Senator Square: Carson High School celebrates National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month at Carson High School's @SenatorsLibrary. This is a marvelous opportunity to celebrate the expressiveness, delight, and pure charm of poetry, so to kick of poetry month, staff and students are invited to play with Blackout Poetry in the library.

What in the world is Blackout Poetry? According to full-time freelance writer Hailey Hudson out of Atlanta, Georgia, “Blackout poetry is an unorthodox art form: You open a book and scan a page, looking for any words or phrases that catch your eye regardless of whether they are connected. Then you use a marker or paintbrush to fill in everything except those words. The result might look something like a letter from WWII, with text redacted by a censor.” This is a literary work activity in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm, looking at poems collectively or as a genre of literature.

Blackout Poetry is also a quality of beauty and intensity of emotion regarded as characteristic of poems, something regarded as comparable to poetry in its beauty; it is both challenging and accessible to people of all skill levels. It is also a special occasion because it reminds human beings of all ages the integral role of poets and poetry in cultures throughout time.

So, when older books are retired, the Carson High School Library recycles, reuses, and recreates them; hence, for Blackout Poetry, students choose a page from a retired book, find words which stand out, and blackout the rest of the page. Those with a flair for the arts might create a visual piece along with the poem. Blackout Poetry is the name of any sort of poem that is derived from blacking out any unwanted words from a paragraph, book, sign, etc. For a great article on Blackout Poetry, check out “Every Writer Should Do Blackout Poetry…Here’s Why” at craftyourcontent.com/blackout-poetry/. “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility” —  William Wordsworth.

10TH ANNUAL SAFE GRAD RUN BEGINS TODAY AT CARSON HIGH SCHOOL
CHS’ Safe and Sober 5k Run and Walk is April 2 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the CHS track. Interested walkers and runners may find the application at carsonhighsafegrad.com. The Safe Grad Committee is looking for sponsors and raffle prize donations too. This is a great opportunity for individuals and businesses to get their name and products seen in the community.

Register early by mailing in a form and check payable to Carson High Safe Grad Booster, PO Box 486 Carson City, NV 89702. Regular fee is $35 and $25 for students or younger. After March 20, there will be a late fee per category plus $5 processing fee and no t-shirt guarantee. Check-in is from 8:30 to 9 a.m., and the 5K begins at 10 a.m. Safe and Sober 5K is organized by volunteers of the CHSGB.

The CHS Safe Grad program has been an annual tradition in Carson City since 1988, providing graduating seniors with a safe and sober all night celebration on the eve of their graduation, followed by a trip to the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom amusement park in Vallejo, Calif. This event has been a tremendous success in that not one graduation night fatality for a CHS graduate has occurred since its inception.

FIT CHECK WITH CHS SPANISH TEACHER JP ALBERT
One of the coolest, new this year, student generated events is Fit Check with CHS Senior Javier Rosales. Seeing himself as a Fit Check correspondent, Rosales said “Fit Check is for the entire school; it is for the students to help make attending school…a little better this year and to make everyone laugh.” Rosales also said he hopes by watching his Fit Check, “Students will get inspired to dress better and get a sense of humor.” Senators Now Digital Media focuses on using a range of technology tools for varied purposes such as creating and maintaining an up-to-date “student friendly” CHS webpage which includes a news broadcast, video stories and highlights, announcements, student polls, and other interactive features. The overarching goal of the class is to empower students in a transformative learning environment. Check it out by going to March 31 at https://senatorsnow.org/.

CHS BOWLING TEAM COMPETES IN LAUGHLIN
The Northern Nevada or High Desert Interscholastic Bowling Program, in which CHS competes every year, did not have a competitive season. There were several COVID issues, especially with Washoe County schools; however, all Northern Nevada schools were encouraged to continue to practice until the pandemic ended. CHS has at least seven team members who have qualified for the 2022 Nevada State Youth Tournament being held in Laughlin, NV this weekend.

There were more, too, but they were not able to make the trip. Additionally, there is quite a bit of scholarship money on the line in this competition, and there is no doubt CHS team members will walk away with much of it. While the competitive season for the Carson High School bowling team has not come to fruition, the team of nearly 20 students continues to grow and improve. On another note, parents and guardians are encouraged to complete the online update in Infinite Campus for the upcoming 2022 - 2023 school year. For more information, contact CHS Administrative Assistant Lavon Sollberger at 775-283-1838.

