March 30, 2017

ORACLE Friday, March 10, 2017 // Vol 43 // Issue 6

Stratford High School 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas // shsoracle.com

The Crowning Moment

Mr. SHS ticket sales contribute to Empower a Child

@SpartanOracle @StratfordOracle

2

Opinions The Oracle / March 10, 2017

The Best Bathroom on Campus Flushing away failing facilities

How we scored:

WRITTEN BY: RILEY TIMMRECK & CAMERON HENKEL PHOTOS AND GRAPHIC BY: RILEY TIMMRECK

RESTROOM RANKINGS

Few other locations receive as much traffic from the student body as the rest rooms, and for good reason. They are meant for rest, a little break from the monotony of class work, unfortunately they aren’t always up to the task.

With peeling paint, supply shortages, and what we can only hope is water leaking out the floor, some of the facilities here are in dire need of some TLC. Relaxing, the bathrooms are anything but.

Of course they aren’t all disaster zones, and the custodians do a wonderful job tackling the issues that come up, so we took the dive and found just how all the different bathrooms rank.

Location

A

Score*

Copy Room Competition Gym Fine Arts 2nd Floor East Auditorium 1st Floor East 3rd Floor West 3rd Floor East

C

B

31 28 23.5 23 20 19.5 18 16.5

*Highest Possible Score = 35

Practically Spotless (A)

Out of Order (C)

The copy room bathroom on the The 3rd Floor, third floor is the best - adorned with East bathroom fresh flowers and even air freshener. also has dysfunc3rd Floor, East (B) tional sinks, so Known for leaks and its often stinky pack extra hand atmosphere, avoiding this bathroom sanitizer. may be in your best interest.

The Oracle newspaper is the official, schoolsponsored student media of Stratford High School, 14555 Fern, Houston, Texas 77079, 713-251-3454. The Oracle is published monthly by the Journalism Department, and is also available online at shsoracle.com.

The newspaper is a member of Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, and Interscholastic League Press Conference.

the readers. Readers may submit material via e-mail to info@shsoracle.com.

The Oracle serves as a public forum of student expression, and is open to contributions submitted by

The staff is responsible for the content of the publication, and strives maintain professional standards

All letters to the editor must be typed and contain the author’s full name, grade and signature. Submitted material is subject to editing based on space and/or content. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, the staff, the administration or the school district.

of accuracy, objectivity and fairness. The editors reserve the right to determine whether submissions will be published.

The Oracle staff strives to produce a newspaper that covers the entire Stratford community, and welcomes freelance submissions.

Publication costs are covered through advertisements. For more information, contact thestratfordoracle@ gmail.com OR call at 713-251-3454

ORACLE

Editors-in-Chief Cameron Henkel Olivia Siciliano

Culture Editors Charlotte Benes Rachel Dietert

Associate Editor

Sports Editors Jacqui Comparin Haley Grace Francis Nicole Whiteford Assistant Sports Editor Louis Nucette

*

*

*Nazlee Khadjeheian *Emma Holland *Ellie Herrmann *Maddie McKenzie

Photo Editors

*Riley Timmreck *Presley Graves *Perry Shepard

Opinions Editors Lauren Byram Sebastian Droz News Editors Taylor Morris Elizabeth Cole

Reporters Andrew Park Alex Parizot Photographers Arturo Benitez Jordyn Richards Kate McCord Grayson Hart

Our grading system consisted of seven distinct criteria. Each bathroom was judged on a scale of one to five in cleanliness, atmosphere, supplies, wall decor, mechanics, traffic, and location.

Cleanliness defines the general sanitary state of each location during a third period inspection.

Atmosphere describes the general ambience and feel of the spot.

Supplies, pretty self explanatory, ranks how well stocked the soap, paper towels, and toilet paper generally are.

Reading material and artwork inscribed on the stalls is graded in wall decor, more material leads to a higher score.

How well the faucets, towel dispensers, and other nuts and bolts work is classified under mechanics.

Finally, traffic and location go hand in hand. How busy a location gets during peak periods like lunch, and how accessible it is are crucial components on the quest for the best bathroom.

The boy’s and girl’s facilities of each location was individually graded and then those scores averaged.

To see a breakdown of each location’s score in the individual categories visit shsoracle.com FRONT PAGE PHOTO BY: RILEY TIMMRECK

Westerfield Wins

Senior Patrick Westerfield was crowned Mr. SHS at this year’s event.

Cassie Wilson Mariana Rincon Tea Sharp Donovan Rixie Carol Gebhart Sam Wagner Claire Sanchez Zaina Ateyea Madison Harbison Allison Delgado Kaitlyn White Savanna Underwood J Ads Editors Katie Boatwright Lindell Lewis Alice Morse Ads Staff Maddie Rustam Jackson Fass

Erin Walsh Natalie Gaiser Lauren Perry Gigi Meredith Design Editor William Thiele Staff Artist Caroline Bucek Copy Editors Benjamin Burnham Maddie Suerth Building Principal Danny Gex Advisor Janice Cummons *Editorial Board Members

Opinions The Oracle / March 10, 2017

A Letter to the Editor Senior response to last issue’s opinion piece over racism

The February 3rd issue of The Oracle prominently featured a wonderful article,“Confronting Our Nation’s Greatest Tension,” on its first page.

Firstly, I must say that I was heartened to know that students and teachers feel safe at Stratford.

That our school campus has not been the target of crass graffiti gives me yet another reason to boast Stratford’s superiority to Memorial.

In all seriousness, editor-in-chief Siciliano wrote an interesting, if idealistic, article on a controversial subject. Having had the pleasure of debating this topic with her and our classmates in a socratic seminar earlier this school year, I can attest to her depth of knowledge in this matter.

Glover and Russo bring valued insight into this piece as well.

As the article drew to a close, however, I noticed that one critical point had been entirely glossed over. Halfway through the article, Glover states her belief that there needs to be a space in which “kids can talk about [racism]” while feeling “safe to voice their opinions without getting yelled at”. The dialogue, Glover says, must be conducted in “a healthy manner”. Yes! Excellent! I agree! But the article quickly moves on.

All of what Siciliano writes is true. To root out our nation’s greatest tension, the younger generation must do a “better job of trying to change the mindset” of racists around us. What this article fails to address is the misguided attempts at doing so. For all her calls for us to “confront the ugly monster that racism has always been,” Siciliano does not adequately explain one of our biggest obstacles in this effort.

Contemporary racial politics is mired in dogma, demagoguery and sensationalism. There are a whole plethora of reasons why that is, and Siciliano touches on many of them. She even acknowledges the fear some have in touching this subject, but says nothing of why and how we fix it.

