Volume 31 Issue 5

COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL 185 W. PARKWAY BLVD. COPPELL, TX 75019 VOLUME 31 • ISSUE 5

APRIL 2020

Global pandemic quiets Coppell Full COVID-19 coverage pgs. 12-13

Story by Shivi Sharma Photo illustration by Charlotte Vanyo and Shriya Vanparia

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

STOP STOCKING PG. 6

TAKE A BREAK PG. 19

O P I N I O N S DO NOT HOARD ESSENTIAL

E N T E R TA I N M E N T BORED DURING

ITEMS IN TIMES OF CRISIS

ISOLATION? HERE ARE SOME FUN THINGS TO ENTERTAIN YOURSELF

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NEWS

In the span of weeks, our lives as students — and as citizens in general — have quickly been thrown into confusion and uncertainty.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has gone from an overseas issue to one that has rapidly spread across our home country and city, directly impacting the things we do, the places we go and the way we live. I have joked that it almost feels like the apocalypse, and while the situation is definitely no joking matter — I urge everyone to take all precautions seriously — the change it has made to our daily routines is almost surreal.

Coppell ISD schools are closed through May 4, with prolonged closures seeming more likely by the day. We are told to stay inside, to practice social distancing and limit face-toface interactions. Hand sanitizer, food and toilet paper are flying off the shelves in the blink of an eye. My work has placed all employees on indefinite furlough.

And amongst my senior friends, panic and disappointment run rampant with the cancellations of much-anticipated events such as prom and graduation.

I am the type of person who tends to stay calm (and I believe it is important to do so, especially in times like these), but even I must admit that the way the world has so quickly changed can be a little frightening. However, as a member of The Sidekick, this is the type of situation for which my peers and I have been trained.

Managing a newspaper without a newsroom is challenging. It alters the way we work, the interviews we are able to conduct and the content we are able to produce. We will have to adjust our plans and overcome our realities.

But as members of the student newspaper, our job is more important than ever.

During these uncertain times, we are dedicated to keeping our readers informed. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to report remotely yet thoroughly within our constraints. And, as a staff of more than 60 hardworking journalists, we are devoted to continue issuing the truth, even in the midst of rumors and media intensity.

For now, times have changed.

But the spirit, determination, integrity, urgency and passion of The Sidekick will remain.

e t a c o v d A ' s n e z i t i C 35-year-old y b e n i l n o n o i t i to trans n o i t i d e t n i r p ending PRAMIKA KADARI EXECUTIVE NEWS AND ENTERPRISE EDITOR @pramika_kadari

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ts office tucked away in a small room of the Createria Studios building in Old Town Coppell, Citizens’ Advocate has served as Coppell’s community newspaper since 1984. Editing pens and postage stamps fill the office’s shelves, its filing cabinets overflowing with old newspapers.

Now, thirty five years later, it will stop printing newspapers and look to transform into a smaller, online news outlet.

“I was incredibly sad to hear the office was closed,” said former Citizens’ Advocate intern and 2017-18 Sidekick editor Tanya Raghu, currently at the University of Texas.

“All over the nation and the world, journalism is changing to be more online and digital. [The Advocate] was a very important part of my experience at Coppell High School.”

The paper was founded by editor Jean Murph amid a local political crisis.

“I was writing for the Coppell Star and observing city council violations of open records, open meetings and conflict of interest laws,” Murph said via email. “I was writing about this and upsetting politicians, and the powers-that-be at the time helped shut down the newspaper I worked for. Learning all I could fast, two weeks later, I published the first edition of the Citizens’ Advocate. I chose the name because I wanted it to be the ‘people’s paper.’ Within a year of publishing, the powers-that-be were voted out of office, and the city government has remained open, honest and strong since that time.”

At first, Murph worked alone and made sure to keep a low overhead. Since, she has attended more than 1,000 city meetings, as they are her favorite events to cover.

“City council decisions are the basis and strength of a city,” Murph said. “City government is fascinating, and Coppell is extremely, uniquely lucky to have the strong leadership it enjoys in both the city and [Coppell ISD].”

Former Sidekick executive news editor Sakshi Venkatraman worked for Citizens’ Advocate from her sophomore year until she left for New York University in fall 2017.

As a current NBC News digital intern and the former editor-in-chief of NYU’s student newspaper Washington Square News, she feels working for the Advocate in high school fueled her journalistic growth.

Former Citizen’s Advocate editor, Shaun Jex, edits a page of the Advocate on Jan. 24, 2017 in Old Town Coppell. The Advocate stopped printing newspapers and is looking to transform into a smaller, online news outlet. Sidekick file photo Working for a national news outlet through her current internship gives Venkatraman a unique perspective on the importance of community newspapers.

“You don’t really understand the community unless you’re embedded in it, and that’s the role of local journalists,” Venkatraman said. “Professional local journalists who are members of the community and know how things work on a smaller scale can report more of an insider’s perspective on what that town is like. They can understand the community and know what the people there are experiencing. Local newspapers cover cities and towns and the issues they face in a very in-depth way, and it’s so important for advocating for people and for their issues.”

Coppell High School ‘82 and UT-Arlington ‘88 graduate Martin Aldridge, who was one of the first writers to work for the Citizens’ Advocate, is running the paper’s new online-only version.

In addition to working Citizens’ Advocate, Aldrige founded (and later sold) The Southlake Journal, and also worked with a couple of other newspapers. “[Murph] told me that the print version was going out,” Aldrige said. “We were just talking about what a shame it was because the paper’s been around for so long. We hated to see it go, and this [online version] is the best we could come up with. A long time ago, I did the website for them – a really old website doesn’t really have a mobile version or anything – but it was just logical for me to try to continue

EDITOR- IN-CHIEF

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the website in some fashion or another.”

The new online platform’s details are still being ironed out.

“It’s an ongoing process at the moment,” Aldrige said. “I would like to do some type of update every week, but I’m still thinking about that … it might just be that I update it when I get new articles again, and then figure out a way to let people know when those articles come in if they want to sign up to be notified.”

Community groups and individuals may email announcements, stories and pictures to Aldrige at citizensadvocate2000@yahoo.com.

“I hope people continue to support the community newspaper that’s been there for more than 35 years now,” Aldrige said.

“We certainly welcome suggestions, any ideas for stories, or any ideas of what direction to take the online newspaper.” Shaun Jex, who has helped Kara Jex manage the Citizens Advocate since May 2019, did not respond to interview requests.

PRAMIKA ‘20 can be reached at psk7733@g.coppellisd.com.

THE SIDEKICK

NEWS

News

CHARITABLE CREATIONS P. 4

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“Even though it might just be one artwork, it could be a life-changing decision for someone who’s not as fortunate as us.” P. 5

SAFETY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS P. 4

ARTIST ACES REGIONAL VASE P. 5

is for vegan

Rise of vegan/vegetarian friendly dishes in restaurants

S H R E YA B E L D O N A STAFF WRITER @BeldonaShreya It is the little asterisk, the green leaf, the “v,” the check mark to look for. It is a symbol of inclusivity, a respite from the alienation faced when going out. It is what plant-based eaters/vegans and vegetarians look for with hope that suitable options exist when eating in a restaurant.

Veganism refers to a diet and lifestyle that excludes all animal products and byproducts, such as dairy, poultry, honey and more. A plant-based diet focuses on primarily plant-sourced food but might include a small portion of animal-based foods. However, restaurants often interchangeably use the terms. On the other hand, vegetarianism refers to a diet that excludes poultry but includes dairy and egg products.

Some menus have dedicated sections for vegetarian, while others take it a step further by being fully vegan/plant-based and vegetarian restaurants.

The rise of more vegan/plant-based/ vegetarian options is not just a coincidence.

Though vegan/plant-based/vegetarian stigmatization and stereotypes still persist, veganism/ plant-based eating has grown

significantly in recent years. As of 2017, there was a 600% increase in the number of vegans since 2004. “[Spiral Diner] definitely noticed a lot more diversity over the years,” said Amy McNutt, founder of the all-vegan restaurant chain Spiral Diner. “We definitely have seen an increase in the African American community. We look around the dining room and we see a very diverse crowd between ethnicity, age range and gender.”

Part of this rise can be attributed to social media. Since millenials are the leading group of plant-based eaters and the biggest users of social media, the popularity of veganism or plant-based diets on social media has increased.

In fact, Google searches for “veganism” and “vegetarianism” have been on the rise and searches for them comprise 46% of searches compared to 54% of searches for “meat” in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “[Social media] 100% influences [younger generations to lead a more plant-based lifestyle],” said Coppell

High School senior Chloe Barker, who is a vegetarian transitioning into a vegan. “I learned what I learned from social media. I only started [becoming a vegan/vegetarian] because I started seeing videos on my feed about what happens in a slaughterhouse. [I asked myself], ‘how can I be a part of this?’”

Documentaries such as Cowspiracy, Forks over Knives and The Game Changers all highlight the benefits of going vegan/plant-based and some expose the meat industry, revealing shocking revelations to viewers.

“I started to become vegetarian because I used to watch a lot of videos about what happens to animals,” Barker said. “I watched movies and documentaries like Forks over Knives. I wouldn’t [change] anything about [how I ate] at first. I hated seeing [what happened to the animals]. I started to research more and then I became a vegetarian.”

Environmental concern is also a major factor when considering a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Research has found that an individual’s carbon footprint can be reduced by up to 73% depending on geographic location. Additionally, high impact beef producers use approximately 370 square meters and produce approximate-

Food chains, including The Cheesecake Factory, Burger King, Subway and more, have incorporated vegan/plantbased and vegetarian-friendly options into their menus. Restaurants have decided to include vegetarian options due to culture around plant-based eating/veganism and vegetarianism.

Graphic by Shriya Vanparia

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

ly 150kg of CO2 equivalents for 100 grams of protein. On the other hand, low impact plant-based proteins, such as beans and peas, require 1 square meter and produce 0.3 kg of CO2 equivalents per 100 grams of protein.

CO2, also known as carbon dioxide, is a type of greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gasses prevent the reflection of infrared radiation back into space which traps heat and gradually warms Earth.

Despite the 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit rise in Earth’s temperature since the late 19th century, the planet has been heating up 10 times faster than ice age reheating levels. Additionally, it is more than 95% likely this dramatic increase in heating levels is partially due to human-related activities, including agriculture.

This big boom in the number of plantbased/vegetarian/vegan eaters catches the attention of not only those scrolling through social media but restaurants too.

Initially, vegan/plant-based and vegetarian options were only possible at some restaurants by substitution or omission of already existing meals. Soon, these options were part of a secret menu found through online sources and YouTube videos. Eventually, some of these items became part of the menu, publicly available for all.

But even for those who are not vegans/ plant-based eaters, the curiosity of eating vegan/plant-based meals persists for some.

These individuals who mostly eat vegan/plant-based or vegetarian meals, also known as flexitarians, contribute to the rise of increased options in restaurants.

“People are sometimes wandering around and they walk in to [Spiral Diner] and don’t realize that it’s all vegan,” McNutt said. “They come in and are usually skeptical. The [nachos] usually win them over.”

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM SHREYA ‘21 can be reached at sxb4151@g.coppellisd.com.

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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NEWS

PAINTING WITH A SYDNEY ROWE STAFF WRITER @syd218 Roughly 9,500 miles separate the country of Malaysia from Coppell.

Coppell High School art teacher David Bearden is bridging this gap by enlisting his students to participate in the Memory Project, a nonprofit organization where students create a portrait of a less fortunate child.

Bearden selected 10 students from his classes to participate in the project. Each artist receives a picture of a child from a charity from within the respective country and is tasked with painting a picture of this child, some of which do not even have access to everyday items.

“Amongst other things these children go without, they may not even have a likeness of themselves,” Bearden said. “Some may not even have access to mirrors, stuff we take for granted that we use everyday.”

In addition to creating a portrait of each child, art students attach a blurb about themselves, creating a sense of connection between kids who are oceans away.

“For the little kids who don’t usually have pictures or drawings of themselves, they get that and they feel as if they are interacting with people from across the world,” CHS sophomore art student Alex Bowden said.

Others connect with the project on a deeper level, associating it with personal experiences in an impoverished

country. CHS sophomore art student Aubyn Baskin’s work with kids on her annual trip to South America brings the task of the project closer to home for her.

“I go to Guatemala every summer,” Baskin said. “When [Bearden] told me about the project I just imagined the kids I see every year getting a picture like that, and I thought it would be really personal and cool.”

