Penfeather - The Donoho School

THE
Penfeather
October 2009
Volume 43 Issue II
The Haunted History of Halloween
Special Contribution to The Penfeather by Matt Ford
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
BY MATT FORD
Crossword.............8
Poem......................7
Student Life............2
Sports....................5
Cartoon.................6
Staff Members:
Rachel Stokes (editor)
Kelsy Crawford
(layout editor)
Taylor Dawson
(layout editor)
Nisha Kashyap
(junior editor)
Melissa Patterson
(junior editor)
Diana Thomson
(junior editor)
Sarah Ankrom
Richard Bateman
Savannah Becotte
Jake Blair
Alli Brascho
Johnny Clausen
Sunny Donti
Vinay Giri
Elizabeth Smith
Bryce St.Clair
Zach St.Clair
Kendall Stewart
Maria Yamamuro
Callahan Wigley
James Kilpatrick
Raj Kashyap
Jon Storey
Katie Swinford
Jon Storey
Kayla Darby
Paul Chong
Kelly Nelson
Patrick Huang
Matt Ford
You have to love trick-or-treating: going
from house to house, in neighborhoods
often familiar but sometimes not, petitioning homeowners for candy under the
veiled threat of some sort of childish chicanery. Seriously, how awesome is that?
We all remember our favorite Halloween
costume: perhaps it was the year you went
dressed in a tutu, or maybe it was the time
that you wore one of your dad’s old Army
uniforms, or it just might have been that
really unfortunate decision to dress up
like the drummer from Blink 182. As for
myself, I happen to remember a rather
epic turn as a Greaser from The Outsiders…but that’s a story for another time.
While the vast majority of
Americans have participated in this familiar ritual associated with Halloween,
few people actually know the history
behind the holiday. The word “Halloween” is actually the syncopation (ask your
English teacher) of “All Hallow’s Eve,”
the day before the Christian holiday All
Hallow’s Day on November 1. Interestingly, though, the celebration that takes
place every year on October 31 has a
unique and decidedly un-Christian origin.
Hundreds of years ago, the pagan
Celts of what is today Great Britain celebrated the festival of Samhain (pronounced
Sah-wen) on October 31, the start of their
new calendar year. The Celtic belief held
that on that particular day, the veil between
the spirit world and the living world was
so thin that the dead could roam the earth,
wreaking havoc on the living. The people celebrating the day would dress up in
costumes that mimicked depictions of the
dead – ghosts, goblins, witches, and skeletons – in an attempt to ward off the touch
of wandering spirits, and children would
go door to door asking their neighbors
for food or candy to use in the festivities.
Not surprisingly, this view of Halloween is unfamiliar to most people. This
is largely because the festival of Samhain
was Christianized in the 10th Century in
an attempt to aid in the conversion of the
world’s pagans. In order to take advantage of the festival already in place, the
Roman Catholic Church moved the Feast
of All Saints (formerly on May 13) to November 1, and turned the prominent pagan
holiday into a day of remembrance and
celebration of the lives of Christians that
had died in the last year. Starting the celebration on the eve of the holiday (October
31), the Church de-paganized it and used
it as a draw to bring people to Christianity.
Now that you know the history
behind the holiday, let us discuss some of
the familiar traditions associated with it.
As outlined above, the practices of wearing
costumes and trick-or-treating derive from
old Celtic traditions. A popular American
tradition, carving pumpkins, stems from
the mythical origins of the Jack-o-Lantern. According to legend, a man named
Jack was so evil that he was rejected by
Heaven and feared by the Devil, so he was
banished to earth and forced to roam for
all eternity with nothing to light his way
except for a lump of burning coal inside a
carved-out turnip. Thus, Jack’s lamp lends
its name to the orange globes that decorate America’s front porches in the fall.
The concept of bobbing for apples comes
from an Irish tradition known as a “divination” game, in which participants tried to
pluck apples floating in a tub while scanning the water’s reflection for an image
of the person they would marry one day.
Despite its mostly commercial
appeal, Halloween is not celebrated by all
Americans. Many Christian denominations advocate alternative activities such
as hayrides, bonfires, or “trunk-or-treat”
activities due to the holiday’s distinctively
pagan origins. Regardless of one’s celebratory preference, Halloween has a very
colorful and entertaining past. As we approach that time of year, take what you
have learned here and examine the symbols
and rituals that are prevalent in our society. And know this – as any student who
has heard one of my ghost stories will tell
you – if you a hear a “bump” in the night,
chances are it’s more real than you think.
Becoming A Story...
A Humorous Tale by our very own Russ Connell
Russ Connell
Well, well, well….
Doesn’t
this stink. Writing is such a draaaaaag.
PSYCHE! Just kidding! I friggin’ LOVE
it! If you don’t, you are a looooooooser!
Are you a loser? I hate losers. Sometimes
I beat up losers. I am cool. When I was a
little boy I used to write stories on the wings
of butterflies. They were hard to read, but
boy were they cool. Butterflies make me
smile. Except the ugly black ones. They
make me want to throw-up. Speaking of
throwing up! When I was in first grade my
family and my buddies and I all went to
eat chicken at Kentucky Fried Chicken (it
was called Kentucky Fried Chicken then,
not KFC, like it is now).
Well, it was after a baseball
game, and we were all hot and tired. Man,
I ate so much friggin’ chickin! Then, we
all went to my house and we had vanilla
ice cream with this new-fangled product
called “Magic Shell.” Ever heard of it?
Well, it had just come out onto the market,
and I loaded up a bowl of the stuff. Packed
the hump. Anyway, I ate and ate until I
thought I would explode. A few hours
later, I did. I puked my lungs up. And my
spine. Chicken and ice cream and chicken
and chicken and Magic Shell! Yum.
For years (literally) I could not
eat chicken. Imagine that…an American
boy who would not eat fried chicken. Sacrilege. Just recently I got to where I could
eat that chocolate Magic Shell stuff again.
I imagine hell to be a big bucket of chicken
with Magic Shell poured all over it. When
I think of losers I think of chicken with
Magic Shell poured all over it. And butterfly wings.
2
Student Life
Happy Birthday!
