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Fifth edition of the print version of Edge
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Preventing procrastination
Fashionably...early?
Just ask us
A quick reminder
To keep from schedule chaos in July, counselors will meet next week with students to choose classes for the next school year.
Assemblies started last week with the current eighth graders and freshmen. Sophomores
and juniors will be gathering on Feb. 4 to discuss their classes, four-year plans and career clusters. Completed course requests should be turned in by mid February.
Whether you plan to graduate distinguished with all AP courses or focusing on career readiness, make sure to check out the story, “Alternate Paths” on page 5 about students who didn’t take the “usual” path to graduation.
Prom is scheduled for April 16 this year. With a little over two months to go before the big day, let the frenzied asking, dress searching and plan making begin!
Prom will, once again, be held at Texarkana Country Club. Tickets and t-shirts will be on sale in early March.
For a little more information on Prom and its early arrival, see “Pretty in Pink” on page 4.
edgepleasant grove high school5406 mcknight road | texarkana, tx | 75503vol. 26 #5 | february 2, 2011 www.pgedgeonline.comcheck us out online>>
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White washing a classicIn three weeks, junior AP English students will begin reading a clas-sic novel. Their teachers will distribute the books and make reading assignments, and even though those assignments will be iden-tical, 12 percent of those students are sure to view the book a little differently.
In fact, that 12 percent of juniors will have a completely different reading experience then the other 88 percent.
“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, has been acclaimed by crit-ics as an American masterpiece. It’s also been the subject of controversy and censor-ship because one of the main characters in the book, a run away slave named Jim, is referred to with a racial slur over 200 times.
For this reason, one of the many publish-ers of the book, NewSouth Books, will be publishing a new version that completely re-moves the racial slur and replaces it with the word “slave.”
“Huck Finn is just a story. It has histori-cal references to reveal things about the U.S. society at the time,” said Spanish teacher Marion Houff, who is black. “[That word] has been in the book since day one, and now that some people dislike it, our society is en-couraging the publishers to remove the word and change a book of great value.”
Despite the controversy, Pleasant Grove’s English department doesn’t plan on switch-ing to the revised book any time soon. Eng-lish teachers Jodee Lundy Lott and Sharon Womack think that the book is a masterpiece and shouldn’t be changed.
“I think our society is becoming way too politically correct.” Womack said. “We’re al-ways trying to make something more or less then it really is.”
The racial slur wasn’t a derogatory word when the book was written, but many Afri-can Americans are offended by the excessive use of it throughout the book. This issue has been the source of controversy since the book was published in 1885 and the reason for the book being listed as one of the top five books challenged or banned during the
1990s.Womack
said that revising the book will give readers a false impression of the era. She teaches the book as a reflection of the time period to show how harsh things were then.
“After reading the book, people real-ize that Huck and Jim were best friends,” Womack said. “Huck would risk his life for Jim at all costs, and he didn’t mean anything bad by calling him [by the racial slur.]”
The book continues to be a source of con-troversy even after the revision. Students, both black and white, are split in their opin-ion about the revised version.
Senior Breia Dixon read “Huck Finn” last year and after scanning the first page she au-tomatically knew she was going to hate the book.
In fact, Breia hated it so much that she re-fused to read it.
She told Lundy that she would read the book in class, but she wasn’t going to read it for homework. Even if she failed the quizzes. Even if she failed the test. She wasn’t going to read a book with that racial slur on every page.
“After getting mad every time I tried to read, I told Mrs. Lundy that I wasn’t going to do it,” Dixon said. “No matter what grade I got.”
And that is one of the issues for students reading the book here. Sitting in a sea of white and reading a racial slur on every page instantly makes the minority feel even more segregated.
“With only two of us in the class, I felt even more uncomfortable,” Dixon said.
However, sophomore LaDarius Reed feels like removing the word would change the story too much.
“I don’t think they should take it out. I’m half white and half black, so I don’t get emotional about the issue,” LaDarius said. “I can un-derstand why people feel offended these days
when t h e y ’ r e called [that], but they have to understand that it wasn’t like that when the book was written.”
Houff agrees, stating that the revision of the book is an utterly ridiculous idea.
“We see racism in the story where racism isn’t supposed to be,” Houff said. “Who is to change the author’s words just because it of-fends one certain group of people? If no one wants students to read “Huck Finn” then teachers should take it off the reading list, not encourage publishers to revise it.”
Everyone from critics to English teachers have debated the revision. Most teachers, including Lundy, have come to the conclu-sion that revising “Huck Finn” is like trying to revise history.
“In that time, it was just how the people talked to and treated each other.” Lundy said. “It wasn’t a mean word back then and it’s truly not meant to be offensive to people when they read it. It is what it is.”
The word “injun,” referring to Indians, will also be removed. It appears 12 times in the novel and will be replaced with “Native American.”
This new version of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is set to be published in February. The original version will still be available.
The issue has come to a compromise be-cause there will be the option of reading it with or without the racial slurs.
“I’m glad they’re publishing a new ver-sion so people can choose which one to read based on how they feel about the issue.” Dix-on said. “They should have done this a long time ago—but at least they’re doing it now.”
kenziefloyd >> reporter
Teachers, students react to “Huck Finn” revision
Editor’s note: The picture used in this story is staged. It in no way functions as a message pointing at the school, district or its students.
Under the Weather?We hope you enjoyed those snow
days and we really hope you enjoy making them up, too. It was bound to happen sooner or later: make-up days. They are officially set for President’s Day, Feb. 21, and Good Friday, April 22. This time, it’s okay to use “cell phone” and “drive” in the same sentence.
Student Council’s cell phone drive continues until Feb. 11. So far, they have collected over 150 phones.
Don’t miss the opportunity to get rid of the old cell phones lay-ing around the house—donate them instead. Especially since STUCO is offering the grade with the most cell phone donations ice cream at lunch. And who wants to miss the opportu-nity for free ice cream?
Will Prom’s early date affect your plans?
If I make the pom squad team at University of Arkansas, there is a mandatory practice and uni-form fitting on the weekend of prom to get ready for the spring Red and White football game.
OAP Region is the same week-end as Prom, but we’ll be back in time. I’ll just be a little tired.
- rachelbreitfeller, 12
- jarrodmeyers, 11
“
“44% of students said no
56% of students said yes
- birdphoto
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events, activities, and news briefly
compiled by Kaitlin Schmidt, Sarah Smith, Sarah Wilson, Marissa Strebeck, Kenzie Floyd and Hayley Allen
First Hawkbaseball gameGrab your blankets and jackets and bundle up for the season opener. The game starts at 4:30 p.m. at Hawk Field.
FolliesGet your glee on! Show off your hidden talents at this year’s Follies benefiting Prom and Curtain Call Productions. 7 p.m. in the PAC.
Sadie Hawkins DanceThe traditional dance where the girls ask the guys starts at 8 p.m. in the cafeteria and is sponsored by the Showstoppers.
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Spring break beginsGet your SPF 15 and a snow cone. It’s a week preview of sweet summer time.
Make up dayIt should’ve been an extra day to our weekend. Instead, set your alarm and go to bed early. We have school thanks to Mother Nature.
10% off deep pore cleansing facial
pagetwo
1Writing TAKS testIt’s that time of the year again. Sharpen your pencils and grab a bottle of water. Seniors, hit snooze. You just have to check in.
