The Cougar Growl from March 28, 2025
T he C ougar G rowl Serving Pulaski County High School A Regular Dose of Cougar Pride Friday, March 28, 2025
Staff Photo The staff of The Cougar Growl posed for this photo just in time to make the front page of the first edition. Students are from a wide variety of grades and backgrounds. Anyone wishing to become a member of the staff should see Mr. Gravely. PCHS Students Revive The Cougar Growl Staff Report
ery day at PCHS,” TV and Media Production Teacher David Gravely said. “Our students, teachers, and staff are exceptional and they de- serve to be recognized. Our goal is to use this as a tool to bring them to the attention of our county.” The Cougar Growl will be pub- lished as an online newspaper. It will contain stories, photos, and other items of interest from stu- dents and teachers. It will also be used to advertise some of the many
activities and events, along with public service announcements for the students and community. “There are many facets to me- dia,” Gravely said. “Our class has a top-of-the-line TV studio, which we’ll be using to produce a wide variety of products. We’ve already started our own Youtube televi- sion station, which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@PCT- VMedia. This station will offer our school morning announcements
each day in a video format, along with student created video features and game highlights. Our students will be busy conducting interviews for stories in both formats ... tele- vision and newspaper. It will be a tremendous learning experience for them all.” Readers can expect a new edi- tion of The Cougar Growl twice per month. Links to the new edition will be posted online on our social media page and website.
For the first time in a long time, Pulaski County High School will have their own newspaper again. This news came as students in the TV and Media Production class teamed up with Yearbook staff and other students to bring the bi- monthly product back to life. “We’re pleased to offer this ser- vice to further highlight the many positive things that take place ev-
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Scott Hoagland: “Teaching Chose Me” By SELENA COMPTON Cougar Growl Staff This week, I chose to interview
Scott Hoagland because I find how he teaches very interesting. He has a unique way of teaching and everything falls into place almost perfectly. If you ask for help he tries to help to the best of his ability. His teaching style is unique and involves keeping his students fully engaged. “I think it’s one of those situ- ations where I didn’t necessarily choose teaching but teaching chose me,” he said. When he first went to col- lege he thought he wanted to go to law school or be a contractor. After some bumps in the road he decided to pursue teaching and coaching. After his teaching hours he was coaching the school’s bas- ketball team! “I found myself doing more coaching than teaching at first, but when I started teaching, I quickly found that I loved it and enjoyed being in the classroom.” Before he was a teacher he was a college student. There was no real career between college and his teaching career. “I loved it so much I never left,” he said with a laugh. His favorite part about teach- ing is seeing and being a part of the processes. For kids who start at one point and gradually through the semester progresses and move to the next point and see the light bulb click. “To see the kid that did not
necessarily like english class, that didn’t enjoy being in english class or didn’t want to read or write but for when it finally clicks for them. Then it becomes something they realize they will use for the rest of their lives. This is what I really love”. Mr. Hoagland started his teaching career in 2003, so he is in his 22nd year of teaching. Mr. Hoagland with his wife (top) and daughter.
JOIN THE ONE BAG CHALLENGE! See the full story on page 7 for details on how you can help make a difference in our com- munity AND have a chance to earn a $100 gift card! This is a joint effort with our School Board, School System, and Pulaski County to help make our hometown a better place.
COUGAR PRIDE Editorial
Friday, March 28, 2025
Page 2
Man On The Street: The New Weapon Detection System
Welcome to The Cougar Growl If you’re reading this, then that means you have taken the time to at least browse through this first edition of our new school newspaper. On behalf of the many students who have taken the time to work on this project, we thank you! The students at Pulaski County High School are eager to learn and eager to work. This product is just another example of that fact. Our students are also eager to express their creativity. Again, this body of work is just another great example of that. Our goal is for this to be a regular part of the Pulaski County High School culture, with a new edition coming out every two weeks. This will allow us to get a steady stream of information out with all of the good things that are happening at our school. The students will write the stories and take the pictures. This will be their story. We will include student and teacher spotlights, school history, sports, events, current events, and more. For the students who want to share poetry, we will gladly help share. For clubs and school organizations that need to advertise what they’re doing, we’ll be more than happy to help. Being a part of Pulaski County High School can include a few trying moments from time-to-time, but there are also plenty of great things that happen here which deserve to be recognized and celebrated. On behalf of the 28 (at last count) students who have taken on the challenge of putting together this newspaper, we thank you for taking a moment to check us out, and invite you to come back next time.
By LEO SCHREIBER Cougar Growl Staff
This week, I went around the school trying to get everybody’s opinion about something important to the school. The question I asked these students and staff members was, “What is your opinion on the new weapon detection system?” I received many broad answers, here they are.
Ashanti Martin: “I think they’re good for the school but it takes longer to get into school, i think they have sped up a bit but i wish they weren’t here.”
