Volume 35 Issue 5

letter editor from the

Sri Achanta Executive Editor-in-Chief @sriachanta_

Place a tabla, saxophone, mridangam, piano, guitar, recorder and violin in a room full of musicians and you’ll end up with a septet - a seemingly arbitrary seven-instrument ensemble.

Take out the last “s” in musicians, walk into a different room and you might just end up at my house.

Following the path of a stereotypical Asian American, I started my musical career as a pianist. I became a soprano recorder afcionado by ffth grade, a proud member of my school’s band. In sixth grade, determined to expand my abilities, I picked up guitar and violin lessons. By seventh grade, I got bored and quit both instruments.

In eighth grade, I began feeling intune with my culture and learned how to play the tabla, a pair of Desi hand drums. The standard age to learn a new instrument is between 4 and 7, so when I joined my frst tabla class at 13, I was surrounded by a handful of frst graders who were particularly keen on showing me up.

I continued to play the tabla throughout tenth grade and that summer, I picked up the saxophone just long enough to learn “A Whole New World.” During junior year, I took a hiatus from playing any instruments, focusing more on the mundane tasks that come with growing up.

It was only a few weeks ago, well into my senior year, that I decided to start playing an instrument again: the mridangam, a South Indian classical drum. The feeling of joy that came from the physical motions of playing an instrument after a year of intermission was unmatched, even though my natural affnity towards playing had started to wane.

Though I am at best, a mediocre musician, each instrument that I have played has brought valuable lessons.

It was the tears I shed over the ivory keys of my grand piano, repeating the same measure over and over again that nurtured a sense of patience within me.

The callouses I developed after wrapping my fngers around the guitar and violin strings were a testament to my mantra: no pain, no gain.

The ego I had to mend after realizing that young children could play the tabla better than me fortifed my resolve.

And currently, playing the mridangam simply out of enjoyment reminds me that there’s no life without doing things for fun.

Playground pioneers

District to innovate school playgrounds

Namir Awan

Staff Writer

@namir_awan

Wind blows through your hair as you swing back and forth. The feeling of rust scraping your fngers as you clench the metal poles evokes a sense of nostalgia. Walking across the playground you notice broken slides, rusted equipment and scraps of your past as mulch fnds its way into your shoes.

Coppell ISD has chosen to tackle aging campus playgrounds with Proposition A of the 2023 $321 million dollar bond.

Proposition A, which accounts for $269 million, funds all things related to school infrastructure. Schools are due for an upgrade with a focus on new fooring, roofing, painting and especially updated playground equipment.

According to CISD Board of Trustees president David Caviness, $4.5 million is set aside for 10 of the 11 district

elementary schools.

Every school except Canyon Ranch Elementary School will receive equipment upgrades. The mulch will be switched out for rubber tarmac, and playgrounds will be designed with accessibility in mind for special education students.

This project is taking place because parents and teachers have been surprised by the number of playground related injuries and the state of the playgrounds themselves.

“I always used to see my kid come home with cuts and bruises from the mulch,” Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt said. “His friends would always complain about the equipment and how most of it doesn’t work.”

CISD parents had been persuading administration to consider upgrades to playgrounds.

“I have three kids that go to school and play on the playgrounds,” Austin Elemen-

tary School Parent Teacher Organization member Rebecca Bailey said. “They always come home with different things about the playgrounds and we all wanted to see an improvement. Austin Elementary, being one of the oldest schools in Coppell, was overdue for an upgrade, and I am glad that it is fnally in motion.”

As for the community outlook, there is support and appreciation from parents and staff regarding the new plan for the playgrounds.

“As a community everyone really appreciates the amount of attention and dedication that we as a board have put towards the schools,” trustee Jobby Matthew said. “I am a parent who is also glad that the schools are getting support and improving as a whole.”

Schools including Lakeside Elementary School, Austin Elementary School and the oldest campus, Pinkerton Elementary School, are all overdue for upgrades.

“My kids go to Austin Elementary, and they are always asking me when they will get new swings or better equipment,” Bailey said. “This bond is a great way to increase involvement within the school and allow for more families to be appreciative of Coppell schooling.”

The improvements also include improved and additional swings, as well as more space and accessibility for children with special needs and disabilities.

“We really tried to focus on and improve the playgrounds to match the community feedback,” Caviness said. “The biggest concerns were the slides going bad, the accessibility of the children, and the overall lack of viable equipment.”

With the construction starting this spring, major upgrades will be made during the summer, and minor improvements will be made throughout the school year.

“The community is thrilled and families looking at Coppell will see that we as a district genuinely care about the schools and the future of our children,” Dr. Hunt said. “We are defnitely going to look to improve upon our district as a whole in the future, but for now it is a start and an upgrade for sure.”

Valley Ranch Elementary School’s playground equipment is showing its age. Proposition A of the Coppell ISD Bond Package allows for playground renovations for all district elementary schools aside from Canyon Ranch Elementary School. Sri Achanta

The Sidekick executive editor-in-chief Sri Achanta recounts her experiences playing instruments. Each instrument has taught her valuable lessons.

Photo courtesy Sri Achanta Valley Ranch Elementary School’s playground steps are rusted and showing wear and tear. Proposition A of the Coppell ISD Bond Package allows for playground renovations for all district elementary schools aside from Canyon Ranch Elementary School. Sri Achanta

The Sidekick new

City launches neighborhood rehabilitation program

Sri Achanta Executive Editor-in-Chief @sriachanta_

To maintain its neighborhood integrity, the City of Coppell is launching a trial rehabilitation program to assist owners of older homes with exterior improvements.

According to the director of community development Mindi Hurley, community infrastructure has started to age with approximately 63.3% of homes in Coppell aged at 30 years or older. Through this trial program, homeowners can apply for a grant with up to 50% reimbursement for external renovations costing up to $10,000. To be eligible for this grant, homes must be 30 years or older, projects must total $1,000 or more and all projects must receive building permits and pass inspections.

In its Feb. 13 meeting, Coppell City Council mandated that renovations can only take place in owner-occupied homes during the trial period.

“For me, it was important to prioritize our homeowners just to make sure the people that have lived in the community for a while have an opportunity to take advantage of the grant frst,” council member Kevin Nevels said.

The City Council has budgeted $100,000 from the previously unallocated American Rescue Plan Act funds to fnance the trial program. One grant can be awarded per property in a 24-month period with a maximum grant value of up to $10,000. This could mean that only 10 homeowners will be able to utilize these funds.

“We hope that all $100,000 is utilized,” Hurley said. “Let’s say I applied for $5000 worth of work to my home, I would only get $2500 back. That allows more people to get [money]. However far we can allocate the funds is what we want to do.”

However, funding is specifcally for external renovations. No internal renovations will be covered through the program.

Marketing for this program will tentatively start at the end of March, with applications for the grants opening around three weeks later. An online form will be made available to citizens who can then fll out, print and submit in person. In addition to the form, individuals need to attach documentation including quotes of renovation costs.

“It’s going to be frst come, frst serve,” Hurley said. “They will bring all the documentation to us partly, because we don’t want things to get lost in the system. It

guarantees that we can date and time stamp [the submissions], so that we can show when we received it and which order we received it in, and know there was fairness in it.”

Currently, an annual amount of $200,000 has been earmarked for the implementation of this program in the fve-year forecast for fscal year 2025-26. However, continuation of this program is dependent on council approval after the trial period ends and the program is evaluated.

“The thing I’m looking for is utilization,” Nevels said. “Is this a program that our community wants? Will we have people [who] take advantage of it? The popularity of the program will help determine if we continue, and if it’s a very popular program, then we have to look at being careful with taxpayer money.”

After the trial period ends, funding for the program will come from Coppell’s general fund. This, however, has sparked concern for council member Jim Walker.

“I just don’t think that we should be taking from one group of taxpayers that are taking care of their home and all of those things that are incidental to home ownership, and using their tax dollars for people that decide they want to apply for a grant,

and have the city fund up to $10,000 of the same types of improvements,” Walker said. “We’ve got to be very prudent with how we spend our taxpayers’ dollars.”

Walker is also apprehensive that the program may work in the opposite manner than intended.

“People would apply for the grant thinking, ‘Gosh, it’s going to cost $15,000 to paint my house. I’ll apply for this grant and see if I can get $10,000,” Walker said. “But then the grant doesn’t get approved, so then they think, ‘well, I’ll hold off on painting my house and I’ll apply next year,’ and it still doesn’t get approved. So now, they’ve gone three years not painting their home, when, if that program wasn’t there to incentivize them to put it off until they got the money from the city, they probably would have already had it painted.”

Nevels acknowledges concerns about employing taxpayer money for this program but is looking at its holistic effects.

“What I would say to that is, I defnitely understand his concerns about [taxpayer money usage], but I think it’s important for us to consider our neighborhood integrity and maintain property values,” Nevels said. “That’s why I’m really interested in the pilot program.”

Duke dreaming big as district’s new HR director

Aasritha Yanamala Staff Writer @CHSCampusNews

As they get closer and closer to high school, middle schoolers are often confronted with the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

In response, they might say “I don’t know yet.” However, that was not the case for middle school Karen Duke. Instead, she would proudly say, “A teacher.”

When previous executive director Kelly Mires accepted the chief human resources

offcer position at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, there was a space in the HR department for CISD. Duke, working at Region 10 Education Service Center, applied for the job.

On Jan. 22, Duke was named Coppell ISD executive director of human resources. Her frst day on the job was Feb. 12. ”Specifcally because of the timing of this open position, we felt like we needed someone who could hit the ground running,” CISD HR specialist Michelle Minnick said. “[We wanted] someone who has

served in this world before or in similar capacity.”

The district’s HR executive director is tasked with managing operations and helping guide district staff.

“We talked to principals, department directors and supervisors,” CISD administrative services assistant supervisor Kristen Eichel said. “They all said they needed someone who was approachable, knew all the components of HR and loved students, teachers and the school environment.”

Duke met these qualifcations. Following her childhood dream career, Duke initially started in education as a biology and anatomy/physiology teacher as well as a basketball, cross country and tennis coach at Crandall High School in Crandall ISD.

“I knew in eighth grade what I wanted to do,” Duke said. “I wanted to be a teacher and make a difference in students’ lives.”

As time went on, Duke climbed the administrative ladder. After being an assistant principal at Boswell High School in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, Duke entered the world of human resources where she has remained for the past 17 years, serving in multiple districts and regional headquarters.

“Human resources is kind of like a puzzle,” Duke said. “Each campus has a different need to be met and you have to fnd those specifc needs.”

Duke worked for fve years in the Region 10 Education Service Center’s Human Resources department which supports its

region school districts with HR tasks such as the hiring process and training of new staff members. However, her heart was elsewhere.

“She wanted to work with students, teachers and staff,” Eichel said. “Duke just has a love for education and doing what’s right for students.”

After taking on the work of overseeing school districts, Duke missed being a part of one. She wanted to feel a connection that comes with being in a school district. Thus, she applied for CISD’s executive HR director position which she learned about through a network of colleagues.

Duke made it through an application process that dwindled from a pool of 50 potential candidates to a pool of about half the size, and further narrowed down to fve fnalists. Then, on Jan. 18, Duke interviewed for a fnal time with the CISD HR department.

“Because I was a part of the interview committee, I had the beneft of hearing all the applicants that we selected for that interview,” Minnick said. “Because of her background, her skillset, her experience and her passion, she rose to the top of the applicant pool.”

In the month since Duke was admitted into offce, she has attended meetings, solved time-sensitive issues and has embodied her role as the executive director of human resources.

“Our district just called out to her,” Minnick said. “This is where she wanted to be.”

The City of Coppell is launching a residential rehabilitation program, assisting homeowners of homes 30 years or older. This program allows applicants to utilize city funds in paying for part of home exterior improvements. Sameeha Syed

Karen Duke is Coppell ISD’s new executive director of human resources. Duke has led human resource teams at various school districts for the past 17 years, and started working for CISD on Feb. 12, replacing Kelly Mires. Ishana Sharma

District introduces new iPads, styluses

Manasa Borra Staff Writer @CHSCampusNews

As part of the 2023 bond package, Coppell ISD has provided students from grades 6-11 with new iPads and styluses that come with newly implemented parental control features.

Coppell High School sophomores and juniors turned in their old devices to receive new ones on Wednesday and Thursday. The new hardware aims to alleviate technology issues of the past.

“The functioning of the old iPads was a struggle,” CISD digital learning coach Julie Bowles said. “There were often frustration points with the device being slow, not connecting to the internet and apps crashing. We need some replacement to make sure we’re staying on the innovative side.”

Costs from missing or damaged hardware at turn-in will be assessed by the Board of Trustees and could result in fees being discharged. The option to purchase device insurance has been reinstated until March 29 to allow students and parents to pay for possible damages to hardware on the reclaimed iPads. Insurance is $15 and covers damages for the rest of the school year.

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The iPads also come with simple styluses to replace Apple Pencils. The decision to switch to these new styluses was motivated primarily by financial concerns. First-generation Apple pencils cost almost $100, so frequent damage and losses quickly result in large expenses for the district. The new styluses retail for $29.99, making them a significantly cheaper alternative.

“Our goal is to keep kids safe and teach,” associate principal Zane Porter said. “We have to save money where we can so that we can spend it on other things that elevate safety and education. And if we can get the same functionality for a third of the cost, I think it only makes sense for a district to do that.”