To answer this question and further explain what Siciliano alludes to but never mentions outright, understanding semantics is key.

The word “racism” describes a naïve belief that one’s own race is superior to another’s. This should be a grave accusation. Yet, the word is used so recklessly today. Some have described the names of schools as being “racist”. Indeed, I sat in a board meeting and watched with disdain as HISD board members elected to spend millions on a massive historical retcon—and not on rectifying the largely Hispanic district’s abysmal test scores and crumbling schools. Others have described statues as being “racist”. Case-in-point, the recent controversy over statues of confederates in New Orleans. Of course, inanimate objects can’t have beliefs. It seems that no one participating in this vital discourse even knows what they’re talking about.

The imprudent use of this word has perverted its meaning but, despite this, the word’s social effect has not been attenuated. This combination has created something very dangerous—a powerword. Because those who are accused of racism are socially alienated, it is a wonderful tool for intimidation and character assassination. It has been used for decades by racial demagogues to silence dissidents and exclude perfectly rational, well-meaning people from the discussion. In this context, the word is no longer defined by a dictionary. Rather, it is defined by its social usage.

Let’s take another oft-used word in discussions of racism: “diverse”. The word has been used to describe many things at once. Some, when asked, will say that “diversity” is the presence of many different distinct races and ethnic groups. Others tell you that “diversity” also stipulates that these groups coexist peacefully, free from racism. Still a third group will say that “diversity” includes the opposition to racism! In any case, diversity is assumed to be an inherent good.

Another word that frequently appears in racial politics is “multiculturalism”. To many people, “multiculturalism” describes different cultures all occupying the same space. “Multiculturalism” sometimes means “equality”—another vaguely defined power-word. No thought is put to how different cultures can exist in the same space and remain separate, or even how they might conflict.

Words like “racism,” “diversity,” “equality” and“multiculturalism” elicit strong feelings and vivid images, but no one really knows what they mean. In fact, they can mean many different conflicting things, depending on how the speaker uses them. Words that are so poorly understood have no place in rational discussion.

Siciliano states these discussions can “trigger conversations and arguments that end worse than they began”. She tells readers: “don’t be afraid to have conversations about racism”. But the fact is, wedge politics and brow-beating have made many people terrified to touch the subject for fear of, as Glover put it, “being yelled at”. “Everything has to be so politically correct,” Glover says, “or someone’s going to end up being called a racist”. Before we can start to “promote an attitude of love over one of hate,” we need to oppose the racial demagogues who obfuscate critical words like “racist” or “diverse”and promote an environment in which rational discussion can be had.

If Siciliano truly doesn’t want people to be afraid to talk about racism, then an environment free from ad-hominem attacks, free from powerwords and free from—dare I say it—political correctness is a must.

- John Conroy, Senior

Want your voice to be heard?

Signed letters should be sent to thestratfordoracle@gmail.com

Summer Internships

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Build up your resume this summer WRITTEN BY: CAMERON HENKEL GRAPHICS BY: CAMERON HENKEL

OR

Basking in the Bahamas. Sipping down Shirley Temples in San Diego.

Cataloguing sales records for Costco.

Not all summer memories are created equal, but what may seem boring on the surface, like an internship, can actually be more transformative than a visit to that totally legit Shaman found on Trip Advisor.

An internship with the right company or organization is a chance for students to test drive their future careers and see if Hotel Management is really what they want to do with their life.

If an internship is going well, the student can continue with their studies and build up their resume with real world experience that can help them secure a job in the future.

If not, then they can save time and money by switching focus to a more suitable industry and major.

They also serve to build connections with real people in the industry for students to add to their LinkedIn and later pester for references.

Another benefit, although it is harder to come by, is some internships actually pay. Particularly with larger, more well known companies, summer can actually be a time for making money.

With most seniors headed off to college without scholarships or significant financial aid, extra dough can really help offset the taste of ramen come midterms.

The draw of an internship isn’t always the workplace experience, or potential money making, sometimes it’s about the location.

Backpacking through Europe is a common summer before college

stereotype, but it isn’t always a possibility due to finances. A flight to the continent alone can be enough to wipe out a student’s summer savings.

While difficult to come by, there are internship positions abroad that cover transportation and living costs for the time of the internship.

Fellowships are another option that can potentially ease the burden of a summer in Paris or Amsterdam.

Internships are traditionally pursued once in college, but there are plenty aimed at high school seniors, and a few are even for juniors.

The most notable local opportunity lies with NASA, every summer the Johnson Space Center is flooded with high school and college age students pursuing a career in the sciences.

Because of its vast commitments, NASA offers internships focused on everything from aerospace engineering to material research and software design.

For STEM minded students, it’s tough to beat a NASA internship.

Find out more and apply online at intern.nasa.gov.

Internships do have their downsides though. Most last around 10 weeks, a big commitment when summer itself is only a few weeks longer.

Plus for those on a budget, failing to secure a paying position or an appropriate fellowship can end any discussion of the possibility.

Ultimately, if an internship can work into your summer schedule, go for it! You never know what doors might open to you as a result.

4 Josen Barbo

News

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

STORY BY: VALERIA ROBAYO

HOSA STUDENT GRADE: 12 1) What is your most favorite aspect of HOSA and why?

-My favorite thing about HOSA is the chance of getting to know how it feels to work in the hospital. You see videos online capturing the events that go on in the hospital, but it’s completely different from what you experience in real life. You could say it gives you unimaginable vibes when you’re there in person.

2) Do you want to pursue a medical career when you grow up? If so, which one?

-As of right now, I want to be a physical therapist, but I might discover an occupation in the hospital that I love even more. That’s the great thing about HOSA. As you explore the hospital, you start to fall in love with things you never thought of liking.

3) What aspect of HOSA do you think is most beneficial to your future career?

-The social aspect. HOSA gives you the ability to speak with professionals, who I strive on being, so I learn a lot.

GRAPHICS BY: VALERIA

PHOTOS BY: JUDITH HOLTAN

HOSA 2 During the 2nd year of Health Science, students venture into the hospital for observation of real professionals and real patients. There is a thrill of really “being there.” Students learn the importance of confidentiality, compassion, and ethics.

HOSA 3 Students will actually be doing hands on at the hospital. They would be choosing three different areas that they can observe: EKG area- they would learn how to do an Electrocardiogram; Telemetry area- learn how to read monitors; PCA area- learn how to be a Patient Care Assistant.

Randall Royall

HOSA STUDENT GRADE: 12 1)What is your most favorite aspect of HOSA and why?

-My favorite aspect of HOSA, aside from getting to see some of my closest friends every day, is probably the opportunity of getting to go to the hospital 3 days a week and experiencing what each department of Memorial Hermann has to offer as well as helping along the way.

