AISD implements anonymous reporting system, providing students with a resource to help them feel safe
Starting this school year, AISD has launched a new online reporting system, Safe Space. It’s designed for students to have a way to anonymously report information if they feel unsafe, if someone else needs help, or if something just doesn’t seem right.
“I think that even if it helps one kid, or one case, then it’s purposeful,” Assistant Principal Octavio Angel said. “This program isn’t about getting people in trouble; it’s about keeping people safe. It’s not about surveillance, it's about support.”
Students may report bullying, harassment, racism, someone threatening to hurt themselves or others, someone talking about fighting, a suspected weapon on campus, unwanted attention, mental health or personal struggles, or gang activity, drug use, or vandalism. AISD partnered with an online safety management program, Gaggle, to ensure that there was 24/7 monitoring by trained professionals, according to Angel.
“So, if the concern is urgent, life-threatening, it immediately escalates to law enforcement or school administrators for an emergency response,” Angel said. “And those are like extreme cases, but if it's not urgent, it'll get routed to the proper AISD staff.
This program is a direct and quicker way for students to report something, so that if something happens over the weekend, they don’t have to wait until Monday.
When filing a report on Safe Space, a student can include the school where it happened, if they’re a student or staff member, grade level, what happened, where, if there are any witnesses, and students may add contact information if they would like. Senior Alison Milla feels that may open the door to a bunch of false reports.
“I feel like people might use it to report people who aren’t even doing anything,” Milla said. “The way that you perceive things definitely matters a lot, and people might just report someone just because they don’t like that person. I do hope that this program will allow people to report stuff without feeling judged by other people because it's anonymous.”
According to Angel, AISD reviews every system and program it’s implemented. Sometimes the district will do half- year reviews and so Angel feels that AISD could provide some data next semester about how the program has been working. While Safe Space has been sent out through Bowie’s newsletters, senior Amaya Boehman feels that the school could do a better job sharing this resource.
“They could put posters around the school, and they could announce it on the announcements, or maybe on the back of the IDs,” Boehman said. “I would hope that a program like this would remove the fear around reporting bullying, because it's really important to report the bullying so that it can be stopped, and hopefully it will make bullying less prevalent in our school and make all the kids feel safe and protected.”
STORY BY Katie Grumet
Greg Abbott signed into law, personal devices banned in public schools
Peyton Dorsey News Editor
On June 20, 2025 Texas
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law, prohibiting student use of personal wireless communication devices in Texas public schools. This law officially took effect on Sep. 1. The Austin Independent School District (AISD) board of trustees met on Aug. 21 to discuss the disciplinary measures that will be taken for violations of this law. The board decided that students who are seen with their phone or personal device will have it temporarily confiscated.
After the first offense, the student will be able to pick up their device at the end of the school day. After the second offense, a parent or guardian must retrieve the device with the possibility of a suspension. On the third offense a parent or guardian can pick the device
up the next day, and additional consequences at the discretion of a campus administrator. After the fourth offense and for additional offenses after that, the device can be picked up by a parent or guardian 48 hours after it is confiscated, and additional consequences at the discretion of a campus administrator.
“Bowie has always had the expectation of phone free learning, the law passing has made it easier on teachers to enforce having phones away because we now have the law to fall back on,” World History teacher Ross Anderson said. “Although it is a couple extra steps for us since if we see a phone we’re supposed to confiscate it, fill out paperwork, and take it to the office.”
According to the AISD website, the devices included in this ban are: personal cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, smart watches, Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, fitness trackers that are capable of receiving or sending messages, non-district issued computers, two way radios, pagers, and any other device that is capable of digital communication. These
Thia Betts Dispatch Reporter
Tinted windows, new umbrellas, and front office renovations improve Bowie as construction encompasses the campus. Bowie metamorphosed this year, several projects were completed over the summer with some still in progress.
Current construction on campus is mostly related to the track and field, converting it to a turf field with funds coming from the 2017 bond initiative.
According to AISD, this bond was about $1.05 billion dollars towards the district. The field is expected to be completed this winter break.
“In addition to having a competition field with AstroTurf, it's also going to include bleachers, a press box, a score board and lighting for that field,” Principal Mark Robinson said. “Which is going to be marked for football, soccer, and lacrosse.”
With non-district individuals working during school hours, there is more activity on campus. Construction is often loud with people working and
devices must be shut off and out of sight.
“We have had to redirect some students who were using their personal devices,”
Assistant Principal Paulette Walls said. “However, overall this policy change is going over much smoother than I expected it would.”
With stricter policies this school year, Anderson has seen less combative responses from students when asked to put their phones away. Most have complied with expectations when asked and respect the implementation of the phone ban.
“I’ve only seen a couple phones, and I ask the kids to just put them away,” Anderson said. “I’ve had no problems with kids complying with that.”
The administration was prepared for students to be much
moving around, which can distract students in a learning environment.
“Work during the school day is always problematic because a student's school day is when most people have their work day," Robinson said. “We've asked the contractors to be considerate of the primary purpose for why we're all here, which is student learning.”
The track and field renovations caused a rift in athletes' normal routines as construction continues. Teams have had to move practice to different locations and have had to change their regular workouts to adapt to a different area.
“The cross country team has had to move practice to the tennis courts and the football team has had to move to Burger stadium where they then have to take buses to school from the stadium,” junior track member Clover Murray said. “This has interrupted the teams’ ability to practice fully because we’re not able to use our normal facilities.”
The athletes are looking forward to having an improved practice space. Although Murray has some doubts about
more combative in response to this law. They expected it to be a much larger issue on campus than it has proven to be.
“We were expecting a big uproar or retaliation from the students,” Walls said. “We really haven’t seen much of that, everyone’s been much more cooperative than we thought.” Some students are already noticing benefits of phone free learning, some reporting they are more focused during school. According to sophomore Miley Ward, she’s seen students are accomplishing more school work and getting more tasks done during the day.
“The phone ban is helpful in some ways,” Ward said. “Students are focusing more on their school work and are being more social during free time.” Instead of students checking their phones or responding to messages during free time in class, Ward and Walls have both seen that students are interacting more with their peers and building relationships with classmates.
“It’s so nice to see kids just talk and interact with each other again,” Walls said. “These interactions are so important for communication skills in life after high school.”
the field being completed in time for the season.
“This work order has been in for five years, it's unfortunate that they decided to start in July because of the disruption of practice,” Murray said. “I'm worried that we're going to start the track and field season with no track and field.”
AISD’s 2022 bond initiative allowed for many changes across campuses with $2.44 billion approved by Austin voters. According to AISD; this went towards the addition of secure vestibules as a safety enhancement. Secure vestibules are an extra set of doors to provide visitor verification in the office.
“I have been requesting a secure vestibule at Bowie for as long as I’ve been here," Robinson said. “I asked that the district create a secure vestibule, but in interest in equity and not making one school more safer than others, they said that that would need to be a part of a bond initiative.” Bowie’s HVAC is known to be unreliable so an alternative was needed
for the students and teachers comfort.
Assistant Principal Sam Cabrera and Robinson came up with a new solution of tinting the windows.
“One thing that Mr. Cabrera and I have talked about is how the second floor in the summer is hotter than the first floor because heat rises,” Robinson said. “We had to come up with a solution to cool the classrooms.”
Teachers in the upstairs E hall and B hall classrooms already see differences in temperature according to Robinson. In the future, Bowie plans to modernize older facilities such as the academic building and the G&H building. These improvements are still pending but according to Robinson they are on the horizon.
“At some point we’ll want to modernize the academic building and the G&H building,” Robinson said. “I think it will make a big difference when people see it. I think that it will feel good, when you're walking up to school, a little bit of school pride.”
SOPHOMORE STUDIES: Sophomore Lulu Lampkin works diligently through her lunch. Some students are finding alternative ways to spend their lunches since personal devices cannot be accessed during that time. PHOTO BY Sofia French
SHADED FROM SUNSHINE: Students sit together during their lunch under umbrellas in the courtyard, keeping them out of the harsh sun. These umbrellas were put up over summer to provide shade for tables in the courtyard. PHOTO BY Sofia French
BULLDOZING BULLDOGS: Construction covers the track and football practice field. Multiple sports have been relocated to accommodate for construction circumstances. PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
BOXED UP: Student's banned devices are collected in a labeled box in C hall. If a device is seen out by a staff member, they are required to collect it. PHOTO BY Sofia French SCAN TO
PODCAST BY Ava Weaver
PAULETTE WALLS Assistant Principal
SB12 alters student-teacher dynamics
Recently passed bill requires written parental consent for all school-based services
Katie Grumet
Objective Executive Editor
As blood runs down your shin, staining your white socks, you politely ask your teacher for a band-aid, your teacher tells you they can’t give you one even though you clearly need one. Under the new Senate Bill 12 (SB12), students might no longer be able to receive first aid from teachers or the nurse, join clubs, or talk to their counselors about issues outside of academic guidance without written permission from home.
According to KCEN-TV, Senate Bill 12 (SB12), which took effect on September 1, requires parental consent for a wide range of school services and activities. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) defines services as anything from basic first aid to comprehensive counseling services. Parents must now opt in for these services for their child to receive them.
“I think that the parents who have already opted in for services for their kids were already previously involved in those decisions and overall Bowie has high parent involvement,” lead counselor Nicole Hepburn said. “From my understanding of the bill, without parent consent, our job remains strictly academic counseling, so we can communicate with students about grades, college, career stuff, scheduling issues, and anything related to that.”
According to the Garland Independent School District (GISD), the TEA has distinguished which services are opt-in, meaning consent must be provided before the service is given, and which services are opt-out, meaning consent is assumed unless a parent declines. Regarding counselor services, parents must opt-in for any time of psychological treatment or therapy. Other services such as mental health, suicide prevention and other services offered that align with decisions made by the local school health advisory are provided no matter what unless a parent specifically opts-out.
“If I’m having a conversation with a student and it starts to become a conversation about mental health and we don’t have parental consent, I would have to tell that student sorry until their parent gives consent can’t have this conversation,” Hepburn said. “We’ll usually call the parent then, but until the parent signs consent we can only listen to the student, we can’t provide any support or advice.” Services provided by the nurse, things as simple as general care-taking (bloody noses, checking temperature, bandages) and care in an emergency situation will always be provided when needed, according to AISD. Additionally, counselors are allowed to provide emergency services such as suicide risk prevention, immediate crisis support and others listed in SB12, regardless of consent.
“Yes, parents should be involved in their child’s mental health, but ultimately it should be up to the child to reach out and be able to get those resources,” senior Abby Laine said. “This bill is not beneficial or needed, and it takes away from what we need, which is more conversations about mental health.”
As stated by the TEA, the current wording of the bill is still considered a draft that is actively being updated until it gets sent out to the public in the final steps of the process. Once it's published as a proposed rule, the public is allowed to submit a public comment where the committee will discuss the comment and decide if they agree to edit the rule or not. Each school has made their own decision on how they will send out forms for parents to sign to give consent for various services. Bowie has decided to create separate Google
Under SB12, parents can withhold consent for activities and instruction related to:
Health education
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Immunizations
Gifted and talented programs
Health care services
Data collection practices
Special education and bilingual education
Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Forms for each service provided by the school; counseling, the nurse and club/ extracurricular permissions and send those out to families.
“When I have a student come in wanting to talk to me but the consent form isn’t signed, I ask the kid if they knew that their parents needed to sign the form for us to have this conversation,” Hepburn said. “In the couple of times that a parent hasn’t signed, I ask the kid if they want to call their parent and ask them to sign it, and usually the parent signs it within a couple of minutes. I just think that having to stop the conversation to see if I even have permission to talk to the student is taking time out of my day that I could be using to talk to more students.”
wouldn’t know what I would be allowed to talk about with my counselor because of the law,” Laine said. “I think this bill could impact student-teacher dynamics, and I feel like it might make students feel less welcome on campus.”
According to KCEN-TV, this bill comes during a time when schools are facing increasing mental health challenges among students. In a 2022 study from the National Library of Medicine, only about 38% of children who met the criteria for a mental health diagnosis were believed to need help by their parents. Laine feels that parents may not be aware of when their child is struggling, and with this new law, students who are struggling might be overlooked.
“I would be afraid to talk to my counselor if I knew my parents didn’t want me to because I
As mentioned in an article by GISD, parents are now required to provide consent before their child joins any district-sponsored clubs. All extracurricular activities are reviewed to ensure they comply with state laws and district policies. Until parental consent is given students may not participate in any extracurricular activities, which include academic clubs, service organizations, and sports teams.
“This bill will inherently allow for parents to intervene with what their child is participating in, but it doesn’t stop kids from wanting to be involved or do that activity outside of the paperwork,” senior Amelie Baker said. “I may be wrong, but I think that this bill could target students who are underprivileged or facing emotional dilemmas at home.”
According to Texas AFT, SB12 is part of a broader effort by Gov. Greg Abbott to reshape public school practices related to parental rights, educator responsibility, and the role of diversity and identity in pre-K-12 schools. This bill prevents school districts from assigning employees, contractors or volunteers any responsibilities that fall under the law’s definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). SB12’s definition of DEI includes but not limited to, hiring based on race, sex or ethnicity, promoting different treatment based on those factors, and developing or imple-
menting training or programs that reference race or ethnicity.
“This bill is stupid, mental health is very important and that's why mental health services should be automatically offered as a resource and students don’t have to use it if they don’t want to,” Laine said. “I feel like this bill will impact LGBTQ communities, because a lot of students who are a part of that community reach out to their teachers who they know will be very supportive towards them.”
SB12 also addresses what is called “social transitioning." This requires school employees to use name and gender expressions that align with what the student was assigned at birth. SB12 also requires districts to have teachers provide course syllabus or instructional plans before each semester starts, requires written parent consent at least 14 days before human sexuality instruction, prohibits instruction or guidance related to sexual orientation or gender identity and prohibits districts from authorizing or sponsoring clubs organized around sexual orientation.
