Volume 30 Issue 5

C O P P E L L H I G H S C H O O L 1 8 5 W. PA R K W AY B LV D . C O P P E L L , T X 7 5 0 1 9

COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM

APRIL 2019

CULTURE. FAITH. TRADITION. FEAR. How local growing Muslim community remains strong amidst stereotypes

VOLUME 30 • ISSUE 5

STORY BY KELLY WEI PAGES 12 - 13

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

ACADEMIC DECEIT

PG. 5

N E W S College admission scandal hits the country with shock and anger, and also teaches Coppell ISD to have true student engagement.

A DRUG PROBLEM

PG. 9

O P I N I O N S Cautionary tale for devastating effect of drugs on community sparks conversation, need for student awareness.

ART ON DISPLAY

PG. 16

E N T E R T A I N M E N T Two students’ art selected to display for Teen Renaissance Exhibition at Dallas Museum of Art.

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NEWS APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

C E LEBR ATIN G TEN YEAR S A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Website takes flight under vision of Flandreau

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e pay an awful lot of attention to the past and future, don’t we?

We look back: missing the idle ease of our childhood, regretting what we spat out in our last argument, kicking ourselves for getting into that totally avoidable fender bender. And we look forward: a concert for our favorite artist is coming up, a college dorm to move into, and beyond that, a life, pictureperfect in its undisturbed state.

When, we ponder, will we finally get to start living that life, the one wherein we move to our dream city, kickstart our dream career, date our dream partner? Or: when, we ponder again, will we finally let go of our past? When will our misgivings and regrets let go of us? I suppose, all of these questions accumulate into just one: how long until we turn into the people we have always wanted to be?

Four years ago, I knew exactly how to answer that question. In fact, I had mapped it all out: Lead of the school musical by junior year. Editor-in-chief of The Sidekick by senior year. Ranked in the top five percent of my class, so I could invite Maleda Kunkle, my speech coach, to the banquet. Major in communications at Northwestern University and move to New York City post-graduation.

And all through it, I would be vibrant, outgoing and fearless. By the time I walked across the stage to receive my high school diploma, I would no longer be a work in progress. Instead, I would be perfect, and exactly who I was meant to be.

So...four years later. Has it worked? Am I perfectly me yet?

Obviously, no. I did become editor of the paper, but I quit theater after sophomore year. I did get to invite Ms. Kunkle to the banquet, but Northwestern delivered me its rejection letter last week.

And as much as I yearned for vibrancy and fearlessness, to embody the outgoing girl I’d always envied: she never came to fruition. I was, and still am, quiet and a little awkward. I’m clumsy. I never became the wildly charismatic and extroverted Homecoming Queen little freshman me fantasized I’d someday become. The closest I ever got was a nomination.

And that’s enough.

We are always going to be a work in progress. This means, yes, our relationship with our past and future will never not be fraught with resentments and worries, jubilation and terror. But we must learn to adopt those same intense emotions to our present. We cannot dismiss where we are, because it’s the only thing we can be sure of.

Tomorrow will come. Yesterday will heal. In the meantime, look today in the eye, and seize it.

In celebration of Coppell Student Media’s 10 year anniversary as an award-winning news website, The Sidekick editor-inchief Kelly Wei spotlights a past editor of the program in each 2018-19 issue.

The April Issue features 2008-09 coeditor-in-chief MELISSA FLANDREAU.

KELLY: The senior year you were on staff happened to be the same year Coppell Student Media went live. That’s crazy to me, because by the time I joined staff, the website was one of the program’s largest features.

learning curve with the platform we were using and the technology side. Creating the website was difficult, and so was trying to figure out the type of the stories we wanted to tell, the frequency we wanted to publish [and] planning out the vision.

KELLY: How big of a change do you think having a digital website brought to the program as a whole?

MELISSA: Oh, huge. That’s definitely the direction journalism has gone in. Being able to get those experiences and try so many different things and having those skills in high school is so important going forward. Being online savvy as a program created a way for people to tell more stories and more diverse stories.

MELISSA: Yeah, absolutely. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years. I feel so old. (Laughs) KELLY: What motivated your staff to take that step in creating a digital presence in the first place?

MELISSA: When you only have so many print issues a year, you miss out on a lot of daily news. You don’t really need a story in print about school being cancelled for a weather day, but it’s obviously happening, and you want to keep it current. We wanted to be able to tell a different variety of stories.

KELLY: Ten years ago, was it common for news publications to establish online platforms?

MELISSA: Major publications were definitely using news websites, but I’m not sure about how common it was for other high schools. There were definitely other people doing it, but a lot of publications were just starting to realize how much of a focus was going to be needed on digital news. It wasn’t super crazy territory, but still a little bit new.

KELLY: What were some difficulties the staff ran into with starting Coppell Student Media?

MELISSA: Well, none of us really knew what we were doing. (Laughs) There was definitely a Photo courtesy MELISSA FLANDREAU Michelle Flandreau, 2005-06 and 2006-07 The Sidekick features editor (left) with her sister, Melissa Flandreau, The Sidekick editor-in-chief 2008-09 (right)

Kelly Wei EDITOR- IN-CHIEF

UPC O MIN G E V E NT S APRIL

MAY

PROM April 6 Glitz, glamour and a Great Gatsby theme await seniors on their night to remember at the AT&T Stadium.

WEATHER DAY April 19 Take a day off! April showers may greet students on this district holiday.

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

EGGSTRAVAGANZA April 20 Celebrate this eggscellent event with friends, family and the Easter Bunny at Andrew Brown Park East.

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK April 29 - May 3 Whether it be Kleenex or apples, help out your classroom as there is no substitute for a great teacher.

PARTY ON THE LAWN May 3 Food trucks and live music greet visitors at The Square for Old Town Coppell’s fifth anniversary.

FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKONLINE

APRIL NEWS

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

News DLI PROGRAM FORGING FRIENDSHIPS P. 4

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“It goes back to this myth that there’s only one way to be successful.” P. 5

CHS9 LOOKS AHEAD TO 2019-20 YEAR P. 4

SUPERINTENDENT SIT-DOWN P. 5

Red Jackets to immortalize local, educational history with timeline KAREN LU STAFF WRITER @_karenlu_

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he history of Coppell dates back 150 years, and the Coppell High School Red Jackets have taken to documenting the milestones of this city.

For their annual philanthropy project, the Red Jackets have designed and curated a timeline denoting major events throughout the creation of Coppell and its school district. From coming up with the design for the timeline at the start of winter to hand picking each picture in early spring, members of the Red Jackets played an integral role in every step of the process.

“We started with what events [the timeline] would have, and then we shifted more into the design aspect,” CHS senior Carter Kryzak said. “It’s really involved into a project where we’re looking at how to fit the dates into the wall, the best way to organize the dates and what will make

it look the most visually appealing.”

To get professional input on the visual aspects of the timeline, the Red Jackets visited Corgan in the Dallas Arts District, a design company that has collaborated with Coppell ISD on multiple projects such as Coppell Middle School West.

With this new information, the Red Jackets were able to finalize their blueprint.

The timeline will be located above the student resources office on the south end of CHS and student services central. In total, the timeline will cover 10 specific dates with one or more pictures covering each time period, each being several feet wide.

“We picked the pictures based on the educational milestones,” Red Jacket sponsor Aylor Rix said. “For example, different dates on when Coppell was first incorporated as a district, and when the first school was built.”

Despite being seemingly straightforward, each picture not only needed to accurately document the educational history of Coppell but also needed to be able to

Pratik Koppikar

connect with current CHS students.

“Whenever we were looking for the pictures, we wanted things that related to what we have now,” Kryzak said. “An example would be if we were comparing the school from the past and the school now, we looked for a picture that was taken at a similar angle and perspective. This way, you’ll really be able to see the change over time.”

Each picture needed to bring something new to the wall, providing information that would not be seen with any of the other photographs.

“The photographs couldn’t just be ambiguous pictures that didn’t represent what we were trying to discuss in the time period,” CHS senior Pierce Woodall said. “For example, we kept a picture of one of the old graduating classes, but we got rid of a picture that had just a bunch of random people standing in front of a building.”

However, this timeline is more than just a collection of pictures of Coppell’s history. It represents the months of work

Almira Rajwani

the Red Jackets put in and ultimately everything the Red Jackets stand for.

As ambassadors for the school, Red Jackets have also embraced the spirit of the city. This timeline informs people both in and out of high school about the city in which they live, allowing the Red Jackets to fulfill their role all throughout Coppell.

“Part of this wall shows that the school burned down at one point,” Woodall said.

“This lets everyone know there was a time where we could’ve given up on Coppell High School, where we didn’t have the money to repair it, where we could’ve just moved on, but we rose out of the ashes and kept fighting.”

Construction of the timeline will begin in the summer.

“This really just shows the whole community where we’ve come from and how that’s formed us into who we are today,” Woodall said.

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

Dylan Griffin

HOW DOES THE TIMELINE REPRESENT RED JACKETS AND CHS?

WHY IS THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT TO THE SCHOOL?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROJECT?

We’re putting in our efforts and our creative design as the leaders of the school, so we’re taking all the ideas of our respective groups—wherever we come from—and we’re implementing them with a timeline that represents CHS and Coppell as its entirety.

We need to know where we came from, where the Cowboy culture started. We need to know where our origin is because it’s important to know your background.

I really learned just how much has happened in a short time period.

Coppell wasn’t even incorporated as the city of Coppell for a long, long time; it was named after a train station, and one of the school buildings burned down. Throughout all of this change, good and bad, the city has kept growing and progressing.

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NEWS APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

THE LATEST FROM CHS9

“The Mariachis”: Dual Language Immersion program nurtures strong friendships, bonds

Photo courtesy Jenna Denning R A I S E D T O G E T H E R CHS9 students Aidan Dwyer, Lucas Mears, Collin Bloodworth, Luis Vargas and Chris Conger have grown up in the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program together since attending Denton Creek Elementary. Nicknamed “The Mariachis”, they are currently in the same Spanish class and believe they have benefited greatly from the program.

SHIVI SHARMA STAFF WRITER @_shivisharma_

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HS9 freshmen Aidan Dwyer, Chris Conger, Collin Bloodworth, Lucas Mears and Luis Vargas have grown up in Coppell ISD’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program together since attending Denton Creek Elementary.

Their friendship cemented when fifth grade Spanish DLI teacher Maricela Leon coined a fitting nickname: the Mariachis.

“The boys were always together, for good and for bad,” Leon said. “They were misbehaving once and I sent the five of them to the office. I said, ‘you look like a bunch of Mariachis together, you need to get some independence.’”

The DLI program aims for fluency in both English and Spanish for par-

ticipants by teaching and assessing both languages throughout their academic career.

“From year to year, we grew with each other,” Mears said. “My mom wanted me to grow up speaking Spanish because my grandparents speak Spanish, and she wanted me to be able to communicate with them.”

Being taught multiple languages successfully at an early age is known to have significant cognitive and communicative benefits.

“Whenever we go to different Spanish-speaking places, people can understand you better and it will be good to use later in life,” Bloodworth said.

The program is primarily made of elementary students. In eighth grade, the curriculum combines Spanish I and II into a single year, while Spanish III is taken freshman year. “[It’s] for anybody who wants to be

bilingual, not just hispanic natives,” said Chris’s mom, CHS9 Spanish and DLI teacher Reyna Conger. “It’s proven that if you know English and Spanish you can speak with 80 percent of the population around the world.”

Currently, Denton Creek Elementary, Wilson Elementary and Coppell Middle School North are the only campuses in CISD to offer a bilingual learning system. There are approximately 30 students in the program at CHS9.

“You’re with the same people every year, so you get really close to people you barely even knew,” Dwyer said.

“The people that were in my classes, they were like my brothers and sisters.”

The boys’ friendship has brought their families together as well.

“We’re called the Mariachi moms,” Mrs. Conger said. “They’re silly [at times], but they take care of each other.”

The program is not currently look-

ing to expand, though it may if prompted by more interest from parents. It takes time to train teachers to teach bilingually, though most have a personal connection to the program.

“I was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico,” Leon said. “My culture is all about family, food and friends, so I try to create that environment for my students. For me, it is not a job, it is a passion that you share with your students.”

Though the nickname may fade with time, the five hope to maintain the friendship they formed as children.

“They have grown up together over many years,” Mrs. Conger said. “I hope they can keep those friendships, going through college, [even] attending each other’s weddings.”