You heard it here first.The 2010 yearbook and newspaper were named Crown Finalists by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (an organization that recognizes the top yearbooks and newspapers all over the country.) Student journalists will travel to New York City over spring break in March to attend the convention and receive their awards.
January student of the month:junior Megan Hammett
gimmefive
www.twincitytitle.com
Making a statementDebate team sets the bar high for state
Sadie Hawkins. It’s the only time when you don’t have to get
mad (or creeped out) when someone purposely wears the same shirt as you. Girls, you have the choice to ask the guy of your dreams, whether it’s the bulky football player or the nerd who tutors you in Algebra. Either way, you have an excuse to get married and buy a cute stuffed animal.
First, you have to ask the guy. You can do something cheesy like throwing rocks at his window so he will read the sign you are
holding, or you can just straight up ask him. Make sure to get your guy his “manly”
stuffed animal (which is not a pink rabbit or a sparkly unicorn--a wolf or a lion is the safest thing) and your matching T-shirts (which shouldn’t be Justin Bieber T-shirts) and make reservations for dinner and plans for after the dance.
The dance (on Feb. 12) starts at 8 p.m. but they won’t let you in after 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 for singles and $15 per couple. Don’t forget to bring some extra cash for pictures.
Sadie Hawkins Dance (no khaki pants required)
Girls take on the pres-sure of finding a date, paying
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Role Model Monday (2/7)Dress up as your favorite teacher.Teacher Tuesday (2/8)Dress up as your coolest teacher.Western Wednesday (2/9)Rope up your cowboy
boots and paisley print button-up shirts.Color Me Thursday (2/10)Dress in your grade’s assigned color.Fist Pump Friday (2/11)Dress like a person from “Jersey Shore.”
For the second year, Sadie isn’t just a weekend event, but it takes up the whole week with themed dress up days.
Competing for another shot at state, the debate team will be rolling off to Mt. Vernon for district on Feb. 3.
“We have three veteran teams competing at district this year,” debate coach Jon Tomberlain said. “I hope to take two teams to state as we have for the past four years.”
If you’ve been in the art room lately, you’ve probably noticed many students scurrying around and trying to put some finishing touches on their work for VASE. Visual Arts Scholastic Event is an art competition for high school art students. PG will host the upcoming regional competition on Feb. 26. Students who advance to the state level competition will go to Houston in April.
In last year’s competition, PG students came out on top with more Gold Seals-- the top award-- than any other school in Texas.
“We have a lot of strong work this year and are expecting good results again.” Art teacher Nina Cork said. “I’m really proud of the students. I want VASE to be a great experience for them.”Discussing her art, teacher Nicole Brisco and
senior Elizabeth McDowell work to make every-thing perfect. - youngphoto
Gold Seal anyone?Art students prepare for upcoming competition
A little birdie told me
pagethree
Why haven’t you started tweeting yet?
Latest craze among teens, celebrities fails to hit PG
Just ask us My parents won’t let me have a Twitter. If I could use social networking though, I would probably get a Facebook instead of a Twitter account.”
- brendaawuah, 9
“- michellesmith, 12“I’m not sure how to start
a Twitter. I’m not even sure what it is. Having a Facebook is good enough for me.”
Fulfill your Legacy today!Legacy at Pleasant Grove
Apartments
Call us or stop by and we’ll take you for a tour of our apartment community
TraditionsBridal and Formal
Come by and check out our selection of long and short dresses
for homecoming.
4038 Summerhill Square Texarkana, TX 75503
903-793-1570903-793-4930 fax
Senior Kaitlin Schmidt pulls out her iPhone as she reluctantly changes into her gym clothes for P.E. She does her normal routine of checking her Twitter, Face-book, and e-mail for something new. As she pulls up her e-mail, she sees she has a new message from Twit-ter. The subject line read “Direct Message from Tyler Hilton.”
Kaitlin hurriedly switched to the Twitter app on her phone. The night before, she had spammed the semi-famous singer’s Twitter and Facebook to get him to play a show at Pleasant Grove in between stops on his tour. Now, because of her hard work and obsessive tweeting, Kaitlin was staring at a message from the ‘One Tree Hill’ star that read “Let me see what I can do. E-mail me the name of your school. :)”
“Even though Tyler didn’t come, it was still fun to interact with him, and with Twitter it just made it so much easier because, without sounding stalkerish, I al-ways knew what he was up to,” Kaitlin said. “I could always come up with a quirky little saying telling him that he should be in Texarkana instead of doing what-ever he was doing.”
With Twitter emerging as one of the newest social media giants, millions of people around the world have started “tweeting.” Twitter asks the simple question, “What are you doing?” and allows users to respond in 140 characters or less. Users can “follow” their friends, celebrities and even their favorite stores and restaurants to see what they’re all doing.
“Trending topics” on the sidebar of the Twitter home page show the most talked about topics. And responding to a tweet is as simple as adding an “@” symbol to a username.
With its growing popularity, it’s a wonder more of Texarkana hasn’t started “tweeting.”
“I’m not entirely sure what Twitter is, but it seems stupid,” senior Claire Ashby said. “It’s like Facebook but with just status updates. I barely use my Facebook, so why should I get a Twitter?”
But Twitter isn’t just for the average bored teen to share every move with the rest of cyberspace. Celebri-ties and big businesses alike have started using Twitter to keep in touch with fans and customers and notify them of news. Some restaurants, such as KFC, have taken advantage of this new step in social media by challenging “followers” to tweet a reason they should win a $20,000 scholarship (in 140 characters or less of course.)
“Twitter isn’t a big deal at our school or even in Tex-arkana,” Kaitlin said. “By using Twitter, I could keep the Tyler Hilton operation on the down low and keep it away from other schools.”
Senior Mitza Zapata is among the few students at Pleasant Grove who use the site.
“I like being one of the few who use Twitter in town and I love talking to my favorite bands on there,” Mitza said. “I like using Twitter because I can update a lot more on there. If I updated my Facebook as much as I do my Twitter, I’d have been blocked from Facebook already.”
sarahsmith >> managing editor
1. Set up a Twitter account.Go to Twitter.com and click the big yellow “Sign Up” button. Provide a couple of personal details, create an original username, and you’re ready to tweet.
2. Tweet.All right, you’ve got 140 characters. Use them. Type what you’re doing, post song lyrics or a picture, or even post links to your favorite YouTube videos.
3. Find some entertaining people to follow.Find your friends, celebrities, and your favorite bands and store using the search option. Click the “Follow” but-ton and their tweets will show up on your homepage. Can’t find someone to follow? @Lord_Voldemort7 and @kanyewest are a good place to start.
4. Send an @ reply.Ok, so you’ve got your Twitter and you’re following friends. Now how do you talk to them? Just type the “@” symbol, their username, what you want to say to them and you’re done.
5. Retweet.See a tweet you like so much you wish you had said it yourself? Retweet does just that. Just press the “retweet” button and the tweet will show up in your timeline.
6. Link Twitter to your phone.Love Twitter so much you can’t live without it? Get the Twitter app for your iPhone, Droid, etc. Not fortunate enough to have a smart phone? No worries, you can still link your phone to Twitter and send tweets via text message.
How totweet
To kill a . . . black bird?