Selena Compton: “I think they are good at detecting weapons and keeping the school safe, but I don’t like that it goes off for things like my eyelash curler.”
Jillian Gallimore: “I don’t mind it, it’s not that bad, it’s a pretty quick process and it’s easy.”
Anius Slaughter: “I thought at first they were kind of tedious and made things hard, but as things moved along and people under- stood it more it became a very safe thing and is pretty easy.”
Aspen Sargent: “I hate them because they make me go through multiple times, they shouldn’t be here”
The Cougar Growl Re-Established March 28, 2025 A publication of Pulaski County High School. Stories and photos are written and taken by students unless otherwise noted. Mrs. Jennifer Bolling Principal Mr. David Gravely
Jennifer Bolling: “Big picture, I like it, big picture. I was very concerned about the time consuming portion but now that it’s a part of the routine we are 100% in a routine with everyone and the best part is i get to speak to everyone who gets to school everyday!”
Adiauna Gallimore “I think they are use- less because people will find a way to sneak things in no matter what.”
Publisher/Editor Student Writers Eden Bowman Selena Compton Leo Schreiber Abigail Davis Brianna Dunn Rayce Fox Hailey Garlick Ryleigh Hill Gavin Lancaster Ryan Mann Nevaeh Newman
Andrew Clark: “They make the school safer but they can be a bit troublesome at times.”
Malik Martin Celia Carrico Student Photographers Ainsley Vaughan Alisha Justice Alivia Phillips Camrynn Dobbins Celia Carrico Sarah Simpson Rohan Kaul Jack Powell Ryce Washington-Burden Keelyn O’Reilly
Lana Seagraves: “They’re okay, i hate taking out my chromebook every morning and im- mediately putting it back in my bag”
I interviewed seven students and one staff member. A majority of these people favor the weapon detectors. Only two people disliked them out of the eight total. Overall people enjoy and like the weapon detectors, but all share the same concern about being late to class or having to go back and forth over small harmless items. After some time people started getting used to them and now everything is much easier than at first. Now students don’t have to worry about being late to class and neither do teach- ers.
You Can’t Hide My COUGAR PRIDE!
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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MACC Team Finishes Season Strong Courtesy Photo The MACC team posed for this photo after one of their competitions.
By ABIGAIL DAVIS Cougar Growl Staff This year's MACC season was a huge success. Five different teams compete in MACC: Math, Science, Social Studies, English, and All-Around. Almost all subjects attended the tournament, and the science team went to Super MACC, the tournament, which includes the East and the West divisions. Stu- dents were able to travel around different counties and compete
against different schools. There are two rounds in each match, directed and toss-up. The directed round is a series of questions asked to each team one at a time where the captain gives an answer for the whole team after all members confer. Toss-up includes questions being asked for both teams and whichever team buzzes first gets to answer. If answered wrong, the question is read again for the other team. If the buzzer is pressed before the question is fully read, and
the answer is wrong they get two points deducted from the team's score. The science team had a great season with a record of 4-7, let- ting the team go to the tourna- ment. There, they earned a win against Radford, and went to Super MACC. While they didn’t win Super Macc, they still had a good run. Though some of the members were new, they all still tried their hardest, and it worked out in the end. "This season, our team put
in the work, pushed through challenges, and grew so much together. Taking second place at the Eastern Tournament was a huge moment for us, and I think it really changed how other schools see Pulaski … in the best way. I’m beyond proud of every single team member, and while I hate to see the season end, I’m so grateful for everything we’ve accomplished," Ms. Shupe said about the science team. The future of the teams look bright for the years to come.
Bird Enjoys Role As History Teacher
Vaccine Clinic offering shots for rising 7th and 12th graders Staff Report The Cougar Growl Parents/Guardians: You can sign your child up
Mr. Bird in his senior picture (left) and a current photo.
and give consent directly with the New River Health District using the provided QR code. Scan the QR code for the digital consent form, which can be found on our website, www.pcva.us. Go to “News” and look for the story about immunizations. We will provide written copies of the 2024 Adolescent Vaccina- tion Consent Form - all infor- mation must be completed and signed by parent/guardian All insurance information must be complete or your child will not be able to receive their immunizations. This information is required for federal funding purposes for VFC vaccines. All vaccination consent forms must be received by April 1,2025. Contact your school guidance counselor for more information.
By EDEN BOWMAN Cougar Growl Staff Phillip Bird graduated from Pulaski County High School in 1992. During his time there, he was involved in a yearbook class and a literary magazine, and his favorite subject was English. However, he did not participate in many extracurricular activities outside of school as he spent most of his time working at McDon- ald’s. On the rare occasions when he wasn’t working, he enjoyed attending Friday night football games and weekly dances at the school. After graduation, he initially went to college but left to pursue a career at Volvo. Unfortunately, he was laid off
from his job and took this as an opportunity to return to school. He studied education and be- came a teacher at the age of 30. He eventually returned to Pulaski County High School to teach. He currently teaches World History II, AP European History, Philoso- phy, and Government. He has been teaching World History II or AP Euro every semester for the past 20 years. Mr. Bird is passionate about these subjects and continues to do research by reading books and listening to podcasts. His favor- ite part of teaching is interacting with his students. “Think for yourself, don’t trust others,” Mr. Bird said. “Research for yourself and find what you are interested in and do a deep dive.”
