Vol. 52, Issue 4February 14, 2014Oak Grove High Schoolwww.thewarriorbeat.com thewarriorbeat

By: Casey Ford Staff Reporter

On November 16, 2013, over one hundred musicians across the state of Mississippi traveled to Pearl High School for the biggest audition of their young lives. Th ey were trying out for Lions Band, which was formed in 1951, and continues to this day bringing together the most talented band performers from all corners of Mississippi. Th e band features 145 high school student musicians from around the state and is led by director-manager Jeff Cannon. Th e band has

won every competition since its entry in 2000 and has won the international championship 29 times. Members of the Oak Grove Band program tend to come to high school with at least some idea of the Lions All State Band and the honor that comes with participating. Students work diligently for months to prepare their scales, technique, and musical ability to meet the Lions Band audition requirements.

Th is year, fi ve members of the Oak Grove High School Band won spots on the 2014 roster for the Mississippi’s Lions All State Band: Yulianna Jimenez, Russell

Vick, Brittney Walters, Kyle Dykes, and Michael Maxey. Junior fl utist and drum major Yulianna Jimenez was ecstatic to have made the cut. “Once the results were fi nally posted, I could not believe my eyes. I had made fi rst chair! All of my hard work and practice fi nally paid off . I cried. I was so glad to be given another opportunity to be in such an amazing band, and to be one of the best musicians in Mississippi,” Jimenez said. Th ese fi ve will travel with the other Lions Band members to Toronto, Canada, to compete again for the international title.

Warrior musicians named to prestigious Lions Band

THE CROWNING MOMENT2013 Beauty Bailee Norman crowns senior Erica Lewis Most Beautiful at the annual Beauty and Beau Review held at Oak Grove Primary Auditorium on January 14, 2014.

SARA ABEL PHOTO

By: Chelsy HaynesStaff Reporter

Oak Grove High School’s Th eatre will travel to SETC for the eighth time. Th e theatre’s production of Arabian Nights had viewers laughing, crying, and ultimately enjoying themselves. Th e production’s serious scenes intermingling with comical tones, created the perfect show.

Th is play, like many others in the past, was chosen for a specifi c purpose by drama teacher and director Mrs. Suzanne Allmon, or Mrs. A; unlike those other plays, Arabian Nights is one that Mrs. A has been searching for for a long time. Sophomore Tony Reimonenq stars as Abu Hassan, Es Sindibad the Porter, and the Steward. “My favorite part of the show is the beginning because the energy is indescribable,” Reimonenq said.

While they do play a huge role in the show, the actors and actresses are not the only ones who are needed for a great performance. Th e technical team, led

by seniors Brooke Norman and Sierra Sullivan, plays its part by putting items on stage in the right place, at the right time. Sound operator Enya McDonald works on playing the correct music or sound eff ects while the lighting operator, Sawyer Walters, works on getting the lighting just right for those dramatic moments. Set designer Alex Daigler and costume designer Roshni Patel work together to bring the Indian culture to the stage.

Having a real stage and a bigger area to work also plays a part in presenting a great production. “Having an auditorium would help,” senior Brooke Norman said. “Classrooms are too small for performances of this degree.”

Th e Oak Grove Th eatre crew placed 2nd at MTA state championships with numerous individual awards in many diff erent events. For Scene Performance, 1st place went to the team of Keirston Murphy, Evan Woods, Jillian Walters,

Alex Daigler, and Caroline Green; 2nd place went to the team of Brooke Norman, Nadia Trinanes, and Tanner Arroyo; 3rd place went to the team of Lindsay Knight, Baxter Rose Walters, Logan McCarty, and Austin English. For Solo Musical, 3rd place went to Tony Reimonenq. For Set Design, 2nd place went to Savannah McCarty and 3rd place was a tie between Alex Daigler and Tanner Arroyo. For Costume Design,

1st place went to Roshni Patel and 3rd place went to Sawyer Walters. For Male Monologue, 3rd place went to Jermaine Van Buren. For the Group Musical, 2nd

place went to the team of Leia Swilley, Hattie Sumrow, Raley Malone, Megan Carlan, and Paige Dillistone, and 3rd place went to the team of Ivory Lowe, Caitlyn Leiva, Kayla Patterson, and Taylor Baker.

Th e Drama team will travel to SETC for the third year in a row and will compete for the fi rst place title.

IN THE SPOTLIGHTCast members Lindsay Knight, 12, Tony Reimonenq, 10, Jermaine Van Buren, 10, and Nadia Triananes, 12 perform scenes from the award-winning production Arabian Nights.

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTOS

By: Taylor ParsonsFeatures / Opinion Editor

Annually, students from freshmen to seniors get dressed in tuxes and evening gowns to compete to be Most Handsome or Most Beautiful guy or girl in their grade.

Boys are nominated by the student body, and girls sign up. Th e program begins with a parade of beauties from the female contestants, followed by individual modeling for both male and female contestants while the host reads the contestant’s biographies. To fi nish off the pageant, the male contestants perform to a mix of songs, including Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie.”

Freshmen beauties were Ansley Plunk and Ashton Reno. Freshmen beaus were Merrit Ingram and Tyler Anderson. Freshmen Most Beautiful and Most Handsome were Rhyan Plumlee and Jackson Simmons. Sophomore beauties were Madison Dyar and Brianna Weiss. Sophomore beaus were Micah Sheffi eld and Tyler Standland. Sophomore Most Beautiful and Most Handsome were Tatum Nace and Hughston Sanders. Junior beaus were John David Fortenberry and Cameron Cloud. Junior Most Beautiful and Most Handsome were Madison Torres and Will Ford. Senior beauties were Reagan Woods and Kaley Radtke. Senior beaus were John Carter Sanner and Brian Long. Senior Most Beautiful and Most Handsome were Erica Lewis and Kirk McCarty.

OAK GROVE BEAUTIES & BEAUS

CROWNED

Mrs. A was so excited to be able to present Arabian Nights to the public.”

Brooke Norman, 12

MAKING MUSICFrom Left: Michael Maxey, 10; Kyle Dykes, 12; Yulianna Jimenez, 11; Brittney Walters, 12; and Russell Vick, 12, were named Lions Band contestants who will compete for the international title in Toronto, Canada.

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

ONEYEAR

LATERA F T E R T H E S T O R M

PP. 6-7

a look back and building for a bright future then & now

P. 9

ARABIAN NIGHTSDAZZLES

Oak Grove Drama heads to SETC

Warrior

P. 3

SOCCER

theSOCCER

January 15-20, 2014, 84 Oak Grove and Sumrall students and chaperones went on a trip to Washington, D.C. Junior U.S. History teachers Jerri Whitecotton and Elyse Rieder sponsored the trip.

Sophomore U.S. History teacher John Cowan also went on the trip as a chaperone. “This trip is a great supplement to the typical classroom setting,” Cowan said.

Students had the opportunity to visit locations such as the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Monticello Estate (Thomas Jefferson’s home), Arlington National Cemetery, and other significant sites.

“Each location offers an enriching experience highlighting the struggles and sacrifices our nation has faced,” Rieder said.

OGHS students have ventured to D.C. every two years since 1988. As a senior, Rieder traveled to D.C. with OGHS and had the opportunity to attend the 2005 Bush Inauguration.

Since late November, Oak Grove High School’s Underwater Robotics, or SeaPerch program, has been preparing for regional competition in Biloxi on March 8 and will potentially advance to the national competition at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Payne Center on May 17. Sponsored by STEM teachers Tammy Pigott, Paige Russum, and Shelley Songy, the club is open to every grade, and they meet in room D-124 after school.

“The last two years, we have placed 3rd at regionals and, therefore, just missed out on going to nationals,” Songy said. “This year we are working extra hard to try to get either 1st or 2nd place.”

ROBOTICS TAKING DIVE AT COMPETITION

2 news February 14, 2014

NEWSBRIEFSBy: Olivia Diaz | Staff Reporter

STUDENTS EXPLORE U.S. CAPITOL

Centerstage! takes Jackson Academy titleBy: Chelsy HaynesStaff Reporter

Oak Grove High School’s show choir, Centerstage, has been competing and continuing to the finals for years, but has been receiving the short end of the stick when it comes to winning first place, until this past weekend. The show choir took centerstage February 7 at Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi. Preparing for this competition was not easy. Practice after school and the weekends were scheduled along with separate practices for the guys and the girls. By the time the competition arrived, everyone was feeling prepared, but was worried that all the hard work wouldn’t pay off.