Just when you thought those birds were falling out of the sky last month due to a mini apocalypse plow-ing its way through Ar-kansas, that’s not ex-actly the case.
The official explana-tion is that Earth’s magnetic poles shifted by approximately one degree, releasing extremely toxic invisible “space clouds.” A little far-fetched don’t you think?
And it seems that Arkansas wasn’t Mother Nature’s only tar-get. Birds fell out of the sky in Ar-kansas, Louisiana, Alaska, Italy and Sweden as well. Scientists also blame the pole shift for the mysterious deaths of fish and crabs around the world.
Sounds a little bit like a con-spiracy theory, and asking for proof won’t exactly give us an-swers. You know, being invisible and all. Let’s just hope the Twit-ter bird made it out okay.
Since invisible, untouchable proof doesn’t answer any of our important questions, we asked what you think caused mass animal deaths around the world. Here are the results:
edge
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Words that failEvery year Lake Superior
State University releases a list of words that should be banished from the English language. This year the list included: “Viral,” “Google” as a verb, “BFF” (and its countless variations) and “I’m just saying.”
Inspired by this, we decided to make our own list of words that are overused and should be gone for good: “Awkward,” “Random,” “Epic fail,” “Legit,” “Intense” and “Creeper.”
28% Magnetic pole shift12% Air pollution10% Fireworks6% Government experiments4% Spontaneous combustion
* 50 people surveyed
staff editorialpagefour
Kaitlin SchmidtEditor-in-chief
Sarah SmithSarah Wilson
Editors
Avery BorrellCollin Craytor
David Bird Julie Young
Natalie ThigpenPhotographers
Austin ReynoldsCurtis ZachryHayley AllenJoel Webb
Jordan PickettJosh Whitt
Kenzie FloydMarissa Strebeck
Mark NorthamMichaela JamesNaveed Haque
Noah HutchinsonNathan TaylorTaylor Trippe Reporters
Charla HarrisAdviser
William HarpPrincipal
edgepleasant grove high school5406 mcknight road | texarkana, tx | 75503phone: (903) 832-8005 | fax: (903) 832-5381
Editorial policyEdge is produced by the
newspaper students in the publications department of Pleasant Grove High School and are responsible for its production and content. The newspaper serves as an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to students.
Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the student staffers and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration. Signed columns and reviews reflect the opinion of the author only.
Edge encourages and accepts letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and will be edited to eliminate obscenity and inappropriate content. Letters may be submitted to the editor in room 603.
Edge is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
“No, because you couldn’t really be secure outside your home or the shop-ping center.”
- ryanwilliams, 10
“No, no one knew it was go-ing to happen. We could just take safety precautions.”- shelbyraney,10
face to face
Could this have been prevented?
“No, it depends on the shooter. If it was a crazy person, then they could have taken precautions, but if it was an average joe, then there would’ve been no way to tell.”- katiewhitecotten, science teacher
Recently, six people were killed and 14 were injured by gunman Jared Loughner outside a shopping center in Tus-con, Arizona.
“It couldn’t have been prevented because he probably had his mind set on it and nobody would have known.”-allisonmorriss, 12
Pretty
A note from the editor—we don’t do it just for the kicks
inIn a panic over prom?Maybe you shouldn’t be
The fine line between telling the story and staying politically correct
pink
As girls, we are told all our lives that prom will be the most magical experience ever. Like in Pretty in Pink (an 80s movie starring Molly Ringwald—for those who were deprived of classics as a kid), we ex-pect to meet the perfect boy and find the perfect dress and dance our perfect nights away.
And when the staff found out that prom was scheduled for April 16 along with drill team’s Spring Show
(which has now been moved), a journalism convention and UIL academic and One Act Play re-
gional contests, we wondered who on Earth decided
that weekend would be a good time for prom.
When we started col-lecting information and discussing ideas for this
editorial, we were mad. Specifically mad at the prom committee and everything to do with prom in general. We’d heard through the grapevine that prom was moved because baseball may end up conflicting with a May date and that
administrators were worried about May’s busy schedule and TAKS. Still, it seemed unfair that prom was set on a date when so many students from a large variety of clubs and organizations in the school wouldn’t be able to attend.
Was it fair that a student had to choose between an academic com-petition and the “best dance of
the year”? Was it fair that theater students would be exhausted from competing the day before and be returning to Texarkana late on the morning of the dance? Was it fair that journalism kids would have to choose between attending a national convention and attending prom?
We didn’t think so.But after talking to secretary Joyce Cook (who
keeps up with every single thing on the school calen-dar all year, every year) we also realized that finding a weekend in the spring where nothing would con-flict was nearly impossible and the prom committee really did do everything they could to make sure as many people could attend as possible.
However, this really didn’t solve our problem. A lot of people were still going to be absent from prom. So we started to discuss the topic from differ-ent angles. We finally decided that it all came down to priorities.
Would you rather compete for a chance at state in academics which will bring you notoriety and possible scholarship opportunities and look really awesome on your resume or spend hundreds on tuxes or dresses, flowers, shoes, hair, nails, makeup and the perfect tan? Would you rather perform on stage in front of a judge and hundreds of people and experience the adrenaline of a standing ovation or attend a school dance where even the live band is pretty lame? Would you rather shake the hand of a renowned journalist in front of hundreds of other publication staffs from all over the country while swelling with pride at the award he’s handing you or go home with a portable DVD player because you bought poker chips from friends at casino night?
If you’re a senior, then you probably have memo-ries from last year’s prom or any other dance from your previous three years of high school. If you’re a junior, there’s always next year. We think you’d much rather have those other memories instead be-cause they’ll mean more to you when you’re older.
For us, the answers are simple. Before complain-ing to the prom committee or the administrators that prom is too early, take a step back , consider your priorities and try to erase all of the preconceived notions about prom that you’ve had since grade school. After all, unless you’re going with Blane McDonnagh, prom probably won’t be as magical as you want it to be. (That was another Pretty in Pink reference in case you still haven’t caught on.)
- pickettillustration
kaitlinschmidt,editor-in-chief
This isn’t my first rodeo. As editor-in-chief of ‘Edge’ for two years now, I’ve written, edited and read a lot of stories. I’ve designed countless pages. And I’ve had many, many break downs along the way.
However, when I first start a story that I know will be controversial, I also understand that my sources for the story (ie. the Texarkana Police Department for my “Neighbor-hood Watch” story on the centerspread of this issue) have no idea who I am. They don’t know how dedicated I am to this paper and they don’t know how important it is to me to tell an unbiased, 100% correct story. Sometimes, my best intentions are lost in translation.
I can see the way people change when I walk toward them with a pen and paper in my hand. I can tell when a person is giving me guarded answers and I can feel their anxiety as if they’re always wondering how I’m going to twist their words for the benefit of my story.
Sensational journalism and ethical journalism are two things that seem intertwined now. Celebrity magazines that are produced by basically stalking each and every move of a high-interest person sell out faster than “The New York Times.” People seem to want that kind of story, the story that’s not always completely true.
