College Station High School
4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845
Vol. 8 No. 5
Friday, June 5, 2020
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the CATAMOUNT
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FFA members celebrate successful competition season
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Community comes together in COVID-19 response Kylie Vernon Senior Editor
Military families form unique bond
INDEX News Opinions
2-8 9-11
People
12-17
Sports
18-24
Entertainment
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What began back in December as a small outbreak in Wuhan, China has now escalated into the largest modern day pandemic our society has ever seen. The fall out of COVID-19 caused major state shutdowns, school closures and the loss of over 700,000 U.S. jobs in the month of March alone. It’s easy to look at the global impact of what has been going on and grow skeptical of hope. But the community of CSHS has been rallying to keep hope alive and abundant along with the education of the students. “All the teachers had to move everything online super quickly,” senior David McDougall said. “They didn’t really
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have a lot of time to react.” During Spring Break March 8-14, students were informed that their break would be extended another week. That one week quickly escalated into the following months. “I went on vacation and I basically never came back from it,” McDougall said. Not long after, students were informed of the move towards At Home Learning, a Schoology based method of learning requiring two assignments per week for each class. “Online education is easier but has its drawbacks such as grasping concepts at a higher level,” junior Jackson Wells said. As students have grappled with the new technology, teachers have been on the front-lines.
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The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
senior celebration
CSHS adapts graduation festivities to adhere to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines Aliza Ali Photography Editor Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 has been moved to June 27 at 8 p.m. and will take place at the Cougar Field. Additionally, multiple events and activities for the seniors have been planned throughout the month of May to celebrate their accomplishments. “If we were in session at school, we already would be doing many of these things and we feel that it’s important that our students are not missing out on the celebratory activities because we can’t physically be in the building together,” principal Tiffany Parkerson said. “Our students have worked for almost 13 years and have been looking forward to this milestone. We want to make sure that we give them those opportunities to celebrate.” Some of the things planned for seniors include delivering yard signs and giving them commemorative gifts during events such as the drive-thru cap and gown pick up and textbook return. These gifts serve to celebrate the students and how far they’ve come. “As the administrative team on our campus and throughout CSISD, we have been working really hard to make sure that students get the opportunity to be celebrated,” Parkerson said. “I hope that throughout all of this, everyone realizes how much value the class of 2020 and how much we love [them].”
English teacher Joey Medlin has been selected by the senior class to speak at the commencement ceremony. “I’m really excited to celebrate this class of2020 and excited to give them some encouraging words and even more excited to see where they go,” Medlin said. “This is a very unique class of kids. They came into the world during 9/11, [when] we were grieving and coming together as a nation and they’re exiting during another crisis where we’re coming together. Their hearts are beautiful and they’re resilient.” Several activities and events have been cancelled or tentatively postponed because of the outbreak. However, the CSISD administration is working to provide the full senior year experience while adhering to social isolation guidelines. “Hard things don’t define who we are and [they allow] us to refine ourselves in a way that steps up into our purpose and what our next step in life is,” Medlin said. “I know that the district in our school is doing a fabulous job of really trying to celebrate in very unique ways.” Despite the unprecedented times, Parkerson advises students to face them head on with optimism and confidence. “You never know what life might bring, what situations you might have to face, but it’s always better to face those situations together and with a positive attitude,” Parkerson said. “We are in control of our attitude even if we are not in control of that situation and we can be positive and excited and uplift one another through these circumstances.”
CLass of 2020
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event details When Saturday, June 27, 2020 8:00 p.m. WHERE Cougar STadium
▲Senior Hannah Schnettler
celebrates her last week of high school with a celeratory cap toss. PHOTO BY
MAKAYLA FOX
The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
News
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Administration provides resources, support for staff, students
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“Teachers are learning the tech as we’re helping and teaching kids the tech, which is so difficult. I often feel like I’m only one step ahead of kids when it comes to their tech questions and struggles,” English teacher Virginia Babcock said. “Additionally, managing a household, homeschooling our own children, dealing with the stress of the crisis, while working full time from our kitchen tables has made it difficult to maintain any sense of a work and life balance. Work hours blend into family time, family needs impact the ability to work, and true weekends no longer exist.” Despite the impact COVID-19 has had on the Cougar community, the administration has been working together to continue education. “As soon as we knew we would not be coming back from Spring Break, we began looking toward the necessary next steps of what we would do to take care of our students and their families,” principal Tiffany Parkerson said. By getting more than 52 computers out to students, personally contacting more than 2,000 students and families, addressing food provisions for families in need and extending wifi outside of the building, the administration has emphasized that actions do truly speak louder than words. Amid the chaos of the pandemic, questions have continued to swirl over what next
year will look like for student’s education. “We are very cognizant that we have not gotten to the depth of the learning we would’ve had if we had been in the building together, and we are proactively planning in that regard,” Parkerson said. “Teachers are being proactive in communicating to that next course level of possible gaps that students might be bringing with them so that we will know where we need to begin next school year.” Coming out of a time where each day was filled with uncertainties, the staff and administration have been planning for a future becoming less vague day by day. “Our teachers have done a really great job at being there for their students,” McDougall said. “The administration has made it clear how much they care and it’s really nice to know that they have really done everything they can to make sure that we’re doing alright.” For many administrators, the change in lifestyle hasn’t changed their priorities. “It has been very difficult from my seat to be a principal in an empty building,” Parkerson said. “But every choice we make is for our students. We entered education because we love kids.”
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CORONA: MYTH VS. FACTS MYTH:
You can protect yourself by swallowing bleach or disinfectent.
FACTS:
Swallowing those products will literally kill you.
The coronavirus was created by people.
A disease outbreak happens when a virus that is common in an animal such as a pig, bat or bird undergoes changes and passes to humans.
Ordering or buying products shipped from overseas will make a person sick.
The likelihood of becoming infected with COVID-19 from a commercial package is low. Source: hopkinsmedicine.org
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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Homestay, exchange students face challenges with COVID-19 travel bans
The Do’s and Dont’s of Traveling during COVID-19 x Follow proper food hygiene practices by cleaning hands before eating x Travelers returning from affected areas should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and follow national protocols of receiving countries.
Graphic by Erin Park
Catie Sikes and Erin Park Managing Editor and Opinions Editor Due to the current worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, many people’s lives have been turned upside down. Students, in particular, are facing some very unexpected changes. While every student across the globe is experiencing new challenges every day, students who traveled hundreds of miles away from their homes to get their education are facing much, much more. Many are being forced or are choosing to return home to new challenges. For foreign exchange and Korean homestay students at CSHS, this virus is a new frontier. “We’re all experiencing something new and scary because this has never happened before. I think it’s that big because of the way we live, travel, and how fast we can go from one place to another,” said junior Charlotte Hermel, who is a foreign exchange student from France. Many of these students were forced to fly alone and take multiple different planes with the risk of cancellation. With the current travel ban in the United States, their options were slim. “Because I had three different flights, they could get canceled any time. Getting stuck in Houston wasn’t
x Perform hand hygiene frequently, particularly after contact with respiratory secretions, includingwashing with soap and water or
a problem because I could go home. But then I was in Atlanta and Amsterdam, so if something happened it would be more like a problem,” Hermel said. In previous Covid-19 hotspots such as South Korea, there are mountains of new protocols. All incoming travelers must take at least two mandatory tests and be quarantined for two weeks. Junior Homestay student Esther Lee experienced several symptoms of COVID-19 throughout her trip home, such as dizziness, headache and shortness of breath from wearing a medical mask for more than 30 hours. According to Lee, she had a mild fever and headache when she arrived at Incheon International Airport and was tested immediately. Her sister, whom she traveled with, showed no signs of the virus and was released upon arrival. “Since I had to wait at the airport-provided facility until the test result came out, I ended up spending 17 hours by myself before I could ride the train to the city that I live in,” Lee said. Other students who were merely on a trip over spring break had to cut their plans short due to the global pandemic. “My church selected a few of us high school students to go on a mission trip to Slovakia over spring break. But when COVID-19 hit and the president
x Cover your nose and mouth with a flexed elbow or paper tissue when coughing or sneezing and disposing immediately of the tissue and performing hand hygiene x Refrain from touching mouth and nose x If masks are to be worn, it is critical to follow best practices on how to wear, remove and dispose of them and on hand hygiene Source: who.int
announced the travel ban, our leaders decided that we needed to leave for our own safety,” freshman Anna Wolfe said. One of the biggest adversities that these students had to face was the possibility of coming into contact with the virus during their trips home. According to senior homestay student Victoria Cho, about half of the number of cases were of travelers incoming to Korea when she went home around the end of March. Freshman Eugene Kim and Cho both felt that leaving the United States was their best option due to the rising number of cases and the limited resources available to help combat the virus. “[Korea provides] all travelers in quarantine with relief supplies including food, everyday necessities, medical masks, hand sanitizer and thermometers. I get a call two or three times each day checking in with my health and how I am doing,” Cho said, “My city also provides free transportation services from the airport to either our house or to isolated facilities, and until our first test results come out, we are able to reside in these facilities for free.” All of these students have made it back home safely and are continuing to social distance as instructed by their governments.
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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
News
SIX FEET APART
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Quarantine prompts students to adopt new hobbies, ways to connect Makayla Fox, Jenny Langhoff and Calla Duffield Editor-in-Chief and Staff Reporters While protecting people from getting the virus, quarantine isolates students from their friends and extended family. In response to the emotional impact, students are finding ways to contact and fill their time at home.
NEW HOBBIES “I’m usually a very social person and the social distancing measures have made it hard to [connect], but I use FaceTime with many of my friends to catch up and talk about our lives and get help on homework,” junior Alex Banuelos said. Many students are taking advantage of their free time by picking up a new skill or hobby. “Another hobby I started doing is learning a new language, specifically Korean,” Banuelos said. “I’ve always thought that language is what bridges different cultures together, which is why I chose Korean. I use online platforms to learn new words, and my hope is that one day I will be able to go to Korea and be able to experience local cuisine and activities.”
