By: Adelena Vera

The Men’s Soccer Team kicked off their playoff games on March 25 against Palacios and won 3-2. Five days later, March 30th, the team played against Fredericksburg and sadly lost, 2-4, ending their season. The Men’s Soccer team has had a stressful season. Coach Breiten stated, “I am proud of the team for coming and working together to reach our goal of being district champions. I enjoy coaching all the players, each one of them stands out for their own individual reasons. For next season, I would like to build on our togetherness that we had at the end of this season.” 

Congratulations on making District Champions and good luck next season!

By: Libby Sanchez

On this team, nobody goes through anything alone. This has been proven by the black armbands worn by the girls every game since to represent the loss of a beautiful woman, Robyn Miller, on March 11. “This team means so much to me and seeing them support my family during such a hard time even if it’s as small as wearing a black armband, it means the world to me,” said Brylee Miller. Instead of letting the situation get the better of them, they took it all out on the field and played with a deep purpose behind it all. 

The Pleasanton Women‘s Soccer Team had their first playoff game against Beeville on March 26. After a long battle in both halves, the score was tied 0-0 and the teams went into a shootout. Coach Bird selected Seniors: Renata Osorio, Sofia Rivera, Kaitlyn Garcia, Lacey Stevens, and Junior: Skylar Mitchell. 

Renata was up to take the first shot for Pleasanton. Osorio took her shot, but unfortunately, Beeville’s goalie was able to block it. Lucky for us, Renata’s adrenaline rush caused her to shoot the ball before the ref blew his whistle, therefore forcing her to take the shot again. This time she waited a few seconds after the whistle was blown, and sent a beautiful shot to the bottom right of the net. Setting us in the lead 1-0. With Syd set up in goal, Beeville sent in another one of their players to take their second penalty kick of the shootout. She kicked too far right, causing the ball to hit the goal post and bounce back, leaving us in the lead. Up next, we had Kaitlyn step up to the penalty line. She set the score 2-0, increasing our lead. Beeville scored their first goal against us, making the score 2-1. Sofia was determined to keep the team in the playoffs when she scored a great goal and brought us up 3-1. To make an already intense game even better, if Beeville made this next goal in the shootout, they had a chance at a comeback. If they missed, that would set the Eagles at a lead that’s impossible to catch up to. Merecka, after playing an amazing game with multiple saves, was not about to cut her senior season short. Beeville’s player sent a great shot, but not great enough to get past Sydney. She deflected it out, winning Pleasanton the game, and it was only a few seconds before she was in the center of a hype circle her team had formed around her. The fans we’re beyond excited for the Eagles to continue on to round two.

 Their next playoff game was against Canyon Lake at Alamo Heights in San Antonio. 15 minutes into the game, Canyon Lake scored their first goal off a corner kick. This didn’t discourage our girls, if anything it just made them fight back harder. With only 8 minutes left in the first half, Osario sent a beautiful through-ball to Brandi Barnett (Junior), who was able to make a quick move around a defender and outrun her to score our first goal of the game. Going into halftime, the game was tied 1-1. This was where Bird decided to change up their plan and told the girls it was time to step up their offensive game. Canyon Lake scored their second goal with only 20 minutes left in the game. After a well-fought battle, with many great runs and plays, The Pleasanton Women’s Soccer Team’s season came to an end. It was an emotional night for this team that’s become a family, many tears were shed as a result of it being many of our senior’s last games of their high school career. “If I had to choose one word to describe this season, I think it would have to be “rollercoaster.” We had a lot of highs and lows but overall it was a ton of fun and I built friendships that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” said Osorio. It’s bittersweet to see them go, but the program is excited to see where future teams take them. “The biggest piece of advice I can give to upcoming classes is to enjoy it all, every single piece of it. It all flies by too fast to just let it float by. Four years’ worth of memories that I will cherish for a long time to come,” said Merecka. The 2020-2021 Pleasanton Women’s Soccer Team has had a memorable year and season, and the program is excited for it to only get better in the future.