“It's very common for students to feel scared to talk to staff, or be a part of certain programs because it can lead to parental involvement before the student is ready for that,” Baker said. “If the state is going to put this much pressure on a school system to be responsible over the kids that are present then they also have to embrace the positive of going to school which is that students have a home away from home. By passing this bill you are separating students from teachers which doesn't make the job any easier.”
New classes provide unique educational opportunities
Reese Walker Dispatch Reporter
Excited chatter can be heard in the Bowie halls this 2025-2026 school year as students walk to their new classes for a fresh year. While some students enrolled in the same classes that have been around for a while, some students decided to take a gamble and try something different.
This year, Bowie administration has decided to introduce a few new classes to its students. Students now have the opportunity to take Advanced Pathophysiology, Women's Literature, and Literary Genres, Mythology, Folklore, and Culture. Stacie Feen is one of the teachers who has opened this opportunity to students by teaching her Advanced Pathophysiology class.
“Patho is about the study of disease, disease processes and how they impact healthy humans,” Feen said. “The class is really for anyone with an interest in the human body. It's a great intro or primer for college level courses related to pathophysiology.”
Students at Bowie have stated their happiness about these new opportunities to take courses that fascinate them and can contribute to their future careers and overall knowledge. One of the students taking these classes is senior Penelope Durbin, who is taking Advanced Pathophysiology.
“I think the class is really interesting and fun so far,” Durbin said. “We just finished learning about anatomical positions and I'm really excited to learn about disease next.”
Students having the opportunity to learn more about future careers they have interest in is important to many people at Bowie. It gives students
the opportunity to test out potential careers, to dip their feet into the water instead of jumping all the way in once they get to college. “In the future I hope to become a nurse,” Durbin said. “I think it's important to have these opportunities in high school to broaden the types of classes a student can take depending on their interests.”
This school year students could also enroll in Literary Genres, Mythology, Folklore, and Culture. English teacher Scott Dennis teaches this new class and is excited about the impact it can make on students.
“We will understand what starts and makes a culture,” Dennis said. “And we will learn about and appreciate the cultures studied to learn what these cultures have contributed to other cultural aspects such as art, literature, music, cooking, etc.” In current society, literature is a large part of most careers and communication, so more options for literature classes is greatly appreciated by many students at Bowie. Another one of these English classes being offered is Women's Literature which is taught by
Chrissy Hejny. The course will cover highly regarded women's literature, both fiction and non-fiction works from the late 18th century up until the present day. Some featured authors will be Jane Austen, Amalia Ortiz, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Taylor Swift, and Malala Yousafzai.
“A lot of the course curriculum stems from things I've taught in my English classes in the past, so it's fun to teach that to students who haven't seen it,” Hejny said. “I also love the idea of bringing in pop culture and mythical elements that we don't necessarily have time to dig into in our core English classes.”
While classes like these go over different curriculum than what would be typically be seen in an English class, Hejny explains how they fill an important need here on the bowie campus and provide more to show what bowie has to offer.
“A women’s literature course would be an excellent addition to our curriculum as women make up half the population across racial and ethnic boundaries,” Hejny said. “Their contributions to literature have been strategically overlooked and undervalued.”
From studying disease to celebrating women’s voices in literature, these new courses give students the chance to grow academically and personally.
“It's extremely valuable for students to have classes that are specific to their interests,” Durbin said. "It allows them to take classes that they enjoy with people who like the same things as them. These new classes at Bowie allow students to find potential career paths and opportunities, helping students to figure out what they want to do in the future.
STRESSED OUT: Senior Serra Gomez anxiously filling out forms to consent to
AMELIE BAKER Senior
NICOLE HEPBURN Lead Counselor
MAKING CONNECTIONS: Women’s Literature teacher Chrissy Hejny helps her students make connections to the stories they are analyzing. Women’s Literature is a new course offered at Bowie this year, which focuses on female authors and voices throughout history. PHOTO BY Reese Walker
Issues arise as hall passes go high-tech
New rules are implemented across campus facing mixed reaction from staff and students
Marissa McGowan Objective Executive Editor
Sitting in her class, she is fourth in the queue to use the bathroom. Her frustration grows as she knows students ahead of her are misusing the pass, some strolling the halls, others meeting with friends. Senior Audrey Campbell is faced with various challenges that come along with the new digital hall pass system.
As the school year begins, the administration has implemented changes to current policies. Most notable of the changes is the new electronic hall passes. Issues with previous hall pass systems prompted the administrators to take action by creating a new hall pass plan.
“The old system created a lot of traffic and noise in the hallway during instructional time, and made it harder for students to learn and concentrate,” Assistant Principal Amanda Pfeiffer said. “The new system has parameters and structure that help protect instructional time and keep hallways quiet and clear.”
The new hall pass system utilizes the Enriching Students platform, previously used for managing the Flexible Instructional Time (FIT) sign-ups. This platform now also allows students to request a hallway pass, which will be sent to their teacher to be approved.
“The new hall passes are actually more work for me, I have to stop what I'm doing and go approve a pass,” history teacher Charles Stampley said. “We had a small minority of kids who were abusing passes last year. This year, I've already noticed a lot fewer kids in the halls.”
While some students find the new system is beneficial, others have negative opinions, stating it's embarrassing and restricting.
“It aggravates me when we have to wait so long to go to the restroom. It should be a basic human right,” senior Audrey Campbell said. “It's kind of embarrassing when you're like, teacher,
can you approve my hall pass? I should be able to go to the bathroom when I please.”
With the hall pass system being strictly digital, it limits the accessibility for students, creating conflict with dead or forgotten devices. As with all technology, inevitable glitches, and connectivity issues can add frustration to the
process.
“If I have to pee, I have to get on my Chromebook every time, if my Chromebook's dead, I have to get a charger, then I have to disrupt the class,” Campbell said. “It's really disrupting the teachers' learning when I have to call them in the middle of their lecture to approve my bathroom pass."
In addition to the hall pass system, the administration is working to enforce previously established rules. One of those is the enforcement of clubs only meeting on Fridays. While this has been in place for a few years, it was not heavily enforced until this year, leading club owners to be frustrated.
“My club used to be on Wednesdays, and we had over 60 members. What's frustrating about it moving to Friday is that the majority of those members will not be able to show up because they are also involved in other clubs,” senior Country Kickers president Kynnadi Bryan said.
“Our leaders who help run the club are also involved in other clubs, and so they won't be able to show up on Fridays as well.”
Bryan reached out to Principal Mark Robinson, requesting to host clubs on Wednesday or Thursday, however this request was not granted.
“Being a member of a club it's now impossible for me to be a part of other clubs during school because there is no time,” Bryan said. “To be a well rounded student it is important to join multiple clubs, which makes this new rule so much more frustrating.”
In addition to these rules, there have been changes made to the tardy system. While the Bowie tardy policy isn't new, administration
states it has been adjusted to respond to the increase in tardiness to classes that staff had noticed. When students receive five tardies in a single class, it now results in a lunch detention and a discipline referral, and 10 will result in an in-school suspension.
“It's not just that 90% or higher attendance is required by state law, it's also about students being in class and learning what they need to graduate,” Pfeiffer said. “We want students to focus on doing their best in classes and working hard and having one less thing to worry about so they can focus on what really matters.”
From updated pass procedure to club meeting times, there are many changes in rules this year across Bowie. These new policies have left students and staff adjusting to these changes, some see these steps as unnecessary and others being thrilled by the positive outcomes.
“I think the new system helps with order, but I just wish it was a little easier on the student side too," Campbell said. “I get the reason for all the new rules, I hope the school keeps listening to how students feel and makes adjustments along the way.”
Students impacted by bus delays and overcrowding
The final bell sounds at 4:35 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. Eager students move quickly through the hallways out to the bus stop in hopes of getting home to start the weekend as soon as possible. What awaits them is an unknown. Will their bus be there, or will it be late again? Some students will get on a bus and be on their way, but for others, a late bus which could arrive as much as 20 minutes late means they won't be home until much later than planned.
The buses coming to Bowie have been constantly arriving late to pick up students, and this concern is not new. For many students, this has been part of their after school routine for years. And according to Assistant Principal Paulette Walls, this is out of Bowie’s hands.
“The interesting thing about buses is that while we monitor, supervise, and provide support for students, for buses on campus, we as a campus have no control whatsoever, on the schedule, on the location, or on the time,” Walls said. “Those are all done at the district level.”
In recent years, due to some of the changes made on the district level, trying to be more concise within the finances district, the number of buses provided for AISD has dropped, decreasing quite noticeably. This, along with the difficulty in finding alternate bus-drivers has contributed to some of the delays.
“If we go back a couple of years, we had about 21 buses, and then the year after that we went down to 20; and last year the number went down to 18. A notable difference in
the number of buses that we used to offer, on the number of routes and opportunities that we offered for students,” Walls said. “In addition to that, it’s not like you can easily provide subs for buses because they have to be trained to drive the buses.”
Bowie also happens to be one of the final parts of a bus driver’s route at the end of the day, which starts on the elementary school level, onto middle school, and finally to high school, which can be coupled with the lessening of buses available.
“Because there’s fewer drivers, some are having to go way out past the Lady Bird Center to drop off for the middle school,” Walls said.
“Now just imagine them coming back out of that traffic and onto Slaughter traffic, to get here to Bowie. That bus is always late.”
The lateness of buses arriving at Bowie tends to be primarily in the afternoon, with little to no delays in the morning. If the bus were to be late, all students who would be marked tardy due to the buses would be excused. The timing window for when buses can get to Bowie on time, isn’t as narrow either, which increases the possibility of them being on time.
“The buses have been wonderful when going to school,” junior Eli Sur said. “They get us there on time every day.”
The impact of the buses on stu-
dents goes further than arriving late in the afternoon, with the declined number of buses, many to all of the seats are taken up and sometimes students are not able to take the bus home.
“The bus has had to kick students off the bus more than five times this year,” junior Brandon Liu said. “Last year it was like every day for the first two weeks.”
Not allowing students on the bus has to do with the crowds on the bus, but also with the fact that all juniors and seniors, even if they drive, are reserved a seat on the bus, no matter what. Which holds precedence over students with bus passes and complicated whether that student is able to get home.
“An upperclassman could be in an area where a bus picks up, but they drive, but if they don’t drive they’re still entitled a seat on that bus,” Walls said. “So, if every senior decided not to drive, I know that’s not going to ever happen, the bus drivers would have to make sure every single person is able to ride that bus. That means the people who are not guaranteed a spot on that bus with a bus pass will have to get off.”
However, with the start of every school year the buses have to adjust to new routines and traffic which can cause delays in the times the buses pick students up; principal Mark Robinson does believe that these delays are temporary, that it will improve as the school year moves forward.
“As families get into better routines and drivers figure out traffic patterns and we all adjust a little bit, then buses should get more efficient quickly,” Robinson said.
Eliza Williams Dispatch Reporter
QUESTION TIME: Math teacher Natasha Weissmiller is seen teaching, while being interrupted by a student who needs to use the bathroom during her lesson. She now has to go approve the request from her computer, using the software Enriching Students. PHOTO BY Nick Forrest
CHARLES STAMPLEY History Teacher
PAULETTE WALLS Assistant Principal
HALLWAY HAZARDS: A student seen walking through the halls without his ID. Having an ID through the halls is replacing the previous bathroom passes that were provided to each teacher. PHOTO BY Izzy Maes
Singer lets go in stunning debut song
Senior Ava Clark follows family tradition in starting her songwriting and production career
Charlotte Schwarte
Objective Executive Editor
Senior Ava Clark stands there for a moment, staring at her mirrored reflection looking back at her. There’s a crackle as a voice echoes in the padded room, telling her to begin. She inhales and steadies herself, hums the tune under her breath, looks at her handwritten lyrics before her, and finally she steps to the microphone.
Clark has been involved in music for a long time, starting with her family’s musical pursuits, which led into her choir career that began in 6th grade and her songwriting since sophomore year. Recently, Clark has taken her love of music to new levels in releasing her first single, “nervous habit (let you go).”
“I wanted to prove myself,” Clark said. “I felt like people, including myself, know I love music and that I write it, but I can do more than that. I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of releasing music.”
Clark originally started song writing in her sophomore year as an outlet to express her emotions, with the catalyst being a break-up that occurred the same year. She stated that the song’s true meaning is about the feeling over her trying
to get over the boy. “I felt like I didn’t have anything to write about, because I hadn’t experienced much,” Clark said. “Once life started to really happen, that’s when I went to songwriting. That’s when I realized it was my therapy, my coping.”
Clark’s songwriting process starts with brainstorming whatever she can, mainly channeling it into her Notes App. She plays with her guitar, trying to think up cool chords, while humming melodies. Next, she’ll write words, objects, and feelings that represent her vision, and mix all of these aspects together to form a song.
“Ava’s always been into music, from choir to talking about performing, but I knew she was serious when she started writing her own songs, picking up guitar, and asking me for input,” Ava’s brother Julian Clark said. “That’s when it became clear this wasn’t just a hobby for her.”
Ava pulls elements from her musical inspirations into her songs: Ariana Grande’s soul, Lizzy McAlpine’s lyrics. But her biggest inspiration is her musician older brother, Julian.
“Music runs deep in our family,” Julian said. “Our dad and uncles played in a band called Vallejo, so it’s always been part of our lives. I’ve been gigging since I was a kid, but now being able to play and create with my sister makes it even more meaningful.”
Ava has inherited her passion for music, with the majority of her family either working or partici-
pating in the music industry. With the help of her uncle who owns 512 Studios, a recording studio here in Austin, “nervous habit (let you go)” was brought to life.
“At first it was really nerve wracking, because I’ve never recorded a song,” Ava said. “I hadn’t even sung in front of my family much. But once we all had an idea of how I wanted to bring the song to life, it was life changing being in the studio.”
Recording took around four hours, with Ava’s original plan of her voice and piano morphing as her family collaborated, and soon the song featured more instruments like the bass and drums, and the rock elements of Vallejo were incorporated.
