Senior Issue - Class of 2021 by Cougar Media

Photo of Jenny Langhoff by Erin Park

2021 Senior issue

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

Culinary

NAVY

Anna scruggs

Brown Bedard Rhyan Kalke Staff Reporter Senior Brown Bedard has wanted to be involved in the military throughout his entire life and is now planning to attend the Naval Academy to become a pilot in the Navy. “I have a lot of people in my family who are in the military,” Bedard said. “I always knew I wanted to be in the military. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.” To achieve his goals of joining the Navy, Bedard plans to go directly from high school to the Naval Academy in Maryland. Mainly, Bedard wants to fly planes. One of the things that sparked Bedard’s interest was two of his uncles’ involvement with the military. “My uncle went to a school called West Point, which is where military officers go. My other uncle went to Air Force Academy. He flew in Vietnam and his son flew in Desert Storm- they were both pilots,” Bedard said. Bedard decided he wanted to go to an academy the Christmas of his junior year and then decided he wanted to attend the Naval Academy the February following as a result of getting accepted into a summer program. Bedard got accepted into the Navy Summer Program right before the Coronavirus lockdown hit. Throughout lockdown, he said his dad was a crucial motivator in getting him to do the things required for him to be accepted into the Naval Academy. Getting accepted into the Naval

Academy required a recommendation from a congressman, which Bedard got after being evaluated by a committee to determine if someone can be a good leader. After a nomination from a congressman, people interested in the Naval Academy go through the regular application process required when applying to college. “You go to the college, it’s four years just like any other college, then you graduate and pick your assignment,” Bedard said. “After those four years I want to do two years of flight school.” Bedard has also considered what role he wants to play in the Navy later in life. “I want to be stationed somewhere like Japan or Colorado, on a base,” he said. “I could be training people to fly or I could be flying myself.” Though it’s what Bedard’s been planning for his entire life, there are also things that make it hard to leave. “I’ve gotten really close to some of my friends throughout the past month,” he said. “When I was a freshman I was counting down the days every year until summer, and I really looked forward to it. This year it’s insane. I’m going to miss my friends. I’m going to go to Maryland, and I’m not going to know anybody. It’s just going to be a completely new slate, which is awesome but also sad because I have some really good friends here.” •

Jyotsna Naidu Executive Editor Growing up on predominantly fast food, senior Anna Scruggs took it upon herself to begin experimenting in the kitchen. Overtime, Scruggs’ resilience and passion for culinary carried her from childhood box cake frosting to an acceptance into the most prestigious culinary school in America, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). “I was just never the person that sat and watched. I always wanted to help with anything I possibly could,” Scruggs said. “[Cooking for my family] has really helped me when I make [recipes] in culinary class to perfect the recipes the way I would like them, variations of what we make at home, and they usually love it.” Scruggs’ innovation has not only allowed her to experiment in the kitchen and refine her cooking skills but also bring her family together at the dinner table. In turn, her circle of support has made Scruggs stick to her culinary career. “[My mother] has really helped me with making the pros and cons list of the different culinary schools I was accepted to and helped me figure out where I belonged,” Scruggs said. “I really see [Ms. Poe, my culinary teacher] as my second mom, and she wouldn’t let me stop, saying ‘you’re too talented to quit.’” With a self-coined “big-city personality,” moving to New York to attend the CIA next year brings opportunities to advance both her professional career with connections and skills and will give her “a

better outlook on life.” “I am going into business management, and eventually I want to own my own restaurant and give a good input on the recipes,” Scruggs said. “I hope that I can help other people realize this passion, like how Ms.Poe didn’t let me quit and I realized that I truly loved [culinary].” Putting her foot into the culinary world at an early age, Scruggs began a job in a local bakery through a connection with her culinary teacher helping her grow both as a chef and as a person. “I always tend to finish before most of my other classmates because I’m so used to that very fast paced work ethic,” Scruggs said. “With baking it’s very specific, which is why I don’t really like it, but with cooking you can change a lot of things, you can’t change everything, but you can change it to make it your own.” At heart, Scruggs is still motivated by wanting to give back whether by leading her teammates to a first place win at the BCS Chamber of Commerce Taste of Aggieland competition, baking a “smashcake” for her niece’s first birthday party or cooking dinners for her family. “I joined culinary because everyone would always say, you eat the food you cook, [I thought] ‘this sounds pretty good so I jumped in,’” Scruggs said. “I have absolutely loved it, and I continued all the way until now, so don’t be afraid to jump in.” •

