The Talon
The
Talon
“Where eagles dare to soar”
NISD Excel Academy publication
6500 Ingram Road, Bldg. F SAT 78238
Meaghan Kirk Welch, editor Volume 10, Issue 2
Red Ribbon Week Sparks Art Contest
Mr. Darren Calvert, Excel Academy’s principal, chose Red
Ribbon week to challenge students to participate in an art contest, the theme of which was “i Tune Out Drugs.” Calvert
called for a simple 11”x8.5” product that had to incorporate the
theme, be school appropriate, and use any medium handy to the
contestants such as crayons, markers, pen, or paints.
Bianca Rodriguez, pictured to the right, “stayed up all night,”
working on her 3-D masterpiece cautioning others to avoid
drugs and alcohol because of their dangerous short and longterm negative effects. As first-place winner, Rodriguez won a
package of art supplies worth $50 donated by Asel Art Supplies.
As an artist, Rodriguez was very grateful for the opportunity to
win some much-needed supplies.
Second-place prize went to O’Brian Valdez, who received a $35
package of art supplies. Kayla Muzquiz ,third place winner, was
awarded a $25 package from Asel’s Art Supplies.
Congratulations to all participants and prize winners for helping
to make others aware of the dangers of drug and alcohol use
during Red Ribbon week, October 29 through November2.
Above: Bianca Rodriguez proudly holds her $50 art supply package,
awarded to her as first place recipient in the “iTune Out Drugs” art
contest during Red Ribbon week. She stands next to her creation which
cautions others to avoid drugs because of their toxic effects.
RED RIBBON WEEK
The History of Red Ribbon Week
Above; Students Anna Garcia, Brendon Goytia, Kayla Ladd,
and Jyasmine Silva don’t fear the Grim Reaper as they stand
in front of the banner touting, “Our School is 2 Cool to do
Drugs!”
The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in
Mexico City murdered an American DEA agent, Enrique “Kiki”
Camarena, in 1985. His murder marked the continuing tradition of
displaying red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the trafficking, sale, and illegal use of drugs. The National Family Partnership organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign in
1988. This year, Red Ribbon Week was held October 29 through
November 2. In recognition of Red Ribbon week, Excel Academy
held daily activities, raffles, presentations, and a student art contest, the theme of which was “I Tune Out Drugs.”
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A graduate’s personal experience with bipolar disorder
By K.B.
Manic depression is a form of affective disorder, or mood disorder.
It is more commonly known as bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed at
14 years of age. After a third major panic attack, my mother had
me hospitalized in a mental institution for teens. I was there for
about a week and couldn’t wait to leave.. Since it was my third
time to be hospitalized, however, the doctor wanted to re-examine
me. I remember sitting with my mom, waiting to be discharged.
“Well it seems,” said the doctor , “that due to her completely impulsive decision making, compulsive self-harm, intense mood swings,
and lack of improvement on her meds that we have officially diagnosed her as bipolar.”
My mom didn't look at all surprised, neither was I. So after a brief
moment of silence, the doctor continued. “With that being said, we
have put her on a new mood stabilizer, new antidepressant, and new
medication for her ADHD. Ever since the med change, she has
been back to her happy , bubbly self.” I smiled a little and watched
as he continued with my discharge papers.
I’m sad to say my happy ending doesn’t end there. Not too long
after that, I started smoking, which only made my depression worse.
The cutting got worse, but my mood was fine. My friends never
thought of me as crazy, just lots of fun to be around.. I continued to
make bad decision after bad decision, ending up in the hospital
again and again. The doctors would continue to change my meds
and I would do well for a couple of months, then fall again and get
caught doing something stupid with my friends—I lived for the
rush. My bad decisions landed me in alternative school and arrested many times. My parents even put me in a group home because they didn’t want to deal with everything. I’ll admit, I thought
I was cool. It wasn’t until my junior year that I had a wake up call..
I had been in the group home for about six months. I was due to
stay there for a year but I got tired of the strict rules and complete
lack of freedom. I didn’t care what happened to me at that point.
