By Riddhi Bora, Lead Writer & Reporter | May 9, 2023

Dear Underclassmen, 

     At the time that I write this, there is exactly one month left before I walk across the stage in a cap and gown, shake hands with Mrs. Skruch, flip a tassel, and close the four year long chapter of my life that is high school.

There are a few things I know for certain regarding this day. 

1.  It will (hopefully) be the last day I wake up at 5:30 for something for a while.  

2.  My heels will start to hurt an hour into the ceremony.

3.  My mom’s Facebook comment section will have every variation of “She’s so grown up! 😍” possible. 

Everything else about this day and all the days after as I embark on the next chapter of my life are uncertain. And yet, I am not afraid. High school, above all, has taught me the nature of unpredictability: Changes in events, people, relationships, and of course, yourself. And while there is no fool-proof way to prepare for all this unpredictability, there are a few pieces of advice I have accumulated that I would like to share. So here it is: All the words, wisdom, and wishes I have for you. 

First off: you will be bad at things and that is okay. Throughout high school, you may feel this expectation that you need to excel in everything all the time whether this be in academics, sports, fine arts, or any other extracurricular. For me, I’ve had my fair share of things I’ve been bad at throughout high school but nothing was more humbling than the On Ramps Physics class I took my junior year. From the first day to the last day of that class, I understood almost nothing. And yet, I somehow managed. I learned that it is ok to be bad at things because lacking in one area doesn’t mean that you lack overall. 

Next on the list,  remember that you are on your own journey so don’t compare yourself. This is, of course, significantly easier said than done. Even while I was aware of the dangers of comparing myself to others, it was something that felt almost unavoidable. Whether it be grades, looks, or amount of friends, during high school it is very easy to compare yourself to others. When you do this, remember that we tend to be hypercritical of ourselves and that there are actually qualities that other people see in you that they wish they had. 

And lastly remember that it’s never that deep. Of course, four years is a long time. During these four years you should do your best to try new things, push yourself academically, and continue the process of discovering who you are. But also remember that high school is a tiny part of your life. Sometimes you’re gonna feel like it’s the end of the world if you don’t pass a certain test or feel like you did something so embarrassing and there's no way you could ever recover (I thought this my sophomore year and it really was not that serious lol).  When you feel like that, I promise that you’re going to be fine and that eventually things will work out. 

So whether you are a freshman, sophomore, or junior I wish you all the best for your future. Have fun, trust the process, and remember that everything works out in the end :).

Sincerely, 

Riddhi Bora

Starting in my freshman year and ending in my senior year, I have taken my fair share of AP classes. From learning about the GMO fueled metamorphosis of corn in AP Human Geography, to the effects of fracking in AP Environmental Science, to the analysis of 16th century poetry in AP Literature, with each AP class my knowledge on the subject has deepened. I took these classes out of an academic obligation to do so. I felt that I had to take AP classes as a way to boost my GPA and prove to colleges that I am able to take on a challenging workload– while also being intrinsically motivated to take classes that I knew would push me. However, now that I am in the process of transferring my credits to the University of Texas At Austin, I have begun thinking about whether I should have also considered the option of Dual Credit that is offered. To get another perspective on the matter, I interviewed senior Mabel Dowell who has taken both AP and Dual Credit classes. 

I wanted to first address the difficulty level of Dual Credit in comparison to AP. Dowell– who has taken Dual Credit Calculus 1 & 2 as well as Programming fundamentals 1 & 2– stated that “dual credit classes were harder, but this may be because the subjects she took were more challenging”. She went on to explain that “It also matters that with dual credit you actually do the work because it’s very easy to cheat. So, if you cheat, then you just ruin the education you can actually be getting from the class”. When asked if she had to choose between only taking AP or only taking Dual Credit, Dowell responded with “I would only take dual credit because they are at your own pace, all online, and better in the long run”.

To get further evidence on the debate, I compared the credit I received from AP that would transfer to UT Austin, versus the credit that I could have received from Dual Credit. According to the Texas General Education Core Web Center, all classes that are a part of UT’s core curriculum (which include traditional core subjects plus a few electives) can be taken through Dual Credit. However, not all of these classes that would transfer to this core curriculum are offered at Ranchview, so I would have to take them on my own time. With AP, all my credits transferred, however two of my AP classes counted for the same credit so I took an extra class for no college credit. 

