Click on the image above  to view the 3,700+ photos taken by Akins student publications during the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony at Burger Stadium on May 29.

While district leaders have said they are attempting to shield campus-level essentials, internal documents and community feedback suggest that the coming school year will bring disruptive changes to Akins High School.

The community will not have to wait long to see the final plan, as additional cuts and changes are expected to occur over the next month before the district officially adopts its budget. This process will formally begin on May 21, when the Superintendent’s recommended budget is presented to the Board of Trustees, and will culminate on June 18, when the board holds its final vote to adopt the official budget for the 2026–27 school year.

This timeline has sparked widespread anxiety on campus. A recent survey of 42 Akins students and staff members conducted by The Eagle’s Eye revealed that on a scale of 1 to 5, the average concern level regarding the impact of these cuts on daily school life stands at a high 3.95 out of 5. Furthermore, 74% of respondents reported they are already actively following the budget crisis.

Teachers warn of exhausting changes for staff

While the district has protected counselors and librarians from cuts, campus-level shifts are already causing high anxiety. To save an estimated $16 million across secondary campuses, internal staffing recommendations reveal that non-core teachers will be required to teach seven out of eight class periods next year—effectively eliminating one of their two planning periods.

Akins educators warn that this policy is a recipe for operational failure.

“I suspect that it will lead to an increase in teacher burnout and turnover,” said English teacher Alan Brooks, who serves as the Education Austin union steward at Akins.

Brooks speaks from personal experience. A few years ago, he voluntarily chose to teach a seventh class in exchange for extra pay.

“At the end of the year, I decided that I never wanted to do that again because it is exhausting,” Brooks said.

He added that he does not believe the district can meet its deficit targets without directly harming classrooms. “There are some central office positions that are probably a bit redundant… but none of those sorts of things cost enough to cover the budget shortfall.”

Surveyed teachers echoed Brooks’ fears of professional exhaustion. One anonymous Akins teacher warned that teaching seven out of eight periods “will significantly cut down on the time I have to plan and grade, and to meet in ARD and professional development meetings.”

Students are equally protective of their teachers’ planning time.

An Akins senior wrote bluntly about the proposal.

“It’s horrible because they’re already overworked and underpaid,” wrote the senior. “You’re going to have so many teachers quitting, and then [the district is going to be] scratching their heads wondering why.”

Akins CTE programs face ‘severe’ threat

The loss of planning time is poised to hit Akins’ highly regarded Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs especially hard. Akins hosts more CTE programs than any other campus in Austin ISD.

Akins CTE Department Chair Jennifer Segura warned that the hands-on, real-world nature of these classes makes a 7-of-8 teaching schedule nearly impossible to manage safely and effectively.

“Practicum courses require site visits and consistent monitoring of students in the workplace,” Segura said.

“That cannot be done effectively or with fidelity under a 7-of-8 schedule.”

She noted that students enrolled in these specialized practicum courses will ultimately be affected the most.

Moving to a traditional 8-period day to accommodate these teacher workloads is a major point of contention. An overwhelming 83% of Akins survey respondents believe that shifting away from the alternating block schedule to shorter daily classes will negatively affect their learning.

“If we shifted to eight periods today, I would genuinely start to hate school,” wrote Arley Moore, an A-honor roll student. “Nothing could make my learning experience worse than not having enough time to learn the subjects in class.”

Devan Flores, another student respondent, recalled having an 8-class schedule in middle school. 

“It is hard to get anything done in that tiny amount of time. It would be exhausting to the students and even more so to the teachers,” she wrote in her response.

In response to the threat of program erosion, Segura co-drafted and co-signed a joint letter from all Austin ISD high school CTE department chairs urging the school board and superintendent to maintain the six-out-of-eight instructional schedule for CTE educators.

The letter highlights the massive stakes involved: during the 2024–25 school year, AISD students earned a record-breaking 2,208 industry-based certifications. These certifications are a critical indicator of College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), directly impacting state accountability ratings while preparing students for the workforce.

“This milestone is evidence that Austin ISD’s investment in CTE is producing tangible results for students while strengthening the district’s accountability outcomes,” the department chairs wrote.

