Hello and welcome to PirateTV. I’m Alina

And I’m Cooper.

We’ve got a lot of news to get to today. We start with students at Englewood High School who are frustrated with the new temporary rules around bathroom use. Cooper Morton has our story. 

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In recent weeks, students were caught hanging out in the restrooms during class time and because of that, the bathrooms needed to be locked at certain times during the day to ensure students aren’t in there too long during class. 

Principal Ryan West said he wishes it was something he didn’t have to do. But he makes it clear this is not a punishment.

“Well, I wish it was something we didn’t have to do, to be honest with you hopefully it’s just a temporary thing. That will only last until students understand that they need to stay in class. We were having a big problem with people meeting up there during class time and just hanging out in the bathroom instead of being in class. 

Mr. West says students are supposed to be in the commons or class, not hanging out in the bathroom. 

“ I hope everyone understands it is not a punishment, it’s not something we do as a long-term solution, we just need everybody to understand the responsibility of being where they are supposed to be and doing what they are supposed to do.”

Freshmen Christopher Ruiz Dominguez is not thrilled with the change.

“ I feel that it’s very disrespectful and this is not our fault that the bathrooms are being locked.”

When students return to class at a reasonable time, there will no longer be a need for the bathrooms to be locked. Reporting for PirateTV I’m Cooper Morton. 

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Students in Spanish class honored their loved ones who have passed with an alter or ofrendas. 

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According to Ms. Lonn, during Día de Muertos, the tradition is to build private ofrendas containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the words of the living directed to them. The display was at the end of the math hallway. 

On a recent Saturday, at EHS, the gym was full of strange mechanical devices that moved with purpose across the floor. Each robot was designed for a specific purpose by a computer wizard. Logan Owens has our story.

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>>>>>>This is the Best Robotics competition. BEST stands for Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology. It looks and feels like a sporting event. There is music and a cheer squad. The course is set in the middle of the gym floor. Robots litter the ground and drivers, who control the robots stand at the ready. 

The Englewood team is led by sophomore Riley McKee and junior Shawn Carter. The adviser is robotics teacher Dave Trujillo. 

(29)“It’s a competition where we build robots to put on a course and see how well they can do and get more points than the other teams.”

The teams in the BEST robotics competition build their own robots to compete against other schools by gaining the most points for doing specific tasks like picking up certain objects and bringing them to specific places. All of the robots have some type of claw built to grab objects and place them where they need to be such as against walls or in blocks So… How do you get points? 

(40) “By picking up things and putting them into specific spots and stuff like that.”

Tami Kirkland is the Director in charge of the event. It started in 2015. 

(:11) The robots made go from prototypes to fully finished products that can perform the desired task well. The kids also learn business skills in the process by teaching them how to present their products and sell them. 

Kirkland says she is always impressed by the students who learn so much over the course of the project. 

“(:18) “the skills they learn in BEST robotics are enormous. They learn how to build a robot, teamwork and time management, and skills and they have to work together and collaborate in their design process. So they go from prototypes all the way through design. In addition, we have a BEST award where they bring in their business skills. They have to make a presentation, they set up an exhibit and learn how to communicate with the community members.” (:58)

Brent Weiffenbach is a Senior on the Stemolition team from STEM School Highlands Ranch. 

(:19) “I was always interested in engineering and inventing things. At my school we have a few different options, like TSA and BEST and I chose to do BEST. I just really got into BEST and I”m the CEO of our team and I’ve been on our team for 6 years now. I really like BEST so I’m fully committed to going into it.”

While he loves the entire process, there were some difficulties along the way. 

(“44) “I would say the design because you never know if it’s going to work until the first run through so designing the optimal design is interesting and I love coming to the competition.

He has plans to put this robotics experience and training into practice in the future. 

(1:40) “Next year I’m hoping to go to CAl-Poly or a four-year university. I’m really interested in robotics, so I’m going to major in robotics”

He and many other students involved love the program so much, they return as mentors year after year. 

