September 2016 issue by Cougar Media

the CATAMOUNT

College Station High School

4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845

Vol. 5 No. 1

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

zoned out

Rezoning creates conflict, tension between residents Amelia Kurk and Emelie Gulde Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor The College Station Independent School District Board of Trustees heard ﬁnal zoning recommendations at their meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, but took no action and have scheduled special meetings to continue discussions on Sept. 27 at 6:00 p.m., Oct. 3 at 5:00 p.m. and Oct. 11 at 5:00 p.m., if needed. Sparked by the construction of a new elementary school, intermediate school and middle school and fueled by heated complaints made by many College Station parents about the inadequacy of facilities that feed into A&M Consolidated High School, the school board began the controversial process of school rezoning in Nov. 2015. Thirty-seven community members geographically representative of CSISD were called together and asked to make their recommendations, which were presented for the ﬁrst time to the public on Wednesday, Aug. 31. “We worked hard, we took our jobs seriously and we were willing to have uncomfortable discussions about race, socio-economics and the needs of students and families from various backgrounds,” said boundary adjustment committee member Stephanie Turner at the board presentation. Some parents at the open forums expressed concern about the committee’s recommendations, citing what they feel is the illogical selection of neighborhoods whose children would travel past nearby schools to attend campuses on the opposite side of town. For many parents and students, another upsetting detail in the committee’s initial recommendation was the

INDEX

News Opinions People Sports Entertainment Etc.

2-5 6-8 8-14 15-17 18-19 20

9 Four hikers describe their journeys getting to higher ground. PAGE

fact that freshmen in neighborhoods being rezoned would not be able to stay at their current high schools. “I’m really kind of tired of hearing people say one high school is better than the other because they’re both fantastic schools,” said parent of a CSHS freshman Camille Hailey at the Sept. 6 public forum. “I don’t have a problem with our neighborhood being rezoned. I just think that the freshmen should get to stay where they are or at least get a choice.” After three crowded public forums where parents were invited to share their concerns, the boundary committee changed its final recommendation for current freshmen who will be sophomores when the rezoning occurs. Although the committee recommends that the new high school zones take effect in August 2017, there will be a grandfathering option for students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors who want to finish their high school career where they are currently enrolled. A Sept. 14 memorandum from Deputy Superintendent Mike Martindale explains that students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors in Aug. 2017 can “stay at their current high school through graduation if they can provide their own transportation.” Freshmen siblings of students who choose to grandfather may elect to stay at the same high school as their older siblings. Before the committee changed its grandfathering plan to include current freshman, some students affected by the recommendation were even considering joining specific CATE classes that are only offered by one high school in order to remain at the same school.

continued on page 3

18 Staffers review local donut shops such as Donald’s Donuts and Kai’s. PAGE 18

19 Homecoming recap highlights the key moments from the week. PAGE 19

News

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Cougar NEWS Homecoming court pioneers tied in final voting For the ﬁrst time in CSHS history, two homecoming king nominees, seniors Timarcus “T-Mac” Davis and Ben Hanik, were crowned at the Sept. 9 pep rally after a tie in the ﬁnal schoolwide election. Senior Allison Dohrman was selected as Homecoming Queen. •

Volleyball team prevails, earns win against Consol The Cougar volleyball team deafeated district 18-5A rival A&M Consolidated 20-25, 25-17, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10, on Sept. 13 at Consol’s gym. The Cougars began the match with a loss but the team rallied to win the next two, dropping the fourth game and leading to the decisive game 5. The Cougars are at home tonight against Bryan at 6:15 p.m. •

Chrissy’s Closet announces district grand opening Chrissy’s Closet, a program that provides clothing for CSISD faculty and students in need, will open for the ﬁrst time on Monday, Oct. 3, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at College View High School on George Bush drive. Chrissy’s Closet will be available every Monday during the school year and will offer ﬁve articles of clothing per student or employee per month. •

Students qualify as National Merit semifinalists ▲ At

HOSA’s ﬁrst blood drive of the year, senior Jonathan Beikirch donates blood along with other students 16 or older. HOSA students assisted the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Bank in directing students. Over 60 pints of blood were donated. PHOTO BY TIFFANY HA

In a selection of approximately 16,000 students nationwide, nine CSHS seniors were named semiﬁnalists in the 61st-annual National Merit Scholar Program. The students include Elmira Adili, Katherine A. Davis, Allison Fang, Teshan Fernando, Byung Jun Kim, Tony Li, Benjamin Porter, Hongsen Qin, and Ellen Wang. The students will now complete applications to qualify as National Merit Finalists. •

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News

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Foreign language advanced classes combine several levels into one class period Kyle Alfaro Staff Reporter Learning a new language can be fun but challenging. “Foreign Languages are fun because you can communicate differently,” senior Lucas Chollett said. “Also you get to learn things [the cultures] do differently.” Because of the student interest in taking foreign language courses beyond the often minimum two years, CSHS has created stacked classes where two levels of a language are put into one class period. Counselor Valarie Reed emphasizes the opportunity that the stacked classes create. “We offer a lot of foreign language classes that most 5A high schools do not,” Reed said. Upper level classes of French, German and Latin are stacked into one class during fourth period when extra class time is available because

of advocate. Reed said that a minimum of 15 students is required for a class to make, but even if only 10 students

pulled quotes are in bebas neue, regular weight -source name source title are intersted in an upper level language course, the stacked class gives those students an opportunity for the class to still make. One example of a stacked class is French IV

and French III scheduled in one class period. Chollett is a French IV student, who is also in a class with French III students. While he is happy he is able to take his class, combining the courses is not without difficulties. “A challenge is teaching two different classes, two different paces,” Chollett said. “They [the courses] also teach different types of things in the classes. French III is conventions; French IV is all about culture.” Latin teacher Christopher Watson, who is currently in his first year teaching here, said the situation is definitely a challenge. “It’s tough, but has been okay for the first three weeks,” Watson said. “It’s a juggling act.” The school will continue to offer the stacked classes in foreign language unless interest in a course exceeds the 15-student minimum, Reed said.•

number of students in Foreign Language classes French I

French ii French ii H French Iii Pre-AP 20 & French iv ap 19

Latin I

Latin II

Latin II H Latin III Pre-AP & Latin IV AP 13

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Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

News

The Catamount

Early morning practice accentuates lack of sleep in student-athletes

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It’s 5:30 a.m. and her alarm blares. The loud sound rings in her ears, reminding her that in less than an hour she needs to be at school, not for class, but for morning practice. “It becomes routine, so even when I don’t have practice I come up to the school and workout or run on the track,” senior Julia McGinnis, who is a powerlifter and volleyball player, said. Junior Kayla Framsted, who plays in the band, and McGinnis both agree that early morning practice helps them establish a routine because they have to manage their time in order to practice with school. They also said it helps promote concentration because it boosts energy by forcing them to be awake so early. While it may seem harmless and almost beneﬁcial to wake up early, in August 2014 CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta discussed the link between sleep deprivation and problems with concentration, depression and obesity. According to Gupta, teens should be receiving between eight and nine hours of sleep a night, but many don’t even get six. “For powerlifting, morning practice starts at 6:20,” McGinnis said. “I normally get up at 5:30 so I can get to the school at 6:10 to set up a rack.” Most early morning practices begin as early as 6:00 a.m., which would be ﬁne if teens were getting to bed around 9:00 p.m., but with the constant burden of homework, getting the necessary amount of sleep is almost impossible for many teens. “I try to go to bed as early as I can,” sophomore Strutter Natalie Lancaster. “But with homework and activities, I usually go to sleep around midnight.”

