the tiger times - Central Magnet School

Issue #4
December 7, 2010
“THE HOLIDAY EDITION”
THE TIGER TIMES
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Pilgrims
By Hunter Dycus
Everyone knows
that the Pilgrims moved from
England to the U.S. on a ship
called the Mayflower. You
also know that they had the
first Thanksgiving with the
native Indians. Here are ten
things that you didn’t know
about Pilgrims.
Special points of
interest:
 Fashion Tips
 Celebrity Spotlight
 Easy Recipe
 Central Events
 Comic
 College Spotlight
 Birthdays
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Holiday Articles
CMS News
1-3
4
Fashion & Entertainment
5-6
In the News
7-8
Sports
9
Editorial
10
November/December
Birthdays
1314
6.
You may think that after they
landed all was happy and they had
Thanksgiving right then. But they
went through a very long, hard winter and only about 50 of the 110
who sailed from Plymouth survived
that first winter.
7.
The Pilgrims soon came in
contact with the native Indians, and
the Indians started helping out the
1. The Pilgrims were fleePilgrims. The one who is most welling religious persecutions in
known
and
helped
the most was Squanto.
their native England and moved to Holland. They
did not like their children being attached to the 8. With all this help, the harvest in October was
Dutch way of life, so they moved to the ―New
plentiful. There was enough food for both the Indians
World‖, the United States.
and the Pilgrims to have a feast.
2. Their trip was funded by a group of inves- 9. The date the feast actually happened is uncertors called the Merchant Adventurers.
tain, but it is believed to have taken place in mid3. They sailed from Plymouth, England, with October.
44 Pilgrims who called themselves ―Saints‖ and 10.
66 people the Pilgrims called ―Strangers.‖
The year after was when the Pilgrim governor Samuel
4. The trip took 65 days and one person died Bradford proclaimed November 29 a day of thanksgiving, leading to the national Thanksgiving Day, which is
by the time they spotted land.
the fourth Thursday of every November.
5. There was much conflict between the
All credits to the information in this article goes to
―Saints‖ and the ―Strangers.‖ They made the
Mayflower Compact, which guaranteed equality http://www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/pilgrims.htm.
between the two groups when they landed.
What About Those Other Holidays???
By Esther Soper
Every year I bet you and your
family celebrate Christmas,
right? Well what about those
other holidays? Most of you
haven’t given much thought
to them, and that’s okay;
that’s what I’m here for.
Kwanzaa is an
often heard holiday name, yet
is not too, well known. It is a
seven day festival starting on
December 26th, celebrating the African American people, their culture and their history,
founded by Dr. Manilana Karenga. ―First fruits‖
is the meaning of Kwanzaa in Swahili, and with
each day of Kwanzaa, there is a candle lit and
principle to be acted upon. The seven principles are unity (umoja), self-determination
(kujichagulia), collective work and
responsibility (ujima), cooperative
economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia),
creativity (kuumba), and faith
(imani). Kwanzaa also has nine
symbols: the crops (mazao), the mat
(mkeka), the candle holder (kinara),
the corn (muhindi), the seven candles (mishumaa saba), the unity cup
(kikombe cha umoja), the gifts
(zawadi), the flag (bendera), and the
Kwanzaa banner. Kwanzaa may
also be called Nguzo Saba, which means ―the seven
principles.‖ The holiday’s colors are green, black,
and red. These three colors were important symbols
in ancient Africa: green is for the fertile land of Africa, black is for the color of the people, and red is
for the blood that was shed in the struggle for freedom. Children are given gifts based on merit and
behavior.
PAGE 2
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
What About Those Other Holidays??? (continued)
Often times books are received, representing the importance of education. In all, Kwanzaa is a celebration of community,
family, reflection upon one’s self, and just being a good person.
Hanukkah is another commonly known holiday. As I’m
sure you realize, Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is a Jewish celebration
which is held for eight days. It commemorates the military victory
of the Maccabees over the
Greek Syrians and the rededication of the Second
Temple in 164 BCE. One
candle is lit per night and
placed on the menorah,
each representing one of
those eight days. With the
lighting of the candles,
chants are sung and blessings recited. Hanerot Hallalu
is one ancient chant and
sung during the lighting;
Maoz Tzur is sung after the lighting. Gifts are exchanged and a
meal is shared between families as they think back to their heri-
How Not to OVER-“Deck the Halls”
By Robbie Belcher
Are you ready to waste more electricity with
extreme Christmas decorations!
Yeah? Really? Well, have you ever had next door
neighbors that would do anything to outshine the others? I mean ANYTHING! It’s okay to get into the
spirit, but you can do so without going overboard.
Check what you are doing.
1. If you can’t see even a speck of your house or
your yard, you’re doing a little too much...unless
you’re using some kind of play snow. Now, that
would be a bit interesting.
2. Hint: two blow ups in the front yard, two blow ups
in the back yard, and you’re good.
