The Bengal Beat | Volume 7 Issue 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page 4- A student’s take on Braswell’s fashion

Pages 8 & 9 - A Q&A with Kent Laster, Braswell’s second-ever Head Football Coach and Athletic Director

Page 12 - Prom details are announced; tickets on sale now

Braswell High School, Aubrey, Texas | braswellmedia.org Volume 7 Issue 3 | April 19, 2023

Photo Credit: Diego Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief

In this issue: Color guard/ Winter guard students prepare for try-outs, JROTC designs a challenge coin, and we introduce you to Braswell’s second-ever head football coach and athletic director, Kent Laster.

3 WINTERGUARD TRY OUTS

10 DRESS CODE

THE BENGAL BEAT

Students and administrators discuss Braswell’s dress code and the reason behind it.

4 A STUDENT’S TAKE ON FASHION

Marcus Sherare, 12, tells us what it takes to be fashionable at Braswell.

6 BENGAL PROFILES

Meet Victoria Griffin, 12 and Marcus Sherare, 12

8 A Q&A WITH KENT LASTER, A.D.

The Bengal Beat staff sat down with Kent Laster, Braswell’s new Head Football Coach and Athletic Director

Color guard/ winter guard team members prepare for the upcoming try outs. FOLLOW US @BRASWELLMEDIA

JOIN US ONLINE AT BRASWELLMEDIA.ORG

12 PROM & ROTC CHALLENGE COINS

Senior class officers discuss Prom details and the AFROTC program partakes in a military tradition.

14 A REVIEW OF PUSS IN BOOTS

Diego Gonzalez reviews Dreamworks’ Puss-in-Boots: The Last Wish. Available to stream on Peacock..

16 ADVERTISEMENTS

The Bengal Beat News is distributed to over 2,800+ students every quarter, advertise with us to reach our local high school community. Learn more at braswellmedia.org/advertise.

GOT A LETTER FOR THE EDITORS?

Want your letter featured in the next issue of The Bengal Beat? Email us at braswellmedia@gmail.com.

Ray Braswell High School 26750 E. University Dr Aubrey, TX 76227 972-347-7746

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STAFF

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Myrical Roberts & Diego Gonzalez

Staff Writers: Rowan Handy, Seven Henry, Markayla Howard, Kennedi Inman, and Asia Jackson.

Adviser: Mr. Daniel Ryan Carr

Associate Principal: Mrs. Dawn McCullough

Principal: Mr. DeCorian Hailey

The Bengal Beat is the student news of Ray Braswell High School. The ideas expressed in this publication and on the Opinion page are soley those of the individuals providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire staff, adviser, faculty, administration, or the Denton Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Braswell Media publications, staff, and adviser are members of the Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Texas Association of Journalism Educators, and competes in the UIL Journalism academic contests and at the ILPC and JEA/NSPA journalism conferences. Find us online at braswellmedia.org, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @braswellmedia. A version of this issue formatted for the web can be accessed online at issuu.com/braswellmedia.

Photo Courtesy of The Ambush Yearbook

Photo Credit: Reagan Netherland

Photo Credit: Diego Gonzalez

No days off: From color guard to winter guard

Myrical Roberts, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Despite being an iconic part of the high school football season’s halftime performances, color guard is a style of dance that is often overlooked in the world of performance art. Unlike other styles of dance such as drill, ballet, and hip-hop, which perform the same types of routines yearround, color guard dancers typically perform with the marching band during the fall season and transition to winter guard in the off-season. It takes months of training and dedication to excel in both seasons.

Four-year color guard/winter guard veteran Inashia Joseph, 12, has dedicated her time to both disciplines, but has found that wintertime performances hold a special place in her heart.

“I love winter guard more than marching season, just because you don’t have the wind and marching,” Joseph said. “Another reason

I love it is because we have a snow cone company that comes out called ‘Rita’s Ice’ at all of our competitions.”

Beyond the perks that come with the winter season, such as post-performance sno-cones and avoiding the outdoor elements, winter guard also allows for more bonding between dancers.

“Even though we are in varsity or JV groups, we still sit on the bus together and eat together,” Joseph said. “It’s just an amazing experience.”

Each season, color guard director Emily Strother picks a theme for each of the varsity and JV teams’ winter shows. Not only do the themes differ between each division, but they are also distinct from the seasons before.

“Every show is different from the last,” captain Alyson Pierson, 12, said. “You start learning how to do new tricks and tosses, no matter what it is. You’re always going. You’re always learning how to better yourself.”

