Sherman ISD Building Bearcats Magazine March-April 2018 | Page 12

PRIDE, TRADITION BEHIND
THE SHERMAN SHS SUCCESS
For years, Sherman High School has maintained a
high standard of excellence, and the school shows
no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future.
From academics to extracurricular programs to student
morale, Sherman HS continues to be a leader in Texas
public education.
SHS Principal Christopher Mogan said that while
he believes that it is the staff’s duty to create an
encouraging environment for learning at the school,
it’s the students who are responsible for the
enthusiasm seen throughout the campus - and it
shows in their classroom performance.
“I think the students inject energy into the school.
They make it fun for us, they keep us young,
they’re the reason why we come to work,”
Mogan said. “It kind of goes two ways - we
definitely need to set expectations so that
morale stays high, but also the students come
up with new and inventive ways to celebrate
our successes, and that makes it fun.”
One of the exceptional programs offered
to SHS students is the Rocket Club,
a group that seamlessly combines
practical educational opportunities with
a genuinely fun pastime. Sponsored by
AP Chemistry Teacher Tara Fitzwater,
Rocket Club was established in 2016 to
promote the creative use of chemistry
and physics and provide an outlet
for science loving students to apply
their knowledge and passion.
“I hope that they enjoy
themselves, but also have a
better understanding of the
physics behind rocketry,”
Fitzwater said. “The students
make it great - I love the
science but I love my
12
By: Nick Estes
Student, Sherman High
School, 10th grade
students even more.”
Sherman HS has produced many students who
have made a positive impact on the community and
been incredibly successful in their respective fields.
One current student who is poised to become one
of these distinguished alumni is current SHS senior
Avery Kahl, a Commended National Merit Scholar,
Mu Alpha Theta member, and captain of the varsity
tennis team. He enthusiastically expressed how
much of a factor that the high school had been in his
success.
“I owe a lot of my success to Sherman High
School,” said Kahl, “If you’re willing to put forth
the work, this school will give you everything you
need to be the best in whatever you do.”
While SHS has accumulated many accolades
for exemplary academic performance,
including being named to the Washington
Post’s list of Most Challenging High Schools
in America multiple times, what truly
differentiates the school is the rich sense
of pride and tradition that permeates the
campus.
“We have a long history of excellence,
of tradiition, at Sherman HS,” Mogan
said. “Our legacy is something we are
proud of.”
As student enrollment at Sherman
HS climbed to 1,995 in 2017-2018
(an unparalleled figure in the
history of Sherman ISD), the
school has lost none of the
warm, welcoming atmosphere
that has set the school apart
for so many years.