Students are split in their decisions about the new technology. Many covet the better appearance and ease of use but still recognize drawbacks.

“I like the big screen and the camera quality is amazing, but the iPad’s battery health itself isn’t great,” junior Riha Musa said. “You would expect the battery to be a lot better, but I would say it runs out of battery almost as much as our old iPads.”

The new styluses also face mixed student opinion. Some appreciate the styluses for their light weight and their ease of

connectivity. Some miss the quality capabilities of the previous Apple Pencils.

“I like the Apple Pencils and I like these styluses generally,” junior Vidhi Patel said. “But compared to the Apple Pencils, the battery isn’t as good, and you have to constantly charge it. Also, pressure sensitivity is big for artists or just in general, and this stylus just doesn’t have it.”

Additionally, the iPads will come with more parental control options. Guardians will be able to limit screen time for applications or restrict websites on their student’s device. These features come from the Coppell District Improvement Plan and Council who work with parents and community members to improve student education.

“Some parents will want more restrictions on their kids than others,” Porter said. “Not everyone agrees with the policies we put out, and this is just one way of trying to give autonomy back to the parents”

The iPad upgrades are coming as a part of a greater technological initiative for CHS. So far the school has upgraded educator Macbooks and replaced outdated security cameras in the schools. There are also plans to upgrade Wi-Fi, markedly in gym areas for digital testing.

News Flash is a series in which readers receive updates on local news that has betweenhappened the issues.

Donut City celebrates 20th anniversary

District 115 candidates discuss school voucers, funding in education forum DECA

Vibha Viswanath Staff Photographer @CHSCampusNews

Splash and Dash Groomerie and Boutique is a dog grooming business dedicated to giving dogs haircuts while ensuring them a safe and caring environment. Watch The Sidekick staff photographer Vibha Viswanath’s video as she speaks to store owner Jaime Meyer about Splash and Dash and her motivation for creating the business.

A Splash and Dash employee gives a dog a grooming treatment. Splash and Dash Dog Groomerie and Boutique opened 16 years ago in Coppell as a place where dogs receive high quality grooming. Vibha Viswanath

Watch Vibha Viswanath’s video with Splash and Dash.

Coppell ISD digital learning coach Julie Bowles distributes an iPad to junior AnneMarie Oilepo on Feb. 28. CISD provided new devices and accessories to students in grades 6-11 as a part of the 2023 bond package. Neha Nathwani

o CHS9 CHS9 5 The Sidekick

Aerospace Club blasting off in first year

Nyah Rama CHS9 Editor @nyah_rama

The rocket glistens in the sunlight, highlighting its aerodynamic figure and jutted fins at the bottom.

3, 2, 1, blastoff!

All of the sudden, it springs to life propelling itself upwards into the vast blue sky.

At the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, club president Aarav Kushan had a revelation: CHS9 needed an Aerospace Club.

“I had a passion for aerospace and rock etry in general and I wanted to share that with other people,” Kushan said. “I didn’t really see that organization at CHS9 so I wanted to create one.”

With the assistance of friends, Kushan quickly put together the CHS9 Aerospace Club, sponsored by a familiar face, com puter science teacher Seneca Hart.

“I actually used to teach at Coppell Mid dle School East and this is my first year at CHS9,” Hart said. “There were students that knew me and they approached me and said ‘we would like to compete in this American Rocketry Challenge and we want to build a club around it.’ I knew they were good kids and they were hard workers, so I agreed to be their sponsor.”

With members taking charge of competitions and rocket designs, they still had to learn about what it means to run a club.

“When they first met, it was a lot of research and learning about what the process of the competition that they wanted to enter was like,” Hart said. “They also spent a lot of time learning how we conduct a meeting and how everybody’s ideas can be heard. After that, as the year progressed, it became less about informational meetings and it was more about why they were meeting; it was because they were ac tually doing something.”

came up to me and asked if I wanted to join the Aerospace Club with him,” structural and design lead Jayanth Yamunan said. “At first, I didn’t really think that it would be a thing but this year I went to the second meeting and realized ‘oh, we’re actually doing something here.’ It developed over the first semester into a real club.”

Once the team had been put together, the task at hand was simple: raise money.

said. “It was put together last-minute, all the advertising was done the night before and the majority of people that came were friends and family, but we ended up getting about $350.”

Nights and days off were spent trying to perfect the rocket. It was through these efforts that club members began to bond as well as develop their interests in aerospace.

“I got more interested as we were going through the developmental and design phase,” Yamunan said. “I remember there were nights where it was just me, vice pres- ident Pranav Suryadevara and a few others working on the rocket over winter

break and the process of designing and creating something really got me into it.”

The club is preparing its rocket for the ultimate test: the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) in April 7-14 in Virginia. Numerous test launches and redesigns have been a part of the club’s efforts to reach consistent altitudes and flight times.

While the passion students have for this club is clear, it did not start this way.

“Last year, I remember Aarav just

“Initially we didn’t actually understand the competition,” Yamunan said. “Our initial design process was to keep the rocket as stable as possible and make it go as high as possible. But then we contacted the ARC successful inventor, Buzz McDermott, and we found out that the actual purpose of the competition was to get to about 820 feet. We had to radically change how we were making the rocket.”

To meet this goal, club members hold test launches on weekends at Dallas Area Rocketry Society launch field to see where

“I feel like we are much more organized,” Suryadevara said. “I remember our first launch was heavily disorganized, we didn’t know what we were doing. Now we have these checklists and we can get

Through these experiences, members have grown not only in their knowledge of

“It was amazing to see them really grow up,” Hart said. “They really were very passionate about wanting to do this. They were so focused on the goal that it really helped them come together as a team and realize that no one person was going to be able to do it by themselves, so they were gonna have to work together. I’m really proud of what they’ve ac-

While the competition will be over in mid-April and the members soon moving on from CHS9, they hope this isn’t

“I think that’s the hope,” Yamunan said. “I have a couple friends in the grade below that may be interested. The hope has always been that this is a lasting club and that we can create something like this at CHS. We want to keep it going.”

Hong representing CISD through art

Safiya Azam Staff Designer @_saf_azm_

Thin, dark lines outline the creases of bright, colorful wrappers of lollipops propped up in a glass. The paper that the lollipops are placed on is surrounded by shadows of glittering gold chocolate and glistening brown of doughnut glaze, creating a contrasting visual you cannot help but stare at.

Sweet Dreams, a watercolor piece by Coppell freshman Art II Honors student Ava Hong, is one of six pieces in Coppell ISD to be chosen for Youth Art Month, a program within the Texas Art Education Association that strives to celebrate young artists and the role art has within the education system.

Sweet Dreams was for Art II Honors students’ first assignment centered around contour, and Hong made it a point to make it unique with her own flair.

“My piece is about how things aren’t always as they seem,” Hong said. “I put the focal point in really bright colors so you would look at it [lollipops] first.”

Hong’s goal is to emphasize the bright lollipops to catch the viewer’s attention but ultimately surprise the viewer as they explore the piece to see the intricate details that they had originally missed.

Hong’s process involved multiple steps from tracking down candy wrappers and chocolates, to baking doughnuts herself

and photographing the arrangements to make the perfect composition to match her vision.

“I really don’t like watercolor,” Hong said. “I had to use a small brush for the tiniest details and when it didn’t work out I had to go over it with a layer of white colors to correct the mistakes.”

Despite seeming recluse, Hong’s skill is evident through her use of watercolors and fine detail she achieves through thin brush strokes, meticulousness and dedication.

CHS9 Hong’s Art II Honors teacher Elsa Reynolds picked her piece in addition to two others for submission.

“I like to select students who continuously put in good effort,” Reynolds said. “Even though [Hong] is just sitting back there quietly with her piece, she has an eye for really observing and recording what she sees. That was the first piece she finished and I realized she’s really good at adding details.”

CHS9 Art II Honors student Mahathi Kumar is one of Hong’s close friends and witnesses the effort Hong puts into her work.

“Once, I walked over when she was still in the planning process,” Kumar said. “When she finished and showed me it was honestly really good. She put a lot of time into it, she would take it home a lot and work on it.”

only recognized by her peers and Reynolds but by Youth Art Month as well, with Sweet Dreams advancing from the CISD level. Although her work did not win at the state level, it is still first at the district level and will be showcased at a reception in March attended by CISD staff and students.

Hong’s

love for art branches outside of school as well, with it being a hobby she sharpens daily. She is grateful for the art curriculum she’s been a part of at Coppell.

“I do more landscapes and complicated art now, instead of just sketches,” Hong said. “Compared to art from middle school, art from high school gives you more creative freedom,” Hong said.

Hong’s attention to detail was not

CHS9 Aerospace Club has been constructing a rocket since the start of the school year. The club is competing in the 2024 American Rocketry Challenge from April 7-14 in Great Meadow, Va.

Sameeha Syed

CHS9 student Ava Hong used charcoal for her piece titled Jealousy, in response to a rock, paper, scissors prompt. Hong is one of three to have her piece selected to represent CHS9 at the District Youth Art Month Exhibit and Awards Ceremony. Rhea Choudhary

2023-2024

staff

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Chase Wofford, Staff Adviser

Sri Achanta, Editor-In-Chief*

Avani Munji, Design Editor*

Kayla Nguyen, Photography Editor*

EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP

Aliza Abidi, Editorial Page Editor*

Anushree De, Features Editor

Ainsley Dwyer, Entertainment Editor

Nyah Rama, CHS9 Editor

Sahasra Chakilam, News Editor*

Ava Johnson, Sports Assignment Editor

MEDIA TEAM LEADERSHIP

Minori Kunte, Staff Cartoonist

Rhea Chowdhary, Video Editor

Wendy Le, Podcast Producer*

COMMUNICATIONS AND BUSINESS

Sameeha Syed, Social Media Manager*

Sukirtha Muthiah, Business Manager*

WRITERS

Sydney Araujo

Isheeta Bajjuri

Anvita Bondada

Isabella Santos*

Rhea Choudhary

Caitlyn Concepcion

Elizabeth De Santiago

EV Kennard

Deepika Kumar

Hamza Zakir

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Namir Awan

Marli Field

Neeharika Gajula

Yepoom Hong

Luke Jared

Medha Kanamarlapudi

Emmalee Jittasupo

DESIGNERS

Safya Azam

Manasa Borra

Jayden Chui

Noor Fatima

Kavya Lokhande

Nrithya Mahesh

Ishita Patra

Neha Nathwani

Sanghika Pallela

Katie Park

Riya Prasad

Ishana Sharma

Yugaditya Talukdar

Niharika Tallapaka

Sabah Uddin

Greeshma Marathu

Emmy Moreno

Eirene Park

Maddy Park*

Sohana Singh

Vibha Viswanath

Aasritha Yanamala

Pranavi Ramineni

Ahana Roy

Brody Sever

Sohalia Reddy

Sofa Exposito Perez

Taylor Pham

*Indicates a Vol. 35 No. 5 page designer

Staff Editorial

Exercising gym awareness against extremes among teens

Opening Instagram, dozens of strong, chiseled individuals fex through the screen, representing the desires of many adolescents who have those images on the forefront of their minds.

In high school specifcally, many teenagers have made working out a vital part of their schedule,inspired by online infuencers, social media, fashion trends and the ever evolving beauty standards. These new standards have installed a new blooming culture of getting ‘jacked’ and hitting the gym.

Around Coppell, this growth manifests across a multitude of gym and workout programs catering to community members of all ages. The community provides amenities so locals can be consistent in working out, going to the gym and gaining mental and physical benefts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working out may increase mental well-being, assist in controlling one’s weight, lower the risk of illness along with strengthening bones and muscles.

However, from talks of personal records and protein intake to the potential social status that people correlate with it, the glorifcation of the gym aesthetic often reaches unhealthy extremes.

To build muscle and lose weight, topics such as calorie defcits and nutrition become essential for people frequenting the gym. Although these subjects are well-researched, many beginners or adolescents do not explore the potential negatives. As people become captivated by online gym culture and mimic it by enforcing supplemental nutrients and consistent lifting, they may not understand the harm it may cause if not carried out with caution. As growing adolescents exploring new body goals and trends, we need to develop a perspective of the potential harm we could infict on our bodies.

One way gym extremism can harm someone is ego-lifting or lifting a weight that one wants to be able to, rather than what they actually can or control. Feeding into societal expectation of how much a person should be able to lift puts a person in a position that forces them to take on weights they are not suited

The Sidekick is the offcial 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 refect the view of their writers.

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for, many times leading to improper form and muscle injuries.

Furthermore, the normalization of pre and post supplements without proper knowledge of the potential long-term side effects can also be harmful. Many within the weightlifting community may put pressure on themselves to use performance-enhancing substances like steroids, especially at higher competitive levels. Given that adolescents’ bodies are still developing, steroids can have harmful health effects including growth retardation, hormone imbalances and organ damage according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

Social media plays a signifcant role in the promotion of this toxic gym culture. According to the National Institute of Health, many supplements are unreliable in their promises of muscle growth. After scrolling past a magnitude of infuencers with the ‘perfect’ body who claimed to have achieved it via a workout or supplements, many people follow them while unaware of the additional factors such as diets, supplements, genetics or even the lighting or angles of the photos that play an essential role in how their physique appears. This leads to blind consumerism, and beginners at the gym not realizing the medical effects of sponsored supplements.

