the CATAMOUNT College Station High School
• 4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845
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Students involved in AVP classes hope to make a career in film after high school. PAGE 9
News
INDEX
People
2-6 7-11
Opinions
12-15
Sports
16-17
Entertainment
18-19
Etc.
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Cheating becomes habit, resulting in lasting, harmful consequences Rachel Grant Senior Editor
Principal Mike Martindale reflects on his job as principal of College Station High School. PAGE 8
•
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
SERIAL C SERIAL CHEATER
WHAT’S INSIDE?
Junior Kenneth Garner overcomes a challenging past through his strong passion for rapping. PAGE 7
• Vol. 4 No. 3
Students of all ages and classes often find themselves in a situation where they feel pressured to cheat, or one in which they have no other option if they want to make a high grade. Many times, they cave in to this stress and opt for the easier route of asking a friend or going to the internet for answers. Counselor Marie Crayton-Haliburton suggests using alternative resources which are available to students both on campus and at home. “There are teachers that are available before and after school, department tutorials with another teacher in the same department if they need to hear a new perspective and NHS tutors that are willing to help,” Crayton-Haliburton said. “I hate to think students feel like they need to cheat when they have so many resources available.” Assistant principal Matthew Quick agrees that students have a variety of resources accessible. If they maintain a planner, school projects
and assignments will be easily completed, Quick said. “[The] main reasons that [students cheat] are, it is the easier choice and it does not require near as much work,” Quick said. “Sometimes students get in a bind and don’t have enough time, so [cheating] is a [much] faster way to get an end result.” While Quick believes that opting to cheat may seem faster, the final product is limiting the knowledge they are capable of obtaining. AP US History teacher Molly Sanders explains how cheating will inhibit a student’s ability to apply that information in the future and create more work in the long run. “The numbers show up on their grades,” Sanders said, “but actually they don’t get the information. Teaching an AP course, [I see how] important [it is] for students to know that even though they may be getting the information in class, they might not have the information they need to reflect on the AP test.”
continued on page 3
2 News • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Cougar NEWS FFA places at district competition in November Future Farmers of America, or FFA, students placed in numerous Leadership Development categories at their recent district meet. Among the 23 other District 1 high schools, CSHS placed sixth in the sweepstakes award that combined the scores for all of the categories. Twenty five individuals placed in the top ten of their respective contests, including Shannon Gaines, Paige Bielamowicz, Courtney McGee and Kaytlyn Livingston, third place in agriculture advocacy.
Junior Ellen Wang wins 4th Annual Derivative Bee Junior Ellen Wang won the 4th Annual Derivative Bee on Nov. 11, at Texas A&M University. The competition includes six rounds where a math function is displayed on an overhead screen and then contestants must compute the correct derivative of the function within four minutes. If answered correctly, the participant is awarded a point. In addition to Wang, 22 other CSHS students competed, the most of any high school.
Girls choir students perform in Region Choir Clinic Seven choir members sang in the Region Choir Concert at Baylor University performed on Nov. 7 at Jones Hall: altos: Grace Cory, Samantha Herrick, Hannah Franke, Ryan Herriage and sopranos: Rebecca Higbee, Emily Gibson, and Cielo Perez.
Bark and Build competitors achieve high marks The Student Council Leadership committee sorts bottle caps on Dec. 9 for Caps of Love. The organization trades in the caps for money and then purchases wheelchairs for children in America with the money raised. PHOTO BY RACHEL GRANT ▲
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Students of the Build Tech 2 class won awards in the annual Weiner Fest’s “Bark and Build” dog house contest. Devynn Halloran, Cody Yendrey, and Josh Donovan in the Team “Home Dawgs” won overall Best in Show. Wyatt Bishop, Braden Wellmann, Brian Henrey, and Austin Munoz in the Team “Scooby-Doo” won third place. Team “Girth” with members Austin Bingaman, Austin Edwards, Victor Gomez, Josh Ferguson, and Gabe Adam won a public voting Doggie’s Choice award for their dog house.
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • News
3
Academic shortcuts foster long-term, negative effects continued from page 1 cheating in high schools around the country
Sanders also discussed how cheating now will create bad habits, and in the future, when doing the work alone is mandatory, those old habits will resurface and affect the positions you might be in. “I think students need to understand the value of understanding the material,” Sanders said. “When it comes to the bigger stage, things like STAAR tests, AP tests, [cheating is] not going to benefit you. You’re not going to be able to cut corners to get the grade [in the future]. Cheating is all about the numbers, it’s not about getting the actual information.” Algebra I and Pre-Cal teacher Jennifer Rinn believes that cheating will eventually hurt the person more than it will ever help him or her. She thinks that if the students have an honest and trustworthy relationship with their teachers, they will notice that more and have respect for students who maintain a higher level of integrity. “[Being honest] is character building,” Rinn said. “If you do the best you can, it allows you to better assess and know your skills. You [can] know where you are, what you’re good at and what you’re not good at.” When students decide to cheat and are caught, consequences will be immediately put in place. These can range from retaking the test at a later time with a point deduction, imputing a zero in for a grade or receiving no credit at all, but according to Quick, the assistant principals leave that up to each teacher individually.
After Rinn observes a student cheating, her standards are to allow the student to retake the test or assignment with a point deduction later when time is available. “I’ve never given a zero for [cheating]. That’s just too hard to come back from in my opinion,” Rinn said. “Once [I]’ve seen them cheating or caught them doing it, [I]’ve lost that trust with them, so I tend to be leery.” Another infamous area that students are often caught cheating in is their writing. Turnitin.com is a website that most English teachers use to determine if a student is plagiarizing. English teacher Virginia Berry uses turnitin.com frequently in her classroom to identify if a student plagiarized. “Turn it in is incredibly effective because it makes it very difficult for students to plagiarize, intentionally or otherwise,” Berry said. “It forces kids to avoid plagiarism from the beginning since they know they will be caught if they choose to plagiarize, which ultimately helps them develop into the best writers they can be.” Overall, all teachers and faculty members agree that cheating only inhibits future growth and success. Maintaining a level of integrity will create a firm foundation between students and teachers that builds on trust. “An advantage [of avoiding cheating is] that you have the integrity and respect of your teachers,” Sanders said. “I think teachers often times know who’s cheating or where it’s coming from, so the respect that you earned it, instead of received [it], are two different things.” •
BIRCH HOUSE PRESS
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95% 59%
of students admitted cheating on a test during the last year.
of students said they participated in some form of cheating.
34%
of those selfreported cheating on a test more than two times.
1out of 3
high school students admitted that they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment. Source: www.plagiarism.org
4
News • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Holidays bring opportunities to redefine charity services
Alina Dhanani News Editor
O
ver the following months, campus-wide groups have decided to contribute to the holiday spirt and look toward charity as a means for aiding others. “[Charity] is personal to me because I think of the impact just one volunteer can make, and if I can take part in that impact, then I can get closer to their goal and that means all the difference,” junior and AVID member Miranda Carrillo said. In this similar sprit, students and faculty are often encouraged to redefine charity in their own enjoyable ways by hosting a different range of supportive events.
FFA Club: MASH FFA, or Future Farmers of America, have focused their charity dominantly on the youth of both our community and those outside it. “We will help by doing MASH, which is a toy drive hosted by 98.3 KORA,” senior and FFA president Preston Bunner said. “It really is just people around our whole, entire community bringing in donated toys that they’ve either bought this year or their kids got too tired of.”
