Ruston High School December 16, 2010 Box Tops RHS

Transcription

FBLA NFLC Page 17
Cross Country
Championships
See Page 31
RHS Alumni Series
See Page 2
http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/chatterbox.html
Chatterbox
Ruston High School
RHS Distinguished
Box Tops
Outside Our Box (2)
Alumni and Teachers
Academia (3-6)
Teacher Spotlights (6-8)
Editorials/Opinions (9-13)
Service and Social (14)
Clubs (15-17)
The Arts (18)
Foreign Languages (19)
Senior Spotlights (20-24)
Student Center (25)
Fun Page (26)
Sponsors/staff (27)
Bearcat Spirit (28)
Sports (29-32)
information provided by the RHS Alumni Association
by Natasha Alva
News Editor
When the Ruston High School Alumni Association held
their annual awards luncheon, three distinguished teachers
and three distinguished alumni were honored and recognized.
The distinguished teachers honored were current teacher Julie
B. Stephenson, retired teacher Ruth C. Potts, and the late Mrs.
Murrie Lee Turnbow. The three Distinguished Alumni recognized and honored were as follows: in the category of Commerce, Ruston businessman Johnny Maxwell; as Humanitarian, Cherry Pratt Kirkpatrick; and as Physician, Scientist, and
Educator, Dr. Joan Blondin.
In the October edition of the Chatterbox, we began a series giving a detailed report on each of these distinguished
alumni and teachers in a six part series, covering one distinguished alumni or teacher each month. To date, we have covered Dr. Joan Blondin and the late Mrs. Murrie Lee Turnbow.
This month, we continue the series with a report on Mr.
Johnny Maxwell.
Congratulations Amber Brown!
by Elizabeth Smith
Business Manager
Ruston High School‘s very own
Amber Brown has won Louisiana‘s Future Business Leaders of
America October Member of the
Month Award. She has been
picked as member of the month
out of all nominated Louisiana‘s
FBLA members. Ruston‘s FBLA
Chapter 617 is very proud of her
for all of her hard work in FBLA
and is extremely happy that she
has been chosen as Louisiana‘s FBLA member of the month. Amber said
this about her finding out that she had been selected member of the
month, ―Upon learning of being awarded Louisiana‘s October Member
of the Month, I felt overwhelmingly grateful to my adviser, Mr. Bruner,
and to my fellow FBLA members who have stood behind me since I
became a student at Ruston High School. Thank you all. I appreciate it
so much!‖ (Amber is pictured with State Adviser, Mr. Andrew Ducote.)
December 16, 2010
SPS Celebration: THANK YOU!
by Amber Brown and Natasha Alva
Senior Editor and News Editor
On November 17th, the Lincoln Parish School Board and Ruston High
School came together in an effort to say ―Thank You‖ to each and every student who worked hard on the standardized tests last school year. Ruston High
School Principal Mike Milstead and the Superintendent of the Lincoln Parish
School Board, Dr. Danny Bell, spoke to the student body as they sat in the
stands at James Stadium. Mr. Milstead commended the students for the results of their testing last spring. Dr. Bell also spoke about how proud he was
of our student body‘s great tests scores.
The result of each student‘s dedication is shown generally through the
School Performance Score (SPS) which has been raised to 108.9. Seventy
percent of that score comes from the students performance on standardized
tests (ILeap, GEE, and EOC). Higher test scores by the majority of students
raised the overall scores for Ruston High. This reflects well on not only the
students, but on our teachers and faculty at Ruston High. Bearcats should be
proud of doing their best on the tests.
After Mr. Milstead and Dr. Bell spoke, students received three tickets to
receive snacks and drinks served by volunteer parents of Ruston High School
students. Students socialized as they enjoyed the rewards of their hard work.
Preyish Govin said, ―It was very rewarding and I am thankful that RHS
shows appreciation for the students‘ hard work!‖ It was an honor and privilege for RHS students to be rewarded in such a kind way! A big thank you
goes out to Mr. Milstead and Dr. Bell for the SPS celebration, and to the parents and teachers who helped put together this special event!
Amber was chosen as member of the month because of all her
hard work in FBLA. She assisted her adviser Mr. Bruner with planning
the March of Dimes, Hot Halloween Happenings, CCA charity drive,
Ruston Police Department Gift Baskets, and Christmas Parade. She
recruited sixteen new members in her chapter. She was the leading
sales person in the Spirit Button Fundraiser with over 100 sales, Meat
Snack Fundraiser with approximately 360 sales and Candle Fundraiser
with 20 sales. One of her greatest achievements was publicizing and
supervising the March
of Dimes Jeans Pass
Fundraiser,
raising
$150 for the March of
Dimes. Amber has truly
been an amazing and
outstanding
member
and deserves this award
more than anyone else.
O
utside Our Box?
Chatterbox
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Distinguished Alumni: John E. Maxwell
Page 2
information provided by the RHS Alumni Association
by Natasha Alva
News Editor
John E. Maxwell was born January 27, 1937, in Ruston, Louisiana, to H.B. and Bess Maxwell. Johnny Maxwell graced
the halls of Ruston High School from the Fall of l951 to the Spring of 1955. Mr. Maxwell was active in many service organizations, played football, and ran track. All of these activities set the stage for his future success in the business community.
After graduating from RHS, he attended Louisiana Tech and then to Oklahoma State University where he earned his BS
degree in Business Administration. He then went to Tulane University and earned a Masters in Finance in l960. While in
New Orleans, he won the heart of Jo Anne Zerkus, a nurse from Pascagoula, Mississippi. They married and made their home
in Ruston and had two children.
Mr. Maxwell began his career by teaching in the Business Department at Louisiana Tech. In l962, he established the Holiday Inn of Ruston and served as Innkeeper until l976. He owned and operated Lincoln Courts and Maxwell‘s Restaurant. In
subsequent years, he built Holiday Inn Express and was an investor in several hotels in various locations. He was elected to
the Board of Directors of the International Association of Holiday Inns in l970.
Concurrent with his career as an innkeeper and restaurateur, he was active in the banking business. In l966, Mr. Maxwell
was asked to serve on the Board of Directors for Ruston State Bank. He was named executive vice president and then president where he served until June of l994, when the bank was sold to Premier Bank of Louisiana. The bank sold again in l996
and became Bank One of Louisiana. Subsequent to both of these changes of ownership, Mr. Maxwell was retained and
served as executive vice president and vice chairman of the Board, a tribute to his skills and banking knowledge, since in
many instances of changes in ownership, prior personnel are replaced by employees of the new corporations. These banks
recognized that Mr. Maxwell was a man of integrity—his word was his bond. Through the years, he was actively involved in
various banking associations.
Mr. Maxwell was also very active in civic organizations, which are too numerous to name. He has been honored with several prestigious awards. He was named Ruston‘s
Outstanding Young Man of the Year, was presented with the Sertoma Club of Ruston‘s Service of Humanity Award, received Alumnus of the Year award from Louisiana
Tech, and received the Robert E. Russ Award sponsored by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce for outstanding community service. As a lifelong member of Trinity
United Methodist Church, Mr. Maxwell chaired the United Methodist 1,000 Club helping to raise money to build other Methodist churches across Louisiana. Mr. Maxwell
has been instrumental in fund raising for many organizations such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Dixie Center for the Arts, Eddie Robinson Memorial Museum, and
North Louisiana Exhibition Center.
Johnny Maxwell‘s loyalty and friendship to his fellow men, willingness to work for worthy causes, and integrity have all assured his success in business and in life. It is
not a wonder that he also received the Distinguished Alumnus award in the category of Commerce and Industry.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from the RHS PTA!!
Saluting Outstanding Student
Achievement
Throughout the Bearcat Nation
A
Chatterbox
cademia
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 3
Bearcats wear…PINK? Coming and Going With Accounting
submitted by Elizabeth Sawyer
NHS Member
by Natasha Alva
News Editor
The RHS National Honor Society sponsored a
(belated) pink ribbon week from November 8 to November 12. NHS members sold a raffle ticket and pink
―Bearcats wear PINK‖ package for $2.00 each. These
bracelets and raffle tickets were sold in order to raise
money toward the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation that supports the fight towards breast cancer. The
raffle tickets were for a chance to win 1 of 6 prizes donated by local businesses including Chili's and Raising
Canes. The winners of the drawing are as followed: Cody
McCullen won a Little Caesar‘s gift card; Ashley Darwin
won a Starbuck‘s card; Taylor Condie won a Starbuck‘s
and Chili‘s gift card; Beth Lyons won a Subway card;
Chris Taylor won a Raising Cane‘s gift card; and Katherine Chisholm won a gift card from The Fashion. In addition with a chance to win a prize, the pink bracelets
were passes for a ―pink shirt day‖ at school on Thursday,
November 11. At the end of the week, the National
Honor Society achieved their goal of raising $500.00 to
donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight the
war against breast cancer.
Six senior members of FBLA taking Accounting
started out with many questions and little clue as to what
accounting was. After getting through the first four
chapters of the book, the light bulbs above their head
illuminated. There are many reasons why each of these
students enjoy accounting and appreciate what that
knowledge means, but the most prominent is its great
potential and direct relations to real life.
John Sachs, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
came to RHS and instructed us on the basics of accounting. Mr. Sachs spent his entire career doing various accounting work for many different types of industries
ranging from government auditing to budget and tax
accounting for a multi-national drilling industry and
thus is very qualified and knowledgeable in accounting.
Mr. Sachs reintroduced the accounting equation (assets
equal liabilities plus stockholder‘s equity) and using a
simple realistic example demonstrated what this equation means. John Sachs now writes a weekly commentary for the Ruston Daily Leader.
On Tuesday November 9th, the accounting class left
Ruston High School and took a ―field trip‖ to Barr and
Woodward, L.L.C. as guest of Chris Barr, a Certified
Public Accountant. They were served pizza for lunch
and then were able to listen to working accountants and
hear about what each person‘s specific job was and how
much they enjoyed their job. The accountants explained
that for their jobs they never did the same thing day in
and day out. The students were also shown the accounting software that was used in the company and how it
worked. This was a great review of the accounting equation and how to apply it. A tour was taken of the building and then it was time to go back to the school.
Thanks goes out to John Sachs and Barr and Woodward, L.L.C., and the great insight that they gave into
accounting and how it works in the real world. For students considering accounting or any other business career, taking accounting at Ruston High School is a great
start, and students can even gain dual credit in Accounting 201 at Louisiana Tech University.
Mr. Sachs explains the
basics of accounting.
Mr. Barr talks accounting
with RHS students.
A
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cademia
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
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New Tech @ Ruston:
To Infinity and Beyond!
COE Sells Secret Santas
submitted by Mrs. Cox-Bonial
New Tech @ Ruston Coordinator
From December 7th to December 14th, the Ruston High COE held their annual
Secret Santa Sale. A Secret Santa is a sweet message that anyone could send to a
special friend, teacher, or crush wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year along with a special treat. Anyone could purchase one and the COE
was busy selling them before school in room 332 and during both lunch shifts in
front of the office for just 50 cents each. These treats helped raise the Christmas
spirit around the school with students anticipating the holiday break. These gifts
are one of many ideas to make the Christmas holiday joyful and jolly. Have a
Happy Holiday Bearcats!!
As the 2010 year wraps up, the work of New Tech @ Ruston students can be seen beyond
the walls of Ruston High School.
For the first time each NT@R student can now be a walking billboard for the program with
a brand new t-shirt on their back. Structured as part of the orientation ―Get Real‖ project, different original designs created by the student groups were judged by graphic design students
from Louisiana Tech University. The winning design features ―New Tech @ Ruston‖ in red
on the front of a slate gray t-shirt; on the back a large red Bearcat paw has ―14‖ within it to
mark the graduation year for the class with this winning slogan beneath it: ―New Me, New
School, New Tech.‖ Students responsible for the design being worn by the NT@R class include Johnia Johnson, Gracie Lewis, Tasha Pastor, Stephen Hall (chief designer), and Breanna
Cooper. Well done group!
Students in Ms. Kay Peters‘ second period Animation and Visual Effects class provided the
original design work for the Keep Lincoln Beautiful Board‘s holiday awareness campaign.
Ibrahim Al-Alagha, Tray Brown, Jordan Bruner, Cristal Cano, James Capello, Kristen Clark,
Lillie Perry, Phyquasia Poe, Katie Sawyer, Dusty Thomas, Tyllor Townsend and Muriel
Woodard, worked collaboratively to create the winning design that features a turkey and Santa
Claus cleaning up beneath a peach tree filled with holiday lights as confetti cascades from the
sky. The tag line of ―Keep Lincoln Parish Beautiful for the Holidays‖ caps off the festive artwork that clearly states the intent of the parish-wide initiative. The student group then teamed
up with Donnie Bell of Ruston‘s Donnie Bell Design to complete the graphic design and have
the artwork camera ready for reproduction. The design was then transferred to small color
magnets that are being distributed throughout the parish by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff‘s Department DARE team. This project represents the type of global and community awareness
set to be a critical component in the foundation of the New Tech program. Great work students!