Personally, I’m not willing to risk the integrity of “Edge” for a story that is sensationalized. Not even if suddenly the whole school decided they wanted to read the paper because of it. I’d rather have three loyal readers of high quality, hon-est journalism, than have three hundred readers who only
tune in when the stories get a little juicy. With that in mind, even when “Edge” takes on a contro-
versial topic, like the front page story about the revision of “Huck Finn,” we take special care to cover all aspects of the story. We choose each word carefully and we constantly discuss if a certain image, headline or word represents an editorial comment (or the opinion of the staff, editors or ad-viser) and not an unbiased opinion. And when a story like that is finished, we hand out copies to teachers and admin-istrators to see if they can find something offensive or opin-ionated that we might have missed. Not for them to censor, but because we want to make sure that we are offering our readers the most unbiased version of the story possible.
We don’t cover a topic to see how much stir we can cause among the school’s staff, student body or administration just because we think it’s funny. We don’t look for ways to give the principal grey hairs just for fun.
Our main concern has always been to inform the popula-tion of the school about news concerning the school, the district, the community, the state . . . and sometimes even the nation or the world.
Inform. Not persuade. Not lobby. Our job is not to try and get people to believe a certain
way, but to simply present both sides of a topic so that the reader can decide how to think. We don’t want to think for our readers—we want to write a story about a topic so well that our readers want to investigate further and think for themselves.
Taking the easy way out.It’s not a choice people want to see themselves making. Mostly,
they want to think of themselves as stronger. They want to look back and know they did everything they could. They don’t want to look cowardly. But when the choice to take an easier path comes, everything changes. People aren’t always who they wish they were.
Deciding which road to take through high school appears to put students in a similar situation. Choosing between Advanced Placement, dual-credit and regular courses creates a difficult decision for a student.
In society’s view, that decision will brand them and decide who they are and what they are capable of. Most of the time, society associates the “smart” students with AP courses and the competition for the “top ten.”
A deeper look poses the question—is the decision of taking an AP course really concerned with bettering a student’s future or more concerned with self image?
Adults often overlook a student’s potential when the transcript lacks the letters “A” and “P.” Sometimes they ignore the independence and intelligence that co-exist with a regular schedule.
But there are those who choose to break that mold. In a society where overachieving is made out to be the only way to succeed in high school, some students choose to put special focus on certain aspects of their education.
“I didn’t want to take every AP class available because class rank doesn’t matter much to me,” senior Haleigh Kate Wright said. “And I’m too busy with other things that are more important to me. With dance, I have a lot of rehearsals and long hours of practice. When I prepare for the Rangerette tryouts, I work on the weekends. Basically, I dance for at least three hours a day if not more.”
Wright made this decision for her future. She knew she could have handled any Advanced Placement class she attempted, but
her decision to turn some of them down was made so that she could pursue other interests.
“I love dance and art, but I spend most of my time on dance because that is what I am planning on doing later in life,” Wright said. “I am only taking the classes I need to graduate along with the advanced courses that I think will benefit me for what I want to do after I graduate.”
Though society may deem her a slacker because of the lack of advanced courses on her transcript, her high school career hasn’t been easy. She kept herself busy pursuing things that will better her future. For some people, that is taking every advanced class available, but those people may also be more blinded by a high school goal of the “top ten.”
“My goal isn’t about high school. I want to go to college and pursue either dance or Fashion Merchandising,” Wright said. “And the AP classes I’ve taken are ones that will help me in those fields.”
For people like Wright, success in life is not always determined by the status of their diploma. Graduating “distinguished” does not give people a free pass to happiness.
“I am graduating recommended, but alongside that, I am graduating with a good GPA, as captain of drill team and with great memories,” Wright said. “I feel like I have done everything I could do to enjoy high school and still prepare for my life outside of high school.”
Success is sometimes falsely determined by the classes students take. Taking every Advanced Placement class is not bad when done with the right purpose.
“I don’t mind doing a little more hard work for AP since it is a weighted class and I can get college credit,” senior Abigail Cruz said.
Advanced Placement classes are more difficult, but they do have rewards.
“The three basic benefits a student should consider when looking into a decision on taking an Advanced Placement class are the preparation for college, the rank and the advance measures they give you.” underclassman counselor Vanessa Wakefield said. “When a student gets to college, those AP classes are going to make their lives much easier because of their college-like curriculum. Students just have to take as many as their stress level can handle.”
It should still be understood that deciding not to fill your schedule with AP courses isn’t bad either when done
with the right purpose.“To me it doesn’t matter how many AP classes I take or if I
graduate distinguished. As long as I do my best and reach my goals, then I don’t have to worry about those things,” Wright said. “Taking AP classes and graduating distinguished isn’t for everybody. It also won’t make everyone happy.”
Editor’s note: At the start of second semester, senior Noah Hutchinson took on the task of going technology free. This is his personal account of 15 painful days.
After 15 days of no technology, I shaved off my waist long beard, ate the venison I killed with my bare hands the night before for breakfast, and crawled out of my cave and back into the modern world.
No, not really. People heckled me for the entire two weeks about using lights and living in a house, but think about it—fire, burrows, spears, even clothing is all “technology.” If I’d taken this assignment literally, I’d have had to strip down, run off into the woods, kill my own food and sleep on the ground just as I found it. Any man made tool is technology.
So, I set some ground rules. For 15 days I went without my cell phone, TV, video games, computers and my truck.
The easiest part of my 15 days was being in school. My classes kept me occupied. And besides my cell phone and my truck, I wasn’t being deprived of much technology during the school day. I had to get up earlier than normal
so I could get a ride to school from my mom, so I wound up sitting around the theater a lot more than normal. In the beginning, not being able to check the time or use the Duke Nukem Soundboard on my phone was almost painful. But I eventually got over it.
Home was when it really started to get tough. On the weekends, very few of my friends wanted to hang out with me because I couldn’t play video games, watch movies or drive. During the school week, for the first few days of the challenge, I would come home, lay down on my bed and wonder what I was supposed to do. I had gotten so used to coming home and watching TV after school I could hardly think of anything else to do. Eventually I started to pick up new projects like drawing. I drew so much that I went through almost an entire pack of paper. I also rode my bike and read for enjoyment. It got to the point that within another two weeks, I might not have even noticed the absence of technology.
I stayed home from school one day due to a back injury and for seven hours I was sitting at home by myself right next to my entertainment center and my computer. I ended up reading all day, but it was hard not to give in to the challenge and watch a movie.
Then, there were the snow days. As soon as the ground was wet I was outside, which turned out to be regrettable. After playing in the snow from 8:00 in the morning to 7:00 at night, I was snowed out after the first day of the four day weekend. But, I did have a snowball fight at the Hawk Stadium and went sledding on my police shield.
Overall, I benefited from the whole experience. I made a throwable non-lethal tomahawk (so I can go Black Ops on people) for airsoft, I read three books and I broke my habits of texting and Facebook.
Getting back to using technology is almost irritating in some aspects. People expect me to hold entire conversations with them via text messaging or to answer their messages on Facebook. Half of the point of this was to stop wasting my time with this nonsense. Even though it was kind of refreshing to take a step away from all that stuff for a while, and I’d like to abandon some technology for good, I am glad to have my truck, cell phone and movie privileges back.
