T h e B r y a n H i g h S c h o o l

NORSEMAN
Volume 46, Number 4 May 2017
www.BryanHighNorseman.com
3450 Campus Drive Bryan, TX 77802
bhsnorseman@gmail.com

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BREAKING NEWS
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Norseman is the best way to
stay up-to-date with the news
& information at Bryan High.
FEATURES
Other features and news stories
can be found online. Upcoming
stories include articles on liter-
ary and the schools response to
concussions through the ath-
letic training department.
SPORTS
To stay up-to-date with
the latest sports scores for
Bryan High School athlet-
ic programs, be sure to visit
bryanhighnorseman.com/sports.
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B7X8sB/vikings
No Parking
Student safety concerns prompt administration to change circle drive rules
Danica Mendes
Co-editor
The circle drive is now a no
parking zone and violators
may be ticketed by the police
department. All visitors are
asked to park in the front lot
and enter the campus through
the secure check-in area before
being buzzed into the school.
These changes have been made
to increase campus safety.
We have asked parents and
people who are coming into
the building to park in the sil-
ver lot instead the silver circle
drive, principal Lane Buban
said. The circle drive is a fire
lane not a parking spot.
There are several safety haz-
ards people create when they
park in the circle drive during
school hours.
Students have been seen
going out to cars in the circle
drive during lunch, Buban
said. They have been ob-
served eating lunch and sit-
ting in cars with people who
we dont know, which is a big
safety concern.
Parents are still allowed to
bring lunch for their children,
but they must come in through
the office to do so as that re-
duces the safety risk to stu-
dents.
Students instead, leave the
front of the building as if they
are going to get their lunch,
Buban said. But get in a car
and leave when they werent
properly checked out and
this is another safety con-
cern.
Visitors are now re-
quired to park in the
silver parking lot that
is attached to the circle
drive. This lot was real-
located as a visitor lot at
the beginning of the year
to make room for all visi-
tors that may come on cam-
pus during the day.
The circle drive is a fire
lane, Buban said. If we have
several cars parked in the cir-
cle drive and we need to get fire
trucks on campus, we cant get
them close to the building and
that would be a huge safety is-
sue.
Not only is the unauthorized
parking an obstacle to emer-
gency, personally it also poses
a threat to the immediate safe-
ty of students on campus.
We also have issues with
kids ordering lunch and getting
food from delivered people we
dont
know, Buban said. All of
those reasons prompted us to
make a decision to work with
the police department to have
parents and visitors park in the
silver lot for anything during
the middle of the day.
Buban has sent out a letter
and three phone calls home
to parents in regards to the
changes of the circle drive and
is working to keep the lines of
communication open with the
public and the school.
I want parents and visitors
to work with us, Buban said.
I want them to work with
the school to help us do the
things that were doing
that are necessary to keep
our students and school
safe.
Though some of the
changes that have been
made this year caused
minor inconveniences
for some, the overall safe-
ty of the school has contin-
ued to improve and benefit
the campus as a whole.
The safety of my students
and this campus is the most
important thing that I see my
job being, paired with their
actual education, Buban said.
Safety and education are the
top two things in my book as
far as how I approach running
the school.

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Page 2 - Around Campus/News

Around CampusNews & events at Bryan High School

Yearbook Orders at Texas A&M University at university or trade school.

There are less than 10
yearbooks remaining for
the 2016-2017 school year.
If you want to guarantee
that you have a yearbook
9:00 am on Saturday, May
27.
All participants must re-
port to the multipurpose
meeting room at Reed Are-
Transcript requests
forms are available in the
registrars office. The first
copy of the transcript is
free, additional copies are

to commemorate this year,
please go to www.smart-
pay.com to place your order
or stop by Rebecca Domi-
nys classroom, 6160.
Graduation Practice
The mandatory gradua-
tion practice will take place
in Gym 2 at 8:15 on Thurs-
day, May 25.
Graduation Information
The graduation ceremony
will be held at Reed Arena
na by 8:00 am.
TAMU transportation is
charging $5 per vehicle for
parking. All graduates will
receive one parking pass
purchased by the school.
As a reminder to seniors,
please follow the clothing
guidelines handed out ear-
lier this semester.
Final Transcripts
Seniors must sign up for
a final transcript if they are
planning to attend a college,
Garden of Love
$2 each.
The registrar will mail
transcripts by June 30.
Project Graduation
Project Graduation will
take place at the Texas
A&M Recreation Center
from 10:30 pm - 5:30 am
on Saturday, May 27. Doors
will be closed at midnight.
Graduates must be pres-
ent to win prizes and if they
leave they will not be al-
lowed reentry.

Bulls eye
Faculty, student enjoy darts competition as way to relax, meet new people
Madi Little
Staff writer
Consistency, accuracy, pre-
cision are all characteristics
associated with athletes and
the sports they participate, but
most people overlook darts
as a competition because its
seen mostly as a hobby where
people just joke around. While
many people are unaware of
the sport itself, its unique re-
quirements make the game
challenging while providing
the opportunity for competi-
tors to be highly competitive
and pursue championships
matches across the country.
School provided a way for bi-
ology teacher Hayley Ask, al-
gebra teacher Paul Ruiz, and
senior Sara Ruiz-Payan to find
the sport of darts.
Another teacher brought
me into darts, Ruiz said.
When I first started working
here, Mrs. Zalmanek invited
me out one night because I
was a new teacher, and Ive
been playing in the league
since.
Dart players can compete
when different dart leagues
form and get sponsored by a
venue.
Each team has their own
dart venue, which creates a
home and away location for
teams to play, Ruiz said. You
get a restaurant to sponsor
you and your team plays out
of that venue.
After being invited to play
darts with a group of friends
and enjoying it, Ask joined
Ruizs league.
We watched them play,
Ask said, and eventually that
night I picked up a set of darts
and started throwing and be-
came pretty obsessed after
that. I think I had my first pair
of darts within a week. tinguished by league play and allowed the team to meet new
Darts is a unique sport in its tournaments, both providing people who they never would
uncommon nature and little different forms of competi- have met otherwise.
knowledge people know about tion. Ive gotten the chance to
it. I mainly play in the league meet so many new people,
I like that darts is differ- competitions, Ruiz said. Ask said. Dart people are
ent, Ruiz There are always really nice, and Ive
said. Ev- different enjoyed meeting people that
erybody leagues that arent just from the College
shoots pool, run year Station area through away
but darts round and tournaments.
takes a little are normally League play, tournaments,
bit of skill, four person or even pick-up games can
and you can teams. If you happen anywhere. Due to the
be competi- get to the accessibility of darts, a game
tive with it end rounds, can be found in almost any
as much as you qualify city.
you want. for the fi- We have gone to a lot of
You can do nal tourna- out-of-town tournaments,
it for fun, or ments. Tour- Ask said. When you go to
be involved naments are places like Houston, Dallas,
in competitive tournaments, a little bit of a different format and Austin, you are going to
leagues, and get the chance to because they are double elimi- find a tournament. Sometimes
meet new people. Its actually nation and are normally much we have been traveling in dif-
pretty cool. more large scale. ferent towns and have found a
Dart competitions are dis- Participation in darts has ...continued on page 3
 Student Spotlight - Page 3

Behind the scenes

Senior works with local station to gain professional skills
Gail Finch
Staff writer
Each night local news an-
chors come into the homes of
community members deliver-
ing polished versions of news
events, weather, and sports.
These people frequently be-
come celebrities in small towns,
but there are dozens of other
people who go into creating the
broadcast. Senior Maya Turner
works behind the scenes to help
create the evening news pro-
grams for KAGS, a local news
station for Central Texas.
A friend in my AV class got
the job before I did and after a
while she referred me to it. My
friend knew I would enjoy it
and she was right. Maya said.
Maya has been working for
KAGS for six months and has
been given the opportunity to
work with and meet new people
at the station.
I like all of the employees
there, Maya said. Theyre nice
and its pretty laid back, and I
get a two hour break between
each news run, so its never too
bad.
Even with the laid back atmo-
sphere of the job, there are still
some difficulties when it comes
to production.
The production part of it
is hard because were dealing
with cameras, the audio, and
the closed caption lines, Maya
said. Making sure that the stuff
doesnt break down during the
show and keeping the anchors
happy is the most difficult part.
Mayas teachers value her
creativity and follow through
in class and believe her unique
characteristics are aspects that
make her an asset at KAGS.
One of the main things that
help her with broadcast journal-
ism is that shes creative, Eng-
lish teacher Lisa Prejean said.
Shes also a person who takes
direction well. If shes serving
as an assistant to someone and
they tell her to do something,
then she will follow through
with and do that.
Along with being able to take
direction, Maya has learned
skills by working with KAGS to
help her in her future.
Time management is an-
other thing that I learned really
well, Maya said. Our show
starts at 6:00, but we have to
have everything ready by 5:30.
Time cues are very important
to them so they know when to
come on and start actually be-
ing anchors.
Being able to manage time
and still get things done is an
important aspect of broadcast
journalism that manifests dur-
ing national events.
Election day is really hectic,
Maya said. I learned how to do
things at a fast pace and still get
them done. The whole day were
making graphics of all the dif-
ferent candidates and constant-
ly updating information. Its re-
ally stressful in a way, because
we do have a time limit on when
we have to get it on air.
Her teachers see her spirit
and recognize that she is capa-
ble of taking things she learns
at school and applying them to
real life situations.
I think its pretty awesome
that she took the initiative to go
after a job she enjoys, Prejean
said. She found a passion in-
side of school and took it out-
side to the next level.
Despite finding interest in
broadcast journalism and tak-
ing the job at KAGS, she plans
on going into the nursing field
in the future.
I was planning on doing
broadcast journalism on the
side in the future, Maya said.
I like to make promotional vid-
eos, and Im also into photogra-
phy. I know its different from
videography, but thats just an-
other thing I have learned and
would like to continue even if
thats not the field I pursue for
work.
Though Maya does not plan
to enter the field of broadcast
journalism upon graduation,
she does see how her experi-
ence at KAGS will help her in
the future.
My job at KAGS has helped
me adapt to different co-work-
ers, Maya said. The sports
anchors and the news anchors
are totally different. In nursing,
I know I will deal with a lot of
different people so that aspect
of working at KAGS will benefit
me the most.

Darts competition darts used in play, there

are also soft tipped darts
which are used with an
...continued from page 2
electric board.
dart tournament to en-
In College Station, most competi-
ter.
tions are steel tipped, Ask said, but
While metal-tipped
soft-tipped can be used too and are
darts are the traditional
cool because you can hook it up to the
internet and play people across the
world.
Participating in darts has also pro-
vided Ruiz a way to bond with his
daughter, Sara.
As I grew up, my dad would take
me to play darts, which was so much
fun, Sara said. I got better and bet-
ter just by playing him because he
would never take it easy on me or let
me win. Now when I play him, Ill oc-
casionally win and wont let him hear
the end of it.
Rather than just playing for fun,
Ruiz and Sara have taken their com-
petitive nature and applied it to tour-
naments to earn several first place
finishes.
Last spring we played on a team
together and ended up winning the
championship, Ruiz said. We are
currently on a team now that is one
of the top teams so hopefully we can
repeat our championship again this
year.
While darts can be competitive, the
sport provides players with an outlet
for stress and a way to spend free time
with friends and family.
I love having darts as a hobby,
Sara said. Playing in tournaments
every now and then is something I
enjoy and will definitely continue.
Sara sees darts as a way to meet
new people, enjoy a hobby, and learn
about life.
I like the people, Sara said. I
definitely would not have met any of
them if it wasnt for darts. I appreci-
ate all the strategies they have taught
me about darts and about life. Its nice
to have something unique in common
with people and grow off of that.
Page 4 - Campus Life

