Senator Square

February is the time when hard work starts to pay off for students. Scholarship offers start to roll in, and senior projects start to solidify into something real.

Most seniors start their final year with trepidation because of the looming senior project, which seems overwhelming because it encompasses varied components: research, writing and speech.

Students finalize their choice of topics by submitting letters of intent around mid-November. By mid-January, research is well under way, and the written component is beginning to take form. As students develop project ideas and work through the required 15-plus hours of project development in March and April, they begin to look forward to finishing the final step, the speech presentation before the senior boards May 1-2.

The high school relies heavily on community volunteers to staff a board for each student, preferably with a community member on each board that has some expertise in the subject being presented. Community members interested in serving on a board this spring can contact Darlene Nevin at 283-1945.

Of course, all top achievers deserve recognition, regardless of grade level. In that spirit, Senator Pride has developed the return of the Honor Roll.

Using first-semester grades, all students earning a 3.5 or higher grade-point average will be awarded Blue Cards. Students earning a 3.0 to 3.49 grade-point average will be awarded White Cards.

First semester, there were 499 students earning the Blue Card and 436 earning the White Card. The Cards are a way of saying "great job" and offer discounts or perks at the Pizza Factory, Cold Stone Creamery, Keva Juice and Out of Bounds.

Other businesses who would like to offer a discount or perk to Carson High's top students can contact Angila Golik at 283-1737 or agolik@carson.k12.nv.us.

The National Honor Society recently sponsored a blood drive which was held at the high school, 112 units of blood were collected in November, with an additional 77 units collected in January.

One more blood drive is planned for April. It is the goal of the Honor Society and their advisor, Golik, to try and break the record of 157 units set by Fallon this past year.

Events this week at CHS: Winterfest dress up days all week. Math tutoring everyday after school.

Monday: Safe Grad meeting at 6 p.m., PTSA meeting. at 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Wooster.

Wednesday: Movie Night at 6 p.m. in Senator Square.

Friday: Winterfest Assembly during school, "Pericles" performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center.

Saturday: SAT testing at 8 a.m., Winterfest Dance at 7 p.m. in Senator Square, "Pericles" performance at 7:30 p.m.

• Cherie Mathis and Cindy Watty are counselors at Carson High School and members of Senator Pride.