Senator Square: CHS teachers and students share their skills with Carson City and beyond

Excitement abounds as teachers and students have been holding multiple events throughout Carson City this holiday season, everything from Christmas tree sales with CHS teacher and Adviser Ty McMillen’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes to the American Sign Language students of teacher Mary Anne Weaver putting on their Sign Me a Song Christmas production at the high school.

As if this was not exciting enough, the CHS Orchestras, with teacher Dr. Brian Fox, performed Dec. 4, the Choral Ensemble and Musical Theater Holiday Concert took place Dec. 5, and the Bands performed Dec. 6 at the Carson City Community Center. Teacher Bill Zebelski’s students put on a Wind & Percussion Concert Dec. 6 along the award winning Midnight Blues Jazz Ensemble and Wind Ensemble playing holiday favorites.

The bands even combined for their final number, Auld Lang Syne, which included an audience sing-along of the musical arrangement piece by Mannheim Steamroller. Other teacher and student activities and events are the CHS Greenhouse, the NHS food drives and blood drives, the many art contests, the Memorial Balloon Release, the Angel Tree gift giving, the Paradise, California gathering and delivery of supplies, the myriad sporting events, and the list goes on.

The students of the Carson City School District, along with their teachers, are continuously reaching out to the community to share their musical skills, their artistic abilities, their passion for those in need, and their athleticism. None of these things could happen without the support of an amazing community of people.

ENGLISH TEACHER RECEIVES AWARD
Carson City Rotary maintains a long standing tradition of recognizing outstanding teachers in the Carson City area. This month’s recipient is Advanced Placement English teacher Jason Macy with Carson High School. Macy, an AP English teacher at the high school for over 20 years, works with AP senior English Literature, AP junior Language Arts, and AP Enrichment. He expects a great deal from his students as he prepares them for both AP Exams and success at the collegiate level. Congratulations to Jason Macy on making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of his students.

CCSD ORCHESTRA
The Carson City School District Orchestra Program held their Holiday Concert at the Community Center. Attendees braved the weather to enjoy performances from Dr. Fox's five orchestra classes. Students played a wide variety of pieces, including Holiday favorites. Notable moments were the Eagle Valley Middle School Chamber Orchestra's rendition of "Alison's Waltz," Hannah Oliphant's reflective harp solo, "Greensleeves," and the CHS Chamber Orchestra's breathtaking evocation of "Suddenly," from Les Mis. The Orchestra Program's next concert is March 12 at 7:00 p.m., at the Community Center. Admission is free.

CHRISTMAS TREE SALES TO BENEFIT FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
Fellowship of Christian Athletes Missionary Area Director, Pastor Tim Plummer, has brought Christmas Trees to Carson City to support FCA. Studies show that people who start decorating for the holidays early are lifted up both physically and emotionally, so what better way to start than with a fresh cut tree from Oregon?

The Lift Christmas Trees lot is located across from the Ormsby House in downtown Carson City, the corner of Carson Street and 6th Street. Christmas trees are available Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. now through Dec. 23. Tree varieties available are the Noble, Nordmann, Douglas, Fraser, Organic, and Silver Tip.

Purchases benefit both buyer and supplier as all profit goes directly to FCA in order to assist CHS lead adviser and science teacher Ty McMillen as well as other FCA campus groups in the area. According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, “Research suggests that U.S. residents may use holiday decorations…to communicate friendliness and cohesiveness with neighbors”, and this is what FCA is all about, friendliness with others.

The goal of FCA is to always foster unity and support. FCA members serve their Savior by sharing Him with students and encouraging students to share Him as well. So come purchase a tree for Christmas and support FCA student members.

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS
Help is needed for a cell phone usage social experiment being conducted by CHS senior and WNC Jump Start student Kayla Simmons. Volunteers will be asked to give up their cell phones for three days. Can they do it? Will they do it? These volunteers must also answer a series of questions every evening to report their progress. Simmons said “Collected data will determine why individuals are so addicted to their cell phones.”

Interested in participating in Kayla Simmons’ Senior Project, a CHS graduation requirement? Please contact her at kaylas461c@gmail.com, stop by the CHS Career Center inside the CHS Library, or email Yetti Deluca at ydeluca@carson.k12.nv.us.

HOLIDAY CONCERT
The CCSD Orchestras performed their holiday concert fundraiser Dec. 4 at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free to the Community Center. According to Orchestra Director Brian Fox, “We will have a Silent Auction, a Bake Sale, Popcorn Sales, and a free TapSnap booth with Santa on-site.”

DOOR DECORATING CONTEST
There will be a Christmas Door Decorating Contest. Leadership stdoor decoration contest a little different this year.  Leadership will be by to take a picture of your door during A3 on Monday.  We will put the picture in a poll and let the students and staff vote for their favorite!

The voting will go through Thursday of next week and the winners will be announced on Friday.  If you have not emailed me your room number to be judged please do so. Thanks so much! There will be prizes for the top three.  Doors must be completed by Dec. Teacher’s doors, generally decorated by their students, will be judged on neatness, creativity, and holiday spirit. Ann Britt, CHS Physical Education teacher and Leadership Advisor is in charge. Call her at 283-1769, or email her at abritt@carson.k12.nv.us.

