Senator Square: An invitation from Carson High School's athletic director

(Editor’s Note: Roman is the Carson High School Head Football Coach, Athletic Director, and teacher of weights, athletics, and boys physical education.)
Hello from CHS in Carson City. I want to share this information with you so that you may be able to come and support our many students participating in Fall Sports. The list below has upcoming events for each sport in which our new Athletic Leadership Council is going to push out to their teams and friends to come support one another. In the spirit of unity, we want to reach out to both the staff and community to invite all of you to do the same.

The list of events has already begun, but Fall Sports will eventually turn in to Spring Sports, so it is never too late to come on out and enjoy supporting students in their chosen sporting events. As always, thank you for your support and work with our athletes. We have some tremendous young people who participate, and all of them benefit highly from participation in their chosen sport. One future event I would also like to put out there is the Band concert at the Community Center Dec. 12.

There will be many upcoming performing arts concerts and plays this year as well as the Speech and Debate tournaments, the NJROTC events, and many others, so keep your eyes open. We have a multitude of kids involved at this school in athletics, band, choir, performing arts, and the list goes on and on, literally. The kids always love to see their parents, friends, and teachers there as well.

Because my focus is obviously athletics, you will see periodic emails and online postings for athletic events at carsonhigh.com, but again, please keep your eyes peeled for information that comes out from other advisers, directors, etc. in our amazing school and what they are doing as well. Regional and State playoff competitions and non-conference tournaments are also very exciting, and they are all within your reach. We already had a great Homecoming Week recently, and I hope you were able to see the excitement of both the kids and the community as they gathered together at the CHS Football Field to enjoy this annual event. Please come and support these kids and their teams. We are Senators Volleyball, Tennis, Soccer, Golf, Basketball, Football, Baseball, Softball, Track and Field, Orienteering, Bowling, Cheer, Dance, Skiing, Swimming, and Wrestling. Hope to see you soon.

ANNUAL WEEK OF RESPECT AT CHS
Oct. 1 – 4 was the annual Week of Respect, a campaign proclaimed by Governor Sandoval in 2016 and now celebrated annually throughout all K-12 schools in Nevada. This year, the Social and Emotional Learning committee met with over 40 students, nominated by their teachers, to brainstorm ideas of how to make the Week of Respect 2019 student focused and student driven. Students decided Oct. 1 would be dress up in colorful attire, and it was also Mob the Halls week at 7:15 a.m. where teachers met at the school’s main entrances to welcome students with high fives and smiles.

Oct. 2 was dress up as a superhero with a Latin dance party in Senator Square at lunch. Oct. 3 was dress up in those groovy 60's and 70's outfits. There was also a scavenger hunt with students submitting their "hunt" cards to be entered into a drawing for Dutch Bros. gift cards. Oct. 4 was dress up in CHS Senators attire blue out. Finally, participating classes in the poster competition stood the chance of winning a free pizza party. A fun week was had by all.

SPEECH AND DEBATE SEASON BEGINS
Carson High debate has begun their 2019-2020 season. First, they would like to thank local businesses who helped the team fundraise for Nationals: The Carson City Lions Club, Flavors of India, Wetzel Painting, Senior Celebrations, Rustically Divine, Carson RV, Handelin Law, Battle Born Resource Group, McCraw Insurance, Freestyle Hair Design, Scoops and Miller Creative Solutions. The first tournament was at Wooster High School and several returning students had strong showings. Valeria Torres placed 6th in senior Program Oral Interpretation with her piece titled “Grieving”, partners Jessica Knutson and David Mariscal Gonzalez placed 3rd in open division Big Question Debate with the topic: Objective Morality Exists. Team Captain Mary Milburn led by example taking 2nd place in Senior Lincoln Douglas Debate speaking about whether or not colleges should use standardized test scores in undergraduate admissions. Milburn also took first place in Lincoln Douglas Speaker Points and 1st place overall in senior POI with her piece titled “Heartbeat”.

CHS TEACHER SHARES PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND FINANCIAL ADVICE

CHS teacher and FCA adviser Ty McMillen, and the CHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes, bring unforgettable guests, their very own teachers of late, to share personal life-changing messages in order to inspire faith, hope, and trust in God. FCA members were asked to talk with teachers about sharing their testimonies. What is a testimony, the sharing of evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something, that is a public recounting of a religious conversion or experience. FCA members are on the lookout for teachers willing to visit with FCA members, and CHS Career and Technical Education teacher Billy McHenry responded to the request.

On Oct. 1, McHenry spoke to students about his full-ride football scholarship to Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia and how he lost it due to a shoulder injury. This prompted him to discuss his having to then pay for college and the importance of staying debt free. McHenry then went on to share about his life being raised as a Christian and how he struggled for a long time looking for a supernatural experience in his relationship with God as those who are not raised as Christians many times have. “Be careful what you ask for” McHenry said because “You never know how God is going to answer that prayer.”