SHIVI ‘21 can be reached at sxs1578@g.coppellisd.com

CHS9 preparing students for transition to main campus ANIKA ARUTLA STAFF WRITER @anikaarutla

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ext year, a new generation of students will enter the vast halls of Coppell High School. This body of students will differ from others in the past 54 years, as they are the first generation coming from the Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus (CHS9).

CHS9, which opened in August, is a stepping stone for freshmen as they prepare for the main high school campus.

Prior to CHS9, freshmen were allowed to take certain AP classes, such as AP Human Geography and AP Biology, which were offered as options for the 2017-2018 school year. For the 20182019 school year, freshmen are allowed to take a maximum of one AP course, with exceptions.

“As a district, we want our students to be balanced,” CHS9 Principal Cody Koontz said. “We want to be cautious about overemphasizing that one aspect because that is one measure of success.

There are other ways to be successful and market yourself as a successful student.”

Next year, incoming sophomores are

permitted to take multiple AP courses as long as they have taken/are enrolled in the prerequisite courses. However, other courses such as AP Chemistry are not available.

Teachers recognized the emphasis on GPA that mentions and have began to

prepare the students for more rigorous classes they are planning to take.

“We’ve kind of beefed up the honors biology classes and we’ve made them very reflective of the kind of thought process and work ethic that’s required for AP Bio,” CHS9 biology teacher

Photo by DISHA KOHLI C H S 9 F A M I LY CHS9 student Reid Lucas prepares to pie CHS9 GT Geometry teacher Michael Wang during the pep rally at CHS9 on March 22.

The CHS9 community came together to celebrate the fundraiser.

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

Madhavi Phadke said. “That’s not a bad thing, we just have AP bio and IB bio in our mind all the time.”

Being the campus’s first group of students, year one has provided challenges, in addition to celebrations, for the CHS9 staff.

“We’ve learned a little bit about what’s worked and what hasn’t, in terms of efficiently communicating expectations” Koontz said. “We’re making some really good headway and part of that is we had to put into place some consequences that involved losing privileges of block lunch.”

The transition from CHS9 to the main campus CHS campus will be a different experience from past years; when they enter the campus, they are sophomores and no longer freshmen.

“If we’re taking classes with kids in other grades, it will be a little bit more smooth. But it also depends on the people individually,” freshman Mihir Chaudhari said. “I guess more people will feel a little more isolated and may try to stay more with their own grade but there will be others that will be more outgoing.”

ANIKA ‘20 can be reached at asa7712@g.coppellisd.com

FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKONLINE

APRIL NEWS

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

Hunt discloses district plans, policy changes CHRISTINE ZACUAI EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR @chriszacuai

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oppell Student Media had the opportunity to sit down with Coppell ISD Superintendent Brad Hunt in an interview discussing various district topics, including campus renovation, district policy, new campuses and student drug use - all of which have been at the forefront of the 2018-19 school year.

CSM: As we approach the end of the year, what has worked well with CHS9, and what has not?

HUNT: [CHS9] really hit all of our goals and objectives. We had some growing pains in the first part of the year with just the bus situation and transportation. One of the main roads going into CHS9 is Freeport Parkway, and it’s been under construction all year long and still looks like it’s going to be under construction. So that presented some unique challenges. We’ve been working through some of those early kinks. We

Sidekick file photo S T A T E O F T H E D I S T R I C T Coppell ISD Superintendent Brad Hunt discusses multiple hot topics including the new Canyon Ranch Elementary school, large scale renovations, and drug exposure facing the students in the district currently.

didn’t have the cafeteria ready the first three days of school, so we had to bring food in, but we made it work. Our kids are great and very resilient. The teachers are very flexible. But now, we’ve really been able to stand more firmly on our own two feet. It’s been a great opening and addition to the CHS and CISD family.

CSM: As a district continuing to grow, what is the plan for increased enrollment and overcrowding issues?

HUNT: We have a new elementary school opening [this fall], Canyon Ranch Elementary. [I’m] very excited about that new school opening; it will help us decrease enrollment at our elementary campuses next school year.

We added Coppell Middle School West with the larger location and bigger design, so that hopefully will help as far as long term planning with middle school.

Then, opening CHS9 helped us with overcrowding issues at CHS. So we’re hopeful that will take us for a while.

We will be putting together a facilities committee that will plan next year and look at the future. But for right now, we should be able to accommodate all the growth we have with the current structures that we have with our buildings.

CSM: What major renovations can students and staff expect next year?

HUNT: Hopefully you’ve seen some of those already with the new restrooms and some of the new paint. You’ve seen some cosmetic improvements to CHS, which we’re very proud of. There’s even been some updates to water fountains.

Now you’re going to see bigger changes

that are on the way. [CHS Principal Dr. Nicole Jund] had some students who were a part of a design charrette, where they were able to give some input on what they would like to see as far as improvements. We’ve seen improvements, as we’ve mentioned already with athletics and its facilities. We’ve seen minor improvements and other areas like the library and fine arts. You’re going to see even more in those areas, especially in the academic area and the common areas. The new kitchen was added in the serving spaces a few years ago at CHS, so to be able to have this next iteration of improvements is going to make CHS look even better than it already does.

CSM: How is the district addressing usage of illegal substances by students?

HUNT: This is a Shattered Dreams school year, so we always try to beef up our assemblies and programs that deal with alcohol use and abuse. But alongside that, are issues with vaping, legal drug use and even prescription drug use. We brought in several speakers and parent resources. We’ve got great school resource officers here to help us. Our students [and] staff services really do a lot with our Parent University, which is educating parents, but also trying to do more with educating kids.

TO READ THE FULL STORY, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM CHRISTINE ‘19 can be reached at cnz6920@g.coppellisd.com.

DISMANTLING MISTRUTHS

District ‘redefines success’ academically with framework CHRISTINE ZACUAI EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR @chriszacuai

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isheartenment and anger faced the nation when admissions into numerous universities across the nation involved crimes such as bribery and fraud.

In all its unethicality, the FBI’s “Operation Varsity Blues” investigation confirmed what Coppell ISD knew already: there is no one track road to success.

Through the tampering of test scores, million dollar donations and the overall loss of merit to the education system, the scandal teaches a lesson CISD plans to take seriously. “[The scandal] just sends the message socioeconomic status is more important than hard work and dedication,” CHS senior Nisha Ramesh said.

With a committee comprised of district, administrators, teaching staff and parents in the works for more than a year now, the conversation of significant policy changes to academic structure has already opened.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to support our students and our families to understand there’s a whole lot more to life, and there’s a whole lot more to education at this level,” CHS Principal Dr. Jund said. “The story you get to tell as a result of the life you live matters more than one admission, or one test grade or one GPA point. We’ve got to

continue to hammer having that conversation.”

Since 2003, CISD researched learning frameworks such as Pinnacle 2020 that predicate the idea “every child is different”. However, in its recent years, the district has shifted away from current policies to one expected to be in place in 2021.

Acknowledging the competitive nature of its students, the district has accommodated to their academic interests.

Struggles within programming are seen in course that have been cut due to their lack of GPA weighting, but connect to learner passion.

“I wish people could step back to a 30,000 foot view and look down on the district with this understanding we literally hire and staff based on the courses kids sign up for,” CISD Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Deana Dynis said.

In the midst of the crisis, administrators recommend students alleviate their struggles by using resources on campus.

“I hope [students] leverage the folks who are here because there are a lot of really great people who can help them figure out a way to get where they want to go, if they just spend time listening,” Jund said.

TO READ THE FULL STORY, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM CHRISTINE ‘19 can be reached at cnz6920@g.coppellisd.com

Photo by KELLY WEI N A T I O N W I D E S C A M Coppell ISD is taking measures to reframe the district’s academic structure for more than a year. After the college admissions scandals in early March, CISD is planning even more significant action at the high school level.

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EDITORIAL APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

2018-2019

THE SIDEKICK VIEW

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 Page Editor ANTHONY CESARIO Entertainment Editor SOFIA GUERRERO Co-Student Life Editor SALLY PARAMPOTTIL Co-Student Life Editor BREN FLECHTNER Photography Editor PRAMIKA KADARI Copy Editor BELLA MORA Graphics Editor NEWSROOM MANAGEMENT NISHANT MEDICHARLA Production Manager DISHA KOHLI Business Manager ANDRÉS BEAR CSM Web Producer WRITERS Akif Abidi Laasya Achanta Anika Arutla Andrés Bear Shreya Beldona Neha Desaraju Ryan Dyke 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 Charlotte Vanyo Camila Villarreal Sarah Woo

PHOTOGRAPHERS Stephanie Alvarez Camila Flores Laura Amador-Toro Lilly Gorman Neveah Jones Disha Kohli

Gabby Nelson Anthony Onalaja Rishitha Penmetsa Aubrey Phillips Mari Pletta Rishika Rakwal

DESIGNERS Kaylee Aguilar Carson Allen Gwynevere Bonacci Ryan Kim Bailey Lai

Mental health should be priority, not afterthought

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odern adolescents are known for their sporadic attitudes, desire for independence and raging hormones. Many teens have seen the familiar picture of adults rolling their eyes, humored smiles on their faces, sighing, “teenagers,” with a shake of their head.

Often, we are suppressed by this cliche image that when we want to get serious about suspicions we carry concerning our own mental issues, we are told our problems must have some affiliation with our infamous “teen angst”. We are denied the opportunity to have what might have been a much needed conversation, when in actuality, we are facing problems such as depression and anxiety, often the ones that cannot be seen.

The people who play prominent roles in these young adults’ lives are crucial components in making sure teenagers do not feel isolated because of their mental issues.

High schoolers may be infamous for thinking they know everything.

But we should be taken seriously by others when we claim to be feeling distraught by what may be a mental health issue.

According to Newport Academy, a teen rehab center, mental disorders in teens are at an all-time high.

If a child gathers the courage to finally speak to someone about the hurricane raging in their head, they are not looking for a whimsical reassuring comment.

It is understandable if parents hesitate to act when confronted with

such news, and it is not their fault for not understanding at first, but the most effective way to address their own confusion would be to have their child explain their inner turmoil. Ignoring the situation a child might be going through will only lead to decaying conditions, confusions and - in the worse cases - suicide.

Young adults with mental disorders rarely develop them because of issues with their parents, but those disorders can snowball into bigger monsters if they are not addressed.

Parents should not take those issues into their own hands, either.

Taking steps to help your child, in addition to unconditional love, is a constant reminder to high schoolers that there are solutions to be found.

Teachers, for example, are often resented by their students because they may not take into consideration the issues students can have. We do not always seek attention and look for excuses. Sometimes we need a person we can turn to.

Mental disorders are not easily spotted, which is why empathy - not pity - is an important attribute to have in a teacher.

The way some kids refuse to socialize is not always because of their mood swings - it could be social anxiety. That “unusual nervousness” your learners sometimes get may not be a common symptom of the jitters, or a sign of disinterest or disrespect. The consistent bouncing of the knee under almost every student’s desk cannot be suppressed just because you scolded them for it.

Bella Mora Jacob Nelson Sujeong Oh Olivia Palmer Shriya Vanparia

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

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

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

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 (214) 496 6239 / cwofford@coppellisd.com 185 W. Parkway Blvd. Coppell, TX 75019

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKONLINE

However, teenagers must be making an effort on their part to facilitate conversation as well. The help they receive is largely dependent on their maturity and strategy when coming out with their problems.

Sometimes it takes sitting down and putting everything out in the open for people to be able to comprehend what is going on in your mind.

Mental health disorders are not something we can continue to put in the back of our minds and wait like sitting ducks for them to escalate into inferring and possibly extreme problems. Action needs to be taken, and people have to become vulnerable for the problem to be fixed.

H AV E A N O P I N I O N ?

We are always happy to consider tips and guest columns from all community members. Email cwofford@coppellisd.com with your suggestions, feedback, stories or letters to our editors.

Opinions THE MEANING OF PINK SKIRTS P. 8

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APRIL OPINIONS

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

AIRPOD EPIDEMIC P. 8

“I like to keep up a facade of a perfect life.” P. 9

HOTEL SPARKS DRUG CONVERSATION P. 9

From Colombia to the United States My journey through discovering reality of the American dream Pho to

The Sidekick staff photographer Laura Amador-Toro discusses her experiences in the United States following her move from Colombia. Now, she has come to the realization that she will take control of her own future with the tools she has gained from her time in the U.S.

by

LA

UR A M A O

“I had grown up in such a short period of time, and that wasn’t so bad after all.”

