new ATHletic coordinator; new goals 

A new head of athletics, Candance Balderas has goals set to turn Hillcrest High School into a premier athletic program in the DFW metroplex. With a reputation for solid academics already in place, the school is seeking to transform its athletic reputation, not by focusing on wins, but by cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and community.

“Hillcrest has a good rep in the district, and I wanted a place to turn into a good metroplex and is already great but has potential to be even greater,” Balderas said.

The new director's background reflects a deep, lifelong passion for athletics. She played soccer for many years, was on her high school's volleyball and track teams, and went on to play rugby in college. This wide-ranging experience across different sports and competitive levels has shaped her coaching philosophy, which emphasizes effort, discipline, and personal growth. For Balderas, success isn't defined by the scoreboard but by the journey. 

“To me success is continuous improvement," Balderas said. "All the students are at different levels. If you're always trying to improve and become better, that's success.”

The ultimate goal is to make the Hillcrest athletic program the premier program in DFW, but the definition of "premier" is more holistic than a simple championship count. The program is built on two core principles: inclusivity and providing a first-class high school experience.

“The goal is to make Hillcrest premier a number one athletic program in DFW," Balderas said. "Every kid who wants to participate in athletics is able to, and give them the best high school experience." 

Balderas has a long and varied athletic history. Her involvement began early in life and continued throughout her high school years, where she participated in both team and individual pursuits. Her passion for athletics carried into college, where she engaged in a new competitive discipline. This consistent participation showcases a lasting dedication to physical activity and competition.

“Yes, I played soccer my whole life," Balderas said. "In high school I played volleyball and ran track, I also played rugby in college.”

Her strategy for achieving this long-term vision begins not in the high school weight room, but in the elementary and middle school classrooms that feed into Hillcrest. They are launching sports academies within the district's feeder pattern schools. This will create a seamless pathway for future athletes, ensuring a strong and consistent culture of development from pre-kindergarten through senior year.

“We are starting academies at feeder patterns," Balderas said. "The goal is to create a pathway from pre-k to senior year, so they can be happy and a part of the panthers.”

The Hillcrest athletics program expects its student-athletes to demonstrate a commitment to pushing their own boundaries and giving maximum effort in all their endeavors. Beyond personal performance, they are also expected to serve as positive representatives of the school, embodying the values of the program. These expectations help develop key traits like resilience, discipline, and a strong work ethic, which prepare students for challenges both on and off the field. Student-athletes must also exhibit good sportsmanship, show respect for teammates, coaches, and opponents, and demonstrate accountability. 

“The expectations for student athletes are that they get out of their comfort zone, give full effort, and represent Hillcrest in the best way possible,” Balderas said.

2024-2025

long time sub finds new passion

For 15 years, Mr.Wilcox has been a steady presence at Hillcrest High School. But his path to becoming a beloved substitute teacher was anything but conventional. 

Mr. Wilcox’s journey to Hillcrest began after a successful career in the auction industry. Having traveled extensively, including time spent in the Middle East, his work in heavy construction and oilfield equipment offered excitement and challenges. However, as he approached 62, the company he worked for went bankrupt, prompting an unexpected, early retirement. “I didn't want to stay home while my wife was getting ready for work,” he recalls with a smile. His wife- a teacher, counselor, and assistant principal- had often spoken fondly of her time in schools. Motivated by her stories, Mr. Wilcox decided to try his hand at substitute teaching.

What started as a way to stay active, evolved into a second career spanning nearly two decades. Though he spent 15 years at Hillcrest, his first taste as a sub was at a school 27 miles from his home. After an incident involving a student stealing his phone, and no interest from staff to help, he decided to leave and approach Hillcrest. Within days he was offered a long term substitute position, and he has been here ever since.

Reflecting on his transition to teaching, Mr. Wilcox admits it isn't what he expected.”My wife made it sound so easy,” he says. “But on my first day, I went home and told her, ‘Liar liar pants on fire’.” Despite the initial shock, he found joy in connecting with students. Every year at least one student reminds him why he keeps coming back.”At the end of the year, someone always tells me they appreciated having me. That’s what keeps me going.”

Mr. Wilcox was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his father worked as a CPA and his mother was a homemaker. His parents married young-at 18- just before his father left to serve in World War II. Mr. Wilcox laughs as he says he was born 9 months after his father returned. His family moved several times during his childhood but always stayed within a ten mile radius. 

In high school, Mr. Wilcox served as the president of the student council and was part of the first graduating class of Memorial High School. After high school, Mr. Wilcox planned to attend the University of Oklahoma, but a chance meeting with SMU representatives led him to Dallas instead. It was there he met his wife, a fellow student, who he credits for his success. “She takes 100% of the credit for my turnaround,” he says fondly.

The couple’s life together has been a mix of challenges and adventures. Early in their marriage they moved to Tyler, Texas, for his job- a decision his wife initially resented. Ironically, when they returned to Dallas, she missed Tyler.” It was a win-lose all across,” he laughs. After 56 years of marriage, they’ve learned to navigate life’s ups and downs with humor and resilience.

Their two children also forged successful paths. Dana, their eldest, pursued her passion for baseball, working for the Texas Rangers before transitioning to a leadership role at SMU. Their son, known for his quiet determination, has excelled in the construction industry without ever actively seeking a job- opportunities have always found him. Between them, they’ve blessed Mr. Wilcox and his wife with three grandchildren.

In his spare time, Mr. Wilcox enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife. From exploring the Holy Land, to relaxing in Colorado during elk mating season, their travels have been filled with memorable experiences. However, he notes with a grin that their road tripping days are over- his wife made that clear after their last drive to Missouri.

As he reflects on his years at Hillcrest, Mr. Wilcox admits that teaching has its challenges. He observes that students today often don't take their education seriously. But he remains optimistic, encouraging young people to explore all their options - whether college or a trade- and to fully embrace the opportunities available to them.

Mr. Wilcox’s story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the impact one person can have. Through his dedication, humor, and life lessons, he has become more than a substitute teacher; he is a mentor and a reminder that life’s second acts can be just as meaningful as the first.

Ms. Novais; Her English teacher profession 

Ms. Marie Novais is an English II teacher at Hillcrest High School. She thinks that her job as an English teacher is good enough for her, meaning that she loves her job and she also doesn’t mind the daily stresses of her job which doesn’t have anything to do with teaching her students.

"I love my job as an English teacher. Interacting with students, helping them achieve their goals, and seeing them improve daily bring me great joy’", Ms Novais said. “If I could just teach all day and help students, I would never quit. The frustrations of the job have nothing to do with the students, and everything to do with excess paperwork and too much interference in the classroom.” 

Meaning that no matter the daily stresses that are related to her job as an English II teacher at Hillcrest High School, she still loves her job, teaching her students, and seeing them improve in their lives and education everyday.

“The hardest part of my job is the overwhelming amount of paperwork and extra responsibilities.” Ms Novais said. "The actual teaching and time spent creating lessons is wonderful. It’s all the other hats I have to wear and documentation that has to be done for really no reason except for compliance. Teaching can easily be an 18 hour/day, 7 days/week job.”

Ms.Novais loves being an English teacher, but there are some things that can make it really difficult for her High School job.

“I chose to be an English teacher because teaching brings me joy,” Ms Novais said. “I call myself an “accidental teacher” because I didn’t get my Bachelor’s degree in Education. I started teaching ESL in Argentina in corporations as a way to fund my adventure abroad, but then I discovered I loved teaching and I haven’t done anything else since.”

Teaching for Ms.Novais means joy because she has the opportunity to teach her students and see their improvement, and she discovered that teaching was her true passion because that was the only thing that she had done when she was studying and became an ESL teacher in Argentina.

‘’My English teacher in high school casually wrote once on a presentation that I did that I would make an excellent teacher, but I didn’t think much of it at the time,” Ms. Novais said. “My Bachelor’s degree is in International Studies, and I wanted to be an ambassador originally."

While her first dream was to be an ambassador, she did not think that she was ever actually going to become an English teacher at that time.

"Since I hadn’t studied education formally, I needed to receive my alternative certification for teaching," Ms.Novais said. "I had to take a  three month course, pass three exams, and observe 50 hours of a teacher teaching at the same time that I was working a full-time job"

Meaning that Ms. Novais also had to go through some type of difficulties even when she was trying to study to be an English teacher.

"I truly love teaching and my students; however, if I am being honest, if I were offered a job with more pay and less stress, I would take it at this point. Sometimes, all of the paperwork, meetings, and stress is so overwhelming that it feels crippling," Ms Novais said. "I have friends with only one degree that make over $100,000, work from home, and have infinitely less responsibility than I do. I have two degrees, I always had excellent grades, and I work tremendously hard and take pride in my profession, yet I am constantly overwhelmed and rarely relax. If the right job came along, I can’t guarantee that I wouldn’t choose more money and more peace despite my love for teaching."