Finally, those outside of RHS will soon have more than one window‘s view of the work
going on within NT@R. The renovation of the program‘s new space is now in its final phase
with completion scheduled by the end of the first semester. The large classrooms designed for
collaboration and project-based learning will provide a more efficient and effective learning
environment for the students and offer greater opportunities for teachers and students alike.
NT@R will be hosting the mid-January School Board meeting within its new space, and already has multiple visits scheduled from stakeholders throughout the community and state to
observe the program‘s growth while learning more about the exceptional experiences available
at Ruston High School.
by Polly Michelle Gwan
Academics Reporter
SHARP CATS
submitted by Mrs. Thomason
Freshman Academy Teacher
RHS Freshman Academy recognizes December Sharp Cats!
The Ruston High School Freshman Academy is proud to recognize some of
our outstanding students each month by naming them Ruston High Sharp Cats.
The academy faculty feels that honoring exceptional students is an important part
of supporting and encouraging our freshmen. It is with great pride that we present to you these students...for they are truly Sharp Cats!
We are so proud of our freshmen, and we hope that you will join us in our
appreciation of these extraordinary students: Schyler Dumas, Gage Heard, Trey
Houston, Michael Tolar, Ghenet Tseggai, and Alexis White.
KOM and Mentees Got That
Christmas Spirit!
Academics Reporter
The KOMs started off the season right as they got in the spirit of giving and
participated in their Christmas community service project. The KOMs, along
with their freshman mentees, began by spending their Monday meeting, right
after the Thanksgiving Break, bringing toys, school supplies, and various gift
items and placing them in shoe boxes. These shoe boxes were then sent to Ruston Elementary; the elementary schools adopted by Ruston High, and were
given to children who usually are not able to receive Christmas presents every
year.
The next day, the KOMs and freshman gathered in the girls‘ gym for their
―Santa‘s Workshop‖ Christmas Party. They had fun decorating the boxes they
had filled, eating Christmas sweets, relaxing, and playing various games, such
as Ninja. After the work was completed the KOMs and mentees excitedly made
signs to take with them to the basketball game they would be attending later in
the day. This community service project was not only a great way for KOMs
and freshman to learn the true meaning of Christmas, but also time for them to
spend some great bonding time together out of regular school time. Happy Holiday Bearcats!
A
Chatterbox
cademia
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 5
Student Council is BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!
Academics Reporter
While the RHS Student Council has been anticipating the closing of the first semester, they have
been busying themselves with multiple school and community service projects. During the football
play-off season, the Student Council made goodie bags for the players. They also made goodie bags
for the swim team‘s state meet and Ruston‘s injured police officer, Marchale Canty. The Student
Council has not only supported and aided the school in various projects, but they have extended
their hands and aided the community by adopting Mrs. Deborah Lynch‘s Cypress Springs first grade
class. In October, they assisted in giving the children a treat and threw them a very exciting Halloween Party. The Student Council is also in the process of reading the children stories once every two
weeks and helping with a Christmas Party for the class. While the Student Council may be busy
with their service projects, they still took time to enjoy a fun-filled Christmas Party for themselves
on December 13, 2010. The Student Council welcomed the newest editions to the council from the
freshman class including: Baylee Wright, Shelton Wooley, Haley Harris, Colton Booth, Beth Ramirez, and Alexandria Cockerham. Merry Christmas Bearcats and have a Happy New Year!
Information About Your Yearbooks
submitted by Max Cook
Resume Clubs Editor
Do you want your own page in the yearbook? Maybe your own section of a page? Well, guess
what? You can! Just purchase a personal ad from the yearbook. See Mrs. Strickler in room 208 for
an application and prices for a personal page.
Also, SENIORS, please get your outdoor pictures in to the Resume (room 208) as soon as you
can (please be appropriate). If you want a book from this year or previous years you can purchase
them for $45.
DRIVER’S EDUCATION
• 6 – Hour Pre-Licensing Class
• Course is State Approved
• Must be 17 or older
• Cost: Only $30
For information, call: 251-1234
Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Stephenson (Teacher of the Year-2010!
Pictured Above: Mrs. Stephenson with her mother, Mrs. Bartlett.
Name: Julie Stephenson
Family: Kiley (husband), Tatum and Cooper (kids)
Position at RHS: English 2 and 3
Club/organizations you advise: NHS
High school attended/year: Denham Springs High School 1995
College attended/major: LA Tech Spanish, English
Teaching experience: 11 years
Favorite childhood memory: Family dinners
Favorite team/sport: Team Edward
Pet peeve: Complacency
Favorite quote: ―It‘s a Bearcat Friday!‖ Kellye Ratcliff
Is there anything you would like the students to know about you?
I don‘t ask anything of them that I wouldn‘t do myself.
Rotary Club Winners
table provided by Polly Michelle Gwan
Academics Reporter
Month
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Students
Elizabeth Sawyer
Valerie Wheat
Christopher Taylor
Kate Warner
Elizabeth Moore
Hannah Rose McIntire
Ashley Davison
Mary Glenn Lyons
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
Ruston High School Online Training for Students and Teachers
Website: http://lincolnschools.simplek12.com/
Students' User ID is firstnamelastname and password is password.
LOGIN EXAMPLE: Randy Foster would be randyfoster and password.
Click CONTINUE to access online courses such as:
"What Students Need to Know About the Internet," Web 2.0 Tools, and
Microsoft Office Training.
If questions, please email Debbie Pender ([email protected]) or
call her at LPSB (255-1430).
T
Chatterbox
eacher Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Name: Emily Howell
Family: Jason
Position at RHS: English 1
Club/organizations you advise: LYFE
High school attended/year: Byrd 2002
College attended/major: LA Tech, English
Teaching experience: 5 years at RHS
Most embarrassing moment: Falling down in the car line at RHS
Favorite childhood memory: Hanging out with my sister
Favorite team/sport: Bearcats!
Pet peeve: Whistling, kids saying, ―What test, essay, homework, etc.?‖
Favorite quote: ―Hope is a person; truth for the heartbeat.‖
Name: Lora Hammons
Family: Hayden, Ross, and John Cullen (sons), Mary Conly (daughter)
Position at RHS: English 1 and Read 180
High school attended/year: RHS 1982
Favorite team/sport: RHS Bearcats!
Pet peeve: Ignorance
Favorite quote: ―You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you
climb in his skin and walk around in it.‖
Name: Alisia Thomason
Family: Neil (husband), Max and Maggie (dogs)
Position at RHS: Freshman English, Freshman Academy Student Services
Club/organizations you advise: 4-H Club, KOM
High school attended/year: Haynesville High School (1999)
College attended/major: La Tech, computer information systems, English education
Most embarrassing moment: I was singing the national anthem and forgot the words...the audience had to help me finish!
Favorite childhood memory: Making up songs with my sister!
Favorite team/sport: LSU football, Duke basketball
Pet peeve: ―I can go to the bathroom‖ Is that a statement of a question?
Name: Beth Yenser
Family: Zach (husband), Maggie Moo (dog)
High school attended/year: Nashville HS 2004
College attended/major: Henderson State University, English
Most embarrassing moment: I air balled my first free throw shot in my first high school basketball game.
Favorite childhood memory: Cooking with my grandmother
Favorite team/sport: Arkansas Razorbacks and LA Tech football
Pet peeve: Arriving late and disrespectful people
If you could have one wish what would it be? End poverty and suffering
Is there anything you would like the students to know about you? Ruston High has been my favorite place to work by far!
Name: Larkin Norton
Family: Emma, Dean, Lian (kids)
High school attended/year: Cedar Creek 1983
College attended/major: University of Alabama and LA Tech, English
Favorite childhood memory: Family road trips
Pet peeve: Disrespectful students
If you could have one wish what would it be? Make a difference in my students‘ lives!
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Chatterbox
eacher Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Name: Monica Olsen
Family: Nicholas (husband), Maximus and Ella (kids)
Position at RHS: Speech, drama, English, debate
Club/organizations you advise: Debate team
High school attended/year: Ruston High School 1993
College attended/major: LA Tech, Speech Communications
Most embarrassing moment: Tripping off the stage during a speech class.
Favorite childhood memory: When my grandma made chicken-n-dumplings and we got to taste to see if they were done.
Favorite team/sport: Hockey Grand Rapids Griffins
Pet peeve: whining and complaining
If you could have one wish what would it be? Be truly humble
Name: Merideth Boyd
Family: Montana (husband), Molly (on the way), Buck and Bella (dogs)
Club/organizations you advise: Pom Squad Co– Advisor
High school attended/year: Northwood HS 2000
College attended/major: LA Tech
Most embarrassing moment: Falling down in front of the class many times!
Favorite childhood memory: Too many to count!
Pet peeve: Tapping pens and popping gum!
Is there anything you would like the students to know about you? If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you!
Favorite team/sport: Football lots of teams!
Name: Tara Griffin
Family: Miles, Ellis, Neil (kids)
Position at RHS: Public Speaking and English 3
Club/organizations you advise: KOM
High school attended/year: Lassiter High School
College attended/major: Mississippi State, communication, University of Houston, Speech
Favorite childhood memory: Camping and reading
Favorite quote: ―Be true to your word, your work, and your friends.‖
Pet peeve: Lying and gossiping
Name: Donnie Bartlett
Family: Mark (husband), Jennifer, Julie, and Chais (kids), Bonnie and Abby (dogs)
Position at RHS: English 4 and Duel enrollment
Club/organizations you advise: Co-Sponsor National Honors Society
High school attended/year: Robert E. Lee HS (San Antonio) 1967
Favorite childhood memory: Working word puzzles with my father
Favorite team/sport: RHS (of course) I‘m partial to soccer.
Favorite quote: ―Life has rules; play fair.‖
Pet peeve: People who don‘t accept responsibility for their actions
Name: Jane Tatum
Family: Danny (husband), Tyler and Ryan (sons), Shep and Doc (dogs)
Position at RHS: English 4 and counselor in Career Center
Club/organizations you advise: Student Council and Ambassadors
High school attended/year: Ruston High School 1978
College attended/major: LA Tech, English
Teaching experience: 28 years at RHS
Favorite team/sport: Bearcats and Saints
Favorite quote: ―I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.‖ Philippians 4:13
Pet peeve: Whining
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Chatterbox
eacher Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Name: Faith Moss
Family: Jeff (husband), Jenny and Andie (daughters)
Club/organizations you advise: KOM Team Leader
High school attended/year: Ouachita Parish High School 1981
College attended/major: LA Tech Education
Favorite childhood memory: Christmas time traditions
Favorite team/sport: Horseracing!
Pet peeve: Drivers who text and talk on the phone!
If you could have one wish what would it be? Have a vacation home on the beach.
Name: Vanessa Wilson
Family: Carlos 1 (husband), Carlos 2, and Carrington (kids)
Position at RHS: English 1 and 3
High school attended/year: Leesville High School 1986
College attended/major: Grambling State and LA Tech, English
Favorite team/sport: All sports in the Bearcat Nation!
Favorite quote: ―I can‘t think about today; I have to worry about tomorrow.‖
Pet peeve: Explanations that start with ―See what happened was…‖
If you could have one wish what would it be? ―World Peace‖ and a Lamborghini
Name: Anita Greenwood
Family: Zeno (husband), Mary (daughter)
Position at RHS: French
Club/organizations you advise: French Club
College attended/major: Auburn University French
Favorite team/sport: Horseback riding, running, and tennis
Pet peeve: People who are always late.
If you could have one wish what would it be? Find a cure for Diabetes.
Name: Corinne Leyden
Family: Reece and Chloe (children)
Position at RHS: German
Club/organizations you advise: German Club
High school attended/year: Lassiter High School 1991
College attended/major: University of Georgia, foreign language
Favorite childhood memory: Camping in Idaho with my family and annoying my sister!
If you could have one wish what would it be? Spend my summer traveling
Pet peeve: Students who speak those other languages which shall not be named in my classroom.
Name: Annie Rivera
Family: Norman (husband), Kailee, Daniel, Gabriel (kids)
Position at RHS: Spanish 1 and 2
Club/organizations you advise: KOM Team Leader
High school attended/year: Bonnabel High School 1989
College attended/major: University of New Orleans
Favorite childhood memory: Going to my grandparents house in New York every summer!
Favorite team/sport: Soccer Spain
Favorite quote: ―Even a fool when silent is considered wise.‖
Pet peeve: People that don't pick up after themselves!