Another negative effect stemming from toxic gym culture is eating disorders. Not understanding the types and amounts of nutrients vital for one’s ideal physique, many gravitate towards not eating at all, starving themselves or entering a calorie surplus, to achieve their gym goal. The normalization of the aggressive ‘bulk and cut’ culture of gyming may feed into the development of eating disorders, but is overlooked because of the generalized promise results.

Going to the gym and dieting can be benefcial for your health. However, due to the prevalence of social media and toxic gym culture, many have unrealistic and unhealthy ideals for their bodies and do not do research before committing to working out and dieting.

To avoid the consequences of ignorance, people should be open to educating themselves. Instead of blindly doing something because someone on social media claimed that it is effcient, make sure to research it and gain an understanding of why or how it helps. Ultimately, people should prioritize the opinions of professionals such as doctors and nutritionists over infuencers or even people who seem knowledgeable online.

Beginners should also prioritize building up muscles and experience for healthy growth rather than ego-lifting. Consistency in the gym will display a healthier more natural growth and reduce the risk of muscle injury.

Going to the gym should always mean that health and body are the top priority. To push yourself is good, but it is equally important to understand why you are doing it and if it is the best way to approach physical wellness.

@thesidekickcoppell

An Ode to her :

Women’s History Month is a time of year to celebrate the women who play an important role in our lives.

Coming back to a away from home

Pigtails. A newspaper made into a fan. A mango-covered smiling face.

The overwhelmingly bright sun illuminated the table full with a wide arrangement of food. The chatter of my parents, cousins, aunts and uncles clashes with the clatter of plates as my grandmother walks in with yet another pot.

She smiles with sweat beaded on her forehead, and places steaming okra in front of me.

My eyes widen as I drop the sucked out mango from my hands, “Bhindi!”

The earliest memories I have of India, is in Lucknow. It was always the place of most comfort to me, away from the pollution and bustle of Delhi, and very far from the ebbs and fow of the academics in America. The comfort was not because of the wild monkeys or the graveled streets, but because it was the home to my brother, my fathers’ and my childhood.

Making the house harmless and welcoming is my grandmother, Amma, who fed into my childish creativity by telling me stories, concocted aroma-flled tradi-

tional food and taught me, a bit too well, what it means to be nur tured.

of my memories in Lucknow were always staring at the wall for hours by her side, listening to her weave imag inative stories, eyes wide as I was mesmer ized by the absurdity of the characters and settings. Looking back, I know her voice for story telling is what allowed me to gain the confdence and imagination to become the writer I am now.

rate stories, but also shape identity. Through her comfort ing nature and hearty laugh, I see a woman who supported a family through change and sacri

hood in India.

Not only providing me with a comforting setting to always come back to, her support also transcends geographic boundaries. What used to be monthly meetings now vary between two, sometimes three years, but I have never felt a void of her infuence on my character and growth. Even with a simple “InshaAllah it will work out, beta” over a short call, I feel the presence of her dreams and aspiration for my future and use it as an anchor for my own.

Amma, who taught me that memories and growth are based on the people rather than achievement. Amma, who infused my culture and heritage deeper than blood. Amma, whose character is chiseled by her diligence and her hugs enveloped with comfort.

Expressing love, learning grace with dance

Placing my tired feet right on the marked blue masking tape on the Granville Arts Center stage in Garland on a sunny Satur day, I fold my hands, with a smile on my face so big that it probably extended from ear to ear. Trying to take in the standing ovation, I bow and listen to the seemingly endless claps from the audience standing below me and it hits me - I fnally did it.

Three months earlier.

“Rhea the sequence is very simple. It is just stomp, stomp, jump, cross over, stomp, stomp, jump and hold!”

Hearing my dance teacher, Madhusri Sethuraman’s, frustration for what seemed to be the thousandth time, I sat down on the cold wooden foor in exasperation, pre pared to hear her yell at me.

Madhusri Aunty sat in her chair and told me how I had to let her in and how she wouldn’t be able to help me if I didn’t place my trust in her. Hearing those words made tears roll down my cheeks as I thought to myself, I’m never going to get better at this. There’s no way I can even think about being able to do my Arangetram.

As someone who had previously been forced to participate in a multitude of extra curricular activities, Bharatanatyam was nev er an area I considered myself to be strong in.

rienced dance teacher my mom chose

like the previous teachers I had. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Madhusri Aunty became someone I thought of as my friend, therapist, mentor and inspiration, rather than simply someone who is being paid to teach me dance.

Madhusri Aunty never once told me that I wouldn’t be able to successfully do my Arangetram and always encouraged me to push myself harder. When I frst met her, I was immediately drawn to how thorough of an effort she made to try to get to know my whole personality, both good and bad.

Madhuri Aunty has taught me more important life lessons than I can count, shaping me into the person I am today. I am constantly reminded that anytime she scolded or wanted more out of me, it was because she believed that I was capable of doing better, however, there’s one phrase she stated at my Arangetram that I will never forget.

“Behind every dancer who believes in herself is a teacher who believed in her frst.”

I sit on the couch, wrapped in a throw blanket, my eyes glued to the TV screen. My stomach is in knots as the main character inches towards a large door, moments away from discovering the murderer.

I hold my breath and lean forward, my heart rate increasing as every second passes.

“Sukirtha!” a voice yells into my ear.

I jump up and trip over the blanket, falling down just as the killer’s face is revealed. As I get up and reorient myself, I see my mom standing behind me, struggling to hold in her laughter.

Annoyance and anger quickly take over as I lunge towards her, but she is already running away. I chase after her for a few minutes until we both realize that neither of us know how the movie ended, so we end up back where we started: on the couch wrapped up in throw blankets.

It is moments like this that remind me of how close I am to my mom, Shan - riences.

Growing bonds memories through movies

Stemming from her childhood in India, my mom has always emphasized the importance of putting in the work to ensure the best possible outcome. Whether it be washing the dishes by hand or preparing weeks in advance for an important task at work, I have always admired my mom’s work ethic and attention to detail. I also know that nothing matters to my mom more than family. Regardless of her opinions or differences, she is always the first person to step up

and have our backs.

As she likes to say, “Friends will be there for us, but family comes first.”

Over the years, my mom and I unintentionally designated mystery-thriller movies to be our way of bonding. With every plot twist and jump scare, comes a shared moment of fear. With every confusing storyline comes a collective curiosity. With every cliff-hanger comes an hour-long debrief detailing our predictions for the next movie.

With every second we spend together, come the memories that we will cherish forever.

And I couldn’t ask for anyone better.

Sukirtha Muthiah

You are typing away on your laptop, taking notes for an upcoming test.

You decide that you need a quick break, conveniently switching tabs to a BuzzFeed quiz. After discovering which TV show character is your personality twin, you get back to work, but soon get stuck on a confusing concept.

You want to search it up, but that BuzzFeed quiz tab is still open and only a click away, so why not temporarily distract yourself from the problem and lose yourself in the rabbit hole of BuzzFeed quizzes?

This is why I prefer taking notes on paper rather than on technology. Electronic devices provide plenty of outlets for distractions, such as BuzzFeed quizzes and social media, and I have been a victim of this far too many times.

You may strongly believe that technology provides easier access to education and is a more effcient way to get work done. Yes, physical textbooks might not be the most modern way to study or quickest way to derive information. However, after experimenting with various note-taking methods, I can safely say that handwritten notes on paper is my favorite way to retain content.

After I began using paper more frequently, I found myself resisting the temptation to pick up my phone to scroll through my Instagram feed because it felt like a great effort to unlock my phone and swipe to the app. I feel signifcantly more productive this way, getting more work done in less time without constant distractions.

A sheet of paper with a pen in hand can be a powerful pair, acting as a barrier between the person and their phone.

Call me old-fashioned, but writing on paper is an extremely effective way to re-

tain information. Hand writing on paper engages the mind more, as the physical hand movements of the pen moving up and down the paper and unique markers like highlighting and circling key words

creates a more personalized experience. This experience helps to recall the information more easily as hand writing notes on paper provides memories with more hooks to hang on to, helping a person

more actively learn new information.

Other than note-taking, paper has its own charm in various other forms.

When we have to read a book for my English class, I always make it a point to get a physical copy, even though many of my classmates use an online PDF. The feeling of a tangible book is something a digital copy will never be able to replicate. Feeling the pages as I fip through them fosters a unique connection with the content. As I feel each page, I feel as though I am in a setting with all the characters, feeling exactly how they are feeling at that moment. Embodying the feelings of the characters helps me understand the text at a deeper level, even if it is nonfction.

Compared to screens and their blue light, paper materials are less straining on the eyes. As I began to utilize paper more often, I could feel my eyes feeling less tired compared to when I used to take notes digitally. This helped me feel more refreshed after each study session, and motivated me to get more work done.

As the decades pass, it is likely that e-books and digital note-taking devices will continue to increase in popularity. Let it not be forgotten that paper has brought us so far in the world today; electronic forms of studying and note-taking would not have existed if it was not for the invention of paper centuries ago.

Flipping academic dishonesty ‘snitching’ culture

Answer choice: C

I bubbled in my answer, my eyes bordered with bags that appeared after my long study session the previous night. As I look up to check the time, I notice two of my classmates whispering to each other and sharing answers.

Suddenly, my previous efforts seem useless.

I recount this experience to my family who advised me to tell my teacher or administration about the academic dishonesty. But that was never a viable option. As I have been re minded countless times, speaking out means being labeled a snitch.

Snitches get stitches.

The adage is ingrained in my mind. Those who fnd cheating a serious offense are seen as a goody-two-shoes and are criticized for caring too much for something that was “never that seri ous.”

If I let someone know that my classroom was riddled with cheaters, I might gain some sense of justice and vindica tion. But justice comes with my classmates knowing I reported them, and sudden ly no vindication seems needed enough to jus tify facing

the animosity of my peers.

The situations that play out in front of me can be awful, but I won’t report them. I don’t want to lose my social status.

This phenomenon is not restricted to cheating.

Even in cases of poor behavior and bullying of others, I hesitated to speak out. I chose to suffer in a classroom where my classmates were cursed at rather than become a social pariah after telling higher authorities. Tons of other students at CHS are also plagued by the bystander effect, presence of others preventing witnesses from seeking justice.

isn’t theirs?

In an environment such as this, it is no surprise that academic dishonesty thrives. Cheaters are treated with leniency and have constantly received the beneft of the doubt, while students that have integrity are never provided with a second chance and are ostracized when they do speak out.

My pains are soothed by my support system who swear that cheaters will eventually face justice for their actions, but how will that happen if we do not take it upon ourselves to point it out?

Our social justice system is fipped.

Why are we protecting wrongdoers and penalizing victims for a violation that

Unfortunately, the snitch culture does not contain itself to high school. As students enter the adult world, they carry the belief that speaking up is a sign of “caring too much” and never an option, even if the offense is a crime or serious hurt. We are creating a generation of bystanders, too scared to call people out for their wrongdoings.

We need to break this cycle and change the rhetoric around speaking up. Those who choose to report wrongdoings are not villains and should be supported for their brave actions. Cheaters should be perceived for what they are: cons who get to high places in life by stepping on their peers.

Many people justify cheating and poor behavior, stating that we never know what struggles the people around us are going through that may lead them to be academically dishonest. To an extent, this is true. It can be good to be more understanding of our classmates’ situations.

However, one person’s struggles do not invalidate the struggles others face due to their actions. The intentions behind cheating do not lessen the effect of it on one’s peers.

At the end of the day, we all contribute to the snitch culture. As hard and daunting as it may seem, we need to report cheating and support others who do so too. All it takes is a few of us becoming more understanding of victims of cheating to put an end to snitch culture.

Nrithya Mahesh Staff Designer

Ishana Sharma Staff Writer @_Ishana_sharma

Coppell High School is known to many students for its cheating culture, with people who speak up about it often called “snitches.”

The Sidekick staff designer Nrithya Mahesh explores why speaking up can be so scary at CHS, and brings attention to the injustice.

Photo illustration by Aasritha Yanamala

The expanding reliance on technology in everyday life tends to overshadow the simplicity of traditional paper. The Sidekick staff writer Ishana Sharma discusses the transformation of the addition of digital methods and the widespread effect it has had on people. Sofía Exposito

Stitching a hobby into an overwhelming life

Beneath the compilation of the assignments lifelessly sprawled on my desk, my eyes focus on the red sketchbook hiding beneath the ocean of papers, crying to be noticed.

Everyday has the same redundant routine.

I go to school, come home, then spend the rest of the night attempting to cram information into my brain, in addition to an endless agenda of assignments. My focus would fxate on my laptop until midnight, my eyes begging for sleep.

I fnd homework and expectations flling up the space in my life that used to be flled with the activities that I deeply enjoyed.

In elementary school, my carefree life consisted of afternoons spent drawing hearts on the pavement, my fngers smeared with pink chalk dust. I had time to binge the latest cartoon episodes while having time remaining for fipping through picturebooks.

Where did that time go?

Tenth grade was a huge leap from ninth grade, with drastic changes in the volume of assignments. I almost never have the time to let the ink of my markers bleed onto a white page, fabricating an image. Time does not spare for cutting old fabric, turning them into clumsy bucket hats.

