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What to Expect:

Feature -Ghost Out Day -Band Busy Bodies -Leo Club

pages 2 and 3

Editorial

-All I want for Christmas

-A Graham of Advice -Letter to the Editor

page 4

Food, Fashion, and Entertainment

-Holiday Recipes

-First In Line Play -Top 15 Holiday Movies

page 5

Sports -KHS Bikers

-Garret Lynn -KHS Saddle Club

page 6

Warrior Fun -Holiday Word Search -Ryan’s World

page 7

Homecoming -Homecoming and Spirit Week pictures

page 8

As we are all well aware, a

new brand of technology has been

added to the classrooms of

Kecoughtan. Promethean boards,

the school’s latest investment, have

been purchased so that the students

and teachers of Kecoughtan can

learn, and teach, with a different

type of technology. I got the chance

to interview two of our very own

teachers, Mr. Mingee and Mr. Butler,

to discuss their personal opinions

on the boards and whether or not

they feel that these boards are a

good addition to the classroom

environment.

In conversation with Mr.

Mingee, government teacher and

Youth In Government sponsor, I

discovered that he does not

necessarily have an interest in the

board. He believes the usage of

technological innovations, such as

the SmartBoard, would be “better

and more things could be done with

them.” Colleagues of his have

spoken very highly of SmartBoards,

stating that they are much more

interactive and easier to use.

A new program called

ActivInspire has been added to each

teacher’s computer to allow

interaction with the Promethean

board, which is a hassle to some

teachers. On a more positive note,

Mr. Mingee, fully aware of the

budget and cost restrictions, thinks,

“more advantages could arise with a

different piece of technology.”

On the other hand, Mr.

Butler, one of the math teachers

here at Kecoughtan, believes that

the Promethean boards are

excellent tools, but have “slight

A New Technology

The Kecoughtan Physical

Education Department would like to

remind students that robberies are

still happening frequently in the

locker room.

Cell phones and iPods

disappear more often than anything

else. Most of the thefts occur in the

girl’s locker room. “You look around

and you wonder if one of your friends

could have done it,” said sophomore

Shelby Juneau. “You can never truly

know who someone is.”

Kecoughtan P.E. teacher

Coach Wheeler attributed the

robberies to the amount of kids that

require supervision in the locker

room. “There’s 50-60 kids in a locker

room,” he explained.

Fortunately, the number of

locker room thefts has actually gone

down this year. According Coach

Wheeler, new locks on the lockers

have helped a lot in the prevention of

robberies.

Coach Wheeler also wanted to

remind students that valuables

should never be brought into the

locker room when possible. If you

absolutely need to bring something,

double check that it is locked away in

your locker, not inside your book-bag

or underneath a bench. “If it is not in

a locker, there is nothing we can do,”

said Coach Wheeler.

In addition to these two

things, make sure that you are

discrete with your items-do not share

your new possession with everyone in

the locker room. Never loan out an

iPod, cell phone, or other valuable to

someone you do not know and trust.

The P.E. department will

continue to work to prevent the

robberies. Keep an eye on your items

and be willing to cooperate with them.

Wanted: Locker Room ThiefBy: Katie Hurlock

By: Megan Woodward

Continued on Page 3

Finally we made it! It’s senior year,

and expectations are high for one of the best

senior classes Kecoughtan has ever seen. The

hefty title, “Senior

Year” brings a few

rights of passage;

getting out early,

prom, no SOLs, and

of course the highly

anticipated Senior

Shirts. Each year

when the Senior

Shirts are released

the frenzy begins.

Seniors storm to the

senior class officers

and Ms. Lay in a

rush to get their

opinions heard. It

s e e m s t h a t

whenever the senior

class puts something

out, somebody has

something to say. So

what’s the deal?

Why is everyone so

upset? And more

importantly, how do

our senior shirts for

the class of 2011

compare to previous

years’?

This year

senior dues were

$40, which included

the senior shirt,

Chick-fil-A day at the end of the year, and a

discount on prom. This price seems a little

steep considering dues were just $30 dollars

last year. Let’s see what the senior class

thinks about dues:

“I think it was kind of a waste of

money, especially because the shirts just

weren’t worth it. I mean cool…a discount on

prom,” says senior Julianne Van Hout.

It seemed that the general consensus

amongst the senior

class was that the

shirts just weren’t

worth it. They

think the senior

class officers could

have done a better

job picking out a

more original shirt

for our senior year.

Senior, and SCA

Secretary, Megan

Woodward told me,

“They should have

stood out more and

really given off a

sense of senior

pride. I don’t get

that vibe from

these shirts at all.

Hopefully they will

look better in the

spring…”

When asked what

she thought of the

shirts, senior, and

President of the

G S A , M o r g a n

Sullivan stated, “I

don’t like them. I

didn’t even go pick

m i n e u p e v e n

though I paid dues. If the shirts looked better,

and could go with more stuff, maybe they

would be worth the money.”

Not all seniors, however, felt the same

about the shirts. Senior, and Tribal Tales Staff

Writer, Sarah Velez told me, “I think they look

fine, they aren’t even that bad. People need to

Continued on Page 2

Senior Shirts: Were

they worth it?By: Evan Garrity

The dream of a White

Christmas came true for many in

Hampton last year. A major winter

storm struck the region with over a foot

of snow, causing a winter wonderland.