Color guard try outs typically do not bring in the numbers that the drill teams’ and cheer squads’ tryouts do. For Mya Crook, 11, the small tryout cohort piqued her interest.

“Not everyone wanted to try out, so it intrigued me,” Crook said. “It is also something that I found challenging and in the challenge, I learned to love it.”

In any extracurricular activity, students must keep up with their grades. Hours spent in practice can eat into the time a performer has to work on their school work.

“The grade checks are what have really shaped my high school experience,” Crook said. “If you can’t pass, you can’t perform. In my freshman year, my grades were not that good, so I did miss a few performances, which made me sad.”

Though the seasons are split between fall and winter, the training is year-round. These ladies and gentlemen can be found practicing their flag, saber, and rifle tricks

during the 2A block. However, Pearson finds their practice location somewhat stifling.

“I just wish we had more space to do what we are able to do,” Pearson said. “I feel like we’re very limited. We practice in the Commons and we have to put up all the tables and chairs every time. I wish we were more well-known.”

Performance schedules and tryout information can be found on the team’s Instagram account, @bwell.colorguard.

Color guard students perform during the bands halftime performance.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Ambush Yearbook

A student’s take on Braswell’s fashion

Kennedi Inman, Staff Writer

With nearly 62 percent of its student population coming from minority backgrounds, Braswell High School has become synonymous with diversity. This unique composition of demographics is reflected in the fashion and style of each student throughout campus. Social media apps such as Tik Tok, Instagram, and Snapchat allow students to further distinguish their style and aesthetic.

Marcus Sherare, 12, like other Bengals, has developed an “aesthetic”, or an overarching theme that each of his outfits tie into. Typically wearing chunky black shoes, Sherare takes great inspiration from his favorite rappers.

“I go for more neutral tones,” Sherare said. “Another thing that sets my style apart from other students would be who I take my fashion inspo from. My main fashion icons are Rick Owens and Destroy Lonely

(American Rapper). It is unique and mysterious to many people.” Y2K style has made a new comeback in 2022-2023 from the 2000s, a decade that Sherare takes some inspiration from.

“I feel like there is a huge change from the ‘90s to the 2000s,” Sherare said. “That’s when the internet started popping off, and so many people were able to provide multiple types of inspiration to people online and change fashion.”

No matter how “on trend” a student’s style may be, negative comments are unavoidable. Sherare was not an exception to this rule.

“I receive negative opinions on the way I dress every day, from stares to people coming up to me in the hallway,” Sherare said “I have seen myself on people’s Snapchats that people send me, but to be honest it is not a big deal to me because I am out there, you know?”

Though his love for fashion runs deep, Sherare still had to

develop ways to work around and through his insecurities.

“To be honest, sometimes I will be getting dressed in the morning and have an outfit in my head that I will think is kind of too much,” Sherare said. “I need to stop being like that and just wear what I feel like wearing because this is what I love to do. I love fashion.”

Sherare and his good friend Jaiden Broom, 10, are united in their love for fashion. However, the two young men dress very differently from one another. While Sherare opts for more eccentric, American rap culture-inspired clothing, Broom prefers more coordinated, streamlined fits a book that Broom wishes other students took a few pages out of.

“All these people here cannot dress,” Broom said. “They wear the same clothes. Nothing matches.’’

Unlike Sherare, who looks to popular culture to inform his

style, Broom said he doesn’t need to find inspiration from anyone else but himself.

“I am just different, I do not wear everything that everybody else wears,” Broom said. “Everyone else is wearing Jordan 4s. I’m unique.”

Marcus Sherare, 12, shows off his outfit of the day.

Photo Credit: Diego Gonzalez

Seven Henry, Staff Writer

Despite being a part of Braswell’s UIL competition offerings for nearly five years, the Braswell Bass Fishing team has remained one of the school’s hidden gems. Three-year-veteran Griffin Curtis, 12, enjoys the simultaneous escape and challenge that being on the lake provides.

“I like being out on the water,” Curtis said. “It keeps my mind busy. I like the thrill of throwing out for hours and catching anything, even though you get that one fish that bites on and you’re fighting for it.”

Bass fishing is equal parts art and science. According to Curtis, techniques differ based on location and fish species.

“It just depends on what you’re fishing for, like we’re fishing for bass so we gotta use different techniques,” Curtis said. “You have your crank baits, which you’re throwing out. Those are just gonna go out a little deeper, and

you’re just reeling those in. You got jigs and stuff, which you’re gonna get some motion and those are gonna sink at the bottom and look like a worm, and those are jerk baits.”