In these statements Ms. Novais expresses her love of being a teacher and the love that she feels towards her students, but she does not like the stressful work that her job as a teacher makes her do and deal with. 

"English was always my favorite subject in school" Ms. Novais said."I absolutely love reading, and I find it so important."

Ms.Novais expresses that she absolutely loves reading or anything related with English in general despite the fact that she feels stressed when it comes to being an English teacher as a job. Her previous travels also aid her in her teaching.

"I try to incorporate my travel stories and the knowledge I have of other cultures into my lessons," Ms. Novais said.

Ms.Novais thinks that traveling might help with her journey as an English teacher. She thinks that you don’t need to travel that much to be an interesting teacher, and that her travel stories from the past might help her with her job as an English teacher and in connecting with her students.

‘’Knowing other languages helps me teach English because I can anticipate errors that speakers of other languages will make," Ms.Novais said. " Therefore, I can teach them how to do it correctly before they ever create a fossilized error. Knowing other cultures helps me anticipate what students may or may not know. I can teach a concept better because I know what certain cultures value and then teach the appropriate background knowledge to my students.’’

Ms.Novais thinks and expresses that her knowledge of foreign languages helps her as an English teacher, because that way she helps her students improve their education and English and reading skills, while she learns more from their unique and distinguished cultures. 

"I don’t think the act of becoming a teacher was my greatest achievements,"  Ms. Novais said. “But the impact I have made on the lives of individual students is by far one of my greatest achievements as it is the reason I do the job."

E-tech Clerk works with compassion

Despite what people might say about being the clerk of a program who’s receiving four levels of grades at the same time, Ms.Reitmeyer makes sure that she gives a piece of comfort to everyone that walks in on the E-tech office.

“I have learned a lot about how to interact with people, regardless of what I might think of their behavior or attitude. Treating everyone politely and with respect goes a long way,” Ms.Reitmeyer said.

Putting up with High School students, and their drama everyday, might be a really bad headache to handle everyday. For Ms.Reitmeyer, is a piece of cake, just treat everyone with the same respect and kindness.

“I enjoy being organized and efficient and completing multiple tasks in the course of a day. More than that, I really love being the person who can help students and staff when they need something,” Ms.Reitmeyer said.

Being kind and respectful to others doesn’t cost a penny, and Ms.Reitmeyer shows it everyday she goes to her job. Just the action of her enjoying helping others, no matter if they are a staff member or student, speaks a lot about her as a person.

 “In this job I have seen students struggling to get their education while dealing with extremely difficult life situations like homelessness, abuse, and illness. It has really taught me how unfair the world is sometimes, but it has also shown me how amazing and strong people can be,” Ms.Reitmeyer said.

Many people around the world get stressed out in their job, others learn something new and use it for their daily life. Ms.reitmeyer has seen and learned valuable lessons in her job, such as people inside her job and people outside her job.

“I think finding enjoyment in the tasks I do and keeping in mind things I'm looking forward to is what helps me most,” Ms.Reitmeyer said.

Most people tend to have trouble finding joy in their job, others find a part of their job they enjoy doing. 

“This isn't my dream job, but it is the job I have enjoyed the most during my career,” Ms.Reitmeyer said.

Destiny. A word that is rarely used, but plays a role when it comes to people finding something they never expected to do or have. But always end up knowing it wasn't destiny. 

“I love my work!,” Ms. Reitmeyer said.

coach moore's niche for debate

Debate, debate, debate! Coach Moore’s experience with debate has given her an expertise in all parts of the activity, from Lincolon-Douglas to Worldschools! Coach Moore was born to debate! An active love for debate that has withstood even the toughest of losses! 

“I was first interested in debate when I was in middle school; I was on our middle school editorial writing team for UIL, and I always had a passion for expressing my opinions,” Coach Moore said. “When I was in 8th grade, student recruiters came to our middle school to try to get students to sign up for debate and the rest is history.”

Competitive debate for Coach Moore however, holds a special place in her heart, as she holds wishes of things that could’ve been done differently in her high school debate career. Fear being more powerful than the passion she had for the subject, causing a rift in her performance.

“I did not compete very much when I was in high school; while I love the research and judging aspects of debate, I felt like it was really high pressure when I was in school” Coach Moore said. “I often felt intimidated and like I was not smart enough or good enough to be in debate; If I could go back, I would work on dealing with those emotions and competing even when I felt like I wasn’t good enough.” 

The passion for debate in her youth has not died, for Coach Moore debate is something that is ever changing, something that fuels her love of knowledge on the plentiful amounts of topics she finds herself interested in, and something allows her to fully express her opinions with rationality.

 “The primary reason I am so passionable about debate is because I have seen the transformative power it has on people’s lives and also how engaging it is; no two rounds are the same, there are always new topics, new research, and it requires that the people participating really think through subjects instead of just assuming things to be true” Coach Moore said. “It allows people to form their own conclusions, and opinions instead of just blindly agreeing or accepting the things they have been told.”

The topic of debate is full of love for Mrs.Moore, love that has been transferred to a surplus of her own students! As she’s taught she has brought upon the love for debate to handfuls of students that she has taught throughout her teaching career!

“I think for young adults, and the population in general, debate is one of the most important activities you could do; debate, hands down, is one of the best ways to gain a large amount of information about topics that directly affect your life,” Coach Moore said. “It prepares students for college; it forces us to question assumptions we, as a society, hold,” Coach Moore continued. “It helps us sort out ethical dilemmas and informs us on the type of life that we want to live” Coach Moore stated. “It allows us to weigh out evidence and come to our own conclusions; I think debate is one of the most meaningful activities available to us, and I wish more students would engage with it - even if that just means showing up to practice and doing research.” 

Coach Balch has retired from refereeing

Coach Balch has retired from refereeing wrestling this year because United World Wrestling doesn't allow people to referee professional matches past the age of 60. 

“I started in the 1994-95 season, and to be honest I started because I was tired of watching what I felt were referees making bad calls and I felt like I could do better,” Balch said.

He turned 60 in October and has been refereeing for 30 years, with a long history of important meets.

“I was fortunate, I refereed the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, I refereed to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, each one of those has their own story that would take way too long,”  Balch said.

Balch had seen plenty of important matches and with a 30 year long career, he has recognized the gradual changes the sport has gone through.

“When Americans get good at a certain move the rules change to try to level the playing field for all the other countries. It used to be a five minute match, five minutes straight, no break in between, and because our conditioning as a country, or conditioning and our athleticism was so much better we were winning matches because other countries were running out of gas,” Balch said. “The international federation said let's make it 2-3 minute periods so that people have a chance to catch their breath in between matches. And seeing the change in weight classes because people from 20-30 years ago, body types have changed, people are becoming more attuned to nutrition and things like that, so it's gotten to be a lot more technical than just sheer brute force.”

His long and accomplished career as a referee has been a crucial part of the Hillcrest team’s success. He believes the different sides of his experience make him a more well-rounded coach and he passes that advantage to his athletes.

“I know the whats and whys of what the referees are gonna call and what they're looking for,” Balch said. “I have an advantage, and I give my athletes an advantage over coaches who don't know the referees perspective.”

After decades of referring, Coach Balch has retired, leaving his long legacy in the hands of the referees he mentored. 

“This past year in Paris at the Olympic Games, the three referees that represented the United States were referees I worked with when they were first starting out,” Balch said. “They've developed and they've gone on and they are now taking the torch that I've passed and they are teaching young people to move forward and become international referees as well.”

HAve these clubs always been there?

The best way to build a community, branch out and gain experience in school is to join an after school club. Hillcrest has a variety of clubs which have a little something for everyone but how much do we know about some of these clubs?

Many students have never even heard anything about gardening club or real estate club and that is mostly because of the lack of promotion that they get. It's also because of the lack of information about them we have.

The schools website notoriously has sparse information about a lot of the clubs at this school and while there is a QR code that you can find in front of Student Activities Coordinator, Ms. Huntleys' class that has a wonderfully curated list of all the clubs Hillcrest has to offer, there is still a lot of outlying information.

The spreadsheet lacks a lot of basic information about things like times when clubs meet, their remind codes, descriptions and even sponsor information. 

Mr Davenport, the French teacher at Hillcrest is the sponsor of a long held Hillcrest Club, French Club.

