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FEATURES Volunteer track coach Hamza Deyaf helps Bowie hurdlers to success. pg. 5
PHOTO ESSAY Bowie's Got Talent showcases student's abilities on stage with various acts pg. 16
SPORTS
ENTERTAINMENT Junior Louis Olmeda wins talent show with shocking singing performance pg. 12
PHOTO BY Cole Wong
PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
PHOTO BY Sydney Cotsonas
PHOTO BY Isadora Parra
THE DISPATCH FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2025
UIL gives foreign exchange students two required slots on tennis teams pg. 10
Vol. 37, Issue 5 www.thedispatchonline.net James Bowie High School 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749
Pride in Publishing
STUDENT PROTEST
Rally Day protest for public education Texas PTA members gathered at the Capitol to advocate for their schools Peyton Dorsey News Editor Marching, chanting, waving signs and flags on the steps of the Texas state capitol and making their presence known. Students and parents of Texas joined collectively in protest on Monday, February 24, with a long list of concerns for their public schools at a Texas PTA event known as Rally Day. The group expressed their worries and rallied together for the improvement of Texas public schools. Rally Day is a biannual event, occurring simultaneously with legislative sessions. At the event, members of Texas PTAs gather together to support their schools and advocate for their needs to Texas Representatives and legislature members in hopes for change during the session. “This year was my first Rally Day I’ve been to and it was very enlightening,” librarian Tara Walker-Leon said. “There were so many people who brought students with them which was inspiring because it’s all about students’ futures and the students should have a vested interest in that.” Rally Day began with a student caucus at the First Baptist Church of Austin, where Texas State Representative Gina Hinjosa of District 49 spoke, along with five students who are members of their respective
to students or get to know schools’ PTSAs. These students their public school students at sat on a panel, spoke about all because they’re focused on their personal experiences, who’s getting them votes right what changes they wanted for now.” their districts, and answered After listening to the cauquestions from both student cus, students and PTA memand parent audience members. bers marched half-a-mile from “It’s really important to me the church steps to the Texas that when I graduate I’ll leave Capitol to hear speeches from behind a better district and legislators and representatives, a better education system,” and later meet with them in Rouse high school senior and conferences. There were not student panel member Mayank only high school students Bharadwaj said. “I'm here today advocating for their schools to ask our legislators some at Rally Day. Fourth graders tough questions about the polJocelyn Donner* icies they’re and Johanna making that SCAN TO SEE MORE Davidson*, were don’t highamong students light students’ from Zilker Elevalues, which mentary School is something I who attended want to bring Rally Day. Zilker to their attenprincipal AJ tion.” Pitts brought 14 These stustudents who dent speakers were selected attended VIDEO BY Audrey Cullinane, from 400 student Rally Day applicants. These to advocate Gabby Bochey 14 elementary for a variety students brought of different handmade signs and marched needs in their districts. Some alongside PTSA members attendees wanted to emphasize during the rally. The students that students should get more attended meetings with State consideration and focus from Representative James Talarico legislators because they are the of District 50 and Senator Sara future of Texas, while others Ekhart of District 14. In these wanted to express concern meetings, the students were about funding priorities for able to ask questions about public schools. student advocacy and what “I’m hoping to talk to some they can do to help their public of my legislators and state repschool communities. resentatives to get the idea into “I'm here to try to change their heads that as students, some things that aren't that we are their future voters,” good in the school system,” Marcus high school sophomore Davidson* said. "Our school Anoushka Kolatkar said. “A lot is 75 years old and we haven't of these legislators and state had any renovations, I think representatives don’t reach out
STUDENTS STAND UP: Zilker Elementary student marches at Rally Day with her handmade sign while advocating for public school rights. This student was one of 14 students from Zilker elementary selected to attend Rally Day. PHOTO BY Liberty Pittman
we need some funding to help that." A group of Bowie students attended Rally Day with Walker-Leon through Raise Your Hand Texas, a program about getting students involved in advocacy and politics. “Rally Day gave these students the ability to know that their words have power,”
senior Isabel Bauer said. “We as students are capable of more than just talking to each other, we can try to make an actual impact and changes.” *Jocelyn Donner and Johanna Davidson are fictitious names generated to protect the identities of sources who asked not to be identified.
