• Coppell girls soccer became Class 6A Division I state champions on Saturday.
  • Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt announces retirement effective at end of school year.
  • Coppell High School hosts its Top 5% Recognition Ceremony at the CHS Auditorium at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
  • CHS hosts Red/Gold lunch on Thursday.
The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media
The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media
The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media
Farah Merchant

Farah Merchant, Co-Student Life Editor

Farah Merchant is a senior and third-year staff writer and Student Life Editor on The Sidekick. She also works for the Citizen’s Advocate, the local Coppell paper. She dreams of being a published writer and journalist who sparks a change in the world.

To contact, Farah can be found at fxm1743@g.coppellisd.com or @farahmerchant_ on Twitter.

All content by Farah Merchant
Former Sidekick Editor-in-Chief Meara Isenberg and current Sidekick C0-Student Life Editor Farah Merchant hold up the 2017 NSPA Online Pacemaker Award given to Coppell Student Media in the spring convention in Seattle. This was Coppell Student Media’s first Pacemaker award. Isenberg was a mentor for Merchant during her second year on staff.

Letting go of the past: how former Sidekick editors have influenced me

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
May 25, 2018
Coppell High School senior Megan Wilhelm shares her excitement of traveling across the Atlantic to spend a gap year in Slovenia. There, she hopes to learn her mother’s native language and foster stronger relationships with her family.

Closing the gap: Wilhelm takes year in Slovenia to learn language

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
May 25, 2018

Video: Mixed show choir Vivace! to bring back rock and roll

Gracie Blackwell and Farah Merchant
April 27, 2018
Coppell High School junior Bhavya Vasireddy is currently in Cameron Tiede’s Art II Photography class where she is advancing her photography skills. Vasireddy began photography around five years ago, and she hopes to open her own photography firm in the future.

Closet collection leads to growing photography business

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
April 19, 2018
Today is the day in which many Ivy Leagues choose to release their regular decisions. This day is commonly known as Ivy Day and has many students sitting in anticipation of whether they got accepted to these prestigious universities or not.

Students on edges of their seats in anticipation of Ivy League decisions

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
March 28, 2018
Photos courtesy Parker Odette, Catherine Yang, Vaishnavi Danda, Ashley Benhayoun, Tanya Bhutani, Rohil Verma

Trip around the world: students open up about their spring break

Fiona Koshy, Gracie Blackwell, Anthony Cesario, and Farah Merchant
March 18, 2018
Coppell ISD honors teachers of the year from all secondary schools in the district in light of the January recognition month, Monday night in the Vonita White Administration Building. The district recognizes these teachers for their excellence in the teaching that they exhibit in school every day as they strive to improve their students knowledge and learning.

Board meeting discusses new school year calendar, zoning decisions, EOC retesters

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
January 23, 2018
Coppell High School senior Daniel Chang practices his butterfly stroke on Tuesday at the YMCA, where the swim team practices every morning. Chang transitioned from taekwondo to swimming at the start of his junior year.

Moving from South Korea to Texas, Chang transitions from taekwondo to swimming

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
December 12, 2017
Best of Thanksgiving

Best of Thanksgiving

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
November 18, 2017
Coppell Cowgirls get in a huddle after Friday night's game in the arena. The Cowgirls defeated the Longhorns in three sets, 25-2, 25-4, and 25-3.

Cowgirls end district play perfect with win over Lady Longhorns

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
October 23, 2017

Dance and music: a few cultural aspects Loza, Romo reflect on during Hispanic Heritage Month (with video)

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
October 19, 2017
The members from the CHS Drama Club gather together on Friday for a night of fun with Chinese food and the movie Mulan in the Black Box Theatre. The annual event is a time for Drama Club students to come together and have fun outside of rehearsals.

Drama Club embodies accepting atmosphere in annual Dinner and a Movie Night

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
September 21, 2017
Coppell High School's new librarian Cathy Arvizu tells students how to properly use research resources on Sept. 1 in Susan Sheppard's third period IB Chemistry II class. Arvizu comes from an IB incorporated school, making her a great resource for research papers.

Passion, dedication on display with new face, Arvizu, in CHS library

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
September 18, 2017
Coppell High School drama club poses for a club picture in the Black Box Theatre. Each year the club hosts a Dinner and a Movie event, which features a movie with food to watch the film.

Drama club engages theater kids in Dinner and a Movie Night through Twitter poll

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
September 14, 2017
Where were you? How 9/11 impacted students, teachers

Where were you? How 9/11 impacted students, teachers

Farah Merchant, Student Life Editor
September 11, 2017
Coppell High School senior Nikitha Vicas was recognized earlier this year as a scholar in the prestigious McDermott Program at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she plans on attending next year. She is also ranked third in her class and is a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program.

Vicas recognized as McDermott Scholar, semi-finalist for Presidential Scholar

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
May 23, 2017
Coppell High School senior Lara Collins plays with her dog, a German Shorthaired Pointer named Sebastian, outside at Allen Road Park on May 1. Collins’ passion for animals has inspired her to take a gap year to travel through Europe and Australia to gain experience with animals for her future career in Captive Wildlife Care.

Collins to take a gap year to travel to Europe and Australia, gain experience working with animals

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
May 9, 2017
Coppell High School International Baccalaureate (IB) Spanish teacher Creighton Hulse is leaving CHS at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. Hulse left Coppell in 2012 to teach in China and Cape Cod, Mass. before returning to CHS in 2016.

Spanish teacher Hulse resigning to move to Westlake Academy

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
May 3, 2017
House Bill 62 recently passed the House and will move onto the Senate. The bill restricts the use of wireless communication devices while operating a motor vehicle.