For the majority, breaks from school are the only time I get to release my creativity.

During winter break, I spent the entire two weeks dedicating my time into sewing a dress from scratch. I sketched a design in my sketchbook and got to work. I carefully took measurements and cut out pieces of red fabric, using a hair straightener to iron the folds out. The process was extremely intricate and complex, and having no offcial experience with sewing, it took many trials and attempts.

Although it took quite some effort, I found it comforting as it allowed me to contrast creativity into my daily academic life.

We use our left brain for critical thinking, reasoning and analysis. Students rely

“

In between studying, allow spare time for little activities such as strumming a guitar to your favorite song”

on this part of their brain for their core classes: English, math, science and history. The right side of our brain is used for creative and imaginative ability. Hobbies or classes such as art or music depict this right-mindedness.

We should fnd a balance in our life to

use both sides of the brain, and a great way to balance school is through hobbies.

Art and sewing is one of the ways I can utilize my creative thinking. I have to think about what patterns would make a good combination, what colors would highlight the piece and so much more. I see the world from a different perspective, drawing in on the little details that make a whole.

Alas, if only I had so much time for my hobbies. Time management is something I have been trying to navigate, with school work compiling in my schedule.

Something I’ve tried is to set time aside in between studying or doing homework. After two hours of shoving the details of cardiopulmonary diseases into my brain, I would take a break for a few minutes to watch the latest K-drama episode. After about 30 minutes, the nagging pressure

on my mind forces me to study for the upcoming Algebra II test.

The vicious cycle of study and stress repeats, but the interruption of hobbies can ease the tediousness.

In between studying, allow spare time for little activities such as strumming a guitar to your favorite song or stitching a crochet penguin for your friend.

Hobbies are activities that allow you to free yourself from the overwhelming nature of life and provide a way to express your individual interests.

Implement local change through your vote

“Why are there so many potholes on this road?”

“Why did they start building a new rail line?”

“When is this traffc light going to be fxed?”

These day-to-day issues are noticed by everyone and widely present in conversation, yet most people cease to act on them as people tend to focus on larger scale political issues.

It is not that participating in higher level politics is problematic, but in a nation that is more interconnected than ever through media and technology, it is often easy to get swept up in the grander picture, for-

getting about the people and issues that most directly affect one’s life.

Voter turnout in local elections is extremely low in the United States, which is puzzling given that these elections can possibly change many aspects of one’s local community, including public parks, roads and schools. It also has the potential to either increase or decrease taxes and determines how tax money is used.

These votes determine politicians and therefore enable their views to contribute to policies. This is what led to Texas school districts, such as Keller ISD banning more than 40 books from school libraries around the district, an event that sparked

widespread controversy.

Furthermore, results from local legislation or projects can be seen quickly. For example, the process of rolling out new Coppell ISD iPads began right after the district’s 2023 bond package was approved by district voters. Then, within months, students at Coppell High School started receiving new generation 10 iPads, increasing their effciency and academic experience.

Similarly, a city approval to build a new road might cause large amounts of traffc, affecting the commute of thousands in an area, many of whom were never aware of this change, or how it came about. By not knowing about this legislation, the people

who may have possibly opposed it have a limited ability to show their view on a change that affects them daily.

A lack of participation in local politics may result in an unintentional suppression of certain perspectives, potentially leading to a legislation that is less representative of the community it serves.

The awareness of the community that comes with knowing politics at a local level can allow one to take action and bring up concerns, pressuring politicians to address these topics and change aspects of people’s lives that they interact with regularly. This crucial civic process enables people to solve community problems and quickly improve their quality of life.

The more people that are informed, the more light is shed on the uses of tax dollars, and there is more assurance that money and people’s time are being used in an effcient manner that helps lend progress to an area and pays the public back through infrastructure, education and recreation.

With the current elections, it is important that every citizen educates themselves and goes to vote in order to make their voice heard and accounted for in their community.

With homework and assignments consuming most of a high school student’s time, school can be hard to escape from. The Sidekick staff writer Katie Park discusses how hobbies are a great way to decompress from academic expectations and provide an outlet for creative freedom. Katie Park

Katie Park Staff Writer @katiegpark

Yug Talukdar Staff Writer

Coppell Town Center held the 2024 Dallas County primary elections on March. 4 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Sidekick staff writer Yug Talukdar thinks people should focus more on local politics in order to improve their communities. Sofa Exposito

Unlocking future educators

Inside CHS’ teaching and coaching practicum classes

Rhea Choudhary Staff Writer @rhea_choud

On a Monday morning, the sound of students chattering fills Town Center Elementary School third grade teacher Erin Naughton’s classroom.

As the door creaks open, heads turn and Coppell High School senior Yomna Elkayer is met with smiles from the students who consider her a mentor more than a teacher.

Centered around preparing students for careers in education and related fields, CHS offers a teaching and coaching practicum under Instructional Practices and Practicum of Education and Training. This is a structured pathway for students to explore their interests and gain hands-on experience within real classroom settings and chance to gain insight into their future.

“It’s extremely beneficial for any career to gain knowledge into the background of what a teacher does and what goes into their job,” senior Sunya Ajani said. “I first thought these classes were going to be boring and that I wouldn’t do anything hands-on, but as a senior, going to Coppell Middle School East to see those kids is what keeps me wanting to go to school.”

The route for these future educators starts with Principles of Education in freshman year. Next, they progress to Human Growth and Development and Instructional Practices and conclude with the Practicum of Education and Training during their senior year. If students decide to pursue this pathway later, Instructional Practices is considered a bridge allowing them to catch up in the world of teaching.

“Within the first three weeks of taking Instructional Practices last year at TCE, I knew this is what I want to do in my fu-

ture,” Elkayer said. “Each day, I realize how important it is to put myself in the eyes of a student to see how they learn best.”

Instructional Practices and Practicum of Education and Training are the classes that allow students to go to campuses to observe and assist teachers in the classroom. In both of those classes, the students attend CHS education and training teacher Raneta Ansley’s class during the first six to nine weeks and learn teaching concepts, such as how to write a lesson plan, classroom management and utilize the standards, referred to as TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).

“There’s a side of teaching that most students only think exists, specifically the

benefits such as getting to have break periods, food-inclusive conferences or any other form of ‘freedom,’” Naughton said. “But these in-person teacher aide opportunities are good for them to see the behind-the-scenes of all the work.”

Usually beginning in the second nine weeks, the students start visiting a campus, Monday through Thursday for about 75 minutes each day to learn what it is like to teach in a classroom. Ending their weeks back in Ansley’s classroom each Friday, the students compile the new strategies and lessons they learned in their off-campus classroom within a journal entry to reflect on what kind of aspects they enjoyed and disliked.

The off-campus students often help

the teacher with small group administration of assignments - reading to the class, working one-on-one with the students, grading, helping decorate the room/bulletin board and copying material for the teacher - which is a great opportunity for the practicum students to learn what age group they might want to work with and in what subject area.

“Any student who takes the teacher aide classes will benefit because either they come out saying they could never see themselves being an educator or they get a sneak peek into a profession they may love,” Ansley said. “I always tell my students that if the teachers you help and shadow don’t miss you when you’re gone, you’re not doing your job right.”

Gorthi enchants the world of AI

Emmalee Jittasupo Staff Writer @CHSCampusNews

Waiting for time to pass, Coppell High School senior Lakshmi Gorthi paces around her room, until finally she receives an envelope from UPS, reading the name, it states the Disney Dreamers Academy.

After being rejected for the last two years, Gorthi refuses to let this be the final outcome, but the journey to getting accepted was a long one.

Gorthi is one of 100 individuals selected across the nation to attend a mentorship program at the Disney Dreamers Academy, between April 3-7 at the Walt Disney Resort in Florida.

Through a series of meetings with celebrities, business leaders and authors, the academy serves to provide support developing career skills. Gorthi will meet with current leaders in the field of computer science and psychology to learn what it means to pioneer her dreams into reality.

The program also offers complimentary airfare, hotel accommodations and theme park tickets. Planning ahead for the program, Gorthi strives to use her passion of computer science and psychology to conduct a project on AI.

While scrolling through social media as a sophomore, Gorthi found a post about the Disney Dreamers Academy. After spending months researching the program, Gorthi’s first application was during her sophomore year. However, when the much anticipated decisions arrived, she was faced with her first disappointing rejection.

Not giving up, she applied again her ju-

nior year and was met with the same decision. Yet, in applying during her senior year, a new outcome awaited.

“I jumped for joy,” Gorthi said. “I was applying for the past two years, I finally made it. It was a very momentous occasion to say the least.”

In Coppell Middle School West, Gorthi struggled to find a passion, until eighth grade when Gorthi took her first coding class.

“It taught me that computer science is more than just coding, it can be connected to anything you want it to be,” Gorthi said.

Since, Gorthi’s initial passion in a coding class has involved within the Technology Student Association (TSA) as her position of the service committee chair.

Her love for coding also manifested into founding a nonprofit organization, Accel Learning Foundation, which tutors students in both different foreign and programming languages and donates proceeds to the World Literacy Foundation.

“Seeing her growth from the beginning, and how she is now is inspiring, she is so much more outgoing and lively,” said Michael McCabe, Lakshmi’s former computer science teacher.

and her love of knowledge is amazing to watch.”

Gorthi’s spark of interest for psychology began in freshman year. She has always been fascinated by the brain, and had the opportunity to showcase this by entering in competition for the American Psychology Association where she conducted a research paper on schizophrenia.

“I didn’t win, but it was definitely a meaningful experience,” Gorthi said. “It propelled my interest in psychology even further.”

With her love for computer science, psychology and knowledge of computational linguistics, Gorthi combines both

fields to create AI detection that can be implemented with treating psychological disorders and diseases for the Disney Dreamers Academy.

Gorthi hopes combining computer science with psychology will keep her on her toes.

“She just has this positive attitude that’s infectious

“I want to live on the happiness I get when I learn something new,” Gorthi said.

Coppell High School senior Yomna Elkayer assists Town Center Elementary first grader Maxwell Pascoe with his math project in TCE teacher Erin Naughton’s classroom on March 6. CHS’ teaching and coaching practicum offers a structured pathway for students to explore their interests and gain hands-on experience within real classroom settings. Sukirtha Muthiah

Coppell High School senior Lakshmi Gorthi is one of 100 individuals selected across the nation to attend the Disney Dreamers Academy. The Disney Dreamers Academy is a four-day mentorship that allows students to develop individual career-based skills. Photo by Emmalee Jittasupo, Photo Illustration by Katie Park

The Sidekick student life 11

Teacher of the Issue

Egan retains love for languages as nerd for words

Anushree De Features Editor @anushree_night

The first thing one notices about Coppell High School room C131 is its teacher.

Hands move enthusiastically to emphasize each point. His feet turn at every shift of syllable. CHS Spanish and French teacher Michael Egan is making an impassioned monologue about the beauty of “Des Chiffres” by Orē, a French song.

The second recognizable facet of the classroom is the features that adorn it. It is a classroom that is a fusion of culture. Upon one wall is a map of Spain and on another a banner with Chinese characters. The door is framed with an assortment of posters printed with the words “You + Russian” and “You + French.” It is a classroom as syncretic as the teacher in it.

Even at first glance, Egan’s linguistic passions are apparent. Egan can communicate in seven languages: Russian, German, English, Spanish, French, American Sign Language and Chinese. But learning languages was initially not just a love for Egan; it was a necessity.

Growing up in an orphanage of Russia fused with German culture, Egan picked up Russian and German languages.

After being adopted at age 7, Egan moved to Rogers, Arkansas. The languag es he had known for the past seven years were suddenly rendered futile across sea.

“The change was so sharp,” Egan said. “Overnight if I asked someone [something], they just looked at me. I’ve always re membered how isolating lan guages can make you feel. I felt lost, confused and tired because I was constantly trying to understand everything around me.”

Despite the sudden change, Egan quickly picked up English to help his mother who was a teacher at the time.

“When I first came to America, I was home taught,” Egan said. “My mom also has experience teaching. She used to be a special education educator. She would read to me and

Egan did not start off as an exceptional Spanish student. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

“My eighth grade teacher was very intense,” Egan said. “One day, I told her that I wanted to be called Jorge because I liked the sound; I would say it over and over. She said ‘You don’t care about this language. You don’t care about this class.’ I wish she could see me today doing what I do and how I do it.”

As Egan continued his journey in language, something clicked in his senior year at Allen High School with his Spanish teacher Shannon Zerby. Zerby now teaches at CHS.

“In my senior year, we learned about the phrase ‘hurry up’ in Spanish, five minutes before the bell rang,” Egan said. “It was before lunch and I told my friend, ‘Come on. Date prisa.’ I said it because I just learned it. My teacher looked up and literally thought there was a native in the room. That praise from a teacher’s reaction was pivotal for me.”

Learning language quickly became something Egan wanted to pursue more. Egan took advantage of the language opportunities offered at his school by taking French his junior year and German his senior year. As such, in going to college at

Within college, Egan served as a Russian teacher assistant. For Egan, however, language is not a lesson taught exclusively in classrooms. It is the ability to see language connect with others that brings Egan his passion.

