Kingwood Park Times, May 2026

Self portraits land art students at State

By Shawn Chaney Staff Writer

First-year art students Eli Seiler and Maryangel Gomez Marcano achieved a rare feat when their self-portraits, using pragmatic colored pencils, advanced to the state competition VASE.

The two advanced to state after their work was showcased at the regional competition on Feb. 14 at Klein Oak. Gomez Marcano, a freshman, said her parents were overwhelmed when art teacher Emily Herrin called them to share the good news.

“They started crying, because they were just really excited for me,” Gomez Marcano said. “It was really heartwarming.”

The two represented Kingwood Park at State on April 25 in San Marcos, Texas. At VASE, the artists were brought in to be questioned by the judges about them as an artist, and the process behind the project. Their work was then critiqued and rated from one to four. After the judging, those who scored a 4 are put together, and those who stood out the most are picked out by the judges.

“Their (projects) just ended up turning out above and beyond,” art teacher Miguel Alvarez said.

The base for the project was first created by Alvarez years ago, and then later adopted by Herrin and her art classes.

“I used graphite, my pencil, for the sketch. And then I erased it so that the lines wouldn’t be seen,” Gomez Marcano said. “And we also did a graph. Afterwards, I went in with the colored pencils and started drawing, coloring everything. And then I took some acrylic paint, it was green, and I colored the background. And afterwards, I took another one of the blue colored pencils and did the little frizz of hair that I was missing.”

Seiler was first inspired to pursue art by his grandma, who is an artist herself. Having an artist in his family meant Seiler was

“Beneath the Surface”

By Eli Seiler

always surrounded by art. He then found art made for enjoyable and interactive classrooms, which is why he kept at it.

“Getting in the class really inspired me to keep going,” Seiler said. “I enjoy putting my thoughts on paper and exploring new ideas.”

Seiler’s main goal was to make state this year. He had his doubts in himself, which mostly stemmed from being in only his first year of high school art. He took three years of art classes in middle school.

“Going to state was my goal, but it seemed above my expertise,” Seiler said. “I wasn’t as experienced in the art world, so I wasn’t necessarily expecting to make it that far.”

Gomez Marcano, who is taking Art 1 Specialized this year, has been involved in art since she was 5 years old. Throughout middle

school, she took beginner’s, intermediate, applied and advanced art classes.

Gomez Marcano loves art because of how the mediums allow her to put her emotions on paper. Her favorite medium of art is graphite or colored pencils, especially Prismacolor.

She said Herrin helped her overcome the biggest roadblock in her self-portrait project – making realistic hair.

“She definitely helped because I had never done realistic hair before with Prismacolor pencils,” Gomez Marcano said. “And so she taught me some techniques on how to use them and do the curls for my hair.”

The ability to work with the tools she loved most was one of the biggest boosts for Gomez Marcano this year.

“If there’s anyone that’s ever wanting to get into art, I’d defi-

nitely tell them that they should start where they’re most comfortable in,” Gomez Marcano said. “Because people started to tell me that I should do more with acrylic paint, and I don’t like using it at all. So it kind of just pushed me back. But then once I started using graphite again and drawing how I liked it, it really helped getting back on track.”

With Seiler advancing out of an Art 1 class and Gomez Marcano advancing out of Specialized Art I, Alvarez said it goes to show how students who put in the work will see it pay off.

“If they really are serious about (art), if they really push themselves, if they really take advantage of the time given to them during class time, they will grow,” Alvarez said.

Retirement nears for veteran teachers

By Muhammad Adnan Staff Writer

As the school year continues, retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter for a few teachers. While students focus on graduation, teachers experience a similar turning point when they step away from decades spent in classrooms.

For math teacher Nancy Doehring, retirement follows 32 years in education, including 10 years at Kingwood Park. Throughout her career, she has taught elementary and middle school and even coached at the college level before ending her career teaching high school mathematics.

“I think what I’ll miss the most is my daily interactions with my teacher friends, my colleagues and my students,” Doehring said.

One of the most meaningful parts of teaching for Doehring has been watching students grow academically.

“(I loved) interacting with students and seeing them learn and seeing the light bulb go on,” Doehring said.

Architecture and Construction Management teacher Melissa Taylor is also preparing for retirement after years of guiding students through hands-on projects and career pathways. Taylor earned her architecture degree and worked in the field professionally before transitioning into education through an alternative certification program in 2009.

19 of which were at Kingwood Park. Throughout her career, Randall has taught various levels of French. One of her favorite memories is from when French Club organized a Mardi Gras celebration.

“ I’m looking forward to sleeping in. And that really just means waking up at 7 a.m. instead of 4:30 in the morning.

At Kingwood Park, Taylor initiated the Tiny Homes program, where students built houses for homeless veterans. Since its inception, the program has grown greatly and has spread to other schools in the district.

“

teacher Missi Taylor

“Completing our very first tiny home was very memorable, everything that went into the first year,” she said.

French and credit recovery teacher Beverly Randall is also retiring after 25 years teaching,

“They partnered up with the Student Council and had a school-wide celebration,” Randall said. “They decorated the commons, we made a lot of announcements, and we had a competition to see who got a slice of king cake.”

Although retirement means stepping away from early mornings and busy schedules, all teachers said they are looking forward to certain changes in their routine.

“I’m looking forward to sleeping in,” Taylor said. “And that really just means waking up at 7 a.m. instead of 4:30 in the morning.”

Randall looks forward to the extra hours in the day.

“I am going to manage my time

differently,” she said, “putting a greater emphasis on my physical and mental health.”

Retirement also brings uncertainty, something Doehring said she is embracing.

“The unknown,” Doehring said. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do in retirement, whether I will sub or get a part-time job or just travel and enjoy retirement.”

Even as they prepare to leave the classroom, teachers continue to offer advice to students preparing for their own next chapter. Doehring encouraged seniors to stay open-minded and not fear setbacks.

Taylor emphasized having confidence and a positive mindset. And Randall encouraged kids to take risks.

“You can go through the doors, check them out and if you don’t like them then you can always try out new ones,” Randall said. “If one doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean that you failed, it just means that you pivot and find the next thing.”

Rother’s work pays off as State Academic Meet nears

By Muhammad Adnan Staff Writer

The school is usually quiet once the day is over. However, in the Upper LGI, a group of students stays behind, scrolling through UIL review sheets and working through problems that many students never see. For senior Jacob Rother, this routine has become a regular part of his life, bringing years of interest and practice together.

That interest started long before any competitions.

“In middle school, I took a class on game development with a game-making software called Construct 3, and I really enjoyed it,” said Rother, who finished high school with the fourth highest GPA in the senior class. “I thought it was really interesting, and I actually ended up working on it outside of class. I liked it that much, so I just knew that I wanted to do something in computer science.”

What began as a class, quickly turned into something he spent time on outside of school, building his interest on his own. Rother has used his interest in the field and his talents to reach the UIL State Academic Meet in Computer Science Written. He won districts for the second year in a row and finished third at regionals. He will compete at the University of Texas-Austin on May 18.

His path onto the UIL academic team began with encouragement from his computer science teacher, Jonathan Nicholson.

“My computer science teacher, Mr. Nicholson, suggested that I should be on the team, and I figured, you know, why not?” Rother said. “I like computer science, I want to learn some new stuff, so I joined, and it was a lot of fun.”

This very simple decision of joining the academic team, turned into something very serious later on. Rother plans to study computer science at the University of Texas-Austin next fall. Nicholson said he noticed Rother’s abilities early on. What especially stood

out was Rother’s consistent work ethic.

“He was the smartest one out of all of us, including me,” Nicholson said. “One year he finished two years worth of work in one semester. Senior year, he finished a year class in a weekend and passed a state test on it.”

This level of work made a ton of difference in competitions.

“We went into every competition knowing that if he didn’t do well, we didn’t do well,” Nicholson said.

Most of the preparation for the competition happens after school.

Practicing like this each week helped him become more comfortable with the format and the expectations of competitions.

When Jacob first joined, the confidence was not there.