The beat goes on

Indoor percussion drums up support through artistry, skill
Lucy Raleigh task of learning a new instru- I thought that was a cool op- petition. sual and oral. Members have
Co-editor ment might seem like a huge portunity. I joined band in You have to learn music to do what we call communi-
Keeping in-step with com- challenge, students who are 7th grade, so I felt like I was so quickly, in such a short cating with the people at the
plicated choreography, telling driven find the transition en- already one step behind and I amount of time, that your top of the bleachers.
the story of the performance joyable. thought with VIP, I could put skills as a musician grow Apart from the physical
through facial expressions, The challenge makes In- myself out there and develop enormously, junior Hunter demands of VIP, members
and keeping the beat with door more fun when you get a set of new skills. Hoelscher said. Since youre experience mental obstacles
big drums, simultaneously to learn new instruments, VIP members are able so pressed for time, your that help them to gain skills
can be a challenge. Members freshman Brandon Garza to apply their skills to the technique, breathing, and ev- as musicians.
of Viking Indoor Percussion said. Actually getting to marching band season, in- erything as a musician grows. Mental endurance is prob-
manage the challenges that challenge yourself like that is door season, and beyond to You even grow as a person be- ably the number one ob-
come with the production more fun. become stronger musicians. cause you learn to handle all stacle, Ronald said. When
with vigor and determination Some of the most expe- I think the experiences of that stuff. something is new to you, its
evidenced by their first While the experi- fun and fresh, its easy to be
place finish at the Tex- Viking Indoor Percussion were named Scholastic A Champion at the 2017 Texas ences presented by VIP passionate about it. By the
as Color Guard Circuit Color Guard CIrcuit Championships. can help members grow end of the season, the show
earlier this year. on and off the floor, the is still the same show but you
While many mem- more physical activities have to perform it like its
bers of VIP come into can also make the sea- brand new to you.
the program with ex- son challenging. The obstacles presented by
perience as percussion- Getting used to VIP help members to better
ists, some enter will- moving around with understand their art while
ing to learn something something attached to sharpening their skill and
new. you is a challenge in and giving their best performance
If students are will- of itself, Ronald said. on the floor.
ing to take the chal- I wear a snare drum Indoor gives you a much
lenge and start from the which is an extra 20 clearer perspective musically
ground and work their pounds. Thats some- and visually and those are
way up, then Im willing thing you need to have the two major aspects of any
to let them try, VIP di- to train your body to of the marching arts that we
rector Zane Taylor said. adapt to. do, Taylor said. Clarity is
As a result, weve had Physicality is not the very important because what
people that have liter- only demand of VIP, but youre playing needs to be
ally never held a drumstick rienced members of VIP go beyond members have to dig deep to reflected in what youre ac-
before play as well or better gained their footing marching convey their story to specta- tually showing the audience
than any high school percus- through the pro- band, Taylor said. tors. through the drill and what
sionist that Ive ever seen. gram, allowing In general, members Indoor is much more we call bodywork which is al-
Though the them to ex- have become much more physical than marching band most like dancing.
ponen- confident musicians and and its typically more de- Because of the extensive
they gain a greater technical manding in a musical sense time and effort spent to-
proficiency with their instru- with faster tempos and more gether, members of VIP have
ments. expression, Taylor said. In a formed strong, family-like
normal concert setting, its a friendships.
matter of getting the full en- What I like most of all
semble to produce is that I get to be with my
tially in- a n friends, senior Samantha
crease their expertise. Hedstrom said. Its like
Ive been in VIP since 8th Due to the being in a band
grade, junior Ronald Busby short season, VIP mem- family but
said. Mr. Taylor explained bers are forced to be quick oral pic- its smaller,
that it was a good way for on their feet and master their ture for the audience, but so everyone is
younger players to grow and music and routines for com- for Indoor it has to be both vi- closer to one another.
 Student Spotlight - Page 5

Senioritis pushes student to pursue

interest instead of coasting through final year
Danica Mendes on the color guard team, earning him and helps them develop quickly.
Co-editor a spot on varsity after a few Most people who try out for color guard start
There seems to be a greater push to make students short months. with no prior skill, or experience, Debellis said.
plan their future at a younger age. As fourth graders As the director of the color guard, I am perfectly
are expected to make decisions now that will affect open to starting students from scratch, but I would
them in high school. Some- t i m e s love for potentials to come with a good work ethic,
though, students dont a willingness to learn new skills, and a great atti-
know what they are in- tude.
terested in until they Participating in any extracurricular takes work
are older and have been and effort, but when a student starts something
exposed to different ac- new their senior year, they have to stay even more
tivities. Senior Clifton Since our freshman focused to succeed.
Johnson has experi- year Clifton has been in love with the color guard Being on varsity is stressful, Clifton said,
enced this shift in in- terest activity, senior color guard captain Ana Tucker but the accomplishments that we have earned
first-hand and tried some- said. Since hes joined, he has developed a strong is a big eye opener for me. I enjoy it, but its
thing new his senior year. work ethic. He is constantly practicing and en- hard, especially since its my first year, but
I dreamed about d o i n g courages others to do the same. He is a great ex- I just have to keep going at it and
color guard since my freshman ample to follow and demonstrates a desire to be keep getting better.
year, Clifton said. When I was great in everything he does.
in band, I used to watch the color Color guard director Marie Debellis also recog-
guard perform and I always wanted to join, so I did nized Cliftons willingness to work and learn.
my senior year. Clifton has a strong work ethic, Debellis said.
Cliftons hard work has paid off during the year He has developed a strong skill set in a very short
amount of time.
Cliftons
work ethic is only
eclipsed by his
positive attitude
as teammates
use his outlook to
help make them
better.
Clifton is
a great person to
spin with, Ana
said. Hes very
positive, encour-
aging, and moti-
vates his team-
mates to strive
for excellence.
New color
guard members
usually come
with no prior ex-
perience but De-
bellis works with
students who
have a passion
for the activity
Page 6 - Campus Life

Senior strays from norm, enjoys unique interests, hobbies

Jennyfer Tucker
Associate editor
Millennials are labeled as a generation of self-ab-
sorbed, technology addicted citizens, but stereotypes
dont always apply. Senior Sam Opersteny isnt inter-
ested in the latest app or song on Billboards top 100 list,
instead he enjoys spending time outdoors working with
his hands and doing other things not typically associated
with teenagers.
Sam is the quiet kid in class. He is the one who is never
on his phone. He just sits at his desk working without the
distraction so many other students find in their hands: a
cell phone.
I dont have social media and I dont have Netflix on
my phone, but if I did, I wouldnt know what movies to
watch or what games to play, Sam said. I dont listen to
music either. When I get into my car I just turn on NPR
(National Public Radio) so I can listen to the news.
Though Sam doesnt use his phone like most students,
he doesnt find anything wrong with other students being
on theirs.
I just think other students can multitask very well,
Sam said. I cant because it will distract me from school
work and other things that I think are important so I try to
avoid it.
Students also acknowledge the fact that Sam is never
on his phone.
I think its weird how Sam never uses his phone for
anything in class, senior Dominic Wyatt said. Everyone
does, but hes a unique, funny dude.
Though Sam doesnt use his phone in school, that
doesnt mean that he doesnt use it at all, but uses it for
different things that most teens dont use theirs for.
When I do use my phone, I look at KBTX, text family,
watch baseball, and look up trees and plants, Sam said.
Im interested in learning about things around me, like
nature.
Sam plays baseball in his free time, and enjoys it, be-
cause hes played it since he was a young boy.
Ive played baseball for ten years, Sam said. I am a things, people find Sam interesting, because of his good
pitcher. My dad put me in baseball when I was seven, and
Ive loved it ever since.
Other teammates enjoy playing with Sam on the field,
and watching him grow as a player throughout high
school.
Ive played with Sam since freshman year, Dominic
said. I enjoy Sam as a teammate. Hes really good on the
mound.
Sam wants to pursue a career in agriculture, because
his family has done it for generations and he enjoys farm-
ing with his dad.
My ancestors were farmers and I want to keep it go-
ing, Sam said. We grow a variety of things including
peppers, and we raise cows and sell them.
Sams dad has taught him more than the family busi-
ness, he also taught him how to ride a unicycle.
I ride my unicycle like once a week, Sam said. My
dad rode one and told me I should too, and thats when
I learned. I can ride with my hands in my pockets now.
People driving down my street look, but I think its fun,
you dont really see that everyday.
In many teenagers free time they like to hang out with
friends, go to the movies, or go out, but for Sam its com-
pletely different. Though many teens dont do the same
natured personality and his unique hobbies.
I like to plant things, play baseball, and ride my dirt
bike, Sam said. Ive never been to common places most
people have been, like the mall, Chick-Fil-A, Sonic, Wen-
dys, Jack-in-the-Box, Burger King, Roadhouse, Canes,
or even the carnival. My family just goes to the grocery
store instead of eating out, but when we do go out to din-
ner we always go to Longhorn Tavern, and I never order
fries because I find them boring.

Mariachi group plays their way into the hearts of students, community members
Jennyfer Tucker
Associate editor
From a bolero romantic ser-
enade with a soft touch, to hua-
pango which uses a lot of falsetto,
to son jalisiense which involves
an aggressive style of vocaliza-
tion, mariachi music fits many
different settings and captures an
audience hungry for rhythm and
entertainment. Orchestra teacher
John Lemons started a mariachi
group this year after a meeting
with the fine arts director where
they discussed the interests of the
students and community.
The fine arts director, Pat Cor-
bett, and I were getting to know
each other and we were talking
about orchestra, Lemons said.
It was during that conversation
when I brought mariachi up and
he talked about his ideas from
when he was in San Antonio. We
put our strengths together in Oc-
tober, got help from mariachi di-
rectors and clinicians, and from
that day of clinic in mariachi,
weve been blowing and going.
Many students heard about the
mariachi band from friends who
were already in orchestra and
were interested in joining.
It all started when some of
my friends mentioned it last year With a large Hispanic commu- The first time the mariachi the traditions of Hispanic culture
during their free time, sopho- nity in Bryan, the group has been band ever performed in front of while bringing people together.
more Ricardo Franco said. I was well-received and requested for the school was at all of the lunch- The mariachi band went to
at the bus stop with my friends various events around town. es, and they loved performing in state this year and performed
Paola and Alondra and they men- I think the mariachi band front of everyone showing them well as a first year group.
tioned it to me. I asked if I could should have been created years the new style of music. State went well and we scored
join, and they said any- I was a two, Paola said. We had close
one could, so I did. excited to to a perfect performance, and
Though Ricardo is not play in front weve only been playing for five
in orchestra, he loves of everyone, months.
being able to be a part R i c a r d o Lemons has enjoyed directing
of the mariachi band said. I was the mariachi band and plans to
because hes loved that the one who continue doing so.
genre of music since he wanted to do I dont think I could stop do-
was a young boy. it. Once I got ing mariachi even if I wanted to,
It feels great to be a there I got re- Lemons said. Being a part of a
part of the group. I grew ally nervous, group has its ups and downs, but
up singing with ma- because that the mariachi band has brought
riachi music since I was was the first many of the students and com-
little, Ricardo said. Its The new mariachi group plays for students during lunch. time the munity closer because of the cul-
something Ive always school saw tural ties it has.
wanted to do. us. The formation of the maria-
Not only does Ricardo enjoy ago, Lemons said. It definitely Not only did the members like chi band has also helped bring
being a part of the band, but has the culture of the school in it. performing, but many students its members together and form
other band members who have Latino mariachi culture is here, enjoyed their performance and strong relationships.
done orchestra before enjoy play- not only in the school, but in the look forward to watching them At first I only knew Alondra,
ing a different style of music and community itself. Im encour- play again. Paola, and Carlos, but now I feel
think its a way that they can ex- aged to move forward with this The mariachi bands perfor- like were all a family. Ricardo
press themselves and their back- group especially after what Im mance during lunch was great, said. We get on each others
ground. experiencing now playing in the junior Samantha Hernandez nerves, but that happens when
I feel like it emphasizes more community with this mariachi said. It really upped the vibe youre in a group. Once we get on
of a cultural thing, sophomore band and Im getting calls almost of lunch and overall was really stage, we forget about everything
Paola Rios said. Im Mexican, so daily for them to play at parties or good. It brought a lot of culture and just focus on the music.
it comes from my roots. other functions. into the school by focusing on
 Student Spotlight - Page 7
Sophomore sounds off, adds unique beat to a cappella group
Anna Beth Mayerhoff group feel complete. bit more of a newer thing that has The beatboxer, obviously, along
Staff writer If you take Graham out, its just been added in, but I think that it with the bass provides low tones
A baseline beat resonates from the our vocals, sophomore Kayla Callen should start to become more a part which add another layer of interest
stage as the choir begins to sing and said. It feels incomplete, like it isnt of choir, Graham said. Its using and excitement to the performance,
captures the attention of the audi- as modern and contemporary. your voice, and sometimes in choir Medlock said. It turns a song into
ence. Vocal Legacy, the a cappella While beatboxing seems to be a youre supposed to imitate a certain something you can dance to and

Vocal
choir group is composed of some of newer skill added to the repertoire of instrument. gives it more rhythm.
the best singers at Bryan High and a cappella choir, it has been includ- Some assume that practicing these Not only has Graham contributed
in that mix is sophomore Graham ed in Vocal Legacy performances for unconventional sounds is a chal- to the sounds of Vocal Legacy, but
Littlefield who excels at beatboxing. some time. lenge, but Graham has found a way also to the overall attitude of the

