Senator Square: Carson High School welcomes new National Honor Society members

National Honor Society President Eleanor Sturm made her opening remarks at the annual NHS induction ceremony Sept. 17 in the CHS Big Gym. Guest Speaker, Greater Nevada Credit Union Vice President Jenny Casselman then addressed the new NHS members and discussed what it means to be a part of such a fantastic organization and the responsibilities of being an NHS member.

NHS Adviser and CHS teacher Brian Branch said, “The ROTC color guard presented the colors, the CHS Choir performed the National Anthem, and the CHS Chamber Orchestra played Scarborough Fair Fantasy by Elain Fine.”

Branch said he was grateful as well to see “The guests of honor: Superintendent Richard Stokes, Vice Principal Robert Chambers, School Board Trustees Laurel Crossman, Joe Cacioppo, and District Work-Based Learning Coordinator Yette De Luca” at the induction ceremony. Branch said Casselman gave a very inspirational speech on why it is so important to give back to the community and how rewarding it can be. Approbations from the audience went out to the 42 returning seniors who received their official NHS membership cards, 39 returning juniors who received their NHS pins, and 69 new inductees who received their NHS induction certificates.

Branch also said “Guests had a good time and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.” However, he did not want the community to forget about the upcoming blood drive at CHS, and in his excitement added, “The CHS National Honors Society this year won the Northern Nevada High School Blood Drive Challenge yet again and received a check for $3,000 from United Blood Services.” Smiling, he said “NHS' next blood drive is Oct. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the CHS Small Gym.”

Senator Snack Shack Soft Opening
Love, laughter, and a cup of ‘SPEDiality Coffee or Tea’ are now available at CHS. This year, CHS teacher Kyle Jordan's special education classes have started a Coffee Shop. The students each have a job and are paid daily for the jobs they perform. Each had to fill out a resume and application for the positions they desired. Some of the jobs applied for are barista, cashier and manager, and all students were trained for two weeks in their new positions before the Senator Snack Shack opened.

According to CHS Para-professional 4 Kristen Kellogg, “Students have really stepped up for the jobs in which they were hired.” Kellogg went on to say “Teachers and staff are able to come to the Snack Shack room, email, or call to place an order, and we also deliver; not only is it a coffee shop, it is also a great way to build our students job skills for the future because we use the money we earn to help with events like the Friendship Ball and to order supplies for the Career and Life Skills program.”

The money each student is paid each day, for the jobs they perform, can be saved or spent once-a-month. Orders may be placed by going to room 134, calling 283-1671, or via email to senatorsnackshack@outlook.com. Not able to pick up a cup of coffee, no worries; they deliver. Nothing is over two dollars. The Snack Shack is open from 7:40 a.m. to 2:05 p.m. Please come down and enjoy a SPEDiality Coffee.

International See You at the Pole

Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other students met at the CHS flagpole for prayer Sept. 26 at 7:00 a.m. All around the globe, in every time zone, students and staff gathered to pray for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities. See You at The Pole is a day committed to global unity in Christ and prayer for this generation. Please check it out at syatp.com/.

Robben Williams
There is a relatively new teacher in town, and he chose to stop by the CHS Small Gym during lunch to play some basketball with the 50 plus students who frequent this location every single day. Williams is another reason why CHS students have excellent academic achievement, near perfect graduation rates, high English language proficiency, are college and career ready, and a desire to engage in the many activities offered.

CHS Sports Registration
Time to register for 2018-2019 winter sports: Boys and Girls Basketball, Wrestling, and Skiing will be open Oct. 2 – Nov. 8, and all athletes must register online at registermyathlete.com. Those already in a sport from this fall need to select the winter sport. Photo or cell phone pictures of physicals will be accepted if readable. Form B of the NIAA pre-participation form must be signed by both parent and athlete with both pages uploaded together. Form D, physical history, must be uploaded separately from Form B. If no physical is needed, complete and submit top portion. Medical insurance is covered by Carson City School District for any school sponsored activity. If student already has medical insurance, CCSD will be a secondary insurance. Questions? Contact the Athletic Department at 283-1900.

