Coppell High School 185 W. Parkway Blvd. Coppell, Texas 75019 Issue 1
Volume 29
October 2017
A flashback to iconic points of interest, historical establishments pages 12-13
Jund joins in
Who we are
In full swing
Page 3
Page 7
Page 20
New principal settles
A question of country
Shindler excels,
into role in Coppell
in war and peace
receives PGA card
www.coppellstudentmedia.com
2 news
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Teacher of the Issue
october 2017
Orlopp brings passion and fun into AP/IB English through infectious personality written by Tara Ansari Staff Writer @taraansari_
photo by Aubrey Phillips Coppell High School AP/IB English teacher Richard Orlopp instructs senior Courtney Roberts on her college essay on Sept. 21. Orlopp was selected as October’s Teacher of the Issue by The Sidekick staff.
Comical, kind and relatable are a few adjectives describing Coppell High School AP/IB English IV teacher Richard Orlopp’s devoting personality that elected him as The Sidekick’s October Teacher of the Issue. “I have always wanted to be a teacher since I always loved textbooks and helping people,” Orlopp said. “I had a lot of teachers who were influential, not only them teaching their subject to me but being there for me through some of my troubled teenage years.” Orlopp’s students also see him as an engaging person whose class they look forward to going to.
“AP English isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but Mr. Orlopp makes me love it,” CHS senior Tyler Runnels said. “The activities he has planned for us makes me want to write, which is something I never used to be into doing.” His love for literature influenced him to become an AP/IB teacher. “The literature we do is super fun, but overall I just love the learners I get to teach since they are funny and we get to laugh a lot in class while learning,” Orlopp said. Along with his students, his co-workers love Orlopp’s energetic personality. “I honestly don’t know how I would survive the past couple years without him,” IB English III teacher Stephanie Ball said. “He has enabled me to push myself as a teacher. He brings so humor and energy to his classroom.”
Exemptions made easy
Students lose privileges as new exam policy restricts majority of underclassmen written by Tanya Raghu Enterprise Editor @tanya_raghu The 2017-2018 school year at Coppell High School has already proven to be a year of change with, most notably, a lanyard policy, a new principal and block schedules. Among these changes is a new exemption policy that will affect the majority of the student body. This year, freshmen are required to take all their exams for both the fall and spring semesters and sophomores and juniors will only be eligible for spring exemptions. Seniors retained their privilege for being exempt from both semesters of exams. Sophomores qualify for one exemption during the spring and juniors are eligible for two exemptions in the spring. Both grades will take all their exams in the fall. “From an education standpoint, one of the problems we see as teachers is that students want to box in each unit and when they take a test over unit three, they just study for unit three and once the unit three test is over, they forget everything about unit three,” IB/Pre-AP Chemistry teacher Susan Sheppard said. “Having that end of course exam, helps keep you
focused about that test.” Sophomores, juniors and seniors will qualify for exemptions only if they have two or less excused absences in their block classes or three in their 55-minute “skinny period” classes. According to the student handbook, in order to qualify for an exemption,
students must have a semester average equal to or greater than an 85. Additionally, students also cannot have disciplinary issues resulting in In-School Suspension, Out-ofSchool Suspension, Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement or Juvenile Justice Alternative Education
Placement. “It’s not a right that you get exemptions, it’s a privilege,” Associate Principal Sean Bagley said. “To earn a privilege there has to be high expectations for those privileges and so that was the idea behind it because privilege is something that you earn.”
graphic by Elena Gillis For the 2017-2018 school year at Coppell High School, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are required to take all or a few of their semester exams. Seniors qualify for exemptions for both the spring and fall semesters.
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news 3
Jund jumps into school year Principal injecting new energy into campus through fresh, welcoming mindset written by Amelia Vanyo Editor-in-Chief @ameliavanyo
W
ith the summer finally behind her, Dr. Nicole Jund took on her role as principal of Coppell High School with a smile on her face and (approximately) 3,700 students in her heart. “Summer is the most boring part of my job,” Jund said. “There hasn’t been any moment where I haven’t been happy to be here.” Jund tries to lead based off of the needs of her students, citing them as one of the biggest motivators in life. “In the grand scheme of my life goals, it is one of the most important things I do,” Jund said. “You don’t commit the kind of time it takes to do this job and not have it be part of who you are every moment of every day. The last thing I do at night is worry about [if I did] the right thing today, and every decision I make is rooted in did I make the best choices for the kids at this school.” The 2017-2018 school year has already been one full of change, from lanyards to block schedule to a new principal and superintendent. While students are making a lot of adjustments from the previous school year, Jund and CHS’s administration
Coppell ISD Superintendent Brad Hunt is excited about what Jund brings to the job. “I’m excited about what she’s going to bring to CHS,” Hunt said. “She has a really positive energy and a really innovative mindset that I think is going to be a perfect fit for CHS.” As with most years, there are issues which arise. “I wish that I could make all the buses run on time,” Jund said. “Despite the fact that we have very many students in a relatively small space, I think that the kids have been really cooperative with that. I feel like things are really good right now, I’m super pumped.” After five years working in Lewisville ISD as the principal at Creek Valley Middle School, Jund is excited to to be back in a high school. “I missed all things high school, I was a coach and a teacher at a high school, I loved being in high school, and so the opportunity to get back here is kind of a dream come true,” Jund said.
Ashley Graham, who worked as a biology teacher at Lewisville High School, where Jund’s students went once graduating from Creek Valley MS, has worked alongside Jund in the past.
“She knows her stuff,” Graham said.
I missed all things high school, I was a coach and a teacher at a high school, I loved being in high school, and so the opportunity to get back here is kind of a dream come true.
Nicole Jund, principal
staff are doing everything they can to help students adapt to the changes. “My door is always open,” Jund said. “We are here to serve [students]. We’re here to help you reach your goals and help you find your dreams. We can’t possibly begin to walk in your shoes. I don’t have any expectations of being the first school in the whole wide world to get it right for every single kid, but we can try.”
“She’s so very intelligent, she’s so very sharp, I definitely think she’s an asset to CHS. I think she’s going to bring a lot of positive change to CHS.” As Jund settled into her position, she took note of some of CHS’s unique characteristics. “I love how different every student is,” Jund said. “The conformity that comes with high school, [CHS students] just don’t have that.”
photo by Aubrey Phillips
4 news
october 2017
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Raise your voice photo by Disha Kohli written by Kelly Wei Art Editor, Entertainment Editor @kelllywei Among the many new voices joining the Coppell High School choir, one in particular will rise to direct the rest. This year, Bona Coogle is the new CHS head choir director. Prior to her arrival at CHS, Coogle served as the head choir director at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD for four years. After hearing about the open position at CHS from colleagues and mentors and realizing she strongly identified with the mission statement of the school, she made the decision to apply, “I was very excited [when I was offered an interview],” Coogle said. “I
Coogle serves as new choir director, brings culture of positivity, family
want to be at a place where I can serve the community and guide students. I set very high standards for my students and I strongly feel that CHS is the best fit for me.” Coogle has replaced ex-head choir director Joshua Brown, who stepped down last year to pursue a doctorate degree in music from the University of North Texas and begin a part-time job at St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Hurst. “This is a head position, and [the CHS choir] been a really successful program,” assistant director Adam Gilliland said. “We were looking for someone who is eager and willing to come in and bring new life and positive adjustments to the classroom.” In addition to successfully adapting
to the fast-paced culture of excellence at CHS, Coogle brings fresh ideas, sincerity and positivity to the classroom. “It’s a difficult place to work,” Gilliland said. “There are a lot of responsibilities that fall on us that differ from other school districts, but she has adjusted well. She really cares for student-teacher relationships.” Coogle is intent on providing her students with a healthy and comfortable environment. “I love the fact that students here are very high-achieving but I also know that students here experience high level of stress and anxiety,” Coogle said. “I would like to do whatever I can to create a positive and relaxing atmosphere for my students so choir can become a place where they can
de-stress.” Choir students are excited about Coogle’s leadership. “She’s a very musically talented person,” CHS choir senior Riya Mahesh said. “She has a different teaching style from what we’ve had [before], but she can bring a lot to us in terms of technicality.” Mahesh, who has been participating in the high school choir since the ninth grade and has sung in three CHS choir groups – Respira, Vivacé! and Madrigals – is the Madrigal Queen and a Madrigal captain this year. “My hopes for choir would be to have a great year,” Mahesh said. “I’ve been waiting to be a senior in choir for quite some time. I hope it’s just everything I hoped it would be.”