This club hopes that by providing aid for the toy drive, it will benefit those kids who are less fortunate and whose families cannot afford to purchase Christmas presents.
Art Club: Salvation Army Though some charitable works include the extensive MASH, some groups have opted for a less stressful alternative, but an impactful one that raises money. “We show up, drink coffee, ring a bell, and greet people. We do so much volunteering that requires us to make artwork [and] these are somewhat stressful with a deadline,” Art Club sponsor Jessica Potts said. “Sometimes you just need to have fun with your friends, and I don’t want the students to feel like Art Club is a burden.”
Avid: coaches for cancer “The AVID class will be helping the CSHS and AMCHS girls’ basketball teams raise the money to donate to the local organization we have chosen to support. The AVID students are doing all the work,” AVID class sponsor and basketball coach Deanna Doles said. In their second annual Coaches for Cancer charity event, AVID, or Advanced Via Individual Determination has set their goal of more than $3,000 for Pink Alliance, a local organization that helps women who are fighting breast cancer. The students have 300 new shirts to sell and will have a bake sale.
“it’s an effort to help our own students and thier families who might struggle.” -anne hoffman counselor
Faculty: share the well Through similar efforts, teachers have
grouped together in the charity’s name to help students at CSHS. “It’s an effort to help our own students and their families who might struggle during the holidays to get gifts for their kids or especially if they have younger kids at home if they need coats or things like that,” said counselor Anne Hoffman.
nhs: Holiday food bags Reflecting on their success last year, NHS has decided to continue to give back to the community by hosting a school-wide contest by collect canned goods to place in holiday gift bags for needy families. “It’s important to help the community with this and to celebrate the holidays the way you want to celebrate them, especially by having that potential spirit of competitiveness between advocates,” said senior NHS Vice President of Service Zoё de Beurs. “It really starts off the holidays right.” Although methods of charities differ the goal is uniformly the same: to provide aid while redefining the true essence of charity in holiday spirits. “Charity is passion in its purest, applied to a cause in need. It has varying means of significance that are always found in good tidings,” Carrillo said. ●
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • News
5
Managing stress proves key to maintaining healthy school-life balance Emelie Gulde Opinions Editor From not finishing school work to having problems at home, managing stress is the key to performing well in classes and life in general. “Some students overload themselves with so many activities, some kids bring on the stress themselves and feel like they have to perform to a certain level and some kids have parents that are putting stress on them or pressuring them to have good grades,” counselor Valerie Reed said. Often stress can be a motivational tool and spur a student into action, as a reminder that the particular event is important. “If you look at stress as a good thing, it can encourage you to study or to prepare,” AP Psychology teacher Jessica Kouba said. Stress is how someone reacts to a challenge, and they can react either positively or negatively. If one reacts positively, that stress could lead them in a new direction, letting them accomplish goals and meet deadlines efficiently. “Students need to realize that their response to stress can really make a difference, and that they need to use it in a positive way,” Kouba said. The opposite reaction, negative stress, can be extremely harmful when attempting to complete assignments thoroughly.
“[Distress] is when students aren’t able to see the possibility of getting everything done,” counselor Anne Hoffman said. All students react in a different way to particular circumstances, and they must learn to manage their stress differently. “Some kids are all good at school, but when they get home they pull out their hair. Then we have kids that show it on their face and the word ‘test’ freaks them out,” Reed said. Everyone’s experiences with stress will be different, and releasing that stress will help them cope with a negative environment. “You have to eat well, you have to get sleep, you have to have some time for activity and some time for fun. Also some time for relaxing, reading a book or writing in a journal,” nurse Lisa Sicilio said. At the school, counselors are here to help students find time in their day to relax and recuperate. “We want to give them strategies. We want to help them cope with all the things they are going through,” Reed said. Through trying circumstances, however, stress is universal in any predicament. “The symptoms that you have when you are stressed out are just as real as those when you are sick, and you have to be healthy in order to be successful,” Sicilio said. •
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Ways to reduce your stress
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Eat small, eat often
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Keep it clean
The sight of clutter induces anxiousness.
3
Hit the gym
Excercise releases endorphins that improve your mood and decrease health problems, along with stress.
Breathe your stress away 15 to 30 minutes of silent meditation or a focus on breathing each day releases stress.
5
2 4
Give it a good cry An emotional cry releases stress-related chemicals, like adrenaline, from your system.
Healing hands Massages can relax muscles, improve circulation and positively affect the mind. Source: Nurse Lisa Sicilio
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6 News • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Youth and Government team advances to state competition AJ Jones Features Editor Commitment and patience drive students apart in CSHS Youth and Government as they prepare to advance to state in January. “Youth and Government is a student run organization, run specifically through the YMCA that allows students to be part of their own official state government,” sponsor Stephanie Padgett said. Youth and Government is made up of multiple branches that allow students to learn and participate in their state government. Branches like judicial offer a variety of competitions such as mock trial, appellate court, and the opportunity to act as a judge. In mock trial, a judicial team is provided with a case and each person is assigned to a witness or participates as a lawyer. The team goes through the trial as they would if it were being heard as an actual trial. Scores are determined by how knowledgeable the witnesses are and if the lawyers successfully present objections and statements. “[In appellate] we read the case and annotate from there, and try to get a good idea of what the case actually is, we write out our briefs and we really develop a full
understanding of the case,” Shadparvar said. Although the club offers a variety of competitions, Padgett emphasizes how involved the students become. “I allow it to be very student run because it is so student run on the district and state level. I just encourage them, set guidelines, ask them questions. I pose information to make them think harder and I’m more than happy to quiz them when necessary,” Padgett said, “but most of it I let them do themselves, and I just try to be the guide to keep them on the road to success.” With such close ties, students involved in the club have developed a strong relationship and many skills that prepare them for the future. “I really enjoy working with my fellow classmates and expressing our views and coming together and finding one common outlook that we are all passionate about. We all find an interest in law and public speaking and really pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone,” president and junior Hayden Sinkule said. Youth and Government’s mock trial and appellate teams both participated in district on Saturday, Nov. 21. The appellate team, Hayden Sinkule and Som Shadparvar, made first and the mock trial team will be advancing. •
“I really enjoy working with my classmates.” -hayden sinkule junior
roles in a mock trial lawyer Take a test at beginning of season to assess knowledge of judicial system Lawyers are scored based on behavior in the court room, knowledge and use of objections and correctly following all guidelines.
