By: Libby Sanchez

This month has been crazy busy for the Pleasanton High School ROTC group. They ended March with one of their biggest events, the Military Ball. They hosted it at Strawberry Pines in Poteet on March 25th, and had a magnificent turnout. Cadets did a phenomenal job planning this event and following through with a very successful night, full of laughs and a good time. They went as far as reaching out to a guest speaker, Colonel Phil Palmore, and inviting him to this event. His speech is something for these young cadets to hold on to for years to come. Students dressed to impress for the Ball, and many went home as winners of the Royal Court. Daylan Aguero and Taliah Garcia won Lord and Lady. Rion Ochoa and Leah Torres won Dutch and Dutchess. Wally Ramirez and Alyssa Castelar won Prince and Princess. The role of King and Queen was given to Valdemar Herrera and Natalia Jones. A huge accomplishment given to these cadets who deserve it!

The first weekend of April was a competitive one for the Eagle Battalion.. They took their all to the Central Catholic High School Military Skills meet against 16 JROTC programs from across the region. Krista Gutierrez took charge of the unarmed drill team and led them to finishing 2nd overall. They also finished 2nd and 3rd places in two sub categories of the competition. As for the male and female physical fitness teams, they both finished 1st place! Of the male team: Captain Valdemar Herrera, Roman Martinez, Rion Ochoa, and Jayden Herrera. Of the female team: Captain Alyssa Castelar, Yasmeen Diop, Abigail Hotchkin, and Lillian Krause. Both teams competed their hearts out and it definitely showed in the end! Honorable mention to the Academic Bowl team that finished 4th out of 18 teams. Alana Moczygemba, Hailey Yoho, Mason Outland, and Lane Ciomperlik did a phenomenal job representing our school!

The Pleasanton High School JROTC is honored to announce that one of our very own cadets, Krista Gutierrez, was selected to receive the Military Officers Association Scholarship! She worked extremely hard to gain this award of $1,000 to help with future endeavors. They look forward to seeing what amazing things Krista will accomplish!

Pleasanton High School’s JROTC program continues to stay on the move, participating and helping everywhere they can. On April 11th, the Eagle Battalion Color Guard presented the colors at the Special Olympics in Poteet. They continue to show their neverending honor in all that they do. 

One last congratulations to the most recent Eagle Battalion Cadets and NCO of the month. Cadet CPL Justine Resendez and CPL Madison Nunley were selected for Cadets of the month based on their hard work. Cadet Staff Sergeant Jealousey Oliva was announced NCO of the month of April. A huge congratulations to all and, keep up the good work JROTC!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Varsity Eagles at Llano Tournament.

The season of Spring is almost here which means baseball and softball season is starting as well. The varsity softball and jv-varsity baseball teams are all looking forward to having a great season full of new memories and new traditions. The lady eagles started off their season with a game against La Vernia on Feb 13th and unfortunately lost to the bears with a score of 18-5. The team then participated in the Navarro Tournament, Feb 16-18, to get more practice before district. Their next game was on Feb 21st against George West and the lady eagles came out with the win, 11-10. They then had their last tournament in Natalia, Feb 23-25, and then had their first district game on Feb 28th against a tough contender, Floresville, and unfortunately the lady eagles lost 17-0. “I’m looking forward to just having fun and doing what I love, which is playing softball,” said Abby Sosa. 

The varsity baseball team started off their season with a win against SA McCullum, 8-6, on Feb 20th. The team then had their first tournament in Cuero on Feb 23-25 and with a record of 4-0-1 they tied for 1st place. Their next game was on Feb 28th against Jourdanton, Pleasanton’s rival team, and they won with a score of 5-0. The boys played next in the Llano tournament on March 3-5 and ended the tournament with 2 wins and 2 losses. “ I’m excited for District play to begin and hopefully we can win every game and be district champions,” Ryan Morales quoted. 

While the season has started, both teams still have plenty of time to progress and get better and stronger before District and playoffs. Good luck to both teams this season and if you have time, come on down to the fields to support and cheer them on. Pride! Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales and Letizia Perrino

The Pleasanton Women’s Soccer team started off their season on a high note, winning the bronze match championship at their home tournament, on Jan. 5th-6th. The Lady Eagles earned their spot in the bronze championship after beating YWLA with a score of 2-0 in bracket play. The Lady Eagles played San Antonio Southside in the championship game and won after a foul was made just outside the box with a few minutes left in the game. Kara Medina, as the surprise kicker, successfully kicked it past the opposing team’s goalie, giving her team the lead (2-1) as time expired. 

