Senator Square: Carson High to compete Wednesday against rival Douglas in faculty basketball game


This event may not be as exciting as Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs triumph over the Cleveland Indians, ending a 108 year title drought, but anyone who ever attended Carson High School or Douglas High School knows that its rivalry has lasted equally as long.

Ask any former graduate of CHS about his personal memories of the DHS Tigers, and his face will turn red, the hair on the back of his neck will rise and he will immediately revisit his own personal past memories of the tension. Talk about an exciting evening of historical rivalry.

The CHS Annual Faculty Basketball Game against Douglas High School happens Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in the CHS big gym. Everyone from Carson City and Douglas County may attend, and admission is only $5.

And just so everyone knows where all that money is going, due to the hopefully amazing turnout, all proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association, because even rivals have heart. The theme is “Camo-Out” because CHS teachers are going Tiger hunting. So come on Carson City, join in support of the teachers and staff at CHS.

Think Kindness Motivational Speaker Brian Williams
CHS welcomes guest speaker Brian Williams to talk to all freshmen and inspire them with measurable acts of kindness. Williams, a 4th degree black belt, does this to inspire ‘kindness’ movements in schools across the nation. His message is one that calls students to action and creates measurable change in each school he visits. He is energetic, funny and gets students to think outside-the-box about how they can create a ripple of positivity within their school. He has spoken to over 250,000 students, and documented over 500,000 acts of kindness.

Academic Letters
CHS, in an awards ceremony on Monday, 7 p.m. in the big gym, is congratulating students who achieved a great level of academic success, with an academic letter. Those who had perfect attendance will also be receiving an award. Hope to see everyone there! 

Carson High Seniors Vote for President
CHS students were invited by Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Massachusetts to participate in a national mock election. Since 1988, NMHS has run a nation-wide high school mock presidential election, known as the Votes Project, and it involves over 55,000 students from 135-plus high schools and has proven to get students involved directly in the electoral process. CHS government teachers conducted this mock election with the 2016-2017 senior class, and the votes will be recorded and sent to NMHS.

The School then takes the "popular" vote total of all the votes cast in the high schools, and they award all of that state's electoral votes to whichever candidate won the most combined votes from those schools. Northfield does this across the country with all of the states, so they simulate how the President is actually chosen through the Electoral College, and it is not just a popular vote total that wins the mock election.

The Votes Project has been successful in predicting the actual national election outcome in 6 of the 7 mock elections. Results are announced Nov. 6 live on the website votes2016.org prior to the national election Nov. 8. CHS is excited to participate.

College Connections
A representative from Whitworth University will be at CHS Nov. 7, and a representative from University of Nevada, Las Vegas will be at CHS Nov. 9 during AB55 in the Tech Center. Whitworth is a private, residential, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, and is located in Spokane, Washington. Stop by the Guidance Office for a pass.

Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights Art Contest
The Chamber of Commerce Silver and Snowflakes Art Contest submissions are due. The theme is “A Historic Carson City Christmas. How might Carson City have looked in the late 1800s?” Rules: Use any medium on an 11 X 8.5 paper. Must be 11” wide. Must incorporate some of Carson City’s historic buildings within the art. All art must clearly state name of artist, grade, school and teacher’s name on front of drawing. Phone number of student and teacher must be on reverse side.

Only one entry per student submitted to the Carson City Library by Nov. 10. Judging will take place Nov. 10. Winners will be featured on holiday cards with sales to benefit the class of the winners. Special recognition goes to the overall winner, a $100 Walmart Gift Card, and their artwork featured on the cover of the special Silver & Snowflake section inserted within the Nevada Appeal Nov. 29. Questions: Contact the Carson City Chamber of Commerce at 882-1565.

Greater Nevada Credit Union Celebrates 20 years with CHS
Representatives from CHS, CCSD, and GNCU recently gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the educational branch inside CHS where students gain job experience and learn financial literacy through the Carson High Banking Program.

“Twenty years ago there was no program like this in Northern Nevada” says former GNCU President, Marsha Burgess, who helped establish the branch. “It took some effort…presenting the idea to the school Principal and …Board of Education…the branch was born.”

Fabiola Mata-Garcia, a graduate from CHS and the banking program said, “The educational branch helps students learn about saving, investing, insurance, and how to manage money.” The GNCU educational branch supervisor, Julie Slocum, says approximately 50 students apply for 18 spots available each year, and several students have gone on to work at Greater Nevada. Haley Gwinn, in the banking program from 2003 to 2005, is now the loan servicing manager at GN Mortgage, a subsidiary of GNCU. Gwen said.

“The Carson High School banking program was an amazing experience [and] it made me become passionate for the industry and gave me the confidence to apply and then go on to work for GNCU; because of this program, I am where I am today.” “Our community partners are asking us to develop work place skills,” Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes added. “And here is a great example of that, right here at Carson High School.”
Visit gncu.org or call 775-882-2060.

Carson High Bowling Team
The CHS Bowling team competitive season is about to begin, and practices are Monday and Wednesday, 2:30-4:30, at Gold Dust West Bowling Center. First event is Nov. 16 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. Students need to complete the required sports forms at registermyathlete.com by Nov. 14. Questions, email or see Mrs. Mannschreck in room 231.

CHS Wrestling Meeting
On Nov. 7 there will be a wrestling meeting at lunch in the wrestling room.

Student of the Week
Sara Knight is an exemplary student at CHS. Sara has shown great Carson spirit in her willingness to participate in school activities. She is an exceptional young lady, and CHS thanks her for all the hard work she has done for her amazing high school.

Senior Spotlight
CHS is excited to announce Kalysta Branco as the highlight of this week’s Senior Spotlight. Kalysta has a weighted GPA of 4.48 and, though it is her last year at CHS, is pressing on in her academic rigor with a full load of classes such as AP Government, AP English Senior Literature, AP Calculus BC, Pharmacology Practice, and Ceramics. As far as her future college plans are concerned, Kalysta intends to major in Neuroscience.

Her extra-curricular activities, interestingly, involve her love of spending time not only with friends but also with her cats. Kalysta has proven herself academically while holding down a part time job at the Carson City Aquatic Center. Kalysta also finds enough time to continue as an active member of numerous on and off campus organizations such as the National Honors Society, Health Occupations Students of America, National Technical Honors Society, and she has been a varsity member of the CHS swim team for the last three seasons. CHS is honored by the many contributions Kalysta Branco has made to Carson High School and its community, and looks forward to hearing about the future accomplishments of this talented student.

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