Issue III Volume II

The Ann Richards School For Young Women Leadwww.arspolarispress.com
The Ann Richards School
Winter 2017
www.arspolarispress.com For Young Women Leaders
April 2017
Volume III Issue II
We got
the bond
What could $1.05 billion mean?
With the Austin ISD Bond approved by voters, rennovations
and modernization set to take place in the oncoming years.
Here’s your look at how the Bond will affect Ann Richards.
18 UNDER 18 ART ABOVE ALL
HIGH ALERT
09
“the Polaris Press would like to recognize
“This brings us to the sad truth that
18 students under the age of 18 that
the art and media industry has for so
embody the mission statement.”
long ignored and allowed sexual harassment
and assault...”
04 21
“The Opioid Crisis is nothing new, it has
been an ongoing struggle in America
since the Civil War...”
AISD Food Truck parks in the
front of the building to serve meals.
These ideas are part of the additions
that the bond could be bringing for
the future

2
We got
the
bond
1.05 billion dollar
proposal passes in
local election
GUS FLORES |Beyond Our Walls Editor
EZRA MORALES | Managing Editor
Fix it up
Re-doing the current
campus buildings would require
construction in phases, with
students, staff, and faculty being
pushed into close quarters until a
section of the new facilities was
ready for use. The athletic fields
and track would be remodeled,
but maintained in the same area
of campus, and the main building
would also stay on its current
side of campus. This possible
choice is estimated by admin
to be in the design phase until
November 2018 and breaking
ground around January 2019.
ARS NEWS
The Choice
The Bond package for ARS includes funding to update and expand the fine art,
athletic and parking facilities, as well as create space for a larger student body and adopt
new educational technology. The proposed projects would require intensive construction,
but the ARS board and administration faced the choice or re-modeling the
current building, or building a brand new campus on the current land. Currently, ARS
administration and the AISD Construction Management Department are evaluating
these designs to determine which effectively meets the needs, wants and budget of ARS
bond package. Regardless of design choice, construction is estimated by admininistration
to be complete by 2021.
Possible site concept for new acedemic facilities. Photo courtesy of Austin ISD.
A Whole New Side
Creating a building from
the ground up on the north
side of campus would allow for
construction to start summer of
2018. The current campus layout
would flip, with a 400 meter
encircling athletic fields at the
corner of Prather Lane and Keats
Drive. ARS community would
move into the the new main
campus building is complete the
ARS community would transfer
over allowing for the current
building to be demolished and
replaced by athletic facilities.
A
s the polls began to close on
November 7, 2017, students,
staff, parents, and community
members were anxiously waiting for
the results of the votes on the $1.05
billion bond. After watching the local
evening news, everyone’s worries
were put to rest because the bond
passed with flying colors.
AISD has posted on their website
that “This bond is designed to modernize
or construct 16 new campus
facilities, some of which will be
replacement schools,” and Ann Richards
is one of the schools selected.
Everything is still in the very early
stages of decision making, however
Ann Richards is one of the only
schools that has been fast tracked due
to the inadequacies of all facilities.
There are lots of hopes and plans
in place, here are all the updates
you need to know at the end of first
semester.
The Classrooms
Under the bond, the school must hold a capacity
of 1,000 students so there must be more classrooms
that are able to efficiently accommodate both
students and teachers. Plans for new modernized
classrooms include shared spaces, natural lighting
and new furniture. In November, the library,
World History, and Journalism classrooms received
new furniture meant to improve collaboration and
encourage flexible seating.
Succcess High School in Round Rock, Tx, designed by O’Connell
Robertson. Photo courtesy of O’Connell Robertson.
Freshman sit in new furniture in Ms. Brianne Welser’s classroom.
Photo by Ezra Morales.
The Architect
The board and administration were looking for a
firm that could, firstly, handle the size of the project
- building a school requires the skill of an established
group of architects. The firm also needed
to understand what Ann Richard’s was about, be
just as excited as students, staff, and faculty about
updating the facilities, and be willing to work with
students throughout construction, according to Ms.
Waugh. Of four firms that presented, Ms. Waugh
said she was most impressed with a local firm with
female lead architects, O’Connell Robertson. Ms.
Waugh appreciated the fact that this firm would
have engineers and architects that could act as role
models for students.

From Ms. Waugh’s Dream Board:
Here are some inspirational images photos Principal Waugh would like to draw from when desining
the new school buildings. She hopes to get the most input from students as possible through out every
phase of the bond. If you’ve got any ides, email gflores.polarispress@gmail.com or emorales.polarispress@gmail.com
and the Polaris Press will pass your thoughts on to the top dog.
Photos courtesy of Kristina Waugh via Padlet.
ARS NEWS
CONTENTS
ARS News
2 WE GOT THE BOND: 1.05 billion dollar proposal passes in local election
4 18 UNDER 18: Students that embody the mission statement
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Dungeons and Dragons club buckles down for
5
the rest of the semester
6
PHANTOM OF THE CLASSROOM: New fine arts teacher reveals former career
YOU’RE IN...?: Class of 2018 awaits college acceptance decisions
7
STRUMMING ALONG: Ukelele club booted by members of the class of 2019
8 THINKING MINDFULLY: Ann Richards begins changes to address mental health
MAKING THE ROUNDS: Campus cop upgrades to circular desk
Our Voices
9 ART ABOVE ALL: Separating artists accused of sexual assult from their work
10
11
SATIRE-BABY IT’S HOT OUTSIDE: How winter is different in Texas
HOW TO KEEP COOL: Prioritizing mental health over the holiday break
STEPPING OVER STRESS: Tips and tricks for overcoming the overwhelming
HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR?: On college acceptances, agressive tweets,
job offers, and the repeal of Obamacare
Sports
12 SHOOTING FOR THE STARS: Coach Thiel’s second season at ARS
13
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Teacher’s first semester at ARS
THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER: Sisters’ sports legacy in ARS sports
DANCING WITH THE STARLETTES: Dance team and faculty get their boogie on
Entertainment
14 WARM UP IN WINTER UNIFORMS: How to keep toasty and stay in dress code
15 TIS THE SEASON: Holiday gift guide for everyone on your list
16 CURTAINS UP ON CHRISTMAS CAROL: Zach Scott Theater opens seasonal
holiday musical
HALT THE HOLIDAY HAZE: Newly released documentaries to keep you grounded
CHILL MUSIC: Tunes to get you ready for colder weather
17 STRIKING BACK: New “Star Wars” movie released December 15th
Beyond Our Walls
18 FROM RED TO GREEN: Georgetown mayor visits Ann Richards junior class
19 GOKA ON THE GO: Updates from Ann Richard’s former principal
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS: Four other winter holidays celebrated
around the world
20 TRUMP CARD: Russia’s influence on the 2016 election
21 HIGH ALERT: White House declares Opiod Crisis official public health emergency
SHINING BRIGHT: One local tradition you may not have heard of...
Literary Press
22 HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Looking back and looking forward
23 A FINAL MESSAGE: A senior’s thoughts with one semester left of high school
3

18
18
4
KEYLA BLANCO| Entertainment Editor
UNDER
The Forbes 30 under
30 list recognizes 30
successful
individuals under the
age of 30. In that
same way, the Polaris
Press would like to
recognize 18 students
under the age of 18
that embody the
mission statement.
Ann
Richards
students
who
embody
our mission
statement
student council
Service work
Zyla
Alaniz,
7th grade
Liliana
Marquez,
8th grade
ARS NEWS
As a first year student council member Zyla was nominated
by her peers for her great work and positivity.
Zyla joined student council in order to be a voice
for her classmates, and create a better bond between
her class. She hopes to keep growing as a student
and learn from her peers on how to become a better
council member.
Liliana spent her summer volunteering at ZACH
theater during a child summer theater camp. Her love
for theater is what lead her to the program as well as
to help kids have fun and find new forms of
expressing themselves. She hopes to see a theater
intersession in order to get other students involved in
the program and possibly find a new passion.
black student union
Photo by Becca Alonso
black student union
Photo by Keyla Blanco.
Janea
Landers,
Freshman
Janea worked alongside Keji Jurken (9) and Zia
Malangalila (9) to bring the Black Student Union
together. She wants the BSU to be a safe space for
students of color as well as a place for students to be
educated on racial issues that otherwise seem taboo in
classrooms. She hopes that the BSU can later expand
it’s influence farther from campus and into other
communities.
Zia
Malagalila,
Freshman
Zia teamed up with two other classmates, Janea
Landers (9) and Keji Jurken (9), to create a Black
Student Union at Ann Richards. Her drive comes
from the desire to build a stronger community
between students of color on campus, as well as
educate each other in and out of school.
Photo by Keyla Blanco.
Photo by Keyla Blanco.
lgbtq+ advocacy
service work
Jamie
Willard,
6th grade
As a new student to ARS, Jamie’s goal since the
beginning of the year is to make school a safe space
for students, specifically those in the LGBTQ+
community. Jamie strives to help her classmates be
free and welcomed to make sure they know they can
express themselves. She believes it’s important for her
and her classmates to be aware of how different and
important everyone is.
Nicole
Perry,
6th grade
Nicole’s volunteer work focuses mostly on animals
and the environment. Over the summer, she worked
with an organization that helped clean up parks and
creeks and preserve wildlife, including a beach in
North Carolina she also volunteered at a local animal
shelter. Nicole hopes to keep doing environmental
work through her STARS class and encourage other
students to be involved.
Photo by Emily Ownby.
Photo courtsey of Nicole Perry.
Service Work
lgbtq+ advocacy
Sanaya
White,
8th Grade
During her 7th grade year, Sanaya and a group of
friends thought of a way to help others during the
holiday season. Rather than getting gifts for each to
her, they brought up the idea of a toy drive to Ms.
Rice. They started the toy drive at school and later
donated the gifts to Dell Children’s Hospital for
children in need. Sanya hopes to continue to do this
every year, and influence others in joining the service
project.
Oli
Hunt,
8th grade
Oli has inspired students to express themselves
without hesitation. Oli, whose pronouns are they/
them, began writing online about their experience
with self identity, such as gender and identity and
mental health, in order to help their friends know
more about them. They also decided to do this to get
the message across that it is okay to not know who
you are at a young age. Their care and support for
their classmates has made school a comfortable space
for students.
Photo by Becca Alonso.
kindness
Photo by Becca Alonso.
ted talk
Maya
Borowicz,
Sophomore
Maya’s love for school and positivity has lead her to
be a student that her peers admire. Her daily goal
is to be kind to someone new because she knows
that sometimes people need at least a smile after a
rough time. She hopes that students take the time to
recognize other people’s feelings and be there when
someone needs comfort and support. In a school with
bright and driven minds, a quick smile in the halls
goes a long way when students are under stress.
Kate
Singer,
Sophomore
Kate flew out to Pittsburgh to do a Ted Talk on
November 19th, 2017 at the Tedx Youth event. After
a last minute choice to apply and getting accepted,
Singer wrote her speech about getting out of your
comfort zone and being yourself. After writing her
speech and flying out, she looks back on the event
with pride. She wants other students to take risks, big
or small, in or out of school.
Photo by Becca Alonso.
Photo courtesy by Kate Singer.