“Singing on your own is always very vulnerable, but releasing music that you make on your own is even more vulnerable,” choir
teacher Aaron Bourgeois said. “I’m really glad that she’s delving into that and able to make such great music with it.”
For the finishing touches on the release, Ava did a photo shoot with the help of her cousin, taking creative pictures in her room using curtains to produce the cover art seen today. With the distributor UnitedMasters, she was able to release “nervous habit (let you go)” on all streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Amazon Music.
“I was very proud of her, and everybody was super happy that she released her own song,” senior Chloe Graves said. “We’re super excited to see her go further in this journey.”
While songwriting and production are undeniably important parts of the music creation, Ava’s
journey starts in singing. After four years with the JBHS choir, she currently sings the Soprano One position, the highest vocal part, in the varsity Treble Choir and Silver Sound, a varsity mixed group.
“In her musical and singing ability, she works really hard to become a better musician every single day,” Bourgeois said. “I think that willingness she has, that dedication to continuing to get better and better, is something that is always good.”
Ava plans to pursue a career in music, like many a family member before her, majoring in music production and seeing where that takes her. She also has an interest in mental health.
“Songwriting and music is my coping mechanism,” Ava said. “If I feel like I need to let something out, I go to my guitar. It means everything to me. If I didn’t have music or songwriting, I feel like I wouldn’t have much. It shaped me into who I am, and who I will become.”
TikTok trendsetter takes over the Bowie teaching world
Morgan Hertel Reporter
Through the crowded halls, a new teacher has become a familiar face to not only his students in the classroom, but also thousands of people on social media. He transforms regular classroom moments into viral TikTok content for your For You Page.
U.S. History teacher Chris Simons moved to Bowie this year after most recently teaching at Lockhart High School. This is where he originally started to grow his TikTok fame as MrBearTeaches, from his day in the life videos or from sharing comments from his students.
“I started TikTok in COVID, and I think I did a couple of those stupid dances with my students at the time,” Simons said. “When we actually got into COVID, it was one of those things that kept me going and interested. So, I figured I would just do random things. A lot of it wasn’t teacher related and it just kind of took off from there.”
Simons has accumulated 63,600 followers and 2.6 million likes since he started his content creation on TikTok and has also picked up 2,054 followers on Instagram.
“It’s definitely cool to have a teacher who is really popular online when it’s already rare to find a teacher who is online,” junior Josh Taylor said. “It’s just very cool to see his videos and just him talking about stuff that he teaches us.”
Simons explained that his first video that really went viral on TikTok was a video of him on vacation when he put his finger over a straw to pick up the liquid in his drink and then drank
it, asking if anybody else still did this.
“It gets confusing,” Simons said. “I’ve done so many random things, like the straw thing got me around 10,000 followers, and I did other things that are teacher related. My followers are all there for different reasons, so some people get grumpy when I do teacher stuff.”
think there are that many negatives to being a teacher on social media.”
CHEESING FOR THE CAMERA: Chris Simons smiles down at his phone, just as he greets the teaching focused TikToks he makes. Simons’ TikTok content varies from “dayin-the-life’s” to skits. PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
Simon’s follower count has grown over time after his explosive straw video and in fact, he didn’t expect his videos to go viral. He explains he was just doing random trends, and it slowly started to grow a following of mostly teachers, as well as former and current students.
“A lot of my students know now that I’m on social media, and I don’t mind that people know, but I don’t outright tell them,” Simons said.
”I’m not trying to just gain followers by having students because that’s not what I’m going for, but I’ve always made it teacher friendly where it’s just the teacher side of me.”
Despite the attention from his thousands of followers, Simons says he keeps his content relatively focused on school related activities to help prevent challenges. He claims that social media can cause problems for some teachers, but he hasn’t run into any yet.
“I love my job, so I come here and work and then I go home and I keep working, so if I’m going to do anything, it’s usually school related,” Simons said. ”I don’t
Recently, Simons has been making “A Day in the Life of a High School Teacher” videos where he shows what he does throughout the day. These videos give his followers an inside look at activities, classroom preparation, and other behind the scenes of his daily routine as a high school teacher. Several students have said they find it fun to see their teacher online.
“I think it is so fun,” junior Maddy Evers said. “My friend and I asked him to sing a song and shout us out, and he did. It’s actually kinda a flex to say your teacher is famous, and I love watching his TikToks.”
Although his TikTok fame has been noticed by many students and teachers at Bowie, his students state that his reputation has built up of more than just his fame. Simons prides himself on how much he connects with students as he teaches, and makes his lessons interactive and fun.
“Mr. Simons is a really good teacher,” Evers said. “He is super interactive with the class, and you can tell he cares a lot about all his students, and his class is never boring.”
LETTING GO: Ava Clark sings into a studio microphone. Clark stated that music is her way of processing emotions, and recording her song in a studio was life changing. PHOTO BY Nick Forrest
CHLOE GRAVES Senior
ava clark
PERFECTING PRODUCTION: Ava Clark poses for the cover of her single, “nervous habit (let you go)”. To create this photo, Clark posed in front of her bedroom curtains as her cousin took pictures. ART BY Charlotte Schwarte
ART BY Charlotte Schwarte
SCAN TO SEE MORE!
PODCAST BY Jude Davis
JOSH TAYLOR Junior
Freshman raises disability awareness
Savannah Riggins Feature Page Editor
Clad in a red and black uniform, freshman Ruby Plachta steps onto the field, poms in hand and a shining smile on her face. Plachta joined the JV Bowie Cheer team this year, and she strives to bring an energetic and unique touch to the program. Plachta was born with Down Syndrome, a genetic condition resulting from an extra copy of chromosome 21, but having Down Syndrome doesn’t stop her from achieving her goals.
“I always say that Ruby came early, tiny, and rockin’ an extra chromosome,” Ruby’s mother Liz Plachta, said. “We didn’t know Ruby had Down syndrome until she was born. I didn’t know anything about Down Syndrome or even anyone who had Down Syndrome growing up, which makes me incredibly sad now because I missed out on so many years of not having that magical extra chromosome in my life.”
Even though Liz was not expecting her daughter to be born with Down Syndrome, she didn’t skip a beat and immediately started to figure out the best ways to support her.
“The minute I held her, nothing else mattered,” Liz said. “When we got home from the NICU, I went to the library and basically checked out every book about Down Syndrome I could find, but nothing depicted this perfect little human lying next to me, who I kind of already knew was going to be a little world changer. So, I just shut all the books and decided to let her lead me, guide me, and show me the way.”
According to Ruby, as she adjusts to the demands of high school, she is also finding ways to balance academics with her extracurricular com mitments. From cheer practice to exploring her passion for cooking, her schedule reflects both her interests and her goals for the future.
“Being in high school
is still new to me,” Ruby said. “I like all the cool classes. I want to become a chef when I grow up, and at Bowie, there is a culinary course that is teaching me so many new things. School is fun, but it can also be challenging.”
Along with her academic courses, Ruby has shown strong enthusiasm for being part of the cheer program. Coaches and teammates note that she brings consistent energy to practices, approaching new routines with focus and excitement. Her commitment to learning skills and contributing to the team helps her stand out as a valued member of the squad.
“She just brings so much optimism,” junior Reagan Pfeffer said.
“She is always really happy in practice. Ruby is also always ready to make someone smile and light up their day.”
Outside of school, Ruby is connected to Ruby’s Rainbow, a non-profit founded by her family. The charity awards higher-education scholarships to students with Down Syndrome.
The people who receive this money are called Rockin’ Recipients by the organization. This money helps them pursue post-secondary programs and establish more indepen-
“There are over 350 college campuses that have programs for people with Intellectual disabilities, so we have Rockin’ Recipients from coast to coast,” Liz said. “Ruby has decided that she wants to attend the ClemsonLIFE program so she can live independently and become a chef one day.”
According to A&E News, students with disabilities have the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure they have the best college experience. This 1990 law requires colleges to provide accommodations to students who request
“There are so many programs out there that
can help people with Intellectual Developmental Disorder (IDD) learn, grow, and thrive after high school,” Liz said. “It has been incredible to see what our Rockin’ Recipients are able to accomplish when given the opportunity to spread their wings and fly.”
According to the Ruby’s Rainbow website, the foundation has awarded 883 scholarships and distributed over $3.2 million in scholarship funds to applicants all across the country. By investing in education, the foundation helps open new doors that might otherwise remain closed, creating opportunities for recipients to pursue their goals with greater confidence and support.
“Ruby’s Rainbow is about helping people who have an extra chromosome like me,” Ruby said. “I give out scholarships that make it easier for them to go to the college they want. My favorite thing about being a part of Ruby’s Rainbow is giving out the scholarships because it always makes me smile and laugh.”
Besides financial support, the orga-
nization is active in raising awareness about the abilities and potential of people with Down syndrome. One way the charity raises awareness is by hosting events. According to the website, the events are aimed at bringing the community together. They currently have three different events: the Rockin’ RainBOWL, Maudie’s Cup, and The Lucky Mamas Retreat. The Rockin’ RainBOWL is a family bowling tournament that offers live music, raffle prizes, and refreshments. Maudie’s Cup is an annual golf tournament that raises money for the organization. The Lucky Mamas Retreat is a trip for the mothers of kids with Down syndrome, and it is held each year in October.
“I had the opportunity to go to the Rockin’ RainBOWL,” Pfeffer said. “It was at Westgate Lanes, and I had a lot of fun. Everything was set up so nicely, and all the lanes were filled with people who were there for the event. They had tables full of really cool raffle items, and I even won a Kendra Scott necklace. Ruby gave me some bowling tips, and it actually helped me a lot.”
Ruby had a unique opportunity to share her charity with the world. She was featured on the Kelly Clarkson show with her mom, and they spoke about Ruby’s Rainbow, and Ruby shared her hopes for the future. Not only was she on the show, but she also sang with Kelly Clarkson at one of her shows.
“Ruby is so brave,” Liz said. “I mean, she got up on stage and sang with Kelly Clarkson at a sold-out show. Who does that? She is also the hardest-working human I know. She has to work 10 times harder for things that might come more naturally to most people, and she always does it with grit and grace.”
According to Ruby, she won’t stop fighting hard to reach her goals no matter what the future holds, and she plans to do it all with a smile on her face.
“I just think Ruby is a great person,” Pfeffer said. “I think everyone should try to be a little more like Ruby.”
Eve Johansson Dispatch Reporter
The whir of the saw machine echoes through the fine arts building as tech theater students build sets for the upcoming shows. Behind the curtains of every performance, the technical theater program sets up the designs for the stage and controls the sound and lighting, all under their director Courtney Hall.
Hall is a new director this school year. Hall was a former Bowie student and taught in the technical theater program at Bowie for a couple of years after graduating from college. In between working at Bowie and teaching an after-school architecture class, she accumulated new knowledge and re-sparked her passion for tech theater and sharing that enthusiasm with others.
“This is my third time at Bowie since I was here as a student and came back after college to teach,” Hall said. “Each time has been a new experience for me, and it’s cool seeing how it changes every time. The theater program here is pretty special, and while the other schools I’ve worked at have been great, there’s just something different about the Bowie theater. So, when the position opened up, I came back.” She teaches Technical Theater 1, an introductory class for anyone
interested in technical theater, during 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 8th periods, and advanced technical theater during 6th period. Hall wasted no time after returning to the job, reviewing safety with all of her tech theater classes before jumping into creating sets with her advanced students.
“We just finished reading the script for our fall show, ‘Our Town’ and we have split up into different groups to come up with set design, lights, and sound,” senior Sasha Zimmerman said. “‘Our Town’ is such a classic show, and it’s interesting to see how our ideas come together and how they are brought to life.”
Due to all the moving parts required to design a set, such as lights, music, and background, it is difficult to pull everything together. According to her students though, Hall does a wonderful job of balancing what needs to get done with taking the time to dive into all of the important pieces that make up technical theater.
“Having Mrs. Hall as a teacher is amazing because she gives us creative freedom, she listens to our ideas, and lets us work with them,” Zimmerman said. “She really lets us explore our personal outlooks on things and listens to our input when it comes to different ideas of tech, so it’s just incredible having her back.”
Hall teaches each student a little differently, based on what makes sense
to them, constantly doing her best to answer their questions. Senior Opal Burns said she has benefited tremendously from Hall’s teaching style and agrees that having Hall as her advanced technical theater teacher, even just for this first month of school, has made her reflect deeper about the ideas of technical theater.
“This is my fourth year being involved in the tech theater program at Bowie, and Mrs. Hall is definitely my favorite tech teacher that I’ve had,” Burns said. “It’s a really good experience all around, especially with the right teacher. You get to learn a lot of life skills like how to build things using a bunch of different power tools.”
During class, Hall makes sure to cover both hands-on skills and also the ability to think outside of the box. This allows her students to practice creative and critical thinking with their peers and then bring those ideas to life.
“It’s nice seeing people interested in theater and all of their different mindsets when it comes to creating sets or analyzing scripts,” Zimmerman said. “My favorite part of tech theater is definitely getting to work with those people.”
Hall is excited to take the next step with these students and build a tech theater community that gives them
not only lifelong skills but also lifelong friendships. She hopes that this class will help her students find what they are passionate about.
“High schoolers are so great, and I absolutely love teaching them,” Hall said. “It brings me so much joy when I
see students find something in a class, and getting to be on that journey with them as they discover where their paths lead, whether in the theater industry or somewhere else, is amazing.”
PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
Junior captain dives into leadership
Jacob Geldart
Madeline Whitten Dispatch Reporter
Anticipation is in the air. Members of the crowd sit on the edge of their seats, watching water splash in the air as junior Jacob Geldart makes his way to the opposing team’s side of the pool, erupting in cheers as the ball flies through the air and into the goal.
In only their second year, Geldart is leading the boys water polo team to victory as a founding member and captain.
Geldart added water polo to his list of extracurricular activities last year, joining the team after he was asked by swim coach and history teacher, Chloe Carr, to be a founding member.