October
Ashton ShropshireOct.1
Jherica May- Oct. 4
Adele Fink- Oct. 6
Matthew Overton-Oct.6
Caroline LaFolletteOct. 10
Erin Phyllis- Oct. 14
Alex Woodfin- Oct. 22
Akmal Rajabov- Oct. 22
Parker Morgan- Oct. 27
November
Richard Bateman- Nov. 3
Callahan Wigley- Nov.18
Marissa Davis- Nov. 19
Kylie Burton- Nov. 20
Tate Thomas- Nov. 22
Sunny Donti- Nov. 24
Wyatt Veasey- Nov. 25
Eyasses* On Campus
BY VINAY GIRI
Each August marks the beginning of a
new year for Donoho. New teachers come;
new students come. Yet, this year was different. Not only did we see more students
come on the individual grade levels, an entire new grade was created. Donoho’s new
three-year-old class proudly serves to teach
children the basics before kindergarten.
The three-year-old class has two “periods” to it. 8 AM to 1 PM is the first, and
1 PM to 4 PM is the second. Only a few
kids remain in the second period. The first
period teacher is Mrs. House, and the second period, or extended day, is supervised
by Mrs. Blaskowski. I talked with Mrs.
Blaskowski about the three-year-old program. Apparently, the threes learn more
than how to properly use a toilet. “We try
to teach students how to recognize different letters. We teach days of the week and
months of the year. We teach numbers,
colors, songs, basic writing, and senses,”
said Mrs. Blaskowski. I never would have
imagined that a class for three-year-olds
would actually teach important stuff. The
grade is centered on a curriculum with a PE
class and a few playtimes thrown in. The
little ones also learn to interact with others,
how to sing, while others have their motor skills (painting/ coloring in the lines)
tuned. But don’t worry; students aren’t
becoming mindless Falcons: their work is
balanced throughout the day with changing
activities.
Mrs. Blaskowski is sure that most of
our three-year-olds will continue to attend
Donoho and that this class will help them
integrate well. Mrs. Blaskowski is sure that
“Donoho’s three-year-old program is well
structured and offers more than a regular
daycare program.” She also said. “This
class ends up motivating students. Many
kids have older siblings to look to and feel
good about their accomplishments. At the
end of the day, each student knows that he
has accomplished something.” Donoho is
reaching out to educate even the youngest
members of our community. We hope that
this class will prepare Donoho’s three-yearolds to become the National Merit Scholars
of tomorrow.
* Editorial Note: An eyass is a baby falcon
New Student:
Alec McCormack
Advice from Bryce
BY BRYCE ST.CLAIR
BY RAJ KASHYAP
Alec McCormack, 15, is a new
addition to the Donoho School and to
the sophomore class. Alec has wasted
no time getting settled here. This summer he moved all the way from Punta
Gorda, Florida, south of Tampa. He
came from Charlotte High School. Alec
also competed on Charlotte’s track
team, and Donoho is proud to have
him running for us. After I asked him if
there was anything new at Donoho that
he did not have in Florida, he replied,
“Physiology. I had never even heard of
this before coming here.” This does
not surprise me because everyone I talk
with usually asks me what Physiology
is. All in all, Alec has been having a
great year and let us hope it continues
that way.
Advice From K & K
BY KATIE SWINFORD and KAYLA DARBY
Q: How do you stop rumors from spreading?
A: Have you ever played the game telephone? You start out with a secret, and it goes
through a line of people. By the time it reaches the end, it’s completely different from
the truth. Rumors are like wildfire. They spread around like crazy, especially in a small
school. The best way to stop rumors is just not to spread them. If you hear something,
don’t tell anyone about it because it will just keep going!
What is Glisten?
BY ALLI BRSCHO and NISHA KASHYAP
It’s Raining Men! Who are those girls
in the shiny yellow coats singing? That
would be Glisten, your Donoho School
Show Choir! We got the opportunity to talk
with Mrs. Huddleston. She told us, “My
long-term goals for Glisten are a little hard
to define, right now. This endeavor has really been, from the very beginning, an effort to provide a new venue to strengthen,
encourage, and showcase some of our student talent while “realizing” a dream that
was and is important to the students who
actually formed the 2009 group. Eleven of
the original twelve are still in the group,
and most of our performance goals are determined by how deeply involved the majority of the group is willing to be. There
is a lot of time, effort, and financial issues
that factor in to developing a group like
this that aren’t necessarily obvious to outside observers.”
Last year's theme included It's Raining Men, Rhythm of the Rain, and Let the
Sun Shine. This year’s theme is “comprised
of songs that express self-confidence. I
think I’ll call it sassitude.”
If you saw the costumes last year…
wait… WHEN you saw the costumes last
year (They were hard to miss.), you saw
that they were bright yellow and shiny silver. This year’s costumes will include boots
and ties! “We look forward to making our
statement with vocals, choreography and
just a little costuming enhancement.”
Mrs. Huddleston’s favorite part of
Glisten is her “tendency to be a very production-oriented person…giving me the
challenge of producing a show choir is like
turning me loose in my own little candy
store. I don’t know, watching the finished
product is a high I can’t really describe.
“After much consideration, the group
decided that we probably aren’t ready to actually compete in a major competition, this
year. However we do plan to take steps to
begin preparing ourselves for that possibility in coming years. We are lengthening
our show this year; we hope to attend at
least one competition as observers, and we
hope to be invited to perform our at venues
other than the Donoho School.”
After a recent discussion with my AP
English class, I decided to shed some light
on the “scavengers” of Donoho.
Who/What is a Donoho Scavenger?
When an advisory party is created, each
person brings a food item for the advisory
to enjoy on Friday. When a party is planed
too short term or too haphazardly, many
students forget to bring their advisory
goodies. As a result, the only people who
remembered or cared enough to bring food
or supplies are left to create a truly terrible
“feast.”
How do I know if my advisory party is
a bust? Well, look around the table. Does
the “feast” contain only crackers and ice
cream? Are the only two things on the table
salsa and sugar cookies? If so, you have a
failed advisory party.
Out of these pitiful excuses for a fiesta
rise the infamous Donoho Scavengers.
Usually upperclassmen, the scavengers
will try and take another party’s leftovers
or extras. “Do you have any more doughnuts?” or “We forgot Milo’s. Are you using yours?” such questions bombard more
successful banquets in an attempt for
food. Everyone hates Donoho Scavengers.