  (1:48) “  and maybe ill come back here eventually and be a mentor and help out with those guys because I really like this whole organization”     

Reporting for PirateTV, I’m Logan Owens.  

     This Wednesday National Honor Society hosted the semi-annual blood drive at the school. 

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    Each semester NHS sets up a blood drive in our library. This year many students and teachers alike showed up to donate, each donation could save three lives. Afterward society members were on watch, making sure those donating had something to eat and were not feeling faint. The Blood Drive is a great way to give back. 

This year the theater department put on a play with wonderful unique aspects. Julian Stell has a preview of the show. 

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In an upcoming show, Murder’s in the Heir, Eva Marquez features as Paula Thompson, a southern gunslinging type, and she is enjoying the part very much. 

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This show is unique as it shows off the power of the student’s mind. Molly Tucker, an assistant director, is elated. 

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Something that sets this show apart from other shows done by the Englewood theater is the amount of audience interaction; in Murder’s In The Heir, the audience chooses their own ending.

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Traditionally, there is one cast per show, one person playing one role, however, this show features a double cast, one in which two people will play the same person on different nights. Because of this, actors and directors must be creative to overcome these unique challenges 

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Murder’s in the Heir showcases many firsts for the Englewood Theater company, despite the challenge, the students are sure they’ll rise to the occasion

On cam tag-The show was sold out each of the four nights. Auditions for the spring musical, “My Favorite Year”, are coming up on Dec 9 and 10.

Behind the scenes, the theater tech crew has adapted their usual course of action to work in the black box theatre. The tech crew is responsible for lights, sound, moving actors, and set pieces so the show runs as smoothly as possible. 

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As our TECH crew were very used to working in the Auditorium, changing to the Black Box created some problems, such as a new light program as well as less space backstage. Our Stage Manager is Micaiah Hazard.

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EHS Choir members have been busy this month earning high honors and sharing their talents with the younger students in our district. 

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First, The EHS Choirs recently welcomed back the annual District Choir Tour tradition. This year, singers visited Bishop Elementary where they shared the joy & power of music!  Then they returned to the TEC campus and sang for the TEC-Middle School Choirs who in turn sang to them. Ms. Saddler said it was a rewarding day of music, collaboration, and empowering students to rise up into their talents in new & fun ways!

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 Then, Senior Molly Tucker and junior Aidan Mader found out, they had qualified for Colorado All-State Choir!  There are six major skill areas to demonstrate before a judge.

They went up against over 1,200 students from across the state.

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This is one of the highest honors possible in high school. Students perform in January.  

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Basketball season is just around the corner and the players and coaches are looking forward to another successful season. There are four seniors and they are setting a great example for the younger players. Hunter Labbe has more.

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Back from a slower Covid hampered season, boys and girls basketball is back at full strength. Senior Reuben Saucedo is in his second year with the team.

“I’m really excited. I think we’re gonna do really good.”

Saucedo says the team has a great connection.

 “We all have good chemistry. We played together in our youth were a travel team so I think we’re good.”

Sophomore Dominic Dever says the team will do well this season.     

“I feel like we’re gonna do really good this year”

 What makes this year different than last year? 

“I feel like we have a better team this year and more players. 

What’s your connection to the players? I’ve known a lot of the players for a really long time.

Coach John Nonemacher has been with the team for nearly a half dozen years. 

“It’ll be a little better than last year, but a lot would be the same as last year. We would still be playing with masks, we still have to do those things, we have different rules at every school.” 

 The coach says this year will be better because there will be supporters in the stands. 

“Yeah for one we get to have fans at games, were a fun team to watch we put on a good show, it’s gonna be better because we’re gonna have fans, well have more energy on game days, in the gym and we are going the full season, last year we didn’t have our full season.” “Good energy, good work, lots of players, which makes me happy as a coach that we’re getting our work in and we’re gonna kick some butt.”

ON the girls side, junior Jada Tanner says she is excited about a fresh, new, normal season

“Our team has been bonding. We all have a lot of fun together, what’s your connection with your teammates? It’s a good connection, we’re all just really goofy so it helps bring energy to the team.”