Attention Parents and Guard- ians of rising 7th and 12th grad- ers: In coordination with Pulaski County Public Schools and the New River Health District we have planned a vaccine clinic on April 25, 2025 to offer the needed rising 7th and 12th grade immu- nizations that are required by the Code of Virginia to meet entry requirements. The health departments will be coming to Pulaski County Middle School and Pulaski County High School to offer the needed immunizations. We are trying to beat the rush that always occurs before school starts in August 2025.
COUGAR PRIDE Sports News
Friday, March 28, 2025
Page 4
The PCHS Indoor Track and Field team made a solid showing at the Class 3 State Championship meet recently at Libery University. Indoor Track and Field Shines at State Meet
By RYLEIGH HILL Cougar Growl Staff
able to throw at least 60 feet.” Aiden wanted to add some- thing to the story, and I thought it was truly inspiring. “I want younger throwers to know that it is okay and to keep pushing. Make sure you lift a ton, never give up, and never skip your drills!” I truly thought this was such an amazing gesture, I just had to talk to the coach! I asked her what was the experience of being able to go to the States. “The experience of watch- ing our athletes compete at the state level was incredible,” Head Coach Britney Hodge said. “Our leading 10 (Cole Boone, Aiden Moore, Nadia Jackson, Johnny Anderson, Tanner Linkous, Bry- ant Nottingham, Kaleb Sartin, Jackson Squires, Anius Slaughter, and Tanner Tony) performed exceptionally well, with our sea- soned competitors rising to the occasion and delivering strong performances. Additionally, we had sophomore Anius Slaughter, who stepped up, showcasing tal- ent, and placing at state. Jackson Squires stepped up in a major role to help his fellow teammates in the 4x400-meter relay. It was a proud moment for our program, and we’re excited to build on this success moving forward.” Wow! That is so amazing, everyone couldn’t be more proud of these guys! If you didn’t know this is Mrs. Britney Hodges’ first season coaching outdoors and she is doing a phenomenal job! I asked her if she was feeling good about this season so far she said, “Yes, I feel good about the outdoor season. With the foun- dation built during the indoor season and the dedication our
Pulaski County High School’s Track and Field team performed amazingly at the State Indoor Championship held at Liberty University Indoor Track March 3-4. Cole Boone completely domi- nated the 1,000-meter national record with a jaw-breaking time of 2:20:14. While the previous record was set in 2009 at 2:22.28, Cole finished an entire 12 seconds faster than the second-place op- ponent. Then we have Aiden Moore, who completely smashed the shot put record with an outstanding 56-02, with a majestic seven feet farther than second place. With just my luck I got to talk with the amazing Aiden Moore myself, I asked him a few questions about his past with track and field. Of course, the biggest question is how did you get into it? “Diego Turner and Josh Flee- nor inspired me to come out and do track, then I fell in love with it,” Moore said. I went on to ask him what goals he is trying to complete? “My biggest goal is to break Diegos’ school record, go to col- lege with it, and win the outdoor state title,” he said. He seems so genuine about this sport! I continued asking these questions and went on about how long he has been throwing, “Four years … since freshman year,” he said, which is true dedi- cation honestly! I asked what the biggest record he was trying to break was and he went on to tell me, “The biggest record I want to break is to be
Senior Aiden Moore finished the indoor season with a new record and a State Championship.
Junior Cole Boone continues to shine in the National spotlight, recently earning a National Championship and a Class 3 State Title.
athletes have shown in training, I’m confident that we’ll see strong performances and continued growth. The transition to outdoor brings new challenges, but also new opportunities. I’m excited to see how our team rises to the occasion.” I went on to ask her what are her expectations moving forward into this outdoor season. “As we move into the outdoor track season, my expectations are for our athletes to build on the progress made during the indoor
season and continue striving for excellence. The focus will be on refining technique, increasing strength and endurance, and ex- ecuting race strategies effectively. I expect dedication in training, a commitment to improvement, and a competitive mindset in every meet. Most importantly, I want to see athletes push them- selves, stay resilient, and sup- port their teammates as we work toward both individual and team success.” That is honestly so great to
Do you want to be a part of The Cougar Growl staff? If you enjoy writing, taking pictures, or both, see Mr. Gravely in
the TV/Media Production room or when he is out in the school for information on how YOU can become a part of a great team!