2) Do you want to pursue a medical career when you grow up? If so, which one?

-As of now I do want to get into the medical field and pursue being an orthopedic surgeon, but I’m open to anything about the body and anatomical structures because that’s what sparks interest in me.

3) Describe your daily experience in HOSA. -We get on the bus at the start of our period, get to the hospital and go to our designated department for the day (ranging from the ER to, to sports medicine, and even the vet). Once there, we shadow a nurse or PT or any staff member in that department and interact, communicate, help, and take notes based on their activities and advice. If we aren’t out and about at the hospital, we are at school, forming great relationships with students who have the same interests, and Mrs. Holtan, who is perhaps my favorite teacher.

4) Which has been your favorite department that you have visited so far?

-By far the coolest department has been the OR, where I’ve seen a laminectomy (back surgery) on the L4 and L5, as well as seen the removal of a cancerous colon by robotic arms that the surgeon then brought over to me and dissected it for me to

Judith Holtan

HOSA TEACHER

“Each day at the hospital is unlike any other, and you see so many cool things.”

- Josen Barbo

1) What do you love most about the HOSA program?

-I love the students first and foremost. I also like the fact that the students are going to get a chance to actually view all the medical departments at the hospital, and to get an idea of what they want to do when they go-on to college.

It gives them an idea if they really want to

pursue

the career they had in mind, and opens their perspec tives to other interesting careers.

2) What made you want to become a nurse?

-I think most people in my generation wanted to become a nurse because they cared about people, and wanted to help others. In fact, I think this feeling is a characteristic of all generations.

3) What different careers does HOSA prepare students for?

-HOSA prepares you for any career. In

fact, it even covers veterinary

medicine. On the rotations,

the kids can even go to a vet clinic if

they are interested. The students go and see every single area of the

hospital, so they get to experience all the professions

that are available.

observe.

Observing Professionals

Making Acquaintances

Shadowing a nurse is just one of the many activities HOSA students like senior Skyler Dockum get to perform.

HOSA students like senior Kyle Ortega get to HOSA members at Memorial Hermann Hospital durmake acquaintances with health professionals ing Christmas time. at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Working As a Team

Interesting Experiences Senior Randall Royall gets ready for liftoff in the life flight area behind Memorial Hermann Hospital.

News

The Oracle / March 10, 2017 Big Day - The Big Day is coming! Be sure to sign up soon by going to shsoracle.com/big-day/.

Sign up by March 31 for a free t-shirt and Chick-fil-a breakfast.

Congrats to the following Business Professionals of America (BPA) students who competed at the State level and advanced to Nationals.

Perry Shepard - 5th Place Business Meeting Management Sydney Lawrence - 8th Place Fundamental Accounting Andrew Nash - 2nd Place Financial Mathematics Joyce Park - 2nd Place Advanced Interview Skills

Team Accounting

Juniors Camden Beck and Sydney Lawrence and Senior, Mark Duna compete together in academy of finance competition.

5

Teacher of the Year Honoring Mrs. Sharp

What made you want to become a teacher?

My favorite pastime as an elementary school student was to come home and immediately play school. Of course, I was the teacher, so I think I always knew. My favorite teachers have been my English teachers, too.

What’s your favorite part about teaching , more specifically teaching English?

I love to talk about literature and share my enthusiasm for it with others, as well as learn from others. I think I learn something new every day from my students. It is also enjoyable to teach composition and see the progress students make from the beginning of a semester to the end.

I am very proud of my students’ development in critical thinking and writing.

What qualities do you think make a good teacher?

Having a sense of humor is definitely helpful, and so are patience and empathy. I often think about how I was as a senior in high school and am appreciative of the amount of time students these days dedicate to rigorous coursework and numerous extracurricular activities. I try to keep things in perspective of their lives, and it helps that I have sons who graduated from Stratford recently because I can relate to how busy my students’ lives are beyond just

No Phone, No Problem Going without an phone for three days presents its challenges

my classroom. Despite that, I do expect a lot from my students, and more times than not, they rise to my expectations (and often times, beyond). Most importantly, I love what I am doing and wouldn’t trade my job as an English teacher at Stratford for anything!

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a career in education?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from teaching is that not everyone is the same. As simple as that sounds, that is the greatest revelation I’ve had in this profession.

Students walk through my classroom door every day with different backgrounds and abilities, and even though students may seem similar on the surface, there is so much they carry within them that I try to be mindful of PHOTO BY RILEY TIMMRECK their diversity in opportunities and access to things that many people take for granted.

Full House for Mr. SHS

ALL PHOTOS BY RILEY TIMMRECK

WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH COLE

I gave my phone up for three days in honor of the anniversary of the first phone call ever, which happened exactly 141 years ago today.

I did this experiment not only for this historical mark, but also for a personal goal for me to become less reliant on my phone.

This was more difficult than I thought it would be. I hate being a “typical teen” stereotype, but this experiment showed me how much of a crutch my phone is. Everything ranging from alarms to weather to taking pictures ended up showing me what a challenge it is not having a smart phone and how truly reliant people are on them.

The first day was the roughest, especially because I forgot to set an alarm clock and ended up super rushed getting ready, as I usually set an alarm on my phone. Then that whole school day I still had a strong knee-jerk reaction whenever a phone buzzed next to me. I began to wonder if there were any important texts coming my way, which began to worry me.

As the day went on, I learned to let things go and just focus in class. Speaking of which, focusing became increasingly easier in my classes with out the temptation to check my messages every two minutes.

However, this did not make me feel secure. I felt cut off from everyone at times. When a class would be in study hall and everyone was staring down at their phones, felt out of the loop.

I’m not very active on social media, and I didn’t exactly miss it too much, but by the end a very short three days I realized just how much I missed. Social media is a medium that moves extremely quickly, and if you blink, you’ll miss a lot of it. Imagine having three days worth of feed coming at you all at once. It’s very overwhelming.

Communication was a huge issue that I ran into very quickly. For example, I drive people home from school and one of them was late, so I had no idea if they were just running late or didn’t

need a ride. This forced me on the other two days to actively communicate with others who ride with me ahead of time rather than sending a text at 3:07 reading “Do u still need a ride today?”

When I began to anticipate texts I would be able to plan out my days better, and I felt less stress. Actively planning with people made things more organized.

Phones are extremely convenient because it provides instantaneous communication that do not require pre-planned meeting points and specific times. While this is great, it made me realize how much of a crutch my phone was. I have never lived in a world where I didn’t have access to the internet or other people at any given time.