Opening a new page
Passion, dedication on display with new face, Arvizu, in CHS library written by Farah Merchant Student Life Editor @farahmerchant Cathy Arvizu, a new librarian for Coppell High School, has been in education for 12 years. After teaching Advanced Placement (AP) English II for eight years, she decided to change paths and become a librarian. She spent three years at Hillcrest High School in Dallas before moving to Coppell. When searching for a new job, CHS stuck out to her. “I really liked [CHS librarian Lynn Hevron],” Arvizu said. “I liked the administration here. After a lot of emails and phone calls, [the CHS librarians and I] decided that this was going to be the best place for me.” After attending seminars and workshops offered by Dallas ISD, Arvizu decided to incorporate social media,
especially through the use of Twitter @ coppellhslib, to CHS library, hoping to market to students that the library can offer help to students in their classes. According to Hevron, Arvizu’s enthusiasm for the library and students made her stand out. “She likes to communicate and work with people,” Hevron said. “I feel like she’ll make herself available, I’ve already seen it, put aside something she’s working on to help a student when a student is in need. We like that – the library is a helping place.” CHS senior library aid Kaylee Kendall sees what Hevron noticed about Arvizu: enthusiasm and the desire to help. “She’s helped me figure out what I’m doing, helped all the library aids and helped students print papers out,” Kendall said. “She’s definitely a leader.”As much as Arvizu hopes to help every student and teacher, it
might be hard to do with more than 200 teachers. “My job as a librarian is to have a really great relationship with all the teachers,” Arvizu said. “That was daunting but slowly I’ll be able to get in touch and kind of get to know everybody. It might not happen this school year but I think in the next year or two to come. I might get a better idea of whose in what departments and how I can help them.” Arivizu feels that the unified feel of CHS will help her succeed in her new environment. “I really like how much of a family this feels like,” Arvizu said. “Everybody’s really supportive of everybody else. Everybody’s really interested in your ideas and your background and what you bring to the table. It’s not this type of an atmosphere where you come in and you have to things the way we’ve been doing them for years.”
photo by Rylee Ferguson
october 2017
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A new hope
news 5
Transcranial magnetic stimulation offers treatment for mental illness written by Amelia Vanyo Editor-in-Chief @ameliavanyo When Skyler Cook’s mother told him about transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), he was skeptical. Cook’s mother, a post traumatic stress disorder patient, had tried several treatment options for her condition, all to little or no avail. “She has some pretty severe PTSD and anxiety, a lot of medications and therapies did not work for her,” Cook said. “So I was kind of hesitant to think anything would work.” It did not take long for Cook to see that TMS was different. “She went through the treatment, and she kept telling me everything was great,” Cook said. “I didn’t really believe her until I saw her. She had gained weight, she looked healthy, I could see it in her face. She flew on a plane and did not take a Xanax, which had never happened before. So that’s when I knew that something had real-
ly changed in her dramatically.” Cook began researching the treatment, and eventually got involved in offering the procedure himself. Cook now works as a director of market development for TMS Neuro Solutions. TMS is a six week long treatment, consisting of five sessions per week, each lasting about 35 to 45 minutes. During the sessions, patients struggling with mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety go through magnetic stimulation of a specific portion of the brain, allowing neurotransmitters to fire the way they are supposed to for a small period of time, giving the body a chance to adapt to a new, and correct pattern. “[When] there’s an underactivity of neurotransmission, things aren’t firing the way they should,” Cook said. “Everybody has a certain amount of neurotransmitters, so things like dopamine, norapronephrin, seratonin, all those things each one of our bodies has plenty of those. Unfortunately sometimes they just aren’t firing the
graphic by Kelly Wei TMS Neuro Solutions offers treatment to a variety of patients in the Metroplex. Lakeside Life Center in Carrollton has offered transcranial magnetic stimulation through TMS Neuro Solutions.
way they should. Normally it’s an underactivity. So what TMS is doing is it’s stimulating a certain portion of the brain, which allows those neurotransmitters to fire appropriately, and over a certain amount of time it creates a baseline of regularity.” At TMS Neuro Solutions, treatment
some patients who do not respond to any medication, or partially respond to some. But when they take the TMS they get much better. For some people it’s the only thing that pulls them out of depression.” One Coppell resident, John Doe, has a daughter that went through TMS
The most important thing was having an outlook where things could be improved. John Doe has an 81 percent success rate, with success meaning a patient experiences 50 percent or more improvements in symptoms they were experiencing. According to Cook, more than 50 percent of TMS Neuro Solutions patients achieve complete remission, with little to no side effects of depression or anxiety at all. “The reason it’s so effective is because your body is very malleable,” Cook said. “So it’s not like your brain is going to forget or get worse. So it really does a good job of holding its own after the treatment.” Treatment is offered to anyone who wants it, but insurance requires that a patient has tried other treatment options before. “If we’re utilizing insurance, we want to see that they’ve tried a couple of medications and they did not work, that they have tried some kind of talk therapy before, and that they are seeing a doctor regularly,” Cook said. Psychiatrist Nishendu Vasavada works at Lakeside Life Center in Carrollton, where TMS Neuro Solutions is offered, and has been offering the treatment for four years. He encourages patients to go through treatment as it is one of the few that does not involve extra medication. “Anything else you can do to improve the chances of a patient going into remission where their functioning goes back to the original level of functioning is good for them, so this is one of those tools,” Vasavada said. “There is no medication involved so the side effects are limited, you don’t have the chronic weight gain that comes with medication. I’ve had
around nine months ago. He said that her outlook greatly improved after treatment. “The most important thing was having an outlook where things could be improved,” Doe said. “The outlook, and feeling that there were ways to move forward and being optimistic.” Though he appreciates TMS and how it helped his daughter, Doe emphasizes the necessity of other care options that can help mental illness, such as nutrition, exercise and continuing pre-prescribed medication. “Having the ability to have something other than just taking the pill every day is important,” Doe said. “Having alternatives, and being able to have this as a resource, that’s important. Nutrition, exercise, TMS, I think it’s a combination of all these things.” TMS is not a new treatment. In fact, it can be traced to practices that took place almost 70 years ago. However, the FDA did not approve the treatment until 2008, and it was not until 2011 that treatment really started becoming common practice in psychiatric offices. “Unfortunately a lot of people don’t know about this treatment,” Cook said. “We do everything we can just to make sure people know about it. We help organizations [to grow], not just here in Dallas, but we help some companies in Houston and we help companies on the East Coast.” Six years later, the treatment is still growing and changing. According to Vasavada, the treatment is currently being used experimentally to treat drug addiction, autism, post traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.
