Ursa Major
BREWER HIGH SCHOOL
NEWSPAPER
NEW STAFF
Mr.
Counselor
Mr. Egyed
It’s safe to say that anyone who’s had Egyed is excited to have him back in school with us as we’ve moved up in our educational journey. -Noah Finch
PHASE ONE OF BOND 2022
“The new bond has already proven to be successful in better accommodating the students at WSISD. None of this would be possible without our supportive community and parents who voted in favor of the bond. It is a statement made that they believe in us and our futures.”
-Olivia Adkins
MAJOR MOVIES
“Give 100% in whatever you are doing. That work ethic will translate into the real world when you’re older.”
-Coach Mikey Valdez
“I
MAKES A DRUM MAJOR?
SPOTLIGHTS
don’t think I would be able to be where I am without Brianna. She is one of the most smart, understanding and supportive individuals I have ever worked with,” senior brass captain Richard Sanders said.
FROMMEMORIESTOTHEMOVIES
THE BASEBALL STORY THAT HITS A LITTLE CLOSE TO HOME BY
Michael "Mikey" Valdez was once a young boy on a little league baseball team from Fort Worth, Texas, who debuted from the small field in their hometown to the US finals. This incredible event became a story he could tell to his children and the story he would tell to the whole world. With the luck they needed to be as successful as they were, a movie surrounding this experience would soon come out a little over two decades later.
"I am very grateful that they have brought our story to life on the big screen," Valdez said. "I knew it was a special time in our lives, but we never thought it would become this big."
Valdez was a member of a Little League World Series team from the Westside Little League team that inspired the production of "You Gotta Believe," a movie that tells the story of the team that made it to the US finals in 2002. Valdez was able to work closely with the movie writer to help perfect the performance portrayed by the actor who would be representing his character.
"We got a rough script about three years ago. I was able to talk to Lane Garrison, the writer, a good amount," Valdez said. "We had some very interesting conversations about my life and how he could portray that in the movie."
Valdez was all for how Jacob Mazeral took the role of a younger Valdez. Knowing how much he appreciated the portrayal of his character and the production team reaching out to Valdez for his input, the movie seemed to be an overall hit. However, as with every great success, there are also some downsides and differences.
"A big difference in the movie is in the beginning it showed that we were a pretty weak team," Valdez said. "In reality, that team was working since we were five years old every season getting better and better."
Despite this mistake being included, Valdez says he wouldn’t change anything about the movie if given the opportunity. He believes the directors, writers and production crew did an amazing job at bringing the team's story to life. Adding to the exciting development of the movie, the lesson that was said to be conveyed was a great addition not only to the film but to any sports player's athletic life.
"A great lesson in the movie is to learn how to be a part of a team and play for something bigger than yourself," Valdez said.
Seeing how other coaches were teaching their players and noticing how they weren't receiving the improvement they were aiming to achieve, he followed the next big step in his baseball career. Valdez, still learning to grow as a baseball player, soon decided to teach younger baseball players and became a coach of about 10 years.
"I saw what other guys were doing and they weren’t helping these kids develop and get to the next level. I knew I had the skill set to help them," Valdez said, "I started to do research and worked hard to make the best select club I couldthat truly cared about the player and their future. We have grown into one of the top organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth with over 20 teams.”
Texas Wesleyan University and Texas A&M in Corpus Christi. in later years, the movie crew for “You Gotta Believe” reached out to him and his former teammates which provided them with the perfect opportunity to catch up and be reminded of their favorite memories from all those years ago.
"This was a great time for all of us to get back together and catch up," Valdez said. "Just having fun with all my buddies. Playing as hard as we could, never knowing when our last game would be."
Baseball has been all that Valdez has known his whole life. From swinging the bat since he could remember, to his family being involved in the major leagues, it has become a part of his DNA. Baseball has always held a very important significance for his family and himself.
"Baseball is in my blood, my family loves baseball and I have an older cousin who played at TCU, professional for 10 years and in the Olympics. He was someone who I looked up to big time,” Valdez said, “His name is Paul Gonzalez, he now lives in Brisbane, Australia, runs a professional baseball team and is on the Olympic committee for Australia."
EVELYN QUESADA
Valdez's long and successful baseball career took him from a developing player to an experienced coach and has taught him things that he can now pass on to future athletes.
"Give 100% in whatever you were doing," Valdez said. "That work ethic will translate into the real world when you are older, whether it's work or family life."
Whether it’s on or off the field, doing your best within your passions will always lead to a successful and happy life. Valdez gave it 100%, and in the end, he got a successful career and endless wisdom. Life always throws curve balls at some of us, but it’s how you face it that changes the outcome of your life.
"I am very grateful that they have brought our story to life on the big screen," Valdez said. "I knew it was a special time in our lives, but we never thought it would become this big." -Coach Mikey Valdez
But to become the great coach he was, he had to be a great player. Once his time in the little league had come to an end, he continued to play as he grew older. He played on the Central Heights High School baseball team in 2016 which was just as successful as the Little League. They even made it to the UIL Texas State Finals.
"The hard work and dedication that it takes every day to become your best," Valdez said. "In baseball, there aren't many days off. There is always something you can do to better yourself, just like life."