Another problem I ran into was directions. For a project, I had to go to a electrical supply shop to buy parts, and it was in a part of town I was not familiar. While I had a friend with (who had her phone), I tried to rely completely off of written directions. It was scary realizing how reliant I am on maps to find my way. I am okay with directions, but if I did not have my phone to occasionally help me out, I would get very lost.

By the end of this experiment, I got accustomed to all of these challenges not having a phone faced. I am not going to lie and say that I was totally fine with not having my phone all of the time. However, I feel like my eyes are opened It wasn’t stressful, exactly, but I felt completely behind in everything. I don’t think of myself as someone who is particularly active on social media, but in those three days I was aware how much I use it to keep up with news today.

There were noticeable benefits to this experiment. I was less distracted doing homework. So while I learned that phones are almost necessary in today’s society, moderation is always a good thing.

Westerfield’s Win

Dirty Randy

Senior Patrick Westerfield was crowned Mr. SHS Randall Royall won the “Best on Feb. 23. He won the title after charming the Talent” award for his imprescrowd with his stand-up comedy and shark attire. sive performance of the “Evolution of Dance”.

Swim Suit Season

Budding Bromance Patrick Westerfield and Ashford Hasting share a moment during Westerfield’s interview segment of the show.

“I Wanna Be a Rockstar”

Ashford Hastings gets into his performance of a Nickelback cover, alongside other musicians Alec Norman, Ryan Smith and Gabriel De La Puente.

Gabriel De La Puente struts his stuff during the swim suit portion of the competition

6Understanding the School Budget System

News

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

Many students don’t realize the impact that the school budget system has on their studies

WRITTEN BY NAZLEE KHADJEHEIAN The Texas State Legislature is currently in session, discussing many important issues and working on new bill ideas. One of the big ideas they will be considering is public school funding. According to the Texas Constitution, the responsibility of funding education falls on the state. But increasingly throughout the years, that responsibility has fallen onto property rich school districts, an issue that cannot be ignored.

School funding can be a complicated as well as controversial topic. It can be difficult to decipher how schools run, such as where the money is received and how it is dispersed. While perhaps this subject can seem unimportant to a student, it’s important to realize that funding impacts students who desire a decent education above anyone else. Knowing how school funding and budgeting works is more important than people may recognize.

Today, public education in Texas is funded through Local Property Taxes - taxes based on how much a house is worth within a certain community, paid by property owners. Due to the Robin Hood bill, districts with a wealth of property are required to send a part of their taxes to the state to fund property poor districts.

“Spring Branch is unique because it is a property rich but student poor district,” building principal Danny Gex said. “This is where the issue comes in.”

Fifty seven percent of students within the district are economically disadvantaged.

“About 30-40 years ago, the majority of public financing came from the state. The state paid about 75% - they would take in their budget from sales taxes or toll roads or anything else and they would pay for schools to run their education,” Gex said.

“Local property taxes were probably only 20%. Now, it’s flipped. The state pays less than 25% for public education.”

As a result, parents who want their child to attend a decent school are concerned as to where the money is actually ending up. “It really leaves us in a quandary,” Gex said. “First our local district has to pay the state first, see how much we have left over, and be able to with that money do a budget. Eighty five percent of any district’s budget in the state is salary. You have about 15% for construction, maintenance, and materials- the majority is paying for people for teach. Then, you have some left over, to upgrade or upkeep certain things.”

It’s easy to believe that schools simply don’t fund a lot of programs, when in reality, the funds aren’t there to do so. The majority of the funding for school programs and organizations comes from district bonds, PTSA’s, and booster clubs. District bonds have funded the rebuilding of the elementary schools.

Have a fun and safe spring break, Spartans!

Would you like to be featured on shsoracle.com?

Share any photos from your spring break travels with thestratfordoracle@gmail.com to be included in an online photo collection.

Even with this help, the funding issue is prevalent, and the district will be required to give more and more each year. To deal with the Recapture issue, many committees on the school board have gone to Austin to ensure the issue is addressed. “It will be very easy for the state legislature to put this issue to the side and ignore it because it’s controversial and it is lose- lose for them,” Gex said. “I think the formula needs to be reworked. By taking it all, you’re leaving the district vulnerable for infrastructure issues and what not, replacing chairs in classes, and deprived of necessities. It’s very complicated, but you can tell, if 600 districts are suing, there’s an issue.”

Once money has been given back to the state and the district formulates a budget to give to each school, then each school can use their own budget. “I get to allocate a certain amount of money through the school, and so each department or program will get that,” Gex said. “I meet with the department chairs around every three weeks and we talk about what’s needed.

Some departments need more than others.

It’s not a perfect science- we run negative in some departments, and positive in others, but we are able to balance our funds.”

“Our budget is roughly 15 million, and about 25-30 million is requested throughout the year. It’s very hard. I want to make sure everyone is treated equal and fair.

Athletics isn’t better than Fine Arts, and vice versa. I would never give one program more money based on their accolades.

There’s a baseline. Each department’s given something equal- we look at what they’ve received over the past years. We want everyone to be successful,” said Gex. Funding a class or cutting a class completely depends on student interest. “Take Art Photography for example,” Gex said.

“Initially, there was only one period offered.

Next year, there will be three.”

“Over the summer, that’s what I’m up here doing along with other staff. We’re going over what classes have the largest interests and plan our funds accordingly.

Next year, Art Photography will be receiving 10 new computers that will make loading and editing photos much faster,” Gex said.

‘Killing’ a class works the same way. “If there’s no interest, nobody signing up, then we don’t offer it,” Gex said. “We tell teachers that they need to advertise their class- they are their own advocate to generate interest.”

The school budgeting system makes it difficult for schools to staff and support every class a student might be interested in. It’s important that the state addresses public school funding, and schools can only hope that the state decides to take better interest in the success of their public schools.

7

Feature The Oracle / March 10, 2017

The Ultimate TEXAS Roadtrip A guide to great adventures across our beautiful state

WRITTEN BY: OLIVIA SICILIANO AND RILEY TIMMRECK PHOTOS COURTESY OF: DAVY BARRETT

Gorman Falls Cadillac Ranch

Palo Duro Canyon

Natural Bridge Caverns

Located in Amarillo, TX, this public art installation features 10 Cadillacs buried halfway nose down into the sand. Since they were first put up, the cars have been vandalized and spray painted, but the visitors pile in to see this unique feature of Amarillo and capture a photo.

Known as the second largest canyon in the country, this colorful and rugged landscape is the start of the Texas Panhandle. Visitors can trek through the canyon by car, horse, or foot.

There are also campsites and music events for those who’d like to stay awhile.

