Catamount
the
Vol. 1 No. 2 Friday, March 1, 2013
College Station High School
Becky Nam shares her passion for creating art. See story on page 12.
4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845
Weighty Matters Eating and exercise habits of teens inffluenced by variety of factors by The Catamount Staff
While some athletes spend time in the weight room to gain muscle mass, others work to lose any extra weight they have in hopes of improving their athletic performance. Powerlifters, like sophomore Jackie Tran, chew gum to accumulate saliva, which they spit into cups to lose water weight in an attempt to qualify for competition in a speciďŹ c weight class. continued on page 3
Photo by Courtney Wellmann
Index News
pages 2-4
Opinions
pages 5-7
People
pages 8-12
Sports
pages 13-18
Entertainment
pages 19-20
Sophomore Mark Wallace practices at the local skate park for his scooter and BMX races. See more on page 9
Freshman Josh Kim sands wood during his construction science class. See more on pages 10 and 11
2 News ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
CougarNews
Color Guard participates in winter contests
The Cypress Lakes High School Texas Color Guard Circuit (TCGC) competion, the Color Guard won the novice division. The group also competed on Feb. 2 at Dawson High School. The students who participate in Color
Guard are Natalie Hasson, captain, Chloe French, co-captain, Danielle Rogers, Madeline Jordan, Jordan Hafer, Crystal Morris, Gaby Garza, Morgan Hill, Molly Holliday and Cody LeBlanc, photographer. ●
Artists compete in VASE art competition
Several art students attended the Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE) at A&M Consolidated High School. Freshman Peyton McCutchen earned a IV rating in Division I. Freshman
Lauren Brammer and sophomore Becky Nam each received two medals and will advance to the state competion with their entries. ●
Dancers strut their stuff at showcases
▲ Art students honor Jacob Simmons by painting a memorial for him on the patio by the art room on Feb. 8. Simmons passed away on Feb. 5. Photo by Chase Zamulinski●
UpcomingEvents March 1: March 12-15: March 29: April 1- 5: April 6: April 17:
Report cards out today Spring Break No School/Good Friday EOC English testing Sadie Hawkins dance Early release
The Strutters won several awards at a pair of competitions in February, including outstanding team, team sweepstakes, team jazz, team pom, team contermporary, best overall technique, best overall precision and also
best overall choreography. Single wins include duet best in class by Taylor Kilpatrick and Schyler Christensen, and small team solo winner Madison Cashion. Kilpatrick was also the JV Solo winner. ●
Cougar orchestra students advance to state Eight orchestra students recieved superior solo medals at Region VIII UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest on Feb.9. They are Ann Jung, Srujan Kan-
charla, Woody Wang and Maxim Zelenko on violin; Andrea Wu and Kelly Zhang on viola; and Kaitlyn Bailey and Will Chollet on cello. ●
Do you like to write? Take photos? Design? Enroll in Journalism I for the fall semester and then apply to join the newspaper or yearbook staffs
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Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
● News 3
continued from page 1
Teenagers struggle with pressure to maintain healthy weight Powerlifting coach Gregg Frashure reiterates the steps powerlifters should follow to lose weight safely. “Usually what we do is cut out all sodas or sugary drinks; we encourage them to drink water,” Frashure said. “A couple of days before the competition, we tell them to cut out all carbs, and that will typically manipulate their weight enough to get it where we want them to be.” However, family practitioner Dr. Kia Parsi said dangerous effects can result from the back and forth process of losing and gaining weight.. “It is not healthy for your body,” Parsi said. “It increases risk of injury and actually decreases your ability to perform. If an athlete is dehydrated, that might cause his or her muscles to tear. “ Dr. Parsi also stated these methods can lead to problems in the future. “Unhealthy eating habits can continue even when they finish sports,” Parsi said. “If they are doing it now for sports, and they don’t have a healthy perception of what is good to eat, when they get older, they could develop other more serious eating disorders.” Healthy eating is particular-
ly important for athletes who are regularly expending their energy in practice and competition. “That’s something that we talk about regularly,” girls’ cross country head coach Josh Munson said. “[The cross country girls] weigh themselves every week to make sure they aren’t losing weight too quickly.” According to Munson, the girls also have a log of their diet to keep up with nutrition along with the mileage they put in. Dr. Parsi stresses some warnings to athletes. “If you want to be a great athlete, it is very important to know what foods to eat to help your overall endurance and capacity to perform well,” Parsi said. “Binge dieting before games will not help your overall performance at meets.”
Healthy Eating
The district nutrition services office hopes to improve the diet of all students, not just athletes, according to Director of Child Nutrition Services Diane Dahm. “I run a small chain of restaurants that happen to be located inside schools and only serve breakfast and lunch,” Dahm said. Though Dahm’s job is run-
ning the school district’s cafeterias, she expressed that obesity levels have risen immensely in the past 10 years because of the amounts and types of food that students and youth have been eating. According to the center for disease control, the south has the highest amount of obese people in America at almost 30 percent. Texas alone has over 30 percent of the population categorized are as obese, classifying it as one of the top five most obese states in America. The district as well as the rest of the country has a plethora of guidelines and rules in place to regulate child nutrition in school in order to prevent these statistics from rising, Dahm said. This includes monitoring portions of different food groups available each week and how many calories every child in each grade can eat daily and weekly and eliminating any fried foods or sugary soda drinks.
Body Image
The quality of life can be negatively impacted by striving to fit the cultural idea of perfection by losing too much weight. In some extreme cases, people develop eating disorders where
they starve or purge themselves to become “perfect.” Eating disorders are the deadliest mental illness, more so than depression. “[Eating disorders] are one of the few things in psychology where people can die,” psychology professor Dr. William Rae said. “[Anorexia nervosa] is such a dangerous disorder because people really do die from it. They are so distorted about their body image that they actually start to starve themselves.” Anorexia, a form of eating disorder involving starvation, causes 12 times as many deaths than any other cause of death in girls between 15 and 24 years old. People with eating disorders might suffer from obsession with weight control, withdraw from social activities, experience depression, lack in energy and feel cold. These disorders can cause both physical as well as emotional problems. “Eating disorders and body image are a serious thing. They aren’t just physical but also emotional,” school nurse Lisa Sicilio said. In order to overcome the obstacle of poor body image, those suffering from this illness must repair their views of them-
selves. “You can’t be someone else, but you can be the healthiest you can be,” Sicilio said. “You should learn how to eat healthy and exercise and accept yourself as who you are.” ●
art by Becky Nam
It’s easy to spot a Harley’s man 520 University Drive East College Station
4 News ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
Religious diversity influences school with unique culture
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are a happy, amusing time. He celebrates Holi, the spring festival of colors which is a time for him to have fun and spend time with friends and family. “[We celebrate Holi] because it’s fun,” Selvakumarraj said. “You take colored powder [and water guns]. You have fun and run around to throw it at other people.” Holidays are a time to practice faith with both family and friends. “You get to see all your friends at church,” Akram said. “There are two main holidays twice a year. You really look forward to them and it’s a great day to celebrate. There are parties that day and you get to have a family lunch and dinner. It’s a lot of fun.” Some people follow two religions, and they enjoy twice as
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said. “It’s a time for me to relax, be myself and get in touch with my spiritual core.” Like Clark-Tchen, Hindu and sophomore Akshay Selvakumarraj agrees that religious holidays
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In a school with many different religious beliefs, the students seem to respect the diversity that we have here at CSHS. “Most people here don’t really give me any trouble about [my religion], and I haven’t had any bad experiences with it,” freshman Nabihah Akram said. “I have friends here at school [who] aren’t rude to me about my religion, it’s not a problem not to have that many Muslim friends.” Akram feels that, even though she follows a different religion than most, people don’t treat her differently because of it. Even though she has friends who are Muslim, she also said she has good friends who aren’t. “It’s a little difficult because I don’t have [a lot] of Muslim friends to talk to about my religious issues at school, but the friends here are amazing,” Akram said. Freshman Samana Askari