With the constant action, high school athletes have almost no leisure time. “I go home and do homework right away, no break, so I can be done as early as possible,” Framsted said. According to the University of Helenski, not providing the body with any down time can impair muscle tissue repairs because the body doesn’t have enough energy at the end of the day to repair itself, leading to overtraining in athletes. Also, athletes who require mass amounts of endurance, like cross country runners, require loads of sleep to replace the energy lost throughout the day. “I run between four and ﬁve miles a day, and sometimes we do excess stretching or drills,” freshman Karl Lindahl, a cross country runner, said. According to “Sleep Deprivation and Athletes,” an article published in 2016, a lack of sleep hinders the body from being able to replicate glucose and glycogen, the body’s sources of energy. Therefore, sleep deprived people face troubles with their endurance and run out of energy far quicker than those who receive eight to nine hours of sleep a night. Furthermore, sleep deprivation not only impacts an athletes’ physical state, but mental state as well. In late 2013 the U.S. Education Secretary found that starting school later would improve students’ achievement. At schools where hours were bumped back by one hour, the Start School Later movement reported that math test scores increased by 2 percent and reading test scores by 1 percent. Although there is much debate over how much early morning pratice impacts athletes minds and bodies, one thing is for sure, “morning practice is hard,” Lancaster said.•

Sophia North Staff Reporter

Source: optiderma.com

Opinions

THE CAT’S EYE VIEW

staff editorial

Dietary options hold subjectivity, value of GMOs questioned In America’s economy today, dietary choices are often hindered by food availability in markets, so the debate of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) versus locally grown organic produce becomes a hot topic. Of benefits of organic produce, the most popular is its advantages to Farmer’s Markets in communities by retaining reliability. Though GMOs can influence a larger, speedy economy, these companies lose enrichment in their produce and what is most important to changing society: nutrients. Globally, people have suddenly become more conscientious of what they are eating, frequently worried about how they can increase the longevity of their lives and eat healthier to attain this. Local organic foods, stated in numerous studies, are richer than GMOs and hold no relation to artificial substances. However, the majority of their dietary benefits lay in their environmental impact. Organic foods eliminate soil and water contamination and preserve wildlife by avoiding toxic chemicals, especially pesticides. Local organic produce proves safest as it also minimalizes hazards. Locally grown organic produce simply provides for a more secure future, community-wise. These foods influence a level of accountability and trust because consumers know where their foods are coming from and can reach its sources and can communicate with local farmers and see its direct travel to markets. However, with GMOs made in factories, though they travel faster to reach their destinations, consumers know nothing of the produce beyond which market they can buy it from, leaving trust in the air. Support small businesses like Farmer’s Markets and your health, because locally grown produce ultimately proves superior in the context of its benefits to the community. •

2016-2017 Newspaper Staff

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Senior Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Entertainment Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor Photography Editor Staff Reporters Graphic Artist Cartoonist Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Amelia Kurk Kalindi Desai Emelie Gulde AJ Jones Tiffany Ha Alina Dhanani Dru Peacock Ty’Asia Hubbard Noe Canchola Ethan Cohen Grace Costenbader Kyle Alfaro, Abby Hopkins, Sophia North Susan Nam Cella Siegelman Courtney Wellmann Teresa Laffin

Discovery in youth leads to decision in career choice She waited for an open register ahead of me at Michael’s—quietly, calmly, staring at the floor like everyone else in line. But any similarity to the rest of us ended there. She wore what looked like a king-sized white bed sheet in an intricate Amelia Kurk knotted design on her head, and her entire body was covered in multiple layers of indistinguishable material. Some pieces were twisted and tied and some were ripped and hanging loose. Her feet were bare and they slid against the tile floor slowly, making a sound like the slide of paper against paper. I told myself not to stare, but that was impossible. I had spent the last five years immersed in research and case studies about the psychology of people who are outliers, and this woman was most definitely an outlier. See, I study the philosophies of madmen. Or madwomen. I should say up front that I don’t fit the profile of a person who would have such a dark obsession. As a five foot two, joyous and lively girl, no one around me suspects what I research in my spare time. I’ve been hooked ever since I stumbled upon an autobiography in the seventh grade—Manson In His Own Words. At thirteen I had a voracious reading habit that usually kept me in the fiction aisles, but a book about Charles Manson, a charis-

matic psychopath, opened up a world I had never considered. Despite the raised eyebrows of the people in my life, I continued to search for information that might give me insight into the criminal, or delusional, mind. I had plenty to discuss. Manson led me to others like him—Ted Bundy, Andrei Chikatilo, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Bobby Joe Long—and each case study piqued my interest even more. I pored over court transcripts, forensic reports, interviews and legal documents surrounding each high-profile criminal, and I read everything I could find about them. For me, the stars of each story are the psychologists whose conversations with these psychopaths and troubled souls reveal their complicated minds and the tragic circumstances that create monsters. The psychologists are the ones who can explain why one person who suffered abuse and tragedy as a child can become a productive member of society, while another person will turn to horrific crime sprees. My career plan has solidified—I want to understand the intricacies of the human psyche. I still think about the woman from Michael’s often. I still immerse myself in the newest research and literature from the world of forensics, and I still study people I see everywhere. I recognize the frailties we all share, and I’m humbled by the thought of spending a lifetime pulling back the veil to better understand the human mind.•

View of the Pride: Do you support gmos or local Produce?

GMOS

LOCAL

“I support GMOs because they are able to help people in poverty that cannot buy produce to fufill all those nutrients.” - Kaitlen Johnson, senior

“Local produce. Even though GMOs could mean bigger and more food, fresh produce just feels better.” -Hailey Alvarez, junior

“I support GMOs because it creates more food and makes cheaper food.” -Meghan Schulien, senior

“I support local produce considering the fact that it is locally grown with love and with no harmful chemicals.” -Kathryn Rothfuss, senior

The Catamount Newspaper

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.

SubmissionWs 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 in 2014 and 2015.

