Spartonian Spring Edition 2012

Spartonian
Spring Edition 2012
1st
3rd
Karisha Summers
Kember Shouse
2nd
Jam
Chuttitam
It's spring fever. That is
what the name of it is. And
when you've got it, you want
- oh, you don't quite know
what it is you do want, but it
just fairly makes your heart
ache, you want it so!
-Mark Twain
Ditch The Work Out, Join The
Party!
By Taylor Johnson
The Zumba program is all about having fun.
“An exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow,
Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitnessparty that’s moving millions of people toward
joy and health,” is the websites official
definition. It was created by Alberto "Beto"
Perez a native from Cali, Colombia. He taught
water aerobics class, but one day he was in a
hurry and forgot his music. To improvise, he
had a CD containing the salsa and merengue
music that he grew up with in his backpack! In
2001 Alberto met Alberto Perlman and Alberto
Aghion, entrepreneurs, while he was in Miami
Florida. The three were native from Columbia.
All three thought that Zumba would be a hit
with all ages. They trademarked the word, “Zumba.” At first Zumba started with DVDs, then the
infomercial, which introduced Zumba to the public on a wide-scale basis. After that came the
demand for Zumba classes and Zumba Instructors. That expanded the business big time! By 2005
they created a Zumba “college” to license Zumba Instructors to teach Zumba classes. You may see
maybe people talking about going to Zumba or even wearing the Zumba logo which was launched
along with accessories and music CDs in 2008. Zumba was one of the best-selling at-home fitness
DVD series ever. Zumba now is not just a boring VHS or DVD! In 2010, Zumba reached a whole
new level! Zumba was the first branded fitness program to launch a video game on all three major
gaming systems: Wii, Xbox, and PS3. Many believe that Zumba is just Zumba but actually there are
7 types of Zumba Classes: Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Toning, Aqua Zumba, Zumbatonic, Zumba
in the circuit, and Zumba Gold Toning.
Many students here at Giles High School participate in Zumba whether it is going to a Zumba class, on their gaming console, or
even ,for some students in their gym classes! Keep your eyes and ears open so you can get the latest scoop on what Zumba related
activities go on around you!
“Zumba is a wonderful way to stay in shape
and is a ton of fun especially when you are
with your friends! My entire dance studio
loves it!”
–Marti Williams
Former GHS student Sarah Carbaugh and current students
Becca Rash and Marti Williams dress up for an 80’s themed
Zumba thon which was sponsored by the Giles County
School of Dance and held in the GHS gym.
*Go out and either find a class or get a home-based
workout today, you will not regret it! *(Information
and picture from Google and www.zumba.com)
2
Spartonian Staff
Editors: Marti Williams and Mint Tantisuwanna
Amber Conley
Alley Meadows
Ben Dillon
Jevin Scott
Kristin Gillispie
Taylor Johnson
Faculty Advisor Mr. Michael Etzler
Teacher of the Year By Ben Dillon
As decided by a vote of her professional peers, English teacher Kay Dickerson
was nominated Teacher of the Year this past January for her outstanding role in
literary instruction at Giles. Dickerson has been involved in education for about 20
years, teaching for three years in West Virginia and the last 17 spent at GHS, where
she has lived since 1986. This year, she is teaching exclusively for eighth and ninth
grade students.
Kay Dickerson first attended college at West Virginia University, originally
interested in studying Law, but then went on to receive a teaching certificate at
Bluefield. When asked why she made this switch in her career, Dickerson responded,
“I was always interested in becoming a teacher, ever since I was a young girl. I guess
what really convinced me were a couple of influential English teachers I had in 5th
grade and in high school.” Her decision to become a teacher must have been a good
one, for Dickerson seems adamant about her vocation. “I love my classes, especially
the eighth graders,” she stated.
However, her career as an educator is not the only interest Dickerson is pursuing.
An incredibly faith-oriented individual, she is presently earning a degree in theology at
Trinity College and is a sponsor of the Youth Alive Club. Dickerson’s zealous attitude
toward her faith and education evidently confirms why she was the perfect candidate
for Teacher of the Year. Congratulations on living life to the fullest!
English teacher Kay Dickerson was
nominated Teacher of the Year by her
peers.
Y Street By Kristin Gillispie
Y Street! It’s the newest addition to
some students of Giles High School. This
organization helps prevent the use of
tobacco products in Virginia. Y Street
informs the youth about the health effects
of tobacco products; Y Street not only
focuses on tobaccos usage but also child
hood obesity. Y Street has campaigns,
ActOut, CounterBalance, and Meltdown.
With the campaigns they have “Exposure
Surveys”, which you fill out.
The members of YStreet at Giles went through training back in November. This
training allowed more insight about tobacco products. Once the training was over,
each student received a packet of surveys which they had to get fellow peers or
adults to fill out. When the member gets a certain amount of surveys filled out, they
receive a certain amount of points. When they get a certain amount of points they
can get prizes which are located on http://ystreet.org/. Not only is this a good way
to get prizes but also Y Street uses the surveys to gain statistics on what students and adults think of tobacco usage. As of now Y
Street is one of the largest student organizations in Virginia consisting of 4,000 members. Y Street is striving to make a change
whether it’s just trying to get rid of tobacco ads at local stores or trying to get more physical activity in throughout the day. Y Street is
a good way to reach out to the school and your community, so get involved! Ystreet is sponsored by Mrs. Young and Mr. Johnson.
Eighth graders Caroline Eaton, Alea
Evans, and Holly Fontaine stop by to fill
out Counter Balance surveys during 1st
lunch on February 10, 2012.
The ActOut campaign is motivating
teens all over Virginia to have fun
and be healthy by getting involved in
new exciting and different types of
sports.
http://ystreet.org/campaigns.php
The CounterBalance campaign is
preventing youth tobacco use by
protecting Virginia’s youth from
being bombarded by tobacco ads.
http://counterbalanceva.com/
The Meltdown campaign is about
exposing the new tobacco products to
the public
http://www.meltdownva.com/
3
From Germany to Giles
by Ben Dillon
This year Giles High School has had the rare privilege of welcoming several new foreign exchange students from across the
globe! As our readers may recall, one of these exchange students who happens to work for the Spartonian, Mint Tantusiwana from
Thailand, wrote about her own experience as an exchange student to America. Yet Giles is not only welcoming a new face from
Thailand, for it also has to the honor to receive a European scholar from Germany.
Jennifer Rother hails across the pond from Hagen, Germany (near Dusseldorf)
and is taking part in her hometown school’s foreign exchange program. So shocked
was I to learn that a cultured European teenager apparently chose to come to a
backcountry place like Giles that I had to know more about her. So I conducted an
interview to find out what would bring a person from so far away to Giles County of
all places. Also, I figured it would be a great way to gain insight into German lifestyle
and to see what a German would think of the United States, especially southwest
Virginia. What I found out was quite interesting.
Jennifer told me that she had signed up as an exchange student and had come to
the United States specifically to gain more practice with using English, which is taught
all over western Europe. She of course could not help but hear of the States back in
Germany, and thought traveling to America would be a fun experience, with places
like New York being a must-see. But I wanted to know what brought Jennifer
specifically to Giles, for why in the world would she prefer it here? Her heavy German
accented answer made more sense of her situation. “I was originally going to Shady
Springs High School (near Beckley, West Virginia) but then my host family was
changed to one in Giles County.” Jennifer then explained she currently is staying with
the Johnson family in
Pearisburg, and will leave the
Exchange student Jennifer Rother shared
United States after the school
some interesting details about her life back
year.
in Germany.