BIRTHDAY PARADES With birthday gatherings cancelled or postponed, Senior Brianna Reyes was shocked and brought to tears as she saw her friends parade down her street in their cars to celebrate her birthday. “I was so excited to see all of the people I love in one place,” Reyes said. “I had no idea they put [the parade] together. It was hard because I wanted to hug all of them, but was thankful for what they had done.”
BAKING A widespread effect of isolation: the influx of baked goods. Not only used as a pastime, many students have surprised their friends with baked good deliveries to their front doors (six feet apart, of course). “I decided to make cookies to pass time one day and I quickly realized I couldn’t, or more shouldn’t, eat 15 giant cookies, so I wrapped them up, decorated
bags and delivered them to my closest friends,” senior Kelsey Beasley said. “I really just wanted to put a smile on their faces.” Avid baker and senior Athena Polymenis has been sharing her wide range of goodies on her Instagram page @bakingunderquarantine. “Quarantine has been really difficult. I have a parent who is immunocompromised, which means I’ve been on lockdown since about spring break,” senior Athena Polymenis said. Her page showcases up-close shots of blueberry muffins, peanut butter cookies, lemon bars, marshmallows and much more. Usually as a stress reliever, baking has become a fun activity for Polymenis. “With all this free time I can bake three to four times a week, and it’s just an easier process that I really enjoy,” Polymenis said. “I get to test out a bunch of new recipes and things I’ve always said I wanted to bake, but never have.”
HANDWRITTEN LETTERS National Charity League member and sophomore Shay Herring is no newbie to community service. She has worked through the mother-daughter organization to help food banks, nursing homes, Hope’s Closet and Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, and is now making sure that the residents of nursing homes don’t feel forgotten while visitors aren’t allowed during the coronavirus pandemic. “I gathered around 400 cards, letters, drawings, and pieces of art to send to the residents of our local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. I wanted to reach out to a part of the community that was not always acknowledged but needed some uplifting words in times where they might feel lonely,” Herring said. Reaching Texas-wide, her efforts have been met with a stream of kindness. “One of the nurses I communicated with to send [the] cards sent me a photo of the most precious lady smiling while holding up her card,” Herring said. “Knowing that I was able to make 400 men and women smile was the greatest feeling!” Sophomore Paige Pryor has handwritten letters and mailed them to her friends of encouragement.
“I think it is important to keep in touch with friends in times like this because you never know how they are feeling,” Pryor said. “I think getting a handwritten letter from a friend is very encouraging. Many people feel discouraged and disconnected during quarantine and a letter from a friend is a good pick me up.” A lesson Pryor has taken away from this time of social distancing is to be intentional. “One thing I have learned from the coronavirus pandemic is to not take anything for granted,” Pryor said. “This experience has made me more aware of the value of human interaction.”
VIDEOCHATTING While some students have taken advantage of this opportunity to suppress their boredom with new activities, quarantine still has induced loneliness and worry with students not being able to see their friends or extended family as much. Apps such as WhatsApp, Netflix Party, Zoom and FaceTime are being found useful in alleviating the distance felt between friends and family. With family living back home in Columbia, junior Paula Bernal finds it difficult to be separated and worries for their safety. “My family is very tight knit so we help each other out. I miss my dad a lot more than usual,”Bernal said. “I have done a lot of FaceTime with my family back home. We use WhatsApp, which is like iMessage by international to non-Apple phones.” Bernal makes efforts to stay connected with her friends while being safe at the same time. “I’ve also picked up some new shows and in my down time watch TV and make bracelets [for my friends that I’ll mail to them],” she said.
FOLLOWING THE RULES While caring for friendships is important, the social distance and shelter-in-place guidelines are made to protect every individual’s health. “It’s still definitely important to maintain friendships and there’s so many ways you can do that,” Polymenis said. “It might sound horrible to be six feet away to 10 feet away but I mean you can still see them. You just have to be safe and responsible.”
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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
CSHS students face changes in work environments as a result of COVID-19 Jayci Tawney News Editor
E N I L N O R ORDE
WE DELIV ER!
PICK UP AND CARRY OUT
Safe Workplace Rules for Essential Employees •
Use soap and water or within available supplies, hand sanitizer at point of entry to the facility.
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Each employee shall be required to wear a mask or other cloth material that covers his or her mouth and nose while in the workplace.
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Increase physical space between employees and customers (e.g., drive through, Plexiglas partitions).
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Deliver products through curbside pick-up or delivery when possible. Source: portal.ct.gov
After spring break Covid 19 became a major threat to citizens and has majorly influenced public life. “At the beginning, opening the store was terrible. Lines of 200 or more people were waiting outside just to get one or two essential items.” senior and HEB partner Avery Medlock said. Essential services have been open from the start and have seen the fast changes the virus has put in place during their shifts. “So many things have changed because of the pandemic at HEB!”senior and HEB partner Maddie Syler said. “All workers have to wear a mask now. Cashiers can’t hand people receipts or change. We can’t have two baggers on one register.” Workers are having to quickly change the way they work while also handling the customers that don’t agree with the new rules that are being put in place. “In the past month I have had toilet paper thrown at my face, been yelled at for starving someone’s kids, been made fun of and mocked because of safety measures I’m required to partake in, and more,” Medlock said. Workers have also had to deal with customers that don’t agree with the precautions that they are taking. “It’s hard explaining the new policies to customers, especially when it’s rules they don’t understand or agree with,” senior and HEB partner Clifton Lewis said. Not only have workers had to change their day-to-day shift rules, but some have even created new jobs due to the virus. “I had two eight-hour shifts one week that were purely sanitizing surfaces,” Syler said. “So, all day I had to walk around the store and clean everything on my list, and then once I was done, I started over again and again for eight-hours. It was quite boring but necessary.” Senior Audrey Clendenin is currently working at Howdy’s Pizza and was transferred to delivery driver during the virus. “There are many families that ask spe-
cifically for contactless deliveries because they have been exposed to the virus,” Clendenin said. “It’s actually kind of wild because I underestimated the severity of the virus.” While those who stay at home downplay the virus, service workers have always been around it and have had to continue to change their habits to stay safe. “The more protective measures that the companies put in place, the more nervous I became about the potential impact of Covid 19. It’s easy to feel like it’s not a big deal when you stay at home during quarantine, but when you are working, it’s a whole different experience,” Medlock said. For Syler, her parents worried that due to the virus, it would be unsafe to keep working during these conditions. “My mom actually was not fond of me working because of how much exposure there is at a grocery store,” Syler said. “So, she told me I wasn’t allowed to work until things lightened up.” In addition to working, these students are also completing school work. “It really takes a lot of self discipline. I know many of my class have been chilling at home and watching netflix, but I don’t have as much time for that,” Medlock said. “My work hours range from 5-12 hour shifts, so depending on the day, I have to work ahead or stay up to finish assignments.” The balance between work and home can become challenging. “I don’t work as often as other teenagers because I also help out at home, but balancing the work at my job and work at home has been an emotional rollercoaster trying to maintain grades and my availability to serve at home and work,” junior and Howdy’s Pizza employee Hudson Cody said. The experience of working during the pandemic is certainly unprecedented. “To work during such a risky time in a place I consider safe because of the precautions, I don’t actually feel all that worried,” Cody said. “I do, however, care greatly for our customers and think every new precautions such as consistent glove changes, constant hand washing and sanitizing and face masks are worth it to protect the people we serve.”
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7 SPARK: Students examine, discuss 2020 presidential candidates, platforms The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
Kylie Vernon Senior Editor In light of the upcoming presidential election in November, we invited seniors Ty Wilson and Jadynn Enriquez, junior Brown Bedard and sophomore Cameron Boswell to discuss their political views and candidates of choice.
What is most important to you? Cameron: Speaking with our country specifically, I make a lot of my decisions on the economy and how it’s doing and how it’s affecting different groups. I usually base my opinions on that. Jadynn: The most important topic to me is healthcare. My stance on it is that it’s a right and that we should have it universally. Brown: The most important thing to me is the preservation of economic freedom. I think it’s rare that a tax or regulation gets rolled back. Usually when a tax gets put in place, it stays in place. It’s hard to pull it back and it normally just gets added.
Who are you/would you vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Ty: My candidate of choice was Andrew Yang. The policy proposal of Universal Basic Income would completely reshape the way we view the economy and we could make it work for us. When you implement something like UBI, you’re putting money and buying power directly into the hands of the American people, no strings attached which, Brown mentioned he’s a Libertarian and UBI is a very libertarian idea. Jadynn: It’s no surprise that I’m a Bernie supporter. That’s where my healthcare priority came from. He wrote the Medicare for All bill. I’ve always taken an interest in health care. It started in sophomore year when I did a debate about health care in debate class. Last semester I did a whole research paper over healthcare and came to the conclusion that Medicare for All was the best solution to expanding health care. I also like Bernie because he’s very consistent with his policies. He’s never been bought. He’s a grassroots campaigner which is the epitome of what I think our political system should be and not corporations because then you’re basically buying the election like Mike Bloomberg. He’s my man. Cameron: Assuming Trump will be the Republican nominee, I would probably vote for Trump because he aligns with my morals. For example, Bernie is more on the socialist side. In a perfect world, everyone would be economically equal. But I think that it’s hard to make everything work like that. Based on seeing how the economy has improved and all the ways Americans have benefited in a positive way, I would give Trump
my vote.