6 opinions
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Editorial
october 2017
You do not have all the time in the world to decide your future Too many times, when I ask my classmates what they want to do as a career, they don’t know. They think they have plenty of time, and they don’t have to worry about it. That statement couldn’t be farther from the truth. Whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, four years or less is hardly enough time, because it will pass by in the blink of an eye. It is important to at least be thinking about what you want to do, so that, if you apply for college, you can know exactly what classes you want to take. While it seems daunting, choosing a career, or even just a career field, is easier than most think. Here are some tips: Keep in mind that a career you think you will go into is not end all be all. You don’t have to go out and choose exactly what you want to do, choose your major and choose exactly where you will work or anything like that. Most people who do know what they want to do don’t even get that far. Planning for the future isn’t planning every single detail of your life. It’s getting a basic idea of what you want to do to start planning the next steps.
Find out what you like. Maybe you really like helping people out. Maybe you don’t really know what you like yet, or you like so many different things that you can’t just choose one- join a club, or multiple. Maybe you really like film, try KCBY. Maybe you want to do something health related, try HOSA. While it’s important to use things like clubs to find out what you want to do, they’re for so much more than that. Developing your skills in any club will help with anything you do, so you’re killing two birds with one stone by joining them.
You may think that you don’t like something, but once you try it, you may end loving it. Never limit your options.
Student Life Editor
Chase Wofford
Farah Merchant
Executive Editor-in-Chief
Graphics Editor
Amelia Vanyo
Elena Gillis
Ale Ceniceros
Executive Design Editor
EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP Art and Entertainment Editor
Kelly Wei Editorial Page Editor
Fiona Koshy Enterprise Editor
Tanya Raghu
Don’t let money influence your choice in a career. There is no point in having a lot of money if you don’t enjoy what you are doing in getting that money. When you choose a career you think you want, it’s easier to pursue it because you enjoy it. You will generally do better and if it’s the type of job where you can get promoted, you will get promoted.
Signing up and participating in things like EZ tutoring can help you realize that you have a lot of patience (or maybe you don’t). By trying out new things, you can realize what you are good at.
Adviser
Lili Lomas
will make you happy and what you will like.
Find out what your strengths and weaknesses are.
Photography Editor
Executive Digital Content / Sports Editor
So many of the people who struggle with deciding a career do know what they want to do, but they are afraid that it will be dumb, or wrong, or their parents w o n ’ t approve. It’s your career, not your parents or your friends c a r e e r . Choose what you think
Keep your options open.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Wren Lee
If you have something you want to do, don’t let other people affect your decision.
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP Business Manager
Gracie Blackwell Communications Manager
Sofia Guerrero Emily Heffernan Jess Hernandez Pramika Kadari Siraj Mahmud Molly McGill Nishant Medicharla Arman Merchant Nicholas Prankse Reid Valentine Christine Zacuai
Sruthi Boppuri STAFF WRITERS Tara Ansari Anika Arutla Renata Barona Andres Bear Anthony Cesario Claire Clements
PHOTOGRAPHERS Akif Abidi Laura Amador-Toro Rylee Ferguson Bren Flechtner Varsha Kanneganti Disha Kohli Quyenh Phang
Aubrey Phillips Mari Pletta Nolan Sanders Nadia Scalzo Karis Thomas Akarsh Velagapudi GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Kaylee Aguilar Cristina Gomez Macy Harmon Bella Mora Britain Stanley
The Sidekick is the student newspaper for Coppell High School and is published six times per school year. The newspaper is a member of National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Interscholastic League Press Conference. The editorials and columns presented in this paper reflect the views of its student writers and not Coppell High School or Coppell Independent School District. Advertisements are sold as full, 1/2 page, 1/4 page and 1/8 page sizes in black and white or color. The Sidekick welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters can be emailed to cwofford@coppellisd.com or delivered to the D115 newsroom at Coppell High School. A current email address and first and last name for the writer must be included for the letter to be considered for publication. @CHSCampusNews Contact The Sidekick: @thesidekickcoppell 214-496-6239 @sidekicknews cwofford@coppellisd.com @sidekick_sports 185 W. Parkway Blvd Sidekick Online Coppell, TX 75019
october 2017
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opinions 7
Defining a country America’s benevolence prevalent in times of crisis, disappears in times of peace
written by Amelia Vanyo Editor-in-Chief @ameliavanyo
T
iki torches, confederate flags, the Ku Klux Klan, police, sirens, guns. Jokes about civil wars and World War III that sting more in hearts than they do in bellies because they are not as funny as they are real. Anger between families, between friends. Fighting on every media front, between the president and the people. This was peace. “As a country, things had become very tense,” AP U.S. History teacher Kevin Casey said. “Americans were questioning other Americans in almost every situation.” A hurricane ripped through Houston, leaving dead and displaced Americans in its wake. Donations piled up, volunteers lined up, doors opened up, hearts filled up, no one gave up.
This was crisis. So who is America? Is she her perseverance when she needs to persevere? Or her passiveness when she does not see the need? It might be easy to dismiss the evil that takes over America in times when she is relaxed, especially when that evil is followed by the selfless benevolence Americans display in times of need, as they did after Hurricane Harvey hit. “As a country, we always rally in times of disaster. People want to help, people want to reach out to each other, people want to form communities,” Casey said. “Unfortunately, these disasters are the time when people can let their guard down, and actually reach out to one another.” But it is unfair to define the country by what she is rarely, even if she is most emphatic at that moment. Neither can we take her as the sum of her parts. She is not solely good but also not jointly good and bad. America shows the inherent and, as afore stated, emphatic ability to be benevolent in times of crisis. But when the country
is no longer in crisis, she all but remembers this ability. America is a country capable of goodness, but only when goodness is forced upon her. That defines her. What does it say about America if she cannot always be good? Can we not always care about lives regardless of
their citizenship? Can we say black lives matter without fear of our face meeting a fist? Can we not always call upon cops with large hearts? Can we not always do unto our neighbors as we would have done unto ourselves? Can we not always find the goodness in our hearts? Can we not always find the reason for goodness in our world?
photo by Amelia Vanyo A sign is held up at the Dallas Against White Supremacy rally on Aug. 19. America experienced weeks of violence and anger in the weeks leading up to Hurricane Harvey, but then turned and found their hearts once the hurricane hit.
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CHS speaks
october 2017
Students, faculty share perspectives, thoughts on 2017-2018 ID lanyard policy
written by Fiona Koshy Opinions Editor @fionakoshy10 This year, Coppell High School created a new policy stating that all students and staff must wear lanyards with their school ID attached on school premises. The rule was put into place to increase safety. If the lanyard is misplaced, students are expected to wear a temporary ID badge or purchase a new ID for five dollars. After a student does not have their ID for three days, they will begin to receive detentions, which eventually can turn into Saturday school. With this new policy, however, comes a variety of opinions.
october 2017
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opinions 9
Turn your frown upside down
Ways to alleviate stress, boost your mood through fitness, music, meditation
written by Tara Ansari Staff Writer @taraansari_ Bad moods tend to sneak up on us and trying to maintain a positive attitude can feel like an uphill battle at times especially, when all of the negative energy has completely drained you. Whether it is a stressful day at work, a bad test grade or an argument with
a friend, there are many ways you can improve your mood. “Whenever I am having a bad day or want to clear my mind I always turn to working out as a way to improve my mood,” Coppell High School senior Natalie Barker said. “You are clearing your mind while working on yourself, it’s a win win opportunity.” Fitness Magazine writer Mary Pritchard recently stated that exercise has been proven to help individuals think clearer and make better decisions. Exercise activates a part of your brain called your ventral prefrontal cortex which is important for decision making as well as emotional processing. That part of the brain also helps us process negative emotions in order
to stay focused on the positive. Not only can exercise improve your mood but also your health, preventing high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. Venting to others helps restore equilibrium and lightens your mood when you are able to expose your emotions and have someone acknowledge your feelings. “I would say a common trend I see in my patients is that they keep everything to themselves” Plano therapist Nazanin Farahmand said. “They have trouble allowing themselves to talk about their feelings or problems because they keep everything bottled inside, but people need to understand that talking to someone can lift weight off their shoulders.”
