Punk Worship - Pitt County Schools

The Shield
Volume XLI Issue 3
January 31,2012
D. H. Conley High School
2006 Worthington Road Greenville, N. C. 27858
Rap
Rock
Punk
Worship
County high school students play Tipsy Teapot benefit
Zane Hamstead, Keith Dunbar, Ray Luna, Matt Recko, Juwan Reddick, Jerome Gonzalez, Austin Todd, Jeremy Belcher, Trey Simpson,
Lauren Wagner, Ashlie Evans, Briana Brown, Joy Smith, and Mckenzie Shelton gather at a benefit show at the Tipsy Teapot coordinated
by South Central student Jerome Allen. Proceeds went to a local homeless shelter and to the Ronald McDonald house.
Conley Crazies
arrive
in full force
Page 8
Students rap,
rock, and
worship in local
bands
Pages 6 and 7
Dubstep trend
won’t go out
quietly
Page 12
2
editorial
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2011
PDA: Snooki and
Vinny get busted
By Tori Bradford
Being students at Conley, I’m sure
most of my readers have seen at least one
set of couples “hooking up” in the halls. If
you’ve seen them and thought Oh my gosh
get a room! then I am totally with you.
Public displays of affection or PDA is
inappropriate especially in a high school
setting. Even though the rule is not directly
addressed in the Code of Student Conduct,
the administrators have considered it
to be included in number 13 under the
category I offenses which says that you
could get suspended for up to five days for
“any violation of Rules 1-9 not otherwise
addressed.”
If you feel the need to show your
significant other how you feel about them,
then hold their hand or write them a
gooshy love note. There is no need to suck
their face off between classes.
When I am rushing to get to my third
period English class, I don’t really feel like
watching you and your boyfriend go at it
next to the girls’ bathroom. Save it for your
next date.
Honestly, when I look at some of the
couples in this school, all I can think is Oh
wow… Snooki and Vinny are hooking up
Politics 101:
Tori Bradford
Senior Jeremy Belcher is caught in the act by assistant principal Gerri Brewington.
again. SERIOUSLY! Some of you deserve
your own pointless reality TV show!
Perhaps you would like spotlights in
the hallways because you and your “little
friend” don’t draw enough attention to
yourselves already. Or maybe, in the spirit
of the holidays, we could wrap every
couple up in strings of LED Christmas tree
lights.
kicked to the curb
By Jasmine Pate
You just got into a fight in the mall and
not only do you have mace in your eyes,
criminal charges to face, and your parents
to deal with when you get home, but here’s
one more problem to think about.
Did you know that you could also get
into trouble at school for it too? If you have
criminal charges pressed against you and
the offence is serious enough, you can get
suspended, kicked out of honor societies,
kicked off of sports teams, not invited to
prom and even expelled.
You may be wondering how schools
could possibly punish you for something
you didn’t even do on school grounds. The
answer is really simple, and it’s that the
school has a right to protect the students,
and if you are being charged with assault
with a deadly weapon, it’s not very safe for
you to be in school.
So if you’re thinking about getting
into a fight in the mall or really anything
that could get you into trouble, you should
understand that you could get into more
trouble than you think.
So how can the lovely couples of this
school stop grossing me out? Be respectful.
Boys, build the romance by keeping it PG.
Nothing makes me go “Awwwwwwee!!!!!”
like a nice boy who kisses his sweet
girlfriend on the cheek or the forehead.
Girls, protect your makeup. If you have
to fix your lipstick in every class, then it
might be getting a little sloppy.
The Shield welcomes comments,
suggestions, and inquiries from anyone
as a letter to the editor. We require that
the letter be signed by the author and
edited thoroughly for proper grammar,
spelling, and length. The editorial staff
reserves the right to reject any letter.
Letters may be turned in to any English
teacher. Opinions presented in these
letters do not necessarily reflect the
opinion of the administration, The
Shield, or the general public.
The Shield is a student forum
involving the topics of school wide,
local, state, national, and international
concern. The Shield is written, edited, and
published by the students of journalism
classes at DH Conley. Members of the
staff strive to provide accurate coverage
of the school community.
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 4, 2012
editorial
3
Students, drivers together endure the bus ride home
By hannah Carraway
It’s the last few minutes of fourth
period as you eagerly await the first
dismissal bell. After a long day at school,
you can’t wait to go home. For bus riders,
however, this bell is a mixed blessing.
Most people view the bus as being a
crowded, smelly, and often loud mode of
transportation. Where you sit determines
whether you are squished between people
or stretched out in your own space.
My seat being on the wheel of the bus,
I don’t usually have many people asking
for my seat. And still, there have been
times when I’ve had to sit with students
fresh out of gym class.
So why is your bus so crowded?