Shortly after graduating, Egan became the program director for SPI Study Abroad immersion programs which offers high school language immersion, volunteer service and cultural leadership opportunities in Spain and France. Even before becoming a teacher, Egan continued to create opportunities for others to access the global world.

“Language is instant knowledge,” Egan said. “I may not know a word before, but now that I know it, I’ll never forget it. It was always waiting for me to discover and learn it. A lot of people are too hard on themselves. You should want to be corrected and not take it personally.”

Egan’s journey as a lifelong learner shows in all his conversations: he seeks to welcome languages by speaking in the native language of other teachers; he will order in Spanish in Chipotle and McDonald’s; he continues to sponge new words and phrases as frequently as he can. Egan’s curiosity is not a conscious decision; it is a natural facet of him. Most recently, in

so cool, and he just started calling me that. Soon enough, my other coworkers stopped calling me Andrea and started calling me lǎoshī.”

Egan’s natural desire to make his fellow teachers feel comfortable through fostering connections in communication, eventually manifested itself to learning Chinese from Voelker. The two would initially alternate teaching the other a language. For three hours every Sunday, Egan has been learning Chinese under Voelker.

“He is the student that all teachers want because he asks so many questions,” Voelker said. “Since he knows so many languages, he’s able to navigate the grammar rules.”

“

Language is instant knowledge”

- Michael Egan

Spanish and French teacher

Despite the apparent difference between Chinese and the other languages he knows, he automatically connected

“I did the 23andMe DNA test, and it turns out I’m 11% Northern Chinese,” Egan said. “Even though Chinese is radically different from all the other languages, it’s coming to me. When I learn a word,

Coppell High School IB French ab Initio teacher Michael Egan teaches conjugation to his class on March 20. Egan is a linguist who shares his love for language with high school students. Egan has been selected as The Sidekick’s Volume 35 No. 5 Teacher of the Issue. Sri Achanta

The route forward

Transportation taking new turns at Coppell

Story by Nrithya Mahesh & Manasa Borra

Photos by Kayla Nguyen | Design by Avani Munji

he clock strikes 8:40 a.m.

TLines of Coppell High School students stream down the sidewalk as they complete their walk to school. Bikes are fastened to the racks near buses unloading hundreds of students. The parking lot buzzes with teenage drivers and experienced parents alike.

ference from the driving culture prevalent in previous generations.

“When I was growing up, we couldn’t wait to get our driver’s license to get out of the house and as far from the parents as possible,” assistant principal Colleen Lowry said. “But, we could only connect with our friends in person, so that was a motivating factor to get a driver’s license and have some freedom. Because current students can connect to each other online and through social media, there’s not that motivation.”

As fewer students step behind the wheel, many are inhibited in their ability to participate in co-curriculars dependent on community interaction, such as the student broadcast program KCBY-TV, the student newspaper program The Sidekick and the education and training career cluster, all of which consist of students leaving campus to pursue educational assignments.

“When students don’t drive, it limits their ability to experience certain schools,” education and training facilitator Raneta Ansley said. “It can be crippling to the program growing when you have fewer and fewer drivers.”

With fewer people driving to school, education and training students have adapted to alternative transportation methods by biking and walking to schools nearby and even training in CHS special education classes.

Yet, the decrease in car drivers is causing concern in adults for the development and experiences of current teenagers as they leave high school and step out into different communities. Having a car provides invaluable experiences to students.

“It teaches you responsibility and communication skills,” Cusano said. “I am responsible for my car and if get in a car accident, then I am fully responsible for my actions. And genuinely, just love my truck so much. It’s the community of having a bunch of people in your car and listening to music with each other; it brings warm, fuzzy feelings.”

school activities.

“I have to miss out on club meetings and such just to catch the bus,” junior Anushka Joshi said. “If I wasn’t as reliant on the bus, I probably would join more extracurriculars because I would have more time.”

The shift in students favoring buses over cars has overwhelmed the current capabilities of the transportation system. It is not uncommon for buses to be continuously late or filled to the brim with high schoolers.

“At the beginning of the year, a lot of us had to sit three to a seat,” Joshi said. “All of us still didn’t fit on the bus, so kids had to sit on the floor. The first day of school I came by car at around 9:50 a.m. because my bus didn’t come until after first period.”

Additionally, the Durham School Services bus system has faced issues with construction occurring on major roads such as Belt Line Road, resulting in irregular detour routes and inconsistent arrival times.

“Students at times are waiting for 20-25 minutes at the bus stop for the bus to come,” Parkside West neighborhood parent Rajiv Singh said. “That’s valuable time that students are losing, just waiting for the bus.”

Durham and Coppell ISD are working to alleviate the many issues bus riders face, focusing on improving routes. The district works with municipalities of Coppell, Irving, Dallas and Cypress Waters to be notified of road closures ahead of time to reroute buses efficiently.

“With information from surrounding municipalities and us having a great partnership with them, we’re able to make some good decisions as we have obstacles or opportunities come up,”

CISD chief operations officer Chris Trotter said.

Additionally, Durham plans to attend the upcoming district job fair to hire additional drivers to supplement its current staff. The district also seeks long-term improvement to the bus system, purchasing 14 new buses through the 2023 bond package set to start service in the upcoming school year.

A bell rings at 4:15 p.m., signaling the end of the school day. For the next 45 minutes, Lowry listens attentively to her walkie-talkie, sitting on her red chair in the Small Commons. She inputs the numbers of the latest buses pulling in while overlooking the rambunctious congregation of hundreds of students to her right.

Getting a car was once a rite of passage for every 16-year-old and driving was a necessary part of teenage life. Today, 26 buses are the preferred choice of 1000 students for transportation according to Lowry, representing one-third of the student body.

“It’s a convenience thing,” Lowry said. “The parents don’t have to come and pick them up or leave work to come get them. You have a ride to school and home, so you do not have to worry about parking, driving and all of that.”

“New buses will be available for the next school year to where if we needed to add more routes, we don’t have the constraints of not having enough buses,” Trotter said. “That provides an opportunity to have better transporta tion operations each and every day.”

dents, all situated past State High way 114, from Lee to Canyon Ranch has isolated students from their closest elementary school, Lee. Now, these families face even longer com mute times to get to their schools.

“It has been difficult, and not only to get to high school, but elementa ry school as well, especially af ter the rezoning happened,” Singh said. “It takes about 15 minutes to get to ei ther CHS or Canyon Ranch for any rea son.”

As parents are forced to send their kids to distant schools, dif ficulties arise in transport ing students.

“Honestly, it would be a lot easier for me and my parents if lived closer,” Joshi said. “I know a lot of people walk home from school, but for me, when my dad picks me up, it takes an hour of his time.”

Joshi settles into her bus seat as she gets on in the morning, ready for a 30-minute ride to school from Parkside East, an Irving community settled at the edge of Coppell’s zoning district.

As the area’s population has in creased, the school district has grown further into Irving to support this growth. These regions quickly gar nered settlement as families tried to send their children to CISD schools.

Students residing miles from CHS face extensively long times for busdrop offs. On days when the buses face delays, driver absences or alter nate routing, the commute lasts even longer.

“I’ve seen a lot of times that they merge the routes and the buses are ac tually in communities which are much closer to the school, which are also at times very off the route,” Singh said. “So, at times like these, they reach home at 5:355:45 p.m.”

The commute for parents and students from Irving communities is too long to justify the amount of time and gas money spent. Instead, many families are left relying on the bus system for

Senior Jackson Cusano’s eyes landed on a sea of parking stickers when he first visited CHS in 2014. When he parks in the same lot today, despite the school being home to almost 3,000 students, he finds half of the spots empty.

Cars no longer seem to be the favored choice of transportation at CHS.

By the time the clock flashes 8:50 a.m., CHS is filled with thousands of students who all found their way to class differently. The school has entered a new era of transportation, marked by less student drivers and increased usage of alternate transportation.

The current student body, dissuaded by the congestion in the student parking lot and neighboring roads during dismissal times, is increasingly choosing to ditch the car keys and find other substitutes.

“For me, walking to school is faster than driving to school because the traffic is unpredictable,” junior Nishka Vartikar said. “I don’t want to wake up at 7 in the morning to get to school. took an afternoon release period so I can relax and go home, not to get stuck in the parking lot for 15 minutes.”

The increased indifference to driving of today’s students marks a large dif-

Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, the increased dependence on buses reduces CHS traffic. Despite car congestion persisting due to the sheer numbers at the school, the consolidation of students into buses largely clears parking space and nearby roads.

“If all of the bus drivers were driving cars or if their parents were picking them up, the parking lot would be even more congested than it already is,” Lowry said. “We are grateful to have the buses to be able to take out a third of our learners home every day.”

Yet, the convenience buses provide comes with a price. Relying on unpredictable outside transportation, students must compromise on their in-

To accommodate re cent builds including Lee and Canyon Ranch Elementary Schools, the district expanded its zon ing further into Irving and Las Colinas to serve more people, including communities such as Parkside, Bridges, South Ha ven and Cypress Waters.

Hundreds of families have moved to Irving communities to send their chil dren to CISD schools. However, issues occur as these students advance to the high school level. Every morning, they need transport to the other end of the district to get to class.

The 2019 rezoning of Parkside resi-

Photo courtesy Google Maps. Photo illustration by Avani Munji.

Nyah Rama CHS9 Editor @nyah_rama

The year is 1992. The place, Coppell High School.

A teenaged Sean Smith takes his first steps through the hallways of what was a much smaller CHS. Little does he know, more than two decades later he would return, but not as a student.

Motivated by a passion for words, Smith returned to CHS in 2014 to teach English III.

“I absolutely love the Coppell community mainly because of the diversity,” Smith said. “It’s an ideal place to raise your family and then the fact that I’m a teacher, being able to work in the community I live in is just fantastic. There’s nowhere I’d rather teach.”

Smith’s influence at CHS runs deep, having been the entertainment editor during his time on The Sidekick. As an avid fan of popular miscellaneous bands in the Dallas area, music played a big part in his teenage years.

“I’ve always been passionate about the written word,” Smith said. “I got into journalism my freshman year of high school and then was able to start writing in my sophomore year. I probably would have pursued journalism, but I was just so drawn to the teaching side of life that I never really stuck with journalism after high school.”

In Smith’s time on The Sidekick, Smith spent the majority of his time reviewing bands performing in the Dallas area. Through the years, Smith has carried the

lessons he learned while on staff and applies them in every venture he pursues.

“I was here from ‘93 to ‘96, and it was by far my favorite class,” Smith said. “We had a great group, great editors. When you work with a team you learn the hierarchy of authority. You learn how to push yourself, you learn that there’s more inside of you than you thought.”

His impact on students is definitely changing a lot of “

using CHS roots to make lasting impact

to watch them grow and develop, the rewards are just immense,” Sean Smith said. “It’s like we’re a part of this kindling to the fire that is our students. We don’t completely change the world, but we have these little impacts and they compound and seeing that with my mom and knowing that I had some sort of potential skill there to have an impact on other people’s lives.” When you run into Smith in the hallway, it isn’t his tall stature or laid back manner that jumps out at you, it’s his genuine spirit.

“It’s like having that other safe adult you can have and lean on at school,” senior Ella Spiller said. “His impact on students is definitely changing a lot of people’s lives. He’s one of those teachers that you know would do anything for you if you need. If he knew stuff was bad at home, he would be one of those teachers to say, ‘how can I get you groceries?’ He’s definitely one of

immediately notices how genuine he is, and it isn’t anything new.

“He’s the same person, he’s amazing,” said AP Biology teacher Dr. Bianca Benitez, who attended CHS with Smith and graduated in 1994. “I don’t get to see much of him but when we pass each other in the hallway, it’s kind of like going back in time, and we catch up. There’s moments where I can kind of see us in the hallways as students, my mind kind of makes that split between that was then and this is now and it’s really special, it’s a full circle moment.”

Smith incorporates his personality and background in his classroom. Ultimately, his goal remains pure and simple: to serve.

“I just like the idea of being a servant,” Smith said. “What I want to do is instill in [my students] that as they live their lives, they should always want to learn and grow. I think the idea behind being a servant and putting the needs of others before your own in order to help them have more fulfilling lives is kind of a philosophical approach.”

Coppell High School English III teacher Sean Smith keeps a collection of old issues of The Sidekick from when he served as The Sidekick entertainment editor from 1994-96. Smith is a 1996 CHS graduate and his love of words and writing brought him back as a teacher. Kayla Nguyen

Coppell High School English III teacher Sean Smith keeps a collection of old issues of The Sidekick from when he served as The Sidekick entertainment editor from 1994-96. Sameeha Syed

The Sidekick student life 15

Medicine to statistics

Martin’s career sees changing probabilities

Sanghika Pallela Staff Writer @CHSCampusNews

4:47 a.m.

It is the exact time that Coppell High School statistics teacher Kailee Martin wakes up to embrace the early hours.

Gathering her essentials, she heads to The CORE to start her determined regimen of gym, followed by lap swimming. After the intensive workout, she drives to CHS and settles in her sanctuary, B105.

To many, Martin’s morning routine may seem daunting, but for her, it has been a way of life since her job as a first grade teacher at Austin Elementary School.

“When I taught elementary school, I started earlier,” Martin said. “I got used to getting up early and I’ve just never gotten out of the habit.”