They argued that CTE teachers face demands that mirror core academic subjects in complexity. Many CTE teachers manage three or more distinct course preparations, often teaching “stacked” classes with students of varying skill levels in the same room. The letter notes that planning periods are necessary to maintain dual-curriculum expectations, manage complex lab equipment, grade certification preparation, and ensure classroom safety.

Community Voices Demand Protection for Planning and Class Sizes

The concerns raised by Akins teachers align closely with broader district feedback. In a recent community-wide survey that garnered nearly 7,000 responses, stakeholders overwhelmingly demanded that classroom environments be prioritized.

According to the district-wide survey data, 71.4% of respondents ranked teacher planning time for core content as a top priority to protect, followed closely by maintaining manageable class sizes at 67.7%.

Locally, the priorities align closely with those of the broader district. When Akins students and staff were asked in the campus poll which specific programs must be shielded from cuts, Mental Health and Counseling Services emerged as the highest priority (selected by 26 respondents), followed by Fine Arts (24 respondents) and CTE programs (22 respondents).

Senior Kyndra Azuara emphasized the cultural importance of preserving the arts: “If Fine Arts was cut, it would change my view on Akins and AISD because it’s a way that people express themselves and it can be an escape from the real world. Learning isn’t always black and white; art makes it colorful.”

Despite this strong public feedback, teacher union Education Austin warns that cuts are still headed straight for the classroom. In a message to members, the union pointed out that losing planning time is simply a way to reduce staffing levels.

“How do these things save money? They save money only by eliminating positions,” the union wrote, adding that district officials have been unable to provide a specific count of how many positions will be lost, raising concerns about eventual layoffs.

Education Austin also criticized a perceived double standard in the administration’s budget-saving measures, noting that while the district plans to cut stipends for vital campus roles like school psychologists, it has spared administrators’ perks.

“There is nothing in their summary about cutting the cell phone and travel stipends for administrators,” the union stated, noting that some administrators receive travel allowances of up to $9,000 even if they rarely travel. “They need to eliminate those stipends if they are serious about closing the deficit. They shouldn’t just target the people who are working with the students.”

Looking forward

While Superintendent Segura’s preliminary plans have spared some positions—such as leaving the Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations role vacant to cut administrative overhead—the community remains on edge.

Educators like Brooks point out that while the immediate future is challenging, the long-term solution lies at the state level.

“The important thing to remember is that this budget crisis isn’t going to last forever,” Brooks wrote. “Next year is a new legislative session and another opportunity for the state to increase school funding, and maybe adjust the recapture system to be fairer to districts like Austin. So, we need to be careful not to cut things that can’t easily be restored.”

Silas Baker contributed to this article. 

When Zuko hit his lowest point—after capturing the flying bison, Appa, but failing to catch the Avatar—Uncle Iroh delivered a wake-up call:

“It is time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: Who are you, and what do you want?”

This message taught Zuko to stop blindly following his father’s orders and finally figure out what he wanted for his own life.

The Weight of the World on Aang

When Aang first found out he was the Avatar, he didn’t want the responsibility. Terrified of what lay ahead, he ran away just as the Fire Nation launched their attack on the Air Nomads.

Later in his journey, when Aang sought advice on how to defeat the Fire Lord, everyone told him he had to kill his enemy—even the spirit of Yangchen, a past Avatar who was an Air Nomad just like him. Despite the core Air Nomad belief that all life is sacred, she told him he had to do whatever it took to protect the world.

Ultimately, when Aang faced the Fire Lord, he utilized all four elements but chose not to take a life. Instead, he used his power to take away the Fire Lord’s bending entirely. Aang couldn’t have mastered the elements or saved the world alone; his friends stuck by his side through every battle against the Fire Nation.

Strength Without Bending

The rest of the team holds their own unique strengths:

Sokka: As a member of the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka didn’t have any waterbending abilities. Despite this, he fought alongside the team using only his weapons, constantly risking serious injury. When people doubted he could make it far without bending, he proved everyone wrong by becoming an invaluable warrior.

Katara: Sokka’s sister, Katara, was a determined waterbender. When the team visited the Northern Water Tribe, they met the master waterbender, Pakku. Katara wanted him to teach her advanced combat skills, but he refused based on the traditional belief that women should only learn healing. Katara stood her ground, proved her strength to the master, and convinced him to teach her.

