As the lights dim and the curtain closes, applause breaks out from around the theater, and one person stands, followed by another until the rest of the auditorium is in a standing ovation. For an actor, this is the ideal reaction from an audience. But it’s not easy to get. An actor must shed their identity and take on that of a stranger. Every step and facial twitch must match that of the character they portray. Every word must be interpreted to best convey the emotion of the moment. While some may find this too difficult and shy away from the limelight, senior Evan Pope revels in it.

The top 3-4% of students are recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as commended students. Seniors Brandon Garza, Shannon Keyser, Caleb Peterson, Trey Weltens, and Lauryn Woods earned recognition as National Merit Commended students this year. They finished in the top 50,000 out of 1.5 million students taking the PSAT.

See You at the Pole is a student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event. A global day of student prayer, See you at the Pole began in 1990 as a grassroots movement with ten students praying at their school. Twenty years later, millions pray on their campuses on the fourth Wednesday in September. See You at the Pole is simply a prayer rally where students meet at the school flagpole before school to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school, and nation to God.

The freedom of expression is important to most teenagers, as their years in high school help define who they will become as an adult. The school continues to support their creativity by partnering with the Project Graduation committee to allow seniors to paint their parking spots with designs that reflect their personalities.

Performing on-stage can be intimidating for any actor, but when that performance is complicated by another challenge, it can be even more so. Senior Trey Weltens takes it all in stride and has worked through his high school years to perfect his craft despite the difficulties he has faced because of hearing loss.

FCCLA, which stands for Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, iis a national organization for youth that focuses on leadership. Students in the FCCLA program have the opportunity to travel to Galveston for competitions and have the opportunity to advance to state in Dallas. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the organization, and the Bryan High branch plans to make the most of it through connecting with the community even more.

Winning isn’t everything. Many people believe they should only be involved in an activity or a hobby if they excel at it, but rewards come in many different forms. Senior Caleb Peterson proves each day that persistence and doing something because he loves it is key while running cross country.

Football is a calculated sport. Anticipation and planning paired with the mathematics of velocity and angles require players to think quickly. Junior quarterback Nico Bulhoff possesses traits of a great quarterback and excels on the field and in the classroom.

Ready. Aim. Fire. Freshman Sophia Bradley started shooting a recurve bow when she was in third grade through 4-H shooting sports. By participating in USA archery, 4-H archery, and ASA archery she has been able to enjoy much success over the years.

After four years of being on the varsity volleyball team, leadership and teamwork are almost like sixth senses for senior Coco Gillett. With each passing year, Coco has gained experience and responsibility, helping her gain recognition at the collegiate level and respect on the team.

While most people learn about how the legislature works in their government class, very few people have the chance to go through the procedures of Congress. This summer, senior Caleb Merell was chosen for this opportunity and was able to go to Washington DC with Boys Nation.

A mother and a child walk through Sue Haswell Park near Downtown Bryan one Saturday morning in late fall. As they cross the grass, they see a group of teenagers with trash bags picking up cigarette butts from the ground. The students are with the Vikings Kick Out Tobacco group and work within the community to increase awareness about tobacco prevention.

Underdogs are a part of what makes people love sports and this year, with a move to 6A, most teams found themselves in the underdog position. The softball team capitalized on their role as an underdog and showed the other teams what they were made of, earning second place in a highly competitive district before going on to be bi-district champions.

Eight students, one male and one female from each cohort, were named Students of the Year by faculty and staff members. This is the inaugural year for this award which was presented to students who exemplified the Essential 8 characteristics and what it means to be a Viking. “The idea was a collaborative brainstorm agenda […]

The discus weighs heavily in junior Justin Sheridan’s hand as he prepares to launch it across the field. He begins his spin and then releases as his eyes focus on where the discus will land.

At the district meet, Justin threw 137’1” to finish in 3rd place and threw 148’5” at area to place second and advance to region.

It’s late in the game and the Vikings are down by a run with a man in scoring position. Senior Michael Barber feels a surge of adrenaline as he steps up to the plate. The pitcher leans back, and unleashes a fastball. Michael swings hard, and sends the ball flying into the outfield. This is the moment that makes all the sacrifices worth it.