ARS NEWS 5
immigrant rights
Jacky
Ortega,
Junior
Jacky is an open speaker on immigration rights - she
organizes events and does work outside of school with
her brother that creates awareness on
immigration rights. She has attended protests, such
as the Women’s March earlier this year, to vocalise
her activism
Photo by Khammila. Shimray.
lgbtq+ advocacy
Spencer
Phillips,
Senior
Spencer’s advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community
came when they joined Changing lives, a theater
group that creates plays about domestic violence
and tours it to middle schools. His goal since then
has been to create a better environment for people,
starting with kindness. He always stops for a student
crying in the hall, and hopes that other students take
the time to be kind to others because a small moment
of support goes a long way.
Photo provided by Changing Lives.
entreprenuer
Maddy
Schell,
Senior
Maddy Schell has a natural born eye for
photography and design. As co editor-in-chief of the
yearbook, she has only grown in these skills. She
took her knowledge and developed her own business,
MMS Photography, where she prints out cards
featuring her own photography and sells them to
people to support her college tuition. Over the past
year, she’s made thousands of dollars going
door-to-door around different neighborhoods selling
cards in her school uniform. Her cards are even sold
in select gift shops around Austin.
Photo by Becca Alonso.
youth advocacy
identity advocacy
youth advocacy
Marlene
Mora,
Junior
Marlene has worked with Planned Parenthood,
Austin Youth council, student council, and interned
with the mayor of Austin. Marlene’s work has all
rooted for her passion to represent her peers and
other youth in the Austin area. She hopes to use her
experience to advocate for youth voices and to inspire
others to become leaders in their communities.
Olubunmi
Oni,
Junior
Olubunmi encourages students to advocate for
themselves and their identity, but also reach beyond
that. She believes that advocating doesn’t necessarily
have to be about one specific issue, it can be as broad
as the simple desire of wanting to help someone feel
and be seen as human. Her work for Black history
month and the BSU is a beginning for Olubunmi’s
activism.
Kai
Bovik,
Junior
Kai has worked with school clubs such as the GSA
and Real Talk to educate students about LGBTQ+
rights and ways to become a better activist. What
makes Kai an inspirational student is the work he’s
put into these clubs and the outside sources he has
connected to the school, one of them being Citizen
Discourse, an online forum dedicated to spreading
youth’s voices.
Photo by Lauren Breach.
Photo by Lauren Breach.
Photo by Lauren Breach.
glsen
Emily
Gentry,
Senior
Emily was introduced to GLSEN through her friend,
Ezra Morales (12), and their work with the
organization. After joining the GLSEN national
student council, Emily learned new ways to become a
student advocate. She’s hosted online conversations,
brought in her knowledge and activism to the school’s
GSA, and even presented an award to an LGBTQ+
ally, Kerry Washington, at the annual GLSEN
Respect awards this past October.
On the campaign trail
Dungeons & Dragons club buckles down for the rest
of the semester
GEORGIA MOORE| Creative Writing Editor
From vampire romances to biographies on Greek philosophers,
there’s not much you can’t find between the shelves of the Ann
Richards School Library. But one of the newest editions of fantasy
to this place of pilgrimage isn’t found between the pages of a
library book - at least, not literally.
“It was something that I really wanted to do,” librarian Shawn
Mauser said. “I knew there would be interest because I know my
kids, so last year when Stranger Things premiered I was like ‘oh
this is the perfect time for a Dungeon and Dragons club.’”
With its initial inception in 1974, Dungeons and
Dragons became the world’s first example of a modern-day role
playing game, or RPG. Countless playing handbooks and four
reinstallment editions later, Dungeons and Dragons
is still a steady undercurrent in fantasy fandoms and cult classic
circles. Thinking it would be well-suited for the creativity of Ann
Richards students, the Ann Richards D&D club held its first
official meeting on November 1st.
“A friend of mine is now a fully-qualified DM, also known as
Dungeon Master,” Mauser said. “She’s coming on Wednesdays to
run the club.”
While the D&D club has been brewing in Mauser’s mind for
almost a year, another student group surprised her when they
approached her about the idea.
“It was kind of kismet because Isabella Valadez (11) came and
said, ‘I heard you started a Dungeons and Dragons club,’” Mauser
explained. “And I said ‘yeah, I did.’ And she said, ‘well we started a
Dungeons and Dragons club!’ You know, great minds think alike.
So, that’s kind of cool, that there’s even more interest than we
thought.”
Mauser initiated the idea for the club in an interest survey sent
Photo by Ezra Morales.
leadership
Julie
Apagya-
Bonney,
Senior
Julie has spent most of her high school years giving
back to the people that have helped shape her into
the person she is. The work she has done with band,
student council, and outside activities, such as her
part time job and volunteer work at the Thinkery
children’s museum, has become trailblazing for fellow
students. Julie’s biggest advice to her peers is to not
limit yourself and be confident in your work.
out to high school students, and though she expected there to
be interest due to the nature of the student body, some students
surprised her with their responses.
“A few of them who put their names on the list, it was kind
of like, ‘oh, well that’s cool!’ It kind of revealed an aspect of that
person that I wasn’t aware of,” Mauser described. “So that’s always
fun to find out. There have been a few kids who I’m like, ‘hey!
Dungeons and Dragons!’ and I’m totally sure that they’re going to
be all about it and they’re like ‘meh.’ It’s one of those things where
you can’t anticipate what people are going to like.”
Now that the club has been in action for several meetings, the
club leaders and party members are eager to see what the club
evolves into.
“What we really want to do is spend a few weeks building
characters and getting the ground rules down,” Mauser explained.
“The one challenge right now is that with late buses it’s only an
hour and 15 minutes, and if you’ve played Dungeons and Dragons
an hour and 15 minutes is nothing. So we want to get the ground
floor created, and then we want to have game and dinner night and
stuff like that. Hopefully it’s going to turn into a nice little social
event and can become a tradition that’s kind of fun.”
The Dungeons and Dragons Club meets after school on
Wednesdays in the Bio Room.
Photo by Nicole Ramirz.

6
ARS NEWS
Phantom of the classroom
New fine arts teacher reveals former career
LUCY STAGG| Staff Writer
Walk into Ms. Yvette Vâsquez’s classroom
and fi nd her playing the piano with a student,
sharing music puns, or possibly singing opera. In
her class she brings her upbeat personality and
the stories of her past. Vâsquez is the new ARS
Choir and piano teacher for 6th-12th grade at
ARS.
Vâsquez got into music because of her dad.
She can play the basics of most band instruments
such as horns, fl utes, tubas, cello, harp, and
piano. She brings these skills to the classroom
making her able to teach everything from band
to choir.
“My dad was a jazz pianist but he couldn’t
read music at all,” Vâsquez said. “But he played
with some of the biggest jazz names in the world
[... ] he would play on the piano and I would play
on the piano, making things up, and he taught
me a lot about music.”
Vâsquez started off her college career at a fi ne
arts conservatory for ballet. She was given a full
ride scholarship to attend. Doctors found an
extra vertebrae in her back and said she wouldn’t
be able to do an extension backwards, which is
an important need for dancers. The college still
decided pulled her full-ride scholarship. This
decision altered her life completely and caused
her to attend school as a music major instead.
For two years, she went to school in Missouri
and then later moved to Texas State to fi nished
her bachelor’s degree. She then moved on to
UT Austin after a few years of teaching to get
her masters. Vâsquez wanted to pursue teaching
because it is a reliable way to get a musical career
as opposed to a performance major.
After fi nishing college, Vâsquez moved to
New York City with her husband so they could
both follow their singing careers. She sang
solos for one of the longest running choirs in
the United States at Carnegie Hall called the
Oratorio Society of New York. Many times,
productions would call her for shows because
she was able to read music which allowed her to
join any show last minute and learn the music
on the spot.
Vâsquez had many once-in-a-lifetime
experiences that came to her by surprise while
following her singing career.
“One time I got this phone call and this lady
said ‘Hey, we got this really good opportunity,
do you want to go come sing for chorus?’
Vâsquez said. “She said, ‘We’re going to sing
this song called ‘Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy
Piano teacher Ms. Yvette
Vasquez. Photo by Lucy Stagg.
diggy diggy said the boogy said up jump the
boogy’ It’s [by] Kid Rock. It was for the MTV
music awards. We were opening the MTV music
awards.”
While pursuing her singing career, she worked
multiple 9-to-5 jobs to be able to live in the New
York City. She fi rst worked as a word processor
at an advertising agency. After working there for
fi ve years, she moved on to work at a multi-million
merger and acquisitions company where she
was the head of graphic design and print, a fi eld
she had no prior experience in. She left to teach
choir with the Metropolitan Opera.
In 2006, she left NYC and moved to Plano
for a year to teach middle school. Later, Vâsquez
moved back to Texas and taught at Hayes and
“I could tell you that
soloing at Carnegie
Hall was my
proudest moment,
but when I think
about [my proudest
moments] all that
popped in my mind
was the kids.”
Cedar Creek Elementary, and then fi nally to got
the job she has now at ARS.
Vâsquez had many experiences and has been
all over the world but she is most proud of her
impact on her students in the classroom, not her
individual events.
“I have a group of students that are now music
teachers, and seeing them be teachers and be
successful teachers is awesome,” Vâsquez said.
“That’s a really cool thing. Seeing kids grow
in music and understanding things they never
knew [... ] It’s always about kids. I could tell you
that soloing at Carnegie Hall was my proudest
moment, but when I think about [ my proudest
moments] all that popped in my mind was the
kids.”
Great Expectations
New World Cultures teacher predicts success in the classroom
Frida Capitán Parra | Staff Writer
Surrounded by colorful posters and papel picado,
Mr. Juan Ramirez, the sixth grade World Cultures
teacher, has created a classroom as bright as his
expectations for his first year at Ann Richards. He
previously taught third grade at Pickle Elementary.
“I came into Ann Richards with this great expectation
that it’s a great place to be and work,” said Mr.
Ramirez. “ I mean, it was no surprise the girls were all
eager to be here and they want to learn and I guess a
big surprise for me was how much I was going to feel
connected to my students.”
According to Ramirez, so far the year has been a
great experience, and the challenges have been easy to
go through.
“The traffic getting here is the hardest thing, I
mean once I’m here it’s cool,” said Mr. Ramirez.
There are many ways to teach, every student is different,
and knowing how to teach everyone is a process
which Mr. Ramirez likes to think of as a recipe.
“I think really coming to Ann Richards and
learning that project-based learning and authentically
engaging students is definitely part of that recipe, and
as a teacher having the freedom to do it,” said Mr.
Ramirez.
Project-based learning and engaging students is
a big part of the Ann Richards school. Mr. Ramirez
works to create fun innovative ways, such as different
kinds of simulations and role plays, to teach students
the skills they need for success. He was drawn to the
school by all the wonderful things he heard about it: it
just had that “special something.”
“I think it has to do with administration, our
leaders. I really believe that Jeanne Goka and Ms.
[Kristina] Waugh really are visionaries and they are
able to make us, the teachers and students, feel that
they are part of it as well,” Mr. Ramirez said.
Going from teaching at a co ed school to Ann
Richards is a big change.
“Working at an all girl school has really changed
my perspective on the patriarchal environment that we
live in as a society,” Mr. Ramirez said. “It’s just helped
me refreshingly see it through 140 girl’s eyes what we
are a part of and how we can change it.”
Mr. Juan Ramirez assists students with their class work. Photo by Frida Capitan-Parra