After high school, he continued on his studies and baseball career at
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Credit: Coach Valdez
Photo Credit: Google Images
PHASEONE OFBOND2022
BY OLIVIA ADKINS
In May 2022, our community came together and voted for White Settlement ISD to receive a $155 million bond package that was put together by a Long Range Facilities Planning Committee that consisted of different demographics in White Settlement. This money has been put towards renovating and adding to our campuses as well as building new ones to better support the students at WSISD. The bond is split into three separate phases, with phase one happening now. This phase includes construction at West Elementary, Brewer Middle School and Brewer High School.
West Elementary received $20.8 million to renovate the campus and add new classrooms to realign elementary grades in WSISD. The campus has been renamed to West Early Learners Academy and has new grade alignments.
“West Early Learners Academy now serves all prekindergarten and kindergarten students in our district. First through fifth-grade students are now served at North, Blue Haze and Liberty Elementary and Fine Arts Academy serves students in first through sixth grades,” Principal Chelsea LaPlante said. “We currently have around 40 students in early childhood special education, 250 in pre-kindergarten and 450 in kindergarten.”
With the growth in student numbers, additional classrooms were required. A new building featuring 18 kindergarten classrooms and a cafeteria with a capacity of 400 people was included in the bond.
“Allowing our building to focus on early childhood has given us the opportunity to design spaces and programs that are developmentally appropriate for the students,” LaPlante said. “This will lead to strong foundations in early literacy and early math as well as social and emotional development.”
Brewer Middle School’s portion of the bond includes $55.6 million for renovations and additions to the campus including a new sixth-grade center. In the 2025-2026 school year, sixth graders will attend BMS and Tannahill Intermediate will become Tannahill Fine Arts Academy (current Fine Arts Academy will be a special programs facility).
“BMS has received new office and entrance space which we just moved into a month ago. It is aesthetically pleasing and up to date,” Principal Randy Summerhill said. “Soon, we will be moving into our new cafeteria,
gym, sixth-grade center, and fine arts band hall!”
The most important part of the BMS portion of the bond might be the new cafetorium (a cafeteria with a stage). It will be able to hold 2,000 people which allows the middle school to feed students in two lunches instead of four.
“With our new stage, we don’t have to rely on other campuses to host our families during special events,” Summerhill said. “The cafetorium is going to be a clean, spacious environment for students to eat and socialize during the day and perform for families and community at night.”
Another major part of the bond for BMS is the gyms. A new competition gym for sixth grade and middle school is being built to fit those who come out to home games. The current practice gym is being demolished to make room for the cafetorium. The new practice gym will be located on Gibbs Street, adjacent to the sixth-grade center.
“The older gym was small and did not accommodate the amount of fans we have been experiencing over the last decade,” Summerhill said.
The newest campus of WSISD will be the Sixth-Grade Center. It will be three stories with science labs, common spaces and a library and workspace for the staff.
It is important to have a space for sixth graders and their own wing because there is a big difference in maturity and age,” Summerhill said. “This will allow us to transition those students slowly into seventh grade as opposed to just starting the first day they arrive.”
Here at Brewer High School, our campus received $15.6 million for fine arts renovations and to expand the competition gym. Even within the first few weeks of school, students are already reaping the benefits. The earliest group to use one of the new facilities was the band back in July.
“In the old band hall, the band did not have any space to spread out or set up our instruments and equipment since there were a lot of people in the band,” Drum Major Daniel Rodriguez said. “There was little room to fit us all in and it affected our comfortability, cleanliness and sound.”
The new band hall is very spacious and supports the sound of the band. The new rubber flooring has yard lines so
students can practice their marching and color guard members can work on their choreography. In addition to the fine arts renovations, the drill team gym received new flooring.
“There were spaces between the wood on our floor where things would get caught, snagged, broken, or even cut up our feet,” Social Officer Anabella Elizondo said. “The new flooring doesn’t make us worry about getting hurt. Our new gym floor also has our saying ‘strong in numbers and tradition’ and our establishment date. It felt good to step in a gym with a new floor since we’ve been starting rom scratch with two new coaches. It was like a complete fresh start.”
An addition that the entire student body can enjoy is the new competition gym. The seating capacity has been expanded from 1,200 to 2,000 and can seat the
entire school at pep rallies unlike previous years where it has been only two grades.
“Our new competition gym is way more spacious than it was,” Color Guard Co-Captain Evelyn Quesada said. “The whole school can come to the pep rallies now which makes our school spirit stronger. The attendance at home games will be higher too.”
The new bond has already proven to be successful in better accommodating the students at WSISD. None of this would be possible without our supportive community and parents who voted in favor of the bond. It is a statement made that they believe in us and our futures. Although WSISD has already received so much, there is still more construction going on; further additions are expected to be completed by the Spring of 2025.
Photo Credit: White Settlement ISD
BUILDINGABRIDGETOSUCCESS
THE FIRST BIG PROJECT OF BREWER’S ENGINEERING CLASSES
BY NOAH FINCH
The students in Brewer high school's engineering classes just finished up their first big project: building a bridge capable of withstanding 500 grams individually and 2,000 grams interconnected.The bridge was a test of measuring capability, planning, creativity, problem solving, and above all, it was a test of teamwork.
“Teamwork was definitely the biggest part,” engineering teacher Mr. Bradshaw said. “I think it also gave me an opportunity to evaluate the kids and see if they’re ready to take another step.”
Engineering definitely isn’t for the faint of heart or those who are looking to put in the minimum effort. The bar is set high for success, but at the end of the day, the ones who strive for the best are the ones who earn it.
“My expectations are rarely ever met and that’s by design,” Bradshaw said. “This class is getting a taste of something they’re not used to and the way they approach that can be surprising. Expectations are very high and if they meet those, I would need to reconsider my expectations.”
