News

Better to be Too Early Than Too Late

By Sophia M. Mohammad | Journalism Staff Writer | April 15, 2024

Students often face the dilemma of applying for scholarships too late, jeopardizing their chances of affording their dream schools. A solution is to sign up for scholarships as early as ninth grade or even middle school. It will help broaden collegiate options instead of minimizing them based on affordability. Counselors are a great resource to start applying for scholarships early on. It is not guaranteed that you will receive the money for every scholarship you apply for, but there is no need to get discouraged. The more you apply, the higher the likelihood you will land a couple of scholarships. That money goes a long way.

Scholarship funds offer various advantages including minimizing student debt, enhancing resumes, widening collegiate choices, and providing resources to pursue future aspirations. These benefits are elaborated in resources such as the University of Illinois Education Blog's article "How will a scholarship help you achieve your educational and career goals?" and Cole Clayburn's "10 Sites to Kick Off Your Scholarship Search." Additionally, queries regarding what expenses scholarships cover are addressed in Rebecca Safier and Cole Claybourn's article "What you can use the scholarship money for."

There was once an ambitious warlock known across his small town for his mental and physical prowess. He was looked up to by his peers and adored by all who met him. This warlock, seemingly content with his fame and adoration, dreamed for more. He aspired to attend a revered university that people only dreamed of attending. It was called the Merlin Institute of Magic. This warlock was more than qualified in all aspects of the university’s criteria, so he submitted his application with confidence and received an acceptance letter in return! This was such joyous news for the warlock and his family, but the warlock’s parents did not seem to be as excited. Then the warlock found out the reason for his parents' gloomy demeanor. The warlock could not attend this revered University that he had worked so hard to get accepted into because his parents could not afford it. If you felt frustration with the end of the warlock’s story, then don’t let this story become you.

My older brother was the warlock that inspired this story. Seeing his anxiety turn into a radiant joy that spread a smile across his face while reading his acceptance letter into SMU was one of the best things a sister could witness. My parents were overfilled with pride in their son who had worked so hard to achieve his dream. Although, once the adrenaline died down, reality bore on our shoulders. FAFSA alone, along with a few last-minute scholarships he had obtained his senior year, wasn’t nearly enough to cover a reasonable amount of the expenses. Affordability was out of the question, and seeing the frustration cloud the joy and pride that once resided on my brother’s face was heart-wrenching. Now my older brother never fails to remind me to apply for scholarships or join clubs that would look good on my resume because he knows my dreams are big, and he doesn't want what happened to him to happen to me. In turn, I don’t want that to happen to you.

Scholarships are always a hit or a miss, but as time goes on you are bound to reap the benefits of your perseverance. I learned through many failures that hard work is a long game, and benefits from scholarships don’t come with immediate gratification. Like most things in life, you have to earn it. As a student, I understand each individual is busy and it's hard to find time to apply for scholarships. However, when you estimate the amount of time it will take to pay off all the college debt compared to the amount of time it takes to apply for a scholarship, the extra effort is worth it. Prioritize your future by prioritizing your present.

Ranchview Counselors: Help them help you.

By Paige Abbott | Journalism Staff Writer | paige.abbott319@cfbmail.com| November 15, 2023

School counselors are more than the people behind the computers who make your schedules. In fact, they don't even make those themselves. Ranchview has a total of four counselors. Students with last names A-F have Ms. Nash, G-M have Ms. Williams, N-Z have Ms. Mcleod, and then any student who is having a particularly rough day or situation has the opportunity to talk to our Crisis Counselor, Mrs. Sultemeier. The majority of students are unfamiliar with what school counselors really have going on, but they have so many crucial responsibilities that it is impossible to summarize it all into something sweet and short. Their work is broad and complex; truly, they are very underrated.

One thing students fail to differentiate between is what provokes a call home and what does not. Very few people in the student body go to the counselors for anything mental health-related. It is uncomfortable anxiety not knowing what will be confidential and what won't, but here's the thing: as long as you aren't speaking out about hurting yourself or others, you are safe to confidently open up with your counselor. Nash explains the counselor process for confidentiality: “If a student says ‘I really don't want my parents to be involved’, we kinda go through that and talk about why…but ultimately I'm just here to be a support for the student.”

If you ask the student body their opinions about school counselors in general, the majority will tell you they feel as if their counselor is ‘out to get them’, or that ‘they don't actually care’. The amount of students that are convinced of this is saddening because nine times out of ten this bias is based on past experiences. Williams finds this idea quite saddening: “My role is primarily being an advocate for kids.” Talking to your school counselor is more than venting. It also can save you from angry teachers and even a call home to your guardians. Say you're up every night of the week working late in order to save up for a first car, and as a result, you keep falling asleep during your first-period class. Your teacher is going to notice this and ask your counselor if they know what's going on. If you talk to that counselor when she pulls you in the next day, she can explain to the teacher, abiding by the confidentiality rule, that you have some things you are dealing with. This is all your teacher needs to know; you're not acting out for fun or just because you feel that you can. If that's how it looks to them, that's when your guardian receives that frustrated call or angry email. Your counselor is not going to phone home over an “issue” like that. Instead of deciding you don't want them to know your business, just speak up. Help them help you!