Toph: I love Toph because despite being blind, she is a powerhouse earthbender whose parents constantly coddled her. At the “Earth Rumble” tournament, she used the vibrations in her feet to detect her opponents’ movements, winning every time under the alias “The Blind Bandit.” She never gave up, became the greatest earthbender of her era, and even invented metalbending.

A Lesson in Resilience

That is exactly why “Avatar: The Last Airbender” means so much to me. The show serves as a powerful reminder of how much people can grow and change when they surround themselves with the right community, and it inspires me to never give up on myself.

That is exactly why Avatar: The Last Airbender means so much to me. The show serves as a powerful reminder of how much people can grow and change when they surround themselves with the right community, and it inspires me to never give up on myself.

As I prepare to say goodbye to Akins High School, Avatar: The Last Airbender feels less like a childhood relic and more like a survival guide for my next chapter. Watching Aang face the world with his friends, Sokka fight despite his limitations, Katara defy expectations, and Toph conquer her boundaries has shown me what true resilience looks like.

The show serves as a powerful reminder of how much we can grow and change when we surround ourselves with the right community. As my classmates and I take our next steps into the unknown, I will carry these characters’ journeys with me—reminding myself to always look inward, cherish my support system, and never give up on who I want to become.

And on top of that finding where you can go and hang out with friends, or alone if you are a bit of an introvert, for cheap where you only need one month’s allowance or paycheck in order to do it, or free and you don’t have to spend a dime.

So here are some cheap and free ways because I want people to make fun memories in high school and find ways to hang out with friends, and high schoolers should get to live and have fun, be stupid kids doing stupid things.

I think one really fun thing you could do is going to the pool with your friends after school, while typically people only do this during summer, as long as the pool is open you really should just use the time you can going to the pool, especially since doing this will make the time spent at school feel worth it.

Since you can just put a beach towel, swimsuit, and maybe some pool snacks in a bag and then after the school head off with your friends to the pool. It might even make the school day feel easier to go through, if you get to have fun at the pool after.

Another thing you can do to have fun with your friends is have art dates, or do fun art related activities. You could bring a bag of chips or snacks to share with your friends and just create art together, like writing a fanfic or new story or maybe create a set of original characters, or even do some pottery making matching cups or little figures to trade with each other. You guys could play artistic games like Gartic phone, Tomodachi Life, and Whiteboard fox.

You could also either use clothing you’re not very into wearing often or thrift some new cheap clothing and DIY it, you could mix fabric softener with paint and paint your shirt or you could use a sharpie too, and set it by putting in a hot dryer for a while; or even attach studs, chains, and/or safety pins. Or if you please you could both just work on each of your own art projects, while you chill just listening to music or a show you both enjoy.

And you guys could have a picnic, anytime really, which for you and your friends that don’t often get to talk a lot or see each other often due to classes or whatever, would likely be perfect. Each of y’all could bring snacks, maybe some snacks or food that you guys both really enjoy, that of course doesn’t need to be heated up.

Since I really recommend going to the park, blacktop, or maybe just an area you could hang out like even a space in the parking lot, I don’t know. Just chill out and chat with friends for as long as you guys want, eating chips, fruit, cookies, maybe a juice or soda. You guys could just spend that time snacking doing anything I suggested earlier, homework if you all want to, gossiping, doing anything like playing basketball or soccer.

As a high schooler of course instead of just going from class and too home you would just much rather go out, and high schoolers should get to live and have fun, be stupid kids doing stupid things. While typically people only do this during summer, as long as the pool is open you really should just use the time you can going to the pool, you could both just work on each of your own art projects, while you chill just listening to music or a show you both enjoy. Just chill out and chat with friends for as long as you guys want, eating chips, fruit, cookies, maybe a juice or soda.

Just go out and have fun, really you don’t even have to do some of the things I suggested you could even just have meet ups where you guys share food you all want each other to try and leave or want some random show. Just go out have some fun with your friends before you get caught up in your first year of college or out of school, because don’t we just kinda want to have fun?