As fun as being out on the water can be, fishing can have its ups and downs.

“If it’s over 14 inches it’s a keeper, so it’s very nice to have it weighing in to get the points on the board.” Curtis said. “A downside is you know not every fish is going to be a keeper, so it’s not gonna work for you so sometimes. I am the only one this year that has caught a keeper.”

Scoring for bass fishing works a little differently than other UIL sports.

“So what determines how you come in first place is your overall weight, so you can catch five total fish per team as long as they’re keepers, which is over 14 inches I believe,” Curtis said “The total weight to catch determines how you’re gonna place.” After all competitors have reeled in their

final catches of the day comes the most time consuming part of the competition: weigh-ins.

“If we catch something we have to go up to the stage and we gotta weigh it, and they’ll record the weight and have us throw it into this tank,” Curtis said. “The tank has all the fish that have been caught that are still alive to restock back into the

lakes for the ecosystem.”

Curtis and his team mate, Johnny Thompkins, 12, were the only two seniors to compete in the 2022-2023 season. The year’s end was bittersweet for both teammates.

“My favorite part of being on the team was getting to travel across North Texas and hang out with my best friend, Johnny.”

Griffin Curtis, 12, and Johnny Lee Tompkins, 12, pictured with their catch of the day at weigh-in.

Bass Fishing: The sport you’ve probably never heard of then

Bengal Profile: Victoria Griffin

Diego Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Victoria Griffin is someone who values truth and individuality, even in times when choosing to be who you are and say what you believe in aren’t the easiest of options.

One thing Griffin believes she is most well known for is talking openly about race relations in America as she understands them. Discussing this subject for her isn’t necessarily something she does as an “activist,” but rather as someone who chooses not to ignore how a variety of these concepts arise in her own life.

“I didn’t start researching,” Griffin said. “When you feel it, you get it, you know what I mean? And that’s when I became able to discuss it. Because at a young age I was told to embrace who you are, speak up, even if your voice shakes. That’s what I did.”

Although many of her friends had similar experiences, some didn’t recognize why

it mattered much to Griffin, which put some strain on her social life. Many people she was close with started to assume that she had started to characterize herself in a certain light, and she began to lose connections with them.

“Bullying has happened, for sure,”Griffin said. “It’s made me a stronger person. It sucks that people have to endure verbal or even physical abuse to be stronger, but that has happened and it made me stronger.”

Over time, Griffin acquired a reputation among some of her peers as sort of “keeper of knowledge” in regards to social issues, or as a fierce young person fighting back and speaking truth to power. In Griffin’s own opinion, this is an uncomfortable oversimplification of her character, which she maintains is just as complex and diverse as anyone else’s.

“I think people think it’s something that I’m so hyper focused on, and it’s not something that I’ve chosen to think about,” Griffin

said. “You cannot be a zebra and repudiate your stripes. You are who you are, you cannot be a certain demographic in this country and ignore that you can face a certain problem firsthand.”

Victoria Griffin has quite a colorful life outside of merely talking about social issues. She has a passion for fitness and focuses a lot on heavy lifting. She’s able to deadlift 315 pounds. Griffin has played basketball for seven years, although isn’t playing for any official teams at the moment. Mainly, she retreats to the basketball court to practice in peace.

“I used to [play on a team], but now that I’m in 12th grade, they don’t really do that unless you’re wanting to play in college,” Griffin said. “I play for fun, I go by myself because it’s good exercise and it definitely helps remove any stress or whatever from my mind.”

A big theme in Griffin’s recent life has been individualism, and the importance of embracing what

makes anyone unique or original. Placing that value in individualism has allowed her to overcome much of her social adversity and thrive in her life here at Braswell.

“I would say I’ve become friends with more light-hearted, kinder people,” Griffin said. “It has helped me separate from who I don’t need to be friends with and who I do. A lot of sad nights, you know, but I woke up the next morning, thought about what I can do to move on from such a simple situation that had become traumatic for me, and keep it pushing.”

In Griffin’s opinion, something which challenges many people’s individuality is insecurity and a desire to fit in.

“Insecurity is in everyone. It’s in myself, it’s in the people in this room,” Griffin said. ¨And I think when you’re constantly seeing people on social media behave a certain way or look a certain way, people will try to pick parts of that, or what is nor-

mal, and what seems normal. People have a very steady way of being careful, and not trying to step out of the box because they don’t want to step on any toes when, really, you’re just being yourself.¨

As well as being an audience of viewers on social media, we are the performers. Many of us, even with a shallow amount of followers on our chosen social media platforms, are outwardly portraying behavior that could be influential to some of the people passively engaging in our content.

