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COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM
OCTOBER 2018
DIVIDED WE FALL A fractured America at the hands of political polarization PAGE 12
VOLUME 30 • ISSUE 1
BY NOLAN SANDERS
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E
OPEN DOORS
PG. 4
N E W S Time to meet the new freshman center. CHS9 arrives with impressive renovations, a passionate staff and big plans.
CENTER STAGE
PG. 17
E N T E R T A I N M E N T How new leadership in the CHS theater department is inviting cultural changes and new perspectives.
THE KICKER
PG. 20
S P O R T S 57-yard senior kicker Caden Davis makes every kick count with his charity project for cancer.
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AT A GLANCE OCTOBER FROM THE EDITOR
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Kelly Wei EDITOR- IN-CHIEF
CARRIE SHEFFIELD, CAMRYN RUDD
JUNIORS
CHS HIGHLIGHTER “It started just me and Carrie. [We] were at Walmart and saw some awesome pony beads and we thought, ‘Oh, this could be fun.’ We just started doing it for ourselves and thought, ‘Hey, maybe people would buy [bracelets].’ And so we just made a Google Form and started selling them. We have star beads and we made a black, red and white star necklace and we featured it in one of our pictures and a lot of people liked it. And so we just started making those too for football games. [They’re] cowboy colors, so it’s kinda cool that we could do that.” C A M R Y N R U D D JUNIOR
UPCOMING GAMES
fter returning to the United States at the end of the summer, one of the first things I did was make an appointment to have my hair cut and dyed. I had been thinking about it for more than a year, but somehow, always wound up wiggling my way out of committing at the last second. My mother wasn’t keen on the chemicals, my friends insisted I couldn’t pull it off, the salon I liked was an hour away…so on and so forth. Besides, junior year had been a whirlwind of academic stress, sleep deprivation and emotional turmoil—hair was the least of my concerns. Coming back from Europe, however, I was a girl soaked to the bone in sunlit ferocity. Dining at dusk to a live Florentian orchestra has a way of smoothing out our indecision. Weaving along the French Riviera in the sprinkling rain can wash away our inhibitions. When I observed the David, the way his humanity could be called to the surface of stone with such accuracy and depth, I felt something arise to the surface of my own body. An energy, a forgotten eagerness. I came back nourished and excited to embrace the new school year—one that would start with chin-length, ash brown hair. I am forever thankful for newness. The heartracing thrill of it, the novelty and curiosity of it, the way it can imbue sensational color into our otherwise blasé, routine lives. Change always presents itself in the company of opportunity and growth. Particularly as a journalist, it is necessary that I adore it, that I pursue it, that I rise to any occasion it demands me to. And I do. As we move through a school year unlike any other before it, full of both physical and cultural changes, I encourage everyone to not only recognize the possibilities this newness may provide us with, but to trigger movement within ourselves. This is my senior year, and one that will surely be pockmarked with three years’ worth of accumulated traditions, friendships and memories. Nevertheless, it is also my last chance to try all the new things I have wanted to before I graduate. To be bold. To jump. To never look back.
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@HEBRON Football
@MACARTHUR Volleyball
@LEWISVILLE Football
FLOWER MOUND @HOME Football
MARCUS @ HOME Volleyball
@IRVING NIMITZ Football
ROOM D201 / ALGEBRA 2 Q: WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A MATH TEACHER?
TEACHER OF THE ISSUE
B: I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to make a difference. I was not the best student so when I finally turned things around, I remembered the teacher that reached out to me. I decided to be a math teacher because I was fortunate that math was easy to me, [so that] helped me decide which teaching path to take. Q: HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH STUDENTS? B: I try to talk to them and always be genuine. I’m usually accused of being honest, almost blunt and straight to the point. But I think the students realize that I do care, and that I do tell the truth. They can see through my actions that I want to help. I’m constantly walking around checking on them, clarifying anything confusing and not putting anyone on the spot when asking them questions in class. In my opinion, working like this makes them reach inside and find out what they’ve learned as opposed to me teaching them and them just giving it right back to me. Known for her honesty and kindness, Coppell High School math teacher Michelle Bellish has been named Teacher of the Issue by the Sidekick staff. She never fails to help her students succeed by constantly being involved in creating an engaging learning environment.
TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS
Q: WHAT ARE SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF? B: I’ve been married for 37 years, and I’ve got two boys and three grandchildren. I also teach AQR, which is Advanced Quantitative Reasoning. We do things pretty differently in AQR because it’s really just a lot of problem-solving. You could definitely ask my students for some fun facts, because they probably know me better.
INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL
FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKCOPPELL
n ws
ALL THE HUSTLE & BUSTLE
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“You figure out who your friends, support systems and blessings are out of this.”
OSBORNES WALK TO BATTLE CROHN’S / 5
s e g n a h c g i b n i s r School year ushe lessons, new campus culture
P L AY I N G B Y N E W R U L E S
grity
inte h ug ro th t en em at st e os rp pu s CHS redefine
t their peers will er students are skeptical tha Oth l pel Cop at wh n isio to env ir dishonest ways. Board of Trustees sat down rs down the road. change the yea five be ld wou e been dishonest for so e tur cul ’s High School “A lot of people at CHS hav ign des and te wri to rs lde that these lessons will ARLA “We got a bunch of stakeho now, I really do not think g lon rs cato NISHANT MEDICH edu and ts den ed stu s not do,” senior our purpose statement, survey what a student does and doe nge STAF F WR ITE R cha we ere wh and pus cam e as a CHS for so long, I and looked at where we wer la Burney said. “Being at kay @n ish an tnm 1 Ma . said Jund more prone to hiding wanted to be in the future,” it will just make [students] nk thi ts den stu ose g exp izin to dal is van ons tests or The basis for the integrity less hether it is from cheating on esty] better.” has had encourage students to [dishon ool and Sch h ent harsh consequences Hig em l stat pel e Cop pos ty, pur new the to school proper instead of trying to impose t Bu y the nt me ts iron den env stu h the of ling wit ating observed in previous do the right thing, regardless its fair share of incidents dea to decrease the amount of che ture where everybody are in. making the right decision. Jund hopes to commit to a cul rs, yea ger big a is it the , test nge a cha on g esty and to “It is more than just cheatin w and learn. To curb the amount of dishon staff and on the same page when can gro ion be trat to itive environment,” inis ody adm ryb S eve t CH ts, wan t. We cep con are not all about creating a pun e “W thinking of some studen y grit inte y mic grit ade inte “Ac . ted d said ft the focus away from ent and presen we talk about integrity,” Jun said. “At some point, if we shi d Jun redefined its purpose statem and est hon of s ng day bei ut two t abo p) on the firs understand that we are here is a part of that, but it is also things that are negative, and lessons (called the Cowboy Cam n the avenue which they forthright.” ether, anybody can travel dow tog the 2018-2019 school year. and r che tea one ics tist ing Sta lain it is AP, IB, fine arts or teachers exp Many educators, such as AP learn and grow in, whether The lessons consisted of can way d goo a e is s pos thi pur nks , thi ects of the new cross country coach Don Kemp STEM courses.” of the most significant asp to have ans est. me hon it ng mentalities seen from at bei wh ut s abo size s pha kid cate edu to To transform the attitudes and statement, which em te era reit to d ly goo app e can wer ] ts plans to implement and how studen “I thought [the integrity lessons ts, campus administration den stu integrity, its characteristics the se rea dec into to d and lde r, mo s yea force it every six weeks, e lessons were the purpose of the school thi purpose statement, and rein the that to their everyday life. Th y usl vio “Ob . so h said glis mp En Ke s,” on integrity and other such as math or amount of cheating that happen more presentations focusing h wit their corresponding subjects, nk thi l wil s ts kid cep e con hop h I t but phasize, such as diversity. lesson aligns wit it might not help 100 percen aspects the school hope to em students could see how the conversation periodically about it.” “We wanted to reinfuse the taught in their class. to way d goo the a to are s nge ons students do not forget d the cha Some students agree the less oughout the year so that the The presentations also covere thr . ani am Raj , ul tive Rah por ore sup hom school,” Jund said. encourages, “a educate students, including sop we want to be all about as a at wh purpose statement which was it and y tes grit bra inte cele t on d community tha “The school really emphasize diverse, and dynamic learning y”. grit said. “I think this year inte che d at ani of am e tur Raj cul r,” a ene to -op ted eye jor ma a NI SH AN T ‘20 can be rea success and is commit ole wh the t to s cep nge con cha the ter om . bet ement and nxm 628 5@ g.c op pe llis d.c they are really trying to make Adjustments to the purpose stat en wh r me during the sum atmosphere of CHS.” of the integrity lessons started pell ISD Cop the and d Jun ole Nic CHS Principal Dr.
SAVE THE DATE
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Got a date yet? Be sure to grab one for this year’s HOMECOMING DANCE.
Come out and celebrate Coppell’s diverse community at KALEIDOSCOPE NIGHT.
Calling all freshmen! Check out the CHS9 GRAND OPENING.
Stay healthy, kids, and make good choices. It’s RED RIBBON WEEK.
Spend a fun night with friends and family at the annual FOOD TRUCK FRENZY.
We’re hoping for some broken legs on OPENING NIGHT for CHS Theater’s “All Shook Up”.
No. 2 pencil? Got it. Calculator and a snack? Check. Post-PSAT memes? Say no more.
Boo! Did we scare you? HALLOWEEN is back to terrorize the town.
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NEWS OCTOBER
THE LATEST FROM CHS9
O P E N D O O R S CHS9 Spanish teacher Judy Garrett uses a flexible learning space for a class exercise in the hallway during fourth period on Wednesday during the first day of school. The new campus has created new areas throughout the school that encourage open and collaborative learning.Photo by Bren Flechtner.
CHRISTINE ZACUAI EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR @chriszacuai
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n the morning of the first day of school, anticipation for the converted freshman center, CHS9, reached an end as its first school year welcomed a bustling and bright-eyed school freshmen class. Despite being an entirely new campus faced with the obstacles of transportation and scheduling, CH9 ran into little problems on its first day. With construction concluding, students are thrilled to see the eccentric and new features built throughout their school, such as the gym-converted Career & Technical Education (CTE) area and two large gyms complete with an athletics locker room. “It’s pretty interesting to explore the new school,” freshman Taryn Stevens said. “Even the lunch room is a lot bigger than it used to be.” The former home to Coppell Middle School West, which opened its own new campus Wednesday in Cypress Waters, CHS9 boasts a nontraditional atmosphere through its open and collaborative learning spaces. Teachers are not confined to a singular space and can access the open tools and seating found in hallways, despite having wellequipped classrooms. CHS9 Principal Cody Koontz envisions a learning environment that will spark newfound interests and passion in students in the comfort of their own classroom. “[The new structure] is fostering the ability to get out of the typical four walls of a classroom,” Koontz said. As an extension of CHS, the campus still provides the wide range of elective and CTE class options for students in preparation for their attendance at the high school. The campus, housing nearly 900 students and 80 faculty members, hopes to avoid overcrowding and build a more close-knit community within the school. “Having the opportunity to invest into one grade level that has a unique set of needs and integrating together in the shelter of one building is just exciting,” Koontz said. “I want them to walk out of here feeling like they can do anything in the whole world.” The excitement of opening CHS9 is recognized by both CHS transferred staff and students alike. “The feeling here today is amazing,” CHS9 AP/GT Biology teacher Cathy Douglas said. “The looks on the kids’ faces and how they’re acting – it’s finally their school.”