Why? Is it because they were too lazy to
bring food? Are they taking advantage of
our great planning? Are they the “regulars”
who always ask for your food? Almost all
answers differ, but the feelings of disgust
and hate hold true.
To any scavengers who are reading
this, let it be known that society hates you.
You’re about as wanted as a trick-or-treat
bag full of fresh produce. Please take this
advice: Only ask for food at the very end
of advisory parties. During cleanup, no one
wants to throw away four cake-doughnuts,
so there will always be extras for you to
eat. Take advantage of remaining cookies,
Rotel dip, and Pepsi when everyone is already finished eating.
To any students who are approached by a scavenger in the near future,
remember that you CAN say “no.” You
ARE able to deny a scavenger food if his/
her advisory “dropped the ball” in creating
a successful party.
In the end, have a great advisory
Friday. It makes the end of the week so
much sweeter (Yes, I intended the pun…)!
Don’t forget to bring a variety of foods
that are salty AND sweet, crunchy AND
smooth, hot AND cold. Happy feasting!
Student Life
3
Optimist/ Pessimist: Dressing-up for Halloween
BY NISHA KASHYAP
Superheroes! Princesses! Vampires! Oh, my! Halloween is one of my
favorite times of the year. It’s a day
when we can all pretend to be someone
or even something we are not and not
be seen as crazy while we do it.
The little boys will dress like
superheroes or super villains in their
cute definitely- too-big costumes and
“scare” you when open the door. The
pre-teen boys will dress like Screams
or other “scary” creatures complete
with hand-pumped blood masks and
fake machetes. Then, the teenage boys
will dress like hobos (in jeans and a tshirt) and say “I’m just taking my little
brother around.”
The little girls, on the other hand,
will dress like fairies and princesses
waltzing around in their plastic highheels. The pre-teen girls will dress like
Hannah Montanas and Taylor Swifts
wearing. Then, the teenage girls like
me, will either dress like vampires,
vampires, …or vampires.
However, outside all the stereotypes this year, there will be the handful
of teenagers who dress up like ghosts,
goblins, princesses, tourists, hotdogs,
BY JOHNNY CLAUSEN
or genies. Who knows what? So, I encourage you all to embrace this holiday
that is Halloween and get creative, use
your imaginations and maybe some
makeup, and get out there and score
some candy!
Here are some great ideas for
those of you out there that are still undecided:
1. Tourist: Hawaiian style t-shirt, jeans,
binoculars, fanny pack, camera
2. Gypsy: Layered tank tops, big bangles, hoop earrings, long skirt
3. Pirate: Boots, baggy pants tucked
into boots, bandana around head,
patch
4. Cowboy: Jeans, plaid shirt, cowboy
boots and hat, braids
5. Nerd: Pants super high on the waist,
shirt buttoned all the way up, and huge
glasses
6. Ugly Betty: long sleeves, vest, long
skirt, eyeliner- thicken eyebrows, red
glasses
7. Cereal Killer: empty mini-cereal
boxes w/ plastic knives in sides, paint
w/ red, pin boxes all over yourself
For more ideas, check out
www.costumeideazone.com
Ok, imagine this. You are eight
years old, and it is Halloween. You
just got an awesome costume, maybe
Power Ranger or whatever kids are
into these days, and you’re about to set
off to a night and getting free candy for
no good reason. That’s fine and great.
Once you hit about 11 though, just
stop. You look like an idiot.
It’s cute, I guess, when little kids
get excited over Halloween, and not to
mention, it’s hilarious when your little
brother is running all over the house at
11 o’clock at night being somewhat annoying. When your brother is twelve
years old, however, these actions are
not so ‘cute.’ I’ve seen people my
age, sixteen, come to my door and ask
me for candy. AM I SUPPOSED TO
TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY?! I’ve come
very close to slapping someone silly.
It’s preposterous! Their costumes don’t
even deserve a second look. Someone
actually came up to my door, someone
of around my age, and said “Trick or
Treat.” He was dressed in a t-shirt and
blue jeans. “What are you supposed to
be?” asked I. “I’m a hobo.” A hobo?
I’ve seen more impressive costumes on
a dog!
Halloween pranks, however, can
be fun. Egging, rolling, even Oreo-ing
could be loads of fun, but not so much
when they happen to you. Personally,
scaring little kids is my favorite thing
to do. I want to order a scary mask,
wait for some little 6-year-olds come to
my door, and then scare the daylights
out of them. Cruel, yes. Hilarious, even
more yes.
Honestly, Halloween is one of
my least favorite, ‘holidays.’ Just like
Valentine’s day, it’s a total commercial
holiday. It’s just a wallet-padding holiday for the candy-makers of America;
and, if you think about it, it could help
the laundry detergent makers. Something has to wash the pants of the little
kid you made pee him/herself.
Trick or Treating Tips
BY ELIZABETH SMITH
It’s that time of the year again. The
time when your parents tunnel through the
“Holiday Storage Room” for plastic jacko-lanterns, the fluffy-cotton spider webs,
and the decorative candy dish. Maybe it’s
time for your family trip to the pumpkin
patch that no one has enjoyed since the
90s, but you go anyway because it’s tradition. But the most important part of this
time is the candy capturing, tooth rotting,
trick or treating adventure that happens at
the end of this time. No matter your age,
you always have that special childish desire to go. Sure, go ahead and use the “I’m
just taking my younger sibling” excuse, we
won’t judge you. In fact, we will join you!
It’s a night where you get to be
something you’re not, something unheard
of, something unreal. And for being a poser, you get rewarded with candy-covered
cavities. Who would pass this up? As professionals at this childish act, we have put
together some of our best tips so you can
go onto your street with a bag of pride in
your sack of candy.
1.Dress up as something so far-fetched
that is requires an explanation when you
ring the doorbell. When the host is clueless
after your explanation, act not offended,
but upset due to their lack of imagination.
Puppy dog face = extra candy.
2.In the movies, you see people dress
up in different costumes and hit the same
house and always get caught. Here’s what
you do: go to the same house with your
same costume on, but go as someone with
amnesia. That way if you get called out for
returning, you technically will be telling
the truth when you tell them your memory
is messed up. Pity = extra candy.
