March 2021 Volume III Issue VI
Dripping Springs High School, School, Dripping Springs, Springs, TX 78620
mydshs.com
The Paw Print
Dance Try-outs Q&A 2 Frank For Life 3 Tiger Gallery 8 News 2 Entertainment 3 Features 4 Editorials 5 Sports 6,7 Student Life 8 The Paw Print’s core purpose is to serve the students and staff of Dripping Springs High School, as well as the surrounding community, with the most meaningful news and content regarding our school’s culture and the student body that influences it. From students, to students.
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Cover Art By: Junior, Grace Maddux dshsstudentmedia
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News
Hi -Steppers and Dazzlers Q&A Abby Hernandez Staff Writer
Hi-Stepper Director Tracy Neef answers (note, both interviewees were asked the same questions): What are tryouts going to look like this year? “We are looking at a hybrid model where students can work in person the week of the clinic, and then submit videos at the end of the week.” How do you pick who makes the team? “We evaluate dance technique and performance skills.” What are things you look for in a person when recruiting people for Hi Steppers? “We want individuals who are passionate about dance, and want to be a part of a spirit group to encourage other groups on campus.” What else does the team do besides dance? “In a non COVID-19 year, the Hi-Steppers volunteer to hold doors at the elementary schools, perform at local nursing homes, raise funds to donate to local charities, act as mentors to younger dancers, and exemplify the character traits of discipline, spirit, and teamwork in our community.” How would you summarize what Hi Steppers is? “Hi-Steppers is a group of dancers who work to promote spirit at DSHS, support and encourage sports teams, and work together as a team to perform many styles of dance at a variety of events throughout the year.” Dazzler Director Christen Manning answers: What are tryouts going to look like this year? “This year will be a hybrid audition. We will have online video submissions and an in-person/online clinic. More details to come at the Feb. 16 audition Zoom meeting.” How do you pick who makes the team? “We pick students who meet the dance criteria (required leaps, turns and skills), and we look for dancers who have energy and stage presence.” What are things you look for in a person when recruiting people for Dazzlers? “I look for dancers who perform like no one is watching, commit to the movement, and attach all the skills we present to them. The skills I look for include, headstands, 180 degree Split leaps, Russian leaps, Double turns, both right/left splits!” What else does the team do besides dance? “We do philanthropic events (like our canned food drive), visit the middle schools, and help promote school spirit.” What do you like about directing the Dazzlers? “I LOVE working with my Dazzlers. These girls brighten my day (every day). This team works so incredibly hard and always takes on my challenging dance routines with a smile on their face. This year is our first line of Officers, and they have worked closely with me to grow our team and challenge ourselves to be the very best. I could not be more proud of them.”
The drill and dance teams practice inside their new studio in January for competition and tryouts. Photo by Will Taylor. The Dazzler members perform on the football field in October. Photo by Olivia Funk.
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The Paw Print March 2021
Entertainment People have found things to obsess over since the beginning of time. From artists, foods, movies, fashion, and even simply getting straight A’s at school. Some have grown up obsessing over them, learning about them, and loving them. While others have a quick little love over it and move on to the next thing. Caeden Brooklyn Hagblom Morris, a sophomore, is a long-time lover of Frank Ocean, a neo-soul artist, who is Staff Writer known for his exceptional songwriting, and voice. “I discovered Frank Ocean in 2015, I was a fan then but he hadn’t released anything super big. But his music was so different than anything else I had heard. I loved how he experimented with r&b and the New Orleans sound to create something unique, that’s why I love him.” Frank Ocean has released two albums, one mixtape, 21 singles, and 8 music videos, fans have hopes of a new album. “My favorite songs of his change all the time, it really just depends on what mood I am in.” Morris said. “I have different emotions tied to different songs but currently they are, Good Guy, Nights, and Close to You. I used to listen to Channel Orange a lot. So I have been trying to switch it up and listen to Blonde more.” Many fans are mad over Franks’s very little release of music. He releases an album every four years. “Frank sucks at releasing music,” Morris said. “He dropped Blonde like 4 years ago, and then there were rumors and hopes about him dropping another album soon, but then his little brother Ryan passed away so now everyone is unsure.” Frank Ocean has been deleted all his Instagram posts and has been seen commenting on posts about him. He has also been seen out and about with Tyler the Creator. “I have a bunch of his merch, and it is all designed really well. I have posters and shirts, and I am trying to buy some vinyl but it’s expensive, I just want to support him in any way I can!”