Source: AJ Jones
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@cougar media
witness Thoroughly read, analyze and memorize information for their assigned witnesses Help lawyers effectively understand their witness and write questions for the prosecution and defense Develop a character to portray when giving their statements on the stand
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • People
rhyme and reason
7
listen to kenneth’s raps: “cougar pride”
“never gon’ forget”
“give it all i got” PHOTO BY RACHEL GRANT
Rapper finds recovery from past struggles through music Amelia Kurk Executive Editor For the past eight years, junior Kenneth Garner has been rapping. For a beloved and deeply missed father. For a struggling and addiction-consumed mother. For three incarcerated brothers. For a little sister. For strangers. For himself. He has been rapping for eight straight years to heal. “At the beginning of it, I didn’t really feel anything,” Garner said. “I didn’t feel anything until I actually started to talk about my life and the struggle I went through.” After discovering that today’s rap subjects of money, women and cars proved meaningless to him, Garner began to apply his own story to his raps. “There’s a lot of thought, hurt and pain—the good and the bad—a mixture of all feelings going into my music,” he said. While composing raps is helpful and healing, Garner struggles with the public presentation of them. When feelings are this raw, they are hard to share. “I’m the kid you can come to socialize
with,” Garner said. “But when it comes to rapping, those are my true feelings. I don’t want to get hurt.” Garner understands the implications of his writing and knows that sharing the truths he has learned will serve a higher purpose. “My job, as an artist, is not to better only myself, because I’m bettering myself with it, but to better everyone else’s lives,” Garner said. “If my life has been changed by it, maybe someone else’s life can be changed by it too. It’s one of the things I have to go for.” Even though Garner finds it difficult to perform in public, he longs for people to discuss his music. “Every time I have a conversation with someone, I end up talking about music,” Garner said. “Because that’s all I do
in my free time—I write rap. It’s the only way I know how to portray my feelings.” Writing rap for all these years and devoting all of his time and strength to this passion have presented several physical problems and school challenges for Gardner. For students with intense creativity like Garner’s, quiet and passive classroom environments can be difficult. “For the longest time, teachers had to separate me from others. Still, my focus isn’t on the work. It’s on the music,” Garner said. “Because that’s all that goes through my mind: hundreds of words flying through that I need to write down.” The hundreds of words must find their way to paper, but the very act of writing them down has also turned into a struggle for Garner. One that he will have to live
“It’s the only way i know how to portray my feelings.” -kenneth garner junior
with for the rest of his life. “I have arthritis in my hand now,” Garner said. “I have to put medicine on it every day to keep it from cramping up. And this is all because of writing.” Throughout his eight years of rapping, Garner has accumulated an impressive number of songs. His count today stands at 120 complete raps. His means of doing this are even more spectacular. “I memorize all my songs because I don’t have the type of equipment to keep them stored,” Garner said. “All of it is in writing. I buy ten of the 150 stacks of paper and go through that in about three months time. It’s a lot of paper put to good use.” Despite any obstacle that presents itself, Garner remains determined to keep his rapping sacred and personal. Many believe that music heals, but Garner is living proof that music continues to save every day. “I’ve got everything I wanted to get off my chest by rapping, but the pain is still there,” Garner said. “But I’m not going to stop. I can’t stop. So, I’m going to put everything I have into it, whether it hurts me or not.” •
8
People• The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
tRIBUTE to our PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN
principal
Founding principal leaves behind high aspirations for his students Alex Miller Managing Editor Principal Mike Martindale was named the new Deputy Superintendent for Business and Operations for College Station ISD on Nov. 17 and will assume his new role on Jan. 1, 2016, meaning he will be departing College Station High School at the end of the semester. “It is a very emotional and difficult decision for me to pursue and consider this opportunity,” Martindale said. “I have invested a tremendous amount in College Station High School, as have all of us, in addition to the school district and community that I love.” Martindale will be replacing current Deputy Superintendent Glynn Walker who is retiring from public education at the end of the semester. “Mr. Martindale is an extremely talented administrator,” Superintendent Dr. Clark Ealy said. “He has an eye for detail and an ability to put processes in place to ensure efficiency and success. I am excited for Mike to join our administrative team and oversee our business and operations division.” In his new position, Martindale will oversee the Business, Human Resources, Transportation and Food and Services Departments for College Station ISD. “This is a significant professional opportunity for me,” Martindale said. “It would be considered a promotion to become deputy superintendent from principal.” Martindale was first named principal of College Station High School in February 2011, making him the first employee of the school. Prior to opening the school in August 2012, Martindale helped contractors finish construction details of the school, assembled the entire staff, and organized and created school policies, procedures and student activities. “The vision all along was to give the community another high school they could be proud of, that the kids were successful in academically and in extra-curriculars and the community was proud to have in their representative community,” Martindale said. “Every step along the
way, and every decision that was made, including staffing, were to look for people that were hard working, dedicated to success, and had a sense of pride in what they did and wanted to do their best for the kids in the building.” Martindale’s dedication worked, as in just three and a half years of existence, the school claimed three team and fourteen individual state championships in academics and athletics among countless other awards won. CSHS has also placed second and eighth in the UIL Lone Star Cup, respectively, the last two school years, which also attests to the success of students in many areas.
“Keep doing business, and doing it the right way.” -Mike martindale principal “I think we have all made a name for our school in a short period of time,” Martindale said. “It is because our students have performed very well in many arenas. Not just one or two, but collectively across the board. We went from not being really sure what this was going to look like to the name of College Station High School now recognized across the state.” The influence of Martindale can be felt by his colleagues, as he has touched the lives of many of them professionally and personally. “Mr. Martindale’s vision of excellence is the foundation our school has been built upon,” assistant principal Tiffany Parkerson said. “He is the type of person who I naturally did not want to disappoint, so working for him has made me work even harder to make sure his high expectations are met. If he tells you ‘good job’, you know you really did something great.”
On Dec. 4, Ealy named Parkerson the interim principal, adding that a search for a permanent replacement will begin in March. “It is a huge honor to be stepping into the role of interim principal for next semester,” Parkerson said. “Mr. Martindale has set the expectations high and we as the faculty and staff and students are well-trained to rise to meet those expectations. The best way to honor him is by doing what we know is right and living by the Cougar Qualities and continue to do business the way we do it here.” Assistant principal Justin Grimes also adds that Martindale has helped him become a successful administrator. “From day one he has been a mentor,” Grimes said. “He has pushed me in various ways to become a better leader through high demands. His expectations for excellence are no different even amongst the administration team.” Even students know how powerful and influential Martindale has been for the school and appreciate the things he has done for them in his time as principal. “Mr. Martindale has really been the captain of the ship of College Station High School,” senior and Student Body President Lauren Spohn said. “He came in and said ‘this is the way we’re going to be, we’re going to be excellent and our standards are going to be high, and we’re not going to compromise those standards.’ He is always interested in what is going on with the students, and he is always wanting to make sure that he is doing everything he can to make our high school experience the best it possibly can be.” Although Martindale will not be around College Station High School on a daily basis next semester, he will still be involved in school affairs and said he hopes the school continues its short-term success while giving some final advice to the school he helped build. “Keep doing business, and doing it the right way,” Martindale said. “Lots of folks do it, but not the right way. And do it with character that makes the community and the district proud of what you do.” ●
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • News
Quiet on set
9
►Seniors
Jordan Bratcher and Chloe Bell and junior Mic Brown film for their most recent project, which was to create a film of their choice. The members create three films per semester. PHOTO BY KALINDI DESAI
AVP class members look to pursue film after high school Kalindi Desai Staff Reporter Planning, creating scripts, finding actors, filming, editing; all these things go into creating a film in the audio video production class. While sometimes all these tasks can be time consuming and stressful, many AVP students have found a passion for working through the camera during their 2-period block class. “I teach them all these skills and give them all the equipment so they already know a lot of stuff after they leave high school,” AVP teacher Stephen Green said. “They are prepared to do lots of different types of media.”
