Senator Square: A play, plunge, and prom are around the corner

From a visit by Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of adult and young adult fiction, to Carson High’s own bestselling author, senior Alec Belle, CHS teachers bring national and local professionals together to share their knowledge with tomorrow’s professionals in order to equip them for the road ahead.

At CHS, the road these students travel over the course of their four years of high school is marked with myriad opportunities to participate and demonstrate their newfound knowledge and growing skills.

CHS Performing Arts
Showgirls, Gangsters, and Shakespeare! CHS Performing Arts announces the production of Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter, the classic coming together of Shakespeare and the American Musical Theatre, a play-within-a-play. This joyful and high-spirited musical comedy follows the backstage antics of a touring company performing The Taming of the Shrew, where each cast member’s onstage life is complicated by what is happening offstage. Wesley Sonnemaker and Melanie Proctor play the feuding director and his leading lady.
Chandler Blueberg is the flirty Lois Lane, Kiefer Catron is the gambling Bill Calhoun, and Jacob McNellis and Charles Moser are two bumbling gangsters. Performances are Mar. 11, 12, 18, and 19 at 7 pm and Mar. 13 and 20 at 2 pm at the Bob Boldrick Theatre at the Carson City Community Center. $10 General Admission, $5 students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door. Questions? Contact Andie Anderson at aanderson@carson.k12.nv.us.

Polar Plunge News
National Honor Society invites all to participate in the Polar Plunge in Lake Tahoe on March 19. That is right, it is not a mistake. Come plunge into icy cold waters of Lake Tahoe. Why? It is the biggest fundraiser to support Special Olympics of Nevada, which provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This year's theme is Rock-n-Roll, so dress up in a crazy costume and have fun. Read more at iPolarPlunge.com and join the Carson High School Senators’ team for $25. See Mrs. Glenn in room 227. Let's rock this event, Senators.

Go to Prom for Free
Greater Nevada Credit Union Branch at CHS is giving away $500 of Prom Awesomeness! The prize winner receives 2 Prom Tickets, dinner at Glen Eagles in Carson City, Tux Rental, $200 Dillard's gift card, a prom flower package and a hair up-do. Entries are due by 1 pm Mar. 21. Entry forms and contest rules are available at the CHS GNCU branch.

CHS Father-Daughter Dance
The 2nd Annual Father-Daughter Dance is being held on April 8 from 6-9 pm at CHS. This year’s theme is "Once Upon a Time Enchanted Forest Ball." Any and all ages of father-daughters are welcome to attend, and tickets may be purchased at the CHS front office from 2-4 pm each day or by mail by sending a check to Carson High School, c/o Angila Golik, P.O. Box 603, Carson City, NV 89701.
Tickets are $30 per father/daughter couple, $10 for each additional daughter, and professional photos will be available at the dance for an additional cost. Light desserts and snacks will be served. Funds raised at this event support CHS Culinary, Leadership, FBLA & SkillsUSA. Questions? Please contact Angila Golik at agolik@carson.k12.nv.us.

CHS Future Farmers of America
On Feb. 23, Capitol FFA went to Reno for the Western Zone Contest where competing CHS students came home with a 1st Place Overall Poultry Evaluation Team, Holly Strasser with a 1st Place Extemporaneous Public Speaking, Hayden Story with a 1st Place High Individual Poultry Evaluation, Jose Cazares with a 2nd Place High Individual Poultry Evaluation, a 2nd Place Overall Horse Evaluation Team, Whitney Bibee with a 3rd Place High Individual Poultry Evaluation, Katie Cullen with a 3rd Place Creed Speaking, and a 3rd Place Overall Floriculture Team. Also, Meghan Harrison will receive her State FFA Degree at the Nevada State FFA Convention Saturday, Mar. 26. She is the first student from the Capitol FFA Chapter to receive the highest degree a student is able to receive at the state level.

Famous author visits CHS
Ellen Hopkins, author of Crank and 12 other adult and young adult New York Times bestsellers, gave an interview and workshop to three of Ms. Sharon Miller’s Creative Writing classes. Hopkins talked about writing, publishing, her inspirations and process, and using emoticons to evoke voice and character.
The workshop used these techniques to help students write small creative scenarios using their own voices. Miller sends out a huge “Thank You” that such great talent was willing to devote so much time and caring to a local high school. Way to go Ms. Miller for making this happen!

Student of the Week
This week’s student of the week is Melisa Castaneda. Melisa is a positive and respectful student in all her classes. She consistently produces quality work and is always trying her best in everything she does. Everyone, please thank Melisa for all of her hard work at CHS.

Senior Spotlight
Alec Belle is this week’s senior spotlight highlight. Alec joined Carson High School this year, coming across the country alone to take advantage of a program that will help him attend college next year. Alec is an accomplished author and has written and published four books.

His debut novel, Before I Break, reached No. 10 in LGBT Issues Bestseller List on Amazon. Alec is getting all As and Bs in his classes this year, a great accomplishment as he did online school for the past two years and is now at CHS with over 2,200 students.

While a student here, Alec has been involved in the “You Matter” Blogger Council, which is a bridge of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. He plans to attend Western Nevada College in the fall to major in Education or English with a Psychology minor, and he plans to continue his writing.

CHS is proud of his accomplishments, and we have seen that Alec has the determination, skills and enthusiasm to be a success in his future endeavors.

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