Frank For Life
Tredway Reality TV Offers More Than Abby Staff Writer Inconsequential Drama One of the most controversial genres in shows is reality, with the majority of viewers having very strong opinions on it. The controversy is very black and white, you either love reality shows or you hate them, there is very little gray area. However, I am a strong lover and supporter of reality shows, and it might be my favorite genre of TV. Reality television is a television program in which ordinary people are continuously filmed. There are many subgenres, one of the most popular being competition reality television. Some examples include Survivor, Big Brother, and The Bachelor. While some people may argue that people who enjoy reality shows are just nosy, I completely disagree. I find that I am most interested in reality shows because they offer a different perspective, especially competition shows that are Big Brother-style. To preface, if you have absolutely no knowledge of how shows like that work here is a quick explanation. A group of people, typically around 15 people, live in an environment where they will compete against each other for some sort of prize, usually money, and will vote someone out of the group, making them ineligible for the prize. In Big Brother, the contestants live in a Photo By: Pixabay house, but in Survivor, they add the element of putting the contestants on a deserted island and making them build shelter and find food. The shows test the contestants’ physical, mental, and social abilities through challenges and having to make friends and alliances to get far in the game. Through watching the contestants’ journeys to the prize, viewers often find themselves thinking about what they would
do in that situation, or criticizing contestants for a move they made that they disagree with. However, they always include more than just the competitions and strategy in an episode, viewers also see the real relationships and bonds that form between the contestants. It is a really great way to learn about certain peoples’ struggles that may have been unknown to you before. Especially living in a community where there is not a lot of diversity, reality shows include great conversations between different races, religions, and sexual orientations that help the viewer learn about societal issues or even just gain a different perspective on them. The executive producer of Survivor believes that it is a microcosm of society, and that is what the appeal is to viewers. However, while I may love reality television, there are also a lot of issues within the shows. Though they are meant to represent society, many shows find themselves as the center of controversy when the majority of the cast is white and straight, which is not an accurate representation of our world today. As a result of this, minorities are typically ostracized from the rest of the group. In Big Brother, the contestants are filmed 24/7, and the live feeds are available to people who have a subscription to CBS’s streaming service. In season 21, articles were constantly being published about the racism going on in the house. White contestants were constantly making racist remarks to the only Black person in the house and used a racist term to describe the only Asian contestant. The Black contestant, Kemi Fakunle, was the main target of hate from the majority alliance in the house, and as a result, fans tried to get a contestant kicked off the show because of his actions in the house. Though this wasn’t the first time something like this happened, CBS and other television programs have pledged to make their cast be at least 50 percent POC in an attempt to avoid future controversies within their show. Love it or hate it, reality television is and always will be a huge genre of television, and people aren’t just interested in it because they are nosy, however, that is the reason for some viewers. Though, I would really recommend adding some reality shows into your consumption of television, as it offers many different perspectives on a variety of topics and issues. Who knows, you may end up getting as addicted as I am!
Tredway Are seasonal music habits real? Abby Staff Writer times associated with summer. I have an app that tracks Have you ever noticed that you may listen to slower, the music I listen to, Last.FM, which I’ve been using more comforting music in the fall or winter since September 2019. When going back to and faster-paced music in the spring December, I saw that I listened to artists or summer? Six out of ten students at like Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers, and FKA DSHS noted that their music habits twigs’ slower songs. Genre-wise, I listened change seasonally. Psychologist Terry to folk music the most in December than Pettijohn also noticed this, and his any other month. When I went to August, studies found that people actually my top albums were Channel Orange, do listen to more energetic music in Apollo XXI, and Notes on a Conditional the summer and slower music in the Form. I also noticed that over June, July, winter. This is because the fall and winter and August I listened to more electronic months are typically associated with more Photo By: Pixabay music than I did in November, December, and stressful times, which would lead listeners to want January. It is very likely that your listening habits to hear more comforting music as they go about change seasonally to comfort you, even if you their day. However, spring and summer usually have less don’t consciously choose to listen to different genres for stress associated with it, and listeners don’t need to rely certain seasons. on their music to help them get through the tougher
Tell Me Something Good Spring Break Edition Do you want to stay safe but still enjoy your spring break? Here are some fun things to do in Austin that are COVID friendly and fun! Tia Davison Entertainment Editor
Visit the Greenbelt Get your hike on at the Barton Creek Greenbelt! The park includes 12 miles of beautiful trail to hike or run on, creek beds, and waterfalls. For more information go to the Barton Creek Greenbelt website. Go see a Movie at Doc’s Drive-in Movie Theater Movie theaters are not the safest option at the moment, but if you need a flick and some popcorn, Doc’s Drive-In movie theater is a great way to enjoy a movie in a covid friendly way. Check out what’s playing, and purchase a ticket at the Doc’s Drive-In Austin website. Go on a run, bike, or walk on the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail On Lady Bird Lake Enjoy the nice temps of Austin in March on the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake. The trial is a great way to experience the city by being located in downtown Austin’s heart. The loop has many length variations and access points, making it easy for everyone to appreciate the Hike-and-Bike Trail. For more information, go to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail website. Take a hike to the top of Mt. Bonell In need of some incline? Mt. Bonnell is considered to be the highest point in Austin, standing as a 775-foot peak. Hiking to the top might be a challenge, but the incredible view of Austin and Late Travis at the top is worth it. For more information about Mt. Bonnell goes to “austintexas.gov.” Enjoy the water at Lady Bird Lake Texas gets hot so and what’s better than a nice cool dip on a warm spring day. Grab a paddleboard, kayak, canoe, or inner tube, and enjoy Lady Bird Lake. Check local listings for rental outlet availability. Go to the Blanton Museum of Art If the outdoors aren’t for you, no fret! Visit Ellsworth Kelly’s iconic Austin, a 2,715-square foot stone building with gorgeous glasscolored rainbow windows, in the Blanton Museum of Art. The University of Texas’ museum is located at 200 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. For more information, go to the Blanton Museum of Art’s website. Eat at the famous Franklin BBQ Austin is known for its unbeatable BBQ, one of the best being Franklin’s BBQ. Usually, Franklin’s would have a line down the block, but due to COVID precautions, you can place your orders a few days in advance for a simple curbside pick-up. This makes it easier than ever to enjoy the famous BBQ. To order, go to “franklinbbq.com.”