Some students are even thinking about taking the skills they’ve already learned through the AVP class and going to work in the field after graduating high school to pursue a career in a field that they enjoy. “Out of every kind of elective I’ve done, I have enjoyed AVP the most, and that’s why I would do this after high school,” senior Chloe Bell said. Audio video production can be applied to many different careers to make promotional videos and other media-related projects. “Even if they were to go into a business job or something completely unrelated to AVP, I feel like they’re getting a lot of skills because every company uses some
type of media now,” Green said. Because they've found a passion with audio and video, the students are excited to keep working with it after their time in high school as a career. “Filmmaking is something I want to pursue after high school, and so knowing that what I’m doing now is going to help me in my future is my main motivation. Experience is the ultimate teacher,” senior Jordan Bratcher said. Many AVP students, including senior Dani Guzman, have loved making films since they were young, and now that they have the opportunity to able to pursue this, it’s all the more motivation to put their best into what they produce.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do when I was younger, but I never thought I would be able to do it. This year I’ve definitely felt like maybe I could take that out of high school,” Guzman said. Being so interested in an activity that could eventually turn into a career has driven students to put all of their effort into creating something that they are proud of. “We always want to work somewhere we really want to work. It’s hard to work somewhere you don’t have interest in, and I have a lot of interest in this,” Guzman said. •
Source: Chloe Bell
Project Timeline
1.
Create a rough idea based off prompt
3.
Write a screenplay and script
5.
Determine locations and actors
7.
Set up location and begin filming
2.
Write an outline for the film
4.
Create a story board and shot list
6.
Organize shooting dates
8.
Edit film and put together
10 Student Life • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
cshs goes green
The Catamount • Student Life
Using natural light from the windows saves energy.
11
In addition to the paper recycling bins, some classrooms also have boxes for platstic.
Schoolwide initiative promotes energy conservation Anna Solcher Entertainment Editor According to the Center of Sustainability and Commerce at Duke University, the average American produces 4.3 pounds of waste per day, 1.6 pounds more than produced in 1960. To reduce the amount of waste each person produces, student leaders and faculty are promoting recycling programs at school to reduce the negative global impacts the school has on our world. Students have created a recycling program for recycling paper, aluminum and plastic. Teaming with Brazos Valley Recycling, members of Student Council work after school to pick up the school’s recycling. “Recycling is important,” said senior Taylor Holland, Energy and Environment committee chair in Student Council and founder of this year’s recycling program. “Even though we're making a small step here, we're helping the world in the long run.” CSHS is a new building that has been built to maintain maximum efficiency and conserve resources already on the land. For example, most students do not know that the doors and paneling of the auditorium were made from trees that were cut during the construction of the building. By reusing resources, the school can reduce the amount of cost and effort that would have been required for buying more wood. The landscaping was chosen to not require as much water while staying healthy in harsh temperatures. Furthermore, Jon Hall, building manager of CSHS, planned out many electrical aspects
of the building to conserve energy. The number of windows is a beneficial way to utilize natural light and to decrease electrical lighting in the day. The building has a high-efficiency air condition system that was more expensive upfront but saves energy and money overall as well as automatic, high efficiency lights with motion sensors that turn off when no one is in the room. “We are very fortunate to have a cutting
“even though we're making a small step here, we're helping the world in the long run.” -taylor holland senior edge facility,” principal Mike Martindale said. “Not many schools in our district are as automated as ours is. We are programmed for efficiency.” Student leaders, teamed with LEO Club, Student Council, and NHS help everyone recycle by providing places to put recyclable items in the classroom and cafeteria. Bins can be seen in almost every classroom used for recycling white
paper and painted trashcans are placed in the cafeteria. “Just seeing a nice recycling bin next to a trashcan, we are hoping students will choose to recycle,” Holland said. Brazos Valley Recycling picks up paper recycling once a month for free, and aluminum cans are taken to a scrap metal place in Bryan and student council receives money, about $30 per bag. Student Council also hopes to start recycling cardboard in the future for teachers who need a place to put their extra cardboard. “Recycling is good for the environment, and the program helps students get involved and makes them aware, while also helping out the teachers in the school get rid of their papers and bottles,” Energy and Environment committee member junior Maddie Byrd said. This attitude of caring for the environment and learning to conserve resources can be seen in the encouragement of the staff and faculty. “I have an expectation of responsibility for the faculty and staff, along with taking care of turning off their lights,” Martindale said. “I think that fits in with collectively doing the right thing.” Although the school has programs to encourage recycling and energy conservation, according to student leaders, more can be done to promote the importance of recycling. “Saving bottles to recycle and making sure teachers are aware and encourage students to recycle white paper or bottles can further decrease the negative impact we have," Holland said. "Every small bit counts." •
Cans and plastic bottles from lunch can be recycled in the cafeteria.
Arid climate plants around the school reduce water usage.
Recycling bins for paper and plastic are located in the stairwells.
ILLUSTRATION BY LISA LIU
12 Opinions • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
THE CAT’S EYE VIEW staff editorial High stress levels occur in all, gloating proves pointless The holiday season, a known harbinger of cheer, is also one of an increased workload for most of us. As the hours stack up on end-of-semester projects, studying for finals and buying gifts, we often have little time to relax. That means we can get a little fixated on how stressed we are. It’s common to subconsciously make stress into a competition while one-upping everyone in conversations over how few hours you’ve slept last night or bragging about your practically coffee-filled veins. But the size of a weekly sleep deficit is not exactly something to be proud of, and neither is a poor state of mental and physical health. Furthermore, this kind of subtle competition implies that unless you’re suffering the most, you have no right to complain. But everyone, regardless of how they compare, is dealing with their own problems that don’t need to be invalidated by someone else who supposedly has it so much worse. Of course, we shouldn’t necessarily internalize it. Pre-
Little things spark appreciation for mom After a day filled with tests, English papers and weird social encounters, it’s such a comforting feeling to come home to my mom. At the end of each day, I can plop down on the kitchen floor while my mom works on AJ Jones jobs like cleaning up after me or starting dinner. However, she focuses on her main job as soon as I walk in the door. She gives me her undivided attention as I talk from any time frame of five minutes to an hour. My mom and I have always been close. I’ve never gone through a phase where she’s been less important to me or has made my life harder. I’ve always considered her my best friend and my closest confidant. When friends see me interact with my mom, they often comment on the relaxed and honest relationship we hold. The close relationship comes from years and years of questions about my adoption and things that a little girl just wasn’t capable of understanding. She took me in and showed me that second chances are possible and that love is something that is absolutely
View of the Pride: DO you get into the holiday spirit?
