GILES HIGH SCHOOL JJ Kirkner, Kelly Keister, Chelsea Dunford Art
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GILES HIGH SCHOOL JJ Kirkner, Kelly Keister, Chelsea Dunford Art
March 2007 Art Contest Winners 1st “The Mill” Kelly Keister nd 2 “Mystic Angel” Chelsea Dunford 3rd “Lethal Threat” JJ Kirkner JJ Kirkner, Kelly Keister, Chelsea Dunford GILES HIGH SCHOOL Volume Three The Blue House In This Issue… By MaKayla Songer The little girl woke up and lay shivering in her twin bed, huddled under the single sheet. It was summer, and warm in the house. She could see through the open door and into the hallway, the scene illuminated by the meager light from her window. It was coming. At once she began to scream. To scream like she has since they moved here. To the Blue House. She shrieked as loud as she could for her Mom and Dad. They would turn on the light and she could run up to their room, where she would be safe. But there was no answer. The hallway remained dark. Why weren’t they answering? They always turned on the light for her! Her heart was fluttering savagely in her chest, her fear mounting to sheer panic. What would happen if she was still in her room when it passed? What would it do? Would it turn and see her? Or simply go past? She didn’t want to leave the slight safety of her sheet for the open darkness, but she didn’t want to be here when it came either! She quavered with indecision, terrified to take action. So she screamed. Her voice rent the silence like shattering glass. There was no way that they could not hear her. What had it done to them?! Her panic finally broke her indecision, and she flung the sheet from her and bolted up the hallway, her bare feet pattering on the carpeted floor. She reached their room, still screaming, and began shaking her Mother, begging her to wake up. She wouldn’t. She tried to crawl into the waterbed, but the fitted sheet had been pulled loose and she couldn’t bear to lie on the icy bed. She needed to hide. Her Mother was all twisted up in the regular sheet, and she couldn’t get herself underneath. She couldn’t stay in the open! She cast a terrified glance down the hallway and saw to her horror that it was coming. No! She leapt from the bed, banging her knee on the padded from of the waterbed, and bolted around to her Father’s side. She shook him, screaming and crying as loud as she could. But he wouldn’t wake up either. As a last resort she climbed up onto the waterbed and began jumping, screaming so loud she though her throat would tear. And it was coming. MaKayla Songer is the winner of the Spartonian short story contest. “Alive and Growing” Small Enough To Know You, Big Enough To Serve You First United Methodist Church 1101 Valleyview Drive P.O. Box 400 Pearisburg, Virginia 24134 Phone: 540-921-1021 2 School News 2-9 Features 10-16 Entertainment 17-19 Sports 20-22 Staff Editors: Katy Allamong & Ryan Davis Staff: Samantha Owens Kristen Lucas Brooke Johnson Venessa Burnette Kelsey Frazier Megan Blevins Samantha Brookner Jenna Warthen Patrick Mahaney Bryan Stafford Tanner Bivens Front Cover Designed By Kristen Lucas Correction In the “The Marching Band” article of the December issue, the trombone section leader should be named as Wyatt Hall, not Gary Fields. Back Cover Designed By Kelsey Frazier, Ryan Davis, and Katy Allamong To Contact us, our email is [email protected] 1St Place: Can the Heart Be Healed? By Blair McGee A tear once cried, is a tear now dried But the pain it still resides inside Like a barren garden once full of life A sad and lonely widow wife A life once full of joy and light Now darkness at a growing height In too deep, emotion and fear Anniversary in sight, approaching one year How can they take it? How will they survive? If only the memory can be revived His memory it seems all too far And his death, brands on us a lasting scar Oh, I wish to see his smiling face Or at least to feel his loving embrace Those simple things I once took for granted And now to know that I can’t have them It kills me inside, wrenching my heart Was it really time for him to depart? Indeed it’s true, I miss him so I will not, cannot let the thoughts of him go Just a moment with him, short and brief That’s all I ask to rid my grief But life it seems, moves far too fast And there is no way to relive the past Can the heart be healed from a pain like this? The death of man we all still miss 3rd Place: Cleanse By Gelsina Ceritano The Rain is like a wash. That sinks inside your skin. Then bleeds the old, lost memories. That build up from within. 2nd Place: A Love Lost By Justin DiRico This hurt is unreal This pain I feel I have to rise above Because love is love And mine is shattered And it is battered I write not to induce guilt Because of the poison you spilt The poison that left me damaged But I have to manage This is so I can spill my feelings So I can endure the killing The killing done to my heart And the blood tastes salty sweet and metallically tart But I do not guilt you I still love and miss you Even though I slept in a puddle of tears And you confirmed my worst fears But everyday Everyday you are away My heart slowly begins to heal And again I can feel What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger Helps you live longer And this didn’t kill me But if this is the way it must be Then I won’t ask why I’ll just say good bye The past is broken from the bones. Every drop leaves a burning sting. Lost memories exit from your flesh. The unwanted past is slowly evaporating. Feel the liquid against you living body. A feeling of release. The old has been renewed. The future, your mind shall feast. 3 January, February, and March Teachers of the Month By Megan Blevins The January teacher of the month was Ms. Barbara Maxwell. Ms. Maxwell has been teaching in the math department for six years. When asked what her favorite aspect of teaching was, Ms. Maxwell said, “I enjoy the students that are interested in learning and try to better themselves by preparing for the SOL tests, graduation, and their future outside of school.” Ms. Maxwell earned her bachelor’s degree from Concord University and her master’s from Marshall University and West Virginia University. She has taken additional classes from WVCGOS and New River Community College. When asked why she decided to teach at GHS, Ms. Maxwell said, “I retired from Princeton High School in West Virginia and discovered that I did not want to stay at home. I heard of a math opening in Giles County and applied for the job and have enjoyed my tenure here at Giles. The people in the county, the staff at GHS, and the students are very friendly and make teaching here a pleasure.” Ms. Maxwell said the reason she decided to become a teacher was, “At the time I went to college, there was not many opportunities for women to get a professional job. As I continued through college, I found that I enjoyed helping other students with their assignments and decided that I would become a teacher. Several of my aunts and uncles were teachers and encouraged me in this endeavor.” For February, S.A.E. chose Mr. Steve Ragsdale as the teacher of the month. Mr. Ragsdale has been teaching at GHS for 32 years. Mr. Ragsdale says that his favorite aspect of teaching is “The instruction part of teaching. Actually showing students how to do the problems.” Mr. Ragsdale earned his bachelor of sciences degree from Roanoke College and his Master of Arts from Virginia Tech. When asked how he ended up teaching here at Giles and why he became a teacher, Mr. Ragsdale says he actually wasn’t planning on becoming a teacher until he was in grad school. He decided to try teaching because he wanted to try coaching. He says that a big influence on his becoming a teacher had to do with the fact that both his mother and father were teachers and coaching because his dad was a coach as well. Mr. Ragsdale saw coaching as a big part of teaching. He decided to teach at Giles because he did his student teaching here, and there was an opening at the school for the year after he completed his student teaching. Another reason he says he chose Giles was because he grew up in Giles county and he really like GHS. Ms. Mattie Ward has been selected by the S.A.E as the March Teacher of the Month.. Ms. Ward has been teaching in Giles County since 1985. She has been teaching for 27 years over all. When asked what her favorite aspect of teaching is, Ms. Ward responded, “I enjoy interacting and spending time with the students.” She earned her Associate’s degree from Wytheville Community College, her Bachelor’s from Radford University and some additional endorsements from the University of Virginia. Ms. Ward ended up teaching at GHS when her family moved here in 1985. When asked why she became a teacher, Ms. Ward stated, “A young man at the church I grew up in