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March 2021
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Features
Rainbow Revelation
Student Reflects on LGBTQ+ Experiences
Belle Solis Featured Writer
Self Care Checklist Ten Steps to a Better You Mallory Neff Staff Writer
1. Wash your face 2. Read a good book Photos by PurePNG & iStock
When she walked down the school hallway, she heard someone say something under their breath - a gay slur. Slightly hurt by this, she began to walk slower and more slouched until she remembered all she had gone through, and remembered that they faced the cruel reality of ignorance. So, she began lifting herself up and began walking with confidence. “If you asked me a year and a half ago if I desired to come out to my parents as lesbian or to anyone else, I would have said no, because I only came out to my friends,” junior Isabella Roske said. “But, they stayed there through the long run to support me and help me through questioning my sexuality, and eventually, they helped me come out to my parents; they helped walk me through it. I think having people in your life that you can relate to helps your situation greatly. From the second they knew, they gave full support, and then they eventually ended up coming out to me after I came out to them.” Young people who identify as LGBT and who consider themselves as ‘out’ to their immediate family report feeling happier than those who do not. “I have two best friends. I’m not going to say names, because they do not identify as out, but both of my best friends place themselves in the LGBTQ community,” Roske said. “My best friend indentifies as pan-sexual and my other best friend as asexual. They mean the world to me. They stand as the people that I have closest relationships with. I trust them the most. I trust them with everything. Because we bounce off of each other, and we use each other to stay sane, especially in times where so much uncertainty exists, whether we will have the ability to keep our rights, they persist as the most important people to me. Right now, with this election, high tensions and high stress in the LGBTQ community prove as troublesome because of the new Supreme Court Justice identifying as extremely anti-LGBTQ and already setting up patterns for removal of our marriage rights. My ability to have my closest friends in the LGBTQ community and having the ability to relate to me has helped my mental health and I know their mental health too. We keep each other up, and we work to make sure that we each have good mental health and that even though people that dislike us exist or things in the government remain aimed against us, knowing that we still have each other no matter what really matters.” Typically 90% of teens who identify as LGBT come out to their close friends. “The community ensures protection,” Roske said. “When we talk about teen suicide rates in the LGBTQ community, they don’t have an outlet like that unfortunately. Pressed up against the wall, essentially, in regards to not having anyone or by keeping their
sexuality quiet, they face bullying solely because their sexuality is prevalent.” Approximately, 80% of gay and lesbian youth report severe social isolation. “Living in Texas, you can definitely tell people remain more close-minded. But I don’t think that should stop us from trying to become ourselves,” Roske said. “I have faced slurs at school by people in the hallway. Several different guys told me that they could change me if I just dated them even though I’m not into men whatsoever. I had people openly tell me that I’m wrong for owning myself and that’s hurtful to hear. But I know, internally, I can do nothing to change the person I have become. Even though people may not like me for my sexual preference, that doesn’t change me as a person. I still stand as a good person, and I haven’t done anything wrong. More so, they stay close-minded, and their upbringing remains extensively different. Do I think that we should rely on this idea that ‘Oh, they had a different upbringing. They will act differently?’ No, I think, no matter what, people should stay open and kind, and I don’t see why people aren’t kind regarding the LGBTQ community. And, I absolutely despise when people use religion against my sexuality, because if you’re going to even start to play that game, what did Jesus promote? Jesus spread kindness and love. And, I don’t see how you can turn a religion against an entire community based on hate. I have heard other stories of friends facing discrimination, like teachers not calling them by their pronouns, misgendering, or deadnaming their students on certain occasions as well.” Texas still has somewhat higher rates of people voting against the LGBTQ community than supporting it. “I don’t care how close to Austin I live or how liberal a community it is, because this community isn’t all that liberal, and I have seen that through this election,” Roske said. “Having a community to yourself, especially in an area that promotes hostility to your sexuality, provides much comfort.” In 2013, 92% of adults who identify as LGBT said they believe society has become more accepting of them than in the past 10 years. “I’m trying to inform other people that may not necessarily live in the community on how to keep it respectful to LGBT people and respect pronouns,” Roske said. “Overall, I’m just trying to preserve the outlook in the community in that regard.”
