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.

A young boy crawls out of bed before dawn, puts his bare feet on the rocky ground, and starts his treacherous 2.3 mile journey to get clean water. As he fumbles through the darkness, his body begins to ache and beads of sweat form on his brow. When he finally reaches his destination, he fills […]

For thirty days she was isolated from the outside world, only able to see long dirt roads and forgotten trails through the Continental Divide. The race stretched on for 2,768.4 miles as she faced dehydration, starvation, lightning storms, and isolation. Junior Lina put her body and mind through the toughest experience she ever faced when […]

When most people move schools, they are nervous about what type of first impression they are going to make on their teachers and fellow classmates. This was a similar experience for senior Ashton Edwards when she moved to Bryan High School from Granbury, Texas during her junior year.

Reducing the pregame, game, and postgame to a short thirty-second segment that tells the entire story takes both talent and dedication. Junior Jeannye Aguilar has found her niche in the video technology class where she excels at transforming big moments on campus into even bigger memories on screen.

As a Texan, sitting around a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream is nothing short of normal. Whether it be enjoying a sweet bowl of the Great Divide, or sobbing into a half-gallon tub of Cookie Two-Step, Blue Bell is as much a Texas symbol as bluebonnets, armadillos, or cowboys. Two seniors, Caleb Duane and Kassie Gough, earned the opportunity to be a part of the Blue Bell revival after the listeria outbreak damaged their public image. Both students enjoyed the experience as it combined one of their favorite foods with one of their favorite hobbies.

The golf team hosted the first annual Maliska/Hicks Memorial Boys Varsity Tournament this year at the Texas A&M golf course. The tournament is named after former Viking players Garrett Maliska, who passed away in 2011 from Glioblastoma Cancer, and John Harden Hicks II, who passed away last November from Glioblastoma Brain Cancer.

The automotive technology program earned certification from the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) which gave them a distinction shared by only 60 other schools in Texas.

What it means to be a Viking can’t be summed up with a single word or item, but instead is made up of many parts to create the whole. Each activity, club, sport, and individual student comes together to make Bryan High a unique place where students are at the center. The idea that the sum is greater than the parts can be seen in the quilt principal Lane Buban’s mother Sharon Buban created for the school. The quilt is made of t-shirts from various groups around the school and will be hung in the Silver Cafeteria area as a reminder of the collective spirit of the Vikings.

Society is full of cruelty and negativity, something as simple as a rock could change the way people perceive themselves, others, and the world around them. Inspiration can be found in places of little importance and can dramatically affect a person’s outlook on life. Around the Brazos Valley, a group of people are using rocks to spread a message of positivity and generosity towards one another.

Packing, saying good-bye to their family, being the new kid at school, living in a whole different country for an entire school year, staying with a host family, and not knowing what to expect are things foreign exchange students experience while being apart of the program. Junior Daleyeong traveled halfway around the world from South Korea to attend an American school and experience life in a new culture.

Juniors stumble out of bed early in the morning making sure they’re prepared for the hours of bubbling a scantron ahead of them. In their heads, they constantly chant “don’t forget your calculator,” and try to memorize all kinds of tips and tricks their teachers have been drilling them on for weeks. Students move to […]

“Now introducing the Pride of Bryan, the Bryan Viking Band!” The announcer’s voice booms as the band takes the field and performs their showcase for 7 minutes. Those 7 minutes on Friday nights represent hours of practice. Early mornings and late nights come together into one audience pleasing performance – “Phobia”. The show would not be complete without one of the drum majors, Christine McCall. Christine is in an interesting position to help further the success of the band due to her brother, Cooper McCall also being a drum major last year.

Practice starts before the sun rises. Most students are still in bed while the cross country team laces up their shoes and hit the road running. Senior Nathaniel Steel serves as captain on the cross country team and has continued to improve throughout his high school career. After running cross country in middle school, Nathan joined the team in high school to continue his running career.

Lights, sounds, colors engulf the busy streets of the city. Open spaces, green grass, majestic views creating a calming effect in the country. Initially these images seem in contrast, but four BHS students were able to experience both as they traveled to Australia and New Zealand over the summer through Explorica, a non-school related program […]

Fall in Texas brings about slightly cooler weather, holidays, and football. Backyards are full of kids learning how to throw a spiral while their friends speed downfield, avoiding random pieces of playground equipment. Most high school athletes get their start joking around and hanging out with friends on the weekends without any structure or real […]

As the volleyball team begins the second half of district play, they are undefeated having only lost one set to College Station and sweeping the rest, senior Emily Hubacek serves as a leader on the team. As Emily looks to her collegiate career where she will play at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, she stays focused on the task at hand as the team works to place first in district and go deep into the playoffs.