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

Demi Hu

Paul Kim

Speech and debate. Leo club. NHS. Classics Club. Boy Scouts. Aggie Swim club. Orchestra. These may sound like a list of extracurricular activities offered at CSHS, but these are a part of senior Paul Kim’s busy life. Between straight A’s, online web comics and the honor of being an Eagle Scout, the life of Paul Kim is constantly spinning. “It may not seem like it, but I get pretty excited when I learn about how our world operates,” Kim said. “For example, just learning how boiling works from chemistry class, and Newton’s Laws of Motion from physics all made me look at life in a completely different way.” Kim said that he enjoys gaining knowledge and is trying to gain as much as possible to prepare for a career in Neuroscience. “Neuroscience involves the study of the brain and mind, so there’s tons of other avenues to explore within it. From psychology to computer science, Neuroscience really covers it all,” Kim said. Kim said that his passion stems from wanting to help others who are suffering. “To be honest, I just have an inex-

plicable urge to help friends and people in my life whose circumstances could benefit from applications of Neuroscience. Whether it’s speech disorders or Alzheimer’s, I’m going to do something about it,” he said. Kim believes his passion comes from his desire to learn more and that his passion started to develop in middle school and has only grown larger. “I suppose I just have an obsession with figuring out how things work. In a nutshell, if ignorance is my greatest enemy, then science is my strongest weapon against it,” he said. Kim plans on attending Emory University this fall and majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. Kim said that Emory has great premed opportunities, cool folks, urban location and beautiful campus, and he may go into medicine or something more research-orientated. “I am going interdisciplinary on my own terms. In pursuing other fields under the unifying form of Neuroscience, I hope to meet amazing people and learn from them,” Kim said.•

Whether it’s speech disorders or Alzheimer’s, I’m going to do something about it.

DIGITAL Art

Neuroscience Ayden Woods Senior Editor

Class of 2021

Elisabeth Stewart News Editor Art is an expression - literally, at least for senior and digital artist Demi Hu, who mimics her characters’ facial expressions to bring them to life. “Sometimes I’ll try to feel what emotion I’m trying to convey in my drawing,” Hu said. “I’ll make funny faces when I draw. If my character’s smiling, I’ll be smiling. If my character’s sad, I’ll make a sad face.” Following her passion for digital art, Hu will attend the University of Texas at Austin next year to major in design. Hu first explored digital art at the age of 13. “I started by doodling on my phone when I was bored, just to pass the time, and then I realized that it was really fun so I started getting more serious about it,” Hu said. Soon, her doodles transformed into full-fledged concept art. “Concept art is used in the development of games and movies,” Hu said. “An artist will draw a concept of what they want the final product to look like. The people making the movie use that concept art as an end-goal for what they’re producing.” Hu’s concept art includes scenes from original universes, including “The Patchwork Beast” and “The Syzgyz Universe.” She draws inspiration from “Studio Ghibli,” a Japanese animation series. “‘The Patchwork Beast’ is a story that I developed for animation class,” Hu said. “In the illustration, [the characters] are

in the forest, and the boy finds a broken statue.” Displayed on her Instagram account, Hu’s art caught the attention of author Chole Gong. “I ended up drawing the bookplate for the official pre-order campaign of her New York Times Bestseller ‘These Violent Delights,’” Hu said. Before release, Hu’s work always begins with a traditional pencil sketch. She then uses the sketch as a base and “blocks out” color. Projects take between 18 and 20 hours to complete. “Art isn’t something you can rush,” Hu said. The CSHS animation class, Hu learned to manage her time to complete projects. “I really wanted to try doing some digital-art-related classes in high school,” Hu said. Animation taught Hu the basics of bringing 3D characters to life. “Most of the work goes into pre-production,” Hu said. “[That includes] modeling, texturing [and] making a skeleton for the characters so you can move them how you want.” “There’s a lot of work that goes unnoticed,” Hu said, but ultimately, the effort is worth the final production. Next year, Hu will “[explore] a very large variety of different fields in digital art” in college as she continues to bring her pixelated passion to life. •

The Catamount

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

music

Anderson KURK Jennifer Langhoff Entertainment Editor Music is a gateway into the soul and imagination, which senior Anderson Kurk strives to convey to his audience through writing and composing music. Since he was a young kid, Kurk was struck by the opportunity music gave him to share his creativity with others that was unique to him, and he plans to never stop sharing that creativity. “Music is something I’ve always enjoyed since I was young,” Kurk said. “For me, performing and writing music are forms of expression.” His passion sparked once he began writing music outside of band class where his individual ideas could flourish. After that, Kurk began to understand the power music had on the people performing on stage and in the audience. “Outside of school, writing music has helped me to grow the most as a musician,” Kurk said. “Seeing music from the point of view of a composer has helped me to better understand the music I perform on stage.” Kurk appreciates being able to change the emotion of a room at the instant of a key change and has learned

the trade between emotions and music through his personal writing. “I’m most passionate about music because of how fun it is to perform and write,” Kurk said. “It’s an amazing feeling to share music with the audience when performing or capture a specific mood when writing.” Kurk has composed numerous pieces and currently holds the position as Trombone Section Leader in Cougar Band. He is extremely proud of his accomplishments, many of which were made with the mighty Cougar Band. “I’m most proud of making the AllState band my junior and senior years,” Kurk said. “Performing in the 5A all state band will be an experience I will never forget.” Kurk plans to follow through with his passion and pursue a Bachelor’s in Music with a major in Music Composition at the University of North Texas. “I hope to land a career in writing music for TV or video games,” Kurk said. “I would also be interested in music production. I hope the music I will be able to make with my degree will bring joy to people.”•

