The Dog Caller - Spiro Public Schools

The Dog Caller
Volume 13 Issue 1
Spiro High School, 600 West Broadway Spiro, Oklahoma 74959
2014-2015
Spiro 2014 Football Homecoming
Captain and Queen
McKinley Whitfield and Jamese Horst
Co-Captain and Maid of Honor
Landon Bailey and Morgan Timmons
Co-Captain and Maid of Honor
Blake Perdue and Brianna Brooks
Co-Captain and Maid of Honor
Chad Tye and Brittney Plummer
Crown Bearer and Flower Girl
J.T. Hutchinson and Kenzie Hurst
Spiro Football Homecoming
Fower Girl Kenzie Hurst, Queen Jamese Horst,
Captain McKinley Whitfield, and
Crown Bearer J.T. Hutchinson
Senior Football Players and Attendants
Kenny Fowler and Allison Cheek
Anthony Gonzalez and Megan Shaw
Elon Hawkins and Della Vue
Trevor Hess and Chelsea Harper
Lafayette Hutchinson and Jayla Simpson
Kenny Martin and Raiesha Robbalaa
Daniel Matlock and Kadie Morton
D.T. Neal and Kaitlynn Sebo
Dakota Partain and Kellie Lacy
Bronx Perry and Ceslie Loyd
Jerry Vega and Allie Crowson
Shammond Williams and Jy’ia Brown
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HOGAN IN THE HOUSE!
BY : CALEB DOLAN
After years away from Spiro Public Schools
Coach David M Hogan II is back at Spiro and he is ready to bring the spirit and determination!
I asked Coach Hogan a series of questions. Here are his answers.
Q:How does it feel to be back at Spiro?
A: It feels wonderful. I have always wanted to be back home. My whole family has taught here, and I feel it is time for me
to take over that tradition.
Q: What are your plans for our football team and our school?
A: I plan to help the 6th grade pass their end of the year Geography test. I plan on
winning at least 1 basketball tournament with my middle school team. I would like to make our high school football team
the most in shape team Spiro has had in 20 years. Above all I want the best player and the worst player, the best student
and the worst student to show improvement.
Q: Are you excited about the new Hogan baby? (New baby Bulldog)
A: We are very excited! It is a girl, so hopefully a new cheerleader.
Q: What is your favorite memory from Spiro?
A: My favorite memory would have to be the State playoffs 1998 Sand Springs vs. Tuttle four hours before kickoff there
was standing room only. Everyone in Spiro was there. We beat Jason Chance to go to state, and we achieved the most
rushing yards in one game.
Q: What was your expression when you found out you got the job?
A:
Coach Hogan
Showing his school
spirit with his
famous “Hogan Hat”
GO SPIRO!!!!
Facts of the Day
By: Courtney Cox
The speed of sound is around 767 miles per hour (1,230 kilometres per hour).
The loud noise you create by cracking a whip occurs because
the tip is moving so fast it breaks the speed of sound!
Light travels very, very fast. The speed of light in a vacuum (an
area empty of matter) is around 186,000 miles per second
(300,000 kilometres per second).
Dog Caller Newspaper Staff
LeighAnn Alexander
Katherine Barahona
Linlee Blankenship
Courtney Cox
Caleb Dolan
Stephanie Fisher
Kellie Lacy
Wyatt Miliken
Dulce Perez
Nate Sebo
Hunter Schmuck
Isaiah Terry
Miracle Warren
Advisor: Mrs. Kasandra
Lovell
THE DOG CALLER
Stephanie Fisher’s
Fave Quote of the Month
“ I can’t tell you the key to
success, but I can tell you the key
to failure is trying to please
everyone.” - Ed Sheeran
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What is a Best Friend to You?
By: Stephanie Fisher
“ To me a best friend is someone that you can count on no matter
what the circumstance is. Someone that will encourage you to be
the best you possibly can be. Someone that believes in you. God
has blessed me with some pretty great best friends.” - Brooks
McKinney
“A best friend to me is someone who is just like you to a point that
you don’t like them. You got each other’s back no matter what.
