Mahek Sureka – Westwood Horizon

What Summer Vacation are you?

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Thu, 08 May 2025 17:30:47 +0000

What Summer Vacation are you?

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10 Total Questions

Double the Drive: Sabareesh Dinakaran and Trinity Castro Lead with Pride and Passion

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Thu, 08 May 2025 14:48:13 +0000

The sound of the waving flags rips through air in the Warrior Studio as Trinity Castro ‘25 helps other Color Guard members practice for an upcoming competition. Far from her freshman days as just a performer, Castro and her co-captain Sabareesh Dinakaran ‘25 now take on the responsibility of being a leader to their fellow members.

Starting Color Guard in her freshman year, Castro ‘25 was introduced to the program by a spring clinic in eighth grade. Awed by the older students, Castro was inspired to join the program and experience it for herself.

“My mom was the first one who suggested I do [Color] Guard,” Castro said. “I thought it was so cool [what] these high schoolers [did] and I really got into it.”

During Castro’s freshman year, the guard made history. For the second time in history, they advanced to the state-level for the Universal Interscholastic League (UIL) marching band contest. However, after her freshman year, the Color Guard experienced a change in faculty, and the program’s structure was changed as the winter guard was merged into one team instead of the two it originally had. The same year, Dinakaran joined the program as well.

“I joined [Color Guard] my sophomore year. I didn’t join freshman year because I didn’t know it was a program back then,” Dinakaran said. “ I was looking for a community at the time to become a part of. I had a friend who was in Color Guard and they showed me what the program was like. I attended a clinic [and] found it to be really fun. I also wanted to improve my dance skills at the time and I found that Color Guard was a good outlet for that.”

After a year of being on the Color Guard, Dinakaran wanted to give back to the community. After learning more about how to manage time and interact with his fellow performers, he believed the best way to give back to the program was to become a leader and a captain for the team.

“I think [being a captain] taught me a lot of responsibilities in terms of how I manage my time,” Dinakaran said. “It’s also taught me about how to conduct myself in a professional setting. During rehearsals we’re expected to act in a way that maximizes efficiency for both the team and the directors, [and] I think that has translated a lot into other parts of my life.”

To apply for the positions they wanted, Castro and Dinakaran had to go through a leadership process that included interviews with the directors and past captains. Additionally, they had to write essays for the position they were applying for. However, their performance during the school year was a big aspect of the selection process. Their abilities to act as a leader were shown in their year round performance during class and competition.

“The school year in general is an audition for the position,” Dinakaran said. “The directors get to see how you hold yourself during rehearsal, how you tackle each rehearsal. I think that is more so what got me chosen for the position.”

After a rigorous audition for the position and a long year vying for the position, Castro and Dinakaran were glad to see their names chosen.

“I remember feeling a wave of relief when I saw my name listed in the leadership roster,” Dinakaran said. “The previous months had been me preparing and doing my best to secure a leadership position so I felt like all my hard work had paid off in the end.

During rehearsals, Castro and Dinakaran work together to keep focus. They start off with leading stretches and then splitting off into smaller groups to do specific practice. Both captains work together to ensure that their teammates know what they are supposed to be doing and provide assistance when needed which ensures that practice flows smoothly and gets things done on time. Even outside rehearsals, the captains ensure they can make events such competitions minimal stress for everyone.

“The most we have to collaborate is competition days,” Dinakaran said. “Those are very long, spread-out days where all of the members are typically under some amount of stress. The other captains typically talk about who’s going to be doing what responsibility. We’ll coordinate who’s leading, spreading out the tarp right before we perform, maybe who’s at the top of the line when we’re moving from place to place.”

However, it wasn’t always easy for the captains to collaborate and figure out problems together. At the beginning of the year, the captains disagreed on different aspects and had to figure out how they would solve the problems together.

“We would all have different opinions on something so it was a struggle to find the best solution,” Castro said. “Towards the end [of the year], I learned that we’re all working towards one goal. Our friendship and bonds improved and helped us.”