High school is meant to prepare students for college; and giving them the best preparation is key to success. The International Baccalaureate Programme has been a success since it was established at Bryan High in 2010. Students participating in the programme have learned superior test taking skills, essay writing, time management, and many other skills […]

Although originating in Virginia, United Way has grown to have over 1,200 local offices across the country, including the Brazos Valley. Brazos Valley has its own local office and has created many opportunities for youth to get involved and learn how to be an active member in the community.

For the Thomas’, wrestling is a family affair. This year, two of the members of the Thomas family advanced to the 6A state wrestling tournament where they were coached by their older brother, also a former Viking wrestler.

America has the reputation of many of its citizens being monolingual, but one student is breaking that stereotype. Senior Dylan Thatcher has studied and practiced multiple languages for the past several years. He is currently learning French and German, but he knows bits of Spanish, Russian, and Chinese as well. He sees language as a way to reach others and experience new cultures.

What started as a competition for a pizza party ended up in a viral post with tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. For Black History Month, the Key Club held a contest for advisory classes where they could decorate their teacher’s door with a famous African American to win a pizza party.

A Navy officer presented seniors Heather Constestabile and Nick Defoy with scrubs during a ceremony earlier this year. They have both enlisted in the Navy and been chosen to be hospital corpsman, which allows them to help injured or ill members of the military.

His legs burn from the constant pedaling. The wind stings his eyes. Beads of sweat roll down his face, yet he keeps pushing forward. He looks over his shoulder to see if any of his competitors are gaining ground as he approaches the next change in terrain. The obstacles senior Luke McCollum faces while racing mountain bikes has impacted his life in a positive way.

Though golf is frequently considered an individual sport, there are team components even when the team is small. Senior Ryan Wilson has shown leadership and strength of character throughout the season.

Setting goals senior year is normal for most athletes, but after suffering an injury last year at the end of the season, senior Cardecia “CeCe” Franklin plans to beat the deadlift record this year and advance to the state competition. Last year CeCe qualified for the regional powerlifting meet after suffering a hamstring injury during track, the week before.

Language barriers. Cultural faux paus. Distance from loved ones.
Change is frequently difficult no matter how small, but embracing a new country as a teenager creates a unique set of obstacles. Katharina Pahl and Suse Lalla are both exchange students from Germany who have made the decision to move from their home all the way to Bryan. They made that choice to experience America and its culture while finding that the obstacles are eclipsed by the adventure of something new.

The seconds on the game clock countdown signaling the end of the last period of play. There’s only one chance for the opposing team to make a goal. A herd of cleats tear at the field in an attempt to steal the game, but in the blink of an eye the ball is stolen by senior varsity player, Antonio Flores, who seals the game.

Gunshots rang out in the library during lunch on April 20, 1999. Americans were shaken to their core as the worst school shooting in history took the lives of 13 people. Over the last two decades, more lives have been taken and, with the introduction of social media, bullying has only gotten worse. As these things have increased, so has the public’s level of despondency. Yet despite the looming hopelessness many people feel, lights of hope shine out in the darkness of despair and remind humanity that not all is lost. One program that has given light and hope to many people is Rachel’s Challenge.

The opposing team has the ball as they head down the soccer field preparing to kick the it into the net to make the winning goal. One girl stands between the ball and another point for the opposing team – the goalie. Seconds tick off the clock as the game draws to an end. The […]

Coalition Day allows students to meet with different schools and look at options while learning how to make the best choice about which college fits their specific needs. Bryan High hosted its first Coalition Day this year and partnered with Altice to bring in colleges from across America.

In high school, students rarely find time to do the hobbies that they love. Although building a tank drum and restoring old typewriters are not conventional hobbies, seniors Isaiah Gilbert and Braeden Forsthoff take pride in these unusual hobbies.

The final seconds tick down. The Vikings have the ball. Sophomore power forward, Rodney Johnson pushes his way through heavy traffic to get to the goal and score. As one of the youngest players on the team, Rodney continues to show growth as he advances to lead the team in the future.