outside of school, writing music has helped me grow the most as a musician

Tiara cooks Cheyenne Clark Staff Reporter In band since the sixth grade, Tiara Cooks is channeling her love for music into a career as she heads to Stephen F. Austin State University(SFA) as a Music Education major in the bassoon studio. “When I first saw the Bassoon I was so intrigued by it,” Cooks said. “I thought, ‘a double reed? That’s crazy.’ But, when I did band auditions, Mr. Dixon said, ‘your hands are too small but you sound good on clarinet,’ and I said ‘ok cool.’” Although Cooks started with the clarinet, she grew quite fond of how unique the bassoon is after she switched over to it at the beginning of eighth grade. It also makes her feel impressed because of the bassoon being one of the most difficult instruments to play, Cooks said it has also benefited her as a musician and person. “Whenever I am having a crappy day and go to band and start playing music, I usually feel better afterwards,” Cooks said. “Music in general has a bigger effect on my emotions, kind of like medicine when I can enjoy it. Music brings people together, which has allowed me to find some of the best people I have ever met. It really changed my life.” Cooks cannot imagine a life without music. “Honestly, I’d probably have no friends,” Cooks said. “Band keeps me from going full dive into my current fandoms, so I would just be really weird, like

weirder than I already am.” With Cooks always having an interest in music, the passion led her to a future career. “First, I wanted to be a band director since the fall of senior year,” said Cooks. “I want to teach music to students and share my passion for music with others. I realized that I liked to teach younger kids, so I settled on elementary music teaching.” Music has always been a part of Cook’s life, but she did not always know what school she wanted to attend. “At first in elementary school I thought Texas A&M was my only option,” Cooks said. “Then I did a project in eighth grade and got interested in SFA and my first band director and Mr. Dixon both went to SFA, so I really wanted to go there.” Throughout Cook’s journey she has learned about herself and now understands how music has helped her. She hopes the same for others. “It’s gonna be hard at first and it’s supposed to be hard,” Cooks said. “But if you’re not enjoying it at all, it’s probably not for you, and that’s okay. It’s all a part of you figuring out what you want.” Through six years worth of band, Cooks has found her true passion for music. With doing that, Cooks has found what she wanted to do for college and for a career.•

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

Physics

After attending a program at a telescope the summer after her freshman year, senior Camille Chiu gained a profound interest in astronomy and astrophysics, one that is sending her to Yale University to major in physics. She loves the way physics applies to the world, which helped spark her interest. “The things that you study in physics, especially astrophysics in relation to astronomy are so fundamental to the world,” Chiu said. “I find it very gratifying to be able to look at these underlying systems that are the same everywhere. Also, I think it’s very surreal to be able to study something so big.” In addition to a physics major, Chiu also has plans to major in philosophy after studying and gaining an interest in the subject during the lockdown. She is optimistic about the variety of career paths that will be available to her after university. Her college of choice stemmed from her desire to attend a liberal arts institution for a more well-rounded education. “One of the reasons why I chose physics and philosophy is because there’s a lot of different options,” Chiu said. “If I wanted to continue doing astrophysics or physics research, I could go into science policy or political stuff. It relieves me that I’ll be able to go a lot of different paths.” Chiu also believes that there are areas where sciences and humanities connect, which intrigues her to learn more about them.

“The research and the things that you learn in physics have direct liaisons into philosophy,” Chiu said. “Looking at what is the truth, maybe from a mathematical standpoint as well as a moral standpoint, or free will and determinism, get into stuff about quantum physics and chaos and things like that. I think there is a lot of space for intersection between the sciences and the humanities.” Additionally, Chiu holds an admiration of the academics, professors and the overall environment of Yale and looks forward to meeting and bonding with her new peers. “[Yale has] really great astrophysics professors who are doing all sorts of amazing research,” Chiu said. “Also, they have a relatively high percent of females and minorities who are on the staff in physics, philosophy and astrophysics, which I think suggests that Yale is a welcoming place for people who are usually underrepresented in STEM, which was important to me.” Overall, Chiu hopes to continue to learn new things during her time at Yale. She cites the support, motivation and encouragement she received from her friends, parents and teachers as part of her success in her work and looks forward to the opportunities that will be available for her at Yale. “People see the end product, but there’s a lot of work that goes behind the scenes. There’s also the journey and the people you meet, and that’s what I’m most grateful for,” Chiu said. •