Homeschooled throughout her elementary and middle school years, Martin’s shift as a student to Coppell High School proved to be a major transition.

“Coming to the high school after being homeschooled was pretty scary, but I had the best experience,” Martin said. “[CISD superintendent] Dr. [Brad] Hunt, who’s now the superintendent, was the principal when I was here and he was amazing. He made every student feel welcome, just like [CHS Principal] Ms. Springer.”

After completing high school, Martin enrolled in Texas A&M University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology. Soon after, she started her education in medicine at UT Southwestern.

However, during a short break from medicine, Martin worked at Pierce Academy in Coppell, teaching preschool for two years. She discovered her true passion lay in the field of education.

“I just really loved teaching,” Martin said. “I decided to forget medical school.”

Departing from medicine, Martin obtained a master’s degree in education at University of North Texas and applied to be a first grade teacher at Austin Elementary School.

After a year at Austin, Martin knew she desired to return to her roots at CHS.

“I was just ready to get deeper into the content,” Martin said. “I loved the relationships with the students and the families in first grade. But, I really missed the critical thinking. I just missed math and science. I wanted to try

something new.”

After emailing Springer for a position, Martin took the certification exam for both math and science. Following her heart, Martin chose statistics as her desired class to teach.

“I had known going in that if statistics was an option, that is what I would want to teach,” Martin said.

While seeking her calling, Martin found inspiration from anatomy and physiology teacher Jodie Deinhammer and credits her pursuit in education to her influence.

“She’s a big reason why I’m a teacher,” Martin said. “Earlier, I didn’t want to be a teacher. I didn’t want to do PowerPoints all day, but I realized that it’s so much more. It gives me chills to think about. She’s had a huge influence

hammer’s similar story that influenced Martin to become the teacher she is now.

“Whenever I was thinking about leaving medical school, I was so afraid of how it was going to look, and all those things,” Martin said. “She was so successful and happy as a teacher that it gave me the confidence to be like ‘I can walk away from this.’”

AP Statistics teacher Dr. Lowell Johnson notes the joy and excitement that Martin incorporates into her teaching.

“I was just ready to get on my life.”

It was Dein-

“She’s creative, energetic, patient and cares about her kids,” Dr. Johnson said. “She understands statistics very well and has taken the initiative to design the professional learning community for the on-level statistics course.”

Martin’s influence from first grade is evident in her current teaching style.

Through her warm aura, Martin creates a comfortable atmosphere for her students.

“She’ll use callbacks that she used to use in first graders, and that’s really nice,” senior Aindrila Neogi said. “We’re so used to being treated like adults. It’s just nice to be treated like a kid sometimes.”

While Martin has experienced changes in her teaching environment over the years, she remarks that her time at CHS has been largely positive.

“I feel so supported,” Martin said. “It’s a very happy environment. The admin is so supportive and they always help you grow, and they celebrate you as you grow. The relationships here are so important.”

Coppell High School statistics teacher Kailee Martin is in her first year at CHS. She has worked in medicine, taught preschool and first grade prior to coming to CHS.

Photo illustration by Minori Kunte and Ahana Roy

Dadsena dives into competitive artistic pursuits

Anushree De Features Editor @anu_night

Walls are decorated with tie-dye projects and self portraits. Clay sculptures of animals line the tables. The laughs of students comparing their artwork bounces off the walls. Enthusiasm is abundant in the classroom of Wilson Elementary School art teacher Alejandra Quiñonez.

One student’s enthusiasm takes a different form. His eyes are transfixed on the project ahead: a drawing of a cup with water. The cup, detailed with highlights and shadows, displays its transparency. It contrasts with the smooth serenity of the water within the container.

The artist purses their lips together and furrows their brows, grabbing the graphite pencil to make one final etch. He twists his neck to get a better angle of the piece. They nod in approval and lean back.

As Quiñonez walks through the lively room, commenting on each student’s art, she takes a pause on this student. With one look, Quiñonez can see that his passion in art is persistent and the talent, apparent.

“As an elementary teacher, the students you teach are smaller,” Quiñonez said. “So, it’s more obvious when a child has a natural talent. But, Ayan had a special sparkle for art.”

In that classroom, Coppell junior Ayan Dadsena’s calm demeanor and quiet nature diverges from the energy that only a fifth grade class contains. Yet, the emotions that appeared lacking at first glance of Dadsena were expressive in his artwork.

“He was very quiet, timid and would not really ask questions,” Quiñonez said. “He would listen and do. But when he would

make [art], it was big and loud.”

Leaving elementary school, Dadsena was selected as district artist of the year. But, their journey had only begun.

“I spoke to his parents about getting his parents involved in classes because of his special talent,” Quiñonez said. “I told them not to waste his talent. He’s amazing.”

What started as a hobby at 2 years old - when Dadsena would curl his fingers around a coloring pencil, scribbling away in Ben 10 and monster truck coloring books - became a canvas of creativity and outlet of expression.

“Art was a way to entertain myself,” Dadsena said. “Especially because I am an only child, I would draw whatever I saw whenever I liked. I would draw my parents or what I learned that day in school. I would not think about what I draw. I would just do.”

In middle school, Dadsena’s art had stretched to more than glasses: it became personal.

The piece was simple: two eyes, a nose, the faintest trace of a smile and a hair. By the standards of any other sixth grader, the portrait was good. But Dadsena was not just any sixth grader.

“One of the things I like seeing is my progression of portraiture,” Dadsena said. “At the time, I did not like it. Based on what I usually make, it was not the best. It’s important to look back on my progress. Even though it’s not a great piece, it was an important part of my journey.”

It is this natural tendency to become better that Dadsena displays in every venture. A graphite portrait in sixth grade evolved to a self-portrait with color and

details.

Within middle school, Dadsena continued to receive distinction: an award from Youth Art Month for a contour drawing of a shoe displayed at the Bullock Texas State History Museum and receiving a medal from Junior Visual Art Scholastic Event.

As Dadsena transitioned to high school, continuing to pursue art, it became more liberating.

“Before AP art, Ayan’s art style was guided - like everyone else’s art,” junior Eunice Han said. “Art I and Art II are all guided by teachers to create a specific type of art. When AP Art started, I noticed changes. He used creativity to create imaginative artworks.”

Upon a scroll of Dadsena’s art account on Instagram (@ayan._.4y4n), the posts are not mere pieces of art but worlds. Whether it be in the pastel skies of “Elysium” meant to show the power in a dream of flying or in the backseat of a car in “Getaway Car” demonstrating the lack of control in emotions, Dadsena captures the essence of the human condition.

What is most noticeable about Dadsena’s array of art is that there is no one style of work. Each piece has a distinct aesthetic that encapsulates Dadsena’s goal. This inclination towards navigating the unconventional will only continue to follow Dadsena to next year.

“I get to have Ayan next year because of IB,” AP/IB art teacher Michelle Hauske said. “The AP drawing portfolio limits you because it has to fit within how AP defines drawing. IB is the exact opposite. They have to explore 3D lens-based photography and digital applications.”

Little Women marches through sisterhood

Elizabeth

Staff Writer and Staff Designer

@CHSCampusNews

As the lights dim, showcasing two young girls, familiar words echo: “Tell me a story, Jo.” In the Coppell High School Auditorium, the Cowboy Theatre Company brings the “Little Women” production to life in its public viewing in preparation for UIL. “Little Women” is about a journey the four March sisters face coming into maturity. The story focuses primarily on Jo, a writer who rejects femininity and the typical norms that society attaches to women.

Junior Sanjana Sreemushta, who plays the headstrong character of Jo, draws inspiration solely from the script. She navigates the challenges of portraying a character different from her typical roles.

“Even though I did know of the other two and I have read and watched the movie, I looked at the script independently and crafted my character just through the script, ” Sreemushta said. “The thing I find most challenging is portraying the realism, because I’m very used to exaggerated characters that are less real and more comical.”

Through the characters’ challenges, the audience relates to the growing pains of adolescence. With themes of finding oneself in the world as a woman, “Little Women” is an empowering play that shows that you can write your own story, even if it doesn’t meet societal standards.

“The entire time, Jo is trying to rebel against the idea of the stereotypical woman. She thinks that through her rebellion, she’s going to find herself. What the story really is that she has to define what it means to be a woman,” technical director Grace Hellyer said. “It’s not that she’s rejecting standard traditional feminine roles, she’s also realizing that just because she does not fall into that, that doesn’t mean that she’s less of a woman than anyone else.”

It was important for the cast to maintain the meaning of the play while simultaneously meeting UIL One-Act Play qualifications. Changes were made to make the production fit within the 40-minute time requirement.

“Little Women’ by Kate Hamill is a full two-act play, it’s about two and a half hours long. We’ve taken that entire script and cut little bits and scenes out and we’ve narrowed that down and focused

on really one or two story lines to make it fit within the 40 minutes,” Hellyer said. “That’s really where the work of it is. It’s figuring out what’s the storyline that we want to focus on and tell and then how do we truly and accurately portray that in a way that is also respectful to the way Kate Hamill wrote this way.”

Due to UIL time constraints, stage managers found creative ways to make the production come together with props and lighting.

They mixed abstract themes to create a cohesive and dynamic production that mirrored Jo’s inner thoughts as she grew throughout the play.

“From my point of view as a stage manager, ‘Little Women,’ for this adaptation specifically, we are trying to play less into realism. What you saw on the set is trunks. There’s not really a set that is like what an audience would typically imagine, because we had to cut so much of the show and there’s no set changes,” senior stage manager Sarah Myers said, “The lighting and the special effects, like the LEDs, they add mood, and then also in this show specifically, the passage of time. We did that through Jo’s writing. When they’re gold, we’re in Jo’s mind, and she’s writing her story, and that story eventually becomes the story of her life.”

Through the many hours and weeks the cast and crew put into the play, “Little Women” stands as a captivating performance. This show has been important for the cast as they made lasting bonds through bringing this adaptation to life.

“This company has put in a lot of work and even if we don’t get to where we want to go, like state, region or we don’t advance as far as we want, I think they’re all very proud of the work that they’ve done,” Myers said.

Cowboy Theatre Company perform the spring production of “Little Women” on March 18. The musical goes through the lives of the four March sisters as they transition from girlhood to womanhood during the Civil War. Wendy Le

De Santiago and Pranavi Ramineni

Photo by EV Kennard

Sidekick entertainment 17

Movie musicals hitting a low note in Hollywood

Ainsley Dwyer Entertainment Editor @ainsleydwyer

Since 2010, around 26.9% of movie musicals have fopped at the box offce. So if there is a one in four chance that it is going to lose money, why does Hollywood keep making them?

To understand why movie musicals are still being made, we have to take a look at why they were so successful in the frst place.

During the Great Depression and World War II, people were often looking for an escape, which was found through musicals and the fantasy of them.

Hollywood enjoyed the opportunities to show off the talents of many stars. When audiences saw a big name in a flm, such as Judy Garland or Gene Kelly, it was almost guaranteed success at the box offce because people’s sole means of watching their favorite actors was through the theater.

But what goes up must go down after all. After the warfare started to subside, people weren’t looking for an escape. Furthermore, the rock music industry dominated album sales. People weren’t buying the movie musical soundtracks like they were before.

When Hollywood continuously pushes out movie musicals, people start to get sick of them. Between 1929-1959, 1,278 musical flms were released, an average 42.6 per year.

People preferred to watch movies that capture their attention and made them feel like they just became a part of the story. When people immerse themselves into

the flm, it removes them from the reality of the movie when people start to sing.

Audiences view acting as a realistic art form but the caricature acting in the early 20th century was not meant to be realistic, it was meant to be an escape from the world. When asking people why they do not enjoy musicals even if the music is good, the typical answer is “because people do not burst out into song in real life.”

That is not to say that there have not been successful movie musicals since 1960. Thirteen of the IMDB Top 250 movies are musicals, 10 of which were released after 1960. Eleven have won the Academy Award for Best Picture, six of which were released after 1960.

However, four of the six musicals were released in the 1960s and the most recent win was Chicago (2002). This may be due to not as many movie musicals are being made. Between 1960 and today, 911 musical flms have been made, an average 14.2 per year.

Since 1960, it is not uncommon to see a movie musical not do well at the box offce. But there have been exceptions, with original flms recently like Pitch Perfect 1-3 (2012, 2015, 2017) La La Land (2016) and The Greatest Showman (2017) doing well at the box offce.

Hollywood keeps making movie musicals even if they aren’t doing very well because they have seen that it can be an

easy way to make money when they adapt Broadway classics or classics. They know Broadway adaptations will bring in a certain group of people, fans of musical theater and/or those classic flms and attract an audience to make money at the box offce. When Hollywood makes Broadway adaptations, there is already a plot, a script and music, all they need to do is put it on the screen. Unless it is an adaptation or remake of a famous musical like West Side Story (2021) or Wicked (2024), movie musicals attract audiences who would not typically go and see musicals by hiding that detail in the trailers. The most recent example of this being Mean Girls (2024) which did not use any of the songs from the soundtrack in

Rogers rocking the punk

Podcast Producer Wendy Le

Staying at strangers’ homes, living off of junk food and traveling across the country with a beige Ford Econoline van, also known as Mommy, purchased for less than $1,000: This was the early 20s of Coppell resident Bart Rogers as the bassist for local band, Baboon.

