The student run publication of Brewer High School
Senior wrestler makes it to the state championship for the first time in school's history. Meet the Brewer High School Engineering club and read all about their accomplishments.
By: Addison Strybosch
Many people think of newspapers as ancient things, something only their parents and grandparents had experience with However, as we advance, so does the news
Ursa Major News is no longer a hidden gem: they’re on full display Reaching out to the student body, incorporating teachers and providing news to the people in many
“My main goal has been to create an environment where students can work as a team to accomplish big goals,” newspaper advisor Flor Urbina said “While that can be difficult with teenagers, I feel that we found our groove and work really well together As the advisor, I have continuously pushed each student to excel past their own expectations The best feeling is to see them succeed in something they had doubts in ”
It took a while to figure out how everyone worked together and that was definitely a challenge, at first.
“At the beginning of the year, things were hectic,” copy editor da Rothermel, said
“It took us a while to get a hang of things, but I feel like we’ve grown together so much and we know each other well enough now that we’re comfortable Being close with the people you work with daily is so important to getting stuff done, and I feel like we figured each other out and we work well.”
Some people have the perception that the newspaper is just writing stories, but the newspaper does so much more than just that They have to run a social media account, edit stories, come up with fundraiser ideas and post stories on their website There are countless things involved in order to keep the paper running, but working together makes it easier
"Most people don’t know how much time and effort the staff puts into a story,” Urbina said “There is an editorial process that needs to be followed with each piece First, they choose a relevant story, then they generate their questions for at least three different sources, they interview all, write their story, then send it to the copy editor After the copy editor checks it, it goes back for corrections and then to the editor-in-chief before being looked at by the advisor. This takes about two weeks, at which point all stories are combined and sent to Dr Porter for approval
Once the process is complete, we publish to our website and make an announcement on our social media account It’s definitely a very detailed and meticulous process, but the staff loves doing it and is proud of every piece they produce ”
The newspaper does teacher and student features, Almost Fridays, newsletters, runs their Instagram, monthly recaps and much more.
“Ursa Major has a few new things this year that have helped us interact with members of our school community; including starting a newsletter that features a Who’s Who section for staff and a student corner where we highlight the Brewer Book Bunch as well as an all grade level student spotlight section,” Urbina said “We also have students pick a teacher of the week and we feature them on our Instagram account Our social media manager, Arien Stehling, suggested a feature called “Almost Friday” during football season & it really took off! Students and teachers came out of their usual professional roles and had the opportunity to act silly together It reminded everyone that while we are all weighed down by responsibilities, deep down we can still have fun!”
The newspaper plans on incorporating more of the community in their reporting on top of the multitude of things they already put out
“The newspaper this year has made it their mission to be more involved with the student body and faculty,” editor-inchief, Miguel Sesmas, said.
“Our teacher and student of the week addition is the biggest example of this We started that with the idea that some teachers weren’t getting the attention they deserved and we thought we should change that Teachers really loved this idea and some of them even have their certificate up on their wall!”
Everyone's biggest goal for next year is to gain members and help them find the same love of the newspaper that the staff has
“I want people to not be afraid of Newspaper,” Sesmas said “Some people may have doubts about joining purely based on the fact that they think it’s all writing and no fun but that couldn’t be further from the truth We have something for everyone, like designing, copy editing, etc As long as you’re willing to put in the work and care about the community, I’d say to give Newspaper a chance ”
The newspaper has one of the best environments They’re always having a great time, full of laughs and smiles, and when there is something wrong they always cheer each other up It’s somewhere where people can be themselves and no one will judge
I would say the newspaper has a very laid-back environment,”
Urbina said “That sounds strange, given all that we are responsible for, but the reason kids love it so much is because of that laid-back atmosphere Staff members feel supported by one another and if there is ever a time where they don’t feel supported, they are comfortable enough to speak up There is never a time where a staff member feels they have to hold back, we listen to one another and work through it together
Weekly meetings and frequent communication is key to staying on track and I am proud of the environment we have built ”
The newspaper has impacted our school in a huge way Not only are they constantly informing students and staff about important things going on but they also get to write amazing stories about those staff and students, which better connects the school
"I want students to know that it’s an amazing program, you grow so much as a person, in ways you never thought you would grow,” sports manager, Emily Enriquez, said “You get to meet and talk to new people and create amazing friendships ”
The newspaper has a tremendous impact on the school From the growth of social media to the various newsletters scattered around the school, students begin to feel seen and heard every time one of their groups gets reported on
“When I first met Mrs Urbina, she had mentioned to me all the ideas she had for the newspaper this year and if I'm being honest, at the time, I thought we were biting off more than we could chew,” Sesmas said “But as we got through the year and our name was being spread and people came up to us telling us how well our newspaper was doing, I knew she was leading us in the right direction. She’s incredibly encouraging and always open to new ideas ”
The newspapers' social media presence has made a huge impact on their popularity and the way they’re viewed
"I feel like the newspaper has grown in many ways this year, especially in the popularity aspect,” Enriquez said “The biggest thing was definitely our social media growth and how we now are more known throughout the school, which is amazing because more people get to read and enjoy the content that we produce!”
The stories tend to be more relevant to the time period in which they are published The marketing presence has improved and everyone seems to love the idea of the talent show, the shirts, sweatshirts, and everything else they do
“Ultimately I think the people should know that the newspaper is trying to tell the story of Brewer High School,” principal Dr. Daryl Porter said. “Without mediums like the newspaper, people generate their own narrative and I think that becomes dangerous. I think they need to know that ultimately the newspaper wants to report on the good things going on and change whatever needs to be changed.”
By Addie Strybosch
The Engineering Club was founded in October 2020 by Jay Patel with the help of an advisor for the Robotics Club, Thomas Bowers, and a few other members
They’ve been competing for three years now, but this is their first year competing in The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) and they advanced to Nationals in Virginia
“Basically, around October of 2020 I was having a blast in my engineering design courses, but I realized we were mostly learning theoretical concepts (Boolean algebra, isometric drawings, etc ),” Engineering Club President Jay Patel said “However, STEM should be all about being applicable to the real world and I realized that we didn’t really have that opportunity as a Title 1, fringe rural school So I started the engineering club, to be a community where we could finally get hands-on experiences through things like competitions and field trips.”