This untraditional project of charity inspired Bearden to task some of his students last year. He intends to keep the tradition going for his kids as the years go on.

“This project is important to me because it hits a lot of things I am most passionate about,” Bearden said. “One being art, obviously. Another is using art as a service tool, not just a form of expression, but something you can make a profound change in someone’s life with.”

CHS English teacher and Bowden’s father, Matthew Bowden, discusses the importance of the project to his daughter and how the Memory Project and others like it allow kids to express themselves in ways not common in today’s education system.

“More than ever today, kids need a chance to express themselves artistically,” Mr. Bowden said. “Kids need a way to express themselves through their writing, their words, their voices, their music. It’s a great opportunity for [Alex] and I’m super thankful for a teacher like Bearden who looks into these kinds of things.”

Art means much more than just a simple pleasing image to many.

To some it can be so powerful as to bridge thousands of miles.

“Art is a different form of communicating,” Baskin said. “Since we can’t actually talk to these people, this little picture is a way to create a personal connection and really reach out to those children.”

Coppell High School sophomore Alex Bowden drew a portrait of a child from Malaysia. CHS art teacher David Bearden selected Bowden and nine other of his art students for the Memory Project.

Photo by Lilly Gorman SYDNEY ‘20 can be reached at ssr6043@g.coppellisd.com.

Contemporary app helping citizens perform CPR KAREN LU DAILY NEWS EDITOR @_karenlu_ Becoming CPR certified may seem like one of those “in case of emergency” preparations that many will never use. However, with the implementation of PulsePoint in Coppell, being

CPR certified provides the opportunity for the everyday citizen to give lifesaving assistance.

PulsePoint rolled out to Coppell on Dec. 4. CPR-trained citizens and off-duty public safety or medical professionals can download this mobile app and receive notifications if an individual in the proximity has a cardiac

Graphic by Ryan Kim

emergency. Before emergency services arrive, trained individuals with the app can provide CPR. “PulsePoint empowers citizens to react in emergency situations,” Life Safety Park manager Jeana Lantiere said. “The goal is someone can respond to the incident before emergency responders. Even though [Coppell] has a quick response time, for every minute someone in cardiac arrest doesn’t get CPR, his or her chances of survival decreases by 10 percent.”

Users do not need to input a certification number or card to utilize the app, but simply state they are eligible to perform CPR. PulsePoint also includes step-by-step CPR instructions with a metronome setting the tempo for at least 100 compressions a minute.

“What I’m learning in my EMT class is you never know when you have the chance to save someone’s life,” EMT-in-training 2019 Coppell High School graduate Alex Patrick said.

“Learning how to do CPR was a short course for me; it didn’t take really long.

Taking the course is definitely worth the ability to save someone’s life. At any time someone can come down with cardiac arrest, and it’s good to always

2020

be prepared. Being CPR certified is a really good skill for anyone to have.”

PulsePoint also has a sister app, PulsePoint AED, where users are able to locate any AEDs in their area, allowing for a log of all the surrounding AEDs in case of cardiac emergency.

“Yes, you want to call 911, and you want the paramedics on the scene with all the bells and whistles,” CHS health science teacher Gary Beyer said. “But there’s only one proven fact about someone in cardiac arrest: that doing chest compressions, to this day 50 years after CPR started, is the only thing that’s proven to help sustain someone’s life long enough for definitive care to take over.”

The Coppell Fire Department offers monthly CPR/AED classes at Life Safety Park to train residents.

“I encourage everybody to sign up for a CPR class even if they’ve had CPR training in the past,” Lantiere said. “Go ahead and take the class once a year to refresh those skills and gain the ability to potentially save someone’s life.”

KAREN ‘20 can be reached at kll7800@g.coppellisd.com.

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THE SIDEKICK THE BEAT FROM CHS9

Chick-fil-A Leader Academy fostering future of leadership AVA N I K A S H YA P STAFF WRITER @AvaniKashyap03 The first thought that comes to mind when someone says Chick-fil-A is probably the fast food chain’s famous chicken sandwich or sauce. But few are aware of the Chick-fil-A Foundation and its leadership initiative, the Chickfil-A Leader Academy.

Established in 2018, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy is the nation’s largest leadership-specific high school program with more than 27,500 members participating in 900 schools across 38 states. By supporting the growth of education, the program aims to reduce homelessness and hunger in America.

CHS9 educators first learned of the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy at the Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT) conference in San Antonio in February 2019. Principles of Health Science teachers Victoria Reyes and Bill Borowski were inspired by the creative and leadership-oriented approach of the program and decided to apply for it. “[The application process] was pretty quick and fairly painless,” Reyes said.

“We filled out the application with our information and Clinton’s (the program coordinator from Chick-fil-A) information and Chick-fil-A approved us.”

During the summer, students signed up for the health science endorsement went through their own application process where they were asked to define what a leader was and identify an inspirational person in their lives. Thirty students were chosen to be members of the program by Reyes and Borowski.

The club meets once a month at CHS9 to engage in Leader Labs as well as complete service projects.

Along with encouraging community service, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy presents leadership through the

lens of their slogan.

“The most important thing is, not only can you use your voice in leadership, but you mostly use your actions,” freshman member Lillian Egger said.

“I’ve learned the leaders are mostly the quiet ones. I have a lot of classmates that aren’t talkative, but they always inspire people.”

In September, the fast food restaurant chain paired with Operation Gratitude to help students create and send care packages to U.S. veterans. During ‘Do Good December’, students com-

CHS9 students selected as members of the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy hold their first meeting on Sept. 26. The academy builds leadership skills in high school students through leader labs and service projects. Photo courtesy Coppell ISD Career and Technical Education

pleted service projects for those in their own communities. CHS9 Leadership Academy members decided to utilize the opportunity to create care packages for the homeless in the area.

For member Saiya Patel, the club enhances their love for service by bolstering their leadership abilities.

“I’ve always loved community service and I get to meet new people when doing it,” Patel said. “I’ve definitely learned presentation, leadership and speaking skills, and enjoy getting to help others with the friends that I’ve made in leadership.”

In addition to funding service projects, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy creates educational videos and activities that are presented during the monthly Leader Labs. The videos also emphasize service-related ideals such as teamwork, innovation and communication while focusing on practical application of learning.

Through the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, students have been able to create relationships with each other and the community.

“It was totally worth it,” Eggers said. “I took the class with a few of my friends and it’s really fun, because not only are we learning about leadership, we are learning about it together.”

AVANI ‘21 can be reached at ask6086@g.coppellisd.com.

Wang weaving confidence into artwork L A A S YA A C H A N TA STAFF WRITER @LaasyaPA

Taking a step back after more than 60 hours of work, CHS9 student Jeffrey Wang breathes a sigh of relief. His piece, “OK, Jose”, qualified for the state Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) Division 2 competition on Feb. 22.

As a student in Art II honors, Wang utilizes the freedom of openended assignments to experiment with his style.

“I give my students a choice of subject matters to allow them to create artwork that they really are interested in and means something to them,” CHS9 art instructor Elsa Reynolds said. “I’ve been able to see how much work and time and dedication [Wang] puts in every day.

Usually, he has too many ideas or too many sketches and he even has alternative versions of his final [art piece], so he really does work very hard.”

Jeffrey has taken his love for art and shared it with the local

community by painting sunflowers at The Gatehouse, a non-profit organization that offers a safe space for women and children who are overcoming crises. “[My art] isn’t world-changing, but it is a step towards it,” Jeffrey said. “For me, I think of just making one person happy or if I can just make someone’s day. [CHS senior Celeste Wang] has been doing an art project for The Gatehouse and I’ve also helped there by drawing sunflowers. It shows the impact we can create from something as simple as a sunflower. Even though it might just be one artwork, it could be a life-changing decision for someone who’s not as fortunate as us.”

Jeffrey accredits his skill in art to his peers and the various teachers inside and outside of school who have guided him by demonstrating new techniques and showing him the importance of understanding the reasoning behind certain pieces.

CHS9 student Jeffrey Wang displays his art instructor Elsa Reynolds’s art class Monday. Wang is a qualifier for the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition and volunteers painting sunflowers at The Gatehouse. Photo by Anthony Onalaja

LAASYA ‘20 can be reached at lpa7712@g.coppellisd.com.

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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THE SIDEKICK VIEW

2019-2020

Staff

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP CHASE WOFFORD Staff Adviser ANTHONY CESARIO* Editor-in-Chief PRAMIKA KADARI* News and Enterprise Editor NICK PRANSKE* Copy and Design Editor CLAIRE CLEMENTS Editorial Page Editor SALLY PARAMPOTTIL Sports Editor

EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP KAREN LU Daily News Editor SHIVI SHARMA CHS9 Editor NEHA DESARAJU Student Life Editor SHRAVYA MAHESH Entertainment Editor CHARLOTTE VANYO Visual Media Editor NISHANT MEDICHARLA* Business Manager ANIKA ARUTLA Social Media Manager ANDRÈS BEAR CSM Web Producer

WRITERS Akansha Singh Akhila Gunturu Akif Abidi Alishba Javaid Angela Yuan Anjali Krishna Anvitha Reddy Arman Merchant Avani Kashyap Camila Villarreal Christie Hernandez Emma Meehan Jillian Moore Joanne Kim Laasya Achanta

Meer Mahfuz Nanette Pottoore Nicolas Reyes Rithik Chennupati Sapna Amin Sarah Habib Sarah Woo Shreya Beldona Sreeja Mudumby Sydney Rowe Tracy Tran Trisha Atluri Victoria Hertel Yash Ravula Yasemin Ragland

PHOTOGRAPHERS Anthony Onalaja Ava Mora Blanche Harris Camden Southwick Camila Flores-Sanchez Elaina Hair Kyah Jones

Lilly Gorman Liza Martinez Mari Pletta Neveah Jones Sneha Sash Precious Onalaja

DESIGNERS Bella Mora Kaylee Aguilar* Ryan Kim

Samantha Freeman* Shriya Vanparia*

*Indicates Volume 31 issue No. 5 page designer

THE SIDEKICK is the official student newspaper for Coppell High School. Its purpose is to inform, entertain and provide an educational resource for its readers. This newspaper is a public forum for student expression with staff members (with assistance from their adviser) making content decisions.

The editorials and columns in this paper reflect the view of their writers.

The Sidekick is a member of Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA).

The Sidekick welcomes all letters to the editor, but letters must be signed before consideration for publication. Send letters to cwofford@coppellisd. com of bring them by D115.

Advertisements are sold as full, 1/2 page, 1/4 page, 1/8 page sizes in black and white or color.

C O N TA C T U S (214) 496 6239 / cwofford@coppellisd.com 185 W. Parkway Blvd. Coppell, TX 75019

STAFF EDITORIAL

Keep essentials for those in need On March 15, TikTok user Lauren Whitney posted a TikTok that has since gone viral regarding a diaper shortage.

“To all you crazy people buying out all the diapers - how am I supposed to diaper my child if I can’t afford to buy 20 [boxes] at a time like you can?”

Whitney said through tears.

As people go into a panic regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Walmart, Target, Costco and other grocery stores are dealing with shortages for almost everything, ranging from masks to toilet paper.

Due to increased demand for bath or toilet tissue resulting from stock up buying and individuals who purchase for resale, a mandatory limit on toilet paper sales is instituted until the supply chain meets the demand for two weeks, whichever comes first.

All sales of bath or toilet tissue occurring in Dallas County are limited to the greater of: (a) 12 rolls per purchase or (b) one package per purchase.

At first, this may seem like a valid course of action - a lot of people can feel helpless having to stay inside all the time, so panic-buying control. There are also people who see this as a money-making opportunity, and are stocking up on items such as hand sanitizer to sell.

But as Whitney points out, not everyone can afford to panic-buy items in large amounts. When people who desperately, actually, need items such as toilet paper, water, diapers and more, and they cannot find it, this becomes a true issue. At the moment, we do not know how long this is going to last - we need to think about the needs of others not just for the short-term, but also for the long term.

This is especially relevant for those more at risk for COVID-19, such as the elderly. They are not able to go to the grocery store as often, but still need these items.

When one person starts to hoard things, others follow, thinking that this must be the necessary course of action, ultimately leading into a cycle.