was my motivation. Micky was born with severe disabilities. I was touched by him and all that he was. When I was about 12 years old I knew that I wanted to become a teacher. I also knew that I wanted to teach in special education. Working with Micky at church was something I enjoyed. He was so smart! He was non-verbal, but had many ways to communicate. It was through knowing Micky and working with him that I started believing I could make a difference.” Paul A. Olson, MD Pamela B. Olson, FNP 219 South Buchanan Street Pearisburg, Virginia 540-921-4343 540-726-3000 4 8th Grade Spelling Bee By Morgan Sumpter The 8th Grade Spelling Bee participants are L-R: Gianni Massaro, Blake Martin, Sarah Carbaugh, Ashley Perkins, Jake Hedrick, Virginia Greer, Ashley Cadle, and Cody Ratcliff. On Monday February 5, 2007, the 8th grade classroom winners participated in the school Spelling Bee. They spelled a variety of words chosen by the level of difficulty. After several rounds, the winner of the Spelling Bee was decided. The runner-up was Sarah Carbaugh and the winner was Gianni Massaro. The first place winner, Gianni Massaro, and runner-up, Sarah Photos By Morgan Sumpter Carbaugh. Check It Out By Kristen Lucas Giles High School has made a new addition to their library. The new clerk, Mrs. Barbara Dunn, graduated from GHS. She works part-time in the Library on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. This is Mrs. Dunn’s first job working in a school. She is a retired secretary and bookkeeper for the School Board Office, where she worked for 25 years. As a librarian, Mrs. Dunn helps Mrs. Beckner with whatever needs to be done in the library, including checking out books for students. She also likes to check out books for herself so she can pass the time reading. When she is not busy with books, her passion is dedicated to the Relay for Life Cancer Society. (540) 953-1513 (540) 544-7810 A-1 Heating & Cooling ______________________________ Get It Done Right… The First Time 101 Old Newport Road Newport, VA 24128 . 5 Old Dominion University Model UN By Katy Allamong On February 14, twelve students accompanied by Mr. & Mrs. W.R. Johnston went to represent the country of Denmark at Old Dominion University’s Model UN. This year, about nine hundred students from over fifty schools gathered together to confer about topics that are widely discussed around the world, including post-conflict peace building, economic growth and sustainable development, Iran and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, disarmament international security, immigration standards, and the crisis in Darfur. There were several councils that were based after the actual UN, such as the Economic and Social Committee, Future Security Council, Historical Security Council, Security Council, and the Non-Governmental Organization Forum. Each of these committees discussed different angles of various Mr. W.R. Johnston, Katy Allamong, topics and wrote resolutions proposing ways to stop the occurring conflicts. Luke Marrs, Justin Williams, Astleigh Delegates learned about their countries and how they would respond to Hobbs, Annette Devereaux, Josh situations that would interact with other nations. They were able to make motions to Wiegand, Heather Thompson, Amanda change the resolution topics, extend/shorten the speaking time, suggest a break, and Meadows, Grace Meier, Kayla Stump, motion for opportunities to suspend the rules to speak about what their working Erica Maxey, and Chad Robertson. Photo by Mr. W.R. Johnston papers were about. The delegates were encouraged to work with the other countries to complete a resolution that could work for the UN. Once the papers were completed, all of the delegates voted on which resolution they believed would work the best. The conference was not full of just meetings. In the evenings, there was karaoke, a dance, movie, and ample time to eat meals. Several people seized the opportunity to take naps or chat with their new friends. By the end of the conference, many new friends were made, knowledge was formed about the functioning of Model UN, and memories that will last a lifetime were created. ] English MACC By Ryan Davis There’s nothing quite like the sound of a buzzer to get your competitive side going. For the GHS English MACC team, that sound has become a familiarity. Since early October, the team has been practicing hard every Tuesday after school until 4:30. Now, nearing the conclusion of the MACC season, all their effort is being put to the test. Unlike the other divisions of MACC, (Math, Science, History, and All Around) the English team is assigned a reading list consisting of 56 items, including novels, poems, short stories ,and plays. Each team member reads as much of the material as possible, as questions are unpredictable and can be asked from any item on the list. The team is also asked questions on 53 literary terms and parts of speech. Although the team has only succeeded in winning one match and tying another of the eight they have played, most have been nail bitingly close, coming down to as little The English MACC team: (L-R) Jesse as one question. English plays last this year, which is somewhat of an advantage for the Phillips, Ryan Davis, Katy Allamong, team, giving them a little extra time to study and size up the opposing players. and Tanner Bivens. Not pictured: “They always seem to ask questions on the one thing I didn‘t study,” laughs team Photo by Patrick Mahaney Bobbie Mayhew. Captain Katy Allamong, “Sure, it’s more fun to win, but I don’t mind losing a match or two as long as we don’t get slaughtered.” Win or lose, the team has played hard to the last question all season. Every player has studied relentlessly for months and can often be seen with MACC binder in hand. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself, however, and the team does just that. State Farm Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710 Chris Turman Agent 1500 N Main Street Blacksburg, VA 24060 Off.: (540) 953-2300 Fax: (540) 953-2441 [email protected] 6 French Club The French Club members during their morning Photo by Megan Blevins meeting. By Patrick Mahaney The French Club consists of students who have taken at least one year of French and meets during the morning on club day. Mr. Peter Binkley sponsors the club. President Megan Blevins, Vice President Grace Meier, and Secretary Autumn Widrig were elected by fellow French Club members. The members of the French Club are: Sponsor Mr. Peter Binkley, Chelsea Dunford, Grace Meier, Jarrod Alls, Autumn Widrig, Megan Blevins, Shanan Worrell, Katrina VanHemert, Patrick Mahaney, Justin Silver, and Katherine Dinwiddie. Not Pictured are Adam Songer, Jenna Warthen, and Michael Dinwiddie. The French Club sold pizza and cookie kits as a fundraiser. Although an official trip for the club has not been decided on, the club was invited to go with the Spanish classes to Epcott. It may not have been an active year for the French Club, but Megan Blevins says, “French classes and French Club are great learning experiences.” Can You Walk the Line? By Kelsey Frazier This past six weeks, the Girls Drivers Ed class got to experience an event that will hopefully change their way of thinking when it comes to drinking and driving. Mr. Wilburn brought beer goggles for the class to put on and try to walk a straight line. Surprisingly enough, it was a lot harder than it looked. Not many students could walk the line as accurately as they thought. Many said they saw two lines, but most didn’t really see a line at all. This experience showed a lot of girls how drinking and driving really does impair your vision and reactions to things. It may not have influenced all the girls to not drink and drive, but it did for a lot. It could have also saved a life or two. So be safe, DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!!! Jennifer Lang attempts to walk the line with the level 3 daytime goggles. Photo by Morgan Sumpter P.O. Box 361 Narrows, Virginia 24124 (540) 921-2700 or 726- 8038 www.celcofcu.org 7 Senior High All-District Chorus By Katy Allamong On February 9-10, five singers represented Giles High School at Senior AllDistrict Chorus, which was held at Pulaski High School. Amelia Tyler (Alto2), Meredith Epperley (Alto1), Hoil Song (Tenor2), and Duston Rakes (Bass2), were in the Mixed Choir, while Katy Allamong (Alto2) was in the Women’s Chorus. The Mixed Choir, who practiced in the auditorium, consisted of Tenors, Basses, Sopranos, and Altos, with about 150 participants. They sang seven songs, one of which featured several solos. Their director, Dr. Krudop, told them on the first day, “If it is not stupid, we’re doing it wrong.” He encouraged them to put emotion into the expressions while enjoying themselves at the same time. In the chorus room, the