Central

Enchanted Rock

The Frio River

West

Big Bend National Park This stunning national park includes the Chisos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert. From rich canyons, to hiking trails, to picturesque landscapes, and limestone cliffs, this treasured area of our state butts right up to the border with Mexico.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park This national park also contains parts of the Chihuahuan Desert. The area is known for its beautiful white Salt Basin Dunes, grassland teeming with wildlife, and world premiere fossilized reef mountains. The park offers extensive backpacking, hiking, and educational opportunities to learn the history of the landscape.

The Frio Bat Cave

(Pictured above) Outside of Concan, TX, this cave is home to one of the largest populations of Mexican free-tailed bats. As seen in the photo, visitors can observe the bats as they fly out from the cave into the evening sky.

One of Austin’s prime travel destinations, this massive dome of pink granite offers prime hiking trails and routes for visitors to choose from to reach the top of the large formation.

(Pictured above) Noted by it’s name, which means “cold”, this river is known for its clear, cool waters that can alleviate the Texas heat. The river itself is surrounded by tall cypress trees, boulders, limestone bluffs, and offers a seclusion for visitors who’d like to tube down the river or even kayak.

The Marfa Lights

Also known as Marfa ghost lights, this phenomenon occurs just outside the small town of Marfa near U.S. Route 67. These lights (their source unexplained) appear randomly on the southeast horizon and can be various colors, from white, to red, and even blue. The cause of the lights is highly debated, and their paranormal mystery is certainly a sight to see.

One of Texas’ largest show caverns, visitors are able to experience vast underground chambers with unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Visitors can also pan for gems, gold, and take on the four-level zipline course.

Located in Colorado Bend State Park, this lush waterfall is a treasure for visitors at the end of the Gorman Falls Trail.

The waterfall has grown bigger over time, and is stunning as it is surrounded by vast vegetation and cascading water to impress all.

Pedernales Falls Housed in Pedernales Falls State Park, the waterfall cascades over and around huge slabs of limestone. Visitors can enjoy exploring the falls, relaxing in the water, camping, hiking, and more.

George Observatory Located in Brazos Bend State Park, this observatory is a satellite facility of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Housed inside are three large telescopes, an excellent meteorite exhibit, astronomy classes, and (depending on the time of year) the unique and stunning opportunity to view meteor showers or other celestial events.

Coastal

Brazos Bend State Park

(Pictured left) Just one hour outside of Houston, this state park features extensive hardwood forests and marshes carved out by the Brazos river. The park offers camping, biking, fishing, hiking, birding, and the chance to spot an American Alligator and other reptiles and amphibians.

Padre Island National Seashore (Pictured above) One of few hypersaline lagoons in the world, the seashore features white sandy beaches and blue water that protects 70 miles of coastline. The park protects tidal flats filled with wildlife, including many species of birds and nesting sea turtles. Spanish shipwrecks from 1554 near the area also provide a rich history for those who visit.

8 In Depth

In Depth 9

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

Put a Ribbon on It Art students win big at Rodeo Houston

Rodeo Roundup

The “One-Stop Shop” for this year’s Houston Livestock Show WRITTEN BY: EMMA HOLLAND AND MADDIE MCKENZIE

GRAPHICS BY: CAROLINE BUCEK

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of Houston’s most popular events of the year, attracting crowds from all over the globe. From carnival rides to cattle shows to fried oreos, there is a plethora of different things to do.

Students are engaged in the Rodeo in many different ways - some submit art projects to the auction, other Future Farmers of America (FFA) students sell their cattle and participate in the Calf Scramble, and others support the Rodeo’s finances by attending every single concert. Here are a few ways that students at Stratford get involved, and ways to make the most of your time at the rodeo this year.

Top Things to Do The rodeo has the potential to be overwhelming options and so many things to do. It’s important options available to make the decision of the the rodeo when you arrive.

- there are so many to have an idea of the best things to hit at

Walk through the carnival - A trip to is not complete without a run through the carnival. People can get their face painted, ride the ferris wheel, take a spin on a few roller coasters, try to win a giant teddy bear at a few carnival booths, and even experience the rodeo from a birds eye view from a relaxing ride up a ski-lift.

the rodeo

food selection. There are restaurants available, such as Goode Company Barbecue and Freebirds, and different food booths everywhere around. Be sure to grab a fried oreo or fried twinkie on your walk around - the rodeo experience is not complete without it.

Watch the rodeo show - A trip to the rodeo wouldn’t be complete without rooting on your favorite bull rider and watching four-year olds race on sheep. Arrive early to the concerts in order to witness the entertaining rodeo show, where cowboys and cowgirls compete in different events.

Go to a concert - In the evening, there is always a live concert to close out the night. After a full day at the rodeo, take some time to enjoy either live country or pop music. See the concert line up below for more details.

See the livestock show- Cowboys and cowgirls have dedicated enormous amounts of time to raise their cattle in order to be featured in the livestock show, hoping to sell their cattle and make big bucks. Take some time to walk around and enjoy all of the effort put into producing some of Texas’ most elite cattle.

Shop - Shops are located all throughout Rodeo Houston, especially around the livestock show. There are available items such as agricultural equipment, art, western wear, boots, furniture, accessories, and others to be purchased.

Western Wear

Experience the petting zoo - Inside NRG near the shops and livestock show lies the petting zoo.

For only $5, people can feed all animals with an ice cream cone, except the kangaroos. However, there is no fee to pet and hang out with the animals.

Eat all you want - The Rodeo is known for its delicious and super unhealthy

Dressing up in traditional western wear and heading over to the rodeo is an experience to remember. Throughout the years, most western trends usually stay the same, such as the traditional boots, belts, and jeans. However, no one wants to pay top dollar for a potential once a year outfit, so here’s a list of some cheap and convenient places that sell the perfect rodeo attire: Cavender’s Boot City Prices start at $20 and include dresses, tops, jeans, boots, and mens clothing.

12141 Katy Freeway, Houston TX Value Village Prices start at $5 and include all types of clothing, shoes, belts, and hats 1811 Gessner Road, Houston TX

Rodeo Concert Line-Up Friday, March 10, 2017: Alicia Keys Saturday, March 11, 2017: Alan Jackson Sunday, March 12, 2017: The Chainsmokers Monday, March 13, 2017: Sam Hunt Tuesday, March 14, 2017: Demi Lovato Wednesday, March 15, 2017: Thomas Rhett Thursday, March 16, 2017: Luke Bryan Friday, March 17, 2017: Fifth Harmony Saturday, March 18, 2017: Willie Nelson

Sunday, March 19, 2017: Banda El Recodo Sunday, March 19, 2017: Siggno Monday, March 20, 2017: Florida Georgia Line Tuesday, March 21, 2017: ZZ Top Wednesday, March 22, 2017: Chris Young Thursday, March 23, 2017: Blink-182 Friday, March 24, 2017: Dierks Bentley Saturday, March 25, 2017: Brad Paisley Sunday, March 26, 2017: Zac Brown Band

Goodwill Houston Prices typically start at $5 and include men and women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes. The items are used and can be bought at a great price.