“ He was the smartest one out of all of us, including me. One year he finished two years worth of work in one semester.

Senior year, he finished a year class in a weekend and passed a state test on it.

“teacher Jonathan Nicholson

“After school, we go to the upper LGI, and we look up previous UIL tests,” Rother said. “There are two parts: the written and the practical, so we study previous tests, and sometimes we also try to solve the practical problems too.”

“At first, I did not know what I was doing,” he said. “I would be lucky if I got one practical question right.”

He realized early on that something needed to change.

“I also didn’t really have a dedicated study time, so I figured I should probably change that,” Rother said.

Spending more time practicing and working with teammates helped him improve over time.

Even with that progress, not every competition went as planned.

“At earlier meets this year, I didn’t even get top six, which was kind of discouraging,” Rother

said. “I had gotten first in district last year, so I was expecting to do well.”

Instead of dwelling on it, he focused on what to do next.

“I just figured, you know, stuff like this happens, I guess I just have to study harder and do better next time,” he said.

Preparing for UIL computer science can also be unpredictable.

“They teach you stuff that’s more like college-level, which is kind of annoying,” Rother said.

“You end up learning it, and then you never see it on any other tests again, so you kind of learn it for nothing. But then when you think you don’t need to know it, they put it on the test again.”

This makes it difficult to know exactly what to focus on while studying.

Despite the challenges, Rother said the experience is often misunderstood. The time, effort, and level of content involved go beyond what many people expect.

“It’s a lot more than you would think,” Rother said.

Drivers deal with rising gas costs

By Amita Ramcharan Staff Writer

It’s no new thing that gas prices are high, but they haven’t been this high in a while. In Texas alone the average price of gas is about $3.981, while the national average is about $4.483.

Junior Emma Vincent said that she has to pay for her own gas, which used to only cost her about $40 for a full tank.

“From empty to full right now, my car would probably take like 60 bucks,” Vincent said.

It’s even more expensive for people who have bigger cars, especially for diesel.

“My boyfriend, he went to fill it up and it was $104 for one fill up,”

Vincent said.

The rise in gas prices is caused by the ongoing war in Iran, which caused the Strait of Hormuz to close. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial route in the shipping of oil and gas. With it closed, ships have had to find alternate routes. Even when the Strait reopens, it will take months for ships stuck in the strait to be repaired and for production to speed up again.

Senior Colby Flowers has a car that requires premium gas which is more expensive than regular. Flowers pays around $65 to $70 in gas, but he doesn’t have a job.

“I get an allowance for doing all the chores”.

That allowance helps Flowers continue to pay for his own gas.

PRICE COMPARISON

With gas prices rising, most students are paying $60 to fill their cars with gas. What else could they be getting for $60?

• A LEGO flower set

• Four paperback books

• Meal for two at Olive Garden

• 10 Strawberry Açaí Refreshers from Starbucks

• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream on Nintendo

• James Avery charm

• 4 Chipotle bowls

The rising gas prices isn’t just an issue for students though. CTE teacher Missi Taylor commutes about 25 miles to school everyday, that’s about 45 minutes. With the average of $3 a gallon Taylor pays up to $53 to fill up a car that takes 14 gallons.

Carpooling can be a good option to combat high prices. Vincent has a policy where if she drives someone home for an extended period of time, the person needs to give her at least some gas money.

“I appreciate when people give me gas money,” Vincent said, “because I don’t want anyone to take advantage of anything or anything like that.”

• Lululemon tanktop

• A cat at Petco

• 10 Needohs

• Day pass at Six Flags

• 21 Diet Cokes out of the school vending machine

• A pair of Crocs

• A concert ticket for a show at 713 Music Hall

• A two-player pickleball set at Target.

• A monthly gym membership

• Two movie tickets, plus a large popcorn and two drinks

Baby completes LaBellos’ difficult fertility journey

By Danielle Nalley Online Editor

Bryan LaBello was in the labor and delivery waiting room for any sign of his child when he heard a cry. It was almost 6 a.m., the waiting room lights were dimmed and there was only one active delivery.

“I just instantly knew it was him, and I was overwhelmed,” Bryan LaBello said. “I started tearing up, and I just, I was like, I just heard my baby boy.”

His wife Jessica LaBello, an English teacher at Kingwood Park, was in the delivery room when she first met the missing piece of their family. Their son, Matthew Deen LaBello, was born on November 19, 2025.

In that moment, the stressful 17year journey to become parents was forgotten. All the new parents felt was joy as they focused on the baby they now called their own.

EARLY DREAMS DASHED

In 2008, Bryan and Jessica LaBello got married with the hopes of starting a family. By December 2017, the couple was still childless and frustrated. Jessica LaBello had always dreamed of motherhood.

From 2018 to 2019, the two ended up in doctors’ offices at Houston Fertility Institute. They underwent testing. They discussed fertility treatments. They prayed for a child. Each time, the visits ended with the same devastating answer – they could not have a child together without medical help.

They were diagnosed with Unexplained Infertility, a condition that affects 10-30 percent of couples trying to conceive. The medical tests often draw inconclusive results, giving doctors no obvious reason for a couple’s infertility.

“It definitely put a strain on our mental health in that sometimes we would feel like we were failing

somehow,” Jessica LaBello said. “It put a strain on our marriage because occasionally, we would almost feel like we were pitted against each other.”

They were conflicted for a while on whether they should listen to the doctors who urged them to do in vitro fertilization.

“What’s the point in having some doctor try to intervene when I believe that if God thinks we’re ready to be parents, then we’re gonna be parents,” Jessica LaBello said.

After thinking it over for a while, the LaBellos decided to do IUI – a type of artificial insemination where the doctor places sperm directly in the uterus during ovulation.

A week before Jessica LaBello was going to undergo the procedure, a positive pregnancy test came back and the IUI was canceled.

Seven and a half weeks later, Jessica LaBello miscarried.

FRUSTRATION BUILDS

More than a year after her miscarriage, Jessica LaBello decided to officially have the IUI procedure done in 2020. It did not work.

Eventually, the continued bad news was too much to bear. Every conversation about Jessica LaBello’s infertility only deepened the wound in her heart. For other people, it was just a question. In her mind it was a painful reminder she couldn’t have children.

“Whose fault is it?” they’d ask. Or, “What’s wrong with you?”

Each time, Jessica LaBello tried to respond politely but then left feeling uncomfortable and angry. Jessica LaBello found comfort in the guidance of her church, often leaning on her faith to understand why she was put in this situation. For days that were harder than most, her church family sent cards or visited.

PURSUING ADOPTION

In 2022, the couple decided to pursue adoption.

They found a company that matched exactly what they wanted – Adoption Angels.

The only problem was it would cost the couple more than $30,000. Jessica and Bryan LaBello signed up for a popular adoption fundraising app similar to GoFundMe called Adopt Together. In a little over four months, the couple hit their goal through support from friends and family.

With the finances settled, the couple made a book about their life together. It was required so it could be shared with mothers planning to put their unborn children up for adoption.

Faith played an immense part in the book since it helped the LaBellos through their toughest times. Jessica LaBello often referenced Jeremiah 29:11, which brought her strength and reminded her that ev-

erything would play out in the way it should according to God’s plan.

Jessica LaBello’s prayers paid off when she matched with a mother. She and Bryan were overjoyed.

Anxious to meet their future child, the LaBellos first made contact with the mother two weeks before the birth was to take place.

Before they knew it, it was finally time to meet the baby – Malachi. The LaBellos traveled to San Antonio, where Malachi was to be born. They could not have been more excited. On the day Malachi was born, Bryan and Jessica were in the hospital meeting him. Everything they had wanted was so close. All they had to do was wait the statemandated 48 hours for the birth mother to sign the papers.

Forty-eight hours proved long enough for Malachi’s mom to change her mind.

“We ... thought she was going to sign the papers. She did not,” Jessica LaBello said. “She chose to parent, and that was the hardest one. I was on the floor for that.”