Overall, based on my experience, I would still recommend AP over Dual Credit. That being said, I would highly advise underclassmen to look at the AP credit transfer pages of Universities they would like to attend, as some universities only accept scores of 5s in order from them to count. Additionally, Dowell had stated that “AP is good when you’re good with working with other people”, so students who thrive with community driven learning should consider AP.  Ultimately, regardless of which one a student takes, both AP and Dual Credit are great ways to save thousands of dollars in tuition in the future (I see this very clearly now), and challenge themselves in the present. 

When you look back at your senior year, one of the main things you remember is Prom Night. You remember the fun that you had before the dance, Getting all dolled up and going out to eat with your friends. The drive to the dance location and blasting the latest Taylor Swift album in the car with your girlfriends! Everybody assumes that you have to take a date to prom, but you don’t. It’s prom night not date night! 

As a society, we have conformed to the idea that guys have to ask a girl out to the dance, especially for prom. Everyone believes that they should have a date. But again, it’s Prom Night not Date Night! We don’t need a ‘promposal’ from a guy. The week before prom, I witnessed a group of girls ask out Senior Samantha Jones to prom. This goes to show how prom and the events leading up to it are about making memories with your friends. These memories that will last a lifetime. 

Senior Soha Arian stated that she was excited to attend prom because of the theme, but, most importantly, because she’ll be able to spend time with her besties. When asked further, she said, “Although it would have been nice to have a guy ask me out to prom, it wasn’t heart shattering. If anything, I find going with my besties much more fun than going with a guy.”

Please don’t misunderstand: Getting a ‘promposal’ from your crush is one of the best feelings. Being able to dance with your date when they call for a slow dance gives the night more magic!

However, prom is more than dates and slow dances, it’s about the fun that you and your friends have. 

By Kennedy Jordan, Copy Editor | February 14, 2023

Throughout my educational career, I've realized that I have yet to experience a history teacher who is African American. This realization sparked my interest in knowing whether other students and adults have had the same experience. If so, how do they feel about this being the case?

Hugh Cherry Bowleg, a Sophomore Theatre and Track Student. “ As a growing black man, I’m missing representation in the education system. I’ve only had maybe two to three African American teachers, and they were my coaches My mother is a role model growing up in a society where you have to fear being an African American man but not being shown how to handle yourself in the world outside of high school."

Marcus Murray, a Junior Band and Theatre student. “You don’t see too many African American teachers whether they’re male or female. I’ve only experienced one or two black teachers, and they didn’t last the full school year…I had a caucasian male teacher in middle school, who would only communicate with any race other than black. This made it really hard to actually learn the subject. In all honesty, I’m glad he ended up getting fired. I feel having more representation would make it easier for learning.”

Mrs. Stacey Alao, Restorative Intervention Specialist. “ I believe there is a lack of Black history teachers during this time due to a lack of trust and interest in their history today. I remember whenever I was in high school, my history teacher was black. He produced black history plays for his students. They won an award that led them to meet President Clinton in Washington DC. In this day and age, teachers are younger and aren’t lasting long in the job position…Most teachers, especially white female teachers are less empathetic to what may be happening in their students’ private lives. The reason for this being the case is the simple fact that they’re not aware of the issues with the black community on an emotional level. This is not to say there aren't issues in other ethnic groups.”

Zippia’s website reports that “The most common ethnicity of history teachers is White (72.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.7%), Black or African American (8.0%) and Unknown (4.0%).” Hearing other people’s thought processes really allowed me to comprehend that there are plenty of ways we can instill change. The first step to making a difference in the lack of African American teachers in classrooms is to put effort into what you want to see a difference in.

By Marissa Montoya, Copy Editor | February 14, 2023

Valentine's Day is the proposed day to celebrate love. Is it the real deal? Or is it all a sham? The holiday began in the 400s AD to remember Saint Valentine, a mature saint who died on February 14, 296 AD. Even though it started as a day of remembrance in 1375, it has become 24 hours of romantic celebration. This began the February 14th which we know today. Even though the 14th of February is well known by most people,  everyone is not giddy with anticipation. Some dread it, or they are indifferent. 

