The Catamount newspaper Vol. 4 No. 5 - April 2016

the CATAMOUNT College Station High School

• 4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845

• Vol. 4 No. 5

•

Friday, April 1, 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE? 9

Police officer Rhonda Seaton serves College Station as a school resource officer. PAGE 9

13

The recent opening of a school food pantry provides canned goods and toiletries for those in need. PAGE 13

14

words will never hurt me Teenagers suffer long-lasting effects from online bullying Kalindi Desai and Anna Solcher Assistant Editor and Entertainment Editor Grapevine, also known as telephone, is a game played

Senior Nick Bradham attempts an unprecedented fourth straight state tennis tournament. PAGE 14

News

INDEX

People

2-6 7-11

Opinions

12-15

Sports

16-17

Entertainment

18-19

Etc.

20

around the world in which one person whispers a message to the next and continues around the circle until the last person announces to the entire group the message, usually unlike the original one entirely. Similarly, stories or words can often be skewed on social media, which can lead to hurtful cyberbullying experiences for many teenagers.

“With social media, it is immediate and can be taken out of context, and you don’t know the tone of what the person is really trying to say,” counselor Valarie Reed said. “Something said can be taken the wrong way, and there was no intention of it being hurtful.”

Cyberbullying is an issue that has become more prominent in recent years. The increase in convenience to communicate with a vast number of people through social media platforms creates an avenue for bullies to depreciate others.

“We live in an age where social media is an outlet for entertainment and within that entertainment, is bullying,” said junior Danna Bader, who was bullied online for expressing herself.

There are many motives cyberbullies have, including their own insecurities and attention from peers.

“Usually people that cyberbully are scared to do anything in real life, so if you confront them in person, they will freak out because sometimes people don’t realize how hurtful they’re being when they’re just typing,” said freshman Natalie Martin, who was bullied online about her appearance.

Cyberbullying can take a great toll on teenagers emotionally and can also lead to more serious issues like self-harm or suicide. Teenagers often think that hurting others will better them, especially if they get an abundance of likes or retweets on a post that belittles another person.

“People don’t know how to deal with their problems. They put the excuse on someone else and try to make themselves look better or hide the problem they are having,” Reed said.

continued on page 3

2 News • The Catamount

Cougar NEWS

Friday, April 1, 2016

Three art students earn region honors By qualifying among 1,001 entries at the Region 6 event at Bryan High School on Feb. 13, junior Miranda Carrillo, sophomore Cella Siegelman and junior Tess Teodoro earned the honor to have their pieces shown at the state Visual Art Scholastic Event, or VASE on April 22-23 in San Antonio.

HOSA competitors advance to state in April At the Spring Area 2 conference at Brenham in February, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) participants earned spots at state: junior Alina Dhanani for Medical Reading and sophomores Allie Morgan and Kanwal Bhimani for CPR/First Aid Skills.

Senior Bryan Bayliss placed fifth in medical spelling. The state conference will be held in Galveston on April 14-16.

FCCLA receives awards for work at region FCCLA competed Feb. 17-18 in Galveston in several categories: seniors Sean Gallaher and Katherine Osburn received bronze for Culinary FCS testing; senior Esella Aguilar, senior Ariel Carter and senior Mia Elizondo won as a culinary team; junior Tyler Smith and sophomore Alex McAvoy both won fourth place in entrepreneurship; and sophomore Katelyn Kocman won sixth place in Chócale Battle.

▲ From top left to bottom right: Victoria Guerra, Reagan Phillips, Maddie Jordan, Milo Salinas, Gaby Garza, Mollie Schatz, Sierra Batson, Amy Ballard, Cade Garner, Catherine (Cat) Blanco, Lindsey Daniel, Mogran Hill, Danielle (Dani) Rogers and Frida Bernal. After winning first place at regionals, “Fortissimo” (Colorguard), directed by Milo Salinas, also won sweepstakes at state in Houston on March 19. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERIC EAKS

Regional science festival results in success At the 2016 Austin Energy Regional Science Festival on Feb. 17-18, juniors Merusha Mukherjee and Jason Tan won first place in physics and chemistry, respectively, and Best of Fair. They also qualified for the state competition and the International Fair in Phoenix in May. Junior Hongsen Qin placed fourth in Computer Science, and junior Raaghav Bageshwar won the Digital Light Innovations and Ty-Rex Austin lab internship.

Junior Eugene Tian and senior Tarun Muthuchamy also qualified for state.

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • News

3

Social media bullying creates harmful online experiences continued from page 1 People can be cyberbullied over a variety of aspects, but many victims are harassed for their physical appearance or expressing their personal views.

“I started being cyberbullied when I started expressing myself more online,” Bader said. “I became more open about myself and the choices I was making because I wanted to share it with my friends and people that I knew.”

Though the effects of cyberbullying are fleeting, they can often stick in the back of someone’s mind. Yet, healing is achievable when someone shows character.

“I learned to show people that it didn’t affect me, and the bullying went away shortly after I stopped showing that it bothered me,” Martin said.

Cyberbullying is a serious issue that affects many teenagers today. However, many things can be done to reduce the amount of exposure victims have on social media. For instance, block and private methods can help reduce media vulnerability. Furthermore, a simple solution can be found in reducing the amount of time spent on social media

and choosing to stay away from places prone to bullying.

“I really think that if you are getting bullied on the internet, you just need to get off the internet. It’s the simplest solution. It’s pretty black and white,” said senior Diyor Sattarov, who was bullied as a child and now stands up for himself.

For others, there might not be as simple of a solution. The best way to combat cyberbullying, according to those who have been bullied in the past, is learning how to stand up for oneself and to find people to confide in.

“Find your support. Find people who support you and who care about you and who genuinely know you and what you’re doing, rather than just listening to people who don’t know you,” Bader said.

Likewise, students need to learn how to stand up for themselves and each other in the face of harassment online.

“Stand up for one another,” Reed said. “Build each other up instead of tearing each other down. If you see something that you think is hurtful, bring it to the attention of an adult. Don’t be silent.”

The recent increase of cyberbullying

has encouraged people to help establish legal ramifications for bullying online.

After his 16-year-old brother David Molak committed suicide due to persistent cyberbullying in January of 2016, Texas A&M student Cliff Molak of San Antonio is fighting for legislation to be passed to increase the legal consequences of cyberbullying. He has encouraged the men of the fraternity to host the “Don’t Bully Me” music festival at Wolf Pen amphitheater on April 9 to help spread awareness of cyberbullying and pass David’s law.

“I’ve read articles about how schools can’t do anything about [cyberbullying] because it wasn’t on school campus, and I think that is really dumb,” Martin said.

“There should be a federal law because it does affect people and it does lead to serious things.”

Ultimately, the world needs more people to denounce cyberbullying and remain true to values they know to be honorable.

“Our kids know what’s right,” Reed said. “We just need more students of integrity to stand up and say no in a lot of situations, not just with cyberbullying but with everything.”•

BIRCH HOUSE PRESS

Jarrad Mcleod ‘03 Owner jbm@thesleepstation.com www.thesleepstation.com Fax: 979-696-5214 1731 S. Texas Ave. College Station, TX 77845 979-696-1255

PERCENTAGE OF CYBERBULLYING ON DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS out of 291 people

43% were bullied on Facebook

18%

were bullied on Tumblr

28% were bullied on Twitter

11% were bullied on Instagram Source: scienceleadership.org

4

News • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

District policy authorizes exemptions for limited absences Rachel Grant Senior Editor To meet the state standards for school attendance, the district created an exemption program to encourage high school students’ attendance in school to boost the average attendance rate.

For each student attending school, the district receives approximately $37.50 per day. This money, according to assistant principal Matthew Quick, is provided to the district by the state.

“The better our attendance is, the more we get to spend to keep your lights on and have computers,” Quick said, “so y’all coming to school is what helps to keep it going.”

Before the exam exemption policy was established in 1996, attendance was around 80 percent. On average now, the high schools have 96 to 98 percent attendance.