With all the important things that bring a bridge together, many people may wonder why teamwork is the most important part of the project. When it comes to group projects, there might not always be an equal amount of praticipaton from each member, but in the case of the bridge project, that just isn’t possible.
“Not one person can rise to the challenge and do all the work themselves,” Bradshaw said. “It’s so difficult that they need to cooperate in order to succeed, which is the most realistic way of doing things. The idea of the bridge is cooperation. In the end, students need eight unique bridges that can go together.”
From a student's perspective, the bridge is a big change of pace compared to other classes.
Everything from the way it’s graded, the way it’s presented and the way it must come together is unlike any other project at Brewer. Many students were excited at the idea, and many were just as nervous.
“We got thrown right into the deep end, and we were not prepared,” Logan Tennyson said. “The beginning was rocky and no one was coordinated, but eventually we all came together and became a group to make sure the bridge could withstand the test.”
Engineering is a long, but fruitful path to take. The engineering club, which operates after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, even had people from Lockheed Martin come to see some of their work. For many of the students in engineering, the class could be a stepping stone towards their career.
“Personally, I don’t plan to, although it is something that I have in consideration,” Tennyson said. “I’ve had a dream to be a pilot for a very long time but it is still in consideration, and unfortunately the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program was disbanded.”
Putting in effort for a shared goal is the best way of bringing people together. Not only did each group need a bridge that could hold its weight, but all the bridges even needed to come together as one in the end to pass certain tests. With all this in mind, it’s no surprise bonds were formed in the process.
“Teddy, one of my partners, taught me that I needed to be patient,” Riley Henderson, said. “He doesn’t talk much so I learned to just be kind to everyone. At first, he wouldn’t talk to me at all, but now I’d even consider us friends.”
Towards the end of the project, the students also had to do a presentation about their project and the journey of its creation. Not only did they have to explain in detail how they put it together, but Mr. Bradshaw also asked many questions in which the students had to know every detail of their build.
“I learned a lot from [Bradshaw’s] critique,” Henderson said. “For him, he makes a slide, names the topic and you talk about it. It keeps it professional, and I like that.”
Though the project was just a milestone that leads towards much bigger and more tedious projects, it was a necessary step in analyzing what the students needed in order to succeed in the class. Every marathon starts with a first step, and sometimes, that first step is the most important one of all.
Photo Credits: Modular Bridge Build project of Giovanna Garner and Marisa Hight
Ursa Major
EGYED ON THE EDGE OF SUCCESS BY
HOW MR. EGYED WENT FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TO AP PHYSICS
NOAH FINCH
Vincent Egyed is a first-year Advanced Placement science teacher at Brewer High School who previously worked as a science teacher at Brewer Middle School. Egyed moved into the high school with many of his old students, which has caused quite a stir of positivity among his old students.
“Seeing how excited some of them are to see me is heartwarming, to say the least,” Egyed said. “When it comes to the AP course, relearning and applying the language of physics correctly has been a challenge. I don’t want to use the wrong words and potentially confuse my students or contradict myself.”
AP classes are a challenging route to take for a student. For a teacher, though, AP classes could even be seen by some as the ultimate challenge. To start teaching one as a high school teacher is one thing, but starting as a middle school teacher is different.
“This is my fifth year teaching in WSISD, and the transition itself is still in progress,” Egyed said. “But it has been pretty smooth so far. My biggest challenge is having to reteach myself some of the physics content.”
Though it may not be sunshine and rainbows, challenges are made to be overcome, and there’s no one better to take on that challenge. He didn’t just become someone ready to teach an AP class overnight, though, he’s had his years at the middle school as a stepping stone.
“I worked in WSISD for four years before moving up, so a lot of the programs. were already familiar to me. So I’m not as overwhelmed as I
would be if it were my first year in the district” Egyed said. “Teaching at Brewer Middle School was instrumental in making me the teacher I am today. I still have a long way to go, but BMS was a great stepping stone.”
Not everyone would want to teach such a high-level science course nor has a science brain. Egyed, on the other hand, found his passion, and pursuing a career based on your passions is a smart move.
“The difficulty of the scientific content has been my favorite part of the course,” Egyed said. “I know that sounds funny, but I like the challenge of teaching a complicated topic. I want to learn as much as I can about the course, the content, and the AP test. Secondly, I want to organize all of the various activities that I have available and figure out what unit or units they can apply to.”
Sometimes, life takes you down unexpected paths. Very few times do people decide what they wanna do and stick with it for their entire lives. On one hand, you may not always get exactly what you want; On the other hand, like in Egyed’s case, opportunities may arise that you never would have expected, and sometimes it’s better to dive straight in.
“The opportunity presented itself and I jumped head first at the opportunity even though I had never taught physics or taught at a high school,” Egyed said. “My original goal was to just gain more experience in the classroom but in a different district from where I started. I hoped that I could parlay my experience gained at a middle school into being a teacher at a high school, and it just so happened to work out. Lucky me.”
While we all know and love Egyed for his teachings within our school lives, he also happens to be a very interesting person outside of school with a variety of fascinating and compelling hobbies.
“I was in two bands from 2009 and 2014, I played lead guitar mostly, but I was the one singing some of our songs,” Egyed said. “I was a skydiver for seven years and coached for three of them. Now, I have a daughter who is almost three,
so she tends to occupy a lot of my time during the daylight hours.”