They were only competing in Robotics through a small local competition, once a year in
the fall, but they wanted something they could try to enter in various events that would be available all year long, not compete once and be done
“The TARC, we actually did last year, but not gonna lie we didn’t have Garrett and everything was so new And the obstacles were tough so our rocket blew apart mid-air and we never made it to nationals,” Patel said
Bowers was a huge advocate for the club when it was founded and still is today He also puts in his own time and effort by facilitating meetings over the weekends, organizing field trips and funding/networking for the team
"Our school had a robotics club previously, but while founding it, I altered the constitution and recruited members with a wider array of interests so it could be the ‘engineering’ club, and more focused on STEM in general ” Patel said “Some of us (including myself) don’t even want to be engineers in the future. Our reason behind joining the club and competing is like I said, getting to work more with our hands and just realizing the potential of technology in general ”
This was the club’s third year competing overall, but the second year competing in TARC
“We were the only high school against college teams in those competitions and we finished middle of the pack two years ago."
However, a major obstacle they had with this competition is resources
"We came in fourth place out of 22 teams last year Which I thought was pretty good, beating 18 colleges,” Engineering Club advisor Thomas Bowers said
“To tackle this problem, a skill we developed was maintaining resilience and developing a strong product with our limited resources,” Patel said “To construct the fuselage and wings, we hauled a massive piece of foam from Home Depot in the back of my friend’s truck and stuck skewers through them for structural integrity We roughly shaped the airfoil using a borrowed rotary sander and cut out the stabilizers and control surface with an X-Acto knife Additionally, after contacting hobby shops for suggestions regarding reliable electronics, we’d velcrostrapped them onto our plane Finally, to purchase these expensive components, our club hosted a fundraising night at our local Chick-Fil-A ”
One person in particular was a huge help to the club this year and is accredited with the reason the team did so well
They had a very strong start and the way they achieved it was by looking ahead.
“If we had sat there and been like ‘we should’ve done this’ and stuff like that, then we wouldn’t have gotten anything done, but instead, we pushed forward with a positive outlook,” junior Garrett Bradshaw said
What really made the team want to pursue TARC this year is not only can students compete, but if they advance and excel at the nationals, they can actually win scholarship money from TARC It’s not only good for our school and district for bragging rights in publications, but it could help benefit the students
“We did research and had multiple designs going at once before we tested them all,” Kasper said.
The American Rocketry Challenge is the largest rocketry competition in the U S with over 5,000 students competing
“Students are selected from across the U S to fly to Virginia and compete nationally there and then invited to Paris to compete internationally and represent the U S Basically, we’re challenged to build a rocket that carries an egg (which has to be uncracked at the end), and reach an exact altitude (this year the number is 850 feet), no higher or lower,” Patel said “The rocket also has to split into two pieces, both of them landing intact with separate parachutes in 42-45 seconds after the launch So as you can see, there are a lot of parameters and restrictions so this is sort of our ‘step up’ from the bronze propellor competition (although we are still competing in that one) Hence we’re learning to approach a whole new level of obstacles
and challenges than previously.”
The competition process is design, build, fly, repeat They design their rocket, build their rocket, test it, then repeat the process until satisfied
"STEM should be all about being applicable to the real world and I realized that we didn’t really have that opportunity as a Title 1, fringe rural school. So I started the engineering club, to be a community where we could finally get hands-on experiences" Engineering Club President Jay Patel said.
“We discussed competitions at a couple of different meetings, and let them have their own little chat groups where they conversed amongst themselves,” Bowers said “[We] tried to explain what would be involved in the competition, what the deadlines would be, and our expectations, and t t engage their interests in tha particular topic ”
Practice makes perfect The be test launching every weekend up to the big day because the competitions d allow any practice flights th
"It’s not something just any can do overnight There [are really last minute chances, either do it or you don’t, no laziness,” Bradshaw said
Nationals is going to presen the group with newer hurdl but they’re trying to prepar advance by conducting multiple test flights with different motors, changing
mass of their rocket and seeing how it affects the altitude they reach
“I have BIG dreams and goals This is only a step to me that I need to overcome, and I will, I guess it’s motivation, I’m bringing a lot of motivation with me,” Bradshaw said “I’ll also be bringing two personal items to nationals with me that my grandmother gifted me when I was younger, they’re my 'lucky' items (a wood cross from Jerusalem and a ring) ”
The team always strives to be the best and will do whatever it takes to get the results they want
"We are going to stay calm and do what we know how to do,” Bradshaw said. “The most important thing is to stay calm: if you get excited, anxious, or upset, things will fall apart before we even get there. We know how to do everything there, so that’s the only thing that’s left to do.”
By: Arien Stehling
Throughout the years, women’s sports have proven to be underappreciated This year's women's basketball team has shown not only are they underestimated, but they are a force to be reckoned with
Last season, for the first time in a decade, the Brewer women's basketball team made it into the first round of playoffs
“Last season was a warm up for us, it showed us who we are and what potential the team has The chemistry we have now is so much stronger than last year We came back stronger and better this season despite the fact that we have ten players instead of 15,” number 31 Nile Carroll said.