“Our exam exemption policy is one of the biggest ways we encourage students to attend school,” district Director of Student Services Chrissy Hester said. “Prior to putting in the exam exemptions, people stayed home all the time. What hurts the district is when we get docked because we lose credit for the people who do exempt. We have to count you absent, and we discovered that it was more valuable financially to give you those few days off than having you stay home [throughout the semester].”

Quick believes this has proven effective because it provides them with a personal incentive to attend school. “[The exemption policy has] been successful and tends to make y’all really want to come,” Quick said.

Attendance regulations • Attendance averages between 96 to 98 percent daily in both CSHS and AMCHS. • After missing nine or ten days, a student will have to appear in front of an attendance board.

• The state of Texas pays schools $37.50 per student per day.

Source: Chrissy Hester

“Students typically don’t like taking an additional test, and this was an easy solution. It helps us with finances, attendance and [improving students’] success in the classroom, so it’s a small price we have to pay as far as letting you skip the final to get you come consistently.”

If students do attend school, they can reap multiple benefits from doing so. Some of these perks include learning the information and curriculum firsthand, ex-

empting finals at the end of each semester, and scholarship opportunities available for seniors with Atkinson Toyota’s “It Pays to Stay” scholarship program.

However, if a student misses nine or ten days, depending on the semester, according to attendance clerk Miranda Broadus, they must appear in front of an attendance review committee who decides whether or not they will receive credit for the classes they missed.

“Even if the absences are excused, once [the student] hits nine, they go in front of the attendance review committee,” Broadus said. “The committee decides if they are going to grant [the student] credit for the class they miss, and [depending on] what the absences were for, they let them make up hours [of] credit for that class. [Another option is] taking them to truancy court, which is left up to the judge to decide what they do, and they can give them fines.”

The committee monitors student attendance in order to persuade students. According to Quick, the most important reason faculty encourage students to attend school is for their own benefit and growth.

“Obviously, success rates and how students do in their classes have a direct correlation to them being in school,” Quick said. “The most important thing is that they’re here getting instruction and being successful.”

Success and funds are two positive items associated with attendance, according to Quick. High average attendance is required in order to recieve daily grants.

“Attendance is how we get money for school and our funding is based on our average daily attendance,” Hester said, “so it’s a critical thing.” ●

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • News

5

Programming club bonds over production of website forum Emelie Gulde Opinions Editor No longer will incoming students have to rely on word of mouth for class and extracurricular information. The computer science club has developed a website forum to help with this. Students will be able to ask questions about classes and determine which extracurriculars will fit best for them.

“I got in touch with people at central office and got permission to make the application and help the students with their project,” club sponsor Mary Selcer said.

This is the club’s first project, and it will be a test of their group skills. Kellie Derrick, CSISD programmer, is helping the development team brainstorm.

“I’m really proud of how much we’ve grown, from having almost no people to where we are now,” junior Carson Brown said.

Group dynamic is an important part of any team, but especially for these students as they are hoping to replicate the workings of a business within the school. Luckily, many of them know each other well, and it is more like a gathering of familiar faces.

“We’re all friends, and if we weren’t before, we connected really quickly,” Brown said.

The computer science club houses several teams, such as a programming team, graphic design team and others.

“One person learns from the other, and it’s not really a big group, so we can listen to each other more compared to if we had five or six in the group,” junior Ben Porter said.

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Many of the students are already involved in STEM areas in some way, and they use these skills to benefit the rest of the club.

“Everyone has a different skill set, and we take their skill set and find what they are going to do on the development team,” Selcer said.

“we’re all friends, and if we weren’t before, we connected really quickly.”

-carson brown junior The club has many long term goals, such as eventually expanding the team, coordinating tech drives, running a summer camp for younger kids to learn about computer science and competing in computer events.

“Now we’re trying to make a strong development team that can work and crank out new projects,” sophomore Rosetta Wang said.

They are hoping to compete in a hackathon at some point in the near future. In a hackathon, the team is given a prompt or idea and 24-36 hours to develop a running

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▲ Junior Carson Brown and sophomore Rosetta Wang collaborate on the club’s live prototype for the website by sorting the school’s organizations into categories. PHOTO BY EMELIE GULDE application.

“It’s difficult to create something that is presentable in that short amount of time. Hackathons are a challenge to be really fast and creative,” Brown said.

This website for the school is the club’s springboard into many new projects and competitions.

“The team has learned a lot about how to work well together and create a project collectively,” Wang said.

Communication is a key part of any team, and that is one skill that many of the members have.

“I don’t foresee any problems communicationwise within the group because all of the people’s personalities work well together,” Brown said. ●

6 Opinions • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

THE CAT’S EYE VIEW staff editorial Exemption policy proves faulty, too strict for students who are ill For the most part, the final exemptions attendance policy is fair. By granting exemptions to students who keep their absences to a minimum, it encourages attendance. By granting more flexibility with those absences to students with higher grades, it rewards hard work. On these two grounds, the policy does its job, a feature which we should appreciate.

However, it can be enforced too strictly at times. In the cases of students who are often sick or otherwise unable to attend school, and legitimately so, the policy is unfair.

While appealing for exemptions is possible, the process is reserved for students who have had long-term, serious medical issues. If someone happens to miss school just four times a semester because of illnesses, that person is automatically disqualified, whether or not they were actually sick.

Of course, working more leniency into the policy for these people is a complicated matter as well. Students will likely try to game the system as long as there are loopholes, and differentiating between those who truly couldn’t avoid absences and those who could is difficult. But the system needs to be more tolerant for the students who aren’t at fault, perhaps through accepting valid doctor’s notes or other excuses.

Admittedly, taking finals for a class is the norm. Exempting them is just a bonus for good behavior, and a privilege.

But denying certain students exemptions when the rest of their peers are allowed them is no less unjust because of this. ●

2015-2016 Newspaper Staff Editor-in-Chief Lisa Liu Managing Editor Alex Miller Senior Editor Rachel Grant Executive Editor Amelia Kurk News Editor Alina Dhanani Opinions Editor Emelie Gulde Entertainment Editor Anna Solcher Features Editor AJ Jones Assistant Editors Noe Canchola and Kalindi Desai Staff Reporters Ethan Cohen, Tiffany Ha, Ty’Asia Hubbard, Dru Peacock and Grace Costenbader Graphic Artist Susan Nam Cartoonist Cella Siegelman Faculty Adviser Courtney Wellmann Assistant Adviser Teresa Laffin

Phones create barrier between peers The ability to communicate with people through cellphones and social media is a technological discovery that has made it easier than ever to interact with people from many areas of the Kalindi Desai world. We can talk to our friends that live miles away at any time, see what our favorite celebrities are up to, or keep up with whatever news is going around. But with this advance comes a downfall. People have become too afraid to talk to others about issues in person because confrontation scares them since our generation is so used to confronting others behind their thumbs through a cellphone screen.

It’s the easier option. You don’t feel bad calling someone names if you can’t see their face or allow them to retaliate in person. We seem to always be taking the easier route. The one that won’t make us feel like horrible people for spreading rumors and forming lies about people that are based on assumptions.

Friend-issues are highly common in high school due to changing personalities. With these friend-is-

sues comes confrontation. Our generation has somehow been brainwashed into thinking that it’s okay to communicate over text about serious problems that could possibly hurt someone’s feelings.

But it’s not okay. Text messages don’t express any emotion whatsoever. You could send something that is meant to be innocently lighthearted but your words could be interpreted in a completely different way by the receiver of the message. A large amount of unnecessary conflict results from this.

Instead of creating new problems by typing words that are sent through phones, we should talk to people in person and discuss our problems through a civilized conversation. 24 years ago it was impossible for people to even communicate through a text, but now here we are in 2016 and we seem to be nearly incapable of talking to our peers without checking our phones every five minutes.