COUGAR PRIDE Sports News
Friday, March 28, 2025
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Gary Clark raised the bar for receivers both in Pulaski County and the NFL during his playing days.
Gary Clark: From the Cougar Den to the Super Bowl By NEVAEH NEWMAN Cougar Growl Staff
As a 5’9”, 180-pound wide receiver, he earned the Virginia Offensive Player of the year award in 1982. He went on to attend James Madi- son University. When Clark was at JMU, he caught 155 passes for 2,863 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 1994, he was the first at JMU to have his jersey number retired. After his college days were over, Clark had the drive to continue his foot- ball career. He went sixth overall in the USFL draft and played two years with USFL Jacksonville Bulls. After that, he signed with the Washington Redskins
in 1985 where he gathered the reputa- tion of being one of the toughest wide receivers in the NFL. Gary Clark played for the Wash- ington Redskins (1985-1992), Phoenix Cardinals (1993-1994), and the Miami Dolphins(1995). “The promise I made to myself was I’m going to be one of the best Redskin receivers number-wise while I’m here,” Clark said. Clark was a member of the “Posse” along with Ricky Sander and Art Monk when they played for the Redskin. They were the first team to have over a thou-
sand yards in one season receiving. Over Clark’s eight seasons of playing with the Washingtons he earned two Super Bowl rings and four Pro Bowl appearances. He ended his time with Washington ranked third in the team’s history in receptions. He was later in- ducted into the Washington “Ring of Fame” as one of 50 standout players. Clark played in the NFL for 11 years and finished his career with 699 catch- es. (Note: Nevaeh Newman is related to Gary Clark and conducted this inter- view with him to get the quote.)
It’s a rare thing for a student-athlete to reach the very top, but for at least one Cougar alumni, that goal has been met and recorded in history. Gary Clark was born and raised in Pulaski, Virginia, and attended Pulaski County High School. He lettered in three sports at PCHS, including foot- ball, baseball, and track. He earned All-American Honorable mentions his junior and senior year of high school.
Pics of the Week Photos by PCHS Student Photographers
Cougar Soccer Program Shows Improvement In Season Openers By CELIA CARRICO Cougar Growl Staff Staff Photo Thomas Farris (left) and Sammy Carrasco celebrate after a Cougar goal.
possible,” Coach Dremel said. The first goal was an own goal after a probing pass from Alex Warden. The second was scored by Mason Covey on a superb free kick after Alex Flores was fouled. The final goal was scored by Thomas Farris after a great pass from Ben McPeak and solid pressure on the goalie by Sammy Carrasco. Kasch Morrell also made some big stops and ended up with six saves for the game. The JV also won, this time by a final score of 1-0 with a goal from Mike Gonzalez. “After a tough couple of seasons it was good to have a week with two competitive games and a win,” Dremel said. “It also marked a first for Pulaski County. With our middle school team winning on Wednesday and both high school teams winning on Friday, all three teams recorded wins for the first time in Pulaski County history!” The Cougars will be back in action this week with a return match at home against Radford set for Friday, March 28. JV action will begin at 5:30, followed by the varsity contest at approximately 7 p.m.
The Cougar men’s soccer pro- gram had an impressive week to open the 2025 season, with each team recording at least one win. The team started with a road trip to Radford. “Radford is always a tough game, a lot on the line for local bragging rights,” varsity Head Coach Matthew Dremel said. “We played well and had our chances, but lost 3-1. It was 2-1 until the final five minutes when we were pushing for another goal to tie the game.” Sammy Carrasco scored the Pulaski County goal with an assist from Thomas Farris. Kasch Mor- rell made six saves in goal. The JV Cougar squad turned in a much better result, earning a 2-0 win over the Bobcats. Goals were scored by Mike Gonzalez and Anderson Rodriguez Next up for the Cougars was Carroll County in the home opener. “This is always a physical contest and our coaches tried to prepare our players as much as
COUGAR PRIDE Sports Pics
Friday, March 28, 2025
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Photos by PCHS Students
Rohan Kaul/Cougar Growl Staff The Pulaski County Cougars Tennis Team at their first scrimmage at Floyd with newly appointed head coach Evan Bragg.
Alivia Phillipsl/Cougar Growl Staff The JV Cougar soccer team earned a big win against Carroll County. Michael Gonzalez earned the lone goal of the night for PCHS.
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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Courtesy Photo
The PCHS Speech and Debate team has found much success since restarting the program.