But now that I knew how
Jennifer came to Giles, I wanted to see how the life of a typical German teenager
would compare with one in America. Trying my best to work past her accent
(though perfect English), I managed to discern some quite interesting details
about living in Germany. “The main things are the same in Germany as they are
in America. We wear the same clothes like Nike, we go to school regularly, stuff
like that.” Yet after interviewing Jennifer for a time, it was easy to see that life in
Germany, or Western Europe for that matter could be loads different than in
America. “School is much harder than it is here,” continued Jennifer. “The
Jennifer comes from the city of Hagen in
grading scale is 1-6, 1 being the best you can get. It’s pretty hard to get a 1.” But
western Germany, near Dusseldorf. Shown here even though academics itself seems harder in Germany than in America, I found
out there can be quite a few perks living in Germany, especially for teenagers,
is a plaza in Hagen. (Taken from panoramio.com)
that you couldn’t find in the United States
Speaking with Jennifer about her life back in Europe, I couldn’t help but wonder if Germans, or most
Europeans for that matter, had more liberties than are to be found here in the supposed “land of the free.” A
somewhat reluctant Jennifer mentioned that Germany, as is most of Western Europe, is a lot more lax when it
comes to drinking. “The drinking age for stuff like beer in Germany is 16,” explained Jennifer, “but I think it’s
18 for the harder stuff like liquor.” Also, I learned from Jennifer that German schools aren’t all that bad. “There
is no dress code. You can wear what you feel like,” she said.
But a looser dress code isn’t all that German schools offer. From what I understood from Jennifer’s
description of her own school, it’s basically like an American college. Sure, the academics are tougher, but it
seems you have way more freedom than in any American high school. Forget the hall passes and all day
schedules! German teens can expect to have far more privileges in school than their American counterparts.
(From perretsarmysurplus.com)
This is perhaps because German schools assume their students are relatively smart and responsible folk, as I
noticed in Jennifer.
Yet even though I found quite a few differences between the United States and Germany, Jennifer told me she thought they
seemed basically alike. Indeed, she herself doesn’t seem that different from an average American teen. Her hobbies aren’t foreign at
all. They include listening to music like the German rock band Rammstein, talking, shopping and especially drawing. Though as I
expected, she does of course seem a lot more cultured than a typical Giles resident, in addition to being well-traveled. “I’ve been to
Poland, England and France. I’ve had a lot of experiences [in Europe],” she told me.
However, when I asked which country Jennifer preferred in the end, the US or Germany, her answer was not what I expected. “I
don’t know, they are the same to me,” she confessed. Maybe Jennifer was just trying to flatter her American hosts, but if she herself
could not truly find any significant difference between the U.S and Germany, perhaps I along with other Americans need to reassess
whether if American and European lifestyles are really that different.
4
Cliques
By Kristin Gillispie
Are you in a clique? Do you find yourself with the same people everyday? For starters,
do you know what a clique is? If not, a clique is the close knit of friends you are with the
majority of your time. Almost every high school has cliques; some of these cliques may
cause controversy. For example, there may be rival cliques, in which some not so good things
happen.
If you think about it, can you get rid of cliques? My honest opinion, I don’t think you can
get rid of cliques, but you can get rid of the rival cliques
if you try. MTV had a show on for a while entitled “If
You Really Knew Me”. The purpose of this show was
to attempt to get rid of cliques. The high schools that
participated held an event which was called “Challenge Day”. At Challenge Day every student
appeared in one place and were placed in separate groups other than their friends, and they must
reveal something about themselves that no one else knew. This Challenge Day did help some
schools out; some of the students said that they are no longer with that certain clique and that
they have made new friends. I would love to have a Challenge Day here at Giles, so that we can
attempt to get rid of the cliques that are here. So, if you’re in a clique I challenge you to attempt
to talk to someone else.
“I think cliques are bad because
they can cause issues between
people” says Senior Jimmy Griggs.
“I consider myself as part of a clique.
My friends and I listen to heavy
metal we are always ourselves and we
don‟t follow any trends,” says
Freshman Dylan Barnett.
“We think cliques are a good thing to
be in. There are many different
personalities; therefore, no one should
be forced into a type of atmosphere
they don‟t want to be in. Everyone
should have the choice to pick who
they hang out with,” says Sophomores
Emily Harless and Makayla Cook.
“We think cliques are good, because
you get to be with your close knit of
friends all the time!” say 8th graders
Morgan Hilton, Kirsten O‟Neill, and
Lindsay Dobbins.
“Belonging to a group is
very important to teens. It
is part of their adolescent
development. But cliques
can be very harmful.
Cliques are groups of
individuals that often
reject those who they think
don‟t fit into their groups‟
ideals. The basics of
acceptance in the clique is
often superficial, based on
external qualities such
appearance, clothing,
income or status. This
rejection hurts teens‟ self
image and can cause
damage to the way they
perceive themselves. It can
affect them even into
adulthood. It may even
affect the career they
choose and the rest of their
lives,” says Life Skills
teacher Janice Gautier.
“Although „cliques‟ can be
viewed by some as positive
they can also be viewed by
some negatively.
Unfortunately, I think they
will always exist here at
GHS. So no matter how
you view them, they will
probably always stick
around,” says Sophomore
Aidan Williams.
5
Why are We Saving Daylight?
By Jevin Scott
Have you ever wondered why we take the time to advance our clocks
during the summertime? Daylight Saving Time was put into use so that
mornings have more daylight and afternoons have less. Clocks are adjusted
forward one hour near the start of spring and set back in autumn.
DST (Daylight Saving Time) was proposed in 1895 by George Vernon
Hudson, but some say it was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin when he
was minister of France and wrote the essay “An Economical Project for
Diminishing the Cost of Light.” Details change and vary country to country.
Many criticize DST and some promote it. DST adds daylight to
afternoons, benefiting retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit
A spiraling clock is commonly used to represent
sunlight after working hours, but causes problems for farming, evening
the chaotic transfer of Daylight Saving Time.
entertainment and other occupations tied to the sun. Also, no pun intended,
some say it is simply a waste of time and should be ignored. Mr. Michael Etzler says “They should just split the time in half to 30
minutes, leave it forever, and never change it.” Others argue that it saves electricity by reducing the amount of time street lights need
to function at night. However, this statement is indeed a myth. Studies in the University of California Energy Institute working paper,
Ryan Kellogg and Hendrik Wolff of UC Berkeley's Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics have shown that electricity
conserved on the new schedule is actually pretty nominal, if any at all. Several student researchers in Australia who tested a similar
experiment said "Our results show that the extension failed to conserve electricity.” "The decrease in evening electricity demand and
the increase in morning demand almost perfectly balanced each other out" said a native German scientist named Wolff.
DST can cause many chaotic problems involving the time. This includes complications with timekeeping, travel, billing, sleep
patterns, medical devices, recordkeeping, and being on time for meetings. Electronically programed trains sometimes need to be
reprogramed to run on the new schedule, which can cause transportation issues. A common saying related with Daylight Saving Time
is “spring forward, fall back” which refers to setting clocks forward in spring and back during fall.
Sleep disorder specialists say you should prepare yourself for the change. Even though it is only one hour it can disrupt sleeping
habits and can sometimes be serious. Several of them say you should be well rested before the time change occurs by waking up and
going to sleep an hour earlier. The loss of sleep has can cause mood changes, causing the person to be grumpy and easily agitated.
6
Survival Tips from Seniors
By Mint Tantisuwanna
During high school years, social life seems to be a big influence for teenagers. Most teenagers study for school, work
for income, have a relationship, and get ready for college during their high school year. Is it hard to study and work at the
same time? Is it hard to maintain your relationship when you’re so busy studying? Do you wish someone would have
given you advices that could have made your high school life easier? Let’s see what GHS 2012’s seniors say.
Cole Martin & Kevin Ferrel: “Stay away from
girls, focus on your studies!”
Mykala Ingram: “I wish
someone would’ve told me its
okay to be different. People
might judge you but in the
end you’re the only one that
can make you feel bad.”