GALLERY WALK: INSIDE THE NEW FRESHMAN CENTER
CTE AREA A gym at CHS9 has been converted into a Career and Technical Education learning space, complete with glasswalled classrooms and comfortable sofas.
AT H L E T I C S F I E L D Located a stone’s throw away from campus, CHS9’s outdoor field includes a track and is perfect for freshman sports.
CAFETERIA Architecturally interesting light rings decorate the ceiling of CHS9’s cafeteria. Fitted with vending machines and plenty of space, students are able to enjoy their meals here every day.
CHRISTINE ‘18 can be reached at cnz6920@g.coppellisd.com
TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS
INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL
FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKCOPPELL
OCTOBER
One step at a time
NEWS
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Osbornes take to the streets in fight against Crohn’s
Editor-in-Chief Kelly Wei sits down with great editors of the past to discuss Coppell Student Media’s growth in a decade. Featuring: MEARA ISENBERG 2016-2017 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A M E L I A VA N Y O 2017-2018 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kelly: What was the mentality behind winning Pacemaker* your year?
S T E P O U T Assistant Principal Cindi Osbourne smiles with son Ryne Osbourne, who is diagnosed with Crohn’s in her office. A fundraiser for Crohn’s and Colitis, has been organized by Instructional Coach Derryl Lee. Photo by Bren Flechtner.
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CHRISTINE ZACUAI EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR @chriszacuai
fter staying in the hospital during August with her son Ryne Osborne, who has been diagnosed with a rare illness, Coppell High School assistant principal Cindi Osborne returned to CHS in September with the warmest welcome: a walk. The Osbornes’ lives took a turn when 19-yearold Ryne was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in February 2017. In just his freshman year of college at Southern Methodist University, Ryne has battled his illness with the support from friends, SMU faculty, CHS staff and family but most importantly, his mother. “Anytime you see your child like this, it’s hard because I want to fix it but I can’t fix it,” Ms. Osborne said. “You figure out who your friends, support systems and blessings are out of this.” Less than 200,000 cases per year, Crohn’s affects the lining of the digestive system. Ryne has undergone multiple surgeries, including ileostomy, an intensive bowel surgery. The disease being so rare, Ryne remembers instances in the hospital where he would informally train his own nurses during various shifts the procedures of his treatment. “Almost all the nurses, besides those who had dealt with [Crohn’s] and have talked with my surgeon, had no idea how to [treat me],” Ryne said. Although Ryne has had several hospital stays the past year, he handles his situation with acceptance and maturity. The recovery process has been slow, but Ryne’s condition has been improving step by step everyday of his routine. “I’ve been amazed by his resilience and his attitude,” Ms. Osborne said. A music major and member of the Meadows Wind Ensemble and Meadows Symphony Orchestra at SMU, Ryne plays more than eight instruments, including the bassoon, flute and piano. He finds personal strength through his passion of music in his journey. Despite not being in a healthy condition, Ryne still manages to play some of his
instruments to pass time. “My mind is constantly running through music,” Ryne said. “It wasnt until all of this hit till I realized [music] was apparent. The second I had a musical instrument in hand again, you could see I was instantly happier.” Upon hearing the unfortunate news, a friend of Ms. Osborne decided to step in. CHS instructional coach Derryl Lee has taken his concern into action by forming a CHS team named “CHS Walks the Walk” for the Fort Worth Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis walk. “I really wanted to find a way to help in a bigger way,” Lee said. “I hope to make myself more aware that Crohn’s and Colitis is something people that people struggle with and I just wanted to give back.” The fundraiser aims to raise awareness of the illness and reach a total goal of $1,500 and has reached a little more than $800. School groups on campus, such as the Coppell Lariettes, have been contacted in hopes of participation. “If there’s a cause or foundation that maybe we have a personal connection to, [The Coppell Lariettes] try to figure where we can move forward,” Coppell Lariettes director Diane Craig said. “When you give back, your heart become full. It helps you not focus on your own problems when you help others.” Other school groups have not been confirmed to attend, but are encouraged to. Following a tough year filled with hospital trips, the Osbornes are overwhelmed by the amount of genuine support and love reached out to them upon their return home. “I really do appreciate the support, if you’ve never met anybody that’s dealing with it or who has the disease, you know virtually nothing about it,” Ryne said. “I just really like the knowledge that this exists.” The “Take Steps” walk will be held in Trinity Park in Fort Worth on Sept. 29. Those in the CHS community are welcome to attend in support of the Osborne family. CHRISTINE ‘18 can be reached at cnz6920@g.coppellisd.com
Meara: The reason [our team] was so motivated because we had all been our staff since our sophomore year of high school. Our [website] had never won a Pacemaker before, so the fact that we hadn’t and [it was an] achievable, real goal we could work towards, made us work really hard. [Sidekick adviser Chase Wofford] definitely pushed us to want that goal. Everyone was so motivated and excited, and saw this as something attainable. K: Where were you when you won? How did that experience unfold? M: We were all at convention [when we won]. It was at - oh, gosh, I don’t remember, I’ve been on so many. Amelia: It was Seattle. M: Seattle, yeah. [You] were there, I remember. Winning was great, but I remember that trip was so fun. All of us being there, we were all so nervous. When we won, we all jumped out of our seats and started yelling. We took pictures with it afterwards, we were the last people to leave the auditorium, I remember. We were living in that moment. A: For me, I had seen [winning] become so real. It had always really been on my mind. I joined [staff] late, so by the time I got there, it was already all about Pacemaker. I knew exactly what that was my first week. [Meara] was always talking about it. I don’t if we hadn’t won it the year before, I wouldn’t have thought about it as something obtainable. Once we got it the first time, we knew what to do the second time. K: What about the editor team, and the entire staff, for that matter? A: Everyone really cared, which was so great. At some point, it wasn’t even about the award itself. It was more about, “how are we going to present the website?” The little things, making sure we got all the [School Newspapers Online] badges, me freaking out about the photo cropping. When I found out we won, I remember getting several texts all at the same time. I looked down and I had 10 text messages. It was cool to see how excited the entire staff was. *National Scholastic Press Association award recognizing the best student newspapers in the country.
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THE SIDEKICK VIEW OCTOBER
2018-2019
STAFF
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Chase Wofford Staff Adviser Kelly Wei Editor-in-Chief Christine Zacuai Executive News Editor Nicholas Pranske Executive Sports Editor
EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP Claire Clements Editorial Editor Anthony Cesario Entertainment Editor Sofia Guerrero Student Life Editor Bren Flechtner Photography Editor Pramika Kadari Copy Editor
WRITERS Akif Abidi Laasya Achanta Andres Bear Shreya Beldona Neha Desaraju Ryan Dyke Camila Flores Natalie Gilliam Christie Hernandez Karen Lu Shravya Mahesh Nishant Medicharla Emma Meehan
Arman Merchant Sally Parampottil Nicolas Reyes Sydney Rowe Nolan Sanders Shivi Sharma Akansha Singh Umama Suriya Shriya Vanparia Charlotte Vanyo Camila Villarreal Sarah Woo
PHOTOGRAPHERS Stephanie Alvarez Neha Desaraju Camila Flores Lilly Gorman Neveah Jones Disha Kohli Bailey Lai Gabbie Nelson Sujeong Oh
Anthony Onalaju Sally Parampottil Rishitha Penmetsa Aubrey Phillips Mari Pletta Rishika Rakwal Shivi Sharma Laura Toro-Amador
DESIGNERS Kaylee Aguilar Carson Allen Gwynevere Bonacci Ryan Kim Bailey Lai
Bella Mora Jacob Nelson Olivia Palmer Shriya Vanparia
T H E S I D E K I C K is the official
student newspaper for Coppell High School. Its purpose is to inform, entertain and provide an educational resource for its readers. This newspaper is a public forum for student expression, with staff members (with assistance from their adviser) making content decisions. The editorials and columns in this paper reflect the view of their writers. The Sidekick is a member of Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). Advertisements are sold as full, 1/2 page, 1/4 page and 1/8 page sizes in black and white or color.
C O N TA C T U S PHONE (214) 496 6239 ADVISOR cwofford@coppellisd.com
S TA F F E D I T O R I A L
We’re safe, deal with it
Saving lives is worth the hassle of campus security measures
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tudents have to walk across campus in order to get into the only school entrance. Students are required to be off campus during release periods. Guests may only bring small bags into Buddy Echols Field, and all large school events now require outside security, campus administration and police officers to be in attendance. And of course, students must wear IDs around their neck at all times. All of these rules elicit groans and complaints from many Coppell High School students. But perhaps what should promote true outrage is the fact there have been at least 57 incidents where gunfire occurred on school grounds in 2018. Perhaps what should promote true outrage is the fact there have been so many incidents involving guns at schools that we no longer know how to classify what is a school shooting versus what is not. Perhaps what should promote true outrage is the fact since the shooting of Sandy Hook in 2012, 400 people have been shot in over 200 school shootings. Do we really want to sit here, complaining about security measures that are being taken for our protection, while there are parents, spouses and more sitting in a home that their loved one will never return to? Yes, ultimately if someone truly wanted to come in and harm anyone at a school, the security measures taken
are not guaranteed to protect us. Yes, it can be a hassle to get to class, or have your lanyard swing in your way as you bend over your schoolwork. But if it is really that big of a discomfort to you, get to school earlier. Move your lanyard behind your neck as you work. The biggest discomfort you could possibly experience would be nothing close to watching your peers in pain, or even yourself. Maybe, in the future, if money and time allows it, the school can take even further action, action that could potentially be less of a hassle. Until that time, however, we should be grateful for the fact we have safety measures being taken, rather than sitting and waiting for something dangerous to occur. Naturally we hope that something dangerous would never occur. But if so, with these safety measures, we can at least say that we put up an effort, and that we were not at the fault of whatever may happen. GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? We are always happy to accept tips and guest columns. Email cwofford@coppellisd.com with your suggestions, feedback, stories, or letters to our editors. We’re all ears!