Legacy
I started when I was about to be sure of the sounds group.
nine years old, Graham said. that will be incorporated Graham just brings this really
My dad taught me how to do positive energy to
it and my mom showed me our group that we
that there were groups that didnt have without
beatboxed, so I just caught him, Kayla said. I
on. think that he meshes
Grahams passion for the really well with all of
activity only grew as time our other personali-
went on and he discovered he ties.
could continue to pursue it in Grahams passion
high school. for beatboxing grows
I really started to get into it as he improves with
more in middle school, Graham the skill through
said. Ive kept going at it since hard work and deter-
then. mination.
Self-expression is important to Walking around in
Graham and he feels that beat- the hallways, all he
boxing has helped him grow cre- does is listen to his
atively and technically. music and work on
You can express yourself while getting better each
still making sure that the audi- day, and he does,
ence knows what youre doing, Kayla said. He
Graham said. People know what works hard to make
youre doing, but at the same time sure that he contin-
youre throwing in your own style ues to improve.
or showing others what youre Grahams work with
about. Vocal Legacy performs during the Just Short performance during Vocal Legacy has a
When Graham first heard about the first semester. positive impact on
Vocal Legacy, he was inspired to his beatboxing; giv-
join and continue with the added ing him a new per-
influence of beatboxing into a cap- Graham is the fourth beatboxer into the per- spective on his skill
pella choir. that weve had, choir director Alex formance. and ability.
The backup voices can be used to Medlock said. It has become an el- I listen to the sounds or look Before I joined, I thought that
imitate instruments, Graham said. ement in the group that we didnt over measures or what we did in it would be super, super easy, but
Drums and percussion are very im- want to lose, so it was good to find Vocal Legacy, Graham said. I go I have to make sure that all of the
portant instruments too, so I feel Graham. over what weve done and see if the sounds are cohesive, Graham said.
like beatboxing adds that possibly Incorporating this contemporary sounds can be improved at all. Everyone needs to sound good on
lost aspect. It helps bring the vocals aspect of music into the vocals of the Audiences tend to react positively their own and with one another. If
to life. group originally seems out of place to the different sounds of choral there is one part thats off, itll throw
Beatboxing isnt something that to many, but Graham sees it as a nat- voices and beats meeting to create a off an entire song. Everything must
many people associate with a cap- ural addition. unique experience with each Vocal sound perfect together.
pella choir, but it helps make the I think that beatboxing is a little Legacy performance.
Page 8 - Sports

The art of the hand-off

Senior relay athletes pass down ideas of family, team work
Hannah Broussard running with other people better than individual Beal relates to the sadness of leaving behind
Staff writer events. teammates that have become family as she plans
Successful teams are created whenever the Throughout Qs years in track, shes seen that to retire after this year, but the memories that were
members stop relying on the talent of themselves the process of building a united team begins. That created from successful teamwork will stay with
and begin working together. Each individual ath- unity then transfers to a meet. her forever.
lete may be good, but when theyre put together If one person doesnt come to practice and I am looking forward to a great final year as a
theyre great. Seniors Makayla Howard and Quin- theyre on the relay team, Q said, the rest of the coach, Beal said. I plan to retire at the end of the
teria Johnson have found this to be true in track as legs in the race cant run because they will be miss- year, and I am trying to enjoy every minute I have
they run on the relay team. ing a leg to handoff to. left because I have loved my job. I started my life of
Makayla has been doing track since her fresh- The track team builds their bond by spending athletics as a Tiger, but I will die a Viking.
man year, giving her time to gain experience and time together and encouraging each other at prac-
make a lasting impression. tice.
Makayla is precious, track coach Stacy Beal I encourage them to stretch and warm up to-
said. Her smile is contagious. She is realizing that gether and then to congratulate a job
she has a God-given talent, too. She is very fast. well done, Beal said. We often gath-
Q originally began her track career in 7th grade er and I ask the girls if they noticed
and has been on varsity all four years of high good efforts in practice and it gives
school. them a chance to recognize their
Q is my adopted daughter, Beal said. She lived teammates. In the end, we feel
with me for almost a year due to some adverse fam- a sense of team and family.
ily circumstances. This year, I have seen her grow Once this sense of fam-
into a strong leader for her team and I love that. It ily between teammates
took a while, but I am finally seeing the young lady is created, comfort can
I knew she could be. be found in them and
Beal pushes her athletes to work together and nerves begin to subside
rely on each other which helps create a positive with the assurance that
team dynamic. the team with always be
Sometimes its hard for track kids to understand there.
the team concept, Beal said. However, I always If Im running an individual
try to reinforce it in my conversations with them race, I get really tense and tight
and explain how even scoring one point can be the because I dont want to mess up,
difference in a team championship. Makayla said. If Im running
Although track focuses on individual events, with a team, Im more laid back,
group effort is at the heart of the sport. and I feel like my team is going to
My favorite thing about relays is getting a lead be there no matter what.
for the rest of the team, Q said. Its a great feeling Having already experi-
knowing that I contributed to our win. enced this over the last
The relay teams bring a team component to track three years, Q under-
that requires communication and trust. stands how important it
We have four people on relays, so each person is to solidify a team with
plays a part in the race, Makayla said. If one new members.
person in the relay doesnt do their part, then the Ive had to adapt to a
whole relay wont run well, which could ultimately new team with new peo-
cost the meet for the entire team. ple, speeds, and person-
Once the athletes start comprehending the team- alities each year as the
work aspect, they begin to find that this is their seniors graduate, Q said.
favorite part about track and focus less on them- It can be hard, but once
selves as individuals. you get to know the new
My favorite thing about relays is how its a team people it gets easi-
event, Makayla said. I like events where you are er.

Vaulting to new heights
Junior athlete improves while leading by example
Kaywin McCall
Staff writer
His mind is clear. His vision zeroes
in on the target. There is no sound.
The only thing he is aware of is the ob-
ject in front of him: the bar. His task,
get over the bar. Junior pole vaulter
Campbell Webb experiences this at
each track meet.
In 10 seconds there are many dif-
ferent things that can go wrong at
any given moment of the vault. From
the start of the run, to the planting
of the pole, to getting upside down,
getting his hips higher than the bar,
and then falling in a safe way from a
high vertical. Pole vaulting is a sport
that requires extreme concentration.
Campbell has put in the time needed
to perfect his craft to score big points
for the Bryan High track team. Camp-
bell has improved drastically from his
sophomore year from clearing 106 in
the first meet to vaulting 146 outside
his junior year, and his personal re-
cord being 156 indoor.
One of Campbells inspirations for
getting involved in pole vault has been
his dad who pole vaulted in college
and was stationed with the military in
North Carolina while Campbell was a
freshman.
Since my dad got back from mobili-
zation, he has been my coach, Camp-
bell said. Hes been there at every
practice, every meet, every national
championship. Hes always been
there.
Campbell has put in many hours
since his freshman year trying to gain
experience and knowledge on the
sport. Hes a member of the Mac Vault
Pole Vault Academy in College Station
and has competed in many different
track meets for them.
I vault for Bryan High School and
Mac Vault Academy, Campbell said.
I vault with Mac Vault during the off-
season, and Ive competed in national
championships for them, like the US-
ATF National Championships along
with the New Balance National Cham-
pionship.
In addition to vaulting three times
a week, Campbell also focuses on
improving his speed and strength
through bar work and bodyweight ex-
ercises. His work ethic has definitely
paid off.
Campbell has done a great job for
us, pole vaulting coach, Bret Paige
said. He started really focusing on
pole vault his freshman year. One of
the reasons why he is improving so
much is as his body is growing and ma-
turing, hes getting faster and stronger
- but the main thing is his coachabil-
ity. His ability to do what a coach says
and take it to the next level helps the
most.
Another aspect of pole vault is the
team camaraderie that takes place, as
vaulters watch each other and com-
municate what they need to do to get
a higher vault. Junior Christine Mc-
Call holds the girls pole
vaulting record at 11
and sees the impor-
tance of communica-
tion.
In pole vault, you
have to rely on a lot
of other peo-
ple to tell
you what
youre doing
wrong and to
check your step,
Christine said.
Campbell has really helped
me figure out problems with my
own vault and how to fix them.
Campbell not only has big goals, but
he also has people who believe in him
and know that he can achieve any-
thing he works for.
Campbells big goal is to hit 15 in a
meet this year, Paige said. Id like to
see him qualify for area this year, and
go to regionals. Just take it one step at
a time.
After high school, Campbell strives
to compete at the collegiate level.
I would like to pole vault in col-
lege, Campbell said. Im not sure if I
Sports - Page 9
can make a career out of it. Id love to
see it take me to higher levels.
Campbell enjoys the opportunity
that pole vaulting has given him to
represent all of the people and places
that have supported him and have
gotten him to where he is now.
Going to the national competitions
is probably one of the biggest ac-
complishments,
Campbell said.
Its not easy to
qualify for those
meets. Qualify-
ing and being
able to repre-
sent Mac Vault
and Bryan High
School in those
meets is a really big ac-
complishment.
Campbell has one
more year left on the Bryan
High track team, and he has
already made a big difference. He will
continue to do so by encouraging the
younger vaulters.
Having experienced vaulters helps
because not only can the younger kids
just listen to me, but they can see and
learn what an experienced vaulter
does, Paige said. Campbell can show
the younger kids what were trying to
coach and be the visual representa-
tion. He leads by example.
Page 10 - Sports

Jack of all trades

Junior athlete serves team as utility player
Reagan Brown of the pace of
Staff writer the game,
He dives to catch the outfield fly ball. He fields H u n t e r
the fast-paced grounder on the infield before said. Most-
throwing it to the first baseman for an out. He ly though, I
concentrates on the catchers signals before just want to bet-
firing another strike across the plate. Junior ter my team and play whatever
Hunter Van Etten makes sure he doesnt get too position I can to help them.
comfortable in any one position as he is a util- Though Hunter is adept across
ity player for the Vikings and moves frequently. the field of play, he recognizes areas
Hunter developed a passion for the game from he needs to continue working on to be-
an early age and has worked to develop his skills come a better player each time he steps
in every position. onto the field.
I started playing baseball when I was four Hitting is the most difficult part of
years old, Hunter said. When I was little I went baseball because a player can do every-
to all my brothers practices and I really enjoyed thing right, even hit a hard ball, and it
the game and wanted to play. can still go straight to someone for an
Hunters passion for the sport has continued easy out, Hunter said. One of the things
to increase over the years and his high school I need to focus on is making clutch hits
coach, David Powers, has watched him grow and reducing my errors on the field.
from a young age. Hunter and his teammates motivate
Ive known Hunter since he was 10 from base- each other and work together even
ball camp and Little League so Ive been able to when they are down.
see him grow in so many ways, Powers said. Were a really scrappy team,
Its one of the great things about coaching and Hunter said. We need to work hard
teaching in a community such as ours. I get to on winning close ball games because
see players grow from boys to men and enjoy the we play good defense and scratch a
fact that theyve matured. couple every game, so weve got
Powers has seen Hunter develop into an all- to win the close ones.
around player willing to do whatever he can to Hunter leads by exam-
help make the team stronger. ple demonstrating to his
Hunter has impacted the team by being able teammates his commit-
to play multiple positions; outfield, all infield ment and work ethic
positions, and pitcher, Powers said. Hunter as a way to make the
shows up to work everyday. We have a very co- team more suc-
hesive team, and its great to see a junior on a cessful.
team with so many seniors step up and add lead- Hunter is a
ership. good lead-
Having a player who is capable of playing any er, team-
position on the field allows the team to fill in the m a t e
holes when others are having an off day. j u n i o r
Where I play depends on who is pitching, Z a c h a r y
Hunter said. I enjoy being a utility player be- Parker said.
cause if there is ever a position struggling, I can He leads on and off the years, he still continues to look for ways to im-
fill in and do my job. field. Hes a wonderful teammate and hes an prove himself and the team.
While Hunter does have a position he prefers example setter. Hunter always works hard after No matter how good a player is, they can al-
over others, his overall commitment is to his practice, staying and doing extra. Hes doing his ways get better, Hunter said. Im looking for-
team, not himself. best in everything he can. ward to seeing how far we can go in the playoffs
I like pitching best because youre in control Even though Hunter has been playing for and how we can develop as a team.
 Sports - Page 11

