Teachers’ Reflections on the 2022-23 School Year

Advice, thoughts, and memories

Destiny-Faith White, Staff Writer

QUESTIONS:

1. What advice would you give to a new teacher coming in next year?

2. What’s your favorite memory from this year?

3. What was your greatest challenge during this school year?

4. How do you plan to “refuel” for the next school year?

5. Funniest memory or biggest goofup?

Coach Morris:

1. “This too shall pass. There’s a lot of good and a lot of bad, but regardless, this too shall pass.”

2. “The time I got to spend with our coaching ataff and players during football season. We had a very high level coaching staff and high character, hard working young men on the team, and I also got to work with one of my mentors.”

3. “Just absorbing the new reality of students in the post-covid world. You know attention spans are shorter, motivation is less, and apathy is at an all time high in students, and it’s been a challenge to overcome but, I think we have.”

4. “Work the farm every day, take a few road trips with my wife and kids, and spend a summer not coaching foot- ball for the first time in my adult life. ( “Are you gonna miss it?” “I will miss the coaching room we have…and the players.”)

5. “I forgot to get fishing travel on the school board agenda resulting in confusion and issues for the anglers, administration, and myself.”

Mrs. Alexander:

1. “To build relationships with fellow teachers! You can always use a teacher to go to when you are feeling down or needing to vent. It’s also good to try and not take the stress from home to work! Oh, and you can bring ur own coffee pot and mini fridge for your classroom.”

2. “The first football game”

3. “Technology.”

4. “Sleep in. My husband and I want to take our kids to see the Noah’s Ark in Kentucky!

5. “The many times your class (5th period) asks to call me Mrs. A.”

Mrs. Gambrill:

1. “My advice would be to build relationships with students and teachers. It should be a top priority for sure.”

2. “My favorite memory from this school year is when I taught Mythology 7th period and we went over the myth of king Arthur. I had two groups of students compete by acting out the story of the “Sword in the Stone.” The students were clever and used their resources, which made the silliest props. I really enjoyed that particular moment in class.”

3.“Classroom management specifically with my 6th period class (all love to them though! <3)”

4. “I plan to knock out my reading list, especially at the lake”

5. “My funniest memory from this year was when I had the students do an interactive lesson for Julius Caesar. I assigned each student a role from the play, and before we began reading, we did a run through of the plot. The students that were assigned characters that died had to be as dramatic as possible and fall on the floor. Some of my students were dramatic (as requested) and knocked a few chairs over that were still on the desk from the floors being swept the night before, and I had to email Coach Harbin an apology for the disturbance we may have caused to his class since his room is directly below mine.”

Goble:

1. “To adapt to a professional learning organization.” it later. In fact, a third of all college students end up changing their major before graduating. Take into consideration all your options, even things you might not be sure about. Use all your resources, and talk to people who have experience in those degrees and how they are using them. Talk to your high school counselors and teachers about it too.

How do I find the best college for me? When looking for colleges, it is good to take other things into consideration besides what they offer educationally to find the best college for you. Ask yourself if you want your college to be close to home, if the size of the campus matters to you, if you want to live off campus or on, and if you want to attend an online college. After finding a college that offers the degree you want to pursue, these are important things to look at. Financial aid may be an important factor to look at too. Try to keep an open mind when looking for colleges, and look at all possibilities thoroughly.

2. “When Will Drake dressed as Post Malone.”

3. “Trying to manage students.”

4. “Hopefully I get to attend a summer professional development class for AP Biology.”

5. “Showing up at St. Bernard for a tennis match and finding out that they didn’t know we had a match.”

