Special Senior Issue 2016 by Cougar Media

2 CLass of 2016 ● The Catamount

Friday, May 13, 2016

Rachel Grant Senior Editor

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r a g AJ Jones Features Editor After sustaining multiple knee injuries, Garrett Wilson called it quits on his football career and focused on his interest in agriculture instead. “I decided to give FFA a shot and ended up really enjoying it,” Wilson said. “I felt like I wanted to get more involved, and being an ofﬁcer allowed that opportunity.” Wilson acts as the sentinel, which allows him to assist the president and help provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for members. FFA also allows for Wilson to participate in a variety of competitions including Job Interview, Poultry Judging, and Quiz. “I posted my best score at area, and I was number 35 individual, which was pretty good for me because this was my ﬁrst time doing poultry judging,” Wilson said. Aside from competitions, FFA has provided many learning experiences as well as personal growth for Wilson. “It’s given me a chance to sharpen my leadership skills more than anything, and also it’s showed me the importance of community,” he said.

Although Wilson is not majoring in anything in the agricultural ﬁeld, he expressed the many beneﬁts that come with FFA. “There are a lot of career opportunities that stem off of FFA, and aside from that when you reach your senior year, there are a lot of scholarship opportunities,” he said. Wilson also participated in NHS once inducted his junior year. “There are a lot of opportunities and lots of ways to get involved,” Wilson said. One opportunity that Wilson was involved in was the FFA State Convention. “I learned a lot about FFA and the things that go on at the state level as well as personal level,” Wilson said. Wilson will attend Texas A&M in the fall and plans on studying kinesiology. Although he is not planning on futhering his agricultural career, he found the skills he learned in FFA applicable in everyday life. “It’s been a learning process, but it’s been a really good experience,” Wilson said. •

"i felt like i wanted to get more involved, and being an officer allowed that opportunity.”

Teachers are a large part of students’ everyday life and impact them daily. Going from a student to a teacher, senior Leah Lewis has started the ﬁrst stages to become an educator to early elementary aged students. Lewis discovered her love for education through her church ministries where she ﬁrst considered the idea of teaching as a profession. “In fourth grade, I began working in the children’s ministry at my church, and ever since then, my love for teaching has increased,” Lewis said. “Growing up in the College Station school district and being blessed with a bunch of great teachers really inspired me to start babysitting and teaching younger kids.” Having been shown what a successful teacher should look like through the district, Lewis has not only noted different techniques but has also taken other steps in order to prepare herself to study education at Dallas Baptist University, where she will also run cross country and track. “I [am] a children’s ministry intern at my church, [where] I teach the kids during different events, help with classroom management and help the children safely participate in different activities,” Lewis said. “I also took the Ready Set Teach course, which allowed me to intern in a kindergarten class for two hours, three times a week, [and] I was able to teach the

class and create lesson plans.” Another tool to aiding her education studies is that Lewis is president of Cougar Pals, a club she founded at CSHS. Cougar Pals allows other students to interact with students in the life skills program. “Cougar Pals is a place where Cougars can come together in a fun environment and build relationships to learn about each other’s differences,” Lewis said. “Normally we begin Cougar Pals with announcements and snacks. Then we start our craft or activity, we are doing for the day.” In addition to being Cougar Pals president since sophomore year, Lewis is also on the cross country and track teams, a member of National Honor Society and has been involved with the “Save our Streets” ministry. She volunteers with the SOS ministries every Monday night where she leads a small class of kids. Overall, Lewis has been inspired by the passionate and helpful teachers in the district and is eager to become an inspiring teacher like them one day. The example they set has been an huge part of the reason she wants to become an educator in the future. Lewis is grateful for the teachers she has had and because of this, she in turn, will inspire others to teach in the future. “A lot of it is the great teachers you have,” Lewis said. “That’s the example of what a good teacher looks like, so when I see a teacher doing their job well, it makes me want to follow in their footsteps.”•