After facing disappointments in the past, it was up to this group of young men and women to get out there and show the other schools what they were all about, and they did. Centerstage took the floor with their medley of up-beat songs, complex but carefree choreography, and an air about them that said, “we are having fun.” Director Darren Dale was certain they were having a blast out there. “The kids were jumping up and down and hugging each other and crying. We didn’t even know if we were going to get first place, but that was when I knew that we had done our job and the kids knew that they had done the best they could do,” Dale said.

Awards shocked not only the other competitors, but Oak Grove as well. They were not expecting to take home overall awards or become Grand Champions. Senior Mary Margaret Hyer was shocked at the results. “I started crying the second they even announced our first award because we had never gotten any kind

of ‘best anything’ so that was really exciting,” Hyer said. Senior Brandon Green was equally excited with the news. “We stood up and screamed because we knew that there was a really good chance that we could get first place,” Green said.

This weekend, Centerstage competes again at Purvis High School, and while their songs and dance moves won’t be changing, the costumes will. The group has had issues with their costume company and have had to improvise. “We’ve been scrambling around getting costumes from last year. Members had never before performed as a group on a such a big stage. This

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SUBMITTED PHOTO

MOTOWN MOVESTOP: Members of the Centerstage! show choir entertain the crowd and judges in their rendition of the pop hit “Young Love” at the Jackson Academy Invitational. BOTTOM: Centerstage! performers pose excitedly with their 1st Place trophy.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

was our first time performing on a real stage so that was definitely exciting for us, but having an auditorium would help us be more prepared,” Dale said.

As they prepare for their next competition, senior Maggie Hovan believes that the one thing that she feels will be different in Purvis is the intensity of the preliminary rounds. “Our first performance was weaker than our second, so at this competition we will definitely be strong throughout the entire thing,” Hovan said.

3sportsFebruary 14, 2014

Signing Day EditionOften, high school sports are the

pinnacle of an athlete’s career. Some are content with giving up the dream of continuing his or her career as an athlete in order to pursue what many people would call a “real career,” while others are not quite finished giving up on that dream. For many college and professional athletes, National Signing Day meant the advancement of his or her dream for another two, maybe even four years. But what does National Signing Day truly mean to many high school athletes?

For fans of the game, signing day can give one an idea where what his or her team’s future holds. The way recruiting goes these days almost every recruit is rated by some website that claims to be the ultimate talent recruiter. In the weeks leading up to signing day you hear all about how many five star recruits are taking their talents to Alabama or Auburn, and that is exciting for fans to see unfold, but to an athlete, signing day has a completely different meaning.

The process that leads to National Signing Day is a process that is much longer than many would suspect. The journey begins as a distant dream and as high school careers progress, that dream begins to either become a near reality or a piece of the past. Those two options, however, are all dependent on the athlete’s willingness to dedicate hours on end to working to become the best possible athlete he or she can be. I would be willing to guess that nearly every athlete that has signed a scholarship to continue their athletic career dedicated a large portion of their high school life to bettering themselves as athletes. While many who did that were still not fortunate enough to sign, for the lucky few who did, signing a scholarship means the end of one phase in his or her career, and the start of a whole new phase. A new phase that not only consists of bigger and better competition but also higher standards, work ethic, and knowledge. So when you come across an athlete who has recently signed their National Letter of Intent, congratulate them on a dream achieved and a new one started. I can guarantee the opportunity wasn’t given to them; it was earned. Until next time, YOU are Konnected.

By: Kirk McCarty | Sports Editor

KirK’s Sports

Konnection

Taylor Vannatta: A true WarriorBy: Luke SmithStaff Reporter

There are over 1,600 students at Oak Grove High School and only a small fraction play organized sports of any kind. Of that small fraction of student athletes, there is an even smaller portion that can play sports while maintaining an excellent academic record. Many people would be intimidated by committing to school and sports, but senior Taylor Vannatta has found a way to excel in both the classroom and on the soccer field.

At the age of six, Vannatta began to play soccer as a way to have fun with his friends. It did not take long for Vannatta to fall in love with the game after realizing his love for the people he was playing for and with. As a kid, Vannatta never thought about the potential he may have in soccer, but rather the enjoyment that came from kicking a ball on a field with his friends. Vannatta has played soccer for eleven years and is currently on the varsity soccer team as an outside back. He claims that his father, Richard Vannatta, is his biggest role model. “My dad works hard, loves people, and doesn’t complain about anything,” Vannatta said. Managing time for schoolwork and the soccer field is no struggle for Vannatta. “I get plenty of

sleep and set time aside each day for homework,” Vannatta said. He has maintained an all “A” average throughout high school while taking advanced courses such as AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP Literature. Playing music and hanging out with friends are among Vannatta’s hobbies. Vannatta looks to professional athletes as role models. “My favorite athlete is Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. He fits the bill,” Vannatta said. The force driving Vannatta to achieve his best is found in his parents’ values and his own determination for greatness.Vannatta has recently been accepted to Georgia Tech where he plans to study biomedical engineering.

Vannatta not only plays soccer while keeping a an all “A” average, but he also has some impressive unicycle skills that make him all the more unique. To add to such talents, Vannatta also scored a 35 on the ACT, one point away from a perfect score.

He likes to share advice with younger student athletes who struggle to balance athletics and academics. “Always aim higher than you think you can reach,

because you just might surprise yourself,” Vannatta said.

Student athletes like Taylor Vannatta represent the responsible, respectful individuals that Oak Grove is proud to pass along on the road to success.

OVERACHIEVER ON AND OFF THE FIELDSenior Taylor Vannatta pushes a ball down field during his last season on the Warrior soccer team. Vannatta represents Oak Grove well on and off the field.

CHUCK LICK PHOTO

Warrior basketball looks to playoffsBy: Luke SmithStaff Reporter

The Warrior basketball teams are nearing the close of the regular season with many questions yet to be answered about the playoff picture. The boys varsity squad has pulled together a 12-12 record up to this point, while the Lady Warriors have racked up a 17-5 record. Assistant Coach Laron Brumfield believes the team must win in order to get a playoff birth. “Both the girls and boys teams must place first or second in the Class 6A, Region 5 District Tournament on February 18 and 21, hosted in Oak Grove, to ensure a spot in the state

COMMUNICATION IS KEYSenior Samantha Duncan (23) communicates a play to her team against the Lady Mustangs of West Jones.

playoffs,” Brumfield said. In recent games, the Lady Warriors

defeated the Petal High Panthers 57-46 while the boys team was unable to stop the Panthers, falling 74-66.

In previous games, the Lady Warriors have crushed almost all of their competition, losing only to South Jones, Meridian, and Brandon. Senior guard Samantha Duncan put up big numbers, averaging 20.6 points per game. Other standouts include seniors Nia Davis and Mahalia Gibson, who have contributed greatly to the Lady Warriors’ success.

The varsity boys team is staying positive, taking its season one game at a time. With a strong junior class consisting of center Ashton Pierce, forward Deonte Spates, forward Damian Husband, guard Rashad Arbuthnot, and guard Derrick Ashley, the Warriors are looking for wins. Coach Thomas Billups has done well in his first season as a Warrior, but knows they need more experience. “Lack of experience in our players shows in tough game situations,” Billups said. Billups and the boys’

varsity team will participate in several team basketball camps in the summer of 2014 to iron out any wrinkles going into next season. Coach Mark Swindle and the Lady Warriors will graduate six seniors after this season, leaving big shoes to fill as they rebuild next season.

ABOVE THE RIMJunior Damian Husband (24) goes up for a rebound as junior Deonte Spates looks on. Spates and Husband are two key returning members on the boys’ team.

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

Arambay: A warrior soccer season to remember

ATTACK THE BALLAndrew Glaze juggles the ball in a recent game against Laurel. Glaze was a key piece of the Warriors’ success this season.

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

By: Kirk McCartySports Editor

The Oak Grove Warrior boys soccer team, led by a talented group of seniors, recently completed one of the most successful seasons in recent years at Oak Grove. The Warriors finished the season with a record of 15-6-1, but most importantly, the Warriors hit their stride after a victory over the Sacred Heart Crusaders in the first ever Hattiesburg Classic. The Warriors dominated the game of Pine Belt powers, led by a career day by senior striker Guy Thornton. Thornton scored three goals and had an assist in the 4-1 route of the two-time defending 1A/2A/3A state champions. “We

were coming off of a loss, so that game helped to reset our focus. After that game, we knew we could beat anyone,” Thornton said.