Then I met a pair of guys who wanted to go to California. I figured
why not, it’ll be fun. So I stayed with them until we had a ride to
the airport. I ditched everything; I didn’t tell anyone where I was
going. I just never came home after school one day. It wasn’t even
24 hours later that people were blowing up one of the guy’s phones
asking where I was. He blew it off. I thought it was amusing. We
all laid low at his trailer the next week just relaxing. It wasn’t until
the same day that we were headed for the airport that the police
showed up. I left through the back door and headed downtown
before the cop ever saw me. It was exhilarating, being on the run.
The next morning we headed back to the trailer, but this time there
were “missing” posters all over the trailer park—and it was my
face on those posters. I was so confused. I couldn’t believe I was
that important to anyone. I felt awful and ended up calling my
mom. She picked me up at the nearest restaurant with my dad and
foster mom. Everyone was so happy to see me. I was in tears—I
didn’t think anyone cared. They got me a full meal, and then once
again, I was on my way back to the hospital.
This time I was sent to a long-term mental facility in Belton, Texas
I had never been hospitalized for more than two weeks at a time. I
was told I was going to be there for at least a month which really
scared me.
It was like being in jail. We had a strict schedule of countless hours of
meaningless group sessions and group therapy. We only saw the doctor
once a week and were permitted to leave our cabin only three times a
day for food and once for school. I was always on my best behavior—
anything to get me out of that hell-hole. After three more weeks, I was
finally back in San Antonio just in time for my 17th birthday.
My favorite aunt from Mexico and two older cousins came to the states
to celebrate. I finally got to see my friends, was back in public school,
and things were looking up. As always, everything was good until it
turned bad again.
I was arrested for shoplifting with my best friend which disappointed my
parents. To make matters worse, I got into a fight with an ex-boyfriend
who made me so angry, I was determined to give him a piece of my
mind. Enraged, I took off and left the house. I didn’t get very far before
I was picked up by the police. My mom had called them to take me back
to the hospital where they declared me “unstable” because of my rage. I
played it cool and was out in a week. Afterward, I was in partial hospitalization for a few weeks. When that ended, neither of my parents knew
what to do with me. It was at that point that my favorite aunt from Mexico offered to take me back with her for a few weeks to visit.
My aunt is a doctor, a successful one, she worked her way through medical school and built her own hospital. Like me, she is bipolar. She told
me I was going to volunteer at her hospital. A very self-motivated person, my aunt never took medication for her condition. Little did I know
that her master plan was to get me off meds too.
In Mexico, my aunt took me to a psychiatrist. He told me to tell him all
about my life, so I filled him with a brief, but gruesome story of everything. After listening to me for about an hour, he made the decision that
I don’t need to be on medication. Confused, I looked at my aunt, “I told
you, "she smiled. So the doctor put me on a plan to slowly detoxify me
from my meds. No big deal, right? Well, I had only been on meds since
the age of 13, so I was pretty unsure of the outcome. Reader, .please
know that this is only something that can be done with a doctor’s approval and under that doctor’s supervision. Everything was great at
first, but after about a month it was like going cold turkey—no meds,
nothing. I had to deal with everyday problems completely un-medicated.
I would get so upset over minor things. I cried all the time.
Everyday my aunt would wake me and take me with her to work at the
hospital. She would encourage me through all the struggles I faced. She
showed me that through hard work, I could make it through high school
and go on to college. It was rough but it turned out well. As I write this,
I am about to graduate from Excel and I’m filled with hope.
Please know, however, that what works for one person may not work for
another. Each story is unique and each person who suffers from an illness requires an individual treatment plan that may or may not include
medication or therapy. That is between the patient and a trusted doctor.
This is never a decision a patient makes alone. Whatever the treatment,
it does require work and channeling every ounce of energy into doing
great things.
For more information about bipolar disorder, visit:
www.nimh.nih.gov
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Did you know that…..
