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ENTERTAINMENT Silver Stars bring a sentimental end to their season with their annual Spring Show. pg. 8
IN-DEPTH Social media rapidly changed society and now has detrimental effects to student lifestyle. pgs. 5-6
PHOTO BY Alex Edwards
ART BY Asher Hagan
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2023
PHOTO ESSAY
SPORTS Sophomore Jayden White competes on American Ninja Warrior, set to air in 2024. pg. 4
The senior class walks across the stage as they go form students to alumni and they begin another chapter. pg. 7 PHOTO BY Arden Ray
PHOTO COURTESY OF: Jayden White
Vol. 35, Issue 6 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749
Pride in Publishing
The 2023 senior class graduates in style Emerson Traugott News Editor
The sea of black caps and gowns swarms Burger Stadium, the turf almost completely covered as hundreds of students sit in symmetrical rows waiting patiently for their names to be called to accept their diplomas. Cameras flash and parents wipe their tears as the last 18 years have all led to this moment of academic closure. From track and field days to senior skip day Bowie's class of 2023 embarks are their last tradition. “To me, graduation day itself shows the end to this pretty big chapter of your life, and the beginning of another one,” NHS Co-president Shabbir Akhtar said. “I guess for so long we’ve kind of had our parents there to hold out hands, but now as we enter adulthood and seek out whatever our futures may hold we have to be ready to do it on our one, to pave our path, if you will.” This class was sent home in the middle of their freshman year and returned as juniors to finish off high school. , “Since we are one of the classes that jumped right back into “normal” high school after the pandemic and I think a lot of my peers felt boxed in and less social than in previous years but again people found a way to come out of their shells,” Akhtar
said. “And overall, as a class, I other members from our staff) feel like we have grown so much usually meets for the first time and have managed to become in the fall semester, but we have more social and tight-knit than multiple meetings in the spring before COVID.” semester starting in January, In three months when to meet upcoming deadlines,” summer comes to an end, many A member of the planning students will leave the security committee and school counselor blanket of home to either a new April Giuffre said. “[Though the state or city or even just a new biggest struggling in planning place to live. is} for the Where the staff memboundaries bers finding between time to plan I hold these academic and it.” social life However ceremonies in a become intereven after special place in my the plans are twined. made and “I think heart because it's deadlines are the part of one of the happiest met, there college that always terrifies me days for our students must be a continthe most as well as staff! aside from gency plan being truly in place to on my own reduce the April Giuffre for the first level of panic School Counselor time is the if something heavy workgoes wrong on graduaload I am about to face,” recent graduate tion day itself. Shelly Kleinerman said. “Espe“Our district creates an inclement weather plan for each cially as a STEM major at UT high school, so we normally do [University of Texas].” not have to do much planning Graduation day is heavily in regards to that other than planned by a group of staff clearly communicating it to members who meet regularly families,” Giuffre said. “This throughout the year to ensure year, for instance, students were that the day runs smoothly. given wristbands in case we had “The graduation committee to move from Burger Stadium (consisting of an assistant prin(outdoors) to the Burger Activicipal, counselor, registrars, and
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ty Center (indoors) to limit the number of guests allowed in.” Graduation is a day filled with excitement from seniors and parents alike, happy to see the 12 years of hard work pay off. However, some teachers have seen countless graduations, sending their students into the next phase of life. “I love planning and working on graduation because this is the culmination of all our students' work and efforts and is such a celebratory sendoff to all of them,” Giuffre said. “I continue to hold these ceremonies in a special place in my heart because it's one of the happiest days for our students and their families, as well as staff!” Every class has the opportunity to leave a legacy of their impact and the differences made to their campus. “I think that the class of 2023 is a group of strong learners and that we can really get through anything. We have been through so many weird years, but we have still adapted,” salutatorian Sienna Szczesny said. “Since going to online school was really hard to get used to, and then quickly adapting back to in-person, we have shown everyone we can overcome adversity and be stronger because of it.” The 1,461 days that include the time an average American spend in high school shapes a student's life and determines