ADDRESS 185 W. Parkway Blvd Coppell, TX 75019
TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS
INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL
FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKCOPPELL
opi ions
OCTOBER OPINIONS
“The culture of Coppell runs deep in this community. We see kids grow up as Cowboys.” NEW HIGH SCHOOL: SOLUTION OR MISTAKE? / 8
Asian culture in America is taking center stage in 2018, and that’s a good thing for all of us K E L LY W E I EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @kellylinwei
Crazy Rich Asians, which has grossed close to $150 million since hitting theaters in August, is only getting richer. It has become a criticallyacclaimed box office hit, with a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and plenty of public favor to go around. Everyone, Asian or not, is a little obsessed.
“By being more Asian, we are less real. In Hollywood, we are never a whole person.”
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or decades, Asian actors have been confined to roles that are, at best, narrow and generalized, and at worst, downright derogatory. Asian men are either sterile or effeminate to the point of comedic relief, while women are taken to the opposite extreme of hypersexualization. If we aren’t Jenny Parker’s quirky brainiac of a best friend, we’re the exotic geisha with sad, wanton eyes you encounter at a Japanese hot spring. Crazy Rich Asians defies these expectations – and in defying them, enchants audiences with something we don’t often see: a realistic portrait of Asian-American culture and experiences, without the condescending narrative to make digs at our accents or eyes. More and more in recent years, Asian culture has grown into a huge point of interest for Americans. Chinese takeout is as common as ordering pizza, while boba milk tea, a popular Taiwanese drink, has made its steady climb on nearly all of my friends’ list of favorite drinks. From 2009 to 2015, the number of Americans studying Mandarin has doubled. On a local scale, this change in attitude is noticeable. I don’t remember when it started happening, but opening my lunch box to reveal fried rice or dumplings now earns me unabashed pleas from friends to steal a bite, rather than strange looks and complaints on the “funny smell.” This shift is particularly evident in the entertainment industry. From Korean boyband BTS’s exponential rise to international stardom in 2016, to the recent releases of Asian-centric movies, such as Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, it’s becoming increasingly clear Hollywood is finally open – and actively trying – to include us. Asian-Americans inhibit a unique space in the American melting pot. We are minorities, yet don’t often suffer the most immediate hardships that come to mind. With low incarceration rates, high average incomes and both academic and professional success, we seem to enjoy nearly the same benefits as white Americans. Yet, we are also consistently portrayed as weak-willed, submissive and deceptive – making it easy to never quite take us seriously, and to take our silence as submission. Worse, this silence begets even more silence. For Asian men and women, depictions of our race in the media – especially positive and organic ones – are far and few. Growing up, I never once felt American, despite being born in Dallas and speaking flawless English. After all, everything I consumed for entertainment – movies, television shows, books and more – featured the same symbolic standard of America. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Tan skin. It didn’t matter that my school had other Asians. We collectively
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felt invisible. On the few occasions we did find ourselves on a screen, they resembled fun house reflections, warped and missing pieces. In exchange for being Asian, it seems that something else must be stripped away, whether that is our attractiveness, confidence, popularity or shot at a happy ending. By being more Asian, we become less real. In Hollywood, we are never a whole person – merely an amalgamation of poorly fleshed-out, halfway ideas on what an Asian-American experience might look like. In Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), as a leading lady, affords us no one-dimensional stereotypes – she isn’t socially awkward, extraordinarily gifted in math or a “foreign beauty”. She’s just a regular American girl with good principles. Smart, yes, but about a million other things, too – just like a real person. There is something incredibly emotional about finally seeing wellrounded Asian-American characters stand in the spotlight – and there is triumph in it, too, for all of us.
My culture in America is no longer the strange, alien thing it once was 10 years ago. This bodes well for everyone, Asian or not. Regardless of where people come from and who they are, representation – even if it isn’t their own – plays a crucial role in facilitating conversations. When we learn about cultures, we also learn to respect, empathize and connect with those around us. We become kinder and more open-minded. We ask questions in broader contexts and propose solutions that can meet the needs of multiple groups. Perhaps, most importantly, getting to intimately understand the workings of another ethnic group is the best reminder that we are all remarkably similar. We love and hurt, we yearn for things, we ache when our voices aren’t heard. Strip away our skin color – and you’ll find we’ve lost very little of the things that matter most. KELLY ‘19 can be reached at klw4509@g.coppellisd.com.
N E W F A C E S Sidekick Editor-in-Chief Kelly Wei speaks on how Asian culture has grown into a big point of interest for Americans and the benefits of representation. Photo by Laura Amador-Toro.
8 OPINIONS
OCTOBER
NO.
YES. NICO REYES STAFF WRITER @nico_reyes19
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oppell is a growing town. In order to accommodate this growth, Coppell ISD built CHS9 this year, but it is not enough. Signs of growing infrastructure and new housing have become synonymous to our landscape. It would be foolish to believe that CHS9 will be a permanent solution to accommodate the influx of people. “CHS9 helped and that it’s a stop gap for a little bit, but there’s new house development going up everywhere,” CHS GT/AP history teacher Diane De Waal said. “We’re not a small town, and I know that Coppell ISD doesn’t just mirror the parameters of Coppell.” In fact, CHS encompasses areas of Irving and Dallas. “We are having a lot of growth in our southern districts, but overall when you look at other surrounding districts such as Frisco, we aren’t really a fast growing district,” CISD trustee Leigh Walker said. “We’ve just had this current pop that’s different for us.” Walker elaborated later that these “pops” were hard to predict in the course of over five years. We may not be considered a fast growing district in technical terms at the moment, but what is to say another future “pop” will not change that? A new school will be needed in the next five to 10 years to accommodate for growing numbers. CISD has taken notice of this and is having a board meeting in October where one of the topics to be discussed will be the growing demographics. Another benefit is smaller classes make it easier to have a concept personally explained. With large class sizes, we often cannot get the personal attention we may need. That does not mean the teacher is not doing their best, but with so many students, the task is almost impossible. A new high school would make the Coppell learning experience more personal and help the performance of students. “Certain courses would benefit from having less kids,” De Waal said. A new campus would create a local rivalry between CHS and a new school that would increase school spirit in both establishments. School pride would not waver or diminish as critics of the plan may state. “I don’t think it would affect the school pride at all. Even if it did, that’s not what we go to school for,” CHS junior Angie Smith said. By moving freshmen back to the high school campus, they would be able to take part in high school traditions, maybe even elevating the school pride. When I first arrived at the high school, I enjoyed being able to rally behind the football team in the student section, where pride is never lacking. Freshmen cannot share that experience now. How can they really feel they are a part of us when they have been moved to another campus? Not only that, they face the uphill battle of having to adapt to a new school twice in two years. “[CHS9 students] are probably not going have as easy of a time adapting to the high school,” Smith said. “For me, I would’ve been kind of sad not going to Coppell High School, I would’ve wanted to have the real high school experience. The freshmen are kind of segregated from the rest of us.”
S H R E YA B E L D O N A STAFF WRITER @beldonashreya
PRO AND CON
SHOULD WE BUILD A NEW HIGH SCHOOL?
NICO ‘20 can be reached at nxr7863@g.coppellisd.com.
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ith a new high school comes a multitude of new electives and technology, as well as transportation to account for – all of which will take a toll on the district’s budget. Last year, Coppell switched the bus service to Durham School Services which cost roughly $500,000 to $550,000. One can only imagine how drastically the transportation costs would increase with the addition of a new high school. Transportation costs associated with the addition of a new high school are something that CISD cannot manage right now due to the recent addition of CHS9 and the new Coppell Middle School West. Over the years, Coppell High School has developed a culture in which young students in Coppell elementary schools and middle schools look forward to attending either CHS or New Tech High for their high school education. “The culture and traditions of Coppell run deep in this community,” Coppell High School assistant principal Nick Coenraad said. “We see kids grow up as Coppell Cowboys. They know from the time they are very young that we are all Coppell Cowboys.” This culture is important to Coppell and because CISD has never had more than one major high school besides CHS, it is hard to say whether these traditions will last. The changes that Coppell could experience are wholly unpredictable and could affect our town negatively. Coppell has been growing and growing, adding more and more students in every grade. One of the benefits of CHS9 is how it reduced the number of students on the CHS campus. New facilities such as these might be the solutions that Coppell needs. In order to pay for the new high school and the costs associated with it, Coppell voters would have to approve a bond package. However, if this bond is approved, the residents of Coppell would have to pay higher taxes to pay for the creation of a new high school. “Residents would decide if they are willing to increase their taxes a small percentage to fund a new building,” Coenraad said. “Buildings aren’t cheap, especially like one of a high school this large.” Buildings are not cheap. In fact, the conversion of the former Coppell Middle School West into the current CHS9 costed about $27 million. Even more astonishing, the new Coppell Middle School West costed close to $55 million. If the CMSW facilities cost so much, a new sustainable and modern high school would be a different ballpark. After the recent construction of CHS9 and the new CMS, a raise in taxes seems like an ill-advised decision for everybody in Coppell. Improving upon pre-existing facilities such as CHS and CHS9 might be the key that CISD and many Coppell residents have been searching for. “I think that I would be more supportive of an upgrade or renovation of the current Coppell High School,” Coenraad said. “Renovating the current Coppell High School and turning the ninth grade center into a ninth and 10th grade center would maintain the one comprehensive high school, Coppell High School.” SHREYA ‘20 can be reached at sxb4151@g.coppellisd.com.
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OCTOBER
OPINIONS
9
The toxicity of ridiculing others’ interests ANTHONY CESARIO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR @anthonycesario_
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love music. I jam out to multiple albums on my phone every day, keep track of and complain about the Billboard charts (probably too much for my own good) and love talking about music with anyone who will listen. While I also love hearing others’ opinions on music, what upsets me most is when someone insults my own music taste. Many students at Coppell High School, and many people in general, have dealt with similar issues: being judged for their interests, and sometimes even being unfairly boxed into the negative stereotypes that come with them. “Even recently at the school, I’ve received some judgement for some personal interests I have,” CHS junior Jacob Morse said. “Music taste, what I’m into personally, what I like to watch, what I like to play, just what I like to do in general, I’ve been judged a lot for that [by] people in this school specifically.” Morse has been judged for his enjoyment of music with more chill beats, such as songs by hip hop artist Jinsang, because of its simplicity. People hold interests, whether it be in music, television, books, extracurriculars or more, because it provides them with enjoyment. Ridiculing someone else’s interests can trivialize their enjoyment of them, which is an extremely insensitive thing to do. “I don’t think it’s really respectful to [judge people’s interests],” CHS junior Penelope Gummelt said. “Everyone has their own interests, and it’s very personal, so to have somebody bash it kind of sucks the fun out of it. It doesn’t make it as enjoyable, especially if you’re sensitive to people. It’s not criticism either. It’s not constructive.”
