January, he already has strong feelings about her merits as a gymnast.

“I have been the most impressed with her resiliency,” Jimenez said. “Her ability to be relentlessly dedicated to her goals. It’s incredibly admirable.

It is not a very common characteristic in people, let alone teenagers.”

Not only does her coach and peers believe she has resiliency and strong will to achieve her goals, they believe Grigsby is set to succeed and continue on with gymnastics to greater parts of life.

“My hopes for Ellie all revolve around the goals she has made for herself,” Jimenez said. “I think she is more than capable of predicting her future and my job is to facilitate that.”

Grigsby hopes to make it to the national competition this year and then from there her eyes are set on Division One athletics.

“Ellie is a natural leader, there’s a good chance she has always been like that,” Jimenez said.

“Gymnastics is simply

how she chooses to show her greatness.”

POSED FOR SUCCESS: Ellie Grigsby strikes the final pose of her floor routine in her most recent gymnastic competition. She is wearing wrist guards during the performance to improve her technique. PHOTO COURTESY OF Team Photo

MAKING THE MELODY

Student spends summer at prestigious music program Aspiring piano composer Besa Carney studied at The Juilliard School Composition event Sydney Murphy Dispatch Reporter

career of music in her adult life.

“I’m planning on being a composition major, but I’m in the middle Everyone has a dream, but for of choosing to be a composer or a senior Besa Carney, her dream became sound producer,” Carney said. a reality.

According to Carney, the process Over the summer, Carney was acof applying for Julliard’s Piano Comcepted to the Juilliard Summer Piano position Summer Program was very Composition Program in New York. detail oriented, similar to a college The Juilliard Summer Program is exapplication. clusive and prepares pianists for suc“I was scrolling on Instagram one cess in college and future auditions. day and I was applying to these sum“I have been playing since I was mer camps so I could have a good three years old, so about 13 years,” resume for college and Julliard had Carney said. “My mom put me into an ad for their summer composition piano classes as a kid and I’m really program,” Carney said. “I heard back thankful to have that from them about one to opportunity because two months later in an I really love piano email that they sent that and music.” said ‘there’s an update From a young on your status.’” age, Carney fell in Although the process CREATING SCHOOL SPIRIT: Besa Carney enthusiastically plays piano for the students love with playing of getting into Juilliard’s and families attending the Bulldogs and Hotdogs pep rally. Carney is the only piano piano and she has Summer Program was player that performs with the Bowie band. PHOTO BY Gabby Bochey been interested in tedious it was worth pursuing a career in it when Carney found music ever since. out that she had gotten a freshman at UNT,” Carney said. “My out her music career.

“I am applying accepted. whole family was also there separate“This Julliard opportunity that she to Julliard, UT, Rice, “I was in choir class ly.” had over the summer is really just a .

Berkeley College of and I had my phone on me combination of a lot of work that she’s Once Carney got to New York, her Music, and Harvard so I opened up the website done in the past three years, really busy camp schedule started.

College of Music,” Bowie Senior to see if I got in or not, “We woke up at seven in the mornsince before middle school,” Cantu Carney said. “I really and when I saw that I got ing every day, then after breakfast we said. think attending the Juilliard camp will in I started sobbing and everybody was would have choir class so we would do With the support of Cantu and her put me up there in their list to hopeso happy,” Carney said. that for an hour,” Carney said. “Then family, Carney made the long journey fully get into college.”

Carney’s classmates were all happy we would have an individual lesson to New York, although she wasn’t Carney’s love for piano has folthat she got accepted, but Carney’s AP alone. with the faculty at Juilliard so we got lowed her throughout her childhood music teacher Randall Cantu has been to meet all of the composition teachers “One of my best friends got into and she hopes to continue to make a one of her biggest supporters through- the summer percussion program; he is throughout the two weeks. After our

Besa Carney

" I was

blessed to have that opportunity and I wouldn’t trade it for the world "

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lesson we would usually have lunch and then just more seminars.”

According to Carney, she was able to meet and take lessons from influential people in the composition industry.

“We got to meet a ton of really amazing popular people in the composition world, John Mackey, John Corigliano, Aeric Whitacre, some of the biggest names in composition right now,” Carney said. “We got to have seminars with them and also have lessons with the dean of music and he was really informative and talented.”

Carney really appreciated the opportunity to meet and learn from musicians that she looks up to. Carney’s musical experiences at Bowie, including classes with her jazz band teacher Jennifer Hanford helped her prepare for Juilliard camp.

“Besa is always a really naturally talented musician, and willing to step up and do things and she basically doesn’t ever say no,” Hanford said.

“She will always be willing to help other people as well, if they’re struggling with their music or anything like that, she is always just a really helpful and really nice person.”

As high school comes to an end, Carney is excited to continue her musical journey.

“Juilliard is one of the best music schools in the world right now,” Carney said. “I was blessed to have that opportunity and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

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6 PHOTO ESSAY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

REHEARSAL TO STADIUM SPOTLIGHT

Marching from practice to perfection

The process of band going from early morning practice to late night field performances Ryan Zuniga Photo Essay Editor The marching band dedicates a large amount of their schedule to bringing an engaging and stunning show. They practice for over eight hours every week; that number doesn’t even include the time they spend during school hours. The band consists of 240 students from all grade levels and has around 15 basic instruments. The marching band’s transition from practice to performance is full of teamwork, dedication, and the exhilarating, but satisfying feeling of seeing every student come together to provide a well-done halftime performance “We do eight hours outside of school practice a week per UIL rules, and then we have class every day,” senior Mason Mahn said. “So, it’s a bunch of rehearsals. On game days right after class is dismissed, we come over to the fine arts building, eat dinner, put our uniforms on, load the buses, and head to the game. We don’t return to Bowie until about midnight, so it’s a whole day ordeal from 7 a.m. to midnight.”

Rehearsals are more complex than just practicing the same melody on repeat. Directors have repeated drills and methods to help the band build muscle memory and execute a flawless performance. Students have designated locations on the field from which they learn the marching patterns they must follow during their performance. A lot of time is spent perfecting their marching coordination in order to present an organized and amusing show

for the audience.

“I enjoy practices a lot because it’s part of the process and that’s when you’re really able to see changes and you get to spend the most time with the kids,” Band Director Jennifer Hanford said. “Contest days are really fun because you can actually see them in action and uniform. I think just getting to see everything come together is cool.”

The band has many leadership positions. There are band directors, captains, section leaders, band council, and band hall committee. The band council plans fun activities for the band and the band hall committee makes sure the band hall is clean and organized.

“Directly under us is where our drum majors are, they are the students who stand in the front and behind the band, basically the conductors of the band,” Hanford said. “Underneath them are the captains for the specific sections. We have four main sections, which are woodwinds, brass, percussion, and color guard, and there are captains in all four of those categories.”

During every varsity football game, the band plays stand tunes after touchdowns and works with the color guard and Silver Stars during halftime to provide an entertaining show for the audience. The band’s performance usually lasts around 10 minutes.

“Performances and games are all so fun, especially going down during halftime to get to perform our show and play with the Silver Stars,” Mahn said. “With all the practice we

do, seeing that project come to completion and just getting to see a 240-person project come together into something is a lot of fun to see.”

The marching band also participates in competitions.

They attend Bands of America and UIL competitions. They attend five to six contests every year. During practice, they primarily practice for their halftime show. So, they learn their competition piece very slowly. They also take some time out of their practice to practice with the Silver Stars for their performance.

“I wanted to join the band in middle school and I kind of regretted it,” junior Pierre Vandervenett said. “Now I find it fun because it’s just a good group of friends, that’s mainly the best part, a good community.”

Many band students have been in the band since they first joined in 6th grade. Joining the band is a great way to become closer to school and be a part of a group where you immediately have something in common with everyone else.

“I’ve never met someone in life who has regretted being in band, and the ones who were never in band wish they would’ve been,” Hanford said.

“Regardless if it’s one of those plain instruments, it’s really cool to be able to do in life. In this organization you automatically have 240 friends and people that you know and have a home you can go to every day, it’s just a fun and welcoming environment for people to be a part of and get to play fun music with cool people.”

DRAMATIC DANCING: Senior Aiden Wettengal begins the halftime performance with an eye-catching dance. Color guard and band rehearse together in the mornings, but the choreographers are separate. “It’s amazing being on the floor and you can just feel the presence of everyone in the crowd,” Wettengal said. “The atmosphere of being right in front of the audience and hearing all the cheers is crazy.” PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga

MAKING MELODIES: Junior Ryan Kurtis slides the bar of his trombone during the halftime performance.

Sometimes, the band practices over the weekend in order to perfect their halftime show. “I like performing more than practice because you get to show off all the hard work you put in through the season,” junior Zoe Moutard said. “You get jitters and it’s just really fun.” PHOTO BY Will Olenick

BALANCING BAND: Senior football player Cedric Walls quickly hurries onto the field after the 2nd quarter to perform alongside the band. Walls has been in band and football since his freshman year. “After school on game days, I get dressed in my gear and go straight to football,” Walls said. “After that I come down to band to get my instrument and vipers and then I head to the game. I usually get home at around midnight.” PHOTO BY Will Olenick

EARLY BIRDS: The trumpet section holds their instruments high during morning practice in A Lot. Each member has a shirt with specific letters and numbers to mark their spot during practice. “I’ve been in band since I was in 6th grade,” junior trumpet player Mason Greene said. “Band doesn’t take up my schedule as much since practice is in the mornings, so now I have more free time during the afternoon.” PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga

NICOTINE MARKETING

IN-DEPTH 7

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

E-Cigarette advertisements draw young eyes How the marketing tactics utilized by modern nicotine companies lead to youth addiction Elizabeth Yowell Editor-in-Chief

Bright flashy colors, catchy tag-lines, and a plethora of dazzling flavors. These characteristics of many e-cigarette ads make it hard not to catch the eye of any teenager stopping by the gas station for a simple bag of chips.

Distracted by the aesthetic, fun narrative that e-cigarette companies advertise, teens get roped into an addiction that is anything but fun to quit.

Recognizing generational parallels

ART BY Elizabeth Yowell

s ' y f f Pu

When the most popular nicotine product among the youth of a generation was the standard cigarette, big companies were found guilty of marketing a harmful and addictive product to younger people, now many are recognizing and taking action against the marketing of the most popular nicotine product of today, the electronic cigarette.

“They put in flavors, which draws a kid's attention to come in with colors and flavors and all that stuff,” Bowie health teacher and baseball coac Samuel Degelia said.

“So, that's what's drawing in kids now. It used to be just the commercials, now they have to go to flavors because they can't do commercials anymore,” The bright colors, flashy flavors, and aesthetic based marketing tactics utilized by today’s e-cigarette companies, parallel the ‘fun’ narrative many remember big cigarette companies selling to their audience.

“It's kind of like the commercials of the cigarette companies,” pediatrician at Austin Regional Clinic Heidi Buschemi said. “Back when they

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all about reliability and truthfulness,” Deof a pair of lungs who gelia said. “Until you know have inhaled years of somebody that's done it, or you see a picture the nicotine and many of something, I think that's the only thing that chemicals e-cigarettes contain. might change their mind on it. You can tell them would “I don't think they understand the long term until they’re blue in the face, but they're going have the good looking effects and what it can do,” Health teacher women with their cigarettes, and how pretty Elizabeth Wissel said. “In vaping or in cartridges, to have to make a choice about whether they’re going to do it or not.” they all looked. It was a cool thing at that time.” they put all different types of chemicals in there.

