![On March 20, the theatre program performed their UIL One Act play Frankenstein. “I could barely believe what I heard after [it was] announced that we were advancing,” freshman Zack Williams said. “It was crazy. Being one of the only freshmen in the show and also [being] a lead definitely put pressure on my shoulders. I knew that the only thing I could do was my best, but that was until I started to think what if my best was not enough? I was feeling like I could never amount to being what [everyone else] thought I was. Although, after hearing that announcement, I realized that maybe I have something going for me after all.”
Photo courtesy of Cayden Bartolo](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Capture.png)
![Smiling for her senior photo, senior Ava Perrone will put away her flag as co-captain of the color guard. She is going to attend Austin Community College to pursue her passion for fashion design and hopes to design costumes for future color guards, or work in fashion marketing. “I think it’s [been] one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had,” Perrone said. “It’s an experience that everyone should have, that family that you build and the community that you have. I’ll miss having my group together but I’m excited to go off and try new things.”
Photo courtesy of Tracy Perrone](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/avassedit.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.jpg)
![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)
Anticipation hangs in the air as the room stills. Anxious parents lean on the edges of their bleacher seats, players float silently in the water, and the referee has one hand poised in the air, ball in hand. Suddenly, a whistle blows out, the ball drops into the water, and the players rush to the center of the pool at the beginning of another water polo game.
Water polo is one of many things senior August Pritzlaff has been involved in since freshman year. In addition to water polo, Pritzlaff has also focused on helping the community and growing as a person through various roles including student body president and swim team member.
“While I was on the swim team, I got a sub-one-minute one-hundred [freestyle] at the very end of my sophomore season, and I was very proud of that,” Pritzlaff said. “My favorite memory from high school is my sophomore year when we went to the district swim meet. I swam the 200 IM in that meet and it was one of the last swim meets with all my friends who have graduated, so I remember that very fondly.”
Pritzlaff also accomplished his goal of becoming captain of the water polo team and supporting the team in a new way.
“Beyond swimming, I became captain of the water polo team, something I always wanted to do in high school,” Pritzlaff said. “[I liked] helping the team grow and continue [moving] forward. It was really a dream come true for me, and I would say something I’m very proud of.”
During Pritzlaff’s junior year, water polo became a UIL sport, providing more opportunities for the water polo team. At the end of his junior year, however, the district decided to demote water polo to a club sport that did not fall under UIL. As this was happening, Pritzlaff got together with members of the water polo team and their parents to try and change the district’s decision.
“I went to several board meetings where I gave a speech and spoke out against their decision to shut the team down, and I tried to promote the idea of the merits of school sports and the impact they can have on kids’ lives,” Pritzlaff said. “Going further than that, I participated in several focus groups with the superintendent and other school district officials trying to show them that we [should] continue to do water polo.”
Unfortunately, there were problems with UIL water polo that were too difficult to overcome, according to district officials, and water polo reverted to a club sport.
“I tried very hard, [but] they did not see our point of view,” Pritzlaff said. “I’m sad that it did not work out, but I’m proud of the entire Cedar Park water polo team—both boys and girls—because they all worked very hard to try and preserve their [UIL] sport.”
Pritzlaff said he was grateful to improve the community as the student body president of the student council. One of the most significant changes he implemented was creating a committee where freshmen and sophomores could propose ideas and develop leadership roles.
I feel like I gave greater access to [participation in the] student council, helped foster ideals of giving back to your community and the idea that you don’t have to be an officer of a club to give back, you can be anyone.”
— August Pritzlaff, 12
“In the past, a lot of the officers [took] it upon themselves to do everything and they [didn’t give] the freshmen and the sophomores any real agency to try and help the school in their own way, and I wanted to change that,” Pritzlaff said. “I feel like I gave greater access to [participation in the] student council, helped foster ideals of giving back to your community and the idea that you don’t have to be an officer of a club to give back, you can be anyone.”
Pritzlaff has committed to Texas A&M University where he will major in political science.
“I’m looking forward to possibly some type of career in government or public service because I believe public service is one of the most important things someone can do in their life,” Pritzlaff said. “Giving back to other people is important because society can’t run if we don’t work together, and some people have to be there to help others.”
