ADDICT Catamount TO ADDICTED ADDICTED TO APPS TO APPS
the
Vol. 3 No. 6 Friday, May 15, 2015
College Station High School
Junior Jon Bishop finishes first in the mile run at region. Bishop will compete again in the race at state. Read more on page 14 ●
4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845
...
Phone games catch on around campus
APPS
by Lisa Liu Managing Editor
All that boys’ basketball coach and geography teacher Kenneth Boren will say about how much he’s spent on Clash of Clans is that it’s “a lot.” The app, a freemium strategy game on iOS and Android, is only one of dozens that have gained popularity both in the app stores and in the halls of CSHS. Students and faculty alike are hooked on these viral games for their often addictive qualities. “Clash is an extremely strategic and fun game that takes time to get good at,” senior Ali Charara said. “The more time you put into it, the bigger your base gets and the better your village gets, which makes it more fun and addicting.”
Clash of Clans, which involves villages, raids and warriors, is known as a MMO, or a massively multiplayer online game. The apps that have caught on among students here vary widely in genre, though. Senior Bailey Payne, for example, went through a short-lived obsession with Trivia Crack. For two weeks, he held a place as the number one player in Texas for the entertainment category. “I was like, ‘There must be some real losers out there with no lives at the tops of these leaderboards. Let me see just how close I can get to them,’” Payne said. “And then I was there, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m the loser without a life.’”
continued on page 3
photo illustration by Lisa Liu
Index
News Opinions Senior issue People Sports Entertainment
pages 2-5 pages 6-8 insert pages 9-10 pages 11-14 pages 15-16
The baseball team stands for the National Anthem before the bi-district game against Waco. They play Magnolia tonight at 7. See story on page 11 ●
Junior Brian Henry kneels on the ground in his protective gear to scope out his target during a game of paintball at a local park. See story on page 16 ●
2 News ● The Catamount
Cougar News
Friday, May 15, 2015
UIL academic team wins regionals; members advance to state At the UIL regional meet on April 25, the academic team won with 238.88 total points. The competitors who advanced to state include Jiatao Liang, computer science; Raaghav Bageshaw, current issues; Bageshaw, Sebastian DeBeurs, Rohit Madhav,, and Zach Russell, current issues team; Lisa Liu, headline writing; Byungjun Kim, Jiatao Liang, Hongsen Qin and Eugene Tian, math team; Kim, number sense; Merusha Mukherjee, ready writing; Jiatao Liang, William Chollet, Hongsen Qin and Yingxuan Tan, science team; and Jamie Roberman, social studies. They will compete May 25-26 in Austin.
UIL One Act Play advances to state with ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ The UIL One Act Play “A Streetcar Named Desire” advanced to state at region on April 18. This award has placed them in the top eight 5A One Act Plays in the state. The cast and crew will compete on May 27 at The University of Texas. Several individuals were recognized at region: Aidan Parsi, Honorable Mention; Kathleen Finch, All Star Cast; and Carson Beckman, All Star Crew. The top honors of the contest were both awarded to CSHS students: Marcus Nealy for Best Actor and Courtney Sumlin for Best Actress.
Catamount staff takes both staff, individual ILPC state awards Junior Alex Miller was selected for Tops in Texas in Sports News on April 18 by the Interscholastic League Press Conference. Miller won for his sports news story on the Cougar football team’s win over Consol in October. For this award, the panel of judges selects only one student from the first place winners in Class 1A to 6A, recognizing that individual as state champion. In addition, the Catamount newspaper was awarded the Bronze Star, which places the newspaper in the top 5 percent of scholastic newspapers in Texas.
Skills USA individuals advance from state to national meet
At the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi, both individual and team competitors from CSHS advanced to the national meet. Competitors advancing are ▲ Junior Woody Wang plays the violin at Southside Music Festival on April 30 on the lawn by the as follows: John Cassler, Carpentry; Chase Zamulinski, Photography; Cahill Ordones, student parking lot. For his perfomance, Wang perfomed a compilation of different genres of music. Sam Park, Mark Cahill, Marcus Varni and Jiatao Liang, Quiz Bowl; Ryan Fiegenbaum The event included performances by both solo artists and groups and helped to raise money for prom.. and Zachary Russell, Web Design Team; and Aggela Polymenis, Tyler Hogan, Bryson Photo by Teresa Laffin ● Greenwood and Pablo Villalobos, Interactive Application and Game Development.
Award Winning CSHS Culinary Program Available for catering, private parties, and special events For more information contact Catherine Parsi M. Ed. phone: 979-694-5800 email: cparsi@csisd.org
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Catamount
● News 3
Mobile app craze sweeps through students, faculty continued from page 1 Though he jokes about his brief fixation with the app, getting on the leaderboards is still impressive. Over 100 million people have downloaded Trivia Crack, and entertainment is only one of six categories available. Payne reached the number one spot in two days, spending about five hours per day, but quickly got bored after that. “The questions will repeat themselves a lot,” Payne said, “They won’t repeat themselves if you play at a healthy, moderate level, which of course I was not doing.” The temptation to play apps continuously is a common problem for those trying to balance these games with the rest of their lives. Charara spends two or three hours a day on Clash of Clans and has tried to quit playing before, but only to re-download the app again. Sophomore Maddie Byrd employs the same tactics with the apps she plays, which include Flappy Bird and Jelly Jump. “They’re just addictive,” Byrd said. “Sometimes they get so bad that
I just have to delete them from my phone. Right now, I don’t have any game apps.” On the other hand, Boren has not had much trouble with budgeting his time. What he does face is the temptation of in-app purchases. “[Clash of Clans] is free unless you don’t want to wait, and I’m an impatient person,” Boren said. “It costs $9.99 when you upgrade stuff, so it can add up if you’re not careful.” From an app developer’s point of view, the freemium system—in which an app can be downloaded for free, but extra options and advantages can be unlocked afterward through in-app purchases—is an effective way to make revenue. Junior Aggela Polymenis and sophomores Bryson Greenwood, Tyler Hogan and Pablo Villalobos are using this method for the puzzle app that they built for SkillsUSA, Nonstop Robot. “A lot of successful games have in-app purchases to provide initiatives to customize stuff, because that’s what really helps a game experience,” Polymenis said. “In the competition, that was something we thought would give us an edge. [We made ours] like
a real app, like a real game you would see on the app store.” The group is planning to upload Nonstop Robot to the App Store once they finish improving it for Nationals on June 22. Though Polymenis hopes that it will get some downloads outside of the developers’ friends and family, she’s not expecting it to skyrocket. But the app is still accessible to a wide audience. “Honestly, that’s why we picked a puzzle game,” Polymenis said. “Kids can play it, adults can play it [and] it’s fun for everyone. And it’s a free app, so it’s not a hassle to download.” The rise of apps in gaming in recent years is a trend that Boren has taken note of. Although he himself is not much of a gamer outside of Clash of Clans, he can appreciate the turn that gaming has taken. “I think that’s the shift in technology, moving from gaming on a console to gaming on apps on a phone. It makes it a lot more accessible worldwide,” Boren said. “You know, you can’t take an Xbox with you everywhere you go, but you can take an app anywhere.” ●
A Street Car Named Desire Public Performance May 23 @ 5pm $7
Come support CSHS as they prep for state!