The current district record of girls' varsity basketball is currently 9-1
“The student section really does make a difference All the games where we have had a good student section, the team is on another level Everyone on the team was able to feed off of that positive energy,” number 23 Ontavia Smith said
“We have come a long way to prove ourselves and the support of the student body would mean a lot,” Smith said
They have played a total of three tournaments, and they took home first place at the Lady Roo Classic
“I feel like winning that tournament was when it really hit me that this is our last year," Smith said "It was more of a mixed feeling knowing that we won, but also knowing that it would be the last tournament we ever win where we were all together "
Four out of the ten women's varsity players are seniors
“It’s bittersweet knowing that this is my last year playing basketball, it’s kinda tough but it’s a good thing considering all
the memories I’ve made and all the people I have met Basketball has taken me places I never thought I'd touch foot on. It’s been a learning lesson for sure,” Carroll said
The lady bears are breaking records left and right, leaving behind a legacy with each win Their season ended at Regional-Quarterfinals, taking a tough loss against Colleyville Heritage
By Arien Stehling
TAFE stands for Texas Association of Future educators. The organization allows students to explore the teaching profession through hands-on teaching experience
“I knew from the first meeting that this was something I wanted to be a part of I have always been adamant and passionate about a future career as a teacher, but being able to share that passion and excitement with a group of my peers was what convinced me to join,” President Felicity Carlson said
TAFE is new to BHS, this year is the second year at the high school. They have meetings every Monday after school in F122 where you can learn more about the association Current members utilize this time to prepare for upcoming competitions
“Preparation begins a few months before the competition, as information needs to be gathered, videos need to be filmed, posters need to be made, speeches need to be memorized and some projects online need to be submitted beforehand,”
TAFE member Allyssa Gavrel said
TAFE has five different levels of competition: Middle School, Special Edition Junior Varsity, Varsity and Collegiate There are five different category types to choose from, each having its own personalized events ranging from breakout sessions to visual projects With this wide range of events being available to participants, they can choose categories in which they are most passionate about
“Specifically, mine and my partner’s competition was in a video format, which we introduced when we walked in, then presented to the judges We open up for questions at the end and then we’re released,”
Gavrel said
Eight of the TAFE members recently advanced to state These members are Carlson, DJ Keller, Rebekah Bright, Gavrel, Andrew
“I knew from the first meeting that this was something I wanted to be a part of,” President Felicity Carlson said “I have always been adamant and passionate about a future career as a teacher, but being able to share that passion and excitement with a group of my peers was what convinced me to join.”
Poff, Kailyn Flores, Grayson Peterman and Haliee Deter
“I think the main attribute that can lead anyone to advancing in any competition is confidence We walked in the room to compete with lots of confidence from practicing so much before, and that led us to do great,” Peterman said.
“Greyson Peterman and his partner Kailyn Flores will go on to compete at nationals in Orlando, Florida alongside Gavrel and Poff Peterman and Flores compete in the Lesson Planning and Delivery in the arts division
When competing, you're usually in a room with three judges; all have some sort of education degree Depending on the competition, the point system can vary
"In my competition, Lesson Planning and Delivery, the judges look at my lesson plan made, then video me teaching my lesson plan," Peterman said "After completing this I have a conference period where the Judges talk about my faults and good things I did in the video "
TAFE is a student-led organization With this being said, it still requires an advisor
"Mrs Howard aids us in getting approval for events and projects Because TAFE is a student-run organization,
she guides us on how to be the best leaders,” Carlson said
TAFE provides multiple opportunities for aspiring students
“TAFE is giving me real life experiences and knowledge about the teaching profession It is educating me on the school system and showing me the realness of the school system It is also providing me with a sense of community with people who are interested in same things as I am,” Carlson said
Carlson has been a part of TAFE since the association started at BHS last year She works closely with Howard to plan and prepare upcoming meetings and events.
“I want people to know that TAFE is so much more than competing," Carlson said "We really are like a family at our meetings and even when all of the work is overwhelming, I know that in the long run, the community TAFE provides me with is worth all the trouble I truly believe TAFE has helped me grow as a person and an aspiring educator "
Pink Out, is it more than just a color?
By: Addison Strybosch
Breast cancer awareness has always been linked to Pink Out and October, yet this year's execution of said theme did not seem to reflect that
Every year, the Pink Out theme is highly anticipated by the student body Everyone loves dressing up, getting to experience a fun pep rally and watching the game that night However, the true purpose of Pink Out has always been to spread breast cancer awareness, but not enough students understand the significance of the theme.
“Sometimes it does become more of a color than the cause, and I do wish we incorporated more about Breast Cancer Awareness,” STUCO Historian Saray Medina said
Planning pep rallies is no easy feat and involves a lot of collaboration with many different organizations
“It’s a collaborative effort There’s always a cheerleader and my MCs We make sure to touch base with all the teams,
like band and drill to come up with a schedule based on that,” Counselor Beth Sweeney said
The pep rallies are created by Sweeney, but STUCO comes up with the themes and games for the pep rally There’s typically a schedule already created for the pep rally that STUCO has to use as a guide, which is how they decide what game to do given the time allotted
“We wanted something quick but fun and popular We had seen other schools do musical chairs at their pep rallies and figured we wanted to do that too," Medina said We just knew we needed to have all our organizations included "
The student body is very hard to educate during pep rallies They need performances and engagements at all times in order to stay focused.
“The Breast Cancer Awareness part is hard Kids in a pep rally setting won’t focus on statistics,” Sweeney said
In the past when the school had a volleyball coach with breast cancer, they created a pep rally around her and got the volleyball team involved and talked about her struggle with it
“We’ve had the student body stand up at the pep rally in the past if they had a relative
currently living with breast cancer or in remission and it was crazy to see how many students are personally affected by this cancer,” Sweeney said
Breast cancer is a much more common cancer than people realize The student body must be included in the discussion of awareness
“I would have liked to try and put things into the announcements or something, but we didn’t and I really wish we had It would have been useful,” Medina said.
In the future, STUCO would like to incorporate more information about Breast Cancer Awareness into the pep rally and the week leading up to it Whether on social media or over the announcements, anything to get the student body to truly grasp that the pink-out theme is much more than a color
“We’ve had the student body stand up at the pep rally in the past if they had a relative currently living with breast cancer or in remission and it was crazy to see how many students are personally affected by this cancer,” Sweeney said.