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Friday, May 13, 2016

The Catamount ● CLass of 2016

Tiffany Ha Assistant Editor

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Lisa Liu Editor-in-Chief One of her sisters is studying construction science. The other, food technology. But Abby McIntyre? She’s going into the fashion industry. “I am the wild child of the family,” McIntyre said. “This is artsy and out there, and it’s never been done in the family before.” Risky as it may be, McIntyre has wanted to be a fashion designer since the age of seven. Throughout high school she took fashion design classes, made her own clothes, competed in FCCLA and landed an internship at a local interior design business, from which she learned about fashion trends and sewing techniques. These days, she’s considering other careers as well, but still plans to stay in the fashion industry. “I know that it’s an incredibly hard ﬁeld to get into, so after having thought about that recently, I’ve looked more into the marketing side of fashion,” McIntyre said. “You can be a buyer for big companies, and you can go to all the fashion shows like Fashion Week. You control what’s gonna be the next big thing.” Trends are something that McIntyre is familiar with, even if she herself doesn’t always jump to try out the most daring ones. As she puts it, she likes playing with them, but never wants to look ridiculous. Her approach to shopping is

buying long-lasting pieces that won’t go out of style immediately. “I don’t go crazy in the stores. I’ll buy one thing at a time, so I’m slowly building my wardrobe to withstand the test of time,” she said. “I steer clear from Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe and [stores] like that, because I don’t think their clothes are going to stand up.” Her personal style varies from day to day, though she particularly likes the bohemian vibe of the ’70s. Other looks that she’s enjoyed lately include muted colors and grunge for winter. One of McIntyre’s favorite parts of living a fashion-conscious life is helping others with their clothing. Being a stylist is another career that she’s interested in, as it’s a job that’s common in fashion capitals like Los Angeles or New York. “People like to ask me fashion advice, and I think that’s so much fun. It’s something I like to talk about, and I’ll talk forever about it if you want me to,” she said. “I like to think of that as a perk, people trusting you with their wardrobes.” Although some may view fashion as a frivolous pursuit, McIntyre sees the importance of it in self-expression and self-esteem. “It really inﬂuences how you feel about yourself, and I like to see people happy in what they’re wearing,” McIntyre said. “Whatever your style is, I like knowing that that’s you, a reﬂection of yourself.”●

From the CSHS cafeteria to Carnegie Hall, Woody Wang has put his love of violin on display for many to hear and appreciate, including himself. “I think playing the violin when I started was more of just to satisfy my siblings, or to live up to [my sister’s] expectations, but it definitely, over the years, became more [my own interest],” Wang said. As time went on, Wang realized that his violin could be used as a platform for self-expression instead of just a skill. “Anything I’m feeling could really be conveyed through music, maybe better than the way I can talk,” Wang said. “Any musician, the culture of the music world, and all my friends I made through the music world made me understand what it means to really to express yourself.” Music’s teachings have transferred to other areas of life for Wang, such as writing. “It definitely goes beyond just the music. It’s helped me become more of an expressive writer in that it conveys my feelings,” Wang said. “ I know when I first started writing, you learn this really strict structure, but with music, it’s taught me that there’s so much more you could do with notes on a page, and it translates to writing in that these words could mean so much more.” Wang uses music as a channel for

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his emotions, conveying what he cannot speak through the melodies. However, when music is not able to convey anger, he releases it through one of his many other interests: hockey. “Music for me is a huge emotional release. It pretty much gets all the palettes of emotions, except maybe some of the really angry stuff,” Wang said. “Maybe some Brahms can touch on that, but that’s where I can shift into hockey. It touches on the very end of the spectrum. If I need to beat someone up, that’s where it goes.” Although usually known for his musical abilities, Wang juggles other activities as well, but sometimes, balancing multiple extracurriculars and academic pursuits can prove to be difﬁcult. “I have to split my time, and I feel bad sometimes because I feel like I’m not giving 100 percent to everything I do,” Wang said. “There are times on a Wednesday when I stay after school and practice as much violin as I can in the orchestra hall, but I rush to Student Council. The second after Student Council meetings are done, I rush to practice and get there maybe within ﬁve minutes of [the team] getting on the ice.” Moving on to college, Wang plans to pursue computer science at Stanford University while still playing violin through the Stanford Symphony Orchestra. “While I’m not pursuing a music degree,” Wang said, “music for me has always been a way of understanding myself.”●

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4 CLass of 2016 ● The Catamount