Jeremy Collins &Mark Albert: “Wait until
you find the right girl and be true to her, in
high school, working and studying hard at
what you want in life matters most!”
Milas Mack: “I wish someone
would have warned me about
Mrs. Radford. WATCH
OUT!!”
Elena Anderson: “No matter
how much advice people give
you, you really have to
muddle through it on your
own to really understand
your capabilities.”
7
It’s a Webby World
by Kristin Gillispie
Whether you’re watching videos on YouTube, updating a status on
Facebook, or just tweeting your little heart out on Twitter, there are other
social networking sites out there. When MySpace finally “died”, in other
words when Mark Zuckerberg came along and invented Facebook, people left
MySpace, and went to Facebook. Now with Zuckerberg making changes to
Facebook, people aren’t too happy, so many Facebook users are now
switching to the newest thing, Twitter. On Facebook and MySpace you have
“friends” but on Twitter you have “followers”. At first it may a sound bit far fetched, I mean you surely don’t want anyone to follow
you around in your every day life, right? The majority of celebrities have a Twitter account and tend to have up to a million followers
of course. On Twitter, you don’t update statuses like on Facebook or on MySpace. You simply “tweet”; this tweeting refers to the
little twitter bird you see occasionally on the website or maybe a commercial on TV. Also unlike Facebook and MySpace, Twitter has
“trending” which is mainly the hot topic that people are tweeting on that specific day, most of them containing hash tags (#).
According to one quote “MySpace is dead, Facebook is on life support, and Twitter is just sitting back relaxing” Soon, all of these
social networks won’t exist, some other person I’m sure will invent something else that people will enjoy besides the ones I have
mentioned.”
Enough talk about the social networking sites, let’s get on to one of the most likely favorites of bored teenagers, yes I’m talking
about YouTube, the place you can broadcast yourself. The majority of YouTube users mostly
watch videos instead of posting them online. As we all know, there is always that one YouTube
sensation either getting praised or criticized by the viewers. An
example would be singer Rebecca Black who sang the song
“Friday”, a song pretty much detailing every moment in her
life on well, a Friday! The poor girl received hateful comments
responding to her video, but she had a chance to redeem
herself when she performed on America’s Got Talent when
they
were letting “YouTube Sensations” perform. With her
Nyan Cat
being on national television, people might have changed their
view on her. Another YouTube sensation that swiped the hearts of
many was Nyan Cat. This little pop tart cat with a rainbow tail is a
high pitched video that is probably the most pointless thing to watch. People have made remakes of
this video lasting up to ten hours long. Long time right, especially when it’s a one screen pop tart
cat just flying through the sky constantly singing “Nyan.” In my opinion my favorite things on
YouTube would most likely be musical parodies, whether it’s a parody of my favorite singers or
someone I don’t even know! I find the parodies highly entertaining and they just keep on making
me laugh! Another YouTube hit that many people are interested in is auto tuning. Auto tuning is
similar to parodies, except they tend to do news stories. An example of this would be YouTube stars
“Schmoyoho” has one series entitled “Auto tune the News”. They take actual news stories and turn
YouTube’s Schmoyoho,
them into auto tuning comedy! You may have heard of them when Charlie Sheen had his little fit on
also known as the
a talk show, or maybe when Antoine Dodson was being interviewed on the news for a break in. My
Gregory Brothers
personal favorite by Schmoyoho would be the “Can’t Hug Every Cat”, when a woman is making a
video for E-Harmony, she gets all choked up when she begins telling her love for cats, in some parts
of her video she starts to cry saying “I can’t hug every cat” which became an all around YouTube hit. YouTube can have its benefits,
like I mentioned before. You’ll either get praised or criticized. There was one person who recently became a huge hit, not only on
YouTube, but around the world. This person started his career by just posting simple little videos on YouTube of himself singing,
and we all know this person. Most teenage girls are in love with him. I’m talking about the one and only, Justin Bieber. One day
Scooter Braun came across Bieber on YouTube, flew him to Atlanta, and a brand new singer was born! So I guess YouTube can have
its pros and cons, I mean getting famous, and
“I feel that Twitter is the best
well not getting famous in the good way like
social networking site out there
I mentioned with Rebecca Black. Who
knows what the next big thing will be
because you can interact with
whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
so many different people. You
or something just plain different that we
can even follow famous people,
never heard of. All I know is that, it’s one
so you know what they are
webby world out there.
doing. On Twitter people tend
to speak their mind more, so it
tends to make teenagers like it
more! People seem to get along
better on Twitter than on
Facebook.” Says Sophomore
Sarina Sanders
8
The Power of Pets
By Alley Meadows
Let’s face it; high school can be a very difficult time period in your life. While
we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend, recent
research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! Pets are great at
showing love and affection and they don’t discriminate or judge. These are the pets
that find great homes with the students of GHS!
9
PUNNY PAGE!
By Amber Conley
I went to a seafood rave the other day and pulled
a mussel! Made By Kristin Gillispie
Organ donors put their heart into it.
A gossiper is someone with a sense of
rumor.
When William joined the army he disliked the
phrase 'fire at will'.
http://www.you-can-be-funny.com/Funny-Puns.html
10
Name
Grade
What weighs most on your
mind?
Choose One:
Grades
Money
Friends
The Future
What People Think
Boyfriend/Girlfriend
**& why?
What Weighs Most On Your Mind?
By Taylor Johnson
Thousands of teenagers live in America and each one has
a different prospective of what high school and life in general
is like. Many adults think that most teenagers just care about
anything but themselves and don’t realize that they need to
start working on a life after high school. I decided to ask the
students here at GHS what weighs most on their minds.
Margee Ragsdale & Alexis
Evans seniors here at Giles
chose grades as the thing
that weighs most on their
minds. They want to
succeed in life and go to Senior Jasman
Hemmingway chose
college.
Money. She said
that she loves
getting money like
Marinna Dowdy, a
no other. <3
junior at Giles,
chose friends
because they are
always there for her
no matter what. (:
For example: Emily
Harless!
Jamie Chen chose
to write in his
answer. He wrote
family and said, “I
couldn’t be
successful without
their support!!”
Junior Carly White
chose the future. She
said the she stresses
about the future a lot
and she really hopes
that she can have the
life she wants.
Junior Kyle Chafin said that his
girlfriend weighs most on his mind. He
added, “Why wouldn’t a beautiful lady be
on my mind? <3”
Senior Arissa
Kacey chose
The Future
because you
never know
where you are
going.
“I enjoy hanging out with my friends and
I always want to find ways to have fun
with them!” was Senior Ericka Cottle’s
comment after she chose that friends
weighed most on her mind.
Senior Brad
Kessinger chose,
“The Future”
for what weighs
most on his
mind. His reason
was, “ It’s MY
future.”
11
Be Happy 
By Mint Tantisuwanna
Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are. - Marianne Williamson
Many people have seen a Facebook status like, “Life’s boring…” or “Life’s horrible…” Sometimes teenagers focus more on the
negatives in their lives, such as a broken relationship, lack of money, or bad grades rather than thinking about how good their lives
might be compared to other people throughout the world. Granted, there are people suffering in all parts of the world. Perhaps,
somebody wrecked his or her car? If so, they should be glad they are safe. Don’t feel bad because something is over, smile because it
happened. Everything happens for a reason. The past is past, be thankful for where it brought you and the lessons it taught. In school
you learn lessons before taking a test. In life, you have the test before you learn lessons. When every once in a while a feeling of
depression or stress comes over you; remember there are so many things for every one of us to be thankful and happy. It could be your
good friends, your job, your family, and many more! Don’t waste even a minute, let go all your worries and be happy!
Does studying annoy you?
Not them!
Bored of the same games?
They have no option.
Hate vegetables?
He is starving from hunger!
Students acting in the pictures: Christopher Hagreen, Jennifer Rother, Kristen Ferrell, Clara Williams
Pictures and inspiration from To Have and To Hold Facebook Page and Google.com.