Trying to find a landline in public was a pain, not being able to drive was almost unbearable, and my worthless friends will finally hang out with me again because I can play video games.
noahhutchinson >> reporter
pagefive
Technology free challenge provides problems, freedoms for determined reporterInto the woods
Just ask usCould you go 15 days without technology?58% said yes42% said no
If you had to sacrifice one of the following, which would you choose?46% said computer46% said TV 8% said cell phone
* 50 people surveyed
The b
ig bu
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Flipping burgers
AP classesDrop out
College
Regular classses
jordanpickett >> reporterAP
lternativeaths
Distinguished graduation isn’t the only way for some students
“ ”“The three basic benefits a student should consider when looking into a decision on taking an Advanced Placement class are the preparation for college, the rank and the advance measures they give you. When a student gets to college, those AP classes are going to make their lives much easier because of their college-like curriculum. Students just have to take as many as their stress level can handle.”
- vanessawakefield, underclassman counselor
- birdphoto
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We collected numbers from the Texarkana, TX Police Department which included a basic set of numbers for 2010 including: Murder - 3 Rape - 21 Robbery - 65 Aggravated assault - 301
We also got numbers from Neighborhood Scout—a detailed national database of neighborhood crime. Neighborhood Scout focused the numbers around Pleasant Grove High School (5406 McKnight Rd.) and the surrounding neighborhoods. These findings included: This neighborhood has a crime index rate of 38 which means the neighborhood around PGHS is safer than 38% of neighborhoods in the U.S. This neighborhood is the fifth safest (out of 14) in Texarkana. The chances of being a victim of violent crime around PGHS are 1 in 324 and your chances more than double (1 in 129) if you focus on Texarkana, TX as a whole. The chances of being a victim of property crime around PGHS are 1 in 32, and your chances increase to 1 in 26 if you look at Texarkana, TX as a whole.
* You can get more information like this by going to neighborhoodscout.com
Look
ing
at th
e nu
mbe
rsJust ask us
the safety of local neighborhoods
With crime rateshigher than the national average
students should rethink
watchNeighborhoodHe’s trying desperately to sleep, but every time he starts to close his
eyes he spies something else that’s wrong. Something out of place, something knocked over or something crooked.
Despite his best efforts, sophomore Conner Palmore can’t sleep because he can’t shake this feeling. The feeling that someone broke into his house and crept through his room. It wasn’t enough that this person had ripped off a window frame and left it there for his family to find. It wasn’t enough that they escaped with hundreds of dollars in video game equipment and other loot including an iPod and a Wii. No, this person had stolen something else from Palmore and his family. Their sense of security.
“I was awake all night thinking someone had been in my room,” Palmore said. “They had broken into my house and gotten into my room and stole my stuff and I was sleeping in the room right after they did it.”
Though this incident occurred in May 2008, Palmore still makes sure to take extra precautions to ensure something like that never happens again.
“We always make sure our doors are locked,” Palmore said. “And I’ve started keeping things close to me and on me at all times. [The break in] made me realize that anything you think is important to you can be gone in a day.”
He also said that the break in at his house and others in his neighborhood made his family and his neighbors rethink their safety.
“I remember my neighbors always saying that they never locked their doors because we were in a ‘safe neighborhood,’” Palmore said. “But now we can’t do that anymore because there have been so many break ins.”
At first, the Texarkana crime numbers scream danger, but with a further look, Texarkana isn’t that much different from other cities of the same size. (Uniform crime rates from FBI.gov)
So you probably won’t fall victim to violent crime in Texarkana, but your chances of being a victim of property theft is very high.
Some students, however, also fall victim to the “PG Bubble” theory, which is a widespread idea that Pleasant Grove is safer than any other place in Texarkana.
“If people are thinking they are safe because they’re in Pleasant Grove, they shouldn’t,” Palmore said. “I have at least six different friends who have had stuff stolen out of their cars. Someone got almost every car in one neighborhood within two months. No one should really feel that way here.”
Resource officer Jack Crye understands the thought process behind the “PG Bubble” but says it’s a myth.
“People get their false sense of security from the upscale surroundings,” Crye said. “But think about it, what does a criminal look for when he wants to make a big hit? The higher priced
items. And you find those expensive items in more wealthy neighborhoods.”
In a survey, most students didn’t believe in the “PG Bubble” either, but sophomore Laura Cochran thinks different.
“Everyone puts forth an effort to keep [Pleasant Grove] safe,” she said.
And according to the Uniform Crime Rates released by the Texarkana Police Department, crime has actually gone down in the past year. For instance, theft is down 2.9 percent from 2009. Crye defined theft as anything being stolen without breaking and entering or force.
“Students should still be cautious,” Crye said. “They should be cautious not just in Pleasant Grove, but everywhere.”
Statistics from Neighborhood Scout offered a more detailed look at crime in Pleasant Grove and in Texarkana as a whole. Neighborhood Scout takes numbers from multiple sources, not just the local police departments, for cities all over the country to get a more accurate look at crime. But the police department does not advocate the use of sites like Neighborhoodscout.com.
“You can’t trust those real estate websites [referring to Neighborhood Scout],” Crye said. “Realtors use those numbers to steer people into areas where they have homes to sell.”
However, Neighborhood Scout’s records coincided with the police department’s mostly and offered extra statistics based on those numbers.
In 2007, Chief Shiner from the Texarkana, Texas Police Department created Problem Oriented Policing (POP) which focuses on trying to stop specific problems around the city.
“The crime analyst at the police department puts together maps with times and dates of specific crimes and the POP guys start investigating,” Crye said. “Sometimes they’re in uniform and sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes they are in unmarked cars, but they always have at least one marked car. It’s really a lot like old school police work.”
Though the police department puts forth as much effort as they can to prevent and stop crime, the Texarkana population also has to make an effort to keep themselves safe.
“Crime knows no geographical boundaries,” Crye said. “Whether you’re at home, Bringle or in L.E., you always have to be aware.”
After having his house broken into, Palmore recognizes that safety is important and that sometimes people get careless because they feel safe.
“Really, I think the people of Texarkana should get smarter. Crime is a big problem and it only seems to be getting worse,” Palmore said. “It feels like I hear about crime all the time, either from my parents or from kids at school. Everyone should start locking their doors because anything can happen.”
Senior Brandi Kern learned this lesson in the fall. The night before a trip, Kern plugged her destination into a brand new GPS system. She accidentally left a back door unlocked overnight and when she returned to her car the next morning, the GPS was gone.
“I didn’t mean to leave my door unlocked, but that was all it took,” Kern said. “There wouldn’t have been fingerprints and my parents just didn’t want to get the police involved. We didn’t do anything about it.”
According to Crye, you should always report a crime when you become aware of it. Even if you think they won’t be able to do anything.
“Just having the crime on record helps, despite whether or not we can lift fingerprints,” Crye said. “Sometimes we can link multiple crimes together and that helps prevent other crimes and find the culprit.”
Crye also suggests to report suspicious activity if you see it.“You know who belongs in your neighborhood and who doesn’t,”
Crye said.Barring your windows and doors is unnecessary and there is a such
thing as being too cautious, but as Crye said, you should always be aware of your surroundings. Though Texarkana isn’t a dangerous place to live to the point that you should fear for your life, Crye doesn’t want students to fall victim to the “PG Bubble” way of thinking. Just because you live in a neighborhood with big houses and nice people doesn’t mean that you are completely safe.