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, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Exposure to cultural roots widens student’s horizon I am a first generation American, which means I am one of the first members in my family to be born and raised in America, so occasionally I find myself in an awkward cultural limbo. Dinner is neither steak and potatoes nor pho and cha giò, Tiffany Ha but a maybe combination of fried chicken and rice. Christmas is a mixture of wrapped presents and red envelopes, and I am able to celebrate New Year’s twice a year. America is a melting pot, so sometimes our individual cultures get lost in the assimilation, but this summer I was able to have a firsthand experience with my cultural origins by going to Vietnam. Although this was not my first time visiting a foreign country, this visit was an experience far different from any vacation before. Seeing family members my age having different, harsher living conditions was a wakeup call. If my dad had missed a plane or my grandpa decided he did not want to flee to America to escape communism, I could be walking miles in hot humid weather just to go to school for a subpar education that would have costed my parents greatly. I would be working on a coconut farm along with my second cousins and save my share of profit to buy a yogurt popsicle at a dismal snack shack near my grandparent’s home at the end of the week. My relatives were immersed in a culture entirely different than the one I grew up in, my morals and excitement for seemingly triv-

ial things confused them. But growing up in America has caused me to lose touch with my Vietnamese culture. I now speak Vietnamese at the rate of a third grader and have difficulty communicating with my older relatives. Although I am able to acknowledge the hardships they’ve gone through, the language barrier prevents me from having meaningful conversations with them or even explaining American concepts like homecoming and SATs. Conversations with my relatives in Vietnam were limited to our current meal or discussions to convince me to become a doctor. When meeting my family members in Vietam, I was introduced more as a foreigner than relative. There, I was “the American,” while in America my identifying trait is being Asian. For a while during my earart by Susan Nam ly adolescence, I pushed away my Vietnamese heritage in order to acculturate. I now learn from and embrace both cultures. Don’t be afraid to embrace your heritage by visting your roots if you ever recieve the opportunity or even simply celebrate a holiday of cultural signifcance that you’ve researched. Climb down your family tree and discover your roots. •

??? QUESTION issue OF THE

How do you prefer your donuts? 43% of people prefer glazed

11% of people prefer filled 722 students were surveyed

20% of people prefer chocolate

26% of people prefer sprinkled

Opinions

overheard school spirit? ur yo t ou gs in br t wha

“Definitely the rush and excitement in the crowd!” Julia mcginnis, Senior

“Being caught in the middle of everyone screaming and cheering people on!” Anna sanchez, sophomore

“The excessive screaming; in fact, all of the screaming.” Ashley poprik, junior

“The stand tunes that the band plays always get me pumped.” Natalie Lancaster, sophomore

COUGAR UNVEILED by cella siegelman

Opinions

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Communication aids in removing discrimination in modern culture Do you ever just think what the world would look like if we didn’t discriminate? Or if we Ty’Asia Hubbard didn’t succumb to society’s targeting ways? Or if we had meaningful conversations? In today’s society, it is considered normal to discriminate, and to criticize one another. Why is this considered okay? The word discriminate means to make a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing on the basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than according to actual merit. The inconsiderate act reflects one’s character and illustrates how corrupt and corroded one could be. When it comes to starting a conversation about discrimination and racism, no one wants to acknowledge the topic until negative situations occur. Take the Orlando shooting, for example. It took a

man walking into a club killing hundreds of innocent people to start a conversation, the same goes for the Black Lives Matter movement. We all think about how discrimination is wrong, but we aren’t saying anything about it. Why aren’t these dis-

no one wants to acknowledge the topic until negative situations occur. cussions being held everyday to prevent these situations from occurring? Communication plays a huge role in making a difference, regardless of the situation. No one is perfect, except Jesus of course, but when did someone have to be a “certain way” to create a conversation?

All my life I’ve known African Americans, Caucasians, Mexicans and Muslims, to be a certain way based on what I either heard or what someone told me. Through this I’ve had an idea of this race and that race, but I have even caught myself discriminating against others, whether it was jokingly or sarcastically. We all need to be held accountable for these actions. How are we going to overcome the discrimination if we can’t hold the conversation? The conversation starts with us. We have the ability to make a change, and an effective one at that. We must open our eyes to what’s happening around us and have an actual conversation about topics that people wouldn’t discuss, acknowledge those topics, don’t let it be pushed around for another 20 years. Discrimination has taken its toll on America and we fail to realize, because we aren’t discussing this topic. •

Pressures of junior year seem overrated to new junior

Kalindi Desai

“Junior year is the money year.” “Junior year is easily the hardest year of high school.” “All of a sudden you’re applying for college and thinking to yourself, ‘Where

did the time go?’” These are just a few of the things I’ve heard about The Dreaded Junior Year. Listening to my peers tell me about how much pressure they were under during their junior year of high school made me stressed beyond belief before school even started. My attitude going into this year was greatly affected by hearing these negative comments, causing my sadness and fear of beginning The Dreaded Junior Year to grow. This summer my cousin, who is going into his senior year of high school, was talking to me about how his junior year was so unejoyable due to his massive workload. The night after he flew back

home, I continued to binge watch New Girl and suddenly came to the realization that “Oh crap, I still have to finish my summer assignment.” This was followed by a montage of scenes flying

through my brain of me leaning over Art by Susan Nam a desk with thousands of papers surrounding me and melancholy music playing in the background. And that is when I started to stress. On the morning of Aug. 22, it took

everything in me to not turn the car around and just go home. I was stressing, stressing, stressing, stressing about everything The Dreaded Junior Year entails and how I totally wouldn’t be able to handle it without having a mental breakdown every night. But I’m not daring enough to skip school (which is a good thing) so I kept driving. And then the first day of school went fine, and the second, and the third, and the fourth and the fifth. Now I have 5 weeks of The Dreaded Junior Year under my belt and, to be completely honest, it really isn’t all that bad. I’m doing fine, better than fine if you will. Yes, there is a lot of homework. Yes, every grade you make matters. Yes, it definitely can be stressful at times. Despite these things, I’ve learned that The Dreaded Junior Year isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I may only have “5 weeks under my belt,” but to me, that’s enough to let some of my irrational anxiety go. •

Voices What is your favorite pokémon?

“Snorlax because sleeping and being unproductive are everyone’s hidden passions.” Jason Tan, senior

“Jigglypuff because they’re super adorable, fluffy and huggable.” Hayley Nugent, junior

“Eevee because she is super cute and super fierce. She also has lots of evolutions.” Anna Williford sophomore

“Vaporeon because it has good hit points and attacks.” Luke Todd, freshman

“Blazike because he’s a flaming chicken who punches things to death.” Ash Srinual, senior

“Pikachu because he’s the leader. Everyone knows who Pikachu is. Chuck Norris and he are best friends.” Julie Mishler, Assistant Principal