By: Victoria Chavez

The Mighty Eagle Tennis team recently played against Marion high school and took home many wins in both JV and varsity. Angel Hernandez placed 3rd main draw in boys singles. Marcus Lynch placed 1st main draw in boys singles. Conner George and Mayson Smith placed 1st in boys doubles back draw. Dillion Benavidez and Shayne Cazier placed 1st place in boys doubles main draw. Rosemary Garcia and Stephanie Hernadez placed 3rd in girls doubles main draw. Devon Clark placed 2nd in boys singles main draw. Claire Benavidez placed 2nd in girls single main draw. Shyanne Sexton placed 1st in girls single main draw. Evelynn Caraway and Makenzie Richter placed 1st in girls doubles back draw. Cian Martinez and Gage Pawelek placed 2nd in boys doubles main draw. Luke Harlos and Blake Moos placed 1st in boys doubles main draw. Bennack Conroy and Elly Hernandez placed 1st in mixed doubles back draw.  

They also played in a district tournament on April 16, 2021 in Navarro high school. Angel Hernandez boys singles won 8-3. Marcus Lynch won 8-5 boys singles. Conner George and Mayson Smith boys doubles won 8-2. Conner George and Mayson Smith Boys doubles won 9-7. Shayne Cazier and Dillion Benavidez boys doubles won 8-2. Shayne Cazier and Dillion Benavidez boys doubles won 8-5. Devon Clark boys singles won 6-1, 6-4. Devon Clark boys singles won 7-5, 6-4. Shyanne Sexton girls singles won 7-6, 2-6, 6-4. Evelynn Caraway and Makenzie Richter girls doubles won 6-3, 6-3. Cian Martinez and Gage Pawelek boys doubles won 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Luke Harlos and Blake Moos boys doubles won 6-2, 6-4. Luke Harlos and Blake Moos boys doubles won 6-1, 6-3. Luke Harlos and Blake Moos boys doubles second place. 

Luke Harlos and Blake Moos will be advancing to regionals in boys doubles and Devon Clark will be advancing as boys singles. When asked how he felt playing his final year, Luke Harlos said, “For my last season it was great…I couldn’t think of a better way to end it off…” Make sure to wish our tennis team good luck as they compete in regionals from April 27th-29th…Pride Pride, Eagle Pride!

By: River Reyes

With the end of the golf season here, the Pleasanton golf teams are wrapping up the year with a series of tournaments. The Eagles participated in 5 tournaments and the Lady Eagles participated in 4 tournaments with Lacey Stevens qualifying for state. The month of April has been a tight ship with the build up to the end of the season.

On March 30, the Eagles placed 1st with 326 points and the Lady Eagles placed 3rd with 398 points. On April 5 Eagles Varsity placed 1st with 315 points, JV placed 3rd with 465 points, and the Lady Eagles placed 3rd with 402 points. On April 8, the Eagles placed 1st place with 626 points and the Lady Eagles placed 2nd with 789 points. On April 20 and the 21st, the Lady Eagles placed 8th with 405 points for the region 4 tournament and the Eagles placed 1st with 650 points, winning the 4A region 4 tournament.

With their win at the regional tournament on the 21st and 22nd, the mens golf team made school history being the first team to win a regional tournament and qualify for state. Lacey Stevens will be competing for the UIL State Golf Tournament on May 10th and 11th in Kyle, and the mens team will be competing for the UIL State Golf Championship on May 17th and 18th in Kyle.

Overall, the vast majority of games played were won, with the teams advancing to the finals. We wish them the best of luck in the upcoming state tournaments.  

By: Wanish Tortes-McGinnis

On Wednesday March 24th, the Pleasanton Track team went to their second meet in Devine. The JV Team overall made 154 points coming in 2nd place and varsity made 199 points placing them in 2nd. The JV Boys made 157 points and placed 2nd, while the varsity boys made 222 points and placed 1st.

The Varsity girls, in the 3200m run, Fe Vielma placed 1st, and in the 400m relay the team of Emree Adamitz, Kiley Wiechring, Brandi Barnett, and Angel Tucker placed 2nd. In the 800m run Caitlyn Nieschwitz placed 1st, Kennedy Guajardo placed 2nd, and Kara Hinojosa placed 4th. Emalee David placed 1st in the 100m hurdles, and in the 100m dash, Itzel Perez placed 1st, Marissa Rothenbach placed 3rd, and Ariel Mejia placed 5th. 