10521 Katy Freeway, Houston TX No matter what you wear, or what kind of style you prefer, everyone is bound to look great. Go in something you feel comfortable in, and if Western wear isn’t your thing, you’ll still have a good time at the Texas Rodeo

Students and Their

Families Get Involved

Many students and their families are personally involved in the rodeo. Sophomore Samuel Vasser is an FFA member who is occasionally involved at the Livestock Stock Show and Rodeo. “This year I am not showing animals at the rodeo, but I did already show my animals at the FFA show,” Vasser said.

Vasser made $8,000 from his turkeys, chickens, and his horticulture project involving plants grown in a dish. “I’ve been selling my work for three years and have made around $20,000,” Vasser said.

In eighth grade, Vasser did a calf scramble and caught a cow. As a reward for catching, FFA students receive scholarship money to buy a cow of their own, though Vasser chose not to do so.

At the FFA show, Vasser won grand champion with his turkey and received $3000. He also won 2nd place with his horticulture project and received $2,500.

“If you’re showing animals in the auction, you get a pass to get into the livestock show and carnival for free, but not the concerts,” Vasser said.

Junior Caroline Evans’ family has been involved with the Rodeo Com mittee for three years. Her brother, Connor, volunteers at the gate, monitor ing all the visitors who walk through, while her sister, Katie, works with the Chick en Committee.

“My siblings get badges to get into every concert for free,” Evans said. “I

get to go with them a lot.”

Evans plans on following her siblings’ footsteps and volunteer at the rodeo in the future.

Like Evans, Junior Sarah Lawlis also has family involvement in the rodeo. Her dad, Steven Lawlis, has been volunteering at the Rodeo for years - last year as a committee chairman and this year as a committee captain. Ever since Sarah was born, she recalls her father having a love for all things rodeo, including barbecue, cowboy culture, and the unique atmosphere. He even gets to ride the horses from the trailers to the arena.

“Because of my dad, I get in free to everything in the rodeo and watch concerts in the suite,” Lawlis said. “Next year when I’m 17 I’m planning to volunteer on the junior committee.”

Volunteering at the rodeo is a great way to get involved behind the scenes, while contributing to making the event enjoyable to all. There are many benefits to being on a committee , but lending a helping hand is sure to be the best.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is without a doubt one of Houston’s most popular events of the year. People travel from all over the globe for the unique experience of devouring a fried Twinkie, watching little kids race on sheep, and listening to the nation’s most popular artists perform live - all at the same time. The Houston Rodeo is an event like no other, and everyone should make an effort to take part in the special event.

Azelia Lau Title: “Kicking up Dust” Style: Oil paint Time: 7 weeks, once a week for 5 hours Joyce Park Title: “Circle of Life” Style: Prisma color on paper Time: 3 weeks, 8 hours a day Juwon Yoo Title: “Beginner’s Luck” Style: Acrylic paint Time: 9 weeks, once a week for 5 hours

Rodeo Food by the Numbers

1,000 150 lbs 76,000 40,000

On average sold per year

Frog Legs

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Turkey Legs

WRITTEN BY: EMMA HOLLAND PHOTO BY: PERRY SHEPARD Students from all over Texas submit their artwork to the famous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art competition, hoping for their art to receive a Special Merit award and advance to the auction. Picture Perfect This award Junior Ellie Gex, a finalist, poses with prizeis not only winning art pieces from Stratford, among a an incredselect few that will be featured in the 2017 ible honor, Rodeo Houston art gallery. but it pays, literally. The artwork sells for thousands of dollars, sometimes around $100,000, and students receive a chunk of the money, a maximum of $2,500.

Several students from Stratford submitted a piece to be considered for the Rodeo. Featured are a few students, three of which were the only to advance to the auction.

Juniors Azelia Lau, Joyce Park, and Juwon Yoo all three advanced to the auction. These three students devoted many hours to creating their award-winning art pieces.

Slices of Pizza

13,860 Strips of chicken fried bacon

115,000 Barbecue Sandwiches

10

The

a

Features The Oracle / March 10, 2017

T s i t r Factor

Celebrating Youth Art Month and the work of artists at our school

Creativity at Work

After judging had taken place, students, teachers, and parents alike had the opportunity to browse the high scoring pieces in the competition gym.

Fruit of their Labors

STORY AND PHOTOS BY: CHARLOTTE BENES The act of celebrating the visual arts at the scholastic level not only encourages support for school art programs, but it also encourages young artists to pursue their artistic aspirations.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, we had the honor of welcoming several other middle and high schools across Texas to our campus to compete in an event put together by the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) called VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event).

“Basically what it does is it opens the door for kids to have one-on-one feedback from someone other than their art teacher, so they can work with someone else who works in the art field who can maybe provide a fresh perspective and some constructive criticism to better their work,” art teacher Bess Garison said.

“So this gives students not only the opportunity to work with another artist but also to see over 1,700 pieces of art from other young artists across the region,” said Garison.

With the rodeo season fast approaching, those who attend will have the opportunity to see beautiful pieces of art from student artists in the area, including freshman Bea Jeon, whose rodeo drawing advanced past the preliminary rounds earlier this year.

“High school art is really challenging because we’re all perfectionists but most of us are also procrastinators,” Jeon said, “So usually everyone is freaking out the week before our projects are due because they’re only half finished.”

“But after that initial panic and scramble to finish,” added Jeon, “it’s satisfying to see all your hard work come together.”

A recap of recent marches across the nation STORY BY: RACHEL DIETERT, GRAPHIC BY: CHARLOTTE BENES PHOTOS COURTESY OF: ISABEL VIERRA AND STRATFORD 1980 YEARBOOK With around 3.3 million people raise their voices on an issue they care marching with the women’s march about. To quote Martin Luther King around the United States, it is the Jr., protesting is a way to “use rage as largest protest in United States history, a constructive and creative force.” A but it is hardly the first. The Boston single person using their voice is not Tea Party was a protest on the British nearly as powerful as thousands of Tax on tea and was one of the factors voices determined to make their opinthat led to the American Revolution. ions and views heard.

Some other famous protests include However, marches and protests The March on Washington in 1963, a alone are only symbolic. They have civil rights march where Martin Luther the ability to create change, but only King Jr. gave his I Have A Dream if they do more than a single protest Speech, and the Anti-Vietnam War or march. The duty of civil disobediprotest in 1969. ence is not fulfilled through protest A protest is not a glorified coming alone. Protesting is only the first plaint, but rather, it is an opportunity action a group of people take when for people to gather in solidarity and trying to inspire change.