4. Turn your phone off for an
hour 5. Take a nap/ get extra sleep 6. Do a fun face mask 7. Have a solo movie night 8. Clean your room 9. Listen to your favorite
music 10. Drink some water/stay
hydrated
Photos by PurePNG
Female Virtuosity
Sophia Portillo Features Editor
Reminiscence of Attainment From the earliest records of history to the world today, the role and rights of women remain ever changing. From becoming high priestesses and worshiped as high deities, to facing restrictions of what to wear and transformed to facing subjection, especially by maintaining domestic spheres in the household, women have always adapted to the inconsistent expectations that society has imposed. Because various daring women have gone without fear to change the standard way of life, future generations can now tackle the hardships that the world sets in motion. “Honestly, my life would stand incomparable to today without the work of the women before me,” junior Audrey Baldson said. “Since I want to enter law and politics as an adult, I would have none of these opportunities if such advancements just up and disappeared. Today, a majority of law students exist as women, but without a tradition of excellence and trail blazing, [this possibility would cease.]” Revisiting 1870, long before the 19th amendment for women to vote
3. Take a long shower
passed, Ada Kepley, a student at Northwestern University, graduated and earned her degree in law making her the first woman in U.S. history to ever do so. As time progressed and the world approached the year of 1919, the Sex Disqualification Act, passed by the British Parliament, prevented women from facing rejection because of their gender. Finally, in 1922, women throughout the U.S. finally became able to legally attend law school, which made Ada Kepley an inspiration for generations to come. “I think women’s right to vote became such an important accomplishment because it gave us a voice that we never had before,” junior Greer Gilbraith said. For the first time in history, as the world became accustomed to the 20th century, the 19th amendment passed which finally allowed women to vote regardless of their sex. The stereotype of a “true” woman, which engendered a woman only concerned with the home and family faced opposition, however, failed to end with the amendment. Furthermore, the right to vote, not even a top priority of the Women’s Equality Movement to begin with, proved refinement as essential, especially since at the time, states could still discriminate against women who tried to vote. “[The Women’s Rights Movement] still has to create standards and goals for women that remain not as comparisons to men,” Gilbraith said. “I feel as if we try to chase and replicate what men have but why not just make it our own thing?” While the current movement makes headway for profuse accomplishments, with such issues involving the abuse of transgender women, basic misgendering, and even the infamous wage gap, the movement still requires a great deal of progression. Countries like Brazil and Mexico lead the world in transphobic violence and abuse cases, most of which go unnoticed. Last December, in Playas Del Coco, Tati Quiros, shot multiple times, failed to hold recognition as a woman in media coverage. The extent of these deaths have progressed so substantially that even cisgender women in Latin America become targeted like prey for their femininity.
“No matter the advancements women make in society, we have long given into oppression throughout history,” Baldson said. “If one day the ultimate triumph over the patriarchy comes, we should still celebrate the centuries of women who brought us to that point. It [subsists] as a recognition of our history and a celebration of how far we have come.” Because of the degrading belief that women come off as too emotional or lack cognizance to hold certain jobs, especially held by former president Howard Taft or rapper T.I. who stated that a Loch Ness monster would become more fit for a presidential career, women’s work, left as unrecognized, became swindled and looked down on by men. From the discovery of the DNA double helix by Rosalind Franklin, purloined by Watson and Crick, to the original game of Monopoly invented by Elizabeth Maggie known as “The Landlord’s Game” that never received credit, women continue to face doubt as their overall perception by the world remains perpetuated by vacillation. “Existing as a woman happens as something I do not consciously recognize day to day- I simply exist as me,” Baldson said. “The terms of a woman [turn to definition] only when I recognize the surrounding patriarchy that narrows my sense of self and opportunity. In that case, living as a woman prepares us to deal with the nicks and scratches you take on trying to become yourself in this patriarchal world.”
Photos by Pixabay and Icons PNG
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March 2021
Editorials In the times of the COVID-19 Pandemic, schools need to ensure the safety of both students and the community. While, for the most part, this has been successful, there is one detail that needs to be addressed: sheer ignorance by the masses. First, I will state my concerns and their implications. Then, I will give my proposal to (hopefully) solve this situation at DSHS. Now, what am I talking about? Well, for the past few months, I have observed many students not wearing their masks appropriately, in the sense that they don’t wear masks over their entire faces. This is most certainly intentional, and it just comes to show that many don’t know the gravity of the situation. Lives are literally on the line, and people who violate public safety don’t seem to understand this. However, what’s also shocking is how antimaskers have repeatedly been able to get away with safety violations. In almost all of the cases I have seen, they were not even called out for their violations. Nobody around even said a thing. This exposes the lack of willingness to enforce
rules and is an evident flaw in the school’s management of COVID-19 guidelines. This leads to my proposal: create harsher punishments for those caught violating safety rules. Do they want to violate mask rules? Detention it is. They repeatedly violate safety rules, suspend them from in-person learning. The current guidelines don’t seem to be curbing the ignorance of people, so make them understand that their actions are taken seriously. Make them understand that what they are doing is unacceptable. Now that more contagious variants of the Coronavirus have arrived in America, protections against the virus are needed more than ever. People may say that harsher rules are ethically wrong. They are not. In comparison, lives take much precedence over the opinions of people. Connecting to the reason behind my proposal, it must be commonly understood that maskwearing and other rules are not a game. As I said, it’s not a matter of control, it’s a matter of public safety.
