Marching, chanting, waving signs and flags on the steps of the Texas state capitol and making their presence known. Students and parents of Texas joined collectively in protest on Monday, February 24, with a long list of concerns for their public schools at a Texas PTA event known as Rally Day. The group expressed their worries and rallied together for the improvement of Texas public schools.
Rally Day is a biannual event, occurring simultaneously with legislative sessions. At the event, members of Texas PTAs gather together to support their schools and advocate for their needs to Texas Representatives and legislature members in hopes for change during the session.
“This year was my first Rally Day I’ve been to and it was very enlightening,” librarian Tara Walker-Leon said. “There were so many people who brought students with them which was inspiring because it’s all about students’ futures and the students should have a vested interest in that.”
Rally Day began with a student caucus at the First Baptist Church of Austin, where Texas State Representative Gina Hinjosa of District 49 spoke, along with five students who are members of their respective
schools’ PTSAs. These students sat on a panel, spoke about their personal experiences, what changes they wanted for their districts, and answered questions from both student and parent audience members.
“It’s really important to me that when I graduate I’ll leave behind a better district and a better education system,”
Rouse high school senior and student panel member Mayank Bharadwaj said. “I'm here today to ask our legislators some tough questions about the policies they’re making that don’t highlight students’ values, which is something I want to bring to their attention.”
These student speakers attended Rally Day to advocate for a variety of different needs in their districts. Some attendees wanted to emphasize that students should get more consideration and focus from legislators because they are the future of Texas, while others wanted to express concern about funding priorities for public schools.
to students or get to know their public school students at all because they’re focused on who’s getting them votes right now.”
“I’m hoping to talk to some of my legislators and state representatives to get the idea into their heads that as students, we are their future voters,” Marcus high school sophomore Anoushka Kolatkar said. “A lot of these legislators and state representatives don’t reach out
After listening to the caucus, students and PTA members marched half-a-mile from the church steps to the Texas Capitol to hear speeches from legislators and representatives, and later meet with them in conferences. There were not only high school students advocating for their schools at Rally Day. Fourth graders Jocelyn Donner* and Johanna Davidson*, were among students from Zilker Elementary School who attended Rally Day. Zilker principal AJ Pitts brought 14 students who were selected from 400 student applicants. These 14 elementary students brought handmade signs and marched alongside PTSA members during the rally. The students attended meetings with State Representative James Talarico of District 50 and Senator Sara Ekhart of District 14. In these meetings, the students were able to ask questions about student advocacy and what they can do to help their public school communities.
AISD weather protocols
Severe weather affects school hours
expressed that the unpredictability of Texas weather leaves her and her family anxious when loved ones have to commute to work or school during unfamiliar inclement weather. AISD has protocols in place to protect students and staff if such hazardous weather occurs.
“I was hoping they would cancel school during the February freeze because the roads were very slippery, and it was still snowing when we were getting on the bus,” Dubbs said. “I don’t particularly trust Texan drivers in such severe weather that we’re not accustomed to, nor are our tires.”
On Friday, March 28, the Bowie hallways were a splash of bright colors and exotic sounds as different flags were displayed and cultural music played. Culture Fest took place during both first and second lunch, allowing students to explore some of the cultures and ethnicities that make up the Bowie community.
Bowie’s Student Equity Council initiated the event intending to allow the clubs and organizations of Bowie to share their cultures and enlighten others about them. According to one of the faculty advisors on the council, Alexandria Frossard, they planned to set up tables around the courtyard that each club or family could decorate with anything related to the culture they’re sharing, however,
A group of Bowie students attended Rally Day with Walker-Leon through Raise Your Hand Texas, a program about getting students involved in advocacy and politics.
“Rally Day gave these students the ability to know that their words have power,”
“I'm here to try to change some things that aren't that good in the school system,” Davidson* said. "Our school is 75 years old and we haven't had any renovations, I think we need some funding to help that."
senior Isabel Bauer said. “We as students are capable of more than just talking to each other, we can try to make an actual impact and changes.”
*Jocelyn Donner and Johanna Davidson are fictitious names generated to protect the identities of sources who asked not to be identified.
they ended up moving indoors due to the light rain.
“This is a free, school-wide event that allows for students and staff to share and celebrate their different cultures, communities, and identities with each other,” Frossard said. “We had about 10 clubs participate. It was a small but mighty group this year and we look forward to the growth potential that this program has in future years.”
Many of the clubs and organizations at Bowie had meetings and FIT sessions with their members to brainstorm ideas on how to capture the meaning of their club in a singular booth.
One of these organizations was the French Club, which focuses on the richness of the French language and culture by listening to French music, watching movies in French, and immersing themselves in the language.
"For our booth, we focused on blue, white, and red decorations including garlands,
and mini Eiffel towers, as well as having a coin toss and a bocci ball game for candy
and prizes,” French teacher and French Club sponsor Sigrid Scherber said. “As the sponsor, I am here to support them with any project, provide some materials, and definitely offer my encouragement to the club and its members whenever needed.”
While the French Club planned to capture the beauty of Paris, the Spanish Honor Society aimed to transport students to the heart of Latin American celebrations. According to Co-President of the Spanish Honor Society, Larkin Bock, Culture Fest was an opportunity to show others the beauty of Spanish Culture and promote the club to people who would like to learn more about it.
“Bowie students get to see all the different opportunities to get involved in a club or organization,” Bock said. “Culture Fest allows us as a club to represent
According to the AISD website, the decision to cancel or postpone classes due to extreme weather is based on analyzing all available information. The district is responsible for monitoring local forecasts and overseeing information regarding roadway conditions provided by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
The final decision to cancel or delay school is made by AISD’s superintendent, Matias Segura. Segura's decision is determined after meeting with Austin Homeland Security Emergency Management.
“I just wrapped up our winter weather event, Regional Call, which includes the city of Austin, Travis County, ACC, and the University of Texas,” Segura said in a statement on Instagram. “We get updates on the weather, and with that update, I’ve decided to move forward out of an abundance of caution and go ahead and close schools on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.” AISD advises students, parents, and staff to watch their phones during and/or in anticipation of hazardous weather, as information regarding school schedule changes will be posted on all AISD social accounts. To receive school delay updates through text message, the AISD website advises that contact information is up to date in Frontline SIS in the Parent Portal. STORY BY Ava Weaver
what we stand for which is volunteering and spreading Latin American heritage.” Culture Fest gives the students of Bowie a chance to explore and celebrate cultures they don’t know much about. It also provides an opportunity to experience a unique and safe space at Bowie that shows off the wide variety of cultures in the community.
“At a time when diversity, equality, and inclusion are being challenged, especially in school settings, the Student Equity Council felt that this was a much-needed event,” Frossard said. “People are often scared of cultures and communities that they aren’t a part of because they don’t understand. Seeing these displayed in a safe place allows for introductions to cultures and conversations that may not happen otherwise.”
Eve Johansson Dispatch Reporter
flowers,
PHOTO BY Will Olenick
Schools brace for staffing shortages
Educators
Katie Grumet News Editor
Senior Nate Motes walks through the Bowie hallways. In the winter, he’s freezing, and in the summer, the hallways reach scalding hot temperatures because there is no AC or heat. Once he enters his class, he notices that his class is packed full of students, and he can barely move around the room. Motes is filled with fear and worry as he thinks about having to deal with large class sizes once he becomes a teacher after graduating college.
According to the Austin Monitor, on March 1, 2025, Austin Independent School District (AISD) enacted a hiring freeze throughout the district in every department except special education. This hiring freeze aims to help the district exit the financial deficit that has grown since the current school year’s budget was approved in June. Recently, it was announced that the spending deficit had jumped from $78 million to $110 million despite AISD cutting $26 million in spending.
“I know for sure that the hiring freeze can’t last for long,” social studies teacher Matthew Parente said. “Every year, there are teachers who retire or transition to different careers. You can usually assume that at least three teachers from each department are going to leave at the end of the year, so the district is going to have to hire at least one teacher.”
AISD district leaders attribute the rising budget deficit to falling property values in the area. As reported by KVUE, the district takes in less property tax revenue due to the falling prices. After the increased property tax (Prop A) was passed in November of 2024, an additional $141 million moved into AISD coffers. Despite this, according to CBS Austin, AISD considered changing teacher's schedules from teaching six out of eight to seven out of eight as this would reduce not only spending but also the amount of planning time a teacher has during the day. While this solution has been on the table for several years, the district recently assured teachers it wouldn't happen in the 202526 school year.
“If there aren’t enough teachers in our classrooms, then students won't get the one-onone attention they need to be successful,” senior Eva Jaco said. “Whenever a teacher comes over to help me, I understand the topic completely as soon as I get one-on-one help. Teachers need to continue to be able to do that.” According to a story in the
Austin American-Statesman, AISD isn’t the only school district in Central Texas struggling with its budget. The Eanes school board decided to close Valley View Elementary School and their Spanish immersion program to reduce $2.6 million from what would’ve been a $6.3 million budget deficit. The story also indicated that the Texas Senate is attempting to pass a budget proposal that provides $4.9 billion for teacher pay raises and changes payment to the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, which rewards teachers for having students who perform well on state tests.
“Teachers can get compensated by the state if they teach STAAR-tested courses, so if teachers are thinking about the money, then they might be trying to teach those courses,” Parente said. “My biggest concern is that if a teacher passes away, which happened at Austin High, a math teacher passed away in the middle of the year, or if a teacher quits midway through their term, that can cause a lot
Cullinane
of chaos in school, especially for the teachers who stay.”
According to KUT News, AISD has already eliminated 55 vacant transportation positions, including drivers and mechanics. The district has said that those cuts would not impact transportation services for students. Additionally, the district has discussed making master scheduling, the process of determining things like which classes are available and when, more efficient. The district hopes that adjusting the way they schedule it will reduce the number of classes that have a small number of students in them.
“If a teacher has a large number of students in each class, that is just an ineffectual way to teach,” Parente said. “I’ve done the math and if I have 200 students and I want to spend five minutes a week per student then I would need probably over 15 hours a week and we don’t even get that much planning time so it’s going to cascade teachers lives outside of school to try to get everything done for
each student.”
According to AISD, the district’s expenses rise due to several factors, including energy use, fuel, and staff raises to keep up with the increasing costs of living. The state has not increased the funding that it provides to AISD since 2019. Additionally, federal funding has decreased even further due to a decline in the number of students who are identified as economically disadvantaged and a reduction in the number of federal reimbursements for services provided to students.
“In 2009, the legislature significantly cut back on the amount of money that they were providing to schools, but then in 2019, they invested back into public education with a historic amount, but that only gets the budget back to what it should’ve been in 2009," Parente said. “The amount of money that they invested doesn’t take into consideration the interest or inflation that potentially would’ve happened, so if you think about it, we're behind financially.”
According to AISD’s website, in 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he would only approve school funding increases if some sort of voucher bill became law. However, legislators have been voting against vouchers, which has directly caused multiple bills, such as raises for teachers and funding for school safety, to not be passed. With funding increases not being passed at the legislative level, Motes feels that this is preventing Bowie from getting the funding it needs, and instead, programs like Recapture (Robin Hood) are taking away even more money from AISD.
“The district is continually increasing the Robin Hood stuff to the point where smaller districts have significantly nicer buildings compared to Bowie,” Motes said. “I've noticed during theater UIL when we compete against smaller districts like Arlington, they’ll have all of this insane tech and all of these nice costumes, and it's like, where do they get all this money from? From our district? And then we have our teachers over
here struggling to afford to fund our show for the year.”
According to a 2021 report by the Association for Career and Technological Education (ACTE), 86% of state directors reported a moderate or severe CTE shortage in at least one CTE career cluster in high school. Similarly, Education Week feels that CTE teachers would ideally have experience in their given industry, and switching from working in that industry to teaching would result in a significant pay decrease. Additionally, CTE teachers face a unique challenge since they have to pass on important information to their students while also keeping up with an ever-involving industry.
“I do think fine arts and CTE programs will be affected by this hiring freeze because there’s a plethora of English, math and science teachers, but CTE teachers are harder to find,” Motes said. “With fine arts teachers, they have to put in long hours after school, and they don’t get paid well, which might make it harder for the district to find teachers to fill those positions.”
According to the Texas Tribune, in 2015, Texas lawmakers passed legislation that allows public schools to hire teachers without formal classroom training,and in almost a decade after the legislation passed, the percentage of uncertified teachers ballooned by 29%. Since some teachers may not be getting conventional training, it falls on the district to fill those gaps and provide new teachers with the information they need to be successful.
“If the hiring freeze extends into the summer and the district waits until September to hire teachers for next school year then those teachers will have no prep time and they won’t know what class they’re teaching until the last minute and they have to hit the ground running which can be very difficult,” Parente said. “So much of the funding issues are out of the district’s hands, and honestly, the state needs to support education, and funding vouchers is not the answer, the state allotment per student needs to go up drastically.”
Next year's electives stir up excitement around campus
Marissa McGowan Review Editor
Junior Ayah Hakim imagines herself in her senior year, walking into a new science class, Pathophysiology, excited to learn about diseases. Next school year will be the first year that Bowie adds this class to the course catalog among many other classes, and Hakim is already anticipating the benefits that taking this class will have in advancing her medical career.
For the upcoming school year, Bowie will offer a variety of new elective and core classes to students. These courses feature a range of subjects, including science, cultures, fine arts, and other career-based electives.
“I think it’s good that Bowie is offering additional classes to students,” Hakim said. “It’ll help students find a class that they are passionate about and enjoy, instead of taking a boring class they aren’t interested in.”
Science teacher Stacie Feen will teach the new Pathophysiology class and said the class will focus on the study of diseases and how they affect the body, how they work and function, as well as disease prevention.
“I like the anatomy class I’m currently in,” Hakim said. “It was really fun, and I learned a lot about the different body systems. Hopefully, in this class, I'll be able to study the disease of each body system and more and more unique aspects of diseases.”
Pathophysiology will be an extension of the disease-based content covered in Anatomy and Physiology. This class aims to work as a supporting class to various health-based science courses. According to Feen, Pathophysiology can be a beneficial course for students who are interested in taking Practicum in Health Science as an upperclassman.
“I hope that by taking Pathophysiology, it will help me to take the things we learn in the class and apply them to scenarios or hands-on activities in practicum,” Hakim said. “It'll also help me
with the medical certification we take at the end of the year in practicum.”