By: Arien Stehling
This year was the 15th annual Bear Cave Classic For the past 15 years, our school has put on the “Bear Cave Classic” tournament which consists of teams from around the district coming and playing at the high school
Throughout this season, the soccer boys have pulled through with some great wins and this tournament was no exception The boys left the tournament undefeated, finishing their fourth and final game 2-2 and winning in penalty shots
“Lupe scored the goal to tie the game 2-2 and our keeper Edgar Cardona won us the penalty shootout,” senior player Cris Rios said
It takes teamwork to succeed in a competitive tournament, but individual athleticism is necessary to come out with a victory like this
“Luis Solís was the rock of our defense, he played through a sickness and ended up being injured but he let it all out on the field in the championship game and leading up to it,” Rios said
Through cold temperatures and various setbacks, the boys were able to pull through with four consecutive wins
There were two key components to our wins in my opinion,” senior Francisco Diaz said
“One of those key moments was the first goal of the tournament scored by Brandon Gutierrez. The other key moment was my goal against Castleberry. This goal tied the game 1 to 1 when we were struggling to find ways to attack. This goal also gave us the momentum we needed to win the game.”
The team has experienced a lot this season, one major difference being a change in leadership. This is Head Coach Rafael Franco’s first year coaching at Brewer.
“We’re still trying to build a relationship between the coach and us and make it stronger, but he makes it a vital point that we have an opinion on how we want to play each game so everybody feels comfortable and we can play our best,” Rios said.
Coach Franco has more than proven he is qualified for the head coaching title.
“He always makes sure we work hard and pushes us to get better every single day,” Diaz said.
Winning didn’t come easy, they worked hard to be undefeated. The varsity soccer team practices Monday through Friday.
“We usually meet in the weight room on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 6 am. After that we normally run for about 20 minutes. On game days we just go over our corners, free kicks and penalties,” Diaz said.
The team takes little to no days off. They are constantly doing whatever they can to better their game.
“Winning felt good, all the practices and cold mornings paid off, but we instantly just looked to start district games with a bang,” Cris Rios said.
By Emily Enriquez
For the first time in Brewer's history, the boys' 2023 varsity soccer team won the 5/5A district championship!
"Winning district was a dream of mine, and I'm just so happy it came true," senior Vincent Rivera said "It's an honor to be a part of the team "
The winning goals against Aledo were made by: senior Francisco Diaz, junior Alex Vega (assisted by junior Ronny Rangel), junior Luis Solis (assisted by senior Vincent Rivera) and the final goal made by freshman Damian Merida
"I felt excited to celebrate a team goal that led up to me scoring my first high school goal, which made me feel more thrilled for our upcoming playoff game," Vega said
We also can’t forget to mention the importance of the team's goalkeepers! Senior Leonardo Ramirez and Edgar Cardona really have the team's back when it comes to blocking the opposing team's goals
"Every soccer player dreams of scoring a perfect goal I've always dreamed of stopping it," said Edgar Cardona
Of course, with every great team comes an even greater coach. This year's coaches are Head Coach Rafael Franco, and assistant coaches Jared Hooten and Sinisa Vrvilo.
”The coaches are a big apart of our success," Ramirez said "They push us every day to be the best we can be and if anyone deserves the most credit, my vote goes to them "
Not only did the boys win district, but they also won the 2023 Cave Classics in January!
"The Bear Cave Classic win was the start to our journey. Winning it boosted our confidence and chemistry for the whole team, especially after winning it back-to-back," Solis said
And of course, an honorable mention to the JV Boys soccer team for winning the Justin Northwest JV tournament!
”When we finished the very last game of the tournament I felt great because I knew we made it,” junior Oskar Dalichau said
We hope to continue this winning streak in years moving forward!
"Winning district is just another step through Keep an eye out because we are coming for more," Solis said
By Emily Enriquez
Making state is a big deal, especially when you do it for the first time in your school’s history! Senior Noah Vo did just that in wrestling With all his hard work, now he will go down in Brewer's history and become an inspiration for many
“It feels great to make it to state I feel like all the work I put in finally paid off,” Vo said
Vo, from age seven to twelve, was doing Brazilian jujitsu, which he was really good at Jujitsu is known to coincide with wrestling, so with this background, it grew him not only into an outstanding athlete, but also into the incredible wrestler he is today
“Noah has a lot of selfdiscipline He had to manage his weight and stay on top of his skill development and technique, ” head coach Sonny Feexico said “He always liked to try different things and was not afraid to try different things if he knew it would be an advantage for him ”
In wrestling, it takes lots of selfcommitment and mental prep. It's not an easy sport, so those who succeed in it are very valued, such as Vo
“The most difficult part of wrestling is definitely the mental stress and consistency that comes with it,” Vo said “I've had to drop four to five pounds in two days and then had to have enough energy to wrestle ”
Apart from being an outstanding wrestler, Vo is also an even better teammate Many describe him as humble, encouraging and a role model
"Vo is an amazing teammate, he's always there for any questions they might have,
he is a great leader and I’m pushing to be a great leader like him one day and having enough experience to be able to teach anyone the rights and wrongs of wrestling,” sophomore teammate Wilmer Reyes said “Noah is more than a teammate Even if he doesn’t admit it, a lot of wrestlers look to him as a beacon for answers ”
Being able to hold such a big title not only comes from the individual but also from their teammates and coaches
Although wrestling is an individual sport, having the right teammates and coaches can push you to accomplish more.
“I like to motivate my team with a lot of positive reinforcement, but I also keep it real with the athletes when they try to blame others for their mishaps on the mat," Feexico said "It’s just them out there and only they can wrestle for themselves Once they understand that, they become more aware of their technique and start working to become better so they don’t make the same mistake twice "
Vo has had a huge impact on many people even if he doesn't realize it. His own teammates plan to follow his footprints and make it to state just like him But not only has he had an impact on others, Vo has also had a huge impact on himself
By Emily Enriquez
"He'shard-working,hestrives todohisbest.Hedoes anythingtoimprovehisgame," saidformerteammateJordon Johnson
Forthosereasons,Dakories MomentisBrewer'sspotlight footballplayer!