Sheer Ignorance The Dangers of Lax Safety Rules and a Proposal to Fix Them Alec Stuart News Editor
Has STAAR Gone Too Far? Students Need a Break From Standardized Testing Abby Hernandez Staff Writer
Photo by Savannah Karas
During the current school year, students will continue to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or the STAAR test despite the months of school’s missed. By not taking the STAAR test it allows students to focus on their personal lives and other problems they are facing during this year without adding the pressure of preparing for the test. One of the main problems that have completely changed the world is the COVID-19 virus that started to spread throughout the world in later 2019 and early 2020. This has caused a setback and even caused students to become behind the needed curriculum. Also as many schools have used at-home learning there have been more challenges students have faced. In a poll from Active Minds, 38 percent of students are having a hard time focusing on their work from home and found the work stressful. It’s more important to focus on the needed information than spending time in class preparing for the STAAR test when there’s more important information that is
Sierra Trbovich Staff Writer
needed to be learned. With the pandemic, students have also had to learn to navigate their lives and adjust to this drastic change. A lot of these children and teens have had their personal lives turned around. With the younger generation having to stay inside due to quarantine it can lead to a feeling of isolation, depression, and even anxiety. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention most visits the ER have been because of mental health issues. Before someone can focus on school and even the STAAR test a student needs to deal with their mental health because it affects how a person functions and goes through their daily life. During this time at home, there has also been a decrease in the amount that the students have learned. According to KHOU, Texas students have lost an average of 3.2 months of learning. With this in mind, this shows what the outcome of the tests may be despite them not even having been taken yet. Knowing that students
have lost months of learning most likely the test scores will be lower because students have not been able to absorb information fast enough or haven’t learned all the information needed for these tests. A person could argue that despite knowing the outcome it still helps teachers gauge what they need to teach better. However, this year the results will not be as effective because they will show what they’ve learned during a year that has been like no other. Thus the tests will not show fully accurate information on what needs to be improved teaching-wise within schools. The solution to the STAAR tests is letting the schools administer a test for themselves to see what they individually need to do differently. It will help save resources by running it through the whole state and will lower the pressure on the students as well. By taking away standardized tests this year students will be able to focus on things more important to them during a time that is new to many. Infographic by Samantha Moore
Class and Circadian Rhythm
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
Sleeping Habits in Teens
Sleep is important for everyone, and it’s important everyone gets the right amount of hours to be fully aware and ready to take on the day ahead. Not only that, but it’s important for your health. When it comes to teenagers though, their brains are still developing, meaning they need a certain amount of sleep. The problem is, most teens stay up super late into the night and sleep in super late into the day causing a change in their sleep schedule which can then cause overall problems in things such as mental and physical health. Sleep benefits the brain and helps promote things such as attention, memory, and analytical thought, which benefits factors such as learning. Sleep is essential to teens. “I usually go to bed around 2-3 a.m. because I have things to do. I think normal time teens should be in bed though is probably twelve or one,” sophomore Nick Misko said. Doctors have said that sleeping hours all depend on age. Teenagers need a good 8-10 hours of sleep per 24 hours. Studies have shown that sleeping anything less than 7 hours can lead to problems such as chronic sleep deprivation. Chronic sleep deprivation can have effects on a teen’s life, including affecting their mental wellbeing and decreasing their academic performance at school.
“Teens experience a natural shift in circadian rhythm,” Johns Hopkins sleep expert, Laura Sterni, M.D. said. This means that it’s more difficult for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 p.m. If you then add in the early morning start on school, increase on homework, parttime jobs, and extracurricular activities, well sleep deprivation in teens isn’t as uncommon as some people believe. “I usually go to bed from 11:30 to 12 because I’m on my phone a lot or I can’t fall asleep. I usually need more sleep because I procrastinate going to bed,” sophomore Sara Dunn said. Studies have shown that blue light, aka phone or computer or TV screens, is a huge cause of sleep deprivation in teens. It was shown that if teens were to put away all screens about 30 minutes before bed, they would be able to fall asleep easier. Other studies have shown that taking a bath or shower before bed also can help with falling asleep at a normal time. “I get to sleep from 11:30 p.m-1 a.m. I used to go to bed at 10:30 on school nights but that changed because I have a job where I work until 10, so I don’t get home until 10:25 to 10:30-ish and then I have a junior homework workload to do before I can sleep,” junior Arwen Kubicek said. “I have to have the TV playing. I play either Netflix YouTube or Hulu off my personal laptop. I’ve had to
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March 2021 Volume III Issue V
have a noise like that since I was little. Talk to your doctors, you could be like me and have insomnia and they can get you something to help and also try to manage your time and work well, so get work done in class so you have less homework to do that night, and set aside some time before bed to do anything that won’t stress you out so you will calm down and hopefully stop overthinking.” Laura Sterni and Michael Crocetti recommend that both teens and parents take teen sleeping very seriously. They can begin by helping model good sleep habits such as maintaining a healthy sleep schedule. Some other tips they mentioned would be to schedule a checkup. A doctor can help set a teenager on the right path to gaining a healthy sleep schedule, as well as entertain the idea of how much sleep is too little and how much is too much. Another tip is to take a 30-40 minute afternoon nap. This is a better fix for sleep deprivation seen in teenagers. It’s important for teenagers to get a good amount of sleep to be able to do their everyday activities whether it’s driving, schoolwork, hanging out with friends. Whatever it may be, teenage sleep is more important than you may think.
WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO DAUNTING? FAFSA
Declaring a Major
FAFSA stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”. You don’t start to hear about FAFSA until the beginning of senior year but it is very important. FAFSA opens October 1st and you should be prepared to apply right away.