Jadynn: What you said about socialism, yes everyone looks at Venezuela and thinks it’s bad. But democratic socialism is so different. Obviously we can’t be a socialist economy. We do have socialist programs: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. It’s not about people being equal but people having the necessities to live. I think UBI would be a great thing but I think Medicare for All is what we need for health care because we have people dying from lack of healthcare even if they’re working a minimum wage job. I think that’s a part of humanity that doesn’t need to be profitized. Brown: To answer your question, although he has a lot of foibles and it’s easier to defend literally any other candidate up there, I would vote for Trump. Trump’s not necessarily a conservative president. He’s more of a hammer against the Left or the media which kind of annoys me. I think that presidents don’t have much of an influence on the economy. The only thing they can do is what Trump has done, or rather what he has not done. He hasn’t added unnecessary taxes in my opinion. He’s rolled back a few regulations. He’s adjusted some trade agreements like NAFTA. So because of his economics and his foreign policies in a libertarian point of view, I would vote for Trump. Trump’s economy is partly him but it’s partly him just taking a hands off approach to it, in my opinion. The trade war has caused some issues in our economy such as the tariffs which hurt us but he’s doing it as a long term decision. He’s trying to challenge China now before they get any bigger. But China doesn’t make four year plans or ten year plans. They make hundred year plans. When they do stuff, they look down the road. Ty: I agree with that but at the same time, we have a president now that doesn’t look down the road. That’s why I don’t want to vote for him. Brown: We could go on for a long time because we have a fundamental disagreement about the government’s involvement in driving innovation.
What do people who oppose you politically not understand about your position? Jadynn: People think, and a lot of the media think that Bernie’s policies are radical and crazy and could never be done. They point to socialism in Venezuela but they don’t look at the policies because their ideas of socialism stems from the Cold War and it’s not that. I don’t see why giving people healthcare when we have 40,000 people in the U.S. who die every year from lack of healthcare, why extending that right to people is radical. I think acknowledging our wealth inequality in the bottom 50% making less than $40,000 per year is an issue that has resurfaced because of the
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deep systemic issues in our capitalistic economy. Everyone thinks it’s radical because the people feeding us this information are media corporations who are the corporations who this challenges. Corporations including the pharmaceutical industry. The industry makes billions and billions of dollars every year. I think that just shows the power of the pharmaceutical industry. Ty: Drug prices are a bipartisan issue. I think we all agree it’s ridiculous. The biggest misconception I’ve seen is people calling UBI socialist which is not what it is. What it really is is capitalism where the economy doesn’t start at 0, it starts at 1,000. So you’re not using the government to tell people how to allocate the funds. You’re just giving it to them. No strings attached which I believe defeats stigma and puts more buying power into people’s hands. It’s a trickle up economy. And also, Bernie’s plan would expand the government by 40%, which I’m not super huge on. Jadynn: I don’t like big government but I do think that what we’re doing right now isn’t good enough. And while yes, big government means raising taxes, we don’t pay attention to Trump’s billion dollar tax cuts that he gave to multiple corporations and the 80 billion dollar budgeted spending he gave to the military. Brown: I’m not a Trump supporter, I’m just voting for someone on the right. I would say that a main thing is that a lot of people who are voting for him aren’t voting for Trump, they’re voting against someone on the Left. Ty: I definitely see that trend: being Republican vs. Trumplican. Cameron: That’s definitely where I would stand. It’s to be against the Left. When we look at the things that are happening now, nothing terrible is happening, nothing catastrophic. There are a lot of positives so that’s why I would vote Trump. But people will definitely misconceive and come up to me and say “well you must be racist.” Because of that, I definitely wouldn’t ever go up to someone and tell them I’m a Trump supporter. I wouldn’t say that out of fear. I think it’s different now than how it’s been in the past because Trump is so polarizing. I would never say some of the things he’s said. Jadynn: The democratic party as an establishment is honestly very gross. The part that really gets me is because I don’t identify with the democratic party. Bernie was in the Senate as an independent. But obviously because of the two party system, he had to run for one. That’s why I like him so much. Him being an independent truly proves that he’s working for the people, that he’s not for the establishment like Biden or Buttigieg. The establishments don’t want Bernie.
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The Catamount
art history
Friday, June 5, 2020
First time class explores history, appreciation towards art
Being taught for the first time at College Station High School, Art History is a collegelevel class that covers the importance, impact and influence behind Western Art throughout history. The class covers art from as early as the Cave Paintings of Lascaux from near 17,000 BCE to the Modern 20th Century Art that influences students today. Taught by the Pre-AP and AP Art teacher Annie Sellers, AP Art History offers art experience and knowledge to students along with a college credit. “[Art History teaches] art theory and philosophy— I like helping students understand that there are different ways to look at art. Learning how to define and recognize good art is critical. Naturally, with a room full of students, there will be many opinions and being able to sort out different opinions in a mature way is a skill I think all students need,” Sellers said. AP Art History covers the major forms of art expression from different eras and cultures. This includes, but not limited to, European and Middle Eastern art and its timeline to Modern American art. The class details the philosophy and theory in relation to defining what is considered good art for the time periods considered. However, although AP art history has been an option in the College Station Course Request Guide for years, the class has never been taught. It was through a group effort between art students and Sellers that made the possibility a reality. Art I student Hannah Brick and Art III Pre-AP student Sophia Amstaldan were major advocates for the class, presenting slideshows to students about the importance of the class and what it offers to the general student. “I made a Google Slides to help advertise the course to my peers, it was fun but also had
convincing facts about the class. Art History itself will help us [students] further our cultural and artistic knowledge. I’m excited to learn more about art and its history and to apply it in the future,” said Brick. This, in addition to the motivation from Sellers, was enough to get the required interest for the class to be taught next year, 2020-2021. “[My students] motivated me to talk up the class to many of my other art students who hadn’t thought about it but [considered] that it could be the right class for them,” Sellers said. With the experience of teaching Art Appreciation at college, Sellers has also advocated for AP Art History through “Tea Time,” or mini history lectures during her AP Art class. Tea Time occurs once a week during advocate and teaches students about the meanings and influences of various pieces from major art periods. It gets students forming opinions and debating about art in an encouraging and sophisticated environment. Along with teaching theory and philosophy, this is another goal that translates into AP Art History “[Tea Time] gives us a factual presentation and then lets us discuss our opinions and meaning behind art. For me, the way I feel more attached to art is by knowing the story behind it and tea time has allowed me and my peers to form our opinions with the help of Mrs. Sellers. Since teatime is not part of the class and we aren’t graded for it, it allows us to have a space for everyone who loves art and to learn about it,” said Amstalden. The class reaches current art students by not only giving them a foundation of the principles they use in creating pieces, but also through a historical and influential perspective. Many current art students are applying to art programs at colleges such as The University of Texas or Rhode Island School of Design. This class further deepens their understanding of art and the process behind it.
match the artist and their art work a. Leonardo Da Vinci
b. Johannes Vemeer
c. Salvador Dali
d. John Davidsz De Heem
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key: a. 3, b. 1, c. 4, d. 2
Jenny Langhoff Staff Reporter
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
staff editorial
Reactions to changes solidify need for sense of community The times we are facing are unprecedented to any other. Despite the re-opening of Texas in recent weeks, over the last three months, shelves of hand sanitizer and toilet paper are consistently empty, school buildings are still closed and frontline medical workers continue to battle the coronavirus cases. And details on the virus continue to change every single day. We’re trying to adapt to the new “normal,” but who’s to say that “normal” won’t change tomorrow? One thing that we know for sure is that our CSHS faculty and CSISD were quick to find a solution that benefited our students. Despite the challenges posed by the ever-changing rules of social distancing and shelterin-place, our students were provided with content to continue our learning, a line of communication between our teachers through our computer screens and an abundance of virtual support. These transitions into what has become our new “normal” were not easily adaptable for students nor faculty, yet these times we are facing made us appreciate our classrooms, our school, and our relationships with our peers and faculty. Whether we are having zoom parties or waving from our car windows at the teachers we’ve known for years, this has given the word “community” whole new meaning. We are being brought together through the act of being apart. Although the future is unclear, and the truth is, it’s really scary to think about, for now, we hold onto the hope that soon the class of 2020 will close their high school journey able to hug their classmates goodbye and that the classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 will enter the doors of
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I remember when I was This is a time to be alive! Never before have a a freshman, when discussing group of people been afforded such an extensive politics and religion, things of privilege to speak about the things we believe in significant importance, with for such an extended period of time. Americans my friends felt dangerous. don’t have to worry about censorship, or even Almost as if we were walking the threat of death for something as innocent as Kylie Vernon on thin ice around each other. speech. Our opinSo speak! Learn! Know ions divided us and that what you believe and resigned us to silence. know why you believe My favorite thing it! about America is the Better yet, talk whole idea of a meltand engage with those ing pot of cultures, who disagree with ideas and peoples. We you. Walk into every are so unique! We conversation with are not of a hothe thought that mogeneous eth“maybe this pernic background. son knows someWe don’t all share thing I don’t.” For the same beliefs or many, the simple act preferences. We of asking a question are so different to someone we disfrom one another agree with sounds but united by the daunting and danbelief of indigerous. Trust me, I vidual freedoms get it. But I would and the right not be the perto express ourson I am today selves. if I had let fear Why would steal my voice. we take any of It was that for grantwhen I realized ed? Why would that silence diArt by Erin Park we be passively revided us more than signed to silence when there are places in the our opinions that I was able to bridge those world where people’s expression is silenced? spaces between myself and others.
2019-2020 Newspaper Staff Editor-in-Chief
Makayla Fox
Managing Editor
Catie Sikes
Executive Editor
Lauren Gomulka
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Open dialogue critical in spread of opinions
THE CAT’S EYE VIEW
CSHS this fall.
Opinions
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The Catamount Newspaper Assitant Editors
Staff Reporters
Jyotsna Naidu
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
Loredana Pearlstein
administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.
