Lily Johnson, Writer

The way we interact and carry ourselves rubs off on our children. I’ve always been told that the people I meet are reflections of their parents, and sometimes, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. But it can be if the majority of behavior reflected on children is what I’ve seen in my life so far. The shows children see their parents watch, the limited restrictions on children, and the exposure of hate, body image destruction, and family trauma. There’s a term that my elementary school used to demonstrate kindness. Everyone has a bucket, and when you are kind to someone, you fill their bucket. Teach your children to leave no buckets empty at the end of the day. Be a good influence on your children, so they can be a good influence on other people themselves.  Effort, kindness, and empathy should be demonstrated more often to our future generations. Now, I know many people who display these features. But, I have also met many that might need these in their life. Maybe empathy can...

Isabella McAllister, Newspaper Editor-In-Chief

Walk with your keys in your hand, “text me when you get home,” carry pepper spray, and learn how to defend yourself.  Recently women’s rights have been trending on social media. It was sparked by the kidnapping and murder of a woman in London. We live in 2021, where women are still fighting for basic human rights, equality, and justice. Women’s rights matter.  Growing up I have always been told to make sure I dress a certain way, always carry my keys between my knuckles as I walk, and always lock the doors as soon as I get into the car. Being young and naive, I followed these rules, but I never thought much into why I was told to do this. As we live in a time where there are so many advancements and achievements, there is still a gender wage gap, court cases are swept under the rug and closed, and celebrities are allowed to say or do what they want with often no punishment. We are still looked down on when we want to be on birth control, have abortions, or choose our...

Maxie Eller, Newspaper Managing-Editor

I was an only child for two years before my parents decided that I was not enough for them. I like to say that the time period from birth to age two and a half were the best years of my life, but that would be a lie. I have three younger siblings now and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Having siblings is the best experience in the world. It’s like having a built-in best friend that is stuck with you for your entire life. Having siblings makes life that much better.  Sometimes I have tried to imagine what it might be like to be an only child. I think that it would be lonely. There wouldn’t be anyone to have lightsaber battles with or to beat at board games. No one would be there to share conspiratorial looks and inside jokes with. True, you might have more free time and fewer people bothering you, but you would miss out on so much.  One of the major benefits of having a sibling is always knowing that there’s someone in your corner. I have noticed even more now that I’m...

Maxie Eller, Newspaper Managing-Editor

April 30, 2021

You hear the crowd roar, a sea of red cheering your name, as you sprint down the field, weaving through defenders to get in position for the cross. You’re sprinting as the ball comes flying through the air in a perfect arc right toward you. One perfect kick and suddenly the ball is hitting the back of the net. Your teammates surround you and the sounds of excitement are almost deafening as you grin from ear to ear.  The varsity girls soccer team won State on Apr. 16 against Corpus Christi Calallen with a score of 6-0, making this the second win in school history after their win in 2018.  “I was so happy when we won because this has only been done once so it’s amazing that we just did it again,” Jules Burrows (9) said. “The state game was so much fun. We got to play as a team which made us keep scoring and win the championship and we got to have an amazing time.” Burrows was voted as MVP of the game with her incredible performance and three goals. Other game highlights...

James Hoekstra, Writer

April 21, 2021

On Sunday, Apr. 11th, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by a white officer. The officer, Kimberly Potter, an officer of 26 years, claimed that she had supposedly intended to use her taser but fired her pistol instead. Despite the weight differences in the item; a standard 9mm weighs over four times that of a stun gun. The guns issued by the department had trigger safeties. Additionally, officers are instructed to holster their gun opposite to their taser so they can instinctively tell between the two. “She is a 26-year veteran she should know the difference between the size and weight of a taser and gun,” Rylan Miller (11) said. “She’s been on the force for 26 years and doesn’t know which side she puts her taser on? That’s just not true. She might have said taser, but she knows the difference between the two.” Some disagree with this view, citing that the officer of 26 years was undertrained to handle this situation. “She was obviously...

Julia Alley, Newspaper Managing-Editor

April 15, 2021

Safety concerns regarding the Johnson and Johnson vaccine have been brought to the forefront as new information comes to light. Even prior to the COVID-19 vaccine’s completion, there were already questions regarding the side effects that may occur and now they seem to be revamped. On Tuesday, April 13th, the administration of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was halted due to six instances of blood clots found in women who received it. It is unclear if the vaccine is the direct cause of these blood clots, as the investigation is currently being conducted by the CDC. The vaccine will remain on hold for seven to 10 days while a panel of scientists investigates the side effects. “I am getting the Pfizer but I would get the Johnson and Johnson if I could because it's faster and I don't really care if my blood clots,” Marco Villarreal (11) said. On the other hand, some Heritage students are apprehensive about whether the vaccine is safe enough for administration at this time. “I...