Momenthasbeenplaying footballsincehewasfive yearsoldandithasbeenhis dreamandpassionsince
Hiscoachesandteammates seehimasahard-workingand determinedteamplayer
"Healwaysdoeshisjobtothe bestofhisability,"saidHead coachJasonWheeler
"He'sagood,honestand genuineperson Greattobe around Atruefanfavorite," saidteammateMehkiElmore
For Moment, there is always room for improvement He is always finding a way to not only benefit himself but to also benefit the team
"I got bigger, faster and stronger compared to last year," said Moment.
With determination and striving to make yourself better, anything is possible Moments' inspiration is a big influence on who he is today because it's what keeps him going
"My biggest inspiration is my mom and my teammates I do it for them," Moment said
Moment is a humble, inspirational and supportive friend on and off the field His selflessness has gotten him where he is today
By Emily Enriquez
Brewer's theme for the Sept 16, 2022 home game was Minions! With the popularity of Minions; Rise of Gru coming out, Brewer had lots of students, friends and families come out to experience the student section and enjoy the football game.
"I think what I miss most about Brewer is the student section," said former student Jordon Johnson
Brewer's student section is what keeps the game hyped, even if they are losing, it is what gives the students motivation to get louder and motivate the players to get the win
some people may not think so, but student sections and team spirit have a huge impact on the game, they unite the school as a whole to support their team Giving the players that extra boost of motivation
A big contribution to Brewer's amazing student section is Blue Crew! They have the best students who know exactly how to get the crowd going
"Blue Crew is trying to just spread love and support around all sports organizations A lot of times, people feel embarrassed to actually support our school, and that's something Blue Crew wants to help with to give the teams that motivation to succeed" said Blue Crew member Cris Rios
Brewer's school spirit is one to remember and one to always want to come back to!
"Brewer's student section never fails to amaze me, they make Friday night lights ten times better," said junior Jonah Barrera
By MIguel Sesmas
For the first time in Brewer history, all five bands (middle school and high school) earned sweepstakes at their UIL Concert and Sightreading contest The bands started their winning streak on March 29 with the BMS Wind Symphony and concluded on April 4 with the Varsity Wind Ensemble
“A Sweepstakes is an overall 1st division rating for the stage performance and an overall 1st division rating in sight reading,” Fine Arts Director Andrew Williams said “If two out of the three judges in each room give you a 1, then it's a 1 ”
Over the last four years, the band program as a whole has grown in size and achievements This year alone, the high school marching band made their own history by earning first place at the Paluxy Marching Festival, AT&T Stadium Classic, Sound of Springtown Marching Festival and placed fourth at the UIL Area Marching Competition which would have qualified them for state, had it been a state year for 5A marching There is no doubt that students expect nothing less than success
“My band director has said himself before, that our class, CO 23’, we have only experienced and received sweepstakes,” Senior Jasmin Medina said “We don’t know anything less, so to me, it means, we are only getting better as one ”
In terms of size, the program continues to expand in huge numbers At the annual “BMS Night,” there were over 500 band students on the football field when combined Current directors remember a different band program when they first started. Williams still remembers having only 160 students and having to switch players to different instruments When Head Band Director Elaine Johson started, the middle school program only had 160 students but has now grown close to 200
“Students and parents have bought into the success from the High School, and the successes we’re seeing at the middle school,” Johnson said “When everyone knows and agrees that we’re capable of great things, everyone works together to make those things happen! The kids have worked SO hard this year and it’s paying off!”
This is the first time the Wind Symphony, led by Jordyn Gonzales, was ever taken to UIL Williams knew a sweepstakes rating was possible when he heard the non-varsity band during their winter concert
“The deciding factor was when I heard them in rehearsal during the last week of January,” Williams said “They were getting great fundamental sounds and the kids were all zoned in on the class and what Ms Gonzales was teaching I remember that day going to Mrs Johnson and saying “Thumbs UP” for them to go to UIL ”
Although a superior rating for all five bands is achievable now, that
was not always the case. Many hours of hard work and dedication from both students and directors has been put in over the last four years, and it’s finally paying off Middle school students see the success from the high school and try to match it
“Success breeds success,” Johnson said “The High School band proved that it’s possible here in WSISD The middle school bands are feeding off of that success for sure ”
What does it mean?
By Miguel Sesmas
If you’ve been wandering the halls lately, you either heard someone quote “Be the system” or seen it posted on the halls Unless you’re in Dual Credit Chemistry, you’re most likely confused So what does it mean to “Be the system?” Is it a cult? A simple saying?
Students first recall hearing this famous quote in Mrs Martin’s dual credit chemistry class while studying thermodynamics The OnRamps college professor, Dr Laude, said that if you wanted to understand how thermodynamics works, you must learn to “Be the system ”
“It was his way of saying be the thing and see how it would affect you,” junior Hannah Poff said “For example, if heat is added to an ice cube is it endothermic or exothermic? I would pretend I was the ice cube and if the heat was coming towards me or adding to me then it’s endothermic ”
For some, this quote is just a simple way to understand how thermodynamics works, but for others, the quote has taken a new meaning
“I just wanted to support my students,” Martin said “Then it became something more than just simply being able to solve thermodynamics problems It became more profound in terms of student engagement and support ”
Photo Credit: Miguel Sesmas
But how did this quote gain so much traction? Simply put, the students just wanted to find a way to remember Martin’s new phrase
“It was sort of a collected effort,” Poff said “We were like we need a way to remember, so Martin gathered her aids and they put signs up to sort of remind us that she had our backs and supported our efforts ”
What does it truly mean to “be the system” though? For Martin, it is a means to show her everlasting support for her students
“Everything I do is about letting my students know I support them,” Martin said. “I am also the kind of person that likes to come up with solutions to problems instead of just complaining 'Be the system' became a sort of mantra for that as well in that if we complain about the system without having an idea of a solution, then we become part of the problem If we choose instead to 'be the system' then we can force change from within ”
While the message was purely positive, many were confused as to what this new phrase was all about This was always from a purely positive and supportive standpoint,” Martin said. “In hindsight, it is always good to give context in a learning environment and we sometimes forget that others are not in our orbits and know what we are talking about Everyone was able to move forward and allow 'be the system' to thrive.”