Alongside that, a lot of the items that are being bought can be easily made from home. For example, making your own masks is an option that many are taking, and when you choose to stock up on masks,

2020

people who genuinely need them (such as those working with the sick) have to go without them.

While washing your hands is the better option, hand sanitizer is only helpful if you’re buying it with a high alcohol concentration, and people that are buying large amounts of hand sanitizer usually are not buying the right sanitizer.

Ultimately, panic-buying and stocking up on items that would realistically not be used up for several months signifies selfishness, which is the last thing we need during this pandemic. Remember that there are others who genuinely need these things, and by not panic-buying, we are helping everyone have access to the same basic necessities, so that everyone can stay clean and healthy.

At Kroger in Coppell on Sandy Lake Rd., shelves are empty from shoppers stockpiling groceries in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The Sidekick editorial staff thinks that people should not shop in bulk in order to be courteous to those who need the items.

Photos by Samantha Freeman

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THE SIDEKICK

OPINIONS

O pinions

STRUGGLING WITH MATH P. 8

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“I collapse in my chair, catch my breath and thank the heavens my journey has come to an end.” P. 9 HALLWAY HORRORS P. 9

BRING BACK ANNOUNCEMENTS P. 9

Cancellations teach us living in the something more valuable:

moment

four years worth of hard work.

But one email destroyed the picturesque scene of the fantasy-filled night.

The United States, like many other nations around the world, is facing thousands of cases of the The clock struck midnight as I was scrolling COVID-19 virus. The virus, which originated from through Instagram, liking all the prom pictures my China, has halted life as we know it, raising the death upperclassmen were posting. The scary thoughts of toll at an alarming rate while bringing the economy the SAT and the next day’s calculus test dwindled down to its knees. away as I imagined a night where I could celebrate However, behind the TV screens of chaotic news channels, lies a group of people sitting in the dark - the class of 2020.

To help curb the spread of the coronavirus, Coppell High School, like many schools throughout the nation, announced the cancelation of prom for the 2019-20 school year.

I understand the need for the cancelation, but can’t help to wonder about the memories I’ll be missing out on.

“I just feel like Students from Coppell High School’s class of 2019 dance at prom at AT&T [prom] was an experiStadium in Arlington. The Sidekick business manager Nishant Medicharla ence everyone should discusses that even though this year’s prom has been canceled, the class definitely have once,” NISHANT MEDICHARLA BUSINESS MANAGER @Nishantnm1

CHS class of 2019 graduate Aditya Kumar said. “[Prom] symbolizes [how] your high school [career] is kind of over, [and] you’re getting into that whole college phase. It’s kind of like closing a chapter at the end of the book [which] is what prom symbolized for me.”

For most students like me, prom represented a night where I was more than just a child - I could be an adult. It was the first time I would ask someone out, the first time I would have a date and the first time I would wear a real tuxedo.

Now that I look back as I type this story in quarantine, I wish I quit worrying about arbitrary things such as imaginary numbers in algebra or figuring out the stages of the cell division process in biology, and instead focused on what’s right in front of me - a life worth living.

Even though the class of 2020 may have lost many memorable events, I can say for sure we have gained an invaluable lesson in return - do what you think is the best for you because there might never be a chance to do it again.

As cliche as it sounds, ask that person out, tell your parents you don’t want to go to medical school and be true to yourself. There’s no way of knowing what can happen in the future, so live your life to the fullest.

NISHANT ‘20 can be reached at nxm6285@g.coppellisd.com.

Losing prom made me appreciate it more L A A S YA A C H A N TA STAFF WRITER @LaasyaPA I never understood the obsession with prom.

I found it weird a party was hailed as the pinnacle of the high school experience, not even graduation.

Sure, it seemed like a fun night, but was it worth the hassle of finding a prom group, choosing a dinner reservation and planning an after party? I decided to find out my senior year. After purchasing my ticket and dress, I awaited April 4 with seemingly disinterest, but when I found out prom was cancelled, I had a revelation.

Countless iconic coming of age movies including Carrie, High School Musical 3 and 10 Things I Hate About You to name a few, feature prom in their plots and subconsciously, I along with many other people have associated prom as something so normal as moving up from freshman to sophomore year.

“On Disney Channel shows you watch them all go to prom so it’s something you always really think about,” Coppell High School senior Carrie Sheffield said. “It’s not like your wedding or your dream, but it’s something that you look forward to.”

In high school itself, starting from freshman year, the awkward promposals during February and March defined early second semester. Just like the mums worn before the homecoming game, the creative prom shirts the seniors wore

were always entertaining to see. After prom, Instagram feeds would be filled with prom pictures featuring beautiful dresses.

Though a majority of underclassmen didn’t go to prom, the experience building up to it and after it was shared by most everyone in high school as seniors celebrated their successes before their last set of final exams.

“It’s just that this is our last year and [prom] is something special that we get to do to celebrate our time here and especially senior year after doing all of the college applications, it’s just a fun way to celebrate moving towards the end of the year with all of your friends,” CHS senior Alyssa Roemer said.

After looking back and realizing that for the Class of 2020 these milestones were never complete and probably never will be, I realized that prom is worth the hassle.

It’s the arguments and decisions made to settle on a prom group, the chaos in ordering and splitting the costs of shirts and reserving dinner reservations, the conversations and time dedicated to planning, along with the anticipation of prom and finally the feeling of success on prom night that makes prom what it is.

Once everyday life resumes, there will always be another

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

chance to celebrate and when that chance is present, getting through this rough patch will only make the celebration more worthwhile.

LAASYA ‘20 can be reached at lpa7712@g.coppellisd.com.

Coppell High School seniors Alyssa Roemer (above) and Carrie Sheffield wear the dresses they planned to wear to Coppell High School prom on April 4 at AT&T Stadium. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, this year’s prom was canceled. Photos courtesy Alyssa Roemer and Carrie Sheffield

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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APRIL

OPINIONS

JOANNE KIM STAFF WRITER @joannekkim I hate math.

I spend hours every day avoiding my math homework, then spend more hateful hours trying to understand concepts I was supposed to have learned weeks ago. And even after I manage to struggle my way to a marginal understanding of what I need to know, my efforts prove themselves futile when I actually have the test in front of me. What little I understand seems to hurl itself from my brain, and my mind completely blanks.

I thought all of this was due to my own inadequacy. I believed that for me, math is simply a subject I will never be good at.

It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I understood these were all signs of math anxiety.

According to the American Psychological Association, math anxiety is “a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in … ordinary life and academic situations.” The effects of math anxiety can range from a feeling of mild tension all the way to having a strong fear of math. However, math anxiety does not prove the existence of “math people” or “non-math people” who

are innately good or bad at mathematics.

In fact, it is just the opposite.

People are mistakenly led to believe students with math anxiety perform poorly due to their incompetence, but this notion is incorrect. Individuals with math anxiety do not necessarily perform poorly due to lack of mathematical ability, but are actually unable to perform to their full ability due to the interfering symptoms of their anxiety. The correlation between high math anxiety students and low scores is often attributed to working memory.

Working memory plays a crucial role in concentration and following procedure, and it also has a limited capacity. When solving mathematical problems, this capacity is dedicated to problem-solving.

However, in individuals with math anxiety, most of this space is instead taken up by anxious thoughts, thus compromising the individual’s ability to perform.

Now the question is, why do students develop math anxiety to begin with?

Math anxiety stems from a complex variety of factors including ones due to

personality or one’s environment. Being unconfident and insecure definitely plays a role in the development of math anxiety, but so do classroom environments and teaching methods.

It will never entirely be a teacher’s fault a student may be anxious about math.

Teachers, on top of having to deal with a bunch of hormonal teens, are obviously on a time crunch, are getting paid notthat-stellar salaries and are also trying to teach according to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Still, the way math is taught and thought of should be changed, and that begins in the classroom. Thus, for the sake of their students, educators must consider how they can help mitigate the problem.

Oftentimes, what is apparently a logical procedure appears to me as a sequence of nonsensical steps I have to memorize in order to get to the right answer, and it is the same for many other students. To combat this,

Classes should place more emphasis on understanding, rather than on rules and procedures.

math classes should not be entirely based on memorization, good grades, speed and accuracy. Instead, classes should place more emphasis on understanding, rather than on rules and procedures.

In the real world, math is about problem-solving. If teachers and parents focus only on performance, grades or achievement of specific skills, students will believe their performance depends on their ability, and that their ability is not sufficient. It will also ingrain within children’s minds that it is not important how or why one reaches an answer as long as it is correct, which, of course, isn’t true at all.

This, in turn, can cause students to limit themselves and even turn away from career opportunities that focus on math in fear of being incompetent, when in reality, they would be able to perform just fine.

What math anxious students need are not more timed drills or quizzes.

Students need to realize their ability is not predetermined and no one is born a “math person”. They have the strength to overcome their struggles.

For this to happen, students must not only be diligent in their work, but they must also be able to rely on the encouragement and support of everyone around them.

Until then, I’ll still hate math.

JOANNE ‘22 can be reached at jkk3282@g.coppellisd.com

Photo illustration by Charlotte Vanyo and Shriya Vanparia

2020

THE SIDEKICK

OPINIONS

9

COPPELL OBSERVER: A HUMOROUS COLUMN

Grievances from a wary hallway traveler ANTHONY CESARIO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @anthonycesario_ The bell rings, signaling the end of second period… and the start of another harrowing mission across the Coppell High School hallways.

In theory, my trip to third period is simple. All I have to do is cross the senior bridge and head to the end of upstairs C Hall; for a fast walker such as myself, this should take no more than a minute. Apparently, however, the entire student body of CHS had a meeting in which they collectively decided to make my journey from point A to point B as long and difficult as possible.

First, I must face the crowd-talkers.

It seems it has been so long since these people last saw each other that they simply must stop right in front of me to have a proper reunion. But while they laugh and talk and catch up as old friends do, I try desperately, hopelessly, to find a way around them, a process complicated by the fact that they have somehow managed to take up the entire width of the hallway.

By some stroke of luck, I manage to bypass them unscathed. But I must now overcome the slow walker, a worthy opponent that appears in two distinct forms.

Its first form is the distracted student: while their attention is captivated by whatever exciting event is happening on Instagram or Snapchat, their feet seemed to have missed the memo that they actually need to move. This is still, of course, inexcusable, but at least understandable.

The slow walker’s second form, however, is the fascinating one: the student who walks slow just to walk slow. They simply stroll along as if they have all the time in the world, as if the hallways are the Colosseum and they’re the awe-struck tourists. I agree, CHS is beautiful, but this is passing period, not stop-and-smellthe-roses period. I have places to be and people to see.

By now, I have made it halfway to class. But the worst of my tribulations are just beginning; I must now keep a watchful eye in order to avoid the high school

sweethearts, else I will run right into them and become a victim of an extremely awkward third wheel situation.

Look, I get that you and Becky from third period are in love. I get that you want to share that love with the world. But if I see one more couple making out in the halls, I might just lose it. It’s as if the universe knows I’m single, and puts as many couples in my path as possible just to rub it in. Don’t people understand being in a happy relationship together around me is completely unacceptable? Gosh.

Anyway, I have exerted so much time and energy on my journey that I now need to go to the restroom.

Here, I encounter the most terrifying obstacle of all: the bathroom-huddlers.

I’m not sure if it’s the ambiance or the enticing aromas, but for some reason, the restroom is the prime hub for people’s get-togethers. Maybe they’re having a team meeting or a seance of some sort — I don’t know, and I don’t think I want to know. But the moment you step inside, they all whip their heads around and stare at you like they’re birds of prey.

Sometimes, I head right back out the doors before they get the chance to pounce and settle for hastily replanning my route. Other times, my need to use the restroom is simply too great. The key here, as I have learned over many years of experience, is earbuds, a lack of eye contact, and getting in and out as quickly as possible. It requires the utmost skill and speed.

Finally, I have made it to class. I collapse in my chair, catch my breath and thank the heavens my journey has come to an end. I am safe now within the walls of third period.

As the teacher begins his lesson, my thoughts wander to an old tale I heard long ago, in which a traveler was unable to escape the crowd-talkers and slow walkers and high school sweethearts and bathroom-huddlers and was thus stuck in an infinite loop of passing period.

She never made it to class.

Some say she still roams the CHS hallways to this day.

ANTHONY ‘20 can be reached at avc5954@g.coppellisd.com

It’s time to make announcements CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR @cclements825 A Coppell High School Red Jacket speaks over the intercom during third and seventh period, following the pledges.