Graphic by Shriya Vanparia
“I do not write for you, I write for myself.” A L E X G O O D W I N , SENIOR Gummelt experienced judgement for her enjoyment of K-pop and the boyband One Direction, fans of whom are often seen as the immature, shallow, even “crazy” fangirl type. High school is already a difficult experience for many students who struggle to fit in. Having people look down on them for their interests can make them feel insecure and turn their high school experience into a negative one. However, this issue does not only apply to teenagers— nobody should make fun of other peoples’ interests, in any situation. “There is a difference between understanding and
respecting,” CHS senior Alex Goodwin said. “I don’t understand the French language, but I can respect it. The judgement towards others’ interests is unnecessary and can be harsh. As long as someone’s interest is not hurting anybody and it makes them happy, it does not matter what other people think. No one should have to feel shame over something that makes them happy and no one should have to hide themselves.” Goodwin is passionate about writing. She maintains an Instagram poetry account and has accumulated over 1,000 followers, but even with so many supporters, she is not immune to being judged for her interest in the subject. “You can make fun of me for my interest in writing poetry, but I do not write for you, I write for myself,” Goodwin said. “You can judge me on any of my interests, but I have had these interests long before I have met the person who has picked on me for it.” Nobody should have to feel ashamed for their interests. It is perfectly fine — and normal — for everyone to have their own opinions, and they can and should be able to share them with each other. However, when the exchange of these opinions turn into tearing each other down, they have simply gone too far. ANTHONY ‘20 can be reached at avc5954@g.coppellisd.com.
THE COPPELL OBSERVER: SCHOOL SUPPLIES CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
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t is finally the season. No, not the season for pumpkin spice lattes, leaves on the ground and the chilly atmosphere (or as chilly as it can get in Texas). It is not the time for heading to Friday night football games and cheering on the Cowboys. Nor is it the time to be meeting new friends, or figuring out where you are going to sit at lunch. No, this season is for one purpose and one purpose only: school supplies. School supplies are not just something your teacher requires so you can take notes on how to analyze a poem, or write a summary of the different aspects of pre-colonial America. They are an aesthetic and ultimately,
the determiner between a 67 and 97 . How can you study if you have nothing pretty to study with? You could not possibly pass a class with regular, boring black pens. Of course, as your teacher is handing you their syllabus, you could just follow their instructions: “Binder, spiral notebook, black pens”. Seems easy enough, right? But no, you need to have only the most high quality supplies, and need an abundance of them. How are you going to succeed in your class if you don’t even have 15 pastel highlighters? And you cannot just have the basic highlighters and pens from Walmart or Target. You need the most aesthetic and effective supplies, such as the Zebra Mildliners, the Muji Gel-Ink Ballpoint pens and naturally, a Moleskine notebook. So, you click away on that yellow button on Amazon and wait patiently. During that time, you could do your school work, or you could plan for the perfect note-taking system that would make the prettiest pictures. Finally, three weeks into the school year, you are equipped to make it the best year yet. Your highlighter, pens and notebooks are organized into a beautiful rainbow that you cannot stop looking at
as your teacher drones on and on about matrices in Pre-Cal. But your journey with your beautiful and completely necessary school supplies is not at its end. No, the journey is just beginning as you pull out your English required reading and your laptop. You open your book, open your laptop, uncap your highlighter and…pull out your phone, as you take dozens of pictures from dozens of angles with dozens of filters, until you find that perfect Instagram-worthy picture. Among the scatter of artfully and purposely placed papers, the photo perfectly captures how studious you are. “Ugh, so much work, so little time” you caption, waiting for the likes to come in. As you scroll through comments on how pretty your supplies are, you feel a sense of satisfaction. This is what makes all of your hard work for school worth it.
10 SPOTLIGHT FEATURES
“My goal is to try to get things to run as smoothly as possible.” STUDENT PROFILE: CAMPUS LEADERS / 14
Cameron, Koriala hook kids, preteens with fishing business, get head start on career SOFIA GUERERRO STUDENT LIFE EDITOR @ sofia_i_g
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oppell High School senior Calan Cameron feels a tug on his fishing line and immediately turns the reel. The line gets shorter until it is finally in the air, revealing Cameron’s fishy prize. This is what Cameron has done ever since he could remember, and his love for fishing is what prompted him to start a business with senior Safal Koriala called Coppell Youth Fishing Trips. “This business is kind of just a way to get other kids into fishing as well as making a good bit of money,” Cameron said. “It’s a practice of being an entrepreneur, which I want to be in the future. It’s just a good skill to have, and I love working with the kids as well.” The business itself includes Cameron and Koriala taking their students, children and preteenagers aged 5-12, on fishing trips and teaching them how to fish. There are three “branches”, or types of fishing trips, that Cameron instructs. The first branch consists of taking the kids out to the pond by the Cozby Library and Community Commons, and teaching them the basics of fishing, such as how to tie a knot. The second branch includes taking the students to Lake Grapevine on a boat and teaching them techniques of greater difficulty. Finally, the third branch is a full-day trip to Lake Monticello near Mount Pleasant. The idea for the business came about when Cameron’s mother, Helena Cameron, noticed some kids fishing at the Andy Brown Park and suggested that Cameron teach fishing to earn money. Afterwards, Cameron collaborated with Koriala to research what they would need to start the business, including required waivers, and then got to work. “Our business blew up by putting this flyer on the [Coppell, Texas Facebook page], where lots of moms are on this Facebook page,” Cameron said. “We put it out there, and then immediately after that, lots of parents were contacting us and asking us what this busi-
F I S H Y B U S I N E S S Coppell High School senior Calan Cameron feels a tug on his fishing line on Sep. 2 at the pond by the Cozby Library and Community Commons. Cameron is pursuing his passion for fishing by starting a business called Coppell Youth Fishing Trips. Photo by Bren Flechtner.
ness was. They wanted to get their kids into fishing.” If a parent wanted to make a reservation for their child, they would call Cameron or Koriala to book the appropriate trip, and then one of them would arrange the times they would pick up and drop off the child. Senior and member of the Coppell bass fishing team Dylan McKiernan has been friends with Cameron since kindergarten. “I saw [the business] take off right after the first client,” McKiernan said. “So many people were interested and it’s just gone from there.” Along with McKiernan, Mrs. Cameron supports Calan’s endeavors. She has seen firsthand the growth of his experience with fishing. “I think [the business] is incredible,” Mrs. Cameron said. “We’re really proud of him taking those steps to pursue his passion and share that with other people.” Calan’s father, Chris Cameron, has helped Calan
financially in numerous ways, such as by helping him buy the boat. He also helped set up the business as a sole proprietorship under his name until Calan turns 18. Once that happens, the business will become a limited liability company (LLC) when it is legal for Calan to be a company principal. In the future, Cameron hopes to become an entrepreneur and have his own fishing business. “I really want my future to be somewhere in the fishing branch that has to do with marketing,” Cameron said. “I really want to do this for the rest of my life and I just love everything about bass fishing.” Because of the strong start to the business, Cameron and Koriala expect to see even more customers. “We’ve had a good run over the summer, but I know we can do better,” Koriala said. “Only the future will tell.” SOFIA ‘19 can be reached at sig2222@g.coppellisd.com.
FRIENDS SINCE “She’s super sweet and super determined. If she sets her mind to something, she does it. Anytime I don’t want to do something, I just remember that she has to [practice] basketball for 8 hours a day and she still gets everything done.”
“We [spent] a lot of time together [in Colorado over the summer]. We had a lot of bonding moments. The people you suffer with are the people you grow with.” E L E N A Z AT K A L I K
ELLA JENKINS
SOPHOMORE
SOPHOMORE
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OCTOBER
STUDENT LIFE
11
QUESTION & ANSWER
Creighton returns home after two years in California to join English department SOFIA GUERERRO STUDENT LIFE EDITOR @sofia_i_g
After moving back from Pismo Beach, Calif. this summer, Coppell High School English III teacher M’Lynn Creighton has started her first year teaching at CHS. She is excited to start the school year and help her students become more confident with writing. Read more to find out why she decided to teach English, her favorite aspect of teaching English and more.
Q: How long have you been interested in English and teaching? I’ve always been interested in English, especially reading and writing, but when it comes to teaching, I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until my sophomore year of college (the University of Texas at Austin). Q: How long have you been teaching English? This will be my fourth year teaching. I was previously at Smithson Valley High School, which is in the San Antonio area.
G U A R D I N G T H E G O A L Coppell junior goalkeeper Tommi Penttinen, a foreign exchange student from Finland, practices with his teammates on Friday in the CHS fieldhouse. Penttinen is staying with a host family here in Coppell for a year with a program called Sun Tiimi, which is the local version of a program called International Experience. Photo by Sydney Rowe.
Finnish student adjusting once more to unfamiliar people in familiar place
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KAREN LU STAFF WRITER @_karenlu_
ften, transferring to a new school is a high schooler’s worst nightmare. Now, imagine not only moving to a new city or even a new state, but across the world to an entirely new country. This is the situation Coppell High School junior Tommi Penttinen is experiencing. Traveling more than 5,000 miles the week before school started, Penttinen made the journey from Finland across the Atlantic Ocean and is quickly adjusting to his new life in Coppell as a foreign exchange student. Penttinen has been switching between Finland and America his entire life; he was
Q: What first got you interested in English and being a teacher? It was definitely the fact that when I got to college, I didn’t feel like I was prepared for it. Once I was able to get my feet on the ground, I knew I wanted to go back to high school, make a difference and prepare my students. Q: What is your favorite part of teaching English? I like seeing my students become better writers and being able to analyze the text. Q: What aspects of Coppell High School intrigued you the most to make you decide to come here? Well, Coppell High School has a great reputation, and I just moved to the DFW area, so this was the first school on my list. Q: How has your experience at CHS been so far? It’s been wonderful. All of the teachers in the English department have been extremely helpful, they’re willing to help me at any time of day and the students have been really sweet. Q: How do you connect and build relationships with your students? I try to make them feel comfortable in my classroom. Right now, I’m working on sending them each a personal email on how I’m excited for the school year, and then they tell me about their interests.