And if you don’t believe the stats, at least take Crye’s advice:“The day you’re not paying attention is the day you could become
a victim.”
kaitlinschmidt >> editor in chief
Students, police department talk truth about local crime The
“PG Bubble”theory
Quick tips
safe
The theory of the “PG Bubble” is a sister of the theory that Pleasant Grove students are all rich. The “PG Bubble” comes from a false sense of security that because Pleasant Grove is a “wealthy” district there must not be any crime. When, in fact, Pleasant Grove is not much safer than any of the other districts in Texarkana.
Vandalism, breaking and entering, and theft are common crimes within Pleasant Grove neighborhoods.
“House and car burglaries are most common around Pleasant Grove,” Resource Officer Jack Crye said. “But a lot of the time, it’s not even breaking and entering because the doors are unlocked.”
to stay
1. Lock your doors. Car doors, front doors, back doors. They all need to be locked. All
the time. Even if you think you live in a safe neighborhood, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Having to pull out your keys and unlock your car door every time you get in it takes less time than having to replace whatever could be stolen out of your car.
2. Keep valuables close.Cell phone, iPod, cash. Don’t leave them unattended in your car. And
if you must leave something like that in your car, make sure the doors are locked (see tip #1) and try to put the item somewhere hidden. If someone glances in your car, they’re more likely to want to get in it if an iPod is laying on the front seat.
3. Park in the light.If it’s past dark and you’re out and about, make sure to park under
a street light. Thieves are more likely to go after cars that are hidden from view.
“ ”If people are thinking they are safe because they’re in Pleasant Grove, they shouldn’t. I have at least six different friends who have had stuff stolen out of their cars. Someone got almost every car on one neighborhood within two months. No one should really feel that way here.
- connerpalmore, 10
* 50 people surveyed
Thebreakdown
because of alarm systems, the ability to protect themselves and familiar neighbors
and had things like GPS systems, cash and gaming systems stolen from them
because crime can happen anywhere and thieves want to hit “rich” neighborhoods
46%of students
have had their car broken into
74%of students
feel safe in their neighborhood
66%of students
don’t believe in the “PG Bubble”
Even though I know everyone in my neighborhood, you’re never 100% safe.”
I feel safe in my neighborhood because I live down the street from a police man. And I think Pleasant Grove neighborhoods are a little safer than others around Texarkana.”
- adamlyons, 10
- juddcochran, 9
“
“
pageeight
Paper DollsInfo: 4053 Summerhill Square 903-794-7146How it works: Paper Dolls is a consignment shop which resells clothes people no longer want. Clothes must be in good condi-tion. Call and make an appointment to bring your clothes to sell. The owner decides what she wants to take, and you receive the money when your item sells.Price range: Items in the store range anywhere from $2 to $900. There are shelves of inexpensive jewelry, T-shirts, sweaters and skirts, and racks of designer jeans, a Chanel handbag, and cock-tail dresses of all colors. Best sellers: Handbags and jewelry are sold most of anything at Paper Dolls.Current favorite item: Monkey fur jacket.“We don’t accept junk,” Paper Dolls owner Robyn Kennedy said. “We only accept good quality clothing. No one wants to buy something worn out.”
Carolyn’s ClosetInfo:3604 Jefferson Avenue Texarkana, AR (870) 774-7744 How it works: At Carolyn’s Closet, no appointment is necessary. Bring old, unwanted clothes and make a profit. Like Paper Dolls, the owner of the clothing is paid when the item is sold.Price range: Prices range from a dollar to $500. Prices can go down while sales are happening. Sales are held at the end of every season.Best sellers: With such a wide variety of clothes, anything from jewelry to suits is popular.
sarahwilson >> feature editorWith spring just around the corner, spring cleaning is immi-nent. As you start cleaning out your closet, don’t get rid of all your clothes just yet. With two locally owned consignment shops around town, you have the ability to make a profit on the clothes you no longer want. Paper Dolls and Carolyn’s Closet have friendly shop owners, great prices and easy ways to sell your own clothes. And you might find something new for your spring wardrobe.
Shopping spree
Consignment shops offer profitable way to find new looks, get rid of old ones
Elan Salon4052 Summerhill RoadTexarkana, TX 75503
(903) 223-1888Call Samantha Morris for Divine Gelz Nails—Ap-
pointments, Walk-ins welcomed! Gift certificates available.
Would you rather be a billionaire for two days, or have enough money for the rest of your life?Be a billionaire for two days. I would just go to Dallas and start spending my wealth on everything.
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Qyuan taking a rest from being the school mascot, Grover, and en-joying a pep rally.- birdphoto
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1 If you could make a new TV sitcom, what would you call it?All About Me, starring Qyuan Williams and directed by Qyuan Williams.
What was the hardest lesson to learn?Not worrying about myself all the time and caring for others. I often found myself concerned with my own goals and forgot about my friends. Now that I look back at my mistakes, I wish that I had realized that I’m not the only person in the world.
What is your favorite weather?I love a rainy day because it clears my head and allows me to think about my goals and my life in general.
Who is your role model?Nicki Minaj. She’s the person who I really am, but she is not afraid to show her true self.
What is the ideal age to be?38 because you already have a steady job and you are young enough to enjoy your success.
6
What are the qualities of a best friend?For me, a best friend is someone who is always there for you even though you may not always treat them like you should. Also, someone who you can be open with and tell everything to.
8 If I told you that 80% of Americans waste their time doing something, what would you say it was? Most likely watching TV, which is usually just a bunch of re-runs.
9 What do you plan to do after high school?After college, I want to go to dentistry school and get my doctorate in medicine. I want to move to Florida and open my own practice. My very first customer will be to the lady that encouraged me for all these years, Mrs. Debby Sutton.
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What do you want the world to remember you for?That I had a caring, loving personality that influ-enced others to be their personal best, and how I always made people laugh.
Which music artist could you listen to all day?Michael Bublé, of course. Espe-cially the song I Just Haven’t Met You Yet.
13 What is the worst job you ever had?Working at a fast food ser-vice. I really don’t like that area of work or the place in which I worked. The job forced me to be a certain way, and I don’t like being controlled in a way that changes who I really am and how I treat others.
14
What was it like being the school mascot?Well, it was very hot, but I enjoyed showing school spirit because I think that’s what makes a school grow closer together.
Name three things that annoy you the most?1) When people ignore me or don’t listen to me.2) When I’m texting someone and they fall asleep.3)When a restaurant doesn’t wash their silver-ware!
- submittedphoto
Would you rather travel by boat or train?Train. That way, I get to see the world and the people that are in it instead of overlook-ing them.
19How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?36. I tested it myself, and that’s how long it took me.
What does the word dream mean to you?Your dream is your idea of the future and what you plan to be and do. My dream is to be successful in my line of work and also living with no regrets or hesitations.
Define Qyuanda-filicka?Being close or related to perfectness. Also see: Godliness, Cleanli-ness
Junior Qyuan Williams has been mak-ing people smile for 12 years at Pleasant Grove. Whether he’s dressed up as the mascot, Grover, or roaming the hallway with his signature laugh and “go get it” at-titude, Qyuan is hard to forget.