Little fish in big pond

Freshman earns medals at state swim meet, looks to future
Payton McKeehan
Staff writer
Swimming is a sport where fractions
of seconds make the difference in med-
aling and hoping for a better time next
season. Freshman Abby Surley has
progressed this season to shave entire
seconds off her time and advance to
state as an individual and a part of two
relay teams. Filling the role of breast-
stroker has been integral to the teams
overall success, helping them earn
both a silver and bronze medal at the
state meet.
Being one of the youngest members
of the swim team can be intimidating,
but Abby finds support in her older
teammates.
Its nice to be a freshman on the
varsity team because of all the older
kids, Abby said. Theyre very sup- until she was 11, so for that kind of
portive and they like to help me with
school and they give me good advice.
Abby favors the breaststroke out of
all the swimming relays because its
the easiest on the lungs, and she has
been doing it for 3 years.
I love the breaststroke for several
reasons, Abby said. One, I get to
breathe every stroke and I dont have swim team dropping time in her main
to hold my breath, two, I can hear ev- event.
ery thing thats going on around me, She has dropped a lot of time,
and three, I get to just chill out because Surley said. When she first started
Im doing less work than everyone the season her 100 breaststroke was
else. at 1:13 and she ended the season at a
Teammate Julia Cook thinks Abby 1:06. For any swimmer to drop 7 sec-
has a lot of potential and has already onds over a 6 month period is a pretty
contributed to the teams success. big deal.
Shes a really strong breaststroker Abbys teammates have watched her
that helped our relay get to state this mature over the season, but with that
year, Julia said. Her coming in made maturity she has kept her silliness too.
a big difference because she was about Abby is super positive, Julia said.
6 or 7 seconds faster than last years Shes always in a good mood, shes
breaststroker. always smiling, and it kind of gives
Abbys mom, Nikki Surley, is also us older swimmers as a sense of light.
one of the swim coaches, allowing her Older swimmers are just more serious
to witness Abbys development from about things so her coming on to the
the beginning. team helps us have more fun.
Abby didnt start doing club swim The coach views Abbys commit-
ment to swimming as one of the key
growth to occur in such a short period components to her success.
of time is exciting, Surley said. As a I think that she is one of the only
mom and a coach, its exciting to watch freshman who is fully committed to do-
her and see whats going to happen ing club swimming and Viking swim-
when she keeps working out with peo- ming, Surley said. She does morning
ple that are going to challenge her. workouts with both swim teams.
Abby has made significant improve- Going to state as a freshman was a
ment in her first year on the varsity major accomplishment for Abby, and
she enjoyed every minute of it.
Going to state was exciting, Abby
said. I was nervous because there was
a whole bunch of people and they were
all looking at everyone trying to see
where everyone was, but everyone was
nice.
The team has improved as a group
this season, and the coaches hope they
continue to work well and push each
other.
Id like to see them get faster, Sur-
ley said. Id like to see them work a
little harder together as a team so that
they know exactly what each other is
doing. Id like them to inspire the other
girls who are pretty close in their time
to bring up their relay times so that
they can take another one to state.
Abby has personal goals for con-
tinuing in her years of high school
swimming and hopes to make it to the
Olympic trials or collegiate level swim-
ming.
I want to try to get 28 seconds in my
50 breaststroke and I want to try to get
to finals in my 100 breaststroke, Abby
said. I want to keep working and im-
proving over the next three years.

The girls track team finished 3rd overall at the
district track meet with 107 points.
In the high jump event, Miranda Golden placed
4th with a height of 410 and KeKe Nowlin placed
5th with a height of 410.
Tatianna Ellis placed 3rd in the triple jump with
a distance of 336.5 and Jadyn Driver placed 6th
with a distance of 322.25.
Cristine McCall placed 4th in pole vaulting with
height of 10.
In the 800 Alise Mack placed 6th with a time of
2:34.73.
Charnell Gibson placed 2nd in the shot put
event with a throw of 379.75.
DaJanae Pharms won gold in the 100 with a
time of 12.68. The 800 relay team placed 1st with
a time of 1:43.07.
In the 300 hurdles Miranda Golden placed 2nd
TRACK BRIEF
with a time of 48.32 and Rayla Hawkins placed
2nd in the 200 with a time of 25.94.
The mile relay team took 3rd with a time of
4:20.02.
At area the 4x200 relay won first with a time of
1:42.57 and the 4x400 placed second just behind
Temple with a time of 4:06.95.
Gibson also advanced to region with a throw of
3710.25 in the shotput to place her in 2nd place.
Golden ran the 300 hurdles with a time of 47.36
to place 2nd and Pharms placed 3rd in the 100
with a time of 13.01. McCall placed ____ in the
polevault with a height of 11 to advance to region.
The boys track team finished 5th overall at the
district track meet with 71 points.
In the discus event, Blaine Bright placed 3rd
with a distance of 1258.5.
Campbell Web took 1st place in the pole vault-
ing event with a height of 146.
Ylijaah Hall threw the shot put 475 to earn 1st
place at district.
The 400 relay team placed 3rd with a time of
43.26.
Gus Hancock won the 800 with a time of
1:55.63. He also took home the gold in the 300
hurdles with a time of 39.47.
In the 200, Larry OGilvie placed 6th with a
time of 22.94.
The mile relay team placed 4th with a time of
3:27.75.
At the area meet Web advanced to region with
a jump of 146 in the high jump event which
placed him 4th.
Hall also advanced to the region event by
throwing for 4th place in the shot put event with
a distance of 4610.6.
Page 12 - Sports Sports - Page 13

Double play Love all

Sisters provide strength, support to softball team
Shannon Keyser other before running back to-
Staff writer ward the dugout as the side is
The hum of the crowd echoes retired. This is a normal occur-
across the field to the pitcher. rence in junior Rebekah Hu-
She takes a deep breath be- bachek and senior Emily Hu-
fore she hurls a softball across bacheks life. The sisters have
the plate. Despite the speed played softball for much of their
and curve of the ball, the bat lives and now play together for
makes contact, and the ball arcs Bryan High.
through the air They both rally around each
into the wait- other and, at the same time,
ing glove of want each other to succeed,
the center softball coach Enrique Luna
fielder. The said. They do a tremendous
pitcher and job of coming together and
center picking each other up.
fielder The sisters started their ath-
grin at letic career at an early age play-
each ing T-Ball, which eventually
morphed into Little League and
finally into high school softball.
Softball is something
Ive always done,
Rebekah said.
I have a lot of
fun with it and a
strong passion for
the sport.
For Rebekah, Em-
ilys presence push-
es her to play her
best and introduces
healthy competition
on the field.
I love competing
with Emily, Rebekah
said. We are always
super competitive
and want to do
better, but we
also encour-
age and
sup-
port one another. This is the outfield, Luna said. Rebekahs for the team.
first year we have really been our top pitcher right now, so it
on the field together. I know starts with them. Its kind of
shes going to pick me up in the funny that theyre both right in
outfield and trusts me on the the mid-
mound. dle of
Although Rebekah is the the field Paholek sisters have taken this
younger of the two, she still en- a n d
courages Emily and motivates behind
her to play to her fullest abili- each
ties every time they step on the other
field. every
Rebekahs a big role model game.
on the team since shes a pitch- Its helped
er, Emily said. I want to do them develop and
my best for her out o n become really good
the field because softball players.
shes doing her Though the girls
job on the have both seen im-
mound. provements with
R e - bekah their skills over the
a n d Emily years, softball has also
work well taught them the value of
togeth- teamwork and supporting
er, and their teammates.
their Softball teaches you that
coordina- even though you may not do
tion has not your best, you still have some-
gone unno- one to pick you up, Emily
ticed and is an said. Since its a team sport, four years ago, she wasnt quite
asset to the entire the weights not all on you. You
team. have teammates who can help
Emilys our you. she is now has been a great pro-
center fielder, so Even though Rebekah was
shes like the quar- not particularly outgoing last
terback and is season, she now takes initiative
the leader to get things done and has be-
in the come a leader and someone her
teammates can look up to.
Rebekah, with the help of
her sister and other teammates,
has really grown in the past
year, Luna said. Last
year as a sophomore,
she was still kind of
behind the pack
and only doing
what she needed
to do. Now shes be-
come a great leader
Sophia Stone
Emily has also grown in confi-
dence and maturity throughout
her years of playing softball.
I think Emilys ready to go
to college now, Luna
said. As a shy little freshman
there yet. To see her develop
and grow into the young lady
was interesting so I tried it out,
cess to watch.
The bond between the two
girls is evident on the field, me active.
and even goes beyond the two
of them and impacts the en-
tire team when they begin a
game.
Their development
has been tremendous,
just seeing them
grow from freshmen
year to junior and se- n i o r
now, Luna said. I think they
have come together as family
on the field and it has helped us out all together as a team.
create a great bond together.
Sisters bring family bond to tennis courts
and have helped each other improve along the
Staff writer
Teams are like families. They count on each
other, hang out together, and come together as a
team. They may not always get along, but in the
end, they always have each others backs. The
concept to the next level in that
the girls are both teammates
and sisters.
I started playing tennis in mid-
dle school, senior Rachel Paholek
said. After I played volleyball, I looked
for a sport that I could play
in the spring. I found
tennis
and fell
i n
love with it so
I kept playing
in high school.
Rachels young-
er sister, sophomore
Kristin Paholek, has
joined Rachel in
her love of the sport.
I started playing tennis in 7th grade
because my sister started playing a
few years earlier and I thought it
Kristin said. I love that its
very fast paced and keeps
The girls have been
playing together
over the past two
years
way.
Playing with Rachel has helped me get to
know the team better, Kristin said. Its nice to
have a role model and someone to look up to and
strive to be like on the same team I am on.
Rachel enjoys playing with Kristin because she
knows she can rely on and support her on the
team.
Its fun having someone to go to every prac-
tice and match with, Rachel said. She is some-
one that I can count on to know what to do.
Their teammates see the positive attitude that
the Paholek sisters bring to the court to help
their team achieve success on and off the court.
Rachel and Kristin bring a hard working at-
titude and motivate everyone to do their best,
sophomore Grace Hendrix said. Theyre always
helping others with things like homework, espe-
cially during advisory after weve missed some-
thing in class.
Although tennis is sometimes considered an
individual sport, both girls strongly believe
that tennis is more about a team than a single
person.
At the high school level, tennis is definitely
a team sport because all of our matches com-
bine to determine whether our school
wins or not, Rachel said. We encour-
age each other on and off the
court all the time and even if were
playing individually, we
want our
teammates to do well.
Kristin has made some sacrifices for
the sport but she loves the times she gets
to spend with her team.
Ive had to give up a lot of class time,
Kristin said. Hanging out with my team
makes up for it. My favorite part of
tennis is all of the bus rides be-
cause we play music and hang
Tennis coach
Randy Stewart has en-
joyed coaching the Paholek sisters and watching
them grow as players and teammates.
Theyre both very competitive, Stewart said.
The more balls they hit the better they become.
Theyve also really opened up with their team
and theyre very personable.
The Paholek family has become involved with
the girls success in the sport, making tennis a
family event.
My parents have to come to matches for both
me and my sister so a lot of times our schedule
revolves around tennis practices and matches,
Rachel said. We make fun trips to Houston and
Austin for tennis tournaments, so its a fun thing
for us to do together.
Tennis has had a positive impact on Rachel
and Kristin and has given them memories that
they will treasure forever.
My favorite memory of tennis would have to
be district tournaments with my team, Rachel
said. Its the end of the season and
its fun to be motivated
together and finish the
season on a high note.
Senior Rachel Paholek goes across her
body with a backhand volley to send
the ball back to her opponent.
picture by: Alexis Martinez
Page 14 - Opinions