After the victory over the Crusaders, the Warriors flew through the playoffs with a 12-1 victory over Forrest Hill, followed by a home win over the Biloxi Indians 2-1. The win over Biloxi led to the Warrior’s first South State appearance since 2005.

After hosting the first and second round, the Warriors were forced to travel to take on the Bulldogs of Brandon High School. After splitting the regular season

matchups, the Warrior luck ran out. Led by senior football and soccer standout, Josh Stowers, the Bulldog defense proved to be too tough for the Warrior attacking corp. Stowers scored a 32nd minute goal which was more than

enough to seal the Bulldog victory.

Although the season ended one game short of the

ultimate the goal the boys soccer team had a season to remember. “I’ll always remember this team and the times we shared together. We truly exemplified the arambay code: Come together, win together,” Thornton said.

I’ll always remember this team and the times we shared together.”

- Guy Thornton, 12

4 opinion February 14, 2014

Oak Grove High School5198 Old Highway 11Hattiesburg, MS 39402601.264.7232www.oakgrovehighschool.org

Staff Morgan Guess, Editor In ChiefKatie Williams, Copy EditorTaylor Parsons, Features/Opinion EditorSamantha Papp, News EditorLucy Pruitt, Entertainment EditorKirk McCarty, Sports EditorJordan Farrar, Graphic DesignerAriel Cobbert, PhotographerMary Morgan Gratwick, PhotographerOlivia Diaz, Staff ReporterLuke Smith, Staff ReporterChristian Rapetti, Staff ReporterAbbigale Nguyen, Staff ReporterAlyssa Bass, Staff ReporterChelsy Haynes, Staff ReporterEmily Burnett, Staff ReporterCasey Ford, Staff Reporter

AdviserJoy Davis

OP

INIO

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The views and opinions expressed

on this page are of an editorial nature and do not necessarily

represent the views of The Warrior Beat

staff , advisers, school faculty, or administrators of Oak Grove High

School or the Lamar County School

District.

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W h e n e v e r Valentine’s Day comes to mind, I envision romantic dates, a dozen

roses, and thoughtful notes from my boyfriend. Valentine’s Day is a special day that is set aside for couples to express their love for each other. Many consider Valentine’s Day to be a holiday celebrated by family and friends; however, there are many holidays that are typically celebrated with family and friends such as Th anksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. Although Valentine’s Day has been accepted as a day for everyone to celebrate, I believe that this holiday should mainly be celebrated by couples. Valentine’s Day is the only holiday that is specifi cally designed for the sole purpose of couples being united.

In spite of the many diff erent legends that suggest how the history of Valentine’s Day originated, each emphasizes the same theme—love. One legend contends that St. Valentine was sentenced to death for helping Christian prisoners escape the harsh punishment and beatings from the Romans. Legend has it that during Valentine’s imprisonment, he fell in love with a young girl, also believed to be the jailer’s daughter,

has been an emergence of “anti-Valentine’s Day” feelings in people who do not have a signifi cant other. Some people believe that, if they are not in a relationship, they should not even bother to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, and love isn’t only applied to a boyfriend or girlfriend; love can be applied to friends, family, and even strangers. Th is year, why not use Valentine’s Day as a day to do something kind for a stranger? Th ink of a small act of love, like paying for someone’s drink at Starbucks or telling a veteran you appreciate what he or she has done for you. Th is small act of kindness is a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, even if you aren’t in a relationship.

While Valentine’s Day may have originally been intended to be celebrated between couples, I think this holiday has evolved to become a day meant to celebrate love for friends and family. When I think of Valentine’s Day, I envision giant teddy bears and Dove chocolates. Even if I didn’t have a signifi cant other, I would still want some heart-shaped truffl es from a family member or friend to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Why should only couples be allowed to enjoy the deliciousness of a Hershey’s chocolate rose?

Valentine’s Day is undoubtedly one of my favorite holidays. Every year since I can

remember, I have woken up on Valentine’s Day morning to fi nd three teddy bears on the kitchen counter in my house, one each for my sisters and me. Th ese teddy bears are our dad’s way of reminding us that we will always be “his valentines,” regardless of our ages. While I understand why some people think Valentine’s Day should be reserved for couples, I believe that Valentine’s Day can and should be celebrated with family and friends.

I remember in grade school when every student would bring little foldable cards to give to classmates. Girls would giggle if they received a card from a boy asking her to “Be Mine,” even if half of the girls in the class received that same card. Valentine’s Day would not have been nearly as fun without the sweethearts candies that had cute sayings on them or the cards that had Fun Dip attached. If Valentine’s Day were reserved only for couples, we would never have experienced these Valentine’s Day festivities with our classmates.

In the past few years, there

Samantha PappNews Editor

who frequently visited Valentine during his confi nement. Prior to his execution, Valentine wrote a letter to the girl expressing his love for her and signed it “From your Valentine.” Even today we still participate in giving cards that say, “Be Mine,” and sign them, “From your Valentine.”

On February 14, hopeless romantics all over focus every bit of their attention on that one person who is special to them. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for couples to proclaim their love for each other and show the world what that special person really means to them. Valentine’s Day, a day fi lled with love, should allow couples to put everything on hold and forget about deadlines, busy schedules, and other distractions that may occupy teens and young adults. When two people are dating, it is not always easy to put everything down and to just be with each other. On Valentine’s Day everything else in the world is forgotten, time stands still, and love is in the air. Th e sweetheart candies, the chocolate truffl es, the hand-written notes, and the dozen red roses are the traditions that make this day memorable.

Emily Burnett Staff f Reporter

All about the romanceChocolates for everyone

One of the most popular ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day is watching movies with

your sweetheart. Instead of fi ghting the crowd at the movie theatre, Redbox and Netfl ix are great alternatives. Redbox provides a great way for movie watchers to see the latest releases, while Netfl ix offers people a chance to broaden their horizons and see movies or T.V. shows that never really made it big. We asked a few students which way they would rather see movies.

“Netfl ix!”

Brandon Hussey11th

Kelsey Addison12th

“Netfl ix, defi nitely!”

Tori Borbash12th12th

“I love both. Redbox

is mainstream. Netfl ix brings out the movie hipster in everyone.”

By: Chelsy Haynes, Staff Reporter

PHOTOS BY ARIEL COBBERT

“Netfl ix!”

Brandon Hussey11th

Kelsey Addison12th12th

“Netfl ix, defi nitely!”

Lauren Parker10th

Lauren Parker10th

“Netfl ix!”“Netfl ix!”

Brandon Hussey

Tori BorbashTori Borbash

both. Redbox is mainstream.

Netfl ix brings out the movie hipster

in everyone.”

Brandon Hussey

BY EMILY BURNETT

An occassion for everyone or a couples

holiday?

VALENTINE’S DAY:

5opinionFebruary 14, 2014

By: Katie WilliamsCopy Editor

At the beginning of December, all Target customers who had recently swiped a debit or credit card at the store became potential victims of identity theft. I was one of these people. Thankfully, no one accessed my information, and my bank sent me a new debit card just in case. This recent scandal raises many questions about the safety of debit cards.

Debit cards are becoming increasingly popular, especially since all money spent comes directly from a checking account. When buyers purchase a product with a credit card, that money comes from the credit card company. At the end of a billing period, customers are responsible for paying back all of the money spent and an 18 percent gratuity. Credit cards do not have a spending limit, while debit cards will be declined if a buyer does not have enough money in his or her checking account to purchase a product (at least my card works like this).