The already prepared crib at the LaBello’s home in Kingwood remained empty. The duffle bag of baby clothes remained unused, and the hearts of the LaBellos were devastated.

It all proved to be too much for Jessica LaBello. She was ready to quit. She couldn’t take the emotional toll of adoption.

She couldn’t get out of bed for a week. Even when she returned to teaching and church, some people treated her like she was glass – so fragile she might break with the wrong word or phase.

“I don’t want to be different from you,” Jessica LaBello said. “Like, I don’t like that you’re treating me with kid gloves.”

Not long after, she and Bryan went through another match. It ended in the same results.

The couple guarded their hearts after that, but they continued to search for a child.

MEETING MATTHEW

On Sept. 27, 2024, the LaBellos got a match – a 24-year-old woman pregnant with a baby boy.

The couple was starting to regain hope when two months before the child was born they Zoomed with

the woman. While they talked, they constantly scanned the mom for any sign of hesitation hoping to shield their hearts from the pain they’d previously experienced.

This was the LaBellos’ third time to get excited, get to know another mother, and hopefully come home with a baby.

On Nov. 8, 2024, the couple traveled to San Antonio yet again with a duffle bag of baby clothes.

When Matthew was born, Jessica was in the delivery room to see his first moments.

Bryan sat nervously in the waiting room down the hall.

of their hearts that had been missing for so long.

The couple knew he was their baby, but they watched the clock as they spent the first 48 hours caring for Matthew. In the eyes of the law, he was still someone else’s baby.

“As soon as he came out and he started crying, I remember saying, ‘That’s the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard,’” Jessica LaBello said.

On Nov. 9, 2024, Matthew was born, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces. He had brown hair and brown eyes. The LaBellos knew he was the piece

– where the court cannot grant an adoption until the child has resided with the petitioner for six months. During that time, the LaBellos had multiple home visits, online quizzes and in-person classes to prove they could be good parents to Matthew. On May 19, 2025, the papers were signed and Matthew was officially their son by law.

MOVING FORWARD

They found support in the overwhelming process through Adoptive Families of Houston. The LaBellos found a community of people going through similar situations.

“It’s a taboo thing that people don’t really talk about, but there are a lot of people out there who have infertility issues or just don’t want to have their own children or medically cannot,” Bryan LaBello said. “But there’s a lot more adoptive families out there and foster families. People don’t walk down the street just, you know, announcing to the world – ’I’m adopted’ or ‘I’m an adoptee parent.’”

Matthew is now 17 months old, about to get fitted for his first pair of glasses and just starting daycare. His grandma has taken care of him daily since Bryan and Jessica LaBello brought him home.

They fed Matthew and changed diapers as the hours slowly went by. While still holding on to their grief from the first match, the LaBellos finally started to relax when the adoption papers were officially signed two days after he was born.

“You just instantly feel the love,” Bryan LaBello said. “You don’t understand it until you’re a parent.”

Jessica and Bryan were happy for their adoption success, but it was also overwhelming.

While the LaBellos took care of Matthew, they still had to wait six months to officially adopt him because of Family Code Chapter 162

“All my friends who were already grandparents really under sold this gig,” said Jessica’s mother Lori Ford, a retired Humble ISD teacher who subbed on campus prior to focusing on Matthew. “It’s the best gig ever and I decided it’s because there’s just no human words that accurately describe what it’s like to be a grandparent.”

Matthew is often described as a bundle of laughter and constantly being silly by making expressive faces with his eyebrows.

As alone as the LaBellos felt during much of the past 17 years, they know their story is not unique. They are grateful for those who supported them and for their answered prayers.

“On this side of the adoption, I would tell anybody, ‘Oh, it’s totally worth it,’” Bryan LaBello said. “The time, the money, the waiting – it’s all worth it. Once you get that beautiful boy or girl, it’s all worth it.”

WHERE DO YOU BELONG? HERE.

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Sign up for Journalism or Photojournalism on Course Selection Day to start the adventures! For returners, apply for the staff you think is the best fit! Contact adviser Megan Ortiz in Room 1504 with questions.

Star Wars fans embrace ‘nerd holiday’

By Shawn Chaney Staff Writer

Band director Bre Osbourn lets her nerd side shine while teaching and lets her love for Star Wars bleed into her lessons. That is especially true on May 4, when she always has her band students sight-read Star Wars music for fun during rehearsal.

“It is the epitome of nerd holidays,” Osbourn said.

Star Wars Day is a fan-created holiday celebrated on May 4 (“May the ‘fourth’ be with you”). The unofficial holiday celebrates every aspect of Star Wars, from the movies, music, characters, books and much more.

“It’s a day where I can be proud to be utterly obsessed … and it’s just one of those feel-good days,” senior Dylan Kornegay said.

Usually, Dylan Kornegay enjoys doing little Star Wars-related projects with his friends as a way to have fun on the fourth and share the Star Wars experience with others.

Kornegay was first introduced to Star Wars by his parents at the impressionable age of 4. “Star Wars” was one of the first movies he saw, so it left a big impact on him. That is one of the reasons it still has such a big place in his heart.

Kornegay even has a Star Wars collection. He aims to collect 1,000 LEGO clone troopers. And last time he checked, he’s at around 960.

Osbourn has a few Star Wars trinkets at home, but she takes her fandom to a whole new level at her job.

Osbourn’s favorite part of the holiday is, naturally, the musical aspect. She likes the complexity and hidden meanings behind all the music and how well it weaves together with the writing and characters in the movies and TV shows.

“I’ve used Imperial March as a defense tune for marching band in the past,” Osbourn said. “The first marching show I ever wrote or designed was called The Idles of Space. And it was a mixture of Star Wars and Star Trek and Close Encounters and E.T. So the color

guard was dressed like Jedis, and I had lightsabers.”

Science teacher Glenn Taylor is a huge Star Wars fan, ever since the first movie came out in 1977, when he was around 5 years old. Taylor loves to celebrate Star Wars and also lets it seep into his teaching.

Taylor likes incorporating and referencing Star Wars in his teachings. In his aeroscience classes, the force from Star Wars is just the force of gravity. He is always looking for ways he can include Star Wars nomenclature in his classroom. His class is decorated with Star Wars figures on the cabinets, as well as walls filled with posters and drawings given to him by students.

Taylor remembers everything about the day he saw the first Star Wars movie, “Star Wars: Episode

Senior Dylan Kornegay has been a Star Wars fans since he was 4 years old. He recently did an English project that included part of his Star Wars book collection. Photo by Sydney Ortiz.

IV - A New Hope.” He especially remembers what Star Wars brought to the screen in terms of visuals, how it changed the movie industry and the cultural effects it had.

“(Star Wars) was just fun. I mean, I was a boy growing up … I still have my Star Wars action figure collection. I have probably 60 Star Wars action figures,” Taylor said. “I grew up playing with that stuff all the time. It grew my creativity.”

For junior Padme Polomsky, Star Wars Day lands right between her dad’s and grandpa’s birthdays, May 3 and 5. So to her, the fourth is a time for them to celebrate birthdays with some Star Wars activities woven in. They barbecue and watch

Star Wars movies as a family.

“When I think of the fandom, I think of my dad,” Polomsky said. “I’ve never really gotten into it, I really should. I know it’s good, but I just haven’t. I’m just rebellious because it’s my name. “

With Polomsky’s dad being so invested in Star Wars, and her mom being so invested in The Lord of the Rings, they came to a compromise. Polomsky was named “Padme” after the Star Wars character, and her little sister was named “Marwen” after The Lord of the Rings character.

“My dad’s a big fan, if you couldn’t tell by the name,” Polomsky said. “He freaking loves it,

obviously.”

Polomsky’s Star Wars collection consists of just a couple of vintage Barbie dolls. However, her collection is completely dwarfed by her dad’s, who has too many to list. He has a limitededition Jabba the Hutt statue, dolls, an R2D2 phone case, a cardboard cutout of Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and all the fast-food promotional cup toppers from 1991, just to name a few.

Both Taylor and Kornegay share the common sentiment that ever since Disney acquired Star Wars, the movies just aren’t what they used to be.

