Volume 49

THE FEATHERDUSTER

FD

LOCAL HEROES They are the generous.

The virtuous.

The fearless.

page 26

Westlake High School Volume 49 Issue 1 November 15, 2017 4100 Westbank Drive Austin, Texas 78746

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11/1/2017 2:34:53 PM

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11/1/2017 8:08:17 AM

Fall 2017 Inside...

Pg. 4

Theater’s season theme spreads joy

Pg. 22 Pg. 16 Kicking for Chap varsity football

Meet the Kearney family

Pg. 46 Pg. 30 Coach Al Bennett reflects on time at Westlake

Editor Claire Schaffer Asst. Chloe Mantrom Emily Beebe Jake Breedlove Elizabeth Jackson Veronica Mieres William Rhodes Peyton Steinley Izzy Vo Artist Helen He Reporters Oliver Aydelotte Grace Brewer Gigi Connor Sarah Davis Kenzie Finch Maia Flynn Cameron Loven Joseph Lundberg Abby Murr Anne Saltel Isabella Zou Adviser Deanne Brown

Cover art by the Digital Arts and Design Club and Helen He

Staff discusses self-pressure

The Featherduster attempts to inform and entertain in a broad, fair and accurate manner on subjects which concern the readers. The publication seeks to provide a forum of ideas and opinions between the staff of the newsmagazine, the faculty, the student body and the local community about issues presented. In this vein, the staff encourages signed letters to the editor. Due to space limitations, not all can be published, and the editorial board reserves the right to edit them.

All material published by The Featherduster staff is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without the writer’s consent or that of the

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Editors-in-Chief Aro Majumder Conor O’Bryon Business Manager Isabelle Franco Hadley Waldren Brains + Brawn Milla Cypert Adam Jasper Jake La Barbiera Asst. Maite Napoliello Asst. J.T. Sparks People + Places Catherine Barany Gabriel Khataw Asst. Hadley Waldren Trends and Traditions Kendall Carroll Asst. Jack McManus Rants + Raves Shelby Sperling Webmaster Turi Sioson Photographers Editor Bailey Gold

A special thanks to the Beyond AP Statistics class and the Digital Arts and Design Club

editors. Content decisions rest in the hands of the staff, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. Opinions expressed in the columns that appear in The Featherduster do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire staff, the school administration or the adviser.

No material will be printed that is libelous, advocates any illegal activity or which the editorial board deems is in poor taste. This restriction includes letters to the staff, advertising and anything else the board feels presents an inappropriate message.

11/1/2017 2:35:21 PM

>>>BRAINS AND BRAWN

Playing it forward

T

Theater hopes to help community through theme of selflessness This year, the theater department is working to add some light back into the world with their theme “The Season of Love: A Year of Giving Back.”

Theater director Meredith Yanchak had picked out this year’s plays — Much Ado About Nothing, Charlotte’s Web and The Yellow Boat — with the theme of love in mind. After hearing a particularly depressing news report, she decided to use and expand that theme for the year in general.

“I decided that it would be really awesome if we focus on bringing more positivity into the world and spreading more love and joy, and therefore the students named it ‘The Season of Love: A Year of Giving Back,’” Yanchak said.

The theme also allows for reflection on how to approach life.

“I really like the general idea of spreading love through theater,” senior Emma Parsons said. “I’ve always found, personally, that the arts are one of the most beneficial ways to tell a story and connect with people you may not get the chance to otherwise. To me, theatre has always been about giving back, so selecting plays specifically about love is both a positive experience for the actors and a reminder to audiences that we all have that bit of love in our lives, no matter how hard things get.”

After proposing the theme, Yanchak said that the theater executive board began brainstorming further plans for the year.

“They kind of ran with it,” Yanchak said.

“They had a lot of awesome ideas about what they could do to make events around the season [better].”

One such example of an event is the Random Acts of Kindness Scavenger Hunt, which will end the week before winter finals.

“The Scavenger Hunt is kind of a major thing in the fall because it is just a whole bunch of random acts of kindness that we’re trying to get the campus involved in,” Yanchak said.

“We’re just trying to inspire people to do awe- School in Katy, TX. They recently donated some things that they wouldn’t normally do. about $1,800 to help send five students to the It’s a nice challenge.”

Texas Thespians Festival in November. WestJunior Theo Abalogu agreed. lake’s theater department will continue help“The goal of the Random Acts of Kindness ing Mayde Creek throughout the year. is to get people to go out there and just do nice “I know that they are looking for some asthings [for the community], and to kind of sistance with their musical,” Yanchak said. have an excuse to do them,” Theo said.

“Their neighborhood and community is kind Theater created a Snapchat account for the of tapped in terms of funding, [and] they’re scavenger hunt, @whsscav, where students afraid that they’re not going to be able to put can post proof of their completed tasks. The their musical together, so we may assist them size of each task results in different points that a little bit in January, too. We haven’t figured are then tallied. that one out yet though, we just went with the “It’s [on a] point-basis, so there’s basic first thing first.” tasks like ‘Give a stranger This is actually the first a compliment,’ and then time under Yanchak that there are big tasks like theater has had a theme, ‘Write a letter to one of but the theater departyour teachers and give it ment thought that it was a to them’ — telling them good time to do so. how much you appreci“We just decided that ate them,” Theo said. “[All we needed one this year,” the] points are going to be Yanchak said. “You sort of tallied up and you’ll get refeel helpless, and you keep wards at the end.” thinking, ‘What can I do to Emma said she enjoys fix things?’ and you realize the smaller tasks, as they there is only so much you give students a straightcan do. So we decided to forward approach to doing focus on our own commukind acts. nity, and what we can do. I “I like the [tasks such think Westlake is a pretty as] ‘Tell a teacher how stressful place, so somethey have impacted your photos by Will Rhodes times doing things outside life’ and ‘Tell a friend what Junior Amara Johnson, as Beatrice, of the norm makes people you appreciate [about] performs her scene in Much Ado feel a little bit better.” them,’ just because they’re About Nothing Oct. 28.

Yanchak is enthusiastic so simple,” Emma said. “It about the response so far. makes you realize how easy it is to be kind.”

“I’m pretty excited about the fact that peoAnother part of the season is the ways in ple have latched on to this,” Yanchak said. “I’ve which the theater department is helping those had a positive response from the staff. We reaffected by Hurricane Harvey. They teamed ally want to do this kind of stuff. We want to up with the Texas Thespians organization to spread positivity.” provide assistance to the Mayde Creek High —Conor O’Bryon

Juniors Molly Hummel and Amara Johnson console junior Emily Ruthven in Much Ado About Nothing.

Junior Theo Abalogu speaks to freshman James Rutherford in Act 5, Scene 1.

4

Junior Emily Ruthven and senior Lauren Meyer perform as Hero and Ursula, respectively.

brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/6/2017 4:41:15 PM

Art on the screen

Finn Lowden

Class inspires students to experiment with their creativity using technology The digital age is modernizing everything from the way we communicate to how we learn as students. It spans from cell phones to transportation, books to art itself. The tools once needed to create masterpieces — paints, palettes, brushes, etc. — have been replaced by a screen, imagination and something to power it. Students taking digital arts at Westlake might find themselves in Dale Baker’s class.

The transition between non-digital to digital can occur at any time for people who want to take their art skills to the next level.

“For me it started back in 1986 when I got a computer in my classroom,” Baker said. “I had kids just start working on them. They turned out some pretty incredible things for the time.”

Baker said his classes are an important part of the art curriculum because students learn basic and advanced computer skills.

“It also teaches a little bit about graphics and animation,” Baker said.

“The skills you learn from this class will stay with you when you go to college.”

There are many jobs that require the skills taught in this class, such as commercial art, graphic design and Disney animation. 1996 Westlake graduate Brien Hindman took Baker’s digital arts class years ago and became the environmental modeler at Disney, working on movies such as Moana, Big Hero 6, and all the Ice Age movies.

Baker said no prior experience is necessary to enroll in his classes.

“The first couple of weeks we do tutorials, then we get into creating self-portraits and CD designs,” Baker said. “We also do animations. I give them a concept and an idea of something, and they have to figure it out. It’s really just about problem solving.”

Senior Finn Lowden, who has taken Baker’s classes for four years, has won numerous prestigious awards for his work over his years. He has won Scholastic Photography and Digital Design Awards including Gold Keys, as well as perfect scores on four art entries at Visual Arts Scholastic Event. He also had a photo he took of the Golden Gate Bridge used by Invincea in ad campaigns for their Beat the Breach convention in San Francisco.

“Mr. Baker’s guidance and support have proven to be invaluable throughout my time at Westlake pursuing art,” Finn said. “He is a phenominal teacher. He’s very quiet, but incredibly kn0wledgable. He teaches with a project-based curriculum. Mr. Baker really encourages students to learn by doing. He’ll provide instructions, but ultimately students learn the most from independent projects. I’ve been able to use the skills learned in his class to get internships and other outside opportunities.”

—Cameron Loven Working on his art project in digital arts class, junior Sam Kartiganer designs on the tablet instead of the computer. The class has inspired Sam to consider graphic design for a potential career. “I guess I’ve been thinking about going into something like animation for movies [with someone] like Pixar,” Sam said.

Isabel Burke

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11/1/2017 7:52:29 AM

Rock out

History of Rock and Roll class gives students insight into popular culture, music The screech of guitars and loud vocals two of them go together so well because I’m a timeline of my life by songs, it’s the soundtrack to my life. Learning [about] all the bands is refill the room as wide-eyed students watch history major, so it just came together.”

Through the semester that the class takes ally cool, and I come out of the class listening the screen at the front of the class. History of Rock and Roll teacher J.T. Blair stands before place, the curriculum covers not only rock ’n’ to all these bands I didn’t know about before.”

History of Rock and Roll offers the students and prepares to talk its students something that not to them about the band they are many classes at Westlake do. It watching perform. During third is a class where students can take period each day, the students ena break from their regular hectic rolled in the class come in to grow schedule to just slow down and their knowledge and understandlearn about music. Blair is pasing of the cultural force that is sionate about music and teaching rock ’n’ roll. his students the history behind This class, which is in it’s secwhat they hear every day. ond year, grew out of an experi“I think it’s a great balance ence by a school administrator at class,” Blair said. “We talk about South by Southwest. Bill Bechtol, culture and music, and how that then assistant superintendent, music evolved. These students visited a booth and was impressed come in, they’re tired and they by a presentation about the hisneed a mental break — I think tory of rock ’n’ roll. rock ’n’ roll reenergizes them for “The next thing you know, the rest of their day. I give a queshe [Bechtol] started thinking, tionnaire at the beginning of the ‘What if we had a History of Rock Chloe Mantrom class with the syllabus and one of and Roll class at Westlake High School?’” Blair said. “At that point During a showing of the skiffle genre of music, teacher J.T. Blair pauses the the questions is ‘Why did you take I was teaching U.S. History, and music to explain to his History of Rock and Roll class how Lonnie Donegan this class?’ I knew it was gonna be a great success when I was reading our department head at the time, was “as big as Elvis in the UK.” this student’s questionnaire and Janet Espinosa, shot out an email that said, ‘We are proposing History of Rock roll, but also the pop culture that evolved and he said, ‘This is the only class I’ve ever been and Roll as a class, and who would be inter- changed with the music through the decades. interested in.’ When he said that I knew we had ested in teaching it?’ I just happened to see Blair starts post World War II with the delta a hit. Really, popular music and culture, it’s a that email right when it hit, and I immediate- blues and the birth of rock ’n’ roll, and dives part of our everyday life. It’s got something for ly emailed Mrs. Espinosa and said, ‘I’m your into familiar artists like Elvis, Johnny Cash everybody. That’s what’s so great about it.”

—Maite Napoliello guy.’ At that point it still took some time for the and Chuck Berry. Because it is impossible to district to plant that in our curriculum. When cover everything there is to learn we found out that we were going to add the about the history of rock ’n’ roll in class, Mrs. Espinosa came back to me and said, one semester, Blair chooses what ‘I think you would be perfect, and we want you things to explore in depth and to teach it.’ At that point I was elated because what to skim over. “[My favorite part of the class] it’s a cool class to teach.”

Not only is this class a way for students to is listening to new music,” senior let loose and learn about something they genu- Charlie Updegrove said. “I didn’t inely are interested in learning about, but Blair listen to The Beach Boys before really loves teaching it. He has been involved because everyone listens to their in music since he was a student himself, play- early songs like “Surfing USA” and ing in multiple bands and loving all that music it’s really boring and bland — then Blair showed us “Pet Sounds,” had to offer.

“I had a group in the ’90s,” Blair said, “and which I hadn’t listened to, and he I was a child of the ’70s and the ’80s. My mom urged us to listen to the entire aland dad pushed us to be involved in music and bum and I did and it was amazing. not just be in sports, so I learned how to play I’ve come with a new appreciation the guitar and took lessons. As I grew up, I for that — he’s teaching me about played in different bands in high school, and new artists that I listen to outside Chloe Mantrom even through college played in a couple differ- of school every day. I appreciate ent bands. I just had an interest in rock ’n’ roll. music a lot, so coming out of this J.T. Blair discusses with his History of Rock and Roll class the I started researching it and it was something with new bands affects almost ev- contents of their British Invasion assignment before starting a that I loved, and I already loved history. The ery part of my life. I remember the follow-up presentation.

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11/6/2017 4:44:22 PM

Diving in

Dive team brings home two golds

The divers’ season started off strong as they won their first meet Oct. 12 in San Antonio. Senior Jazzalyn Zou took first for the girls, and five of the top six spots were won by Chaps. The boys finished in first and fifth with sophomore John Beuerlein winning the comWith many of last year’s defending District man Pat Montemayor Gonzalez took second petition. champions returning for another year, the boys place for the boys in the 100-yard freestyle race.

“Getting first in San Antonio was a and girls swim teams are prepping for another Sophomore Lily Foster took home the gold for great way to start off the season,” John Westlake, finishing first in the girls 100-yard run at State. said. “It gave me a good feeling about “We had an outstanding 2016-17 year,” girls breaststroke. future meets like District, Regionals and “Preparation is in all the practices leading up swim coach Alison Navarro Riehl said. “The State.” girls met all of their team goals which was im- to a meet,” Alison Navarro Riehl said. “This is Alison Navarro Riehl is the head divpressive, and it made for a fun year. These goals where the swimmers perfect both their physiing coach and the girls swim coach. She led them to have a strong showing at our in-sea- cal and mental training needed to succeed at a and her husband, Steve, took over the son meets and throughout championship sea- meet.” program four years ago and have been The team then participated in the Round son. They won the toughest District in the state, growing it ever since. won the Regional championships and came in as Rock Invitational Oct. 26 at Micki Krebsbach “This year, we had seven divers comPool. Westlake finished second overall for both runners-up at a very close State meet.” pete in San Antonio,” Steve Navarro The team has already participated in four boys and girls.

Riehl said. “We have been growing that “Round Rock was a really fun meet,” sophomeets this fall. Boys swimming began the deportion of our program every year.” fense of their Regional title, coming in second more Nick Lambiase said. “The whole team was The divers occasionally practice with there, and we cheered each other on. I had to get in the first meet of the year. the Westlake swimmers, but they most“Last year our team reached their peak per- in that racing mindset, which for me is to push ly practice on their own every Monday formance,” head coach Steve Navarro Riehl said. through the pain and to go all out.” and Wednesday at UT’s Joe and Jamail The first big test of their preparedness will “It was the greatest season the boys team has Swim Center. had in over a decade. We have a lot of work to come Jan. 26 at the District meet.

All of the divers are also on the swim “The best way to prepare for a meet is mendo this year in order to repeat a season like last team. In competitions, there are diving tally,” Steve Navarro Riehl said. “In recent years year, but our athletes are up for the challenge.” events, and those points are scored into The Westlake team swam in the Trojan In- our program has reached the pinnacle of high the meet. Each dive has a degree of difvitational Oct. 6 at Waterloo Pool in Austin. school swimming. At this level what separates ficulty, measuring how hard the dive is Sophomore Lauryan Schrock finished in 10th the athletes is their mental toughness.” to complete. Divers are scored by the —Jake La Barbiera place for the girls 200-yard medley relay. Freshjudges on a scale of one to 10, then it is multiplied by the degree of difficulty to get the overall score.

At the Alamo Area High School Swimming League diving invitational in San Antonio, Jazzalyn did a total of six different dives: two fronts, a back, a reverse, an inward and a twister.

She received a high score of 196.4.

“Winning the meet in San Antonio made Peyton Steinley Peyton Steinley me proud to be diving Varsity swimmer senior Clark Wakeland swims in mid-air while Swimmers listen to the advice of coach Alison Navarro Riehl for Westlake,” Jazzabeing held up by teammates at the Homecoming pep rally at the end of practice before they hop out of the pool. Westlyn said.

Sept. 22. “It was pretty awesome,” Clark said. “I just kept lake swimmers practice at Austin Swim Club on Wednesdays —Abby Murr thinking ‘Wow, we’re actually doing this.’” from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. in addition to other times each week.

Swimmers prep for District in January

Individual Results:

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1st - Jazzalyn Zou 2nd - Katherine Brake 3rd - Natasha Trayers 4th - Kathlyn Zou 6th - Shelby Jackson brains + brawn

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1st - John Beuerlein 5th - Jones Liddy

westlakefeatherduster.com

11/6/2017 4:49:51 PM

n o e to State s d n e s , n o s a e s s e h i nis f y r t n u o c s s o r C

Road runners JV runner junior Chloe Harms crosses the finish line at the end of her two-mile race Sept. 9 at the St. Andrews Invitational meet.