Over this year, the captains have worked together to implement a new exercise – breathing. It helped to slow members down and make sure everyone was together on the same page. The exercise helped teammates de-stress and be with their entire group.

“Anytime we’re at a moment where I feel we’re particularly stressed or we’re not doing as well, [we] take a moment to just have everyone go breath in [and] out as a group,” Dinakaran said. “A lot of members get caught up in the stress of having to learn their show [and] having to perfect that choreography, and it distracts from the fact that they’re human. I think that breathing exercises have helped calm them down [and] make them realize that they’re in a safe environment where they can work without being dredged.”

Since becoming a captain, Dinakaran has been hard at work trying to expand the community by going to outreach events and performances for younger kids. Along with just the performance aspect of the Color Guard, he hopes that his leadership on the team has helped the others grow as people as well. To people on the outside, this may seem like just an ordinary class. But to the members and leaders, the Color Guard has helped them in so many ways and shaped who they are.

“One of the main reasons that I wanted to join [is] because I wanted to be able to have a positive impact on the people around me,” Dinakaran said. “The program is capable of showing you so much more than just how to twirl a flag or how to spin a rifle. It’s a very accepting environment that I feel like a lot of students could benefit from in their high school experience. Our director has a saying where it’s not that the Color Guard needs you. It’s that you need Color Guard.”

Ranking Songs from Tate Mcrae’s New Album ‘So Close To What’

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Tue, 06 May 2025 23:38:46 +0000

So Close To What (SCTW) is the third studio album by Tate Mcrae. Released on Feb. 21, SCTW set records on Apple Music and other platforms within the first week of its release. It gained over 31 million streams on Spotify alone within just 24 hours. Entering a new stage of her life with turning 21 and getting into new relationships, Mcrae explores new themes through the 21 tracks. Similar but also different to her previous album,Think Later, Mcrae talks about the struggles she has in relationships but with this new album, she also adds the theme of being in love with songs such as I Know Love. Every song in this album has a special meaning and hidden clues tying it together to create the perfect album.

My favorite song on the album is Means I Care. Means I Care is about how Mcrae struggles to show how she feels about someone and instead of wanting to form a deeper connection, she tries to cut them off instead. This sentiment is represented in lyrics such as “If overnight I up and end it, run away without a mention, go ghost, I like you the most” which shows that she ends up leaving the person she feels most attached to. While this song was initially much lower on my list when the album was first released, after multiple listens, this song really encapsulates the feeling of the album. It represents her being in love with someone but still struggling to keep a connection with them which is a recurring theme in her songs like in Greenlight.
Next on the list is Nostalgia. One of her most underrated songs on the album, this song brings out Mcrae’s vulnerabilities as well as mentions of her family which is a rare occurrence in her music. Upon first listen to this album, this song quickly rose to the top of my favorites list because it brought back the feeling of her last album, Think Later, which was the album that first introduced me to her music. Additionally, the lyrics to this song feel relatable to teens like much of her other music. The lyrics “And I, I manifested you would leave, So the day you did, I had you beat” talk about how she was always afraid of losing this person and then leaving made all her fears real. At a young age, many people can connect to this line as they’re afraid of losing friendships or relationships.
Third on the list is Siren Sounds. This song was first introduced to me through TikTok where fans had released snippets of this unreleased song. At the request of many of her fans, Mcrae released this song in her SCTW bonus album three days after the release of the first version of her album. While initially I wasn’t a big fan of this song due to how much it was overplayed on TikTok, after looking at the lyrics and really understanding what the song meant, it slowly became one of my favorites. The imagery she uses in this song ties with her vision of an unstable relationship and using the analogy of the burning house with a bad relationship depicts her vision perfectly. The bridge “We’d keep living in a burning house, Might be crazy to stick this out, But we can’t see all the flames around” shows how they can’t see how toxic and bad this relationship is for both of them and so they continue to stay in it. The bridge of this song is one of my favorites to sing along with, because of the level of emotion she sings with and the background music.
Like I Do is next on the list. This song is a little different from the others as she isn’t really talking about a love relationship, but rather someone who’s trying to be her but doesn’t understand who she is as a person at all. During my first couple of listens to this song, I didn’t like it too much because I wasn’t able to understand the lyrics or what she was saying. However, after reading what the song was about, I really started to appreciate the theme of it because of how relatable it was. Many people at least at some point in their life feel like they know someone who doesn’t understand them as a person and isn’t always looking out for their best interests. This song encapsulates that feeling so well with the repetitive lyrics of the chorus “You don’t wanna know me, you just wanna do what I do.”
Last but not least is Bloodonmyhands ft. Flo Mili. This song started as one of my top three songs from the album but dropped as I overheard it on social media and just played it too many times. However, the beat of this song is a huge change from her last album which makes it more interesting and allows a larger number of people to enjoy Mcrae’s music as the beat of this song is very different from her previous, more mellow songs. The addition of Flo Mili to this song adds a new kind of tone where it sounds like she’s taking charge of the relationship instead of just dealing with whatever is happening. The contrast of Mili’s lyrics with Mcrae’s creates a piece of music unlike her usual. Lyrics from Mili such as “I’m pretty and worth it, My feelings ain’t hurtin’, Won’t stay if it ain’t workin’” contrast with lyrics from Mcrae such as “I was so prepared to let you cross all my lines.” Finally, along with the beat and lyrics, the dance that Mcrae adds to this song when on stage makes it even more memorable and fun to watch when performed.