Credit card users typically must show some form of identifi cation when they buy with a card. Along with this, buyers typically have to

By: Christian RapettiStaff Reporter

pgrade dow gradeor ?

before you swipe By: Morgan GuessEditor

Senior year: the year that consists of college planning and creating countdowns for graduation. When the time actually came around, the amount of due dates and fees for applications and essays became overwhelming. Not to mention, in addition to the deadlines, senior project can weigh down your schedule. Especially with some (like me) who procrastinate, senior year can become full of anxiety and anything but the smooth ride you imagine. Looking back, I would have bought more folders, more planners, and more coff ee. For underclassmen, go ahead and plan to take the ACT throughout your junior year in order to have a hefty score under your belt by the time senior year comes around. Finalizing an ACT score your junior year then saves you time and money you will need for college essays and application fees. Begin thinking of your top three (top fi ve max) universities or colleges and write them down. Next, write down two teachers and a counselor/principal by each of your top three. Know the ins and outs of each college website, and as soon as the essay topics go live, write them down also. Although the process seems simple and mediocre, having everything listed out and every deadline down in a planner or even just a piece of paper eliminates forgetfulness and prompts productivity. Do all of this early in the year before senior project shifts most of your attention, because I promise you, it will. Finding the perfect college is anything but easy, so being ahead of the game can’t hurt.

P.S. The career center is a perfect, quiet place for college management and also o� ers information for every scholarship imaginable that isn’t a scam.

Aloe Blacc’s new album? upgrade

Th e hit singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc will be releasing his third full-length album titled Lift Your Spirits on March 11, 2014. Instead of sticking with his retro soul format from his previous album, Good Th ings, Blacc has created a more rootsy and Americana style with a splash of old school funk with Lift Your Spirits. Even if you have not heard his name, you have most likely heard the powerful voice of Aloe Blacc, being that he was a writer and the singer of Avicii’s hit single “Wake Me UP.” Even though the album is not released yet, you can preview the whole thing on iTunes, and it proves to be a big hit.

Th e comedic genius Bill Cosby is back again to star in a new family comedy series. It has been over three decades since Th e Cosby Show had revived the sitcom genre. Cosby seems to be trying to bring some of that magic back. NBC, which has had a rough time with comedies, has made a deal for a half-hour family comedy to star Cosby. For the new series, Cosby will be the patriarch of a multi-generational family and it will channel his take on marriage and parenting. Although it is still in the writing stage, hopes are high for this new project. New Cosby Show? upgrade

Not too long ago, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, experienced a very shocking anomaly that will not be replicated for years to come. It snowed. Since it is such a rare conundrum, Oak Grove’s policy for snow days is no school. So since the ice did not melt for three days, there was three consecutive days of no school. For the people who like instant satisfaction, this would be a good thing. For others, it would not. With the snow cut into the school year, Lamar County schools are going to take away three days of holiday time, including President’s Day, one day of Easter, and another day that is currently not specifi ed. So instead of getting extra days off , it is going to be like nothing ever happened.

downgrade Snow days?

“Is there anything more American than America?” Th at was a quote from singer/songwriter Bob Dylan that added to the seemingly depressing night of the annual Super Bowl commercials. Instead of going for the usual “make the viewers laugh out loud” game plan, the advertisers decided to go for the bad punch line format. Most of the commercials were just television reunions, sob stories, a guy agreeing to walk into a strange limo, and Tim Tebow repeatedly making metaphors about how he doesn’t have a contract. Since the game was equally as bad, the commercials really did fi t the situation.

downgrade Superbowl commercials?

Stressed for Success:Surviving the

college search

sign the receipt. European retailers now require a personal identifi cation number (PIN) when purchases are made. Code 10 calls, a credit card safety initiative, are made when retailers suspect a suspicious transaction being made. Merchants are free to retain the card if federal offi cials suspect buyer fraud.

When buyers purchase something with a debit card, they just have to punch in a PIN. No signatures or IDs are required. Debit card purchases via the internet do not require a PIN, a major hazard, because the PIN number is typically the only way to identify the card’s user. Debit cards defi nitely do not have the same security protocols, but this does not mean users cannot take precautions to ensure the safety of transactions.

After the Target fraud scandal, I have become much more conscious about when and where I swipe my debit card. I try not to use it for anything other than gas. Although that cup of coff ee at Starbucks may seem tempting, swiping a card is not worth scattering personal information everywhere. Please think twice before you swipe.

Do you have a debit card?

Think twiceHow safe is your

debit card?

208 OGHS students were surveyed.

45%YES

55%NO

were aff ected by the Target fraud scandal and were required to get a new debit card.

How often do you swipe your debit card?

45%Daily

38%Weekly

17%Monthly

or less

What do you purchase using your debit card?

for inexpensive purchases80%

for expensive purchases20%

13%

6 features February 7, 2014 76 7

ONEYEARLATERA F T E R T H E S T O R MBy: Katie WilliamsCopy Editor

On February 10, 2013, an EF4 tornado decimated Oak Grove and its surrounding areas. Oak Grove High School and the University of Southern Mississippi sustained significant damage. Homes were destroyed. The most surprising parts of the tornado are that there were no casualties and that only 82 people were injured. Several students and facility members within the Oak Grove High School community were also impacted. One year later, Hattiesburg is still recovering, but the city has rebuilt many areas that suffered major damage.

Many sports facilities at OGHS were destroyed, but this obstacle did not prevent the softball and football teams from bringing home state championship titles. “It was very emotional. We worked hard on and off the road, and it was satisfying to see the hard work pay off. With the help of the community, we were able to pull through. I am blessed to be able to share this title with a wonderful group of girls,” Kristen Martin, junior infielder for the Lady Warrior Softball team, said. The new baseball facilities will be ready to play on at the start of baseball season, and a new football field house is currently under construction.

Other sports teams also had successful seasons despite being displaced from their typical practice fields. The gymnasium

was not in use for the first part of the year because the floor obtained significant water damage, so the volleyball team had to practice at the USM sand courts and in the Temple Baptist Church gym. The basketball team also had to practice at Temple. The cheer team had to be relocated, but it was able to bring home a state championship and place 10th at nationals.

The academic building of OGHS did not receive any major damage although the school itself did get reroofed, and several broken windows had to be replaced.

For weeks after the tornado, volunteers worked tirelessly to clear the rubble. Residents helped in many facets and local businesses even offered free lunches to volunteers during the extremely long days.

Today, OGHS revealed a new sports logo in an anniversary ceremony at Temple. This logo commemorates the first anniversary of the tornado and serves as a symbol of all the progress that the Oak Grove community has made these last 12 months.

The February 2013 tornado caused the people of Hattiesburg to unite for the betterment of our community. 2013 was a tough year for many, but residents are hopeful that 2014 will bring much prosperity and even more recovery. The Oak Grove and Hattiesburg communities will continue to rebuild, restore, and recover.

FOOTBALL FIELDHOUSE POST TORNADO

The football fieldhouse was torn to shreds by the tornado. The only thing

left standing in the fieldhouse was the weightlifting equipment, which

were also the only things salvageable from the wreckage.

ELIZABETH MCCULLEN PHOTO

By: Samantha PappNews Editor

The storm destroyed several parts of Oak Grove High School, including its athletic facilities; however, many organizations at Oak Grove had successful seasons and even won State titles despite the tornado’s havoc.

The football team was one of the teams forced to adjust their normal routine. The football field house, established in 2002, was home to the team’s workout equipment, athletic training room, locker room, and more. Many areas the football field were damaged; however, their field house was completely devastated by the storm, and while the season wouldn’t begin for another six months, the team needed a new building to continue their weightlifting in preparation for their upcoming season. Petro Nissan agreed to lease their storage building, located across from Topher’s, as a temporary field house for the team. Ten

R E B U I LT F R O M T H E R U B B L E

MARY KATE WALDRON PHOTO LAURA PAPP PHOTO

months later, after lacking a true field house their entire season, the 2013 football team became the first football team at Oak Grove to win a 6A State Championship.

“Not having a field house gave us that much more motivation to win the State Championship,” senior offensive lineman Brian Long said. “We wanted to win it to give the community a little bit of happiness in this rebuilding process.”

While their facilities weren’t quite as devastated as the football facilities, the softball team also experienced setbacks prior to their season. The twister resulted in a roofless concession stand, a destroyed scoreboard, and a collapsed outfield fence. These damages left the softball field unplayable for majority of their season; however, William Carey and USM volunteered their softball fields as temporary home turf for the Lady Warriors. Despite the storm’s inconveniences, the softball team finished their 2013 season with a State Championship title under their belt for the first time since 2006.

Of all the athletic facilities that were damaged, the baseball facilities undoubtedly suffered the most from the tornado. The tornado destroyed the concession stand, tore down the fence, and decimated their new hitting facility. The baseball team was left with no place to practice or play, and for their entire season, the team practiced at Optimist Park and played their “home” games at USM or William Carey. Though they were not able to use their home field at all in the 2013 season, the team had a winning season and advanced all the way to the South State Championships.