YES
tending that everything is perfect, even as we struggle to get it all done, only pushes the unrealistic expectation that we should be able to manage all of the stress with ease. But perhaps we don’t need to be glorifying it either. We should remember this season that everyone is busy— perhaps some more than others, yes, but all with their own pressures and worries. Supporting each other and aiming to enjoy the holidays is far more constructive than constantly
“Yes, I love getting to celebrate the birth of Jesus and share the joy of the holiday season.” -Braden Thorton, freshman “Yes, it’s the happiest time of the year.” -Lindsey Rogers, junior
comparing and dwelling on stress. ●
2015-2016 Newspaper Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Senior Editor Executive Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Entertainment Editor Features Editor Staff Reporters Graphic Artist Cartoonist Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser
Lisa Liu Alex Miller Rachel Grant Amelia Kurk Alina Dhanani Emelie Gulde Anna Solcher AJ Jones Noe Canchola and Kalindi Desai Susan Nam Cella Siegelman Courtney Wellmann Teresa Laffin
unconditional. She’s showed me that love comes in a many different forms. I think that every teenage girl feels a close connection to her mom because this is the time where it feels like we need our moms the most. We go through our first heartbreak and start to learn about ourselves in ways we never thought possible. However, many times we take our moms for granted. We have moments where we think there is no way they could be right or possibly understand what we are going through. We fight, and I know that I hurt my mom with the hurtful things I say, but I love her and wouldn’t change anything about our relationship. I have to admit that there have been times where I thought my mom and I would grow apart but we never have. I found that my mom was the key to healing and not feeling so alone. I’ve begun to realize that the days when I come home and spill every moment of my day to her are limited. I still have time, but I know that I need to step back and cherish the moments that I do have with her now. ●
NO “No, my family doesn’t really get into the holiday spirit.” -Sadiq Iqbal, senior “No, I don’t find the holidays as exciting as people make them out to be.” -Carson Brown, 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, Dec. 11, 2015
Mother’s surgery brings awareness of time It started with a beat. A faulty one. It was a beat that belonged to the inner workings Alina Dhanani of my mother’s chest and one that spoke of a predicament that would last a life time that no one saw coming so soon. Glancing at her history of diabetes, the doctors said she needed a catheter ablation, but those words sounded like a foreign threat in the borders of a human body, rather than a repair. Akin to her last surgery, the doctors told us the risks. Told us the chances. They spelled out a gamble of two opposing sides of the human heart. At the time, I didn’t understand how one could gamble on a life. He gave us the facts as if two steps backwards at this stage were going to guarantee a step forward, so my heart, similar to hers, began to race, and I realized that I didn’t have enough time for this gamble. My mother is a self-made woman; she is one who values love and
truth over anything else, and I realized that time did not provide me enough memories of her that would be good enough, so I decided to take action. Together, we began to spend more time as a family, and I wished
art by Susan Nam that I had known before this that time is a valuable constriction and not one that should be forced upon by threats. I wished I had known that my mom’s assumed numbered days were
not the reason why I needed to spend more time with her, but instead, I should have done it to explain the extent of my love for her. However, time was fleeting beyond our classic Bollywood movies and laughing games, or so I had thought. They said that the surgery was a success. The doctors told us she was strong, a warrior, and that she would be fine. In these assurances, I discovered a certain truth: whether it is now, or five decades later, there will always be two opposing sides of the human heart, and there will always be risks that speak beyond time; they are never temporary. Similarly, life is more than just a gamble of playing cards because no matter how we deal the cards, we cannot predict the hand we will receive. Rather, we must take time to analyze our deck and keep close the cards that are most significant to us. Then, we will become like my mother in a sense. We will value love and truth over all else and will forever amount to great things, for only by doing so will we find time’s significance. For only by doing so will we find a stronger heart. ●
??? QUESTION issue OF THE
do you cheat, and how often? Frequently
9%
rarely
47%
18%
never
26% sometimes
236 students surveyed
what do you cheat on? of people who cheat have cheated on homework.
96% cheated on 30% have quizzes. cheated on 24% have tests. have cheated on 15% papers.
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overheard rite What is your favo holiday food? “Honey crusted hickory smoked ham because when you get the formula just right it is like a piece of heaven in your mouth.” David hahn, Sophomore
“Holiday ice creams from H-E-B because they are seasonal.” Lydia wagner, Junior
“I love pepernoten. They’re small traditional Dutch cookies that are thrown at children during our Christmas holidays.” zoe de beurs, Senior
COUGAR UNVEILED by cella siegelman
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Opinions • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
World conflicts create perspective on issues There are many things going on in today’s world that we should be concerned about. Severe earthquakes, ISIS, bombEmelie Gulde ings, shootings and the upcoming elections are some of the reasons many people feel worried or concerned. I don’t know about you, but I notice all these things and get freaked out. Recently there was a tornado watch, and all I could think about during it was “Is this going to be the next story on the news?” Granted, it was all over within an hour, but when it is four in the morning and all you can hear is thunder, it seems pretty bad. Every day in advocate, I read the news. Sometimes I encounter something interesting or entertaining, but the majority of the things I read are horrifying. A soccer game called off for fear of a bombing, rumors that ISIS will attack Rome with drones, and that the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year is an emoji. When I look
at the world, when I read the news, or see posts on Facebook and Twitter, all I can see are people fighting, getting so worked up about things that they will hurt people for what they believe in. There’s enough to worry about. There is plenty of real conflict in the world. So, don’t make your problems bigger than they should be. I think the real reason I read the news, the real reason that I want to know what is going on is to remember that I’m small. The world is huge, and I am just one person in 7,381,850,631. Yes, the tornado was something real, and it could have been
a dangerous situation, but the truth is that we are in danger at all times. We never know what can happen to us, only that it could be worse. There are people who have lost family members by tragic means, and those who are struggling to get their next meal. Teens today should not be concerned with if they are going to be able to get the next Apple product or other materialistic item. There are 7,281,850,631 people in the world and counting. We need to be able to remember that we are just one of art by Susan Nam the masses, people whose problems are not as significant as we believe they are. •
Former staffer’s move allows self-reflection A former editor on The Catamount staff from her freshman to junior years, senior Kayla Kurmaskie moved to Florida after her father took a new job there. She is now a senior at Fleming Island High School. I used to be able Kayla to call myself an edKurmaskie itor, an actress, and a pianist. But now, I am none of those things. I feel like I went through an ugly breakup with myself. Most of the passions that defined me are no longer what my life revolves around. On countless occasions, I found myself telling the new people I met about what I used to do and who I used to be instead of who I am now. Throughout my family’s move from Texas to Florida and the beginning of the school year, I kept a brave face. I annoy myself with my optimism; being angsty and rude to everyone I meet in order to show my dissatisfaction with my situation would be so much easier than constantly seeing my Florida-shaped glass half full. Alas, this is not how I cope. Do not get me wrong; building my new life and new identity has not been entirely awful. I was presented with the rare gift of
being able to reinvent myself in my final year of high school. I am learning who I am without the influence of the organizations and people I love. Although frightening, this year is the test drive for next year’s collegiate independence. The moment I was struck with how much my life had changed was while attempting to vote for senior class superlatives. I was quietly struggling to recall the names of a handful of people I actually know when my English teacher interrupted my thoughts to let me know that someone from an entirely different period had voted me “Most Intellectual.” I was stunned. There are many awards I could think to give myself, including most humble, but most intellectual would never have popped into my head. Someone else had perceived something about me that I was not even aware I was projecting to my peers. This small instance acted as validation that I am more than the extracurricular activities I was involved in. Do I miss my old life as a part of the Cougar Family? Of course, I do. The three years I spent learning and growing at CSHS will always hold a special place in my heart, but I will not let my past define my present. Just as in break-ups, and in life, I have moved on to a new me. •
“MOST of the passions that defined me are no longer what my life revolves around.” -Kayla Kurmaskie
Voices HOw do you MAnage stress? “I go to Instagram and I unlike people’s pictures, while watching mean girls.” Alan Guerrieri Guerrieri, freshman
“I manage it with exercise, sleep and eating right.” William Layman, German
“I remind myself to live fearlessly and dream endlessly, because the future is full of surprises. “ Jessica Salwen, junior
“I manage stress by playing League of Legends.” Mark Derecho, senior
“I write everything in a planner, so I can check stuff off when I finish it because it helps me stay organized.” Anna Hoemann, sophomore “By crying at night and reading.” Kanwal Bhimani, sophomore
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • Opinions
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End of football career brings new perspective on game Football: a humble game that has become outrageously complex outside the white lines. The modern era has taken the sport to an entirely new world. TV shows, magazines, reporters, analysts, commentators, video games, Alex Miller Fantasy Football and commercials. Inside the Gridiron, however, the game is still as simple as its beginnings. Kickoffs, routes, blocking schemes, fumbles, penalties, tackles, and touchdowns. Despite the millions of dollars produced each year because of this sacred game, it’s the mentality instilled in every sports-loving American that allows football to remain basic and pure. Because of a brown pigskin, football also creates a love that cannot be understood by some. For me, football is not only a mentality but a lifestyle as well. For the past six years, my life has been consumed by the brutal sport. Two-a-days, Skelly, plate circuits, sprints, 7on7 tournaments, speed ladders, film, and of course, Friday Night Lights. However, this lifestyle ended on a rainy Black Friday in The Woodlands following our demoralizing loss to Angleton, and the definition of who I am ended with it.