“Make sure to check the CHS website for announcements. Have a great day, CHS!” You would think after hearing this daily, students would check the website. However, according to a Sidekick Instagram poll, out of 103 votes, only three said they actually do. If this accurately reflects the student population, that means roughly 97% of students do not look at the website for any announcements they may need to know.

Alongside that, when you actually do look at the CHS announcements page, it’s several pages long. It’s easy for information to get lost and, honestly, no one is going to want to look through 16 pages of information.

A more effective way of giving out important information is reintroducing announcements over the intercom. It’s not a new concept – CHS used to do it.

CHS is actually one of few schools that does not have some type of announcements, over the intercom or in video format. Coppell Middle School East has video announcements, with students in the media program.

At CHS9, members of the student council sign up to do announcements over the intercom.

There are a variety of things that are happening daily that could be mentioned in the announcements, such as upcoming sports games, or the release of the latest

school newspaper. There’s also a lot of important information, such as information on red or gold lunch or when #Adulting Day is happening. These are typically brought up by CHS associate principal Sean Bagley, but if we’re already having someone come over the announcements and say things, why not just do it daily?

Some think it would take too much time. Currently, the pledges take place at 2:20 p.m., and they usually only take a minute or two at most. If you move back the pledges and announcements to 2:15 p.m., students would still have extra time before the end of class to finish up assignments or pack up.

The process would be similar to the way we do pledges now; either before or after the pledges, the Red Jackets would read from a paper that just said two or three events coming up in school. Not only is this helping students and teachers actually know what’s going on at school on a timely basis, but it would give these organizations an outlet for certain events.

Announcements over the intercom should be brought back, but until then, if you need to know what’s happening around school on a timely Coppell Middle School East eighth graders Ana J. and Abhinav basis, make sure to continue reading A. share daily announcements via live broadcast system. The coppellstudentmedia.com.

Sidekick executive editorial page editor Claire Clements thinks Coppell High School should have full announcements. Photo by CLAIRE ‘20 can be reached at Nishant Medicharla cec4824@g.coppellisd.com

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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APRIL

STUDENT LIFE

S tudent L ife

BBQ FOR MORE THAN A FEW P. 14

MELBOURNE TO MODELING P. 15

“The change was drastic. I had to hone in on the skills that are most crucial to learn right now.”

P. 11

TEACHER OF THE ISSUE P. 15

Driving forward engineering dreams

Coppell High School senior Ben Bartlett explores his love for engineering in his parents garage. Bartlett spends most of his time at home in his garage working on his go-kart and other varying projects. Photos by Charlotte Vanyo

NICOLAS REYES STAFF WRITER @nico_reyes19 On March 4, Coppell High School held its first-ever adulting day, a day where students were able to learn real-life skills they might have missed out on.

While some students who took the car-maintenance workshop went home that day knowing how to change a tire, Coppell High School senior Ben Bartlett went home to work on the “thing,” a former go-kart faster than many standard cars, something a little more advanced than applying wheel wedges.

“The idea was to build a go-kart with a bigger motor, but I ended up buying a motor six times the size of what could fit and now it’s roughly 25 times the power of a normal go-kart,” Bartlett said. “When I started working on it, I realized I didn’t want to be doing 170 mph in a standard go-kart so I continued to work on it for three and a half years now.”

Bartlett’s passion for fixing cars arose during his freshman year when he helped his friend Jonah Gehrlein, a 2018 CHS graduate, lift his Nissa Xterra.

“That was the first time I worked on a car but he was already into cars at that point so he took me under his wing,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett and Gehrlein now both work at Fleet Maintenance at Lillard Lawn and Landscape where they do

2020

maintenance for vehicles while also flipping cars.

“We’ve been friends and worked together for about four years now,” Gehrlein said. “I met him first when he rode up the Ace Hardware on a homemade electric bicycle. Working together was kind of natural, he just felt like my little brother and we worked so well together it just happened.”

Though Bartlett will always have a soft spot for cars, he does not see his future career being car orientated.

“I would love to continue working on cars right after high school, but the reality is that it is very hard to get into a design position where you are making a decent amount of money and it ends up being mostly a desk job; I really want to be more hands-on,” Bartlett said. “I want to work in the defense industry because there is a lot of similar concepts I could apply from what I have learned from cars.”

CHS STEM teacher Michael Yakubovsky advises Bartlett to hold on to his curiosity in order to succeed in the engineering field.

“The best advice I can give to Ben is the same I give to all of my learners, don’t stop learning,” Yakubovsky said.

“The world is always advancing and changing. Keep pushing and learning new things. No one can know everything. There is always something new to learn to tackle the problems ahead of you.”

NICO ‘20 can be reached at nxr7863@g.coppellisd.com

THE SIDEKICK

STUDENT

11

School from home: the impacts of virtual learning SAPNA AMIN STAFF WRITER @sapnaamin6 Bedrooms have been substituted for classrooms, parents’ cooking serves as cafeteria food and siblings have become friends.

Due to the coronavirus, Coppell ISD began distance learning on March 23. The most recent district wide update has pushed the return to school date to May 4.

CISD has adjusted to this drastic change and continuously updates the district on any changes. Coppell administration and faculty emphasizes the need to be there for one another as a support system.

“The change was drastic, I had to hone in on the skills that are most crucial to learn right now and abandon the idea that we could get through a whole novel like normal,” Coppell High School IB English teacher Stephanie Spaete said.

Now that students are given a more flexible schedule to organize their classes better, they find extra time on their hands.

“The schedule can be made to fit teenage sleep patterns that, in our house, have resulted in more productivity,” CHS parent Jennifer Newton said.

The district is taking action to ensure that students continue learning. It is doing whatever it can to make adjusting as smooth as possible, which is resonating well with many people.

“I see online learning as a neces-

sary method of delivering curriculum,” Newton said. “It’s a temporary situation and I believe our district and leadership is doing what is best for the majority of our students in a world-wide situation that they can’t control.”

The district is using a pass or fail system rather than numerical grades.

The district acknowledges that many students have other responsibilities, so this system gives incentive for the students to continue being productive.

“As an observer, I feel like my friends are having a harder time adjusting to doing online school, but it’s a gradual process so they will eventually be able to cope,” CHS Senior Scholar Priya Lalloobhai said.

Senior Scholar is a dual credit program where CHS students take half of their classes through North Lake Community College, online or in person.

Due to the disconnect between interaction, students’ motivation to ask questions has been hindered.

“Online school is vastly different from our normal school because you lose the personal interaction,” Spaete said. “I miss seeing my learners everyday and hearing their discussions.”

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM

On March 23, Coppell ISD began virtual learning due to the COVID-19 virus. According to a Sidekick Instagram poll, 34% of respondents prefer online learning over in-person learning. Graphics

by Shriya Vanparia and Kaylee Aguilar

SAPNA ‘21 can be reached at saa6871@g.coppellisd.com

Friendly face in nurse’s clinic TRACY TRAN STAFF WRITER @AnhImtracy In a small corner near the Coppell High School Attendance Office, a her-

oine works hard everyday, making sure to keep the safety of more than 2,800 students and 300 staff members.

Each time the clinic’s door opens, it could be a student who needs mental support. It could also be a student with illness, or a student who has his finger

Coppell High School finance secretary Patcee Becerra, nurse Beth Dorn and clinic aide Jane Signore convene in the CHS clinic on March 20. Dorn has been working at CHS since 2006. Photo courtesy Laura Springer

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

stuck in the water bottle.

Cooperating with other nurses and special education teachers, the life of CHS nurse Beth Dorn in the clinic is unpredictable and chaotic.

“The type of work I do as the high school nurse can and does change on a daily basis,” Dorn said. “I am there to meet the physical and social emotional health needs of the students at the high school. You truly never know what you are going to encounter on any given day. There are emergencies, illnesses, injuries and social emotional issues, as well as daily medications, ensuring all immunizations are up to date, care plans and making sure that the clinic runs smoothly with adequate supplies and equipment.”

Coming to CHS with no school nursing experience, Dorn experienced challenges dealing with various cases daily.

“I was amazed at the number of students we saw every day and the variety of reasons,” Dorn said. “The reasons could be a hangnail, a finger stuck in a water bottle, a nose bleed, a splinter or someone fainting in the hallway and the list goes on. I was also surprised by some of the complexities of some of the medical problems that we saw.

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

Thinking on your feet and multitasking are two really good skills to have when working in the clinic.”

Through time, with the support from other nurses in the clinic and self taught, Dorn has gained expectations, being able to help students at CHS. Former CHS clinic aide Lee Perryman worked with Dorn for 11 years.

“I have always liked and cared about her. When you work in such close proximity in the clinic, you learn so much about each other,” Perryman said. “She is an excellent nurse and is such a gift to the students and staff at CHS. In the clinic, you never know what will happen next and you have to be ready for any kind of emergency at any time.

“Students as well as staff have so many issues that require knowledge as well as a sympathetic heart. Nurse Dorn treats each individual with utmost respect and kindness. Those are the most important qualities needed to excel as the nurse in such a big school.

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM TRACY ‘22 can be reached at alt0592@g.coppellisd.com

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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Keeping your

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COVID-19 pandemic clears Coppell schools, streets, stores

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hoozier at Bishop Hill Farm Flowers.

After the COVID-19 lockdown, the pavilion sits empty, and about 27 vendors have set up stalls 8-10 feet apart in the surrounding area. Business has become strictly come-and-go, with revised procedures such as providing hand sanitizer and keeping all customers six feet apart.

“Especially if it’s not their primary source of income and they can go without the earnings they generate, some vendors decided not to come,” Coppell Farmers Market manager Amanda Austin said. “People are adapting, but some vendors are actually doing really well with their sales. There’s a lot of high demand for products right now, so some people like our vegetable farmers and bread makers and our elderberry producer are selling more than they can handle.”

The market is also encouraging consumers to pre-order and buy from vendors online when possible. Tipping generously, leaving good reviews online and buying gift cards are some other ways to support Coppell’s local businesses during the pandemic.

All City of Coppell facilities, such as The CORE and the Coppell Family YMCA are closed for residents until at least April 28, excluding the Coppell Justice Center. The citywide closures mean that employees of all non-essential services and Coppell facilities are out of work, either temporarily or permanently.

“Both small and large businesses have been hit hard,” Coppell-based Event Technology Services (ETS) employee Paolo Ricossa said. “I love my job and staying at home is against my nature, but for now TROUBLE FOR LOCAL BUISNESSES, I’m working on getting some new certifications and studyT E E N E M P L O Y M E N T ing more for my job while I can.”

To help stay safe amidst the Every Saturday morning from 8-12, pandemic, some essential services Coppell families fill Old Town Coppell’s have been implementing new sanipavilion for the Coppell Farmers Mar- tation procedures for their employees. ket, sampling and purchasing goods “Every hour, we clean every register from vendors such as Paul Wackym at and we now have people coming in just Wackym’s Kitchen and Amanda Van- to clean parts of the store rather than

working at a register or a department,” said CHS junior Nicole Carroll, who works at Tom Thumb on Denton Tap Road.

“We have plastic [shields] on our registers that protect us, we have to wash our hands every hour or so and we wear gloves at times too.”

The new lifestyles as a result of COVID-19 can be an opportunity to appreciate the people we interact with.

“What I hope happens through all of this is that we find a new normal,” Murray said via email. “One where we value our grocery staff, food workers and first respWonders and doctors with an even greater appreciation. I hope people have relearned the value of spending time home with family, and that some things we thought were so important, really weren’t.”

by S

who had a fever, shortness of breath or a cough would get throat-swabbed.”

The ship eventually had more than 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 out of the 3,711 people on board.

The couple was quarantined for 26 days - 11 aboard the Diamond Princess ship, and 14 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, after they were given the option by the U.S. Embassy to return via a cargo plane. They arrived home March 3.

During their quarantines, the Torreses shared their experiences on the ship with news outlets and the public through Reddit, Twitter and Tyler’s blog, The Torres Travels.

“We’ve done a lot of things on social media and interviews in an attempt to keep a human face on those who have been quarantined and those who have been affected by COVID-19,” Mrs. Torres said. “But social media also helped keep us connected. In Japan, if we hadn’t had Facebook, we wouldn’t have had a way to call home.”

Simultaneously, social media has spread misinformation about the origins of COVID-19 and created hysteria. As a result, many have stockpiled resources such as medical masks, hand sanitizer and toilet paper, taking away from others - such as hospitals - who require them.