Speech and Debate Team Creating New Legacy
By BRIANNA DUNN Cougar Growl Staff The Pulaski County speech
and debate team now has two new State Titles to their names and two students who have qualified for nationals. The Speech and Debate club, formerly known as Forensics, is a club where people compete in public speaking events. There are speech events and interpretation events where they will interpret literature. There are 10 total categories. There are two branches within each of those categories. On the speech side, they have interpre- tation and public speaking. The Original oratory category is a research paper you write ahead of time, and you can only have up to 150 words of quoted text. You write the research paper in an argumentative or persuasive format. You have 10 minutes to deliver your memorized speech to the judges. Extemporaneous Speaking is any political speech. Before the competition, they will give you a category. Then you get to research the category they give you. When you get to the competition, you draw a question, and you don’t know what that question is going to be, but it’s gonna be about one of the categories you studied. You will then have 30 minutes to pre- pare a seven-minute speech. Impromptu is where you have seven minutes to plan and deliver a speech on a random topic. They will judge you on your speaking skills, like eye contact, how well organized it was, whether the points actually made sense, and if there was good evidence. Interpretation is completely different. Interpretation is litera- ture. It could be anything from a play or a short story to poems. You take that literature and bring it to life. There are also categories inside of interpretation. These cat- egories are poetry interpretation, prose interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpre-
Courtesy Photos Mrs. Smith (left) helped revive the program. In the center photo, we see Haven Cook and Zariah Ratcliffe. In the photo on the right we have Qyle and Jordan English.
tation, and duo interpretation. Each of these categories is 10 minutes long, and they have to be memorized, except for prose and poetry. Mrs. Smith says her favorite thing about speech and debate is watching students discover their passion for literature and for pub- lic speaking. ¨It’s something most people feel like they can’t do and are absolutely terrified of,” Mrs. Smith said.¨ She added that she loves to watch them see that they’re good at it and start to work toward big- ger goals and find that it’s a pas- sion of theirs. She says her experi- ence coaching speech and debate has been formative and a real learning experience. Before, she had never been an official coach for anything. ¨Learning that dynamic has been interesting because it’s differ- ent from teaching.” She says it has been a good ex- perience but also challenging. She says not to be afraid to join. “This is an exclusive environ- ment, it’s a team environment so you’re gonna have people who are gonna have your back,¨ she added. Haven Cook and Zariah Rat- cliffe came in first place for the humorous duo. Zariah says her favorite thing about speech and debate is the people, how no one
makes fun of you, and competing against others. This is Haven’s first year doing speech and debate, but she says her experience has been really good. Haven and Zariah both say not to be afraid to join. ¨I would say just do it because I thought it would be bad when I first started doing it, but then you get there and you win and you’re fine.¨ Haven says it feels really good to be a part of the team. ¨It feels really good because after every competition we go and get a buffet and it’s really nice¨. Zariah says she loves her teacher, all the people who do speech and debate, the bus rides, and everything about speech and debate. She says you shouldn’t be afraid to join. ¨You only go to high school once and you shouldn’t have to care about what other people think.¨ She also says anyone who wants to join speech and debate should. ¨You have nothing to lose and you only go through high school once.¨ Jordan and Qyle English both qualified for nationals. Qyle says he’s very excited because he and his brother have never been to nationals before. ¨He´s a senior so I’m just ex-
cited to be going there with him.¨ Jordan says he is also very ex- cited but also a little nervous. Qyle says he is gonna practice a lot and work on his accents because in speech and debate, they have really weird accents. Jordan added that he’s going to do the same thing he would for the VHSL competition. ¨I’m really just trying to focus on it and figuring out the differ- ences between VHSL and nation- als and also keep in mind that they have different scoring.¨ Qyle says his favorite thing about speech and debate is its fun and he enjoys always doing something. ¨I’m never bored.¨ Jordan says his experience has been all positive. ¨Everybody who is in speech and debate really wants to be in it.¨ Qyle says his experience has been really hard but he doesn’t mind it. ¨It’s been really hard but at the same time I like a challenge.¨ This will be Qyles second year doing speech and debate and Jor- dans’ third year. Jordan has been doing speech and debate since sophomore year. ¨We hadn’t done speech and debate for 25 years before, and so I’m the oldest one doing it in Pulaski County High School.”
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025 Page 8 Drive Your Tractor To School Day FFA, Ag Students Team With Local Farmers and Businesses to Promote Farm Equipment Safety
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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PCHS Adjusting To New Weapon Detection Sys tem By RAYCE FOX Cougar Growl Staff Junior Rohan Kaul said, “I think it needs to be calibrated Rayce Fox Photos The new weapon detection system at PCHS has helped decrease the presence of dangerous items and helped students get to school sooner.
