2nd Annual BBNN Halloween Drawing Contest

The 2nd Annual BBNN Halloween Drawing Contest was a huge success. With over 40 entries, it was a “spooky” job to pick the three winners. Congratulations to Natalie Javener, Gracie McMahon, and Brooks Davies for placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively. We’d also like to thank everyone for participating. Happy Halloween!

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Stressful Break?

Written By: Emma Stawicki

During spring break people look forward to having fun, sleeping in, and just relaxing overall. I interviewed a few people to see what they had to say about their spring break. The one person I thought was most interesting was my mother. Me and my mom spent all of spring break with each other, we both had different versions of how we thought spring break went.

During spring break my mom had to take me to practices, competitions, and tournaments. Sunday we went to Houston for my cheer competition and we had a lot of fun. We went to The Rustic for dinner with my coaches and just had a really good time overall. Monday was my competition day for cheer. Tuesday, we went back to San Antonio and we stopped at a lot of food places and experienced a lot of new things together. Wednesday, we cleaned up our house a little then my mom took me to cheer practice later that night. Thursday, I had volleyball practice. Friday, I had a cheer party for placing 1st overall and getting grand champions at the competition. Saturday was my first day with no practices, so me, my mom, and my brother went to Main Event and had a really good time.Then, Sunday, I had volleyball practice and right after had to go to cheer practice, with no break for me or my mother. I never realize how much my mom does for me, well she does a lot when you put it all together. She’s a big help for me in my life and does a lot for me in general.

My mom told me that out of all the places we went during our spring break her favorite was when we went to Main Event. She said that overall she had a good time with her family and stated that she thought we all got a better bond after having fun together that day. She said when at Main Event she loved bowling with us. She said we were being silly and funny which made her have an even better time when we were there. Overall, my mom said that she had a fun and relaxing spring break.

If I didn’t ask my mother about how she thought her spring break went, I would have never known that she had a so much of a good time. I thought that my mother had a stressful weekend and that she felt unrelaxed during it. Turns out, I was wrong and all I had to do was simply ask about her opinion on how she felt about it.

Although my mother’s spring break may have been a little hectic with everything she had to take me to, she had a good time even with all the ubering for me. My mom showed me that even if you are super busy, you can always make and or find the time to have fun, and just make the best of your situation no matter good or bad.

Spring Vacationing

Written by: Luciana (Arrow) Guzman

I’m sure every school here in America goes on a holiday somewhere in March. This ‘holiday’ is called spring break! This March, I interviewed a few of my peers to show how there are many people that did different things on spring break. Some of these people had a very relaxing break while others had a very eventful break where it sounded like every day was a fun one! 

  • Going to new places! 

When I interviewed people, most of them had a lot to do. For example, my friend went downtown San Antonio to check out the Riverwalk mall. She also checked out an arcade called Dave & Busters. She went after the riverwalk and ate food/played some cool arcade games at Dave & Busters. Trying new things is really fun! Especially when you are in a place you never lived in before.

  • A Boring Break…

Another spring break a friend of mine had, sounded quite boring. He himself said it was boring too, “yeah, I did like nothing!” All he did was sleep, eat, visited grandparents house for a day and sleep. Yeah, that’s understandable. Sometimes, you and your family haven’t planned anything or they just don’t know what to do. 

  • Doing a lot of fun things!

I interviewed another fellow peer who did a lot of eventful things! They went shopping for a house because they were going to move to a different house! That sounds really exciting, I’m sure they are excited and a little nervous. They also went to the movies to see a movie with Tom Holland and went to a restaurant they had never gone to before. At the end of the spring break, they just stayed in bed. Something I would do too when I had a long week.

Conclusion

I’m glad that these people I’ve interviewed had a good week. Even if their spring break was a little exciting or boring, I’m sure they had a fun break. Not everyone has the same experience with vacationing, even if you are in the same family or sharing the experience with a friend. Everyone’s a little different.

Bush M.S. 1st Annual Photo Contest Winners

Journalism, Creative Writing and Yearbook students at Bush M.S. entered the first ever Bush Photo Contest. Their job was to capture a powerful photo that told a story without any words present. Some chose to take photos that captured their middle school experiences, while others got more creative with camera angles and unique subjects. Over 30 beautiful photos were submitted, but our winners are as follows: Deanna Sarantopoulos, Ava Olsen, and Brandon Merryman Congratulations to our winners!

Resolution Chaos

Written by: Hannah Paez Bermudez

Resolutions are a weird thing. We love to make them, but mostly never finish them. 80% of people break their resolutions by February. So, today I asked students at Barbara Bush, about their resolutions, and if they have broken it, or if they actually plan on completing it.