3. There’s nothing wrong with lighting up your beautiful plants if you have large bushes. That tends to
catch the eye. And let’s admit it; you can’t look away
from a roof top covered in Christmas lights. But beware of the dreaded frustration of finding that one
tage and ancestors’ sacrifices.
In Germany, St. Nikolaus is celebrated each year on
December 6. St. Nikolaus was once a bishop from Asia Minor who
died on that day in 343 A.D. He was cherished for helping all of
those in need and performing countless good deeds. This holiday
includes St. Nick going from door to
door asking children whether they’ve
been well behaved or not. Songs and
poems may be recited by the children
to prove they deserve gifts (they suck
up). Obviously, the good children are
rewarded with gifts. Occasionally, St.
Nick is accompanied by a companion.
In Germany this companion is referred
to as Knecht Ruprecht. In past times,
Knecht was a maleficent and ragged
looking creature who carried a large
sack to hold all of the spiteful children.
However, this lovable creature has
evolved into who is now Weinachtsmann, or Santa Claus. In Bavaria St.
Nick’s companion is Klaubauf and in
Austria Krampus. He is a monster with
horns and bells along with chains hanging from him. Rather than
putting the disobedient kids in a sack, he gifts them with sticks or
coal.
light that goes out and shuts every other light off!
4. If a car cannot pull into your driveway without
knocking a billion things over, then you might want
to use a few less items.
Don’t get me wrong; big showy decorations please
our eyes, but too many could make our yards look
like a giant mess, and guess who gets to clean it
up….
Some houses can pass with overboard decorating,
but that’s only because they do so in a way that
doesn’t make us wonder what in the world is wrong
with them. They’re actually very beautiful.
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 3
Some Pretty Interesting “DEAR SANTA” Letters
Dear Santa,
I want a lot of toys for Christmas. I want Barbies,
Little Ponies, Polly Pockets, and don’t forget Baby
Dolls. I also want dresses so that I can be a princess. But what I want most of all is to go to Disney World! I’m going to dress up as Cinderella
and then go meet her! And thank you for last
year’s presents, even though I didn’t get my IPhone. My mommy said I probably wasn’t going
to get it because 8-year olds aren’t supposed to
have it. You know better, right?
Love anyways,
Suzie
Dear Santa,
Hi. I want a lot of stuff for Christmas this year. I
want a pony, a doll house, all of the new Barbies
and all of their clothes, a jeep, and the new Hannah Montana CD. But, Santa, most of all I want to
have a pink frog. I love pink, and I love frogs. If
you could find one that isn’t poisonous, that
would help a lot. Thanks Santa! You’re the coolest
guy I know.
Love,
Jane Doe
P.S. I’ll leave you extra cookies this year.
Dear Santa,
I want money: 50 bucks! And a car with flames
on the sides, NOT A FAKE ONE please… I’ve been
good all year long, and I’ve not gotten grounded…
except for that one day in that one time, siblings
you know! Oh, Santa I also want candy, and lots
of it, a crate full! And an I-pod, an I-phone, and a
puppy… that’s it!
Thank you,
Meredith ―Molly‖ Nelson
P.S. I also want a 365 day break from chores…
Dear Santa,
As I’m sure you know, I really like Careless Katie.
She is the sunshine of my life, even though her
credit score is terrible. Her eyes are an ocean and
I’m lost at sea. But the problem is she likes Dangerous Dave. Please make her realize who her
true love is this x-mas (which is me, of course).
SINcerely,
Loving Lucifer
What Do Central Students Want For
Christmas?
Car. 12.5%
Ipod
Touch.18.75%
Camera.18.75
%
New Phone.
12.5%
Shoes. 12.5%
Kindle. 6.25%
Concert
Tickets.6.25%
Trampoline.
6.25%
Laptop. 6.25%
By Roxanna Flores
After surveying some
Central students, these are
the results of what they want
for Christmas. 18.75% of the
students wanted either an Ipod Touch or a camera.
12.5% wanted a new phone
or a car. 6.25% wanted a Kindle, concert tickets, a trampoline, or a laptop. So...have you
thought about what you want?
PAGE 4
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
CMS SCHOOL NEWS
“Fools”
By: Carly Marmen
Over the last couple of months, some of our own CMS students
have been getting ready for our very first school play, ironically entitled
Fools. The play is about a boy named Leon who lands a job in a town that
has been cursed with chronic stupidity. Leon takes it upon himself to try to
break the curse that has landed upon this poor town. However, no one tells
him that he must break the curse in less than 24 hours, or he too will become stupid along with the rest of his town members. But, Leon has fallen in
love with a girl who has just recently learned to sit down. If you want to know
more about this play, then you must come see it! The show is planned to be
on December 10th, 11th, and 12th.
RED RIBBON WREAKS FUN HAVOC!!!