benefits from going to a school that includes students of many beliefs. “It’s different, but it’s good at the same time because most of my family lives in bigger cities [where] they do have more Muslims, but [at school] it’s just me and a couple other people,” Askari said. “[There are some students at school who don’t] share the same religion and sometimes we can talk about it, but other times, I guess, you are scared to.” Most students, who practice a religion, value their religious traditions and holidays. “Going to festivals are a delight, and it’s a happy time for me,” sophomore Megan Clark-Tchen, who paractices Buddism,
Ath
by Rachel Grant The Catamount Staff
much culture. This is the case for sophomore Fiona Cohen, who is both Christian and Jewish. “My dad’s side of the family is all Jewish, and my mom’s side is Christian,” Cohen said. “[The holidays that we participate in] are a good cultural experience. It’s always good to spend time with family and learn more.” Even though all these student practice different faiths, they are confident in who they are, what they believe in and why they follow their religions. “I’m proud of who I am, and it’s something that I’ve done since I’ve been born,” Askari said. “This is who we are, this is what we follow. I feel like if I were to [stop being Muslim], I would feel like an outsider to that religion. Bottom line is I don’t wish I [wasn’t Muslim]. Certain things are different in every religion. If I didn’t have my religion, and I believed in something different, I wouldn’t know how to live my life, because I’m used to living like this.” ●
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
The Cat’s Eye View staff editorial
To Mean Something to the World
Impact of student’s death results in reflections on life
Snacks should be allowed in the classroom . ● Most of us appreciate the new building for its abun-
dence of light, new technology, gum-free desks and clean classrooms. To keep the building in pristine condition, the administration forbids the eating of snacks in classrooms. However, this policy should be reversed. This policy afflicts hunger on many students during the school day in between their meals. Athletes in particular, whose active lifestyle results in high metabolisms, suffer from hunger at school. Without a small snack towards the end of the day, these athletes cannot function properly due to their need for nourishment. There have been many instances where students rushed to school early to get extra help on homework without time for breakfast. Why would a school administrator deny them of their breakfast, which could be considered the most important meal of the day? Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to make up for the calories later in the day, often with unhealthy convenience foods. Eating breakfast also increases the metabolic burning rate. Therefore, if students were allowed to eat during 1st period, it might lower the rate of overweight teens. Administrators argue that food in the classroom will be messy. Thus, a policy should be created that students must clean up after they eat. If a student does not follow this policy, disciplinary actions can be taken. Teachers should also not allow foods that are too messy to be consumed in class. In moderation, allowing snacks should not cause problems for teachers or the administration. Removing this policy would benefit the health of our students. ● 2012-2013 Newspaper Staff Staff Members: Rachel Grant Kayla Kurmaskie Lily Parsi Megan Paradowski Julie Potrykus Jamie Roberman Becky Nam, graphic artist David Rambo, cartoonist Faculty Adviser: Courtney Wellmann
● Opinions 5
Julie Potrykus “How do you just stop being terrified of getting left behind and ending up by yourself forever and not meaning anything to the world?” John Green, An Abundance of Katherines Everyone wants to feel like they left something good behind. Something people would make movies and books about. We want to feel like our lives have some purpose besides going to school, doing homework, playing sports, and thinking one day it’ll get better. Until it gets better, it’s so easy to let doubt plague our minds into thinking we are useless. No one is useless. We all mean something to the world. It has be a month since Jacob Simmons death. I didn't know him, but for all the people blessed with his presence, I'm so sorry bad things happen in this world. Adults think that we think we are invinci-
View of the Pride:
ble. I never thought that. I know I'm going to die. I just thought I would die when I'm older with a husband, maybe a few kiddos. I never really thought about dying in high school. I never thought about what would happen to die so young. I haven’t done anything remarkable in my life yet. Even in my future, I may never accomplish anything amazing. However, I hope that I can make a small impact on someone’s life. No matter how small. That would be pretty remarkable. Jacob did something spectacular. He made people laugh. For a few moments, everything bad in their lives disappeared, and they just laughed. He gave people a moment of happiness. Jacob Simmons means something to the world. Everyone means something to this world, and people need to realize that. Life is too short to feel useless. You mean something to someone, and that makes you mean something to the world. ● Julie is a sophomore who is involved with Interact, French symposium, Cougar Cabinet and speech and debate. She enjoys reading and writing in her spare time.
What do you think about the administration not allowing snacks in the classroom?
“I think it should be allowed in only certain classes. If it were allowed in every class, our school would be a mess.” -Amber Macha, sophomore “I believe that we should be able to eat because it is almost impossible to wait for lunch.” -Lauren Steines, freshman “I think we should be allowed to eat snacks in the classroom because some kids have games after school and don’t have time to eat dinner.” -Sagar Patel, freshman “I think we should be allowed to eat snacks as long as the people with snacks clean up any mess left behind.” -Alyssa Ryan, sophomore
The newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Production class at College Station High School, 4002 Victoria Ave., College Station, Texas, 77845. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District. Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of all staff. The newspaper is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Glynn Walker, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Catherine George, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination. requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
“There should be snacks allowed because a lot of students have food to snack on when they get really hungry before lunch.” -Rohen Sulckawala, freshman “I don’t really care because we don’t usually get in trouble when we eat.” - Bryan Bayliss, freshman “I don’t like this policy because I normally eat my breakfast during 1st period, but now I can’t.” -Kelsie Warren, sophomore “There should be snacks allowed. We should make a snacktime.” -Dakota Stephens, sophomore
Catamount cat-a-mount a wild animal of the cat family, especially the cougar
6 Opinions ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
Staffer debates birth control availability for teens
Megan Paradowski Medical programs in the US have taken an active step in promoting the idea that premarital sex is okay and does not have consequences. The American Academy of Pediatrics is encouraging pediatricians across the nation to educate teens on emergency contraception. The organization is also urging them to supply teens with prescriptions and products, so teens will have birth control when needed. Another aspect of the campaign is to lift age restrictions of birth control pills, allowing teens 16 and under to purchase them when they want to.
Not only is this completely against the morals of the majority of the population in the U.S., it also sends the message to teens that premarital sex is okay, and even somewhat encouraged. This message is plainly wrong, and the world we live in is corrupted enough without the idea that teenagers can or should have sex and not deal with consequences. Putting this information into the minds of teenagers is totally unnecessary. In fact, pediatricians should instead be advertising the hardships of teen pregnancy, and the emotional strain that will haunt teens for
the rest of their lives upon having premarital sex. The situation also brings another bad idea into the minds of teenagers: birth control. No breathing human being has the right to say that birth control or abortion is okay, since everyone that could say that has been born. Resisting temptation as a teenager is hard enough without the deceiving messages suggesting that teen
pregnancy is easy to avoid. The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics should be discarded by all pediatricians, in order to refrain from forcefully encouraging teenagers not to worry about the consequences of “protected” sex● Megan is a sophomore who enjoys dancing, and shopping. She is a member of Student Council,and the yearbook staff,.
“No breathing human
being has the right to say that birth control or abortion is okay.”