Another class that will be offered at Bowie is Literary Genres, Mythology, Folklore, and Culture. According to English teacher Scott Dennis, the class will focus on the myths, legends, folklore, and tales from various cultures throughout history and their impact on American society and culture. The cultures studied include Greco-Roman, Scandinavian-German, Celtic, African/Afro American, Native American, and Asian.
“Students need to be aware of world mythology and folklore,” Dennis said. “Many literary and visual works reference the gods and tales from the various cultures, and students need to know who, what, and why these references are made.”
According to studies done by Edutopia, a nationwide survey conducted of sixth through 12th graders, they were asked what engaged them the most as learners, Elective ranked high in results. According to education researcher Robert Marzano, choice has also been linked to increases in student effort, task performance, and subsequent learning.
“I've always been interested in mythology,” sophomore Jay Blood said. “I hope to learn more about Egyptian mythology. It's really complicated and complex, but it's really fun to learn about.
Additionally, Bowie will be offering a Women's Literature course that will highlight various works, such as books, poetry, and songs, written by and about women and works that contain feminist themes throughout history. According to Women's Literature teacher Chrissy Hejny, the course examines how women's stories have shaped and been shaped by society.
“Women make up half the population across racial and ethnic boundaries, and their contributions to literature have been strategically overlooked and undervalued,” Hejny said. “This course will empower every student who takes it to seek the full story in every situation and confidently navigate an increasingly inclusive, diverse global community.”
Bowie is also going to offer a Dual Credit Theatre Appreciation course. According to theatre teacher Kade Lasseigne, this is a college-level course focused on history through reading scripts of various plays throughout time. It will involve class discussions and writing analyses of the scripts to help students gain a broader knowledge of play scripts.
“I think it is important to see where entertainment right now in 2025 came from,” Lasseigne said. “Theatre is the origin of movies and TV, and without it, we wouldn't have entertainment the way it is today. These stories we are reading are also relevant to today's climate, people just don't know it.”
According to BigFuture, electives can be used for students to learn more about a specific interest or follow a preexisting passion, and help students stand out in their college applications. With these new electives, Hakim hopes that these courses can help provide students with more opportunities to pursue their academic goals. “I think it's good that Bowie offers all these cool pathways that enable students to do something they are interested in, some of those
ART BY Layne Foxcroft
New federal bureau prioritizes budget
How the Department of Government efficiency is cutting costs and taking new steps
Savannah Riggins Politics Editor
Senate
Sara Fowler Dispatch Reporter
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a new department within the federal government. It was established by an executive order on January 20, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump. "From what I have heard about the Department of Government Efficiency it is taking a lot of funding away," counseling and mental health teacher Justine Lashley said. "DOGE is getting rid of a lot of important programs."
According to npr.org there has been some confusion surrounding who runs DOGE. President Trump pointed to Elon Musk as the head of DOGE in his joint address to congress on March 4, of this year. However, Musk is not an actual DOGE employee.
The main purpose of DOGE is to regulate the government’s resources, time, money, and workers. According to AP News, the department is doing this by laying off employees as well as cutting federal funding to divisions.
“I think that DOGE is improving government efficiency,” Coppedge said. “The United States is not very good at managing finances, so having a department just for improving the countries budget will be helpful.
The U.S. is one of the countries with the most debt, and we really need to fix it by getting rid of unnecessary things.”
ment of Education's job is to provide aid to educational programs, and if it is not doing that then it is just spending wastefully.”
To encourage the resignation of DOE employees, DOGE offered the employees up to $25,000 to leave the department before firings occur. This buyout is called the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment. According to The New York Post out of the 4,000 staff 137 workers have taken the offer.
“I think Trump is referring to Musk as the head because Elon has a lot of influence in the economy," sophomore Gavin Coppedge said. “He is a billionaire, so he knows how finance works. He seems like the right choice, because he can make big changes and affect the U.S. easily.”
Although Musk is not a DOGE employee, he does still play a role in the government as a senior advisor to the president. Senior advisors do not have formal government authority, but Musk’s role allows him to voice his opinions and provide advice to the president.
“I think that Trump and Elon have a strange relationship,” junior Masha Warnken said. “Trump definitely has Musk in his pocket and Elon is using Trump in the same way. They feed off of each other in terms of economic and political gain. They are both just trying to further their agendas.”
Initially government officials declined to publicly say who the chairperson of DOGE was. However, according to MSNBC the official head of DOGE is Amy Gleason. According to White House Press Secretary, Gleason is the acting administrator of the new department.
“I think they didn't announce Amy as the head because no one knows who she is,” junior Paul Commeau said. “Obviously Elon Musk is a very big figure, so Trump addressing him as the executive of DOGE is most likely only for social media. It was also a way to market Trump, especially during his election campaign.”
BUDGET
One Federal agency that has been a main target of budget cuts is the Department of Education (DOE). According to the official DOGE website as of April 1, the DOE is classified as the second highest on the departments official agency efficiency leader board,
“I think that DOGE really shouldn’t be involved with education to begin with,” Warnken said. “I believe that education is one of the most important things in this country. By withholding funding DOGE is enabling Trump to be able to cut the program completely and give education rights back to the states. If that happens it is going to be horrible for a lot of people, especially in Texas where they want to integrate religion into class time.”
Masha Warnken
"Trump definitely has Musk in his pocket and Elon is using Trump in the same way. "
junior
The DOE coordinates federal assistance to education and establishes policy for administrators. The department also ensures that programs are providing fair access to all people by enforcing laws that prohibit discrimination in programs that receive federal funding. These policies include the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 and The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In addition to federal policies the DOE identifies problems in American education by collecting data and overseeing research. Once these issues are identified the DOE draws national attention to them to promote reform.
“I think the way the government sees it is that there is a bunch of spending on things that are not actually beneficial to education,” Commeau said. “In that case I would agree. The Depart-
“Compared to just firing them I think that $25,000 is a good offer,” Commeau said. “I’m not exactly sure how big the DOE is but if they have excess staff then cutting down would be beneficial in terms of government efficiency. By offering them this option it gives the workers a choice.” According to the DOGE X (formerly known as Twitter) account the department is working with the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin. They are working to cancel Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and Environmental Justice grants in order to save money. “Unfortunately I believe the removal of DEI will affect students a lot,” Lashley said. “I think they are going to take a lot of resources away. The Black Student Alliance (BSA) might not even be allowed to be a club next year. I think that this is a way to silence minorities and make sure our opportunities are limited” Cutting DEI grants has impacted other departments in the federal government. According to Fox News the elimination of these DEI programs have caused the loss of funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The IMLS is in charge of managing the grants to Museums and Libraries around the country.
“The slashing of this funding is not good,” Warnken said. “With no funding important libraries and museums could close down. That means we would lose access to resources that teach us about history. Without learning about the goods and the bads of history we are at risk of repeating precious deadly mistakes.”
Bill 2 will potentially change Texas education
On February 5, 2025, Senate Bill 2 (SB2), which would create an Education Savings Account (ESA) program in Texas, advanced through the Texas senate. Following suit, House Bill 3 (HB3), another ESA program proposal, was filed in the House of Representatives.
ESAs are a voucher-like program which would establish bank accounts, funded from state taxpayer money. This money would go to the families in the voucher program who choose not to educate their K-12 students through public school. Additionally, the bank accounts will be used to pay for educational expenses, such as private school tuition. Currently, two different bills which would establish ESAs are being considered in Texas’s 89th legislative session.
“The state already gives money for public expenses which benefit everyone, which is the point of public education,” junior Annaliese Evans said. “Money going into private education doesn’t benefit everyone, like it should. If that money were to go into public schools it could cover a wider variety of students and their education.”
Currently, representatives supporting vouchers hold the majority in both chambers. 19 of the 31 members of the Senate already voted to advance SB2, and 75 of the 150 House members who signed on as co-sponsors of HB3, plus the bill’s author, would be enough to pass the bill in the House. While the bills from both chambers would establish ESAs, HB3 addresses more than SB2, and there are differences in spending priorities and amounts between the bills. Further, both bills are currently in the House's Public Education Committee, leaving potential for continuous changes and amendments.
“If it comes out of the committee, where we can make changes, then
it goes to the floor, and on the floor we can do floor amendments,” Rep. James Talarico said. “Our two options to combat the bill are either to make amendments or vote it down.”
While both bills propose using $1 billion per year to fund ESAs, under SB2, ESAs would have a per-student allotment of $10,000, whereas under HB3, the per-student allotment would be 85% of what public schools get through state and federal funding, with the minimum allotment being $10,000. State budget analysis of HB3 projected the costs of the program rising from $1 billion to almost $5 billion per year by 2030.
“The budget of the program increases over time because the voucher becomes an entitlement and it has to create slots in the coming year,” Rep. Sarah Eckhardt said. “The students who are in the program will be holding down that voucher however long they are in K-12, and then there will be others coming in behind them, so it has a compounding effect.”
have the money and means to go to private school, and not everyone can do that,” Evans said. “Even if regular families got a voucher, they still may not be able to afford private school.”
Under SB3, students with disabilities would receive $1,500 on top of the baseline $10,000 allotment. Under HB3, students would receive the allotment amount plus an additional amount calculated based on what the state spends on special education per student in public schools, potentially up to $30,000 total per year. Additionally, under HB3, private school parents would be able to request that a public school evaluate their student for a disability, which is already mandated in some cases under federal law, and the public school would have to evaluate that student within 45 days.
Neither bill contains an income cap for families participating in the program. Under SB2, when demand for ESAs exceeds funding, students whose household income falls below 500% of the federal poverty level, which is $156,000 or less for a four person household, would be prioritized. Under HB3, students would be categorized into four tiers of priority. The highest priority tier would be disabled students at or below 500% of the federal poverty level, then students at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, then students between 200% and 500% of the federal poverty level, and finally students above 500% of the federal poverty level.
“High income families already
“Under the voucher program, while you may get a larger voucher if your child has some kind of disability, it’s nowhere comparable to what public education must provide to a student with disabilities,” Eckhardt said. “Up to one third of students in public education have some level of disability.”
Under both bills, private schools would not have to fulfill any additional requirements to participate in the program. Private schools participating in the program would still be able to reject students, not provide learning accommodations or evaluations, and not administer standardized tests or publish testing results.
“I
PEACEFUL PROTEST: Citizens gather to protest Senate Bill 2. They are attempting to keep the voucher program from being established. PHOTO BY Audrey Cullinane SCAN TO SEE MORE
VIDEO BY Gabby Bochey
GETTING INVOLVED: Children have joined the battle against the ESA programs. They are urging voters to take action against SB2. PHOTO BY Gabby Bochey
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
GRAPHICS BY Savannah Riggins
Emiliano is immersed in ‘Bulldog Nation’
From freshman to senior year this STUCO President strives to leave his mark on campus
Isabella Verette Senior Editor-in-Chief
Walking onto the court, microphone in hand, senior Emiliano Martinez is preparing himself to lead one of the spring sport pep rallies. He says his opening line, ‘Good morn ing Bulldog Nation’.
Martinez is one of Bowie’s Co-Student Council Presidents for the 2024- 2025 school year and is part of seven organiza tions on campus. His heavy school involvement came from an inner motivation to give back.
“I wanted to join as many clubs as I could because when I first got to Bowie, I feel like I needed to be a part of something,”
country was the first program I joined, and it gave me a home on campus. After I realized how important cross country was to my success freshman year and I started thinking about
whether it’s coaching the swim team or being heavily involved with his church.
“I started as a youth group leader, and now I help the religious education director with the classes, our confirmation classes,” Martinez said. “I have my own group of kids I get to hang out with and teach, and that’s cool. I’m also assistant to the sacristan, so I help make sure that Mass runs smoothly, and I’m an altar boy, so I serve on the altar with the priest.”
According to Martinez, his main goal in anything he does is to improve student and staff relations and make a difference. Whether that’s at church, at school, or at work.
After winning the election for Student Council President in May of last year, Martinez has
that my job is to be the connection between the student body and administration, and I wanted to also use that to foster more school spirit,” Martinez said. “I go to CAC meetings and act as the representative for the students alongside my co-president Noble (Cox) and then I also help run the pep rallies as part of what I guess you could say is my spirit initiative.”
Outside of just adding a fun student face to pep rallies, as Student Council President, Martinez has also been tasked with running some of Bowie’s annual events.
“We just did Bowie’s Got Talent and it was great because we got to celebrate students who sometimes we otherwise wouldn’t know are so talented,” Martinez said. “We also changed how we celebrate teachers every month. Instead of just getting a poster, we get them a goody bag along with it, as an extra acknowledgment of how much we appreciate them, and I think it really nice.”
While students around campus might not notice the efforts of Martinez, his co-president does.
“I think he’s so involved in the campus and student life because he is dedicated to his community and enjoys giving back to those around him,” Cox said. “It has been great, we have worked well together to tackle all the tasks that we needed to accomplish as presidents. He’s great to work with and motivated to make a difference on campus for others, and I am glad I have got the chance to do it with him.”
Senior Ryleigh Carrasco expressed that Martinez is always ready to help out on campus, even when he’s not part of an organization.
“Emiliano is always in yearbook, he just comes in and offers his help any chance he gets,” Carrasco said. “He always shows up right when we need help identifying someone or we need someone to go out and get a quote, and it’s been extremely helpful as we are finishing up the book.”
Martinez will be attending the University of Texas in the fall to major in government. According to Cox, Stu-Co is his stepping stone.
“I know that he wants to be a politician someday or something with the law side, so I think that he is driven by his pursuit of this career,” Cox said.
STUDENT BUSINESS
APRIL 11th, 2025
Wake up and get
Meeting with admin Track/Cross Country Lunch in the Office Class (probably english) Go to yearbook book Orchestra practice (yikes) Go home and eat #homework time Make a proposal for Stuco Go investigate Write speech for
While Martinez pushes to make an impact on campus, he is also actively striving to better himself.
“I wanted to better myself and improve myself, and I enjoy running, so I thought, why not run a marathon,” Martinez said. “So, I trained for it for a while, and when I ran, I got under my goal of four hours, which was really cool, but the last mile was really, really hard, at one point I wanted to give up, but I finished, and I’m really glad I did.”
Now that the marathon is over, Martinez is training for a triathlon but also staying close to his running roots on campus.
“Because I was training for the marathon, I didn’t want to have the added on stress of running for track this year,” Martinez said. “So, I asked Coach Tilson if I could have a managing role, so I could still be at practicing and cheering on all my friends while training for the triathlon, which hopefully will be as successful as the marathon.”