3 APPS YOU DIDN’ 3 APPS YOU DIDN’T 3 APPS DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDE KNOWYOU YOU NEEDED KNOW YOU NEEDED
33 APPS APPS YOU YOUDID D KNOW KNOW YOU YOUNEE NE THE FUNCTIONAL | Drizzy. Ever wanted to text your friends lyrics from Drake songs, but without the hassle of copying them from a website? Now you can. This app supplies you with a “Drizzy” keyboard for easy access to all your favorite lines.
...
THE FUN | Cat Simulator 2015. In this game, you play as a customizable cat roaming around a 3-D world. The goal is to unlock new locations by racking up points, which you gain by wreaking havoc in any way you can. THE FAR-OUT | BuyPartisan. Say you’re a raging Democrat, or a raging Republican. You love your party so much that buying a product associated with the other party would repulse you. Luckily, if you scan a product with this app, it’ll tell you the political alignment percentages of the company’s employees.
$
$
Friday, May 15, 2015
4 News ● The Catamount
Shattered dreams program impacts students, participants
by Fiona Cohen Entertainmet Editor
Leaning backward into the fabric of the driver’s seat, senior Ray Matthews lies still, eyes shut, feigning momentary unconsciousness. An officer taps the window of the vehicle, questioning passengers. He circles the battered car, assessing the damage done to Matthews’s automobile and another crumpled vehicle resting a few yards away. Minutes later Matthews emerges from his car under the gaze of the entire student body. He walks a wobbly line, hears the click of handcuffs on his wrists and fulfills his role as a part of Shattered Dreams. “I was very open to [playing the drunk driver],” Matthews said, “I was actually very glad. That gives me a chance to take the burden on my shoulders. I’m seen as the bad guy. I was actually glad that I was the one chosen because I knew I could handle it.” The crash scene staged on the morning of April 9 was at first to some merely an excuse to leave class. Laughter bounced between students approaching the scene. But as the dispatch call played out to the assembled students and incoming sirens began to echo down Victoria Ave., a crowd of silent high schoolers revealed all too quickly the gravity of the situation. “I actually prayed the rosary while I was sitting there, just offering that up to people who do go through this,” senior Madison Cashion said. “My back pain was nothing compared to what people actually go through. Even when kids were walking out, I was still praying.” Cashion played the driver of the victim vehicle and was lifeflighted from the scene via helicopter. As cameras rolled, Cashion and several other students made their way to various hospitals to receive medical treatment that victims of a similar crash might undergo.
“I feel like a lot of times we’re told by motivational speakers or media ‘don’t drink and drive,”’ junior Grace Donovan said. “They can say it all they want, but a lot of the time it’s just a series of words strung together that don’t give a lot of meaning to a lot of people. The crash scene gave a visual reality to the student body.” Donovan was a member of the so-called “living dead.” Every fifteen minutes on April 9, one of these students was pulled from his or her classroom by a police officer and an actor dressed as the grim reaper. Silence fell upon 19 classrooms as the students’ obituaries were read aloud to their peers. They returned to class in full makeup, dressed in black and entirely unresponsive. “I was in my conclusion, in the middle of a sentence and all of a sudden the cop walks in and says ‘Grace Donovan, stand up,’” Donovan said. “I was so caught off guard that I slammed the pen down and it went flying across the desk...I remember I was just shaking.” By the end of the day, all six crash scene participants and all 19 of the living dead were haunting both hallways and classrooms, their presence a stark reminder of the unpleasant reality for which Shattered Dreams is named. They attended class silently, both present and absent. “As soon as I saw all 25 of them together, I thought ‘my gosh, that’s an entire class,’ assistant principal Julia Mishler said, “an entire class of kids affected by alcohol and taking that behind the wheel. It was intended to be a visual for how many people are affected by drunk driving crashes.” For student participants, Shattered Dreams proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions. At a school-wide assembly, audio video production premiered the film they had created in a day, portraying a personal glimpse into the tragic reactions of parents to their hospitalized children.