Absent policy promotes sick student attendance
Jamie Roberman With the flu season hitting more vehemently than ever, the number of prevention methods is limited. Surrounded by students everyday, sometimes just washing your hands cannot magically restrict all possibilities of retracting the sickness. Getting the flu is not always a result of a person’s action or even inaction, so why does it feel like we are getting punished by the inevitable? CSISD’s school policy allows 3 absences for a final exemption, but an immune system can only vacuum up the virus so quickly. Many times the flu takes control of a person’s life for multiple days at a time which gives us two rather unappealing options. We can choose between sacrificing school and healing our body for a faster recovery and a refreshed spirit for final exemptions or coming to school sluggish and zombie-like expected to perform to our usual abil-
ity and focus just to decrease the stress at the end of the semester. This shouldn’t be the case. We are encouraged to come to school as much as we can regardless of some circumstances. The pressure felt to stress our bodies out to do everything without a break increases the likelihood of illness. Also, the expectation of having almost perfect attendance assists the virus’s goal of taking as many captives as possible. Increased exposure to the flu with hundreds of students around us and common surfaces results in more sick students as well as lower grades for the brave souls attending school while a virus battles their immunity cells. I understand the district’s policy of limiting the number of absences for policies to help our education and to increases the support from the state government; however, the flu victims should not be casualties in the battle to increase school attendance. In order to encourage student’s physical health and grades, the school district should draw a compromise with the powerful enemies of illnesses, by increasing the number of absences allowed to exempt a final, or not counting sick days with a doctor’s to confirm the student’s flu or other long-healing illness.● Jamie is a sophomore who is involved with dance and plays clarinet and piano in the school band. She enjoys running 5k races and watching NCIS in her spare time.
art by Becky Nam
Voices Students and staff share their views on their ideal jobs “A PGA golfer would be pretty sweet.” Brian Edwards, history teacherha..mqu
“I would want to be a stunt double.” rum quidemp Regina May, sophomore
“I’m going to be a criminal profiler for the FBI.” Colby Bachmann, freshmanharumqu
“I would like to be a pediatritian.” Eric Briggs, sophomore
“A cop for the CIA but everyone thinks I’m an actress.” Kathleen Finch, sophomoremqu
“Carrying around a check to people to tell them they won money.” Riley Park,, sophomore h
“I would ideally be an astrophysicist.” Samantha Villalobos, sophomore
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
● Opinions 7
Schools need armed guards Overheard Lily Parsi The National Rifle Association recently proposed more armed guards in schools after the events at Sandy Hook Elementary. CEO Wayne LaPierre claimed the massacre was a result of violent video games and other media, not lack of gun control. Deflecting calls for tighter g u n regulations, LaPierre blamed school security a n d demanded more armed guards in schools. LaPierre was spot-on with the idea of more armed security guards in public schools. Some of the most tragic public school events were from mass shootings, which could have easily been prevented, had there been tighter security. Two of the most
deadly shootings in U.S. history occurred at public education centers, Columbine High School and Virginia Tech. The association’s idea to put more armed guards in schools has become one of the most popular ideas in the gun violence debate. According to a new NYT/CBS poll, 74 percent of Americans believe more security guards would help prevent mass shootings in public places like schools, movie theaters or malls. The numbers say it all. It is crucial to provide more security in these places. President Obama has taken some steps to create a comprehensive plan to prevent gun violence.
schools and armed guards. Student arrests shot up when school resource officers became more prevalent in schools after the Columbine shooting. In this situation it is appropriate to state the common cliché, “better safe than sorry.” Even though this might cost school administrators, the price will be worth it. What is more important than making sure our youth are in a safe environment to learn and grow into leading intellectuals in society?●
Lily is a sophomore who enjoys being on the Cougar Cabinet, Leo Club and the newspaper staff. She spends her free time hanging out with friends.
What are your plans for spring break?
“My grandparent’s 50th anniversary in Hawaii.”
Lindros Paniagua, freshman
“Galveston with family.” Alex Bowden, sophomore
“Camping in Gonzales.”
Christina Hendershot, sophomore
“Skiing in Colorado.”
Alexandra Pratt, sophomore
“To see the Smithsonian in D.C.” Julia Lawrence, freshman His proposal called for hiring as many as 1,000 more “school resource officers,” or law enforcement officers with the power to arrest students. Some argue that there is no provable link between safer
Daily Grind by David Rambo
“Visit the Grand Canyon.” James Hayes, sophomore
“Edinburg for a mission trip.” Jalie Smith, freshman
“Canyon Lake.” art by Becky Nam
Abby McIntyre, freshman
Question of the Issue: Do you personally know someone who has had cancer? No, I don’t personally know anyone Yes, I know someone in my immediate family Yes, I know someone in my extended family Yes, I know a friend
10.4 %
17.6 %
47.3 %
24.7 % 336 students surveyed
8 People ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
Students reflect on personal journies with cancer most lead to her repeating fourth grade. “A big challenge was being away from my school friends for a long time,” Watson said. “At that time, I really depended on my friends. I really missed seeing my friends and being able to talk to them about it.” Johnson has a new desire for her future because of her experiences. She would like to go into medicine and research cancer to help other cancer victims.
“I have more of a passion to excel and do well. I am nine times more likely to have melanoma again, so if I want to do something I should do it when I’m here,” Johnson said. Watson also matured from her own personal traumatic experience with childhood cancer. “I learned how to deal with a big change and handle things under a big stressful situation,” Watson said.●
▲ Freshmen Victoria Evans and Lauren Spohn sell a Care Week shirt to freshman Laura Williford.
Through shirt sales and pajama and hat day, StuCO raised over $550 for students and faculty battling cancer. Photo by Courtney Wellmann ●
http://go2girlphotography.shutterfly.com
didn’t understand what I was saying.” Johnson especially appreciates her mother who helped her throughout her difficult journey as she had recently won her own battle with cancer. In order to remove the cancer, Johnson went through external surgery leaving her physically drained. “I was surprised about how much the surgery took out of me,” Johnson recalls. “Because I am so thin, they took down to muscle, which meant more time to recover.” Unfortunately, the procedure left scars that will serve as permanent reminders of her traumatic journey and show others past hardships in her life. “The scars are red, angry and prominent,” an embarrassed Johnson stated. “The huge scar is always a white elephant in the room. Everyone wants to know but doesn’t want to ask.” Watson experienced two surgeries: one to get the tumor that developed in kindergarten out and the other to make sure all the cancer was removed. “I actually liked being in the hospital. I never felt pain. Being a little kid, I got a lot of presents, which was really fun,” Watson said. Because of her illness, Watson had to miss many days of school, which al-
Go2Girl Photography
At the beginning of the current school year, sophomore Tessa Johnson was diagnosed with stage II melanoma at age 15. “The experience was surreal,” Johnson said. “It didn’t feel like it was actually happening.” When freshman Becca Watson was just 10 years old, she was diagnosed and treated for acinic cell carcinoma. Her tumor started to develop in kindergarten. Only having a limited knowledge of cancer at the time of her diagnosis, Watson experienced distress as she knew very little about what to expect. “I was really scared that I was going to have to lose my hair, go through chemotherapy and die,” Watson recalls. “I cried. Finding out that it wasn’t deadly made me feel a lot better.” When Johnson told her friends and family, she received a variety of reactions. “My parents didn’t react like they probably should because my mom already had breast cancer, so we had already done the cancer thing. My grandparents and cousins freaked out,” explained Johnson. “When I told my friends, some were really upset. It seemed like a lot of them
by Jamie Roberman The Catamount Staff
Friday, March 1, 2013
A Unique Pastime
The Catamount
● People 9
Sophomore rides scooters, bicycle motocross in his free time Photos and story by Lily Parsi Broken leg. Ripped growth plate. Shattered ankle. These are a few of the injuries caused by scooter riding and BMX riding experienced by sophomore Mark Wallace. Wallace began riding scooters as soon as he could walk, but only recently has he started BMX competitions at the end of last summer. Bicycle motocross or BMX is the sport of racing bicycles on tracks that use an inline start and have obstacles. The term “BMX” also refers to the bicycle itself, which is designed for dirt and motocross cycling. The BMX bike, which is strong and light and designed for quick-handling and responsiveness, is able to handle jumps easily. BMX competitions are usually composed of a starting gate for up to eight racers with a dirt race course made of various jumps and rollers and a finish line. The course is approximately 15feet wide and has large corners that help riders maintain speed, Wallace said. The sport is very family oriented and largely participant-driven, with riders ranging in age from 10 to 60, and over, Wallace
said. Since Wallace has started competing, he’s won two regional titles and one state title. These competitions bring him to places like Dallas and Conroe, and as far as El Paso. Wallace’s success in scooter competitions did not come easily, he said.