Throughout the remainder of his training and the end of his senior year, Martinez is still thinking about ways to foster community and celebrate his peers. Like starting a campus-wide inauguration for the next Student Council president and vice presidents.
“I think a campus-wide inauguration would bring more value to the presidency. It will
help introduce the students that any student or teacher can rely on,” Martinez said. “It also reminds the people coming into office what type of responsibility this is. This isn’t just a president of some club. It’s being president of the school. You represent the students of Bowie to everyone around you. I think it’s a great way to end the year, a symbol of power being transferred.”
Vice Principal Kaylin Brett believes Martinez’s is a great leader for many reasons.
“He’s passionate and dedicated, and a great listener. He wants to hear from the student body to support needs on our campus,” Brett said. “Emiliano is genuinely kind and ensures to think about all students when making decisions.” Alejandro Garcia, the Student Council sponsor, believes that who Martinez is as a person boils down to his inner guidance and compass
“He’s ambitious. He has a go-getter attitude. If there’s something that needs to be done, he has the initiative to go and try to get it done without being asked or without waiting for someone to tell him what to do,” Garcia said. “He’s just somebody who has a very intuitive perspective. He’s done such a great job at that, in student council, and just as an everyday human.”
Baking Business is bringing in the bucks for Gonzalez
Marissa McGowan Review Editor
Flour dusts the air as junior Gianna Gonzalez carefully mixes ingredients for her favorite treat, swirling frosting onto a batch of freshly baked cup-
In late 2023, Gonzalez put her baking passion and talent into action with Made With Love by Gianna, her self-grown baking business offers an assortment of scones, brownies, cupcakes, and more. What started as a hobby quickly developed into a
family didn’t have a lot, so my mom would make birthday cakes for my brothers. I saw my mom making a birthday cake one time. I helped her, and I just got really into it. I knew it was gonna be my thing.” Gonzalez primarily promotes her business through social media, with the support of her family and friends. Her father, Justin Gonzalez, who is a realtor, is a source of Gianna’s success as he encourages his clients to buy various items from his daughter. Justin encourages her to manage her time and money wisely.
“My dad always inspires me to do things out of the ordinary,” Gianna said. “My dad was one of my biggest supporters throughout starting my business, he knows what it’s like to try and create something, he’s always there to guide me, help me communicate, and deal with funds.”
Additionally, her grandmother helps design custom stickers, this network of support has contributed to the growth and success of Made With Love by Gianna. Although she has an extensive support system, she prefers to manage her business independently, primarily through Instagram, where she receives orders via Direct Messages.
“I think her passion for baking is amazing,” Justin said. “The fact that she didn’t just talk about it, as most kids her age do, she actually made a business of it.”
Although Gianna has a deep-rooted love for baking and sharing her desserts with the community, she has chosen not to turn baking into a professional career.
“I just want to have fun, and I don’t want baking to become something stressful,” Gianna said. “I realized that I didn’t want my passion
to feel like work, but I’ll still continue baking on the side in college.”
Gianna’s aspirations for Made With Love by Gianna are driven by her desire to make a positive impact rather than to meet a financial target. She sells a variety of products ranging from $10 to $25, adjusting prices for custom orders. Through Gianna’s first year of her company, she made around $400 in sales.
“I don’t have a money objective with my busi ness, my intention is to just be there for people,” Gianna said. “Through anniversaries and birthdays, my goal is just to bring my treats into people’s everyday lives.”
important.”
Gianna is part of the baking program at Bowie, which means she participates in organizing and creating bake sales for students on campus. In daily classes, they expand their baking knowledge by experimenting with new treats. Recently, Gianna has learned how to make croissants and macaroons, which she plans to incorporate in her sales.
As her Made With Love by Gianna took off, Gonzalez found herself balanc ing schoolwork and extracurriculars with the responsibilities of running her company. Despite her busy schedule, Gianna stays committed to distributing high-quality products and has never missed a deadline.
“I’ve learned that communication is key,” Gianna said. “When people tell me what they want to order, there are so many additional questions they have to answer about their order,such as different flavors, shapes, frostings, and detailing. So, being able to communicate with the customer is
“I’d say having her own baking business makes her unique because she brought some experience and knowledge before starting the program,” Culinary teacher Ric Howard said. “I try to talk a lot about product standards and how customers experience our work, that in combination with the detailed planning we do for bake sale production should be a big help to her now and in the future.” Additionally, in the baking program, Gianna has learned new techniques and gained hands-on experience in a professional kitchen setting. Howard was one of her supporters and mentors when growing her business.
“I think it’s wonderful that she had enough interest and talent to start her own endeavor,” Howard said. “As a first-year Baking student, Gianna caught on very quickly and has done a great job being a part of our team.”
FASHIONABLY FRIENDLY: Senior Emiliano Martinez is all dressed up and ready for interviews with PAL’s applicants. Martinez has been in the PAL’s program for two years, and is also Co-Student Council president. PHOTOS BY Ryan Zuniga
PASTRY PERFECTION: Junior Gianna Gonzalez prepares the puff pastry batter to be squeezed out onto a pan. Gonzalez started her baking business Made With Love by Gianna in 2023, making her hobby into a paying job. PHOTO BY Ryan Zuniga
Will Olenick
A picture perfect prom season begins
Charlotte Schwarte Feature Editor
As the first signs of spring emerge, prom season takes over the minds of high schoolers nationwide. However, for senior Neela Lerma and junior Peyton York the big night doesn’t just mean picking out a new dress, they get to model the dresses themselves.
York and Lerma both hold the title of Z Girl for the local dress boutique, Z Couture. In their position, they serve as models and social media ambassadors, representing the store on a volunteer basis.
“My favorite part is definitely the fashion and the social media because it’s very much connected,” Lerma said.
“Every time you try something on, you’re taking photos in it, and everything’s just so pretty too, and glittery. It’s hard not to like a dress.”
Neither Lerma or York have modeled in the past, but both admitted they’ve wanted
The sun beating down on the back of his neck, energy tense in the air, the occasional cheer from the sidelines. Hamza Deyaf once was one of the sprinters waiting to take off down the track, and now he stands on the sidelines, holding his breath for the Bowie track team.
Deyaf is a volunteer track coach for this year’s season who has finally found the time to return to his beloved sport. Deyaf went to Plano East High School, and had not originally had any experience in track. But the moment he chose to start running track, he was quickly affected by one coach in particular.
to for years. Now each has done two to four official photo shoots for Z Couture.
“I enjoy that it’s something different for me,” York said. “I’ve done sports and other things my whole life, and this is something that’s always been interesting, but I’ve never done it.”
The girls’ journey began in December of 2024 when they were selected to model and represent Z Coutures’ 2025 prom collection. York initially stumbled across the opportunity online, and Lerma followed suit after seeing York reveal it on Instagram.
“If you want to get into modeling, I suggest just being yourself and putting yourself out there, to take risks,” York said. “Originally, I had no intentions of even applying or getting the role, and then I got it.”
As part of the girls’ contract, they are required to create a certain number of stories, reels, and posts pertaining to Z Couture on their own Instagram accounts. They are also posted on the boutique’s Instagram, @zcouturedresses.
“I think we all help contribute to any content creation or promotion they need,” Lerma said. “We help showcase how the dresses look in real life and to promote the store.”
The modeling process revealed itself to be much simpler than the girls expected, each girl doing their own hair and makeup. The girls collaborate with a photographer who captures them wearing different dresses sold at Z Couture.
“It’s honestly fun,” York said. “It’s not as nerve wracking as I thought it would be. My first time going into a photo shoot, I was very nervous. Then I realized that everyone was feeling similar,
and accountability, and he believes that time allowed Deyaf to become a very skilled and proficient hurdler.
“I didn’t know I wanted to do hurdles, but my coaches made me believe I could be a good hurdler,” Deyaf said. “I took that skill to state championships my sophomore, junior, and senior year. Which then took me to the University of Texas where I was a three-time All American, and would then run professionally all over the world.”
“When I was in high school, I had a coach who was a volunteer coach as well, Coach Furman,” Deyaf said. “His volunteering really shaped my life, so I always knew one day when life was more balanced and stable that I’d come back and volunteer. I decided to reach out to schools that were in close proximity, and now I’m here.” According to Deyaf, he ended up spending a lot of his time on the track, where he learned discipline, teamwork,
Head track coach Laura Tilson is in charge of creating the workouts for each event but usually allows the assistant coaches, including coach Hamza, to figure out what each event might need.
“He has brought a lot to us in knowledge of hurdles,” Tilson said. “But also all of the tendencies and small tips I would never have thought of.”
Outside of his time volunteering at Bowie, Deyaf is the CEO and founder of Speedtech Lights here in Austin, manufacturing the lighting systems on emergency vehicles. He has been doing so for the past 18 years, experiencing lots of different environments and work styles, but has found Bowie’s
and there wasn’t anything to be scared about.”
Traditional modeling consists of several different styles, such as runway and commercial modeling, but social media has arisen as a new platform for models, and for designers to show their collections. The Z Couture Instagram has 62,000 followers.
“I’ve learned from the experience to have fun with it, and not stress about everything,” Lerma said. “I think it’s helped with confidence, hearing all the girls hype me up when trying on dresses, and reassuring me that it looks amazing.”
To highlight their models and dresses further than just in planned photo shoots, Z Couture features and posts photos from the girls own prom experiences, as they are usually wearing dresses sourced from the boutique.
“I think being a Z Girl has been really helpful in prom preparation because it has given me so many opportunities to see new dresses and learn about the variety of styles and designers,” Lerma said. “It makes me excited to see what everyone else picks out.”
Z Couture labels itself as “the largest store in central Texas” with over 3,000 dresses in store. The styles ranging from prom and homecoming to pageants and formal occasions. Lerma and York model exclusively prom dresses for the 2025 season and have had nothing but positive reviews of the gowns.
“It’s just fun to play dress up,” Lerma said. “I get to put on a dress and pretend like it’s mine for a few minutes. All the girls there are so sweet and supportive.”
While the main concept of the Z Girl program is a collaboration of modeling, fashion, and social media, the topic that both Lerma and Peyton repeatedly returned to was the camaraderie they felt within the Z Girl community and when working with other teenage girls.
“They’re all really sweet,” Lerma said. “I’ve never had a bad experience with any of them, and they all help everyone try on dresses, and it’s
like a fun little ‘girls get ready,’ and then when taking photos, everyone’s screaming, hyping each other up.”
Another member of the Z Girl team is Leander High school senior Kristyn Ruthven, who works at Z Couture as a stylist, since she enjoyed her Z Girl experience so much. According to Ruthven, as a stylist, she picks out girls’ dream dresses and gets to be involved with their prom.
“Communities of women, like the Z Girl community, are important because they provide a safe space for women to connect, share expe riences, and support one anoth er,” Ruthven said. “This sense of belonging can be crucial for personal growth.”
There are a total of 22 members of the Spring 2025 Z Girls, some of who are returners. Most Z Girls are juniors and seniors, but applications are open to all high schoolers.
“Neela and Pey ton are a joy to work with,” Ruthven said. “They are very sweet and outgoing girls that are nothing but fun to be around.”
Although neither York or Lerma plan to pursue a full-time career in modeling, both acknowledge the growth they’ve experienced and the doors that have opened as a result of being a Z-girl. Lerma is heading to college for business and interior design, while York is more openly considered participating in modeling during college.
“I think modeling as a career would be fun, getting to dress up in all different styles,” Lerma said. “However, I would feel very stressed working in an industry that is mainly looksbased.”
Outside of modeling, the girls participate in vastly different extracurriculars, in which they juggle with modeling obligations. York is mainly involved in the Bowie cheer team and
program to be one of the most rewarding.
“I work with 1000 people worldwide, and I would say Coach Tilson is one of these hidden gems, who is just an exceptional leader,” Deyaf said.
“From all the leaders I’ve seen, I would say that she’s among the best. She’s firm, holds people accountable, but she’s very loving and compassionate.”
Coach Tilson places a lot of importance on the team and
Lerma works a separate job than Z Couture and is in the sculpture class at Bowie.
“I hope that this experience gives Neela and the other girls the opportunity to build their confidence while having fun and making new friends,” Neela’s mother Sangeeta Lerma said. Being a Z Girl has been an almost undefinable role for the girls, encompassing fashion, modeling, social media, and girlhood. Its a new experience, but Neela and York are already making connections and friendships.
“I think being a Z Girl is important because it shows a lot about your character,” York said. “I’ve never met a mean person within the program. It’s a very happy environment and I think that’s important.”
the relationships she forms with her students and wanted to make sure this environment continued when Deyaf joined the team.
“I think my relationship with the kids has shown Hamza the importance of creating connections with them,” Tilson said. “He has become a lot more comfortable with them, and just from knowing their names and being able to give them personalized advice has improved practices.”
Hurdlers who have been a part of Bowie’s track program for a while have been able to observe the changes as a specialized hurdling coach was brought in.
“I feel like he has made practice more fun, and I get excited to go to practice every day,” senior Manning Adkins said. “Because it’s my third year, I appreciate how he has been able to focus on hurdling as an event.”
Influenced by his volunteer coach from high school, Deyaf wanted to make sure he was able to utilize so much of what he had taught him when coaching at Bowie.
“For me, it’s important to have a two-way street of mutual respect and appreciation,” Deyaf said. “I respect the athletes. I understand their goal and what they want to accomplish. And of course athletes reciprocate that by respecting my direction.”
Deyaf is not recognized by AISD or Bowie as a staff member, but everyone on the team quickly welcomed him into their family and recognized him as coach Hamza.
“I feel like the fact that he is a volunteer shows how much he cares about what he does,” sophomore Ellie Grigsby said. “He isn’t doing it for status or money, he’s doing it for the team and all the kids.”
According to senior Bella Puperi, Deyaf is always telling the team they are gonna break world records and includes a lot of exercises into practice just to prove that they can do what they’ve been training for.
“He is one of the most encouraging and positive coaches I have ever met, he is always trying to help us get better and pushes us to give 100%,” Puperi said. “Everyone just loves him. The fact that he ran at Texas makes everyone look up to him because he worked hard to get where he is.”
Deyaf has greatly enjoyed his experience with the team and hopes to continue in his position for as long as the school and his schedule allow him to.
“These moments that exist in high school out here on the track with your friends will never repeat themselves,” Deyaf said. “Your job in this period of life is to value, enjoy, and learn from every opportunity.”