Sophomores Davi Lavi and William Goodell compete in a two-mile race at the Westlake Chaparral XC Invitational Sept. 1.

Elizabeth Jackson Elizabeth Jackson Since July, the boys and girls cross count- the Regional meet. We just couldn’t get it done.”

Senior Matthew Kearney, who finished first try teams have shown up early in the morning for hours of rigorous workouts, have arrived at in the District meet, advanced to Regionals Oct. school at 6 a.m. to get to races, and have con- 23 in Corpus Christi where he took first and stantly pushed themselves to improve at each qualified for State for the fourth time in his illustrious high school career. meet and in practice. All of “It’s an honor to get to go this was in preparation for “Cross country is all to State again and to compete the District cross country against the best people in the meet that determined which about pushing yourstate,” Matthew said. “Texas teams’ season was over and self to your limit and has amazing competition, and who would continue on to the I’m really looking forward to Regional meet. then pushing yourself that. I wish my team were At the end of the District a little bit more.” there with me, but either way event Oct. 11 at Old Settlers —junior Carly Rose it will be fun.”

Park, the varsity girls took All in all, the runners said second place, securing a spot they felt that they improved in the Regional meet. The JV girls took second behind Lake Travis, and the throughout the season.

“Running is not about being better than freshmen took third in their race. The varsity boys team placed fourth behind Lake Travis, someone else,” JV runner sophomore Oscar Vandegrift and Hays, just out of reach of a quali- Nordfjell said. “It’s about being better than you fying spot. The boys JV team took third place used to be.”

The varsity girls fought hard in their races and the boys freshman team came in fourth.

“I thought the team represented themselves this season, coming in second and third in really well at the District meet,” boys head coach meets leading up to District just behind other Bert Bonnecarrere said. “They ran really close, highly competitive schools such as Lake Travis and they had a really good shot at getting into and Vandegrift.

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Abby Murr “We had a great season as a team,” varsity runner sophomore Katie Kearney said. “We went into the season with high expectations for ourselves, and we have worked hard together to accomplish them. All three of our teams did very well at the District meet.”

Although the seniors leave after this year, the girls said they are happy with the improvement they’ve seen from the team this season and feel that next year will be even stronger.

“This year has been a great last year because at every meet we have been doing better than the last,” varsity runner senior Lily Howe said.

“Varsity is really strong, and I’m sad to go, but I know next year the girls will be their fastest yet.”

The girls varsity team competed Oct. 23 in Corpus Christi in the Regional meet. The Chaps placed 15th out of 23 teams, and sophomore Maddie Dawson placed just two spots out of qualifying on her own for the State meet.

“Our team has improved our finish in every meet we have competed in this year,” girls cross country coach PJ Lantzy said. “Overall, our team is bigger with 65 athletes, running faster personal records, and our team finishes are higher at competitions.”

—Sarah Davis

11/6/2017 5:50:58 PM

Playing their part Fall sports season recap

Tennis

Varsity tennis player senior Cyrus Sabharwal focuses on returning the ball. “Coach [Alex] Owen has made it really fun for me this year,” Cyrus said. “If I’m down, he always comes on the court and cheers me up.”

Varsity’s 12-2 team season cut short; players, coaches look toward individual spring tourneys

Peyton Steinley Varsity team member Matthew Gavrilov prepares to serve at the Area playoffs against Schertz Clemens High School Oct. 19.

Peyton Steinley Taking a moment to celebrate after winning a rally, sophomore Jaclyn Cockrell and freshman Annabelle Gong helped their team win Oct. 19 at the Area playoffs versus Schertz Clemens High School.

Izzy Vo

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brains + brawn

10-11_Sports Stories.indd 1

Varsity tennis’s season began with lofty ambitions: reaching State was the ultimate objective.

The Chaps fell short, however, losing to Vandegrift in the Regional semi-finals Oct. 26, ending their season earlier than most imagined.

“Our goals every year are to make it to State,” head coach Kim Riley said. “We’re in the toughest district in the state with Lake Travis and Vandegrift.”

Riley secured her 300th win as coach Oct. 19, beating Schertz Clemens to advance to the Regional quarterfinals. Students held a celebration for her afterward with balloons, flowers and more.

“It was a big deal,” junior Cristina Garcia said. “Three hundred wins is pretty incredible, and it was cool that we all contributed to that. It, for sure, was a confidence boost.”

Midway through the season, the Chaps were victorious against the Vandegrift Vipers in a tournament that lasted until 12:15 a.m.

An extensive rain delay forced them indoors, where they had to play the remainder of the matches. Cristina was in the process of playing her singles game as sophomore Nolan Santacroce won to put the score at 9-9. Now the

importance had shifted. Players crowded around the final singles match and cheered on their last girl to decide the winner. Cristina came back to win, and the Chaps were victorious.

“The energy was really intense,” Nolan said. “A lot of people were going crazy. Most of the Vandegrift team had left [by that point], while the entire Westlake team was still there. It worked against the person Cristina was playing, and we were really able to cheer her on to victory.”

The beginning of the season yielded some positive results, as the Chaps won the first seven tournaments. An 8-10 loss at the hands of Lake Travis ended the run, but they followed that up by winning all of their last four games leading up to the District tournament. The Chaps lost to Vandegrift in the District semifinals and took third place overall.

“I am going to have time to think about whether I want to play doubles or singles,” Cristina said.

“Losing in the playoffs gave me more insight into my practice, and I want to practice harder. We gave it our all, and the fact that we put our hearts out there is something I’ll take from the season.”

—Adam Jasper

westlakefeatherduster.com

11/6/2017 4:54:09 PM

Girls Golf

Peyton Steinley Varsity girls golfer junior Madelyn Jones lines up a shot into the last hole at the Lions Municipal Golf Course.

“I like golf because you get to meet people from all over the world, and it’s always a new challenge every time you play,” Madelyn said.

Varsity girls golf has started its season, and the general feeling around the team is that they can win State. Senior Elena Castanon, who was one of the top players last year, and others are returning. Most people involved with the team, including head coach Chuck Nowland, would agree that the Chaps have a chance to win State this year. The future is also bright because of all the freshman talent the team has and the attention their success is bringing.

“They seem to have enthusiasm to learn and to improve,” Nowland said. “They work hard together. They enjoy their camaraderie in that group. I think that that should translate to girls in the middle schools and around the community seeing that golf is fun, and you have to work at it — you have to have a lot of coordination and body control. This freshman class is a special group.”

The first major tournament the varsity team played in this season

Chaparrals continue fall season with young talent stepping up

was Oct. 6 in the seventh annual Swing for the Cure in San Antonio. The tournament is a fundraising event that benefits Susan G. Komen, a cancer research organization. The varsity first team lost to Lake Travis by only two strokes.

“Swing for the Cure was a fun opportunity to play for a greater cause than yourself,” junior Madelyn Jones said.

In the windy, cold and wet Oct. 31 tournament at Star Ranch, Westlake’s first team grabbed the gold with a score of 293. Sophomore Sadie Englemann took first individually with a 67, and Elena shot a 69 to take second.

Despite Nowland’s enthusiasm, there are still areas in which he wants the team to improve.

“We need to still focus on short-game scoring,” Nowland said. “Getting our wedges, making more birdies and playing smarter — those are kind of the technical things. Also, good mental attitude, being smart on the course, course

management, executing shots under pressure and getting the most out of our games.”

The road to State is a long one, as the Chaps won’t get their chance to play there until May 21. Even though he and his players may grow impatient, Nowland sees all the tournaments from now until then as a way to get more practice in.

“All these tournaments and practice rounds leading up to that help us figure out where we need to get better,” Nowland said. “We want to be better putters and just build our confidence in ourselves as players and as a team. We are definitely a special team, and we deserve to be there if we keep working hard. We also want to get the newer players more experience. We want to see everyone have success. Not everyone gets to play in State, but we’ll all be there together and we’ll work hard together.”

—J.T. Sparks

Boys Golf

Boys golf seeks to repeat past success, sets records in first tournament

10-11_Sports Stories.indd 2

The reigning State-champion varsity boys golf team a short putt on the last hole, which I was frustrated with. has returned to the course, determined to match last When I went back to the clubhouse and was told it was a year’s performance. They began the fall season with three school record, I was surprised.”

As a team, Westlake shot 36 under par, a national rereturning players from the State-winning team, including senior Reid Davenport and juniors Matthew Denton cord. Lake Travis finished second and Kingwood came and Thomas Bockholt. Head coach Callan Nokes has been in third. In fifth place came Vandegrift, a full 47 strokes behind the Chaps. Being the first through many seasons before tournament of the year, players and knows what it takes to win and coaches felt they met their “Every tournament has good State. of starting off well.

“We try to play the best value in us building toward the goal“We felt confident and comcompetition so we know fortable,” Nokes said. “The two what’s out there,” Nokes said. end of the season, where we guys that are new to the starting “We know what we have to really want to play our best.” lineup [sophomores Hunter Mcdo to be the best. Every tourDonough and Jackson Davennament has good value to us port] got to play on second team building toward the end of the —head coach Callan Nokes varsity last year, and they got a season, where we really want lot of experience playing the 36to play our best.” hole and 54-hole tournaments.

The Chaps started off the Those guys stepped in and did a year on top, winning their first tournament, the Shootout at the Lake, Oct. 6-7, by a 27- great job of playing and executing what our plan was.”

To close out the fall season, the Chaps will travel to shot margin. Winning wasn’t enough for the Chaps, who set four new school records. Senior Reid Davenport shot Falcon Head Golf Course Nov. 28. In the spring, they will 13-under par en route to the Chap’s first victory of their play in five more competitions, followed by the District title defense. Additionally, sophomore Blake Benson shot tournament March 27.

“I think that we certainly can [win State],” Nokes said.

63 in the third round, and the Chaps shot 17-under on Sat“I believe in the talent on this team. I believe we will be urday, both of which are now school records.

“I wasn’t very nervous,” Blake said. “I started off bad, every bit as good as we were last year, and maybe even but got it going late in the final round. At the time I was better.”

—Adam Jasper and Jake La Barbiera just trying to go further and further under par. I missed

11/6/2017 4:54:10 PM

WESTLAKE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH YOUTH

WORK HARD PLAY HARDER Come Join Us for some fun on the last day of school.

Save the Date, December 22nd

@wumcyouth

The Weekend Wire Podcast With J.T. Sparks, Aro Majumder, Adam Jasper, Jack McManus and Jake La Barbiera

On Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/j-tsparks-793458999 or search “The Weekend Wire” on SoundCloud and click the “People” tab.

New episodes every weekend

PAGE 5.indd 2

11/1/2017 7:59:20 AM

{Satire}

Rid

Re c

ur

You probably don’t see me from way up there in the stands. I’m over here. No, down a bit more. Off to the right. You got it. On the end of the bench. Warming the bench in a basketball game sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but the truth is that there are a lot of things going through my mind, even when I’m just sitting there watching the game.

When will I go in? Will I ever? What happens if coach subs me in? What if I get crossed over by the other team’s point guard? What if I somehow forget one of our 27 pick-and-roll coverages? What if I get dunked on by that 6'10" dude? Worst of all: what if I get the ball in a clutch moment? This would only happen if literally everyone else on the team fouled out, got injured, ejected or just disintegrated, but it’s still possible. On the off chance I make the right play, then maybe, just maybe I’ll get more playing time. If I don’t, I’ll never be trusted again, and coach will send me right back to the end of the bench. The odds are stacked in favor of the latter. I play my best when nobody’s watching, and my worst when everyone is watching. It is amazing how fast my palms can start sweating, even when I’ve been in the freezing cold fieldhouse gym for more than an hour and haven’t played a minute.

The spectators will say, “Is that the manager?” when they see me on the court.

Don’t get me wrong, the bench is my best friend. It’s been there for me since day one.

The bench is my home.

I’ve spent so much time on it over the years that my body has gotten used to it, and I know exactly how to position myself on it. If you want to get into the game, sit forward and pay attention to the game. If you don’t, then lean back.

Leaning back is also a reliable way to get yelled at.

When I do get on

13_Riding The Pine.indd 1

rin

ing

gb

en

the court, there isn’t any reaction from those watching the game.

Yeah, I don’t get any cheers for subbing someone out, besides a surprised one from my mom, who is on her phone the whole game because she knows I won’t play much or at all. The guy I go in for stares at the coach with a look that says “You’re really taking me out for that guy?” Everyone else in the gym is thinking the same thing he is. I’ll play in garbage time when we’re winning by 30. If somehow I score, (either a free throw or a wide-open layup), the announcer will do one of those hushed calls, the kinds of calls that they do when a road NBA team is blowing out the home team. A short “Number 33” will suffice for me. The fans will look down at the court, very confused.

Am I even part of the team, really? Some-

ch

wa r

the

me

rs

ha

re

pin

sm

ind

e

se t

times t h e coach forgets my real name and calls me “Sport” or something.

When we play 5-on-5 and one of the team captains picks me (last), they’ll probably sigh and say, “I’ll take blue shirt,” as a last resort. I’ll guard one of the other kids like me who really has no position (this means we have to remember EVERYTHING), and is just there as a filler and screener. I just run up and down the court. If I get the ball, I wouldn’t dare to not pass it to one of the alpha dogs when they’re open.

I’ll be the first one to get subbed out in practice, and I’ll probably stay sitting for two or more rotations. Eventually, I’ll just fuse with the chair I’m sitting on.

I’m the last player to get my jersey, and I’m the guy who’ll get the shorts three sizes too big for me Anyway, can I have my locker now?

—J.T. Sparks Helen He

11/6/2017 3:01:22 PM

Senior Holly Campbell talks with teammates Madi Baptiste and Maddie Hashman before beginning a new set against Vandegrift Sept. 29.

The fifth set On Oct. 13, eight seniors, along with coach Al Bennett, walked off the court as victors after the last home game of their careers at Westlake. It was a less publicized but equally competitive and hard-fought win as the other “Battle of the Lakes” being played that evening at Ebbie Neptune Field. As she finishes the regular season of her final year of high school, middle blocker senior Holly Campbell has a lot to look back on.

“It feels good,” Holly said. “It’s sad knowing that it’s over, but Westlake volleyball has helped shape me into the volleyball player I am.”

Holly missed the opening month of the season due to her selection for the USA Volleyball team at the FIVB Under-18 World Championship in Argentina.

“First, you had to try out to make a team of 20, and once you made that team, we had two weeks of tryouts where they cut it down to 12 people,” Holly said. “I made the team of 20, and then we went to Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. We spent two weeks training, and then the coach pulled us, one by one, into his room to tell us if we made it or not. I really didn’t know if I was going to make it.”

Holly joins Westlake alum Sara Shaw, who went on to play at the University of Southern California and currently plays professionally in Germany, as the only volleyball players from Westlake to represent the United States in international competition.

“It was a really good experience,” Holly said. “It’s a whole different level of playing, and it helped me get a lot better and quicker on the court.”

At the tournament, however, the U.S. team finished in eighth place, a different result than they had hoped for.

“We should have gotten fifth,” Holly said. “We lost to Italy, who ended up winning the tournament, and we should have beaten the team we played next [Germany], but we didn’t. It just kind of spiraled from there.”

Despite any disappointment about their finish, the opportunity to play with the best players in the world was a valuable one, especially as

14

Holly Campbell’s Westlake volleyball career nears its end

photos by Bailey Gold Holly prepares for the transition to the faster-paced collegiate level of play.

“The USA team really helped,” Holly said. “My club team (Austin Juniors) is also really good, so that helps a lot.”

In June, Holly committed to Stanford University, defending NCAA champions and a perennial contender in the competitive PAC-12. This came after a 2016 season in which, along with helping the Chaps to a District Championship and a Regional quarterfinal berth, she was awarded District MVP and set a school record with 174 blocks, 280 kills and 51 aces.

Even with all of her individual achievements, she definitely didn’t do it alone. The Chaparrals’ talented 2018 class has, including Holly, four Division I college commits (Sam Bray - Yale, Madi Baptiste - Cornell, Maddie Naumann - Miami). She acknowledged the importance of a team being cohesive, especially in a sport like volleyball where team chemistry is crucial. “[Teamwork] is so important,” Holly said. “It’s amazing how one person not trying affects everyone else and makes the team play worse.

It’s really important to be close with your teammates.”

Out of all of her teammates, perhaps no one knows her better than her sister, sophomore Casey Campbell.

“It’s a unique experience playing with my sister,” Casey said. “The past five years all I’ve done is watch her, whether it’s school or club volleyball, and it’s fun to be on the same team and make memories together. Holly doesn’t only make us better, she also makes it a better environment to play in. When she came back from Argentina, I felt like everyone was more excited and pumped up, and we’ve been doing much better since then. She makes such a good teammate because she is an easy person to talk to and be friends with. It’s really sad to think that she will be in college next year, but I’m proud of her and excited to see what she will accomplish at Stanford. Being on the same team has made us much closer than we’ve ever been and I’m going to miss her a lot.”

—Jack McManus

brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/6/2017 5:02:04 PM

Volleyball ties for 1st in District; exists playoffs in round two The varsity volleyball team wrapped up its season with a 0-3 loss to San Antonio O’Connor in the Area playoff game Nov. 3 at New Braunfels Canyon High School. The Chaps finished the season with 26 wins.

“All of us, regardless of grade level, were pretty devestated by the loss,” senior Sam Bray said. “For the seniors and Coach [Al] Bennett, it felt like the end of an era. But at the end of the day, we all apprecaite the memories and the values that Westlake volleyball has given us, even if we didn’t go as far as we wanted to.”