“We've had things like Mardi Gras celebrations, we've had cheese tasting before, we've played pétanque, we've even had field trips before,” Davenport said.

The French club is a lovely dive into French culture but it seems that people fail to appreciate that.

“This year we have zero [students] because the club is dormant.” Davenport said. “ There has not been much attendance since the pandemic.”

COVID has greatly affected the way we interact in school and into the outside world and it's hindered students from doing many lesser known after school activities like French club.

“Recently it's been a fraction of what it was previously,” Davenport said.

This is probably also because you haven't heard of the club either and it's true, the French club isn't widely advertised.

“There's been a flyer before but it's been very rare historically for a student who isn't already taking French or hasn't taken French to be interested in French Club,” Davenport said.

The lack of advertising when it comes to Clubs is also a factor that goes into their reclusivity. Ms. Huntley took time to comment on that.

“I wish that more clubs would advertise on the announcements but that being said I know that half of the teachers on this campus don't show the announcements or if they show the announcements, they don't make the kids actually watch them and the kids sit there and do nothing or play on their phones,” Huntley said. “I don't have an answer for how to fix the system but if you're asking me do I agree that it's not working especially well?”

A lot of the club's on the spreadsheet lack some information for students that allows them to learn more about them.

“I can only put what the sponsors give me,” Huntley said.

A fact that is lost when this conversation is had is that it's the responsibility of the sponsor to give any information regarding the club to Huntley so she can have it organized. She can't force them or make it mandatory and they're not being paid to sponsor any of these clubs.

“I guess I can only ask them so many times to give me information,” Huntley said. “I'm not their boss.”

Community is a need during your formative years and clubs are the source of so many connections students make during their high school experience. Finding safe, open and collaborative spaces to learn about your interests and gain skills that would aid you for the rest of your life is super important so take time to search for the club's that aren't directly in your face. If you don’t know where you can find information about a club here is a link to the official activities list.

ALSO A YOUNG ACTIVIST? JOIN THE CLUB!

Are you interested in getting involved in bringing social and political change to your community? There’s no better club to join than the Students Demand Action Club and the Student Voter Empowerment Club! Here are some more details that might help you decide if they’re the clubs for you.

Q: What does SDA stand for? 

A: SDA stands for Students Demand Action which is a club for “young activists committed to ending gun violence in our communities.”

Q: What does SVEC stand for?

A: SVEC stands for Student Voter Empowerment Club which is dedicated to promoting civic engagement and voter empowerment for high school students.

Q: Who is the teacher sponsor and student leader of these clubs? 

A: The lovely Ms. Mack is the sponsor of this club and Brynn Beecham is the president of the clubs here at Hillcrest High School!

Q: What kind of events do these clubs host? 

A: SDA often hosts student safety panels during each semester of the year and even attends gun safety events outside of school. SVEC has also hosted events such as a voter registration drive along with a March To The Polls for this upcoming election organized with Woodrow Wilson High School’s SVEC.

Time for answers straight from the clubs’ president, Brynn Beecham!

Q: How have you increased student involvement in these clubs?

A: “I have increased student involvement through creating more opportunities for students to gather and discuss important issues and try and find solutions to those problems.” 

Q: How do you believe these clubs are positively  impacting the Hillcrest community?

A: “These clubs have positively impacted the Hillcrest community in the way that we as students have brought awareness to these national issues and are continuing to advocate for the change we all need to make our community more equal and safe for everyone.”

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with these clubs going forward? Any new events in mind?

A: “I hope to continue spreading awareness around our campus and the community as a whole. I am planning to hold another Orange Out for students to show support for the victims of gun violence as well as another voter registration for eligible seniors next semester.”

HILLCREST PEACE PANTRY

New Wrestling coach?

The Hillcrest High School Wrestling team has a new coach this year! Mr Nativi, who you might know as theatre director and teacher, has stepped up to be the head boys coach and assistant coach.

A coach’s responsibility is to guide and help your athletes grow and succeed and Nativi was very happy to contribute to the team. This was his first time doing something like this but he was very open about the challenge

“Well, I was an athlete [and] now I’m a teacher and really just want to help these kids get in more shape, better in shape and not be so scared to wrestle anybody,” Nativi said.

He was very enthusiastic about encouraging kids to wrestle, become fit and removing themselves from the fear of getting on a wrestling mat. He really wanted to promote getting the kids up and active.

“It teaches them how to be self disciplined, how to be better in shape. Better physical health means that someones going to live longer and it teaches them teamwork,” Nativi said.

Despite all the fun of becoming a coach it's been a challenge for Nativi, juggling theatre and wrestling this year. 

“It’s been fun. I will say what’s difficult is the fact that I'm the theatre director and a wrestling coach,” Nativi said. “That's probably the only thing I find difficult, but I enjoy what I do. I love it.” 

He was truly happy to have this opportunity and has been enjoying the experience and is feeling very positive.

“So far so good,” Nativi said.

WHO'S DUCKING THE HALLS?

No one is quite sure when these mysterious little ducks started popping up. At first, it was just one or two, a tiny yellow rubber duck above a door or nestled in the window of a classroom; now, the mischievous things can be spotted all across campus.

The duck dropper or maybe droppers have remained entirely anonymous, and while campus security has opened a case file on the ducks, they have assured me that, as the ducks are entirely harmless, no one will get in trouble. The ducks have added a little bit of whimsy and lightheartedness to the heavy atmosphere of high school, bringing a smile to the faces of those who find them. 

I personally encourage everyone to participate in this school-wide scavenger hunt, to see if you can spot the ducks in the most creative of hiding places. If you do manage to spot one, leave the little friend in their place, snap a picture and show it to a member of the newspaper staff to have it added to our catalog. 

And remember, have fun. High school can be a very stressful and overwhelming time; but taking breaks from the textbooks, the phones, the stress, like looking out for small little ducks, can bring a little bit of laughter and joy to all of our lives. 

INTRODUCING NEW STAFF AND ADMIN

Ms. Sandels

Q: Who are you? 

A: Ms. Sandels

Q: What’s your job here at Hillcrest High School?

A: A counselor, someone who helps you with your schedule 

Q: Whose counselor are you?

A: Is the counselor for people with last names F-L 

Q: Are you new to teaching or being a counselor?

A: Not new to teaching or being a counselor but it is currently her first year at hillcrest 

Q: How many years have you been in this field?/When did you start?

A: She's been in this field for 23 yrs

Q: Where was your first job?/Did you work at another school before here?

A: She did work at another school before she came here.

Q: Why did you choose this job/career? 

A: I love to help students become successful 

Q: How was your past experience there?

A: It is a very different experience since she had younger students.

Q: What job did you have before coming over to Hillcrest?

A: Middle school counselor 

Q: How do you feel about working here so far?

A: She is liking the Hillcrest experience so far, She thinks she is going to love working here after she learns all the different computer programs.

Q: Do you like/watch any sports?

A: She likes and watches Football

Q: How do you feel about your new workspace?

A: Said she likes it and it has a very nice atmosphere 

Q: Has it been difficult for you to adjust so far? 

A: Adjustment has been very nice so far but there's nothing too difficult as of late

Q: What's something you want students to know about you?

A: “That I am stern, fair, and I care about their future.” She also would like to add that she has an open door policy and will do her very best to help!

Ms. Williams

Q: What’s your job here at Hillcrest High School?

A: Assistant Principal 

Q: How many years have you been in this field? When did you start?

A: This is Williams first year as an Assistant Principal but she has worked 23 yrs in education. 

Q: Where was your first job? Did you work at another school before here?

A: She was a high school Math teacher who taught at plenty of schools before this one. So far she has worked in Dubai, Mesquite ISD, and Dallas ISD.

Q: Why did you choose this job/career?

A: She's always enjoyed working with children and knew she could help them on their path to success.

Q: What job did you have before coming over to Hillcrest?

A: She was the math facilitator for mesquite isd 

Q: Do you like/watch any sports?

A: She watches Basketball and Football 

Q: How do you feel about your new workspace?

A: Room for improvement and more decor, is exciting to decorate but it's cold :( 

Q: Has it been difficult for you to adjust so far? 

A: No, adjustment has been going well. Everyone is great and the kids are funny.

Q: What's something you want students to know about you?

A: “I'm excited to meet all of them and look forward to watching them on their journey through High School.”

Q: What is one fun fact about yourself?

A: Before coming over to Hillcrest, Vice Principal Williams was a coach for basketball, volleyball, and track at some point throughout her career!

Ms. Thomas

Q: Who are you?

A: Ms. Thomas

Q: What’s your job here at Hillcrest High School?

A: Assistant Principal

Q: How many years have you been in this field? When did you start?