Valentine’s Day Gifts Ranked

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:44:47 +0000

Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day is a very special day for many people. It’s a day full of love, happiness and of course, gifts from your loved ones. Choosing the perfect gift for someone you love can make the day so much better. Below is my ranking for common gifts given on this much loved day based on how much they would mean to someone, how popular they are, and my personal opinions on the items.

In first place comes stuffed animals. Stuffed animals have been a classic gift for so long and they are so meaningful for the receiver. They are perfect for any age group whether it be for a child, adult, significant other, friend, or family member. Beyond just this special day, stuffed animals are great to have when sleeping or just chilling. Additionally, stuffed animals can be even more special for the receiver if they are customized or if they come with an add on like a written card. With the huge variety of choices in these nowadays, someone can find the perfect stuffed gift for someone they love.

Second comes the handwritten card for obvious reasons. A handwritten card or gift expresses so many more emotions than a physical object or gift. The receiver can keep it for many years to come and continue to read it over and over again if they so wish. With a handwritten card, you can write anything important to you whether that be special moments, wishes for the future, your feelings for the person, or just a cute drawing.

Next, jewelry is such a sweet gift for someone who loves it. The best part about this gift choice is that it can be found in such a variety that there is something for everyone. Whether it be the design, the price, the color, or even the brand, everyone can find something special that they love and their loved one will also love. Jewelry can be used for such a long period of time that the receiver will continue cherishing the gift. By choosing a piece of jewelry that means something special to the receiver in the form of a design or a color that they really like, the gift can be made extra special.

Fourth on the list is chocolate. This is such a widely given gift and just like many others on the list, can be given to anyone such as friends or family. For someone who has a sweet tooth and loves sugar, this is the perfect gift. However, to me, chocolate isn’t as thoughtful as some of the other items on this list. Chocolate can be given on any occasion or even without occasion and therefore loses some of its meaning. While this is a great add on gift to something more personal, by itself it doesn’t truly have the same meaning as something like a handwritten note. However, if it were given just by itself, with a cute display and setup, this just might become the perfect gift.

Lastly, we have flowers. Even though flowers are nice to receive on occasions, I don’t think they have the same value as any of the other items on the list. Flowers can be a birthday gift, a celebration gift or sometimes, even just there for decoration and no occasion. So on a special day like Valentine’s Day, flowers just don’t cut it. Similar to chocolate though, flowers are great to pair with other gifts.

While all of these are amazing gifts and anyone would be so lucky to have any of them, these are my personal favorites in order. In the end though, the gift depends on what the receiver likes and can vary hugely from person to person. With the added personal touch, any of these gifts can hold so much meaning and a variety past the common gifts can make it even better.