As a friend, family member, teacher, doctor The commercials depicting lavish ladies, as We don't know if it's just nicotine. So, you don't or anyone who interacts with the young and Buschemi described, who made smoking a cigareally know what you're vaping or what's going growing minds of today’s teenagers, sometimes rette something desirable, were advertised to all, inside of your lungs.” the best they can do is talk about it. including the most impressionable ages.

Taking advantage of gen Z mediums “Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs “Back in the 70s and 80s, when you’d drive out there,” Buschemi said. “The majority of down the road, you’d see those big billboards An overwhelming amount of American teenadults who smoke in their 30s and 40s probably that used to have a Joe Camel on it, and it would agers are on at least one form of social media, wish they didn't, and giving that up is much have the smoking Joe. I mean, it was all out where all kinds of videos are shared, including more challenging. So, I mean, I will talk about it. there,” Degelia said. “You don't see that anythose depicting popular influencer's using nicoI encourage quitting, because the earlier they try more, so somehow it's getting out there.” tine products. to quit, the easier it's going to be.”

When commercials for cigarettes aired on “If you have a vape in your hand and you're in As a result of their advertising, E-cigarette most American TV's, teen smoking rates were a TikTok or something. It's almost like, oh, she's companies, like Juul who, according to a 2023 significantly higher than they are today. Still, cool. She knows what she's doing,” Nixon said.

NBC article, ‘is set to ‘pay $462 million to Calie-cigarette companies' biggest customers are “A lot of social media people, they don't ever talk fornia, New York and other states over claims it aged 10-19 years, according to a research paper about nicotine, but on TikTok specifically, there's marketed vapes to minors,’ are facing published by Population Medicine in 2022. always someone dancing with a consequences on the legal “Everybody smoked cigarettes, and it was vape in hand.”

Samuel Degelia level. cool to do, and it was no big deal. I think a lot of Although no one can control the “Juul just got hit on vaping people perceive that now, maybe not quite to the legal choices of many celebrities, the same way the cigarette extreme, because I think hopefully we're a little Juul just got hit on influencers, artists, to use nicotine companies did because they bit smarter, this generation,” Buschemi said. products, seeing those that they vaping the same were catering to younger “But I definitely think they don't see this as a respect use products that can be people,” Degelia said. big deal, and because of that, they get roped into way the tobacco harmful to their health, can lead There are several corporathis addiction, and then they wish they hadn't.” teenagers to see these products in a companies did, tions who are cracking down different light.

Bright colors make black lungs on e-cigarette companies, because they were “I feel like it's just normalized, calling them out for their Today, e-cigarette companies, like Juul, Vuuse, because so many people do it. Social catering to younger marketing, and releasing and Elf Bar, are seen everywhere, on social media stars, influencers or even artanti-vape ads on social media media, in convenience and grocery stores, in people. ists, like Doja Cat,” Nixon said. “I to combat companies at the magazines, and many other feel like it's normalized, Heidi Buschemi source. mediums consumed by Health Teacher because the people that “There's a corporation teenagers. we look up to do it.” called The Real Cost,” Nixon said. “I always “I feel like they are When teens find themselves cuThey just make give those ads on Snapchat. They’re very dark, definitely marketed towards rious about something they’ve seen very black, and they always have an actor saying younger people,” junior them more cool online or on T.V., they are most likely something like ‘my friends told me I could do Audrey Nixon said. “They're to look to the media they most used or exciting for it. My friends told me I should do it, but then shown to be something to research more about it. now I'm dead,’ or something like that, something super cool. There are bright younger kids to “I think kids see things on TikTok, super dramatic, and it definitely makes it seem colors involved, showing and they can't help themselves. I do, they make it like it's bad.” the different colors of the think they feel that it’s a reliable Although there are several corporations, like flavors that they have.” look like it's not a source on the internet. Because if The Real Cost, who are attempting to prevent These e-cigarette compakids truly researched what nicotine big deal. teen nicotine use, and parents, teachers, and nies have been examined by did to your body or does to your doctors who want to see American teens proinstitutions like the World body, I think it would scare a few of Austin pediatrician tected from addiction, e-cigarette companies are Health Organization who them,” Wissel said. reaching kids in ways, that many times are out of said in May, 2024 that ‘these In the world of social media, algorithms, like their control. products’ fruit and candy flavors, designs that those utilized by popular app, TikTok, rely on “I don't think there's an easy fix that we could appeal to children and youth and widespread soconfirmation bias, meaning teens using the app do as adults, or as friends even, because a friend cial media marketing are hooking youth around will see what the app thinks they want to see, probably won't listen,” Nixon said. “ I think the the globe.’ creating a narrative based on their interests and companies themselves would have to release all “I think that they just make them more cool interactions with certain types of content. the information about how dangerous they are. or exciting for younger kids to do, they make “I think they’ve been told, ‘there's so many The companies themselves would have to stop it look like it's not a big deal,” Buschemi said. chemicals in them,’ but they don't really care,” marketing to teenagers.”

“They make it look like it's not dangerous by Nixon said. “I think a lot of people that do it making it flavored like watermelon or strawbereither think it's really cool or might have some of ry.” their own insecurity that draws them to it. They The World Health Organization also noted don't really care if they're damaging their body.” how ‘research in the United States of America Struggling with addiction? found that more than 70% of youth e-cigarette It takes a village users would quit if the products were only availWith access to all kinds of media that contain able in tobacco flavor.’ varieties of e-cigarette promotion and ads de“The reason vapes came out in the first place picting a fun narrative, it can be hard to protect was to be a smoking sensation to help stop teens from smoking,” Buschemi said. “That was the whole everything point of E-cigs. And to that end, they didn't need their brains to add in flavors. They didn't need to make them consume cute. They didn't need to make them exciting for on the kids to use them.” daily.

Nicotine poses a number of harmful health “The 12.6% effects to its users, but when teens get access to only thing nicotine products they are far more susceptible we can do 10% to many of its dangers because of their growing is keep bodies. teaching “The biggest concern that we have as pediait. Our tricians with using vapes and other drugs with new health 1.9% the [young generation] is the risk of increasing units are 1.7% addiction to a developing brain,” Buschemi said.

“So, a brain that's still developing the frontal cortex all the way up until the mid 20s, is much more likely to develop addiction to the things they're exposed to than if you're older.”

The ‘fun’, ‘cool’, and ‘colorful’ presentation of e-cigarettes, are misleading to the appearance ART BY Elizabeth Yowell

22%

Smooth, cool, sweet Satisfaction. Indulge in a quality smoke with, you deserve to treat yourself.

IN-DEPTH 9

8 IN-DEPTH

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

KNOW YOUR NEWS steps to determine if information is reliable

1. Check the source One factor that can help decide if a source can be trusted is the website url, links ending with .gov, .org, or .edu are often considered more trustworthy then those ending in .net or .com. This is because . gov are websites intended for government use, .edu are websites intended for educational use, and .org are websites intended for organizational use (often utilized by non-profit organizations), while .com is intended for commercial use, and .net is intended for network use. INFO- Upstate University of South Carolina Library

Misinformation in modern media

Events of mass spread misinformation on social media

J A N U A R Y

The impact of social media and online culture on the spread of information in today’s world Liberty Pittman Junior Editor-in-Chief

recognize the potential bias of the source they view. In accountable, then you will trend towards doing them a way that a human being’s brain does, they can’t be this case left-leaning refers to news stations with more more often.” relied on to find the truth.” liberal views, while right-leaning refers to stations with Most social media sites have some sort of algorithm Apart from information and resource gathering, AI One video. One video was all it took to put a teachmore conservative views. that decides what a user may want to see. According has also been developed to generate art, images, and er’s job in jeopardy. When Academic Director Kaylin “Politics is what our nation is built on,” junior C.J. to Gordon, the more time a user spends engaging with videos using a collection of art, photo, video, and audio Brett had it brought to her attention that there was a something the more likely they are to continue receiving Pelt said. “As much as sometimes we hate politics, it is from the internet as reference. AI can also be used to video of a teacher using some less than school approour entire country. It affects the news so much, because content on that topic, whether they want to see it or edit existing internet content. priate language in class she was taken aback. However in some way or another, all of our opinions are based not. Gordon also believes that social media sites incen“AI imaging and video is what really frightens me, after further review of the video it became clear that on some sort of political thing that’s happening in your tivise users to make content that gets the most viewers, because there are times where people can actually alter it had been edited in a way meant to trick the viewer country. And when the news reports on that, they have engagement, and likes, which can affect the factual someone’s actions,” Brett said. “That frightens me, ART BY Liberty Pittman into believing the teacher had used to include political stuff, because it’s so accuracy of the content being because I feel like a lot of peofoul language when in reality they ingrained into our lives.” produced. ple always want to say, ‘well, On January 6, 2021 there was a riot at the capital of were just teaching a lesson.

Personal bias can make a person “If people are mindful, cogwhere’s your proof? Where’s the United States that was led by a group of people who Throughout the world there are purposely change the way they portray nizant, and conscious of what the video or photo evidence?’

The access to Until AI algorithms develop believed the 2020 election results were falsified in the many different types of media that a certain news topic, however personal they are doing, then social meAnd now that AI can make that, can help to inform people of what bias can also accidentally affect the dia is incredibly useful,” Gordon favor of Joe Biden. There was a mass conspiracy spread knowledge outweighs the to where they actually think that’s concerning. AI plays a big is going on around them; videos, news. said. “They get all the benefits: role in misinformation, because on social media about widespread voter fraud that was misinformation, but we and comprehend in a way photos, stories, art, graphics, a whole “A lot of us talk unconsciously, we immediacy, multiple perspechow can someone prove that a supported by former president Donald Trump who was a variety of informative media. Howevphoto is AI versus real?” have to teach people how tives, and visible exposure, but speak without necessarily thinking that a human being’s brain er with information comes misinabout every single word we’re about that takes work, it takes intenAccording to Pelt, AI is still main instigator in the event. The riot resulted in the death to identify misinformation does, they can’t be relied formation. There are many types of to say,” Gordon said. “We just have tionality, and it takes effort. If at a point where the average of five people, but was unsuccessful in their goal of overmisinformation such as conspiracy thoughts and then we let the unconthat effort is not there, more person can tell that an image on to find the truth. turning the election results. INFO- American Oversight theories which are ideas spread by often than not, the tool becomes scious brain communicate them, so or video is AI generated, but Academic Director AP Language Teacher certain groups of people who believe bias can unconsciously get put into misused. There are only a few as the software advances there that there is a secret influential orgaeverything we say.” right ways to use a dangerous is an impending doom of AI nization responsible for a certain event. There is also weapon and hundreds of ways to misuse it. Social media getting to a place where it can create false information disinformation which is purposeful misinformation has started to really trend away from just the tool catethat is indiscernible from the real thing. spread with the intent to mislead someone. gory and into a weapon category, which means we have “AI is used to warp information because it can make “If someone fakes information and falsifies it, the to be even more conscious about and careful about how anybody say anything, and it’s getting better and betWith the potential for every piece of information intention is always negative, it’s never for a positive we choose to interact with it.” ter,” Pelt. “It can make misinformation seem real. It can someone reads to be inaccurate or swayed by opinion, purpose,” Brett said. “I really hope that people realize create new misinformation, and at the click of a button, many people believe it is important to get their news we’re humans, they can really damage someone’s repit can perpetuate more misinformation.” from more than one source. Misinformation can be utation, their livelihood, their career, their everything, Having false or factually unjustified information can more prevalent because it is an election year, so it can if they’re willing to do that. As we continue teaching have negative effects on people. be more important to stay informed in order to vote in On social media and the internet there are millions our students how to be good digital citizens, we are “Misinformation today can divide families,” a way that is most accurate to a person’s values. Senior of websites and resources people can use to find inforteaching them how to use technology as a tool, as a Gordon said. “It can allow people to see green when Culby Bell ensures that he will not be swayed by misinmation. There are two main types of stories a reporter resource, for good, not for bad.” really there’s yellow, or to find aggression when formation in the election by doing his own research. would write: News or opinion. News story labels often really there’s only assertiveness. It divides and forces “I believe it’s important to get accurate informainclude articles and briefs, opinion stories could be lapeople into their own little worlds and as that world tion to create a non-biased opinion in voting or not be beled, editorial, review, or commentary. The main focus gets more and more separate from what others are swayed in any direction, to formulate one’s own ideas,” of a news story is to present the audience with objective living in, they feel alienated, they feel angry and Bell said. “I feel like if someone gets information from facts on a topic, while the main focus of an opinion stoThe introduction of the internet changed the way they lash out. Misinformation causes fear, and fear enough sources, they can come up with their own ideas ry is to state and support the author’s stance on a topic. people receive their information. Brett still rememcauses violence.” and their own beliefs on everything.”