A: So far this is her 15th year in education, 4th year as a vice principal, academic advisory for 6yrs, instructional coach for 4 yrs, and has taught English for 6 yrs.

Q: Where was your first job?/Did you work at another school before here?

A: Her very first job was at Dallas Can Academy/ross. Previously, she worked at Seagoville HIgh School.

Q: Why did you choose this job/career? 

A: Thomas knew she wanted to be a teacher in 1st grade when her teacher Ms. Anderson made her believe she could do anything. When taking a field trip to watch Charlotte's Pig She had chicken pox and her teacher had made a compromise with her mom to let her  wear long sleeves in order to go watch the play, and seeing her teachers passion for her job, she knew that was the career she wanted to pursue 

Q: How was your past experience at Seagoville?

A: Cultural shock. But it was a good experience there. One of her most memorable moments is when a student transferred to New Jersey (her old job) and shared with her that she had never seen a black woman in an administrative place, and she knew she had to be there at that moment. She had built friendships with other students and showed them that women can also be in administrative roles. 

Q: What job did you have before coming over to Hillcrest?

A: Vice principal 

Q: How do you feel about working here at Hillcrest so far?

A: She likes it. It's a challenge because it's something different. Most of her old schools were low performing schools, so now that she's working at a high performing school it's different from what she was used to. Ms.Thomas is used to helping make plans to support her old school's academics, and is now focused on moving us from a B-level school to an A-level school.

Q: What's something you want students to know about you?

A: “I really do care, even when I don't feel like coming to work, I know someone needs me to show up for them.”

Q: What is one fun fact about yourself? 

A: She has a twin brother, and he's a preacher. Their little motto is the teacher and the preacher. :]

NEW ADDITIONS LEAD TO NEW AMBITIONS

Hillcrest’s volleyball program has always been quite a strong one within their athletics department over the years; however, a few changes might’ve been what’s needed to go further than ever before this year. Coach Kinsey Palmer is the newest addition to the volleyball coaching staff here at Hillcrest, taking on the head coach position. Beginning the season with three wins, one can only assume that the Hillcrest volleyball team will go up from here.

Coach Palmer has been active in the volleyball scene for most of her life, playing since she was just nine years old.

 “I started playing club at age nine, was a four-year varsity player that helped our team to three State Playoff Appearances, winning State as a senior, and then playing through college and doing some AVP beach volleyball after college,” Palmer said.

Not only has she played volleyball from a young age but she also has quite a bit of coaching experience. When asked a question on her coaching background, she answered with several different roles she’s had.

“I have coached for several clubs, was an assistant at Evangel University in Missouri, Bixby High School in Oklahoma, and Bryan Adams High School,” Palmer said.

Hillcrest athletics has faced many changes in the past few years and because she is new to the campus, her thoughts on the environment and the athletes and how they can both be improved is likely a fresh thought in her mind.

“I think Hillcrest has been a hidden goldmine for years,” Palmer said. “I think our students really want to participate and build each other up. I hope to help improve the culture across the campus and strengthen bonds between all students, not just athletes. We have so many positive things happening on this campus, and I am excited to be a part of it!” 

She has ambitious goals for this season and years to come.

“My incoming goals for this year are to increase program numbers, focus on sub-varsity development, and to create an environment that is inclusive and positive, but that also holds high standards and has the expectation to win,” Palmer said.

Varsity volleyball captain, Neve Healy, had nothing but positive things to say about having a new coach for her last season.

I love Coach Palmer, and she has turned the volleyball program around for the better. I enjoy playing under her because she knows what she is talking about when teaching us new things about the sport and is very understanding and fun,” Healy said.

Coach Palmer’s new coaching style that she has implemented received very positive feedback as well from this player.

“The coaching style is much more organized, consistent, and goal-oriented. This type of structure is bettering me as an athlete because I am able to now focus on my athletic goals for my final year of school volleyball, so I can get everything I want out of this experience,” Healy said.

Coach Palmer loves being a coach here just as much as players love her.

“I love coaching at Hillcrest! The school staff has been extremely supportive, students are interested in our program, and I was given the best staff to work with in volleyball! (Shoutout to Coach Gregory, Coach Acosta, and Coach D!),” Palmer said.

Hillcrest appreciates everything that Coach Palmer is doing for the volleyball program and they hope to continue seeing it improve from here. Hopefully she can help this senior accomplish her goals which are to “win district and make it past the second round of playoffs” her final year!

Journey From Townview to hillcrest

Elias Gonzales made a pivotal decision to transfer from Townview Law to Hillcrest’s IB Program. Feeling drawn to the new challenges and opportunities in IB, he made the decision to switch during his sophomore year.  

“My time at Townview Law was nice. I made many new friends who I still talk to today,” Gonzales said. 

Gonzales fondly remembers his time at Townview but realized he needed to pursue other things, like sports, which eventually led to his decision to transfer. 

“I wanted to feel that sense of accomplishment that comes from playing a sport like wrestling,” Gonzales said  

His desire to pursue athletics motivated him to make the switch, however, the transition wasn’t without its challenges. 

“The transition was very last minute, so I had almost no time to digest the switch,” Gonzales said.

Despite the sudden change, Gonzales adapted quickly, finding similarities and differences between the two schools. 

“Some of the biggest differences I’ve noticed are obviously the people are way different here,” Gonzales said. 

He also noticed a more relaxed homework load at Hillcrest, giving him more free time to invest in sports and hobbies. 

“There are sports and more time for myself being at Hillcrest,” Gonzales said.

One thing that didn’t change is his course load. 

“The academics are the same at Hillcrest as they are at Townview since I’m taking the same classes,” Gonzales said. 

Adjusting to Hillcrest socially wasn’t difficult either. 

“I already had some friends here at Hillcrest, so making new friends really wasn't an issue,” Gonzales said. 

For Gonzales the move opened up new possibilities. He reflects on his decision to switch and offers a piece of advice to any other students considering a similar transition. 

“Depending on your lifestyle, if all you what is to work hard with schoolwork then stay, but if you want to broaden your interests and maybe even find new ones, then go for it," Gonzales said

Do you know where your clubs are?

Hillcrest High School champions a diverse student body and staff, all full of creativity and potential. A great way to express that potential and also build a community in the school is to join a club. However, students are finding it hard to find clubs because of a lack of information about them on the Hillcrest website which is the epicentre of information about the school. When you travel to the website and look around the clubs, it leads you to student activities coordinator, Ms. Huntley.

“I do manage the clubs getting approved, the running of clubs, coaches, things like that.” Huntley said. She was happy to provide information about how clubs are typically formed.

“To propose a new club all you need is the club name, a description of what the club is going to do, what it's going to accomplish, what you're going to do in meetings and you also need a sponsor. When you have those 3 things there's a QR code over here by my door, this is A154, you scan the QR code, you fill out all that information, you submit it and then I submit that for approval from the administration and once you get approved you can start meeting,” Huntley said.

Despite the simple process of forming clubs she agreed when she was asked whether the layout of clubs and other school organizations on the website were hard to navigate. “It's confusing for me to find clubs.” 

The main reason behind this confusion was that instead of finding clubs tucked safely on the website, some were rather found on posters around the school or some couldn't even be found that way, which makes it hard for students to keep track of. When asked about why certain clubs were on the website and others were not she responded by saying, “You'd have to ask the person who runs the website, which is not me. I have no access to the website.”

And that's what led to the person who does run the website, Lisa Smith.

Unfortunately Smith declined to interview. According to her, the Hillcrest Website should have been updated this summer, but unfortunately, due to the number of websites DISD had to approve it delayed the update of the website. 

She, instead, was focusing on cleaning up the website to make the transfer of information smoother. She compared this to having a wall with many layers of paint, she was peeling away all the unnecessary layers and leaving a thin layer easy to transfer when the new website arrives.

For now thats all the information there is about Hillcrest clubs, but if ever in doubt about where to look for clubs, don't hesitate to make a visit Ms. Huntley's classroom A154 and scan the QR code by her door.

CLAIRE REEVES; TEACHING IB BIOLOGY

The proud red and black hallways of Hillcrest High School have been like a second home to Claire Reeves since she began positively influencing young minds six years ago.

Reeves became the IB Biology teacher at Hillcrest High School in the 2024-2025 school year. Her dedication and outstanding performance in her prior biology classes led to this well-deserved opportunity, and she continues to impress with her exceptional work.

   “I have enjoyed teaching both [regular and AP biology], but it is no secret that I have a passion for the higher level classes,” Reeves said.