ARS NEWS 7
You’re in...?
Class of 2018 awaits
college acceptance
EMILY WEAVER|Editor and Chief
In the midst of the fi rst semester coming to a
close - characterized by stressful projects, much
needed breaks, and holiday plans - the class of
2018 eagerly awaits decision notifi cations from
various colleges. Amid the chaos that comes with
winter, seniors are at an intersection of wrapping
up college applications and receiving enrollment
decisions from schools.
According to the ARS College Center, by November
1st, 100 percent of seniors had submitted
college applications. This marks the fi rst time in
Ann Richards School history that this deadline
has been met by all students in a graduating class.
Isabella Aguilar (12) is planning to apply to
eight schools, ranging in distance from Texas to
the West Coast to the East Coast. “It makes me
feel a little stressed out because I know a lot of
people have gotten in,” Aguilar said. “It’s a little
stressful to see that everybody is moving forward.”
While many seniors hold one or two colleges
as their “top choice,” Aguilar has tried to remain
adamant on not getting tied to one school. “I’m
trying to not have a top choice because I don’t
want to let myself down or anything... it’s a
slippery slope.”
In comparison, several other students have
diligently narrowed down their list. Becca Alonso
(12) has carefully selected one school through an
application that differs from that of most of her
peers.
By applying Early Decision - an application that
is unlike other decision plans such as Early Action,
Rolling, or Regular decision - to Smith College,
Alonso has entered a binding agreement that
states if she is accepted, she is guaranteed to enroll
for the Fall of 2018 semester. Few seniors select
this plan each year - Alonso is the only senior in
the class of 2018 who applied Early Decision to a
college.
“That school [Smith College] is everything to
me,” Alonso said. “It’s all I think about, it’s all I
talk about it’s defi nitely where I see myself. It’s
defi nitely a priority for me to get into that school,
because that would make me happy.”
In Mid-December, Alonso will fi nd out if she
was accepted to Smith. While many students
eagerly await decision notifi cations from their top
choice schools, since Alonso’s application to Smith
was binding, this means she will potentially know
her post-ARS plans before many of her peers.
“[I’ve] been so anxious, I just want to get this
over with,” Alonso said. “I just want to know if I
can get in, if I can afford it.”
FAMOUS SONGS
WRITTEN ON THE
UKULELE
- “Hallelujah”
by Leonard Cohen
- “Somewhere Over
The Rainbow” by Israel
Kamakawiwo’ole
- “Can’t Help Falling In
Love With You”
by Elvis Presley
Isabella Vergara (11) and Isabella Baladez (11) read chords
from a notebook as they play along on their ukuleles. Photo
by Alejandra Wait.
Strumming
Along
Ukulele club booted up by members of
the class of 2019
ALEJANDRA WAIT |Sports, Our Voices, and
Satire Editor
Any given day at ARS you may hear the
uplifting, tropical-sounding, in-sync strumming of
ukuleles, most notably found by the library in the
mornings. This band of ukulele players has created
a ukulele club, practicing after school every other
Tuesday.
Founding member Isabella Baladez (11) began
playing the ukulele because her role model, Rebecca
Sugar, creator of the show “Steven Universe”
plays the instrument.
“I thought it was really cool how she could, you
know, write songs on it. So, I fi gured it didn’t look
like a hard instrument to pick up,” Baladez said.
“She’s also an animator which is something I aspire
to be, so I just kind of wanted to follow closely in
her footsteps.”
During meetings, club members get together and
learn songs, mostly covers, focusing on strumming
patterns and chords.
“[Isabella Vergara] provides a bunch of songs
with the chords, and we learn whatever the people
who are there that day want to learn,” Baladez said.
Isabella Vergara (11), the other founding member,
has played piano, cello, and ukulele.
“Ever since I was little I wanted to learn the
guitar, but my mother made me play the piano
instead, and then she made me play the cello -
but anyway the ukulele was close,” Baladez said.
“[Ukulele] is really different from the cello. I think
it’s a lot more fun because you can just pick it up
and play whatever.”
According to Baladez, a lot of people who say
they would like to attend forget their instrument
or forget what day it is. Baladez and Vergara said
that sometimes the turnout is not the best, but
sometimes there are fi ve or six people that are
really interested, and they play songs and have a
great time.
“We just need to get the word out,” Baladez said.
“Because I know that there are a lot of people who
play or are interested in learning.
Helena White (11) is Outreach Manager of the
ukulele club, so she works on gaining publicity for
the club by organizing events for members to play
at. White also plays the violin and sometimes plays
along with the ukuleles on her violin.
“I’ve played with them. It’s fun because it’s, like,
a mix of different instruments so it sounds really
different,” White said. “You can basically put any
instruments together and if you know what song
you’re playing, it sounds really nice.”
The two main founders, Baladez and Vergara, are
considering performing in Follies because they love
playing together and it would be an effective venue
for outreach.
“We’ve looked at songs that are duets, because
we kind of founded it together,” Baladez said.
“There were a lot more people that went into
making it become something, but we fi gured ‘Izzy
and Izzy’ would be funny.”
Ukulele Club
Every other Tuesday after school in Ms. William’s room (237)

8
ARS NEWS
Thinking mindfully
Ann Richards addresses mental health through policy changes
ALYSSA CERDA| Social Media Editor
Assistant principal Briana Castaño working in her office. Photo by Alyssa Cerda.
The Ann Richards School is known for
its rigorous course work and high academic
standards, however students struggle with stress
under the expectations for their performance at
school. Throughout the semester, administration
has taken different approaches to ensure the best
mental health for all their students. One of these
approaches was seeking student input on stress
levels and enacting a school-wide policy of a
homework-free weekend once every six weeks.
Last year, Keji Jurkin (9) looked at different
issues that affected the Ann Richards student
body and noticed through school wide surveys
that many students were stressed from having an
abundance of projects at the same time. Jurkin
then decided to look at different school calendars
in the AISD district. This was when she found
that some schools had one no-homework day
per month.
“I was like, ‘what if we had, like, a break,’“
Jurkin said. “And then this year I pitched it to
Linderberg, who pitched it to Ms. Castaño, who
pitched it further to make it a thing.”
Jurkin had many things to gain from this idea
personally. It would help alleviate stress on her
shoulders, but her personal mindset was not her
priority.
“I always want to make sure that [students]
are doing their best, and that they are doing
well,” Jurkin said.
After the idea was brought to the school’s
administration team, it was automatically taken
into consideration.
“I love it when our students take initiative
like that,” Ann Richards principal Ms. Kristina
Waugh said. “I love it when they make really
educated proposals for us to take a look at and
I think it’s really important for us to hear our
customers voice, and you guys are our customer,
so we need to listen to what’s going on.”
The principal stated that the faculty took this
proposal seriously from the start by
gathering the together and looking at how much
homework they actually give to make sure it
wasn’t just a time management issue. Through
this change, the priorities of the staff has become
clearer.
“I’m hoping that you get to relax and enjoy
your life,” Waugh said. “Because I want you to do
other things besides just school work. I also hope
that you have an opportunity to get caught up.”
In addition to homework free weekends, the
school has started bringing mindfulness into the
classroom. Some classes take a short break from
the usual class work time to remind students
to breathe, and be aware of their surroundings.
These short breaks can include walking outside,
taking a moment of silence, or another activity
led by a student.
“There’s a lot of stress, you’re not always fully
equipped to deal with it at any age as a child,”
Special Education teacher Mr. Travis Ward said.
“Having things where we intentionally, even as
the adults, try to find ways to process through
that, to back away from things that are stressing
us, to be able to refocus, whether it’s physically,
mentally or emotionally, I love it. Even though
it’s not perfect and some people are still trying
to figure out if it works for them, it’s good that
it’s out there and it’s a real thing that people are
talking about.”
Further than policies for the classroom,
administrative staff are trying to work on turning
student ideas into reality.
“I hope it shows students we are listening to
what they have to say,” Ann Richards assistant
principal Ms. Briana Castano said. “We are
trying to find ways to incorporate their [students]
ideas into their school lives.”
MAKING THE ROUNDS
Campus cop upgrades to circular desk
ALEJANDRA WAIT|Sports, Our Voices, Satire Editor
On a typical school day, anyone can see security
officer Ms. Samara Anderson at her new desk at
the front entrance or walking the hallways, or hear
her announcing “get to class” and laughing with
students.
“Being at [Ann Richards] was my first time
being at an all-girls school, so it was different, but
within a few weeks it was the best,” Ms. Anderson
said. “I knew this was it for me.”
Ms. Anderson began working for ARS in 2012,
when the current seniors (the Class of 2018) were
sixth graders.
“It’s bittersweet because I’ve kind of grown a
bond to them, since that was my first group; I
watched them grow, I watched them learn, and
fall, and get back up, and dust themselves off
again,” Ms. Anderson said. “I’m really excited to
see what’s next for them. I love when the alumni
come back, so I’m ready for that next chapter, so
when it's their turn to come back and I get to have
my big hugs. Like I said, it’s bittersweet, and I will
definitely miss them.”
As the class of 2018 is getting older and closer
to graduation, they read the Canterbury Tales in
their english class and are tasked with writing their
own poems about characters at ARS using the
same structure. Keira Neal (12) has been friends
with Ms. Anderson years and chose to write her
Canterbury Tales poem about her.
“She's the kind of person that gives you a reason
to want to come to school, other than learning and
going to college,” Neal said. “She tells you those
things to look forward to, like a future.”
Ms. Anderson has been looking forward to her
desk in the hallway for a while. Apparently, her
and the rest of the office staff joked about a desk
in the hallway for about a year, and then Waugh
moved forward with the idea when Goka retired
because she thought it was a genuinely good idea.
“I get to see family members that come in, and
I’m the first person they see,” Ms. Anderson said.
“I have a big job to make sure they feel welcome,
and that I’m always smiling and I’m here.”
Not only is she the first face people see when
they walk in, but she is also a support-system
for the students, a friend to faculty, and a school
cop. Ms. Waugh loves that the first face for
guests, students, and staff to see is the vibrant,
always-smiling, Ms. Anderson.
“Ms. Anderson is our ‘do-everything,’” Ms.
Waugh said. “I trust her explicitly. She knows
everything that's going on and she has the best
judgement of how to handle things, and I think
Officer Samara Anderson next to her desk. Photo by Alejandra Wait.
that she's highly respected amongst the faulty
and the students.”
The desk at the front of the school, according
to Ms. Anderson, is kind of the physical
manifestation of what her job has always been.
“I've always felt a responsibility to make
sure the girls were on task - doing what they
needed to be doing - but also have someone
they can talk to and trust and come to when
they need something,” Ms. Anderson said. “It
could've been a piece of paper, candy, a smile,
a hug, or just a conversation.”

Art
OUR VOICES 9
above
all
Separating artists accused of sexual assault from their work
GUS FLORES-RASCON|Beyond Our Walls Editor
Arguably the best plot twist in a movie is from
The Usual Suspects (1995),where Kevin Spacey’s
character, Verbal Kint, plays a pivotal role in
the tones of suspense and mystery. So as not to
spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it, I
won’t go into further details about the surprise
ending. There is no way I’ll ever stop watching
or recommending The Usual Suspects, regardless
of numerous recent sexual assault allegations
against Spacey. The Oscar-winning actor is now
under investigation for one of the allegations,
and came out as a gay man in the same Twitter
post that denied a sexual assault accusation from
a former male co-star, implicitly blaming sexuality
for inexcusable behavior. However, there is
no ignoring that he is a fantastic actor.
Spacey is among countless people in the art
and entertainment industry who have been
accused of sexual misconduct and assault- big
names new to the list are producer Harvey
Weinstein, and comic Louis C.K.. I’m not writing
to convince you that any of these celebrities
are guilty or innocent; in each case, an individual
should look at the facts and records of the
allegations and convictions to decide themselves
how they will judge these celebrity’s character
and actions. Rather, this is to address how we as
consumers and patrons of art and media should
use our power to condemn the behavior of creators
of art when we feel that behavior is wrong.
When a corporate company financially supports
causes a customer disagrees with, the customer
can stop buying said company’s products.
However, when it comes to art, like movies and
music, made by artists who have been accused or
convicted of sexual harassment or assault, profits
are not directly used to support this behavior.
If an artist is dead, there is no question: by all
means, stock up on as much of their work as you
like. Of course, do so while acknowledging that
you do not support their actions, because their
legacy should not ignore any offenses they may
have committed while alive. Acknowledgment
is the other half of the equation when it comes
to power. The praise and recognition successful
artists receive also puts them in a place of power,
so no matter how much you love a musicians
new album when you’re raving about it always
be sure to mention your disapproval with the
artist’s behavior.
In a statement released Nov. 10, Louis C.K.
apologized to the women he had sexually
harassed saying, “I also took advantage of the
fact that I was widely admired in my and their
community, which disabled them from sharing
their story and brought hardship to them when
(Left to right) Comic Louis C.K., Producer Harvey Wienstien, and actor Kevin Spacey. Art by Gus Flores-Rascon. Photos
courtsey of Creative Commons.
they tried because people who look up to me
didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was
doing any of that because my position allowed
me not to think about it.” C.K. also mentioned
how his place of power in his profession would
intimidate women into giving consent, and consent
given out of intimidation isn’t really consent.
C.K. didn’t use money directly to commit
a bad deed, but his wealth was a contributing
factor to his overall power. Power is really the
key idea when it comes from separating art from
the artists - if you purchase a movie made by a
director known for sexually harassing crew and
cast members, you give the director more power
through money. Consumers should avoid giving
power to any artist known to abuse it, including
if it is via sexual harassment or assault.
This brings us to the sad truth that the art
and media industry has for so long ignored and
allowed sexual harassment and assault, because
the offenders brought billions of dollars into the
industry. Today, as we’ve seen with Louis C.K.’s
movie I Love You, Daddy (2017) that was pulled
from distribution a week before its release, and
Netflix cutting ties with Kevin Spacey, a lead
actor in their show House of Cards, companies
won’t be affiliated with artists who have been
accused or admitted to sexual harassment and
assault. On one hand, this shows how socially
unacceptable the behavior of sexual predators is
becoming, and no matter how widely praised a
person’s art is, they will not go unscathed if they
have acted wrongly.
On the other hand, our culture loses art that
teaches and develops viewers and listeners. A
piece of art crafted by the hands of a sexual
predator should not be excluded from praise.
True art stands alone from its artist; as a society
we would be robbing ourselves of beauty and
feeling if we censored art for the actions of
artists.
It is also important to note that most art is
produced with the help of blameless actors,
producers, editors etc. whose careers suffer when
they unknowingly work with a sexual predator.
As consumers we must remember to disconnect
artists from not only their work, but also their
colleagues and employees. Its unproductive to
fire aimlessly at anyone associated with a sexual
predator, instead we should be diligent in locating
the manifestations of sexual misconduct and
removing them like a tumor, and all the while
investigating the causes of this behavior.

