November 2013 - Colonial Heights High School

Page 1
The
Colonial Courier
Colonial Heights High School
In This Issue:
Things to do before you
graduate, page 9
fun things to do in the winter,
page 14
Concerts, page 20
Volume 36, Issue 2
2013-2014
November, 2013
Colonial Heights, VA
by Thomas Metcalf
go.
Out of the 150 people who
The students of Colonial
got accepted, only around 100
Heights High School were
actually went on the trips.
given the opportunity to
The attendees were to arrive
travel to one of six collegat
the school at 7:30 for an
es in the state of Virginia
8:30 departure. Upon arrival at
on Nov. 5, election day.
the college, the students went
The schools that were
on a tour of the campus. They
open to visitors were The
were given a tour of the camCollege of William and (above) Students at Christopher Newport University pus, got to ask questions and
Mary, Christopher
talk to some of the students there. Some groups
Newport University,
also visited the campus bookstore for clothing .
Old Dominion University, University of
They arrived back in Colonial Heights between
Virginia, and Longwood University.
2 - 3 p.m.
These are some of the colleges and uniSophomore Hannah Hatke, who visited the
versities that are frequently applied to
College of William and Mary, stated “All of my
by CHHS students that are within a two
questions were answered and my mind was enhour drive from Colonial Heights.
lighted about college life”.
Virginia State University was also ofThe idea for the tours was came up with by
fered to the students of CHHS, but there
Guidance’s Mrs. Betsy Johnson and Mrs. Kriswere not enough students that wanted to
ten Crowder. “So many students have not even
Movie reviews, 21
Students at the College of William and Mary
Book reviews, page 22
Just Dance, page 25
Students at the University of Virginia
searched for a college,”
says Mrs. Crowder.
The trip had a fee of
$15. That, along with a
grant received by Mrs.
Kristin Janssen from our
local Wal-Mart, are the
reasons that the students
were able to go for such a
low cost.
“I hope to do this every year,” says Principal
Janssen.
Page 2
by Elizabeth Magnusson
CHHS made a record of
donating 51 pints of blood this
year!
The Key Club would like
to thank everyone who
participated in the blood drive
this year that was held in the
library on November 18.
“Giving before the holidays
is greatly appreciated,” noted
Mrs. Kathleen White.
Staff
Editors
Becka Lucas
Hannah Burch
by Libby Ryan
Would you rather eat homemade
food or fast food?
Nowadays, people are busy, going
from school, work, practice, to
sporting events. People seem to not
have time for a homemade meal
anymore.
Fast food is the easy way to go
for most people. A fast food drive
thru seems to fit in people’s busy
schedules, but it’s not always the
healthiest.
Homemade food will always be
healthier than fast food, lower in
calories and sodium. The meat,
poultry, or fish will be a better
quality homemade.
Preparing homemade foods may be
time consuming, but the time could
also be spent with your family.
Having everyone in the kitchen
helping make the meal is a great
bonding experience.
You will also be saving gas by
eating homemade meals. Rather
than going to a fast food restaurant
almost every night a week, you
would only have to go to the grocery
store about once a week.
Lauren Walwer, a senior, prefers
homemade food over fast food
because it’s healthier and cheaper.
When she goes to a fast food
restaurant, she usually goes to
Wendy’s, Cookout, or Hardee’s and
gets chicken. Her ‘go to’ homemade
food is chicken also.
A sophomore, Marija Harris, goes
for homemade dinner also because
she believes homemade meals are
healthier. She goes to Chic-Fil-A
for her fast food and buys a ChicFil-A chicken sandwich, waffle fries
and lemonade. When she is at home
she usually has steak, potatoes, and
mixed vegetables.
Kaleigh Norris, sophomore, likes
homemade food better than fast
food. At home, Kaleigh makes
baked chicken for her healthy
dinner. Then, when she does
occasionally goes out for fast food,
she goes to Chic-Fil-A and gets
chicken nuggets.
Ashleigh Popp, sophomore, would
rather have a nice homemade dinner
than fast food because the quality of
a homemade dinner tastes better to
her and she says that it is better for
you as well. At home, she makes
sloppy joes and tator tots.
Given the choice, I find homemade
food much better. Although I am
very busy, a nice home cooked meal
is the best way to go.
Business Manager
Shay Porter
by Rebecka Lucas
News Editor
Patricia Westfall
Entertainment Editors
Eboni Hill
Sports Editors
Elizabeth Magnusson
Ericka Jones
Staff Writers
Conrad Kirk
Thomas Metcalf
Libby Ryan
Danielle Smith
Amber Sullivan
LeeAnn Yanes
Advisor
Ms. Goforth
The views, ideas, and opinions in this newspaper are exactly that, opinions. They are the
opinions of the Colonial Courier staff and in
no way represent the administration. Prior to
being posted, the school principal previews
the paper.
I have never been a “ra ra” girl. I
may not be able to see a positive
side in everything, but that’s what
makes me myself.
I came to Colonial Heights
in seventh grade, after being
homeschooled for most of my life
by my mother. Although I knew
some people from recreation soccer,
it was different to me.
I was not around family on a daily
basis, sitting at the kitchen table and
doing homework or taking a test.
There were real teachers, students
that I did not know, and time limits
for each class.
I tried to adjust quickly to the
change in my daily schedule, but it
was more difficult than I expected,
it took a lot of effort.
Half-way through my eighth grade
year, I moved to Chesterfield where
I finished my year at Chester Middle
School. The school was quite large
with two times as many students
than CHMS.
I came back my freshmen year
and began all over again at CHHS.
Freshmen year for some is a
terrifying experience because it’s
where you find your “clique”. I on
the other hand, realized that I did
not want to be in a “clique”.
I did not have a group or crew of
people that I spent my high school
years with. I had a different motto
than others, “if you’re nice to me,
I’ll be nice back”.
I never tried to fit in, I played
soccer my freshmen year, I was not
in any clubs, and I made A’s and
B’s.
Sophomore year changed my
life a lot. I got a job and began the
struggle of balancing school and
work.
I was felt pressured to join a
clique, to never be left out, to have
“friends like me”, but I knew I did
not want that.
Junior year was the hardest year,
I began working more and school
was tough, but I was still myself, no
clique, no worries about pleasing
my friends.
I am now 18 and a senior in high
school, I know almost everyone
here, I still have the same job, and I
still go by the same motto.
I realized that high school has
become easier throughout the years
because as everyone and everything
changed around me, I stayed the
same on the inside.
People normally change on the
inside, they become bitter or happy,
angry or upset, I stayed the same
for four years, but I changed on the
outside.
I showed that I was an individual,
I do not dress the same as other
people, I don’t have perfect hair
or makeup, I have piercings and
tattoos, but that is how people are
able to pick me out of a crowd.
The basic high school speech
goes something like, “These are
the best days of your life… it’s all
going to fly by… get good grades
for college… stay out of trouble…
come to school.. do not do drugs
or drink.. blah.. blah”. We have all
heard the speech, whether it’s from
the school or our parents.
I tried to follow rules and come
to school, just to get through the
day. I took things day by day and
did not listen to people when they
said things about my perspective on
life.
Most people offer advice on how
to get through high school, do not
do stupid things, to know right from
wrong. But I am not like others; I
do not have the same overview on
school.
My advice to everyone is to live
your life, go to school and be you,
try to get good grades, get help if
needed. Never let other people walk
all over you, stay out of trouble as
much as possible.
And last but not least, always be
yourself, because later in life, when
you go to college and get a job, it
is not about how many friends you
had in high school or bridges that
you have burned. It is about who
you are in the future, because of
who you were when you were in
high school.
Page 3
national beta club inductees
by Hannah Burch
Becoming a member of the National
Honors Society or the National BETA
Club is a huge honor. In order to be
inducted into the National Honors
Society students must go through an
application process.
Students who are inducted into NHS
must be involved in sports and activities,
received some sort of honors or
awards. The applicants must also show
leadership skills and have a good amount
of volunteer hours.
Each student is required to submit an
essay and receive teacher evaluations.
Along with all of the application
requirements students are only considered
if they have GPA of 3.3 or higher. The
student may not have received ALC or
OSS this year or last year. Students are
also required to pay dues of $10.
Students who are inducted into the
National BETA club must meet a GPA
Jessie Acfalle
Nicholas Anderson
George Barnes
Kayla Boyd
Braulio Cabrera- Vazquez
Blake Cox
Morgan Fogel
Shaina Glenn
Brian Gwaltney
Jonathan Hartson
Sandra Hersee
Erik Kaseloo
Bethany Kocik
Donovan Longnecker
Zoe McGrady
Andrea Nadeau
Alexis Payton
Angelica Primmer
Brittany Riske
Ashleigh Rush
Kelly Spaine
Hannah Warren
Zachary York
Robin Akers
Kayla Banks
Monica Becerra
Jade Browder
Josie Coleman
Matthew Cox
Isaac Galloway
Nathan Goad
Emily Hacker
Maximilian Haynie
Elisabeth Ingram
minimum of 3.5 and pay the club dues of
$20.