R -TO

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ince moving to the U.S., I can’t help but miss Colombia every single day.

I remember getting to school early and hearing the birds chirp so pleasantly, as if you were alone in the middle of the forest.

There, my friends and I had similar experiences when it came to joining a new school. As soon as the other kids got a chance, they jumped at the opportunity to introduce themselves. Just like that, no effort required.

“In Colombia, you always feel welcome to whatever place you go,” said Coppell resident Jose Miguel Silva, who left Colombia in 2015. “People will make you feel like you’ve known them from forever even if you just met them five minutes ago.”

Even though my mom and I didn’t share his desires, my dad always dreamed of moving to the U.S. But when my mom lost her job, we were forced to explore other horizons and decided to make the move.

For the first six months, we slept on air mattresses in an almost-empty apartment in Euless. In Colombia I loved to have my friends over. But in our new home, my parents didn’t want me to invite anyone to our secluded apartment.

There was a huge disconnection between my peers and I. People here felt so distant to me, so cold. I remember hearing about “cultural shock” back in Colombia, but I did not fully comprehend what it meant until then. “[American] groups of friends just seem inaccessible,” said Coppell H i g h School j u n i o r Sofia Sanz, who left Mexico in 2017.

E ve r y t h i n g seemed plain and shallow, a “Shallowville”.

Conversations were

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LAURA AMADOR-TORO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER @lauraamadortoro

small talk, and people’s personal space felt kilometers larger than in Colombia.

Oh right, miles.

In any case, after being in a country where you hug the security guard of your apartment complex on Christmas, life here felt very lonely.

The U.S. being the “country of freedom” just felt sarcastic to me, especially when I began to notice the ways Hispanics lost pride in their identities.

“I go to the store, and the girl in the cashier is evidently Hispanic,” Sanz said. “She doesn’t only look Latina and has a huge accent, but also her name is Maria. I say ‘hola’ to her, and she looks at me as if it was the worst insult. Let’s say she didn’t speak Spanish. I understand that not all people with Latino roots do, but what is so shameful about it that I need to be careful not to offend anyone by assuming they’re Hispanic?”

Stereotypes were drawn all over my country’s name, and no matter how hard I tried, it felt like people did not care about clarifying those misconceptions.

“Coming from a third world country, I would always hear the same comments,” Silva said.

“People assuming I grew up in a jungle, surrounded by crime.”

I am now 17.

I was 14 when I first c a m e to the U. S . , but the pressure I received from my parents to help them with typical

“adult” things caused me to grow up prematurely.

“Teenengers who are refugees sometimes are put in a weird situation,” said Catholic Charities Senior Program Manager Alice Kigera, who oversees Refugee Resettlement Services. “They really are children, so they should be dependent on their parents, but sometimes they go to school and they’re the only ones [in their family] who speak English. So it all changes at home, and the parents kind of become dependent on the teenagers.

Anytime they get a bill, they want the kids to interpret it. Anytime they’re talking, they want the kids to help them because they’ve adjusted more.”

Fortunately, I always found comfort in my mom’s advice and decided to give my dear Shallowville a chance.

I was amazed by how the U.S. is a little representation of the world. I remember being friends with someone from Iraq who didn’t speak English. We would spend lunch time pointing at things and telling each other how we would say it in our own languages. It was the simplest thing, but after feeling so lonely, lunch time turned into something pleasant when we rejoiced in the translation of the word “apple” in Arabic.

Things were better, but I still had that ache to return to Colombia.

Despite this, I decided to let go, and live in the moment. One day, I just learned to appreciate a bit of loneliness. I had grown up so much in such a short period of time, and that wasn’t so bad after all.

Today, I’ve reaffirmed that the U.S. may not be my future, but it will be an amazing teacher for it, just as any other experience is.

LAURA ‘20 can be reached at lxa5005@g.coppellisd.com

WANT MORE? Visit CoppellStudentMedia.com for video.

8

OPINIONS APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

My pink skirt doesn’t define me CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR @cclements825

I

used to hate the color pink.

It wasn’t that I hated the color itself, but the fact that growing up, pink was associated with girlinesss. And growing up, girliness was bad.

I don’t have any siblings, but I have a cousin I grew up with who is basically my brother. When he was younger, he acted a lot like most little boys his age, and he associated girls with being weak, stupid and only caring about clothes and makeup.

That, along with many people pushing this idea onto me, made being a girl seem like something I should not be associated with.

“I’m different than all the other girls” is an all too common phrase, in both entertainment and reality. As a book nerd growing up, I saw these phrases in almost every book I read, and I saw a need to be different from other girls.

What’s so wrong with the “other girls”?

The answer is, of course, nothing.

But I didn’t know that – so I distanced myself from anything girly.

I hated dresses, pink, makeup, anything you can think of that was traditionally “girly”, but I didn’t really have real reasons for why I hated them.

I wasn’t the only girl doing this. Ironically, I know many girls who, in an effort to be different from other girls, chose to distance themselves from traditional femininity, even if they weren’t being true to themselves.

In the end, we weren’t that different from each other.

But then, around eighth grade, I started to read more and more about feminism – and I started to understand that, maybe, being a girl wasn’t something bad.

Now, I like pink. And skirts. It wasn’t a change in preference, because I’d always liked them, but a change in viewpoints.

The first viewpoint that has changed for me is that being a girl is bad: It’s anything but. When a girl wears a full face of makeup everyday, that doesn’t mean she’s stupid or shallow. She just likes makeup. When a girl

Graphic by GWYNEVERE BONACCI D E F I N I N G G I R L H O O D Growing up as a girl comes with many stereotypes. Claire Clements, The Sidekick editorial page editor, describes her experiences with these stereotypes.

likes short skirts, she’s not looking for attention. She just feels good in short skirts.

The second viewpoint that has changed for me is that girlhood is defined by pink skirts. I like pink skirts, but that’s not what makes me a girl, and that doesn’t make the girl who prefers black pants over pink, floral dresses not a girl. It just means I like pink skirts, and she likes black pants, but we’re both girls who deserve just as much respect as the other.

CLAIRE ‘20 can be reached at cec4824@g.coppellisd.com

“I saw a need to be different from other girls.”

Coppell Observer: “Sorry, I had my airpods in.”

NICHOLAS PRANSKE EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR @Nick_Pranske8

Coppell Observer is a humorous column about life as a teenager. Please be warned that any and all sass is due to the writers’ similar situation as teenagers (even though we feel so much older).

You, the reader, should not take any of these words seriously.

A

pple’s AirPods launched in December 2016 as a wireless alternative to earbuds. And at a hefty $159, AirPods were mainly for the wealthy – the trust fund babies and elite businessmen.

However, as people came to their senses and the culture began to shift, the popularity of the once ridiculous Apple Q-tips grew immensely. It became more than just a luxury item – it became a symbol that blatantly told the world of one’s affluence.

In fact, in a completely unbiased opinion, AirPods have single-handedly caused global classism to persist.

AirPods are not just earbuds. Any sane AirPod user would have scoffed at that last sentence. AirPods are a magical product developed by the best technology developer in existence.

If you were to encounter a soul lucky enough to own a pair, you might hear common phrases such as, “oh, you were talking? I had my AirPods in” or the less subtle, “sorry, I don’t speak poor.”

It is unknown whether AirPods actually block out sound or if the owners of them simply choose not to

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

speak to any of the outsiders. not say that day will come without warning, because it To put it simply, the world has been separated into is closer than one might think. two groups: those with AirPods and the impoverished.

With all that being said, I have AirPods, and I use If only the more fortunate population would donate them every day. just a song or two to the rest of them. Make the world NICHOLAS ‘20 can be reached at a better place, one rich pod at a time. nep4594@g.coppellisd.com However, instead of bettering humanity, AirPod users continue to drown out the world and just focus on their music.

Nonetheless, there are benefits to having AirPods. For example, they are great for running (and yes, they stay in), and you do not have to worry about anything getting tangled up. This is not a bash on AirPods themselves, this is simply an analysis of the boasted culture behind them.

AirPods have created such a subculture behind it that one can get reprimanded for wearing AirPods in the hallway.

Graphic by JACOB NELSON The day will come when the AirPod users will rise up and wage A I R P O D E R A AirPods are Apple’s wireless, cord-free headphones. Since war upon all the broke then, AirPods have developed into a symbol of wealth among the youth. people of the world. Do

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKONLINE

9

APRIL OPINIONS

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

Getting to know my own headspace C H A R L O T T E VA N Y O STAFF WRITER @CharlotteVanyo

I

was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in seventh grade.

My diagnosis was like a business transaction: I was in the door with symptoms and out the door with a prescription, no idea what to expect, how to cope or a clue about what having ADHD really meant.

I just continued on with my life, not knowing what ADHD was and, like most people, not really caring. I am not good at addressing my struggles to begin with, but the disregard for the impediments of ADHD made it easier to pretend all it did was keep me from concentrating.

Now a junior in high school, I just found out what having ADHD really means. I was shocked to find that deficiencies I had always thought were a product of my own inability to act like everyone else were symptoms of my ADHD. According to ADDitude Mag. ADHD is a medical condition that causes those inflicted to struggle with the ability to sit still, awareness of consequences, maintaining concentration, motivation, disorganization, forgetfulness, frequent talking and hyperfocus.

I recognized my ADHD even more in my day to day life. I saw it in the way I procrastinate simple tasks because they just seem so overwhelming. I saw it in how I can never seem to remember to put my towels away, in how when I can never seem to get my brain to stop buzzing.

ADHD is one of the most misunderstood and dismissed mental illnesses. People misuse the vocabulary of mental illness and belittle its severity. Without medication, the symptoms of my ADHD can make it impossible for me to function on a level close to that of my peers.

I am a pretty outgoing person. I like to talk, and I smile and laugh. I am an optimistic and bubbly person who finds the best in everything.

Some may be questioning this description of who I am. They know me as a quiet, sad-looking girl. They know who I am when I have taken my Concerta, when I am not truly myself.

Photo by JACOB NELSON L I V I N G W I T H A D H D The Sidekick staff writer Charlotte Vanyo was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 12 and has dealt with the struggles and symptoms for her entire life. ADHD is a big part of her everyday life and affects how she feels.

Concerta drains me of my joy. It steals my passion, my curiosity, my loving and friendly nature. I do not like the person I am when on ADHD medicine. I wish to remain ever the optimist, but Concerta has other plans for me.

I was diagnosed with depression last August. I am not good at talking about my feelings. I like to keep up a facade of a perfect life. When bad things happen to me, I usually keep my hurt feelings to myself because I do not like to share my struggles even with those I am closest to.

I am not saying my life is not filled with happiness and laughter and love. But no one’s life is perfect, and I

should not try to pretend mine is.

Mental illness needs to be talked about so those struggling understand what they are going through is not their fault, and so they can get the help.

I have stepped out of my comfort zone to share my story hoping it will educate someone or help someone grow confident in themselves.

CHARLOTTE ‘20 can be reached at chv8279@g.coppellisd.com

Han Gil brings drug discussion close to home ANTHONY CESARIO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR @anthonycesario_

W

Students should recognize and appreciate this.

Maybe these school assemblies aren’t always incredibly interesting. Maybe they make you uncomfortable. Maybe you won’t be as fascinated in the discussion as I was with the Han Gil Hotel. Regardless, these talks serve an important purpose: to keep us students safe and informed, and prevent us from making that single mistake that could ruin our life.

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

Pho to by M

A

RI PL ET

TA

hen I heard we were going to spend our sixth period class in the Coppell High School arena for a talk about drugs, I, like my friends, was less than enthusiastic.

But within minutes of when Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert began discussing the case of the Han Gil Hotel, I found myself leaning forward in my chair, consumed by a story that got worse and worse the more it unraveled.

The Han Gil Hotel - located just 19 minutes from CHS, in Dallas - was a haven for drug deals, sexual assault, violence and even several deaths. The hotel owners allowed drug dealers to operate within guest rooms in exchange for payment, and buyers could use the drugs they had purchased inside the rooms.

Dallas Morning News said as of March 8, a day after a task force raided the hotel, prosecutors said there had been “three deaths, two shootings and numerous drug-related incidents over the past eight months” at the premises.