“When someone is reading a fact, it allows them to bers when the world wide web was first introduced According to Brett, the possible negative The source that a piece of information is from can develop their own opinion,” Brett said.

“When they’re to her as an elementary school student and her family effects of misinformation can be frightening due help readers to determine for themselves how credible reading factual pieces, no matter what it is, when bought their first computer allowing her to take her to the amount of misinformation in the world ART BY Liberty Pittman they think the information is. they’re reading it for themselves, then they can develop first look at what would soon revolutionize informatoday.

“Anytime someone gets information from a different their own opinion. However, I do think reading opinion tion.

“Misinformation is scary, because anyone During the Covid-19 pandemic there were many pieces of inforoutlet or a third party source, it can have bias in it, it pieces is important because sometimes they help to see “The internet is a beautiful thing, because you can really manipulate a lot of people into could have something misleading or something could both sides.” really can look up and learn anything you want,” mation spread over social media that were not entirely factually thinking a certain way, and if people aren’t edbe misconstrued,” Brett said. “Making sure to have the According to Brett, reading opinion stories offers Brett said. “If you’re interested in something, you can accurate. One major inaccuracy was that ingesting household ucated enough to question it, they’re just gooriginal source, the primary source, allows someone to valuable insight from perspectives that someone may learn it. If you want to learn how to change your oil, ing to believe everything,” Brett said.

“That disinfectant could cure the virus. This caused an increase in people then take it and be able to refer not have thought of prior to reading you can watch numerous YouTube videos on how to can be really frightening, because there’s a to it and be able to point to it and washing their food with bleach, applying disinfecting chemicals do that. I think the internet is beautiful because it pro- them. lot of misinformation out there.” see where the information it’s “When someone is reading an vides people more knowledge, but it also does provide onto skin, and ingesting household cleaners, with a CDC survey of Misinformation can have negative actually originally written down.” opinion piece, they can then relate to people with bias and misinformation. I think the If someone gets effects, but only when people perceive 502 adults yielding a 39% rate of people who claimed they engaged Apart from where someone different people and realize it kind of access to knowledge outweighs the misinformation, misinformation as truth. To combat the information from enough is getting a piece of information helps them develop their opinion,” in those practices. The CDC also reported an incline in household but we have to teach people how to identify misinfornegative effects of misinformation the from, who a person is getting Brett said. “However, when reading mation and that’s a big step of education that we have disinfectant related calls to the poison center. INFO- National sources, they can come main thing someone can do is ensure information from can also be opinion pieces, I think it’s always to continue working towards.” their information is accurate.

Center for Biotechnology Information up with their own ideas important. According to Gordon very important to read both sides, Since the creation of the internet, many social “The ultimate way to stop an author lends their name and because people can influence others, media platforms have become available for people to and their own beliefs on misinformation is to use your own credibility to their work, so every and if someone still doesn’t know intercommunicate with one another. In the modern energy and intelligence to check for everything. time they create anything they are their own personal opinion and they age of information, many people are alerted of things yourself,” Gordon said. “If you are putting their careers and reputaonly read one side, they don’t have going on day-to-day through some form of social Senior willing, mature, and mindful tion at risk if the audience does the other perspective. I think it’s media. enough to do that extra 15 not accept or trust the information so important to know the different “One of the positive things that social media is seconds of Googling 90% of presented. perspectives, especially if someone is new to a topic, capable of is enabling regular people to speak to what is false in and around “There are always people who, during an election, because then it helps them understand where their morother regular people incredibly quickly,” AP Language are trying to get something from someone else,” Gordon your life will disappear. It just als are and where their values are as they’re developing teacher Matthew Gordon said. “People are not forced takes that conscious effort, said. “Most basic, it’s a vote, and to secure that vote, their opinion on that piece, too.” to wait until the end of the day for the newspaper to people will say or do whatever they are comfortable with that desire to find the Differentiating between whether a piece of text or arrive to see what journalists downtown had to say. If truth. If you’re fine with to try to get that. For a lot of people, it is not very hard Left media is news-based or opinion-based can be a chalRight there is a person in city hall when a meeting is hapnot finding the truth Leaning Leaning to tell a lie or to say something that they think is true lenge for some if it is not clearly labeled as one of the pening, they could be live tweeting it, so the immeyou’ll have a lot more but haven’t checked for themselves. Right now, in our two. There are some indicators that help differentiate diacy of news or any information is so much stronger country, there’s a lot of people saying a lot of things that free time on your between the two: often times opinion stories will not now because of social media, and that’s a great thing.” hands, but you’ll be if someone never double checks for themselves, can lead have as many quotes in comparison to news stories, People all across the world have access to social living in a fantasy them into a totally separate place from the real world.” opinion stories often used more charged verbs that media, and according to Statista 5.45 billion people INFOGRAPHIC BY Sophia Sepulveda Source: allsides.com world.”

Family is a source of trusted news for many students. clearly portray a certain tone for the work, and visually in the world have access to the internet, and of those Although, according to Pelt, a person’s family can also on the television news, opinions are often shared in 5.17 billion people have some form of social media. keep them in an isolated bubble of information, and panel in a conversation like format while news stories The sheer amount of people who have and utilize parents can subject their children to potentially biased are often just one anchor person stating the facts of an social media to report on events going on in their area information. event. contributes to the amount of people made aware of “For somebody really young, whatever news station “It’s incredibly important to know when a piece is those events. their family has on, that’s their news,” Pelt said. “A lot someone’s opinion versus researched fact because of “Because of social media, where there used to be of families, if they’re really strict, limit children’s access perception,” Gordon said. “If someone understands maybe five reporters at an event, they’d look at it, to the internet, so the child only sees what the parents that what they’re reading is someone’s perception of they’d write something later, and it would come out; want them to see. Also generally speaking, people get the world or a thing, and not the objective truth, then now you could have 500 people at most of their ideas of morality and what’s right and they can use those opinions to an event looking at it, commenting wrong from their parents, so if the parents think someinform their own, but if they on it, and it’s way more information take someone’s opinions as thing is right when the child is really young, then the from way more points of view,” GorWhen social media truth, or if the author hides child does as well. And it’s really hard to unlearn that.” don said. “There’s challenges to that their unfounded, untruthful as well, but as an asset, it’s undenistarted it was about opinions and presents them as able. That kind of exposure, those connecting with people, truth, then the audiences unamounts of eyes on people, it’s never derstanding the world, their been seen before in human history and now it’s become such perception asofthe reader now AI is another source of information for stuand good or bad, it’s definitely a tool a damaging way for people entirely, is the authors fiction, dents, and it is growing in popularity. Artificial that can be used.” and suddenly they’re not living intelligence uses a collection of internet data to While there are positive aspects to get information. in the real world anymore, simulate human intelligence. to social media, many believe there Academic Director they’re living in the author’s “Because AI, as it works right now, is nevare negative aspects as well. fictional world.” er actively trying to find the truth, it can “Social media damages the news,” Outside of explicitly written never be relied on to be truthful,” GorBrett said. “When social media started, it was about opinion stories, people’s personal opinions can seep don said. “AI has no understanding of connecting with people, and now it’s become such a into news-based media due to something called bias. what is real or not real. What is fact damaging way for people to get information, because According to the Cambridge dictionary the action of or what is fiction. Michael Jordan anyone can say anything, and anyone can generate being biased is caused by the allowance of personal is as real to chat GPT as Jamie anything. It’s a great way for people to get access to opinions to affect judgment.

Lannister, because they’re information, but is it the right information? Is it actu“It’s very clear that news sources have bias, and that both just words put into a ally correct?” news sources are working to promote one agenda over computer for this program, Most social media sites do not require that people another, and it’s really unfortunate,” Brett said. “All AI has no sense of real or use their actual name or information when creating a these news companies, they’re money makers; they’re fiction unless we give profile. In fact, many social media safety articles recit to them. Until AI ommend that people do not use their legal name when all trying to get the most say, the most views, the most people watching or reading their news. They love to exalgorithms designing up for a social media site. This can make it a Trolling is when a person purposely creates content to bait aggerate, they love to get crazy headlines and get people velop to where challenge to verify if the owner of a social media acsomeone or provoke an argument. Sometimes trolls just post to eat it up. I really get worried about the bias of the they actually count is who they say they are. While some sites offer news, because if someone is only listening to one side think and a verification service that allows content creators to to create drama, while other times they will specifically try to of the news they become very close minded. That’s one compreadd a little check next to their name verifying that the attack a person online due to their own opposing viewpoint thing that’s causing such polarization in our country, hend account authentically belongs to them, not all content da is because people have their blinders on, and they only in creators are or want to be verified. with their target. Trolls can contribute to mob mentality on lve u look one way, and then it causes them to only think one “Anonymity has got good and bad elements to it,” p the internet, and often when called out on their actions they Se way.”

Gordon said. “The negative aspect of anonymity is it a i One of the major influences of personal, and group ph removes accountability. If someone can say whatever will try to downplay what they did claiming things such as ‘it So bias is politics. There are many sites online such as Y comes to mind without ever being held accountable was just a joke’. Trolls can hide behind an anonymous profile, TB AllSides that research and chart the left-right to it, if they are the kind of person who relies on exAR lean of different news stations with the goal which can make them feel less accountable for their actions on ternal forces to have a conscience, if they have to have of creating a visual way for audiences someone there watching them in order to not steal or the internet. INFO- eSafety Commissioner ART BY Liberty Pittman to find a non-biased news source or cheat or lie, if they can do those things without being

Kaylin Brett “ FACT FACT

Matthew Gordon

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FACT

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FACT CHECKING

The author of a source can heavily influence the content. To check whether a source should be trusted or not, review the author’s credentials. This could include their education, current field of work, past works, and overall experience in the topic they are writing on. Often information about the author is included at the very start or very end of a text. Additional research outside of the text can be done to obtain more information about the author if necessary. INFO- Skyline College Library

CLEAN

B L E A C H

CLEAN

C U R E S

OPINION AND BIAS

SOCIAL SOURCES

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4. Check the content Check to see whether what is being read is an opinion story or a news story, because opinion stories can influence people to agree with a certain perspective without realizing if they don’t know what they are reading is an opinion. Titles such as commentary, editorial, and review should signal that what is being read is an opinion. Also check for bias in a story, this could be bias shown through omission of information or perspectives, bias shown through source selection, and bias shown through word choice meaning the author could use more loaded words to influence how the reader feels.