“I think Disney knows how to tell a good story and they bring a lot of money, so … they can take the audiovisual to the next level,” Taylor said. “It’s not the same. It’s not the Lucas version.”

Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, they’ve released five movies. Disney has two upcoming Star Wars films – “The Mandalorian & Grogu” (releasing May 22, 2026) and “Star Wars: Starfighter” (releasing May 28, 2027).

“(The movies have) absolutely taken a hard nosedive,” Kornegay said. “‘Rogue One’ was the only undeniably good one (Disney) made. Now, I’m just honestly a little dreadful. Please don’t ruin Star Wars further.”

The Very Committed Cheerleaders

Cheerleading trio makes commitment to Texas State University

By Emerson Harris Yearbook Editor

Nearing the end of their sophomore year, Cooper Robinson, Carson Kee, and Mark Gonzalez were approached by cheer coaches Sydney Caldwell and Brittini Sharpe, as well as current cheerleader Chila Guzman, about attending the upcoming “Bring a Guy to Practice” event the team was hosting.

The boys ended the two hours practice in discussion with the coaches about the possibility of joining the team.

“I was very skeptical at first about joining because, you know, a guy in cheer doesn’t really sound right,” Robinson said. “Then they told me I could go to Disney for basically nothing. So I was like, okay, I’m more than happy to go.”

Though the boys originally joined the team for fun, they began to take it a little more seriously when they realized that there could be a future down this path.

“I knew it was a possibility when I joined, but I didn’t really think I was for sure going to cheer in college until probably the end of my junior year,” Kee said.

This shift in mindset opened up many doors for the group. They began to seize opportunities presented in front of them.

“I went to a lot of clinics and camps and I just kind of got my name out there,” Kee said. “And then colleges started emailing me and texting me.”

The boys attended several clinics and camps, but where the group really fell in love was at Texas State. It was clear from the beginning that this team was different from any other.

“Texas State, at the practices, everybody bonded with each other. It was like everybody was with

each other for their entire lives,” Robinson said. “But I know now that they’ve only been together for a year, but yet the energy and the connection between everybody was amazing.”

Robinson was the first to commit to Texas State, with Gonzalez and Kee following shortly after. The boys

will start in the fall on the team alongside majoring in Agriculture Business (Kee), Business Management (Robinson), and Pre-physical Therapy Sports/Exercise Science (Gonzalez).

Now, the trio has been pushing themselves to the max to prepare for the upcoming season.

“I try to stunt every chance I get,” Kee said. “If my job isn’t in the way or if I have some free time and one of the girls wants to go stunt, I’m always down for that.”

The entire team has been supportive for the group, cheering them on when they reach their goals. The coaches especially have watched the boys grow into the cheerleaders they are today.

“My coaches, Coach Sharpe, Coach Caldwell, and Coach Johnson, they really pushed me to do it,” Robinson said. “At first I was skeptical about even committing to cheer for college, but they told me I could get to the next level and beyond that, and they’re always pushing me in practice even though I didn’t want to.”

The addition of guys to the team has sparked a newfound interest in cheer that spans grade levels. Gonzalez, Kee, and Robinson serve to help pass on their knowledge to the next generation of cheerleaders.

“I feel like I’m a very big inspiration to a lot of them that want to try it,” Gonzalez said. “I get a lot of people coming up to me asking like how do I do it or like how can they join. And I do find very much pride in it and I’m very grateful that I open new pathways for people.”

The day we went on a Burningham prepares for two-year mission trip to Ivory Coast Mission trip

By Marie Wakefield Online Editor

When William Burnigham read the email informing him he would be serving in Ivory Coast during his two year religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, he had to look it up on a map.

“I was like, ‘I think this is Africa,’” Burningham said. “And so then my whole family, we searched it up and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m going to Africa.’ Like, it was honestly crazy.”

He had seen the email in his inbox a day prior, but hadn’t been able to open it. He was supposed to open it with his family, and his father was out of town.

“Yeah, I had a [Calculus] test in two days and that whole day, I couldn’t study for it because I was like, ‘Where am I going to go? Where am I going to go?’ And then the night before the [Calculus test], I opened it and I was like, ‘Well, I’m going to Africa. Why does my calc test matter?’ And so actually, that was probably like the worst test I’ve ever done,” Burningham said.

The two-year mission is a common practice for members of the church, with current estimates that there are around 80,000 active missionaries, and 506 mission locations. The mission experience typically includes community service as well as evangelization to the church. The faith itself has also continued to grow, and reports say that there are over 17 million adherents.

Much of Burningham’s inspiration for his mission came from watching his brother serve in Manchester, England.

“Just seeing the change in him,” Burningham said. “He’s so much

more thoughtful of others. He came back and he was like, ‘I love you.’

... That’s something I would never have expected for him to say to me before. Like, we were close, but it was never anything like that.”

Burningham hopes that he will be able to follow his brother’s example in helping others.

“He taught a lot of immigrants, and so he would help them out with things they need, and so all the people, they were so thankful for him and all the service he did,” Burningham said. “Because every day you go out and you meet somebody new, so it’s like changing somebody’s life every day. It’s super cool to hear stories about that.”

Seeing his brother experience the mission cemented the desire to go on his own. Burningham hopes that he’ll be able to motivate his younger brothers in the same way.

“I hope I inspire them, I think both of my younger brothers also want to do it,” Burningham said.

Burningham has already started preparing for the journey. Last year to help pay for the mission costs, he worked at Chick-fil-A and this year as a tutor. He has also begun learning French, the national language of Ivory Coast, through the use of Duolingo (where he has over a 65-day streak) and an app called Embark that focuses on teaching vocabulary specifically for evangelization.

“So the church has been around for a while and like sending missionaries everywhere, so they have a really good structure,” Burningham said. “And they’ve already

given me like a bunch of stuff to prepare.”

After initial training and preparation, Burningham will travel to the east side of Abidjan. Because of the nature of the evangelization, he’ll likely spend time in both apartments and members’ homes.

Seeing William prepare has made his brother freshman Brigham Burningham think about his plans for his own mission he’ll take in three years. While he’s pretty sure he wants to try and stay in the United States, he also isn’t overly worried about how William will do in Africa.

“He’s a hard worker, he does what’s right,” Brigham said. “He’s always helping others and doing the right thing.”

William still plans to go to college, but it’ll be pushed back two years. Brigham Young University is currently his top contender, but he’s open to other options. For now, he’s looking forward to the adventure, the food, and the spiritual aspect he hopes to receive.

“I definitely want to spread the life and light and saving grace of Jesus to everyone, and I think it’s really just about showing up, doing service and hopefully impacting other people’s lives,” Burningham said.

We’re off and away

Seniors share where they’re going after high school

“I’m going to the University of Miami to study architecture and hopefully cognate in museum studies. I’ve always had a passion for architecture and design and it’s a good way to make money off of doing something artsy and creative.”

Summer Hadley

“I plan on attending the University of Houston. I plan on majoring in political science and hopefully I’ll be working. My dream job is either to become a politician or work for the United Nations. The reason why I wanted to go into this path was because of honestly just all our issues in our country. Growing up watching all these issues and just like being exposed to them and seeing how it affects different people, it made me really want to try to at least help. Even if I can help like one person that means the world to me.”

Xavier Vital

“I’m going to U of H downtown because I want to go into computer science or computer engineering. I’m not supposed to say for the money, but it’s somewhat why that’s what I want to go into. But I’ve always liked technical stuff. ”

Absalon Sanchez

“I’m going to Oklahoma State University for aviation to become a commercial pilot. I want to do that because aviation has always been very strong and present in my life. My dad’s a pilot and my mom she worked in the finance side of aviation. It’s just it’s always been kind of a safe place for me. I love airports. I love flying. ”

Parker Baley

“I’m going to Tarleton State University and I’m going to major in business. I decided to go there because whenever I toured it, it just felt like home and I really loved it. I love the people that go there.”