Snow started falling on Christmas night,

and by 9 pm, a dusting of snow was on

the ground across portions of Hampton

Roads. The snow caused the first White

Christmas in Hampton since 1948,

where less than a half an inch of snow

fell. The snow, combined with the

Christmas holiday allowed

Kecoughtan’s students to enjoy the

thrills of winter. Snowball fights were

organized at Gosnolds and sledding was

common at Phoebus and Bunny Hill at

Gonsolds.

The snow this winter season

may not be over yet either. More snow

or ice is possible in the coming weeks.

For those of you who hate the cold, it’s not going to get better. Temperatures will be

slow to get above fifty degrees for a while.

White Christmas in HamptonBy: Ricky Matthews

Photo Credit: Ricky Matthews

FEATURE November 5th 2010.

The Pep Rally is filled with

n o i s e , e x c e p t f o r a

surprisingly large amount of

people who remain silent. We

know that you knew what

was going on- your friends

told you on the phone the

night before. Or you found out

from a friend of a friend’s

Facebook status. And when it was all over, your

friends were there, smiling and laughing and

complaining that the makeup was staining. But

imagine for a second that you didn’t know what

was going on. That the voices you love so much

remained silent forever, and that you would

never see those smiles again. And imagine this

all happened because of a drunk driver. Now

you know what millions of Americans go

through every ten minutes.

Marissa Weissner and J.T Griffen are

freshmen who were deeply affected by the

school’s movement to help us understand.

“Having the

makeup on and

l i s t e n i n g t o

everybody wonder

w h a t w a s

happening was

fun,” says Marissa.

“But then I looked

around and there

was this big crowd.

I r e m e m b e r e d

thinking it sucks

that that many

people die because of someone else’s stupid

decisions. I thought about what would

happen if my friends were actually dead

because of that and then I realized how hurt I

would be.”

J.T’s reaction was similar.

“I don’t know dude. It’s such a huge

eye opener. I mean, every ten minutes? Sure

it was funny when people acted it out but the

real thing must suck. I think it’s really cool

that the school did this.”

Cassie Ardern was another

freshman who was touched by this act, the

difference was she was actually

one of the people who ‘died’ that

day.

“I think that if any of

my friends were hit by drunk

drivers I would just be angry. I

mean that’s a typical human

reaction. It was funny at first,

not being able to talk. But when

you’re sitting there in silence it

just hits you and you realize

this stuff actually happens. This

many people actually die. I couldn’t help but think about the butterfly

affect. You know, a butterfly flaps its wings on one side of the world

and it causes a tornado on the other side of the world. One person has

a bad day and decides to get wasted, and a whole community is

affected by the loss of someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It’s just so messed up.”

So if you ever go out drinking with your friends when you get

older, and you decide maybe you want to go home, or slip out for a

joyride, think back to high school and that ONE day where your best

friend couldn’t talk to you. Think of how you might be silencing

another voice forever… and put the keys down.

Ghost out Day

Diamond Blackwell

Jonathan Moore

Ben Bartel

Saleem Sargent

Graham Burbank

Jack Underkoffler

Justin Mcgee

Rone Parent

Rachel Green

Alternate Xavior Williams

Alternate Alexandre Hoan

Rebecca Simerick

Kerri Bumpers

Tamara Long

Julie Williams

Noelle Johnson

Lacey Rowe

Heavenly Stamey

Emily Capriotti

Megan McKinnon

Tia Glover

Congrats to the 2011 All-District

Chorus Delegates from KHS:

stop complaining about them

and be happy that they got

something to commemorate our

last year of high school.”

The maelstrom of

comments about the shirts

came from across the board.

Everyone had their own opinion

to add to the matter, and they

all seemed pretty emphatic. So I

decided to go straight to the

source, our Senior Class

President, Shannon Payne, to

get the scoop on the highly

controversial shirts.

When asked what

happened with the shirts this

year, Shannon had a lot of good

information to give me. She

thinks, “They could have been

better, but when compared to

the shirts from the past few

years, I think they look pretty

good.” I asked Shannon why the

shirts were picked if they are

just mediocre and she

answered, “We had to make a

decision before school started,

which didn’t leave us much time

work. When we found the shirts,

all of the officers agreed that it

would work.” But Shannon

assured me that, “A lot more

time will be spent on the

graduation shirts.”

For those of you still not

pleased with the senior shirts,

Shannon gave me some great

news. The senior class will be

holding a t-shirt design contest

for a spring senior tee. You will

need to submit a design, front

and back, to Mrs. Lay, and it will

be judged and chosen by the

Senior Class Officers and a T-

shirt committee. The shirts are

expected to be ready to

distribute and wear by February.

So if you don’t like the senior

shirts, and you think your

opinion should be heard, I advise

that you submit an idea for the

contest.

Whatever your take on

the matter, I think that we can

all agree that this should be a

time for us to bond, and get

everything out of high school

that you never got a chance to do

in your first three years. Instead

of fighting each other, we should

be cherishing the time we have

left with our fellow seniors,

which in case you haven’t

noticed, is running out faster

and faster each day.