We like people’s pictures on Instagram but we are unable to say hello to them in the hallways. If we are so afraid to say one word to someone in person, how are we supposed to talk to people about serious issues that could potentially affect our relationship with them? ●

View of the Pride: DO you agree with the attendance policy?

YES

“Yes, but I think doctor visits and emergencies shouldn’t count.”

-Sadiq Iqbal, senior “Yes, it keeps students in class and gives them a reason to get good grades.”

-TJ Smith, junior

NO

“No, if you maintain your grades, why does it matter?”

-Lindsey Rogers, junior “No, maintaining grades is all that matters.”

-Taylor Jean, junior

The Catamount Newspaper The newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Production class at College Station High School, 4002 Victoria Ave., College Station, Texas, 77845. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of all staff.

The newspaper is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) and a winner of their Bronze Star award in 2014 and 2015.

College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Glynn Walker, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Catherine George, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination. requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The Catamount • Opinions

Friday, April 1, 2016

Dedicated Christian faith strengthens inner voice According to Webster’s dictionary, the word faith means having complete confidence in someone or something, Ty’Asia or a belief that is Hubbard based in trust even though you can’t see it. As a Christian, my spiritual walk revolves around the word of the Gospel and how to share it, so that others can hear the Word as well.

Attending a diverse public school, I’ve come across many people who don’t believe or practice the same religion as me and who have questioned my beliefs. Though I know what I want to say, finding an answer for these questions can be quite challenging.

It’s not that I can’t answer them.

I can. I just question how that’s going to help them get closer to God. A close friend once told me, “As Christians you have to look at the world in a non-judgmental way. Though some don’t know the Lord and look at the world hatefully, it will contradict whom the Lord is, so looking at the world, we have to be open and un-

derstanding but firm in your belief.”

Understanding her words was more challenging, because as a teenager, however, I just wanted to be stubborn and not worry about what others thought. As a believer, I wanted others to know how special and precious the Lord can be.

Having people judge me for what I believe does not make me question my religion. If anything, it helps me turn to it. Even my close friends have shaped me into more of a firm believer and an understanding person.

Something I tend to do often is share my beliefs with those who I interact with, in order to get them thinking and spark their interest in hopes that it will start future conversations. art by Susan Nam I had a serious conversation with one of my friends, and he brought up how the Bible was a bunch of lies and how the words were changed over the years.

While he was saying all this, I kept

thinking that it wasn’t true, but my mouth couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t think of a proper answer to retaliate.

Several days later I realized that not answering him doesn’t make me less o f a Christian. It actually gave me time to think about my faith and formulate a sound response. I decided to approach him and hear his beliefs without contradicting what I believe is true.

While he answered, I was formulating my own ideas and then I was able to clearly and effectively express my beliefs after he told me his. I decided to approach him non-aggressively by asking questions about his own personal beliefs. Through this discussion we were able to have a tension free conversation, in which I was able to hear his beliefs and project my own.

From this experience, I’ve learned that everyone believes something, and not everyone will agree with you. But I also learned that it’s important to stand firm in what you believe in and formulate a positive response without appearing aggressive. •

??? QUESTION issue OF THE

sHOULD cYBERBULLYING RESULT IN CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT?

48%

25%

Agree yes

no

27% 668 students surveyed

undecided

7

overheard a what does yoyuorug?p say about “That I should probably give more effort.”

Garrett Muehlstein, freshman

“That I can get by without really trying.”

Miles Bednorz, sophomore

“It says I’m in theatre and band, so I spend a million hours rehearsing rather than studying.”

Jennifer porter, junior

“It’s a reflection of effort and not a reflection of intelligence.” grace donovan, Senior

COUGAR UNVEILED by cella siegelman

8

Opinions • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

‘Land of Freedom’ judges nationality, origins Pakistan: a country where tears scream its loudest truths and people border the streets. America: a country where the Alina Dhanani concept of freedom is often preached and people run inside buildings for fear of reality. In both countries, the echoes of destruction resonate within each individual and we all equally become hardened.

When my parents came to America, I was told that the biggest change for them was getting accustomed to closed doors. These closed doors now resemble their struggles with their immigration to America and the country fundamentally annihilated them in justification that they were different. With heavy accents and barely adequate understanding of English, they were taught to lose the fluidity of their tongues in exchange for harsh syllables that often encouraged hate.

In this rampant resentment from society, I learned that association with

my culture was supposed to provide othdisapproving the culture in my veins— ers with reason for dislike. All throughand I didn’t stop it. When I was younger, out elementary and middle school, I was I often wished that history could change taught that America has learned. I was as fast as opinions in society could betaught that America cause I didn’t has changed; howknow what to ever, experiences do or what to taught me what no believe. history could and However, I’ve realized that the similar to the deception in Amerway my parica is that we are all ents came to taught hypocrisy.

America lugFrom lessons on gage and pain who to hate in histoin hand, this ry classrooms while disapproval of preaching kindness, my Pakistani America is at a loss culture had for reality. The naemboldened tion often meddles me in not only in affairs that aren’t life, but also ours to begin with yet punishes art by Susan Nam perspective. From those who invade privacy.

Pakistan, I take perFor years, I grew up believing that sistence and love. From America, I take criticism was supposed to aid the individnew context and individual freedom. ual, hence, when I was younger, people However, from each, I am all I can ever stood adamant in every doorway verbally hope to be.•

Overplanning stunts individual development “I’m fifteen, for a moment.

Caught in between ten and twenty, and I’m just dreaming.”

These song lyrics from “100 Years” by Five for Fighting perfectly express the state Emelie Gulde that many students are in now.

We are all stuck in between middle school and college, childhood and adulthood. This is a critical time in our lives, where we determine where we stand compared to the rest of the world. The pressure is high, and we’re having to make decisions about our future, and allow things such as class rank to define us.

Inside, I still feel like a seven-year-old, so I know that 22 will come just as fast. Next year will come with more AP classes, SATs and busy extracurriculars for many students. It’s too easy to become absorbed in activities that we only feel obliged to participate in because they will look good when we apply for college. High school isn’t only preparation for college, but also for life.

We need to be able to find who we are and develop friendships that will last. art by Susan Nam Many don’t think of it this way, but part of growing up is being young. Those who are the maturity of a college student at the age of twelve don’t have the

chance to make mistakes and learn how to respond when situations go wrong. They will be the ones who are lost when a project goes wrong, or a business deal falls through because they don’t know how to deal with mistakes or punishment.

Mistakes are essential in the development of character and is what changes children into adults. Bad books are written when the character doesn’t ever change, and confused adults can be developed the same way.

Even I over-plan, over-hope, and build up things too much until they lose meaning. However, I know that this is one of my flaws, and that all my plans could change in a moment. Just because I have the future planned, doesn’t mean I should turn my back on the present. In fact, it indicates that I need to plan much much less.

Growing up is not having your life planned at age ten, or taking your first SAT in middle school, but knowing that change and your experiences are what will make you into your true self.

In the midst of all the teachers and college emails telling us to grow up, we need to stop planning our futures, and enjoy the present we have been given.•

Voices What is your favorite April fool’s day prank?

“Set a foreign language for the language setting on someone’s phone.”

Shruthin Chirayath, senior

“I put toothpaste in my brother’s Oreos.”

Callie Fowler, sophomore

“Giving someone a caramel covered onion instead of a caramel apple.”

Alyssa Roach, junior

“I told my class when I was younger that I was moving.”

Kate Miller, freshman

“Tell people I’m moving out of state and watch them suffer.”

Braden Thornton, freshman

“Telling my children we don’t have school in the morning when we really do.”

Kelly Yates, accounting teacher

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • News

!

Safety first Employees seek to create safe school environment

9

!

Ty'Asia Hubbard Staff Reporter

Brad Rogers, parking lot attendant

AJ Jones Features Editor Riding around in his golf cart, parking lot attendant Brad Rogers assists with school safety and enthusiastically builds relationships with his coworkers as he mentors students.

“I want y’all to feel like I’m a part of y’all because you all have always been so respectful and caring of me and all the wonderful things you do for me aren’t expected,” Rogers said.

