Limited on-site parking opportunities pushes students to nearby streets with limited legal parking, resulting in tickets
With the opportunity to obtain campus parking passes long gone, many students who were unable to secure one in time are having to find alternative places to park near the Bowie campus.
Two of the most common areas students use to park without a permit include the sides of Wolftrap near Bethany Church and a neighborhood off West Slaughter Lane, with Norman Trail serving as the main street where students park. However, parking in these off-cam pus areas has also led to an increase in parking tickets for some students.
“I have heard from friends that parking tickers are mainly due to parking improperly,” junior Luciana Blacutt said, “so things like parking to far from the curbs, or places that are marked for no parking.”
Blacutt who recently had to park on Norman Trail due to her car being in the shop, and not having a parking pass in her substitute vehicle. Blacutt explained that the space for parking on Norman Trail was very limited, and many students don't leave enough space for others to park.
“I think that all the parking options of campus have pros and cons,” Blacutt said. “But, having to walk 10 minutes to the building wasn't the best, but also parking in the lots on campus take longer to get home.”
Blacutt explained after school let out, when she got to her car, she realized she had received a parking ticket that explained her vehicle was parked too far from the curb.
“I received a parking ticket be cause I was parked too far from the curb,” Blacutt said. “But, consid ering how some of the other cars parked on the street, it made me pretty frustrated with the situation because of the unfair regulations that I feel is around parking, not only in the neighborhoods, but all over campus.”
THE DISPATCH
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026
Election sets tone for November
Texas primaries lead to a Republican Senate runoff and
Peyton Dorsey News Editor
The Texas Primary Election was held on March 3, collecting votes for the U.S. Senate, House, and Texas Governor candidates. Two candidates in the Senate Republican primary tied to advance into a runoff. Incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn, and Texas
Attorney General Ken Paxton. The run off will occur on May 26, to see who will face off against Democrat Senate nominee and Texas Representative James Talarico in November.
“My main focus is always the senate, because I think it has the most widespread implications,” world geog raphy and world history teacher Ross Anderson said. “It will be interesting to see who wins the Republican runoff in May.”
Democrat Talarico is focusing his campaign against corporate influence
Many students and teachers have grown frustrated with parking and traffic around campus. Charles Stampley, a history teacher at Bowie who has taught students from freshmen to seniors for many years, often reminds his classes to drive safely before the weekend. He emphasizes that students need to be more aware and take responsibility when driving.
“At the end of the day, it's a student's responsibility to take care of their parking and how they drive around campus,” Stampley said. “I just hope that students can learn to drive safely and learn some responsibility not only on campus but everywhere."
Some students struggle to find available parking when spaces are limited and most neighborhood streets fill up quickly, especially since parking passes are only offered twice a year. Tatiana Bosada explained that, when she got her license, she sometimes had to park in less conventional areas simply to get to school on time.
“I would park in different parking lots depending on where there was space, I started by parking on either neighborhood roads, then sometimes I would find space in the back of the Bethany lot,” Bosada said. “Honestly, there was always plenty of space in the lots that are close to campus, so it made me frustrated that parking passes were not available at more times during the year because many students have different circumstances and needs throughout the year.”
STORY BY Reese Walker
Remembering John Morrow: how students are adjusting
Reese Walker Dispatch Reporter
The Bowie community is mourning the loss of John Morrow, a teacher who joined Bowie for the 2025–2026 school year. Morrow taught several math courses, including Algebra II and Pre-Calculus, and quickly made a meaningful impact on students and staff alike.
Morrow passed away peacefully at home in Kyle, Texas, on Sunday evening, January 18, surrounded by friends and family, following a tragic car accident the previous day. Before coming to Bowie, he had a successful career as an energy commodities broker in Houston, Texas, before choosing to pursue his passion for teaching.
While many students are still struggling with the loss of their teacher, who was a friend to many students, the math department believes it to be crucial that students are back on track with their learning sooner than later. But this task has been a struggle without a designated teacher for students.
Morrow's 3rd period class had the opportunity to be moved to Caren Garcia's class during her off period. Garza teaches many different math classes at Bowie, spanning on level to AP classes. Garza explains how she has enjoyed teaching a new class and meeting new students.
“I love my new students. I'm so grateful I get to know them,” Garza said, “I just wish
the circumstances were different.”
Avery Camp is a junior, and was one of the students who was moved to Garza's class to finish off the last semester of her Pre-Calculus class. She shared that the transition into a new classroom environment came with adjustments, but it also gave her a new perspective on the class experience.
“The loss was sudden but I feel very thankful to be able to have a smooth transition into a class with a regular teacher who I have been able to connect with personally, but also learn a lot from.” Camp said. “I struggled to learn without someone to get help from whenever I needed it, so I'm glad that we had the opportunity to make that transition as a class.”
Beyond building relationships with her new students, Garza also described the behind-thescenes adjustments teachers had to make in order to keep Morrow’s classes running smoothly after his passing.
“To cover his classes, we divided the load as best we could. Mr. Howe took on Mr. Morrow's 4th period Algebra 2 class during his conference period, and I took on his 3rd period Pre-calculus class during mine. His 5th period Pre-calculus students were redistributed into my 1st and 5th period classes, bringing 54
new students onto my roster. His 6th period class presented a greater challenge — we were unable to find a certified teacher mid-year, which is no small task,” Garza said. “We were fortunate to secure a wonderful permanent substitute in Mr. Pham. I build BLEND pages with guided notes and instructional videos, and Mr. Pham supports students with questions after they've worked through the material. He also attends our Algebra 2 and Pre-calculus
team meetings to stay aligned on what's being taught and assessed. It took time to find our footing, but I truly believe the students are thriving with their new teachers.”
Although the math department has worked to rebuild structure in Morrow’s classes, students say the personal impact he left on them continues far beyond academics.
For many, his encouragement, presence, and support outside the classroom are what they remember most. Lucas Fech-
ter, a junior who had Morrow for first period Algebra II, reflected on the relationship he built with him and the lasting effect of his loss.
“My favorite things about Mr. Morrow was how much he truly cared about all of his students. He always wanted the best for us and constantly showed up for us,” Fechter said. “He came to my football and soccer games and would talk to all of his students after the games. He loved his job and all of his students.”
LOSS FELT: Students gather around to continue their studies following their teachers recent passing. The school is making sure his students are staying on track with their academics. PHOTO BY Gus Abbott
ART BY Jenny Kimbrough
Bowie selects 2025-26 teacher of the year
Alejandro Garcia is honored for his years of dedication in and beyond the classroom
Marissa McGowan
Objective Executive Editor
As the band marched through the halls, passing one classroom after another, teachers paused mid-lesson, all curious to see who would be announced as Teacher of the Year. Among them was Alejandro Garcia, unaware that he was the one about to be recognized.
On January 12, Bowie announced Alejandro Garcia as 2025-2026 teacher of the year. As a longtime member of
just wild. It’s very special, and I’m honored.”
Beyond the personal recognition, Garcia credits his former teachers for inspiring his career path. His experiences with teaching staff as a student at Bowie shaped his decision to return as a teacher.
award, and I’m the only male of those graduates, which is
“Those teachers showed me how honorable it can be to pour into the lives of teenagers to help them along their way, and help push them to be better people.” Garcia said. “That's what I wanted to do with my career, develop skills and navigate their roles on campus.
“When in Student
Council, Mr. G always has a plan for what we need to get done and how to do it,” Bochey said. “He prioritizes efficiency while understanding students' other commitments and needs, and I really respect that about him. He always looks for solutions to solve bigger problems and includes students to help him.”
The Teacher of the Year award is determined through a specific election process. Staff members nominate candidates and later vote to decide the recipient. This system is used to recognize teachers each annually. However, Garcia wishes to implement the importance of student voice when determining Teacher of the Year.
“The staff nominates candidates and votes on the winner, but it didn’t used to be that way,” Garcia said. “Students used to have a role in nominating and voting, and I think that made it more meaningful. Now it’s mostly based on reputation, and not everyone has been in each other’s classrooms. The students are the ones who actually experience how we teach, so they should have a voice in that process.”
While teacher of the year is presented by the district, the ones who vote on it are limited to the staff present on Bowie’s campus. According to Assistant Principal Kaylin Brett, Bowie’s 160 teachers and over 240 staff members on campus play an impactful role in the decision.
“I believe receiving an award by your colleagues and peers demonstrates your impact on a campus,” Brett said. “Oftentimes, many people do not know each other’s names on
our campus. When you are a finalist and receive this award, it shows that you have made a mark on the campus as a whole.”
While the award acknowledges his dedication, Garcia continues to focus on his day-to-day interactions with students. His efforts in both the classroom and extracurriculars demonstrate the depth of his commitment to the Bowie community.
“From being the PALS advisor to running student council, he has never failed to take initiative for Bowie, constantly thinking of ways to improve the campus, whether it's the learning environment, or suggesting rules to better our school, he does it,” Bochey said. “It seriously impresses me to look at the difference he has made not only on the school itself but on every life that comes in and out of his classroom. He really provides a support system for every student which is admirable.”
The rise of rodents problems spread around campus
Thia
Betts Dispatch Reporter
Rats infesting teachers' classrooms have appeared multiple times throughout the school this year. Science teacher Erin Kowalik has had various rat encounters and so have many other teachers and students.
In schools with older buildings like Bowie’s academic building there are many ways for rats to enter school-grounds. Whether it’s through walls, vents, ceilings, or windows, they always get their way into student classrooms.
“One time I was organizing stuff with the theater and we were trying to pull this couch out from the back and there were these two rats there,” junior Violet Martinez said. “We had to all leave because of the rats.”
According to Roberts Termite and Pest Con-
The rats also ate all of our lab experiment corn plants.”
According to Kowalik, the only way to get rid of the rat problem in classrooms would be to have some sort of bond to reformat Bowie’s facilities in order to make the school rat proof.
According to the University of Nebraska rat proof construction guide, rat proof buildings have no gaps larger than ¼ an inch and are built with durable materials such as steel wool and concrete. Metal sheets placed on the interior walls can prevent rats from climbing into ceilings and vents.
“I think the academic building could use a lot of new construction and a lot of remodeling in
"website, their goal is to not interrupt students while managing pests and to not use the herbicide glyphosate. Glyphosate is dangerous for humans because of risks for cancer and gut health.
The school is neglected and not cleaned very often, I think the rat problem is all about neglect because a lot of stuff is really old.
Lola
“Over the summer the school is neglected and not cleaned very often, I think the rat problem is all about neglect because a lot of stuff is really old and never cleaned or moved or anything,” Hejny said. “Rats can be a really big problem because they’re really dirty and gross and even if they don't carry diseases they're also quite a distraction and the whole school is basically just infested with them.”
Some diseases that rats carry include, Leptospirosis, Rat-bite fever, Tularemia, and Salmonellosis. The parasites that they carry include ticks, worms, fleas, and lice. According to the city of Austin (.gov), call 3-1-1 to report a rodent problem or contact them online.
“In theater, they're always in the classrooms, which is super unsanitary and scary,” Martinez said. “In choir, they got into a bunch of our stuff that we use for our events and so we had to go buy a lot of new stuff and make sure nothing had rat poop on it and clean everything.”
According to KUT news, in 2021, 543 callers called to the city of Austin about rodent issues related to rats, in 2022 474 people called, and in 2023 457 people called. Austin has a rat population because of how adaptable rats are, they are also able to eat a lot of things.
“This building is really old and has a lot of ways for wild life to get in and so it's very difficult to keep rats out,” Kowalik said. “So even if we were able to kill the rats they could still find their way in and we are a fabulous shelter and food source for them.”
According to the IPM Action Plan for Pest Management at Texas A&M, mice tend to travel 30 feet away from their nesting sites and rats tend to travel up to 300 feet away from their nesting sites to gather food. Rats are an invasive species and students and teachers worry about school learning and the safety of one another with rats roaming the halls.
“There have been rat issues for years and years and years,” Kowalik said. “It's been a consistent problem for a very long time.”
Schools
This
- Keeps school safe and clean - Reduces exposure to
chemicals - Helps manage issues like rodents and insects responsibly
- Contact your school for details
- Or reach out to the district’s IPM department
WINNER, WINNER: Alejandro Garcia is announced as the 2025-2026 teacher of the year. During his first period various student
council presidents as well as staff greeted Garcia with gifts to celebrate his contributions to Bowie. PHOTO COURTESY OF Joan-
na Willard
ART BY Jenny Kimbrough
SWING-A-LING: Alejandro Garcia swings ladder toss string. He and the schools student council set up ladder toss at part of the annual event Bulldog Round Up, giving the kids opportunity to compete in games to earn prizes and candy. PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
Hejny Freshman
GABBY BOCHEY senior
AISD recently existed state oversight
The district exists TEA control after failing to meet several special education requirements
Katie Grumet Executive Objective Editor
After being under state oversight for nearly three years, AISD was officially released from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on February 17, AISD was placed under TEA supervision after a 2023 state investigation found that there were systematic failures in how the district worked with students who have disabilities. In order to be released from state oversight, AISD had to agree to several requirements that were negotiated with the TEA, and once those were met, the district was able to return to its own control.
As stated in an article from CBS, many parents, teachers, and education advocates urged the district to decline this agreement at the time. They felt that this deal would decrease the control AISD had over Special Education operations. By agreeing to these terms, AISD waived its right to legally challenge the state if it violates any of these requirements.
“There was a lot of backlogs,” special education teacher Alysse Cupelli said. “There’s a process for students to get evaluated and to see if they qualify for special education services. From my understanding, thousands of students were not getting the services they needed, so the TEA decided to take over and review all of our paperwork and the whole evaluation process.”
According to CBS, AISD agreed to several major changes to comply with TEA requirements. One of the things that changed was the required number of minutes spent discussing “student outcomes” and special education monitoring from every meeting to a threemonth rolling time frame, which was said to have given the district more flexibility to handle other issues. Additionally, in this agreement, the TEA appointed a team of monitors who are there to help ensure that AISD were properly supporting students with disabilities.