“School, sleep, scooter, that’s
it.”
Mark Wallace, sophomore “[I ride] every day for about 4 to 5 hours,” Wallace said. “And on the weekends I’m [at the skate park] for around 10 hours.” BMX is a dangerous hobby. Therefore, proper gear should be worn to avoid serious injuries. Riders must
wear helmets, long-sleeved jerseys and pants and gloves. The long-sleeves protect from abrasion in case of a crash. The helmets usually have full masks to protect the rider’s entire face. “I did not start competing earlier because I felt that I was not good enough to do it,” Wallace said. “I entered a competition in Dallas just to see if I didn’t get last, but I won second and that’s when I decided to do competitions.” Wallace’s hobby would not be possible without the support of his parents. “[My mom is] really supportive,” Wallace said. “She drives me to all of the competitions.” Wallace often goes to the skate park on the weekends with sophomore Steven Smith, who reflects on Wallace’s talent. “He’s really good,” Smith said. “I can tell that he really has a passion for what he does.” Wallace explains he enjoys BMX because it’s not just a sport at school. It’s something different. “School. Sleep. Scooter. That’s it,” Wallace said. ●
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10 Student Life
The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
Building the foundation
Construction science class offers hands-on activities by Kayla Kurmaskie The Catamount Staff At first glance, the entrance to the wood shop and agriculture hallway seems dark and intimidating. If one is brave enough to venture down the almost eternally deserted hall, the person in question would discover what can only be described as a school within a school, complete with another locker room, greenhouse and multiple classrooms. At the center of this school is the workshop. “I’m always amazed with what students come up with,” Eric Pesak, the construction teacher said. He described his class as being extremely hands on, a place where students come to discover how to apply the skills they learned in other classes: from
geometry to basic meteorology. Pesak said that above all else, the beginning construction class teaches students how to work with each other. He described each student as an individual puzzle piece, that when put together make one cohesive unit. “[The constant commradery required for the course] is what is cool,” Pesak said. “The class is all about how you do as a team." Over the course of the semester long class, students learn the basic skills necessary to build a home. According to freshman Lillian Ford who took the class in the fall semester the first few weeks were spent in the classroom learning these skills. As the semester progressed, they went into the shop to build almost every day. To develop these skills students begin by building a giant Jenga game, sawhorse and finally deciding as a class what giant
How well do you know construction science teacher
Eric Pesak?
●Growing up, Pesak’s father was a general contractor. ●Pesak went to Texas A&M to become an agriculture teacher. ●Pesak owned a construction business for 8 years. ●After marrying Britina Robinson-Pesak, he shut down his business and started teaching construction. ●From 1st through 3rd period, Pesak works at Consol, and 4th through 7th periods, he works at CSHS.
project they will undertake. Sophomore Justin Garcia said that projects are his primary motivation behind wanting to take the construction class. “I wanted to learn how to build things,” Garcia said. Garcia added that he plans on pursuing a career in some field of construction, and this class will be a great foundation for him to build on. Evidence of these group projects can be seen all around the sizable workshop, Pesak described as the school’s “Hobbit hole.” In one corner there are two sizable doghouses, and just outside the industrial sliding doors lie two almost completed 8 feet by 8 feet sheds. Ford’s class decided to build a shed which was a process she described as immensely rewarding. “At the very end, when everything was done and you could finally look at the
shed and see how far you’ve gotten you’re just like, wow, I actually did it,” Ford remembered Ford said she signed up for the class initially because she is considering a career in architecture. Pesak stressed that his class is not only for those who are interested in construction but for everyone. “As long as you work hard and have a good head on your shoulders [the class will be a good fit]” Pesak said. Pesak said that there is not a specific type of student that takes his class. It is a mix of students from all different backgrounds, races, religions and attitudes. In Ford’s class, she said she was the only girl. Despite being outnumbered, she said she made the best out of the circumstances and fully enjoyed herself. “It was fun just being in an atmosphere where you’re not exactly treated like a girl,” explained Ford. “You’re more part
of them so you’re viewed as an equal.” According to Ford, Pesak was one of the major reasons the class was such a positive experience for her. “He teaches in a way that’s fun and interactive,” Ford said. “He’s there the whole time, making sure we’re doing it [building] right, while teaching us at the same time.” Part of creating a team building environment is to make the students feel safe and at home. Pesak said that he doesn’t want his students to just come and go with the class they take, but come by and check in every once and while. “I want this to be a place in the school they can always come,” Pesak said. Ford could not have agreed more. “You can go there and build whatever you want,” Ford said.●
Sophomore Peter Williams cuts a piece of wood in the shop after school on Feb. 20. Williams sawed through the wood after measuring the cut. Photo by Kayla Kurmaskie●
News
11
◄Sophomore Justin Garcia cuts a beam of wood on Feb. 20. Holding down the opposite end, sophomore Peter Williams assists him. Photo by Kayla Kurmaskie●
Freshman Zack Clark uses a clamp to secure a beam of wood on Feb. 20. Clark wears safety glasses to protect his eyes while working in the shop. Photo by Kayla Kurmaskie●
12 People
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
Home is Where the Art is Artist expresses herself through many creative outlets by Megan Paradowski The Catamount Staff She may be found sitting quietly in the back of the class, silently doodling on her notes, receiving the highest grade on the latest chemistry test or even dancing at Suzanne’s School of Dance. Sophomore Becky Nam is chock-full of talents that she expresses throughout each day. Of all her hobbies, her favorite is a tie between art and dance, Nam said. In art, Nam is inspired by colors and emotions, she said. She enjoys art because she is able to express herself and whatever she is feeling. Nam does many types of artwork, including acrylic painting, watercolor painting, making things with clay and collages. Her favorite paint to work ▲Sophomore Becky Nam sketches a picture of her friend Riley for an art assignment. She said that she has been making art her entire life, with plenty of support from her equally artistic family. Photo by Megan Paradowski●
dances three days a week and spends most of her time at the dance studio outside of school, she said. Other than the dance and art studios, Nam also excels in the classroom. Chemistry is the subject that comes easiest to her, she said. “She is always very attentive. She is willing to put in extra work to understand things,”said Casey Akin, Nam’s Pre-AP Chemistry teacher. “She is creative and super respectful.” Nam is a good friend. “She is a really good influence and just a really good person in general,” sophomore Katherine McDougall said. McDougall and Nam have remained friends since they met in the third grade. “She’s just really nice overall as a person,” Clarissa Parulian, another one of Nam’s friends said.
“She is willing to put in extra work to understand things. She is creative and super respectful.” Casey Akin, chemistry teacher
▲One of the most recent art assignments is to draw a clothespin. Nam said she loves to draw people, so she found a way to incorporate them into her drawing. Photo by Megan Paradowski●
▲Nam said she is intrigued with the effect the white pencil on black paper had on the look of the drawing. This piece took her at least five class days. Photo by Megan Paradowski● ◄“It probably took me five or six hours. This one is my favorite because it has a lot of memories, and it was my first real painting,”
Nam said.
