Tilghman Bell April 2012

THE
TILGHMAN
PADUCAH TILGHMAN HIGH SCHOOL
2400 WASHINGTON STREET
BELL
PADUCAH, KENTUCKY
MON. APRIL. 30, 2012
VOL. 88 NO. 9
Paducah Tilghman boasts eight PT Briefs
students as Governor’s Scholars
Orchestra
by Amber Hussain
The Tilghman
Bell would like to
congratulate
eight
students that were
accepted for the
Governor’s Scholars
Program (GSP). Juniors McKenzi Belt,
Marissa Davis, Alicia Humphrey, Conner Layne, Catherine
Miller, Katie Paxton,
Victoria Potter, and
Caroline
Washer
were chosen by the
State GSP Committee to participate in
the program.
GSP is a five-week
summer
program
held at Bellarmine
University in Louisville, Centre College
in Danville, and Murray State University
in Murray. Free of Paducah Tilghman’s 2012 GSP participants. (from left to right, top to bottom) Katie Paxton, Conner Layne, Alicia Humcharge, students at- phrey, Mckenzi Belt, Marissa Davis, Victoria Potter, Catherine Miller, Caroline Washer.
Photo by James Harben
tend classes where
performers come to lead activities such as new experience.”
there are no grades or credits. The profilms, field trips, and other special events.
Caroline Washer says that she is also
gram gives students a chance to interact
Those who are accepted should be pre- looking forward to this opportunity to
with people of different backgrounds.
pared to participate in the community and meet new people and get a first-hand colTo be eligible, the student must apply
all events that take place. The program lege experience.
during their junior year, be a resident of
is meant to help students achieve their
“It’s so great that all of us got acceptKentucky, and must have taken the ACT,
academic and personal potential, encour- ed!” Catherine Miller exclaims.
PSAT, or SAT their freshman, sophomore,
age leadership skills, and to develop the
Guidance Counselor Allan Paul comor junior year.
students’ creativity and critical thinking ments, “The fact that they chose all eight
The Scholars live in dormitories on
skills.
shows that Paducah Tilghman has excepthe college campus, giving them a feel of
Marissa Davis, one of the Scholars tional students.”
what life will be like once they leave high
chosen, says, “I’m really excited to go to
school. They attend classes, seminars,
GSP this summer and have a completely
and co-curricular activities. Speakers and
Tilghman juniors selected for
Governor’s School for the Arts
by Weston Loyd
The Tilghman Bell would
like to congratulate Brock
Sigler, Darrion Woodall, and
Savanna Whelan. Sigler and
Woodal were accepted in Kentucky’s GSA program this upcoming summer. Whelan was
selected as an alternate.
Governor’s School for the
Arts, or GSA, is a three week
program in which “students
live, breathe, eat and sleep the
arts. It’s a thrilling, often lifechanging experience, as they
meet new friends, explore Woodal, Whelan, and Sigler.
their creativity, and discover
new things about who they are and who they can be in the future,”
according to kentuckygsa.org.
GSA offers nine different art form summer concentrations
including Architecture, Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music, Musical Theatre, New Media, Visual Art, and Vocal Music.
Junior Darrion Woodall, who will be studying Vocal Music,
said, “It was a really great honor to be accepted considering I’m
from such a small town, and I look forward to meeting new people
and growing in my art form.”
Senior Trip!
May 4th
Price is $30
Annual trip to Six Flags
St. Louis!
“Even to be considered
an alternate for Governor’s
School for the Arts is really
exciting!” Savanna Whelan,
who is an alternate in New
Media, commented.
“I’m honored to be accepted into such a prestigious program,” Brock
Sigler, whose major is Architecture, said. “I look
forward to the three weeks
I’ll get to spend with people
with different talents from
different places.”
Photo by Michael Langston
The Kentucky GSA site
also states, “Graduates of the summer program are eligible for a
host of scholarships and educational opportunities in all fields of
study. Representatives from as many as 70 colleges and universities from across the country audition and interview graduates
in the fall during GSA’s College and Career Day. Students can
meet with representatives from such prestigious programs... plus,
twenty colleges and universities welcome GSA alums with scholarships, just for having completed the program.”
Prom! May 12th
Singles $20
Couples $30
Get your tickets
before May 9th!
The Tilghman Orchestra performed
in late March before three judges at
Murray State University, receiving
three distinguished ratings. The orchestra performed on a grade six, or
most advanced level.
They performed the first movement from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. The piece featured violin soloist Savanna Whelan (11) and two
non-Tilghman students on the flute
and harpsichord. The group received
three distinguished ratings on their
performance and a distinguished rating in sight reading.
There are less than a dozen orchestras in Kentucky that perform grade
six material. The PT orchestra is in
its second year and is under the direction of Douglas Van Fleet.
PTHS is winning even
more awards and
honors. Learn more on
page four.
Schedule
May 4th—Senior trip to Six Flags
May 7th-17th—Underclassman State
Exams:
Monday: sophomore On Demand
Writing
Tuesday: junior On Demand Writing
Wednesday: English 10 End of Course
exam
Thursday: Biology End of Course
exam
Friday: English 10
Monday: Algebra 2 End of Course
exam
Tuesday: U.S. History End of Course
exam
May 7th-18th—AP Exams:
Monday: AP Chemistry exam
Tuesday: AP Spanish exam
Wednesday: AP Calculus exam
Thursday: AP Literature exam
Friday: AP U.S. History and AP European History exams
Monday: AP Biology exam
Tuesday: AP U.S. Government and AP
French exams
Wednesday: AP Composition exam
Thursday: AP World Civilization exam
Friday: AP Human Geography exam
May 12th—Regional Track meet and
Prom at 8 PM
May 15th—Honors Night at 6:30 PM
May 17th-19th—State Tennis Tournament
May 18th—Senior Exams (1, 3, 5)
May 21st—Senior Exams (2, 4, 6)
May 22nd—Election Day (No school!)
May 23rd—Senior Breakfast, yearbook signing, guest speakers in the
Blue Room at 7:30
underclassmen finals (1, 3, 5)
May 24th—Underclassmen finals (2,
4, 6)
May 25th—Commencement Ceremony at 8 PM, Project Graduation
Seniors,
Make sure all fees
are paid in order to
graduate!
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T I L G H M A N
B E L L
COMMENTARY
Tip of the hat... Wag of the finger
by Mackenzie Bruce and Madison Whelan
What do you think about
the quilters?
“I think they get too
much attention.”
A Tip of the Hat...
A Wag of the Finger...
To one last month of school. Eighteen days and
counting… even less if you are a senior! Soon
enough the AP tests, finals, essays, projects, and
homework stress will be over. Enjoy your last few
days in these Tilghman halls, but just think… days
of laziness and sleeping in the sun will soon be
here.
To wild and whimsical spring colors. The grass
is greener, the flowers are all in bloom, and our
world is once again filled with bright colors! No
more dull, gray winter neutrals; yellows, pinks, and
greens will rule this spring season. So open your
eyes and drink in the fabulous shades and hues of
springtime.
To things that grow. Allergies this time of the year
are miserable. For allergy sufferers, all it takes is
an open window or a neighbor mowing the lawn
to send one into a sneezing fit. Dust, pollen, grass,
mold. Winter may be full of the flu, but spring
welcomes its own problems.
To Quilt Week. Those quilters crowd the restaurants and the downtown area and make Paducah
citizens fear for their lives while driving… might
as well wait out the week hiding safely in your
room.
To ants. They crawl on the walls. They infiltrate
your fruit. No matter how many you squish, there
are always hundreds more. Just go back to the hole
you crawled out of and let us picnic in peace!
The Downfall of the Cartoon
by Michael Langston
Asia Flemmons (12)
“They crowd up the
restaurants - especially
on Sundays!”
Meko Buchanon (11)
“Bad driving!”
Roderic Smith (11)
“They mainly cause
traffic.”
Cassidy Herndon (9)
“They’re a bunch of
beautiful women.”
Cartoons have been a vital part of our childhoods
for decades, but recently, the mighty cartoon has fallen into a senseless mayhem of incoherent plot lines
and annoying characters. Even the remakes of our
childhood cartoons have fallen prey to this pathetic
modern era of cartoons. Despite the glory of their predecessors, the modern cartoon has fallen into the dark
depths of mediocrity.
Before the television, there were comics. They
appeared as newspaper comic strips such as Peanuts
(or Charlie Brown), Garfield, and comic books, ranging from iconic superheroes such as Batman and The
Green Lantern. These series have captivated America’s youth for decades. Although they are not as popular now as they once were, newspaper comic strips
are still classic examples of cartoons. From Garfield
to Popeye and the Wizard of Id, these cartoons have
been delivering laughs and smiles alongside the news
for decades. Some of these have even gone on to become television cartoons and movies.