Placing 2nd in the 800m relay were Brandi Barnett, Kiley Wiechring,Victoria Castillo, and Angel Tucker. Kennedy Guajardo placed 1st in the 400m dash, with Ciarha Garcia placing 4th. Jillian Barcomb placed 6th in the 300m hurdles, and in the 200m dash, Angel Tucker placed 3rd. 

In the 1600m run, Caitlyn Nieschwitz placed 2nd, and Lindsey Klein placed 3rd, with Mary Martinez placing 4th. Raegan Hollis, Ciarah Garcia, Brandi Barnet, and Kennedy Guajardo placed 2nd in the 1600m relay. 

The team did just as well in field events, in the High Jump, Victoria Castillo placed 1st, Kiley Wiechring placed 2nd, and Kara Hinojosa placed 3rd. Kara Hinojosa placed first in the pole vault, with Mary Martinez coming in 2nd. In the long jump, Victoria Castillo placed 1st, with Ciarah Garcia placing 2nd, and Kara Hinojosa placing 3rd. The triple jump was executed well, with Ciarah Garcia placing 1st, and Jillian Barcomb placing 2nd. The shot put Sofia Aguilar in 3rd, and in the discus, Sofia Aguilar placed 5th.

The Varsity boys in the 100m dash had Ashon Thompson place 1st, with Phillip Sosa placing 4th, and Seth Harrison in 9th.  Ashon Thompson also placed 1st in the 200m dash. Rudy Franco placed 5th, and Adriano Ayala placed 8th. Following these two events, in the 400m dash, Jayden Palacios placed 1st, Aaron Alvarado placed 4th, and Ryan Moore placed 5th. Jayden Palacios ran the 800m, placing 1st, with Averee Cantu placing 2nd. The last two track events were the 1600m, with Israel Garcia coming in 5th, and Xavier Rodriguez placing 7th. The last part of the event was the 3200m run. Xavier Rodroguez placed 5th, and Jayden Ogg in 6th place. 

Next, in the 110m hurdles, was Justin Veale placing 3rd, with Reagan Moore placing 6th. The 300m hurdles was Justin Veale placing 1st, and Regan Moore in 2nd place. In the 4 x 100m relay, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, Sean Ramos, and Rudy Franco, placed 2nd. Also participating in the 200m relay Ashon Thompson, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Estevan Jackson placed 1st. Running the 4 x 400 were Jayden Palacios, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, and Sean Ramos, and they came in first! 

The field events were held, starting with the Long jump. 1st place went to Sean Ramos. 

2nd place to Estevan Johnson, and 3rd place went to Juan Lopez. The shotput went to Alexis Yanez in 1st place. Peyton Eichman placed 3rd in the discus. The triple jump saw Sean Ramos taking 1st, Estevan Jackson placed 2nd, and Juan Lopez placing 3rd. In the high jump, Adrian

Gacia placed 2nd, and Reagan Moore, 5th. Finally, in the pole vault, Preston Pilgrim placed 2nd, Adriano Ayala placed 4th, and Seth Harrison placed 6th. Overall, the athletes did very well in representing the school. 

On March 30th, the pleasanton track team had the district meet in Cuero. Overall the Varsity Girls made 4th place. For the 3200m run Kassidy Vickers came in 2nd following Fe Vielma in 7th. Emree Adamitz, Kiley Wiechring, Brandi Barnett, and Marrisa Rothenbach came in 4th place for the 400m relay race. Caitlyn Nieschwitz came in 2nd place for the 800m run. For the 100m Hurdles Emalee David placed 5th and JIllian Barcomb 7th. Kinsley Barker, Kiley Wiechring, Victoria Castillo, and Angel Tucker placed 2nd in the 800m relay. In the 400m dash Kenndey Guajardo placed 5th. Jillian Barcomb placed 2nd in the 300m hurdles. Angel Tucker placed 6th in the 200m dash. In the 1600m run Caitlyn Nieschwitz placed 2nd following Kassidy Vickers in 3rd and Lindsey Klein in 4th. In the 1600m relay Emree Adamitz, Ciarah Garcia, Brandi Barnett, and Kennedy Guajardo placed 5th. In field events Victoria Castillo placed 2nd in high jump. In pole vault Kara Hinojosa placed 7th place and Mary Martinez in 8th. In long jump Victoria Castillo placed 6th. In Triple jump Ciarah Garcia placed 4th. 