Third attempt for House Bill 62

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
April 13, 2017

Irish dancing allows MacMaster to connect with her culture (with video)

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 10, 2017

Slow start but strong finish as Cowgirls end the night 7-0 victory over Berkner

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 7, 2017
Coppell High School freshman Danielle Macmaster performs a traditional Irish dance at the North Texas Irish Festival 2017 on Saturday March 4. Macmaster has been dancing for the Inishfree School of Irish Dance since she was eight years old.

MacMaster to perform at Fair Park this Saturday (Brief)

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 4, 2017
Coppell High School junior Farah Merchant decides between dressing up her outfit with a cute jean jacket or wearing a comfy sweatshirt to school. Dressing up can boost confidence and Merchant put that theory to the test last week.

Dressing nice to observe changes in attitude, feeling, outlook on life

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 3, 2017
Coppell High School senior Katie Herklotz practices self defense by punching a padded shield held by a Coppell police officer. Senior girls attending CHS and New Tech High@Coppell were offered a free safety course to prepare them for being on their own in college.

Week of 2/27/17

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
February 27, 2017
Coppell High School senior Katie Herklotz practices self defense by punching a padded shield held by a Coppell police officer. Senior girls attending CHS and New Tech High@Coppell were offered a free safety course to prepare them for being on their own in college.

Coppell Police Department holds self defense for CHS senior girls

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
February 27, 2017

[Video] 15 Q’s with Mrs. Harris

Lili Lomas, Student Life Editor
February 26, 2017
Coppell High School senior Daniela Gil de Ieyva poses in front of the fountain at St. Ann Catholic Parish. Gil de Ieyva has developed a passion for ministry work through involvement in her church. Photo by Amanda Hair.

Everybody Has A Story: Gil de Ieyva finds acceptance, purpose in faith community

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
February 14, 2017
During fourth period on Thursday, Coppell High School senior Federica Ferrari prepares for an upcoming academic decathlon tournament in the CHS library. Ferrari is the captain for the 2016-2017 school year and has been a member of the academic decathlon team at CHS since her sophomore year.

Q&A: Federica Ferrari on upcoming Academic Decathlon competition

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
January 13, 2017
Andrew Patterson's third feature film "Prepper" is premiering Nov. 19 at Texas Theater in Dallas.

Prepper premiere – Patterson’s time to shine

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
November 18, 2016
Kings Theater hosted the All American High School Film Festival in New York, which screened the film Ephemeral on Oct. 3. Coppell High School senior Jess Goode and graduate Nick Castorina attended the festival.

Opportunity turns into success

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
November 9, 2016
Everyone should exercise their right to vote

Everyone should exercise their right to vote

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
November 8, 2016
Coppell Town Center was open to the public from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 for citizens of Coppell who wish to participate in early voting. Regular voting for the US Presidential Election will take place on Nov. 8.

Early voting allows citizens to skip lines, hassle

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
October 31, 2016
Coppell High School senior Rohina Aslam accepts her position as homecoming queen during halftime of the football game on Sept. 30. Aslam was the first homecoming queen nominee that wears a hijabi.

Aslam provides inspiration to all in claiming homecoming crown

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
October 14, 2016
Coppell volleyball looks ahead to playoffs, state tournament

Coppell volleyball looks ahead to playoffs, state tournament

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
September 23, 2016
Coppell High School junior Izzy Hall spends her free afternoons working on her artwork which she hopes to sell after it is completed. Hall has started her own business freshman year when people began to demand her work.

Strokes of passion

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
September 20, 2016
Coppell High School junior middle hitter Rylie Ross and sophomore outside hitter Pierce Woodall cheer as they win a point against Skyline during the first set of Friday night’s game. The Coppell Cowgirls defeated Skyline in the CHS arena, winning all three sets.

[Photo] A resonating performance: Cowgirls beat Skyline in three sets

Reid Valentine, Staff Writer
September 19, 2016
Pep rally minus the pep

Pep rally minus the pep

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
September 13, 2016
Senior class officers, President Neha Purandare and Vice President Morgan Widner, recite the pledge at the beginning of the senior awards ceremony on Wednesday morning. Seniors received awards and scholarships during the ceremony which took place in the CHS arena.

Senior Award Ceremony commences in the new arena

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
May 26, 2016
The Broadway Bound class performs 30 plays in 60 minutes at the CHS commons. Audience participated in the play.

30 plays in 60 minutes showcased by Broadway Bound

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
April 22, 2016
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[Photo] Coppell Arts and Music Festival: Inspiration on Town Center Boulevard

Briana Thomas, Staff Writer
April 6, 2016
AP Environmental science teacher Cathy Douglas shows Holly Anderson’s environmental science class how to correctly use petri dishes on Friday morning. Douglas was voted for the February 2016 Teacher of the Month.

Douglas awarded teacher of the month by CHS faculty

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 25, 2016
Rena Elser, the program coordinator of Texas A&M Sea Camp, gives a presentation about sea animals on Monday in Laronna Doggett’s aquatic science classroom. During her presentation, Elser passed around massive sea shells and pearls from oysters.

Texas A&M Outreach programs brings aquatic critters to CHS

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
March 11, 2016
Stricker moving off the field

Stricker moving off the field

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
February 23, 2016

Coppell predicts Oscar winners

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
February 20, 2016

Most anticipated young adult novels of 2016

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
January 27, 2016
Five ways to become a less stressed student

Five ways to become a less stressed student

Farah Merchant, Staff Writer
January 22, 2016
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