By Jackson Downs
At the end of October, Red Ribbon Week
occurred, with every day a new event just waiting
to embarrass some of the more serious kids with
those kinds of parents. This week emphasizes the
importance of being drug-free. Monday was the
day we all received our ribbons. Some of us
refused, and some of us accepted them with
gusto. Tuesday was Be Like Me Drug Free Day,
where we dressed up like each other. (though it
was funny when some kids dressed up like their
friends and their friends dressed up like
them…….yeah it’s kind of hard to explain.) Anyway,
Wednesday was Kick Drugs Away Day, where we
dressed like ninjas and dressed in black. (though
some kids decided to be ninjas disguised as
school kids…genius!!!) Thursday was Team Up
Against Drugs Day, were we dressed up in our
favorite sports jerseys. (You know who you are
Gator fans…..me included.) On Friday, we dressed
up in our Halloween costumes, and had our
pictures made. (and were SUPPOSED to go to a
Halloween Dance after school, but thanks to
certain complications, we couldn’t!!!!!) To me, this
week was fun (other than the cancelled dance),
and I hope you all enjoyed it, because I sure did!!!!
Cast members:
Leon: Gavin Woods
Sophia: Gabby Oechsle
Lenya: Elkie Warren
Dr. Zubrinsky: Jackson Downs
Count Gregor: Duel Lane
Magistrate: Josh Martin
CENTRAL MAGNET’S 1ST
HOMECOMING!
From November 29th to December 4th, Central Magnet School
made history once again through its celebration of the first homecoming as a
magnet school. It was converted from a middle school this year. Before it was
a magnet school, it was a middle school (established in 1972), and it was a
high school before that.
Homecoming Week allowed students to wear a creative display of
outfits. On Monday, students enjoyed Wacky Tacky Day. Tuesday was Nerd
Day. Wednesday was Switch your Clique Day, where students dressed as if
they were a part of a clique that they weren’t actually associated with. Thursday was Superhero Day, and Friday was Classic Central Day, in which they
dressed in Central paraphernalia.
Friday’s events were quite entertaining for students. Many took part
in a Variety Show, in which each grade level displayed their talents. Then, each
grade got together and created cheers and posters to display at the pep rally.
Finally, students were able to attend the Homecoming Dance on Friday evening.
On Saturday, the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams played Red Boiling Springs High School. Although we were not victorious, students, parents,
and faculty came out in record numbers and enjoyed being a part of Central
Magnet’s first Homecoming. The Homecoming Court was presented between
games.
6th Grade: Mary Grace Bouldin & Dexter Woods
7th Grade: Reagan Kinnie & Noah Waldron
8th Grade: Girls—Cassidy Best (crowned princess), Julie Plunkett, & Mickayla
Russell
8th Grade: Boys—Keenon Cliche, Gavin Woods (crowned prince), & Salim
Sbenaty
9th Grade: Hannah Leyhew & Sam Smith
10th Grade: Girls—Tabitha Fedock, Gulmira Hamit, & Miranda McConnell
(crowned princess)
10th Grade: Boys—Ryan McCabe, Ryan Waldren, & Yim Hyeong (crowned
prince)
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 5
Fashion and Entertainment
Ladies and gentlemen of class, I give you what you've been waiting for so patiently, your very own guy models
for Fall! Yim Hyeong and Willie Ortiz! Yim plans for a bright future as a financial consultant. One of his favorite
hobbies is playing basketball. We also have Willie Ortiz whose favorite hobbies are baseball and basketball. Willie is originally from New York. (DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THIS MEANS!!! I'll tell you in a sec.) Both models are
sophomores, and YES they are awesome!
Hey! Now ladies, are you ready for a cold winter? Don't worry. There's always a chance to wear your favorite
colors, patterns, and pieces! Here's how...

Gray sky means wearing vibrant colors. DON'T feel ashamed for wearing bright colored tights. Just remember to WEAR ONE VIBRANT COLOR AT A TIME!!!

You DO want to wear pieces, like a leather jacket and thick black tights. According to Joelle Van Dyne,
quoted from Glamour Magazine, you should balance the toughness of the look.

Try the preppy look. It's usually the classic blazers and button downs but put it with a scarf, and it will suit
you for a brisk day spent running errands (or some kind of school work).

Sometimes we find the perfect sweater with the perfect pattern, but it's hard to piece it together without
the dreadful clash! HINT: keep the rest of your clothing pieces low key!

Here's a crazy, but great idea... winter shorts. What's the problem? I mean, think about it: we wear tights
under our skirts. So why not wear it with shorts! If you can find a reasonable contrast of colors to wear,
then it will work. Add a good scarf and you're good to go!
That's all for our winter fashions for the ladies. Don't worry guys, you'll be next! (Oh, remember when I
mentioned New York when introducing Willie; well guess what, New York is the fashion Capital!)
I'm Robbie Belcher, and I'll see ya later.