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

climbing Climbing to new New heights

9 Passion for hiking, exploring leads to adventures outdoors The Catamount

Abby Hopkins Staff Reporter The peak: where heads are in the clouds, breathing is scarce, winds are howling and the world is admired. Not only is climbing to the top of the mountain a physical test, it is also a humbling moment to look out and see the vastness of the Earth. “Being at the top of a mountain is a really cool experience,” said junior Michaela Downs, who hiked in Buena Vista, Colorado at Young Life Camp. “The mountains are a reminder that there’s so much greater out there than yourself.” Both for beginners and experts, reaching the top is a major accomplishment. Getting there, however, is physically and mentally challenging. “I got a wake-up call the ﬁrst day,” said AVP teacher Stephen Green, who backpacked the Appalachian Trail this summer. “It was hard work.” Whether embarking on a day hike or spending months exploring various mountains, each journey is tedious. Not only are the miles endless, the altitude and heat can wear on travelers if they are not prepared. “I always try to pack light on water and then regret

it,” said senior Anna Batson, who visited the Columbia Gorge in Oregon “You can finish a water bottle in three minutes.” While carrying too much weight can add to the intensity, food and water are necessities to keep going. Batson handles this dilemma through the use of LifeStraws, portable water filters that allow hydration straight from a stream. Some trails, however, provide access to refills for hikers. “I brought a water bottle, and they had different stations along the way where you can fill it up,” Downs said. Green describes a similar service called Trail Magic, where people assist backpackers by providing random necessities throughout the trail. Whatever method chosen, planning ahead is a key factor in making it through a hike. “You gotta learn to be prepared. It’s the Boy Scout motto,” said senior Jared Garlick, who hiked Mount Timpanogos in Utah this summer. Despite precautions, exhaustion will still strike. Fatigue is difficult to overcome, but many travelers hike with a partner to keep them motivated. “I met up with my friend, whose trail name was Squidward,” Green said. “He had been on the trail for three months, so he already had his trail legs. It was really fantastic to have him there, in the lead, because that was just extra motivation for me to keep going.”

People

Motivation comes not only from other people, but from the desire to reach the top of the mountain and witness the beauty. “How cool it’s going to look at the top keeps me going because I want to see it and experience that view,” Garlick said. With each mountaintop encompassing an unexplainable beauty, the struggle is worth the experience. Despite pain, weariness and doubt, most agree that hiking is an overall beneﬁcial adventure. “My motivation was getting to the top,” Downs said. “I totally pushed out the thought of the pain I was feeling as I was hiking and just thought of what was around me and looking at the views.” The hiking experience as a whole unites travelers together in order to accomplish one goal; the recognition of conquering such a challenge is a reward in itself. Hikers often treasure a peak’s ability to show a small glimpse of the world and the perspective it offers. “You get to see so many things you don’t normally see,” Batson said. “You’re so tired, but the view every time, even if you’ve been there before, is amazing.” •

Photo of Columbia Gorge, Oregon provided by senior Anna Batson

Student Life

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Student Life

Teams

the

In Pokémon Go, you gotta catch ‘em all. You can find Pokémon in your surroundings or use the map on the app. Pokémon range from common to legendary and finding either type depends on your location.

how to

PLAY

Pokestops, such as this one, are located at art pieces and other locations. Once activated, they will allow players to gain important items neccesary for becoming a Pokémon master. Source: Pokémon Go App

Players find unity through popular location-based reality game Tiffany Ha News Editor The game phenomenon that gained a “nerdy” reputation in the late 1990s to early 2000s took on the mainstream market with the summer release of Pokémon Go, a mobile app that allows players to capture animated Pokémon in the real world. “I enjoy it because it allows me to do something I’ve done for the past 10 years of my life on a much larger scale,” sophomore Garrett West said. With the franchise producing movies, video games, cards, television shows and more, Pokémon heavily impacts the lives of those who were involved during their youth. “[Pokémon] has actually taught me very valuable life lessons such as how to treat friends, how to treat yourself and how to always strive for success,” senior Braedon Lawless said. The game lets long-time players connect their childhood digital world to the physical world. Fans are now able to become trainers themselves and catch Pokémon in real time at nearby locations. “It takes a topic I already have so much fun with and puts it on a very social platform. It helps me show my passion to others,” senior Tucker Ludeke said. “It seems less ridiculous when everyone else is doing it.” Not only does Pokémon Go bring in experienced fans, but it also draws in newcomers. Some old players believe that it attracts new players because it is

presented on an easily available platform. “It is a free app and it’s on devices that everyone has nowadays,” West said. “Look back on Ruby and

it takes a topic i already have so much fun with and puts it on a very social platform. -tucker ludeke senior Sapphire…you had to have a specific device, and it wasn’t cross platform like Pokémon Go.” Junior Alianna Gonzales, a new member of the Pokémon community, was drawn to the game because of its interactive aspect. “They’re getting people up and going. It’s a good idea,” Gonzales said. “I started playing Pokémon for hours and that took up most of my day, but it was fun. It got me outside, and I never really go outside.” However, a handful of long-term players are not fond of the new audience Pokémon Go is gaining. “I don’t really like them just for the fact that I’ve

always liked it,” junior Miguel Gonzalez said. “You kind of grow up being called the weird child, but the friends that I hung out with liked it so we all got made fun of.” But some returning Pokémon fans are glad to see the growing popularity of the franchise. “It really has brought in new, devoted fans who care about the subject and get involved with some of the lesser known properties,” Ludeke said. Playing the game as a unit has also built a stronger connection within teammates. “My friend Bryce told all of us cross country guys to be on Team Valor in the summer so that we could all work together, take over gyms and stuff like that,” West said. Not only has Pokémon Go strengthened pre-existing bonds, but it has also created a communal bond between players who previously were not acquainted. “It was interesting during the summer when I went to theatre camp, because it turned into something that everybody did, so no matter who you met, you could always have something to talk about,” Ludeke said. The game brings generations of fans together all in an attempt to be Pokémon masters. Public locations allow people with this common interest to interact with each other in person. “I looked around and [there were] so many people at the park, all of them playing Pokémon Go,” Lawless said. “I thought, this is awesome. It’s a community coming together.”•

Instinct Mascot: Zapdos (Electric) Character: Trust & Intuition Leader: Spark Known For: Being the underdog

Mystic Mascot: Articuno (Ice)

valor Mascot: Moltres (Fire)

Character: Wisdom & Tranquility Character: Strength & Power Leader: Blanche Known For: Being the most popular team

Leader: Candela Known For: Being aggressive

Source: Pokémon Go App

People

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Point of Origin

Grace Costenbader Photography Editor Traveling back to the roots can be an underrated experience that brings perspective and appreciation to those who decide to involve themselves in their native culture. These journeys can bring about personal change and growth. “It changed me the most by the way I approach people about my culture,” junior Susan Nam said. “Before I went on this trip, I knew less about my culture.” Nam traveled to Korea to revisit her roots, and she found that she was more detached from her culture than she thought. “As an Asian-American who relatively feels a little bit separate from my native country or my culture, sometimes I’m torn between two worlds,” Nam said. “After I came back, when people asked me about my culture, I felt more connected to it, and I didn’t feel as embarrassed or ashamed.” Junior Ryu Fujii visited several parts of Japan in order to reconnect with his heritage and culture. He noticed a great difference in the personalities of people between Japan and America.

