By Elizabeth Sims
Staff Writer
Though their red sport coats make the seniors serving as Red Jackets easy to pick out in a crowd, finding the “stand out” juniors from a group of 140 applicants to fill their positions next year has been a long, three-part process that began in February.
Now, after filling out an application packet, making a video tour and meeting for an interview with the Red Jacket sponsors, the final group of 33 juniors has been selected to suit up for the 2013-14 school year.
“We try to make sure that the students who are a part of Red Jackets are a little bit of everything, meaning they represent all the different groups, organizations and clubs that we have here at Coppell High School,” Red Jackets sponsor and Ready, Set, Teach! teacher Shelly Redding said. “I see this as a group of students that really represents all of Coppell High School. We really feel that these students are the face of CHS.”
With each group that serves in this important position comes a different focus that helps them leave a unique mark
on the school.
“We count on each individual class of Red Jackets to leave its own mark on the school. This group seems to have a very service-minded attitude, so I am looking forward to seeing what projects or initiatives they decide to take on,” Red Jackets leader and Principal Mike Jasso said. “I want to give them a good amount of leeway, so they can create the service project that is important to them. It’s not really about me; it’s about what they want to do to leave their mark on the school.”
Though Jasso wants to leave the service projects open for the students to decide, Redding has ideas that she hopes to start with this class of Red Jackets.
“We on the committee have been talking about doing a lot more service,” Redding said. “Right now we are talking about doing activities where we go around to the elementary or middle schools and give back to them.”
Regardless of what they decide to do next year, the students are just relieved to know that they were selected to join this prestigious group. For junior Lilly Balsamo, this was especially true as she received the news on her birthday.
“I was really nervous because I didn’t want it to make or break my birthday. When I opened my letter and found out I made it, it was the best feeling in the world,” Balsamo said. “I am ready to strengthen my leadership qualities and leave a legacy at CHS. I want to be able to do something that really leaves an impact on Coppell.”
For some this news came as a fulfillment of a childhood dream. Junior Aaron Kennard has been dreaming about putting on a red sport coat since he was in fifth grade.
“I have wanted to be a Red Jacket ever since I was in fifth grade because my friend’s sister was one and I loved how they are in that leadership position and people look up to them,” Kennard said. “I guess I am kind of vain in that sense, but I want people to look up to me.”
No matter what childhood ambition or leadership pursuit their acceptance into Red Jackets fulfilled, the students are ready to step up and be the face of CHS. Though the current Red Jackets are stepping down, they still have words of advice to help the new class.
“Some advice I have for the newbies would be don’t lose your name tag and arrive early at events,” senior Will Seitz said. “If you get assigned to a specific tour, make sure to talk to the advisers about who and where you are supposed to tour so you go into it prepared.”
With the next class of Red Jackets officially inducted, Jasso looks forward to working with a new group but still recognizes that of the current class.
“I would like to thank the current 2012-13 Red Jackets because they did an absolutely fabulous job and I am very proud of them. However, I am excited to work with the next class and see what they are going to do,” Jasso said.
2013-14 Coppell High School Red Jackets
- Lilly Balsamo
- Killian Bresnahan
- Blake Bryan
- Nicole Capdevila
- Anjali Chandra
- Luke Farrell
- Anne Friedman
- Ashlyn Gonzales
- Noah Hendrix
- Morgan Hobgood
- Nick Hruby
- Srijaa Kannan
- Clay Kemp
- Aaron Kennard
- Peyton Kingsley
- D.P. Lambert
- Lexi Leake
- Kassidy Leonard
- Jonathan Lu
- Ashley McMurtrey
- Venkat Muthukumar
- Amber Omar
- Caroline Overman
- Jodi Palmer
- Mary Claire Phillips
- Madeline Saiter
- Kristen Shepard
- Kayleigh Smith
- Willy Solari
- Brandy Sun
- Rachel Watley
- Madison Weaver
- Terrence Yi