The next weekend, the Lady Eagles traveled to the Wimberley Lady Texans soccer tournament. Pleasanton opened the tournament with a loss to Gonzales, after battling and being tied almost all game the apaches unfortunately found a goal and won 1-0. The Lady Eagles played again the next day and took on the San Antonio Saint Mary’s Hall Barons. Pleasanton stayed on top the whole game and ended it with a score of 3-0. Adeline Collins, Slayde Huggins and Melinda Randolph all scored one goal each. On the last day of the tournament, the Lady Eagles played against the KIPP Austin Collegiate Cardinals and tied with a score of 1-1. The only goal came from a penalty kick scored by Kara Medina. The girls finished the Wimberley tournament with a record of 1-1-1.

The Lady Eagles hosted YWLA on Jan. 17th and beat them with a score of 2-0. They scored off an own goal and a goal for Adeline Collins. Emerie Lopez contributed an assist as well. “So far the season has been good, we continue to do better each game as we are super close as teammates which makes everything so much fun,” said senior, Slayde Huggins, “I’m looking forward to district and seeing how playoffs will go and just getting closer on and off the field.” The Lady Eagles next home game will be on Jan 31st against Hondo at 7:00 pm. This game will be a district game so if you can, go support our Lady Eagles and show them that we support them and are rooting for them. Pride! Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

This month’s staff spotlight is about our wonderful Counselor Office Secretary, Mrs.Delgado, who has been working at PHS for the past 4 years and has helped our counselors out tremendously with transcripts, counselors’ calendars, scheduling appointments for counselors, and students coming and going in the office. As a counselors aid, I see Mrs. Delgado every morning in the office and she is always on her toes helping students with anything they need, answering phone calls, and assisting the counselors all while having a smile on her face and positive energy that always makes my morning.

Before joining the PHS staff, Mrs. Delgado worked in retail for 9 years before deciding to get her bachelors in business management and attended the University of Phoenix and Azusa Pacific University in California, both online, but since her husband was in the military and gone on duty, she decided to start working at an elementary close to home and then got a job at her daughters’ high school. Mrs. Delgado really enjoyed working with little kids at the elementary school and thought it was gonna be less fun working at the high school, but once she moved schools, she realized she actually loved working with the big kids. “I thought it was gonna be less fun, but y’all keep me on my toes just as much, just a different kind,”Mrs. Delgado said. 

When I asked what her favorite part about working at PHS was, Mrs. Delgado said it was interacting and helping the kids. Mrs. Delgado is always very busy at her desk with many different tasks on her list, yet she manages to get them done while always putting the students first. If you see Mrs. Delgado on campus, make sure to thank her for all she’s done for us and congratulate her on being this month’s staff spotlight. 

By: Jaelyn Morales & Lilly Krause

Victoria Urbanzyk hits 1000 digs and 1000 assists!

The Varsity Volleyball team has been on fire since the start of the season, and they are currently at a record of 27-1. After losing their first game of the season to Johnson City in 3 sets, the Lady Eagles regrouped and came out focused and ready for their next game against Poth, coming out with a victory of 3-1. After only one game, the team found their groove and maintained it throughout the games that followed. On Aug 11-13th, the Lady Eagles won the Edgewood Tournament, placing 1st for the second year in a row. Kiley Wiechring and Madelyn Estrada made the all-tournament team, Victoria Urbanczyk was Offensive MVP, and Sadie McAda was named MVP of the tournament. On Aug. 16th the Lady Eagles played Southside and beat them 3-1. The following Thursday was the start of the Devine Tournament and our team played every game without losing a set. The championship game was against the host of the tournament, the Devine Arabians, and the Lady Eagles came out strong and beat the Arabians in 2 sets leaving the score at  2-0. Victoria Urbanczyk and Angel Tucker made the all-tournament team and Sadie Mcada was MVP of the tournament. 