HELP FOR FRESHMAN IN PREPARING FOR FINAL EXAMS
Called ‘Cookies, Coco and Cram’, CHS Blue Crew is here to help freshman prepare for their semester final exams. Any CHS freshman may join Blue Crew leaders in the ‘Health and Science Hallway’ Dec. 11, 12, and 13 after school. Each room will have tutoring for a different subject. Blue Crew asks students to bring their study guides to have fun studying, eating free cookies, and drinking free hot chocolate while studying.

SPEECH AND DEBATE
CHS Speech and Debate is hosting its annual winter exhibition Dec. 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Brewery Arts Center, 449 West King Street in Carson City. The team will perform pieces they have been developing this year.

There is also a raffle during the week of the event for prizes to local venues such as Yaples Dance Study and The Union. Tickets are $5 at the door, and raffle tickets may be purchased either from speech and debate members or at the exhibition. The raffle grand prize is two court side tickets to a Sacramento Kings game in March. Contact CHS teacher and coach Patrick Mobley at pmobley@carson.k12.nv.us for more information.

SPIRIT WEAR
Orders for CHS apparel will be delivered Dec. 14. Pickups are Dec. 17 in room 257 all day and after school, until 4:00 p.m. To arrange a special pick up, please email Erin Been via ebeen@carson.k12.nv.us. Happy Holidays from CHS.

CARSON CITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Carson City Health and Human Services is remodeling their clinic and needs student art work. The competition will award the top three students with prizes, and their work will be displayed in the new clinic. The theme is ‘Carson City Winter’, and any form of art is accepted as long as it fits the following criteria: Must be able to hang on the wall, be no larger than 20" x 20", contain the artist’s full name and home address on the back, and be submitted to CHS teacher Kelly Gustafson in room 206 by Dec. 17.

SAFE GRAD
Now is the time to consider volunteering as a member of the 2018-2019 CHS Safe Grad Committee. Meetings occur the second Saturday every month at Remax Realty, 716 North Carson Street on the 2nd floor. Contact CHS Safe Grad Secretary, Wendy Yang at 720-6160, President Kyra Hinton at 434-760-0635, or email carsonhighsafegrad@gmail.com for details.

Really cool CHS Safe Grad Booster sticker decals are available for the Class of 2019-2026 including sports and clubs decals for $5. Students will find these decals for sale at upcoming CHS sporting events; however, students may also contact Kyra Hinton or order decals at carsonhighsafegrad@gmail.com.

Upcoming Safe Grad fundraising event is the CHS Safe and Sober 5k Run/Walk Feb. 9, and the runner’s application is found at carsonhighsafegrad.com. Safe Grad is looking for sponsors and raffle prize donations too. Nubia Leon she is our new Social Media Advertising Coordinator.

DISTRICT WORK BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR

All seniors interested in completing their Senior Project with Carson City Sheriff's Office must sign up for the eight-week academy. Please stop by the Library/CHS Career Center for more information or email Yetti Deluca at ydeluca@carson.k12.nv.us.

CARSON CITY COUNTS
The website carsoncitycounts.com has some new resources and up-to-date testing information. The site is designed to provide resources for families to help make math fun at home. There are math apps and games to try, activities to do, and online homework help. Also posted are math competitions and math camps for students. Events coming up? Advertise them by using the contact option to let everyone know. Happy clicking.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Kai Miller is the CHS Student of the Week. Kai excels academically and is taking the following classes: Freshman Seminar, Spanish 1, Honors English 1, Honors Geometry, Honors Biology, Personal Fitness, and Introduction to Engineering Design.

He is also freely giving his time to help mentor the Eagle Valley First Lego League Robotics team, the Jedi Engineers, who took first place in Project Design and will be moving on to Regionals at UNR in January.

Jedi Engineer team members are: Dylan Cooley, Tavin Miller, Gideon Feuling, Katarina Kmart, and Devin Linehan.

According to Kai, "If changing the world was easy, then everybody would be doing it; it is those people who take the extra step who make the world extraordinary." Congratulations to Kai Miller for taking time to help others.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
This week’s Senior in the Spotlight is Josh Ingram. Josh is a talented and resilient student who excels academically, maintaining A’s in all his classes. He has also challenged himself with many honors and Advanced Placement classes and has attained a GPA of 4.55, despite having lived in four different states and moving five times while growing up. Josh has involved himself in a wide variety of activities.

He has participated in Choir and Chamber Choir for two years, National Honor Society for two years, was a tutor in the Solutions after school program, and is currently a leader in Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He has played baseball all four years of high school and was honored as an Allstate Academic. He is also involved at his church, playing drums for the church praise band and working part time cleaning the church. Josh is very interested in engineering, particularly aeronautics and military defense. He is currently applying what he has learned in engineering and physics by designing and building a motorized longboard.

His dream is to go to Stanford and study aerospace or civil engineering, but he has applied to a number of schools and has not finalized his plans. CHS is proud to claim Josh as one of its own; everyone who knows him wishes him the best in his future.

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