While he manages the parking lot by checking for parking tags in student vehicles and helps with traffic control, he also watches for people who speed and does random checks for low tires and then notifies the students so they are not on the road in danger of an accident. However, Rogers’s role has become something much more than that.

“I feel like I’ve formed some really good relationships with the students, the faculty, administrators and even some parents because I love people,” Rogers said.

Rogers’s love and passion for his job drives him to do everything he can to keep the student body safe. He stresses the importance of keeping the exterior doors locked at all times.

“I explain to them on a daily basis

that it is better for you to walk around to the front of the building where doors are unlocked all day,” Rogers said, “than some stranger coming off the street and [into the building].”

With a well behaved and respectful student body, Rogers finds it fairly easy to enforce the rules.

“I’ve learned that pretty much all the students here abide by the rules especially when it comes to safety,” Rogers said.

And because of this respect of the rules and good manners of the student body, Rogers has come to love his job and tries to spend as much time as he can getting to know each individual.

“Y’all go over and beyond as far as making me feel loved and cared for. The amount of respect you all give me is just endless,” Rogers said. “There isn’t a given time while I’m here that I don’t brag about you kids.”

Rogers feels that his job is important and loves every moment of it. He feels strongly that his number one goal is to keep each and every student as safe as possible.

“I want this school to be as safe as it possibly can be, whether it be out here in the parking lot or inside the building,” Rogers said. ●

Sitting firmly in her desk chair, College Station police officer Rhonda Seaton continues to draw out the importance of being safe. Though managing the role of a resource officer can be difficult, the thought of the students’ safety serves as motivation for her.

“Safety means that all of the kids get to learn in an environment where they don’t feel threatened, where they don’t have to fear someone coming in and hurting them or where they feel comfortable going to class,” Seaton said.

Keeping away the danger from students can be challenging if students don’t care about their own safety.

“Students have a responsibility to play a part. It’s hard for me to keep you safe if you’re not willing to do what you need to do to keep yourself safe,” Seaton said. “I know they are still learning, and that’s part of why I’m here to help them, not as a protector but as a resource.”

Enforcing the law physically can be overwhelming and emotional for some officers. When confronting students verbally, Seaton believes that there is still an opportunity to persuade that student into making the right decision.

Rhonda Seaton, resource officer

“It’s hard to physically enforce it, but not because it’s a physical act, just because if I put my handcuffs on somebody, I’m taking them to jail,” Seaton said.“If I’m able to verbally talk to someone, that means I have a chance to get through to them. If they done something that requires me to take them to jail, I will. I can’t look the other way.”

Both the school policy and Texas law hold two completely different expectations that are treated differently within the school.

“The way the criminal justice is set up for minor defenses, they would rather for us to do it through the school consequence, even though we can charge them legally,” Seaton said. “Sometimes we don’t have a choice. If it’s a higher level offense, we don’t really have a choice.

If it’s a lower level offense, then there's sometimes a play on whether it should be handled by the school.”

Planning on retiring before she was offered the job here, Seaton said the students and staff is what kept her here.

“I was ready to retire until I got this job and I love it, both the kids and the staff,” Seaton said. “If I get reassigned somewhere else, I will retire. This school is what keeps me on the job.” ●

10 Student Life • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

GPA weightings of courses complicate schedule choices Alina Dhanani and Lisa Liu News Editor and Editor-in-Chief

s r e b m u n e m a g

When it comes to the district’s system of GPA weightings for courses, change is not easily achieved.

“We know that it’s time to do a full-scale review, but we also know that about five years ago, legislators passed the law to require all high schools to get on all the same grading scales,” district Director of Student Services Chrissy Hester said. “Well, the roof came off. The fine arts people had a huge lobby, the Career and Technology department had a huge lobby, the foreign language departments had a huge lobby and essentially, it never happened.”

In the '80s, when the district first started adding AP courses, the system was more clear-cut. The few AP classes offered then were weighted 5.0, the same as honors classes were.

Electives, like fine arts and Career and Technology classes, were all weighted 4.0, and dual credit classes didn’t even exist.

“Everything has changed since then. It’s a mess,” Hester said. “There are so many courses that are easier than BC Calculus, and yet they get the same weight. It’s just not right.”

As the course catalog expanded and more groups started petitioning for 5.0 credit, the complications only mounted. Now, decades after the GPA weighting issue first started emerging, the arguments for all these classes and the weights they deserve are not easily resolved.

What Deserves a 5.0?

A

thletes were first allowed to audit, or take for no credit, their sports courses a few years ago.

This eliminated the disadvantage of having to take four years of a 4.0 credit course, but some want more than just that.

“My brother played basketball and would get home around 8:30,

and he’d still have homework to do,” sophomore Hayley Nugent said. “It’s awesome that varsity choir [and other fine arts courses] get 5.0, but I just think that varsity sports should be able to also.”

Nugent, who has played junior varsity volleyball, started a petition in early March for Texas to grant varsity sports players 5.0 credit. After asking several athletes about their involvement in varsity sports, she concluded that the effort they put in was deserving of the extra grade point weighting.

CSHS Athletic Coordinator Steve Huff, however, does not consider time invested a relevant factor in the amount of weighting sports deserve.

“Sports are a privilege, whereas academics are something you have to do,” Huff said. “It’s not fair to compare sports and academics because, quite honestly, those are two separate categories, two separate things. It’s like comparing apples to oranges.”

Even some athletes themselves disagree. Junior Bryson Greenwood, a member of the varsity track team, used to believe that varsity sports should be weighted 5.0, but later changed his mind.

“I realized sports have literally nothing to do with education,” Greenwood said. “In my opinion at least, sports shouldn’t be weighted at all into the GPA. If I’m taking track, I’m taking track to be a part of the school’s track program, and to better myself in that aspect. I’m not taking it to have my GPA destroyed by a 4.0.”

In large part, the arguments for 5.0 varsity sports weighting challenge the justice in offering 5.0 credit for fine arts courses, but not sports. The weighting boost was first added for some fine arts courses in the late ’80s, which the Texas Music Educators Association had been pushing. Though the credit was offered only to juniors and seniors to keep the playing field slightly more even, controversy still followed.

on gpa recalculation Although high schools all weight courses differently, most colleges recalculate applicants' GPAs.

what does this mean?

Your GPA could end up higher or lower at the admissions office. Some colleges keep in extra points for advanced courses, some don't factor in electives and some use a minimum threshold (often a C). The weighting depends on the college, so you should look up the recalculation processes for the ones you're applying to.

source: inlikeme.com

The Catamount • Student Life

"it's not fair. And yes, we're going to reconsider it all as a district, but not until we get through this next rezoning."

-chrissy hester director of student services The debate deepened when other types of courses joined the scene as well.

“With these Career and Technology courses, some of them were easier, but some of them were much harder, so it all just got out of hand,” Hester said. “Then enters dual credit, so we had a meeting where we pulled everyone together. We were so unable to come to a consensus that we knew we really had to start over.”

Many Career and Technology courses were granted 5.0 credit on the basis of their students’ involvement in competitions for the course. Some dual credit courses were also granted 5.0 credit, but not all of them were.

Among those that weren’t are English IV, U.S. Government and Economics.

“I think we’re doing our students a huge disservice, when other school districts are getting points added to [students’] GPAs for dual credit,” English IV Dual Credit teacher Courtney Wellmann said. “It’s only hurting our students when we don't offer a 5.0 credit for all dual courses.”

Another part of the challenge in determining the weighting of a course is the presence of other variables.

“There’s this terrible inequity because it’s the teachers who either make the class difficult or not,” Hester said. “What we know right now is it’s not fair. And yes, we’re going to

reconsider it all as a district, but not until we get through this next rezoning.”

ap vs. honors

S

ince the weights between AP and honors remain the same, the choices between them sometimes become a reflection on incentives other than passion.