Asking a 17 or 18 year old to choose what they want to do with the rest of their life is insane. This would cause even the most level headed applicant some anxiety.
Application Fee Nobody told me I was going to have to shell out $50 to a school that’s planning on charging me $10,000 a year.
Seniors Peyton and Ally Beck. Photo by the Becks
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Teacher Pop: 144 Student Pop: 2171
Letters
The Paw Print encourages the student body to submit letters to the editor. Letters, guest columns, and all material submitted for publication must include the writer’s name and stay under 400 words. The Paw Print does not guarantee to print or online publish work submitted. The meaning of any submission will not be altered, however The Paw Print reserves the right to correct spelling, grammar and punctuation when necessary, as well as condense. Additionally, The Paw Print refuses to print criticism which is not constructive or unsupported by credible evidence. Email submissions to dshsstudentmedia@dsisdconnect.com.
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The Paw Print’s core purpose is to serve the students and staff of Dripping Springs High School, as well as the surrounding community, with the most meaningful news and content regarding our school’s culture and the student body that influences it. From students, to students.
GPA
Arguably, the scariest part of applying to college is the fear that all your applications could be rejected. It needs to be more widely discussed that there are schools that will accept a wide variety of GPA’s. No matter how high or low your GPA is, you have options.
Awards NSPA Best of Show 2020 ILPC 2018-2019 Honor CSPA 2018-2019 Second Place ASPA 2018-2019 First Place
Meet the Staff Co-Editor in Chief Sam Moore Co-Editor in Chief Evelyn Peterson Features Editor Sports Editor Sophia Portillo Cady Russell Online Editor Cady Russell News Editor Alec Stuart
Entertainment Editor Tia Davison Opinion Editor Sam Moore
Student Life Editor Evelyn Peterson Staff Writers Brooklyn Hagblom, Abby Hernandez, Mallory Neff, Gabriella Plasencia, Sierra Trbovich, Abby Tredway Byline Illustrator Advisor Cat Covatta Jessica Stamp The Paw Print is inserted inside the Century News, and distributed to racks next to the front office, CL&I, and the student media room. 2,000 copies are printed.
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The Paw Print March 2021
Sports PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Senior Charleigh Phipps, Varsity Girls Soccer Cady Russell Sports Editor What is your favorite part about soccer? “My favorite part of soccer is the unbreakable bonds you create with your teammates. Over the years and many games played together, the team becomes a family, and I love every second I get to spend on and off the field with the girls.”
Why do you play soccer? “I can’t imagine not playing soccer. I’ve played soccer for as long as I can remember, and I feel lost when I am not playing. I love the intensity that comes with stepping on the field and playing my heart out, and I love the friendships I have made with my teammates that I wouldn’t trade for the world. ” If you could tell your past self anything about the sport, what would you say? “I would tell my past self to never take any minute for granted on that field, because before you know it, you will be a senior playing your last game at Tiger Stadium with the girls you call family. ”
What is your favorite memory from soccer?
What is the hardest part about soccer?
“My favorite memory from soccer is the state playoff run my sophomore year. My favorite game that year was when we beat our biggest rivals Boerne Champion in round 3. The intensity in that game was through the roof and celebrating the win with the girls after was the best experience.”
“The hardest part about soccer is the training and conditioning we have to go through to be ready for the season. We go through intense pre-season conditioning that includes running and weight lifting in order to be the best team on the field.”
When did you start playing soccer?
What do you want out of this season?
“I started playing soccer when I was around 3 or 4 years old.”
“This season, I want to work as hard as possible to help my team win state!”
Phipps saves the ball during a goal attempt by Clark during her sophomore year. Phipps has played for varsity since her freshman year, becoming a permanent member her sophomore year. Photo by Keith Phipps.