PAGE 6
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
Celebrity Scoop: Taylor Swift
What’s up, Central! This is yours truly, Robbie Belcher,
with more of your Celebrity Facts! This artist is well known
across America. She has won many awards in the last 3 years,
including: Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2008; in 2009,
she won a VMA for Music Video of the Year and 3 CMAs for
Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Artist of
the Year; in 2010, she won a CMT award for Female Video of
the Year and 4 Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Album, and
Best Country Song ! I know her, you know her, and Kanye
West knows her, she is… Taylor Swift! Taylor Swift was born
on December 13, 1989 on a Christmas tree farm! Her parents
are Scott and Andrea Swift. She has a brother named Austin
and her grandmother, who used to be a professional opera
singer, is Marjorie Finlay. When Taylor was in the 4th grade she
won a national poetry contest. Taylor had been performing
since she was 10 years old! She sang the National Anthem at an NBA game at age 11! She also
became the youngest staff songwriter ever hired by Sony Tree publishing company at the age of 14!
She wrote or co- wrote all of her songs on her self titled debut CD! Her favorite outfit is a sundress
and cowboy boots!
Dream Cars
by Robbie Belcher
Many high schoolers are already driving or still learning to drive. We all have our dream cars in
mind. Some of us are or will be fortunate to get them while MOST of us face reality.
I took a survey of 5 students asking what their dream cars are.
“My dream Car is ...any Porsche (yellow)”- Carley Marmen
“ Dream car... Hybrid”- anonymous
“ Like a hippy Volkswagen”- Madison Warise
“My dream car is a 1966 Shelby Mustang Cobra” - anonymous
“A sports car!”- anonymous
I’m pretty sure that even some of our favorite celebs faced the same
thing when they were in high school.
For instance, if you ever watched "When I Was 17" on MTV, you'd
know that on Christmas of 1997, Vanessa Minnillo wanted a Toyota
Celica. She was so excited. Her parents wanted to surprise her, but
when she went into the garage to look, she saw an ugly, rusty, steelblue Nissan Pulsar. She says that her parents thought that she was
crying because she was happy ,but we all know that is NOT why she
was crying! Can you imagine that? I would be sooo angry!
Until next time everybody. Goodbye!
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 7
IN THE NEWS
Salmon Doesn’t Just Have
Salmon DNA Anymore…
By Esther Soper
Yep, genetically engineered salmon or transgenic salmon
could be on your dinner plate sometime soon. They are currently being
developed by Aqua Bounty Farms in the U.S. and are just a stroke away
from being approved by the FDA. The salmon being genetically altered is
the Atlantic species, combining its DNA with that of the Pacific Chinook
Salmon, the largest salmon species, and the Ocean Pout.
The Chinook’s growth hormone is being harvested and injected into the Atlantic hoping to make it grow twice as large. But that’s
obvious and boring. Now the Ocean Pout is the more interesting of the
two DNA donators. In the Ocean Pout’s blood is a protein which acts like
an antifreeze. Therefore this fish can withstand much colder waters. The
minds behind these G.E. salmon take some of the genetic code acting
as a switch for the Ocean Pout’s antifreeze adaptation and put it in our
tasty Atlantic so that it too, can grow year-round. These fishy Frankenstein’s are only being offered in one gender though, female, and will
contain three sets of chromosomes so that they’re sterile.
Many are for the production of genetically engineered salmon.
For one thing these salmon will reach their full size in half the time.
Some argue that 75% of processed foods, from soda to crackers and
ketchup, are being genetically altered already and that adding salmon to
the list is no big deal. Tomatoes, strawberries, corn, potatoes and many
others have been genetically altered. 45% of the corn and 85% of the
soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered according to the
Center for Food Safety. It can be said that everything is altered for a
reason whether it be for pest resistance, tolerating herbicides (e.g.
weed killers), to resists diseases like fungi and viruses, or tolerating
weather and to add vitamins. The FDA has already approved a genetically altered goat which produces a human drug in its milk for patients
with clotting disorders, but not for ordinary consumption by humans. If
the new Atlantic salmon is approved, it can be the first genetically
modified animal to be allowed onto our dinner plates sitting alongside
our transgenic potatoes, corn, and tomatoes which have been there for
years.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, FDA committee members overall, consider this G.E. salmon to be safe, but there were only a
small amount of studies and data presented. Some of the many risks
of G.E. salmon include allergies that may be developed and the potential threat to native aquatic species if they were to escape into the wild.
Researchers from Purdue University found that if released to the wild
accidently, transgenic fish could damage the native populations to the
point of extinction. In the past decade nearly 400,000 farm-raised
Atlantics have escaped into British Columbia waters and are now competing with the native species for habitat and food. That being said,
that’s only the number having been reported. Environmentalists put
the likely estimate to be closer to one million.
Each side has convincing arguments, but the question is, will
you be buying Genetically Engineered-Atlantic-Chinook-Pout-Salmon
any time soon?