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E
ditorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
December 16, 2010
Page 9
2012: “The End” for Humanity
by Lauren Townsend
Assistant News Editor
We have heard the rumors and theories, and some may have even seen the movies. The end of the world was predicted by the Mayans hundreds of years ago and even today it is debated by modern scientists and religions. Multiple people believe that this theory holds truth; as for
others, this so called ―prediction‖ is nothing but myth. Upon arguing the validity of this Mayan prophecy, people fight over how this conjecture
will take place. Will science be behind this theory with polar switches and solar alignments, or will religion come out strong with fire? That‘s
right, we are not talking about any ―End of the World‖ prediction; we are talking about December 21 st, 2012.
Before getting into details on how the world is doomed, we need to know where this information came from. As you have learned in history, there was once a great empire
known as the Mayans which lived in what is today‘s Latin America. The Mayan empire is considered one of the greatest and most intelligent civilizations in history since its
people had an understanding in mathematics, astronomy, and science. They used their astronomical skills to create a calendar, but their calendar isn‘t like the calendar we
know. Unlike our calendar, the Mayan calendar comes to a dead end on December 21 st, 2012, which is the day of the Winter Solstice. Many people of both scientific and religious backgrounds believe that the Mayans predicted the apocalypse; others get a laugh out of it. People ask all the time, ―Did the Mayans forecast the end?‖ Moreover, if the
Mayans did, how will humanity meet its maker?
As people ask about how the world will end, there have been many theories developed on what is to come. One possible 2012 disaster that has
been rumored is +80ft tsunami that will crash upon the Atlantic coast of the U.S. Another is a 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the Mississippi River
Valley between Illinois and Indiana. Some people predict that there will be a +195 mph hurricane that will hit Florida. Others rumor that there will
be an ocean disruption in the Atlantic Ocean that will cause major climates, destroying habitats of wildlife with extreme temperature change. The
two most famous forecasts is the prediction of an attack of an active sunspot from the Sun and the threat of a polar switch, which means that
Earth‘s magnetic poles will move and switch places. These assumptions are only a few of the hundreds of calculations on how Earth will change
dramatically and destroy life as we know it.
From religion to science to craziness, everyone has a personal opinion on 2012. Some base their beliefs off the Bible and say that ―there will be
fire set upon the Earth‖ since there has already been a ―great flood‖; others base their theories on science and discuss ideas on a wide range of predictions, such as meteors, polar shifts, a series of natural disasters, and solar sunspots. Then there are some who just look at theorists like they are
insane and go on with their lives. Who knows? Maybe it is just a big case of paranoia. What do you think?
Online Sports Betting Defined
by Keekee Williams
Sports Reporter
Sports‘ betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the
outcome. Aside from simple wagers such as betting a friend that one's favorite baseball
team will win its division or buying a football "square" for the Super Bowl, sports‘
betting is commonly performed through a bookmaker or through various online internet outlets. Bookmaking is the profession of accepting sports wagers. A bookmaker
acts as a market marker for sports wagers, most of which have a binary outcome: a
team either wins or loses. The bookmaker accepts both wagers, and maintains a spread
which will ensure a profit regardless of the outcome of the wager. The Federal Wire
Act of 1961 was an attempt by the U.S government to prevent illegal bookmarking.
However this Act does not apply to other types of online gambling and the Supreme
Court has not ruled on the meaning of the Federal Wire Act as it pertains to online
gambling. Odds for different outcomes in single bet are presented either in European
format (decimal odds), UK format (fractional odds), or American format (money line
Click it or Death Hit?
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
On November 30th, RHS juniors and seniors were called out of fifth period to the
auditorium. No one knew exactly what the assembly was about until they arrived, and
what a shocker! An unknown lady tells the story of a girl who made one mistake that
affects millions everyday! This girl‘s story demonstrates how not buckling up your
seat belt and driving safely is not only illegal but deadly.
Tickets are the least of your worries when it comes to safe driving. Stories about
consequences of not driving safe brought several students to tears. Rachel R.‘s tale
was a heartbreaking one. A fifteen year old girl was one of three in a pickup truck.
Her, her boyfriend and his father were all in the cab of the truck and none of them
were buckled. It was seemingly no big deal since they were only traveling about five
miles from his house to hers, but they soon learned that it would spin their lives into
regret and pain. A group of five teenagers traveling in oncoming car swerved into the
odds). In European nations bookmaking is regulated but not criminalized. In the USA
it is illegal to operate a scheme except for in a few states.
The term tipster refers to someone who on a regular basis provides information
(tips) on likely winners in sporting events. A tip in gambling terms is a bet suggested
by a third party who is recognized to be more knowledgeable about that subject than
the bookmaker who sets the prices. Tipsters are often insiders of a particular sport able
to provide bettors with information not publicly available.
There is a big ongoing debate right now regarding sports gambling. Although many
people are not affected by the gambling, Polly Michelle quotes ―There‘s nothing wrong
with betting on the games, but when you have intentions to sabotage the other team in
your favor, then that is totally wrong.‖ Those who are strongly against it believe that it
will lead to games being fixed. In reality, it's not likely to happen in professional sports
as it would be quite difficult to have players, coaches, referees, and owners all to be
involved to fix the outcome of all games. Those that are in favor of sports betting are
saying that it's just something for people to do for purely entertainment purposes while
they watch the game. My personal opinion is that sports gambling will eventually take
from you, everything that you own.
wrong lane. Only two or three were buckled. Those two or three walked away from
the incident in good condition. Some other unbuckled citizens in the crash were lucky
this time. One boy was critically injured yet recovered, but Rachel didn‘t get up from
the scene.
Something as simple as buckling a seatbelt can save a life. She‘s not the only one
who lived a short life due to ignoring her car safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009 there were about 30, 797 vehicular fatalities. Of that number, 17,640 were drivers, 6,770 were passengers, and 4,092 were
pedestrians. That‘s just in the United States. Around 10,457 drivers that died were not
restrained and 11,512 of those passengers lost their lives.
It‘s sad that something so preventable happens to be one of the top killers of
Americans today. Safety is rightly named because safe driving can save lives! It was
so clear that many people in the assembly were just completely apathetic about it.
Most teenagers have the mindset that ―it couldn‘t happen to me‖ or ―I‘m a good
driver‖. In real life, everyone can fall victim to violating driving safety and wrecks, no
matter how rare accidents may be.
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ditorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
Celebrate Everyday!
Chatterbox
December 16, 2010
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
From October to January, holidays are celebrated back to back. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years…it‘s non-stop
stress and non-stop partying! However, for those who want something to celebrate every day, literally, there are other ―special‖ days.
December:
January:
2-Cream Puff Day
16- Chocolate Covered Anything Day
17- Maple Syrup Day
4-Spaghetti Day; Humiliation Day
19- Oatmeal Muffin Day
5-Whipped Cream Day
21- Flashlight Day
11-Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day
24- Eggnog Day
13-Penguin Awareness Day
26- Candy Cane Day; Whiner‘s Day
16-Appreciate a Dragon Day
27- Fruitcake Day
19-Popcorn Day
There are many other national days to celebrate and they can be found on the Internet. Days like these give happiness and fun!
It‘s important to remember that laughter and fun are keys to self-fulfillment. Life is meant to celebrate; so go celebrate it!
Christmas Records for the Record
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
-The Largest Group of Carol Singers was recorded at 9,100 people on November 15, 2010. The Credit Union Christmas Pageant
of Adelaide, Australia, performed for fifteen minutes.
-The Tallest Living Christmas tree is a grand fir in Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA that measures at 162 feet tall. It is at the Coeur
d‘Alene Resort and more than 30,000 lights decorate it while two miles of extension cords are used to power it.
-The Tallest Artificial Christmas tree is in Mexico City, Mexico. It measures at 295 feet high and 114 feet wide. It is made of
steel wires and is located on Reforma Avenue. It lights are red, white, and blue with no green.
-The Largest Gingerbread Man is 26 feet and 2 inches tall. It was made by Dave Bowden in Madison, Wisconsin.
-The Largest Gathering of Santa Clauses is in Porto City, Portugal. A whopping 14,200 people dressed as Santa gather to raise
money for charity.
-The Largest Santa Claus Ice Sculpture was made in Harbin, China. It measured 525 feet long and 79 feet high. The Santa‘s beard
and hat were made using 4,000 cubic meters of artificial snow.
-The Tallest Snowwoman is the ―Olympia Snowe-woman‖ in Bethel, Maine. She is 122 feet and 1 inch of snow. She has wreaths
for eyes and skis for lashes. Her arms are trees and her buttons are five foot tires. Her red lips are made from painted tires. She has
hair made from 2,000 feet of rope.
Page 10
Black Friday
by Jocria Thompson
Social Reporter
The only word I have to describe
Black Friday is ―WOW!‖ Black Friday is
the Friday after Thanksgiving where hundreds upon hundreds of people bombard
the stores and shop for Christmas at great
prices. For example, the new Xbox 360
was $279.99 to $299.99 on Black Friday
compared to the everyday price of
$388.99. Many shoppers camp out in
their cars or even right beside the stores
in order to catch the awesome sales that
took effect at 5 o‘clock in the morning; it
was a mess. Stores were packed and people were grabbing up anything with a
sales tag. Black Friday is known for being
very violent; one year a Wal-Mart employee was trampled on and killed because the crowd was so aggressive and
determine to get into the store. Some people ask about whether or not the great
sales are worth getting trampled on. One
thing is for sure, Black Friday is an experience that will bruise you forever.
Diabetes: New To It?
by Amy Gibson
Clubs Reporter
Diabetes is nothing new…unless you have it for the first time. It is hard for teenagers who find themselves with such a disease. It‘s nothing bad though, just another learning
experience. Having diabetes myself allows me to speak on a personal note, so I‘m going to explain a few things in a very detailed manner. Diabetes really can‘t be summed up
because everyone is different. When asking for others opinions on the subject, Ms. Jade Williams, whose family members have also been diagnosed with diabetes, ―It‘s not the
end of the world,‖ she said ―those who enjoy life will live it to the fullest and those who don‘t take care of their diabetes will be miserable and sick and allow life to pass them
by.‖ For example, I am a type 1, juvenile, insulin resistant diabetic. Type 1 means that I have no choice but to take manual injections, juvenile means that it developed while I was
a child, and insulin resistant means that my body rejects a majority of the insulin I take. If you don‘t know what insulin is, it‘s basically a chemical that breaks down sugar and
allows your body to use it in a good way for energy, which is what the pancreas does for a normal person. I don‘t necessarily have to change my diet; I just have to watch how
much I eat and make sure it‘s healthy. Plenty of exercise and water and I‘m good to go. Now, as for other diabetics, it may be totally different. Some have to change their whole
diet just to accommodate a healthy balance for their sugar, some have to let go of things they used to do, and some have nothing to worry about. Diabetes can be good or bad depending on how you feel about it. Denial and stubbornness is not the way to go. You have to accept the extra responsibility and learn to coexist with it. If you know someone with
diabetes, care for them, support them, and let them know that you‘re there! Don‘t pressure them because we all know ourselves and at the end of the day we all have to take care
of ourselves. If you‘re like me, independent, then you don‘t want people telling you what to do with ―your‖ diabetes. Don‘t push people away because of this. Rather, let them
know what you want and don‘t want, and ask them very nicely to mind their own. It‘s what I did! Anyway, diabetes is complicated but not unbearable. You can manage it efficiently yourself, with the help of others, and you don‘t have to be scared that it‘ll ruin your life. I still play softball, sing, draw, write, hang out with friends, and eat plenty of
food. Speaking of food, MERRY CHRISTMAS! And for all you diabetics out there: please choose to eat responsibly!
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Chatterbox
ditorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 11
Santa, YU NO GIVE ME NO TROPHY?!
Lights, Snow, VACATION
by Gray Taylor
Graphics Design Editor
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
Smell that? *WIFF*, the holiday spirit is in the air! The hustle
and bustle, the stress, the need for
escape! Everybody is in a swirl
of a holiday epidemic! Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of
the biggest holidays for traveling.
The question is where to go? The
choices are numerous.
Disney World is a family fun
place to go. There were several
Ruston High students and their
families who went to Disney
World for Thanksgiving. There
are things for everyone in the
family. Rides like ―the Tower of
Terror‖ and ―the Rockin‘ Roller
Coaster‖ will keep the more daring family members occupied.
There are plenty of rides and
characters to entertain the
younger ones. The Disney Christmas Parade is always entertaining
and the fireworks are excep-
tional. Everyone who goes to
Disney World comes back ready
to go again.
New York is another ―mustsee‖ place to visit during the holidays. The lights and snow are
magical. Attending a Broadway
musical is a must for tourists to
New York. The Statue of Liberty
is a largely visited site for New
York. The architecture is amazing. New York is America‘s
―Paris‖ for shopping. New York
is a great place to travel.
Vacations are a great way to
get away from stress and pressure. They also allow people to
spend time with family and
friends. In the busy days of modern America, vacations are important and needed. They are
great at relieving stress and an
opportunity to have fun. Have
fun on your Christmas vacation.
