Free Write

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...  we watched as the rocket shot off into the air as if it was on fire, which it was. Within 20 seconds, the ship was no longer visible.

What do  I do!? What do I do!? All these buttons blinking! I don't know what to do! If you couldn't tell, it was my first time flying in space, alone, in space... O God! What kind of space station sends one person up in a rocket by themselves? But I had to clear my mind, I had one mission to accomplish, and that was to grab some rocks from the moon... I think. I'm not the most intelligent person. Anyways, I was on my way to the moon!

After pressing a few random buttons I think I was going in the right direction, I'm directionally challenged. From what I was told, I wasn't supposed to leave the rocket, I had to be patient, and I had to... oh I don't remember the last one. It wasn't important anyways.

As I kept floating forward, I noticed something glowing white near the back of the ship. I became highly suspicious, since I didn't really understand much about this mission, and slowly crept over to it. You will never guess what it was... I mean never! It was a fridge! A shiny, awesome, clean, gift from god, white fridge full of of.... dried crap! What is this? They give me food with the life sucked out of it? Food that looks as if it has been thrown into jail and left for dead? Then I realized that I got distracted. Darn food.. it always gets me.. but I was on a mission!

As I raced back to the dashboard, the whole space ship rocked to the side and I heard a loud thud. However, I payed no attention but I probably should have. Ooh! That's foreshadowing! I learned that a few years ago, my teacher always made me annotate for it. Then I saw it... the moon!

I saw it out of the corner of my eye as  Iran to the window. I saw the moon in all of it's beauty with it's beautiful gray color and full of wholes and craters. Quickly and efficiently I obtained the moon rocks, then as I turned around, it hit me! I ran into a wall. But then it really hit me that I had accomplished something. Something huge, by myself, and something out of this world! I always screw things up someway or another but not this time. This time, I, Elijah Matthew Hexen, had gotten the requested rocks off the moon. I began to do my subtle yet not so subtle happy dance. My legs started moving, then my hips began to rotate, and then my arms began to sway, and I just couldn't stop. I was so proud.. oh my gosh... you know who would be really proud? My mom! As I went to go grab my phone, that I forgot I didn't have, I looked out the window and saw a huge rock flying straight towards Earth.

My jaw dropped and my A.D.D started kicking in. My thoughts were going every which way (not that they weren't before) and then  I remembered that thud. That loud thud that had rocked the ship. I must have hit an asteroid and knocked it down towards Earth. I could only think about how it was my fault people were about to die as  I watched the asteroid hurtling straight for Earth.

Oops.

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

APERTURE

F2.8

F16

1. What part of the body should we closely relate aperture? 

The human eye

2. Finish this sentence - the smaller the Aperture the more in focus the foreground and background is, the higher the Aperture  the more blurry the background and foreground of the photo is.

3. In your own words tell me how aperture impacts Depth of Field?

Aperture impacts depth of field because it controls how in focus or blurry the background and foreground of a photo is. Depth of field is the area of an image that is sharp. So if the background is blurry, then the photo has a small depth of field but if the background is in focus, the photo has a high depth of field. 

SHUTTER SPEED

Fast Shutter

Slow Shutter

At the beginning while the sun was still up and the courtyard had reasonable good light

a.) a booth in the middle of the yard near the Tree Slow

b.) a food booth outside under one of the big red awnings Fast

c.) the Stars performance inside the gym Fast

d.) students dancing near the center of the courtyard Fast

e.) people streaming in from the front doors Slow

f.) the basketball booth where students are shooting basketballs at a hoop Fast

Towards the end when there is no sun and has gotten dark enough that you can't see from one end of the courtyard to the other.

a.) a booth in the middle of the yard near the Tree Slow

b.) a food booth outside under one of the big red awnings Fast

c.) the Stars performance inside the gym Fast

d.) students dancing near the center of the courtyard Slow

e.) people streaming in from the front doors Slow

f.) the basketball booth where students are shooting basketballs at a hoop Slow

1. Aperture Priority: the photographer sets the aperture settings while the camera manually sets shutter speed

2. Shutter Priority: the photographer sets the shutter speed and the camera manually sets the aperture. 

3. Manual: the photographer controls both of these settings on the camera

ISO

ISO 200

ISO 6400

1. What are the advantages of shoot at a higher ISO at a sporting event like basketball or a night football game?

With a higher ISO, the camera can capture fast motions better and at a night games, it allows more light into the picture without ending up with a blur. 