Oh and BTW, we only

have 160 short days until

graduation 2011.

Continued from Page 1

Adam West and Jillian Lates

SADD President Nicole Owens

(Photos by: Ricky Matthews)

Senior Shirts

By: Shelby Juneau

KECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

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Mallory Jones 10th Grade:

Over the break I went to my

grandma’s house down in Georgia with my

parents. When we got to her house we planned

to go to the Blue Ridge Mountains for the rest

of the time. When we got to the mountains we

were informed that we couldn’t get up the

mountain because of al the snow. We also

heard that people were trapped up on the

mountain, they’re probably still trapped up

there now. So, we turned back to go to a cabin

that we had rented. When we arrived we

discovered that the pipes had burst so we had

no water. We ended up going back to Georgia. I

don’t have a New Year’s resolution. I like

myself just the way I am. You can’t improve

perfection.

“I built an igloo in the snow to protect me

during a GIANT snowball fight. My team won!

Unfortunately, I got sick right afterwards.”

I had a very… interesting holiday

break. In between cuddling with his wife and

playing with his two moth old baby he ended

up sweeping, that’s right not shoveling ,

sweeping 13 inches of snow off of a walkway

at his parents house in Pennsylvania.

What I did over Winter Break:

Mr. Robins, World History 1 teacher:

Mr. Roberts went on a trip to India over

break! Look for his story in the next issue!

Brandy Adkins, 11th Grade:

Sara Wright 11th grade:

“I went to new York City to watch the ball

drop in Times Square. It was one of the most

exciting sights of my life. There was so much

energy!

Amber Gaddis, 11th Grade

I went to DC and had to drive through the

snowstorm on the way home. My car was

sliding all around on the ice. It took so much

longer to get back to Hampton.

Welcome Mr. Mordica, KHS’s New Assistant

Principal!

Look for a profile on him in our next issue!

KECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

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FEATURE

Practicing in the

rain. Spending a hot

s u m m e r w e e k

rehearsing. Still making

the best friends in the

world.

The Kecoughtan Band,

directed by Mr. Kevin Hall and Mr.

Conty, does all of these things, yet

very few people outside of the group

are aware of this.

All of the different band

groups have been busy with various

activities, including parades,

concerts, and getting the basics

down.

The marching band recently

participated in the Coliseum and

Grand Illumination Parades, taking

third place in the latter. Two

members of Color Guard, sophomores

Alicia Rich and Hallie Tidwell,

recalled long days marching up and

down the hallways of the school to

practice. “We worked really hard in

class,” said Hallie. “But it was worth

it.”

Marching band worked

endlessly in order to have a flawless

show for football season. “We

practiced even though it was raining

outside. We’ve really learned how to

adapt to problems in our way,” said

junior Jessica Nolte.

The marching band held

after-school practices several days a

week. During the summer, they even

plowed through “Hell Week,” which is

a week of practicing all-day,

everyday. But, as shown through

their third-place win and amazing

show, it was all worth it in the end. “I

love it,” said senior band president

DJ Dixon. “It is awesome.”

On Memorial Day 2011,

the marching band will be

featured in the prestigious

National Memorial Day Parade in

Washington, D.C. Also in the

spring, they will be assessed by

the State Concert Festival. Last

year, KHS received an “excellent”

rating-the second highest honor.

This year, however, they plan on

working arduously to gain a

“superior” rating.

It was widely agreed that

one of the best things about band

is the friendships formed. “I like

band because the people relate to

you and understand why you’re in

band,” said senior Tyana Holly, a

concert band member. “The people

you meet in band will stay your

friends forever,” said Jessica.

The band directors, who

have only been teaching at KHS

for the past two years, are very

impressed with our students. “In

the short-time I’ve been here, I’ve

been very impressed with how

respectful, mature, and talented

the students in the band program

are,” said band director Mr. Hall.

Above all, the wide-

spread passion for music holds the

group together. “Music is only

your experience,” said senior

symphonic and concert band

member Kim Nguyen. “You have

to live it for it to come out of your

horn.”

Band Busy

BodiesBy: Katie Hurlock

Ke c o u g h t a n ’ s L e o C l u b ,

sponsored by Latin teacher Dr. Auanger,

has begun working long and hard to

achieve their amazing goals.

T h e c o m m u n i t y s e r v i c e

organization was founded by Helen

Keller and is affiliated

with the Lion’s Club,

a group of adults

with similar goals,

primarily serves the

blind and deaf, but

also does other

charitable activities,

including collecting

eye-g lasses and

c o a t s . “ Yo u ’ r e

h e l p i n g p e o p l e .

You’re not thinking

a b o u t y o u r s e l f .

You’re thinking

about others in need,”

said club president Christian Daly.

“I’m very interested in working

with a public service organization. It

helps the students to be involved in the

community,” believes Dr. Auanger.

Leo Club is fairly new, but they are

already working hard. “I’m sure their

capabilities are outstanding,” said visiting

Lion’s Club member Mr. Williams.