“I have 1079 [followers.] Somebody with 12,000 could look at me and be like, you know? But to me, I feel like that’s a lot,” Griffin said. “I even wanted to make a new Instagram because I don’t want this many people actually looking at my posts.”

Bengal Profile: Marcus Sherare

Myrical Roberts

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Marcus Sherare, 12, is one of the many independent artists at Braswell. Sheare is fairly new to our district, having moved to the 380 area this year.

“Back home I had a couple of friends and we were really close,” Sheare said. “So if we wanted to hang out, it was only a bike ride away. That’s one of the things I miss and also how we used to make alot of music together. We originally started a small group and we started making a couple songs that got popular in our school, as well as a few schools around us.”

Marcus and his band had a rivalry with another band at his old school. which was very exciting for him. “There were some other people that were making music too,” Sheare said. “It was kinda cool though. Even though we were getting hate because it was kinda of like a competition of who can make the best music.”

Marcus’s music group had to disband due

to him moving so far away.

“Eventually after I moved, we faded out cause of the distance,” Sheare said. ”We couldn’t make any other songs together, it wasn’t as easy to. But we also just started moving up in high school and getting busy with certain things. I still connect with those people from time to time and talk about music. Someday, if I ever go back, we plan to make songs together again.”

Moving from your hometown can be heartbreaking for some. Having to make new friends and get accustomed to a new life is hard.

“It was a definitely a hard change,” Sheare said. “It hurt a lot but at the same time I kind of knew I was gonna be having new experiences so it wasn’t that bad of a time. I’ve definitely made a few. I found someone I can start making new music with here, so that’s a real good bonus and eventually I’m thinking of starting a group with him and a few other people from this

school.”

Apart from music, Sheare spends time with his family at home.

“I have a brother that is just like me cause he looks up to me. He into the stuff I like such as music, fashion, stuff like that,” Sheare said. “I’ve helped him make songs. I have a dog, Luna, she’s two and a chocolate lab; she’s crazy. I’m pretty tight with my family.”

Many artists derive inspirations from their own favroite artists. Marcus goes into his major inspirations who helped him get into music.

“My friends from New Jersey and also some of my other friends and family in New York,” Sheare said. “It’s always been a big part of my life, like my dad has heavily influenced me with his music. He’s shown me alot of underground rap, really alot of 90’s hiphop, pop and RnB, so that’s played a big part. I’ve taken alot of influences over the years and merged them together to create a sound that I use now in my music.”

QA&

An interview with Kent Laster Braswell’s second-ever Head Football coach, Athletic Director

What was it like teaching at Little Rock Central High School and Waco University High?

“It was great at both places. I mean, we had when I got there, in the start, talking about Little Rock Central, a very historic school. That is where the Little Rock Nine incident in 1957 happened. All integration happened in the South 1957. So they had a lot of history at the museum across the street. 365 days a year, people from all over the world go there. They have probably the greatest athletic tradition of any school I’ve ever heard of. They have 50 track state championships, 32 football, 19 basketball, swim has won a dozen. I mean, crazy stuff. Stuff you’ve never heard of - two national championships in football. So that was great. But when I got there in Central, it was very down. Everybody started moving to the suburbs. The program was down at the door. So I got there. We struggled the first year, but we turned it around. My second year, went to playoffs winning season, and it was very rewarding to help that program get on its feet. Waco University High School was very similar but an even bigger hill to climb. University had not had a winning season in 13 years. No playoffs, no playoff wins - but we were able to do that [earn a playoff run] at University. That was an even greater reward. Now [Waco] University feels like they will win every game next year - so that’s what it was like working there.

How has coaching at Little Rock and Waco prepared you for your stint at Braswell?

“[Waco University and Little Rock Central] prepared me for the work it takes to do it. Already I have met with the Freshmen and 10th-11th graders. Already I saw, in their eyes and in their responses, a lot of buy-in to what we are asking of them. We are asking them to wear shoes, wear a belt, ‘yes sir’, ‘no sir’, run here and all of that good stuff. That was the type of scrutiny that we held to teams where I was when they had further to go. We have phenomenal athletes here - I didn’t know that coming in but now I know. I have seen some students that, at least they look like it, are better than where I was - my previous two stops. Their attitude has been great. They have done everything I have asked them. They have had no push back.

What, in your opinion, makes a good athlete?