What Makes a Great Athlete Mallory Neff Staff Writer As you run down the field - college recruiters won’t ever succeed.” in the stands - you see your opportunity to Hard work and practice outside of school is score a goal and you fight to make that vision obvious. Teammates and coaches can see the a reality. Athletes all over the world and in extra effort you put into your sport. Practicing every league are working to succeed and dribbling drills, passing a ball around, or going become a great athlete. Depending on who for a hard run is the kind of work that pays you are and what sport you play, your ideal off and makes you a better athlete. Setting athlete looks different. They may be strong, goals and working to achieve them outside fast, or just intelligent players. of practice allows you to get ahead and The physical abilities of an athlete can become a successful athlete. make or break a career after high school. In “Skills require a lot of repetition, and a lot of many sports, including soccer, lacrosse, and those things you learn at an early age when track, speed you are learning to is essential for become an athlete,” the best plays. Coach Hill said. “There And, having the are even studies, like smarts to be able in soccer, where the to visualize and amount of repetition carry out those it takes to acquire a quick plays is very skill is in the thousands. important. Being The people I’ve seen able to analyze that excel in sports are your opponent not just the Tuesday and your own and Thursday practice teammates as players. People that are well as having really good at something the endurance to go beyond what they keep going are are required to do to be important factors on the team.” in becoming a Improving yourself great athlete. A might seem easy lot of these traits enough, but motivation depend on your and inspiration go a sport. long way in that. With “When you the right motivation and think about mindset, you can go great athletes, farther in your career you think about and become more like explosiveness, those who you look quickness, up to. Throughout the strength, and girls lacrosse season, mobility,” soccer players are pushed by coach Josh Hill their teammates and said. “For soccer, Senior varsity player Jude Donovan attempts to coaches to do better and lay up the ball against Johnson on Jan. 8. The during tryouts, play harder. Tigers placed second in district. Photo by Jessica we look at their “I just like playing,” Stamp. technical ability, Mitchhart said. “It’s fun, how good they are in terms of their soccer but it’s not fun when you suck. So, I try to do skills, dribbling, shooting, athleticism, are they in my best, because, then, your team is happier, shape, their speed, and endurance.” you’re happier and everything just works a lot However, without certain mental better. And sometimes, even though practice characteristics, these physical traits soon may not be super fun to do in the moment, become wasted. Without the hard work and you have to do it because it pays off later, and the desire to become better and to improve it makes you a better teammate.” themselves, some athletes may fall behind Being a successful athlete takes physical their peers. Mental toughness and drive are and mental skill. Things like a good work ethic, arguably more important than an athlete’s endurance, intelligence, a healthy mindset, physical abilities. and effort in and out of practice, are the basic “Playing takes a lot of willpower, and you makings of a great athlete. have to want to be good,” senior lacrosse Senior varsity player Rylie Flores prepares to player Gesena Mitchhart said. “If you aren’t strike a ball at a scrimmage on Jan. 4. Flores going out of your way to try hard and do was a center defender for the team. Photo by different things to be better and to improve, Jessica Stamp. then you’re going to sit on the bench and you
Senior Sam Miethke competes during a fall golf competition. Miethke signed to Concordia University. Photo by Angela Tennison.
Junior Annabelle Crowder tips a ball during the regional final Dec. 5. DSHS lost 3-0 to Fulshear. Photo by Jessica Stamp.
Junior Gwen Bailey prepares to return a serve during tennis practice. Bailey also does summer swim. Photo by Makayla Marley. Varsity senior Jack Masters prepares to snap the ball during the Oct. 23 game against Canyon. The Tigers finished 9-4 overall. Photo by Kira Heflin.
“When you think about great athletes, you think about explosiveness, quickness, strength, and mobility.” -Varsity Soccer Coach Josh Hill
The 9th grade boys basketball team plays against Alamo Heights during district play. This game happened Jan. 22. Photo by Charlie Clarno.
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The Paw Print March 2021
mydshs.com
Sports
More Than Running Senior Maddie Livingston Spotlight Tia Davison Entertainment Editor Senior runner Maddie Livingston takes her spikes to the track one more time before bringing her talents to Texas A&M. After finishing14th at state in the fall with cross country, she looks to further dominate in the mile and 2 mile on the track. “I love how an action so simple can be so captivating,” Livingston said. “Competing is one of my favorite things, but this sport is so much more than the time or place at the finish line.” Livingston has shown exceptional talent during her four-year running career at DSHS. She appeared in the 2019 Austin Statesman article, “Faces Off the Field,” when she was a junior. In 2020, she was highlighted in the, “Best of Preps: American-Statesman’s 2020 AllCentral Texas cross-country team” article as a senior. “I started running in my elementary school’s afterschool running club and once a week track practice
with a club coach,” Livingston said. “It was not much, but from a young age, running was natural and comforting.” The young runner began her running career steadily, slowly increasing her intensity and building endurance. Livingston and her teammates train six days a week, including a couple of high-intensity workouts on the track, mileage runs for maintenance, two lifts plus core and band work, a long run over the weekend, and lots of rolling and stretching. “Our training is demanding, but I would not trade it for anything,” Livingston said. “The team relies on each other to push forward, and I think that is what makes us such a family.” Coach Tuzzi is the head coach of the track and cross-country team, along with assistant coaches Coach Acker and Coach Morris. The staff is dedicated and passionate about the sport. The team and coaches work together to build an unbreakable family atmosphere. “Besides the countless life lessons and skills I have developed during my years in this sport, running has introduced me to lifelong friends that have stuck with me through it all,” Livingston said. The team as a whole has accomplished a lot, with Livingston leading them through. The girls cross country team placed fourth in the state, with a team score of 103; Livingston placed top 20 with a time of 18:20.32. The team also made high marks at the Region IV, 5A championships held in Corpus Christi in early November, with Livingston placing third. “Running for Dripping Springs has no doubt been the best part of high school, so I cannot wait to see what my next four (or so) years running for A&M will hold,” Livingston said. Texas A&M is ranked third in the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Track and Field National Rating Index, placing it among the top d] Division I schools in the nation. “The finish line represents the people you spend countless miles with,” Livingston said, “the adversary you’ve overcome, and the goal you are one step closer to achieving.”
Livingston crosses the finish line at the 2020 cross country state meet on Nov. 23. Livingston placed in the top 20, bringing the girls team to place fourth. Photo by Jessica Stamp.
Livingston races at the first cross country meet in fall of 2020. This meet was unusual because it was held entirely on the track at DSHS. Photo by Savannah Karas.