(See ―Cross Country: State Runner-ups‖ article on page 31)
Crank That Ellen Hopkins!
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
Ellen Hopkins is a bestselling author from Carson City, Nevada. She has written and published Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, and Fallout. Hopkins‘s
works are written in an interesting format; her books are all written like poetry.
Crank and Glass both focus on one girl named Kristina Snow and her walk with a ―monster‖ of an alter-ego named Bree. These books illustrate how much bipolar monsters
can ruin lives. Kristina, a normally shy girl, loses control of herself to Bree and becomes an out-of-the-box type person. Her story continues through three different but common
people in the book Fallout. Hopkins has also written books off this same theme. For example, Burned features Pattyn Scarlet Von Stratten has always been a good, quiet Mormon girl. That‘s all changed when she decides she is tired of her lifestyle and feels like she is being controlled. The book follows Pattyn‘s story of her need for escape and her
journey to create her own path. Another book, Identical, is about two twins with a broken home. However, there‘s a surprise and somewhat creepy twist to it. Other books include Impulse, which has three completely different teens are brought together in a mental asylum, and Tricks, which is a riveting story that tells about five different teenagers
and how their lives intersect.
All of Ellen Hopkins‘ books are uniquely written and entertaining for readers. These stories are all real and raw. They tell about real-life events that happen every day and
how people struggle through them. For some real, riveting heart pounding books, Ellen Hopkins is the place to look!
E
ditorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
December 16, 2010
Presents Gone Electronic
by Lauren Townsend and Shamario Daniel
Asst. Editor and Clubs Reporter
Christmas 2010 is near and at least 99.99% of the world‘s youth has a Christmas list
2 ½ miles long. Each group of kids ask for different things: babies want baby guitars
and stuffed animals; toddlers and elementary kids want baby dolls, trucks, and bikes;
and teens want the most expensive clothes and electronics such as cell phones, iPods/
iPads/iPhones/iTouch, Hollister jackets, Uggs, and maybe even a new car - which
probably isn‘t going to happen. This year there is an endless range of electronic devices on the Christmas list. Many teens are asking for the following electronic toys:
Xbox 360 or Elite, Xbox Kinect, Wii, Playstation 3, iPods/iPads/iPhones/iTouch, Nintendo DS, laptops, cameras, cell phones, games, and vehicles. These are some of the
most awesome gifts but also some of the most expensive; so remember, it‘s OK to ask
for presents like these, but try not to drain your parents‘ or Santa‘s wallet this year.
Some of the following devices above are very new and popular among today‘s
crowd. The Playstation 3 Slim is the latest version of the PlayStation3 and also the best
it has a slimmed down case, The PS3 Slim offers video streaming and the best yet is
Page 12
the Blue-Ray player. The HTC Droid incredible is the best android cellular device on
the market at the time. The Xbox Kinect is brand, spanking new with new technology
that makes ―you the controller‖. Like Sony‘s Playstation Eye-toy, the Kinect scans the
players‘ bodies and turns the scan into game characters. Moreover, your movements
move the character and there are no X, A, B, R1, L2, or any other buttons to push;
YOU are the controller. Now you don‘t have to worry about thumb energies. Another
new electric toy is the iPad. Basically it is a giant iPhone, expect it doesn‘t make phone
calls. Like its i-cousins, the iPad can have music, games, Safari internet, and any other
app available in the iTunes store. Some people are concerned with the sensitive touch
screen and the high chance of being broken, but now there are Otterbox coverings
available that protect the i-device from breaking. Talk about high-tech present.
Christmas is a jolly time of year, especially when you get free presents. The presents listed above are some really great gifts, but to get great gifts you must have
greater behavior. Santa only answers those who have been nice and gives nonelectric
coal to those who are naughty. Moreover, remember not to ask for everything; your
parents‘ wallet can only stretch so far. Enjoy your Christmas holiday Bearcats and your
new toys too!
Some REAL Christmas Movies
by Gray Taylor
Graphics/Design Editor
―It‘s the most wonderful time of the year‖ where apparently every TV channel we turn to is playing
some sort of Christmas movie. Every station feels the need to feature the beloved Christmas classics
such as A Christmas Story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Carol,
The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Santa Claus vs. the Martians. But every year, the same question
always comes to my mind: how come they never show the more lesser-known Christmas films on TV?
The aforementioned titles are all decent, if not borderline mediocre (just kidding), but the films that
come to my twisted mind when I think of good old holiday cheer are Gremlins, Die Hard, and Batman
Returns. Any normal schmuck off the street will tell me that these films have absolutely nothing to do
with Christmas, but that is beside the point. Just because a movie is set during the holidays does not
exactly mean it has to be all about Christmas. For example, Gremlins is the story of a boy who receives a very unusual Christmas present, which multiplies and wreaks havoc on the town. Die Hard
stars Bruce Willis as a loose-cannon cop visiting his ex-wife for the holidays, which somehow becomes a one-man battle against a group of terrorists led by Alan Rickman (Snaaaaaaaape!!!). Finally,
Batman Returns features the Dark Knight spreading his own brand of holiday justice by protecting
Gotham City from The Penguin and his evil army of….penguins. Kudos, Tim Burton, kudos. Are
these lesser-known Christmas flicks for everyone? Probably not. But if you‘re looking for some holiday cheer outside of the mainstream, then these are definitely the movies you want.
Die Hard is owned by 20th Century Fox. Gremlins and Batman Returns are owned by Warner Bros.
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ditorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
December 16, 2010
Page 13
Christianity
by Whitney Durrett
Photographer/Reporter
Christianity is the largest religion in the world with around two billion followers globally. Samuel Taylor Coleridge once said, ―Christianity is not
a theory or speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a living presence.‖ Christianity is based off the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The
life of Jesus Christ is told in the Holy Bible. The Bible was written over 1400 to 1800 years ago with forty authors from all different generations.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ, the son of God, came to earth to die on the cross for our sins, was buried, resurrected, and thereby offers salvation
to anyone who will receive Him by faith. Unlike other religions, Christianity is not about religious practice but about an intimate relationship with
God. Also, they believe mankind was created to have a relationship with the Savior and bring others to believe this as well.
Jesus is the Son of God. God sent Jesus to earth to be crucified to take away the sins of everyone. Jesus was born of Mary, a virgin. Jesus, even as
a child, told everyone he came in contact with the good news of God. Jesus chose twelve disciples to leave everything they had and follow Him and
teach everyone they came in contact with the new gospel of God. Jesus performed many miracles during His travels. During this time period, hanging
on the cross was the most cruel and disgraceful death penalty. Jesus came with His followers to Jerusalem during the Passover. He was involved in a
disturbance at the Temple when He overturned the tables of peddlers there. Later, He was betrayed by one of His apostles, leading to His arrest. The
Romans ruled the city and the Jewish authorities of the city had to arrest people in order to obey Roman orders to maintain the peace of the city. Jesus' disciples went into hiding after He was arrested. Jesus was sentenced to death of the cross. Jesus died on the cross, was buried and three days later
rose from the dead and walked the earth.
The Christian religion is based off of His life. Christians follow the teachings of Jesus while He was on earth. They also believe in order to go to Heaven when they die, they
must have a relationship with Jesus and have faith He is real. One must also repent from one‘s sins and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. God is a forgiving and loving God, so
what took place in one‘s past is completely forgiven. He is often referred to as the Lion and the Lamb because He is gentle and loving but has a wrath also. God wants to have a
relationship and loves everyone. ―If we walk one step towards God, He will run 10 steps toward us.‖ He thrives for a relationship with every person on earth in order to get them
to heaven.
Ever Heard of a Mormon?
by Natasha Alva
News Editor
Here in the ―Bible Belt,‖ as it is often called, religion and religious beliefs are quite openly stated and discussed. When asked the name of your
church, you will proudly and promptly say ―Oh I go to (your church‘s name here).‖ When I‘m asked to identify the church I attend, do you know
what I say? ―I‘m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but most people just call us the Mormons because we believe in a
book called The Book of Mormon.‖ Huh? What? I usually hear something along the lines of, ―That‘s cool… I have no idea what that is.‖ Yeah most
teenagers don‘t but that‘s ok.
The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Christian. They believe in many of the same things that other Christian faiths
believe. There is one God and His Son Jesus Christ is our Savior because He atoned for our sins. If we believe in Him and strive and work to do His
will and keep His commandments, then we will get to return and live with Him again. Sound familiar? Now this is where it gets a little different.
Mormons believe in the Bible; the Old and New Testaments for they tell of Christ‘s ministry among the people in the Middle East, but we also believe in another book called The Book of Mormon, which is ―Another Testament of Jesus Christ‖. The Book of Mormon tells about Christ coming to
the Americas and visiting and preaching to the people here after His resurrection. Both the Bible and The Book of Mormon are equally important in
our religion. In early morning seminary (an extra class each day that starts at 6:30 am and ends before school starts), we spend an entire school year
studying the Old Testament. Another year is spent on the New Testament, and another studying the Book of Mormon. All three are studied because
they all teach of Christ and His teachings.
If you typed ―Mormon‖ into Google, you would find all sorts of things written and said about the Mormons. Things like Mormon Temples, Mormon Underwear, and definitely things about some guy named Joseph Smith Jr. You may also have heard that Mormons are polygamists, but I can tell you that you are confusing us with a different church
that broke from the LDS Church and started their own church but use a very similar name. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints only have one wife or one
mother depending on where they fall in the family. Just like everything else on the Internet, there is plenty of false propaganda and I hope that you would look to the more reliable
sources (Like a site put out and maintained by the LDS church itself. Hmm, maybe a site such as mormon.org).
That is a little about what a Mormon is. We are a church and our members, just like members of other churches, are striving for salvation and they want to know the whole
truth. There happens to be twelve students at Ruston High who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You may have a class with them or play in the
band or play soccer with a couple of them. They are astounding people and I‘m glad I know them. I hope you get to know them too, and if you have questions, ask them. We
would love to give you the answer.
S
Chatterbox
ervice and Social
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Shout Out to the School Board
Page 14
Keywanettes’
Jingle Bell Rock
by Elizabeth Smith
Business Manager
Chatterbox sends out a big shout out to the Lincoln Parish School Board for all the support
they have given to Chatterbox and Ruston High School in general. The Chatterbox staff strives
to repay this support by publishing a newspaper that reflects the pride and professionalism expected by the school board. Ruston High School continues to receive outstanding support from
the school board in many ways that every student should be thankful for. Their support of our
athletic program is apparent with the new facilities planned for the future. The technology emphasis and programs ensure that Ruston High School will be prepared for the future. With the
Celebration of Champions, they recognize all the state champions in every endeavor. They also
provide resources and funding for many of our extracurricular activities and organizations that
compete throughout the state and the nation. All said, the Lincoln Parish School Board deserves
the appreciation of every student at Ruston High School, and Chatterbox is honored to send this
shout out to them this month. Thanks for being great supporters of the Bearcat Nation!
by Jocria Thompson
Social Reporter
Mrs. C. Martin with the ―Beau‖
The Keywanettes held their annual Christmas Party, ―Jingle Bell Rock‖ on
December 9, 2010. Austin Wright, the Keywanettes‘ beau, was also in attendance. The beau, a specially selected guy who gets to join the Keywanettes,
also had the privilege of going to the party. These energized teens rocked the
holidays with their own spin on holiday fun. They enjoyed different types of
foods and games, including ―Dirty Santa,‖ their all-time favorite. Dirty Santa
is a strategic game much like the traditional Secret Santa, but in this game, you
also have to protect your gifts because others will try to steal them. The Keywanettes partied and rocked out the holidays, Keywanettes style. Merry
Christmas, Bearcats!
First Priority
by Whitney Durrett
Photographer/Reporter
First Priority has had great success at Ruston High! First priority is a club in which the Gospel
of Christ is presented to other students to encourage them to reach for Christ. So far eleven students have given their lives to Christ and this organization hopes for many more!
Every week a student speaker, small group discussions, or guest speaker presents the Gospel
to the students attending the meeting. By having a mixture of student lead studies and guest
speakers, students never get bored and have a chance to hear from many different points of view.
First priority meets every Thursday in the band room during both lunch shifts and anybody is
welcome to come!
Keywanettes Celebrate ―Jingle Bell Rock‖
Santa Joins FBLA at the Christmas Parade
by Elizabeth Smith
Business Manager
Over 40 FBLA members participated in the Ruston Jaycees Christmas Parade on Dec. 10, 2010. For the
2nd straight year, Santa joined many of the FBLA members on the Ruston Fire Department‘s parade truck.
After helping Santa find a comfortable chair, everyone joined him in throwing candy and singing as the
parade ran through downtown Ruston. With the mild temperatures, everyone was able to enjoy the night
and participate along with the several other Ruston High organizations in the parade.
With so many members attending this year, FBLA once again had to count on using two vehicles for the
parade. Thanks to Eric Brazzel, students also rode behind the fire chief‘s truck on a trailer/float. Danielle
McCoy, FBLA president, ensured that everyone on the float was safe and that the RHS flag waived proudly
throughout the parade. Amber Brown, FBLA vice president, ensured the safety of members on the parade
truck and that the FBLA banners waived proudly as well. All members brought candy and entertained each
other as well as the large crowds that lined the parade route.
Santa joins RHS FBLA Again!
FBLA members enjoying the ride with Santa!
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Chatterbox
lubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 15
Forestry Team Ranked 4th at State Event
submitted by Mr. Milstead
FFA Adviser/Sponsor
Congratulations to the Ruston FFA Forestry
Team for all of their accomplishments this year.
Over 80 teams participated this year statewide in the
Louisiana FFA Forestry Program. On Wednesday,
November 6, 2010, the top 20 teams in the state competed at the State Forestry Career Development
Event in Leesville, LA. Ruston's team consisted of
Savannah Best, Will Edmiston, Layton Richard, and
Zach Hannibal who received 4th place state ranking
for 2010, which qualified the team to compete at the
4 state Southern Regional Forestry competition this
coming spring. Layton Richard was named the
State's Highest Individual in the Map Reading event.
Savannah Best scored a career best 412 points in the
event and led Ruston to its 4th place ranking. Congratulations to the Forestry team for this year and
good luck at Southern Regional's in May.
FFA Members Host State Officer Event
submitted by Robert Gilbert
FFA Reporter
The Ruston FFA Chapter held a meeting for the Louisiana State FFA Officers so
that they could meet others and learn more about them. Ruston was one of the schools
on the State officers Good Will Tour, where chapters travel to different schools to
introduce themselves. It was a good chance for the chapter to meet and get to know
more about the other chapter members.. The night started with our regular meeting in
the auditorium at 6 p.m. It was nothing new but Ruston had to be on their toes in front
of their guests. During the meeting the state officers performed a skit to show how
cooperation in everyone can improve the whole organization. It was informative as
well as inspirational to change how we act towards the FFA. It illustrated how every
part of FFA works together makes the organization so great.
After adjourning the meeting the chapter officers moved everyone into the welding
Congratulations to Savannah Best, Will Edmiston, Zach
Hannibal, and Layton Richard on their recent 4th place
ranking at the Louisiana FFA State Forestry Competition.
shop for the food and socialization part of the night. Everyone piled into the Ag
Building where they sat around the table eating good food and talking to old friends
while making new ones. It was a great opportunity for the younger members to get
involved with the chapter and see the good times this organization can offer. Hopefully more members will get involved and get the best experience out of this organization.
Special thanks to the Food Committee who cooked and prepared the food, and to
the Recreation Committee for helping set up for the meeting. Finally, thanks to
Forrest Toney for filling in the Sentinel officer position. We couldn‘t have made this
meeting without all of you.
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lubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
December 16, 2010
Page 16
The Supply and Demand of American Enterprise Week
by Christian Amos
FBLA Multi-media Officer
The United States of America observes both Free Enterprise week and American Enterprise Day on October 11-15 and November 15, respectively. Free enterprise means that
business is not restricted by government funding or regulations. Under this system, a business can support itself with its own capital and adapt its own regulations. Businesses
typically operate under the power of supply and demand. If a product or service is in great demand but supply is low, then it becomes more valuable to the consumer. Thus the
price goes up. When supply is high and demand is low, the price falls. Competitions between businesses ultimately become a value to the consumers. To keep customers coming
back for more, business owners offer their products and services at a reasonable price.
American Enterprise Day began with Jimmy Carter‘s Presidential Proclamation on August 8, 1980. In the 1980‘s, the Chevron Corporation funded the ―Getting Involved‖
program to expose young people to capitalism through the Future Business Leaders of America. FBLA Chapters observe American Enterprise Day not only to celebrate the
American Free Enterprise System and the advantages of doing business within this system, but also to educate other people about it such as in their school and /or community.
The FBLA Chapter 617 decided to observe and educate the entire student body of Ruston High through a popular comical P.A. system announcement. Members Maxwell
Cook and Lauren Townsend took part in a broadcasted script reading on November 15 th. The reading featured a well informed male of the American Enterprise system (Maxwell)
and an oblivious female companion (Lauren). In the script, Maxwell‘s character seemed well endowed on the subject of the free enterprise system. Maxwell started off naming
many items desired in the American dream such as a sports car, yacht or a vacation home. He continued by noting that many Americans at one time fantasize about owning their
own business. In the reading, Lauren thinks that owning your own business is all about the money, but Maxwell reassures her that perks like the desire to be your own boss and
set your own hours is at hand. This announcement provided the student body with a list of characteristics of the economic system under which we live.
President Carter Proclaims
American Enterprise Day
s
o
i
C
v
a &
D
The American Bald Eagle
Symbol of Freedom and Strength
318-255-4030
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Chatterbox
lubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 17
RHS FBLA Officers in New Orleans!
submitted by Amber Brown, Jared Spiller, and Elizabeth Smith
RHS FBLA Vice-President (Service), Reporter, and Technology Coordinator
A few of the Ruston High School officers of the Future Business Leaders of America
went to New Orleans to attend the 2010 National Fall Leadership Conference. This
amazing conference‘s theme was ―Breaking Barriers‖ and lasted for two days; it was a
very rewarding experience. We were able to assess what kind of leader we were and the leadership skills that we already have. We also attend various lectures to learn about the different aspects of the business world, which included
relationships, accounting, entrepreneurship, and many others. We listened as a few of today‘s business leaders share
their experiences of successfully overcoming their obstacles. It was a privilege to hear each speaker‘s secrets to success. All the speakers were motivating, and truly inspired us to be better, stronger, and successful leaders. One of our
favorite parts of the conference was the dance! We danced for hours. It was so much fun to socialize with friends and
meet new people from all over with similar interest. Overall, we found the conference to be a greatly successful learning experience because we came away with new friends and a better knowledge of leadership.
FBLA Chapter 617 officers: Jared Spiller, Amber Brown, Elizabeth Smith, and Justin Welch.
Officers with National President Trever Eymard.
4-H
submitted by Darby Rowland
4-H Club Reporter
Ruston 4-H would like to thank everyone who participated in our December
Sock Drive. Our club partnered with LYFE to collect new/unused socks to
benefit HUB, an urban ministry to the homeless people of Shreveport. RHS 4H would like to continue to have community service activities throughout the
year. 4-H members who have ideas about future community service activities
should contact Aubrey Simmons, the RHS 4-H community service chairperson.
To be eligible to attend Achievement Day in May, every 4-H member must
participate in two events. There are several upcoming events to choose from:
Beef and Dairy Contest posters are due on December 17th to the 4-H Office.
Any 4-H member who is sixteen years or older can apply for the Key Club
Award. This application is due on Jan 7, 2011. Be sure to read all the
requirements for these activities in the newsletter.
Honey Bee Essay Contest submissions are due by Jan. 26th, 2011 to the 4-H
Office. The topic is "U.S. honey: A Taste for Every Preference" Awards.
Cash prizes will go to the top 3 National Winners: 1st Place $750; 2nd
Place $500; 3rd Place $250. National winners receive an appropriate book
about honey bees, beekeeping, or honey. See our December newsletter for
further details.
Our 4-H Shooting Sports Program is growing every year. This last year Lincoln Parish was represented extremely well in our State Competition. If
you would like to be involved in one of our shooting sports areas, contact
either Brad Martin for Shotgun at 318-251-1095 or Jeannie Rowland for
Archery at 318-777-8788. Don't miss out on this exciting and fun 4-H program.
Please visit http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/our_offices/parishes/Lincoln/
for more information about upcoming 4-H events for the Lincoln Parish.
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Chatterbox
he Arts
Ruston High School
Band Brings Forth Spirit
December 16, 2010
Page 18
Choir Makes Joyful Noise
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
The Ruston High School Bearcat Band is as lively as ever. They‘ve been very busy
with their upcoming performances. In fact, they held symphonic and concert band auditions from November 29th- December 1st to see who would be performing with whom. The
outcome was magnificent and all went well.
On December 10th, joy and holiday spirit was sparked in Ruston with the beginning
band performance and the annual Christmas Parade. During school, the beginning band
played carols in the cafeteria during both lunch shifts and gave Ruston High students ―a
dinner and a show‖. Later on that day, the city lights were shining as various Ruston High
School affiliations rode on floats, fire trucks, and the like through the town. Candy was
thrown, songs were heard, smiles were seen, and it was a memory to keep. There were
FBLA members, cheerleaders, and plenty of other students representing the RHS groups.
However, one that all citizens of Ruston look forward to is the Bearcat Band. Band members marched the streets of Ruston and entertained watchers by playing Christmas carols.
Tonight, December 16th, the band will perform in the Christmas concert. The RHS
auditorium doors will open at 6:00 pm. and various carols will be played. It is sure to be a
grand show! On the 17th, the halls of Ruston High will be filled with more melodies to
wish students a Merry Christmas on the last day of school before the Christmas Break.
The Band has stayed busy working on performances scheduled for the New Year. The
Band is a wonderful part of the school and brings Ruston Bearcats pride!
The Ruston High Bearcat Choir has been making an impression on Ruston. On
Monday, December 6th, the choir held their annual Coffee, Cakes, & Carols at the
Ruston Civic Center at 7:00 pm. What a sight to behold! The choir performed under the direction of Mindy Martin and was accompanied by Madelyne Godley.
They sang everything from ―God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen‖ to ―Carol of the
Bells‖. The coffee was rich, the cakes were yummy, and the carols were beautiful.
On December 16th and 17th, the choir will perform their Sing-O-Grams. The
talented young singers will go caroling wherever clients wish! They will sing from
five to ten songs at businesses, parties, hospitals, nursing homes, and even private
homes! Wouldn‘t it be wonderful to open the front door to the sounds of Christmas cheer? The choir continues to bring joy to Ruston High.
Art Takes a Field-Trip
by Emily Moore
Arts Reporter
The Fine Arts classes loaded up and headed out on November 30 th and December 1st.
They traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana, to the R.W. Norton Art Gallery to get hands on
learning! On the way there, they stopped at McDonald‘s to enjoy a yummy breakfast and
then hurried on their way. Everyone was excited to get to the museum.
Upon arrival, a guide met the students to give them a personal tour of the gallery.
There were sculptures, paintings, and tons of neat art pieces. Afterwards, students were
given freedom to roam and check out the works on their own time. Some wandered to the
gift shop, while others took pictures with the interactive displays. The students were
rounded up and led to the IMAX theatre to watch ―Extreme‖ (Sports). They gathered up to
leave, but not before they enjoyed some delicious sandwiches for lunch. Most everyone
claimed to have had a good time!
We have all your music needs at
Piney Hills Music!!
214 N. Trenton Street
232-3002
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Chatterbox
oreign Languages
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 19
Learning How to say “NO”
by Stephany Arias
Senior Reporter
When it comes to peer pressure, it easier for people to say ―YES‖ and harder to say ―NO.‖ People begin to believe
that consequences to saying ―no‖ will be the loss of respect of their friends; of the popular people. What I mean by this is
that there are moments in our life where you can choose the right thing to do or the thing that everyone says you should
do. I know that many of you out there have decisions to make in an everyday life… And some of those are whether you
will use drugs or drink alcohol. If something like that ever happens to you, then I want to give you some tips that may
help you get away from it:
Just say, ―I‘m sorry. I can't do this right now.‖ Try saying it nicely but firm, letting them know that there is
something else really important that you have to do.
It‘s OK to say, ―Let me think about it and I‘ll get back to you.‖ It will make them think that you may do it later,
and they may even forget about it.
But if you are one of those persons that know that doing things like that is the wrong thing to do, then I encourage you to say a big ―NOOOOOO‖. Because you know
you can do better than that.
Always remember that you own your life, and only you can decide what to do with it. That also means that you are the only one who is responsible for what happens to it. I
would like to encourage you to take the time to think before you act and do what is in the best interest for you not what everyone else may say. Your life is in your hands always
keep it up don‘t ever drop it for someone else‘s opinions or ideas when they are not right.
Père Noël
Submitted by Mrs. Greenwood
French teacher/club adviser
En France on fête Noël le 24 décembre.
Ils vont à l‘église pour la messe de minuit.
Après la messe, ils rentrent à la maison pour le Réveillon.
Ils mangent un grand repas avec de la dinde farcie.
Comme dessert, il y a une belle Bûche de Noël qui ressemble à une branche d‘arbre.
C‘est un gâteau avec de la crème dedans.
Les enfants ne mettent pas de bas devant la cheminée, mais des sabots (les chaussures en bois).
Père Noël vient dans la nuit pour y mettre des petits cadeaux.
Un Sabot
La Bûche de Noël
Festividades Navideñas
by Stephany Arias
Senior Reported
Este mes del año es uno de los más importantes e interesantes para muchas personas. Ya que en este se celebra el
nacimiento del niño Jesús y también es importante porque en este mes las familias se reúnen para pasarla together.
Even before the beginning of this month people go shopping and get ready for it. En muchos países hispanos, las
familias decoran su casas con mucha felicidad, algunas familias encojen tener solo el ―Nacimiento‖ que representa
el nacimiento del niño Jesús y no el ―Arbolito de Navidad‖, y otras prefieren tener ambos. Algo muy importante
también es la comida ya que todos los países no tienen el mismo tipo de alimentos. Pero este es servido sobre todo
el 24 de diciembre en la noche buena y también el último día del año que es el 31 de diciembre. So I wish everyone
a Happy Christmas and the best of all while spending time with the people you love.
Language Fest with Holiday Spirit
Academics Reporter
On December 4th, the Ruston High Spanish, German, and French Clubs gathered together to host their annual Language Festival. This year the language fest was held at St.
Thomas Catholic Church from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The language clubs provided various foods from each culture and displayed projects done by their students. Of these projects
were banners, which hung all around the hall so that people were able to view them and vote on the best for each language club.
This year‘s Christmas music was provided by the various students from the RHS Choir and the Language Fest Band, composed of various RHS Band students. ―I really enjoyed the Language Fest this year,‖ says German Club member and Language Fest Band flutist, Anna Scroggins, ―the food and displays were great and the music was lively.‖
The Language Fest is not just a fun time to try food from different culture, but it‘s a time for people to enjoy the holiday season. Merry Christmas Bearcats!
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Chatterbox
enior Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 20
Name: Dinah Diaz
Age: 17
Family: Eliot & Nancy (Parents), Sarah (sister)
Favorites...
Subject: Algebra 2 Movie: Pride and Prejudice Animal: Koala Color: Green Book/Magazine: Jane Eyre
Quote: ―There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus‖ Romans 8:1
What do you like best about RHS: My fro-sister Mrs. Wooley
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: NHS, Adv. Choir, FCA, LYFE, Tennis (Varsity)
College plans: LA Tech/ Mechanical Engineering
Your hero: Julie Stephenson
Name: Adam Bryant (Biggin‘)
Age: 17
Family: Mom, Stepdad, and Sister
Favorites...
Subject: Physics Movie: Tombstone Animal: Dog Color: Red
Quote: ―Give a man a fish you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish you feed him for a life time.‖
Most embarrassing moment: When I fell down the stairs my Freshman year
What do you like best about RHS: Ag class
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: FFA
Your hero: My Grandfather
Name: Emma Norton...Emma isn‘t really a nickname friendly name
Age: 17
Family: Larkin (Mom), Dean (Dad), Liam (brother)
Favorites...
Subject: Not math...World History Movie: Sister Wendy or Luther Color: Blue Book/Magazine: 1984 & To Kill a Mockingbird
Quote: ―Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.‖ -FDR
What do you like best about RHS: Free day Friday in Star Commander Nutt‘s AP Civics class or yearbook pizza Thursdays
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Debate, Mentors, Key Club, Keywanettes, National Honor Society, Ambassadors
College plans: LSU/ either Political Science or Communications
Your hero: Mr. Elliott
Name: Zach Davis
Age: 17
Family: Michael (Dad), Connie (Stepmom), Kelsey (sister), Jennifer (Mom), Larry (Stepdad), Adam, Cammy (Stepbrothers), Vannessa
(Stepsister), The Holmes (2nd family)
Favorites...
Subject: Science Movie: Sherlock Holmes Animal: Ferret Color: Black
Quote: ―Life is a river, there are no floaties, shutup and swim‖ - Random old guy on a Chicago Train
What do you like best about RHS: Pride
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Debate
Your hero: Jordan Holmes
Name: Christopher Taylor
Age: 18
Family: Dwight & Phyllis Taylor (parents), Phylisha & Christen Taylor (siblings), ―Lay-Lay‖ (niece)
Favorites...
Subject: Music (Choir) Movie: August Rush Color: Blue
Most embarrassing moment: My wireless mike fell during a duet at Bearcats on Broadway my Sophomore year.
What do you like best about RHS: School spirit, club variety, and availability of college credit courses
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Varsity Tennis, Adv. Choir, KOM council, National Honor Society, FCA, Spanish club, Leading Lincoln
College plans: LSU or NSU/Journalism or Music Education
Your hero: My mom - Love you!
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Chatterbox
enior Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 21
Name: Marci McDowell (Marci Lou)
Age: 17
Family: The Methodist Children‘s Home
Favorites...
Subject: Biology (Mrs. Winstead is Awesome!) Movie: The Grinch who Stole Christmas Animal: Rubber Ducky Color: Green
Book/Magazine: Bible
Quote: ―Believe in yourself!‖
What do you like best about RHS: The Lady Bearcats basketball team of course!
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: FBLA, Art club, 4-H, and Basketball manager
College plans: ULM/ Construction management
Your hero: Ms. Rashida Taylor
Name: Cecil Gray (Cecil the Diesel, Big C, Big Daddy)
Age: 18
Family: Cecil Sr. (Dad), Charlene (Mom)
Favorites...
Subject: Social Studies Movie: Friday Animal: Dogs Color: Red
Quote: ―I rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I‘m not‖
What do you like best about RHS: A Bearcat Friday
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Football
College plans: Somewhere close to home
Your hero: My parents
Name: Destanie Roberts (Ke-Ke, D-Rob, Becky (soccer girls)
Age: 93
Family: Mom, Granny, Aunt, cousin, sister, brother, god brother
Favorites...
Subject: Mrs. Norton‘s English Movie: Wrong Turn 1,2,3 Animal: House dog Color: Purple Book/Magazine: Ruston Daily Leader
Quote: ―What‘s done in the dark comes to the light‖
What do you like best about RHS: The fun/cool teachers
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Soccer all day
College plans: Pat Goins Beauty School
Your hero: My Grams
Name: Keke Sims
Age: 17
Family: Antonio (Dad), Tashica (Mom), Antonio II (brother), Zariah (sister), Kyler (god brother)
Favorites...
Subject: English IV Movie: The Hangover Animal: Monkeys Color: Pink
Quote: ―A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.‖
What do you like best about RHS: Friday night football, and Soccer season
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Soccer, KOM, FCA
College plans: LSU/ Biomedical Science
Your hero: My Mom
Name: Valerie Wheat
Age: 17
Family: Robbie (Mom), Rick (Dad), Victoria (sister)
Favorites...
Subject: Choir Movie: Remember Me Animal: Nessie! Color: Blue Book/Magazine: Alice in Wonderland
Quote: ―Ultimately love is everything.‖ -M. Scott Peck
What do you like best about RHS: The awesome teachers
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: KOM, Choir, Spanish club, FBLA
College plans: LA Tech/ Biology
Your hero: My parents
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Chatterbox
enior Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Name: April Lashun Wright
Age: 18
Family: Nette, Elliott, Tran, Hannah, Tori & Ta‘Niyah, Romekia, Marlo Mike (Cousin)
Favorites...
Subject: Certified Nursing Assistant Animal: My dog, Speed Color: Pink
Quote: ―I love my haters‖
What do you like best about RHS: The pep rallies
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Pom Squad, FCA, PCI
College plans: Grambling State University/ Nursing
Your hero: God
Name: Bryan Moss (bReaL)
Age: 18
Family: Brian (Dad), Christine (Mom), Ryan (brother), Curenity Emerison (sister)
Favorites...
Subject: Ag III; woodworking Movie: Pineapple Express; Friday Animal: Pit bull Color: Green Book/Magazine: Sports Illustrated
What do you like best about RHS: Leaving school early; Jean‘s Friday
College plans: CTC or Delta
Your hero: My Grandma & Mother and Mark Milstead
Name: Jessie Joyner
Age: 17
Family: Barry (Dad), Debbie (Mom), Joshua, Jacob (brothers)
Favorites...
Subject: STEM Physics Movie: Anchorman; The Legend of Ron Burgandy Animal: Hank (my dawg) Color: Blue
Quote: ―So, like, What is an egg? A vegetable?‖ -Hannah Maud
Most embarrassing moment: When Gauge Meeds popped me with a towel in the locker room
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: RHS Cross Country
College plans: LA Tech/ Engineering
Your hero: Jesus
Name: Lauren Prescott
Age: 17
Family: Bill & Stacy (parents), Taylor, Jordan (brothers), Dani (sister)
Favorites...
Subject: Algebra III with Mrs. Johnson Movie: Pride & Prejudice Animal: Dog Color: Turquoise Book/Magazine: Redeeming Love
Quote: ―Mexicooooo!‖ -Caroline Oakley
What do you like best about RHS: 4th hour with Brody Neal
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Soccer, FCA, LYFE, KOM
College plans: Mississippi College/ International Business
Your hero: Caroline Oakley
Name: Michael Thompson
Age: 17
Family: Jenifer (Mom), Fred (Dad), Clay, Robert, Zack (brothers)
Favorites...
Subject: Physics Movie: Bill & Ted‘s Excellent Adventures Animal: Dog Color: Blue
Quote: ―Whatever floats your boat‖
What do you like best about RHS: Mr. E‘s Physics class
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Soccer
College plans: LA Tech/ some kind of Engineering
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Chatterbox
enior Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 23
Name: Raylyn Rist
Age: 17
Family: Mom, Stepdad, sister, 2 puppies
Favorites...
Subject: COE Movie: Dear John Animal: Puppies Color: Blue
Quote: ―The players play, the helpers help, the watchers watch, and we don't get them confused‖ -Coach Hall
What do you like best about RHS: Beat Neville pep rallies; Traveling with softball
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Trainer for football and softball trips
College plans: Northwestern/ Physical Therapy; Nursing
Your hero: Mom
Name: Avneet Bola
Age: 17
Family: Mom, Dad, brother
Favorites...
Subject: Chemistry Movie: Spirited Away Animal: I like Twuhrtles Color: Teal
Quote: ―Life is not measured by the breathes we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.‖
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: NHS, Debate
College plans: ULM/ Pre-Pharmacy
Name: Patrick Beatty
Age: Almost a Senior citizen
Family: The Ruston High Soccer team
Favorites...
Subject: every class with Mary Cox...she‘s so fine Animal: My anaconda Color: I like my color like I like my women...tan
Book/Magazine: Euro sport (Soccer Bible)
Quote: ―Text it….BEAST MODE!‖ -Coach Walsh
Most embarrassing moment: When Robbie D. completely pantsed me in front of the girl‘s soccer team Freshman year...actually I wasn‘t
embarrassed
What do you like best about RHS: I just love all the popular, preppy cliques that think they run this school
College plans: None, my GPA is 1.2...but one point higher than Jessie‘s
Your hero: Coach Joe ―too cool‖ Harris
Name: Mary Glenn Lyons (MG, Princess Glennie, Glennie, MGL, Marge, Ole Two Name)
Age: 17
Family: Pat (Dad), Beth (Mom), Jonathan (brother), Anna Hitt (sister), Brandy (sister-in-law), Lyle Hitt (brother-in-law), Luke (nephew)
Madison Meyer (princess sister)
Favorites...
Subject: World History with Sutt Dawg Movie: Love Actually Animal: Tuwwwwtle Color: Green
Book/Magazine: Cold Tangerines & Blue Like Jazz
Quote: ―Preach and if necessary use words.‖ -Charles Spurgeon
What do you like best about RHS: Randall Lynn‘s puppet pals in Physics
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Keywanettes, Key Club, BUMS, National Honor Society, Bush‘s Boys, FCA, KOM
College plans: LSU/ Early Child Development; Family & Child Studies
Your hero: Nick Richardson (du) lolz
Name: Justin Wilkinson
Age: 17
Family: Roger (Dad)
Favorites...
Subject: Ag. Movie: Hangover Animal: Kangaroo Color: Green Book/Magazine: Car and Truck Magazine
Most embarrassing moment: Went to the wrong class for three days and didn‘t even know it
What do you like best about RHS: Leaving early and being a Senior
College plans: Work and go to the lake everyday then look at college
Your hero: Ninja Turtles
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Chatterbox
enior Spotlights
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Name: Savey‘a Payton (Savion)
Age: 18
Family: Daphne, Queen, Octavia, Devontez, Derasquez, Trey
Favorites...
Subject: PE Movie: Step Up Animal: Snow leopard Color: White Book/Magazine: ESPN Magazine
Quote: ―Life is a beach; I‘m just playing in the sand‖
What do you like best about RHS: Playing basketball, and the Dance line and Cheerleaders
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Basketball
College plans: Go to LA Tech, Grambling, or out of state
Your hero: Mom
Name: Sarah Gordon
Age: 17
Family: Olivia (Mom), Phil (Dad), Abby (sister), Dipper & Buddin (cats)
Favorites...