Senior Sport Spotlight

CHS senior athletes

Anna Beth Burleson, Staff Writer

Graduating Athletes

Our 2023 athletes

Reilly Johnson, Staff Writer

Abby Morrow

Ally Branham

Amberly Brown

Anna

Beth Mauldin

Anna Page

Arden Crane Ashton Henderson

Beckett Calvert

Ben Washburn

Brayden Scroggins

Brody Hopper

Brody Hunter

Camille Gibbs

Caroline Hill

Carter Caffey

Carter Ziegenbein

Cody Jones

Cole Floyd

Connor Swann

Court McNeil

Drew Carter

Easton Peed

Elijah Hays

Ella Collum

Emma Claire Wilson

Evan Dye

Evan Johnson Garrett Hall

Garrison Sharpe

Gisselle Gibbs

Grayson Wright

Haley Shannon

Harold Sheffield

Hayden Wynn

Hunter Howell

Ian Willoughby

Jacie Mickle

Jared Shelton

Joe Prologo

Kathryn Dueland

Landon Tweedie

Lane Hopper

Lexi Sumrall

Lily West

Lindsey Skinner

Maddie Witcher

Madison Clements

Mary Charles Davis

Mimi Lunsford

Nate Zills

Natalie Freeman

Olivia Britton

Patton Elkins

Payton Smith

Paxton Ponder

Peyton Black

Preston Gray

Ramses Martinez

Riley Jackson

Ruby Hudson

Ryan Skinner

Sawyer Trimble

Shaley Vogular

Tucker Cagle

Tyler Owens

Zane Watwood

Senior Sports Commits

Highlighting college-bound athletes

Mimi Lunsford, Staff Writer

Baseball

Paxton Ponder (Shelton State)

Tucker Cagle (Snead State) Grayson Wright (Cedarville University)

Hunter Howell (University of the Cumberlands)

Riley Jackson (Gadsden State)

Football

Ryan Skinner (Citadel)

Nate Zills (Jacksonville State) Jared

Shelton (Kentucky Wesleyan)

Girls’ Golf

Mary Charles Davis (Huntingdon)

Girls’ Soccer

Abby Morrow (Birmingham Southern College)

Basketball

Garrison Sharpe (Univeristy of Alabama at Huntsville)

Fishing

Brody Hopper (Carson-Newman)

Softball

Haley Shannon (West Alabama)

Emma Claire Wilson (North West Shoals)

Congratulations and good luck to these seniors and their commitment to play at the collegiate level! This list may not include athletes not reported to the Hilight staff.

Building a Winning Team

Spring Sport Recap Coaches’ spring season reports

Drew Williamson and Juan Fuentes, Staff Writers

As the spring semester comes to an end, spring sports are as well. Here is a quck update on several CHS spring sports:

Girls’ Golf (Coach Pitzing)

Coming into my first year as coach, I knew we had a solid team and that we could compete at a high level. We have competed against all of the top teams in the state from the beginning of the year, and will continue to do so through the end of the year. To date, we have only been outscored by one 6A team, all other teams being 7A schools that compete for championships each year. But more than scores, I have enjoyed being around the team and seeing them become successful, which is what it is all about.

Track (Coach Dean)

Cullman Boys Track and Field finishes as the AHSAA 6A Section 4 Runner-Up with 109 points and qualified 16 total athletes for the AHSAA Outdoor Track and Field State Championship next week in Gulf Shores, Alabama. 6A Section 4 consists of Cullman, Fort Payne, Muscle Shoals, Decatur, Hazel Green, Athens, Buckhorn, Gadsden City, Hartselle, Mae Jemison, Lee-Huntsville, and Columbia.

Our personal experience with football spring training

Olivia Britton and Mimi Lunsford,

Our football team is gearing up for their spring and summer training sessions. With the aim of preparing for the upcoming football season, the team is putting in the hard work and dedication needed to succeed.

During the spring and summer months, players can expect to participate in a variety of activities such as strength and conditioning training, practice drills, and scrimmages. The coaching staff is focused on ensuring that every player is physically and mentally prepared to take on the challenges of the upcoming season.

The class of 2024 is looking forward to making strides towards achieving their goals and competing at a high level. Senior leadership is an essential component of any successful football team. It refers to the experienced players who have spent years on the team, gained a wealth of knowledge, and serve as mentors and role models for younger players. They provide guidance, motivation, and support, both on and off the field, and help to foster a culture of excellence and teamwork. Senior leaders lead by example, demonstrating the necessary work ethic, dedication, and commitment to the team’s goals. They understand the nuances of the game, communicate

Staff Writers

effectively with coaches, and provide valuable feedback to their teammates. In short, senior leadership is crucial to the success of a football team, and it can make the difference between a mediocre and a championship-winning season.

We had the opportunity to sit down and discuss spring training with two of next year’s senior leaders: Pierce Bartle and Nick Holland. Below are their answers to some of their favorite (and least favorite) drills.

Pierce Bartle: If I could describe spring training in one school appropriate word, it would be fun. My least favorite drill is definitely one on one pass rush, because as a center, I get hit the most. I really enjoy scrimmaging and the dingo special drill. With a new coach coming in who has never seen us play, it’s an easy assumption that our training will be more intense this year.