“Last year, Ms. Carr asked a bunch of the swimmers if anybody wanted to help start the team,” Geldart said. “I got a bunch of my lacrosse friends to do it with me as well, so that’s how it started.”
Over the course of his first year on the team, Carr saw Geldart’s growth, leading her to offer him a leadership position on the team.
“When he started, he was just there for fun,” Carr said. “And now he’s like, taking it se-
takes initiative and helps coaches lead the team into an eager season
riously, and he just kind of has grown up and kind of stepped into that leadership role.”
This year, Geldart is required to perform the additional responsibilities of a team captain, such as helping Carr set up before practice and games and speaking in pep rallies, also making sure to take the time to focus on his teammates.
“He likes to get us all together and he likes to encourage us,” junior Zane Cherry said. “He also includes everyone in practice, and it’s his goal to make sure that we all know what we’re doing, and that all of us are doing well.” Carr views Geldart’s success in his leadership position as a result of him acting on what he would want in his teammates shoes, making sure the games and practices are times where others feel comfortable and are able to enjoy playing water polo.
“He is very respectful, and he really likes to learn and help. He wants others to learn as well,” Carr said. “He just wants to have a good time, and so he kind of creates an environment where that’s possible.”
His previous experience in authority roles allows Geldart to feel comfortable being in charge.
“I’ve been a captain for lacrosse before,” Geldart said. “Water polo is just supposed to be fun, so it doesn’t have much pressure.”
Geldart is always available and willing to help his teammates with any problem they
come to him with.
“He’s a really kind guy,” Cherry said. “And he’s really easy to communicate with. He’s always fun to talk to and he’s really easy to just go back and forth talking with.”
Geldart makes sure his team has a strong bond by encouraging group activities outside of games and practices.
“Usually after water polo games or practice we’ll hang out in the locker room,” Geldart said. “Then we’ll usually get food after our tournaments and games.”
Water polo provides a way for Geldart to have a good time while connecting with his teammates.
“It’s really fun, like I love swim, and then in water polo, you get to be like aggressive in the water,” Geldart said. “And it’s just a really good team bonding sport.”
During games, Geldart is able to play differently depending on what his team needs from their leader in the moment.
“He knows his sport really well,” Cherry said. “He’s able to get goals whenever we need him to, and he can pass really well.”
Geldart has confidence in his teammates abilities to bring home wins at their future games this season.
“I think it will be a good season,” Geldart said. “We won one game, and then we have a couple more games coming up, we’ll see how those go, but we’re pretty good.”
HANDS
PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
WHAT A SAVE: Quickly jumping out of the water, captain Jacob Geldart stretches his arms to block the opposing teams shot. While usually a sprinter, Geldart hopped into goal, and recorded five saves and two goals allowed. “My team really needed me,” Geldart said. “Our goalie was at the football game
to step up. I had full faith in my teammates to fill in my position while I was in goal,
put some points on the board.” PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
DIVE ON IN: With elegance, captain Jacob Geldart leaps into the water headfirst, completing his pregame routine. To get in the game time mood, Jacob has a carefully crafted routine he uses to give him the spike of energy he needs. “Before every game it’s important I always have an energy drink,”
SWIMMING
PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
ZANE CHERRY Junior
Teen driving
Students learn to navigate the new world of transportation when they train for and receive their license
Liberty Pittman
Media-Editor-in-Chief
He learned to be a cautious driver at age 17. He was 17 when he was driving down the street in his 69 Chevy Bel Air. In a car surrounded by his friends he took his eyes off the road for a single moment and wrapped his car around a telephone pole. The impact cracked the pole in half, and crushed the front of the car leaving the steering column mere inches away from his chest.
No one in the car was seriously injured, but in that moment, 17-year old Andrew Padgett decided what kind of driver he wanted to be.
“I was your age when I turned into a grandpa driver,” Padgett said. “The very first time I wrapped my car around a telephone pole and that steering column at my chest was when I decided ‘back off Andy’, nothing is so important that you need to go so fast. Even if you're late for work, it’s better to forfeit a little bit of money than to forfeit your life.”
Now as Campus Safety Monitor, Padgett references this as a teaching moment for students. He makes sure that students are driving safely on campus, obeying posted speed limits, and parking where they are supposed to.
“A car to me is a Jekyll and Hyde,” Padgett said. “I was that good student who was always in school. I never skipped school until I got a car. Once I got a car, my attendance still worked, but it wasn't as good as it used to be, and that particular incident that I almost died in was just me being stupid.”
DRIVERS EDUCATION
The first ever gas powered vehicle was patented in 1886, Henry Ford’s assembly line first started running in 1913, and according to 911 Driving School, in 1920 drivers education was first introduced to high schools. From then into the mid to late 1900’s new inventions changed what in school drivers education courses looked like. According to MotorCities National Heritage Area, driver training textbooks such as “Man and the Motor Car” became available to high schoolers, and high schools built ranges where students could learn and practice how to drive.
“I did driving school old school, sat in the classroom, pressed the little stop thing with the lights, I did all the things,” AP Pre-Calculus teacher Kelly Flickinger said. “I felt like there were certain things that I didn't get enough practice on in the class, because I only had this 45-minute time window to drive with a couple other people. So I really appreciate that when teaching our son how to drive, we got to kind of do stuff over and over again frequently.”
According to Professor Emeritus of Education at Stanford University, Larry Cuban, in-school drivers education began to fade out in 1983 due to changes in state curriculum priorities and the rise of private drivers education facilities. Following this, online and parent taught drivers education programs started gaining traction. A course made by National Driver Training (NDT) was approved by the state of Texas in 2000, and became the first known online driving course in the United States. Now, there are
multiple online driving courses for students to choose from including Aceable, Texas Drivers School, and I Drive Safely.
“I was taught to drive by my parents,” senior Grace Hertel said. “My mom and dad had different styles, but they both got their points across to me, and I feel like I did pretty well on the driver's test. A lot of the online modules for the driving course I took were on drunk driving, and it didn’t actually teach me any actual driving skills, so that was something my parents had to do.”
While some drivers courses give the option to pay for a trained professional for practical driving instruction, many students who choose online courses are parent taught. While parent-taught driving can make students feel more comfortable, and allow for a more flexible driving schedule, according to a study done by the Transportation Institute at Texas A&M in 2007, Parent taught drivers are almost three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.
“It was stressful to learn how to drive, because my parents are very stubborn and I'm the same exact way,” Hertel said. “Parents just expect you to know how to drive, when really you need to have the experience too. Not having someone that's teaching you step-by-step can be really frustrating.”
FINANCING A CAR
Driving is often thought of as an opportunity for a teen to gain independence. According to Car Credit, owning a car as a teen has numerous benefits including improving teen responsibility and time management skills, expanding job and social opportunities, and helping teens develop financial management skills. According to a poll of 206 Bowie students, 10.8% of students either pay for their own car or split payments with their parents. Apart from the cost of their car, teen drivers can also run into multiple other expenses including insurance, gas, car maintenance and repairs, and parking permits.
“My parents' deal was that I save up as much money as I could to use for a down payment, and then pay off my car with a job,” Hertel said. “Paying a monthly rate keeps me very real, and conscious about how much I’m spending. My parents wanted me to learn the responsibilities of having a car, and what the consequences are if I don't pay for it, if I don't keep maintenance up, because I had to pay for that as well. It makes me kind of proud that I have a responsibility like that.”
schedules. This can leave students with little time for work outside of school without sacrificing sleep or time to do their assignments.
“Our oldest son predominantly drives one car, it’s not his, but he is the main user,” Flickinger said. “We pay the payments, we pay for gas, and we do that because he's a student and we want him to focus on that. When I grew up, I only had one car in my family for six people, so we all shared the same car, so for my son to be able to have a car to use is definitely a privilege, and he knows that.”
CRUISING TO CAMPUS
According to the poll of Bowie students, 42.2% of students drive themselves to school in the morning, 28.6% of students get driven by a parent or adult, 18% of students ride the bus, 7.8% of students get a ride with a fellow student, and 3.4% of students walk or bike.
“I've parked in the garage since junior year, and it was fine last year,” Hertel said. “This year it's different. There's no spots on the ramp at all, which I really hate, because I get here early and still have to park on the second floor. I try to leave once the bell rings and get to my car as fast as I can. I get around home at around 5:20, mind you, I live five minutes away. That's how bad the parking in the garage is, especially when I’m on the second floor. It's very frustrating.”
I'm a senior, but it's hard because once you leave your spot is gone, so if you don't have anything after school you're kind of screwed,” Hertel said. “Also, the lunch period is not long enough to go out. It takes at least 10 minutes to get to Starbucks, ordering food takes 10 minutes, and getting back takes 10 minutes. That's the whole lunch period, so we have to eat in our classes. It's not safe at all. It's a very stressful feeling whenever we go out, because we can't dilly dally.”
According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2021, almost one third of fatal crashes, and 13% of crashes resulting in injury are caused by speeding. While the Slaughter construction may cause more traffic congestion, according to Padgett, the traffic can have a positive impact on students, because it forces them to slow down and be more careful while driving.
Mark Robinson Principal
While paying for their own car can have benefits for teens, it also puts a financial burden on someone who is still in school. The average school day for a Bowie student is seven and a half hours long, not including any time students spend on sports or extracurricular activities outside of school hours. In addition to this, many students also have homework, or unfinished assignments which consume additional time from their
There is one main exit open in the afternoon for students, parents, and buses to drive off campus. This can lead to congestion and traffic for those attempting to leave. In addition to this, current construction on Slaughter Lane can also slow traffic for students on their way home. According to assistant principal Octavio Angel, something that exacerbates this situation is the amount of students who park on and around campus. This year, all parking offered to students, including the parking garage, sold out. “I wish we had more spots open for students, if we had another floor in the garage that'd be awesome,” Angel said. “I think that would alleviate a lot of concerns and issues kids have. We're actually over the legal limit of parking spots that we were required to provide. We did our best to go above and beyond. It's just tough. Dismissal is just tough for everyone, teachers, students, and staff.”
One daily occurrence that puts Bowie students through more driving stress than some may realize is lunch. As a senior privilege, Bowie allows seniors to go off campus for lunch. Many seniors seize this opportunity to leave, but run into a few common issues. Some seniors debate whether or not going off campus for lunch is worth giving up their parking spot, and if it is worth being late to their next class if they cannot return when the allotted 40 minute lunch time is over.
“I do go off campus for lunch since
“I keep the campus safe by going after the people who are exceeding the speed limits, who are going to run into the pedestrians that are crossing the street, who are going to run into other cars, and trying to get them to correct their behavior,” Padgett said. “In most cases students listen to us and understand that I'm not a mean guy. I'm not a mean person, I took a mean job, and unfortunately teenagers want to do whatever they want to do and they think they know it all.”
In an attempt to slow students down when they exit the parking garage seniors Megan Torres and Victoria Combs created a pitch for a speed-bump outside the garage. The pitch originally started as an assignment for their Engineering Design and Problem Solving class, but the pair decided their idea deserved to be heard by administration.
“Earlier that year someone got hit by a car that was speeding out of the parking garage, so we wanted to make it safer,” Torres said. “We proposed adding a speed-bump, a cross walk, and a door to the side of the garage that the grate is on to the left of the student entrance.”
When school started back up for the 2025-26 year, many organizations including the NHTSA sent out consumer alerts reminding students and parents to drive safely and be alert as students return to school. In a similar suit, Principal Mark Robinson reminds students to be aware of their surroundings and remember how dangerous driving can be.
“Being a new driver is exciting, but it's also scary, because a car can do a lot of damage,” Robinson said. “Anytime we are overcome with sensory input it makes it hard for us to process and that can be catastrophic when a mistake is made including a vehicle. So, definitely on campus, I would say your first priority is to get from point A to point B safely. Control your speed, exercise caution, and be aware of your surroundings."
ANDREW PADGETT Campus Safety Monitor
OCTAVIO ANGEL Assistant Principal
GRACE HERTEL Senior
STATEHOUSE TO SCHOOLHOUSE
How the 89th legislative session has changed the educational environment, students and staff adapt
Elizabeth Yowell Print Editor-in-Chief
89TH SESSION
With a few glides of pen across a paper, ripples were felt from the Texas Capital all the way to Bowie High School. When senior Emily LeJeune, along with nearly 3,000 fellow students, tucked her powered down cell phone into her bag, she braced herself for the changes her school would experience at the hands of Texas Lawmakers.
During this year’s 89th Legislative session, a number of new bills concerning education were signed into law for the 25-26 school year. The bills from this session covered topics ranging from school funding to STAAR test changes to library content restriction and more.
“One of the biggest challenges is just trying to figure out what all of the new legislation means,” Principal Mark Robinson said. “There were over 100 bills that were passed this summer that pertain to education, and obviously, as a public education system, we are at the mercy of the legislature in terms of, not only for funding, but also organization, what’s allowed, what’s not allowed. So, I think the biggest challenge so far has just been figuring out what it all means, what applies, and what doesn’t.”
When a bill concerning changes of the educational environment is passed, its text will include immediate instructions for school districts in what rules or procedures districts are required to implement. However, the bill often leaves responsibilities up to the district in writing specified rules for the schools within it to follow.
“A lot of the things that are either legislative requirements at the state level or the federal level, I think about those things in the way that I think about a lot of the regulations that we have just at the local level,” Robinson said. “The way that our school board chooses to prioritize our values or initiatives, there’s a major focus on compliance. I know, for me as a public school administrator, a lot of my efforts are into making sure that there are systems in place that keep us in compliance and keep us meeting those mandates. So, I think that a lot of my focus is on how we can put things in place that make it easy for the students, the teachers and the staff in that system to be able to comply to satisfy those mandates.”
with an additional requirement for parental involvement on the second.
“If you had asked parents, students, teachers, or legislators before that bill was passed, they would have predicted that they would have had some challenges on implementation,” Robinson said.
be difficult to explain verbally or try to physically understand.”