Plans for a new football field house have already been decided upon and construction for the new field house will begin within the next couple of months. The softball field has been completely repaired since the storm, including a new scoreboard and new home bleachers. A new baseball facility has been under construction since December and will be completed within the next few weeks. While the baseball, softball, and football teams all suffered from the tornado, they learned to adjust their normal routines, persevered to have successful 2013 seasons, and rebuilt their dynasties from the rubble.

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

FLYING FOUR BY FOURSenior Taylor Braley’s demolished

truck lies near home plate on the baseball field. After the

tornado, Braley jokingly tweeted, “I got a truck for sale 04z71 130

thousand miles! Runs great!!!! $5 it can fly if necessary.”

DUGOUT DEVASTATIONThe softball team’s press box

and visitors’ dugout sustained significant damage from the

twister. The storn lifted the home bleachers and carried

them to an empty field behind their hitting fieldhouse, and the

bleachers crushed the home dugout on its trip.

NEW AND IMPROVEDThe baseball players’ new facilities are close to

completion. After the storm, the baseball team was unable to play on their own field due to

significant damage.

CHRISTIAN RAPETTI PHOTO

Q&ABy: Emily BurnettStaff Reporter

Carmen Swilley, a teacher here at Oak Grove High School looks back on some of the memories that took place on that day. ”We were at home when it happened, and while we were inside, all huddled

together in the hallway, the doors closed and the windows shattered violently. We took a direct hit from the tornado on our street; all the homes on our street were damaged to some extent, and some were demolished. All four of our cars were totaled. We didn’t lose everything; however, after all the damage took place, we knew that we could no longer stay in our house. My youngest daughter, oldest daughter, and I all have struggled with bad weather since then and the trauma from the tornado.”

S W I L L E Y FA M I LY R E B U I L D SQ: Has your family fully recovered from last year’s tornado?A: At this point, I would say yes because we have moved and settled into our new house with almost everything back. We are starting to feel like this new house is our home, and we have replaced all of the cars and the furniture.Q: What are some big changes that you and your family have made since the tornado?A: Our new home and location has been one of the biggest changes that we have made.Q: How long did it take y’all to find a new house after the storm?A: It took us seven months to find a new home and nine to ten months to get everything sorted out. Before we moved into our new home, we lived at a camp in Dixie for seven months while working with insurance.Q: How did the community help you and your family after the tornado?A: So many people contributed because we were some of the only people in our church who received great damage from the storm. There were lots of people who helped out and made everything easier to get through.

NEW SOFTBALL SCOREBOARDThe Lady Warrior softball team’s new scoreboard is ready for the 2014 season. After last

year’s cyclone, the team’s scoreboard was completely destroyed.

8 opinion February 14, 2014

What’s the hype with Skype?By: Abby NguyenStaff Reporter

Today’s high school students have been in the education system for about ten to thirteen years, and in this short time period, so much has changed in nearly every aspect of life be it fashion statements, television shows, slang, but in school especially. In the early 2000’s, only 20 percent of all students had constant

access to computers in the United States whereas in this day and age, about 98 percent of American students have easy access to computers throughout the school day.

Needless to say, the accessibility of technology is increasing for the better. Th is new found ability to utilize the tools schools have reveals a never before seen realm of possibilities pertaining to the limits of modern education. Some

classrooms at Oak Grove High School merely use computers and projectors to create slide show presentations; however, in December, three classrooms in the Lamar County School District began a unique and unconventional project called “Th e Kid Wish 2014 Project.” Th is program was designed by a group of innovative teachers who were devoted to creating interactive ways for their students to learn. Th e plan was to join a community-based special education classroom with a basic education classroom so both classes could have a Christmas card exchange and share their Christmas wishes. One of these participating classrooms is Mrs. Stacey Todd’s community-based class. She and her students began to use Skype, a free voice-

over-IP service and instant messaging application, to correspond with students in other classrooms as far away as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Mrs. Todd’s students shared cards, ornaments unique to Mississippi, and well wishes with 5th grade students from a school in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

After Christmas wishes and cards were exchanged, it was obvious that the “Kid Wish 2014 Project” had indeed been successful. Both Mrs. Todd’s class and the students from Massachusetts were able to learn about the similarities and diff erences between both of these regions of the country, but communication between these students did not end after Christmas.

Since then, Mrs. Todd’s students have maintained communication with

other students and have Skyped three times since. Th is correspondence has taught students on both sides the diff erences between living in the deep South and the far North,

but more than anything, they have been able to fi nd strands of commonality that have proven universal.

It was fun to talk to other kids in Massachusetts and make friends with them.”

- Allen Jones

in the classroom

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

ENGLISH TEACHERSBy: Christian RapettiStaff Reporter

Th ere have been a lot of changes to Oak Grove this year, one of which being the mid-year changing of classes between Mrs. Shoemake and Ms. Clark. Before the big switch, Shoemake was teaching Accelerated and Honors English for tenth graders and Clark was teaching Humanities I and II and Accelerated English for the ninth graders, but because of recent events, their whole schedules have had to be changed.

Shoemake has taken on all of Clark’s old classes and given up her two previous classes. According to Shoemake, she has not taught freshmen since she fi rst came to Oak Grove twenty-two years ago. “Freshmen do not change, but my students are wonderful,” Shoemake said. On the Humanities front though, this is

a new experience for her. “Humanities is a new class for me, but I am really just pinch-hitting for Ms. Clark. She is still the force behind the program.” For those who do not know, Humanities is a class that works on test prep in a learning environment where you can easily ask for help if you don’t understand something. Humanities student Lauren Pitts had nothing but good things to say about Shoemake. “Mrs. Shoemake is doing a good job to make sure we are getting the most out of our time in that class. She fi nds things to give us and discuss that she feels will benefi t us. Even though she is not Ms. Clark, I think the class would

be about the same if Ms. Clark were teaching it. I know they talk about it, and Mrs. Shoemake is trying to keep the class the same as it was while Ms. Clark was teaching it and I think she is doing a great job.”

Clark has taken on the ultimate challenge by becoming the new AP Language teacher for juniors. “Th is class

is more demanding than the others I taught. Both the students and I

have to do much more work outside of class to fulfi ll the requirements and for them to score well on the AP exam,”

Clark said. But of course, there is always more work with a new class. Clark did also say that she liked the challenge and the breadth of the material. Even though this does add more to her everyday workload, she believes seeing the progress of the students makes the work worthwhile.

With these new changes, it seems like Clark and Shoemake do not have any

By: Morgan GuessEditor

Over the course of fi rst semester, while most students were turning pages in classrooms, senior Julia Leader was fl ying nearly seven thousand miles to experience her traditional culture and religion. Tucked away in the Middle East, the Jewish State of Israel represents vast history among its many biblical cities and landmarks. Leader took the chance abroad, departing on August 26 with NFTY Eisendrath International Exchange, a program off ered to students in grades 10-12 traveling across Israel and Poland. Host families normally house students in many foreign exchange programs; however, with IEI, Leader stayed in a “Kibbutz” or community made up of small houses close in proximity to the school. Leader explained, “Our group lived in ‘Kibbutz Tzuba.’ We lived in hotel-type rooms, with four people compromised in one. Living conditions were constantly tight, so I spent most of my time outside. Our classrooms were right across the road, so we walked there every morning for school.”

During her time abroad, Leader brushed up on Hebrew and took other classes composed of only three students. Leader jokes, “Each of my classes had about three students including myself. It was more like private tutoring. And I could not get away with skipping class or late assignments like I could at OG.” While most of the senior class was cheering on the football team at State, Leader was trekking the Red Canyon and swimming in the Dead Sea. While students back home read history books, Leader embraced the personal history of her surroundings and laminated on worldly concerns. “I learned that history is important, I learned that our

problems at home are insignifi cant compared to others, I learned that reaching out is the only way to learn, and I realized how big the world was,” she said.

Th is extraordinary time abroad in the Middle East to many would seem overwhelming due to language barriers and the halting diversity, but Leader explained, “I have grown up learning how to read Hebrew, but I never knew how to speak in conversation with it. I took a course in Hebrew while I was there. It is actually a very easy language to learn.”

