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SC Correspondent
Samuel Clemens High School Online Newspaper
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October Letter from Editor
Hello spooky season, pumpkin spice everything, and possibly cooler weather! I hope everyone has settled into their classes and enjoys the subject matter. Shout out to the entire staff for pursuing quality news stories and to Tristan for producing a podcast. As Bandtober and all the other extracurriculars on campus ramp up, take time to relax and recharge. Fill your schedule with activities you love, but don’t overwork yourself too much. As a little piece of departing advice, I would like to share the wise words of Buddha: “if anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.” -Hailey Gorzell (11), Editor-in-chief
Featuring the Farmers
Student spotlight highlights FFA President and sheds light on organization activities
By: Madyson Isenberg (12), Staff Writer
Future Farmers of America, (FFA for short) is a student-led organization based around agricultural aspects that include professional development in multiple areas to prepare students for jobs in the future, whether they're agriculture based or not. FFA President Carlee Hoffmann (12) provides insight on her personal journey and organizational experiences.
“This year I am the President of Samuel Clemens FFA and raise cattle, swine and turkeys as well as compete in multiple contests in the fall and spring. In the past I've held various positions at the chapter and Guadalupe Valley district level,” Hoffmann said.
Hoffmann has been a part of FFA since her freshman year, has competed in various competitions for a variety of animals, and has multiple awards to showcase for her hardwork and dedication to the FFA program. With these placings she has won 11 banners, nine belt buckles, various trophies and multiple ribbons. (Shown in the picture) With turkeys she has been fortunate enough to make the auction at the Guadalupe County Youth Show, San Antonio and place in the Top 12 at Houston where she received a banner.
“Throughout my years I have shown multiple animals such as pigs, rabbits, turkeys and heifers, but my main species that I am more competitive in are turkeys and heifers,” Hoffmann said. “With my heifers I have won multiple honors such as multiple Grand champion overall, Reserve overall, British division placings and high placings at major shows such as Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston stock shows.”
Hoffmann’s love for the organization and her drive for success has proven to be motivation for her to continue to grow within and beyond the chapter. She is always looking for new ways to challenge herself within competitions and relies on judges' comments to help her succeed. Depending on the year, she can show at anywhere from 10-30 shows a year. All around the state of Texas, there are shows called prospect shows that she attends with her heifers to help her meet her end goal, which is to show at the major shows such as Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and Austin stock shows.
Hoffmann said, “I always try to attend as many prospect shows as possible to see what comments other judges have to give me to help me reach my goals. With turkeys on the other hand, there are no prospect shows available so I only attend the major shows of San Antonio, Houston and Austin, as well as the Guadalupe County Youth Show in January.”
Although FFA provides fun and memories, it also benefits the students by providing experience and money to help support their college education.
“Next fall I will be attending Texas A&M University to study Animal Science and help me learn even more about agriculture to help me pick a career after college. By participating and being active in FFA, I have the opportunity to apply for scholarships to help me pay for the college courses,” Hoffmann said.
Out of all the shows Hoffmann has competed in there is one that holds a special part in her heart, and the memories of this show will continue to fuel her love for animals and FFA for years to come.
“My favorite memory from FFA was winning the Comal County Fair heifer show this year. I had been going to the fair since I was five and competing in the tractor pull and so I always enjoy this fair in particular,” Hoffmann said. “Going into the ring, my heifer breeder and I knew it was tough competition against the other kids in the ring and so whenever I won it was very emotional for us, especially with it being my final fair that I would be able to compete at.”
“This year I am the President of Samuel Clemens FFA and raise cattle, swine and turkeys as well as compete in multiple contests in the fall and spring. In the past I've held various positions at the chapter and Guadalupe Valley district level,” Hoffmann said.
Hoffmann has been a part of FFA since her freshman year, has competed in various competitions for a variety of animals, and has multiple awards to showcase for her hardwork and dedication to the FFA program. With these placings she has won 11 banners, nine belt buckles, various trophies and multiple ribbons. (Shown in the picture) With turkeys she has been fortunate enough to make the auction at the Guadalupe County Youth Show, San Antonio and place in the Top 12 at Houston where she received a banner.
“Throughout my years I have shown multiple animals such as pigs, rabbits, turkeys and heifers, but my main species that I am more competitive in are turkeys and heifers,” Hoffmann said. “With my heifers I have won multiple honors such as multiple Grand champion overall, Reserve overall, British division placings and high placings at major shows such as Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston stock shows.”