Surrounding yourself with friends and family
Simple actions, such as rearranging furniture, can affect someone’s day. Inner and outer harmony happens when pieces of furniture are placed in a way that makes sense and provides satisfaction. Designing is an opportunity for artistry and comfort. When you change your personal space, you hone your aesthetic and identify what you truly love and need. “Write down your feelings, go outside, make time for the ones you love, but most importantly remember to take care of yourself and put yourself first from time to time because we often forget what makes us happy when we are caught up in this thing called life,” Farahmand said. A few of my suggestions:
Focusing on building friendships with people and being able to build relationships is important for one’s well being.
Creating soundtracks of your favorite upbeat songs and listening to them when you are feeling down can improve your mood, especially when you are making a conscious effort to improve your mood.
Singing along to songs
Researchers have discovered that singing releases endorphins, which is associated with feelings of please and elation. It also releases oxytocin, a hormone that has been found to alleviate anxiety.
Although it might not be for everyone, meditating is a way people take a mini-retreat from the world, which is something that is needed when the world is getting you down. Meditation releases endorphins, causing the production of serotonin which is associated with happiness and relaxation. photo illustration by Sruthi Boppuri
Listening to upbeat music
Meditate
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Who needs Google Translate?
october 2017
Egan shares passion for languages, cultural understanding written by Akif Abidi Staff Writer @akifabidi
C
oppell High School French and Spanish teacher Michael Egan is known for his fluency in six different languages and is learning more every day. Egan shares his passion and talent for languages and teaching, and also discusses his dreams and goals for the future.
Q: What inspired you to learn different languages? I learned Russian as my native language being born in Russia. Since I was an orphan, the orphanage in Russia I grew up in had a strong German influence, and therefore I learned German at the same time. When I was adopted at the age of 7, I had to learn English, there was no choice. I also learned sign language because my grandmother was deaf. While learning Spanish, I had an opportunity to study abroad in Spain as I lived there for a while. I moved around to Costa Rica and Argentina as well. So you can say what inspired me to learn six languages is perhaps is seeing the difference it makes by being able to speak over one language and the people it touches and being to hear from them as well.
Q: What languages can you currently speak? As of this moment, I can communicate in Spanish, French, Russian, German and sign language fluently. I am currently learning Korean, Mandarin and Arabic.
Q: What is hardest about learning a new language? Well, that varies with every person, but for me, believe or not, it is very hard to understand native speakers. For the longest time, I had to train my ear to adapt to the dialect and accents.
I try to listen to the authentic sources of a language, so if you are listening to the news or a song or watching a movie, that takes a long time to practice and get to that level of proficiency you can understand everything. I am very meticulous with every language I speak, especially with the correct accent. But once you get to that point, the learning becomes much easier.
Q: Why did you you decide to pursue teaching? I used to be a translator so I am familiar with that field, but it takes time because my goal one day is to be a translator in the UN, that’s like the top for me. But you know, it takes time, teaching is a fulfilling and rewarding career, and at the same time very exhausting. But I get to plug in my French and Spanish into my everyday life to practice building them up, which is my main passions right now. Right now, I want to build up my resume, have more experience and exposure.
Q: Has your understanding of cultures improved? You better believe it. There is a power to be able to communicate with someone in their native language. While learning Spanish, I could see the veil that divides us get lifted. Once you get to know someone’s language then you get to know the person so much better and gives you a much better insight on that person personality. It bridges the gap once you use their language and make them feel at ease.
Want more? Scan to read Akif’s full story.
photo by Karis Thomas
october 2017
student life 11
the sidekick
Wendt takes the crown CHS senior represents Coppell as Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen 2017 written by Jess Hernandez Staff Writer @jessicamh13 Competitive dancer, Red Jacket, Lariette, advocate, volunteer, leader, friend, daughter and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen 2017. These are just a few of the many titles that can be used to describe Coppell High School senior Stephanie Wendt. At the end of June, Wendt was named Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen after competing against 51 other girls for the title. In previous years, Wendt has been a Miss Texas Outstanding Teen for Fort Worth, Plano and North Texas. Wendt then went on to compete against 50 other girls from every state and the District of Columbia less than a month later for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. She placed fourth in the national competition as third runner-up to Miss Alabama’s
Outstanding Teen Jessica Baeder, who was named Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2018 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Each Miss America Organization (MAO) pageant is made up of four key portions: fitness, talent, evening gown/onstage question and a private interview. Wendt competed with a lyrical dance for the talent portion at both the state and the national level. “The hardest part for me was making sure that, since it was my very last year of eligibility, that I left everything on the stage,” Wendt said. “I worked as hard as I possibly could and I truly was 100 percent [me] on that stage. I truly believe that’s one of the reasons that I was able to accomplish that dream this year.” When Wendt was 8, she was asked to be a Lone Star Princess, which is part of
the Miss Texas mentoring program for young girls who are not old enough to compete but want to get a sense of what it is like. “I wasn’t actually competing, but that kind of lit the fire in me,” Wendt said. “Just sitting and watching the girls compete made me turn to my mom and say ‘That’s what I want to do.’” Stephanie’s first pageant with the MAO took place her freshman year, and it didn’t take much for her parents to say “yes” to her pageant endeavors. As a scholastic pageant, the MAO focuses on more than just pretty dresses and scripted answers. “People have preconceived notions that pageants are just beauty pageants, but I knew the Miss America Organization was totally different,” mother Amy Wendt said. “It’s beneficial and brings life lessons along the way.” Throughout every step of her journey, Stephanie has had her parents by her side. From being a Lone Star Princess to being Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen 2017, Stephanie has grown and changed in numerous ways. Stephanie’s parents have had the opportunity to watch their daughter become a role model for young girls across the state and country, and in doing so have learned that dedication is all that is required in order to be successful. “To see her mature and watch her self-confidence grow from when she was on stage [as a Lone Star Princess] when she was 8 years old to becoming Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen has been incredible,” father Paul Wendt said. Stephanie is not the only Wendt that has grown and changed from her time spent doing pageants. Her family has taken to volunteering with every free moment they have and giving back to the community however they can. From yearly volunteering traditions to cheering in crowds for their daughter,
Stephanie’s parents have had their fair share of life lessons to take with them after leaving every event they do. “Even though I’m the one that’s competing in pageants, it’s really become a family endeavor because my parents are the ones that are driving me to the appearances and at some points they’re volunteering alongside with me,” Stephanie said. “It’s not just me growing as a person, but it’s allowing us to grow closer as a family through the community work that we’re doing.” Along with her parents, Wendt’s friends have also been able to cheer her on and watch her grow as a person and a performer over the years. “I’ve loved watching Stephanie do pageants because I’ve known her since we were in middle school, and getting to see her grow into who she is has been incredible,” senior Lauren McCord said. “She’s taken lots of steps to get where she is and I’ve seen a lot of change and development in Stephanie and it’s been so great.” As Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen, Stephanie has the opportunity volunteer and devote her time to organizations and causes that she deems are important. Each Outstanding Teen is expected to serve their community and give back in numerous ways. In addition to other extracurricular activities that Stephanie is committed to, she is left with a packed schedule but a strong passion for everything that she does. “Whenever you want something and you work at it for years and you dream of having it happen and it finally does, it makes you extremely grateful, and that’s one thing that I’ve really focused on as Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen,” Stephanie said. “Just being grateful and not taking each opportunity and blessing for granted.” In the future, Stephanie plans on competing in the Miss Texas pageant so she can fulfill her dreams of walking across the Miss America stage.
photo by Akif Abidi
12 centerspread
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flashback to iconic points of interest, historical establishments
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oppell, Texas. A city now synonymous with oversized T-shirts and George Coffee + Provisions, was once a small farming community centered around today’s Grapevine Springs Park. Since the city’s humble beginnings in the early 1880s, it has seen tremendous growth in population, land and business yet some early establishments still remain intact. The Sidekick explored the history of several modern-day Coppell staples and how they have changed over time. Here is a Coppell rewind.