When getting from place to place, however, Leader experienced a little communication complication: “Our group had a charter bus driven by our Arab driver, Sammy. He barely spoke one word of English, but somehow we were all best friends with him.” So many miles away from home, Leader began to miss Hattiesburg expressing, “No one had that Southern charm like the people at Oak Grove do. As time passed, I began to miss my friends so much.”

After arriving home December 27 and looking back on her trip, Leader has since missed her friendships made abroad but most of all, “I miss being able to look around and appreciate where I was. It was such an amazing and beautifully historic place.”

Leader explores her heritage in Middle East

GET A SHAKE UP

TREKKING THROUGH THE DESERTTOP: Leader travels through the Red Canyon in Eilot Israel. MIDDLE: Leader tries out a new way of transportation across the Negev Desert. BOTTOM: Leader bonds with other exchange students in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

free time on their hands. “Th ere is no off period during the school day; there is a planning period. I plan, review, and grade during my planning period, during my lunch period, and quite often after school. Of course, I grade and plan at home, as well,” Shoemake said. Clark typically will, “Read. Grade. Cry. Repeat.”

2 TEAC

HERS

3 SUBJECTS

1 5 2 STUDENTS

By: Taylor ParsonsStaff Reporter

So often we forget that teachers were kids once, too. Th ey played with dolls or action fi gures, scraped knees on the playground, and even went to prom. No matter what parts of prom may change, students always highly anticipate prom night.

Th e ever important hunt for the perfect prom dress still remains just as intense as it was “back in the day.” Girls spend hours trying on multiple evening gowns to fi nd the one that fi ts just right. Some styles have stayed similar, like Mrs. Sisson’s all sequin dress. As with many prom-related issues, girls get a little more into the little details. Boys, however, have the luxury of renting a tux before prom, returning that tux after prom, and being fi nished with the entire ordeal. Th e next year, girls try to sell last year’s dresses, and the cycle repeats itself again. Girls buy and sell, and boys just rent and return.

Th ere was a time when no one took a “party bus” to prom. “No one had limos. If you showed up in a limo, everyone would’ve been like ‘Who does she think she is?’” Mrs. Sanders said. Now, most juniors and seniors take limos or party buses. Th ough these forms of transportation increase prices, they allow a large group of people to arrive and leave together, dancing and having fun the whole way there and back. “Everyone just took their cars,” Mrs. Sanders said. Th e getting to prom is only a small portion of the fun.

Big group dinners before prom were not always the popular thing to do either. Now, many groups who will be on a party bus or limo together eat dinner at someone’s house or a nice restaurant before prom. Around the time our teachers went to prom, dinners

9featuresFebruary 14, 2014

2014then & now

Darren Dale | 1997 | Clinton High

prom tips

were low key and did not involve as large of groups as they do now.

Party buses are not the only new prom aspect. “Promposals” have sprouted within the last several years. Believe it or not, there was a time when people asked to prom, not in chicken nuggets, fi reworks, or billboards, but just with plain and simple words. “Oh no, the promposal was defi nitely not even a thing yet,” Mrs. Sisson said. Within the past two years, promposals changed from a rarity to a necessity. Girls expect these promposals from guys, unless the guy planned for rejection.

Generally speaking, prom is a bigger ordeal now than it was twenty years ago. From December to April, prom is the buzz of the school: Who is going with whom, who is on what bus, and who asked in the cutest way are only a few of the questions fi lling classrooms on a daily basis. Was prom the same way in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s? Prom has always been an event that students get excited about, but because of the current excitement and related stress of the night, prom is a bigger conversation consumer now.

Movies like Pretty in Pink, She’s All Th at, and even High School Musical 3: Senior Year have built up prom-related expectations and anticipations through generations. Our moms, dads, and even teachers experienced the same excitement. No matter the extravagance of the event, prom is always a night to remember. From tuxes to dresses to heels to corsages, prom can also be a good bit of stress. Th e best tip for prom is to remember that it is all just about a fun night with friends, a fun night to remember for the rest of your lives.

Michelle Sisson | 1991 | JB Pennington High

Becky Sanders | 1984 | Oak Grove High

By: Lucy PruittEntertainment / Living Editor

As Hollywood started off the new year with the usual chain of star-studded awards shows and red carpet interviews, the glitz and the glamor of the celebrities opted as a good distraction from the impeding cold. Th e series of awards given to deserving musicians, actors, and actresses made music, television, and movie history as upcoming stars made their debut, and classic stars were once again recognized for their work.

Th e 2014 Golden Globes was hosted by none other than the dynamic duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the L.A. Nokia Th eatre on Sunday, January 12. During the show, while walking on stage to introduce Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical nominee Th e Wolf of Wall Street, co-stars Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie suff ered some technical malfunctions. Th en Hill and Robbie found themselves staring at teleprompter

text meant for Aaron Eckhart and Paula Patton, who later handed out the award for Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama. Th e two actors did not miss too many beats before using their improvisational skills to deliver the introduction of Th e Wolf of Wall Street in a funny, somewhat professional way.

In the Screen Actors Guild awards, Sofi a Vergara kept Modern Family’s SAG award acceptance speech entertaining. Th e company has offi cially won four SAG awards in row, leaving the cast quite comfortable with giving acceptance speeches and thank you’s to everyone and everything that helped the show become successful. Later following Vergara, the cast and company of the much talked-about drug drama, Breaking Bad, beat out many of the year’s most praised television series for the honorable title of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Opening up the 2014 Grammys with

a bang was none other than the queen bee herself, Beyonce Knowles. Singing and dancing alongside her husband Jay Z, Beyonce captivated the crowd with a grunge hairstyle, fi shnet tights, and black leotard. Breakthrough artist, Lorde also performed her winning Song of the Year,

“Royals,” sporting a rather creepy yet transfi xing ensemble with dark purple lipstick, straight hair instead of her iconic wild and curly locks, a white button down tank, and oversized black, fl ared trousers.

Award season hits HollywoodAND THE WINNER IS...

REDCARPET

STYLE Best

Dre

ssed

Wor

st D

ress

edTaylor Swift Amy Adams Emma Thompson Pharell WilliamsSwift sparkled walking the red carpet at the Grammys in her fl oor length Gucci gown embedded with thousands of crystals and, in Taylor’s words, “bullet proof.”

The always chic Amy Adams seemed to dress as her role in The Wolf of Wall Street at the Golden Globes in a deep cut, red gown

that cinches simply at the waist.

Thompson was surprisingly not in her usual chic, glamorous look at the SAG Awards, sporting an octopus design on the shoulder of her black dress with a seemingly repurposed lampshade bottom.

Pharell Williams was marked down as a major worst dressed star at the Grammys for his Smokey-the-Bear meets the Arby’s hat look.

10 living February 14, 2014

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Come see why Corner Market is“A Special Place to Shop”

APPening? By: Katie Williams, Copy Editor

What’s In July 2012,

Snapchat took the world by storm. Almost two years later, millions

are still using the app, and improvements are still being made. The creators of Snapchat have recently added filters and other ways to include text in your snaps. In light of these recent improvements, some scary news about the app has recently been published.

Any snap sent is stored in a server for three years. Snaps do not actually disappear. The

creators of Snapchat have also stated that the main intention of the app was sexting. The creators are the only ones who have access.

By agreeing to the terms and conditions, users allow Snapchat the ability to solicit pictures.

Personally, this information scares me. I have considered deleting my Snapchat because of this information. I am not advising that one deletes Snapchat, but he or she should at least think about the repercussions before sending an inappropriate picture.

By: Christian RapettiStaff Reporter

The Seattle Seahawks won its first Super Bowl in an overpowering fashion by punishing Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 43-8. Throughout the year, both teams have shown great skill and everyone expected a great game. Even though this was the Seahawks’ first Super Bowl win, the Broncos have gone to six Super Bowls before this and have won two of them under quarterback and team captain John Elway. Many people compared Manning to Elway thinking he would create the same outcome in Super Bowl XLVIII. Those people were sadly mistaken.

For the Broncos, the game could not have started any worse when center Manny Ramirez hiked the ball over Manning’s head in a shotgun formation, which was picked up by running back Knowshon Moreno, who was almost instantly taken

Seahawks blow out Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII 43-8down in the endzone for a safety, putting the Seahawks ahead in the first seconds of the game 2-0. For the first quarter, the Seahawks remained on top by kicking two field goals, making the score 8-0. In the second quarter, it took Seattle seven plays to get into the endzone with running back Marshawn Lynch for a one yard touchdown. Shortly after the touchdown, Manning threw an interception to linebacker Malcolm Smith (who later became Super Bowl MVP), who returned it for a touchdown ending the first half with a score of 22-0.

