Name: The College Prep Cougar
Middle School: Oakland Zoo Education Program
Graduation Year: 1960
Home Range: Oakland (by way of North and South America)
What's the biggest difference between middle school and high school? In middle school, I got called a lot of names: mountain lion, puma, panther, and even jaguar from time to time. At College Prep, I'm sort of the big cat on campus.
What campus activities are you involved in? While I don’t play on any teams, I go to almost every sports game. I'm also in the Environmental Conservation Club and Big Cat Club.
Who is your favorite character from a movie/book/television series? I know I'm supposed to say Born Free or Life of Pi, to keep it in the cat family, but I'm a sucker for Air Dog.
What is your hidden talent? People tell me I do a spot-on Scooby Doo impersonation.
What was your favorite Intraterm trip? On a college trip, I got to visit my brother, the mascot at Washington State University.
What was your favorite College Prep class? Dr. P’s english seminar, the Deadliest Catches. We read Moby Dick, The Old Man and the Sea, and watched Jaws. What can I say? This cat loves fish.
What is your happiest College Prep memory? The Big Games. When our teams are in the playoffs, our school turns out to support our players. It’s so fun being in the stands, surrounded by students, parents, and faculty. People make signs, wear school colors and cheer until they lose their voices. At the last basketball play off game, the teams were tied and it felt like the whole gym held their breath as the clock ran down. When our team made a basket right at the buzzer the whole gym erupted with cheers. We flooded the court and celebrated in a big huddle. The students and faculty really support the athletic teams, which makes me so happy.
What is your favorite feline subspecies? It's almost too tough to choose, but I guess it’s puma concolor cabrerae.
What is your favorite word or phrase? What is a Jayhawk?