A N E W L I F E Coppell High School English III teacher M’Lynn Creighton helps a student. Creighton is a new teacher who recently moved from California. Photo by Laura Amador Toro.
originally born in Finland before moving to Coppell for four years when he was three years old. He then returned to Finland for 10 years and is now residing in Coppell for the 20182019 school year. Penttinen has observed that the community in Coppell is overall more welcoming. “The people here are a lot more talkative, a lot more kind,” Penttinen said. “It’s a very different culture than in Finland.” As Penttinen familiarized himself with those in Coppell, the staff and students at CHS welcomed Penttinen and his refreshing presence. Coppell boys soccer coach James Balcom repeatedly stressed the leadership Penttinen brings to the team. Coming in as a new face to the Coppell boys soccer team, Penttinen has gone further than just acclimating to the soccer team and his new teammates; he has taken on a role in the team as a firm, outspoken leader. “We’ve got a lot of leaders by example, guys that always do the right thing,” Balcom said. “But for [Penttinen] to come in here, not really knowing the boys that well, and still demanding the best of them, being a vocal leader. That’s been a huge help this year.” Outside of the soccer team, Penttinen has found a home with his host family, the Lomelis, and other students at CHS. CHS junior Montse Lomeli has known Penttinen since kindergarten and reconnecting with him now brings back both a sense of familiarity and the task of getting to know the person he has become. “This is the first time I’ve seen him in seven years,” Lomeli said. “He looked the same but acted differently, like he was from a different world.” CHS junior Jude Hadi was one of the first people to befriend Penttinen. Because of this, Hadi has been able to see firsthand the change in Penttinen’s demeanor. “He’s more comfortable,” Hadi said. “He’s talking to everybody now instead of just the people he knows. He’s not awkward anymore like he was the first couple days of school.” KAREN ‘20 can be reached at kll7800@g.coppellisd.com.
12 CENTERSPREAD
OCTOBER
OCTOBER
Potent engines at play: America at the hands of extreme political division STORY NOLAN SANDERS PHOTOS LAURA TORO-AMADOR
An ailing and heavy-hearted President George Washington read the following words to his fellow countrymen on a historic day in 1796: “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things,
to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
Washington said this whilst delivering his Farewell Address after he had decided to not run for a third presidential term. Some time later, his speech was printed in the American Daily Advertiser, a newspaper based in Philadelphia, which was the capital of the United States at the time. “It would seem that there is evidence that supports [Washington’s] contention,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram breaking news editor Tom Uhler said. “There is a great deal of damage being done by these parties. The left and right are constantly butting heads and the popular support is just following behind and there’s very little unity and much divisiveness.” In the modern era of politics, the two most prominent political parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Within the last 50 years, because of these two factions, the nation has become more and more divided. The last point in history in which conservative and liberal groups were as divided as they are now was during the 1860s, at which point the nation was being ripped apart by the Civil War. Washington was concerned that political leaders would become more loyal to their parties than the Constitution and the country herself. Looking at the current political landscape, Washington’s concerns do not appear unreasonable. The first president’s worries in the 18th century have become reality in the 21st century. The word “centrism” is commonly used to describe a balance in views, and in a case such as this, political views. In recent years, the aspect of “centrist ideology” that was once so fundamentally important to the people and politics of the nation now eludes Americans. A lack of centrism in the nation is a lack of balance and therefore, there could be no room for compromise between the Democratic and Republican parties. The left and right are tearing away from each other, leaving many Americans to think there is no middle ground. “[Centrism] is lacking in today’s world because people are one way or the other and people are just not willing to meet in the middle,” Coppell Mayor Karen Hunt said. “[Partisanship] has a dramatic impact on people. It pits them against each other in elections, especially at a state and nationwide level, sometimes even at a local level.” According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2014, the amount of American citizens who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal views had doubled in a span of two decades, rising from 10 percent to 21 percent. The same study states that 39 percent of Americans had adapted a somewhat equal number of liberal and conservative positions in 2014, down from 49 percent in surveys conducted in 1994 and 2004. It seems now that when one brands themselves
with “Democrat” or “Republican”, it is as if one feels the need to adapt a totally conservative or totally liberal ideology and accept all basic principles shared by the leaders of one party as one’s own. From the inception of our nation’s first political parties in the 18th century, there has always been degrees of centrism and balance in the philosophy behind them. Although the policies and dogma behind these two parties differed somewhat heavily, the men who led them were always able to find the common ground in order to bring prosperity to their newlyfounded nation. By turning on the news, flipping through the pages of a newspaper or listening in on a debate at the dinner table, one can certainly understand that the nation’s liberal and conservative political parties no longer have the same relationship they had two and a half centuries ago.
Compromise has become a dirty word for each party, and a lot of Americans are forced to make a lot of choices they aren’t comfortable with because there is nothing in the middle.” KEVIN CASEY AP US HISTORY TEACHER
“The partisanship we see has a negative impact today because it makes people feel as if they need a label,” said Matthew Adams, a Washington Correspondent for The Dallas Morning News. “Because of the way politics are today, it labels you, and you must be on one side or the other. ‘Do you believe everything our party says or do you not?’ And that just isn’t the right way to go about things.” When leadership is being decided and votes are being cast, it is of the utmost importance to eliminate any bias one might have against a candidate because
Democratic attitudes on the Republican party
38% Very unfavorable
29
27% of Democrats see the Republican Party as a threat to the nation’s well-being
WHO’S THE REAL ENEMY? of the political faction that candidate may represent. As of recent years, it has become a habit of Americans to vote politicians into office based on political party, rather than taking into account their own core beliefs and values and voting based off of them. The modern world of American politics resembles a card game of War in which no faction truly gains the upper hand. On one side, the conservatives and on the other, the liberals, each attempting to gain the favor of the public. “Every issue is very polarizing and so you have to choose a side and stay on it,” Coppell High School U.S. history teacher Kevin Casey said. “Compromise has become a dirty word for each party and a lot of Americans are forced to make a lot of choices they aren’t comfortable with because there is nothing in the middle. We can’t continue on this path.” For over a decade, social media and a growing distrust of the press, among other things, have played a key role in influencing the American people to side with one party or the other, which has almost certainly been a primary driving force of the division of a people occuring now. To proceed on this path could prove most perilous to the great American nation and if the people do not abandon these treacherous ways now, the Union may never find middle ground again. 43% Very unfavorable
Republican attitudes on the Democratic party 36% of Republicans see the Democratic Party as a threat to the nation’s well-being
21 17
16
1994
CENTERSPREAD
2004
2014
1994
2004
2014
Source: 2014 Political Polarization in the American Public
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13
14 STUDENT LIFE
OCTOBER
CONNIE LEE
STUDENT PROFILES / CAMPUS LEADERS
STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT Q: What are your goals and plans for the year? C: For this year, I really want Student Council to be more recognized here in Coppell because now that we’re approved by the state, we want Student Council to be something that students can come and join and have fun, and also be a voice at our school.
J AY D E M P S E Y SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT
Q: Why did you decide to run for student class president? J: I decided to run for student body president because I felt like I have a lot of good ideas, and all my life I’ve considered myself a pretty good leader, so I thought ‘why not apply at this school?’. I had a lot of friends coming to me, asking me ‘hey, do you know about this?’, ‘do you know about that?’, ‘could you do something for me in the school?’ I thought being student body president would allow me to make the most of my opportunities to help my friends and my peers, kind of to help the school in total.
SHANIA KHAN KCBY PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Q: Why did you decide to join KCBY? S: Broadcast journalism has always been my passion, so in middle school, when I found out that the high school offers a program like this, I fell in love with it immediately, and I knew I wanted to join KCBY. My sophomore year, I just worked hard every single day, and I became a director in my junior year, and here I am, my senior year, still working on it. Hopefully, I can pursue it as a career in college.
JINGCHUN QUAN NAHS PRESIDENT
Q: What is your favorite part of National Art Honor Society? J: My favorite part of NAHS would be that everybody is tight knit. We all have a similar mission. We all love art, we’re all good at it, so we try to spread that passion to other people. My goal [this year] in NAHS is for us to focus on one or two big events that we help out a lot on instead of spreading ourselves too thin. Also, we want to make sure our members are more involved instead of just doing a few hours each year, [that] they actually care about the club.
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OCTOBER
I like that it’s very applicable. With physics, it’s like the law of the universe you’re observing. CYNTHIA LEE AP/GT PHYSICS TEACHER
STUDENT LIFE
15
QUESTION & ANSWER
Lee bringing new energy to physics classroom Kids are really funny, and I’m just excited to make some friendships with my students. This year, students walking into room B124 have been greeted by a handshake at the door and a new face: AP/GT Physics I teacher Cynthia Lee. Lee graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2017. Before joining CHS, she was a student teacher at Haltom Middle School for eighth grade science. This is her first year having a classroom of her own as well as her first year teaching at Coppell High School.
ANTHONY CESARIO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR @anthonycesario_ Q: How has your experience been at CHS so far? L: It’s been a very positive experience. I’m really loving the kids here and the culture. I’ve never been one for school spirit, like as a student—I was always like, “get me out of here”, I was never participating, but I’m excited to see a lot more spirit going on, a lot more cohesive unity in students. Q: How long have you been interested in science, and what caused you to become interested in the subject? L: I’ve always been a science person, ever since I first got introduced to the concept in like seventh grade. But I had a teacher [Mr. Ramirez, Cypress High School in Cypress. Calif.] ninth grade who taught me Honors Biology, who was honestly the most passionate person I’ve ever met. He’s not the most exciting person when you first meet him, but once he starts lecturing, his eyes start to twinkle, and that was like a revolutionary experience for me so I was like “OK, maybe this is something I really like.” I went on to take a lot more science classes like Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, I took AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and I went on to major in it, because of that influence from ninth grade. Q: Why did you become interested in teaching? L: If I reflect on it, I really was interested from basically as long as I can remember, which is a running trend in my life. I remember from like first or second grade, I would look at the teacher and [think] “how would I do this?” and I thought everybody did that, but no. But I didn’t really consider teaching at all. I tutored a lot in high school, I tutored in college, but I started out my college as a pre-med, like everybody who does biology, and then I shadowed physicians, and realized that I really, really hate that career. You don’t see these people every day, you see them maybe once a year and they’re unhappy all the time, and I was just not for that. I tutored more seriously in college and I realized that I’m pretty good at it and I’m really excited about this, so I decided to pursue it as a career. Q: What are you most excited for in your first year teaching at CHS? L: Mostly the relationships with my students.