Livingston finishes miles ahead of other runners at the first cross country meet of the year. Livingston had been running cross country for four years for DSHS. Photo by Savannah Karas.
Sweeping the Season Track Seniors Prepare for Year, Look to Make the Best of Every Moment Cady Russell Sports Editor Track season is underway, from practices, to conditioning, to meets, but getting to have a season has become something treasured. For two seniors, it’s even more important. “So, normally, it usually starts off with a home meet and then Tiger Relays and then that’s when we usually venture out like going to either Round Rock [or] New Braunfels, but the biggest part of it is usually the San Angelo meet, which is during Spring Break; we go up to San Angelo, Texas and we stay in a hotel,” senior Brian Hauser said, “but with COVID, it’s not happening, so that kind of stinks. And then, you have districts, area, and then state, so it’s definitely a long process, but I don’t mind every time.” Like everything, track season this year is different, even moreso after losing most of last year due to the pandemic. “It’s been hard for track since it was canceled [in 2020],” senior Audrey Williamson said. “Our junior year track season was canceled, so recruiting has been really difficult because junior year is whenever you have your star season, most of the time. So, not really anyone has had any new time since then.” To run at the level these seniors do takes a lot of work and conditioning. “You know, I really truly think that without a good mindset, you’re going to hate the sport,” Hauser said. “I wake up on Wednesdays, which is the 400 workout, and I’m just like, ‘I really don’t want to do this,’ but as soon as you’re done with the workout, you’re like, ‘Wow, I feel so much better,’ and your entire day just gets twice as better. So, it’s really just that mental block; that is the difficult part about it. Conditioning is still hard physically, but if you convince your mind that it’s not going to be hard, it isn’t going to be as long as you push forth and, you know, prevail.”
For some athletes, track is a sport that just doesn’t seem like there is a lot to enjoy, but Hauser loves it. “My reasoning behind that is that it’s fun,” Hauser said. “The practices suck but just competing with all those nerves running through you and just really finishing empty is just such a fun thing to do. I don’t know what it is. We’re crazy, but it’s fine.” Getting into track can also be daunting, but for both Hauser and Williamson, they learned to love it. Williamson and her sister both picked up track after their parents put them in a summer league when they were younger. “One day I just kind of decided to join it,” Hauser said. “And, you know, it really was interesting in the beginning, because I was like,‘It’s not just running in a circle.’ There’s a lot of technique and everything, but, as soon as I came to understand the method behind the madness, I loved it.” But despite the conditioning, the work, the practices, Hauser hopes for a good performance when it matters this season. “For everything that we couldn’t do last year, to be able to do this year,” Hauser said, “not only set PRs and everything but really finish our season strong as a team and individuals, and hopefully make it back to state like we did two years ago.” Williamson just wants to be on the track again, running with her teammates and getting those memories she cherishes. “I’m looking forward to just racing again,” Williamson said, “running with my teammates and just seeing where the season will take it, and all the memories and friendships and bonds that are going to come from that, because, last year, we didn’t have that because of COVID, so I’m just trying to make up for that this year.”
The girls cross country team lines up with their first place regional title. Nearly everyone on cross country also runs track long distance. Photo by Thomas Acker.
“I’m looking forward to just racing again.” -Audrey Williamson, 12
Junior Karsten Bobb crosses the finish line at the state cross country meet on Nov. 23. Bobb runs cross country in the fall and 1600 and 3200 in track in the spring while also being on a club team. Photo by Jessica Stamp.
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The Paw Print
March 2021
1mydshs.com
Student Life
Artist: Junior, Grace Maddux “Art is important to me because it lets me escape from the world for a few hours, and create my own through my brush. It helps me push my creativity and gives me a different outlook on life. Because I am so fascinated by art created by others, and I’m constantly working hard to improve my skills, it gives my life purpose, and gives me hope for my future as an artist.”
T I G E R
Artist: Junior, Grace Maddux Visual Arts Scholastic Event State Qualified “I especially knew that I wanted to become a true artist at around age 9 when I discovered a huge book called ‘Masterpieces of Art’ by Lucia Gasparini that included famous paintings and sculptures that dated all the way back to the 5th century B.C. I was fascinated by how the paintings made my eyes move across the painting and imagining the artist’s techniques with their brush.”
Artist: Senior, Melissa Richardson Visual Arts Scholastic Event State Qualified “Art is ingrained in my heart. My true love, my mind’s pure joy, my mental escape, my goals and dreams. It’s so versatile that no matter how much art is out there, there is always room to grow and explore- always room to paint another mural, frame another drawing, build a dress out of anything. Art is everything to me, for no matter who you are or where your from, there is something wonderfully diverse about art.”
Artist: Sohpomore, Katherine Ferno Visual Arts Scholastic Event State Qualified “As a kid I think I just found drawing as some sort of fun past time to draw what I was thinking, and later on, during middle school, I started to take art a little more serious when I realized that I had a bit of a knack for art.”
G A L L E R Y
Artist: Sophomore, Katherine Ferno “I get a lot of my inspiration to grow in my art from artists on the internet after seeing some of the amazing art that’s on there! My grandmother is also a huge inspiration for me because she also used to draw lots of beautiful paintings of people and plants, mostly flowers.”
Design: Evelyn Peterson