“While at the hospital we have a good supply, when the hospital and people are stocking up on face masks, hospitals run out of supply,” Mr. Torres said.

“The people who are actually coming in contact with sick people aren’t going to have the protection we need to keep ourselves, our families and anyone who comes into contact with us safe.”

MARCH 10

FIRST CASE IN

DALLAS COUNTY Photo by Sa

man tha

Fre em

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t 11 a.m., Kelly’s Texican Grill owner Lawrence Kelly pushes open his restaurant’s door, his footsteps breaking the silence that surrounds the unmoved chairs and tables. Sunlight seeps through the windows of the Sandy Lake Road restaurant, falling on empty delivery containers rather than the laughing faces of Coppell residents.

Since the coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic caused Dallas County to issue a mandate to only keep essential services open on March 21, all Coppell businesses have looked eerily similar.

“The people who work here and in this industry are social people,” Kelly said. “To not have people in here see-

ties it helps us with and the great coping skills of taking care of something.”

CISD has remained closed since spring break ended on March 16 and plans to ing us and us feeding them and hug- remain closed until at least May 4. The ging them and asking about them ev- district continues to email parents and ery day is tough for people like us.” students in addition to updating its webMet with a significant decline in busi- page on the coronavirus response. ness, Kelly was forced to reduce his apDistanced learning was implementproximately 20 person staff to five. ed starting March 23 for all 18 schools “I have a small staff here and we’re all in the district. friends,” Kelly said. “I know them really well “Luckily, because we already had - I know their kids and their spouses. To sit one-to-one technology devices and so somebody down and say ‘I’m not able many online learning resources in place to pay you’ - that’s by far the toughest already, it helped make the transition to thing I’ve had to do throughout all this.” online learning smoother.” CISD SuperinEvery resident and business has be- tendent Brad Hunt said via email. come victim to the virus in their own way.

School-sponsored events were also canceled. Prom, originally scheduled for April 4, is one of many events that has slipped through students’ fingers.

“As a senior, having everything being canceled from prom, to DECA Nationals, As an observant person, Coppell High to maybe even graduation is sad beSchool special education teacher Me- cause it’s my last year,” CHS senior Shivan lissa Murray connects with her students Goleccha said. “Second semester senior by assessing their body language and year is the time when you’re supposed to reactions. Since school closures were an- experience all these things and hang out nounced, Murray has developed a differ- with your friends before going to college. ent way to form that connection.

My friends and I were planning on having Through her new optional program, a good time every weekend and goGrow with Murray, she has delivered pack- ing out to restaurants and driving placages to the porches of more than 21 es. Now, we’re missing out on all of that students. The packages include a plant, because of quarantine and it not being trinket and note encouraging the stu- possible to see each other.” dent to update others on the growth of their plant on Schoology.

SOCIAL MEDIA: ANXIOUSLY “I spent the weekend beSCROLLING, CONNECTED fore we went virtual digging THROUGH QUARANTINE up all my strawberry plants and making cuttings from my herbs and other Irving-based pediatric occupafast-growing plants,” tional therapist Rachel Torres and her Murray said via email. husband Tyler, a Dallas nurse, were “COVID-19 can’t watching a live performance by Filipina stop us from grow- singer Mia Flores in the auditorium of the ing together Diamond Princess cruise ship when the as we share captain made an announcement. our plant’s A man who had disembarked the ship, g r o w t h , which departed from Yokohama, Japan the re- on Jan. 20, had tested positive for corospon- navirus. The ship was accelerating to sibili- reach Yokohama Port a day earlier than scheduled to begin testing passengers.

“We were supposed to get off the boat on Feb. 4, but on Feb. 3 at about 10 p.m., they told us to go in our rooms and stay there until further instructions,” Mr. Torres said. “The Japanese quarantine officials went from the top of the boat to the bottom and had people screened. Anybody

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MARCH 13

CISD ANNOUNCES

SCHOOL CLOSURES MARCH 18

FIRST CASE IN COPPELL

n ma e e P ho t r o by Samantha F

APRIL 3

UIL ACTIVITIES SUSPENDED INDEFINITLEY

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by Tracy Tran

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APRIL

STUDENT LIFE

Cookout for community Beyer, Becerras give to CHS through love for barbecue AKANSHA SINGH STAFF WRITER @akanshas120 Barbecue - quintessentially American, slow-cooking and flavorful - has made its way to Coppell High School.

Health Sciences teacher Gary Beyer, Finance Secretary Patcee Beccera and her husband Tom Becerra are all barbecue enthusiasts and have taken this interest to the halls of CHS, where they have shared their food with faculty.

The Becerras, along with their two sons Taylor and Trey Becerra, catered for all 325 CHS staff members on a staff development day in August. Beyer has, on multiple occasions, cooked batches of barbecue to leave in his fridge or the teachers’ lounge for staff to pick up for lunch.

The Becerras have experience in feeding hundreds of people at once, from Cinco de Mayo block parties to high school football and baseball teams, all on a volunteer basis.

“We’ve never taken money for [any] of it because it takes the fun out of it,” Mr. Becerra said.

Barbecue is more than just food, the Becerras and Beyer stress. The sense of companionship and community that’s generated around sharing a large meal contributes to the entire barbecue experience.

“My favorite part [about barbecuing] is the enjoyment people get out of a good meal,” Mrs. Becerra said. “We get to enjoy food and camaraderie with one another.”

The large quantity of food produced when meat is barbecued almost makes it essential to have an equally large group to share with.

“One [beef] brisket weighs 10 pounds,” Beyer said.

“One pork brisket is about six to eight pounds. You produce such a big amount [of food] that it becomes a communal thing.”

Even the manner of cooking barbecue and related dishes can be a spectacle for all to watch. Barbecue is characteristically unique for its grandeur and longevity - but it makes the product all the more worthwhile for spectators.

“Jambalaya is not barbecue, but it’s an experience, with a big pot over an open flame, outside over a big cauldron,” Mrs. Becerra said. “It’s different than cooking on a pot on a stove. People enjoy the spectacle of it, to see it come into fruition and then eat it.”

And it is this exact sense of community that’s achieved anytime their barbecue talent is brought to CHS, whether through Beyer’s occasional lunch offerings or the Becerras’ grand catering to CHS staff in August.

“When we heard that it’s [Patcee’s] whole family they served it, they paid for it, they’re just doing this for us - I thought it was super nice,” CHS English teacher Matthew Bowden said.

“After [the Becerras’ lunch] I remember someone saying there’s leftover barbecue [that the Becerras were] giving away in big bags. They were just willing to give. Beyer has a servant’s heart too - he’s sent emails out saying there’s a bunch of leftover barbecue sandwiches in his freezer.

Even after it was over he didn’t take it home.”

Barbecue doesn’t just mean meat, as the Becerras recognize. While Mr. Becerra cooks on the smoker and enjoys barbecued meats, Mrs. Becerra is a vegetarian; she cooks plentiful side dishes to go with the barbecued meats. “[Mrs. Becerra’s] side dishes are dynamite,” Mr.

Becerra said. “Green beans, potatoes, rice ... she’s got recipes everyone wants.”

The process of preparing and cooking barbecue is quite long according to the Becerras, a week is spent planning and preparing the courses. Then, the last 36 hours of the process are spent putting meat on the smoker and cooking the food.

“The reason this cooking was started years ago was these are the toughest pieces of meat,” Beyer said. “They’re really fibrous and chewy and they tend to have the most flavor but you have to cook them for a long time.”

Oftentimes, both Beyer and Mr. Becerra say they’ve spent so long cooking that they don’t eat the barbecue they’ve made.

Ultimately, barbecue has evolved into a passion for the Becerras and Beyer for its way of bringing people together. For Beyer, who used to work as a paramedic, cooking barbecue is another way to serve others.

“I’ve always enjoyed just giving to others, whether it’s being a paramedic or cooking r ool Health Sciences teache food,” Beyer said.

One of Coppell High Sch t, ske bri is cue rbe ats to ba As CHS faculty can second, barbecue can Gary Beyer’s favorite me e Finance Secretary Patce S brighten a day - and not just through its taste.

CH , yer as pictured. Be ing ok co joy en ra Tom Becer “We like the crowds and we enjoy the Becerra and her husband t d have shared their talen an company,” Mrs. Becerra said. “We do it to put lly, na tio barbecue recrea r ye Be ry Ga esy oto court a smile on someone’s face.” with the staff off CHS. Ph AKANSHA ‘20 can be reached at axs8044@g.coppellisd.com

2020

THE SIDEKICK

STUDENT LIFE

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Charles exemplifying culture, curves through modeling S H R E YA B E L D O N A STAFF WRITER @BeldonaShreya On her way to a doctor’s appointment in January 2019, Coppell High School junior Harmony Charles did not expect to be stopped by a stranger. Charles was shocked when that stranger handed her a card for a modeling agency.

“At first, it was kind of strange,” Charles said. “You always hear about modeling stories but I never thought that [it would happen] to me. Getting scouted in America was a big deal for me.”

Especially after living in Australia and China, being asked to consider a modeling job seemed like she had “made it.”

“Coming from Australia and China, there is always this mentality that things are more important or more glamorized in America,” Charles said. “I felt like, ‘Wow, I actually did it,’ and I did it in America.”

Though a hint of the Australian accent remains, Charles has spent most of her life living in Shanghai and Beijing, China, attending British International School Shanghai and Western Academy of Beijing from the ages of 4 through 15, eventually becoming fluent in Mandarin.

Sophomore year, Harmony moved to Coppell due to her father’s job, surprised at the changes she experienced.

“The experience was a huge culture shock for me moving to America. The stereotype of a cliche American school with jocks and cheerleader was really scary to me,” Charles said. “I struggled at first to make friends and put myself out there and it wasn’t until second semester I

really started to make true friends.”

Coming from an international background changed the way Charles acted, broadening her mindset.

“I got to see a lot of different cultures. I had a lot of friends come and go because everyone was in the same position as me where their parents would get a new job and have to move. [I miss] the culture and how lively it was,” Charles said. “A lot of people misunderstand China. As an international student, I never experienced that kind of stress [from the government] or take notice of a lot of the things that the government did.”

However, Charles brings more to the table than looks.

Instilled in her from her diverse background, education remains a priority.

“She has a lot of the traits that models need. You can’t just have a pretty face,” said Coppell High School junior Hailey Wilkins, who is also a model. “You have to have intelligence. She’s very smart.”

Though Charles was happy to be offered the invitation to model, some uncertainty still dwelled in her mind. “[I was hesitant] because of what people would think of me,” Charles said. “When people take a picture of you, you’re being judged. I thought that a lot of people at school would see me and see my photos and be like ‘Oh, that doesn’t look anything like her.’”

Still, Charles rose to the occasion, battling her fears, expectations and hesitations.

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM SHREYA ‘21 can be reached at sxb4151@g.coppellisd.com

Coppell High School junior Harmony Charles models for Dragon Fly’s agency in Dallas. Charles has been modeling since January 2019 while balancing school. Photo courtesy Harmony Charles

TEACHER OF THE ISSUE: PORTTEUS After teaching at Jack E. Singley Academy in Irving for six years, GT Algebra II and AP Statistics teacher Tom Portteus is completing his 13th year in education at CHS and his first year teaching statistics. Portteus has a double major in mathematics and political science from Ashland University in Ohio, both of which inform his teaching and view of the world.

Why did you decide to become a math teacher?

I’ve always enjoyed math. I enjoy the problem solving, the puzzle, and the simplicity of the solution. I wanted to be able to share that with others. I decided to enter teaching at the end of my junior year of college. I spent some time working as a mentor for the local high school and dabbled in some teaching experiences through other organizations, and decided this is what I wanted to do.

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Why did you major in political science?

[Political science] interested me, and I felt an obligation to understand the principles that formed this republic. I had some wonderful opportunities as part of that program, including meeting Barbara Bush, Ramesh Ponnuru, Glenn Beck, William Bennett, and a long list of academics, authors, pundits, politicians and public servants. Consequently, I’m a politics junkie.

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Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

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If you could teach a subject that isn’t algebra or statistics, what would it be?

I’d love to teach calculus, but that is not in the cards for me anytime soon. I wouldn’t mind teaching something in the political science arena, probably the American Founding. That was my second major and I’ve always found it fascinating. I just lack the discipline to read that much.