Westlake tied Vandegrift for the District Championship with a 10-2 record. In the Bidistrict game they beat San Antonio Johnson in four sets Oct.31 at Cibolo Steele High School.

As 24-time District Champions and fourtime State Champions, there’s a lot of pressure each year on the team to be the best. The roster of 18 girls has been practicing since before school started, giving up their weekends to attend games and tournaments and perfecting

their form and strategies in practice.

“We were all extremely motivated to go as far as we could in the playoffs so that Bennett’s last year is one that we can all be proud of,” Sam said.

The team got off to a somewhat rocky start this year, with multiple girls sustaining injuries and being absent for part of the season.

However, once the players came back and the girls became more cohesive, they started to improve drastically, maintaining long winning streaks throughout the season.

“We worked hard, and our team chemistry became stronger once we got everyone back,” junior Rory Williams said. “Over the season, I learned that team chemistry is one of the most important things to have. You could have the top players in the nation on one team, but if you don’t have team chemistry, you’re not going to have as much of a successful season as you could have.”

—Sarah Davis

1

2

Focusing on the ball, University of Miami commit senior Maddie Naumann hits a serve in a match against Vandegrift Sept. 29.

1

2

Varsity setter junior Rory Williams keeps the ball in action in a match against Vandegrift.

3 Libero senior Kate Macrae passes the ball in the Vandegrift game. The Chaps lost in five games.

4 Senior Maddie Hashman passes the ball during the game against Vandegrift Sept. 29. Maddie had six kills and five spikes.

4

14-15_Volleyball Spread.indd 2

3

11/6/2017 5:02:06 PM

Varsity kicker reflects on road to na

Locking into the zone, varsity kicker junior Gabriel Lozano mentally prepares to go into the game Oct. 27 against Lehman.

W

With only six ticks left on the game clock and the Vandegrift Vipers holding a precarious 30-31 lead, the game is going to be decided by the boot of junior Gabriel Lozano.

For most of the game, he’s been standing in isolation on the Chaparral sideline. He says it helps him “lock in” and put himself into the right mindset.

Gabriel, or “Gabo” as his teammates like to call him, has done this many times before.

Earlier in the game, he’d drilled a kick from the same distance, 40 yards out, through the uprights.

The snap from junior John Oehrlein is on the money, and senior Steven Crider only holds it for a second before it’s up in the air, courtesy of Gabriel’s foot, headed towards the yellow uprights on the side of the field closest to the school.

Seconds later, the entire Chaps bench is empty, and the players are swarming their star kicker. The time now reads 0:00, but the score has changed — Chaps 33, Vipers 31. For the fourth time in the game, Gabriel has come through for his team, and this one moves them to a perfect 5-0 overall.

“At the end of every practice, we call out the field-goal unit and if [Gabriel] makes it, we end practice — he hasn’t missed one yet,” quarterback junior Taylor Anderson said after the game.

Seeing Gabriel now, it’s hard to imagine a time when he wasn’t a kicker. But Gabriel barely knew what football was until he moved to Austin in fourth grade from Mexico. He and his parents had watched the National Football League before, but he never thought football was as big as it is in Texas.

But upon moving here, his parents encouraged him to start playing.

“They were like, ‘You just have to try something new,’ and I was like, ‘What the hell,’ and went right ahead and tried it out,” Gabriel said.

“It was a pretty good decision.”

His first football team was in Junior Pee Wee with a lot of the same guys he plays with today — juniors Jake Ehlinger, Blake Chambers, Taylor Anderson and Tripp Graham. At the time, he says he didn’t really fit in with the rest of the team.

“At the beginning of the season, they made me the punter, even though they don’t punt

16

Jake Breedlove

It’s goo

the ball — ever,” he said, laughing. “I was just name.” there in my own little isolated space. Then one The words that Ehlinger imparted on Gaday, Coach [Ross] Ehlinger, who sadly ended briel have stuck with him to this day, and the up passing away, was like, ‘Here’s a football, I player that he tries to model himself after is want to see you kick it.’ still Justin Tucker. To try and follow in Tuck“He gave me my first opportunity to kick, er’s footsteps, Gabriel turned to Kohl’s Profesand he was like, ‘You actually can do some- sional Camps during freshman year, an organithing with this. You’re really good, and you just zation dedicated to providing the biggest stage have to keep on possible for kickers, going at it.’ And punters and longI remember this snappers. They run one time when I camps through the went to his house, year, and also have because he would a national ranking take me to pracsystem for kicktices almost evers — Gabriel curery day, but this rently sits at No. 18 day I got there in the country. Evtoo early. So it ery spring break, he was just me and travels to Dallas to Mr. Ehlinger, and attend their camp. he says, ‘Here, “They’ve helped come into my ofme mentally and fice real quick,’ technique-wise,” and he plays me Gabriel said. “It’s all this video of Jusabout mental reps tin Tucker hitand how to deal with ting the game pressure because winner against when you’re at naTexas A&M. And tional camps, you’re Jake Breedlove competing with the after he showed me that, he says, Kicker junior Gabriel Lozano practices on the side- best in the nation ‘Justin Tucker lines, making sure he’s able to fight the wind against and that’s when you went through Lehman Oct. 27. Gabriel has hit 39 for 39 on extra have to perform at Westlake, and he points. your best.” went to UT, and The emphasis on now he’s one of the best kickers in the NFL. If the mental side of kicking can’t be overstated he did it, why can’t you?’” and has helped elevate Gabriel’s level of play.

Ever since that day, he’s known that this is “You got to have a short memory,” he said. what he wants to do.

“Every kick’s a new one. For example, at the “Mr. Ehlinger was pretty much the guy that Vandegrift game, I’m pretty sure that out of 15 gave me that spark,” Gabriel said. kicks [before the game], I missed 12 of them. I This made his passing away a very difficult was shanking them left and right and all I had time for not only the Ehlinger family, but also to do was go back to the locker room and conGabriel, who was very close with the family, es- centrate and close my eyes and do what coach pecially Jake. At the same time, it’s given him Dodge says, ‘Dream the beautiful dream.’ I saw motivation to achieve his dream of kicking in everything work perfectly that night, and I was college and beyond. like, ‘You just have to be yourself. Don’t worry “It was really rough for me in the moment,” about it, just focus,’ and I ended up having one he said. “But it made me want to not let him of the best games of my life.” down. He was the one that inspired me to do Although he isn’t getting looked at by colthis, so I feel like if I accomplish it, it’s in his leges just yet, Gabriel says he isn’t worried be-

brains + brawn westlakefeatherduster.com

16-17_Gabo Lozano.indd 1

11/6/2017 5:55:22 PM

The fourth-down play by Lake Travis Oct. 13 with 54 seconds left in the game fell just short of a first down. “I knew it would be close, but felt good that we had stopped him. He didn’t get deep enough on me before having to come back for the ball. I got a hold of him and wasn’t going to let him go,” senior Keaton Jones, who made the tackle on junior Garrett Wilson, said. The final score, 21-14, was the Chaps’ first win over LT in 10 years.

o national prominence

ood

16-17_Gabo Lozano.indd 2

photos by Jake Breedlove

9-0 Overall, 5-0 District Passing

Rushing

2315

1702 Yards

Yards

Top Four Receivers

Watson

224 Nakia

Young

272

Tate

Mangum

342

Mason

Ramos

415

Jake

cause most coaches don’t start looking at kickers seriously until their senior years.

“I feel like if I keep this up and have a pretty good junior year, I’ll start getting some coaches’ attentions by the end of the season,” Gabriel said.

The season couldn’t have gone any better so far for both the team and Gabriel. The Chaps sit at 9-0 overall and are 5-0 in District. Gabriel has made nine field goals to date, and also has a perfect record on point-after attempts.

More importantly, the football team finally broke a 10-year drought against Lake Travis Oct. 13, winning 21-14.

“It felt really good because we really played as a team, which was what coach Dodge was telling us before the game, ‘We got to be ourselves. We can’t be imposters like the last few years,’” Gabriel said.

From a kicking standpoint, the game was a bit of a disappointment for Gabriel. He came in a perfect eight for eight on field goal attempts, but left having missed his one field goal opportunity against the Cavaliers, ending his bid for a perfect season.

“This time, I went out there not thinking about it, and you’d think that’s a good thing because you’re not nervous or anything, but I didn’t concentrate on making good contact, which led that ball to not go through the pipes,” he said about the kick. “But it happens.

It actually feels like I had this weight lifted off my shoulders because I had a lot of pressure from everyone in the community to be perfect the entire season, but I knew it wasn’t going to happen, so it kind of felt good to just get it out of the way.”

There’s a lot left to be written in Gabriel’s career, but he knows exactly what he wants the next chapter of his life to be about. Kicking is his passion, and in some ways, his calling.

From that fateful day in Ehlinger’s office to now, his unwavering determination to succeed puts him well on track to being another Westlake kicking legend, just like his hero, Justin Tucker. “[I want to] be a weapon for my team,” he said. “Know that they can rely on me, and I’m just going to try and be the best damn player I can be for the team. Be just as effective as Justin Tucker, and make a name for myself.”

—Aro Majumder

Stats on the fly

art by Helen He

11/6/2017 5:55:27 PM

>>>PEOPLE AND PLACES

Mind your

Young entrepreneur gives behind-the-scenes look at starting his own company

business

own

The average entrepreneur starts a business at the age of 40. People older than 55 are twice as likely to launch a highgrowth start-up than those under 35. Senior Rohit Srinivasan’s start-up, Trashbots, is already spreading across schools in Peru, and he’s not even old enough to vote — he’s 17.

“When a 40-year-old entrepreneur quits their job and starts something, they start learning so many new things because now they’re not doing that one niche job they were trained to do,” Rohit said. “They can do so many different tasks, from marketing to business development to management to negotiating. I’m leaning these skills that a typical 40-year-old would learn and at a very young age. Being an entrepreneur, I’ve learned so many different facets of things because I’m negotiating with what our India team should be doing, I’m talking to a news reporter at Silicon Hills News, I’m talking to 3M or Tarmac or developing websites and apps. Everything I’m doing is so much more well-rounded, than, ‘I’m just going to do mechanical engineering.’”

His love for business and entrepreneurship started from a young age at the encouragement of his father and has only grown since. Under the guidance of his dad, he’s been able to develop his own skills in managing a business.

“My dad, more than anything, gives me good advice,” he said. “He’s got a college degree. He’s been in the business world for a long time, so he understands a lot of the finer points, which being 17, I don’t fully understand, in terms of high-level strategy and what are the largest problems we

18

have. It’s a lot more general advice about where the company should be going, what problems we should be tackling. He also sits on the board of advisors.”

Through multiple trips to India teaching basic STEM concepts at orphanages around the country, Rohit and the Srinivasan family were inspired to create a product that could make teaching these important engineering concepts easier and cheaper. That inspiration led to Trashbots, a company that has now won two back-to-back SXSW startup awards.

They described Trashbots as developing low-cost science and engineering platforms with an artistic twist and a structured curriculum that enables students to maximize their problem-solving and creativity skills by building robots that utilize materials sourced from the world around them.

“When we looked at the broader spectrum of what types of products were already out there, we realized that the products didn’t have good curriculums with them,” Rohit said. “A lot of our competitors out there didn’t focus on problem solving or creativity, which is even more important and schools really like that.”

With the help of co-founder and family friend Paul Austin, they’ve now expanded the company’s reach to schools in rural Peru and also have manufacturing plants in India developing the products the Srinivasans once built by hand.

“Because of the large demand, Trashbots went and hired engineers in India to help with the manufacturing,” Rohit said.

“These are real engineers who work on developing products used here in the U.S. We sent them our designs, and they tweaked it, and they’re re-doing it with new designs to make it more manufacturable.

“There are a lot of little things that people don’t realize go into making sure that things are manufacturable. I learned a lot about what goes into manufacturing little plastic parts, iPhones, electronics, fidget spinners and so on. Now, I’ll be holding a plastic gizmo and I’ll be able to say, ‘This is where they had a slide, this is where the mold fit, this is where the stamps were. They had a little bit of ultrasonic here.’

I can basically figure out how they manufactured it and what

people and places westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/6/2017 5:05:40 PM

Senior Rohit Srinivasan works at Galvanize, a coworking space located in downtown Austin. He goes there four to five days a week. “It’s a big commitment,” Rohit said.

“But it’s also a lot of fun.”

Claire Schaffer process they used.”

His younger brother, Sidharth, is also a budding entrepreneur and software developer. He has been a big helping force for Rohit as the company has grown and has split a lot of the responsibilities.

“He’s a lot more on the software side of things,” Rohit said.

“He comes on every trip, he does a lot of work in Trashbots and he plays as pivotal a role as I do. And it’s just really great to have him on the Trashbots team.”

The expansion of the company gave Rohit the opportunity to travel down to Lima and meet the president of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, as well as members of his cabinet.

“We got to eat dinner with the Peruvian president at an Italian restaurant, and we went to his house and chilled there,” he said. “We got in the presidential motorcade, and we had cops all around us. Lima is notorious for really bad traffic, so what was awesome is that they blocked off all the streets from where we were to where we wanted to go, and they had timers for the red lights, and they were all maxed out at 99 seconds, so it was going to be closed off until we got through.”

While in Peru, they were also able to visit the rural province of Cañete and speak at a school there.

“All this time, there was a [teacher] strike going on, so they had to force the teachers to come because they were nervous teachers wouldn’t show up,” Rohit said. “The first day, attendance was at 50 percent, but the last day, every student showed up, which was the first time since the beginning of the school year that every student showed up to school, which is amazing.”

Just before his trip to Peru, he had an equally exciting opportunity to speak at the UN in New York because he was up for an Outstanding Delegate Award. The trip enabled him to meet with other teenagers, giving him friendships and important business contacts for life.

18-19_Rohit.indd 2

“I didn’t win, but I was a top five finalist [for the award],” Rohit said. “It was really inspirational, and I learned a lot about people who are not like me.”

It’s no surprise, given how much time he spent traveling and all the opportunities he had, that life at Westlake can sometimes be a bit boring for Rohit.

“It was just a constant adrenaline rush, and then I was back in school,” he said. “It was the worst Monday Blues you’ve ever felt in your life. I’d been having so much fun. I was constantly travelling all of August, hanging out in New York and all this other stuff.”

Behind the laundry list of different accolades lies someone putting in a lot of work to make his dreams and ambitions become a reality. While on the outside it seems like he’s just constantly reaping the rewards of his hard work, it’s hard to fathom the meticulous tasks he has to do in order to create the product the world sees, or as he puts it, the “unglamourous work.”

“People’s jobs in real life are running a business or being an engineer or having their own startup,” he said. “But now on top of that, I have to write college apps, and I have to go to school, and I spend 20 to 30 hours a week working on Trashbots. We have an office downtown, which was given to us by 3M, and we go there three days a week, after school, till about 8:30 or 9. And two days a week, I’ll spend an hour or two hours at night reviewing documents or doing something engineering-wise or in business development trying to get the name out there. Every day, I tell myself, ‘You got to work at least one hour on this project.’

“Then on the weekends, we have to have our weekly team meetups to check our contractors, advisors are all in one place, and we’ll have a conversation about what we’re doing and what the next steps for the week are. So it’s a lot of work, truthfully, because this could honestly be a full-time job.”

—Aro Majumder

11/6/2017 5:05:41 PM

Butters, an 8-month-old goat, welcomes patrons outside of Civil Goat Coffee Roasters Oct. 22.

photos by Elizabeth Jackson

Civilized coffee

New shop offers fun vibe, but the main attraction is ... the goat

N

Nearly six months ago I moved to Cuernavaca. I barely knew anything about the area, yet one of the first things I noticed was a coffee shop near the front of the neighborhood called Civil Goat. My mom had been talking about it since we first moved, so naturally I was pretty curious about the place.

My first impression, just based on name and appearance, was that it would be one of those rip-off hipster shops where you pay $15 for a watery coffee and endure judgement from the cashier for not wearing all-vegan attire.

Now, this may just be because I've been raised by very anti-grandiose parents, and there I have a pretty low tolerance with those kinds of places. Before I went to the actual shop, I checked the website, and I will say that my pretentious alarms went off, but I bit my tongue and went anyway.

After the tough time of persuading my parents to look past the hipster-esque vibe, I was finally able to go — quite the victory on my part.

When I got there, my initial surprise was that on weekends, an actual goat wanders around the shop, all decked out in a sweater.

Another surprise was the size of the interior. From the outside it looks like you could barely fit three people without it getting claustrophobic, but in reality it’s decently sized. The inside reminded me of Baguette e Chocolat, another coffee shop/restaurant on Bee Cave. The place has a calm, minimalistic feel to it, and it seems like it’d be a good place to study or do work.

I would say Civil Goat is a more chill alternative to Starbucks. I never

20

really understood how people finished any work in Starbucks because it’s always packed, loud and just overall overwhelming.

Moving on to the actual products being sold at Civil Goat: Like many other Austin shops, it goes for an organic and artisanal vibe. The coffee is said to be brewed fresh by hand in the shop every day. Their pricing isn’t too bad either, and it is definitely less expensive than Starbucks: the average cost of a coffee being around $3ish.

They don’t have a large selection of coffee and pastries, but the quality makes up for it. The coffee tasted natural and “straight from the earth.” As annoying as that sounds, it's accurate.