“You hate to see students miss out on things that maybe would pique their interests, because they didn’t ever take the class [due to its 4.0 weight],” counselor Anne Hoffman said.

Because students can take AP and honors courses for the same credit, some opt to largely take honors classes to raise their GPAs. The practice is one with much stigma attached.

“I see both sides of this, so I’m not exactly sure where I fall,” senior and frequent honors student Grace Donovan said. “The fact that honors and AP courses are the same [GPA weight] discourages students from going up to AP and challenging themselves when they could have easily taken honors and had the same GPA, if they do the same gradewise.”

Unlike honors classes, AP classes are defined by national guidelines, which can make them a more appealing choice to colleges.

“If you go to Stanford, if you go to Georgia Tech, wherever you go, they know that [AP is] held to a standard, where honors may not be,” Hoffman said. “Sometimes we don’t even know what makes a class an honors class. We don’t teach it, we don’t sit in there.”

However, honors classes do not necessarily have to be easier than AP classes. English III honors and AP teacher Teresa Laffin used to teach English I Pre-AP and English I Honors at another school to the same level of difficulty. Doing so allows students to choose between equally rigorous courses that simply have different end goals.

“The AP test is not for everyone. You’re in a timed situation, and you’re trying to prove yourself on this one test,” Laffin said. “I don’t think students should necessarily have to commit to being in a class that’s so focused on timed situations in order to get a bump on their GPA.” Additionally, even when honors courses are less rigorous, they can be the right choice for students based on their personal schedules.

“Due to my frequent participation in these honors courses, Student Council and my job, having AP courses, or even Pre-AP would have been too much for me,” Donovan said.

11

“Because of that extra workload, I did honors and I was able to still get those extra GPA points by not putting all of that tension on my plate.”

the game

A

ccording to counselors, all these courses and their inconsistent weights subject students to playing a game for the highest GPA. “What we see when kids get their report cards is that they start looking at their ranks, and they start looking at other people’s GPAs,” counselor Valarie Reed said. “It is a competition, and that’s what hurts us, because we want you to get a good education and enjoy it.”

Though Hoffman hopes that students would choose classes based on what they want to personally achieve through their high school careers, the weightings of courses and the strategies that arise to best take advantage of them mean that this is not always the case.

“It probably has caused more of that trying to create the perfect puzzle,” Hoffman said. “It’s so much more—I hate to say playing a game, but it is. It’s so much more playing the game than it is looking at what classes are best for you.” •

"it is a competition, and that's what hurts us, because we want you to get a good education and enjoy it."

-valarie reed counselor

12

People • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

funny business

motivation: his jokes are for others. he finds joy in making people laugh. type of humor: he has a dry sense of humor, which is known for its casual tone.

Class clowns provide needed comic relief Amelia Kurk Executive Editor Magnificently timed jokes and inherently intelligent senses of humor are just some of a class clown’s signature character strengths. These are the students who find humor in every situation and keep their fellow students laughing and their teachers frustrated by the timing of their jokes.

“I’d say fifty percent of the time, I make jokes because I’m trying to entertain myself and others when we’re not doing something in class,” junior Zac Watson said. “I joke around with teachers or play on words someone else said.”

These students often describe feeling bored with the material in classes, and boredom brings opportunity to turn on the humor.

“In some classes we don’t do much,” sophomore Grayson Privett said. “You’ve got to turn it into a party so class is fun.”

While classroom humor scores points with other students, it can cause a breakdown in the flow of the teacher’s lesson and create consequences that go beyond the classroom.

“Last year I tapped a substitute teacher on the shoulder and got her to look the wrong way,” freshman Paul said. “She reported me, and I got ISS for that.”

Whether everyone finds their antics funny or not, class clowns have a distinctive way of looking at the world that can usually be traced to the close connections they have with parents and siblings.

“My family is funny,” senior Brianna Soltis said. “They are kooky, but I think I just have a God-given talent to laugh at myself.”

But her talent is not just laughing at herself.

Soltis admits that her humor helps ease awkward situations for classmates and friends. Watson agrees that the right amount of humor can make

things easier for his peers.

“It helps in a lot of awkward situations,” Watson said. “Joking to break the silence helps a lot of times.”

Privett, too has found that his easy sense of humor has helped his friends.

“My best friend had a girlfriend, but they didn’t talk much,” Privett said. “He asked me to help him out because I lighten up situations, and I was able to get them to talk a lot more.”

Many well-known comedians have been vocal about where they are on the introversion-extroversion scale because different personalities find and connect with humor in different ways. Watson, Paul and Privett all claim extroversion as their personality type, but Soltis says she is a true introvert.

“If you ever see me in the hallway, I’ve got my headphones in, and my eyes are down,” Soltis said. “I don’t like to make eye contact. I use humor to get rid of some of that awkwardness that I feel.”

Being known as the class clown can be exhausting, though. Other students have come to expect the humor and entertainment they provide, and that expectation can create issues.

“Sometimes I feel like I always have to make people laugh,” Paul said. “It’s kind of tiring because there are high expectations that I will always be doing something funny or stupid.”

Class clowns have to learn how to balance their humor with their need to rest and pursue their personal goals. Without a doubt, though, the ability to see the world through the lens of humor sets these students apart and gives them an advantage when coping with the normal stressors of life.

“I’m not like the normal person who messes up and says, ‘Darn,’ and gets really upset about it,” Soltis said. “I mess up and say, ‘Wow, that’s going to be really funny when I’m done being upset about it.’” •

“you’ve got to turn it into a party so class is fun.”

-grayson privett sophomore

cameron paul Comedy dream: with his avp experience, he’d like to work on the set of a comedy. type of humor: it varies, but he loves inside jokes and puns.

zac watson favorite movie: she’s the man type of humor: she’s known around school for her quick improv, slapstick and physical humor.

brianna soltis favorite movie: adam sandler’s billy madison Comedy dream:: although he plans to be an orthodontist one day, he’s always thought he’d be a great comedian.

GRAYSON PRIVETT

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • People

13

A significant change Food pantry offers meals, toiletries for those in need Grace Costenbader Staff Reporter The opening of the school’s food pantry on Feb. 19 has already positively impacted numerous students and staff by providing much-needed food for their families and their homes.

“The main goal for the food pantry is to ensure that no one within our school community goes without food, whether it be students or even a faculty member who may be going through tough times. We want to make sure that the needs of the people here at our school are met,” interim principal Tiffany Parkerson said.

The pantry is unique because unlike most food pantries, this one is set up similarly to a grocery store in the sense that instead of handing the students a bag of unappetizing, processed, cheap food, they get to “shop” for the food that they bring home.

When the students walk into the pantry, the shelves are stocked with healthy but appealing food that is chosen with the students’

preferences in mind.

“There is a wide array of things that we can order from the Brazos Valley Food Bank,” Parkerson said. “We have been very careful, when selecting food for the pantry, to choose things that we think kids will actually eat and will actually like.”

Another important component of the food pantry’s mission is discretion.

“We are officially open on Wednesday and Friday afternoons starting at 3:45, and our pantry room is downstairs near the weight room and on the zero level, so it’s in a fairly discreet location,” Parkerson said. “If we have a student who is concerned about privacy, we can open by appointment and take students down there to have everything ready, so that they can come back by the end of the day and pick it up and just take it with them.”

People often hide their needs or weaknesses due to pride and fear of embarrassment. Assistant principal Julie Mishler feels that one of the main missions of the food pantry is to let people know

that sometimes asking for help is the best option.

“We want people to know that it’s okay to need things,” Mishler said. “We want to provide the option for them to have a place to come to get what they need and know that they are cared for.”

The food pantry is funded solely by donations provided by the generosity of the Cougar community. Many teams, clubs and organizations contribute to the pantry by collecting hotel soaps, shampoos and conditioners and bringing them back to the pantry.

The executive board has many plans and ideas for the future of the food pantry and its funding.

Athletic trainer Chelsea Frashure said that there was a t-shirt fundraiser with the teachers, and there will hopefully be a home run derby and new outside lunch seating fundraisers in the near future.