Nick Holland: I agree with Pierce, training is not necessarily my favorite part of football but I know it is crucial. This year I am looking forward to a season full of memories and wins. I know our hard work right now and through the summer is going to pay off when it matters.

Pierce and Nick showed us some of the invasive drills they do in football; however, they described them in a way that made us want to try them ourselves. Let’s just say they’re right. These drills are definitely harder than they look. If our football team works as hard as we did in their drills, the season ahead will be bright for the Bearcats!

Fishing (Coach Morris)

This season has been unique, in that our participation was at an all-time low (PLEASE see me if you are interested for next season!). However, the 7 boys we have excelled all year. Brody Hopper and Brady Vest continued their sterling careers with a Top 5 Angler of the Year finish as well as a National Championship Birth. Sophomores Cason Ewing and Isaac Bauer continued their growth with a breakout season, finishing in the top 15 of AOY standings and earning a state championship birth. Kaide Scheer had to endure partner issues after Eddie Calligaris missed several tournaments with surgery, and Patrick Adcock stepped up and filled in nicely. The three of them did very well under the circumstances, and I expect big things from them moving forward.

Softball (Coach Morton)

This has been another productive season for our Lady Bearcats. Despite losing two of our pitchers due to injuries early in the season our team reached 20 wins this season. We are excited about hosting the area tournament for the first time since 2017, and we look forward to the playoffs!

The Pros and Cons of College School work, or go to work?

Ruby Hudson, Staff Writer

As we near the end of senior year, I’m sure almost every senior has a plan of what they’re doing after they graduate. Personally, I plan on attending college along with many of my friends, and it seems that many people choose to atttend college after high school. However, in reality, college isn’t for everyone. The pros and cons of college have been debated for many years to decide if college is really the best choice, but I will highlight some of the most obvious ones.

Let’s start with the pros of college.

The most obvious pro is that you earn a degree, which is basically a title given by a college when you complete a course of study there. This degree improves your career opportunities, and you can begin working, or increase your career opportunities even more by continuing college and getting a graduate degree. Because you have this degree, you have more job opportunities, and maybe even better job opportunities. I say “maybe” because there are so many jobs available that don’t require a college degree, which I will go into more detail about later. Also in college, you can meet so many more people. Going from a high school like CHS with about a thousand people to a college with tens of thousands means that there are people from all over with all different personalities, backgrounds, and interests.

Speaking of interests, you will be able to meet people who share interests with you within your major, and this is where many of your closest friendships will form. Even though you can meet different people wherever you go, college is unarguably a great place to meet new people.

What I look forward to most in college is being able to take classes that pertain to subjects I am interested in. Even though you may have a few more required core classes in college, by your junior year of college at least, you should be fully into the courses that are required for your major, and are related to what you are interested in. Hopefully, once you start taking classes that are related to your major and your interests, school will become much more enjoyable.

The last pro of college is the independence you have when you go to college. Moving away from home means that you’re responsible for a lot more than when you were living at home with your parents. You have to make yourself get to classes on time, do your own laundry, get your own groceries, etc. Even though being independent may be difficult at first, in a way, this gets you ready for life by exposing you to what it’s like to be on your own. You’ll eventually have to be on your own, so college is a way to begin getting used to that.

Now, on to the cons of college, or the reasons why people choose not to go to college.

First of all, college is expensive. Everyone knows that to go to college, you have to pay a lot of money just for a fancy piece of paper at the end of it all. For most people, you not only get a fancy piece of paper, but you also receive debt for years after you graduate. With some people not even using the degree they earn, deciding to not go to college can prevent you from having to deal with debt and the stress that comes with putting all that money towards earning a college degree.

Also, you have to dedicate more of your time to school if you decide to go to college. Associates degrees begin with an extra two years after high school, and you can dedicate up to 10 years after high school to get a graduate degree. Once you graduate college, especially if you choose to earn a masters or doctorate degree, you may feel like you wasted your youth spending all your time in school.

Finally, you don’t have to have a college degree to be able to have a good job. There are many jobs that don’t require college degrees, such as occupational therapist assistants, real estate agents, flight attendants, and so on. You can become very successful without a college degree or without a job that requires a college degree.

In the end, deciding whether or not to attend college is a personal preference, and you should choose whichever will make you the most happy. As I explained, going to college has its benefits, but so does deciding not to go to college. Anyone can become very successful no matter what path they decide to take after high school.