Been there, done that

Six tips to survive high school while learning something during journey
freshman year and start all over again, for the very fact that you earned it, just
Tip #2: Listen to your teachers, they I would. I would change the fact that by challenging yourself. It doesnt just
do care. I wasnt as involved as I should have have to be a sport or club either; try an
Teachers are really not the devil. been. This is where all the fun is in high AP class and push yourself academi-
Theyre here for one reason and one school. Your teammates and peers cally. With a little effort, you may be
Jennyfer Tucker reason only, to teach. If someone become your family and you make surprised at what you can accomplish.
Associate Editor didnt have a passion for teaching they memories that will last a lifetime. Be
wouldnt get a degree in teaching and known and be involved, because that Tip #6: Do not whine, appreciate high
High school is where students dis-
become a teacher, so stop thinking that will get you far throughout your high school for what it is.
cover who they are. Its where they
every teacher is out to get you. They school career. Volunteer and help out You would not be who you are at this
decide what direction they want to go
arent picking on you when they cor- for things whenever youre given the very moment if you did not experi-
and who they want to be, stumbling
rect your behavior, they are just trying opportunity and take chances. Whats ence certain things that high school
through different obstacles to get there.
to follow the rules. If they tell you to really the worst thing that could hap- has thrown at you. You would not
From being scared to ask your crush to
tuck your shirt in, please just do it. Its pen? It doesnt have to be just your know what you know now if you did
a dance, to failing a history test because
their job to spot it and your job to fix freshman year, it can be anytime dur- not learn the skills and knowledge that
you stayed up late watching Netflix in-
it. The teachers that you think are your ing high school, because its better late your teachers and classes gave you.
stead of studying, to having a nervous
hardest or meanest teachers are most than never. Make yourself take the You would not be able to cope with cer-
breakdown in the middle of nowhere
likely the best teachers you will ever chance, because its better than saying tain things or know right from wrong,
because assignments just keep piling
have. They want to push you to your you never got to do it. if not for the lessons that your mistakes
one after the other, high school helps
fullest potential and see you succeed; have taught you. You would not have
prepare students for adversity.
thats why they are the way they are. Tip #5: Challenge yourself and do the friends that you can sit around and
Though many people think high
Appreciate them now, because your your best. talk to for hours if you had not been
school is the worst thing ever, there are
professors in college will not have time As I said with taking chances, if youve here to meet them. You would not have
many positives, like meeting people
to care for you out of the thousands of never ever done something before, give the memories that you can dwell on
who you may spend the rest of your life
students they teach. You get what you it a shot. If theres a sport you have nev- for years after this, and the memories
with, making friendships that will stay
get. er played, try out. You may just make you get to tell your children from your
very close to your heart, and creating
the team and find a new hobby. Chal- high school experience. If there were
memories that you will cherish forever.
Tip #3: Make friends, not enemies. lenge yourself to try new things and no such thing as high school, I think
The four years of high school are
I have experienced this first hand. If when you do, do it at your very best, everyone would be confused with life
some of the best years our lives. Even
someone doesnt like you, do not let it because hard work doesnt go un- and who they truly are. Appreciate the
though it may not seem like it now, you
get under your skin. You are not here noticed. You will experience instead of counting down
will realize it once it all starts to come
for them, youre here to take care of the days, hoping each one will pass
to an end. Every year has its lows, but
your business and get on with your life. quickly.
its up to you to make the best of every
Sadly, people who dont even know
situation. here are some tips on how to
you will not like you, but thats reality.
do that.
Be friends with people who avoid dra-
ma, and be friends with people who
Tip #1 High school is not as bad as ev-
are focused and want the best for
eryone says it is.
you like you do for them. Also, be
Yes, sometimes there are days when
kind. Hold the door for someone, let
you dread getting out of bed, but you
someone borrow your notes, be a
have to get over it and just do it. Its eas-
friend to someone, and smile. The
ier to actually get up, do what you have
world needs more bright smiles,
to do, and get it over with, rather than
not mean looks to one another for
skipping and having truancy charges
absolutely no reason. There are
filed. Students say they dont want to
over 2,000 students on campus,
go because of all the assignments they
and we could all benefit from
have. Ive had less homework in my
mutual respect and an effort to
four years of high school than I did
be polite.
when I was in elementary and middle
feel better
school. Just do the work given to you
Tip #4: Get involved. saying you overcame some-
in class and you have nothing to worry
If I could go back four years to my thing and you will appreciate it more
about.

Girl Code
Three unspoken rules to live by for dating, friendship
Every girl
knows the
unspoken
rules of
Girl Code,
Reagan Brown but despite
Staff writer k n o w i n g
these guide-
lines, many girls dont uphold the code. Once a guy
gets into the mix, girls feel that the rules dont ap-
ply to them anymore, but theyre wrong. Guys can
cause longtime friendships between two girls to end
in a heartbeat. The real question is, why? I want to
help refresh the memory of most girls and explain
why its important to remember and honor the Girl
Code.
Rule #1: Dont let boys ruin friendships. When
you have a crush on a boy, your best friend is the one
who gives you advice. They are the person who tells
you when hes secretly looking at you or helps you
gain the courage to talk to him.
When you start dating that guy, dont forget about
your friend. Having a boyfriend can be new and
exciting, but your other friendships are important
too. Talk to your friends and let them know that you
dont want them to feel left out.
Communication is important and your friend will
most likely be understanding if you just let them
know whats going on. Make it clear that you want
to spend time equally with everyone. Its easy to be
blinded by your feelings when a relationship is new,
but you cant forget about everybody else. Chances
What does
girl/boy code
mean to you?
Girl code is not dating
each others boyfriends
and not getting mad when
a girl needs advice.
Sonia Rios, 11
are the relationship with a boy (especially in high
school) wont last, past graduation, but your girl-
friends will always be there for you.
Remember that your friends were there for you
when you had no one else, and will still be there for
you in the future. Friendships between two longtime
friends shouldnt end over a boy. Communicate with
each other, and dont forget: sisters over misters!
Rule #2: Never go after your friends crush. Many
girls have experienced a friend pursuing their crush.
I have been on the receiving end of a friend doing
this and its not fun. The only way this can happen is
if rule number one was violated.
While a friend can ask to see how you would feel,
she shouldnt have to. She should know that you
have a crush on that person and would be hurt if
they pursued a relationship. If they dont ask, then
they are trying to hide it, which is even worse. While
you have every right to be mad if this has happened
to you, there are ways to find a solution.
Be honest with your friend, but most importantly,
be honest with yourself. If youre not okay with your
friend dating someone you had a crush on then talk
to them. Hopefully they will be a good friend, un-
derstand where youre coming from, and back off. If
youre the friend that likes your best friends crush,
you should talk to them.
The conversation might be uncomfortable, but
its still worth it. Explain your feelings to your
friend, and if theyre not okay with it, then be un-
derstanding. Think about your friends feelings and
really think if its truly worth losing your girlfriend
You never fight over a
girl. If she messes with
another guy, its her
fault too, so you stop
talking to both of them.
Austin Lawson, 11
Whoever can treat her the
best gets the girl. Its like a
competition.
Cabien Manahan, 12
Opinions - Page 15
for over boy. If you value the friendship with your
friend, dont betray them over a guy. If you end up
with the guy, dont rub it in, no matter if you were
the first person with the crush or the second.
Rule #3: Be understanding. If you find yourself
on the other side of the equation and you are the
third wheel, be patient.
Once a friend is in a new relationship, itll seem
like they are spending less time with you, and they
probably are, but they have added another person
into their life. Even if its difficult, being selfish wont
help a friendship and you have to come to terms
with the idea of sharing your best friends time with
the new person in their life.
Dont treat your friend poorly because they
brought someone new into their life. Dont start
drama even if you dont like the guy, instead make
an effort to get to know him.
Im not saying to keep your mouth shut if he truly
is a bad guy, but your friend is more likely to believe
you if they think you are on their side and making an
effort too.
Although there are many rules that go along with
the Girl Code, these three are the most important.
Too many great friendships are ruined simply by
the lack of communication between two people and
because girls idolize boys too much that they forget
who their real friends are. Its totally fine to date
and fall in love, just remember to put your sisters
before your misters. These rules are complicated be-
cause, for the most part, they are unspoken, but that
doesnt mean they can just be ignored.
I think Girl Code
means that whatever
happens between you
and your best friend,
shouldnt be broken.
That bond cant be
broken.
Georgia Van Hyfte, 11
Page 16 - Opinions

Get up, get active, get healthy

Making positive decisions, following through can change a life
extremely beneficial to I also became very involved you have to work for it. From but it is worth it. I know many
any high school athlete with the powerlifting team belonging to a couple different who are intimidated by enter-
looking for the edge on this year as a junior. Im the sports throughout high school, ing a Crossfit box, but once
their opponent. 130 pound girl who is repping Ive noticed a common theme. they do it, they usually end
I started doing Cross- 135 pounds on bench press, Many athletes hate the weight up saying, wow, I was not ex-
Kaywin McCall fit the summer after and is squatting and deadlift- room. Actually, a lot of athletes pecting that at all!. Crossfit is
freshman year at Cross- ing two times my bodyweight. hate the weight room. Having an amazing tool that gives ath-
Staff writer
fit Aggieland in hopes None of that would be possible a consistent weight routine (or letes an opportunity to further
What do you think of when of making the varsity if it werent for Crossfit and a consistently varied weight their success, if they take ad-
you hear the word, Crossfit? basketball team sophomore the trainers at the gym (com- routine, like crossfit) is ex- vantage of it.
Do you think, that sounds year. After a summer of hard, monly referred to as the box tremely beneficial in athletics. Once someone tries it and
hard or those people are consistent work I made the in the Crossfit community). Workouts in the weight room feels the high of accomplish-
crazy, or youll get hurt do- team. I came into the school Ive overcome many injuries make the difference between ment after a tough WOD
ing Crossfit? What if I were year as one of the stronger and from basketball and a bad good and great teams. Lifting (Workout of the Day), they
to tell you those are all true. better conditioned athletes back injury, but I have taken increases strength, endurance, want to keep coming back.
It is hard, most crossfitters thanks to Crossfit. My verti- advantage of the opportuni- and overall conditioning. All Any athlete would know, the
are crazy for challenging their cal increased, and I didnt get ties granted to me at Crossfit three are crucial in any sport. feeling of accomplishment
bodies and for pushing them- tired on the court. I have never Aggieland to strengthen the The weight room can not be and the feeling of pushing
selves to the absolute max, been the most talented player, muscles surrounding my in- overlooked when looking for your body past its limits is the
and there is a chance of getting but I was always the player juries and to become healthy a successful career in athletics most satisfying and addicting
hurt if you dont take the time willing to go the extra mile, again, and to continue com- or to have a successful season. feeling. I strongly recommend
to learn proper form and body to work the hardest and most peting at my top level. Ive heard many people say, Crossfit to anyone looking to
mechanics. Crossfit consists of consistent. Throughout my I strongly believe that as an Ill never be able to do that, improve their fitness while
constantly varied movements sophomore year, I found my- athlete you will never reach Thats a lot of weight, Well, having a good time. Crossfit
performed at a high intensity self going to the 5am Crossfit your full potential if you do what does it matter? Im good Aggieland offers a free week
level. All crossfit workouts are class 3-4 times a week, along not have a strong work eth- at this so itll compensate for to anyone who is interested
based on a mixture of weight- with having practice after ic in the classroom, field or that weakness. What a ter- in Crossfit and wants to try it
lifting, gymnastics, running, school and extra work in the court, or in the weightroom. rible mindset. You can do any- out. They also have a free com-
rowing, and more. Crossfit weight room after practice. I I strongly believe that if you thing you set your mind to, if munity WOD at 10am on Sat-
is for every age group, and was focused on improving my want to achieve greatness you just try. It takes time to urday mornings. You can find
all workouts can be modified strength and conditioning to you can not slack off in any learn weightlifting form, new more information on cross-
to fit any fitness level or dis- better improve the basketball of these three places. Its not movements, and to get up to fitaggieland.com Look into it,
ability. Crossfit can also be team. enough to want something, speed on the intense cardio, you wont regret it.

