“This win means finally getting recognition for academics,” Sloan said. “All around this school I watch everyone knowing about football but for once I think people finally see that academics are just as good and we are equally successful.”

Rounding out the first ever state qualifiers included seniors Danton Waggoner, Zack Short and Brianna Rood, who competed in Ready Writing, Headline Writing and Poetry Interpretation, respectively. Sloan also competed in Prose interpretation.

“I know we didn’t all advance, but just making it was a huge deal,” Sloan said. “I couldn’t imagine a better team to go with. I know we’re all different and compete in different things but together we are Rouse and we are successful. And that’s powerful.”

Student Body:
President: Hannah Bennett
Vice President: Aidan Anderson
Secretary: Jessy Reyes
Treasurer: Sarah Mathys
Historian: Kaitlyn Morris

Class of 2014:
President: David Feeney
Vice President: Taylor Ward
Secretary: Callie Dunn

Class of 2015:
President: Brittney Gehman
Vice President: Ara Matos
Secretary: Chase Holland

Class of 2016:
President: Michela Stolle
Vice President: Alan Orwick
Secretary: Macy Sumrall

“I think it’s awesome,” No. 4 in the class Trevor Riek said. “I’m super excited to get recognition for the accomplishments that we’ve been working on all four years. I am psyched that everyone is going to know that I’m in the top ten.”

The award ceremony is at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

“It’s not really so much a story about alien invasions and what they look like and what their technology is like,” Yancey said.  “It’s more about you and me.”

At a one-hour session with more than 300 students Wednesday, May 15, Yancey discussed the contents of his new book and the different “waves” of alien invasion described in the book. 

“I’m very excited,” librarian Chin Arritola said.  “He’s a national author, it will probably be a once in a lifetime chance for students.”

English teachers and the librarians made it possible for any student to attend as long as their fifth period teacher was okay with it.

“I’m very excited to have an author of this caliber at our school,” English teacher Marguerite Swilling said.

Yancey spoke with students about the book and the second and third additions that will follow. A film adaptation is already in the works with Toby Maguire and the producers of Argo and The Dark Knight connected to the project.

“I thought it was really cool,” freshman Clarissa Duran said.  “At first it was kinda weird because we never really get authors here, but it was interesting to see him talk about his book and talk about his characters and see where he got his inspiration from.”

Yancey’s characters are not restricted to any stereotype; his main character is a 16-year old Cassie, who has been compared to The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen. The apocalyptical book features aliens, dubbed “The Others,” who come to take over the world. Cassie is one of the survivors.

“I got the idea from talking with my wife about what her greatest fear is: aliens,” Yancey said. “She said the sense of isolation some would feel after being abducted by aliens and returned to Earth, unable to be believed by others or share their experiences, was her greatest fear. I pictured a young girl trapped under a car with two impossible choices: one, stay put and eventually die from starvation and dehydration or two, leave and die from a bullet.”

While telling of Cassie’s situation, Yancey explained that his books usually start out as images that pop into his mind and then he builds the book around that. The book is geared to teenagers, as part of young adult fiction. It has received strong reviews including an A rating and a Must List recommendation by Entertainment Weekly.

“Originally, I wasn’t interested,” sophomore Zachary Johnson said.  “But the way he explained it made me really interested.”

After the discussion, Yancey sold books for $10 and signed them for students. Yancey left the students with life lessons about trust and aliens.

“And isn’t that the core, the meat, the thing itself about us, this trust,” Yancey said.  “It’s basic, and that’s what they’ve yanked away.”

“It’s really exciting,” Welge said. “I applied for the grant during February conference. It’s exciting that they support us like this. The money comes from parents and the community so that makes it even more exciting.”

Kupec intends to put the money toward forming a robotics team to compete with FIRST Threat Challenge Robotics, a national organization that studies stem science technologies.

“We are trying to get that started at Rouse,” Kupec said. “I was thrilled. I just got the [needed] budget for what it will take to establish a new team yesterday.”

“I think it was awesome, just unbelievable,” wrestling coach Brad Bresnehen said. “Not only is it huge for the kids, but it’s huge for the program and huge for Rouse. Not only people know them on state level, but now on the national level.”

Greco and Freestyle are two different types of styles than what occurs after the regular high school season and is used to compete in the Olympics. Schonfeld beat the 5A state champion to win the Greco tournament, and Coleman beat three state qualifiers in Freestyle.

“I’m excited to gain experience,” Coleman said. “It’s different being able to wrestle with other competitors.”

Both wrestlers now qualify to compete with Team Texas at the National Dual Tournament, June 25-27 in Oklahoma City.

“I’m most looking forward to getting lots of mat time,” Schonfeld said. “And seeing how far I get with national competitors, because I’ve never competed with anyone outside of Texas.”

“I think that it makes Jackson more comfortable and secure to have a companion,” Jackson’s mom Amy Bruce said. “It makes Jackson more approachable by normal students. He has helped Jackson be less anxious at school.”

Jackson got the black poodle on March 1 when he was a little more than 10 months old. People didn’t think their relationship would work as quickly as he did, but the bond between the two continues to grow.

“I feel I am getting other friends who like [him],” Jackson said. “They are a lot friendlier.”

The family says the dog has helped in and out of school, helping keep Jackson calm and at ease.

“He definitely helps me keep up with Jackson now that he’s bigger than me,” Amy Bruce said. “It’s been an adjustment to include [the dog] in all our activities though.”

Despite the trial period, Jackson is hoping the school district will allow him to keep the dog in the school system.

“I am like all other teenagers and want friends,” Jackson said. “[He] helps me get to know other people better.”

Service Dog Guidelines

• Blue cape means the dog is  working. At school, the dog is always working.
• No petting, feeding or distracting the dog.
• Go around, not between the dog and Jackson.
• Just ignore the dog.
• The dog is here to work, not play.