“It’s important for kids to be evaluated quickly so they can get the support they need,” sophomore Eliana Jones said. “When they have the support they need, they can have the most comfortable experience at school without feeling like they’re different from other kids.”
AISD has stated that being released from state oversight isn’t just about compliance, it's about transforming the special education experience for students. As a part of this transfor-
mation, AISD completed over 10,000 evaluations to ensure that every student received support without delay. In comparison, when the district was first taken over, some families had to wait as long as nine months for their students to be evaluated, and more than 600 special education evaluations were considered “out of timeline.”
“We’re definitely sticking to our deadlines now,” Cupelli said. “Usually by high school, most kids have been evaluated and have already started receiving services. We’ve been strict about when we review those evaluations, which is about every three years. We’ve also done a lot of evaluation, ARD meetings, and re-evaluations to make sure everything is up to date.”
According to AISD, they have grown the special education team by more than 250 specialized providers and evaluators. Staff members have also attended 120,000 hours of professional development to help them establish shared practices and high expectations.
“It was my first year teaching when the takeover started, and admin told me that we were going through a lot of changes,” Cupelli said. “Ever since I’ve started teaching here, it’s been about compliance, paperwork, and making sure we are following the processes legally. We’ve had a lot of meetings, trainings, and done a couple of different programs for special education.”
In an update released by AISD, the goal of all of the training is to ensure that students with disabilities are performing at the highest levels. For instance, 3rd-grade Reading STAAR results for students with disabilities in the 202425 school year outperformed the state average by 3% points. Similarly, data from second-grade reading and numeracy skills showed a double-digit drop in the percentage of students with disabilities who needed academic interventions.
to see how important everybody is.”
Conversely, just as AISD is emerging from a state takeover, a new takeover may be pending. According to an article from the Austin Current, AISD is preparing to hand over three middle schools to external partners to avoid another takeover. The district has already been through a charter school partnership with Mendez Middle School, which has been under charter school leadership since 2018 and will return to AISD control this summer after earning a B rating from the state.
“I’d rather the district be in charge of a school because they know Austin better and understand the structure of the school,” senior Gina Linsalata said. “If a school isn’t struggling, then the district shouldn’t bring someone else in, because bringing in some random organization can cause the school to change a lot, harming the students involved.”
You don’t realize how important special education programs are until you’ve been involved in them.
Joaquin Flores Senior
“If we’re not evolving our efforts to create a better learning environment, then something has to be addressed,” senior Joaquin Flores said. “You don’t realize how important special education programs are until you’ve been involved in them. Once you take a look inside that community, you get
Back in 2017, a state law was passed that allowed school districts to enter partnerships with other organizations in order to improve failing schools. In 2018, Mendez entered its first partnership with Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative (T-STEM), however, it was terminated by the school board in 2021 after the school failed to get passing scores. Mendez then worked with Third Future Schools in 2022 and was able to achieve a passing score for the 202425 year, which led the district to announce shortly after that the end of that partnership and the return of Mendez to AISD’s oversight in August of this year.
“If students aren’t improving, then they aren’t going to be prepared for professional settings,” Linsalata said. “Schools should prioritize helping students improve so that the kids can be successful in their future. While bringing in a different organization could cause a lot of disruption for students, it will ultimately benefit them by setting them up for success.”
ART BY Sara Fowler
According to the Austin Current, in a school partnership, accountability consequences such as state interventions for low-performing schools are paused for two years while the charter works to improve the school’s academic performance. The state will also provide additional funding during that partnership, with the extra funding ending when the school is returned to district control. During a partnership, the charter school can alter the curriculum, instructional strategies,
programs, staff, and budget decisions, depending on the contract between the district and the charter school.
“I hope that regardless of what’s going on in the district, supporting the students and families involved remains a priority,” Flores said. “Certain aspects of school get overlooked when the district is dealing with other issues, and I think that the district should do their best to be responsible with their time and resources.”
Annual period drive inspires initiative around campus
Thia Betts Dispatch Reporter
Walking into room F137, students from a variety of organizations gather together to sort period products for the annual menstrual product drive. This drive is run by English teacher Chrissy Henjy, who has sponsored it for five years and has collected between 1,600 and 2,100 donations each year. All donations collected from the drive go to the organization I Support the Girls (ISTG) Austin.
At the end of March every year, Hejny hosts a packing party where students and teachers help pack and sort all the donated products. Donations were accepted through the entire month of March and ended on the last day of the month with a giant packing party held in room F137 during 4th period. Products were collected in bins placed in Biology teacher Jessica Davis’s room, math teacher Dana Stiles's, English teacher Kimberly Wiedmeyer's, and Henjy’s classroom.
“In the first year that we did it, it was such a success,” Hejny said. “Kids always come running to help. So, I continued doing it every year because it always makes such an impact.”
The drive collected donations of unopened boxes of pads, tampons, and panty liners. To help support getting donations, the National Honor Society offered service hours to members, where one box equaled one hour for up to four hours. Additionally, the Spanish Honor Society also offered service hours where two boxes equaled one hour, for up to four hours.
“All women go through experiencing a period, and money shouldn’t get in the way of them being able to take care of
" Money shouldn't get in the way of women being able to take care of themselves.
themselves,” Davis said. “It should be a given that we can take care of ourselves, especially in a society with as much wealth as we actually have. If we can support women so that they can take care of their bodies, I think it’s the least we can do.” ISTG has been in Austin since 2016, and they collect and donate essential items, including bras, underwear, and menstrual products, to women in
need. According to their website, they have partnered with local shelters, agencies, programs, churches, schools, and community groups that serve many groups in need.
“Girls need to get tampons and pads because it’s a necessity for them to have,” freshman Millie Pope said. “A lot of people don’t have the kind of money to buy menstrual products because they tend to be a little bit expensive, and it’s good to have this drive because a lot of women just can’t get them by themselves.”
Pads on average cost about $6.50 for a pack, and tampons cost about $7 to $9 a pack. According to USA Facts,
about 13.4% of Texans are in poverty as of 2024 and cannot pay for basic necessities such as food and healthcare items, including period products.
“Ms. Hejny reached out to me back when she started the period drive, and I thought it was a great idea since it’s going to provide support to those who need it,” Davis said. “I know we've got a compassionate student body, so I knew they would contribute, and they have. I've loved my classroom being a donation site for this drive.”
According to Hejny, ISTG Austin is usually very impressed with how Bowie students and teachers have shown their care for the cause through their
donations. This year, the period drive collected enough products to make around 1500 period pouches, but they ran out of pouches and were only able to fill 989 bags. They still donated the remaining products, despite them not being stored in small pouches.
“Periods happen once a month and last usually for seven days,” Pope said. “Some people have stronger flows than others. For some girls, it’s really hard for them to get what they need to make it through their cycle.”
As stated on their website, ISTG Austin works to address period poverty and make sure women don’t have to choose between a hot meal and buying period products. Period poverty is the lack of period products and education, which can be caused by numerous socioeconomic reasons. According to UT Health Houston’s report on period poverty, the people most affected by period poverty are minorities, first-generation college students, and those living with financial hardships.
“Feminine products are necessary for half of the globe's population,” Henjy said. “Menstruation is a part of nature. It's a part of many of our lives, and it's important that we're able to have cleanliness and sanitary conditions whenever we're menstruating. It’s an issue that’s important to me and to everyone who menstruates.”
PACKING PARTY: Junior Ella Parmer and senior Addison Fish place menstrual products into silver bags that will be shipped to those in need. The products were sent to I Support The Girls (ISTG) Austin where they will be distributed to several groups such as the homeless, at-risk youth and foster kids. PHOTO BY Shane Ferguson
ELIANA JONES sophomore
JOAQUIN FLORES senior
Jessica Davis Biology teacher
SCAN FOR MORE!
VIDEO BY Eva Sweeney
SOURCE AISD Website
Senior sowing the seeds of kindness
Roman Jacobs intentionally works to brighten the Bowie campus using selfless influence
Charlotte Schwarte Objective Executive Editor
With AP tests and graduation season creeping up on Bowie, stress and anxiety are not hard to find.
But within the bustling, fast-paced environment, senior Roman Jacobs can be found hollering hello’s in the hallway to friends and acquaintances alike, engaging in conversation with faculty and staff, and aiming to spread a little more joy to others.
Jacobs has been involved in a wide array of organizations and sports, but what he is known for the most on the Bowie campus, is his positivity and deliberate actions to better the community. His reasoning for these everyday acts consists of a lengthy list of role models, his belief in living for a greater purpose, awareness of other’s situations, and a routine of gratitude.
“I make an effort to be kind by helping out others, even if I’m not benefiting myself,” Jacobs said. “For example, trying to ask people how their day is, complimenting people, or even simple things like if I pick up trash on the ground or hold the door for people.”
During his time at Bowie, Jacobs has been involved with the Bowie soccer team, the Bowie chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA), National Honors Art Society (NHAS), and Bowie Cross Country and Track.
“In his everyday life, Roman makes a genuine effort to be kind and work hard,” Roman’s mother Amy Jacobs said. “He starts each day with gratitude and takes time to slow down and have meaningful conversations with others. He looks for opportunities to volunteer, whether at school, with neighbors, or with family, and often takes initiative without being asked.”
Roman has recently been involved with Hungry Souls, a non-profit organization that provides meals to food-insecure families and children. He volunteers with them every two weeks, packing and delivering food items.
“I think selflessness is a very im-
portant thing to have, and I think it's great to practice, because the act alone of doing something for someone else, without expecting anything in return, is great because it's the greater purpose that you're affecting,” Roman said.
After high school, Roman plans on attending a three year university in Europe. He is considering countries like Spain, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. He intends to get his undergraduate degree in Business Administration, with the goal of working for a non-profit he truly believes in, or one day founding his own.
“Whether it’s picking up trash on a field or in a hallway, or running to the store to replace something at home, he understands that small, consistent actions matter,” Amy said. “Those habits not only set an example for others but also shape the kind of person he continues to become.”
Roman credits his affinity towards kindness to his mother and sister, alongside the inspiration
his teachers and coaches at Bowie have set. He stated that by watching his family members go out of their way to be kind to others, he learned to do the same.
“As he was growing up, I always tried to teach him to treat others the way he would like to be treated,” Amy said. “Another important lesson was to approach people with grace, because you never really know what someone else may be going through. I think those ideas stayed with him and shaped how he interacts with others.”
Senior Lennon Bres can’t recall when he became friends with Jacobs, only that since then he’s been a constant in his life. Jacob reaches out to Bres frequently, checking in with him and offering study hangouts. Bres is
just one student who has witnessed Jacob’s approachability and kind greetings across campus.
“I think on campus, he makes people happier overall,” Bres. “Having someone who makes you smile definitely brightens your day. He might not notice it but I definitely have a better day when I get to see him.”
Despite no longer being in cross country or track, Jacobs has a passion for running, and is currently training with the goal of attending a marathon. He runs almost every day, and claims it's a large part of his positive mindset.
“What is inspiring to me is the results afterwards, because I know that after I run I feel good about myself and I know that I'm improving my physical health too,” Roman said. “I feel like running really helps me to relieve a lot of stress, and when I'm not stressed, I can be a lot nicer and help people more.”
On the Bowie campus, Roman’s inspirations include cross country and track coach Lora Tilson, math teacher Dana Stiles, coach Brian Long, and more. Through Bowie classwork, he’s had the opportunity to pitch and lead community efforts, like preparing a meal for the cafeteria staff through his culinary class.
“When hearing new ideas, concepts, or opinions, I don’t think you should be so quick to immediately shut it down with what you think, or disregard it, without asking more questions about 'why do you feel like this or what has shaped you to think like this’,” Roman said. “So many people are quick to judge something in a negative manner. So, I think asking more and figuring out more is best for being open minded.”
Roman has built up a solid system of beliefs around how best to exert kindness and positivity, and advises small acts of kindness without shouldering full responsibility to change a person’s life or day. Through his time at Bowie and learning from family, he has plans to continue his open-armed approach to life.
“I have definitely seen my kindness affect others around me. For example, I had someone come up to me and say ‘I always see you being so positive to people and nice to people’,” Roman said. “I'm super honored to have that as a connotation of what people view me as.”
Nail art craze polishes teens into creative entrepreneurs
Madeline Whitten Dispatch Reporter
The thin bristles of a brush coated in gel polish are wiped along the edge of a palette. Brush held steadily in their hand, the student’s mind is full of concentration and silence as they carefully paint a French tip on their clients nails.
Sophomore Bella Prieto began teaching herself how to do nails during the summer of 2024, after getting frustrated with the results of going to salons. Learning the basics from social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, she now does nails for her friends and family.
“I was always good at the designs because of my interest in art,” Prieto said. “But I really just taught myself the other stuff and figured it out on my own.”
In addition to Prieto, senior Navika Amar is another student nail artist at Bowie. She began learning how to do nails her sophomore year, now primarily doing the nails of her close friends and family.
“It’s fun getting to have something on your hands that you can show off,” Amar said. “I like getting to try different designs that would cost $100 at the salon.”
First learning dip nails, a method where a layer of a special polish is brushed onto the nail, which is then dipped into a container of powder, Prieto later switched to acrylic, practicing her newly learned skills on herself and close friends. Prieto began to take clients after spending five months perfecting her craft, starting off with a few friends, and now doing other’s nails almost every day of the week.
“Nails are what I love to do,
and if people leave happy after I do their nails, then that makes me happy,” Prieto said. “When people come to me and tell me how much they love their nails, it makes me glad that I can provide that for them.”
Having a love for art since she was young, Prieto likes that she was able to find a medium that suits her creativity. Unlike going to the salon, Prieto enjoys having creative freedom with her own nails, and doing cool and intricate designs on her clients.
“I’ve always really liked art,” Prieto said.
“Nails are my form of art, that I get to create, and I think it's cool I’m able to do nails how I want them instead of going to a salon.”