Visits to parents’ native countries bring closer bonds, respect for cultures

“People over there, even if you don’t know them, are really nice,” Fujii said. “The main transportation is by train, so you get to meet a lot of people.” The majority of Fujii’s family lives in Japan, but he and his parents live in America. He moved here before he was even a year old, so reconnecting to his culture proved to be an intriguing and different experience. These contrasts in behavior and culture can change one’s personality and attitude. “It builds me up as a person to be nice to everybody,” Fujii said. Other times when visiting, the experience is much more humbling. Sophomore Azaan Jamal revisited his roots in India and was able to acknowledge the fortunate life he lives in America. “It made me a lot more appreciative of the stuff we have here,” Jamal said. Going back to where it all began is beneficial and a sometimes unexpected learning experience that makes it easier to appreciate different cultures and heritages. “America is really diffused with a lot of cultures, so it’s just nice to meet a lot of people that don’t have the same heritage that you do,” Fujii said.•

▲ Junior Susan Nam visits her parents’ home coun-

try of Korea, where she stands in the vibrant scenery with her sisters. Nam said she admired the way Korea remained humble while maintaining glamour. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUSAN NAM

Korea

INDIA “THEY TREAT A LOT OF THINGS WITH RESPECT, USUALLY STUFF THAT WE EASILY OVERLOOK.” -AZAAN Jamal, sophomore

“it’s a country that’s had to create itself from the ground up AND WORK HARD AGAINST POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CRISes TO GET WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.” -sUSAN nam, junior

JAPAN “jAPAN IS NOT A VERY RELIGIOUS COUNTRY, SO EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT BELIEFS AND OPINIONS AND ARE TOLERANT OF OTHER IDEAS TOO. THE PEOPLE ARE VERY OPEN TO NEW IDEAS.” -RYU Fujii, junior

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

That’s The spirit

The Catamount

Cheerleaders refuse to allow challenges to bring them down

Dru Peacock Entertainment Editor

▲ Senior varsity captain Natalie Alcala cheers on the seniors during the class competition at the pep rally on Sept. 2. PHOTO BY DRU PEACOCK

People

Known for their eye-catching pom-poms, large smiles and catchy chants, the Cougar cheerleaders cheer at football, volleyball and basketball games, but also keep school spirit going. “Anything that has to do with encouraging people to have school spirit and making other teams feel supported is our main goal,” senior varsity captain Natalie Alcala said. The cheerleaders contribute to school spirit on and off the sidelines. The- squad paints signs, advertises dress up days and promotes Cougar pride. They also participate in send-offs and plan the majority of the pep rallies. “[Coaching] gives you a whole new perspective of how much time these student athletes put into the school spirit aspect,” first time cheerleading coach and second year teacher Susan Keough said. The two new coaches the squad acquired this year, Army veteran Keogh and former gymnastics coach John Gerzik, have given the cheerleaders a new perspective. “[Having new coaches] is difficult because they aren’t used to the way that we are used to running things,” junior varsity cheerleader and sophomore Katie Varner said. “But it’s better because they have changed some of the things we didn’t like about last year.”

Along with facing general stereotyping, the cheerleaders have to learn important time management skills and responsibility. “[Cheer] takes up time in my personal life, but it’s not necessar-

Cheering isn’t all about bows and skirts, it’s about the hearts of those who wear them. -Meagan Mcmurray Freshman Cheerleader ily a bad thing. It just affects what kinds of things I get to do outside of cheer sometimes,” junior varsity captain Teryn Walley said. Throughout the year, the cheerleaders are constantly busy. Along with cheer, many of them are involved in other organizations. “The amount of work they put in, plus the outside extracurriculars that they do, is insane,” Ger-

zik said. Even though cheerleading takes up a lot of time, it also comes with many benefits and perks that all the girls receive. “If one person does something wrong, you all get in trouble. But whenever you do well, we all get the glory,” Walley said. Learning through every obstacle is a quality that comes in handy when being a part of such a big team. “There’s a lot of drama and it can be frustrating, but you just have to get over it and leave the drama at the door,” Varner said. However, despite some challenges and difficulties, in the end everyone can come together to achieve the final goal and product,- a flawless performance to enhance school spirit. “Cheering isn’t all about bows and skirts. It’s about the hearts of those who wear them that are full of love for their team,” freshman cheerleader Meagan McMurray said. Through all of the ups and downs, the members of the Cougar cheer squad come away with qualities that lead them throughout both their present and future activities. “Leadership is about what you can do for other people, not what you can do for yourself, and I’ve really learned that this year through cheer,” Alcala said. “I’m supposed to be teaching all the girls, but I feel like they teach me way more.” •

Senior Takenya Johnson (far left), junior Kenzie Haas (left), juniors Carsen Grom and Alexi Adam, and senior Natalie Alcala (above) lead cheers at pep rallies on Sept. 2 and 9. PHOTOS BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

People

The Catamount

Baby got bach

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

Program boosts potential in aspiring musician Noe Canchola Sports Editor Built in 1891 by Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Hall is home to some of the most prestigious musicians and symphonies to ever play classical music. The 3,671 seat concert hall is considered one of the world’s b e s t music venues because of its extensive history of hosting distinguished symphonies such as the Royal Concertgebouw and the London Symphony Orchestra. This past summer, sophomore Derek Song was one of 78 chosen to have the unique opportunity to play in the National Youth Orchestra at the illustrious Carnegie Hall. “They have two programs and this was their newly developed program used to attract a younger group of people than their older National Youth Orchestra,” Song said. “The big attraction this year was the fact that they wanted to bring a more diverse group, but yet expose kids who normally don’t have the same opportunities to play in a large orchestra.” Not only does playing for the National Youth Orchestra involve a gruelling practice schedule, but also a rigorous application process. The criteria for being selected to play in NYO involves getting recommendations and composing a 200-300 word biographical essay

describing one’s musical background. “I was nominated by my previous mentor to do this program,” Song said. “I had to submit an audition for Carnegie

i enjoy playing the violin because it’s a new form of expression for me. -derek song sophomore Hall, which went through a panel review. Then I also had to do a video essay and finally they selected me out of twenty violinists.” Playing the violin since he was in the fifth grade, Song is no stranger to playing an instrument that involves countless hours of practice and repetition. Most violinists begin playing at a very early age, but Song’s success in a five year span is a credit to his tireless work ethic and dedication. “I work day and night very hard on the violin,” Song said. “I do a lot of concentrated breathing. I’ve also done yoga classes, specifically just to help me get into the zone before I practice. I just al-