These are the people that you make memories and mistakes with.”
- Jerry Vega
The Hasma: A Religious Symbol
by Hunter Schmuck
Girls and guys all over school are wearing a beautiful symbol called a
hasma, but do they really know what it means? As a wearer of the
symbol, I took it upon myself to research the symbol beforehand, and was content to know that not only is this symbol very pretty, but it is also very lucky too. The word "hasma" means "five" in the Arabic
and Hebrew languages, and is known in many cultures as a protection symbol against the "evil eye.”
Levantine Christians claim that the hasma is "the hand of Mary," after the Virgin Mary, while Jews
honor Miriam (in the Bible, Moses' and Aaron's sister) by calling it "the hand of Miriam." Muslims
believe that each of the five "fingers" represent the Five Pillars of Islam. The hasma has been a symbol
of many meanings since before the age of the ancient Mesopotamians, and is still being used today to
bring luck or remind people to do their daily prayers. Whether you knew these things or not, you can
now wear a confident smile when you put on your hasma; it could bring a little bit of luck into your
day.
See what Sweet Brown has time for these days!
By Alexandra Thomas
How could anyone forget that one very memorable phrase, "Ain't nobody got time for that"?
It's the expression that made Kimberly Wilkins, aka Sweet Brown, an overnight Internet sensation, after being interviewed by a local news station in Oklahoma City when a fire broke out
in her apartment complex. Since then, Sweet Brown has made dozens of TV appearances
and she's also done voice-overs and commercials for various companies across the country. And she didn't stop
there! Sweet Brown has kept busy by building her own business empire. She started her own line of BBQ sauce and
is now planning for her new reality show. We caught up with Sweet Brown to find out more about her life after becoming a YouTube star and what we can expect to see next.
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2014/03/10/sweet-brown-kimberly-wilkins-aint-nobody-got-time
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THE DOG CALLER
New Restaurant In
Town
By Linlee Blankenship
Many have heard of the new diner in Spiro. Some
haven’t. It is called the Mathis Family Diner, and it’s a
great place to grab a burger (or chicken strips) and
hangout with friends! Hunter Schmuck and I both work
there after school and on weekends as waitresses, and we
would be happy to wait on you! We will be staying open
late on home football game nights for your convenience,
so stop by and grab a burger and fries!
September Zodiac and
Horoscope
By: Miracle Warren
The zodiac sign for September is Virgo. Virgo's can be
described as down to earth, cool, witty people. They
may annoy you because they can be defensive and
harsh even when you may be just letting them know
how you feel. One thing about Virgo's is that they love
having the last word- try arguing with one. Signs compatible with Virgos include Taurus', Pisces', and Capricorns. The worst possible matches for one include Aries', Libras, and Aquarius'. Some of the famous people
born during Virgo season include: Niall Horan, Beyonce Knowles, Michael Jackson, and Liam Payne.
Happy birthday to everyone born between the months
of August 23 through September 22!
Who’s New?
By Linlee Blankenship
Ten tips for the Freshies:
First of all, stay on the right side of the hallway to avoid
oncoming traffic, it’s like a highway.
Second, don’t start unnecessary drama that you can’t
get yourself out of.
Third, don’t try to date Seniors (see second tip).
Fourth, don’t bully. I don’t put up with that stuff.
Fifth, smoking is not cool.
Sixth, be yourself, not who everyone expects you to be.
Seventh, follow the appropriate dress code.
Eighth, try to make new friends. Be outgoing!
Ninth, join a school club, such as Art or band, or try out
a sport. You might actually enjoy it!
Tenth, if you are having a problem or a bad day, don’t
be afraid to ask one of the upperclassmen for help.
You can come to me if you need anything!
Do you enjoy writing? Write for us as
a guest writer! We would be happy to
have you! We need sports writers and
regular article writers.