For the past six years, she has dedicated herself to teaching regular and AP Biology classes at Hillcrest. Expectations are high, and her students flourish under her guidance. Although she has always enjoyed teaching regular and AP classes, she felt ready to try something new.

   “I was offered the position [as the IB Bio teacher], but it’s something I had been thinking about for a couple of years,” Reeves said.

   Reeves embarked on her teaching journey motivated by aspirations of becoming an international teacher. The IB curriculum is the same globally, which fascinated Reeves, and she believes IB could help eliminate harsh competition across the states. The transition into IB is rigorous, creating lessons and class work, but Reeves is excited to be in the program.

   “I’m feeling nervous but optimistic. It’s a really great opportunity, and I’m really excited for the students I get to teach and interact with and just generally being in the IB program.” Reeves said.

   IB students are notoriously hard workers, and Reeves was expecting nothing less. IB students’ work exceeds that of regular and even AP students, so those interested in the program should be ready to give their best effort.

   “I would just want [interested students] to be prepared to try,” Reeves said, “I can be an easy teacher. I can be a strict teacher. It’s just really based on how much I feel my kids are trying in my classroom. I want people to try their best.”

Talk with the student council

Student Council is an important part of the functions of the school. Mrs. Holmes Turner, the sponsor for student council, was very eager to express the importance of the spirit that the council brings to Hillcrest.

“We’re school spirit.” Holmes-Turner said. “I’ve been here for three years and when I got here there was no school spirit and since I've been here for three years we have flourished.”

Student Council instils so much in the school, managing fun activities and nurturing the student body. 

“We have a color guard now, we have people in all sorts of activities, there's BSU, there’s spirit squad, we have panther of the month,” Holmes-Turner said. “There's so many things that we’ve done, we’ve had homecoming every year, we’ve had a winter formal… and so were the reason behind school spirit.”

The council strives continuously to improve the school and make coming to something worth looking forward to. When inquired about what the council wanted to achieve this year Mrs. Holmes Turner said. 

“Monthly events and I hope to give someone the reason to want to be a part of student council or want to be a leader or a part of any organisation on campus. I want to have done something or said something that makes kids want to participate.”

When it comes to the running of the council Mrs. Holmes Turner continues to prioritize letting the kids govern themselves, of course with some supervision. 

“With student council I let them run themselves but sometimes they want bubblegum, unicorns and rainbows and I make sure they just stay at bubblegum,” she said.

It's because of this freedom that she believes students should take a chance on the council and participation within school.

“More participation from students and more [teacher-buy-ins]. So once everybody understands the importance of student council, more people would like to be a part of student council,” she said.

The student council seems to be a collaborative space filled with creativity and opportunity to improve your school experience. 

In the words of Mrs. Holmes-Turner herself, “These kids don't come to school for school.  No one goes to school like “I'm going to math class today!” but they come for the experience that school gives them. We’re the fluff.”

After Graduation, Who's Left

With senior week behind us and the seniors turning their tassels yesterday, the newsroom is oddly quiet. Without the energy of the former seniors, the Hillcrest Hurricane journalists look forward to next school year and reminisce about the year behind them. 

A look back at the 2023 volleyball season

This recent season of volleyball here at Hillcrest High School was very eventful to many. Both the players and coaches put lots of effort into this sport, and it is clear that it paid off. Hillcrest’s volleyball players are very talented and take their sport seriously, but manage to keep up good sportsmanship and have fun. Izzy Verastiqui, the captain of the freshman volleyball team, gives her insights and views regarding this season.

“In my opinion, I believe the freshman team won most of the games we played in,” Verastiqui said. “There were definitely tough games we should have won, but all-in-all, I’m very proud of how we played this season.”

Izzy mentions that there were tough games that could have been won, but were not. While mistakes were made against the difficult teams they faced, the team enjoyed each game. 

“I think some of our most challenging games were against Kimball, W.T. White, and Woodrow,” Verastiqui said. “Woodrow sweeped us each time we played them. In both of our games against White, I believe we could have won if we played more efficiently. Kimball was the first school we had a hard time against, but they were the most fun to play because of their good sportsmanship and skill.”

In addition to her belief that Hillcrest could have won more games, she noticed a significant improvement in the player’s performance throughout the season.

“In the beginning of the season, we had many players that had just begun playing volleyball this year,” Verastiqui said. “Despite this, they all played to the best of their abilities and improved drastically. Of course, the girls with prior volleyball experience improved as well, with the help of our coach.”

Izzy loved seeing her teammates improve in this sport. But of course, there are other things she enjoyed about it too.

“My favorite part of volleyball was making new friends who loved the sport just as much as I did,” Verastiqui said. “The people I met this year helped me improve my abilities while also being my friends outside of volleyball. Some of my favorite people I met are Jasmine, Amalia, Zero, and Lilli, but those are just a few.”

Izzy enjoys most parts of volleyball. From making friends, to seeing her and her teammates improve, she seems to have a strong connection with this particular sport. 

“I think the reason I connect with this sport over others is because it’s the most fun, and it was the easiest for me to pick up.” Izzy says. “The first time I played was in 3rd grade, and it’s resonated with me ever since. I had negative experiences with the other sports, especially during middle school, which made me wanna choose volleyball as my main sport.”

As you can tell, she likes to prioritize volleyball, due to her negative experiences with other sports. She shares her opinions regarding the next upcoming volleyball season, and what she expects.

“I am very excited for the next volleyball season,” Verastiqui said. “Of course I’ll miss Coach Davis, because I think none of the other coaches could lead us like her. My dream would be to play in Varsity next year, but realistically, I just hope to be a starter on JV.”

uprising of the crochet club

A new crocheting club just began at Hillcrest High School. It was created by a student here named Audrey Tabor. The club was created to let students express themselves through crocheting and being able explore their creativity. 

  “I wanted to start a club to spread a craft that I enjoy,” Tabor said. “I also work with an outside organization who donates crochets, scarfs, beanies, mittens, etc.”

The crocheting club members create all different types of crocheted items so they’re able to give them out and share their hard work with other people. Donating crocheted items is a wonderful way to use your skills to help others and make a positive impact on your community.

“We are working on crocheting some kind of a Christmas project at the moment,” Tabor said. 

This crochet club is inclusive and welcoming to all skill levels, from beginners to experienced crocheters. It fosters a friendly and supportive environment where members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and projects. For that reason the crocheting club is still growing and will continue to grow.

“I think being able to spread the word about crochet clubs and get into announcements would be beneficial,” Tabor said. 

If the crocheting club does continue to expand, it would give their members more variety of yarns to work with because more people could donate or bring their own different kinds of yarns. This would spark creativity in several ways, offering a variety of textures, colors, and possibilities for experimentation. 

“I love to use yarn by the brand Sugar 'n Crème or Big Twist because they both have so many size and color options!” Tabor said.

With all that yarn, people are able to do all kinds of crochet patterns, which provides a rich and varied palette for expression. It encourages experimentation, fosters adaptability, and opens up a world of creative possibilities, making the crafting experience both enjoyable and limitless. Crocheting is a very fun hobby. It has so much variety and could help people in so many different ways, as a stress reliever, help with mindfulness and relaxation, or just gives a sense of accomplishment when completing a crochet project, whether it's a simple dishcloth or an intricate blanket. 

“The basic steps of crocheting are very simple to learn,” Tabor said. “I found it pretty easy but it will be different from person to person. I'm still learning new patterns all the time!”

A new crocheting club just began at Hillcrest High School. It was created by a student here named Audrey Tabor. The club was created to let students express themselves through crocheting and being able explore their creativity. 

  “I wanted to start a club to spread a craft that I enjoy,” Tabor said. “I also work with an outside organization who donates crochets, scarfs, beanies, mittens, etc.”

The crocheting club members create all different types of crocheted items so they’re able to give them out and share their hard work with other people. Donating crocheted items is a wonderful way to use your skills to help others and make a positive impact on your community.

“We are working on crocheting some kind of a Christmas project at the moment,” Tabor said. 

This crochet club is inclusive and welcoming to all skill levels, from beginners to experienced crocheters. It fosters a friendly and supportive environment where members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and projects. For that reason the crocheting club is still growing and will continue to grow.

“I think being able to spread the word about crochet clubs and get into announcements would be beneficial,” Tabor said. 

If the crocheting club does continue to expand, it would give their members more variety of yarns to work with because more people could donate or bring their own different kinds of yarns. This would spark creativity in several ways, offering a variety of textures, colors, and possibilities for experimentation. 

“I love to use yarn by the brand Sugar 'n Crème or Big Twist because they both have so many size and color options!” Tabor said.