Hear song play here: https://goo.gl/FZwLjU

ways want to make sure that I am in a right state of mind.” Featuring top notch musicians from around the United States, Song has had some challenges coping with high level of competition at NYO, but has learned valuable lessons to implement into his music. “Just seeing everyone play at a high levels that was a big challenge and it just pushed me harder to play better at camp,” Song said. “I learned the meaning of working as a team as well. Before then, I always faced the violin as a soloist against a bunch of other people. Through this camp, it really taught me that everyone works as a unit to deliver a great performance.” Spending most of his summer playing at NYO, Song was reminded of the true reason he plays music. Though he plans on making playing the violin a career, he hopes to give advice to aspiring musicians who want to improve their craft. “I enjoy playing the violin because it’s a new form of expression for me. It’s how I choose to express myself through music and it’s just a great outlet,” Song said. “The advice I would give is practice, work hard and always make sure you have small goals. Yes, you can say that I want to play at Carnegie Hall but that’s not going to happen tomorrow. You have to scope out your own opportunities because no one is going to help you get to that stage if you’re not pushing yourself.”•

Lalo’s Symphonies Espanole: 1. Allegro non troppo

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Sports

Football team ends non-district games undefeated despite injuries Ethan Cohen Assistant Sports Editor

▲Senior Anthony Flores and sophomore Brandon Joesph tackle a Eagles player on Sept. 9. The Cougars won their Homecoming game against St. Thomas 4915. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

Last season, the Cougars had the best season in school history advancing to the regional round of the playoffs. In only the school’s fifth year of existence and third year in district 18-5A, the Cougars have a lot of momentum as they look to finish the regular seasoon. The Cougars started the season defeating non-district opponents C.E. King, Killeen Shoemaker, St. Thomas and Pflugerville. The Cougars hit a few early speedbumps, losing starting quarterback Ty Brock to an ankle

injury and starting cornerback and University of Houston commit Timarcus Davis to a knee injury. Although these are tremendous losses, the Cougars have shown no signs of slowing down as the Cougar roster is loaded with talent. Since Brock’s injury, junior Marquez Perez has thrown for 268 yards and thrown for 5 touchdowns as well. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Williams also made his varsity debut against St. Thomas, rushing for a touchdown against the Eagles. Defensively the Cougars look great. Led by senior linebacker Mark Wagner, a four-year letterman, the Cougars are averaging 78 tackles and 4 sacks a game,

both above the national average. As we reach the midseason mark, the Cougars are currently ranked 6th in 5A and 40th in the state. Although the Cougars finished their non-district schedule unscathed, they will have their work cut out for them as they begin to face distrcit opponents. Hosting district foe Bryan tonight, the Cougars look to finish their 2016 season on a high note hoping to defeat the crosstown competition for the first time. CSHS will play rival A&M Consolidated on Oct. 7 and will face powerhouse Temple on Oct. 28. Expect the next few district games for the Cougars to go down to the wire.•

NEW DISTRICT, SIMILAR CHALLENGES Sept. 23

Bryan (1-2)

Sept. 30

@ Waco univeristy (0-4)

The Trojans started with a rough 0-4 start to the season with losses from LBJ Austin and East View high schools. Led by quarterback Raishey Green, and running back Nick Ward, the Trojans look to turn their season around as they reach the midseason mark.

OCT. 7

A&M Consolidated (2-1)

The Cougar’s biggest rivals started their season with a tough loss to highly regarded Richmond Foster. The Tigers look to new junior quarterback Cade Williams on offense and defensive backs Tyon Merchant and Kolby Peel to lead the way.

@ Rudder (1-3)

Former wide receiver Josh Johnson now takes the helm at quarterback for his senior season with the Rangers, while senior outside linebacker Malik Woodard leads the defense. The Rangers started the season 1-1 in non-district with a win over Del Valle but have lost their last two games.

Waco (3-1)

Returning starting quarterback Will Richards III and the Lions rebounded quickly from their ﬁrst round playoff loss to Consol last year, as they jumped out to a 3-1 record to start the season. Lions leading rusher Terrance Hamilton is in the midst of a great junior season and expect the Lions contend for a district title.

@ Temple (2-2)

The Wildcats are currently ranked 38th in the state. Led by senior quarterback Reid Hesse and the dynamic rushing duo of Jemiyah Franklin and Jy’Quez Webster, expect the Wildcats to contend for the district crown despite two early losses.

OCT. 14 Oct. 21 OCT. 28

Led by senior quarterback Mason Ray and running back Hunter Batten, the Vikings start the season 5th in district. With key seniors from last gone, Bryan looks to improve as they begin their respective district schedule starting with CSHS The game begins today at 7:30 P.M. at Cougar Stadium.

Sports

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

heart of a champion

Sophomore runner battles adversity to overcome challenges Alina Dhanani Opinons Editor Ba-dum. Ba-dum Ba-dum. Ba-dum. There are often things that can be said about the sound of a heart monitor and even more for a constant heart rhythm, but for sophomore Stephanie Brown it means another opportunity to do what she loves most: run. Brown has bradycardia, a medical condition termed “slow heart rate,” that often limits her physical capability while running. However, she remains constant in her desire to prove herself in cross country. “Stephanie is definitely a very competitive person, and she always tries to be better in everything she does,” fellow teammate and friend Maddie Abdalla said. “Her love for cross country reaches more than what she puts into the sport, but what comes from it, and that translates into the team.” Last year, Brown balanced both soccer and cross country with her heavy academic workload. Due to her condition in conjunction with bradycardia, she was hospitalized because her heart rate became dangerously low. “My heart was beating half as fast as it was supposed to, and I was on bed rest for a week and a half. In fact, it was almost gruesome, and that’s tough because I know that, in that moment, I was doing what was best for me,” Brown said. After placing first in district last year and competing at state, Brown was suddenly, as ad-

vised by her doctor, forced to choose one sport over the other, in protection of her own health and efforts to sustain a regular schedule, without overstressing her heart. “I ultimately chose cross country because I have a better bond with the team, and it’s also more individualized. It’s objective, straightforward, and you can see how you’re progressing,” Brown said. “It’s obvious how much everyone is giving to the team and it’s not just one day, but every single day of the week.” Like most athletes, Brown’s passion comes directly from her drive and determination to succeed beyond extenuating circumstances. “Stephanie has a passion for everything that she does, whether it be academics, running, service, etc, and she’s learned that being successful in this sport is about conquering the seven inches between the ears,” cross country coach Joshua Munson said. Enamored with the concept of the ability to run anywhere in her sport, Brown finds no excuse to give nothing but her best this year, already scoring a four mile personal record of 23:56. “I don’t like to leave things half-way,” Brown said. “The past three years everyone has been saying, ‘oh, you will be so great,’ or ‘you could be better,’ and they don’t realize that I can still give the best I can right now, and not in some vague future. Bradycardia does not limit how much I give to my running, and it never will.”•

cHASING gLORY

Brown’s best times in running events during this season

1 mILE

2 mILE

3 mILE

5:13

11:03

17:41

▲Sophomore Stephanie Brown runs a warmup at the Cougar Stadium track on Aug. 18. The warmup is an event that serves to gauge the ﬁtness and readiness of the cross country runners. These events typically take place during the beginning of the cross country season. The heat and humidity are added tests during these events, but they prepare the runners for the season ahead. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROBERT ORZABAL.