SPIRO TAG
AGENCY
800 W BROADWAY
SPIRO, OK 74959
918-962-2293
TAG RENEWALS
FERS
DRIVER’S LICENSE
OPEN 9:00-5:00
TITLE TRANSNOTARY PUBLIC
VOTER REGISTRATION
RENEWAL OF EXPIRED DRIVER’S
LICENSE
L.D. JOHNSON, AGENT
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Candy Corn
By: Nate Sebo
Have you ever wondered where candy corn came from? Or maybe
what it is made of? Candy corn is one of the most memorable Halloween candies out there, it is made of a mixture of sugar, fondant, corn
syrup, vanilla flavor and marshmallow crème. Candy corn originated
in the late 1800s, it was created by George Renninger at the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However candy
corn never really obtained its fame, until the present day-Jelly Belly
Candy Company started mass producing it at the turn of the twentieth
century.
Although we may know candy corn as the yellow, orange and
white candy, it does have its variations. One such variation is the reindeer corn, which is obviously for
Christmas. Another is the Thanksgiving version, Indian corn which is colored brown, orange and white.
Other variations include bunny corn, and cupid corn, which are both fairly self-explanatory. No matter what
the shape or colors of these small cone shaped treats, I think we can all agree that Candy Corn is tasty, and a
great Holiday treat.
Did You Know?
By: Nate Sebo
Who wants to know some useless, but very interesting facts? I have quite a large
amount that I would like to share. For example, did you know that the small stickers on pears and apples and such are actually edible? No more wasting time taking
off those annoyingly small little stickers in fear of eating them, just go ahead and
take a big o’l bite. Did you know that pineapples aren’t one giant fruit, but actually
a cluster of smaller berries.
Did you know that some cereals actually are made partly of sawdust? It’s
odd thinking that every time you take a bite of cereal you are actually eating part of a tree, isn’t it? Did you
know that clams can live for hundreds of years, and all they will do is grow? Some of these very old clams
actually grow to be more than five hundred pounds. I think that you have had your fill of these weird, useless and very interesting facts. Hope you enjoyed!
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Spiro Quiz Bowl Team Wins District
The Spiro High School Quiz Bowl team recently brought home the district title. They played teams from Sallisaw Central and Panama to win
the title. The team consists of Breckin Horton, Landon Davis, Wyatt
Miliken, Dylan Green, LoriAnne Smith, Aaron Capes, Adam Capes,
and Landon Davis. When asked what quiz bowl category she likes best,
Breckin replied, “I like the letter categories...where every answer will
be with a specific letter...like M or B…Those are the most fun to me.”
“I like pop culture best because it’s the most fun,’ replied Dylan Green.
Questions at the meet ranged from matching titles of novels to authors,
mathematical questions involving Pi, actors, scientific questions, inventions, geography, sports, etc.
Brianna Brooks is escorted by her father, Brian Brooks during
the Homecoming ceremony.
Morgan Timmons is escorted by her father, Darrell
Timmons during the Homecoming ceremony.
107 South Denver Street
Spiro, Oklahoma
918-962-5196
Owner: Dava Kukuk
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Spiro Freshmen Tour UCO Campus with GEAR UP Program
Spiro High School freshmen toured the University of Central Oklahoma campus in Edmond, Oklahoma on Monday, October 27 as part of a GEAR UP trip. They also ate lunch at CiCi’s pizza and visited
the Oklahoma Science Museum in Oklahoma City where they were able to get “hands on” experience
with science in a variety of ways. They ate dinner at Golden Corral. Students had fun on the trip.
Breanna Blankenship said, “It was awesome!” Thank you to GEAR UP and to Mrs. Dara Self.
Lily Braden tests her skills.
Levi Pettigrew and Blake Dotson build rockets.
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Brevon Harper, Kirwin Horton, Ethan Caldwell, Caleb
Matthews, and Dylan Ridenour enjoy pizza at CiCi’s.
Morgan Shaw rides the Segway.
Keith Woods and Thomas Hughes ride the Segway.
Mrs. Melissa Darneal poses as an astronaut.