According to their website, Pitt County
ranks 12th in North Carolina in regards
to the number of students transported by
bus.
With 40% of all the school buses doing
runs for two schools, our bus drivers are
making a real sacrifice. In fact, bus driver
Ubzell Smith wakes up at about 6 a.m.
every day for the morning route.
So what is the worst part of driving
the bus? I was sure the answer would be
obnoxious students. But on the contrary,
Smith thinks that being with kids is the
best part. “We all become one on the bus,”
he says. Suprisingly, Smith and co-bus
driver Jim Warren were unanimous in
their response: “Traffic.”
Students share their space as they prepare to leave the parking lot for their safe trip all
the way home through the traffic.
Sure, there are downsides, but is it
really all that bad? The school is providing
you with free transportation to and from
school that you might not have had access
to otherwise.
So the next time you are riding the
bus, instead of dwelling on the downsides,
think about the privilege you have to be
riding it. Change your attitude, and you
just might end up enjoying the ride.
how he’s the one or anything-- that’s not
the difference. The difference is that we’re
separated by one hundred and sixty five
miles. Three hours. In other words, it’s a
lot.
The distance was really hard at first.
We were in over our heads after a short
amount of dating in the same town: fourand-a-half precious months in the same
zip code.
And although our situation is far from
preferable, our time apart has taught me
a lot. It’s taught me that patience pays
off and to value the people surrounding
me because you never know when a
phone call will become your only form of
communication.
And it got better as the five months
progressed into a year, and the year
progressed into nearly two. We see each
other somewhere around once a moth,
give or take a few days, with the longest
apart being a five month stretch of hell
from November to April of 2011.
He’s my best friend, and our
relationship has only strengthened over
time. Really, we’re not that much different
from you and your boyfriend. The next
time you pretend to know what you’re
talking about with me, when you tell me
to move on because it’ll never work, think
before you speak.
Because the whole book is definitely
better than the cover alone.
Long distance high school relationship endures, grows
By Sierra Gatland
At one time or another, we’ve all been
judged unfairly. As if someone can know
the contents of your pages by just glancing
at your cover.
Several phrases come to mind.
“It’s not worth it.”
“There’s other fish in the sea.”
“But he’s a guy. He must be cheating;
it’d only be too easy.”
But it’s not like that with us, and it’s
not like that for others just like us. If you
haven’t caught on by now, I’m talking about
my boyfriend. Typical teenage romance, I
know the spiel. Except this one’s different.
No, I’m not going to go into gushy details
about how we’re perfect for each other or
4
Editorial
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
tattoos and piercings
By Rachel Furci
Rebellion or self-expression?
Now-a-days it’s becoming harder and
harder to express your individuality in the
ever growing population of want-to-be
Barbies and Kens.
The messages sent from well-known
celebrities tell girls what they should
look like and how they should act. Peer
pressure is at its highest, but a daring few
have found one way to escape the clichés
and express themselves. They are the
expressive group or rebels of the school
who stand out with their various tattoos
and piercings.
People who get tattoos range from
the goodie-two-shoes who simply want
a small bird on their hip Justin Beiber) to
the infamous Tom Leppard, the man who
tattooed his entire body in leopard spots.
People ink their body for many
reasons. Junior Jeremy Gault has a tattoo
to show his interest in the military. Senior
Shaquanza Manning has a wide range of
tattoos. From the basketball on her leg to
the L&H representing love and hate on her
stomach to the array of stars on her neck,
each one is symbolic to her. “Chris Brown
and Rihanna have stars, and I wanted to
have it done too,” said Manning.
Sophomore Andrew Robinson has a
tattoo of a smiley face on his hand. “When
I get down, I look at it and it reminds me of
Junior
Jeremy Gault
shows off
his recently
attained
tattoo that
shows his
interest and
support in the
military.
Rachel Furci
good times,” said Robinson.
Tattoos aren’t the only things coming
into style; piercings are becoming more
and more popular. Piercings at this school
range from having your ear pierced
multiple times to belly button rings, to
eyebrow, lip and nose rings.
Have you ever passed senior Courtney
Shackleford in the hallway? She’s the
girl with the studs in both of her cheeks.
“I always wanted dimples, and when
Chasing that caffiene high
By Jessie Mckittrick
Without my daily dose of java I just might die! Just kidding, I
wouldn’t actually die, but I would definitely not be the person you
would want to come up to and say, “Hi how are you today?” with
a big grin on your face.
Scary, of course, but you know what, it scares me too! Staying
up late, waking up early, barely having time to make myself look
decent, much less make a cup of coffee, can stink. Just saying, and
then that cup doesn’t last me long enough because by the time I
hit third period, I am about to be cruising for some snoozing. So,
yeah, my cup of Joe is greatly needed again just to make it through
the other half of the school day without falling asleep.