With all that yarn, people are able to do all kinds of crochet patterns, which provides a rich and varied palette for expression. It encourages experimentation, fosters adaptability, and opens up a world of creative possibilities, making the crafting experience both enjoyable and limitless. Crocheting is a very fun hobby. It has so much variety and could help people in so many different ways, as a stress reliever, help with mindfulness and relaxation, or just gives a sense of accomplishment when completing a crochet project, whether it's a simple dishcloth or an intricate blanket. 

“The basic steps of crocheting are very simple to learn,” Tabor said. “I found it pretty easy but it will be different from person to person. I'm still learning new patterns all the time!”

no one can hold a candle to mrs. kintz

You enter the counselors office and a bright and cheerful person sits at the front desk. You have a small conversation and after meeting Mrs. Kintz, you leave feeling better than before. This is a known occurrence of those who have met her throughout the years. A beloved advisor, parent, and creative mind, Mrs. Kintz is always putting smiles on the faces of the students and staff she interacts with. 

Mrs. Kintz, Hillcrest’s office receptionist and counselor receptionist, was inspired to work at this school because she enjoys making friendships with students, and loves the work environment. But she happened to start working at an awkward time for the school.

“I love being around teenagers and kids, and I wanted to work in a school where I had the same schedule as my son. I came here in 2022, and this is my third year,” Kintz said. “I love being one on one with students and getting to have the opportunity to help the kids, and having quick interactions.” 

It was an unusual year for everyone returning to school, and for those who started high school. Everything felt out of order and times were hectic. Luckily, Mrs. Kintz stood strong and maintained her position as one of the most well thought of staff in the school. New things were in the works for herself and everyone, but in the end she remained positive until the year was over.

“It was my first time to work in a full-time position as you know I am a mom because my youngest was going to high school and it was his first year back after the pandemic. Everyone was there and it was very disorganized, everyone was fearful and questioning. There was lots of uncertainty, and that was what I had to work with and it was a little crazy,” Mrs. Kintz said. 

From the outside it seems like she could never be happier about her job here at Hillcrest. And that would be a true statement. The office is even more warm and welcoming with her in it, and the days go by much faster when she is present, always assisting students, taking care of her work and preparing the work for the office assistance. She always has a busy schedule ahead of her, but she always manages to put others first.

“It’s busy and crazy sometimes and every day you never know what’s gonna happen. I just love it,”  Kintz said.

As students we should recognize that staff here also have personal lives that are also very interesting. Mrs. Kintz knows her kids very well and loves talking about her own children, hobbies, and anything to keep a conversation going. She is also known for her small decoration table and all of her bath and body works scents from candles or other things she bought. 

“I love going on cruises with my husband. This is our favorite thing to do. Like Going to Mexico or the Caribbean,” she joked. “I like decorating my house for Halloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. 

Everyone at school appreciates her bubbly personality, and wholesome nature. She always has a positive aura about her and cherishes all the interactions she has with students and staff here at Hillcrest High School. 

“I really like having office helpers because I really get to know you guys and when at the start at the first of the year I don't really know any of you and then in a couple of weeks I know everything about you. I just love having the office helpers here and getting to know them,” Kintz said.

Ms. Keisha; Hall Administrator with a Heart 

Walking the Hillcrest halls, one can’t help but to run into Hall Administrator Keisha Rodgers. Always here to help students in need, make sure the school stays safe, and lends a shoulder to lean on for support. Hillcrest wouldn’t be the same without her. However, many don’t know Keisha’s true story and what led her to Hillcrest. 

Wherever Keisha has gone, she has done her best to support not only her own children, but the kids at all the schools she has worked at. Born and raised in Chicago, briefly moving to Indianapolis and finally coming to DISD in 2015, she has changed the lives of countless students both on and off campus.  

"I did not plan to move to Dallas. But I had a baby boy that was just amazing in football, and I wanted to give him the best opportunity," Kiesha said while reminiscing about how fast her son was growing up. "And I realized that time waits for no one… so I just put in my GPS and typed Dallas, TX  and I drove.” 

Transferring to Hillcrest in 2016 as a lead custodian, she worked her way up the ranks becoming the influential person she is today. She said in her interview that the kids, the ever changing atmosphere and being able to move and have new experiences has kept her here and happy for almost a decade now. 

“Watching you all (the students) grow,” Keisha said. “Coming in as a freshman, like fish out of water, you’re all over the place, then as a sophomore you kind of tone it down. And then a junior, lastly a senior, you're all blossomed. Kids used to say, 'Ms. Keisha I can’t believe I used to act like that,' Well you did. It’s a part of growth and development.”

As the adoptive Hillcrest mom, she repeatedly shows that her door is open to any and all students. Whenever someone is in need, she is there. Whether the person is a current student, or former, she is there to offer her undying support. 

“I was really skeptical in the beginning of giving out my phone number,” Keisha said. “I’ve had kids text me at midnight, 'Ms. Keisha, I need help.' A previous student I’ve helped was somebody everybody gave up on, and not only did he graduate once, he graduated twice. He texted me one time, 'Ms. Keisha, can you Cash App me ten dollars? I need an uber to get to work.' Several still text me, some that are still here.”

Keisha states that when it comes to helping others, she doesn’t know how to turn it off. She goes home and over the weekend she’s constantly worrying if the students are safe, if they’ve eaten. Her compassionate heart listens to the stories students tell her and her heart just can't take it sometimes. She thinks that the older she gets and the more tragic, heartbreaking things she hears, the more empathetic she becomes for the kids. Which is why she always does her best to set kids on the right path and give them a home when they don't have anywhere else to go.

“I’m trying to leave the school district soon, very soon. I've tried to leave once, and I come back," Keisha said. "But I will never go to another school, I would feel like a traitor. This is my school, this is where my roots are. Teachers, principals, a lot of them have come and gone. But I will never go to another school district. Once I leave Hillcrest, that’s it for me.” 

FRESHMAN CLASS PRESIDENT THRIVES AT HILLCREST

Isabella Verastiqui is a freshman at Hillcrest High School and she has been elected Freshman Class President. She’s adjusting to Hillcrest just perfectly, with her mind focused and set on her goals. But what are her goals? Her motivations? Her strengths? Her weaknesses? She was kind enough to answer some general questions regarding her newly earned role in the student council with us so she can reflect on herself and to let the freshman class know more about their class president.

Q: What inspired you to join the Student Council?

A: “My inspiration to join the student council was my friends and teachers.A lot of people had encouraged me to join, saying I’d be good for it, so I ran and didn’t really expect to get the position but now I’m here and actually have responsibilities. “

Q: What are your responsibilities as class president?

A: “Some of my responsibilities as freshman class president include overseeing the activities of the freshman class as a whole, helping my other cabinet members with what they need to be doing, and keeping clear communication with the sophomore, junior, and senior classes. Of course, I have a lot of other things I do but these are the main things I handle.”

Q: What are your goals for this school year in terms of making our school a better place?

A: Two of my goals for making our school better this year are increasing the school spirit and having more fun and student-led activities. I can’t promise these but I will be working towards them!”

Q: What are some pros and cons of being class president?

A: “Some pros of being class president are my status of being the most trusted person among the freshman cabinet members, having the ability to help our school, and having a sense of community within StuCo. Some cons of being class president are having to keep up with my duties along with keeping up my grades, having to attend meetings every single week, and keeping up with volleyball practices and games.”

Q: What is your favorite part of being in the Student Council?

A: “My favorite part of being in StuCo is the community we build and seeing our plans through. I have so many friends that I’ve made because of StuCo, not just freshmen but sophomores, juniors, and seniors too! It’s also amazing to see something we’ve planned come to life and have it be appreciated by staff and students.”

Q: What is a fun fact about you?

A: “A fun fact about me is that I'm obsessed with reading and musicals. I have a completely full shelf of books and some that don't fit on my shelf, as well as online books that I’ve downloaded and read. I also love listening and watching musicals like Heathers, In the Heights, Dear Evan Hansen, Beetlejuice, Mean Girls, Be More Chill, and my favorite: Hamilton. I even have a giant book with lyrics, analyses, and stories about the production and run of Hamilton and In the Heights!”

leading the band

Drum Major Carlos Chavez 

Q: What does being a drum major look like? 

A: “Being a drum major is a very interesting perspective to have in the band. You are able to see how the band moves as a whole and how they change. It gives a perspective into the directors view of the band while having a sense of what the students perspective is.”

Q: Do you also play with the band at times? 

A: “I do tend to play with the band sometimes. Matthew and I as drum majors take turns switching with playing throughout the quarters of the football game,”

Q: What are the time requirements? 