The systems use AI to identify the shapes of items staff don’t want students bringing into school, such as vapes, knives, fire- arms, and other weapons. While many of the arguments against the systems do have some merit, it can’t be argued that the fewer of these weapons found in school, the safer the student body will be, ultimately making the effective- ness of the systems hard to argue with. Junior Ryan Mann had this to say about the integration of the weapon systems. “I think it’s a waste of a grant. I think it’s taking valuable funds away from more important things such as clubs, better equipment for classrooms, and general re- pairs across the school”. Junior Ryce Washington said, “It’s unfortunate that it’s gotten to the point where we need a weap- on detection system.”
tem available for the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. There was a learning curve at the beginning, but we have since ironed out many of the wrinkles. In regards to the calibration, the system detects shape, not metal, which makes it prone to mis- identifying certain objects. The biggest problem we have faced in adjusting to the systems was get- ting students to class on time, but we have since become much more effecient, and students have better adjusted to the added step to their morning schedules. While it is ef- fective in stopping students from bringing what they shouldn’t into school, it also serves as a deterrent to students. While still behind the curve when compared to larger cities, PCHS was one of the first schools in the state to implement this added precaution against drugs and violence in our school.”
better. It detected my knee brace, and still detects Chromebooks, so it is clearly far from perfect.” Junior Malik Martin said, “They need to fix the problem where it detects Chromebooks, binders, and other normal school supplies, but I heard they were working on it.” History teacher Mr. Phillip Bird had this to say about the integration of the new systems, “I think it’s a good thing that will help protect the school. It was a headache to get used to at first, but I think both students and staff have adjusted to it well since its integration. I hope it gets the kids to school a little earlier aswell, which it has seemed to do so far.” Paraphrasing assistant prin- cipal Dr. Roxanne Souma, “Cost was not a factor, we implemented the best weapon detection sys-
Last month, the school decided to take a leap of faith regarding the safety and security of stu- dents and staff. Weapon detection systems were installed at the main entrance to the commons, and many students weren’t happy. Many felt the scanners were an invasion of privacy, while oth- ers called to attention the high price of the machines, and argued that the money spent on them could’ve been much better spent on renovations, or bettering the quality of the food the school provides. The system costed $160,000, and was funded by a federal grant. Despite these many com- plaints, the systems have been a major success, and the vape prob- lem among students has vastly decreased. the PCHS E-Sports team plays multiple games hosted online by the Virginia High School League. The team’s activities are located in the TV and Media Production Room in the CTE building. What games does the esports team play? The first game they play is Rocket league. It is a three-on- three game where you use cars to play soccer. The second game is League of Legend. It is a strategy game where two teams of five champions with distinct abili- ties work together to destroy the other team’s base. The last game is Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. This game is a platform fighter with the main goal being to knock other players off the plat- form the match is taking place on. The E-Sports team could be adding more games in the future, according to one of the players. One of the Rocket League teams has had six pre-season matches as of this writing win- ning three games and losing three games. The team members for this team are Trey Clation, Ro- man Cospel, and AJ Stafford.
E-Sports Team Continues To Make Improvements By MALIK MARTIN Cougar Growl Staff Coached by Mr. Matt Reece,
Staff Photos The PCHS E-Sports team has been hard at work this season, gaining experience and working toward a spot in the VHSL playoffs.
I interviewed Lyric Cole, one of the Super Smash Broth- ers Ultimate team members, to get a perspective on matches and practices. “Stressful, but we have fun, and always know what to improve on,” he said. When I asked Lyric about practices he said that practices
were every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday after school in the TV and Media Production room, and that practice matches for Super Smash Brothers Ultimate were one-on-one to learn match- ups. I also asked Lyric what his mo- tivation for joining the team was. “I love smash bros, it is one of
my favorite games,” he said. The team is still looking for players, if you are interested in joining the team. To join, go to the TV and Media Production Room in the CTE building af- ter school on a practice day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thurs- days and ask one of the coaches to join.
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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Courtesy Photos
Members of the Cougar Band take a break after their assessment performance recently in Bristol.
Band Receives Flying Colors at Assessment By HAILEY GARLICK AND RYAN MANN Cougar Growl Staff
On March 12, the Pulaski County High School Band re- ceived full marks at the Concert Assessment in Bristol. The Con- cert and Symphonic bands, led by PCHS Band Director Mr. Kevin Faller, came together to perform for a board of judges at Virginia High School. “Assessment is where we take music that is taken from the Virginia Band Orchestra Direc- tors Association graded music list and we take it to a site that’s hosted by the district you are in,” Kevin Faller said. “With us being in District 7, when we get there we will perform onstage for a panel of three judges, and the three judges will grade us based on a rubric that has many cat- egories, like rhythm, tone qual- ity, preparation, and ensemble presence. From that rubric,we’ll get an overall rating between 1, which is superior, and all the way down to 5 which is poor. After that, we went to a sight reading room where we sight read and got scored on that. We get seven minutes to study a piece that we have never seen before, and then we play the piece for one judge who grades us on a similar rubric to the stage performance. The rating is also between 1 and 5. And then those four judges get the average score and that’s our final rating.” Faller has been attending as- sessment with the high school band for four years. He says he tries to focus more on the jour- ney and the learning process rather than scoring for assess-
Courtesy Photos Mr. Kevin Faller (above left) is the Director of PCHS Bands. Senior Ria Eubanks (above center), senior Mikayla Draper (above right), and sophomore Devin Draper (bottom right) were all very happy with the results of the recent band assessment.