The blowout of a first half was followed by an electric performance by Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Pepsi Halftime Show. Mars took the stage and began his performance with a children’s choir singing the chorus to Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire” and a drum solo that really got the crowd pumped for anything that would happen next. He then performed his hit single “Locked Out Of Heaven,” which was immediately followed by his other song “Treasure.” Mars then sang “Runaway Baby,” which jumped straight into Red Hot Chili Peppers and their song “Give it Away.” Mars ended the show with a big finale of his song “Just the Way You Are.”

With the first half in the books, the Broncos were really hoping to see a better two quarters, but they did not get their wish. The opening kickoff to Seattle was taken all the way back by Percy Harvin for an 87-yard touchdown return which www.realclearsports.com

Reality TV

By: Abby NguyenStaff Reporter

On January 6, 8.5 million viewers across the nation tuned in to watch limo after limo carrying human cargo unload in front of the Bachelor mansion as this year’s Bachelor, Juan Pablo Galavis, greeted each one of the contestants. After about the sixth girl, however, these women’s faces began to blur together and only the contestants that had planned extravagant attention garnering antics were remembered.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity of mindless

hugs and name exchanges, this season had successfully begun. Even though the faces and outrageous personalities had changed, the routine was more or less a carbon copy of what happens every time The Bachelor begins.

If this routine is so repetitive, why is it that eight million or so Americans tune in to watch the same thing every January? A detailed survey outlined in Psychology Today determined that individuals are enraptured with reality television for two main reasons. The first being that reality TV has been proven to provide a sense of justification for viewers’ own moral discrepancies. This idea of moral comparison fell into the spotlight during the airing of Temptation Island, a show in which competitors were encouraged to cheat on their spouses. Fans of the show were revealed to exhibit a lack of interest in personal morality. Critics of the program, however, were able to determine that people liked to watch the competitors decide to make bad choices, rather than watching the bad decisions cause drama.

Another facet of the survey tested 16 basic desires and values. This portion revealed that most reality show viewers were more likely to agree with the statement, “Prestige is important to me.” The one strand of commonality that runs beneath all reality TV shows is competition. Contestants befriending and betraying each other for self benefit and gain, random everyday people becoming overnight sensations, and the potential of earning a prize beyond comprehension managed to awaken the primal urge to compete.

Reality television provides an outlet for one’s desire to excel through deceit. The possibility that anyone could very well be on the next season of The Bachelor, that comparing one’s self to people who go to terrible lengths to obtain

Reality CHECK•According to the Medical Procedure News,

reality television is attributing to cosmetic surgery procedures with more than 9.2 million procedures performed as a result of people watching these shows.

•The Huffington Post reported that among girls who watch reality TV, 72% say they spend a lot of time on their appearances, versus 42% of non-viewers.

•In a recent poll conducted by TiVo, television viewers said they were growing tired of reality shows, with 40% calling reality the most overdone genre of programming.

•AconflictingstudybyForbes showed that where ratings were concerned, reality television ranked as number one in viewership loyalty.

The reality of reality TV

amazing prizes, and finally that competition is a primal part of the human experience all fuel the engine that is American reality programming. Whether or not viewers choose to accept this facet of culture is still up to those who choose to watch it.

really added to Denver’s pain. After a quick turnover by Denver, Seattle got its first passing touchdown from a 23-yard pass from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse. Six plays and eighty yards later, Denver was finally able to get its first touchdown from an outstanding catch by Demaryius Thomas, which was followed by a successful two-point conversion barely reducing the lead to 36-8 at the end of the third quarter. The scoring ended by one

final pass by Russell Wilson, giving Seattle a commanding 43-8 lead. It was not record breaking, but Seattle won by thirty-five points, and if the winning deficit of the last six Super Bowls were added together, it would only be thirty-four points.

Even though Denver had the experience, it was obviously not a factor for this upset of a game. This will go down as one of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history.

11livingFebruary 14, 2014

By: ALYSSA BASS | Staff Reporter

2013 was a big year in entertainment. Beyoncé started the year with possibly the best Super Bowl halftime performance, where Destiny’s Child was reunited. Miley Cyrus made sure everyone knew

“Th e Other Side” of her when she cut and dyed her hair and “twerked” onstage alongside Robin Th icke. Robin Th icke also made his presence known this year when he released “Blurred Lines” featuring T.I. and Pharrell. While the song was successful for about a month, listeners soon grew annoyed with the overplayed tune, and not only that but Th icke’s song was also accused of encouraging rape due to the controversial lyrics. Th e MTV VMAs reunited NSYNC. Selfi e offi cially became a word in the Oxford Dictionary and Blogilates became popular in the world of fi tness via YouTube. Whether there was good or bad news, odds are you found out via Twitter. Trending topics kept people informed daily.

WORD OF THE YEAROxford Dictionary announced the word of 2013 to be selfi e! Selfi es became popular in 2010 when Instagram made its social network debut, but the word has been traced back as far as 2002. An Oxford Dictionary blogger suggests that the word became popular this past year simply because photos have become easier to produce and share in mainstream media.

BEST AUTHORRainbow Rowell may not have gotten as much recognition as the bandwagon that is John Green in 2013, but she is truly the author to watch in 2014. Rowell made her young adult debut in February with Eleanor and Park, giving readers a glimpse into a world of music, abuse, and fi rst love in the 80’s. Later that year, Rowell released Fangirl, a story of college experiences, family drama, and fan-fi ction.

BEST MOVIEDisney’s Frozen was released into theatres in December, and people have not stopped talking about it. Frozen is the story of Anna, a fearless optimist, who must battle the elements in a race to save her sister, Elsa, and the kingdom of Arendelle from an eternal winter. Many have been said to enjoy the movie because of its positive impact on young girls by showing that a girl does not need a prince to save her to have a happy ending.

BEST ALBUMBeyoncé surprised the world by releasing her self-titled, visual album on December 13. With zero promotion for the album, Beyoncé knew she could guarantee a successful album release with or without promotion. One Tweeter said it best:”Beyoncé doesn’t need publicity. Publicity needs Beyoncé.”

BEST WORST SONGRadio stations said “Hey, hey, hey” to “Blurred Lines” featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams by Robin Th icke in the summer of 2013. After the 800th time the song played on the radio, listeners soon grew annoyed, not only because local radio stations were overplaying the song, but also because of controversial lyrics that were connected to date rape.

BEST NEW ARTISTTh e music industry gained a new, mysterious face in 2013: Lorde. At 16, Lorde became the youngest artist to top the Billboard charts and the fi rst New Zealander to gain the top spot. Critics thought that Lorde would be a one-hit-wonder with her song “Royals,” but her album Pure Heroine proved otherwise.

BEST PERSON OF 2013

Beyoncé began making 2013 the year of Beyoncé in February by singing a medley of songs during her performance at the Super Bowl XLVII. Later that month, she announced “Th e Mrs.Carter Show World Tour.” Her fans, the BeyHive, would then not hear new music until December 13 with the release of her Beyoncé album.

Divergent is the story of sixteen-year-old Tris Prior, who must make a decision to either stay with her family and continue to be a

part of her current faction or choose a new faction to live with, one that is more accustomed to the way she thinks as an individual. However, she is divergent, which means that she does not fall into one category of thinking. She thinks diff erently, possessing many of the traits that the other factions possess. Th e fi ve diff erent factions include abnegation, the selfl ess, and her current faction; candor, the honest; erudite, the intelligent; amity, the peaceful; and dauntless, the brave. If Tris decides to leave her family and does not

make it through the initiation for her new chosen faction, she will become factionless, a faction in itself for those who are poor,

homeless, and looked down upon. Divergent is set in futuristic Chicago where

the people are forced to believe in “faction before blood,” stating that once joined into

a diff erent faction, that new faction becomes family. Th e initiates are not allowed to see their families any more following the choosing ceremony until visiting day. Th is dystopian novel has been made into a fi lm and will hit the big screen on March 21, 2014.