As the sun rose over campus on Wednesday, September 28, students gathered around the flagpole at Bryan High School to participate in the annual See You at the Pole event. The event encourages students nationwide to gather at their school’s flagpole to pray for their school, teachers, and fellow classmates as a public display of […]

“Do we really have to go outside? Can’t we just close the door and wait in the classroom?” students ask teachers as the alarm sounds signaling a fire drill. The lack of concern and idea that nothing bad could happen to them was the mentality Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos aimed to change by sharing their story.

For the past three years, Bryan High School has received five out of the seven STAAR distinctions including: reading and ELA, math, science, and social studies indicators, as well as post secondary readiness. The two distinctions the school is still working to achieve are student progress and closing the achievement gap.

Camping, selling cookies, and badges are things that people normally associate with Girl Scouts. Though these activities are usually at the forefront of what people assume a Girl Scout is, there is a lot more to it than the normal stereotype. It provides opportunities that are not normally available to people. Freshman Emma Turner got to experience one of these opportunities this summer when she ventured on a trip to Europe with other Texas Girl Scouts from the last week of July to the first week of August.

Children of the ‘90s dreamed about wanting to be the very best like no one ever was just like Ash Ketchum. The thought of catching a real life Pokemon has been the fascination of fans of the franchise ever since the first set of games came out in 1998. Rumors of an app to make that dream a reality debuted in April 2015 and filled longtime fans with anticipation to finally be able to become a Pokemon master. July of 2016, Niantic and The Pokemon Company officially released the app Pokemon Go for Android and iOS users across the U.S.

Students returned to campus this year noticing several big changes including a secure single entrance to campus, a new dining area, and a new press box. These construction projects were funded by a bond passed a year and a half ago and have helped Bryan High in regards to both safety and functionality.

Images of babies born with underdeveloped heads have stricken people across the world with fear at the idea of how much damage a tiny mosquito bite can do. The media contributes to panic any time a potential pandemic arises, first with Swine Flu, then Ebola, and now the Zika virus. Symptoms can be nonexistent to severe in people infected with the Zika virus which makes it all that more dangerous for transmission.

Five-hundred students sat at lunch surrounded by sixty feet of glass as a tornado touched down less than two miles away. There was no time to panic as administrators moved to shelter in locations around the school. That was the job entrusted to principal Lane Buban as the tornado moved away from the high school and toward his home.

As the swimmers walk out and take the plunge into the pool the crowd goes silent. Each swimmer positions themselves as the officials calls for them to take their mark. A single beep sounds and cheers explode from the stands as the swimmers explode off the walls. So many thoughts and emotions were filling junior Julia Cook’s head as she stood on the swimmer’s block staring down at the water. For Julia, everything was on the line. Competing in the 2016 Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska in both the 100 and 200 meter backstroke set the stage for college and a potential future as Olympic swimmer.

Focused. The picture. The mindset. Each has to be focused when it comes to photography if the desired outcome is to be achieved. Society sometimes attempts to dictate what individuals are capable of when they interpret a challenge as an impossible obstacle, but senior Steven Gonzalez proves that idea wrong. Though Steven faces difficulties because of vision loss he has continued to pursued his passion for photography with creative grace.

Texans take pride in their state symbols: the armadillo, the yellow rose, the state flag, bluebonnets, Blue Bell, Dr. Pepper, and of course Whataburger. In a town where orange and white paint usually doesn’t gain a lot of support, senior Ross McGregor used the two colors to create a masterpiece every Texan can support. For the entirety of the 2016-2017 school year, Ross will park in his reserved space at school, marked by the familiar stripes of the Whataburger order tents.

The Viking Wall of Honor is seeking nominations for the second annual award. The goal of the award is to honor and acknowledge employees who have served Bryan High School and made an impact on the students and school.

Creating art, singing opera, and creative writing provide an outlet for senior Lauren Bernal. Beginning in the sixth grade, Lauren found her passion for art creating simple drawings.

Up stairs. Down stairs. Wind sprints. Exhausting work for any athlete, but an average day for senior Chassidy Rusk. Though she doesn’t run in any track events, she is a part of the shot put team and it’s much more than hurling an 8.8 lb. steel ball down the field.