COLLEGE DAYS AND COLLEGE WEEK EVERY WEDNESDAY
Carson High School @Senators Library is kicking off College Week by celebrating our Seniors who have been accepted to a post-secondary school, military, job training, or service program, and CHS teachers are posting their college alma mater seals by their classroom doors and getting ready every Wednesday to wear their college swag in order to bring to focus the benefits of attending college. Seniors are also asked to share their college acceptance information to be featured on the Acceptance Wall of Fame on the CHS Library windows, and Seniors are invited to share their post-grad plans at www.bit.ly/CHStars. A window display celebrating CHS Seniors will be the library window focal point for the remainder of the year. Students are also being asked to make a list of all the people who could support them in their quest for graduating from college debt-free.

FREE BOOKS TO STUDENTS
So many FREE books, so little time. It is spring cleaning and the CHS Library is clearing outdated, non-circulating, and unneeded duplicates to make room for, more books of course. Each day students will find something different as books are being boxed for surplus every other day. Nothing wasted, nothing thrown away. Students are being asked to stop by and browse. According to CHS Library Media Specialist and Carson City School District Library Coordinator Ananda Campbell, “Oh the anticipation…we are making space for a whole new look next year.”

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CHS
There are over 80 businesses coming to CHS to interview kids for jobs, and at least 1000 students will be attending the job fair April 6 from 9 to Noon in the Big Gym and Pioneer Academy. Students are asked to bring their resumes. This will be a great opportunity for business owners to meet potential student employees, for students to find available job opportunities, and for information on how to apply.

The businesses attending this job fair may be seen by going here. For more information, please contact Carson City School District Work Based Learning Coordinator Marc Rodina at carsoncityschoolswbl.com, mrodina@carson.k12.nv.us, or 775-283-2055.

OLD YEARBOOKS, NEW YEARBOOKS, DIGITAL MEDIA
There are just two pages left to fill for senior ads. Parents, there is still time, one more chance, to create a senior ad, so please do so ASAP. Pricing and sizes vary, so go to yearbookforever.com, search for Carson High School, select shop, and then click on senior ads. Also, the CHS yearbook staff has a number of past yearbooks available for a donation. Also, to order the 2021-2022 Carneta, it is $95 right now, students or parents need to go to the CHS Finance Office or purchase online at yearbookforever.com. The CHS yearbook is a completely self-sustaining program and does not receive any funding from inside or outside their advertising and book sales. Also, Digital Media does weekly video announcements and creates other videos covering events, activities, and news. Their website may be accessed by going to senatorsnow.org. Please email CHS Language Arts teacher and Yearbook Adviser Cynthia Mills at cmills@carson.k12.nv.us for more information.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CHS Athletic Department's Athletes of the Week are Trey Thomas for varsity baseball and Kayce Johnston for varsity softball. 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
Congratulations to Jax Whatley, a freshman, on being nominated CHS Student of the Week. According to a freshman honors English teacher, “Jax is academically talented, personally attentive, and kindly thoughtful toward everyone with whom contact is made.”

The teacher added, “Jax is an exemplary student, a mold breaker, who would like to acquire a PhD in Psychology, the highest level graduate degree to which a student can aspire.” Employees within Carson City School District nominate the CHS Student of the Week, and it is often the teachers who do the nominating, though anyone in the district may do so by sending an email to pbrady@carson.k12.nv.us. “Students like Jax are those who set CHS at the top of Nevada high schools.” Congratulations to Jax Whatley in standing out so much so, another teacher, not Jax’ own, thought to nominate Jax as CHS Student of the Week.

SENIOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Fatima Ramirez-Hernandez, this week’s CHS Senior in the Spotlight, is an amazing young woman; she is hard-working, mature, responsible, organized and kind. Fatima has a wonderful set of personal values and a commitment to continuing her education.

As a Carson High Senior, she has earned a GPA of 3.98. She has taken honors level courses and is completing a Career and Technology program in Health Science. Fatima is actively involved in the National Honor Society as well as HOSA Future Health Professionals. Not only has she received two Academic Letters, Fatima has had several of her writings published.

She dreams of writing and publishing her own novel in the future. Fatima enjoys reading as a way to unwind and also enjoys crafting. Additionally, she volunteers at a local animal shelter. Fatima plans on earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and then getting her Master of Arts in English Language and Literature. She is going to pursue a teaching career at the high school level with a personal goal of teaching English in a foreign country. She is a dedicated, hard-working, highly intelligent woman who has set high goals for herself, goals, she will undoubtedly reach. Carson High School is thrilled to recognize Fatima Ramirez Hernandez as this week’s Senior in the Spotlight.

— Senator Square columnist Phil Brady is an English teacher at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev.