Senator Square: Chatting with Chambers, Senators Now, Fit Check and more at Carson High School

Senators Now Digital Media, with teacher and yearbook adviser Cynthia Mills, has brought back another school year of "Chatt’N with Chambers," senatorsnow.org, and introduced a brand new production of student videos.

"Chatt’N with Chambers" offers students the opportunity to find out from the Principal himself the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the happenings and reasons for them at CHS.

Next, of course, is SenatorsNow. Much like carsonnow.org, the events happening around Carson City, students get to see all the events happening around CHS as it is a huge school with many clubs, sports, events, and more.

One of the coolest new 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 with masks 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.

CHILI BINGO NIGHT IS BIGGEST BAND FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Chili Bingo Night is Oct. 15 in the Big Gym from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and anybody can enter a chili. This is the CHS Band's largest fundraiser of the year, so students will spend the next week preselling raffle tickets. Prizes were donated by generous area businesses, so the Band will earn a 100% profit on every ticket sold. Half of each ticket sold by a student will go towards their individual band fees and the other half will go towards new instrument storage, instrument repairs, and equipment.

With many upgrades necessary to bring the Band program to a level which allows them to compete with the top schools in the area, every little bit helps. There will be additional items to win in-person at the event. Those who want to purchase tickets in advance may email CHS Band Director Nick Jacques at njacques@carson.k12.nv.us and arrange a time to meet him in-person.

The presale is just one small part of the event. There will also be bingo games for even more prizes at the event itself, along with a silent auction with still more prizes, all of which were donated by area businesses. The raffle drawing will also take place at the event. Go here for the link to sign up. The Carson City community may enter their chili creation.

MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAM PRODUCES MANY PODIUM PLACEMENTS
The Carson High mountain bike team has put out amazing effort so far this season in their first two races with plenty of podium finishes and high positions for each of its racers. The first race, the Walker River Rendezvous, took place in Yerington, Nevada. The course was hot and dusty with plenty of loose sand and no shade. The wide and flat course gave racers the opportunity to display their speed and strength against the other team’s riders.

On the hot desert course, the racers faced not only their opponents, but the scorching heat of the desert, but had middle school boys on the podium for the large and competitive sixth, seventh, and eighth grade categories, and Riley Kuhlman took a clean fifth place for the seventh grade girls. Varsity rider Spencer Bray and junior varsity rider Eric Billings each put on an incredible performance, racing against nationally ranked riders. Varsity rider Elsa Harrison also finished not far behind the leader, Mya Dixion, former USAC National Champion. The second race of the season, the High Sierra Showdown, took place on the beautiful Mammoth Mountain. At over 8,900 feet in elevation, this race was a big change from Yerington in just about every way.

The rocky and rooted trails of Mammoth Mountain provided a new challenge for this race giving racers a chance to prove their skill at riding hard in technical terrain. Fast, winding descents and short sprint climbs came together in this course to allow each racer to prove their mettle at pure cross-country mountain bike racing. Once again, the team made a strong showing with podium finishes in almost every category.

A newer rider for the team, Cavery Jones, rocketed his way to the finish line with a solid third place for the sixth grade boys, and Bryce Card took fifth place not far behind. For more information about Senators Cycling, visit their website at www.senatorscycling.org/. Contributed by CHS Junior Bennett Card, rider and writer.

OCTOBER BEGINS WITH A SWINGING START
Oct. 1 began with a monthly swinging start from the CHS Jazz Band in a Senator Square performance, starting at 7:05. Band Director Nick Jacques and his musical student musicians played a six-song-set of new, never-before-heard selections to give students, teachers, and administrators a fantastic Friday swingin' start.

ENGLISH LEARNER ADVISORY TEAM TO MEET AT SEELIGER ELEMENTARY
The English Learner Advisory Team is comprised of a multifaceted team of stakeholders. The team, which meets quarterly, provides input regarding effective ways to support English Learners (EL) and former ELs in fully participating in all school activities.

The focus of the team’s work this year will be exploring avenues for celebrating students’ bilingualism and promoting approaches aimed at capitalizing on ELs linguistic funds. This team will be comprised of a broad base of school community stakeholders including EL specialists, paraprofessionals, teachers, district leaders, students, and parents. Please find additional information, in both Spanish and English, regarding the intended work of this team attached.

The team meetings will be held in a high-flex format. We hope you will join us in person at the Empire Elementary School Library. Meeting Dates and Location Oct. 13, 2021 Jan. 12, 2022 March 9,2022 May 4, 2022 3:45 to 5:00 pm. Empire Elementary School 1260 Monte Rosa Dr. Carson City. I sincerely hope that you will take the time to read the information attached and consider joining us this year. Your participation in this endeavor would be greatly appreciated on behalf of myself and the students served by the CCSD EL Program. Further, please consider passing this information along to stakeholders I may have overlooked whom you think may be interested in joining us as well.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or to let me know that you are planning to attend. Those wishing to join the team virtually, however, can obtain information for joining the meeting via Zoom upon request. For more information or to R.S.V.P. please contact Dr. Tanya Scott, Assistant Director of Equity and EL Programming with Carson City School District tscott@carson.k12.nv.us. 283-1507.