Beginning with regular nail lacquer, Amar later tried out gel polish and nail extensions. Over the years she has practiced her technique and designs, continuing to learn new things when doing sets for others.
“I began doing nails mainly for fun and to save money,” Amar said. “Not relying on the salon means I can do more fun designs that I want.”
Every client of Prieto’s gets a different and unique design, leaving her with experience in a variety of nail styles. Depending on the level of detail each set contains, Prieto spends around two to three hours on each set, allowing her to talk and make new friends with her clients while they spend hours sitting across from one another.
“At first, it was just for me, because I wanted to do my own nails for fun,” Prieto said. “Now doing nails makes me meet new people.”
Using acrylic as her main nail medium, Prieto dips a brush in monomer before picking up a bead of acrylic powder. After using the acrylic to create the shape and structure of the nails, she goes over them with gel, using thin brushes to meticulously paint her designs.
“Her designs are extraordinary,” Bella’s mom Hillary said. “A lot of the designs are so tiny and detailed which takes an extra level of patience and a steady hand.”
Being a nail technician is a large part of Bella’s life, and she dedicates her time after school and on weekends to taking appointments. Bella’s friend, Zoe Dunton, noticed her friend's interest in nails when interacting with her everyday.
“Nails are her life,” Dunton said. “She talks about it all the time, and she’s always taking appointments every single day after school.”
Depending on the season, Amar posts on her Instagram page, Navs_Nails, where she shares
her recent nail sets she created to show potential clients what she is capable of. She takes several clients a week, the amount varying based on the time of the year.
“Some weeks I can be doing one or two sets,” Amar said. “Other weeks I could be doing four people’s sets, so there are definitely busy seasons.”
Interested in being a nail tech on the side, Bella is building business experience. Hillary believes this experience will be useful no matter what field Bella chooses to pursue.
“She’s building a strong foundation of experi ence that will support her in whatever path she chooses in the future,” Hillary said. “Nail art is just one of the many ways her artistic talents shine, and she has a great future ahead of her.”
Instead of looking to get a more common job, Bella’s entrepreneurial spirit has led her to make money by doing nails. Finding success in her endeavour, Bella has gained support from Hillary.
“I love that Bella has developed an interest in doing nails,” Hillary said. “It’s wonderful she can express her creativity while making some money, and I think it’s a great combination of passion and entrepreneurship.”
A majority of Bella’s nails designs are in spired by photos she found on social media plat forms, such as Pinterest. In order to promote her skills to others she will occasionally post photos of her nail sets on her Instagram.
“It’s unbelievable the stuff she can do, she’s really talented,” Dunton said. “She has a natural talent for nails.” Bella’s workspace is located in her family’s guest bedroom, and was designed by her. Her area consists of cabinets and shelves built into the wall, with a fold-down table, and chairs on either side.
“She envisioned a special and inviting work
CONVERSATIONS & CONNECTIONS: Roman Jacobs talks to a friend during lunch. Jacobs enjoys striking up conversation with
as many people as possible, taking inspiration from his mom and sister's kindness.
PHOTO BY Jude Davis
NEW PASSIONS: Senior Navika Amar bends over a nail set she shapes, paints, and designs. Artists like Amar and sophomore Bella Prieto do nails for themselves and peers, creating a community of entrepreneurs. PHOTO BY Gabby Bochey
ART BY Charlotte Schwarte SETS TO SEE: A customer of senior Navika Amar shows off her freshly done nails. Student nail artists prioritize unique designs for each person. PHOTO BY Gabby Bochey
SCAN TO SEE MORE!
VIDEO BY Jude Davis
SCAN TO SEE MORE!
VIDEO BY Gabby Bochey
Winning is the best type of medicine
Sophomore Dahlia Wildman earns first at the HOSA state competition in sports medicine
Madeline Whitten Dispatch Reporter
Anxiety and suspense fill
sophomore Dahlia Wildman’s head as she sits next to her friends, knees tucked up against her chest, waiting for first place in sports medicine to be announced at the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) area competition on Feb 13.
HOSA is an organization that allows students to gain experience and knowledge in medical fields, a group Wildman has been a part of since the beginning of her ninth grade year. Wildman switched her event to sports medicine at the beginning of this year, and after participating in her first competition in this field, won first place and advanced to state.
“I don’t like the anticipation of it at all,” Wildman said. “When they were announcing first place, I heard my friends get really quiet, and I thought I didn’t advance, but then they just started screaming bloody murder.” Wildman was introduced to HOSA through her sports medicine teacher, Corey Hooks. After joining this organization as another way to pursue her passion in the medical field, Wildman decided to compete in sports medicine for her second year in HOSA.
“I’ve always known I wanted to work in the medical field,” Wildman said. “The more I became involved in HOSA the more I really enjoyed doing it, and the more involved I wanted to become.” HOSA competitions do not separate students based on their
amount of experience, and instead have all students compete against one another. With this year being Wildman’s first time competing in sports medicine, she wasn’t as confident competing against others who have competed before.
“I started crying, I didn’t believe I won first,” Wildman said. “I was in shock because I was competing against seniors that have been in HOSA all of high school, and this was my first time in sports medicine, so I didn’t think I would win.”
For the first time in four years, Bowie is sending several HOSA students to state, Wildman being one of them. She was the only competitor from Bowie in the sports medicine category, and her winning first place in area is a positive change for the
program.
“I’m very proud of her for winning first place,” HOSA senior Navika Amar said. “I know how much she had been wanting to win, and I know this is a huge achievement for her and our school.”
Hooks viewed her win as a huge accomplishment for her. Seeing Wildman’s hours and hours of preparation, Hooks believes that she deserved first place due to her dedication to sports medicine.
“I was proud that she beat everyone at the competition,” Hooks said. “If she continues to work as hard as she does, she should get used to winning, and everyone she competes against should get used to losing.”
Students are competing most hours of the day, with the sports
medicine competition specifically occurring between 7 pm and 9:15 pm. At the alloted time, Wildman and her competitors were led into a silent, white waiting room, getting taken out one by one once it was their time to compete.
“I was so nauseous and so scared,” Wildman said. “We didn’t know what order we would compete in, and the holding room we were in was completely quiet, you could hear the clock ticking in the background, it was so nerve racking.”
Competing in HOSA area required Wildman to learn six skills on a rubric that was given to her, two of which would be chosen at random for her to perform at the competition. At area, Wildman identified anatomical landmarks on another student’s
wrist, as well as wrapped the wrist.
“I found learning new skills on a whim was really hard,” Wildman said. “Especially since it’s my first year, I had to learn everything for the event at once, and it was overwhelming.”
Leading up to the competition, Wildman dedicated her free time to preparing. She practiced skills on her rubric, such as wrapping wrists, on her friends and family daily.
“Dahlia lived and breathed sports medicine all the way up to the tournament,” Hooks said. “In times when other students were talking, she was studying anatomy or practicing her skills.”
In order to compete in area, Wildman had to pass a test in November, which she had an
hour to take. She spent her lunch periods studying text books lent to her by Hooks to learn all the information she needed to advance.
“I always saw her in FIT with Mr. Hooks practicing her skills and studying,” Amar said. “HOSA comps have always been stressful for me, and I saw they were for her too, but she learned balance that is super important in order to have positive end results.”
The end of summer vacation marked the beginning of competition preparations for Wildman. While she was competing solo in sports medicine, Wildman was able to find comfort and encouragement from other Bowie students in different HOSA fields.
“I really like the community HOSA has,” Wildman said. “I was stressed about the competition, but my friends in it, who have been competing for all of high school, have been lending me advice and moral support.”
HOSA has branches in many schools all over the world. Members of the Bowie branch have been able to work closely with one another, and form friendships and bonds from competing in the same field or as teams.
“Sports medicine specifically has given me a community,” Wildman said. “It’s helped me become a lot more confident, and I’ve gotten to know so many new people.”
Just beginning her time in HOSA, Wildman placing first leads Amar to have high hopes for Wildman’s future in HOSA. Being a sophomore, Wildman will have the rest of her time in high school to be able to learn more and strengthen her skills.
“Her being a sophomore means that every year she will perform better with learning from her mistakes,” Amar said. “This is the first time in four years we have sent any competitors to state, and I have strong hopes she will make it to nationals one of these years.”
Every dollar makes a difference for Blood Cancer United
Savannah Riggins Feature Page Editor
506,025. That is the number that fills the screen at the Blood Cancer United Student Visionaries of the Year Grand Finale Gala. Applause fills the air at the amount of money that this program raised. One Bowie student claps not only for those around her but for herself.
Olivia Musitano was involved in a seven-week fundraiser for Blood Cancer United. She was a part of their student visionaries of the year program. According to Blood Cancer United, this program is a philanthropic leadership opportunity for high school students, with the ultimate goal of creating a world without blood cancers.
“I’ve always wanted to apply and fund-raise with the student visionaries program,” Musitano said. “My mom works at Blood Cancer United, so she has a lot of connections and got me in contact with different organizers. But you don’t need an inside source to apply. The application is open on their website to anyone interested.”
As the Vice President, Community Engagement & Stewardship. Whitney Musitano has been working with the organization for 15 years, supporting Executive Directors and staff across their 27 regions throughout the country.
“Olivia has essentially grown up in and around Blood Cancer United,” Whitney said. “She has always heard about the Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, and a couple of years ago, we began talking about whether or not she might be interested in participating once she was in high school. Last year, we attended the Grand Fina-
le Gala, and she committed to being a candidate the next year on the spot.”
To both mother and daughter, being involved in the organization has a bittersweet meaning. Olivia lost her grandmother (Whitney’s mother) to brain cancer in 2017, so she has seen firsthand the struggles that cancer patients go through. According to Olivia, that fact, combined with her desire to be involved in the organization she grew up around, spurred her to join this program.
“Knowing that I have made an impact feels amazing to me,” Olivia said. “Cancer affects so many people, and seeing my grandma get good care, especially when she was in hospice, was important to me, so I want to make sure other people are cared for as well.”
Olivia and her mom weren’t the only ones involved in this process. Olivia had a team composed of an advisor and another Bowie student. Ava Dimmit is a junior and close friend of Olivia’s and when asked to join she jumped at the chance.
“We had a meeting talking about all the rules,” Dimmit said. “We also had to set up an account through blood cancer united and write a paragraph about us and why we want people to donate. We set all this up in October, but then the actual seven week process didn’t start until January.”
Before a single dollar was raised, Olivia and her team had to map out their entire campaign, deciding what would resonate most, and how to reach their community. From organizing outreach to coordinating logistics, the process required constant communication and flexibility.
“I committed to partnering with Olivia on this from the start,” Whit-
ney said. “As her parent, I attended all the planning meetings with her and helped her decide on realistic goals for her participation. Helped her brainstorm potential connections and sponsorships, and organize our family contact list.”
Once the plans were set, the real challenge began. In January the seven-week sprint kicked off. According to Olivia each week brought new goals, events, and pressures, as Olivia and her team worked to keep momentum alive while balancing school and daily life.
STUDYING FOR COMPETITION: Sophomore Dahlia Wildman studies sports medicine for her upcoming HOSA
Wildman
the Bowie Sports Medicine program her sophomore year and plans to continue at least
this passion of hers. PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
OLIVIA FOR BLOOD CANCER UNITED: Olivia Musitano shows off the Blood Cancer
raising partnership. The organization works to cure many types of cancer and they fund
support, and advocate for affordable, accessible care. PHOTO BY Izzy Maes
DAHLIA WILDMAN sophomore
Bulldawg clubs organize in courtyard
Arlo Stockstill
Photo Essay Editor
Children’s laughter fills the packed courtyard as kids from local elementary schools all come together to play games and learn about the organizations Bowie has to offer. As Bulldog Roundup commences, excitement fills the hearts of the future Bulldawgs.
On Wednesday, March 11, Bowie, with the help of STEM Instructional Coach Cindy Carroll, held the second annual Bulldawg Round-up. However, preparation ensued as early as the beginning of the year, with the marking on the calendar as early as possible to get the maximum number of organizations to attend. The purpose of Bulldawg Round-up is to raise funds for the junior class of each year, while also getting money for each booth that is set up. It also doubles as a fun, country-themed way to inform the future generations of ‘Dawgs the wide range of clubs available at our school.
“When I started at the school 28 years ago we had a fundraiser called the Halloween Carnival, which is no longer,” Carroll said. “I thought the idea was good, and last year I put together another fundraiser specifically for the junior class. Giving half of the money earned to the junior class, and the other half to participating clubs. Starting at the beginning of the year, we make sure to mark the event on the calendar so everybody knows about it. Then finally in the months leading up to it, it takes constant harassment of the sponsors to get everybody out and have a booth set up on the day of.”
On the day of the event, teams and organizations alike came to set up their booths, some to simply entertain the kids, while some were more to closer mimic their sport, for example wrestling. Sports like wrestling set up to advertise their sport to the future students who will one day be in charge. Wrestling, in particular, has a youth program, and ways for the youth to get involved immediately, and had fun competition related to wrestling in which kids could earn prizes.
“At our booth we held competitions in which the kids would pull wrestling dummies while racing against another kid, or even a wrestler,” senior Captain Alex Trevino said. “Afterwards, we would give the kids a couple pieces of candy and then tell them about our youth program. I was once a kid in their shoes, and the youth program helped me find the sport I love, and it means a lot for me to help the kids now find the experience I had.”
While members of the school’s sports team put on booths, members of peer leadership positions such as PALS and Ready Set Teach put on booths as well, interacting with kids like they would while working with elementary schoolers while in their class period, and devoting one on one time with the kids.
“I spent time with the kids and drew with them one-on-one,” senior PALS member Jesus
Torres said. “I enjoy being a member in these kids life every B day in PALS, so it feels just as good to continue my job as a role model at Bulldawg Round Up. Many of the kids we saw at the event were kids we see at PALS, and it was important that we be the same person to then, and devote individual time to them regardless of the situation.”