In the case of comic books, superheroes often
fought villains that represented the “bad guys” of the
time. A classic example of this is Ironman’s enemy
The Crimson Dynamo, who represented to Soviet
Union. Not all of the comics had these allegorical
undertones, however. Many comic books simply followed a likable hero as he or she defeated his or her
enemies and saved the world in a dramatic fashion.
As cartoons transitioned to television, many cartoonists swapped their comic strips and books for
television cartoons such as the “Spy vs. Spy,” in which
the spies represented the Soviet KGB and American
CIA competing with each other during the Cold War
Era. During the early days of the television cartoons,
scores of timeless greats such as Rocky and Bullwinkle and Tom and Jerry dominated the animated
world. In the 90’s, shows like Rugrats and countless
Is it really only about Kony?
by Megan Cantwell
“Make Kony Famous-” many of you have heard
or seen this phrase almost anywhere you look on
the internet these days. This is all due to a video that
went viral only a couple hours after it was posted by
the Invisible Children charity. The video focuses on
criminal Joseph Kony, a man currently at the top of
the International Criminal Court’s Most Wanted List
for crimes against humanity.
Will Hutson (12)
Saying that people have reacted strongly to this
video is an understatement. Americans, mainly
American youth, have gone essentially crazy over it.
Activism is suddenly the new “thing.” I’m not sure
how many of you know the definition of activism,
so here it is from Webster’s dictionary: “a doctrine
The Tilghman Bell, a product of the journalism class, is an open or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action,
especially in support of or opposition to one side of
forum for student expression and is distributed monthly to the
a controversial issue.” The video speaks about how
students of Paducah Tilghman High School free of charge.
you--yes, YOU--can help stop Kony. You only need
to buy the “Kony Action Kit” described on their webEditor-in-Chief: Emilee Ayers
site as “the ultimate accessory” and that “people will
think you’re the advocate of awesome.” I’m not makCo-Editors: Weston Loyd, Amber Hussain, Mackenzie Bruce
ing this up, people. For only $30.00, people will think
Business Manager: Olivia Carner, Madison Whelan
you’re an advocate of awesome. Uhm, isn’t this supFeature & Advertising Editor: Amber Hussain
posed to be about Kony, or something? Call yourself
Sports Editor: James Harben
an advocate of awesome if you want, but don’t say
Arts & Entertainment Editor: Mackenzie Bruce
you’re an activist.
Don’t get me wrong, the things Kony has done
Commentary Editors: Emily Page
are
atrocious,
but let’s take a closer look at the video
Layout and Proof: Alicia Humprhey, Madison Whelan, Calicia Wilson
before we all get up in arms. The video shows the
Photographers: James Harben, Michael Langston
founder of Invisible Children, Jason Russell, talking
Cartoonist: Zachary Winfield, Emily Page
to his young son about Joseph Kony and the things
Staff Writers: Kaitlyn Curry, Avery Harriman, Chandler Smith, he’s done to children across Uganda. The video paints
Joseph Kony as the classic evil villain, twirling his
Susannah Wilson, Megan Cantwell
mustache and laughing evilly. It’s a classic good guy
Sports Writers: Alex Boyd, Ngodoo Itiavkase, Brock Sigler
vs. bad guy scenario, and we must always defeat the
Adviser: Susan Hancock
bad guy. We Americans must put fliers everywhere;
we must buy buttons, shirts, and hats! Obviously, the
red t-shirts with “Kony 2012” plastered against the
The Tilghman Bell
memories of the Saturday morning cartoons captured
the imaginations of children across America. These
cartoons helped to raise children from many decades
and have even reflected the ideology of their decades.
Perhaps this emphasizes the astonishing shortcomings of today’s cartoons.
In modern times, the people of this country are obsessed with being politically correct and peaceful in
hopes of not being sued for everything they’re worth
because they accidently offended the person next to
them. Whereas older cartoons were unafraid to show
their iconic slapstick violence and various stereotypes, modern children’s cartoons avoid this at all
costs. Those that are less sensitive are simply less offensive versions of cartoons based around the idea of
questionable jokes, comments and references, which
almost entirely defeats the purpose of the show. Many
of these shows references were also popular before
the watchers were even born.
Another of the modern cartoons’ problems is that
they are simply not funny. While not all cartoons
are intended to be comical, the form of many modern cartoons sets them up to be purely comical. The
classic comics often used simple, silly jokes and
slapstick comedy to create humor. Modern cartoons,
on the other hand, employ pointless or poorly-timed
jokes, or, even worse, some have characters make fun
of themselves, and the characters proceed to fall to
pieces laughing at themselves. To top it off, the timeless art of slapstick comedy is also painfully lacking
in modern cartoons.
The cartoon, which is has been a classic form of
entertainment for youth since its introduction, does
not deserve the poor quality that it currently endures.
Only recently has this industry fallen from its high
place. Though these modern debacles dominate the
scene, their predecessors still rest in comical glory.
chest will reduce Kony to tears, securing us advocates
as triumphant. Obviously, the red buttons with Kony’s
face on them will inspire fear in his heart. Obviously,
the hats will guilt him into stopping his campaign of
terror. Come on, you guys. I know it’s the fashionable
thing to do now, and I’m all for activism -- but have
you bothered to research it at all?
An accepted idea for charities is to give about 70%
for the cause they’re supporting and 30% to keep the
charity up and running. So, what’s the percentage of
donations that actually go to helping the Ugandan
efforts from the Invisible Children charity? It’s an
estimated 32% according to gobakingrates.com. We
don’t know for sure though, because Invisible Children refuses to let the Better Business Bureau (a voluntary accreditation for charities) see their records.
Okay, well, that’s obviously a little shady. Furthermore, the last time Kony was seen (15 years ago),
he was sick and believed to be dying. Yes, this is still
happening in Uganda, but Kony should not necessarily be the main focus of this movement.
I agree that what has been done to the children of
Uganda is something so horrible that our First-Worldoriented minds can’t even fully grasp it, but do you all
really think that the members of the Invisible Children
charity are the only ones who know about it? There
are a lot more, erm, trust-worthy charities also devoted to this cause, including UNICEF, International
Rescue Committee, Child Soldiers International and
SOS Children's Villages. I have no qualms with people taking action against Kony; in fact, I encourage it.
I just believe that we should be supporting the cause,
not the charity.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/08/joseph-kony-uganda_n_1333049.html
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
http://www.nndb.com/people/398/000022332/
http://www.newuniversity.org/2012/03/opinion/invisible-childrens-scam/
ADS
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C lass
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T I L G H M A N
B E L L
NEWS
2012 partic ipate in Winfield becomes
s c ho o lw ide “ lip - dub ” video Rotary Scholar
of
by Weston Loyd
by Amber Hussain
An exciting project is underway at Paducah Tilghman. Seniors will be organizing the creation of a “lip-dub” video. This is
basically an amateur music video
created by any group of people.
The University of Kentucky senior athletes made one at the beginning of the school year, promoting the university and their
athletics program, where they
lip-sang to the song “Dynamite”
by Taio Cruz. Local schools have
also created their own versions
of it, and Mr. Davis, a strong
supporter of the idea, says, “We
could do better.”
It was supposed to be done at
the beginning of the school year,
where Mrs. Holt’s senior English
class first proposed it, however,
Mrs. Saladino’s absence delayed
its creation. Maximillian Curry
brought the idea again to Mr. Davis, who agreed to it.
Now that the spark has been
ignited again, the seniors can
leave a legacy by being the first
to take part in such a huge project. If it turns out successful, the
“lip-dub project” will become a
tradition at Paducah Tilghman
for every graduating class to take
part in. “I can see it going that
way,” Mr. Davis says.
Max Curry, who will be the
director of this project, has taken
many intricate steps to ensure
the project’s success. During RTI
the seniors and juniors voted for
which two songs they wanted,
and “We Are Young” by FUN
and “Turn Up The Music” by
Chris Brown were chosen. UK’s
video only had one song; however, Max plans on making this
video six minutes long, hence
two are being incorporated.
Curry also hopes to film the
entire video in one shot, though,
naturally, some editing will have
to be done before the final product is presented. It will be played
in the lobby outside of the cafeteria, at different committees,
and while it won’t be played at
graduation, it will be played at
Project Graduation and at the
Senior Breakfast.
This video will show off everything great about Tilghman,
so students will be placed in all
areas of the school- the cafeteria,
auditorium, lobby, etc.