You are not obligated by any means to talk to anyone about your own personal struggles, but your school counselor is not the bad guy. These women came into this profession to help teenagers such as yourself. They did the work, even if that meant completely starting over during their senior year of college just to switch majors and be here with us today. They want to give you the chance to be heard, and you may be surprised by what they can do for you.

Homecoming: Success or Fail?

Mahya Hemani | Editor-In-Chief | @mahya417 | November 7, 2023

Homecoming has been a tradition in high schools and colleges since the nineteenth century. It consists of a Homecoming game, parade, dance, and spirit week here at Ranchview, and it is one of the most beloved traditions. Students consistently look forward to it, but something that is not talked about enough is whether Homecoming is actually successful. This is a debatable topic since each and every student’s opinion is different on whether or not it was a success for them personally. When the student body was asked if they thought Homecoming was a success or a failure, 67% said it was a success, and 33% said it was a failure. Nothing in life is ever going to accommodate every single person, and the same idea applies to school events.

A big part of what makes Homecoming memorable is the elements: The DJ, food, decorations, and other activities offered. Since Ranchview is relatively small with less than 1,000 kids the budget is also relatively small. Ms. Kinlaw, Ranchview’s Student Council Advisor, explains more about the budget elements: “Decorations and the DJs take up the majority of our budget. We do our best to handmake decorations to keep our budget low. We also work with fundraisers like “Pajama Pants Day” to raise funds. Ticket sales from the previous year help us purchase what we need. In the past, we wanted to spend more on things that can hype the atmosphere at the dance like more lighting or confetti cannons or even those flipbook booths that take photos of guests and turn them into quick flipbook souvenirs.” Student Council also wants to receive student feedback, and they should take input from previous years to try to make each year better and better. If students want to make Homecoming as enjoyable as possible, students may want to consider getting more involved. Participating in fundraisers, giving feedback, and speaking up about what they want is crucial.

Alexa Ramirez, Ranchview’s Student Council President, was involved in all aspects of Homecoming preparation: “My thought process when planning homecoming was mainly how the student council can make students want to attend the dance and how we can make it memorable for the students. The members and officers of the student council were a huge help when it came to making decorations, creating banners, and advertising the homecoming for both the dance and homecoming week. Not only would we have meetings after school, but we also continued our work on a few Saturdays where students were very helpful and creative in putting up decorations. We get to make the dance for the students, by the students, using the members' voices and creativity to come up with a spirit week, dress-up days, and the decorations for the dance itself.” There would not be a Homecoming without our student council. Thanks to them putting in the hard work, the student body gets to reap the benefits.

Ramirez believes the student council did the best they could with the resources they had: “Since homecoming came around so quickly this year, the student council did not have much time to organize and get things ready. We still executed everything beautifully and I think everyone had a great time at the dance and the week leading up to it. I bet if there was more planning time and homecoming was later, there could’ve been more decorations and advertising and a chance to raise more awareness to reach as many people as possible. In addition, there were some things that we were not able to get due to last-minute changes. But I believe in the time we had everything came together very nicely. All of the students’ efforts were valued not only by me but by everyone who attended the dance as well as spirit week. I hope Ranchview continues to have this wonderful tradition, and I know every year it will outshine the last.” Whether you thought Homecoming was a success or not, students can all agree that it was definitely a week to be remembered and this beloved tradition will continue to be cherished at Ranchview for many generations to come.

Seniors Creating Hey Chicas!

By Paige Abbott, Lead Staff Writer | May 9, 2023

It seems that girls almost always get the short end of the stick when it comes to everyday life. And what's with girls putting each other down all of a sudden? When it seems like the world is against us, we have to have each other’s backs. Let's be honest: high school is no movie. I mean, maybe a horror movie… or a thriller. And you know how angry you get when the group of teenagers running from the killer gets this smart idea: “We need to split up!” Then they all die a brutal death? Yeah. That's what I think of when I see girls who are so nasty to one another. For these reasons, Ranchview Seniors Chloe Hannah and Alexia Garza had the wonderful idea of creating the club Hey Chicas!

When asked about why the club itself came up as an idea, here's what Faith Lungu had to say: “It’s kinda hard to look for new friends. Like I came here in my Sophomore year, but we weren't actually going in person until my Junior year and it's kinda hard to see where you fit in. The whole thing about Hey Chicas! is just finding your place and your space where you can express yourself and be yourself around other girls.”