One big downfall for this place is the hours. They're open TuesdaysSundays from 7 a.m.- 4 p.m., which seems like a long time, but when you spend eight of those nine hours in school, it feels nearly impossible to get there. Yes, you could go in the morning, but then you’re going to be super rushed, making the experience less enjoyable. If I could make one recommendation, it would be to stay open later so students from the high school or middle school could go there to study.

Another downfall is they don’t have a menu or pricing available on their website. This became a difficulty even as I was writing this review.

It’s not a huge issue, but it does make going there a little more risky.

Overall, the place is easy to access (minus the hours issue) and has a nice setup. I would definitely recommend it if you're nearby and looking for a place to study, work or spend time with friends and don't have a problem with a little pretentiousness.

—Maia Flynn

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Pura Vida...

Treat yourself to the 'pure life' by visiting PuraVida Westlake's most-exclusive skin care spa!

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www.puravidawestlake.com

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Keeping up with the Kearneys Adventure-loving family discusses sports, perseverance

Mother Linda Kearney, eighth grader Andrew Kearney, senior Matthew Kearney, sophomore Katie Kearney and father John Kearney hang out in their living room.

A

Isabella Zou sk the Kearney family for a trait that defines them, and their favorite answer is “sarcasm.”

“We always tell people that sarcasm was our first lan-

guage,” Katie said.

“It’s a tool,” Mrs. Kearney said.

“It’s a state of being,” Katie said.

“It’s a type of communication,” Matthew said. “It communicates our love.”

“Sure,” Katie said.

“We’re only sarcastic with people if we really like them,” Matthew said.

“It really gets rid of a lot of wasted time,” Mr. Kearney said. “Because you don’t have to worry about how somebody’s feeling — no.

We’re really bottom-line oriented.”

The kids in the Kearney family are all current or future Chaps: Matthew and Katie attend Westlake as a senior and sophomore, respectively, and Andrew is an eighth grader at West Ridge. Together, they practically vibrate with energy. As a rule, as much as the family values sarcasm over hypersensitivity, they seek excitement over routine.

“Since they were kids, we talked about this: to instill a sense of adventure in them,” Mrs. Kearney said. “To teach them how to push the envelope, and get outside their comfort zone.”

“There’s an underlying theme that if you’re going to do something, go all in,” Mr. Kearney

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said.

“And if you’re going to run away, take a parent with you,” Andrew said.

Their family dynamics are defined by their risk-taking attitude. Some of it is literal high adventure: from tumbling down New Zealand mountains in hamster balls to black water rafting, from jumping off the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere to skydiving, they seek risk virtually everywhere they go. At home, when the parents aren’t busy with law work and the kids’ weekends are free of soccer and track, their go-tos range from escape rooms and bouldering to trying new foods. The kids were raised to approach life with a certain ferocity — to take risks in asking for things and be purposeful in pursuing them.

“When you guys were even little bitty,” Mrs. Kearney addressed her kids, “we always would talk to you and explain things to you. If we said ‘no,’ then we explained — there’s a rationale for the ‘no.’”

“There’s nothing without reason in this household,” Matthew agreed. “We were raised to advocate for ourselves.”

“Once you say yes, you can’t take it back,” Mr. Kearney added. “If you made a commitment to doing something, we expect you to live by that.”

The same stick-to-it ideology has applied to the family’s involvement in sports. From practically birth, the kids have each been required to participate in at least one sport per season.

“You’re developing habits and a way of ap-

proaching things when you’re little that carry with you for the rest of your life,” Mrs. Kearney said. “You’re setting patterns, ideas and expectations. You’re really pushing yourself beyond the limits of what you think you can do.”

For the parents, it’s never been about winning: they’ve strived instead to encourage intrinsic motivation and self-reflection in their kids.

“You can’t predict what people will reward you for,” Mrs. Kearney said. “It’s about how they come away feeling about how they performed — not whether or not they won.”

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ndrew is the youngest of the Kearneys, but even at age 13, he already has clear dreams: playing soccer professionally. He started playing young, when his dad coached all three of them. He quickly moved into club soccer at local club FC Westlake.

Last year, his team won State championships and advanced to the U.S. Club Midwestern Regionals. Instrumental to their success as a team has been a strong sense of competition.

“My coach is always like, ‘You gotta send a strong message; don’t let them beat you,’” he said.

For Andrew, this attitude carries over into running. Initially, his older brother’s achievements were what prompted him to join and improve at the sport.

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“His greatness motivates me a little bit to be better,” he said. “He holds three records at West Ridge on the board, so I was like, ‘I want to beat those,’ or, ‘I want to add to them with the Kearney name.’”

But it’s a friendly competition that’s born of being very close with his siblings — especially his sister, who comes to one or more of his soccer practices every week.

“I always do favors for them,” he laughed.

“Katie’s like, ‘Andrew, go fill up my water bottle for soccer practice.’ Or, ‘Go get me food.’ I told her that for every 50 chores she’d have to pay me.”

“I

feel like I’m the connecting piece between Matthew and Andrew,” Katie said. “I have the side of me where I can be very mature, and I can hang out with Matthew, but I can also be goofy and silly and young like Andrew is.”

One-on-one, Katie embodies both sides — she has the comfortable carriage and cheeriness of someone you can talk with for hours.

“I love to tell stories,” she said, “so if anyone wants to talk to me, I’ll text them and tell them fun stories from the day. I’m happy interacting with people in groups.”

Her natural outgoingness has amplified her love of team sports. Starting age 2, she diligently kicked the ball around with her older brother’s team of 3-year-olds. In seventh grade, she joined the cross country team as well to stay in shape for soccer, driving hard at improving in both sports. Going into high school, though, she was booked; she had to choose between band and cross country.

“I ultimately decided cross country because I love athletics, it was becoming more fun and I loved the coach — Coach [PJ] Lantzy,” she said. “And it’s more of a team thing than band is.”

Her love of teamwork influences her distaste for unhealthy competition. Last year, she was one of only six freshmen on the varsity soccer team. This year, she hopes to make varsity again. In running, she was on varsity for the recent Regional meet and hopes to continue that trend. However, in these pursuits and all others, her motivation is a drive not to surpass others, but to surpass herself. This gives her free rein to support others: she always gravitates towards encouraging rather than outdoing her peers.

“I don’t feel the need to be better than everybody else,” she said. “Last year, for track, I didn’t qualify for Area and Regionals, but two girls on our team qualified for both, and I’d go out and warm up with them, cheer them on and support them. I love to succeed myself — but I don’t want to succeed alone.”

Her uplifting nature spreads to her interactions with her siblings as well. In addition to supporting Andrew at his soccer practices, she and Matthew have an especially close relationship of mutual encouragement.

“He’ll finish his race and then come cheer

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me on,” she said. “Or while he’s supposed to be warming up, he’ll stop and come cheer for me when I’m running. And I’ll do the same for him.”

W

hen asked about his sister, Matthew’s eyes softened almost imperceptibly.

“My sister is a super peppy, very social person,” he said. “And that is not exactly who I am. So she inspires me to be a little more like that every day. And seeing her with a smile on her face always puts a smile on my face.”

Matthew does exude something more authoritative than cheerfulness — he carries himself with an easy confidence; his voice is the kind that rumbles in the back of your head.

At Westlake, he’s well known for his achievements in cross country. As a sophomore, he was one of 40 runners in the nation to qualify individually for high school Nike Cross Nationals. Last year, he was a UIL State Finalist in the 3200-meter, and he broke a Westlake record in the 1600-meter that had stood untouched for 33 years. Currently, he’s ranked No. 5 in Texas and No. 40 in the nation for the 5K. “I love competing with people, not against people,” he said. “When we go out to race each other, we’re pushing each other, and I think that’s the best way for us to help improve.”

At the same time, he shuns external rewards. His bedroom is dominated by a shelf holding three bear-shaped animal cracker containers, scrawled over with signatures.

“I take all my trophies and medals, I put them up on a really really high shelf in my closet — I shut the door and never look at them again.” he said. “But my trophies for the year are my bears. I take them to every race and get them signed by the team at the end of the year.

Because it’s the people that matter. Not the winning races, or the achievements.”

Like his siblings, Matthew’s roots are in soccer; he fell in love with the sport by his late elementary to middle school years. He was sitting in the West Ridge cafeteria when the cross country coach walked in with a sign-up sheet — he signed his name on a whim.

For the next few years, he poured himself into both sports, loving each one more deeply.

Finally, during sophomore year, he reached a critical point; from soccer, he’d suffered hand injuries, a broken collarbone and concussion after concussion.

“It was definitely not an easy choice,” he said. “Everyone who knew me told me to go with cross country — that’s where my talent had really shone through. But my heart was really with soccer. It was one of my first instances of realizing that just because you love everything doesn’t mean you can have everything.”

From his stats, cross country seems to have been the obvious choice, but improvement has been a rollercoaster of ups, downs and plateaus. At the end of 10th grade, he hit a low spot: burnout. That summer, he attended a

running camp smack in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. On the last day, he went for a run.

“The longest runs we usually do are about 10 to 12 miles — I ran 13 or 14 miles and didn’t even notice,” he said. “I was just running, I was enjoying nature, I was loving it. I found my love for running again that day.”

Since then, he’s fueled himself by recapturing that pure feeling: passion for the freedom of running on a trail somewhere. At the same time, he firmly believes that running for speed is a mind-over-matter affair: with the right stubbornness, anyone can run well.

“You can train all you want, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to how far you’re willing to push your body,” he said. “Your body is always willing to do more. And so the key is going out there every single day and pushing yourself beyond your limits.”

One of Matthew’s most eminent personal traits is his stubbornness — his ability to stretch limits in all areas of his life.

“I was raised to question everything and be unwilling to accept things the way they are,” he said. “I don’t like hearing ‘No, we can’t do this,’ or ‘That’s not possible.’”

As a result, Matthew is high-achieving. He’s in the top 10 percent of his class. He’s the Student Council senior class president, active in policy reform at Westlake. He’s the co-licensee, the overall leader, of the TedxYouthAustin team, which organizes an annual youth conference for 1000+ attendees. The list seems endless, and he pursues it all with tenacity.

“I’m always overextending myself,” he said.

“But at the same time, it comes back to that soccer-running decision. Unless something’s forcing me to make a decision between two things I love, I’m not going to.”

Ultimately, his intensity in love for his pursuits comes back to his experience in sports.

“There’s a lot of pain and suffering in running,” he said. “But it’s the kind that improves yourself, that you love having at the end of the day. So the word ‘passion’ took on a new meaning when I started running that way, and that meaning has spread to everything else I do.”

C

asual conversations about Matthew often include snippets ranging from “He’s perfect” to “Kearney is a god.” Matthew emphasized that any of those sentiments are simply a factor of not knowing him well enough.

“There’s a lot more to me than just achievements on paper,” he said.

But isn’t it inevitable that his actions and achievements will precede his person? When people read about his family — same story.

“I think it’s OK to look up to people,” he said. “But if you’re going to have someone as your role model, you should really get to know them: the good and the bad. You shouldn’t view somebody by what they do. You should view somebody by who they are.”

—Isabella Zou

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Band together Bassist juggles practices, performances for two groups

At Austin Ridge Bible Church, junior William Barksdale performs with The Heights Family Band.

Grace Brewer

“William is incredibly goofy and easy going, but takes practice very Whether it’s performing in front of a crowd, a mini jam session in his room or tapping his foot to a beat in class, junior William Barks- seriously,” Cole said. “He’s committed to performing at a high standard.” dale is always thinking, breathing and playing music.

William manages to balance his double-band life, but along the way After William kept getting too many concussions from playing football and lacrosse, he had to stop playing. He found a new interest in mu- there are sometimes minor sacrifices.

“Dead Flowers In Bloom can’t rehearse on Wednesday nights,” Wilsic after receiving a bass for Christmas in eighth grade. William taught liam said. “A lot of times the guys do early Sunday morning jams, but I himself to play by watching YouTube videos.

“I would do that for several hours a day,” William said. “When I first can’t do that either because of The Heights.”

Dead Flowers In Bloom is more hard rock with punk influences, started playing, I started playing with my dad a lot and my older brothwhile The Heights is worship, each having its different style of perforer. Eventually my dad, brother and I got to play gigs together.”

In April 2017, William landed a spot in local hard rock band, Dead mances and different levels of energy in the crowds.

“I absolutely love everything about performing live,” William said.

Flowers In Bloom.

“I joined Dead Flowers In Bloom after doing a summer camp with “It’s so awesome to see people get excited about your music, and it’s just the rhythm guitarist,” William said. “I had to try out for the band twice a crazy feeling to watch people smile and laugh and have a good time to the music you’re playing. Performing fills you up with this awesome — I didn’t make it the first time.”

When William finally joined the band, the reality of it all began to vibe of love and positivity, and you feel like you can do anything in the world.” quickly set in with weekly rehearsals, gigs and studio time.

While the crowds may seem dissimilar, during weekend one of Aus“We walk in there and get everything set up,” William said, describing a typical rehearsal for Dead Flowers In Bloom. “We have a 10- or tin City Limits 2017, the contrast was resolved when The Heights Family Band was invited to perform on the Austin Kiddie 15-minute jam — no vocals, just jamming. Then we’ll Limits stage. usually run through our set list if we have an upcoming “The whole ACL artist experience was amazing,” gig or work on new material which is always fun. It’s William said. “It was so much fun, but also nerve-rackalways a good time and a really laid-back experience.” ing.”

After hours of rehearsals, deciding a set list and The Heights Family Band didn’t have much time to polishing up songs, the band headed to the studio in rehearse for this kind of event, and found out just two September to record its first album. days in advance.

“We just recorded a new extended play, or EP,” “I got a call from my band mate [senior] Dixie HamWilliam said. “[The process is] pretty intense. You mett when I was halfway asleep,” William said. “She have to take a song over 11 or 12 times before you get was like, ‘Hey, do you wanna play at ACL Sunday?’ and the right take. And then you have to go back in and edit I just absolutely freaked out. It was some of the greatthe takes you want to use for the EP.” est news I have received in my life.”

Though William gained success in Dead Flowers in As soon as the band got the news, members immeBloom, he also belongs in Austin Ridge Bible Church’s Will Rose diately began rehearsing for the show.

Heights Family Band, a student-led worship team that “Preparing for ACL was quite the wild ride,” Wilperforms for the middle school and high school service Junior William Barksdale plays liam said. “We arrived to our practice spot at about at church. with The Heights Family band 8:30 p.m., made a set list, ate pizza and started practic“I started playing for The Heights towards the end during ACL Weekend One on ing. We ran practice until about 2 a.m. We got back up of school last year,” William said. “I’ve been there ev- the Austin Kiddie Limits Stage. at around 6:30 a.m. and practiced and then headed to ery Sunday and Wednesday… I’ve only missed three or ACL. It was absolutely exhausting, but totally worth it. four times.”

While rehearsals for Dead Flowers in Bloom are exhausting and in- I’m still amazed we pulled it together in one night.”

The band then performed on the Austin Kiddie Limits stage for half tense, rehearsals for The Heights are much more laid back and relaxed.

“Every Sunday we get here at 7:30 in the morning and rehearse un- an hour to an excited and supportive crowd.

“It was a total dream come true,” William said. “It was easily the til 8:30 a.m.,” William said, “and then we usually play for the middle school service, hang out and get coffee, and then play for the high school most people I’ve ever played in front of, so that brought a crazy amount of energy to me. I’m definitely hoping to play on a bigger stage in the service.”

William performs alongside several other high school students, as near future.”

—Grace Brewer well as worship team leader and mentor Cole Burris.

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>>>TRENDS AND TRADITIONS Caroline Ellenthal Page 37

Michael Hla Page 35

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Al Bennett Page 30-31

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Julia Breeden Page 36

They’re the selfless. The visionaries. The ones who are passionate about what they stand for and show it. They aren’t flying through the sky with capes waving behind them as they save the world from the ultimate evil. They’re a different kind of courageous. Of noble. Of valiant.

They’re always working for the greater good.

Maybe they’re helping Syrian refugees adjust to the United States, or maybe they’re mentoring their peers. Whatever it is that they’re doing, they’re putting their all into improving their community. They’re dedicated. Inspiring.

And they’re our heroes.

Dean Phillips Page 34

Zayd Hinedi Page 33

Art by Haley Platt, Emma Nebeker, Dane Hildreth, Wyatt Ingle, Will Claunch, Arielle Lifton Jochnowitz, Elle Hebert, Isabel Burke

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Humans of

e k a l t s e w

Who’s YOUR hero?

“My hero is Van Gogh because I think there’s a lot of sadness, a lot of people are sad, but he managed to turn that into something really good and positive, maybe even hopeful.

That’s something really crazy to do.”

“Jesus is my hero because He brings me through the good and the bad days. And everything I’ve learned about Him is inspiring in just sort of the way He lived.”

“My Grandpa Frank is my hero because he was the first in the line to pay for college. He paved the way for my dad, who has also given me a good life.”

“Ryan Giggs, because he had such a long career and he was powerful from within. He was never scared of the challenges he had to face.”

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“My hero would be my mother because she has always been with me to help me with my life decisions and everything and make sure I’m on the right pathway of life. She’s done everything for [my sister and me] since we were little kids. Like, [she] raised us to be right and come to our rescue when something goes wrong.”

“My hero is my dead grandma because she knew me best and was always motivational and made me popcorn, cookies and the best guacamole.”

“I would say Charlie Day is my hero. Not only is he the writer and creator on one of my favorite shows, ‘It’s Always Sunny [In Philadelphia],’ but also he’s a big inspiration for me because he’s the definition of what it would be like as an untraditional leading man in Hollywood.”