“The plan for the food pantry is just to keep it stocked so that kids can come. Hopefully, enough

kids will benefit from it, and we’ll get more community involvement for keeping it stocked,” Frashure said.

In the future, the executive board would like to expand the food pantry in order to serve the students and faculty at CSMS and

Cypress Grove Intermediate.

“I feel like as kids get older, there are less and less opportunities or things already built in to help take care of them,” Parkerson said. “The most fundamental need that we all have is to be fed.”

●

14

Sports • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

Tennis player attempts to make fourth straight state appearance Noe Canchola Assistant Editor It is a desire shared by many high school athletes in the state of Texas: to compete for a state championship in front of your teammates, coaches and fans.

Although the road to state can be a gritty, tough and often heart-breaking battle, the end result makes it worth it all.

For senior Nick Bradham, he looks to cap off another successful season with an unprecedented fourth consecutive state tennis appearance.

“He’s the kind of player that shows up every day and works hard,” head coach Ed Stricker said. “Every year, whether it was his freshman year in 3A or last year in 5A, he’s been deep in the playoffs and that’s because of his work ethic.”

In order to reach four straight state appearances, one needs to have a strong work ethic, as only eight players advance to state each year. No one knows Nick Bradham’s work ethic better than his own father, who just happens to coach him.

“Nick is a tireless worker, and he never feels like he’s done enough,” assistant coach Brad Bradham said. “He wants to prepare beyond his competition, whether that’s hitting the weight room on the weekends or jumping rope in the driveway. He’s never going to be underprepared.”

Since his freshman year, many opponents have overlooked Nick Bradham due to his smaller body size, but his speed and game intelligence has proven to be his best weapon.

“My strength is outsmarting my opponents with my speed,” Nick Bradham said. “My weakness is that I am small, skinny, and not really powerful, but I just like to think that I am going to go

out there and work harder than my opponent.”

In the school’s brief existence, the tennis team has experienced much success because of the outstanding team chemistry. The team has also prevailed through the playoffs in large part due to Nick Bradham’s vocal presence and leadership.

“Nick is the player out there working the hardest and with the highest energy,” Stricker said. “Everyone gets along with Nick, and he leads by example. Those type of players tend to get along with their teammates, and players feed off that.”

From the time he first played tennis with his father at a local park to the time he won a state championship, Nick Bradham has always been a relentless competitor. As his senior year begins to wind down, he has come to appreciate and enjoy tennis more.

“Nick has always been super serious about tennis, but he’s learned over the last few years to enjoy it a little bit more,” Brad Bradham said. “I have just tried to instill in him that you can’t do much better than you have already done.”

As Nick Bradham looks to finish another successful season, he looks back at how he has changed from winning state as a freshman to attempting to capture his fourth straight state appearance. No matter what happens this season, he credits his success to his teammates and coaches.

“My main goal is to make it to a fourth straight state appearance, but as I have come to learn, I just want to go out there and try my best and be happy,” Nick Bradham said.

“Mentally, I have gotten stronger, and just the success this year we have had as a team has been a great achievement,” he added. •

“Nick is the player out there working the hardest and with the highest energy.”

-ed stricker

Head tennis coach

▲ Senior Nick Bradham volleys the ball to a teammate during practice after school. Bradham has won 3 district championships throughout his time in high school. PHOTO BY NOE CANCHOLA

Nick bradham’s statistics 2013

3A Boys Singles State Quarter-finalist

2014

3A Boys Singles State Champion

2015

5A Boys Doubles State Quarter-finalist

2016

25-4 in Boys Singles this spring

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • Sports

15

Senior captain’s influence drives team to district success Ethan Cohen Staff Reporter Ask anyone about Kerrigan Kelton, and the term “hard-worker” will come up very often. The senior and four year varsity golf team member excels in school and on the golf course due to an incredible work ethic that’s brought her through many highs and through lows. Besides the task of making improvements on her game, Kelton battled with an injury that could have been disastrous for a golfer.

“I injured my wrist at golf camp. The tendons were stripped off my wrist after I

“Once you get that ‘bug’ for the game, you’re going to constantly be thinking about it and always wanting to play it, and she’s really got that bug. She came back from that injury and still plays through the pain,” Edwards said.

Edwards said that if Kelton continues her hard work and improving on her game, she could get a golf scholarship.

Coaches always look for their players to have influence on younger members of the team, and Kelton is a great example of such a player.

“As a senior she’s really accepted that leadership role. As a leader you can have a

hit an impact bag,” Kelton said.

In a sport that relies so much on that part of the body, the implications of the injury were enormous.

“It caused a huge impact on her game as she was unable to compete,” head girls golf coach Brian Edwards said. “Once you get released to play again it’s very tough to get back to where you’re at. It took a lot of hard work.”

Despite the setback of an injury, Kelton fought through it and came back to compete.

“The comeback was very hard,” Kelton said. “Most people did not think I’d be able to come back.” However, after this long period of rehab and therapy, Kelton finally made it back to the sport that she loves.

Kelton’s hard work and love for the game is far from unnoticed, especially by her coach.

negative influence or a positive influence, and she definitely has a positive influence,” Edwards said.

He says that the younger players see how she’s come back from an injury and the improvements she’s made, and that she’s been a very good influence on them all.

After a season filled with injury, Kelton’s comeback has translated into success.

Kelton has finished her career with all district honors, making second team all district and placing top 20 in all tournaments she has competed in this season.

Not only did Kelton’s individual success help the Lady Cougars push through the season, but it also furthered the work of her teammates. The Lady Cougars placed third at the district 5-A tournament on March 22-23 at Gleannloch Pines Golf Course in Spring with a score of 381 for a toal of 753. ●

▲ Chipping on the green at Gleannloch Pines on March 22 at the district meet, senior Kerrigan Kelton played in the number one group the second day, but missed regionals by three strokes. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KERRIGAN KELTON

kelton’s 2016 season at glance • All-district honors • Top 20 in all tournaments • Second team all-district * The Lady Cougar golf team also placed third at the district tournament at Gleannloch Pines golf course in Spring.

▲ Planning her putt at Galveston on Jan. 29, senior Kerrigan Kelton plays in her first tournament after wrist surgery. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KERRIGAN KELTON

16

Sports • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

Powerlifter starts late, advances to first state meet Alex Miller Managing Editor

▲Senior Will Efendiev does repetitions of 335 pounds of pause squat in practice to prepare for the state meet. PHOTO BY ALEX MILLER

The life of a lifter is nothing but a grind. The process of making gains and getting swole is a task that few can endure.

For senior Will Efendiev, however, powerlifting is a sport where he enjoys taking on the brutality with full steam.

“I love to lift, and that is the whole sport, lifting weights,” Efendeiv said.

Efendiev did not start to powerlift until his junior year when head powerlifting coach Gregg Frashure approached him about giving the sport a shot.

“We lifted a lot in football and [Coach Frashure] was like, ‘Have you ever tried powerlifting?’” Efendiev said.

The regiment for powerlifters in practice is challenging, as Efendiev and his teammates work out daily in different areas for preparation.

“We do A.M./P.M. workouts,” Efendiev said. “We also do alternates that are sisters to the lifts. We do rack-pulls to help with the top of deadlifts and hex-bar deadlifts.”

Although Efendiev has been a recent newcomer to the sport, Frashure has noticed his success and points out that Efendiev is different from a typical powerlifter.

“Will is very much a complete lifter,” Frashure said. “Usually you will have somebody that might be a great squatter or

deadlifter and then lack in an area, but Will is very solid in all three areas. I think a big part of that is because of his commitment and his consistency to working hard.”

Efendiev’s success has not come without obstacles, though, as like any powerlifter, the task of improving the weight they lift throughout the season can sometimes prove to be difficult. “[The most challenging thing is] getting past plateaus,” Efendiev said. “You get to a certain point where you are lifting the same weight, and it is really hard to break past that.”