INFO- Metropolitan community college

Culby Bell

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News station political bias

Kaylin Brett

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

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5. Check with other sources Fact checking is a process in which someone checks the validity of the information they just received in order to determine its accuracy. Following events such as the presidential debates many news stations will do a fact check of the information the candidates claimed during the debate. There are many sites that fact check news stories, and there are tools such as the Google fact check tool. However, not all stories or media have been fact checked, so someone may have to do general internet research on a topic after receiving new information on it if they want to be sure that it’s true.

INFO- National Library of Medicine and Merriam Webster

MEDIA MISINFORMATION

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2. Check the author

Information can change over time, theories can be disproved, new information can be discovered, and the relevance of information can fade. Check the date a website was published or last updated, the copyright date, and check for mention of current events to make sure information is up to date. How current information needs to be is a personal decision, and may be less important for fields like history, but may be more important for science or stem related fields.

INFO- Richard G. Trefry Library

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

What is an internet troll?

FACT

INFOGRAPHIC AND ART BY Liberty Pittman

10 SPORTS

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

CROSS COUNTRY

Bulldog cross country powerhouses

Ranked 15th in the state for their long distance skills, runners make a mark at meets Caroline Baxter Sports Editor

times in the afternoon and then a couple times on the weekend. However, in the off season, I run a lot more with Running towards the finish, the the clubs.”

Bowie cross country team concludes Hummel isn’t the only powerhouse another one of their long and draining on the Bowie cross country team. races. Their hard efforts have paid off Junior Micah McAulay is one of the with the team being ranked 15th in top runners for the girls varsity team. the state.

McAulay also said she is very proud of One of the multiple reasons Bowie how hard the team has been working cross country is incredibly strong is to be one of the best in the state. due to junior captain Griffin Hummel.

“I am always so happy about Bowie Hummel currently holds the Bowie being 15th in the state,” McAulay said. record for the cross country 5k with “We worked so hard and trained for a time of 15:38. He expresses how it and we all used up our last bit of this achievement has made him feel energy for that very moment. We left and grow as a runner throughout the it out there on the course.” upcoming season.

To continue Bowie’s dominance, “I feel pretty good, it just feels McAulay has to continue to run and really cool because my freshman year, she does because she loves the sport. the record holder Zach Munger, was a She explains the feeling she gets from senior, and I looked up to him a lot,” running everyday.

Hummel said. “I “I run cross thought it would country because it be impossible always makes me We worked so hard and feel satisfied afterto ever get those times, but now, wards,” McAulay trained for it and we all just a couple years said. “Even if it used up our last bit of later, to be able to was a bad run I am run those times happy to move my energy for that moment. too” body and be with We left it out there on the my friends all the Hummel is incredibly proud time.” course. of Bowie’s work McAulay is excitCross Country Runner ed and ready about and effort that has prevailed with the season this year them being one of the best. Hummel and would love to continue Bowie’s describes how he believes they will dominance for the next two years of continue to grow and get better with her running career. experience.

“I am planning on continuing “Last season, it was the first the dominance for Bowie by always time guys made a state and we were running my hardest,” McAulay said. definitely at the bottom of that state “I will also continue to train well with meet,” Hummel said. “Now that our my team and lift spirits.” feet are wet, I feel that we have a lot Junior runner Willa Bock thinks more room to improve and grow. And Bowie cross country is not like other I think a lot of teams are going to schools and that’s how Bowie will underestimate us.” continue their influence on the sport.

To keep up his fitness and to help She believes that the team’s dynamic propel the team forward, Hummel is totally different from the other cross does a lot of training, in school and country teams in the state. out of school. He illustrates his rigor“I think we’re more fun than other ous training schedule he goes through schools,” Bock said. “A lot of times during and out of cross country they look real serious on their warm season. up laps, having their headphones on “Most of my runs are with the and look locked in. We always walk school, but I do run with a club after the warm up lap and joke around with school,” Hummel said. “During the one another.” season, I usually just run a couple Bock believes team bonding and

Miah McAulay

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chemistry is the most important component to a team’s success. She believes it brings up the hope and courage in the team and helps improve their running.

“Before the race we always huddle up and tell each other it’ll be okay and to always do our best,” Bock said. “We

always try to finish in a pack together and we encourage one another throughout the race.”

Bock likes running for Bowie cross country a lot. She explains how it is a great way to get to know new people and start to form a big group of friends and how it helps her on and off the

course.

“We all suffer through the same things and it makes us stronger together,” Bock said. “When we do all the running together it makes me feel accomplished in the morning, it feels like I have a better purpose for the day.”

JUNIOR OLYMPICS

Sports Brief

‘Dawgs compete in Junior Olympics

Coach Branyon is back to Bowie

At the end of the 2023 school year, Ty Branyon took a year off of teaching and coaching due to personal reasons. Starting this semester he is back, deciding that one year is long enough being away from the Bowie community.

“I got out of education, not because I was unhappy with it,” Branyon said. “I missed it every day that I was gone. I decided I had to come back.”

Branyon, who is a Bowie alumni, and played football at Bowie during his high school career. He decided to come back and coach after playing for and graduating from Texas A&M. “Football teaches us these lessons of commitment,” Branyon said. “It teaches us hard work and dedication, and I think if you give yourself a good foundation with those things, it gives you a chance to be successful,” Being a coach was something that Branyon wanted to do from an early age. His first job out of college was coaching and he has been coaching for 18 years now.

“Coach Branyon is one of the best coaches I ever had,” junior Easton Lewis said. “I admire that he really connects with the team and builds that connection with us.”

Branyon coaches sports outside of football like track.

He leads kids to success in many fields. While he was away Branyon was able to connect with his kids, coaching them in their preferred sports. After a long year, he has returned to do what he excels at, coaching football “Bowie is a special place to me,” Branyon said. “It feels like home to me, I want

RUNNING HOME: Working hard, sophomore Owen Witherspoon pushes himself to the end of the race. The Bowie Bulldogs finished first at the Austin ISD invitational. PHOTO BY Cooper Ford

Bowie athletes excel in their respective track events Hannah Kim Dispatch Reporter

Ty Branyon PHOTO BY Ava Weaver

the kids that go here to know how special this place is.”

Branyon wants to build and rebuild relationships with his players. The impact his past coach made on him is what inspired him to pursue a career in education.

Whether it’s his students, or football players he believes that building relationships with them, ultimately helps in their success.

“He is always willing to go out of his way for others,” senior Ryan Cormier said.

“If a student or football player doesn’t understand something, he’ll sit down with them and talk it over until they understand how to run the right route or grasp the concept.”

Whether students just met him or known him for years, Branyon tries to make a positive impact on the students and players around him. Branyon is thrilled to be a part of this fall’s football season and this spring’s track season. Coaching quarterbacks and offensive coordinator, he gives it his all to help lead the players to a victory for the ‘Dawgs just like before.

“Enjoy every minute of it,” Branyon said. “Football is a game and sometimes you can let the pressure get to you but you always have to remember it’s a game and you need to have fun and work hard.”

STORY BY Ava Weaver

COMING UP IN SPORTS:

Wind blowing, sweat dripping down, heavy panting comes from Conor Bibb and Charlie Stinson, two sophomores at Bowie High School who have qualified for the steeple chase and high jump at the Junior Olympics in the summer of 2024. The event will take place in Greensboro, North Carolina.

As time went by, the two athletes advanced to the Junior Olympics making family and friends proud.

“I started cross country in middle school because I realized I was better at it then football and one of my friends told me to join his track club so that’s why I started running,” Bibb said.

The athletes like how the coaches aren’t as strict on them. Making it easier to compete without stress and much pressure.

“The coaches are not hard on you, they’re actually really laid back when we’re in the season,” Stinson said. “The coaches are nice and they just let me do my own thing as long as I do good.”

According to the students, having support from close friends and family members makes them feel proud of themselves and even more confident.

“My dad is probably my biggest supporter,” Bibb said. “It makes me feel good knowing I have someone watching me compete and accomplish my goals.”

Bibb isn’t the only one getting support from family.

“My biggest supporters are my parents and my friends like

Marrell,” Stinson said. “Having support from loved ones help a lot, my mom motivates me a lot and she gets on me when I mess up. It’s a great feeling to do good things while having the support.”

Feeling nervous before the big run, Bibb finds a way to stay calm.

“To make my self feel less nervous, I just tell myself to have fun and not worry too much about the race,” Bibb said.

Bibb is not alone when feeling nervous before a big run.

“To make myself feel calm for Junior Olympics instead of ignoring the nervousness of a big stage I embraced it,” Stinson said. “I’ve told myself that even though it’s a huge stage, I have so many people traveling to see me and I cannot disappoint.”

Stinson’s mom, Marissa Grambley, is extremely proud of her son for making the Junior Olympics.

“I was so proud of Charlie when he qualified for the Junior Olympics. He had trained hard all summer in the heat multiple times a week,” Grambley said. “He competed at several different meets as well and it was amazing to see him improve over the summer.

It is something I think we’ll remember forever.”

Making it to the Junior Olympics can put pressure on the athletes to keep making strides to almost perfection.

According to researchers, athletics who thrive under pressure, focus on succeeding more.

“My goal is to just go back and race there again because I am moving up to 16-17 age group,” Bibb said.

Stinson has some big goals

JUMPING FOR GOLD: Bowie runner Charlie Stinson trains for the high jumping event. Charlie trains multiple times a week resulting in his high performance in track. PHOTO BY Will Olenick

in mind as well. He isn’t the only one reaching far and having big dreams.

“My goal for next year is to be six feet and five inches and to make New Balance or Nike Outdoor National,” Stinson said. “New Balance Nationals and Nike Outdoor Nationals are the hardest to make, you have to be ranked like top-15 in the country. Nike Nationals are in Oregon on their track and New Balance Nationals are in Philadelphia. They are the hardest to make because it’s mixed ages, it’s 15 and 16

together and 17 and 18 together so I would be on the young side.”

SCAN TO SEE MORE

VIDEO BY Will Olenick

OCT. 1 Va r s i t y Vo l l e y b a l l

OCT. 4 Va r s i t y Fo o t b a l l

OCT. 8 Va r s i t y Vo l l e y b a l l

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school

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vs. Akins @ Akins high

v s . D e l Va l l e @ Ve t e r a n

vs. Austin @ Burger Sta-

11 V a r s i t y F o o t b a l l v s .

SPORTS 11

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

WATER POLO

Water polo team takes center stage

A new addition to the ‘Dawgs sports program hits the water for the 2024-25 school year Michael Vienneau Sports Editor

Dashing and driving with strength and endurance, once an emerging idea, finally comes into fruition, Bowie High School is now home to a water polo team.