At the current time, the Leo Club is

working with the Lion’s Club to raffle off

monetary prizes for

c h a r i t y . A n y

Kecoughtan student

can enter by talking

to a Leo Club member.

Students in

the group know the

importance of what

they are doing, and

what they can learn

from it. “You learn

leadership ,” sa id

member Ke Chang, a

s o p h o m o r e . “ Yo u

learn responsibility.”

A t t h e

current time, Leo Club is still open to new

members. If you are interested in joining, see

Dr. Auanger.

Leo ClubBy: Katie Hurlock

glitches as far as technology

goes.” As a math teacher, the

need for direct interactive

learning with each student is

essential to the classroom

environment. According to Mr.

Butler, the Promethean boards

“cover all sources of

multimedia.”

Because of the need for

student-teacher interaction in

each of Kecoughtan’s

classrooms, we can hope that

this new technology will bridge

the gap between teachers and

students as our teachers

become more familiar with the

innovative programs available

for the Promethean board.

A New Technologycontinued from page 1

Mr. Mingee uses his new board (Photo by: Megan Woodward)

Photo By: Ricky Matthews

In the past, Kecoughtan has

always held two Homecomings,

one in the fall as everyone

returns to school and gets back

into a daily routine and one in

the winter, usually after

Christmas break. Kecoughtan

is the only high school in

Hampton that holds a Winter

Homecoming, complete with a

basketball game, Homecoming

king and queen and dance. This

year, things are changing up a

bit. The title of “Winter

H o m e c o m i n g ” i s b e i n g

dismissed and instead of the

total package of Homecoming

festivities, a winter sports

recognition and celebration will

take its place.

According to SCA

sponsor, Ms. Snyder, “the

festivities will still include a

spirit week and dance that

Saturday night.” Spirit week is

set for February 7th-11th and the

winter sports recognition is set for

that Friday with the dance being

held Saturday the 12th. The only

things different about this years

winter festivities are the absence

of a Homecoming game and court.

When asked why the sudden

change in the regular winter

Homecoming plans, Ms. Snyder

stated that “There really is no

point in having two homecomings,

but we still want to recognize

students who participate in sports

and other extracurricular

activities.” With the best Warrior

pride, let’s welcome this new type

of spirit week, just with the

e x c l u s i o n o f a n a n n u a l

Homecoming basketball game and

court not being a part of the

festivities. Make sure you listen to

the morning and afternoon

announcements for the spirit

week days and dance ticket

information!

No Winter Homecoming? By: Megan Woodward Attention Seniors! Because graduation is only six months away, it is easy to start slacking off. Do

not give into Senioritis yet. These next few months are extremely important! Here are a

few tips to help you through these tough months. Make sure you are checking your

calendars seniors!

Upcoming SAT dates:

Test date Register by

March 12 February 11

May 7 April 8

June 4 May 6

Upcoming ACT dates:

Test date Register by

February 12 January 7

April 9 March 4

June 11 May 6

--Official transcripts cost two dollars each. Make sure

you fill out a transcript request and give it to our

guidance secretary, Mrs. Alexander. Do not forget,

between the months of December and February, it can

take up to ten business days for your transcripts to be

sent to your choice of colleges.

--Regardless of your family’s income, fill out the FAFSA!

Go online now (www.pin.ed.gov) to get a financial aid pin.

--Make sure you’re keeping an eye on application

deadlines (early admission, scholarship consideration,

or regular admission).

--There are always scholarship opportunities. Stop by

guidance on your way to class and pick up a monthly

bulletin. For more information on scholarships, see Mrs.

Thompson.

--College representatives are always visiting KHS. Sign

up in guidance if there is a college visiting you would like

to learn about.

EDITORIALSKECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

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If you have any opinions about this issue or

Kecoughtan, let us know online at

www.tribaltales.weebly.com

Readers,The Ask Lynn column is intended for entertainment purposes. Whether or not to take the advice is up to the reader. Lynn is very smart and accomplished, but she is not a trained professional....

Katie Hurlock

Dear Lynn,I have clubs and church events after school as well as homework. I desperately need advice on time management skills. Can you help?Yours truly, Flustered

Dear Flustered,In high school everybody is learning how to juggle. And not everybody can do it. You’re talking to someone who lacks all coordination. Make sure you don’t have so many things to do that you lose track of them all. Try combining things. For example, at church suggest a study day. That way you can hang out with your friends and get work done. Maybe you’ll need a day just to yourself. Buy a carton of ice cream and rent the complete collection of Harry Potter. Or whatever movies you’re into. When it comes down to grey hair and high blood pressure or a C… well you decide.

XOXOXO, Lynn

Dear BeautifulBigSister,I hate these situations! Really, there is no winning. First, make sure that he really does like you. You do not want to start babbling about how you just want to be friends and hurt his feelings if it was all a misunderstanding. I think you should talk to him. Seriously, for all you people reading this talking is WAY underrated. Explain what’s going on in your head. Girls we all know how oblivious guys are…. So use small words ‘kay? It’s going to be severely awkward for a little while but that’s unavoidable. If you guys are as close as you say you are then soon this will be just another thing to tease him about.