Though a lot has been said about teaching and transitioning into teaching AP physics, as a school with many former students of Egyed many people are considering taking AP or on-level physics to once again have him as a teacher. Though it may be a great path for you, that isn’t the case for everyone.
“Your math skills will be put to the test. I’ll try and ease my students into the course, but there is a lot of math and interpreting data/graphs in the course,” Egyed said. “Someone once told me that physics is just complicated math with toys. It may be difficult, but I'm going to raise my expectations of all of my students as the year progresses.”
With Egyed’s popularity and success in his new courses, as well as his dedication and ambition, it’s clear that he’s found his new home in Brewer High School.
Though his middle school days may be over, he continues to inspire and uplift the same students that he did years ago and form connections with many students who missed out the first time around.
It’s safe to say that anyone who’s had Egyed is excited to have him back in school with us as we’ve moved up in our educational journey. For some of us, middle school seems like it happened forever ago, seniors who had Egyed haven’t seen him since COVID19 was our biggest concern. Despite the time passed, and how much our world has changed since then, we’re all happy to learn something new from Egyed.
“Seeing how all the students have grown up and matured has been pretty cool,” Egyed said. “My first year in WSISD was 2020-2021, so for all of my former students who are seniors this year, all I saw was their eyes and forehead because we were all wearing masks. On top of that, most are hard to recognize because they’ve changed so much in the two to four years since I’ve seen them.”
“Someone once told me that physics is just complicated math with toys. It may be difficult, but I'm going to raise my expectations of all of my students as the year progresses.”
-Mr. Egyed
MOVIESMAJOR
A CLASSIC BLOCKBUSTER RETOLD WITH A TWIST
A MOVIE REVIEW OF THE MOVIE “TWISTERS (2024)”
BY NOAH FINCH
supposed to be a young redhead in her 20s, just now starting her life and escaping childhood trauma.
Blake Lively, although a talented actress, is a 37year-old natural blonde. The actress who played the high school version of Lily, Isabela Ferrer, is also a natural blonde, whose casting was partly due to her resemblance to Blake Lively, rather than being a suitable actress for Lily. The appearance of the cast wasn’t ideal for the story but the acting was good; you essentially forget about the slightly disappointing casting once you get into the movie.
A good character can change how you remember a movie. Heath Ledger’s performance in “The Dark Knight” is a prime example of this. Despite having an incredible format never before seen for a superhero, when you think of The Dark Knight, the villain himself is the first thought for most due to the spectacular execution of his character.
On the other hand, a bad actor or uninteresting character can strongly bring down the reputation of a movie. This is especially true when that just so happens to be the main character. Everyone, from professional movie reviewers to casual viewers, unanimously agrees on one negative aspect: the main character.
The costumes, however, couldn’t have gotten worse. In the books, Lily was described wearing simple, dainty clothing but, in the movie, she was seen wearing multiple pairs of pants on top of each other, along with big bulky jackets. You would think the bulky clothing could have at least been floral or a pretty color to suit Lily’s character but instead, they were a mustard yellow or a loud, unflattering pattern. It’s disappointing to see the costumes if you were expecting super cute, Pinterest-esque outfits but, I think I would have been disappointed in these outfits if a victim in a horror film were wearing them.
“Twisters” was released on July 19, 2024 as a remake of the original which came decades before. Following up on an already very popular movie, it was an immediate success with many defining qualities separating it from the original.
The original Twister took the world by storm when it was released back in 1996. Though the basic layout of the movie was nothing special at the time, it did have an interesting spin of an antagonist. It was made very similarly to a movie about something supernatural, and in a way, it is. The tornado is wild, unpredictable, and though greatly exaggerated, more of a real problem to most audiences than other blockbuster movies.
“The apocalyptic element of ‘Twisters’ hits a little closer to home. The idea of a tornado as a monster is a metaphor. But the tornado itself, and the havoc it wreaks, is very, very literal," Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times said.
The modernized version, however, makes it clear from the beginning that this movie takes place in a time when science has conquered many of the problems of the first movie. For example, the first movie focused on trying to gain more predictability of the tornadoes that come through. In contrast, “Twisters” places a much bigger focus on trying to stop the tornadoes from within.
Despite the interesting premise and distinctive concepts as opposed to the original, the hottest topic of the movie by far is the performance by Glen Powell. Despite the success of the movie itself, if you look up the movie online, most of the media made based on it is in reference to everyone’s favorite character, Tyler Owens.
Though there is nothing terrible or movie-ruining about Kate Carter (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones), her character is particularly bland and lacks any true defining qualities. This brings much more attention to some of the other characters, especially her two love interests throughout the film. And though the movie carries on and even shines without the presence of a thought-provoking main character, it definitely sets the movie back.
Though the movie doesn’t stick to the laws of a typical good guy bad guy movie, the world is a scary enough place. An antagonist doesn’t need any catchy one-liners or a master plan to be horrifying, cause Mother Nature has that part covered. If you are a fan of the original, or completely new to the franchise, Twister is a flawed but exceptional film.