Elisabeth Stewart
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
Senior Editor
Kylie Vernon
Jenny Langhoff
News Editor
Jayci Tawney
Saul Canchola
Opinions Editor
Erin Park
Sophia Amstalden
award in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019, as well as their Silver Star Award in 2017 and 2018.
Sports Editor
Ayden Woods
Photography Editor
Aliza Ali
Cartoonist
Jenny Langhoff
Faculty Adviser
Courtney Wellmann
Assistant Adviser
Teresa Laffin
Graphic Artist
Esther Tong
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 College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing
education services. Nkrumah Dixon, Director of Employee Engagement, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-7645412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Lindsey Fuentes, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination. requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
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Opinions
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Reflections during time at home clarify individual purpose School used to define me. Completing purposeful work while being goal-orientated in our safe-haven of school seemed positive; but when the lack of work made me spiral into depressive moods and I began to cut myself Jyotsna Naidu off from others, my attitude revelead its toxicity. Since school closures I have been forced to figure out who I am outside of school. Who am I if I’m not staying up late to finish my English essay after returning at 7:00 p.m. from extracurriculars or work? Who am I if I’m not making self-deprecating jokes while secretly glad at my work because I think I could be better? Who am I if I’m not contributing to society? What am I without a GPA? Slowly, after a month of quarantine, after scrolling through countless news articles with scary headlines and considerably after noon, I got out of bed to get ready for the day. The exploration of finding my reason to leave my bed was the highlight of my quarantine. This may seem trivial in the grand scheme of a global pandemic, but for the first time, I did every task for myself. Without any imposed deadlines, I got up not
because I feared being tardy or viewed poorly; I got up because I wanted to work and make a recipe I saw on Instagram. While my pursuits may not have contributed to the world as much as fundraising for nonprofits or interviewing fellow students for a news story, I still intellectually challenged myself. Recognizing that I could be of value for more than just my contributions improved my mental health and
we cannot continue to pity the losses from our old lives. attitude. The dedication that I had for service and activism could also be applied to taking care of and bettering myself. It is hard to explain the satisfaction I got from completing every task for myself. However, when I left my house for the first time in
weeks to pick up guavas from my Aunt’s doorstep and drove Texas Avenue, I saw customers in stores and full parking lots. I was on the brink of tears because I believed that there would be a second wave of COVID-19 due to the lack of sanctioned social distancing that could once again rip my school and extracurriculars away from me. But this selfish attitude was only interested in my own wellbeing, forgetting those facing similar challenges, some with far worse circumstances. Keeping in mind my mother still had her job, I had access to technology to do my school work, and that I was able to stay at home unlike millions of essential workers, I took comfort in what I had control over: cleaning my room and completing my work rather than continuously worrying about an virus with no administrable cure currently. At a time when we all are adapting to a “new normal,” we cannot continue to pity the losses from our old lives and forget about the tireless efforts of those working hard to support us remotely: school staff, medical personnel and essential workers. Instead, actively taking control of our actions with the extended amount of time and energy we have been granted is our “new normal.”
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Varying personal perceptions of life, death culminate in dream I have had an odd habit--beginning since I was five years not escape them. The spiral was so quick, I could barely get my footing: everything old--of listening in on my parents’ conversations began to seem futile, as if I’d been walking across a burning bridge, after dinner, my sister and I smushing our ears never realizing there was a destination I could never get back from. to the small crack at the bottom of our bedWould how I step matter if the bridges were still burning? room door to hear better. That dayAt some point I realized that I wanted to live so badly, it -some random day so typical you made me want to die. Every moment slowly crawled to wouldn’t even notice it--I scraped the next, and felt like another step closer to the abyss. Loredana down my dinner and then scuttled As a result, my grades started spiraling (I didn’t think Pearlstein into my room as usual. Pressing they mattered as much when faced with an eternity my face to the tile that lined my bedroom floor, my of darkness), and so my parents desperately tried to parents’ voices drifted through the house. But that console me: my dad told me that like the Vikings and day, their voices were peculiarly drained, bouncing Shakespeare, the work of one person lives on; my off the walls aimlessly, as if the Asphodel Meadmom told me that life was more about the moments ows had bloomed in my living room. After a minhad than the ones not. ute of listening, I began to lift my head, giving up However, I found my solace in a dream. I was on my dishonorable quest until my mom’s voicestanding in my childhood home, watching my -filled by an anguish I’d never heard before--rung younger self failing to catch fireflies. Frustrated, through the muddle: my younger self dropped the jar. My grandfather “My mom, my dad, my uncle--God--death walked over to me with the voice he always used to seems so close.” I’d never heard my mom sob, I tell stories and told me that he too was once bad at didn’t even know what it was, until its sound echoed catching fireflies. I asked him what changed. He told off every wall of my house, a deafening sound that beat me that nothing did; that somewhere in time, there is a Art by Jenny Langhoff like a drum against my ear, that silently tore, that sung like little kid on the beach like me, who runs after those fireflies. That oblivion. no matter what, that moment will never be erased. That both he and And thus my existential crisis. Suddenly, those walls became a part of everywhere I would always be bad at catching fireflies, even an eternity later. I went--no matter the place or those who tried to bring me back to reality--I could
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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Opinions
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Younger generations receive criticism related to technology “Well, back in my day”... “Kids your age”... “You just can’t live without your phone”... We can all admit that we have heard these sayings many times whether it be from parents or teachers or random adults who feel the need to voice their opinions about younger generations. And I think we all can admit to rolling our eyes everyLauren Gomulka time. Although, I have so much respect for all of the adults in my life who have gone before me and paved the way for me, the constant reminder that my generation is “lazy” and “spoiled” and “addicted to technology” is offensive and not true for all of us. Technology is a huge part of our world now, and for the younger generation. Life centered around technology is all we have ever known. We have grown up with cell phones and television and social media just like older generations grew up with cassette tapes and VHS and radios. The world is evolving and we are evolving with it, meaning that we have learned to live our lives with technology.
While modern technology provides us with opportunities to be distracted, it also provides us with unlimited opportunities for education and growth and development. Snapchat and Twitter take advantage of their wide user platforms to inform people of politics and news developments. VSCO and other photography apps provide outlets for creative talents and inspiration. There are thousands of organization and lifestyle apps that teach healthy living and management skills. There are even apps that teach math and science and foreign languages. People can go to school online and work online and can even Facetime people from halfway across the earth thanks to technology. As a result, younger generations are more expressive, extremely fast thinkers and well educated on modern politics and news issues. While social media and modern technology may seem to adults like an excuse to avoid responsibilities, technology also is extremely beneficial. As technology advances even more, all of us, young and old, need to focus on using technology for growth and development and remember to respect those who came before us and consider the resources we have at hand.
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Art by Makayla Fox
Coronavirus sets in motion unexpected series of events, travel to Korea March 24, 12:58 am. I woke up to read urgent texts from my friend who was frantically spreading news that homestay students received the school’s permission to leave the country. Erin Park My friends and I planned to travel together, purchasing tickets for April 15 from Houston to Los Angeles, then to Incheon. I’m sure no homestay student slept well that night. March 26 2020, time unknown. One of my closest family friends who lives in New York City was infected with the virus and was suffering from 108-degree fevers and two losses. Her mom’s parents had passed away due to the virus only a few days prior. She saw those corpses stored in refrigerator trucks. April 6, 12:06 am. My flight was canceled. Panicking, my friends and I purchased a flight scheduled on April 15 from Austin to Los Angeles with a 7 hour layover before heading home. Since exposure to contact was what made traveling extremely risky, I grabbed my lab goggles, which I had bought for AP Chemistry, and purchased alcohol swabs, latex and cotton gloves from Amazon as well as packed KF masks, which are the best in preventing the spread of the virus. With these extra protection measures, I was all set to fly home. April 8, time unknown. My family friends were on the verge of dying. They visited the hospital to ask for medication and a test, but were told to return only when they couldn’t breathe. She was crying over the
call, screaming, “Is this really the America I trusted so much?” April 13, 10:07 am. My friends and I took arrived at the airport, instantly armoring ourselves with masks, gloves, glasses, goggles and hats, which we would have on for the next 30+ hours. Boarding my first flight, I noticed that most passengers were not wearing masks -- not even the flight attendants. Was I really in the middle of a pandemic? April 13, 7pm CST. We arrived in LAX, where shuttles and most security check services were down. We walked a 20-minute distance to our terminal and made our way through an open security check. April 14, 2am CST. Boarding the next flight, I promised myself not to use the restroom for the next 14 hours. I couldn’t put my friends and myself at risk. April 15, 4am KST. Although we were miserable from wearing masks for the past 25 hours, we landed safely. We processed papers at multiple COVID-19-related booths, downloaded a mandatory application on our phones and checked for symptoms. After two hours, I reunited with my family and hopped into my mom’s car, where my parents had set up a vinyl barrier separating the front and back seats. April 15, 7am KST. We headed directly to our local health center to take the free COVID-19 test, which the government required travelers to take twice during a mandatory two-week quarantine period. After taking the test and arriving home, I slipped into another vinyl barrier that separated my room from the rest of the
house. April 22, time unknown. The past week, borough office workers have visited me three times; their first visit, they handed me hand sanitizer, KF masks, ethanol spray, trash bags, around $100 worth of food and fresh vegetables and fruit, which are all distributed to travelers for free; their second and third visits were random check-ins to see I was staying home. April 24, 5:06 pm KST. I received a call from a public official who reminded me that I missed my 3pm self-diagnosis. The application I downloaded in the airport requires me to record, twice everyday, my body temperature and any unusual symptoms. It also includes a GPS that keeps track of its users; travelers who leave their house are heavily fined or sent to jail for a year. April 28 9:07 am KST. I completed my second COVID-19 test. By 8pm, we heard I tested negative for both tests. April 29 12:00 am KST. Two weeks after traveling, I was finally free to leave the house. My family friends were recovering from a near-death experience. We were all starting to live an ordinary life. With the help of a transparent, strict and ethical government, life has been restored in Korea, although almost all people still wear masks whenever outside. I genuinely hope that life in America will improve over time as well. Please continue to remind yourself that quarantine is a practice meant to protect you, not to do you any harm. Hang in there, and stay safe!
