On January 30th, all 49 members of the Lamar BPA Team advanced to state, with each student earning first, second or third place in their respective competitions.

Business Professionals of America, otherwise known as BPA, is a career-based organization that seeks to provide students with entrepreneurial experience as they begin their path towards their individual professions.

Participating students study and compete for both application-based and hands-on events, primarily consisting of economic and corporate fields of study. They learn how to

operate systems and manage teams in accordance with business interests. These important skills follow them while they progress through their selected routes.

Junior BPA President Dana Nayfeh has participated in the events since the eighth grade, and quickly became an integral force on the Lamar team. The success of the team would be incomplete without her perseverance and diligence, allowing BPA to prove themselves yet again this spring.

Due to the severe weather, Lamar’s BPA team was required to attend regional competitions virtually. The team has prepared and worked tirelessly since the beginning of the fall semester, and their hard work has earned them their spots as they continue forward to nationals.

Forty of the 49 participants received first-place awards, displaying the tireless commitment they have for BPA.

“I’m very proud to represent Lamar in this competition,” Thao Phan, first-place winner in Digital Media Production says. “We worked incredibly hard and a lot of us accomplished our goals in getting to nationals.”

Lamar has a well-deserved reputation for holding a successful BPA team every year, and will continue to prove themselves in the near future as they compete in state, and eventually, national competitions.

With its instant responses and infinite knowledge, AI definitely feels like a genie, detached from any physical rules and ready to fulfill your wishes. However, artificial intelligence, unlike things like data storage in the cloud, AI requires physical data centers that use and process energy to run every question you ask, analyze every image you send, and comfort you every time you have a relationship issue. The energy used to run these massive data centers mostly comes from fossil fuels and the very water we drink. Major AI developers–often used by students– such as ChatGPT and Grok are privatized companies that rely on the water citizens pay for in order to run. As a result, these massive data centers parch the land they are built on dry, driving residents of often low-income and minority communities away from their homes. In addition, the rapid release of fossil fuel emissions contribute to the already worsening climate. This unfortunate result is easily represented by the recent weather change in Texas, with weather reaching an all-time high of 80 degrees in December!

Artificial Intelligence is not only wreaking havoc on our environment, but on the minds of students as well. Relying on AI teaches us to quit thinking in favor of easy solutions, destroying critical thinking and media literacy skills. Its immediate response inhibits gratification, leading us to be unable to sit still to watch a movie or read an article. This especially affects the younger generation, leading us to be unsatisfied with the rest of our lives when solutions are not immediately presented. Some on social media even joke or boast about using AI to write their essays, do their assignments, and essentially dictate their entire academic career, normalizing what should be a greatly dishonorable and easily avoidable act. When relying on AI to get you through a class, your grade may look sufficient, but if your brain hasn’t caught up, what’s the purpose?

Although some suggest Artificial Intelligence can have productive and beneficial effects when applied properly, its usage should be carefully considered and avoided within academic spheres, in order to lessen its effects and avoid normalizing the deterioration of our society and environment.

Hunt comes to Lamar from Houston, Texas, where he was an assistant principal at a junior high school.

According to Hunt, the student population on his previous campus was just 700 total students, which is of course much smaller than the Lamar student body which boasts more than 2,400 students.

His eagerness to accept the unique challenge and immerse himself into the larger and diverse Lamar student population is obvious. He really wants to be here and see the campus grow.

While Hunt will have many new duties as an AP at Lamar, he insists that getting to know the students and cultivating bonds are top priorities.

During his first few days on campus – Hunt spent a great deal of time learning the campus layout and getting to know the students and staff.

He emphasizes the importance of building relationships wherever you go, further highlighting his plan to establish beneficial relationships with the school community.

“I’m really big on positive collaboration,” Hunt explains. “Working together is the key for success in every area.”

He aspires to work with his colleagues to ensure Lamar continues to serve as a space for students to thrive and find fulfillment.

Outside of his workplace goals, Hunt is currently working towards his doctorate in curriculum and instruction, further developing his ability to instruct and motivate students.

In addition to his obvious commitment to education – Hunt expresses his love for travel in his stories traversing across 20 different countries.

From backpacking across Argentina to breaking bread in Italy – Hunt has an affinity for culture and people. He certainly brings a wealth of knowledge to the Lamar campus.

Rather actively displays clear passion as he describes his ambitions, his gaze juggling between the ball and the microphone. Despite the opportunity to boast his achievements, he remains dedicated to his craft and earnestly depicts his long-term goals, “I’m looking into and talking to college coaches about soccer in college, mainly Ohio State and SMU.”