The varsity boys placed 3rd overall at district. Ashon Thompson placed 1st for both the 100m dash and the 200m dash. Jayden Palacios placed 1st in the 400m dash. In the 800m run Jayden Palacios placed 1st, Reagan Moore placed 3rd, and Averee Cantu placed 4th. Xavier Rodriguez placed 9th in the 1600m run following Jayden Ogg in 10th and Israel Garcia in 11th. In the 3200m run Xavier Rodriguez placed 5th and Jayden Ogg in 7th. Justin Veale placed 3rd in the 110m hurdles.In the 300m hurdles Justin Veale placed 4th following Reagan Moore who placed 5th. Christopher Zapata, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, and Sean Ramos placed 2nd in the 4x100m relay. Ashon Thompson, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Estevan Jackson came in 1st for the 4x200m relay. In the 4×400 Jayden Palacios, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, and Sean Ramos came in 1st place.

For long jump Sean Ramos came in 2nd followed by Estevan Jackson in 3rd and Juan Lopez in 4th. In shot put Alexis Yanez placed 10th and in discuss Peyton Eichman placed 6th. In triple jump Estevan Jackson Placed 3rd along with Juan Lopez in 4th and Sean Ramos in 7th. Adrian Garcia placed 9th in high jump followed by brothers Reagan Moore in 10th and Ryan Moore in 11th place. Last but not least we have pole vaulters with Preston PIlgrim in 1st, Adriano Ayala in 4th and Seth Harrison in 9th. 

By: Eileen Jaksik

The Pleasanton Eagle Softball Team is coming towards the end of their season, they have won and lost many games. Lady Eagles still have three more games until they advance to the playoffs. 

Starting off, on March 23, The Lady Eagles played Devine High School and sadly came out short with a loss of 17-2 March 30, The Lady Eagles traveled to Somerset but came out with a loss of 17-2. On April 1, the start of a new month the Pleasanton Softball team played against Hondo at the Hondo High School, sadly they fell short once more with a score of 12-0, on April 9, the lady Eagles came out with a big win against Brooks Academy with a score of 17-0. April 13, the softball team played Devine again and fell with a score of 19-0, then they played Holy cross and lost with a score 9-2. April 20, the Lady Eagles played against Somerset High School, and lost with a score 12-1, and April 23, the Eagles Softball team played Hondo High School, they sadly fell short and lost by 12-1. The Lady Eagles have one last game that will determine if they proceed through playoffs or if their season is coming to an end. 

Coach Savage is very proud of all that the girls have accomplished and wishes to give them this short piece of advice, “If there is any advice I can give my girls for the future it would be: Not everything is gonna be fair, things will not be handed to you, you have to do the extra to reap the reward. Believe in yourself because there is always gonna be someone who wants to see you fail. Believe!” Coach Savage is overall proud of how the girls performed this season among-st the circumstances of the games.  

This year is some of our girls last year, one of the players has some encouraging words for our leaving seniors. She says, “I love each senior we have. They’ve all helped me become a better player in one way or another. The only thing i’d say to them is that I hope they continue to love the game even after their season is over. I’m very grateful to have gotten to play with them, and I hope they all do amazing things once they get their lives started.” Everyone is very sad the seniors are leaving, but are happy that they are going to go off and start new things. 

The Lady Eagles are going to play amazing at the playoff game whether they win or lose they are going to end the season off great and accomplished. Pride! Pride!