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12 People
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
LEO club members participate in community service, building Makayla Fox Editor-in-Chief Habitat for Humanity is an organization that has built 298 safe and affordable houses in the B/CS area since 1989. Their mission is to harness hope and spread it to those in need. On February 29, student volunteers from the United Way Youth Leadership Cabinet and LEO Club gathered at the Habitat for Humanity warehouse in Bryan to build children’s playhouses for local organizations, Scotty’s House and Family Promise. These organizations specifically aid families with children who are in need of a helping hand, whether their needs be food, shelter or a space for their children to enjoy. The United Way Youth Leadership Cabinet fundraises money for nonprofits in the Brazos Valley, and fundraised $1,000 towards this event with Habitat for Humanity. “Giving back to the community in any way possible is such a rewarding experience,” junior and United Way Youth Leadership Cabinet member Mariana Aretega said. “Many people sometimes simply do it because it looks good on applications or records, but simply giving back to the community with my full heart, love and sincerity is something that I enjoy doing.” This project aimed towards the involvement of volunteers who are not fully prepared or old enough to start building on full homes. Volunteers arrived at 8 a.m. and were instructed on how to build their playhouse from scratch. “At first I thought the project was going to be a lot of labor because we had to build the playhouses, but honestly it was really fun,” senior and LEO club member Ashly Im said. “We got to interact with a lot of people we didn’t know and those who had skills that we didn’t, so they were able to teach us.” Hosting in their warehouse, Habitat for Humanity members were on site to help and encourage volunteers towards their end goal. “We were all there for the same reason. To build playhouses for kids and put big smiles on their faces,” Aretega said. “[The playhouse] was extremely easy to build and everyone was super nice and ready to help if and when needed. I felt extremely welcomed
with Habitat for Humanity.” Following the building portion of the morning, volunteers painted their playhouses with bright colors and some with themes. “After building the playhouses, we painted over it, and it made the project feel official. I was like, ‘wow this is the fruit of my labor,’ and it was a really cute playhouse in the end,” senior and president of LEO club Shams Rawandoozi said. For Aretega, this project ran deeper than a simple build and paint session. “Knowing that kids will play in them and create beautiful memories in these houses inspired me to give the best of me when building, making sure that everything was perfect,” Aretega said. Reasons for volunteering run wide, but for Im, the reason is quite simple. “In my free time, I don’t do much, and I found it to be a waste of my time. Giving back through volunteering is a good way to be productive and show how I care,” Im said. During the orientation for the playhouse build, volunteers were shown a video to illustrate the impact they would have on the community and how they would benefit the lives and organizations that they would be giving to. “There are many people in this community that unfortunately are not as lucky as many of us,” Aretega said. “Many don’t have a place to call home, or food to make a meal for their family, but giving back can help these individuals enjoy the happiness and riches of life.” Used to giving her time to volunteering, Rawandoozi was satisfied when the benefits of her time giving back to the community had made their way back to her. “I didn’t realize how much the community really gave to me, until I started applying to scholarships and they’re helping me [pay for school], so I like volunteering as a way to give back. You need to give and take, not just take,” Rawandoozi said. Whether the reasons for volunteering run big or small, Aretega stresses the importance of supporting the community in some way. “I hope many more individuals out there also see the beauty of giving back to the community and eventually give back,” Aretega said.
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▲Senior Shams Rawandoozi and fellow LEO Club mem-
bers paint a playhouse with Habitat for Humanity on Feb. 29 for the organizations Scotty’s House and Family Promise BCS. PHOTO BY MAKAYLA FOX
where the playhouses go Family Promise BCS: Family Promise BCS is an areawide, volunteer-based, non-profit organization that supports families with children by providing shelter, meals and support services as they work toward self-sufficiency. Their mission is to help homeless children and their families achieve sustainable independence. Source: familypromisebcs.org
Scotty’s House: Scotty’s House is a non-profit Child Advocacy Center that collaborates with Child Protective Services and law enforcement officials on every case to provide victims of child abuse and/or neglect with safety, healing and justice. Source: scottyshouse.org
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Student Life
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
The Catamount
HERSTORY
Student Life
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2020’s 1920’s IN THE MAKING 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage prompts reflection from female voters an alliance of women across the nation who fought together for one common goal despite any differences they may have.
Lauren Gomulka Executive Editor On the day marking the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, female students at CSHS exercised the right that women before them fought for by voting in the March primary. “I thought it was really cool that I got to experience [voting] on the hundredth year anniversary,” senior Abby Dang said. “So many women fought for that right.” When putting the greater human history into perspective, 100 years may not seem like a very long time, but because of women’s suffrage the role of women in our nation has developed greatly in the past 100 years. “If you think about the last hundred years and the things that have changed and how gaining the right to vote has impacted our ability as women to step into leadership roles, even the one that I hold, I think that getting the right to vote was the impetus for great change in the last hundred years,” Principal Tiffany Parkerson said. Women’s suffrage not only opened the door for women to vote, but for women to demand equality among men. “What is important to note is that, from the beginning of the suffrage movement, it was never about being a woman. It was about being equal to men,” government teacher Stephanie Padgett said. “As history has shown, women have not stood on the sidelines reserved from changing the way they are being treated. In 100 years we have gone from the lack of the ability to vote to women holding power in billion-dollar companies, holding offices in our government and running for the highest office in the land. Many people do not realize how fast that truly is.” This huge leap in the race for women’s rights formed
As history has shown, women have not stood on the sidelines reserved from changing the way they are being treated -stephanie padgett government teacher “Women’s rights have changed to be more intersectional,” senior Rachel Lee said. “It has been a hundred years since voting was established for women, but disenfranchisement continued to exist, and women of color didn’t always have that opportunity. In the past few decades all women have united together to say that this is something that we all believe in. It’s become a common goal for women to work together to protect equality for all
women and not just women in our own situation.” The rights that women gained with women’s suffrage also inspired movements among other minorities for equal treatment and representation in our nation. “A hundred years ago it was the women’s movement. Fifty to sixty years ago it was the civil rights movement. It has definitely inspired new movements to come along for equality,” senior Megan Nelson said. In addition to voting for the first time, Nelson had the opportunity to work at the polls for the primary election. “My grandmother has been working elections for a while, and my dad and my mother have done it a couple times. The Brazos County Democratic Party put out a want ad and spread the word that they were looking for student workers to be a part of the primary election,” Nelson said. “My dad brought it to my attention, and I knew that it was something that I wanted to do.” Nelson was surprised and inspired by the wide range of people who practiced their right to vote in the Bryan/ College Station community. “There were a lot of young people, especially for a primary where a lot of people don’t vote,” Nelson said. “I was just really glad that they were there to vote and voice what they wanted to say.” Women’s suffrage has shaped our nation for both men and women, young and old, and will continue to as long as we practice the rights that were so passionately demanded. “It’s not enough to post your opinions on social media and engage in rhetorical debate. We actually have to show up at the polls and vote,” Parkerson said. “I don’t care who you vote for or what party you want to be in. We all need to get out there and vote.”