After placing second at the regional meet in Georgetown on March 12, Efendiev will seek to finish strong at the state meet tomorrow in Abilene. Frashure believes that Efendiev has a good chance to medal.

“My expectation is that he puts together the best day he possibly can,” Frashure said. “It is not about being the strongest guy. It is about being the strongest guy on that day [of the meet]. I think if he can put together his best possible day and some other people make mistakes, it will be good.”

With his coach’s confidence, Efendiev has set some expectations for himself prior to competing in his first state meet.

“I want to at least get in the top four,” Efendiev said. “I know the judges are going to be really tough, so everything will have to be really crisp.” ●

Girls powerlifting team places second at state, claims two first-place finishes Alex Miller Managing Editor

Suba Johnson

Katie Lollar Kalen Wootan Ellie Hair

5

3

1

Julia McGinnis

2

Camryn Riggins

4

The girls powerlifting team finished second overall in 5A, scoring 25 points and winning four medals including two first place finishes at the state meet on March 19 in Corpus Christi.

Juniors Suba Johnson and Katie Lollar led the way, with Johnson winning the 198-pound weight class and Lollar topping the 181-pound weight class.

Johnson also set three new state

records in squat (450 pounds), deadlift (400 pounds) and total weight lifted (1,040 pounds).

Junior Julia McGinnis was the next highest finisher, claiming second in the 181-pound weight class.

Junior Kalen Wootan was the fourth medalist, placing third in the 123-pound weight class.

Also scoring for the Lady Cougars were sophomore Camryn Riggins who placed fourth in the 97-pound weight class and junior Ellie Hair who took fifth in the 220-pound weight class. ●

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • Sports

17

San Antonio Spurs fly way under the radar The Golden State Warriors have headlined the NBA all season, as they continue their quest to set the best regular-season record of all-time. The magic that two-time MVP Steph Curry has orchestrated this season is only Alex Miller comparable to the heights Michael Jordan reached in Chicago during the 1990’s. But while Curry seeks to surpass Jordan’s 95-96 Bulls, a team in Texas is trailing closely and flying way under the radar as well.

The San Antonio Spurs are currently 62-12, with just eight games to go in the regular season. The Spurs are in line to finish with one of the top five greatest regular seasons in history and yet the sports media world has seemingly ignored it. The Spurs are not flashy and young like the Warriors, but the bottom line is they continue to win games. It is the hardnosed, disciplined ball instilled by Gregg Popovich that has led the Spurs to claim their fifth Southwestern Division title in six years.

San Antonio is currently the “oldest” team in the league, as their roster has an average age of 31.8 years, which is an entire two years older than the next “oldest” team, the Dallas Mavericks, and 4.3 years older than the Warriors. Despite the age, the Spurs are just 5 games back from Golden State in the Western Conference, and are also 10 games ahead of the next best team in the entire league, the Cleveland Cavaliers. In spite of their unprecedented success, the Spurs seem to be a mere afterthought on SportsCenter and other talk shows as they continue to play in the shadow of the seemingly flawless Golden State.

The Spurs will have a chance to prove themselves soon, however, as the Warriors appear on their schedule twice in four days on April 7 and 10. The two teams have split their two meetings this season and the Spurs will look to end the Warriors’ league-record 44home game win streak and defend their own 38-game home win streak when Golden State makes the return trip. A pair of wins could shift the spotlight away from the Golden State and towards the Lone Star State and would propel the Spurs within three games of the Warriors for first place in the Western Conference.

Even if the Spurs cannot take down the almighty Warriors next week, they can potentially get the last laugh in the Playoffs. A Warriors-Spurs 1-2 matchup may be the best playoff series of all-time and would be aired in primetime every game. Until then, the Spurs will still be playing in the Warriors’ shadow. Maybe five-time NBA Champion Tim Duncan can teach young Steph Curry how to win more than one title.

▲Senior Tell Ward pins Arlington Heights’ Jonathan Richardson in the quarterfinals of the state meet on Feb. 20. Ward defeated Richardson 9-2 in the match and finished second overall in 160-5A. PHOTO BY EMILY MCCORD

Wrestling team places two in top ten at state meet Alex Miller Managing Editor The wrestling team concluded their most successful season in February, as the team sent three boys and two girls to the state meet in Cypress on Feb. 20-21, which was capped by two top ten finishes on the boys side.

“We were expecting to have a really good season because of the leadership in our senior class,” head wrestling coach Dwight Mincher said. “We also had some young kids step up and get better throughout the year.”

Senior Tell Ward claimed top honors for the team, finishing second overall in the 160-weight class. Ward fell short to Zach Diaz of Boy’s Ranch. Ward’s finish was the highest in school history and ended the season with a 44-5 record.

“I was disappointed that I did not win just because I really wanted to,” Tell Ward said. “I am happy with it though just because I cannot change it.

I think my hard work paid off in the end.”

Tell Ward said the atmosphere of the championship match was intense, but having had three previous state meet appearances allowed him to stay focused on the thing he was there to do: wrestle.

“It was awesome. It was also really nerve-racking because there were tons of people screaming,” Tell Ward said. “It was not anything new though. I already knew what to expect and there was no fear of the unknown.”

Tell’s twin brother, Cameron, was the next highest finisher for the team, placing sixth overall in the 152-weight class.

“It didn’t end how I wanted it to, but I am still happy that I at least went home with a medal,” Cameron

Ward said. “There is a lot of hard work, four years of hard work.”

Like Tell, Cameron felt at ease in his fourth state meet appearance, and even more so with the familiarity of the venue of the meet.

“I was not nervous, I was actually pretty calm,” Cameron Ward said. “It was at the Berry Center, and we go to the Berry Center like three times a year, so it is like home.”

On the girls side, sophomore Kira Pomykal was in line to make a deep run, but a leg injury caused her to forfeit her third round consolation match.

“I chipped a part of my tibia a while back, and when I was wrestling [at state],” Pomykal said. “I bruised the bone around the chip, which caused an extreme amount of pain. I also ripped some cartilage in my knee and bruised some tissue.”

Despite having to withdraw from the match, Pomykal knows that she will have a chance to return next year and has bigger goals in mind.

“I think it was the better decision, because I have further things with different wrestling clubs,” Pomykal said. “So, I figured that was more important than my sophomore state year.”

The team also sent senior Patrick Clouston and sophomore Kayleigh Johnson to the meet.

Mincher concluded that the team reached expectations at the meet, which is getting increasingly harder every year.

“The state meet is tough. You look at it, and it is the last 16 kids in the state,” he said. “It gets down to the nitty-gritty. It is turning into a really good wrestling tournament.”●

“The state meet is tough. You look at it, and it is the last 16 kids in the state. It gets down to the nitty gritty.”

-dwight mincher

18

Entertainment • The Catamount

Friday, April 1, 2016

posing for a purpose

Local models participate in fashion show to raise money for charity Dru Peacock Staff Reporter Wheelchair swings, sensory gardens, a water play pump house, forest boardwalks and a miniature Kyle Field are just some of the things that the Fun For All playground being built in Central Park will include. Costing approximately $4 million, a new fundraising event called Brazos Valley Fashion Week will be donating 100 percent of their proceeds to help with the seemingly insurmountable price of the playground for children with special needs, and several CSHS students were involved.

“Just think about how many kids who are wheelchair bound or special needs that can’t get on a swing or are too big,” head of marketing for Brazos Valley Fashion Week Stephanie Leatherwood said. “This is going to serve all of them. Even adults that have special needs can take their little kids to a park like this.”

The event was co-founded by hairstylist Christopher Michael Stribling and professional fundraiser Judy LeUnes last year after Stribling finished his work at New York Fashion Week. They plan to do a three night show annually to raise money for various charities.

“We’re not trying to do another Heart Ball. We’re not trying to do another OPAS Gala. We’re trying to do an event that nobody has ever gone to,” Stribling said.

Students from the fashion marketing class helped advertise for the fundraiser to get the word out to high school students.