“Henry Baldwin is my hero because he shows me memes and memes bring me happiness.”

“Wonder Woman is my hero — she is a very empowering example for me and a lot of girls around the world.”

“My hero is my grandpa because he overcomes anything in his life. He also cares about everyone no matter their background, and he always does what is better for everyone. His love for God, too, is so big, it’s hard to comprehend.”

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Leaving a legacy After 30 years and more than 1,000 varsity wins, coach Al Bennett decides it’s time to walk away from volleyball

T

he ball slams onto the gym floor, and Westlake gains the game-winning point against Vista Ridge Sept. 8. The crowd cheers wildly, not only for another Chaparral win, but for head volleyball coach Al Bennett and his 1,000th victory. Bennett has been a monument at Westlake, especially for the girls athletic programs.

“It’s been a tremendous experience,” Bennett said. “Like anything else, there’s going to be highs and lows, but obviously a lot more highs than lows. It turned out being the perfect place for me because of the way girls athletics was treated when I was hired, and the way the expectations were for us to perform at a high level.

“I think the excellence that was part of the goals of the Eanes District at the time applied to everything and everybody. So I felt that there was a level playing field and an opportunity to be successful.”

Achieving 1,000 career wins as the head coach at a single school is something that most coaches never dream of being able to achieve, and it’s something that Bennett did not see coming either. He does not consider this something he did alone, and instead credits each individual girl who ever played for him.

“You’re a head coach for a long time, and you have a whole bunch of players that win games for you,” Bennett said. “And they believe in the system and believe in the work ethic and believe in the tradition that Westlake has established. When you get to work with those kind of people, it makes your job much easier.

30

This year’s team happened to be the team that got 1,000, but every player who ever played for Westlake has some of those victories.”

Less than two months remain in Bennett’s time here, at a school in which he spent the majority of his coaching career. But this is not where he got his start. In the late ’70s he was a trailblazer for girls athletics programs. Bennett created, from scratch, an athletics program for girls at St. Austin Catholic School — becoming the athletic director and coach for many different sports. “[Starting at Westlake] was by accident more than anything else, because it was the only job I could get at the time,” he said. “I was coaching girls volleyball at St. Austin. It was kindergarten through eighth grade. It never had any athletics for girls ever when I started in 1979. I was there nine years, so it gave me an opportunity to develop and start a girls athletic program.”

In March of 2015, Bennett suffered a severe stroke — many people were not sure if he would be able to return to Westlake, or if he even wanted to. After months of rehabilitation, in the fall of the same year, he returned to continue coaching and teaching. His come-back has given him three more years to make an impact on four seasons worth of volleyball players, and the ability to decide on his own terms when he wants to walk away from Westlake.

“Sometimes I wonder if I should’ve or shouldn’t have [come back],” Bennett said.

“But you know, I think the main driving force was that when I called it at the end of the day, like I have now, was knowing when it was time for me to step away from coaching, I wanted to make that determination. I didn’t want somebody else to make that decision for me.”

Coming back was a decision that didn’t

Bailey Gold “Bennett was a great coach and dedicated so much time and effort to the Westlake volleyball program,” senior Maddie Naumann said. “I’m proud to say that I was a part of his last team.” solely affect Bennett — it affected all his athletes and even girls who had yet to play for him.

Everything that coaches teach their players in athletics is transferable to the world outside of sports, and that is something that junior Rory Williams has taken away from Bennett since she was on varsity as a sophomore. Rory, along with many of her teammates, were expecting Bennett would soon leave coaching, but it was still a shock when they heard the news regarding his retirement. In his years coaching Rory, Bennett helped to enhance her skills and build up the confidence she has in her playing ability.

“Last year when our team had lost our first home game, Coach Bennett gave us a talk about the importance of teamwork,” Rory said. “He said that if we don’t learn to play as a team, nothing is ever going to change. That

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During halftime of the Niceville football game Sept. 8, superintendent Dr. Tom Leonard and principal Steve Ramsey present volleyball coach Al Bennett with the game ball and jersey commemorating his 1,000th victory earlier that evening against Vista Ridge. Bennett will retire in December after 30 seasons as head volleyball coach for the Chaps.

speech really stuck with me and changed the way I played completely. Coach Bennett has taught me that the only way you are ever going to win games is when you start playing for your team and not for yourself.”

Between when Bennett started in August of 1988 and today, almost everything has changed — the school, the technology, the facilities, the staff. The thing that has not changed is the thing most crucial to his job, the girls he coaches. Every year of the 30 he has been here, he got new players mixed with his veterans, and the way they treated the game, their behavior, the success they chased, has all remained the same. The way Bennett builds relationships with each of his players and makes an impact on them has been happening since he first began his journey here.

“The kids are the kids,” Bennett said. “Everything else has changed — the buildings have changed, the facilities have changed, the staff has changed, obviously. The volleyball game itself has changed tremendously. It’s three decades, 30 years. My [first] freshmen are now 45, and they have their own freshmen starting to come here to Westlake High School. There’s been a lot of change, but guess what, students still show up every August, and they still do great things, and they still get in trouble. So that part of coaching and teaching teenagers, that part you still have to work with them and develop solid relationships with them. You can’t rely on the iPad or the computer or the smartphone or whatever it is trying to take that human connection.”

The ties Bennett has made with his athletes and his students will stick with those involved long after students graduate or coaches retire.

His job was to coach and teach kids, but they taught him things, too.

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Claire Schaffer “You learn, number one, never take any- and that’s something we’ve always talked thing for granted,” Bennett said. “You never about and tried to maintain. It’s something take your health for granted. You never take that you learn from them, that they wanna your players for granted. You never take your do the best that they can for you and for their opponents for granted. I think that the num- team. So with that comes that responsibility to ber one thing you take away is to never take make sure that you are giving them everything anything for granted because you never know you can give them.” when it might be taken away or when someWith this season being the last he coached, thing might happen. Two, they’re sponges. Bennett did not want to focus on what he will They want to do nothing but get better, and so do in the future. He wanted to instead give it’s my job to give them his all to his final season the opportunity to maxicoaching the Chaps. The mize their talents and only official post-retiretheir potential as players, ment plan Bennett has and as people. Probably is to visit his 86-year-old “There’s been a lot the most important thing father who lives in Chiof change, but guess is to help them develop cago and to complete a relationships with their long honey-do list from what, students still teammates that will last his wife. show up every Aua lifetime for them, that “It hasn’t sunk in [that they all understand how I’m retiring],” Bennett gust, and they still do important, how signifisaid, “because I have to great things, and they cant this was and what work every day. I’m still they were a part of here. working 70 to 80 hours a still get in trouble.”

I still have so many playweek, and so it hasn’t re—coach Al Bennett ers whose closest friends ally sunk in that I’m going are still the players they to go from 90 miles an played with here at Westhour to stopping. I can’t lake. really think about it a lot “What I learned is because it will distract that volleyball has been me from what I need to that mechanism that has be doing for right now. helped young women reach a lot of different Right now is the present, the retirement is in goals as they’ve gone on and taken their place the future. I have one plan and that is that on as mothers, or taken a place in the workplace my first day of retirement, which will be Jan. 1, or gone on to school or whatever. [Being in] I will get up in the morning and probably come volleyball and participating in athletics has to Westlake high school and take a picture of given them the confidence that they needed the sunrise. That’s something I’ve wanted to to be quite successful. I learned from the kids, do, and I’m excited to do.” too, that you never quit, you just keep going, —Maite Napoliello

11/6/2017 5:40:44 PM

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11/1/2017 2:22:17 PM

a new start, a new community

As Syrian refugees enter Austin, junior Zayd Hinedi helps them establish a new life

The extent of the results of the civil war in Syria are unknown to many, but an estimate is that more than 11 million Syrians have been made essentially homeless in the world. Their journey to find a new home is far from easy. There is a two-year screening process required for them to enter the United States, and once there, the refugees have to construct a new life in an unfamiliar and alien country. Junior Zayd Hinedi is a vital part of this process.

Zayd can empathize with the situation in Syria better than most, having personal ties to the country.

“I’m Syrian, but I was born here, so I’ve lived here [Austin] my whole life,” Zayd said. “Luckily, my family has all left Syria. I think I have one grandpa there, but he doesn’t want to leave.”

His initial introduction to working with the refugees came as a surprise.

“Austin Independent School District somehow got my family’s numbers, and they called me and my mom to go help,” Zayd said. “They have a refugee aide specialist there that works specifically for them. I’ve always liked working with people, and since they were coming from a place I’m familiar with, I felt the need to help. I first met three Syrian kids, who were among the first to come to the United States, at a nonprofit thrift shop in Austin that has a program called Operation School Bell. They need translators to help with sizing and things like that. Now AISD calls me all the time to help out, because most of the refugees go to a school in the district.”

Zayd serves as a source of help in many ways, but it’s his translating skills that are the most valuable.

“When they come to America, after their screening process, they don’t know the language or anything here,” Zayd said. “For example, sometimes the kids will be at parent-teacher conferences and they don’t speak English. I grew up speaking Arabic, so I go and translate for them.

Every now and then, I’ll get a call asking me to go to the doctor and translate medical things.”

Both Zayd and his parents are involved with different aspects of the refugees’ lives.

“I don’t help much with my parents’ [part], because that’s just financial stuff,” Zayd said. “They stay with them for five months and help them get basic supplies, find a job, buy a car, get insurance ... all that stuff. To find a job probably takes around two to three months.”

Like any process, there have been ups and downs to Zayd’s volunteering experience.

“Some of the hard parts are that you hear a lot of stories,” Zayd said.

“It’s some sad stuff because they come from a war country. But it’s nice to see them come here and adapt, and [you can see] how happy they are to have left the situation they’re in. I’ve made a couple friends through volunteering as well.” The positive effect Zayd has brought to the refu-

33_Zayd Hinedi.indd 1

Helen He

gees’ lives is undeniable.

“I feel like I’ve made a difference,” Zayd said. “We definitely help them with their English, and finding jobs, getting cars, communicating with different social workers and teachers and everything. I’ve personally probably translated for about 10 families. So yeah, I think I have made a difference.”

At the end of the process, Zayd and his family continue to remain valued parts of the refugees’ lives.

“There are obviously some that we work with a lot more than others, because some just adapt instantly,” Zayd said. “Normally we stay in communication with them. We might not help them, but we become friends.”

There appear to be a lot of misconceptions about the situation in Syria and its refugees.

“The people in Syria, they’re nice people,” Zayd said. “The news only shows a small part of it. When they come here, you’d think they’d be sad, but they’re actually really happy. They lived in a dictatorship, and this is a democracy, so they love the U.S.” Zayd is not the same person he was before he started volunteering.

“My experience has shown me another outlook of the world,” Zayd said. “The people over there have nothing, but they’re still so happy all the time. Some of their friends have died, they’ve seen their family members dead, but they still have smiles on their faces. It just puts things into perspective.”

—Catherine Barany

courtesy photo

Junior Zayd Hinedi and Syrian refugees load U-Haul trucks for Hurricane Harvey relief in Rob Roy.

11/1/2017 2:46:25 PM

Super sub You hear a loud knocking at the door.

As your heart rate increases, the Goon Squad comes crashing into the room. You watch as they drag the kid next to you out of his seat and march him out the door. Silence follows.

Substitute teacher Dean Phillips then resumes speaking while the rest of the class tries to process what just happened. This is the fabled penalty if you break Phillips’ classroom rules three times.

Phillips has been a part of Westlake’s fabric for nearly two decades. The common reaction he gets when students enter his class is pure excitement. Many students consider Phillips not only a substitute, but a friend as well.

“I find Mr. Phillips to be super fun and entertaining as a substitute,” senior John Reinhart said. “He always has a positive outlook on life and where he is in the world.”

Phillips’ journey as a substitute has taken him all over the Austin area.

“I started in the Austin district,” Phillips said. “They were sending me all over the city.

I knew I was closer to Eanes — my son had graduated from Westlake in ’93, so I got on the Eanes list. I started substituting [throughout the entire district]. And they kept asking me back.”

Not only does he support student academics, he makes a point to attend as many football

Veteran substitute Dean Phillips discusses impact of connections on teaching

and volleyball games as he can, both home and away. The volleyball team members are proud to call Phillips their “No. 1 Superfan.”

“Mr. Phillips is not only one of Westlake High School’s favorite substitute teachers, but he is also Westlake volleyball’s biggest fan,” senior Charlotte Thompson said. “He comes to all of our games, home or away, and is always wearing his Westlake volleyball gear. We love and appreciate his unwavering support, and we all agree that volleyball season wouldn’t be the same without him.”

Phillips’ dedication does not go unrecognized. Both students along with faculty appreciate his active involvement.

“The Westlake volleyball team is very grateful to Mr. Phillips for his constant support,” senior Julia Breeden said. “He never misses a single game, and his loyalty to us is highly appreciated. His smiles and encouraging words from the stands make him the best cheerleader ever. His enthusiasm makes us all so happy, and we owe a huge ‘thank you’ to him.”

Prior to substitute teaching, Phillips completed a 22-year career in the military, retiring from his assignment at the Pentagon. He then worked in the tech industry for a few years. Phillips often shares stories and lessons learned while serving in the army. He teaches his students to be humble and thankful for the

school environment they have been provided.

He manages to turn each school day into a life lesson while providing a positive learning environment.

“I think substituting is just a continuation of doing things I enjoy,” Phillips said. “I enjoy being around people. I enjoy being able to show people how to do different things. What I found was, I don’t know everything about anything, but I know something about almost everything, which I think makes me a perfect substitute teacher — I can go into any kind of class.”

For Phillips, substitute teaching is more than just coming and going every now and then — it’s forming connections with all students in lots of different environments.

“I think my biggest reward in substitute teaching is that I get to meet students from every grade level, freshmen through seniors, in all different kinds of classes because I substitute in social studies and in language classes and English classes and journalism classes and art classes and geography and everything,” he said. “And I get to stay with them throughout the time that they’re at Westlake. So they get to see me over and over again. I think that is a reward for me because they keep asking for me back.”

—Gabriel Khataw

The legend of

The Goon Squad (as told by Dean Phillips)

“I have two rules. Rule one is when I’m talking, no one else is allowed to talk. Disruptions in the classroom are really bad for substitute teachers, so I invented rule number two. That is, three strikes and you’re out. The first time someone disrupts the class, I ask them politely not to do that. The second time, I warn them very sternly not to do it again, and I move them to a corner where they don’t bother me. I tell them that it’s a corner in a really bad neighborhood on the other side of the interstate near a convenience store where there was a recent murder. The third time they disrupt the class, they get handcuffed, chained to the floor in front of the room, we perform chemical and electrical experiments on them until such time as they’re unconscious. If it takes too long for them to come unconscious, we read to them from a very boring textbook.

And you know, as soon as the covers of a textbook open up, their eyes glaze over and they immediately become unconscious; after which they are dragged down the hallway to the Westlake dungeon where The Goon Squad works them over until their parents or legal guardian are called to come and pick up their lifeless wasted noaccount body and take it home for burial or cremation, depending upon your religion or lack thereof.”

34

courtesy photo During a deployment to Vietnam, Dean Phillips lived under mortar-protection sandbags in his “hootch” with his cat RK in 1970.

trends and traditions westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/6/2017 5:29:34 PM

hit the

s k o o b

SOS leader junior Michael Hla aims to change approach to studying, education

It’s the night before the AP Physics test. Most juniors are wide awake late into the night doing their review and studying their notes.

Junior Michael Hla has a different plan for the night. He’ll be up making practice problems based on the review or what the teacher told him they’d need to know.

Last year, Michael created Students of Students, or SOS. He got the idea for his tutoring club during AP World History when his teacher, Alexander Garcia, began a new method of reviewing for the test. Instead of leaving the students on their own, Garcia would get the class to do it as a group with one student leading the review. Michael based the setup of SOS around that.

“I usually get to school earlier, and one of my friends wanted help with WHAP because he was absolutely screwed and hadn’t read anything,” Michael said. “A couple of his friends sat around, and then more people joined, and I was like, ‘This might not be a bad idea.’ Especially with this class. It’s a different way to approach hard classes than giving up and cheating.”

The club has since evolved from just a few friends sitting in the library going over the learning targets from class to actually working through the reviews together, answering potential questions that Michael and other mentors have prepared in advance based on key points the teachers have emphasized.

“It’s a lot more organized [now],” Michael said. “We’re making different questions and study guides. We have more diversity of who’s willing to teach, so it’s not just me every time. We have a Remind system for communication. It’s an actual club now, but a lot of things are still the same. You still have a hard class — physics is the hard one this year — that a lot of people ask for help with. We still do it in Mr. Garcia’s room, which is nice, and it’s still really informal.”

Currently there are two branches of SOS — one for sophomores focusing mostly on WHAP and Pre-AP Chemistry and a junior branch focusing mostly on AP Physics and APUSH. Originally, the club was only open to juniors.

“To me, it’s really important that we aren’t remembered as the grade that just quit as things got hard ... the grade that cheated off of each other because they made our classes a little harder than everyone else’s,” Michael said. “My favorite part is that it’s introducing a different way to approach the education system. It’s not every man for himself, like we’re known to be, where we make fake Quiz-

To be notified of SOS meetings:

Juniors text @SOSCHAPS to 81010.

Sophomores text @SOSCHAPS20 to 81010.

Meetings are typically at 7:45 in the mornings before major tests in room 126.