3.Take your younger sibling with you.
And if you don’t have one or they don’t
want to go with you, simply borrow your
neighbor’s four-year old. Carry them in
your arms to the door and tell them to say
“please” and “thank you.” Cute kid= extra
candy.
4.Ignore the “Please take one piece”
signs on any abandoned bowl of candy. If
the owner of this poor bowl is too afraid
to abide to the rule of courtesy (which is
to gladly hand you a piece of candy with
a smile and wish you a good evening),
they don’t deserve to make the rules. Take
as much as you would like. Greed = extra
candy.
5.Stage a fight with your friends where
they beat you to the ground and steal all
your goodies in the process. Make sure this
beat-down “coincidentally” takes place on
a porch…when the door is open and the
host is watching, candy in hand. Loss =
gain….extra gain.
6.You can always say you are deathly allergic to the candy you are originally given.
Due to your life being put on the line, they
will avoid the law suit with a few more
pieces of candy, probably of your choice.
Lawyers = extra candy.
7.Dress as an Amish child this year. When
you go to the door and you are handed a
piece of candy, take a small nibble out of
it, and just let it light up your world. Tell
the nice candy givers that you haven’t ever
had this “delectable gift from Heaven”
and would love to experience this delicacy
once more. Socially lost = extra candy and
maybe a hug.
8.Compliment them on their holiday décor. Don’t stop until they are so annoyed
that they give you what you want, which is
candy. Pest = extra candy or a restraining
order. (Well worth it)
9.Dress up as a ninja this year. Walk up
to the unsuspecting host with their bowl
of candy, while they are staring into your
mysterious eyes, nonchalantly take handfuls of candy. Once you are satisfied, put
on an unseen smile and say trick or treat
in your cutest voice. You will leave with at
least three handfuls and one extra piece for
good measure. Thievery = extra candy.
10.You could always go as a candy inspector. No piece of candy shall go untested! Bravery = extra candy.
These tips have been well tested over
the years by two devious professionals,
now coming to a doorstep near you. However, if you use one of our tips and it results
poorly for you, don’t blame us. We are simply the messengers who have a getaway car
behind the school. Although these tips are
important and can be used to great benefits,
don’t forget the elementary ones like wearing reflectors and saying thank you when
you steal other peoples’ candy.
Happy Halloween, you devious, little
sneaks!
4
Student Life
Debate for Dummies
BY CALLAHAN WIGLEY
Callahan Wigley
Have you ever wondered about the
mysterious questions surrounding the
world of Forensics; questions such as:
What is forensics? What do you do? Where
it is? Well, today is your lucky day because
today I’ll be your guide through the world
of forensics. It can be divided into two sections: Debate and Individual Events (or
I.E. for short).
Let us begin with debate. Debate
can be split into two categories: Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas (L.D. for short).
In public forum debate, you have one partner with whom you debate about issues
concerning the U.S. government. These
topics can range from immigration to foreign countries’ effects on the U.S. In this
debate, facts and statistics are of the utmost
importance. Each partner must write his/
her case, a 4 minute speech on why he or
she is for or against the topic.
When you are affirmative, you’re
referred to as the aff. or pro.;when you’re
against the topic, you’re referred to as the
neg. or con. Throughout the debate there
are cross fires, a time in the debate when
you and your opponent ask questions about
your cases. There might be a question on
what your first contention was, or there
might be a question on wheter you agree
with me on this issue. (Contentions are the
reasons you’re for or against the topic.) By
the way, you flip a coin before the round
to decide if you’re neg. or pro. The final
section of a public forum round is the most
important section, and it’s called the crystallization. In this round you just sum up
what has happened in the round, or you
might just restate your contentions, but you
have to read fast because this round is only
one minute long. This section is the most
important because it is your last impression
on the judge. If you want more info on this
section, talk to me or Brian Westbrook or
Richard Bateman.
Lincoln Douglas debate is quite
different from public forum debate. In this
debate you don’t have a partner and the
cases have to be longer and you have to
write both of your cases. In L.D. you have
value debates or debates about morals.
Facts and stats don’t really matter in this
debate. In this debate you have a value or
where stand on the topic and your contentions must support your value. They usually assign you if you’re going to be neg. or
pro for a round. This form of debate is more
complicated and more difficult than public
forum, so I would advise to do public forum before you attempt L.D. If you want
more info on this section talk to Vinay Giri
or Sunny Dunti.
The Individual Events category
could be divided up to many sections, but
because of time I will touch on only a few.
The first event is called impromptu. In im-
promptu you go into a room and a judge
will have 3 random topics. For example,
the topics could be the color red, a garden,
or a pencil. You must choose one of those
topics, and you have a couple of minutes
to write some notes on them. Then you
talk about your topic for 3-5 minutes. You
could talk about how you hate this thing
or person, or how you like your topic. It’s
your choice. If you want more info on this
event, talk to Jon Story or Raj Kayship or
Ellen Hardy.
The second event is called prose.
In this event you have to pick out a little
piece from a book and it can be from any
book and you basically read straight from
the piece and act it out while you’re reading it. You can have accents and voice tone,
but you can’t have props. If you want more
info on this event talk to Nisha Kayship.
The third event is Dramatic Interpretation. In this event you must memorize
a piece from a play or any literary that’s
sad or depressing and then you must act it
out. You can have no props in this event
too. If you want more information on this
event talk to Ellen Hardy.
How do you join the Forensics
team? The answer is simple: just contact
Mrs. Burrage about joining the forensics
team and she will say yes, but I’m warning
you! Don’t go into a tournament thinking
that this is going to be easy and you don’t
have to practice. Forensics takes a lot of
hard work and practice, as well as a lot of
patience.
Where does forensics take place?
Forensics takes place at forensics tournaments. These tournaments are usually in
high schools in Birmingham. The only
tournament outside of Birmingham that we
go to is the St. James tournament in Mont-
Eyasses Continued...