12
I interviewed some
of the Giles
students and
teachers about
how they
maintain
happiness and
satisfaction in
their lives.
Many people
found out that,
if they live
their lives only for themselves, life can be boring or even
meaningless. When we think of others and their needs and find
out ways to help them, it brings joy to our lives. Often, we don‟t
realize how much we could be thankful for. Let these stories be a
reminder of the importance of being thankful for what you have
and being aware of the needs of others.
Like Holly Fontaine, we all get mad at our parents
sometimes, yet they provide us a home, clothing, food, support,
and most of all… love. This love differs from the love between a
boyfriend and a girlfriend. It‟s a self sacrificing love that parents
show us even when we are at our worst. In light of all they do for
us, we should begin to get rid of our bad attitudes toward them
and be more thankful for all they do. Not only should we show
appreciation to our parents, but we should also begin to look at
our lives positively.
In Jam Chutitham‟s case, her parents taught her to be grateful
for things she has, such as food, that some others are not
privileged to have. As a result of her parents‟ teaching, she has
changed the way she looks at life and has learned to think of
others.
Moreover, Mr. Weddle shared about his 12 years old son.
Even though his son is at a young age, he is a good example of a
content person. He realizes the need of other people instead of
being like most typical kids at his age that have a Christmas list
the size of Texas.
Lastly, don‟t take things for granted. Remember; be happy
with what you have. Wake up with a smile and say I‟m thankful!
“When I get mad at my dad, my mom
always says, „some people don‟t
have a dad!‟”
-Holly Brooke Fontaine
“When I was young, I usually left some food on
my plate. In fact, I used to not like rice and
vegetables either. I‟m very picky. I‟ll eat what I like
and leave what I don‟t. I‟ll take a long time to finish
my food. My mom and dad always said, “Finish
what you have, don‟t waste it. Think of some other
kids that have nothing to eat. They are hungry. Even
though how much they want to eat, they can‟t. They
have no option. Don‟t be picky!” The result of what
they taught me is now I know the importance of
food. When I look at foods I don‟t like, I‟ll always
think of others, who unfortunately
don‟t even have any. Nowadays I
tried my best to clean out my plate
and stop myself from being picky.”
-Chumyanut “Jam” Chutitham
“I was very proud of my son this past Christmas
when he told us that he didn't want presents this
year. Instead, he told us, he wanted to use the money
to help out a family in need. Following his wishes,
we contacted social services and told them our
desire. They connected us with a family that had hit
some hard times. The father, a former United States
serviceman, and his wife were both out of work.
They also have a 12-year-old son. We learned that
they did not have a refrigerator, stove, or even
cooking utensils. We collaborated with several other
families in our area and ended up locating the family
a stove, many clothes, food, and other essential
items. I believe it was a very good experience for
my son to see that even local families experience
hardships. Again, I am very proud of him for
thinking of others.”
-Mr. Randall Weddle & Josh Weddle
13
Crossing the Atlantic
By Marti Williams
Heading across a vast ocean to an unknown country can be a scary and exciting endeavor
all at the same time! Places only seen inside text books can come to life right before your eyes.
This past summer Briana Massaro, Niki Reynolds and I took the plunge of venturing to other
countries in the hopes of seeing just what the world is made of.
Accompanied by Briana’s parents Debbie and Angelo Massaro as well as her brother and
nephew, we embarked from Dulles, Washington D.C. on a warm July day . However, once we
arrived at our first destination, London, our group quickly realized a substantial climate
change. Our time in the bustling city was cold and quite rainy but also filled with the most
beautiful sights. We visited the London Eye, Windsor Castle and Westminster Abbey, a huge
church which now serves as a burial ground for many deceased monarchs including Queen
Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.
Taking the train through the English Channel, we soon
found
ourselves in Paris, France, a stylish city to say the
An honorable British guard stands
least. Paris’ Eiffel tower is by far the main attraction of the
erect, despite pesky tourists’ attempts
city, but what seems to elude most travelers are the other
to make him flinch.
numerous locations that will astound any human eye.
Versailles Palace (home of the late Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette) proved to be a once in
a life time experience and in my opinion succeeds the beauty of any modern building ever built.
Notre Dame and the Arc de Triumph were also stops for our tour group, which had now grown to
about 40 members after we met up with two groups from Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Sadly, our
time in Paris would inevitably run out and so, on we headed to the French countryside where we
would see the rolling hills and of course the
many, many vineyards.
Now that we had exited the busy city
Briana, Niki and I had down time to explore
the various towns. Trying our best to navigate
the tiny French villages ended up being a
challenge considering we were lacking in our
Briana (right) and I stand
French language skills. With the help of our
outside the famous French
tour guide and a couple friendly English
museum The Lourve.
speaking French natives, the three of us
managed to sightsee and sample the delicious
local cuisine, which our trio agreed was better than any American food we had
While in the rural parts of France, our tour group
ever tasted.
Upon our arrival to Spain the entire group was ready for hot weather and
stopped to visit a cathedral, Basilica de Notre
sunshine, as it had rained for the
Dame, which had a beautiful garden and maze.
majority of our time in France.
Finally, Madrid gave us the weather we had all been hoping for and without any further
hesitation, everyone brought out their tank tops and shorts. Madrid could be a considered a
fairly large city with many beautiful places to go and tour. However, no other Spanish
experience can top that of strolling down the colorful street of Las Ramblas, located within
Barcelona. As you make your way down the street a person’s eyes will automatically be
drawn to the many street performers, high retail shops, and Flamenco dancing, an old and
exquisite
Spanish
pastime.
Paella, a tasty Spanish dish with
With so
many sights
exotic seafood, sausage, and rice,
to see, one
quickly became a popular favorite
might think
amongst the whole tour group.
that the
most memorable qualities of a journey like this would
be gazing at all the beautiful scenery. However, while
this aspect was very hard to say goodbye to, saying
goodbye to our new friends proved to be an even more
heartbreaking affair. To be completely honest, castles
and monuments can be lovely, but to me what matters
Our entire European tour group gets ready for a tearful goodbye the
the most were the people who were standing beside me.
night before we departed for home.
14
Languages Make the World Go Round
By Alley Meadows
“Learning a foreign language is a
vital tool in today’s world.” said
Spanish 2 & 3 and French 2 & 3
teacher, Jetty O’Quinn.
People all over America celebrate National Foreign Language Week (NFLW). This
event is set for the first week in March and creates great awareness for all foreign
languages. Alpha Mu Gamma, which is the biggest national collegiate foreign language
honor society in the United States, made this holiday official. It was established in the
spring of 1957 when Eloise Therese, the national president of Alpha Mu Gamma from
1956 to 1960, realized there was no holiday that officially existed for foreign language
awareness. There are a variety of activities that some schools participate in to bring
awareness such as, essay contests,
talent shows, poster contests, dance
festivals and hall displays.
Although we do not officially
celebrate the holiday at Giles High
School, Mrs. O’Quinn, who
teaches Spanish 2 & 3 and French
2 & 3, loves to get her students
involved in NFLW! Mrs. O’Quinn
stated, “Learning a foreign
language will increase global,
improve one’s chances of getting a
job, and can help students
performance in other subjects.”
Celebrating this holiday is very
important to her. She feels if everyone participates in celebrating this week that
they will appreciate international films, music, and literature.
Sophomore Allie Perkins created this
poster to support learning a foreign
language.
The Classics
By Amber Conley
Have you ever wanted to pull the ultimate April Fools joke on a friend? I know I and a few others
around here have. Well, here’s how you do it. Step one: pick the perfect spot to perform your trick. For
example the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, outside, garage, or even in a closet. Step two: Pick your prank.