Sophomore Jaliyah Mora is confident because she believes there gonna be a good team this year.

“I’m excited and I think we’re gonna be a good team.” What makes this year different than last year? We’ll have more games and we get to have a regular-season way better than last year. What’s your connection to your teammates? We have somewhat of sisterhood and we all get along. 

Coach Olivia Whitworth says a lot of girls have come out for pre-season practice, 

 It was wonderful we had almost everyone show up except for a few girls and I think I saw a lot of friendships forming that I didn’t see last year and I saw a lot of more girls that I saw last year just in general so it’s been wonderful,  Do you think it’s gonna be better this year as the whole season absolutely I think we’re gonna have a longer season rather than 13 games I think we’re looking at 16 or 17 and there are fewer rules with covid and all that so I think we’re gonna have a lot more time to play and practice and get ready for the season.

Reporting for pirate tv I’m hunter Labbe.

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The wrestling season starts soon. This year should be an interesting one because there are a lot of young, inexperienced athletes. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t excited to learn and grow. William Black has our story.

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Sophomore Andrew Sheppard is excited to be part of this team. He is even more thrilled that freshmen have found the sport. 

“Honestly I’m pretty excited they’re joining you know, we got some good ones like Avery Garcia, uh Caleb, he’s been wrestling for a couple of years, he’s pretty good, and we got some new recruits that are ready to train.”

He says he is confident in the team this year.

“ Yes I am, I’m very confident, in the team, we’ve got some great wrestlers, I know I’ve been working really hard and I think we’re gonna do great this year. We’ve been working very hard in the room, people are showing true got and showing they’re gonna do that this year.”

He says he joined wrestling because of the challenges.

“ Honestly this is an unpopular opinion but I think wrestling is the hardest sport, there’s a lot of aspects to it, discipline, training, working hard,  work ethic, you know, stuff like that. You gotta be able to eat right, gotta be able to have food discipline, and discipline to be able to cut, or gain weight if you must. Um, and you have to have the discipline to work as hard as you possibly can in the room, push past when you’re exhausted”

Sheppard says the practice is intense. 

“ Well um, it is a very hard practice, we do a lot of challenging things, the coach shows us a move, we drill that move, as many times as we can get it in our heads, get it going, we learn it, and then we go live, we do high intensity live and we just go as hard as we possibly can “

Mathew Burton is new to leading this team. He loves this sport.

“ Um the love for the sport, the dedication that it takes and what it did for land and life itself, running the kids club ever since I was a senior in high school, I like watching, seeing kids transform I’ve had kids that were in here now since they were 4 years old, so it’s very important watching transform into men

“It’s gonna be new we got a lot of new freshmen, This is my first year, taking over as the head coach for the high school. Been running the kids program for the past 13 years now, so I’ve had a bunch of kids transforms through that program so it’s not going to be a big transition at first but we will transition within the next few weeks.”

Covid restrictions can be tough with a sport that has such close contact. 

“ We just gotta watch ourselves, you know, stay healthy, we’re always working out obviously, which is good but uh, just being smart they have some teammates that have bothers within the program and we have already had an issue with it so just gotta stay healthy and stay safe.”

The freshmen will have challenges they will need to push past to succeed. 

“We have, we have a good little freshman hoard, uh its gonna be hard um with covid last year and missed out on the 8th-grade year of wrestling for our kid’s clubs so coming in this year they have a year rest to take off, its gonna be tough at first, cause we gotta throw them in the wolves, cause we don’t have a big team, most of these freshmen will be varsity wrestlers. It’s gonna be tough at first but we will get it within the first couple weeks.”

This is the first year in wrestling for Freshman Josh Jones 

“It’s definitely a lot more difficult because they push us a lot harder but um I like it more.”

“ Um, it’s more physical, than basketball, and baseball”

 Reporting for PirateTV, I’m William Black. 

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That’s all we have! Thanks for watching! Keep up with all the news and information coming out of Englewood High School by heading to thepirateer.com or following EHS media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. We leave you with a look at the Pirate cheer team. They took home the honor of Game Day League Champs.