She painted most of this work in one sitting and touched it up afterwards. Photo by Megan
Paradowski●
with is acrylic, she said. Although oil paintings are her favorite to look at, she has not yet worked with them. Nam has been making art her whole life, she said. Art runs in her family. According to Nam her mom, being an architect who loves to paint. Her older sister is a dancer, and her younger sister is an artist. The reason for Nam’s love of art is the same for dance, she said. “I enjoy [dance] because I feel really free to express anything I’m feeling or want to portray, and it just feels good to move my body in different ways,” she said. She also added that she is inspired to dance by life and Jesus. “How I feel determines the way I move my body,” Nam said. Nam has been expressing her talent in dance for 11 years now. She
Both friends commented on how quiet Nam can be at school. However, both also mentioned that outside of school with close friends Nam reveals a hyper, spunky person who has a deep love for coffee. As if dance, art and school weren’t enough, Nam also plays the viola. In college, Nam hopes to major in dance, design or art. She says that she will continue practicing dance and art in college, along with the viola if she has time. Nam hopes to attend Belhaven, a small Christian liberal arts school in Mississippi, she said. Other colleges that she is interested in include Cornell, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania. “I love them both equally, so that’s just something that I will have to take time to decide,” Nam said. ●
Friday, March 1, 2013
Every game begins with
Love
The Catamount
● Sports 13
Freshman brings enthusiasm to all of her activities by Julie Potrykus The Catamount Staff
Freshman Sandhiya Ravichandran lines the ball to prepare for a serve. Her pony tail bobs behind her head as she throws the ball in the air. With a swing, the match begins. “She’s had to step in and mature very quickly and improve very quickly,” tennis coach Ed Stricker said. In a school with only freshman and sophomores, Ravichandran has stepped up to expectations. Her determination has led her to this point. In seventh grade, Ravichandran tried out for her middle school tennis team to be closer to her friends, but she did not make the team. Instead of being discouraged, she asked her mom to take private lessons, so she would qualify to join the team next year. To improve, she stays practices with Coach Stricker until five even after her seventh period tennis class, “[High school tennis] is a lot more hardcore [than middle school tennis],” Ravichandran said. Stricker’s expectations of her are higher than her past experiences, but she learned from his teachings. “He taught me not to be afraid of the ball, how to be stronger, try harder and to not feel bad if I miss the ball,” Ravichandran said. Ravichandran is also motivated by other players. “I want to be like them,” Ravichandran said. “I just want to be really good.” Her teammates also help her be a better player. The tennis team feel like a family for Ravichandran. The girls on the team are nice, and she loves them, she
said. The boys on the team act practically like her brothers. She works well with her former doubles partner Nick Bradam. “[Ravichandran] always gives her best effort in practice and matches,” Bradshaw said. “She is always smiling when she is playing and is a fun person to be partners with.” Despite her team’s encouragements, Ravichandran said her mother is her biggest supporter. “[Her mother] keeps track of my schedule and tells me whenever there is a match, so I can run upstairs and get my uniform,” Ravichandran said. In addition to tennis, Ravichandran serves as the freshman leader for Leo Club, president of Crime Stoppers and reporter for HOSA. She participates in book club, Cougar Cabinet, a mentoring program, UIL academics and science bowl. “A lot of [activities] are interfering [with my tennis schedule]” Ravichandran said. She is learning to set priorites for her activies and better time management skills. When she is older, Ravichandran hopes to be a therapist for teenagers. “I look around, and there are so many people who aren’t doing well in school,” Ravichandran said. “I want to sit down and help them.” Even as a therapist, she will always carry the experiences she gains from tennis. “Sandhiya is very eager to play,” Stricker said. “Whenever opportunities are available as far as matches or tournaments, she is the first one to step up and say ‘Coach, I can go!’” Ravichandran shares the eagerness she brought to the court to her everyday life. ●
▲ Freshman Sandhiya Ravichandran competes against senior Cassidy Adams from Madisonville on Jan. 31, 2013. Ravchandran won the match 6 to 3. Photo by Julie Potrykus ●
Spring Tennis Results 2-2-13 College Station vs. Bellville H.S. (#12 3A team in the state): Lost Singles 7-6, 6-2 Lost Doubles 8-0
2-7-12 College Station Varsity Tennis Tournament: Semi-Finalist in Girls Doubles with Lillian Ford
2-9-13 College Station vs. Groesbeck H.S. (#19 3A team in the state): Lost Singles 7-5, 6-2 Won Doubles 9-8 (7-3 in the tiebreaker)
2-15,16-13 Ennis Tennis Tournament: Finished 7th out of 16 players in Girls Doubles with Lillian Ford
2-22-13 Huntville Tournament: Lost in the finals of Consolation in Girls Doubles with Lillian Ford Source: Ed Stricker
14 Sports
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
He shoots, he SCORES Love for soccer fuels passion for game
by Megan Paradowski The Catamount Staff Dribbling down the field, juking out defenders left and right, sophomore Joseph Cohn plays the game that he’s played ever since he could walk: soccer. “I’m not very strong with my upper body, but I’m very coordinated with my feet,” Cohn said, explaining why he loves soccer. Cohn plays midfield and defense for the soccer team this year. He is also one of the five captains. “I chose him as a captain because he has great leadership qualities. He can be a vocal leader when needed, and he leads by example in all the things he does,” head coach Chris Kovacs said. One of the defensive positions he plays is center back, a position Cohn had never played until this season. The hardest part about playing center back is having to learn something new, Cohn said. Cohn also participates in the drum line in band and attends youth group at his church. He leads the team in prayer before every soccer game. Playing high school soccer is a big commitment for students. “Since it’s tournament season, we’ve missed about half of school since the semester started,” Cohn said. He also attends soccer practice every day during fourth period and after school until 5:30. “I stay up late to do my homework,” he said. He also added that it takes a lot of planning to keep up with soccer, school and all of his other activities.