BY VINAY GIRI
After I typed the article* that you all
hopefully just read, I went down to the fine
arts building to speak face-to-face with an
actual three-year old. I talked to Erin, who
could not fully pronounce her last name
(so it is not included in the article.) At first
Erin was not very talkative, but eventually
my amazing Indian personality was able to
solicit some extremely long responses. According to Erin, “We paint, we go outside,
go to the playground, paint kites, play in
the kitchen (which is fake by the way), and
play with play dough.” These same activities were repeated a few more times, but
in the end it was apparent that the threeyear olds are learning while having a fun
time. After a few more questions, I got this
response from Erin, “We sing our songs,
count our apples, read our books, and
count our farmers, and sing our months!”
Erin then proceeded to sing the “Months of
the Year Song,” ending it with jazz hands.
As soon as she had finished, another
three-year old ran up to me and shouted
that she had made a poster-- with stickers
on it! The three-year old class is full of fun
kids that love being at Donoho. As I was
leaving, I knew that we had a new generation of cheerleaders coming up as Erin began singing “Who Rocks the House” That
was me--rocking and talking with a threeyear-old.
* Editorial Note: See“ Eyasses On Campus” p. 2
Tabs4change Update
BY NISHA KASHYAP
Most people have homes and loving families. Most people have
food…everyday. Most people have the chance to become whatever
they wish to become, the chance at an education. Some people are
not that lucky.
Close your eyes and imagine. You live on the streets. You have
no family to protect you, to love you. You have no food. Your stomach is so beyond “starving” that it hurts. You opened your eyes didn’t
you? I would, too. For the children on the streets in India, this is exactly the case. However, with the help of the Fulora Charity of Mumbai, India, this can all change. The Fulora Charity Barefoot Program
sets up homes and schools for children and provides daily meals. The
program also allows the children to “earn” a daily salary simply for
living in the Fulora homes and being themselves.
With tabs4change, here at our very own school, we can help, too!
Imagine every time you recycle, you put a smile on a little child’s
face. What can be better than that? Not only are we going green as a
school, but we are helping children across the globe receive an education, a home, and food---the simple necessities of life!
So, recycle and smile, because you are lighting up someone’s
life every time you throw in a sheet of paper!
gomery. Forensics tournaments usually last
half of Friday and all day Saturday. There’s
a concession stand at the tournament that
sells pizza, chicken sandwiches, candy,
etc… Usually, though, after the tournament
we might stop at a Chili’s or a Burger King
or something like that. You’ll need money
for food, the hotel room, and the entry fee.
Overall, forensics tournaments are fun,
and you get to meet a lot of new people
and make a lot of new friends. There are
college scholarships involved in forensics
as well. So think about joining forensics
when you want join a club because it might
be just want you need.
Our forensics winners.
Sports
Coach’s Corner
BY KATIE SWINFORD
I had the privilege of interviewing
Varsity Volleyball Coach Janice Slay one
day after practice. It was an honor and a joy
to speak with Coach Slay. Here are some
highlights from our interview:
Q: What made you decide to start coaching?
A: I had a dynamic coach in high school.
When I moved to AL in the 7th grade, I grew
up in a town where girls only played basketball, but back then it was against the law
to have girl’s basketball teams. Because of
this law, our P.E. teacher from Mississippi
decided to create something new: a volleyball team. She was charismatic with energy
and was a hero to many girls. I wanted to
be just like her.
Q: Did you play college volleyball? If so
where?
A: Yes, at the University of North Alabama.
Q: What position did you play?
A: I was a setter and outside hitter.
Q: What other coaching jobs have you
had?
A: My first coaching job was at the University of Mississippi as graduate assistant
coach, and then I was the assistant coach at
South Western Baptist College. Then I was
the head coach at JSU for 17 years. After I retired, I coached Jacksonville High
School’s J.V. team for two years. Now I’m
here.
Q: What has been your favorite coaching
memory?
A: When I was coaching at JSU, we won
our conference two years in a row. We
were part of the Gulf South Conference.
The team was a really special group of
girls that meshed well together.
Q: What are your goals for the Donoho
Volleyball program?
A: WIN STATE!!
Q: How is the season going thus far?
A: Well, we have a winning record, and
we have had some impressive wins and
tough loses. But we are still growing. So
far not too bad.
Q: How do you think the team will do in
post-season?
A: My hopes are that we will go to state,
but the reality is that the girls must realize
that they have to play together, or they will
stumble. But, I have faith that we could
make it to Pelham.
5
Sportsmanship
BY RICHARD BATEMAN
During a game many things go on. Tempers flare, anger flashes, and you see the true
colors of some people show. Have you ever seen a person make fun of another team or
cheat in a game? These people are easy to pick out in a team, and they get on everyone’s
last nerve. However, this never pays off in the long run. Sports are for enjoyment, not for
harassment or cheating.
When a bad sportsman enters the game, everyone’s enjoyment is severed. When
people cheat or act offensively during a game, they break the sense of rules that make the
game more challenging. This leaves the other honest players of the game at a disadvantage. However, despite what others do, honest and level-headed players always impress
coaches and teammates when they use good sportsmanship. A competitive spirit is good,
though, and not the same as breaking rules or being offensive.
A competitive spirit is healthy, but a line must be drawn between this and being a
bad sport. Be careful what you say and do to other players before and after the game, and
don’t let your desire to win lead to cheating or offensive behavior. To know whether your
actions may be unsportsmanlike, ask yourself what you would think if someone on the
other team acted that way to you.
Being a good sport earns respect and keeps the game fun for both competing teams.
Be competitive in proportion and be sensitive to others’ enjoyment of the game.
It doesn’t matter if you try and try and
try again and fail. It does matter if you
try and fail, and fail to try again.
-Charles Kettering
Q: What is your favorite type of music?
A: Contemporary Christian, and a little
BOOM!