By Naomi Flores
I have to admit, the beginning of the book was a bit slow for me with trying to learn about every single character and their background However, once you get through the beginning, the book picks up and it kept me guessing on who the killer was The suspense was so amazing that I kept going back and forth on which character was guilty While I was told the book was a “thriller,” I never felt that it was because those little “scared moments” were not really “scary” for me, they were more mysterious. There were some great twists and the ending of the book made the whole book so much better!
I would recommend this book to students who will enjoy a good “who done it?” mystery, but you do have to deal with a slow background check on every character in order to figure out the mystery!
Brewer Book Bunch began in January 2022 when a pair of students approached Miss Banat about their love of reading and their desire to share that love of reading with others
“But no matter what happens, life is only a series of days. You can’t control more than a single day”
Each week, Book Bunch meets to read and have student-led discussions about student-selected literature from all genres
Last year, Book Bunch read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, It Ends With Us and Six Of Crows This year, Book Bunch read Ugly Love, The Silent Patient and The Guest List
In the future, Book Bunch looks forward to reading more novels together and having important conversations about characters, the world, and real-life issues facing our society -Miss Banat
By Emily Enriquez
With the end of the year approaching, it means lots of studying for big tests coming up for students During this time, there will be lots of stress among students and even teachers To ease up the stress and make studying a bit easier, here are some tips and tricks to help you ace any of your tests and end the semester with astonishing grades!
First thing everyone should do is have an organized list of the classes you feel you need to study for the most Your notes app will help you, especially with the organization aspect. It keeps you on track and constantly reminds you what you need to get done
Sometimes the best help comes from friends or family It will make studying a whole lot easier and less boring if you work with someone Best of all, studying with a partner can help ease the stress that comes with working alone
Make sure to give yourself enough time! The last thing you want is to study for your exams the night before That will only cause you to stress even more and your brain will not be able to focus properly To be able to focus properly, find a peaceful environment where you feel comfortable and able to concentrate
A great thing to add to your study session is relaxing music The most popular genre of music for studying is classical! It is said to relax the mind and improve concentration
The most important thing to know is yourself and the best ways YOU know how to study Everyone's minds are not the same, and everyone has their own different ways of learning!
There is no guarantee that these study tips will work on you but it doesn't hurt to try at least one of these tips They will only benefit you in the long run and take you a step further to becoming an academic weapon!
By Emily Enriquez
For the past several years, Brewer has been competing in powerlifting competitions
Powerlifting is known as a very hardcore sport that takes a lot of effort and mental capability This year, seniors RJ Weatherd and Ethan Moore made it to regionals! Weatherd being in third place regionals in his weight class and Moore being seventh in his weight class
“Making it to regionals is a big confidence builder for me, especially because my confidence took a hit after football season,” Weatherd said
Powerlifting to many, like Weatherd, has many ego boosting benefits Imagine being able to lift double or triple your own weight Not only that, you also get to constantly be competing with not only yourself, but with other individuals who have the same passion as you
“You put in what you put out, the more time and effort you put in, you end up seeing it at the powerlifting meets,” Moore said
At every meet, there might be times when the competitor can't get a weight up This can be very detrimental because it can cause the competitor to not place or even lose their placement at a competition, making them not advance Weatherd, who has been in powerlifting for the past four years, has had a lot of experience with this
Every time I don’t get my weight up, I just keep that in mind and hold in my anger to take it out on the bar the next meet, I also go hard at practice and keep trying until I get it,” Weatherd said
“With determination and an optimistic attitude powerlifting meets can be less intimidating than they are Especially, when it comes to new competitors This year we had several new athletes who decided to give powerlifting a shot
“It's my first year in powerlifting and so far it's an exciting and nerve-racking experience At the gym, I lift heavy, but I've never competed with anyone It's definitely something I really enjoy,” junior Jonah Barrera said
In addition to having new athletes join, the powerlifting team also had two new coaches accompanying head coach Brian Stansberry: Parker Hartcraft and Ramiro Gonzalez
“Hartcraft is really motivational His background with powerlifting really comes out during practices He gives really good advice and tips,” Barrera said
Those who have been in powerlifting the past few years also feel the change with the coaches, such as sophomore Tristen Salas who has been in powerlifting for the past two years.
“The coaches really help me out, they are motivating and very friendly. When I fail a rep, they push me to do more,” Salas said
Many people might be scared to join powerlifting because they feel weak or they don't feel capable, but powerlifting is for anyone who is determined to compete
“I recommend people to join because even if you don't even place in the meets, it was always a time of my life where I got stronger mentally and physically,” Weatherd said
WEDNESDAY REVIEW
BY ADDISON STRYBOSCH
2022’s Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega, was an exhilarating expansion of Wednesday Addams' story
Wednesday showcases a girl destined for much more than she had ever known and longing to remove herself from her mother’s shadow During the series, we see a new side of Wednesday revealing how complex she is as a teenage girl and an outsider, even among the outsiders There will be spoilers beyond this point
The plot of Wednesday is intertwined with the past, present and future of the Addams family The story is progressing with knowledge just as she is, meaning the audience gets to learn everything alongside her character She uncovers secrets about Jericho, Nevermore, herself and her family
Continued on page 19
BY ADDISON STRYBOSCH
2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water was a highly anticipated and much-needed sequel to Avatar
Avatar is highly recommended by people of all kinds, and for good reason In this movie, we see what life is like for Jake Sully and Neytiri after Jake has become Toruk Makto They have gained many family members and have created a large sense of community Bridging the gap between the good “sky people” that stayed behind and the Na’vi. There will be spoilers beyond this point
Throughout the film, it is emphasized that family is of the utmost importance, whether they’re blood or chosen Sully and his family leave their entire community behind in order to keep themselves and their family safe from the bad “sky people” that have come back in Avatar form When they leave their community, they seek refuge with the Metkayania and are allowed to move into the clan’s main village, Awa’atlu While they are there, they form bonds with the village leaders; Tonowari, Ronal and their children.