No longer am I going to practice every day. No longer am I going to put on a helmet, shoulder pads and cleats. No longer am I going to run out of the giant helmet at 7:29 p.m. on Friday nights. No longer am I going to pray with my teammates before we take the field. No longer am I going to go to Whataburger after a game. No longer am I going to play football. The realization that I am no longer going to do things that I love dearly is tough to comprehend. There is not an amount of tears or regrets that can fix a hole that has been formed in my heart. I now have to accept the fact that my playing days are over and my cleats are hung up for good. But now I get to begin a new life with football, as a spectator. Being a spectator is not as bad as people may think. Spectators can tailgate before games, get food at concession stands, and watch their favorite team in a chair back seat. It’s not as exciting as being on the field, but nothing beats the atmosphere of a high school stadium in Texas on Friday nights, or colleges on Saturday afternoons. Whether you are playing or watching, football is a
game that is loved. It’s the moments of glorious triumph we dream of, like the 2013 Iron Bowl when Chris Davis returned Adam Griffith’s missed 57-yard field goal 109 yards for a touchdown with 0:01 left, giving Auburn a miraculous victory over undefeated Alabama. The joy of the Auburn Family screaming “WAR EAGLE” as fans stormed the field was unimaginable, as their Tigers capped off what was a magical regular season. But when the times of sorrow happen, those are the moments we dread. It comes as personal as the Cougars’ bi-district loss to Hutto last season. The first playoff game in school history, only to be stolen away with 0:12 remaining after the Cougars had a seemingly insurmountable 17-point lead in the second half. The silence on the bus on the way home from the Austin suburb on that frosty November night was painful, and was made worse in the weeks to come as the Hippos advanced all the way to the fourth round. Times of triumph and sorrow occur in every walk of life, including football. It is the pageantry, traditions, and rivalries that cause people to love this game wholeheartedly despite what the scoreboard says when the clock strikes 0:00. The love of my life and many others will be one that cannot be replaced, all because of a brown pigskin. •
Christmas season provides festivity for every culture As the holidays rapidly approach us, the term “Merry Christmas” is heard more and more each day. For most people it Kalindi Desai even replaces the usual “Goodbye, have a good day.” Saying “Merry Christmas” has become so common, that often people who don’t even celebrate the birth of Christ use the saying. Christmas isn’t just a holiday, but a time of year. Lights adorn every tree and building, and festive music is played in many locations. Food companies make Christmas themed treats. Christmas is everywhere starting the day after Thanksgiving (or earlier for the Christmas fanatics. You know who you are.) Since it is now considered a season and not just a holy day, does that make it offensive to some cultures who do not participate in Christmas festivities? More and more people are using the phrase “happy holidays” to encompass all religions and not just highlight one. Lately, social media has been blowing up about the use of the term “Merry Christmas.”
Personally, I don’t think the saying “Merry Christmas” should be taken offensively, no matter what religion or culture or way of life you live. For example, my father was raised in a Hindu household, but every year on Christmas his family and friends would gather together to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. He had a Christmas tree in his room, and they all gave each other presents. Even though none of them were Christian, they respected the season and the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas has become such a widely celebrated holiday in America that many people celebrate it, no matter what religion they are. Because of this, I don’t think “Merry Christmas” should be seen as an offensive saying. Christmas has become appropriated all over the world, so much so that it is a common thing for even non-Christians to celebrate every year. So why? Why would someone get offended when another person tells them “Merry Christmas?” This greeting is meant to convey warmth and good wishes. When using the phrase, it is not intended to be offensive or something that is forced upon another person. And really, how is someone supposed to know that another
does not celebrate Christmas? Christmas has becomen a season, not just a holiday, and the spirit of merriment is something that people like to share. Lights, music, festive food and drinks, the Christmas spirit is everywhere. It’s almost hard to not celebrate it in some ways.
art by Susan Nam
Christmas festivities allow people of any culture to participate in the spirit of the season, making the term “Merry Christmas” an acceptable phrase for all to use.•
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Sports • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Fall sports teams conclude another year in post season Compiled by Alex Miller Managing Editor
Volleyball team wins third district championship in four years In their first season under new head coach Kristen Grimes, the volleyball team advanced to the third round of the playoffs before being eliminated by Magnolia in the Regional Quarterfinals 24-26, 25-14, 2325, 19-25. The Lady Cougars earned their third district championship in four years, going a near-perfect 13-1 in District 18-5A play, while finishing the season with an overall record of 33-17.●
▲ Junior Lydia Wagner (left) sets the ball in the game against Klein Collins on Sept. 8. The Cougars defeated the Tigers 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16. PHOTO BY EMILY MCCORD
Boys cross country team places two runners in top ten at state meet The boys cross country team capped off another successful season, capturing their fourth consecutive district championship, second consecutive regional championship and a fourth place finish at the 5A state meet. In their third consecutive state meet appearance, the team placed two runners in the Top 10 led by senior Jon Bishop who placed fourth overall with a time of 16:35.00, followed by junior Zephyr Seagraves who placed eighth overall with a time of 16:50.75.●
►Senior Leah Lewis runs at theTexas A&M University Invitaitonal on Sept. 26 in College Staiton. The team placed fourth overall and Lewis finished 16th individually with a time of 18:40. PHOTO BY BANESSA ARREDONDO
▲ Junior Anthony Flores (30) sacks Hutto quartback Tyler Herrick (2) in the bi-district playoff game on Nov. 13. The Cougars defeated the Hippos 38-6. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN
Football team reaches new heights ▲ Junior Zephyr Seagraves runs at the 5A Region III meet on Oct. 26 in Huntsville. The team placed first overall and Seagraves won the race with a time of 17:57.40. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN
In just their second season of UIL eligibility, the football team had their most successful season in school history by claiming a share of the 18-5A district championship and advancing to the third round of the playoffs. Junior quarterback Reece Easterling helped lead a dynamic offense featuring two 1,000 yard rushers in junior Chris
Monroe and senior Chris Sennette to an astonishing 45.8 points per game, which was backed by an exceptional defense that held their opponents to a mere 13.8 points per game. The team advanced to the Regional Semifinals before losing to Angleton 3822 and finished the season with a 10-3 record.●
Girls cross country team advances to state for fourth consecutive year The girls cross country team won their fourth consecutive district championship, and after their second place finish as a team at the Region III Meet, advanced to their fourth consecutive State Meet, where they finished ninth as a team.