Alongside Rather, freshman mid-fielder Joseph Escalante stuns the varsity soccer team with his enthusiasm in both soccer and cross country.
“I’ve been playing soccer since I was three years old, and I really want to play college-level at TCC or SMU,” Escalante explains, “Cross country has been helping with my performance, with my conditioning and my stamina.”

Having dedicated himself to soccer for over a decade, Escalante displays a level of appetite for the sport unseen before. Through his commitment to cross country practices and meets, he nurtures his appreciation for the game and for the results of his hard work.

As reported by Rather and Escalante, Coach Hoffner, marathon runner and hiker outside of school sports, recruited the soccer teams to join cross country for its physical and mental benefits. The mastermind behind it all, he exhibits complete vigor when describing what the athletes endure every morning, junior varsity soccer player Edwin Perez by his side.

“I truly believe cross country promotes a longer, sustained effort for the players, and it takes a lot of mental planning and effort,” Hoffner crosses his arms as he explains this, his sincerity evident through his demeanor, “And of course, it opens many avenues for them [the players], many think they have to choose one or the other, but they find they like both.”

Perez, an extremely active and spirited player in both cross country and soccer teams, adds on to Hoffner’s assertions, “Cross country really helps me with constantly showing up, and always putting in my one-hundred percent effort.”

The junior holds well-deserved accomplishments as he enters this year’s season, having run one hundred miles in the summer in preparation. Alongside his love for soccer outside of school, his fresh excitement for the sport is exactly what Lamar High School needs and is proud to already have. The addition of cross country conditioning integrated into the tenacious soccer practice proves to be a great residual for both the junior varsity and varsity soccer teams, fortifying physical and emotional strength.

“I’m pretty confident my team and I will win,” before the meet, senior swimmer Jack Bedell offered key insight into the team’s preparation and anticipation for the match, “We’re practicing like normal, but the commitment the swimmers display is inspiring.”

Bedell expands on the enthusiasm his fellow swimmers exhibit, noting how a few of them have dropped other extracurriculars and sports to devote themselves to swimming. Last Saturday, this devotion was exceptionally present in their performance at the meet in Keller, Texas.

Many Lamar swimmers were proud to win first place in their respective competitions. Some notable winners include senior Daschel Hornyak, who won first place in the hundred-meter butterfly race and freshman Alexa Parra, who took first place in the fifty-meter freestyle race. Outside of the meet, our team continues to defy their own personal records and set new ambitious goals. Senior swimmer J.J. Izaguirre expresses his pride in beating his hundred-meter butterfly time by 5 seconds, from swimming at one minute and ten seconds, to cutting through the water at one minute and five seconds! As the season progresses, Lamar can expect to see many more strong performances from our outstanding swim team.

The senior class of 2026 is serving as an upstanding example for the underclassmen this school year, exemplifying their leadership in and outside of the campus. Aman Tekle, senior cross-country runner and swimmer, displays his dedication to his athletic performance through his diet. He strives to prove that being a teenager doesn’t have to mean having a poor diet. 

Tekle describes having always incorporated sports into his life. While having been in sports for seven years and counting, he has observed that eating healthy and exercising has significantly improved his efforts in his teams and even the motivation behind them.

The senior’s close circle consists of a number of different teenagers, but mainly includes his fellow athletes. He explains that he stems from an athletic background, among friends and family, which mainly inspires him to eat healthy. Tekle especially mentions how one of his close friends and fellow seniors, Carson Plamondon, has pushed him to stay focused and mindful of what he fuels his body with. In more ways than one, Aman Tekle and his friends single-handedly defy popular stereotypes that shape the teenage population.

Before seniors prepare to walk across the stage, they are expected to complete one semester of Macroeconomics. Waqar rightfully places emphasis on the importance of learning the basics of economics, describing it as a building block for the next stages of students’ lives. He aspires to lay a solid foundation for what his students can expect to encounter after they graduate. 

As an important pit-stop for the graduating class, Waqar ensures his classroom is a warm and welcoming space for students of all backgrounds. Growing up in Arlington, after immigrating from Pakistan as a child, he understands the importance of diversity. Playing on his school’s basketball team taught him that a common goal eliminates any conflicts of background. Not unlike a sports team, he hopes for his students to forge a collaborative team environment despite any differences they may encounter.

 “UIL has a strong pull on me at the moment,” Waqar suggests, alluding to an open possibility in the future. While he is not currently sponsoring any after-school clubs or overseeing any organizations, students should expect opportunities to work with him in extracurricular efforts as the year progresses.

While the school year is still young, Waqar hopes to become an indispensable part of students’ academic careers here at Lamar.