and
grubburgerbar.com 980 University Dr East, Ste 400 | College Station, TX 77840 FB GrubBurgerBar TW GrubBurgerBar
“I knew immediately that my mom was in the [hospital] room because I could hear her sobbing,” Cashion said. “My mom was holding my hand and talking to me and telling me that she loved me. Not being able to sit up and say “mom, I’m fine, nothing’s wrong with me…” that was hard.” But the trauma of the first day proved valuable in conveying a powerful message on Friday, April 10. A presentation from wheelchair-bound Sean Carter, whose brain damage from an alcohol-related crash had left him without the ability to speak, and his mother, Jenny Carter, evoked both laughter and tears from students and teachers alike. “We knew we wanted Sean when we were talking to his mother on the phone and he responded back with a joke,” Mishler said. Sean Carter’s story was one that helped students to understand the risk of drinking and driving. His words were intended to bring about change in the minds of students listening. Through harsh realities and occasional humor, he achieved just that. “It boils down to a choice,” Cashion said. “It’s up to you to make the right choice. Is it really worth that one drink?” ●
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Catamount
● News 5
First senior class leaves legacy for school by Derek Witzenman Staff Reporter
like senior supper and senior week will hopefully ensure lasting traditions and inspire future classes. “[This year’s seniors] are some of the best students,” student council advisor Caleb Philips said. “I’m proud of our senior class.” Though they may have started with different colors and maybe even
As the sun sets on the first graduating class and they prepare themselves for the end of their public education, opportunities will be taking seniors to the far reaches of the country while others remain close to home. But before they embark on these new experiences, they are sharing in senior traditions and events that will live on after they’ve graduated, events that they will look back on and remember for a lifetime. As the first class of students to graduate, they Sam Morris, senior and student body leave a legacy for future generations. “It’s our time to pass the torch,” senior and student body different desires, the first graduating president Sam Morris said, “and it’s class of College Station High School their time to step up and take it, stand is a class of unity, excellence and pride by it and change it if need be.” for the school. They started with just With this year being the first with another class below them and no class a class of seniors, the Senior Week above but finished with established committee has explored the unknown standards and traditions. and faced challenges, but these have “I’m proud. I have enjoyed brought the seniors closer together watching [them] all grow into leaders as a class. Events that begin this year
over the past two years,” principal Mike Martindale said. “Starting as both sophomores and the oldest class, they have been pushed into positions of leadership they might not have otherwise.” Because of this, the senior class has grown together throughout the years. “No matter what event, what sport, what reason, our class is there for each other,” senior and class president Jj Handy said. “We’re supportive of each other, and that’s something most high schools don’t have.” As for advice president after they walk across the stage at graduation on May 29 at Reed Arena and move on to jobs, colleges and their future, Martindale encouraged each student to follow his or her own heart. “Pursue your passion, not just with your job or education, but with your life,” Martindale said. Pursue your passion and it will always make you happy.”●
“It’s time to pass the torch, and it’s their time to step up and take it,
stand by it and change it if need be.”
Strong brand. Strong coverage. I can help protect your ranch and auto. Get to a better State . Get State Farm. CALL ME TODAY. ®
Shanubh Desai ChFC CLU, Agent 3900 State Hwy 6 South, Ste 107 College Station, TX 77845 Bus: 979-696-2700 shanubh@shanubh.com
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL • State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL • State Farm Florida Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL • State Farm Lloyds, Dallas, TX 1201891TX
Class of 2015 Graduation When: May 29 at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Reed Arena Student Speaker: Collin Littlefield
Faculty Speaker: Stoney Pryor
6 Opinions ● The Catamount
Friday, May 15, 2015
THE CAT’S EYE VIEW
GPA inaccurately measures knowledge
staff editorial College approaches quickly, requires planning, preparation for success As a freshman in high school, college seems light-years away. It is hard enough thinking about what electives to take, much less which college to attend. However, if college is put on the backburner for too long, the choices can become limited. Your GPA is easy to drop and highly difficult to raise. It is important to make every effort to maintain a high GPA starting with the first semester of freshman year. Additionally, the SAT and ACT play a crucial role in the college application process. It is advisable to study and prepare for these tests, whether it is through a preparation class or independently. It is also beneficial for the sanity of college applicants to start applications as soon as possible for the colleges of their choice. Retrieving transcripts and letters of recommendation can be very time-consuming. Applications also require essays and test scores. Take the SAT and ACT far in advance to ensure you can achieve the highest score possible for your applications. College will approach sooner than expected. Plan and prepare early by maintaining good grades and researching the requirements for each college in advance. While it is necessary to take high school grades seriously, do not forget to also enjoy the short amount of time there is to truly experience high school by getting involved in activities that you will always remember. ●
2014-2015 Newspaper Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Senior Editor Opinions Editor Entertainment Editor Features Editor News Editor Sports Editor Assistant Editors Staff Reporters Graphic Artist Cartoonist Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser
Megan Paradowski Lisa Liu Julie Potrykus Rachel Grant Kayla Kurmaskie Fiona Cohen Lily Parsi Brianna Aguilar Alex Miller AJ Jones and Amelia Kurk Clarissa Parulian,Courtney Sumlin, Derek Witzenman, Alina Dhanani, Anna Solcher, and Emelie Gulde Becky Nam David Rambo Courtney Wellmann Teresa Laffin
AJ Jones Throughout our high school careers we are defined by our grades, class rank, and GPA. Three numbers that that are constantly changing, is it fair to measure someone’s intelligence and capability based on these three things? Just because one’s GPA is lower than another’s does not mean that they are any less smart. The reason I believe grades and GPA are an inaccurate way to decide someone’s intelligence
View of the Pride:
YES
and abilities is the different ways people obtain information as well as the different commitments people have outside of school. Everyone has multiple commitments like extracurricular activities and a personal life to keep up with. Grades slipping for a six weeks could be due to a busier schedule. Or it could simply be that the unit was a bit more of a struggle than usual. One bad six weeks or difficult year can affect someone’s average and potentially affect their GPA. Although GPA is a factor that colleges look at when accepting students, numbers on a piece of paper cannot completely tell one person’s abilities. And to look down on one person because that person’s GPA is lower than you own, I believe is wrong. GPA is really just a number and something that should not define your intelligence. That is what you have been working for, and just because a slip of paper tells you your GPA isn’t a 4.0 doesn’t mean that you haven’t been trying.● art by Becky Nam
Are you addicted to an app?