35_michael.indd 1

Izzy Vo At a recent SOS meeting, leader junior Michael Hla directs his attention to a student asking a physics question. During the morning meetings, he writes practice problems on the board and answers as many questions as possible before the students take their tests. lets to try and sabotage each other. We’re trying to change the way we approach education.”

While the club might look like just something else to make a student more desirable in the eyes of colleges, that isn’t the point.

“I think [the club] is a great opportunity,” Garcia said. “Some of the students look at it as a way to get volunteer hours, but I see it from the same angle Michael sees it — as an opportunity to give back to his peers. Learning is a collaborative effort — you can’t do everything on your own. I was trying to encourage my students that one of the best ways to learn is to teach. So Michael and the other students who have taken on these different courses this year through Students of Students have really stepped up. They know the material themselves, and they’re confident in their abilities. They’re able to then provide help to their peers in a time when they need it.”

SOS has become an important part of test preparation for many students. Junior George Sayegh has been attending meetings all of this year and last year.

“I’m really thankful that we have [the club],” George said. “I’m thankful for [everyone] to have the generosity to help other people out and come early every morning and help people that are struggling with the subject. They just help with an open heart and as much as they can.

I’m really happy that it’s become such a nice organization.”

Junior Caroline Cheatham has also been positively affected by SOS. She has been to every meeting before a physics test and is grateful for the club.

“The people that are helping and teaching don’t need to do it because they clearly know how to do it on their own,” Caroline said. “But they take the extra time and Michael writes extra questions the night before the physics tests, and they’re funny questions. Sometimes he’ll include other people in the grade, and he makes it fun. You can ask questions and it’s really comfortable. It’s a tutorial that’s not nerve-wracking. I know sometimes, the day of the test, going to the tutorials is kind of scary because you don’t want your teacher to be mad or anything, but Michael doesn’t care and he helps you so much. Without it, a lot of people would not do as well as they do in [their classes].”

For Michael, the point of SOS has always been to better the junior class. It wasn’t just another thing on the college resume — it was an opportunity to change how people approach studying.

“It’s not really about me,” Michael said. “It’s never been about me.

I don’t want to see people just cheat their way through high school and then, when they get out of high school, be completely screwed for the rest of their life because they don’t know how to work hard or what it’s like to work in a team. So it’s a really great feeling when someone comes back and is like, ‘This has really helped,’ or ‘I did great on my APUSH test.’ It’s a really good feeling to know you’re actually making a change.”

—Kendall Carroll

11/6/2017 5:30:52 PM

Peer to peer He

len

He

Combining loves, volleyball senior assists special education students Her goal is simple — to be a friend to all. Senior Julia Breeden has an extraordinary passion for treating students — all students — like peers. She looks past their differences and embraces them as friends.

Julia is a member of the Peer Assistance program, which offers regular education students the chance to work alongside special education students in class. But Julia also spends time with her special ed friends outside class. She is a strong advocate for inclusiveness.

“I’ve known Julia for three years where she’s worked in my classroom as a peer assistant with students of mine,” special education teacher Erin Root said. “What made Julia stand out even from the beginning is that she had the natural inclination to work as a peer assistant with students. She didn’t try to be their teacher, and she wasn’t hanging too far back. She would really just jump in and act like their peer.”

Julia became interested in working with special ed students at West Ridge Middle School.

“I became passionate about special ed and inclusiveness when I was in the Kids Helping Kids program in middle school,” Julia said. “Just getting to know people that are different than you — it’s a really nice perspective. I’m driven to do it because I see the effects. I know I like to feel included. I want to be involved in things with other friends and meet new people, and I know that these students want it too. If I can assist in making people feel the way that I want to feel, then that’s what’s important.”

In the spring semester of her junior year, Julia, a varsity volleyball player, organized a volleyball club for special ed and general ed students

Claire Schaffer While serving as a teacher’s assistant, senior Julia Breeden laughs at the story that is being read to her and sophomore Dana Burgess.

36

to play volleyball together while making meaningful friendships. Eight general ed and eight special ed students participated together. They had four practices and one game. By the end of the season, they were all great friends despite their differences.

“When it came to the volleyball team, I was just taking two things that I love and care about most and turning them into one,” Julia said.

“Being on a team is really great because you’re on something bigger than yourself, and you form really awesome relationships with other teammates. I wanted the other students to experience that alongside their peers and get to meet new people.”

The volleyball club was a huge success, according to Root. “[Julia] worked with the peer assistant teacher and some current volleyball players,” Root said. “It wasn’t Special Olympics and it wasn’t a UIL-type thing. It was just a way for our students who might typically not make the volleyball team or not even try out to have that opportunity.”

Julia has big plans for the spring semester volleyball club season beginning in February.

She said her reward for forming the volleyball club is “just seeing the smiles on other people’s faces at volleyball. Seeing other people forming real true friendships and making other people feel included, welcome and wanted. A lot of our students don’t get much interaction with their other peers, and so saying ‘Hi’ or talking to them will make their day, and that’s really rewarding — just making other people feel included.”

Julia eats lunch with her special ed friends once a week when it fits in with her hectic schedule. In doing so, she extends those friendships beyond the classroom.

“Whenever it works out for my schedule, I meet some of the girls from the special ed program because we’re friends and friends get lunch together,” Julia said. “Also [we’re continuing] forming those relationships that might be challenging otherwise.”

The result of these efforts have been true friendships.

“Julia is nice, a good volleyball coach and a good friend,” special education student sophomore Marie Girou said. “She taught me a few stretches and some cool volleyball tricks.”

Julia has made a lasting impression on the special education program and students. She has been an example of the importance of inclusiveness.

“If you’re unfamiliar with someone who’s different than you, it’s a little bit more challenging,” Julia said. “I think it’s important just to think past people’s differences. It starts with saying ‘Hi.’” Julia plans to continue promoting inclusiveness and investing her time in special education.

“I really feel like I’ve found my passion, and whether it’s actual special education specifically or just empowering people with disabilities, it’s definitely something I want to continue when I’m in college and hopefully my professional career,” Julia said.

—Anne Saltel

trends and traditions westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/1/2017 2:47:38 PM

M

a Helping Hand

Crossing borders, senior seeks to make world a better place

ost teenagers are focused on hanging out with friends or going on vacations during the summer, but senior Caroline Ellenthal instead uses the break to help others in need, trying to make the world a better place. She has traveled to Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, India, Vietnam and Cambodia; in these countries, she helps with reforestation projects, rebuilding schools, installing concrete flooring and building biosand water filters.

The most impactful trip Caroline has been on thus far was going to Vietnam and Cambodia with Adventures Cross Country in the summer of 2016.

There, she helped build sustainable water filters that help give impoverished families clean and safe drinking water.

"My team and I built dozens of sustainable water filters for impoverished families who didn't have the job training or resources to [do it] themselves,” Caroline said. “Many people in these communities die from drinking unclean water, and the filters we

Bailey Gold Senior Caroline Ellenthal works on a project before school Oct. 24. She has completed numerous service projects around the world and is a vice president of the Westlake Choir’s executive council in charge of outreach.

built provide clean drinking water for decades."

Caroline has also worked with the 17,000 ft Foundation, which helps to connect smaller civilizations in high altitude environments in Ladakh, India, to the outside world. She is now working with them to do an international school supply drive to one of the remote schools.

In addition to going on her own service trips, she also plans charity events for the Westlake choir.

With the recent devastation resulting from Hurricane Harvey, she organized a drive to help out a school in Houston that badly needed supplies. The school created a wish list of things they specifically needed, and the choir collected the items and sent them directly to the school. “[It] was pretty incredible in that it was lovely to see the whole choir department coming together to help those in need,” Caroline said. “The students in choir are some of the kindest people I know. Their ability to feel such a deep empathy for those affected and really reach out to make an impact amazed me.”

She is also developing a program in which choir students will to travel to other schools with little to no funding in their choir programs. There they will help teach the ins and outs of music and sight read with students.

“I'm thrilled by the opportunity of getting other kids excited about music,” Caroline said. “There are just so many advantages you get from studying music, and the Westlake choir department is so special, I want to spread that love to other people.”

Caroline said she believes that charity work can make the world a better place and will also change the world if enough people try to make a difference.

"The best way to make a positive impact on the planet is by diving into everything good that you can,” Caroline said. “If everyone in the world tried to do a charitable act once a week, we would live in a much kinder world."

—Oliver Aydelotte

Helen

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He

11/1/2017 2:44:02 PM

Who are your heroes?

The purpose of this survey is to determine what traits students value in superheroes, and to discover who students’ ideal superhero role model is. The Featherduster, in partnership with Stats 2: BAPS, conducted a survey of 140 randomly selected Westlake students during both fourth and fifth lunches Oct. 17-18.

Marvel or DC?

Human or animal sidekick?

Human Animal

Cape or no cape?

Cape No Cape 38

Marvel Comics Neither One DC Comics No Opinion I Like Both

trends and traditions westlakefeatherduster.com

38_Infographic.indd 1

11/1/2017 2:57:41 PM

What’s the most essential trait for a real-world superhero?*

Which family member do you consider your hero?

Mom

Other

Parents

Brother

Grandfather

Dad

Movies or comic books

Movies

If you could have one supernatural superpower, What would it be?* *Bigger word sizes correlate with higher frequencies of response.

38_Infographic.indd 2

Both Equally Comic Books I don’t like either

11/1/2017 2:57:56 PM

>>>RANTS AND RAVES

B

40

Rising tensions

Student decries white supremacy, bigotry

efore Aug. 12, there had been very few times in my life when I had felt so scared, but after reading about the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and the violence that ensued that summer morning, I couldn’t help but feel my blood run cold with fear.

I went through the rest of the day as if I were stuck in one long bad dream. Except this was reality. The demonstration was in response to the removal of a Robert E. Lee Confederate statue. Among the protesters were white nationalists, neo-Nazis, the KKK and members of other white supremacist groups, with messages of xenophobia, anti-Semitism and racial superiority. Now, let me clarify that I have absolutely no problem with the use of free speech to protest the removal of a historical statue.

But the line should be drawn when the use of free speech is abused to call for the oppression of others and to spread hate. I had always known prejudice and racism existed in America, but I never knew it was this bad. Ever since President Trump was elected in November, things have been in turmoil. Trump promised to improve the lives of Americans: one of my parents had voted for him to ensure a better future for my sister and me. In return, we are seeing an utter mess of the government, a spike in hate crime and racism, and the resurgence of white supremacy.

How could this all happen? This nation is supposed to be the land of the free, where anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender or religion, could pursue success and happiness. But with the recent rise of hate groups and the alt-right, that idea is beginning to grow hazy. Even months after the Charlottesville violence, the tensions won’t go away. Every day, my heart grows heavy with dread when I read the news, anticipating the worst.

Whenever I’m in public, I’m wary of the strangers around me, wondering if they, too, agree with the heinous views of the white supremacists. The fear even accompanies me to school, where the sight of the occasional swastika symbol seemingly scribbled down as a joke, or the words of a poor-in-taste Holocaust joke, hits me with the harsh realization that the problem is alive and well in Westlake.

The truth is, as a minority and woman, I’m scared. I’m scared for myself, my friends, my family and everyone who I care about. I’m scared for all the Jews, Muslims, blacks, members of the LGBTQ+ community and everyone else out there who also shares the same fear or are being targeted.

I’m scared for America, the nation I love, because with the direction we’re heading right now, the future looks bleak. I feel sad too, because once again, history is repeating itself.

The open anti-Semitism of the alt-right, and the movement leader Richard Spencer’s so-called “peaceful ethnic cleansing” of non-white citizens stir up echoes of the horrors and tragedies of the Holocaust from World War II. White supremacist groups, such as the KKK, bring back memories of the nation’s dark past of brutal lynchings and unjust vio-

lence committed against blacks and other minority groups.

The fact that there are people out there who want to harm others and take their rights away just because of their race, gender or religion both terrifies and infuriates me at the same time. No one asks to be born a certain race or gender, and the right to freedom of religion is heavily guarded by the First Amendment of the Constitution, which contains the fundamental principles upon which this nation was founded. In America, no one should have to live in fear or oppression because of their identity or beliefs.

With the unstable tension in the air right now, I sometimes find myself asking questions about the future that I’d never thought I’d face. What’s going to happen? Will I be safe? Will I go to college?

Will I be able to vote? Will I get a job? Will I have a happy life? Will I still even be living in this country?

My answer right now is, I don’t know. The future is uncertain. The heinous and abhorrent views of the alt-right and hate groups are sickening and disgusting: they have no place in the Republican Party, Democratic Party or America as a whole. It saddens me that this country spent an entire war fighting the Nazis, tyranny and oppression, only to see those very same ideals pop up in 2017, right within our own borders. Yet it’s our generation that will mold the future, and what exactly that future will be like depends on the actions of each one of us, starting today in this school. As students of one of the top high schools in the nation, it is our responsibility to be kind to each other and to show the the rest of the world that Westlake is a place of openness and acceptance, not ignorance and bigotry.

Change starts small, but it’s the little things that count.

We can choose to behave like decent human beings and respect each person around us, regardless of differences, or we can choose to remain ignorant and let the problem worsen. Whatever we do will determine the consequences that will impact each and every one of us in the future.

Whether we like it or not, America is diverse, and I’m not just talking about race. It’s home to more than 320 million citizens, each with their own unique identity, culture, opinions, beliefs, talents and skills. And it’s this beautiful hodgepodge of people that make this country so great. A future of violence and fear is something no American wants, regardless of where he or she stands on the political spectrum. The issue of white supremacy is not about conservatives vs. liberals, Republicans vs.

Democrats, whites vs. non-whites or even “political correctness.” It’s about human morality and decency against violence and tyranny, and in a nation that so many call “the land of the free,” we all must stand together against hate and oppression, regardless of political ties, sexuality, religion, race or gender. The bigoted and prejudiced views of white supremacists and hate groups must not, and will not, be tolerated in America, especially in Westlake.

—Helen He

rants and raves westlakefeatherduster.com

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11/6/2017 5:32:33 PM

Taking a stand As NFL protests gain attention, senior offers view on kneeling I’m not black. I think it’s important to preface this column with that statement because a lot of the opinions that I might hold as an Indian boy growing up in a mainly white neighborhood are different from the feelings that are expressed by anyone who is black living in this country. I can only try and give my explanation of what they mean, and while I can relate to their pain in certain ways, the struggles that the black community has had to go through in this country is not something I can ever say is comparable to what I’ve gone through in my life.

When it comes to the issue of kneeling during the anthem by National Football League players, it is important for people to understand first and foremost what it’s trying to achieve. There seems to be a variety of different takes on the issue, and that has in part created some of the backlash to it. Is it an act of defiance against President Donald Trump? Is it in support of groups such as Black Lives Matter? Is it just a bunch of ungrateful, disrespectful, rich, entitled black people trying to take a stand for an issue that doesn’t affect them?

What struck me as the best explanation of why players are kneeling is a personal story posted by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett.

Bennett went to the Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor fight Aug. 26 and posted a tweet about two weeks later on Sept.

6 explaining his experience post-fight in the Cromwell Hotel & Casino. When police heard about a potential active shooter in the area, they attempted to evacuate it, and Bennett was one of the people who tried to run away. He claims that Las Vegas police singled him out and forced him to get on the ground and waved a gun in his face for being nothing more than “a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The powerful tweet continues on to describe how he felt “helpless” and him thinking that he was going to die “for no other reason than [he

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was] black and [his] skin color is somehow a threat.” It details how he was held in a cop car until they finally realized that he wasn’t just some random black guy in the hotel, but that he was Michael Bennett, a prominent football player and Super Bowl winner.

Reading his harrowing account is just a small example of a reality that many in the black community have to go through every day.

It’s also a reminder that while you can take a man out of that situation and give him money, the prejudices against him never go away. If he hadn’t been recognized as a football player,

there’s no knowing what the end result of that arrest may have been, and there’s no knowing if that story ever comes out. Las Vegas police have already denied this happened, but it can be hard at times to give police departments the benefit of the doubt when you hear about other cases of police brutality against people of color on a consistent basis.

Kneeling for these players isn’t about something political and trying to make a stand against Donald Trump. No matter how hard the president attempts to make this about him, it’s not. This is a peaceful protest — keyword here is peaceful — against a country that has not only oppressed their race in the past, but continues to do so through institutional injustices that those in power refuse to fix. This isn’t about the military and disrespecting vet-

erans who served to protect their freedom. In fact, those same veterans fought to protect the chance for these players to even take a stand against those in power in the first place. If we claim to be fighting for a free country and then go out and crucify those who take a stand utilizing that power, what message are we sending out to the world?

This is a fight that NFL players have to fight because they have a platform to actually gain attention. And yes, this movement is gaining attention. When the president feels the need to respond and call these players “sons of bitches,” there is clearly a spotlight being shone on them.

Does it create deeper divisions? Sure. At this time in our country, any kind of move towards greater equality is going to take a divisive turn. But this specific act of kneeling doesn’t have to polarize people.

The problem that we are running into as a country is a lack of empathy across the board. And it’s not something that’s easy to fix. For the white middle class, it’s never going to be possible to fully understand what it’s like for a black person to try and work their way up to the top and chase the “AmeriHelen He can Dream.” The same prejudice doesn’t exist even for whites in poverty. While it is true that mainstream media isn’t helping the cause by portraying blacks as victims more than others and often missing the entire point behind protests and activist groups, there needs to be a realization by everyone that what they believe in isn’t always the case for everyone.

