Senator Square: Academic achievement, scouting leadership put Carson senior in spotlight

This week’s Carson High senior spotlight is on Tyler Torres. Tyler has a GPA of 4.62 and has increasingly challenged himself with honors and/or AP classes every year, earning academic letters the past two years. He is currently taking four AP classes in his senior year. Talented and well-rounded, Tyler has been in Chamber Choir since freshman year. He has also been a member of the National Honor Society for the past three years and Link Crew for two years. To further develop his leadership ability, Tyler has been involved in Boy Scouts since middle school.

As one of the final steps to earn his Eagle Scout designation, Tyler organized and led a volunteer effort to install and erect historical markers and trail improvements on the Emigrant Trail near Fremont School in Carson City. His final accomplishment will come when he is awarded Eagle Scout merit later this fall. Tyler has a passion for aviation and would like to combine this interest with a business management degree.

His goal is to become a commercial pilot. He is currently considering either Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, Westminster College in Utah or Purdue University in Indiana. Please join me in congratulating Tyler on his many accomplishments. He has made Carson High proud. Good job Tyler and best of luck in your future.

Guidance Office Info
Parents of senior students are encouraged to attend Senior Parent Night. Information on graduation requirements, senior costs, college entrance exams, scholarships, financial aid, etc. will be covered at an informal meeting on Monday, September 29th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Carson High School library. Parents of junior students are encouraged to attend Junior Parent Night.  School counselors will present information about graduation, testing, and college, and will be available to take questions.  Both presentations will be translated into Spanish.

College-bound sophomores and juniors are encouraged to sign up for the PSAT (Preliminary SAT).  The PSAT allows students to become more prepared for the ACT and SAT, which they should begin taking the spring of their junior year. Students can sign up in the Student Finance Office at CHS. The test is $20 due at the time of registration. The PSAT will be on Saturday, October 18th, and students need to arrive at CHS by 7:45 a.m.  

HOSA/FFA 5L Color Run
The Carson HOSA and Capitol FFA Chapter is organizing a fundraiser to send our students to State and National Competitions. Get amped up for our four color zones and final color blast. The first 125 registrants will receive a swagbag filled with color run materials. The race will take place Oct. 11 at Carson High School at 10 a.m. Pre-race packets can be picked up from 8 to 9 a.m. with warm ups from 9 to 9:50 a.m. The entry fee for the race is $25 for Early Bird registrations prior to Oct. 4. Regular Individual registration fee after that date will be $35. Registration rates the day of the race go up to $40. For more information go to room 206 and see Mrs. Gustafson or email at kgustafson@carson.k12.nv.us.

Winter Sports Sign-ups
Winter Sports sign up night will be held Monday, Oct. 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the library. Those who have not signed up for a winter sport through the Parent portal/info snap must do so prior to turning in their sport packet, or complete the packet during this signup time. Sports packets will not be given out. All sign-ups will be completed through this on-line process.

All athletes that have turned in their packet must complete a returning athlete form and be cleared through the library and finance office prior to turning in the sports packet. The deadline for sign-ups will be Nov. 5th. Eligibility will be based on the Oct. 17 1st quarter grading period. See the Athletic office for more information.

Debate Team Competes
CHS Debate competed in the first tournament of the season last weekend with great success. In both speech and debate events more than half of the Carson team advanced to final rounds and brought home awards. Back from nationals, Jacob Bertocchi and Luke Szatmary placed 6th and 4th in senior extemporaneous speaking and as a pair claimed 2nd place in senior public forum debating the merits of government subsidies for professional sports teams.

Bailee Barber and Shane Morton claimed 4th place in senior duo interp with their piece “Jerry Finnagin’s Sister” while Valerie Meister and Jonas Allred took 2nd in novice duo with their cutting of “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.” Bailee Barber captured 2nd place overall in senior Lincoln douglas debate the topic of resuming consent from the deceased for organ donation. Kailey Lambert placed fourth in her Congress chamber and earned the second highest overall speaker point award. Allesandro Figueroa in his first tournament placed 5th in novice extemporaneous and also took 1st place overall in his Congress chamber.

Football players give back
For the past six seasons, on Friday afternoons, the Carson High School Varsity Football team spends it's time not thinking about X's and O's, but about a bigger cause. That is because the team spends its Friday afternoons mentoring elementary and middle school kids in the Carson City School District as part of the Jr. Senators program.

"It is a tremendous honor to be an athlete at Carson High School" says assistant football coach and Defensive Coordinator Steve Dilley, "And the Jr. Senator program is a small way for our student athletes to give back to the community." Irene Waltz, teacher at Fritsch Elementary, shares her feelings. "Having the Carson High School Football Team visit Fritsch gives our students an opportunity to interact with athletes or role models within the community.

The students here love having them visit. This last week, a former Fritsch student and current CHS football player, Sam Haight, came to talk with the students. He provided all of us a look at what a well-spoken, smart athlete he has grown to be."

Student of the Week
This week's student of the week is Kaylee Gordon. Kaylee is a sophomore at CHS. She consistently gives her best in her school work, as well as her performances in theatre arts. Kaylee is a leader who is willing to put the effort and the time into completing any assignment, and she is always the first to volunteer to help whenever it is needed. Thank you Kaylee for being such a great student here at Carson High!

— Writer Angila Golik is a government teacher at Carson High and also a member of Senator Pride.