Subject: American History Movie: Ratatouille Animal: Buckeye Color: Purple Book/Magazine: Chatterbox duhh?
Quote: John 10:10
What do you like best about RHS: The new healthy cafeteria meals
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Softball, Cheer, Comp. Squad
College plans: LA Tech/Elementary Education
Your hero: Mrs. Cochran
Name: Jedaven Goldsby (Jai)
Age: 19
Favorites...
Subject: English Movie: Baby Bay Animal: Pit bulls Color: Orange
Quote: ―When it all unfolds it will be a brighter day‖
Most embarrassing moment: I fell in the mall
What do you like best about RHS: The football games
College plans: Delta
Your hero: My Grandmother
Name: Demario Freeman
Age: 19
Family: Angela Williams (Mom), Lannie Williams (Stepdad), Lamant Freeman (brother)
Favorites...
Subject: English four Movie: All Animal: Tiger Color: Black, white, green, red
Quote: ―Know who you know has your back and never ever bite the hand that fed you‖
What do you like best about RHS: Learn from the teachers and fellow students
Sports/Clubs/Affiliations: Played football (9th-11th)
College plans: LA Technical College/ Undecided
Your hero: Lamant Freeman
Name: Robert Gilbert
Age: 18
Family: Beth Toney (Mom), Brian Gilbert (Dad), Eva Best, Brianna Toney, Brienna Gilbert (sisters), Lucas Gilbert, Forrest Toney, Brandon
Gilbert, Brandon Tone (brothers)
Favorites...
Subject: Ag Movie: Never Back Down Animal: Dogs Color: Brown Book/Magazine: Heroes Don’t Run
Quote: ―If you want it, get it. If you can‘t reach it, climb a little higher‖
What do you like best about RHS: Being a Senior
College plans: NADC/Auto Mechanic
Your hero: My sister Brienna Gilbert
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Chatterbox
tudent Center
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Ask Russell
Page 25
Ask the Staff
submitted by Beau Russell
RHS Class President
by Kori Teague
Guest Reporter
What is the meaning of Christmas?
―And it came to pass in those days, that there
went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all
the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was
first made when Cyrenius was governor of
Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into
his own city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea,
unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage
of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused
wife, being great with child. And so it was, that,
while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in
the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear
not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a
sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.‖ – Luke 2:1-14 KJV
Do you prefer having the midterms before or after winter break?
Before! ‗Cause between December 25th (Christmas), December 29th
(BEAUtiful‘s birthday), and January 10, 2011 (Auburn becomes national
champs…keep hatin‘ LSU…), I ain‘t even going to be thinkin‘ about
school! Nuh uh! No sir/ma‘am! Have a GREAT HOLIDAY RHS! I less
than three y‘all! <3
I have family coming over for the
holidays and need some way to entertain them. What can we do?
If there are young children around,
rent a new movie to show them! Board
games can be a big hit too. A good
group game is Apples to Apples. Lots
of new movies are being released before the holidays, including Inception
and Despicable Me, or if you want to go to the theatres, Harry Potter is still
playing!
The Chatterbox reminds all students that everyone has a
right to an opinion on issues. If you have an opinion and
wish to write an article, the Chatterbox reminds you that
all submissions are subject to staff, editor, and administrative review to ensure that the article provides information
or promotes school pride, and does so without materially
disrupting work, does not cause substantial disorder, or
does not invade the rights of these. If you would like your
article considered for submission, please email it to [email protected] or turn it in in electronic format
to one of our staff. Only signed editorials and articles will
be considered.
Mistletoe
by Amy Gibson
Clubs Reporter
Oh! the joy a mistletoe can bring
The thought of kissing someone makes me sing
I get sad at these thoughts though
Because a lot of trouble comes from mistletoes
Mistletoe will bring you together
So that you may celebrate Christmas with love
Giving you the spirit to give
As we were given from above
What if you kiss someone too short?
What if you kiss someone too tall?
What if you miss the mistletoe?
And don‘t kiss anyone at all
When you walk under the mistletoe
Think not of trifle things
Remember the One you truly love
Our dear King of Kings
What if you kiss your grandma?
Or end up kissing your cousin
What if you walk under the mistletoe so much?
You kissing count exceeds a DOZEN!
Thanksgiving may be over
But now Christmas is here
And now is the time to praise
Worship Him with joyful cheer
Relax! relax! please calm yourself
And listen to what I have to say
Mistletoes are really your friends
And won‘t let love stray
But let‘s not forget the mistletoe
Which represents a free kiss
Let the feeling of love and giving flow free
And enjoy your Christmas bliss!
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 26
Christmas Word Search
F
Chatterbox
Un Page
Sudoku
“Sorry, guys, I’m not here this month. I’ve decided to go on vacation
early. So enjoy this RHS-themed 12 Days of Christmas. See you
guys next semester, and Merry Christmas. Ho ho ho and stuff.”
by Gray Taylor
12
DRUMMERS
DRUMMING
11
CHEERLEADERS
CHEERING
8
LADIES
LUNCHING
7
COACHES
SCREAMING
4
RIVAL
CLASSES
3
FOREIGN
LANGUAGES
TEACHERS
TEACHING
9
BELLES
A-DANCING
10
6
SLACKERS
SLACKING
5
CHAMPIONSHIP
RINGS (not really)
2
DRUM
MAJORS
1
R
H
S
AWESOME
CHATTERBOX!
Chatterbox
An extra SPECIAL THANKS to the Chatterbox staff, for helping me put this together! You guys are the best! - Gray Taylor
2
0
1
0
S
Chatterbox
ponsors and Staff
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 27
2010-2011 Chatterbox Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsors: ($200 +)
Mark Bartlett, LLC
Ruston High School Alumni Association
Gold Level Sponsor: ($100 - $199)
RHS FBLA, Chapter 617
Silver Level Sponsor: ($50 - $99)
Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office
First National Bank
Garrett Foundation (Grant)
Lloyd and Christy Bruner
RHS Business Department
2010-2011 Chatterbox Advertisers
Business/Organization
Owner/Manager/Contact Agent
Page of Advertisement
Lincoln ACHIEVE
Cathi Cox
2
Ruston PTA
Melinda McIntire
2
BESTWAY
Michael Kolb
3
Bell Jar
Irie Ewers
4
Driver‘s Ed
Ricky Durrett
5
The Strand
Christin Cross
12
The Strand
Jessica Farris
14
King of Hearts
Pat Murray
15
Davis & Co
Dana Davis
16
Pow Wow
Manuel and Nilda Chinchilla
17
Piney Hills Music
Nick Goff
18
Geri G. Taylor
Geri Taylor
28
Nick Brown Show
Nick Brown
29
Power House Tumble & Cheer
Susan Simoneaux
31
Pack & Mail
Scott Knowles
31
Please thank and support these businesses, organizations, and individuals for making your Ruston High School Chatterbox possible!
If interested in sponsoring or advertising in the Chatterbox, email us at [email protected]
2010-2011 RHS Chatterbox Staff
Senior Editor
News Editor
Assistant News Editor
Senior Reporter
Sports Editor
Business Manager
Academics Reporter
Arts Reporter
Clubs Reporter
Clubs Reporter
Education Reporter
Social Reporter
Social Reporter
Sports Reporter
Sports Reporter
Photographer
Photographer
Guest Reporter
Amber Brown
Senior
Natasha Alva
Senior
Lauren Townsend
Junior
Gray Taylor
Senior
Stephany Arias
Senior
Christian Amos
Senior
Elizabeth Smith
Junior
Polly Michelle Gwan
Junior
Emily Moore
Junior
Amy Gibson
Junior
Shamario Daniel
Junior
Benicia King
Junior
Jocria Thompson
Junior
Patricia Duhart
Junior
Reed Malek
Junior
Arquisia Williams
Sophomore
Savannah Chrisman
Sophomore
Whitney Durrett
Sophomore
Kori Teague
Junior
Adviser/Sponsor: Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner, [email protected]
The Chatterbox is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).
The purpose of the Chatterbox is to provide information and to promote school pride. We strive to meet the criteria set by the National Scholastic Press Association for student journalism. In addition, if a reasonable basis or belief that a publication would materially disrupt class work, involve substantial disorder, or invade the rights of these, it
will not be published in keeping with the guidelines of Hazelwood School District vs. Kulkmeier (1998). Signed editorials may be sent to Ruston High School, 900 Bearcat
Drive, Ruston, Louisiana 71270.
Access the current edition of the Chatterbox at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/whatsnew.html and archived editions at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/chatterbox.html
S
Chatterbox
ports
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 28
Swim Team Finishes
Season at State Meet
by Keekee Williams
Sports Reporter
On Nov. 17-18, the swim team attended the LHSAA State Championship in Sulphur, LA to mark the end of their season. The championship was a two day preliminary finals meet and was for qualifying
swimmers in 4A schools.
The participants were: Chaning Dorr, Natalie Dyke, (freshmen) A.J.
Brown, Maddie Huckabee, Jake Kyte, (sophomores) Chase Borden,
(junior) and Taylor Kaufman (senior). Each team member contributed
points to the total result and did well in their individual events. Chase
Borden came in 9th place in the 100-meter breaststroke and 17th in the
50-meter freestyle. AJ Brown placed 24 th in the 50-meter freestyle and
Chaning Dorr sited an 11th place in the 100-meter breaststroke. Natalie
Dyke had a place of 14th in the 100-meter fly and 21st in the 100-meter
backstroke while Taylor Kaufman took the 5th place in 100-meter backstroke and 10th in the 200-meter individual medley. Jake Kyte took
home a runner-up win in the 500-meter freestyle and a 4th place finish
in the 200-meter freestyle. The ladies relay squad of Taylor Kaufman,
Chaning Dorr, Maddie Huckabee and Natalie Dyke came out of the
water with an 8th place finish for the Girls 200-meter Freestyle Relay.
Ultimately, the girls finished in 12th place overall out of the 20
teams that participated. The boys came in at 13th overall over the 18
competitors.
Bearcat Football Recap
by Reed Malek
Sports Reporter
On November 12, 2010 the Bearcats completed another fantastic and exciting season, finishing with an
overall record of 6-5 and a 4-1 District 3-4A record. Their season had an unfavorable start; the ‗Cats lost
three of their first four games including a heartbreaker to Ouachita Parish, 28-26. Ruston turned their season around after their Homecoming loss to Sulphur, winning five of their six remaining regular-season
games including a victory over their archrival Neville Tigers 20-19, a game which will never be forgotten
by its witnesses. Their only loss during these six games was a 44-41 defeat at the hands of the Bastrop
Rams.
The ‗Cats rolled into the playoffs in high spirits after a 57-6 trouncing of the Franklin Parish Patriots,
but these hopes were crushed by the Woodlawn Panthers in the first round of the playoffs as Ruston was
defeated 35-14. This marks the second consecutive Bearcat football season which did not survive past the
first round of the playoffs.
Though this is very frustrating for Bearcats and their fans, we should not dwell in the past but instead
look forward to another great season next year.
S
Chatterbox
ports
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 29
The Other Football Season Begins
by Reed Malek
Sports Reporter
Bearcat boys‘ and girls‘ varsity soccer teams have recently begun their seasons
and both are off to pleasing starts.
Boys Soccer
The boys‘ varsity soccer team has started the season 5-3 and continues to work
hard after school and at games. Leading scorers for the boys as of mid-December
have been Patrick Beatty with 6 goals and Rafael Lucayo with 5 goals. After a rough
tournament down south, the Bearcats look to rebound and improve their winning
record. A notable triumph for the boys came in their first game, which they won over
Minden 9-0. Patrick Beatty and Rafael Lucayo each had three goals and Josh Beatty,
Cameron Perez, and Logan Sanderson each had one goal.
Girls Soccer
Ruston girls‘ varsity soccer has begun the season marvelously, winning 6 games
and losing only 2. A notable win for the girls this season was against Minden. The
Bearcats demolished the Minden Crimson Tide 7-1. Caroline Oakley and Traci Evans each had one goal, Lauren Prescott (December Player of the Month see page 30)
had two goals, and Garielle Dupree scored three goals.
Ex-Bearcat Dan Childress to Join Father
in LHSAA Hall
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
Dan Childress who competed in football, baseball and
track for Ruston High from 1980-83 will be inducted into
the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Sports Hall
of Fame, along with seven other individuals on January 26.
Childress will join his father, former Ruston head football coach Jimmy ―Chick‖ Childress, in the esteemed hall
of fame. During his four years playing for his father at
RHS, Dan Childress led the Bearcats to the state champ title
in 1882. Childress‘ other school records include 278 completions out of 475 attempts, a 3,350 yardage proof, and 29
touchdowns.
