Authors
Chloe Childress
Jeffery Harper
Shawnee Hofstad-Collins
Zictlaly Castro
Melissa Gonzalez
Sheryln De Haro
Safety and Security: What we can learn from Uvalde
Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 11:30am, there was a shooting at Robb Elementary School. 19 students and 2 teachers lost their lives in the attack due to a failure in every safety measure put in place. The outside doors were intended to lock when shut, but for whatever reason that day they did not. Every classroom was sent into lockdown and thankfully every single door was locked save for classroom 111, which latch had previously been complained about malfunctioning. The gunman locked himself in that room and killed everybody in there.
I interviewed Mr. Groen, also known as Coach Groen, for a teacher’s perspective on the matter. Four years ago now there was a lockdown at the Lonestar College Campus due to alleged gunfire, which we now know is a car backfiring. During this time, Mr. Groen and his class were on their way over to the college campus, and had no way of knowing the situation.
“When we were heading back to the campus, and Mr. Wallace had shouted at us to run, what was going through your head at that moment?”
“I just knew it was time to hustle. Mr. Wallace is a really chill dude, so I knew that if he was up in arms about something like this, it was a real emergency.”
“Were some students under-reacting in your opinion? How do you feel about the students who did not take this as seriously as they should have?”
“In all honesty, I don’t think there were any kids under-reacting once Mr. Wallace had begun to yell. There was maybe some initial confusion, and then once the herd mentality of, ‘oh, people are running, i should run’ kicked in, I don’t think there was anybody not taking this seriously.”
Though our incident in 2020 was not serious, the incident at Uvalde most certainly was. These lives can never be replaced, the horrific deed can never be undone, but what we can do is make sure that something like this can never happen again. There is a good reason Ms. Beal tells us to lock the classroom doors, to never let strangers inside the building and only let a teacher or staff open the outside doors. It’s not to be annoying, it’s not to have us knock every time we re-enter a room, it’s so this school never gets put on the map for something as terrible as this. She says it every single time, but it bears repeating, it’s for our safety.
The College Consequences of Bad Behavior
Following the rules and guidelines is important when taking a college class. Failing to do so may result in the drop of a class or getting kicked from your classes all together. If you don’t follow the guidelines your college or professors have set, you may be dropped from your classes. Guidelines for a college class may vary, but will always be in the course’s syllabus. If you are dropped from a college class and you go to an Early College, depending on their specific rules you may have financial obligations. Some specific guidelines for the college Lone Star, include no drugs or alcohol, no disrupting the college's normal operations, no invading other’s rights, no interfering with an activity, no threats or implied threats, no damaging or defacing any of the buildings, statues, monuments, memorials, or tree/plant life on college grounds. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in suspension or possibly being expelled.
Not only must you follow these rules and guidelines on campus but also on social media. Your social media posts can get you into trouble and possibly suspended or even expelled. An example of this would be when 2 college students in Colorado were caught anonymously posting inappropriate and offensive content onto their social media accounts. They were approached by campus officials and questioned, where they both admitted to the posts. One student was put on a 21 month suspension whilst the other was expelled permanently. They didn’t follow the guidelines and wasted their money on classes they won’t be able to complete anytime soon due to their poor actions.
Not only must you follow these rules and guidelines on campus but also on social media. Your social media posts can get you into trouble and possibly suspended or even expelled. An example of this would be when 2 college students in Colorado were caught anonymously posting inappropriate and offensive content onto their social media accounts. They were approached by campus officials and questioned, where they both admitted to the posts. One student was put on a 21 month suspension whilst the other was expelled permanently. They didn’t follow the guidelines and wasted their money on classes they won’t be able to complete anytime soon due to their poor actions.
The Dangers of Teen Vaping
Vaping is a serious problem in America; e-cigarettes are sold as perfect for the teen’s minds and hands. Many believe vaping is not at all as dangerous as smoking cigarettes daily, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth, especially for underdeveloped lungs. These teenagers, now after years of targeted advertising towards our country's youth, are in serious danger in more ways than one. Teen e-cigarettes are rising alongside their death’s and those same companies' profits. Many believe this is our country's newest, yet normalized, substance epidemic. But based on the numbers, it may not go away anytime soon.
Vapes or e-cigarettes are electronic and usually flavored which contain nicotine. They usually have a charging port, carts, and when the smoker exhales they only emit water vapor rather than a form of secondhand smoke. Vapes were invented in 2003 by pharmacist Hon Lik who initially created it to help serious smokers stop or ease extreme withdrawal. Four years later, they became part of the general public market, soon rising to the top after peaking in popularity once JUUL came around in 2014 after adding flavors to their lines. Since then, vape products have been skyrocketing and been distributed world wide, with America being the largest market for e-cigarette products since 2018.
Vaping spiked in popularity in America as it did worldwide but the reason the American market is so huge is because it relies on its most valuable and youngest customers: teenagers. As of 2021 around 27.5% of all American school students, regardless of age, use vape products. The reason for this can be found within vape companies' sneaky ingenious marketing. Computer advertisements with loud colors, young attractive women, sweet flavors, and modern labeling have found a way to spike the eyes of young children on free game websites. In December of 2022, JUUL had settled over 5,000 corporate and personal lawsuits over the ethics of their marketing practices and the dangerous repercussions their products have permitted. Since 1971, cigarette companies have been banned from television and radio advertising during Nixon’s “war on drugs,” and later years later in 2010 cigarettes were banned from any public sponsorship in ads, but vapes still do not have to apply to these rules.
The most touched upon and most dangerous element of vaping is the physical health affects to the lungs and other organs. Vaping releases harmful chemicals into the body including formaldehyde, diactyle, propylene glycol, diethyelne glythol, arcoline and heavy metals. Those names don’t ring a bell? Well diethyelne and propylene glycol is used in anti-freeze for cars as well as toxic outdated paints. Arcoline is a major herbicide used in almost every commercialized weed-eating product and mass pesticides, as well as diactyle which is the direct cause of the fatal “popcorn lungs” which have had thousands of casualties from not only vapes but also traditional cigarettes. In 2021, over 2,807 teenagers were hospitalized and sixty-eight died within a week's time due to various lung and trachea issues. To me or you sixty-eight may not seem like a large number, but those were people who were still legally children, teenagers just beginning to leave home or even start high school ended up losing their life for a few hits of nicotine.
While vaping’s physical side effects are the most deadly, the mental health aspect is nothing to ignore. Obviously addiction is the main issue, with causing serious and aggravating withdrawals, vapes have a grasp on all people just as any other restricted or illegal substance. Serious cases of withdrawals include itching of skin, hives, anxiety, distraught ideals, suicidal thoughts and self harm. Vaping increases anxiety and depressive symptoms which has led to a raise in negative mental health. Also, schools have seen a clear connection to students who consistently vape have lower grades compared to others; while that might not be directly from the vape but in fact from kids who vape having lower effort and attention in school.
Vaping has left this country fighting for our teens' lives and their security, but the people trying to reach out can’t do it all. If you are struggling with addiction,or a friend or peer is, reach out to them and refer them to a safe space for them to get help.
Vapes or e-cigarettes are electronic and usually flavored which contain nicotine. They usually have a charging port, carts, and when the smoker exhales they only emit water vapor rather than a form of secondhand smoke. Vapes were invented in 2003 by pharmacist Hon Lik who initially created it to help serious smokers stop or ease extreme withdrawal. Four years later, they became part of the general public market, soon rising to the top after peaking in popularity once JUUL came around in 2014 after adding flavors to their lines. Since then, vape products have been skyrocketing and been distributed world wide, with America being the largest market for e-cigarette products since 2018.
Vaping spiked in popularity in America as it did worldwide but the reason the American market is so huge is because it relies on its most valuable and youngest customers: teenagers. As of 2021 around 27.5% of all American school students, regardless of age, use vape products. The reason for this can be found within vape companies' sneaky ingenious marketing. Computer advertisements with loud colors, young attractive women, sweet flavors, and modern labeling have found a way to spike the eyes of young children on free game websites. In December of 2022, JUUL had settled over 5,000 corporate and personal lawsuits over the ethics of their marketing practices and the dangerous repercussions their products have permitted. Since 1971, cigarette companies have been banned from television and radio advertising during Nixon’s “war on drugs,” and later years later in 2010 cigarettes were banned from any public sponsorship in ads, but vapes still do not have to apply to these rules.