Hallow-Dega 2009
BY PATRICK HUANG
It's that time of the year again, Race Weekend! Race weekend in Talladega occurs
only twice a year at the Talladega Superspeedway. People from all over North America
come to Talladega to watch the race. Those three days, the sleepy town of Talladega of
20,000 is converted to a buzzling, traffic-jammed metropolis of 200,000 anxious race
fans. Other races, where one person has the lead right from the start, can get boring. But
races in Talladega Superspeedway are different. The track is four lanes wide, and the
cars run close together to take advantage of the "draft," at the average speed of 190 miles
per hour. Together with the slick road, and the number of drivers racing, racers can get
tangled in the giant crashes. Racers are always afraid of the biggest crash or the "Big
One." There are usually 43 racers competing in the final race. Racers must qualify to
participate in the final race, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, which will be on November 1,
2009. They will drive in a 2.66-Mile Tri-Oval Course, 188 laps, to a total of 500 miles.
Football players take a knee under the Friday night lights
Good, Better, Best... For Better or Worse
BY WILL READY
Will Ready
Most of you will recognize the
“Good, Better, Best” breakdown from several years ago when our Donoho Falcons
had quite the amazing season, making it
farther into the playoffs than any other Falcon football team and losing only once. A
lot of hard work went into that season to
get those players to play as a team, and it
showed when Friday night came around.
However, many of you probably noticed a
slight decline in the success of our beloved
team.
Over the past couple years, our
records have gotten worse; there is no getting around it, but this is not the point of
this article. While the football team has
lost players over the years, and the number of players has diminished greatly, I
can assure you the work put in by the team
has not suffered. Our team has spent their
precious summers working out, running
in the Alabama humidity, and yes, going
through the dreaded trip to Pisgah, all for
preparation for this season. As a former
player, I can assure you the summer training is not anywhere near the term “easy.”
Especially with a coach like Coach Felder,
the team is not going to give up because
of setbacks. The level of dedication given
by our football team has stayed the same
through all the struggles of playing with a
team who has significantly less players and
often significantly smaller players than the
opposing teams. Our team consists of less
than twenty varsity players, and most of
the players are quite young, since we don’t
have a large senior class this year. Despite
all of this, our team still gives 100% every
Friday night whether they are currently 5-0
or 0-5.
As Donoho students and Falcon
Football fans, we have to remember to put
our entire support behind the football team
and band no matter how the season is going. We especially need to support them
because most of the players are our friends
who we have grown up with for years, and
since Donoho is practically one big family,
they are our family as well. So go throw
on a jacket and get some hot chocolate,
because it is getting colder, and go support the football team next Friday night.
It shouldn’t matter whether we are going
for the shutout record or going for that first
win, for better or worse, we need to be in
those stands. Go Falcons! Hopefully I’ll
see you all out there next Friday night.
At the beginning of this epic race is the deafening scream of the powerful engines; it is so loud it practically vibrates the bleachers. The smell of black smoke and
fumes and the burning tires fills the air as the racers get their cars revved up. As the green
flag is waved, the cars zoom as the crowd screams at the top of their voices cheering on
their favorite driver. The speed, excitement, and exhilaration are all factors that keep you
on the edge of your seat for several hours until the checkered flag is waved to declare the
winner. Will it be Dale Earnhardt, Jr? Jeff Gordon? Brian Vickers? I haven't been to any
races yet, but maybe I'll go to the Hallow-dega Race this year. Anyway, keep on cheering,
racing fans. See you at the race.
6
Entertainment
Spend a lot of time on
Facebook?
While you’re on, check out
the Donoho School page.
Become a fan today!
Be Aware.
Be Prepared.
BY MARIA YAMAMURO
BY RACHEL STOKES
Melissa’s Halloween Candy Poll
What is your favorite Halloween Candy?
Chocolate – 51%
Fruity Candy (i.e. Skittles, Starburst, etc.) – 23%
Candy Apples – 13%
Lollipops – 13%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Chocolate
Fruity Candy
Candy Apples
Lollipops
10%
0%
Music in Hawaii
BY RICHARD BATEMAN
The band and choir have found a unique way to spend their intersession. Not only will
they get some serious beach time, but they will also be performing their first concert in
our fiftieth state, Hawaii. They have been doing various things to raise money for their
getaway, including selling biscuits at break and before school on Mondays and Thursdays.
They have high expectations for the trip.
Not only will the band and choir enjoy the beach and concert, they will also do some
educational things, such as visiting Pearl Harbor, exploring mountains, and perhaps getting a hula lesson. This will provide a fun trip to paradise with historic and geographical
value. Both groups anticipate their trip as a time of fellowship and performing experience.
The trip will also establish a name for our school in a state we haven’t explored during a school trip before. The
band and choir hope to perform well and represent the school.
The band and choir have high hopes for their performance and intersession experience. They want to spend time on
the beach and explore unusual places and historic sites. They anticipate a great, action-packed trip.
Take a second and imagine with me for a
moment. The bell rings, signifying the end
of your first period class. Students flood the
hallway. There are people all around you.
All you can do is push your way forward
and try to make it to your class alive. When,
all of a sudden, zombies break in! No panic
door in the world can stop them from feasting on unsuspecting freshmen. What do
you do? Sure, you could run. They would
probably catch you. You could hide, but
any senior who has played Nazi-zombies
can tell you they would find you.
When confronted with this question,
Donoho teacher, Lisa Light replies, “Stop,
drop, and roll!” Senior, Taylor Kilgore
says, “SING! In the words of Miss Congeniality, stomach, in-step, nose, groin!”
Senior, Jherica May would call Chuck
Norris, while Blake Mitchell, also a senior,
would fight them, Kung-fu style. “Sacrifice
a freshman!” exclaims junior, Melissa Patterson. Emily Richardson, Donoho French
teacher, would lock herself in her office
and hide under her desk, while Mrs. Senter,
Donoho science teacher, would use her array of chemicals and acids to fend off the
living dead.
While all of these are valid suggestions,
I feel the responsibility lies with you to
be prepared. Take a moment and read the
University of Florida’s emergency plan for
dealing with this crisis. So far, their plan
has proved effective. As far as I know, they
have not lost any students to zombie attacks. A few safety tips for handling zombie activity are as follows:
1.Report any persons exhibiting suspicious
behavior, such as moaning, groaning, limping, expressing a desire to eat brains, or
snacking on a friend.
2.DO NOT attempt to fight them using
hand-to-hand combat. Zombies will bite.
3.Garlic will not ward off zombies. This
action only works against fully-grown
vampires.
4.Avoid any persons who were once dead
but are now moving. They are most likely
zombies.
5.RUN!!! No matter what you throw at
them, zombies won’t die. Remember, they
are already dead.