Mr. Davis has given his permission, full support, and has
offered any resources needed to
make this project a success. “I’m
happy to see the kids take the
challenge, and I believe they’ll
be successful.”
Max Curry says, “I have high
hopes for this to be the building
block of many future lip-dubs.
While there may be many bumps
and roads in the beginning, the
end product will show what
Tilghman is really made of.”
The sign-up sheets have been
turned in for whomever wanted
singing or dancing positions in
the video, and filming will begin the first week of May after
school.
Paducah Tilghman Navy Junior ROTC
Completes Pushup Challenge
by Commander Taylor
The cadets of
the PTHS NJROTC
recently completed
their participation
in the Sixth Annual
Vietnam Memorial
Pushup Challenge.
The
challenge
presented by the
United War Veterans Council Youth
Program to Junior
ROTC units in
high schools across
the county. Each
unit that accepted
the challenge was
asked to conduct on
military-style push up for each name one the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
There are currently 58,272 names on the memorial
wall. Paducah Tilghman’s unit did well over 59,000
pushups.
The Paducah Tilghman NJROTC unit began
the challenge in November 2011 and completed the
challenge recently, over two months before the Memorial Day goal date. Each of the unit’s cadets participated in the challenge. According to Lieutenant
Commander Donald Taylor, the Paducah Tilghman
NJROTC Senior Naval Science Instructor, each
class did daily pushups immediately after attendance was taken, with additional push ups being
performed on Fridays, during their regularly scheduled physical fitness class period.
The NJROTC unit from Paducah Tilghman
Speech travels to
state tournament
by Madison Whelan
Provided by JROTC
joined approximately 60 other JROTC unites from
23 states in the pushup challenge. Their collective
goal was to complete over3.5 million pushups to
honor each man and woman whose name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall.
“The unit is excited about having completed the
Vietnam Memorial Pushup Challenge and they look
forward to participating again next year,” said Senior Petty Officer Don Myers, the Paducah Tilghman Naval Science Instructor.
Now in their eleventh year, Paducah Tilghman’s
NJORTC unit will receive a certificate of completion for their participation in the Sixth Annual Vietnam Memorial Pushup Challenge.
Information obtained by Brock Sigler and Susannah Wilson
PT Youth L.E.A.D. students graduate
by Alicia Humphrey
On April 12, the very first Youth L.E.A.D. (Leadership Education and Development) class graduated at the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce
Power in Partnership breakfast. Tilghman is proud
to claim six of the twenty-four students honored as
participants in this sister group to the senior Leadership program: Victoria Potter, Alicia Humphrey,
Maddie Morris, Meredith Morris, McKenzie Belt,
and Marissa Davis. At the graduation ceremonies,
attended by friends and family of the class members, all twenty-four participants received a certificate for completing the program—an endeavor
that required community service hours along with
a completed resume. Several well-known community figures, including the small-business owners
of local Bike World and the Youth L.E.A.D. instructor Stacey Thomas, spoke at the event, sharing their ideas about entrepreneurship in Paducah.
The brand new Youth L.E.A.D. class is a competitive program for juniors exhibiting academic
This month, Tilghman is proud to present another senior
selected as Rotary
Scholar of the Month:
Zachary Winfield. As
a guest of the local
Rotary Club, Winfield
will join other selected seniors to meet
Rotary members and
actively participate
in and learn about
relevant community
affairs.
Winfield
Like last month’s
Photo by Michael Langston
Rotary Scholar, this
month’s Rotary Scholar stands out from the rest because of his strong academic
record. Winfield was named an AP Scholar and is the recipient of the Duke University Book Award. He has also
received many journalism awards from Murray State University, including Best Movie Review and sweeping the
comic category.
“I am very honored to be selected as April’s Rotary
Scholar,” Winfield explained. “I wasn’t expecting to be
selected, so it was a pleasant surprise.” Winfield has also
received a perfect score on the Reading Section of the ACT
and has attended Commonwealth Honors Academy at Murray State University as well.
As a result of receiving scholarships from the JB Speed
School of Engineering and the University of Louisville itself, Winfield plans to attend UofL in the fall, intending to
major in mechanical or electrical engineering. The Bell
would like to congratulate Zach, as well as all past and future Rotary Scholars!
and behavioral excellence, leadership abilities,
and community involvement. Students across the
region submitted applications, but only twentyfour were chosen from these. Selected students are
required to attend every meeting (one Wednesday
each month) with only one excused absence allowed. At these meetings, each one with a theme
such as small business management or law enforcement, students are chauffeured around their
hometown of Paducah to learn about the opportunities that exist for them to become involved
in their community. Encouraging the best and the
brightest to remain in Paducah to better Kentucky
with their talents, while simultaneously providing
an opportunity for young people to branch out,
Youth L.E.A.D.’s first class was a giant success
that will be sure to continue in future years. The
Bell staff would like to congratulate all Tilghman
graduates!
The speech team competed in the Kentucky High School
Speech League tournament in Lexington, Kentucky on
March 23 and 24. Victoria Potter (11) earned the title of
State Champion in Impromptu Speaking, in addition to placing 11th in Original Oratory. Will Hancock (10) placed 5th
in Broadcasting. The team placed 12th out of 52 schools,
thanks to other high-scoring members of the team.
Chandler Emmons-Smith (12) placed 8th in Storytelling;
Elizabeth Behrens (10) placed 18th in Dramatic Interpretation. Other members who placed in the top three of their
preliminary rounds were Bishlam Pea (12), Alexis Ash (10),
Yasmine Martinez (10), and Erin Burba (9), placing first individually. Madison Whelan (12), Savanna Whelan (11),
Katie Paxton (11), Emily Page (12), Cason Walden (10),
Alex Goreing (10) all received second place rankings. Max
Curry (12), Jared Frazier (12), Sean Blakely (10), Cade Perfili (10), Eli Noneman (9), and Tristen Miller (9) all received
third place rankings.
Other speech members who qualified and attended the
state tournament were Lilly Burba (10), Lucas Reed (9),
Kimberly Mai (10), Jacob Holtgrewe (10), and Justin Hill
(12).
Congrats to the PTHS Speech Team and Tilghman’s very
own state champion!
S a nt o r u m
l e a v es ,
r a c e continue s
by Olivia Carner and Calicia Wilson
On April 10, the race for Republican candidacy lost
one of its head forerunners when Rick Santorum withdrew
from the race, clearing the way for former Massachusetts
Gov. Mitt Romney to claim the Republican nomination.
Now, only three remain in the race.
Romney seized the polls in Illinois with 46.7% of votes.
Santorum followed behind with 35%. Ron Paul and Newt
Gingrich pulled in last with 9.3% and 8%, respectively.
Santorum secured 49% of the votes in Louisiana. Romney managed a distant second with 26.7% of the votes.
Gingrich and Paul lagged behind with 15.9% and 6.1%,
respectively.
In the District of Columbia Republican Primary, Romney leaped ahead with 70.2% of the votes. Fellow candidates, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich, straggled behind
with 21% and 10.7%, respectively. In Maryland, Romney
also swept the polls with 49.2% of the votes. Santorum
followed behind at a distant second. Gingrich and Paul
received 10.9% and 9.5%, respectively. The Wisconsin
Primary proved to be another win for Romney as he seized
44.1%. Santorum received 36.9% of the votes. Paul and
Gingrich brought up the rear with 11.2% and 5.9%, respectively.
The Kentucky Primary is coming up on Tuesday, May
22nd. So, if you are registered to vote, be sure and do so!
T I L G H M A N
FEATURES
The Life of a Quilter T he E vils
by Mrs. Eugenia Anne Gershwin
The date is April 23rd, 2012. I, Eugenia Gershwin, have begun my trek to the one and only Quilt City, U.S.A. To all of you
that remain unaware of the underground quilting community, I am
referring to the small, western Kentucky town known to natives
as Paducah. My hometown is far away, far enough that my primary mode of transportation, an indestructible vehicle known as a
Buick, requires multiple pit stops at road stations and truck stops.
By the third day of my travels, I find myself longing to be free of
this wretched vehicle. After stopping so many times at sweet, little
country bed and breakfast’s, and eatin’ at fine dining establishments
such as Denny’s and Cracker Barrel, I find myself goin’ stir crazy.
What I wouldn’t give to be there already.
The day is warm and a gentle breeze blows, a lovely day to spend
on the Paducah harbor. As soon as I could, I would park myself on a
bench and watch the water flow by. I’d eat a delicious grilled cheese
sandwich on a superb sour dough loaf from my favorite bakery.
Maybe I’d even try some of that new fangled bubble tea that has all
my friends raving. And the quilts; I would find such beautiful new
techniques and patterns to use. I’d visit my favorite fabric shop and
marvel at the beautiful fabric art displayed at the museum. And I
just know that my quilt will win this year.
As I’m day dreaming, I glance down at my speedometer and
gasped with horror. While I had been off in my thoughts, I had
plum let my speed accelerate to five miles over the limit! I shook
my head, swinging my tight gray pincurls back and forth. Eugenia Anne, I scolded myself, what would your mother say, speedin’
down the interstate like some dad gum hoodlum?
I finally reach the Paducah exit. My heart starts a thumpin’ like
a teenager caught out after curfew. As I drive down the Paducah
roads, I start to hum a ditty. I couldn’t wait to see all my quilting
friends. There’s Edith, who always stitches the same sort of pattern:
a ginormous pink rose surrounded by small, budding white roses.
The way she sews her strips together reflects her personality, precise, unyielding, and utterly correct. No flaws to find in her quilts.
And, of course, Lula; she’s new to the quilting community, relatively speakin’, in that she had only been quilting for a decade. She is
the youngest of us girls, only 61. She resides in the ever-sunny state
of California, and all of her quilts were wild and colorful. The star
pattern’s her pattern of choice, and there isn’t a single one of her
quilts that doesn’t include a hot pink apple. She claims her apples
represent a new take on the story of Adam and Eve, one where Eve
isn’t condemned for eatin’ the apple, but praised for taking initiative
and creating her on destiny. Some sort of wacky new age mumbo
jumbo, if you ask me.
As for me, my quilts are simple. I prefer soothing colors, blues,
greens, and yellows. My quilts have no symbolic, secret meanings.
They just reflect how I was feelin’ when I started quiliting ‘em.
This year’s quilt is one of my favorite ones I have ever done. I had
stitched together bits of blue and navy to create a dark background.
Thrown in were small bits of a reflective silver material, so that
when the light catches ‘em, they look as if they are twinkling.
My cellular phone rings, and I fumble to push the talk button.
It’s Edith, hollerin’ into the phone as if she were usin’ string and tin
cans to talk to me. Some people just can’t keep up with the times.
We agree to meet at some Chinese place, called the Number One
Chinese Food Buffet. I don’t know what we were thinkin’; the old
pipes just can’t handle a whole lot of cat these days.
Anyway, we meet and greet and eat and swap stories about all the
different ailments we are sufferin’ from, and we decide to head on
down to the show. We all piled up into Edith’s Cadillac, Lula sniffin’ her nose and mutterin’ somethin’ about a carbon footprint.
Well, we were driving down the road, arguin’ over whether to
keep the windows rolled up or down (I didn’t want my coiffure to
get all mussed from the wind), when some hipster blows by us in
the opposite direction, laying on the horn. We all screech in fear,
and Edith swerves. Lula gives that son of a gun a hand gesture that
would have my mother rollin’ in her grave. It’s then that I saw the
one way sign. I started hollerin’ about us drivin’ the wrong direction down a one way street, and Lula started screechin’ about how
poorly this crazy town was laid out and why would anyone need a
one way street anyway?
There was no shoulder to pull over onto, (really, there aren’t any
road shoulders anywhere in this wacky state) so Edith just made
herself at home in someone’s driveway while we got a hold of our
selves. My heart was poundin’ and hurt somethin’ awful. We all
wheezed and hacked until we calmed down. After checking to make
sure no one was havin’ a heart attack, I started laughing. I laughed
and laughed and couldn’t stop. We had cheated death once again,
which is not a particularly easy task for gals getting’ on in their
age. We’d already had an adventure and we hadn’t even reached the
Quilt Show yet! I just chalk it up to bein’ a quilter; you never know
where life’ll take you.
Comic by Emily Page
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T H E
of
5
Quilt W eek
by Avery Harriman
For anyone who’s lived in Paducah for at least
a year, the signs that start popping up everywhere
reading, “Quilt City, USA” and, “Welcome, Quilters!” are enough to strike fear in your heart. The
warm weather rolling in (sometimes earlier than
others) and the pumping up of the giant white bubble downtown can only signify one thing. Not just
downtown, but the entire city of Paducah is going
to become clogged with thousands of people who
care way too much about spending hours cutting
up fabric into tiny pieces and more hours sewing
them back together.
People from all over flock to this humble corner
of the Ohio River Valley, simply to display their
stitching skills. They trek around downtown (so
much for brisk afternoon walks) in groups, pointing down various roads and trying to remember
which streets are one-way. After a day or two of
driving out of your way to avoid the bubble (not
to mention the stares), the natives are starting to
get restless. All we want is to stop by our favorite
restaurant, but it’s nearly impossible even to get a
“to go” order anymore. Maneuvering the streets is
nearly impossible, even several blocks away from
the quilters’ headquarters, and some of the tourist drivers don’t feel that the different lanes and
yielding rules apply to them, blowing or squeezing by so they can show off their master creation
(took six months in the making) to so many other
quiltophiles.
So while us year-rounders resort to boxed
lunches from the choir and staying off the streets
for a week, the variety of “fabric artists” – many
sporting shirts with mottos similar to “quilt or
die” – traipse around the riverfront, commenting
on the lovely murals while pushing past innocent
bystanders to be the first in line for food. At the
end of this extravagant festival, those quilters who
weren’t showered with fabulous prizes may leave
in tears. We have this consoling message for you:
We don’t hate you. We just dread the day when
you return.
Tales of the Insanely Weird:
May’s Maniacal Mishaps
by Zach Winfield
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to yet another installment of Tales of the Insanely Weird.
Last issue we talked about March and the multitude of holidays associated with it. I would talk
about April, but apparently the great weirdos of
the world decided April was some sort of sacred
month and left it alone. Thus, we shall look to the
bright, sunny future that is May.
And lo, what wonders I have found…
I thought March had a bunch of obscure holidays. May has one for every single day. Not just
that, but multiple holidays for each day. According
to holidayinsights.com, there’s a May Day, Loyalty Day, Mother Goose Day, Save the Rhino Day,
Baby Day, Brothers and Sisters Day, Lumpy Rug
Day, World Press Freedom Day, and even a Bird
Day…and we’re not even past May 4th yet!
Let’s start with International No Diet Day. The
day is intended as a celebration where people appreciate the bodies they have and reassess their
dietary goals. No, it’s not an excuse for fat people
to justify their rotund waistlines; the holiday was
created by Mary Evans Young in 1992 as a way to
reach out to people with anorexia, an illness she
suffered from. It is celebrated on May 6th.
There also exists a Clean Up Your Room Day.
As you can probably guess, the holiday exists as
an opportunity for kids and their parents to clean
up their rooms. Reportedly, while it is not an official holiday, there’s a great deal of parents who
would love for it to be so and an equal number of
children who would not. It is “celebrated” on May
14th.
And finally, we have Dance Like a Chicken
Day. The holiday’s sole purpose is to provide another opportunity for fans of the “Chicken Dance”
to strut their stuff. Whether or not those who
choose not to participate are called “chicken” is
unknown.
It should be noted that most of these holidays
are not officially sanctioned by Congress or any
major authority. However, the sheer number of
insane holidays which we have created-and are
apparently known-is astounding. Whoever heard
of holidays encouraging you to eat that extra Big
Mac, get off your lazy bum and tackle the landfill that is your room, or fold up your arms and
make clucking sounds to insanely upbeat, rhythmic music? It just goes to show there’s weird stuff
all around us.
Confessions of a Stereotypical Teenager
by Megan Cantwell and Avery Harriman
They’re constantly on their phones, couldn’t
possibly learn to drive in straight line, and always
talk back. For them, hard work is finding the remote for the TV in between the couch cushions.
They’re ungrateful, lazy, and noisy. Who are they,
you ask? They’re how the older generation views
us teens like you and me. These are the confessions of a Stereotypical Teenager…
Hey now, that first paragraph was completely
unfair, and also offensive. You want to talk about
US being rude? THAT was rude. We’re just… misunderstood. So, get off your high horse and think
about things from our point of view. We were
raised in the technology generation, so naturally,
it’s a part of our daily lives. And we’d be perfectly
happy to teach you, you know, if you stopped ranting about the evils of technology. It doesn’t tear
families apart; if anything, it encourages family
time… by means of texting and face time. You
were raised in the generation of eighties music and
hairstyles (*shudder*), and we don’t judge you for
it.
And so we move on to our driving abilities.