After a fairly successful fundraiser this year
Arlo Stockstill
in which each program involved got double the money they did last year, with a similar amount of money going towards the school. This year fostered many changes in just the second year of the event. However, many of those being for the better. Carroll thinks with earlier and a little more persistent advertising next year could be even better.
“This year moving to the courtyard was a
great idea,” Carroll said. “While we only had half of the clubs we had last year, we still received the same amount of donations. The biggest challenge with planning the event is there is rarely a date that works for everybody at Bowie. So, if we can just constantly push the event out earlier and harder to even more sponsors, Bulldawg Roundup will continue to come together nicely and the programs can plan around us.”
Too cool for school
Bowie fights back against declining school spirit with positive campus culture initiatives
Liberty Pittman Media Editor-in-Chief
Having a father who works at the school, senior Easton Lewis has been attending Bowie football games since he was a kid. Growing up, he was amazed by the large crowds of spirited students which packed the stands to cheer on their team. However, he has noticed that school spirit today isn’t what it used to be.
they believe have a positive impact on the school. The Silver Stars dance team recognizes a teacher of the week, student council recognizes monthly Socrates Award winners, and members of the Bowie instructional support team recognize a monthly Top Dawg. In addition to this there is also monthly recognition for teachers within different departments, such as the CuTiE for the Career in Technological Education (CTE) department.
Declining school spirit is something that has been noticed by both teachers and students alike. Whether it’s less students dressing up for spirit days, dwindling attendance at school events, or lack of excitement and participation, there are noticeable effects of losing school spirit.
“We used to have a huge student section,” Lewis said. “We would pack Burger out all the time. I thought it was crazy that one person or a group of people could pull a student body together to show up like that. When I was a kid, our spirit was at an all-time high.”
Student safety is a top priority for many administrators, but there are times when rules and regulations can get in the way of school spirit. According to the Austin Independent School District (AISD) stadium procedures, no confetti, noisemakers, or powder can be brought into sports venues. In addition to venue policy, Bowie administrators are often present in front of the student section at Bowie games to ensure that students are behaving in accordance with the student code of conduct.
“Spirit is still not what it used to be in the pre-COVID times for a couple of reasons,” history teacher and student council sponsor Alejandro Garcia said. “There were less rules pre-COVID which just let people just have fun. For example, at football games kids took their shirts off and painted their chest with Bulldogs, and they all threw water in the air or powder and everything else. But now, it causes people to slip, so we can't throw water. There have been attempts to bring back some culture, some spirit, that I think are working. It just is going to take more student commitment to make that actually happen. I hope that after our current seniors graduate there will be people to say it's okay to act crazy at a football game, to be loud and cheer for your team.”
“One of the reasons why we started in student council our Socrates Award is because it recognizes and honors teachers for all their hard work,” Garcia said. “There's a lot of ways to recognize the hard work the staff does, and no matter what anybody says, it makes you feel good if you're being honored by somebody for your hard work. It can be a big motivating spark that helps you keep going. It's important to recog nize teachers, and I think we can even increase that to other groups that recognize teachers for whatever reason, because teachers work hard, and celebrating that builds morale, builds spirit, it builds ownership of being a teacher at this high school.”
Social media has impacted society in multiple ways. The U.S. Department of Health and Hu man Services reported that up to 95% of teens ages 13-17 use social media, and nearly 60% of those teens reported using social media every day. Whether on Instagram, TikTok, Snap chat, or Facebook teens can spread photos and videos.
One downside of this is that some times photos can be spread without people's permission.
Another way in which Bowie creates a spirited school environment and maintains a positive campus culture is by celebrating students. Almost every day on the morning announcements students are acknowledged for their performance across multiple fields, most commonly in the form of game or competition results. In addition to this, every year there is a Trustee award ceremony to celebrate students with outstanding grades and attendance, and there is a Who’s Who Award which acknowledges student impact on campus. One new addition to Bowie's culture of celebrating students can be seen displayed on the wall outside history teacher Chris Simons’ class as he highlights a student of the week from his history classes.
“I've been doing student of the week for seven years,” Simons said. “I take things that kind of characterize a student and I'll turn a little Bulldog into them, so they have their own personal Bulldog as a way of showing my appreciation for them. It’s a way to recognize that they're doing awesome things. I think teachers could do a better job of recognizing students. On the announcements, we really only hear about athletics or UIL aligned things. If we made some time to just highlight students that are doing good things that would be a really good thing.”
CALLS FOR CHANGE
“Social media can affect school spirit if someone is par ticipating, but they don't want to be videoed or talked about,” senior cheerleader Genevieve Casas said. “If someone is videoed and posted on someone's private story it might hurt their feelings or get around school that they were just being overly excited.” One current trend on social media that could be influencing school spirit is being nonchalant.
One aspect of school spirit in which Simons, Garcia, Lewis, and Casas all agree could use some improvement is the spirit day themes. For the past few years the themes have remained stagnant, always featuring camo, pink out, black out, tropical, and holidays. Even students newer to Bowie have recog nized that the spirit day themes don’t drum up as much excitement as they could.
Merriam Webster defines nonchalant as “having an air of easy unconcern or indifference”, and explains that being nonchalant can show someone doesn’t care. This attitude can influence teens to put on an indifferent facade rather than being overly spirited.
“Everybody is just embarrassed to participate or doesn't want to,” Casas said. “They sit down whenever we're supposed to get everybody to stand up. Maybe it's better now that we don't have phones during the school day, but I don't know.”
BOWIE FIGHTS BACK
In an attempt to bring back school spirit the student council has tried new things such as creating more pep rallies for the spring semester. However, they have also turned back time to bring back old classics such as the Homecoming dance, Bowie's Got Talent, and Spirit Leaders. The senior Spirit Leaders for this year are Lewis, and Lola Armond. Their job is to show up to athletic events to support Bowie sports teams, and lead the student
“Being a spirit leader is really fun, it keeps you engaged, not only in the activity that you're attending, but in the people there and how they feel about it,” Lewis said. “My favorite part is being able to show up and know that the people that I'm supporting appre ciate me coming out. I've had people come up to me for football games and like, say, thank you for showing up. They're my friends and they know I'm going to show up, but it’s not just me, but me bring ing everybody to the games.”
An area of school spirit in which Bowie shines is celebrating teachers. Multiple groups at Bowie have taken initiative to recognize teachers which
“Sometimes the spirit week themes are kind of boring so maybe having more fun themes could be better to get people to dress up more,” sophomore Harper Carlisle said. “School spirit is important because it builds community in the school and makes things more enjoyable.”
With all the stuff students have drawing their focus on a daily basis, it can be hard to remember or put time into something like school spirit. One way to counteract this is by creating rewards or incentives for school spirit. An example of this idea can be seen in the upcoming student council plan to Blue out Bowie in which they are offering cookies to students who wear blue on April 24.
“Other than just encouragement, I'm not sure if there's been anything specific pushing to bring back spirit, other than Bowie grads like myself that have said ‘hey, we got to bring back some of that fire and that excitement that used to be around’,” Garcia said. “I know we floated an idea of having a point system where students check in at the games and earn a certain number of points for some sort of reward. That takes a lot of logistical thinking, but we need ways to get students in today's generation to just want to have fun at their school, when sometimes their school is not the coolest thing they can do.”
Members of the Bowie student body have the power to impact school spirit by participating and sharing their ideas. Garcia would like to emphasize to students that they should make the most of their high school experience, and if they have ideas for school spirit im provement they should share them with people such as himself, cheer or dance coaches, Bowie administrators, or student council members.
“You only get one shot at high school, and it's so important to have a good high school experience,” Garcia said. “One way you could do that, among many ways, is to just let yourself have fun with your friends as teenagers, and that's where I think school spirit comes into play. There's so much to cheer for at the school. There's so much fun we can have if people just wanted to do it, versus being afraid of what they're gonna look like on social media. That didn't exist when I was in high school, people just lived in the moment. We can get back to that
PHOTO BY Ashley Marcus
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Cole Wong
PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
PHOTO BY Claire Ferrante
Senior Penelope Durbin and junior Avery McCleary
Basketball coach Joseph Pendell and history teacher Chris
Senior Ella Moya
Freshman Kiran Hayden
Senior Rebecca Benavides Senior Aviv Abramovitch
School mascot Buster Bulldog
Sophomore Lily Williams
LOUD AND PROUD: Cheerleaders sway as the band plays the Bowie school song, concluding the pep rally. The last pep rally of the year was held on April 3. PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
BUDGET DEFICIT SEES $132 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE
The detrimental debt cycle
The future of Austin Independent School District is changing due to the largest deficit in history
Elizabeth Yowell Print Editor-in-Chief
On Tuesday April 7, AP literature teacher
Matt Flickinger opened his computer to find an email from Austin Independent School District (AISD) with a daunting subject line: budget update. Scanning through the email, the future of his school district got cloudier and cloudier with each paragraph his eyes grazed.
The email brought notice of the largest budget deficit ever experienced in AISD’s history, with a warning that cuts will be taken significantly in staffing levels, employee stipends, ratios of campus administration, as well as the reduction or elimination of programs.
“The budget deficit for the district really worries me for future students,” senior Gracie Grahmann said.
“The majority of students have an extracurricular they really care about and every program needs funds to keep it running. Students may have financial difficulties and can’t help pay for certain facilities, events, or materials.”
AISD was able to lower the Deficit from $110 million to $90 million by the end of the 2024-2025 year with a hiring freeze and other cuts like the ones proposed for this year.
In February, the $33 million deficit increase made headlines as a shocking increase from the years original prediction.
“I feel horrible for the students at those schools because I know there is very little they can do when facing the district.”
Budget allocation and deficit proposals are made in June before each school year. According to official AISD reports, the 2024-2025 school year deficit reached a previous record predicted high of $110 million before being lowered to $90 million before the end of the school year. In order to compensate for the high predicted deficit last year, the district made traditional business-minded efforts like hiring freezes and laying off administrative staff.
“A business-minded projection is what got us into this in the first place,” Flickinger said. “When speaking to people who don’t have experience in education, what they often miss is that this personable relationship between teacher and student is what’s necessary in order to inspire growth.”
it out,” Flickinger said. “I don’t envy the district in their budgetary decisions. I don’t know what they would do, but that’s also not up to me.”
One factor contributing to the growing debt, according to AISD, has been in closing out the real estate deals they were counting on to bring the district into the new year.
lack of care for the students, lack of connec-
tion between student and teacher, and division in the classroom. A class of 17 students leaves room for connection between student and teacher, making it easier for teachers to tend to students’ needs.”
ment or competition we go to. We had to spend lots of time at the beginning of the year to raise money, but we still ended up having to pay ourselves because it was hard raising money.”
A nearly $170 million difference from the previous predicted deficit is a large disparity from recent years, and will require AISD to take more action than closing 10 or so campuses to balance out the budget.
The majority of students have an extracurricular they really care about and every program needs funds to keep it running.
Gracie
Grahmann senior "
Austin Independent School District (AISD) is now projecting a $181 million budget deficit by the end of 2026, more than 11 times the previously predicted $16 million deficit, according to an official information release from superintendent Matias Seguera on April 7.
“In my time as a student in Austin Independent School District I’ve seen budget cuts in extracurricular programs, inability to supply needs to classrooms, poor keeping of school utilities like water fountains, and disappointment from teachers and students that the district is restricting our education with their poor budgeting skills,” sophomore Peter Davis said.
The extreme increase in budget deficit comes as a result of unanticipated low property taxes, a large drop in enrollment, and an overall lack of sufficient funding for essential spending, according to AISD. “If money were out of the picture would envision a future where diversity and exploring different activities was encouraged and accessible to every student,” Grahmann said. “I believe school should be the place where you find yourself and that’s difficult if every student has to worry about finances.”
Total funding for public school districts in Texas is based on student enrollment, and both allocation and recapture are based on property tax values. Recapture allows for an amount of Texas public school funding, to be ‘recaptured’ by the state and redistributed. The state also allocates money towards the Economic Stabilization Fund, or the ‘rainy day’ fund of nearly $30 billion.
“I am disappointed with my district,” Flickinger said. “However, they’re also in a very tough position because state leadership is sitting on a mountain of money, and I think there’s political motivation to kill public education with no plan of what to replace it with.”
Because recapture is determined based on average property tax rates in a district, large disparities within that average may be overlooked. According to an official 2024 AISD diversity report, approximately 56% of all students in the entire district are economically disadvantaged, however, there are large disparities between individual schools within the district. While about only 7% of students at LASA high school are reported to experience economic disadvantage, a total of 97% of students attending Kealing are dealing with financial disadvantage.
“I know other schools may not be as economically advantaged as Bowie is, and knowing that we can see the effect of the debt here, I cannot imagine how bad it is in the lesser funded schools,” Davis said.
In the statement released on April 7, Superintendent Seguera warned of similar efforts in the coming year, these included the already proposed closure of 10 campuses, a 15% reduction of campus budgets, as well as major cuts to teacher positions, pay, and planning time, reduction to administrative and supportive staff, and cuts to programs within schools.
“A more business-minded approach to education might look like giant classrooms taught by AI, in order to, you know, bridge that, that budgetary gap we wouldn’t have to pay anybody,” Flickinger said. “Stuffing a bunch of kids in somewhere that wouldn’t work. It just straight up wouldn’t work. We already don’t have the support we need for students who require more support than I can give in a classroom. If you take me out of it completely, or shove in 10 times the kid in a space, it might be economically feasible, but the goals of that, of education, go beyond economy.”
CAMPUS CLOSURES
Because overall district funding is determined by enrollment, reported decreased enrollment in AISD in the past few years has pushed the district board of trustees to vote to close 10 campuses in an attempt to combat the increased deficit and decreased enrollment, and make $21 million towards the general fund.
“I think most of that is done begrudgingly, in response to union demands and the demands of teachers who are threatening to leave,” Flickinger said. “The selling of property, for example. It’s not actually a sustainable practice.”
AISD plans to sell these campuses in an attempt to save $21 million dollars, and hopes to invest $17 million back into the district, according to the April 7 email.