Coppell Community Garden, 1998
pa rkway
blvd Coppell High School, 1989
Local Diner, 1989
e. bethel scho ol rd Gracepoint Church, 1901
rd ke
Company, 2013
w. bethel rd
YMCA, 1999
e . belt l i
DFW6-Amazon
denton tap rd
freeport pkwy
e. sandy lake rd
Grapevine Springs, 1936
Bethel Road Barber Shop preserves Old Town Coppell vintage feel This quaint white building on the corner of Bethel Road and S. Coppell Road is one of the most recognizable buildings in the heart of Old Town Coppell. In 1956, original owner Floyd Harwell purchased this lot on which a service station used to sit and made it his barbershop, a business which was originally located in an extra room of his house. When Harwell died in 1969, his widow Clayta Harwell began renting it out to other barbers. Current owner Joe Shirley rented it from her in September 1995, remodeled it, built in cabinets and opened his shop on Nov. 7, 1995. Shirley served in the U.S. Navy and was in active duty for about three years. For the last two and a half years on the ship, he became interested in being a barber and went to barber school on his time off. Currently, he is the only person that works at the shop. “I’ve been here for 38 years so I’m kind of attached to it as well [as Coppell citizens],” Shirley said. written by Lili Lomas
Theatre Coppell offering creative outlet for citizens since 1988 Pete Wilson, who developed the drama program at Coppell High School, started Theatre Coppell in 1988 after much demand for it by citizens. Since the theater started, it has grown in participation from around the Metroplex, budget, number of season ticket holders and number of shows per season (from five to six). Originally, the theater performed at Coppell Middle School West which served as the Coppell High School at the time. In 1999, after the fire department abandoned the building next to Barbara S. Austin Elementary School, the City of Coppell renovated the building and it was turned into Theatre Coppell. “Some of my students did theater in school but they also wanted to do something outside of school so some of them [joined Theatre Coppell], and then other people joined us and that’s when we formed the community theater so we started out very small but it wasn’t a year before we had been fairly successful,” Wilson said. written by Lili Lomas
St Ann Catholic parish, 1984
n. m a c artuur b lvd
Deliman Grill, 2003
Coppell Farmers Market: center for tradition Today, the Coppell Farmers Market and its fountain are iconic symbols of the newly developed Coppell Old Town. The market’s beginnings stretch back years and the market’s founder, Amanda Vanhoozier, has seen the city of Coppell grow into the bustling suburb it is
photos by Ale Ceniceros and Mari Pletta graphics by Elena Gillis and Kelly Wei
today. The CFM was founded as a community project run by volunteers and for 14 years since its establishment, has served as a central gathering location for Coppell citizens. Community engagement was vital to the establishment of the local market. “I was motivated by the people. It’s not about the project or the product, it’s about engaging the people,” Vanhoozier said. The market’s central location has brought more local activity into the area. Construction of local features, such as a park and restaurants, are some of the many changes to Old Town Coppell which the farmer’s market has witnessed. written by Christine Zacuai
Pinkerton Elementary symbolizes more than 50 years of Coppell schools From the 1800s to 1961, Coppell School offered first through eighth grades and was located at modern day Pinkerton Elementary. In 1961, it was split into Coppell Elementary School, which was the left side, and Coppell Junior High School, which was on the right. Each year after that, a grade level was added until 1965 when the first senior class graduated in a class of only about 34 students. In 1967, the higher grade levels then moved to the building that is currently Coppell Middle School West. The curriculum included mainly core classes and electives such as art and chemistry and business classes such as typing and accounting. “When I was in first grade and up until ninth grade, it was just one building and Pinkerton was just the left hand side and it had about seven rooms in there including the auditorium,” said Pete Wilson, valedictorian of the 1965 class of Coppell High School. “So until we started adding a high school, there was just one little building.” written by Lili Lomas
14 student life
T H S I D K I C S T R I
the sidekick
E E K P
drawn by Kelly Wei Art Editor, Entertinament Editor @kelllywei
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student life 15
Barnes’ class pets attract students, teachers alike written by Molly Mcgill Staff Writer @0mollyelyse0 Coppell High School Astronomy and Earth & Space Science teacher Angela Barnes is just your average science teacher with a snake, a tarantula and countless madagascar hissing cockroaches of course. Known to walk around with her snake Monty, wrapped around her neck, Barnes is an animal loving science teacher. All of her animals live in her classroom and interact with her students. “The motivation to bring animals to school has nothing to do with what I teach,” Barnes said. “It has to do with who I am.” Barnes is the sponsor for the Coppell High Ethical Treatment of Animals (CHETA) club. Her involvement in the club is because of her strong opinions regarding animal cruelty, which is shown in her diet. Barnes has been a strict vegan for two years and was a vegetarian for 20 years before that. Barnes’ veganism often sparks interest in her students. “It influenced some of my eating habits because there are better alternatives than eating meat and I like how she gives us [information about these alternatives],” CHS senior Mark Beshai said. Monty the snake is the most popular animal in Barnes’s classroom, and around school with students and teachers. Barnes adopted Monty from a friend, who did not have enough time to take care of him properly. “He pretty gradually became my snake and now he lives in the classroom,” Barnes said. “He’s the mascot of the classroom, the class pet if you will. So everybody just enjoys him even if they don’t like snakes at first.” A defining trait of Monty’s is to slither around the classroom and cuddle with unsuspecting students.
photo by Karis Thomas Coppell High School seniors Nicole Johnson and Ceyda Haggan interact with Monty, Angela Barnes’s snake, as she teaches and helps students during her sixth period Earth & Space Science class on Sept 20. Monty is one of three types of pets Barnes has in her classroom, including Madagascar hissing cockroaches and a tarantula.
“Sometimes she brings out Monty the snake and he slithers around your table and it’s a lot of fun,” CHS senior David Reyes said. “Monty is cool, he’s just a cool guy.” Compared to the Madagascar hissing cockroaches Barnes has, Monty’s presence seems normal. Barnes received these cockroaches five years ago as a gift from a student. “I told [him] I don’t want that gift, cockroaches is where I draw the line,” Barnes said. “He was like ‘They really
need a home otherwise they are going to get killed’, and I’m like, ‘Alright, Casey I’ll take them.’ And he gave me nine females, but one of them wasn’t a female. He made a mistake, and now I have dozens of them.” Barnes does not have animals in the classroom just for entertainment, as she also uses them to help teach in her classroom. When Barnes first started teaching at CHS, she was a biology teacher, and she used her animals to help further teach her students.