XOXOXO, Lynn

To Submit a question to the Ask Lynn column, place it

in the mailbox near the front desk of the library.

Lynn,I have a friend… we’ll call him Bob. Bob, me and my best friend all hang out and tease each other. I always thought it was harmless flirting until the other day he started dropping hints he liked me. I freaked out! I don't want things to be awkward because we are all really close but I’ve always thought of him as a little brother. What do I do?-BeautifulBigSister

Dear Lynn,I’m dating this girl. And she’s kind of awesome. But my friends probably wouldn’t like her. They would pick on me (and her!) constantly for being together. I mean, she’s cool and all but she doesn’t like me keeping her a secret. I think I’m protecting her. She thinks I’m being a jerk. What do I do?Freindilemma

Dear Friendilemma,WAKE UP AND SMELL THE IDIOT! I don’t care what you say. By keeping this girl a secret you’re only going to cause yourself a whole lot of heartache. Who are you protecting really? Are you being the knight in shining armor or the minstrel who hides behind a tree when the battle starts? Because I think you’re protecting yourself, not her. I can guarantee that if she’s even with you to begin with then she doesn’t care what your friends think. Also, at the risk of sounding like your mom, if they would pick on you for a girlfriend, that you obviously like, are they really your friends to begin with?

XOXOXO, Lynn

Throughout the month of November, I have witnesses many complaints about the new

Promethean Boards from teachers and students. I feel that the decision to install these

boards was not thought through, due to the fact that each board costs eight thousand

dollars, and the teachers who did not want or need them, (for example, the band and

chorus teachers) received the boards, while some teachers who do want these boards

have yet to receive them. The school often states how little funds they have, so it

surprises me that the school can afford said boards. I understand that it is too late to

change, I am only stating that future decisions should be made with more careful

planning.

Kerah Johnson

Class of 2012 While I fully agree that teachers who do not want or need a

Promethean Boards should not receive one, I cannot concede that we

spent too much money on the boards. It was confirmed with Assistant

Principal Mr. Lawrence that no one in the KHS building knows the exact

price of the boards, but he estimated that approximately three thousand

dollars total were spent on purchasing and installing the Promethean

Boards. It could be argued that this is still too much money, but I believe

that the new tools are a valuable investment to the future of our

warriors’ education.

Katie Hurlock

Editorial Editor

What can we do? What have we done? What am I talking about? I have seen something

that makes me ashamed. As I waited in the cafeteria between first and second lunch, I

saw something horrible. As the students filed out chattering excitedly with their friends,

our wonderful cafeteria staff assumed their posts cleaning that disgusting cafeteria. As if

fixing the chairs people cannot seem to push in and wiping down the messes we as

teenagers always manage to leave behind isn’t enough, they also had to pick up trash.

Lunch plates piled high with wrappers, Subway papers, juice cans, etc cluttered those

previously empty tables. I do not think I even saw a single table that had been cleaned by

those that made the mess. I’m glad to know we’re back in grade school where we can’t

clean up after ourselves. It’s not fair that our school provides so many amazing

opportunities to us and we can’t even take ten seconds away from our friends to carry

our trash to one of the numerous cans in the cafeteria. I know we’ve all heard it before,

but no one does anything about it. Pull up your pants, do your homework, and throw

away your trash. It’s really not that hard. As Nike says, “Just Do It.”

Brandy Adkins

Class of 2012 Your concern is extremely called for. We hear polite requests on

the announcements everyday to clean up our trash, yet dozens of

students blatantly ignore this. It’s time that we stop thinking of

ourselves and consider all the cafeteria does for us. They prepare

endless amounts of food every day and serve it with a smile. Let’s show

them some respect and clean up our messes. Have you considered

bringing this up at an SCA, class, or other club meeting? With help, you

may be able to start a campaign to end this lack of appreciation for some

of our most valued staff members.

Katie Hurlock

Editorial Editor

Letters to the Editor:New Years ResolutionsLuke Miller (9th) Cut down on soda

Sarah Granger (11th) Pass junior year

Rone Parent (12th) Make good grades and listen in Physics

Anders Hasselquist (12th)

Stop spending so much money at Dairy Queen

Austin Whipple (12th) Get in shape

Alexis Routten (11th) Be a good sister

Emily Kondrk (11th) To not hold grudges and take every opportunity

Dakota Spencer (9th) Loose weight and eat healthy

Lindsey Tibbit (11th) Stop procrastinating

Deidra Henning(11th) Live this year to the fullest

Nikki Durkot (12th) Get the heck out of school

Jordan Eagle (11th) Be more awesome

Chris Chapman (10th) Meet new people

Gemma Haynes (10th) Try new things and have no regrets

Elliot Tsao (12th) Stop playing so many video games

Jack Underkofler (12th)

Improve on my guitar skills

Grant Gurley (11th) Go to the gym every other day

Kaitlyn Durr (9th) Do better in math and focus on school

Emily Mallon (9th) Try not to bum it to school anymore

Jen Powell (11th) Be more confident

Austin Ramsey (9th) Keep a positive attitude

Chelsea Long (12th) Buy a car

Kayleigh Glass (12th) Improve my time management skills

Chili Palmer (10th) Be nicer to people

The start of this blistering winter season has

us all dreading school in the cold. Students

can only hope that Kecoughtan High School

will be warm and toasty these last few weeks

before Christmas break. But instead of KHS

being a warm and comforting place of

learning, it has become a cold and drafty

place to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Most students, much like myself, would not

have a problem with taking a short nap here

and there, but it is a little uncomfortable

without a warm circulation of heat

throughout the school and classrooms. It’s

reassuring for students to know that they

have a warm classroom with a thick book for

a pillow to settle down for a nice cozy nap. But

of course the cold and drafty classroom

temperatures are cutting into students’ sleep

schedules and preventing any comfort

whatsoever. These cold temperatures are

affecting student’s dress attire as well.