New Governor Ready for Office
By Carly Marmen
In the recent elections, Bill Haslam was chosen
as our first new governor in eight years. Bill was born and
raised in Knoxville, Tennessee by parents who taught their
children good work ethics. Academics and sports were a
strong subject in Haslam’s childhood. At the age of 16, his
life was forever changed with the unexpected death of his
mother. Their family held close and made it through the
struggles that they faced. In 1967, he attended Emory University where he met his wife, Crissy. He graduated with a
degree in history, and he and his wife moved to Knoxville
where he managed Pilot, a chain of family-owned gas stations that he began work at when he was thirteen. He
worked for Pilot and expanded the company from 800 employees in one state to fourteen thousand in thirty-nine
states. In 2003, he ran for the position of mayor of Knoxville and won. He has proudly held that position until he ran
for governor this year. He has already made plans not to
accept a paycheck during his term in office. Good luck to
Bill Haslam, as he governs our state of Tennessee!
PAGE 8
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
IN THE NEWS (continued)
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell- Why It
Should Be Repealed
By Esther Soper
In today’s society , many openly gay people
are persecuted for their sexual orientation. This, put
simply, just is not morally or ethically correct. The
military law Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, or ―DADT‖, merely
provokes such discrimination and persecution;
therefore, I find that it should be repealed indefinitely.
DADT first began when, on May 29th, 1992,
candidate Bill Clinton proposed allowing lesbian,
gay, and bisexual Americans to serve openly in the
military (supposedly to earn more voters). Following
his election, in 1993 hearings on regulations allowing homosexuals to serve were first held and found
no justification in which to continue the ban of lesbians, bisexuals and gays in service. On November
30th of that year, Clinton signed a new gay ban,
Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. This basically states that as
long as nobody asks or tells if another is of nonstraight sexual orientation, that they can serve in
the military, but if you are openly gay you must be
discharged immediately. President Obama is obviously against the DADT ban and has stated ―I will
end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.







The Stats:





73% of military personnel are comfortable lesbians and gays (Zogby
international, 2006)
75% of Americans support gays
serving openly (ABC
News/Washington Post 2010)
77% of Independents and 64% of
Republicans favor repeal (ABC
News/Washington Post 2010)
60% of weekly churchgoers and
58% of conservatives also want
DADT repealed. (Gallup, 2009)
75% of young Americans are ineligible to serve in our military because of inadequate education,
criminal records, or even weight
problems. However, conduct waiv-


ers (meaning that they looked over these
charges) were received by recruits whom
had had records of bomb threats, sex
crimes and negligent or vehicular homicides. Yet, intelligent, qualified, law-abiding
Americans who want to serve in our military
are being denied all due to homosexuality.
Over 14,000 loyal service members have
been fired under the DADT law since 1994.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), by 2003 the military discharged over 750 mission-critical military
officials, more than 320 of which held
much needed language skills including
Arabic, Korean, and Farsi.
The same GAO study identified about $200
million in costs for the first ten years of
DADT.
Later these costs were found to be exceeding, $363 million.
GAO has also concluded that open service
in no way undermines military readiness,
troop morale, or national security.
There are At Least, 66,000 gay Americans
currently serving on active duty and one
million gay veterans in the US (Urban Institute).
The CIA, FBI, State Department, Defense
Department on the civilian side, and defense contractors do not discriminate
based on sexual orientation.
Over two dozen allow gays to serve openly.
Studies by Australia, Israel, Great Britain,
and Canada show open service to have no
adverse effect on retention, enrollment, or
overall service
So, why is this still an issue?
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 9
Sports
Athletes in the News:
David Price
Titans Snatch Randy Moss
By Hunter Dycus
On Tuesday, November 2nd, the Minnesota Vikings cut Randy Moss and put him on
waivers. This is the way waivers work. Starting
with the team with the worst record, teams
have a chance to get these players on waivers. That was how Randy Moss ended up with
the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were 23rd
on the waivers list, and 22 teams passed on
the great receiver Randy Moss.
Randy Moss is a living, breathing future NFL Hall of Famer. He has 153 touchbuquerque, New Mex- downs in his thirteen year career and is
By Hunter Dycus
known for his ability to catch the deep pass.
ico.
Price then went Having a deep threat helps the Titans in many
David Price is
on to pitch for the Van- different ways. First of all, it gives quarterback
a professional baseVince Young a reliable deep threat receiver
derbilt Commodores
ball pitcher for the
for three years. During since Kenny Britt is out with a hamstring inTampa Bay Rays. He
his junior year, he set jury. Also, it helps the Titans running game.
was drafted first by
a Vanderbilt record for Teams have been focusing on stopping Chris
the Rays during the
Johnson after his 2,000 yard season last
strikeouts with 194,
2007 MLB Draft.
year, only the 6th time it has been done. Havand won the nation’s
Price is an outing Randy Moss will divert attention away
standing left-handed highest college basefrom Chris Johnson, allowing him to be able
pitcher, being chosen ball award, the Dick
to break a big run.
Howser Trophy. After
to start the MLB AllThe Titans have passed on Randy
his junior year, he was
Star Game for the
Moss before, during the 1998 NFL Draft,
drafted first in the
American League.
choosing Kevin Dyson. The Titans were not
Price grew up MLB Draft by the
about to pass on him again.
here in Murfreesboro. Tampa Bay Rays. He
has
been
an
outHe was an outstanding pitcher for
standing baseball
and basketball player them, helping lead
them to the best reat Blackman High
cord in the Major
School. He was the
Leagues this year.