You adults always complain about our “weak”
driving skills. I would only like to point out that
we haven’t been driving that long, anyway. You
guys have been driving for at least 20 years; what’s
your excuse? I have been cut off by more angry
adults, crazy old ladies, and near-sighted old men
than I can count. Despite popular belief, we are not
out to kill or maim anyone, including ourselves. In
fact, we’re actually more cautious because we only
recently got our licenses. As for your complaints
about our speed, we really have nothing to say for
ourselves; we just have places to be.
Teenagers have smart mouths. Teenagers always talk back. Teenagers are rude to the older
generation. We hear that all the time, but it’s really not our fault; you should make it clearer when
you’re asking a rhetorical question. Then perhaps
we won’t answer with the first thing that comes to
our minds…which is usually not what you want
to hear. Adults also often yell at us for allegedly
rolling our eyes when they’re yelling at us for our
“various indiscretions.” Just because we’re afraid
to keep eye-contact doesn’t mean we don’t respect
you. I mean, if looks could kill…
Adults are so judgmental of teenagers these
days, but we wish you wouldn’t take one bad experience and label all of us as “degenerates.” You
were a teenager once, too. Give us a chance and
remember… you were the ones who raised us.
PAGE
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6
T I L G H M A N
B E L L
FEATURES
DoYOU keep tradition alive?
by The Tilghman Bell Staff
From the first day at school your freshman year, to being told there is a pool on the
third floor, to being trampled by a mob of hungry teenagers on their way to the cafeteria for chicken day, to the first time you experienced a sports team dominate… there
are few things comparable to the Tilghman experience. It’s true that Paducah Tilghman is “just a high school,” but there is something else about it as well—something
about being at Tilghman, going to Tilghman, that allows the Big Blue Spirit to get
inside you. It lights us up; it makes us not just “kids,” but “Tilghman kids.”
There are general things at Tilghman that everyone
has done at one time or another. If you haven’t done
these then pick up a few ideas to make your Tilghman
experience better.
Have you ever?...
_____ Received a candy gram?
_____ Eaten more than three cookies at lunch?
Now, read through the following lists, and give yourself one point for everything
that you have experienced here at Tilghman. Then rank yourself based on the points
you have scored! But remember: once you reach the end, whether your score is zero
or three hundred, everyone’s experience is unique and therefore special, which keeps
the Tilghman tradition alive. And the fact that it happened at Tilghman with Tilghman
students makes it even more special and tradition filled.
_____ Been called a twit? (or something worse)
_____ False started?
_____ Auditioned for prime Rib or Concordia?
_____ Worn the wrong uniform?
_____ Had art displayed at Etcetera?
_____ Had the crowd chant your name?
_____ Sang at a Christmas concert?
_____ Won a game by one point?
Going to Tilghman requires a certain amount spirit that
will deem you a worthy student. Check the following box-
_____ Been told “Drive, drive, drive”?
_____ Been taught the
meaning of ACE?
_____ Lost your
badge/planner?
_____ Had to run
stadiums?
_____ Crammed too
many people at a
lunch table?
Upholding the standards for academics
at Tilghman keeps the
tradition alive of higher
academics and recognition.
_____ Been sent to
the Dean’s office?
_____ Read The
Tilghman Bell in
RTI?
_____ Been first in
line on chicken day?
Have you ever?...
_____ Forgotten about a
test?
_____ Gotten your
phone taken away?
_____ Made the Honor
Roll?
_____
Knocked
something over in
the blue room or
cafeteria? (and then
been applauded)
_____ Been exempt from
finals?
_____ Gotten lunch
detention for being
The place where it all happens... Paducah Tilghman High School. late?
_____ Fallen asleep in
class?
____Evaded
sweep?
_____ Been invited to
Honors Night?
Photo by Michael Langston
_____ Passed an AP
Exam?
the
es if you have ever shown the spirit necessary to be a true
Tilghman student.
_____ Sang a song about Jane Eyre?
Have you ever?...
_____ Watched a movie in Mr. Nantz’s class?
_____ Made a shirt or a poster?
_____ Not passed the AP Chemistry Exam?
_____ Danced to “Tilghman Stuff”?
_____ Failed an Adkins test?
_____ “Painted up” for a game?
_____ Gone out to eat after a game?
At Tilghman there is a place for everyone to be
a part of the school. Whether it is from BABES to
NJROTC to Mock Trial, everyone should be involved.
_____ Cheered on a team at state?
Have you ever?...
_____ Broken the dress code for spirit purposes?
_____ Presented ROTC colors?
_____ Started your own cheer at a game?
_____ Traveled with PTHS out of state?
_____ Won a contest at a pep rally?
_____ Had your objections sustained?
_____ Dressed up for Mayfield week?
_____ Met David Baldacci?
_____ Gone to eat at El Porton during 6th Hour?
_____ Marched in a parade?
Physically committing yourself to Tilghman is a huge
part of representing our school. The time, dedication,
commitment, and physical work that sports require will
all give you points for the Tilghman experience.
_____ Eaten a Deweese dessert?
Have you ever?...
_____ Played in the drumline?
_____ Competed at state?
_____ Given blood at a PT blood drive?
_____ Been a tornado ticket winner?
_____ Slept on the floor of a bus?
_____ Been in the tunnels/roof?
_____ Gone an entire day without a badge?
_____ Learned something in RTI?
_____Taken a test with Uncle Pete?
_____ Learned a bit of German from Mrs. McManis?
“You little twit.” Check these if you have ever participated in the following.
Have you ever?...
_____ Sung in Carnegie Hall?
_____ Broken in Finals?
_____ Scored a taco?
_____ Made a candy Gram?
_____ Stayed on the last day of school for recycling?
_____ my total points
Scoring Guide:
If you scored...
0-20 points:
While you may not have a lot of that glorious “Tilghman Stuff” you have taken enough time to read this
quiz and take it... therefore, you are well on your way
to keeping the Tilghman spirit and tradition alive and
prosperous. To heighten your Tilghman experience look
at a few of the points on the list that you didn’t get and
use them as suggestions. Join more clubs, try something
you’ve never done before, and get some school spirit.
As this school year comes to a close think about how
you can contribute to not only your own high school
experience, but to keeping the Tilghman tradition alive.
21-40 points:
You are a great PT supporter! You try to come to most
of the games and are pretty involved in your school. And
although you may not bleed blue, you’re on your way.
Just sign yourself up for a few more clubs and get a little more involved. Make yourself a permanent resident
of the PT student section at games; use your voice and
your spirit fingers to cheer on all of the sports teams.
And make sure to work on your “Tilghman Stuff” dance
moves. Once you get that perfected you will find yourself amongst the finest of PTs students.
41-60 points:
You are the ultimate Paducah Tilghman student. You
have mastered the art of the spirit finger, learned how to
successfully yell at referees, and know every song in the
bands repertoire! You are super involved in your school.
You are a very well rounded person who participates in
an array of PT activities. You definitely will have a lifetime of wonderful Tilghman memories. Heck if we cut
you, you would probably bleed blue! Needless to say
you have had a great high school experience so far! Go
you!
T I L G H M A N
B E L L
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T H E
FEATURES
7
A reluctant adieu to a marvelous teacher
by Emilee Ayers and Calicia Wilson
This article is written expressly to show our gratitude and appreciation to a very special individual whom
we love and adore. She holds a very special place in our
memories, and we will dearly miss her after graduation.
She has journeyed with us from the depths of Dante’s
Inferno, down the Mississippi River, over the battlefields of Europe, out past the islands of New Orleans,
over the prairie, and to the east coast with Gatsby. As
usual, we cannot abandon the elusive, mysterious nature
of our articles and plan only to reveal the identity of this
person at the very end. However, we will give you clues
through our memories of years past. * Disclaimer – this
person is rarely mentioned in the Bell even though she
has sparked every story and corrected almost every flaw
(revovations).* * Disclaimer #2 – This article was published unbeknownst to this person**
The Song of Rowland: You’re sitting in class writing
a poetry response and look up to find a man with flowers at her desk. Do you question why? No… you simply
think, “Who wouldn’t want to give her flowers?”
The Myth of the gift: Upon answering a question she
excitedly exclaims, “You get the prize!” And with a clap
Dear Abby,
of her hands, she dives into her next literary adventure.
With pride in your eyes, you belatedly realize the prize
is just about as mythological as sophomore year’s summer assignment. Nevertheless, you find yourself laughing and smiling as if you really did receive a prize.