Sadie

Bowman

“(I’m going to) McLennan community college to be on their dance team and study to be a x-ray tech.”

Grace Danford

“I chose the Air Force because my cousin kind of was doing it, and I just kind of want to travel a lot. I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities to travel, and I want to be able to work on planes and stuff, so I can just help people in general in that workforce.”

Noah Sayre,

wacky

wednesdays

Seniors share what made some of their classes so special

“ROTC while in junior year, at Military Ball when I was surprised. I got rewarded a tenacity reward. I never believed I would be called up on stage and there was only 5 out of the 97 members in the class that got an award. The Ball was amazing and I enjoyed eating all the meals and cakes.”

Clinton Nguyen

Stone and Brody Burns

“I really do appreciate Brody as my friend because I don’t think I’d be where I am in swim without him. It’s just really special to be able to know someone for that long and just always know that they’re there.”

Marisa Stone

“In elementary we were closer because our school was smaller and had more classes together. As we grew up, we still stayed pretty close. We kind of grew into our own personalities, but we still stuck together.”

Brody Burns

Oh, The Places you’ll go

“AP World in sophomore year because that was the only class my best friend and I ever had together throughout all four years of high school. We had a lot of great laughs during that class.”

Ticlo Laroche

“My favorite high school class was Dr. Caizley’s because he’s just a fun teacher. I love how much he cared about us wanting a future in healthcare and how much he dedicated his time into helping us.”

Annabell Wilson

“My favorite high school class was orchestra. I joined junior year and the class environment along with the friendships I made with my peers were unforgettable. Having Mr. Farmer as a director and teacher helped with my confidence.”

Anna Snyder

“It has to be during my junior year when I turned 16. My art teacher got me a lot of comics and comic book cards for my birthday.”

Phoebe Chadick

“Physics, for sure. I felt like everyone was stupid in that class and I felt like I was lost with everyone else and it made me feel special.”

Miguel Ardon Zuniga

“I really like my freshman biology class, but I also really like my OnRamps Biology class just because that’s just what I love to do. I’m so happy that I can have that time to just do that. ”

Sarah Orth

“I would have to say AP U.S. History with Coach Boehm. I suppose history has always been a pretty easy subject for me, however, Coach Boehm made it a lot more welcoming and accessible for me. I feel like he went out of his way to make sure that I know that I belong.”

Lucas Hudson

“Aeroscience (was my favorite), because it is very hands-on, grouporiented, and has a big payoff at the end.”

Ivan Rodriguez

Thing One and Thing Two

Seniors who have been best friends since childhood

IAN FERGUSON anD MARSHaLL WILLYerd

“Marshall got really good at cooking. It’s gotten to the point now where sometimes I’ll just text Marshall and I’m going to start sending him money and telling me to make his really good chicken risotto.”

Ian Ferguson

“The first conversation we ever had was an argument about two characters in a video game. We still kind of argue about that sometimes. It was about Super Smash Bros.”

Marshall Willyerd

and reese mcdowell

“Our dads are firefighters and so they were best friends from working together. We kind of had met obviously whenever she was born. We’ve just grown up doing things together”

Ella Barker

“She’s someone I can always go to and ask for help. No matter what she’s going through or what I’m going through, she’s always there for me and we can always just figure things out.”

Reese McDowell

Meet

the Top Ten

Caitlin McLain, 1st University of Texas

“My biggest accomplishment was probably the self-confidence I gained from high school, which has allowed me to make so many friends and have new experiences. I also am, of course, honored to be KPark’s first Black valedictorian, I think, and getting a full merit scholarship was really lifechanging.”

Emily Le, 5th University of Texas

“Stay determined and stay disciplined. One bad day, week, or month is small and trivial in the grand scheme of things. But it’s important to not make it a habit. Take time to step back, reboot and get things back on course.”

Annaleise Kimmell, 2nd Vanderbilt University

“My favorite classes I’ve taken are my technology classes, like Cyber Security and Computer Maintenance. It’s something I’m really passionate about, and getting to learn more about what my career could possibly be in the future to me is fun and exciting.”

Max Raymond, 6th Texas A&M

“Marisa Chinen and Will Burningham kept me focused. Had a lot of good times together over the years.”

Marisa Chinen, 3rd UCLA

“AP Calculus BC (was my hardest class). It challenged me to work harder and study more than I have ever done before.”

Jacob Rother, 4th University of Texas

“Mr. Nicholson has had the biggest impact on me, since he was the one who suggested that I should lead the UIL Computer Science team.”

Ivan Rodriguez, 9th Embry Riddle

“My Aeroscience 1 rocket launch (was my favorite memory), which was a really great experience putting all the hours of hard work to the test. It crashed & burned but that’s besides the point.”

Izzy Sikora, 7th University of Texas

“Mrs. (Venessa) Johnson. She was always just so sweet to me, made me feel super comfortable, and I could talk to her about anything. I feel like I really connected with her the most. She also taught math which is a class I enjoyed.”

Nathaniel Webb, 10th University of Texas

“My biggest accomplishment in school is going to regionals in Academic Team. Last year I went to region for team computer science, and this year I (went) for the computer science team event, individual event and for science.”

Will Burningham, 8th Mission Trip

“Honestly, any memory with my friends where we almost died or did something crazy (was my favorite).”

Read more about the Top Ten on the website here.

Senior

If you give a an Adrenaline Rush

Fast-paced environment leads Al Khalil to pursue career as ICU physician

By Cameron Minatrea Sports Editor

Sounds of beeps flooded the back of the ambulance as the van bumped down the highway. They had just picked up a woman who was lying on the side of the road, and senior Selva Al Khalil was tasked with writing the report and checking the EKG.

However, once positioned next to the stretcher, she was lunged at, causing her to stumble backwards. To most, stressful situations like this made people steer clear of the medical field. But for Al Khalil, it was exactly what she was made for.

“I like the fast-paced environment, and being one of the people to be dependable and get the job done,” Al Khalil said. “I just love it. You see some heavy-hitting things.”

During her sophomore year, Al Khalil took medical terminology with Kingwood High School teacher Amy Bowman. In class, Bowman talked about her experience in critical care.

This was what inspired Al Khalil to pursue being an ICU physician.

“Bowman would tell her stories from her time working in EMS,” Al Khalil said. “I was like ‘How does that even happen?’ It was crazy stories, but I also kind of want those kinds of stories.”

The class is a dual credit course, meaning that it contains college and high school grades. Students go through 41 chapters of content. While this is the bulk of the class, the part that Al Khalil enjoys the most is being in the field, working 12-24 hour shifts required for the class.

“We work with real EMTs and paramedics,” Al Khalil said. “You kind of get prepared to jump into work during the year and also

after high school.”

She picked up her first shift in the fall after her classmate dropped it. The hours were from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and she was working one month sooner than she was prepared for, making her first shift a bit of a learning curve.

“I kind of felt lost because I jumped into it early,” Al Khalil said. “I got a tour of the ambulance. The shift wasn’t really that crazy, I just had to make sure to ask a lot of questions.

She has worked six shifts total, with one being as long as 24 hours. Even with downtime between calls, these shifts can be exhausting, and she learns new things each time.

Al Khalil has loved the challenge.

“That shift was actually my favorite one,” Al Khalil said. “They taught me a lot and let me work

on someone who was not critical. They were super cool.”

As of now, she has worked a total of six shifts, where she has completed almost 14 total transports.

“I was dispatched to a lady who got side-swiped by an 18 wheeler after she was drinking,” Al Khalil said. “She couldn’t control herself. She didn’t know what she was doing. She said that her husband was trying to kill her. It was really emotional.”

The silver lining of these stories is that she can always take away a lesson from each dispatch. Being thrown into these situations now helps prepare her for her future career.

“You never know what you’re gonna come up to,” Al Khalil said.

“Not every situation is going to be textbook. There are people that need help that have other factors that might not let you help them. You need to have patience and have kind of a strong guard.”

Senior Alec Krippel and Al Khalil carpool everyday to the period. Although the classwork can be difficult and stressful, having each other has made the experience a lot easier.