10
Baby it’s hot
outside
The perils of winter in Texas
Lily DiFrank |Managing Editor
It is winter time in Texas. That means it is time to
experience the lovely humidity and the abrupt change from
slightly cold to freezing within hours. You have the fabulous
experience of whipping on your favorite coat only to realize
that it is only 70 degrees and you have to take it off five
minutes later.
Cold weather in Texas is such an amazing time of the
year. While other people are shoveling snow out of their
driveways, we are shoveling our winter jackets into a Goodwill
bag. Say goodbye to all of the winter clothes that you
only got to wear a couple of times, because now you have
outgrown them.
In other areas you may not be able to play a sport outside
all year round, but in Texas, that’s no problem. While other
people are ice skating, Texans can go for a nice dip at Barton
Springs. While others may be sledding down snow-covered
hills, we are rolling down dry grassy hills.
Because Texas is so big you can just drive up or down a
little to find your perfect destination. Up in the panhandle
you might actually see some snow, however if you feel like
the beach year-round, just drive south. It’s the best of both
worlds - you can get a feel for almost every type of winter
weather without even leaving the state.
Winter time in Texas is so delightful. You never know
what temperature it’s going to be so make sure to soak up
as much of this slightly cooler weather as you can before it
turns one hundred degrees with a seventy percent humidity.
Art by Ahna Stewart
Stepping over stress
How to keep cool
Prioritizing mental health over the holiday break
Alyssa Cerda|Social Media Editor
OUR VOICES
With the semester ending in a few weeks, many students are falling
under the weight of stress. With the countless projects, tests, and homework
assignments that are given on a daily basis, it’s no question why the stress gets
to students. Students can have trouble managing their time and their work, and
sleep can be seen as not as important.
Senior Julia Martin gives tips on managing your stress, and is emphasising
the importance of sleep for her grade level. Martin has been at ARS since sixth
grade, and is known for her healthy habits. She manages her sleep well, works
out, and is teaching her friends about the benefits of sleep.
GET AN AGENDA-AND USE IT
Every year we receive a brand new agenda from the school, and in a few
months it is lost, beat up, and almost destroyed by our busy lives. We try to use
it, but after the first few months we get tired of it and it gets lost in the depths
of our backpacks. Even though, you should try to grab your agenda, buy a new
one, or keep using yours, because agendas are great way to keep track of your
busy schedule.
“I have an agenda, and I buy it separately, it’s not the school one,” Martin
said. “I use it like it is my Bible, and I write everything down. On the weekends,
sometimes if I have a ton of work to do I will write a timed schedule,
giving myself breaks, because that’s just being realistic.”
USE YOUR TIME
Procrastination affects all of us, but it can drive us away from our school
work at the worst of times. With this, we have to get around it and figure
out how to do our work with time allotted for the inevitable procrastination.
Whether that be, eliminating distractions, set breaks for yourself, or setting
The holiday season is seen to be filled with cheer, and plans of
vacation and celebration. Although some might embrace this upcoming
break with open arms and big smiles, it’s important to remember
that not all await this winter. It can also be a very hard time for those
prone to seasonal depression or with already existing mental health
issues.
For many, mental health often relies on structured schedules like
going to school five out of seven days a week, and constant social
interaction. Sometimes, the thought of going on a break where you
have so much solitary free time can be scary. Over this break, here are
a few ways you can practice prioritizing mental health in various ways
to help yourself be in the best headspace possible.
PLAN AHEAD
It’s hard to get yourself out of a bad headspace once you’re already
in it. One of the biggest contributors to a healthy mind set is planning
ahead what you will do when you find yourself slipping. Keep your
support system of friends and family close, and create a plan with a
thorough list of coping mechanisms to use when the loneliness or
gloominess of winter break gets to you. Be honest about how you’re
feeling to be sure your support system will be able to help you.
KEEP BUSY
Keeping busy doesn’t have to mean constantly being out or
working. It all depends on the person, but it’s good to keep occupied
with some of your favorite hobbies over the break, so you don’t feel
like you’re doing nothing or wasting time. This break is the perfect
time to go out and try different restaurants you’ve been hearing about,
or going holiday shopping with friends. If you prefer being in solitude
to recharge, winter break is the perfect time to pick up a new book,
or try cooking a new dish. Resting and going out should both be
happening, but all in moderation.
GET A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF SLEEP
Rest is important, and this break is the perfect time to take back
Tips and tricks for overcoming the overwhelming
Camille Pfister|Staff Writer
alarms to get back to work.
“I think it’s just learning to be effective to be with your time. When it
comes down to it, you just have to buckle down and do it,” Martin said.
SLEEP WELL AND A LOT!
Students can
feel like sleep just
Julia Martin (12) shows off her school planner. Photo by Camille Pfister.
isn’t important enough to set aside school work for, but if they don’t get
enough sleep then we are less productive. Sleep can improve the mind,
health, and schoolwork.
“I am less stressed when I sleep a good amount,” Martin said. “I try my
hardest to go to sleep at nine or ten o’clock on weeknights, because I’m
not going to be productive after a certain point, so why stay up and just
make crummy work I’m going to have to delete the next day.”
Art by Kai Bovik
your sleeping schedule. You can get the appropriate amount of sleep
with the decrease of your work load. Sleep in some mornings, or call it
an early night. ARS students tend to be so high functioning that we
put sleep on the backburner- it’s time to change that. Sleep allows our
bodies to recharge and mind process information, which will help you
start off 2018 in the right headspace.
LET THE LIGHT IN
Literally, keep curtains open this holiday break. Having natural
lighting through the day, will have a larger impact on your mental
health than you expect. In addition, this season’s time change can
worsen or create the feeling of seasonal depression. According to
Healthline, this happens because light plays a role in reducing fear and
anxiety. It’s important to also be aware of how much time is actually
spent outside: changing your scenery, by going outside to get light
once or twice a day, will be helpful in keeping spirits high.
INDULGE
You may not realize it, but during the school year you tend to not
treat yourself as much as you deserve. This holiday break, it’s important
to indulge in things. Be it holiday treats or cheesy activities, dive
into something fun that’ll keep you distracted and also reward your
hard work from this semester.
Remember this holiday break to take care of yourself and not dwindle
into any unhealthy patterns. Breaks can be hard, and we recognize
that. Put yourself first.

OUR VOICES 11
How do you measure a year?
On college accpetances, agressive tweets, job offers
and the repeal of Obamacare
Ezra Morales|Managing Editor
It’s been over a year since Donald J. Trump
was elected as the 45th President of the United
States; it also happens to be over a year since I
turned 17. A lot has occurred since November 8,
2016 and it’s hard to keep track of these things
in such trying times. I am grateful for Twitter,
which allows us to document our lives in now
280 characters and share special moments in
real time with the rest of the world. Twitter has
become a living document in history for every
user on the site, making an active timeline. I
have chosen to chronicle the most important
moments to me in the past 12 months in tweets
leading up to my eighteenth birthday since both
Mr. Trump and I are both avid users of the
common social media platform.
Art by Georgia Moore
I knew Trump’s appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education was going to be a hard pill to swallow, but after the repeal of the Title IX guidance my anger towards DeVos only grew. However, I was able
to turn my anger into something more positive, when in March of this year I testified in opposition to the Texas “Bathroom Bill” SB6.
Trump has notoriously bragged about the unemployment rate being at an all time low but, what he fails to mention is how his job-approval rating is the lowest of any president in modern polling. I was fortunate enough this
year to acquire a new job at a youth-led organization that is dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender nonconforming students known as Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER).
Nationalism has been a big part of Trump’s platform since his early campaign days. However, after his inauguration, his approach turned into something more of an attack on minorities, specifically on immigrants. He has now endorsed
a plan that will cut legal immigration in half and base it off of merit, almost as if you were applying to an Ivy League college. His plan seems to be very unsuccessful and unfavorable to Congress, however, I have been very successful in my
college search.
You’ve heard him shout it and you’ve seen him tweet it; “Fake News” has become Trump’s well-known catchphrase that has left the journalism community scrambling to prove themselves while remaining unbiased
and ethical. I am so thankful for the opportunities that come with being a part of the Ann Richards journalism department. Being involved in our school’s newspaper has helped me become a better journalist while
fighting the hateful rhetoric the president has been spewing out about the pressfor these past 12 months.

12
SPORTS
Shooting for the stars
Coach Thiel’s second season at ARS
Frida Capitán Parra | Staff Writer
Coach Jackie Thiel is back to baskets while
coaching basketball at Ann Richards. After
teaching the sport for many years, she is excited
to work with the high school JV and varsity team
and help them develop their skills.
“I still find it intriguing how to motivate
young ladies because every single person is
their own individual and every single person is
motivated differently,” Coach Thiel said. “That
has always been a challenge, yet a goal for me to
motivate everyone individually so we can work
together as a team.”
Coach Thiel has been playing her whole life
and practically grew up in the gym. Her mother
and grandfather were both basketball coaches,
and although she was a passionate gymnast
she chose to follow basketball during her high
school career. She and her team won the state
championship in her freshman and sophomore
year, and advanced to the championships her
junior year but lost the final game. However,
that was not the end for Thiel.
“I coached a 17-and-under national team in
Denmark.” Coach Thiel said. “That was the
most fun that I had because they did not speak
English, so we had to figure it out and work
together and use a bunch of sign language, just
to make things work.”
Getting everyone on the same page is vital to
forming a good team. According to Coach Thiel,
this can be a challenge at the beginning of the
season. Because of all the student involvement
throughout the school, she is hoping to get a
steady rhythm of girls who are mentally and
physically prepared in practice.
“Constantly, constantly working hard,” said
Thiel. “Just non-stop working hard, and it
doesn’t happen in practice. It happens outside
of practice. In high school I would make- not
shoot, but make - 1,200 shots a day.”
Although the basketball practices aren’t quite
as rigorous as Coach Thiel’s routine, the Junior
Varsity and Varsity girls are working very hard.
“I really like her as a coach. I had Coach
Cosgrove, Coach Brown, Coach Tilson, and
Coach Thiel now,’ Taliah Rebollar (12) said.
“There’s always a difference in how they coach,
and I feel like Coach Thiel is a lot more with
drills, because other coaches just had us running
around all the time. But Coach Thiel is trying to
help us with reading the court more.”
Coach Thiel has made a lifelong commitment
to basketball, and her passion for the game
shines in her coaching.
“I have found my place. I don’t think that I
could be as happy and fulfilled doing anything
else,” Thiel said.
Varsity player Sierra Green (11) makes a shot at the Dripping Springs Tournament. Photo by Frida Capitán Parra.
Dimanique Henderson (12), Zia Malangalila (9), and Sierra Green (11) play defense against Connally High School. Photo by
Frida Capitán Parra.
Ash Pellette (12) cheers with the rest of the team before their second game at the Dripping Springs tournament. Photo by Frida
Capitán Parra.
Mariana Colindres (10) and Sierra Green (11) rush to play defense. Photo by Frida Capitán Parra.

