The Norseman

Reel fun: Fishing team catches on, provides new opportunities for students

Lucy Raleigh • May 7, 2018

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.

Guilty pleasure provides escape from high school drama

Lucy Raleigh • April 9, 2018

Middle school is not typically a time anyone wants to remember or look fondly on while living their lives as someone who made it past the wild age of thirteen. When it comes to my own middle school experience… never mind, we’re not going there. Even though I refuse to reminisce on my own middle school days, what’s so wrong with reliving that time in my life through characters in a television show? Disney Channel’s Andi Mack allows audiences to enjoy a sweeter version of teenage life without the edginess of the typical high school show by revolving around younger, silly, heartwarming storylines.

Nine-nine problems but comedy ain’t one

Lucy Raleigh • February 24, 2018

Investigations, perpetrators, sirens, and drama: all essential components to the American cop show. On today’s television networks, shows like N.C.I.S. and C.S.I. dominate the police and crime genre, keeping up with the intense drama that surrounds the life of police officers, detectives, and other types of law enforcement. But what if the life of a cop wasn’t all intense interrogation scenes and old men brooding over cups of coffee and unbreakable cases? Fox’s Brooklyn Nine Nine broke the mold for the typical cop show when it was released in September 2013, trading in the same boring drama for comedy.

Tears and laughter: Paramore releases new album after four year hiatus

Lucy Raleigh • November 7, 2017

In recent years, a particular technique has bounced its way back into the music scene: 80’s beats and sounds. As a fan of most 80’s music (especially bops like Toto’s “Africa” and Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”) and popular bands of today, I appreciate the resurgence of these nostalgic sounds. So when my favorite band, Paramore, released their most recent album After Laughter in May 2017, I instantly fell in love with the group’s new pop-ish style (especially after listening to the album in its entirety about four times a day for a week).

Forty minutes to win it: Junior wins at 4-H national food competition

Lucy Raleigh • November 1, 2017

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.

#tellthestory: Superintendent fosters listening, learning, loving

Lucy Raleigh • September 25, 2017

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.

Effort required to improve mind, body, soul

Lucy Raleigh • September 11, 2017

Community service: a necessary evil for embellishing college applications and resumes, or even for impressing your peers and parents. Of course, community service isn’t all bad. In the International Baccalaureate (IB) program students are required to participate in Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS). It sounds like a lot to deal with, and sometimes it truly is. Keeping up with weekly logs, reflections, and evidence can be tedious on top of all of my other assignments, but CAS has helped me stay committed to a task and taught me how to record events for me to reflect on later. It has also highlighted how both the person receiving and the person giving benefit from the act.

13 reasons why not: Series misrepresents important issues

Lucy Raleigh • May 4, 2017

WARNING: If you plan on watching 13 Reasons Why and you’re behind the curve, don’t continue reading this article; Spoilers lie ahead! As high school and teen shows go, it can be understood that a majority of the storylines, characters, and settings may be unrealistic. When a show and its writers take themselves too seriously, it can be reflected in just about every aspect of the show: from acting, to dialogue, to the entire story itself.

The beat goes on: Indoor percussion drums up support through artistry, skill

Lucy Raleigh • April 20, 2017

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.

When keeping secrets creates monsters

Lucy Raleigh • March 20, 2017

When I started middle school, everything was new and crazy. I wasn’t too worried about school, after all, I had just left the fifth grade and none of my classes were difficult. It wasn’t until the end of seventh grade that I began experiencing feelings of depression.

La la lost on audiences: Musical message falls flat, misses mark

Lucy Raleigh • March 10, 2017

Though 2017 is still in its early stages of life, the year has proven promising for the box office. With the successes of movies like Hidden Figures, Get Out, and Moonlight, the 2017 movie-scene has been set for films with messages for the masses. While there is hope for powerful films during this box-office year, there are some films that seem to fall short of this expectation, specifically director Damien Chazelle’s La La Land.

Into the theatre: Fine arts department unites to create musical production

Lucy Raleigh • March 1, 2017

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.