Senator Square: Carson High School AP tests have arrived

Advanced Placement tests have arrived, are organized, and ready to go. Super exciting too as Carson High School students, those wanting to pass college classes without actually having to take them nor pay for them, will have the opportunity to successfully pass their AP tests before graduating from CHS.

Current AP test offerings are for Art History, Chemistry, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, Physics I, Psychology, Seminar, Research, Spanish, Statistics, Government, and US History.

The AP exams begin May 2, and according to CHS Honors Chemistry teacher Ty McMillen, “AP Chemistry students will be taking their exam on the first day of testing, and this test includes two parts: a 50 question multiple choice test and a seven question free response test.”

McMillen went on to say, “Students have been preparing for this exam by diving deeper into nine units of chemistry topics introduced during a first year Honors Chemistry I course in their sophomore year, and this year there will be 12 students from CHS taking the test.” Like many CHS honors teachers, Mr. McMillen has visited with current Honors Chemistry I students to encourage enrollment in the course for next year; currently, he has 31 students enrolled to take AP Chemistry next school year.

According to CHS AP Coordinator Susan Grunert, “I would like to briefly come into each of your classrooms April 26 and 27 to give the kids a quick rundown of proper AP testing etiquette which includes what time they should arrive, what they should and should not bring, etc.” According to CHS Counselor Bridget Gordon-Johnson, "AP offers a unique opportunity for students to be competitive at a national level as it levels the playing field for students from high schools all over.”

Students and educators have worked hard all year to prepare for these exams which then allow students to apply for highly exclusive colleges, achieve higher level college class placement, and even potentially receive college credit without having to take the class. Imagine how much time and money could be saved.

“Last year's CHS graduates, those who are currently attending Ivy League Universities, Carlos Torres at Yale and Cristian Garcia Perez at Dartmouth, were propelled forward by participation in CHS's AP program" Gordon-Johnson added. The key to AP is exclusive colleges can compare a kid from LA to a kid from the rurals in a much more reliable way with an AP test result than dual credit where academic autonomy is truly dependent upon each individual college professor.

Email CHS AP Coordinator Susan Grunert at sgrunert@carson.k12.nv.us, or phone her at 775-283-1915 digital office: bit.ly/sgrunertoffice Please check out the CHS AP Overview presentation by going here.

FRIENDSHIP BALL, FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE, AND PROM ARE HERE
The Friendship Ball, a dance for special needs kids, takes place April 21, the Father-Daughter Dance, self-explanatory, takes place April 22, and the 2021-2022 Prom takes place April 23, all happening at CHS. Hercules and Megara are coming to the CHS Big Gym for all three of these dances, too, as the theme is Roman.

29TH FRED ALEXANDER MEMORIAL JUNIOR GOLF CLINICS
Want a free golf club, backpack, snack, and some prizes? May 1 and May 15 offer free outdoor clinics for kids 6 to 17 instructed by PGA golf professionals and followed by playing a few holes on a golf course. May 1 sessions are from 10 to Noon and 1:30 to 3:30 at Sierra Sage Golf Course located at 6355 Silver Lake Road in Reno, NV.

The May 15 sessions are from 10 to Noon and 1:30 to 3:30 at Eagle Valley Golf Course, 3999 Centennial Park Drive in Carson City, NV. Participation is limited to 120 kids with online registration being on a first come first served basis. Parents and family members cannot participate but may watch from a safe distance.

Michael Hohl Automotive, Sierra Nevada Chapter – NCPGA, Eagle Valley Golf Course, Sierra Sage Golf Course, The E.L. Cord Foundation, The E.J. Tegner Foundation, and Northern Nevada Golf Association. For more information, please call 775-851-2332 or go to fredalexanderclinic@gmail.com. Register online by going to firstteenorthernnevada.org/events/.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHS PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO CONSIDER
Below are two scholarship opportunities. LeadingconEducación Scholarship Contest Intuit TurboTax and EVERFI have partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to empower Latino students to take control of their finances through the #Leading-ConEducación program which will allow 40 high school students to obtain educational scholarships in the amount of a $2,500 529 savings plan.

Students must complete the Intuit TurboTax Tax Simulation within the EVERFI: Financial Literacy digital course by going here. Application deadline is May 8. Additional details and scholarship applications may be found here. FutureSmart students are eligible to enter the scholarship contest for an opportunity to win a gift card to a 529 college savings plan. Throughout the school year, twenty students will receive a $2,000 gift card, and two grand prize winners will receive a $5,000 529 savings gift card. Students must complete three FutureSmart lessons here. To further discuss the above scholarship opportunities, please schedule a meeting by going to here. For more information, call or email Nevada Department of Education Office of Standards and Instructional Support Jaynie Malorni at 702-473-0140 or jmalorni@doe.nv.gov, nvfinlit.org @SocialstudiesNV.