Alice Goss Dispatch Reporter
Future bulldogs round up on campus
Bowie event captivates
Sydney Murphy
Photo Essay Editor
Kids flood the hallways in their western themed costumes, with smiles on their faces as they eagerly wait their turn to participate in thrilling activities. Laughter fills the air as the first official Bulldog Round Up has commenced.
Bulldog Round Up is a rodeo-themed carnival event designed for future Bowie students to visit the campus with their families and friends to play games planned by Bowie clubs and organizations. The event was also a way for Bowie to showcase all the programs and clubs they have to offer to future students. Each club that was a part of the event had a booth where they hosted games for kids to play and gave prizes to kids for playing the game.
“It is a community event that we created to introduce our future bulldogs to campus,” class of 2026 sponsor Cindi Carroll said. “The junior class officers were responsible for brainstorming ideas for the event, which serves as their primary fundraiser for next year’s prom.”
The event was a more fun and multi-purposed way to raise money, but ultimately, according to Carroll, the focus was building connections between current Bowie students and future Bulldogs.
“This event helps create future Bulldogs by letting them get a feel for the campus environment and what types of clubs and activities they may be interested in joining when they get here,” Carroll said. “This is more of a community event, so it’s really about connecting our current students with our future students.”
One of the key aspects of the event was the games. Each club designed a game that was intended to be both easy and fun for the younger kids to play. Additionally, many of the clubs planned games that fit into the western theme, for example Spanish Honor Society chose to host cornhole.
“There was a list of different games to choose from, and we picked this one because it would be fun and easy to set up, as well as enjoyable for the kids to play,” Co-President of the Spanish Honor Society senior Larkin Bock said. “It’s a special event because it gives elementary school kids the chance to see all the different opportunities Bowie has to offer and interact with the students who run the clubs.”
In addition to the games, several clubs chose to offer interactive activities related to the club in order to get the kids interested and excited about the different options Bowie has. Clubs that chose an interactive activity instead of a game provided the kids with a chance to explore various interests and passions like music.
“I’m a member of the orchestra and also part of the leadership team,” senior Anna Franklin said. “We set up a variety of small instruments and a bean bag toss for the kids to enjoy. We
young elementary schoolers with fun games, activities, and prizes
hope this will encourage more kids to pick up instruments and spark greater interest in the orchestra, as it’s not as well known or popular among students.”
One of the ways that current Bowie students made Bulldog Round Up memorable for the kids was by volunteering to help run the games for their organization. The students who volunteered helped to set up the event and got experience working with young kids.
“This is a special event because it’s important that our students feel comfortable once they come to Bowie, this event sets that up for them,” Bock said. “This allows students to find their
place when they come to Bowie.”
This event was a way for future students like ten year old Ryan Dranguet to get to know all of the programs and organizations Bowie has to offer. Bulldog Round Up was an ideal way for younger students to have fun learning about Bowie without being overwhelmed by all of the opportunities at Bowie.
“I go to Clayton Elementary School,” Dranguet said. “The event was fun because I got to see Bowie’s campus, and at one of the stands, I got to pie people in the face.”
Although there were many elementary school students on campus, the event also allowed
YEEHAW: A young student who attended the Bulldog Round Up lassos her way to getting candy. This event set up by the Bowie Choir team required the competitor to lasso a rope across a cows neck from a distance. “As part of the Bowie Choir program, our officers pride themselves on participating in community events related to Bowie.” Choir Director Aaron Bourgeois said. “Our Bowie Choir decided to participate in order to help its success for its initial year and to be able to meet some of our future Bulldogs.”
parents to come and see the school that their kids will attend. The goal of the gathering being mostly for younger students was to bring the community together by connecting future Bulldogs with current Bulldogs to get the kids excited about interests they have in common with current Bowie students.
“I hope this will make future Bowie students excited about coming to school here,” Carroll said. “However, our ultimate goal is to make Bowie more welcoming to not only future students but to get parents excited to send their kids here.”
SINK IT: Future Bulldogs toss bean bags with hopes to win a prize. The Spanish Honor Society put on a cornhole event where the young
ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE: Painting with diligent strokes, junior Noah Dougherty creates a fun design on the arm of a fellow Bowie student. The Bowie Key Club held a painting booth at Bulldog Roundup offering candy and drawings to younger kids. “Bulldog Roundup was an incredibly fun and engaging experience,” Dougherty said. “I really enjoyed how
allowed us to connect with the community and showcase the various clubs at Bowie. It was a great way to interact with
PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
PHOTO BY Arlo Stockstill
Sleep habits have a significant impact on students day-to-day life
Liberty Pittman Junior Editor-in-Chief
Worn out and tired, Penelope Durbin drops her bag of soccer gear on the floor, finally home after a late night game. All she wants to do is sleep, but she still has to eat dinner and do pre-calculus and English homework. This leads her to spend another few hours awake.
“From middle school to high school my parents stopped enforcing a bedtime on me,” Durbin said. “I definitely felt more free, and it caused me to want to go to sleep later. Then I realized that I actually need sleep as I'm going into high school, so I've started trying to go to bed earlier, but my schedule conflicts with that, causing me to have to go to bed later and later as I go up in grade in high school.”
WHAT IS SLEEP DEPRIVATION
When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, or gets poor sleep it is called sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can have multiple effects on a person's mental health. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute(NHLBI), poor sleep can make it harder for someone to manage their emotions, can lead to depression, stress, impulsive or risk taking behavior, lack of motivation, and troubles with decision making.
“Focusing is probably the biggest thing, it's harder to focus when sleep deprived,” psychology teacher Tyler Branyon said. “When I am low on sleep I feel groggy, irritated, and frustrated. I'm not in a very good mood, and I don't have as much patience when I don't have enough sleep.”
While getting bad sleep can have mental effects, it can have physical ones as well. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, sleep deprivation can increase risks of colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Lack of sleep can impact immunity leading to sickness and can increase cravings while lowering appetite control leading to obesity. Additionally, being impaired by drowsiness can lead to physical danger with Johns Hopkins reporting that 6,000 fatal car crashes are caused by drowsy driving each year.
“Sleep is important because it’s the body's way of processing the day,”
Human Growth and Development teacher Bridgette Reyes said. “Everything that is learned, experiences, any kind of conversations with people, all of that, the brain needs time to organize it, and sleep allows for that. Additionally, let's say someone is an athlete and they've been exercising a lot, their body needs that time to recover, so that way they can continue to do all the great things that they do.”
According to Cleveland Clinic symptoms of sleep deprivation can include trouble thinking, focusing, and remembering. During a school day which could include assignments or exams, those issues could negatively impact a students performance.
“Lack of sleep makes people unmotivated, they don't feel like doing any work, or are falling asleep in class,” freshman Faylynn Carrington said. “When I am low on sleep I usually just feel really tired and I don't feel like doing work in class, so then I just have more work piled up to do later.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, children ages six to 12 should be getting nine to 12 hours of sleep every night. Teenagers should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep, and adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep.
“Everyone has different sleep needs,” Reyes said. “Some people need six hours to function, some people need eight or nine hours. If someone is not getting that requirement to allow their body to rest and recover, they can fall into sleep deprivation.”
CAUSES
Sleep deprivation can be caused by many things both in and out of one's own control. According to the Better Health Channel, sleep environment, medical conditions including chronic pain and mental health, and lifestyle choices such as busy or inconsistent schedule and device use can all negatively affect someone's sleep.
“A number of things can cause sleep deprivation,” Branyon said. “A lot of it is self-inflicted stuff; we can't get off of our screens when it's time to go to bed, busy schedules and things of that nature, just not having enough time to finish work. Then there's other mental health issues that also go into it, anxiety and depression and things that nature all factor into sleep deprivation. For me personally, I have trouble shutting my mind off. I think a lot of people do. I just can't stop thinking and that affects sleep.”
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, in a survey given to 256 university students 67.2 percent of students stated that stress was a cause of their poor sleep. In-school activities such as exams or public speaking can cause students stress prior to their performance, and while waiting for the results. For a lot of
students grades can be a source of stress as well, leading to extensive work being put into maintaining certain grades.
“If someone is taking really advanced courses and they get five hours of homework, then they're stuck on that,” sophomore Milos Rodriguez-Tomazin said. “Then, say someone didn't pay attention, they didn't finish their notes, then they have to catch up on it at night. They're stuck doing homework and studying all night, so they don't get enough sleep.” Course load and extracurriculars can take up a lot of time. According to Sleep Foundation, the early start time of school, the length of the school day, and the amount of homework a student is given can all affect someone's sleep. Additionally, students' workload and outside of school activities can leave them with little recreational or relaxation time if they also want to get the recommended amount of sleep. This means that a student may have to choose between the activities they want to be doing, and the sleep that they need to do them.
devices from their room before they would like to sleep in order to avoid outside stimuli that can affect their sleep.
“There's a lot of people that stay up on TikTok or social media,” Rodriguez-Tomazin said. “They get so caught up in scrolling through videos that they forget how time passes, and then it's been four hours on their phone. I put my phone up for a whole hour before I go to sleep, so that my brain can relax and get into a calm state, and it helps me fall asleep.”
Tyler Branyon
"If someone doesn't get enough sleep, they can't function, they can't learn."
Psychology teacher
“Students who do a sport, or are in theater, band, orchestra or any extracurriculars, have to come home later after doing their activity, making them have less time for homework,” Durbin said. “If someone has late practices, then they get home late and there are still a lot of other things that they might have to do. They might have to take a shower, do work, take care of their siblings, any of those things, and it throws off their sleep schedule.”
COUNTERACTION
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, exercise can positively affect sleep, improving sleep quality and how quickly a person can fall asleep. Extra physical activity can release endorphins and body temperature, so it is suggested to exercise one to two hours before sleep to avoid being impacted by those factors.
“Sports can bring some stress and anxiety if someone is worried about competition and performing well,” Branyon said. “However, sports also allow for a lot of physical activity, and typically, if you are more physically active, you're going to sleep better.”
According to the National Sleep Foundation in a poll done in America in 2022, 58 percent of responders reported looking at a screen less than one hour before going to bed. The blue light and brain activating stimuli that comes from watching, scrolling, or playing something on a device can all impact sleep, so it is recommended that one removes
When people are looking for improvement in their sleep deprivation symptoms they often turn to immediate solutions such as taking a nap because they are tired, or drinking a caffeinated drink to boost their energy. However, both of these can make a person feel less tired later in the day impacting their sleep.
“Caffeinated drinks make me feel very energized at the time, but as the day goes on I start feeling more and more tired, and then it's more difficult for me to fall asleep at night,” Durbin said. “I think energy drinks will probably kill me at one point in my life, but they're good if I need a boost of energy during the day.”
Something that has a direct impact on the amount of sleep someone gets is the time they go to bed and the time they wake up. According to the National Center for Biotechnology information, having a consistent structured sleep schedule results in improved alignment between sleep and circadian timing, and more regular sleep timing.
“Trying to set a consistent schedule throughout the week helps with falling asleep easier,” Durbin said. “Also, trying to think of one thing that's not anxiety causing at night to set the mind on helps to fall asleep, just little things that are calming, maybe ocean noises or rain noises.” Quality sleep can have many impacts on a person's physical and mental well being. According to UC Davis Health, sleep promotes growth and weight management, helps to keep a strong immune system, and boosts memories and learning. They promote tips to get better sleep such as staying away from snacks, sugar, caffeine, and blue light late at night, sleeping in a cool dark room, and having a consistent sleep schedule.
“Having good sleep hygiene kind of sets one up for success,” Branyon said. “If someone doesn't get enough sleep, they can't function, they can't learn, and they don't have enough energy to get through the day. It's really the most important thing when it comes to health.”
On an average night a person should go through 4-6 sleep cycles. On average a sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. Often throughout the night sleep cycles will get longer, and there will be changes in the length spent in each stage. Sleep stages allow for the recuperation and development of
and
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
THE LOUD OF PROTEST MUSIC
Examining the influence of music on political and social movements throughout history to now
Elizabeth Yowell Junior Editor-In-Chief
“The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will be no re-run, brothers. The revolution will be live,” Gil Scott-Heron sings in his iconic anthem of individual activism. The revolution will, indeed, be live, and documented through hard-hitting lyrics and catchy soulful melodies that unite people and incite change.
One uniform characteristic of the most prevalent social and political movements throughout modern history, is their ties with forms of culture and art. One of these forms of art that has had a lasting impact long after movements’ peak, is music.
WHAT IS PROTEST MUSIC?
From Joseph Warren’s “Free America” during the revolutionary war in the 1770’s, to Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” which criticized police brutality and emphasized the black American experience in the 2010’s, protest songs have been around since the beginning of America’s modern history. Songs like these have served as a public demonstration of ‘we want change’ for many movements, and a time capsule to the struggles of generations speaking up against injustice.
“Without awareness, people can’t grow, we need awareness for movements to grow” freshman at UTSA and activist Kinda Natsheh said. “Challenging the status quo is very important when it comes to protesting, we need to challenge the systems and cultural norms that are unjust and make sure that there’s attention to issues like racial inequality, environmental degradation, workers rights etc. Music is a very emotional experience and it does have the ability to evoke very powerful feelings, and when people are able to come together to listen to music or perform the music, they feel these emotions as a collective.”
Protest music has been written to express opposition or support for political movements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. University of Texas Music
Theory professor Eric Drott believes the definition of what makes a song a ‘protest song’ is a bit more complicated.
frustration for many feminists.
“Music is different to everybody,” history Teacher Dalton Pool said. “Some people just want to listen to music to escape. Escapism and music can be an important thing. Some people want to listen to music to be inspired. Some people want to expose themselves to new forms of music so they can get exposed to new ideas. I think that’s the great thing about music, is it doesn’t have to take one shape or form, and it can mean so many different things to so many different people, and it can serve so many different purposes.”
THE 60’s AND
70’s
‘It’s been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change gon’ come. Oh yes, it will.’ Sam Cook’s iconic solo, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” served as an anthem during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s, describing the struggles of Black America and serving as a verbalization of the hope for a brighter future. The 60’s and 70’s are described by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts as a time dominated by political and social unrest, where the music industry was ‘rife’ with artists fighting to make their voices heard.
“The examples of protest songs that come to mind for me as a history teacher, a lot of them come out of the 60s,” Pool said. “We see a cultural movement that includes art and music, and it’s associated with the counterculture movement, with the anti-war movement of the 1960s and even somewhat with the civil rights movement. So all these different social movements, and a very divided time in U.S. history in the 60s, produce all these different art forms, and people really express their disagreement with the government or with economic policies.”