Continued on page 19
BY EMILY ENRIQUEZ
The Scream movies never fail to impress in the way that they contain that classic touch of their past movies along with a perfect amount of suspense, gore and even humor
I fully stand by the point that these films are better seen in theater I went to see “Scream 6” a bit after it came out, and the audience was pretty packed. The reactions really made the experience of watching this so fun which is such an important aspect of cinema
People screamed, laughed and yelled out loud, and I rarely experience that nowadays, so this kind of response was pretty incredible
The last time I experienced that was for “SpiderMan No Way Home” and it was probably one of my favorite memories!
Plotwise, the storyline was solid and the actors are so talented Some of the script was odd, but overall it worked I was surprised how good of a horror movie this was, it was well thought out and seemed unrushed. Continued on page 19
On Nov 24, 2022, Netflix released a highly anticipated Christmas movie, directed by Charles Shyer, The Noel Diary, right in time for the Christmas season. This heartwarming holiday movie stars Justin Hartley, commonly known for his role as Kevin Pearson in This is Us, playing Jacob Turner and Barrett Doss as Rachel Campbell
The movie is about a best-selling author returning home at Christmas because of the recent death of his mother. When settling his mother’s estate, he finds a diary, written by his childhood nanny Noel, that brings him into the midst of a young woman’s investigation. There will be spoilers beyond this point
The movie started off strong with Jacob Turner’s introduction as a well-known author of a romance series The scene shows him at his book signing, giving us an introduction to his fun and charming personality On the same day, he is unfortunately met with the news that his mother passed away, which leads him back to his hometown, Maple Falls There, he meets Noel’s daughter, Rachel Together, and each on their own personal mission, they go on a road trip that eventually leads to friendship and mixed feelings
[Throughout the movie,] it is clear that the two share undeniable chemistry. However, Rachel clearly states in one of their first scenes together that she is happily engaged to her loving fiance, and she is not looking for anything other than him Despite this, she catches herself falling for Jacob Like the classic Christmas romance it is, Rachel Continued on page 19
CONTINUED
The bonds that they have formed with the village leaders and their children allowed them to learn the ways of the Metkayania and be fully emmersed in their culture Their children create relationships with each other, the sacred sea creatures, Tulkuns. These relationships provide them with a new community and an abundance of people willing to stand with them when it comes time to fight against the Avatars that have returned All of the Metkayania people were trained and ready to fight, however, Jake had convinced them to stand down knowing this fight was about him rather than the people of Pandora
However, the Avatars had taken the children of Sully and Tonowari hostage. This caused Sully, Neytiri and the Metkayanian people to attack the ship that said Avatars were holding them hostage on This fight caused many casualties, including Neteyam, Sully and Neytiri’s eldest son This resulted in tears and fighting harder than ever before for the sake of their children In the end, Sully thought he defeated Colonel Quartich, and his family rejoiced in peace together without knowing Spider, their adopted son, had saved Colonel Quartich’s life
If you enjoyed the first Avatar movie, then Avatar: The Way of Water would be a great movie for you Due to the movie’s intense graphics, exhilarating fight scenes and plot that is sure to pull at your heartstrings
WEDNESDAY REVIEW
CONTINUED
You get to see the many directions in which the storyline could’ve gone due to following her train of thought throughout
the plot
Revealing who her true allies are, sides to people you never would have known and a change of heart in those we least expected
We’re provided with a constant switch of potential antagonists that give the plot an eerie, suspenseful aura alongside a peek into Wednesday’s brain. Seeing her grapple with the power she hold that she was previously oblivious to is beautiful She realizes how strong she is and how much of a force she is in the world She discovers having friends and family that you truly care for has never been a weakness. It really does take a village to conquer things, especially evil
Wednesday’s storyline is the main one, however, it’s not the only one We are allotted a glimpse into both Enid and Bianca’s lives starting with Family Day at Nevermore This insight gave the girls more depth and allowed the audience to have a better connection with the side characters Opening storylines outside of the Addams family allowed for a thicker plot filled with rich and creative storytelling Creating a more elevated and twisted story laced with enriching character development and a series for all ages to enjoy.
If you enjoyed the Addams Family franchise, then Wednesday would be the perfect series for you Due to the way it impeccably captures Wednesday as she comes to terms with her family and her place in not only the Addams family, but the world
CONTINUED
Myself, as well as public opinion, thought it might have been a flop since it’s pretty hard to make a good franchise and not make it corny or repetitive, but that was not the case at all!
In terms of directing, lighting, music, and cinematography these were great and made for a smooth viewing experience
There was one scene, which was my personal favorite, shown in trailers, where Ghostface is creeping around a gas station
trying to find and kill the two main characters who are quietly crawling through aisles on the floor trying to escape, and because they had to all be silent, the suspense had me on edge. Just little details like that are what make movie moments so iconic
There’s already speculation that there is going to be a “Scream 7,” so I will definitely be watching and looking forward to it!
CONTINUED
runs away from Jacob because of her confusion, and eventually sorts things out for herself and who she undeniably wants. At the very end of the movie, there is a heartwarming scene of the pair in the snow in the same spot they first fell in love
If you are looking for a holiday movie that is packed with cheesy romance and classic Christmas spirit, The Noel Diary is the perfect movie for you As of right now, it is only available to watch on Netflix
BY EMILY ENRIQUEZ
2022 has been a year like no other Full of impactful and shocking events all over the world that have defined these past 12 months
Starting off the year, there was a huge inflation in prices, the most controversial one being gas prices At the start of 2022 the gas prices were at the starting price of $3.41 and in just 3 months they skyrocketed California had the highest overall prices, reaching $5 44
Following up with controversial topics, the annual Oscars took place in March Their host, Chris Rock, made a very insensitive joke on stage about actor Will Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett.