I most certainly would not want to have a nap attack in the
middle of class because that can be embarrassing and can make
me look stupid because I can’t learn the material when I’m
studying the back of my eyelids. I’m not 100% positive, so don’t
I realized that after it heals, you have
dimples, I wanted to get it done,” said
Shackleford.
Junior Kaylee Hamil started gauging
her ear lobes at the end of seventh grade.
They’re now 3/8 inches which is “the point
of no return,” meaning that even if she took
the earrings out, her lobes wouldn’t shrink
back down again. Gauges aren’t the only
piercing she has. Want to know what the
other one is? Just ask her!
quote me, but I honestly don’t believe my teachers are going to
quiz me on my little power naps that I have during one of their
lectures.
Considering my obsession with this heavenly beverage, I
decided to find out if it would be possible to have coffee sold in
our cafeteria. My investigation was long and challenging, and I
may have broken a sweat or two, but in the end I found what I
needed. To get to the nethermost of things, first I had to speak
with Mrs. Debbie Roche cafeteria manager. She had to sit in on a
meeting with the central office and ask if selling coffee would be a
possibility, and she was told NO because of health reasons dealing
with caffeine and sugar.
Caffeine and sugar are an issue for product sales although it
shouldn’t be, considering that sweet tea is sold and is obviously
filled with sugar and caffeine. Yoo-Hoo is also sold which,
according to its ingredient list, contains, mostly water, sugars,
a hint of milk by-products, some chemicals, and a bit of cocoa.
Knowing that they sell these items and yet will not consider coffee
makes me angry with the burning fire of 10,000 suns.
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Laws govern vending machine selections
By Jackie Nelson
You’re familiar with
rules, right? Don’t text
in class, keep your shirt
tucked in, etc.
But did you know
there are rules that
control what can go
into school vending
machines?
Last month, students
took a survey on cafeteria
food
and
vending
machines.
They
rated
the
vending
machine
contents and suggested
foods and drinks that
they would like to see
added to the vending
machines.
Some
of
the
suggestions were sodas,
candy bars, and Nature
Valley granola bars.
However, foods must
meet certain guidelines
before they can be added
to the vending machines.
At least 75% of
snacks in the vending
machines have to contain
fewer than 200 calories.
Several
students
Mikayla Lewis
who took the survey
Freshman Jaylen Hines pushes the button and expects a treat
mentioned
wanting at Vending Machine.
candy added to the
vending machines.
Let’s take a look at the calorie content of candy would take up a lot of the 96 or
fewer snacks allowed. So candy isn’t the
of vending machine-size candy bars.
best choice for vending machines. There
• Peanut M&M’s= 250 calories
are lots of other snack foods under 200
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups=
calories, including Nature Valley bars. The
210 calories
Oats’n’Honey Nature Valley bar has 190
• Snicker’s= 271 calories
calories, so it might be a good addition to
• Almond Joy= 220 calories
the vending machines.
• Plain M&M’s= 210 calories
Other snacks below 200 calories:
• Milky Way= 270 calories
• Jack Link’s Original Beef Jerky
• Skittles= 231 calories
= 110 calories
• Baby Ruth= 280 calories
•
David’s Original Sunflower Seeds
• Kit Kat= 220 calories
=
182 calories
• Twix= 286 calories
•
Oreo
Mini Bites= 140 calories
Up to 384 individual snacks can fit in
Do
you
have
a favorite snack? Go
a school vending machine. Because of the
online
to
conleyshield.com,
look for this
rules, only up to 96 snacks can be over
story,
and
vote
for
your
favorite.
200 calories. Putting even a few brands
News
5
What’s in
your lunch box?
By Allison Canady
Many students and staff choose to
bring their lunch to school.
The most common reason for bringing
lunch seems to be the freedom you have
when doing so.
There aren’t as many limits to bringing
your own lunch as there are to buying it.
It’s easier to bring an enjoyable meal
than it is to buy one, according to freshmen
Emily Palmer and Mallory Best.
The quality of the food served by the
school isn’t the only reason people bring
their own meal. Will Landry, a sophomore,
said he brings lunch to save money.
Some students, including freshmen
Hailey Hendrix and Savannah Jackson,
prefer the convenience of not having to
wait in line.
Sophomore Marcus Adkins says
bringing a packed lunch allows him to
have diversity in his diet and that packing
his own meal ensures he’ll enjoy it.
It appears some students bring their
own lunch not because it’s a healthy
alternative to the lunches provided by the
cafeteria, but vice versa.
Because the cafeteria is limited by
health regulations, the food served isn’t to
most students’ liking. However, there are
quite a few students who bring healthy
lunches such as subs and fruit with water
or fruit juice to drink.