“I will say this, I said they look like great athletes. What actually makes a great athlete is not so much athleticism honestly. Let me backtrack a little bit. Sometimes people can be taller, faster, look the part, but yet they don’t not have the mindset and the heart and the grit. I am not very tall, I am not very fast but I did play division 1 football. And I came from a high school, were we had athletes, but we had guys like me that were not like that calliber but we worked hard enough and we were able to be successful. So at the end of the day what makes a great athlete is taking the god-given ability that you have and maximizing that. Like if you’re an eight, you’re an eight - which you can be a great athlete. But if you’re an eight, and you perform, or your grades, or your grit, or your determination, or your follow-through is like a four, then you are not going to be a great athlete. But if I am a 10, and I perform at a nine - that is pretty good. So it takes more of the invisible stuff, like the soft skills and all of that. Like I am trying to help them with. It happened at Central and it happened at University where we had enough talent and we stayed on them enough where they bought into the soft skills that they need - looking some-

one in the eye, great body langauge, grades - doing all of those other things I talked about. That is what allows you to win. In order to win, you have to be a winner. You know everybody looks at the score, but what we are, and I just told the freshmen this is: what we are in the fall will be everything we do now. You are not going to show up in the fall and say ‘oh we are just going to win’. Because that is what everyone is going to say. ‘Hey are you going to win?’ I heard a young woman earlier, she came up to me and said ‘are y’all going to win?’ I said ‘if we win now’. We are going to win now so that we can win in the fall. I am a believer in this to: you may not get what you want now, but if you keep working, if you keep chopping wood - that’s my slogan ‘keep chopping wood’. What I am trying to say is that if you don’t get what you want, or you don’t win, or you don’t get the job, or you don’t get anything you want, you just keep coming back and if you’re relentless, eventually your hard work, the sum of all that will allow you to be successful. And unfortunately football, and sports, is like snapshot, like, ‘what have you done boom that game?’ Well really sports is really what you did before you played the game.”

What are your top priorities going into the summer?

My top priorities are No. 1 getting to know the kids and our families, making sure they have a firm grasp of our scheme - offensive, defensive, and special teams, and getting the [football] staff established here.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your family?

I have a 12-year-old daughter who is about to turn 13. I have a nine-year-old, she just turned nine. Their names are Kennedy and Kinsly. My wife is an administrator, she is an AP in Waco, she may do the same thing here, her name is Anverly. I am from Dallas, originally. I was telling the kids, I went to Lake Highlands if you have heard of that school. They won basketball, 6A state champions. They just won that and we were really good at basketball when I was there but we were better at football. And they are still good at football but we were better at football when I was there.

What inspired you to take the head football coach/AD position at Braswell?

I wasn’t looking for this. This kind of came out of nowhere. Somebody in the district had known that job had come open. I got to spring break and I told my wife, ‘this year we are just going to go on vacation and were going to get ready for next year’ because we were going to be really good at [Waco] University. So I was like we are going to 10-0, and go to playoffs, and try to go to 3rd or 4th round, or deeper. I wasn’t even thinking about it and I got a call. I didn’t think this job would come open for at least five years. And I got the call, and I was ‘yeah, I mean I remember that school, it’s like brand new.’ We used to live in Little Elm, not even 10 minutes from here. We lived off of 423. We lived here for nine years. My kids were born here and everything. Then I came and interviewed and everything was great from the panel, Coach Florence, and Mr. Hailey. And then I saw this [the new Carrico Stadium and Braswell High School]. You know, and I know y’all might get used to it, but I am like. Even this morning I am like freaking out. I just walked over to that field house [the east field house] that was my first time over there. I am like ‘this is insane’. I saw the stadium and I just... man this is, I can’t even describe to you that I am here. It hasn’t even set in yet. You know, it was really hard to leave University. It was really hard. Because if you take something that nobody in the state thought could win. My wife even said ‘you know that they went 0 and 40.’ I said ‘yeah, but if we can get them to be disciplined, and get them to buy-in, I think we’ll get it done.’ Now, I didn’t realize it would happen so fast - in two years.

Students share thoughts on dress code

Markayla Howard, Staff Writer

According to the Braswell administration, the current dress code was put into place to promote education, safety, and professionalism. The dress code, found in the district’s student-parent handbook, prohibits the wearing of particular items of clothing, such as shirts that expose the midriff or hats, during school hours.

“We want to promote the idea that students should look professional when coming to the school,” Dawn McCullough, associate principal, said. “We have a dress code as adults and in the building, we adhere to that.”

Beyond the desire to encourage professional dress, enforcing the dress code is intended to maintain a safe learning environment, according to McCullough.