upcoming schedule March 1 @ Navasota
Cohn has even had to give up things he enjoys. He was unable to do jazz band and play in the school’s musical due to soccer. Cohn’s biggest personal goal for the season is to get better every time he steps onto the field, he said. His biggest goal for the team is to compete at the varsity level. “It’s really difficult because we’re playing with teams that have 17-yearolds and 18-year-olds. It’s just really intense,” Cohn said. Although the games are challenging, Cohn performs better when he’s under pressure, he said. According to his coach and one of his friends, Cohn has already improved this season. “Joseph has improved leaps and bounds from last year to this year,” Kovacs said. “He has the physical tools, but he is beginning to understand the nuances of the game and the way I want our team to play. He has also been very good at playing a number of positions and transitioning to the needs of those position changes in mid game.” Fellow players agree. “His pass selection has gotten a lot better,” fellow captain Aidan Parsi said. Parsi also added that he enjoys having Cohn as a teammate because he is reliable and eager to help. “He’s just really kind,” Parsi said. Kovacs admires Cohn’s great work ethic. “He does his best to get the job done,” Kovacs said. “It doesn’t matter how hard the task is, Joseph will put in the time and effort to make sure it is completed.” ●
▲Sophomore Joseph Cohn receives the ball and dribbles toward the goal at the home game against Consol JV A on Feb. 1. The Cougars won 4-0. Photo by Megan Paradowski●
leading players Steven Smith 8 goals, 1 Assist
March 5 @ Rudder
Hunter Wilson 4 goals, 4 Assists
March 8 vs. Sealy
Diyor Sattarov 2 goals, 6 assists
March 19 @ Royal
Jesus De Leon Herrera 2 goals, 1 Assist
March 22 vs. Brenham
Ricky Harrison 1 goal, 4 Assists
Source: Chris Kovacs
The Catamount ● Sports 15
Friday, March 1, 2013
Going for the Goal
Soccer player takes leadership role on varsity team
by Rachel Grant The Catamount Staff
Number eight strategically dribbles the ball down the field. She weaves around two defenders, shoots and scores! You can find number eight, sophomore Jaylen Hinckley playing soccer at school, on her club team, or practicing at home. When she plays soccer at school, she has to step up to the plate and take a leadership role, because there are no seniors or juniors to take the lead. “I like to lead [my team] by example. I see myself as a leader on the team because I like to motivate people and get them going,” Hinckley said. “If I work really hard, I feel like, I motivate other people to work really hard.” Coach Pryor, Hinckley’s soccer coach, completely agrees with Hinckley about the way she approaches her leadership responsibility and soccer skills. “She leads definitely by example. She will also use her words, but if we’re running sprints, she’s trying to be at the top, just because she’s going to work hard,” Pryor said. Sophomore JJ Handy, Hinckley’s closest friend on the team says that, because there are not any seniors or juniors to look up to here, the sophomores have to take the leadership role. “There’s not really any one older to look up to or a Varsity team to go for, so we kind of have to do everything ourselves and be the leaders instead of follow the leaders,” Handy said. Hinckley has played soccer ever since she was four years old. She now plays center-mid or forward on the CSHS Varsity soccer team as well as on the club soccer team in Houston. Her position is responsible for keeping possession of the ball, passing to other players, or looking out for an opportunity to shoot a goal. “I love playing [soccer]. The thrill of playing on the field and winning and being with my team mates is a lot of fun,” Hinckley said. Hinckley said that this isn’t her first time on a high school varsity team. Last year, she
was the only freshmen on the Varsity team at Consol. She explained that it was different because she let the seniors take the leadership role, but playing at CSHS, she had to step up and become a leader to her team, despite her young age. “[CSHS] is a lot different [from Consol]. At Consol, I was the only freshmen on the team, I kind of stood back and let the seniors do their thing and I just followed along,” Hinckley said. “Now, I have to step up and take a leadership role that the seniors usually took at Consol.” Pryor thinks that she has an advantage over the other players, since she already has a feel of what it is like to be on the Varsity team when she was a freshman. “I think for us, having somebody [who knows about] the success that we had last year, and past years in Consol,” Pryor said. “The other girls that played at Consol experienced that to some degree, but it’s a little bit different on the Varsity level. To have somebody that kind of’ understand how the season goes, how all this works together.” “[Jaylen] was the only one on varsity last year, so she knows more,” Handy said. “So if anyone has a question, they can just ask her, and she has more knowledge than everyone.” Not only does this devoted player spend most of her time after school at soccer, but she also plays on a club team in Houston called the Challenge. Hinckley misses social activities, like dances, school soccer games, and other school related activities, because of both club soccer and school soccer. “[I miss activities] all the time. I miss a lot of school dances, and a lot of church activities, and church on Sunday’s. I just have to miss a lot of fun things to play soccer, but I don’t mind it,” Hinckley said. Even though Hinckley has to make sacrifices for soccer, she still loves the game, and plans to continue to play into college. “I think I love the technical part of [soccer], like passing and doing stuff as a team to get around people and especially scoring, because that’s so exciting,” Hinckley said. “I play soccer because I love it so much. I’ve played it for so long; it’s just like part of my life. It would be too weird to not play it.”
In the Net: Soccer Statistics Goals Jaylen Hinckley 14 Kinsey Rhome 12 Maddie Kothmann 4
Shots On Goal Jaylen Hinckley 37 Kinsey Rhome 31 Emily Guerrieri 23
District Team Results: 5-0 record 22 points scored; 2 points allowed
Assists
Jaylen Hinckley 5 Lexi Bullard 4 Emily Guerrieri 4 Maddie Kothmann 4 Lauren Spohn 4
source: Stoney Pryor
▲ Sophomore Jaylen Hinckley strategically dribbles down the field. Hinckley has made the most goals, shots on goal and assists on the team this season. Photo by Rachel Grant● ▼ Members of the varsity soccer team warm up after half time in order to keep their
muscles warm for the rest of the game. Sophomores Jaylen Hinckley (8) and Jj Handy (21) have become good friends by playing soccer together for years. Photo by Rachel Grant●
16 Sports ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
SHOOTING for the STARS Athlete guides the varsity basketball team to success with his leadership
by Lily Parsi The Catamount Staff Sophomore point guard Jay Payton embodies the role as leader of the varsity boys basketball team. “He’s a smart player,” sophomore and teammate Ryan Johnson said. “He knows the game of basketball.” Sophomore Trey Cole has one word that best describes Payton’s presence on the court. “Dedicated,” Cole said. “Even when he has an injury, he always gives 110%. He always makes sure he isn’t slacking, so he doesn’t bring the team down.” Payton has been playing basketball since he could pick up a ball and enjoys basketball for many reasons. “I like the game because I’m never standing around,” he said. “I’m always moving.” In addition to playing basketball, Payton runs track and cross country. With a torn MCL, a major ligament in the knee, Payton was not able to play football this past season. Thankfully for him, it healed in time for basketball season, he said. Since the varsity basketball team is composed of only sophomores, it is reassuring to win a game against another team with juniors and seniors, Payton said. “It feels good knowing all your hard work went to good use,” he said. During a game, it can be easy to become lost in the commotion and rowdiness of the crowd, but Payton said he doesn’t flinch. “I keep my composure,” he said. “I focus on the game, nothing else.”
Payton also has wise words for when he and the team face a loss. “I think about the next game, not the last one,” he said. When he misses a shot and everyone is watching “[I] don’t really notice, [I’m] so in the zone [that I] tune out the crowd,” Payton said. According to Cole, Payton bursts with leadership qualities. “He is the foundation of the team,” Cole said. “If Jay is down, the team is down. He is the point guard and directs
“It feels good knowing all of your hardwork went to good use.” Jay Payton, sophomore where everything goes.” Payton plays basketball because he enjoys the fellowship. “[I like basketball because] it’s a team sport and your teammates, who are with you all the time, have a passion for basketball too,” he said. While basketball is a team sport, Payton characteristics set him apart. “He has a great attitude and the way he approaches the game motivates the rest of the team,” Johnson said. Although Payton’s favorite player in the NBA is Kevin Durant, his true role models are his parents. “My parents inspire me,” he said. “They are always motivating me and telling me what I need to do right and wrong and to keep working hard.” ●
▲ Sophomore Jay Payton reaches for the ball in the game against Rockdale on Jan. 11. The Cougars won the game, their first district victory, and the team ended the season with a 21-12 record overall. Photo by Courtney Wellmann ●
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
● Sports 17
Freshman twins earn spots with new wrestling family by Jamie Roberman The Catamount Staff
Freshman twins Tell and Cameron Ward participate on the wrestling team, and both ended their season with state qualifications. “We do pretty much the same things,” Tell said. “We are close to the same in wrestling. There isn’t much difference between us except our personalities. Cameron jokes a lot more than me.” Cameron competes in the 106-pound division, whereas Tell participates in the 113-pound division. Tell decided to compete in a higher weight division so that he does not have to compete his brother for the varsity spot for their shared weight division before each duel or tournament. Both Cameron and Tell wrestle in a weight division higher than they actually weigh. Because of the higher weight division, Tell mostly wrestles sophomores and juniors, in contrast to Cameron who mostly wrestles freshmen. “Wrestling upperclassman is pretty intimidating,” Tell said. “I’m used to it now though.” During the season, wrestling holds practice every morning at 6. The practices include running, weight training and wrestling. “When you practice, you just have to make yourself push friendship aside,” Tell said. “If you are going to go soft on them its not going to help them because no one goes soft at the match.” However, the real test of endurance is the actual match. “Even though it’s only six minutes, it’s the worst six minutes in your life because it’s exhausting,” Cameron said. “It feels like I’m not breathing.” The wrestlers do not find out what the day will hold until afterwards. “The most difficult part of wrestling is not knowing who you are going to wrestle at meet day, if they are good,” Tell said. “I don’t know if I am going to get beat or hurt. It’s just the fact that I don’t know what is going to happen.” During the match, Cameron and Tell both strategize
by observing the opponent’s strengths and weakness in order to calculate the move with the best outcome. “Adrenaline just gets in your blood,” Cameron said. “I can’t remember most of what happens during the match.” Tell explains that after practicing with Cameron for a while, they could easily anticipate each other’s next move, which decreased the benefits of wrestling one another. Despite their few differences, the brothers warm-up together before every meet. “Having a brother who wrestles is actually pretty fortunate,” Cameron said. “I always have someone my size to practice with.” A family full of brothers, Tell states that the siblings fought before wrestling, which leads to their natural appeal for the sport.