Early August marked the start of the water polo season, the team is currently led by two coaches. Head coach Jessica Langbehn has been a teacher for eight years, three at Bowie and her assistant, head swimming coach Chloe Carr, who also teaches history.

“Since I have been here the school has really been pushing me to establish a water polo club,” Carr said. “I initially kept saying no, just because I wasn’t really familiar with the sport, but when Langbehn pushed for a team, I decided that it would be something I would want to be a part of.”

Water Polo teams typically consist of six players as well as a goalie.

Each player with a position and role assigned to them. Similarly to most other sports, teams vary greatly in terms of formation, the most popular formation being three players in the front and three players in the back.

“As a coach, I really consider this a learning year,” Carr said. “None of us really understood and knew how to play the sport. I think a lot of what I do as a coach is just helping the team have fun and make sure they understand that we are all learning it together. In the future, I think we will expect more structure, but as of right now it’s still all new to us.”

One of the roadblocks that

was affected the club’s establishment was getting enough players to join the team. With a sport that requires lots of subbing and transitions, a team of just seven or eight players would never be viable. In order to compete the team first had to get enough players who were willing to show up and participate.

“I think Coach Carr and I were expecting a team filled with primarily swimmers,” Langbehn said. “That’s kind of how it was shaking up initially, it was a small team. I think as soon as the word spread it became much more popular to people outside of swimming. I think that is something that surprised me a lot, just the variety of swimmers and non-swimmers.”

There are two separate teams for water polo, a girls and a boys team.

August 28 marked the beginning of both teams’ competition schedule.

“All the seniors have really stepped up,” Langbehn said. “Having some senior swimmers who have experience in other sports has really helped their leadership qualities get around to the other team members.”

Senior Goalie Benjamin Marzani began playing water polo for fun this year. Just like many others, Marzani joined the club in order to spend time with friends and gain some new experience.

“I have really enjoyed my time so far,” Marzani said. “Being able to kind of just mess around with my friends and learn a new hobby has been a really good experience and I’m glad I decided to join.

Also getting field tripped on tournament days is a

MAKING THE SHOT: Water polo player Logan Moran trains his shooting. The boys team is searching for their first win at their upcoming tournament. PHOTO BY Will Olenick

GEARING UP: Water polo player prepares for his upcoming practices. The team has only been playing since August and is showing major improvement. PHOTO BY Will Olenick

big bonus because it kind of gave me a break from school and allowed me to do something fun instead.

The team practices every Monday and Thursday at the Westlake Athletic Community Center. Each practice consists of different activities and drills in order to help all players learn and compete.

“The biggest surprise for me so far has been the facilities we practice at,” Marzani said. “I really did not expect for the pools to be that nice but they actually are. It’s in a nice area and it’s really a great facility which is something I never really would have

expected considering it’s our first year as a program.”

The girls team is six games into their competition schedule and are currently sitting at 1-5. The boys team is five games in and is currently winless. Junior right wing Mia Urbazo has been playing water polo for one week.

“I have every confidence that we can turn it around,” Urbazo said. “We are still getting used to the whole process. I think coach Langbehn and coach Carr have done a great job on making the club a lot of fun while also making us better. I think once we all get used to the rules our team will

have more confidence which will lead to more success in the water.”

SCAN TO SEE MORE

VIDEO BY Will Olenick

WEIGHTS AND WALKS

Bowie girls fitness club sheds light on health and fitness Skylar Haywood Dispatch Reporter

PLANNING AND PREPARING: Senior Sarah Marcus and junior Harper Tishgart run the girls fitness club meeting. They discussed future club plans as the school year begins. PHOTO BY Skylar Haywood

The courtyard is bustling with students peering from booth to booth trying to decide what the next club they want to join is going to be.

Suddenly the sign of one specific booth catches a young female student’s eye, the Girls Fitness club.

The Girls Fitness club is a club focused on fitness and overall health. The club meets one to two times a month during FIT in Kimberly Wiedmyers room A125, and was founded by senior Sarah Marcus who has been leading it for a year.

“I wanted to make a safe community for girls to workout and be comfortable,” Marcus said.

“There are zero requirements to join. Anyone who is wanting to join us and build a healthy lifestyle, this club is for them.”

Marcus runs the club with her best friend junior Harper Tishgart. The club will be passed down to Tishgart when Marcus graduates, and it will be up to her to lead the community.

“I love being able to work with my best friend on something we are super passionate about, and I love helping girls find their community,” Marcus said.

The club is planning on hosting events outside of school to give students more opportunities to participate.

“We are planning to go to Zilker and Mount Bonnell,” Marcus said. “It will be up to Harper if she is planning on doing events in the summer.”

The club has tried to encourage other girls to join and learn more about staying healthy and working out. Junior Ella Rooney is a member of the club, and she encourages others to join.

“I would recommend joining because it helps build a healthy lifestyle and it is good to be surrounded by a safe community,” Rooney said. “I have made a lot more friends and it has motivated me to be healthy and to workout more.”

Marcus wants the legacy of the club to live on after she leaves Bowie, and hopes to get some more members before she has to leave.

“My goal for the club is to gain 30 members by the end of this year and be able to pass the club on,” Marcus said. “I think that this could be a good community for girls at Bowie.”

12 ENTERTAINMENT THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

NEW PERFORMANCE PROGRAM

Show choir class belts a new tune

An exciting way to improve musical performance while listing to modern music favorites Bentlee Toland Entertainment Editor

Voices harmonize, bouncing off the walls, bright and early, as the show choir prepares to kick start their day. Show choir is an opportunity for individuals to explore their passion for singing and performing. Don’t mistake them for just another choir group. Unlike traditional choirs, this musical group allows you to belt out your favorite pop hits.

“The whole point of the show choir was an additional factor to singing and performance,” senior Bubba Infante said. “It’s a way to just sort of differentiate from choral singing. People just wanted more, they get bored of choir music, singing stuff that was made 70 years ago, and when people

sing they’d rather sing something new.”

The show choir is a zero-hour class meaning the class is before or after school in this case, it’s before school every Monday and Wednesday.

Because zero hours are classes that get added to an official transcript, students receive a grade. If students join or stay in the class through your junior or senior year the grade they receive becomes weighted.

“The beauty of having a zero hour is that you don’t have to be in any choir classes during the day, and you can be in this,” Infante said. “Singing is so much fun, It makes you happy, it releases so many endorphins, it’s the best.”

The Bowie choir has had a zero-hour for a while called Silver Sound which is for the

advanced varsity singers of the choir. They compete at UIL competitions, unlike the show choir.

“My freshman year, I didn’t do Silver Sound,” junior Darby Kendrick said. “I went to the concert when Silver Sound got up and sang their songs, I was like, dang, I want to do that too, so I joined the next year.”

Choir classes can positively affect students by reducing stage fright and Improving lung function but the one that stands out the most to students in show choir how singing releases endorphins.

“It just makes my mood better I sing, like, all the time, and on days where I don’t listen to music or don’t sing, I can feel that I’m in a bad mood,” junior Abby Laine said. “So, then I go home and I sing, and I’m like,

LEARNING THE MUSIC: Juniors Grace Hertel and Darby Kendrick focus on learning their new sheet music, carefully reading the notes and lyrics while trying to get a feel for the rhythm. Learning music is a process, that these students take a step at a time. PHOTO BY Isadora Para

oh I am good.”

From singing along to favorite songs in the car to performing in front of a crowd for the first time, the journey of becoming a singer can be different for everyone.

“I’ve been in choir since elementary school,” said Kendrick. “But, I’ve always sung with my mom. It’s not like the easiest thing in the world but it’s for fun, I just want to be as involved in choir as I can.” ”Students get to practice at 7:30 before school and stay for around an hour. They meet in the choir room, and Aaron Bourgeois, the choir director , is also the show choir teacher.

Bourgeois has been leading the voices of the Bowie choir for over five years.

“He is really kind,” Laine said. “He always wants us to have fun and enjoy the music, He sees our talent and tries to help us grow on our abilities.”

The show choir plans to add choreography to the singing this is not new for most of the students because of the cabaret shows that choir kids do.

The Cabaret Show has been a yearly tradition since the school first opened. This show gives students a chance to perform rather than just a concert. This is how the idea started up to create a show choir.

“Show choir is kind of like our cabaret show,” Bourgeois said. “Our students are, of course, super talented with their choir singing, but when they can put that into pop music and those skills, they get a chance to shine. It’s going to be a lot more engaging overall.”

While the show choir at Bowie is new, it is popular across Texas with over 80 high school fielding a team. It is even popular for middle schools since there are over 40 of them in the state.

“We’ve had probably about a third of the choir program in the class,” Bourgeois said. “I think this is the choir that’s the

CREATIVITY ON STAFF

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Students slowly learn to sing their show choir music. They harmonize with their groups during the first rehearsals. PHOTO BY Isadora Para

most different from the regular choirs that we have. So, it’s a lot more exciting in that way too”.

Art can help children explore their emotions through a creative outlet. But according to Bourgeois it can also help teachers understand how students show their inner thoughts.

“I can see kids express themselves in a way that I maybe don’t always see inherently, Bourgeois said. “So, it’s kind of a different level of enjoyment.”

Music has served as a way for artistic expression for decades. What can set music apart is that it can embrace individuals from all walks of life. Witnessing his students’ cheerful involvement in music fills Bourgeois with a sense of happiness and fulfillment.

“I think there is always something to gain from exploring any kind of music,” Bourgeois said. “I’ve had kids asking me about show choir for years. I think it is a great way to explore your love of music and your love of singing, the choir community here is a great

one to be a part of.”

Witnessing his students’ cheerful involvement in music fills Bourgeois with a sense of happiness and fulfillment.

“I think it is very special to be in fine arts,” Bourgeois said.

“Because you’re able to see students express themselves you need ways to express yourself. I loved the community I had in my high school choir. I don’t have kids of my own or anything, but I care about them like they are. I feel very honored to be a part of that.”

SCAN TO SEE MORE

VIDEO BY Reagan Tso

John Flick finds an inspiring way to share his artwork Eliza Williams Dispatch Reporter Creativity and talent can blossom within a person at any point in life, under any circumstance, and the same can be said for Bowie’s AP literature teacher John Flickinger and his artwork. Flick, as he is affectionately know by students, dabbled in many forms of creative arts throughout his life, from doodling at a young age, taking art classes in high school, publishing novels, and running a middle school theater company. He ended up settling with visual art.

“I’ve always been creative,” Flick said. “I think that’s one of my passions in life, is just creating.”

For Flick, he had already done some work with pastels and charcoal in his 20s, but paused when he started writing. He took visual art back up during lock-down and began painting as a way to pass the time while there was nothing to do but stay inside.

“I revisited my visual artistic endeavors during Covid,” Flick said. “I taught myself to watercolor paint, I started a graphic novel and I realized I didn’t really want to do a graphic novel, I just wanted to do individual pieces.”

Five years, later, his work can be found hung up around his classroom and posted on websites like Instagram, X, and Facebook.

“He has an Instagram,” junior Hayley Curtis said. “I think it’s cool. I think it helps him

POSING WITH THE MASTERPIECES: Flick stands proudly in front of his art work. Hung on the back wall of his classroom, all students are welcome to admire his work and add their own contributions.

