Issue 4 09-10

Check it out!Check it out!Look at the backLook at the back

cover cover for a calendar for a calendar

of upcoming events!of upcoming events!

Letters to the editor can be Letters to the editor can be on any topic of any length. Theyon any topic of any length. They

may be edited for length may be edited for length or libelous content.or libelous content.Letters to the editor Letters to the editor

are accepted are accepted in room 220.in room 220.

EditorsAnna Claire Bradshaw

William BumpasJaylin Gardner

Alex JacobiKatie Taylor

Section EditorsHunter Todd- News

Ginny Roper- OpinionSavannah Johnson- Entertainment

Andrew Legan- FeaturesEmma Caylor- Sports

Photography EditorAlex Jacobi

Design EditorWilliam Bumpas

Copy EditorsAnna Claire Bradshaw

Katie Taylor

Business ManagerHunter Todd

Circulation ManagerSavannah Johnson

Reporters Shelby Andrews

Nic Berry Lauren Brooks

Elizabeth BumpasWalt Carter

Rachel Chaffin Maggie FeithZach GolsonKopper HarrisJackson Lay

Aura Mae NorthcuttMcCord Pagan

Shelby PleasantWhitney Reynolds

Sam Shankle Sean Stapleton

Jacob StegemanChris Wagner

AdvisorsSuzanne Edwards

Nancy Speck

Trojan TorchDyersburg High School125 Hwy. 51 By-PassDyersburg, TN 38024

CONTENTS

7

Trojan

News

Editorials

Features

Sports

Entertainment

p. 3

p. 7

p. 11

p. 20

p. 24

Exams, For Whom theTinkerbell Tolls..............................................................................................3Winter Olympics, Airport Security......................................................................................................4Haiti relief, Troy Kerber.....................................................................................................................5Stress................................................................................................................................................7Hallway manners, Kindness..............................................................................................................8Sportsmanship..................................................................................................................................9Valentines Day................................................................................................................................11Spring fashion.................................................................................................................................12Things to do when cold...................................................................................................................13Electricity, History of Olympics........................................................................................................14How to get a guy/girl in 10 days......................................................................................................16Coach Branham..............................................................................................................................18Track, Soccer..................................................................................................................................20Top 10 sports...................................................................................................................................22The Princess andthe Frog, Dear John...........................................................................................24Valentines Day, Dashboard Confessional......................................................................................25Avatar, Leap Year............................................................................................................................26Lovely Bones...................................................................................................................................27

22 26

5

3TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4News

New trimester schedule affects examsShelby AndrewsReporter

A s everyone knows,Dyersburg High Schoolhas taken on a new

schedule and along with thatcome more modified proce-dures. These include the optionto be exempt from the examwith certain specifications.

Exams for the secondtrimester will be held in a spanof three days: Wednesday, Feb-ruary 24; Thursday, February 25and Friday, February 26.

There are a few ways to be ex-empt from exams, though. Witha 90 percent average or fewerthan 2 absences in each class,students do not have to takethat exam. If, however, they dodecide to take their exam, theexam can bring their grade up.If a student is not exempt fromthe exam, it will still count as 25percent of the grade.

“It’s good because you do nothave to come to school if youare exempt from your exam,”sophomore Kayla Wright said.

“I love it because I usually

skipped school and Icome because I won’thave to take myexams... and I hate tak-ing tests,” RickyMcCoy said.

“I’m glad because Ihaven’t had to take anexam due to the newtrimester schedule,”sophomore Pier Dob-bins said.

“There are pros andcons to it. A con is thateven if you have an ex-cused absence, it stillcounts, and you stillhave to take yourexam if you are notpassing,” senior Ster-ling Jowers said.

If you are exemptfrom your exam, Prin-cipal Willie Cole suggests youstill be present at school. If astudent does decide to check-out, he must follow normal pro-cedures by signing out in thestudent office with parental per-mission.

The new options regardingthe exams have had an effect onthe student body. Students allover the school are pushingthemselves to be at school andmake better grades so they willbe exempt from the test.

“The new grading policy hasreally cut down on absenteesand... skipping. All in all, it hasmade students moreaccountable for beingat school and in class,”Cole said.

“Students are moreaware about what theycan and cannot do. Italso gives students theopportunity to redeemthemselves if they faila class.” Cole said.