Qyuan is glad for all the people in his life and is thankful for the support and love they give him. By the end of his high school career, Williams just hopes people remember as the guy with a great person-ality and sense of humor.
questionsfor21Qyuan Williams
pagenine
What I think of Qyuanwith theater teacher Debby Sutton
The man behind the mask
- submittedphoto
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austinreynolds >> reporter
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If you had the option of do-ing one thing for the rest of your life, what would you do?Caring for horses, they are my se-cret passion. I would especially like to care for my horse, Ketchup.
What would be the last two items you would grab if the world was ending?Gummy Worms and a tooth-brush. Gummy Worms are my favorite snack and have been ever since I can remember. A toothbrush because hygiene is very important to me.
7Who has helped you the most through your high school ca-reer?Although I thank my family and friends very much for their support, love, and understanding, Mrs. Sutton has helped me a lot throughout high school.
What did you think of Qyuan when you first met him?I thought he was larger than life.What is your fondest memory of Qyuan?It would have to be when he brought in a chemistry test with a 100 on it. We had been working so hard on chemistry and we were both so worried, but he pulled through and amazed me.Do you have any bad memories with Qyuan?He really hasn’t done anything that would make me want to hurt him. When Qyuan’s at his worst is when he doesn’t believe in himself. How would you describe Qyuan to someone who doesn’t know him?Qyuan is outgoing, helpful, and tons of fun. There is no way you couldn’t love him.
Start your engines
Hawk football players named to All-District teams
Outrun, outlast, outplayThe NASCAR season is just starting up and Jimmie Johnson’s record is on the line, but PG students aren’t exactly big fans. If you are, the first race at the Texas Motor Speedway is April 9. Until then,
you can watch it on tv.
Are you a fan of Nascar?14% Yes86% No
Who is your favorite driver?Jimmie Johnson- 11%Jeff Gordon- 26%Tony Stewart- 16%Dale Earnhardt Jr.- 47%
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Position: ForwardYears on varsity: 2
How do you think the team will do this year? Judging from my past experience, I project that the team will live up to the expectations of last year.
What has made you play soccer for so long? My dad played defender in high school so he started me into playing at around two or three. I just love playing soccer.
Do you have any rituals or supersti-tions? If I put my left shoe on first I feel like I won’t do as well. And I also like to dedicate every game to a special person.
Do you watch professional soccer?Of course i watch professional soccer. I love watching soccer with my bros. I try to follow Real Madrid and Chelsea.
pageten
50 students surveyed
Q&A withJose Rangel
varsity soccer
Freshman Regan Arnold and sophomore Claire Rikel
JV Girls’ BasketballHead coach: Jenny Coon Current record: 17-4“With the district being like it is, I would say that we are satisfied with the way the season has gone,” Coon said. Upcoming games to circle: “The upcoming game against North Lamar, and of course the upcoming rivalry game against L-E,” Coon said.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
Head coach: Kendrick SmithCurrent record: 8-8“The team is playing very well this season. The JV team is almost entirely made of freshmen and we could easily have won three or four more games.”Upcoming games to circle: “The next game is the biggest. We are taking on North Lamar right in the thick of it,” Smith said.
Senior Lane Elliot
Ontheradar
Upcoming games:Boys’ Varsity Basketball2/4 @Liberty-Eylau2/8 Paris2/11 AtlantaGirls’ Varsity Basketball2/4 @ Liberty-Eylau2/8 Paris Boys’ Varsity Soccer2/4 Commerce2/8 @ Arkansas High2/15 @ Liberty-EylauGirls’ Varsity Basketball2/5 Arkansas High2/9 Liberty-Eylau2/19 @Texas High
Sophomore Claire Rikel and juniors Sarah Montgomery, Jessica Ross
Varsity Girls’ BasketballHead coach: Mark Coon Current record: 15-11, 3-4“The team has gotten better as time has gone by. The more playing time our players get, the better they perform,” Coon said.Biggest win so far: “Great win against North Lamar Friday. Three points with nine seconds to go to put us on top.”
JV Boys’ Basketball
Head coach: Clay BusbyCurrent record 8-18, 2-3 district“Our hard has definitely paid off,” sophomore Nick Cockerell said.Biggest game so far: “Liberty-Eylau. No one thought we could compete with them, and we showed them that we could,” Cockerell said. “It was close until like the last minute of the fourth quarter.”
Freshman Jace Ryan
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Senior captain Heath Coston takes a deep breath and yells for the team to gather up.
“Clap it up. Hit, we are one.” The team breaks and another practice
comes to an end.As captain, Coston leads the team in
stretching and warming up for practice and games, helps set up drills and makes sure ev-eryone is staying on task. It’s a new respon-sibility for the soccer captain, one that first-year coach Matt Wright hopes will help his team advance into the playoffs for a second straight year.
“It means a lot to me to get to be not only a captain–but the head captain of the team my senior year,” Coston said. “I think we could have a very good season, especially because we are going to be in so much bet-ter shape.”
Being in better shape is part of Wright’s conditioning plan, which includes lots of running.
“We are practicing hard and running a
lot,” Coston said. “Even though it’s hard, once the season starts it’s going to pay off because we will definitely be able to keep up with anyone we play, and we will probably be able to outrun almost everyone we play.”
The Hawks bounced back from an 0-4 start to defeat North Lamar in the first game of the Border City Shoot out Friday, 3-2. Despite dropping the next game to Paris 0-4, Wright is confident that the condition-ing plan will work as the season progresses.
“Even though we’ve had a shaky start we are going to stick with the game plan we’ve had since the beginning of the year,” Wright said. “We aren’t going to change the strate-gy. The team is just going to have to execute it better.”
Three of those four early losses came at the hands of 4A and 5A teams in the Longview tournament, and against Hender-son, the number six team in the state, the Hawks got off to an early1-0 lead before Henderson came back to win 2-1.
The Hawks face Commerce Feb. 4 at home.
curtiszachry >> reporter
5 AAA Defensive MVP -Lucas Wacha
First TeamRunning Back-Melvin GrayGuard- Alex BorrellTackle- Will RussellPlacekicker- Matthew ClevengerDefensive Lineman-Tyler WellbornLinebacker- Lucas WachaLinebacker-Tyler McInnisPunter-Matthew Clevenger Second TeamRunning Back-Tyler McInnisWide Receiver Lane ElliottTackle-Nick CockerellDefensive Line-Nick ReedDefensive End-Cortez IvoryCornerback-Melvin GrayCornerback-Lane ElliottSafety-Aaron Berkins Honorable MentionQuarterback-Will PowellGuard-Jordan RobertsCenter-John Mark BurgessTight End-Jason DaySafety-Kevin Hill
Boys’ soccer strives to survive en route in playoffs
Dribbling down the court, senior Kaneka Henry avoids the North Lamar defense in the game Friday night. The Lady Hawks got a big win against their new district rival with a three point shot by junior Shanteka Henry with nine seconds left. “It felt good to beat them,” Kaneka said. “When we played them in North Lamar, we didn’t play well.” - borrellphoto
On the way to a win
pageeleven
joshwhitt >> sports editor
previewseason
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2011
Sophomore Tyler Wellborn wakes up at 6 a.m. and no matter how hungry, he passes on breakfast and heads straight to the high school. Riding in the cold school bus, trying to stay awake, Wellborn prepares himself for the powerlifting meet.
It’s the same routine he’s always followed, but this year something is definitely different. With no upperclassmen and only two members returning from last year, Tyler and the rest of the team know they have some big shoes to
fill.