What made the story even more chilling was that among the local drug-related deaths over the years, several were CHS graduates. One was Tommy McClenahan, son of Pinkerton physical education teacher Colleen Michaelis. At age 24, he died of a heroin overdose.

According to a friend, McClenahan had visited the Han Gil Hotel before.

McClenahan was just one CHS graduate who fell victim to the influence of drugs and the Han Gil Hotel.

Another former student, Calvert said, wanted to speak at the assembly about what led her down the path to addiction and how she became involved in the hotel. But she

couldn’t. Because she was in jail.

Stories such as these really put the consequences of substance abuse into perspective. Previously, school presentations regarding these serious topics never truly left an impact on me. I would think, I know these things are bad. I won’t do any of them. So why do we need presentations about them every year?

However, learning that something as inconspicuous as the Han Gil Hotel ruined the lives of many people from my own community made me realize just how real these problems are. One mistake, one poor decision, can ruin a life - or take one away.

These schoolwide discussions are important because they can address misconceptions and allow students to understand the consequences of their actions. I learned way more about heroin and other drugs through Calvert’s presentation than I would have liked to - at times I physically felt uncomfortable in my seat - but I’m grateful I did.

Many students may believe they live in a bubble, that Coppell is too small or too dull for drugs and violence to present a serious problem. Calvert’s presentation and others are important to burst this bubble and expose the truth.

“Drug abuse does not have a zip code,” Coppell ISD Superintendent Brad Hunt said in a letter to the district.

While the issue and effects of drugs on our own community may be confusing or concerning, the efforts CISD is taking to bring awareness to the problems - such as Calvert’s presentation - are important in putting an end to it at a young age.

10

STUDENT LIFE APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

Student Life

“People are actually saying ‘no’ just to stop you from going after what you want.” P. 15

STUDENT PROFILES: TWINS P. 14

DEVOTION TO DEBATE P.11

TEACHER OF THE ISSUE: KIMBALL P. 15

Four languages and beyond: Schoen experiences culture past physical borders SARAH WOO STAFF WRITER @syw6338

F

rom living in Germany to Sweden to Costa Rica, Coppell High School sophomore Jessica Chaska Chuquichampi Schoen has encountered more than the typical high school student.

At just age 16, Schoen is fluent in four languages (German, Swedish, Spanish and English). Her unique exposure to languages, however, has not ceased. As she is currently learning her fifth language (French), Schoen incorporates her distinct cultural encounters with her linguistic opportunities into multiple aspects of her life, including her education and hobbies.

Schoen learned German as her native language when she lived in Germany for six years. She later learned Swedish when she lived in Sweden for four years before learning Spanish from her father and living in Costa Rica for almost two years. Lastly, she learned English when she moved to Miami for two years and finally moved to Coppell before she joined eighth grade.

“Jessica has had all these different experiences and seen all kinds of culture,” Kerstin Schoen, Jessica’s mother, said. “She has gained knowledge that, for many people, is not ever possible to gain in their lifetime. Since she has always been well-integrated into every country she lived in, she has learned very quickly and easily. When she went to school in Costa Rica, she learned more than just mathematics; she learned everything about the language, history and culture.”

People and their culture also play a significant role in affecting Schoen’s perceptions of each country’s society.

“It’s very interesting to see how different the communities are in each country,” Jessica said. “There are obviously huge differences in the environment; in Sweden it’s always cold and snowing, and in Costa Rica it’s always hot and raining. But the people and how they act are really different too.

People in Europe, for example, are more interested in people’s lives – they ask a lot of questions and want to find out everything about you. Here [in North America], people seem to be a little less interested – they just want to know the basics and guess about the rest.”

In Coppell, one way Schoen demonstrates her skills from her special background is within the walls of CHS. Schoen reaches exceptional standards linguistically, effectively connecting with her teachers with ease.

“I have never had a student be at this level linguistically,” CHS French and Spanish teacher Michael Egan said. “She already has an advantage

in this course because she can clearly see patterns between languages. It’s also fun to have her in my class because, although she doesn’t realize it, I use her as my own quiz; whenever I need to refresh or practice my German, she’s always there to check up on me.”

Similarly, Schoen bonds with fellow classmates when reminiscing on experiences from foreign countries, such as Sweden.

“The only language Jessica and I share is English, but we talk and connect over Europe a lot,” CHS junior Liam Bjorkvall said. “Since we’re both from Europe, we have this little competition over who’s more Swedish by seeing who can last longer in cold weather.”

As Schoen overcomes these cultural boundaries, the importance of language learning and cultural education appear strikingly throughout her individual experiences.

“A lot of people’s identities are related to their languages without them realizing – and language and culture go hand-in-hand,” Egan said. “Without cultural education, we would lack perspective of knowing how other people live. Just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Along with being extremely versatile in terms of language and culture, Schoen also holds her secret weapons to success: engineering and dancing. These passions, along with her bright personality, play key roles in Schoen’s lifelong successes that have not been lost along her cultural adventures.

“As a person, she is very open and accepting,” Ms. Schoen said. “I want to see her use all her skills in whatever area she goes toward. She sees that things can be done differently, and that there’s not only one way to do things, which she can definitely apply to her future.”

SARAH ‘20 can be reached at syw6338@g.coppellisd.com

“Without cultural education, we would lack perspective of knowing how other people live.”

MICHAEL EGAN AP/IB FRENCH AND SPANISH TEACHER

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O L L E H !

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HE T U L A S !

A L O H ¡ !

G A T N E T U G

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

M U L T I L I N G U A L M A S T E R Coppell High School sophomore Jessica Schoen embraces the lifestyle of various countries. Schoen is fluent in German, Swedish, Spanish and English and is currently learning French.

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

FACEBOOK /SIDEKICKONLINE

APRIL STUDENT LIFE

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

11

Reddy strengthens speech skills in congressional debate, MUN MUN, members simulate U.N. conferences, where each person represents a country and serves as a delegate in various committees. Contrasting countries’ views on the issue fosters debate, and for competitors to win awards at the conference, they must have the s the only student who competes in congressional same strong speech skills a good debater would have. debate at Coppell High School, junior Bhavik “He’s a really great speaker,” CHS junior MUN Reddy faced an uphill climb from the start. To member Nitin Naresh said. “He’s a really good public earn his spot in the Tournament of Champions, speaker, and he talks with a lot of emotion and the most prestigious debate tournament in the uses a lot of hand motions which really helps you nation, Reddy had to develop his oratory skills in an understand what he’s saying. The main thing is he’s undeveloped section of the debate program and utilize always prepared and always knowledgeable about his them against high-level competition. topic.”

Reddy attended the 45th Harvard National Parliamentary procedures are used during both Forensics Tournament in Boston from Feb. 16-18. It MUN conferences and congressional debate sessions, was a large event with more than 500 which means Reddy has double competitors, in which Reddy advanced opportunity to practice. Confidence, in to semifinals. Although he did not both MUN and debate, serves as one of advance to finals, he earned the second the crucial aspects in every competitor. of the two bids needed to qualify for the “To me, the most important element Tournament of Champions, which will is tenacity,” Dr. Sykes said. “Bhavik take place in Lexington, Ky. from April is tenacious.

Bhavik is someone who 27-29. sees himself as successful, and that’s “I was completely elated,” Reddy an important component to winning, said. “It was exciting that all the hard because if you don’t see yourself winning, work and dedication I put in amounted it’s difficult to make it happen.” to something great.”

Reddy has taken measures outside of Bids are earned when the debater school to improve in debate, including places high enough in select regional attending camps such as the Institute and national competitions. Reddy earned for Speech and Debate in Florida. his first at Glenbrooks Tournament in With another year ahead of him in Chicago, which took place Nov. 16-18, the program and preparing for the and, with his second from Harvard, will Tournament of Champions this year, attend the Tournament of Champions Reddy has much to look forward to. alongside fellow CHS juniors Het “You wouldn’t believe it by Desai and Shreyas Rajagopal, who both interacting with him, but Bhavik is compete in policy debate, which deals still young,” Dr. Sykes said. “One of directly with policy changes by the U.S. the things I’m looking forward to from government.

Bhavik over the next 14 months or so Debate has been part of Reddy’s life is the leadership he provides. He’s very since freshman year. interested in bringing more people to “I joined debate because I really congressional debate.

As we grow the wanted to express my ideas in a formative congress portion of our program, he way,” Reddy said. “I continued because L E A D E R S H I P T H R O U G H L E G I S L A T I O N Coppell High will be very important to leading that I did find success, and I met so many School junior Bhavik Reddy presents his argument supporting effort and providing a model for younger great people.” vaccines during CHS debate coach Dr. Jason Sykes’ seventh debaters.”

Debate itself is a program requiring period class. Reddy has been in debate since his freshman year heavy amounts of research and of high school. Photo by NEVEAH JONES SALLY ‘21 can be reached at preparation. In Coppell, there is a scp7918@g.coppellisd.com strong focus on policy debate, but not so S A L LY P A R A M P O T T I L CO-STUDENT LIFE EDITOR @sparampottil

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much on Reddy’s event. “[Reddy] does congressional debate, and that’s something more popular in the Plano schools and Southlake,” CHS debate coach Dr. Jason Sykes said.

“It hasn’t been the focus of this team. He’s kind of been like a lone wolf in some ways, and he’s had to navigate his own path in some ways. That demonstrates unless he was willing to persevere, then he wouldn’t have had the success that he has.”

Congressional debate involves the back and forth of passing bills and laws. It replicates the actual U.S. Congress in format and style.

Reddy also develops his speech skills through participation in Model United Nations (MUN) at CHS, where he serves as the club’s president. In

FR IEN DS S INC E : P R AYA AG AN D HET F R I E N D S S I N C E S I X T H G R A D E Coppell High School juniors Prayaag Gupta, ranked No. 1 in the class, and Het Desai, ranked No. 2 in the class, attended Coppell Middle School West and have been friends since sixth grade. They met on the bus on the way to school, and their scholastic achievements in high school have not broken their bond.

“We build characteristics off of each other, and we each help each other grow as a person, and we value each other as friends. We don’t compete; we just want the best for each other.”

“Even though we’re in high school, no matter what time it is, what we’re doing, we still find a way at the end to talk to each other, and I think that’s [what’s] most important.”

P R AYA A G G U P TA JUNIOR

HET DESAI JUNIOR

12

CENTERSPREAD APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

APRIL CENTERSPREAD

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

‘We’re trying our best’

WRITTEN BY Kelly Wei Editor-in-Chief @kellylinwei

PHOTOS BY Bren Flechtner Photography Editor @brenxmckay

Not radical. Not extreme. Not hateful. Not violent. Just Muslim.

Local Islamic community strong in midst of tragedy, media misrepresentation PART TWO

This is an excerpt from a three-part news feature package on the local Coppell Muslim community. Read the series in its entirety online at CoppellStudentMedia.com.

A PART ONE

Standing in the wake of devastation

READ MORE AT CoppellStudentMedia.com

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

s an internationally-renown mosque, the Valley Ranch Islamic Center (VRIC) is led by some of the country’s most influential Islamic speakers, such as imams Yasir Birjas Issa and Omar Suleiman, who collectively boast a social media following of over 1.5 million and regularly travel the country to speak at events. In fact, Suleiman, who was unavailable for an interview, had flown to New Zealand to be with grieving families of Christchurch victims at the time.

The VRIC serves approximately 2,000 Muslims from all across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, which, in having the fourth largest Islamic population in the US, has been described as the “Madinah of America.”

This reputable mosque is also located in a former public library.

“When people come visit us, they expect this massive building, but we’re small and humble,” VRIC administrator Nye Armstrong said. “I like to think it keeps us light on our feet, so we can grow with our community.”

Although Muslims only make up about 1.1 percent of the total U.S. population, they are projected to become the second-largest religion group by 2040 after only Christianity, an upward trend that is being mirrored locally.

In the nine years since Issa joined as an imam for the center, growth in membership has soared. Where weekly prayers were once attended by 200 - 250 people, the mosque must now hold two separate prayers to accomodate for the 1,000 - 1,500 people who attend today. In addition to this, lectures are live streamed for those looking to tune in across the world.

“It’s not about size, but impact,” Issa said. “When I travel, people will say, ‘finally, I’m meeting you in person, I’ve watched you online’ so it’s definitely very interesting to see we’ve created a family beyond the geographical location.”