Students are forced to walk the hallways

looking like Eskimos dressed with heavy

coats, gloves, hats, and boots. It’s pretty

normal for students to wear this attire of

clothing OUTSIDE in the cold and fierce

weather, but not in school where there should

be a steady flow of warm and pleasant heat.

So will there be any changes? Maybe when

students return from their Christmas holiday

Kecoughtan High School’s thermostat will be

at a moderately warm temperature? But if

not, let’s all keep a positive attitude and keep

the faith in the Hampton City School system

that they will one day provide heat. We can

only hope it will arrive before May of 2011!

A Graham of AdviceBy: Graham Spady

Snowstorm at Buckroe Beach

(Photo by: Ricky Matthews)

FOOD, FASHION, & ENTERTAINMENTKECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

WWW.TRIBALTALES.WEEBLY.COM

Candy Cane CocoaEveryone knows that there’s nothing better

than having a hot cup of cocoa after spending

time outside in the cold, winter air. This cocoa

is different than your usual hot chocolate.

This cocoa is peppermint flavored and uses

actual peppermint candy canes.

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate,

chopped

4 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1 cup whipped cream

4 small peppermint candy canes

Directions:

In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not

boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the

crushed peppermint candies until melted and

smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and

garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with

a candy cane stirring stick.

Nothing says comfort food like a warm

dessert, and what’s winter without comfort?

These desserts are certain to bring your

family together and bring joy to the winter

season.

Winter Recipes

Original Nestle® Toll House®

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The secret that makes these chocolate chip

cookies top the rest are their soft and gooey

insides, making them a perfect holiday

comfort food. If you decide to add nuts to

these, they will pack a good surprise for your

guests. But if you decide not to, they are just

as delicious.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL

HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small

bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown

sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl

until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating

well after each addition. Gradually beat in

flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop

by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking

sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden

brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes;

remove to wire racks to cool completely.

“First in Line and other Traumatic Life

Experiences” was the title of the

comedy that was performed on the

evenings of November 18th and 19th.

The production contained fifteen

scenes of life’s first-time, and

sometimes traumatic, experiences

such as first kiss, first in line, first

encounter of prejudice, and first

confrontation with death. It was

about two hours long, with

intermission, and seemed to flow

pretty smoothly. It sure entertained

the audience, who was constantly

laughing.

“It was a great opportunity

to give new students the

chance to try out acting, deal

with stage props, and be a part

of an overall production while

seasoned actors had the

opportunity to direct the

scenes,” were the words of Ms.

Leonardi when asked why she

decided to produce the autumn

play this year.

E v e r y y e a r

Ke c o u g h t a n h o s t s t w o

theatrical productions, one of

which takes place in the fall

while the other does in the

spring. Typically, at the end of

the performance, you would

see Mrs. Carol-Sue Fiest take a

bow on stage. However, this

year, a new face has emerged,

Ms. Leonardi.

“Ms. Leonardi takes a different approach and

it’s interesting to see the difference when it comes to

style and technique,” stated Brittany Fisher, an actress

in the production, who has also worked with Mrs.

Fiest.

What have you learned from this new experience?

“Theater is about so much more than just acting,

it’s also about lighting, sounds, special effects, make-up,

curtains, sounds, and other props. I have directed in

other venues such as church and music camps and I’ve

worked through college in drama. Drama is about trust.

Each participate must be able to trust the others to

commit and carry out their job.” – Ms. Leonardi

In the past, Mrs. Fiest has produced some

remarkable shows, were you in any way a little bit

intimidated to take the lead

i n t h i s y e a r ’ s F a l l Production?

“ Carol-Sue and I are both lovers of

the arts. We respect the theater.

Our philosophy and goals may

differ to some degree, and

certainly our level of experience,

but without her encouragement I

would never have considered the

position.” –Ms. Leonardi

In that case, do you

plan to lead more

plays? Perhaps a spring production? What will

you do differently?

“I’m definitely considering a

musical for the spring.

T h e s e a r e m y

considerations: “Aladdin,”

“The Wiz,” and “A Funny

Thing Happened on the way

to the Forum.” When that

happens, I will interview

selected actors to determine

their level of commitment.

Some actors are too busy,

over extended, and just want to do it all. –Ms. Leonardi.

Ms. Leonardi, however, was not the only fresh face

in this year’s act. In fact, there were plenty of new faces

along with the old ones to appear on stage. When Tribal Tales

asked about the flow of overall production, one back-stage

student replied: “The backstage was chaotic, especially with

props and staging because not everyone was experienced,

but there was a lot of team building and new friendships.”