Women’s Chorus, with about 90 singers, worked on their selections: The Rose, Goin’ Up a Yonder, Ma Navu, How Can I Keep From Singing, and Sisters. Unlike the Mixed Chorus, the Women’s Chorus did not feature any solos, although tryouts were held. Instead, certain sections were featured as soloists, depending on the voice range and the blend. One of the main focuses was Meredith Epperley, Hoil Song, Katy the song Sisters, which was choreographed and had synchronized handclaps. Mr. Allamong, Amelia Tyler, and Duston Lupton, the director, thoroughly enjoyed working with the group through this Rakes before the concert on Saturday, number, along with the others. He stressed the importance of singing lightly and Photo by Mr. Larry Marion February 10. with energy, while doing so with a smile. All-District Chorus practices were held for about 9 hours on Friday and 8 hours on Saturday. The directors chose when they wanted to give breaks and made sure all of the singers were not over worked. After lunch and dinner breaks, each group preformed various stretches and warm-ups to prepare for more singing to be in top shape for the concert. At the end of the concert, the AllVirginia delegates were selected. All-Virginia Chorus auditions were held on Friday at 4:00. This consisted of sight-reading 4 pars from a random card. The prepared piece was Exsultate Justi, which was the original District tryout piece. Hoil Song was chosen as 2nd alternate for the Tenor 2 section. As an alternate, he will be on call in case the other singers from District 7 cannot attend. The concert was held at 5:00 on Saturday inside the auditorium. Much to the singers’ delight, the auditorium was packed. The Women’s Chorus preformed first, nailing the songs and the choreography, which brought a bright smile to Mr. Lupton’s face. Next up was the Mixed Chorus. The harmonizing and energy was tremendous, which ended the concert with a bang. Congratulations to all of the singers for their selections, and thanks for putting the time and effort into making it such an incredible experience. 8 A Tasty Reward By Venessa Burnette Justin Silver decorated his yummy treat with gummy bears. Photos by Venessa Burnette Sundaes for Scholars, awarded to the students who made A/B Honor Roll or were nominated by teachers for academic improvements, took place on Thursday January 11, 2007. Many students were given the opportunity to leave their seventh period class at 2:45 to enjoy their ice cream and time with friends. Not only does it reward people with superb grades, but it also makes Giles High students strive to improve academically. Numerous students look forward to Sundaes for Scholars and taking a little break from the classroom. Senior Laura Ruark said that she really enjoyed spending time with her friends while eating her sundae, and even wishes the time was extended. Justin Williams added caramel to his dessert for delicious taste. Thank You Lunch Ladies By Samantha Brookner A lot of people may not realize just how much work goes into our school lunches. The lunch ladies are important to a student’s daily school life. Without them, a lot of us would not have anything to eat for lunch. The lunch ladies start coming in to work as early as 6:30 every morning to begin preparing the food that we eat every day. These hard working cafeteria personnel do not leave until 2:00 every afternoon. Sandra Strickland has been working in the GHS cafeteria for almost four years, while Dewana Eason has been here for seven. Martha Davidson probably has the most experience in our cafeteria, since she has been working here for around 25 years. Most of them agree Pictured are some of our lunch ladies: that trying to make Loretta Smith, Beulah Williams, Sandra enough food for all Strickland, Dewana Eason, Birtha Stowers, three lunches is Photo by Samantha Brookner and Martha Davidson. probably the toughest aspect of the whole job. They also said that most of the students are polite and nice to them. A lot of the students that I have talked to do not mind eating a school lunch and neither do the lunch ladies, although both wish that there was more of a variety of food prepared and served. The lunch ladies have earned respect by working very hard while still being nice to all of us students. 9 Snack Attack By Jenna Warthen Snack: a small portion of food eaten between meals. Attack: to set into a forceful action. When the thought of a snack starts to attack your mind, here are a few quick and healthy recipes! Ingredients: 12 crackers 1 stick of string cheese 6 tablespoons of spaghetti sauce Directions: Cut cheese into six equal parts. Arrange 6 crackers on microwaveable plate, top with cheese. Microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds, or until cheese begins to melt. Cover with remaining crackers. Heat sauce until desired temperature and enjoy! Ingredients: 1 cup of rice crispies cereal 3 tablespoons of honey ¼ cup of peanut butter ¼ cup of nonfat dry milk solids non-stick cooking spray Directions: Crush cereal and put all but 2 tablespoons in bowl. Mix honey and peanut butter. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray. Shape mixture into balls. Roll in remaining cereal. Chill in refrigerator for about one hour. Ingredients: ½ cup of sliced strawberries 2 tablespoons of whipped topping 2 tablespoons of oat or granola cereal Directions: Place half the strawberries in a glass. Add layers of 1 tablespoon each of whipped topping and cereal. Cover with remaining ingredients. Top with glob of whipped topping. Acceptance By Jenna Warthen A major problem that some people seem to have is acceptance, acceptance of others for what they do and who they are. We need to learn that each person is an individual and that we cannot change them, only learn to accept them for who they are. People’s flaws and mistakes cannot just be erased and rewritten, no matter how much someone else, or even the person themselves, wishes that they could be. Flaws and mistakes shape who we are and good or bad, that’s the way it is. We can all try to work to correct our flaws and learn from our mistakes, but that is something for each person to do on their own. Once we can learn to accept people for who they are, there would be a lot less drama and conflict in everyone’s lives. The bottom line is to at least not try to change anyone just because you do not like some things about them or some things that they do, or have done in the past. Instead, accept them for everything that they are. As a well-known quote says, “I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I’m not.” 10 Chuck Taylors: Classic Footwear By Bryan Stafford Chuck Taylors is a highly popular shoe worn by all sorts of people of different social statuses. The shoe was first produced in 1923 and was aimed towards the audience of basketball players. It was basketball player Chuck Taylor that made them popular, thus the reason for the all-star patch added to the side of the shoe. These shoes are made of canvas and rubber, although other versions have incorporated the use of leather, suede, vinyl, denim, and hemp. The shoes began production only available in black and white, but demand for more colors and variety has resulted with a style of shoes that can fit almost any personality or individual. To do so, there is a feature on www.converse.com that allows you to customize your own shoe. All throughout the school there is a wide With just a quick trip down the hallways of Giles High School, you will see Photos by Bryan Stafford. variety of Converse. different kinds of Converse on the feet of people of all social groups. Students like Willie Allen and Dru Kerr wear the shoes because they are easy to drive in. Tanner Bivens and Cody Rose have further individualized their shoes by decorating the white rubber on the shoes with markers. For example, Cody has a pair with a checkerboard pattern on the toe piece. I personally have 8 pairs of the shoes, and I enjoy them because of their uniqueness and comfort. I have a wide range of colors including red, blue, green, and even camouflage. Another student, Mika Morris, has a large variety as well, including a unique orange pair. Chucks are not just for the younger generations, however. They are also popular with adults. Art teacher Ms. Nikki Pynn wears a pair of the original shoes. I asked her about them and she said she has been wearing them for fifteen years and she prefers high top. She says that she has to replace them about every two years due to wearing them out and she prefers high top. The shoes are also used on many television shows and movies. Chucks have even inspired other shoe companies to try to replicate them. There are brands of shoes that look highly similar to Converse Chucks at the local Wal-Mart stores. Jenna Warthen, has a pair of high