PHOTO BY Eliza Williams

promote what he does, and then maybe inspire other people that are starting art or want to do art with their life.”

Flick’s pieces are mostly surrealist portraiture, using watercolors and ink, but during times he’ll combine the two. He took inspiration for his pieces from many well known artists, such as Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, among others.

More recently, though, he took inspiration from fellow Instagram artists, including an artist from Spain, who mixes the unnatural with the natural into their works; not to mention different forms of art that put emphasis on imaginative and emotional qualities.

“I’m often inspired by surrealist work,” Flick said. “But I also really like romanticism and some of the daunting figures of a lot of southern painters.”

Flick also includes, within his art, messages he wants others to glean.

“There’s beauty in the terrifying, and there’s inspiration in the surreal,” Flick said. “I think one reason that I started painting and put away the writing was because so much of my life is based on finding the deeper meaning. And sometimes I just want to paint a pretty or scary picture and look at it and have other people look at it.”

AP studio art teacher Mindy Le Jeune commented on the many aspects of his work including the painting of hands.

“Drawing hands is always really difficult,” Le Jeune said. “And he did a very good job capturing that.”

Le Jeune also notes the colors and the way his paintings come together.

“I think they are all unified very nicely with color, tones, proportion, and, of course, subject matter,” Le Jeune said.

And while gaining recognition for his art around the Bowie campus, Flick had also gained a reputation through his teaching. A reputation that reflects his love of teaching, one that can be seen through his students.

“He’s a really good teacher,” junior Hayley Curtis said. “I feel like I’m learning stuff in his class. He teaches super well and he makes sure that we all understand; and he has conferences where we can just go up and ask for help.”

His teaching reached the ears of Le Jeune as well, across campus in L hall.

“I’ve heard that he is very passionate about his classes, and he gets the students really involved in stories and writing and healthy debates,” Le Jeune said.

Like his passion for teaching, Flick holds a passion for his art that Curtis recognizes.

“I feel like he’s very passionate about what he does,” Curtis said.

When looking at his art Le Jeune also took in a feeling of how much Flick enjoys his work.

WATERCOLOR TEARS: In his watercolor portrait, Flick portrays a woman crying and pulling her mouth out.

He shares work like this and many others on his public social media account. PHOTO COURTESY OF John Flick

“He seems so proud about his artwork,” Le Jeune said. “That when you see an artist who is so enthusiastic about their artwork, it makes you feel happy that they’re creating something they love.”

From taking a few art classes in high school, to teaching himself to watercolor paint, Flick also reflects on his own art and the ways it has changed and evolved.

“I would look at my progression as an artist

as a form of, hopefully, inspiration for other artists,” Flick said. “Because I look back at works when I first started that I thought were cool, and I’m like ‘wow, I really have gotten a lot better!’.”

There is a message Flick has in that for other aspiring artists as well.

“I would encourage people to pursue their passions,” Flick said. “And trust the process, because the work that you put into it could end up being worth it.”

REVIEWS 13

TRENDING APP

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

Too Good to Go, the food activist app

The food ordering app, determined to end rampant food waste across the world Eleanor Blue Reviews Editor We are all affected by food waste.

It’s a prevailing issue worldwide, with around 2.5 billion tons of food wasted annually.

According to Recycle Track Systems (RTS) in the U.S. alone, restaurants are responsible for around 22-33 million tons of that total.

The impact of this waste is more than just financial. Social, environmental, and ethical concerns surround this misuse of sustenance.

The cost of food in America is on a slow increase and the effects are long lasting. Many families consistently struggle to find nutritional foods at reasonable prices. A recent study by RTI Health Advance found that low-income families spend over 30% of their income on food.

The environment is also put at risk. When we waste consumable products, we also waste the natural resources like energy and water required to produce it.

So, food waste is bad. That sentiment isn’t often a point of contention.

However, serious concerns are often neglected or intentionally ignored due to their severity and complexity. With large global concerns such as food waste, it is difficult to bring attention to complicated issues without overwhelming the public by the sheer amount of work to be done.

How do you gather attention before people become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of work to be done?

This month I focused on an app that is trying to inspire people to take on food waste.

Too Good to Go is an organization that is paving the way for a more sustainable future. It was founded in 2015 in Denmark and now operates on a global scale, even reaching across Europe, Canada, and the U.S. It works like this: you download the app, enter your location, and find surprise packs of food near you. The fees range from $3-$11 and saves food that otherwise would have gone to the dumpster. In the morning, restaurants post their prices and wait for customers to start buying.

The process is simple.

By the afternoon, most

ART BY Eleanor Blue

online packages are gone. There are usually a few sweet options left like Shipleys or Tiff ’s Treats. The limited selection could be perceived as a potential downside for those who want more options or prefer to shop later in the day.

Customers that plan ahead and order early in the day often have a much wider variety and are able to effectively supplement their standard shopping.

The sign-up process for restaurants is also very easy, the app makes it simple and clear. You can also recommend your favorite restaurants to participate through the app.

Too Good to Go partners with brands like Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Waterloo Ice House by offering you the things you love at a reduced price, giving a new life to the food that otherwise would have been wasted.

It’s also a positive experience for the restaurants and businesses involved with the app. These restaurants get the opportunity to sell food with a limited shelf life while reaching their sustainability goals.

Companies’ involvement with the app also shines well on them. It’s a good look to be a part of cutting global emissions and doing your part for the ongoing climate crisis.

But how does the app perform?

For functionality, Too Good to Go is an almost seamless process. The app is extraordinarily uncomplicated and easy to navigate. You have the option to favorite a company or order, and the sleek color palette of the app shows cohesion and an understanding of what the buyer wants.

But what is the process itself like?

I decided to test it.

Ordering was easy enough, you just pick a bag that interests you and plug in your information and payment type.

At this time, Too Good to Go accepts PayPal, Apple Pay, or a credit or debit card.

For my first experience with Too Good to Go, I chose Tiff Treats to review both the process and quality.

ART BY Sophia Sepulveda

Pick-up is straightforward.

You let the restaurant know when you arrive and they retrieve a bag with your food from the back. Every order is a surprise so the amount changes, but I got nine different cookies. The quality was good, they tasted like the high-quality treats that Tiff ’s is known for.

This review is not for the cookies themselves, but rather for the app and its quality. The idea of surprise bags is quite fun, and the plan behind it is admirable.

One of the few drawbacks concerns dietary restrictions It’s impossible to navigate dietary restrictions because of the

LOCAL TREATS

surprise element of the bags.

Anyone who is lactose intolerant or gluten-free doesn’t have the option to order a bag that aligns with their needs, which makes the app difficult to use for 20-35% of the US population with a gluten or dairy intolerance, not to mention any other dietary restrictions.

They do have a filter for vegetarian or vegan options so there isn’t that restriction, but there are still ways to improve reach and accommodations.

Another factor is the amount of food. Sometimes it can be too much. Especially if you’re ordering for one, the quantity of your order can seem

daunting. This isn’t necessarily a critique of the app itself, just be prepared to share with classmates, friends, or family members.

Ultimately, food in America is wasted on a massive scale and the problems with the app are far outweighed by the difference that an app like this has the potential to make.

The good reviews speak for themselves, Too Good to Go is winning the hearts of consumers worldwide.

The cookies I ordered were delicious and the app is easy to use. If you have the chance, check it out.

Lookie, lookie, lookie it’s this week’s Crumbl Cookies Eve Johansson Dispatch Reporter

Crumbl Cookies was founded in September of 2017 and has grown rapidly since then, expanding all aspects of its business from the menu to new store locations.

Everything started with the dream of two cousins, Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley, who sought to create the perfect chocolate chip cookie to bring people from all around the world together. They opened their first store in Logan, Utah and with their idea of an open-concept kitchen expanded them all over the U.S. and even internationally.

Out of the 1040 running across the U.S., there are two Crumbl stores in southwest Austin. One is located in Southpark Meadows on 9600 S I-35 Frontage Rd, and the other is in Sunset Valley on

5207 Brodie Ln. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and they are closed on Sunday.

As a unique way of drawing in customers, every week on Sunday around 8 p.m., Crumbl Cookies updates their menu, introducing six different cookies than what they had the week before. This creates anticipation for next week’s flavors and brings sales up since one cookie only comes on the menu a couple times a year.

A weekly rotating menu is not the only thing Crumbl does to include customers. One of the first things you see when you walk in is their open-concept kitchen. This type of kitchen allows customers to view the cookies being made and experience the steps that go into putting a Crumbl cookie together.

Walking into the store located in Sunset Valley, my first thought was that everything looked

TAKE A BITE: The Crumbl Cookie lineup from September 2-7, 2004 included Churro, Triple Chocolate Chip, The Afterlife cake, and Semi-Sweet Chocolate chunk. New flavors were introduced, with The Afterlife cake taking inspiration from the newly released movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. PHOTO BY Sophia Shaw

very put together, starting with the light pink, black, and white color scheme. From the walls and minimal decor to the boxes and packaging were one or all of those three colors.

It was a small space, since Crumbl only offers pickup, delivery, or in store purchases. There’s no spot to sit down and enjoy your cookies in the actual store. The open-concept kitchen took up more than half of the front of the store, where you were able to watch Crumbl workers as you waited in line to order.

Another noticeable thing is the big TV on the side wall, which displays the week’s cookie flavors and the prices of whichever box size you plan on ordering. Laying out on the counter next to the order screen, Crumbl puts out the six cookies of the week, allowing you to see what they look like in person. I found this very helpful, since when it comes to the size of each cookie it’s hard to tell online.

I went at 7 p.m. on a Thursday evening, so it wasn’t as crowded as it normally would be on a Saturday, for example. There were only two other groups of people when I went in to order, so the line moved pretty fast.

When you order, the most common options are a single cookie, a four pack, and a six pack.

Crumbl also offers other sizes, like a party box of twelve and extras like milk and gift wrap.

The week of September 2-7, the Crumbl menu consisted of four cookies, one mini cake, and one mini bread as their six items for the weekly menu. I ordered a four pack and chose three out of the four cookies and the mini-cake, which came out to be about a total of $16.80 with tax.

The semi-sweet chocolate chunk was definitely my favorite of the four I tried. I loved how the idea was simple, but the cookie itself had many different flavors that made it one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. The chocolate chips and the bit of salt on the top created the perfect balance of semi-sweet.

The second of the cookie options was a mini cake inspired by the new Beetlejuice movie that came out in theaters on September 6. The cake was dark chocolate flavored with both chocolate and vanilla icing on the inside. I thought it was really cool and unique to base cookies off of upcoming events and thought the dark chocolate flavoring and green and purple sprinkles made for a good representation of the new movie.

I‘ve always loved churros. The cinnamon sugar-flavoring paired with the soft, warm bread is one of my favorite tastes. Sadly, the Crumbl churro cookie didn’t really remind me of a churro at all, it just tasted like cinnamon. However, the

FLAVORS OF THE WEEK SEPT 2ND - 7TH Churro - Soft cookie topped with cinnamon butter cream Triple Chocolate Chip - Cookie stuffed with semi-sweet chunks, creamy white chips, and milk chips The Afterlife Cake - Two tiered chocolate cake, inspired by the movie “Beetlejuice“ Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk - A classic cookie filled with chocolate chunks PHOTO BY Sophia Shaw INFOGRAPHIC BY Marissa McGowan

cookie’s vanilla icing was deliciously smooth, and overall I thought it was a good fall staple.