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By: Miracle Warren
This year in vocal there are many new exciting things in store. Besides the fact that more males
have joined choir than ever before, they have been working hard between doing cool new fundraisers and exploring their voices. With the upcoming solo and ensemble contests and preparations for the new music of the Christmas and spring concerts, things have been busy. If you enjoyed the music from some of Disney's biggest movies, then you are sure to be in for a treat by the time spring
hits. Be sure to buy from vocal students who are selling for the different fundraisers they are having. The money
they make will be used to buy more music and any other necessities for choir, as well as allow them to go on their
annual choir trip. For more information contact Nan Jones or any vocal student.
Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About High School
By: Danielle Woo
Make friends with your teachers.
I regret any major attitude I had in the beginning of high school because it definitely tampers with the
relationships you have with your teachers. Not all of them will be fair, or even tolerable, and while that
may inspire you to want to take your first dignified stand against today's education system, it won't
prevent you from failing. At certain times it is going to matter whether you get that extra two percent,
and if you're not on good terms with your instructor, that number probably won't budge. Respect your
teachers and pay attention in class because no, you're not "too cool for school." Personally, that kid
who drags everyone down with their reluctance isn't someone I'm going to remember fondly after I
graduate. In fact, I probably won't remember him or her at all. Don't waste your energy on trying to
seem above your assignments because it'll just come back to bite you. Plus, who do you think is in
charge of writing your recommendation letters for college? Exactly. In general, you want to be nice to
all of your peers as well. Trust me, there will be times when it'll seem impossible but think of a few
years when you graduate; do you really want to leave knowing you owe more apologies than goodbyes?
My Top 6 Books
By: Sierra Perdue
1. 13 Reasons Why
2. Paper Towns
3. The Outsiders
4. Fault in Our Stars
5. Beautiful Creatures series
6. The Glass Castle
What I’m reading right this moment:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green &
David Levithan
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The Internet of Things (IoT)
By: Wyatt Miliken
The Internet of Things, or the IoT, is an idea that if computers had access to all
data about all things, without any help form us, that it would greatly induce waste,
loss, and cost. This would mean that all manners of appliances would be constantly
connected to the Internet; be it your refrigerator sending you a text to pick up a
gallon of milk, traffic lights receiving constant reports from the cars themselves,
or
even a doctor able to sense a malfunction in a pacemaker before you yourself do.
Businesses love the idea of the IoT, as it opens up whole new ways of collecting information about consumer
buying habits, and being able to find a better location using traffic data provided by ‘smart’ traffic lights. But
many people are skeptical, even intimidated by the very thought of such a connected, universal network.
For instance, take a baby monitor that was connected to the internet in order to give informations to the parents.
Such a device could have very weak firewalls protecting it, leading to possible hacking.
The same goes for devices such as a home alarm system. If the thing that protected your home was online,
wouldn’t it open it up to be taken over by anyone with any sort of hacking skill, thus making it WORSE than if it
was never connected to the Interent in the first place? In one study, a single scientist was able to hack into a socalled ‘smart’ traffic light using nothing more than a basic laptop and radio broadcast equipment.
The way that they are all connected could also prove a threat. For example, a group of experts hacked into an entire room full of ‘smart’ devices; a TV, phone, laptop, and tablet all connected to a smaller, more home-based version of the IoT. Using very basic equipment, they ‘bugged’ the devices, or made so where the experts turned the
electronics into listening and even video recorders, so they could know what anyone in the room was doing at any
time.
All because they were linked to a single network.
But, like I previously mentioned, there are so many benefits to our electronics being connected.
What is one of the
best parts about
school?
By: Courtney Cox
" I like walking to my classroom, and you know
the big kids? They say hi to me and then they go
awwww when I walk by."
Keaton Cox
"You know the part when the teacher talks and
tells you all the stuff you get to learn that day?
And she talks for twenty hours? That's my favorite
part -- when she stops talking." (The kid would
not tell me his name)
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Humorscopes
Scorpio October 24 – November 21
It turns out that Andy Warhol overestimated the duration of your fame by about 14 and a half minutes.
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21
Look for a sign this week when deciding whether to stop, yield, feed the animals, or touch high-voltage power-lines.
Capricorn December 22 – January 19
Get ready to kick up your heels and throw your hands in the air, as that can of mace will have little to no effect.