The family that
SPORTS 13
plays together
Sisters sports legacy
AHNA STEWART|Visuals Editor
Balancing athletics and academics is an obstacle faced by countless
high school students, but the Hruby sisters have got it down
to an art form. Collectively, Sofia (class of 2015), Lucia (class of
2017), and Olivia (9) have been involved in almost every sport
offered at Ann Richards.
Olivia Hruby and her sisters have been playing soccer on club
teams as well as playing on school teams almost their entire lives.
“When I was five years old, my mom just asked us ‘Are you
interested?’ And we all said yes,” Olivia Hruby said.
Out of the many sports she plays, such as competitive
swimming, volleyball, and cross country Olivia says that soccer is
her favorite.
“I like getting to be aggressive and play against other people, but
also the people are always so accepting and you really feel like a
part of the community,” Olivia Hruby said.
With the soccer season gearing up to start, Olivia is hoping to
make varsity like her recently graduated sister, Lucia.
“I’m most looking forward to being on a high school team,”
[From left] Olivia (9), Sofia (c/o 2015) and Lucia (c/o 2017) Hruby. Photo courtesy of Sofia Hruby.
Hruby said. “Also playing in the cold weather.”
After graduating spring of 2017, Lucia Hruby took off to India
to attend an international school in Indore. There she is taking
Hindi classes and living with a host family, while being immersed
in central Indian culture.
Olivia’s other sister, Sofia Hruby, is attending the United States
Naval Academy where she is on track to be a pilot. Sofia played
volleyball at Ann Richards and Clemson University and was the
first Ann Richards student to receive the Jimme DiCuffa athletic
scholarship.
“I miss having them around and their funny jokes,” Olivia Hruby
said. “In terms of soccer, I miss having someone to play with.”
Lucia was a player on the varsity soccer team for all of high
school and was on the first ARS team to make it to the soccer
playoffs during the 2017 season.
“This sounds cheesy but, being a part of a soccer team is like being
a part of a family because you do spend so much time together
and you have to be a good team player,” Olivia Hruby said.
Anah Wiersama during a morning rehearsal with Anabel Martienez (12). Photo by
Gus Flores-Rascon.
Dancing with the
Starlettes
Dance team and faculty get their boogie on
GUS FLORES-RASCON|Beyond Our Walls Editor
Inspired by ABC’s reality dancing competition series “Dancing
With the Stars,” the Starlettes presented self-choreographed
dances accompanied by faculty members Wednesday December.
6 in the large gym. The entire dance team was joined by interim
Principal Kristina Waugh for a surprise closing performance.
Ticket sales went to support the dance program for the winter
and spring seasons.
“They didn’t have a lot to work with, I’m not too skilled in the
dancing department, but I’m doing my best,” Academic Dean,
Anah Sikorsky-Wiersema, said prior to her performance of the
popular 60’s bop “Do You Love Me” by The Contours with
seniors Julia Mendoza and Annabel Perez.
Mendoza and Perez researched popular dance moves from the
60’s when creating the choreography their 90-second routine
in hopes of making their dance style match the time period of
their music and to provide easier dance moves for Ms. Wiersema
to learn. Starlettes and faculty prepared for over a month before
their performance, although there were challenges finding time to
rehearse within faculty’s teaching schedules.
Starlettes were graded on their choreography by Dance Coach
Ms. Doy Roberts. Although the routines are being evaluated,
Dance Coach Ms. Danielle Willie said, “They’ve enjoyed getting
to pick music that they like, dancing in a style that they’re
comfortable with and finding a faculty member that they like to
dance with. ”
As soon as the event was announced, dancers hurried to find
their faculty members. According to Ms. Willie, all teachers asked
accepted the task, despite having varying experience in dance. Ms.
Wiersema said her biggest competition was high school Assistant
Principal Brianna Castaño, who danced alongside Dance Team
Captain Algiani Bright (12) and Avandia Avila (10).

14
Violation
This age-old violation is most commonly used
by high school students and athletes. Early
morning practices encourage players to lean
towards pulling on sweatpants instead of shorts,
falling into the irresistibility of leaving them on
post-practice. For those who aren’t on the grind
early in the morning, throwing on a plaid skirt
over warm pajama pants is a sensible compro-
ENTERTAINMENT
Warm Up In Winter Uniforms
How to keep toasty and stay in dress code
EMILY OWNBY | Video Editor
Grabbing a colorful coat on the way out the door
is a quick solution to the early morning chill,
but will only get you handed a pink demerit
slip as soon as you take to the school hallways.
A worn-in and comfortable hoodie is the most
desirable piece of apparel while getting through
the school day in a cold classroom, but is
deemed demerit-worthy by teachers.
Colorful and patterned socks are a fun way to
showcase taste in art, or punny jokes. A pop of
color is often a small and quick way to brighten
your day. Not only are colorful socks a wonderful
way to keep your toes toasty, they give a glimpse
into one’s out-of-uniform fashion preferences.
Solution
Despite the comfort
and convenience, pants
underneath uniform skirt
is not allowed. The Student
Handbook states that high
school students may wear solid
black or navy blue tights,
and middle school students
may wear solid black or white
tights. While it can prove to
be tricky to fi nd tights that
will keep the wearer warm,
InStyle Magazine reported that one of the best
options on the market are Hanes Women’s
X-Temp tights. These black tights can be purchased
at Target or Walmart for $⒐00-$⒓00.
Keep an eye out of the blue ‘X-Temp’ logo, the
sign that these tights will keep you warm and in
dress code.
Breaking Boredom
To replace the
warmth of
your bed and
blankets, try
out a fl eece
jacket. these
run on the
pricier side,
they are very
durable and
will last for
several years.
Check out
Target’s zip-up Fleece Sweatshirt for $⒛00. Not
only does it zip and have a hood, but it’s logo
free, in compliance with ARS uniform requirements.
Zipping it up not only blocks out the
cold, but it feels like getting a reassuring hug.
While black and white sneakers
pair marvelously with pastels and
neons, dress code limits students
to black and white socks. Instead
of bright patterns and art, try
out these options that are sure
to show off personality, without
the high stakes of a demerit:
boldSOCKS, an online based
sock company, has shopping
categories dedicated to black
and white socks, with patterns
ranging from black roses to white hearts; two adorable patterns in
dresscode-approved colors. Prices for a pair can range from $⒏00-
$⒓00. Be sure to check out the clearance section as well, where
prices can go down to $6.00. For socks that are sure to keep your
toes toasty, check out The Sock Drawer’s wool socks, which also
come in black and white patterns!
Activites to keep you busy over winter break
PERLA ESPINOZA |Staff Writer
See a movie or show
This December brings a host of new fi lms for you to enjoy
in theaters, such as “Justice League”, “Lady Bird”, or “Coco.” If
you don’t want to spend money or get out of the house, you can
also have your own Christmas marathon from your bed - classic
holiday fi lms such as the “Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Elf ”,
and the “Grinch” are available to stream on popular platforms such
as HBO, Netfl ix, and Amazon Prime.
Family Time
Go out and bond with your loved ones to create new memories.
One event happening again this holiday season is the Trail of
Lights in Zilker Park. Attendees have the opportunity to scope
out the unique light show, ride the ferris wheel or drink hot
cocoa. You can also go ice skating on top of the downtown Whole
Foods roof. At $10 per person, this event is open now through
January 15, so round up your family or friends and skate together!
Another light event happening is Santa’s Ranch in New Braunfels,
where you can enjoy the light show from the comfort of your car.
Volunteer
There are many volunteering options in the winter times due
to the season of giving and cold weather. Operation Blue Santa is
an organization run by the Austin Police Department. Where you
give new and wrapped christmas gifts to children under the age
of ⒓ By participating, you bring joy to children and get to share
that warm holiday smile.
go caroling
Get your friends and family together and go door to door and
spread holiday cheer to your neighbors or family members. Ask to
sing at places such as your local grocery store, church, food bank,
or more.
Read NeW Books
Photo by Perla Espinoza.
Spend winter break catching up on books you may be too busy
to read during the school year. Read while drinking some hot
cocoa in warm, fuzzy pajamas for an especially relaxing day.
Bake
Don’t know how to bake? Perfect opportunity to learn! Already
know? Here are some yummy ideas to chew on. Make delicious
seasonal treats such as gingerbread or sugar cookies for the
upcoming holidays share with your friends and family. You can
also learn to bake a pie, a classic holiday staple with a wide range
of varieties.
Decorate
Make your way to Walmart, Target, Home Depot, or Hobby
Lobby and purchase some bright decorations and transform your
house into your very own light show. Spend one afternoon of your
break decorating your house and room for the holiday season. Alternatively,
for more small-scale decorations, you can take scissors
to copy paper and create your own snowfl akes! Add rhinestones,
stickers, or glitter for an easy, crafty upgrade.

ENTERTAINMENT 15
Tis the Season:
2017 holiday gift guide for everyone
on your list
EMILY WEAVER | Editor in Chief
8
7
9
1
2
6 5
4
3
Photo credits clockwise from top right: Book photos by Emily Weaver, Wheatsville Brownie Photo by Emily Weaver, Target, Old Navy, Glossier, Amazon, Amazon, Lush, Trail of Lights, Ann Richards AP Art Department.
This season, check off everyone on your list with the Polaris
Press’s holiday gift guide! With gifts from distances ranging from
near the school to far into the depths of the internet, this list is a
great starting point to use to get gifts for everyone on your list this
December.
Near the school
FOR THE BOOKWORM: Does your person like mystery books,
young adult novels, or existential literature? Half Price Books has
a great selection of reasonably priced books for you to gift to the
reader in your life. No matter what genre, in an easy ten minute
walk from Ann Richards, you can have your holiday gift covered in
no time. Not sure what book is next on your most literary friends ‘to
read’ list? Gift them a gift card for the book of their choice. (Around
$10)
FOR THE FOOD LOVER: Hands down, nearby natural-food
grocery store Wheatsville Co-Op gets the most attention from Ann
Richards students. However, even though ARS students seemingly
spend as much time at Wheatsville as at school, a seasonal treat from
Wheatsville’s bakery would serve as a fantastic surprise for the snack
fan in your life. (Around $5)
FOR THE WILD CARD: How do you shop for the
person who has everything? Go to the place where you can get
everything! Whether you’re buying a present for your mysterious
friend who insists they want “nothing,” or the friend who has more
than you can keep track of, Target will be a one-stop shop for the
most diffi cult folks on your list. If you’re truly struggling to fi nd the
perfect gift, get your person a gift card to their favorite restaurant, or
store, and pair it with something from the dollar aisle for a customized
gift. (Prices may vary)
ONLINE
FOR THE COOL KID: While in the midst of Texas winters,
the weather can take unpredictable turns. Save the chicest person
you know from the unforgiving nature of Texas winds by gifting
them a multipurpose balm from the internet’s coolest beauty brand.
Glossier’s Balm Dotcom is moisturizing, convenient to carry around,
and comes in six distinct fl avors. This gift is perfectly seasonable and
will be sure to please whoever you give it to. ($12)
FOR THE UNIFORM FASHIONISTA: Even though December
is halfway over, the winter season is far from concluding. Grab your
most stylish friend a pair of wool socks they can wear from the most
blistering January days to the chilliest April mornings. Available in
black and white, these socks from Amazon are sure to be a well-fi t-
ted addition to your friend’s closet. ($13)
FOR THE KID (AT HEART): Perfect for either the youngest
person on your list, or your young-at-heart friend, these Kidz Labs
science kits from Amazon are made to be both educational and fun.
In six distinct options, these are sure to appease a wide range of
interests for kids starting at three years old. ($10-$13)
Odds and Ends
FOR THE FRIEND WHO DESERVES TO TREAT THEM-
SELVES: Do midterms have your friend feeling down? Remind
them to take time for themselves over winter break by gifting them
everything they need to start an at-home pampering session. Lush
has great seasonal bath bombs and lotions for under $10 that will set
even your most stressed friend up for an afternoon of relaxation. Try
the Snow Fairy jelly bath bomb for a relaxing yet bizarre experience.
($8)
FOR THE EXTROVERT: Take your most social friend out for
an evening on the town! For a seasonal activity, check out the Zilker
tree - offer to pay for tickets (ranging anywhere from free to $20+)
and hot chocolate, and go out for a night together. Be sure to check
out the calendar for information on what nights are free to minimize
your holiday expenses!
FOR THE PERSON WHO’S ALWAYS LOOKING AHEAD:
For the friend who’s always got their eyes on the prize, give them
something that will help them usher in 2018 smoothly. For the
second year in a row, AP Art students will be selling a calendar for
a fundraiser. Featuring student art from multiple grade levels, and
following the theme of rule-breaking women, this would be a great
gift for someone who could always use some extra organization in
their new year.