where they will spend the next classes over the years leads to a four years after high school, single day that signifies the end whether that is entering the of a 12-year-long journey, and a workforce, a gap year, trade symbol of the major milestone school, or the traditional univerthat has just concluded. “Everyone's grad day is differsities or colleges. “There are a lot of irreplaceent but for me, I was so happy to run across the field to go and able experiences that I have had in high school that have changed hug my best friend,” Kleinerman said. my life and made me the person The last I am today. piece of high But I would school is held say that one on the same of the most field where valuable countless of those football experiences games took was meeting place, where all of my the homing wonderful court crowned teachers. A the king lot of the and queen. time people And where come to students say class, they goodbye to just sit there Shabbir Akhtar well-known do their NHS Co-president acquaintances work, and and hug tightget out as fast as they ly the close can. But really, if you sit there friendships will soon become and you like, ask questions, long-distance ones. you get to know your teachers,” “It's kind of a bittersweet Akhtar said. “You can get truly feeling leaving a school you learn from them. My own teachknow so well but I differently ers helped to guide me down my learned a lot from my teachers, as well as my peers,” Szczesny own path because they've been said. “But if I were to go back through it all themselves, so they can help anyone go through and give my freshman self one piece of advice it would be to it as well.” work hard, but don’t take After endless hours of everything too seriously.” homework and hundreds of
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Graduation day itself shows the end to this pretty big chapter of your life, and the beginning of another one
CAPS ON: With their hands in the air, the graduating seniors gather together during the ceremony to celebrate the completion of their high school education. This year, the graduation was held at Burger Stadium. PHOTO BY Arden Ray
Bowie programs prepare for camps throughout summer Isabella Verette Dispatch Reporter
As the school year ends and summer begins, flyers for camps pop up everywhere. Each summer a ton of programs from Bowie hold camps and opportunities for not only the current student body in specific programs, but also for younger kids. Most of the athletic and fine arts programs offer camps throughout the summer. For returning athletes or incoming freshmen, some of these camps are mandatory to keep players in shape or get them into shape for the upcoming season of their chosen sport. “For football the camps in the summer are full of conditioning and lifting to prepare us for the season, and are barely skill based,” sophomore Ryan Cormier said. "They are required.” Most athletic camps are required like football to keep their athletes in shapes. Or just to
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prepare them for the upcoming school year and season. Like Cheer and UCA camp. UCA is a required team bonding experience that also is a way to improve the functions of a cheer team and their overall performance level. “UCA is really nice because even though its not optional we still have a lot of fun and get to get closer with the rest of the team,” sophomore Avery Fechter said Most of these programs also hold kiddie camps, some of the most popular being Bowie Cheer camp, and Silver Star Dance camp. Most of the kiddie camps have different day options for parents to choose from, like half day versus full day. The prices of these camps vary for $125-$500, and also change based on the choice of half or full days. “I think cheer kiddie camp is worth the price because it gives the kids a week of fun with the
NEWS 1, 2 FEATURES 3 SPORTS 4
older kids that they potentially look up to,” junior Aisley Bennett said. “They are also active during the entire week and it gives the kids something to look forward to.” Not only do the summer camps make for a fun week for the campers, they Bowie students find enjoyment in working at the camps. “My favorite part of kiddie camp is getting to know the kids throughout the week,” Bennett said. “It’s so fun to form relationships with them, get to know their personalities, and serve as a sort of mentor." While these camps do serve as fun opportunities for the kids and families surrounding Bowie, they also benefit the programs. “Kiddie camp helps the cheer program a lot,” Bennett said. “On the financial side, it helps fund a lot of our competitions, but it also gets our name out there to gain support for other fundraisers and games.”
IN-DEPTH 5-6 PHOTO ESSAY 7 ENTERTAINMENT 8
TRACING THE LINES: Junior Aisley Bennett uses a pencil to make the final touches to the poster for the Junior 'Dawg Cheer Camp. The camp is open to kids entering kindergarten through eighth grade. PHOTO BY Kate Davis
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