CENSORSHIP
“However, from what we’ve seen at Bowie, students have been able to adapt their behavior pretty easily, although I know that it’s probably not at the level of the intention of the legislation. In the legislation, they want phones to be inaccessible to students, and the closest we’ve been able to get at Bowie is just out of sight.”
SB13
Another bill bringing significant changes to AISD campuses is Senate Bill 12, which includes the requirement that all public schools are no longer to permit any discussion, training, or staff involvement with programs relating to diversity, equity, or inclusion. In addition, the bill has declared that teachers and administrators must call students by their government name, regardless of the student’s preference in accordance with their identity.
Authored by State Senator Angela Paxton, SB12 outlines content restrictions for library material
Before the passing of HB1481, a number of students relied on personal technology to complete assignments and participate in class activities. For example, a teacher may have instructed students to pull out their phones and use a ‘scan document’ feature to submit work done on paper during class time. With new guidelines, teachers and students have had to make adjustments to familiar classroom procedures.
“Taking away phones, it’s not gonna make kids behave better, it’s just gonna make them rebel more,” Torres said. “If you’re catching more phones with the new law, then you were whenever you didn’t have the law, then it’s like don’t fix something if it’s not broken. If kids having their phones was working fine last year, then why would you change it?”
Brad Buckley and HB2
Authored by Chairman others, HB2 approves $8.5 Billion in funding for public schools.
Although the official HB1481 bill text does not explicitly address the use of Bluetooth or wireless headphones, AISD has the ability to form district policy based on their interpretation of the bill text. Inferring that wireless headphones would most likely involve the use of personal devices, AISD’s policy specifies that use of any wireless headphones is not permitted during school hours.
“Whenever I get overwhelmed or need something to help me focus, I put on my headphones and pull up my favorite playlists,” LeJeune said. “Now I don’t really have that option with the Bluetooth headphone ban, along with Spotify getting blocked on Chromebooks. I think it’s kind of sad that people like me that may not have that explicit accommodation and can’t access something that might actually be a useful tool for our spare time.”
“Another bill that came into law was Senate Bill 12,” Robinson said. “It’s about parental consent for health, physical health, mental health and social activity or clubs, specifically, that parents had to consent in order to receive services in any of those areas. The district supported principals by drafting some language or giving us some forms to work with that we could turn around to our community to be able to collect that feedback so that then we can move forward with those decisions.”
Senate Bill 13 is another example of a bill updated this most recent year that involves parent consent of their student’s educational choices. SB13 covers new requirements for Librarians acquiring new books, including that they must be approved by a council, or a ‘School Library Advisory Committee,’ (SLAC) made up of mostly parents.
Throughout these revisions, legislators have the opportunity to ensure that the bill serves its purpose both directly and efficiently.
SB12
“SB12, the way they’re doing this is, there’s a 10-digit and a 13-digit number for each book,” Walker said. “If this number is not in the catalog, not in the library, you can’t have one. That tells me, right there, they didn’t even know, like, it can be the same book, it’s the exact same book, but one is hardback, and one is a soft cover. It’s a different number. It makes no sense and they didn’t even know that.” Anyone under the district has the right to voice their opinions and inform legislators throughout the entire process of a bill’s passing, from its first draft to the first vote to the bill being signed into law.
LAWMAKERS INFLUENCE MY LIFE BECAUSE SOME TASKS CAN’T BE DONE EASILY ON A CHROMEBOOK. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I GET HOME TO DO THOSE THINGS NOW.
With the over 100 education-related bills passed this recent session, Bowie students’ first few weeks included additional advisory sessions detailing the new mandates for this school year. Each week following, teachers continuously informed students of updated requirements.
“I would probably say that our legislators are doing the right thing,” freshman Caleb Torres said. “If school worked for them back then, then of course, they would be trying to bring those things back. If they had a good education, then of course they’d be trying to instill that into us, the younger generation. So, I definitely say that they are in the right direction.”
TECH BAN
This year at Bowie, students returned to school with free hands. House Bill 1481, which prevents students from using personal devices on school grounds from the first to final bell, was passed during the most recent session. On August 21, the AISD Board of Trustees met to discuss proper disciplinary action, and ultimately decided that students’ phones would be confiscated at first offense,
HB1481 acts as a guideline for the implementation of the tech ban that is ultimately in the hands of the individual school district. According to the AISD website the bill’s purpose is to “boost student focus, reduce distractions, and lower online bullying risks,” and it is the district’s responsibility to create instructions of implementation that serve the bill’s purpose most adequately.
Authored by Caroline Fairly, HB1481 requires public school districts to
“School is so different now,” LeJeune said. “I mean, a lot of legislators aren’t really super old, but they were a different generation. They didn’t have devices. They didn’t have all these new, more diverse, classes. They didn’t have all the access to materials that we have now. School looks a whole lot different. And unless you have somebody that’s in that perspective and seeing what it’s like, it’s going to
“It’s against the First Amendment,” Librarian Tara Walker-Leon said. “If a student wants to read something, they should be able to read it. I don’t have anything here in the library that is questionable in my mind, but that’s where the ethics kind of gets confused. Let’s say, for example, a high school student is gay or struggling with mental health or experiencing racial injustice and they’re reading about this in a specific book, but their parent does not want them to read about those topics, then the parent can go in and deny their kid from reading this book.”
Additionally, the latest SB13 bill text states that any library content that the SLAC council deems to contain ‘Harmful Material’ will be removed from shelves immediately. Under the Texas Penal Code section 43.24 ‘Harmful Material’ is defined as ‘appealing to the prurient interest of a minor, in sex, nudity, or excretion,’ ‘offensive to prevailing standards’ of what is ‘suitable in the adult community to minors,’ or not redeeming ‘social values for minors.’
“To not give people that information to decide for themselves, really, that’s what the whole thing is about,” Walker said. “Librarians have this thing called mirrors and windows. Maybe you read a book, you see yourself in that book. That’s a mirror. Maybe you read a book and you see someone else’s perspective, that’s a window. So no, we’re not forcing anybody to read anything. That’s what’s great about the library, you just read what you want to read. You don’t have to read the rest. The problem is that people are making those decisions for other people.”
COMMUNITY RESPONSE
When legislators draft a bill, it goes through a series of revisions with the ultimate goal of gaining a majority vote in both the House and Senate.
Authored by Senator Brandon Creighton, SB12 prohibits Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in accordance with hiring and training.
HB10
“A lot of the legislators do not have a background in education, like there’s only really one or two that come to mind that I have heard them say ‘I was a teacher,’ or ‘I worked in schools,’ or I ‘have an education degree,’” Robinson said. “That means that we have a lot of responsibility to inform the discussion and inform the decision making, because those decisions that are being made are going to impact us, and when the people in the room don’t have that knowledge from their own background or experience, then we have to provide that guidance.” Official district policy relating to new legislation is ultimately in the hands of the nine members of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees. On AISD’s website, information can be found detailing the board’s monthly information sessions, where they lend the floor to public comment. Testimonies can be made in person, or through a pre-recorded video.
Alice Jefferies senior Caleb Torres freshman IF SCHOOL WORKED FOR THEM BACK THEN, OF COURSE THEY WOULD BE TRYING TO BRING THOSE THINGS BACK.
Authored by Senator Lois Kolkhorst, SB10 requires the display of the ten commandments in public school classrooms.
“There are often not enough voices for the little guys, the economically disadvantaged and lower performing schools in our district,” LeJeune said. “I believe that we should have admin, teachers, and students from lower income schools have a voice in legislation as well, because at the core of it all, this is about educating future leaders of the country.” Additionally, students, parents, and staff have a number of options when it comes to voicing their opinions to their lawmakers. Through Texas Legislature Online, they can schedule a short in-person meeting with the lawmaker who represents their district. For a less direct approach, one can write a letter or email to their lawmaker using the official format found on the Legislative Reference Library of Texas’ website.
“At the moment, the most students can do is speak out, spread the word, protest and petition,” LeJeune said. “Until we
LAWMAKERS HAVE MOST RECENTLY INFLUENCED MY LIFE WITH THE NEW TECH BAN. MY CHROMEBOOK REGULARLY FREEZES AND TAKES ALMOST TWICE AS LONG AS MY PERSONAL COMPUTER TO LOAD, MAKING IT HARD TO SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS OR WORK ON HOMEWORK IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Olivia Nanda senior
New water polo coach
Teacher Isaac Nevarez
Nevarez ready to lead girls water polo to victory
As water polo begins its second season, they are looking for more and more talent to add to their growing team. This stretches from players themselves, but also to their mentors, the coaches.
Isaac Nevarez is the newest coaching addition to the water polo team. He is ready to gain knowledge about this new and upcoming sport at Bowie.
“Considering that I knew very little about water polo, I was most excited about learning the sport,” Nevarez said. “I’ve been an athlete my entire life, and I’ve always enjoyed game planning. With water polo, not only have I learned a new sport, but I’ve been challenged to strategize in a sport I didn’t know before. It’s been so much fun.”
Since a coach spends lots of time with their team, they get to know their athletes very well. According to Untapped, high school athletes spend 10-15 hours a week at practice. Senior Riley Redmer reflects on how Nevarez helps the team.
“Coach Nevarez is a good hype man. He is always happy to be there cheering us on,” Redmer said. “He coaches soccer which is similar to water polo in many ways so he often gives us tips on how to get open and where to pass.”
Coaching isn’t an easy job, and Nevarez knows that. He is working his hardest to make the water polo team the best it can be.
“I’m looking forward to establishing a team that can challenge other schools,” Nevarez said. “I want us to be competitive and have a chance to win against any school we face.”
There are many components in making the decision to become a coach, according to Nevarez. He describes why he chose to add this new sport to his list of growing passions.
“I decided to hop into this role because there was a huge need for an assistant,” Nevarez said. “I was also curious about the sport and wanted to learn more about it. I had zero prior knowledge before jumping into the assistant role.”
Nevarez is looking forward to his inaugural season as an assistant coach. He outlines his goals and expectations for this season and for future ones.
“For this season, I want our players to get better and build their confidence through their improvement,” Nevarez said. “For the future, our goal is to establish a program with continuity. Meaning that we have returning players every year and that we build off the success of the previous season.”
Water polo has been having practices and games for the past couple of weeks, so Nevarez has gotten a sneak peek at what is to come this season. He said he has enjoyed every moment of his introduction to this sport.
“What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing the camaraderie amongst the players. We’ve had some disappointing losses. But our players have been so resilient and joyful,” Nevarez said. “I think that’s key in us getting better. That they’re enjoying the sport. As long as they love it, they’ll be invested in getting better.”
STORY BY Caroline Baxter
Return of
THE RUNNING BACK
Junior Rhys Moreno comes back from a season ending ankle injury
Caroline Baxter Sports Editor
Yard after yard; stride after stride; junior running back Rhys Moreno weaves his way through the opposition’s defense to pick up as many yards as possible. Moreno, a captain of the varsity Bulldog football team, leads the team in total rushing yards, just one year after a season-ending injury.
On August 30, 2024, the first game of Moreno’s sophomore season, he ended up getting a high ankle sprain in his left ankle. This injury kept him out for eight weeks; thus, he was sidelined for the entirety of the 24-25 season.
“The injury mentally dropped my spirits down a lot,” Moreno said. “I felt like I had let them down, and they couldn’t rely on me since it was the first game of the season. It was hard getting back physically because of the mental challenge of it all.”
Even though the injury set Moreno back, that didn’t stop him from trying his hardest to return to the field. He worked for weeks to rehabilitate his major ankle sprain.
“Any exercises my personal trainers would give me, I would make sure to do them as often as they told me,” Moreno said. “A lot of people, when injured, don’t do their exercises, and it pushes their recovery time back, and I didn’t want that to happen to me.”
Getting through the recovery process is hard when an athlete is doing it alone.
Luckily, according to Moreno, he had his coaches alongside him to motivate him and accompany him through his rocky recovery.
“My coaches were reminding me that it was okay to be injured and that with time, I would come back,” Moreno said. “They would tell me that when even the best of the best got injured, sometimes they would come back even better than they were before. This definitely helped motivate me to get back.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, 10.5 percent of athletes re-injure their injury after they come back from rehab. Moreno put measures into place to ensure that this won’t happen this season.
“I am making sure that I am
recovering correctly every day and taking care of my small injuries,” Moreno said. “I am usually the type of person to push through any injuries I get, but I need to know when to stop and recover. Like I hurt my shoulder earlier in the year, and I work with the trainers to make sure it stays healthy.”
When Moreno went down in that first game of last season against Manor, his teammates were worried. Senior tight end Carson Ledford describes the feelings the team felt after hearing the news of Moreno’s’ injury.
“We all knew how good he was, so when he went down, we all got concerned,” Ledford said. “He was the starting running back, so we all wanted to see him have a quick recov-
ery.”
Despite Moreno being out for the season, he did what he could to try and push his teammates to a successful season. Senior captain Rowen Well recalls how Moreno motivated the team in practice and in the games.
“Rhys brings a lot of energy to the team and was at practice every day,” Wells said. “He was at every game and pushed everybody to be the best versions of themselves.”
Having him back on the field and rushing for long drives was important to the team according to Wells. Wells is excited to have Moreno back and better than ever this year.
“He brings a completely different type of vibe and energy to the team which is good,”
Wells said. “It is nice to have his mentality and drive back on the field with the rest of the team.”
Week one of this years football season, Moreno had another close call with an injury. It was a scare knowing what had happened almost exactly a year prior. Moreno recounts the injury and his thoughts in the moment.
“I got tackled and the guy that tackled me poked me in the eye and it popped a blood vessel in my eye,” Moreno said. “I wasn’t insanely worried because this was a small thing compared to my ankle. I was able to get back into the game, but I missed a drive where I was planning to score a touchdown.” Returning from his injury
was a huge accomplishment for Moreno. After the eight long weeks he was out, he was finally cleared to practice with the team again. He is ready to take this season as his own.
“I want to win and play the best football I can,” Moreno said. “I want to rush for records and lead this team to victories. My goal is a deep playoff run.”