“It’s fun and it fulfills me.” -Dakota Stephens, 12 “Yes, it’s a good distraction.” -Traes Hogan, 11 “I feel like I have to take care of my games like children.” -Kyler Thornton, 9
“I’m not actually on my phone that much.” -Jenna Salazar, 10 “I have other more important skills to work on for my future.” -Alonso Hernandez, 11
NO
The newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Production class at College Station High School, 4002 Victoria Ave., College Station, Texas, 77845. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District. Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of all staff. The newspaper is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) and a winner of their Bronze Star award. College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing education services. Glynn Walker, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Catherine George, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination. requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Opinions
Small town lifestyle provides new perspective
Kayla Kurmaskie My time here in College Station is coming to a close. The occasion is very bittersweet to say the least. On one hand, I have made friends during my three years here that I will continue relations with for my entire life. My high school experience up to this point has been highly successful as well as transformative. I have matured and honed many of the people skills that are essential to maintaining integrity in the professional world. On the other hand, my family and I have always waivered on being miserable living here. We went from living the lifestyle of liberal urbanites to being confined in the less than formidable county limits of the Brazos Valley. I was confronted with personal and cultural views far more limited than my own, and when I tried to highlight their shortcomings, I was disregarded because I did not understand “small
town values.” Many of the individuals who have lived here all their lives are trapped in what my family deemed the “College Station bubble.” This describes the cultural blindness that occurs when one’s city limits revolve around two main roads. It is this feeling that the extremes in one’s own community (we all know that Bryan is SO dangerous) are the extremes shared by the rest of the country. To the individuals who have never ventured outside of their own realm of understanding: go. Please travel and explore the states and world around you in order to assist in you gaining personal acceptance and understanding. I have been fortunate in my involvement with and new perception of small towns. I am thankful for my time here, but I am more than ready for a new chapter in my life to start, preferably with the company of a larger population.●
art by Becky Nam
1 taco=50 people
Freebirds
What was the most impactful part of Shattered Dreams for you?
“When we all stood up if one of the deceased was our friend.” Ellen Wang, sophomore
“Being able to see and talk with Shawn, a real person who had his life ruined by drunk driving.” Emanuel Quirós, senior
“This experience helped me realize the significance each person has in life.” Bryan Bayliss, junior
Kathryn Cole, sophomore
DAILY GRIND
What is your favorite taco place?
Torchy ‘ s
OVERHEARD
“Cutting all contact with my friends and family even through phone was tough.”
QUESTION of the ISSUE:
Fuego
● The Catamount 7
Taco Bell 680 students surveyed
“The Final Countdown”
By: David Rambo
8 Opinions ● The Catamount
Friday, May 15, 2015
Musical taste clashes with popular culture
Amelia Kurk On the night of August 15, 1998, my mom found that it was particularly hard to fit her favorite Queensrÿche T-shirt over her seven-month pregnant stomach. It was heavy-metal-date-night, and I was along for the ride. My dad’s ten-year obsession with the band fired up again when they went on an unannounced tour to Texas. Eating the festival hotdog she’d been craving and dancing in the mosh pit with me in her stomach, my mom introduced me to the music scene. Growing up five minutes away from Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, most of my Friday nights were spent sitting on the back porch listening to concerts. I heard performances from Steely Dan and The Eagles to Sheryl Crow and James Taylor. And every time, my mom never failed to say, “Put your hands up to your heart. You can feel the music beat there.”
So, I did exactly that. I put my hands change their genre when a new producer up to my heart and haven’t put them down tells them “what’s hot,” and artists in our since. talent show nation often compromise their Music is something that understands own integrity for better pay. me better than my own mind. The soul The music from our generation focuscrushing melodies and poetic words that I es on now, and appeals to a mass number immersed myself in became things that I of people, but will these bands have any couldn’t focus on without. lasting power? I surrounded myself with music like Words from Justin Bieber that we hear the Beach Boys and the Hollies and won- in the hallways and the annoyingly catchy dered why people looked at tunes of One Direction that play in every me funny when I said the public location entertain people for the 60s was my favorite mumoment but don’t have the musicality sic decade. I tried to or lyricism to make an enduring imget into the music pact on future generations. my friends listened Where are the singer-songwritto, but couldn’t ers that could move us, and the bands find any meanwho are creatively genius enough to ing behind the invent whole new genres that last? egotistical lyrToday’s “popular” music lacks ics and the same the appropriate note values and abilchord repeating ity to invoke deep emotion. It’s too over and over hidden behind the bubblegum sound again. and fame-fueled values. The more I Let’s hope artists will return looked into the to the basics of music and produce music from my sounds that are nothing but passiongeneration, the loudart by Becky Nam ate, profound and genuine, music that er I turned up the mumakes people want to put their hands up sic I enjoyed. Today’s bands completely to their hearts, and keep them there.●
Voices What do you wish there was an app for? “There needs to be a ‘Western Tiolet Locater’ app for when visiting a foreign country.” Tiffany Ha, freshman
“An app that automatically texts someone you don’t want to talk to.”
Mason Meinscher, freshman
“One that picks out your outfits for you.”
Corey Barron, senior
Advice to younger siblings rehashes lessons learned
Emelie Gulde I’m a freshman. That comes with a bit of stress. Some upperclassmen would say I won’t know what stress is until I have this teacher or that class or those grades. But this is what I know now. I came into high school unprepared, and uncertain. I want to eliminate some of that uncertainty for my three younger siblings. I have two little sisters named Katherine and Colleen, whom I think are the most adorable girls on the planet. They enjoy writing notes on my mirror when I’m not at home and eating cake. I have one brother named Jonathan who likes to play on Xbox and with Legos. They are adorable and sweet, yet annoying. But mostly sweet. And I don’t want high school to scare them. I want them to come prepared. Freshman year is a defining year. Will you be a band nerd? A newspaper chick? Smart? Sporty? Artsy? Honestly, my sibs could be all or none of these, and I would love them to death. Here are some things that I want them to know about high school, and that
I wish I knew before I came. People are going to complain. A lot. Try not to be one of them! They will complain about teachers, how hard a test was, and how much sleep they haven’t had. High school students talk about sleep a lot (because we don’t get enough) but trust me, the ‘I don’t have enough sleep’ competition is not one you want to win. Appreciate school for what it is. Some people consider school a prison. I consider it a tornado. Tornadoes pull in wind from all over the world, different places and scenes, into one area. If you can imagine the wind as knowledge, the amount of resources we have here is crazy! Every teacher and textbook holds an incredible amount of information just waiting to be absorbed by the sponges we call brains. It’s a competition. Not against your classmates, but against yourself. Try the best you can, and you will receive positive results. If you look at the smartest person in the class and say, “I need better grades than her,” you’re tricking yourself. You need better grades than you. If the world worked that way, there wouldn’t be a highest person in the class, because they wouldn’t have had the incentive to get there. You are your own nemesis, best friend and worst critic. You are your own judge. I want my siblings to do well in school because they want to, not because they have to. I want them to find a motivation behind the work and make it interesting. I know that if they find motivation and decide they want to learn, they can look at the stars and the pages of a book at the same time. ●
“An app that told you what kind of haircut would look best on you.” Samuel Moore, sophomore
“An app that brushes my teeth for me.” Scott Smith, senior
“A paper management app. One that keeps all your papers organized and files them.” Susan Baille, French teacher
Friday, May 15, 2015
Life on the Stand
People
● The Catamount 9
Summer job cultivates critical skills for students by Lily Parsi Features Editor Holding an insurmountable amount of responsibility, they must be in high alert for hours on end to guarantee the safety of children and young adults around them. Their physical fitness must be thorough so they can fully carry out their jobs in times of distress. This is the job of a lifeguard, and it’s no ordinary high school employment. “It’s not easy as people might think,” junior Nick Holderman said. “You don’t just go there and get tan.” As a lifeguard last summer, Holderman is familiar with the serious obligations this job entails. “Knowing someone could be dying on your watch and anywhere in the pool someone could be drowning is probably the most difficult part,” he said. Senior Zach Russell has also experienced the stress lifeguards experience on the stand. “When the pool is packed full of people after a long day, you’re tired, hot and there are kids everywhere that don’t know how to swim,” Russell said, “literally at any moment, someone could start drowning.” While this is a lot of pressure to put on teens, they are well equipped to respond quickly to dangerous situations, Holderman said.