With the new fresh-man class comes newcriteria to graduate,making it harder to faila class and still gradu-ate. Starting with theclass of 2013, everyone

has to have 22 credits to gradu-ate, while other classes onlyhave to have 20.

Considering how well thetrimester and exam scheduleshave gone, Mr. Cole said, ”Ithink it will be here for awhile.We’ll tweek it a little bit in theyears to come, but I think otherschools will follow.”

Wed, Feb. 241st hour 8:00-9:122nd hour 9:17-10:293nd hour 10:34-12:21 Same lunch4th hour 12:26-1:185th hour 1:23-2:55 Exam

Thurs, Feb. 251st hour 8:00-8:502nd hour 8:55-10:29 Exam3nd hour 10:34-12:21 Same lunch5th hour 12:26-1:184th hour 1:23-2:55 Exam*Note change in the order of classes

Friday, Feb. 261st hour 8:00-9:40 Exam3rd hour 9:45-11:30 Exam

*Students dismissed at 11:30

Concentrating in Class: Juniors Paige Evans andJohn Chandler work to review for an upcoming exam.

Focusing Students: Seniors Erin Pierce, Zane Mathis and LauraLeigh Horner study in class as the frimester comes to a close.

4 Volume 42 TrojanTorchNewsIssue 4

Hunter ToddBusiness Manager

Imagine you are on a flight back home from a relaxing vacation. Sud-denly, there is a loud popping sound and the smell of smoke fills thecabin. There is little time to grasp the danger of the situation, but

when the pandemonium dies down, a man with scorched clothes is es-corted to the front of the aircraft. It is not until you land that the full re-ality of what happened hits you: you were a survivor of what couldhave been a catastrophic terrorist attack.

This frightful situation became reality for the passengers of flight 253.If successful, this attack could have ended the lives of the nearly 300passengers on board the trans-Atlantic flight to Detroit.

Because of this attack, new precautions have been issued by the gov-ernment to increase the security at airports and further ensure the safetyof passengers. The exact measures that will be taken, however, arevague. The government hopes to keep the new security precautions un-predictable at different airports.

What can be expected, however, is the increase in security at majorairports and airports with international travel. Many of these airportsplan to increase existing security techniques.

“They have been doing more personal searches,” sophomore WillFowlkes said after his recent trip to Colorado.

Extensive security will be added for flights traveling into the UnitedStates. This will include another checkpoint at the gate.

Along with the increase in existing security measures, a new and con-troversial system is now in place at a few airports around the country:the full-body scanners.

These scanners are capable of producing vivid pictures of passengersunder their clothing. This will be beneficial in increasing safety butmakes many feel uncomfortable.

“I believe the scanners are very useful,” junior Logan Collier said aftera recent Colorado ski trip.

Recently back from a vacation, junior Rebecca Moore said, “Airportsjust want to keep people safe, and there is nothing wrong with that.”

So what can you do to prepare for the new security? Experts say pas-sengers should do exactly the same as with the old rules. Understandthe regulations, pack accordingly, and arrive at the airport at a reason-able time.

“Get to the airport two to three hours ahead of time,” freshman JessicaThompson said after flying to Colorado over Christmas break.

Above all, do not overreact. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a safer flight!

Government issuesnew security standards

Zach GolsonReporter

After four years of waiting, the Winter Olympics are fi-nally here. Since 2006, the Olympian athletes have beentraining relentlessly to reclaim the gold medals they

won four years ago. Some of these athletes train their entirelives just to be recognized in these games.

This year’s Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver,Canada, and the games are said to be the most watched televi-sion event in Canada. Most of these sports are Canadian tradi-tions, and most Canadians participate in these sports on a dailybasis.

“I think this year is going to be the best Winter Olympics since2002,” sophomore Luis Portillo said. The athletes are preparedand ready to start this record-breaking year: This year is sup-posed to be one that many athletes break world records set bysome of the best athletes in history.

“I think that this year’s athletes will exceed the accomplish-ments of past years’ athletes,” AP U.S. History teacher Jeff Gol-son said.

This year the expectations are high for every sport in the Win-ter Olympics. Athletes from 2006 know how high the expecta-tions are and will be prepared for the competition. Each athletetrains for a certain sport, but some of the athletes train for twodifferent sports. The majority, however, train for only one sportand excel in that one sport.