Q: What is your biggest goal this year? L: To be apart of CHS. Usually it takes me a while to feel at home in an organization. So far, CHS has been very nice to me, and I feel already at home, but my goal by the end of the year is to feel like I really, really belong here and I’m here to stay. Q: What is your favorite part of teaching Physics and why? L: I like that it’s very applicable. With chemistry, biology, yeah they’re applicable but it’s a very specific lab setting. Like chemical reactions and stuff. But with Physics, it’s like the law of the universe you’re observing. If we do collision tests, that’s something that you can see in like a car accident. That’s what I like the most about it, that I can tell kids, “you’re going to use this information”. Q: Who would you say has been your biggest inspiration? L: When it comes to passion for science, that teacher I mentioned is definitely one. When it comes to caring for students, I had a teacher in 10th grade [Laurie Kelley, Colleyville Heritage High School]—I transferred to Texas from California in 10th grade, and as with a lot of new transfers, I had a lot of trouble making friends. There was a teacher, my World History teacher, who gave up her conference every day for two weeks to talk to me and make me feel at home at that school. She was an inspiration for relationship building and what I could do for students. Career-wise, other Physics teachers, they’re being a super big inspiration to me. They’re so good at teaching, and they’re so passionate about what they do. Q: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? L: I like certain video games. I don’t play Overwatch or Fortnite, but I mostly like indie video games like Papers, Please, Mini Metro, Life is Strange, EU (Europa Universalis) IV, those kind of games. Q: What would you say has been your biggest life challenge or struggle? L: Giving up pre-med in my sophomore year was really tough, because I felt like that was the goal that I set and pursued for so many years, and realizing that a goal that I thought I wanted to do in my life was not for me, and I need to find a new goal, that was very challenging. Q: What would you say is the most unique thing about yourself? L: Being honest is a weird thing about me. I’m a little too honest. Like at my last job, kids would ask me very personal questions, and I wouldn’t think, I would just answer and [think], “No, I shouldn’t have answered that! I should not have told you that!” I’m kind of a little more talk first with the truth, and think about what I said later type. Q: Is there anything you think I missed or anything you would like to add? L: I’m just really thankful to be here and I’m thankful for the admins, the principal and the APs that are supporting us, and other teachers, because being new, I have a lot of questions, and I have a lot of doubts, and they’re always there to tell me, “your doubts are OK, your concerns are OK, we’re there for you.” And I really appreciate it. ANTHONY ‘20 can be reached at avc5954@g.coppellisd.com.
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arts & ent rtainment
LOCAL EXPERIENCES
“You get to become a whole different person.” CREATIVE SHOWCASE / 18
Fowler takes center stage in Special Education classroom
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ANDRÉS BEAR STAFF WRITER @_andresbear
pecial Education and theater are completely different spheres of interest. Doug Fowler operates in both with passion. Fowler is a Special Education (SPED) teacher at Coppell High School. He is a key figure in the school’s Transitional Pathways program and the local theater scene in Dallas/Fort Worth. Both professions allow him to reach new heights as a teacher and performer. Fowler attended the University of North Texas in 1984. Being an “unconventional student”, he never graduated. He wanted to enter the workforce as soon as possible. It was years after he realized that a college education would open new doors for him. He went back to school in 2007 and graduated in fall 2010. He left with a degree in theater and a teaching certificate for job security. Shortly after his graduation he became a paraprofessional (assistant teacher) for the SPED program at Coppell Middle School North, that lasted two years. “[I wasn’t a] fully fledged teacher at the time.” Fowler said. “I was there as an assistant [without a degree]” After he completed his time at North, he decided to take the SPED certification test. Then he joined the SPED team at CHS as a Transitional Pathways teacher. At CHS, the TP program prepares students for life after high school. It is structured to teach students life skills such as multi-step grocery shopping and being able to properly use a debit card. “We have one of the best SPED programs in the North Texas area,” Fowler said. “[My colleagues] are constantly amazed at the level of expertise we have within our district, [as well as] the facilities and technology we have available to our kids.” In Fowler’s classroom, technology is heavily utilized. SPED students use iPads to blog and read. The students also interact with various programs on Smartboards. Technology is a prominent component in SPED
teaching as it improves the student’s comprehension through hands-on activities. Technology aside, there is a more “classic” option for SPED students to get crucial hands on learning. “Our learners are very visual learners, so these types of technology are an important avenue to provide successful learning,” CHS Transitional Pathways teacher Rosie Speanburg said. “They are very engaged while using technology because it has sound and visual use of the hands.” There are opportunities for SPED students to be involved in CHS theater productions. It is general knowledge, and should stay as such, that SPED students are willing to contribute and participate in the CHS theater department. Fowler himself has had students perform on-stage in front of an audience. “The arts are an important part of education for students of all abilities,” CHS theater director Karen Ruth said. “Expressive mediums like theater, art and music are excellent outlets for creativity, [as well as] important opportunities for students to communicate their academic knowledge through different modalities.” Fowler is actively involved in the Metroplex theater scene. He auditions and performs in plays that interest him. As of late, he has been performing in professional plays which take place in venues such as Lyric Stage in Irving and Uptown Players in Dallas. Fowler has been involved in theater since he was 13. His parents supported him but middle school did not leave him much time for his newfound hobby. It was not until he reached highschool and college where he performed in more shows. His theater career has spanned 40 years and has helped bolster his capabilities as a SPED teacher. When things go astray in class, his improvisation helps him make on-the-spot decisions to get his class back on track. “As an actor, you pick up on people’s physical cues,” Fowler said. “That helps with our kids because a lot of the times our kids that aren’t verbal can’t communicate with us. It helps to able to read someone physically.” With an artistic background and educational mindset, Fowler is a motivated individual whose contributes to the SPED program and local theater scene are immeasurable. ANDRÉS ‘20 can be reached at cab8902@g.coppellisd.com.
F O W L E R T E A C H E S S P E D SPED teacher Doug Fowler helps his students with an activity in his classroom on Sept. 5. He goes over an activity about ordering from their favorite fast food restaurants such as Chick-Fil-A and Taco Bell to observe prices. Photo by Lilly Gorman.
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Theater department promises to shake up Coppell High School with new production CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR @cclements825
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he Coppell High School theater department is hosting its annual musical, “All Shook Up”, Oct. 26-28 and Nov. 3-4. This musical is the first step towards a more progressive direction for the department. “‘All Shook Up’ is about loving who you love, and not letting society get in the way,” sophomore ensemble member Xander Davila said. The show is based off of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and includes songs by Elvis Presley. The plot follows a group of children and adults from a very small town and their complicated love lives. Everyone involved in the process of making it is excited for it, regardless of position. “There’s so much about this show that’s exciting,” junior assistant stage manager Carrie Sheffield said. “We have a new technical director this year,[Les Thomas] and the set he’s putting together with the advanced tech class is beyond words. It’s really cool seeing how the actors utilize such a unique set in so many different ways. The dancing in the show is also a major component. We have such an amazing and diverse cast this year, and all of them fit perfectly in the fun style of the show. We also have a motorcycle, so that’s really fun and exciting on its own.” The cast appreciates the diversion from the typical shows from the past, and thinks the audience will appreciate it as well. “I would tell [people who are interested] that if they want to see what the theater department can actually do, go see the show,” said sophomore Isabella Enriquez. “‘All Shook Up’ is so different from what CHS has done in the last four years, not just because of its subject matter, but we [also] have entirely new directors who understand what theater kids want to be performing. We have representation of race, sexuality and ages in our cast and in our show and I absolutely adore it.” Ticket prices are yet to be determined. Show dates will be on Oct. 26-27 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m., Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m.
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OCTOBER
ENTERTAINMENT
17
Theater department gladly welcomes changes
P R O G R A M C H A N G E S Coppell High School theater director Karen Ruth watches as three students perform a part of a Greek tragedy. Ruth, along with many new theater directors, are bringing several changes to the theater department this year. Photo by Claire Clements.
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CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR @cclements825
s progressive movements such as the #MeToo and March for Our Lives movements are occurring across the United States, new Coppell High School theater director Karen Ruth likewise plans on taking the department in a more progressive direction. Ruth decided to make this step towards more progressive shows because teenagers relate more to the plays revolving around their issues. “[We are] exploring some different challenges that
young actors have in their personal life and things that might relate more to teenagers and the issues that they face in real life, as opposed to something that’s glossed over or easy,” Ruth said. Along with the theater staff, many students are looking forward to the coming year. “We’re really pushing the line of what’s allowed in school and what isn’t, because it has been very limited,” CHS junior lighting operator Fran Jaubert said. “I am looking forward to [the change]. I worked with our past directors and I liked what they did, but now, the directors’ style is something I like even more and I’m really excited to be working with them.” Along with the step towards more progressive plays, the theater leadership team has significantly changed,
with Ruth and new tech director Les Thomas. “We want the standard program to be more inclusive,” Thomas said. “We want to make it more fun and we want to keep lines of communication open between faculty and students, and students and students.” With three theater directors departing from CHS last year, some might see a completely new leadership team as a challenge, but Ruth chooses to take a more optimistic point of view. “[Having] new theater teachers [is something] I don’t see as a challenge,” Ruth said. “I see it as a great opportunity, because we’re all coming in fresh, and we have fresh ideas, and we have the great chance to have a fresh start and make this department what we want it to be together, both for the students and teachers.” One of the biggest changes coming to the department, however, happened by accident. In the past, auditions have been run separately, so that the choreography teacher was in charge of dance auditions, the director in charge of acting auditions and so on. However, due to the choreography teacher being unable to attend the original day they had planned, they decided to run auditions all together on two days. “This way we’re getting to see all of it, and it worked really well to help us cast,” Ruth said. “Especially since, coming in as a director, I don’t know these students very well right now, it really helps me to see a much more well-rounded version of them to make the best choice that I can for casting.” Regardless of whether these changes benefit the department, the theater students and staff have greatly enjoyed them so far. “We’ve had so much fun getting to know the students and getting to learn the processes here, and starting to add our own flavor on top,” Ruth said. “It’s so fun to get to do what we want to do, how we want to do it.” CLAIRE ‘20 can be reached at cec4824@g.coppellisd.com.
New Grapevine arcade offers fresh opportunities
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PRAMIKA KADARI COPY EDITOR @pramika_kadari
RAPEVINE – From axe-throwing and escape rooms to a wide variety of retro arcade games, the newly opened Corky’s Gaming Bistro has it all. The establishment opened on Aug. 6. The cost of the games is based on time: $8 every hour with an additional three hours for free. Games such as Centipede, Asteroids and Pac-Man draw in both older and younger audiences, although for slightly different reasons. “I like how they have games I grew up playing as a kid,” Northlake resident Louie Ceballos said. “I would [recommend this place to others] because it’s from the past.” Four different escape rooms are available, all with a different theme. The Alcatraz theme is based on a high security prison; in Hopeless, visitors are kidnapped and trapped inside someone’s house; Journey to the Jungle is an allusion to the well-known book and film Jumanji; Jack the Ripper takes you back to 1888, where you are a detective solving murders. For each room, the goal is the same: escape the room within 60 minutes. Up to six players are allowed to face the challenge together. “It’s basically a big puzzle,” bar supervisor Reanna Willoughby said. “There’s technically no age limit for the escape rooms, but we recommend people being older than ten.” Axe-throwing is popular among a variety of ages, although participants must be 11 years or older, and those ages 11-17 need a parent or guardian accompanying them. People enjoy lounging with their food at the tables near the targets between throwing sessions. Reservations can be made for the axe-throwing lanes.