“The upperclassmen were pretty strong and had some great leadership,” sophomore Collin Craytor said. “But with plenty of work we can pull it off.”
With seniors Noah Hutchinson and Tyler McInnis out because of injuries, the team is missing senior leadership.
And leadership can go a long way. The only returning members this year are Wellborn and sophomore Adam Owens, but Wellborn said that even though there is technically a team, powerlifting isn’t a team sport exactly. Members can only advance on their own. However, the more members that advance, the better the team looks.
“I know we have a young team,” Wellborn said.
“but we are all getting stronger.”
In powerlifting strength
and
technique go hand in hand. Technique helps you get higher lift weights and also helps you from being disqualified. But you have to be pretty strong also, and that’s where working out comes in. Every day the guys not only work out during athletics, but also stay after school to get in some different auxiliary lifts.
Even though he is just in his second year, Wellborn competed well last year, squatting 365 pounds and lifting 385 pounds in dead lift as a freshman. He said he only plans to get stronger.
“My main goal for this season is to get bench, squat and dead lift all over one thousand pounds,” Wellborn said.
While that may be unreachable to many people, Wellborn has that goal set in his sights, starting with tournaments this month.
The team competed Saturday in Marshall and has three more meets
in February, starting with Maud on
Feb. 12.
Powerlifting team hopes to thrive under sophomore leadership
marknortham >> reporterAs the final game of the state tournament drew to an end, the celebration
began. But now the celebrations are over, and the baseball team is getting ready for another season in a new district.
Paris and North Lamar both moved into the district to replace New Boston and Pittsburg. “It wasn’t a good switch for us. I would rather have New Bos-ton and Pittsburg,” coach Craig Jones said. “But we’re used to playing those teams so I don’t think it will affect the district outlook.”
Even with the new district line up, Jones said he still expects to make it into the playoffs. “We have a good number of kids coming back from last year and I expect to at least make it past district,” Jones said.
Most of last year’s teams will be returning this season. “We have some guys coming back that have been to state the past three years,” Jones said, “I expect those guys to really step up and lead the team, although anyone that was on the team last year should be ready to take on that role.”
Despite the large number of players returning, the Hawks will need to work on replenishing a depleted bullpen. “Two of the guys who graduated last year had 12-plus wins apiece,” Jones said. “We need some of the other guys to step up and fill that void.”
Junior Tim Buchanan and senior Michael Ward will taking on the main pitching duties for the Hawks. Both pitched in relief last year.
The Hawks had their first practice last Friday and will be traveling to Brook Hill for a scrimmage Feb. 7.
Baseball gears up for new season, new foes
They’ve got the power
- birdphoto
sarahsmith >> copy editor
Softball team looks to build on last season
While the Lady Hawk softball team has undergone a coaching change in the offseason, the players are quite familiar with new head coach Blake Wor-ley, the former assistant coach.
“I’ve known [Coach] Worley since my freshman year,” junior catcher Sara Kate Martindale said. “He’s changed up our batting signals and he’s having us run a lot more, so we will definitely be in better shape this season.”
Worley said he believes his knowledge of his players will help him and the team build from last year.
“I’ve been the assistant coach for three years, so I know all of the returning players," Worley said. “It’s easier for us to grow off our mistakes from last year and pick up where we left off."
Following a season of winning three games, the team the Lady Hawks will face new foes with the district realignment--including undefeated state champion North Lamar.
“Coach Worley is just setting the team’s sights on winning district right now,” Sara Kate said. “It’s better to have smaller goals rather than focusing on making the playoffs right away.”
The Lady Hawks will play their second scrimmage game on Friday night against Hooks at home.
In mid swing, sophomore Avery Borrell takes a pitch during Friday afternoon practice. - birdphoto
All senior Wesley Waddle wanted to do was fit in. He wanted to be able to run with his friends. He wanted to play games with his classmates at recess. He just wanted to be like everyone else.
“It was hard growing up,” he said. “People would always make fun of me, and I was left out of a lot of things.”
Wesley was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects brain and nervous system functions. Cerebral palsy has affected Wesley’s ability to walk, but he decided early on that he wouldn’t let it define who he was.
“Growing up in the south, my parents raised me on that southern mentality to just suck it up and deal with it,” he said. “The same went with my condition. It’s something I just had to live with.”
As Wesley entered middle school, he began to take an interest in music. He joined band, and as the rest of his classmates contemplated which instrument they wanted to play, Wesley was drawn to the drums.
“In fifth grade, I watched Mr. Roberts play the drums and I was amazed,” he said. “I saw what he was doing and thought, ‘I want to do that.’ Now I can do all of the things he showed me on that first day. I began to use music and the drums as a coping mechanism to make me forget I was different from everyone else.”
Wesley stuck with band throughout middle school, and as he entered high school he found his place in the band hall. Being in band gave him a sense of belonging he hadn’t felt before he reached high school.
“After I got used to being around a lot of people my freshman year, I realized band is exactly where I wanted to be.” he said. “The people I’m
with don’t see me as a kid with a disability, they just see me as a regular guy.”With his new found confidence, Wesley presented himself as the “funny
guy.” This year, he became section leader for the pit. However, there was one major part of band Wesley missed out on--marching.
“I’ve always wanted to experience what it’s like to march with the rest of the band, but I can’t,” he said. “But the more I think about it and the more I watch practice, I’m pretty glad I don’t”
Although Wesley still can’t march, his walk has improved greatly with the help of 11 surgeries and four years of physical therapy. And with a little motivation, Wesley can now run with his friends.
“I work out with Dakota [Black] at Minton’s a lot,” he said. “He pushes me to work hard and run with him. I even run a little bit on the treadmill.”
But Wesley’s life isn’t just drumming and working out. He is also a four year member of HOSA and currently serves as president. He also qualified for the state HOSA competition this year in Dental Terminology which will help in Wesley’s goal towards becoming an orthodontist.
“I’m attending Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana next year to study to become an orthodontist,” he said. “I had braces once upon a time and while I didn’t enjoy the process, I liked interacting with the orthodontists and dental assistants. I figured it would be a good job for me.”
Through much adversity, Wesley is no longer that kid who was left out of recess. He is Wesley Waddle--a drummer, a leader, and now the third Mr. PGHS.
“Four years ago, I saw myself as someone who was excluded and different from everyone else,” he said. “Now, I hardly even think about having my disability anymore.”
sarahsmith >> managing editor
royaltyCrowned
Mr. and Miss PGHS crowned last SaturdayAfter an interview process, introductions, talent, evening gown and an on stage question, seven senior girls spent a night in the spotlight. Likewise, eight senior boys highlighted their personalities on stage while modeling tuxes from Squires.
Miss PGHS Haleigh Kate Wright
Mr. PGHS Wesley Waddle
First Runner UpSarah Wilson
Second Runner UpChristine Mitchell
Talent Award Haleigh Kate Wright
Most Photogenic Sarah Skinner
Miss Congeniality Rachel Breitfeller
1. Wesley Waddle and Haleigh Kate Wright 2. Sarah Skinner 3. Lauren Hadaway 4. Elizabeth McDowell 5. Rachel Breitfeller 6. Christine Mitchell 7. Sarah Wilson - young and borrell photos
Senior overcomes adversity to become third annual Mr. PGHS
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