Independent Project Highlight: Ben Smith

Independent projects are a very important part of CCHS; they teach students good speaking and research skills, while learning about something they love. This year, there have been many projects presented by students, and one that stood out is Ben Smith’s project on careers. He was kind enough to talk to the Cougar’s Tale about his project.

What was your project on?

I looked at five different careers and researched a couple different question to get a more in depth look at what the jobs were like.

Why did you decide to do it?

        I decided to do it because I’m a senior this year and I’m starting to make college choices and I thought researching more about jobs would help me better decide what kind of job I wanted in the future, to get a more in depth look at them.

What was the process like?

        For each job I looked at four different questions. One is, how much would this job pay, and the next one was what is the future of this job and then what college education do you need to have to get this job. The last question was what skills do you need. Also, I interviewed someone who did that job and asked them what the best part and the worst part was about this job. I think that was really important because it helped me get an experience from someone who actually had that job and I really liked that part.

Did you know about your subject before you began the project?

        I knew that being a teacher required a lot of speaking, that most of the job needed good presentation skills and good communication skills, I knew that before about all the jobs.

What were some things that surprised you about your subject?

        Some things that surprised me were when I went on twitter I thought that you would need a high level of math skills, but I found out from the person I interviewed that you don’t need more than a high school education, and that surprised me because I always thought accountants had to know a lot about that stuff, but she said you didn’t need to know much about it.

What was your favorite part?

I think my favorite part about this job was interviewing the people, because most of my other projects were internet research, and I like interviewing people and interacting with them and asking questions about their job, because it’s something I like doing, and it was really fun seeing what their job was without internet research. It was fun getting to see what their job was actually like.

CCHS Winter Dance: Have a "Wonder"ful Time

Once again, it is almost time for the annual winter dance. The theme this year is “Alice in Wonderland.” Tickets are already on sale and people are encouraged to come to the event at the Blaine Campus. The event will start at 7 P.M. and go until 10 P.M. One ticket costs three dollars and two cost five. Feel free to come and enjoy yourself at this event planned by our very own student council. It should be a good time, just make sure that you don’t fall down a rabbit hole on the way there.

-Rick Derfus

CCHS Student Art Update

CCHS Enjoys National Peanut Butter Month

Peanut butter is one of the most common lunch items for Americans. How many times have you had to make your own lunch, and you put together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? If you’re anything like me, it’s probably been a lot. Now is your chance to show the pasty treat the love it deserves. The month of November is National Peanut Butter Month. If you’re still not convinced that it’s a big deal, consider that America will be eating 65 million pounds of peanut butter just this month! In fact, peanuts make up sixty percent of all nut consumption in the United States. Make sure to enjoy some peanut butter this month!

- Miriam Nelson

Reaching Out and Building Up

Reaching Out and Building Up

Upcoming CCHS Fall Fest

One of the things that is most emphasized at CCHS is community. The upcoming Fall Fest, being both the leaf-raking event and the lock-in, demonstrates two major parts of being a community of believers: reaching out and being in fellowship. During the afternoon on November 14, students will rake leaves for people around the neighborhood who cannot do it themselves, working with Fridley Chores and More to help the elderly and disabled take care of their yards. This is something that CCHS does annually, and it has had a big impact on the people around us. Emma DeVries, a senior, says that when she talked to someone who was part of Chores and More, “she said that we’re they’re biggest contributor; that means a lot to the community around us.” That same night from six to twelve there will be a lock-in for high school students at the Blaine campus. Here they will be able to grow in friendship in a comfortable environment. “It’s a different way for us to have fun,” says Emma DeVries.

- Nicole Krueger

Lava Flows Near Pahoa

This might even be too hot for tourists

http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/hawaiian-lava-flow-reaches-town/

Since June lava has been flowing from an active volcano near Pahoa, Hawaii. This is projected to flow until about 2040. So far the lava has not destroyed any property and only 20 families were displaced. It is about 500 feet from a main road, and it was projected to hit that road on October 31. The lava has stopped moving forward, but it is still moving laterally toward the back end of the flow. Matthew Patrick(geologist) said “the flow is still active, and there is still scattered activity in the flow” and “So it’s just a matter of where that activity is at any given moment.”
Even though things seem to be going well, and the people seem to be safe, the issue could continue for a very long time into the future, and people could be at risk as things continue. 500 feet is not that much of a gap, and the flow could continue forward to people at any moment.

- Rick Derfus

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/30/us/hawaii-volcano/index.html