On Aug 24th the team played YWLA and won 3-0, and started the Southwest tournament that Thursday. The team went undefeated throughout the tournament while playing some good competition and played the host, Southwest, in an intense match that the Lady Eagles fought in ‘till the end and won 2-1. Grace Keylich and Victoria Urbanczyk made the all-tournament team and for the 3rd time this season, Sadie Mcada was named tournament MVP. On Aug 30th, the girls were back on the road to play Randolph and came out with another win of 3-0, then played Fox Tech on Sept 3rd and won 3-0, keeping their winning streak alive. Their last non-district game before district was against D’hanis and the girls did start to struggle throughout the game, but quickly pulled themselves together and won the game 3-1. On Sept 9th, the Lady Eagles played their first district game against Carrizo Springs and with ease won the game with a score of 3-0 to start district off strong. On Sept 13th, the team had a day off from district and played John Jay in a very hard-fought game. After the girls lost their first set, they stayed focused and won the next 3 sets to beat them 3-1. On Friday, September 16th, the Lady Eagles had their 2nd district game of the season against one of their toughest opponents, the Devine Arabians. While the girls did beat them in the Devine Tournament, they still had to stay focused and come out strong to make sure they got the win. 

We decided to spotlight the freshman team, this issue, and we met with the new freshman Coach, Coach Townsend, on September 8th to hear what she had to say about the freshman team’s progress this season. She began to tell us that her goal for this season was to get her athletes to be focused and play with each other. “I don’t care how many games we win, as long as we work together as a team.” Which she continued to say was also one of their biggest obstacles and that she has some team-building ideas to help work on that. As district play starts we want to wish all three teams good luck in the future and if you have time to catch a game and support, they would gladly appreciate that. Pride! Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Our Student Spotlight this month is sophomore, Evelynn Caraway, who is involved in many activities at PHS, while also being a top student in the classroom. She is involved in tennis, band, and raising/showing livestock. 

Evelynn is a straight A student who’s favorite subjects are her math and agricultural classes. When asked what her favorite part about school is, Evelynn responded, “I like getting to see people everyday that I enjoy being around.” Her friends are a big reason why she likes school and also has fun while learning. 

Evelynn is also in extracurricular activities like tennis and band. She plays and practices tennis all year round and when asked what her favorite part about tennis is, she said, “ I like that we don’t just have one season like all the other sports, we have fall and spring.”

Aside from tennis, Evelynn is also a part of the PHS band where she plays the French horn. The PHS band recently competed in the UIL Solo and ensemble competition where Evelynn earned a 1st Division in her Horn Trio, qualifying for state. 

When she’s not playing tennis or playing for the band, Evelynn is raising and showing livestock. “I learn so many things when showing livestock while also having fun with the animals and the people around me,” Evelynn said. Evelynn has been showing lambs since she was in 4th grade and throughout the years she has learned many things about her animals. Evelynn is a smart, hard working, and kind  person who will go on to do great things in life. Congratulations Evelynn on being this month’s student spotlight!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Lady Eagles at Navarro Tournament

On February 15th, the Varsity softball team had their first game of the season at home against Poteet and run-ruled them by a score of 10-0. The Lady Eagles had two home runs for the night and both were back to back followed with a lot of other solid hits. Gabby Ramos, in her first appearance at bat for the eagles, hit a moonshot right over center field followed by Jaelyn Morales who hit it over right field. The team also had a great defensive game with multiple double plays and help from the outfield. Freshman pitcher, Maggie Maddox, pitched the complete 5 inning shutout. When asked what her biggest goal this season is, Coach Laws answered, “My biggest goal is for the girls to go farther than they have in a while and I would love to see them win a district championship, which is doable!” 

On February 17th-19th, the Lady Eagles competed in the Navarro Tournament at Huber Ranch, in Seguin. Their first game was against Poth and was won by a score of 9-5, then against Stockdale which was won with a score of 12-0. The next day the team started off the day with a win against Cotulla and a score of 19-3, followed by another two wins against Wagner (11-2) and Eagles Pass Winn (13-1). On the final day of the tournament, the Lady Eagles played Randolph and won by a score of 13-2. After going 6-0 the whole tournament and outscoring their opponents 77-14, the team received 1st place and Maggie Maddox received the MVP award for pitching all six successful games. Seniors, Taylor Bryant and Autumn Guerra, and Junior, Jaelyn Morales received all-tournament honors. ” I feel very confident about this season,” said senior Autumn Guerra, “We have a good hardworking group of girls and a new coach as well, we have a clean slate and opportunities.”