Some of the athletes are back from 2006 to compete in the 2010Winter Olympics. Shaun White is one of those athletes. He is asnowboarder and has won many gold medals since 2002. ChadHedrick is a speed skater and won a medal of every color at the2006 Torino Olympics. Chandra Crawford participates in cross-country skiing. At the Olympics four years ago, she suprisedfans by winning a gold medal in the women’s sprint. Kristi Ya-maguchi is an American figure skater who has won multiplegold medals and world championships. She is definitely one towatch this year. Martina Glagow is a German participant in thebiathalon. In 2006 she won the silver in the 15 kilometer race.She is gaining popularity as the best athlete in biathalon.

The theme for the 2010 Winter Olympics is, “With GlowingHearts.” The games are from February 12-28. There are fifteendifferent sports in the Winter Olympics, but eleven of the fifteensports are individual.

WinterOlympics arrivein Vancouver

At the Airport: Travelers wait in a very long line to getthrough the new government-issued maximum security.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

5TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4News

Jaylin GardnerEditor

On January 12th, thepoorest country in theWestern Hemisphere

experienced an earthquake of7.0 on the Richter scale. Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti,experienced one of the mostdevastating disasters in his-tory.

Then on January 20th, Port-au-Prince experienced after-shocks at 6.0 on the Richterscale. While the city was al-ready in rubble, imagine thethoughts of these traumatizedpeople in the midst of moredestruction. The death toll isnot only tremendous, but itcannot even be determined be-cause there are still bodies hid-den beneath fallen buildingsand debris.

Compared with most coun-tries that experience earth-quakes, Haiti was notprepared for the catastraphethat hit it last month. Its infas-tructure was not built to en-dure any type of earthquake.Not only were the buildingsunsturdy and incorrectly built,but the city rested on an unsta-

ble rock and soil foundation.“It’s terrible because Haiti is

the poorest country in theWestern Hemisphere, and itjust seems like they deservemuch better than this,” sopho-more Jeff Betonio said.

Instead of waiting for a deathtoll or for surrounding coun-tries to take action, Americaacted by sending doctors andtroops and raising over $220million so far.

“We cannot be numb to thistype of situation. Even thoughit’s not close to home, thatdoesn’t mean we should juststand by and not try to help,”junior Savannah John-son said.

“There are two waysto look at it. First, it isheart-breaking to seethat trauma and disas-ter. Second, we canhope that the people ofHaiti’s faith will bedeepened by thetragedy,” said JerryMitchell, minister ofFirst Christian Church.

“I think everyoneneeds to be continuallyaware of the disaster in

Haiti. Even when the newsstops reporting the situation,we need to keep Haiti in ourprayers,” senior Lizzie Leesaid.

Many may not think Haitihas anything to do with Amer-ica. However, this opportunityto help them has a lot to dowith peace in the midst of suf-fering.

“The disaster is an opportu-nity for all nations to come to-gether and help a countryeven though we have prob-lems with each other. We cantake the focus off each other,”Mitchell said.

Thirsty for Help: Haitians affected by the recent earthquake line up to collect water.Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, injured or killed by the catastrophe.Below: Dr. Troy Kerber performs a dental operation on a Haitian patient.


Dr. Troy Kerber, a dentist here inDyersburg, talked about theHaiti relief effort. Kerber has

been going to Haiti for the last eightyears at least once a year. He hopes to begoing to Haiti within the next threeweeks as he intended to. The group hegoes with out of Atlanta, Georgia, con-sists of 15 to 18 people. The group hasphysicians, construction workers andgeneral helpers.

Last year when the group went toHaiti, it was right after the hurricanesthat just struck the country. This year, itis going to be a different atmosphere al-together Kerber says. Kerber says he ishestitant to go because he did not thinkHaiti could get any worse. Everyonethere is already living from hand tomouth. Haiti, besides being the poorestcountry in the Western Hemisphere, is sopoor in conservation and bare. The coun-try has in the past dealt with dictators,erosion and influence of voodoo.

Kerber said there is so much the schoolcan do. Short term, we can raise money,food and vitamins. We can gather sup-plies for the next trip, in three weeks.Also, we can get a huge container to-gether with medical, food and clothingitems that could be shipped on the nexttrip.

People in Haiti live on $2 a day saidKerber. We just do not know that type of

poverty in the US. We donot understand that is re-ally the world. The peopleare so gracious. They ap-preciate and understandsacrifice. They also knowit is not easy for peoplefrom America to come toHaiti.