The unit follows a structured chain of command designed to maintain discipline and success. At the helm is Cadet Colonel Tran, the Core Commander, who leads the JROTC program. Working alongside her is Advisor Cadet Colonel Eynalith Nava, the previous year’s commander, who now focuses on mentoring the next generation. Supporting the staff’s daily operations is Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Devin McDonald, who ensures directives are executed efficiently.

While instructors Col. Kerry Lewis and Chief Master Sgt. Andre Davis provides oversight, the program remains strictly cadet-led—a defining feature that forces students to take ownership of their roles.

A Hidden Support System

For those outside the program, JROTC can appear to be all about structure and rules. However, Cadet Col. Anh Tran says the most meaningful aspect of the unit is the support system that exists behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we are like a family, we are like friends,” Tran said. She emphasized that during personal or academic hardships, the JROTC room serves as a sanctuary for students to be heard and understood.

“On your hard days… you can come here and just take a break from school. We are here for you,” she said.

Real-World Application

The leadership skills cultivated in the program are often put to the test in high-pressure environments. Cadet Colonel Nava recalled her experience at the Cadet Leadership Course (CLC), a summer camp where she served as a Cadet Training Instructor for approximately 400 peers. Nava realized that the mentoring and communication skills she was teaching were the same ones she had mastered through her local unit.

“CLC is basically about 400 cadets going to this camp to learn about leadership skills,” Nava said, noting that she found herself teaching “a lot of the skills that I was taught in JROTC… like leadership skills, communication skills, and a lot of mentoring too.”

For Cadet Chief McDonald, the program’s value lies in its ability to teach “life skills” that aren’t found in a standard textbook. He credits the program with his growth in maturity and responsibility.

“JROTC taught me a lot of life skills that no other class would teach me,” McDonald said, specifically citing “how to talk to people… how to communicate with people and how to lead people.”

The Instructor’s Perspective

Davis has watched these student leaders evolve firsthand. By placing them in situations that require critical thinking and quick decision-making, he helps them navigate the complexities of authority. “Being a leader is something that’s really hard and not programmed,” Davis said.

Davis said one of the most difficult lessons for young leaders is learning to separate personal emotions from professional responsibility. He noted that he has seen Tran, Nava, and McDonald grow through their ability to “make decisions on their feet” while upholding the program’s core values: integrity, service before self, and excellence in all they do.

Beyond the Classroom

As the unit continues its mission, it remains clear that TX-20025 is doing more than just training cadets—it is creating the leaders of tomorrow. Chief Master Sergeant Davis often reminds cadets to

“Make your story to tell,” Davis said. It’s a message that reflects the program’s emphasis on accountability, growth, and self-leadership. For students at Akins, JROTC is not just a class—it is the foundation of who they choose to become.

Originally gaining popularity across Asia in the late 1990s with hits like What Is Love and Winter Sonata, the genre has evolved into a multi-billion dollar export. According to market analysis from Ampere Analysis, South Korean content is now the second most-watched non-U.S. content on Netflix worldwide, consistently accounting for 8% to 9% of total viewing hours on the platform.

What Defines a K-Drama?

The “K” in K-drama stands for Korean, but the label represents more than just a language. These series span every imaginable genre, from heart-fluttering rom-coms and high-stakes thrillers to gritty horror and “slice-of-life” school dramas.

One of the most appealing parts of these shows is their short, focused structure. Unlike many Western series that may run for many seasons, or long-running soap operas with hundreds of episodes, a typical K-drama consists of a single season of 12 to 16 episodes. This “limited series” approach allows for tight storytelling with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

A Different Kind of Drama

While they share some similarities with traditional soap operas or Latin American telenovelas, K-dramas have a very specific style. Soap operas often rely on endless, complicated storylines that can stretch for years, whereas K-dramas favor a highly polished, cinematic look with high-quality filming.

Compared to the fast-paced daily twists of telenovelas, K-dramas are often celebrated for their “slow-burn” emotional pacing. Romance in these series is usually about subtle tension and feelings rather than moving too fast. Furthermore, K-dramas often show detailed scenes of professional life and traditional values—such as filial piety (the deep respect and care children show for their parents and elders)—creating a unique blend of modern lifestyle and cultural heritage that feels new to international audiences.

The Secret to Success

The global success of these shows isn’t just about the plots; it’s about how much they make you feel. K-dramas are great at building characters, allowing viewers to form strong bonds with the heroes as they deal with universal themes like family, love, and social pressure.