I hope these tips help you in case of
a zombie apocalypse. Please feel free to
cut these tips out and store them where the
zombies won’t find them, i.e. a pocket or
maybe sewn into your favorite jacket or
underwear. Just remember, “The night of
the living dead” may come soon, and we
all must be prepared.
Entertainment
7
Landing Among the Stars
Grossest Halloween Recipe Ever: Kitty Litter Cake
BY ALLI BRASCHO
BY JAMES KILPATRICK
We push ourselves,
Test ourselves,
And raise the bar high
Shooting for the moon
And landing among the stars
In the dark, night, sky
And, when it comes down to it all,
We know it’s worth the pressure,
Worth the challenge,
Worth the time.
We know where we’re going
And though we may not land on the moon
We WILL float among the stars.
When it comes to Halloween recipes, it doesn’t get any more disgusting than a kitty litter cake served in a litter box
with a pooper scooper! This is not the cheapest of Halloween dessert recipes to undertake. It will not be easy and it can be
very time consuming. But…here’s how it is done.
Simple Halloween Party
Tips
BY KELLY NELSON
Planning a Halloween party?
Don’t know what the theme is going to
be or how to decorate? Can’t decide on
what to serve? Well, here are some tips
on how to have your best Halloween
party yet!
Is your party going to be spooky
or based on celebrities? A theme sets a
great tone for your party. Sometimes
you don’t even need a theme, but they
may be more enjoyable for you and
your guests. Some themes could be a
costume party, haunted house, or monster themed party. You can also go with
a color theme, like orange and black.
With color themes, the party area is
decorated with these colors. Themes
are also helpful so your guests will
know what to wear as well.
Decorations should go with the
theme, if there is one. You can add to
the Halloween atmosphere by placing
scary objects and spooky sound effects
in the party room. Do the same outside.
Get out the Christmas lights! Using
white Christmas lights and candles will
add to the eeriness of the room. Also,
Jack o’ lanterns are fun and classic; you
can put several of those around.
Unless your party involves
a dinner, you need to make all food
easy to eat, like finger foods, because
most guests will be standing up while
eating. If it does involve a dinner, you
could serve things like sub sandwiches
or tacos. It’s okay if you don’t serve a
dinner; you can always put out snacks
for people to munch on. If you’re not
going to serve things like Monster
Toes and Worm Pudding, you could always go with the classics. People love
things like pigs-in-a-blanket, chips and
dip, or any kind or dessert. Oh yeah!
Don’t forget to always have something
around to drink, especially caffeine!
Ingredients:
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 package white cake mix
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 package vanilla sandwich cookies
6 drops green food coloring
1 package tootsie rolls
1 new kitty litter box
1 new pooper scooper
Directions:
1. To start off, prepare the cake mixes and bake according to the packages’ directions. (Pan sizes does not matter. Don’t use
the litter box to bake in.)
2. Prepare pudding according to the package’s directions and chill it until it is ready to assemble. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green
food coloring and mix.
3. When the cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl, and toss in 1/2 of the remaining cookie
crumbs, and the chilled pudding.(You probably won’t need all of the pudding. You want the cake to be just moist, not
soggy.)
4. Line kitty litter box with the clear liner (plastic wrap work fine too) and put cake mixture into box.
5. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape and curve the tootsie rolls
slightly to resemble cat poop.
**Trust me kids love doing this disgusting deed!**
6. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount
of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top.
7. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted and lay them gently on the side of the kitty box and
sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs.
8. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs and place final tootsie roll poop on the top to resemble a very full littler
box.
(Recipe from http://grosshalloweenrecipes.com)
I hope this recipe comes in handy. This cake would be great for any Halloween get-together! Bon Appetit!
Slime Recipe
IT’S SLIME TIME!!!
Experiment with these slime recipe favorite. It’s great for a Halloween party. (Kids Party Paradise)
EASY SLIME RECIPE #1
2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
Food Coloring
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch, then food coloring while stirring constantly. Remove from heat
and cool to room temperature. This makes a messy slime that goes from liquid to solid and is great fun to play with.
EASY SLIME RECIPE #2
1/4 cup White Glue
1 1/4 cup Water, divided
1 tbsp. Borax - found in the laundry detergent aisle of your grocery store
Food coloring
Borax is available in the laundry section of your local grocery store. Add 1 tbsp. Borax to one cup of warm water. Stir until
completely dissolved.
Make a 50% water 50% white glue solution. Take 1/4 cup of each and mix thoroughly.In a ziploc bag, add equal parts of
the borax solution to equal parts of the glue solution. (Half cup of each will make a cup of slime.)Add a couple drops of
food coloring. Seal bag and knead the mixture.If slime is too sticky, add a little more borax. If slime is too slippery, add a
little more white glue solution.
Variations:
Less rubbery & more transparent slime: Try a 4% solution of polyvinyl alcohol instead of the glue mixture.
Different Consistencies: Add shaving cream or baby powder to the mixture
Glow in the Dark Slime: Add several drops of glow-in-the-dark paint during mixing.
GENERAL SLIME HANDLING INFORMATION:
Store in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for maximum life.
A few drops of Lysol can be added to the Slime to minimize formation of mold and extend the lifetime of the Slime.
Wash hands before using slime to minimize mold growth as well.
Keep off carpets and furniture as it can stain.
Borax is toxic in large doses, so keep out of reach of children under 3.
Page 8
Turn the finished crossword into a Penfeather editor to be eligible for a prize.
BY JON STOREY
Southern Fixins
FEAR
BY MELISSA PATTERSON
BY WILNADIA MURRELL
1. “My cow died last night, so I don’t need
your bull.” – phrase; a kinder way to say I
don’t care what you are saying to me right
now. [pronunciation: mah cawh died layust
nighut so aye dawn’t neeeed yoer bull]
2. “He’s busier than a one-legged man in
a butt-kicking contest.” – phrase; [pronunciation: hez buzier than uh wonn leggid
mayun in a buyt kickin’ cowntest]
3. “Well, that’s as useful as a trapdoor in
a canoe.” – phrase; [pronunciation: well,
thaytz as uzefull as uh traypdoor in a can
–oo]
4. “They’re off like a herd of turtles!” –
phrase; [pronunciation: there awf like a
hurd of turdles]
5. “God Bless It!” – phrase; commonly
used to show sympathy or pity. [pronunciation: gawd bless iyt]
6. “I wouldn’t care to.” – phrase; “I don’t
want to, but I guess I have to.” [pronunciation: aye wudn’t kayer too]
Wilnadia Murrell
I’m running through the forest. I hear
strange terrible sounds behind me. My
lungs feel like they are going to implode
from panting and dodging of trees. Twigs
slap and scratch my face leaving stinging
welts. Suddenly, I come to a cliff, nearly
falling off. I turn around to see a blurry tall
figure leap out of the bush. ‘’Margret wake
up, it’s time for school!’’ Startled, I jump
up, and see my mom walk out of my room.