There are so many to choose from,
rubbing salt on the victim toothbrush,
shaving cream and a feather, reset all
the clocks to two hours late so they
think they over slept for school, butter
on
the floor, putting a “kick me” sign on
Senior Jeremy Collins
someone’s
back, spider in the shower,
gets pranked!
snake in the house, or the most famous
one so far, jumping out of nowhere! One thing you always have to
remember while pulling a prank is safety. Always think of the
outcome, and it could seriously injure someone or make them risk
their life. And always make sure you say “APRIL FOOOL’S!!”
Sophomores Christopher Hagreen and Zane Martin get
ready to scare Sophomore Andrew Searles while coming
up the stairs.
15
À L’Ombre de Tes AilesIn the Shadow of your Wings
By Elena Anderson
The good years have flown by
With the wings of the wind,
The bad with the stars.
For my wings are tired,
And my heart cannot go far.
The world is my friend,
As the sky is my home.
The night my foe,
The dawn my lover.
I know many things,
But life remains mysterious,
The mystery solved only by living;
And dying.
But that journey becomes harder
As the days go by.
Time knows no bounds,
Sees no reason.
The war between faith and fate
Rages on.
P
O
E
T
R
Y
Bridges Ablaze
By Cory Falls
I watched you throw it all away
Burning every home that let you stay
You always said it was for the best
You forever run and never rest
Once beautiful eyes that held the world so high
That I could only sit back and watch die
Your heart so tender, yet so full of pain
Scars are all that were left to gain
You scorned the world with your rage
Forgot your story and forgot the page
Can’t you remember how it felt
To smile and not face the belt
C
O
N
T
E
S
T
So now you stand watching the world alone
For the sins your father cannot atone
Walking with death as a friend
Not afraid to face the end
Never noticing how your hands shook
And every glance over your shoulder you took
You hid your fear from us so well
As you got lost in your own personal hell
Fate the night,
Faith the dawn.
If darkness is victorious
And dawn never breaks free,
I shall take refuge
In the shadow of your wings
***
“Je me refugie à l’ombre de Tes Ailes.”
I take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
This line was the inspiration for this poem. It
was etched on a bedpost in the concentration
camp at Dachau.
Class Of 2012
3rd
By Savannah Honaker
Greatly anticipated, please get here fast
And yet it feels like time is slipping through our grasp
We’ve been waiting for this day for years and years
And yet I am expecting several tears
We want to get out; we’re ready to move on
And yet I believe we will miss it once we are gone
It is getting rather close, the day is drawing near
And yet it will be strange when we’re no longer here
We’ll say our final thoughts and push through those hard goodbyes
We’ll reminisce on all of the laughs and on all of the sighs
This chapter is almost over; it will be hard, yes
But what we can take with us are the memories, they truly are the best
Who was Saint Patrick?
By Jevin Scott
Saint Patrick was a saint of the Catholic Church who contributed
greatly to the conversion of Ireland in 432 AD. Patrick has his own
holiday which I am sure you are all familiar with, Saint Patrick’s Day.
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated by wearing green Attire, presenting shamrocks, and the
lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol. A character who is associated
with Saint Patrick’s Day is the slippery and clever leprechaun.
Not much is known of Saint Patrick’s younger life other than he was born in Roman
Britain in the 4th century into a wealthy Romano-British family. Both his father and
grandfather were deacons in the Church. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders and forced into
slavery at the age of 16. According to his confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee
from the Irish to the coast to board a
ship and return to Britain. As soon as
he returned he immediately went to a
church in Auxerre, Gaul to study as a priest.
He said he was called back to Ireland as a bishop around 432 AD to
convert the Irish from their native beliefs in many different gods. He used a
shamrock in one of his lessons to explain the holy trinity to the Irish, which is
where the popular sign of the holiday originated from. He died on March 17,
461 AD after 29 years in Ireland and was buried at Downpatrick. Although he
was not entirely responsible for the conversion of Ireland, he is still held in
high esteem by the Irish church. Some people say that it was not Saint Patrick
who converted the Irish, but rather a wave of conversion which he started.
Originally, instead of green being the main color associated with Saint
The White House fountain was dyed green to
Patrick, blue was the color which the holiday was centered around. In 2009 and
commemorate Saint Patrick.
2010, the White House fountain was dyed green in celebration of Saint
Patrick’s Day.
18
It’s Time to Meet the Muppets!
Kermit the Frog’s own
star on Hollywood’s walk
of fame.
By Kristin Gillispie
You never think about it, but you see
the most famous muppet every
Thanksgiving if you watch the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Parade. I’ll give you a
hint; it’s not easy being green. No, it
isn’t Shrek. This float is a timeless
classic for the young and old, Kermit
the Frog! Now if you are a fan of the Muppets you should thank
Mr. Jim Henson for bringing these oh’ so loving characters to life.
Henson was, of course, a puppeteer which inspired him to create
the Muppets; he even came up with the word by combining
marionette and puppet together! The
Muppets may be before your time since the show went on in the 70s,
but The Muppets have had some movies in their time here. They make
guests appearances on talk show like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,
and even comedy sketch shows such as Saturday Night Live! Even
though we haven’t heard anything from the Muppets for about thirteen
years or so, they are making a comeback. The Muppets have released a
new movie back in November entitled “The Muppets” starring Jason
Segel, Amy Adams, and well the Muppets of course! In this movie a
new addition is added to the Muppets, Walter. In the movie, disaster
strikes Muppet Studios, and the Muppets have to reunite to save it. I
happened to see the movie, I found it very optimistic and happy with
Walter, the newest
loads of cheerful songs, and I loved it! If you like the Muppets, I
member to The
highly recommend it. It doesn’t matter how old you are; you’re never
Muppets
too old for the Muppets! Even though Jim Henson may not be with us
still, his memories remain forever with the Muppets, Fragglerock, and even Sesame Street.
We thank you Mr. Jim Henson for brining them all to life.
“Life is meant to be fun, and joyous, and
“When I was young, my ambition
fulfilling. May each of yours be that - having each
was to be one of the people who
of you as a child of mine has certainly been one
made a difference in this world. My
of the good things in my life. Know that I've
hope still is to leave the world a
always loved each of you with an eternal,
little bit better for my having been
bottomless love. A love that has nothing to do
here. It's a wonderful life and I love
with each other, for I feel my love for each of you
is total and all-encompassing. Please watch out
for each other and love and forgive everybody.
it.” -Jim Henson
Jim Henson with one of his
creations Kermit the Frog.
It's a good life, enjoy it.” -Jim Henson
19
One Square at a Time
By Alley Meadows
Art is a form of self expression all over the
world. Many artists pour their heart and soul into
their paintings, sculptures, or even photographs.
As most artists only illustrate two dimensional
effects some artists take it to the next level. You
may have seen this form of art before or maybe
you have seen something similar, but this is called
“Sidewalk Chalk Art.” The goal is to trick the
human eye into seeing a completely flat portrait,
landscape, or object as a three dimensional image
on concrete. A large majority of the sidewalk chalk
art is much longer than it appears and can only be
seen three dimensionally at a certain angle. Works
are created using a process called anamorphosis,
which creates the illusion of three dimensions. Art
of this style can be produced by taking a
photograph of an object or setting at a sharp angle,
putting a grid over the photo, then, elongated grid
on the concrete. Based on a specific perspective,
they then reproduce the exact contents of one into
the other, one square at a time.
“Batman and Robin To The Rescue”
by Julian Beever
20
“Lions Gate Gorge” won an entry in The Guinness Book of World Records
as the largest piece of Sidewalk Chalk Art. 23 meters in width, 32 meters in
length and over 6 meters in height Artwork was done
by Chinese artist Qi Xinghua.
“Politicians Meeting Their End” by Julian Beever
*Some pictures and information from Google.com*
Happy Birthday Coca-Cola!