“First in Line and other Traumatic Life Experiences”

was essentially a success. The year started with something

new and exciting for many who took part. “The show must go

on, “ states Ms. Leonardi. With new experiences, comes new

improvements, and that’s what she is certainly looking

forward to.

By: Jacob Gordon

Kecoughtan Theater Production: First in Line!

Photos By: Ricky Matthews

Collected By: Sierra Anderson

Each new year brings in

the hopes of new possibilities.

Along with the adjustment of

politics, upcoming sports, and

yearly trends, the movie theater

seems to be a place where new

things can happen too. 2010

brought us an array of remarkable

films from Tim Burton’s

adventurous Alice in Wonderland to

Kevin

Greutert’s

unnerving

Saw 3-D. In

2011, movie theaters are expected to release a

number of interesting titles including part two

of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the

first part of Breaking Dawn, Scream 4, and

The Smurfs. There are plenty of new movies

that will come out this year, however, we

cannot possibly list them all, so we prepared a

list of titles that caught our eye.

• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides• The Hangover 2• Kung Fu Panda 2• X-Men: First Class• Green Lantern• Cars 2• Transformers: Dark of the Moon• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2• Cowboys and Aliens• Captain America: The First Avenger• Bad Teacher• Friends with Benefits• Final Destination 5 • Winnie the Pooh• The Smurfs• Fright Night• Paranormal Activity 3• The Three Musketeers• Footloose• 11 11 11• Jack and Jill• Twilight Series: Breaking Dawn• A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas• Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol• No Strings Attached• From Prada to Nada

Upcoming MoviesBy: Jacob Gordon

SportsKECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

WWW.TRIBALTALES.WEEBLY.COM

By: Kirsten Harris

Here at Kecoughtan, we have a new

addition to the wonderful assortment of

extracurricular activities available for

students to become a part of in order to

express what it is that interests them the

most. The newly formed KHS Saddle Club is a

perfect way to allow the horse lovers of

Kecoughtan to come together and work to

spread the admiration and talent that comes

with the love of horses and mastering the

challenging sport of horseback riding.

I was able to speak with Mrs. Harry,

the Saddle Club sponsor, and President

Jennifer Savage, concerning just what the

club was all about. Led by Jennifer and the

other officers Vice President Savannah

Werner, Treasurer Brooke Smith, and

Secretary Tawney Boyd, the club works to

educate people about the sport of horseback

riding along with the start of fundraisers to

support wild horse refuges in order to

protect them. “Each member supports each

other, especially at horse shows, and can

experience different types of riding as well,”

Jennifer told me. The club was started this

year when a few of the girls asked Mrs.

Harry if she would like to sponsor a “Saddle

Club” for them. Jennifer stated that Mrs.

Harry “was always interested to hear about

horse shows and other activities relating to

the sport. Once announcements were made,

people began to show up and the club was a

Here at Kecoughtan, we have a brand

new addition to the wonderful assortment of

extracurricular activities available for

students to become a part of in order to

express what it is that interests them the

most. The newly formed KHS Saddle Club is a

perfect way to allow the horse lovers of

Kecoughtan come together and work to

spread the admiration and talent that comes

with the love of horses and mastering the

challenging sport of horseback riding.

I was able to speak with Mrs. Harry,

the Saddle Club sponsor, and President

Jennifer Savage just what the club was all

about. Led by Jennifer and the other officers

Vice President Savannah Werner, Treasurer

Brooke Smith, and Secretary Tawny Boyd, the

club works to educate people about the sport

of horseback riding along with the start of

fundraisers to support wild horse refuges in

The Kecoughtan High School swim

season is approaching fast with try outs,

conditioning, and weekday practices

already in progress, but this year the KHS

swim team feels a

l i t t l e m o r e

confident this

season. All eyes

are on Junior,

Garret Lynn and

what he will

a c h i e v e a n d

contribute to the

team.

G a r r e t

Lynn started his

swimming career

at nine years old

on a summer

league team, and

unexpectedly he

couldn’t even put his face in the water. He

really disliked it so much he quit the team

and missed two practices until he returned.

Now Garret swims for a year round club

team called Tidewater Aquatic Club, which

offers intense practices. Lynn has a nine

practice a week schedule that is not only

demanding, but also tiring. This

demanding schedule consists of three days

of two practices, one in the morning and

the other in the afternoon, and three on

other days.

The Kecoughtan High School swim

season is approaching fast with try outs,

conditioning, and weekday practices

already in progress, but this year the KHS

swim team feels a little more confident this

upcoming season. All eyes are on Junior,

Garret Lynn and what he will achieve and

contribute to the team.

Garret Lynn has shown exceptional

progress on not only his

club team but as well

as the Kecoughtan

swim team. His name

and talent is known

around the Peninsula

and beyond, which

gives the KHS swim

team recognition and

the confidence it

needs to perform as a

proficient swim team.

Garrets Freshman

year he broke two

state records in his

age group, which were

the fifty meter and

the fifty yard fly.

