Dress code has been a controversial topic across the country for years now. People argue that it maintains an educational  atmosphere. However, it cannot be denied that the dress code over-sexualizes female students, creates a false image of what the world outside of high school will look like, and limits student creativity and self-expression.

There are claims that schools have dress codes in order to prepare students for “the real world” or to join the workforce, but if high school boys are taught that girls are being “provocative”  or “distracting” by wearing an off-the-shoulder blouse, what will they do when they work with women who aren't covered head-to-toe? Also, this assumption is terribly derogatory to male students. 

In my opinion, I find it offensive to male students when they’re assumed to be distracted by a female student's shoulder. Schools cannot claim to be preparing us for the future when they're creating a false environment that will ultimately be nothing like the real world. Simply put, there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world right now, and I think we have bigger problems than making sure sleeves are two-inches wide. 

I come to school four days a week in the hopes of constructing the first few steps on the staircase of my life. I personally wish I didn't have to worry about getting called out of my class, losing time and missing out on information, just because the administration believes people are unable to focus when shoulders, midriffs, or expressive hairstyles are present in the classroom. If the dress code is to make sure everyone in the classroom is learning as much as possible, what about the so-called “distractions” who are also trying to learn? Why should an exposed shoulder call for such orwellian measures? Why should I be forced to miss class because there's a rip a bit too high on my jeans? Why should my learning be interrupted because the administration claims I'm distracting other students in class? 

The world and culture of our society is constantly changing; however, we are still following rules that were made decades ago. Fashion is now an art and form of self expression. The clothes and ways we choose to style our hair have meaning, showing the world who we are. In a world where individuality and creativity is sparse, I believe it's important to style yourself how you choose, without worrying if the rip in your jeans is too high. 

In the end, the dress code will always be decided by the administration. However, we, the students, can make an effort to speak our minds on these types of regulations. I hope one day ALL students, no matter their gender, can walk the halls of CHS and express themselves without the worry of dress-code hanging on their heads. 

 

The game started off like any other, with a score of 0-0. After only a few minutes on the clock, however, Trey Larsen, senior, scored the opening touchdown with a long run, beginning what would become a neck-and-neck game. 

Tyson Brents, sophomore, handed the ball off to his dependable running back, Larsen, causing Crane to score this first touchdown.

When Brents was asked what the things they need to work on are, he said it’s primarily about going into the game with the proper mindset.

“Our mentality going into the game for the last few games, well, we haven’t gone in ready for war.”

Brents also mentioned that the team is going to need to practice harder than they have because Fort Stockton is probably their best opponent of the year.

When Kevin Iniguez, senior, was asked how he felt about scoring a touchdown, he didn’t take all the credit.

“Scoring felt pretty awesome. But I don’t take credit for the touchdown—that's all thanks to the linemen for blocking and Tyson, our QB, who threw a good pass.”

When Iniguez was asked what we can expect to see in the next few games, he said there will be some changes.

“Expect to see us being more physical than the other team from here on out, I promise that!” 

Iniguez said the boys have to play smart because penalties have been really hurting them. 

“We had a hold on a z reverse, and Carlos Garcia scored, but it was called back because he held. We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot like that.”

The Crane Golden Cranes will have faced the Fort Stockton Panthers at the time of this publication, but come on out and support them every Friday going forward!

The Crane Golden Cranes varsity volleyball team took on both the McCamey Badgers and the Rankin Lady Devils Tuesday evening at the Tommy C. Jones Memorial Gymnasium. 

The Lady Birds defeated both teams with ease, losing not a single set in the process. With each team, it was three-up, three-down, only taking three sets to defeat both teams.

The game started off with McCamey in the lead before Makenna Willis, senior, set one of the girls and the Lady Birds got their first kill. 

While the Lady Birds did make mistakes, they played and communicated like a well-oiled machine against the McCamey Badgers. However, the Badgers were not going to back down.

Both teams worked hard, but in the end the Crane Golden Cranes took all three sets out of five while the crowd cheered them on.

The varsity girls’ next game against the Rankin Lady Devils started off very well for the Cranes. 

The Lady Devils had many rallies against them, and both teams made amazing plays that had each team down and ready to receive. The Cranes took all three sets in a row once again, making this their second big win of the day. 

Shae Coates, sophomore, said she is pleased with the way they played.