The feeling of anticipation rises as players and fans watch as the neon ball zips through the night sky and sails toward the centerfield fence right before it lands soundly in senior Morgan Chavarria’s glove for the final out of the inning.

Standing on the pitcher’s mound, dirt blowing at the pitcher’s feet, all eyes on him, but he’s only focusing on the batter standing sixty feet away. The crowd grows silent, no one breathes for the game is too intense and the pitcher needs one more strike. Senior Landon Minor carries the weight of the pressure […]

The 212 degree award is an award that recognizes employees who go above and beyond their duties. Water is hot at 211 degrees, but at 212 degrees water turns to steam which is powerful enough to move a locomotive. This year head monitor Lester Banks and science teacher Colleen Holmes were two of ten district employees recognized with this honor by superintendent Tommy Wallis.

Many of us look to our teachers as mentors, guides, and in many cases, holders of infinite knowledge who we could only one day hope to possess. Often times we forget that teachers were once students, and have shared many of the difficult feats we face every day. For some teachers, school doesn’t end with the final bell after finals, but instead they trade their teaching caps for thinking caps, and take on the role of a student once again.

School fundraising, some dread selling products for their campaign or organization, others adore the opportunity to do something for others. Bryan High’s Key Club sponsored fundraisers for the school to help the community. Most recently Pennies for Pasta, Stuck for Bucks, and jeans and athletic wear passes were the focus of the club as they […]

Waking up early in the mornings to feed their animals, putting in hours each day to prepare for the next show, and enjoying every minute of it. That’s the typical life of an agriculture student. Junior Harper Langton’s dedication paid off at Brazos Valley Livestock Contest showing her goats placing second.

Most art forms live on to last lifetimes; paintings, sculptures, even films stand the tests of time and are still viewed and appreciated years after their creation. One art form that differs from this common characteristic is the art of horticulture, otherwise known as floral design. Although floral arrangements will one day wilt and lose their beauty, designers are no less passionate about their work and still strive to create art through flowers and other plants. Senior Christina Vinson discovered this artform and has prospered in it under the direction of floral design teacher Barbara Volk-Tunnel.

Music booming through the speakers, people in the stands cheering, and girls in sparkly outfits are the images usually synonymous with high school drill teams. The Shy-Anne’s are the spitting image of that, only there’s one addition: a boy. Sophomore Andrew Medina is the first male dancer for the Shy-Anne’s team, and is no stranger to dance.

Early mornings in the barn cleaning and feeding. Watching the sun rise over the trees no matter the weather. Taking care of livestock requires commitment and responsibility. Sophomore Wilsey Wendler has found success in showing steers as an activity which has been passed down from generation to generation.

For years, senior Nick Cargo has spent hours playing soccer with his sister, peers from school, and club teammates. Evolving from the little kid who could barely keep up with the ball to the athlete who scored six goals in a single game, Nick has shown that hard work and perseverance pay off.

There’s more to a woman’s beauty than her outer appearance; a woman can be strong, smart, funny, or anything in between and still be beautiful. Senior Rowdie Bright made it her mission to capture the inner strength and beauty of women with her photography project titled Resilient Women. Rowdie captured raw photos of female students, showcasing their personalities, strength, and natural beauty.

Training, leading, and determination are some qualities to make a great athlete. By watching her sister play and contributed by playing on her own team, senior Rebecca Adcock has attributed those qualities. Soccer as a physical sport, however it’s also a mental sport. Using the mind to know when to pass the ball, communicate with your teammates and what to do next.

Sweat drips from bodies as they’re pressed together, jumping to the rhythm that will leave them deafened by the end of the set. Smoke from the fog machine pours into the crowd as the lights blind everyone in the venue. The sound coming from the overly huge amps reverberates off every surface it can causing the ground to shake to the beat of the drums. Cellphone flashlights light the darkness of the pit like a galaxy of people. From the roaring crowd of a concert venue to the football stadium, and everything in between, there’s no shortage of opportunities for picture perfect memories to capture and senior Bridget Craig has positioned herself to be part of those moments.

Needles, injections, monitoring. The life of some student athletes revolves around these things as they struggle to maintain normally while dealing with the highs and lows, but most athletes learn to adjust. Students dealing with diabetes on a daily basis must take extra precautions when they are athletes. Senior cheerleader Kendall DeWitt understands the severity […]

The administration has taken steps to ensure the safety of students and staff members at Bryan High by being proactive before any serious incidents occur. Gates have been installed to prevent unwanted people from passing through campus and exterior doors have been locked to limit access to the building.