Rutherford County
David Price’s
Male Athlete of the
rise
to
fame
from his
Year in 2002, 2003,
small
town
roots
and 2004. He was
chosen to play in the shows that if you put
2004 High School All- your mind to it, you
can do anything.
America Game in Al-
PAGE 10
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
EDITORIAL
HOMEWORK: TO ASSIGN OR NOT TO ASSIGN?
Homework, though not liked by students, can be beneficial. Most
of us don’t like having to take work home. We often say our parents leave their jobs at work, but the truth is our parents know
how to do their job, and do not need the extra practice. We, the
students, don’t have a great deal of time at home, but if we are
struggling with a concept, the extra practice helps. The only problem is when the homework is busy work or an excessive amount.
For me, not to get home from dance class until 10:00 p.m. and
still have three pages of biology to do is ridiculous. So homework
has its benefits, but only in moderation because if I stay awake
until 1:00 a.m., I won’t be awake enough the next day.
Homework is in no way beneficial to students. A school day’s
purpose is to provide seven hours in which the youth can learn.
The rest of the day is intended to function at their best without
frequent breaks and students who work too much begin to feel
discouraged and trapped. The youth of today, especially at Central
Magnet, are intelligent, but like everyone they want to be free. If
school teachers cannot fit their lessons into the seven hours a day
allotted to them and must force students to continue their work at
home, that suggests that it is the teachers who are lacking, rather
than the students.
While homework is a sound theory for improving students understanding of various subjects, that is just it—it is just a theory. Unfortunately, homework is not beneficial to students in helping
understand our social lives. When surveyed, 8 out of 10 students
reported having 3 or more hours of homework each night. That is
a ridiculous amount, considering the fact that the student has
absolutely no time to spend with loved ones. Although it seems
trivial, spending time with loved ones, such as parents and
friends, builds a teen’s social skills and reduces stress, allowing
them to grow into happy, mentally healthy teens. Homework is to
stressed out teens and no homework is to happy teens. Which do
you prefer your child to fall under?
Homework is something that schools find crucial, but what about
the students? As a student, I think it does help me learn sometimes. The only problem is that it is an excessive amount. For
example, there was one point in which I had a huge project that
took so much time and taught me nothing. All it did was left me
feeling exhausted and stressed. I was so busy trying to finish it on
time that I wasn’t really focusing on the lesson of it. Just as the
homework is stressful for the students, it can be stressful for the
teachers too. They have to stay up late grading papers and such.
So, why don’t they make it easier on the students and themselves?
highly affected when she got a B. Sure, this would not affect most kids,
but some kids do have problems with it. Students actually have lives
outside of school and homework doesn’t always come fast. That is why I
don’t think homework is beneficial. It just causes stress and sleep deprivation in students. Many students stay up late and are sleep deprived to
do homework. It can cause depression if it happens multiple nights in a
row. Overall, it’s just not a very good idea to assign great amounts or
constant homework.
―Homework is something all kids despise and honestly shouldn’t have,‖
says my Dad. I can’t say I disagree with him. It’s boring, doesn’t stick
with students, and teachers use it to teach sometimes. Using homework
as a teaching tool is not good at all. Bottom line, homework does not
benefit students.
Homework is beneficial to students if used in moderation. Many students
will forget what they have learned in class if they do not have reinforcement exercises to do at home. This is especially true in subjects like
math in the upper level classes when equations take a long time to repeat. Once several examples are done in class, there is not enough time
for students to attempt problems on their own. On the other hand, too
much homework is not a good thing. Who wants to overtax innocent
children with hoards of homework? Too much work will make them not
be excited about school and not do their best. To keep school as interesting as possible, we should have homework I moderation.
Homework: what everyone thinks of when they think of school. This isn’t
necessarily a positive connotation, however. Most people aren’t fond of
homework, and think it is a waste of time. I think homework helps students understand the criteria better, but it should only be given when
needed, such as a student that is falling behind so they can catch up.
But when assigned to the whole class it should be used in moderation,
as to not overwork the students and give them free time outside of
school.
Homework can be very beneficial to students. That is, as long as it is
given in reasonable amounts. Then I was given hours of homework one
day I stayed up too late trying to finish it all. The next day I was miserable
and tired. I could neither focus nor think clearly enough to complete my
class work to the best of my ability. That load of homework assignments
ended up hurting me rather than helping me. But small homework assignments are still good to assign. When the students complete the work
they will recall the day’s lesson and be better prepared for future assignments. As long as students do the work provided and as long as that
work is given in small portions, homework can be a great contributor to a
student’s academic success.