IT ENDS WITH US
WORST WARDROBE, SATISFYING STORYLINE
BY ADILYN ZEPEDA
It Ends with Us was controversial before it was even released in theaters. Since the “It Ends With Us” book by Colleen Hoover has sold almost 7 million copies, people had big expectations. The casting, in unanimous agreement, didn’t exactly fit the storyline. Lily Bloom, the main character, is
The story was well-written and almost exactly like the book. The acting was good, and the dialogue was slightly unrealistic but you can expect that from a book-turned-movie. The movie’s plot was about domestic violence which, in my opinion, could have been better represented. The first domestic violence scene was confusing; you couldn’t tell that
Lily’s husband had hit her, you never saw his hand near her, just him yanking his hand back from a stove and her falling. This was the first iffy scene which was disappointing considering that scene was arguably one of the most crucial scenes in the movie. Typically, when you hear about domestic violence it’s difficult to understand why the person getting abused doesn’t leave their abuser. Even when reading the book, you question why Lily doesn’t leave her husband, Ryle. In the movie, his manipulation, charm, and apologies seem so sincere, in a way you can understand her hesitation to leave him. Ryles’ actor, Justin Baldoni, did a great job in his performance by showing the toxic traits of an abuser but also some type of love for Lily.
The flashbacks in the movie, between Lily’s presentday life and high-school life, were great and tied into Lily’s present-day life perfectly. The flashbacks brought reasoning to Lily’s present-day life and demonstrated Lily’s character and personality. Overall, this was a great movie, regardless of casting and wardrobe flaws, the acting and story were great and well-executed. This movie was engaging but also brought awareness to an important topic. I recommend this movie to people who have or haven’t read the book.” It Ends With Us” is a good movie for young women who want a cute romance with drama and education.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
CULT CLASSIC BACK FROM THE DEAD
BY OLIVIA ADKINS
Many of us are skeptical about movie sequels. All too often, a classic film has been expanded upon in a way that just doesn't do it justice. While this is common, Tim Burton’s newest production demonstrates how a sequel should be done.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was released in theaters on September 6, 2024. As of its second weekend in the United States, it has made $264 million at the box office.
The opening credits scene had many parallels to the original movie including the visuals and music.
Danny Elfman reprised his position as a composer and made his 17th score for Tim Burton, bringing back the whimsical and eerie orchestrations from the first film.
The movie is based around the Deetz family, Lydia (Winona Ryder), her stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) returning to Winter River after her father dies. During this time Lydia has been seeing visions of Betelguese (Micheal Keaton), 36 years after he tried to marry her. At her father’s wake, Lydia’s boyfriend (Justin Theroux), who is also the producer for the supernatural talk show she hosts, proposes and pressures her into marrying him. From this moment, the film seemed to split into multiple subplots.
Burton crammed three plots into one movie, which was very overwhelming at first. There was so much going on including, but not limited to, Betelguese’s soul-sucking ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci), Astrid’s homicidal ghost boyfriend Jeremy (Arthur Conti) and Lydia’s own confusing love life. Despite this, the movie was incredibly hilarious. O’Hara and Keaton without a doubt carried on with nonstop quips and lines that caught me very off guard. Even with a structure like this, I learned to accept that I shouldn’t expect anything different from Burton, especially a Beetlejuice film.
To be honest, I believe most of the success of this movie comes from its outstanding cast and the nostalgia they bring. Plenty of the cast are very wellknown and successful actors. For example, Ryder’s career came into the Hollywood spotlight after the first Beetlejuice in 1988 and since then she’s been in so many highly praised productions like Heathers, Edward Scissorhands and Stranger Things. Keaton might be 73 now but he didn't let that hold him back from being as lively, animated and downright hilarious as he was in the original film.
The new members of the cast are just as renowned as well. Jenna Ortega has a strong reputation for
playing eerie characters after her performance as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series and didn’t let us down with how she played the daughter of one of the original goth girls.
Speaking of the new cast members, Willem Defoe plays a ghost actor/ detective who tries to protect Betelguese from his ex-wife. Even with this being a role nobody asked for, it was highly amusing and worth the addition.
To add more nostalgia to the film, Burton’s use of claymation, practical effects and lighting was prominent throughout. It is rare with modern movies to see a well-done scene that doesn’t use CGI, but Burton proved that doesn’t have to be the case. Tons of the makeup was physical and the lighting was real. Burton even included a scene with the stop-motion sandworm featured in the original film.
Ultimately, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” felt like an overwhelming fever dream, but what else would you expect? The plot was very full and heavy with new characters and unneeded subplots, but Burton pulled it off and even left us with a hint at another Beetlejuice film. Overall, if you haven’t seen ”Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” yet, I would definitely recommend going to watch it just in time for Halloween. The production was unforgettable and I’m so grateful for how nicely it complimented the first film.
WHAT WILL WE WATCH TONIGHT? THAT’S THE QUESTION
A REVIEW OF THE MOVIE “DESPICABLE ME 4”
BY LIBBIE PEACOCK
“Despicable Me 4” released on July 3, 2024, is the latest in its franchise. But does its audience deem it as despicably wonderful as its predecessors?
At first, I thought this movie was not impressive. Being such a hyped-up film by the media, a better storyline and a more sophisticated villain were expected. Confidently speaking, I don’t believe that’s what the audience received.
In this film, Gru is still a respectable family man, as established in earlier movies. Naturally, Steve Carell executed the role brilliantly. His character’s central issue was to keep his family’s identities safe and avoid imminent danger throughout the film, taking him on an evil journey he couldn’t have seen himself on after turning into an anti-hero.
Although Gru’s character is well crafted, the side stories and plot are lacking in interest. Retreating from family life for a night to go on a heist to steal a high school’s mascot with a teenager doesn’t compare to some of his past villain work,
such as robbing Queen Elizabeth II’s crown, or stealing the moon.