The chance to learn about a different culture is another major draw. Viewers aren’t just watching a story; they are being introduced to Korean food, fashion, and traditions. This “soft power” has a real-world impact: Netflix recently reported that 72% of users who watch Korean content said they wanted to visit South Korea, causing a huge increase in tourism.

Where to Start Your Journey

With the rise of streaming apps, watching these stories has never been easier. Netflix remains the main way to watch for many, having committed $2.5 billion to making South Korean shows through 2028. For those who want to see even more, Viki (owned by Rakuten) offers a huge library of Asian dramas with fan-made subtitles that help explain the culture.

Whether you are looking for the high-intensity thrills of Squid Game (which remains Netflix’s most-watched series ever with over 1.65 billion hours viewed) or the comforting romance of Queen of Tears, there is truly a K-drama for everyone. What starts as curiosity often turns into a real obsession after just a few episodes.

The outage was part of a massive security breach targeting Instructure, the parent company of the Canvas software used by Austin ISD. While the system was reported as fully operational by May 12, the impact on local classrooms highlighted the district’s vulnerability as it prepares to phase out the software entirely next year.

A Global Target

The breach was claimed by the cybercriminal gang ShinyHunters, a group known for high-stakes digital extortion. The hackers have previously targeted major corporations in retail, tech, and telecommunications, but this recent campaign focused heavily on educational platforms.

The attack was far-reaching, impacting “big-name” institutions across the country and several campuses in Central Texas. Just two days ago, in a move that startled cybersecurity experts, Instructure took the unusual step of paying an undisclosed ransom to the hackers to prevent the release of stolen student and teacher data.

Pivot to Paper

For teachers at Akins, the digital blackout required an overnight shift in strategy. Without access to BLEND, educators could not grade assignments, post digital lessons, or receive student work.

“I had to make copies on paper and luckily a lot of parents had donated paper, so I wasn’t on that too much,” said physics teacher Sierra Shackelford.

The shortage of physical resources was immediate. Shackelford said she lacked enough paper to provide individual copies to every student, forcing her to reuse sets of materials across multiple class periods. Beyond the logistical hurdles, the pedagogical style changed instantly.

“I had used my whiteboard a lot more—explaining everything in detail, just writing it out, stuff like that,” Shackelford said. She noted that because the BLEND icon disappeared from the student dashboard entirely, she chose to “push back due dates just to make it easier for everyone.”

Other teachers found the timing of the hack less disruptive due to the impending end of the semester.

“Fortunately, we were kind of done using BLEND when it got hacked because my students had moved into writing an essay for their final,” said U.S. History teacher Jessica Longoria.

For her, the primary inconvenience was a delay in finalizing grades for missing work.

An Uncertain Future for BLEND

The disruption comes at a time of change for Austin ISD. According to reporting by KUT News, the district had already finalized plans to transition away from Canvas.

As a cost-saving measure, Austin ISD officials recently announced that all secondary schools will be required to use Google Classroom starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The move is expected to save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in licensing fees, though it will require teachers to migrate years of digital curriculum to the new platform.

While the hacking event was not the primary driver for the switch, the two-day outage served as a stark reminder of the risks associated with the district’s reliance on a single digital hub for education.

On April 27, the Akins football team held its first practice — a game of 7-on-7. The players ran drills and had their first proper workout 

The new track and field facility is part of the school’s $17,904,000 proposed projects funded through the school district’s 2022 bond package. Construction began last summer, and the project was expected to be completed by Jan. 31. However, as athletes arrived for the start of track season, the facility remained unavailable.

Without access to a completed practice track, the team has had to adapt their training. Practices were held on uneven grass fields, tennis courts, and at nearby Paredes Middle School in order to stay prepared for upcoming meets.

Akins is not the only campus experiencing construction projects tied to the bond program. New practice fields with artificial turf, stadium seating and lights as well as a scoreboard were built  at several other campuses, including Lyndon B. Johnson Early College High School, Northeast Early College High School, Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Austin High School, Bowie High School, and McCallum High School.

Despite the delays, when they got their first view on the field, every one was filled with excitement and anticipation of having an improved home field instead of having to go somewhere else in order to practice.