heel, bootMs. Pynn, Patrick Mahaney, and Tanner type shoes that closely resemble a pair of original black and white Chucks. Bivens wearing their Converses. Although these shoes look nearly identical, they are not made by Converse. The original Converse Chuck Taylors were produced in America, but these days they are made in China due to Nike buying out Converse. Even though things have changed with the Converse industry, the shoes will forever be a classic icon of the past and a popular shoe of today. Fashion Frenzy By Brooke Johnson Above: Olivia Simmons shows her fashion sense by carrying a cute shoulder bag. Right: Amber McKinney wears a scarf and furry boots. Nearly everyone wants to be seen as fashionable by his or her peers. One may read a magazine or watch television to get their fashion inspiration. Many students around Giles High School have been seen in what is considered high fashion clothing. The hot trends for 2007 are straight leg jeans, stilettos, and anything of bright color. Another fashion trend that is in right now is so-called “man” jewelry. Many male students around our school wear jewelry, whether it is a necklace or just their class ring. Large shoulder bags, scarves, and furry boots are also in this year. You can buy many of these high fashion clothing articles at several stores in our area. They do not necessarily need to be expensive; it is simply how you mesh the clothing together. For example, you may be wearing a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt. By simply pairing this outfit with a pair of stilettos or maybe even a handbag, it can be greatly improved in a fashion sense. By adding one simple item of color to any outfit, your outfit can be intensified. You may even be looked at in admiration. Many wish to be viewed as fashionable by their peers, and it can be obtained by anyone who strives to do so. Photos by Brooke Johnson 11 Jump Rope: Not Just For Kids Anymore By Katy Allamong Among young children, one of the most popular recess games is jump rope. This activity can be traced as far back as 1600 A.D., when the Egyptians used vines as their jump ropes. At this time, jumping rope was a male ritual that women were banned from. In the 1850’s, however, young girls began to join in the activity as well. Their paranoid mothers gave them this warning: "Instances of blood vessels burst by young ladies who, in a silly attempt to jump a certain number of hundred times, have persevered in jumping after their strength was exhausted." As it so often happens, the warning was ignored, and jump rope evolved into a girl’s game. By the 1990’s, jump rope was recognized as a major aerobic exercise. Boxers such as Muhammad Ali, use it as part of their training because it attributes endurance, stamina, and agility. Jump roping has become so popular, in fact, that numerous jump-roping teams have been established throughout the world. One such jump rope team The Double Dutch Forces relaxed after an out is Double Dutch Forces (Jump for Joy) found in Columbia, South Carolina. standing performance at a Virginia Tech This team was formed in 1985 and has won 217 State Title, 88 World basketball game. Photo by Katy Allamong Championships, 54 Second Place Titles, 2 Grand National Titles, and 15 AAU Junior Olympic Titles. The Forces has 85 members from elementary students to college students. Their goal is to promote self-discipline, motivation, self-confidence, and fun. In February 1985, Jowana Harris, Leah Davis, and Freda Davis (sisters) and Victor Morris formed the Valley Park Double Dutch Team in order to get in shape while having fun. Joy Holman, a “superwoman of sports” agreed to help them in the training process. The team practiced long hours up to the World Competition. The first time they competed they received 5th place. The Force returned 11 months later and captured 1st place. Over the last 20 years, the team accumulated many more teams and changed their name to The Forces. They are now coached by Joy Holman (Head Coach), Michael Peterson, and parent volunteers. The team travels all over the world for competition, but mainly remains in the United States to perform. They perform at a variety of events, including holiday parades and basketball games. The Forces have been featured on several different sports programs, newscasts, magazines, and newspapers. Over time, jump roping has evolved into a fun activity that people of all ages can enjoy. It benefits health, fitness, and entertainment. It is easy to see why jump rope is not just a kid’s game anymore. So go out, find a fun colored jump rope and hop to it. The History of Hip-Hop and Its Culture By Samantha Owens Hip-hop is a cultural movement that began in African American and Puerto Rican communities in South Bronx in the 1970’s. It began to spread somewhat through the 1980’s, but by the 1990’s it was all over the world. The movement is said to have begun with the work of DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Afrika Bambaattaa, and Disco King Mario. The main aspects of hip-hop culture are rapping, grafiti, break dancing, and beat-boxing. Hip-hop dancing covers a wide range of styles that are usually either associated with hip-hop music itself or hip-hop culture, which is the more urban aspect of the dance. This style has grown more and more popular throughout the years, a lot having to do with the growing popularity of hip hop music. The term also often times refers to break dancing. The style of hip-hop evolved in the 1970’s and was primarily danced to funk and “old school hip-hop” music. Break dancing was the base of hip-hop dancing, and the most well known of the hip-hop styles. In the 1980’s on the other hand, many funk styles that originally evolved separately from hip-hop started being incorporated in the culture as well, and could be combined with break dancing. In the 1990’s hip-hop grew farther away from funk and got slower, heavier, and more aggressive. Although inspired by the old school styles, the dance started focusing more on upright styles, compared to break dancing. “Popping and locking”, “harlem shake”, “tone wop”, and “hyphy” are some examples of hip-hop moves of the new school style. Today, the newer hip-hop styles are being classified as unique, especially in larger street competitions. IDO [the international dance organization], European street dance compitions, and Hoopdreamz Enterprises, are some examples of the more well-known street compititons. Whether or not it’s in a studio, or on the street, hip-hop dancing has become not only popular, but the preferred type of dance for students in the dance world today. 12 Hazing: Not Just A College Problem Anymore By Ryan Davis Over the past several years, hazing has gotten a lot of media attention, especially when it occurs in colleges and the military. Hazing in high school, however, seems to have been swept under the rug. More and more, hazing rituals have been adopted by high school students across the country as popular methods of initiating new members into organizations, clubs, and sports teams. Stophazing.org, a leading organization established to prevent hazing, defines it as: “any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate.” For years, hazing was considered harmless fun that college fraternities used to initiate new members. This “fun” usually includes drinking binges, dangerous stunts, and humiliation at the prospective member’s expense. By participating in hazing rituals, new members demonstrate their desire to join the fraternity or sorority and supposedly bond with their new brothers or sisters. Hazing is not just a college problem, however, as dozens of high school hazing incidents are reported annually. The problem is that while most colleges have realized that a problem exists and put anti-hazing rules into effect, many high schools have ignored the situation. The blame for this may lie in the parents and school officials, who look at hazing as childish fun. Many may have actually participated in the same hazing rituals that their children are now taking part in, and view them as simple traditions. Others simply do not want to admit that a problem exists and deny that such activities could take place right under their noses. For the safety of their children, these individuals need to realize that a problem exists and act accordingly. The types of hazing that students take part in are limitless. In college, victims of hazing can be forced to drink deadly amounts of alcohol, perform dangerous stunts, and withstand physical and mental abuse. In high school, victims have reported being sexually assaulted, stuffed into their lockers, forced into public nudity, kidnapped, and abused. In a Utah high school, hazees were showered with a vomit/urine mixture. In Bellmore, New York, football players reported being sexually