The most touched upon and most dangerous element of vaping is the physical health affects to the lungs and other organs. Vaping releases harmful chemicals into the body including formaldehyde, diactyle, propylene glycol, diethyelne glythol, arcoline and heavy metals. Those names don’t ring a bell? Well diethyelne and propylene glycol is used in anti-freeze for cars as well as toxic outdated paints. Arcoline is a major herbicide used in almost every commercialized weed-eating product and mass pesticides, as well as diactyle which is the direct cause of the fatal “popcorn lungs” which have had thousands of casualties from not only vapes but also traditional cigarettes. In 2021, over 2,807 teenagers were hospitalized and sixty-eight died within a week's time due to various lung and trachea issues. To me or you sixty-eight may not seem like a large number, but those were people who were still legally children, teenagers just beginning to leave home or even start high school ended up losing their life for a few hits of nicotine.
While vaping’s physical side effects are the most deadly, the mental health aspect is nothing to ignore. Obviously addiction is the main issue, with causing serious and aggravating withdrawals, vapes have a grasp on all people just as any other restricted or illegal substance. Serious cases of withdrawals include itching of skin, hives, anxiety, distraught ideals, suicidal thoughts and self harm. Vaping increases anxiety and depressive symptoms which has led to a raise in negative mental health. Also, schools have seen a clear connection to students who consistently vape have lower grades compared to others; while that might not be directly from the vape but in fact from kids who vape having lower effort and attention in school.
Vaping has left this country fighting for our teens' lives and their security, but the people trying to reach out can’t do it all. If you are struggling with addiction,or a friend or peer is, reach out to them and refer them to a safe space for them to get help.
College Acceptances
Graduation is right around the corner and with that comes COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES! To be accepted, you must go through the process of applying which includes FAFSA, SAT and ACT, and sending off your application to the college and the anxiety-inducing wait.
FAFSA, What is it? FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a form that can help you get financial aid to help pay for college. It is not required to fill this form out, but it is recommended. There are some good things that come with filling out FAFSA, like you can qualify for a $1,000 college board opportunity scholarship, but remember if you plan to apply for aid throughout college, you'll need to fill out FAFSA every year.
SAT’s and ACT’s are admission tests, the SAT’s evaluate the reading, math, and writing skills that you will need in college. The colleges use these scores to place the students in classes that are at their level. The SAT’s and ACT’s can also help the college determine what students will benefit from having academic support. These test scores can also help a student win a scholarship which can help out some students. If you have good SAT and ACT scores then you have a higher chance that colleges might be interested in you.
Dream schools, we all have one, we all know that not every dream comes true, so if you don’t get into your dream school that is perfectly fine; you might feel discouraged but it will be fine. Some ways you can deal with it is to try and remember that just because you were rejected from the college doesn't mean that it will define your future. Another thing you can do is remember that not every college is for every person so if you were reject from a college it might not be the right one for you so just keep your head high, and it might give you an opportunity to go traveling and explore the world
FInally, it is time to apply to all of your dream schools. After you send your application all you have to do is wait for a response. Here are some words from a senior, Daniela Soto, “When I first sent my application I felt happy because I had finally made it to my last year of high school, but I was mostly anxious because I really wanted to get into my dream school, the wait feels like ages but once you get the letter you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.” Even though it is a long wait, and process, it is worth it in the end.
FAFSA, What is it? FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a form that can help you get financial aid to help pay for college. It is not required to fill this form out, but it is recommended. There are some good things that come with filling out FAFSA, like you can qualify for a $1,000 college board opportunity scholarship, but remember if you plan to apply for aid throughout college, you'll need to fill out FAFSA every year.