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What is your favorite concept to teach?

I’ll go with algebra since this is my first year in stats

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Why are the subjects you teach important?

Statistics is how we analyze our world and make decisions based on data. It’s hard to argue with that.

As for algebra, the problem solving developed through that class is huge. It’s a night and day difference in what students can do between September and May.

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What is your approach to teaching?

Teach, practice, assess. I don’t like my lessons to be lengthy. I prefer to hit the basics to get everyone started and narrow my focus to those that might need a little more. I find the stronger students tire easily of repetition by me when they could be getting their work done.

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and I don’t know enough to have a favorite. Logarithms and exponents. I like it because it is new. Most students have seen everything in that class in some form prior to taking it. Additionally, mastery of this unit is fundamental to success in pre-calculus and calculus.

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What motivates you to teach?

I like seeing students grow. I enjoy the interactions, picking people’s brains, getting to know what makes them tick. I especially enjoy seeing them take pride in their work and knowing that it’s not a waste of time.

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

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GT Algebra II and AP statistics teacher Tom Portteus was selected as Teacher of the Issue for The Sidekick’s April edition. Portteus is completing his 13th year in education at Coppell High School after earning a double major in mathematics and political science from Ashland University in Ohio. Photo courtesy Tom Portteus

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ENTERTAINMENT CREATING MEANINGFUL MASTERPIECES P. 17

“Sometimes, I felt like gaming gave me that little push to forward . ” P. 18 keep moving forward

ENGAGING STORIES, UNIQUE MEDIUMS P. 18

ENJOYING SELF-QUARANTINE P. 19

LIVING BEHIND THE SCREEN Johnson paving career in voice acting after high school CAMILA VILLARREAL STAFF WRITER @fliipthewriter

W

hat do you want to be when you grow up?

The response to the question every student tries to answer throughout their lives came easy to 2018 Coppell High School alumni Macy Johnson, who knew right away that theater was where she needed to be.

Johnson’s love for theater began in the CHS Auditorium, where she starred in musicals such as “42nd Street” during her junior year and “The Addams Family” in her senior year. The atmosphere of the program played a major role in her decision to become a theater major at Baylor University.

“CHS theater is where I met some of my best friends, but more importantly, it’s where I met people who could show me what a performer looks like,” Johnson said.

“It was a very welcoming environment that I needed at the time. The love I felt in the program was a big part of what drove me into the arts.”

Her enthusiasm for theater led her to her first job in the field of voice acting her junior year. Johnson took a voice acting class at a studio and was quickly recognized for her natural talent. According to Backstage, an online job resource for actors, breaking into a voice acting career is challenging. Many budding voice actors need agents, demo reels and several professional classes to be deemed qualified for a job.

Johnson made it onto their audition list and despite not getting a part, decided to continue auditioning until she landed a role.

Thirty or so auditions later, Johnson was

offered a job playing Dreadful Doll Izanami in the video game Smite. This, Johnson soon found out, would be the jump start she needed to fuel a prosperous career in the field.

“It’s truly inspiring to see her doing what she loves and being so successful at such a young age,” said her brother, CHS sophomore Colton Johnson. “[I support her by] watching the shows and movies where she gets big roles and putting up with all the late night voice recording sessions.”

During her search for new work opportunities, a friend pointed her in the direction of a director who worked on anime.

Johnson sent her a small clip of her work on Smite and soon after was invited to do an open audition and has since made a name for herself in the anime field of voice acting.

“For me, voice acting is very special because it allows you to isolate one of the most powerful tools an actor has,” Johnson said. “Working with anime specifically is interesting because the content has already existed in Japanese and your job is to make sure the emotion and the message get across the same way.”

Currently, Johnson is working on an anime TV series “Smile at the Runway”, in which she plays Chiyuki. The production for the show is currently stalled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM

CAMILA ‘21 can be reached at cxv8266@g.coppellisd.com

“For me, voice acting is very special because it allows you to isolate one of the most powerful tools an actor has.”

Johnson voices Chiyuki Fujito in Manga series “Smile Down the Runway.”

Johnson voices Yoshiko Jiiragi in the Anime movie “Human Lost.”

Photo courtesy Macy Johnson

Coppell High School 2018 graduate Macy Williams is pictured in several photos in the 2018 yearbook. Johnson has been featured in numerous CHS theater productions before attending Baylor University and voicing Anime characters.

Photos courtesy Round-Up Yearbook

MACY JOHNSON CHS ALUMNA

2020

THE SIDEKICK

ENTERTAINMENT

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‘‘Art is more than a pretty picture’’ Wang painting new horizon for abused, impoverished women VICTORIA HERTEL STAFF WRITER @veh37936 A woman who has experienced indescribable pain’s eyes widen with anticipation as she eagerly opens the door to her newly renovated apartment.

On the wall, a vivid sunflower painting hangs, created by Coppell High School senior Celeste Wang.

Wang has drawn her own path - a path much less traveled by State Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) gold seal medalists.

She is not only an artist, but a section leader for clarinet in band, Girl Scout, vice president of the National Art Honor Society and in the top 5%.

“It is almost insane because all of the things she’s involved in take so much effort and energy, but her timemanagement skills are how she works through everything so quickly with highquality work,” CHS senior Claire Cheon said. “It amazes me. She takes every little moment of free time and uses it towards art, school or band.”

In fact, Wang is not an average artist either, as she has won gold seals for State VASE two years straight.

But exceptionally, Wang has never taken an art class at CHS. A deciding factor in that was her involvement in band, a double-blocked class. With all of the activities she

participates in, comes a busy schedule.

Still, she manages her time by creating routines and making sure that she enjoys her involvements.

“My motto is that if you like something enough, you’ll find time for it,” Wang said. “It’s not impossible. If I work smart and not hard, I get through my homework faster. Marching band takes up an allotted amount of time, but it is consistent every day. I find a routine. Besides, I enjoy it.”

On Oct. 18, Wang was on a lengthy bus ride to the BOA (Bands of America) St. Louis Super Regional band competition when she caught Cheon taking a nap in the seat beside her, thinking it was funny, she captured the moment in a photo Wang used that photo of Cheon as reference and during winter break, she completed her piece, shading in the outline with charcoal pencils to begin, which created the shadows and highlights of Cheon’s face.

“I feel like art isn’t about an inspiration per se,” Wang said. “There are artworks like that, but for me, it was just to capture the moment. When I was taking the photo, it was just a joke that my friend and I had. I realized that it would make a good compositional piece because you feel something whenever you see it.”

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM VICTORIA ‘21 can be reached at veh7936@g.coppellisd.com.

Coppell High School senior Celeste Wang paints a sunflower for her Girl Scout Gold Award Project. She donated these paintings to abused and impoverished women, bringing positivity into their lives. Photo courtesy Celeste Wang

Karthikeyan exploring deep meanings through artwork

varshni

karthikeyan

Coppell High School junior Varshni Karthikeyan holds “This is Me” while getting recognized for receiving an honorary medal at State VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event) by the Coppell ISD trustees at the Vonita White Administration building in May 2019. “This is Me” shows Karthikeyan’s dual cultural identities. Photo courtesy Varshni Karthikeyan

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

VICTORIA HERTEL STAFF WRITER @veh37936 The barriers that artists struggle to break involve having people understand their art and spend time viewing it on a deeper level, getting to know the artwork and its meaning.

Coppell High School AP Studio Drawing junior Varshni Karthikeyan opened up her email on a seemingly mundane February afternoon, only to discover that her drawing had been chosen to be displayed at the Young American Talent exhibition, a juried visual art competition for North Texas high school students.

In Karthikeyan’s still-life piece, “Fruit of the Dead”, a black-and-white charcoal skeleton lies behind a bowl of fruit, both alongside a dimmed lantern. Not only is the drawing hyper-detailed, but it has a profound underlying meaning.

Her work is symbolic of life-and-death, the fruit represents life while the skeleton and turned-off lantern represent death.

While Karthikeyan spent 10-15 hours working on her piece, she thoroughly enjoyed the creative process.

“Whenever I’m doing art, especially if it is a piece that I like, I go into a zone where I’m just working,” Karthikeyan said. “I would stay up a lot of nights working on it. I wouldn’t even think about how late it was, or if I was tired. It was a lot of fun, relaxing and calming.”

Kathikeyan’s journey with art began

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

when she was in second grade and took classes at Falak Art Studio. Since then, she has participated in art classes at Coppell Middle School East and CHS every year. During the process of growing with art, she realized that she loved the depth of concentration she focuses with while creating.

“I could always lose myself doing art,” Karthikeyan said. “It is a great way for me to get away from the chaos of the world and get into a serene state of mind.”

Karthikeyan has excelled in art since a young age, so much so that she has always stood out in class as a talented artist.

Simultaneously, she has been a reliable friend and is eager to share ideas with peers.

“She’s been known as an amazing artist in class,” CHS junior Laya Kappagantula said. “I remember in middle school our art teacher always used to show her work and not other people’s because she’s so good at drawing what she sees perfectly.”

Karthikeyan has not only proven to be an outstanding artist, but helps others who may be struggling at the same time.

“She often goes out of her way to provide feedback and ideas to her classmates,” CHS art teacher Michelle Hauske said.

“Varshni is both caring and supportive of others and is always willing to help.”

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM VICTORIA ‘21 can be reached at veh7936@g.coppellisd.com.

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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ENTERTAINMENT

Different mediums have same potential ANGELA YUAN STAFF WRITER @anglealey If I was asked what my favorite stories have in common, it would be their profundities and insight into human nature.

It would not be the medium of storytelling.

All mediums can tell great stories; however, individual mediums have stigmas associated with each of them limiting perceptions of their storytelling potential.

Video games find their roots in 1950s computers programmed to play solved games. While the first video games did not invest heavily into story, they transformed into ones that did, primarily through interactive fiction.

Interactive fiction, or IF, is a type of text-based video game in which players control characters and interact with the environment through text commands.

IF began in the 1980s and quickly progressed into games with a strong plot focus, such as “Photopia”.

With video games incorporating story as early as the 1980s, there is no doubt it is even stronger now.

Story-rich games exploded during the 2010s, especially those by independent developers. Titles such as “The Stanley Parable”, “Undertale” and “Papers, Please” took the gaming community by storm with their unique, thought-provoking stories.

“Indie games often create more unique stories [than large corporation games], and the ones I’ve enjoyed had something that really made me resonate with it,” CHS English teacher Alexander Holmes said.

“The way [independent game studio Supergiant Games] creates a soundtrack, narrator and story that somehow seemingly make sense with the gameplay and user interface is really astounding.”

Even so, gamers are often stereotyped as lazy.

“Like every stereotype, there is truth in every cliché,” Holmes said. “People oftentimes see gaming is done sitting down, and that’s why that stigma exists.”

Books can tell stories equally as great as video games. Avid readers are considered to be intelligent, though both books and video games have cognitive benefits.

On the other end of the media is animation, which is sometimes viewed as childish.

“Many people still think of animation as cartoons,” CHS animation teacher Cynthia Wolfe said. “Avatar was a huge breakthrough, because it is so lifelike and 3D. It was a great change in animation.”

The idea that animation is for children started developing in the 1960s with “Looney Tunes”, a cartoon series full of adult jokes and violence. When it aired on television, it was censored and rebranded as children’s entertainment, setting off decades of children’s cartoons.

Even so, there has been a rise of adult cartoons in the last few decades, starting with “The Simpsons” in 1989 and continuing onto “South Park” and “Family Guy”.

In 2001, Cartoon Network launched Adult Swim, a nighttime programming block of adult animated shows.

Many cartoons for pre-teens balance tongue-in-cheek humor with darker themes, which may be welcome for stressed adults looking to relax after a long day at work.

Artist Spotlight Marcos Morales Q&A by Alishba Javaid

For the full Q&A, visit coppellstudentmedia.com

Many of these patterns apply to graphic novels. Comics are associated with Marvel and DC, which are enjoyed by older audiences, but comics like “Saga” are directly targeted to adults.

The childish stigma of animation applies to eastern animation in Asia, but its use of exaggeration leads to a more negative stigma in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, eastern animation is often criticized for its sexualization of females. This is comparable to criticizing video games for violence; they are both somewhat prominent in the medium, but do not define it.

Media positivity has a long way to go, but as creators push the boundaries of media, art and the role it plays in our culture evolves as well. Broadening the horizons of

mediums is what makes them accessible to everybody and breaks down existing stigmas.