assaulted during football camp by older players, as a right of passage. According to a national study performed by Alfred University, 48 percent of students will experience hazing in their high school careers. Of those, 43 percent will go through humiliating hazing, 29 percent will be involved in hazing rituals that are illegal, 23 percent will experience substance abuse hazing, and 22 percent will be experience abusive hazing. When asked why they performed hazing rituals the most popular responses were: “It was fun and exciting,” and “I got to prove myself.” Although many think that hazing only occurs in sports, incidents have been reported in all types of organizations, including drama and even Bible Club. Although hazing in high school is not as well known as when it occurs in college, the problem does exist. Hazing is cruel and needless behavior that affects students all over the nation. The acts will only end, however, when the individuals in charge admit that a problem exists and put an end to it. What’s With the Split? By Samantha Brookner You probably don’t know how your friend feels if their parents are divorced unless you have been through the same thing. A divorce is not only hard on the couple, but it can completely change a child’s life. Some causes of divorce could be cheating, abuse, or maybe just too much yelling and cussing. It is becoming more and more common for couples to split. 44% of all marriages end in divorce. Half of all children that have divorced parents are more likely to have problems within their own marriage. To see how many people in our school had to deal with the big divorce I asked 40 people to take a survey. 1) Are your parents divorced? Yes-20 No-20 For the students that said yes their parents are divorced, I asked these questions: 2) Was the divorce within the last 5 years? Yes-5 No-15 3) Has it had a major effect on you? Yes-13 No-7 4) Has there been remarriage? Yes-11 No-9 5) Do you enjoy your new stepparent(s)? Yes-7 No-4 13 Gay Nature? By Patrick Mahaney Say what you want, but recent research shows that homosexuality may be a born trait. Studies have shown that along with 200 different animal species (including flies, rats, monkeys, and penguins), male sheep have preferred to mate with their own sex. Why? After performing autopsies, researchers have discovered that a certain region of the brain, called the hypothalamus, may be responsible. The hypothalamus is involved in activities such as our emotions, the full and hungry feeling, homeostasis (an organism’s ability to maintain stable internal conditions), and the Sleep/Wake Cycle. The hypothalamus is also responsible This picture shows the for the release of sex hormones and hypothalamus, a section of the controlling stereotypical and types of brain believed to control sexual behavior. In normal males, their hormones and sexual behavior. hypothalamus is twice the size of the Photo from http://mediabyran.kib. females of the species. However, in these sheep, the hypothalamus was the same size as normal females. Male sheep are called rams and usually While this is an impressive find, the research itself is not new. In 1991, Photo from http://www.usd.edu have horns. neurosurgeon Simon LeVay came to the same conclusion when he studied tissue samples of humans. However, LeVay’s findings were criticized for the small number of trials, poor background collection, and variety (every sample had come form a male who had died from AIDS). Like LeVay, Kay Larkin, the scientist from Oregon Health and Science University who started the research, is facing roadblocks of his own. The few media sources that picked up the story skewed many of the facts, causing people to formulate the wrong idea. Animal rights activists and related organizations spoke out against the research, believing that Larkin wanted to “cure” the sheep instead of just studying them. Summers County High School By R. Tanner Bivens \ Have you ever wondered what other high schools are like? How they are different and how they are similar to Giles High School? Well, I set out to answer these questions. I took trips to Summers County High School in Hinton, West Virginia to answer the questions. The first trip I made was to Summers County High School, home of the Bobcats. When I arrived at the school, I interviewed the school superintendent, Mrs. Vicki Hinnerman. Mrs. Hinnerman told me that the school has roughly 500+ students attending. She said that SCHS does not have a tennis or soccer program, but has a wonderful girls basketball team, which has won numerous championships. After I interviewed Mrs. Hinnerman, I toured Summers County High School to see the school first hand. I was welcomed with opened arms by the faculty and student body. The first class that I went to was their Journalism class, Summers County High School resides in taught by Mr. Hartwell. The first major difference I noticed was that the SCHS Photos from SCHC website Hinton, West Virginia. Journalism class is actually a recommended prerequisite to the Newspaper and Yearbook classes. In this class the students learn the overall study of Journalism before they enter a publication class. This is different from Giles, which allows students to go immediately to Journalism and Yearbook without any stepping-stones. Jessica Turner and Haley Sorbough, students who escorted me back to the main lobby after Journalism class ended, stated that fighting and bullying was once a problem a SCHS, but thanks to a new and stricter policy, in which a person who starts a fight will get up to 10 days out of school suspension, the school has become a much safer environment. Another dramatic difference was that SCHS is not on the SOL curriculum, which is the test used by the state of Virginia. Instead SCHS tenth grade students have to take a test called West Test, the test used in the state of West Virginia that has nothing to do with whether they pass high school or not. Some other things I noticed were the overall physical appearance of the school. Even though SCHS has more students, they only have a onestory building, unlike GHS that has a two-story building. Also the day lengths are longer at SCHS yet they get to leave school earlier. Unlike Giles, where school starts at 8:35AM and ends at 3:15 PM, at SCHS they must begin school at 8:05 AM and leave school at 3:05 PM. At the end of the day, I was quite pleased with Summers County High school. It was definitely a fun and informative experience. 14 A Wrestler’s Legacy Revealed! By Megan Blevins The word “wrestler,” does it bring a certain picture to mind? How about a beefy guy with long hair and what seems to be a permanent snarl painted on his face? Maybe it’s more like a woman who you know could pummel you with a snap of her fingers? Whatever the image may be, shake your head and picture this: an adorable little girl with bouncing curls sticking to her neck from sweating profusely. The little girl appears to be no older than eight. She waves to her biggest fans, her family, and then takes her place on the mat looking her opponent square in the eyes. The grin has left her face and in its place a thin line takes shape and you hear her grunt. Right before your very eyes you witness sweet little Betsy Blevins transform into Betsy the Beast. Watch out world here Betsy proudly displays her medals and trophies she comes! earned throughout her five-year career. It all began in 1997 with the showing of a movie at Eastern Elementary Photos by Megan Blevins School during gym class. Unlike the favorite Disney classics of the time, this movie had way more action involved. Mrs. Lea Beth Bowers showed her 2nd grade gym classes a movie all about the grueling and intense sport of wrestling. Later during the week, there was going to be sign ups for the Newport Wrestling Team. The video showed both boys and girls taking it to the mat, literally. Betsy watched with excitement, thinking: “I can do that!” That very same afternoon, Betsy got off the bus and ran excitedly to tell her parents of the new sport she wanted to try. She was ecstatic. As she told of the movie shown at school, her parents, Connie and Dawes, said, “Wrestling is just for boys sweetie!” Betsy told them they were “oh so wrong.” She had seen a girl pinning a guy on the video and she wanted to do that too. Reluctantly Dawes and Connie agreed to let Betsy try her luck at the sport. For the next five years Betsy gave wrestling her all. Her final year, she went 12-1. Betsy won a gold medal at every tournament, except in 3rd grade she took the silver. Wrestling turned Betsy Betsy shows her winning defensive look. into one of the toughest people I know. During Betsy’s wrestling career, she mostly wrestled boys and showed them that girls can be tough too. When facing some of her opponents, the guys would say