FEATURES

Actively Aware
by staff reporter
Delilah Rivera

When junior Lynden Shepard started feeling

out of place and, most of all, alone while walking
the halls with over 2,000 other students, she
didnt back down and withdraw from the school.
Instead, she stepped up.
With the help of business teacher Tiffany
Griggs and the support from principal Anthony
Watson, last October Shepard worked to form the
A&E Club (the Autism and Epilepsy awareness
group.) The club officially started as of the second
semester with Griggs as the sponsor. Meetings are
held in her room after 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays that
fall on a B day.
We wanted to offer support to any kid that
deals with Epilepsy and/or Autism, Griggs said.
We want to let them know theyre not alone,
increase awareness and have fun.
Although shes been living with Epilepsy
since she was a year old and was diagnosed with
Autism in middle school, Shepard says her life is
only slightly different than others her age.
Ive been living with these conditions for a
while now, Shepard said. Im almost 18, and its
not so bad.
Shepard has a set schedule to follow but had
adjusted to Epilepsy and life as a high schooler.
I take classes and go through test taking,
Shepard said. I have friends both normal and in

Participating in basketball, bowling and track,

senior Lance Hahn is a distinguished, high school
athlete. His sports change as the seasons change,
he works to earn medals and he even has his
speech, thanking people who have helped him, all
worked out.
I would like to thank my mommy and daddy
for taking me to games and practices and my
coaches, like Mrs. Haftcraft and everyone else,
Hahn says proudly.
So, when Hahn earned his own letterman
jacket, sports fans shouldnt have been shocked.
However, becoming the third Special Olympic
participant at the school to earn a letter made
Hahn a noteworthy, ground breaking athlete
on campus.
Hahn plays on a team called the Round Rock
Roadrunners. The Roadrunners team and the

ORGANIZATIONS MEETING

Monday
CLUB
LOCATION
TIME
UIL Current Events C224
8:15
Key Club
B106
B Days 4:15
Gamerz Unite D109
4:15

Facts about
complex
disabilities

JUNIOR FORMS AUTISM AND EPILEPSY

AWARENESS CLUB TO INFORM, GIVE SUPPORT

special education classes.

Shepards form of Autism is called Aspergers
syndrome. It is often hard to tell if someone
has Aspergers simply upon meeting them, but
common symptoms can be noticed, including
difficulty interacting in social situations,
repetitive behaviors and a constant ritual cycle.
It can be difficult to deal with, but Im trying
to tell people that theres really no difference
from everyone else, Shepard said. In some
ways there is because we sort of see things in a
different way, but there really is no difference.
Along with Aspergers, Shepard has Epilepsy,
a seizure disorder, which can cause a person
to have two or more unprovoked seizures at
any time. People with Epilepsy can go through
vns therapy, implanting a pacemaker device that
warns of an upcoming seizure. Shepard has gone
through that therapy.
Whenever I tell someone I have Epilepsy I
usually get, Well, whats that? Ill say I also have
Autism and thats why Im acting this way and
then theyre like well What is Autism? Shepard
said.
Because high school students are not familiar
with what Autism and Epilepsy are, they dont
know how to react to Shepard or other students
with the same disorders.
I have to try and explain and the people are
very understandable, Shepard said. They listen

Earned Recognition
by staff reporter
Delilah Rivera

February 2015 | Prowler

Some kids
who have Autism
feel like they are
in a weird place
thats somewhere
between Special
Education and
mainstream Stony
Point.
-Junior
Lynden
Shepard
to me, but I really want to raise awareness.
Shepard it not only raising awareness so
others can learn more about kids with complex
neurological disorders such as hers, but she
is also giving support to those who are living
with the disorders and are feeling like they are
alone.
Some kids who have Autism sometimes feel
like they dont belong and no one knows what
theyre going through, Shepard said. They feel
like theyre in a weird place thats somewhere
between special education and mainstream
Stony Point. I hope that the A&E club will bring
everyone together and no one will feel out of
place ever again.

Tuesday
CLUB
LOCATION
IBSO
B223
Environmental C201
Junior Historians B107
A&E Club
D106 B Days

TIME
8:30
4:15
4:15
8:30

Autism

Autism is a developmental
disability that causes
significant impairment in
language development, social
interaction, communication
and behavior.

More than 10 million

people worldwide are affected by autism

SPECIAL OLYMPIAN GETS SCHOOL JACKET

AFTER SUCCESS IN COMPETITIONS

Round Rock ISD Special Olympics program

provides Hahn and others with intellectual and
developmental disabilities athletic training and
Olympic-type competitions.
[Special Olympics gives] them continuing
opportunities to develop physical fitness,
demonstrate courage, experience joy and
participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship
with their families, other Special Olympics
athletes and the community, the RRISD
website reads.
Hahn has been competing in multiple Special
Olympics events and earning medals in those
events since he started high school. After high
school, Hahn plans to continue to compete. He
will qualify to participate in the Hill Country
competition which is the areas Special Olympics
for 18 and older.
To help Hahn achieve success while a
Roadrunner and while working with the RRISD

Calendar

by staff reporter Delilah Rivera

Vector
Art Public
Domain
freepik.com
Source:
autismspeaks.
org

According to, dosomething.

org, the majority of individuals
affected by disabilities show
only mild symptoms and can
learn, improve and develop.

early
signs of

autism

Teacher Archie Jenkins, senior Lance Hahn and

Associate Principal Jesus Uranga

program, a team of teachers, coaches and

volunteers work with Hahn to help him grow
academically and athletically.
When Hahn received his letter jacket that
team was there to cheer him on.
We all couldnt be more proud of Lance,
teacher Archie Jenkins said. He really worked
hard and he earned it.

Wednesday
CLUB
LOCATION
TIME
FFA
Ag room
2nd Wed 4:15
NHS Lecture Hall 2nd Wed 8:15/4:15
Drama Club
F125
8:30
En Croix
G144
FBLA
D106
8:30
Senior Class Officers B201
8:00

Difficulty in learning
language

Social withdrawal

Difficulty in expressing
needs, and may use gestures

Normal intelligence, no
mental retardation

Inappropriate laughing

May show exceptional skill in

areas like math or music

I joined ASL because I think its cool to communicate with

the deaf. It really changed my views on deaf people.

- Sophomore Isabella Parson

Thursday

Friday

CLUB
LOCATION
TIME
GSA
C155 every other Thur 4:15
Crossroads
Lecture Hall
4:15
ITS
F125
1st Thur 4:30
Solar Car
B264
4:15

CLUB
LOCATION
TIME
HOSA Lecture Hall every other Fri 8:30