2. What suggestions did the author make about using a low ISO?

He suggested you should always try to stick with a low ISO especially when there is plenty of light. Also, if you want to keep the detail in your photo, you should use a low ISO.

3. What suggestions did the author make about using a high ISO?

He suggested that you use a high Iso when trying to capture very fast motion or when it is dark outside to prevent blur. 

DSLR CAMERA

Aperture Settings: 2.8-22

Shutter Speed Settings: 1 second - 1/4000 second

ISO settings: 100-25600

Photoshop

BOWIE

 HAPPY

 METAL

 SQUARE

Photography Ethics

A. Two photographers combined two different photos to make the composition of their photos better. They were fired from their jobs because it was unethical to combine these two photos. They were trying to create more effect and drama within their photos by using photoshop but tok it a little too far.

B. I think this type of photo editing is unethical because basically the photographer is lying. This isn't what they actually captured or may not even have been exactly what happened yet the photographer edits the image to evoke more emotion from those who see the photo. Furthermore, they want to improve their composition but if you didn't take the photo with that composition, I don't believe you have the right to sit them and say you did.

A. I think that this photo was the most unethical because this was a real war and both of the subjects in this photo were doing their best to save people. Yet the photographer edited the photo to make it look like the man was trying to escape but the soldier is not letting him. I think it's very wrong to edit photo of real life events because first of all people don't get to see what truly happened and wars are dangerous and hard times and I don't think the photographer has the right to edit such a difficult time in people's lives.

B. I think that this photo was the least unethical manipulation because they just moved landforms to fit in the cover of the magazine. Moving landforms doesn't effete anyones lives or image so I don't think it is a big deal. Furthermore, most people probably wouldn't notice that they were moved closer together, I know that I didn't when I first saw this manipulation. 

Prompt Shoot

This is Happy and the rule of photography is "Creating Depth"

This is Bowie and the rule of photography is "Rule of Thirds"

This is Metal and the rule of photography is "Simplicity"

This is Square and the rule of photography is "Rule of Thirds and Lines"

Current Events Quiz 4.2

1. How many students attend an AISD school? Page A1 "Austin district no longer...."
83,951 students

2. How (not how much) will Big Ben State Park potentially grow by 578 acres? Page B1 "Big Bend State Park..."
The Texas Parks and wildlife department is closing a deal for the extra 578m acres. They are exchanging 607 acres of public land for 1,185 acres of private land.

3. What are the Pantone colors of the year? Page SA2 "New top Pantone colors..."
Rose quartz and serenity

4. Do you know anyone who colors? What do you think about this new trend? Page D1 "Coloring Craze"
I do know people who color. My best friend Jenni and her sister Jessi love and some might say are obsessed with coloring. I don't have a problem with this trend and personally I think it is pretty cool. It is a relaxing way to have fun and it shows that adults can do things that are supposedly meant for kids.

5. Which of these would you like to attend this weekend if you could? WHY? Page D2 "The Long Weekend"
I would like to attend the Bullock's museum Life and Death on the border because history interests me and I think their is a lot of things people don't know about between Mexico and Texas. We as humans are quick to judge but I think this exhibit would help me truly understand the history of the border.

SHORT ANSWER

      The major causes of Global warming are El Nino, a weather pattern that warms the earth, and long term planetary warming caused by greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. 
        Some consequences of the higher global temperatures are more intense rainstorms on Earth because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. Furthermore big waves are created and the Earth becomes overall warmer in temperature. 
      I don't really think about global warming that much because my parents don't think it is a real thing so therefore I typically just brush off the idea of global warming. Also as a high school student, I am typically more worried about getting my homework done then about what is happening to the Earth's climate and environment. 
      As a society I think we need to find more ways to be a more green planet. I know many steps have been taken to make this change but it doesn't seem to be working. Personally I think that cars are not a necessity in this world unless a long road trip is being taken. I think that more people walking, biking or carpooling in a bus or one car would limit the amount of gases admitted into the  air. With less gases being released into the atmosphere, I believe the warming of the Earth would slow down a little bit. 
      I don't think it has reached the point where global warming is a major issue but it definitely is an issue. Currently nothing that awful has happened because of global warming making it not seem like such a big deal. However I do think that measures need to be taken to slow down this process so that it doesn't become a major problem in the future. 

Cropping

This photo demonstrates cropping because it is cut close to the two people who are crying. This effect centers your focus on the main subject and allows you to see more emotion and facial expressions from the main subjects. This effect creates a more dramatic feel to the photo.

