![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
PSAT Team learns the ropes of the ropes course after two months of preparation
PSAT Team takes a break from studying after taking PSAT test with team bonding activities under the ropes course. “It was a little celebration for our hard work in preparation for the PSAT,” junior Eunice Lee said.
November 4, 2015
After the PSAT was taken on Oct. 14, the PSAT team was rewarded with an event during school on Oct. 15 under the ropes course led by the LISD Ropes Course Facilitator, Greg Glover.
According to math teacher and PSAT team leader Linda Ziemann, the course was meant to just let the students have a break from studying so hard and to let them have fun.
“The ropes course was a way to create more team building, and help with problem solving,” Ziemann said. “It was a time for the kids to have fun.”
Ziemann was able to get to learn more about her students and have a time to relax after the work they had put in for the PSAT.
“It was great too see all the students in a different way,” Ziemann said. “Instead of studying, they were outside having fun. I got to know them on a more personal basis and find out their interests instead of just teaching math.”
Junior Eunice Lee was happy that she was able to celebrate their hard work and enjoy a day of no studying.
“I liked being able to participate in group activities and celebrate our hard work preparing for the PSAT,” Lee said. “I learned how to communicate with others more efficiently as individuals and as a team.”
Another junior, Jon Corley, liked being able to be involved in the different ropes course activities and shared his favorite part.
“[The ropes course] was the best thing we’ve done this year,” Corley said. “The lunch they provided was pretty great too.”
Ziemann plans on doing the ropes course again next year the day after the PSAT.
“One of the problems we ran into, is that some students weren’t able to show up due to other classes having tests that day,” Ziemann said. “I hope next year teachers don’t schedule tests right after the PSAT. The time frame was good though for the activities. I do wish that [english teacher] Chriss Hexter wouldn’t spill all the water in her car next time.”
Students have the opportunity to be invited to join the PSAT Team based off their PSAT scores from their sophomore year. The PSAT Team helps students prepare for the PSAT test their junior year, in hopes of receiving a National Merit Award. If students have any questions about how to be invited or want to know more about the PSAT team, they can talk to Jennifer Colman in the AP office or visit Linda Ziemann or Chriss Hexter.
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901-600x400.jpg)