Homework is necessary and needs to be enforced. Without homework
our world would be in shambles. Homework helps us to learn our lesson
Laura was a role model student. She made straight A’s and never and practice our skills. We do this to be successful. Just think, in a world
disrupted class. She was never in trouble and all the teachers
with no homework, we would all not be focused on the most important
liked her. Also, she could usually finish her homework in class.
thing in our life, school! When homework is given it processes the inforBecause she could finish her homework in class, she was enrolled mation in our brain even further. Teachers do this so we can succeed
in multiple extracurricular activities and was studying, volunteerand do better in school. They should do this to help us and not be reing, or at church all of the time. She barely had any spare time.
quired to do it. Homework may not be exciting but it is extremely benefiOne day, a teacher assigned a lot of homework for a grade becial for our brain to process the information again, so that we may succause they needed some homework grades. Unfortunately, Laura ceed. It also assures that we know the material. Learning is a battle that
forgot to write this down and had no time to do it. Since the
is easily won through repetition and homework.
teacher rarely gave out homework, and Laura got a zero, she was
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 11
PUZZLES & COMICS
NO BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL
COOKIES!!!!... FOR KIDS!!!
NUMB3R RIDDLE
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
Ingredients
99999999999969999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999996
2 cups sugar
99999999999999999999999999999999
½ cup cocoa
99999999999999999999699999999999
1 stick butter
99999999999999999999999999999999
½ cup milk
99999999999999999999999999969999
99999999999999999999999999999999
1 tsp. vanilla
99999999999999999999999999999999
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
99999999999999999999699999999999
½ cup peanut butter
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999969999999999999999999999999
Procedure
99999999999999999999699999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
Combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and
milk in a saucepan. On medium heat, 99999999999999999999996999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999
bring to a boil for one full minute.
99999999999969999999999999999999
Remove from heat. Stir in peanut
butter (optional), vanilla, and oatmeal. 99999999999999999999999999999999
Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Let 99999999999999999999999999999999
999999999999999999999999
cool for at least 30 minutes.
Can you find the 6’s?
LEMONS
By Jackson Quinton Downs
Lemons are yellow, lemons are sweet, lemons are sour, lemons are bitter, and lemons
are like life. Lemons come from trees, which
come from seeds, which come from lemons,
which come from trees, which come from
seeds, and on and on and on. Lemons are
cooked, lemons are frozen, lemons are
sweetened with splenda or sugar, lemons
are rotted, lemons are ripened, and lemons
are dried or cut or frightened. (Don’t ask on
the last one please.) Lemons are pickled,
lemons are crushed, lemons are squashed,
lemons are peeled, lemons are grated,
lemons are taken from their trees and sold,
to the highest bidder in the market world,
lemons are worshipped, (in the strangest
of cultures) Lemons are stored and kept
for years only to turn out bad when unthawed. Lemons are deadly, for your teeth
I mean. Lemons can be taken and thrown
into a latrine, lemons are cared for, lemons are tended, lemons are children separated from their mother, the tree. Lemons
are lively, lemons are vibrant, lemons are
grown in a tropical environment, (or a
factory, depending on where you are)
lemons are taken, lemons are sold, lemons should be eaten, lest they grow mold.
Lemons are alive, lemons are dead, and
lemons instill some people with dread.
Lemons are candied, sweetened with
sugar, (or fat, if you are one of those who
are dieting) lemons are born, lemons are
grown, lemons are stolen away from
their homes, lemons are taken to the
market to be sold, lemons are now in a
strange new world, lemons are bought,
by a middle- class family, and are
cooked, and cut, and squashed, and
drunken, in juice, diluted with water and
sugar. Lemons are tossed in the pantry
and forgotten, only to be found long
after they are gone from this world.
PAGE 12
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
College Spotlight: Vanderbilt University
By Hunter Dycus
Vanderbilt University is one of Tennessee’s most prestigious colleges. It is found on 2201 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN. This private school boasts of great academics and outstanding basketball and baseball programs. Here are two important questions that many students applying will ask:
 What can I do in high school to prepare for Vanderbilt?
Take as many rigorous courses as you can manage while working hard to make the best grades possible. Remember that learning is worthwhile for its own sake, not merely as a vehicle for getting into a "good" college. Participate
in extracurricular activities because they have meaning to you, not merely because they will be needed for your
college application. Preparing for a selective university begins when you first enter high school, not sometime in the
middle of your junior year. By following these guidelines and your own internal compass, you will arrive at the college admissions process as prepared and self–aware as you can possibly be.
 Will Vanderbilt award credit for Advanced Placement (AP) scores?
Yes, Vanderbilt generally awards college credit for a score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement exam.
For more questions and answers about Vanderbilt, go to http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/undergraduateadmissions-frequently-asked-questions.php.
Here are some of the majors at Vanderbilt:
Art
Biomedical Engineering
Child Studies
Communications Studies
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Elementary Education
Engineering Science
English and History
English
French
German
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Musical Arts
Music Performance
Physics
Psychology, General
Religious Studies
Russian
Sociology
Spanish
Special Education
Theatre
For a full list of majors, go to http://www.vanderbilt.edu/academics/disciplines/undergrad.php.
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
PAGE 13
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS! WE HOPE YOU
CELEBRATED ALL MONTH LONG!