At the inductions students were given
refreshments before they were inducted in
to the clubs.
At the ceremony students were called to
cross the stage and recited a pledge. Junior
Sandy Hersee said, “It was an honor to be
inducted into BETA.”
After the pledges Ms. Christy Major
gave a speech about how her parents
inspired her and all the things that they
Joshua Kim
Samuel Korb
Sierra Longnecker
William Mingloski
Alexander O’Conner
Greyson Pierce
Yaser Qazi
Bailey Rivero
Colleen Smith
Whit Spivey
Patricia Westfall
Matthew Young
Omar Alkhadra
Katherine Banty
Jonas Biermann
Thomas Cooke
Christian Davis
taught her along the way.
Junior Monica Becerra said “Ms.
Major’s speech was very good.” Club
officers spoke about each club and gave
the history of the club and how it came
about and was originated.
Monica Becerra also said that she was
looking forward to the upcoming year in
BETA and NHS.
Elizabeth Gates
Devin Grinstead
Kyle Hammond
Blanca Hernandez Cruz
Hwejean Jeong
Valerie Knapp
Patrick Lawrence
Elizabeth Magnusson
Michelle Moran
Erin Page
Jordan Porter
Samantha Restom
Christopher Rodulfo
Marquis Smith
Kevin Turner Jr.
Brandy Williamson
national honor society inductees
Robin Akers
Katherine Banty
Cody Beeler
Jade Browder
Blake Cox
Austin Edwards
Elizabeth Gates
Maximilian Haynie
Hwejean Jeong
Valerie Knapp
Sierra Longnecker
Zoe McGrady
Greyson Pierce
Bailey Rivero
Colleen Smith
Hannah Warren
Cara Wooldridge
Nicholas Anderson
George Barnes
Luis Beltran
Josie Coleman
Christian Davis
Asalia Frias
Jacob Gurholt
Blanca Hernandez Cruz
Erik Kaseloo
Bethany Kocik
Andrea Nadeau
Yaser Qazi
Christopher Rodulfo
Whit Spivey
Patricia Westfall
Kayla Banks
Monica Becerra
Kayla Boyd
Thomas Cooke
Bailey Driskill
Isaac Galloway
Jonathan Hartson
Alexandra Hsain
Joshua Kim
Sam Korb
Elizabeth Magnusson
Erin Page
Samantha Restom
Ashleigh Rush
Ashleigh Tuck
Brandy Williamson
optimist club awards
by Hannah Burch
Female Athlete- Ashley Schoot
Male Athlete- Zach Criswell
Art- Kevondra Aikens
Band- Erica Jones
Choir- Katie Hart
Drama- Elisabeth Riley Meadows
English- Shannon McBryde
Math- Anna Scott
Science- Anna-Clair Bousquet
Social Studies- Alexandra H’Sain
Business- Alli Pryor
Trade and Industrial Arts- Matthew Falls
Vocational Services- Savannah Stephenson
Citizenship (Female)- Amber Harris
Citizenship (Male)- Ryan Bauer
Outstanding Overall Student (Female) - Anna Scott
Outstanding Overall Student (Male) - Kevin Napier
Photo Credits Deneen Bauer
The Colonial Heights Optimist Club holds
a dinner and awards ceremony every year.
Each year they give out awards in many
categories.
At the awards ceremony Mr. Carlton
T. “Bubba” Fox, Jr., former graduate of
Colonial Heights High School, spoke
about how teachers push you and help you
become the person who you are. He also
helped explain what true leadership was to
the young students.
Students are selected to receive awards
through recommendations from their
teachers. Anna Scott and Kevin Napier both
recieved the Outstanding Overall Student
awards. These two students not only
recieved the award but also were award a
$500 scholarship, which they can use for
any school that they wish to attend.
Receiving these awards is a great
accomplishment.
Page 4
Mrs. Sherie Kennedy
by Patricia Westfall
From early childhood, CHHS
teacher, Mrs. Sherie Kennedy knew
she wanted to be a teacher. “I always wanted to be the teacher,” she
said in regards to playing the game
of “school” with her sisters when
she was a kid. She was passionate
about the idea from an early age.
Thirty five years ago, her dream
became a reality. She started working here as a drama, English, and
Speech teacher.
Mrs. Kennedy went to Longwood
University and studied English,
Journalism, and Speech, those of
which she is currently certified in.
After years of teaching English 11,
Mrs. Kennedy now teaches English
9 and Speech.
She has written two books. One is
a children’s book called GT: Underground Detective. The other book
is based on the life of her mother
called The Journey Home.
English is her first love. That’s
why she enjoys teaching it so much.
“Teaching is a service to me…
Teaching isn’t about the income,
it’s about the outcome.”
She is the only sibling in her family who works in education. Ms.
Barber, her sixth grade teacher, was
a very encouraging woman, which
gave Mrs. Kennedy even more of a
desire to teach.
Mrs. Kennedy loves working
with young people. “It’s the young
people who make it fresh for us.”
She wants all of her students to
take common courtesy, confidence
in learning, and independence in
learning away from her class.
Growing up in the town of Matoaca, she was raised on large acreage. She loved animals and everything about the South.
She was a daddy’s girl. Having
two younger sisters, she was always
responsible for everything her sisters did.
Mrs. Kennedy loved Motown
growing up, as well as the Monkees
and the Beatles. She had quite the
crush on Davey Jones.
For about six years, she had a
horse named Wendy that she owned.
Due to her love for the South, Gone
With the Wind is her favorite book
and “Steel Magnolias” is her favorite movie of all time.
In high school, Mrs. Kennedy was
in the French Club, National Honors
Society, Keyettes (key club), ran for
SCA officer, and won the Oustanding Senior award.
“I knew I had to get good grades
“A Greater Nation”
Left to Right: Mrs. Sherie Kennedy; son, Perry; husband, Stan; and son Sam.
to get into college.” She was very
studious when she was a student in
school.
While in high school, Mrs. Kennedy was a teacher’s aide at Salem
Elementary School. During her college career, she worked as a substitute teacher in the Chesterfield
school system.
Her first job offering was to Dinwiddie, but wanted to stay more local. She chose to come to Colonial
Heights.
Mrs. Kennedy has two sons named
Perry and Sam. Perry is 29 and Sam
is 21.
The Tussing Elementary fourth grade class has released a new song called “A Greater Nation.” The song
is composed by Tussing’s music teacher, Mr. Michael Souders.
The song was written and performed in dedication to our nation’s veterans.
“A Greater Nation” has already reached over 3,000 views on Youtube. If you would like to hear the song,
go to http://youtu.be/thkgXCzCiLw.
Perry has his Doctorates degree
in pharmacology. He is currently
looking for the cure for cancer at
the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
Sam attends the College of William & Mary, studying government
and philosophy. He will be graduating a year early and wants to attend
law school.
Mrs. Kennedy would have loved
to have a little girl.
Mrs. Kennedy is living her dream.
She’s a mom and the teacher she always wanted to be. “I’ve had such a
fulfilled life. I’ve been so blessed.”
SCHEDULE
CHANGE:
Ring Dance has
been moved
to the 29th of
March.
N
E O
W F
Page 5
by Danielle Smith
Mrs. Donna Eddins is our new
school attendance clerk. She was
originally from Petersburg, Virginia, and grew up in Greene County,
Virginia.
Mrs. Eddins went to Peabody Junior High School; she did not like
to go to school and didn’t do any
activities. She says “I would barely
go to school, definitely not do any
activities”.
Mrs. Eddins attended at Piedmont Community College. She had
worked at Greene County Public
Schools for 17 years. She loves
working with children. “I wish this
job had more talking to the kids”.
Mrs. Eddins came to Colonial
Heights Schools because she likes
our school system, the school, and
its location. She says “This school
is very Christian orientated.”
She really admired Mrs. Kroll,
who had this job previously. She
says “She was such a great person
and she had big shoes to fill”.
She enjoys riding her Harley
Davidson motorcycle and knitting.
“All of my tattoos have their own
meaning to them,” she said regarding the 12 tattoos’ she has. ACDC is
her favorite band.
Mrs. Eddins says “My family
and I are really close together and
we are all there for each other.” She
lives with her parents in Colonial
Heights. She has a blue tick beagle;
she says “He’s my best friend”.
“I remember sitting on the porch
thanking God for my life: God put
me here for a reason.” She said she
has a strong life.
After high school, Carl Fleming
went to Morehead State University
in Kentucky. “Friends were going.”
he replied, when I asked why he decided to go.