Hoffmann’s love for the organization and her drive for success has proven to be motivation for her to continue to grow within and beyond the chapter. She is always looking for new ways to challenge herself within competitions and relies on judges' comments to help her succeed. Depending on the year, she can show at anywhere from 10-30 shows a year. All around the state of Texas, there are shows called prospect shows that she attends with her heifers to help her meet her end goal, which is to show at the major shows such as Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and Austin stock shows.
Hoffmann said, “I always try to attend as many prospect shows as possible to see what comments other judges have to give me to help me reach my goals. With turkeys on the other hand, there are no prospect shows available so I only attend the major shows of San Antonio, Houston and Austin, as well as the Guadalupe County Youth Show in January.”
Although FFA provides fun and memories, it also benefits the students by providing experience and money to help support their college education.
“Next fall I will be attending Texas A&M University to study Animal Science and help me learn even more about agriculture to help me pick a career after college. By participating and being active in FFA, I have the opportunity to apply for scholarships to help me pay for the college courses,” Hoffmann said.
Out of all the shows Hoffmann has competed in there is one that holds a special part in her heart, and the memories of this show will continue to fuel her love for animals and FFA for years to come.
“My favorite memory from FFA was winning the Comal County Fair heifer show this year. I had been going to the fair since I was five and competing in the tractor pull and so I always enjoy this fair in particular,” Hoffmann said. “Going into the ring, my heifer breeder and I knew it was tough competition against the other kids in the ring and so whenever I won it was very emotional for us, especially with it being my final fair that I would be able to compete at.”
Day in the Life
Future freshman tour school
By: Hailey Gorzell (11), Editor-in-chief
To gain familiarity with the layout and support system on campus, eighth graders from Corbett Jr. High toured campus on Oct. 18 and Oct.19.
This was the second year of middle school tours due to the event’s initial success.
“The junior high tours are now going to replace us going over to their campus,” Mrs. Gosett said. “Instead, we’re having them come here, so they actually get to be on campus and see what Clemens is like in a day.”
Students rotated through nine stations from 9:45 a.m-12:40 p.m under the guidance of two tour guides. Presenters at each station spoke about pathways such as theater, agriculture, and healthcare.
Karla Munoz (11) recruited incoming freshmen for the IB program by boosting perks such as the small class sizes.
“Along with the educational part of IB and the benefits education wise, we of course have a supportive cohort,” Munoz said. “We all have that relatability that the courses are really hard, and we’re all going through the same things.”
Presentations showcased the career and technology student organizations sponsored through paths such as DECA. Courses require at least five students to form a class, so recruiting for electives is essential. The tours provide a platform for organizations to meet their member quotas.
“It benefits our campus because a lot of these courses that we’re going to be presenting on are CTE courses and they’re electives,” Gosett said. “It allows those teachers and these programs to recruit for their course especially at the foundational or the second level.”
The tours exposed students to a typical bell schedule in addition to elective opportunities.
Kimberly Flores (08) feels more comfortable around the school after the tour.
“I think this school might actually be perfect for me,” Flores said. “When I moved here, I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to fit in, but ever since you showed me these people, this school, and the counselors here, I have a feeling I’m probably going to fit in.”
This was the second year of middle school tours due to the event’s initial success.
“The junior high tours are now going to replace us going over to their campus,” Mrs. Gosett said. “Instead, we’re having them come here, so they actually get to be on campus and see what Clemens is like in a day.”
Students rotated through nine stations from 9:45 a.m-12:40 p.m under the guidance of two tour guides. Presenters at each station spoke about pathways such as theater, agriculture, and healthcare.
Karla Munoz (11) recruited incoming freshmen for the IB program by boosting perks such as the small class sizes.
“Along with the educational part of IB and the benefits education wise, we of course have a supportive cohort,” Munoz said. “We all have that relatability that the courses are really hard, and we’re all going through the same things.”
Presentations showcased the career and technology student organizations sponsored through paths such as DECA. Courses require at least five students to form a class, so recruiting for electives is essential. The tours provide a platform for organizations to meet their member quotas.
“It benefits our campus because a lot of these courses that we’re going to be presenting on are CTE courses and they’re electives,” Gosett said. “It allows those teachers and these programs to recruit for their course especially at the foundational or the second level.”
The tours exposed students to a typical bell schedule in addition to elective opportunities.
Kimberly Flores (08) feels more comfortable around the school after the tour.
“I think this school might actually be perfect for me,” Flores said. “When I moved here, I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to fit in, but ever since you showed me these people, this school, and the counselors here, I have a feeling I’m probably going to fit in.”