Maxime Le Mal, the antagonist of this film, was disappointing. Vector, Balthazar Bratt, and El Macho, being some of the past villains, were all more dangerous and intimidating than Maxime or “Insect Man”. This character didn’t give the audience a remarkable feeling of disaster as he should have and was unfortunately underwhelming.
Additionally, his way of wreaking havoc after some conflict and claiming revenge on Gru by stealing his newborn baby, Gru Jr., appeared as a little ill-suited. The process of Gru and his namesake having relationship issues, that are later to be solved in an adorable father-son reunitement, is cherishable despite this unsettling incident.
The plot of this film was not advanced, and a little hard to follow. The side stories weren’t relevant to the main plot, and none of it connected until the very end in an enigmatic mess. I believe the movie could have been structured better with more relevant details that tied together a little neater.
Overall, I believe that the characters are great, despite the villain, and the cast is a great collage of well known and talented actors. A redemption movie may be necessary in the future, so the “Despicable Me” franchise keeps its reputation.
COMIC STRIP
ARTIST: AARON SUSTAIRE
URSA MAJOR NEWS
FROM COORDINATES TO COUNSELOR
BY: LIBBIE PEACOCK
HOOTEN’S MOVE TO HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Brewer High School’s beloved Jared Hooten repeals his title as coach and teacher to move forward in his career after an opening within the high school. Hooten has taken on a long-desired promotion as a school counselor that has been years in the making.
“During my second year of teaching I realized that I wanted to pursue counseling,” Hooten said. “I found that I was good at creating deep and meaningful connections with kids who needed guidance, whether it was in life or simply at school.”
Hooten has attended two different Universities to receive his current level of education. Oklahoma State University was his first stop, obtaining a Bachelor’s in Pre-Med Studies.
“I then went back to school at the University of Texas at Tyler to get my master’s in school counseling,” Hooten said.
At the beginning of this past summer, Hooten was given this perfect opportunity. With this being such a wonderful path towards where he wanted to be, there was no way that he could turn down the offer.
“Two or three days after school ended for students last year, I was made aware that one of the high school counselors was going to be changing roles within the district, so I decided to apply for that position,” Hooten said. “After, I was allowed to step into my current position.”
Although Hooten will miss the classroom setting, he recognizes the many advantages of what he now does as a counselor.
“Teachers have the significant role of crafting relationships with students on a nearly daily basis, whereas I don’t have as much of a consistent opportunity to do so as a counselor,” Hooten said. “However, I am naturally more passionate about counseling, guidance and mental health, so I think I will be okay.”
Hooten values his connections with the students here at Brewer and isn’t worried about them weakening due to this change. He believes that they can only improve from here.
“I think the relationships that I have already established with former students and athletes will easily survive, and I now have the opportunity to reach other students that I wouldn’t normally get the chance to know,” Hooten said. “I think I’m in a winwin situation.”
However, this job can be quite difficult and take a toll emotionally on the counselors at hand. Hooten acknowledged some of the many strains to work through.
“It is not always sunshine and rainbows as some believe. There are many times when crises arise and counselors are usually the first ones to step in,” Hooten said. “It can be very difficult to navigate certain situations due to the nature and root of the issue itself.”
Despite the hardships that come with this job, there is a bright side. Hooten gets the privilege of academically and emotionally affecting the lives of many students.
“Being able to positively impact a student’s life is something that I can’t quite describe in words, yet it holds so much weight in my heart,” Hooten said. “Creating and fostering a trusting environment where students can get the help they need is important to me.”
Although Hooten will miss coaching athletes, he is also optimistic about the change, as not all aspects of coaching were all so fun and games.
“I enjoyed seeing athletes overcome challenges and get stronger mentally and physically,” Hooten said. “However, I will not miss having to wear three pairs of pants, two shirts, a hoodie, a parka and two pairs of gloves to stay warm during soccer season!”
Hooten wishes for his first year in this position to go smoothly. Fortunately, he is not alone in this next step in his life.
“I have a great team of experienced counselors that are all willing to help me through any and every situation,” Hooten said. “They have been so welcoming and supportive of my transition and I couldn’t ask for a better team!”
Hooten is very grateful for his promotion, and thankful for all the people that has helped him get to where he is now.
“I want to shout out to everyone for making this place function,” Hooten said. “There are a lot of unsung heroes that go unnoticed daily that deserve recognition.”
On a more personal level, Hooten wanted to make one more special acknowledgment.
“Thank you to those of you who supported me and my family during the most difficult time of my life this past year, as my son underwent his heart surgeries and transplant,” Hooten said. “It means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you!”
Congratulations to Mr. Hooten as he starts this new journey in his life; and to any students who may have Hooten as their counselor, just know that you are in great hands.
“THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED ME AND MY FAMILY DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME OF MY LIFE THIS PAST YEAR, AS MY SON UNDERWENT HIS HEART SURGERIES AND TRANSPLANT,” HOOTEN SAID, “IT MEANS MORE TO ME THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW. THANK YOU!” -MR. HOOTEN
UP ON THE LADDER
WHATMAKESADRUMMAJOR?
ByOliviaAdkins
Having the ability to lead a group of 170 multitasking musicians does not come easy. It is a multidisciplinary skill that takes years to nurture. For senior Brianna DeFalco, becoming a Fightin’ Bear Band drum major was a journey full of self-discipline, resilience and confidence.
Throughout her time in band at Brewer High School, DeFalco has been inspired by the leaders around her who always set the example and encourage their peers to be the best musicians they could be.