“I used to have a hairless cat named Mendel, When we talked about genetics and genetic defects he was the perfect specimen to bring to just show everybody,” Barnes said. “I think he started it all.” Barnes teaching style doesn’t inspire, it also inspires fellow teachers. “She’s crazy but I think that the animals create a nice environment for kids to learn and it gives them a real world perspective,” CHS Honors Physics teacher Evan Whitfield said.
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october 2017
The Backstage Experience Theatre and Design class combines creativity, artistic talent with academics written by Nolan Sanders Staff Writer @nolan_sanders_ Many people are familiar with the award-winning musical productions performed by the talented actors of Coppell High School, but what people often forget to recognize are the talented individuals who work to make it all possible behind the stage, far away from the limelight. Technical Theatre and Design is a class offered at CHS for learners who wish to focus on the behind-thescenes aspects of theatre. CHS technical directors Jason Dixon and Mike Klefeker, are vital to the theatrical productions. Combined, Dixon and Klefeker have twenty years of teaching experience, but both are relatively new to Coppell ISD. “I enjoy building and creating things and I like to work with my hands,” Dixon said. “There’s some-
thing magical about building something and then watching it come to life on a stage.” Mr. Klefeker made a connection between technical theatre and academics. “I think you can apply knowledge you’ve obtained from core classes to technical theatre,” Klefeker said. “We’ll use math and science and history and business when we design props in this class.” This year, Technical Theatre and Design has over 250 learners, all working behind the scenes in various ways. “We create a whole world from words on a black-and-white page,” Klefeker said. “We go and take something that is in someone’s head and make it reality.” These learners are working alongside the amazingly talented cast of Coppell High School’s fall production, The Addams Family, which runs October 22 - 29.
photo by Quyenh Phang At Coppell High School, students in third period technical theatre help build a set for a performance. Students in technical theatre prepare for an upcoming musical performance on “The Addams Family” by building the set for it. The musical performance will be held on Oct. 22 at CHS at 2:30 pm.
october 2017
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entertainment 17
Are you ready for it...?
Swift reintroduces self-image with fresh, sharp album after 3 years of silence
photo by Bren Flechtner Taylor Swift’s music video for “Look What You Made Me Do” has garnered more than 482 million views and broken the record for most views in a day at 43.2 million views. The announcement of Swift’s upcoming album “Reputation”, set to be released Nov. 10, and two song releases, have left fans taken aback by her new, black-lipped and edgier conwritten by Kelly Wei Arts & Entertainment Editor @kelllywei Since her breakthrough at age 16, Taylor Swift’s name has not left the tip of Hollywood’s tongue. Swift has long been hailed as America’s sweetheart, but with the announcement of her upcoming album “Reputation”, set to be released Nov. 10, and two singles, Swift has left fans taken aback by her new, black-lipped and edgier concept. “I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me,” Swift sings in her first release, “Look What You Made Me Do,” which dropped Aug. 24, 2017, offering an unfamiliar tone of cynicism to listeners as she summarized the tumultuous past three years of her life. Marked with controversies (see: Kanye West and taped phone calls) and bad breakups (see: Calvin Harris and songwriter pseudonyms), Swift has emerged from the scrutiny of the media harder and smarter, the transformation evident more than ever in her new music. “Look What You Made Me Do” is a bitter, wicked pop single with a chorus that bounces on a dry bassline void of the glittering guitar chords
Swift fans have come to expect. The first album single effectively delivers an unspoken theme of retribution and self-strengthening that will be central to “Reputation”, all the while wrapped in a stylish bad-girl package, boasting a chilly attitude and lethal confidence. The music video alone for “Look What You Made Me Do” has garnered over 482 million views and broken the record for most views in a day, racking up 43.2 million views in 24 hours and topping the previous record-holder, Psy’s “Gentleman,” which gained 36 million views in its first 24 hours.
“... Ready For It?” soon after - a beatheavy and smoldering love song that casts Swift in a dominant role in the relationship and maintains the cool, near-arrogant theme that appears to be permeating the “Reputation” era. Many fans have embraced the change, approving of the sleeker image Swift is now presenting. “She’s finally standing up for herself,” Coppell High School junior Danni Murtha said. “It’s cool to see that. [“... Ready For It?”] shows that she’s still the fun and romantic girl she was before, but just more grown up now.”
[“...Ready For It?”] shows that she’s still the fun and romantic girl she was before, but just more grown up now.” Danni Murthi, junior “The song has now knocked the long-reigning “Despacito” from its record-tying 16-week run at number one,” TIME Entertainment reporter Raisa Bruner said. “This is Swift’s fifth number one in her career; her last claim to that title was 2015’s “Bad Blood”. Swift released her second single,
Others disagree, claiming Swift’s change is ill-fitting on her. “It’s a new direction [that she’s taking] for sure, but it’s way too much,” CHS senior Brandon Johnson, an aspiring music producer, said. “You can tell she’s trying too hard to be somebody she’s not. The style doesn’t really suit her.”
sidebar by Sruthi Boppuri
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october 2017
Spicing up autumn
Raisin pumpkin bread provides healthy twist on a fall favorite to go nuts over written by Amelia Vanyo Editor-in-Chief @ameliavanyo With fall and holidays fast approaching, many cannot stop thinking about and craving all things pumpkin. While pumpkin pie is great, it is almost always reserved for Thanksgiving in my family, and pumpkin spice lattes do not really hit the spot - so pumpkin bread is my go-to fall treat. Even better than plain old pumpkin bread is pumpkin bread with a twist, including the recipe I’ve listed below: Raisin Pumpkin Bread. Ingredients: 2 ½ cups whole-wheat flour ½ cup yellow or white cornmeal 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon salt ⅔1 cup coconut oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups canned pumpkin 4 eggs 1⅔ cup water 1 cup raisins ½ cup chopped walnuts 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease and flour two medium loaf pans. 3. In a separate bowl, beat coconut oil and sugar until blended. 4. Stir dry ingredients together. 5. Beat pumpkin, eggs and water. 6. Combine ingredients and beat until blended. 7. Mix in raisins and walnuts. 8. Pour into the two pans and bake for 60-65 minutes. 9. Cool and enjoy!
photo by Amelia Vanyo Pumpkin bread is a great go-to fall treat. This recipe makes two loaves of raisin pumpkin bread for readers to enjoy.
Competition brewing
Two coffee houses, one question: Liberation or George Coffee + Provisions? written by Molly McGill Staff Writer @0mollyelyse0
Liberation Coffee Company and George Coffee + Provisions are two popular coffee houses in a city dominated by teenagers looking for caffeine
photo by Disha Kohli George Coffee + Provisions is located at 462 Houston St. Coppell, TX and opened in July. George Coffee + Provisions is a family owned coffee shop owned by Christian and Laura Hemberger, who live above the shop.
and a will to complete homework. Liberation Co. seems like a hole-inthe-wall coffee shop, yet it is a prime meeting spot for teens and adults looking to do some homework or just hang out. Liberation Co. is almost a quarter the size of George, giving a more homey and relaxed feel, though the ambiance is not solely attributed to size, but the decor and people as well. “Sometimes you go to Starbucks or you go to George and everybody’s screaming and there are like a million people in there but at Liberation it’s so small,” Coppell High School senior Maggie Lazaroski said. “Not that many people can be in there so it does help. It’s a lot quieter, a lot more calm.” “It’s just a good vibe,” CHS freshman Lilly Gorman said - a simple sentence encapsulating why many regulars at Liberation Co. keep coming back. On the other hand, George is a large, bright and light-hearted coffee house on the verge of instafame, due to the amount of pictures students take there. Known for its aesthetically pleasing
atmosphere, seeing Instagram photos of teenagers at George has become a regular occurrence on most CHS students’ Instagram feed, propelling George’s popularity and proving the importance and influence of social media. “It’s really unique in this area because of the way it’s decorated, the way it’s laid out, the people that work there, and everyone’s really nice,” CHS sophomore Emma Hyden said. “It’s just a fun place to be.” George and Liberation Co. could not be more different. George is a large, bright and outgoing coffee house, while Liberation Co. is a smaller, darker and quieter coffee house. Therefore, the real winner is not in which is better overall, but which you prefer. George and Liberation Co. are two distinctive coffee houses for a variety of people looking for different experiences: if you want to go talk with friends, take cute pictures and organize a study group, George is the place. If you want to do work in a more relaxed environment that is more secluded, go to Liberation Co.