“I just use my training,” he said. “When I’m on the stand, I always scan and do ever thing I was taught and trust that.” The certification for a lifeguard is rigorous and intense, consisting of two days of technique training and a final day with real life practice scenarios of possible drownings. Senior Kaitlyn Ong asserts that while the job can be demanding at times, she’s gained many important skills from lifeguarding. “Communicating well under pressure and getting along with other coworkers are things I learned [from lifeguarding],” Ong said. Russell expands on the need for communication skills at his job. “Whenever a kid starts drowning , and you get them out of the water, the kid is always going to be a little shaken up from that experience, and the parents are going to be freaked out as well,” Russell said. “I think learning how to deal with people in stressful situations is very important and a useful tool.” The unique experience young people get from this summer job is the reason Russell plans to lifeguard again this summer. “I enjoy [lifeguarding] because I’d rather be outside than in an office or kitchen all day,” he said.●
photo of Zach Russell by Lily Parsi
10 People ● The Catamount
Friday, May 15, 2015
Mormon youth find unity in faith by Amelia Kurk Assistant Editor It’s 6:45 in the morning. At a church, about 20 Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons, are studying scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. “It’s a sacrifice, but it helps me start off my day right,” senior Kailee Kema said. The Mormon youth attend seminary, a program to learn more about their faith and beliefs, and this gathering helps members solidify their values to explain their religion to others. One common misconception is that its members are not Christians. “I just clarify to them that we are Christian,” ▲ Junior Brooke Hanks and senior Riley Park display their copies of the Book of freshman Brandon Aguilar said. “Other churches Mormon. Every weekday morning, local Mormon youth gather at the Church of Jesus don’t always believe in the same thing, so it doesn’t make us any different.” Christ of Latter-Day Saints to study scripture. Photo by Amelia Kurk ● Many of the core beliefs of the Mormon church are similar to other Christian churches. They believe in a Godhead and that Jesus Christ died for the sins of humanity and rose again. “We believe in the Godhead; Heavenly Father, “It makes me different in a way. But it’s a good dif- His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost as three ferent. It makes me feel like I know the truth. I know separate beings,” Garlick said. “Where our beliefs that what I’m doing isn’t something just made up. I differ is that we believe when all of the apostles were killed, the Priesthood left the earth, and there know it’s right.” was nobody authorized to act in the name of God.” –Brandon Aguilar, freshman Outside observers of the faith express curiosity about the Book of Mormon and its relationship to “To live out my faith in my everyday life I strive to the Christian Bible. “We study the Book of Mormon along with the live the standards set by the church.” Bible, which we also believe is a sacred book of –Brooke Hanks, junior scripture,” junior Brooke Hanks said. In addition to the daily study of these texts, “I got to the point as a teenager growing up that emphasis and value are placed on the closeness of it was my turn to choose if I wanted to make this family and the responsibility that family members a part of my life. I absolutely love my religion. It’s have for one another. “We believe that family is central to God’s who I am.” plan,” senior Brooke Hanks said. “It is important
Mormons describe what their faith means to them
–Riley Park, senior
to show love towards and care for our family members.” The notion of an earthly family and an eternal family is one that is taught in the Mormon church and held in high esteem by its members. “We believe in eternal families,” senior Riley Park said. “We say family scriptures and prayers in the morning and at night. That’s something that we’ve been able to build off from our religion to be able to be a closer family, and I love that the church teaches that.” This concept of being together as a family through all eternity is one of the biggest draws for Kema, who finds reassurance in the eternal family. “We believe that when you go to Heaven, you’ll live as a family,” Kema said. “The difference between a Mormon marriage and a civil marriage is that a civil marriage is ‘until death do you part’ and a Mormon marriage is for ‘time and all eternity.” Many Mormon youth choose to serve as missionaries to share information about the Mormon faith with others. Men ages 18 to 21 and women ages 19 to 21 may be assigned for one to two years to places around the world. Contact with family is limited during this time, so the faith’s strong emphasis on family can make it a hard choice for young adults to make this commitment. “It may seem like a huge sacrifice to some or a waste of time, but for me, I have been blessed with the knowledge of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in my family,” Garlick said. “I have been so blessed by it that the least I can do to show my gratitude is to help others to feel and experience this joy that I feel.” Above all, members of the Mormon church believe that practicing their faith shapes their life experiences for the better. “I don’t just go to church. It’s my lifestyle,” Park said. “It’s made me who I am as a person, so if people ever wonder why I am the way I am, it’s because that spirit has been put into me.”●
MowMasters
Supports the
Cougars
It’s easy to spot a Harley’s man 520 University Drive East College Station
Lawn Service Brian Bland TAMU ‘93
(979) 777-7390
Time for Two Baseball team seeks to defend state championship
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Catamount
by Alex Miller Sports Editor
▲The baseball team congratulates senior Cody Staab after he scored a run in the top of the second inning in the bi-district game against Waco on May 8 in Mumford. The Cougars won the game 8-1. Photo by Alex Miller●
Game On Point Batting Average: CSHS- .320
Kansas City (Leads MLB)- .287 LSU (Leads NCAA)- .319
Earned Run Average: CSHS- 2.47
St. Louis (Leads MLB)- 2.76 TCU (Leads NCAA)- 2.10
Runs Per Game: CSHS- 6.76
Toronto (Leads MLB)- 5.41 Morehead State (Leads NCAA)8.50 ***statistics as of May 13