Despite always having an interest for music as a little boy, nothing ever really spoke out to him.

That was until the then seventh grade boy overheard the intense and fast-paced rhythms of punk metal rock coming from his next door neighbor’s home.

His time growing up in Irving in the 1970s was flled with enjoying the hundreds of kinds of music blasting from a jukebox with his best friend and watching MTV in the 1980s – these revolutionary platforms of their time amazed Rogers and exposed him to broader ways of consuming music, further igniting his interest in it.

“It was an exciting time to be growing up and enjoying music and experiencing it in different ways with the advent of music videos coming,” Rogers said. “So it wasn’t just the music, it was also the look and, and everything associated with that.”

During his senior year at Irving High School in 1988, Rogers joined his frst band as the bassist.

Many more followed until he found the one that stuck: Baboon.

The punk rock metal band was established by its vocalist Andy Huffstetlar and guitarist Mike Rudnicki at the University of North Texas.

Rogers joined as the bassist in the summer of 1991 and followed by drummer Steve Barnett in 1992, who replaced previous members and stuck to what it is today. Together, they toured across the country in Mommy.

Whether it was performing at a rural town in Texas or big cities like New York or Los Angeles, there was always a promise of an element of surprise and utmost energy at every performance.

“One time we were performing at the Frye Street Fair in Denton to 5,000 people,” Huffstetler said. “We were all wearing masks made by Mike and, at one point, I was hitting golf balls into the audience. People were breaking down the fence and crawling over stuff. It was a blast.”

On stage, Rogers, who is often per ceived as reserved and calm, is betrayed by a loud, chaotic energy.

“It was shocking because if you met him, you wouldn’t think that it was Bart on stage,” wife Lisa Mesa-Rogers said. “It wasn’t music, it was performance art, too. I didn’t necessarily get that vibe off of Bart. He has this conservative Chris tian upbringing, not the typical rockstar.”

Baboons’ days on the road consists of one person on the wheels, and the three other members resting on whatever they could fnd, whether it’s a loveseat, a bunk they had built inside the van or the foor.

After three years of being in the band, Mr. Rogers decided to step away in February 1994 to focus more on his family and a stable career.

The band continued to tour with out Mr. Rogers until 2006 to shift fo cus on more stable professions and perform periodically each year.

The same year, he and his family re located to Coppell from Lake Highlands due to its excellent schools.

Mr. Rogers now works as the director of cell engineering at a service network

the trailer.

It is obvious that movie musicals are not as successful as they once were. But with the way the flm industry is responding to them, it does not look like there is a golden age anywhere in the future. Hollywood is likely still going to keep making them and I know that as a fan of musical theater, I will be front row watching them when they do.

Ainsley Dwyer Entertainment Editor @ainsleydwyer

provider, while Huffstetler works as the multimedia and litigation support specialist at a law frm. Rudnicki is a principal technical writer at a security frm and Barnett is a therapist.

Despite no longer actively playing in the band, his passion for music continues to tie itself into his everyday life.

Because to Mr. Rogers, music isn’t just a collection of melodies and rhythms tied together; it’s a way for him to reminisce

“You’re always either looking forward to something that’s

things that kind of come in every era. And sometimes that music will remind you of some of the positive things. I’m sure it can do some of the bad things as well, but music deeply ties you to the emotions, feelings, sights and smells of a certain time period that you’ll forget about but remember later on.”

He brings music into his household, inspiring his son, Coppell High School junior Jonas Rogers, to embrace self-expression for his personal growth, much like the painting that sits in Roger’s offce.

“When I was younger, he would dissect different kinds of music to me which helped establish a foundation for standard music that I can appreciate without it being my favorite kind of music,” Jo-

“It has made me more open-minded to different forms of art and being more comfortable with different forms of self-expressions like dancing, acting or theater.”

In 2010, Mr. Rogers rejoined Baboon to perform periodically and has been a part of it ever since.

And more than three decades of performing later, nothing has changed.

Their outfts remain white, something that’s been the norm for every performance since their start.

Their energy remains vibrant and upbeat, letting their beats vibrate every venue they play, something you can always expect when thinking of Baboon.

Musicals have seen a decline in popularity since the 1960s yet Hollywood continues to make them. The Sidekick entertainment editor Ainsley Dwyer thinks movie musiclas are not successful because of the change in the Hollywood norm to realistic acting and why people have steered away from movie musicals. Noor Fatima

@CHSCampusNews

Bart Rogers plays bass to “You Kill Me” by Baboon in his Coppell home offce. Rogers has been the bass player for Baboon since 2010, previously playing between 1991-1994.

Wendy Le

entertainment

Embracing the beauty of country music

Ainsley Dwyer

Entertainment Editor @ainsleydwyer

Over spring break, I visited the country music capital of the world, Nashville, Tenn. I went downtown and danced around the floor in front of the stage at Blake Shelton’s Ole Red.

Six months ago, I would have stood in the corner trying to signal to my parents that I want to leave. So it is safe to say that my opinion on country music has changed. It was a genre that I used to love before I turned 11 and I spent the next six years undermining the beauty of the music.

What I spent those six years dubbing as “yee-haw music” and making fun of my family for listening to is now one of my favorite genres.

Prior to sixth grade, country was my favorite music genre. My family and I would spend every Saturday morning watching

the CMT Hot 20 Countdown. I grew up on the greatest hits from some of the biggest country artists.

I have memories dancing with my best friend at a Zac Brown Band concert when I was 10 to dancing around the backyard of my neighbors and family friends while having BBQ, and listening to “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line or “How Do You Like Me Now?!” by Toby Keith.

Country music used to be in my veins, but when I started middle school and met people who introduced me to their music taste, country started to fade out of my life. But I am glad it did because it makes my current appreciation for it much stronger.

own music when I decided to put on Zach Bryan’s self-titled album, released in June. I had heard many people on TikTok say how much they love his songs and I decided to give his music a listen. I fell in love with his songwriting and his ability to put his emotions into metaphors and poetic lyrics. This prompted me to create a playlist on my Spotify called “lowkey good country.”

ed to learn how to play an acoustic guitar, I do manage to stare in awe when watching anyone else play. And when that is the loudest instrument in your song, it may understandably get frustrating when you do not place the tip of your finger on the fret correctly. So the talent and hard work put into mastering acoustic is something that deserves recognition.

Country music was once a dominant genre that you could not escape from through the halls of Coppell High School. Country is still loved by many, however, its impact on the students has lowered and now remains loved by a smaller portion of the school.

My new love for the genre began in October when I went to visit my brother, Aidan Dwyer, at the University of Georgia. He had picked us up at the airport in Atlanta and we drove 2.5 hours to Athens, Ga.

On the way, I started to listen to my

I began adding songs mostly by artists including Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan. I then started to add the songs I had loved when I was younger: songs by Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band and Chris Stapleton. The lyrics flowed right back to my memory.

I can hear the emotion when an artist plays with a sole acoustic guitar in the background. Their guitar talents is another factor in why I have to give country artists credit for their talents.

Acoustic guitar is hard to play, let alone while singing. As someone who attempt-

Many non-typical country lovers have become fans of what is now called “southern female rage.” On TikTok, peo-

Ingredients

1 cup of Chickpea flour

• 1-3 Green pepper

A few stems of Cilantro

• 1/2 tbsp of Paprika

• 1/2 tbsp of Salt

• 1/2 tbsp of Black pepper

• 3 slices of any bread

Butter

Mozzarella cheese

Cottage cheese

ple are often lip syncing to those female singers such as Miranda Lambert, Carrie

mom and I would sing “Mama’s Broken Heart” by Miranda Lambert anytime it came on the radio. And I fell in love with Taylor Swift when she was singing country, and I still own her first few CDs from when they came out (including Taylor Swift with original “Picture To Burn” lyrMy best friend, Jonas Rogers, and I do not have similar music tastes other than showtunes, but when we want to play something else that we can both sing along to while driving around, my playlist “crazy country girls” is played at full volume and we sing our hearts out.

For those who chose not to listen to it solely because of their preconceived beliefs that it lacks creativity are truly missing out on a beautiful form of music with clever lyrics and a impressive acoustic guitar.

Ainsley Dwyer Entertainment Editor @ainsleydwyer

Ramadan recipe: spicy bread pakora

• 1/4 tbsp of Chaat masala (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put your seasoning in the flour.

2. Mix the cilantro and green pepper in the flour.

3. Add a splash of water and whisk until fully mixed.

4. Add a slice of bread up into the mixture and marinate both sides.

5. Add butter on a pan and put it on medium heat.

6. Lay the flour coated bread on the heated pan.

7. Add cottage cheese and mozzarella on top. Grill both sides of the bread until golden brown. Wait for it to cool down.

Add some tomato ketchup on the side and enjoy!

Country music uses lyricism and instrumental music to create art that can be enjoyed by music lovers across all genres. The Sidekick entertainment editor thinks that country music is an underestimated genre that deserves more appreciation within today’s music lovers. Photo courtesy Ainsley Dwyer

Aliza

Country music used to be in my veins, appreciation

sports sports

Kapadia aiming for diverse goals

Rhea Choudhary Staff Writer @rhea_choud

Before he could even tie his shoelaces, Coppell High School senior Manav Kapadia stepped onto the soccer feld. At the tender age of 3, he kicked his frst ball, igniting a passion that would shape his life in ways he could not picture.

As the former captain of the Coppell FC soccer team and Coppell boys soccer team’s left-back defender, Kapadia’s journey on the pitch has had a multitude of experiences.

“Honestly, I can’t say enough great things about Manav, because he’s always doing what he’s supposed to do, always on time and communicates effectively, which are qualities that you can’t ask enough from your players from a coach’s perspective,” Coppell soccer coach Stephen Morris said. “He is very academically driven, but he also brings those critical thinking skills to the soccer feld.”

Kapadia manages to allocate 15-20 hours per week to soccer, playing an average of two matches per week. His advice to any aspiring soccer player is simple yet effective, focusing on only controlling what you can and prioritizing gaining fundamental skills.

“Game days for us are obviously important and sometimes it can get hard to fully focus on soccer when I’m at school, but I like listening to music, mostly rap music, because it helps drone out anything else that’s going on or any other stress I may have,” Kapadia said. “I like to also prioritize doing fun things and if I ever need to feel motivated, I just think about the result and the satisfaction I will feel if I succeed in the future.”

Beyond the soccer feld, Kapadia’s leadership experience extends to his dedicated role as a CHS Red Jacket, a position he earned with determination. Kapadia has gained a wide variety of prestigious leadership roles, being involved in Coppell clubs and organizations, being the previous captain of the Coppell FC club soccer

More than a sport

team, Spanish National Honor Society vice president, Pratham Club president and the Future Medical Students Club secretary.

“I wanted to be a Red Jacket because I knew some seniors when I was a sophomore and junior who looked up to me, and they encouraged me to be a leader and to set an example for others,” Kapadia said. “I’ve been a part of the Pratham Foundation since I was 5 years old, in which we teach English to kids in India yearly; my sister, Neerali, and I started the CHS Pratham chapter through that foundation.”

With his academic accolades being just as impressive, Kapadia has earned recognition as a National Merit fnalist. Kapadia fell in love with wanting to be a doctor after frst shadowing his dad, Dr. Lav Kapadia, an ear, nose and throat surgeon, when he was 14. Nonetheless, Kapadia fnds medicine very intriguing regardless of his dad’s profession and he can only see himself following through with this feld.

With aspirations of pursuing a career in medicine, specifcally as an orthopedic surgeon, Kapadia’s academic journey is guided by his passion for global health and medical anthropology.

“It honestly felt really rewarding to earn the National Merit title, because I proved to myself that my hard work paid off,” Kapadia said. “I consider earning that scholarship to be a testament to support what all the seemingly endless studying resulted in.”

With aspirations of wanting to be an orthopedic surgeon, Kapadia’s academic journey is guided by his passion for global health, medical anthropology and rehabilitation, especially after dedicating so much time playing soccer – a sport with a large chance for injuries.

“Manav is the defnition of what someone with unspoken confdence is; he leads by example,” AP Biology teacher Dr. Bianca Benitez said. “I am confdent that he will continue succeeding in his post-high school accomplishments, especially as a strong-willed leader.”

Moen pitching new ideas as head softball coach

This is not the case with Softball Head Coach Robbie Moen, who has gained over 20 years of coaching experience not only in softball, but in baseball, volleyball, football and soccer as well.

ball team in 2017.

“That was the coolest experience I ever had coaching,” Moen said. “I got an opportunity from an old coach from the University of Arizona [who] called me and asked me if I would be interested, and I said, ‘absolutely.’”

It can be a challenge communicating with people whose frst language is not English, but Moen was able to work his way around this language barrier.

“I did a lot of demonstrating,” Moen said. “I drew pictures on the ground and had a translator for conversations. This way, I was able to connect with [the team].”

This experience has taught Moen skills which he incorporates while coaching Coppell’s softball team.

“It was a really good thing for me as a coach because it taught me how to communicate without being able to verbalize a lot of it,” Moen said.

Specifcally, learning to communicate with people who speak different languages has helped Moen effciently coach the team and individually address players’ weaknesses.

different levels because skill levels aren’t the same, [even though] they are close,” Moen said. “I should be able to reach this person’s learning ability and get them to understand, and if they cannot get it the way I am explaining it, I should fgure out how to explain it in another way.”