Friday, May 13, 2016

Anna Solcher Entertainment Editor

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Amelia Kurk Executive Editor Lauren Spohn will soon trade her purple soccer jersey for a crimson one when she joins her new teammates at Harvard University. Her acceptance to Harvard was the culmination of a remarkable journey she has been on since she was six years old. “Ironically, when I was little, I said I would never play soccer,” Spohn said, “until I started playing at six and realized I loved it. I’m glad I was wrong.” Spohn’s success in soccer, including helping her team make it to the state tournament two years in a row, mirrors her many successes in other areas. She counts her selection as a National Merit Scholar as her biggest academic achievement, but says it is her continual curiosity that most shaped her student experience at CSHS. “I think a huge academic achievement is keeping a love for learning even in the maelstrom of tests, GPA and class rank, because for me learning isn’t about a score or a number,” Spohn said. “That’s the most tragic thing about high school in today’s society—people get caught up in the numbers and lose their love for learning.” Spohn’s time in Student Council at CSHS, especially as Student Body President this year, has been a proving ground for her remarkable capacity for leadership. “I think being Student Body President

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is like being the head of a body that does a lot of work,” Spohn said. “It’s a lot of fun to develop those relationships with people who have leadership skills and enthusiasm.” Spohn says her time at CSHS has been unforgettable. She has enjoyed the challenge of balancing her schedule. But by far, her favorite memories of high school will be of the people. “From soccer teammates to Student Council to all my teachers and all my classmates, I’ve been so blessed with incredible friendships and awesome mentorships,” she said. Spohn has learned to be disciplined and work hard in order to achieve her dreams. She says the trick, though, is learning to find the joy even when the stress level rises. “Doing homework or practicing extra after school or studying one more hour is not so much a task as a joy,” she said. “And when you find the fun in doing functional things, it’s a lot easier.” Spohn’s advice to other students who are eager to follow in her footsteps shows the wisdom and simple ethic that have guided her own success. “I would say, do the right thing every day and let the rest take care of itself,” she said. “Life is all about habits. It’s a matter of taking the next step in the right direction, and you’ll find yourself on the right path going into the future.” •

Actor and inspiration to Marcus Nealy, Denzel Washington once said, “You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it.” Similar emotions can be felt for Nealy’s future career as an actor, which he believes will be challenging, but rewarding. “Acting is important to me because I get to share with a large amount of people my frustrations and triumphs, and with these characters the audience can see where I’m coming from,” Nealy said. Nealy began acting sophomore year. Having played sports in the past, he decided to join something new and was cast in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” “My last night of performing was natural. I felt relaxed and conﬁdent in what I was doing,” Nealy said. Realizing his potential through encouragement from family and friends, he decided to focus on his acting career. “My family is surprisingly supportive. Once I dropped other things, they realized I have more to offer than just the high school stage,” Nealy said. Nealy will be continuing his education studying Performing Arts at Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he plans to become the ﬁrst famous alumni. “[Texas A&M Corpus Christi] is slowly becoming a popular place for acting, and they don’t have famous acting alumni yet, and one of my goals would be to be

one of the first,” Nealy said. Nealy reflects on his experiences in high school theatre where he established great relationships with fellow students and his directors. “I value the people willing to work hard to accomplish what I want to accomplish and the excellent teaching I have had from my directors,” Nealy said. Nealy has played a variety of roles, from temperamental husband to a teddy bear boss, and learns something with each role he plays. “I put myself into every character I’ve played, and I find things that I can relate to,” Nealy said. “I am confident in the character I play, and I become one with that.’’ Nealy has ambition for the future in which he plans to explore different paths with acting. “It’s wherever God takes me. I have stepping stones, but I don’t know where I want to end up,” Nealy said. “I just want to try everything and go everywhere and make a living off of that.” Once Nealy accomplishes a successful acting career, he desires to tell young actors about the trials associated with this career to encourage them, especially young African American males who do not often choose this line of work. “I will have a lot of trials and tribulations in this career,” he said. “I want to share with people that they will go through struggles, but if you keep trying you will get there.” •

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Friday, May 13, 2016

The Catamount ● CLass of 2016

Amelia Kurk Executive Editor

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Alex Miller Managing Editor Athletes are known to leave their mark on a team for the next wave of players to follow. Not many have seen the complete evolution of a program like Rajah Preciado, however, who has started in all 43 varsity football games ever played in school history. Preciado has seen the team progress from the beginning as a 3A independent to now a 5A third-round playoff caliber program. “The program has found an identity in the past four years,” Preciado said. “As the years kept going, we all became connected as coaches, players and supporters.” Starting at safety his freshman year, Preciado learned quickly that playing at the varsity level can be daunting. “I was 13 playing against 18-year olds,” Preciado said. “You learn so much really quickly. It aided me having so much experience that first year.” Preciado was a ballhawk on the gridiron totaling 262 career tackles, 16 pass breakups, four interceptions and three defensive touchdowns during his illustrious four-year career. A special teams threat as well, Preciado averaged 39.4 yards per kick return. These statistics earned Preciado AP All-State honors in 5A his junior and senior seasons as a defensive back and kick returner. Preciado’s on-field performances earned him the No. 69 defensive back