Hallway parties: Her room is notorious for hallway
distractions, whether it is a group of seniors (quite mistakenly) gloating and waving as they pass or a tall janitor
riding by on questionable machinery at a slow pace, you
will never forget her sarcastic responses. As she leans in
with a wink in her eye, she whispers “There’s a party out
there… and you guys are missing it!” Or upon hearing
a baby’s cry, she promptly comments “You know those
freshman are just getting smaller every year.”
Rainy days in Williamsburg: When it rains in Williamsburg – strange and wonderful memories occur. Secrets
are left untold about engagements, ghost tours are underway, and one will never really know for sure if Mr.
Darcy is amongst them.
A Pun on Class: The first type of class is in reference
to the wonderful two years of literature that we shared
with this amazing individual. Our eyes were all at once
Dear Reader, At some point everything comes to an end, and as we reach the end of April
and head into May for many of us, our time as a student at Paducah Tilghman
High School is doing just that. This has been the place we have spent the majority of our time the last four years, with the people we have grown up with
for most of our lives; yet we’re running from the school and town like it’s been
hit by the plague. Readers, it makes sense that we’re ready to move; in fact, it’s
good that we are but before we go, let’s remember to look back.
My last advice is through the drama, homework, and stress of high school, is
remember to enjoy it. Enjoy the Friday night football games, the random field
trips, the hopeful nights you spend waiting for a snow day, the lunch table conversations that seem irrelevant, the sports practices that make you feel like dying; everything that is high school, because once it’s gone, it can’t come back.
“As we go on we remember all the times we had together; and as our lives
change from whatever we will still be friends forever,” (From Vitamin C’s
song “Graduation.”)
Love always xoxo,
Remember the days
when...?
by Kaitlyn Curry
The repetitive quote continually rings in my ears. “Seniors, this is it.”
We can all agree that high school has flown by, and most of us don’t want
it to end, but before we let go of all the memories we have made, let’s look
back at our past.
Remember when getting a haircut meant shaping up your bowl cut?
You could literally place a bowl around your head and cut your own hair.
Remember when your outfit of choice was overalls? You were only two
quick snaps away from sing the bathroom. Remember when your responsibilities consisting of taking care of your Tamagotchi? It all seemed so easy
when feeding something consisted of pushing a button. Remember when
you loved tasting the new flavor of Lip Smackers lip balm? Yet, this was
always a disappointment to find out that buttered popcorn flavor did not, in
fact, taste anything like buttered popcorn. Remember when we all watched
Blue’s Clues on Nickelodeon? We depended on the clues Blue gave us to
solve what seemed like life’s most important mysteries. Remember when
Toy Story came to theaters? After seeing that movie, we all wanted to go
“To infinity, and beyond!”
Although we are about to part and go our separate ways, we will always
be connected through our past and the memories that come with it. Before
we walk across that stage in May, let’s reminiscence. Remember our childhood, and don’t cry because it’s over, but smile because it happened.
Make your vote count!
by Calicia Wilson and Olivia Carner
2012 marks a monumental election year. Individuals over the age of
eighteen will not only be able to vote in local and state-wide elections, but
they will also have the opportunity and responsibility to re-elect our 44th, or
elect the 45th President of the United States of America. Since many of you
will be turning eighteen in this monumental year, we wanted to make sure
you know the steps to take to register to vote and fulfill your civic duty.
Step 1: Find a friend. We (Calicia and Olivia) found our journey to the cold
and slightly frightening Court House much more enjoyable with a warm
and friendly companion. Be sure to know your social security number before you get there.
Step 2: Find a ride to the Court House located downtown at 301 S. Sixth
Street. Once you are inside take the steps on the left hand side down to the
basement and enter the first office on your left.
Step 3: Inform the clerk that you are there to register to vote. The clerk will
then double-check to make sure you are not already registered and then give
you a form.
Step 4: Wait for your confirmation notice to come in the mail. This notice
will inform you which location you need to go to on election day.
Step 5: Let your voice be heard! Vote in all elections so that you can make
a difference in your community and beyond.
opened to the potency of words. From the footsteps knitted by Charles Dickens, to the wit of Mark Twain, all
the way to everyone’s favorite quote, “My mother is a
fish,” famously coined in a William Faulkner novel, she
has taught us the true wisdom of words. This “mender
of soles” leads us to our second type of class. From head
to toe, perfectly trimmed, she always looks sharp. One
would never expect such clever and sarcastic remarks
from someone of such adorable demeanor. In fact, if you
don’t have the pleasure of knowing her, you might be
left quite befuddled by her casual wit!
A final thank you, before we turn our tassels and toss
our hats, to one of the most magical role models we’ve
encountered in our four years here at Paducah Tilghman.
After two years of vocabulary quizzes, there are still no
words to express our gratitude. We’ve not only gained a
love for literature but also a wonderful, sarcastic sense
of humor that will get us through all kinds of unusual
situations. “And there you have it!” Thank you, Mrs.
Hancock!
How to be a stupendous,
spectacular roommate
by Emilee Ayers and Calicia Wilson
While many of our articles this year have been
relevant to underclassmen—this article is not. To
finish off our Bell staff career, we are selfishly
writing an article for the class of 2012. (Disclaimer: However, if any of you youngsters stricken
with “senioritis” wish to dream about embarking
on the grand journey to the real world, than we
will graciously permit you to read our article, as
well.) The one thing that we feel Tilghman has in
no way prepared us for is—living with a complete
stranger in a 4x 4 room (smaller than Harry Potter’s cupboard) for 4 WHOLE YEARS. Although
we are quite sure that nothing can prepare you for
such a strenuous inconvenience, we would like
to provide you with a few ideas on how to be a
wonderful roommate.
1. Be sure and make a good first impression when
meeting your roomie. There is no better way to
do so than shouting… “Hey, roomie!” bear hug,
winky face (in no particular order). Be creative!
2. With move-in boxes and bags in both hands,
proceed to maneuver your entire home into
your itty bitty 4x 4 room. Then for the grand
finale—the sewing machine! Proceed to inform
your roommate and his/her parents that you will
be making all of their clothes for the next four
years… and the rest of their lives…
3. In order to keep up this wonderful first impression, make sure you practice amazing talents
like meowing in quick succession at unusual and
mysterious hours of the night. Briefly explain that
amazing talents such as meowing must be practiced in order to be maintained.
4. Storking your roomie is perfectly called for
in all places and on all occasions. Finals, library,
dorm trick-or-treating… etc. (See storking article
in August edition for clarification on technique).
5. There is only one appropriate level for music
volume—and that is loud and bumping. Nothing
can strengthen the bond of friendship like busted
ear drums and failing grades. Hey, you will two
more things in common!
6. Teach them how to drive. We know you have
already passed the cumbersome and dreaded
driver’s test, but there is a chance you will have
a roommate hailing from a different state. Show
them how to drive Kentucky style. (See October
edition on how to pass your driver’s exam).
7. Administer routine haircuts for both yourself
and your roommate. The best time is after your
roomie has crashed, and you are finished with
your nightly “meows.” If you forget to cut your
own—it is fine… don’t hyperventilate… just cut
a little extra off your roomie’s.
8. Invite yourself to all of your roommate’s family dinners. Such frightening events should be endured together. Be sure and initiate weight checks
and break a few family traditions. (See December
issue on how to keep friends this Christmas).
What kind of lifestyle do YOU want?
by Ngodoo Itiavkase and Alicia Humphrey
In their search for an occupation, most peoples’ ultimate goal is to do something they like
and make a lot of money doing it. Everyone has a
niche, a place in life where you fit in—but some
people need more help finding that special place.
Whether you are laid-back, studious, outgoing,
adventurous, or simply dedicated to your tasks,
there is something out there for you. This article is
here to help you explore the various occupations
to match your individual lifestyle!
If you prefer peace and quiet to socializing
with other people, you are introverted, thoughtful, shy…and probably just a generally boring
person. There are two jobs that come to mind
that fit your personality perfectly: a professional
fisherman and an accountant. NO exciting person
would love to sit on a boat in the middle of the
lake and wait for a fish, and only someone who
loves math would love to sit at a desk all day and
count…just count.
For those who like a good adventure, to go out
on a limb, and are just plain crazy, a racecar driver
or an entrepreneur would be right up your dark
and dangerous alley. You need some guts to enter
these occupations, because without them, it would
be almost impossible to stack up the cash. Business people must make make-or-break decisions
every day, with tons of money on the line every
second. And if jumping out of planes, wrestling
alligators, and/or climbing crumbling mountains
are not enough for you, staring danger in the face
as a high-speed racer may be an enticing option
for you.