So don’t make NFL players kneeling during the anthem about you. Or the president. Or the flag. Or democracy. Or anything that can be disrespected. When we start seeing this protest for what I believe it truly is, a kneel against an institution that has tried to hold back a race for centuries, then, and only then, will we finally be able to have a conversation and maybe actually achieve the change that these athletes are trying to create.

—Aro Majumder

11/6/2017 5:33:44 PM

The

f-word

The bell rings. Everyone files out into the hallway. You overhear mindless conversations about wild Monday night plans, test answers and how many touchdowns the Rockets made last night. Then, quiet.

A few faint gasps break the sudden silence. Almost simultaneously all heads turn, yours included. There she is. You avoid eye contact. Her presence is too intimidating. Your legs go so weak at the sight of her educated opinions that you have to take a knee. As she walks by, you can sense her empowerment. It gives you goosebumps. As she turns the corner, she leaves a trail of whimpering male chauvinists. She goes by many names, but your personal favorite: feminist.

Feminism is misunderstood. It seems as if people who don’t understand what feminism really is don’t want to educate themselves about the topic. As a result, people are forming their opinions on feminism based off of stereotypes instead of facts. In media, feminism is often portrayed as an exclusive group of intense women who believe women are better than men, which is inaccurate. I get it, feminism can seem overwhelming, but it’s really quite simple. Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights in hopes of reaching equality for all genders, meaning a feminist is anyone who believes women should be and are equal to men, not a crazy woman who burns bras and never shaves.

The many stereotypes surrounding feminism can overpower the facts with fiction. A feminist’s main goal isn’t to rise up and become the superior sex. A feminist isn’t plotting against the demise of men. It’s not like they’re sitting around bashing males in their free time, or writing 700-word columns about it. A feminist isn’t angry all the time. Women who are feminists don’t believe that feminine things are bad. Feminists don’t hate the color pink or think dresses are for the weak. The term feminism is not synonymous with “complaining all the time.” Feminists are just trying to speak out for their rights and make a difference.

We all have met feminists who are very much involved in the feminist community and voice their opinions with passion. There’s nothing wrong with being an active feminist; in fact many people look up to these individuals. However, this approach is not for everyone. There are different ways to go about being a feminist. Don’t feel that you have to fit the mold of what society thinks a feminist should be or do. Making signs and Twitter accounts, although appreciated, is not required to be a part of the feminist community. As long as you believe women are equal to men and therefore should have equal rights, then you’re a feminist. I know. Crazy right?

Feminism is not limited to women. Who said men can’t support women and vice versa? While feminism is advocating for women’s rights, that does not mean only women can speak up for women. If anything, a man who supports women is more comfortable with his masculinity than a man who is scared to stand up for women. Similarly, feminism can be practiced by people of all races, religions and political beliefs. Oftentimes feminism is assumed to be a liberal term. This is because many think feminism is associated with beliefs such as pro-choice and LGBT rights. While many feminists have liberal ideals, it is possible to believe women and men are equal while still supporting open carry, or pro-life, or any other conservative beliefs for that matter.

Sure, society has made many advancements since the days when women were only valued for their ability to bear children, but there’s

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Shelby Sperling

Activists dispute common beliefs about feminism

still more to be done. We cannot simply sit back and claim the world is fine as it is. Men and women are not treated equally. According to the American Association of University Women’s study: The Simple Truth About The Gender Pay Gap, as of 2016, women were paid on average only 80 percent of what the average man makes. Although we’ve come far from the 1970s where women would earn 60 percent of what men make, it’s still not 100 percent. Why can’t we just pay women equally? Would it really be that hard? According to that same study, if we continue at the rate we’ve been going from 2001 to 2017, women will reach equal pay in 2119. That’s 102 years from now. So no, the world is not fine as it is. It won’t even be considered “fine” until 2119. On top of that, women are not fairly represented in and by our government. They comprise less than 20 percent of the nation’s legislators. This means our voices are not being heard like they should. On a global scale, one in three women will experience gender-based violence. We should be treating women better. The population is 50 percent female, so that’s half of us experiencing oppression for just being women. Don’t forget, it was a woman who brought you into this world, a world that would not function without women.

There’s no denying the Westlake bubble. As Westlake students, we

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11/6/2017 5:36:17 PM

el paisano westlake yearbook 17-18

Final Senior Tribute Deadline: Dec 1 (sign up in room 285)

Get involved

Final Senior Portrait Deadline: Dec 11-13 $75 Early Bird Pricing Deadline: Dec 8

National Organization for Women —

Buy Your Yearbook Today At www.jostens.com

https://now.org On this page you have the opportunity to take action in your very own community. This includes getting involved in causes such as End the Criminalization of Trauma, Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, Mobilize for Reproductive Justice, Advance Voting Rights and Protect Immigrant Rights.

Follow us on the gram

Feminist Club —

This club is a great opportunity to get involved in women empowerment here at Westlake. Club meetings will include discussions on women’s rights and current feminist issues. The club also volunteers for Todos Juntos Learning Center.

Girl Confidence Club —

The Westlake Girl Confidence Club discusses important issues that are often prevalent in the average teenage girl’s life, such as body image and women leadership roles. This club allows members to contribute to women’s empowerment while being in a supportive environment.

ID

Girls Education Organization —

This organization specifically helps girls in Africa obtain the education they need by providing feminine hygiene materials and allows members to get involved in feminist activities extending outside the Westlake community.

@westlakefeatherduster @fdsportswhs

CC 2017 Website: westlakefeatherduster.com Windows TCID:PP

Human Rights Club —

This club discusses current human rights topics, so that others can come and have an understanding about what current issues people are facing. *To get involved in any of the Westlake clubs, go to http://whs.eanesisd.net/student-life/clubs have more opportunities presented to us than the average teenager. It’s these opportunities that blind us. Because we don’t see the struggles others face, we don’t understand the oppression women and men face.

But this is no excuse. We as a Westlake community should use our many opportunities and influence to try to change the world for the better.

The first step to putting an end to the oppression of women is education. Once people understand that feminism is still as relevant today as it’s ever been, if not more, then maybe the jokes will stop, the gender roles will disappear and we will all live in harmony because your value should not be judged by your outward appearance or what role you play in reproduction. While there are clear differences between men and women, this does not mean men and women should be treated differently. Women are more than capable of doing a job “fit for a man,” therefore they deserve a chance to do just that. Taking steps to improve equality for both genders will be taking steps towards a world where everyone is respected and presented equal opportunity. A world that is achievable.

You think about all of this as you watch the feminist turn the corner.

You stand up and do the “unthinkable.” You join her.

—Shelby Sperling and Isabelle Franco

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11/6/2017 5:36:17 PM

The people holding signs Every person experiencing homelessness has a story. Are we listening?

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n Oct. 2, 2016, I sat on a curb with Nawin Risal — a Nepali, probably in his 40s, his jeans and navy sweater practically sagging off his lanky frame. His ashen chestnut skin was hard, oil-sheened, and converging in deep wrinkles around his eyes. His eyes radiated a kind of weary shell-shock. Staring far off, he said that back in Nepal, he’d owned a jewelry business and lived happily. Then his wife had an affair and divorced him abruptly. He moved to America in 2011, seeking fresh beginnings, dreaming of restarting his jewelry company in the famous land of opportunity. He worked. And worked. And just 15 days before we met, he stepped off the bus and felt around for his wallet. Gone. His bank card and green card had been stolen — with them, he lost his motel room and his ability to hold a job. In his first two weeks homeless, he’d been exploring how he could regain his IDs and start over. All he wanted to do, he said, was reclaim his future — get a job, find stable housing, sell jewelry: rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings. He could see them just glinting in his own storefront. Before we parted ways, he promised me a necklace, his eyes warm.

Nawin was one of the 50 or so people I’ve met who are experiencing homelessness. Like many of us at Westlake, I was born into relative privilege. My family is incredibly loving; I eat three wholesome meals a day, plus the latest snacks from Trader Joe’s; I take regular piano lessons and ballet classes for the moral edification and self-fulfillment of it, and I’ve had access to challenging and well-taught classes at school.

Recognizing my luck, I always felt guilt for those “less fortunate.”

There was nothing more heartbreaking to me than seeing a person holding up a sign while cars — including my own — passed by, their drivers consciously staring forward. To me, it was simple: we’ve been privileged with much, the homeless with little, so we should help without restraint.

My parents disagreed, a perspective that likely stemmed from their immigrant background and intimate experience with the payoff of incredibly hard work. After a bitter fight with my mom, I decided I was going to prove wrong everyone who believes homelessness is a result of personal choice.

I’ve been working with Mission: Possible! Austin, a nonprofit that

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Empathy is necessary to understand a person with more complex eyes. And so empathy is necessary to address someone’s needs with grace and versatility. operates a community center that offers breakfast and services in a safe environment, and Church Under the Bridge, a combined church service and resource distribution center. At both places, I’ve been having conversations. I’ve met former veterans and ex-convicts, hardened drug addicts and those who are actively battling their dependency, single mothers and estranged fathers, teens and 70-year-olds. Each person had a completely different story to tell.

But by the nature of homelessness, it’s uncommon for me to see someone more than once and be updated on his or her story. On Oct. 30, 2016, I was walking from the coffee station at CUB and saw a blue cap, dusty jacket, wide stance. Nawin? As he walked away along a row of parked cars, I hurried over and tapped him on the shoulder. He was doing OK. He’d been seeking under-the-table jobs to raise enough money to pay his green card re-application fee — once he had that, he could work again for real. Also, he’d had a heart attack.

Clearly, Nawin didn’t have much choice in how he became and stayed homeless. He didn’t ask to lose his IDs and money; he didn’t sign up for ambulance rides and hospital stays. And although I’ve talked with some

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11/6/2017 5:42:03 PM

Isabella Zou Homeless clients register for free cell phones at Church Under the Bridge, which provides free food and services under the I-35 bridge at Seventh Street.

who claim voluntary homelessness (Allen, the first homeless person I met, said he rents his house out to fund his drug habit) — I’ve never met anyone who nears my level of privilege.

So I thought hard when Michael, a salt-bearded sinewy black man, told me, “Life is a series of choices.” He made the choices that landed him in prison; he made the choices that released him with a commercial driver’s license and a GED. Maybe we all share the ability to make small, specific decisions. But do you “choose” the situation of homelessness? It’s like asking if you “choose” wealth. There’s an element of luck. There’s the collective effect of countless in-the-moment choices.

For me, did I choose privilege? No. I’m lucky for my born-into advantage. But my born-into advantage was actually created by the choices and luck of my parents.

You could say I’ve been choosing to take my given resources and put myself under the I-35 bridge at Seventh Street. On Nov. 11, 2016, Nawin tapped me on the shoulder and gripped me in a hug. When he pulled away, I saw the blood-red bruises on his cheekbones, angry crescents under his eye bags. His lip trembled and his eyes swelled, wet. He said he had been beaten up by two black men. He asked me, a 16-year-old, where it’s safe to sleep in Austin. I didn’t know what to tell him.

And so for a while, I struggled with how much of an impact I could actually make by just talking. I believed in my mission of gifting time and empathy to people who have rarely been listened to — but I didn’t own money to give, I couldn’t offer housing vouchers, I couldn’t tangibly change their lives.

But at this life stage, I’m still a firm believer in the power of stories: of telling them and receiving them. More than a few people experiencing homelessness have thanked me for our conversations. But I owe them greater thanks for their incredibly close friendships; for teaching me viscerally that life exists beyond the next couple years, beyond high school and college applications; for their unapologetically honest words and advice; for making me uncomfortable, and therefore making me grow.

So, as much as sharing is therapeutic for the storyteller, I think the lessons we can learn by listening are vital for our self-awareness and perspective. I’ve been working to help many of the people I’ve met share their life stories with the broader public through the storytelling platform Austin Street Humans. The more stories we know about people ex-

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This map was drawn by Nawin Risal to illustrate to the author the geography of his childhood.

periencing homelessness, the more nuanced our perception of the condition, and therefore the more nuanced our response can be. But even more so, the more stories we know about people, the more complicated our perception of humanity and the more sophisticated we can be. And so maybe high school students are too young to professionally advocate for disadvantaged populations. But it’s never too early to listen.

O

n May 20, 2017, Nawin was found dead at a gas station, cause unknown.

I’m telling you his story because I cared deeply about him, and by extension I want you to listen: in this way I’m selfish and biased. You now know more about Nawin than practically everyone in Austin, and his story has been added to your database of stories. If it’s the first addition, hopefully it’s the first of many to come. Hopefully it helps catalyze action.

To take what we’ve been given and act — I think this is all of our responsibility as people, no matter our level of privilege. To ensure that people have the choice for self-improvement, no matter the circumstances they were dealt by luck — this is the epitome of what we stand for as Americans.

And some of us have more resources, and so it’s easier for us to make change. The first step towards action requires empathy. Empathy is necessary to understand a person with more complex eyes. And so empathy is necessary to address someone’s needs with grace and versatility. It humanizes a population, helping us to avoid sweeping generalizations, whether positive or negative — drawing us nearer to understanding the complexity of a population, empowering us to create complex answers.

How do we develop empathy? By seeking many and various stories.

Stories are the precursor to empathy, and empathy is the precursor to action. Start with the first step. Talk. Talk to a homeless person you pass on the sidewalk. Act. Volunteer for something like Austin Street Humans. Read. Take the easiest route and read stories, posted weekly, at www.austinstreethumans.org. Remember. Remember Nawin, remember we’re all humans here.

—Isabella Zou

11/6/2017 5:42:04 PM

{ staff editorial }

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Under pressure y

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All teenagers have flaws, but it’s important to acknowledge and overcome them in order to grow as a person. Often, teens don’t just realize their flaws, they fixate on them. Self pressure is when someone holds themselves to a higher standard, usually one that is nearly impossible to achieve. This standard can be anything from wanting everyone to like you, to passing all your classes with an A+. External factors like parents or peers may seem like more direct influences on the teen’s mind because they’re physical or real. However, most of the pressures we face are internalized, and therefore not seen or talked about. You wouldn’t leave a broken arm the way it is, you’d go to the doctor and get it fixed. The same thing should apply to your mental health. Think of your brain as another complex body part that needs attention when it’s hurt as well.

They tell you in school how to identify peer pressure, but what they don’t teach you is how to identify self pressure. When you tell yourself you’re not skinny enough, how do you respond? What about when you convince yourself to just “take a hit” because everyone else has and nothing bad happened to them?

You’re not being peer pressured into doing it, so it should be OK, right? High school is a tumultuous point in the lives of many of us students, and most of this confusion comes from the expectations that we place on ourselves.

That’s why peer pressure seems like such an issue, when in reality, inner factors are more significant in terms of our mental health.

Stress is a normal thing to face at any point in life. The need to be perfect at something is so mentally and sometimes physically demanding that it affects your health. Behaviors such as being forgetful, having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable or impatient and maybe even hopeless or depressed, are all very common among teens. When we experience these, we become even more upset with ourselves. We

46

don’t understand why we feel this way, but truth be told, it’s perfectly normal.

Your frontal lobe, the area that is home to your amygdala and prefrontal cortex, is where your brain deals with all the stress you put yourself under. A 2007 study on neuropsychology shows that when someone undergoes high-stress situations early on in life, their frontal lobe remodels itself, altering behavioral and physiological responses. This affects a person’s memory, mental flexibility and inclination to be anxious or aggressive. Your brain is literally rewriting its structure, and while it isn’t permanent, people who undergo chronic stress experience this mental incapacitation constantly. This is a bodily function that is ingrained into our cells as a response to when we feel that we are in danger. Stressing about that big test? That is most likely causing your brain to have memory issues. Overthinking some social gathering that your crush will be at? That’s probably the reason why you’re too anxious to come up with some genius pick-up line in the moment. While you may think that this stress is normal and that you’ll get over it, you’re actually short-circuiting your neurons and causing yourself to suffer instead.

People handle stress in different ways.

Some shut down. Others thrive, for at least a little while. It scares us to hear our peers say that they drink and do drugs because having to face themselves is too hard. Our mind is supposedly our oasis — a safe place for us to retreat to when times are a bit too tough. One could blame the stress on the pressures that come from the challenging learning structure that we have built up at Westlake, but in reality, it may be something we need to confront on our own.

It’s hard for us to let things go. We feel as if taking a step back from a situation will cause

us to lose control. In reality, it’s the opposite. When we don’t allow our worries and fears to affect us, that’s when we are in control. If you catch yourself feeling anxious or you hear that familiar voice in your head telling you everything’s about to go wrong or that you’re not good enough, take a moment. Acknowledge what is going on; know you are feeling stressed or worried. Then, focus on your breathing or try to notice the physical things in the room around you, anything you can do to make your mind focus on something else. Once you notice your mind and body calming down, evaluate whether your worries were based on emotion or fact. Think about what you would say to a friend in this situation, and tell yourself those same things. Try to put your worries in perspective, think back on the past and compare this problem to previous problems you’ve had. Then, think about the distant future — this same worry may not even apply to you in just a few weeks.

Mental health should be a priority for us teens, but unfortunately that is just not the case. Our schedules are so filled up with responsibilities that oftentimes we don’t take time for ourselves, and even when we do, most of us don’t know how to use that time effectively. Throughout the week we need to remember to be kind to ourselves — instead of criticizing, try encouraging. And if you ever feel like you can’t handle it all, there’s no shame in seeking out help from a professional.

Lastly, give yourself time to be you. Listen to your favorite music and think without judgment. Your body needs to be at its best so that it can handle the challenges it faces on a daily basis. Remember, your mind is your oasis.

Sources: http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/stress/academicpressure.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC2731652/)McEwen BS. Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain. Physiol.