prospect ranking in the nation following his junior campaign, leading him to receive a scholarship from Baylor as he signed with the Bears this past February. Although Preciado made the plays on the field, he credits his success to a multitude of coaches and players who helped him become a versatile player. “Everybody plays a huge role in what I have done,” Preciado said. “Everything that [Coach] Huff implemented into the program was for the better. It may not have seemed like it at the time, but when you look back you realize the stuff we did actually worked.” Preciado also strongly valued the weekly Thursday night team dinners, or Brotherhood, as he felt the bonds between his teammates and coaches grow tighter as they gathered for a meal, fellowship and inspiration for the game to be played the following day. “Every experience I have had from Brotherhood has been influential,” Preciado said. “From speakers, experiences with players, to coaches talking. If you cannot pick something up at Brotherhood, then you are not listening at all.” Although he has completed his days playing for the purple and black, Preciado is hopeful that future players can build on the foundation he helped pour for the football program. “I hope that the players and coaching staff keep heading in a positive direction,” Preciado said. “I hope they win a state championship someday soon.” ●

For artist Lauren Brammer, the CSHS fine arts department is a place of comfort among friends who have become more like family. She has cherished her time here surrounded by other student artists who share the same deep love for making beautiful things. “We’ve been together for so long, it’s genuinely like a little family,” Brammer said. “These are the best people I’ve ever met. I’ve never felt more at home than in this room.” Brammer, known for her portraits, has pursued her passion for fine art since she was young. She has made a name for herself as someone who can express an amazing amount of emotion on canvas and paper. “I like contemporary art and weird things that make you feel kind of sad,” she said. Through the years, with determination and incredibly hard work, Brammer has honed that natural interest into a noteworthy skill. “People think that we just have this talent and that’s all that it takes, but we are constantly working to improve ourselves,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met people that work harder. I have so much respect for everybody in the Fine Arts departments because they work hard for what they do.”

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The art department at CSHS is top-notch, according to Brammer. The school offers Art I, II, III, and the final class, Art IV, which is an AP course. The students who complete all four courses are trained in many styles and use multiple mediums, but are encouraged to find their unique style and focus on developing it. Brammer hopes the student body will recognize the amazing talent among the art students. “We could use more recognition,” she said. “I want to hear about us all the time because we do so much good work.” Her plans upon graduation are not yet solidified, but she knows that art will always be a major part of her life. “I would like to keep it as one of the things I like to do, like a hobby, not a career,” she said. “If it became my career, I might end up hating it, or it would become stressful. I would stop creating original art.” Brammer will miss her friends and teachers at CSHS, but she is also looking forward to a fresh start. Her advice to other students exemplifies her outlook on the importance of finding personal expression. “I would say keep doing you,” she said. “There are a lot of times where I felt like dropping art and focusing on other things, but if you keep doing what makes you happy, you’re going to be in such a better place.” ●

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6 CLass of 2016 ● The Catamount ALABAMA

St. John's University

Auburn, AL Kyle Miller | Computer science Samford University

New York City, NY Elizabeth Park | Pharmacy

ARKANSAS

NORTH CAROLINA

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Johnson & Wales University Charlotte, NC Esella Aguilar | Culinary arts

Hendrix College Conway, AR

Will Hughes | Business University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Nick Holderman | Marketing Jett Huddleston | Law/Energy commerce Tristan Roberts | Finance

CALIFORNIA

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Lisa Liu | Undecided

TENNESSEE

Belmont University Nashville, TN Audrey Tamplin | Motion pictures

Occidental College

Los Angeles, CA Dorothy Hudson | Philosophy Stanford University Stanford, CA Woody Wang | Computer science University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA Rohen Sukkawala | Business University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Aggela Polymenis | Biochemistry

GEORGIA

Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA Tarun Muthuchamy | Chemical engineering

IOWA

Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Tell Ward | General studies

LOUISIANA

Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond, LA Maddie Jenkins | Kinesiology

MARYLAND

United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD Yash Singh | Information technology

MASSACHUSETTS

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA Lauren Spohn | Government

MINNESOTA

University of Minnesota Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Dylan Flasowski | BFA Acting