they didn’t want to wrestle with a girl. Some even laughed and joked that she would be an easy win. Once again stubborn Betsy would give it her all and pin the boys. When she did so, the guys were shocked. They just could not believe a girl had beaten them at a sport dominated by males. Betsy wasn’t the only wrestler from the Blevins family; her older brother Josh joined the team too. Betsy’s dedication and love for the sport never wavered. Through her experiences people can see that giving up is never the answer. Betsy was so successful in her wrestling career that Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital in 2002 the Roanoke Times did a special (CGMH) in Pearisburg offers article about her. Betsy had this to say about her wrestling experience, “If you lose, don’t families excellent patient care, close give up, keep trying until you get the gold.” to home. From medical care and surgery to outpatient diagnostic services and rehabilitation… Generations of Care CGMH promises the Right Care, Right Here, Right Now. 15 The Lyric Theater Information By Katy Allamong 135 College Avenue Blacksburg, VA Office: 540-951-4771 Showtimes and info: 951-0604 Being teenagers, one of our favorite weekend activities includes going to the movie theater. Some people consider it to be the perfect place to meet friends, go on dates, or just get away from home. So what is the downfall? Having to pay for the tickets, popcorn, candy, and drinks. By the time the movie actually starts, our wallets have shrunk immensely. Most of us begin to wonder if it is really worth going to the theater. Lucky for us, there is an affordable theater, located in Downtown Blacksburg, minutes away from the Virginia Tech campus. The Lyric Theater is a fully restored 1930’s movie house. As a non-profit organization, it relies on the generosity of its members and the community. An old-fashioned ticket booth greets moviegoers upon entering the building. Picking your seat can be fun, considering the fact that the Lyric has balcony seats along with the traditional seating choices. From the balcony you have an amazing view of the screen without spraining your neck, and it is easy to lean back in the plush red seats to see the intricate designs and details inside the theatre. The original Lyric Theatre was built in 1909 and circulated through many owners and locations. Finally, on April 17, 1930, the Lyric was moved to building that it still resides in today, in the heart of downtown Blacksburg. When first built in 1930, The Lyric was considered to be the best small town theatre in Virginia. It was one of the three theaters built for sound pictures in the state. Later, in the 1950s, it was renovated to make way for a cinemascope screen. In June 1989, after 60 years of operation, the Lyric was sold and leased to Virginia Tech, who used it as a lecture hall. For the next 2 years over 2,000 students met there weekly for classes. The Virginia Tech Union screened four movies for up to 500 students a weekend. When Tech’s lease ended, The Lyric was closed until 1996. In 1995, The Lyric Council was formed to reopen the theatre. They received a 30-year rent-free lease from the owners as thanks for the renovation. In the process of renovation, the projection equipment was repaired, the concession stand was cleaned, and the lobby was painted. The Lyric reopened for the first time in 8 years in 1996. Two years later it closed again and the full-scale renovations began. It was opened yet again in October Somethin’s Fishy 1998 and remains open for business. Over the years Fish & Seafood Market minor changes have been 460 East Pembroke, VA 24136 made such as new doors, (1 mile west of Pembroke Center) display cases, and exit door. (540) 626-7272 The marquee has been renovated and upgraded with SPECIALIZING IN FLORIDA PEELED & new letterboxes, lights, Admission decorative support brackets, DEVEINED SHRIMP Prices and paint scheme. The lobby was repainted to spice the • Monday-Thursday: $4 Over 14 varieties of Fish, Sno Crabs, Hush entrance up (by Giles High • Friday-Sunday:$5 Puppies, Stuffed Flounder & Salmon, Home-style School’s Mr. Michael Etzler). Breaded Oysters, Devil Crab, Traditional As an attention grabber, the Lyric letters have been relit. The Lyric Maryland Crab Cakes, Frog Legs, Dips, offers movies, art, live music, and performances. This variety would Chowders & Bisques and so much more……….. explain the sculpted drama faces mounted on top of the building. The Lyric is a cultural experience, as well as a wonderful place Gift Certificates Available!!! to spend an afternoon with friends. The best part of it all: Monday is free popcorn day. HOURS OF OPERATION: (New Winter Hours) Monday & Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Become a Wednesday: CLOSED Volunteer!!! Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM -free admission, popcorn, and Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM community service! Sunday: CLOSED 16 Star Wars: The 30th Anniversary By Bryan Stafford The Star Wars saga has always been a popular movie series among people of all ages. Well, did you know that the original movie that started it all turns 30 years old this May? The original movie, Episode 4, A New Hope, was released on May 25th, 1977. At the time of its release the film’s creator, George Lucas, had no idea that the film franchise would become such a success and have such a Episode 4: A My ratings: large impact on society. The saga consists of 6 episodes that Episode 1: New Hope have been released over the past 30 years with the most The Phantom – 7/10 recent film being in theaters in May of 2005. Star Wars is Menace – Episode 5: not just movies, however, as there are many books, comics, 4/10 The Empire merchandise, video games, collectables, and many other Episode 2: Strikes Back things that have been inspired by the films. The 30th Attack of the – 9/10 Darth Vader, the saga’s anniversary will be a timeless celebration for fans of the Clones – 5/10 Episode 6: icon of evil. films and its creators. The festivities have already begun Photos taken from Google images. Episode 3: Return of the with participation in the Rose Parade with a special Revenge Of Jedi appearance by George Lucas himself. the Sith – – 8/10 The Star Wars saga has many memorable characters such as Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Yoda, 8/10 R2-D2, and many more. It has become such a popular film series that it has been referenced in many television shows and other movies. It was originally aimed towards a younger audience, but over the years with all of the items released and the newer movies, it has become just as popular with adults. I personally got into the movies at age 5, and have been a fan ever since. I remember the re-release in 1997 and when the films first became available on DVD as well as going to each of the newer prequel films on the first week of release. My personal favorite movie of the 6 is Episode 5. I have always been a fan of the older original movies and like them better. The newer movies were somewhat of a disappointment due to the lack of originality. The entire saga together does fit, and it is a grand movie experience. Star Wars fans and general movie fans alike should celebrate the 30th anniversary because it was Star Wars that paved the way for special effects in other movies. It is an important part of American movie history and a cultural classic. I suggest if you haven’t seen any of the movies to try and see these awesome pictures. May the force be with you! Movie Review Eragon By Patrick Mahaney Eragon the movie brings shame to the book. Not only is a huge amount of the story chopped out, some of the roles of important characters became trivial and stereotyped, while others (a few playing a huge role in the sequel) never Eragon and Brom, the main characters. appeared. Almost every Photo from www.canmag.com town was removed. In fact, the movie is so different from the book story-wise that it hardly deserves to call itself by the same name. The story is about a young boy named Eragon (or “Dragon” with an “E”) living in a small town and never venturing farther than a nearby mountain (called “The Spine”). By a twist of fate, Eragon came to possess a sought-after dragon egg, throwing the town into danger. He decides the town’s troubles will vanish if he runs, so he does so with the help of Brom, the town’s storyteller. This is where the book and the movie differ in story; in the book, Eragon goes on various adventures and meets several interesting characters, whereas the movie has Eragon and Brom wandering through a forest and getting in a couple of predicaments. To its credit, the movie’s special effects are impressive and the scenery is beautiful. The actors work well in their parts and the actual movie (not the