![Holding up T-wolves, the tour group poses for a picture in the Chinese classroom. Sophomore Lydia Ou, junior Phu Trung and senior Yushan Pan gave a tour to Taiwanese diplomat Andrea Yang on Nov. 8. “I was so excited when I heard I would get to give the tour because it’s a big deal,” Ou said. “She’s from the US embassy for Taiwan, so she’s really important. I’m so privileged [to get this opportunity] and I’m so excited.” Photo by Skyler King](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Main-Taiwan.jpg)
![Students drew chalk art in honor of Veterans day. This is just one of many things the school does to show appreciation to veterans, and the art will remain in the courtyard as a reminder of all of the veterans who served their country. “On veteran’s day, I think it’s a great thing we do at school to honor people that served [who are] at our school or family members,” English teacher and cheer coach Nadira King said. “It makes me feel proud, and it makes me remember the [veterans].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Capture.png)
![Sucking in a breath of air, freshman Lily Pope competes in the 200 yard individual medley. On Oct. 25, the swim team competed in the AISD Swim Invitational. Overall, the girls team took second place and the boys team came in eleventh. “My favorite stroke is butterfly because I do the best in that stroke,” Pope said. “I feel like [butterfly] can test how [your ability] to convince yourself to keep going. The hardest part of swimming is convincing yourself to stay strong and keep pushing during a hard race [when] everything is tired.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/POPE-1200x804.jpg)
![Smiling at the camera, Author Ehigbor Okosun, members of Page Turners, and other students reflect on the author's visit. “I thought the visit was great,” Senior Amia De Leon said. “It was interesting talking to her and [getting to know] her process and her thoughts and books in general. But I think the reason it went well [was that] people got to ask questions. I'm glad that she said so much in response to the questions and it wasn't just one and done. [The author’s responses] felt very articulate.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Sebastian-5-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing in front of the field at a freshman football game, cheerleader freshman Jacob Gaudreau along with teammate freshman Bella Gibson pose for a photo during halftime of game. “[Cheer has] definitely given me a much more outgoing personality,” Gaudreau said. “I used to be very introverted, so it's definitely made me more extroverted towards people.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Ingrid-204-1200x800.jpg)
![Holding a wooden pizza toy, senior Taylor Peterson plays with small children in Bucaramanga, Colombia. During the summer, Peterson traveled to Colombia to help build an elementary school that only had two classrooms but five or six grades with one teacher. “We add[ed] two more classrooms,” Peterson said. “It’s kind of hard when you have two or three grades in one classroom and you only have one teacher. It’s very hard to actually get some beneficial learning. [The extra classrooms will give the students] a better quality of education because they’ll actually have a place specific for their learning.” Photo by Taylor Peterson](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Taylor-P.png)
![Swinging with his arm extended, senior Nolan Park hits the ball smoothly over the net and to the opponent’s side. Park is one of four varsity tennis captains and helped the team win district championships. “Winning district champs was a pretty awesome feeling,” Park said. “We had lost to Liberty Hill a couple of weeks before, but when we played them [again], we came out and really took care of business. We took them out and it was just a really awesome night.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kassidy-419.jpg)
![Standing proud, varsity senior athletes Rafael Escobar, Griffin Jacobs, Jakob Martin, and juniors Jackson Springer and Jack Morris pose with their newly earned medals. The varsity team finished third out of 14 teams on Sept. 25. “The team's primary goal is to win the district championship,” head coach Cody Price said. "We're confident that with our action plan in place, we can accomplish this mission. [For the next tournament], our preparation involves assessing our strengths and weaknesses, celebrating milestones and creating individual development plans." Photo courtesy of Cody Price](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/golf.jpg)
![The cross country team poses for the camera after finishing the district meet. The varsity boys, JV boys and JV girls all placed third and the varsity girls placed fourth. “Coach put in the right training for us for this season, so I think we will be peaking this week and the next couple of weeks,” varsity runner and junior Nathan Kukla said. “The chances of making it to state are very high, but we don’t settle for the lowest and there is always going to be that chance, so [we] race for the best.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Heidi-831-1200x900.jpg)
A softball straight to the head. The coach’s first pitch to her. A laugh shared between the two of them. A bonding moment between her and one of her future coaches in her college career. Little did she know that this moment would be one of the catalysts in her decision for her future life.
After many years, tournaments, college visits and camps, junior and varsity softball player Alivia Robinson made her decision to commit to the University of Texas at Permian Basin, UTPB, for softball and her continuation in academics on Feb.6. According to Robinson, the process was lengthy and difficult.
“My commitment process was long and grueling,” Robinson said. “Finding a good fit is hard, and I learned that process the hard way. Going to a camp or tournament and finding a way to stand out was the hardest part.”
After visiting multiple schools and seeing girls her age who were faster, stronger and more talkative than her, Robinson said she knew that she had to find a way to stand out. She found that how she carries herself is the way she gets the most recognition.
“I cheer and yell on the field every second,” Robinson said. “I learned to lead my team in backing each other up and I make sure everyone is communicating 24/7.”
Robinson’s recruiting process at softball camps was the most mentally exhausting part, according to her.
“When you go to camps most coaches will give you feedback and then go look at the next girl,” Robinson said. “If you weren’t someone they had already known, they move on. This is how it went at many of my camps.”
To improve her skills, Robinson has been training and practicing since she was a kid.
“Since I was 6, I’ve been competing and getting better at my craft,” Robinson said. “I started as a catcher [and] instead moved to first base as well as third base as I grew older. I learned my power and how to harness it to be the best power hitter I could be.”
There were multiple factors that influenced Robinson’s decision to commit to UTPB.
“UTPB is my fit,” Robinson said. “They had been watching me for years [and] they watched me grow and develop as an athlete. Their team made me feel so welcome and loved.”
According to Robinson, her visit with the coaches helped her make her final decision.
“As a person I can be quiet and not social but they bring out the best in me,” Robinson said. “Their coaches are all super supportive and they truly put me on top.”
Most of the UTPB campus is new, according to Robinson, with new freshman dorms, new athletic facilities and new fields with an upcoming field house
“My visit was amazing and I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Robinson said. “The campus of UTPB is beautiful and I can’t wait to see what else [they have] in store.”
Robinson’s decision to commit was difficult because of her lifelong passion for softball and different options of schools. She accepted her offer to UTPB on Feb. 6, and has verbally committed.
“When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, but it was hard to decide where. When I called Coach Mendez, she was extremely excited and at that moment I knew I was going to be loved and supported there. I knew I was going to love being a Falcon. Falcons up!”