Senior Leah Lewis led the team, finishing 27th overall with a time of 20:08.56. Other top finishers were freshman Stephanie Brown who placed 53rd with a time of 20:40.04 and junior Cayleigh Lekven who finshed 54th with a time of 20:40.84.●
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Heisman Trophy race may have clear winner Tomorrow night, the Heisman Trophy will be presented to the most outstanding player of the college football season. This prestigious award has honored some of the greatest players in history. This year’s Heisman Trophy race features three finalists each of whom are equally worthy of winning and have shattered Alex Miller major records along the way. However, there are some slight differences in each player that may lead a voter, and myself, to determine their winner. First, Deshaun Watson (QB/Clemson). Not only has the dual-threat quarterback accounted for 41 total touchdowns (30 passing, 11 rushing), but the ACC Player of the Year has has led Clemson to a perfect 13-0 record, the #1 seed in the College Football Playoff and has defeated three Top 10 teams. Watson is third in the NCAA in completion percentage (69.5%) and has nearly 900 rushing yards for the season. However, Watson’s unacceptable quarterback statistic of 11 interceptions may keep him from winning. Second, Christian McCaffrey (RB/Stanford). This electrifying sophomore sensation is all over the field. He broke 1988 Heisman-winner Barry Sanders’ single-season all-purpose yards record with 3,496 for the season (268.9 per game), and led Stanford to their third PAC-12 title in four years. McCaffrey also has touched the ball on 41.6% of Stanford’s total plays and accounted for 42.8% of their total offense. McCaffrey’s fate may lie simply in the fact that Stanford played the majority of their games late at night on the West Coast. This small detail may have hindered this versatile underclassman from his deserved exposure to Heisman voters living in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and South voting regions who may not have watched him. Finally, Derrick Henry (RB/Alabama). Henry is a workhorse, averaging 26.0 carries/152.8 yards per game. He leads the nation in rushing yards (1,986) and rushing touchdowns (23). Henry also broke 1981 Heisman-winner Herschel Walker’s SEC single-season rushing record by nearly 100 yards in last Saturday’s dominating SEC Championship win over Florida, a week after he broke the Alabama single-season rushing record. His impact on Alabama as a team, specifically on offense, is far more significant than that of Watson or McCaffrey. If you take Henry out of the equation for the Tide, Alabama would almost certainly not be the team they are. Henry simply gets better and better as the game goes on, not by going for numerous 20+ yard runs, but pounding out consistent rushes of 6, 7 and 8 yards, making him a continuous force teams cannot stop. Due to the fact that he is the most essential part to Alabama’s offensive success and continuously gets better each week, Derrick Henry is my favorite to win the 2015 Heisman Trophy. The facts and numbers are there. Each finalist has the resume needed to be crowned the best player in college football this year, and picking a winner this year may seem like splitting hairs. After a slight process of elimination though, I believe Henry is the clear winner, because of the role he plays on his team. Whether Henry’s name is called tomorrow night is yet to be determined, but whoever is called will be a great representative of college football. •
The Catamount • Sports
17
Boys basketball tips-off season with early wins Noe Canchola Staff Reporter For head coach JD Sullivan, in his 24 years of coaching basketball, he has never had more seniors graduate than last year’s class of 2015. For this year’s squad, the lack of experience has not dealt them with any struggles, but the team’s strong chemistry pushes them through as they begin to enter the heart of their schedule. “It is a younger and more inexperienced team than last year’s team,” assistant coach Kenny Boren said. “We are the hardest working and disciplined team in our area, and we have a strong bond as teammates.” As the season continues to linger, the team has quickly began to realize that their chemistry will overcome their lack of experience. “Our team chemistry is phenomenal. We are always willing to pass up a good shot for great shot. It is all about making the extra pass,” junior Zane Stavinoha said. “My individual goals go
right along with my team goals, and as a team, I feel that our goal is to upset all the other teams that overlook us.” This year’s basketball team is not only built around team chemistry, but the personal aspirations that each player has, such as junior Cannon Davis, who made the transition from JV to varsity this year. Davis believes setting personal goals is important when competing in a strong district. “I plan on being the team’s leading rebounder,” Davis said. “This o f f season, I have been going to open gym and Alodia, our fall basketball league.”●
Junior Zane Stavinoha (2) guards a player in the game against Tarkington on Nov. 24. The Cougars won 47-39 and Stavinoha scored 14 points. PHOTO BY NOE CANCHOLA
Girls basketball team seeks success in district Noe Canchola Staff Reporter Contrary to this year’s boys basketball team, the Lady Cougars have endured success in large part due to the team’s experience. The team hopes to contend for a district crown after Rudder clinched last year. “Our seniors have stepped up this year by letting their actions speak louder than words,” head coach Megan Symank said. “Ultimately we want to put a trophy in the trophy case. We want to win a championship.” For senior Jaile Smith, going further in the playoffs has been her own personal goal, as she prepares
to graduate this year. “My goal is to make it further in the playoffs,” Smith said. “I feel that getting further in the playoffs is a team goal, but also an individual goal. Being a senior means my season last longer.” Playing in a district that saw Rudder and Consol fight for first last year, the Lady Cougars are sometimes overlooked as a legitimate contender. Junior Rae Hughes looks forward to playing the Lady Tigers after being defeated a year ago. “We’re seen as the underdogs,” Hughes said. “This year our team is much better. We just want to prove we have a chance to win this year.” ●
▲ Junior Rae Hughes (24) attempts a layup in the game against Madisonville on Nov. 24. The Lady Cougars won 43-38, and Hughes scored 8 points. PHOTO BY NOE CANCHOLA
Entertainment • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Cougar Comedy Corps Improv troupe returns to encourages laughter, fun
Lisa Liu Editor-in-Chief It’s possibly the only school activity that attracts an audience with the prospect of failure. “That’s the funniest part, watching people fail,” senior Brianna Soltis said. “It’s not humiliating. When you’re in improv, you laugh with the audience.” Founded when CSHS opened, the Cougar Comedy Corps (C3) improv troupe performed for two years afterward, but took a break last school year. Now, along with its original founder, theatre teacher Beth Creel, it’s back. “I would hope, especially since this is a year of revival, that we can come together as a troupe,” junior Jennifer Porter said. “And, [I hope] that we’ll learn a lot more about improv, because a lot of these people are kind of new.” Porter herself is new to C3, but no stranger to improv. Having performed on Consol’s Wit vs. Fit improv troupe for two years, she knows that unity is essential to success, as does Creel, who refers to it as a group sport. “You have to be able to work together and trust each other to entertain an audience without any pre-existing knowledge of what you’re about to do,” Creel said. “[During auditions], we looked for people who are fully committed, who understand how the games are group efforts and not individual moments to shine.” Senior Dylan Flasowski, C3 co-captain with Soltis, is one of the returning members this year. He agrees that
stealing the spotlight is never the aim. “Sometimes, you have to sacrifice something that’s funny to make the scene move on,” he said. “You’d rather go see a show where the entire troupe looks good than where one person is the star, and everyone else is just mediocre.” Key to a show that runs smoothly, then, is balance. Games coordinators, like senior Peyton McCutchen, watch the troupe during rehearsals and note members’ strengths and weaknesses so they can be assigned appropriate partners, topics and games for the shows. Part of McCutchen’s job is also to ding the bell that signals when a game is over. “There’s a very obvious point in a game when it gets stale and needs to be done,” McCutchen said. “But, a lot of the time, it feels like there might be something more. I’m always hesitant to ding and switch subjects because you can see them teetering on the fence—‘Should I do this?’” The answer to that question is often ‘Yes.’ Porter especially believes in not holding back onstage. “I don’t have a filter. I think that’s why I’m good at improv,” she said. “I think [the hardest part] is getting out of your comfort zone. The initial fear of ‘What if I say something stupid? What if I should be filtering more?’ is what keeps you from being good at improv.” On the other end of the spectrum is the problem with not filtering enough. During rehearsals, troupe members have to wear a paper bag with eyeholes—the “bag of shame”—if they slip and say something inappropriate. “We can get in a lot of trouble, especially with the age gap. I mean, we have little kids there, and then we have grandparents,” Soltis said. “Also, you can’t do inside jokes. You can’t do social media things, because a lot of people aren’t going to understand it. It’s hard to think of something that everyone will get.” Thinking of a response that both fits these criteria and is witty is not the easiest thing to do, Soltis said. What’s more, it often require background knowledge of pop culture, current events, or other areas of relevance. “A lot of people think that to be good at improv, you have to be funny. That’s not necessarily true,” Soltis said. “I mean, it helps to be funny, but you have to know a lot about random knowledge. A lot of politics and history comes up.” So, improv can hinge on the time and practice that a troupe puts in, not just innate talent. Still, Creel said that all ten of the C3 members are “crazy talented.” “A lot of people go to these shows to see [them] fail. But, these guys are so good that they don’t,” she said. “They’re hilarious. I have the ten funniest people on the campus in the same room with each other, [and I’m] trying to make them funnier. I love it.” •
▲ Senior Mitchell Bradford and junior Jennifer Porter play “Questions Only” during rehersals. Games such as these can help them with their improv skills. PHOTO BY LISA LIU
Common improv games: Secretary
One actor acts out the role of a secretary, but without the use of his or her hands. Those are supplied by a second actor standing behind him or her.
