Field Hockey Fever

WFISD is home to award-winning bands, stellar soccer teams and a plethora of UIL teams. It is a thriving environment for the academically strong as well as one for traditional sports such as soccer, volleyball and football. However, to put itself over the top and prove to the state that WFISD is truly number one, it needs one final element: a field hockey team. Field hockey is not a sport that pops into mind when one thinks of high school athletics. But the demand for a team is beginning to build with rapid velocity. If a student were to talk to their friends about starting a team, chances are that the student would talk to their friends about it and so on. Students seem to embrace the idea of a team because it is a way to stay active and relieve pent-up frustrations. Since girls are not extended the chance to play football, they should have a contact sport that they can play without having to jump through hoops to make the team. Another reason WFISD needs a field hockey team is that it would be a great learning experience for the students from the three high schools. Although the swimming team is already merging the three schools, a minuscule number of students participate in it. A field hockey team, however, would spur the interest of many more girls. By merging Rider, Hirschi, and Old High into one supreme team, WFISD would show Texas that it is superb in the athletic arena which in turn would generate more interest in the district. The aspect of having the sport catch on across Texas is also an inspiration to start a team. Field hockey is a highly active sport that involves about as much running as soccer. This would keep the participating girls active in a fun way that doesn’t seem like exercise. Once other school districts catch on to this idea, the credit for bringing this orphaned sport back would be bestowed upon WFISD. This could result in publicity for the district, which could in turn bring in revenue. Those against the team would argue that it is a contact sport, therefore dangerous. However, there is no more contact than in football, and there is no actual tackling. They could argue that injured students could attack WFISD with a lawsuit, but waivers would stop this possibility before a student would even hit the field. All in all, WFISD needs a field hockey team because girls don’t have a contact sport, to show Texas that they are more talented than they appear, and to bring extra attention to WFISD.

Carrigan Career Center: Life Training

A select group of Carrigan students competed in a state wide competition on Friday, Feb. 26. Of the students who competed, the three-man welding team of Bailey Tressler, Kyle Cain, and Trent Shoffit earned 1st place. Kenton Bosworth earned 1st place in individual welding, Alex Hammett placed 1st in precision machining, and cosmetology students Leslie Trejo and Ariel Watkins placed 2nd in their areas of prepared speech and customer service.

All of these students will compete in the state competition at Corpus Christi on March 26-27. If they win state, they will compete on the National Level this summer.

All of these Carrigan students are under the direction of Ms. Leah Tunnell.

Leah Tunnell, principal of Carrigan Career Center, has been working in the WFISD for 20 years.

“This is my fourth year as principal at Carrigan,” Tunnell said. “[I've been] a teacher at Hirschi, a counselor at Rider, an assistant principal at Jefferson [Elementary School] and an assistant principal at Rider.”

Although Ms. Tunnell is happy at Carrigan, there is a change she would like to make to the program.

“If we have room in our classes, then there aren’t enough students attending,” Tunnell said. “Right now, we are at about 70 percent capacity.”

Carrigan isn’t exactly a huge place, but there are plenty of spaces available for hopeful attendees.

“We have six labs that can house up to 15-17 students per class, except Cosmetology, which can allow 25 students.”

Most Carrigan classes are two years long, and once the students complete the classes they are considered ready for an entry-level position in the field of their training.

“I think it is important to remember that not all students attend a two or four year university after high school,” Tunnell said. “Our programs provide students with training and skills necessary to leave high school with a great skill that can land them in a high wage or high demand job immediately upon graduation.”

Cosmetology is the largest offered class, and is made up of mostly girls. Cosmetology I class is open to juniors for its first year and seniors for Cosmetology II.

“I love that these students have the ability to leave our program after two years and be a fully licensed cosmetologist in Texas,” Tunnell said. “They can begin their career right after high school graduation making a great salary with opportunity for advancement.”

“Cosmetology is so much fun,” junior Leslie Trejo said. “And it’s a great way to work through law school.”

Although a class about doing hair sounds like fun and games, there is a lot of hard work behind it.

“We’re here Monday through Friday,” Trejo said. “Mondays until 6, and Tuesdays through Fridays until 4.”

The cosmetology students are learning many aspects of the business.

“We learn to cut, color, and style hair,” Trejo said. “We also learn to do natural and acrylic nails and make up, so pretty much everything you would do in a salon.”

The cosmetology program takes participants two years and three periods a day to earn their licenses.

“Once I finally get my license, I’m going to be so happy!” Trejo said. “I’ll have a steady source of income for college, and then I will be able to achieve my real dream: law school.”