But regardless of whether it happens, I will still watch my cartoons and play my video games in peace.

ANGELA ‘22 can be reached at axy7572@g.coppellisd.com

Each storytelling medium carries a stigma associated with it that limits individuals’ perceptions of its potential. The Sidekick staff writer Angela Yuan breaks down the different stigmas among different mediums and spreads media positivity. Graphic by Shriya Vanparia

It only takes a few clicks to dive into the engineered virtual world, but much more to engineer 3D printed products yourself. For Coppell High School junior Marcos Morales, gaming is something that fuels his engineering as well. Being a part of the CHS Gaming Club for two years and the engineering endorsement pathway for three years, Morales finds gaming to be one of his biggest influences.

Why do you like gaming?

Photo courtesy Marcos Morales

2020

In elementary school, I didn’t have that many friends, so when I went to video games, it was just a different world for me to immerse myself in.

It’s the same reason I used to like books. For books, you’re putting yourself in a brand new world. That’s what video games are, but with video games, you actually have the dialogue happening and you can see the characters physically. You don’t have to imagine them for yourself, and pretty much everything is built out for you so you actually have a memory of it. That’s a big part of why I remember video games and why I like them so much - it’s because of the memories they give me.

What is the relationship between engineering and gaming?

A lot of engineering situations I think of as gaming situations. A video game has steps to it, which you need to follow in order to win. For example, if you’re playing against another opponent, it usually starts with you trying to kill them and then capturing some kind of objective. In engineering, I need to make sure I kill any problems that are posed to my own design first and then start working towards my goal.

The most important part is taking care of anything that could go wrong before it goes wrong.

Why is gaming important to you?

Gaming is one of my biggest connections to my friends and pretty much a part of me.

Without gaming, I’d probably not have as close of a relationship with my friends. It gets me away from real life sometimes. Gaming has definitely gotten me through some tough times. Sometimes, I felt like gaming gave me that little push to keep moving forward.

THE SIDEKICK

ENTERTAINMENT

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Stay entertained while staying safe Story by Shravya Mahesh Photos by Pranati Kandi

Your workspace is cluttered. Your mind is jumbled. Your eyes droop and you feel lethargic. With schedules becoming routine and free time getting boring, it can be easy to find yourself wishing for self-quarantining to end. However, there is no limit to the possibilities for at-home fun - here are just a few ideas for enjoyable ways to pass time.

Rejuvenate and freshen up

Enjoy an afternoon of gaming

With many events canceled and schedules rapidly freeing up, it is a good time to take care of yourself.

Reorganize your workspace, apply a face mask, soak in a bubble bath or just take a calming nap. The more you do this, the fresher you will feel when you can finally leave your house, meet your friends and get back to normalcy.

Chia seed pudding Recipe by Neha Desaraju

Chia seeds are known as a superfood—rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. The chia absorbs the milk to become a pudding you can eat for breakfast or snack. Use it as a base for delicious berries or nuts.

Ingredients - 2 cups non-dairy milk - 2 cups chia seeds - 2 tbsp maple syrup, honey or molasses - Toppings optional (such as berries, nuts or non-dairy yogurt) Instructions 1. Add equal parts non-dairy milk (I used coconut) and chia seeds in a bowl.

2. Add 2 tbsp maple syrup (or molasses or honey), or as much as desired. Mix well. Store in the fridge for at least six hours or overnight.

3. Serve chilled and top with berries, nuts or non-dairy yogurt (optional).

The world of gaming offers hours of fun right at your fingertips. Build your own campsite in the recently released Animal Crossing: New Horizons, reactivate your old account on the newly reopened Club Penguin or just pick up a controller for some old-school fun. If you find yourself getting tired, build up your energy on Wii or Kinect Sports or kick back with a traditional card or board game.

Experiment in the kitchen All it takes is a good recipe, a few supplies and a food craving waiting to be satisfied to concoct something amazing. Impress your family and friends with professional shots of a technical dish or whip together a quick snack. Or if your birthday is coming up, bake a cake and turn the kitchen session into a celebration. Your stomach will surely thank you for the delicious pasttime. Want to try something new? Check out this recipe for chia seed pudding:

Listen to some tunes Being alone at home or in your room, the silence can get almost suffocating - so why not fill it with some great music? Whether you to your all-time favorite tracks, get nostalgic with some throwback hits or check out some new songs, the music industry will surely satisfy your thirst for entertainment. If you’re brave enough, challenge a friend to a virtual karaoke or lip-sync battle. Looking for suggestions? Check out some of our album reviews:

For more recipes, visit coppellstudentmedia.com

Genres: Electropop, dance-pop Future Nostalgia...recall[s] the glory of pre2000s dance pop in a way that feels familiar, yet fresh and forward-thinking at the same time.

- Anthony Cesario, executive editor-in-chief

5 Seconds of Summer, ‘Calm’

Read a good book

Genres: Pop, pop-rock 5SOS has developed a sense of maturity with this album that brings together its past explorations in the music industry.

- Anika Arutla, social media manager

With the current state of affairs seeming at times all too surreal, it can often be comforting to escape into an alternate dimension where things don’t seem nearly as stressful. Grab your childhood favorite from off your bookshelf and re-explore a familiar world or download an ebook version of the most popular recent Young Adult releases. No matter what you read, the time will surely fly like the pages of the novel.

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

Dua Lipa, ‘Future Nostalgia’

Conan Gray, ‘Kid Krow’ Genres: Indie pop, indie rock The album is an intricate peek into a world of heartbreak, loneliness and insecurity.

- Shravya Mahesh, entertainment editor For the full reviews, visit coppellstudentmedia.com

Instagram: thesidekickcoppell

Facebook: Sidekick Online

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S ports

BASEBALL FAN TO RICE UNIVERSITY P. 22

“My team thinks of me as intense sometimes because some of them just like to laugh, and I say, ‘Guys, it’s time to win.’” P. 23

YOUNG TENNIS TALENT P. 23

UNCERTAINTY IN NEXT TENNIS QUEEN P. 22

Please don’t take away my senior season sweat and tears into obtaining really strikes a nerve. I have worked harder than ever before, strengthened myself mentally and physically and put years worth of effort into my sport.

Out of everything else that has already been swiped away, please don’t take away my senior season.

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SYDNEY ‘20 can be reached at ssr6043@g.coppellisd.com.

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• The University Interscholastic League (UIL) has indefinitely suspended all events, including athletics.

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• All in-person practices have been suspended, though the UIL would provide an acclimation period for practices in the case competition resumes.

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for recruiting. Abilene Christian softball coach Abigail Farler is relying solely on technology to try to continue the recruiting process in the most efficient way.

“Since high school is not playing, there’s really no games we can go watch,” Farler said. “There’s just a lot of questions about when everything w i l l o p e n back up. At t h i s point, our

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“My hope for continuing something I really love to do is dwindling.”

recruiting is just emails and being able to watch videos.”

The recruitment issue hits very close to home for me as well. I have already gotten into my dream school, the University of Texas at Austin, but this season I was working towards reaching a mark in the pole vault that would allow me to walk on to its team. Now, I have no competitions to go after these marks and my hope for continuing something I really love to do is dwindling.

I realize there are bigger issues in the world right now than losing a couple meets or games. I am often reminded there are people dying, and to be thankful for my good health, and without a doubt those are much more pressing topics.

However, losing silly laughs with my teammates, opportunities to see how my hard work has paid off and seeing my friends accomplish goals they have put their blood,

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have always been an extremely competitive person.

Sports have always been an extremely prominent part of my life.

Some of my fondest memories include when I was 5 years old, bouncing around trying to score on a soccer field, all the way to now, pole vaulting in places all across Texas and Arkansas. There is something about willing myself to do my best physically that I love more than anything else.

Athletes in spring sports, such as track and field, baseball, and softball, across the nation have undoubtedly lost a large chunk of their competitions due to COVID-19. While both the school year and these sports’ seasons are not surely canceled yet, there is a possibility kids will not be returning to school-related activities in the 2019-20 school year.

As a senior athlete, I have already lost prom and there are talks of a virtual graduation, but thinking of losing the final season of the sport I absolutely adore hits me and many other athletes the hardest.

“It hurts a lot,” Coppell senior track athlete Madison Martin said. “Thinking about how I might not get to end my last season the right way, with my coaches and teammates.”

Many of us have dedicated years and years and endless hours into our respective sports. Sports have been a part of my life since I can remember.

I wrote my most important college essay, that I submitted to every school I applied to, on pole vaulting and just how impactful the sport has been on my life.

I could ramble on for days about how much spending endless hours running down a runway with a 12-foot pole in my hands, has instilled so much selfconfidence within myself.

I cannot imagine life without being in a sport; it has been much of what I have known and worked for in the past 13 of my 18 years of life. For many, sports have been there since the very beginning.

“I’ve been playing baseball since I could,” Coppell senior baseball/ football player Jackson Matthews said.

“I started playing when I was 5 or 6. I haven’t lived life without playing baseball yet.”

According to scholarshipstats.com, only a little over 7% of high school varsity athletes go on to play at the collegiate level. This means the end of the road of organized competitive sports for many kids after they graduate high school.

Even for those pursuing play at the next level, the virus also raises concerns

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SYDNEY ROWE STAFF WRITER @syd218

• Remote instruction (such as the online learning seen in Coppell ISD) is permitted between coaches and athletes.

• Affected Coppell sports include girls and boys soccer, girls and boys golf, track and field, baseball, softball and tennis.

• The UIL will determine new playoff dates, as well as new district certification dates, if competitions resume.

• To reschedule district competitions, District 6-6A’s District Executive Committee (DEC) will decide new dates based on both UIL and individual school district policies.

Coppell senior Sidekick staff writer Sydney Rowe sprints down the runway on March 2, 2019 in the CHS Field House.

Rowe reflects on her last high school pole vaulting season and how the coronavirus is affecting high school and collegiate sports. Photo courtesy Adrian Holguin

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Reaching for the sky

Freshman begins high school career with record-breaking vault SREEJA MUDUMBY STAFF WRITER @sreejamudumby

Coppell freshman Sky Schuller swings to inversion at the Coppell Relays at Buddy Echols Field on Feb. 29. Schuller broke the Coppell pole vaulting record with 13 feet at the Coppell Relays, the 100-meter hurdles record with 14.56 seconds at the Coppell Relays and again with 14.10 seconds at The Colony Invitational on March 5 and tied the high jump record with 5 feet 6 inches at both the Flower Mound Relays on Feb. 22 and The Colony Invitational on March 5. Photos by Tracy Tran

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

Fast-paced breaths. Hands tight on the pole. All eyes looking her way. She launches off of the pole and flies through the air. She falls on the mat. Screams of happiness fill the air as she catches her breath.

Coppell freshman Sky Schuller broke Coppell High School’s official pole vaulting record with 13 feet at the Coppell Relays on Feb. 29. The previous record was 12 feet.

“It’s such a good feeling,” Schuller said. “Just being able to go through the air is so good. Seeing [the] coach’s face smiling after I broke the record [was] amazing.”

Along with breaking the pole vault record, Schuller also broke the 100-meter hurdles record at the Flower Mound Relays on Feb. 22 with 14.56 seconds and again at The Colony Invitational with 14.1 seconds. She also tied the high jump record at the Coppell Relays with 5 feet 6 inches.

“Her greatest strength is to be so good athletically but still remain so humble and so down to earth,” Coppell freshman track teammate Waverly Hassman said.

“She’s just this normal girl who is so nice and so sweet to everyone, but she’s also just amazing at everything she does.”

Schuller’s pole vaulting journey began when she was in the seventh grade at Coppell Middle School West. Ever since she embarked as a pole vaulter, she has had strong devotion to the sport. Her endless dedication pushed her to break the record. “[Schuller] is very determined and she doesn’t let anything get in her way,” Coppell freshman track teammate Megan Judd said. “She can accomplish anything she puts her mind to.”

Schuller has been involved with running since she was in the fifth grade at Pinkerton Elementary. Though she

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tried other sports such as basketball and volleyball, pole vault is the one that stuck.

“My favorite event is pole vault just because it’s just the most fun,” Schuller said. “I just love everything that goes into it and just getting to go so high up into the air; it’s really fun for me.”

Pole vault requires both body strength and flexibility. Through the eyes of the audience, the sport may look light and easy as the athletes swing into the air.