Breaking News: Clemens Podcast
By: Tristan Perez (11), Staff Writer and friends
The Modern Day Testing Nightmare
A Not-so Helpful Resource
By: Padraig Gillis (10), Staff Writer
Since the beginning of their third grade year, students have become very familiar with standardized testing and the routine that comes with it. The monotonous cycle of studying, practicing, and preparing for tests like the STAAR is nothing new to students. While the tests are important, it can be unfair to have an entire year’s worth of work dependent on one test.
Due to the large amounts of stress the tests cause, standardized testing is unhelpful at best.
A main flaw that comes with standardized testing is the short amount of time to complete it. While some tests like the STAAR take place over four hours, the SAT is limited to just two hours. The College Board sets a timer for tests like the SAT, but it usually only provides time for about two minutes per question. AP tests, on the other hand, allow for a pace of one minute per question. Students often complain that with important tests, they don’t have enough time to thoroughly think about each question. This limited amount of time causes students to rush, thus lowering their grades by making inaccurate guesses.
In conjunction with a short testing window, students who are notoriously bad test-takers often fail despite their level of intelligence. Oftentimes, straight-A students may fail tests like the STAAR because of their lack of confidence. This is made worse by the fact that you need to pass all five STAAR tests to graduate. Bad days and other out-of-control circumstances affect students’ mindsets going into tests, causing them to underperform. Placing the importance of an entire course of the school year can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and flunking the test.
Standardized testing is also infamously hard to study for. Some tests cover years' worth of material, and textbooks, along with tutoring, are placed behind strict paywalls. Families that endure financial hardship are often unable to provide their children with the resources they need to thrive on the test. Whether intentional or not, tests like the SAT and PSAT give an advantage to those wealthy enough to pay for extra resources.
Thankfully, there are numerous solutions to the standardized testing crisis. The best (and most probable way) to fix this issue is to make the tests optional. This would allow for people who take the test to stand out, and for students to be in more control of their future academics. Tests like the SAT and ACT are already putting these practices into effect, so it's not farfetched to imagine the same for other tests. Another solution would be extending the tests to a span of multiple days. This keeps students from mindlessly answering questions to fulfill the time constraint and promotes smarter test-taking.
Although it seems improbable to change a system that has remained stagnant for years, it can be done. The ACT and SAT have already changed to accommodate an easier testing environment, so it’s not completely impossible to do so.
Due to the large amounts of stress the tests cause, standardized testing is unhelpful at best.
A main flaw that comes with standardized testing is the short amount of time to complete it. While some tests like the STAAR take place over four hours, the SAT is limited to just two hours. The College Board sets a timer for tests like the SAT, but it usually only provides time for about two minutes per question. AP tests, on the other hand, allow for a pace of one minute per question. Students often complain that with important tests, they don’t have enough time to thoroughly think about each question. This limited amount of time causes students to rush, thus lowering their grades by making inaccurate guesses.
In conjunction with a short testing window, students who are notoriously bad test-takers often fail despite their level of intelligence. Oftentimes, straight-A students may fail tests like the STAAR because of their lack of confidence. This is made worse by the fact that you need to pass all five STAAR tests to graduate. Bad days and other out-of-control circumstances affect students’ mindsets going into tests, causing them to underperform. Placing the importance of an entire course of the school year can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and flunking the test.
Standardized testing is also infamously hard to study for. Some tests cover years' worth of material, and textbooks, along with tutoring, are placed behind strict paywalls. Families that endure financial hardship are often unable to provide their children with the resources they need to thrive on the test. Whether intentional or not, tests like the SAT and PSAT give an advantage to those wealthy enough to pay for extra resources.
Thankfully, there are numerous solutions to the standardized testing crisis. The best (and most probable way) to fix this issue is to make the tests optional. This would allow for people who take the test to stand out, and for students to be in more control of their future academics. Tests like the SAT and ACT are already putting these practices into effect, so it's not farfetched to imagine the same for other tests. Another solution would be extending the tests to a span of multiple days. This keeps students from mindlessly answering questions to fulfill the time constraint and promotes smarter test-taking.
Although it seems improbable to change a system that has remained stagnant for years, it can be done. The ACT and SAT have already changed to accommodate an easier testing environment, so it’s not completely impossible to do so.
Buff News
Jumping Frog
Newspaper 2023-2024
Editor-in-chief
Hailey Gorzell
Staff Members
Tristan Perez (Copy Editor)
Madyson Isenberg
Benjamin Cavazos
Padraig Gillis
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We the staff of the SC Correspondent will uphold the ethics of journalism through in-depth research and the pursuit of quality news stories backed by evidence.
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