By Jevin Scott
The Coca-Cola Company as it is today turns 68 years old March 27, 2012! The
Coca-Cola Company has been around since March 27, 1944 and its products are sold
in more than 200 countries! Often referred to as simply Coke, and being perhaps the
most famous soft drink in history, it was originally intended to be used as a patent
medicine in the late 1800s. The actual Coca-Cola beverage itself was invented by John
Pemberton 56 years before the company was established and bought by a businessman
named Asa Griggs Candler who led Coca-Cola to its dominance of the soft drink
market using his marketing tactics.
The original Coca-Cola prototype recipe was created in the Eagle Drug and
Chemical Company in Columbus, Georgia by John Pemberton. Originally called
Pemberton‟s French Wine Coca, Coca-Cola is often is said to be inspired by Vin
Mariani, a European coca wine. Coca-Cola was also rumored to have made the first
coupon which entitled the owner to one free Coca-Cola in 1888. Also in 1888, three
versions of Coca-Cola were being made and sold, each by a different business, and
Asa Candler set out to purchase the legal claim to the Coca-Cola formula later in the
same year. After purchasing rights from Pemberton, Candler founded the current
Here is a copy of the first Coca-Cola
corporation, The Coca-Cola Company.
Soft Drink coupon ever made.
The actual name Coca-Cola comes from the original formula‟s two main
ingredients, the coca leaf and kola nuts. Many rumors originate that cocaine was part
of the original Coca-Cola formula, and this is in fact true. Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup! Candler
however, changed the formula to include only a tenth of this amount. Coca-Cola did once include about nine milligrams of cocaine per
glass, but this was removed in 1903. The Coca-Cola Company presently uses a cocaine-free coca leaf extract prepared at a Stepan
Company plant in Maywood, New Jersey.
Much of Coca-Cola‟s flavor comes mostly from Kola nuts which contain about 2% to 3.5% total caffeine. Coca-Cola contains 34
mg of caffeine per 12 fluid ounces. The Kola nut has a bitter taste and is commonly used in cola soft drinks. In 1911 The United states
actually held a court case called United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola in order to force the company to
remove the caffeine and Kola nuts from the formula! Coca-Cola won the case, but later in
1912 the U.S. Pure food and Drug Act forced Coca-Cola to list on the label that caffeine
is a habit-forming and deleterious drug.
The exact formula for Coca-Cola‟s
natural ingredients is a trade secret, and the
original copy was actually held in SunTrust
Bank‟s main vault in Atlanta for a total of
86 years!
Coca-Cola is very popular among the
students here in Giles High school. Many
students have been around Coca-Cola their
entire lives. The Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi
The 1979 Coca-Cola commercial
controversy is also in act here, and many
featuring “Mean Joe” Greene from the
students prefer one over the other. Anthony
Pittsburg Steelers.Photos and info from Wikipedia and google
Estep says “I like Coke over Pepsi because
it tastes better. I feel like Coke has more fizz, doesn‟t get flat as quick, and has a more
crisp taste than Pepsi.”
Many kids drink Coca-Cola even though there are many healthier alternatives.
Some believe they are addicted to the caffeine which is still present in the soda. Kristin
Gillispie says “I am so
addicted to Coke it is
so good!”
Coke is viewed by many as an “American Brand” or a symbol
of American culture. Coca-Cola has been marked with spreading
culture throughout the country; this has led to the pun “CocaColanization.” Richard Kuisel once said "Perhaps no commercial
product is more thoroughly identified with the United States. Coca
Cola is fast becoming a universal drink.” Closely tied with American
culture is the Coca-Cola commercial which showed the Pittsburg
Steeler football player „Mean Joe‟ Greene and a child giving him a
Coca-Cola after a game.
Anthony Estep shares his opinion
that Coca-Cola is better than Pepsi.
GO SPARTANS!
Compliments of
PASTOR BRAD
AND TAMMIE SCOTT
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
(1 Timothy 4:12)
21
Mobbed!
By Taylor Johnson
Have you ever heard about a flash mob? A flash mob is basically when a
bunch of strangers get together and do sort of a musical to make a statement
or support a cause. Well Howie Mandel the host of Deal or No Deal and a
judge on America’s Got Talent
is once again creating joy for
families across America. He is
the host of the new FOX
television show, Mobbed. The
show has put a twist on the
usual flash mob.
How the show works is the
contestant explains the
Contestant Steve has an extraordinary surprise
producers why he/she feels that
for his long time online crush, Dana.
a flash mob is the best way for
them to tell someone big news.
They will then choose an applicant that they feel deserves it. The producers then begin to
collaborate ideas about the best way to get everyone involved in the showcase together.
Selecting where the flash mob will actually take place without the contestants target
noticing what is going on. On of the biggest thing is getting flash mob ready to perform a
fantastic, memorable show.
Some big news that has been revealed this season is a husband learning that his wife
is pregnant, an applicant finding out that she got the job, and a marriage proposal. No
matter what the instance is, each show is filled extravagant ideas that are extremely
Host Howie Mandel stands with
unique. You don’t have to take my word for it, turn into the newest episode each week
Donovan, a 6 year old boy who is
Wednesday at 9 on FOX! Information and images www.fox.com/mobbed.
about to meet his grandmother for
the first time.
22
PIPA and SOPA’s Clean-up Act?
By Jevin Scott
PIPA, the Protect IP Act and SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act are two bills.
PIPA was first presented to Congress on May 12, 2011, and Senators Patrick
Leahy, Orrin Hatch, Chuck Grassley were the ones to first press to pass PIPA.
PIPA is actually a re-written legislation which failed its first try as Combating
Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) in 2010.
SOPA was also built around a previous legislation called the PRO-IP Act
from 2008. SOPA was suggested to the U.S. House of Representatives by Lamar
Smith in October 26, 2011.
PIPA claims that U.S. internet providers should block access to websites
deemed as enablers of copyright infringement, but there is more to their
technological crusade than that! PIPA will seek legal action by suing search engines, blog sites, directories, or any site in general
which promotes anything copy-written. It also will force advertising services on infringing websites, and those supporting of them, to
remove them from their advertising accounts! Wait, there is even more stacked on top of that! Companies will also have the power to
shut down any new websites that is started after this bill is passed, if they believe that they are not doing a good job of preventing
infringement on the website.
SOPA would work along with PIPA and will give power mostly to the government. The U.S. Attorney General could seek a court
order that would force search engines, advertisers, servers, and payment
processors from having any contact with websites who have any copy written
material. SOPA will allow private corporations to create their own personal hit
lists of websites they feel are breaking their copyright policies. These
companies will be able to directly send a website’s payment processors a
notice to cut off all payment involvement with the targeted website. This
payment processors and website of question will then have five days to act
before it is taken down. Payment processors would also have the power to cut
off any website they work with, as long as they can provide a good reason why
they believe the site is violating copyrights. Many large companies such as
Apple, Intel, Dell,
Microsoft, and Adobe
were major supporters of
Google’s petition is to be shown to Congress to
these two bills.
hopefully stop the bills from being passed.
However, two of the
largest big-name
companies, Mozilla and Google, have gone against them and have publicly set up
petitions against them.
“A proposal of two new bills, one in the Senate and the other in the House of
Representatives, are attempting to prevent the one thing promised to America in
1998 by the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act “DMCA”of 1998,” says Giles
High School student, Steven Scott. Steven continues to say “Both of these bills
would violate the DMCA in the matter of holding web services accountable for
piracy. A perfect example of this is YouTube. YouTube has one of highest
ranking anti-piracy systems in the world; however, under either of the two new
acts it would be at risk of being permanently shut down. The reason is no matter
how hard you try, you can't stop all piracy. These bills, however, claim they can.
