Senator Square: Winning week for Carson High School students

This was a week of awards, winners and preparation for state competitions at CHS. Congrats to our wrestlers for winning the regional championship. Now off to state for them.

Congrats to our girls basketball team for winning the first round of regionals. Coach Ackerman and his girls can be very proud of such a successful season. A national award for one of our teachers, Eagle Scout ranking, student body elections, talent show winners, Pro Start Students at state (winners not determined at the time of my article), HOSA students preparing for state conference, CHS students preparing for robotics championship, and FBLA students practicing for state competition. The students and staff at CHS are amazing, and the awards and accolades just keep piling up. Way to go, Senators!

NATIONAL AWARD

FOR CHS TEACHER

I am proud to share with you that our own Cheryl Macy, English teacher at CHS and last year's Teacher of the Year for Nevada, has been honored again.

Macy was presented the 2012 Teachers of Excellence Award last week in Washington, D.C., at the National Education Association's Foundation Gala. She was the Nevada State Education Association representative.

Her award includes an all-inclusive trip to China in June sponsored by Pearson Global Learning Fellows. The focus of the trip is "Global Competency" in which she and 30 other U.S. teachers will visit schools throughout China. While in China, Macy will be required to complete a project, which includes essential question techniques as used in her own classroom. Macy said she was honored to receive the award.

She said one of the highlights of NEA conference last week was the presentation by the U.S. Peace Institute, which included its mandate to establish peace outside the U.S. and to work with schools and students throughout our country to spread the message.

STUDENT BODYELECTIONS RESULTS

Student body elections were held this week. The new student body officers elected for the 2012-13 school year are as follows: president, Emmy Heller; vice president, Mallory Wilson; treasurer, Cheena Amaranto; secretary, Odile Reid; public relations officer, Lydia Lopez; historian, Hannah Novak; and school board representative, Mariah Whitcome. Congratulations to our new student body officers.

TALENT SHOW WINNERS

I was so happy that my personal schedule allowed me time to attend the CHS talent show Wednesday at the Community Center. As I sat and marveled at the immense amount of talent in our school, I also thought, wow, what a tough job the four judges had in determining who would win the evening event.

The judges for the evening were Erin Been, Michelle Lewis, Lynette Brown and Sheila Story. Thank you to them for volunteering their time.

CHS Photography Club, led by teacher Brian Reedy, holds the talent show each year as a fundraiser for the organization. Some of the night's talent included singing, dancing, piano and guitar.

An emotional dedication to the late Stephen Anderson and Keegan Aiazzi was performed by seniors Kristen Good and Laura Mohlenkamp. The two girls wrote the heartfelt song "Gone but not Forgotten" and played their guitars while singing lyrics that left many with a tearful reminder of the two lives taken so tragically last year.

After almost two hours of beautiful singing and dancing, winners were announced. Walking away with third place for their dueling-piano number, "Cantina Band," were Alexandra Theiss and Shannon Flaherty. Second-place winner was Arran Rumbaugh for her piano performance of "Christifori's Dream."

Winning first place for the talent show was Good and Mohlenkamp's duet dedication to Anderson and Aiazzi. Congrats to all the amazing performers and winners.

HOSA GOING TO STATE

Carson High Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) is preparing for their annual state leadership conference in Las Vegas. Last year CHS sent 24 students to the conference to compete in medical-related events, and 19 qualified for nationals in Anaheim, Calif.

This year, 45 students are planning on attending the conference March 21-24. This leadership conference is an excellent way for students who are interested in health care to meet professionals in the field, explore opportunities and show their skills.

This trip costs a lot and the school tries to raise money to help the students with the cost. If you are interested in supporting Carson HOSA with a donation please contact carsonhosa@gmail.com. Any donation would help these future health care workers grow.

STUDENT EARNSEAGLE SCOUT RANK

Grant Brewer, senior at CHS, has recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America. Grant completed a food drive for the Ron Wood Center and FISH in which he collected over a half of ton of food for these two local charities.

"Gaining the rank of Eagle Scout was a huge step in my life," Grant said. "It was a testament to all the good work I've done over the last six years. It was awesome knowing I have such a great reference with me. I'm also grateful I'll always have the things my scouting has taught me, such as leadership, gratitude, service and honesty. These things I'll carry forever."

Thanks, Grant, for being an excellent role model and for helping our community. Congrats on your ranking.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

CHS is proud to spotlight senior Leah Kniffen. She maintains a weighted grade-point average of 4.23. Leah participates in culinary arts, ProStart, SkillsUSA, Future Business Leaders of America, FFA, National Honor Society and Link Crew. She also volunteers at her church, and has started her own business, Leah's Recreations, which was recently featured in the Nevada Appeal.

Leah has applied to UNR and Johnson and Wales University in Denver. She plans to major in business administration.

CHS is proud of Leah and thankful for all of her contributions to our school.  

STAFF FACT

Answer to last week's fact is Trish Stephenson. Trish graduated from Carson High and the University of Nevada.

She held the title of Miss Carson City 1977 and was third runner-up in the Miss Nevada Pageant 1978. She was also the Carson High cheer coach for 13 years. Trish is the current Powerschool tech coordinator for CHS.

NEW FACT:

This person gave me so many great stories to tell about his past before he came to the world of education, but I shall narrow it down to these two.

First, to put himself through school to earn his education degree, he worked as a dealer in many different casinos. One particular evening in the mid-1990s at a casino at Lake Tahoe, as this person was dealing craps, a Seattle businessman won $1.7 million in a half-hour.

Second, this person played semi-pro baseball for the Davis Red Sox in Davis, Calif., in the early 1980s. 

• Angila Golik is a government and sociology teacher at CHS and also a member of Senator Pride.