Valentine’s Day Trivia Quiz

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 18:12:45 +0000

Valentine's Day Trivia

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10 Total Questions

JV White Volleyball Falls to Vista Ridge 2-0

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 15:07:03 +0000

Trying to keep up the pace within their competitive district, the JV White Volleyball team played the Vista Ridge Rangers for the second time this season. Even as the players worked to keep the score close, the Rangers were able to pull into the lead just as the set was finishing, which didn’t allow for the Warriors time to reset and catch back up, ultimately ending the game in a loss.

The Warriors started the first set down four points but did not let it affect them. Soon, with mistakes from the Rangers and multiple aces from Juliet Guyton ‘28, the team was able to get back on track and get tied at eight points. Continuing the first set, the Warriors continued this cycle, keeping the score close until the end of the set. Quinn Ewert ‘28 and Izzy Call ‘28 kept the Warriors in the game with unblockable, strategic, hits. However, it wasn’t enough as the Rangers pulled ahead in the final minutes of the set, ending it with a score of 25-19.

“We were able to come back from being down a lot of points,” Lucy Aldrete ‘28 said. “In the next set [we] knew [we] had to be smarter with how [we] played and placed [our] hits.”

Going into the second set, the Warriors started more aggressive, playing in an attempt to secure an early win against the Rangers. They were able to pull ahead for the first time since the start of the game, giving the Warriors hope. Halfway through the set, Courtney Case ‘28 and Call put down a Ranger kill, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers. But even after that, the Rangers continued to pull ahead, and even with Call’s kill and a huge amount of support from the sidelines, the Warriors could not pass the Rangers’ score, ultimately ending the set and game 25-19.

“We were a bit disappointed because we’ve already lost to Vista before,” Call said. “We played great against them and had the right energy. I think we just needed more confidence.”

The Warriors will play their next home game against Round Rock on Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. for their Homecoming in an attempt to secure their second win against this team.

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JV White Volleyball Dominates Manor Mustangs in Near Shutout Victory

Mahek Sureka, Heritage Staff — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 03:47:55 +0000

Jordyn Choe ’27 serves the ball over the net against the Manor Mustangs. Choe was able to serve 11 balls before Manor took posession of the ball again and served 3 aces.

Mahek Sureka
Freshmen Quinn Ewert and Olivia Navarro get ready to sub out. The Warriors were able to play different positions this game and try out new things because they were so ahead.

Mahek Sureka
Jordyn Choe ’27 sets the ball for Quinn Ewert ’28 to hit. Working together to shut out Manor, the Warriors were able to win the first set 25-1.

Mahek Sureka

Dominating the court, the JV White volleyball team the Manor Mustangs in a quick 2-0 match on Friday, Sept. 24. Keeping the lead the entire game, the Warriors ensured a swift victory.

The Warrior’s exemplary skill started to show during the first few serves as Jordyn Choe ‘27 set the tone with three service aces. These three quick points hyped up the crowd and team as Choe served eight more points against the Mustangs until she was eventually stopped. Recovering quickly, the Warriors retrieved possession of the ball now with Quinn Ewert ‘28 serving. The Warriors then kept the ball until the end, shutting out the Mustangs and finishing the first set 25-1 decimating Manor’s morale.

“I feel like it was an easy win, just a bit boring,” Izzy Call ‘28 said. “We were all confident going into the game, and everyone had the mindset that we were going to win.”

Continuing their energy into the second half, the Warriors tried to shut out the game quickly by keeping up their strong serves. Even though they missed some of the serves, they finished the set, only giving up six points in simple mistakes and short-lived rallies by Manor. The Warriors diverged from their normal positions and instead of Grace Toledo ‘28 playing libero, Coach Paul Thailing put in Ashka Rajbhandari ‘28. This eventually, had little effect on the game as the Warriors continued to cut through the Mustang defense.

“It was really fun to be laid back and try new things because we were so ahead,” Call said. “This almost effortless win against Manor just proved that our team has improved an insane amount.”

The Warriors will play their next home game against Vista Ridge on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 5:30 p.m. to continue their streak of excellence.