Cameron’s and Tell’s father encouraged each of his sons to join wrestling. Their older brother, Tyler Ward, joined Consol’s wrestling team and made it to state during his high school career. Tyler later taught and encouraged Cameron and Tell to pursue wrestling. “Even in 7th and 8th grade, I would ride the bus over and get off at Consol to wrestle with my brother and the team,” Tell said. “We got to know the coach and wrestlers at Consolidated really well.” After a quick disappointment of the inability to join Consol’s team, they soon felt comfortable with their new team. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, wrestling offers improvement in leadership skills. “By being a captain, I’ve learned to be humble,” Tell said. “If I wrestle someone and I beat them, I have to be nice to them to promote the sport.”●
▲ Freshman Tell Ward wrestles teammate and freshman Trenton Pampell. Tell and his brother Cameron Ward qualified for the state wrestling tournament Feb. 20-23 at the Austin Delco Center. Photo by Laura Williford ●
Boys Wrestling Team Individual Records Varsity Boys Cameron Ward 22-8 Tell Ward 14-12 Justin Nettles 1-13 Trenton Pampell 3-10 Logan Meyer 4-10 Ryan O’Banion 7-15 Noah Burns 11-9
Sam Beal 4-14 Reed Gorzycki 4-18 Pat Cloustan 10-18 Carter Cloustan 10-17 Chris Hutcherson 2-3 Zach Russell 11-12 Drew Rodriguez 1-9
Junior Varsity Boys Matt Franks 4-12 Wesley Bishop 2-13 Treas Hogan 6-11 Benny Conray 6-11 Logan Praytor 2-12 Derick Lemons 6-11 Source: http://cshscougarclub.com/sports/wrestling/boys/varsity#
18 Sports ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
N othing but N et Lady Cougar pursues her lifelong passion on the court
put her on the junior varsity squad. by Kayla Kurmaskie “I wasn’t going to make any as The Catamount Staff sumptions as to what team they were going to be on,” explained Symank. Music blares from sophomore, Jord- “They had to prove themselves and ie Wells’s earbuds, playing her pre-game earn their way into a varsity spot.” playlist on repeat. She silently prays Wells said she was able to prove herself for a good game before walking out of worthy of being on the varsity team withthe girl’s locker rooms and huddling up in a few days after beginning scrimmages. with the rest of her team. Each of the “I took a picture of my varsity practice girls in a team mention an aspect of the uniform and shoes and texted [my dad] game they want the team to improve a picture,” Wells recalled with a laugh. upon during the game. Once more a Lyle Wells said he remembers beprayer is said aloud and the team breaks, ing surprised at how quickly Wells gearing up for yet another victory. moved up, but his expectations for Wells said she has been playing her to give her all to the game and basketball since the age of four. Her fa- her team at all times never changed. ther, Lyle Wells, first introduced her to According to Symank, Wells has the sport and acts brought many posas her continued initive attributes to spiration to play. the team as a whole. “We’re best “She’s just friends,” said a good leader overWells of her father. all. She dedicates But according to a lot of time after Wells their relationpractice to making ship goes much deepherself better,” Syer than their shared mank elaborated. love of basketball. “She’s a good com “We have a remunicator and really lationship built on tries to motivate the unconditional love rest of the team.” for each other,” Lyle Though Wells Wells said about his said she will defirelationship with his nitely return to the daughter. “We have basketball team next the ability to really Lyle Wells said Lyle Wells, Father year, enjoy each other’s he is always there to company and have a let her know that basbit of fun together.” ketball is her choice. Over the years Lyle Wells said he has “My relationship with her doesn’t been his daughter’s biggest supporter. He hinge on basketball,” Lyle Wells statsaid he has loved watching her grow up with ed. “It’s something that we share now, the game and see how she has improved. and we both know basketball is go “Now it’s getting to be a fan,” Wells ing to end for her at some point, but explained. “I get to sit back and enjoy it.” she’s still going to be my daughter.” Wells said she moved to College Lyle Wells said that he has seen how Station over the summer from Chica- some parents are defined by their child’s go, Illinois. When starting school she athletic success (over 20 years of coachsaid she wasted no time in getting in- ing). He said that he never wants that kind volved with the basketball program. of relationship with any of his children. “She spoke with me about playing “You don’t have enough words, basketball when the season started,” said and we don’t have enough time to tell Megan Symank, the girls’ varsity basket- just how deeply I love and cherish ball coach. “She seemed very enthusi- this special girl,” Lyle Wells stressed. astic and was ready to begin and ready Symank and Wells say they and willing to be part of something.” will continue to “lay the founda According to Wells she was on tion” as this year’s team theme states. the volleyball team when offseason “I’m excited to see the improvefor basketball began, so she came ment over the next 2 ½ years as we grow into the basketball season late. Due and get stronger,” Wells concluded● to the tardiness of her start, Symank
“We have a relationship built on unconditional love for each other.”