Lunch toters bring a variety of things,
but it’s often some type of sandwich, a
snack and a drink. The sandwiches are
most often peanut butter and jelly or
turkey.
The kinds of snacks people bring are
quite diverse, though it’s normally a bag
of chips and some fruit. Drinks brought
include bottled water, sodas, juice, and tea.
The lunch foods served in the cafeteria
are thought to be undesirable, but this may
not be so. Students are encouraged to go
through the lunch line themselves.
Don’t avoid school lunches because of
what your peers say or what you see on
other peoples’ trays.
The cafeteria has a larger selection
than what most people choose. If you check
the menu for things you may be interested
in, you may find something you like.
6
feature
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
The rapper behind the Rock
by Keith Dunbar
I
magine chasing down an opposing
team’s receiver on a football field or
riding your favorite skateboard down
a hill in downtown Greenville.
Now imagine conducting interviews
for a school newspaper and sketching
amazing likenesses of people in to your
sketchbook.
Finally, imagine doing all these things
at once. Could you do it? Senior Jeremy
Belcher sure can. Oh, and the best part?
Belcher, commonly known by his
stage name Rock L Spivey, has been making
music since around fourth grade. His
original interest in music came from his
brother blaring some of his favorite songs
around the house. He currently has two
mix tapes out, titled Music Over Everything
and Please Listen, which are available for
listening on youtube.com/rocklspiveypx
and for download on reverbnation.com/
rocklspivey.
Although Belcher already has a lot
of music out on the web through his
Facebook, Reverbnation, and Youtube
pages, he continues to crank out songs
like it’s his job. He is currently working on
an EP entitled Mind, Body, Heart and Soul
and also on a mixtape entitled Auditorium
Blues.
Jeremy’s stage name is very different
from his actual name, sparking questions
about how he got it. He said, “my parents
were originally gonna’ name me Rockell,
so that kinda’ inspired the current stage
name. But, then again, I’ve been through so
many stage names since I started making
music in fourth grade!”
Belcher also said that some of his
influences aren’t who you would typically
expect today. “I don’t really like a lot of
mainstream rap, because a lot of those
guys aren’t really into the music.” Belcher
also said that some of his favorite artists
include Kanye West, Jay-Z, J-Cole, and
Kendrick Lamar.
So the next time you’re looking for
some rap that is different from the norm,
Dreaming of better days
by Elizabeth Cozart
Senior Jeremy Belcher laughs at the Teapot.
you can check out Rock L Spivey on the
web.
Now we watch the Great Conductor
by Brianna Skinner
found performing at St. Paul’s Youth Quake
in Greenville.
“Their show is like an eye opening
energetic good time,” said Damian
Raddford, “Their sound is like no other
band I’ve ever heard.”
“A typical Caesura show is kind of
strange. It’s like this weird collision of
secular and spiritual things,” said Ray
“God, teach me how to love,” a wellHartsfield, “We don’t care at all what you
known logo cried out at many local
do, as long as you’re there and we are
Caesura Surrender concerts. Caesura
encountering God, and engaging God.”
surrender is an alternative progressive
Along with their unique sound, they
Christian band that started in the summer
also have a unique vision.
of 2010.
“We’re not concerned with
“We write our songs to
getting big, getting signed,
glorify the one who’s created
ultimately we want to reach
us, the one who’s saved us,”
others,” explained Ray. Caesura
said Ray Hartsfield, lead
Surrender will be releasing
vocalist and lead guitarist
their first full CD on Feb. 25 in
in
Caesura
Surrender.
a renaissance conference at
Ray Hartsfield, Hannah
the University Church of God.
Hartsfield, Erik Maddy,
Caesura Surrender is slowly
Alex Bridgman, and Austin
rising, reaching, and changing
Todd are slowly shaking
the hearts of many young
the perception of Christian
adults.
music for local teenagers.
“Our music is about
“Christian music is not a
submitting ourselves and laying
gimmick; it is the reasonable
ourselves down and putting
response
of
a
heart
ourselves lower than the God
transformed by redemption,”
that we want to worship.”
described Ray Hartsfield.
Caesura Surrender is often Members of Caesura Surrender hang out in an empty building.
feature
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Dreaming of a student band to listen to? Juniors
Chris Wagner, Liz Sufrinko, and Mallory Williams are
on board with that. They make up the band Dreamer
on Board.
Their chosen style of music is alternative punk/
rock. Wagner plays the drums, Sufrinko plays the
guitar, and Williams sings.
Wagner and Sufrinko go to school here at Conley
while Williams goes to South Central. They have
known each other since middle school, and they have
been a band for nearly three to four months.