His expertise is refected in his coaching style, which focuses on helping the team learn from their mistakes and improve.

”He is a very visual person,” senior Mallory Moore said. “He shows us what we are doing wrong. He is not a person who just tells us that we are doing something wrong.”

The experience of working with the Russian national baseball team has also taught Moen the importance of addressing every team member, to ensure that the team as a whole is at its best.

Moen’s passion for softball and teaching this sport led him to the position of head softball coach at coppell.

of experience and expertise devoted purely on softball.

This is Moen’s frst year at Coppell. Before this, Moen had an enriching experience coaching the Russian National base-

“It really makes you realize that you have to be able to reach every player at

“The balance that he provided is what excited me about Coach Moen in the interview process,” Coppell athletic director Kit Pehl said. “[He had] that combination of providing a student athlete experience with the opportunity to win and to have a strong program.”

Coppell senior left-back defender Manav Kapadia hits a header at Buddy Echols Field on Feb. 6. Kapadia is a varsity soccer player, Coppell Red Jacket and a National Merit fnalist. Kayla Nguyen

Ishana Sharma Staff Writer @ishana_sharma

When considering a Softball Head Coach, the frst thought that might strike is that the person may have years

Robbie Moen is in his frst year as Coppell softball coach. Moen comes to Coppell Coatimundi Middle School in Arizona where he served as athletic director. Eirene Park

The Sidekick sports 21

Golden forging his own path by pumping iron

Yug Talukdar Staff Writer

@YugTalukdar

Cold metal plates clang on the foor as the gym rumbles under the impact. Coppell junior powerlifter Caden Golden has just fnished deadlifting for the day.

Golden is able to handle much more weight than most teens, recently hitting a personal record of a 315-pound bench press in training, 515-pound squat he hit at a meet at Ranchview High School and a 560-pound deadlift that he also hit at Ranchview.

Despite his impressive lifts, Golden only started strength training this summer, rapidly adding plates to his lifts. He became motivated to stay consistent due to the competitive nature of powerlifting. Golden offcially started powerlifting competitively after joining the Coppell boys team in January, and is currently ranked third in the 165-pound weight class regionally.

“I like the competitiveness, the time and effort you have to put into it, and the environment of the gym,” Golden said.

The gym gives Golden an experience where he can de-stress, push himself and have fun.

“Once I’m in the zone, towards the end of the workout, I take my headphones off

and my mind goes blank, and it’s like the world isn’t there anymore,” Golden said. “It’s a peaceful moment.”

He also enjoys the motivating atmosphere of the gym and the people that are around him, including teammates and training partners junior Samuel Parada and junior Javier Angulo. Together, Golden and his training partners motivate each other to gain strength and push harder.

“He pushes me to be a better person,” Parada said. “And when it comes down to it, like when I fail lifts, he’s always supportive and there for me.”

Golden is also known for his rigid determination that gets him to push himself to the limits and stay disciplined to his practice, allowing him to grow as a powerlifter.

“He is a really hard worker, he is dedicated,” Coppell powerlifting coach Heath Naragon said. “He doesn’t miss many days and he is always here trying to get stronger and better at what he does.”

However, the high bar he sets for himself often makes Golden forget that he has already reached an advanced level relatively quickly, and he sometimes loses sight of his impressive progress.

“When he fails lifts, he thinks it as a complete failure,” Parada said, “But he is getting mad at not being able to lift a

weight that makes 20, 30, or 40-year-olds come up and question how he is lifting that at his age.”

As he has progressed, Golden has learned the importance of persevering through various setbacks and accepting that training isn’t always perfect, learning to embrace the highs and push through the lows.

“You have to be able to push through the adversity, like when you are having a bad lift, because not every day is going to be a good day,” Golden said.

Golden’s mentality that he has developed in the gym has also helped him in other parts of life, motivating him to study more and build better relationships with people close to him.

“His mentality has changed quite a bit, where he now thinks that, ‘That was the old me, and now I am a better person,’” Parada said.

By September, Golden hopes to further hone his skill and participate in the 2024 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals on Sept. 5-8 in Salt Lake City and become one of the strongest in the nation.

After high school, Golden also hopes to own a gym so that he can foster the same experiences he has had in the gym for other people.

Coppell junior powerlifter Caden Golden deadlifts in the Coppell High School Field House weight room on March 19. Golden started competing in powerlifting in January and will compete at the USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in September. Jayden Chui

sports

Making waves at state

Li swimming to ture aspirations after serving as captain

Namir Awan Staff Writer @namirawan

Three rounds.

More than 200 teams in Class 6A look to send one individual swimmer to the state championship in search of a medal. Three stages stand in between every swimmer and a spot in the championship.

As the white lights shined upon the calm water of the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, anticipation rose. The water softly rippled as the warmup session was about to begin on Friday, February 23.

Amidst the excitement, Coppell High School senior swim captain Sean Li kept to himself. Cheers faded in the background as the cool, calm and collected Li got ready to compete in the semifnals of not one, but two events.

Being one of two members from Coppell to make it that far, the pressure was on for Li.

“Pressure is a unique aspect of these events,” Li said. “Personally, when I am under more pressure, I am able to perform better because the pressure allows me to focus on what I need to specifcally focus on for an event.”

Going to state in the 100-yard freestyle and breaststroke races, Li was looking to make a statement.

He was disqualifed after a false start in the breaststroke race. However, he made it past the semifnals and into the fnals where he placed 17th in the state.

Coppell swim and dive coach Jonathan Drori is particularly impressed by Li’s commitment to the sport.

“Sean is a very high level swimmer,” Drori said. “Swimmers like that have to be intrinsically motivated and good at what they do. Sean has both.”

Motivation and confdence are two

words that were used by Drori, and for good reason.

“If he didn’t really want it, then it wouldn’t happen for him,” Drori said.

Promoted to captain by Drori, Li has always been a vocal part of the 41-member swim team.

“I voted to make him captain because he represents the team extremely well,” sophomore state qualifer Gabriel Campos said. “The way he leads me and allows me to improve my skills is well done.”

For the past two years, Li has competed in state two relays, but this year he was

looking to build his strength and make individual competitions – a signifcant change.

His way of doing this was by dedicating time to the sport and making space in a very busy schedule.

“Sean and I have really formed a bond at practices by staying with each other,” Campos said. “Coming in the mornings at eight to work on technique is something that shows his dedication to the sport.”

School is a big part of Li’s success and also a main reason why Li has developed time management skills.

“I make sure that I am not goofng around in class,” Li said. “If you are able to focus in class and do the required tasks on time, the amount of information you can garner is massive.”

As a committed business major at New York University, the future is bright for Li who wants to pursue swimming for a club on the side.

“I defnitely want to continue swimming in college,” Li said. “I want to pursue a career in fnance and continue to inspire students and lead in a way that is better for everyone and not just myself.” Instagram

Coppell swim senior Sean Li leads Coppell swim as team captain. Li will attend New York University as a business major. Maddy Park

The Sidekick sports 23

Williams sprinting past decade-long track record

Rhea Choudhary Staff Writer @rhea_choud

Anticipating the gunshot, ready to take off in her lane, Coppell sophomore Sophia Williams repeats the Philippians 4:13 verse, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” prepared to give the race her all.

On Feb. 24 at the Hebron Hawk Relays, Williams broke the school record in the 800-meter run set in 2010 by one second at 1:40.

When it comes to competition, Williams’s specialty lies in relay events, specifcally the 800-meter run and 1,600-meter relays. Her recent triumphs include earning frst place in the 800-meter relay with a time of 1:40 and in the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 4:02 seconds, along with receiving third place in the 200-meter sprint with a time of 25 seconds - merely 30 milliseconds away from surpassing the 2015 record.

Williams’ track journey began in seventh grade at Coppell Middle School East. However, her love for running traces back to her childhood when she ran with her father and older sister, Coppell senior track runner Emma Williams.

Growing up watching all her older siblings succeed within track, Sophia believed she had the potential to achieve that greatness, if not more.

“I saw Sophia’s interest and passion for track being sparked last year when she

frst began high school track,” Emma said. “Our family already knew that she was a great runner in middle school, but I saw her being on the same team as me for the current school year as a chance to help her be better than I was at her age.”

With Sophia previously playing basketball in her freshman year, she suffered a leg injury in the fnal game, forcing her to sit out for the 2023 track season. Nonetheless, she returned to running better than ever with the motivation of gaining speed, utilizing her summer in track to grind.

“Sophia is very self-motivated and you’re not going to hear her be the loudest in the room because while she isn’t a verbal leader, she leads by example with her work ethic,” Coppell girls track coach Landon Wren said. “I don’t have to question what she’s doing during practice because I am confdent that she’s always doing exactly what she needs to do to reach her highest potential.”

Sophia’s weekly routine revolves around having daily practices with bi-weekly after-school practices and weight room sessions, including warm-ups and specialized workouts based on the upcoming relay that she will be competing in.

“It is hard to balance academics with sports, and even though I’ve had to pull a few all-nighters, what motivates me most is the fact that I may be able to earn an athletic college scholarship,” Sophia said. “It helps me reflect on how far I’ve come since seventh grade and I remind myself

how proud I’ve made my dad with my improvement.”

In a family with fve siblings, Sophia and her three older siblings are all well-experienced in track with each earning a time on the Coppell track and feld record board.

“Sophia and I are very competitive with each other but I like being on track with her because her success motivates me to be faster and work harder too,” Emma said. “We do the same events and since we’ve only been able to spend two years as teammates, I think we share the spot-

light well.”

Sophia makes the most of having mentors in her family through their support and help with events they have previously run.

“After seeing how much hard work Sophia put into just focusing on track in the fall of 2023, I knew this would be a good year for her,” Wren said. “Setting a new 800-meter record was just the beginning for Sophia and I think there could potentially be more track records to be broken by her - the sky’s the limit for her.”

Gunnels twins forging stronger bond through lacrosse

Sahasra Chakilam News Editor @sahasrachak24

From striking soccer balls to tumbling on the spring floor during gymnastics practice throughout their childhoods, at 8 years old, Coppell High School senior twins Ally Gunnels and Sydney Gunnels found a love for lacrosse, one that would stick with them all the way to high school.

Ever since, they have been part of the Coppell girls lacrosse team, growing together as players and as twins.

What drew you to lacrosse?

Sydney: We got involved the same way, because we were playing soccer with one of our friends and she also played lacrosse. Her dad told our dad about it, and then we started playing in third grade, and we’ve just been playing since.

Ally: I was drawn to lacrosse, because it was a more competitive sport than the sports I previously played. The community of lacrosse was also very welcoming, and that was especially important to us just being that little.

How would you describe your lacrosse journey?

Sydney: It has defnitely been a long journey going from where we were in third grade. Positionally, I have switched around from starting off as defense to now playing every position. Even from freshman year, I have changed a lot in how I play and how I approach lacrosse with my mentality and skills.

Ally: There has been a lot of growing throughout the process. Skill wise, from the beginning of high school, I have improved a lot. Character trait wise, I’ve learned how to work hard and to have integrity and other important traits needed to become a leader for the team. Also, my dedication and love for the sport has grown. When I started, I was new and did other sports like gymnastics and soccer, but now, lacrosse is the only sport that we’ve stuck with and now I’m going to college for it.

How has your bond as twins influenced your lacrosse experience?

Sydney: Not necessarily always for the better, but defnitely has been impactful the majority of the time. It taught this thing of how to work together under high pressure situations when one of us might be frustrated, and how to remain calm under pressure and not automatically turn to frustration. We have played together all these years and built a chemistry together, and it has helped us to have more trust in each other. There is also this added pressure of being twins where you are expected to have this chemistry.

Ally: Last year, we had our struggles playing together and being twins. Sydney would be an easy source to take my anger out at since it’s easier to get mad at her than to yell or get mad at someone else on the team. It’s also good knowing that she will be there for me and that she is reliable and someone that I can count on.

How have you overcome any obstacles being twins on the same lacrosse team?

Sydney: Our coaches were helpful resources. They helped us talk things through and see that there are positives to being twins on the same team and communicate with them about the struggles we were facing.

Ally: Our coaches helped us grow and be patient with each other. When Sydney and I didn’t want to talk to each other, it was helpful to have coaches that were willing to be the mediators between us. They also taught us how to be open with each other and how to communicate.

What is your favorite part about having a twin on the same lacrosse team?

Sydney: Getting to share experiences together and our victories. It’s great getting to share it with your teammates, but sharing it with your twin sister is also really special.

Ally: We are each other’s best friends and we know what each other has gone through to get to where we are, and the hard work we have put in. It’s good to have someone next to you who knows what that is like and someone to count on.

Coppell sophomore Sophia Williams broke the school’s 800-meter run record set in 2010 on Feb. 24 at the Hebron Hawk Relays, setting a new record of 1:40. Williams has been in track and feld since seventh grade at Coppell Middle School North, inspired by her older siblings’ athletic accomplishments. Ava Johnson

Coppell High School seniors Sydney and Ally Gunnels discovered their love for lacrosse at age 8 and have continued to play the sport throughout high school. Being on the same lacrosse team allowed them to grow together as players and as sisters. Brody Sever and Sameeha Syed