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entertainment 19
TIPS AND TRICKS Applying to college
written by Lili Lomas Executive Digital Content Editor
Drive for passion North Texas residents interact and bond over their love for car restoration written by Anika Arutla Staff Writer @anikaarutla For Bruce Sletter, every car has a story and that’s the reason why he attends car shows. “Everyone has a story,” Sletter said. “Like, ‘Oh, my dad owned that car and I remember when I was 18, I owned a car like that [too],’” Sletter said. The fourth annual Coppell Car Show was held Sept. 10 in Main Street Coppell.
Coppell began hosting the car show in 2013, and all of the proceeds went to the Coppell High School Solar Race Team. To enter a car into the show, a fee of $20 and registration is required. There were 26 categories for attendees to vote in for their favorite cars on a piece of paper. The parking lot was lined up with antique cars as people from all over North Texas showed off their vehicles. Denton resident Bob Gray is the owner of a 1957 turquoise Bel Air. “I think this is a great show,” Gray
said. “Coppell did a really good job here. The facilities are great, great parking, restaurants are right here, bathrooms over there, it’s just good.” Ricky Ellis, owner of a 1970 black Chevrolet, also attended the show in Coppell for the first time. He goes to shows twice a month. “[My] favorite part of the show is meeting friendly people who have the same interests as me,” Ellis said. “It’s really friendly, beautiful cars, beautiful people and it’s just a friendly place to come hangout.”
Denton resident Bob Gray’s turquoise 1957 two door Bel Air displays at the fourth annual car show in Main Street Coppell on Sept.10. The car show is hosted by the Coppell High School solar car team.
photos by Akarsh Velagapudi Cars are displayed at the fourth annual car show in Main Street Coppell on Sept. 10. The fourth annual Coppell Car Show is hosted by the Coppell High School solar car team.
For Coppell High School seniors, the fall semester is filled with concern about college applications. Here is some advice from the school’s counselors about how to complete applications, financial aid and choosing which college is right for you.
CONNECT WITH YOUR COUNSELOR
Start the application process by meeting with your counselor with a list of schools you are interested in applying to.
USE NAVIANCE
Naviance is a “one stop” shop for information about different schools and even seeing what school would be the best fit for you.Naviance and allows
the process to run smoother for applicants and counselors.
THE ESSAY
Make sure the college essay reflects your voice. It should tell a lot about you and sound natural.
RESEARCH
Check the college admission page for the school you are applying to. Much of that information has been put together on the CHS counselor college admission page which tells what schools need what kind of recommendations.
FINANCIAL AID
On Oct. 14, there will be a presentation at CHS to get one on one assistance with financial aid. Students can bring documents with them necessary for financial aid applications to receive one on one assistance.
20 sports
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Just the beginning
october 2017
Coppell alum Shindler earns PGA card, granting new opportunities to play golf
photo by Ale Ceniceros Coppell High School 2007 graduate Conrad Shindler became a member of the PGA Tour on Aug. 27 in Portland, Ore. Shindler will play in the Safeway Open for his first PGA Tour event Oct. 2-7 at the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif. written by Reid Valentine Staff Writer @reidv9 t was never a question that Conrad Shindler was going to be on the PGA Tour, it was just a matter of when. On Aug. 27 in Portland, Ore. Shindler’s day finally came. The 2007 Coppell High School graduate finished 17th in his first season on the Web.com Tour, a ‘minor league’ tour to the PGA, behind one win and four total top 10 finishes. “From the Web.com Tour, they take the top 25 earners and give them their PGA cards,” Shindler said. “There are some guys that will never graduate out of the [Web.com tour] and make it to the [PGA] tour, so to be able to do it in one swoop was pretty special.” While this may have been his first legitimate opportunity to make it to the PGA, his journey began many years ago. “He started around the age of 3,” Conrad’s mother Leslie Shindler said. “My husband wanted to start playing more golf so I said, ‘you can play as much as you want as long as Conrad goes with you’ so he always took him to the course with him, and he loved it.” Shindler played on the varsity golf team all four years of his high school career in Coppell, along with competing in the national junior ranks leading to his athletic scholarship at
I
Texas A&M. CHS English teacher Matt Bowden had Shindler for three years in his class and could see his drive for success from the time he met him. “Conrad was a good student,” Bowden said. “But it was obvious that he had that passion for golf more than anything.” His career has taken him places such as South Korea and Canada, and none of it was easy. Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth were in the spotlight from a young age, and knew nothing but success. Shindler is of a different breed, while his passion has always been there, his status has not. “When I turned pro after graduating at Texas A&M and tried to qualify for the Web.com Tour, I failed,” Shindler said. “So I went over to South Korea to play; it was about taking all of the steps I had to so that I could get where I wanted to be.” Shindler does not deal with complacency. He is always set on moving up to something better, so when the Web was not an option, he looked elsewhere playing in the OneAsia Tour, something that forced him to compete in an environment he was not accustomed to. “It taught me how to play golf in an uncomfortable setting,” Shindler said. “I wasn’t used to the food, the people or the culture, so I had to figure out how to block everything out and do my job for the five hours I was on the course.”
These unusual circumstances helped his golf game in several ways, but the mental edge it gave him is something he still draws upon today. Not only did he learn how to manage different styles of golf courses, he learned how to manage himself. “[Playing in Asia] is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” Shindler said. “It gave me a mindset that gives me an edge over some of the guys that I compete against.” Golf, by definition, is an individual sport. But golf, not by definition but in reality, is also a mental set of challenges that hardly begin in the first tee box. From daily workouts to hours spent refining every shot imaginable, Conrad has support that helps him stay on track. “I have a great team behind me,” Shindler said. “People say golf is individual but in reality I have a team aspect, I have a swing coach, a mental coach, a chiropractor and a physical trainer so everyone has an extremely important part. So I can’t relish in the light on my own, I wouldn’t be here if not for many people.” This team aspect was something Conrad was proud of after his
win this year on the Web Tour at the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. “It is special to have those people really be a lifeline for you,” Shindler said. “I was fortunate enough to win a tournament on the Web this year and it was really special to come back home and be able to share it with everybody. Being able to show them that trophy and take pictures with it just solidified the team aspect of it for me.” Shindler’s first opportunity on the 2017-2018 PGA Tour is the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif. Oct. 2-8. Making the tour was a goal for Shindler, not a destination. He will take advantage of playing on the golf’s highest stage and aim to get better with every event.
photo by Ale Ceniceros
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sports 21
They believe that we will win
Rowdy student section brings enthusiasm to support its team, shows Coppell pride written by Jess Hernandez Staff Writer @jessicamh13 Friday Night Lights in Coppell are nothing short of riveting to locals, students and teachers. At every football, volleyball and basketball game, Coppell High School fans cheer for their favorite players from the stands to let them know that they are supported and appreciated in every touchdown, score and shot they make. The Student Section goes out to each game to cheer on its Cowboy counterparts by throwing their symbolic baby powder, banging their gong and tossing confetti amongst themselves. “This is a group of kids who truly want to come together to support and cheer on their team,” associate principal Melissa Arnold said. “I haven’t seen anybody sitting down during a play or saying negative things. It’s truly just been about supporting the team and their friends and that’s really cool.” Although the Student Section was not always this integral to Coppell football, volleyball and basketball games, it has become much more popular over the years through its yearly T-shirt sales and social media platforms. “The T-shirt sales raise money for the student section so with that we’re allowed to buy the gong, noisemakers, bells, confetti baby powder, and all the things that make the student section really fun,” senior
Callie Conner said. Being in the student section not only makes students feel good about supporting their friends, but also lets them spend time with their friends and get excited about what’s happen-
more than just performing stunts and entertaining crowds. It means getting to experience football games in a different way than most people do and getting to do what she loves while doing it.