nursing

camille Chiu Aliza Ali Managing Editor

Class of 2021

Maggie Li Erin Park Editor-in-Chief Maggie Li witnessed her 2-year-old sister crying from a urinary tract infection when she was 10-years-old. That blur of a situation is shaping her future, motivating her to pursue a path in the healthcare field, specifically in nursing. “I was in awe at how strangers were capable of helping someone whose own family can’t,” Li said. “On that day, I promised that I’ll never be helpless.” To keep her promise, Li will be attending the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor to major in nursing. Furthermore, she will be following in her parents’ footsteps as she heads into the field of healthcare; her mother used to be a nurse and her father is a life science professor. During her time at CSHS, Li was enrolled in the health science class and competed in the Health Knowledge Bowl. She was also active in varsity orchestra by playing the cello -- the setting where she picked up on lessons she will carry into her future. “Mr. Hooper said that we need to separate our character from our performance,” Li said. “That made me feel confident in my work as a freshman nursing major to be less scared to try new things or fail.” Li will continue playing the cello by joining Campus Philharmonic Orchestra or Campus Symphonic Orchestra at Michigan, where her future will unfold. She will be taking advantage of training facilities with high-tech equipment, clinicals in

Michigan Medicine and lectures that are “engaging, interesting and easy to understand.” Through these opportunities, Li plans to get her masters or doctorate in nursing, pass her NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) and become a registered nurse. Ultimately, she hopes to become a nurse practitioner or a nurse anesthesiologist. While she is proud of her field of study, she points out that a challenge that nurses often face is “getting past the negative stereotypes that are usually associated” with nursing. “People can associate nursing majors with mean girls that bullied others in highschool, people who are too dumb to be doctors or those who don’t have any other options to be anything else,” Li said. However, she addresses that a spark of passion is more valuable than judgment. “I am passionate about nursing and I am not letting other people bring me down for something I love,” Li said. “I am proud of who I want to be and the career I want to pursue.” As Li departs to fulfill her dreams, she thanks her friends and teachers who made her “high school experience the best” she could ask for. “I hope you will all continue the pursuits of your wildest dreams and find what you are missing that will make your hearts brilliantly happy,” Li said. “You have all impacted my life in ways that you could never understand.” •

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

Athletics

Roderick Brown Saul Canchola Sports Editor Athletes will tell you that competing at varsity level asks a lot of you, especially if you have the privilege to get to compete with more than just one generation of varsity athletes. Senior Roderick Brown has demonstrated a rare combination of leadership, dedication and talent on and off the field that made him a critical element of our varsity football team over the past three years and without a doubt will continue to be when he competes next level. “I was feeling pretty good knowing that I made a great choice for my future knowing I was going to continue to play football,” Brown said. In January, Brown announced he had committed to play college football at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. And on Feb. 2, Brown sealed the deal and signed with the Navarro Bulldogs. “I’m excited about the atmosphere and the bond that I get to make with my new teammates,” Brown said. “My family were very supportive in my decision and encouraged me.” Brown found that great competition has contributed to what has taught him to become an exceptional athlete. He extracts all the great aspects of his experiences and uses that as a component of his performance. No matter the outcome, there are lessons to be learned.

“The lessons I learned is that not everything will turn out the way you want them to and you live to see the next day or next play,” Brown said. Brown and the Cougars are not strangers to the setting of playoffs, so it only makes sense that when competing in them, that the Cougars have facded off with some impressive teams. Last season, Brown and the cougars faced off with Denton Ryan in the area playoffs that even though ended in a loss, was one of Brown’s most memorable games. “My favorite memory is when we played Denton Ryan because the atmosphere was just crazy and getting to play against division one athletes was great,``Brown said. No matter the outcome of the season, lessons come from almost every practice, every game, win or lose, and every critique a coach gives. Brown has had the ability to use that and combine it with discipline to make for a formula of success in which he thanks some of most important mentors for. “I just want to thank the cougar way for an amazing 4 years and I want to thank all my teachers for what they have done and especially coach Huff and Coach Pryor. Those are two amazing men; they are special,” said Brown.•

You live to see the next day or next play

Macy Nugent Calla Duffield Opinions Editor When Travis Filar, the head volleyball coach at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, or UTC, told Macy Nugent she could come up early to start practicing on the team, she was elated, which led her to finish high school courses in December and hop on a plane to Tennessee. But that excitement didn’t come without fear. “I feel like the biggest challenge was walking [into the college gym] by myself on the first day. I didn’t know anyone on the team so that was a little nerve-wracking. But after that, everyone kind of embraced me so it was a lot better, [and] it turned out to be a great experience,” she said. Nugent is the only high schooler on the team, which also means that she is not allowed to play in college games. “I practice, I travel, I do everything [with the team]. I just technically can’t play until next fall, just because of [National College Athletic Association] rules” prohibiting high school students to play on college teams, she said. But even though she can’t play in games yet, Nugent said she has enjoyed being immersed in the values of UTC. “I picked [UTC] because I really loved the coaching staff,” she said. “The head coach is a Christian and that is the

