The student news site of James Bowie High School

The Dispatch
The student news site of James Bowie High School

The Dispatch
The student news site of James Bowie High School

The Dispatch

Photo Essay

FFA students put a lot of time in to taking care of their animals, day in and day out Future Farmers feed, bathe and care for their livestock. Starting as early as July FFA students can purchase and begin raising their animal for the year. They get their animals as soon as they can, choosing from pigs, goats, lambs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and rabbits. For students to begin raising their animals they have to first be in the class, pay their dues for FFA, then they have to choose one of two pathways for FFA; agriculture or animal raising. While taking these courses students are raising their animal or plants and learning hands on skills. “I chose the animal pathway because, while I do enjoy horticulture, I prefer working with animals,” junior Mark Fattouh said. “I feel like working with animals allows you to form bonds with the patience which allows you to provide them with better care.” Most students who are raising animals choose to show them in competitions, these competitions are a vital part in FFA and give the students a chance to display their hard work throughout the year. “Showing competitions are the opportunity to show off your animal,” FFA teacher, Shelby Stephens said. “You prepare all year for the show, getting your animal in the best shape possible, attend show, go into the ring with other students and walk your animal around the ring, utilizing showmanship skills specific to each species. A judge will then determine the placing of the class, picking the best animals out of a class.” Before students can start putting their animals in competitions they have to bond with them. They do this by playing with their animals and spending time with them to build a relationship of trust. The relationship that they build with their animal will allow them to perform in competitions. Sophomore Hannah Shepard has been working with her goat, Skipper all year and often takes him out to play and run in the FFA field and grass track. “Skipper’s favorite thing to do is run around the grass track here,” Shepard said. “He’s named Skipper because of the way he runs, he can’t do it properly so he skips around.” At competitions students’ animals can go to auction, and when that happens students can make a profit off of the animal that they are raising. “On the market it is less than a dollar per pound for pigs,” senior Will Gamblin said. “But if you make auction you can make a couple thousand dollars off of your pig.” At the end of the year students choose to do a few different things with their animals, freshmen Adrian Lopez recently gave his goat, Lord Farquaad, to a ranch in Marble Falls. “I gave him to this really nice couple who own a lot of goats,” Lopez said. “When I dropped him off he looked so happy to be with the other goats.” The students in the Future Farmers Association not only grow and raise animals and plants, they also cultivate valuable life skills. “In the FFA program, students cultivate responsibility, leadership, determination, and a passion for agriculture,” Stephens said. “It is also the goal that they leave with a practical knowledge skill set, such as knowing how to care for plants, care for animals, and other aspects related to agriculture.”

FFA students get a taste of ranch life

Rey Gray, Photo Essay Editor • May 4, 2019

FFA students put a lot of time in to taking care of their animals, day in and day out Future Farmers feed, bathe and care for their livestock. Starting as early as July FFA students can purchase and begin...

Dancing, candy and palm trees, oh my!

Abbey Repka, Photo Essay Editor • April 27, 2019

Student Leadership has put together the No Place For Hate Parade for four years now. The parade assists in uniting students to fight against bullying. Starting in the fall of 2004, the Anti-Defamation...

Just after Stephen Achilles was announced Mr. Bulldog, Harrison Louis holds him close. “When they announced me as Mr. Bulldog I was filled with shock as my fellow contestants hoisted me up into the air in celebration. Being Mr. Bulldog is a huge honor and it means the world to me,” Achilles said. “All of the contestants put on a wonderful show and I’m trying honored to be the one to win it all. I am so thankful for everyone who helped me in my show. I share the victory with them and with everyone who came out to cheer me on.”

Mr. Bulldog 2019

Mo Orr, Online Editor-In-Chief • March 25, 2019

TROUBLE SHOOTING: SR&D teacher Alonna Beatty and junior Andres Sanchez work on figuring out what course of action Sanchez should take with his bacterial cell. Students’ in SR&D have their own projects that they are working on and no two students work is the same. “The teacher is more of someone that helps you trouble shoot, as opposed to someone who would tell you what to do and how to do it,” Beatty said.

SR&D does groundbreaking research

Rey Gray, Photo Essay Editor • March 6, 2019

For the past semester, Bowie’s Scientific Research and Design students have participated in the Vertebrate Interactive Streaming Project. They have been working with high schools and professional labs...

Seun Odufuye walks down the center of the gym down to her seat alongside other members of the JBHS multicultural awareness club. The MCAC worked all year to promote unity.

Bowie’s Black History Month 2019

Mo Orr, Online Editor-In-Chief • March 1, 2019

POSED WITH THE DYNAMOS: Seniors Grace Clark, Jamie Forst and Saylor Dement finish off the iconic song Dancing Queen as they take a stance at the front of the stage. Some of the main characters, such as Donna, who was played by Jamie Forst, had up to 10 cosQtume changes throughout the show. We have a dressing room where we keep all our costumes, but we only have one really quick change, Forst said. We have to put our big sparkly finale costumes on in less than a song and it takes both of my doubles to help me make that costume change.

Taking a chance on “Mamma Mia!”

Preston Rolls, Photo Essay Editor • February 28, 2019

Enjoy the first Dispatch Podcast, Austin Civatte gets an behind the scenes look at "Mamma Mia!" click here! Bright neon colors of the dance floor glint off sequin-coated costumes, captivating the audience. The...

Davis laughs off her shock as all the PAL students flood her room with confetti and cheers. Blagdan and Fishbaugh announced to the class why PALs were there and said kind words of Davis talents. We

Jessica Davis awarded Teacher of the Year

Rachel Baschnagel, Copy Editor • January 30, 2019

  Grading into the wee hours of the night, going over material (and over and over it), and supporting many students- all a day in the life of a high school teacher. All week, teachers are loaded...

DIGGING IN: Seniors Asia Vo, Joseph Mao, and Grace Mansen dig in to make the oatmeal crumble for their apple pies. They spent the bulk of the day running the dough over the grates to make enough for all their pies. “The apple pie was my favorite, the crumble was especially fun to make,” Mao said.

Culinary gives back for Thanksgiving

Rey Gray, Photo Essay Editor • January 3, 2019

Over Thanksgiving break instead of staying at home in their PJ’s and watching Netflix, the Bowie Culinary team baked a total of 30 pies to serve at the Austin Public Library’s Thanksgiving dinner for...

CHEERING ON: Seniors Alexa Robinson and Taylor Bhuiyan cheer on Junior Hector Garcia as he bends back while playing limbo. The Bowie carnival consisted of many different games and activities which the students could participate in. “I thought the carnival was really fun time and a good way to relieve some stress,” Bhuiyan said. “It brought Bowie students together despite our differences.”

Bowie’s 30th Birthday

Mo Orr, Online Editor-In-Chief • December 5, 2018

Check out this news story and this photo essay to see more from the celebration!

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