With America in its worst economic state since the Great Depression, Congress
plans to pass a law that would shut down many sites that are run by people as a
profession. You wouldn’t believe how many people make a living making
Steven Scott stands up for his rights on the
websites like Twitter and Facebook work like they should. All those jobs would
internet
and protests against the SOPA and
be lost. This would also prevent new online businesses from starting. For
PIPA bills!
example, say you want to start an online newsletter. Well, if you so much as
mention the latest movie in a review or decide to report on an addition to a local art exhibit, you can be shut down and fined for
violating new copyright laws. If what I have said concerns you, remember to help fight these new bills. If you would like to join the
petition, go to "www.google.com/landing/takeaction" to join over 3,000,000 individuals and businesses in the fight against even more
government control.”
Do you want to know how you can stop either of these bills from being passed so you can keep your Youtube, Facebook, Twitter,
and online gaming sites? You could write a letter to your State Senator regarding the bills. If you aren’t the literary type, you can help
by simply telling everyone you know. Think of how strong our chances would be if the numbers against these bills were to grow
across the entire country! Or you could simply sign an online petition such as Google’s which Steven spoke about. We must all fight
together! So please join the millions of Americans fighting these bills and protect our right of free speech and uncensored internet
23
Tech Tension
By Amber Conley
On December 8th, 2011, there was a lot of commotion going on around the county;
nobody thought it would ever happen again. As it came across the big screen
“BREAKING NEWS” everyone froze in silence. Another Tech shooting? Who now and
why we all thought as memories raced through are heads of April 16th, 2007 and if our
loved ones were safe or harmed. April 16th is a date that will always go down in our history I have
recently interviewed a few students around our school about how they felt about this touchy topic. I
would also like to thank our county’s officers and our school staff for handling this situation so well
and quickly. Your actions really showed the student body you all care
and want to keep us as safe as possible.
Sophomore Shelly
Southern said, “I wish the
guy who caused the
commotion could’ve gotten
some help before he went
and done what he did.
Some people should really
talk about things they feel
and think.”
Sophomores Haley Morris and Breann
Burton said, “On April 16th, 2007, and
December 8th, 2011, we were devastated
to hear what happened, and we both are
sorry for the loved ones that were lost,
we pay our respects to them all.”
24
We pay our respects to
Officer Derek W. Crouse; a
39 yr. old Tech officer who
was shot down during an
evening traffic stop on
campus. All Hokie families,
friends, and students honor
him for the duties he did of
keeping them safe.
Junior Marissa Simmons said, “On December 8th I
got a feeling of fear that day as I heard what was
going on. I was so worried something happen to my
boyfriend’s brother. He has been an officer on tech
campus for a few years now, and he was the first
person that came to my mind. I felt the exact same
that day on April 16th, 2007.”
25
“Hoop Hype”
By Marti Williams
At the start of November Giles High began their
annual tryouts for the 2011-2012 Varsity Girls
basketball team. After a few days of non-stop practice
and drills, the end result left us with a team comprising
of six seniors, three juniors, and one sophomore. Eager
to start off their season the ladies took on Christiansburg
as their first game followed by Narrows just a few days
later. While neither game turned out with a win, the
scores were quite close with Christiansburg beating them
by eight points and Narrows only by three. Our ladies’
spirits were never deterred as they practiced for their
next opponent, James Monroe. After a valiant battle the
Spartans turned up short with a score of 35 to 55, in
favor of the Mavericks. Next up they would face
Narrows for the second time followed by Graham. Our
girls gave it their all as usual but proved to fall just a
tad bit short, ending the game with scores of 55 to 56
The entire Lady Spartan Basketball team is ready for a successful season.
(Narrows) and 39 to 46 (Graham). Thankfully the
Spartans were about to win their first victory of the season over James Monroe, which they would
be playing for the second time this season. As the final buzzer rang, the Lady Spartans had
defeated the Mavs carrying a score of 47 to 38. In the weeks to come these hardworking athletes
trained for their next two rivals, Westside and Narrows for
2011-12 Varsity Girls
the third time this season. After playing Westside the team
Basketball
suffered a loss with a score of 21-81; however, they
(in order of team picture)
wouldn’t be down long as they faced Narrows and came out
on top earning a final score of 59-37. Now that our Spartans
Jennifer Bradley
were midway through their season, they were warmed up
Taylor Williams
and ready to keep pushing towards victory. In the weeks to
Charity Flinchum
come they would face five more losses and five wins over
Tiffany Cook
Graham, Auburn, Radford and Eastern Montgomery twice.
Our girls huddle up to discuss
Lyndsey Jackson
To finish out a fantastic season the girls defeated Auburn
their game plan strategy.
with a score of 73 to 65. Our Lady Spartans were coached
Megan Fisher
by Brandon Webb with team manager Jasman Hemingway. Also, congratulations to Lyndsey
Margee Ragsdale
Jackson on being named
Ashley Flory
Three River District
Micheala Ratcliffe
player of the year and for
Karli Beechler
making All Regions.
Way to go, Lyndsey!
Narrows
James Monroe
Narrows
Graham
James Monroe
Westside
Narrows
Floyd County
Glenvar
Graham
East. Mont
Auburn
Christiansburg
Floyd County
Glenvar
Radford
East. Mont
Auburn
47
35
55
39
47
21
59
29
44
48
94
63
64
49
47
57
72
73
-50 L
-55 L
-56 L
-46 L
-38 W
-81 L
-37 W
-80 L
-75 L
-46 W
-32 W
-35 W
-69 L
-94 L
-59 L
-39 W
-51 W
-65 W
(Right) The Varsity
Lady Spartans hustle to
make a basket against
the Lady Waves.
Micheala Ratcliffe, Tiffany Cook,
Margee Ragsdale and Taylor Williams are
looking to score.
26
(Right)
Lyndsey
Jackson and
Taylor
Williams wait
for the ball to
travel their way
in the hopes of
blocking a
Green Wave
basket.
JV Girls Basketball
By Taylor Johnson
This year the Junior Varsity Lady Spartans were coached by Coach Mance and Coach Santolla. The Lady
Spartans had an even season with an overall record of 9-9.
Photo courtesy of Ericka Cottle.
Roster
Molly Gusler
Rachael Flory
Tanisha Flinchum
Amber Bradley
Courtney Estep
Brandi Martin
Noell Niece
Olivia Steele
Becca Stephens
Mallory Lucas
Leslie Meadows
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Varsity Boys Basketball
Roster
4510111420222324324445-
Cody Vaught
Brad Kessinger
Michael Lester
Joseph Lucas
Walker Woodbury
Tyler Collins
Mark Albert
Dylan Raymond
John Shelor
Chad Randel
Logan Smith
Kyle Chafin
By Alley Meadows
With a record of 4 wins and 16 losses, the boys had a hard time coming out on top this
season. They were ranked 1-6 in the district but did happen to win the Narrows Christmas
Tournament by beating Bath County and then Narrows in overtime to win the championship.
The boys were a very tight unit team and had great friendships on the court. According to
head coach Seth Davis, “Lack of varsity playing experience has hurt us this year as not many
of our returning players have seen much time on the court prior to this season.” The
returning seniors, who are also the captains, provided great leadership for the team and
encouraged everyone no matter what the score.
(Front row) Michael Lester, Brad Kessinger, Walker Woodbury,
Chad Randel, Kyle Chafin (Back Row) John Shelor, Dylan
Raymond, Mark Albert, Cody Vaught, Tyler Collins, Joseph Lucas,
and Logan Smith.
Chad Randel and Tyler Collins run a drill that
improves their defensive skills.
The well deserving captains of this season, (front)
Michael Lester, Brad Kessinger, (back), Dylan
Raymond, Mark Albert, Cody Vaught, and Tyler
Collins, are all seniors and show great leadership
skills.