Boyzuick hits a groundball over to third base, fielded by Georgiades. He throws it over to Bennett at first, the ball is caught, the runner is out, and the College Station Cougars are the 2014 3A baseball state champions! “Anytime you have a lot of success like we did last year, whether you want to admit it or not, there’s going to be a mental change the next season,” head baseball coach Scott Holder said. However, the baseball team started where they left off this year, claiming the preseason #1 ranking, and defeating the #1 team in 6A, Flower Mound Marcus, as well as the defending 5A state champion, Flower Mound, both on the road. Their early success was quickly halted though, as the team went on a four-game losing streak following the tournament in the Metroplex and four district victories. “Initially you lose some of the motivation you had last year,” Holder said. “I think some of the adversity we’ve had to deal with this season in North Carolina and with the Consolidated losses has brought some of that hunger [from last season] back.” The string of defeats, by a margin of four total runs, changed the mindset of the players, reminding them that nothing is guaranteed. “[Since the losing streak] we’ve been more relaxed when we play and during practice,” senior shortstop Jaxxon Grisham said. “We have to come together as a team and know that individuals won’t get it done. Being a team will get us
● Sports 11
where we’re going.” Since then, the team has gone 9-1, run-ruled five games, and won by an average margin of eight runs per game. “At the beginning of the season, it takes a while to get chemistry going,” senior left-fielder Cole Whittlesey said. “I think the biggest thing for us is trusting one another and developing that trust as the season goes on.” The team has had to overcome several minor injuries throughout the season as well, which created situations where players had to step up in different roles. “We are fortunate enough where we have enough good players, and some guys stepped up in big roles and did a good job,” assistant coach Chris Litton said. The performances on the mound have carried the team to several key victories this season, highlighted by junior Kyle Richardson’s perfect game on April 7 at Caney Creek. “We have so many good arms that it is a dog fight for innings, to see who’s going to be the guy who gets the opportunity to go out there on Tuesdays and Fridays this week” Litton said. As the team prepares for their Area Round playoff game against Magnolia, there is only one goal on the players’ minds: win their final game, the 5A state championship, at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock on June 13. “Our goal has always been to win state, and that’s what we’re working towards,” senior second baseman Izzy Martinez said. “We just have to work hard every day and not let our foot off the pedal.”●
◄Senior Izzy Martinez throws a runner out at first base in the top of the first inning in the bi-district game against Waco on May 8. The baseball team plays Magnolia tonight in the area round. The game will be played at 7 p.m. at The John Cooper School in The Woodlands. Photo by Alex Miller●
12 Sports ● The Catamount
Diamond Girl
Friday, May 15, 2015
Senior catcher leads softball team to playoffs by AJ Jones Assistant Editor As the eyes of the field, watching and calling plays while motivating her team, senior Alyssa Vega embraces her role as the catcher for the varsity Lady Cougar softball team. “Softball is a fun, aggressive and mentally tough game,” Vega said. Vega has been playing softball for many years. She started playing t-ball when she was six years old and went on to play for multiple teams. She was able to go to the Softball World Series when she played for the Bryan Cobras. She currently plays for the Lady Cougars and has been a part of the team for three years. “A bunch of dedication and hard work [goes into being on two teams] that paid off in the end,” Vega said. This payoff is the opportunity to play college ball at Northeast Texas Community College. Vega is the first softball signee for the program. Vega also has enjoyed being able to play against many talented teams despite the challenge. “[As a team] I believe that we have accomplished working together, as a team not a bunch of individuals,” Vega said. Vega feels that within her time with the Lady Cougars, they have earned the respect from the other teams and the people
around them. “We have had many challenges and in the past and many doubted us, but we pulled through and showed them we could make it as a whole,” Vega said. Vega said that throughout the season the team faced many ups and downs but made it to the playoffs because of their hard work and dedication. “We felt a bit down and unmotivated, but we came back and won the games that needed to be won,” Vega said. The Lady Cougars clinched their second consecutive playoff berth this year, finishing the season with a record of 12-15. “Our season had its ups and downs. We did not have a winning record but our team stepped up to the challenge that 5A brought,” head softball coach Brandy Gibson said. Vega is thankful for her time with the Lady Cougars and all that she has learned and the community that she’s made through playing softball. “I have accomplished being able to grow and play with all of these amazing girls on the team,” Vega said. In addition, Vega plays for the Mizuno Elite 18u Gold and will continue to play for them through the summer. “I really love softball. It’s my life and passion. It’s the one thing I have never given up in my entire life.” ●
Versatile Vega
Batting Average: .356 Total Hits: 21 Runs Scored: 14 Put Outs: 65
***stats from assistant softball coach Allison Rackley***
▲Senior Alyssa Vega catches a pitch in the game against Willis on April 2. The Lady Cougars fell to the Wildkats 3-1. Photo by Chase Zamulinski● ▼The Lady Cougar softball team prepares to face Willis on April 2. The team advanced to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Photo by Chase Zamulinski●
Circling the Ring
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Catamount
● Sports 13
Sophomore track athlete breaks stereotypes, records by Alina Dhanani Staff Reporter
by Alina Dhanani Staff Reporter A sharp, loud silence reverberates through the air as a constant sense of commotion surrounds the atmosphere. With eyes closed in the anticipation of a change, the audience holds onto their words as she stands up to assume her stance with a shot put in hand. Sophomore Kaylah Cook went to state last year in both shot put and discus in lengths to break freshman stereotypes of not being good enough. Now, she returns to that stage, competing in the state meet today in Austin. “I feel great about breaking freshman stereotypes,” Cook said. “If they think you’re not good enough, then throw it in their faces.” With current personal records of 39-5 1/2 and 135-1 in shot put and discus, respectively, Cook is now reflecting on her achievements from last year as she prepares for state again. “Of all throwers, Kaylah is the most dedicated,” teammate Suba Johnson said. “Even before the season starts, I would always see her practicing. She works hard all the time to get where she is.” Cook’s dedication is apparent in her practices after school with her teammates and the discus and shot put coach, Coach Brock, and lessons with her personal trainer. “I remember when I came freshman year, I was holding the shot put wrong,” Cook