We’re just all sharing a common bond that we love our school and we just want to see our football team do well. George Ackling, senior ing on the field. “My favorite part of being a part of the student section is watching all my friends play and having so many great friends around me,” senior George Ackling said. “We’re just all sharing a common bond that we love our school and we just want to see our football team do well and just going crazy and having as much fun as possible because the louder and more into the game you are, the more fun you have.” For senior cheer captain Mackenzie Dennis, being a cheerleader means
This year’s Plunger Boy, senior Kevin Galvin, is in charge of ordering items for each upcoming football game. Although baby powder cannot be used at this week’s game in Allen, there are other plans in store to make sure the Student Section does not go unnoticed. “We bought some smoke emitters that will have a similar effect and make us be seen,” Galvin said. “I just think it’s really important that we make the players feel loved because as a basketball player myself, I know that playing in front of your student section makes you feel like what you’re doing is important.”
“Being on the track makes me feel like I’m really a part of the football season and it’s just so much fun to cheer in front of everybody and get to be in front of the student section,” Dennis said. “I really get to live in the moment.”
photo by Karis Thomas The Coppell Student Section shows its pride as it cheers on the Coppell Cowboys at HEB Pennington Field on Sept. 1. Many Coppell Students dress up in funny costumes, such as dinosaurs, teletubbies and hot dogs.
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Football: a head trauma problem
written by Reid Valentine Staff Writer @reidv9
Football is not safe. It never has been. It never will be. But what does this mean? What should we do with that information? When I talk about football safety, I mean brain safety. Because in the end, a broken leg will not kill anyone 20 years down the line, yet something such as CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) has been silently killing and ruining the lives of football players since the first snap. According to ConcussionFoundation.org, CTE is a product of repeated brain trauma such as concussions and those with it suffer symptoms including memory loss, constant headaches, depression, speech impediments, dementia and, in some cases, suicide. These symptoms have been found in people as young as 17, but often the effects are not seen until several years after the initial brain trauma.
CTE is real, although according to CBSsports.com Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems to disagree, and it has been a problem from the very beginning of football; the tragedy is that until the mid-2000s CTE was considered to only occur in boxing, so for many football veterans it is too late. CNN found that an average of 243 concussions were reported each year in the NFL from 2012-2016. The key word in the past sentence is “reported�, the majority of concussions are not reported and many players choose to stay on the field after obvious head trauma. The sad part about this fact is that everyone knows it, coaches know when their players are concussed, teams’ medical staffs can tell, and fellow teammates without a doubt can recognize when something is wrong. It comes down to someone actually doing something. In the past decade, progress has been made in leaps and bounds regarding concussions, there is no denying that. There is legitimate protocol for treating concussions other than parents, coaches and doctors alike chalking up a big hit to a player having his bell rung. We have taken a step in the right direction, but the step taken is only in response. Concussions are near impossible to prevent with the way football is played now, and that is a problem.
october 2017
graphic by Sruthi Boppuri
Football will never change from the violent hits we see in every game today, if rules were put in place to stop full speed contact the game would be unrecognizable. Simply put, brain trauma in American football is unavoidable. In 2017, we know that CTE is no longer some folk tale told to scare people off from playing football, yet people still willingly sign up by the thousands to put pads on and play this dangerous game. Why? Because people love it. Because people do not seem to care. Should they care? Yes. But does caring translate to not playing the game or altering it into something unrecognizable? That is something much more complex. It has been common knowledge for years that foods like hamburgers and candy bars are a direct cause for diseases such as type II diabetes and obesity, yet these two items are readily accessible at any American corner store.
The world has known smoking cigarettes is a direct cause of lung and throat cancer, yet every gas station and grocery store has cartons ready for purchasing. There will never be a lack of kids wanting to play football, and there will never be a lack of fans ready to watch football. So is it ethical for parents to knowingly send their kids out onto the field or for fans to enjoy taking in a game while fully knowing that lives are at risk? Should people who fully know the consequences of the game of football be able to enjoy it so much? Ultimately, from the NFL all the way down to eighth grade, the players themselves must be informed about the reality of football so that they can make their own personal decision to put their lives on the line. The future of the game will be dependant upon factual information about the dangers associated with playing.
photo by Karis Thomas
october 2017
the sidekick
A big step forward
sports 23
Anderson to continue excelling on lacrosse field, classroom at top-ranked Stanford written by Akif Abidi Staff Writer @akifabidi
photo by Aubrey Phillips Coppell High School senior Courtney Anderson practices at Andy Brown Park during the Coppell girls lacrosse practice Thursday Sept. 27. Anderson is committed to play lacrosse at Stanford University next year.
Coppell High School senior and varsity girls lacrosse captain Courtney Anderson has created a buzz committing to play lacrosse for Stanford University. A key player for Coppell, Anderson received a letter of acceptance from Stanford in early August. Anderson began playing lacrosse in late eighth grade but was not always a fan of lacrosse. “I have always been a good athlete but I was never really good at one certain sport,” Anderson said. “I was decent in everything but I think that lacrosse was the perfect combination of all sports for me and that’s what made it fun.” Coppell girls lacrosse coach Sloane Serpe, recognizes the qualities as both an athlete and a person that make her a prime candidate for such a prestigious school. “Courtney is an extremely hardworking, driven individual, whether it is on the field or in the classroom,” Serpe said. “She strives for perfection
and I think those qualities also transfer into the classroom. She is really funny, kind-hearted and all around a great person.” Anderson is a straight A student and is also taking dual credit courses this academic year. Along with Anderson’s coaches and teachers, her teammates compliment both her athletic and academic skills as well. “As a player, she is really good at supporting her teammates. She constantly inspires others and tries her best to help out all across the field by playing both offense and defense,” teammate senior Rachel Behndrt said. “She’s generous and super kind, and is always trying to help her teammates. She’s also super smart in the classroom and that really translates to lacrosse. She’s also driven on winning and super competitive.” Stanford is currently ranked in the top three universities globally and is known for its five percent acceptance rate. Anderson applied to Stanford
and received a partial scholarship. Anderson will join Stanford in the next academic year as a college freshman and play in NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Division I in the coming years. “Well, my first priority is obviously lacrosse but I am hoping to major in some sort of science, probably biology or environmental science but I just haven’t thought that far yet,” Anderson said. “As of now, I don’t really have any plans for playing pro, I think I’ll just focus on my academics and my career.” Anderson also gave some words of encouragement to aspiring lacrosse players. “I would tell them to practice, practice and practice some more,” Anderson said. “When I started in eighth grade, I really wanted to make the varsity team in freshman year. So I practiced all summer long, every day. But at the same time you also need to believe in yourself. Have these two things in your mind and you’ll make it.”
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the sidekick
october 2017