 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of death among
young people aged 16 to 19. In 2009, 6.3% of 16-17 yearolds drove under the influence.
 Many students not diagnosed with ADHD are obtaining
medication prescribed for it illegally. Adderall is a stimulant
just like illegal amphetamines. Its abuse is bad both for the
brain and overall physical health.
 A study followed 1,000 people who regularly smoked marijuana for more than 38 years. The results showed that those
who began smoking in their teens lost as much as 8 IQ
points between the ages of 13 and 38. That’s a drop into the
lower third of the intelligence range! Think about it!
It was a full house when a representative from the Palmer Drug Abuse
Program visited Excel Academy to tell his story of alcohol abuse and how
it nearly destroyed his life and took the life of someone close to him. He
discussed how addiction is an illness that must be recognized, treated, and
worked on each and everyday of a person’s life. Like any other illness such
as diabetes or heart disease. If untreated and you suffer from it, addictionwill destroy your life and harm those around you. It requires constant vigilance and daily maintenance. For more information about the ill effects of
drug abuse and for help in finding treatment or group meetings, visit the
Palmer Drug Abuse web site:
http://www.pdap.com
 Some teens who start abusing opioid painkillers turn to heroin because heroin is less expensive to obtain. Both opioid
painkillers and heroin are highly addictive and can damage
internal organs and slow brain function.
 Cigarette smoking results in more than 443,000 premature
deaths in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means that
one in every five deaths is attributed to smoking
 K2 or Spice refers to various mixtures of herbs that are similar to marijuana. In some cases, however, these combinations are more potent and unpredictable than marijuana
They can have dangerous and unpredictable effects on the
consumer
 Repeated drug use results in “high jacking” the brain’s natural reward or limbic system. Normally, the brain responds to
pleasurable experiences by releasing dopamine. Drugs cause
large amounts of dopamine to flood the brain. Once one
stops drug use, it takes a long time for the brain to normalize
 The human brain does not fully mature until we are in our
Pajama Pant Day was one of the fun ways for the Excel Academy campus to
show its solidarity against drug and alcohol abuse.
Above: Ms. Marisela Gutierrez, principal’s secretary, Mrs. Romelia Tirado,
front office secretary, students Joshua Hernandez, Joshua Wood, Ms. Kirsis
Diaz, instructional assistant, students Christopher Sepulveda, Anna Garcia,
Angela Waters, and Aiyana Johnson sport their pajama pants to show their
support for the Red Ribbon campaign.
mid twenties. This is why it is so important to take care of
our brains and avoid harmful drugs that can cause irreversible damage. Chemicals in drugs can negatively affect the
developing brain. The last part of the brain to mature is the
cortex, or forebrain, which is the thinking center of our
brain. This part of the brain gives us the ability to plan,
solve problems, control our actions, and make important
decisions. If the center of the brain gets flooded by drugs
before its maturity, it could affect a teenager’s cognitive
abilities such as thinking effectively, making good decisions, and doing well not only in school but in life, Think
about it! For more information about harmful effects of
drugs and treatment centers in your area, go to:
http://drugabuse.gov
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Excel Academy Makes a Declaration of Respect
Counselor, Ruth Caldwell
Every October, schools and organizations across the country observe National Bullying Prevention Month.
The goal is to encourage communities
to work together to stop bullying in
our schools. NISD held its annual
Declaration of Respect Signing Day
on October 10 as a reminder to the
community that the district is committed to ensuring the safety of students
and staff members and providing a
respectful environment.
“We take bullying very seriously in Northside ISD,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods, who signed a respect pledge with all
seven NISD school board members on September 23. All students
from kindergarten through 12th grade and all faculty members
signed the respect pledge on October 10. Many programs have
been implemented to address the safety of students through guidance, lessons, classroom presentations, and district-wide programs.
Northside Excel Academy principal, Mr. Darren Calvert, is a true
advocate for student safety. He strongly believes in the six pillars
of character—trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship—and their implementation in the school environment.