“If I didn’t have Selva in there, I would’ve dropped the class in the first nine weeks,” Krippel said. “She’s definitely made the year a lot better in regards to the class.”

After high school, she plans to attend UT and room with her friend senior Emily Le. She hopes to get her undergraduate in public health or biochemistry, and then attend Texas A&M or Johns Hopkins for graduate school.

“She’s going to be a great healthcare professional,” health teacher Kevin Caizley. “She has a lot of potential, so if she wants to go as far as she can, she has every attribute and ability to do that.”

Coburn brothers help in Panthers playoff run

By Caleb Kazeem Staff Writer

Junior Logan Coburn was just 3 years old when he was first called up to play on his older brother’s t-ball team. Thirteen years later, Logan and Landon Coburn are together again and the stakes are higher.

The baseball team entered the playoffs and breezed through round one as they worked to return to the State Championship game in Round Rock.

“All of my brothers have played baseball since we were about 3,” Logan said. “So me and Landon on the same team get to push each other to be great and win games.”

The Coburns hope their connections with each other help the team during the playoff run.

“We’re definitely close and that helps us win,” Logan said. “Practice and games definitely help with that because we are around each other all day and we get home late together.”

Landon, after being moved from his pitcher position where he was named 1st Team All-District last season, has enjoyed playing third base and in the outfield, which is close to his brother.

“We just know what the other one

is thinking,” Landon said. “There’s times we just look at each other and just smile.”

After catching a ball right in front of his brother’s face and falling on him, Landon watched as his brother got right back up, admiring his resilience.

“He’s a tough kid,” Landon said. “He’ll get hurt, but he’ll battle through it.”

Baseball team starts championship chase

The baseball team started their postseason in a series matchup against Montgomery. The Panthers swept the series, 2-0, winning the first game, 6-0, and the second game 7-6.

The Panthers are looking to make a deep playoff run after the team went to the state championship game for the first time in program history.

Head coach Christopher Buechner has known the Coburns since their freshmen years. Landon has been on varsity since his sophomore year and Logan joined him this year as a junior.

For Buechner, the different leadership styles the brothers have brought to the team has helped the team succeed.

“They are completely different,”

Buechner said. “Logan is a quiet, lead by example type of player, where as Landon is vocal.”

With the end of the season coming up, Logan will miss playing with his brother and hopes to go to State with him.

“He’s a great guy to play with,” Logan said. “Seeing how he lifts up his teammates and how he plays is great. I definitely look up to him.”

in the

a

game of

Klinefelter ready for final games

By Caleb Kazeem Staff Writer

When visiting Louisiana Tech’s campus at 14 with her brother who planned on going there, senior Ava Klinefelter immediately fell in love with the campus.

A few years later after a recruiting trip, Klinefelter ultimately committed to the Louisiana Tech softball team.

“It just felt like home every time I went there,” Klinefelter said. “I loved the coaches and the facilities in the area.”

Klinefelter has been a starter for the softball team for the past four years, and has helped the team reach the playoffs all four of those years.

The softball program finished district play with a 10-2 record, tying with Crosby for first. With having one of the best district records in the team’s history, Klinefelter said the leadership has played a huge role on the team’s success.

“We have a lot of leaders on our team,” Klinefelter said. “We lead in different ways and I think it really does show how close we are.”

For the past three years, Klinefelter has played with junior Keilee Brown. The two bring competitive natures to the team and Brown said this is a key factor that has helped enhance both of their skill sets.

“We are always competing,” said Brown about Klinefelter. “One of us always has to be better than the other, and that helps us play better.”

When head softball coach Lindsay Gregory came to Kingwood Park during Klinefelter’s sophomore season, she loved the talent she saw from Klinefelter at a young age and saw a lot of potential.

“I have loved seeing her grow,” Gregory said. “Her competitiveness shows everywhere and it is her biggest strength.”

Last year, the team suffered a first round playoff exit after losing a three-game series to Brenham, 2-1. All three games were decided by

just one run.

This year the team had a different outcome. The Panthers swept Montgomery in the first round and are continuing its run in the postseason. After a disappointing exit last year, Klinefelter has high expectations to make this postseason an unforgettable one.

“The obvious goal is to win a state championship,” Gregory said. “She has been a key factor and can lead us there.”

As Klinefelter plays her final games, the underclassmen are well aware of the void that will be left next spring.

“Whoever takes her position has big shoes to fill,” junior Hadley Heineman said. “She has played very well and I have loved playing with her these past two years.”

Even as Klinefelter prepares to put on a new uniform next fall at Louisiana Tech, she will never

forget her softball seasons in high school.

“It’s been a process,” Klinefelter said. “It’s been a growth journey

and has been the best four years ever – full of memories I won’t forget. Every step has shaped me into who I am today.”

Three seniors to end season at State

By Tricia Darcy Editor-in-Chief

Senior Emilee Smith went into the Texas Relays at the University of Texas-Austin this year with one thing on her mind – clearing the bar. A year earlier, the same track had been too intimidating.

At the Texas Relays, however, Smith was determined to overcome the mental block that plagued her while competing in pole vault at the 2025 State Championships. As a junior, she qualified for State but did not clear the bar during the meet.

“We went to the Texas Relays this year,” Smith said. “Competing at UT again, it was a little stressful going in. I was like, okay, I just need to clear a bar and not be scared of UT anymore.”

Smith recorded a jump of 11 feet, 2.5 inches at the Texas Relays. The meet helped prepare Smith for her final competitions.

At the Region Meet, Smith finished second with a jump of 12 feet. She advanced to State for the second year in a row, along with seniors Dakoda Dement (shot put) and Madi Staggs (300 meter hurdles). The three will compete at State in Austin on May 15.

Smith was not the only one to overcome hurdles on the way to qualifying though. Weather conditions delayed the Region Meet.

Staggs was originally going to run her preliminary race for hurdles on May 1, but did not compete until the next day.

“Me and coach (Aimee) Graff had been planning on it being postponed for Friday because of the weather,” Staggs said. “The whole week, it said 100% chance of rain. We didn’t know why the UIL officials didn’t already cancel it before Friday. So I wasn’t really thrown off my game or anything because I just kind of put it in my mind already that I probably wasn’t even gonna run Friday.”

The weather postponed all events that took place on May 1 to May 2.

Finals for running events took place on May 3, where Staggs finished second with a time of 44.07. As she crossed the finish line, Staggs threw her hands up in excitement and immediately began to find coach Cody Cook.

Emotions were high at the meet, but now Staggs will spend time looking into her races and make final preparations before State.

“We’re really gonna look into my race at regionals and stuff and dissect it so that I can do everything right,” Staggs said. “Hopefully bring back a medal of some sort.”

Smith, Staggs and Dement were all prepared for the possibility of the weather delay, however, Dement found it to be especially challenging. The delay required Dement to compete in both shot put and discus on Saturday.

Usually the two events are split between two days.

“It was kind of weird having to throw on the same day because

you had to go from shot immediately to discus,” Dement said. “You hardly had any time to warm up for discus because of that. But, it was basically like any other track meet. The same ring, same shot.”

Dement finished second in shot put with a throw of 55-05.75 and will also compete at the State Meet. In addition, he finished

fourth in discus with a throw of 150-04.

“I would definitely love to PR again,” Dement said. “Not only that, but (I want to) break the 60 foot mark, which I’ve been trying to fight for the entire year, but I haven’t really been able to get there.”

Girls golf team returns to State

All five golfers will return to the squad next year.

By Kalia Gaeta Staff Writer

The girls varsity team put their work together to make it to the state tournament for the first time since 2018. The team, which qualified for state every year between 2013-2018, returned to the biggest stage with five underclassmen – sophomore Lilly Raymond, juniors Gracie Ingalls, junior Jamie Ingalls, sophomore Campbell Janicek and junior Padme Polomsky.

The team finished the tournament with a total score of 713. Raymond led the team with a total score of 156 and finished No. 27.

Throughout this journey, something that seems to be the key for their success is their connection not only as a team but as friends. They created a bond with another, which not only leads to great friendship but reliability.