SAT’s and ACT’s are admission tests, the SAT’s evaluate the reading, math, and writing skills that you will need in college. The colleges use these scores to place the students in classes that are at their level. The SAT’s and ACT’s can also help the college determine what students will benefit from having academic support. These test scores can also help a student win a scholarship which can help out some students. If you have good SAT and ACT scores then you have a higher chance that colleges might be interested in you.
Dream schools, we all have one, we all know that not every dream comes true, so if you don’t get into your dream school that is perfectly fine; you might feel discouraged but it will be fine. Some ways you can deal with it is to try and remember that just because you were rejected from the college doesn't mean that it will define your future. Another thing you can do is remember that not every college is for every person so if you were reject from a college it might not be the right one for you so just keep your head high, and it might give you an opportunity to go traveling and explore the world
FInally, it is time to apply to all of your dream schools. After you send your application all you have to do is wait for a response. Here are some words from a senior, Daniela Soto, “When I first sent my application I felt happy because I had finally made it to my last year of high school, but I was mostly anxious because I really wanted to get into my dream school, the wait feels like ages but once you get the letter you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.” Even though it is a long wait, and process, it is worth it in the end.
Major Issues with TSI
TSI is a two part test (math, reading and writing) that helps you get enrolled into dual credit courses. The score you need to pass the math TSI is a 950, which involves different types of math which are as follows: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and even Calculus.
The reading and writing TSI has the following concepts: grammar, reading comprehension, and revising and editing. In the essay portion you are writing a full-blown essay about the topic you are given. On the reading comprehension portion of the test, you are told to read the passage and answer the questions; to pass you will need a 945 or higher and on the essay you are required to score above a 5.
A problem that the sophomores (the majority) are dealing with is trying to pass the reading and writing TSI. We are stressing out more and more every day hearing that if we do not pass our TSI’s soon, our junior year will be hard to handle. Even now, we can get out of a class by just passing that test, which would make our schedules a lot easier. I feel like the problem about TSI is not that it’s hard, but that we keep hearing how this test is way more important than the math one and how this test will be really stressful if we do not pass it soon. We have two very talented teachers, Ms. Roberts and Mr.Torres, who help us with all the skills we need to use during the reading TSI. We have practiced different reading techniques and we have even practiced with some essays.
The problem with all of this work is that I find some students don't have any interest in the work and how they don’t even try to quiz themselves with the practice tests online. Then, there’s the other half where the student is actually trying and giving their best effort, and tries out the practice quizzes, but when it’s time for the real test, they get nervous and that makes them overthink all of the questions. TSI has not only put so much weight onto our shoulders but it is in some cases affecting our mental health. It is a big weight that us sophomores want to just lift off if it were simpler. We hope that one day we eventually pass this ridiculous test but this is basically what sophomores are thinking and what our mindset is.
The reading and writing TSI has the following concepts: grammar, reading comprehension, and revising and editing. In the essay portion you are writing a full-blown essay about the topic you are given. On the reading comprehension portion of the test, you are told to read the passage and answer the questions; to pass you will need a 945 or higher and on the essay you are required to score above a 5.
A problem that the sophomores (the majority) are dealing with is trying to pass the reading and writing TSI. We are stressing out more and more every day hearing that if we do not pass our TSI’s soon, our junior year will be hard to handle. Even now, we can get out of a class by just passing that test, which would make our schedules a lot easier. I feel like the problem about TSI is not that it’s hard, but that we keep hearing how this test is way more important than the math one and how this test will be really stressful if we do not pass it soon. We have two very talented teachers, Ms. Roberts and Mr.Torres, who help us with all the skills we need to use during the reading TSI. We have practiced different reading techniques and we have even practiced with some essays.
The problem with all of this work is that I find some students don't have any interest in the work and how they don’t even try to quiz themselves with the practice tests online. Then, there’s the other half where the student is actually trying and giving their best effort, and tries out the practice quizzes, but when it’s time for the real test, they get nervous and that makes them overthink all of the questions. TSI has not only put so much weight onto our shoulders but it is in some cases affecting our mental health. It is a big weight that us sophomores want to just lift off if it were simpler. We hope that one day we eventually pass this ridiculous test but this is basically what sophomores are thinking and what our mindset is.