On February 22nd, the Lady Eagles traveled to Cornerstone Christian school and unfortunately had their first loss of the season. There were errors on defense, and offense could not get their bats going resulting in a loss of 3-5. They were supposed to play in the Floresville Tournament, but it was canceled due to bad weather. On March 1st, the Lady Eagles played against Bandera at home and the girls started out the game rough with defensive and offensive mistakes, but then started to get their groove back. They were close to making a comeback later in the game, but in the end they couldn’t get their bats going and lost by a score of 9-12. The team is using their recent losses as a sign to push themselves everyday and as motivation to, as Coach Laws said, “come out each and every game ready to put up a fight.”

It will be imperative for the team to keep working hard mentally and physically as district approaches. “The energy in the team this year is awesome. We all strive to be better and better everyday and I couldn’t ask for a better team for my final year of softball,” said senior Taylor Bryant, “My biggest goal this season is to push myself harder than ever, to me right now being great isn’t enough there is always something I can improve and hopefully go far in the playoffs this year with that mindset and I believe something we can work on this season is becoming one as a team and really getting to know each other like sisters.” The Lady Eagles have 3 more regular games and then will play Brooks Academy for their first district game. If you can, try and visit an upcoming game and show your support for them. Pride Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Diamond Brownlee, senior, goes for a layup in the game against Cuero.

The Pleasanton Girls’ Basketball team started off District play on Jan 7th against Cuero at home. The Varsity Lady Eagles put up a good fight throughout the game staying neck and neck with the Lady Gobblers, but unfortunately ended the game with a close score of 28-24. The Lady Eagles next two district games were against La Vernia on Jan 11th and Navarro on Jan 14th, with both games being against very tough opponents. Pleasanton gave it their all but came out with a loss in both games, with a score of 61-25 against La Vernia and 60-38 against Navarro. “This season has been a roller coaster for us, ” said Junior, Mary Martinez, “We’ve had our ups and downs this season, but we have improved since last year.” The Lady Eagles may be playing against some hard competition, but that hasn’t stopped them from working hard as a team and giving it their all each and every game. 

On January 21st, the Lady Eagles played the Lady Apaches in Gonzales and won with a score of 48-41. They never gave up and worked hard to win this game. “The best part of playing basketball is being able to call the girl’s family and play with my two best friends,” said La’syenika Garcia. “The best part of basketball is the memories we make with the team and our coach,” said Mary Martinez. This team has made so much progress this season and will continue to make progress and get better as the season goes on. With the second part of district play starting up the Lady Eagles will need our support so if you can, try to make it to one of their next home games and cheer them on. Pride Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

The Co-Ed Raider Team after placing 1st overall.

On November 13th, the JROTC Eagle Battalion Physical Fitness Team competed in the Alamo City Striker Drill meet at Ronald Reagan High School. Team members included Braxton Springer, River Reyes, Aries Uhl, Valdemar Herrera, Jayden Herrera, and Damon Morales for the Eagles and they placed 2nd out of 31 teams. The Lady Eagles team included Annie Araiza, Alyssa Castelar, Alania Nethken, Abigail Hotchkin, Hailey Yoho, and Gabriella Ramos who finished 5th out of 19 teams.“ The teams there were very competitive, but we tried our best and came out in 5th,” said Gabriella Ramos. The other teams that competed were the Male, Female and Mixed Color Guards and the Armed Drill Teams. The teams had their next meet on Dec 4th, which was the NEISD US Open JROTC Raider Meet. Our Co-Ed Raider Team placed 1st overall. The event results were Obstacle Course: 1st, Physical Training Test: 2nd, Team 5K Run: 1st, Rope Bridge: 1st, Cross Country Rescue: 1st. Congratulations to the Co-Ed Raider Team on their outstanding performance and hard work. 

For October, the newest Cadet of the Month was Cadet Private Yasmeen Diop. She was said to have demonstrated the best proficiency in the areas of leadership, motivation, drill, physical fitness, and cadet knowledge among the Leadership Education Level 1 cadets. “I felt very proud and confident in myself because it made me feel more capable of greater things and also the knowledge I learned from that experience really helps me in so many ways,” said Yasmeen. 