He fairly enjoyed college. He made
average grades, but his best years
were the last three years of college.
“I met my wife and got married during those years in college.”
Mr. Fleming enjoyed learning.
“College was a time to learn so
many new things, he stressed. “I
had a part time job and during that
time I learned good vocational skills
also.”
He didn’t originally go to college
to become a teacher, but he went
back to school in 2001 to get his
teaching certification.
He found an interest in teaching and working with the younger
generation. “I enjoy teaching high
school. It is that last big step before
students either get a job or go to college. I like to be able to help them
decide what to do as an adult.”
Other than being a teacher, Mr.
Fleming is a full time dedicated
Christian. He is a Deacon at First
Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia.
He is married and has two children.
After being asked, “What made
you want to start teaching here at
Colonial Heights?” he replied, “I
like the smaller school setting and
all programs offered here for the
students.”
When Mr. Carl Fleming is not in
room 70 or helping others, he helps
Mrs. Henley with earth science.
by Eboni Hill
F
A
C
E
S
C
H
H
S
Mr. Carl Fleming, a new special
education teacher, grew up in Pike
Town, Kentucky.
He was a very well rounded young
man in high school. “I enjoyed
school and tried my best in academics,” said Mr. Fleming.
Being a student at Virgie High
School, now renamed Shelby Valley High, his grades were average
and he was involved in sports such
as football and track. His activities
included Key club and FFA, which
is the Future Farmers of America.
His family was very large, with
only one full brother and 12 half
brothers and sisters.
Life within Kentucky was a very
small range. “It was a coal mining
area with lots of mountains, but my
high school was smaller than Colonial Heights High.”
*Correction from last issue: Mrs. Gee-Schmidke is not studying at Virginia State University. She is doing
graduate studies at Regent University.
*Additional new teacher articles will appear next issue.
by Shanille Porter
Domestic abuse is a sensitive subject to talk about. Domestic abuse
also known as spousal abuse happens when a person in a relationship tries to dominate and control
the other person.
Domestic abuse can happen in any
relationship, whether it’s heterosexual couples or same-sex partnership. Women are more common to
be abused but men are victims too.
The abuse can be verbal, emotional and physical. It can escalate from
threats and verbal abuse to violent
behavior.
Being in an abusive relationship
with a person can affect you emotionally as well as physically. It lowers your self esteem, self worth, and
can lead to anxiety and depression.
You may feel helpless and alone.
You self-loath and may feel desperate for help. The tactics of the
abuser can use guilt, fear, shame,
and intimidation to wear you down.
They use these tactics to keep you
under their control and those around
you.
Some people are unaware that
they are in an abusive relationship
and others are in denial of being in
one. There are signs of being in an
abusive relationship. These are few
listed below to help you be aware
•
Fear of your partner
•
Feeling nervous around
them
•
Having to watch what you
say or do around them
•
Yell or humiliate you
•
Ignore you or put you
down
•
Blames you for their abusive behavior
•
Sees you as property
Spousal abuse can affect your chil-
dren as well. They may feel guilty
because they cannot protect that
parent and feel like they are the reason for the abuse. The children or
child may be neglected because the
parent is dealing with the abuse.
Children commonly feel confusion, fear, stress, and shame. They
can develop emotional problems,
cry excessively or be withdrawn
and be shy around people. Boys
who see their mothers abused are
ten times more likely to be abusive
in their adult intimate relationships.
Children who grow up in violent
environments have a higher risk of
becoming a drug or alcohol abuser
or being involved in an abusive relationship, as a batter or victim.
The need to control and dominate
the other can often be the reason for
that person’s behavior. The abusers
may feel the need to control because
of jealousy, low self-esteem, and out
of control anger. Alcohol and other
chemical substances can contribute
to violent behavior. A person under
the influence will be less likely to
control his/her violent behavior.
An estimated 85 to 90 percent of
domestic violence victims are females. Females between the ages
of 16 and 24 are more vulnerable
to domestic violence. Twenty-eight
percent of high school and college
students experience dating violence
and Twenty-six percent of pregnant
teenage girls are in an abusive relationship.
If you or someone you know is
in a domestic violence relationship
there is help. You can call the 24
hour hotline for spousal abuse 804643-0888.
Page 6
Sunday
Monday
1
Tuesday
2
Wednesday
3
SOL Retakes
CH Jaycees Annual
Christmas Parade
7 p.m.
SOL Retakes
Thursday
4
SOL Retakes
Friday
5
6
7
12
13
14
20
21
First Day of Winter
27
28
8
9
10
11
15
16
17
18
19
22
23
24
25
26
29
30
Christmas Eve
New Year’s Eve
CHRISTMAS
Interims
Saturday
SOL Retakes
Half Day
31
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
by: Libby Ryan
Alexis Daniels, 9: I would like the power to
heal internal and external wounds so that I
can help people who are sick.
Kaleigh Norris, 10: I would like the power
to read minds so I am able to know what
everyone is thinking.
Cameron Mingea, 12: Being invisible so
people can’t see me.
Haile Stewart, 9: Flying because I could
get places faster and not have to walk.
Katlyn Skelton, 10: Mind reading, to be
able to know what people are thinking.
Mr. Jim Crinkley, World History: The
power to make donuts appear out of
Mrs. Erin Ford, English 10-11: Invisibility,
because I would like to know what’s going on
without being seen.
Breannah Ackerman, 11: To read minds
just to see how other people think and how
different the world seems to them.
Julie Nichols, 12: Time travel, to be able
to go to any point in �me anywhere in the
universe would be completely fantas�c!
Kyra Turner, 10: Teleporta�on so I can
transport to Europe without the expenses.
Savannah Hardy, 9: Super speed so I can
get everywhere and get there on �me.
Mr. Jake Reynolds, Geometry: To control
the weather so I can make it snow when I
want.
Chris Bartlet, 12: The power to manipulate
time; it would make time management a
breeze!
Zach Eads, 11: The power to refill anything,
I could get more drink, food, and anything I
wanted.
Ted Hinojosa, 11: Super human strength
because it would allow me to be the strongest
person in the world so I can show off my huge
muscles and pick up the ladies.
Aus�n Blalock, 12: Power to see into
the future because it would be helpful in
decision making.
Savannah Stephenson, 12: To read minds.
I think it would be interesting to see what
different people think.
Abbey Forehand, 9: Being able to fly
because flying is be�er than being on the
ground.
Carole Skrbin, 9: Teleporta�on because you
could go anywhere at any �me.
Briana Streeter, 11: Invisibility so I can
mess with people and not get caught.
Mr. Tracy Boyd, Earth Science: Other than the
ones I already have, telepathy with students, so
I can help my students.
midair to feed my classes so they can be
happy and go to sleep.
Melissa Irving, 11: To heal because I like
helping people.
Julia Freeland, 10: Flying so I can go
places faster.
Jeremiah Lucas, 10: Telekine�c Power so I
could mess with people.
Ms. Smith, Geometry: Flying because it’s
awesome.
Page 7
by Eboni Hill & Shay Porter
When someone walks in to a room, the first human response
is to analyze them. You look at how they are dressed, how they
walk, how their hair is put together, what color eyes they have,
and from that information, you form an opinion.
Many would say that they are judging a book by its cover.
The human brain is always rushing with different thoughts,
including stereotypes. Many people form an opinion from false
information that has been common misconceptions for years.
For example, when a person walks into a room with dark clothes,
dark hair, and piercings everywhere, a person is lead to think
that they are “Emo” or “Goth”. However, that may not be the
case at all.
All though the way a person carries themselves gives of a vibe
or idea of what a person might be like, does not necessarily
mean that that is who they are.
When a survey was created for our seniors, these were some of
their answers.
Survey
1. How do you dress?
2. When you see a person dressed like A B C what is your
first response?
3. How does the way others dress affect your opinion about
them?
4. Would you say you judge a book by its cover?
Bobbie Jo Miller: (1) “I dress the way that makes me feel good!
Something I feel good in.” (2) B & C “That’s how they dress,
who am I to judge if that’s how they feel.” (3)” Reflects what
kind of person they are” (4) “Honestly, sometimes but I’m not
proud!”
Aaliayah Walker: (1) “It depends on the day” (2) A - “They
Have different style than others”
(3) “It can change my outlook on them” (4) Yes
Nicosha Torres: (1) “It depends on my mood and how I feel that
morning” (2)
C- They dress how they feel & what appeals to them (3) “You
can tell a lot about a person by what they wear.” (4) “Yes”
Anna Scott: (1) “Pretty basic, lots of sweaters and cardigans”
(2) A- “She looks nice and well put together” (3) “Im pretty
lenient with judging someone, because they might be having a
bad day or cant afford to buy different clothing” (4) “No, Im
open to most people and the way they dress as long as they’re
nice.”