How has Crossfit has pushed me past my expecta-

tions physically and mentally by creating
obstacles for me to overcome. Community Crossfit has benefited my

Crossfit is such a big part of our gym and Ive made

some amazing friends that I know will
self-esteem and made me
feel empowered to conquer
all types of challenges.
helped you?
continually push me and be there for me.
Kelsey Crawford, 11 Mackenzie Jones, 12

Crossfit has made me a more confident person

Im competitive. That mentality overall and allowed me to be in the best shape I have
didnt leave when I stopped play- ever been in (even when I was a college athlete).
ing sports, so Crossfit is my outlet Crossfit allows me to keep the competitive edge I
to compete against others. always loved being a softball player, and can also
Jordan Menking, faculty become healthy, fit, and strong at the same time.
Calli Wood, Faculty

13 reasons why not
Series misrepresents important issues
Lucy Raleigh
Co-editor
WARNING: If you plan on watching
13 Reasons Why and youre behind
the curve, dont continue reading this
article; Spoilers lie ahead!
As high school and teen shows go,
it can be understood that a major-
ity of the storylines, characters, and
settings may be unrealistic. When a
show and its writers take themselves
too seriously, it can be reflected in just
about every aspect of the show: from
acting, to dialogue, to the entire story
itself.
The Netflix original
13 Reasons Why was
an immediate hit upon
its release on March 31,
effectively resurrecting
the story of Hannah Baker,
originally told in Jay Ashers
2007 novel of the same title.
The show and the novel are not with-
out their problems, most of which
deal with poor representation of real-
world issues plaguing teens all over
the world.
I had hope that the show would take
time to treat this touchy subject appro-
priately, but it failed to do so. Suicide
and self-harm are very serious and im-
portant topics to discuss among teen-
agers. Of course, as with all important
topics, there are right and wrong ways
to go about the discussion. 13 Reasons
Why makes an attempt at bringing the
subject of suicide to light, but it fails
at connecting the mental health issues
that often coincide with suicide. Ig-
noring this aspect of such a controver-
sial and sensitive topic is problematic
to many viewers experiencing mental
illness and/or suicidal thoughts and
actions, since the show misrepresents
something so common that is already
misrepresented in media and enter-
tainment across the board. By mis-
construing something so serious, the
show manages to trivialize the issue of
suicide.
If you didnt already know, the main
character, Hannah Baker, commits
suicide. Before ending her life, she re-
cords 13 tapes, each tape documenting
how a person pushed her towards the
edge, inadvertently or not. The events
depicted from Hannahs point of view
are often skewed, providing the listen-
ers with only her truth. As each per-
son listens to the tapes (in order of
appearance on the tapes), they learn
of how their actions affected Han-
nah and how those actions lead to her
death. The tapes get passed on to each
person men-
tioned, and so on and
so forth. As teenagers of-
ten do, many of the charac-
ters defended themselves against
Hannahs word and resented her for
calling them on the carpet for their
wrong-doings.
Now, before getting to the idea that
Hannah was justified in recording the
tapes and persecuting each of the peo-
ple in her life, viewers must take note
of one thing: many of the things that
happened to Hannah were either her
fault or not that big of a deal. Many
of the issues happening in Hannahs
life before her death could have been
solved or avoided with some simple
confrontation, especially when she
and her former best friend Jessica be-
gan to drift apart or when Ryan anon-
ymously published Hannahs personal
and revealing poem. While a majority
of the events were somewhat nominal,
and the show should have done a bet-
ter job making a point of that. Hannah
was justified in recording a tape about
the wealthy typical jock character,
Bryce, who (in the last episode) rapes
Hannah and earlier rapes Jessica.
The rape scenes of both Jessica and
Hannah were the two most difficult
scenes Ive ever sat through in any
TV show Ive watched. Its important is guilty of doing the same.
that those scenes are awkward and
uncomfortable, because people need
to understand (though a TV scene will
never be able to truly convey the hor-
ror of rape and sexual assault) how
moments like that feel for the victim
and how they feel afterward. Though
the scenes were trying, I can appreci-
ate the atti-
tude taken
by the directors and
producers to expose the
act of rape and show the
way the victim is taken
advantage of by the at-
tacker and the way rape can strip the
victim of their dignity and confidence.
To get the full understanding of what
the directors intended for the rape
scenes, take the time to watch 13 Rea-
sons Why: Beyond the Reasons, the
20-minute behind the scenes segment
about the show.
The fact that Hannah adds so much
drama to her own life makes her al-
most impossible to like, which is not
the best thing for any main charac-
ter. The other main character, Clay
Jensen, is slightly more likeable. The
Opinions - Page 17
shows story centers around Clays re-
action as he listens to Hannahs tapes,
which is unnecessarily drawn out
because it takes him way too long to
get through the tapes. Clay is brought
up later in the tapes, since Hannah
blames him for not doing enough for
her before her death, even though she
The show focuses too much on
blaming teenagers and not enough on
solving problems. By lumping sexual
assault, bullying, and normal teenage
issues together, many teens may be
confused on the implications of their
actions. Clay feels to blame because
he didnt pursue his relation-
ship with Hannah
more, but this
was poorly con-
veyed and could
easily be con-
fused with the
idea that someone
should date some-
one else to keep them
from committing suicide.
The show is dramatic with-
out providing solutions and
misrepresents many things to
do with self harm
and suicide.
Overall, the
characters of 13
Reasons Why
arent easily like-
able or relatable,
and the storyline
lacks the substance needed to proper-
ly convey the issues of suicide. Most-
ly, it comes off as another lazy way to
create buzz and capitalize on an is-
sue without considering the implica-
tions. If youre feeling like you need
to be in the loop, go ahead and watch
the whole 13 episodes. If you feel like
you could spend your time watching
something thats more worth your
time, try a more realistic high school
drama like Degrassi or Freaks and
Geeks.
Page 18 - Opinion

Waste of safe space

Real issues overshadowed by trivial disagreements
Gail Finch
Staff writer
Reliving a traumatic experience at the
mention of a specific word or phrase,
noise going off, or the sight of a famil-
iar face is nothing to take lightly. Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a
very real concern, is taken seriously
in most cases and is appropriately ac-
commodated for serious cases via safe
spaces. Safe spaces are a good idea for
those who need a place to calm down
from panic attacks, PTSD attacks, or
harassment. However, over the past
five years, theres been the used and
public opinion of safe spaces.
This controversy surrounding safe
spaces is mainly an issue on college
campuses, with a stereotype of it be-
ing on behalf of the liberal arts stu-
dents, who seem to be expected to ask
for a safe space away from ideas that
trigger them and oppose their ideas.
This trope trivializes the idea of hav-
ing a safe space for people with seri-
ous conditions and is causing people
to not take the idea as seriously as
they should. College should be a time
to challenge ideas and discuss things
with people who are different than
you. Dont let it become an echo cham-
ber where you surround yourself with
only like minded people.
PTSD is a real and serious disorder
that affects the lives of many people
in a negative way. It affects veterans,
victims of sexual assault, victims of
abuse, or anyone who has faced a trau-
matic event and is usually triggered
by something such as loud noises, a
phrase, smell, or anything related to
their experience. Trigger warnings
and safe spaces were developed in
order to help people cope with these
things on a daily basis, but are now be-
ing trivialized by the drama queens of
the internet who feel as though their
beliefs are constantly being challenged
and attacked.
Having and discovering different
opinions is what the world is about.
There is no clear right or wrong answer
on anything, so to get emotional over
someones opinion because it doesnt
align with yours is rather close-mind-
ed and ignorant. If you arent open to
other opinions, how do people learn
things? Progress has been made with
differing opinions, with things such
as the civil rights movement, the gay
rights movement, the womens move-
ment. Their opinions were different
from the norm and change eventually
came about when their differing opin-
ion was listened to and considered.
Some people would probably try to
correct me by saying that safe spaces
provide a false sense of security for
people feel threatened by society or
by their peers. I sympathize with that,
but my advice is to confront the issue.
Your hurt feelings cannot be as bad as
someone elses mental suffering, so
dont hide from the issue. If you do,
youre letting the issue win and have
power over you. If you have anxiety
over the issue, talk to someone; an
advisor, counselor, anyone you think
might give you the best help and that
would be conducive to solving the is-
sue.
Trivializing something that helps
people with severe mental issues
and those fearing for their safety for
real reasons is not something to take
lightly. Instead of hiding from your
problems and claiming that you need
a safe-space from problematic ideas,
think about what youre doing. In-
stead of educating yourself to your
full potential, youre hindering your
world view to the few hundred follow-
ers you have on social media and not
getting the full story on anything out-
side of your sphere. Instead of ignor-
ing people or blocking everything off,
try to see a different side and adjust
your views accordingly. Open your
eyes to what others see and, more im-
portantly, why they see it that way. Its
okay to disagree with people and still
be friends. In fact, it should only make
you stronger if you surround yourself
with people who have various views
and are also capable or discussing
things in a mature manner. Safe spac-
es are important, so dont turn them
into a joke because you cant handle a
simple disagreement.

What happens I mostly turn up the

volume in my car and tell
myself tomorrow is a new
I usually lash out for no
reason and get extremely
angry when I feel anxious.

when you feel day and that if Beyonce If I can make it home, I
only has 24 hours and if hold my dog in a quiet
she can do it, so can I. room until I am calm.

anxious?
Banessa Arredondo, 11 Faith Dorman, 11

I avoid everything and I ignore people when I fidget when I feel

everyone around me I feel social anxiety by anxious and avoid people
and tell myself it will be plugging in my so I dont have to talk.
okay. headphones to block I also try to control my
Vaneza Palma, 11 everything out. breathing.
Maddie Giles, 11 Kylie Thurman, 11
 Opinion - Page 19

Cautionary tale
Social media requires forethought before posting
In many situations, a peoples lives, I think it makes his past social media throughout The internet records every
good idea can turn into a sense. his entire bootcamp and train- keystroke and photo uploads
bad decision in the long If someone is worried about ing process. Luckily, he didnt are quickly archived. Did you
run. Pictures and cap- something that they post on have anything that was improp- know that you cannot delete a
Madi Little tions posted on social social media, it is most likely er or unsuitable that would have photo from Facebook? While
Staff writer media networks such as due to something inappropri- caused him to no longer be a you can remove it from your
Instagram, Facebook, ate or irresponsible. Employers candidate for the public servant profile and the button is labelled
Twitter, Tumblr, or and colleges may want to avoid occupation. If you dont have delete, Facebook keeps a copy
Hashtag. Ating. Trending. even Snapchat can affect people who post inappropriate anything inappropriate lurking that is associated with your pro-
Tweeting. Snapping. The inter- someone for the rest of their life. things and see them as a poor fit on an account associated with file forever. On many occasions,
net streams social media into While posting a picture of for their program. This is why it your name, you shouldnt have law enforcement has been able
teens lives every waking mo- you hanging out with a group of is important to maintain proper anything to worry about. The to track people and their activi-
ment of the day. Social media friends or tweeting your favorite social media etiquette before it people making a scene about ties based purely on their inter-
has become the communication lyrics to a song may seem inno- comes time to apply for college the situation are the ones whose net activity. The footprint you
form of choice with teens which cent at the time, the outcome of and jobs. Keeping photos and social media is filled with pic- leave on the internet is large and
comes with the good and the these decisions could have per- captions away from vulgar or tures and posts unworthy for a will continue to impact your life
bad. It allows them to express manent effects on your life. A inappropriate language is a ne- professional occupation. in the future.
themselves and communicate debate has arisen over whether cessity when it comes to social There are negative experienc- Social networking is here to
instantaneously with family, or not employers and school media etiquette. es surrounding people that have stay, and it shows no sign of be-
friends and strangers, but many officials should examine past I have seen this issue take once chosen to post unaccept- ing a fad or slowing down. It is
times those participating in the social media posts when decid- place first-hand. When my un- able things on social media, like ingrained in both the workplace
realm of social media arent ing whether or not someone is cle was in training to be a State people losing their jobs, health and social spheres; the impor-
aware of the risk that comes a good fit. While many believe Trooper, he was unaware that insurance coverage, and even tant thing to remember is to al-
along with such a public space. this is an invasion of privacy in his sergeants were looking on their relationships. ways think before you post.