For November, the Cadet of the Month was Cadet Private Roman Martinez. He competed in the NEISD “Ultimate Raider” Competition on Dec 4th, which is a challenging solo event against other talented cadets from schools around the San Antonio area. Great job Yasmeen and Roman on both being great leaders and motivators and also great job to every team who competed in the Raider meets and good luck in your future meets. Pride Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

When you’re about to graduate from high school and start your life as an adult, what is something that is on every teenager’s mind? If you said college, you are right. Most high-school students are so focused on getting into those four-year universities that they don’t give any thought to alternatives such as trade school. Students feel college is the only true path to a successful career because of parents who have high expectations or schools who don’t educate their students enough on the positives of trade school. In the 1980’s and 90’s trade school enrollment was at a low compared to college enrollment, but since the 2000’s the number of trade school enrollment has increased and will continue to grow, if more people think of trade school not as a failure or back-up plan, but as a chance to have a good career without going into debt or losing time. Mike Rowe, an apprentice on the TV series Dirty Jobs, has traveled around the US to work with plumbers, electricians, steamfitters, pipe-fitters, brick layers, farmers, fishers, and a bunch of other skilled workers who aren’t being recognized as much as they should be. He believes these jobs are as important as office jobs because who makes the building these office workers are in and the electricity, water, and plumbing. 

People assume vocational school is for people who weren’t in the top of their class or were struggling in college, but that’s not true at all. Tradespeople and skilled workers actually need to be very critical-thinkers and most have to be very accurate in terms of measuring, building, and more. Trade school also takes half the time college does because you are only learning the skills you will need for your specific job, while at college students have to learn a lot of other subjects they may not need in the future. Trade School not only takes half the time to complete, but is also almost half the cost of the average university. The average cost of a four-year university is $9,410(per year), while the average cost for trade school is $5,000-$15,000 in total. There is also a major increase in college students who are going into debt, just because they are trying to get their degree and when they finally get that job they have been working so hard for, their first earnings won’t be going towards something for them, but instead going towards paying off their college debt. 

Vocational schools focus mainly on training in fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. Some trade school careers include electrician, welder, carpenter, nursing assistant, locksmith, plumber, dental hygienist, and home inspector. These are just a few careers out of the hundreds you can study for and start sooner than you would at college, while building experience faster. According to Education Data, in the United States, the overall dropout rate for undergraduate college students is 40% and 38% of college dropouts said they left due to financial pressure. Having shorter and way cheaper programs at trade schools helps students stay engaged and less stressed. There has been a great rise in students going to trade school after graduating from high school in the last couple of years, but there are still a lot of students who think their only option is college and we need to change that. The choice between trade school and college ultimately comes down to your personal preference and priorities, but before choosing try thinking about your future goals, interests, and passions. Remember to pick what is best for you and think about how your decision will affect you in the future.

By: Jaelyn Morales

Ashon Thompson, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, and Sean Ramos smile for a picture

The Varsity Boys and Girls track teams competed in the 4A Area Track Meet on Thursday, April 15th in Wimberly, TX. The Lady Eagles placed 11th with 9 points in total. Even with weather changes throughout the day, both teams worked hard and pushed through.  In the field events, Ciarah Garcia placed 6th in triple jump and Victoria Castillo placed 6th in the high jump. On the track, Kassidy Vickers placed 6th in the 3200 M run and the 1600 M run, while Jilllian Barcomb placed 6th in the 300 M hurdles. The 4 x 100 M relay team of Emree Adamitz, Kiley Wiechring, Brandi Barnett, and Marissa Rothenbach placed 7th and the 4 x 200 M relay team of  Diamond Brownlee, Kiley Wiechring, Victoria Castillo, and Angel Tucker placed 8th. Caitlyn Neischwitz was the only athlete who advanced to the Regional lV Meet for the Lady Eagles. 