Creating Depth

This photo demonstrates creating depth because the main building is centered and in focus but behind that building you can see a lot more land. This creates a sense of 3-D because you can see the continuos land behind the building which is how it looks in real life.

Viewpoint

This photo demonstrates viewpoint because it is taken above the subject on the stretcher. It is an aerial view and allows whoever is looking at the photo to see the whole scene and the entire body of the man on the stretcher.

Symmetry and Patterns

This photo demonstrates symmetry and patterns because of the planes and winds of the building. The planes that are on either side of the building and the columns of windows are all examples of patterns. Furthermore, since there are about 5 planes and a dividing line down the middle, it demonstrates symmetry. This effect allows for a sense of balance in the photo and makes it more pleasing to the eye. 

Avoiding Mergers

This photo demonstrates mergers because the man in the bottom left corner is cut in half but also is distracting from the main focus of the image. My eye goes to the man instead of the twin towers so this merger creates a distraction within the photo.

Framing

This photo demonstrates framing because the bridge, smoke, and water provide a "border" for the main subject of the photo which is downtown New York and the burning twin towers. This effect creates an easy way to identify the subject.

Rule Of thirds

This photo demonstrates rule of thirds because the shoes hanging on the tree are set off to the right of the image. (Most of the shoes are in the top right corner) Furthermore the tree and shoes are in crisp focus making it easy to tell what the subject is. This effect creates a more appealing photo because the subject is not smack in the center and you get a sense of depth within the photo.

Balance

This photo demonstrates balance because the flag is the main subject but to prevent having a lot of open space, there is part of the building behind the flag. This creates a more appealing photo because there is an equal amount of "weight" in the photo. An object that wasn't as important is be hid the photo to balance it out, to almost make a more symmetrical feel to the photo. Symmetry is appealing to our eyes. 

Lines

The photo demonstrates lines because the sides of the building lead your eyes down the photo to the man who is falling from the burning twin towers. They are slightly diagonal making the photo more dynamic and allow a way to find the subject because the lines lead you there.

Simplicity

This photo demonstrates simplicity because the only subject in the photo is the burning building. Behind the building there is a blue sky so there are no distraction within the photo. Your eyes go straight towards the building creating a simple and easy to look at photo.

Current Events Quiz 4.1

1. What are 5 key points listeners can expect to hear from President Obama when he gives his final State of the Union address tonight? Page A1 "The Presidency"
A breakup note, retrospective, social push, Tee up for democrats, and Austin represented.

2. How did actor Sean Penn play a role in the capture of drug lord "El Chapo"? Page A5 "Penn: 'nothin' to hide'
Actor Sean Penn met up with an Actress who led him straight to El Chapo. They were being tracked so the government was able to capture him. 

3. Name 4 of David Bowie's most famous songs. Page A9 "True Genius" of pop music..."
"Space Oddity," "Fame," "Heroes," and Lets Dance."

4. What is the projected Powerball lottery payout for the lucky winner when the numbers are pulled Wednesday night? Page B1
$1.4 billion

5. Would you go to Star Wars Universe at Disney World (Why)? Page SA3 "Bring the galaxy closer...."No I wouldn't because I am not a huge fan of star wars and to pay a lot of money just to look at Star wars memorabilia does not interest me.

SHORT ANSWER

     If I could buy a lottery ticket I definitely would. Even though the chance of winning is close to none I think it would still be fun to participate. Furthermore, just having a chance at winning all that money is exciting and thinning to think about. So yes I would buy a ticket but just for the fun and excitement of it. 

     My parents have bought tickets. They got 5 tickets at HEB when the power ball was at $900 million. However, my dad thinks that buying lottery tickets is dumb because there is such a low chance that you will win especially in such a big drawing like this $1.4 billion powerball. 

     I would definitely buy tickets for this powerball. It is the largest ever and it would be exciting to feel like I had a shot at winning that much money even though I have almost no chance. Any ways, if I was going to buy a ticket, this powerball drawing would be the time to do it. 

     If I were to win this money, I would start by giving at least 10% to the church and charities around the world. I have read many stories about people who win the lottery and know that getting that much money can do bad things to people so I would try to avoid that. After donating to charities I would put more than half in a savings or bank account of some sort. I would put the money towards mine and my brothers college accounts. Also, I would give money to my parents and relatives. Finally (after tax reductions and all the others ways the government takes lottery money) I would use whatever money I had left (Which is probably a lot) to get me through as many years of my life as it could. Yes, I would probably splurge quite a bit and not be the best at saving all that money but I would try to keep the spending to a minimum. One final thing I wold do is keep my name anonymous. I would not want people finding out that i had won all that money because then they would treat me differently or some would try to steal it. I would want to continue my normal lifestyle that I had before winning. 