CONGREGATED AT CAPITAL: Rally Day attendees gather at the steps of the Capital while listening to speakers before going inside to attend meetings with Representatives. In these meetings, attendees were able to ask questions directly to representatives and receive immediate answers. PHOTO BY Will Olenick
CAMPUS EVENTS
AISD weather protocols Severe weather affects school hours
What do Texans do when their usually hot weather suddenly turns into a snowman-making climate or their roads are suddenly flooded? Junior Kailie Dubbs expressed that the unpredictability of Texas weather leaves her and her family anxious when loved ones have to commute to work or school during unfamiliar inclement weather. AISD has protocols in place to protect students and staff if such hazardous weather occurs. “I was hoping they would cancel school during the February freeze because the roads were very slippery, and it was still snowing when we were getting on the bus,” Dubbs said. “I don’t particularly trust Texan drivers in such severe weather that we’re not accustomed to, nor are our tires.” According to the AISD website, the decision to cancel or postpone classes due to extreme weather is based on analyzing all available information. The district is responsible for monitoring local forecasts and overseeing information regarding roadway conditions provided by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Emergency Management. The final decision to cancel or delay school is made by AISD’s superintendent, Matias Segura. Segura's decision is determined after meeting with Austin Homeland Security Emergency Management. “I just wrapped up our winter weather event, Regional Call, which includes the city of Austin, Travis County, ACC, and the University of Texas,” Segura said in a statement on Instagram. “We get updates on the weather, and with that update, I’ve decided to move forward out of an abundance of caution and go ahead and close schools on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.” AISD advises students, parents, and staff to watch their phones during and/or in anticipation of hazardous weather, as information regarding school schedule changes will be posted on all AISD social accounts. To receive school delay updates through text message, the AISD website advises that contact information is up to date in Frontline SIS in the Parent Portal. STORY BY Ava Weaver
Students at Culture Fest highlight & celebrate diversity Eve Johansson Dispatch Reporter
On Friday, March 28, the Bowie hallways were a splash of bright colors and exotic sounds as different flags were displayed and cultural music played. Culture Fest took place during both first and second lunch, allowing students to explore some of the cultures and ethnicities that make up the Bowie community. Bowie’s Student Equity Council initiated the event intending to allow the clubs and organizations of Bowie to share their cultures and enlighten others about them. According to one of the faculty advisors on the council, Alexandria Frossard, they planned to set up tables around the courtyard that each club or family could decorate with anything related to the culture they’re sharing, however,
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they ended up moving indoors due to the light rain. “This is a free, school-wide event that allows for students and staff to share and celebrate their different cultures, communities, and identities with each other,” Frossard said. “We had about 10 clubs participate. It was a small but mighty group this year and we look forward to the growth potential that this program has in future years.” Many of the clubs and organizations at Bowie had meetings and FIT sessions with their members to brainstorm ideas on how to capture the meaning of their club in a singular booth. One of these organizations was the French Club, which focuses on the richness of the French language and culture by listening to French music, watching movies in French, and immersing themselves in the language.
NEWS 1, 2 POLITICS 3 FEATURE 4 , 5
SHARING SPANISH CULTURE: Spanish Honor Society member Willa Bock sharing information about Spanish culture with a student visiting their booth. Culture Fest provided the opportunity to promote and expose the club to others. PHOTO BY Cooper Ford
"For our booth, we focused on blue, white, and red decorations including garlands,
IN-DEPTH 7, 8-9 SPORTS 10, 11 ENTERTAINMENT 12
flowers, and mini Eiffel towers, as well as having a coin toss and a bocci ball game for candy
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and prizes,” French teacher and French Club sponsor Sigrid Scherber said. “As the sponsor, I am here to support them with any project, provide some materials, and definitely offer my encouragement to the club and its members whenever needed.” While the French Club planned to capture the beauty of Paris, the Spanish Honor Society aimed to transport students to the heart of Latin American celebrations. According to Co-President of the Spanish Honor Society, Larkin Bock, Culture Fest was an opportunity to show others the beauty of Spanish Culture and promote the club to people who would like to learn more about it. “Bowie students get to see all the different opportunities to get involved in a club or organization,” Bock said. “Culture Fest allows us as a club to represent
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what we stand for which is volunteering and spreading Latin American heritage.” Culture Fest gives the students of Bowie a chance to explore and celebrate cultures they don’t know much about. It also provides an opportunity to experience a unique and safe space at Bowie that shows off the wide variety of cultures in the community. “At a time when diversity, equality, and inclusion are being challenged, especially in school settings, the Student Equity Council felt that this was a much-needed event,” Frossard said. “People are often scared of cultures and communities that they aren’t a part of because they don’t understand. Seeing these displayed in a safe place allows for introductions to cultures and conversations that may not happen otherwise.”