Warm welcome for the new volleyball captains
Hunter
The ball flies over the net, and junior captain Lila Rosas dives just in time to keep the rally going. At the same time, senior captain Clara Morgan is already
calling out instructions to move into position. Together, these two captains guide and balance the schools volleyball team. At the beginning of every volleyball season, the team votes on who’s going to lead them throughout the year. The
team captains lead the team on and of the court. The title of captain is one of the highest achievements an athlete can accomplish, according to Morgan.
“As a team, we discuss the qualities we want to see in our captains for the season, and then we narrow down the list to the top-five most important qualities,” head volleyball coach Ashlea McGill said. “The team then votes on who they think best exhibits these qualities, and the players with the most number of votes are selected as captains. The new elected captains always feel excited and ready for their new role”
This 2025 season, with the Bulldogs holding a 20-15 overall record, marks a new chapter for Rosas and Morgan as they figure out how to lead together. Rosas, who has been on the varsity team since her freshman year, and Morgan, who has been a part of the program for four years, say their main goal is to keep positive and focused.
“Some goals I have for the season are to prove that we aren’t the team people think we are and to show up and fight to win every game,” Morgan said. “When situations happen on the court we meet in the middle to calm people down and reassure the team that we can do it.”
The captain’s job is beyond just
communicating with their teammates during games; according to Rosas, it’s about building chemistry, motivating others, and pushing people outside their comfort zone.
“A captain is someone there for you to lean on,” Rosas said. “ They are supposed to be supportive and push you to be your best.”
McGill states that the success of the program can be traced back to former coach Jason Landers who passed away from cancer on June 16, 2014. According to McGill, Rosas and Morgan are continuing his legacy by being uplifting and passionate.
“Both of our captains are very encouraging and uplifting student athletes. They are not only vocal leaders but both also lead by example,” McGill said.
“Their strong work ethic sets a high standard for the entire volleyball program.”
As the Lady ‘Dawgs continue their season as fourth overall in district, they have high hopes for the playoffs and are hoping to reach their personal goals, motivated by a passion for their sport and a hope to get a title for the program.
“My personal goal is to make it to the playoffs and reach five hundred digs by the end of the season,” Rosas said. “After multiple pre-season games, I think our team has the energy and drive to win.”
Olivia
Dispatch Reporter
RUSHING FOR YARDS: Junior Rhys Moreno runs in for a rushing touchdown against Glenn High School. Moreno rushed for 146 yards and lead the team to a 38-14 victory. The Bulldogs now sit 3-1 heading into the regular season this week. PHOTO BY Nick Forrest
CELEBRATING THE W: Senior Clara Morgan celebrates with her team after scoring yet another point for the womens volleyball team. The Lady ‘Dawgs are striving for a successful playoff run. PHOTO BY Ashley Marcus
RHYS MORENO Junior SCAN
VIDEO BY Ashley Marcus
VIDEO BY Will Olenick
Breaking stereotypes: Kerrigan dominates the field
Freshman football star is taking charge and smashing barriers as the only girl on the team
Sydney Murphy Sports Editor
The stadium lights shine bright, beating down on freshmen Maddie
Kerrigan as she steps into Burger Stadium for her first high school football game. The crowd roars, buzzing in everyone’s ears, and the energy is high. Heart pounding, Kerrigan takes a deep breath, focusing on the play ahead, the warm, bright lights blind her, making the moment feel larger than life.
Kerrigan currently starts as right tackle on the freshmen red team. The right tackle blocks opposing defensive players to protect the quarterback during passing plays, and works to create openings for the running backs during offensive plays. This often requires a lot of physical contact.
“We started out playing Maddie on the defensive line,” coach Brandon Pittman said.
“She was so good that we
out for the football team during the summer with her.
“Maddie is very athletic and determined which shows on the field,”
Ybarra said. “She focuses hard at practice which is what makes her a good football player.”
So far, the team is undefeated and plans to continue their winning streak. Kerrigan believes that the team can achieve this with hard work and the drive to succeed.
“I am really excited for the upcoming season,” Kerrigan said. “I think we are really good this year and I am excited to see the whole team work hard for it.”
Ybarra points out that Kerrigan’s concentration on the game helps her stand out on and off the field. The coaches and players on the team admire her consistent effort and fixation on perfection at practice has been essential to the team’s success this year.
“I want to continue to play football in the coming years,” Kerrigan said. “I love playing and I think that it would be really fun to keep doing it”
time.” Despite starting tryouts with nerves, Kerrigan was able to shake them off and show off her skills to the coaches. One of her teammates, freshmen Kenyon Ybarra also tried
Kerrigan started out playing tight end but transitioned to playing right tackle in high school. Pittman has observed Kerrigan play and has watched always wants to play and do her best,” player to have on the field because of her intelligence, especially with football.”
Pittman expressed his
games, players need to follow planned changes that may happen during the together. This season, the coaches and players goal is completing the year undefeated -
red team has a really good chance of staying undefeated throughout the season,” Pittman said. “They have been working hard and really focusing at practice to
determined and plans to work together to achieve their goal. The consistent and focused
ments that matter.
The team has pushed each other to be better which raised the team’s standard of play, contributing to their success.
“The team is a support group,” Kerrigan said. “We lift each other up and that’s what has made us such a good team this year.”
Kerrigan emphasizes beyond the field, team culture is another key part of their success this season. She describes how the team environment is crucial to their victories on the field but it also provides a fostering envi-
ronment off the field.
“Maddie is definitely a key player on our team,” Ybarra said. “She helps us win by staying concentrated during games.”
Players like Ybarra expressed that Maddie has earned her spot as a reliable player on the team. They note that her dedication and positive attitude sets examples for others. The
coaches think that Maddie’s talent goes beyond skill, but discipline in the works she puts in at practices.
“Maddie is a very good player because she is so unselfish,” Pittman said. “She does a really good job because she puts the team first which is what we need to win.”
ENTERTAINMENT
Thoroughly Theater
Themed workdays build connections and confidence
Gracie Ruland Entertainment Editor Questions? Concerns? Email: bowie.journalism@gmail.com
One night, you might decide to go see a Starlight Theater Company (STC) production and it will be brilliant, but what you don’t see is the heavy, yet thrilling, rehearsal experience and amount of hours that are put into these shows. You may know that members of the STC work multiple hours after school every night, but one thing a majority of non-STC members don’t know is the fact that we have work days.
Work days are almost every Saturday, and can be expected to last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and while most are not required, many students within the program love to be there, have determination, and use the time wisely to create a masterpiece on stage. Typically work days will start with an hour of maintenance, which includes cleaning the costume closets, drama room, and overall the theater spaces. Then we will move into rehearsals where the students drill lines and run the show.
As a member of the STC, I, personally always look forward to work days. However, sometimes newer members aren’t used to spending their Saturdays at school, which makes them less likely to want to show up
This year, STC president Ellie Nowlin and vice presidents Olivia Nanda and Aidan Schexnaydre have decided to have themed work days. Work day themes could include pajama day or dress up as your dream role. While these work days can be fun, they can also be tedious. Having theme days will and already has allowed both the new and old members to look forward to workdays throughout the week
Another reason work day theme days are beneficial, is the fact that having work day theme days will benefit the theater community by bringing the company together and allowing students to have more fun.
Taking the time to plan a silly outfit and getting to see what everyone else is going to wear builds excitement for students, and makes work days more enjoyable. Additionally, the themes are helping build community because dressing up as a unit can be a joyous memory everyone can share together and look back on. Overall, encouraging everyone to meet new faces and bring a positive energy and mindset to every work day.
Work days have always been important, beneficial, and lively, but workday theme days have taken the thrill and community to another level, allowing students to build connections and make new friends.
Spirit team corrals energy
Easton Lewis and others set a prideful and exhilarating standard for games
Alice Goss Entertainment Editor
A whistle rings through the dense air, the players’ feet dig into the moist turf, and screams erupt in the stands. The student section is filled to the brim and the entire student body chants out synchronized calls, proud to be a ‘Bulldawg, confidently sporting face paint and spirit day flair.
Leading the student section this year are seniors Easton Lewis, Lola Armand, Matthew Villanueva, and junior Jayden Youngblood.
“I wanted to do something to make sure the student section stayed respectful while also being hyped,” Lewis said. “Our athletes are having fun out there, but it’s important we show up for them because they feed off of the crowd.”
Staff members who attended Bowie before teaching are able to compare the current state of Bowie spirit to how it used to be.
Economics teacher Glen Lewis is Easton’s father and is one of those teachers. Glen went to Bowie, used to coach football here at the school, and is now focused on teaching economics.
“Bowie’s spirit back during the class of 1994 was
awesome,” Glen said. “We had students writing songs, we had a homecoming parade, and it sure sounded like at least half the student body was in the stands for every game.”
Easton grew up on the Bowie sidelines, watching games, his father coaching, and the students making noise in the stands. He has been involved in Bowie’s spirit culture since he was just a kid and has continued to be involved since his freshman year.
“I grew up around the Bowie football program and I always thought it’d be really cool to get involved,” Easton said. “I’ve always been super passionate about school spirit and last year it was super cool to watch how my older friends conducted the student section. So, they definitely led me into this position.”
The spirit leaders have stepped into their position this year with the goal of increasing spirit across the school. In past years, Bowie has had students who led the student section, but this year the official title of spirit leader has been revived.
“Our student section needs more energy and school pride,” Armand said. “We’re definitely helping by showing it’s okay to be silly, go all out, and just have fun while supporting our team. And I really love seeing everyone come together and cheer for our team.”
The spirit leaders dress up for every spirit day and are constantly encouraging everyone to come to the games. Their efforts has had a corralling effect on the school as they are making sure the student section and spirit days are more entertaining.
“I hadn’t seen our student section that packed out in a long time, especially during my four years,” Easton said. “Seeing everybody come out for the season opener was super cool and I really appreciated it.”
Easton himself is a Bowie athlete and is on the varsity baseball team, so he and the other spirit leaders plan to continue their good example of school pride throughout the year. The spirit team hopes to attend volleyball, basketball, and baseball games to show what school spirit means to them.
“Having school spirit is more than just, I go to this school and I love going to this school,” Easton said. “It’s showing up for your friends who are going out there, competing, and showing up for early practices. Because coming from an
athlete seeing my friends support me win or lose means a lot.”
Glen is the announcer at the football games, and as the ‘voice’ of the ‘Bulldawgs, he often sees how much energy other teams are bringing to Bowie’s own home games.
“I peep down from the announcer’s box as often as possible and it’s pretty disappointing,” Glen said.
“I feel like AISD is more concerned with what they deem safety issues than letting kids support their classmates. But, I do think having a spirit leader is a step in the right direction.
Having someone that is looked to promote healthy support of peers, and gives the administration a group they can discuss concerns with.”
The spirit leaders are already coming up with spirit ideas. And plan to continue the tradition of spirit leader, looking to their spirited underclassmen.
“At other schools the students look excited because the pep rallies are fun and interactive,” Armand said.
“So, I think it would be better if we had more games
that picked people from the crowd or just made it more like a party so the students could really enjoy it.”
The spirit team has many other problems to tackle throughout the year, but the team is already enjoying the return of the spirit leader tradition and the football season. Easton especially enjoys spirit day themes.
“Seeing everybody dress up and take their own spin on things is super cool,” Easton said. “But I’d love to see my favorite change to pep rallies and see people wearing Texas sized mums, but it’s a little hard to do all that in one year. But I really want this year to be as fun as it can be for everybody and I hope everybody shows up to the games.”
Progressive performers spread joy to people in need
Eve Johnson Dispatch Reporter
Passion and joy fill the hearts of young students as they rehearse during Joy Act Club, a newly founded organization at James Bowie High School. These rehearsals will eventually shape into a way to spread the joy of acting that these students experience to people who need to feel a little love, light, and laughter.
The Joy Act Club was founded by junior Gracie Ruland and aims to reach the hearts and minds of senior citizens in care homes or anyone else who needs a little extra happiness in their life through the art of theater. Already, dozens of students involved in Bowie’s theater program have become members of the Joy Act Club, to share their love of acting with others.
“My favorite part about being in the club is collaborating with other theater students for something really important,” The Joy Act Club’s junior musical theatre review director Marin Lawson said. “As in, going to less fortunate people in the hospital or visiting nursing homes with a group of people who all want to make the world a better place.” The club has already held auditions and cast members for the first two shows they are doing in the fall semester, and are currently reading through their scripts. Right now, they are based during school hours and hold all of their rehearsals in FIT, all under the leadership of Ruland, vice president Hailey Davidson, and other executive officers Alice Goss and Jennifer Crawford.
"Most of us have been doing theater for a long time, so being able to use this talent to help others makes me happy.
cover what we’re going to be doing that week,” Hart said. “So, essentially, what everything is looking like, the events that are coming up on our schedule, and all the details people need to know. Then we just hang out and socialize with our friends.”
Marin Lawson
Musical Review Director
“In a typical FIT meeting, we
These day-to-day meetings help keep the productions on track, but they are only the beginning of what the club hopes to accomplish. Their goal is to share the connection they have with others outside the school.
“I’m excited to bring joy to others who don’t normally get to experience
this kind of thing, like those who are sick or aren’t able to get out much, so they get to experience it as well,” Hart said. “We haven’t started traveling anywhere yet, but once we get these shows up and running, we’ll start performing to people in need.”
Hart is the Joy Act Club’s director for musical theater review and is one of the people responsible for making sure their productions are perfect for their audience. His favorite part about being a director is that he gets to lead his fellow members to their true potential on the stage and watch them thrive.
“In the fall, we are performing two different productions, ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ and ‘North Pole’s Got Talent’,” Hart said. “So, during FIT, we split up into two different groups based on which show you were assigned, and run through lines with our cast-mates.”
The production of ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ is based on the popular children’s movie about cartoon character Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, and their friends looking for the true meaning of Christmas. The club’s second skit, ‘North Pole’s Got Talent’, is a common Christmas show performed in school theater and follows the story of the various inhabitants of the North Pole performing songs and dances to spread Christmas cheer.