It’s a tied match. One more hit, one more chance to win. He lifts his arm, the tennis racket clenched into his hand as the ball makes its way toward him. He makes contact with the ball, and it flies back over the net just out of reach of his opponents outstretched racket.

She stares at her phone screen, the expression on her face a mixture between disturbed and longing. Then, abruptly, she throws her phone on the couch next to her, stands up, and walks to the bathroom. She turns on the light and stares at herself in the mirror. Slowly, she shakes her head and leaves the bathroom. Tears begin forming in her eyes, but she forces them away. Why can’t I be like them?

The sun comes up over the horizon as day breaks and the wilderness awakens. On the banks of the river or hidden within a blind sits a woman waiting to break a societal stereotype by catching a fish or harvesting game. Though strides have been made over the last two decades to combat the ideas that outdoor activities are only for men, many still feel others are surprised when they find out they take part those activities.

November 6 is election day across the country. There are 435 empty seats available in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate along with many statewide and local positions. Those 18 or older and who are registered are eligible to take part in the election have been encouraged to vote.

Unity. Team work. Single mindedness.

The volleyball team encompasses what it means to work together toward a single goal. After moving up to 6A, the coach and team knew they had to become stronger, faster, and smarter than ever before. The team has risen to their own expectations and has entered district play as a force to be reckoned with.

Athlete safety has become more of a focus in recent years as things like concussions and general physical stamina have come under scrutiny. Prevention is key at any age, but in young athletes it has become the norm to help them prepare their entire body through multiple sports instead of pushing a single activity.

The crowd erupts as they try to distract the offense from their next play, motivating the defensive line to zero in on the ball and bring the quarterback to the ground behind the line of scrimmage. Senior middle linebacker Detarious Turner has become a leader for the Viking defense through experience, determination, and hard work.

With over 6 million active participants, 4-H is one of the largest youth programs in the country and helps develop leadership, responsibility, and work ethic. Senior Hannah Czajkowski has been involved in the 4-H program since she was 8 years old and in the third grade. After years of participation and dedication to 4-H she has advanced to a statewide leadership role.

Fog rolls across the hills as the sun peaks over the horizon. The sound of footfalls in the grass echo through the early morning stillness as dew transfers to each runners tennis shoes. The cross country team has been hard at work for hours before most students arrive at school. Each morning they focus on the whole race physically, mentally, and even emotionally. Cross country isn’t a quick sprint and as such requires strong leaders who understand the mental game of setting a pace to finish strong.

In 2017, about 3.6 million middle schoolers and high schoolers used tobacco products. Vikings Kicking Out Tobacco, VKOT, has made tobacco prevention a priority at Bryan High and are aiming to stop the use of tobacco in schools.

Bright, flashing lights. Throngs of people. Conversation occasionally punctuated by laughter. The scent of food diffusing through the air. This was once the normal scene in the early to mid 1900s in downtown Bryan. However, as the city began to expand and businesses began moving closer to where people lived, downtown Bryan slowly fell into disrepair as malls and big-box retailers took over. What was once the cultural hub of town became a run-down, deserted reminder of times passed.

The runners get set in the blocks and await the sound of the starter’s pistol. BANG. Athletes explode off the line as they look toward the finish. Seniors Miranda Golden and Charnell Gibson advanced to area to help the team win the area championship. While Gibson focuses on the shot put event, Miranda participates in the 4×4, 300 m hurdles, high jump, and occasionally the relays, but out of all of these, the hurdles is her favorite event.

The Kickstart Kids program started 25 years ago as a way to teach responsibility and character development in addition to building self-esteem by engaging kids in a school-based activity. The program’s tagline is “character through karate” and aims to develop the entire student as it reaches over 8,500 students in 56 schools across Texas. This […]

Some siblings live their lives in an infinite cycle of sibling rivalry, and being twins can fuel those fires even more. While some siblings choose to work against each other, some learn to work together. That is exactly what Jacquelyn and Jessica Adams have learned, and they have been an unstoppable force ever since they first stepped onto the softball field.