MISSOURI

Missouri State University Springfield, MO Grace Jennings | Biology

The Catamount ● CLass of 2016

NEW YORK

Auburn University

Homewood, AL Mathew Bennett | Business

Friday, May 13, 2016

TEXAS

FIRST CLASS TO SPEND ALL FOUR YEARS AT CSHS DEPARTS *Darker states represent a larger number of students

Houston Community College Houston, TX Mark Derecho | Pharmacy Megan Marshall | Psychiatry Houston Dental Assistant School Houston, TX Patricia Martinéz | Dental assisting Lee College Baytown, TX Chase Doucette | General studies McLennan Community College Waco, TX Samantha Sherman | Physical therapy Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, TX Tre'Andranique Green | Nursing Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX Alexis Bullard | Finance Hanah Burris | Criminal justice Luisa Castaneda | Criminal justice

UTAH

Brigham Young University Provo, UT Emma Hanks | Actuarial science

ARMED SERVICES

Air Force Johnathan Alvarado Army Jake Covarrubio Marines Russell Clark Daren White Navy Madeleine Arseneaux

OTHER

Cosmetology school Holly Torrez Gap year Jonathan Armstrong Korbin Havins Paula Moreno Sheila Neyel David Ornelas Wyatt Synwolt Alex Szilagyi Undecided Lauren Brammer Rebeca Cruz Mark Golladay Will James Raven Manley Sandy Reddy Zach Rogers Work Abbi Arguello Austin Mincher Chase Spaw Beccy Watson

UNITED KINGDOM

University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK Shruthin Chirayath | Business

Information compiled from a survey of seniors in April

8 CLass of 2016 ● The Catamount

Friday, May 13, 2016

anna alex solcher miller

Solitude and self realization Solitude is the state of being truly alone. Something valuable but not easily acquired. I find that in solitude self-realization can be recognized. Apart from busy everyday life there is a freedom and trueness of self that can be acquired when being apart from other humans in nature. Solitude is something I crave but often discomforts me for an excessive portion of my identity is made through my relationships with other people and the activities I participate in. Choosing to separate myself from my everyday life as a student allows me to be a truer version of myself, apart from outside influences, and learn more about who I am. I am able to express my weird, quirky side that others don’t know about and reflect profoundly about my life and the things in it. In high school, it is easy to define oneself as an athlete, scholar or artist. The realization I have recognized is the importance of being yourself above the labels and staying in touch with the person you are inside without classification. Valuable lessons can be learned through different activities or hobbies that can shape people into what they can become, but these activities can often take over life, allowing people to lose themselves. Just as a mound

of clay is shaped by a sculptor into something different, more beautiful the clay remains clay, despite any ramifications. Through high school, I have been the athlete, the scholar and the artist. Sports changed me into a person I did not always recognize, somebody, that I realized when I concluded my time playing sports, that I did not want to be. Next, academics took over my life, and I put my self-worth in grades and success in school. Finally, as an artist, I sought out affirmation from other people to qualify my talents. Each of these activities took something from me because I did not remain true to myself or have confidence through these experiences and let them overcome the areas in my life that have made me who I am. And so, my fellow students, I encourage you to spend time alone in natural surroundings, to be purely on your own and in touch with who you are and what you truly value. For only when you are in touch with yourself will you be able to be the person you were made to be. ● Senior Anna Solcher is the entertainment editor and will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall with plans to major in nutrition.

“i find that in solitude selfrealization can be recognized.”

making the most of it People say that high school is a scary place filled with many fears that result in tears. A place full of terrible teachers, outrageous homework and plagued with drama of many kinds. After three years they claim they cannot wait to leave these halls and never talk to anyone they grew up with ever again. Last August, that person was me. I was ready to press the fast-forward button to graduation on May 27 to the part where I walked the stage at Reed Arena. I had zero desire to finish my final year of high school, and sending in my college applications made me even more eager to be done. All of my “best friends” had graduated the year before, and I felt as if I was left behind to finish a meaningless year while they moved on to college. Then I was presented a challenge by my mom: make the most of senior year because you will never get it back. At first, it sounds super cliché, but once you dive deeper into the challenge, the more you realize how quickly the only life you know is coming to an end. As my senior year comes to a close, I am proud to say that I accomplished that goal. At times it was challenging, especially after getting several college acceptances. Fortunately, as the year went on, I continued to take in every major moment knowing it was my last. Although it sounds so wonderful knowing that I am almost to the end and will soon be moving out of my