By: Heaven Marquez

The Pleasanton Eagles Boys’ Baseball team has done incredibly well this season, finishing their first round of district and moving on to the second. The boys have started April strong, beating the San Antonio Highlands 8-1 on April 1st. The Eagles played well, and carried that into their next game on April 5th against the San Antonio Homeschool Wolverines, also defeating them with a final score of 9-2. The Eagles began their district season on April 9th, and won 9-5 against the Somerset Bulldogs. The boys have kept up the good work, playing a non-district game on April 10th against Corpus Christi Miller and triumphing over them 7-2. The next district game against the Hondo Owls on April 13th ended in a 1-0 win. Their season has stayed successful, earning another non-district win on April 16th against Devine 11-1, ending the first round of district. The second round of district has only just begun on April 20th, winning over the Somerset Bulldogs once again with a score of 7-2.

The Eagles have done really well this season, playing through adversity and making it out 1st in district so far. The team has even been recognized in the San Antonio VYPE Magazine’s Top 10 Baseball Teams in the San Antonio Area from 1A-4A. The Eagles are ranked number three, just below Navarro in first and Shiner in second, which is an amazing job! Great job boys, and keep up the great work in playoffs! Pride Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Timothy Klein is a sophomore here at PHS, who before coming to Pleasanton, went to school at Wellsprings in RAK, United Arab Emirates. Timothy is a kind and responsible student who tries to help out his fellow classmates whenever he can. Timothy enjoys all of his classes, but his favorite subject is Math. When asked what his favorite part about school is, Timothy responded, “I enjoy being around other students and getting to know them.”

He is not only a smart and overachieving student, but he also plays for the Pleasanton Men’s Varsity Soccer team and runs cross country. When he’s not in the classroom, he is playing his heart out on the field. This year, the men’s soccer team came out on top as undefeated district champs and made it to playoffs where they became bi-district champs and area qualifiers.

Timothy was also chosen by Mrs. Minniear as the next recipient of the PHS Positivity Challenge. “Timothy has such a genuine smile and fantastic attitude!” she expressed, “He is polite and kind and has a positive influence on those around him.” Timothy is one of the most kind and caring students you will meet at PHS, and that is why he is this month’s student spotlight! 

By: Gabby Palacios

Many seniors may recognize Mrs. Jones as the bright-eyed, high-spirited teacher located at the end of the senior hallway. Though her well-composed image is unmistakable, most students do not get the privilege of working with Mrs. Jones. Still, she has a huge impact on those who do get the privilege of working with her, and her work around our campus does not go unnoticed.

Mrs. Jones is part of the English department here at PHS. Her job is targeted towards helping students who need practice with specific skills and strategies to be successful on their English I or II tests, seniors who struggle to master a second STAAR test, and those who have large gaps in reading. As an interventionist, Mrs. Jones has had the ability to see the growth of her students and has a great impact on their experiences here at PHS.

Before she became a teacher here at PHS or even attended college, Mrs. Jones spent time in the Navy and although her enlistment was not planned, she enjoyed the experience which she believes saved her life. On a walk to her job at HEB, she explained that she was “feeling sorry for [herself].” “I was thinking ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do with the rest of my life’… you have this thought of ‘… am I going to be stuck here forever,’” Mrs. Jones explained.

She questioned how she would make it out and buy a house or start a family. But this fateful day, her friends drove by, explained that they were on their way to join the military, and asked if she wanted to join. “They took me right back to my home, I called in sick, left with them and we went to San Antonio.”

After a while, Mrs. Jones was processed and sworn into the Navy. “When I came out, it was already dark, already late and they were like ‘what took you so long?’ and I said ‘what do you mean? I just got sworn in.’ and their mouths dropped wide open… None of them joined that day.”

Mrs. Jones left for the Navy the week following her enlistment, and explains it was the “beginning of [her] today.” Mrs. Jones strongly believes that that day was meant for her. She was at a point in life where she felt stuck, with no idea of where she was going, but the opportunity provided a “vehicle” for her passage to the life she lives today. She explains, “It was one of the best choices I made in my life.”

After her time in the Navy, she became an Atascosa Jailer, then went on to become President of the police academy that she attended. Mrs. Jones decided to leave the position after the ambush on Atascosa county and returned to school, beginning in Palo Alto, then transferring to Texas A&M.

Mrs. Jones, through her service for the country and the students of PHS, has proven to be a caring, strong, and passionate woman that deserves to be recognized. Thank you, Mrs. Jones, for your dedication, hard work, and all that you do for our campus. Pride Pride!