While conducting this interview, it was my first time not necessarily joining a meeting but being in there, and the energy was just so welcoming. I saw girls I knew, and girls I had never even seen before. “We have ambassadors from different grades bringing in different girls every single day.” Everyone was laughing and talking, and, most of all, just practicing kindness to each other. All I have seen lately from women is just hate, and it's really discouraging. That room with all of those girls and having the opportunity to talk to the seniors of the club was so rejuvenating.

“We’ve progressed with our group, at first we had like ten girls and now we have up to 40… even if you come alone, you should just come. It's a good way to make new friends and become friends with people you never thought you would talk to.” Though the seniors are sad to leave, it's safe to say Hey Chicas! will definitely continue to thrive here at Ranchview in the upcoming years.

Drop The Prom-Bomb

By Mahya Hemani, Yearbook Business Manager | April 17, 2023

The 2023 Prom at Ranchview High School was an explosion of success! From planning the theme to voting for Kings and Queens, it would not have happened without Information Technology Instructor Ms. Antoinetta Bertrand! The Junior Exec Committee came up with the themes, and the Seniors picked their favorite: Be Our Guest. Ms. Bertrand incorporated the theme within prom with color coordinated gift bags, French food items like Quiche, food that was shown in Beauty and the Beast like Croissants, and the iconic rose that depicted his curse on every seat at the table. Hopefully, the $70 ticket was worth it with the food and beverage items, multiple photo booths, and a popping DJ who played all of our amazing song requests.

Prom can be expensive. Ms. Bertrand believes that it can be affordable if a person truly wants the experience: “The people who are in charge of the ticket prices constantly say they’ll pay it, and they’ll pay it. But, I have encountered some kids that it’s just too expensive for them. So, for my first time putting on prom and hearing the concerns. Next year when I’m Senior Exec, one of my goals is to make prom affordable for the Seniors because it is a rite of passage.”

Be Our Guests Who Are The Best Dressed

Usually Prom is for Seniors only as the last Hoorah, but, since Ranchview has less than 180 seniors, Juniors are included as well. This year we had over 200 people in attendance! So, who put it on the best?

Best Dressed Lady

Best Dressed Gentleman

Best Dressed Group

Who’s Getting The Crown In D-Town?

Usually there are only 3 final nominees for Prom King and Queen, but the administrators told Ms. Bertrand to do the Top 5. You’re probably wondering if they said Top 5, why were there 6 nominees? Insider information: There was a tie! Ms. Bertrand would not give up any names unfortunately, but it does not matter because there was no competition with the winners: Alan Ramirez and Alexia Garza!

Roses and Prom-Proposes

A Prom-posal is one of the best Prom traditions. Whether it’s a ‘go big or go home’ set-up or a traditional cheesy poster, the kids at Ranchview could not have been more artistic and creative!

First Place

Second Place

Third Place

The 3 Musketeers: Ranchview’s first All-State Trio

Riddhi Bora, Lead Writer & Reporter | February 14, 2023

Music is many things. To some, it is a backdrop to their everyday lives– from morning walks accompanied by Spotify playlists to late-night studying with smooth jazz lofi. To some, music is more than that. To some, music is a language: A way of expression in notes versus words. And for three select students at Ranchview, their fluency in this language has recently proven to be exceptionally proficient.

For the first time in Ranchview’s twenty years of existence, there are three All-State musicians in a single school year. Seniors Gavin Skryznski, Aaron Jacob, and David Martini, all took home All-State musician titles this January, with Skryznski and Martini placing in the Symphonic Band (for baritone saxophone and tenor saxophone respectively) and Jacob placing in Jazz Band (for piano).

To those who are unfamiliar with just how competitive it is to qualify for All-State, students must first qualify for All-Region, where they compete against hundreds of students from nearing districts. After advancing, the top students from the region qualify for Area. From there they compete against the best in the state for the All-State ensembles that take only a few of each instrument. To put this in perspective, out of the roughly 70,000 students that try out, only 1,830 students are selected into one of the 18 ensembles– thus solidifying how All-state is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive.

To get an inside look into this rigorous competition I interviewed 1st chair pianist, Aaron Jacob. To Jacob, ambiguity is the hardest part of the competition: “It was the uncertainty that there would be a person who performs better than me that made this process more challenging. Since the Jazz State Band only takes one piano player, I was very stressed when thinking that there only had to be one player better than me to ruin my chances of making the All-State band.”

So what’s next? All All-State musicians performed on February 11 at the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. There they put on several concerts for thousands of attendees, that boast repertoire filled with modern classics and pieces by award-winning composers. An incredible feat, Skryznski, Jacob, and Martini have proven that the seemingly impossible is possible with enough practice and perseverance. And to those who have the goal of following in the footsteps of one of these three musketeers, as stated by Jacob, “Trust the process. It’s only through failures that we musicians learn how to practice better and ultimately perform better.”