To further accommodate the center’s rapidly expanding membership, it will be relocating to a larger building in May, when construction is predicted to finish.

Armstrong, who met Issa when he was speaking in New Jersey, initially sought him out for his personal counseling services. It was through this relationship that she first began conducting research on the Muslim community Issa led in Dallas, and discovered what she considered to be the most ‘active and inclusive’ Islamic group in the nation.

“I came [to Dallas] and visited, and that visit turned into a need to be in the community,” Armstrong said. “I moved specifically here to be part of this masjid, for the atmosphere, the peace, the sense of community.”

Despite the humble space VRIC occupies, Armstrong credits its extensive programming and its progressive ideals, both thanks to Issa’s leadership as imam, for its attractiveness and formidable draw.

“Very progressive and feminist thoughts came out of this man [Issa],” Armstrong said. “I started paying attention.

When you have somebody, like an imam, that really targets the women in the community, makes sure they are given free reign of the masjid and have programs designated for them and their children, it benefits the entire community.”

Armstrong, who loves to paint, hikes and camps frequently and is ‘no less insane’ than prior to her conversion to Islam, affirms that negative stereotypes of oppressed Muslim women simply aren’t always true - and they have absolutely no place at the VRIC.

INSTAGRAM @THESIDEKICKCOPPELL

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n March 20, an evening program was held at the mosque in response to the Christchurch shooting.

A panel of invited speakers were present to provide attendees with insight, advice, information and spiritual guidance in light of the tragedy.

“The perpetrator [of the shooting] wanted us to be scared,” said PeacefulYou Counseling founder and primary therapist Usman Mughni. Mughni was one of several invited speakers. “And yet, here we are tonight filling the masjid, showing that we’re not scared, but rather, that this will only increase us in faith.”

As a personal therapist specializing in Muslim clients, Mughni frequently helps clients suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). In his lecture, Mughni shared he has worked with some clients who are afraid to go out to public places, even mosques.

“In traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, you teach them, ‘Listen, what are the chances of that happening?’”

Mughni said. “But as more of these attacks happen, do I stop telling them this is an irrational fear? That really broke my heart to think that.”

Other notable speakers included Perspective Strategic Solutions consultant Fuad Dadabhoy, Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) adviser Mohammed Elibiary, and imam Issa himself.

Points of discussion included a political analysis on the islamophobic rhetoric and discrimination that fueled the attack, how parents should address the shooting with their children, updated security measures for the VRIC and spiritual wisdom on how to cope in light of a world that is becoming increasingly hostile and dangerous for Muslims to occupy.

Security for the mosque stood at the forefront of many attendees’ concerns.

In addition to working with the Irving Police Department to ensure city officers will be present at various points during the week, the VRIC is looking to utilize a volunteer system, wherein members of the mosque have undertaken extensive training with law enforcement professionals to receive their firearms license from the state of Texas.

These volunteers will stand guard outside the mosque on a daily basis.

“The reality is, unfortunately, we all grew up believing our places of worship were safe spaces, but we live in a time now where that’s no longer the case,” Elibiary said.

Above all, the program emphasized the importance of combating negative stereotypes, rising above hatred and upholding the true values of Islam.

“We’re trying our best to represent Islam in the purest way we can, the way it should be represented,” Issa said.

“We have to combat the media and negative representation, politicians who try to cash in on islamophobia.”

CHS senior Katie Walker, who cites religion as being a ‘fundamental’ part of her life, echoes a similar sentiment, citing a famous quote from Indian civil rights activist Mahatma Gandhi to make her point: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

“The few radical Islamists are taking the religion out of context,” Walker said.

In fact, context just might be what is needed most to help prevent future tragedies from unfolding. Separating Islam - a religion that not only tolerates, but explicitly preaches nonviolence and men and women as being ‘spiritual equals’ from those who are interpreting it is a crucial step toward dispelling harmful stereotypes.

“There’s a big difference between the message of Islam,

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and the messengers of Islam,” Issa said. “The people are people like every other culture: there’s the good and the bad and the ugly. It’s not fair to judge the faith [of Islam] on the basis of the practice of Muslims.”

Extremist adherents who engage in violence - such as the Taliban - simply do not represent tenets of the faith they claim to be killing in the name of.

“My goal is to create a role model community for Muslims in the Dallas area,” Issa said. “We’re doing our best to represent Islam from the actual text and teachings of the prophet Muhammad himself.”

Being a ‘role model’ not only encompasses abiding by official Islamic doctrine, but retaining the ability to adapt and accommodate the needs of a modern and rapidly westernizing community.

The VRIC is decisively young, full of working professionals and families. Plenty are immigrants who come from traditional roots - but there are just as many members

who are American-born citizens, raised in the midst of anti-Islam rhetoric and an American culture of radical individualism that challenges the importance traditional Muslim groups place on community.

Rather than viewing this as a negative, Issa has embraced the unique duality of his community, incorporating it into VRIC’s culture of acceptance of hospitality - both spiritually and visually.

“Our logo is very colorful and modern, because we wanted to break away from traditional designs,” Issa said.

The logo is minimalist and sleek, featuring symbolic multi-color petals that twine together to form the image of a mandala.

The VRIC has opened its doors to globalization, modernization and American culture. In turn, it hopes the rest of the world will return the favor.

“We’re trying our best,” Issa said. “I hope people understand that we’re just like everybody else.”

Young Muslim Americans today straddle cultural divides, balance lifestyles PART THREE

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HS senior Farris Ali does not pray five times a day, as is traditionally custom, but he does visit the Irving Islamic Center every Friday and strives to pray at least once or twice daily. He practices Ramadan, but doesn’t adhere to the belief that drinking or sex before marriage is wrong.

“My parents were born in Pakistan, in an environment where everyone was Muslim,” Ali said. “But for me, it’s a mix of traditional and western lifestyle.”

As Ali puts it, living in the U.S. means there are ‘things you’re drawn to’.

“In Islam, you’re not supposed to drink or have sex before marriage,” Ali said. “In America, though, those things are just there. People are more drawn to those activities. You kind of forget about your religion here, compared to if you were in one of those Islamic countries.”

The world is smaller than ever, and Ali, who is the first of his family to be born and raised in the U.S., faces one of the most profound effects of this twenty-first century phenomenon.

As globalization brings the world’s myriad of cultures closer together, many first and second-generation Americans find themselves falling between cultural checkboxes and straddling hemispheres. Particularly in the West, where materialism is perceived to encourage vanity in American youth culture, “forgetting” your roots, as Ali puts it, can be unavoidable.

This balancing act of assimilation and holding onto one’s heritage, already challenging to navigate, can be further intensified when the heritage that is being held onto is facing global backlash and prejudice.

“Our kids are growing up with a very distorted image of Islamic Muslims right now,” Issa said. “It’s no longer ‘cool’ to be Muslim. They don’t have the same understanding of their identity as their parents do.”

The media is one beast - the real-life prejudice and stereotyping Muslim Americans face on a day-to-day basis is another entirely.

“People will make jokes, like they’ll shout ‘Allahu Akbar’, or things related to terrorism and explosives,” Ali said. “It sort of bothers me, but people will always be like this. It happens on the daily, and this is the world we live in.”

For some Muslim Americans, it is common to keep quiet about the subject matter as a whole.

“Most people don’t know I’m Muslim,” CHS senior Neha Lalani said. “I don’t go around publicizing it, and physically, it’s not out there - but if you ask me, I’ll tell you.”

Neha and her sister, CHS graduate Sana Lalani, are Shia

Ismaili Muslims. Ismailism is a distinctive sect of Islam characterized by modernized interpretations of the Quran and more ‘lax’ practices. Women are not required to wear hijabs, and contrary to traditional Muslim practices, dressing moderately and praying separately from men is not necessary.

“We’ve taken in teachings based on society today,” Sana said. “For example, you can now marry a non-Muslim according to our doctrine. Before, you couldn’t even take [non-Muslims] into the mosque. Our religion adapts according to changes in the world.”

The nature of the Lalani sisters’ religion simultaneously sets them apart from stereotypical depictions of Muslims and allows them to blend in with the rest of western society.

However, this ability to remain religiously incognito doesn’t mean they are intentionally hiding. In spite of the rhetoric they have grown up hearing about Muslims - and indirectly, about themselves - shame and guilt, they emphasize, have no place in their relationship with Islam.

For Sana, her religious community provides not only a source of spiritual guidance, but long-lasting relationships and a point of instant connection.

“All of my childhood friends whom I grew up with and still talk to to this day, I met through the Ismaili Center that we’ve attended since birth,” Sana said.

Neha agrees, additionally citing faith as a cultural anchor for families who have immigrated to the U.S. “We all either came from India or Pakistan, so our parents are usually friends,” Neha said. “The values we hold are all the same. When you go through high school, your friends change when you join different cliques, but with my friends from the Ismaili Center, they’ve been constant.”

Community is a significant aspect of Islam. For the VRIC, nurturing a strong sense of unity among Muslims in the area is crucial toward combating the distorted portrayals of their own faith by the media and public.

“The more a community is woven together, the stronger we all are,” Armstrong said.

That being said, staying together does not mean staying away from the rest of the the world. Rather, it means taking the best out of both western and Islamic culture.

WANT TO READ MORE? This is an excerpt from a three-part news feature package on the local Coppell Muslim community. Read the series in its entirety online at CoppellStudentMedia.com

“Our kids are growing up with a very distorted image of Islamic Muslims right now. They don’t have the same understanding of their identity as their parents do.”

YASIR BIRJAS ISSA VRIC imam

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STUDENT LIFE APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

ST UDEN T P R OF I L E S : D OUBLE TR O UBLE Being a twin, identical or fraternal, comes with its pros and cons. However, it is more than just being able to switch places. The Sidekick asked a number of Coppell High School twins to talk about their experiences together.

S O N I A & S A R I N A B H AT TA C H A R YA SOPHOMORES “I don’t think we are that similar.

She is more logical and I am not. We are both interested in gymnastics.

We have similar interests but what we want to do later in life is very different.”

A R AV I N D & S A N J AY C H A N D R A M O U L I SOPHOMORES “There’s always one other person that’s there for you. Like at an event, you can always go to that person. Even for things like practicing sports, you can do it together.”

Sonia

A B B Y & A LY S S A R A M O S JUNIORS

“My favorite thing about being a twin is we have the same type of experiences we can talk about.”

Abby

Sanjay

A L E X & RYA N M c C O R D JUNIORS

“People used to not believe I had a twin.

When I showed them pictures, they thought I photoshopped my face on to someone else’s body.”

Alex

A L LY & M A S O N T E M P L E SENIORS

“Since I’m a dancer, I grew up in my [dance] studio; my brother would come up, and he would dance with me when we were younger.”

Ally

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COLE & CLOE LINDBECK SENIORS “Coolest thing about having a twin is having a built-in best friend to have growing up. Most kids who are only children don’t have anyone to go to or hang out [with].”

Cloe

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APRIL STUDENT LIFE

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

15

M O N E T I Z I N G PA S S I O N

Alumna launches Madz Cosmetica ANIKA ARUTLA STAFF WRITER @anikaarutla

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orn in Pakistan, 2012 Coppell High School graduate Madiha Lakhani was told to follow the typical career paths perceived as successful: lawyers, doctors, engineers. However, with an economics degree from Baylor University, Lakhani launched a makeup brand knowing very well it did not fall into the line of socially accepted careers.

“Some of the brands are getting them made from China, and the policies over there aren’t as strict as they are in America, and I saw a gap,” Lakhani said. “I felt like there wasn’t a diversity, in terms of makeup, at that time, so that’s why I started my brand.”

Madz Cosmetica, which Lakhani launched on Jan. 25, is a way for her to share her passion with the world.

“Ever since I met her, she’s been telling me that makeup is what she’s been passionate about, and she told me she envisioned one day when she would start her own brand,” Lakhani’s boyfriend Salman Jasani said. “This is 2016 and just a few years later, that’s exactly what happened.”

Selling only liquid lipstick currently, the brand strays away from top brands made in foreign countries, as all of the products are made in the U.S. According to Madz Cosmetica’s website, they are hypoallergenic, paraben-free, cruelty-free, vegan and hydrating. They are made with avocado oil and Vitamin E. In high school, Lakhani had interests in the health science field but due to overlapping interests, she kept her future open.