16
ENTERTAINMENT
Curtains UP on A Christmas Carol
Zach Scott Theater opens seasaonl holiday musical
EMILY OWNBY | Video Editor
“A
Christmas Carol”, now playing at Zach
Scott Theater, has become an Austin tradition
since it’s premiere in 2014. The show puts
a modern musical spin on a classic holiday story.
Created by Dave Steakely, this timeless tale is
transformed by the addition of pop and rock songs,
performed as narrative musical theater numbers.
Bright and colorful period-accurate costumes, and
a set built to impress, ushers audience members into
the 1800’s to watch the tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s
interactions with the Ghosts of Christmas Past,
Present, and Future.
This family friendly show features a cast of local
performers, as well as New York and Chicago based
actors. Leading the show are actors Harvey Guion
as Scrooge, and Travis Gaudin, as Scrooge’s nephew,
Fred. Gaudin is new to the production, replacing
Michael Valentine who held the iconic role since the
production’s premiere in 2014. The role of Scrooge
welcomes a new actor each season, and Guion was
a wonderful addition to the cast. As an experienced
actor, Guion brought comedy and charm to each
scene.
Each year, the porduction welcomes new
elements, or alters old ones, such as new songs or
differing choreography. This year’s production
was noticeably different from the 2016 production.
Halt the
holiday haze
Newly released documentaries to
keep you grounded
GUS FLORES-RASCON | Beyond Our Walls Editor
In the thick of the holidays, you can start to
suffocate in expectations of celebrations and lose
yourself within idealized Hallmark traditions. Movies
like,“Home Alone”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and
“Love Actually” cycle through every channel for a
month straight, filling your head with imaginary
fluff about society. To break free of the bubble gum
nonsense bombarding you during the holidays,
check out these upcoming documentaries to give
you a much needed dose of reality. Don’t worry,
you don’t have to leave the comfort of your holiday
break nest for substantial cinema: the following are
all available to stream.
NETFLIX
“Saving Capitalism” (Nov. 21, 2017) - Former
Secretary of Labor and current political commentator
Robert Reich examines the economic
The charming role of Fred Scrooge was made
less prevalent through diminished featured dance
opportunities, and fewer solos.
This was a surprising change, as previously,
Fred’s character, played by Valentine, acted as a
charismatic narrator for the audience. Previously,
the character participated in the ensemble dance
numbers with featured choreography, as well as
held the spotlight with individual songs. Fred
was a cast highlight to look forward to, so it was
a bit disappointing to see not only a different
actor, but changed character take the stage. This
year’s take on the character pushes him more to
the background in comparison, but not without
the room for a stunning acappella version of
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
Some of the year-to-year constants of the
show are the outstanding performances delivered
by Kenny Williams (Ghost of Christmas Past),
Chanel Haynes (Ghost of Christmas Present),
and Roderick Sanford (Ghost of Marley).
Sanford’s powerhouse voice is perfect for
the role of Marley. From a dramatic surprise
Haynes and the cast perform the finale number, “ Joy to the World “. Photo by Kirk Tuck via ZACH Theatre.
ing and recording the sexual behavior of his guests
without their knowledge. Directors Myles Kane
and Josh Koury follow the relationship between
Talese and Foos before and after Talese published
his book The Voyeur’s Motel in 2016 detailing his
investigation of Foos.
HBO
“15: A Quinceañera Story” (Dec. 19-22, 2017) -
In this four part series, five Latina girls
across the United States celebrate
their quinceañeras while
facing varing adversities,
but share the cultural
commemoration of
becoming a woman.
The show will
premier consecutively
on HBO, HBO Go, and
HBO Now.
AMAZON PRIME
“Human Flow” (Oct.
13, 2017) - From Chinese artist,
activist, and director Ai Weiwei, comes a grand
account of the current global migrant crisis that has
displaced over 65 million people. Weiwei traveled
to 23 countries to capture the experiences of the
diverse population of refugees who have lost their
homes from war, natural disaster, and persecution.
status of American society by talking with average
American people. The documentary is evocative of
Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” (2015)
that inspires grassroots activism in response to
institutional corruption. “Saving Capitalism” is
relevant for any American, not just those who are
politically active.
“Cuba and the Cameraman” (Nov. 24, 2017)
- Filmmaker Jon Alpert tells the
story of Cuba’s political and
cultural development over
the past 45 years from
the perspective he
gained from frequent
visits and friendships
he made over the
decades. The movie
illuminates a side to
Cuba’s history that
many Americans were
blinded to after the Cuban
revolution in the 1950’s.
“Voyeur” (Dec. 1, 2017) -
Distinguished American writer and journalist
Gay Talese has spent decades reporting on Gerald
Foos, former owner of the Manor House Motel. In
his motel, Foos installed spaces and grilles in the
ceilings of the rooms for the purpose of observentrance,
to a breath taking rendition of
Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” Sanford
introduces the feeling of terror to Scrooge, and
brings ghostly theatrics to the stage.
Williams brings an enthusiasticly flamboyant
character to life that, literally, lights up the stage
from a glowing wig to an electric personailty.
Each year, Williams has brought more energy
and dedication to this fun character, offering a
comedic relief for the audience through the finale
of the first act, by leading a cast-wide number of
Avicii’s “Wake Me Up.”
Haynes’ character, the Ghost of Christmas
Present, welcomes the audience back into the
story at the top of act two. Haynes’ performance is
accentuated by the show’s high production quality:
lighting and prop effects come as a magical
surprise and leave audiences cheering. As one of
the strongest performers in the show, Haynes
has well deserved stage time, leading not only as a
Ghost, but also leading the closing finale number
of “Joy to the World,” an incredible moment in
which the entire audience found themselves on
their feet, clapping and singing along.
The adult ensemble is diverse and wildly
talented. From features with tap dancing or
ballet on pointe, the ensemble showcases
choreographer Christa Oliver’s and director Bryan
Bradford’s skills and style in a dazzlingly and
high spirited manner.
Consider making this piece of theater and
holiday magic a part of your winter tradition!
Purchase tickets online at tickets.zachtheater.org
Chill Music
Tunes to get you ready for colder weather
AHNA STEWART | Visuals Editor
Alternative songs to get you in the winter
spirit that stray from the usual sleigh bell
dependent songs of the season. Plug in
your earbuds and sip on some warm tea
while you listen to these chilly jams.
“Sweater Weather” The Neighbourhood
“Cold” Post Malone
“Winter Winds” Mumford & Sons
“Shiver Shiver” WALK THE MOON
“Falling” HAIM
“From The Clouds” Jack Johnson
“Snow (Hey Oh)” Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Winter” Tori Amos
“My Love is Winter” Smashing Pumpkins
“December” Weezer

ENTERTAINMENT 17
Striking Back
New Star Wars movie releases Decemeber 15
CAMILLE PFISTER | Staff Writer
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away the fi rst Star Wars movie was released. “Star Wars”, later to
be titled “Episode IV: A New Hope,” was released on May 25, 1977, and the world was forever changed.
Fast forward 40 years later, 2017. Star Wars has become big part of the movie scene, and the question,
‘What have you done with your life?’, is always asked if you haven’t seen at least one of the many fi lms. “A
New Hope” was just the beginning, soon after came “Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), and
now the most recent fi lm, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017). Since 1977 there has been a prequel trilogy,
the start of a sequel trilogy, and many other forms of entertainment based off the movies.
Ten years from the last prequel movie, “Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005), the start
of the sequel series began with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015). With a decade-long gap, the
world had almost forgotten about the Star Wars universe, but with the new movie, new characters, and a
new mission, and we were reminded. Now in 2017, we have been gifted a sequel to “The Force Awakens”
with “The Last Jedi.” On December 15, the movie will be released and fans are pumped.
Fan theories have already surfaced and the question of what is to come for Rey is up for debate. Some
fans think she will go to the Dark Side, the side of evil, Darth Vader, and hate. Others believe she will
stay true to the Light, the side of good, Luke Skywalker, and love. The trailer gave us many clues, but
the questions will remain unanswered until its release. Carrie Fisher, who passed away last year, managed
to fi lm “The Last Jedi” before her untimely death, but who knows what’s going to come from “Star Wars:
Episode IX,” the following movie set for release in 2019. Whatever is to come, the world is on the edge of
their seat. Enjoy the fi lm, and may the Force be with you!
Art by Emily Ownby.

18
BEYOND OUR WALLS
fROM red to green
Advocates for climate change are not usually associated
with the Republican party, but on On November 2, 2017, Ann
Richards juniors met Georgetown’s conservative mayor and
environmentalist, Dale Ross.
“It all started over a driveway,” Ross said. “My wife and I, we
live in a 1913 house, and when we bought the house, I hired
a contractor to take out the concrete and put in old-timey red
bricks. When I came home from work, the city had put a red flag
on the project because they said only two-thirds of the driveway
could be red brick and the rest concrete. I said, ‘well, that sounds
pretty awful!’ I was just thinking this is crazy, so I made the Dale Ross answers question in interactive interview conducted by the junior class.
decision to not sit around and complain about it, and ran for city Photo by Lauren Breach.
council.”
of the most recently, to film Gore’s sequel of the movie
Dale Ross has been the mayor of Georgetown, Texas, for six An Inconvenient Truth, about how how climate change has begun
years and is currently in his second term. In his time in office, to show drastic effects on Earth.
Ross has transformed Georgetown into the first 100% renewable “(Al Gore) is really very knowledgeable about the subject,”
energy city in Texas. He has worked with many environmentalists
like former vice-president Al Gore to use renewable in Vegas a couple weeks ago and he was in my city last week at
Ross said. “We’ve been able to spend some time together, we met
energy not only for economic reasons, but for the environmental a renewable energy conference called GridNEXT when we got
benefits as well.
to chat again. My staff also gives me great information, but Al
“When we first started renewable energy it was really an Gore, make no mistake, is definitely a subject matter expert on
economic decision,” Ross said. “But now that we’ve done that, climate change.”
people all around the world have solicited to my views. Fossil fuel The class of 2019 is currently learning about the impact of climate
change in English class, taught by Ms. Jamie Langley, which
contracts that we used to sign were just year-by-year, but now
we were able to sign 20 or 25-year contracts for wind and solar is how they got the opportunity to interview Ross. The junior class
providers.”
was able to lead and participate in an interview with Ross conducted
by Samantha Seamon (11) and Marlene Mora Dale Ross has teamed up with Al Gore many times, one
(11).
Georgetown mayor visits junior class
ELEANOR JEANSONNE | Staff Writer
Sandra Sanchez (11) speaks to Dale Ross. Photo by Lauren Breach.
“What are the knuckleheads in D.C. going to regulate?” Ross
asked. “I mean, windmills are clean, they’re not putting anything
back in the atmosphere, and solar panels are clean, so what is
there to regulate? We’ve mitigated a regulatory governmental risk,
we’ve created cost certainty for 20 years, and for the last three years
we have been the fifth fastest growing city in the whole country.”
Dale Ross has been in three films in his two terms as mayor,
including Al Gore’s sequel of “An Inconvenient Truth,” and
actively participates in media coverage of Georgetown’s success
and publicity. It may seem out of the ordinary for a conservative
Republican to be an environmentalist, but he explains how he deals
with opposing views from his party.
“Having opposing views from my party is what I think makes
our country so great, because we are allowed to have difference of
opinion.” Ross said. “Leadership is about being a subject matter
expert, and having good communication skills to make your case.”

ENTERTAINMENT 19
Former principal Jeanne Goka’s journey since retirement has
been rather enthralling to follow. Her latest trip has sent her to
Japan, where she plans to discover her family history. After an eight
hour flight from Honolulu to Okayama, she started off visiting her
family’s rice shop “Tanpopo” which translates to dandelion.
“On the back of the bag of rice [the company sells] is this cartoon
which is a caricature of my cousin as a scarecrow. As you can see, the
crow is not at all scared!” Goka said, referring to the store’s logo.
She then visited the rice company’s factory. Goka adds, “My
cousin is brilliant. He takes his rice from seed to the supermarket.
Instead, they just sell their rice kernels to be processed.”
Afterwards, she went to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to pay her respects
towards communities affected by the World War II bombings.
There, she noticed the significance of cranes: an important symbol
for good fortune and longevity. Many of the art pieces Goka saw
involved this symbolism.
After this, Ms. Goka will head off to Oregon to visit her daughter,
who is finishing her masters at the University of Oregon.
Ms. Jeanne Goka snaps a shot of these Koi fish while in Okayama. “Koi or carp are
symbolic of prosperity and good fortune,” Ms. Goka said. Photo courtsey of Jeanne Goka.
Goka on the go
Updates from Ann Richards’ former principal
BECCA ALONSO | Editor in Chief
Photo on the left:
Ms. Jeanne Goka
points to a arrivals
and departures sign
at an airport in Japan.
Photo courtsey of
Jeanne Goka.
Photo on thr right:
Ms. Jeanne Goka visits
an art Hiroshima
memorial in Nagasaki
and sees the local art.
Photo courtsey of
Jeanne Goka.
Ms. Jeanne
Goka poses at
a rice farm in
Okayama. The
farm is owned by
her cousins and
plant wheat and
rice year-round.
“As you can
see, I only cut
a patch and was
exhausted,” Ms.
Goka said. Photo
courtsey of
Jeanne Goka.
i CAN’T BELIEVE
IT’S NOT
CHRISTMAS
Four other winter holidays
celebrated around the
world
BECCA ALONSO | Editor in Chief
For the second consecutive year, art students sold poinsettias for $12 each to raise
money for art supplies. This year, the fundraiser began on November 6, 2017 and
went on for two weeks. Art and photo by Georgia Moore
KWANZAA
Tradition: A weeklong
celebration of African
heritage
Percentage of Americans who
celebrate it: 1-2%
Dates celebrated:
Dec 26-Jan 1
Kwanzaa is a late holiday to join
the game, founded by black activist
Maulana Karenga in 1966.
Karenga developed the holiday
to restore African American’s
roots to their heritage. The
word Kwanzaa is derived from
a Swahili phrase meaning “first
fruits of
harvest”. The holiday was created
as an alternative to Christmas,
however, the majority of
participants celebrate both.
Kwanzaa is celebrated by decorating
homes with symbolic
African art, a candle lighting
ritual, in-depth African history
lessons, and finally, a feast
called karamu that occurs on
the last day.
HANUKKAH
Tradition: An eight-day celebration
commencing the Jewish
rededication to the Holy
Temple
Percentage of Americans who
celebrate it: 3%
Dates celebrated: Anytime between
November/December,
depending on the Hebrew calendar
Hanukkah is most notably
recognized through the menorah
candle; each day that
passes, a new candle is lit until
all eight candles are lit. Prayers
are recited and traditional fried
foods are consumed, such as the
potato pancake Latke.
DIWALI
Tradition: Historically, all Indians
celebrate this holiday as a
celebration of good taking over
evil.
Percentage of Americans who
celebrate it: Unconfirmed, but
1% of the U.S. population are
Indian-American
Dates celebrated: October-November,
depending on Dhanteras
(thirteenth lunar day)
This holiday features the importance
of light,
especially during times of darkness.
There are five days of the
holiday, each containing different
activities like cleaning your
home, decorating the town with
lamps and candles, and eating
cultural foods like Mithai, Samosas,
and Barfi. Originally a
Hindu holiday, this has then
spread to other religions around
India.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Tradition: When the Chinese
lunar calendar marks a new
year, worldwide celebrations
occur amongst the
Chinese.
Percentage of Americans who
celebrate it: 1.2%
Dates celebrated: January-February,
depending on the Chinese
calendar.
Chinese New Year has many
forms of celebrations and customs.
Most
famously known for the elaborate
costumes and firework displays,
the celebrations focus around
notions such as good luck. Festivities
continue for fifteen days,
centering around a new animal
every year. This year was the
Rooster, and the year of 2018
will represent the year of the
Dog.

20
BEYOND OUR WALLS
Since President Donald J. Trump’s run for president, the media has been fi lled with
informantion about his constant contact with President Vladimir Putin...
TRUMPCARD
How Russia may have had an influence on the 2016 election
KAIA NEWTON | Staff Writer
Art by Anabelle Glass (9)
Throughout President Trump’s campaign many citizens
accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of altering the outcome
of the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies these
allegations, and labels them as “fake news.”President Trump’s
constant contact with Russian government officials, stirred
suspicion, especially when Russia released Hillary Clinton’s
confidential emails. Government agencies, such as the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), and National Security Agency (NSA), have opened
cases that look into whether or not President Trump had
support from Russia during the election. If it was confirmed
that Russia did influence the results of the 2016 election,
then President Trump could be faced with impeachment.
In August of 2017 the New York Times stated that Trump’s
affairs with Russia can be traced back to an email written by
Felix Sater, a mob-linked Russian businessman. On November
3, 2015 Sater emailed Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer,
writing, “Michael ... I will get Putin on this program and we
Scanned by CamScanner
will get Donald elected. ... I know how to play it and we will
get this done. Buddy [sic] our boy can become President of
the USA and I can engineer it. I will get all of Putin’s team to
buy in on this.”
November 3, 2015 June 3, 2016
In August the New York Times also published that Donald
Trump Jr., President Trump’s son, recieved an email on June
3, 2016 from journalist Rob Goldstone: “To provide the Trump
campaign with some offi cial documents and information that
would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and
would be very useful to your father.” Goldstone said. “This
is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is
part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.”
Trump Jr. replied, “If it’s what you say, I love it.”
October 30, 20]7
On October 30, 2017 the U.S. Department of Justice released
the details of the the Papadopoulos case, a situation in which
Trump’s foreign policy advisor, George Papadopoulos, was
investigated by the FBI about U.S. relations with Russia. The
documents that were released revealed that Papadopoulos was
arrested on July 27, 2017 for lying repeatedly to the FBI during
the investigation.
January 6, 2017
On January 6, 2017 the U.S. Intelligence Community released
a public assessment that Russia was involved in the outcomes of
the 2016 election. The document states, “Putin and the Russian
Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election
chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and
publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him.” Directors of the
CIA, NSA, and FBI all agreed that this was true.
October 30, 2016
On October 30, 2016 James Comey, the head of the FBI, was
condemned by U.S. Senator, Harry Reid, in a letter. The letter
claimed that Comey was illegally withholding information from
the public about Trump’s relationship to Russia. The letter
said, “It has become clear that you possess explosive information
about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his
top advisors, and the Russian government.” Comey responded
arguing that Reid was misinformed, and he released the letter
to the public.

BEYOND OUR WALLS 21
high alert
America faces spike in opioid abuse
DANNY ARMENDARIZ| Staff Writer
On October 26th, 2017 The White House publicly declared
an Opioid Crisis as an official public health emergency.
President Donald J. Trump has stated that he would work
alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping to combat the issue.
Opioids are pain relief drugs that have extra strength and
are highly addicting. Opioids allow the brain to release the
hormone dopamine which allows them to feel happier and
distracts them from physical pain felt.
The Opioid Crisis is nothing new, it has been an ongoing
struggle in America since the Civil War era and has taken the
lives of many. Civil War veterans would rely on opioids to
alleviate the pain of their injuries during the war.
After years of heavy use, veterans became dangerously
dependent on the drug even after they healed. Once a user
becomes dependent on the drug, they are at risk of the long
term effects which include liver damage as brain damage.
In the 1990s the opioid OxyContin was introduced and
was the new addictive drug that doctors prescribed. After the
addiction rate increased, years later in 2010 a new non-habit
forming version of OxyContin was released. Many users
who were addicted to prescribed opioids decided to move
onto using heroin instead due to the fact that it was more
accessible and cheaper.
The Opioid Crisis deals with the abuse of both legal and
illegal painkillers. Morphine, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone
are among the drugs that are legally allowed with a prescription.
Heroin is one of the drugs that is created with the use
of Morphine.
According to The National Drug Institute of Drug Abuse
over 90 people overdose on opioids every day. Even with
prescribed opioids for chronic pain, over 21 - 29 percent of
users still misuse the drug and end up getting addicted to
how it makes them feel.
After President Trump’s visit with Chinese President Xi
Jinping, officials in Beijing will become more strict with
cracking down on synthetic drug production as well as
distribution within China.
Art by Georgia Moore
SHINING BRIGHT
With the holiday season fast approaching, The increasing growth of the “extravaganza”
many Austinites and visitors alike flock to the has lead to not only more crowds traveling to the
various festive events hosted around the city, cafe, but also more dedication to detail and more
most notably the over 50-year old tradition that expectation to deliver a show more spectacular
lights up Zilker Park come each December: the than the year before. This year, for the first time
Trail of Lights. But one light show you might ever, Mozart’s show features over one million
not hear about as often, but still draws quite the fully synchronized LED lights, including a fully
crowd, can be found in West Austin just next interactive audio-activated wall of lights for
door to the Hula Hut.
viewers to enjoy.
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters has promoted their Another difference from years past has
dedication to providing freshly prepared, quality come as a result of the pressing crowds and
coffee, and pastries to their customers since the parking issues of years past. Instead of hosting
institution’s founding in 1993. While during a 15-minute light show beginning at the top of
the year, Mozart’s serene location provides easy every hour, as the coffee shop has always done,
access to relaxing on the shore of Lake Austin, the show this year will start and 6pm and run
come November the coffee shop’s extensive patio continuously until 11pm. The event this year
is transformed into what can only be described as will also be host to live music from local Austin
a winter wonderland.
choirs and other choral groups, another first for
For the past several years, Mozart’s has put on the Mozart’s show.
a “Texas Sized light experience” featuring iconic One of the things that makes the Mozart’s
Christmas songs, some contemporary pop favorites,
show so unique is the inclusion of many Austin
and of course, a climactic performance of landmarks, such as the Austin skyline and the
the University of Texas fight song. Year after year capitol building, which “dances” to the music
the show has become more and more elaborate, along with bats from underneath the Congress
adding in more handmade pieces, incorporating avenue bridge and guitars representing the
more familiar songs and holiday icons into its downtown sculpture installations from Gibson’s
rotating cast of characters, and of course adding “Guitar Town” art project.
more complexity into the synchronization of the While the Trail of Lights is a traditional
lights to music.
Austin staple, the Mozart’s Coffee Roasters 2017
One local tradition you may not have heard of...
GEORGIA MOORE| Creative Writing and News Editor
art by Georgia Moore
Christmas Light Show could mark the beginning of a new era in holiday light experiences by Austinites,
for Austinites. The free event runs every night from November 17th until January 1st (except
Christmas day) from 6pm to 11pm.

22
LITERARY PRESS
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS:
LOOKING BACK
AND LOOKING FORWARD
Compiled by KAIA NEWTON (9)
Ann Richards students are anticipating the
upcoming holiday season, a time to spend with
family and food in a place far, far away from
school. December provides an opportunity
for students to look back on the memories
they may have collected throughout the year.
Here are some examples of visual and written
holiday memoirs provided by visual art classes
and creative writing students.
TRAIL OF
LIGHTS
Art and Caption by
Elizabeth Campos (9)
BAKING
COOKIES
Art and Caption by
Lucero Sustaita (9)
Before my grandma
died, my little sister
and I would bake
cookies with her
every year. My illustration
shows what a
Christmas day with
my grandma may
have looked like.
Scanned by CamScanner
My painting
represents the Trail
of Lights. My family
goes to sit every year
and we have gone to
it since I was a little
baby.
WINTER
MEMORIES
Art and Caption by Amanda Hawkes (9)
When I was younger, every Christmas Eve my
sister would wake me up in the middle of the
night to peek at our presents. She’d carefully
pull at the ends of the wrapping paper and
help me when I struggled to be stealthy. I
soon learned that it served me no benefi t,
since peeking at a corner of packaging didn’t
give me a big clue. I eventually stopped, but
I knew my sister would always carry that
tradition.