HIP-HOP AND RAP
Though Drott argues that protest music belongs to no specific genre, he notes that there is one exception to this model, and that is hip-hop and rap. An article published by AP News in August of 2023, defines hip-hop as a genre born in “response to social and economic injustice in disregarded neighborhoods.”
ple from the United States are interested in protest in West Africa, and they get into some local hip-hop musician maybe in Senegal or wherever, people don’t think very much of their music, but precisely because there is a sort of expectation that hip-hop is now political in some way. Some music is valued way higher, because it’s sort of doing what we expect, which is a vehicle for protest.”
MODERN MUSIC
An important contrast between the protest music of the 60’s and 70’s and more modern examples is the emergence of music streaming platforms. These streaming platforms have made it much easier for people to create, share, and listen to music.
“I think it’s easier to kind of find those people that you really identify with and attach to them today,” Pool said. “I think music is becoming more accessible to people. An artist being able to get content out there easily has kind of compartmentalized music and culture in a bunch of different ways. Each little subject has its own corner, and it’s less mainstream or mono culture. For example, everybody knew who an artist like Bob Dylan was, but an artist that somebody really identifies with today, maybe only 1% of Americans actually knows who they are, but they really identify with that person.”
Fiona Sobocinski
issues has been more overt and has been more explicit, just in terms of voicing the artist’s voice, and their opinion, and getting their message out there in a way that is less hidden and more in your face, because it is more socially acceptable.”
CENSORSHIP
The popularity of many songs that serve as examples of protest anthems today can be accredited to their ties to political and social issues that people were passionate about at that time. However, a relationship with a controversial movement sometimes leads a song to face barriers in the industry.
“A classic protest song like Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On,’ he had to struggle to get it produced,” Drott said. “His record label did not want it to be released. They worried he would ruin his career and ruin his image that they’d worked so hard to cultivate. But eventually it managed to come out.” In 1989, the popular 80’s Hip Hop group, N.W.A., Released a chart-topping rap song, “F**k Tha Police,” which highlighted the prevalent issues of police brutality and racial profiling faced by black Americans. The song was eventually banned from a number of main-stream American radio stations, and eventually from MTV Entertainment in 1989. Several other songs that served as anthems for the movements of their time were also banned or restricted from public radio.
"By continuing to write songs that go against the grain of what we’re being fed in our media, it definitely benefits the greater population."
Eric Drott Professor of Music Theory
"The problem with trying to find a common element with music across the world,is you end up excluding a lot of music that’s used for political action."
“I think the problem with trying to find a common element with music across the world, is that you end up defining what it is, and then you end up excluding a lot of music that’s used for political action,” Drott said. “Now, I would say that there have been dominant trends, and I think a big one since the 1930s has been with what we tend to recognize as the sort of ‘prototypical’ protest song.”
Drott, who has extensive experience researching music and protest, said that, although there are musical characteristics that are often associated with protest songs, protest music does not conform to any genre and can serve a wide variety of purposes. For example, Natsheh says the song “Olive Branch” by Elyanna motivates her and encourages her to make her voice heard, while Bowie junior Fiona Sobocinski says that the song
“Labour” by Paris Paloma was a vocalization of
Both the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement produced over a decade of art and culture that is often used to characterize an incredibly trying time for many Americans. The Library of Congress’ definition suggests that music served to motivate people through long marches, for psychological strength against harassment and brutality, and sometimes to simply pass the time during the Civil Rights Movement.
“During the civil rights movement, music definitely helped foster a sense of collective identity among everybody who was sharing their activism,” Sobocinski said. “When activists gathered together for peaceful protest, like sit-ins or marches, singing songs together reinforced the shared purpose of their struggle for equality. It created an emotional bond and also kind of provided support especially during the moments of fear, anger and frustration.”
Drott mentioned that in other areas of the world, like France, also experienced a rise in music characterized by social or political messages, but what made the United States different was that they were triggered by precipitating events like the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement.
“Ultimately, in times of oppression, the protest music or the artists get louder, and they get not more aggressive, but more to the point,” Pool said. “We obviously saw it a lot with Vietnam, lots anti-war music coming out of that time period.”
“I think that hip-hop and rap are the most powerful genres for political protests,” Natsheh said. “Of course, there’s still songs here and there that are from a different genre that I think are just as influential, but historically hip-hop and rap, especially in the past 40 years, have been great at addressing issues like racial injustice, police brutality, economic inequality. A lot of rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Tupac Shakur, they’ve used their talents as tools for resistance.”
Britannica describes hip-hop as a combination of rhythmic speech, sampling, and deejaying. With the catchy-ness of the dominant drums and powerful rhythms, hip-hop has made its way from its origins in the South Bronx to claiming nearly a quarter of all music streams worldwide in 2023, according to Spotify newsroom.
“Hip-hop is a truly global phenomenon now,” Drott said.
“One of the things that’s kind of common about hip-hop globally is that it tends to be a genre that various local minorities will adopt because they sort of see themselves occupying a similar position as African Americans in the United States.”
The genre’s early years were dominated by political commentary and amplification of the black experience, but more modern examples of hip-hop exhibit different characteristics.
In an article published by The Michigan Daily in 2023, author Karis Rivers argues that modern hip-hop has moved away from political commentary, and has become commercialized.
“Those who follow Senegalese hip-hop say that there’s almost an expectation that it is political music,” Drott said.
“What ends up happening is the sort of musical aspect of the music can often get kind of sidelined, especially when peo -
The access to streaming platforms and social media, where content can be created and shared easily and quickly, has allowed for activists of a variety of causes to be able to unite and bring attention to issues in new ways.
“Due to social media being so big, we’re definitely seeing things blow up in a different way, and we’re seeing more musical variety,” Sobocinski said. “People do listen to a lot of different music, and they don’t just listen to what’s on the radio now, which allows for new, emerging, artists and people with different perspectives to get their music out there.”
In the 60’s and 70’s, a hit song like Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” easily became a nationwide anthem. In the age of music streaming apps, millions of different artists and genres can be accessed at the push of a button, and the songs people coin as anthems for their personal activism have become much more individualized.
“I think music still has a very significant impact today, but It’s role in the way that it influences social movements definitely has evolved,” Natsheh said. “It may not have the same central place as it did in other movements, but it’s definitely still a very powerful tool in shaping activism.”
One of the most obvious examples is the rise of discourse about queer people in music. A rock artist who went by the stage name Jobriath, was considered the first openly gay rock musician signed by a record label only 52 years ago. Now, many of the chart-topping musicians are members of the LGBTQ community, and are vocal about queer rights.
“Originally in the 60s, 70s, 80s, artists couldn’t be as overt about their position, because it was still such a social stigma to identify with that community,” Pool said. “More recently, a lot of the activism and a lot of the music around the LGBTQ
“I think that by continuing to write songs that go against the grain of what we’re being fed in our media, it definitely benefits the greater population,” Sobocinski said. “In Germany during World War 2, they had an entire art museum designated to banned art, to make fun of it, and an entire other one to show off ‘acceptable’ art. Everybody started going to the banned museum because they wanted to see, and novel at, what was being banned. It was ineffective in the end.”
An article published by the University of Wisconsin in February of 2024, details the banning of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.” The song, written in protest of Jim Crow Laws, was rejected from several record labels before being published by Commodore Records years later. Regardless of the efforts of those who attempt to suppress or silence protest music, the words of eager activists often end up finding their way into the ears of those who value their message. “Music does have a unique power to combine emotional, psychological, and social characteristics,” Natsheh said. “I mentioned how music was really important in creating an emotional bond between protesters and that is definitely still prevalent because music is a very emotional experience and it does have the ability to evoke very powerful feelings. When people are able to come together to listen to music or perform the music, they feel these emotions as a collective. It just has its own personality, and I think that’s why people are so attached to it.”
TENNIS
Coach Ables UIL sponsor excellence
Coach Jeff Ables receives the 2024 Sponsor Excellence Award for his dedication to the athletes competing at Bowie
Coach Jeff Ables was recognized by the University Interscholastic League in Austin for his assistance and dedication to student success, earning the 2024 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award. His focus on player development, coaching, and facility improvement has shaped the Bowie football program for 37 years.
The UIL Sponsor Excellence Award honors coaches, sponsors, and teachers who make a difference in their school communities. Coach Ables’ commitment to making sure students maintain high academic standards on and off the field has impacted athletes’ academics and extracurricular activities. Sophomore Logan Moran credits Ables for pushing him to excel on the field and in the classroom.
“Off the field, he pushes us to be leaders and to keep good grades, and on the field, he teaches us how to work hard together,” Moran said. “He’s determined to make everybody around him better, and he pushes us to a level that we didn’t know was possible.”
Under his leadership, the Bowie football team has secured over 151 total wins. His dedication to players, coaching, and team culture has led to multiple playoff appearances and district titles. Beyond the victories, he has taught kids the importance of resilience and teamwork through rigorous training during both the season and the off-season. Freshman linemen Theo Iatropoulos attributes his newfound strength and teamwork to Coach Ables’ practices.
“He’s helped our team and athletes get physically and mentally stronger,” Iatropoulos said. “His leadership has shaped our team into stronger, more disciplined players.”
As a coordinator for campus athletics, Ables has worked with other coaches, programs, faculty, and staff to ensure that student-athletes have the necessary resources. His presence on campus is more than just for coaching football, he is also a mentor, motivator, and a source of support for students.
“Coach Ables always does what is best for the kids. He supports all the athletic programs by helping coaches and athletes when needed,” varsity soccer Coach Carrie Hoffman-Howell said. “Coach Ables motivates students by showing that he cares about them, and he shows them that he believes in them.”
According to Project Play in high school sports, coaches are statistically proven to connect better with students. Coach Ables is an example of a school-employed coach who helps kids.
“He’s taught me to always give 110 percent effort, and to always show up on time with our best attitude,” senior Ryan Cormier said. “When I got injured, he and I had a meaningful conversation about every day being a new chance.”
The criteria for the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award includes a principal recommendation, UIL accomplishments of sponsor’s students over five years, and a statement indicating the staff member’s involvement in students’ extracurricular success.
Coach Ables was among 14 other recipients of the award in Texas.
“Coach Ables is a true servant leader who puts kids and community first,” football coach Darren Pittman said. “He has positively affected the lives of countless young people in his career. I feel very lucky to have been coached by him and had the opportunity to work for him.”
BY OIivia Hunter
STORY
Serving from across the globe UIL requires
Caroline Baxter Sports Editor
a minimum of two slots for international students playing tennis
Smashing the ball towards the opponent, junior foreign exchange student Jil Schwethelm scores yet another point for the Bowie tennis team. Schwethelm is one of the two foreign exchange students on the Bowie tennis
team. The Bowie tennis program has a unique requirement that at least two foreign exchange students must be included on the team if they try out. This requirement allows for the inclusion of foreign international students and creates a diverse environment for the team, allowing the foreign exchange
school and some on their own time, in order to be ready for tournaments.
students to showcase their talents.
“The standard of leaving two spots open on the team for foreign exchange students has come around by happenstance and perhaps an assist from our counselors,” tennis coach Diana Croll-Guard said. “Since tennis is an international sport, many international students already have an understanding of the rules of the game and may feel more comfortable trying it out.”
With the introduction of international exchange students from all around the world onto the team, there are cultural differences that can positively impact the team by improving diversity and team bonding.
Senior team captain Andrea Abundis thoroughly enjoys the energy that the foreign exchange students bring.
“I believe that the foreign exchange students bring amazing diversity to the team,” Abundis said. “They broaden the team’s cultural perspectives that don’t normally happen without them on the team. For example, I now know more about tennis abroad and the activities they use to practice.”
The international students themselves are appreciative of the opportunity to play at Bowie, improving both their athletic and cultural experiences. Schwethelm favors this opportunity to get better at Bowie.
people on the team here and playing with them makes me play better myself.”
According to Croll-Guard, the foreign exchange students that make the team and compete have to be of quality as the rest of the team and on the same level. Even with limitations, Croll-Guard has confidence in the international athletes.
“Foreign exchange students are held to the same standards as our other athletes; they need to practice and represent our program well,” Croll-Guard said. “They are limited to playing up to JV because of UIL rules. During spring individual tournament season, we love for them to try and compete depending on their comfort and desire.”
There are new foreign exchange students every year who impact the team in their own unique ways. Abundis loves the influence that these athletes bring to the squad.
“I think it is pretty cool that they have two open spots for international students like me,” Schwethelm said. “I’m really thankful that they are so inclusive so that I can play a sport that I love.”
The requirement of foreign exchange students to be included on sports teams requires acceptance from the UIL Foreign Exchange Waiver Officer for varsity athletics. Most students have easy access to this which helps the incorporation of their skills.
“Our international students need prior approval from higher-ups in the school district to be eligible to play,” Croll-Guard said. “Luckily, they meet all the requirements like having a copy of a J-1 visa and a signed waiver from their guardians.”
Schwethelm isn’t the only foreign exchange student on the tennis team, sophomore Emma Langner is another. She thinks the experience of being on the team at Bowie has helped her improve her style and movement of play.
“I just started tennis when I moved here, so I definitely wasn’t the best,” Langner said. “There are really good
“Our foreign exchange students have made a positive impact on the team which is important to us,” Abundis said.
“They have introduced new ways of working together and communicating that we hadn’t learned or used before.” Abundis knows the team thoroughly enjoys the presence of the international students, as well the international students love playing with the rest of the team too. They reference it as a different experience for them and what they enjoy.
“It is much easier to make friends here, and being on the tennis team helped with that too,” Schwethelm said. “They also have different celebrations here like Thanksgiving which was fun. In Germany, they are really passionate about soccer, but here they are passionate about more than just one sport.”
According to Abundis, the foreign exchange students are outgoing and are easy to mingle with. This corresponds with the team chemistry being improved and keeps the morale of the players positive.
“The girls’ personalities are extremely friendly and adaptable,” Abundis said. “They stay open-minded to anything which helps connect them well to the rest of the team. We all gel really well together and I really adore them along with the team this year. Our morale this year has been very positive, which helps our chemistry as a whole.”
Swim relay team attends their first state meet
Eve Johansson Dispatch Reporter
The Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio was filled with nervous energy as swimmers from all over the region were set against one another to compete for the opportunity to advance to state, but one team had the chance to make history. As Bowie’s two-hundred medley relay team lined up at the starting blocks, their goal was to do just that: reach uncharted territory for a Bowie relay team and secure a spot at state.