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women who paved the way Susan B. Anthony
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
alice paul
EMMELINE PANKHURST
CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
“Moo”ving Forward
People
15
Students find passion for agriculture in student organization Aliza Ali Photography Editor The College Station Future Farmers of America is a student organization for those interested in learning about and developing leadership skills in the agricultural industry. “FFA is a youth leadership organization that helps develop the personal growth of high school kids through agricultural activities,” senior Cassie Brown said. “I have been a part of 4-H my whole life so I wanted to be involved in a similar organization in high school.” The FFA organization teaches students about both leadership and agriculture to prepare them for their future careers. This includes a variety of occupations such as education, science or medicine, rather than only production farmers. “To be in FFA you have to be enrolled in an Ag class in your high school,” senior Meagan McMurray said. “My freshman year I was enrolled in the Intro the Agriculture course where I learned so much about the agriculture industry and FFA organization.” FFA also has various competitions at different locations around the state. This allows students to meet others with similar passions and showcase
what they’ve learned. “My favorite part about FFA is all of the people I have met throughout my high school career and places I have been able to travel,” McMurray said. Brown and McMurray have both won $10,000 scholarships through their contests at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Brown won through the meat judging competition, while McMurray won in the Meat Science Skillathon. The preliminary round of the Meat Science Skillathon tests contestants’ knowledge on various Meat Retail ID cuts and Meat Science and Food Safety. The top five contestants move to the final round to be tested on their knowledge of the meat industry and prepare a speech in twenty minutes. “I won my scholarship through Meat Judging which is very similar to Meat Skillathon with retail ID, placing classes and questions over those classes. I actually tied and the tie was broken on standard deviation.” Brown said. The scholarship is awarded to the top student in each contest. “I was very excited to win this scholarship because last year I placed second at this contest, so after a year of hard work, I was finally able to come out on top,” McMurray said.•
▲ Seniors Meagan McMurray (left) and Cassie Brown (right)
pose with the awards they have won throughout high school. Both seniors earned $10,000 scholarships through the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CASSIE BROWN
economic impact of livestock shows
2019 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
$17.4 million raised from auction sales $227 million total impact of rodeo jobs in the Greater 5,133 supported Houston area 2019 San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo $250 million total impact of rodeo
21,213
student educational awards supported
Military Families Families united by sacrifice, service form strong bonds 16 People
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Graphics by Catie Sikes
Catie Sikes Managing Editor While it may seem like something unimaginable and upsetting, being a part of a military family creates some of the strongest bonds, built on unmeasurable love, understanding, and sacrifice. “The military family is so different than others. We understand each other more than other people can,” said junior Sarah Olsen, whose father is a public health officer in the Air Force, studying at A&M to get his Ph.D. in entomology. They plan to move to Japan where he will be a medical entomologist. “It’s very different than what other people’s lives are like just because you get more opportunities to do some things like traveling the world,” Olsen said. While traveling is a very prominent part of a military family, the entire family can’t always be there. English Teacher Vicki Shelley knows the pain of this possibility. When she was in fourth grade her father was deployed to Vietnam to fly combat missions for the Air Force. “That was one of the hardest years of my life because I remember how my mom and I were so afraid he would be shot down and become a POW or killed,” Shelley said, “I had nightmares about his body being shipped home in one of the flag-draped coffins I saw on TV all the time.” As anyone who has been in this situation can attest, the relief when a family member comes home is nothing short of overwhelming. “It was a huge relief when he finally stepped off the plane the summer after fourth grade and let us know he wouldn’t be going back,” Shelley said. For some people, the military life is all they know,
Junior Kelly Timoney’s father joined the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant after he finished college and served for 30 years before he retired as a colonel and now works at the university as a director for undergraduate advising in the College of Education and Human Development. “Military has affected my life in that I have a deep appreciation for those that serve our country and acknowledge the sacrifices that they go through to keep our country safe,” Timoney said, “My dad was deployed to Iraq in 2003 the year I was born but made it home a couple of days before I was born.” The military is a good opportunity for those who seek to make a difference or even those who don’t know what their true calling is yet. “I have not considered joining the military as I have other interests, but I do think that it is a good opportunity for people that are not sure if they want to go to college. They can serve and then use the GI Bill to pay for their college,” Timoney said. In current times during the global pandemic, many soldiers are putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus in order to support those who are in need, by delivering supplies and building morale. Olsen’s father is not actively helping with the spread of COVID-19 but he believes it is important for the military to maintain readiness too carry out their jobs despite the pandemic. Men and women lay down their lives in order to protect the rights and freedoms of the country, and their families make sacrifices all the same. Whether it is sacrificing their time spent or their secure homestead, these families support their loved ones through it all. “I’m very proud of what [my father has] accomplished and who he is as a person. I feel very fortunate to have a dad like him,” Shelley said.•
Friday, June 5, 2020
People
The Catamount
If walls could talk
17
Room decorations allow students to express themselves, personalize space Saul Canchola Staff Reporter For the past couple of weeks you’ve more than likely joined or hosted a zoom call in your bedroom. Because of this, people have maybe gotten the chance to view the inside of your bedroom and the way it looks. You or others that get the glimpse of seeing the inside of others bedrooms may think to themselves, why does their room look like that? As social distancing and imposed quarantine wear on, the idea occurred to me, your bedroom is the place where you get to decide what you want a room in your house to look like. It tells others who you are, your interests, and expresses who you are. Junior Grace Garrison-Tate painted one of the walls in her room black, turning her wall into a giant chalkboard. She’s drawn a calendar on it to keep herself on schedule and for her friends to write something memorable or funny whenever they go over. “I love my chalkboard board wall. It’s filled with funny things my friends have said that I don’t want to forget,” Grace Garrison-Tate said. “I think it tells others that I value memories, books, and art.” Some of the decorative items in her room come from the various trips she’s taken with her family and friends and some of the more unique items come from various thrift stores or garage sales. “I have this porcelain doll I found at a thrift store for 25 cents that’s missing the top of its head. I use the hole where the top of its head should be as a plant,” she said. “Now it’s got lovely little rosemary cuttings that I couldn’t keep alive for more than a week.” Garrison-Tate loves recycling and reusing some stuff she buys as “her
WHat is the coolest thing in your room? .................. “My musical decorations represent my culture and my passion. It also reminds me where I came from.” Freshman Cedric Gonzales “I have a cherry blossom tree painted on my wall. My mom painted it, and I think it represents my growth and changes.” Sophomore Bianca Lasagna “I have skateboards in my room. I think it tells people I like skating.” Junior Zayne Thornton
▲Junior Grace Garrison-Tate shows how aspects of her room represent her personality. PHOTO PROVIDED BY GRACE GARRISON -TATE personal touch.” Common to gamers and how they represent their style, a gaming setup is a creative way to show people what you play and where you like to play video games. “My game setup is very vibrant, and I have a surround sound system with it. I like to feel bass boosted when I’m playing,” Mason Von Gonten said. “My setup kind of tells people I’m really chill and laid back.” Mason is very competitive while he plays video games. To help and feed his competitive play, he says he likes to have hype music blasting through speakers with a colorful light show coming from his LED lights. The combination of music and flashing lights is exactly the set up he says he needs to compete the
best in. “The other part of my room is a weird combination of techy, antiques, and modern decor rations,” Von Goten said. He has a small collection of antiques like a camera, gun shells and other small trinkets he’s acquired over the years. Junior David Silvey’s room has small valuable collectible figures called Funko Pop Pop Heads, little figures that are made to look like famous figures of pop culture, music or movies. “I started about a year ago and I’ve collected some dope and expensive ones,” Silvey said. “One specific style of Pop Head I like to collect is Dragon Ball Pop Heads.” Silvey started watching the anime series about a year ago and has collected
“I think my zebra rug tells people that I am adventurous and traveling.” Senior Kersten Hester many from online sites and from anime conventions and each of them are even more valuable than the other. “I find a lot of people that really like it and we connect through it like my friends and people at school or convections,” he said. Silvey said he feels great when he places a new Pop Head on his wall and gets to see his room being covered in Pop Heads. Fortunately, quarantining and practicing social distancing is helping us control the spread of Covid-19. The time we are spending at home can open opportunities to maybe redo your bedroom for your next zoom call. You can put up decorations that tell your zoom audience more about you and show off your style.
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Sports
The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
Defying Gravity
Gymnastics team finds success through dedication, connection
▲
Senior and co-captain Alysse Loopstra (far left) competes in the balance beam at Rudder High School. Senior and co-captain Kalyn Dujka (left) comptes in floor exercise. PHOTO PROVIDED BY GYMNASTICS TEAM
GYMNASTIC EVENTS
FLOOR Competitors in the floor exercise choreograph their routines to music. A good floor exercise blends dance elements and tumbling.
BARS The low bar is set about 5 feet, 4 inches off the ground for this women's event. The high bar is about eight feet high. The bars are approximately six feet apart. The routine is scored on the gymnast's ability to flow seamlessly from one move to the next without pausing
VAULT BALANCE BEAM The beam is just four inches wide. Gymnasts must execute a variety of difficult maneuvers as if they were performing on the floor. While beginners may be tentative on the beam, world-class gymnasts confidently attack it with their routines.
Competitors sprit towaeds a spring board, then springs themselves up and pusshes of the vaults to perform a variety of maneuvers.
Source :www.sportsrec.com
Jayci Tawney News Editor
G
ymnastics is a sport for the most fit of athletes. Many gymnasts start from a young age with intense practices and competitions. “I’ve been competing for about 10 years,” senior and co-captain Katelyn Kolodziejczyk said. “But I have been training and practicing for 12 to 13 years.” Gymnastics has many different events performed in a single meet: bars, vault, balance beam and floor. “My favorite event has always been vault,” senior Kalyn Dujika said. “Sometimes if I think about the skill that I’m doing, it can seem scary, but then I just let my muscle memory take over and it just happens automatically.” Vault is an event where a competitor pushes themselves from the vault and performs various aerial maneuvers. Judging is based on form, body alignment, repulsion, height, distance and the number and difficulty of the twists and saltos. The gymnastics team is built on support and building each other up and is seen from all grades from seniors to
freshman. “Hearing my teammates cheering for me really helps me through my routines and motivates me to do my very best,” senior and co-captain Alysse Loopstra said. “They are a constant support system and always keep me motivated!” The team never fails to encourage each other, especially the seniors. “[The seniors] are super encouraging and they also let you know corrections that can help you improve and they are really helpful to me,” freshman Emma Lewis said. However, not only does the team grow and learn with each other, but Coach Julie Fough does as well. “The athletes help me remember what our youth has to deal with and go through everyday,” Fough said. “I am reminded by their personalities that each one needs something different in a coach to bring out the best in them. I try each day to coach each athlete in such a way that they find their most success.” With years of practicing athletes relying on their coaches to guide them. “I get to know and push to bring out the best in [the gymnasts] which is the best part of coaching gymnastics,” Fough said.•
Hole in one
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Sports
19
Golf teammates prepare for college careers in golf as year ends Ayden Woods Sports Editor
As a high school athlete, there is no greater honor than continuing to play their sport in college. For seniors Zoe Kelton and Isabel Montelongo, their dreams of playing in college have come true. “It’s a really humbling experience being able to play golf in college.” “ I was told I would never be good enough to play in college, and I was able to overcome my doubts and continue on to continue playing in college.” For Kelton and Montelongo it has not been easy for them to achieve their goals. Kelton says that golf has always been one of the biggest parts of her life. “It shapes my character and has helped me become who I am. Golf has been a major part of my life.” Kelton said. Kelton says that golf has been a major part of her life and is a factor in many decisions she makes and that she is always trying to improve herself through golf. She said that there was never a time she wasn’t training or improving some aspect of her game. “I practice in the morning before school, I practice after school, I practice on the weekend I have private golf lessons and I read books on the mental aspects of golf,” Kelton said. Kelton and Montelongo both have rigorous practice schedules. Both work constantly at being the best they can be.