Having more intimate classrooms is better because, personally, if I have more time to connect with my teacher then I get to actually understand the material.
“Every school has students who have the same passion as Bowie students and have things they love at school, so it would crush many if they couldn’t continue doing something they love,” Grahmann said. “If someone’s school got closed down in their area and surrounding areas they would have to make a long commute just to go to school and that can be difficult for many families.”
Mary Jenson sophomore
Students in classes of smaller sizes are found to be more equipped for school readiness, according to research done in 2024 by the National Library of Medicine. Additionally, the report claimed that teachers would be more equipped to create dynamic and interesting learning environments.
“Having more intimate classrooms is better for students because, personally, if I have more time to connect with my teacher then I get to actually understand the material,” sophomore Mary Jenson said.
“I feel like in a bigger class it’s harder for me to focus. I feel like I can continue to ask questions and get more help and more tutoring, feel like that’ll be easier with less students in a class.”
COMING CHANGES
In the 2026-2027 school year, AISD will face many changes at the campus and classroom levels as a result of the high deficit. Superintendent Seguera warned one area the district will need to consider is cuts in master schedules, planning periods, and overall staffing levels, leading to increased class size. “It manifests itself in different ways for different years,” Flickinger said. “At one point we had a superintendent who was like, ‘save power, turn off the lights.’ think the most damaging manifestation that I’ve seen is the recent refusal by the district to replace teachers who leave and increase class sizes.”
There are a number of different variations of this change, including that only non-core teachers would transition to teaching seven out of eight periods. Additionally, the continued hiring freeze means the total number of teaching staff will not increase to keep up with the changes.
“If you think about, like, an AP class, kids will have received feedback on essays of a personal nature, like two or three times a year, as opposed to, you know, two or three times per nine weeks” Flickinger said. “I also think it impacts lesson planning. The kind of stuff that we can do with 190 kids is very different from what we would do if we only had 140, which would be more ideal. And then the personal connections that have with students have been impacted.”
I think the most damaging manifestation that I’ve seen is the recent refusal by the district to replace teachers who leave and increase class sizes.
Matt Flickinger English teacher
School closures have become a controversial approach to deficit compensation, and the board is considering a variety of different options like re-purposing or leasing campuses as opposed to just selling.
“I have seen in recent years a wiser decision of if we have property in an environment where property is an enviable thing, instead of selling it, what if we rented
HOW TO VOICE YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OVER THE 2026-2027 AISD BUDGET
SOURCE: Austin Independent School District
Scheduling more students to a class period is a consolidation strategy that has been implemented by the district in past years.
Transitioning from six out of eight to seven out of eight would mean the total number of students served by each teacher will increase. Either of these changes would create a larger student-to-teacher ratio.
“I feel the student-to-teacher ratio is important,” Grahmann said. “One teacher for 30 students could lead to many problems including struggling kids going unnoticed,
The preliminary budget will be presented to the public on April 23
These changes in the amount of students taught by each teacher will impact the amount of time teachers will be able to spend on lesson plans, grading, meetings, or serving students individually when extra help may be needed. Additionally, Seguera also warned that teacher stipends will need to be considered when cuts are made for the next school year.
“I think you’ll have more exhausted teachers,” Flickinger said. “I think bigger picture is what I see as really problematic with that is that we have a district that claims to do what is best for teachers, then doesn’t replace teachers who are gone, and doesn’t make sure that we have teacher retention by ensuring that we actually have planning time for the giant classes they’re forcing on us. So, if the district really did care about us, they would backtrack on that, which they have done a number of times.”
Participation in extracurricular arts and sports activities are incredibly important to a student’s development of social and emotional skills, according to a 2024 report from the National Library of Medicine. AISD says cuts will be made to these programs, but the specific programs hit the hardest are yet to be determined, and may be different across campuses, according to the information release.
“Students shouldn’t have to worry about their program dying due to budget cuts they should be able to enjoy and explore as many opportunities as they want,” Grahmann said. “My activity I have done throughout all of middle and high school is theatre and I would be absolutely crushed if I couldn’t do that, but as school has gone on I feel like my family has had to pay more and more every year just for me to stay involved.”
With state funding continuing to drop as a result of lowered enrollment from current immigration policies, and a drop in property taxes, the district will need to make tens of millions of dollars of cuts if balancing the budget is the eventual goal.
“If money wasn’t a factor I would see a place where every single student could receive a very personalized education fit exactly to their interests,” Davis said. “All the classes would have top notch resources, and a smaller student to teacher ratio to increase the amount of individualized learning, as the teachers would have much more time on their hands. The campus would be well kept, and misbehavior would be quickly and efficiently handled to keep the atmosphere welcoming. Students from
If money wasn’t a factor I would see a place where every single student could receive a very personalized education fit exactly to their interests.
Peter Davis sophomore
Another potential cut to staff at the campus level is the number of administrative and support staff employed under AISD. Administrative staff serve to support the academic success of students through acquiring resources and ensuring that the students and teachers are supported throughout the entire educational process.
“We have no control over the district’s budget choices, and they hold the rest of our life in their hands,” sophomore Davis said. “School is our gateway into college, then the rest of our professional life.”
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
With the largest deficit in AISD’s history, a 15% cut will be taken to campus budgets across the district, and additional elimination or reduction of extra-curricular programs will need to be considered going into the 2026-2027 school year, as Seguera wrote in the recent information release.
“Over my time as a student under AISD I’ve watched programs I really care about take major budget cuts including Oral Interpretation,” Grahmann said. “This impacted me and other students in the club majorly because this activity can be very expensive because we need to pay for every tourna-
One in-person session will be held April 28 at Austin High School 6-7 p.m.
Virtual sessions will be held on April 25, 11-12 a.m. and May 9 11-12 a.m.
SCAN TO CONTACT AISD WITH BUDGET QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
On June 18, the board will vote on the final budget that will begin to take effect in July
Bowie’s brand new track and field facility
Senior Lennon Bres credits Bowie boys soccer record, 15-5-3 to new turf
The sun rises as Bowie’s athletes step onto the newly paved track and field, the fresh surface stretching alongside the towering scoreboard. Spikes and cleats are thrown on as teams begin warming up on the upgraded facility.
Over the past couple of months, Bowie High School has undergone a major renovation to replace its worn-down track and field. The new facility features synthetic grass, stadium seats, lights, and a resurfaced track. However, while students have benefited from the upgraded track, the renovation process that was originally scheduled to begin in early 2024 under the Austin ISD 2022 Bond Program took over a year and a half to start due to many delays, resulting in the relocation of athletes’ practices. According to head track coach Laura Tilson, the construction period caused significant uncertainty and difficulty for athletes and coaches.
“Overseeing the process was difficult. Not knowing when we would have it, having to keep moving to different areas of campus while the construction was happening, and then just the anticipation for being allowed to use it,” Tilson said.
“The construction has affected practices. At the start of the season, we had to travel to Burger and then travel back to Bowie. We thought we would have the track at the beginning of January, but it got pushed back to February, so planning was difficult.
Senior boys’ soccer captain Lennon Bres described a dramatic shift in practice as basic drills became more precise and intricate due to the smoother playing surface. With the ability to focus more on quick passing, dribbling, and shooting, the team finished out the season as 3rd in the district with an overall record of 15-5-3.
“Simply having flat ground is everything. Before, we struggled with armadillos making holes that disrupted the ball and caused rolled ankles, but now we have a perfect playing surface to practice on safely,” Bres said. “The speed of play in everything from simple passing to scrimmages is so apparent that it took us a few weeks to get used to the new level of play.” In addition to contributing towards improved training and competition results, the new facility has also created a positive atmosphere. At the Charles Austin High School Classical Varsity Only 2026 meet, senior track captain Mia McAulay ran a 5:31 mile and noted that the facilities contributed to her and her team’s performance because they felt more comfortable when racing.
“I think this track will push people to work harder and show up because it is so much better quality, which helps with the quality of workouts too,” McAulay said. “I think it motivates us to work harder because we are on a much nicer track than a lot of people have, which kind of puts us at an advantage to work harder towards our goals. As reported by the Synthetic Turf Council, turf is beneficial to athletes because it is environmentally friendly, less expensive than grass, and built to last. That is why Bres believes the upgraded track and field will continue to help Bowie’s athletic programs for years to come.
“It gives me hope that Bowie soccer, which has grown into one of the best soccer programs in the state, will continue to grow more and more, and our poor practice facility will no longer hold us back,” Bres said. “I’m just thankful that we now have such great facilities. It’s a shame that I’m leaving, but I’m thankful for my short time on it.” STORY BY
Olivia Hunter
Running plays & pulling flags
Girls Flag Football begins memorizing the new playbook for game day
Caroline Baxter Sports Editor
Running at full speed, stride by stride, senior Audrey Campbell pushes at max effort to reach the end zone and score another touchdown for the Bowie High School girls’ flag football team.
Beginning their second season as a team, the Bowie girls flag football team is still getting used to playing with one another and learning the game, with many new players joining this season. Campbell explained why she decided to join the team in her final year at Bowie.
“I joined flag football because a lot of my basketball teammates are on it and my coach recommended it to me,”
Campbell said. “I really wanted to do it as my last sport before leaving Bowie because I thought it would be really fun and not as much pressure as a normal sport.”
Even though there are many new players this season, there are multiple girls returning for their second season on the team who bring extra experience. One of these athletes is senior Cameron Tishgart. Tishgart describes the new flag football season as a good opportunity for the team to build new relationships.
game of football with our girls,” Santikham said. “This is my fourth season coaching high school football, but only my first year at Bowie. I believe being a quarterback and wide receivers coach along with the time I have spent around football has prepared me for this role to teach the girls something new.”
The flag football team have been practicing together for a few weeks and according to Campbell, the team has already tremendously improved.
“The coaches have fully brought us into the Bowie football community and it has really improved how each individual on the team plays,” Campbell said. “I expected the coaches to be a little softer on us but they aren’t which I think is why our team has gotten good so far this season.”
The team has had only one game this season so far. The field is very different from a normal size football field by only being one-third the length of a regular high school football field. Tishgart explained how this impacts the outcomes of the games.
though the team believes it is low pressure, according to Santikham there are still many expectations for the team this season.
"“So far it has been super cool meeting these new people over the past two seasons,” Tishgart said. “I have learned how to have fun while playing a sport and not take things too seriously since it is meant to be fun.”
Not only are some of the players new, but so are some of the coaches.
“The games are 15 minutes running halves which really only gives you a maximum of eight chances to score,” Tishgart said. “The size of the field allows for more close call and high energy games.”
Although it is only the beginning of the season Campbell describes her excitement for the game and the girls she gets to call her teammates.
The girls are really competitive and love to practice, they want to succeed and go all out at all times.
Xerien Santikham Offensive Head Coach
Offensive coach Xerien Santikham has experience in the sport of football and hopes to use that to impact the girls on the field.
“I thought it would be a good challenge coaching wise to join the team and provided an opportunity to grow the
“I enjoy just having fun with my team and being able to compete and strategize with my teammates,” Campbell said. “Also, I have enjoyed the good new workouts, meeting new friends, and being able to thrive in a playful environment with more relationships to coach Purdue and coach Santikham.”
According to Campbell and Tishgart many girls use flag football as a fun, low pressure workout opportunity. Even
“Expectations-wise I expect us to be able to go out and compete 100 percent every game, with that we should win the games we are favored in and be able to compete and hopefully win the game that are tougher,” Santikham said. “Outside of winning, we want the girls to have fun this season and grow the game, as well as representing Bowie High School well.
Even though Santikham has high expectations for the team, he also values the work ethic and the competitiveness of all the girls on the team. He describes what he has noticed so far for coaching for Bowie.
“The girls are really competitive and love to practice, they want to succeed and go all out at all times,” Santikham said. “On top of that they know how to keep the energy up and make everything fun while still getting the most out of the workouts and practices.”
Color Guard flies toward the regional finals
Olivia Hunter Dispatch Reporter
Flipping, tossing, and turning, the flag cuts through the auditorium as junior Colette Allen moves with the tempo. Using muscle memory, Bowie High School’s Color Guard synchronizes each movement with precision at the WGI San Antonio regional finals.
Open to all Bowie High School students, the Color Guard serves as an “interpretation” of the marching band, where members analyze choreography, compete, and learn the basic equipment, including the flag, rifle, and sabré. As reported by Color Guard Gifts, the color guard embodies many components of culture and tradition.
“In essence, color guard is a vibrant tapestry woven from physical vigor, mental agility, and social cohesion,” Color Guard Gifts said. “Its importance lies not only in the immediate benefits but also in the foundational qualities it nurtures—qualities that persist, shaping individuals long after the flags are furled and the music has ended.”
According to junior guard member Nick Wyatt, the competition portion is the most difficult part of the program. He credits the team’s performances and results to competitions that push Color Guard performers to prepare both physically and mentally.
“The most challenging part of our preparation for competitions is definitely our mentality. I would say about 75% of having a good show is based on your mindset going into it,” Wyatt said. “While practicing chunks of our show repeatedly helps us grow and strengthen our muscle memory, being able to remember all of that and make it happen with only one attempt is a whole different skill, and it takes a lot of focus and concentration to make those moments happen.”
This season’s production, titled Still Life, revolved around a storyline
of mannequins coming to life within a warehouse. Chunks of the show consisted of high tosses, tricks, and rifle work. The entire team was required to pick up and perform with a rifle, a challenge that pushed many members, including senior Color Guard captain Soren Shelton, to perfect. “When a team member is feeling nervous I usually try to cheer them up by making jokes or taking their mind off of the guard for a moment. If I notice anyone struggling on a specific
part or toss I’m always willing to help them by giving tips on fundamentals,” Shelton said. “My main responsibilities are usually keeping people focused, encouraged, motivated, and lots more. I do what I can to help everyone and make sure everything runs smoothly.” Leading up to regionals, the team had to dedicate their entire spring break to rehearsing and refining every detail. Junior Colette Allen noted that the demanding schedule ultimately strengthened the team’s performance
and boosted their confidence.