script) is well done. However, if you are a fan of the book, save yourself the agony and stay far away from this film. Reality TV: Why Do We Watch? By Ryan Davis It all started in 1992, when a new show, “The Real World,” premiered on MTV. The concept of the show was like nothing on television; place half a dozen twenty-somethings in a house together and watch the drama unfold. “The Real World” was a huge success and other “reality” shows soon began appearing in the lineup. America had tasted blood and the reality TV phenomenon began. At first, reality shows were harmless enough. They usually followed the same format as “The Real World,” placing completely different types of people together and watching as they laughed, cried, fought, and lived their overly-dramatic lives. In 2000, “Big Brother” premiered on CBS. The show added a twist to the concept by locking participants in the house and making them compete against each other for money and prizes. Viewers eventually tired of the same old format, however, and other types of reality shows began to air. “Fear Factor” was one of these shows. It forced contestants to face their fears for the chance to win cash. Soon, viewers were watching people devour bugs, jump from buildings, and put themselves in ridiculous American love watching other situations. people put themselves in TV executives began to realize that viewers loved watching other people humiliate humiliating situations. themselves. Now, the networks have worked the reality concept from every possible angle. The problem is that most of these shows are practically clones of one another. Within months of a successful reality show’s premiere, there are half a dozen other shows exactly like it. The best example of this is “American Idol.” After the show scored high ratings other talent competition programs began airing. Now, it’s hard to flip the channel without seeing someone being criticized by a panel of judges, one of which is always overly critical Brit. That’s not to say that there aren’t some appealing and entertaining reality shows out there. Most of these shows grow old too quickly, however, when mimics begin appearing on other stations. Some originals have remained popular, nevertheless, and keep viewers watching. Of all reality programs, dating shows have probably reached the lowest level. In the sixties and seventies, shows like “Let’s Make A Date” allowed people to politely interview potential romances. Today, with programs like “Elimidate” and “Next,” daters can drop their love interests with a snap of their fingers, completely disregarding the person’s feelings and humiliating them on national TV. More and more, reality show creators continue to add ridiculous twists to their programs. Even a once respected show, “The Apprentice” has become another ploy for ratings. Now, instead of contestants just trying to gain a position in the Trump Empire, they are forced to sleep in tents and brave the elements upon losing a task. With every new reality show that premieres, more viewers tune in, and America’s obsession grows. We have even begun to look at reality TV stars, people who basically just act like themselves, as celebrities. Careers of stars such as Paris Hilton have been launched by reality programs. The big question is, why do we keep watching? Maybe the biggest reason is that it is easier to laugh at the lives of other people than deal with our own problems. After all, the biggest appeal of reality TV is that we get to watch the dramatic and unscripted lives of real people. As we watch others face After the success of American Idol, numerous other hardships it can help us realize that our own lives aren’t so bad after all. talent competitions appeared on television. With some of the train wrecks that end up on television, it doesn’t take much Photos from google.com imagination to make that realization. 18 Starfield Music Review By Bryan Stafford Starfield’s new album, Beauty in the Broken. (Photo taken from www.starfieldonline.com.) Starfield is a Christian music group from Canada, formed by brothers Tim and Jon Neufeld. As of today, Gordie Cochran has joined as drummer and Shaun Huberts as bassist. They have released three albums so far with their debut album being released only in Canada in 2003. Their second CD, and first internationally released album, is simply titled Starfield. It was released on Sparrow Records in 2004. Their latest album, Beauty in the Broken, was also under Sparrow Records and came out in 2006. The first single off of the album, “My Generation,” has had success on the U.S. charts. Starfield has won numerous awards in the Canadian GMA awards including song, group, and album of the year. I had the privilege of seeing the group live in concert with my youth group during Resurrection 2007. Getting to see them live was a really awesome experience. Their song, “I Want to Hold the Hand That Holds the World” was somewhat of an anthem for the Resurrection event. Each one of their songs has a powerful message and the music is really good. If you are skeptical of Christian music, you should check out Starfield because they might make you feel differently. Check out the band’s website, www.starfieldonline.com, for more information, to hear their music, visit their online store, join their fan club, and more. Music Review: The Fray By R. Tanner Bivens For many bands it takes almost a lifetime to reach the top. Most do not even make it to stardom. But one band that has been on the rise and has taken the USA by storm is The Fray The Fray currently consists of Isaac Slade on lead vocals and piano, Joe King on guitar and vocals, Dave Welsh on guitar, and Ben Wysocki. The band currently has no official bassist but has recently been touring with bass guitarist Jimmy Stofer of the Dualistic. The Fray’s album How to Save a Life has already spawned two American Top 40 hits, “Over My Head,” and “How to Save a Life.” The Fray’s main genres of music include Piano Rock and Alternative Rock. It is with out a doubt, in my opinion, that The Fray is going to be one of America’s next top bands of 2007. Lee’s Body Shop Inc. S. Lee Wheeler, D.D.S. General Dentistry 112 Center Street Narrows, VA 24124 796 N Main St PO Box 334 Pearisburg, VA 24134 921-3559 (540) 726-3904 19 PLAYER NO Zach Atkins 10 Nathan Tanner 12 Cody Griffith 14/45 Evan Lidgard 20 Drew Kerr 22 Mario Jones 24 Josh McCann 30 Nathan Frazier 32 Lee Stephens 34 Jared Brown 40 Kent Robertson 44 Jeremy Workman 52 Manager: Clay Bowles Coaches: Mitch Reed, Timmy Carbaugh, Seth Davis, and Brad Whitehead Boys Varsity Basketball By Morgan Sumpter The Boys Varsity Basketball Team had a great start to their season. Although they lost their first game to Ft. Chiswell, they did not let it bring them down. With thirteen won games and eight district wins, the Spartans have dominated over some difficult teams. The boys finished their regular season with a 12-6 record. They went on to the District Tournament, winning against Glenvar 59-44. They lost to Radford 64-62 in the second round of the Tournament, coming in second place in the district. The boys then traveled to George Wythe High School in the first round of the Regional Tournament. Although they played a hard game, the Spartans fell to the Maroons 84-55. Senior Nathan Tanner and Junior Cody Griffith were both selected 1st Team All District and Junior Mario Jones was selected 2nd Team All District. The Spartans have had their first winning season since 2002, and this is the third time in school history that the varsity team has made it to regional playoffs. Congratulations boys on a winning season! Nathan Tanner attempts a shot against Fort Chiswell. Photos By Morgan Sumpter GAME Above Left: Cody Griffith leaps in attempt to get the ball. Above Right: Josh McCann and Mario Jones try to block a pass during the game against Fort Chiswell. Below: The Boy’s Varsity basketball team gathered in a huddle at the pep rally on February Photos By Samantha Owens 20th before the Regional game at George Wythe. Ft. Chiswell Narrows Dayspring Ft. Chiswell Dayspring Auburn East Mont James Monroe Floyd Radford Glenvar Auburn Bland East Mont Narrows Floyd Radford Glenvar Glenvar Radford George Wythe W/L L W L W W W W L W W L W W W W W L L W L L Your graduation supply and class ring specialists! Gus Gee ● Joe Assaid ● Eric Reynolds Herff Jones/Valley Graduate Services 1852 West Main Street ● Salem, VA 24153 (540) 389-9155 20 JV Girls Basketball By Venessa Burnette At the beginning of the season, the Girls Junior Varsity team progressed slowly. With only eleven players on the team, they managed to win their first scrimmage against Graham. After playing several games, the fairly new team began to experience how their teammates functioned as a group. They started respecting and encouraging each other, and they showed a change in their attitudes. The team had a positive way of thinking towards all difficulties, and because of their determination, they gained the accomplishment through hard work. Their coach, Bill Mance, had his JV Roster # doubts about his young team in the 1. Whitney Meredith 10 opening of the season. This year 2. Leigh Kauffelt 14 making his 9th year with being part of 3. Rachel Smith 20 the Giles athletic program, he knew that The 2006-2007 JV basketball team discussed 4. Katie Griffith 22 this team was not as talented in the their plans for a victory during a timeout. 