By: Dillon Myers

Mr. Macias has been a proud PISD staff member for a good while now. During his time here, he has shown his ability to remain level-headed and make the right choice in tough decisions. It is easy to see how much he enjoys teaching others and helping guide them as best he can. 

On the sixteenth, Mr. Macias was asked “How did you get to be where you are now?” To this, he stated, “Different milestones. I think I’ve always been a teacher, even when I was a student myself in high school because kids saw me as smart… So I’ve been doing some teaching from a very young age. There’s a drive for me to really know what motivates others…” He went on to say, “The passion for being an educator has been something that has been with me, that I grew up with.”

When asked what his favorite thing about his job is, Mr. Macias replied, “Being able to get to know the students. Being able to create the relationships with them that impact their lives and decisions they’re making.” He was also asked what made him want to be an administrator, to which he said: “An administration is different, I was a teacher first. Moving into a leadership position is something… It was a sense of drive towards can I do teaching as an administrator?” He also said that in order to ensure that he does well, Mr. Macias likes to take the slow road, as opposed to “moving through the hierarchy quickly” as some do. “I’m at the end of my career now. But, I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been a good journey.” 

Mr. Macias is always doing so much for the school and has a huge impact on the lives of PHS staff and students. Thank you, Mr. Macias, for all of your hard work.

By: Heaven Marquez

The JROTC program at Pleasanton High School is often misunderstood as a place for students to get yelled at or to join the military right after high school, but it’s actually so much more than that. 

“The mission of JROTC is to motivate young people to be better citizens,” states Colonel Wynder, head of the JROTC organization. “Life skills [such as] leadership, citizenship, self-awareness, all those areas are things that cadets can learn and grow from. Not only during their high school experience, but when they go on to do something else with their lives as well.” 

Along with these important abilities, JROTC also assists students in preparing for the future. Colonel Wynder said, “We have everybody prepare resumes, talking about being able to interview and speak highly of themselves-describe who they are and what their goals are. So everything we’re doing is setting them up for what happens after high school.” 

The JROTC program also assisted in the Poteet Strawberry Festival 5K Run. For the 19 & Under category, senior Guadalupe Quintana came in third place, and Xavier Rodriguez finished fourth in his age category. The program’s color guard presented the flags as well for the national anthem. 

“That was a big significant activity,” recalled Colonel Wynder. “… because we got to interact with the mayor of Poteet. He and his wife put the event on… It was a good event, [a] bunch of people out there.”

The Poteet Strawberry Festival on Saturday, April 10th was also a remarkable day for the program. “… It’s the big meet, Central Catholic. 35 cadets will be involved, and we have some cadets that are going to do the parade from Poteet.” 

The JROTC had quite a successful meet, with the Varsity Male PT Team finishing 1st, the Woman PT team coming in 3rd. The JLab academic team ended in 2nd place, and the co-ed color guard also came in 2nd overall. Cadets also did extremely well in individual events, with several placing incredibly high. 

May 20th is the award ceremony JROTC in the Eagle football stadium, where each company is able to march and the drill team performs. They recognize the top companies and have a “change in command” ceremony. “… it’s where Edward Uhl will pass on his responsibilities to the next cadet who will be in charge of the cadet battalion next year. So it’s a busy time,” said Colonel Wynder. JROTC is improving the lives of many students and is creating a better future for them. Great job JROTC and keep up the great work! Pride Pride!

By: Adriana Clark

Saturday May 1st from 8pm-12am (midnight) is the junior/senior Great Gatsby themed prom. The colors are black and gold. Prom will be held at The Espee Sunset Room, formerly known as Sunset Station, downtown near the Riverwalk. The music and photo booth will be provided by Bring It! Productions and the appetizers will be provided by, Tim the Girl Catering. Friendly reminder to please read the dress code and contract before attending prom and do not forget to wear a mask. 