The Great Mr. Shelton

By Xzavier Wade, Lead Photo Editor | February 14, 2023

Mr. Shelton is an amazing grandfather, father, and mentor. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he found his passion for playing baseball. He was an excellent student and hard worker when he was younger. Everybody in his community admired his work ethic and confidence. He grew up playing baseball. He was so good that he could have gone into the professional leagues. Unfortunately, due to an unfortunate car accident that cracked his hip, his baseball career ended abruptly. The doctors told him he’ll never be able to walk without support. However, with a little faith and prayer, Mr. Shelton started walking normally again. He never lost his passion for baseball, but he grew a strong interest in basketball. Mr. Shelton never gave up throughout his ups and downs. Staying positive was the only thing keeping him motivated.

His Positive Energy

His positive energy radiates the football stadium every Friday night regardless if the school’s morale is low. He considers his positivity to be “a gift from god”. Even as a kid, Mr Shelton was very optimistic. He would even go to work as a busboy and wash dishes with high spirits. Many people have claimed that Mr. Shelton was rapping way before rap started. He would be in the kitchen washing dishes coming up with verses like “Washing dishes super fast/ Washing for a piece of glass”. He believed in making his work environment enjoyable for others. His mother always told him, “You may not be the smartest guy in the classroom, but your citizenship better be good.” That piece of advice helped him through his teens to his first job.

The Beginning of a New Chapter

Back in the day, it was harder for people of color to get a good-paying job. Mr. Shelton worked two jobs to make sure his family was taken care of. Due to the popularity of racism back then, he landed a job at Greyhound driving buses. It was good until Mr. Shelton hurt his hip. The doctor told him that he’ll never be able to do manual labor again, so he moved to San Francisco and went to business college. After college, Mr. Shelton came back and got a job at United Parcel Service (UPS). Later on in life, he and his high school sweetheart had three handsome little boys. All three graduated from college.

The Community Celebrity

Mr. Shelton loves helping the needy and giving back to the community. It isn’t a shock to see Mr. Shelton singing, making the crowd go crazy, and handing out money at his grandson Terry’s games: ”My wife and I used to see some of these kids who looked like they were hungry, so I decided to give them $1.00 to go get food.” Mr. Shelton is greatness, and we need more people like him.

Journalism Student Xzavier Wade with Mr. Shelton and Mr. O'Banner, RHS teacher

Discussing important topics with Mr. Shelton

Mr. Shelton and Mr. Wade

Students at Ranchview Homecoming Football Game

Guess Who's Back?

By Riddhi Bora, Lead Writer & Reporter & Marissa Montoya, Copy Editor

I have never been one to believe in superstitions– after all, what’s the most harm a broken mirror or black cat can do? Then Friday the 13th of March 2020 happened. When on this day, the President declared a National Emergency concerning the outbreak of Corona Virus, I started to believe superstitions may just hold some validity. Only a few days prior, we left for spring break. Like every school day before an extended break, students buzzed with energy, excited for some time away from school. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this “some time away” would be much longer than expected. We ended up not coming back to school until the fall of 2021 and entered a long journey consisting of Cisco Webex, social distancing, masks, and a future filled with uncertainty.

Online school, like most products of the global pandemic, was an attempt at normalcy amidst an abnormal situation. Many classes had to significantly modify their usual methods of operation. For example, in orchestra students played their instruments on mute in front of the screen, hearing only themselves, which greatly differed from the group playing we had been so accustomed to. When asked about what basketball season was like during Covid, senior Alexia Garza stated how she had to play while wearing a mask and how it was difficult to build team chemistry since players had to remain socially distanced. When the 2020-2021 school year ended, and we returned to in-person learning, it was a close version of school before Covid. However, the majority of students wore masks, and events such as the homecoming dance or pep rallies were nonexistent. Thus this year marks our first official return to school without an obvious presence of COVID-19.

Since the start of this school year, fine arts, sports, and classes have been back in full swing. Within just three months, the Wolfpack has shown that no obstacle, even a worldwide pandemic, can keep us from reaching excellence. With band making area for the second year, girls' cross country winning first place in the district, and hundreds of students showing up to class each day, it is evident that our Wolfpack has no shortage of talent and resilience. Furthermore, new programs such as Culinary have been flourishing with a peak enrollment of 183 students. Our newly renovated library boasts large numbers of student attendance each day (on average 130), proving to be a socializing hot spot for the Wolfpack.

If someone told me my freshman year that I would leave school for spring break, not return until the fall of my junior year, and experience a global pandemic, I would have never believed them. And yet, it happened. Such an experience has been difficult. However, with the combined strength of our teachers, administration, and students, we have been able to come back stronger– proving yet again that we truly are one pack with infinite possibilities.

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