“She always had that curiosity about, when something fascinated her, learning

a little bit more about it. Her experience in that is a good message, that it’s great to have an idea of where you wanna go but be open to the other opportunities that are out there,” IB history teacher Michael Brock said. “She’s already showing she has the courage to seize an opportunity when it presents itself.”

Coppell played a significant role in Lakhani’s life as the relationships she made with her peers and former teachers continue to play a role in her life. Friends who have connections in the makeup industry have helped her scale and expand her brand.

Being the only person running the brand, Lakhani took up an unexpected workload such as researching FDA requirement and labs to make the lipsticks and colors that are compatible for every skin tone.

Through it all, Lakhani has grown as a person by taking a positive outlook on the obstacles presented in front of her such as sleepless nights spent on trying to make it a reality and learning from them instead of letting them discourage her.

“In terms of patience, my patience has grown as I’ve realized this is a lot for one person to run and create,” Lakhani said.

“If someone says, ‘Oh you can’t do this because [of] whatever reason,’ you just need to figure why you can’t do this, because a lot of times you’ll figure it out. People are actually saying ‘no’ just to stop you from going after what you want.”

ANIKA ‘20 can be reached at asa7712@g.coppellisd.com.

Photo by BREN FLECHTNER

WANT MORE? For more information about Lakhani’s makeup products, scan the QR code to visit her website.

O R G A N I C M A K E U P Coppell High School 2012 graduate Madiha Lakhani launched her own makeup brand, Madz Cosmetica, earlier this year. Madz Cosmetica is selling liquid lipstick that is hypoallergenic, paraben-free, crueltyfree, vegan and hydrating.

TE A C HER OF T H E IS S U E

kimball ROOM C104 / BIOLOGY & CHEMISTRY What inspired you to teach at CHS? I heard really good things about the school. I looked into it a bit more, and I liked that it was more of a small community, which made me feel like I could be more involved and have a larger presence [with] my peers rather than in a smaller area. When I first started working here [in 2015], I was living in Lewisville, and we live in Carrollton now.

We wanted to be close by, but our kids are going to school there [in Carrollton] because my husband’s mother-in-law works in the district. We have family there so the kids can walk to school and their grandparents’ house.

Photo by BREN FLECHTNER

Coppell High School GT/honors chemistry teacher Sorelle Kimball has been selected by The Sidekick as the April Teacher of the Issue. From studying molecules to caring for animals, Kimball’s knowledge of life goes beyond the classroom.

What is a cool fact about you?

I used to be a zookeeper at the Dallas World Aquarium, and prior to that, I worked at a sanctuary for large cats. I worked with really big cats like lions, tigers and jaguars. I also worked with South American birds and mammals such as anteaters, toucans and monkeys.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I like it when I see someone who’s really struggling and am able to find a way to help them understand the material and realize ‘hey, you really can do this thing’ in the end.

Do you have any pets?

I have two dogs at home as well as two cats. My dogs are named Loki and Kiki. My two cats are named Charlie and Huckleberry. Loki is a corgi and Kiki is a corgi mix, and then my two cats are just black cats.

Why is it important to learn chemistry?

It’s important [for students] to be educated about what’s going on in the world as well as how things work at a certain molecular level so that they can think while making decisions. I want them to... be aware of how knowledge at the atomic level actually affects their life decisions.

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ENTERTAINMENT APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

Entertainment FUTURE OF THRIFTING P. 17

“Music really does transcend all languages.” P. 18

COZBY LIBRARY CONTEST WINNERS P. 18

RECIPE OF THE ISSUE P. 19

PHOTO BY SOFIA GUERRERO

Masterpiece makers share experiences through art Split identities ANIKA ARUTLA STAFF WRITER @anikaarutla

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rt means something different to every person due to their own varying personal experiences; Coppell High School senior Jingchun Quan used her own background and experiences to create award-winning art. Quan took a digital photograph, titled “Eagles meets Dragon: A Clash of Cultures”, which was selected for the Teen Renaissance Exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art. The photograph uses an eagle and a dragon with the colors blue and red to represent the ongoing battle of being an immigrant and staying close to both cultures. The dragon has red light surrounding it, representing the imperial and oriental Chinese culture.

The eagle has blue light surrounding it, symbolizing freedom.

“I made an origami dragon and an origami eagle,” Quan said. “Last year my concentration topic was about comparing and contrasting the Chinese culture versus the American culture. The two intermix to show how I have a Chinese aspect and an American aspect, and they blend to make who I am today.”

Quan has been involved in art throughout her life in different ways.

As middle school approached and art classes went from being mandatory to being an elective, Quan found herself at a crossroads.

Ideologies at war

Ultimately, she ended up following her love for art because of the sense of freedom it provides. “[In] academic classes, we’re always on the quest to find that one right answer,” Quan said. “But with art, there’s more freedom, and you really get to make a lot of decisions to see how best to depict an object.”

This is not the first time Quan’s work has been selected for the program. Last year, her artwork was showcased in the Dallas Museum of Art through the Young Masters program. This is just one of many awards she has won.

“It’s crazy to see [that] much passion in a person,” CHS senior Anita Nitto said. “You can see how much effort she puts into every single piece she does. It’s not only reflected in how she works, it’s also reflected in the outcome.”

Quan is currently in CHS art teacher Michelle Hauske’s AP Drawing class. “[Quan] thinks very analytically,” Hauske said. “She balances a lot, especially in the artwork that was chosen for Dallas. It’s showing basically how she assimilates and balances between being Chinese and American, and you see the conflict that she’s got.”

Although Quan does not want to pursue art as a career, she wants to continue it as a hobby and possibly minor in it during college.

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ANIKA ARUTLA STAFF WRITER @anikaarutla

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ight vs. dark, two sides to humanity: that became the focus of Coppell High School junior SreeVarsha Chinthapenta’s abstract painting, which is now on display at the Dallas Museum of Art. The painting, titled “Juxtaposition”, is an experimental, drawing that Chintapenta created at the beginning of the year. This is a change from her usual style of drawing, which is based around figures.

“The theme is [juxtaposition] of lights and darks,” Chinthapenta said.

“Like the good times in someone’s life and the bad times in someone’s life.

There’s a little bit of gold on top of the darker colors which shows that even during the dark times in someone’s life, they can still shine through.”

Admissions for the exhibition were at the same time as some of the art program’s other competitions such as Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE). Amidst competition season, Chinthapenta submitted “Juxtaposition” to the Teen Renaissance Exhibition.

As long as Chinthapenta can remember, she has been in and out of art classes. Her mother thought she was a good artist and put her into these classes. However, in sixth and seventh grade, when art became an elective, her interest in art blossomed. “[The piece] describes her

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personality well,” CHS junior Athira Suresh said. “It’s kind of dark on one side and it goes with a lot of light.

It shows she has two sides to herself.

She has a dark personal one, she doesn’t really open up to many people, and she also has that light side where she’s always talking and she’s really friendly at the same time.”

At CHS, Chinthapenta has taken art all three years, including AP Art History and AP Drawing with art teacher Michelle Hauske as her teacher for both classes.

“Varsha has a very positive, warm personality,” Hauske said. “Some of that comes out in the colors she chooses and kind of the way that she draws her figures.”

AP Art History became a turning point in Chinthapenta’s art career.

Her favorite artist is high Renaissance artist Caravaggio, who was a criminal in the late 1500s and early 1600s. He used Christianity in a mythological way to showcase the lower-class side of Italy and invented an art technique – tenebrism.

In the future, Chinthapenta is looking for a creative career, mixing business and design to perfectly fit her interests.

ANIKA ‘20 can be reached at asa7712@g.coppellisd.com

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APRIL ENTERTAINMENT

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17

Setting a new trend

Resale market rising in evolving fashion industry CLAIRE CLEMENTS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR @cclements825

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alking into a large thrift store packed with clothes, furniture and everything in between, it can take a long time for someone to find that perfect article of clothing; cheap, stylish and fitting.

For Coppell High School science teacher Rebecca Wheatley, the practice of thrifting started about six years ago, when her husband lost his job. Now, she uses it as a way to bond with her daughter, who enjoys finding unique pieces of clothing for cheap prices. “[My daughter] is always so excited when she goes there because she finds stuff that other kids don’t wear,” Wheatley said.

For other students, such as CHS junior Anjali Satpathy, a lack of a job and a vintage driven style motivates her to spend an hour or two browsing through the racks of used clothing.

“I have no money, and thrifting is so much cheaper than department store prices,” Satpathy said.

The popularity of thrifting has significantly increased over the past few years, especially since the Great Recession in 2008. By 2022, the resale market is predicted to reach $41 billion, a significant

FAST FACTS ABOUT THRIFTING

change since 2017, when it was $20 billion. This shows an annual growth of 15 percent, compared to the two percent annual growth the retail market is facing.

Just looking at the price tags, thrifting seems sensible, as buying used instead of new for one year saves $2,420.

Besides its cheap costs, the vintage styles of the 1980s and 1990s – highwaisted ‘mom’ jeans and chunky sneakers, to name a few – making a comeback has also accounted for the increase in resale, as it has sent many young fashionistas on a search for clothing the ladies of the ‘80s may have donated to the local Goodwill or Salvation Army.

“A lot of it has to do with a bunch of retro things coming back [such as] the ‘80s culture, with shows like ‘Stranger Things’ [causing] an ‘80s revival last year,” New Tech sophomore Isabella Enriquez said.

With the definition of trendy changing every season, many think the idea of finding vintage but trendy clothes for cheap prices may stop. Others think trends cannot change its accessible nature. “[Thrifting] had its time last year, and it’s kind of dying down,” Enriquez said.

“But I don’t think people will just stop doing it. Thrifting will always be a thing just because it’s a really accessible thing to do.”

An answer to this shift can be found in multiple areas, but especially in what is

around us: the environment.

“I hope [the trend of thrifting] stays, it’s also recycling clothes instead of going into landfills or going into waste,” Wheatley said.

On average, Americans send 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills every year, with millennials being the group most likely to throw away clothes after less than five uses.

With the environmental future of the world at the forefront of many minds, the effort to combat processes such as fast fashion, when inexpensive clothing is produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends, has become more prevalent Along with the ethical problems of the sweatshops that brands such as Forever 21 and Zara use, the fast fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, considering just a cotton T-shirt and a pair of jeans going through 5,000-7,000 gallons of water.

Yes, reusing clothes is cheap, trendy, economically and ethically savvy, but the resale industry is seeing an increase in something else: the prices themselves.

Thirteen percent of people who shop at thrift stores are millionaires, signifying that not all who thrift need to thrift.

With increased demand for products in thrift stores comes increased prices and increased scarcity in the amount of

clothes. For lower classes reliant on thrift stores not for their retro style but for clothes they can afford, this is incredibly detrimental to their lifestyle.

“Thrifting was originally for lowincome people who can’t afford department store clothing, so I do think, because of the trend that is blowing up right now, that many kids who want this type of style are buying out all of the clothing,” Satpathy said. “Lower-income people do not have as many clothes to choose from that they actually need, as opposed to people like me who go just for the style and low prices.”

However, a way to both thrift without contributing to an increased scarcity in clothing is donating clothes too, which also helps combat environmental waste of fashion.

“My favorite part of thrifting is the fact I donate all the clothes I don’t use, and that money helps the people who need it, and that’s important,” Wheatley said.

The practice of thrifting has caused many to question whether it has brought forth a time period of gentrification and privilege or a time period in which the environment is being changed for the better, one blouse at a time.

In short, the future of retail may be becoming resale.

CLAIRE ‘20 can be reached at cec4824@g.coppellisd.com

GRAPHIC BY KAYLEE AGUILAR

18

ENTERTAINMENT APRIL

THE SIDEKICK

Holmes keeps up with dynamics of music SOFIA GUERRERO CO-STUDENT LIFE EDITOR @sofia_i_g

C

oppell High School senior Trevor Holmes sat anxiously in the lobby as he waited for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Convention chair placements to be released.

Finally, the results were posted on a board and upon first glance, Holmes quickly found his name at the top, meaning he had placed first chair in the state.

“I was super excited,” Holmes said. “I was ecstatic. I texted my parents. I wasn’t expecting it. My goal was top four or five or something. When I saw I got first, I was just so happy, like the emotion just started flooding out.”

This was last year. He auditioned again this year at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio from Feb. 13-16, where he placed first as well.

Because he placed first, Holmes could choose between being in the All-State orchestra or band. He chose the orchestra.