Their favorite thing about performing on stage
is playing music. Wagner thinks that their song
“Breathing Room” is his favorite out of everything
that they have played. They write their own songs,
and they base them off of personal experiences.
According to Wagner, ever since they’ve been
a band, they have enjoyed it. “We came up with the
name Dreamer on Board because Liz has all these
posters hung up in her room, and so we came up with
the name that way.”
In December, 2011, Dreamer on Board broke up.
According to Wagner, he and Williams quit. Wagner
joined a new band called Loose Cannons with Liz
Sufrinko and Sean McDermott who plays bass.
Conley’s Got talent
other student musicians
-Stay Until Wednesday:
Junior Jennings Smith (Conley);
plays guitar, junior Caleb
Espinosa (Conley); plays guitar,
John David Tennison (Rose);
plays bass, and Ross Schoen
plays guitar.
-Chaos Theory:
Senior Trey Simpson raps.
-Divine Obsession: Junior
Stephanie Gardner is a vocalist.
Members of The Keith Dunbar Experience
hang out at the Tipsy Teapot before their
performance. The band is made up of
sophomore Keith Dunbar (Conley), who plays
drums, sophomore Zane Hamstead (Parrott)
and Austin Todd (PCC) who both play guitar.
All the members vocalize.
- Cariann Bradley
-junior vocalist
-Brianna Brown
sophomore vocalist
Worship band comes together from three local schools
by Tori bradford
Inside of a cold garage surrounded
by tools and car parts is not where most
bands would like to practice, but for the
band Affliction, nothing could be better.
The band claims 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
is their bible verse. It says “We are hard
pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted,
but not abandoned; struck down, but not
destroyed.”
This is where they got their name. “We
obviously aren’t perfect,” says bass player
Isaiah Carlton. “We all have our faults.”
Isaiah Carlton, a junior at South
Central, started the band after two years of
planning and a lot of prodding. “God asked
me to do it,” he says proudly. Carlton is the
bass player in the band, but he is also in
charge. He does everything from planning
new music to organizing practices.
Taylor Quinn, a junior at Conley, is one
of the more recent additions to the group.
7
She was asked to join in mid-October
because Carlton and the other members
knew that she could sing and play guitar. “I
have been singing since fourth grade, and
I started playing guitar last year,” she said.
Mackenzie Moore was the only other
girl. At 13, the Ayden Middle eighth grader
is the youngest member of the band. “Being
the youngest person used to be hard,” she
said. “I was treated differently for a while.”
For now, they only play the worship
music in the children’s service at their
church, but they aspire to soon start
playing for the adult service, as well.
The rest of the band is made up of,
South Central juniors, guitar player, Devin
Gallagher; vocalist, Riley Girdharry; and
Kris Rixon who also does vocals.
Jonathan Wester, the only South
Central senior in the band, plays drums.
The son of the church’s pastor, Tyler Ebling
is also a part of the band playing keyboard.
The group is quick to point out that
Jesus is also in the band.
tori bradford
Junior Taylor Quinn practices her vocal
skills during a band rehearsal.
8
Sports
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Conley Crazies
are exactly that
by mitchell lea
Gangsters, drinkers, and rednecks,
or whatever the Conley faithful decide to
dress up as, they come out in full force.
Modeled after the “Cameron Crazies”
of Duke, the Conley version may have
fewer people but just as much passion and
energy as the folks in Durham.
With chants galore, and creativity
flowing throughout the gymnasium, many
students go to basketball games with
an idea of getting inside the opponent’s
psyche, whether it is a home game or not.
When the Vikings went to play JH Rose
across town, the Viking fan base showed
up strong with tons of Crazies wearing
sweater vests and carrying red plastic
cups. At our home game with Rose, 400
plus students showed up decked out in
camouflage shirts, overalls and hats. When
the Vikings battled West Craven, only 25
students came; however, those 25 were
in sync, fired up and passionate about the
game. Seniors tend to lead the chants and
cheers as all of the student body follows
Davon Moore
Conley Crazies show off their school spirit and “redneck”pride at a home basketball game.
their lead. The Conley Crazies get into the
other team’s head and positively effects
the Viking players.
“The Conley Crazies are the sixth
man on the court when we play at home,
and they inspire us to play with passion”,
basketball coach Rob Maloney said. “They
give us an enthusiasm that ignites us.”
Ups, downs, and rebounds: Men’s basketball plays on
by Alexis goodson & Julia Allsbrook controlled, this should be a better matchup, was a wakeup call according to spectators.
With a record of 8-11 the varsity men’s
basketball team is taking it one game at a
time.
Our varsity Vikings pulled out a 4757 win over West Carteret Jan. 31. Varsity
basketball coach Rob Maloney said, “The
boys showed outstanding effort on both
ends of the floor and played a complete
game.”