“On a daily basis I practice anywhere between 2-5 hours a day depending on the day of the week. I try to play 2-3 times a week and hit on the range and practice a short game every day,” Montelongo said. Golf has also been a major part of Montelongo’s life and She says the opportunities that she loves the fun opportunities it has provided in her life. “Golf means so much to me! I work every single day to make myself a better golfer and I am so excited that I have the ability to continue to do so in college!” Montelongo said.” Kelton said that golf wasn’t always easy and that she faced some opposition along her journey as an athlete. “People told me that I would never be good enough to play in college,” Kelton said. “I proved to myself that if I put the work in I could do anything.” Kelton and Montelongo have both put in hard work and accomplished a lot over their four years at CSHS. “My biggest accomplishment has been committing to play in college.” Montelongo said. “Having opportunities to play in college and continue to play the game that I love is something that I am so thankful for. UT Dallas is a great place for me to continue my golf career and I’m so excited to do so!” Both Kelton and Montelongo said that they were excited for their upcoming careers as college athletes and grateful for the opportunity. Montelongo is continuing on to play at UT Dallas and Kelton will be playing at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
I proved to myself that if I put the work in, I could do anything. -zoe Kelton senior
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Zoe kelton scores Eagle Point golf course 76, 81 Glennlock Pines 86,79 Sun City 89, 86 Texas A&M campus course 79, 82 White Wing golf club 81, 84
20 Sports
The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
TENACIOUS FOR TENNIS
Senior Lady Cougar reflects on four years of competition, passion for tennis
▲
Though Koustova could not finish the 2020 season due to school cancellation amid the coronavirus pandemic, she was able to make an impact on the team throughout her high school career. PHOTO BY MAKAYLA FOX
Erin Park Opinions Editor Pursuing childhood dreams, continuing a tradition, leaving a legacy. After being introduced to the sport by her dad, senior Sasha Koustova has been playing tennis since she was eight years old. “Tennis to me is my passion,” Koustova said. “It takes a lot of emotion before, during and after the game. Without tennis, my life would have been very boring and emotionless.” Koustova began playing competitively as a freshman, hoping to represent her high school with pride before leaving for college. “Sasha came in as a freshman and has worked her way up all the way from 7th or 8th on the ladder to being at the number one spot,” varsity tennis coach Ed Stricker said. “I really admire her work ethic and her ability to work her way up each year. This spring, Sasha is partnered with Mia [Maren], and I’d love to see them make it to state.” To Koustova, joining the tennis team was definitely worthwhile. She has earned so much out of her participation, growing tremendously over the past four years of active play. Her growth is reflected by her ability to overcome challenges, embracing her coach’s advice each time. “Once, my coach approached Mia and I and told us that we had to work to up our game again,” Koustova said. “It was a wake up call for us, so we played a lot better in the tournament that followed.” Koustova emphasized that, in situations like this and throughout any play,
maintaining an active mental alertness is key to the process and outcome of the game. She feels that lacking that mental control is a shortcut to chaos. “Tennis is 98% mental,” Koustova said. “It’s also about technique, but it’s more of how you walk into and how you progress through that match. If I’m not feeling well or my game isn’t playing well, all I do is try to set my mind to the game and reset. It’s very important to take a breather and talk to myself that this is normal, but that I need to keep working from there. My coaches are helping me maintain that mindset.” With the help of her coaches, she is displaying incredible performance on the court, maintaining the number one spot. To her, this was possible because of the team bond, which motivates her to play and socialize at her best abilities. “My team is my second family, and they’re people I take to heart,” Koustova said. “I struggle with opening up to people, but this team has taught me how to truly be myself and be close to people. Knowing that they’ve got my back and I’ve got their back motivates me to work even harder.” Though she has no solidified path to continue playing tennis, Koustova wishes to extend her talent into the future, potentially playing intramural tennis at Texas A&M University, where she plans to attend after graduating high school. She will continue to build deeper bonds with her teammates, further developing and practicing her skills as she counts down the days until graduation. “As she progresses into college, I want to wish her the best of luck,” Stricker said. “Her ability to stay on top of assignments both in the classroom and on the tennis court proved to me what she is capable of. Especially when she’s a really nice and amazing young lady who knows her priorities, I know she’s going to succeed in whatever she does. Sasha has so much potential.”
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Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
HOMETOWN HIT
Sports
21
Senior softball player finds community, strengthens bonds on Cougar Field Elisabeth Stewart Staff Reporter
▲ Senior Jessi Carreon sports Cougar purple and
black at one of the last games of the 2020 season. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESSI CARREON
Carreon’s statistics 2020 Season
Games Played: 17 Batting Average: .436 Plate Appearances: 58 Hits: 24 Runs: 19
Career
Games Played: 84 Batting Average: .433 Plate Appearances: 303 Hits: 113 Runs: 103
Source: MaxPreps
Whether she is managing second base or playing as an outfielder, senior Jessi Carreon’s favorite role on the softball field is that of a teammate. Carreon’s love for the game and her team has led her through four years of varsity softball, a trip to Japan with her traveling team and into a college career where she will carry with her the lessons she learned on Cougar Field. “I’ve definitely learned a lot about the game and about how to be a good friend and a good leader,” Carreon said. “[I’ve learned] how to handle wins and losses, how to be really happy for your teammates if it’s not your time, [and] how to be the best teammate that you can be.” Carreon began playing softball at the age of five, under the support of her father who coaches softball and helps her practice outside of school. “Whenever I was really young and I realized that [softball] was something I could do, and have fun, and stay active, and do it with my friends, I think that’s whenever I [began to love softball],” Carreon said. Assistant softball coach Danyell Hines has coached Carreon since seventh grade in various sports. “She is your definition of a team player,” Hines said. “She strives to be successful in anything she pursues. In her perspective, if her team is successful, then she is successful.” Carreon said that making varsity as a freshman was a major goal that she had, and once achieved, spurred on her passion for the game. The summer before her junior year, Carreon joined a Houston-based traveling team that took her to Japan, where she played against college-level teams. Out of all of her various experiences, Carreon said that playing with her fellow Cougars is her favorite. “Playing high school ball with my friends, who I’ve been friends with forever, was when I really knew that this is what I wanted to do,” Carreon said. Senior Nicole Goggin said that getting to play with Carreon the past four years has been a blessing.
“She always gives her full effort in everything she does, and she never fails to make us laugh while doing it,” Goggin said. Head softball coach Brandy Gibson has also seen Carreon’s devotion during the past four years. “Jessi is an outstanding member of our team because she has the right focus and does the little things right,” Gibson said. “She sacrifices personal time to make herself better for her team. She understands the value of practicing, working hard, and giving her best effort every day. She loves her teammates.” With her efforts, Carreon helped her team earn fifth place in their home tournament this season, their best tournament performance yet. “I just have an overall good attitude and we are all really close friends, so if we see one of our friends is having a bad day then we just pick each other up,” Carreon said. “We have a really competitive and successful team, so I think the biggest thing has just always been our bond and everything with each other.” Carreon finished out her senior season with the first district game, another win. She will continue playing softball at the University of Texas at Arlington while studying exercise science. “I’ve never played with anybody I’m going to play with there, so getting to completely start over but also push myself at the next level is really exciting,” Carreon said. “I’m going to be able to play with people that I’ve looked up to and also be coached by some amazing coaches and get to travel with those girls. Being a college athlete has always been a dream of mine, so now I’m actually getting to do that and that’s really cool.” Carreon will take with her all of the lessons she learned on Cougar Field. “Whenever I go into college I think a lot of things that I learned through being a Cougar how to have good character, give your best effort - I will definitely take with me,” Carreon said. “That’s definitely going to help me be more successful than I would have been if I had not been in Cougar softball.” •
22 Sports
The Catamount
Batter Up
Friday, June 5, 2020
Teammates relive past memories in spite of losing their last season Saul Canchola Saff Reporter It is often in the nature of baseball, teammates come together in creating a brotherhood that is capable of greatness. For seniors Dillion Janac and Zac Childers, their careers were filled with greatness and even though their senior seasons came to an early end, they left behind an unforgettable legacy. “Baseball has been something that has taught me life lessons from the time I started playing. It’s put in perspective how important it is to always respect the person you’re going against,” Janac said. The baseball scheduled this year ended in March before district play. For the seniors, not being able to compete one last season leaves a hole in their lives. “It was a sad experience knowing that this would be the last year playing at CSHS and this whole situation only made it worse not getting to finish the season with guys that I’ve played with my entire life,” Childers said. But behind them they still carry memories and have constructed a brotherhood with their teammates like sophomore Max Childress. “Zac and Dillon both were great leaders and always found ways to make practices fun. They made sure we were doing the right thing on and off the field,” Childress said. Playing baseball also means traveling a lot for tournaments and for games, which brought a lot of the memorable parts to the seniors’ experiences. “My favorite memory came my sophomore year when our team got to go on a big trip to Georgia for a tournament. That whole experience combined with the chemistry that our team had made it an unforgettable memory,” Childers said. Both seniors were always present to lead on and off the fields for their team. With the seniors leadership and new head coach, Christopher Litton, the Cougars expected success. “They were great leaders, respected by their teammates because the demands they make are backed up by the actions they take. Their work ethic shines bright in everything they do. Dillion and Zach are both great student athletes,” Litton said. Next year’s players like Chandon Scarmado will begin to step up as new leaders as he remembers how much Dillion and Zac worked to be leaders for them. “They’ve been working hard since I started
▲ Seniors Zach Childers (above) and Dillon