Across
Down
2. Most popular costume for girls
in 2008.
6. Actress’s last name that was in
the opening scene of Scream.
7. Trick or ____!
9. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with this fallthemed color.
10. Type of ghost that moves and
influences objects that is never
seen, also the title of a 1982 horror
film.
12. Last name of the actor in The
Shining and The Howling.
13. Medical term that describes a
rare mental illness that causes you
to mistake yourself for a wolf.
14. Halloween; originally a
_______ holiday.
18. Feeding on another animal’s
blood is called
20. Jack-o-lanterns were originally
made from what?
21. Robert Englund portrayed
what famous fictional camera?
1. Most common costume for boys
in 2008
2. A wooden stake from what tree
kills a vampire?
3. The ability to see objects or
events without looking at them is
called what?
4. Writer of the famous book the
Frankstein Monster.
5. A unibrow, hairy palms, tattoos,
and a long middle finger are all
characteristics of a _____.
8. Vampires are said to orginate
from what country?
11. Mike Myers wore a white mask
of who.
15. At what camp did the Friday the
13th movies occur?
16. "Jerry’s Guide to the World
Wide Web” is now known as what
_______?
17. A popular book by Max Brooks
about a war against the zombies
was titled what?
19. Last name of famous magician
who died on Halloween in 1926.
I look around. I’m safe in bed.
I eat quickly, grab my lunch, and
run out the door. I notice a white sedan
parked with figures watching my every
move. After walking about one block, I
notice the sedan following me. I speed up.
The white dusty sedan increases in speed
too. I’m really scared now, so I run into
an alley and tried to hide behind a dumpster. I look cautiously around the edge of
the dumpster to see if the white sedan is
still there. No sedan. I take a deep breath
and relax.
Suddenly, screeching tires
pierce the silence. The white sedan is racing toward me. I’m blocked in, and there
is no way out. A muscular man, looking
as if he could crush stones with his bare
hands, rushes out of the passenger side.
Before can I react, he puts a filthy rag over
my mouth. I drift off sleepily wondering,
“Whats gonna happen to me?”
Once again, I’m running through
the forest. I hear strange and terrible
sounds behind me. Trying to dodge trees,
branches slap my face. I narrowly miss
falling off a cliff. “Wake up lil’ missy”.
I then hear, “Leave her alone Earl! She
needs to be well rested for the test.” I try
to move, but my arms are strapped down.
I scream and the muscular man comes in
and places a mask on my face “Breath in
and out” he says. I take a deep breath, I’m
too scared to not obey. He says, “We are
testing fear in humans, so you will be experiencing things that will frighten you.” I
then see bugs and snakes slithering toward
me. Overcome with fear, I rip through the
restraints and burst through a window, running into the nearby woods.
I’m running as fast as I can. I start
to hear the same strange and terrible sounds
I heard in my dreams this morning. I arrive
at the same cliff as in my dreams, nearly falling off. I turn around to run in an opposite
direction, but the muscular man is blocking
my way. He is standing with a leash in his
hand. Attached to the leash is the same tall
figure that leaped out at me in my dream
earlier this morning. It had claws that could
shred steel. “So Margret,” the muscular
man asked with a smile, “Do you feel fear
now, or is this just another dream?”
Stranger in the Shadows
BY NISHA KASHYAP
I was your average teenager. I was vain and
yet self-conscious, studious and yet jovial,
but now…I’ve changed.
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking with my little sister, Joanna, back home
from the corner Coffee, Café, Latte Shop,
the perfect place to escape from winter with
a nice hot cocoa. Only about twenty feet
away from the neon OPEN sign and the
smells of cozy winter memories, I started
to feel like someone was following us. I
could tell Joanna felt it, too. Her eyes grew
wide, and she squeezed my hand. Everything in the dark suddenly seemed scary,
though it had not on the way there. The
murky grey of the clouds had turned pitch
black. Sounds of what seemed like thunderous, thick, threatening footsteps were
following me. The footsteps, though surely
softer than I was imagining, were, now,
in my ears, deafening. Walking faster and
faster, it was becoming difficult for Joanna
to keep up, but she did, barely.
Like terrified mice finding refuge from
a ravenous cat, we finally arrived home. It
was not unusual for us to get home late on
“cocoa nights,” so Mom and Dad were already asleep, but for Joanna and me, sleep
was a distant concept. We were petrified.
Eventually a restless stupor overcame
me. A short time later, I was awakened by a
muffled scream that seemed to come from
Joanna’s bedroom. Startled, I rushed to
her. At first glance, her bedroom was normal; nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The lights were off, and I thought, “Oh, it
must have simply been a nightmare. She is
fine.” However, right before turning on the
lights, I noticed the window on the other
side of the room. I saw shards of glass
scattered chaotically, as though someone
had come in through the window.
I hesitantly moved in that direction.
On the other side of the window I saw
a shadow in the distance, a shadow of a
man. It must be him! He must have taken her! What do I do? Turn the lights on,
Stupid! SCREAM! Don’t scream. You’ll
wake up Mom and Dad. Duh, that is the
point! What’s going on? JUMP! Thoughts
scrambled through my mind in a haphazard rush…I jumped. I still don’t know why,
but I jumped. And, as I did so, with the last
fleeting look I got of the window and of Joanna’s room, I saw the man. The lamp was
on now, and he was staring at me. His sinister eyes and wicked smile chilled me to the
bone. In his arms, with cloth tied around her
mouth, was Joanna. And in the second that
seemed an eternity, he slit her throat with
a knife.
I was your average teenager. I was vain
and yet self-conscious, studious and yet jovial, but now…I’m dead.