“Kenedy Coyle, a drum major my freshman year, inspired me to become a leader,” DeFalco said. “She was always so positive and fun and everyone respected her. I looked up to her in so many ways”
For drum major tryouts, the candidates have to memorize the conducting patterns for the marching show, call out instructions, and present their salutes for their directors to judge. If the candidates advance to the second phase, they will be interviewed to give reasons as to why they deserve the position.
“The tryout process was very long and a lot of work,” DeFalco said. “It was very scary. Even when I received the title, I knew the hard work was only beginning.”
To someone new to marching band, the job of a drum major might look very easy. It might seem that all they do is wave their arms to the music and count off the band. But in reality, the technique and practice that goes into skills like conducting is very demanding.
“The first time I conducted in front of the band I felt very anxious. Despite all of my preparation, I didn't feel prepared, because you can never be prepared enough,” DeFalco said. “But the more I conducted, I improved. I just take deep breaths and remember that it is ok to mess up as long as I build off of the mistakes and do better the next rep.”
Even with her new title, this isn’t DeFalco’s first leadership role. She was a co-section leader in her junior year for the low brass section. This role taught her how to set the example and to have patience.
“I don’t think I would be able to be where I am without Brianna. She is one of the most smart, understanding and supportive individuals I have ever worked with,” said senior brass captain Richard Sanders. “She is such an inspiration and a lot I do is based on what she thinks is best. She is also one of the only people in band who can scare me. If there is one person I don’t want to be angry at me, it is Brianna.”
When they are on the ladder, all eyes are on the drum majors. While they need to direct and instruct the band, they also have to demonstrate strong character.
DEFALCO
“The most important part is setting the example and showing servant leadership,” DeFalco said. “As drum majors, we need always to be doing the right thing because students look up to us and we need to show them how to act.”
Despite her talent and strong leadership, it would be impossible to lead a program as large as the Brewer High School FBB by herself. She conducts on the field with three other junior drum majors.
“As drum majors, we always lend a hand to each other, never leave anyone behind and we always check in with each other,” DeFalco said. “We are there for each other no matter what. We support each other in every way and I couldn’t be more grateful to have them as part of the team.”
DeFalco wishes to inspire a new generation of drum majors and leaders. She hopes that students will learn from her performances and presentation of character and be the model for the future of the program.
“When looking for a drum major, the directors look for someone willing to help others and help the band,” DeFalco said. “They want someone positive and never afraid to speak up for what's right.”
While this is DeFalco’s last marching season, she still has a lot of room to grow now that she is one of the most vital members of the band. But it goes without question that her dedication to the program will inspire younger members to achieve high levels of success just as she does.
“Brianna cares about the band a lot and actually listens to us,” sophomore Ocsa Sukarsa said. “She is a super strong leader who treats everyone with respect and compassion. She’s one of the people that makes band worth it.”
BREWER BOOK BUNCH
Review
Novel Author: Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Buncher: Inara Mihalicz
Summary:
The novel Fourth Wing, written by Rebecca Yarros, is set at Basgiath War College, which has four different quadrants to pursue and various dragons that are up for the taking. However, this isn’t quite as easy as it initially sounds, at least not for the students entering the Riders Quadrant. Their motto is “Fly or Die” from Conscription Day until graduation three years later.
The story follows Violet Sorrengail, who is being forced into this very quadrant despite all her qualms about wanting to remain a scribe, which she was trained for. Her mother doesn’t seem to care much about such complaints, as she is the Commanding General of Basgiath and what she says goes. No exceptions.
Follow along as Violet, no matter how weak she is, tries to stay alive for the entirety of her education, facing obstacle after obstacle and, hopefully, nailing the impossible: bonding with a dragon who despises the weak like herself. This is the only way for her to survive.
Buncher Review:
I would one hundred percent recommend this book to other students. The plot is very engaging even for readers who don’t often venture into the fantasy genre. One of my main concerns when going into this book was the execution. While I knew the premise was interesting, I felt like the writing wouldn’t match my expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how detailed and thought out the underlying intricacies of the dragon components were.
I honestly never read fantasy novels, but this one somehow managed to get me halfway invested in the genre. Since I finished reading this book, I’ve gone on to look into and eventually read several more fantasy books. I can’t say that the genre will ever be my favorite. Regardless, for me, this book acted as a perfect segue for the opportunity to get into fantasy.
As soon as I finished Fourth Wing, I knew that I wanted to read the next book in the series: Iron Flame. Since I first read this book, the second one has already come out; naturally, I immediately read it. In fact, even as I write, the third book (Onyx Storm) is on its way out with its preorder already available. I’m confident that as all the planned five books in the series are released, I will follow along with the story until its final end.
All in all, it was a wonderful first romance fantasy book experience, and I definitely believe it’s a good beginner-level book. The romance was giving everything it needed to while still not constantly overtaking the actual plot. There were many unexpected twists and turns that not even I myself saw coming. Every book, so far, has ended on a massive cliffhanger that each time has left me at a loss for words and wanting more. I can’t wait to see the series’ ending start to unfold in the next book and how Rebecca Yarros, hopefully, grows as an author along the way.
Photo Credits: Noah Finch
Photo Credits: Libbie Peacock
Photo Credits: Noah Finch Brianna DeFalco with fellow homecoming court member, Emily Boyle.
THE HOMERUN HIRES OF BREWER’S
24-25 BASEBALL TEAM
ByLibbiePeacock
This 2025 season, Brewer High School’s Varsity Baseball team will have the privilege of welcoming two new coaches.