Page 8
guest opinion
Arts Needed in the Schools
by Christian Davis
The arts are very important
to developing the creative,
intellectual, and social
aspects of the students who
participate in them.
Photo courtesy Andrea Haskins
People who partake in the arts often
experience a great increase in their
creativity.
A child who is exposed to the arts
in school has the potential to become a
more creative, imaginative, expressive,
confident, self-reliant, or critically
thinking individual (Farrell). It
stimulates and develops the imagination
and critical thinking of children and
refines their cognitive and creative
skills (“Steps to Art Early Childhood
Arts”).
The creative activities that are found
within the arts open up the neural
pathways within a person’s mind and
increase his or her ability to think openly
and to solve problems resourcefully;
however, others may point out that
this same level of creativity is found
in other aspects of a child’s schooling,
such as in arithmetic and science.
While this may be true to a certain
degree, characteristics of both the
Science and the Arts programs foster
great creativity within a child’s mind
when they are combined in schools
(Rodale).
The arts can be used as a great tool
for improving the creativity of children
in schools.
Students who participate in the arts
have a greater chance of succeeding
academically. By participating in the
arts, a child can improve his or her
critical-thinking and problem-solving
skills, and can set him- or herself up for
success in his or her classes.
Some forms of art instruction have
been proven to enhance a person’s
Photo courtesy by CHHS Band Boosters
language development, and his or her
basic reading and writing skills.
Certain forms of music instruction
have also been proven to help develop
the capacity for spatial-temporal
reasoning, which is vital in the
utilization of some mathematical skills.
“…Students who take music classes
in high school are more likely to score
higher on standardized mathematics
tests such as the SAT” (Ruppert)
Despite all of these facts, people
may point out that the high level of
thinking that is found in students who
are involved in the arts can also be
found in those who are involved in just
the traditional subjects of math and
science.
While it may be a valid statement,
emphasis needs to be put on the right
and left sides of the brain to make a
better-rounded individual.
Robert Allen, the chairman and CEO
of AT&T, once said that “grounding in
the arts will help our children to see; to
bring a uniquely human perspective to
science and technology. In short, it will
help them as they grow smarter to also
grow wiser.” (Bone).
If emphasis is placed on both the
arts and sciences, then this country will
once again be able to compete with the
rest of the world academically.
Students who are involved in the arts
often find that they improve the social
aspects of their lives. Specific arts
activities promote growth in several
different social skills, including selfconfidence, self-control, collaboration,
conflict resolution, social tolerance and
empathy.
These skills are very important to the
development of an individual, and can
prepare students to face the real world.
The arts can also play a major role in
the development of social competencies
among children who are at the greatest
risk of not completing their education.
“A group of boys….living in
residential homes and juvenile detention
centers for at-risk youth, discovered that
learning to play guitar and performing
for their peers boosted their confidence
and self-esteem.” (Ruppert).
The arts provide an effective way for
students to improve their social relations,
and prepare them for interactions in the
outside world.
The arts are very
instrumental
in
the
development of the various
creative, intellectual, and
social aspects of a child’s
life.
Through participation in the arts, a
child can greatly improve the level of
his or her creative thinking. Students
are often more successful in their
academic endeavors after partaking in
the arts, which is vital for this country’s
competitive edge.
After participating in specific arts
activities, children find the social
aspects of their life have improved
dramatically.
The arts are very important in the
education of the young minds of this
generation.
Colonial Heights Symphonic Band after their wonderful performance at the VMEA Conference Photo courtesy by CHHS Band Boosters
Things to
Know Before
You Graduate
Page 9
by Elizabeth Magnusson
There are at least five major things
people need to know before they
graduate.
Change a tire
Number one would be how
to change a tire. You never
know what small things are on
the road that can cause a flat
tire.
You don’t want to be stuck
on the road for hours waiting
for a tow truck or someone
you know to come along and
change it for you.
It would be much quicker if
you know exactly how to fix
your flat tire.
Swim
You should know how to
swim.
You need to at least know
how to keep yourself a float in
the ocean, pool, lake, or river.
An example would be if you
are in the ocean and you get
caught in a rip current you
need to know how to get out of
it. You DO NOT swim straight
towards shore.
Depending on the power of
the current you will never get
out of it that way and you will
exhaust yourself.
You swim parallel and
diagonal towards the shore and
once you’re out of the current
then you can swim straight
towards shore but only when
you are out of the current.
Laundry
You should know how to
do a load of laundry before
you graduate. When you go to
college or live on your own you
have to do your own laundry.
It’s important to keep certain
clothes separate and know what
soap and the temperature of
the water and how long you
want to wash a certain load of
clothes for. Also, understand
how to use the dryer
Checking Account
You should know how to balance
a checking account and maintain a
savings account. Start saving a bit
now and try to avoid touching the
money that you saved.
Keep track of how much you are
spending and how much money
you have in your checking account.
Cooking
You need to know how to cook.
Eating out is expensive.
You need to know how to cook
without burning the kitchen up.
Get recipes from family and
friends and get someone to help
you and teach you how to cook.
Start making copies of your
favorites, and practice it at home.
Move beyond the microwave and
take out.
Page 10
1. What is your favorite thing about
teaching?
I enjoy getting to know and working with a lot of
different people.
2. If you weren’t a Spanish teacher,
what would you want to do?
I would like to maybe own a store that sells
personalized items.
3. What made you want to teach here
at CHHS rather than teaching
near your home?
Colonial Heights is a great place to teach! The
students are great, I also have an amazing group of
friends that I work with. All of those reasons make
the drive worth it every day.
6. We heard you studied abroad
in Spain, how was it?
Amazing! I spent a semester in Valencia in
college and also took classes there over the
summer.
7. Tell us about your family and
kids.
My husband’s name is Mike, we have two
sons, Mathew (six) and Andrew (three).
8. What do you like to do in
your spare time?
I spend a lot of time at the soccer field, other
than that, I like to travel, spend time with
friends and family, and bake.
4. What other roles do you play at
CHHS?
9. What are some of your
favorite things to eat?
I coached cheerleading for several years; I am
also involved with the ninth-grade transition team
(Ambassadors).
I love all Mexican food, anything with
chocolate, and of course, Starbucks.
5. What were you like in high school?
I was pretty quiet. I did things like yearbook, took
art classes, and of course I was in Spanish five (the
coolest thing).
10. We have been told that you
are competitive. Is that true?
Yes! I am very competitive. I plan on
beating everyone in this Christmas door
decorating contest. There really is no
competition!
Page 11
by Hannah Burch
As the temperature cools down and fall
arrives, there are many new fashions that
come with this cooler weather. Boots,
scarves, leggings, sweatpants, sweaters,
cardigans, and sweatshirts are part of the fall
fashion trends.
Browns, oranges, yellows, and maroons
are some of the warm colors that welcome
you into fall fashion season.
Fall fashions can be easy, affordable,
and fashionable all at the same time. A cute
fall outfit can be made by simply putting
together things you already have. The most
common fashion trend this fall is leggings
with an over sized sweater, a scarf, and
boots.
Not only is dressing cute a main goal,
but also dressing warm, and dressing
comfortable. Whether you are wrapping up
warm to go apple picking, or wrapping up
warm to go to a Friday night football game
it is easy to put on a warm pair of socks,
comfortable boots, a warm sweater, a scarf,
and a warm cozy jacket and keep warm
when the temperature is a bit chilly with
your stylish fall fashions.
What’s Your Favorite Clothing Store?
by Hannah Burch
Imformation from Colonial Heights Students and staff
Page 12
Who Wore It Best?
by Amber Elise Sullivan
Very often when we see two celebrities who
are wearing the same outfit, we judge who
looks best in it. Have you realized people in
your school and around your community wear
similar things too? See who you think wore
the outfit best.
Officer Dale Waldrop vs Kristin Janssen
Bobby Holleman vs Jake Hill
Marissa Rigby vs Chris Rowe
Honey Boo Boo vs Momma June
Lea Michelle and Anna Lynne McCord vs Ashley Tisdale
Jenifer Lopez vs Liberty Ross
Feeling Gloomy
Page 13
How does weather affect your mood?
by Hannah Burch
Have you ever had a gloomy day?
Where you are having a bad day, or a lazy
day and the weather outside matched your
mood?
Many people believe that the weather
outside affects their mood. When it is
cloudy and rainy outside people are
usually less motivated to get things done.
Some people seem to think that rainy
weather causes laziness. Some even think
that the cloudy weather causes depression
because it is so dark and gloomy outside.
The same goes for when it is sunny
and warm; people generally feel happier.
Although many people are under the
assumption that the weather outside
affects the way they feel it is not exactly
true.
In 2008 there was a study done by Jaap
Denissen that is posted on AccuWeather.
com that discovered that weather causes
little change in a person’s mood.