house, going off to college and beginning a new life, it is sad knowing that I have played my final football game, attended my last school dance and in seven days will have walked the halls of the school that has done so much for me for four years one last time. You may be looking forward to that day when you can walk out of the student parking lot doors, rip off your student ID, throw it in the trash can and go home to burn the endless pages of notes you found meaningless and could care less about remembering for the rest of your life. But in reality, high school is a place that can be exciting and joyful. It is up to you to make the most of your experience. It is up to you to invest in people, clubs and be school spirited. It is up to you to enjoy high school. So, before you complain to your best friend about how awful things are, take time to find the positive things about school. There are so many opportunities to become involved and have fun. Before you know it, you begin to have your first lasts, and it is then you realize how impactful those events have been on your life. It is your choice on how you live your four high school years, but you might as well make the most of them because once they end you will never get them back. ● Senior Alex Miller is the managing editor and will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall with plans to major in journalism.

Friday, May 13, 2016

The Catamount ● CLass of 2016

lisa rachel liu grant

signs you can’t wait to leave high school Your party trick is knowing, at any time, exactly how many days of school are left. If you squint at any assignment hard enough, it starts looking optional. The Snapchat stories of your friends who’ve already graduated make you jealous. You watch them anyway. You can’t shut up about how excited for college you are. It’s probably obnoxious, and you probably should stop. You don’t. Honestly? You can’t wait to have a .edu email address. How professional. Speaking of, you should make a LinkedIn. You’re already looking at classes for next year. (One of them is based entirely on reading, for whatever reason, the book recommendations of James Franco. You think you might take that one ironically.) Your Google search history contains the entry “how low can your grades go before your admission is rescinded.” Not that it’s come to that. (It’s Bs or Cs. You briefly entertain the thought of letting them get almost that low. Okay, not so briefly.) You start writing clickbait-y articles about how badly you want high school to be over. Maybe Buzzfeed will notice you. You go out and purchase a pair of leggings, with the intention of wearing

them as pants. You pretend that you haven’t eschewed the lazy college student aesthetic your whole life. You drop by some of your old teachers’ classrooms to say hello now and then. Because you want them to know how you’re moving on, of course. You write thank you cards to said teachers, and the cards are NOT gushy. You realize that by now, you’ve outgrown basically every protagonist in the books you read as a kid. (No one writes YA fiction about college students.) You reread some of those books and feel old. You finally clear out all the piles of notes and papers you’ve kept for the past four years. If it takes longer than necessary, it’s not because you get nostalgic and marvel at how neat your handwriting used to be and how that 42 on a chemistry quiz really did never matter and how simultaneously bad and not-bad your freshman year essays were. You can’t believe graduation is in fourteen days. You wonder if the next four years will blink past as quickly as the last four did. You’re still ready to leave high school, but you think you might miss it too. Just a little. • Senior Lisa Liu is the editor-in-chief and will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall and has not decided on a major.

A reflection from an original staffer It was not until I saw it in print that the reality of it hit me. Volume 4. To most readers, that is just another number, and a number that most people don’t even notice. But to me, three previous staffers and our wonderful advisor, that was the final and fourth year of working on the newspaper at school. We started off with four, and I am ending my time with the Catamount with a staff of 15 of my peers. Through the first three years of producing the newspaper, there were only three other girls from the beginning and then additional staffers as they joined. As my senior year began, I felt a bittersweet sense of being excited, yet still feeling like a piece of my hard work was missing without these three girls. Now, when Dr. Wellmann addresses the “original staffers,” it’s just me. Megan and Lily graduated, and Kayla moved. When I first decided to join newspaper, it was only because I had missed the yearbook deadline (oops!) Even though I totally love the yearbook staff and am in awe of the awesome publication they continue to put out each year, I like to think that missing that deadline was the best mistake I have ever made. Because if I had made that deadline, my life would look to-

tally different from how it does right now. Joining newspaper helped me discover what I want to have as a career and what I want to study in college: graphic design. Without the time spent on staff, I cannot imagine how my life would look today. I would have never gotten to know such amazing people on staff who continually impact me each day. I love coming to class each day and hanging out with these people without fail for an hour guaranteed every day. (Sometimes even three hours on Tuesday nights if we are lucky.) They make me laugh harder than almost anyone else. They also taught me how to interact with other people who believe different things than me. If I had not joined newspaper, I would never been able to become so close to the original three that we had on staff and the other 14 who are co-staffers currently. I miss these girls everyday (thankfully Dr. Wellmann hasn’t left me so there’s still two of us), and I am so thankful for the time that we were able to spend together while they were here. • Senior Rachel Grant is the senior editor and will be attending Texas A&M University with plans to major in visualization.