Funding educational television
Though many would argue that tele-
visions should not raise children, the
reality is, for many, that the best they
can do for their child includes working
two jobs to put food on the table and a
roof over their head. In those situations,
children turn to television for entertain-
ment and a way to fill their time.
The Public Broadcasting Station
(PBS) programming provides educa-
tional shows that are interesting to chil-
dren while also teaching them about
language, math, science, and any num-
ber of other things that will help them
stay on track with their peers before
they enter kindergarten.
As a country that does not support
pre-school education across the board,
many of the kindergartners enter school
without knowing their letters and num-
bers. The elimination of PBS would fur-
ther hinder the abilities of young chil-
dren while creating no positives in its
wake.
With such legendary programming
as Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Dragon
Tales, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Cu-
NORSEMAN
rious George, generations of children
have benefitted from the programming.
PBS allows grandparents, parents,
and children to sit down together and Staff writers
enjoy the same quality programming Gail Finch
from each of their childhoods, provid- Adviser Payton McKeehan http://www.
ing a platform of discussion and a way Rebecca Dominy Hannah Broussard bryanhighnorseman.com
for them to bond. Reagan Brown
PBS not only provides childrens edu- Co-editors
Mackenzie Johnson http://www.twitter.com/
cational television, but also shows like Danica Mendes
Shannon Keyser bhsnorseman
Masterpiece Theatre, NOVA, and other Lucy Raleigh
Megan Krenek
adult programming.
Madison Little http://www.facebook.com/
These adult programs center on cul- Associate editor
ture and science while providing fami- Anna Beth Mayerhoff
Jennyfer Tucker BryanISDBryanHigh-
lies with interesting shows. Kaywin McCall
Norseman
With many families cutting cable and Sophia Stone
turning to over-the-air television, local
PBS stations have become even more The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the
important as a way to provide quality administrators, faculty or staff of Bryan Independent School District.
programming to the masses. Submissions to the editor are welcomed, but must be signed and should not
Eliminating PBS from the budget exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the
would only free up 0.012% of the bud- interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing
get which is like deleting a single text on
obscene or libelous material will not be considered.
a phone when you are trying to make
room to download a two hour movie.
Bryan Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race,
--The Norseman Staff religion, color, national origin, sex, or handicap in providing education services.
Page 20 - Entertainment
Going rogue
New Star Wars movie fills in space left between episodes
Shannon Keyser
Staff writer
A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away are the words that begin
some of the most famous Hollywood
movies ever produced. Captivating
audiences with lightsaber duels, X-
Wing and TIE Fighter battles, and
the Skywalker legacy, Star Wars has
become a franchise famed around
the world. Recently, Disney decided
to continue the saga by releasing The
Force Awakens, the seventh install-
ment of the series, in December 2015.
Along with the new episode, they also
released Rogue One: A Star Wars
Story. It is not technically an episode,
but instead tells the tale of the mis-
sion to steal the Death Star plans that
are later used in episode 4. Overall,
I thought it was a great movie and a
wonderful way to enrich the series.
Before I begin, I must give mention
to something that helped me under-
stand Rogue One on a much deeper
level. Accompanying the movie was a
book, Catalyst, which tells about the
Erso familys past before the movie.
If anyone has concerns that it is not
canon (meaning the book is accurate
and lines up with the real plot), know
that the author worked with Lucas-
film and the producers of Rogue One,
who consider Catalyst an important
supplement.
In the book, readers are introduced
to Galen Erso, a brilliant scientist
who studies Kyber crystals as a way of
providing energy to to planets where
access is limited. Unfortunately, he
lives in the unstable times of the post
Revenge of the Sith world, and though
he tries to stay neutral, he finds him-
self dragged into working with the
Empire through an old friend, Orson
Krennic. Krennic wants to use Galens
knowledge of Kyber crystals to create
a super-weapon space station being
built called the Death Star. Krennic
hides the fact that Galen is develop-
ing a super-weapon and deceives him
to creating much of the Death Stars
weaponry. In the end, Galen, his wife
Lyra, and his daughter Jyn flee to a
remote planet to escape Krennics in-
fluence. There is much more besides
in the book, but it is at this point that
Rogue One takes over.
Rogue One, as previously stated,
is the story of the mission to seize
the Death Star plans. Probably the
hardest part of scripting the movie is
the fact that any person who has
watched the Star Wars movies
already knows the ending: they
are successful in obtaining
the plans. Somehow,
the screenwriters had
to figure out a way to
get the viewers question-
ing what they already knew and
attached to the characters.
The main team of Rogue One
consists of Felicity Jones as Jyn
Erso (Galens daughter), Diego
Luna as Cassian Andor (a member of
the rebellion who strictly follows the
rules), Donnie Yen as Chirrut mwe (a
blind man who has complete trust in
the Force), Wen Jiang as Baze Malbus
(nearly the opposite of Chirrut but
his best friend), Riz Ahmed as Bhodi
Rook (former Imperial pilot), and
the reprogrammed Imperial droid
K-2SO, voiced by Alan Tudyk. In all
honesty, it was difficult to keep track
of whos who when watching since
they dont often say the names out-
right and some actors look similar.
Even though the team doesnt always
get along, they end up being a formi-
dable fighting force.
Jyn is the most dynamic charac-
ter in Rogue One. In the beginning,
she starts out not caring about the
Empire or the Rebellion. In fact, she
doesnt really care about anyone ex-
cept for her family. Over the course
of the movie, she becomes one of the
most devoted people in the Rebellion.
Watching the change unfold is one of
the most amazing parts of the film.
Overall, my favorite character was
K-2SO. As a reprogrammed Imperial
droid, he gives some of the best lines
in the entire movie. In his first en-
counter with Jyn, she begins to fight
against him and he says in a com-
pletely deadpan voice, Congratula-
tions. You are being rescued. Please
do not resist. Throughout the movie,
he provides humor in much-needed
circumstances, always unintention-
ally. When Jyn and her friends are
debating whether or not
one of their plots will work
and if they will die in space, he very
seriously says I can survive in space.
When you watch the movie, keep an
eye on K-2SO and feel free to laugh.
Galen Erso (played by Mads Mik-
kelson) is a mystery to the Rebellion.
Even though he works for the Empire,
he supposedly has a message for the
Rebellion about a fatal weakness he
designed in the Death Star. Jyn al-
ways loves and trusts in him and be-
lieves that he cant possibly really be
working for the Empire. However,
there is the constant question of is
Galen good or bad? that keeps the
viewers on the edge of their seats.
Orson Krennic (played by Ben Men-
delsohn) is the character that I love to
despise. Hes power-hungry, whiny,
and will not let anyone get in the way
of him completing the Death Star, not
even the Empire itself. Though he is
temporarily scared into submission
by Darth Vader (who makes a full,
glorious return that makes the view-
er really understand why he was so
feared), that is only a temporary set-
back. Unfortunately for Krennic, his
ambition is his weakness, as revealed
towards the end of the movie.
The characters werent the only in-
teresting part, though. The plot itself
was compelling. Even though I al-
ready knew the result, I was holding
my breath at several points, wonder-
ing what was going to happen next.
To my surprise, it took a while for
the actual mission to steal the Death
Star plans to begin. Much of the rest
of it was acquiring the news of
the Death Star plans and then,
learning what the flaw in the
Death Star was. Throughout
this, there was a lot of character
development and clues to
help the viewer un-
ravel who was good
and who was bad.
Scenes are often
action-packed, and
those that arent are
full of the tension that often accom-
panies galactic politics. The audience
is given a broad spectrum of emo-
tions, from heart-stopping fear, to
uncontainable joy, to gut-wrenching
sadness.
As much as I loved Rogue One, I
would not recommend watching it
without first seeing at least A New
Hope, and preferably the complete
series. If someone doesnt see it, they
will lose the so thats why it hap-
pened! aspect of the film. If they have
watched all of the Star Wars movies,
though, then this is definitely next on
the list to watch. There is a bit of vio-
lence and explosions, so I would not
recommend taking young children
to see it. I have been alarmed by see-
ing the number of unusually young
children who have watched Rogue
One. In short, be cautious and make
sure that if you show the movie to
kids, they are mature enough. Over-
all, this is a wonderful addition to the
Star Wars universe and Im happy
the original series has been expanded
with movies like Rogue One.

La la lame
Musical message falls flat, misses mark
Lucy Raleigh
Co-editor
Though 2017 is still in its
early stages of life, the year
has proven promising for
the box office. With the suc-
cesses of movies like Hidden
Figures, Get Out, and Moon-
light, the 2017 movie-scene
has been set for films with
messages for the masses.
While there is hope for pow-
erful films during this box-
office year, there are some
films that seem to fall short
of this expectation, specifi-
cally director Damien Cha-
zelles La La Land.
Before I begin, I
would like to estab-
lish something: I
didnt hate La La
Land. I
thought it was a beautiful
film with nice colors and cin-
ematography, but my com-
plaints about the film as a
whole outweigh the things I
liked about it.
Before I went to see La La
Land, I was excited so see
what many were calling the
movie to bring musicals back
to life. I love a good movie-
musical, especially ones with
over-the-top dance numbers
and heartfelt ballads (with
West Side Story being my all-
time favorite movie-musical).
Somehow, despite my appre-
ciation for on-screen singing,
I was unable to fully appre-
ciate the musical numbers
in La La Land. It
quickly
became apparent that Emma
Stone and Ryan Gosling are,
in fact, not singers. While
there is some recognition
due for the both of them for
performing each of the songs
with confidence, it ruined the
musical experience for me. I
would much rather go see a
musical and be blown away
by impressive vocals than see
what was just a normal film
with a few unimpressive mu-
sical numbers sprinkled in.
While the musical numbers
were mediocre on their own,
they were also unneces-
sary. Yes, La La Land
was a musical,
but the more
I think
City of Stars is a whole
about
it, the
more I intimate moment between
w o n d e r :
did it really
need to be? The
plot of the film is
simple: a spirited
young woman tries
to make it big as an
actress in Los Ange-
les, and a brooding
young man tries to
establish his own jazz
club and bring life back
to the jazz genre while
still maintaining its origi-
nal sound. By chance, Mia
(Emma Stone) meets Se-
bastian (Ryan Gosling) as he
mindlessly plays Christmas
songs on the piano in a fancy
restaurant (a job of which
has no meaning and provides
no joy for Sebastian). After
a few more encounters, the
two end up together, build-
ing up a sweet romance full
of cute moments as well as
trials and tribulations.
Now, this sort of plot
sounds like it would be per-
fect for musical moments,
but the film somehow man-
aged to miss the mark on
that front. The songs were
almost alienated from the
plot of the film and didnt
seem at all necessary for the
plot and character advance-
ment. From the opening
song Another Day of Sun,
a fun song about the hustle
and bustle of Los Angeles
wrapped up in an elaborate
dance routine the upbeat
nature of the film and its
setting is established, but
is lost with other slower
songs like City of Stars.
Dont get me wrong, I en-
other animal. The first time I
heard the song, it had its own
special appeal, creating an
Mia and Sebastian, but with
its many reprises, the song
lost its pow by its final play at
the end of the film.
Despite the plots simplic-
ity and ease, it still man-
aged to contain holes. One
plot hole I got hung up on
was what happened to Mias
three roommates, of which
all shared a beautiful dance
routine full of vibrant color
and big sound. After this, we
never saw the three friends
on the screen, leaving me
wondering. Another hole in
the story was that of Sebas-
tians sister, who served as
the concerned family mem-
ber looking out for her broth-
er and advising him to take
the safer route in life. Like
the missing roommates, Se-
bastians sister disappeared
from both the screen and the
plot.
Entertainment - Page 21
While these characters
were somewhat unnecessary
for the plot, one character
that was necessary, but still
a little odd, was Keith, played
by musician John Legend.
Keith, Sebastians old friend,
was portrayed as somewhat
of an antagonist whose main
motive was to revolutionize
the face and sound of Jazz
and Sebastian is not on board
and learns things about him-
self as both a person and a
musician. When I first saw
John Legend on the screen,
I was surprised. I thought
the way his character worked
with the story was interest-
ing, as well as the fact that he
was a part of the cast at all.
joyed watching and listening
to Legend in the film (even
if he was the bad guy), but
I thought it was odd how he
was the only main character
of color in the whole film, es-
pecially since its a film with a
main part of the storyline be-
ing about jazz music. It would
have been nice to see a wider
variety of actors portrayed in
a movie that finds its roots in
jazz music.
Though there were plenty
of things I didnt enjoy about
the film, I will have to give
mention to the artistry of the
film; from its beautiful use of
color to its smart use of cut-
scenes and montages, La La
Land was alright. I didnt
hate the film, but I definitely
didnt think it was worth the
hype. So rent La La Land
when it comes to Redbox, but
dont get your hopes up that
it might be the next Singing
in the Rain or Sound of Mu-
sic.
Page 22 - Entertainment

Mans best friend

Movie provides insight to owner, pet relationship
Anna Beth Mayerhoff
Staff writer
Dogs tend to hold a special
place in the hearts of people.
When a movie about dogs
comes out, naturally, audi-
ences flock to the box office. A
Dogs Purpose is an emotional
rollercoaster of a movie. From
happy to sad to angry to hor-
rified, A Dogs Purpose takes
audiences through just about
every emotion possible. View-
ers laugh one second, then try
to hide their tears the next.
Recently circulating on the
internet are videos of abuse of
the dogs featured in the film.
These videos were not false,
however they were over em-
bellished by the media. If you
think about it, these dogs are
actors, and they have to oper-
ate on a schedule. These vid-
eos should not impact your
decision to go see A Dogs
Purpose, it is such an amazing
film and is worth your while.
A Dogs Purpose follows the
mind of and life of one dog.
From the beginning, this dog
wonders what his purpose
is. The audience follows the
dogs thoughts on his people,
the world, and how he makes
an impact on others.
The movie begins with a dog
asking the question: whats
my purpose? This dog meets
a boy and receives the name
Bailey. He is incredibly hap-
py with his life, and thinks
that his purpose has been
found. However, he dies and
is reborn as a different dog.
Baileys mind stays the same
throughout the movie, but he
is reincarnated into the bod-
ies of several different dogs.
Some dogs have great lives
while others just sit out in the
rain, alone and cold. But his
question remains the same:
what is his purpose? Through
living as all of these dogs, Bai-
ley finds what he is and why
he is here.
Bailey lives with different
people, all leading different
lives. The audience gets a
glimpse into what goes on in
a dogs mind, a unique take
on human relationships as
seen in a dogs mind. There
is an innocence and an un-
derstanding presented in the
point of view that is unique
and different than anything
Ive seen before. It is almost
childlike, but more analytical.
Bailey takes what he knows
and tries to apply it to what he
sees in his life. For example,
when a couple would kiss, he
would wonder, wheres the
food? Seeing how Bailey im-
pacts the lives of those around
him made me feel the need to
look at my own life, and won-
der how I would appear to a
sweet and innocent dog. I saw
how Bailey would react to ev-
ery event, how he would see
everyone and everything that
they did. Seeing this made me
feel that I needed to look at
how I act and present myself.
By the end of the movie,
Bailey does find his purpose
and himself in more ways
than one. This moment for
Bailey is the most emotional
out of the whole film since
Bailey finds what he has been
looking for across several life-
times, sharing a hard-earned
accomplishment with the au-
dience. It feels complete at the
end and so many things come
full circle.
The pups innocence warms
its way into the hearts of so
many, both in the movie and
audience. Every person has
their purpose, and so do dogs.
They are wonderful compan-
ions, kind creatures who offer
support when human beings
fail. When a person feels that
they cant go to someone else,
a dog can offer the love, sup-
port and comfort that is need-
ed. One can confide in dogs
when it feels that there is no
one left in the world to trust.
Dogs can offer so much more
than just a cute, furry thing
that is waiting at home after a
long day.
Humans seek their purpose
and constantly wonder why
they are here.
When its into the earlier
hours of the morning and Im
still struggling to finish my
homework, I wonder: why?
Why am I here? In the movie,
the existential questions are
asked by a sweet and care-
free creature, not by the typi-
cal brooding teenager. Again,
this film provides a unique
and completely new view on
a question that is frequently
wondered by many people.
A Dogs Purpose not only
offers a new perspective on
the meaning of life, but also
a unique look at people and
their relationships. It offers
audiences a chance to watch
adorable dogs while provid-
ing opportunities for tears of
happiness, as well as tears of
devastation.
I highly recommend A
Dogs Purpose. The movie of-
fers a new perspective on hu-
man and animal interactions,
as well as providing humor,
joy, and sadness. It gives the
audience something to think
about: as Bailey finds his pur-
pose, the viewers are left to
wonder about their own.