CHS NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION CEREMONY
The new and current members of National Honor Society are invited to the 2021-2022 induction ceremony Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in Senator Square. Students and their families are welcome and are being asked to RSVP by Oct. 18 to teachers Jennifer Alexander, jalexander@carson.k12.nv.us, or Monica Flinchum at mflinchum@carson.k12.nv.us. Moreover, the NHS blood drive is Oct. 21 in the CHS Small Gym from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Staff, students 16-years and older, and the public are invited to attend.

Blood donations are urgently needed during Breast Cancer Awareness Month as the American Cancer Society estimates more than 281,000 women and 2,500 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. Blood platelets and plasma help those undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, not to mention the many other needs for blood in hospitals around the country.

Type ‘O’ blood is the most transfused blood type and is always urgently needed, and O-negative is what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine a patient’s blood type. Please keep in mind masks are to be worn at all times while at the high school giving blood.

4th ANNUAL BOOSTERS AND ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT
On Oct. 16 at Silver Oak Golf Course, the Campagni Auto Group, Carson City Toyota, and Capitol Ford are sponsoring the 4th Annual Boosters and Alumni Golf Tournament. Registration is due by 7:30 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. is the shotgun start. Green fees are $100 per player with a barbecue, raffle prizes, and a $250-hole sponsor, halftime recognition, a $10,000 hole-in-one, and a car hole-in-one. Register at www.senatorsfootball.com. For questions, donations, and more information, call Paul Longshore at 846-4362. Proceeds from this tournament are awarded to Carson High School football players as well as other student athletic scholarships through the Shane Quilling and Jake Roman Memorial Funds.

UPCOMING EVENTS
There will be a CHS Varsity Cross Country meet against Clovis High School in Clovis, CA, Flu and Covid vaccine boosters, 15 tables and 100 chairs, will take place from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the CHS North Foyer and Big Gym. Girls varsity and junior varsity soccer games will take place at Galena High School at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. Boys varsity and junior varsity soccer games will take place at North Valleys High School at 12:30 and 2:15 p.m. For more information on upcoming events, visit carsonhigh.com.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
CHS Athletic Department’s Athletes of the Week are Josue Rivas and Samuel Guerra for Boys Varsity Soccer as well as Kaylee Garcia and Gracie Walt for Girls Varsity Soccer. 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 Cristian Rodriguez Contreras, a senior. According to Dr. Brian Fox, his nominating teacher, “Cristian is an outstanding member of CHS Chamber Orchestra, and in the six years I have worked with Cristian I have observed his quiet strength and his superb musical intuition; Cristian's dedication and conscientiousness will take him far in life.” Employees within Carson City School District nominate the CHS Student of the Week, and it is often the students’ teachers who do the nominating though anyone in the district may do so by sending an email to pbrady@carson.k12.nv.us. Congratulations to Cristian Rodriguez Contreras on being nominated CHS Student of the Week.

SENIOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT
When many seniors are barely rolling out of bed, or hitting the snooze bar for the fourth time, Diana Pierrott has been up for hours making the most of her morning. Diana is a leader, a role model, and a high achiever, which is why she is being recognized as this week’s CHS Senior in the Spotlight. When Diana began attending CHS, she joined the Naval JROTC program because she wanted to challenge herself physically and mentally and develop leadership skills.

As a freshman, she joined the Drill Team and the Armed Regulation and Exhibition Team and was recognized as Cadet of the Month. Sophomore year, she became a team commander for the Armed Drill Team and was promoted to squad leader in her platoon. That same year she joined the Cyber Patriot Team and the Physical Training Team. Last year she became a platoon commander, continued to serve as commander of the Armed Drill Team, and participated in the Cyber Patriot Team.

While Covid-19 made these activities very challenging, Diana and her platoon earned awards for Honor Platoon and Distinguished Unit, and Diana received an Excellence in Leadership award. As a senior, Diana has taken on the role of Battalion Commander, and her responsibilities include overseeing approximately 200 cadets. This is why she is usually the first one to pull into the student parking in the morning and one of the last to leave at the end of the day. Once Diana gets home, there is no time to put her feet up.

Besides chores and helping to care for her younger siblings, she has a long night of homework. This year, besides JROTC, she is taking three honors and two AP classes. Her current weighted GPA is 4.6, which will only increase when her senior grades are posted. Diana is living proof of what can be accomplished with hard work, determination, and a desire to rise above all expectations. — Contributed by CHS Counselor Michele Quintero.

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