Garret told us, “As individual stats go, state

records mean the most to me.” Last year

Garret won peninsula districts, but

“regrettably” earned second and third at

regionals, which earned him a place in the

state finals. This year he has high hopes for

the KHS team, because of many new talented

swimmers joining the swim team and the

other teams losing many of their experienced

graduating seniors. This year Garret hopes to

be undefeated in the district, dominance in

regionals and states, and earn the title of an

All-American.

With Lynn’s successes, he hopes to

earn a scholarship to a D-1 competitive level

school and see what opportunities will unfold.

Senior Dan Birmingham and

Sophomore Andrew Townsend are

not only best friends but also

teammates. Every sunday their

BMX team gets together at Gosnalds

to race for about two to three hours.

“I’ve really gotten to know Dan

through racing. We’ve been on the

same team for three years.” Andrew

states.

Andrew has been racing for

eleven years and

Dan for a little over

three. Both agreed

that it is not the

easiest sport to

start. However, as in

most cases, practice

makes perfect. “I had

a lot of great riders

surrounding me and

I was able to pick it

up fairly quick.” says

Dan. Both Dan and

Andrew have also

experienced many

injuries as a result

of BMX racing.

Andrew has broken both his collar

bones, his left one twice, and right

wrist. He has cracked his kneecap

and tore his ACL, MCL, and

meniscus. Along with that he has

sprained his ankle, compressed five

vertebrates in his back, and has a

few concussions. Dan has pulled his

hamstrings, broke a right collar

bone, and had a concussion.

Senior Dan Birmingham and

Sophomore Andrew Townsend are

not only best friends but also

teammates. Every sunday their

BMX team gets together at Gosnalds

to race for about two to three hours.

“I’ve really gotten to know Dan

through racing. We’ve been on the

same team for three years.” Andrew

states.

Andrew has been racing for

eleven years and Dan for a little over

three. Both agreed that it is not the

easiest sport to start. However, as in

most cases, practice makes perfect.

“I had a lot of great riders

surrounding me and I was able to

pick it up fairly quick.” says Dan.

Both Dan and Andrew have also

experienced many injuries as a

result of BMX racing. Andrew has

broken both his collar bones, his

left one twice, and right wrist. He

has cracked his kneecap and tore

his ACL, MCL, and meniscus. Along

with that he has sprained his

ankle, compressed five vertebrates

in his back, and has a few

concussions. Dan has pulled his

hamstrings, broke a right collar

bone, and had a concussion.

There is no doubt about

the fact that BMX racing is

definitely rewarding. In the

summer of 2005, Andrew traveled

to Paris, France to race in the semi-

race for worlds. He was racing

there for a week with people from

all over the world. When asked

about it, Andrew recalls, “The

crowd was huge. All over it was

loud and exciting.” He had to get

4th in the semi-race to move on but

ended up placing 5th. Even though

he fell a place short of advancing to

the next race, he still found it

thrilling, fun, and a great

experience.

“ We always push each to

do our best. It stays competitive

between Dan and I,” Andrew

remarks. Dan follows by saying, “

Riding with Andrew is probably

one of the most frustrating but fun

things to do. He has a little bit more

skill than me but we battle back

and forth because we are very

equal. On the track, we are

constantly pushing each other to

go faster and try new things.”

Kecoughtan BikersMake Way Phelps, Lynn Baby’s Coming Through: Athlete of the Issue

Photo Courtesy of: Andrew Townsend

order to protect them. “Each member supports each other, especially at horse

shows, and can experience different types of riding as well,” Jennifer told me.

The club was started this year when a few of the girls asked Mrs. Harry if she

would like to sponsor a “Saddle Club” for them. Jennifer stated that Mrs.

Harry “was always interested to hear about horse shows and other activities

relating to the sport. Once announcements were made, people began to show

up and the club was a go.”

Mrs. Harry, one of our Chemistry teachers here at Kecoughtan,

offered her sponsorship because she wanted to help the students to

“recognize the positive aspects and achievements of the sport.” Sponsoring

the Saddle Club is a wonderful thing for Mrs. Harry to do for Kecoughtan’s

young horse enthusiasts, and she stated to me with a smile “It is good for

them to have their interests be heard.” The club meets every other

Wednesday in Mrs. Harry’s Chemistry classroom, 233 and are constantly

welcoming new members. We are anxious to see what the new Saddle Club has

store for us as the club continues to thrive and become a popular organization

in the Warrior family!

By: Ian Yusuf and Graham Spady

Kecoughtan’s New Saddle ClubBy: Megan Woodward

Photo By: Katherine Glass

Garrett Lynn on his way to Victory

WARRIOR FUNKECOUGTHAN HIGH SCHOOL/ JANUARY 2011

WWW.TRIBALTALES.WEEBLY.COM

Snowflake

Ice

Cold

Mittens

Exams

New Year

Igloo

Penguin

Black ice

Cocoa

Scarves

Boots

Snowboard

Ski

Sledding

Snowball

Graham Spady

Chill

Frost

Hibernation

Winter Word Search!

Happy New

Year from

the Tribal

Tales!

Ryan’s World

By: Ryan Fontes