On the baseball diamond he was a Bearcat outfielder. At
the plate Childress placed a .356 batting average. As a sen-
ior he increased his already outstanding record to a .401 batting average. Dan Childress
also was a district track and field champ in
javelin. Coach Shannon Frasier who played
with Dan Childress in high school says, ―He was
a leader, he was a team captain, he was a student
of the game‖
Other honorees to be inducted alongside Childress will include basketball idol Alana Beard,
track and field Olympian Hollis Conway, basketball legend Gayle Hatch, Coach Dahrie Koenig,
competitor-coach Frances Lyles and football
coach Donnie Perron.
Academic Eligibility
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
The Louisiana High School Athletic Association, the
governing body of all high school athletic teams in the
state, established a set of minimum requirement for all its
member schools. The LHSAA requirements are that a
student-athlete must maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 or
―C‖ average and must have six state-approved courses on
their transcript from the previous semester. But the case
is different for student-athletes who are seniors. Seniors
who have earned 20 or more scholastic units must take at
least four subjects each semester, but these can not be
courses previously passed by the student. For seniors
attending schools using the block schedule, they must be
enrolled in at least two courses per semester to compete.
So what happens if a student-athlete is found academi-
cally ineligible? For Students who are ineligible, it‘s not
the end of their athletic career. They may work to recapture their eligibility the following semester.
Besides making requirements for student-athletes, the
LHSAA also recognizes student-athletes that stand out
academically with their Academic All-State Program.
This is just one of many ways the LHSAA strives to develop the athlete, as well as the student.
Here are some responses to the question, ―Should the
LHSAA raise the standard 2.0 GPA or leave it the
same?‖
―It should be raised most definitely to at least a 2.5.
My parents don‘t let me play sports if I have a ‗C‘‖Madison Meyer, senior student-athlete
―It doesn‘t matter; West Monroe is still going to get
their player eligible so if Ruston wants to start competing
we should do the same‖-Nick Richardson, senior studentathlete
―I definitely think the standards should be higher. If
‗student‘ athletes cannot handle juggling school, life, &
extra curricular activities when they are young how will
they handle life as an adult, which is exponentially
harder. Remember you are STUDENT athletes, where
student comes first!‖- Tamara Pisciotta, parent of studentathlete
In conclusion, students, perform well in the class as
you do on the field or on the court, your athlete career
may depend on it.
S
Chatterbox
ports
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 30
Player of the Month: Lauren Prescott
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
Lauren Prescott, a senior, has been one of the
leading scorers for the girls soccer team for the
past two years.
As a junior Lauren was voted MVP (Most
Valuable Player) and her stats so far this year
show that she is worthy of that title already dribbling in more than 10 goals this year. This
month Lauren was voted ―Player of the Month‖
by her very own team mates, instead of by the
usual coach‘s vote. Other awards this remarkable
soccer player has been graced with are making
first team all-district her freshman, sophomore,
and junior years, and during her junior year she
was district offensive MVP.
Off the field, this center-mid is a regular high
school student participating in clubs such as
LYFE, KOM, FCA, and Spanish Club. Besides
playing soccer Lauren‘s hobbies include hanging
“I think without her on
the team, we wouldn’t
be a team”
Girls Basketball Achieving
High Status
by Keekee Williams
Sports reporter
The girls‘ basketball team started
their season with a Jamboree that was
held on Nov. 18 with many teams participating. On Nov. 23, the Lady Bearcats played in the Ouachita Tournament
and brought home three wins.
First the Ladies went head-to-head
against Walker High School and passed
them with a score of 66-60. The next
game was matched up against Barbe
High School, and the Ladies also swept
the scoreboard with the total points
rounding out to 76-26. The next competition was versus
University Lab High.
The ladies prevailed
once again with a
close outcome of 5453. The Lady Bearcats were down by
one point in the University match-up,
when Chelsea Rogers
came just in time to
shoot a jumper at the
buzzer!
Nov. 30 posed yet
another challenge
against Ouachita Par-
ish. Unfortunately, the Lady ‗Cats came
down with a loss of 41-46. Jasmine
White scored 12 points while Chelsea
Rogers (#14) and Byroneshia Santiago
(#30) resulted with 8 points each. While
getting over the loss to Ouachita, the
Ladies came back to face Athens in the
Homer Tournament on Dec. 2. Proving
to not get another loss, these alert ladies
got back on the fast track and dominated Athens. Byroneshia marked the
board with 19 points and Chelsea
Rogers shot accurately to score 7
p o in ts.
S h ad arria
Crawford
(#23)
achieved 10 points and
got 10 rebounds resulting in a double-double.
These ladies are really
working hard toward
obtaining a championship title. By currently
being power ranked as
#7 in the state and having a recent record of 4
-1, they are really
proving to be more
than worthy to be
marked Champions.
out with friends and eating pomegranates. She
plans to major in International Business but is
undecided on a college so far.
All I have to say is that she is an amazing
player; she really helps me out and most of the
others she is a really good player and has awesome skills‖ says Helen Ayim, a fellow team
mate ―I think without her on the team, we wouldn‘t be a team‖
Lauren‘s planned goals for the 2010-11 season
is to win district as a team. As a personal goal she
plans to increase her goal record from last year.
For every away game Lauren eats a pomegranate
on the bus with her best friend senior Caroline
Oakley as a pre-game ritual.
Number fifteen on the field but number one in
your heart, Lauren Prescott says, ―Go Lady Bearcats!‖
Bearcat Basketball Tips Off
by Reed Malek
Sports Reporter
As the weather gets
colder and the holiday
seasons roll around, Ruston High basketball is
beginning to heat up!
The Bearcats began the
season 2-3, though
merely eight points were
their largest margin of
defeat for those three
losses.
Bearcat basketball
began their regular season on November 22
against Southwood High
School at a tournament
in Shreveport. The Cats were defeated 44
-36 by the Cowboys. Ruston‘s key players were Jamaya Burr (18 points, 3 assists), Jerry Melton (8 points, 6 rebounds), and Ronald Spivey (4 points).
The Bearcats gained their first win of
the season in their next game on November 24 against the Byrd Yellow Jackets.
Jamaya Burr had 14 points and 2 assists
and Tray Mateen with 9 points and 11
rebounds. The Cats pulled away with a
24-19 victory, evening their record at 11.
Ruston then faced the Ouachita Parish
Lions at Denmon Carter Court at home
and won 60-52. The Bearcats were led in
scoring by Tray Mateen (18 points, 13
rebounds, 3 assists) and Jerry Melton (17
points, 8 rebounds), giving the Cats a 2-1
record.
The Bearcats then traveled to Campti,
Louisiana to play in a tournament at
Lakeview High School. Ruston was defeated 62-57 by Winnfield High in their
first game and 52-50 to Lakeview High
in their second. Tray Mateen led the
Bearcats in scoring for both games; he
had 19 points and 11 rebounds against
Winnfield and 17 points and 13 rebounds
against Lakeview.
S
Chatterbox
ports
Ruston High School
Cross Country: District Champs
December 16, 2010
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
Both the girls and boys Cross Country teams
shutout the competition on November 9 at the
district race.
In the opening of the race, the Lady Bearcats
stuck together for the most part. Then three
Lady Cats broke from the pack to dominate the
district 2-4A Championship. These Ladies were
sophomore Anna Hall, senior Casey Pierce
(November Player of the Month), and Haven
Schroder. All three girls crossed the finish line,
with hands in tacked as district champions! This
continued a long tradition of district champions
for Ruston High.
In the boys‘ race, the speed demon, Chase
Millien dominated the district 2-4A race. At
start, Chase broke from the pack at a steady
speed to win the race. Chase finished the race
with a time of 16:03.41, a personal best. Behind
the state champ, was sophomore Dominique
Cheffin with a time of 16:39.92. All Ruston
boys finished in the top ten: Matt Cardenas
(4th), Dylan Maud (5th), James Davison (6th),
Emanuel Gwan (7th), and Jordan Rushing (8th).
The boys crushed the competition with an
average time of 16:40.81 and the girls dominated with 20:22.29.
The guys stand as champions!
Haven Shroeder, Casey Pierce and Anna
Hall Crossing the Finish line as Champs.
Junior Matt Cardenas
sprint to the finish line.
Cross Country: State Runner-ups
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
After a heart breaking trophy snatch by the
judges (reference article to cartoon on page 11),
the boys cross country team stood up with their
heads high to accept their state runner-up trophy.
Ruston was represented by two runners in the
top ten. The boys were lead by Chase Millien at
sixth place. Chase finished the race with a time
of 16:58.14. Dominique Cheffin rounded off the
top ten by crossing the finish line for tenth place
at 17:14.48.
Millien leads the pack.
Seniors Haven Shroeder and Casey Pierce
finished their state competition at a close margin. Haven at sixth with a 20:27.03 time, and
Casey finished seventh with a 20:27.05. Behind
the two seniors was sophomore Anna Hall. Anna
finished in the eighth place. The time Anna finished the state race was 20:35.70.
These excellent times earned these two teams
the title of class 4A state runner-up.
Ruston, in black, weaves through the competition.
Page 31
B
Chatterbox
earcat Spirit
Ruston High School
December 16, 2010
Page 32
RHS Cheerleaders Bring Home 3 Championship Titles
submitted by Mrs. Reeder
Cheerleader Sponsor
The Ruston High School Competition Cheer squad
recently returned from the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Classic Championship in Little Rock. The
squad of 33 competed on December 4 in four divisions:
Non-Tumbling Performance, Timeout Cheer, Timeout
Dance and Fight Song.
This is the third year for Ruston High to have a competitive cheer team, and they are making a strong name
for themselves and the Bearcat Nation with the NCA.
2010 brings a new challenge for the competition squad—
competing in four different categories with four new routines.
The squad placed first in Non-Tumbling, Timeout
Dance and Fight Song, and second in the Timeout Cheer.
The NCA Arkansas Classic boasted over 30 teams and
RHS finished with the highest overall score out of any
school with 94 out of 100 in the Fight Song.
The performance division, where the team performs
the non-tumbling routine, involves two minutes and thirty
seconds of stunts, jumps, dance, and a cheer section. To
work in RHS tradition, the fight song from last year has
been updated with the cheerleaders spelling out ―CATS‖
like we do at halftime during football season with the
band. The Timeout Cheer, Timeout Dance and Fight
Song are all geared towards crowd involvement and incorporating what cheerleaders do at pep rallies and games
throughout the regular school year.
The team started practicing back in August with a two
-day choreography workshop for their Non-Tumbling
routine. Their Game Time routines (Timeout Cheer, Fight
Song, and Timeout Dance) have been choreographed and
practiced since September. The team will compete again
at the NCA Senior and Junior High Nationals in January
in Dallas, Texas. Be sure to wish them good luck!
FCA’s Founder: Don McClanen
by Christian Amos
Sports Editor
We Are Back!
Submitted by Beau Russell
Student Council/Bush’s Boys President
Hello beautiful people! This is your Student Council President/ Bush‘s Boys President, Beau Martin Russell! I want to encourage you to become one of the few, the proud,
the Bush‘s Boys! Btft…Join!
Bush‘s Boys is a fan group for our boys
and girls basketball teams. We go to the
home and most of the away games. Basically,
we scare the other team, in a non-violent
way. Boys and girls can be a part of the
greatness. The only requirements are first buy
the $10.00 Bush‘s Boys t-shirt featuring a
new design and be prepared to yell until it is
impossible for you to
talk anymore!
Recently, the vicepresident Conner Haskins
and I designed a new t-shirt
and got sponsored by the
following: Community Trust
Bank, Skip Russell State
Farm, Tommy‘s Tees, and
Super 1 Foods! We want to
thank our sponsors and of
course YOU! See you in the
stands…okay bye <3 you.
The year was 1954 when Don
McClanen incorporated the turn of
phrase ―Fellowship of Christian Athletes‖.
In his high school years, Don was
known as a class clown but reluctantly
he was elected
as Class President his junior
and senior years
of high school.
One can see the
connection in
Don‘s life when
he wanted to
become a minister and an
athlete, but his
stern
father
discouraged
him from doing
both. He loved
to be in on the
action, so Don
played
every
sport in high
school
while
juggling being
the president of
the
Christian
Endeavor Club
at his church.
At the age of seventeen, Don transformed from a ―class clown‖ to a very
serious young man when Pearl Harbor
was hit. After his next birthday he
enlisted in pilot training for the Naval
Air Corps. Don failed out of the training program, but he never ceased to
get his foot into the naval program.
He went from the Air Corps to
serving under
the water in
submarines. To
make a long
story short, Don
grew close ties
with the captain
of the U.S.S.
Chub, who became like a
father to Don.
Don‘s captain
encouraged him
to pursue his
dream
more
than his own
father did. If
Don
would
have given up
on his dream
and not listen to
the people who
encouraged
him,
the
world‘s ―heart
and soul‖ of sports would have never
inspired so many Christian Athletes to
keep praying through the ups and
downs during the games of life.

Ruston High School December 16, 2010 Box Tops RHS

Transcription

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