Senator Square: Carson High School teacher and military vet pays his debt in song

Though no one knows for sure who said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, CHS teacher and Air Force veteran Tod Jennings, in his respectfully fun and playful manner, challenged CHS teacher and Navy veteran Daniel Ingram to a bet.

Not only do both men love working at CHS, they have a fantastic working relationship with one another. So Jennings said to Ingram, “I would like to propose a gentlemen's wager on the Oct. 6 Falcons, of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs beating the Midshipmen of the Navy Academy in Annapolis and that during his preparatory period, the service member of the losing team must go to the classroom of the winning service member’s team and sing the winning team’s service song.” Jennings expanded the wager to include Carson City Marine Corp recruiters as well, who supported the Navy Academy alongside Chief Ingram. And the bet was on.

Well, the Falcons won 35 to 7. Prior to singing Wild Blue Yonder, Jennings took the opportunity to share with cadets that service rivalries have existed forever, telling them about the Air Force Academy stealing the Midshipmen's goat and attempting to steal the Army's mule.” Jennings then instructed the NJROTC in how to sing Robert MacArthur Crawford’s 1938 rendition, originally titled Army Air Corps, later becoming Army Air Force during World War II, and finally Wild Blue Yonder in 1948. Together, with help from the Marine recruiters, they all sang Wild Blue Yonder.

They then went on to sing Anchors Aweigh, the Marine’s Hymn. CHS teacher and Marine veteran Lieutenant Commander Daniel Meyer shared the tradition of Marines snapping to attention during the playing of their service song. Especially noteworthy is Meyer's wearing of an Air Force shirt with the motto Aim High. Jennings said, “Now that the debt has been paid in full, it will be interesting to see what the stakes are next year as the Navy will get to make the wager.” Air Force veterans Vicky Fogelman, Yette DeLuca, and Dave Dawley also showed up to enjoy the songs. Tod Jennings and Dan Ingram, two gentleman who love their jobs.

A NEW CLUB ON CAMPUS
The Carson Senators Orienteering Club was confirmed and established by CHS Student Council Oct. 2. This new club, with recently ranked National Orienteering Team members, provides a great opportunity for all students to enjoy competitive cross-country racing, through unfamiliar terrain, off the trails in the great outdoors, or a leisurely walk in the woods. The CHS Orienteering Club teaches in-depth training in topographic map reading as well as magnetic compass use. Once new members are comfortable with newly acquired skills, they may participate in land navigation competitions held throughout the school year. Orienteering has beginners’ and advanced courses to challenge members mentally and physically. They meet every Thursday after school in CHS Naval Science Instructor Daniel Ingram’s classroom, #402 in the NJROTC building. Email Chief Ingram at dingram@carson.k12.nv.us for details about this exciting new CHS club.

MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM
The 2018 Mountain Bike Championships were held Oct. 14 at Tahoe Donner Nordic Center in Truckee, California. Battling cold weather and a long climb on the course, Senators Cycling finished the season strong with varsity boys rider Tobin McRae coming in fifth for his last, and he placed fourth in the season. For junior varsity girls, Sydney Fields came in fourth in the final race and placed fourth in the season.

Isaac Harrison placed fourth and finished fourth in the season for sophomore boys, and Robert Berger came in a close second as he sprinted to the finish line with the middle school boys; he placed second for the season for middle school boys advanced. Annika Robison and Elsa Harrison came in second and third, respectively, and both tied for second place in the season for middle school girls advanced.

Hailey Osborne placed second and finished second in the season for middle school girls. Finally, Senators Cycling team took third place on the final race day. A big round of applause goes out to all of the coaches, Brent Ruybalid, Nathan and Beth Harrison, Drew and Kristin Robison, Gary Casselman, Jon Bakkedahl, Bill Story, Kristin Colburn, Bridgette Pugh, Ashley Griffitts, Katie McRae, and Ben Syndergaard.

Sydney Fields, writer of this portion of Senator Square and CHS Mountain Bike Club rider said to all of the coaches, “Thank you for always believing in us and encouraging us to challenge our limits, to push harder, to look around the corner, to make it to the top of the hill; thank you for never giving up on us and motivating us to try a part of the trail again and again until we did it successfully.” Fields also added “Thank you to my teammates for always encouraging and believing in one other and for cheering each other on as there is no better feeling than being a part of this team; this is something I plan to do the rest of my life, and I will never forget how I started.”

AUTHOR AND CHS GRADUATE TO VISIT
Author and CHS graduate Teri Case is coming to CHS. Students are in for a special treat as the ones who attend the College Connections session Nov. 1, will receive some practical and realistic advice on their applications for both local and national scholarships. Case, a successful author and founder of the Tiger Drive Scholarship, agreed to come all the way from Florida to visit and share with students. Because of her own transformative experience with receiving a scholarship, Case is able to share with students her story of hardship and success. Additionally, she will give the attendees practical advice on writing successful scholarship applications by telling students what readers of scholarships look for along with the common errors she see. Case is a native Nevadan. Her alcoholic father, bipolar mother, and nine siblings taught her to watch and learn from others, that laughter can lighten any load, at least for a few seconds. In her travels, she often watches, learns, and writes about people who want to matter. Case’s debut novel, Tiger Drive, won Best New Fiction in the 2018 American Fiction Awards. She authors the Vitality Stories newsletter, Goal Setting for Assistants, and has two children’s picture books, one of which, I’m Going to the Doctor?!, was shared on TODAY with Kathie Lee Gifford. CHS staff will also have the pleasure of meeting Teri Case at a meet and greet lunch in the Administrative conference room.