A: “Outside of the obvious practices, being a drum major is something that is constant throughout my school life. As a drum major, I have to set an example anywhere I go. I would have to say that being a drum major is a 24/7 job.”

Q; What qualities are necessary to be a good drum major? 

A: “To be a good drum major, you must have discipline, teamwork, integrity, and many other leadership qualities. The conducting part of being a drum major is probably 10% of a drum major's job.”

Q: What is the most important quality of being a leader? 

A; “I can’t say there is a most important quality of being a leader because there are many types of leadership styles which all shine in their own way. Within my leadership style though, my top quality is balance. Balance is the ability to discern when it's time to get to work and when you can be chill.”

Q; For those looking to become a drum major or even a section leader, what advice would you give them? 

A: “Your drum major or section leader tryout begins as soon as you enter the band program. The directors and leadership team are constantly watching to see who stands out. Early maturity, taking charge, and good performance marching and playing are some of the qualities that our leadership team looks at.”

Q; What are the downsides of being in that leadership position? 

A; “There are no downsides of being a leader in any situation. I have always seen being a leader as a privilege and an opportunity for me to grow as an individual.” 

Drum Major Matthew Huerta 

Q: What does being a drum major look like? 

A: “Being a drum major looks a lot like being a regular band member, the only exception is that there's a much higher standard and expectation set on you by the directors, there's more demand in terms of leadership”

Q: Do you also play with the band at times? 

A: “I'll occasionally play with the band during practice to help out, I'm also part of the jazz band, but for performances I don't usually play with them.”

Q; What are the time requirements? 

A; “Usually there isn't much extra time required. If there is, it is for a meeting between the other Drum major and the directors, however the expectation is that I am the first to arrive and the last to leave for anything.”

Q; What qualities are necessary to be a good drum major? 

A; “The most obvious quality is confidence, you have to be willing to put yourself out there and make yourself known. You also need to have integrity, it's important to have respect for yourself and others.”

Q; For those looking to become a drum major or even a section leader, what advice would you give them? 

A; “My best piece of advice would be to keep a level head, it's really easy to get carried away especially when the energy is high. When the band gets energetic someone has to make sure things still get done, and that will be you.”

Q: What are the downsides of being in that leadership position? 

A: “Some downsides are that you don't play with the band as much, you do play a big part in practice however most don't see that, they see the performance and unfortunately you won't really be part of that. The expectations and higher standards are also downsides however with experience you get used to that.”

AOE Internship Program Success

Over the summer, students enrolled in the Hillcrest High School AOE (Academy of Engineering) successfully completed an internship program offered by the school's engineering department in partnership with Verizon, providing students with valuable work experience, engineering insights, and an opportunity to earn money while learning. 

Students participated in an internship program with the school's engineering department and Verizon. This partnership provided students with hands-on work experience, insights into engineering, and a chance to earn while learning. The Hillcrest High School AOE internship, created in collaboration with Verizon, allowed students to gain practical engineering skills and earn money over the summer. The internship program wasn't your average experience. It was a collaboration between the school and the sponsor that allowed students to dive headfirst into the world of engineering. Working closely with both their teachers and industry professionals, students gained practical insights into real-world engineering challenges.

Senior Matthew Huerta provided valuable insights and shared his new and enlightening experiences gained from his time during the summer internship.

“It gave insight to the more professional side of engineering rather than the academic side, I learned about business models and professionalism”  Matthew Huerta said. “I worked on evaluating an algorithm that predicted the likelihood of underground fiber optic cables being cut.” 

Along with providing a good solo work experience in regards to engineering, the internship also offers opportunities to collaborate with other peers and work together on projects. 

 “I was missing a large chunk of data for my evaluation and a member of my team really came through in helping me with getting the data I was missing, and together we sorted the raw data,” Huerta said.

The engineering internship also provides students with the knowledge and experience of using engineering-related products and learning technical skills regarding the job. 

“I learned a lot regarding time management and using programs like Excel, Python, Google sheets, and Tableu,” Matthew said. “I needed to run an API (application programming interface) to work with and evaluate a group of 36,000 data sets, however the Verizon provided computers didn’t allow APIs to be run. Instead, I worked around and used a Power Query through excel using a separate dataset as a frame of reference.”

HHS JROTC: Shaping Leaders

Hillcrest High School is full of excitement as interest for the JROTC program grows with the wave of new freshmen and returning sophomores wanting to get more involved with the school’s programs. Nicolas Powell, a dedicated JROTC student, uncovers the motivation behind his involvement, the impact on his leadership skills, and some unforgettable moments from his experience.
Nicolas Powell's entry into the JROTC program didn't start at Hillcrest. It began at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, where he was introduced to the world of JROTC by his instructor, First Sergeant Jackson. 

"My motivation actually came from before enrolling in Hillcrest,” Powell said. “I was in a class called LCC at Benjamin Franklin MS. There, I was encouraged by my instructor 1SG Jackson to try the class. The love of the military that I gained over the years kind of made it make sense. I figured if I'm going to enjoy high school, [it] might as well be a class I love.".

Nicolas highlighted the significant impact that the JROTC program has had on his leadership skills. 

“JROTC helped me get a lot better at communicating with my fellow cadets, and understanding that you can't force something on another,” Powell said. “It taught me that building up skills and leadership takes time, especially when training other cadets to be leaders on their own. The program allows for students not only to train and gain exercise and discipline, but also to learn leadership skills by guiding other students in the process.

One of Nicolas's most memorable moments from his time in JROTC was the Joint Cadet Leadership Camp (JCLC).

“This past summer, we took 7 cadets to a summer camp full of other cadets around the district to basically do a mini boot camp,” Powell said.  “The joy you see on their face as they're ziplining 40+ feet in the air, or seeing them play games during survival swimming class just struck home with me. You don't see normal students do these kinds of things, and to see these cadets I trained at one point putting it all to the test, having fun and succeeding just stuck with me. That camp is something I would never forget."

As much work as it may seem, Nicolas was quick to assure us that balancing JROTC and regular studies is manageable. 

"So, JROTC doesn't actually put too much stress on their cadets. The only thing the program requires its cadets to do is wear the uniform once a week and participate in class. It's a very day-to-day based system, and allows so much time outside of class to focus on other assignments''

In addition to his involvement in JROTC, Powell is a senior in the collegiate Academy, which requires students to attend college level classes at Richland College.

“I go to Richland every day as part of the collegiate academy and only have JROTC once a day,” Powell said. “A lot of the work done for the corps is done after school, or on a weekend every once in a while. So that balance between JROTC and regular classes is certainly there." 

For Nicolas, the JROTC program has offered valuable lessons beyond leadership skills. Many skills learned are valuable for his personal development as well.

“Well, I'd say it's the sense of camaraderie and discipline,” Powell said. “We learn to work together as a team, to respect one another, and to hold ourselves to a higher standard. These are qualities that will serve us well in the future, no matter where life takes us."

As the interview with Nicolas Powell concluded, it became clear that the Hillcrest High School JROTC program is not just a class; it's a life-changing experience. It inspires students like Nicolas to become leaders, instills values of teamwork and discipline, and creates unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.

The JROTC program at Hillcrest High School continues to be a source of pride, shaping young leaders and fostering a strong sense of community among its cadets. Nicolas Powell's journey is just one example of the remarkable stories that unfold within the program's ranks.

LAST SEMESTER BEFORE GRADUATION

It’s coming to an end. The senior class of 2023 is now closing their high school chapter and is now entering adulthood.

We are now in the second semester of the year at Hillcrest High School and many seniors are excited to finally graduate, and some are nervous about this chapter in their lives finally closing.

“I am excited and kind of sad about this being my last semester. Since I am a dual credit student, I need to try my best to get my associate's,” Rania Ahmed said. “And knowing it’s my last couple of months of high school, and time going by fast due to covid made me realize that it will be the last time seeing my friends every day since we all are going on our path.”

As this is their last semester, many seniors have goals to finish their year off strong to finalize all their hard work. Each senior has their own goals to reach to allow them to feel accomplished at graduation.

“My main goal for this semester is to not be disappointed in myself,”  Priscilla Kamau said. “Last semester and the semesters before I would have a lot of guilt when it comes to not finishing something or not getting the best grade. I want to change that and install a mindset that doesn't put myself down for not being perfect. I think this would help me relax because this year, in general, is going to have a lot of changes and this semester is how I'm starting the year so having a stress-free semester can foreshadow how the rest of the year will be.”

All seniors have had different experiences through their high school years, but one thing that is a common denominator is having a teacher that was very impactful in their learning.