Leading scorers were junior Josh Cox
and sophomore Teon McCarter. Coach
Maloney said that Teon McCarter is one of
his hardest workers and leads by example.
“I bring leadership by striving to
keep everyone going and stay excited
throughout the game,” McCarter said.”
In the 79-49 loss against South Central
on January 19, the Vikings didn’t play their
best ball and stepped outside their game
plan, said Maloney.
The Vikings are scheduled to face
up against the Falcons again at home on
February 9. “With a home court advantage,
reducing turnovers and playing more
said Maloney.
During the holiday break the Vikings
competed in the Pirate Laundry Classic.
They lost to Rose on Monday, Dec. 19,
2011, 47-43. The next day they played in
the fifth place game against North Pitt.
That game resulted in another loss for the
Vikings with an ending score of 79-50.
Josh Cox led the team with 21 points
that game and leads the team in other ways
besides baskets. He continues to show
leadership along with Jordan Williams.
They are considered star players so far this
year by Coach Maloney. With Cox stepping
it up as a leader and Williams improving
greatly, the team can only improve and try
to finish the season strong.
Big games this season have been
against Rose, such as the first time we met
them playing on their home court. The
game wasn’t looking so good for us in the
first half but things quickly took a turn for
the better as the Vikings came back and
ended up leaving with a win. That halftime
Coach Maloney speaks on a difference
from last year to this year, “ The defense is
smaller this year, but quicker.” This results
in them having a modified game plan on
defense from last year and they have to
work together to make it work.
rachel furci
Junior forward Josh Cox shoots a free
throw in a game against Rose.
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Sports
9
Lady Vikes lose
senior player
By Jeremy Belcher
The Lady Vikings basketball team
isn’t having as much success as they had
previously hoped for. With a 5-6 record,
Head Coach Samien Jones says that the
team is still learning to play together.
“We have a lot of talent, but we don’t
always give 110% effort all of the time,”
says junior Tichina Carmon. Senior
Shaquanza Manning said, “We’re a good
team, but we could be better.”
With all eyes on Manning as she leads
the Lady Vikings, she never ceases to
amaze the crowd while simultaneously
being an efficient scorer. Her fast-paced
game and lightning-quick moves may be
the sparks that peak spectator’s interests.
Andrew Porter, freshman fan,
described Shaquanza in one word,
“explosive!” Another fan, senior George
Bailey, said, “I would hate to be the girl
having to guard her.” According to Manning
though, despite these accolades, “I’m still
undecided of where I want to go to school,
but I know that I want to play ball.”
Being the team’s leader, Shaquanza
has an important role but, she likes to
think of herself as any other player. “I lead
Junior guard Alex Hobgood passes the ball in to senior guard Shaquanza Manning.
the team by action, but Tichina is definitely
the vocal leader.”
Recently, Manning went down as she
suffered an injury during the game against
Havelock on December 16. She tore her
ACL when a player from Havelock’s team
ran into her as they both chased a loose ball
and will not be playing for the remainder
of the season. “She just sacrificed her
body for the team,” Carmon said about the
Shaquanza’s injury.
According to Coach Jones, “Tichina
Carmon, Alex Hobgood, Kristina Howard
and Halie Mitchell have all stepped up
their game in our loss of Shaquanza.” It’s
obvious that Shaquanza not only meant
a lot to the fans and her teammates, but
also Coach Jones. “I hope all is well with
her and that she gets to play in college
somewhere.”
me going. He always shows up and keeps
his desire for the sport.”
When asked what influences him and
keeps him dedicated, Sly said, “The way I
live I guess. It’s just me and my brother.
My parents passed away, and so did my
wrestling coach, Coach Katts. They all
make me want to do better.”
Through everything Sly never seems
to lose his love for the sport. Sly loves
the sport, he said, “because it’s a contact
sport.” Crandall agrees, “I like wrestling
because it’s a one-on-one physical sport.”
Crandall is a three year starter and is
in the top five in the state. “He competes
wherever I need him to,” King says. “He
competes at 160 weight class, 170, and
182. I always have him wrestle the other
team’s best kid.”
But Crandall didn’t always have the
best of luck at Conley. When he first
arrived at Conley, he had very little success
academically and behaviorally.
After his first year of wrestling, he had
improvements in both areas. “Wrestling
has helped Trey to be a better person,”
King says.
“If this sport has helped anyone, it
really helped Trey. The discipline and
hard work that is required for this sport is
exactly what Trey needs. He still has a long
way to go but I hope that wrestling is just a
stepping stone to his development.”
The next wrestling match will be the
state duals tournament from Feb. 8-11.
Regionals will be held on Feb. 17 and 18.