“I feel like all the girls are really caring and we all check up on each other and yeah, I would say the team is one of my biggest sup-

porters,” Jamie Ingalls said.

With no seniors on the team, it means current state qualifiers all return next season. This was also Raymond’s second time going to the state. She qualified as an individual last year.

Coach Jason Watson said she has helped the coaches with her knowledge and advising the others who have never been to the Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.

“Lilly’s experience and leadership and being our best player at this time will definitely help with that,” Watson said.

The girls golf team has a rich history of success. They won the 5A State title in 2015 and 2018. This year’s tournament ran May 4-5 with the girls playing 18 holes each day.

While state is intense, Raymond said that doesn’t mean she and her teammates should not enjoy the moment.

“State is very stressful,” Raymond said, “so just live in the moment and have fun because it’s a great experience to just be able to be there.”

Updating bathrooms must become priority

As the school year ends, there is still a prevalent problem that needs addressing. The lack of privacy and functionality in the student bathrooms needs to be fixed before the first day of 202627 school year.

The privacy problems are especially present in the original parts of the school building that were built as the Kingwood High School freshman campus in 1994. The top of the stall door is only 60 inches off the ground. According to Stanford Medicine, the average 16-year-old is between 60-73 inches tall. That leads to an awkward experience for most students. It is very hard to relax and go to the bathroom when strangers and classmates could turn and see you at any moment. The Kingwood Middle School bathroom stalls are not even this short.

The problems though are more than just stall size, we have a variety of different sink faucets. Some spray water in all directions with the slightest turn. Others require a student to hold the faucet with one hand the entire time they wash their hands. And many require multiple pushes to keep water coming out to get through the recommended length of washing hands. On top of these problems, finding an open available bathroom has become an issue for many with multiple bathrooms being locked completely. And finding stalls that actually lock is also a lurking problem.

These problems are easily fixable. New bathroom doors, sink faucets, and a little more care can provide students with a nicer and quicker bathroom experience.

TEACHER APPRECIATION SERIES

Gorney inspires students with energy level, passion

By Katelyn Malone

There’s nothing worse than waking up bright and early at 6 a.m. and realizing you have to go to school to work out for an hour. You sit there and pity your existence the 20 minutes it takes you to go to school, before reluctantly getting out of your car to walk through the metal detectors.

You question dropping out for the 50th time that year, before you literally feel soccer coach Luke Gorney sprinting past you with a weighted backpack and 45 Ib. weights in both hands. You feel like you’re dreaming as you watch him round the corner until you realize that this is just the beginning.

On top of his early morning meander, he’s also going to join you in your weight room max out. Somehow, no matter where or when, Coach Gorney always has

Read more teacher commendations at KPTimes.com

energy. Whether it be in the weight room, on the field or the classroom, Coach Gorney always shows up. You can feel Coach’s enthusiasm in everything he does, especially

if it has something to do with the Army. His military experience is something that really shines through, specifically when it’s one mile into your three-mile workout

and the only thing you can focus on are the Army chants ringing in your ears from the speaker he’s carrying. Despite his intimidating aura, Coach Gorney is one of the most genuine, dependable people I know. You can tell he actually cares about everything he does simply by how passionate he is. The way Coach Gorney lives his life is inspiring –not enough to join him in his workout, but inspiring nonetheless.

Finding new gems in bookstores becomes challenging

By Maggie Spara

Anyone who knows me knows I always have a book in my backpack. It’s uncommon for me to be without something to read, and despite it becoming a lost art, I still find reading one of the most interesting parts of my life.

However, as I continue to find more books to read, the level of engagement I feel is going down very quickly. This, in part, is due to what I call the downfall of modern literature. There are a myriad of reasons why this is happening, but the main reason is the indistinguishable plots of most modern novels. So many books today are aimed at young adults who are just now getting into reading, and with that comes people who are just trying to make money off this growing market. Because of this, so many books are just becoming boring and repetitive and just downright predictable.

The biggest genre that this affects is fantasy. In years past, so many beautiful original works have been written. The authors of these books genuinely seemed to put their heart and soul into writing these novels. Take for example the Lord of the Rings series. Tolkien’s work was an example of pure literary genius. He was an innovator in his field and he allowed so many people to see what

fantasy could actually be, not just dragons and magic, but language and history and fully realized worlds that actually felt real. There was an intention behind every name, every setting, every choice that he made.

Other older authors, like Oscar Wilde, Jane Austin, and F. Scott. Fitzgerald, also exemplify the particularity and intention behind every word written. When comparing those authors and their novels to a lot of what is read now the differences seem more obvious than not. Lots of modern fantasy novels follow almost the same exact formula throughout. There is almost always an enemies to lovers arc. There is almost always a chosen one. And there is almost always a third act plot twist that everyone can see coming.

Another big issue with the downfall of literature is overconsump-

Photo by Maggie Spara

tion. Because of the huge platforms on social media like TikTok, books are being pushed out and consumed at a rate that isn’t plausible. Because of these platforms, people seem to be encouraged to read as much as possible and as fast as possible to get the next best book, but they’re not actually sitting and understanding what is being said in these books.

This leads to the surface-level engagement that so many people have nowadays, where dopamine is easily consumed because of social media.

On top of all of the negatives of literature right now, reading comprehension is clearly declining. In fact, the reading scores for high school seniors fell to their lowest level since 1992. People everywhere are struggling to understand text and to follow themes or even semicomplex narration. This is affecting what will get published. If everyone

is preferring a more simple story, that’s what publishers are going to produce. It ends up being a cycle where lower comprehension leads to easier to read books and easier to read books prevent readers from improving their comprehension.

The rise of AI-generated authorship is also a very clear issue. When stories can be produced at a quick and alarming rate, the originality always seems to be lacking. The writing no longer is about creativity, but it is about how much money a publisher can make based on how many books they published.

This isn’t to say that all modern literature is lost, but it very clearly shows that people now are prioritizing quantity over quality. There are some incredible books being written, but they are a lot harder to find in this world of repetitive and easy to understand content.

Part of the reason why older books are becoming more popular in these newer years is because the people who truly enjoy reading want something with substance and grit and emotion and not meaningless AI-generated slop.

The downfall of modern literature is a phenomenon that many people are seeing happen, and one of the only ways to stop it is with creativity and originality. If everyone today read one book that was written before the age of AI and before the age of formula writing, I truly believe that the comprehension and the reading ability of the world would skyrocket.

“Michael” tackles MJ’s early career

OBy Jesse Ramirez

ne of the highly anticipated film releases of this year is a biopic centered around the early days and the iconic rise of the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. Best known for iconic songs such as “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal” and many others, this man has a legacy amongst the general populace as one of the greatest and beloved artists of all time.

Starting off with the positives, the cast was amazing. The biggest standouts for me were (obviously) Jaafar Jackson (who, fun fact, is Michael’s nephew) as the King of Pop himself, and Colman Domingo as his father, Joseph. These two really helped sell the writing of this film and singlehandedly carried this film’s main dramatic storyline. I especially find Jaafar’s performance impressive because, for a guy who’s only experience on camera is reality shows and music videos, he really captures the essence of his late uncle.

Colman’s performance was also

no slouch. From the minute he appears on screen, he effortlessly steps into the shoes of the Jackson’s abusive and manipulative patriarch. His scenes with Jaafar are especially electrifying, as Domingo and Jaafar’s unique dynamic helps elevate the drama they were tasked to recreate on the silver screen. Overall, he definitely deserves a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The overall presentation and use of Jackson’s music catalog from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s was also a major highlight. The way this film recreates some of Jackson’s most iconic moments in his career, from the filming of the music videos of “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough” and “Thriller,” to his iconic Motown 25 performance of “Billie Jean,” is absolutely mind-blowing

Kingwood Park Times

May 2026

Volume 12, Issue 6 Kingwood, Texas 77339

EDITORS

Tricia Darcy & Sydney Ortiz, editors-in-chief

Danielle Nalley & Marie Wakefield, online editors Cameron Minatrea, sports editor Paisley Thomas, opinion editor

STAFF WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Muhammad Adnan, Emma Bolen, Chase Canlas, Shawn Chaney, Peyton Chesney, Jack Coffey, Ella Cole, Charlie Crass, Rayden DeSouza, Jacob Dinh, Eleanor Durand, Kalia Gaeta, Rocco Huerta, Caleb Kazeem, Katelyn Malone, Marien Martinez, Michael McElmurray, Max Nguyen, James Pham, Marco Plascencia Carmona, Alex Pozzi, Amita Ramcharan, Jesse Ramirez, Pilar Retamales, Chloe Sales, Nicole Sauceda Padilla, Fabiain Smith, Maggie Spara, Marie Wakefield.