There, Smith said the famous words, “Get my wife's name out your mouth,” after going up on stage and slapping Chris Rock in the face
This went viral on social media and left people curious if it was scripted or real Like every controversial topic on the Internet, the media was making up conspiracies and choosing sides on who was wrong and who was right
This next event filled up the media even more and for even longer Actor Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard went to trial This trial was a defamation case Heard made against Depp
The media covered this trial the entire seven weeks it took place, since there was live coverage inside the court During this time, the viewership of the trial reached up to 500 million views just on YouTube
In September, a huge tragedy struck, not only England, but the entire world On Sept 8, Queen Elizabeth II passed away This was breaking news all over the world All schools in England shut down, and the media was constantly discussing the event Her death was unbelievable to the public because everyone believed she would live for much longer
Ending the year off on a better note, The World Cup began in November. It was what soccer fanatics were watching all day, everyday for a month The finale was coming up The long-awaited game between Argentina and France
Although it was a tough fight, some may say it was the best World Cup finale On Dec 18, Argentina took the Gold Cup home with a score of 3-3.
This year was full of happy moments and some sad moments, but a new year is starting up. You and the world can restart and make 2023 a better year than the last
By Addison Strybosch
The baseball team plays many games and tournaments during their season This time, the bears were able to host the tournament
Hosting the tournament brings exciting new challenges and opportunities The coaches enjoy it, the team loves it and the turnouts are great.
Despite the usual preparation and the excitement of the games from earlier in the day, bad weather still made its way to the ballpark
“It’s a hit or miss with the weather; some of the guys could hit better in the cold or play in the field better and some guys can’t hit the ball because it’s so cold out and it hurts when they hit the ball, and from what I have seen, it’s hard for the pitcher because their hands are numb because it’s so cold out,” junior baseball manager Kayden Hargrove said “And some of them like the cold but if it’s too cold most of them don’t want to play because they can’t move ”
There is always a plan for weather and delays and when they occur everyone is prepared
“The cold, rainy weather never stops our team from playing, but we do have to take certain precautions,” Sophomore trainer Allyssa Gavrel said “We covered our equipment with trash bags so the rain didn’t ruin it and to ensure that it continues to work properly, and we monitored the distance of lightning to ensure the safety of the people ”
The team was able to bond during their rain delay, which helped them grow as a team
“One of the best moments of the game was definitely that it was at home Another one was that even though we had a rain delay we had bonding moments like spike ball and playing madden with each other,” Taff said
Despite all of this, they came back and played very well
"I feel like we played really well We beat Aubrey, one of the best 4A teams in the state The first day was kind of rough, but we came back the next day and played some really good baseball,” Taff said
The team had hard appointments that they handled well during the tournament
“I thought that we were able to get better and grow as a result of our tournament games,” Head varsity baseball coach Gilbert Ramirez said “We played several state-ranked opponents during the tournament season ”
The coaches and team are always talking about being the best they can be in everything they do
"When they had a great play, the guys, the coaches and managers were cheering and yelling at them because they did so well; it puts a smile on pretty much every one of their faces when someone scores and they all run out of the dugout and cheer them on,” Hargrove said. “I would say the hyping up and cheering them on is probably the best thing.”
The players don’t change how they prepare just because it’s a home game.
“Our docs begin the game by asking us questions to make sure we remember how the game goes on and when we check on the water,” Gavrel said “They remind us when it is time to check the water, and if we don’t know how to help an athlete, they tell us ”
The team works closely with the training staff to insure the team is ready for the game
“We always want to make sure our athletes are safe and healthy, so having all possible supplies needed helps ensure that,” Gavrel said “Also, the friendly faces and fun environment that our team provides always makes the time with them so memorable and enjoyable ”
The team makes sure to pray before every game This helps them get in the game and know who they’re playing for
“We have more to play for because it’s at our home field, so we want to do our best and we play there every day so we’re used to it Of course, it’s a home game so we want to get as many wins as we can,” junior baseball player Peyton Taff said
It’s very exciting for all of those in the ballpark when the boys begin to do well during the game, especially on their home turf
“I believe everyone is much more hyped [when] almost all of their fans show up at home games more than away games, and I believe it hypes them up more and pushes them to do better since it’s on their home turf,” Hargrove said
When they had a great play, the guys, the coaches and the managers were cheering and yelling at them because they did so well; it puts a smile on pretty much every one of their faces when someone scores and they all run out of the dugout and cheer them on,” Hargrove said “I would say the hyping up and cheering them on is probably the best thing ”
“I think they know they can do this at away tournaments but I don’t think it’s the same for them knowing it’s not on their home turf,” Hargrove said “I believe being at home just gives them different energy and the joy they get winning on their home turf ”
The players don’t change how they prepare just because it’s a home game
“Our docs begin the game by asking us questions to make sure we remember how the game goes on
and when we check on the water,” Gavrel said. “They remind us when it is time to check the water, and if we don’t know how to help an athlete, they tell us.” The team works closely with the training staff to insure the team is ready for the game
“We always want to make sure our athletes are safe and healthy, so having all possible supplies needed helps ensure that,” Gavrel said “Also, the friendly faces and fun environment that our team provides always makes the time with them so memorable and enjoyable ”
The team makes sure to pray before every game, this helps them get in the game and know who they’re playing for
“We have more to play for because it’s at our home field, so we want to do our best and we play there every day so we’re used to it Of course, it’s a home game so we want to get as many wins as we can,” Taff said
It’s very exciting for all of those in the ballpark when the boys begin to do well during the game, especially on their home turf
“I think they know they can do this at away tournaments but I don’t think it’s the same for them knowing it’s not on their home turf,” Hargrove said “I believe being at home just gives them different energy and the joy they get winning on their home turf ”