Welding is a class is open to students grade 10-12, and once a student completes Welding II the are considered ready to start in an entry-level welding job.

“This course combines art, science, math and visual skills to create a format the students really love,” Tunnell said. “The most rewarding part of this class is watching the students come to us as ‘wannabe welders’ and leave with the skills, ability and maturity to earn a great wage in a high demand occupation.”

Electronics is a two year class that gives students the opportunity to excel in the robotics or engineering industry. Electronics students learn soldering, care of tools, and hardware components.

“It is exciting that most of our students in this class have the ability to leave Carrigan with at least half the college hours necessary towards an associates degree,” Tunnell said. “We had some students graduate high school and obtain an associates degree before Christmas of the next year!”

Machining technology students are heavily trained in the safe use of hand tools and in making precision measurements.

“This class is very closely related with the workforce opportunity market in Wichita Falls, and our teacher knows virtually every machinist in town,” Tunnell said. “If a student is serious about a career in machining, he can come to this class, learn the techniques and skills necessary, and the instructor can find him or her a job in the field before graduation!”

Auto collision is much like working in an actual body shop. Students learn glass work, body and metal repairs, how to calculate an estimate, and painting techniques.

“My favorite thing about this class is that students learn the basics and the complexities of refurbishing an automobile,” Tunnell said. “Most students don’t realize how much math, science, and manual dexterity is involved in this course, I really like that they get such a good experience working with math and science in this class.”

Construction students work with Habitat for Humanity in their training. They learn carpentry and basic trade skills, including instruction on how to use power tools.

“Students in this class learn how to build a house over the course of a year because we partner with Habitat for Humanity and build a house for that entity from start to finish,” Tunnell said. “I love it that this group of students learn th importance of giving back to the community through a high school course.”

Leave My Boys Alone!

I love Creed. I walk around singing “Arms Wide Open.” I’ve been telling people who ask that I want Creed CD’s for my birthday. Sadly, most of the free world is bashing Creed. If you Google “worst band in the world” Creed pops up first, second, third….

The Negative Nancies of the school openly mock Creed, and honestly, it’s starting to get annoying. They’re the types who listen to music where you can’t tell what the singer is so mad about. Their type of music sounds like a Hanson CD that got thrown in the garbage disposal.

Creed has nothing to prove to the world. They’re not afraid to be themselves. Their self-confident attitude is reflected in their music. “Away In Silence” is the most powerful song I’ve ever heard. The singer and the rest of the band are begging for a second chance from the woman in the song, and perhaps their haters as well.

To take a stand for my people, the ones who listen to Creed, dare I say, the Creed FANS, I’m putting “Creed Fan” on the back of my newspaper staff shirt. It’s my way of saying “you’re never gonna break my stride.”

Varsity Volleyball

Coming together as a family, the varsity volleyball team hopes to be successful in the 2009-2010 season.

Members of the team feels that they are doing well because they are functioning as a whole.

“We’re really close as a team and we’re playing our hardest,” Sophomore Cadyn Laing said.

The girls have been handling criticism well, so they can improve.

“The girls have been responsive,” coach TiAda Radtke said. “They’ve dona a good job of changing what we ask them to.”

Even this early in the season the girls have their favorite moments.

“The best part of the season was beating Old High,” Laing said.

Insiders believe that the good mix of players is helping the outcomes of games.

“The team is pretty balanced,” Coach Radtke said. “We’re lucky that everyone contributes equally.”

Players seem to be bonding as a group.

“There’s nothing I would change about the team,” Laing said.

Coach Radtke is positive about the team.

“There have been no major obstacles so far,” Coach Radtke said.

Cross Country

Chris Anderson is leading the boys’ cross country team with a time of 17:24, Darryl Neal follows with a time of 19:02, and Aaron Kurtz comes in third at Rider with a time of 19:14.

The team places third at the Perkins Scout Camp and 11th at Marcus I International.

“I believe this team has more upside than teams in the past,” coach Joshua Hill said. “Hopefully, you’ll see times continue to drop and we will reach our peak right as we hit district meet.”

JV Football

The JV football team is so far undefeated for the 2009-2010 season with a 2-0 record.

So far the team has played Byron Nelson, a new team from Justin, twice.

Their scores were 12-0 and 28-7, with the seven points from the other team as a technicality. The defense has not yet been scored on.

“Our junior varsity is one of the hardest working groups in our football program, and we expect great things from them in the future,” coach Jason Meng said.

Some of the individual achievements are a kickoff return for a touchdown by Johnathan Nunn, five touchdown runs by Tevin Aldridge, and a fantastic job as tight end for Devon Garvin, who has had major receptions on third downs.