CHS senior trumpet player Ethan Miller has known Holmes since sixth grade.

“I felt really happy for him,” Miller said.

“It’s a big accomplishment and certainly,

there’s a lot of practice involved and a lot of effort he put in, so I’m really happy for him.”

After placing first, Holmes went on to compete at the National Trumpet Competition at the University of Kentucky from March 13-16, where he played in the Schilke Music Products High School Solo Division with a piano accompaniment. He placed third in the country.

Holmes’s journey with trumpet began in sixth grade at Coppell Middle School North, in which he played in the beginner band. In seventh grade, he moved up to Symphonic Band, and in eighth grade, he moved to the best band, Honor Winds.

At CHS, he was in Symphonic Band his freshman year, and the top band, the Wind Symphony since sophomore year.

“I was incredibly proud,” Holmes’s mother, Jennifer Holmes, said. “Texas is a very competitive music state, and I know how intense these chair competitions are, and he has nerves of steel. It’s very impressive.”

Through middle school and high school, Holmes has learned from music.

“It definitely teaches you a lot of

very valuable lessons,” Holmes said. “For one, it teaches you dedication, because to be an accomplished musician, you have to be dedicated, there’s no way around it. You have to learn how to manage your time well; practicing does take time. It’s going to take time out of your schoolwork, or [your] job. You just need to learn your time management skills.”

CHS band director Gerry Miller has witnessed firsthand his growth in music.

“He’s grown tremendously musically,” Miller said.

“What I found in him starting out was a very competent, well-trained, well-taught trumpet player; what he’s become is a musician and

an artist, and that’s different. It takes lots of experience, and just playing all different styles and talking through conceptually how we’re going to make things work artistically.

So much of his journey has been from being a very solid, well-taught trumpet player into becoming someone who is an artist.”

Holmes hopes to continue trumpet in college. He is interested in the ColumbiaJuilliard Program, in which he would study at both Columbia University and the Juilliard School, but is unsure what major he wishes to pursue at Columbia.

Regardless of his choices, music has been and will continue to be an important part of his life.

“My favorite part of being a musician is probably creating music because music is really a beautiful thing,” Holmes said. “It can connect with so many people, in ways that you never would have been able to connect with them before. Music really does transcend all languages. Many people who I would have never talked to before, never met before, I’ve met them through music. It’s a really powerful tool of connection.”

S O F I A ‘19 can be reached at sig2222@g.coppellisd.com.

Photo by S O F I A G U E R R E R O

Creativity shines in picture book contest PRAMIKA KADARI COPY EDITOR @pramika_kadari

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any Coppell ISD students became authors for the first time as they created picture books for the Cozby Library and Community Commons’ 2019 Storybook Contest, which concluded in February.

All students in grades K-12 were eligible.

There were two age divisions – the first for those in fifth grade or below, and the second for those in sixth grade or above. The library received approximately 60 submissions, all of them from CISD students.

“We were so pleased with all of the submissions,” Cozby librarian Tracie Williams said. “They were so creative, and we wish we could give more winners.”

TO READ THE FULL STORY, VISIT COPPELLSTUDENTMEDIA.COM P R A M I K A ‘20 can be reached at psk7733@g.coppellisd.com.

The Girl with the Paper Phone by Bella O’Neal was awarded first place in the younger age category.

The story follows a girl named Zoe who is too young to buy a real phone and makes a paper phone for herself instead.

“I was playing this game [where] I made a phone out of paper, and I thought of the idea for the book,” O’Neal said.

“I’ve been interested in writing for a year.

I felt really excited [when I won] because I felt like someone else would win, and I was like, ‘how did I win?’”

TWITTER @CHSCAMPUSNEWS

Coppell High School seniors Han Jeong and Karina Teruya won first place in the sixth to 12th grade competition with Outside, which focuses on kids playing outside more instead of staying in their house all the time.

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Jeong has recently grown interested in writing and found out about the Storybook Contest while browsing the Cozby library’s website for a book.

“We needed to come up with a unique idea to impress the judges, and I wanted to focus on a topic that is relevant to kids today,” Jeong said.

“It had to resonate with kids who were reading it, and other people who were reading it to their children. Technology is a major part of children’s lives, and I wanted to show that in the book, and show maybe that we could go outside and play more with other kids because it’s good for them.”

Jeong and Teruya were friends prior to the Storybook Contest. Jeong contacted Teruya and asked if she was interested in illustrating the book because she is an AP art student who has been passionate about the craft for years.

“I was really excited to win, it’s a really good opportunity to get my art recognized,” Teruya said.

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COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

REC I PE OF THE I S SUE

SCAN FOR MORE RECIPES

Cliff’s Berry Surprise ANTHONY CESARIO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR @anthonycesario_

W

hile the identity of “Cliff” may be a mystery, the deliciousness of this dish is definitely not. It is a berry-covered cake that is tasty both cold from the refrigerator and warm from the microwave.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• • • • • • •

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter with 1 cup sugar.

3. Add flour, baking powder, salt and milk.

Mix well.

4. Pour batter into 9x12-inch pan.

5. Sprinkle berries over top, distributing evenly.

6. Sprinkle remaining cup of sugar over all.

7. Slowly pour boiling water on top. Do not mix or stir.

8. Carefully place on center rack of preheated oven and bake until top is golden brown, about 50-60 minutes.

•

2 cups sugar 1/3 cup butter 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 cups blackberries (or raspberries), fresh or frozen 2 cups water, boiling

Servings: 6

When done, top will be a delicious white cake with blackberry pudding sauce on the bottom.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an even sweeter treat.

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BEST OF COPPELL 2019 V i s i t C op p e l l S t u d e n t Me d i a t o s e e T h e S i d e k i c k ’s f a v o ri te l o c a l l o c a ti o n s

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“‘He’s all about the future and looks ahead to the next opportunity.’” P. 23

LEADERSHIP IN SOFTBALL P. 22

CHAMPING UP P. 21

TEEING FOR TOMORROW P. 23

Pehl named Coppell ISD Athletic Director NICHOLAS PRANSKE EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR @Nick_Pranske8

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ust more than a year ago – on March 8, 2018 – Coppell boys basketball coach Kit Pehl earned the position of assistant athletic director for Coppell ISD. At the CISD school board meeting on March 25, he was named Athletic Director.

Most people do not face three job changes in less than two years, but Pehl is up for the challenge.

“It went really fast,” Pehl said. “It’s been a whirlwind process and I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Pehl replaces Joe McBride, who left CISD on Jan. 25 to accept the head football coach position at McKinney Boyd. Pehl coached the Coppell boys basketball team from 2012-2018 before moving into the assistant athletics director position full time after the 2017-18 season.

In a competitive district such as Coppell Pehl does not expect to make any major changes for the time being. However, Pehl said he will look for areas where the program can improve. Having been a coach for most of his career, Pehl will focus on the relationships between coaches and athletes.

“Coppell’s already in really good shape, Pehl said.

“It’s not broken – we’re certainly not looking to fix things that aren’t broken, but I do think we can emphasize relationships a little better through vertical alignment.”

Pehl hopes to emphasize the strengthening of relationships between athletes and coaches from the

elementary school level upward.

Pehl begins his job effective immediately and will prepare Coppell for the coming school year.

NICHOLAS ‘20 can be reached at nep4594@g.coppellisd.com

Photo by LILLY GORMAN N E W L E A D E R S H I P On March 25, assistant athletics director Kit Pehl was named Coppell ISD Athletic Director at the Vonita White Administration Building at the CISD Board of Trustees meeting.

Pehl replaces Joe McBride, who accepted the head football coach position at McKinney Boyd in January, will lead all CISD school’s athletic department.

Attempts to speed up baseball’s pace of play will not solve popularity issue S A L LY P A R A M P O T T I L CO-STUDENT LIFE EDITOR @sparampottil

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here was a time in my life when I adored watching baseball. In elementary school, I would watch the Texas Rangers play in the afternoon with my dad, and even though I did not care about stats or rankings, the game itself was fascinating.

As I grew up, I no longer had time to watch a full game.

Over the past few years, the average length of a baseball game has increased. Many believe this to be one of the major reasons why baseball’s popularity has been declining the past few years.

“At the big league level [average game lengths] have gone up,” Coppell baseball coach Kendall Clark said.

“That’s because the pitchers don’t throw the baseball very often. They get it and stomp around the mound, and there is just a lot of time in between pitches.”

Major League Baseball is taking measures to reduce the length of games, including testing a 20-second pitch clock in Spring Training. While it is great efforts are being made to fix common complaints, the truth is, there is not anything it can actually fix.

Baseball’s length is something that cannot be altered without altering the fundamentals of the game itself.

High school baseball, which is only seven innings and can be won in five innings due to the mercy rule, has a shorter average length than in the MLB. Coppell High School’s baseball team has not suffered a lack of participation, according to Clark, and changes in the MLB will likely not trickle down to the high school level.

Still, some CHS pitchers are not fans of the proposed changes.

“To some extent, it might be good, but to some extent, it will mess with the pitcher,” Coppell senior

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pitcher Michael Ozymy said. “A lot of how pitchers act, a lot of how they maintain their sport, is by their own pace. A pitch clock might screw with some of the pitchers who have longer paces.”

Not only does the clock pose a threat to pitchers and baseball tradition, but it also will not fix the problem in the long run.

Baseball is just a very time-consuming sport.

Graphic by BELLA MORA Apart from breaks every half inning and changes in pitchers, baseball is relatively S T O P T H E C L O C K Baseball is known for being the American pastime, but in recent years the popularity of the sport has been dropping. To regain continuous. While the viewing, the Major League Baseball is testing the use of timers durign pace of play causes that Spring Training to shorten the game. According to The Sidekick co-student continuity to be extended, life editor Sally Parampottil, this new rule is detrimental to the sport. the truth is, even if the pace of play was faster, there would still be far too where people have increasingly less time to pass, but much baseball for people with their busy schedules to if people realize watching baseball does not require a full commitment to every second of every game, it can take the time to watch. remain an important part of American culture.

That is not a problem the MLB can fix.

Instead, audiences need to realize having an abundance of baseball games is not something that SALLY ‘21 can be reached at scp7918@g.coppellisd.com pushes people away, but is simply an aspect of the sport that provides more opportunity to watch.

Baseball is played in a series of three or four games, meaning if someone wishes to watch a Scan this QR code to matchup between two specific teams, they have learn more about CHS multiple chances to do that. Even if one cannot watch pitchers’ opinions on the entirety of a game, he/she can at least pop in for pace of play changes. one or two innings.

America’s pastime may be declining in a nation

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CHAMPING UP

Elite tennis players juggle challenges of high school, USTA competition NEHA DESARAJU STAFF WRITER @nehades_

I

t is more or less easy for Coppell High School tennis players to balance between United States Tennis Association (USTA) tennis and school tennis, thanks to coach Rich Foster.

Both are important - school tennis provides essential team practice and offers UIL entry that hopefully leads to a state win, while USTA-certified tournaments are necessary for what is known as “champing up”.

High school players are given the opportunity to participate in age-divided spots at certain USTAcertified tournaments, which tend to be all over the state. Once a player earns a specific number of wins, they are named a champ-level player.

“Once you earn enough points, you go from what’s called a non-qualified player to a champ player,” Foster said. “After that you start playing what are called CMZs, or champ-major zones. Once you get enough points in your champ-major zones, you become a super champ.”

After becoming a champ or super champ, however, the struggle still remains. “[Once they become a champ or super champ], they will remain that until they age up, which is based on two-year intervals,” Foster said.

At each USTA-certified tournament, players are divided into categories; there will be one winner for each category. For example, a female who is currently 10 will be in the G10 category, but once she turns 11, she is in the G12 category.

When a player ages up, there is a chance players move down a level.

“That’s why they keep playing,” Foster said. “Even when you become a super champ you keep earning points. If you have not earned enough points, you would drop down a level.”

However, tennis players at CHS “do a very good job of getting the points and maintaining them”, according to Foster.

All of the varsity players are at least champ level or have been in the past.

“Every once in a while, we’ll have one player drop, and they quickly regain the status they had before,” Foster said.

While CHS currently has many USTA-qualified players, it was not easy to get there.

“On the way I had to face hard opponents, and I had to practice a lot,” junior super champ Aishwarya Kannan said. “I was not used to all the competition, and over time I had to improve.”