“We held auditions for our shows last week, and everyone was super excited to find out which production they were in,” Lawson said. “My main job is going to be helping to direct our musical theater shows in the spring, so right now I’m just helping our pres-
ident and vice president in any way I can and taking up small roles, like a reindeer, to fill in spaces.”
The Joy Act Club, though sponsored through one of Bowie’s theater directors Marco Bazan, is entirely crafted with student minds. From the basic idea of the club to making it a real thing, casting its members, and coming up with plays, it’s all been student-led.
“It is completely student-driven; the students direct it, they cast it, and produce the shows,” Bazan said. “I think what’s exciting about them is that it gives students leadership roles and responsibility while also giving them space to direct and create their own art.”
According to Bazan, these students have created an amazing community that helps them build character for their future. Many of the club’s members are juniors and seniors, and are graduating in the next year or two. Joy Act Club is something that these students will put on their college applications and carry with them wherever they go next.
“I think what we’re doing is really great and I would definitely put this on my college applications,” Hart said. “It’s a type of community service and shows colleges what kind of people we are.”
Ruland, Davidson, Goss, and Bazan created the club with the hope of inspiring independence in all who joined and offering up the opportunity to make a change in their community. Only time will tell if the club will flourish, but Ruland reports feeling hopeful.
“I feel really proud about what we’re doing, and I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of this amazing group of people,” Lawson said. “Most of us have been doing theater for a long time, so being able to use this talent to help other people makes me happy.”
EASTON LEWIS Senior Spirit Leader
BRIGHTER THAN NEON: Spirit leader Easton Lewis cheers for his fellow Bulldawgs’ on the field and encourages his peers to light up the stands with neon decoration and vibrant energy. It was a Thursday night game, but the student section was still full of students sporting neon colors and lots of school pride. PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
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VIDEO BY Will Olenick
MARIN LAWSON Junior Review Director
CHRISTMAS CHOICES: Junior Peter Davis, sophomore Ava Bond, and freshman Kaia Blanford step onto the stage ready to
bring their own spin to their audition monologue. Each actor portraying a fun holiday inspired character trying to shows the directors what they can bring to their shows. PHOTOS BY Ben Wong
SURFS UP AND SPIRIT UP: Lola Armand and Easton Lewis get swept away in the tropical energy of spirit day. Even as the Dawgs’ prepared to travel to San Antonio for the nights game, the spirit team does not falter in their school pride. PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
Elenore Blue Dispatch Reporter
Growing up, one of my favorite books was Ronald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
A main conflict in the story arises when William Bucket, the main provider for the story’s family, is laid off from his job at the toothpaste factory. Why? Because a new and methodical robot has taken the place of himself and countless others at the toothpaste factory, plunging the protagonist Charlie and his family into further depths of poverty.
While this book is an obviously fantastical work of fiction, it reflects a common sentiment of fear and uncertainty that coincides with rapidly advancing technology.
The truth is, the concerns about industrialization Dahl expressed in 1964 continue to unravel over 80 years later, partially with the implementation of self-driving cars.
Humanity is driven forward by one key thing, innovation.
From the telephone to Sticky Notes, inventions whether monumental or fundamental have been contested by one group of people at some point in time.
People have strong opinions and mixed reactions when it comes to companies such as Waymo and Cruise in their attempt to pioneer this new mode of transportation.
But what is the actual experience like? Can we justify an autonomous take-over if it promotes safety and reduces the risk of human error? These are the conclusions I was eager to draw in early September when I hopped into a Waymo car for the first time.
Booking and interacting with the Waymo app was easy enough. My only frame of reference for car ordering apps was Uber, which I’ve never had any significant problems with. It’s an easy trade-off with low stakes. Maybe an awkward con-
versation for the ease of being driven around. With Waymo, that factor is irrelevant. You’re guaranteed a silent and self-contained drive.
To book your drive, you have to download the official Waymo app. There, you are greeted with an estimated wait time and three options for dropoff sites. It’s relatively easy to understand and work through. The in-app map shows you the car’s destination as it travels towards you, and seems to be incredibly accurate. When it arrived I hopped in the backseat, buckled my seatbelt, pressed the start button at the top of the screen, and we were off.
The ride was unremarkable. I wasn’t witness to any egregious driving errors or close calls. The Waymo stopped at red lights, drove on green, and I gradually felt my shoulders relax as time went on. It felt like a human driving, one that was cautious and alert. After I got over the general unease of a driver-less car, the experience was smooth. Almost too smooth. It was surprising to me how easy it was to give up my autonomy, to put my safety in the hands of software and have minimal anxiety about it.
I’m not the only one that found this loss of control somewhat peaceful. Currently, the Waymo app stands at a perfect 5.0 rating, with over 130,000 reviews. That is an impressive rating for such a seemingly polarizing topic. Another thing about Waymo is that you know what you get with every ride. A clean, new car that takes you where you need to go. You don’t have to worry about a reckless driver or dirty seats. Everything is regulated and looked after under the microscope of a company trying to assimilate into regular routine. Safety is an obvious concern when evaluating the overall impacts of a greater use and implementation of self-driving cars. Because they are somewhat new concepts, there are
minimal records and comparisons between self-driving cars and human operated vehicles.
We’ve all heard news stories about autonomous cars going off the rails, driving in circles and taking people to the wrong destination. These cases of minor inconvenience are spread around at a rapid rate, and can warp public perception. While I’m not attempting to invalidate this response, at the end of the day, a wrong turn is a small price in comparison to the potential devastation and consequences at the hands of human error.
While I’m all for the protection of human jobs, I’m also for the protection of human lives. Car crashes are a normal part of our lives every day. It’s a risk you take every time you get in a car, from road trips to short carpools. We can’t escape the threat anywhere, in our neighborhoods, highways, or even school parking lots. It’s so ingrained in our worlds that
a common goodbye is “drive safely.” The dangers of driving are not lost on anyone.
I’m not saying that self-driving cars are the solve-all for transportation accidents. Computers are also susceptible to mistakes, close calls, and outright shutdowns. Still, human error rates are higher. It feels like I constantly see someone on their phone while driving, swerving in and out of different lanes.
Ultimately, fears driven by these self-driving cars are valid. For one, we don’t know how these cars work. How could it possibly be routinely accurate? Make tough decisions? Be engineered by someone miles away?
To that I’d ask this; how does an airplane work? How does a robot play chess or respond to questions? At a certain point, skepticism is valid in new innovations. Gone are the times when everything was taken at face value, when discourse and debate over
rapidly advancing tech was out of the public eye. But what do we actually know about these normalized everyday practices?
At the end of the day, as hard as we try, we cannot outrun technology. Whether we are optimistic or pessimistic, it is expanding at a truly unprecedented rate. Its advancement cannot be slowed by those of us unsure about changing times.
True, cars driving themselves seems like something that should not be possible. At the same time, humans were not supposed to travel at the speed of a cheetah. It’s all relative when you zoom out. Why shouldn’t cars be able to drive themselves or even fly? If you look at these self-driving cars more practically, it is possible to see something at its core.
Self-driving cars are new and updates on their development are quick to be radicalized. We’ve grown deaf to news of highway pileups and dangerous drivers. It causes less of a wave
us from something that could make a serious difference. My ride was smooth, fast, and relatively affordable. While this new mode of transportation is still relatively new, it serves as a functional way to go somewhere safely. It is a good option that will only become more precise and widespread with time.
While I’m not going to be the first one to welcome our new robot overlords, I’m trying to be sanguine about something that is, to a certain extent, out of our hands. I’m not going to force you into the back of a Waymo or argue about its inherent problems, but I would advise and suggest a certain level of open-mindedness when it comes to the possibilities for good.
La La Land Cafe: the trendiest coffee shop in Austin
Kona Badgley-Finan Dispatch Reporter
The La La Land Cafe is an up-andcoming cafe that was founded by Francois Reihani in 2019 in Dallas. The La La Land Cafe now has over 20 locations across the United States, including a new location that just opened in Austin. The La La Land Cafe is known for various drinks and food items, and one of its most popular items is the matcha. The Cafe has become popular very quickly for its trendy drinks and unique atmosphere. The Cafe has also become a popular spot for teenagers to take Instagram pictures. What I like about the La La Land Cafe is its mission. One of the pillars of the La La Land Cafe is being philanthropic, and one way the owners execute that mission is by employing young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, giving them a chance to earn money and gain valuable work experience. I find this really meaningful because several of my siblings were adopted out of foster care,
and it is really amazing to see that people are looking out for older foster children. This differentiates the La La Land Cafe from other restaurants and coffee shops, and I think that is really awesome.
The La La Land Cafe is located at 1400 South Congress Ave. and is open seven days a week. The hours are 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, and it closes at 8 p.m. on weekends. The prices range from about $8 for drinks to about $10 to $12 for pastries, avocado toast, and other items.
The atmosphere of La La Land Cafe is very inviting and bright. It is very aesthetic because of the yellow and white color scheme. When I went, it was very crowded, and the line was wrapped around the building because it was a University of Texas Longhorns game day, but they had relatively quick, very polite, and kind service for so many people. Some of the food menu items included various types of croissants, a lot of different toast options such as hazelnut toast, which has hazelnut
spread, strawberries, and banana, and a truffle baratta toast. As for the drink menus, there were different matcha’s like strawberry and lavender, as well as other lattes. I ordered a couple of different items, including the ¨Pumpkin Pie Cloud Chai, ¨ which is a seasonal item, a “Mango Passionfruit Cooler”, the ¨La La Latte Matcha,¨ and an avocado toast.
Their matcha is one of the Cafe´s most popular items, so I was eager to see if it lived up to the hype, but my expectations were low because I am not a big fan of matcha. However, the matcha was surprisingly good, the best part of it was the cold foam on top, because it helped make it sweeter, although I probably wouldn’t order it again due to my personal preference.
The Mango Passionfruit Cooler was really good. I was skeptical because of the tea, but it actually really complemented the flavors and was extremely refreshing. The avocado toast was really good, too, and had a large portion size, even though I ordered the kids’ size. I appreciated the quantity for a good price. Lastly, I had the Pumpkin Pie Cloud Chai. It was good, but it oddly had a little too much spice to it. The drinks were dif ferent from commercial coffee shops like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Do nuts. The matcha at La La Land Cafe was a lot better than the matcha at Starbucks because it was easier to pick out something that would taste good due to all the different flavors and cold foam that you could add. The Pumpkin Pie Cloud Chai is comparable to Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai and although both were good, I
prefer the Starbucks chai because it had a better flavor. Although, the Mango Passionfruit Cooler is comparable to the Starbucks Refreshers, I prefer the one from the La La Land Cafe because it was very refreshing, the flavor was also a little bit stronger, so you really tasted the mango, and you get to pick what tea you want for the base, allowing for a more customizable drink.
La La Land Cafe is quite different compared to grab-and-go coffee shops such as Starbucks. If you are in the mood to just get a drink and leave, then a commercial coffee shop like Starbucks is probably more fitting, but if you want to hang out, take pictures, and you have more time to
spend at a coffee shop, I would recommend going to The La La Land Cafe. In all, the drinks were pretty good, but they weren’t my favorite. La La Land Cafe had a lot of different options for milk and syrups you could use, so you could customize your drink to exactly how you like it. The cafe did a good job of the aesthetic factor, and the cups had uplifting messages such as ¨Be kind¨and ¨Life is beautiful. I also understand why it is a popular spot for social media pictures because the inside was very aesthetically pleasing. Overall, I would recommend making a visit to the cafe because of its commitment to philanthropy, its inviting atmosphere, and the unique menu options that it is bringing to Austin. Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of all the drinks, it
than news that a Waymo drove in circles in downtown Austin. But this distorted perception should not dissuade
PHOTO BY Kona Badgely-Finan
ART BY Sara Fowler
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PODCAST BY Sawyer Daniel and Cooper Ford
COFFEE:
COMMENTARY
Technology ban isn't perfect
New Texas legislation on personal devices is too black and white
EDITORIAL
Texas students shove their phones into their backpacks, pockets, or waistbands as they walk into school, in hopes that teachers and administration don't see them. They don’t want their devices to get taken due to the new law prohibiting personal technology on school campuses.
Texas House Bill 1481 took effect statewide on September 1. This new legislation prohibits all personal technology in Texas schools during instructional hours. This includes cell phones, non school-issued computers, tablets, smartwatches, or any other personal device capable of digital communication. All school districts were required by law to have a policy in place regarding this new ban by September 18.
Lawmakers proposed the idea with the intent to help students remain focused and engaged during the school day. The idea was that if students didn’t have access to social media, streaming services, and text messaging, they would become more engaged with their environment and productivity would increase. There was also a hope that cyberbullying and negative mental health would decrease because of the ban.
While the law was created with good intentions, there are some important things that clearly didn’t go into consideration when creating it. The ban on personal technology has created some significant problems that need to be ironed about before Texas students can embrace the new policy.
Digital communication during school hours was one of the biggest things Texas lawmakers were trying to stop, but because the law is so absolute, students, parents, and staff have run into some unexpected issues. Students can no longer text their parents or coaches during the day, no matter the circumstance. Because of this, students have gotten their phones taken by staff while trying to secure a ride home or find out what time the bus is coming for their game later that
day. It is easy to get upset with the school administration, but it is not their fault; the law is the law, and they don’t get to choose how much it should be enforced.
School staff have also had to adjust to the new rules, which has been more than just taking up students’ phones. Teachers have had to modify their lesson plans to not include any kind of personal technology. They can no longer ask students to take a quick picture of the board or scan a QR code connected to their lesson. Coaches can also no longer expect their athletes to fill out forms or respond to their announcements in a timely manner.