Straight-A students, class tutors, and overachievers/brownnosers have many jobs to choose
from as well. It takes a pretty bulbous brain to
decipher the letters replacing numbers that engineers use every day, and with quick thoughts
and witty lines, lawyers must also be pretty smart
cookies if they ever hope to live up to Law and
Order’s standards.
The unpredictable type, the ones that play their
music too loud, the stubborn ones—this one’s for
you. You can put a rock star on your list! Outgoing
and outspoken, it would be easy for you to rock
out to your own tune—dual personality, insane
apparel, and endless trail of paparazzi included.
Some people, no matter what happens or what
they are told to do, stick to their job with die-hard
perseverance. To wake up at 6 in the morning to
run until your body aches or to walk in the middle
of a gun fight to get someone to safety takes a lot
of determination. That’s why athletes and policemen fit perfectly under this category. No one
who can’t take the heat can survive these professions!
No matter what is it you can do or where your
personality leads you, there IS something out
there for you to hold on to and run with. If you
follow your dreams and stay true to your personality, everything else will fall into line!
PAGE
T H E
8
T I L G H M A N
B E L L
PROM
Yo u r g u i d e t o P r o m 2 0 1 2
The countdown to Prom has begun. With the many details that need attending to, we are here to help make your evening as stress free and
as special as possible. From dinner to pictures, here are our suggestions!
To add some fun, as well as sharing our
favorite prom photo spots, we have come up
with a photography scavenger hunt! Here’s
how it works: look at our pictures, follow
our hints; if you and your date can solve the
puzzle and take a picture in all five of our favorite locations you have the chance of being
featured in The Tilghman Bell! To be considered, the photo must be taken on prom night,
in prom attire, and turned into The Tilghman
Bell staff by May 15th. Happy searching and
good luck!
2. This beautiful building is one of
Paducah’s famous historical sites and
now serves as, not just a lovely backdrop, but also a rest area for travelers.
4. Throughout the summer bands are featured here on weekend
nights.
5. Located below several downtown condos
near Whaler’s Catch,
this location is somewhat easy to overlook,
but sometimes the prettiest things are hidden.
Pictures taken by
Kaitlyn Curry, Olivia
Carner, Emily Page,
and James Harben
1. Near the mall area, this park has no playground equipment but is the perfect spot for
a photo.
Articles written by
Kaitlyn Curry and
Chandler Smith
3. Often the perfect spot for a picnic or a
game of Frisbee, this location also has
beautiful flowers and fountains that will accent your photos.
Restaurants
1. Max’s Brick Oven112 Market House Square
Paducah, KY 42001
270.575.3473
Known as one of Paducah’s finest local restaurants, Max’s provides a cozy, romantic atmosphere for your pre-prom dinner, either inside or on the patio. They specialize in brick oven thin crust
specialty pizzas, but also feature pasta, meats-including seafoodand sandwiches. The price ranges from $12-$30 (per individual).
It opens at 5 P.M. on Saturdays.
2. J.P.’s Bar and Grill119 Market House Square
Paducah, KY 42001
270.442.2041
What better way to begin Prom night than with a little live music? J.P.’s Bar and Grill features both indoor and outdoor seating,
along with live music in a romantic setting. They serve a variety
of meats, including seafood, with specialty sandwiches and burgers. J.P.’s Bar and Grill opens at 4 P.M. on Saturdays, with prices
ranging from $10-$20 per individual.
3. Olive Garden5150 Hinkleville Rd
Paducah, KY 42001
270.442.4190
If you are looking for a more casual and laid back atmosphere, Olive Garden is the perfect spot. Entrees range from $10 to $25 per
individual, featuring classic Italian food. They open at 11 A.M.
on Saturdays.
4. Jasmine Thai and Sushi
451 Jordan Drive, Suite K
Paducah, KY 42001
270.442.0000
Jasmine’s menu overflows with Asian dishes, including sushi rolls
and Thai dinners, ranging from $12 to $25 per person. Jasmine’s
has an upscale, modern environment with a hint of Asian décor.
They open at 11 A.M. on Saturdays.
No matter what restaurant you choose, be sure to make reservations early! If you prefer not going out, gather friends for a dinner
at someone’s house. This option offers both no wait and cheaper
prices!
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Icelandic band bursts into
popularity with “Little Talks”
by Mackenzie Bruce
“I don’t like walking around this old and empty house/ So hold my hand; I’ll walk with you
my dear….” So begins
“Little Talks,” one of
Icelandic band’s, Of
Monster’s and Men,
most popular songs.
Bursting into popularity after winning a local battle of the band,
Musiktilraunir,
the
indie/folk group has
since released their
debut album, My Head
is an Animal, in 2011
in their home country,
and again for the U.S.
this year.
Listening to this
chill band is perfect
for falling asleep. For
fans of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
and Mumford & Sons, the folky band definitely
won’t disappoint. Ranging from soft and quiet to
rambunctious and hearty choruses of “HEY!,”
My Head is an Animal is one of my current favorite albums. Full of a wide variety of instruments
and full voices, simply listening to the group or
watching a video of them playing “Little Talks”
will show just how they put all of their passion
into their music and lyrics. Words like, “The
waves that hit his face,
marked the past/ And the
farrows on his skin, oh
how time goes fast/ And
we are far from home, but
we’re so happy/ Far from
home, all alone but we’re
so happy,” from “From
Finner,” combined with
a growing sound simply
brings the listener to far
away Icelandic places.
Just with this first album, this band has gathered many a fan, as well
as sold out many of their
concerts on their current
world tour. Each song on the album fits perfectly
with the next and is even fun to sing along with
their boy-girl duets and rousing choruses. I highly recommend this album. “Can you chase this
fire away/ In the fall we sleep all day/ Where we
are.”
Photo provided by sweetslyrics.com.
The Big Easy
T I L G H M A N
B E L L
PAGE
T H E
9
Look A Like
Bell Staff
Teacher Impersonations
Mr. Ross
Calicia Wilson (12)
Mrs. Wynne
Madison Whelan (12)
Mr. DeWeese
Weston Loyd (12)
Mrs. Adkins
Olivia Carner (12)
Mrs. Rasche
Chandler Smith (12)
Mr. Morgan
Alex Boyd (11)
The streets were filled with people - people of all color, background, and income. Most were
strangers, touring the vibrant and historical French Quarter for the first time. The narrow, cobbled
streets were teeming with life. The whole city vibrated to the pulse of rhythm and jazz. This was
New Orleans. Recently, members of the choir and orchestra traveled with Mr. DeWeese and Mr.
Davis to the bustling city known as the Big Easy. I am thrilled to say that I was one of the fifty or so
students who accompanied them on this spectacular trip.
We departed the school at 5 in the morning on April 19th. Following a 10 hour bus ride, we arrived at our hotel in Kenner, Louisiana, for a fun-filled night. After the group was divided into a more
manageable size, we were led through the narrow streets of the French Quarter by a tour guide. The
French Quarter had been settled by French and Spanish Creoles, building colorful multi-story homes
with balconies, verandas, and massive floor to ceiling windows for ventilation. We explored famous
locations such as Pirates Alley and the St. Louis Cathedral before heading to the Cajun restaurant for
dinner and dancing. Oh, the food! By the time we left Sunday, we had to be rolled out of the city!
Every meal included seafood of all variety, gumbo, jambalaya, and the most delicious desserts.
The next day, the choir sang at the beautiful Loyola University, featuring a clinic with the prestigious Dr. Meg Fraser. We then brunched at the famous Court of Two Sisters restaurant, stuffing
ourselves at the buffet with delicious food. I, along with a handful of other brave students, even tried
the turtle soup. We then traveled around the city on the bus, visiting the parks and cemeteries, where
the inhabitants are buried above the ground. We also saw the parts of the city that were devastated
by hurricane Katrina. After having a bit of free time to shop and explore, we ate at Bubba Gump’s
and then went on a ghost tour of the French Quarter. We finished the night with a coffee and beignets
from the renowned Café Du Monde.
We toured the swamps of Southern Louisiana in the rain and wind the next day. We were all quite
drenched! No trip to the bayou is complete without an alligator sighting. Despite the rain, we were
able to see two alligators, swimming along the edge of the swamp. Our guide even threw marshmallows of the boat to them! After a lunch featuring crawfish et touffe and cake, we visited the historical Oak Alley plantation, learning all about life on the plantation and in southern Louisiana. That
evening, we dined on the Natchez steamboat, on a cruise down the Mississippi River. It was cold and
windy, but the sight of the New Orleans sky line all lit up against the black sky, reflected on the river
was a sight worth seeing!