“The axe throwing is super fun, I’ve been doing it over and over,” Flower Mound High School sophomore Riley Edmundson said. “The food is also really good, I got the cheese fries.” Other items on the menu include burgers, tacos, pizza, hot dogs and desserts. Although it opened less than a month ago, the center is already gaining a fanbase. Coppell resident Victor Villarreal is already looking forward to the next time he can play Asteroids. Villarreal is also the father of The Sidekick staff writer Camila Villarreal. “I knew places like this existed, but I didn’t know we had
one so close to where I live so this is great,” Villarreal said. “I will come back here soon.” PRAMIKA ‘20 can be reached at psk7733@g.coppellisd.com.
N E W A R C A D E Corky’s Gaming Bistro opened on August 6 on Grapevine Mills Blvd N. Corky’s has a variety of retro arcade games including Pac-Man and Asteroids, as well as escape rooms and axe-throwing. Photo by Bren Flechtner.
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OCTOBER
C R E AT I V E S H O W C A S E S T U D E N T S I N T H E S P O T L I G H T
SARAH PRYOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER
SYDNEY DE LEON THE ACTRESS
“When people receive their photos back and really like a picture, they feel more confident and happy,” Pryor said. “It’s super cool to have created something that empowers people and makes them happy.”
“One of the best things about theater for me is the whole character aspect of it,” de Leon said. “You get to put yourself away for however long you do it and you get to become a whole different person.”
J A X S O N S H E A LY THE STORTYELLER “[Marcy Kellam from Austin Elementary] really got me hooked on making my own stories and writing them out,” Shealy said. “I enjoy the freedom [of writing], the liberty you get from it. You can write any way you want, there’s no specific type of format you have to follow, it can be anything you want. And also you can write out any feelings or emotions that you have.”
MOVIE REVIEW SIERRA BURGESS IS A BIG LOSER
Netflix original shoots and misses the genre mark, sends out questionable message
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K E L LY W E I EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @kellylinwei
ecent Netflix original Sierra Burgess is a Loser, starring Shannon Purser and Noah Centineo, is an undoubted product of the recent rom-com genre hype. Based off Edmond Rostand’s play “Cyrano de Bergerac”, it makes an earnest attempt to tell a story of adolescent love and self-acceptance—but fails to do so on the account of a poorly written script, shallow characters and most significantly, ethically questionable plot points. The movie begins innocuously enough, opening to a stylish, fizzy pop track—Sierra Burgess’s soundtrack remains one of its few redeeming qualities—as we are introduced to teenage intellectual Sierra (Pursuer), a plus-size high school student who is tormented by mean girl Veronica (Kristine Froseth) for her appearance. When handsome Jamey (Centineo) accidentally texts Sierra under the false impression that she is Veronica, Sierra rolls with it, flirting with him until the truth ultimately unravels. The beginning of the movie progresses with quirk and whimsy, in classical rom-com fashion. We indulge in witnessing Sierra and Veronica transform from enemies to unlikely friends, and coo at Centineo in all his worldly charm as swoon-worthy Jamey. However, by the halfway mark of the film, a distinct unease had settled into the pit of my stomach. Sierra Burgess cleverly disguises itself as a coming-of-age romance movie; and certainly, the components are there. The matter of how these components are handled and assembled together, however, is a case for concern. If you break it down, this movie includes:
A teenage boy being catfished and lied to. The same teenage boy thinking he is being kissed by one girl, when in fact, it’s somebody else entirely – who he hasn’t consented to the action with. A barrage of insensitive jokes. One example is Sierra repeatedly being mistaken for a lesbian or transgendered female, as a comedic poke at her “ugly” appearance. A serious case of cyberbullying, in which a girl is sexually exposed and dragged to the depths of public humiliation, only to have her perpetrator be victimized and “redeemed”. The use of sign language and deafness as an empty punchline. When Sierra runs into Jamey in real life, she pretends to be deaf and mimics some hand movements so she can avoid him recognizing her voice, only to have the gag backfire when Jamey reveals he knows ASL, due to his deaf younger brother. Hilarious! It should also be noted Jamey and his brother’s relationship is never explored – it only exists superficially for that single joke, and is then swiftly jostled aside. Even if I could overlook the plot inconsistency, the message that is being sent out leaves much to be desired. Overall, Sierra Burgess is an awkward, borderlineoffensive sham of what a rom-com can be, where dubious consent stands in for romance and a poor comedic palette left me shutting my laptop at the end of the movie in mild discomfort. While I can certainly appreciate its merits – an appealing set of aesthetics, a bouncy, young soundtrack and a few genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious moments – it’s clear Netflix’s next rom-com should aim higher, and avoid the low digs.
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KELLY ‘19 can be reached at klw4509@g.coppellisd.com.
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F I N A L V E R D I C T Sierra Burgess has good intentions it doesn’t execute. Unfortunately, a poor script punctures the film with dubious scenarios and distasteful material. An unimpressive ending is the cherry atop of a droopy sundae.
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OCTOBER
ENTERTAINMENT
19
ISSUE RECIPE FRESH OUT THE OVEN
3 Simple School Lunches
A N T H O N Y C E S A R I O ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR With the school year officially back in full swing, daily routines can often turn incredibly chaotic. Having a few school lunches ready in your refrigerator is one less thing you have to worry about in the morning. These three recipes are all easy to make, easy to reheat in a pinch and quite tasty.
Ham and Swiss Pinwheels Light and airy, these ham and swiss pinwheels are a perfect addition to any lunch and also make an addicting snack. For a personalized touch, substitute the ham and swiss for whichever combination of meat and cheese suits your tastes.
4 SERVINGS • • • • •
(1) 8-ounce can crescent roll, refrigerated (2) slices ham (2) slices Swiss cheese (1) tablespoon mustard (1) teaspoon dill
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread rectangles with ingredients. 2. Starting at the short side, roll up each rectangle and pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 4 slices and place, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheet. 3. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and serve warm.
Mini Southwest Quiches These quiches are the perfect combination of hearty and delicious, and taste great both warm and cold. They are also vegetarian.
12 SERVINGS • • • • •
(2) cups Egg Beaters, Southwest flavor (1) cup milk (½) cup biscuit mix (10) ounces spinach, frozen, thawed and drained (½) cup cheddar cheese cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. 3. Add ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined. Fill muffin cups evenly with mixture. 4. Bake for 30 minutes, until set. 5. Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before removing each individual quiche from pan. 6. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze.
Italian Pizza Bundles When a full pizza is simply too much, these bite-sized Italian pizza bundles are a perfect choice. The sausage and mozzarella can be substituted for any meat and cheese and the mushrooms are optional. If you want to make your pizza a little more beefy, consider adding pepperoni or bacon.
6 SERVINGS • • • • • • • •
(24) egg roll wrappers (½) pound Italian sausage meat (1) cup mushroom, sliced (½) cup onion, diced (1) cup pizza sauce (4) ounces mozzarella cheese, grated (2) tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated Cooking spray
1. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain and discard fat. Add mushrooms and onions to cook, stirring until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the pizza sauce. 2. Cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. 3. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Press one egg roll wrapper into a muffin cup and fill with the pizza mixture. Fold corners over each other and give each bundle another squirt of cooking spray. 4. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. 5. Wrap separately in regular aluminum foil after cooling; then place in a large freezer Ziploc bag and store in the freezer.
20 GO FIGHT WIN
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“What we have been doing is preparing us perfectly.” RUNNING IN THE BIG LEAGUES / 23
KICKING FOR A PURPOSE
Davis dedicates season to pediatric cancer relief Photo by Bren Flechtner
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NICHOLAS PRANSKE EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR @nick_pranske8
fter visiting three-year-old Hannah, a pediatric cancer survivor, at the preschool where his mom teaches, Coppell High School senior Caden Davis knew what he could do to help. While Hannah has been cancer-free for a few months, there are plenty more victims of the ruthless disease. Davis decided to dedicate his last football season at CHS to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a nonprofit organization whose goal is to help kids with cancer. ALSF was first inspired by Alex herself, Alexandra Scott. In 1996, then just 4 years old, Scott wanted to have a lemonade stand to raise money for other kids as they were going through cancer treatment. Thus, the name was born. By the time of Scott’s death in 2004, the foundation had raised over $1 million toward research. Davis, the starting kicker for the CHS football team and orally committed to Texas A&M, was touched by both Hannah and Alex’s stories and wanted to pitch in. So, Davis set a goal for 95 points throughout his football season. Family, friends and supporters have the opportunity of pledging a dollar amount for each point
he scores. “A lot of people at a kicking camp that I go to have done this,” Davis said. “Once I met Hannah, I realized that I wanted to do it too.” However, this philanthropic idea is not only for high school kickers. For Davis, this has gone further than the football field. Once initiated by Davis and his mother, Annick Davis, many citizens from around Coppell reached out and asked what they could do to help. One of those people is Kelly Freedman, owner and founder of Show Your Spirit, a Coppell-based mum and garter business. Freedman came up with the idea of making the donations people give more physical. For $10, community members, homecoming-goers or supporters of the cause can buy a “Kicked with Caden” ribbon — all proceeds, of course, going towards ASLF. “It’s really great to see members of the community wanting to step in and help,” Mrs. Davis said. Many local businesses have also pledged money per point and have begun advocating for the cause in their businesses.
Heading into the school year, the donor crowd was not very big. However, one moment in Davis’ season brought some attention to it — one 57-yard moment. In the first game of the 2018 season, Davis kicked a 57-yard field goal to beat Sachse in the final second of the game. Following this, many people caught wind of ASLF and Davis’ cause and began to donate. In just four games, Davis has scored 21 points. “With Caden’s big field goal against Sachse, I can’t help but wonder that it happened because he was kicking for a bigger purpose,” Mrs. Davis said. “Because of the attention put on it, we were able to look at it as bigger than football.” Bigger than football. Bigger than Davis and bigger than Coppell. Davis is kicking for Hannah and all the kids out there who had to suffer through the same. Davis is kicking for cancer. Donations are open at www.alexslemonade.org/ mypage/1505820.
“With Caden’s big field goal against Sachse, I can’t help but wonder that it happened because he was kicking for a bigger purpose.”