    If I didn't win the big jackpot and just got $3 million dollars I would still be really happy. Again I would keep it anonymous so that no one knew I won. That money I would just keep between me, my brothers, and my parents. Again I would put at least 10% towards the church and charities. I would pay off mine and mothers college accounts and probably put almost all of the rest in savings. I wouldn't want winning money to change me as a person so i would do my best to prevent that and prevent it within my family. 

Lone Star Dispatch Issue #3

NEWS
Absences get a makeover
- AISD has changed their attendance policies in order to encourage kids to come to school 90% of the time. Incentives have been put in place to motivate student to follow these rules, but many are still confused about the changes.

Quoted: Superintendent Kathy Ryan, Assistant Pricipal Susan Leos, Assistant Principal Lawrence Britton, Aisd Website, Anita Yem, Danielle Bryant,

-I believe the quote by Danielle Bryant was the strongest because he talks about the struggles these new rules are going to put on him and his family. You can hear the emotion and understand the problems with these new rules.
"This will effect me personally because I often find myself late to class because my mom is a single mother so getting me to school on time is sometimes difficult for her."

The lead sentence did make me want to keep reading because it introduced an idea that was relevant to me as a high school student.

The conclusion was a quote

COMMENTARY
Science Fair is getting too competitive for students
-Gavin Farner writes that science fair should be an optional activity during school because it causes stress in students lives and takes away the little free time they have with friends or family after school. The many grades that science fair requires throughout the year can bring down a students grade.

Quoted: No quotes but written by Gavin Farner

There are no quotes

The lead sentence made me want to keep reading because it was something I agreed with and wanted to hear his reasons to back up this statement that science fair should be optional.

The inclusion was  a statement.

STUDENT LIFE
Pet Rescue strikes a cord with a pair of animal lovers
- Two juniors have been volunteering at an animal shelter (specifically for cats) ever since they adopted their two kittens. They do lots of work whether it be with the cats or with those whom are looking to adopt a cat.

Quoted: Fuaad Ajaz, Alex Reyes

-I think that the quote by Fuaad Ajaz is the strongest because it talks about how this volunteer opportunity has shown him his true passions and what he wants to do with his life.
"I love it because it helped me figure out what I want to do with my life," Ajaz said. "I know I want to work with animals."

The lead sentence didn't really make me want to keep reading. It sounded kind of boring and like I already knew the whole story. However new information was presented throughout the story that hooked my attention.

The conclusion was a quote

ENTERTAINMENT
Starlight Theater Company has a busy holiday season
- Theater had rehearsed for a very long time their children's shows that were performed here at Bowie about a month ago. However theater got no break sine right after they began rehearsals for the spring musical, Tarzan.

Quoted: Betsy Cornwell, Tasha Anslyn, Anna Seningen, Chloe Arevalo, Michael Jefferson, KAedon Solana, Jackson Walker

-I think the quote by Sophomore Michael Jefferson is the most important because he talks about how he got such a huge role and he was only a sophomore.  It converts lots of emotion and is inspiring for others who read it.
"I honestly never would have expected to be a lead, especially since I'm only a sophomore and I was up against so many talented people." "It's amazing."

The lead sentence did make me want to keep reading because I am very excited to see the Tarzan production.

The conclusion was a quote.

ATHLETICS
College bound turns into D1 bound
-3 seniors committed to D1 colleges to continue with their sports career. Two play softball while one plays basketball and they all had different opinions on where they wanted to go.

Quoted: Kianna Ray, Amber Lotz, Hailey Walker

-I think the quote by Kianna Ray is the strongest because it gives a sense of what everyone is looking for in a college so it is relatable.
"The coaching staff, current players, and incoming players are amazing and made me feel very welcome and the campus is beautiful, and academically it's a great school."

The lead sentence did capture my attention because going to a D1 college and playing spots is a dream of mine.

The conclusion was a quote.

IN-DEPTH
'Tis the season to be accepting
- Many religions celebrate different holidays during December or what we in America call the Christmas Season. Three specific holidays, Hanukkah, Eid, and Christmas were mentioned and the differences between the holidays. In the end though, the holiday season is just about spending time with family.

Quoted: Sam Searles, Nour El Houda Remli, Andy Moe

-I think the most important quote is by Sam Searles where she talks about acceptance of every religion. I agree with this statement and think that it speaks to everyone who reads it.
"When I have kids I'll definitely teach them to be accepting of all religions and understand their differences."