ment. He loves to see and help the band grow throughout, no matter what scoring they get. He was very excited about the as- sessment this year, feeling more confident than ever. He shows that he cares for his students and cares for their personal learning and growth instead of expect- ing perfection out of them. He loves going to assessments to get personal feedback on how to im- prove the band and how to help them. Our Marching Drum Major, Ria Eubanks says that she is most excited to play “Be Thou My Vi- sion” by Travis J. Cross. Her main instrument is the French horn, but she can play some saxophone, tenor, trumpet, and mellophone as well. She has been in the band for six years. “I’m excited to play and I love the people,” she said. They are amazing and fun.” This is her third year doing an assessment. She is excited to play and do her best!
Another member of the band, Mikayla Draper is most excited to be playing “Ruckus” by Ran- dall Standridge for assessment. She is a senior who plays the flute. She also knows how to play the piano as well. She has been in the band for the past four years but this is her first time going to the bands assessment. “I’m pretty nervous, but also kinda sad since it’ll be my last as- sessment,” she said. She also has a brother named Devin, who is also in the band. She is incredibly excited to play and help represent the school band! One more member of the band, Devin Draper, is also most excited to play “Ruckus” by Randall Standridge. He is a sophomore who has been in the band for three years. He is a trombone player who also knows how to play the piano. He says he is nervous about assessment. Devin and Mikayla are brother and sister. He is excited to play in the band for assessment and the
concert coming up!
After finishing their perfor- mance, the Bands were informed of their scoring. Much to their elation, they received a ‘Superior’ rating–a level on par with much larger high schools in the state. After returning their equipment to the Marching Band Trailer, and a much-needed bathroom break, the bands celebrated in the school’s parking lot. As of March 13, the bands are preparing for their second and final concert in May. This concert will last substantially longer, con- sisting of eight songs in total. All are invited to attend, dates will be announced later by Mr. Faller.
Good luck to all of our SkillsUSA students who are heading to the State Competition Friday, April 4!
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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PCPS Responds to One-Bag Challenge
Pulaski County Board of Su- pervisor Chair, Laura Walters, has reached out requesting a partner- ship with PCPS again this year on the ONE BAG CHALLENGE. As you recall, this is a challenge issued to the community to take time to pick up trash from our neighborhoods, roadways and community, One Bag at a time, even if it’s just One Bag. This year’s theme is PICK IT UP PU- LASKI! We would like to change it up a little this year. As opposed to just promoting and supporting this initiative, we are issuing a call specifically to our public school Clubs, Groups & Athletic teams – at the high school and middle school level. Specifically: -National Honor Society (PCHS & PCMS) - National Technical Honor Society - Cougar Scholars Students - All Fall/Winter/Spring Athletic Teams (PCHS & PCMS) - SCA - Student Council Asso- ciation (PCHS & PCMS) - Drama/Art/Choir/Band Groups/Clubs (PCHS & PCMS) - DECA Club - Skills USA - TV Media & Production Club - FFA - FBLA - HOSA - FCA It is our desire that each of these entities form teams that commit to, plan and promote a specific date to pick up trash and debris around one of our seven (7) school campuses. (RES, DES, PES, SES, CES, PCMS & PCHS). Due to the nature of this initiative, we ask that ADULT CLUB & GROUP SPONSORS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM PCPS STAFF/ADMIN commit to joining a “team” to supervise and assist. By actively promoting these ‘One Bag’ dates, we hope to encourage other stu- dents to come out and give back to this community too. For this to work effectively, we ask that students/adult supervi- sors set a scheduled Saturday date (during the month of April and/or May) for each school campus and promote and this date for partici- pation. This wouldn’t just be a school campus clean up, it would be bag- ging trash from along roadways at, in front of, around or near our school campuses. Again, WE WILL NEED MANY ADULT SUPERVISORS. The official kick off of this
campaign will be announced at the BOS February 24th meeting. PCPS will announce at our March 11th meeting. But, wait! There’s more: Each student that participates, please submit your name for a chance to win $100. Drawing will be held monthly at the scheduled School Board meeting(s) (April, May & June). For each bag of trash you bag, you get one submission for the drawing; multiple bags = multiple submissions. So, keep a bag count! And TAKE PICTURES! Participants are asked to take a photo along with their bag(s) and send it with the number of bags, location picked up, and contact informa- tion to Laura Walters, Chair, Pulaski County Board of Supervi- sors, at lwalters@pulaskicounty.org or text to 540 230-6272. These photos will be posted on the County’s Clean Community Council website and social media platforms to recognize those who are setting a great example by dis- playing their Pulaski County Pride