biggest part of who I am, so I wanted to find a place that incorporates that into its program.” The adjustment from high school volleyball to college volleyball has kept her on her toes, Nugent said. “I didn’t realize it until I was there, just how much faster and more competitive [volleyball is]. It’s D1 volleyball, so you can think going in there that you’re gonna be a superstar, but you walk in and everyone is just as good as you,” she said. While being thrust into a new environment of high-speed play has been challenging, Nugent said that her teammates’ attitudes have helped her adjust. “I just love how everyone there wants you to succeed and is constantly uplifting, which is really nice and refreshing to be surrounded by people who just love you,” she said. But as she says goodbye to CSHS, Nugent looks back on the hard work that set her up for success in college. “Sometimes I felt like I was working extremely hard and I wasn’t always seeing the results. I just kept working hard and stayed working because it does pay off,” she said. “I think that’s what I want my legacy to be.”•

I just kept working hard becuase it does pay off

SENIOR SURVEY

Friday, May 14, 2021

64% senior

The Catamount

15%

12%

junior

sophomore

11%

What was your favorite year of high school?

Favorite teachers

31%

senior

junior

Chemistry

• Robert Pattinson • Confused Math Lady • “Sheesh”

• • • • Annie Sellers Art

sophomore

28%

freshman

Best Books

Library Blue Baker Sweet Eugene’s House of Java Cramming in the cafeteria

- A Thousand Splendid Suns - 1984 - The Great Gatsby

Jonathan Brady

English and History

Reflections “Senior year has been the best by far. I have a really solid friend group and surround myself with people that positively impact me. The excitement of college being just around the corner helps a lot, too.” - Lacy Spiller “I finally realized this was our last genuine year of childhood, so I started to hang out with friends and engage in class more often so I wouldn’t take it for granted. It’s nice being able to take risks that I wouldn’t have dared to take previously.” - Hannah Sivinski “I’ve enjoyed being in a leadership position on my track team. This year, I have been making my dreams comes true and setting myself up for my future success.” - Tatum Hartsell 111 Responses

30%

Favorite memes

Favorite places to study

Casey Akin

What was your least favorite year of high school?

freshman

What they love...

Class of 2021

What they said... Memories “This one time I skipped class with a friend to go to HEB and buy pickles and Snickers so we could make Snickles.” - Nickolas Brannstrom

“My friend sarcastically clapped at something stupid I said and the whole cafeteria began clapping for me.” -Hudson Cody

“Hitting a trigonal-planar-vesper shaped piñata in AP Chemistry.” - Alejandro Banuelos

“Trying really hard to not burst out laughing during class with my friends.” - Layla Shadparvar

“Going to IHOP together with AVP after Film Fest.” - Lee Murphy

“Select any day from AP Art History, 3rd period.” - Hannah Brick

Class of 2021

The Catamount

ALABAMA

University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Robann Ledbetter | Nursing

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Lacey Spiller | Biology Emma Williams | Communications

COLORADO

Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO Vivian Lyday | Zoology University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO Justin Dixon | Sports Management Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Mayson Kalke | Mechanical Engineering

CONNECTICUT

Yale University New Haven, CT Camille Chiu | Physics and Philosophy

IDAHO

Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID Jacob Boatcallie | Biology

ILLINOIS

University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL David Anaya | Architecture

KANSAS

Newman University Wichita, KN Felisa Sajulga | Psychology

LOUISIANA

Tulane University New Orleans, LA Arianna Chisum | Biological Chemistry

MICHIGAN

University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Maggie Li | Nursing

MISSISSIPPI

University of Mississippi Oxford, MS Lauren Rackley | Biology

NEW YORK

Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY Mahealani Griffith | Architecture Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Jyotsna Naidu | Political Science School of Visual Arts New York City, NY Arden Duffield | Film and Television The Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, NY Anna Scruggs | Food Business Management

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

TO THE GREATER BEYOND

OKLAHOMA

University of Oklahoma Norman, OK Joshua Szymanski | Biology

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pittsburgh Pittsburg, PA Danielle Payne | Chemistry

TENNESSEE

Lipscomb University Nashville, TN Caroline Lobb | Commercial Music Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Connie Kang | Economics

TEXAS

Class of 2021

THE CLASS OF 2021 DEPARTS

*Darker states represent a larger number of students

University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX Layla Shadparvar | Political Science