“The competition was during spring break, so the two days before the competition, we had practice from 9-5, and it was hard spending our break that way. I know some people were frustrated and nervous for different parts of the show, but being able to have long practices before the competition gave us lots of time to prepare,” Allen said. “But those practices were some of our strongest because everything was tying together, and we were starting to improve our performance quality.”
On March 22, the varsity team executed their routine at 2:08 pm. After months of preparation, adjustments, and choreography the team placed 2nd at WGI San Antonio.
“I felt really focused and in the zone during the performance at WGI San Antonio finals, and I think everyone else on the team felt the same. I felt really good about everything that I left on the floor, especially my performance quality, my dancing, and the flag feature felt really strong,” Allen said. “Our directors were very proud of us, and they told us that it was our best run yet, so we felt like all the work we had put in that week really paid off.”
Due to their second-place finish, the team earned a spot at the WGI World Championship in Dayton, Ohio. As their season continues, they have high hopes for making the leaderboard and improving their score. .
“I was really happy and impressed with us because we beat one of our big competitors this season. Making 2nd puts us in a great spot going into the world championships,” Shelton said. “We just wrapped up Dayton, and I would say my goals are definitely accomplished. We went in and focused on what we needed to do, and it paid off. We made finals for the 3rd year in a row, placing 12th out of over 50 guards.”
CAUGHT MIDAIR: Senior receiver Peyton Dorsey snags a pass at the 30-yard line. The girls flag football team has just begun their season with a win against Austin High School. PHOTO BY Will Olenick
WINDING UP: Senior quarterback Audrey Campbell shifts her feet as she prepares to release the ball. Campbell plans to continue working on her throwing mechanics for the next upcoming game against Ann Richards. PHOTO BY Will Olenick
Tossing For Perfection: Senior captain Kaiitlyn Jistell flies her flag. The Color Guard team stays in sync as they prepare for WGI San Antonia regional finals. PHOTO BY Ashley Marcus
Sydney Murphy Sports Editor
Under the hot Texas sun, freshman Julia Wood adjusts her catcher’s mask, ready for the next pitch. A familiar sense of anticipation floods her chest. She crouches down lower, her eyes laser focused on the pitcher, ready to command the field and guard home plate.
Wood transferred to Bowie this year following a rule change at her former school. Throughout middle school, she had competed on the baseball team at Regents, since the private school did not offer a softball program. However, upon entering high school, she was informed she would no longer be allowed to play. As a private institution, Regents is not bound by the same public school athletic regulations, giving them the freedom to maintain gender specific rosters for certain sports regardless of a student’s history with the team. This policy prompted her move to a public program like Bowie where she could continue playing, on the softball field.
“Thoughout middle school, I was on the Regents baseball team but when I was entering high school, I was told I would not be allowed to continue to play,” Wood said.“It was really frustrating because they didn’t have a problem with me being on it throughout middle school.” Wood made the decision to transfer to Bowie at the start of her freshman year, looking for a program where she could succeed as a player. After joining the softball team in January, according to softball coach Karl Lauer, her talent and dedication allowed her to quickly climb the ranks to earn the role of the varsity starting catcher.
“Julia is an incredibly strong player both physically and mentally,” Lauer said. “She’s a great game manager who really has an understanding of the game by being able to not panic while playing.” Lauer’s assessment of her composure on the field is something the rest of the team noticed right away. Her teammates have seen firsthand how much work she puts in to lead the defense from behind the plate.
“She took on a lot of weight this year being the starting catcher as a freshmen,” teammate Lillie Gideon said.”It’s not an easy job for anybody but she’s doing amazing at handling the pressure that comes with the position.”
That hard work is paying off on the scoreboard, as the team has a 7-2 record as of April 4. A major highlight of their record was a big win against their rival, Lake Travis, proving they can compete with some of the best programs in the Austin area.
“We are having a great season because everyone is really playing for each other,” Wood said. “Beating a team like Lake Travis showed us what we’re capable of, and we just want to keep that momentum going.”
This team first attitude has helped her fit right in with the lineup from the start. Her performance on the field has filled a key gap for the team and earned the trust of the coaching staff, according to Lauer.
“She is an asset to the team and we are so glad to have her,” Lauer said. “We needed a catcher and she has been perfect for the job, she has a great work ethic and you can tell that she is determined
to always give it her all.”
While the coaching staff focuses on her skills on the field, the road getting here was complicat ed. Her move to Bowie came after facing some school policies that kept her off the team at her previous campus.
“It’s very sexist since Regents is a private school, they make their own rules that they tech
her high school career.”
According to Gide on, the combination of Wood’s personal drive and her team mates’ support has created a clear path for her continued development with in the program.
This positive team dynamic allows her to focus on refin ing her skills as she looks toward her future in the sport.
“I really want to see how far I can take my game over the next few years and help this team keep winning,” Wood said. “Coming to Bowie has given me the chance to just focus on being the best player I can be, and I’m excited to keep growing alongside my team mates.”
That long term poten tial has the coaching staff excited about what she can accomplish in the coming seasons. According to Lauer, even in a short time, she has proven to be a quick learner who is constantly elevating her game.
“Julia hasn’t been with us too long, but she acclimated herself to the girls in the program,” Lauer said. “She’s coachable so she picks up very quick, her growth has been awesome, and I know it’s only gonna get better.”
3/2 vs. Del Valle: W 3/6 vs. Drip: L 3/10 vs. Westlake: W
2/10 vs. San Marcos: W 2/23 vs. LT: W 3/13 vs. Akins: W 3/16 vs. Austin: W 3/24 vs. Steele: L 3/27 vs. LT: W 3/31 vs. Del Valle: W 4/7 vs. Westlake: W 4/8 vs. Akins: W
Stunt casting is when casting directors make the decision to cast someone wellknown or famous in a role. Casting directors have started to do this more commonly than they should because their shows either aren’t getting enough attention and ticket sales, or they want more attention and ticket sales. Putting a well-known face on the cover of the playbill does not fail to reach these goals but is stunt casting really necessary or fair to well-deserving and talented actors?
Recently people such as Peyton List and Whitney Leavitt have not only gained popularity or attention from being a part of these shows but they have also drawn people into seeing the show as a whole. Leavitt just secured her show “Chicago” a record for the highest grossing week, but is it a coincidence? No, the reason she was able to achieve this was not because it happened to be a popular show, although it is important to the history of Broadway, it is because of her popularity. She just went on “Dancing with the Stars” for being on “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” so, her fame in the past year has been increasing greatly. Although she has been doing great and I am happy that she is getting some needed redemption, was she the best choice for the starring role Roxie Hart? I’m not so sure. Peyton List recently joined the off-Broadway cast of “Heathers,” this stunt cast is even more interesting than Leavitt’s because although many actors would kill to be Roxie Hart, she is still doing a decent job and is maintaining a humble outlook on the opportunity. List, on the other hand, has gained popularity and attention for her role as Heather Chandler but for different reasons. Now I have not seen her in the full live production of this show, but I can’t help to agree with the public when I say she is simply not a good fit for this role. After seeing and hearing clips of her singing iconic songs such as “Candy Store” I believe her singing is not quite at the level the character needs. I believe she is an amazing actress when it comes to past films I have seen her in, but the mean, popular girl stereotype seems to be lacking.
I know many actresses that would kill for that part in that show but the casting directors made a decision to stunt cast and we can now see the negative benefits of that. The show is gaining popularity because of how people are talking about the actress in a negative light online and is possibly drawing in ticket sales due to people wanting to see for themselves, but if they hadn’t stunt casted and chose an unknown actress the show would not only be better but draw attention to it because of the talent not the face.
Overall, I believe stunt casting can have benefits, whether the actress is good or bad it does guarantee an increase in ticket sales. However, we should be giving opportunities to starving actors with potential and talent. The people may love a familiar face but they may also love someone refreshing and new, I know I do.
Humming happily in harmony
The Four Corners Quartet celebrates their win at the Bowies Got Talent showcase
Alice Goss Entertainment Editor
The audience holds their breath, waiting for the announcement of the Bowie’s Got Talent (BGT) winner, then the theatre erupts with cheering, confetti rains down on the winning group, smiles taking over their faces as the four boys are presented with their prize.
The Four Corners Quartet, an a cappella singing group, won BGT 2026 after being named first runner up the previous year. The group is made up of seniors Aidan Schexnaydre, Gavin Sewell, Dylan Shahid-Russel, and junior Spencer Findley.
“Honestly, it felt incredible to win, but knowing that there were so many other amazing performances makes this experience just all the more meaningful,” Findley said. “I am happy because the performance brought us together again and I hope it leads to more performances of ours in the future.”
The group was founded last year, when they created their iconic style and look. The quartet can be found wearing formal attire, always adorned with their straw hats. They also sing classic hits that are popular across multiple generations of audience members.
“We often choose songs from the 50’s, as that was when Barbershop Quartets were popular,”
Schexnaydre said. “But we also always include “Life Could be a Dream” in our medleys, because that’s the song that founded the quartet. Dylan and I started singing the song for fun, and whenever we would sing around Gavin he would add a high harmony. When we heard about BGT last year we needed a fourth, and Spencer was more than happy to join us.”
Each member of the group gets to lead a song of their choice, in which the group will write their own harmonies into. The quartet started rehearsing a few weeks before the competition, where they spend hours in the practice rooms fine tuning volume, pitch, and an assortment of other factors.
“The majority of the songs I arrange myself using this app called BandLab,” Sewell said. “I record my voice over itself multiple times, and usually I have to go over to a piano to find the rest of the harmonies.
Keeping all the harmonies in your head is definitely a challenge, but arranging harmonies is one of my favorite things and I’m overjoyed I get to put it to use.”
All four of them are actively involved in musical theatre, which
allows them the freedom to switch who sings the high or low harmonies. They also get consistent practice throughout the year through musicals and vocal lessons so that they can improve independently.
“We have a lot of fun working together throughout the year and seeing how we’ve all improved vocally apart from the quartet,” Shahid-Russel said. “A funny memory was when each of us were doing our songs and I had a generational voice crack that ended our entire run because we couldn’t stop laughing for so long.”
"It was really cool to see how the runner up from last year came back stronger to win the competition this year.
Alejandro Garcia Student Council Sponsor
After the Four Corners had their debut at BGT last year, they have experienced an influx in requests for their performances. The group’s participation in BGT this year was requested by Student Council sponsor Alejandro Garcia, and the boys have multiple other performances lined up for later this year as well.
“I thought they were incredible last year, because we last had a barbershop quartet perform back in 2017 so it was a cool talent to showcase once again,” Garcia said. “It was really cool to see how the runner up from last year came back stronger to win the competition this year, I could tell they really had fun.” The quartet will perform at the Starlight Theatre Company’s end of year banquet (STARS), as well as being invited to perform in the Joy Act Club’s musical theatre revue for senior centers. The group rehearses during their free time to prepare for these end of year events, as this is their first year being invited to join forces with Joy Act.
“The club asked the quartet to perform because we hoped it would bring joy to the senior citizens,” senior vice president of the Joy Act Club Hailey Davidson said. “The quartet is special because of how unique it is; the singers, not using any backing tracks and doing music
themselves, making their performance both impressive and interactive.”
As the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, the quartet will be losing three out of their four members. Findley has the support of the rest of the quartet to continue their legacy and keep performing if he can find members, but nothing specific has been decided yet.
“The only reason we keep the quartet going is because we love it so much,” Sewell said. “So, I really hope Spencer continues the quartet because he is one of the most musically talented people I have ever worked with. I can’t wait to see what he does.”
The Four Corners Quartet expressed sadness about leaving Bowie behind, but the group will have had five performances before the year is over. Leaving behind one member to continue the legacy and a group of people who have enjoyed many of their performances.
“We’ve all really been able to connect through our appreciation for classical singing,” Shahid-Russel said. “There’s something to be said about the bond that’s made from working hard together to put something together for other people to come and watch for the overall benefit of promoting music.”
Spring shows dazzle audience with exciting twists
The crowd erupted into cheers as the actors joined hands to take a swift bow. The beaming spotlights illuminated their bright smiles as they quickly scanned the audience for familiar faces. One by one, the actors exited the stage, leaving behind the vivid story and classic characters they had brought to life.
Bowie’s Starlight Theater Company performed a series of three plays for their annual Spring Show performances on March 26-29. The performances took place in the Betsy Theater, featuring the plays “The Book of Everything,” “The History of Tom Jones,” and “Julius Caesar.” The plays were double casted, alternating performanc es each night. “Julius Caesar,” directed by Marco Bazan and Kade Lasseigne, competed for the 2026 UIL One-Act Play competition in addition to performing at Bowie.
“It was a really interesting and re warding experience,” Lasseigne said. “We told a version of Julius Caesar that is unlike the classic, original telling of Julius Caesar. My favorite part about directing the show was just getting to be creative with our concept.” Directors Lasseigne and Bazan aimed to tell a captivating version of the story
“Julius Caesar” by incorporating modern concepts in the play like the use of phones to represent
the effects of the media. Lasseigne encourages actors to use realism to tell a life-like story while on stage. He also believes in teaching the actors to use internal characterization to establish a deeper connection with the character they are portraying. Senior Kynnadi Bryan, who played the role of Octavius in the competing cast and Julius Caesar in the home cast, had a good experience working with her directors.
“They’re really good directors,” Bryan said. “They worked on the show really, really hard and put a lot of effort into it. I thought the show went really well.”
“Julius Caesar” had two casts, one of which competed at the Performing Arts Center against other schools in the UIL district. Each show was reviewed by a selected panel of three judges, who scored the performances based on the quality of storytelling and acting. The cast placed fourth overall in the competition. Sophomore Peter Davis enjoyed collaborating and bonding with the cast while preparing for the production.
“Everybody in UIL is just so unbelievably talented and kind, and it’s just such a good experience to be in,” Davis said.
“What really ties the show together is the cast. It’s what makes it fun.”