November 1st
Brent Balachandran (9th)
November 2nd
Trey Schueler (9th)
Austin Worley (9th)
November 3rd
Faith Henly (8th)
David Horton (10th)
November 5th
Yancey Stewart (6th)
Reed Henderson (8th)
Ashley Owens (8th)
November 6th
Ben Slater (8th)
Rachel Parnell (9th)
Katherine Cranford (10th)
November 7th
Alex Ropp (9th)
November 8th
Ella Denney (7th)
Bennett Fouts (9th)
Peyton Tracy (9th)
November 9th
Daniel Dawson (6th)
November 10th
Erika Martinez (6th)
Leigh Bivens (7th)
Dylan Upchurch (8th)
Haliey Hatfield (9th)
November 11th
Anthony Harvat (6th)
Daulton Cantrell (9th)
Rebecca Lopez (9th)
November 12
Ben Campbell (6th)
Susan Bel (9th)
November 13th
Greyson Gore (7th)
Keenon Cliché (8th)
Noah Delk (8th)
George Huttick (6th)
November 14th
Aaron Kubly (6th)
Ari Johnson (10th)
November15th
Alyssa Smith (7th)
Sydney Falannery (9th)
November 16th
Elizabeth Brickel(6th)
Zachary Philbrun (7th)
Tyler Cobb(8th)
Chan’nise Dalton(8th)
Emily Fultz (9th)
November 17th
Josh Green (9th)
Mary Anna McFarlin (9th)
Ian Ilgner (9th)
November 18th
Virginia Tipps (8th)
November 19th
Riley Long (8th)
Traeton Mcormick (8th)
Alexandra Bozeman (9th)
November 20th
Nina Kelly (7th)
Max Yorro (9th)
November 21st
Angela Jahn (7th)
Alissa Stewart (9th)
Danielle Mayberry (10th)
John Messick (10th)
Neal Burton (7th)
November 22nd
Jesse Mckee (7th)
Emily Slack (8th)
November 23rd
Rebecca King (6th)
November 24th
Trey Pirtle (9th)
November 25th
Delaney Perry (6th)
November 27th:
Jacob Apigian (6th)
Judah Holt (9th)
November 28th:
Charlie Beam (10th)
November 29th
Alex Abner (8th)
Donovan Brackett (8th)
Hui Choe (8th)
Summett Davidson (10th)
November 30th
Reagan Kinnie (7th)
Zetti Norris (9th)
Lauren Keller (10th)
Lindsay Keller (10th)
Miranda MConell (10th)
November 31st
Cole Yoders (6th)
Julia McDougle (9th)
STAFF:
Robbie Belcher
Jackson Downs
Hunter Dycus
Roxanna Flores
Carly Marmen
Esther Soper
PAGE 14
―THE TIGER TIMES‖ THE HOLIDAY EDITION
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS! WE HOPE YOU
CELEBRATED ALL MONTH LONG!
December 1st
Lauren Walker (6th)
Alexis Reece (9th)
December 2nd
Matthew Latham (6th)
December 3rd
Peyton Ball (7th)
Emma Demonbreun (8th)
December 4th
Savannah Berry (8th)
December 5th
Tassey Ford (7th)
Haley Young (7th)
Grant Weingart (8th)
Annie Rinks (9th)
December 6th
Danielle Wilson (9th)
December 7th
Anna Benjamin (10th)
Kelsey Henderson (10th)
Marilyn Jackson (10th)
December 9th
Charles Cornelison
December 10th
Silvio Mayolo (8th)
Justin Young (9th)
December 11
Kelsey Frields (6th)
December 12th
Shane Skinner (7th)
Kristen Marr (8th)
December 14th
Clair Hartley (6th)
Sydney Smith (6th)
Hailey Warner (6th)
Sarah Bowman (7th)
December 15th
Trey Mcadams (7th)
December 16th
Ashley Beckman (6th)
Tyler Galligant (6th)
Autumn Haggard (7th)
Reeana Paul (7th)
Baylie Taylor (8th)
Madison Tracy (10th)
December 17th
Erik Smith (6th)
Elijah Norton (10th)
December 18th
Alexandra Shea (7th)
Lily Kile (8th)
December 19th
Finn Mullen (7th)
December 20th
Whitney Smith (9th)
Mark Roddam (10th)
December 21st
Mary Butler (6th)
Catherine Faulk (7th)
December 22nd
Claudia Divincenzo (6th)
Fariz Ali (9th)
Rachel Pedigo (9th)
Sophie Sikes (10th)
December 23rd
Thomas Hampton (8th)
Mori Fukui (8th)
December 26th
Robert Canterbury (8th)
December 27th
Ryan Cripps (8th)
Yuanchu Yang (8th)
Jonathan Young (9th)
December 29th
Grace Hayes (7th)
December 30th
Mackenzie White (9th)
Kyle Brown (10th)
Tyler Campbell (10th)
STAFF:
Robbie Belcher
Jackson Downs
Hunter Dycus
Roxanna Flores
Carly Marmen
Esther Soper