Above: Mr. Darren Calvert, Excel Academy principal is the first to
sign the Declaration of Respect document. By signing the document, Calvert , along with the Excel’s teachers, counselor, and
office staff pledge to help bullied students, listen carefully to all
students seeking help and act on their behalf to put an immediate
end to bullying. They vow to work with other caring adults to create a safe learning environment for all students in our school.
We always talk about respecting yourself and
others, but I want to specifically speak to you
about respecting your elders. I see so many
young people disrespecting adults, their parents,
and grandparents. They have lived through
things that you could hardly even imagine. They
have achieved everything without much comfort
such as cell phones and computers like you .
Your elders are amazingly interesting, intelliPrincipal, Darren Calvert gent, and strong human beings who have experienced various hardships. We must help
them when needed because they are old now and many are incapable of
handling things on their own like before. Unfortunately, elderly people are
not regarded with much respect these days. They are unable to get the
love, affection, and respect that they truly deserve. I believe that it’s high
time that we be cognizant and realize the importance of the people in our
families, in our lives, who are elderly.
Reasons to Respect Your Elders:
1.They are much more experienced in terms of age, education, wisdom, and
maturity
2. They’ve already been through phases you’re experiencing today and
know more about this world than you
3.
They are a treasure of historical information
4.
They deserve it because they brought you up facing many hardships
5.
They love you unconditionally and you owe everything in return for
their love and kindness
Above: All Excel students and staff members participated in the Respect
Signing Day and pledged to demonstrate respect for themselves and each
other by signing the Declaration of Respect on October 10.
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Excel students “Tune out Drugs” and focus on graduation
Above left: O’Brian Valdez’s detailed drawing won him second place in the “iTune Out Drugs” art contest during Red Ribbon Week. He incorporated the musical theme along with the wisdom of an owl bearing the message, “Smoking Kills, “along with the words “Dignity,” and “Free Forever.”Valdez received his award on the same day that he graduated. Above right: O’Brian Valdez is pictured with his daughter. “I did it all for
her,” he said, “I want her to know the importance of an education.”
Above right: Kayla Muzquiz used canvas and a black marker to illustrate her interpretation of “iTune out Drugs.”Like many students at Excel, the
teenager in the drawing is listening to music in order to focus on schoolwork, tuning out disruptive and negative distractions. Above left: Kayla is
in her last few courses and nearing graduation soon. “I’m so excited; I can’t believe it!” she said
Left: Students, administration, staff, and teachers at Excel wrote their names on cut-outs of the
school’s mascot, the eagle, and wore ribbons
pledging to be drug-free as part of the Red Ribbon Week’s activities.
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Above left: Anna Garcia, Aiyana Johnson, students, Mrs. Annie Niedecken science teacher, and students Jeremy Moreno and Angela Waters put
on their best for the spooky-cooky Halloween contest. Mrs. Niedecken received the most votes for her banana attire and Aiyana Johnson won
first place in the student category.
Above right: It’s just another day for social studies teacher, Mr. Ron Hyde. “Oh, is today Halloween?” he asked. “If I’d known I’d have worn a
costume…”
Café College makes a visit to Excel Academy
Café College is a service funded by the City of San Antonio and managed by the
San Antonio Education Partnership. The program serves as a means for high school
seniors to shop for colleges, receive advice, guidance, and participate in useful
workshops to prepare them for the college experience,
Thanks to Ms. Ruth Caldwell, Excel’s counselor, our campus has regular visits from
the Café College program which is endorsed by the Lumina Foundation, the Texas
Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the National College Access Network, and is
one of two statewide pilot programs for the Texas College Access Network. . All
services are free of charge and bring college representatives directly to our campus
to inform students, give them a variety of post-graduation choices, and guide them
through the financial aid, admissions, registration, and course choice process.
Above left: Students receive help applying for financial aid from an ACCD representative. Above right: The University of Incarnate Word visits Excel to discuss its
opportunities. Right: Students listen to an A&M recruiter about programs offered.