UTAH

Brigham Young University Provo, UT Samantha Bradford | Microbiology

VIRIGNIA

Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Gavin Lehde | Accounting

WASHINGTON

Gonzaga University Spokane, WA Mary Claire Phelps | Biology

UNDECIDED Kourtney Muth Jennifer Mcann Caleb Wisdom

Information compiled from responses to a survey of seniors in May

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

most likely to win an olympic gold medal

most likely to become an ESPN commentatoR

Roderick Brown and Shreya Sunkari

Brown Bedard

Most likely to cure cancer Vincent Musser, Camille Chiu and Danielle Payne

Best to take home to your parents

Most likely to become an influencer

Most likely to brighten your day

Jaden Joseph and Elizabeth West

Shane Grant and Lana Tamborella

Owen North and Hannah Brick

Most creative

Most involved

Most musical

MaRK LING AND SAKAIA VEGUILLA

BEN CROCKETT AND ARIANnA CHISUM

BEN ROBERTS AND CAROLINE LOBB

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

Most school spirit MACY FOUCH

Most likely to win a Nobel Peace Prize SHRUTHI GARLA

The Catamount

Best dressed

Best hair

CONNER CLABORN AND GRACIE GRIMES

ANDERSON KURK AND SOPHIA AMSTALDEN

senior superlatives Funniest CORNECIA THOMPSON

design courtesy of the cougar pride yearbook staff

Most likely to win an Oscar

Best dancer

Most contagious laugh

SAUL CANCHOLA AND LUCY STEPHENS

MADALYN STAPP AND IRIS HUANG (not pictured)

RICKY NELSON AND ADRIANA WAGNER

Class of 2021

The Catamount

Friday, May 14, 2021

Then Then and and now now

The progression of popular trends among the class of 2021 from when they were starting middle school in late 2014 to now Graphics by Aliza Ali

Toys

Pillow Pets

Games

Squishmallows

Club Penguin

Apps

Music

Vine

TikTok

Diversions

Legos

Among Us

iPhones

Taylor Swift

Transportation

Bikes

Cars

Friday, May 14, 2021

ERIN PARK

The Catamount

ROMANCE OF A LIFETIME

SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS

MANAGING EDITOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“낭만,” (浪漫) pronounced “naangmaan,” is a Korean noun no word in the English dictionary can perfectly replicate. The best that English can do is “romance,” but I still think it’s far-pitched for it to be an accurate, direct translation. Fortunately, naang man isn’t just a noun; it is an abstract state molded by emotions and experience. A blissful state of naang maan will find its way to me in the most trivial joys like savoring a warm cup of coffee or stretching my well-rested body. That short-lived bliss reignites, this time longterm, whenever I secretly tiptoe out to my driveway at 3 a.m. to lay down on the cement. The stars peek out between each cloud, while, in the background, Lorde and Taylor Swift are humming “Ribs” and “Gold Rush” to me. Naang maan also washes over me when I grab a fine-tip Sharpie to write letters to myself, finally leaving ink on the polaroid letter collection I purchased in San Diego, California as a 4th grader. I always jot down the time I begin writing and the song keeping me company. I am once again caught up in naang maan when I am surrounded by mother nature, hiking the trail behind my apartment in Seoul. I tune in on the birds and the crunching of branches as I block out the buzz of the city and my phone notifications hollering at me. A Korean phrase I consider the opposite of naang man is “인생에 치이다” (yeensaeng-eh chee-yee-dah), which basically means to be pushed around by the chores

ALIZA ALI

Class of 2021

of life. I will be pushed around, more than I am now, the moment I step foot out of those CSHS doors. I will cry out with frustration when the fruits of labor become more difficult to harvest. I will, gradually, drift away from my naang maan as reality wears me out. But no matter how beaten up, I can’t let reality rob me. I promised little Erin (and if not before, I am promising her now) that I will hold on to my naang maan because she herself was a sucker for it. She chased butterflies with a fishing net in the front yard she remembers as her hometown, New Jersey. She looked up, not down, from her baby stroller the first time she rolled into Times Square, where blinding billboards reflected off her tiny, wonderous pupils. She was an emotional handful because when she cried, she let tears flow nonstop, and when she laughed, she let her teeth show until her cheeks couldn’t take it no more. She is my promise. She is my purpose. She is my 낭만. I’ve done her wrong in many ways, but the worst crime I’ve committed was growing up. As I move forward to become a college student, businesswoman, girlfriend, wife, mother, grandmother, the least I can do is pinky promise to remain true to her -- to treat my life as one cringey romance of a lifetime. Here’s to us, kid. • Senior Erin Park is the Editor-In-Chief and will be attending University of Texas at Austin in the fall with plans to major in communications.

I find myself listening to the “Mamma Mia!” movie soundtrack often. After listening to it over and over again, I’ve come to consider it a comfort album. In one of the songs, “Slipping Through My Fingers,” Donna sings about her daughter Sophie’s childhood as she prepares to get married. She recalls how quickly the years flew by as Sophie grew up. In a way, I have similar feelings about graduating. I also feel as if the past few years have sped by right before my eyes, especially with my time on newspaper. It feels like I was walking into Dr.Wellmann’s Journalism I class for the first time just yesterday. Having newspaper as my last class of the day has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. For the past three years, I have had the privilege of ending my school day with this amazing group of people who always seem to make me laugh and smile in a class that I always enjoyed. I feel as if room 2120 has become a second home for me. As a staff, we’ve shared many moments that have helped shape the family-like bond we have with each other. Some of my best memories from high school have come from newspaper. One of my favorite memories would have to include the times when I would finish performing with the band during halftime at football games and walking off the field to see some of the other staffers taking pictures and being able to say hello and hug them. I remember when we would spend all of fourth period on paper day in Ms. Laffin’s room and eat lunch together while we