in our community through help- ing keep our roadsides clean. Bags and trash collected in the County may be left on site. Staff members who participate, your names will be added to the monthly $100 drawing held by the Board of Supervisors at their monthly meeting (March, April, May & June meetings). Same rules as above on name submissions. Student members of NHS, NTHS, & Cougar Scholars Pro- gram can submit their participa- tion hours to satisfy the volunteer hour requirements of these pro- grams. FOR PCHS AND PCMS STU- DENTS: A Joint Pulaski County Board of Supervisors/PCPS $1000 Scholarship Opportunity Message: “Littering is Harm- ful: Why Your Community is Your Responsibility Too”. This year’s theme: “PICK IT UP PULASKI!” This is an excellent way to engage middle & high school students in environmental awareness and civic responsibility. These projects encourage creativity, critical think- ing, and community involvement. This year, students who want to submit for this scholarship have a choice of projects: Option 1. Community Clean-Up Initiative and Reflection Essay Project Description: Student organizes and/or participates in
a school community clean-up event (e.g., a park, school grounds, school surroundings or neigh- borhood) and write a minimum 1,000-word essay reflecting on their experience. The essay should address: - Why littering is harmful to the environment and community. - How their efforts made a dif- ference. - Why they believe maintaining a clean community is everyone’s responsibility. Incorporate the theme “Pick It Up Pulaski!” - Bonus: Include photos or a short video of the clean-up event as part of the submission. Scholarship Evaluation: Assess the essay for depth of reflection, understanding of the issue, and evidence of leadership in organiz- ing the clean-up. Essay/Projects should be sub- mitted to gina.paine@pcva.us Option 2. Social Media Challenge Project Description: Student creates and promotes a social media challenge (e.g., #One- BagChallenge #PickItUpPulaski) to encourage their peers and com- munity members to pick up litter and share their efforts online (uti- lizing Facebook, Instagram, Snap- Chat, TikTok, and/or X). This challenge should also encourage the Pulaski County community and its citizens to have year-round awareness: “Pick It Up Pulaski!” The challenge should include: -A clear call-to-action (e.g., “Pick It Up Pulaski!” and post a photo). -Educational content about why littering is harmful. -A way to track participation (e.g., a hashtag). Deliverables: Submit a summa- ry and samples of the challenge’s impact (e.g., number of par- ticipants, photos, videos or reach) and a reflection on how it fostered community responsibility. Scholarship Evaluation: Assess creativity, engagement, and the student’s ability to inspire others. *The scholarship winner will be announced at the Fine Arts Center Reception at the Pulaski Innovation Center (date to be an- nounced).* FOR PCPS 4TH AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS: POSTER CONTEST! Students create an original piece of art that communicates the message “Pick It Up Pulaski!.” The design should be that of a promotional poster. They must also submit a short artist’s state-
ment (100-300 words) explaining their inspiration and message. This artwork will be on display by the Fine Arts Center of the NRV at the PC Innovation Center in Fairlawn. Contest Winner Award: Special Gift Basket FOR PCPS K-3RD GRADE STUDENTS: COLORING CON- TEST! Picture to be colored will be provided. Contest Award Winner: Special Gift Basket All artwork submitted by K-5 Elementary Students will be shown by the Fine Arts Center at the Pulaski County Innovation Center in April and May culmi- nating with a reception to honor the winner. Winners in these categories will also be announced at the Fine Arts Reception (date to be announced). Resources for Elementary Schools: FUN FACTS: - 25,000 accidents per year in the U.S. are caused by litter. - The most common littered objects are: fast food waste, paper, aluminum, glass, & plastic. - An estimated 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die each year from plastic pollution. - 48% of Americans admit to lettering on a regular basis. - 270,000 tons of plastic are currently floating on the surface of the ocean. - Cigarette butts make up over 50% of all littered objects. - $2 billion is spent in Hampton Roads to clean up litter. - Litter can carry and spread over 13 different germs, bacteria and viruses that cause illness. -Litter reduces property value by 7%. -700 marine species are expect- ed to go extinct because of plastic pollution. Teacher Resources: https://www.stopwaste.org/at- school/5th-grade-high-school- resources https://www.stopwaste.org/at- school/resources-for-schools *EACH SCHOOL WILL BE PRO- VIDED WITH A 4’X2’ ONE BAG CHALLENGE PROMOTIONAL POSTER THAT WE ASK THEY HANG IN THEIR VESTIBULE ENTRANCES. PCHS – HANG IN THE COMMONS All bags, safety vests, gloves and clampers will be provided by Pu- laski County. PCPS will organize getting needed supplies to each school/club/group. Supplies will also be available at SBO.
LET’S MAKE PULASKI COUNTY A CLEANER PLACE TO LIVE! Do your part and have a chance to win a $100 gift card! Students can also enter the other contests for a chance to win additional prizes. See full details above.
COUGAR PRIDE Around Campus
Friday, March 28, 2025
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