“I like to think that missing that deadline was the best mistake I have ever made.“

10 CLass of 2016 ● The Catamount

Dear Fish... Eduardo & Evelyn Harari Dear Eduardo, I hope you enjoyed your first year in high school, the year went by so fast. Some advice I could give you would be to try to enjoy every minute of it. These 4 years went by fast for me, and I’m sure you will feel the same your senior year. Make sure you keep your grades up and have fun your next three years of high school. Have no regrets! Love you, nugget! -Evelyn

Friday, May 13, 2016

Seniors share advice with their freshman siblings Melanie & Victoria Evans Dear Melanie, I’m so lucky to have you as my little sister, and I’m grateful that we got to share a year in high school together. As you continue, remember to stay true to yourself. Don’t let anyone change your joyful and positive spirit. Work hard at everything you do and remember to have fun while achieving your dreams. I know you’re going to do great things! I’m so thankful that God let me be your big sister! Love you bunches! -Victoria

Peyton & Paige Mitchell Dear Peyton, Always remain true to yourself and never cut yourself short of anything. It’s amazing what you find yourself capable of doing, so it’s important to believe that you can do it. High school will have its darker moments, but remember that it’s worth it to see how far you’ve come as a person in the end! -Paige

Tate & Traes Hogan

Anna Kate & Mitchell Bradford Hey AK! Although you may be the smartest academically in our family, I still have some words of advice for your high school career. Take risks. If you are ever given the chance to try something, do it! You never know if you will enjoy it, even if it does look weird, uncomfortable or something you would never want to do. Also, build your relationships with people. These relationships will impact the rest of your life. Do not ignore them. Love you, AK. I know you will achieve great things. -Mitchell

Dear Tate, Always appreciate the people around you. You have a limited amount of time in high school so build strong relationships and treat everyone with respect. Have FUN! High school is supposed to be fun. Don’t be afraid to take chances and try new things. Leave high school without any regrets. (Side note: Stop stealing Tyler’s clothes!) -Traes

Friday, May 13, 2016

The Catamount ● CLass of 2016

senior surveys what THEY LOVE

Favorite year of high school:

12%

freshman

sophomore

29%

Favorite books:

Favorite teachers:

51%

junior

senior

Favorite meme: pepe

The Great Gatsby Virginia Berry

Gregg Frashure

Of Mice and Men

1984

what THEY Don’t LOVE

Worst fashion trend seen during high school: Chacos

Least favorite year of high school:

33%

freshman

29%

sophomore

26%

junior

12%

senior

what THEY LOOK BACK ON I will always remember... “That the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”

doge

kermit

Colby Schniederjan

Man buns

Jandals

What you wish you’d done during high school:

-Kaley Kelley “Had a food fight!!”

-Sandy Reddy

“Gone to every dance.” -Jett Huddleston

“Played more slither.io.”

-Tori Smith “How much fun I had junior year. I finally grew up and let loose a little.”

Advice for next year’s seniors:

“Enjoy your last year. If you’re involved in any sports, remember you may never play again, so realize that you’re a part of something special.”

-Dorothy Hudson

-Brener Walichowski

“I have none. They should struggle as I have struggled.” -Wyatt Synwolt

what THEY LOOK FORWARD TO “Establishing a real Jurassic Park.”

Where you hope to be in ten years:

“Not in Texas.”

“Working in cinema, doing what I love with the people I love.”

“I hope to be working as an art therapist, helping people cope with life through art.”

-Hunter Gorman

-Audrey Tamplin

-Paige Mitchell

“Still in Texas.” -Victor Gomez

Compiled from 200 surveys of seniors

“In a penthouse on the Manhattan skyline.” -Joanna Chambers

-Mason Ouren “Working as a news reporter for some news station.” -Ashley Wolfe

“I hope to be a highranked firefighter with a wife and kids.” -Brian Henry “Anywhere I’m happy.” -Isaiah Blanco

“I don’t know where I hope to be, but I hope that I have a passport book full of stamps from other countries.” -Grace Jennings