Aries March 21 – April 19
Be sure to take a good look in the mirror this week, as you’ll soon have to remember where most of that stuff used to be.
Taurus April 20 – May 20
Taurus will release its own line of designer perfume in the days to come. Prepare yourself for Destiné-it’s your future in a
bottle.
Gemini May 21 – June 21
Cigarettes will continue to take a toll on your health this week when you’re traded back and forth for packs of them.
Cancer June 22 – July 22
The stars apologize for last week’s prediction of untold fame and fortune. They keep forgetting that you actually believe in
this stuff.
Leo July 23 – August 22
You’ll ask the princess to marry you, disrupting the royal procession, ruining countless chicken dinners, and forcing security
personnel to escort you out of Medieval Times.
Virgo August 23 – September 22
Recent advances in forensic science may sound impressive, but the entire field is still years away from determining what will
happen to you.
Libra September 23 – October 23
You will soon make a comfortable living exploiting other people’s deep-seated anxieties and crippling social fears.
Aquarius January 20 – February 18
When all is said and done, only you can make yourself feel bad. But that won’t keep everyone else from trying.
Pisces February 19 – March 20
The stars blah blah blah exciting life changes blah blah blah night journey over water blah blah blah it’ll be born with three
fingers.
Lawson & Grant
Ronald H. Lawson
Amanda V. Grant Nicholas E. Grant
Attorneys & Counselors at Law
101 North Main/P.O. Box 127
Spiro, OK 74959
(918) 962-2436/FAX# (918) 962-2438
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Edgar Allan Poe
Performance
Spiro High School yearbook and newspaper
students attending an Edgar Allan Poe Performance “Nightfall” at the Fort Smith Little
Theater in October. In this play, a few of Edgar Allan Poe’s poems and stories were performed for viewing enjoyment. Students enjoyed favorites including “The Raven,” “The
Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Tell-Tale
Heart.”
To check out other performances, please go
to http://fslt.org/
Spiro Beats Heavener 46-14 for Homecoming Win
by Jack Handey
Alt-18 Countdown
If you go through a lot of hammers each
month, I don't think it necessarily means
you're a hard worker. It may just mean that
you have a lot to learn about proper hammer maintenance.
Survey on B98 radio station
What could men do to make themselves
more attractive? Answer from women: Smile
What could women do to make
themselves more attractive to me?
Answer from men: Smile
THE DOG CALLER
Homecoming
2014
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By Dulce Perez
“A glass of beer shortens your
life by one minute, a glass of
wine by two minutes, and a
day of work by seven to ten
hours.” Jobs can be completely stressful. Now imagine how hard it is as a teenager.
If you are a teenager who goes to school every morning and also has a part time job, you know the struggle. You get home from work late sometimes, and
have to shower and go straight to sleep. The next
morning, you either wake up super early and are
cranky the rest of the day, or you wake up late rushing
to try to get to school on time and you’re still cranky.
On top of that, the piles of homework teachers give
us. Where do you find the time to balance everything
out? You don’t, half the time you just rely on someone else to “help” you on your work. On good days,
when you have a day off, you can get it done but
you’re so tired that all you want to do is sleep. It’s
very stressful at times, and some days you just want to
give up all together. In the end though, it’s all worth
it. You learn what it’s like to have bigger responsibilities and knowing that money doesn’t just grow on
trees, that you must earn it. So if you’re in this position don’t stress, just do your best.
Loggains and Lovell
Photography
www.llpics.com
Children Families Seniors
Proms Weddings
Kasandra Lovell 918.962.5103
Dylan Loggains 918.413.2120
Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey
If you were a pirate, you know what would be the
one thing that would really make you mad? Treasure chests with no handles. How the heck are you
supposed to carry it?!
Children need encouragement. So if a kid gets an
answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That
way, he develops a good, lucky feeling.