This study also showed that people
experience more fatigue and tiredness
when it is darker outside. It also showed
that it was harder to get out of bed in the
morning when it was still dark outside.
Sunlight can have a large impact on
people’s moods. The sun provides vitamin
D to the human body. Vitamin D changes
levels of serotonin which does affect the
mood.
In Alaska doctors or therapist write
prescriptions for their patients to go to the
tanning bed for depression so that their
bodies will produce the vitamin D needed
to improve their day to day moods.
Although weather does not affect mood
as much as people think it does, it still has
an effect on people’s moods because of
the way they associate the weather to their
If you could do anything in the entire world, what would it be?
by Elizabeth Magnusson
Ashleigh Rush, 11: Travel the world
Cassie McBryde, 9: Meet One Direction
Megan Raikes, 12: Have a million babies
Laura Shelley, 10: Skydive
Mrs. Anne Cromer, Geometry: I’m doing it
already
Jonas Biermann, 11: Go to space
Brad Priestley, 12: Meet William Shatner
Mrs. Katherine Wallerman,
Finance and Economics: Go
to Paris
Jessica Stutz, 9: Meet One
Direction
Hank Rosser, 10: Own
anything I want
Kayla Boyd, 11: Go to
Australia
Ashley Schoot, 12: Make it so
nobody was poor
Coach K., Art: Travel the world and take
photographs with the intention of publishing a
photo journal
Casie Slaybaugh, 9: Go to Paris
Alexis Page, 10: Live in
Disney World
Erin Page, 11: Eat pound
cake
LeenAnn Booher, 12: Be a
pediatric nurse
Mrs. Dana Barefoot, AP
Chemistry: Retire and
travel
Joe Robinson, 9: Go off
shore fishing
Hayden Whitley, 10: Skydive
Blanca Hernandez, 11: To learn new
languages
Inaara Mohammed, 9: Meet Adam Lavine
Moriah Gwalteny, 12: Skydive
Ashton Edwards, 10: Be a movie star
Mrs. Christy Major, AP U.S. History: Take
my kids to New Zeland
Page 14
by Eboni Hill & Danielle
Smith
1. Build a snowman
2. Go ice skating
3. Go sledding
4. Go skiing/
snowboarding (hit
the slopes)
5. Make a snow angel
12. Snuggle by the fire
13. Play pond hockey
17. Drink eggnog
6. Make a ginger bread
house
14. Make paper
snowflakes
18. Have a snowball
fight
7. Go Christmas
caroling
15. Enjoy
Christmas parades
19. Drink apple cider
8. Decorate your tree
16. Bake cookies For
Santa
9. Wrap gifts
10. Listen to holiday
music
11. Hot cocoa
while watching a
Christmas movie
20. Roast
marshmallows
21. Go see
Christmas lights
22. Decorate your
house
23. Go holiday
shopping
24. Eat a slice of fruit
cake
25. Build
an igloo
Page 15
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Make or Break a Relationship?
by Patricia Wesfall
Does social networking make or
break a relationship? Not just dating relationships, but relationships
with friends and family.
To answer the question, it could
go either way, make or break. I personally think that social networking
is a good basis for a new friendship.
True, you have to be very careful as to whom you find to become
friends with. You don’t want to become Catfished, meeting somebody
on a network that isn’t who they say
they are. Get verification on whom
you are talking with, by making
sure they are who they say to be.
I’ve become quite fortunate when
it comes to making relationships on
social networks.
I have a Twitter account of my
own, and follow NASCAR quite
thoroughly. I’ve met and become
friends with many people within the
sport: drivers, sponsors, fans, etc.
I’ve used communication on Twitter to meet some of these people.
There is one NASCAR fan, and
aspiring TV broadcaster who I have
become very, very good friends
with. Through mutual friends (how
I know I wasn’t being Catfished), I
met Alanis.
Alanis is a random girl from Texas
that I happened to follow on Twitter
one day, and we instantly clicked.
We went from tweeting, to Snapchatting, then to texting and Facetiming.
Over the past year, our friendship
has grown. We communicate each
day. What started as a mutual interest in racing has grown to a true
friendship. While we still talk about
NASCAR, we now also vent about
school, friends, family, and every-
thing that friends talk about.
I even had the chance to fly out
to Texas for race weekend at Texas
Motor Speedway.
In Texas, I met up with Alanis as
well as other Twitter friends that
go under the names of The Orange Cone, Nascarcasm, The Mini
Chad, and NASCAR Wonka (They
are anonymous and shall not be
named.)
Those four guys are just NASCAR comedy accounts that I have
become friends with over the years.
They even have their own radio
show (called #TheSideShow) that
broadcasts strictly during races at
Texas Motor Speedway.
At the track, Alanis and I had
the chance to sit in the Side Show
suite (where the guys did their radio show and we get served delicious food, drinks, etc.) and go to
the press box. We also received the
chance to hangout in the Sprint Cup
garage before the race started.
I was so upset that I had to leave,
especially because I had to say
goodbye to Alanis. It’s hard being
so close to someone that lives 22
hours away.
It’s crazy to think that if I never
used Twitter, Snapchat, or any other social networking sites, I would
have never met one of my best
friends in the world, and I would
have never even thought of going to
Texas.
Also, I would have never had the
chance to sit in the suite, go to the
press box, or hangout with drivers
and teams in the garage on race
day.
Social networking can really bring
people together. The relationships
that I’ve made with people are a
true blessing. I would have it no
other way.
Page 16
Are Brown Bags
a Thing of the Past?
by Libby Ryan
Brown bags seem to be a thing of the past.
Nowadays kids seem to be taking name brand
lunch bags such as; Thirty-One, Vera Bradley,
and L.L.Bean.
Vera Bradley offers no less than different
lunch bag options; Ditty Bag, Lunch Date,
Stay Cooler, Lunch Tote, Lunch Break, Lunch
Bunch, Lunch Sack, and Let’s Do Lunch in a
variety of colors.
At Thirty-One, they offer six different lunch
carrying styles; Fresh Market Thermal, Lunch
Break Thermal, Out N’ About Thermal, Picnic Thermal Tote, Thermal Tote, and the U
R U Thermal Tote. Thirty-One allows you to
customize any of your items.
The U R U Thermal lunch box is a special
lunch box from Thirty-One. Each U R U
lunch box is monogrammed with an inspiring
message – U R True, U R Bold – that helps
boost your self confidence whenever you use
the thermal. When you purchase a U R U
Thermal, 31 cents is donated to a nonprofit
organization supporting Thirty-One’s goal to
strengthen families.
L.L.Bean offers four varieties of lunch boxes;
Lunch Box, Flip-Top Lunch Box, Discovery
Lunch Box, and Softpack Cooler. You have
the option of monogramming your lunch boxes from L.L.Bean.
The metal lunch boxes are really old but are
still used. Madison Whitfield, freshman, has
had the same metal lunch box since kindergarten.
Madison was asked why she chose a metal
lunch box and she said, “because it is retro and
if you spill something it is easy to clean.”
A metal lunch box keeps food nice and cold
but Madison thinks it is still a good idea to
have an ice-pack.
However, the old brown bag is not full rejected. Former student, Bill Koleman, finds it
simpler to take a brown paper bag. “It’s easier
than a lunch box. I can just throw it away instead of carrying it around,” said Bill.
It seems as if people tend to care more about
what is on the outside of the bag than the inside.
Having a healthy lunch is very important especially in young high school kid’s lives.
In the lunch line at Colonial Heights High
School you can get made wraps and Panini’s, ready-made pizza, chicken sandwiches,
and burgers. They offer fresh fruit, milk, and
juice.
If you decide to take the option of taking your
lunch, make sure it is not full of junk food.
To make your lunch healthy, consider some of
these snack options; apples, almonds, cheese,
fish, pasta or rice cakes.
Wraps – filled with turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato = well balanced
Bean and Veggie Quesadillas
– low fat cheese, whole-wheat
tortillas, salsa adds antioxidant
rich tomato
Pizza- whole wheat crust,
part skim milk cheese,
topped with veggies
Baked potatolower in fat than
mashed or fried
Baked Beans – provides
fiber and protein
Frozen Raspberries
– good source of iron,
vitamin c, and dietary
fiber
Unsalted nuts/almonds – low
sodium
Low-fat yogurt – calcium and
protein rich
Page 17
by Erica Jones
November’s Senior of
the Month is Kevin Napier.
Kevin is a very involved and
well rounded student.
Kevin is involved in
many things here at CHHS
including Varsity volleyball
and tennis, Key Club
President, Class Treasure,
FCA, Girl’s Basketball
manager, BETA Club, NHS,
French Club, and Spanish
NHS.
For four years Kevin
has been on the Varsity
volleyball team which has
also become his favorite
sport, he has also been on
the tennis team for one year.