“Some of these rules are just to maintain safety, maintain order, and things like that.” McCullough said. “We wouldn’t want

someone to wear a hood over their head with the drawstring all tied, we need to be able to identify who’s in the building.” Some students like DaNeysha Pittman, 12, agree with McCullough and the rest of administration.

“I feel like we should have a dress code because there’s some stuff y’all shouldn’t be wearing,” Pittman said, “but for the most part it’s okay.”

Amir Paschal, 9, is generally unaffected by the dress code during day-to-day activities on campus.

“I don’t get dress-coded like that so I don’t have any thoughts on it,” Paschal said. “I mean, I haven’t had any problems with it personally.”

Other students feel as if the dress code could stand to be less strict, asserting that enforcement of the code can be dependent on uncontrollable physical qualities, such as height or weight.

“I feel like it’s based on your body type,” Ariona Deener, 9, said. “I’ve worn way worse

stuff than other people do, and they’re getting dress-coded for wearing shorts that are close to their knees. All because I’m skinny, that’s not fair.”

Some, like Myah Williams, 12, think that enforcement of the dress code should not change, but the handbook instead should be updated.

“Maybe hats should be off the dress code cause like some people like to wear beanies and it gets cold and it’s cold inside, so I understand,” Williams said.

Nyla Loper, 11, is open to the idea of a meeting between student and administration to discuss the dress code.

“I feel like it’s good to hear from different sides of everybody, so I wouldn’t mind doing it,” Loper said. “We would get to compare a student’s point of view to an administrative point of view and really get everybody’s feelings across.”

The following items have been determined to be unacceptable to wear at school, per the Denton ISD Student Code of Conduct/Handbook:

• Accessories that create a disruption

• Accessories applied to the facial area, tongue, or body such as safety pins to the eye area, studs, or rings through the nose

• Any headgear other than part of an approved school uniform

• Bandanas

• Bare midriffs

• Chains or accessories which can be used as a weapon (such as spiked collars/bracelets)

• Display of undergarments

• Flip-flops (except in high schools, or as determined by the administration on all campuses)

• Garments containing offensive or obscene words or phrases, pictures, symbols, or images

• Garments that promote or advertise alcohol, tobacco, or other prohibited products

• Halter tops or tank tops

• Mesh/net clothing

• Pajamas, slippers, or house shoes

• Ragged or intentionally cut-torn clothing as determined inappropriate by the campus principal or designee

• Saggy/baggy pants

• See-through apparel, including leggings

• Shirts open at the sides (excessively large armholes)

• Short shorts/skirts (midthigh length)

• Steel-toed shoes (except in identified CTE classes)

• Strapless dresses/blouses

• Sunglasses

• Unnatural cosmetic contact lens colors (considered distracting)

• Inappropriate hairstyles that cause disruption

• Visible tattoos and body art that promote nudity, obscenity, or gang activity are unacceptable and must be covered.

Rodney Frankenstein Jeffrey Miller

Rodney Wayne Frankenstein, loving husband and father, passed away at the age of 44, Thurs., Feb. 23, 2023.

Rodney was born on December 18, 1978, in Wagner, South Dakota to Roger and Mary Frankenstein. He was married to his loving wife, Sonnie, for 14 years and raised two sons, Holden and Landon. He proudly served in the United States Army for 20 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class. Rodney had a love and passion for caring for others, including family, his soldiers, and, most recently, the students of Braswell High School. His legacy will

live on in the hearts of the people he touched.

Rodney will be missed and survived by his wife, Sonnie; his children, Landon, Holden, Jackson, and Gideon. He is also survived by his dad, Roger Frankenstein; his siblings, Robyn, Roger, and Tommy; and many other loving family members.

A celebration of life service was held Mon. March 6 at Stonebriar Funeral Home, 10375 Preston Road in Frisco.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonebriarfh. com for the Frankenstein family.

Girls soccer coach

Jeff Miller died Friday, March 31, according to a GoFundMe page created in his memory.

Miller was new to the Braswell community, starting his first year as the head girls soccer coach in August. He was a longtime soccer coach in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at multiple schools before making his way to Braswell. Miller had previously coached at Crowley High, Kaufman High, North Forney High and Mesquite Horn High before taking over the Lady Bengals team.

“We really appreciate Jeff and are saddened to hear the news,” Denton ISD

athletic director Joey Florence told the Denton Record-Chronicle. “While he wasn’t here very long, his impact will endure. He was very well thought of, and we certainly wish his family the best and keep them in our prayers.”