BOYS BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
Attention all boys planning to try out for basketball, there is Open Gym every day beginning at 2:30 p.m. Keep in mind that Register My Athlete paperwork needs to be completed by Nov. 1. For more information about tryouts, email Coach Glover at jglover@carson.k12.nv.us.

24TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR
This year’s CHS Holiday Craft Fair is Nov. 16 through 17. There are 140 booths this year with Santa, the Senior Project book sale, and a raffle. Admission prices are Friday night $2, which includes re-entry on Saturday and a raffle ticket. Saturday's prices are $1.50 or $1 with a canned food donation. Students K-12 are free as are any younger children. However, adult volunteers are needed to help out with Admissions and the Raffle Nov. 16 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Nov. 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Parents who volunteer help students qualify for a senior scholarship as well as provide additional stipends for school clubs and sports. The Craft Fair Committee awarded 7 scholarships to graduating seniors last year who, along with their parent(s), volunteered to assist at the craft fair; the CFC will continue again this year adding another 5 to 8 scholarships, depending on profits. Between $3,000 and $4000 will be awarded in 2019. Currently, the Holiday Craft Fair is full with vendors; however, they are still accepting applications for the wait list. Any vendor wishing to be added to the mailing list for next year will receive an application in January. Contact Cathy Barbie at 882-8109 or email her: barbiecathy55@gmail.com for more information.

ANGEL TREE ADOPTION
It is that time of year again to organize the family adoption for the Angel Tree, put together by Denise DiMarzo at Eagle Valley. Over 100 families are needing assistance at Christmas. These families are from various parts of Carson City, many of the children being from Empire Elementary, Mark Twain, Elementary, and the Eagle Valley areas. In years past, CHS clubs, organizations, teams, and individual staff have ‘Adopted’ these families and purchased gifts and gift cards. Demarzo needs to know how many families, both CHS and the community of Carson City, would be willing to help. Please email her if a club, family, organization, team, or individual would like to adopt a family or more. Please respond to her with this information: Organization name, family size, meaning number of children, and whether or not more than one family is to be adopted, please specify. DiMarzo is Administrative Secretary at Eagle Valley Middle School, 4151 East Fifth Street. She may be reached by calling 283-2600, or emailing ddimarzo@carson.k12.nv.us.

VICE PRINCIPAL GAVIN WARD HELPS AND HUMORS EVERYONE
All administrators, teachers, and staff would agree Vice Principals Gavin Ward and Bob Chambers are an amazing combination of effective leadership and hilarious comic relief at meetings. Sometimes, however, they have to tell people what they can and cannot do. For instance, CHS teachers love to prop open their doors, but the Carson City Fire Department says no to this.
And it is not just a safety measure either. In order to make his point, Ward used both help and humor when he said, “Staff, please do not place items, including, but not limited to, wedges, binders, erasers, computers, fingers, or dynamite in door jambs to hold the door open; this damages the door and is very expensive to fix.” He went on to say “A door jamb defined is each of the two upright parts of a door frame on which a door is hung.” This is yet another reason why teachers from around the country want to work at CHS. A little hyperbole maybe, but Ward did get the attention of one of the photography students who snapped a picture to bring the point home.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CHS Athletic Department's Athletes of the Week for Oct. 22 - 26 are Jennifer Artz for Girls Varsity Tennis and Jose Antonio Torres for Boys Varsity Soccer. These athletes, and all students who participate in school functions through leadership, clubs, and sports deserve a high level of recognition and congratulations.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Tristan Wahl is the CHS Student of the Week. Everyone who knows this sophomore honors student sees him as an intelligent, easygoing, energetic individual who enjoys sports, working out, spending time with friends, and playing any and all kinds of games. His advanced classes this year are Honors English II, Honors Algebra II, Art Foundations, Intermediate Weights, Engineering II, Honors World History, and Honors Chemistry. In the future, Tristan said “I want to be a Mechanical Engineer and graduate from one of the eight members of the Ivy League: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University. CHS is grateful to have students like Tristan Wahl reaching as high as possible to achieve his dreams. Congratulations to Tristan Wahl for being named CHS Student of the Week.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
This week, the Senior in the Spotlight shines on Sydney Fields. An outstanding student, Sydney consistently pushes herself, taking several honors and Advanced Placement courses each year. She has received an A in every class throughout high school, and she will graduate with a Grade Point Average over 5.0. Not only has Sydney been involved in several extra-curricular programs including Future Health Professionals (HOSA), Leadership, and Rainbow Girls, she also competed in the 2017 National HOSA Competition for Medical Terminology.

Sydney has been a member of Rainbow Girls for five years, acting as a leader for the past two. She stepped outside her comfort zone this past year and took on a new challenge, that of mountain biking with Senators Cycling and CHS Mountain Bike Club. This has become her passion, even pushing her college choices toward universities with good riding trails nearby. Sydney is applying to several colleges along the East and West Coasts, although her top choice is Tufts University, in Massachusetts where she plans to study bio-chemistry. Sydney Fields is also a published writer and adept at whatever subject she puts her heart into accomplishing. Congratulations to Sydney Fields. Carson High School is proud of your accomplishments.

— Senator Square columnist Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School.