Art Senato and Justin Ray will lead the team to many victories and take a swing for the state championship!
“I have loved being a part of the Brewer community,” Ray said. “It has been a blessing in disguise.”
Head coach Senato has a history of baseball, having grown up playing the sport and previously coaching it at a different school before his transfer, he undoubtedly has the knowledge needed for this sport.
“Before transferring to Brewer, I was the head baseball coach at Burleson Centennial High School,” Senato said.
While Ray attended Colorado Christian University, obtaining a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing, Senato opted for a college education here in the great state of Texas.
“I graduated from Texas Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology,” Senato said.
Even though their spirit is what makes them a home run, Brewer is lucky to be working with these coaches, as they all have quite impressive track records regarding their coaching history and their wonderful teams.
“I’ve been a high school coach for 28 years. I have 530 career wins and one state championship,” Senato said. “I’ve coached in professional baseball and served as an associate scout for the Seattle Mariners. I have also coached USA Baseball.”
Ray, just as similar to Senato, has a highly accomplished history regarding his baseball career.
URSA MAJOR WANTS YOU
By Evelyn Quesada
The Brewer High School newspaper, Ursa Major, has been a developing program in the school since 2015. The program covers events surrounding the school, the overall district and the community surrounding it. Ursa Major has been in an upward spiral for a while now, and even though improvement in the program has been impressive, more writers are needed for Ursa Major to keep up their progress.
“You can see the gradual improvement of the quality of our work throughout the years. I started off as a regular student in that class, made it onto the staff through hard work, and now I’m a Co-Editor!” Noah Finch said. “With that, we need more students who love writing and photography that we can train to take our places someday.”
Lately, there has been a lack of writers in the program, which has served as a major setback to the greater improvement that can be made to the program. Ursa Major is currently looking for anyone who would like to write stories covering current events, people who are active in the community and photographers to help cover the visual aspects of our team all for the name of school spirit.
“Usually, Libbie and I take care of all the photos that are needed for the stories. I love taking pictures, and I take pretty good ones too if I do say so myself, but the problem is I can’t be everywhere," Finch said. "I’m not saying that we need pictures at every football game, but I’d like people to be there for more. If anyone wants to be taking pictures on the field of sports games at Brewer, they should consider joining."
“There are two kinds of people,” Senato said. “Those that are humble and those that are about to be.”
“I have coached baseball for 14 years, owned my select baseball organization for seven years based out of Ellis County and have four years of coaching experience at the collegiate level,” Ray said. “I won a Junior College World Series in 2011 for Eastfield College. I am currently the South Regional Director for EXACT SPORTS, where I travel around the country hosting collegiate baseball showcases for high school athletes.”
Each and every coach has a different coaching style and quality to bring to the field, like Ray’s collegiate experience.
“I will bring experience and a winning culture to Brewer High School’s baseball team,” Senato said.
These new Brewer High School coaches know what they’re hitting for this season, and they know it takes focusing on the process to get there.
“Our goal is to make the playoffs and make a run for the State Championship,” Ray said.
Being a coach teaches someone a lot about what it takes to be successful, a good player and most importantly, an even better person.
“There are two kinds of people,” Senato said. “Those that are humble and those that are about to be.”
Brewer’s baseball coaches both had a coach of their own who inspired them to follow the same path. Senato and Ray hope they can light the same passion in one of their players.
“Players are students of the game,” Ray said. “It is their job to pass down the knowledge they’ve gained in their baseball career to others that are coming up.”
Brewer’s baseball team is sure to knock this season out of the park with the latest and greatest of our coaches. With the guidance and wisdom passed down from years of experience, it’ll be one good year.
Joining Ursa Major is a great opportunity to develop your writing abilities, showcase your originality and have a significant influence on our school community. There is a spot here on our news crew for everyone regardless of their passion. Whatever it may be- journalism, photography, design, or even social media, you will have the chance to report on fascinating events, speak with great people and share stories your peers will enjoy if you join.
“Your skills can be used anywhere in the creative process in the media we make,” Co-Editor Olivia Adkins said. “There’s a place at Ursa Major for everybody. No matter what you come in with the intention of doing, your talent will be found and it will be valued."
Currently, two great Co-Editors run the publication alongside three other members of staff. Despite immense talent among all of them, there is much to do and not enough hands to do it. With the UIL season coming up, there are spots to be filled. If you're great at catching mistakes in writing, writing itself or even coming up with clever and unique titles for stories, signing up for academic UIL in journalism is the right place for you. Currently being enrolled in the journalism course is unneeded, just email our Ursa Major Advisor, Ms. Urbina, at furbina@wsisd.net or see her in her classroom B122.
INTRODUCING
YOUR 24-25
URSA MAJOR STAFF Ursa Major STAFF
Ursa Major News is the official news source for Brewer High. We are a team of student reporters, editors and contributors that provide news to the community relating to student life. Under the advisement of Mrs. Urbina, we provide stories where in modern society journalism is often overlooked, while also entertaining the student body.
Ursa Major has reshaped and renewed itself multiple times
throughout its history, but our values have never changed. Our stories provide insight into the happenings of our school, fresh perspectives on the most important events of our times. We publish factual, fair and honest journalism; we separate opinion from reporting.
We encourage feedback and contributions from our readers! Come visit us 7th period in room B122.
From left to right: Libbie Peacock, Olivia Adkins, Mrs. Urbina, Noah finch and Evelyn Quesada
Ursa Major
