“A Season Full of Surprises”
By the TMI Journalism Club
As the fall semester comes to an end, a new season is approaching for the TMI student community. In this November issue, we cover important extracurricular organizations such as the Student Equity Committee and the Corps of Cadets. We also highlight important winter events and, of course, our Student Spotlights.
Sports Recap
This fall sports season came with both challenges and achievements, starting with our girl’s varsity volleyball team and ending the season with a win against St. Anthony’s. Then, our varsity cross country teams brought home many accomplishments and awards, with the girl’s team placing on the podium at state for the first time in many years, and the boys coming in with a second-place finish. Although the football team had a challenging season, they fought hard considering they were in a much more competitive division this year. We are looking forward to many more achievements from the winter sports this coming season.
Student Equity Committee
What is equity? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, equity can be defined as “justice according to natural law or right.” The Student Equity Community is a student-run organization that seeks to apply this definition in our everyday TMI student community. It is important for all students to feel seen and heard, despite gender, race, ethnicity, or sexuality. One of the SEC officers, Matthew Ybarra ’24, says that he joined the committee because “I am passionate about making sure the school stays equitable and that people continue to feel heard and respected.”
The Corps Does More
“The Corps does more” is a common phrase you may have heard from your peers or faculty members. The TMI Corps of Cadets indeed knows how to live up to this well-known phrase. As the new semester approaches, so does the opportunity to join TMI’s “Keepers of Tradition.” Be a part of a close-knit battalion under the leadership of an exciting group of juniors and seniors, and watch your life truly transform for the better. It is never too late to join the “Keepers of Tradition.” For more information, watch our interview with Major (Ret.) Claburn and Cadet Battalion Commander, Carson Moore ’23.
Theater
For the first time, TMI participated in a TAPPS theater competition alongside four other schools. The theater team performed the play “The Visit” by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. The team did very well and earned many awards. Samantha Flores ’24 won an All-Star Crew award. Russell Duncan ’26, Patrick Jaramillo ’26, and Niha Sanka ’26 all won Honorable Mention Cast. Addie McCabe ’26 and Chance Walker ’25 both won All-Star Cast awards. Overall, TMI did very well and will certainly do even better next year.
Big Tent Chapel Talks
Bringing a new change to the chapel talks, a long-standing tradition at TMI, Father Ben and Mr. Friedrich presented three Big Tent Chapel Talks on Wednesday, November 9. The event began with music from the Big Tent Band consisting of Kevin Love ’23 and Quin Caldwell ’23.
Elise Miles ’23 presented her chapel talk first in which she told of a heart-wrenching moment when her father fell into shock. She went through what happened, minute by minute, and finished by imploring everyone to never take things for granted because you might not have them forever. Alex Naaman ’23 followed Elise with a short yet powerful talk concerning quitting and doing what you’re passionate about. The talk was extremely funny and had the audience laughing the entire time. Ewan Aitken ’23 went last with an emotional telling of how he coped with hard times in his life. He implored the audience to never give up hope.
Holiday Recipes
With the holidays just around the corner, the TMI Journalism Club has some holiday recipes that will definitely impress your friends and family.
Homemade Butter Cookies
These cookies are a perfect base to decorate with your favorite Christmas decorations — edible ones, of course — these are also great without any toppings.
This recipe calls for…
2 eggs
4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 cups of sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
And finally…
1 cup unsalted butter
Combine the ingredients starting with the butter, sugar, and eggs, then add all the dry ingredients. Then you can either shape the cookies with your hands or with cookie cutters. Lastly, bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees in the oven. Recipe credit: Beyond the Butter, Homemade Butter Cookies
Peppermint Bark
This holiday treat is the easiest to make while also being the perfect gift for friends and family!
This recipe calls for…
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
½ tsp. peppermint extract
8 candy canes, crushed
How to make…
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill the bottom of a large pot with 3” water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, then place a large heatproof bowl on top. Add semi-sweet chocolate and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Stir in extract. Pour into prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
- Over the same pot of barely simmering water, place another large heatproof bowl. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over set semi-sweet chocolate then top immediately with candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Credit: Delish, Peppermint Bark Recipe
Looking Ahead: Winter Semi-Formal Dance
‘Tis the season to go to the Winter Dance, taking place in the TMI Alkek Refectory on Saturday, December 10. This event is semi-formal, so the dress code is similar to that of the Homecoming Dance. Make sure to show up and enjoy a night full of fun and surprises planned by your TMI Student Council!
PANTHER VOICES:
Student Spotlight: Kevin Love ’23 and Gabby Beck ’23
This month, we are highlighting the boy’s varsity cross country captain, Kevin Love ’23, and the girl’s varsity cross country captain, Gabby Beck ’23, after their successful state meet during the fall season. Good job to these amazing leaders and their teams! Kevin said his favorite part of the cross-country season was being able to bond with his teammates. He wishes to express that it was amazing to do so well even if they didn’t win 1st. His main goal for the team after he graduates is to beat SACS. He described what it was like when he first joined the team and how his best times then wouldn’t even make the team now.
Faculty Spotlight: Ms. Terah
The Journalism Club would like to recognize the one and only Ms. Terah! She works very hard in Café 18, and her lovely personality is noticed and appreciated each day.
Artist Spotlight:
Take a look at some of the artwork students have been working on:
Kaleb Yu ’24, “Dollar Store Mirror”:
Gretchen Tiede ’23:
Advice Column:
Q: How do I get someone to like me?
A: The truth is, anything that you have to force is not meant to be in your life. The right way to try and get someone to like you is to not try at all. Be so focused on yourself that you’re not even worried about them, then they will be chasing after you in a snap.
Q: How to get a guy’s attention when you barely know him?
A: Make small conversation with him first, then if you like him for his personality and not just his looks, consider asking him to do small things for you like walking you to class or even helping you with homework. Chances are, he’ll get the hint. If he wants it to continue, it will be obvious at that point.
Q: How do I make friends?
A: Just be yourself! Do things that you are interested in, such as joining clubs or sports teams. Finding people that share your interests is one of the best ways to make friends.
Q: How do I make time to hang out with my siblings?
A: It’s hard to have a balance between school and family, but I say to try to make some time on the weekends to spend time with your siblings. Find something that interests all of your siblings and something that you can do every week or weekend. For example, you all can try to go get ice cream once a week and it can become a tradition.
Q: I need help improving my grades, what do I do?
A: Develop study habits that work for you and make sure you talk with your teachers. It’s possible that you have missing assignments or assignments with grades that haven’t been entered yet. It will also benefit you to keep a planner and write down the dates of any major projects or tests so you can start studying ahead of time.
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The TMI Times is a student publication by the TMI Journalism Club.
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