Junior Lucia Yoo (left) studies the work of her piers. Art students junior Ellie Gex, freshman Abby Gex, and sophomore Audrey Kate Ford take a break from their volunteering duties to see some of their pieces advance.

Back in the 1980’s

Sophomore Doug Donnel and juniors Brett Bronker and Dave Stannard hold a flag for all to see while a bystander joins in.

“Still, I Rise”

Sophomore Georgia Letchford carries her sign, a tribute to the late Maya Angelo, at Houston’s Women’s March.

Houston Women’s March

The Women’s March took place in Houston on Jan. 21.

About 20,000 people participated, including students and families from our own community.

11

Features The Oracle / March 10, 2017

Music Festivals

Soduku

Tips, Tricks, and What to Expect

COMPILED BY CAMERON HENKEL Answers online at shsoracle.comEasy Puzzle 1,624,877,850

WRITTEN BY MADDIE SUERTH PHOTO BY GRACE CUSTER

Have you ever been to a music festival? Have you ever realized just how many music festivals take place in Texas? Music festivals are great ways to get outside of your comfort zone and experience new things.

Texas is full of music, art, and culture. These are some festivals that celebrate that.

Whether you are interested in the people or the music, these festivals are always tons of fun.

Going to a music festival for the first time can be rough if you aren’t prepared. Here are some tips and tricks to make it go smoothly, and make it more enjoyable. Preparation is everything when you go to these. Once you get there, what you have is what you have.

Tips and Tricks:

5 1 8 4

-Dress for hot weather, you don’t want to get heat stroke.

-Wear sunscreen, you don’t want to come back with a bad sunburn to document your time at the festival.

-Bring water and snacks, it will be very hot there and you need to keep your energy up and stay hydrated.

-Bring money to buy food and water there as well.

-Bring hand sanitizer or sanitary wipes, it isn’t the cleanest place you will ever encounter.

-Plan ahead of time, there is nothing worse than frantically running around in humongous crowds trying to figure out where to go.

-Prepare for large crowds, if you are someone that doesn’t like small spaces maybe these festivals aren’t for you.

-Prepare for lots of noise, the music isn’t the only thing you will be listening to, people will be screaming all around you the entire time.

-Make sure you stick with friends the entire time. You will be in a new environment with tons of people there. It is extremely scary to be lost in a sea of people by yourself.

-If you don’t know very many songs from the people you are going to see, learn some. It will be more fun when you can sing along.

-Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, you will be walking around and standing up the entire time.

-Bring sunglasses for your time during the day.

-Make a meeting spot. If you do happen to get separated from your friends it will be really helpful to have a designated area for you all to meet back up at. http://show.websudoku.com/ -Most importantly, have fun! It’s not everyday that you get to do this so enjoy yourself.

7 3 9

What to Expect: Many people have been to music festivals before and have lived to tell the tale. It is something that you won’t regret despite some hiccups along the way.

“The overall atmosphere of ACL was really fun, but also very chill. The night was crazier than the day, and the best performances are normally at night. The first thing my friends and I did was find a place to put our stuff and meet up in between shows. We were there for one day and saw about eight different shows. My favorite part was seeing the Chainsmokers in a huge crowd,” said sophomore Grace Custer.

“My favorite part of going to Free Press was hanging out with my friends and eating at all the food trucks. It was really hot outside and I wish it wasn’t as dirty as it was but, overall it was an extremely fun experience,” said sophomore Kate McCord.

Festivals Close By: Each festival is different. They each have their own atmosphere and line up of artists that will be performing. There are many music festivals in Texas. This is a highlight of a few of them.

March Madness: March, Houston TX

Austin Reggae: April 14-16, Austin TX

South by Southwest (SXSW): March 10-19, Austin TX

Austin City Limits (ACL): October 6-8, Austin TX

Euphoria: April 6-9 Austin TX

Free Press: June 3-4, Houston TX

ACL At Night

Grace Custer and friends enjoy a concert at ACL as flags and lights illuminate the crowd.

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The Oracle / March 10, 2017

Sports

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

ONE ON ONE with...

Coach Willis

Highlights:

Varsity Baseball:

THE

Q: Why did you want to become a coach?

A: Sports, baseball and football in particular, have played a major role in my life. It only made sense to payback for all of the coaches that had a positive impact on my life.

SCHEDULE Baseball:

3/14 Klein Forest @ Klein Forest 7 p.m.

3/16 Klein Forest @ The Backyard 7 p.m.

3/21 Klein @ Klein 7 p.m.

3/24 Klein @ The Backyard 7 p.m.

3/28 Northbrook @ Northbrook 7 p.m.

3/31 Northbrook @ The Backyard 7 p.m.

Softball:

Q: What experience do you have with the sports you’re coaching?

A: I played both baseball and football in high school as well as in college.

3/21 Spring Woods @ Spring Woods 6 p.m.

3/24 Memorial @ Memorial 6 p.m.

3/28 Klein Oak @ Stratford 6 p.m.

3/31 Klein Forest @ Stratford 6 p.m.

Q: What are you looking forward to about coaching these sports?

A: Being able to be a positive influence and role model for the young men playing for me.

3/23-25 Rice University “Victor Lopez Meet” @ Rice University 4/1 College Park @ College Park HS

Q: How do you balance coaching and teaching?

A: Managing time between teaching, coaching, and family is always difficult.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful and supporting wife who understands how far I get stretched during the year.

Q: How do you like being a coach so far?

A: 22 years so far... not too bad.

Q: If you could say anything to your athletes, what would it be?

A: Respect the game, play hard and take the life lessons they experience in the game and apply it to their future.

Q: How has athletics changed you?

A: It has never changed me.

It just personifies and magnifies who I am as a person, a teacher, and a coach.

Score: 4-2

Varsity Softball:

PHOTO BY: ELLIE PENA

Q: What sport are you coaching this year?

A: I am the Head Baseball Coach and I’m also an assistant Football Coach.

SHS vs. Strake Jesuit

Track and Field:

SHS vs. Morton Ranch Score: 4-6

13

SHS vs. Thompkins

SHS vs. Tomball Memorial

Score: 8-5

Score: 5-2

SHS vs. C.E. King

SHS vs. Mayde Creek

Score: 2-1

Score: 6-0

PHOTOS BY:

Favorite Restaurant: Carrabba’s Italian Grill Toughest Competition: When I went to Austin for a Juniors International Tournament Favorite PreGame Meal: Pasta and Salad Favorite Quote: “Life is about work and then you die.” -Mark Warren

Here We Go Again

Tony Pope

Nina Elez

Favorite Restaurant: Chilis Toughest Competition: Myself Favorite PreGame Meal: Chicken Mcnuggets Favorite Quote: “Are you gonna finish that croissant” -Carl Weezer Most Embarrassing Song on Phone: Fifty Shades of Grey audio book.