The lead made me want to keep reading because the holiday season is such a good time and I have always been interested in how other religions celebrate so it definitely grabbed my attention.

The conclusion was a statement.

PHOTOGRAPHY
1. My favorite Photo is of Jake Yeager holding his gun in the student Life section.
1A. This is my favorite because he is the only thing in focus in that picture (good depth of field) and it conveys the importance of him. Furthermore you can see the emotion on his face clearly.

2. My least favorite photo is the lacrosse photo on the bottom of the front page.
2A. This is my least favorite photo becuase all the reader can see is the back of a player. You don't know who that is or what they are feeling because the reader can't see the emotions on her face.

3. I would have loved to shoot pictures in Florida at the National Journalism Convention. The scenery is pretty and it would have been something different from dead plants in Texas.

4. I would rate it a 7 out of 10. I think more emotion could be shown within the hoots and some are a little blurry. I believe more clear and hands-on photos could have been taken for the photo essay on the culinary class.

SUGGESTION FOR STORY
Cover the cave that is under Bowie

Person: Britteny Brezinski- an english teacher who does aerial gymnastics and currently is suffering from a foot injury that is going to require surgery. (People think that she is just an english teacher but she does more.)

Welcome Back

This photo demonstrates how America is expanding and growing. America has become developed on why was once bare and rural land.

In 2015, I was a freshmen at Bowie High school. This photo is important because it represents how i felt. There were lots of people everywhere but I just had to stay focused and find my way through the people and problems of the year.

This photo represents how fast 2015 went by. I feel like I didn't get anything done in this year and now I am closer to graduating. 2015 went by super fat just like this train. Also it's a really cool photo because the one thing in focus is actually what is moving. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

1. The best song of 2015 was The River by Jordan Feliz. It is christian music and was released in October of 2015. The song means a lot to me because I was taking another step in my faith last year as was Jordan Feliz. The song talks about repentance and that was the concept that I was struggling to understand. The first time I heard it on the radio it caught my attention and I never stopped listening to it. I think it was the best for 2015 because if everyone understood this concept the world would be a much better place. 

2. The best movie of 2015 was Star Wars the force awakens. I chose this for 2015 because the entire year everyone was just waiting for this movie to come out. I don't necessarily think it's the best movie but I definitely think it represents the year of 2015. Everyone was talking about the movie and making plans to see it. I think it was the most memorable especially since it was near the end of the year. 

3. I think the most important news story of 2015 was the second attack on Paris. I remember it being all over the news and all over social media. Almost everyone had heard about this act of terrorism. Furthermore I think it truly demonstrates the problem the entire world is having with terrorists and attacks. Everyone is fighting and looking towards a peaceful world that is out of reach. 2015 was the year that ISIS became big and I think this attack on Paris shows the problems the world is going through. 

4. The most important person of 2015 was Donald Trump not because he is causing such commotion and drama within the U.S and the presidency but because everyone knows who he is. He is an outspoken individual with many ideas to "make America great again." Everyone knows who Donald Trump is, what his hair looks like, and his personality and values. Donald Trump is all kids and Adults talk about with his outlandish ideas. Furthermore he is running for president which makes him even more public and well known. I view Donald Trump as the most important person of 2015 because of how well known he is and because at least he is actually trying to do something for America. (whether it be bad or good) 

5. The biggest sports event of 2015 was the deflate gate Super Bowl. The patriots vs the Colts and the Patriots deflated the balls making it easier to grip in the cold weather. This event was in the news for weeks after the Super Bowl was over. Lawsuits were happening and the story was all over the papers. Many people had strong opinions about what they thought really happened in that 2015 Super Bowl game. Furthermore I think it really shows how big of a deal football and the Super Bowl is to Americans that a team would go to this extent to win a sports game. That is why I believe it is the biggest sports event of 2015. 

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1. One memorable thing that happened over my winter break was on the road trip back home. My dad had just got done telling us that we were making such great time when all of a sudden we came to a complete stop. All at once phones were going off with tornado warnings and cars were pulling off to the side of the road. It was pouring rain and my parents were freaking out. We kept driving and only encountered damage that the tornado did. However I will always remember the buzzing of everyones phones saying tornado warning and how the trip was an extra 3 hours long. (So instead of 16 is was 19 hours.)

2. My resolutions for the 2016 year are to get stronger, read my bible more, and run close to everyday.

3. In 2016, I'm looking forward to making the track and softball team at Bowie. Also, I am looking forward to the summer.