He has played baseball for
ten years.
Kevin says that in his free
time he watches sports and
plays sports. His favorite
sport memory he said was
“beating Thomas Dale this
year in volleyball for the
first time in school history”.
When asked how he felt
about getting Senior of the
Month, Kevin said “I am
really excited that I was
chosen to be senior of the
month. There are so many
people in our grade worthy
of being senior of the
month, and I feel honored to
one of them”.
Kevin is most inspired by
his dad, he said “because
he is a teacher and used to
coach. That is exactly what I
want to do in my life”.
Kevin said when he was a
kid he always wanted to be
a firefighter, but things have
changed a little.
After high school Kevin
plans on attending Longwood
University and majoring in
physical education. He said “I
would love teaching physical
education because it has
been my favorite class since
kindergarden”.
He also plans to follow in his
father’s footsteps and coach,
“coaching has been a dream of
mine since I was a little kid”.
Kevin’s favorite subject in
school has been Biology II,
“because it deals with anatomy
and I enjoy learning about bones
and muscles.”
Kevin says that “my biggest
accomplishment is receiving the
Please help the FCA collect
shoes for the people of Nicaragua. These people tend
to be barefoot in an area
where there is a lot of broken glass and other hazards,
and they suffer cuts and
infections on their feet.
What can you do? Think
about the “Full Houses” we
live in! Look in your closet
and see how many pairs of
shoes you own! Then donate
a “Full House” of shoes- 3
West Point Leadership Award
last year”. This award is given
to point outs an outstanding
junior from each school
that best meets the areas
of leadership, academics,
athletics, community service,
and good citizenship.
Lots of memories are made
during high school. Kevin
explains that, “I don’t have a
specific favorite high school
memory. I’ve enjoyed every
part of high school. I have
enjoyed all of the sports, good
times with friends, and funny
moments in class.”
Everyone changes
throughout high school; if you
walk up to any senior they
can tell you something about
themselves that has changed.
For Kevin, he said “I have
learned to enjoy high school
more. My freshman year I was
(pairs) of a kind and 2 pairs of
flip flops, or 3 pairs of men’s
shoes and 2 pairs of children’s
shoes. (Nicaragua has a sandy
very focused on academics.
Over the past couple of years, I
have learned to balance sports,
academics, clubs, and free
time.”
A common, and hard
question to answer is, “If you
could change anything what
would it be?”
With Kevin being so
involved in sports one of the
things he wishes he could go
back and change is that he
would have played basketball.
He says, “My freshman
year I went to all of the off
season basketball workouts
and decided not to play. Coach
Thomas tried for years to
get me to play, but for some
reason I never did”.
Kevin’s favorite teacher out
of all 12 years was his first
grade teacher Ms. Browder,
who is now Mrs. Davis.
“I remember walking into
the classroom everyday and
she had a smile on her face.
I don’t ever remember her
being in a bad mood. She also
challenged me with harder
work that helped prepare me
for future grades”.
Some helpful advice Kevin
would give to underclassmen
maybe aiming for the same
goal is “I would tell them not
to take too many hard classes.
If you can get involved in
many different activities that
you enjoy, you will have an
enjoyable four years of high
school”.
terrain. Please select practical shoes. Not a great need
for boots, heels, or dress
shoes.)
You may bring them to
Colonial Heights High
School and drop them off at
the front desk.
The Fellowhsip of Athletes
will box and ship the shoes
to Nicaragua on Jan. 17,
2014.
Thank you for your help and
support!
Page 18
by Danielle Smith
Often, people use their phones for taking pictures more than for anything else.
Taking a great photo can be easy.
Many cameras on smart phones have just
a few megapixels. The more megapixels
,the better (the new Nokia Lumia has 41
while most Iphones have 8).
Naturally, the quality of the picture will
turn out to look more defined and realistic
if the megapixels are higher.
Several students have different approaches
to using their cell phone photo apps.
Sophomore Marilyn Hekrdle says she uses
the digital camera on her phone, then goes
to an editing app, Pix Art. There are many
different apps to use when you want to fix or
filter a photo.
Freshman Samantha Rosenberg says she
uses her phone camera, then just crops the
photo. Freshman Veniesha Davis says she
uses her cell phone camera and then uses
Instagram to edit and filter. Sophomore Ivy
Pfaller uses the Snapchat camera, which is
meant to send to another person, but you can
also save the picture you took to your cell
phone.
Top 10 Tips to take better photos
1) Clean your lenses-Take a quick second to
wipe the lens, preferably using a microfiber
cleaning cloth, to ensure that you get a clean
shot.
2) Flash or no flash-LED flashes are good for
lighting subjects at close range, but they can be
harsh and wash out the entire picture. To diffuse
the light, place a piece of white tissue paper
over the flash to soften the image and reduce
the glare.
3) Avoid digital zoom-The lenses physically
move to get closer to a subject with the highest
resolution. Instead, walk closer to the subject.
4) Standing steady- Use a self timer, hold phone
with both hands, and use your thumb to click to
take the picture.
5) Crop the photo instead of zoom- Cropping
and digital zooming do not achieve the same
effect as actually getting the lens closer to the
subject. Note that optical zooming does work.
In this case, most cameras have both. If you
have to use the zoom, make sure you’re using
the right one.
6) Find the light-If you’re taking photo of something that can be moved, move it towards the object.
7) Focus-Use the focus feature by tapping on what
you want to be in focus.
8) Avoid effects-Sepia and vignette effects and
saturated colors don’t make the image look better.
9) Turn on stable shoot settings-Phones are difficult to keep stable while you’re getting your shutterbug on, and sometimes it’s hard to detect the
blur of a shaky photo on a small screen.
10) Check your resolutions-Low resolutions are
nice if you’re just sending a quick photo via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), and they’ll
save to your phone faster. If you’re taking a photo
you want to keep around, you’re better off taking
it at a higher resolution.
(Information from tp://allthingsd.com/20121004/
snappy-tips-for-taking-better-pictures-with-yoursmartphone/)
by Shanille Porter
Shazam has 4.5 ratings on Google play
store. This app can instantly give you
the name, album and artist of a song you
did not know the name of. It’s quick and
easy, and the app is free.
You simply hold your phone to the radio or TV or wherever the song is playing and Shazam quickly identifies the
song’s name and artist.
Once you’ve found the information
for that song you can buy it on Amazon
MP3, watch the video on YouTube and
listen to the song on Rdio and Spotify.
You can also find out what songs your friends
have shazamed.
You can preview and mark as your favorite songs. Share what you shazamed on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. If you don’t have
coverage on your phone, you can still Shazam
and find the song you like.
The Shazam app is also available for iPhone,
iPod touch, iPad, Android, windows, windows
8 and Blackberry phones. If you are a music
fanatic and can’t get enough of discovering
new songs, Shazam is the app to download.
Page 19
by Randi Grenier
Electronicore band,
I See Stars, released
their fourth album ‘New
Demons’, in October.
‘New Demons’ was
originally scheduled to
come out in September,
but was pushed back to
fans’ dismay.
I See Stars has been
making music since 2006,
and with each album,their
popularity has been on
the rise.
Their previous
album,‘Digital
Renegade’ came out over
a year ago, leaving the
fans hungry for more. I
See Stars also released an
album of remixes of their
songs by other artists and
a few brand new songs
on ‘Renegades Forever’
in May of this year.
I See Stars features high
clean vocals, screaming
,and electronic elements.
Together they make a
melody between heavy,
soft, and clean, dancing
music. It features` a rift
off of the song Harlem
Shake by Bauer in their
song Ten Thousand Feet.
The song Follow the
Leader is an inspirational
song that encourages
others to lead their own
paths. Lyrics in the song
like “We’re the ones who
control our lives” really
speak out to the fans.
The first song released
off ‘New Demons’ was
Violent Bounce (People
Like You). Fans are led
to think that the song is
a reference to the long
time feud between I See
Stars and Ronnie Radke
of Falling in Reverse.
Violent Bounce, was
released on Youtube by
Sumerian Records in
June. It contains lyrics
such as “People like you
are the reason I keep the
good so close.” However,
the most relevant lyric to
the feud says “All it took
was a spark right?” which
refers to a previous song
by Radke that says “All it
takes is a spark to ignite
my bad intentions.”
The feud has been going
on since the two were
on tour together almost
two years ago. Radke
made a diss song titled I
Wash Cars to make fun
of the band, The song
was released in July, with
lyrics that are extremely
crude and offensive.
Currently, the two artists
have said they resolved
the issue. Offering rude
coomments online to
eachother, the fans are
still at war.