The state tournament will be held on Feb.
23-25 in Greensboro, NC.
Wrestling team wins five out of eight matches
By Mikayla Lewis
Five wins and eight losses--that’s
where the wrestling team stands right
now after thirteen matches.
Contributing to those wins, senior
Treyquanmon Crandall and junior Sterling
Mills are undefeated.
Also a star player of the team standing
at 4”8’, weighing 100 pounds, is freshman,
Gary Joe Sly. Sly has won fourteen of his
matches and has only lost one to a senior
from Tarboro High School.
“My weight class is 106 but I weigh
100,” Sly said. “They don’t have a weight
class for my size.” Sly stays very committed
to his wrestling career at Conley as all four
of his brothers did in the past.
“Joe has been wrestling since he was
four,” coach King says. “Jo Jo is what keeps
10
Entertainment
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Head meets desk: the art of sleeping in class
by Emily McAllister
Sleep: every teenager’s best friend.
Desk: The most comfortable pillow
available during school hours. Teacher:
The only thing that stands between
you and finishing the dream you were
awakened from this morning. So exactly
how do you catch some Z’s without
catching a first class ticket out of class?
Read and learn.
There are several ways to make your
hibernating body look productive. You
can lay your head on your arm with your
pencil hovering in mid-air hoping that no
one notices that your eyes are closed and
you haven’t written anything down since
the beginning of class.
There’s also the sleep-sitting-upand-look-like-you’re-reading maneuver
in which students put their hands on their
desk and hang their head in the direction
of an open book. Then there’s my all time
favorite, the: I’m-going-to-listen-to-youwith-my-face-leaning-on-my-hand-andeyes-closed-because-that’s-normal tactic.
If you have had the misfortune of
being rudely awakened from your midmorning naps, then I apologize. However,
if this harsh reality has come about due
to your juvenile abilities to disguise your
snoozing, then I do not.
Don’t be the guy that buries his
head in his arms on his desk and snores
unusually loud. No one wants to be that
guy. Why? Because that guy is always
woken up.
There is a golden key which every
beginner must learn in order to become
a sensei. Just in case you haven’t noticed,
each popular way of sleeping in class
involves positioning your body so that
you seem as if you are paying attention.
Don’t make it obvious. You can get away
with almost anything if you’re smart
about it.
•
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•
•
Explore interests and careers
Research and tour NC colleges online
Access free test prep
Apply to college online
Check out scholarships, grants, loans
Save for college with the NC 529 Plan
For more information,
visit CFNC.org
or call 866.866.CFNC (2362)
Plan, apply, and pay for college
A service of the State of North Carolina provided
by Pathways, CFI, and NCSEAA
© 2012 Pathways, College Foundation, Inc., and
State Education Assistance Authority (CFNC)
Servicios en español disponibles
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Entertainment 11
Shaquan dishes on meeting boys, facial hair, coming out
Q
: Hey Shaquan!
I have a really big problem. The boy
I like won’t even talk to or acknowledge
me. I’ve tried everything, even cutting my
hair. How can I get him to ask me out?
WW(Shaquan)D?
for the guys, then I suggest removing your
lip hair.
Q
A
A
: I would not have cut my hair! I
would not be trying to please a
guy to get him to notice me. This guy
probably doesn’t know how to approach
you. Maybe you should go to him and
introduce yourself because if you don’t,
somebody else will.
Q
: Dear Shaquan, no shave in
November seemed like a fun idea,
but guys think I’m gross because I’m a
girl, and my lip hair has gotten bad. What
should I do?
A
: I say do what makes you
comfortable. If you want to also grow
out you underarm hair too, do it! LOL! But
if you want to keep yourself looking good
Ask Shaquan
Inconsistency marks 2011 movie season
By Mitchell Lea
Like a Charles Dickens novel, 2011
in movies was the best of times and the
worst of times.
Plenty of movie finales stole the
show as “Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows Part Two” and “Transformers:
Dark of the Moon” ended their respective
series with a bang.
However, the “end” of the “Pirates
of the Caribbean” series, “Pirates of the
Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” landed in
theaters with a resounding thud.
Other sequels such as “Fast Five” and
“Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol”
generated a lot of buzz around the
cinemas this year as well and were high
in quality.
For the most part, superhero movies
were letdowns as well, with “Thor,”
“The Green Hornet,” “Green Lantern,”
and “Captain America: The First
Avenger.” “X-Men: First Class” was the
lone impressive superhero movie, and
even then it did not meet its box office
expectations.
Comedies were relatively good
this year, with “Horrible Bosses,” “The
Hangover Part Two,” and “Tower Heist”
impressing and creating a good number
of laughs.