▲Sophomore Jordie Wells takes a shot during a home game against Caldwell in January. She said the most thrilling part of a game for her is when she is able to take the ball down the court on a fastbreak. Photo by Kayla Kurmaskie●
Girls Basketball Results 2-pt. Field Goal%: 46% 3-pt. Field Goal%: 20% Free Throws%: 43% Average 35.5 points per game Average 18 defensive rebounds per game Average 9.4 assists per game Average 9.7 steals per game Average 5.1 blocks per game Source: Coach Megan Symank
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Catamount
● Entertainment 19
Pizza provides alternative to fast food Review by Rachel Grant
Hullaballoo Diner, a rustic 1950’s-style diner serving classic comfort food, received fame after Guy Fieri showcased it on his second episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The diner’s pizzas include garlic chicken, buffalo chicken, margarita, garlic margarita, Hawaiian style, BBQ chicken, garden pesto and the option to build your own pizza. The costs range from $9.99-16.49. Typically, the wait can be up to an hour. Although on my outing on a Thursday night around 8:30, I was seated immediately. We ordered pizza and wet fries, French fries smothered in gravy (yes, it is probably as unhealthy as it sounds). The fries were nice and crispy and didn’t get soggy from the gravy. Soon we received our half garlic chicken and half margarita pizza. I preferred the garlic chicken pizza because the chicken was perfect and the sun-dried tomatoes added a secret sweet tanginess. My mom preferred the margarita pizza, which I found a little plain. The crust was fairly thin but deep enough to have the doughy fluff all good pizza needs. The pizza, like all their servings, was too big for the two of us, so we took home leftover wet fries and pizza. The wet fries surprisingly maintained some crispiness, and the pizza was just as good the next day. ●
Review by Kayla Kurmaskie
It was a sleepy Monday night when my family of four waltzed into Mr. G’s Pizzeria in Downtown Bryan. We were seated right away by an aloof waitress. The lines build up in front of the store on weekends so plan accordingly. The waitress took our drink orders, which caused trouble due to the fact that they were out of almost every drink choice. After receiving our drinks, the waitress took our meal order with her same cool demeanor. Considering that each pizza is made from scratch, it didn’t take too long for our order to arrive. We chose the large cheese pizza, and it was big enough to split four ways with each of us getting two pieces. The pizza was delicious, warm, gooey and satisfying, not to mention well worth its reasonable price. After the main course my mother and I split a piece of Tiramisu. Although it was tasty, we both agreed that we have had better. Overall Mr. G’s offers a very pleasant dining experience; the food compensates for the lacking social skills of some of the waitresses. ●
FRESH LOCAL SEASONAL
CHEF-DRIVEN
BURGERS & SUCH
Review by Lily Parsi
Nestled on a side street off Wellborn, Café Eccell radiated with warmth from the red walls and sea mat ceilings. The restaurant composed of families and young couples looking for that perfect tasting pizza. Old rock playsed softly in the background as I placed my order for the Margherita pizza, which was a delicious choice. The pizzas are made daily by hand with fresh dough and baked in a wood-fired stove. There are four signature pizzas to choose from: the margherita, barbecue chicken, quattro formaggio and rustic Italian sausage. The pizzas range from $13 to $15, a fair price for the quantity of the thirteen-inch pies. There is also an option to create your own gourmet pizza, with a choice of twenty different toppings. The service was superb with our waiter coming to our table every fifteen minutes to refill drinks. Café Eccell is recommended to anyone looking for a place with a relaxed atmosphere and great tasting pizza.●
Craig G. Anderson, D.D.S. Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 1615 Barak Lane, Suite 6 Bryan, Texas 77802
979.846.1813 craigandersondds@verizon.net
grubburgerbar.com 980 University Dr East, Ste 400 | College Station, TX 77840 FB GrubBurgerBar TW GrubBurgerBar
Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8-5 Lunch 2-1
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When I stepped into Luigi’s Italian restaurant, I like that I was stepping into a classic restaurant in Italy. The ambience of the restaurant is the first aspect that I noticed when I went to eat there. There were fake walls that looked like the outside walls of buildings, tiled roofs over the bar and extra seating which made me feel like I was outdoors instead of in a small room. I was seated at a table under an umbrella, making the inside feel more like outside. I ordered the Margarita pizza, which is supposed to be for one, but my mom and I easily shared it, with a piece left over. It costs eleven dollars which was reasonable if two people shared it, but I felt it was high for a single person. The crust was thin and crispy, in parts a little too crispy. The amount of cheese was perfect, but I’m not much of a cheese lover. I don’t usually eat dairy, but it wasn’t too little or too much. There were fresh tomatoes and basil on top. I think they could have had a little more basil, but it was still really good. We also got the appetizer bread, but they only gave us three pieces for two people, so my mom and I felt kind of awkward because we had to keep asking them for more, but it was so good. They didn’t re-fill our water until ten minutes after it was all the way gone. The waitresses were very nice although they didn’t impress me. Overall, I loved the food but the service could be improved.●
Review by Julie Potrykus
20 Cougars ● The Catamount
Friday, March 1, 2013
New Kids on the
Cl ck
Teens take on employment responsiblities by Julie Potrykus The Catamount Staff
A
s we get older, we gain new responsibilities such as getting a job and clocking in hours. Most businesses don’t want to take the risk of employing students our age because of our lack of experience, but a few students were lucky to be trusted enough to gain their work experience. “I think it’s good to get a job when you are younger,” freshman Tyler Havens, who works at Wings’n More, said. “You don’t want to go into college and the real world and not know what you are doing.” Sophomore Adam Lopez works on the sales floor at the Old Navy on South Texas Avenue where he said he has gained people skills from working with customers and math skills due to his time as a cashier. “I went out looking to see if any businsses where hiring, and we went into Old Navy,” Lopez said. “I saw a poster on the window that said they were looking for some seasonal workers, so I applied, went to the interviews, and got the job. After the season was over, they had a meeting and decided to keep me and a couple others as permanent employees.” Lopez typically works at least 10 hours a week but as many as 20, while Havens works four-hour to five-hour shifts a day primarily on the weekends. Both Havens and Lopez must balance their work schedule with school and their social lives. “It seems to other people like ‘Tyler, you are always working really late’,” Havens said. Despite his friends’ perception, Havens still manages time to see his friends. In contrast, sophomore Catrina Tinker works only during the summer months. She has been a camp counselor for the past two summers at Camp Allen where she was a camper. For Tinker, one benefit of her job is that she has strengthened her relationship with God while working with the children, she said.
“It’s a whole lot of work, but it is also too much fun for me to quit,” Tinker said. “Working with the kids and other counselors is more than enough to take away from all the negatives.” In addition to the personal benefits of working, all three enjoy the tangible advantage of a job: an income. However, none of them plan to continue their jobs past high school or college. Tinker plans to move to California to attend film school, so she is saving her income for college. “I usually end up saving pretty much all of my money since I want to leave right after graduation to go to film school, but I set aside a little money for other things,” Tinker said. Both Havens and Lopez plan to pursue a career in education. Havens aspires to be a math teacher for fifth or sixth graders, and Lopez hopes to be a music teacher and possibly pursue a career as a professional musician. To support his aspirations, Lopez recently bought a B.C. Rich Electric Warbeast Guitar with his salary. “I love working at Old Navy, and I love music,” Lopez said. “I combine the two as much as I can. Whether it’s singing by myself or getting a customer or two to sing with me. It’s the best feeling in the world knowing that I just made someone’s day so much brighter just by sharing a tune or two with them.” Havens, Lopez, and Tinker are all grateful for the experiences they have gained through working even the unpleasant experiences. Both Havens and Lopez recalled children urinating during their shifts. Tinker said she never had such an incident despite her more frequent exposure to children. She did admit a child might have peed in the lake as a casualty from a prank her coworkers and she played on her boss. Despite the few unpleasant moments, all the moments at work will help them in life. They have learned to help others beyond their job requirements. “I don’t have as much of a social life. Little time to hang out with friends but I am getting the money in the end so I am happy,” Havens said ●
▲ Sophomore Adam Lopez helps a customer check out at the register at Old Navy. He carefully checks the price tag to make sure it is acurate. Photo by Juile Potrykus ● ◄ Freshman Tyler Havens wipes
a table at Wings’n More in order to keep the resturant clean. Havens has an older brother who works along side him at times. Photo by Rachel Grant●
HELP WANTED
In order To find a job... 1. Line up job references. This is especially important if you lack previous work experience. Your teachers, coaches, club sponsors, and other adults are great references on your character and work ethic. 2. Create a resume highlighting your academic, sports and extracurricular activities. Include any volunteer or paid positions you have held in the past. Leadership experience at school is especially desirable. 3. Approach companies you are interested in working for. Look for companies that will schedule around your school hours. Then ask for job application. 4. Interview for the position. The hiring manager will set up an interview to find out if you are a good fit for the company. Wear business casual or formal business attire. Bring a copy of your resume and a list of prepared questions. Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_