The GoFundMe page created to cover Miller’s funeral/ cremation expenses has already surprised its goal at the time of publication. Support for Miller and his family poured in from soccer teams across the state after the GoFundMe page was posted to Twitter by the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches.

Senior class officers announce Prom theme

Markayla Howard, Staff Writer

It’s prom season, but what will it look like this year? The senior class sponsor, Dr. Anna Seibert, is working to organize an unforgettable prom experience for students. She takes pride in fulfilling senior class activities and planning exciting things for the seniors, even if it is a lot of work.

“It’s fun getting to work with the seniors and be excited about all of the senior events that’s coming up,” Seibert said. “But it is a lot of work putting into the organization, the event, the venues, the papers [and getting] dates approved by admin.”

Applying for colleges and trying to keep the senior class together is a rewarding task for the senior class president.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Ty Mason, 12, said. “It’s a fulfilling and enriching role and I like serving my class and conversing with my peers to plan fun events.”

The senior class officers have been carefully planning [prom] since last May. The prom committee has been planning as well to ensure that prom is an exciting and glamorous experience for juniors and seniors.

“[We are planning] a fun and adventurous theme that we hope students haven’t seen before,” Madison Johnson, senior class historian said. The thrill of prom coming up has spread from student to student with the even coming up later this week.

“Prom is going to be at the Buffalo Valley Event Center on April 22, and it will be from 7p.m. to 11p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Students may not attend prom if they have outstanding school fees.

“I think we decided on $65 because that’s what they were last year,” Seibert said. “So we’re just sticking with what they decided last year. It’s kind of expensive, but you’re going to get food at the event,

drinks, we’re gonna get a good DJ, and the place will be decorated and the hope is that we actually can use the place from 7p.m. to 11p.m. In the past it’s been three hours but we are pushing for four.”

need transition

“There is actually not a dress code,” Seibert said. “Traditionally, people like to have that one chance to get dressed up and look like a princess, if you’re a girl. The guys end up looking so sharp and good. Generally, people wear tuxedos to prom, but there is no requirement for students to wear anything specific. If you want to wear something from Target

or a wedding store; wear whatever you want.”

With all the dancing, students are sure to be hungry and the senior class has thought of everything.

“If anybody has something that they really want, they can bring it to school, but we were talking about finger foods and charcuterie boards. Cookies, cupcakes - things that you can eat that won’t make a mess. were going with.”

Tickets for prom are on sale now in the Commons for $65. The senior class accepts cash, check, and credit cards. All students must bring their ID with them to prom.

ROTC students band together to create challenge coin, a military tradition

Markayla Howard, Staff Writer

Braswell

High School’s Air force Jr. ROTC program recently designed and created their own challenge coin, becoming the first JROTC program in DISD to do so. The coin’s design, which bears the image of a winged white bengal tiger on one side and the AFJROTC logo on the other, is completely unique to Braswell’s TX-20171 unit.

SMSgt Christopher Koopmans, one of the program’s two directors, spearheaded the initiative to design the coin, but invited all students in the program to have input during the design process.

“From beginning to end, I told them to design everything you can, just do a little handwritten sketch, and [the minting company] will design it off of that,” Koopman said.

Fiona Saldia, Corps Commander, 12, was one of several students heavily involved in the design process.

“Every now and then, he would get one of us and just say ‘Hey come over here, come to my office,’ and then, from there, he would show us from his computer screen,” Saldia said. “We would talk about it and say things like ‘maybe we should switch the colors here’ or ‘change how the tiger fits here’ and just get tips from everybody around.”

Traditionally, challenge coins are used to recognize and honor individuals for their service or achievements, and are frequently used in a “challenge,” where a member of the unit presents their coin to another member, who must then produce

their own coin or face a penalty.

“The challenge coin has a long history that goes back well over 900 years,” Koopmans said. “Each unit would have a commemorative coin minted. How a challenge worked was somebody pulled out one of their coins and started tapping it on the bar as a challenge to everybody to pull out their coins and start tapping theirs, too. If there was anybody who did not have their coin on them, they bought the next round of drinks.”

Though challenge coins are very common among military and law enforcement units, they are very rarely seen at the high school level.

“It would be nice to get that started with other JROTC units in

the area,” Koopmans said.

Many students in JROTC bid for a coin for their time in the program. Each coin is assigned a number based on the order of minting, and has the potential to have sentimental value to its future owner, “I purchased my coin specifically for the number four,” Anakin Aranda Medrano, 11, said. “One thing I really liked about it was that I could have something to remember the unit by. I would say the coin symbolizes more of the unit, but you can also use that as a symbol for yourself.” To purchase a coin, stop by J117, while supplies last.