College Connections and College Visits
Seniors, College Connections is a program for those interested in learning about college applications and scholarships. Currently, there is an ongoing FASFA workshop at CHS in room 257 at lunch. This will help students prepare for the Oct. 1 application opening. Seniors, do not put off stopping by to talk with a college representative in order to find out what options are available locally for education after high school. It is also scholarship season, and Senator Scholarship Scoop is online every Monday at carsonhigh.com with the latest in scholarships, testing, college visits, and grants. Go to carsonhigh.com, then “Academics”, next “Counseling Department”, then “The Scoop Scholarships” on the left.

Week of Respect
Though it should happen more often between individuals, respect does happen at CHS. It is time once again for the CHS annual Week of Respect, Oct. 2-5. School and classroom activities are planned every day thanks to Bridget Gordon-Johnson, CHS School Counseling Intern, CHS Solutions Site Coordinator, and her amazing talent.
As part of morning announcements, teachers are being asked to encourage their students to open up their Chromebooks and take the Online Upstander Pledge. Who is an Upstander? According to a quote found here “An Upstander is someone who recognizes when something is wrong and acts to make it right.”

School Nurse
School Based Flu Vaccinations are scheduled for Oct. 2- 3. Once paperwork has been filled out by a parent or guardian, students will be sent from Freshman Transitions, Sophomore PE, and Junior and Senior Elective Classes to receive a vaccination. Questions? Please call CHS nurse Sheila Story at 283-1675, or visit her in room 120.

Free and Reduced Meals
This message is for families who qualify for a Free and Reduced meal plan. Interested parents need to have filled out a new application for the 2018-2019 school year as the 30-day-grace-period ends Oct. 3, and then the student’s meal status will go to full pay. Already applied? Please disregard this message.

Future Farmers of America Cow Plop

To everyone interested in participating in a potentially lucrative endeavor, not to mention supporting FFA, it is time for Cow Plop. This annual event is fast approaching and will be at the CHS Homecoming Football game Oct. 12. FFA members are selling Cow Plop Squares at $5 each, or the really serious Cow Ploppers may purchase 5 squares for $20, and a purchase will automatically enter participants in a raffle to win $75. If the cow ‘plops’ on a participant’s square, the gambler…oops, participant…wins the grand prize of $250. Talk to an FFA student, see CHS Ag teacher Charles Mann in room 162, or call him at 283-1690 or email him: cmann@carson.k12.nv.us to purchase a square.

Student of the Week
The CHS Student of the Week is Neven McIlwee. Neven is taking Honors English II, Honors Algebra II, Honors World History, Honors Chemistry, ROTC, Principles of Engineering, and Spanish III. Neven is also on the CHS Robotics Team specializing in mechanical design and programming. Regarding his future plans, he said, “I would like to go to a technical institution such as MIT or Cal-Tech.” In his free time, Neven likes to mess around with computers and their hardware. Congratulations to Neven McIlwee on earning the CHS Student of the Week.

Senior Spotlight
This week’s Senior in the Spotlight is Gillian Mandel. Gillian has a weighted GPA of 4.49, and she is completing her second year in the WNC Jump Start program. She is on track to graduate with an Associate of Science degree as well as the Honors and College and Career Ready Diplomas. Gillian’s interests and pursuits are varied: She has been on the CHS Swim Team throughout high school, plays the bassoon with the Carson City Symphony, and also participates in Link Crew and National Honor Society.

She was the editor of the Carson High Carneta during the 16-17 school year, and she works as a lifeguard at the Carson City Aquatic Facility. Gillian has been an active participant and leader in Girl Scouts earning her Gold Award by completing her project, Friends of the Linear Park, and bridged to Ambassador Girl Scout. She is a beekeeper and member of the Great Basin Beekeepers of Northern Nevada.

She also volunteers with the Mark Twain Garden Club. Last summer, Gillian earned a full ride scholarship to attend an explosives camp at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; however, she may decide to attend UNR where she will pursue Mining Engineering. Carson High greatly appreciates Gillian’s commitment to education, as well as her leadership and service to the school and community.  

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