said. “Without [Coach Brock], I would still be that lost eighth grader throwing things everywhere.” In the same lengths her coach has made an impact on her skills, her parents act as her personal mental coaches. “I tell her to always stay confident, find something deep inside and let those emotions come out,” Cook’s mother Kym Rucker said. Cook’s main goals for the track and field season last year was to always beat her personal record and never let A&M Consolidated High School beat her. Her motivation stemmed from her devotion to the team and wanting to score points for them. “She had the motivation of ‘I can do this’,” Rucker said. “Not that she was a freshman, not that she was a younger youth, but she was strong physically, mentally and hyped for the next step. Prior to a meet in Bryan last year, she never realized her potential for the two sports. “The meet before I had thrown a 33 [in shot put]. Then at the Bryan meet, I was equivalent to everyone else in score, and then out of nowhere I threw a 36, Cook said. “I was really surprised.” As she gathered motivation from her family, friends and teammates, she went into the 2014 state meet, shaking and scared. “At state [last year], I pressured myself more than anything when I didn’t do well I learned that if it’s in the past, then just leave it there, and you can always do better the next time,” Cook said. Rucker said that as the season wrapped up last year in her journey to state, Cook took all the things she learned and gathered it into lessons in hope to reach State the next year. Her 128-5 discus and 38-7 in the shotput finishes at region on May 1-2 gave her the opportunity at state again. “It was a very humbling experience from the beginning to the end,” Rucker said. “No matter the outcome, she is still a winner and accomplished her goals. She conquered [shot put and discus] and had the experience and opportunity to compete with other great competitors.” ●
Photo of Kaylah Cook by Alina Dhanani
Kaylah Kicks
Records Source: Brazos Sports
Discus: Shot put:
District:
128-5 38-7
Area:
135-1 39-5 1/2
Region:
128-5 38-7
14 Sports ● The Catamount
Friday, May 15, 2015
setting the bar high
Junior pole vaulter sets school records, advances to region meet by Courtney Sumlin Staff Reporter A select few at our school have the stamina, strength, and skill required to compete in vaulting. “Pole vaulting is more of a challenge than other events because it requires speed, form, and the ability to use your whole body movement as well as a pole to vault over a high bar,” said junior Brandon Henry, over the sport he loves. Henry has always been very athletic, but it wasn’t until he finally tried vaulting that he found an event he truly
2
excelled in. “My coach told me I would be good at it, so I gave it a try, and I immediately loved it,” Henry said. This first try at a rather unique event sparked a passion inside this athlete that would bring pride for himself and his school for years to come. “Getting first at the 5A area track meet this year was easily one of the highlight moments of my high school career,” Henry said. Henry’s gold medal allowed him to continue to the meet to represent CSHS again. While Henry has some natural athletic ability, he strides to work as hard as he can to
1
get better every day in practice. “Pole vaulting is very fun and takes a lot of practice and commitment to achieve great heights,” Henry said. Henry has proven that this strategy of hard work works, as each year he has competed thus far he’s gotten a little closer to that state medal. Instead of sitting still and being complacent with the awards he has already won, Henry makes the choice to only let his success propel him forward. “Set the bar a little higher each time you achieve,” Henry said. ●
Jon Bishop will compete at state meet in mile run After finishing first at area, district and region, junior Jon Bishop runs the 1600-meter run tonight at the 5A State Meet at the University of Texas in Austin. This is his fourth time to compete in a state race, including the 3200-meter run last night.
1 13-
THE APPROACH
Junior Brandon Henry makes his approach with a fast stride and high knees down the 40-yard long runway during practice.
2-
PLANT and TAKEOFF
Henry bends the pole in a C shape while he is in a K shape.
3
“Jon is a perfect representative of College Station High School,” coach Rodney Wellmann said. “He has a strong work ethic, is dedicated to the sport of running, and is very coachable.” Bishop heads into the race with his fastest time of 4:18, the second fastest time in the state behind Frisco’s Carter Blunt, who has run 4:12 this year and is the favorite for gold. “State is a stage where Jon is very
3-
comfortable, so our goal is to finish in EXTENSION
Henry lifts himself up and over the bar using arm strength. Photos by Rachel Grant
the top three and leave Austin with a medal,” Wellmann said. The race is scheduled to begin at 9:45 p.m.
Friday, May 15, 2015
The Catamount ● Entertainment
15
Staffers review fierce rivalry between local taco stops Review by It’s 10:30 on a Friday night and all the restaurants are closed but one little taco shop on the corner of University and Texas. The door at Fuego Tortilla Grill opens and a welcoming aroma of cooked meat greets me as I walk through the door. Although the hour is late, the small restaurant was mostly filled. Fuego Tortilla Grill is open 24/7, part of the reason this restaurant is popular among high school and college students who are out late on the weekends. Regardless, the line moves quickly, and I soon order a Fuego Steak and queso. I was able to choose from a variety of different soft drinks as well as different condiments from a complimentary toppings bar where you can pick out extra salsa, pico, or lime to put on the taco you have just ordered. The environment within the restaurant is welcoming and casual with a variety of art on the wall. The Roasted Poblano Queso came in a quick four minutes. The queso has creamy melted pepper jack cheese with roasted poblanos and is served steaming hot with homemade white and maroon tortilla chips. Fuego queso is a College Station favorite and is devoured quickly once set on the table. The half pint costing $4.29 can easily be shared between four friends, only $1.07 if divided evenly among four people. A b r i e f three minutes later, my taco came. The fuego steak costs only $4.99, much cheaper than most fast food entrees and is enough food for me only to have one. This taco contains steak al carbon, chipotle cream corn, potato, pico de gallo, jack cheese and is served on a flour tortilla. Another popular taco that is not as simple is the El Presidente for $4.29 which has fried avocado, rotisserie chicken, thick smoked bacon, pico de gallo, jack cheese, chipotle mayo, served on a flour tortilla. Overall, my experience at Fuego Tortilla Grill was extremely enjoyable, and I would recommend this restaurant to any of those who enjoy a good taco.