delivered copies of the paper to other classrooms. We also make a lot of memories during our late nights where we get started on our page designs for each issue while simultaneously talking, eating food and generally enjoying each other’s company as we work. Late nights are always nights of joy and laughter for us. Newspaper has also enriched my high school experience and made me better as a person. I have met many new people that I would never have spoken to otherwise, and I’ve learned how to be more critical of my media consumption and be a better fact checker. Because of my time on newspaper, I was able to gain this unique understanding of journalism as a whole and many experiences that most teenagers do not have. All good things must come to an end. This is a saying I’ve heard many times, but I always hate having to accept it. It means acknowledging the fact that nothing in this life lasts forever and that things change all the time, sometimes way too quickly. Time always seems to be slipping through my fingers, much like how Donna felt about Sophie’s childhood. As my time as a member of The Catamount staff comes to a conclusion, I feel as if the time passed way too quickly for me to keep up. Yet, at the same time, I feel content as I complete high school with this amazing and unique experience that I never would have pictured myself having. • Senior Aliza Ali is the Managing Editor and will be attending Blinn College in the fall with plans to major in neuroscience.

Class of 2021

Friday, May 14 2021

The Catamount

Jenny Langhoff

a list of lessons learned

Senior editor

Entertainment Editor

Although I can go on and on about what I’ve learned about myself and life in my high school career, here are my biggest takeaways... Put effort and time into what makes me most happy because it brings the most success: My grades and my art made me feel the most successful in high school because they reflected my effort and creativity. I devoted most of my time to studying, coming to tutorials at 7:45 a.m. and leaving at 5:00 a.m., and spending over five hours doing homework each night plus an extra hour for art. I pushed my limits to prove to myself I can handle it all and be proud of my work at the same time. When one door closes, another one doesn’t always open, so prepared to make a window: In my experience of being told “no” to join certain classes or not getting a call back for job interviews, or even flunking a test and having to find some miraculous way to bring my grade up at the end of the grading period, sometimes it’s not over until it’s over. Let my leaves change, not my roots: At the age of 14, I wasn’t really clear of my opinions on controversial topics, the impact I had on people around me, and how easily influenced I can be by people I don’t even really know. But with the ever changing scene of friends and experiences, I learned to be influenced by the qualities I admired in others and form my own opinions before

Ayden Woods

Carpe Diem

commentating mindlessly on others. Once I found where my morals lie, I became more adaptable and open-minded. People aren’t meant to stay in my life forever, so don’t force them to: It’s normal to feel lost and question who our friends are in high school. Sometimes the friends we had in middle school, or freshman, sophomore year are not the friends we have the following year or even month. Falling out doesn’t always happen because of a problem; people just live their lives and forcing people to stay only makes a forced friendship. Life is not school and school is not life: Although I am extremely proud of my academic career in high school, I can easily say I did not have balance between my personal life and school life. I challenged myself mentally and physically, running on three hours of sleep for days straight just to finish two projects and take three exams in the same week. Of course grades are important in school, but at some point, my life was just school. I’ve literally seen my classmates develop caffeine addictions or come to school sick just to not have to take a final. School is not life, so we shouldn’t sacrifice our health for it. • Senior Jennifer Langhoff is the Entertainment Editor and will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall with plans to major in economics.

here are my biggest takeaways

High school seems like a long time. It’s for four years, eight semesters, 102 weeks, 714 days, 4,998 class periods, 8:25 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. To a freshman, this is a daunting amount of time they are excited to get through. Then there are the sophomores, speeding through their days, completing homework and taking tests, attending extracurricular activities; hanging out with friends on the weekends, or getting a part-time job. The juniors lost in their studies, ACTs and SATs, AP tests: the daily activities and routines they live through, rushing to get done with school. Now, we seniors know that we had no time at all. With our four years coming to an end, we realize that we spent so much time wanting to be done with school, we didn’t realize we had already finished it. The hours of schoolwork and classes faded into the past and time continued to tick away. We have come to the end of the government-mandated school, standing on the doorstep of life. We’re only one knock away to open the door and enter the future. Some of us skipped homecoming or left pep rallies early. We decided to stay home instead of going out choosing to get ahead on homework and get perfect grades. We let our high school years dis-

appear without living it to the fullest. I missed out on so much simply because I decided to prioritize my grades over everything else. Instead of going out to watch the football game, I boarded myself in my room to start homework for the weekend. Failing a test felt more like a bullet in the chest than a number on a page. It wasn’t until senior year that I realized that failing a test wasn’t the worst thing that could happen and grades do not correlate with my value. Don’t get me wrong, grades are very important and a crucial part of high school, but they are not the endall, be-all to life. I had forgotten that I was just a kid and that high school is the time to make mistakes and have fun. There’s no need to lose myself in my work. Especially when that work isn’t all that important. Underclassmen, don’t lose yourself in what’s to come, live in the moment, and have some fun. Join a club or start a band; focus on your grades, but don’t let them consume you. You’re still kids; live a little. • Senior Ayden Woods is the Senior Editor and will be attending Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi in the fall with plans to major in economics.