Questions Only ?
?
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Actors are prompted with a scene, which they act out with a partner. However, they can only speak in questions.
ABCs
An actor has a minute to do a scene, but every line they say has to start with the next letter of the alphabet.
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
The Catamount • Entertainment
19
Staffers review local coffee shops in College Station Lupa’s
Rasberry Pop-tart
PHOTO BY ANNA SOLCHER
Minuti
by Emelie Gulde, Opinions Editor
It was around 2 o’clock on a Sunday when I went in to Lupa’s Coffee off Texas Ave. First, I noticed five chalkboards hanging above the counter, displaying the names of all the goodies Lupa’s has to offer. I was surprised to see that, while coffee was the main focus, they also had build-your-own smoothie and tea choices as well. Also, Lupa’s offers spiced cider just for the fall season. The shop sits on the corner of a building; which provides windows
on two walls that look into the parking lot. Other than two lamps near the counter, the whole store is lit by natural light. I ordered an iced cinnamon latte, which cost only $5.50, and a chocolate cupcake that cost $1. The barista put my drink in a glass, and took the cupcake out of the wrapper and put it on a plate. I think that made the whole atmosphere seem classier and more welcoming. The cinnamon latte was excellent, and the cupcake both looked and
by Amelia Kurk, Executive Editor
After some serious GPS confusion, I finally pulled into a parking space in the middle of the Northpoint Crossing apartment complex at the corner of Texas Avenue and University. I immediately felt like I had left College Station and entered a more urban setting. Minuti Coffee, one of the first shops to open in the community, is in Building 3, next door to a new Toasty’s Subs. Upon entering Minuti, I knew I’d like this place. With a high ceiling, industrial details, and simple, bright décor, the coffee shop felt spacious and welcoming. Seating is arranged in a way that makes it easy to find a place to relax or study without feeling like you’re crowding other people’s space. The leather seating with a mixture of tall café tables and smaller round tables provides comfortable options for large and small groups. The background music was soft and relaxing. The barista had a warm personality, and she spent time telling me about the menu and the specialty drinks for which Minuti is famous. All of the Minuti coffees are made in Modena, Italy,
Vanilla Latte
PHOTO BY ANNA SOLCHER
Minuti Coffee Bar
and their menu of drinks is authentically Italian. At the barista’s suggestion, I chose a dark chocolate Cioco Delice, which is a hot chocolate made with whole milk, fresh cream and specialty chocolate. The shop specializes in espresso and Italian blended drinks, including one called a Creamicino Creamicino, made with espresso, flavored with vanilla, caramel or chocolate, and blended with ice cream. For those who aren’t coffee drinkers, they mix fruit smoothies and energy drinks. Minuti serves a selection of sandwiches, yogurt and fruit cups. I had a tuna salad sandwich on artisan bread with chips, which, along with my hot chocolate, cost around $10. The dessert case contains cakes, fudge and pastries. They also serve a dozen flavors of fresh gelato in some unusual flavors. Minuti’s is not a typical coffee shop, and that’s why I liked it so much. It has a great atmosphere and plenty of selections to make it a perfect place for hanging out with friends or catching up on homework, and this area serves as a nice place to escape the usual in College Station. •
1541
tasted delicious. The shop was full of college students quietly studying, and the atmosphere was calm and quiet. I was with a friend so we went to the seating area outside to talk. It is a great location for people who want to enjoy some good coffee while working. When we were about to leave, we returned the dishes to the front counter, and a cashier thanked us with a smile and told us to have a great day. Lupa’s definitely made a great first impression. •
PHOTO BY AMELIA KURK
by Anna Solcher, Entertainment Editor
Tucked in a corner off Brothers Blvd, behind Walmart, 1541 Pastries and Coffee is a hidden gem known to be loved by all who walk through the doors. They are unique from other coffee shops around town because of their homemade pastries. A nice addition to a regular cup of coffee or a meal to grab on the go, their sweet and savory Danishes, macaroons and sandwiches made with homemade bread are quality options. Walking in I noticed many tables filled with small families with kids eating muffins and hot chocolate. There is a separate room for studying and a variety of different seating options such as couches, tables and a bar top. There are various artistic
posters and decorations to make a more friendly and homey atmosphere. The menu includes an assortment of classic hot and cold coffee items as well as smoothies, tea and soda for non-coffee drinkers. I got a small coffee and sausage breakfast croissant that totaled out to be $8.40, which is not bad for good coffee and a freshly made breakfast sandwich that kept me full well until lunch. The setting is suitable for a quiet studying time and talking with friends. They also create foam art in their lattes, which add a nice touch to an average cup of coffee. The quality of the food and calm atmosphere make 1541 Pastries and Coffee a great place to go to any time of day. •
20 Etc. • The Catamount
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
‘Tis the Season
Top activities in College Station over the holidays Compiled by Rachel Grant Senior Editor
Christmas in the Park at Central Park
Almost Free Activities
Brazos Valley Symphony Aggie Basketball games Orchestra, Dec. 13 tickets ranging $5 and up
It’s a Wonderful Life at Cinemark, Dec. 13
Acivities to do at home
Make cookies or gingerbread houses
Christmas tree shopping
Collect food to donate to those in need
Santa’s Wonderland
Royalty Pecan Farms
Decorate your house
Events in the community
Shopping for gifts in Downtown Bryan