NICHOLAS ’20 can be reached at nep4594@g.coppellisd.com.
Nguyen brings passion, international experience to Coppell K A R E N L U STAFF WRITER While few tennis players get the opportunity to attend the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, the chance of hitting with former world’s No. 1 player Andy Roddick is almost unheard of. For Coppell High School senior tennis player Sydney Nguyen, both of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences became her reality. “It was really surreal,” Nguyen said. “Seeing all those professionals play, it honestly makes me want to be better. Playing with Andy Roddick just reminded me that even the big-shots still have fun on the court, and I think that’s one of the most important things to remember.” Coming in from Mary Immaculate Catholic
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School her freshman year, Nguyen had started out as a beginner on the Coppell tennis team in every sense of the word, while several of her teammates had played for more than a decade. “I actually had never picked up a racket until freshman year of high school,” Nguyen said. “But all these [other] kids you see playing, they’ve been playing forever.” However, Nguyen did not let that discourage her. Equipped with her hardwork and love of the game, Nguyen dedicated herself to tennis and as a result, quickly improved and is currently a member of the varsity team. > VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM TO READ THE FULL STORY.
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OCTOBER
SPORTS
21
Price makes history with 500th career win ARMAN MERCHANT STAFF WRITER @armanmerch7
“I
have come a long way as a head coach, and this is one moment I will never forget,” Price said. “I enjoy coming to work, not only to win games but to build relationships with my athletes and coaches.” Price had started her career as a freshmen coach at Azle High School and was later promoted to head coach. After four years, she was the Stephenville freshmen coach for two years. Along with three years at Lake Travis where she was able to take her team to two state tournaments, and in her last year was rewarded with a state championship. “All my past experiences have helped me develop as a coach,” Price said. “Working with various types of athletes and coaches throughout my career has given me a great foundation in my coaching ability.” In 2011, Price came to Coppell High School as the girls athletic coordinator and head volleyball coach. In her first year, she was awarded the ESPN’s High
The Coppell volleyball team had swept top-ranked Byron Nelson on Aug. 28, but this was not the most significant accomplishment of the night. Cowgirls coach Julie Price had passed a milestone in her coaching history as she had her 500th win as a head coach.
School Volleyball Coach of the Year and won the Class 5A volleyball state championship for the first time in school history. Although Price has been successful on the court, she has also been able to inspire and help the players and coaches she has worked with. “She’s a great person to be around with; she truly
cares about making sure everyone is as ready to win as she is,” assistant coach Holland Smith said. “The team has learned so much from her, and her winning mentality makes my job even better.” Price’s work ethic is something that does not go unnoticed by her students. “Everyday she is ready to practice and make us better players on the court,” senior setter Stella Yan said. “She is always smiling and in a positive mood, and helping us on and off the court.” With a winning mentality, it is evident that Price is pushing her students to their full potential, building a good work ethic in the process. “I have also pushed my players to another level to help build character,” Price said. “I consider them my children, and making sure they progress as athletes on and off the court is bigger to me than winning.” ARMAN ’20 can be reached at axm6226@g.coppellisd. com.
M A J O R M I L E S T O N E Coppell volleyball coach Julie Price celebrates her 500th career win, with her team. The Cowgirls swept the top-ranked Byron Nelson 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 on Aug. 28. Photo courtesy of CHS Volleyball.
Olson balances coaching, school life with passion for gymnastics
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S A L LY P A R A M P O T T I L STAFF WRITER @sparampottil
preading her passion for gymnastics, Coppell High School senior Sophia Olson coaches children at the same place where her own love was fostered: Texas Dreams Gymnastics in Coppell. A location where she once trained and competed, it now serves as a place where she can extend the same love for gymnastics that she had felt since she was a child. While it may mean a tightly packed agenda, late hours and a significant amount of effort, Olson is willing to put it all in for the sake of being that support. Although balancing the workload of school and coaching is not easy, Olson manages to handle her time well. Her schedule consists of multiple hours of homework, as well as the stress of college applications and all that would follow her graduation. Olson adds three to four weekly practices to her academics, heading directly from school to the gym and remaining there for hours. “Sophia is a very hard worker. She even comes in on her days off, when I call her,” Texas Dreams coach Aaron Bailey said. “She’s my first call anytime I have somebody out.” It is not only the amount of time Olson puts into her life as a coach, it is the enthusiasm as well. Without passion as a foundation, a coach cannot expect to do much with their athletes. Without as genuine adoration for what is done, every tuck, every twist and every round off is nothing more than superficial motion of the body.
Thankfully, Olson has no trouble with this. “As a coach, you can tell she really loved gymnastics and she teaches her love of gymnastics to her students,” Bailey said. The root of Olson’s drive to coach comes the past. “I’ve had some bad experiences with coaches in general,” Olson said. “I wanted to be a coach that didn’t bring down kids but lifted them up and be someone that I had needed when I was younger.” Olson coaches an age range of 2-15 year olds, a relatively wide variety of children. Most of these children do not compete, as she mainly coaches recreational gymnastics. Despite this, her goal remains the same: be a coach that encourages her athletes. The concept of individuality is something that helps drive Olson’s method of coaching. “Everyone is different and everyone deserves to be treated differently. No one is a cookie cutter that can just fit into a shape,” Olson said. “You have to make relationships, make it personal and love them as an individual person—not just an athlete.” Hoping to be admitted into Texas A&M University, Olson will no longer be continuously working at Texas Dreams Gymnastics due to her future college endeavors and distance. “I’m gonna be very sad, I don’t want to lose her. I wish her well and I know she’s going to do great in whatever she pursues,” Bailey said. “I know I’m gonna miss her here so I might be a little selfish and keep asking her to stay here.” SALLY ‘21 can be reached at scp7918@g.coppellisd.com.
S M A L L S T E P S Coppell High School senior Sophia Olson coaches one of her 2 year old students to do a backflip on a bar during gymnastics practice. Photo by Neveah Jones.
22 SPORTS
OCTOBER
Coppell hockey heading into new season with returning players, playoff dreams
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B I G P L A N S Since its inception in 1997, the Coppell High School hockey team has won six summer league championships and one state championship in 2003. This year, hockey players and coaches are preparing for the upcoming season with great expectations. Sidekick file photo.
NOLAN SANDERS STAFF WRITER @nolan_sanders_
wenty-five years ago, the Minnesota North Stars hockey organization, a 1967 NHL expansion team, migrated from Bloomington, Minn., where they had played since 1967 to Dallas. This dramatic shift in the NHL brought the south a brand new kind of game and with it, an old northern pastime. Prior to 1993, Minnesota North Stars owner Norman Green made the controversial decision of moving the North Stars to Dallas, which shook the entire NHL to its very foundation. This act deprived the state of Minnesota – widely known as “The State of Hockey” – of a professional team for seven years and changed the city of Dallas forever. After the North Stars moved to Dallas, they were re-branded as simply the Stars. The addition of an NHL team in Texas was a game-changer and sparked a period of excitement across high schools in Texas. Coppell was no exception and the CHS hockey team is a result of this. Four years later, in 1997, the original four high school hockey teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were founded: Plano, Southlake Carroll, Dallas Jesuit and Coppell. By the end of the 2003 season, the hockey team returned home from the Texas Amateur Hockey Association State Championship (TAHA) with the title, marking the first and only
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time the hockey team has ever secured a state championship win. This past season, the hockey team qualified for the playoffs but lost in the first round to Allen, who went on to win the Varsity Silver Division Championship. “We finished fourth last year and second over the summer,” CHS varsity forward junior Trevor Dame said. “We’ve got a good team and I think we’re all hoping we can go a bit further this year.” For the last several years, the hockey team has registered in the AT&T Metroplex High School Hockey League, which is made up of eight different high school varsity hockey teams from around the Metroplex. In 2016, Coppell returned home from the finals as summer league champions, but due to a loss of several graduated players last season, underclassmen were left behind to continue the Coppell hockey legacy that was left behind by the graduates. “Last year we lost something like fourteen seniors, so it was sort of a rebuilding year,” head coach Chris Shakesby said. “But those younger kids definitely exceeded our expectations. This year, you can expect even more growth out of the team and a deep playoff run.” Although it has been 15 years since its last TAHA state championship, the hockey team is coasting into this season with high hopes. NOLAN ‘20 can be reached at njs6233@g.coppellisd.com.
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OCTOBER RUNNING IN THE BIG LEAGUES
SPORTS
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Cross country team preparing to face tougher competition in upcoming season
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SYDNEY ROWE STAFF WRITER @sydneyrowe
n the past four years, the Coppell cross country team has improved its standing significantly in Texas. With a recent district realignment, the team will be facing some of the top teams in the state at its district and regional meets. The challenge this change presents has only motivated the team to work even harder this year to reach its goals. Flower Mound and Hebron are two of the new teams in this year’s District 6-6A. Flower Mound’s boys and girls teams were both top 10 at the 2017 state meet and Hebron finished second as a team in the girl’s division. “I feel pretty good about the recent district change,” Coppell High School junior Jackson Walker said. “It’s
a pretty large step-up as far as competition goes, but I think it will be really good for our team.” The team is focusing on strengthening its previous training tactics and building its mental strength rather than changing things in order to prepare to face these new teams. Its current training requires the runners to run seven days a week, year-round. “We haven’t been doing anything different in our training,” junior Shelby Spoor said. “What we have been doing is preparing us perfectly.” This year, the girl’s team is looking past its goal of earning a medal at the state meet. Although this would be the first time in recorded history a Coppell girls team has medalled at the cross country state meet, the girls have their sights set on their ultimate goal of qualifying for the Nike Cross Nationals meet. “After not performing our best last year at state, we are really hoping to come back and get a medal this year,” sophomore Chloe Hassman said. “Not only that,
but we have our sights set on NXN (Nike Cross Nationals) and we really do believe we have a serious shot this year to make it.” In order to reward the girls team for beating Southlake Carroll, a team that has consistently performed well at the state meet every year, the top seven girls traveled to compete in the Woodbridge Invite in Norco, Calif. This meet hosts thousands of runners and hundreds of cross country teams every year in one of the largest high school meets in the country. The girls left for California on Sept. 14 and competed on the national stage for the first time in the program’s history on Sept. 16. “It was a great bonding experience and it exposed us to national competition and hopefully this will help us with the same experience if we make it to nationals,” Spoor said. SYDNEY ‘20 can be reached at ssr6043@g.coppellisd.com.
N E W G O A L S Coppell High School seniors Nathaniel Leach, Justin Chow and Marcos Bohn finish their maintenance run during morning cross country practice on Sept. 19 on the Buddy Echols Field track. The cross country teams enter the new district with new priorities and goals for this season. Photo by Sydney Rowe.
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