Senior Diba Kharazi explained her reasoning for the dread:  “It can be annoying if you are single.” She has a point. Not everyone is in a happy relationship with a significant other. You just left a toxic relationship. The guy/girl you wanted to celebrate the holiday with asked someone else, or they just did not ask you. These are the most negative aspects of the holiday. Kharazi continued explaining her perspective on the 14th:  “Valentine's day is over-dramatized at times…especially when other people flaunt their relationship and the gifts they received to others when they specifically know that you don’t have what they have.” This poses the question: Is Valentine’s Day Valid?

Mrs. Erlensbuch, a loved and valued member of Ranchview staff, gave her perspective on the holiday. “When my husband and I were younger, Valentine's Day used to mean so much to us. I was upset when he forgot to do something for me. But now that we are older, it [is] more of a Hallmark holiday, where I give out cards or receive flowers.” When asked what expectations she and her husband have developed of the holiday, she found the holiday to be an important day for her relationship in the past. Now that their relationship was grown and developed, she does not care if her husband takes her out to dinner on the 14th or a week after. It's about remembering the time they have spent together that matters to her. 

Nevertheless, Valentine's Day is an important day for many couples or prospective couples out there. It is a day to celebrate the love you have for someone. Many relationships start during Valentine's season. Despite the fact they might not last a long time, the time spent with that significant person is still a learning experience.

This is why Valentine's Day exists: to remember the love you have for those closest to you. Don’t let the commercialized version of the holiday become the actual holiday. Don’t let the naysayers of the holiday bring you down or the dramatic girls out there getting flower bouquets and taking the holiday too seriously make you hate the holiday. Be your own valentine!

By Autumn Canada, Opinion Editor, and Kennedy Jordan, Copy Editor

I have been involved in both theater l since sixth grade and volleyball at Ranchview since sophomore year. I’m beginning to notice a trend.  Most fine arts involve paying a fee as well as fundraising.  While some sports may fundraise, it’s not as prioritized as it is in fine arts.  Students should have access to any activity that interests them for free.  

We attend a public school. Despite the fact the football team has one win under their belt in 2 years, the theater department consistently makes it to Bi-District. I don’t see why those students should have to pay a fee while football is free. Additionally, over 50% of our student body is economically disadvantaged, with 42% considered to be “at risk” of not graduating.  Money can be a hard conversation at home. For some, it’s not even a conversation that can happen.  It puts these students in the awkward position of having to either not participate due to circumstances out of their control or to expose their home life in a place where it shouldn’t matter. 

According to Coach Smith, head football coach and athletic coordinator for Ranchview, extracurriculars assist in student participation:  “When extracurricular activities are stronger, it gives kids more incentive to do well and to want to come to school.”  We are currently having to build our school’s spirit from the ground up after having the Covid break the cycle of it being naturally passed down from upperclassmen to underclassmen. Those underclassmen are at risk so access to any activity should be a top priority.  

This issue is bigger than just Ranchview, CFBISD, or Texas.

By Eliana Acosta, Staff Writer and Marissa Montoya, Copy Editor

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, students at Ranchview received the district's updated phone policy. The new policy states that no students can use earbuds or cell phones during class.

A recent survey completed at Ranchview showed that 85.7% of students use music from their cell phones and earbuds to complete homework and classwork.  But what about people with learning disabilities or needing music to help with assignments? According to Doctor, William Schroeder of Kent University, music is super important to those with disorders: “According to research, music enhances parts of the brain that are weak in ADHD children. The auditory, visual/spatial, and motor cortices of the brain are all strengthened by music..”  In 2022, about 6.1 million students aged 12-17 have ADHD.

Phones can distract us while we are in class, while we are doing class work, or while we are doing homework or studying. If we get distracted by our phones when communicating, what makes us think we will not be distracted with school work? Stockton University's study of mobile devices in the classroom environment revealed that  “mobile device use in the classroom may be distracting and harmful based on students’ urge to text or check notifications as they pop up on the screen, technological difficulties, off-task behaviors or academic dishonesty.”

Yes, the phone helps in many ways. We have other resources like our Chromebook, which the school provides. However, getting those notifications and having the urge to check them hurts a driven student. That ding-ding sound that pops up in our brains causes dopamine to light up, which is also responsible for drug addiction. So in some ways, your phone is like a drug. 

How can Ranchview help with this? First, teachers can give students a ten-minute break 45 mins into the class. This can help the students stop worrying about who messaged them or their newest notification. A ten-minute break can also help give the brain time to process information.