The sun rises over the horizon as the light reflects off the glassy surface of the water. The boat rocks back and forth as the guys watch their corks bob up and down slowly in the water, waiting for that first bite of the morning. Last year, students joined a fishing team that travels around Texas and competes. The tranquility of fishing is mixed with the intensity of competition as they participate as members of the fishing team which is sponsored by Darren Nobles who works at Rudder where he sponsors their team as well.

Everyone who has played in some kind of sport has set goals for themselves; whether it’s physical, mental, or both. Many times, these goals can take months, even years, to reach. For one junior, Blaine Bright, the goals he set are ready and waiting; just a few more practices combined with continuing dedication, and those […]

Legacy. Generations. Vikings. Family. With nineteen members in the Guest/Kubichek family, blue and silver runs deep. As a pitcher on the Viking baseball team, senior Kobly Kubichek controls the flow of the game from the mound as his teammates look to him for leadership and he finds support from the other eight players on the field. Within his family unit, Kobly experiences many of the same qualities found on the field as each member of his family supports him and cheers him on helping him to the next step in his journey as a baseball player.

It’s 6:30 AM, 34º outside, and the sun still hasn’t broke the horizon yet, but divers are already in the pool working to perfect their craft. Since diving is a part of the swimming overall competition, teams who don’t have any divers do not earn points toward the team competition. Swim coach Glen Williams saw this as a problem the team could rectify and has started developing divers on the team.

When an athlete gets hurt, they go to the athletic training room at the Field House to be assessed and to do rehab, all with the goal of being back on the field or court. What an athlete will find when they enter the athletic training room is that it’s a different culture full of awesome student athletic trainers who drop what they are doing to help injured athletes. When an injured athlete sits on the table to be assessed, they might look down and see a hedgehog rolling across the floor in her ball. That hedgehog is Pickles, the athletic training team’s class pet.

Beads of sweat break out across their brow. Their jaws are clenched as each second ticks by until they are clear. The judge signals that it was a clean lift and they drop the bar to the ground with a resounding crash. Seniors Kaywin McCall and Mark Vavra work day in and day out to perfect the craft of powerlifting and push themselves further than they ever thought possible.

The horse and rider appear to be one as they move around the arena, each anticipating the next move, each relying on the other to perform at their highest level.

Most people dream of playing in big league sports. For many, it’s only a dream which transforms into watching what could have been from behind a screen. For one boy at Bryan High, that might not be the case. As a child senior Alejandro Gomez enjoyed playing soccer with his family. Alejandro has been solid since day one at Bryan High and has led the team since he started.

Bright lights, goals, black and white checkered balls rolling across the grass. Senior Ryka Shea is in her element. As she passes the ball to the offense, she catches her breath and grins to herself. This is the place she loves to be: on the field with her teammates experiencing the type of adrenaline only a game can provide. Though Ryka always looks for a competitive edge, she also focuses on being positive on and off the field, recognizing that attitude can go a long way.

Bees swarm around their white box home as they fly in and out working on their honeycomb. Senior Sydney Wilkinson enjoys the buzzing of bees as she maintains their home and helps foster a healthy atmosphere for them to live. What started as a way to meet a school requirement has transformed into a life-long passion while also helping the environment.

The marching band competed in the 5A Area marching contest in Galena Park on October 28 where they advanced to the state contest held on Wednesday, November 8 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The pristine shine of polished hardwood, crowds screaming “Defense!”, coaches yelling for players to watch the ball, and only 30 seconds left on the clock. For senior Wade McGregor, this is the atmosphere that pushes and inspires him to keep coming back to the game he loves to play.

They look down the green with narrowed eyes to block out the sun’s glare. After adjusting the clubs in their hands, they mentally calculate the distance and the amount of force they must swing to get a tiny ball over 300 yards across a field while avoiding water hazards, sand traps, and trees while taking into account the wind. Becoming more confident, they swing, and the balls fly away through the air. For sophomore Skye Faldyn and senior Ellie Conrad, this has become natural.