I See Stars is having
upcoming concerts in
November, along with
the band The Word Alive,
in the tour titled Started
From The Bottom Now
TOP 10 SONGS TO HAVE
ON YOUR IPOD
by Amber Sullivan
23- Juicy J, Wiz Kalifa, Miley Cyrus
Monster-Rihanna, Eminem
Stay-Florida Georgia Line
It Goes Like This-Thomas Rhett
Sweater Weather-The Neighborhood
Carmen- Lana Del Rey
The Death of Me-Asking Alexandria
Can You Feel My Heart-Bring Me the
Horizon
Bad Day-Justin Bieber
What Now-Rihanna
1. Favorite Concert
2. Why?
Sheldon Blanks, 12: (1) Thirty Seconds to Mars
Concert (2)” It was really exci�ng, and they’re
one of my favorite bands”
Mrs. Powell, Teacher: (1) Earth, Wind and Fire
(2)” I love Earth, Wind and Fire”
Danielle Rogers, 12: (1) Warped Tour (2) “It had
all my favorite bands”
Aniya Russell, 10: (1) Superjamz (2) “I got to see
my favorite rappers in real life”
Harley Custard, 10: (1) The Neighborhood (2) “It
was fun to be “hype” with all my friends. I got to
touch the lead singer’s hands”
Victoria Johnson, 11: (1) Green Day (2) “I love
Green Day, and heavy metal rock”
Daphney Turner, 9: (1) Future (2) “Future is one
of my favorite rappers, and he killed it on stage”
Page 20
by Eboni Hill
Concerts are every
teenager’s fantasy of
fun. Being in a cool, hip,
grunge, environment
is what everyone looks
for in a concert hall, but
the question is where
do you go to find one?
Richmond, Virginia
(RVA), has a wide
variety of activities to
do. However, a very
well known activity
is to be a part of a
concert.
A great concert hall
in Richmond is the
national. With artists
from Asap Rocky, to 30
Seconds to Mars, it is
the place to be on your
weekend.
It is an indoor setting,
with a Broadway stage,
including an open floor,
for as many people
that can fit. There are
two floors. The top
floor has seats, and the
bottom has the stage and
open floor, with a bar.
The national is equipped
with maximum security
DATE
PLACE
Fri
11/29
Thurs
The National, RVA
12/7
Mon
12/9
Wed
12/11
Mon
12/ 16
Thurs
12/19
Kingdom, RVA
Kingdom, RVA
9:30 Club Washington,
DC
The Norva, Norfolk,
Virginia
The Norva, Norfolk,
Virginia
BAND/
GROUP
Chvrches
to insure safety, for the
attendees.
If you ever want to
see your favorite band
in concert, go to www.
thenationalva.com/ and
see who’s popping in.
GENRE
Techno
Rock
Metal
Church of
Misery
Major League Punk
Rock
Lupe Fiasco
Rap
Tegan & Sara Techno
Rock
Thirty
Rock
Seconds to
Mars
Page 21
by Thomas Metcalf
Thor: A Dark World is
set two years after the end
of the previous movie,
Thor.
Natalie Portman, who
plays Jane Foster, has all
but lost hope in her quest
to find Thor, played by
Chris Hemsworth.
When she gets a new
lead, Jane finds herself in
another realm, where she
unknowingly absorbs an
evil power into her body.
When Thor, who has
been watching over
her, cannot find her, he
travels down to Earth to
get her. He then takes
her to Asgarde, his home
realm to receive medical
treatment.
Asgarde, which has
always been the noblest
of all the nine realms, is
attacked by an old enemy
that the people call the
Dark Elves.
After the death of a
friend and the salvation
of Jane Foster, Malekith,
the evil leader of the
Dark Elves contained the
evil power by absorbing
it into himself.
After a fight that literally
travels through all nine
of the realms, Malekith is
defeated.
At the end of the movie,
Thor tells his father,
Odin, about his future
plans. He is then granted
the opportunity to bring
Jane Foster to Asgarde
and marry her.
All seems well and
peaceful under the rule of
King Odin. There is only
one problem,…..it is not
Odin.
by Amber Sull;ivan
Gravity is a 3D science
fiction thriller and space
drama film. The film stars
Sandra Bullock and George
Clooney as astronauts who
were sent out to space to fix
a mid orbit destruction of ta
space shuttle.
Unfortunately, a fast flying
space craft coming from
the middle of space is
flying towards them. There
is nothing they can do, but
try their hardest to avoid it.
Sandra Bullock played Dr.
Ryan Stone, an astronaut
whose first grade daughter
died from a head injury.
Dr. Ryan Stone cared and
loved her daughter very
much
Gravity really gives you
an interesting experience
of being stuck in space. 3D
had made it better because,
the view of the movie that
made seemed real.
I recommend Gravity to
everyone because it teaches
you many interesting facts
about space and was action
packed.
Sandra Bullock did an
outstanding job with her
role as Dr. Ryan Stone. This
movie was amazing and
such a thrill to watch. The
director Alfonso Cuaron
did an astonishing job.
If you haven’t seen
Gravity, it is still playing in
theaters and it is worth the
money.
Page 22
I Am Malala
by
Malala Yousafzai
by Nicholas Thomason
The book, I Am Malala:
The girl who stood up for
education and was shot
by the Taliban, written by
Malala Yousafzai herself, is
a riveting, and unfortunately
true story of a girl and
her attempts at getting an
education in Pakistan.
The book follows along
her long journey of trying
to get an education, making
speeches, and spending time
with her family.
The book is very eye
opening and reveals
something more than just the
headlines; it shows the daily
struggles of being a young girl
trying to get an education in
Pakistan.
“My goal in writing this book
was to raise my voice on behalf
of the millions of girls around
the world who are being denied
the right to go to school and
realize their potential.”
It truly shows how we take
our education for granted in the
United States, while a majority
of the world’s population
would do anything for an
education that we have.
The House of
Hades
by Rick Riordan
by Thomas Metcalf
The House of Hades, by
Rick Riordan, is the fourth
fantasy novel in The Heroes
of Olympus series.
This book starts off right
at the end of the prequel,
The Mark of Athena, where
Percy, a son of Poseidon,
and Annabeth, a daughter of
Athena, are falling straight
to their deaths in the pits of
Tartarus.
It then shifts over to the
voyage of the Argo II,
manned by Leo, a son of
Hephaestus, Hazel, a daughter of Pluto, Frank, a son of
Ares, Piper, a daughter of
Aphrodite, Jason, a son of
Jupiter, and the recently rescued Nico, a son of Hades.
The heroes have a mission. Gaea, goddess of the
earth, is planning on awakening her children to take
over the world.
The Argo II must travel
over the Mediterranean Sea,
the most dangerous place
in the world for children of
the gods, to a place called
the House of Hades. There,
they must fight an enemy that
has not walked the earth for
thousands of years.
On the other side of the
void, Percy and Annabeth
must fight their way through
Tartarus, with an old friend
Bob, to close the doors of
death on their side as well.
The Argo II has many trials
before it reaches the House
of Hades, such as: poison
spitting cows, a goddess of
magic, an immortal pirate,
a pet turtle monster, and a
shifty wind god.
Percy, Annabeth, and Bob
are tested when they reach
the doors of death, which are
guarded by an army of Gaea’s
children. While fighting, they
unleash a monster so old that
it dates back before the birth
of the titans, something that
they could never even hope to
stand against.
Page 23
How do you feel about being chosen athlete of
the month?
I was honestly surprised, but very honored.
Cheerleading is an extremely under recognized
sport so it was awesome to be acknowledged.
What position are you? Do you like it? Would
you rather play another position?
I’m a main base. I love it! It’s totally different
going from being flyer to a base, but I think it’s
helped me be a better base, and be more connected
with my flyer because I know what works in the
air.
How long have you been cheering? Do you want
to cheer in college?
I’ve cheered all four years of high school. I would
love to cheer at college; but the teams are really
difficult to make.
Ashleigh Grubb
How do you balance school, work and sports?
Very carefully! I try to keep going from cheer to work
or whatever I have next and not go home until I’m done
with everything. Organization really helps too.
What are your favorite memories from
cheerleading?
I’ll never forget all the goofy moments at practice but
my absolute favorite has been winning conference, we
put in so much work and it paid off!
What makes you so passionate about cheering?
I love performing and putting on a show. That drives
me to do better. But my team is really where my
passion lies.
How do you mentally prepare yourself for a
competition?
The day of competition I try to think about anything
but the task at hand. If I think too much, I psych myself
out.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals that
you do alone or your team does together?
Ever since my freshman year we’ve done a little
chant called “I’ve got confidence” where we get
louder and louder each time through. We also pray! What do you feel most confident about while
I’m getting chills thinking about it! That really
cheering?
pump us up.
I’m confident that my team is putting on a show. We
always have high energy and exciting routines, and we
How many hours do you practice a week?
know how to work a crowd.
On average about 15 hours
How do you memorize your routine?
