Senator Square: Robots coming to Carson High; billards club forms

When I was growing up, there was so much media hype about how someday there would be robots to help us through our daily lives - robots to help us clean, robots to drive our cars, and even robots to help raise our children.

As a child, I remember watching the Saturday morning cartoon, "The Jetson's." On those mornings I would get up early just to watch and daydream about having my own robotic maid, fly around in a car, and have my food fly up a wind-aided tunnel to my table.

Then in the 1980s, Styx released the song, "Mr. Roboto" and I again was smitten with the idea of robots in my life. Many of my friends were even robots for Halloween one year. That future I dreamed of as a child is now here in my present.

Robotics is coming to Carson High. CHS will be hosting the first FIRST TECH Challenge in Northern Nevada. There are about 1,800 teams and 190 events all over the world, just like the one that will be held here.

This challenge will afford all students a means to demonstrate their skill and community education work through active learning. A planning committee has been established and is looking for key people to help with the kick-off and planning for this inaugural event Feb. 24 and 25.

For more information about the First Tech Challenge, contact Adam Whatley at awhatley@carson.k12.nv.us.

I know I will be attending this robotics challenge to see if any students have masterfully created that robotic maid that I desperately need.

BILLIARDS CLUB STARTS

A new club has been founded at CHS by teacher Francine Emond. The Billiards Club started with just a few students interested and within a week is up to almost 15 students.

The students met for the first time last weekend at Carson Lanes to shoot pool. According to Mrs. Emond, the students displayed skills that are not at the beginner's level, but at a level that could be tournament ready.

The Northern Nevada American Pool players Association League is working closely with Emond in teaching the rules of the game to the students, with hopes of hosting a tournament in the near future. Newcomers and beginners are welcome to join. For more information about this club, contact Emond at femond@carson.k12.nv.us or call 283-1672.

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS RECOGNIZED

CHS social studies teachers are challenging students to think analytically about history, government and current events in their classrooms every day.

Recently, two CHS teachers, Nicole Fagundes and Will Houk were recognized for their work as part of the Teaching American History Project in the Project Tahoe Online Newsletter distributed across Northern Nevada.

Fagundes, Houk and Jennifer Chandler all participated in the Document Based Question Project, developing their own writing units on specific historical content to use in the classroom with high school students.

Fagundes designed a project analyzing the causes of World War I, Houk created a project on Vietnam and the protest movement, and Chandler produced a project on the Cold War and the Berlin Wall. The document based question style of analytical writing challenges students to take a stand, support their opinion, and prove it using historical evidence. Students are rising to the challenge of higher level writing thanks to the efforts of these dedicated teachers.

COLORGUARD & WINTERGUARD FUNDRAISER

What is Colorguard and Winterguard? It is the expression of music through the medium of movement. The most common form is the people you see dancing or spinning flags with a marching band during a half-time show, this happens in the fall semester.

Winterguard is the sport of indoor color guard - use of flags, sabers, mock rifles, other equipment, and dance. CHS Winterguard & Dance Team will compete at several winter guard international competitions as well as California Color Guard Circuit this spring.

Just like any other sport, it takes practice to make it work, but just getting there is half the fun.

Performances include half-time shows, parades, competitions, assembles/concerts at CHS and middle schools.

The CHS students are advised by Randy Cagle.

To raise money for their flags and uniforms, the CHS Colorguard and Winterguard will be holding a "Just Dance" tournament Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 at lunch in the big gymnasium. Students and staff are encouraged to participate. The fundraiser will cost individuals $3, pairs $5 and a team of four $8. Contact Julie Koop in room 219 for more information.

HOSA HELPS OUT

Thank you to the community for their support of the CHS HOSA chapter. Recently, HOSA completed two different fundraisers for worthy organizations.

The first was selling breast cancer pins for breast cancer awareness month in October. HOSA raised $500 to be donated to the local Pink Totties Chapter for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Also, HOSA sold tickets and held a spaghetti feed which raised $720 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. We received sponsorships of food from Walmart, Raley's and Smith's locally.

Thank you for all your support as we send the money off to these great organizations in hope for cures.  

Carson High is working hard to get prepared for an emergency or disaster to keep the students and staff safe if anything occurs in the future. HOSA worked with the administration and created disaster kits for each classroom in the building. These kits were assembled and distributed by the students.

They are designed to keep everyone safe if the school has to lock down for any reason. Good job HOSA.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

CHS is proud to spotlight senior Kyle Smith. First, we'd like to congratulate him for being one of the two National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists from Carson High School. He maintains a weighted grade-point of 4.75.

Kyle plays the trumpet for the CHS band in both Wind and Jazz Ensemble. He has also participated in National Honor Society, marching band and swimming. He's been in Boy Scouts and has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Kyle hopes to pursue a career as a field primatologist, and is applying to Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and Central Washington University. CHS is proud to call him a Senator! 

STAFF FACTS

Answer to last week's fact: Contractor who helped build the First Baptist Church in Gardnerville is Nate Girdner, math teacher at CHS.

New Fact: Prior to working at CHS, this person was a wilderness ranger at Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota which is along the Canadian border.

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