Janac (left) play at the Frisco Reedy game on Feb. 28. Childers will continue his baseball career with the Bears at Baylor University. Janac plans to attend Rice University and will play for the Owls. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANAC playing there. They are amazing athletes and teammates and next year me and a lot of the coming seniors are going to have to fill their spots and teach others what they taught us,” Scarmado said. And for these seniors, they leave behind a golden legacy built from the foundation of freshman baseball to a varsity athlete mentality of winning and striving for success is the fuel and fire behind it. “I think my legacy is that don’t waste your time to play the game you love and always find a way to take advantage of getting to step on the field, be a leader as much as you can and never believe you can’t win,” Janac said. As he says goodbye to CSHS and to his team, Childers has something to be said to his team and coaches. “Thank y’all for everything. I wouldn’t trade the memories and experiences that I shared with y’all for the world. Thank you for everything and I look forward to watching y’all keep the winning tradition alive in years to come,” Childers said. Even if their chapter of high school baseball has closed, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Both
seniors will begin new chapters of their lives because both plan on playing in college. Childers has committed to the Bears at Baylor University, while Janac will be playing for The Owls at Rice University.•
Texas High School Baseball 5A Top 100 Rankings ERA (minimum 10 innings) Childers 0.00 (T-1st) Janac 1.08 (87)
Strikeouts
Janac 21 (T-68) Childers 19 (T-85)
Batting Average D. Carnes .370 Childers .366
source: Coach Chris Litton
The Catamount
Friday, June 5, 2020
Sports
Track senior leads teammates through her example Jo Naidu Staff Reporter
In her four years on the Lady Cougar Track and Field team, senior Kaylin Bowie has filled the shoes of teammate, coach, relay member, captain and friend. This past season, Bowie ran a 12.77 second 100 meter sprint, a personal record, tying a bow on her high school career. “Being on a relay team you have to trust each other to where y’all are able to make a good handoff, be able to get out fast and exchange,” Bowie said. “We all know that we’re trying to go for the same goal, so we just cheer each other on like a family.” Since the seventh grade, Bowie has competed in several track and field events, her favorite event being the 200 meter. “It was fun running and competing and being with friends, but then when I got to high school, it got more serious, so I had to work harder,” Bowie said. “I make up speed better than full out sprint, so when I see people in front of me, I just try my hardest to try and catch them and eventually pass them.” Her practice regimen consists of several 300 meter sprints, a longer distance than she competes, in order to build up endurance. Right before high school track, Bowie underwent a knee surgery and had to recoup her athleticism before track season began. “What I was able to accomplish in like half a semester to getting my body back to where it was, I know in college, whenever there’s times where I’m just like I don’t know what I’m gonna do, I’m going to have to make sure that I find a good plan and then I motivate myself to keep striving for what I want to accomplish,” Bowie said. “I know what I have to do to prevent an injury and do it so I won’t let myself, my coaches or my team [down].” After new head girls track and field coach DeMarques Jones removed Bowie from the 4x100 relay, a relay she had competed in for the past two years, Bowie trusted
him to keep the team’s best interests in mind as Jones put her in positions for her to continue to get better. “She was more important to the team than she will ever know,” Jones said. “She left everything out there every track & field meet. That’s the Cougar Way.” Exemplifying the Cougar Qualities, Bowie’s captain leadership involves leading stretches, acting as a liaison between teammates and coaches and answering any questions her teammates have. Bowie’s friend and teammate senior Za’Mia Merchant competes in the 100 meter, 200 meter, 4x100 relay and the 4x200 together. “Kaylin motivates myself and the team by cheering us on when the workouts or races become fatiguing,” Merchant said. “[She] always keeps a positive attitude and says encouraging words to inspire us to keep going and lets us know that we’re all in this together.” Personal responsibility rings strongly in Bowie throughout school closures by completing the same workouts for her events during school and attending Tuesday and Thursday Zoom workouts hosted by strength and conditioning coach Felicia Brock. “My coaches say motivated people find a way,” Bowie said. “We can run down the sidewalk, as long as we’re running for [the same] amount of time and you’re getting the same amount of workout as you would at a track.” Bowie envisioned going to the Texas Relays track meet and qualifying for a State meet in her final season cut short. “I wanted to see somebody go to state for my last year and be there to witness it because I’ve been to regionals three times, and we haven’t made it past it,” Bowie said. “Every year I made it count so I don’t think I missed out. I think I did good with what I was dealt with.” Bowie plans to attend the University of Texas at Tyler and later transfer to the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a nursing degree. She will continue track in college Still, keeping a friendly ear open to her teammates and leading by example remain constant in Bowie’s life. “I hope they learn that you just have to try your
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▲ Senior Kaylin Bowie races to the finish of
the 400 meter race at the College Station Relays on March 5, the last meet of the season. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BOWIE hardest in anything you do,” Bowie said. “Sometimes it’s going to be hard, no matter what their base is but as long as you stay focused you will get through it.”•
Senior long jumper overcomes adversity through work, commitment Jo Naidu Staff Reporter
▲ Senior Jaden Hall jumps at the
College Station Relays on March 5 . PHOTO PROVIDED BY HALL
From competing in long and triple jump, to being a two sport Varsity athlete, to marching with the Mighty Cougar band, senior Jaden Hall brings his best to every activity in which he competes. In the track and field arena, Hall achieved a long jump personal record this past season at 21 feet and 9 inches. “These days there is a tendency to specialize in one thin, but Jaden has had a great high school career because he is so involved,” boys head track and field coach Eddie Hancock said. “Everything he does contributes to the grea person that he is.” At a young age, Hall developed a passion for track and field from watching it on TV and was motivated by his mother, a former track and field competitor, and his grandfather, a pastor and a former
basketball referee. “He’s been very influential in my life telling me about what he used to do when he was young and telling me the goods and the not goods of life,” Hall said. Hall credits his substantial work ethic to his willingness to sacrifice social media in order to prioritize his work first. These practices allow him to take lessons from his high school track career into his later life. “Just get a little bit better every day and never be satisfied where you’re at,” Hall said. Moreover, Hall contributes to the team dynamic through his humor and leading by example. This was seen first hand by Hall’s teammate senior Caleb Shulse. “He motivates me because he’s always pushing me to get better, and he’s been my workout partner since freshman year, so there is that rivalry of trying to get to his level,” Shulse said. “His work ethic is one of the best on the team, and he’s always staying after jumping practice to
do bleachers and run extra to get better.” However, Hall’s track and field career has not been without struggle. In his sophomore year, Hall had a successful season but did not perform as highly in the district meet preventing him from qualifying for area. “I thought I had a good shot, but I didn’t make it because I didn’t work hard enough so that really motivated me to keep pushing forward for the next two years,” Hall said. In the following season, Hall qualified for area and achieved a personal triple jump record of 46 feet and 7.5 inches. Although his senior season has been cut short and he can no longer go to state for triple jump nor compete in the 400 meters, Hall continues to work out consistently with a trainer, while practicing social distancing and is committed to Tarleton State University and will major in kinesiology. He plans on pursuing a career in coaching at the high school or collegiate level. •
24 Sports
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Lady Cougars play in state tournament
▲ With 2 seconds left in overtime and down by one ▲ Freshman Jaeden Mcpoint, the Lady Cougars attempt to gain possession. Millin jumps for the ball.
▲ Sophomore Aliyah Collins attempts a shot against two Liberty defenders.
▲ Senior Rebekah Hailey reaches for the rebound.
Making the state tournament for the first time in school history, the Lady Cougar basketball team fell 44-41 in overtime to Frisco Liberty in the semfinal game on Thursday, March 5 in San Antonio. “By getting the opportunity to play for a state championship, Lady Cougar Basketball was exposed to what it takes to compete for the grand prize,” head coach Megan Symank said. “Experiences help build traditions for programs.” The historic experience brought hundreds of Cougar fans to the Astrodome two days before spring break. “It was such a special feeling to see the softball and soccer teams arriving in full force along with swarms of staff and fans entering into the Alamodome from fan buses,” Symank said. “I am eternally grateful for the support shown to the Lady Cougar Basketball program during the state tournament run.” Unknown at the time, the state tournament would also be the last sporting event for CSHS in the 2019-20 school year. PHOTOS BY COURTNEY WELLMANN
▲ Junior Na’layjah Johnson avoids a defender as she dribbles to the basket.
▲ Senior Mia Rivers dribbles toward the basket. She had four goals in the game.
▲ As Coach Megan Symank and fans cheer on the team, junior Cornecia Thompson plays defense.
▲ The Lady Cougars pose with their state bronze medals and trophy on March 5. The team finished the year 32-8.
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Catamount
Entertainment
25
Sweet, safe Summertime
Stay busy during your socially isolated summer with these entertainment ideas
Shows to Binge
local restaurants to support
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Follows the life of a woman who is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship
Another Broken Egg Cafe (979-485-9392) 11655 FM 2154, Bldg. C1, Suite 100, College Station https://anotherbrokenegg.com/location/college-station
Jesse’s Taqueria & Bakery (979-485-9841)
Love is Blind (Netflix)
A group of single individuals take part in an
3310-A E 29th St, Bryan
experiment to test if love really is blind
www.lovejessestacos.com
Outer Banks (Netflix)
Piasano’s Italian Pizzeria (979-690-6040)
A group of teenagers journey through the Outer Banks of North Carolina in search of informatation about the diappearance of the group leader’s father
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (Netflix)
A true crime documentary that follows the life of
4242 Koppe Bridge Rd #580, College Station https://piasanosaggieland.com
Tiff’s Treats (936-257-6005) 1099 University Dr #113, College Station https://www.cookiedelivery.com
the giant cat collector Joe Exotic
Things to do Outside
Tik Tok Accounts to follow
Find a couple of trees and sling up a
@alexpresley_
hammock
for a relaxing time in nature Draw and write some encouraging messages with
chalk for the quarantine joggers Set up an outdoor
scavenger hunt with your
family for a fun chase around your neighborhood Offer to do some or your neighbors
yard work for your parents
Family quarantine olympics
@caitcanoe Themed family quarantine dinners
@iamtabithabrown Delicious recipes to try in quarantine
@mitchell Immitations of people in quarantine