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Senior captain takes on mentoring role Ty’Asia Hubbard Features Editor With fascinated and amused eyes, she watched as her sister spiked the ball across the court, igniting a spark of wanting to be in the same position. Now on varsity and captain of the volleyball team, Lydia Wagner can be one of the “cool kids” along with her older sister. “My sister played volleyball all throughout high school, and I would always go to her games and thought she was so cool,” Wagner said. Being on varsity for three consecutive years, Wagner elaborates how the team gets ready for their games and her role on the team. “Pre-season is the toughest time. We’ve been practicing since July,” Wagner said. “I’m setter, so I have to work well with my team because I connect the passage hitters.” Assistant coach, Kimberly Svien further elaborates Wagner’s role on the team. “She contributes to the hitters’ confidence and overall energy on the court,” Svien said. “Lydia is definitely a role model for our younger setters. She is always looking for ways to mentor them or speak up for everyone whether that’s with the more outspoken players or the coaches.” Wagner sheds light on her teammates, considering it’s a new and different group this season. “Although this year the team is a different mix, we’re working on connecting more,” Wagner said. “It’s a cool dynamic.” Over the years Wagner has establish a sense of life values she takes with her off the court. “Playing in a sport or being in a club, you learn values and fundamental things for life, like, sharing and teamwork,” Wagner said. “Being able to take back constructive criticism. It made me more patient and selfless.” Coach Svien expresses her goal for Wagner’s for this current season on varsity. “Our goal for Lydia resembles our team goals to continually grow, hit one and move to the next. She needs to continue working on her setting choices in moving the ball around,” Svien said. “Where she has improved in this over the last two years on varsity, she can always get better.” Balancing being a student athlete can be difficult, considering her advanced academic classes. “It’s pretty hard. Teachers here are really understanding with student athletes and they also are into every sport,” Wagner said. “They make it pretty easy

▲Senior Lydia Wagner serves the ball against district opponent Temple on Sept. 9. The Cougars defeated Temple 25-8, 25-14, 25-14. PHOTO BY TY’ASIA HUBBARD being a student athlete.” Setting goals for herself, Wagner plans to prove critics wrong as she dominates the court this season. “I’d say everyone around me has always doubted me. Only my teammates and those close to me have trusted me to do my job, and I had to earn their trust,” Wagner said. “All those articles in the paper and online have never given me credit, or have made me sound kind of bad, but I think I’ve proven them wrong.” Planning to go to University of Texas, Wagner does not want to continue her volleyball career at the collegiate level, but she looks to finish her successful 2016 campaign on a high note as the volleyball team to finishes their tough district schedule. The Lady Cougars host district rival Bryan tonight at 6:15 p.m for Teacher Appreciation Night.•

Sports

Expectations for “America’s Team” higher than ever for 2016 NFL season In a state that prides itself on football, the expectations for producing a winning football team in the Lone Star State is unmatched. For the Dallas Cowboys, the expectations could not be higher for the rest of the 2016 Noe Canchola NFL season. Through the first two games of the season, Dallas’ offense and defense has been solid, but not spectacular. Aside from a home opener loss to the Giants due to a Terrance Williams blunder, the Cowboys have been meeting the high expectations set for this season. Led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who is as the helm for the injured Tony Romo, Dallas has started the season 1-1 and Prescott has earned praised from Head Coach Jason Garrett and his teammates. In the last two games, Prescott has thrown for 75 passes without an interception, the longest streak by a quarterback to start a career. However, the Cowboys have been lacking the ability to score in the red zone. Dallas currently ranks 19th in the NFL in red zone efficiency and the woes on offense may cost the team a playoff berth. Following a hellish 4-12 season that even saw the Cleveland Browns perform better on offense than Dallas, Team Vice President Stephen Jones decided to draft an offensive juggernaut from Ohio State to complement the stellar offensive line. Ezekiel Elliott, the highest drafted Cowboys running back since Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett in 1977, dominated at the collegiate level during his 2015 campaign with 23 touchdowns, but has yet to translate his previous success at the professional level. Through his first two games in the NFL, Elliott has rushed for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns, mediocre for a player who has been hyped ever since his name was called on Draft Night. Expect Elliott to given more touches in upcoming games, but only time will tell if he can live up to the high expectations. The biggest x factor for the Cowboys going forward is healthiness and defensive consistency. With key stars like Randy Gregory and Demarcus Lawrence unavailable, Dallas will need to rely on their defense to win games and push themselves into the NFC East title hunt. Since 2004, there has been a different division winner in the NFC East and if the Cowboys continue to build on the success of Prescott and if Elliott lives up to the hype, Dallas can be a future perennial contender to win the division every year. The Cowboys are in action this Sunday night to host the 0-2 Chicago Bears.•

Entertainment

Top Donuts

The Catamount

GLAZE F R DAYS

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

Staffers visit local donut shops

Abby Hopkins Staff reporter Who doesn’t love a good donut? Give me a fresh, tasty fried pastry that is quick to pick up, and I’m a happy girl. This is exactly what I experienced at my recent visit to Top Donuts. With their two locations, one off Wellborn Road and the other off Rock Prairie Road, Top Donuts is a convenient stop for most CSHS students. I was immediately welcomed by both workers as I walked in to the simple shop, and the smell of baked pastries ﬁlled the atmosphere around me. There was no wait. Only two customers were in front of me but had already completed their orders. I was nearly overwhelmed with all the options to choose from on the menu. Not only does Top Donuts offer a variety of donuts, from the average glaze to a creative donut with icing and Fruit Loops on top, they also boast kolaches, breakfast tacos, croissants and biscuits. I decided on a small sausage and cheese kolache, a blueberry donut and a fruit loop donut. Milk was my beverage of choice, although there was a multitude of different break-

fast drinks to choose from. I was prepared to pay around $5.00, but was pleasantly surprised when my total came out to just under $2.50. Everything on the menu is extremely affordable. I noticed the several small, clean tables to choose from as I sat down with anticipation to enjoy my purchases. The kolache was the perfect size for my appetite, and the cheese, sausage, and bread all complimented each other to satisfy my taste buds. In my opinion, there was proportionately too much bread in comparison to the sausage. This is a factor I am picky about, but it still made for a delicious start. The fruit loop donut was surprisingly delicious, considering I was unsure at first about how the icing on top would taste. However, it was perfectly sweet and an interesting combination of two popular breakfast foods. To finish off my meal, I ate the perfectly glazed blueberry donut. Although it was not the best I have ever tried, it is definitely one I would eat again. Overall, my experience at Top Donuts was Top-Notch, and something I would recommend to anyone whether they need a quick donut for the road or a pleasant sit down breakfast at a cheap price.•