In African villages, a beat of a drum accompanied by the twang of a thumb piano. In a concert hall in France, sophisticated sounds of a violin sing out as the bow pulls across the strings. In China, the sharp call of a bamboo flute piques the interest of a passerby. In The United States, pop music plays through the window of a passing car. Music is a constant; a unifying force for humanity and though music is different around the world, freshman Joey Hendrix sees music connect the human spirit, transcending language barriers or cultural boundaries anywhere in the world.

Imaginary lines create border divisions. Commodity supply and demand creates wealth and poverty. Ideas. Religions. Beliefs. Culture. Customs. All serve as possible means of division, but those barriers can be breached with language acquisition. Being able to communicate with each other is the first step to truly understanding each other.

Individual lanes, personal best times, different goals for each swimmer in the pool, yet despite all of that swimming is a team sport meant to create an environment of support and comradery.
And within a team setting it’s important for a leader to step up and lead by example, and the captains of the swim team do just that. With three seniors as captains, Bethany Peterson, Marco Gutierrez, and Addison Ayers have no shortage of responsibilities, hard work, and fun.

Feast of Carols returns for its 32nd production this weekend. It’s a magical event put on by the the choir and orchestra students, and transports guests to medieval time. Filling the night with laughter, full stomachs and musical enjoyment.

Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache. German language, hard language. German teacher Jan Krammer doesn’t want that statement to intimidate students from learning German. With her cultural experience and dedication to teaching high school students a second language, she inspires her students to venture into the world of languages through both words and culture.

Lights on trees, wreaths on doors, mistletoe hung overhead while visions of sugarplums dance in their heads. The Nutcracker is a classic production associated with the holidays and family time. Suzanne’s School of Dance performs the Nutcracker every year in the Rudder Auditorium on the Texas A&M campus. Sophomore Hannah Broussard was named the lead, Clara, in the production.

With the help of the nutrition services department, the silver cafeteria received its first makeover since opening in 2000. “We hoped that purchasing stylish, up-to-date furniture, making some paint changes, and adding custom graphic wall art and column banners would promote school pride and improve the overall aesthetics of the cafeteria,” nutrition service director Sundy […]

Weapon. Protection. Gun safety. Gun Control. Word choice can shape an argument and when it comes to people’s opinions on guns the debate only becomes more intense as people make decisions on how to keep students safe on campus and when and where to allow people to carry guns. Schools are given the task of […]

The ball sails over the net back and forth as two teams fights for the next point. Players work as a single unit to keep the volley going as one player makes a dig, another player sets the ball, and a final player slams it down onto the opposing team’s side of the floor. Junior Maddie Luera has been playing volleyball for eight years and has always enjoyed the competitive nature of the sport.

Pencils racing, hands cramping, pens dispelling ink to a lined page. The overwhelming fear of messing up that no one cares to admit, the feeling of anxiety when the clock is counting down the seconds test takers have left to bubble in their answer sheets or put the last few words of their essays together. […]

Players stare across the line at each other waiting for the ball to be hiked. Beads of sweat run down their faces as the tension builds with each word the quarterback yells. The ball sails from the center’s hands into the quarterback’s and the play begins. Each offensive lineman blocks the man across from him. Pushing, protecting the quarterback and the running back coming around the end. But plays, like life, don’t always go as expected. A defensive players peels off his man and slams into the back of one of the offensive lineman’s knees. Pain. Pain, not yardage is gained on this play.

Give me an E, give me an R, give me an I-C-A, Erica! From high toe-touches to sharp cheer motions, Senior Erica Moreno embodies what it means to be a cheerleader; earning the title of All-American cheerleader, and head cheer captain. Erica’s hard work has been recognized by her peers through her election as cheer […]

During the 2014-2015 school year, Bryan High earned 5 out of 7 distinctions on the STAAR test and met all standards for the state’s accountability rating. “The STAAR tests accountability ratings include english, biology, social studies, and math, as well as secondary readiness, which covers how we prepare students for college or technical schools. Principal […]

As the class of 2016 awaited the upcoming school year, they looked forward to many of the perks of being a senior, including parking in the closer spaces near the gym, but as schedule pick-up loomed they were informed that that lot would be converted into a staff-only lot. There was a silver lining to the parking situation though. As parents on the Project Graduation committee created a fundraising opportunity that would allow the parking situation to be a little more appealing. For $20, seniors have the chance to purchase guaranteed spots for the entire year and paint them with their own, pre-approved design.