Restaurant recommendations:

Brooks City Base

Chaba Thai Restaurant

54th Street Restaurant & Drafthouse

Chili’s Grill & Bar

LA Crawfish

1917 Restaurant 

 Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

The Longhorn Cafe

McAlister’s Deli 

Armadillos Texas Style Burgers

Texas Roadhouse

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Bar-B-Q Republic

Las Palapas

Downtown/Riverwalk

Stella Public House 

Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia 

Rainforest Cafe 

Rita’s On the River 

The Original Mexican Restaurant

Casa Rio

Margaritaville Restaurant

The Republic of Texas Restaurant

Paesanos

Joe’s Crab Shack 

Rio RIo Cantina

Yard House

Biga on the Banks 

Boudro’s on the Riverwalk

Hard Rock Cafe

Acenar

Saltgrass Steak House

Cafe Ole

Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse 

The County Line 

Landry’s Seafood House

Sushi Zushi 

The Pearl District 

Down On Grayson 

Josephine Street

Earl Abel’s

La Gloria

By: Kristina Mertz

Students who attend high school are under the direction and guidance of teachers along with parents. This means students haven’t really had time to grow, especially when teachers choose to provide every last chance in order for a student to complete their work. Everybody has heard the saying, “You Only Live Once,” but nobody has added the saying “Your life is your responsibility.” Yes you may only live once, but only you are responsible for your life. Students can’t rely on teachers and parents to guide them through everything in life, when the mistakes they make are going to give them experience and the courage to try new things. This also means teachers need to let students fail when they choose to not participate and do the work. When teachers allow students the room to fail, it gives students the feeling of what it really means to fail, that way they can take responsibility and say, “I failed and it’s on me.” It’s sometimes harder for students to accept failure later in life, because they never had the experience of actually failing. This allows students to enable themselves to try better and put in more effort for the next assignment and their future. Only you know what you want in life, and it’s only you that can get you to where you need to be in life. However, asking for help is never a weakness, accepting the help you need is one of the bravest things a person can do. This just means you can’t rely on people for the rest of your life to do the things you’re responsible for. Take this as an opportunity to take initiative and responsibility for your life. 

By: Kristina Mertz and Courtney Henson

Aries (March 21-April 19)-

This month Aries, you must be completely unapologetic. Go about pursuing personal and productive initiatives as you would like, and bask in your power! This month you have to pursue and put into motion any and all dreams you have. And if the people around you are not supporting your dreams, think about your relationship with them. Find some time this month to meditate and find some self-care. Good luck Aries.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)-

The month of May is a resting month for you Taurus. You will feel not energized and depleted, so make sure not to push yourself into anything. Use this time to heal. Focus on self-care and tying up loose ends to help truly reach your work and relationship potential this month Taurus. It’s also important to remember that as the month gets close to an end, you must get back into the world. Find a few close friends to celebrate your birthday with you and enter the social world again!

Gemini (May 21- June 20)-

This month you will find yourself wanting to reconnect with a lost friend, try your best to find a positive spark out of this and rekindle your friendship. You might also find yourself to be very stressed after taking on too much this month, do not worry yourself Gemini, the stress will pass soon. As the month comes to a close tie up any loose ends and go about your time! 

Cancer (June 21- July 22)-

This month you must especially focus on what you want for your future. You will be in a very successful and positive head-space, perfect for working towards what you want. This month you will find that your close friends are longing to be with you more often, use this to your advantage and feed off of their energy!

Leo (July 23- August 22)-

This month Leo, you will be in an adventurous spirit! Make sure to explore this feeling and try new things. You are in a friendship period, try to meet new people this month Leo. Focus also on long-term goals and careers this month and might find great success and satisfaction in them. 

Virgo (August 23- September 22)-

This month you will want to surround yourself with people you trust and love. You will have lots of work to do this month, whether it is school or a job, make sure to pace yourself well. It will make you busy this month Virgo! Expect a new relationship this month, not romantic but platonic, you will have a strong connection and work well together. 

Libra (September 23- October 22)-

This month is very keen on relationships, but be careful and make sure the feeling is always mutual. You might potentially decide to take a step back and look at your relationship from a different perspective. But this doesn’t mean to be afraid of what could be, so always be honest and put yourself out there, because this could open up a new romantic relationship.

Scorpio (October 23- November 21)-

At the beginning of this month you are in major focus mode. All of the obligations that were piling up during the winter time are shouting your name. Be sure to delegate and outsource as much as possible. It’s worth it to trade a little bit of control for the satisfaction of completion.