The Spring Shows also featured the production of “The History of Tom Jones,” and “The Book of Everything.” Sophomore Rae Bagnall and freshman Kabir Nayak played the role of Thomas in “The Book of Everything,” a story about a child with a big imagination and love for literature who over-
comes the abuse of his father. While the play had two separate casts, Bagnall believes both casts had similar interpretations.
“Everyone interprets characters differently, but I’d say we’re all pretty much on the same wavelength,” Bagnall said. “It just depends on how well the actors mix. There are slight differences, but overall we read pretty similarly.”
The plays, spanning from 30 to 45 minutes each, were packed with action, humor and drama to entertain the audiences. The casts began rehearsing for the Spring Shows shortly after the production of the musical Les Mis in January, spending a month honing their roles and practicing their lines. Sophomore Zoe Rich, who played the role of Bridget in “The History of Tom Jones,”
the opportunity to
acting experience in a fun environment.
“I feel like the musical was more crammed and complicated while Tom Jones was a go with the flow schedule and easier to manage,” Rich said. “The best thing about being in spring shows is being with your friends, having fun, and getting to work with really amazing people and directors.”
their Bowie’s Got Talent first place award. The four individuals were one of the finalists selected by the judges which the audience then got to vote on. PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
Zoe Stover Dispatch Reporter
loved having
gain
STAGED SLEEPING: Senior Damien Boring pretends to stretch and yawn as he performs in “The History of Tom Jones.” Boring played Squire Allworthy and Henry Fielding and was able to showcase his comedy. PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
DYING DILEMMA: Senior Kynnadi Bryan is held at gunpoint while playing the famous role Julius Ceaser in the home cast production of Julius Ceaser. This is a pivotal point in the STC’s modern take on the play because it represents people taking power into their own hands to fight against corruption in the system.
PHOTO BY Zoe Stover
PHOTO GALLERY BY Zoe Stover and Arlo Stockstill
SPENCER FINDLEY Junior Quartet Member
The best spot for fashion on the block
The Guad Vintage Market supplies the hottest and trendiest items found in Austin today
Ava Weaver Review Page Editor
I should get paid for the number of hours I spend scrolling on Pinterest, cultivating my dream wardrobe into a digital board. But all I get is a reminder that I live in the era of boring beige and not blinged-out 2000s couture. Meaning, I have no money or access to the clothes of my dreams. That was until the Guad Vintage Market hit the Austin scene, becoming my go-to spot for every article of clothing I own. Every Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m., vendors set up their tents filled with vintage, stylish, and high-value items all for us Austinites. And if that interests you, head over to 2932 Guadalupe Street to build a wardrobe you look forward to wearing.
HITTING THE JACKPOT
If I’m sitting in a plastic chair for eight hours of my day, I want to wear something comfy. But the matching sweat sets marketed today are not my style: a baggy sweatshirt with baggy sweatpants, sold separately, despite that they’re a “matching set.” And the brand logo is printed on the front in an obnoxiously optimistic font. Not to mention the price ranging from $60100 dollars per piece. I’ll pass. I want to be like Paris Hilton, comfy. I want to walk into school with a Juicy Couture track suit, with its soft velvet material and blinged-out logo. I’ve been craving to wear a 2000’s
tracksuit for years and have never been able to find the pieces to squash this craving. That was until I hit the jackpot at the Guad Vintage Market. I found a velvety-black BCBG track suit, enhanced with its blinged detailing, sold together for $50 dollars. I swear angels descended when I picked up that hanger.
Walking into school that Monday, I had someone ask me where I got it from in every class. And of course, I told them where they needed to go if they wanted to have a 2000’s couture tracksuit of their own. And you can too.
As someone with a more alternative style and bright pink hair, finding dresses that suit me, my style, and convey my overall vibe is really hard. But of course, the market provides. Just the other week, I found a body-fitted black dress with detailed hot pink hibiscus flowers. And with my luck, which is good, it fits perfectly. And as my mother said, it looks like it was made for me. And everyone knows that when you find a dress that feels like it was made for you, that will be your dress for life.
The vintage market is filled with spring dresses, especially during this time of year. And I’m not talking about Easter dresses. I’m talking about slip satin dresses that drape on your body. The dresses with the eye-pleasing bright shades of orange, pink, and blue, paired with the embroidered flowers with bead detailing. Those dresses with the extra fabric at the ends that flow with the wind when you walk. I’m talking about the dresses that look like a mermaid was
transformed into a dress. And if that interests you, you know where to go.
My previously mentioned items have been my favorite finds this year. But along with those items, I have found vintage ED Hardy T-shirts, metal band T-shirts from bands such as Tool and Three Days Grace, low-rise Y2K jeans, Italian charm bracelets, vintage Coach bags, and if I went on, you would stop reading.
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
If you haven’t made plans to visit the market by now, I’ll give you more reasons to. The effort made to make the shopping experience enjoyable at the market is not common for corporate brands. There’s a live DJ every week, playing beats that don’t overpower your intense conversations with friends. And most weekends, I have seen free water being provided, which I’ve never appreciated more. Living in Texas, shopping in an outside area is not optimal, and usually leaves you feeling uncomfortable, sweaty, hot, and irritated. But the market makes sure you have the best shopping experience regardless of the weather.
Recently, a vendor who sells matcha has been there almost every weekend, so not only are you getting a shopping trip, you’re getting a little sweet treat to fuel it.
The vendors are the most chill people in Austin. They do the hard part of thrifting for you. Deep diving into Goodwill bins to find the items you want, and then selling them to you for a reasonable price. Most vendors are even willing to give you discounts if you buy multiple items or knock off $5 if you’re short. I don’t know about you, but saving money is very appealing to me as a high school student who is beyond broke. The main reason you should go to the market is for yourself. I hope you already know this, but you deserve to dress in a way that makes you feel confident. Style is a direct representation of your creativity and inner self. I’ve heard many people talk about how they would have their ideal style if they just had a little bit more money. But I’m here to give you the resource to let the outside of yourself accurately represent the inside.
MY TIPS AND TRICKS
If you made it this far, I’m assuming you’ve already scheduled a trip to the market with your friends. So, here are my tips. That Pinterest board that you have been
curating is the key to a good thrift trip. Walking into the market can be very overwhelming if you’re walking in blind. I recommend that if you don’t already have one, build a Pinterest board of what you hope to find. You’re practically manifesting the pieces that you want. And if you don’t believe in manifesting, building a Pinterest board allows you to have an idea of what you want and the type of pieces that you’re looking for, so it’s easier to spot them in piles and piles of clothes.
And as I mentioned before, the Texas weather is no joke, so bringing your own water and a handheld fan will make your shopping experience that much better. There have been many times when I’ve forgotten these things and had to go inside the surrounding stores so I wouldn’t pass out from the heat. Don’t be like me, be smart and be prepared.
And lastly, for all my divas that are about to have their dream wardrobe, plan to spend more money than you think. Because you are gonna find all you want and more. And you have to make the decision: are you leaving the market disappointed and $20 or a broke baddie with their dream wardrobe? I personally chose the latter.
Are these most anticipated albums worth your stream?
thing that would play in the background, but not something worth a deeper investigation.
Eleanor Blue Dispatch Reporter
Harry Styles’ new album,“Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally,” is composed of different variations of the same unremarkable pop music.
On a first and second listen, it’s hard for me to distinguish anything especially noteworthy about the album. It’s not that the project itself is bad, it’s just forgettable. It sounds like some-
I found it to be a watered-down version of the songs I enjoyed from Styles’ previous album, “Harry’s House.”
The album begins with a single, “Aperture.”
With the song trending on social media, you’re bound to have heard it. It features uncomplicated lines like, “the aperture’s what lets the light in,” and “I’ve got no more tricks up my sleeve.”
Despite this simplicity, I do think it’s a good first track.
The first song on an album is arguably the most important. It sets a tone for the subsequent tracks and serves as a recognizable intro. Although the song wasn’t a standout, it still serves well as a representation for the rest of the album.
Moving onto “American Girls,” the second track on the album, I’m once again underwhelmed. It repeats the same line throughout, but never tries to break out of the norms of Styles’ past work. It feels incredibly surface level, with a beat not catchy enough to justify this failing.
There are, however, a few songs I did enjoy off of the album.
“Pop” is an upbeat song with a simplistic chorus but a few interesting lines like, “Catching stray dogs, try but you can’t tame them.”
My favorite song by far was “Coming Up Roses” with its slow melody and stumbling delivery. I think it also serves as a solid representation of my overarching point. Styles is clearly a talented musician, but he hasn’t significantly changed his style for years. My biggest complaint with the album is that I’m bored. It’s too similar to what we’ve seen him do time and time again. The thing is, we know he can do it well, but I’m tired of the same thing from Styles.
Although I really wanted to like this album, it didn’t land for me. His past work, Harry’s House, grew on me. The more I listen to it, the more I enjoy it. His newest album didn’t have that same appeal. My life is the same as before it came out, but I’ll probably still tap my foot when it comes on in the grocery store.
The next new release I decided to try out was Mumford & Son’s new album “Prizefighter.” I haven’t had a very extensive history with the band, but I’ve always had a soft spot for their 2012 album, “Babel,” so I was excited to hear their new work.
Babel is a deliciously distinct sound, with iconic tracks and an album cover to match. The more time I spent listening to it, the deeper my appreciation grew for its lyricism and melodies. Unfortunately, their British charm didn’t translate in the same way for Prizefighter.
The first track is called “Here,” a song I was annoyed at by the second chorus. Even during my subsequent listening, I couldn’t get interested in the lyrics. It’s definitely a solid vocal delivery, just not one that I was particularly invested in.
This song is followed by “Rubber Band Man,” another track that didn’t particularly stand out to me. I found myself enjoying it more than its predecessor, but not in a very meaningful way. Hozier is an excellent feature, but didn’t add much to the song.
Again, it’s not that any of these tracks were bad. Mumford is a clearly talented voice with a band to back his talent. There were several harmonies that landed well on my ear, specifically towards the end of the album in songs like “Conversations With My Son” and “Badlands.” I thought that the song “I’ll Tell You Everything” had a lovely sound, with drooping melodies and a nice instrumental backing. “Clover” is another lovely song as well, and a nice end to the album.
Overall, although I wasn’t blown away by Prizefighter, I still maintain my respect and admiration for what Mumford & Sons are trying to accomplish. It’s a lovely album, but
the writing doesn’t compare to their previous work. Babel was experimental, it had the vibe of a band trying something new and making something truly special. Prizefighter doesn’t feel like an album taking risks, the kind that made Babel stand out to me as a listener. I don’t hate the album by any stress, I was just underwhelmed by an undoubtedly talented band.
Harry Styles Mumford & Son’s
GRAPHIC TEES: Racks upon racks of clothing is available at the Pavement flea market. Shoppers can find street wear clothing like graphic tees and jerseys to upgrade their closet. PHOTO BY Ava Weaver
SHOPPING: The people of Austin search the racks at the Guad Vintage Market. This market is located next to the Pavement thrift store. PHOTO BY Ava Weaver
Eleanor Blue Dispatch Reporter
ART BY Claire Ferrante
ART BY Claire Ferrante
COMMENTARY
Pulling heroes off pedestals
EDITORIAL
Humans are obsessed with creating heroes. It’s something we’re taught to do from a very early age, like when we celebrated our heroes in elementary school by making projects about them. Even as teenagers and adults, we’re constantly asked who inspires us. It stings when you see your hero's name hit the headlines and watch them get ripped apart, but it hurts even more when you realize they deserve it. Over time, people have grown numb to seeing an icon get torn to the ground because something from their past resurfaced. We’re taught that this one person accomplished something so great, that we should look to them for inspiration, but time and time again, we see that nobody is truly a perfect role model.
Instead of putting one person in the spotlight for their accomplishments, we should focus more on the accomplishment itself, whether it be a movement,
else had a positive impact on society. Focusing on the accomplishment will prevent someone being put on a pedestal for being such an impeccable person, and then disappointing everyone when their mistakes get put on display.
Cesar Chavez is a household name. In the 1950's and 1960's, American farmers were struggling. They did a lot of grueling labor for very little pay in unsafe working conditions all while they had no legal protections. Chavez was the spearhead of the Farmworker’s Movement, advocating for higher wages and better conditions through nonviolent acts such as strikes, protests, and boycotts. He quickly became a hero to many.
While he was helping some Americans secure a better life, though, he was sexually abusing women and children. According to the New York Times, he repeatedly assaulted Ana Murguia and raped Debra Rojas while they were both underage girls. Murguia suffered so much from the abuse, she tried to take her own life multiple times at only
of multiple women that worked alongside him, including his partner, Dolores Huerta. Together they started the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), and the public praised them for being such a strong and hardworking duo. What the public didn’t know was Chavez raped Huerta in his vehicle. The Farmworker’s Movement was a huge success. It raised wages, improved working conditions, and led to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which gave farmers the right to engage in union activities. But instead of celebrating this important achievement and the thousands of Americans involved, one man was shoved into the spotlight. Chavez was the hero, and has only become
Instead
This is why we can’t put people on pedestals and act like they can do no wrong. It’s argued that heroes are essential because they give us hope and courage in difficult times. While it’s true that humans benefit from some inspirational people and their stories, it’s always taken too far. Names should be recognized but shouldn’t be more famous than accomplishments. People are complicated and naturally imperfect. That’s why you always hear people say “Never meet your heroes.”
If you need a role model to help you through tough times, just close your computer and look up around you. There are everyday heroes all around in your daily life. Look up to someone that you truly know, not someone you crafted in your
For years now Bowie has had an issue with rats and insects like cockroaches, centipedes and crickets. Lately teachers have been reporting more and more sightings of these creatures. These appearances affect the classroom in various ways such as students getting distracted, the teacher getting distracted, and even students wanting to take their phone out and take a photo. Specifically, the amount of rats inside the school is insane. I have heard stories from at least half of my teachers reporting rats in their room. On one hand, I don’t really mind it because as long as there aren’t any in my class period then there’s nothing to be scared of. But on the other hand, teachers are starting to restrict students from eating in their class because of the rat problem. I find that both reasonable and unreasonable because I get that some students may not want to pick up their trash and leave crumbs on the floor, but teachers also shouldn’t take out snacks entirely just for a small group of people. Overall, Bowie should try to get rid of rats entirely. According to PNW Pest Press, rodents can cause damage to structures by chewing holes in various areas like doors, walls, and even electrical wires. Chances are that's how most of the rats at Bowie enter the class-
room. Rats can also spread diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis, and even lyme disease. These diseases can infect students and staff making our school an unsafe environment for everyone. Getting rid of rats can erase these risks.
With rats living inside the school, they have to get rid of waste somehow. Breathing in rat droppings can cause even more disease just by breathing in the particles. One main disease caused by rat droppings is called Hantavious Pulmonary Syndrome.
Rats really enjoy a warm, dark, quiet, and hidden area near food. Rats can really enjoy living in the back space of a classroom, behind a vending machine, or even near broken areas outside of school property. Regularly cleaning these areas and cutting down their source of food can get rid of rats.
A potential solution for the issue could be having a deep clean in teachers' classrooms during a free time. Teachers and other staffers could help each other clean their classrooms getting rid of unneeded old things like maybe textbooks they never use or old shelves. Taking these things out of the classroom can decrease the chance of rats or other insects from entering the classroom and taking shelter in the never used shelves or textbooks. Another solution for the food issue could be having a specific corner of the room to eat snacks. Students are expected to clean up after themselves and if they don’t then they can’t eat in that class again. There are simple ways to keep rats from
entering the classroom. Make sure to keep the room clean and avoid creating piles of
ART BY Jenny Kimbrough
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026
Its not that deep Gen Z
Gen Z needs to be more involved in the world affairs
People all around the globe agree that Gen Z is the dumbest generation yet. Now, I don’t totally disagree, but this statement is too definitive, suggesting “dumb” is all Gen Z could be. So, what statistics make this claim true?
I read a New York Post article titled “Gen Z - the first generation officially dumbed dumber than the last” by Jeanne Erickson. And it’s true, if you’re only looking at standardized tests. According to the statistics in Erickson’s article, Gen Z has scored lower on standardized tests than the generation before it.
I believe this fact fueled the egos of our previous generations, providing them a reason to validate what they already believed to be true. It’s no secret that older generations will jump at the chance to criticize Gen Z, especially when it comes to school. But maybe it’s not Gen Z’s fault for being dumber, and the school system is at fault for its inability to adapt. The world is becoming more digital by the second, and Gen Z can thrive in it. But our school system is debilitated by it and is arguably setting up Gen Z for failure.
From my experience, students walk into classrooms equivalent to the ones our grandparents walked into, learning lessons that have stayed the same for the past 10 years. Lessons that are slow, boring, and not important when what’s taught doesn’t seem to be useful in the world today. Teachers are not at fault for this, as they have tried to make their lessons more engaging, but I recognize that it’s almost impossible with the school system’s outdated foundation and its ever-changing audience.
AI started advancing around 2022, which is unfortunate timing. Gen Z experienced most of their middle/high school education in a shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. This changed how kids viewed school indefinitely; that is to say, school became unimportant when your teacher became pixels, your classmates became your stuffed teddies, and the world seemed to burn outside your window. Education in isolation caused students’ mental health and academic abilities to decline.
Then, a couple of years later, they’re expected to thrive in a “normal” school setting with no sense of how. Gen Z was burnt out before they even got the chance to be lit. And what comes to save these kids from flunking? AI. Gen Z wants an education; they want to graduate high school, but they lack the abilities to achieve this like their parents. The timing is almost too perfect. It’s like the goal was to make the dumb dumber. So, now we are labeled as the “dumbest” generation.
The fact is, Gen Z views the lessons taught at school to be pointless, teachers are burned out trying to cater to Gen Z, and the school system refuses to change. With the creation of Artificial Intelligence(AI) and applications like ChatGPT, what’s stopping kids from utilizing it? Nothing, and I mean, can you blame them?
Don’t think I support the use of AI; I am only able to understand why Gen Z relies on it. AI thinks, plans, and processes for you, replacing all of your cognitive abilities. It’s no surprise that when AI is relied on, your own cognitive abilities decline. But this is not limited to Gen Z; they are only a reflection of how AI’s drawbacks affected schools. I’ve seen millennial’s use AI to make their grocery list. I’ve seen Gen X use AI to answer work emails. And Boomers can’t even tell what’s AI vs. what isn’t. We are all dumber because of AI; older generations are just ignorant of how it affects them, too.
So yes, Gen Z is dumb. But if a whole generation can be classified as dumb, maybe the fault lies in the world system. Stop blaming the kids and start looking into why Gen Z operates as they do.
I like going to different school events like football games.
We should all be outraged
People are not angry enough about the Epstein File horrors
With over three million released pages of the Epstein files, consisting of thousands of videos and pictures, more and more horrific truths are coming to light about celeb rities and politicians that we once adored and trusted. Jef fery Epstein was an Ameri can financier and later found to be a child sex offender after it was discovered that he had been paying a minor for inappropriate acts.
In 2019, he was arrested for sex trafficking after the media discovered that he owned Little Saint James, also known as Epstein Island, where he and numerous other public figures frequently brought underage girls to be assaulted. Soon after his arrest, he allegedly committed suicide in his prison cell. According to USA Today, Epstein had about 1,000 victims.
This is obviously a horrif ic situation that should nev er have happened in the first place, so where is the outrage? There are not enough people talking about the severity of the files, and all of the disgusting things in it. People only cared because it was on their For You Page for a week and have now moved on to something else now that people aren’t posting about it. If politicians and celebrities are able to get away with something as awful and sickening as this, what will they be able to get away with in the future?
From: Jeffrey Epstein To: Ghislaine Maxwell
Sent: 4/2/2011
How are you doing? When do you reach new york city? Im in italy by th= lake, on the boarder with Switzerland. It is so beautiful.. My laptop is broken so i do mybest to send you summaries of resumes, ideo of applicants and their pictures in one email with Ipad. So i send yo= as i can... I talked to them and made my comments below. Please tell me i= you call, meet anyone of the applicants soon. I must decide for Berkeley by 1 May at the latest to be able to make v=sa, etc. I would be so thankful for the second part of the scholarship fro= you to finish hese studies and become a lawyer in USA. Can't wait to see=you again!! And tellme what you think of
i want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is trump.
VICTIM spent hours at my house with him .. he has never once been mentioned.
1.---------- the best and the most suitable candidate for you after ----------of course. ------------ has a green card and is ----------- currently based inLA. S=e studied in before. She did a lot of charity and philantropy =rojects with Russia for the past 5 years. She has extensive experience raising funds for good will/helping =eople projects. She used to do modeling and playing volley ball. She is vey well travelled, seen and experienced the world. She worked as assistant =n real estate agency in USA. She wants to stay in USA and work hard and sounded like willing to do anything=you ask her. But again, Jeffrey, dont scary candidates got uncomfortable when you joked aro=nd about this....just go
people do not think these celebrities and politicians’ involvement in the files is a big deal, is incredibly concerning and disgusting.
After the files were released, it became apparent that numerous names throughout the files were redacted. Though most of these were names of victims and are meant to protect them, according to Aljazeera, United States Congressman, Ro Khanna, was able to identify six redacted names, all of them being grown men who were not victims of Epstein, but rather perpetrators of the crime.
This raises a serious concern on how many more names of corrupt figures could be protected for no good reason. Allowing these names to be redacted is allowing their crimes to go without recognition or punishment.
Another issue stems from the fact that many people continue to support the celebrities who we know were in the Epstein Files. According to Komo News, a few of the names in the files that people seem to ignore include Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Mick Jagger, and Diana Ross. The fact that many
Since they are big figures with a lot of public support, this will push victims into thinking they shouldn’t share their side of the story. This is due to the fact that fans of these celebrities continue to support them despite knowing what they are capable of.
We should be outraged that those who have the power to expose the offenders who committed these awful crimes aren’t doing it and are letting them get away with it.
Not only does this stop the predators from getting what they deserve, but it also causes additional trauma and stress for the victims. They should not be able to get away with their crimes just because of their social status.
Additionally, it doesn’t help when the leaders of our country are diminishing the severity of this situation by calling it a “Democratic hoax.” That quote comes from our very own president, Donald Trump. Since we now know Trump was in
BULLDAWGS SPEAK!
the files, it makes sense why he would disregard the solid proof of the crimes. However, it is extremely harmful to hear from a high profile person in our government that the sexual assault of hundreds over girls over several years with thousands of photos and videos of proof is a joke set up by the opposing political party. Due to his high position, many people will believe his words without doing any research of their own, which is important to understand just how bad the Epstein Files actually are.
Many people think that the Epstein Files are just a cover up for the more serious events going on in the world right now such as the war in Iran and other systemic issues. This is just simply just not true, and Epstein’s crimes have been an ongoing issue for years so it is important they are addressed now that we are learning more of the full story. While it is important that we pay attention to these
What is your favorite way to show school spirit?
I like to wear my school team’s merch to show school spirit.
I like to dress up for spirit days and attend football games.
To show school spirit I like to wear Bowie apparel.
ART BY Sara Fowler
other issues as well, they should not be used to lower the gravity of the Epstein Files since they are all serious and sensitive situations. In this age of modern media, when people are getting information faster and easier than ever, we need to make an effort to prevent ourselves from becoming desensitized to issues that we feel don’t affect us personally. This is an ongoing problem that is affecting numerous social issues, not just the Epstein Files. Instead of asking why you should care about an issue that doesn’t directly affect you, educate yourself to learn the full story, and learn how it could be affecting more people than you think. In fact, calling the Epstein Files a distraction is just diminishing the trauma of the victims who had their entire life derailed by people who think their status is an excuse to commit heinous offenses.
We should be outraged that those who have the power to expose the offenders who committed these awful crimes aren’t doing it and are letting them get away with it. More people need to talk about the Epstein Files and demand that justice is delivered to the victims who have been affected by this situation.
I love to dress up for spirit days because it’s fun.
Emelia Blais Freshman
INTERVIEWS BY Diego Cardenas
Ahmad Tousson Sophomore
Claire Gignac Junior
Lamin Jabbi Senior
PHOTOS BY Diego Cardenas
Jameson Roberts English Teacher
Spotlight focuses on immense talent
Bowie’s Got Talent returns, with a new wave of students encouraged to take the stage
Ashley Marcus Dispatch Reporter
The bright spotlight cut through the darkness and lit up the wide stage. It cast a clear circle of light across the floor, making the rest of the space fall into shadow. The edges of the stage stayed dim, while the center stood out under the steady glow, ready for whatever would happen next.
On March 7, at 7 p.m.
Bowie’s Got Talent (BGT) took place in the school theatre, and was coordinated by the Bowie Student Council and Fine Arts Department. The sponsors were history teacher Alejandro Garcia, and choir teacher Aaron Bourgeois. BGT is an annual tradition inviting students to showcase their talents in front of the Bowie community.
"BGT was revived in 2024, making this year the third installment since then. Previously, the show was known as Bowie Idol, after another popular competition talent show, starting in the mid 2000’s and lasting 15 years, before COVID-19 put it to a halt.
Alejandro Garcia Stuco Sponsor
“We used to have a lot more people willing to audition, people that had really unique talents that they were willing to display for everybody,” Garcia said. “The show used to be much bigger than it was this year. So, hopefully that means that in the future, we can kind of get back to that. People seem to be less inclined to want to try today, because in the words of my own students, you’d end up on social media, and people would be making fun and embarrassing you.”
“I did yo-yo’ing and I had started doing it about a week before the talent show,” freshman Ethan Bley said. “I actually really didn’t want to do it at first, but then my friends were egging me on so I just showed up and tried out. It ended up being a really fun experience, and it was cool seeing all the other acts like marimba, singing, piano, and everything else. I liked how much variety there was in the show because everyone brought something different to the stage, and it made the whole event more interesting to watch.”
In the results, Sabrina Wagner placed third for her performance of “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, Henry Pickerill placed second with “You and Me” by Lady Gaga, and the Four Corner Quartet, including junior Spencer Findley, and seniors Aidan Schexnaydre, Gavin Sewell, and Dylan Shahid-Russel, placed first with a performance of classic tunes. The Quartet also competed in the previous year’s talent show, where they placed second.
“We had a whole lot of fun last year, so we decided that doing it again this year would be pretty cool, and Mr. Garcia reached out and expressed his interest in having us return again,” Shahid-Russell said.
“We all do musical theatre, so we do have that kind of vocal background by doing rehearsals, listening to harmonies, and practicing. Sometimes it can be a little nerve wrecking and some people think it might be a little weird to do a talent show, but it really is cool to come together and see what people’s passions are.”
Bowie’s Got Talent highlights the wide range of student abilities and the effort many performers put into sharing their skills with the school community. Students who may seem ordinary in the hallways often step onto the stage with talents that set them apart, showing creativity, dedication, and confidence. As the event continues to grow since its revival, organizers and participants alike hope to see even more students take part in future shows and contribute to the variety of performances that define the night.
“I think what makes Bowie’s Got Talent special is seeing how many different talents people have,” junior Adelita Velazquez said. “A lot of students are really passionate about what they do, and this is one of the few chances they get to show it in front of a big audience. It’s really cool to see people step out of their comfort zones, share something they’ve worked hard on, and support each other while they perform. It makes the whole event feel more connected and meaningful.”
someone I trust while performing in front of an audience.” PHOTO BY Isadora Parra MIC CHECK: Junior Sabrina Wagner holds the mic and sings a cover of “Take Me to Church” by Hoizer. Wagner loves to sing and decided to audition for the talent show to show
BOUNCING
NO STRINGS ATTACHED: Junior Alex Doles holds onto his guitar and sings his own cover of “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse. Doles is part of a band called “The Fables” which includes other juniors and seniors. “I like taking
