Lone Star Dispatch Issue #4

Article #1: Science classes research with nanodrop spectrophotometer

The article was talking about the Scientific Research and Design class here at Bowie. The class is college-level, and students get to submit their data to UT at the end of the year. Until this year, they had to drive all the way to UT if they wanted to use a nanodrop spectrophotometer but they just recently acquired one in their classroom. This is a great addition, because it makes their work with DNA, RNA and proteins so much easier.

Who? students in the Scientific Research and Design class

What? study small molecules with a nano drop spectrophotometer

Where?at Bowie and UT

When? this past year

Why? to gain insight into lab work and experience a college level class

How? by taking the class here at Bowie

A research teacher, Denise Sanders was quoted along with Caleb Newton and Jake Anderson, two seniors in the class. I think that the strongest quote was, "Now I no longer have to drive up all the way to UT to do something that just takes me 30 seconds in the classroom." This quote was in the middle of the story. The lead sentence made me want to keep reading.

Article #2: High schoolers can fall in love

The article talks about the controversy of "high school love" and why some people feel it's a good idea and others do not. It addresses both sides of the argument, saying that it depends on one's personal experience and definition of love. The use of scientific facts explains why people feel certain things when in love.

Who? High schoolers/teenagers

What? Teenagers can experience love

Where? High school

When? Now/present

Why? Adults have said that that they definitely felt love in high school

How? They have the hormones that create love type feelings

No one was quoted in this article. The lead sentence made me want to keep reading, but it repeated the title.

Article #3: Running off the beaten path

This article featured Dawson Warnken, a senior who is a big part of the track team. Dawson talked about how running helps him meet new friends, stay healthy, and clear his head. He also discussed his pre-game routines. Both his friend and his teacher described him as a great man who is outgoing and down-to-earth.

Who? Dawson Warnken

What? Runs track

Where? At Bowie and outside of school

When? During/after school

Why? Because he loves to run for numerous reasons

How? He works out in the weight room to improve his times

Dawson Warnken was quoted in the story. I think the strongest quote was, "Dawson is a great young man whose life experiences have made him a fantastic mentor and friend to his peers and players alike. I can count on him to do anything and he always follows through with what he says he'll do." This quote was at the very end of the story. The lead sentence made me want to keep reading.

Photo #1: Squad goals

The picture is well lit for a night game, but could be seen as a little dark. The photo did not have much of an impact on the page, but it did help me visualize what the article was talking about. I thought the photo should have been cropped, because the cheerleader on the far left is really distracting. The photographer used leading lines and balance.The main subject is Jordan Haschke. The photo is exposed well for the circumstance. There is sort of a deep depth of field.

Photo #2: Jumping Hurdles

The picture is well lit, and has a huge impact on the page. It definitely goes with the story it was shot for. I really like this image, because it is interesting and adds some diversity to the newspaper. The photographer used balance. The main subject is Celeste Hermes and her horse Frazier. The photo is exposed properly. The depth of field is between shallow and deep.

Photo #3: Focusing on the yo-yo

The lighting of the photo was really good, and so was the focus considering there was motion. The photo definitely draws your eye in, and to me it had more impact than the other photos on the page. It goes with the story really well. The photographer used rule of thirds and simplicity. The main subject is Matthew Lane. The photo is exposed properly. There was a shallow depth of field.

Photo #4: On the beam

The photo had a very exciting impact, and added some drama to both the page and the story. The lighting could have better as the picture is a little dark. I like the angle of the photo, but it's kind of blurry. The photographer used leading lines. The main subject is Kate Stubbs. The photo is a little under exposed. The depth of field is in the middle, not shallow but not deep either.

Photo #5: Speak up, stand up

The lighting of the photo was really good, and it had a positive impact on the page. It showed the fight that the article talked about, and captured emotion which I liked. The photographer didn't really use any photo rules. The main subject is an Austin woman. The photo is well exposed. There is a shallow depth of field.

Other Questions: 

My favorite photo of the entire paper was Focusing on the yo-yo (B7) I liked it because it was perfectly in focus and the subject stood out against the background. The photographer used simplicity and rule of thirds.

My least favorite photo of the entire paper was Squad Goals (A1) It was my least favorite because it was awkwardly cropped, bad quality, and was taken at a weird angle.

If I was on staff, I would have liked to cover the Women's March.

I didn't think the photography was very good because there were no photo rules used, and everything was cropped the same. The positive is that all the photos added to their stories and were for the most part well lit.