“We have a lot of students volunteering, which Michael is so grateful for,” sophomore and employee of Stribling’s salon Morgan Green said. “Getting the word out to people our age is really helpful.”

Along with publicity going around at CSHS, Brazos Valley Fashion Week has also managed to secure billboards, 370 radio commercials and KAGS advertisements.

“It takes a village,” Stribling said.

“We could not do this without our volunteers. It would not happen at all.”

Senior and volunteer Abby McIntyre joined the event to become more involved with the community and help out with this cause.

“I knew that it was definitely something I wanted to do,” McIntyre said. “I think it’s absolutely amazing that this is going to be available to kids.”

Designers from Project Runway and a few local boutiques showed their collections. Models from California and New York flew in to walk the runway as well as local models provided by the Nikki Pederson Talent Network. Also, every night, children with special needs made modeling appearances one by one.

“We are celebrating these kids, and we are celebrating the kids every single night,” LeUnes said.

The playground will be built on a two and a half acre lot and is expected to complete construction in May or June of 2017.

“It felt really great to be raising money for the kids,” freshman and model Reagan Galbreath said.

“I was very glad to be a part of it.”

Everyone from the community will be benefiting from the upcoming park.

The unique playground will serve every area around Brazos Valley County and will provide people with something that is very rare.

“I think it’s great that it’s happening because I think it’s a need that’s been there for a really long time,” said Sandi Ireland, a parent of a child with special needs. “I think that having a facility built like this will really help the whole community be more integrated.” •

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PHOTO OF SULLIVAN STROHMEYER BY DRU PEACOCK

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Catamount • Entertainment

19

Staffers review unique park experiences in city of College Station AJ Jones Features Editor

PHOTO BY ANNA SOLCHER

Brison Park Rachel Grant Senior Editor I went to Brison Park located off George Bush Drive near Texas A&M on a pleasant afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed my experience there.

The 9.4 acre park has trails for running, walking and biking. I walked one of the main path loops twice in under a half an hour. The quiet neighborhood surrounding the area had few cars, so it was both quiet and peaceful.

The park was mainly empty with only a few other people and a couple with a dog. In the park, there are a number of amenities including a large tree, excellent spots for hammocking, bridges, a creek, lots of shade and healthy green grass, even in the middle of the winter. Af-

PHOTO BY LISA LIU

ter walking two laps around the park, my friend, Amanda, and I sat under the bridge to admire the creek that ran by.

There is a lot of grassy space for playing larger games like Frisbee or soccer too. The only negative to Brison Park is that there are only about ten spots for parking and some of the local resident’s park there occasionally, so it can be difficult to secure a parking spot. I am planning to return because the environment was a good location to focus and get work done while being able to appreciate the beautiful nature options that the city of College Station offers. I would highly recommend this park because it is a great location, close to campus, very quiet and has lots of shady places to sit. •

Located off of East Rock Prairie Road, Lick Creek Park is filled with five miles of various trails for walkers, bike riders and horses to explore. My two younger sisters and I traveled down the Iron Bridge trail on a Saturday afternoon with a huge backpack stuffed with books and our Eno’s, a huge Whataburger bag and a couple of towels.

We arrived to a full parking lot and started our journey.

Unfortunately, we were unable to find a map of the many trails,

so we went in blind, just following a sign that said “Iron Bridge Trail.” As we made our way, we spotted a clearing and settled in to set up our hammocks and to eat. We spent the whole day enjoying the sunshine and friendly people walking by, most of them stopping to offer a greeting.

The abundance of trees offered ideal shade away from all the city noise. The park allowed for the perfect escape, something my sisters and I truly enjoyed and decided to make a regular occurrence.

For people who have never made it to the park, I suggest

you visit the website to at least get an idea of the trails offered.

And bring water! The trails at minimum are just under a mile long and could be very easy to get lost if you choose to venture onto the side trails. But for those of you who are looking for some adventure, love nature and being greeted by dogs and horses, this is the place to be. •

Lick Creek Park

PHOTO BY AJ JONES

Lisa Liu Editor-in-Chief

Research Park

I’d only been to Research Park once before for a picnic years ago, but I found it just as pleasant as I’d remembered the second time around.

A winding creek, quaint bridges and an abundance of ducks are probably its best features. You won’t forget you’re in a man-made park; the greenery doesn’t quite negate the effects of the research buildings and concrete, but the atmosphere is still serene. The sounds of running water make for a peaceful backdrop if you’re looking to read or relax for an afternoon.

As far as trails go, Research Park doesn’t feel quite as linear as other parks do. It does have

sidewalks, but the vibe is more sprawling, thanks in part to a relative lack of trees that invites walking off the actual paths. This means that you probably won’t have to bump into the same couple and their dog three times.

(At the same time, it’s modestly sized—you can easily walk from one side to the other in five minutes—so maybe you will.)

Since the trees can be a little underwhelming in comparison to those of other parks, this one can seem bare in some places. On the other hand, if you’re looking to fly a kite or play a game of frisbee, the open space is a plus.

While Research Park isn’t ideal for long walks or losing yourself in nature, these other possibilities still make it, in many ways, a quintessential park. •

20 Etc. • The Catamount

Sew Much FUn

Friday, April 1, 2016

Teen living class focuses on personal development Tiffany Ha Staff Reporter

E

very teacher strives to make the lessons he or she teaches relevant, but what is more relevant than living? Teen living teaches students valuable life skills, that one may not always have the opportunity to learn at home, through hands-on activities.

“What we do in here applies to real life, so I think it kind of gives them a chance to come to class and know that what they’re learning, they’re going to be able to apply in their current lives or their future family life,” teen living teacher Jennifer Gosselin said.

Teen living teaches students skills that are applicable to everyday life, such as sewing and cooking, that one usually has to learn on his or her own.

“I guess you just learn a lot of skills that you eventually need to know and you don’t have to learn by trial and error. You kind of already know what’s going to happen,” freshman Regan Hedrick said.

Sophomore Kevin Lopez uses a bag that he sewed in that class to hold his soccer cleats.

“I never would’ve known how to sew [otherwise], and it took time, but I got the hang of it,” Lopez said.

Another big draw to the class is learning how to cook.

“There’s even a six weeks where we have some cooking courses to try to teach us how to be self-sufficient. Before [the class], I did have experience cooking, but now I’m getting more into baking, because we also made cookies,” sophomore Delvin

Ogario said.

Freshman Flame Dong used those acquired cooking skills to compete.

“If you do teen living, you can participate in a club called FCCLA, which is a competition where you can do a star event where you make a project and present it to judges. I competed in culinary and got a gold medal,” Dong said.

Not only does teen living teach technical skills, but the financing unit has enlightened some students on the difficulties of living on a budget.

“It showed me how difficult day to day life can be for certain people, trying to get by with minimum wage and things like that,” Ogario said.

Teen living is also sometimes labeled as a class for girls, but the students taking that class argue otherwise.

“It teaches us basics for living whether you’re a guy or a girl. If you’re going to be self-sufficient that means there’s going to be skills you need nonetheless,” Ogario said.

Teen living presents universal topics that many students are able to share their experiences with the students.

“It’s something they can relate to, and they have stories they can contribute. They can all contribute to the conversation, because it’s all applicable topics to their lives,” Gosselin said.

Overall, teen living is a good school resource that teaches students everyday skills through interactive activities.

“If you’re looking to try to make yourself more self-sufficient, then this is a good class for you,” Ogario said. ●

“It teaches us basics for living, whether you’re a guy or a girl.”

-Delvin Ogario sophomore

▲Freshmen Freshmen Regan Hendrick, Flame Dong and Sarah Johnson practice sewing during their seventh period Teen Living class. The students learn about how to be more self-sufficent in the class. PHOTO BY TIFFANY HA

Life Skills

The following percentages indicate how many college students are unable to complete these tasks:

30% Hard boil an egg

23% Make a bed

42% Iron a shirt

35% Pay a bill Source: dailymail.co/uk