“One thing I really liked about it was that I could have something to remember the unit by. “

-Anakin Aranda Medrano, 11

Puss in Boots: the Last Wish review

Diego Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Some pretty big spoilers ahead.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a very classic take on fairy tale quests. Puss in Boots, (Antonio Banderas), a returning Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), as well as a dog Puss reluctantly takes as a companion, Perrito (Harvey Guillen) are out for a wishing star that will grant the user anything their heart desires.

Shenanigans ensue as the antagonist of the story “Big” Jack Horner (John Mulaney) and his goons, Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Coleman, and Samson Kayo) pursue the wishing star for their own purposes.

Its breathtaking animation and hilarious star-studded cast performing at high energy at all times truly sets this film apart. The film’s whimsical and delightfully cartoonish style is refreshing when compared to the trend of realism seen recently in children’s

animated movies. The art style (reminiscent of Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse) is characterized by richer colors and lower frame rates that add an anime-like emphasis to the characters’ movements, especially in fight scenes. One of my favorite scenes was toward the beginning of the movie, as Puss’s doctor was recounting his previous eight lives. As the fast paced music plays, each of his lives literally flashed before our eyes, and we see the heroic (and embarrassing) ways this light-footed feline hero has gone out in the past. The sequence is electrifying, I became very excited for what the rest of the movie had in store for us.

The combat scenes in this movie are intense for a kid’s film, though I am not one to complain about that. Early in the movie, Puss has a run-in with the Big Bad Wolf, which terrifies him into retirement. This is one of the more atmospheric scenes, where the entire setting reflects

the terror inspired by the wolf. Throughout his quest for the star, we see the recurring image of the Big Bad Wolf and the intensity with which this affects Puss mentally, which culminates in a panic attack from the hero within a grim forest. This scene could be difficult to watch for some of the audience, and could have been difficult for younger viewers to process. However, shortly after, Perrito comes to his side to comfort him, and it ends up being a painfully endearing

and heartwarming experience. Our protagonist starts to contemplate what it means to be down to his last life, and has to meditate on and realize what truly matters. When he does confront the Big Bad Wolf later on, (who has at this point revealed himself to be Death, “straight up,”) Puss, certain in his own personal accomplishment and more appreciative of his life, overcomes his fear and rises to the challenge, fighting for what he has at every strike of Death’s

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Now streaming on Peacock

Student Reviews

“It’s definitely the best looking animated movie I’ve seen since Spiderverse. It’s a really tight plot, like you can poke no holes into it. I quite enjoyed the metaphor of Death being the big bad wolf knocking at your door, I thought that was a really nice touch.”

-Bryson Morgan, 11

“It was so good and I loved it.”

-Caris Stutes, 12

“The villain, Death, is the best villain that Dreamworks ever made.”

-Evan Fife, 11

scythe. It really is quite beautiful, and the fight scene itself was made incredibly intriguing by the animators.

One of my favorite aspects of The Last Wish is how it has us connecting with this protagonist who might appear to be very different from ourselves. Most of us aren’t older gentlemen who’ve spent their lives as swashbuckling outlaws, or cats. Still, I felt very connected to the protagonist. He relishes in his glory, he’s confident in his talents, and he’s quite self-satisfied in ways

that can get in the way of developing personal relationships in a healthy way.

You could be wondering why Diego is getting so worked up over a children’s flick, but I can assure you it really is quite a beautiful meditation on self-confidence, at least. There’s some more sophisticated humor in there, and I couldn’t imagine someone walking out of the theater without laughing at least a couple times. The movie’s pretty, the movie’s funny. Yeah, watch it.

“It’s not really related to kids at all. If teens watch it, its like the adults get the jokes and the kids are like ‘what are y’all laughing at?’ The Big Jack Horner, he’s so stupid but I love him.”

- Lexie Rodgers, 12

“It’s a very good movie that explains the symbolism between life and death and how much one life can mean, not just to you, but to other people. Because you have these experiences, these memories, and who you are as a person: that’s all your one life.” -Carson Green, 9

“It was beautiful and a perfect story and I loved the animation, it was very Into the Spiderverse. Very satisfying to watch, very anime. You know the scene I’m talking about when he’s on the ceiling and he’s going [vocalizes zooming noise].”

-Maria Rivera-Figueroa, 12

Diego Gonzalez, 12, and Maria Rivera-Figueroa, 12, see Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in theaters.