The two-hundred medley swim relay consists of four legs, each leg being a different stroke. The first swimmer swims backstroke, the second swims breaststroke, the third swims butterfly, and the final leg swims freestyle. According to Bowie swim coach Chloe Carr, it’s one of the more challenging events in swim competitions, requiring not only speed but perfect coordination.
“My expectations for this team were set high going into regionals, but I knew they would reach them,” Carr said. “They’d been training hard
with their club teams and the school team, so I knew they were capable of pulling it off.”
The two-hundred medley relay team swam hard and fast in San Antonio and came in fourth place with a time of 1.34.87, which was enough to advance them to state and make Bowie history as the first Bowie swim relay team to make it to state. Junior Javier Gutierrez-Jaimes, who swims the breaststroke leg of the relay, feels honored he was able to be a part of the relay team that broke Bowie’s school history and travel to state with them.
“Before we found out we made state, we had to wait for other regional teams to finish their swims to find out if ours qualified because ours was ahead of most everyone else,” Gutierrez-Jaimes said. “Once their results came in, we found that we made it, which was pretty exciting, to say the least.” State was an impactful experience not only for Gutierrez-Jaimes but for the other swimmers on the relay as well.
Junior Rowan Cox, sophomore
Walker Aitchison, and fresh-
man Alex Eland complete the rest of the two-hundred medley relay team and swim backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle, respectively.
“I like the comradery of all the guys on the team,” Aitchison said. “We all get along and like each other which makes us a closer and stronger team.
I have never been to a meet as big as state and it was nice to do it with my friends.”
These four swimmers showed a lot of talent at regionals, breaking a school record and raising the bar for the future members of the Bowie Swim and Dive team.
“My past years at Bowie have prepared me for state, I’ve had upper-class men and older people help me out at smaller meets and get used to the atmosphere of big meets like this one,” Gutierrez-Jaimes said. “Without them talking or preparing me for stuff like this, I would’ve swam worse, so I’m so grateful for the people on Bowie Swim.”
SCHWETHELM SERVES RIGHT: Eye on the ball Jill Schwethelm gets ready to serve, she stays focused then begins her swing. The tennis team spends hours practicing during
PHOTO BY Sydney Cotsonas
SCAN TO SEE MORE
PHOTOS BY Sydney Cotsonas
SWIM SUPERSTARS: Juniors Javier Gutierrez-Jaimes and Rowan Wells, sophomore Walker Aitchison, and freshman Alex Eland pose proudly after advancing to state. The relay team broke a school record with a time of 1.34.87 seconds. PHOTO BY Cole Wong
Star swimmer shows off at state
Junior Rowan Cox shines on the biggest platform in Texas swimming
Michael Vienneau Sports Editor
Making a splash in the pool and on records, junior Rowan Cox set the Texas 6A state record for the 100 meter butterfly, shattering the previous record. The swim put a wrap on the season for Cox and the rest of the ‘Dawgs.
“I knew going into the swim that I would have a good shot at breaking the record,” Cox said. “In my prac tice swims, my time was faster than the record at the time, so I knew if I hit my time I would likely break that record. When I hit the wall and looked up and saw 46.1 seconds on the leader board, I was pretty excited because I have been eyeing this record for a while now. It felt really good to finally break it.”
The Texas 6A meet consists of mostly the top swimmers, from across the most competitive division in the state, with over 200 swimmers com peting from over 50 6A high schools. Along with setting the 100 meter butterfly record, Cox also finished runner up in the 100 meter back stroke, helping the ‘Dawgs propel up the leader boards.
“I came into the event really expecting to win both swims for the day, and while I was dis appointed in coming in second in the 100 meter backstroke, I was also happy to be up on the podium for another time,” Cox said “I was still happy to do well in such a good environment.”
Cox credits a lot of his success due to his repetitive and impressive conditioning. He spends a lot of his time doing distance practicing, despite being considered a short distance swimmer.
“I think the things that make me stand out is just my ability to hold sprints for a long period of time,” Cox said. “I have just gotten used to swimming longer distances through my practice structure. I also think my dolphin kicks under water and my speed under water helps me gain an advantage on others.” Cox has been competitively swim ming for nearly his whole life. Begin ning in starter programs, and eventu ally advancing into more competitive teams and clubs where he continues to grow and compete against the best across the country.
“I have been with Longhorn Aquat ics (TXLA) for the past four years,” Cox said. “When I am not training at Bowie, that is where I am. My coaches there have built my technique, speed, endurance and power just about ev eryday with their workouts.”
Junior Allie Dunn is a teammate of Cox not just for Bowie, but for TXLA as well. She has known Cox since she was seven, but has been swimming with Cox when she joined Longhorn Aquatics last fall.
year. I have been able to get closer to him and watch him swim more often.” Dunn and the whole team attended the state swim meet to watch Cox in his quest to break records.
“Everyone on the deck and in the stands were cheering,” Dunn
success, leading to incoming freshman and second year swimmers and younger swimmers of the program continuously pushing themselves to get better.
“Rowan is constantly pushing those around him to be better,” Dunn
“I have known Rowan since I was really little,” Dunn said. “I really began to get to know him better when I moved club teams to join TXLA last
choice. “I see Rowan doing extremely well in college based on his commitment to the sport,” Dunn said. “I am pretty certain he is going to love it and thrive in the collegiate environment. He has already accomplished so much in his junior career that he should translate very well to the collegiate level. I am always so impressed by his strong work ethic and I think he will continue to have lots of success in college and beyond.”
Coach Chloe Carr has been the swim coach for three years, her first year being Cox’s freshman campaign. Entering her coaching career at Bowie, Carr’s main goal was to get a relay team to state. Anchored by Cox, the Bowie swim team did just that, winning districts, beating powerhouse swim schools such as Westlake and Vandegrift, and advancing past a competitive Region IV in Texas 6A swim.
“I did not have any expectations for the relay team entering state,” Carr said. “The fact they even got there was making history for Bowie. We kind of went in with the mindset of just making it fun and enjoying it.”
Carr had lofty expectations for Cox entering the state meet. Knowing his past swims, Carr expected multiple record breaking swims from the junior
“For Rowan I definitely did expect some sort of record being broken in the meet,” Carr said. “Especially at least in the 100 fly, he came in 18th place in the 100 fly in Olympic trials, so it’s kind of hard to find someone who’s faster than that.”
Carr has been able to attest to the growth of Cox throughout her tenure as the ‘Dawgs swim coach. Cox entered his 9th grade year being one of the fastest freshmen in the country, but has climbed up the ranks in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
“Rowan has, of course, always stood out with his speed and endurance since he was just that young 15 year old freshman,” Carr said. “Every single year he continues to get stronger and better. When he was a freshman he was very used to winning, his sophomore year he began qualifying for bigger events and he still had a lot of success in those bigger meets in both club and school.”
Despite Cox’s massive success in his first couple seasons, he entered the year facing some new challenges. Cox came off a sophomore year season that saw him getting disqualified from regionals in the 100 fly, the event that he would have most likely placed first
“I have watched him grow and learn from that moment,” Carr said.
“He is almost a completely new human in some ways. I think his teammates look at him in a different perspective knowing that even he can make mistakes and it lets them know that when they DQ, it happens to even the best. Rowan has not shied away from that mistake and he used that mistake to be an even better teammate, he continues to practice hard to make sure that does not ever happen again.”
HOLDING UP THE HARDWARE: Cox holds up his gold medal from the district meet.
He swept his events winning the 100 meter fly, 100 meter back, and the 200 meter medley relay. PHOTO BY Mara Brandt
ENTERTAINMENT
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2025
Throughly Theater
The Starlight Theater Company creates a safe space to cover difficult topics
Alice Goss -Dispatch Reporter
At the end of February, the Starlight Theatre Company (STC) started the rigorous process of casting the University Interscholastic League (UIL) play, which is performed at a series of competitions throughout the months of March and April.
This year, directors Marco Bazan and Kade Lasseigne chose the dramedy Compleat Female Stage Beauty, which has already successfully advanced to bi-district. Compleat Female Stage Beauty follows the struggles of a male actor, Kynaston, who has played women roles his entire career. When King Charles II outlaws male actors playing female roles, Kynaston is distraught.
The play deals with topics such as emotional and physical abuse, gay relationships, homophobia, identity struggles, and much more. Many people feel some of these topics are too heavy and sensitive for high school students to understand and portray on stage, preferring the STC avoids productions with these topics all together.
I believe these topics should be addressed in plays performed by students, especially since our program and directors have created a safe and instructive environment to properly portray these subjects on stage. Overall, the STC has multiple precautions in place to deal with difficult topics and I feel the inclusion of productions with these topics is more beneficial than harmful By discussing these topics at a younger age in a safe environment, students are able to avoid false information about the topics, have difficult conversations with a group of people they trust, and then raise awareness when the production is put on stage.
Before starting a production, the directors allow students to express what topics they might be uncomfortable portraying so they can avoid those specific shows. Once the rehearsal process starts, our company takes the time to discuss the history of the specific subjects, while being conscious of personal experiences. This is an important process because the directors are able to provide reliable information, contrary to common sources for teens, like social media.
I will continue to advocate for the inclusion of difficult topics in our company because I believe it is a reliable and genuine source for students, especially during a time when students are up against the vast amount of false information in social media and the news.
The STC also works to create a very open environment for conversation, allowing students to create meaningful and safe connections with each other. I believe how our company deals with sensitive topics has positively impacted how comfortable students are with opening up with each other. This allows students to safely discuss struggles they have faced and have a supportive community to listen and back them up. It also creates a non-judgmental space to ask questions about difficult subjects that may be discouraged to talk about in other spaces. Overall, I feel like our company’s ability to handle difficult and sensitive subject matter has been effective in creating an open space for conversation for those who need it.
Once the show is up on stage, it’s very common to receive backlash over some of the subject matter. However, the opportunity to perform sensitive content has the power to raise awareness and build a community with a deeper understanding of others struggles.
I feel this is one of the best rewards of performing a show, we as actors and students are able to teach others about sensitive, but common problems in our world. Throughout the production process, everyone involved in the show comes out the other side with much more knowledge and experience with difficult subjects, and with a new awareness of how to discuss them. Because our directors and company are able to deal with topics in a mature manner, we are able to raise awareness for the entirety of the Bowie community and beyond.
Despite all of this, many people feel there is too much risk involved with sensitive topics. There is worry that some students might be triggered by certain topics, and this could lead to a tense and harmful environment. While I understand this concern, I believe the STC takes ample precautions to avoid this issue. As I mentioned above, every student has information on subject matters that may be included in each show before the casting process, as well as the ability to express concern and avoid those shows. Because the STC has pre-established systems for addressing concerns and handles these topics with sensitivity and maturity, the company is incredibly qualified to produce shows with sensitive subject matters.
I believe the STC is a community fully able to produce shows containing difficult subjects respectfully and gracefully, and is incredibly thorough in making sure each student comes out of the process comfortable and knowledgeable.
SCHOOL EVENT
Star junior talent shocks judges
Olmeda and other students put on an exceptional show at event
Bentlee Toland Entertainment Editor
As the curtain falls, and the lights begin to dim, junior Louis Olmeda listens to the whispers of the stirring audience. With a deep breath, he steps onto the stage, ready to sing his heart out.
The annual Bowie’s Got Talent showcase had 17 acts, which each performed different skills. Omelda was ultimately crowned the winner due to his performance of “Dancing on My Own” by Calum Scott.
“I was surprised because everybody that performed was honestly really good,” Olmeda said. “My expectation was just to have fun. Even though I was a little nervous to sing, I was happy with how I did and how the audience reacted.”
According to senior Student Council Co-president Noble Cox the student council worked to ensure that Bowie’s Got Talent provided a memorable and enjoyable experience for all participants and attendees. The council put in hours to plan the event by setting up meetings in fits to be able to manage logistics and create an atmosphere that celebrates the incredible talents of their fellow students.
“I helped organize and promote the event, while also playing a part in judging those who have auditioned,” Cox said. “I feel honored to be able to create something for my fellow students and for an audience to see. I was really happy afterward because the event was a total success. I think any of the performers deserved the win, and Louis’ voice was fantastic.”
Olmeda has been singing since the fourth grade, and has been an active member of the choir since then, building a solid foundation for his musical journey. However, his interests are not limited to music. Olmeda has also played baseball
since he was four years old. He now finds joy on the baseball field as a pitcher.
“It’s pretty hard to balance,” Olemda said. “Baseball and choir are the most busy in the spring, so I try to be fair to both and not miss too much of either. I’ve always said that I would do music on the side, but I’ve never seen myself focusing on that solely, because I want to play baseball in college. I don’t know what I will do in the future.”
Olmeda is currently one of the choir hospitality officers. The choir program collaborated with the
Choir students set
Melodious notes drift from the choir room as students work and prepare for the final choir competition of the year. While each finalist practices their own piece in their own unique voice, love for choir drives them to do well.
In early February, 14 of Bowie’s choir students met the regional judges’ qualifications and advanced to state for solo and ensemble. There, they will sing once more in front of judges for the highest score possible, a score of one. The state solos will take place on Memorial Day weekend, giving the vocalists four months to prepare their piece.
“We do a group UIL contest, but that is all of us together,” choir director Aaron Bourgeois said. “Solo and ensemble is a lot more individualized.”
The pieces, which students originally compete within the regional competition, must be chosen from UIL’s long list of specially picked music. choose from.
“It’s good to have that song picked out and settled on right after Thanksgiving,” Bourgeois said. “Then they have the winter break to look over it because regionals are right on that first week of February.”
Since the pieces are selected during the fall semester, many of the vocalists end up keeping the same piece for state. However, for a variety of reasons, a vocalist’s piece could change.
“Sometimes judges urge you to choose
Olmeda says he has always found unwavering support from his mother, Katie Olmeda, throughout his musical journey. Not only does she represent parental guidance; she embodies his inspiration as an artist.
“My biggest inspiration is my mom,” Olmeda said. “She’s the only one in my family that sings, so she’s always encouraged me to do it. Everybody in my family encouraged me, but my mom reminds me, ‘If you’re gonna sing in front of a crowd, just have confidence in yourself.’”
The Olmeda family has always embraced music, according to his mother Katie Olmeda. Many of their extended family members play instruments, establishing a history of musical influence in Louis’s life. Katie loves to sing, even if her performances are confined to the car or shower, Louis has still felt inspired by her voice.
