![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)
High school relationships are like no other. Friends giggling in the hallway about their crushes and sharing stories at the lunch table start becoming a common occurrence once February hits. Some students have their dates already planned while others just hope for their significant others’ presence. No matter which side students partake in, the aroma of love is felt all around.
Juniors Lauren Small and Mitchell Allen-Barnhart met in their eighth grade science class and a couple years later, the question was asked. The two have been dating for a year and a half and their plan for Valentine’s Day is to have a picnic and watch the sunset.
“I would say Valentine’s is definitely more special with a boyfriend because I get to buy him stuff and be super excited to give it to him,” Small said. “I also get to be surprised by what he’s getting me.”
Small openly shares her enjoyment of not only receiving and giving gifts, but the thought behind them.
“I’m obviously expecting something, but he’s good at surprises so I have no clue [what it will be],” Small said. “I’m really hoping he gets me flowers like the ones on my Pinterest board, and also one of our friends mentioned that he might be writing a love letter, but I don’t know if that’s true.”
Spoiling the surprise, Allen-Barnhart said he does plan on giving her the gifts she hopes to receive. He said he is not only going to meet her expectations, but is planning to go above and beyond and bring back childhood memories.
“I’m going to make her one of those Valentine’s boxes that we made in elementary school and put some love notes and candy in it,” Allen-Barnhart said. “I also got her a stuffed bunny that’s really cute and soft.”
The two seem to seamlessly read each other’s minds when it comes to gift giving, and they each know what the other would like to get.
“She likes getting me gifts so I assume she’ll be getting me something,” Allen-Barnhart said. “She also isn’t very good at hiding when she gets me things so I know there’s going to be at least one thing.”
Small is revolving one of her gifts for him around the sport that he currently plays.
“I already got him a little jelly cat stuffed animal of a tennis ball because he plays tennis,” Small said. “I think I’m also going to get some of his favorite candy.”
Junior Meredith Koltz plans to spend quality time with her boyfriend who attends another high school. The two met at a soccer training camp and have been dating for six months.
“I thought he was super cute and followed him on Instagram,” Koltz said. “[Valentine’s Day is] very special. It has been a long time since I have had a boyfriend to share these special holidays with and I am beyond excited.”
Like the others, Koltz is hoping for a gift on the special day, and also has her own in progress.
“I plan to make him a cute basket full of his favorite things and I am expecting a gift,” Koltz said.
Junior soccer players Greyson Radtke and Ella Buffington started dating two months ago and aren’t planning anything big for Valentines. Homework and soccer take up the majority of their time and are hoping for any time together.
“This is my first Valentine’s day with a boyfriend, so it makes the day more fun,” Buffington said. “[Our plan] is to just hang out together, nothing special.”
Buffington hopes to receive something small, as her birthday is only a couple days after Valentine’s Day.
“I have a very nice plan [for her],” Radtke said. “In order to make it work, [it] requires some problem solving.”
In return, Radtke isn’t hoping for anything big.
“I’m not expecting anything at all, she doesn’t have to do anything to make me happy,” Radtke said. “Any day I get to show love to her is a great day.”