“Against McCamey and Rankin, I think we did well,” she said. “While we did have mistakes, we came out on top of both games together, as a family.” 

Coates is one of only two sophomores to make the team and feels that she played decent. It was her first home game playing with varsity, and she said she thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I loved every second of it,” she said.

Come out and support the Lady Birds volleyball teams during their next home game against the Pecos Eagles this Saturday in Crane!

Big Lake won the toss and elected to receive the ball first, but the Owls’ drive was short-lived when Guillermo Partida, sophomore, snatched a pass out of the air and returned it for a pick-six. 

Partida said he was ready when it all went down.

“I was  just running right beside him, staying on my man,” he said. “That’s when that baby landed right in my hands.”

On the next drive, the Owls sought to regain the momentum, but the Golden Cranes would have none of it. On one of the very early plays of the drive, the Owls coughed up the rock, and Adam McGuire was there to snatch it up and run it back for a touchdown. 

“It felt amazing,” he said.

When asked how he felt going into the game, McGuire said he had a bit of the pre-game jitters.

“I felt kind of nervous because there were people hyping Big Lake up, saying they were going to be hard to beat. Even so, I think we were ready to play on both sides of the ball. But especially on defense, because we were unstoppable on D.”

McGuire said that the Golden Cranes had been putting in the work prior to the game.

“We were practicing hard,” he said. “We came into the game prepared.”

The Golden Cranes would take the momentum supplied by Partida and McGuire and run with it, striking again and again throughout the night, all the way up until the last whistle. 

The defense would not let the Owls do anything on offense, leading to the end result for Big Lake—a scoreless night.

Jose Aranda, junior, explained with confidence how Big Lake was done after the half.

“After halftime, we let off the gas a little bit because we were up by 30, but we shouldn’t have. We should have kept putting up those points.”

At the time of publication, the Golden Cranes JV will have already played the Fort Stockton Panthers in Fort Stockton. So, next week is a bye week for the Golden Cranes, which will give the team a lot of time to prepare for their next game against the Odessa Compass Cougars, which will be on homecoming week.

Come on out and support the Crane Golden Cranes!

El Ave News staff writer

Photo by Brad Pettit
El Ave News editor

The Crane Lady Birds played against the McCamey Lady Badgers Tuesday in the old gym, and unfortunately the girls could not pull off a victory. 

Always catching up, and gaining a point for each one lost, the Lady Birds tried their best to secure the win. Sadly, as much as the girls dove, ran, slid and jumped, the first game ended in a loss, 19-25. 

Of course, losing will often be disappointing and upsetting for many. And when things start falling apart, it’s natural for people to start pointing fingers. 

J’lynn Mintz, freshman, claims that there was a lot of discord between the players.

“Some of the teammates were not doing their job,” she said, “and many of the ladies were getting upset with one another.”

Gracie Snow, freshman, said that the good start was spoiled with mistake after mistake.

“In the beginning, it started off strong, but as we lost the first game, it affected us on our second one.”

Although the Lady Birds didn't win this one, come encourage our Lady Birds for their next game against the Pecos Lady Eagles on Saturday!

The game started off rocky until Bethany Lewis, junior, stepped up to serve. With a few excellent serves, the Lady Birds got back up on their feet. 

In the second set, the Lady Birds served first and stretched the score to 10-0. The Badgers caught up ever so slightly, but Brylee Carlton, sophomore, got a good block and the Crane Lady Birds sealed the deal against the McCamey Badgers. 

That’s the way the night went, and the Lady Birds sent the Badgers back to McCamey with their tail between their legs.

The team shares a remarkable bond. The relationship between the three new players—freshmen, Lexi Rodriguez and Emma Wiliams, and Bethany Lewis, junior—is deepening and growing overall.

Syerra Lopez, sophomore, is on the JV purple team and has exceptional teamwork, but she believes there is room for improvement.

“I believe we are doing good," she said. “But we can always keep getting better.”

Gracie Snow, freshman, agrees that the team is making progress.

"I think we have improved," she said. “And if we keep it up, we can go far this season.”

Natalia Ayala, sophomore, explained how all the hard work this season is starting to produce results. 

“The coaches have been really hard on us,” she said, “but it is all for our benefit.”

The Crane Lady Birds are building up confidence after each game. No telling what they might be able to accomplish this season!

Come out and see the Lady Birds keep up the winning tradition when they play against the Pecos Lady Eagles in Pecos.