The next day was our last. We said goodbye to our hotel and to the French Quarter, stopping to
sing at the Grace Methodist Church on Canal Street. We sang for their service, which featured lots
of music with a live band. We then changed and started the long trek back to Paducah, arriving well
after one in the morning.
Despite how short the trip was, I felt like it was full of sights and music. We really experienced a
taste of New Orleans life, basking in the sights, sounds, and people of the Big Easy.
Slapstick returns with the Stooges
by Michael Langston
Imagine three
clueless
adults
walking
down
the street arguing
amongst
themselves as they go.
Then out of nowhere they begin
slapping each other, poking one another in the eyes,
and tripping and
slipping like they
were something
out of a cartoon.
Chances are you’re watching Larry, Moe, and
Curly, better known as the Three Stooges.
Once again, the Stooges have returned, bringing their iconic style of slapstick comedy with
them. This time, however, the trio has showed
up on the big screen. In this fast-paced comedy,
the stooges, Larry, Moe, and Curly, who were
dropped off as babies at a Sisters of Mercy orphanage, need to raise $830,000 in only 30 days
in order to save the convent from closing and
stop the children from being sent off to foster
homes. To top off their dilemma, the boys have
no practical skills, get involved in a murder plot,
and even the high-strung reality TV world of
“Jersey Shore.”
Although the storyline isn’t the most original
or best thought out, the actors do a wonderful job
recreating the original Three Stooges slapstick
routines. The also capture the original character’s
mannerisms masterfully, from Curly’s sound effects to Moe’s style of leadership.
This movie really is intended to be a long
line of gags and jokes and just keeps the laughs
flowing. If you just need to let it all out and have
a good laugh, The Three Stooges is definitely a
must see movie.
Photo provided by justflick.com.
photos by The Bell Staff
by Madison Whelan
PAGE
10
Girls’
T H E
T I L G H M A N
B E L L
Sports
track sprints
closer to the end
New young team holds
ground
by Ngodoo Itiavkase
For the past month, the Paducah Tilghman girls’ track team
has been sizing up their competition. Their progress, from a
team with little experience, to a
team ready to go to the Regional
tournament, has blossomed. The
girls came out with a win at Hopkinsville, beating their number
one competition by 70 points,
taking home multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals to their
collection.
Aleja Grant, a star runner on
the team, has finished all her races in first place, along with their
relay team finishing in a time
good enough for qualification,
and Alexis Smith won awards
in the open 200 and open 100.
Destiny Skinner, a beginner in
jumping, won awards in triple
and high jump, and Meko Buchanon and other throwers bring
in points for the team with discus
and shotput.
There is not much competition left for the girls as Regionals come up, and with the Invitational right around the corner on
April 28, our girls team has more
than enough time to train as hard
as they can to continue a Tilghman tradition of success!
Tennis team remains
undefeated
by Michael Langston
by Alex Boyd
Paducah Tennis Team still has an undefeated record in regular season matches as they begin the trek to Regional’s. The boys brought
home the first place title at the Murfreesboro tournament during spring
break, with the girls bringing home the second place trophy. As they
begin the trek toward Regional’s, the teams have been beginning to
split into a varsity and junior varsity practice.
Junior Zach Morris said, “This year we as the team, have a unique
bonding, which holds us together through anything. We have faced
many tough opponents, yet remain undefeated in the regular season. I
can’t wait to see us tear it up in the Regional Tournament.”
The team has matches in the Derby Day Doubles Tournament in
Lexington and also St. Mary. We at The Bell would like to wish the
team good luck for the rest of the season.
Baseball Team picks up
batting average
by Alex Boyd
PTHS baseball is picking up the
pace with a few key wins against
Crittenden and Fulton counties.
The team has been picking up the
batting average from .194 to .259
which makes a huge difference.
So far they have had four games
which the team had zero errors
and many with very few.
Middle infielder Miles Butler said “We started off with a lot
of young talent. We have faced
many tough teams, and have had
a few unlucky plays and gotten
into a few unlucky situations. I
hope the team is progressing in
hitting, getting better runs, and
swing more confidently at the
close of the season.”
The boys have their senior night game on May 1st vs.
Reidland. We at The Bell would
like to wish the team luck as they
head to Regionals.
photo by Michael Langston
During Spring Break, the Lady Tornado Softball team went to Miramer Beach,
Florida for the Florida Softball Beach Bash tournament. The team had a great time and
left the tournament with 3 wins and only 2 losses. They won against Madison Southern
High School with a score of 6-3, against Corbin High School 8-0, and against Campbellsville High School 12-2. With only two close losses to Metcalfe High School and
Trinity High School, the team is ecstatic. “I’m really proud of our work this weekend;
we all played really well and we all hit the ball. I think the rest of our season will be
even better,” Karlee Humphrey commented.
The team has a lot of young players, but this doesn’t hinder the team. Lyndsey Kendall commented, “We’re all really starting to click and we’re getting on a good roll.”
Now, also working with a new coach, Christopher Johnson, the softball team is rolling
very well. The team’s first game with this change in leadership was a smashing success when they won against Mayfield 13-2. The softball team continued to hold their
ground against Hickman losing by only one run.
Boys track looks for competition
by James Harben
Although the Tilghman Boys’ track team
is already half way through their season
and has only competed in a handful of
meets, they have showed domination all
over the Region. After placing first at the
Hopkinsville Invitational, the team feels
more confident about placing in the top
overall at State.
Coach Wyatt, pleased with the team’s
progression throughout the season so far
had this to say to The Bell, “We may dominate the Region but the real competition
is in Louisville and Lexington. We need
a tough meet that will show us where we
really stand in State.” Wyatt hopes to see
some real competition at the WKU meet
on May 5th where there is sure to be some
competitive teams to give Tilghman a
challenge. Before that meet though Tilghman has defend their own turf at their Invitational meet on the 28th.
“We just got to have the heart more
than the other schools,” said Bishlam Pea
(12). “I bet it’s going to come down to
the 4 x 400 relay race.” The boys know
they have to get ready for the real competition at state. Javarious Hodge had
this to say, “We always dominate in the
region, always have and always will. The
real competitive schools are in the big cities like Louisville Central and Lexington
County.”
The Bell would like to wish the team
good luck at Regional’s and State.
Two seniors sign for college sports
Patriots add senior Alek Rowton to tennis and soccer roster
by Alex Boyd and Susannah Wilson
Jones joins St. Catherine soccer and tennis teams
by Brock Sigler
Paducah Tilghman
Paducah Tilghman sesenior Alek Rowton
nior Erin Jones signed
signed with St. Cathaher letter of commitrine College of intent to
ment to play both socplay soccer and tennis
cer and tennis at St.
for the Patriots on April
Catharine College. On
9, 2012. St. Catharine is
April 9th the signing
a small Roman Cathoceremony took place in
lic liberal arts college
the gym lobby as famlocated in Springfield,
ily, friends, teammates
Kentucky. The tenand coaches gathered.
nis team is led by Jim
Jones signed to play
Coomer a former womboth soccer and tennis
en’s assistant coach at
at St. Catharine ColBellarmine University.
lege.
The soccer team is led
Erin played soccer
by head coach Tim
and lettered all four
Wolz with the help
years at Tilghman. She
of his assistant coach
led the team in assists
Boyzz Khumalo.
photos by James Harben
during
her senior year
Alek’s older brother Ethan Rowton currently plays on St. Catharine’s tennis team
under
Coach
Vaden
Fenton.
Her
new
coach
at
St.
Catharine
will
be
Coach Paul Patwhich was one of the main reasons Alek chose St. Catharine. Alek plans to follow
ton.
The
coach
had
this
to
say
about
signing
Erin,
“I
am
very
excited
to be signing
in his brother’s footsteps saying, St. Catharine is a super fabulous college and I cant
Erin;
she
is
a
strong
player
with
size,
skill
and
speed.”
This
will
be
Coach
Pattons
wait to spend time and play on the same team again with the best brother anyone
second
year
as
solely
Women’s
Head
Coach
and
sixth
season
overall
at
St.
Cathcould ask for!”
erine.
Alek is currently number one on Tilghman’s varsity tennis team and has been a
Erin will also be playing tennis at St. Catharine. She is currently playing for
member of the varsity team since he was in the sixth grade. Even with tennis Alek the
Tilghman
tennis team this year under Coach Jeff Leeper. In the fall Jones will be
took up on playing soccer on the varsity team his senior year. Alek’s hard work and
coached
by
Jim
Coomer. Coomer is both the men and womens coach and will start
passion for the sports will allow him to play on the next level in college tennis and
his
first
year
at
St.
Catherine this fall. He previously coached at Bellarmine Universoccer.
sity.