Sagittarius (November 22- December 21)-

Expect to be vibrant this month, as your self expression and passion will come to life. Fun is your first priority this season and a spring awakening is underway for you. This may also open up opportunities for a love interest, but don’t let this blindside your creativity.

Capricorn (December 22- January 19)-

Spring may be in the air Capricorn, but this month you are going to tend to stay at home a little more. Take this opportunity to prioritize self care and manage your stress levels as best you can. Most importantly don’t forget to take a break and breathe every once in a while!

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)-

This month is your month to mingle! Start being social, hang out with friends, and exchange ideas. You may even have a “dynamic duo” moment this month that could potentially take a romantic twist.

Pisces (February 19- March 20)-

One step at a time will get you to your goals. Your month is off to a practical start, you had a busy birthday season last month, so you may now have a million ideas for what you want to do next. Take a few of those ideas and manifest them into something within reach and potentially even profitable.

What Do You Go to a Fair For?

By: Dillon Myers

The Strawberry Festival came and went like a fart in the Sahara (as the Finns would say). There were many things to do, even with COVID-19 safety measures still in place. With tons of rides and food, along with shopping, games, and concerts from various bands, no one was left unoccupied. Here at PHS, we wanted to know, which of those commodities you went to the Strawberry Festival for. The results are depicted below…

Bonus option: German lullabies

Stay Tuned for the Last Poll of This School Year!

By: Ariana Johnson

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoons fine salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• A bag of any kind of M&Ms
• Your favorite frosting and sprinkles, as topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the melted butter and then the vanilla extract.
4. While mixing slowly, add half of the flour mixture. Then add all the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture; take care not to over-mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin tin.
5. Bake until the cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean,rotating the tin about halfway through baking time, 18 to 20 minutes for standard cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the tin and cool on the rack completely.
6. To add the M&Ms to the cupcakes: Use a small paring knife to cut a circle in the top of each cupcake. Gently remove the section of each cupcake and reserve.
7. Using a teaspoon, create a small cavity in the cupcake. Fill with 5 or 6 M&Ms. Then replace the cake circle to seal in the M&Ms. 
8. Frost and decorate as desired.

April-

God’s garden is this dim old wood,

And hidden in its blossom

The bursting bud, the feathery leaf

And soft, sweet smelling blossoms.

 

Ho! May is fair, and glorious June, 

In rose leaves doth enfold her,

Their bloom is richer than my own,

But mine is sweeter, bolder.

 

God’s garden is this dim old wood, 

And, I, the pretty vagrant, 

I am the gardener He sends

To make it fair and fragrant.

 

By: Jean Blewett

 

The season where all the spring flowers come out and the weather is getting hotter than before so make sure to drink lots of water. We are getting closer to the end of the school year and summer break will be here. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

The Passionate Poet

 

 

By: Dillon Myers

A man is looking at a photograph of someone. His friend asks who it is. The man replies, “Brothers and sisters, I have none. But that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who was in the photograph?

#4 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

“In 1990, a person is 15 years old. In 1995, that same person is 10 years old. How can this be?”

#8 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

“A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most?”

#9 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

What makes this number unique: 8,549,176,320?

#10 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

The person who makes it has no need for it. The person who purchases it does not use it. The person who does use it does not know he or she is. What is it?

#19 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

You’re escaping a maze, and there are three doors in front of you. The door on the left leads to a pit of lava. The door in the center leads to a room filled with deadly gas. The door on the right leads to a lion that hasn’t eaten in three months. Which door do you choose?

#20 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and water, but no fish?

#21 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

How can 8 + 8 = 4?

#23 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

The water level in a reservoir is low but doubles every day. It takes 60 days to fill the reservoir. How long does it take for the reservoir to become half full?

#24 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/ 

A farmer needs to take a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain across a river. The only way across the river is by a small boat, which can only hold the farmer and one of the three items. Left unsupervised, the chicken will eat the grain, and the fox will eat the chicken. However, the fox won’t try to eat the grain, and neither the fox nor the chicken will wander off. How does the farmer get everything across the river?

#25 in https://www.rd.com/list/brain-teasers/