Review by
As I waited in line at Torchy’s Tacos just off Texas Avenue South, surprised by only one person in front of me, I just had to admire the decor of the restaurant and its cleverness in implementing their logo of the devil into various aspects of the room, such as a devil in a famous Vincent van Gogh painting. Along with the humorous decor, the laid-back restaurant has modern light fixtures, one of their other logos on the wall made up of bright round light balls, vibrant red walls, and light wooden tables and areas to sit, making the restaurants atmosphere to be fun yet comfortable. There were mostly college students at the tables, all spaced comfortably due to the spacious room of the restaurant at 5:00 p.m. When I ordered, being a new-timer, I gladly appreciated and noted the great service. The server answered all of my questions regarding the spiciness of some dishes and general food options. The menu offers many choices fror breakfast and lunch tacos, such as Mr. Pink, Crossroads and The Independent, with additional sides, chips and dip and eats and treats. I decided on the Beef Fajita taco and the Green Chile Queso and chips. Just a few minutes after we sat down, the chips and dip came out along with a friendly smile from our waiter. The chips were deliciously hot and crisp, perfect for the warm and creamy queso. Made with delicious green chile, guacamole, queso fresco, and cilantro, the dip was beyond tasty with its rich and creamy flav o r . For those who like it spicy, it also comes with the option to put Diablo hot sauce on top to give it some kick. Just as I got a good amount of chips and dip, my beef fajita taco came. For $3.75, the taco is made of marinated and grilled skirt steak with grilled onions and peppers, topped with shredded cheese, pico de gallo and served with my choice of sauce and tortilla. It was hot, filled with tender, juicy, and flavorful steak and crisp vegetables wrapped in a warm tortilla. For the total price of $9.75, I would highly recommend this for anyone who’s looking for a cheap, tasty meal in a low-key environment to meet up with friends. Plus, the queso was big enough to share with three people. Score.
Friday, May 15, 2015
16 Etc ● The Catamount
Shooting on the Side
Paintballers use unique hobby as pastime
by Brianna Aguliar News Editor Still. Silent. Shoot. At the count of three, all players leave from the post and attend to their positions with guns in hand and paintballs in pockets. While some wait to shoot those brave enough to pass by, others sleuth around the course expertly weaving their way to shoot victims and gain points for the win. This competition and fun can take place with a couple of friends or with thousands of other players in a national paintballing tournament. Although it may not seem like a competitive sport, the game of paint-ball is versatile as both a professional sport as well as a fun hobby for all ages to play. “One of the biggest tournaments in the United States is in [Dallas] where pros and people from other countries will go play at, and it’s literally only three hours away,” junior Brian Henry said. For Henry, his passion for paintballing began as a hobby a few summers back when he would go a couple weekends every month to play with friends. However, as he attended large tournaments all around the United States and started playing more, the playing of paintballing as a hobby grew to a passion for the sport. “Anytime you go down to the playing field and see me playing, you can see that [it] doesn’t really look like a hobby,” Henry said. After investing time and money to go to the paintballing field all summer, on a paintball gun and clothing during the competitions, the future shone bright for his potential career of rising through the ranks to a collegiate and professional career. “You can start with not the best sponsored team, but all you have to do is work your way up from there if you keep winning tournaments,” Henry said.
While playing in a competition in Houston, Henry actually got spotted for a chance to play on a more competitive team and once committed, would allow him to play with the team all around the United States and up to the World Cup. The World Cup is the highest competition for paintballers after they compete in the Challenger and Championship teams. “It all depends on who you play,” Henry said. “I’ve seen teams win World Cup and Championships, then lose and go to Challengers division so every year is going to be different with what happens.” With the pressure to play well in order to advance, the competitiveness between the teams and the companionship between all the members of the team prove that although this sport may not be typical, all the components are there. “We have smaller guns and actually wear uniforms and have numbers and all match, so just like any other sport,” Henry said. However, for those who may not be willing to spend thousands of dollars for the gear and to invest the time, paintballing serves as a great way to have fun with friends. “Although some play more seriously than others, it’s really just playing the game. It’s mostly trying to get over the thought of getting shot, but once you get shot a couple of times, you get more enthusiastic,” senior Daniel Shulien said. For Daniel, the reason he chooses to go out and play is for the sheer happiness it brings to him and his friends. Unlike the high amount of intensity on the competitive side of paintballing, it is a fun game where people can play together. “I feel good, happy, and alive going out there playing and having fun,” Shulien said. Even if it is a little dangerous. “They don’t want you majorly hurting someone. It’s all morals,” senior Mason Klemm said.●
Want to give paintball a shot? Visit Zoomz Paintball on 3766 Roans Chapel Rd, College Station -All-day passpass- $17.50 with own gear and HPA fills -Premium Premium-- $25.00 tippmann FT-12, mask, Barrel Sock, hopper, 200 rounds of paint, all day HPA fills -Extreme Extreme-- $45.00 tippmann A5,Mask, Barrel sock, cyclone feed Extreme system, upgraded 14” barrel, 500 rounds of paint, all day HPA fills -Electric Electric-- $65.00 mini GS, mask, barrel sock, electric hopper, Electric 500 rounds of paint, and all day HPA fills Source: zoomz.com
▲ Junior Brian Henry practices on May 5 at a local park. He plays most frequently at TXR in Houston, Texas. Henry has traveled to Houston and Dallas for competions. Photos by Rachel Grant ●