McHenry said the supernatural moment came when his daughter Riley was swept into the river and how he saved her from drowning. “It was on Tybee Island, Georgia where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic Ocean” he said about the location where the miraculous occurred. McHenry saw his miracle firsthand. Needless to say, everyone felt his emotion and passion.

McHenry teaches Principles of Business Marketing and other financial classes at CHS. The goal of FCA is to foster unity and support between people of all walks of life, not just athletes, as they follow their faith through word, deed, and sharing. FCA meets every Tuesday during lunch in room, 214. All are welcome to attend and receive a couple pieces of pizza…for free of course.

DRAMA STUDENTS TO SHARE PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
Everyone is invited to attend the CHS Theatre Arts production of Peter and the Starcatcher Oct. 4, 5, and 6 and 11, 12, and 13 at the Bob Boldrick Theater in the Community Center. This hilarious play, written by Rick Elice, and based on a book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, is the prequel to the beloved story of Peter Pan. Learn how Peter and Captain Hook became enemies, who taught Peter to fly, and the creation of the story everyone loves. The audience will be seated on the stage, so please enter the side closest to Mills Park. Performances will be at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 4, 5, 11, and 13, and performances will be at 2:00 Oct. 6 and 13. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults; they may be purchased at the door.

STATE OF NEVADA 2019 FIRE PREVENTION POSTER CONTEST

The 2019 theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week, Oct, 6 through 12, is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape - Plan and Practice Your Escape.” For contest questions and additional information, go to the Nevada State Fire Marshal Website, call the Nevada State Fire Marshal Fire Prevention Bureau at: 684-7526, or email the Department of Public Safety’s Public Information Officer KY.Smith@dps.state.nv.us.

MAKER MONDAY, CARSON CITY LIBRARY, VIRTUAL REALITY
Maker Monday at lunch in the CHS Library begins Oct. 14, and the Carson City Library will be there as well with their Book Club on the 2nd and 3rd Mondays. As if that is not enough, try out Virtual Reality, and ride a roller coaster, see the stars, or battle aliens; however, permission forms must be signed, just once, to experience virtual reality at school or the Carson City Library. Maker Monday is an opportunity for students to ease their brains back into school after a weekend of sleeping in. Students and staff are invited to stop by the library to create, connect and practice self-care. CHS Librarian Ananda Campbell is seeking local volunteers from the community to lead lunchtime workshops in the future. Call Library Media Specialist Ananda Campbell at 283-1641, or email her at chsenatorslibrary.weebly.com.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY BLOOD DRIVE
CHS will soon be hosting another blood drive. The CHS National Honors Society won the Northern Nevada High School Blood Drive Challenge yet again and received a check for $3,000 from United Blood Services. NHS’ first blood drive this year is Oct. 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Medical staff will be in the CHS Small Gym. Large numbers of donors are needed, and donors must be 16 or older. Anyone under 18 must have a signed parent consent form and a picture ID when they donate. Students may sign up by room #221 or drop by the day of the blood drive. Snacks and drinks are also needed. Call teachers and NHS advisers Monica Chavez, 283-1749, or Jennifer Alexander, 283-1720, for more information.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CHS Athletic Department’s Athletes of the Week are Eric Tomita for Varsity Boys Tennis, Bradley Wiggins for Varsity Boys Tennis, and Zach Sever for Varsity Boys Cross Country. 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
The CHS Student of the Week is Victoria Huerta Aguilar, a junior. The nominating teacher said of her, “Victoria is a friendly and helpful young lady; not only does she take the time to say hello every day, she often volunteers to help in situations where many students would keep on walking.” This year, Victoria is taking US history, English III, Honors Human Anatomy, Algebra II, Culinary 1, and Spanish 2. She said, “My favorite class would be Culinary because I love cooking and learning how to cook new foods I would not think of doing.” In her free time, she really enjoys playing soccer with family. Congratulations to Victoria.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
This week’s Senior in the Spotlight is Gabriela Fernandez. Gabriela has consistently shown academic excellence at CHS as seen in her 4.75 GPA. She has challenged herself throughout high school, and this year she joined the Jump Start College program taking dual credit classes at WNC. She will graduate with a year’s worth of college credits to give her a head start in earning her college degree. Gabby participated in Cross Country during freshmen and sophomore year and Track and Field all four years.

She is an NHS member and was an active member of HOSA Future Health Professionals from freshman through junior year where she competed in the team HOSA Bowl and went to Houston for Nationals. Gabriela was one of five students chosen to participate in OVESS, a three-week summer program at UNR where she attended career based events and explored areas of the medical school. She also did a research project on how environmental factors affect the homeless population in northern Nevada.

She currently works as a tutor for elementary students after school and wants to continue her college education at either UNR or WNC. She plans to study nursing or environmental science. She would like to start a project in her native El Salvador, cleaning up a community park and helping teach environmental principles to the locals. Whatever she plans to pursue, she will be successful. Congratulations to Gabby Fernandez on a job well done. CHS wishes her the best of luck.

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