Working one’s way up to the top requires hard word, dedication, time, effort, and patience. When a sophomore earns their spot on a varsity team, the style of play changes. It’s faster, it’s harder, it’s more aggressive, and it’s overwhelming, but as the seasons pass, the player gains experience and that sophomore who was overwhelmed now leads the team. Senior Charnell Gibson has experienced this in basketball, starting out on the JV team as a freshman and then as a sophomore on varsity. She was immersed in the change of pace and is now leading the charge on the court.

For the past three years, seniors have spent the last days of summer vacation painting their parking spots. Senior parking spots have become a tradition, and the parking spots reflect the passions and interests of each student.
Seniors Lina Rice, Matthew Edge, and Maddie Giles each painted their spots themselves and look at them as representations of who they are as individuals.

One basket, a few ingredients, 40 minutes on the clock. With all of these things, a team of three to five members must create a dish, a cost analysis, a list of its nutritional value, and present the final dish to a panel of judges. Through Texas 4-H, junior Hannah Czajkowski has been given the opportunity to compete in the 4-H Food Challenge and even make it as far as the State 4-H Food Challenge Contest, and winning the National 4-H Food Challenge Contest in October with two other team members.

The lights overhead, the crowd cheering, the team pushing for another win – Friday night lights are in full swing. All of this may seem overwhelming, but for senior cheerleaders Jada Moody and Hannah Broussard, it’s the most exciting part of their week. Before the squad could take the field for the season, they attended […]

The alarm sounds. It’s 5AM, and the only option is to wake up and get to practice. So they pushes themselves out of bed, get ready, and beats the sun to the horizon. Day after day. This is the ritual of the cross country team, 56 members who have been undaunted by the early morning practices. With such a big team, team captain junior Nick Defoy has taken charge and became a leader on the team in practice, at meets, and in the classroom.

Varsity sports are frequently dominated by upperclassmen who have both the skill level and experience to eclipse younger players, but sometimes a young player demonstrates the ability to earn their spot on the team.

High school athletes await the day where the college of their dream signs them to play the sports they’ve spent years of their life working to perfect their best abilities, while playing games almost every Friday night against teams that might be bigger and stronger, and keeping that drive and school spirit in mind with every yard line crossed. Senior Ylijaah Hall is experiencing that after Baylor University signed him to play football next season.

This year, Bryan High met standard according to the state by earning five out of the seven possible distinctions the state can award a school for the fourth year in a row.

Half a century. The Golden Anniversary. Decades of dedication, school spirit, and the art of dancing, make up the Shy-Annes drill team. This year the team looks to celebrate fifty years with a breakfast, homecoming performance, and spring show involving present and past Shy-Anne members. Over 100 former members will be recognized on the field […]

Dr. Christie Whitbeck walks down the hallway at Bryan High School, just one of more than twenty schools under her supervision. She excels at troubleshooting and has an air of confidence about her – it comes with the job. But she also carries a story. A story unique to her which pushes her. One that involves the passing of both her husband and her son. One that has pushes her to listen – to listen to the stories of the employees who answer to her and the students she serves because she knows they matter.

From a bolero romantic serenade with a soft touch, to huapango which uses a lot of falsetto, to son jalisiense which involves an aggressive style of vocalization, mariachi music fits many different settings and captures an audience hungry for rhythm and entertainment. Orchestra teacher John Lemons started a mariachi group this year after a meeting […]

Wrestling coach Michael Zito has coached wrestling at Bryan High for the last 23 years. He grew up wrestling and attended school in Northeastern Ohio where he developed his passion for the sport before knee injuries prevented him from continuing as an athlete. He now uses his wrestling experience and passion for teaching to motivate […]

The circle drive is now a no parking zone and violators may be ticketed by the police department. All visitors are asked to park in the front lot and enter the campus through the secure check-in area before being buzzed into the school. These changes have been made to increase campus safety.

The hum of the crowd echoes across the field to the pitcher. She takes a deep breath before she hurls a softball across the plate. Despite the speed and curve of the ball, the bat makes contact, and the ball arcs through the air…into the waiting glove of the center fielder. The pitcher and center fielder grin at each other before running back toward the dugout as the side is retired. This is a normal occurrence in junior Rebekah Hubachek and senior Emily Hubachek’s life. The sisters have played softball for much of their lives and now play together for Bryan High.

A baseline beat resonates from the stage as the choir begins to sing and captures the attention of the audience. Vocal Legacy, the a cappella choir group is composed of some of the best singers at Bryan High and in that mix is sophomore Graham Littlefield who excels at beatboxing.

Keeping in-step with complicated choreography, telling the story of the performance through facial expressions, and keeping the beat with big drums, simultaneously can be a challenge. Members of Viking Indoor Percussion manage the challenges that come with the production with vigor and determination evidenced by their first place finish at the Texas Color Guard Circuit earlier this year.

His mind is clear. His vision zeroes in on the target. There is no sound. The only thing he is aware of is the object in front of him: the bar. His task, get over the bar. Junior pole vaulter Campbell Webb experiences this at each track meet.

Teams are like families. They count on each other, hang out together, and and come together as a team. They may not always get along, but in the end, they always have each other’s backs. The Paholek sisters have taken this concept to the next level in that the girls are both teammates and sisters.

Swimming is a sport where fractions of seconds make the difference in medaling and hoping for a better time next season. Freshman Abby Surley has progressed this season to shave entire seconds off her time and advance to state as an individual and a part of two relay teams. Filling the role of breaststroker has been integral to the team’s overall success, helping them earn both a silver and bronze medal at the state meet.

Millennials are labeled as a generation of self-absorbed, technology addicted citizens, but stereotypes don’t always apply. Senior Sam Opersteny isn’t interested in the latest app or song on Billboard’s top 100 list, instead he enjoys spending time outdoors working with his hands and doing other things not typically associated with teenagers.

There seems to be a greater push to make students plan their future at a younger age. As fourth graders are expected to make decisions now that will affect them in high school. Sometimes though, students don’t know what they are interested in until they are older and have been exposed to different activities. Senior Clifton Johnson has experienced this shift in interest first-hand and tried something new his senior year.

He dives to catch the outfield fly ball. He fields the fast-paced grounder on the infield before throwing it to the first baseman for an out. He concentrates on the catcher’s signals before firing another strike across the plate. Junior Hunter Van Etten makes sure he doesn’t get too comfortable in any one position as he is a utility player for the Vikings and moves frequently. Hunter developed a passion for the game from an early and has worked to develop his skills in every position.

Successful teams are created whenever the members stop relying on the talent of themselves and begin working together. Each individual athlete may be good, but when they’re put together they’re great. Seniors Makayla Howard and Quinteria Johnson have found this to be true in track as they run on the relay team.

Consistency, accuracy, precision are all characteristics associated with athletes and the sports they participate, but most people overlook darts as a competition because it’s seen mostly as a hobby where people just joke around. While many people are unaware of the sport itself, its unique requirements make the game challenging while providing the opportunity for competitors to be highly competitive and pursue championships matches across the country. School provided a way for biology teacher Hayley Ask, algebra teacher Paul Ruiz, and senior Sarah Payan to find the sport of darts.

Architectural design students, sophomore Jose Torres and senior Russell Oplinger, competed in the SkillsUSA architecture competition held in Beaumont earlier this month and advanced to the state competion. Jose placed 1st in the architectural drafting project while Russell earned 2nd in the same event to advance to state. Russell also earned 1st place in computer […]

Athletes connect to their sports at a deep level as they spend hours honing their skills and making sacrifices for their craft. Soccer players must maintain a level of endurance not required in many other sports and junior Erin Nugent has used those lessons in endurance in all areas of her life. Erin has spent the past thirteen years playing soccer both in league and with the school.