LITERARY PRESS 23
Art by Elizabeth Campos (9)
“I’LL BE 18 IN APRIL, WHICH MEANS
THAT I’LL LEGALLY BE AN ADULT. THIS
FACT SCARES ME BECAUSE I FEEL FAR
FROM IT.”
An excerpt from Agog and Aghast: Poe’s
Adventures in Wonderland
By Ellie Fitzpatrick (7)
No one knows for certain where the Land of Tome lies. Some call it a silly
children’s tale. And those some so happen to be the old, crusty sort who work in old,
crusty offi ce buildings. No, the true workers of magic: the artists, the writers, the
actors. They tell you where it is. It’s just beyond the sunset, left of the back of your
mind, and right of the tip of your tongue.
There are many countries in the Land of Tome. Only two concern us today, and
I understand you don’t have all the time in the world, so I’ll be brief: The Republic
of Hugo (of course, Victor Hugo, the gentleman who penned Les Miserables, The
Hunchback of Notre Dame). It’s quite a high-spirited place, I hear. Like everywhere
in the Land of Tome, each city is named for a book by their respective author, and
each person for a character.
Our young hero that concerns us is Pontmercy Enjolras Miserables, known simply
to his friends as Poe, of the huge capital of Miserables. Poe is a very handsome young
man, as was his namesake, Marius Pontmercy. Poe is, essentially, a carbon-copy of
Victor Hugo’s description of Marius, with medium height and build, thick black hair,
a high brow, soft features, and full lips. Everyone in the Land of Tome takes after
their namesake in someway (Peter of Pan can fl y: Poe only got a pretty face -- it’s
quite unfair). He is the only son, now seventeen, of his parents, Eponine and Javert
Miserables.
It should be mentioned, to avoid confusion, that Miserableians use ‘Miserables’ as
their surname; Enjolras is the family name. Don’t ask why it’s Enjolras, of all characters.
I personally would have selected Mabeuf, of perhaps Marius (come to think of it,
they are quite like the Pontmercys), but I don’t run The Land of Tome.Pity.
The second country will be introduced shortly (but you likely already know it). As
we drop in, it is currently 8:23 AM, and Poe, understandably, is tired. He’s gotten
dressed, in a black silk suit, and is holding his favorite top hat. Poe looks rather handsome
in a top hat. Suddenly, Poe catches a glimpse of a grin, a grin without a body.
Poe sighed loudly. “Very funny, Kitty.”
The grin now has a face and body. She is quite slight, with tawny, amber skin,
green eyes rather like a cat’s, and two curly, brown pigtails, wearing a dress of achingly
bright colors. This is Kitty Cheshire Wonderland. You have no doubt guessed her land
of origin.
Poe sighed heavily. “That’s not funny.”
“Of course it is!”
Poe sighed heavily, rubbing his sore eyes. “I don’t really feel up to this sort of--”
“Poe, you don’t seem yourself today.”
“I’m tired. It’s early.”
Kitty gave a small gasp. “Poe! Oh, Pontmercy Enjolras Miserables! I know exactly
what will cheer you!” Kitty smiled. “Let’s go to Wonderland.”
To Be Continued on arspolarispress.com
Final Message: A senior’s thoughts on one
semester left in high school
By Keyla Blanco (12)
As I approach the public education system fi nish line, also known as high school
graduation, I fi nd myself focusing and preparing for the future. Recently, I decided
to take a moment and refl ect on the past 17 and a half years of my life, more
specifi cally the six and a half that I’ve spent at Ann Richards.
My earliest Ann Richards memory is when I wrote my essay for the application
the fall of 20⒑ When I sit in the senior loft typing away at my college essays, I
get fl ashbacks to sitting at my dinner table and hand writing about my heros in
hopes of getting into Ann Richards. I experienced something similar a few weeks
ago when I got my fi rst college acceptance. A letter from Stephen F. Austin State
University came in the mail and I tore it open, only to fi nd myself in a mess of
small purple and white confetti stars that had been put in the envelope. I was
brought back to spring break of fi fth grade when the same thing happened, except
it was blue and silver stars and the letter read Ann Richards School.
I’ll be 18 in April, which means that I’ll legally be an adult. This fact scares me
because I feel far from it. I spent so much of my teenage years trapped in my room
wasting away the “best years of my life” - or so my mom tells me- doing homework
and losing sleep over my grades. I missed out on bowling nights with my cousins,
countless birthday parties and even simple nights out for movies. Now that I have
one semester left of high school, my mind has been racing with many thoughts.
The majority of these thoughts consist of advice I would tell my younger self and
hopes I have for the future me.
Spending countless nights in my room doing nothing but homework and
projects has created nothing but one big memory of my stress. Not one of my best
memories is of me doing homework. My best memories are of overnight trips and
vacations, homecomings and dances, my dance competitions and performances. All
of this happened because I decided that for one or two days I would make it my
own. I’d do what made me happy, even if it meant putting off homework for 24
hours. Now, I wish I had done that more. I’m not saying I should’ve never done
homework, but I do wish I had enjoyed myself more than once every six weeks.
My goals for the upcoming semester are to do just that. I’m nearing the end of
my high school years and the last thing I need is to stress about something that
I’ve already done to the best of my ability. I’m going to enjoy my senior prom, my
senior gala, my senior trip, and every moment from now on. I’ve learned to balance
fun and work, and that’s what I’ll be practicing from now on.
With one semester left before the next chapter of my life, I’d like to take this
time to appreciate the people around me. The past six, almost seven, years would
not have been possible without the support from my family, teachers, friends, and
classmates.
To my family, everything I’ve done so far is to make your sacrifi ces worthwhile.
I would not be here, with a bright future, had it not been for your love and admiration;
please remember that I do everything with you in mind.
To my teachers, I thank you for your validation and reassurance. I’ve lost track of
the number of times I’ve said “I want to drop out” in class, but every time I did, I
had one of you to tell me that I was more than capable to keep going.
To my friends, thank you for the endless laughter, runs to Whataburger and
Target and the wild sleepovers. Most importantly, thank you for being my second
family, and the occasional therapist and shoulder to cry on.
To my classmates, I like to ignore the fact that I may not see you everyday next
year like I have for the past six. Thank you for teaching me so much about the real
world, and for being a class that encourages each other to pursue cool and scary
things and to grow as people.

Letter from
the editors
Dear readers,
Happy holidays! We hope your year has wrapped up in the way you
wanted it to, whether it’s that A+ you’ve been wanting, a savings goal
reached, or just a general state of happiness with life. Regardless, it’s
great to see smiles on everyone’s faces before we go on our beloved
winter break. We know that like many of you, the Polaris Press has seen
a fi rst semester of growth, productivity, and success.
Since midway through last year, we’ve started printing with
Community Impact, our staff grew (in both strengths and size), we are
in a new space, and more. However, the Polaris Press staff members still
continue to kick butt every single day.
During Thanksgiving Break, the #JFAM went to a national
journalism conference in Dallas, Texas. For the most part, every state
was represented, along with countries like China and Canada. Many
of our writers and photographers competed in contests such as Feature
Writing, News Editing, News Writing, Sports Writing, and
Editorial Cartoons. Our newspaper came home with fi ve awards! We are
so immensely proud of everyone who competed and worked hard in its
production.
Of course, we wouldn’t be anything without our readers who continue
to support us. Thank you for reading our papers and supporting us.
Even if you receive a copy from one of us and skim, we still appreciate
you taking a moment to admire our work.
As we close this year and enter 2018, the Polaris Press is defi nitely
thinking of new ways to enhance our program. During the Dallas trip,
we attended several sessions full of other student journalists across the
country. The sessions ranged from different lessons, such as
covering tragedies, food photography, newspaper design, and more.
We’ll be bringing tips and tricks we learned over the four-day span into
our newspaper, so keep an eye out for improvements and variations.
As usual, we hope you enjoy this edition of the Polaris Press. If you
see any of our writers in the hallways, don’t be afraid to give them a
high-fi ve or two. They deserve it after all of the hard work they’ve put
in this year.
Warmest Regards,
Becca and Emily
STAFF
Emily Weaver, Editor-in-Chief
Becca Alonso, Editor-in-Chief
Ezra Morales, Managing Editor
Lily DiFrank, Managing Editor
Georgia Moore, Creative Writing Editor
Gus Flores-Rascon, Beyond Our Walls Editor
Keyla Blanco, Entertainment Editor
Alejandra Wait, Satirical, Our Voices,
& Sports Editor
Emily Ownby, Video Editor
Ahna Stewart, Design Editor
Aly Cerda, Social Media Editor
Kaia Newton, Staff Writer
Camille Pfi ster, Staff Writer
Frida Capitan Parra, Staff Writer
Lucy Stagg, Staff Writer
Eleanor Jeansonne, Staff Writer
Danny Armendariz, Staff Writer
Perla Espinoza, Staff Writer
Colophon
Volume III, Issue II of the Polaris
Press was printed during the 2016-
2017 school year by Community
Impact Printing in Pfl ugerville,
Texas, trimmed and stitched to a 10”
x 12” tabloid paper. The paper was
designed on Dell computers with
Adobe Photoshop CS⒌5 and Adobe
InDesign CS⒌⒌ Photos were taken by
Polaris Press staff using Nikon D3000,
D3100, D3200, D5200, D5300 and
Canon Rebel T5 cameras. Gill Sans
MT, Times New Roman, and Bodoni
MT font families were used. The entire
paper was designed by the Polaris
Press staff editors and writers, led by
editors Emily Weaver, Becca Alonso,
Gus Flores, Ally Wait, and Ezra Morales.
The paper would like to thank
our advisor, Ms. Sarah Walker, and
our school administration for their
continuous support.
DOwn
1. “He sees when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake...”
⒉ A day where you thank this woman for all of the wonderful things she does for you
3. A day to honor male figures with gifts and thanks
⒌ You get pinched if you don’t wear green on this day
6. A very spooky day where you get candy
⒏ A day to give thanks and yummy food
⒐ A day to memorialize those who have died while serving in the United States armed forces
⒒ Religious day when a bunny comes and gives you eggs
Editorial Policy
The Polaris Press is the
student-run school newspaper of
the Ann Richards School for Young
Women Leaders, and works to seek
truth and report it. Beyond the Ann
Richards campus, The Polaris Press
also reports on national and international
news in an attempt to broaden
our readers sphere of knowledge. Because
school administration does not
engage in prior review, the content
of The Polaris Press is determined
by, and refl ects only the views of, the
student staff and not school offi cials
or the school itself. As part of our
commmitment to preserving
journalistic integrety, the Polaris
Press uses the pronouns prefered by
subjects interviewed. In addition, The
Polaris Press commits to full
responsibility for legal and fi nancial
liability for the content of this
publication.
Follow our social media @ARS_Press
Across
⒋ A day filled with love and kindness
⒎ The day this little creature comes out it will be determined if winter
is over or not
⒑ A day to celebrate when we departed from the British government
a state that originated with 13 colonies
⒓ The day you remember those who perished and set gifts and their
favorite food on their tombs
⒔ A day where we thank living members of the armed forces for
their service
14. Say goodbye to the last 12 months and get ready to introduce the
__________!
Check out our
award-winning online
news site
Find all the sources
and research used in
the edition here
Across: ⒋ ValentinesDay ⒎GroundhogDay ⒑ FourthOfJuly ⒓ DiaDeLosMuertos ⒔ VeteransDay 14. NewYears
Down: 1. Christmas ⒉ MothersDay 3. FathersDay ⒌ StPatricksDay 6. Halloween ⒏ Thanksgiving
⒐ MemorialDay ⒒ Easter ⒋ Valentines day ⒎Groundhog
⒑ Fourth of July ⒓ Dia de los Muertos
⒔ Veterans Day 14. New Year’s
PERLA ESPINOZA |Staff Writer
Holiday Crossword Answers