The Varsity Boys placed 3rd with 91 points in total. Before the weather became cold and drizzly, the field events took place and competing was sophomore Sean Ramos who finished 8th in long jump, junior Juan Lopez who finished 4th in long jump and 8th in triple jump, junior Este’van Jackson who finished 3rd in triple jump and 5th in long jump, and freshman Preston Pilgrim who finished 3rd in pole vault. For the running events, the 4 x 100 M relay team of junior Rudy Franco Jr, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, and Este’van Jackson finished 5th but only by .03 seconds and sadly missed their chance at qualifying for regionals. Sophomore Averee Cantu, junior Reagan Moore, and freshman Jayden Palacios ran the 800M and finished 6th, 7th, and 2nd. Junior Justin Veale ran the 110M hurdles and finished 5th and also ran the 300M hurdles and finished 7th. Senior Ashon Thompson flying past his competitors placed 1st in the 100M dash and 200M dash and Jayden Palacios also placed 1st, but in the 400M dash. The 4 x 200M relay team of Este’van Jackson, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, and Ashon Thompson finished 2nd after a tough race and the 4 x 400 M relay team was the last race of the night and consisted of Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Este’van Jackson, anchored by Jayden Palacios who placed 3rd with a time of 3:28.24 seconds and barely missed breaking another school record. Six athletes advanced to the Regional IV Meet for the Eagles.

The Texas 4A Regional IV track meet took place at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville on April 23rd and 24th. Senior Caitlyn Nieschwitz finished 10th with a time of 2:39.21 in the 800M run. Caitlyn has accomplished so much in her 4 years of track & field for the Lady Eagles and the whole community is proud of her. The Varsity Boys placed 2nd at the regional meet and had a total of 62 points. Este’van Jackson placed 9th in triple jump and Juan Lopez placed 7th in long jump, both narrowly missed getting into the finals.  Preston Pilgrim was the first athlete to earn a spot at the state meet with a 2nd place finish in pole vault. Jayden Palacios ran the 400M dash finishing 1st with a new school record and ran the 800M run with a 3rd place finish.  Ashon Thompson placed 1st in the 100M dash and remained undefeated and also ran the 200M dash and finished 2nd. The 4 x 200M relay was unfortunately disqualified on a rules infraction and did not earn any points. The 4 x 400M relay team placed 1st and broke the prior school record time (3:27) set 46 years ago. They broke the record with a time of 3:23.507 and then broke their own record on Friday with a time of 3:28.482. “The best moment was watching our 4×4 team break the school record in prelims at regionals and then the next day break it again and beat Wimberly who was talking trash to our guys,” said Rudy Franco Jr. The Eagles didn’t let the trash-talking phase them and instead they settled it on the track. Their hard work paid off and the team met their biggest goal which was making it to the state championship. 

The UIL State Track and Field Meet was held at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the UT campus in Austin, Texas. First up for the Eagles was Preston Pilgrim who scored the first points for the team and set a new personal record when he cleared 14’-6”. Next up was senior Ashon Thompson who ran against tough competition and placed 4th in the 100M dash with a time of 10.56 and also competed in the 200M dash and placed 4th scoring points for the eagles in both events. Jayden Palacios was now up to run the 400M dash and gave it all he got to place 3rd breaking his own school record time of 21.84 seconds and winning the bronze medal. The final race for the eagles was the 4 x 400M relay team of Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Estevan Jackson, and Jayden Palacios. They were competing against some of the best relay teams in Texas, but that didn’t phase them at all. Ramos started the race with a great first leg and handed it off to Lopez who kept the eagles in the mix. Estevan Jackson had an amazing leg as well and to finish it was Palacios who took off for the finish line and finished in 4th place breaking the school record with a time of 3:21.51 and scoring points as well for the team. The Varsity Boys represented the school and community proudly and placed 5th with 24 points at the meet. “The way I felt about this track season is a feeling that can not be described, it was like a movie,” stated Rudy Franco Jr. For Ashon Thompson this is his last year competing for Pleasanton, but he has made his team, school, and community proud and has shown the underclassmen how it’s done. The future is very bright for the eagles and the team and coaching staff and very excited and looking forward to next year. Congratulations to the Pleasanton Track and Field teams for all their hard work and dedication. Pride Pride!

By: Jaelyn Morales

Timothy Klein hustling for the ball

Timothy Klein is a sophomore here at PHS, who before coming to Pleasanton, went to school at Wellsprings in RAK, United Arab Emirates. Timothy is a kind and responsible student who tries to help out his fellow classmates whenever he can. Timothy enjoys all of his classes, but his favorite subject is Math. When asked what his favorite part about school is, Timothy responded, “I enjoy being around other students and getting to know them.”