Kai’s Doughnut Co. Dru Peacock Entertainment Editor

Named after the four year old son of one of the co-owners, Kai’s Donut Company is a special donut shop located on Wellborn road. Opening from 6:30 a.m.to 2:00 p.m., the shop offers plenty of time for a treat. Walking in, I got a full view of the gourmet donuts displayed in the lit up glass counter. The two people working were very friendly and when they asked me which donuts I wanted, I had to restrain myself from ordering a dozen because they looked so unique. I decided on a heavily frosted blue cookie monster donut, a puffy caramel-bacon donut and a glazed donut topped with white icing and four bright red raspberries. They wrapped the donuts in checkered tissue paper, placed them in a small box and then handed them to me. The raspberry donut was my favorite because the tartness of the berry cut through the sugar in the dough

and icing, tasting extremely fresh. The bacon donut was also very interesting, with the sweetness of the caramel and the saltiness of the bacon intermingling. Finally, the cookie monster donut was very overwhelming to me. The mounds of icing, the sweetness of the donut itself and the chocolate chip cookie in the middle were too much. Next time, I will keep it simple with a plain glazed or the raspberry one. Despite some reservations, I deﬁnitely plan return to Kai’s Donut Company. The staff was very upbeat and the prices were reasonable, with the plain donuts only $0.99, the glazed and sprinkled donuts $1.15 and the fancier donuts $1.99. Altogether, my total came out to be $7.50 with the purchase of the three gourmet donuts. Overall, Kai’s Donut Company left a lasting impression. The friendly atmosphere and the delicious breakfast desserts make Kai’s Donut Company a worthwhile experience.•

Donald’s Donuts Sophia North Staff reporter

After trying Donald’s Donuts early one Sunday morning, it is fair to say that it is a place worth visiting. Located on Harvey Mitchell Parkway, Donald’s Donuts is a small donut shop in the parking lot of a gas station. While the store is slightly out of sight, it is a great stop to make while on your way to work, school or while waiting for your gas tank to ﬁll up. Upon entering Donald’s Donuts, I was engulfed by the smell of freshly baked bread. The store was painted a dirty yellow and there were faded posters plastering the walls. There were also some dark green plants around the shop whose dark color contrasted greatly with the walls, creating a pop of color that really brightened the entire store. There

was no line, so as soon as I entered I was immediately greeted with a smile by two men who served me. Being the donut enthusiast that I am, I purchased as many items as I could stomach. I got a glazed donut, a strawberry donut with sprinkles, a sausage and cheese kolache and a breakfast taco, all of which were surprisingly under $5. Each donut only cost between 65 and 75 cents, the kolaches $1.20 and the tacos were $2. In addition to the donuts and other items being inexpensive, they were delicious. The kolache and taco were warm, because they were heated it up in a microwave behind the counter, so the cheese melted in my mouth. The donuts had a fresh, delectable glaze, and the dough was not hard or dry, but soft and ﬂuffy, like biting into a cloud. Overall my experience was marvelous. I know I will be visiting again.•

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

The Catamount

Entertainment

walking the purple Carpet

Students participate in school pride during Homecoming festivities Kalindi Desai Managing Editor Homecoming week: a week full of dress up days, positive vibes between staff and students, and of course plenty of school spirit. All of these things make this one of the most anticipated weeks of the school year for students. “My favorite part about Homecoming week is that everybody is really excited and they seem to have a lot of school spirit,” chemistry teacher Casey Akin said. “It’s just a nice time of fellowship and friendship among Cougars.” Dress up days are meant to help students get excited for the weekend and into the schools spirit. This year’s dress up days included tour-

ist day, neon day, Hawaiian day and Purple Pride day. At the pep rally on Friday, the full Homecoming court was presented. This year two seniors tied for king, resulting in Ben Hanik and Timarcus Davis reigning as co-kings for the year. “It feels really great,” senior Ben Hanik said. “It was a huge honor to be selected by the student body as a person that they admire.” The spirits were high at the football game that night. The team took an easy win over St. Thomas, 49-14. At halftime, all the duchesses took the ﬁeld with their parents, onto the ﬁeld and senior Allison Dohrman was crowned queen. The dance on Saturday involved more than 1,000 people at the Hollywood themed party in the school gym. •

1 ▲ The newly crowned queen, Allison Dohrman, celebrates with her mother and father after she was announced as the winner at the homecoming football game Friday, Sept. 9. PHOTO BY KALINDI DESAI

1. Juniors Ben Worley and Brendan McIntyre and sophomore Sydney Pospech play in the drumline at the pep rally. PHOTO BY KALINDI DESAI 2. Seniors Ben Hanik and Timarcus Davis stand together after they are crowned homecoming kings. PHOTO BY KALINDI DESAI 3.

Junior Kayli Childers performs at half time during the homcoming game. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

4. The varsity football team charges the ﬁeld. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

20 Etc.

The Catamount

Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

CREAM

of the CROP

Farmer’s Markets provide healthier options for local consumers, general global public AJ Jones Senior Editor

Field of dreams Most popular foods at Farmer’s Markets

Tomatoes Onions Asparagus Squash Carrots Berries Potatoes Watermelon Source: www.rodalesorganiclife.com

Fresh ripe tomatoes, shiny green apples, huge watermelons and local honey: options for those who are looking to shop locally for fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets. “I am always very careful about what I put into my body. It is my opinion that we just really should never mess with Mother Nature,” frequent shopper Libby Louder said. “Her products are excellent, so why mess with the original?” Many like Louder choose to shop for their produce at local farmer’s markets in hopes to find fresh and nutritious food instead of GMOs or processed food. “It’s better for your internal systems, and it is actual fresh fruits and vegetables,” an employee of Farm Patch Megan Hightower said. Bryan-College Station offers a variety of different farmer’s markets. Farm Patch, however, is a year-round, seven days a week farmer’s market located on College Ave. in Bryan. GMOs are defined as genetically modified organisms where a gene of one organism is forced into an entirely different species to get a desired result. For example, strawberries and tomatoes may be injected with fish genes to prevent them from freezing or from bearing

seeds. “Local food is much fresher, and it is smart to support the local producers,” Louder said. Although farmers markets are a great way to get fresh produce and enjoy a unique experience by supporting local farmers, they are not always reliable.

It’s a very authentic mix of country and modern day venue. -Brittny Hurd senior “Farmers markets are a great option, but it can be more costly. You can have less options, and at times lower quality,” senior Lindsey Rogers said about her personal experience. “It’s a very authentic mix of country and modern day venue,” senior Brittny Hurd said about her visit to seek healthy food options. Overall, farmer’s markets offer

different options than the grocery store and can be a great way to support the community. “[Fresh Food Fridays are] about connecting us to the source of the ingredients that make up our food nowadays we eat out so much that we’ve lost that,” culinary teacher Catherine Parsi said. Parsi has brought Fresh Food Fridays, to CSHS to teach kids to cook a good and nutritious meal using fresh produce. “They have an agreement with the director of child nutrition who will then plan out future school lunches and possibly influence some of the menu items that are available for the students,” Parsi said. In the community, farmer’s markets can be a great resource for fresh produce and a great way to support local farmers. “I always prefer fresh from the producer that has been grown locally. It is important for me to know that I am supporting local farmers and producers,” Louder said. •