You’re still kids; live a little

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Catamount

saul canchola

Farewell, cshs

Staffer personality test

executive EDITOR

sports editor

“Bittersweet” would be the best word to describe this moment. This is my lamentation to the conclusion of my four years here at CSHS. To think I would arrive as a wide-eyed freshman who felt like I knew everything I could ever hope to know about life. Shockingly, I didn’t know everything, and even more surprisingly, I still don’t. I’ll surely reminisce about what was, thus far, the most chaotic and rewarding experience of my life for years to come. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this amazing journey of mine here at CSHS. Among this crowd that I can proudly say that within my ‘21 graduating class are those who had an immense stamp of influence on me, myself, and I. I especially wish to thank my friends who have been next to me even when life frustrated the hell out of me. I want you all to know how much I appreciate all of the time and energy you put into helping me throughout my high school career. Y’all are some of my most important mentors. It was a comforting feeling knowing that I could always count on your support and encouragement. Thank you to my parents, for being my biggest supporters throughout high school and for helping me find what has been the most important experience of my life. Dad, thanks for your love and your support even when a thousand miles separates us. You never failed to show me how much you

Jyotsna naidu

Class of 2021

love me. Mom, I know I chided you about worrying about my safety so much on all those nights I went out with friends. I know sometimes I made you made frustrated and I challenged your patience. But you were always in my corner even if I did not deserve it. I also know it was only out love, and I am eternally grateful for that. I would like to thank The Catamount as well. I have been so fortunate to have done something that I love to do for almost two years now. Our job as a newspaper asks of us to report the news, share the voices and the people in our community here at school. I’ve enjoyed meeting and speaking to the many faces of our campus. However, it is my fellow staffers that I love the most. They are an eclectic, comedic, and spirited crew. They’re also some of the most dedicated, kind and overall exemplary individuals I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I will miss the late night edits and early morning paper days. I am unbelievably proud and confident to say that the next year’s newspaper staff will continue to devote and demonstrate their wonderful journalistic abilities to create a paper for our community. Take care, keep in touch and continue to send me your best memes.• Senior Saul Canchola is the Sports Editor and will be attending Texas State University in the fall with plans to major in education and history.

i am eternally grateful

I am opposed to every form of personality tests, from Myers Briggs to 16 types, the genre screams pseudoscience and division. Yet, my time on staff has taught me that inclusion of thought is the only way to progress. Serving as the main point of discussion on my first day on staff, I found it only right to go full circle by sharing the personality types of our seniors, our origin story. Now, I am forever indebted to these personality tests. The resulting close friendships have allowed me to move forward into this next chapter with gratitude, molded into a fully self-realized person. Thus, I present an unscientific yet accurate personality test heartfully dedicated to the staff’s senior class in alphabetical order. Aliza: You are so attentive to everyone around you and what you and others can bring to the table through which you allow others to be themselves. While detail orientated and articulate, you are also the sweetest and most caring person turning the worst of days better with your smile or currently a brightly patterned face mask. Never underestimate an “Aliza.” Ayden: You are your own person, which fuels your entrepreneurial drive. While you may not show it, you take on a lot of responsibility, both given and voluntary, and give everything you have for your passions. Count on an “Ayden” for a fun time, even if it involves laughing at yourself. Having a food item named after you is likely. Erin: Works so hard while able to have fun with it. You value inclusivity and sincerely care about close friendships in

groups because you found another home outside of home. Even if it is chaotic at times, you are the parent-friend. If you are an “Erin,” you confidently know who you are. Must have a 12+ hour long playlist with good taste in music. Jenny: Brings life to the world. You are the funniest in the room without trying and adapt well to various situations. Because you always find the best in anything, you bring out the best in others around you. Through your creativity and talent, you help the world gain exposure to hidden beauties. Everyone wants to see the world the way a “Jenny” does. Saul: The most wholesome, down-toearth and trustworthy person. Because you are a great listener and form close friendships, whether someone has to metaphorically “bury a body” or needs an honest opinion, they turn to you. You have many passions but manage to do it all and more. Required: a “Saul” has immaculate fits, buys grains in bulk, big heart. Dr. Wellmann: There is not one person you have met and not had a true impact on. The definition of a role model, you motivate others to want and be better. When confronting challenges, you hold your ground, often laughing through it, and work through group difficulties by focusing on camaraderie. Your empathy and sincere dedication will be forever remembered. You cannot be thanked enough. • Senior Jyotsna Naidu is the Executive Editor and will be attending Vassar College in the fall with plans to major in political science.

Congratulations to the graduating class of

Photo of Jenny Langhoff by Erin Park