Adviser: Megan Ortiz

Cover: Artwork by Tricia Darcy.

Senior Package: Artwork by Tricia Darcy.

and stunning. Overall, the film manages to tell Michael’s early years fairly well. However, there are some crucial negatives. Some aspects of Michael’s life have either been changed (e.g: the person who discovers Michael and his brothers, how Michael’s manager got fired, when he adopted his monkey) or straight up removed altogether (such as the fact he had four additional siblings (including his sister Janet), his relationship with Diana Ross, and his time on the film “The Wiz”). In addition, some crucial aspects, such as his struggles with body dysmorphia and drug addiction, are barely expanded on aside from a single scene.

Most of these story problems stem from the fact that this film initially

wasn’t set to only tell Michael’s early years. Beneath the sequined gloved legacy he was able to mostly maintain up to the present day, there is a hidden dark side to his life that has notoriously plagued this Hollywood retelling of this iconic singer. Up until his death in 2009, MJ’s career since the early 1990s has been filled with controversies that taint his otherwise impressive career; with the biggest one being the 1993 allegations of inappropriate behavior by one Jordan Chandler, a 13-year-old child who Michael was close with at the time. This case led to Jackson’s image becoming severely damaged, and led him to experience a steady downfall in popularity until his death. Despite not telling the entirety of his life, I thought it still captured some of the critical inner struggles of the man behind the glove, such as the effects of his tumultuous relationship with father, his lack of a real childhood and the overall expression of his creative and personal freedom, factors that all led to what happened both on and offscreen. Therefore, despite not covering every single flaw, the ones they managed to show us still paint a good picture on how he ended up this way, all while still highlighting the positive impacts he made on the world at large, something I believe both sides can agree on.

KP MEDIA EDITORIAL POLICY

KP Media is the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by KP Media students. KP Media has been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may – and should – coach and discuss content during the writing process.

Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of KP Media is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

The media will serve the best interest of the students and faculty of Kingwood Park High School, keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the media itself.

All writing in the media, other than letters to the editor in the newsmagazine, will be written by students of the journalism program and will not be accepted otherwise.

The media will specialize in and emphasize on informing their readers of school news and unique students of the Kingwood Park High School community.

The media will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the school community, and includes local angles.

The media will strive to provide coverage to all school organizations and functions.

Any decisions affecting the publications on all levels will be made by the editorial board, the adviser is allowed to give legal advice and his/her opinion, but the final decision rests in the hands of the editorial board.

Only the editorial board may prevent material it judges to be in violation of the media editorial policy, from being printed. Letters to editor will be printed in the opinion section of the newspaper or on the website. Letters to editor should not exceed 300 words, must be signed and must include writer’s address and phone number for verification. Letters to the editor will be verified by a member of the editorial board to determine the authenticity of the writer.

The school newspaper will be distributed free of charge to all students every 6-8 weeks. The paper is completely financed by advertising revenues and fundraising. The money raised is used to pay for the school media printing costs, supplies and other media expenses.

See the entire staff editorial policy at KPTimes.com.

Tomodachi returns with new island, new fun

TBy Eleanor Durand

omodachi Life: Living the Dream is an island life simulation game by Nintendo that was released to the Switch and Switch 2 consoles on April 16. It is a remake of a 2009 3DS game called Tomodachi Collection, originally released in Japan, and later a 2013 version called Tomodachi Life came out for the US and Europe.

Personally, the original game was my favorite game growing up. I loved the idea of being able to watch over a remote island. I didn’t have to build anything, I didn’t have to take intense care of the islanders, I could just sit back and watch them do their own thing. As a person who doesn’t like super intense games, this one sounded right up my alley.

So, come Christmas 2016, I opened up a box and saw a Nintendo 3DS XL and a copy of Tomodachi Life, and I was so excited I ran around the room screaming. Ten years, 300 hours, and 800 play sessions later, Living the Dream is announced. Imagine my excitement when, on a random school day, I see the teaser trailer for a remake of my favorite childhood

game of all time.

The game has a certain charm to it that no other game has, and that has been what captivated me to keep playing it for these past ten years. It’s full of randomly generated events, like maybe your Mii fell over and they need help, or they fell asleep and you can watch their dream. It’s not a game that you grind for hours and hours, however. Living the Dream is a relaxing, slow-paced game where you log in for about twenty minutes a day and watch over your islanders.

Comparing Living the Dream to the original game, there are many negative differences. The most apparent difference is the lack of the Concert Hall. In the original game, this was a place where you could pick a genre of song, write the lyrics, and have your Miis perform in a concert.

In the early to late 2010s, many videos of parodies of already-existing songs, or even original songs, were made in the Concert Hall. This was what gave the game its popularity in the first place. Seeing it not make its way into the remake is extremely disappointing. On top of that, various mini games, like Judgement Bay and Quirky Questions, were removed, buildings like the Observation Tower and the Rankings Board aren’t in it, and even special cutscenes were scrapped in the new game.

WHAT’S HOT?

Senior Sunset. We gonna party one more time!!!

SNL’s season finale. Live from New York, it’s SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

Met Gala. We love looking at all the fun outfits!

Headbands. Cute hairstyles are in for summer.

School cookies. The best thing ever!

Pools opening. Time for a swim!

Flip flops. Toes are out every Tuesday.

Tomodachi Life. I’m obsessed and I can’t stop.

Michael Jackson movie. No wonder why the ratings are so high.

NBA playoffs. We all want the Thunder to lose, right?

Living the Dream has no limits. Way more creative liberties can be taken in this game than the original. You can make anything you want with the new free draw features. In the original game, you had very limited options for the Miis and the island itself. Maybe 30 hair styles, 10 skin colors, and you couldn’t adjust the buildings in any way. But in Living the Dream, you can customize your Mii and your whole island exactly to your liking. I have been able to make so many more characters on my island, and not strictly sticking to characters that are human. You can make buildings, houses, treasures, and food (even how the food tastes!) I have seen people make whole castles, recreate artistic masterpieces on their Miis, and paint photo-realistic treasures.

All in all, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, and the original installment, will always have a special place in my heart. The game practically watched me grow up into who I am today. So many amazing, random memories were made playing this game with friends, family and even by myself. If you’re looking for a game that is low maintenance, relaxing, and full of endless possibilities, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream on the Nintendo Switch is definitely the game for you.

Summer. It’s finally defrosting.

WHAT’S NOT?

Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you, teachers! Final exams. The last thing we need is another dang test.

Dirty bathrooms. Put your trash in the can, it’s there for a reason.

Classroom temperature. Why is it so cold or so hot??

Humidity. I’m tired of sweating when it’s not even that hot.

Busy Work. Can’t the class be over with?

Standing in the Hallway. I have places to be!

Gas prices. I am not paying $70 to fill up my tank.

Hantavirus. We aren’t doing this again…

Rat dissection. What do you mean we’re cutting into Ratatouille?

Go Guardian. This ruins all my fun when I finish my assignments.

LAST LOOK

In the annual physics challenge, onlevel and OnRamps students took over the pool for the entire day on May 7 to see which boat was most successfully built.

Boats had to be at least 75% cardboard, but were also permitted to use other materials for framing or support. Forming teams and coming up with themes, students could win a different array of awards, ranging from the fastest finish to the most spectacular sink.