The first person I asked was a student named Luci, and their resolution was “to learn a new language.” They elaborated that they were learning Norwegian because their parents suggested it and said it would be nice. They said they “want to learn many more languages,” so they want to start small. I’d say that’s a pretty dang cool resolution!

Another student I asked was a student named Makaiya Cheshier. Her resolution was “to be nice to people”. She explained that she tended to get very irritated very easily with people, and that she wished to be more calm. This feels like a wonderful resolution to have!

The last student I asked was a girl named Preszley. Preszley said that her resolution was to “play soccer”. She said that she “really didn’t do resolutions, but wanted to try and see if she could do one.”  She decided to try soccer because she liked to run and decided it would be good to try a new sport. It also helps staying healthy, so that’s a win-win in my opinion!

So, we can see that a lot of people have a lot of similar resolutions, but all could be watered down to, “Learn something new”, “Be a better person”, and “Stay healthy/exercise”. The problem is that a lot of people don’t fulfill their resolutions!

A solution I propose is that when you make a resolution, try to make it more specific! Instead of saying “Do exercise”, try “Run 10 minutes every other day”. It makes a big challenge seem like a small one, and helps you get started and helps to be much more consistent! Also, a good tip for doing resolutions, don’t worry if you miss a day or accidentally miss a week or something. Maybe you forgot to go to the gym yesterday? Don’t sweat it, remember that no one is perfect and you’re more than likely to miss a few days. The important part is to move on and keep going. Don’t use that missed day as an excuse for quitting completely!

Looking Forward in 2022

       

Written by: Noelani Janey

      New years is the perfect time for fresh starts and resolutions. I decided to interview Christopher Washington, an eighth grade student at Bush Middle School. When I was first assigned this article, I instantly thought of Christopher and was curious to see his response. I asked him about his goals, hopes, and what he was excited for in 2022 and highlights of 2021.

      While asking him about one of his goals, I was sure he would say something related to skateboarding, I was correct. He stated he wanted to “progress more in skateboarding.” He went on to talk about how he wants to practice and skate more. He also wants to “be able to do some new tricks by the end of 2022.”

      I also asked him about his hopes. He stated he wanted to “meet new people” and “go to highschool at Reagan.” He continued saying he’s wanting to make new friends and memories at Reagan.

      While talking, he seemed very optimistic and excited for 2022, he told me that he was most excited about Reagan. I understand his excitement , I’m also very excited to go to highschool. Reagan is a great school and lots of people I know feel lucky for the opportunity to attend. I am confident future rattlers will have an amazing experience. 

      Chris is obviously very excited for high school and making memories. He’s looking forward to the future and focusing on the positive knowing there may also be downs. We should all have this attitude for this year, the next, and the one after that.

We Need to Do Better

Written by: Noelani Janey

Did you know that people have been gossiping since the 16th century? Gossiping is a common practice that has been going on for a long time. Well, what even is gossiping? Gossiping means to spread rumors or false information about something or someone. We know better than to partake in gossip, but it occurs constantly in schools all over the world. 

In my opinion, gossiping is immature. I think this because stories can get twisted easily. Primary sources are way more reliable than secondary sources, and using time and energy to talk bad about others is a waste. 

If a rumor is going around, then it’s not always the best choice to believe the first story you hear. Stories can get warped and twisted for many reasons, on purpose or by mistake. It’s the same way with the internet. For example, TikTok is not a good source to receive news. People can change the story and make it more dramatic than it actually is for views, and some stories can be completely made up. People can have a variety of different motivations to change the story, which is why it’s not wise to trust everything you hear or everyone who tells you something.

That brings me to my next point; primary and secondary sources. A primary source is something like a diary, journal, manuscript, or a person that was actually at an event, something or somebody that was there first hand. A secondary source is like a book written by a person who lived way after the person the book was about, or someone who heard a rumor then spread it to another and so on. A story going through so many people makes it unreliable. What good is the story if it’s untrue or hurts others?

A third reason gossiping is immature is that when you’re gossiping, you’re wasting time and wasting energy to spread negativity. Even if you think the person really deserves it, you forget to focus on yourself and use your time for better things. You can use your time to do more productive activities. 

These are all the reasons why I believe gossiping is immature and a waste of time. To not want better for yourself shows immaturity. We need to do better.

Bulldogs Pledge to be Drug Free!

RED RIBBON WEEK, which is celebrated annually October 23-31, is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention awareness program. Bush celebrates this week with themed days to dress up in support of this important cause. Check out the pictures taken by our yearbook staff that covered the event.