Early in the morning, a student walks into room 6160, the newspaper and yearbook classroom, but they aren’t there to order a yearbook or snap a photo. Tears roll down their cheeks as the weight of the world seems to be bearing down on their shoulders, telling them they aren’t good enough. For many students, this may happen more often than they would like to admit, but it is something that teacher Rebecca Dominy embraces as an opportunity to connect with her students and let them know someone is there for them.

BISD held its 43rd annual Scholarship Night in early May where 131 students received 184 scholarships totaling over $219,000. This year’s ceremony was especially notable since it was the first in which all four high schools in the district were represented. “It is important to have the kind of community support we have because with […]

On May 13 and 14, freshman Jacy Smith competed in the state tennis tournament at Texas A&M. After rain delay on May 13, and rounds being pushed into May 14, Jacy placed third overall. Following her year’s accomplishments, Jacy and her coach anticipate her goals for next year. With support from her parents and coaches, Jacy will set the bar higher for the following seasons.

The sounds of cleats scrape the gravel mix with the cheering crowd in perfect harmony. The bright LED lights illuminate the field like spotlights on the players. The diamond is where most baseball players feel at home, but being out on the field isn’t always so easy. Every team requires a strong leader to get them where they need to be in the game. Teammates and coaches believe senior catcher Holt Van Etten fulfills the role of leader for the Viking varsity baseball team.

Senior Justin Rowe received his Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification while enrolled in the Hammond Oliver program. During that time, he has had the opportunity to experience the duties of a nursing assistant and build upon those experiences for his future career.

As she sets her feet firmly against the blocks, the starter calls the runners to the ready. The familiar chant of “I can do this” echoes in her ears as the starter calls set and points the gun upward. Then BANG, junior Jamie Kennedy flies off of the blocks running the 200 meter dash.

Crowds fill the stadium. Students do pre-game stretches and pep talks within their teams. Coaches make sure everyone knows which events they’re competing in and where to go. Athletes line up on the track and prepare to run the 100 meter dash. The competitors take off and, when one crosses the finish line, the crowd erupts and the victor has a mile-wide smile on his face.

But this isn’t a typical track meet: this is the Special Olympics.

The curtain rises. The lights shine down on the stage. Senior Katie Svatek walks out and begins to sing as the crowd falls silent. Opening night can shake a performers nerves, but knowing there is a support group backstage can make all the difference both on stage and off.

A full count is on the board, and senior Rachel Ullmann sets up for the pitch. Digging her foot in the dirt and bending down low to begin wind up, the batter begins to pull back her bat. The ball leaves Rachel’s fingers as the batter misses and gets struck out, the Vikings take home another win.

For many, the world today seems like it is falling apart at the seams. Americans see it on the news every day, terrorists attacking universities in Kenya, museums in Tunisia, the threat of nuclear weapons in North Korea and Iran. With so much conflict, it seems like the easiest thing is to do is change the channel. Click. For some though, there is no turning a blind eye. These are the men and women of the United States military and their families. For them, war isn’t a game that can be paused, they fight so that others can have a fighting chance.

Working with scissors and construction paper, learning to read independently, forming letters on three lined paper – all these skills, children begin to learn as five year olds. Freshman Angel Quiroga began fostering another, more athletic skills at the tender age of five – playing soccer. Angel has been playing for the past ten years and, just like the other skills students begin to learn in kindergarten, he has made huge strides in his soccer career by playing on several teams before high school.

Over the past ten years, senior Lilly Chilek has lived by the 4-H motto and has come to learn many valuable lessons in that time.

Friday night: bright lights, the crack of helmets as the Vikings score another touchdown, the crowds cheers pulsate like the beating heart of our school, the clock ticks down to the end of the first half, each second raising the excitement in the stadium. Then like an army leaving the field, the football players disappear and are replaced by a new group of students. These are the homecoming king and queen nominees, each chosen for their dedication and service to the school, but only two are chosen to embody the Viking spirit.

While some people enjoy solitary sports such as swimming, skiing, or golf, others prefer team sports that bring people together, such as football, hockey, or soccer. Senior Gayle Konderla has been on the soccer team since her freshman year and has formed a tight niche with the players while having fun playing soccer.

As a shooting guard for the lady Viking basketball team, senior Jordan Lopez-Rhodes knows how to reach a goal. However, Jordan’s story doesn’t start or end on the court. Since last year, Jordan and her family have been striving to reach a different goal: helping to ease the suffering of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.