Neil Burger, known for the movie Limitless, is the director of the movie Divergent. Th e fi lming location for this action and adventure fi lm is in Chicago. Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, shares her thoughts on viewing the fi lming process of the movie, “I have never seen behind that curtain before. Now I see that it is tough to make a movie. Th ere is a lot of detail.” Th e female lead and heroine of Divergent, Tris, will be portrayed by Shailene Woodley, known for Th e Spectacular Now and her new movie Th e Fault in Our Stars premiering summer 2014. Zoe Kravitz, an actress casted in the upcoming Divergent fi lm, is the daughter of Lenny Kravitz, who played Cinna in the major fi lm series Hunger Games and Catching

Fire. Zoe Kravitz will be following in her father’s footsteps when she takes on the

role of Christina,

Tris’ best friend, in this new major fi lm that focuses on a divided society. Academy Award nominee and Oscar winner Kate Winslet is set to play the role of Divergent’s antagonist Jeanine Matthews. Th e actresses selected for this fi lm have their own personalities and diff erent characteristics that will help portray each character’s role more eff ectively.

Once readers see that the books are being made into major fi lm productions, seeing the movies will allow the stories to become more realistic. Making these books into a major motion picture will provide each reader with a clearer image of the events taking place in the story. Th e movie will create a more accurate picture of each character’s emotions, how they dress or act, and how the city looks once the diff erent factions have divided it. Millions of readers and fans of the Divergent world will be camped outside the theaters for this new action-packed adventure fi lm come March 21, 2014.

DID YOU KNOW?

Divergent comes to life in streets of Chicago By: Emily Burnett | Staff Reporter

One of my favorite aspects of football season was the Super Bowl… and by the Super Bowl, I mean Super Bowl parties. I honestly do not think the Super Bowl would be nearly as enjoyable without pregame snacks and festivities. In honor of the 2014 Super Bowl, I was searching for a new recipe to make for pregame festivities. I discovered a new recipe that is absolutely delicious with the perfect spicy kick: Bacon- Wrapped Shrimp With Chipotle Barbeque Sauce. This new snack is the perfect fi nger food to enjoy prior to the big kickoff . Ingredients:

• 20 strips bacon (about 12 ounces)• 20 medium-large shrimp, shelled and

deveined (about 1 pound)• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce• 1/4 cup canola oil• 3 tablespoons lemon juice• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard• 3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in

adobo sauce• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper fl akes• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:1. Soak 5-8 bamboo skewers in water for

about 20 min. to keep them from burning on the grill or under the broiler.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until halfway done, about 4 min. Drain and cool on paper towels. Wrap a piece of bacon around the middle of each shrimp; skewer with bamboo through the point where the bacon ends meet to keep it from unraveling. Thread 3-5 shrimp on each bamboo skewer.

3. Puree the barbecue sauce, oil, lemon juice, mustard, chipotles, red pepper fl akes, cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper in a blender. Set aside half of the sauce for dipping.

4. Preheat a grill, grill pan or broiler. Grill or broil shrimp (on a foil-lined baking sheet, if broiling) for 5 min., basting with the sauce once they begin to turn pink. Flip, baste again and grill or broil until just cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Serve with extra sauce.

Recipe adapted from the Food Network website:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fi eri/bacon-wrapped-shrimp-

with-chipotle-barbecue-sauce-recipe/index.html

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12 living February 14, 2014

Baking cookies for a cause

By: Olivia DiazStaff Reporter

Bake sales could never top this. Culinary Arts teacher Debbie Miller and her students helped bake 500 dozen chocolate chip cookies for Mississippi Army National Guard soldiers with the 858th Engineering Company and Utah Army National Guard soldiers on the Security Force Assistant Advisory’s Team currently stationed in Afghanistan. Th ey’ve done this along with the Military Family Ministry at Temple Baptist Church and with the donations they generously received from Jr. Civitan and National Honors Society. Culinary Arts bought the ingredients and successfully raised $302 to pay for shipping costs.

“500 dozen - that’s our goal,” Miller said. “We may not reach that, but we’re going to bake until we run out of product. All of my classes participated.” According to Miller, Culinary Arts’ deadline to bake all their cookies by Valentine’s Day.

In order to reach their goal before the deadline, students carefully converted each product they bought. For example, for 500 dozen cookies, they had to buy not one dozen eggs but roughly twenty-eight dozen eggs.

Additionally, students stuck to chocolate chips because it’s the most popular cookie. “We’re limiting it to one

kind,” Miller said. “Th at’s just easier for us.”

But even if the job requires much planning and patience, these students were not left alone. Mrs. Decker and the Girl Scout Troop 6095 pitched in to help Miller and students bake cookies on Saturday, January 25.

Th is is not the fi rst time Culinary Arts has done something like this. Last year, Miller and students baked 60 dozen cookies that were shipped out for Christmas.

Miller was aware that any goal depended on how many products they were able to buy. Miller believes they baked cookies to show their devotion and support for the troops, and because it provides experience for her students and the chance to give without taking.

“I believe that this assignment will give my students pride in doing a job,” Miller said. “Not receiving anything for it, doing something for somebody else. So, it’s a personal pride.” She believes her students will learn how to purchase items for recipes that call for huge amounts of ingredients. Also, she feels that this will prepare her students for future workplaces; in both OG’s kitchen and other settings, a product must be produced before a deadline and then distributed.

Cookie Crushing Numbers

By: Casey Ford | Staff Reporter

Some view Valentine’s Day as an overrated, Hallmarky excuse to invest in ridiculous amounts of chocolate and fl owers. Some look forward to the occasion all year. Whatever your opinion, there is a central message–loving others–that I think we can all agree to acknowledge and embrace this year. The world we live in is full of opportunities every single day to show kindness to those around you, but what a better time to do so than Valentine’s Day? In fact, the week of Valentine’s Day, February 10-16, 2014 is the offi cial Random Acts of Kindness week. This classifi cation, recognized on a national level in 2005, was started by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, a non-profi t organization “founded upon the powerful belief in kindness and dedicated to providing resources and tools that encourage acts of kindness.” So why don’t you take their challenge? Why don’t you spread some kindness this Valentine’s Day?

There are endless opportunities to pay it forward today and every day that don’t really take much eff ort on your part, so be creative. But here a few simple gestures that are sure make anyone smile:

Share the love and pay it forward

By: Abby Nguyen

Staff Reporter

There are approximately 6,909 languages spoken around the world, over 350 languages spoken in North America, and about 322 languages spoken in the United States. Despite the obvious linguistic diversity in our country, only 18 percent of Americans report being able to speak more than one language. Communication with other non-English speakers is becoming a near necessity in today’s interconnected society, but things as complex as languages have proven time and time again to be diffi cult for native English speakers to learn. Rather than teach an entire foreign language, let’s learn some key phrases that may come in handy around the globe.

“Yeogiseo gajang gakkaun gonghang-eun?” is Korean for “Where is the nearest airport?” in the incident that you ever fi nd yourself stranded in South Korea.

“Jag är oerhört förlorade just nu” means “I am extremely lost at this moment” in Swedish.

“Where is the American Embassy?” can be spoken in Icelandic as “þar er American sendiráðið?”

And fi nally, if you ever want to be really polite to Polish speaker because your fate lies in their hands, it’s always good to say something along the lines of “Piekny jak twój kraj Polska jest, naprawde chcialbym wrócic do Stanów Zjednoczonych teraz” which translates to “As beautiful as your country of Poland is, I would really like to go back to the United States now.”

Admittedly, learning a new language is a diffi cult thing to do, but hopefully, these key phrases will prove useful in the case that you ever get hopelessly lost in one of these foreign, more exotic countries.

By: Samantha Papp

News Editor

Pay for the person behind you.

You know that guy in the drive-thru wants his Starbucks just as

much as you do. Imagine his face when he gets his for free.

Hold the door.It’s just common courtesy. There’s a mom behind you with her hands full, and you can make her day by showing her you’re a teenager who hasn’t yet forgotten how to be polite.

Write a letter.While it is clear technology has begun to

take over the world in full force, there is something quite diff erent and still quite appreciated about a hand-written note

letting someone know he or she is awesome.

Say thank you.That cashier has been standing there in the lovely world of Wal-Mart all day dealing with

plenty of people who haven’t given him a second thought. Tell him you are grateful for his help.

Help someone.Whether it’s your friend with his homework, your

parents with chores, or an elderly neighbor with her groceries, fi nd ways to make yourself useful, and

mean it.

Bake.Everyone loves cookies. Take some to your classmates, neighbors, teachers or church friends for no reason at all.

Smile.Just because.