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A Surprising Adventure

Written by: Madison Marshall

When going around the school,  interviewing a bunch of different people from the same age range and asking them about one thing you couldn’t live without, you’d expect a bunch of similar answers. However in my case, I received a different range of answers which was a bit of a surprise considering the situation. Other classmates from Journalism received repetitive answers like “My phone” or “family”. I guess that I ended up with the lucky bunch of this school.

5. Hairbrush

To be honest, this answer was probably the most surprising one out of all the interviews. I mean, a hairbrush can be very useful but out of all the things in your life. I guess if it’s that important, they take it everywhere, you really can’t argue with being safe rather than sorry. Personally, I wish I loved my hairbrush as much as they do.

  1. Cheer

I can totally see why they chose cheer to be this important. It is a well respected sport that deals with flexibility and coordination, it can also be really fun! Most people that are in cheer start from an early age, so when growing your life kind of revolves around the sport. To some it can be the core to your life.

  1. My Dog

A pet is probably one of the best things this world has to offer. You can really depend on them and nobody else, especially a dog. They can become your life long companion. The both of you care for one another, depend on one another. It’s something that you can’t wait to get home to. Literally everything you need in this scary world.

  1. Journal

Journals weren’t really my thing when I was little, but growing up, a journal lets you talk about things that are sacred to you and it won’t judge you or talk about it to others. I can see why someone would choose this as one thing they couldn’t live without. Writing stuff down allows people that don’t know how to express themselves get everything off their chest and overall, getting stuff out is so healthy for yourself mentally.

  1. Boyfriend

This was definitely the one I found really important, almost like the 3rd interview.  Having someone by your side is a very important thing. Another person you can relate to, depend on, and care about can be very enjoyable for you and your partner. It feels like you can never feel alone even when you’re not near them. I can definitely see how you couldn’t live without them. 

A Hero, My Mom

Written by: Juliet Solis

If I were to define a hero, I would define it as someone who risks their life for other people, or as someone who has always been there for you. No matter what, a hero is a person who is beyond, a person who does not give up. I mean give up isn’t even in there vocabulary.

And my mom is definitely a hero in all words. She saves me from disasters like sadness and anger, but at the same time, she risks her life everyday to save and help me and my siblings. She works so hard! I sometimes wish she wouldn’t, but she always insists on it.

            So, as a daughter to a hero, I would say that I am very lucky to have one in my life. 

8:46 A.M.


Written by: Taylor Callender

8:46 am September 11, 2001. A plane gets hijacked and crashes into the North Twin Tower. 9:03 am September 11, 2001. Another plane gets hijacked and crashes into the South Twin Tower. Tragedy or terrorist attack?

This event left many people jobless, or without a family to go home to. 9/11 also made things in the United States very difficult. I got the chance to sit down with my father, Curtis Callender, and talk to him about how 9/11 affected him. He talked about how he was on his way to school when the first plane hit. He said, “We were all confused because we thought it was an accident, until we found out it was terrorism. So, then, we all felt afraid, shocked, and sad.” He said many people lived in fear for many years. “The war was emotionally draining as an American and a young person, then my friends from high school started going into the military. Several were injured, and I worried about them.” He further explained how paranoia swept throughout America and the fear of terrorism became real.

Even though I was not alive when 9/11 happened. I still have to live with how it affected the U.S. today. Because of these events, I now have to think about what could happen if I was to board a plane, and also live in fear that another U.S. landmark could be attacked by a terrorist.

PTA Reflections Contest: I Matter to Myself

The arts are a vital element of a complete and competitive education. The PTA Reflections Contest is a National PTA art recognition program that encourages students of all ages and abilities to experience the benefits of creative expression to tell their unique story.The Theme for Reflections this year is I Matter Because… Thirty Eight of our own Bush students entered submissions in the following Arts Categories: Visual Arts, Photography, and Literature. Of these 38 talented Bush Bulldogs, 5 of them advanced on to the District-wide competition where they received awards. The students earning District-wide recognition are: Natalie Acosta, Hector Reyes-Ortiz, Zachary Hopkins, Alora Macias, and Francesca Mossom. One student, eighth grader Alora Macias, was awarded the top recognition possible with the Overall Award of Excellence in the Visual Arts category for her digital work of art titled, I Matter to Myself. Alora’s artwork then advanced on to the state level of competition. Out of all the entries received in Visual Arts for the state of Texas, Alora received the Award of Merit! Congratulations, Alora, for sharing your creative artistic interpretation of the theme I Matter Because…and for your Texas PTA Award of Merit!

The 2021-2022 PTA Reflections theme has already been announced – it is I Will Change the World By… so start thinking about your PTA Reflections entry for next year!