Some things never change

Netflix revitalizes old series, gains new viewers through universal themes
Megan Krenek
Staff writer
High school cliques. What typically comes to
mind are the stereotypical geeks, bad boys, freaks,
and full of these the run-of-the-mill popular teens
in school. Freaks and Geeks is a tv show centered
in a high school full of these old school cliques, who
are trying to fit in and gain a reputation. The show is
based on the idealistic high school vision we all had
instead of the real high school experience.
Freaks and Geeks is not exactly a new hit, but it
has many familiar faces that have become house-
hold names since the show ended in 2000. The
show served as a good start out for the now big ac-
tors and actresses and it helped develop good work
relationships between them. Big celebrities like
James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jason Segal, and Dave
Allen all appear in this show.
The shows main character, Lindsay Weir (Linda
Cardellini), tries to find out where she belongs in
the high school scene and who she wants to be. She
goes from being a geek to a freak, makes friends
with her former bullies. Her new friends (the freaks)
who have accepted her into their circle and teach
her how to live a little. They have parties, smoke
weed, and bash mailboxes with baseball bats.
Theyre the image of what most kids think high
school burnouts are like. I think Lindsay is wrong
to leave behind her grades and everything she has
worked for over the years, but its also understand-
able because, as a teen, viewers can see where she
is coming from. I think most people go through the
same thing of joining different cliques and finding
new interests as they grow older.
Lindsay goes through some new and interesting
things when she becomes friends with the freaks.
She is pushed out of her comfort zone and its evi-
dent that shes only doing it to impress her crush
Daniel Desario (James Franco). Daniel is the ul-
timate bad boy or freak; as he gives Lindsays
little brother Sam an adult film, he drinks copious
amounts of alcohol, smokes at least one gram of
weed each day, cheats on his tests, and is mostly a
bad influence on the people around him.
While Lindsay likes Daniel, she keeps it to herself
because she is friends with his on and off-again in-
timidating girlfriend, Kim Kelly (Busy Philipps).
...continued on page 23

Through the wardrobe
Fantastical series provides adventure, moral message, universal truths
Sophia Stone
Staff writer
From the glistening eastern sea, to
the great western woods, to the radi-
ant southern sun, to the clear northern
sky, lies the magnificent land of Nar-
nia. Filled with talking beasts, fawns,
satyrs, and more, this magical land
provides a safe haven for readers of all
ages; all under the careful watch of the
mighty lion, Aslan.
Four siblings go on adventures in a
magical kingdom where they learn life
lessons such as responsibility, while
maintaining a childlike heart. The old-
est, Peter, is protective of his younger
siblings and cares about the safety
of his family above all else. Susan is
very logical but, contrary to the mov-
ies perception, also has a great sense
of adventure. It was even her idea to
explore Narnia in The Lion, the Witch,
and the Wardrobe. Edmund is very
stubborn and doesnt like being told
what to do, especially by Peter. How-
ever, by the end of the second book he
becomes very loyal to his family and
truly loves them. The youngest, Lucy,
is the most adventurous of the four.
She strongly believes in Aslan and has
a special relationship with him that
the other three could only dream of.
Aslan always reveals himself to Lucy
first because he knows that she will
Netflix series
...continued from page 22
Instead of dating Daniel, like she
wanted, she ends up dating his best
friend Nick Andopolis (Jason Segal),
but that relationship doesnt last long.
Another main character is Lind-
says little brother, Sam Weir (John
Francis Daley). He is definitely a geek,
and his friends are too. He has a huge
crush on a girl named Cindy Sanders
(Natasha Melnick) His friends are
the image of what most people think
a geek would look and act like; they
love science fiction, have a difficult
time talking to girls, facing bullies,
and just overall fitting in. They are a
trust and follow him.
Although the four children are the
main characters in the movies, they
are actually only featured in the sec-
ond, fourth, and fifth books. There
are many other important characters
that are not included in the films like
Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer from
the first book, Shasta and Aravis from
the third book, Eustace
Clarence Scrubb and Jill
Pole from the sixth and
seventh books, as well
as side characters such
as Caspian X, Puddle-
glum, Jadis, and more.
Each character teaches
the reader a lesson their
own special stories.
Narnia has a lot of
symbolism displayed
throughout the series.
The most popular one
is that Aslan represents
the Christian figure,
Jesus. Aslan is always
watching out for the
Narnians and guests. He even par-
ticipated in events that are similar to
what Jesus did in the Bible. Aslan is
the reason Narnia exists. The Great
Lion breathed life into the world in the
first book and has carefully watched
over his land ever since, even when it
stereotypical version of geeks.
Overall the Freaks and Geeks is
enjoyable. Though Freaks and Geeks
only lasted a single season, I am si-
lently hoping for a reunion, as are
many other fans of this cult classic.
The stereotypes are to the extreme,
but thats what makes the show
unique. It shows a different side of
high school and relationships than
movies like High School Musical. Its
on Netflix, so when you finish binge-
watching other high school shows like
Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars,
check it out.
was ruled by evil.
These symbols and meanings are the
reason why Narnia is not just a chil-
drens book. A child reading the series
will love the tales of kings, queens and
magic, but an adult reader will find
the deeper meaning and be able to
truly understand what the author, C.S.
Lewis, is talking about. Before I could
read for myself, my mother read the
first five Narnia books to me as bed-
time stories. I grew up wanting Lucys
childlike faith, Susans logical sense
of adventure, Edmunds sarcastic hu-
mor, and Peters leadership. I loved
every story as much as any child could
Entertainment - Page 23
love anything and would look forward
to the nights when another chapter
would bring another tale. Reading the
books again now that Im older, I can
see the hard and deep themes that are
discussed. From suicide attempts, to
peace treaties between rival countries,
Narnia is almost more relevant now
than ever since it was first written in
the 1950s.
Narnia gave me a
greater desire to walk
with God and get to know
him better. The charac-
ters challenge me to be
better and not make the
mistakes that they did.
For me, its an escape
from the sad reality that
our world is becoming so
that I can come back to it
fully refreshed and ready
to take on the world.
Narnia isnt a popu-
lar series like The Hun-
ger Games or Harry Pot-
ter, but it is special in its
own right. Every adventure, character,
and country or island was carefully
thought out by C.S. Lewis in order to
create a beautiful world that everyone
can enjoy after a long day. This is why
Narnia always has and will be my fa-
vorite book series.
Page 24 - Schedule/Teacher Spotlight

Senior Exams 9th, 10th, 11th Exams

Tuesday, May 23 Tuesday, May 23 Wednesday, May 24 Other Information
Semester Exam
1st Exam 8:15-9:40 85 min 1st Period 8:15-9:10 55 min 4th Exam 8:15-9:40 85 min
2nd Exam 9:46-11:17 91 min 2nd Period 9:16-10:11 55 min 5th Exam 9:46-11:11 85 min Exempt students must stay in
Lunch 11:17-11:47 30 min 3rd Period 10:17-11:12 55 min 6th Exam 11:17-12:42 85 min their testing room.
3rd Exam 11:53-1:18 85 min
7th Exam 1:24-2:49 85 min 4th Period 11:18-12:32 74 min Lunch 12:42-1:15 33 min On Wednesday and Thursday,
ALL students who have finished
Wednesday, May 24 their exams are dismissed at
A Lunch 11:12-11:42 30 min
4th Exam 8:15-9:40 85 min B Lunch 11:42-12:02 30 min 12:42. Students unable to leave
5th Exam 9:46-11:11 85 min Thursday, May 25 campus will go to 3rd, 2nd, and 1st
C Lunch 12:02-12:32 30 min
6th Exam 11:17-12:42 85 min 3rd Exam 8:15-9:40 85 min on Wednesday and 5th, 6th, and
Lunch 12:42-1:15 35 min 5th Period 12:38-1:33 45 min 2nd Exam 9:46-11:11 85 min 7th on Thursday.
6th Period 1:39-2:24 45 min 1st Exam 11:17-12:42 85 min
Thursday, May 25
7th Exam 2:30-3:57 87 min Students with Early Release may
Mandatory Graduation Practice Lunch 12:42-1:15 33 min leave campus after their last exam.
8:15 AM Sharp

Wrestling coach inducted into Hall of Fame

Megan Krenek they accelerate their program to my
Mackenzie Johnson level?, Zito said. Thats when I step
Staff writers back and realize that Im doing some-
Wrestling coach Michael Zito has thing pretty good here. Being induct-
coached wrestling at Bryan High for ed was definitely an honor.
the last 23 years. He grew up wres- Growing up in Ohio, wrestling
tling and attended school in North- was the sport of choice for young
eastern Ohio where he developed athletes. In
his passion for the sport before knee Texas, though,
injuries prevented him from con- the majority of
tinuing as an athlete. He now uses students dont
his wrestling experience and passion step onto the
for teaching to motivate his students mat until they
when pursuing the sport and hopes enter the pro-
to have an impact on each of their gram in high
lives. school.
This spring, Zito was recognized by Ninety per-
his peers and inducted into the Texas cent of the ath-
Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. letes I get for
Being inducted into the Hall of wrestling come
Fame isnt what I was striving to do, in with no ex-
Zito said. I strive for the kids to be perience, Zito
successful and thats why Im here: said. The first
to get them as far as I can, make time they step
changes in their lives, and help them on that mat as
become a better person. a freshman,
The induction surprised Zito be- thats their first
cause he sees so many other great wrestling ex-
coaches and programs across Texas perience, whereas in Ohio, I started
and appreciated the recognition and when I was 6 years old. By the time
validation from his peers in regards I was in high school, I already had
to the program he has spent decades about 10 years of experience.
building. Wrestler, junior Spencer Pierce,
I have coaches who ask me all the has been a part of the program for
time what are you doing? How can three and has benefitted from Zitos
approach to the sport.
Coach Zito has done a fantastic
job coaching at Bryan High, Pierce
said. He shows us a lot of respect
and cares for us. Wrestlers can tell he
cares about us by the way he treats us
and the way he talks to us.
Zito contributes the success of the
wrestling program to how he pushes
the students to work hard and put
forth all they are into the sport.
I push my kids, Zito said. I ask
for a lot of dedication out of these
kids, we go year round. Were work-
ing out two to three days a week all
summer. By pushing them to that
level were going to get the rewards
and become successful.
All the success, recognition, and
awards would mean nothing to Zito
without the students showing per-
sonal growth and
maturity.
Ive got
state champions
and state runners-
up, Zito said. I
have lots of kids
that have gone on
to college, and one
that has gone on
to wrestle in the
Marine Corp. I
think the biggest
moments, from
a coach's stand-
point, are the ones
where you see a kid
change his life. The
kid who changes
their life and comes
back 15 years later
makes it all worthwhile. When you
are able to see what youve done long
term and how youve affected their
lives, not just a medal or award, but
how youve changed them overall is
what really matters.