Do you play any other sports?
Hours and hours of practice. Each year the routine gets
I’ve tried track and swimming, but cheerleading is easier to memorize.
the only one that has held my interest.
How do the crowds effect how you perform while
What is your favorite part about cheering?
you’re cheering? How do you feel when you
The team. Every year it’s a new group of girls and see students from our school to watch the team
we really bond and become a family. I love my
compete?
girls!
When the crowd is involved I’m motivated even more!
I LOVE hearing the crowd go crazy after a pyramid or
basket, it just makes me happy.
Athletes
of the
Blake Cox
How do you feel about being athlete of the
month?
It’s a really great honor. A lot of good athletes
have won this award, and some of my friends, so
I am glad to be included in this group with them.
What position do you play in volleyball? Do
you like it? Would you rather play another
position?
Labaro, defensive specialist. Yes I like it and I
wouldn’t want to play another position.
How long have you been playing volleyball?
Do you want to play volleyball in college?
I’ve been playing 3 years and I want to play in
college.
Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what
are your pre-game rituals?
Nothing special, just stretching and warming-up
How many hours do you practice a week?
10
Do you play any other sports?
Baseball and golf.
What are your favorite aspects about
volleyball?
Defense, the intensity of the game, and bonding
of a team
What keeps you excited during the
performance/competition?
The crowd’s reaction really pushes me when I’m
tired during the routine. Also when my stunt hits
I’m pumped to go to the next thing even more.
What role do you play on the squad? (Leader,
motivator, etc.)?
I try to be the best leader that I can be by
motivating the girls with positive encouragement.
Being the only senior, I’ve naturally taken a
leader role.
Lastly, how do you feel about winning
Regional’s and going to states to compete for
the title of state champions?
It’s SO surreal! Sometimes I forget how much
we’ve accomplished but when I remember it’s
the BEST feeling in the world! We’ve worked so
hard and the work has really paid off.
Month
How do you balance school and sports?
School always comes first, but it’s a lot of hard
work, dedication, and late nights
What are your favorite memories on the
court?
Beating Thomas Dale
Why are you so passionate about volleyball?
I love the game and the people I play with.
How do you mentally prepare yourself for a
game?
I try to stay focused on volleyball only.
What do you feel most confident about in
volleyball?
Passing in the back and serving (digging)
Does the crowd the effect how you play?
Yes, very much, it can really effect who wins and
who loses.
What keeps you excited during the game?
Big skills, people staying energized, and people
staying positive.
What role do you play on the team (leader,
motivator, etc.)?
I try to be a leader and motivator on and off the
court.
Does the team hangout outside of the sport?
Yes, win or lose, we go to Applebee’s after
games.
What are the best characteristics of the team?
We are close and we know when to be serious.
Coach Lee does a great job leading us during
games.
Page 24
No Pain, No Gain
by Elizabeth Magnusson
For my swim team mates and I, the alarm goes
off at 3:20 am every week day. We made this
choice to get up early to practice from 4:30-6:30
Monday through Friday and from 8am-10:30am
on Saturdays for the sport that we love.
We go to school with wet hair everyday and go
back to the pool in the afternoon, depending on
the day some of us have dryland (this is our work
outs outside of the pool) and others of us have
another practice.
Many other people have to make sacrifices for
their sports too.
Time wise I know my teammates and I practically
live at the pool.
We have to balance swimming, sleep, and
homework and make sure we are eating right,
staying hydrated, and getting our homework
done.
Sometimes we have to miss school for swim
meets. One example of this is short course NCSA’s
and it’s in March and those of us who go miss a
week of school.
We are not alone. Numerous students at this
school compete beyond the school level.
Think of the dancers, the travel baseball,
softball, basketball, or volleyball kid. Some do
cheering or gymnastics or compete in racing,
motorcycles or cars, the possibilities are endless.
There are many people that have to balance all
of this.
Sports are a big commitment and a lot of people
don’t realize it. They take a lot of hard work,
time, effort, and discipline.
They are also a really great opportunity to meet
new people, especially when it comes to travel
sports.
From my own personal experience, I have met
so many new people from going to travel meets
and one meet in particular was 2012 Long Course
Zones.
I met a lot of new people at Zones and I still
keep in touch with them and see them at other
meets.
Just like other travel sports I’m sure, we travel
all over for swim meets. From my own personal
experience I’ve traveled from Florida to Indiana,
Maryland to South Carolina, North Carolina, and
so many other places.
Also, your team becomes your second family.
I know that all of us at Quest are one big family
and we always are supporting each other inside
and outside of meets and practice.
We have so many inside jokes and great
memories that we have all made over the years
and we have all come so close to each other.
Year round sports take a lot of time, hard work,
and commitment, but they are worth all of the
hard work and effort you put into them.
Not only do you improve in your sport and
grow, but also you meet so many new people and
have so many memories and experiences that you
will be able to remember and treasure your entire
life.
Indianapolis Nadatorium- IUPUI
From left to right: Taylor Hague, Elizabeth Magnusson, Olympic
Swimmer Peter Vanderkay, Kelsey Dambacher, Meredith Vay
Concussions:
Danger In Sports
Symptoms of
Concussions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Headache
Weakness
Numbness
Decreased coordination
Decreased balance
Confusion
Nausea
Slurred speech
Vomiting
Loss of memory
Blackouts
Slowness
Neck pain
Tiredness
Change in sleep pattern
Loss of senses
Mood changes
Increased sensitivity
Ringing in ears
Causes of Concussions
by Thomas Metcalf
Concussions, also known as mild
traumatic brain injuries, are caused
when your brain hits the side of your
skull. Its damage can range from
nothing at all to death.
The risks of concussions are
demonstrated in the story of young
Cole, a high school wrestler.
In November 2010, Cole suffered a
concussion during practice and was
instructed to stay out of sports for
one month. Cole went behind his
family’s back and started practicing
a week after his injury.
The coach had been trained to
recognize concussions, so he called
Cole’s mother and she took him to
the doctor. Cole was then told that
he may never wrestle again because
of his trying to go back too early.
Concussions are becoming an
increasingly occuring problem in
sports, so heads up!
• Car crashes
• Football
• Falling
• Hockey
• Skiing
• Fights
• Playground injuries
• Boxing
• Soccer
• Snowboarding
• Being shaken
• Many other various activities
Page 25
by LeeAnn Yanes and Danielle
Smith
Dance is a form of art that requires precision, endurance, and
a lot of technique. Competitive
dance requires even more work,
practice, and preparation.
In order to be able to the best
they can, dancers must be in tip
top physical shape. A dancer must
be strong, both mentally and
physically, if they want to achieve
success in the dance world.
Technique starts in ballet. Dancers must maintain the perfect posture and arm positioning throughout their career in ballet. They also
have to have large muscle tone in
every part of their body.
To gain these aspects, great
amounts of practice needs to be
put in. Most competitive dancers
must take regular technique classes, including ballet, pointe, jazz,
tap, modern, contemporary, hip
hop, and acro.
Most competitive dancers take
anywhere from four to ten hours of
regular technique classes a week,
not including competition practices that usually rage from three
to six hours.
Unlike other sports that have
games almost every week for at
least an hour, dancers work all
year to perfect a dance that will
only show for about three minutes.
During these important three
minutes (sometimes more or less),
dancers have one shot to show all
of their hard work.
A competition and a recital
performance differ in many ways.
Recitals are more of a showcase
for all of the dancers in a studio,
whether they are in just one dance
or in twelve.
Most dancers who compete think
of recital as more practice, even
though it is an all-out show.
Competitions require an enormous amount of practice and
talent. Dancers must compete with
other studios from all over the
country, and even internationally.
Another difference between
dance and any other sport is that
there is no national league for
competitive dancing. There are
hundreds of separate companies
that produce different competitions.
Some of these include Hollywood Vibe, DanceMakers, Inc.,
StarTalent Productions, and Showstoppers.
Many of these competitions also
include a series of classes, known
as a convention.
Some conventions like The Pulse
on Tour do not have a competition;
they are just for students to travel
to study under internationally
known choreographers.
As it seems, going away to a
competition or convention can be
very costly.
Dancers must pay a competition
fee for each dance they are in, a
convention fee, hotel and travel
costs, and still have money for
food and other daily costs.
Most convention fees for a
weekend are around $200. Dues
for actual dances in competitions
vary from competition to competition.
At a DanceMakers competition,
solo dances are $95, duos and trios
are $45, and groups, lines, and
productions cost $35 per dancer.
Hotels that host competitions
have room rates that range anywhere from $90 -$200 a night.
Competitions that last a weekend are usually regional competitions, which are qualifications for
nationals, which are essentially
finals.
Nationals are usually about a
week-long. This is where all the
dances from all of the regionals
come to compete against each other for overall awards and prizes.