Rev. 2007;87:873–904. [PubMed]

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11/6/2017 6:02:54 PM

Read ‘em

and weep

Listen, I get it. Not everyone likes to read. To some people, the idea of being forced to read for 10 minutes every day is frustrating and stressful. How are people who don’t like to read supposed to just know what book they’ll be interested in so that in-class reading time is more of an enjoyable pastime and less of a chore? Well, I might not be able to magically pull a book out of thin air that any given person will like, but as an experienced book nerd myself, I can offer a few suggestions that you might not hear about otherwise. They may be more emotional than some other books, but I’ve found that those are generally the better stories to read.

—Kendall Carroll

The premise of One of Us is Lying (Karen M. McManus) is simple: five teenagers are in a room when one of them dies, and the other four are left as suspects. The dead student, Simon, ran an app where he could expose secrets about the students in the school, and no one could figure out how to shut him down. Not-so-coincidentally, the day he died was the day before a major secret about each of the other four students was supposed to be exposed. It may sound dark, but it’s more about putting the pieces together to figure out how Simon died. The story is unpredictable and surprising as new twists are revealed, all leading up to the reveal of the killer. I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to be completely sucked into what they’re reading, as this book will demand your attention.

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One of the sadder books to read, Wintergirls (Laurie Halse Anderson) is a fiction story taking place in the real world about a girl named Lia who is dealing with an eating disorder. The book is told from Lia’s point of view, which means the reader is hearing her thoughts. The way it’s formatted has Lia’s actual thoughts visibly crossed out and immediately followed by the “correct” thought.

It’s a harder book to read since you’re reading the thoughts of a very sick girl and listening to her hurting herself, but I would still recommend it. The portrayal of her thoughts combined with the fascinating plot made this book one of my favorites as soon as I read it.

Hungry (H. A. Swain) is very simple compared to the others.

It’s a dystopian future book about a society where everyone relies heavily on technology (to a point of frustration for the main character, Thalia) and food has been eliminated. Through the help of a new friend, a boy around her age that goes by the name Basil, she learns about the outside community and how corrupt the leadership actually is. It’s an interesting society to read about, and having a main character that learns with the reader really adds to the story.

Some parts of this book are on the romance side, and the writing is slightly cheesy, but I enjoyed reading it and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something fun and easy to read.

Between Shades of Gray (Ruta Sepetys) is a historical fiction book that I discovered from the Lone Star Reading List. The book is told from the point of view of Lina, a Lithuanian girl living through Stalin’s reign in World War II. Since most information we’re told about World War II is related to Germany and Hitler, Between Shades of Gray offers a unique perspective on the time period. This has been one of my favorite books ever since I first read it in 2012, and not many people know about it. Lina is a lovable character that you really start to root for by the end of the book. This book is a harder read than some others because of the topic, but it’s well-written and is incredibly interesting. I would recommend it to people who are interested in history, specifically World War II, and those who are OK with an emotional book.

11/1/2017 2:46:31 PM

Into obscurity

Entertainment nerd describes struggles of liking unknown genres

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“The Newsroom.” Lisa Hannigan.

“Durarara!!.” Tom Waits. Ondine. THE ORAL CIGARETTES. If you’re thinking “What in the world are those things?” right now, I get it. It isn’t every day that I come across people who know what I’m rambling on about when it comes to entertainment. I scramble to be able to relate to others’ choice of musical artist, TV show or book.

Take my taste in music, for example.

There’s the kind of mainstream stuff that I really like (i.e. Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lorde), and then there’s the complete opposite of those (i.e. Lisa Hannigan, Tom Waits, THE ORAL CIGARETTES). So when it comes to music and being able to talk to people about it without making myself look like some weirdo who needs to be shunned from society because I listen to artists with thousands, rather than millions of fans, I’m pretty well covered.

But maybe that’s a bad example — let’s take my taste in TV shows. Sure, I like “The Simpsons” and the “Law and Order” series all well and good, and I’m not going

to try to deny that “Parks and Recreation” is one of my favorite shows of all time. But it’s not until we get out of the well-known titles that I really get that glint of excitement in my eye. I spend my nights watching “The Newsroom, ”a three-season HBO series written by Aaron Sorkin, or anime like “Barakamon” and “Durarara!!” rather than “Riverdale” and “Game of Thrones.”

If you begin to recommend a mainstream TV show to me, most likely I’ll laugh nervously and say, “I’ll have to look it up,” and then forget about it completely.

Now are you beginning to understand just how bad I have it? No? Well, then let’s go to the one that always gets people — books. Yeah, already I can hear some of you groaning at the idea that I read books for fun. But for those of you who are like, “Oh yeah, I read books! I wonder what kind of books she reads,” boy are you in for a wild ride. You know how most people are into all those young adult novels that are dystopian-ish (I assume), or the overrated Harry Potter series, or those overly dramatic romance novels by John Blue or whoever, and then there’s

those people who completely despise those books? Well, I’m in the latter category, big time. My taste in books consists of Michael Crichton and Ryohgo Narita books, fantasy-ish novels no one has ever heard of, and the occasional novel or two that everyone has heard of but has never read (i.e. The Princess Bride — “Oh, like the movie?”). Whenever someone is asking for book recommendations, I jump at the chance to give my two cents, but it always ends with the same tragic statement: “Huh, sounds cool” in the flattest voice possible.

Surely now you’re understanding just what it’s like for me, out there, roaming the school hallways with all these cool shows and musical artists and books in mind, practically begging for someone to ask me to talk about them. If you don’t, well, I guess I’ll just have to resign myself to knowing that I wasted quite a lot of time writing and editing this for absolutely nothing. Oh well.

It’s a lonely road we walk. My 3092 unused recommendations and I. —Turi Sioson

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11/1/2017 2:39:05 PM

Make up your mind!

The real reason girls wear makeup revealed by a passionate teen “When girls wear makeup they’re basically lying to us.” I’m sorry ... what? The number of times I have had a guy say this to me is astounding. I mean, really? I don’t see why I am to be blamed if a naïve man actually thinks I naturally have pink sparkly eyelids. It isn’t “false advertising” for women to wear makeup. I am not a product you buy at the store. I cannot be defined by the labels you try to put on me.

Boys, a lot of you say you like girls who look more “natural.”

What do you consider the “natural look?” Please inform me, I’m dying to know. Do you know how different a girl can look with just a little concealer and some mascara?

Let’s get something straight. I don’t wear makeup to get a boy’s attention. I don’t wake up in the morning and ask myself, “Would Tyler like pink or red lipstick?”

No. Quite frankly, I don’t really care whether or not a boy likes my makeup.

Makeup is a way girls can express themselves. It’s fun and it’s probably hard to believe, but not everything girls do is to impress a guy. Surprised? Just because a girl wears makeup doesn’t mean she’s insecure or hiding a pimple.

A lot of the time she simply does it for herself because she wants to. I’m sure there are girls who try to make themselves more attractive to get a boy to notice them, but generalizing and claiming that ALL girls do is just … wrong.

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Freshman Annabelle Christian displays her makeup and nails. She learned her skills through Youtube tutorials and lots of practice.

Of course, some girls do wear makeup because they don’t feel they look good without it. Can you blame them? Our society has implanted an image of beauty in girls’ minds that has distorted their view of themselves. We did that. We told that little 8-yearold girl she wasn’t pretty enough without perfect skin or long eyelashes. Then we judged her for using makeup to try and obtain our impossible standards. Basically, we are judging young girls when they don’t naturally look “per-

fect.” There’s no way for us to win.

There’s also this belief that a girl can either be pretty, or she can be smart. Apparently, my IQ drops the moment I put on lip gloss. That’s funny, I didn’t learn about that in my AP Physics class.

I was probably too busy looking at myself in my handheld mirror.

Listen up: I happen to be very accomplished in the art of multitasking, and can rock a cute outfit, heels, and a full face of makeup while still getting an A on that AP English test.

Veronica Mieres Boys, wake up! If you really think the only reason I put on blush and eyeliner is to get you to like me, then you need to snap out of it. I was not put on this earth to please you, and not every decision I make is influenced by the male population. Let us wear our makeup if we want to, and embrace our flaws when we don’t. We deserve respect. We shouldn’t be expected to look like what society considers “pretty”. Pretty is not the rent we pay to exist as human beings.

—Kenzie Finch

11/6/2017 5:48:07 PM

{Satire} What we all want, but never get

Sleep eludes stressed seniors

Helen He

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*Just for the record, I think sleep is very important, and I do not in any way endorse the loss of critical sleep. I personally wish (along with many of you) that I could sleep more than I do.

Sleep. Who even does it these days?

It’s so 1950s. Old school. Is it even in a senior’s current vocabulary? I’ll need to check on that.

In the midst of college apps, multiple AP classes and the amount of homework that all entails, sleep is currently a side-interest — barely a hobby. I’m not sure you understand what I would give for sleeping and napping outside of the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (subject to sudden reductions due to extra work).

To add insult to injury, college apps have reduced my Strategic Sleep Reserve by eating away at my critical weekend sleep-ins. Notice the word strategic?

As in, I really need that sleep to prevent a mid-week snooze during a lecture?

Right now, the weekend after I submit my college applications is officially a “going nowhere, enjoying the comforts of relaxation” weekend. Sleep? Check.

Nap? Check. Second nap? Check. This is my light at the end of the tunnel.

I think the goal of fall semester senior year is to figure out the philosophy of sleep. How to fall asleep in the blink of an eye. How to get things done on reduced sleep. The study of horses — a.k.a mastering the Art of Sleeping Upright (maybe while studying?). Maybe we could have an AP course: Advanced Principles of Sleeping and Studying Simultaneously, affectionately known as APSSS. Or basically multitasking on a whole new level. Catchy, right?

But in reality, six hours a day is a luxury. What am I even talking about?

I’m practically sleeping in on weekdays.

I must be missing something … is there a

school meeting going on at 3 a.m.? Maybe a marathon physics studying session?

Who knows. You miss so much by sleeping during the school year.

Or maybe we can take a page out of dolphins’ approach to life. Keep one side of the brain on at all times. Think about it. You’d never need to stop working. It would go like this: writing a paper using the left side of your brain, without thinking about 2+2, or anything close to math. No real issue. Then you could switch sides and start calculating math problems. The possibilities are … wait.

What about the English involved in math? Darn. I thought I was onto something here.

There’s another aspect yet to be covered: caffeine. It gives me a headache, but for the majority of high schoolers, I’m curious. How much does that Starbucks, Red Bull or other drink of your choice help you? I dread to think of what would happen in a shortage. Or a temporary closure of Starbucks. Riots? Or maybe nothing, since everyone would be asleep. I’m sure that not having caffeine is the result of me almost falling asleep at some point during the day. Anyone else have that, where you close your eyes briefly during lunch, and the next thing you know it’s sometime next week?

So there we have it. High school life.

School work 99.99 percent. Eating and other important tasks 0.005 percent.

Sleep 0.005 percent. Alarm-clock warfare. (Anyone taken a hammer to theirs yet? Remember, there’s still five weeks until winter break). Those alarm clocks are in grave danger.

So I have a suggestion — let’s all agree to freeze time for an indeterminable length while I (and anyone else interested) take a well-deserved nap.

—Conor O’Bryon

rants and raves westlakefeatherduster.com

11/6/2017 5:38:08 PM

Salute to Sal Disciple preaches her true religion

“I could imagine that even the earliest human beings or possibly pre-human beings had probably asked themselves the questions: Why am I here? What is the nature of reality? Why is the universe organized the way it is?”

Instantly, I relax. The sweet hum of the voice that leaks from my computer soothes me. Some people use white noise. Some people use the TV. I listen to Sal. I can’t sleep without his voice playing in the background. He knows the answers.

For those who know, they know. They just know. They’ve felt it before. The power of teaching that he possesses. Salman Khan, better known by his pet name, Sal, created the startup company Khan Academy in the holy year of 2006. This man of the hour, this legend, this hero may not be well known to a casual audience, but I can assure you that many secrets lay hidden beneath that green leaf logo.

I was first introduced to this god among men through a video featuring limits and continuity in a panicked state after making that fateful decision to take AP Calculus BC, like the already

overstressed idiot I was. Not only did he explain the meaning of life, but he explained how a limit works as well. He knows what he’s talking about.

You almost know what he’s talking about. His confidence fuels your desire to learn. His sweet, powerful voice gives you the boost you need to truly understand complex derivatives. His handwriting just oozes calm, relaxing vibes, and his understanding of practically every AP class that can be offered at Westlake, not to mention the world, is unbelievable.

Perhaps I am envious of his success. Perhaps I am envious of the way he makes difficult concepts seem like a dream. Because it is a dream.

There are more than 647 hours of content on his webpage, practically 21 days worth of footage of Sal, seamlessly steering all of us on the path to greatness... or Harvard. I am currently on day 15.

I haven’t seen my family in two weeks. I’m living

off Red Bull and Cheez-Its. But it’s fine. Because Sal is here right along with me, soothing my distress with his velvety voice. It’s a dream. Maybe a fevered dream. But Heaven, Vaikuntha, Elysium, whatever you believe, it’s right in the tranquil haze of your soft MacBook light at three in the morning, being able to listen to Sal, our one true leader, savior, national hero.

Just going to the Khan Academy website can relieve stress. The war stories of mothers and teachers, whose children also embarked on the journey of Sal, write their own personal stories of the cult experience right on the front page. He inspires them. They, too, have traveled the long but sweet road of Sal and know the power that he bestows upon them within just a few short videos. The students know. The parents know. Perhaps we should broadcast Sal’s face everywhere, to truly inspire the lost souls of children who are just looking for inspiration to learn. Inflatable Sal look-alikes? Sal holographics? I’m still working on it, but I hope to spread the religion that is Sal to my peers so that I will not be alone in my SALvation.

—Claire Schaffer

Shelby Sperling

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11/1/2017 2:37:37 PM

The beginning of a friendship As you weave your way through the tight doorway in the library, you spot Deborah from third period history. You think back to the few conversations you’ve had. She once told you about how she hates her mom and of her aspiration of becoming a daytime talk show host. You have a three-day streak, but does this mean you’re ready to associate outside of history? She smiles, but is it at you? I mean, there are so many other kids in this hallway. Maybe she’s waving at Carlos, he’s a friendly guy. Should I wave or just smile — I don’t want to seem too eager. Oh shoot. She’s already passed. WOW. She put herself out there and you shut her down. You did it again. You overthought the prequel of a potential friendship full of shared PB&Js and hair braiding. How dare you even show your face come third period? Not even Carlos could get past the unnecessary pre-pubescently awkward phase of the beginning of a friendship with you.

Lunch tag scanner tracker thingy TM

en Hel He

“Name?” “Sylvester.” “No honey, it’s by your last name.” “Oh, Stallone.” “There you go.”

Here it is. I hold boxing gloves in one hand, Lunch Tag Scanner Tracker Thingy™ in the other. I feel invincible. I can faintly hear “Gonna Fly Now” playing as I picture myself getting on the bus and buying an overpriced lunch. The new Lunch Tag Scanner Tracker Thingy™ is such a bright innovation. I wonShelby Sperling der if the chip inside will give me radiation.

Eh, best to not think about it. After all, seeing kids sport these handy-dandy gadgets brings me pure joy. If I ever find myself lost in the big ol’ city, I know Adrian will be able to find me using the tracking chip in the handy dandy Lunch Tag Scanner Tracker Thingy™.

Stuff we like

Sh

Mosquitoes

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yS pe

rlin

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Down here in Texas, we have it all. We’ve got rattlesnakes, 110 degree weather, not a hill in sight, cowboy attire and country music that will make your ears bleed. But by far the biggest pull factor has to be the 85 species of mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes have been part of Texan family fun forever. They do everything, from forcing everyone inside to giving a baby deadly diseases. Yeehaw! Mosquitoes are one of the many reasons people come here, and always the reason they stay. And mosquitoes are resilient! No matter how much you spray or swat, they are always there. They are the only constant in my life. Hands down my favorite part about mosquitoes is how easily they can get into houses. Whenever I’m feeling lonely in my house, all I have to do is roll up my sleeves, lie very still and be real quiet. First, I hear the buzzing, then, feel the bites. The sweet, sweet bites.

Pettiness

Oh. So that’s how you want to play it, huh? Two can play at that game. Let me introduce you to my little friend, Mr. Black Screen. Sent. Now I just sit back and — whoa, you responded quickly! Maybe you’ve decided to apologize for being such a child. I open the snap. It’s a picture of the ceiling. It’s OK, I’ve got a counter attack; another black screen, but this time I decide to go the extra mile and add a “k.” I give myself a little pat on the back. Aaand… You left me on opened. Ha! Joke’s on you! Right now I’ve got three seasons of “Total Divas” just calling my name. I’ve got time to wait, sweetheart. I get a notification. What’s that? Oh come on! Did you really just tag me in some artsy picture on your spam that said “you don’t ever have to feel guilty about removing toxic people from your life”? Fine. It’s time to kick it up a notch. I shoot you a quick text: “http://m.wikihow.com/How-to-Be-a-Good-Friend.” It’s called a power move. Nothing could have prepared me for what came next. Hesitantly, I click on your story.

My dog?! You’re hanging out with my own dog without inviting me? Who do you think you are? That’s it! I get to work writing a diss track titled “All My Friends Are Dead … To Me.” Checkmate. I log onto MySpace to drop my new banger of a song when I see it: You removed me from your top eight. I guess it really is over.

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Shelby Sperling

11/6/2017 5:50:09 PM