The triple chocolate chip cookie is definitely not for everyone, but if you love chocolate this cookie is for you. It’s a chocolate flavored cookie loaded with both milk chocolate and white chocolate chips plus extra dark chocolate chunks.

In my opinion however, compared to the other cookies, it was very rich and nothing extremely special.

Overall, the products were good quality and I understand why Crumbl has become popular over the past few years. Even if they might be a tad bit expensive, if you’re looking to try unique cookie flavors, or need a delicious gift for a friend, I would recommend visiting your local Crumbl Cookies.

14 COMMENTARY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

D ISPATCH STAFF Senior Editor-in-Chief Isabella Verette Junior Co-Editors-in-Chief Liberty Pittman Elizabeth Yowell Dispatch Online Co-Editors-in-Chief Gabby Bochey Audrey Cullianane Dispatch Online Managing Editor Will Olenick News/Politics Editors Peyton Dorsey Katie Grumet Savannah Riggins Feature Editor Charlotte Schwarte Sports Editors Caroline Baxter Michael Vienneau Entertainment Editor Bentlee Toland Review Editors Eleanor Blue Marissa McGowan Opinion Editors Sam Bode Vivi Lopez-Stern Photo Essay Editors Arden Ray Ryan Zuniga Arts/Graphics Editors Lane Foxcroft Sophia Sepulveda Dispatch Reporters Kate Alexander Koko Badgley-Finan Mara Brandt Grace Cajuste Sydney Cotsonas Logan Cottle Andrew Covert Sawyer Daniel Sophia Dudich Chance East Claire Ferrante Cooper Ford Sara Fowler Alice Goss Skylar Haywood Olivia Hunter Eve Johansson Hannah Kim Sydney Murphy Isadora Para Gracie Ruland Sophia Shaw Arlo Stockstill Olive Trevino Reagan Tso Reese Walker Ava Weaver Quinn Wilkinson Eliza Williams Cole Wong Capri Wyatt Sofia Yordanova Advisor Michael Reeves, MJE

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• The Dispatch is an open forum for student expression.

The Dispatch is not reviewed by school administration prior to distribution, and the advisor will not act as a censor. Content represents the views of the student staff and not school officials.

• The Dispatch works to avoid bias and/or favoritism.

We strive to make our coverage and content meaningful, timely, and interesting to our readers. Our articles reflect our genuine objective of reporting news and will be held to a high standard of quality.

• We make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph without indicating that the photograph is an illustration.

• Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined.

Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Dispatch staff or administration as a whole.

• The Dispatch welcomes reader input. Please send any letters, articles, comments or corrections to bowie.journalism@gmail.com, call (512) 414-5247 Ext. 71705, mail them to 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749, or drop them off in room F-214 with adviser Michael Reeves or any editor. Letters must be signed, and emailed letters will require verification before publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

Students need more college guidance High schools should offer support to seniors applying to university EDITORIAL The college applications process can cause a person to experience many mixed emotions from excitement and anticipation, to anxiety and dread. High school seniors who choose to apply to college are faced with various pressures while completing this daunting process. Students who don’t receive guidance from a guardian or advisor are often left feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. Without someone to rely on for advice concerning writing college essays, filling out the FAFSA, or mapping out goals for their education, students may feel less empowered to pursue a higher education.

Most high schools do provide a college and career counselor for their students. However, it can be difficult for every student to receive the assistance they need because they are one of hundreds of students in line to get the help offered by an advisor. Additionally, students need more encouragement to make appointments and meet with their advisor periodically throughout high school. To address these issues, secondary schools should provide more resources for students to receive advising during their college application process.

Giving students more assistance while they are applying to college can help make this process more equitable, especially for lower income students. While some families are able to hire a college advisor who can help with crafting an effective essay, applying for financial aid, and finding scholarship opportunities, the cost of these services often makes them inaccessible to economically disadvantaged students. That said, if high schools more actively encourage students to connect with their college counselor, they can receive support which will allow them to produce successful applications, and receive information about financial assistance which may be crucial to their ability to attend college.

Furthermore, not all students are able to receive guidance from parents or guardians while completing their applications. According to The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, aspiring first generation college students often face significant obstacles while applying for college, including having limited knowledge about how to go about completing their applications and having a more difficult time getting their financial needs met because their parents have not had the experience of going through this process themselves. If students are unable to get the help they need from their school because it does not provide the level of assistance they require, this may deter some individuals from even applying to college.

Finally, making more time for college planning while a student is in high school can make a big difference in their success after they've graduated. According to The Princeton Review, an advisor can be instrumental in helping students craft competitive applications and finding schools where they will be able to pursue their future goals. High schools should start facilitating connections between college counselors and students beginning in their freshman and

ART BY Layne Foxcroft

sophomore years. This will give advisors a better understanding of who they are helping so they can give guidance tailored to each individual student's needs.

Some may argue that it is unnecessary to provide so much assistance to students who are on their way to becoming adults. However, according to a report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), meeting one-on-one with an advisor can double the likelihood a student will attend a four-year college.

Students who wish to attend college should not be hindered because their high school does not provide the resources they need to fulfill this aspiration. As stated in a report by the NACAC, only around 33% of public schools in the nation

THEATRE SHOWS

Repeating theatre shows has positive effects Alice Goss Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

Every fall semester Bowie’s Starlight Theatre Company(STC) produces two to three plays about 45 minutes long each, and every other year the selection of plays are

from William Shakespeare’s large collection of work.

The last cycle of Shakespeare at Bowie was in 2022, the STC performed Macbeth, directed by Marco Bazan, and Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Matthew Humphrey. This fall, the company is doing another cycle of Shakespeare including Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and another showing of Midsummer Night's Dream, this time

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provide students with a college counselor. To combat this issue, schools should be allocated more funding from state governments to offer students who wish to pursue a higher education more adequate guidance. More funding from state governments should also go towards hiring a certain number of college counselors depending on size of the student body on high school campuses to effectively meet everyone’s needs.

Even in this day and age, many obstacles continue to get in the way of a student's fundamental right to education. No one should face additional barriers to the already difficult college applications process because their high school fails to provide the resources necessary for their success.

ART BY Alice Goss

directed by new theater teacher and director Kade Lasseigne. Many people are debating whether repeating Midsummer two cycles in a row is a beneficial choice for the company.

I believe repeating Midsummer Night's Dream at Bowie offers a positive experience and learning opportunities to all actors, technicians, and collaborators working on the three Shakespeare plays.

The STC is an educational theatre program, meaning the productions chosen are meant to offer students some kind of teaching opportunity. Therefore, the repetition of Midsummer should not be seen negatively, because it offers the chance to compare and contrast between productions. Personally, as an actor, having the opportunity to see the same script performed by different people under different direction is very beneficial. This allows people to think about why different actors make different choices and expand an individual's knowledge in theatre.

The most recent times the STC has performed Midsummer were set in different periods. When Matthew Humphrey directed in 2022 he set the play in the 1960s and many of the characters took inspiration from hippies, while Kade Lasseigne is taking the majority of his inspiration from the 2010s.

Though they directed the same play, the productions appear very differently, meaning anyone who saw the production of Midsummer in 2022’ could watch Lasseigne’s production and see an almost entirely different show. Especially considering that not only are the inspirations different but the script has been edited by the individual directors. This means that some moments lost in the 2022 production, the audience now has the ability to enjoy.

Additionally, the students who were in Midsummer in 22’ were

underclassmen, but those students are now upperclassmen. Students who have already been in Midsummer have more experience and opportunities to be in larger roles this year. Even though there may be students who would not want to be in the same show again, there may also be students who want another chance to play a larger role in the production.

Regarding students who had an aversion to being in Midsummer Night's Dream for a second time, the directors considered this while casting. When students signed up to audition, they were asked if they had been in Midsummer and their previous role as well. The director's consideration allows anyone to participate in fall shows and not be part of a production they may have an aversion to. This gives every actor more opportunity to work on a show they want to, therefore avoiding people feeling like they couldn’t audition for the 24’ fall shows.

Even with all these positive aspects to the repetition of Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is understandable why some students might be upset. This is not only the second time Midsummer has been done by the Starlight Theatre Company. In fact, in the past ten years which would be five cycles of Shakespeare, Midsummer has been performed three times and a few more times earlier in Bowie history.

Considering how large Shakespeare’s collection of plays is, many people would expect to see more variety among the productions chosen.

Still, the reasons previously listed outweigh student criticism about the recurring production of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Repeating this play helps students improve as actors, technicians, and more because of the variety of opportunities provided during the process.

COMMENTARY 15

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024 THE DISPATCH

CANCEL CULTURE

Cancel culture is being abused for fun

Online hate and bullying is being justified by the people exploiting it and causes torment Sam Bode Commentary Editor Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

What do Ellen DeGeneres and J.K Rowling have in common? If you guessed that both their careers ended due to cancel culture, you’d be right. Cancel culture is a tool that people often use when they are hurt or feeling uncomfortable with someone else’s words or actions. This allows people to call others out on their ugly behavior, anywhere from racist or homophobic comments to rape allegations. DeGeneres was canceled for using racism and intimidation in the workplace, and J.K. Rowling was canceled for continued mis-gendering of transgender women on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Cancel culture is an extremely powerful tool that can help people that have been suffering from someone else’s actions, but if done wrong, it can turn into a weapon. If canceling someone goes to far, especially if they don’t deserve it, it can lead to detrimental mental health issues, low self-esteem, and even suicide. Cancel culture should only be used when absolutely necessary, not just as a fun activity people can participate in to fill the hours in the day.

Just because someone says something you don’t 100% like or agree with doesn't give you the right to harass them online and cover your tracks by using “cancel culture." Because of the 2024 Olympic games, there has been a lot of media coverage on Simone Biles and her husband Johnathon Owens. Because of this, a quote from almost a year ago was dug up and spread online. Back in December of 2023, Owens went on The Pivot Podcast, and when someone asked him who the catch was in his relationship, he responded "I always say that the men are the catch."

I interpreted this as a poorly landed joke, but others went wild online, telling Biles to divorce him and that he’s a horrible man. Biles has repeatedly commented on the situation saying that she doesn’t care at all about what he said and that he’s a loving man. Despite this, people now tear Owens down online any chance they get and call him “Mr. Biles” in the most condescending

way imaginable.

This unnecessary bandwagon hate pretending to be cancel culture takes a larger toll on the people being harassed than one might think. On the Call Her Daddy podcast, Biles said that the backlash against her husband made her break down into tears because she couldn't handle how people were talking about the man she loves. This kind of torment is harmful, especially against teenagers. According to Newport Academy, social rejection literally hurts people. It lights up the same part of the brain that reacts to physical pain.

Cancel culture doesn’t just apply to celebrities and their wrong doing. It can happen to anyone no matter the size of their online community. It’s no secret that cyberbullying is running wild in schools, but those actions can often be shrugged off if the bully claims their actions are reasonable because they are canceling someone for doing something unacceptable. They often don’t use that exact wording, but they will tie it back to the general idea that someone did something bad or that they didn’t like, so they can make fun of or hurt them with zero consequences. Impressionable teens suffer from this because they might think that they are genuinely a bad person because they haven’t pleased all of their peers or made a simple mistake. It can also teach young teens that it’s okay to humiliate people online because you don’t like what they said, even though it isn’t hurting anyone.