Science fiction had its share of
entertaining popcorn flicks such as
“Real Steel” and “Battle: Los Angeles,”
but it also had mediocre movies such
as ‘‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
and ‘‘I Am Number Four,” and awful
eye-gougers such as “Super 8’’ and ‘‘In
Time.”
Thrillers were up and down as
well, as “Source Code” was a model for
how thrillers should be made: smart
and slick. However, “Unknown” and
“Limitless” were not worth writing
home about.
Westerns were becoming popular
largely because of the success of last
year’s hit “True Grit.” Here’s to hoping
the trend dies, as “Cowboys & Aliens”
and “Rango” were disappointments.
While 2011 will remembered as
: I’m gay and no one knows. What’s
the best way to come out?
: Shaquan is not gay, but I asked a few
people that are, and they said that if
you are comfortable with who you are and
you have strong confidence in yourself, it
shouldn’t be hard for you to come out.
I suggest that you tell your parents
first which will probably be the hardest
to tell, but you don’t want them to hear
about it through the grapevine.
You don’t have to broadcast your
sexuality to the whole universe. Just be
who you are.
I also recommend you to join the
Gay Straight Alliance here at Conley, and
maybe you can talk to guidance counselor
and GSA advisor Jenny Calhoun.
Also visit the GSA website at http://
gsanetwork.org/.
the year of inconsistency, like a groom in a
marriage, as a avid moviegoer, I am in it for
better and for worse.
12
Entertainment
Move to the beat,
(Dub) step your feet
By Nabeela Nujhat
You’re chilling at a party while the
newest single is playing. Suddenly, the
music changes to something unfamiliar.
“What’s this?” The reply--Dubstep.
What’s dubstep? Some of us think of
the wub wub wub sound, but the rest of
us have no clue. “It’s the type music that
gets you to start moving or do some pump
action,” said senior Kendrick Davis.
Dubstep is a genre of electronic music
centered around bass. It is created when
you incorporate computer-made sounds
with a heavy bass. It includes a drop, an
area where the light, gentle tone becomes
dark. Rarely are there vocals.
“It has a different beat from the usual
pop you hear nowadays,” said sophomore
Eunice N’zikou. Dubstep draws influence
from dub, reggae, grime, and sounds
close to techno. Dubstep is a newer type
of music that started in 2000 and became
famous around early 2011.
Some famous dubstep artists include
Skrillex, Nero, Flux Pavilion, Doctor P,
Benga, and Datsik. Skrillex, aka Sonny
Moore, is the Lady Gaga of dubstep. He
was nominated for five Grammys in the
upcoming 54th Grammy Awards. All of
these artists are creating remarkable
work.
Dubstep has recently started doing
awards to acknowledge gifted artists. The
first ever Dubstep Music Awards, or DMA,
was held on Nov. 26, 2011, at Rainbow
Warehouse Nightclub in England.
Notable winners include Skrillex for
best international act, Flux Pavilion and
Doctor P for best remix (Remix of Louder
by DJ Fresh), Flux Pavilion for best track
(Bass Cannon), and Nero for best album
(Welcome Reality).
Listening to dubstep is only half
the fun. The other half? Creating it. The
software used to make dubstep usually
costs money for the full experience.
Dubturbo is a good software to use if you
are a beginner, and it’s user friendly.
A recommended tutorial is UKF
Dubstep Tutorial presented by Dubba
Jonny on YouTube. This tutorial teaches
you the items you will need to make
skillful dubstep.
The Shield Volume XLI, Issue 3 January 31, 2012
Stay at Holmes for this one
By Kyler Ross
“A Game of Shadows” is the newest
movie in a series of books, TV shows
and other movies. In this movie, Robert
Downey, Jr as Sherlock Holmes fights the
evil plan of Professor Moriarty (Jared
Harris). Sherlock’s partner is Doctor
Watson (Jude Law). Professor Moriarty
plans to start a war with Switzerland by
assassinating an ambassador at the peace
summit in Switzerland.
First Moriarty murders the owner of a
weapon company, so that he will inherit the
company. He will then use this company to
make riches off the war. He disguises the
assassination of the arms company owner
by planting a bomb. Sherlock and Watson
were close to stopping the bombing, but it
barley slipped through their fingers.
Determined by failure, Sherlock
new he would stop the attack on the
peace building. A hit-man would kill
an ambassador and start a national
incident; the only twist is that the hit
man is a surgically engineered twin of
a real ambassador. The fake and real
ambassador, were switched and the hitman now had the perfect disguise to kill
his target.
This movie was not what I expected
and thought the
original
was
much
better.
If the series
continues,
major improvements will be
needed to pull
me into the
theater. I would
recommend
seeing
this
movie when it
comes out on
allmoviephotos.com
Red Box.