A Hug Goodbye

Spartan success at the state swim meet PHOTOS BY: KATILYN WHITE

Ready to Swim Her 100 Fly About to leave to swim her 100 fly, sophomore Emma Stephenson smiles nervously for the camera. She finished in 54.01 seconds putting her in seventh place.

Stephenson’s place made Stratford proud at the State 6A Finals.

The swim team was wished good luck as they left for the 6A State Finals, in Austin, Texas. Junior Morgen Reyna, gives her mother goodbye hug at send off, on Feb. 16. Many hugs were to follow after Coach Mike Hoskovec was awarded NHFS Section 6A Swimming Coach of the Year.

Clayton Bobo Takes Gold Again

Junior Clayton Bobo finished his 100 free in 43.56 seconds, beating Matthew Willenbring from Westlake High school, who went a time of 43.99. Bobo’s win at the State 6A Finals, brought his ranking up to 5th best in Texas. With a 0.6% improvement from his pervious time, the State Final on Feb. 8, in Austin, TX was a huge success for Bobo.

14 Coaches and Their Kids

Sports

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

Juggling student athletes while raising their own children WRITTEN BY: MARIANA RINCON AND CATHERINE PARNELL Throughout the school year, coaches spend countless hours teaching and coaching high school students that grow to closely resemble kids of their own. However, no student could replace their love for their children. Many coaches have kids ranging from infants to college students. All these range from golf coach and Algebra II teacher Ryan Cozad with his new second baby

Caston, to varsity baseball coach Jason Willis and his two sons, current sophomore, Matthew, and former senior, Jared.

Soccer coach and US history teacher, Gena McGee, has an 8-yearold daughter named Eva. When Eva is not busy reading a book, she loves to attend the varsity girls soccer games to support her mom and the players. If their schedule allows it, they

Number One Fan

Grayson Plake, son of assistant athletic trainer Sean Plake, cheers on the football team. Plake’s son gets to go down on the field after the game.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: THE COACHES also love to attend other Stratford sporting events to cheer on the Spartans.

Algebra II and Physics Teacher, Mark Wallace is the varsity boys soccer coach and has a 4-year-old daughter, Addison, and a 2-year-old son, Calvin. Addison plays soccer and likes to watch the high school athletes play when she and Calvin come to the varsity soccer games. Coach Wallace’s kids try and make

Race Down The Field

every game, if it does not run past their bedtimes.

Addison and Calvin also like going to volleyball and football games, they especially love to watch the cheerleaders.

It is inspiring for students to see their favorite coaches interacting with their children. It is just one more aspect of sports that further brings the community together.

On The Field

Head Athletic Trainer, Cathleen Webb, brings her daughter, Amelia to assist her in helping the football players during the game.

Rhyle, son of business management teacher and track coach, Joshua Gossett, comes down to the field after a meet to congradulate the varsity girls track team on their good races.

Front Row Seats

Varsity girls soccer coach Gena McGee, and her daughter, Eva, watch the SBISD girls soccer tournament from the sidelines of the field.

National Signing Day

Graduating athletes celebrate their accomplishments and look to the future WRITTEN BY: JACQUI COMPARIN Every year athletes from all over the United States participate in the National Signing Day. Signing Day is when a student athlete makes the final commitment to attend and play for a specific school. Recruiters from different colleges seek out students who have excelled in their sports.

This year, five students have been signed to play in college: Jaetavian Toles ( Football, Tulane University), Jimmy Price (Football, Stephen F. Austin University), Sam

PHOTOS BY: RILEY TIMMRECK

Miller (Football, Northwestern University), Randall Royall (Football, Rice University), and Jake Johnson (Baseball, Costal Bend College).

While leaving old team mates and coaches behind, these students will meet new ones.

Senior, Jimmy Price says “I’ll miss my high school days playing football,but I’m also excited to continue my football career at SFA. They have a brand new coaching staff so it will be good to get up there this summer and get

acquainted with them”.

Leaving home can be scary and having to meet a whole new coaching staff can be nerve wracking as well.

Senior, Jaetavian Toles says “Going to play for a different team and meeting new people and coaches isn’t going to be that weird for me, but I am still really going to miss the coaches at Stratford.”

High school is a once and a lifetime experience that is unforgettable and made better by friends, family, and coaches.

Hard Work Pays Off Seniors Jimmy Price (left),Jaetavian Toles (middle),and Randal Royall (right) pose for a photo before getting ready to sign for their schools on Feb. 1st

Making Decisions Seniors (L-R) Jaetavian Toles, Jimmy Price, Randall Royall, and Jake Johnson conclude their careers at Stratford as they sign with their college teams.

15

Sports

The Oracle / March 10, 2017

ll Softba inds rw pitche g the in up dur ainst ag game anch.

R Cinco

Softball se ts up for a ba se hit in their game again st Dulles.

Senior Allen Winter pitches duri ng an afternoo n game.

Baseball catcher focuses in his stance in front of the umpire.

J V S c h e d u le

Baseball: 3/14 Klein Collin s 2 p.m. @ SHS 3/20 Klein 7:15p. m. @SHS 3/25 Santa Fe 11a. m. @SHS Softball:

3/22 Tomball Mem orial 5:00p.m. @ Tom ball Mem. 3/29 Waller 5 p.m. @ Waller 4/8 Brenham 5 p.m. @ SHS

PHOTOS BY: PRESLEY GRAVES

Girls’ Soccer Kicking it Up a Notch

The Lady Spartans work to play through tough competition in 6A PHOTOS BY: RILEY TIMMRECK

A.

Bend It Like Beckham

C.

B.

A. Seniors Deanna Zavala and Olivia Siciliano smile as supporters in the stands celebrate the team’s 3-0 victory over Klien Forest, Tuesday, Feb. 7.

B. While recording the game, Girls’ Soccer Manager Randall Royall, turns to face the camera and flashes a smile. The team watches the footage afterwards to learn how to improve for the next game.

C. Anticipating the arrival of the ball, junior Sarah Nicolas, plants her feet and prepares to head it.

D. In order to progress her team down the field, sophomore Peyton Nichols, receives the ball by using her head.

E. Strategizing with the team, Coach Gina McGee, plans an angle of attack.

D.

E.

16

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The Oracle / March 10, 2017

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