Calling people out online about their inexcusable behavior is important. Cancel culture has led to light being shed on victims of tragic incidents, like the #MeToo movement and the documentary film Quiet on Set. While it’s important to pull predators and cruel people to the spotlight to call them out on their actions, it’s not okay to abuse that power. If someone says that they are canceling someone online, people generally jump onto the hate train so they aren’t canceled along with them. This has led to people being canceled for things that they didn’t do.

It’s important to do your own research before spreading hateful rumors that you don’t fully understand.

We want to make our online community as safe as possible, but that means minding your own business majority of the time. If someone

ART BY Layne Foxcroft

says or does something online that you don’t appreciate or like, finding the self control to scroll without leaving an unnecessary comment is important. Your opinion on someone else’s thoughts or beliefs is not wanted and just causes unnecessary stress for the person receiving your cheap shot through their phone screen. Keep your thoughts to yourself unless you or someone else is getting hurt.

Everyone online needs to calm down. Publicly

shaming people online for expressing their beliefs and values isn’t cancel culture, it is bullying and is distressing. Canceling someone is extremely powerful, and it’s something that our society shouldn’t take lightly. Canceling someone can ruin their social status, career, and even their life. It should only be used to bring victims of verbal or physical harm to justice, not just for fun because you’re procrastinating on your work.

COMMUNICATION APPS

Communication app use in schools is helpful for everyone Teachers and students benefit from using new communication styles other than email Kate Alexander Dispatch Reporter Questions? Concerns? Email:

bowie.journalism@gmail.com

As students arrive for the first week of school, they sit and listen to eight long hours of information from teachers about the school year. Students are left with unanswered questions and concerns about the year and struggle to find an easy and accessible way to communicate with their teachers.

With the rapid rise of social media, it's become very common for their main source of communication to be through the internet and mobile technology. Many high school students have extracurricular activities, school clubs, and jobs after school limiting their time to write a formal email asking for a reminder on when an English reading guide is due. Although teachers and students may prefer different ways to communicate with each other, communication apps provide a simple yet highly beneficial way to talk about necessary assignment deadlines, upcoming events, or reminders about the upcoming classes.

With the ability of communication apps being able to be downloaded on mobile devices, notifications can go through much faster. This makes reaching teachers much easier by just messaging them through an app rather than writing an entire email and not getting a response until days later or possibly not getting a response at all. Many students and teachers only use their school devices during school hours, and block out announcements and emails sent after school hours. Because of this, announcements and emails sent on school devices are, most of the time, not even seen due to many students not getting notifications from their laptop. With communication apps, messages pop up as a notification, rather than sitting in an inbox.

The accessibility of communication apps provide a wide variety of ways to communicate with one-another. Apps like Remind

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ART BY Quinn Wilkinson

not only provide a direct message feature between teacher and student, but can also send class-wide messages or to a small group in real time. Other apps like SportsYou provide similar features but also include more features like the calendar feature, allowing teachers to add events on specific dates. Although this app is more used for school sports, the calendar feature allows coaches and

student athletes to know who is attending events like meets and races by marking if you are attending, not attending, or maybe attending.

Other benefits that come with communication apps is the ability for students and teachers to communicate across longer distances. If students are absent or aren't at school for a certain reason, having access to message teachers with a question or about an assignment is very important instead of having to wait until they return to school to talk in person. Teachers can also get in touch with absent students about an assignment being due, or a quiz that is happening the next time they see them. As students enter high school, many classes start deducting points for late work. Although some teachers may require different apps as a way to communicate about assignment deadlines, important events, and volunteer hours, communication apps give students an easily accessible way to contact their teachers when needed.

Many may argue that the internet and messaging apps have taken over the youths’ ability to have face-to-face conversations.

Because of this, communication apps don’t seem like the best idea for teens as a way to speak with their teachers. Although some may think that using technology and the internet is not the best way to stay in touch, it also doesn’t mean that the only way teachers and students would be connecting with each other would be through communication apps. Students still sit in multiple classes a day for an hour and a half communicating in-person with their teachers most of the time.

As a solution, more teachers should consider using communication apps as a way to be in touch with their students. If communication apps are used more often, teachers and students would have better access to speak with each other.

As a result, communication apps provide a wide variety of benefits for both students and teachers. With the many features that are built into different apps, it allows a simple yet highly beneficial way to communicate between teachers and students about school work and sports.

BULLDAWGS SPEAK!

PHOTOS BY Sam Bode

INTERVIEWS BY Sam Bode

Do you trust the information you find on social media?

It’s kinda a 50/50, it just kind of depends on the situation so if I’m going to trust something, it’s better to do research behind it.

Dacee Dinwiddie Senior

No because half of it's rumors unless it comes from a credible source.

There's Instagram handles that-just post stuff like Kanyes in jail.

"

Preston Solis Junior

"

I normally don't because a lot of it can be exaggerated, false, or biased. I always take everything I learn with a grain of salt.

Ava Lee Junior

I consider where the information is coming from, where they got their sources from, and if it is biased, so no, not always.

"

Leigh Norton Junior

"

Oliver Gibson Freshman

Sometimes I do but other times I don’t because some information is just not trustworthy.

"

16 PHOTO ESSAY

THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2024

SPIRIT SKYROCKETS

‘Dawgs show out in stars and stripes

WATCHING THE GAME: Senior Macy Scott wears her stars and stripes and cheers on the dawgs. Seniors get front row priority in the student section at football games. “It was a lot of fun to be there for our first home game,” Scott said. “I enjoyed the theme and I thought the student section brought great energy.” PHOTO BY Arden Ray

CELEBRATION: Seniors Emily Barr, Kamryn Gutshall, and Aden Hewgly raise their arms in support of the ‘Dawgs. Students brought small American flags to wave in the stands. “I already had some clothes from the Fourth of July that I was able to wear,” Gutshall said. “I went to Party City and got accessories to be more over the top.” PHOTO BY Arden Ray

FLYING THE FLAG: Senior Daniel Soto waves an American flag in the student section at the Bowie Football home opener. Students are encouraged to wear and bring patriotic items. “I felt red, white, and blue flowing through my veins and I would die for my country and the ‘Dawgs,” Soto said. “I have so much pride for my school and my country and go ‘Dawgs.” PHOTO BY Arden Ray

Students rep U.S.A. and school spirit at first home football game of the new season Arden Ray Photo Essay Editor The Bowie Bulldog’s football season is in full swing, which means students get to show out for spirit days. Every game day, students and faculty are welcome to dress up according to themes created by the Bowie cheer team.

On Thursday, September 12, the ‘Dawgs faced Glenn High School in their home opener. The spirit day dress out theme was stars and stripes.

Senior Kamryn Gutshall likes to show Bowie spirit with her friends at school and in the student section.

“Stars and stripes is such a fun spirit day where I feel like everyone could dress up,” Gutshall said. “It’s as easy as wearing red white and blue which makes it very accessible for everyone.”

Along with dressing up to theme for games, students and staff are welcome to show spirit during the day at school.

Most students saved their stars and stripes for the game.

“I think the seniors this year are doing good with dressing up, but the underclassmen never dress up enough,” Gutshall said. “I feel like they’re all too scared but I’ve been trying to encourage

the ones I know to get involved so that dressing up doesn’t start dying out after the class of 2025 graduates.”

Stars and Stripes is one of many spirit day themes. Throughout the football season there is a new theme every week which include pink out, western, neon, and many more.

“My favorite theme is pink out just because pink is my favorite color and this year as a senior I get to wear the pink jersey,” Gutchall said.

Prior to the season beginning, the Bowie cheer team’s spirit coordinators create and plan spirit day themes.

Junior and co-spirit coordinator Peyton York makes the spirit day themes with the help of her teammates and coaches.

“The process of what spirit days to do and when to do them usually is based off of what we think students at Bowie will enjoy and want to dress up for,” York said.

Spirit days are made to be a fun experience for all students to be able to do. All of the students dressed in a theme at the football games shows unity as well as excitement for the Bowie football team.

“I think one of the most important things about spirit days is to try to get

as much involvement from the stutheme day. dents,” York said. “I know not everyone “I think spirit day just shows unity is going to want to dress up but I think and that people care,” Gonzalez said. everyone should try to be open minded “It’s kind of hard to see that sometimes and have fun.” when we all go to our York and her classes and the doors are co-spirit coordinator shut.”

Lillybelle MosqueSpirit days bring the student body together da work together Spirit days to support more than to create spirit day just the football teams. themes. For York and make Bowie Some spirit day themes Mosqueda, creating feel more like a have a cause like the pink themes that students out game in support for would enjoy is one of community and breast cancer awareness. the most important everyone comes “We’re one school that factors in planning cares about a cause or spirit days. together no cares about supporting “I have received matter what. one another,” Gonzalez spirit day ideas from said. other students before Senior Gonzalez enjoys the and have proposed benefit of themes like those ideas for posstars and stripes day because of the sible approval when sending in all of versatility. Students and staff can make the spirit day ideas,” York said. “Mr. the themes their own and find their Robinson is the final decision maker own way to dress. on what spirit days are approved or “I don’t always have the most patridisapproved.”

Among students, teachers and faculotic things so sometimes I just go silly and wear actual stripes and star earty often dress up for spirit day. English teacher Jaqueline Gonzalez goes all out rings or something like that,” Gonzalez with the English department for every said. “It’s fun and if it gets people kind

PATRIOTIC OUTFIT: Senior Josh Gonzales shows his patriotic spirit in his stars and stripes hat and accessories. Students also wore patriotic shirts, jackets, and body paint. “American pride means a great deal to me as it symbolizes the values of freedom, opportunity, and resilience that define our nation,” Gonzales said. “It inspires me to honor our history while striving for a future that embraces diversity and equality for all.” PHOTO BY Isabella Verette

Kamryn Gutshall

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of encouraged and inspired to support the school spirit stuff.”

As the season goes on, the Bowie community looks on to the next weeks of school spirit themes. The Bowie cheer team puts together a student loved lineup of fun themes like twin day and galaxy day.

“I love twin day, or, like, dynamic duo day, because Ms. McCaffrey and I have so many matching outfits,” Gonzalez said. “It’s kind of silly, but I would love any excuse to match or, like, have, like, a fun theme like that and that’s why the English department loves to dress up in that way.”

Some students have ideas of their own and requests for themes they want to see in the future. A few seniors wish to bring back spirit day themes from years prior, especially the ones that are more centered around seniors.

“I really want to bring back nerd day or senior day where you dress up as senior citizens,” Gutshall said. “These themes are so good and although I do like the ones we have now, I feel like we need some more humorous days because I love to dress up and look funny because it makes the days that much more fun.”

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE: Co-spirit Coordinators Peyton York and Lillybelle Mosqueda wear red, white, and blue face paint while cheering for the ‘Dawgs. York and Mosqueda are responsible for planning spirit days for the 2024 season. “I think so far Bowie students have definitely been more outgoing and dressing up for more spirit days this year which is great,” York said. “Surely more students could dress up, but I think we have a great amount of students dressing up right now.” PHOTO BY Arden Ray