Ac-
cording to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), Texas school districts received $20 million in state grant funding to help them enforce their policies on personal devices. This funding has gone to things like phone pouches or other storage solutions for phones. For example, some school districts, like Dallas ISD and Abilene ISD, have purchased Yondr phone pouches for
to newer school-issued devices instead. Some students that have been forced to give up their personal computers and dust off the old school-issued computers have been struggling to get their work done because their old devices can no longer keep up.
Missing keys, sticky track pads, weak battery life, and lagging browsers are slowing students down, and some schools don’t have the money to replace the out of date technology. The old computers students have to use cancel out the productivity lawmakers were hoping to generate in the first place by banning personal devices.
Many students that used personal computers or tablets for their classes are now having to find workarounds to make up for their loss of resources.
School Chromebooks can’t run specific software applications needed for elective classes, like Adobe products, so students can’t complete their work during instructional hours unless they are sitting at a desktop. Also, many AP and dual credit classes require students to submit
photos and videos of their work. their phones, but now they have to use their Chromebooks that take very low quality images and videos. This makes it difficult for teachers to read students' work.
The concerns about productivity, cyberbullying, and mental health driving this new law are valid concerns. With that though, because the law is so black and white, students have yet to feel the positive effects that should be coming with the new rules. Students are frustrated and angry with their slow computers, and they are anxious that their phones are going to get taken before they can text their parents about something urgent.
The new law prohibiting personal technology in Texas schools isn’t crazy, it just needs more flexibility. It should have exceptions for certain classes or emergencies, and schools should have a grace period for students and parents while figuring out how to adjust to the new rules. Taking away a big part of life is bound to create problems, so the state needs to be patient with students while they figure out how to be without the technology they have had unlimited access to up until this point.
Possible Kennedy Center changes are awful
The Kennedy Center, a historical landmark and the second largest performing venue in the USA. It was founded on the love and appreciation of the performing arts. Soon it will be renamed The Trump-Kennedy Center by President Donald J. Trump's latest “Make Entertainment Great Again” act. According to PBS, on February 12, 2025, President Trump appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center after firing multiple board members and replacing them with his own picks. Fox News claims he’s already announcing changes he will make to the historical venue, including renaming it after his wife, stopping “woke political programming” and the drag shows that are supposedly targeting youth. These changes will be detrimental to the entertainment community. These choices go against what the Kennedy Center stands for and may bring down the value of being awarded at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. The performing arts are for everyone, no matter their political views. The first problem was
his choice for the annual Kennedy Center honorees. According to Fox News, Trump said he was heavily involved with the selection of honorees, when in previous years there would be a long voting process where the board members, public, and past honorees would select the featured performers. When Trump announced the upcoming honorees, he told the conference that he “said no to a couple wokesters,” solidifying the suspicion that he is selecting performers based on political views rather than talent. The selected performers are very talented, however, their talent during this
award ceremony risks being clouded by their political views.
Trump’s next change was stopping the “woke political programming” and youth targeted drag shows. Fox News says that Trump has claimed that last year the Kennedy Center featured drag shows that were advertised as “child friendly” well, the Kennedy Center actually has an archive of all featured performances on their website. There were no performances that were child friendly drag shows, what was actually performed was a diverse selection of highly talented symphonies, quartets, soloists, ballerinas, comedians,
and beautifully constructed musicals that were chosen based on talent rather than political party.
Lastly is Trump's proposal to rename the center. On The Kennedy Centers website they state that the center has always been a privately funded and independent facility founded under the National Cultural Center Act signed by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and was supported by former President John F. Kennedy. The center's website has an entire blurb about why it was named after former President Kennedy. This center has become a living
memorial because of his efforts in fundraising for the center's creation; he raised $30 million in his fundraising campaign in November of 1962. Kennedy became the leader of this performing arts center for almost 30 years. Trump slapping his name onto the center is not only disrespectful for what the center stands for but also doesn’t make any sense.
President Trump hasn’t shown any previous support for this center in specific, according to Forbes in his first term all he did was increase federal funding in 2020 as an emergency allotment under the CARES Act. Forbes claims Trump was actually the first President to skip the Kennedy Honors ceremony all the way back in 2017. Naming this living memorial of former President Kennedy after himself is downplaying all Kennedy did for this world-renowned center. As a lover of the performing arts and a musician myself, this is deeply troubling to see. I ask you to educate yourself about this act and what it will really do for the Kennedy Center and vote for House Representatives and Senators that value the performing arts so we can preserve the legend that is the Kennedy Center.
ART BY Jenny Kimbrough
ART BY Sophia Shaw
New Texas legislation is violating the First Amendment.
Texas public school classrooms may not get enough funding for clubs or school supplies, but don’t worry, posters showing the Ten Commandments are fully covered.
On September 1, Senate Bill 10 (SB10) went into effect, stating that a 16-by-20-inch poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments must be clearly posted in all Texas classrooms. The law specifically uses the Protestant Christian Ten Commandments, which is a list of rules that declares principles in which one should live in harmony with God and other human beings. They focus specifically on having a good relationship with God and treating the people around you correctly.
Many Texas families stemming from different faiths are outraged over this ruling and have filed legal complaints to stop school districts from implementing it, leading to a preliminary injunction for multiple districts. This means that the districts that this injunction applies to do not have to follow SB10 until a decision is made on the issue.
It should be illegal for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools because it encroaches on our constitutional rights and brings religion into areas where it is not prevalent.
In the First Amendment, the Establishment Clause states that the government cannot establish a religion. The fact that the Prot-
estant Christian version of the Ten Commandments is the one expected to be used is inching closer to violating the Establishment Clause. Though many different religions have their own rules similar to the Ten Commandments, the limitation of the law seems almost like an establishment of religion by the Texas government.
Additionally, the Establishment Clause supports the separation of church and government, which is clearly being violated if the state requires religious documents in a non-religious setting.
Similarly, the Free Exercise Clause prohibits the government from controlling how citizens express their religion. Displaying these posters in classrooms, though it may not be directly taught to them, pressures children into complying with these specific religious views. Religion is something that should be explored and decided in one’s own or with one’s family. Not in schools, where there is very little discussion about religion.
Not only is the new legislation simply unconstitutional, but it can also create uncomfortable environments for those who do not follow the Christian religion. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center, about 67% of Texas citizens identify with Christianity, leaving 33% of citizens who identify with another religion, or none at all. This can make children in Texas classrooms who are in this 33% feel like they are doing something wrong by having different beliefs, especially young children who are still finding out who they are.
Texas legislators and supporters
One, Two, Three, Four, Five…. Six, Seven. Sometimes a phrase exists to be stupid. It holds weight in a community by being an illogical phrase that is confusing in every sense of the English language, but it’s funny. Funny to the community it resides in, at least. Everyone else is scrunching their eyebrows in confusion and sheepishly pulling out their phones to look up “what does six-seven mean, and why does my Gen Z kid keep saying it?”
The world we live in is a sad and dark one, but it has always been, but the difference between Gen Z and those born before lies in the fact that Gen Z is the first generation to be fully immersed in a world with social media. You could be trying to decompress after a long day by going on social media, but instead, you become anxious about a financial crisis, climate change, political crisis, and wars. And I’m not saying that being informed is a negative thing; I’m just highlighting the fact that Gen Z tends to get overwhelmed by news, making them too anxious to do anything productive. Because of this, I believe that Gen Z’s confusing phrases with hollow meanings expresses the generational fear that this future is a bleak one, with no control to change that fact.
You can control the things you say, so
escape religious persecution. Making the claim that children need to look at the Ten Commandments in classrooms due to the history of America is not only wrong morally, but it’s also based on a false interpretation of history and American ideals.
Conservative lawmakers claim that those who do not support this bill are “woke” radicals who want to erase the history of the nation; yet the people against this bill are
why not make it funny? There is comfort in knowing you have a community that laughs at stupid phrases like one big inside joke or maybe one big cry for help. Gen Z is anxious, scared, tired, as well as a little apathetic, and their language expresses that.
Let’s talk about romance, the fuel that powers the gears of love, empathy, and hope in the human heart. More specifically, let’s talk about how romance is dead and how Gen Z slang reflects the vanity of relationships today.
It’s strange, but two people who both like each other romantically will describe their relationship as a “talking stage,” with the reason being they’ve only ever talked. It makes more sense to just say that you’re two friends who are incapable of communicating that they want a sustainable relationship, but saying “talking stage” is quicker. When will they go on a date? Probably never, this description allows a relationship to only exist in a stationary state, preventing the connection from flourishing into love, just like all the labels Gen Z uses for a relationship: three-month stage, honeymoon stage, situationship.
There is no issue in categorizing your relationship. When everyone in Gen Z seems to be afraid of putting a label on it, the most logical thing to do is create more labels that are less intimidating and a little silly to make sense of your connection. I believe that when people use these slang words for their relationships, the underly-
the displaying of the Ten Commandment posters is unconstitutional and can make children who do not share those beliefs uncomfortable. SB10 should be outlawed and, furthermore, the government should never require public schools to present any sort of religious material in classrooms. This law represents only the beginning of what could become a series of increasingly aggressive efforts to force religion into public
resulting in the vain language and lack of substance in a relationship. So, that is why I won’t judge someone’s situationship too harshly.
And if we looked at our relationship, this one-sided longing of connection between the writer and their reader, who, in all honesty, probably just skimmed the page, I’d say I’m “love bombing” you with my infectious words to manipulate you into reading more. Makes sense, right?
But “it’s really not that deep,” the world will keep on spinning if your talking stage ghosted you because your relationship hit the three-month deadline for teenage love. I’ve never written a more vacuous sentence in my life, and I doubt you ever read one either. Gen Z has the unfavorable habit of
We have the same opportunity to make our voices heard by standing alongside organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation which are actively fighting to protect the principle of the separation of church and state. By supporting their lawsuits and advocacy efforts, we can help defend both the integrity of public education and the constitutional rights of all students.
taking a situation that should be treated with empathy and being completely apathetic.
Gen Z says phrases like “it’s not that deep” in response to a traumatic, pitiful, or maybe an accusatory situation. As a teenager, I am confused as to why apathy is trending, but my guess is that minimizing an emotion, yours or someone else’s, takes away the pressure to deal with the problem. You don’t have to comfort a person if the situation wasn’t that deep, you don’t have to give your advice if what they did wasn’t that deep, you don’t have to apologize to someone if it wasn’t that deep.
Gen Z is desensitized to tragedy; they see it every day on social media. This numbness towards serious situations has created a lack of empathy for people because whatever they’re going through pales in comparison to whatever was on the news this morning. And let’s be “for real,” our earth is on fire, and our kids won’t know what a polar bear is, you getting ghosted is just not “that deep.”
Gen Z slang, with all its flaws, reflects how a generation’s culture is a direct response to the society surrounding them. This is a pattern in every society, but Gen Z slang demonstrates the lack of hope for the future that social media created for young adults and teens. Simultaneously, proving that connection allows for a community to thrive, and for Gen Z, their connection is fused with their nonsensical slang. Did you “eat” this article up or what?
PHOTOS BY Capri Wyatt
Annual club fair brings Bowie to life
Students find new opportunities at the fair
Isadora Parra
Photo Essay Editor
Under bright skies in the courtyard, students crowd to club booth tables, eager to learn about the many activities and opportunities waiting for them.
On Friday, Sept. 5, Bowie hosted its annual Club Fair during both first and second lunch in the courtyard. The Club Fair showcased only a portion of the 100+ clubs Bowie has to offer.
"“It was definitely fun when I had a break from my own club to walk around the courtyard and check out the many other clubs,” junior Rose Florence said. “I liked having the chance to check out and be informed about a lot of the clubs. I even signed up for a lot of clubs myself that I thought were interesting.”
part is how many people really seemed to be interested in the club that I helped managed the booth for because usually a lot of people just want the candy or the food that are at the booths, but I think there was a lot of people that came over that wanted to know more about our club and were looking into their future,” junior Andrea Garcia said. “The Fair definitely helps all of the clubs grow a lot by getting new volunteers and members.”
Our Wild Hearts club is new this school year, Club Fair really helped us debut our club and we ended gaining a lot of new members.
Rose Florence Junior
Many club leaders expressed that they were pleasantly surprised by how engaged students were at this year’s fair. While treats like candy and sweets often attract attention, several club members noticed that students seemed genuinely curious about what each club had to offer. The Club Fair not only gives students the chance to explore new interests, but also helps clubs connect with potential members.
“I think the most surprising
For clubs that don’t always get a lot of attention, the event gave them a chance to show students what they are all about. That spotlight helped students see new opportunities and gave clubs a chance to connect with people who might not have noticed them otherwise.
“The Club Fair definitely brings people together and it allows students to realize that they have something in common with other people, and they can build connections that way,” ASL honor society and ASL club sponsor Jess Bartell said. “It really makes a difference to how people feel accepted and welcomed. Anybody with any interests or skills can find somewhere they belong, and that’s why Club Fair is so crucial and I am glad Bowie has
Club Fair each year.” Clubs found different ways to stand out at this year’s fair, from colorful posters to interactive displays that drew students in. For some clubs, it wasn’t about people signing up, but about sparking curiosity and starting conversations. The Freedom to Read club highlighted the unique aspects of their club by prompting students to ask questions, and leaving them with something to think about.
“I think Club Fair is a good way for clubs to interact with people that are wanting to learn more about clubs and try to get people interested on what their club is,” senior Riley Soffera said “We had a bunch of books that are banned at our club booth, and it’s really interesting for people to stop by and say that they had no idea a book was banned and we would inform them about everything there is to know about the books and our club as well.”
Students can get involved on campus in a variety of ways Senior Jack Lowe finds that many clubs offer a flexible and welcoming way to explore their interests, meet new people, decide what activities are the right fit for them, and that clubs create opportunities for students to step out of their comfort zones.
“Clubs are something everyone should try at least once, especially if they match your interests, because you’ll meet people who share those same passions as you,” Lowe said. “I would say clubs are the best way to meet new people, that is how I met a lot of my friends I have today.”
PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
PREP FOR SUCCESS: Juniors Andrea Garcia and Alexander Pena managed the Pathway to College club booth. Pathway to