5. Shanda Higginbotham 24 Photo by Venessa Burnette beginning as some of his previous 6. Emily Ellis 32 teams had been. He continued to work 7. Rachel Lang 34 with them on developing a point guard, improving their skills, and becoming more aggressive. 8. Erica Boone 40 Now, with better improvements, Bill Mance could tell that the ladies’ will to win was 9. Chelsey Gibson 44 increasing. He constantly worked with his squad because he knew that when district games 10. Whitney Cecil 54 started, their opponents would have tremendous talent. Gradually, Coach Mance began to notice 11. Karelyn Ribbe 10 a dramatic difference in his team compared to earlier in the season. At the beginning of the district games the JV team had a record of 1-1; they won against Eastern Coaches: Mr. Bill Mance, Mr. Montgomery, but fell to Radford. Persisting on with their season, they beat Glenvar’s JV team J.P. Griffith 30-25 and Auburn’s team 3525. By gaining victories more and more the young team is beginning to experience what victory really feels like. Hooping It Up! By Kelsey Frazier 2465 N. Franklin Street This year’s Girls Varsity BasketballTeam had a Christiansburg, VA 24073 rough start considering Starting Center Kayla Patteson tore her ACL and MCL during the first game of the season. Striving for perfection, Telephone 540-381-1730 the girls kick it up a notch to take victory against Glenvar, winning Fax 540-381-1792 by three points. Linda Powell and Lynette Spicer led the Spartans [email protected] through most of the games, being seniors of the basketball team both got honorable mention for the three-river district. First time coach Jacky Koch was a firm believer in hard working equals perfection. Everyday practices and running prepared us for the worst. Despite ending the season with a loss against Glenvar, all girls were happy with themselves and the amount of improvement they have had. Coach Koch is excited about next season and now knows what to look for. Great Job Ladies! Varsity Roster Kayla Patteson Linda Powell Lynette Spicer Keree Wilson Stephanie Robertson Lindsey Meredith Kelsey Frazier Kelly Patteson Hannah Kellison Kayla Patteson attempts to jump for the rebound against a Christiansburg player. #32 #42 #12 #24 #34 #3 #40 #5 #23 Kelly Patteson tries to dribble around a Bland opponent during an intense game. Photos by Morgan Sumpter 21 JV Boys Bringing It Back Roster Player Jarrod Alls Cody Journell Lukas Jackson Chris Myers William White Wes Conley Josh Stump Justin Moose Gautier Travis Robertson Greg Ray Andy Randel Codey Williams Frankie Robertson Caleb Tilley # 20 12 22 24 34 45 42 32 40 44 14 50 10 30 By Samantha Brookner Game W/L Coaches are: Timmy Carbaugh, J.P. Griffith, and Seth Davis Ft. Chiswell Narrows Dayspring Ft. Chiswell Dayspring Auburn East Mont James Monroe Floyd Radford Glenvar Auburn Bland East Mont Narrows Floyd Radford Glenvar The JV boys gather for a timeout during a very intense game against Narrows. Photos By Kelsey Frazier William White jumps for the ball as Chris Myers and Jarrod Alls block for him. The JV Boys Basketball Team had a very good season. They won all of their games, except for the game against Radford when they had an off night, but they came back the next time that they played Radford and defeated them. These boys have definitely earned some good recognition and respect. They had a better record this year than the last year. They also got along well on and off the basketball court. I talked to some players and one stated that he was proud of their team this season and hopes to do as well next season. Congratulations boys and keep up the good work for next year. W W W W W W W W W L W W W W W W W W SuperBowl XLI By Brooke Johnson Super Bowl XLI was played at Dolphin Stadium in Florida on February 4, 2007 between the Indianapolis Colts (16-4) and the Chicago Bears (15-4). Colts began the game with the kickoff at 6:25pm, and Devin Hester from the Bears had a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown. The extra point attempt was successful, and the score was 7-0. This occurred with 14 seconds into the game. This may have worried many of the diehard Colt fans that had traveled so many miles to see their favorite team play for SuperBowl victory, but luckily, they still had time to recover. With 6:50 left on the clock for the first quarter, Peyton Manning, quarterback of the Colts, made a completed 53-yard pass to Reggie Wayne for their first touchdown of the game. The two point rush following was unsuccessful, and the score was brought to 7-6. Still in the first quarter, the Bears rushed 57 yards in four plays and Muhsin Muhammad caught a 4-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 14-6 at the end of the first quarter. In the start of the second quarter, the Bears’ defense began taking a toll on the Colts. They forced the Colts to a fourth down, and the Colts kicked a successful 29-yard field goal. With the Bears fumbling the ball, the Colts gained control of the game again and scored with a 1-yard run by Dominic Rhodes. The kick after was good and the score at the end of the first half was 14-16. The Colts were in the lead. The half-time show was a grand success, and Prince rocked the stadium. He sang many of his greatest hits. With bright and bursting fireworks, the show was unbelievable, and it truly pumped up the football fans for the second half of the game. The game was close and many of the fans started to become intensely worried about the outcome. Both teams came back onto the field hoping for the best. The Bears’ defense held off the Colts, and the offense was forced to kick a field goal. It was successful and the score was brought to 14-19. The rain had been falling from the sky in heavy amounts the entire game. No sooner did the Bears get the ball back, than they fumbled and the Colts recovered. Although the Bears had this setback, they pushed the Colts’ offense into kicking yet another field goal. Adam Vinatieri kicked another good field goal and the score was now 14-22. Both coaches must have revved up their teams, for both were playing better than in the first half. The Colts’ defense was playing tougher than usual and forced the Bears to a fourth down. Robbie Gould kicked the field goal, and the score was once again close at 17-22. The Bears had control of the ball at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With a stunning interception return, Kelvin Hayden from the Colts made a 56-yard Touchdown with 11:44 left on the game clock. The Bears would try their hardest to make a truth of their hopes for SuperBowl victory, but in the end, the score was 17-29. The Colts had secured their dreams and were crowned SuperBowl XLI Champions! 22 23 MOST AFFECTIONATE Matches Made in High School! By Kelsey Frazier MOST PLAYFUL Everyone wishes they could find their one true love. Some are very lucky to have found theirs in high school. Each couple has their unique way of showing their love for each other. Holding hands is one of the appropriate ways couples show their love for one another at school. I picked five couples that I believe have the most unique way of showing their love. ↑Ryan Eaton and Chelsea Dunford are this years most affectionate couple. You often see this couple holding hands and treating each other like royalty. They have been together for 10 months. MOST COMPLICATED ↑Keree Wilson and Kurt Marcuseen are voted most playful couple of the year. They are often seen flirtatiously joking and playing around. They have been together for 6 months →Garrison Ellis and Kayla Patteson are this year’s most complicated couple. Even through their rough stages they always seem to work it out and have much love for each other. They have been together for 1 year off and on. ↓Gabby Merrix and Nate Ribbe are this year’s most compassionate couple. Being together for 9 months this couple has truly out did themselves, showing their love for one another is what they do best. MOST LIKEY TO GET MARRIED MOST COMPASSIONATE ←Brooke Johnson and Alex Wilson are voted most likely to get married. This couple is often seen mingling in each other’s company. Both love each other dearly and hope to someday get married. They have been together about two years.