“The teacher that has impacted my overall experience in high school is probably Mr. Maxwell,” Emma Del Rio said. “I was absolutely bad at history and felt no hope towards graduating but now that I can look forward, and realize that it is mostly just studying and trying I've realized that I can do things, even when they sound hard. After quarantine, it was extremely difficult to go out, and staying focused was hard, but he makes it easy to pay attention and to learn. It's fun.”

In addition to teachers being impactful, different experiences and memories have made seniors' high school experiences exciting, and will become nostalgic when they are older.

“My favorite high school memory is probably whenever I was in MV club,” Del Rio said. “It's such a fun time and besides creating and producing, we have a lot of fun and laugh at the dumbest things. We went out and I had to wait one hour for the people to arrive, and even though I was complaining about it at the moment, it's something that makes me laugh today.”

Seniors have to figure out what they want to do and care about their future since they are entering adulthood. There is a mixture of seniors where some know exactly what they want to do, and some only have a ballpark idea. This can be very stressful for seniors.

“My plan after high school is to go to college for nursing,” Kamau said. “But I also plan on exploring what life has to offer. I know that I do want to be a nurse, but I know that my head could be turned. I have other passions such as anthropology and psychology. I would also like to explore those in college. I would also like to explore the world. In the summer of this year, I would like to go to Kenya and experience more of my culture and meet all of my family.”

Seniors have had a lot of experiences of hardships whether through academics, mental health, or at home. But quotes and affirmations can be used to help seniors keep their heads level-headed in their lives.

“There are many quotes that helped me go through high school,” Ahmed said. “But my favorite was a quote from the Quran that says, “every hardship comes with ease”. It helped me so much during my sophomore year because it was during quarantine, and I was struggling in my classes. Since I was going through hardship for the 1st semester, then 2nd semester was so calming and my classes were easier to manage. That quote still sticks with me today, and I even wrote it in my senior quote.”

Student starts Small Business 

Assistant Principal tackles new role

JROTC senior promoted to brigade executive officer 

     In September, Hillcrest senior, Jose Aguilera was awarded the position of Brigade Executive Officer from the district at JROTC headquarters downtown. positioning him to lead and command JROTC students at Hillcrest and the district. 

     Currently Aguilera is the highest ranking officer at hillcrest, and second in the district, following the command of the Commanding Officer. The promotion took place at a competition that took place in September at JROTC headquarters in downtown Dallas. There Aguilera had to be in line with the judges criteria in many fields like uniform and military knowledge among many others in order to receive the promotion.

     “We had a competition where we went on Wednesday to headquarters downtown,” Aguilera Said. “there we were graded on our uniform, knowledge of military, health, they asked us how to do drill as well as chain of command stuff”

     Along with his new rank, Aguilera also has to take up new tasks that come with the new position, like organizing and setting up events.

     “I help coordinate with the entire school district to help set events, like when there is a parade I’m going to help how to set it up,” Aguilera said. ”Every competition for JROTC held the entire year, I’m going to be there to help set up.”

     His duty not only relies on coordinating events but he also has to take on more responsibilities from the district.

     “Anything with management/paperwork, I’m going to do all that stuff for the whole district,” Aguilera said.

     Aguilera has a very extensive past with JROTC dating back to his days in middle school where he enrolled in LCC. But his military career does not end here as he has big plans following graduation.

     “I’ve been in JROTC, this is now my fourth year,” Aguilera said. ”Hopefully planning to turn into five when I go to college for the army”

     After High School he plans to enroll in a military academy to continue his career in the military.

     “I’m planning to go to the academy for the military at West Point,” Aguilera said. “It’s a college but it’s designed for the military. You’re going to graduate with a degree with your major, but at the same time you will be going into the army at a higher rank.”

     Aguilera is currently in the process of applying, but applying to a military is no easy task as he has to go through a more rigorous process, for now Aguilera is focusing on three things that are part of the application process, while also keeping track of the nearing deadlines to apply.

     “By January first, I need to have submitted my three most important things: my health examination from the army, a congressional nomination from Greg Abbott or Dan Patrick, my two senators or presidential nomination,” Aguilera said. ”And then lastly, I have to send in my SOE, basically my recommendation from the district of why I should go.” 

     Aguilera has been focusing on seeking the nominations, as there are many factors that influence the nominations given by the government officials.

     “The hardest thing about it usually is being able to get the nominations because you only have four options: the governor, lieutenant governor and the two senators. Greg Abbott can only nominate two people to West Point, same with Dan Patrick,” Aguilera said. “Same with the senators, a president has unlimited nominations, so that’s the hardest one to get since he’s the president.”

     This year Aguilera participated less in JROTC activities. He now focuses on coaching and mentoring the younger students. 

    “I’m technically a coach. This year I’m a senior, so I don’t participate in teams. I’m supposed to be coaching since I’m not going to be here [next year],” Aguilera said. “I help them get ready for next year, which is how it works, the higher ranking you are, the less stuff you physically do, but you are there guiding and leading them.“

     First Sergeant Johnny Carrasco is part of the JROTC program here at Hillcrest, he enlisted in the army in 1987 and has had an extensive career in it. He expressed his opinion towards why he pushes students like Aguilera’s in JROTC.

     “I didn’t have anybody push me to go to college or go to school. Like even to graduate high school, nobody pushed me,” Carrasco said. ”So, that’s why I push these kids to be way better than what I am.”

     He also expressed how an important part that helped Aguilera succeed was how he embraced mistakes and learned from them.

     “We teach that you can make a mistake,” Carrasco said. “but as long as you realize that you can’t continue making the same mistake”

     Throughout his JROTC career Aguilera showed dedication and many other skills that helped him get where he is now and attain his position.

     “He exhibited really great leadership potential, he wasn’t afraid to take charge, he wasn’t afraid to lead,” Carrasco said. “and most important he wasn’t afraid to make a mistake.”

       NEW TEACHER'S CORNER 

INTERNATIONAL LITERACY AWARENESS BOOKWALK

Helping out your community has significant benefits to the one that is helping and the community itself; one person that has helped improve her community is Sofia Rodney-Hernandez.

Sofia Rodney started her service project called, “International Literacy Awareness Bookwalk” when she was a junior. The service project was made for her Girl Scout project, Gold Award Project, and aimed to spread literacy awareness among young adults through art and interactive learning.

“I wanted to create “Book Buzz” in the halls of Hillcrest High School,” Rodney said. “I want to inspire other students to understand the importance of reading and enjoy it the same way I do.”

As part of the service project, she painted the lockers at our high school and attached a QR code to the book's link so that students may access a closer copy of the book using the library catalog by scanning the QR code. Sofia Rodney has made creative and eye-appealing lockers that draws the attention of everyone passing by..

“I love art and books, so for my Gold Award, I wanted to do something that involved

Both, “Rodney said.  “I am always in the library, and I heard a discussion about Mr. Sotelo wanting the students to paint something on the lockers across from the library.  I brainstormed with Ms. Canales and my Mom talked about my idea for your Gold Award project. Then, I ran it by Mr. Sotelo and my Girl Scouts Advisor. They loved it! And the magic began…”

Rodney always has had the talent to draw and paint so this project was perfectly formatted for her.

“I love to draw and paint! Is so interesting how the process developed,” Rodney said. “When I was doing my research of books around the world, I looked into the spines as well. I

picked the book spines that were more interesting for young adults. Then, practice

some of the features on them. This process took hours. After lining up the “most” features on each book spine. I am so happy that I developed my art skill from locker #1 to locker #88.”

Sofia Rodney's skills to take action and foresight on an idea just sets the tone for being a true Girl Scout. Additionally, her time spent shows the true spirit of being a dedicated Girl Scout and highlighted her love of books.

“I noticed that the locker looked like the spine of a book, so I decided to paint book spines on the school lockers,” Rodney said. “To add the technology and easy access to more information, I added the QR Codes on the spines. That way when the school community walks the halls, they can interact with the books, talk about them, and enjoy the art as well.”

Girl Scouts had always played a big role for Rodney and how she came to make this project.

“I have been a Girl Scout for 11 years and can gladly say that I have learned the

values and qualities of one,” Rodney said. “Being a Girl Scout has transformed, saved and taught me so much during my life. I am so happy that I joined and thankful for these opportunities.”

Girl scouts have different ranks as follows: Daisy (K-1 grades),

Brownies (2-3 grades), Juniors (4-5 grades), Cadets (6-8 grades), Seniors (9-10

grades), and Ambassadors (11-12 grades).

“I am currently in the last level, an Ambassador,” Rodney said. “After graduation, I plan to become a Lifetime Member and stay active with the Girl Scouts. I want other girls to experience the same opportunities that I had and bring out smiles to other girls just like me!”