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#1 Tyler Marshall
#12 Hunter Smith
#14 Carson Journell
#20 Jack Meredith
#22 Luke Palmer
#23 Quintin Montgomery
#24 Kory Wilson
#30 Trenton Ray
#32 Dakota Shrader
#34 Zach Simmons
#40 Brett Whitlow
#42 Taylor Price
#44 Charlie Stephens
#50 Hunter Epperley
#52 George Buchanan
Coach: Don Epperley
Assistant Coach:
Mike Williams
Captains: Kory Wilson,
Luke Palmer,
Carson Journell,
Jack Meredith and
Charlie Stephens
Young Guns
By Ben Dillon
At first look, Giles High
School doesn’t look like a school
where the sport of choice would
be basketball, and that’s partly
correct. Yet in a sports program
that’s overshadowed by either the
Friday night lights of football or
the staggering record of the golf
team, basketball is able to have
its place in the spotlight when
winter comes around. Indeed,
being the only sport available to
athletes during the winter season,
Giles’ basketball teams draw in a Front row: Captain Luke Palmer, Brett Whitlow, Tyler
good number of players who
Marshall, Hunter Smith, Capain Carson Journell, Captain
would otherwise have no
Jack Meredith and Captain Charlie Stephens. Back row:
opportunity to stretch their legs
Dakota Shrader, Captain Kory Wilson, Hunter Epperley, Cody
during the bleak winter months
Rhodes, George Buchanan, Trenton Ray, Zach Simmons and
before spring sports begin.
Taylor Price. Not pictured are Quintin Montgomery, Coach
However, due to the fairly
Don Epperley and Assistant Coach Mike Williams.
large number of students who turn out to shoot hoops, there is
inevitably going to be differences in skill level or simply players who are too young to compete at the highest, varsity level. For these
young athletes there exists of course junior varsity basketball, which generally includes players from the ninth grade to sophomores.
Still, even though these players aren’t participating in varsity they shouldn’t be taken as poor
athletes. On the contrary: Giles’ JV basketball team boasts quite an array of skilled hoop-shooters,
ready to prove that their team is anything but secondary.
To see how talented this group is, just ask the JV head coach, Don Epperley. “We have a
very athletic team, and our hope for the season is to compete as hard as we can,” he stated. Yet
during the season there were of course
some challenges facing these eager
young athletes. “Lack of game
experience is definitely the biggest
challenge facing the team this season,”
commented Epperley. And while the
team had a good grasp of the game and
seems to do well on the court
defensively, coach Epperley said that
the biggest challenge lay in the team’s
Some JV athletes practice
ability to take the ball to the other end
shooting hoops before the start
of the court. “We mostly need to work
of practice.
on fundamental offensive skills,” he
indicated.
Overall, the JV team improved during the season and it certainly has
produced some talented individuals who would be ready to move to varsity
next year, and might even be game changers. “The group moving to varsity
Coach Don Epperley brings the JV team together,
loves basketball. I think they will have a positive impact,” Epperley
urging his players to make every practice count.
confirmed. The team’s record was seven wins, ten losses.
29
The Reoccurring Dream
By Carly White
Lillian was very interested by dreams. Just the act of dreaming was an amazing feat of the body –
one’s organs would fall into such a deep state of dormancy that they were close to death. The heart and
breathing would slow, but the mind would become more active than when a person was awake. A
sleeping individual’s eyes moved rapidly under the protection of their eyelids while their mind
conjured up surreal settings and events for them. Many people consider dreams to be a look into the
subconscious mind, while others think that it’s just something to keep us amused while we sleep.
Lillian didn’t know what to believe. A part of her hoped for the former, but that idea also scared her.
So many bad things happened in her dreams, and she certainly hoped that wasn’t a reflection of what
she wanted in real life.
All these thoughts seemed to rush through her head just as she was lying down to go to sleep. She
had a very active mind during the day, and it would only come to a screeching halt when she drifted to
sleep; completely exhausted. She could vaguely remember bits and pieces from her dreams, but
nothing very substantial. However, she loved hearing about the adventures her friends had while they
were asleep. She could offer meager interpretations, and those around her would always smile and nod
politely, though they knew they could have used Google and gotten an answer just as accurate.
Lillian didn’t like talking about her own dreams. She might have been able to only recall bits and pieces from them, but what she
could remember was a bit disturbing. In most of her dreams, she was either being chased or doing the chasing. She never knew what
the other party was doing or why, only that she either needed to catch them or get away from them. She remembered running through
the forests outside town, trying to escape from an angry mob while their shouts filled her with dread. She remembered having a strong
urge to follow a few individuals through the town where she lived, skulking through the shadows after them. They were no one in
particular. She supposed they were people she had seen on the street at random and were used as placeholders in her dreams.
Deep breath in, deep breath out. Lillian had read somewhere online that deep breathing helped ease anxiety and induce sleep, and
she hoped it would work for her. Her mind was still racing as she began the relaxation technique, but she wouldn’t give up so easily.
To her surprise, it began to work; her thoughts died down to a calm stream, and eventually trickled off to one subject at a time. Her
entire body began to relax and the weight of fatigue bore down on her heavily. She felt herself drifting off, a faint smile curling on her
lips.
Lillian’s dreams were not as peaceful as she had hoped. As she slipped into being in her dream world, fear swelled in her chest.
She had to run. She felt groggy and things were out of focus, but the sounds of furious cries soon reached her ears. She began to run in
the opposite direction, hoping she could get away from whatever was pursuing her. It took her a while, but Lillian finally realized that
her steps were not even. She placed more weight on her left leg than her right, and she paused to see what was the matter. She wished
she hadn’t.
The skin of her leg was torn badly, but no blood poured from her wound. It seemed to have clotted, but flecks of crimson speckled
her calf. Whatever hit her did so very hard, as the impact sent blood as far up as her pajama shorts, staining the soft pink fabric to an
ugly rust color. The distant shouting grew louder, and Lillian knew she had to ignore the wound and continue on. Eventually, the pain
from the injury kicked in and she had to stop yet again. Her leg gave out and she collapsed by an old oak tree. The shouts from her
pursuers were dim, but she knew they would catch up with her if she couldn’t go on. Leaves rustled nearby, and Lillian immediately
directed her attention to the sound.
Before she could react, a man leapt from his hiding place at her with a shout. She screamed – though it sounded more like the
screech of a cornered animal – and tried to get away, but she was too slow. He had a lead pipe clutched in his hand, and swung at her
relentlessly as she scrambled in the opposite direction. He managed to land a blow against her knee, which sent white hot pain
shooting through her head. Lillian responded by kicking him in the shin, causing him to stagger. She took the opportunity to return a
blow. Her first reaction was to punch him, but something told her not to. So, she swung her open palm at him and was surprised to see
a set of claw-like fingers replacing her usual ones. The man yelled in pain as they raked over his skin, and a piece of his dark grey
shirt got caught underneath her fingernails. He fell to his knees and Lillian took the chance to run again, adrenaline masking her pain.
She ran as fast and as hard as she could as the scenery began to blur around her, turning into a brownish-green mess. The world was
fading underneath her feet, and soon she was surrounded by blackness.
Lillian awoke from her dream with a start, gasping for air. She sat up suddenly, trying to catch her breath. Her bedsheets clung to
her skin, as she had broken out into a cold sweat during her sleep. Her breathing began to even out after a while as she started to calm
down. There was nothing to worry about: she was in her warm bed, completely uninjured and very normal. Her leg ached slightly,
which disturbed her. She didn’t want to pull up the blankets to check on it, but curiosity got the best of her. With a sudden jerk, she
pulled the blankets off her lower body and checked her leg. There was no mangled wound, to her relief, but it was red and swollen.
She couldn’t make things out in the dim light, but it appeared as if scar tissue had formed over something. She reached over to her
lamp to turn it on, and something fell out of her hand. Lillian leaned over the side of the bed to see what it was, and the color drained
from her face.
It was the bloody fragment of a grey shirt.
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31
Springing into 2012!