Since CMZ tournaments require qualifications before entering, they are much more difficult than the non-qualified Challenger tournaments. “[It’s] a lot more competitive in the champ-level, a

lot stronger [with more] quality players,” sophomore super champ Andreja Zrnic said. “They’re really trying hard. They’re all fighting hard for the top spot. Getting from champ to supers, that was a really difficult process.”

However, Kannan said what is difficult and what is easy go hand in hand.

“I know how a lot of people play, nowadays,” Kannan said. “I know what to practice and work on.

I know what I’m struggling with, which I need to improve.”

Foster typically tries to schedule school tournaments around USTA-certified tournaments outside of school, which are the only ones that give points. He said that organizers of other school tournaments will try to do so as well, but there are occasionally overlaps. In that case, he is more than happy to schedule other players in place of the players planning to attend USTA tournaments.

“I prioritize the USTA tournaments over school tennis because colleges look at the USTA tournaments rather than school tournaments because those are the bigger ones, and you play harder,” Kannan said.

Foster said the hardest part about becoming a qualified player is the time balance.

“Obviously you have to be a good tennis player, that goes without saying,” Foster said. “But the time and the dedication [also plays a part], and that’s why, as a tennis coach, I have to strike a balance with these players in order for them to become and maintain their status as champ or super champ. I have to be flexible on giving them some time off.”

As with many high school students, there is usually difficulty in maintaining priorities, and for tennis athletes, with limited time outside of practice and games to do homework, it is much harder.

“At the beginning, it was really hard,” Zrnic said.

“Just managing my time, I would be staying up late.

I would come back home at 8 p.m., and then I would have to eat and then by 9:30 p.m. I would start my homework. So now, I just go home, and right away I start homework and I have to work really efficiently.”

Many weekends are spent away at tournaments, and due to the nature of the brackets, usually extend two to three days. However, according to the players, the key to winning tournaments is to work efficiently both on and off the court.

NEHA ‘21 can be reached at nsd4173@g.coppellisd.com

Photo by RISHITHA PENMETSA C O W B O Y Q U A I F I E R S Current superchamps and champs are framed at the tennis center for their fellow classmates to see. Tennis members become champs and superchamps by winning a specific number of qualifying tournaments.

UP C O M IN G HO M E G A M E S

TENNIS REGIONALS AT ARLINGTON TENNIS CENTER April 17-18

BASEBALL V.S. FLOWER MOUND April 16 at 7 p.m.

SOFTBALL V.S. NIMITZ April 18 at 7 p.m.

BASEBALL V.S. IRVING NIMITZ April 26 at 7 p.m.

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Schweitzer swings through setbacks S H R AV YA M A H E S H STAFF WRITER @shravyamahesh

F

needed that to kickstart him,” Stricker said.

Similarly, during the very first tournament of the school year, Schweitzer did not make the top five, which would be necessary to qualify for the next round. However, as the year before, he improved greatly, holding the lowest scoring average in the entire team.

“He doesn’t really care what happens in the past,” senior golfer Gabe Benedict said. “He’s all about the future and looks ahead to the next opportunity.”

Nevertheless, he hopes to show a better performance at next year’s Bart Granger tournament.

“It [is] a good experience because it’s the biggest tournament, so you’re playing against all the best golfers in Texas so it’s a good experience to see where you’re at,” Schweitzer said.

While Schweitzer’s love for golf extends far past the golf course, he makes sure to separate his in-golf and outof-golf personas.

“He tries to stay away from talking about golf with his friends most of the time, just because his friends don’t know about it as much as he does,” Benedict said. “[But] whenever he’s with his other golf friends, he definitely brings it up a lot and talks about it with the other kids on the golf team.”

He shares a friendly rapport with his teammates, lifts up the team’s spirit.

“When he’s playing, he doesn’t want to joke around,” Stricker said. “But in practice, he’ll say something and crack the guys up.”

Whether through the friends he makes on the green or the clubs he grasps so often, Schweitzer has a passion he truly cherishes. “[Golf] means a lot to me, because it’s what I want to do in my life, ideally, and I have a lot of fun playing it,” Schweitzer said. “Anytime you have can fun doing something you love, it’s a good thing.”

our years ago, Coppell High School junior Ryan Schweitzer first held a club outside his grandparents’ Michigan home. This monumental shot launched both the golf ball and his ambitions into full drive.

Schweitzer is now one among the best players on Coppell’s golf team.

However, Schweitzer did not always know golf was his preferred sport. As a child, he played a multitude of sports, including basketball, baseball, football and soccer.

It was in a club soccer team called the Crushers that he first met his current golf coach, Coppell boys coach Chris Stricker.

“He was always a thinker,” Stricker said. “I think that hampered him a little bit in soccer because he would always think [before making a move]. But when he decided to do something, he was really good at it.”

Despite these trials and tribulations, Schweitzer found himself at golf, a sport he seemed to click with best. The careful consideration of hitting angle, wind and other factors made it the perfect sport for the thoughtful young man.

In freshman year, he joined the CHS junior varsity team, when he won his first tournament under the guidance of former coach Terry Galbraith. He shot 73, going only one over par and winning by five shots.

Schweitzer’s sophomore year introduced him to the varsity team, where he reunited with Stricker, who was newly appointed golf coach. He was initially inconsistent, sometimes scoring extremely high and other times scoring low. After not qualifying in the top five to play in one tournament, he channeled Photo by SYDNEY ROWE his disappointment into his game, working harder and faster to improve.

FA C I N G T R I A L S Coppell junior Ryan Schweitzer works on his drive after practice at the Riverchase Golf Course on March “It was almost like he 21. Schweitzer joined the CHS junior varsity golf team his freshman year and moved up to the varsity team.

After all, to Schweitzer, golf is the past, present and future.Schweitzer said.

While Schweitzer’s love for golf extends far past the golf course, he makes sure to separate his in-golf and outof-golf personas.

“He tries to stay away from talking about golf with his friends most of the time, just because his friends don’t know about it as much as he does,” Benedict said. “[But] whenever he’s with his other golf friends, he definitely brings it up a lot and talks about it with the other kids on the golf team.”

He shares a friendly rapport with his teammates, keeping the group’s mood light.

“When he’s playing, he doesn’t want to joke around,” Stricker said. “But in practice, he’ll say something and crack the guys up.”

Whether it be through the friends he has made on the green or the clubs he has grasped so often, Schweitzer has found a passion he truly cherishes. “[Golf] means a lot to me, because it’s what I want to do in my life, ideally, and I have a lot of fun playing it,” Schweitzer said. “Anytime you have can fun doing something you love, it’s a good thing.”

After all, to Schweitzer, golf is the past, present and future.

SHRAVYA ‘20 can be reached at smm8670@g.coppellisd.com

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Journalism, running shine in Hulcy

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and edit,” Hulcy said. “But when I got here, I learned KCBY staffers, adviser Irma Kennedy fulfills that role the value of journalism, more than just the for Hulcy. Kennedy worked as a professional jourvalue of production.” nalist for years before sharing her skills Nw, after two years of hard with students. work, Hulcy has grown into “[Hulcy] has a great head on er face drenched in sweat, Coppell High School a leader of both programs, her shoulders,” Kennedy said. senior Maddie Hulcy barely finishes her morning serving as the track team’s “She doesn’t get rattled and run with the track team before rushing inside to top female runner, and she has wisdom. She doesn’t attend her meeting for KCBY-TV, the school’s stu- KCBY’s senior proget caught up in drama, dent-run television station. ducer. she’s very business-mindAlthough she was a swimmer in middle school, Hul“She’s grown ed and has the perspeccy switched to cross country when entering high school. tremendously, as tive of a journalist when Having to hold her breath underwater for prolonged pe- a leader and as she’s in class.” riods of time helped her develop strong lungs and endur- a runner,” CopBecause both runance, which transfers well to running. pell cross country/ ning and KCBY re“There’s something really special about getting to see track coach Nick quire time outside of the sunrise every morning when you’re on a run,” Hulcy Benton said. “As a school, Hulcy often said. “Swimming is too individual, you can’t hear any- freshman, she was a finds it difficult to manthing, you’re always underwater, just staring at the bot- scared little kid; as a age the two in addition to tom of the pool. In running, you’re with your teammates, senior, she’s the leader AP classes and her job at you’re with your competitors, you can see the world.” of a state championship Mobility Credit Union as a As a sophomore, she enrolled in KCBY, as she had team. marketing assistant. However, always been intrigued by its shows.

As a member of the exaccording to Kennedy, she still MADDIE HULCY “I initially wanted to learn how to use the cameras ecutive leadership team, she does not let her work ethic slack in helps to make decisions about the any of these areas. show, “If you were to talk to any of her teachco-writes the ers, they would say the same strong qualities she anchors and coaches new- exhibits in KCBY and track, they also see in their classer members. Fellow senior es,” Kennedy said. “She’s very consistent, which is hard KCBY director Landon to find in students at the high school level. She’s very Flesher has known Hulcy consistent in who she is, no matter where she is.” since middle school when Hulcy is not sure where she is attending college, but they were in a media class plans to run for whichever school she attends. together. Now, the two “We won a state championship this year, for the first work on many projects to- time in school history, and it was an awesome moment gether. with my teammates, something I’d worked for since I “We work on a lot of was a freshman, and I realized I can’t give up the sport,” politics segments togeth- Hulcy said. “I just love it, and I want to keep on chasing er,” Flesher said. “Both those better times and keep on chasing those championof us like politics, and we ships in college.” were able to interview [Beto CHS junior Izzy Iseley, who has been on the track O’Rourke] and Ted Cruz at team with Hulcy for three years, considers her a role a debate [earlier this school model. year]. Leading different stu“[Hulcy] is someone I aspire to be in the future, bedents in completely differ- cause she knows what she’s doing, and she’s very dedicatPhoto by BREN FLECTNER ent atmospheres is really ed to what she loves,” Iseley said. “She’s somebody that honorable. She works real- everybody should look up to.”

H U L C Y H U S T L E S Coppell senior Maddie Hulcy runs laps during track ly hard in both KCBY and PRAMIKA ‘20 can be reached at practice before school on March 6. Hulcy is the top female runner in track track.” psk7733@g.coppellisd.com While Hulcy serves as and is also the leader for KCBY, serving as its senior producer . a role model to younger PRAMIKA KADARI COPY EDITOR @pramika_kadari

H

“There’s something really special about getting to see the sunrise every morning.”

Leadership displayed through O’Quinn NICHOLAS PRANSKE EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR @Nick_Pranske8

Upon first meeting her, one might think senior varsity softball player Kaitlyn O’Quinn is quiet and reserved.

However, listening to her in center field would change that thought.

O’Quinn has been playing softball since she was 7 with Coppell Girls Softball Association (CGSA), which is not unusual for a girl in high school. The difference with O’Quinn is she still plays with some of the girls on her CGSA team.

Senior Ari Figueroa has been with O’Quinn since sixth grade and has seen her develop as a player along the way.

“The whole team is a big family... you can always see on and off the field that we’re always laughing, and I know I can trust them,” Figueroa said. “It’s important to have that relationship as teammates.”

As with any team, that family-like connection is imperative to success. While it is beneficial to have O’Quinn cheering on her teammates, they also build their friendship through an annual team sleepover and other team events.

O’Quinn has played with several of the same teammates for four years, as she made varsity as a freshman.

The current center fielder began the program as a catcher but made the transition after her first year.

“Her speed really helped her,” Coppell coach Mike Dyson said. “She’s also really smart so she was able to

make the change pretty easily.”

The ability to change positions so effectively is a rare trait, especially after years of playing the first position.

However, this versatility is just another testament to O’Quinn’s dedication.

“There’s such an individual aspect to [softball],” O’Quinn said.

“Each individual Courtesy KAITLYN O’QUINN has to succeed to make the team succeed. Some- O ’ Q U I N N S H I N E S Coppell senior Kaitlyn O’Quinn spends time with her softtimes, a game ball team mates. O’Quinn has placed softball since age 7 and is well-known for might depend on her ability to lead the team. one hit or one play, but a lot of it has to do with the “She’s a leader,” Dyson said. “She is always talking team.” with her teammates on the field, and she is an example Being a centerfielder, O’Quinn communicates to the for the younger players.” rest of the team. Even on a softball field with cheering NICHOLAS ‘20 can be reached at parents, the other team chanting from the bench and all nep4594@g.coppellisd.com the other noises going on around her, O’Quinn makes herself heard.

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