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THE DOG CALLER
Harry Potter vs. Your Opinion
We all know of and love a certain trio of teen wizards with an owl, a golden snitch,
and seven books between them. Except we do not. How is it that anyone can dislike or
shun the Harry Potter series? It teaches so many lessons about true friendship, kindness to others, and how giving everything that you have to save someone else is the
ultimate sacrifice. The truth of the matter is, the series is about wizards. I have read
the series, and watched the corresponding movies. There is nothing wrong with Harry Potter in the biblical sense, and there
is nothing in the series that is obscene or provocative. The spells are just latin words, and similar to the Easter story, Harry
risks his life battling the most evil being in the universe to save the entire world. I can honestly say that Harry Potter is my
favorite series, and I will read it to my children, and then to my grandchildren. I hope that if you have not read Harry Potter
because of religious belief or complete dislike of anything that reads “witchcraft” that you will reconsider and give it a
chance.
What’s in a Grade?
By: Isaiah Terry
Why is it, in the year 2014, there are students who wake up every morning dreading school?
Why is it there are students who look down at the papers on their desks and want to cry? We students are told our entire
lives that our grades are the only things that matter, that those letters on a sheet of paper hold our entire future. That without an A or a B we will be looked over as a lower class of people. This may be true, but only to a certain degree. While it
is true that grades can shape our future, I must believe that we can not let it shape our spirits.
We cannot let grades measure who we are. Grades do not measure our intelligence, they measure our obedience, if we
do as we are told we will get that glorious A, yet if we slack off or straight out refuse we will fail. Now does this mean that
we are unintelligent? We gauge our levels of intellect through what we are taught by others, hardly by what we learn on
our own. It seems when we do things outside of the usual course of action, it is looked upon as the wrong way of doing
things but I have a question, is creativity considered intelligent? If said person imagines a way to perform a task more efficiently but in a different way than everyone else, how is that individual seen? Creative? No, more than likely they are considered stupid. Is art not intelligent? I know students whose notebooks are without a single study note yet they are filled
with the most amazing artworks you could think of. Now imagine if that student had a D in one or more of their classes,
are they considered smart?
Knowledge comes in many forms not just letters on a page. Do not let grades rule your life and make your decisions.
It is true that you need good grades to continue your education, but never dismiss the power of creativity and imagination.
Do not work so hard on your school work that you become stressed or depressed. Do your school work but never let it
keep you from pursuing what you love.
Spiro, Oklahoma
918-962-9999
THE DOG CALLER
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YOUNG ADULT NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST
for November 9, 2014
1 IF I STAY, by Gayle Forman. (Penguin Group.) A young cellist falls into a coma after she suffers an accident. 30 Weeks
2 THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, by John Green. (Penguin Group.) A 16-year-old heroine faces the medical realities of cancer. 100 Weeks
3 WHERE SHE WENT, by Gayle Forman. (Penguin Group.) A rock star and a cellist reunite for an evening in New York City. 20 Weeks
4 LOOKING FOR ALASKA, by John Green. (Penguin Group.) A boy finds excitement when he meets a girl named Alaska. 100 Weeks
5 THE ICE DRAGON, by George R. R. Martin. (Tom Doherty Associates.) A girl tames a dragon and saves her farm. 1 Weeks
6 THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. (Knopf Doubleday Publishing.) A girl saves books from Nazi burning; now a movie. 99 Weeks
7 PAPER TOWNS, by John Green. (Penguin Group.) After a night of mischief, the girl Quentin loves disappears. 86 Weeks
8 THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, by Jay Asher. (Penguin Group.) Before she commits suicide, a girl sends recordings to 13 people. 53 Weeks
9 THE YOUNG ELITES, by Marie Lu. (Penguin Group.) The secret survivors of a deadly illness may have acquired special powers. 3
Weeks
10MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, by Ransom Riggs. (Quirk Books.) An island, an abandoned orphanage and a
collection of curious photographs. 75 Weeks
22% 33% 61%
Percentage of Americans who want
Bruce Springsteen to write a new
National Anthem. - Time Magazine, 6/25/12
Percentage of food in the world intended for human consumption is lost or
wasted. - Time Magazine, 5/30/11
Percentage of Americans would not
choose the same career if they could
"do it all over again".
- Parade Magazine, 1/9/11