But Schuller spends many days in the gym pouring sweat and building energy to match the strength required to pole vault.

“People usually think that pole vaulting is easy and the pole does all the work for you,” Schuller said. “I train really hard, I go to weight rooms and I work my arms a lot and I do a lot of sprints. I also do a lot of gymnastic drills that will help my swing and allow my vertical to be better.”

Schuller’s life is surrounded by people who push her to do her best. But her own motivation is what keeps her calm.

“I always give myself a pep talk in my head before every jump,” Schuller said. “I always tell myself that I can do it and I work myself up so I have a lot of adrenaline to bend the pole and give myself the energy I need.”

Schuller hopes to inspire upcoming students, and have them look up to her for motivation.

“I really want to be a role model for younger athletes. When I am a senior, I want to inspire the freshmen and have people be like, ‘wow, she’s really good. I want to be like her’,” Schuller said.

Despite all efforts, Schuller has managed to surpass the entire history of Coppell in terms of pole vaulting. But her goals stretch much farther than CHS. “After high school, I really want to get a college scholarship and compete in college for track and if that goes well I would love to go to the Olympics and be on the U.S. National Team,” Schuller said. “Track is my life.”

SREEJA ‘22 can be reached at sxm4577@g.coppellisd.com

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APRIL

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Jeon pitching- in with enthusiasm:: from Texas Rangers fan to Rice commit VICTORIA HERTEL STAFF WRITER @veh37936

Coppell junior pitcher David Jeon verbally committed to playing baseball at Rice University. Photo courtesy David Jeon

David Jeon, Coppell junior baseball, Dulins Dodgers club team and future Rice University pitcher and catcher, was only a third grader when the Texas Rangers went to the World Series for the first time in October 2010.

This event would mark the first time Jeon found his admiration for baseball.

“David knew he started baseball a lot later than his friends,” Daniel Jeon, David’s father, said. “I wanted him to know baseball wasn’t a competition against others, it was a fight against himself.”

It was after the moments he watched the World Series - experiencing the emotion and dedication of the roller coaster of the Rangers games - that David knew he wanted to play baseball.

“After watching the World Series, I started playing baseball,” David said.

“From there, I joined a [recreation team] and along the way I met some coaches who helped me find better teams like select and club teams.”

To come this far, David has put in a great deal of work behind-the-scenes and time into working on mechanics to get better little-by-little every day.

Baseball is always on his mind; for baseball at Coppell, he has practices both in the morning and after school.

“Pitching is where I’ve seen his most improvement. His fastball has

gotten so much more velocity and moment,” Coppell junior outfielder and pitcher Ryan Walker said. “He’s become a lot more sturdy in his approach at the plate and he’s become an overall better player mentally and physically.

It’s awesome to see him grow.”

David went to the Perfect Game World Series, a tournament in Atlanta in which the top 36 baseball teams in the nation compete, with the Dulins Dodgers. This competition brought David closer to his club teammates, including those in Memphis who his team combined with [the Dulins Dodgers has locations across different states and the best players from each team played].

Last August, David and a Rice University coach got into contact through the head coach of the Dulins Dodgers, Chris Godwin. Rice was the first college he received an offer from.

“I was excited because it was my first offer and it meant a lot because all of the hard work I put into baseball paid off,” David said. “I still have a lot to do, but being noticed motivated me to get better.”

The moment that he found out that he was going to be able to go to Rice was emotional for David. He was in Atlanta when he got the big offer from the prestigious college after a game.

Godwin told him to call up the college coach who was at the game, who said they thought David could help their program.

“I was in the room by myself and as soon as the call ended, I went to tell my dad, who was excited,” David said. “He told my parents, siblings and coaches. It was a good moment.”

David credits his parents for not only allowing him to play, but helping him excel in baseball while being supportive. In addition, his father has enforced a strong work ethic into David.

“They’re really supportive. Even if my dad has work, he’ll try to come home earlier to take me to club practice, which is at Anna [High School],” David said. “My parents come to every practice and game. (After a game when we go home), no matter how many games I’ve played or how tired I am, (my dad and I will) always go right home and fix it. We’ll work on it for however long it takes, it could be hours or just minutes.”

Overall, David has accomplished so much in the years he has been playing baseball. From watching his first game to actually committing to pursue the sport in college, his work ethic speaks for itself. With a strong support group behind him, David is set for a hopeful future in baseball.

“I am proud of my son, who has been picked up by good coaches every year, who has grown up on his own and won the competition against himself,” Daniel said.

VICTORIA ‘21 can be reached at veh7936@g.coppellisd.com.

Filling the empty throne of women’s professional tennis ANJALI KRISHNA STAFF WRITER @anjalikrishna_ After her stunning victory against Petra Kvitova in the finals of last year’s Australian Open championships, Naomi Osaka took the No. 1 world ranking and high regard of the international tennis community. She became the first woman to win consecutive Grand Slam singles titles since Serena Williams in 2015, the other being the U.S. Open late 2018.

Osaka was considered to be the heir the throne previously held by Serena Williams, whose return after childbirth seemed at first to be a smashing reinstatement of the crown, but eventually became shrouded in doubt as she seemed to fade into the group of women who won Grand Slams one day, then lost unceremoniously in the first round of the next Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250.

In this year’s Australian Open, Osaka joined that pack, losing to lowly-ranked but promising 15 year old Coco Gauff in the third round. From the moment Williams stepped off the court to now, women’s tennis has lacked a gold-standard player.

While the women’s field is sprin-

kled with talented players, the group of 20-somethings headlining the sport struggle to break away from the pack and stand out for a specific disruptive style of play. Most women cling to the baseline and serve well within the typical speed range (of 85 to 90 mph).

Of course, there are a few outliers to the pattern, such as Aryna Sabalenka’s dominating power and Osaka’s service speeds reaching 125 mph, but no one is as utterly commanding of the game as Serena Williams was for nearly 20 years.

Lacking adventurous, explosive play, the game has come to a near standstill.

The competition has all come equipped with solid groundstrokes and baseline play, but no extraordinary point-finishing shots that make a supreme winner.

The stars who were presumed to be the next big names such as Madison Keys, Bianca Andreescu and Karolina Pliskova are all dogged by the same inconsistency as Osaka. 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, for instance, failed to win a single match in the remainder of that season. Nowadays, any match is just about anyone’s as ranking continually decreases in importance and the No. 1 spot seems to be everchanging.

More and more unheard of players become title holders and Grand Slam

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champions, taking their spot in the sun for a tournament or two, then immediately falling from grace.

In contrast, the men’s side of play is dominated by three familiar names: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, just as the women’s side had been by Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graff before Williams took over.

The issue with the lack of pacesetters in women’s tennis lies in that the group of headliners becomes larger every day, failing to create recognizable names and rivalries keeping the game alive.

TO READ MORE, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM

ANJALI ‘22 can be reached at axk8800@g.coppellisd.com

Throughout the years, women’s tennis has always had a gold standard player; Helen Willis, Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams are prime examples. Sidekick staff writer Anjali Krishna analyzes the current state of women’s professional tennis. Graphic

by Kaylee Aguilar

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Faith, family, ferocity: Bases loaded for Ingle ANJALI KRISHNA STAFF WRITER @anjalikrishna_ For Coppell junior shortstop Sydney Ingle, softball means sisterhood.

As a team captain for the Cowgirls and an integral part of the Cowgirls’ dynamic, the most important thing for Ingle about the game is her team.

“Having eight other girls who are like your sisters that you get to grow with, especially in high school softball, where you spend four years with them, it’s really like a second family,” Ingle said. “They elected me as one of their team captains and they know they can come to me with anything.”

A close second in importance for Ingle is her drive for excellence.

“She’s a leader because she sets the standard of what we need to strive for on the field, which is excellence,” Coppell senior first baseman Olivia Reed said. “She holds us accountable as well as herself and doesn’t fail to disappoint, especially in tough situations. She encourages everyone to do their best and won’t accept anything less than our best.”

Ingle began to play softball as a child, her parents encouraging her and her sisters to join the sport they had

once played. Of her sisters, only Ingle found passion for it and continued to play. “[Ingle] is always working and she wants to get better, she wants to win,” Coppell coach Mike Dyson said. “She’s very vocal about it, she wants to win, and she works hard for it. She’s a leader out there on the field for those other girls, because what she does is perform. She backs up what she talks to the team.”

Away from the Cowgirls, Ingle plays outfield for American Freedom 18U Gold Team under former West Texas A&M coach Kevin Blaskowski.

“I like the outfield because you get more of a chance to make those ‘Wow’ plays, the game-winning, diving catches and you get to rob the home runs,” Ingle said. “I get the chance to do that and work under a great coach with American Freedom.”

Ingle is committed to play at the University of North Texas when she graduates, where she will be studying business. Afterwards, she looks to be involved in softball as a coach.

In 2020, Ingle was nominated to be VYPE DFW Softball Preseason Player of the Year, which for her was a pleasant surprise.

“Some of the other girls were like future Oklahoma softball players and

future Kansas softball players, and then me, who’s just going to North Texas, a local school, was recognized for something that big,” Ingle said.

According to Dyson, the Cowgirls are lucky to have her.

“She’s a really good athlete - all round, she can play any position for us,” Dyson said. “Her best feature is consistency. Speed and attitude towards the game is what keeps her winning.”

ANJALI ‘22 can be reached at axk8800@g.coppellisd.com

Coppell junior shortstop Sydney Ingle was nominated as VYPE DFW 2020 Preseason Softball Player of the Year.

Photo by Sally Parampottil

freshman tennis star breaks norms, AKIF ABIDI STAFF WRITER @akifabidi The rhythmic thumping noises as the ball hits the racket and rockets across the court is noise all too familiar for Coppell freshman Lindsay Patton. It’s something she’s grown accustomed to when she was 8, and now as a freshman, has a part of her everyday life.

When she first steps onto a court, opponents – often older and bigger – tend to underestimate Patton, a slender player with a small frame. It is a common, but grave, mistake.

“You look at her build and you might think she’s weaker,” Coppell coach Rich Foster said. “But she’s one of the stronger players we have on the team. Because of her size, a lot of opponents look at her and think, ‘oh, this is going to be easy, I’m going to be able to beat her.’ That is absolutely not the case. She surprises every one of them.

She’s a monster on the court.”

With the start of fall tennis season, Patton was paired up with New Tech High @ Coppell senior Sofia Sanchez for doubles matches and made a great impression. Soon, she was making frequent appearances in tournament lineups, climbing up to the rank of lines three and four. With the start of the spring season, Patton’s great performance promoted her to line one.

“I expected to have some success but I didn’t expect to place a majority of the spring tourna-

Twitter: @CHSCampusNews

takes NO.1 spot on team ments,” Patton said. “So that was obviously interesting. But it’s also really fun because I work hard and I wanted to do good, so it was paying off. It is really exciting for me.”

In Foster’s 30 years of coaching at Coppell, female freshmen players on varsity were somewhat uncommon.

Furthermore, Foster has only ever seen five female freshmen players break into the top spots of the varsity lineup.

Foster had

planned to play Patton and Sanchez as a doubles team again for the spring season. However, the spring season was suspended because of UIL COVID-19 precautions. The pair still got the opportunity to play a few tournaments before the season was suspended, fin-

Coppell freshman Lindsay Patton has risen to the top ranks of the girls tennis team in a matter of a year, where she competes against players bigger and older than her. Photo courtesy Lindsay Patton

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ishing top three in most of them.

“We have had freshmen in varsity, but it’s really impressive to have one as a regular in the lineup. It’s not something that’s common,” Sanchez said.

“She is a great teammate. She is really supportive and always makes sure that everyone feels included. She always gives good feedback.”

Patton suffered from an injured shoulder in the fall season and has nearly fully recovered from it. Already a well-rounded player, Patton and her coaches hope to work to better her game in the future.

“She can go long sets and long matches and never tire.”

Foster said. “So she’s got the endurance, we’re trying to strengthen her. Not that she needs to hit the ball harder, she can smack that ball for her size. But we’re trying to get her stronger so that she doesn’t start getting fatigued and soreness in her muscles.”

At this point, it is unsure whether spring season playoffs will be held this year, but Patton has made it her goal to qualify for state at least once in the coming years. It is a dream that is very much achievable, and with three more years at Coppell ahead of her, time is one thing she surely has.

AKIF ‘20 can be reached at asa2606@g.coppellisd.com

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