Phone apps have recently entered a new market that is aimed to help students pay attention instead of adding to the distractions that plague high school and college students. Pocket Points is an app that utilizes location services at Bryan High while locking a student’s phone to prevent usage. In exchange, the app rewards users […]

The accounting class opened a school store February 1st in hopes of learning practical business experience to enhance learning while also providing a service to the school. “When students can apply what they’re are learning in the classroom to real life experiences. Viking Corner has supplies and school merchandise available for purchase before school, and […]

Through the International Baccalaureate program offered at Bryan High,students are required to do a CAS project which includes components of community, action, and service. These projects push students to investigate, prepare, take action, reflect, and demonstrate. Although the IB program heavily focuses on academics, it also stresses the importance of creating well-rounded students who contribute to their community. Juniors Keaton Hare, Lucy Raleigh, and Ike Taylor worked with the local Down Syndrome Association to host a sweetheart dance for Valentine’s Day to provide an opportunity for these students while also learning about the process of hosting the event.

The curtain rises as all the hours of work, tears, and nerves culminate in this single moment. The Narrator begins the story: “Once upon a time in a far off kingdom”, and the stage comes to life transporting the audience into the fairy tale world. Fine arts students involved with choir, band, and theatre labored for months creating their own version of the Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods.

While most high school sports are characterized by the cheering fans or screeching whistles, sports like powerlifting are often overshadowed. Powerlifting is a unique sport in which athletes compete in weightlifting competitions in the squat, bench, and deadlift. Junior Shelbie Walker is an example of a student athlete demonstrating her potential in the realm of powerlifting.

As the time ticks off the clock, a wrestler learns what they are truly capable of. The first five minutes of the match takes everything a wrestler has, but all of the weariness fades away when they are down and has to push through the final minute to make sure their hand is raised at the end of the match. Wrestling is an immensely demanding sport and senior Caden Scott has spent the past four years conditioning and preparing for each final minute.

Sweat drips down his face. Adrenaline pumps through his body as he sprints up and down the field. A game plan runs quickly through his mind as he decides his next move before an opponent attempts to steal the ball. Once he feels he’s in the right position to go for it, he kicks the ball, and GOAL! Sophomore Frank Rodriguez has earned his team another point.

Since crashes caused by texting and driving are increasing, cities and states are taking action to prevent these disasters from taking place. On November 9, College Station enacted a new law that makes it illegal to use handheld electronic devices while driving, excluding times when the driver is stopped at a stoplight or is in an emergency situation.

I walk into the ring. I feel numb. I can’t hear the crowd. Every sense is focused on my coach and my opponent. The bell rings and we both head to the center of the mat as the crowd awaits the victor. Senior Jackie Perry explains that he experiences this each time he competes in a mixed martial arts match.

Too many times, students aren’t taught about uncomfortable topics until after they have already been exposed to the situation and find themselves struggling to figure things out on their own. In these situations, students frequently blame themselves and flounder under the pressure of a reality they don’t really understand.

The state of Texas rolled out a new A-F grading system this year to assess individual schools and districts based on standardized testing results. The complex system of sub-population indicators, categories, and other data gathered on a state level is reduced to a simple letter grade. Educators argue that when presented to the public as a stand alone assessment, is not an accurate representation of student or school success.

Basketball is the definition of a team sport. Five players on the court must interact in a seamless fashion to effectively protect their own goal and score points in their opponent’s. Injuries and setbacks can ruin a season and cripple a team, but they can also be used to strengthen bonds and push the team to come together even more.

Creativity is in every aspect of life, whether we want to admit it or not. Art teacher Samantha Bennett understands that concept well, by taking creativity and making a living with it, but also incorporating it into her everyday life. Whether it be a doodle on a random piece of paper, or her entire wedding, creativity plays an important role in her life.

The lights blind senior Caleb Duane as he takes the stage. He feels the familiar rush of adrenaline as a hush falls over the audience. Caleb is used to performing to both crowds large and small, but this time it’s different. This time he is performing for the shows creator. This time he portrays a character with the writer, who originally brought this true story to stage, sitting in the audience.

Walking into the gym on a cold Tuesday night, there’s a basketball pounding the floor and a crowd roaring at the game they’re watching. The Bryan High varsity boy’s basketball team is led by 6’2”, 180 pounds of pure toughness, junior Zach Nutall who averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists last season as a sophomore, and is constantly improving his averages and the team’s success.