He is not only a smart and overachieving student, but he also plays for the Pleasanton Men’s Varsity Soccer team and runs cross country. When he’s not in the classroom, he is playing his heart out on the field. This year, the men’s soccer team came out on top as undefeated district champs and made it to playoffs where they became bi-district champs and area qualifiers.

Timothy was also chosen by Mrs. Minniear as the next recipient of the PHS Positivity Challenge. “Timothy has such a genuine smile and fantastic attitude!” she expressed, “He is polite and kind and has a positive influence on those around him.” Timothy is one of the most kind and caring students you will meet at PHS, and that is why he is this month’s student spotlight! 

By: Jaelyn Morales

Academics and extracurricular activities are both beneficial for someone’s mental and physical health. They are also important for a student’s growth and development, but what happens if you can’t balance both? An imbalance can cause students to build anxiety, stress and could possibly affect the body, thoughts, feelings, and even behavior. The ongoing increase in heart rate can take a toll on your body and cause low energy, headaches, trouble sleeping, and much more, but with the right schedule and some tips you can be excelling in both academics and extracurriculars, plus have extra time for yourself.

Student-athletes should know that both sports and academics are important, but between the two, academics should always come first. Your first responsibility should be learning and turning in your assignments, so you can have good grades. Those good grades will give you a better chance at getting into college and finding a good and fitting career for you. Extracurriculars like sports, art, music, drama, and environmental education can help you with your teamwork skills, language skills, problem-solving skills, and can also encourage creativity, concentration, focus, and build self-esteem and confidence. A healthy and organized balance of both will not only make you a successful student, but will also help you in future years.

To balance both you will first need to know how to manage your time. Managing your time can be rather difficult, but after a while it will get easier and easier and your stress level will start to decrease. You should start by setting a small goal for yourself, make sure it is achievable and measurable. An example of a goal could be turning in all your work on time this week or even taking a break at a specific time so you don’t overwork yourself. After setting up your goals, you should start taking advantage of opportunities. Take advantage of free periods, extra time, school resources, and friends who are willing to help you out. Lastly, you should plan ahead and don’t let your week plan you. You can use a calendar, planner, or your phone to make reminders and note when you have games, practices, work due, or free time. This will help you plan your time wisely and make sure you complete all your tasks for the day. Remember these tips and you will succeed in both academics and extracurriculars while also having fun.

By: Jaelyn Morales

Some of the members that made area and region are pictured with their instruments.

All Region and Area Band is a competition where students go through an audition process that involves hundreds who have all been preparing and rehearsing for this moment. For the audition, the students would normally travel to the event and perform their music pieces in front of judges, but this year will be a little different. Instead of going to the competition, students will be sending in a recording of themselves performing to be judged and scored. Even with this alteration, it won’t prevent students from performing to their best ability.

The students who competed and qualified for All Region Band are Jadelyn Garcia (6th chair flute), Abigail Perez (4th chair flute), Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe), Austin King (1st chair bassoon), Matthew Smith (2nd chair bassoon), Savannah Clark (1st chair alto clarinet), Shyanne Tijerina (2nd chair alto clarinet), Ricardo Alegria (3rd chair bass clarinet), Mya Cashiola (5th chair bass clarinet), Arecely Estrada (1st chair contrabass clarinet), Reese Decker (8th chair trumpet), Evelynn Caraway (4th chair horn), Kristina Mertz (5th chair horn), Toby Bird (3rd chair horn), Rylee Beddo (1st chair string bass), and Addyson Dority (12th chair percussion).

The students who competed and qualified for Area Band are Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe), Austin King (1st chair bassoon), Matthew Smith (2nd chair bassoon), Savannah Clark (1st chair alto clarinet), Shyanne Tijerina (2nd chair alto clarinet), Ricardo Alegria (3rd chair bass clarinet), Mya Cashiola (5th chair bass clarinet), Aracely Estrada (1st chair contrabass clarinet), Reese Decker (8th chair trumpet), Evelynn Caraway (4th chair horn), Kristina Mertz (5th chair horn), and Rylee Beddo (1st chair string bass). 

“I am very proud of their achievements this year,” Mr. Solis said, “They have done a very great job and I am happy with our turnouts.” Unfortunately, no students made it into the All State Band, but Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe) was chosen as an alternate and was very close to making it. Mr. Solis is hoping next year will be better and the students who are coming back continue on to the state level.