WHO DOES NOT LOVE HAVING A YEARBOOK TO OPEN PRESENT OR PAST
There are only two pages left to fill for senior ads. Parents, there is still one more chance to create a senior ad by going to yearbookforever.com, searching for Carson High School, selecting shop, and then clicking on senior ads. Also, the CHS yearbook staff has a number of past yearbooks available for a donation, and to order the 2021-2022 Carneta, it is $95 right now and will go up in price very soon, 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.

SAFE GRAD AND SIX FLAGS ALMOST HERE
To all those who like to volunteer, Safe Grad and the 2021-2022 senior class are grateful. Most seniors are too young to realize the sacrifices being made, but the pleasure resides, primarily, in the giver of the gift. SG, coming June 4 through 5, needs volunteers.

Who is organizing Safe Grad? SG is a booster organization of parents and volunteers, many of whom have children who attended, are attending, or will be attending CHS. A tradition in Carson City since 1988, SG provides CHS seniors a safe, fun, and sober celebration on graduation night and throughout the following day.

The CHS SG Committee, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, and local businesses and residents help sponsor the event, and the members of SG are Wendy Yang, Kyra Hinton, Gina Winder, Jordan Crittenden, Cinthia Luevano, Jeanette Glauner and Matt Smith. Hinton will be stepping down as President after this year, but she will remain a committee member.

SG, also in need of a Social Media coordinator, is still working on putting together a golf tournament and car wash, as well as a bingo night, before summer. Additionally, Safe Grad is in need of a new President, Vice President, Volunteer Coordinator, and Social Media Coordinator for next year as individuals in these positions will be retiring.

SG Night this year will have a beach theme with, possibly, the following entertainment: Green Screen Photo, Virtual Oculus, Gaming Bus, Rockwall, Dog Tag maker, Character Artist, Comedian Act, Magic Show with We Are Theater, Tattoo Artist, Massage Therapist, and more.

They are also looking for a bounce house. Interested in supporting the kids by becoming a part of the organizing team? Please email carsonhighsafegrad@gmail.com, or call Safe Grad volunteer coordinator Kyra Hinton at 434-760-0635.

Applications for Safe Grad night and the gradation trip to Six Flags are due back no later than May 1. The doors of the Carson City Community Center open at 8:30 p.m., and the next morning at 5 a.m., graduates enter some amazingly comfortable busses to head to Great America, most of them probably sleeping all the way there. For more information about SG and the 5K, go to carsonhighsafegrad.com/index.html.

SENATOR SCHOLARSHIP SCOOP IS PLACE TO GO FOR FREE MONEY
The 2021-2022 school year is almost finished, so it is more than wise for seniors to check out the latest Senator Scholarship Scoop at carsonhigh.com. Visitors simply click Academics, Counseling Department, and The Scoop. As CHS and Pioneer High School seniors consider life after graduation, they may choose to look for some free money in the form of scholarships.

The beauty of this, too, is scholarships may be applied for year-round and awarded to college students throughout their entire four years. Many scholarships offered end up being awarded to no one because no one applied. There are thousands of national scholarships found at fastweb.com, and scholarships.com. The CHS Guidance Office is also always available to help students choose and apply for scholarships. Email counselor Bridget Gordon-Johnson at bgordon@carson.k12.nv.us to make an appointment. Seniors may also head to the CHS Career Center, room 313, to see Mrs. Roman for help with a resume. CHS Seniors, please make sure to sign-in to a personal CHS Google Account for any of the PDF links to download these scholarships and edit them with the Kami App available via CHS Google.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Congratulations to Trevor Britt, a junior, on being nominated CHS Student of the Week. According to the parent of a severely and profoundly disabled CHS student, “Trevor is one of the kindest CHS students I have ever met; as I was leaving Carson High, he actually stopped me and took time to introduce himself and tell me he works with my son as a peer advocate ... I was blown away.”

The teacher added, “Trevor is the kind of young man parents would be honored to call their own because he is kind, mature, and selfless, every parent’s dream.” 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. “When people think about CHS, I hope they think about students like Trevor Britt because they are the ones who give the high school a good reputation.” Congratulations to Trevor Britt in standing out so much so, another teacher, not Trevor’s own, thought to nominate him as CHS Student of the Week.

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