“I can definitely carry a tune,” Katie said. “I’ve never felt comfortable singing in front of people like Louis does. Louis sang all the time from the time he was a toddler, so it was a natural thing when he began. Louis brings so much emotion into the pieces he performs. He sings with strength and control but definitely from the heart. As a person, he is dedicated, kind, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor.”
student council to put on Bowie’s Got Talent. According to the choir co-president, Bubba Infante, the program did more logistical and stage work while the student council was responsible for advertising and hosting the event.
“I met Louis through choir,” Infante said. “We have worked on many things related to music together, and he assists the leadership in many tasks for the program to make mine and Aaron Bourgeois’ life easier. He is a very talented singer who puts a lot of work into what he does and is very kind.”
According to Katie, the audience roared with excitement after Olmeda stole the show. She was filled with anticipation and pride as she watched everyone gather to support Olmeda while he was crowned the winner.
“Watching Louis win the talent show was so fun,” Katie said. “It was such a special moment. He works hard at everything he does, so it’s nice to see him recognized. It was extra fun that many of his Bowie baseball teammates were there watching and cheering for him. It was rewarding to watch him excel at what he loves.”
to shine at state competition
a different piece. Sometimes kids don’t end up liking the piece that they learned for the first round, or the voice teacher decides to change it,” Bourgeois said. “For the most part, kids tend to repeat the same piece because they already learned it once, and they chose it for a reason.”
For as many reasons as there are to change their piece before state, there are just as many for competitors to keep it the same. Sophomore Faye Daughtry is one of the singers who advanced to state and will sing the same song she competed with in regionals.
“The song itself is really important to me and my voice teacher, it’s a sentimental song to her,” Daughtry said. “I really want to make sure I go in and I sing it with the same amount of dedication and passion that I did in the first round.”
The student’s performance of their pieces are graded on scales of one to three, one being the highest and three being the lowest. These scores are dependent on how challenging the song is, and how well they sing the music. To advance to state, competitors must receive a score of one. The type of song students perform can vary from octave range to genre to language. This year, sophomore Gabrielle O’Halloran will compete with an Italian piece.
“The piece is, musically, very interesting,” O’Halloran said.
“There’s a lot of different parts, vocal jumps, that really challenge whoever’s performing On top of being reliant on the judge’s scores to move on, students must continue to practice and make sure their piece is the best it can be before state takes
place. Many students must learn to balance extensive practice hours with their many different extracurriculars. Junior Louis Olmeda has had to juggle the spring baseball season with preparing for state.
“Spring is probably the busiest, since baseball season’s in the spring, and the busiest time for choir is spring,” Olmeda said. “So, getting to spring is always a challenge.”
Even with other obligations, the state qualifiers still find ways to practice and prepare for the competition, until they find themselves ready. For some students, the piece itself can play a major role in their motivation to practice.
“It wasn’t as difficult as the song that I did last year, but that’s only because I really like the song,” junior Quint Cheshire said. “The song last year was one that I wasn’t as enthusiastic about. This one really just struck a chord, so I just kept on listening to it.”
O’Halloran suggests that there are factors, on top of extensive practicing and balancing extracurriculars, that play major roles in stu-
dents’ performances. She notes that uncontrollable things, like a dry throat or nervousness, may have an impact, despite how hard students practice.
“This is the first time I’m going to be going to state, so I want to do well,” O’Halloran said. “There’s always this barrier between what you want and what actually happens.”
While state for solo and ensemble is just one of the year’s choir competitions, some of the students that attend find it to be very helpful to them as vocalists. It gives them the chance to experience a competition on their own, and what it’s like, as well as the knowledge to continue to grow, both as singers and students.
“You don’t get to do very much solo singing in choir,” Daughtry said. “You’re usually working with a group and you’re working on a unified sound. Doing a solo, or even an ensemble with fewer people, you get to focus more on your own individual voice. It’s a good motivator to improve.”
Eliza Williaims Dispatch Reporter
RHYTHM RISES: Varsity choir practicing songs to prepare for state competitions and ensemble. Choir director Aaron Bourgeois conducts his students as they sing. PHOTO BY Skylar Haywood
CHOIR
JOYFUL JUNIOR: Junior choir student Anya Cherukuri smiles for the camera. Cherukuri made it to the state competition and ensemble for choir PHOTO BY Skylar Haywood
SINGER SHINES: Junior Louis Olmeda slowly watches the confetti fall after getting first place. Olemda received ballons, candy and the audience roaring for his singing talent. PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
The Monkey story swings into theaters
Cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s thrilling novel exhilarates and impresses audience
Eleanor Blue Review Editor
Close your eyes. Imagine your greatest fear, an image that keeps you up at night and sends shivers down your spine. Did you picture a windup monkey banging on a toy drum? Well, that’s what Oz Perkins brought to theaters this past month with his retelling of Stephen King’s short story, “The Monkey”. But how do the two compare? How do you make innocence turn to fear?
In the 1970s, Stephen King had cemented his position as an esteemed horror writer. He had already written critically acclaimed books such as The Shining, Carrie, and countless other classics.
While King was finding major success from these stories, he had a far from idyllic life behind closed doors. He was struggling with an intense and years long substance addiction. In fact, there are entire books that he doesn’t even remember writing.
It was during this time that Stephen King wrote “The Monkey,” a short story about a wind-up toy which wreaked havoc on innocent lives.
genre, “The Monkey” feels like a dated plot with a less than frightening execution.
The idea of a cursed toy banging its fatal drum and causing dozens of untimely deaths is far-fetched at best; while reading the story, I felt consistently underwhelmed.
I mean, if you’re going to write a story about a killer monkey, you might as well make it fun, right?
The writing style is certainly raw and incessant, but it doesn’t always stick the landing. The narrative is partially dependent on childhood fear, which results in loss of realism.
It’s a fine line between saying something is scary and evoking these feelings in the reader.
“The Monkey” says the right words, but it lacks actual emotion. Elements of family dynamics are not easily condensed, but the story seeks to simplify them into bite-sized chunks of unease. By doing so, it fails to recognize what makes this fear so omnipresent.
I revisited the story 45 years after its initial publication with the help of Internet Archives.
The book begins with Hal Shelburn and his two young sons uncovering a wind-up monkey in Hal’s childhood home. Its resurgence evokes a panic-stricken reaction from Hal, who is once again thrust under the toy’s reign of terror in his middle age years.
The monkey is inherently evil, and whenever it is wound up, someone nearby dies in an unusual and violent way.
“The Monkey” chronicles the attempts of Hal and his family to stop the monkey, ultimately destroying it and narrowly escaping with their lives. Their character’s encounters with the furry monster inspires them to deal with their dysfunctionality as a family and forces Hal to come to terms with the uncertainty and inevitability associated with death.
While Stephen King is an obvious force in the thriller
When you’re a child, you’re entirely dependent on your parents for everything. As you grow older and realize that some things are out of your control, panic is a natural feeling.
The just-world fallacy is a cognitive bias where people get what they deserve and that everything ends in justice and happiness.
There is a stage in everyone’s life where you realize bad things happen to good people, but this position is not immediately actualized. Instead of seeing people as inherently flawed, you dream up shadows on the wall and assign evil to a toy monkey rather than those around you.
This is the type of distress this story wants so hard to capitalize on. Loss of innocence, inevitability of death and fear, and unconscious memories that forever change you.
Instead of leaning into nostalgic horror, the plot divulges into common tropes. For example, the monkey speaks to Hal telepathically, infiltrating his psyche to warn him of his devious plans. I mean, come on.
In short, “The Monkey” fails to dig deeper and is simply not scary. This, however, is not to discredit Stephen King as an author.
One short story published in a booklet forty years ago does not represent the entirety of King’s career.
“The Monkey” is underdeveloped but has unrealized potential.
Enter director Oz Perkins, who found recent success with the movie “Longlegs”, starring Nicholas Cage and Maika Monroe.
Interestingly enough, Oz Perkins is the son of Anthony Perkins, the lead in “Psycho,” a classic 1960 horror. He also
had a supporting acting role in Legally Blonde before transitioning to a directorial role.
“The Monkey” was a leap from his past projects, but it works well in capturing the essence of a truly iconic yet incredibly ridiculous premise. It successfully leans into the bizarre elements of horror without overcooking it.
We need this in the genre. Not every film has to be gruesomely terrifying like Saw or a work of cinematic excellence like “The Conjuring.”
Sometimes, I want to go to the theaters to laugh, to gasp in shock, and to have fun.
I’m not alone in this.
Theaters are an important part of American culture.
They represent a shared desire to feel connected to those around us. There are few things more comforting than collectively laughing at a movie, forming a connection with the audience with you.
This use of a movie’s impact is shown in the 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso,” where a young boy discovers a love for the movies from an early age by helping a projectionist in his small town.
The movie theater is a gathering point for his community, where everyone assembles to watch the black-and-white spectacles every day.
As he grows and changes, so does the film industry. He watches the technology advance
over time, never losing his love for cinema. This movie is a personal favorite of mine. It’s like the 2025 Monkey movie because it’s just fun to watch. It’s a spectacle for the eyes and a shared experience for the audience. These are two movies that were made for the theater. They’re made to be enjoyed. People go to the movies ready to feel and to laugh. We all have a desire for connection. Humans are social creatures at heart, and we want to feel an attachment to other people. This latest version of “The Monkey” is able to harness that excitement and create something truly special.
Dutch Bros Coffee is a coffee chain, founded in 1992, by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma. The coffee shop is a company-owned franchise located in the western United States and is known for a wide variety of beverages, including coffee, energy drinks, teas, and smoothies.
Dutch Bros is most popular for their sweet lattes and variety of energy drinks, or “Rebels,” that have fun and creative names. The Kicker, which is an Irish cream latte, and the Golden Eagle, a caramel and vanilla latte, are among their most popular drinks. On January 3, 2025, the company introduced two new cereal-inspired drinks: the Cinnamon Swirl and the Marshmallow Dream. These limit ed-time drinks aimed to evoke a sense of nostalgia in customers.
The Cinnamon Swirl was inspired by cinnamon-sugar cereals from cus tomers’ youth, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. This beverage features cinna mon-sugar-flavored milk, crunchy cin namon-sugar cereal topping, and cold foam. The cold foam is called Soft Top, a creamy final touch on coffee drinks, that is unique to Dutch Bros. Customers can enjoy this drink as a protein latte, a freeze latte, or a chai latte.
The variety of options available at Dutch Bros is one of the factors that makes the coffee chain unique. That is why the addition of a protein option when ordering the Cinnamon Swirl makes the drink more appealing. By combining caffeine and protein powder, the beverage gives you an energizing boost for the day. This flexibility makes customers more likely to want to try something new. I found that the protein powder not only tasted good but also kept me satisfied and fueled throughout the day. In contrast, the Marshmallow Dream offers a delightful fluffiness reminiscent of Lucky Charms. The drink combines marshmallow
milk, topped with Soft Top and marshmallow charms. It is available as a variety of lattes with optional protein. This mixture is a flavorful combination of hazelnut, cupcake batter, and white chocolate.
Sippin’ on sweetness with Dutch Bros new cereal drinks
tomers appreciate the drink’s colorful appearance and nostalgic sugary flavors, while others find it to be an overly sweet and odd flavor combination.
I found the drink’s presentation to be visually appealing, but the overall taste is mediocre. At times, the overwhelming sweetness causes the coffee to have an unappetizing, grainy texture. The marshmallow charms can become soggy from slow service, causing the drink to have a weird consistency despite being visually appealing. On the other hand, the Cinnamon Swirl stands out. Its cinnamon undertones compliment the coffee’s richness, creating a balance of flavors that appeal to both regular coffee drinkers and those who enjoy sweet flavors. The addition of cold foam and crunchy cinnamon topping make each sip taste more like cereal.
crucial because it impacts customers’ experience. It can influence everything from enjoyment, satisfaction, mood, recommendations, and good ratings. Customers frequently review establishments based on environment, staff service, and cleanliness. I noticed that the environment at Dutch Bros was upbeat and clean. However, the service was slow because the location was
packed, causing the waiting period to be longer than expected. The wait for my drinks to arrive caused my experience to be less enjoyable. Overall, the atmosphere has a huge impact on the customer when trying menu items. Although Dutch Bros seemed to market the Marshmallow Dream as a new, innovative beverage, there are mixed reviews from customers about the marshmallow topping. Some cus-
I personally loved the mix of white chocolate and cinnamon flavors within the coffee. The drink is similar to the classic cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch, with cinnamon-infused milk and crunchy chunks of cereal that can become soggy depending on how long you wait to drink. Overall, while Dutch Bros deserves credit for their creativity in new menu items, these drinks, specifically the Marshmallow Dream, leave something to be desired. The aesthetic appeal is there, and the concept is fun, but the drinks are marketed towards two different, non-cohesive audiences; one for those who appreciate very sweet, grainy flavors and another for those who want warmer, more decadent coffee.
While these two beverages may not be permanent menu options, their unique flavors and presentation make them worth a try, especially for those who appreciate nostalgic flavors.
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PODCAST BY Logan Cottle and Chance East
ART BY Olive Trevino
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
School choice does not serve students
Education savings accounts detrimentally impact public schooling
EDITORIAL
From glitchy laptops to over crowded classes to unreliable air conditioning or heating, public school students and teachers experience numerous challenges on a daily basis due to a lack of funding. Meanwhile, Texas law makers are pushing to allocate more taxpayer dollars to private schools rather than addressing the significant funding barriers that are currently impacting the public education system.
On February 5, 2025, Senate Bill 2 was passed, with the goal of implementing an Education Savings Account (ESA) pro gram (also known as school vouchers). School vouchers use tax-payer dollars to fund subsi dies which help families pay for private school tuition.
So, what’s the catch? The funds used to subsidize school vouchers are often diverted from public school funding. With approximately 73% of Texas schools already being underfunded, according to the Rice University Kinder Insti tute, these are resources that public schools cannot afford to lose. Therefore, the Dispatch Editorial Board believes that the implementation of a school voucher program would come at the expense of Texas public schools and students.
Public school budgets are already stretched thin. For example, on March 1, 2025, the Austin Independent School District announced a hiring and spending freeze resulting from growing financial troubles.
If students are incentivized to switch to private schools, public schools will suffer from additional strains on funding as more students make the switch from a public to a private education. This would make it more difficult to address staffing shortages, impacting students’ ability to receive a quality education and possibly forcing some campuses to close.
for families making significant ly less than $156,000 per year, a $10,000 stipend would be insufficient, especially given the fact that private school tuition in Texas can range from around $11,000 to over $40,000 a year.
Furthermore, the school voucher system would not serve all Texas students equally.
Finally, school vouchers and private schools often lack accountability and oversight which is a major concern given that ESAs are funded by taxpayer dollars. Private schools essentially have complete control over the material they teach,
tions in opting for the voucher system. Private schools are not required to adhere to numerous civil rights provisions such as protections established under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. As a result, choice and autonomy ultimately fall into the hands of private schools rather than families.
Instead of debating over the controversial issue of school vouchers, Texas lawmakers
HEALTH
reducing the appeal of switching to private schools. A hopeful future is only possible if younger generations are able to receive a well-rounded education that prepares them to make positive contributions in their communities. Public schools provide students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with peers of diverse backgrounds; a critical experience in a world that constantly tries to tear us apart.
Caffeine energizes the body, and can provide the pick-me-up needed to make it through the day after studying all night. It’s no shock that many teens consume some sort of caffeine on a daily basis, whether it's in the form of energy drinks, coffee, or soda. Today, 73% of teens drink caffeine on a daily basis. While caffeine does come with its perks, many of its negative effects are overlooked.
Caffeine can cause health issues, leading to decline in performance at school and work, and caffeine addiction. Teens should stop consuming caffeine to prevent the negative impacts and effects it may have on them in the future. With a combination of both short and
long term effects, caffeine can be harmful to someone's health. According to research done by the National Library of Medicine, excessive caffeine intake can result in heart palpitations, headaches, and nausea. Research also revealed that there have been deaths linked to the excessive consumption of energy drinks.
Energy drinks contain an average of 200 milligrams of caffeine in a single can, and doctors recommend that teens and adults limit their caffeine intake to 100 milligrams a day. Putting one’s health and life at risk for a drink that only provides energy for half a day, doesn’t seem like a fair trade-off in the long run.
Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can also lead to Caffeine Use Disorder, or a severe caffeine addiction. Many people who consume caffeine become dependent on it to keep them awake or alert. Excessive caffeine users tend to struggle reducing their caffeine intake once the consumption of
caffeine becomes a routine. Studies by the National Library of Medicine state that caffeine has side-effects similar to drugs. Both cause a person's brain to believe that they need to consume these substances because their body or health depend on it. Cutting off a drug addiction can lead to many struggles, similar to those caffeine addicts may experience. While there are treatments to help combat a caffeine addiction, there are very few, and they are difficult to access.
Caffeine can also lead to performance issues, whether school-related, at work, or while playing a sport. Some effects of caffeine can include behavioral problems and trouble focusing. These are factors that play into many people's everyday lives. Having trouble focusing can lead to a rapid decline in performance during school or work which can lead to problems like falling behind, failing, or even getting fired.
The effect caffeine has on behavior can also negatively impact day-to-day life and social activities. Caffeine can cause mood swings and behavior issues like bursts of anger, stress, or irritation. All of these issues tie into teen’s social lives, creating conflicts in their everyday activities, and possibly continuing throughout their lives.
Although caffeine has many negative effects, it can help individuals stay awake, alert, and active. Whether it's an energy drink or a cup of coffee, consuming caffeine is a fast and easy way many people get energy for the day.
That said, the negative effects of caffeine outweigh the benefits, and there are many alternatives to caffeine. Simply starting by adjusting sleep habits can make a world of difference. Having a balanced and healthy diet and staying hydrated also helps people stay energized throughout the day. While occasionally using caffeine to get through the day won’t have extreme effects, depending on it as a source of energy, continuously, is dangerous. Relying on caffeine is not worth the potential health risks of a drink that can’t even provide energy for a full day. People need to be aware of the dangers caffeine can bring regarding their safety and well being.
Kate Alexander Dispatch Reporter
ART BY Layne Foxcroft
ART BY Sophia Sepulveda
ENVIRONMENT
The environment needs to be prioritized
Americans need to reassess their values concerning the natural world and help protect it
We all should have paid more attention to The Lorax as a kid.
According to USA Today, the National Parks Service suffered a Valentine's Day Massacre on February 14, when 1,000 national parks employees were laid off, due to President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government. A White House fact sheet on Executive Order 14210, explained that terminations like these were necessary because too much government money is being spent on programs that “fail to align with American values." That’s exactly the problem. We need to rethink what we value most as American citizens and put protecting our environment on that list.
America is trending in the wrong direction when it comes to the environment. We should be prioritizing something that we rely on so heavily. Instead of being on the same team, people and nature are fighting against each other and we are playing a game we cannot win.
National parks are already going to suffer from employee losses, but some of them might suffer even more. USA Today said that some national parks are in even more danger because barriers that protect federal land from energy production are currently under review. The hunt for reliable and affordable energy is commonsensical, but we are looking in the
wrong place. The AP News reported that on Trump’s first day back in office, he declared a national energy emergency, the first one in U.S. history, to increase the U.S.’s fossil fuel extraction. The declaration of a national energy shortage allows fossil fuel regulations put in place for environmental protection to be more easily overlooked. Increasing fossil fuel production is part of his policy “drill, baby, drill.” It’s a catchy slogan but a risky idea.
The U.S. is already the leading producer of oil, and crude oil production has been increasing steadily since 2018. Fracking for oil and natural gas is a relatively easy way to get energy, but at the rate the U.S. is going, it is completely unsustainable.
Natural gas and oil are non-renewable resources, and if we use too much, too fast, we will run out. The fracking process also damages the environment all on its own by emitting methane and air pollutants, contaminating groundwater, and much more. By using an excessive amount of fossil fuels, we are slowly killing the only planet we have, and we are hurting ourselves in the process of that destruction. Air pollutants, for example, cause asthma, cancer, and heart disease, and more. Before we know it, we’re going to be in a Wall-E situation, and it’s going to be ugly. Stopping all use of fossil fuels is an extremely unrealistic goal, but we need to make a change. Shifting more focus to renewable energy is necessary for the safety of the environment and every single
person on this planet. Renewable energy like wind, solar, hydraulic, and others are vital sources of power, because they harness the energy we need to function without producing the overwhelming amount of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants that fossil fuels do. Using a source to harness energy that doesn’t release as many greenhouse gases into our atmosphere is a win-win for our environment and human health, that shouldn’t be overlooked. Los Angeles suffered from large and fast moving fires just last
month. There were several factors that played into this horrible envi ronmental disturbance, including powerful winds and overly dense forest, but one of the most im portant factors is the change in climate. The L.A. fires were able to burn so easily because of the dry vegetation and brush and the arid climate, which is a result of climate change. These ruthless fires killed 29 people, forced over 200,000 people to evacuate, and destroyed around 18,000 structures, which includes people’s homes. Do you care yet? Even in
priorities list. We are on a downward trajectory right now, and it’s going to take a large effort to reverse the destruction we have caused, if we can even come back from it. If you care about the future of our world and species, you’ll start paying more attention to the damage we are causing that could be avoided.
Women need access to Plan B, it is their right to safety HEALTHCARE
Imagine a world where simple and accessible birth control is taken away. Well, this is a very real possibility that would put many women in America at risk of unwanted pregnancies. Many people also use birth control to regulate periods, pre-menopause, and migraines to make those situations more manageable. With the recent controversy over abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, many people are wondering if access to birth control will be next. In 2023, a law was proposed to criminalize Plan B, but it ended up never passing. In light of Donald J. Trump’s new presidency, many people are concerned that access to Plan B may be threatened again.
Plan B is a safe and accessible emergency contraception for all citizens of America and therefore should not be banned. If it were to be banned, it would threaten the 14th Amendment, the right to privacy and reproductive autonomy, which gives American women the constitutional right to access birth control.
Criminalizing Plan B would be taking away a safe and effective form of birth control. According to Medical News Today, Plan B effectively prevents pregnancy up to 87%
PHOTOS BY Sam Bode
Yes, there are certain things at our school that could be fixed, like the air conditioning and insulation in our bathrooms.
if a person takes it within 72 hours of intercourse. In addition, side effects of Plan B are rare and minor, if there are any at all. Minor headaches or a slight change in a woman’s menstrual cycle are the most common side-effects. Access to birth control also ensures that babies aren't conceived into a family that is not equipped to raise them.
Banning birth control is a threat to constitutional rights. In the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut Supreme Court case, it is stated that the right to privacy includes the
right to contraception for married couples, and it was later extended to unmarried couples. This would mean any law banning birth control would violate the Supreme Court case and deny the rights of every couple in America. With the recent concern over women's rights being taken away, the threat of overturning Griswold v. Connecticut stands as a threat to female citizens of America.
Plan B is an over-the-counter medication which cost around $50, making it more
BULLDAWGS SPEAK!
accessible to everyone. It is much easier to acquire than other birth control methods such as IUDs or prescribed pills, which could cost over $1000 and require involvement of a medical professional. For many women, Plan B has prevented unwanted pregnancies with just a simple purchase at the store. Taking Plan B away would make birth control much less accessible for many American women.
Some Americans don’t like the idea of birth control because they believe that it is an abortifacient. This is simply not true, and is a common form of misinformation. Birth control doesn’t end a pregnancy, but rather prevents pregnancy, by blocking fertilization or an egg implanting. In the case of Plan B, it disrupts ovulation to prevent a pregnancy. Plan B should be continued to be sold all over America and remain accessible to all couples. With abortion rights being threatened throughout the United States, having access to a safe form of birth control is a right that we all have, and it is unfair to threaten that.
Taking away Plan B is wrong and is removing a form of birth control that is attainable for most Americans. Citizens across America should not have to be concerned about whether they will or will not have the right to access birth control in the future. Access to birth control is a right, and it should stay that way.
Do you think Bowie could benefit from more funding? Why or why not?
Yes, I think Bowie could benefit from more funding to make the hallways more livable. Some areas are unkept for students.
Bowie could benefit from more funding. We could invest in security, improve bathrooms, and put AC in all the classrooms.
Marix Barrera Senior Yes, because the place where we spend most of our time is old and gross. The bathrooms need to be redone.
Absolutely. We could do repairs on the academic building. We're having trouble with electricity and water.
Kaycee Crawford Freshman
INTERVIEWS BY
Sam Bode
Boden Toland Sophomore
Noah Dougherty Junior
Charles Stampley Teacher
Capri Wyatt Dispatch Reporter
ART BY Layne Foxcroft
ART BY Olive Trevino
Annual talent show is a huge hit
Isadora Parra
Photo Essay Editor
Lights are bright and the audience is set as students take the stage to show off their talents.
The Student Council and Fine Arts Department presented the annual Bowie’s Got Talent showcase on Saturday, March 1. The event planning was led by choir teachers Aaron Bourgeois and Randy Cantu, as well as history teacher and Student Council sponsor Alejandro Garcia.
“One of the biggest things that Mr. Cantu, Mr. Bourgeois, and I really wanted to emphasize is how big Bowie’s Got Talent was in prior years, and how big it can still grow to be,” Garcia said. “These past two years of Bowie’s Got Talent have been fantastic and it looks like it’s going to be here to stay. That makes not just us teachers, but also the students very excited.”
Bowie’s Got Talent (BGT) started in the early 2000’s, but went on pause after 2020 due to COVID before making its way back on stage in 2024. BGT was previously called Bowie Idol after American Idol. It was then changed in 2024 to Bowie’s Got Talent to emphasize the many talents other than singing that are included in the show.
“I’m really happy that this year we had a good amount of singers, but we also had people from the band, guitar, and orchestra programs audition,” Bourgeois said. “There were also talents like dancing, different types of choreo, and other talents
people wouldn’t even necessarily think about.”
Auditions were held on Wednesday, February 19. Many people missed this audition day, so another day of auditions was added to give opportunities to everyone who wanted to show their talents. A total of 39 students and acts auditioned for BGT, 17 made the final cut. One act that auditioned was the singing barbershop quartet group that included Dylan Shahid-Russell, Aidan Schexnaydre, Spencer Findley, and Gavin Sewell.
“We went into the audition for fun and it didn’t matter to us if we made the final cut or not,” Shahid-Russel said. “We just knew how we’d prepared, and we knew that whatever happened, we were gonna be okay with it.”
Students auditioned for the talent show for a variety of reasons. Whether it was to overcome stage fright, bring their talents to the stage, or to share their original music. Sophomore Adelita Velasquez has been creating their own original songs for the past two years with their ukulele.
“I wanted to audition for Bowie’s Got Talent this year because last year I had so much fun being able to share my own music for the first time in front of an audience,” Velasquez said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to grow up to be a singer and a songwriter.”
Bowie’s Got Talent’s comeback in 2024 has allowed many students to show what they are interested in and talents they
kept to themselves for a while. Sophomore Mattox Adams decided to share his passion for Star Wars by performing a lightsaber show for an audience for the first time since he was in middle school.
“I used to do a thing called Talent Tuesday in middle school with lightsabers, and everyone was so excited about it until the school shut it down,” Adams said. “I thought, why not give another shot at a talent show at Bowie, and I think I did really well.”
Many elements go into the production of Bowie’s Got Talent besides the talent. These include lights, practice, and may include costumes. Shahid-Russel and the other members of The Barbershop Quartet had the idea to enhance their act by wearing traditional barbershop quartet costumes.
“I think that it definitely kind of ties it together, the combination of the style of music we’re singing with the addition to the costumes,” Shahid-Russel said. “It definitely just brings a different kind of connotation than if we were to just wear normal clothes.”
Bowie’s Got Talent brings a spotlight to many passionate students and highlights the amount of effort they can put into showing their talents. The students walking in the halls that people may assume to be like everyone else, can end up having the most unique talents.
“I hope that everyone sees that there are so many different talents that people have here at Bowie,” junior Louis Olemeda said. “I hope more people will sign up next year to share their talents and get the fun experi
ence of being a part of this show.”
PLAYING
STRINGS: Sophomore Jack Cannon focuses closely as
plays the cello. Cannon has been playing the cello for eight years and has the help of a private teacher. “I am a part of Bowie’s orchestra playing the cello,” Cannon said. “I practice the cello not only at school, but during my free time too.” PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
TRIMMED TO PERFECTION: The Barbershop Quartet gives a warm smile to the audience. When the Quartet heard of the talent show, they practiced regularly to give it their best. “It was just kind of an act that we sang to ourselves as friends,” Dylan Shahid-Russell said. “We just kind of kept on just playing around with it.” PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