Kerber says we just seethe visual, but we do notsmell or hear what takesplace in Haiti. “EverytimeI go there, I get muchmore than I give.”

Local dentistgives Haitiperspective

Earthquake in Haiti: People need help

Photo submitted by Troy Kerber

U.S. Government photo

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7TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Editorials

Alex JacobiPhotography Editor

Stress is something that all students have felt at some pointin their lives, that feeling of pressure that seems to closein, making it difficult to function and finish tasks. One can

say, "Well, it is school, activities and all the things crowding myschedule!" but maybe it is not just that.

Although environment plays a part in stress levels, mindsetis the starting point of stress.

“The movie of your life is based on the script of yourthoughts,” said Danny Curry, pastor of Park Chapel Church inIndiana.

Stress is not only an emotional experience, but a physical one.In healthy amounts, stress can create the strength needed tomake it through everyday tasks. It is when that stress exceedsa certain point that it becomes unhealthy. The simple solutionto this unhealthy stress would be to eliminate the stressors thatare causing it. However, this is not always possible. This iswhere changing your outlook can change your outcome.

“Your goal should be to try to learn to control your stress tomake it work for you. Don’t just think of getting rid of yourstress; think of turning it to your advantage,” said Dr. EstherStenburg, who works for the National Institute of MentalHealth.

For example, channel your stress to go exercise or write in ajournal.

It is a busy world, a place that says that the solution to theproblem is to add something else to the schedule, instead of fac-ing the activities already committed to. However, facing in-evitable stressors head-on can eliminate an emotional orphysical breakdown later on.

If you are overwhelmed by the many things on your list ofthings to do, just take one step forward and don’t let the littledetails consume you.

For more information, visit http://www.nih.gov/news/Wordon-Health/oct2000/story01.htm.

Stress:Dealing with the factors you can’t get rid of

Savannah JohnsonEntertainment Editor

Mother Teresa once said,“Kind words can beshort and easy to speak,

but their echoes are truly endless.”Kind words and actions need toecho through the halls at Dyers-burg High School.

High school is a lonely and un-comfortable time for many teens.As students, we are in close prox-imity to each other day after day.With all this time we spend to-gether, we lose compassion. Wetear each other down in a timewhen we are all unsure about our-selves.

The way students are treated inhigh school affects the way theycarry out their lives. High schoolsacross the country have dealt withteen suicide and depression.When we hear these students’ sto-ries, we find they were often trig-gered by hateful actions theyreceived at school.

We need to be aware of eachother and how we treat one an-other. We are not bulletproof, andwe all get hurt. There are plenty ofopportunities to be a light insomeone else’s day.

It could be as simple as a com-pliment. Any person would love acompliment in high school, even ifshe/he acts like she/he does notcare. Compliment people on theirtalents. They may know theyare good at a given sport orart, but reinforcement isnice.

We seem to know every-one’s business in highschool. This means we knowwhen a relationship ends or whenthere is a loss in a family. Kindwords as simple as, “I am thinking

about you,” could make a differ-ence in a peer’s day.

If a student is having a hard timeor he or she is overwhelmed withstudies, a simple note could pickhim or her up. Adding an inspira-tional quote with an optimisticoutlook could relieve some ofhis/her stress.

Being kind to stangers is just aseffective. Smiling is so easy. Smileat a student in passing, even if youhave never talked to her. Howabout holding open a door orpicking up a fallen pencil? Thoseare small acts that do not takemuch energy or time.

There is no telling how simpleactions could affect others. Youmay never know the impact youmake on others, and that is whatmakes it beautiful. Instead of tear-ing each other down, we shouldbe building each other up. Notonly are you making others feelgood, but being a positive part inother’s lives brings joy to yourown. In the words of British Ro-mantic poetW i l l i a mWo r d s w o r t h ,“The best part ofa good man’s lifeis his nameless,unremembered actsof kindness and oflove.”

8 Volume 42 TrojanTorchEditorialsIssue 4

Maggie FeithReporter

Every single student herehas one thing in com-mon: we all have little

time to get from class to class.Only five crucial minutes havebeen alotted for us to go to ourlockers, climb the stairs and bein our assigned seats, all beforethe bell rings.

Sadly, that five minutes iswasted by trying to burstthrough huge crowds of peo-ple, bypassing the couple whoare treating the hallway like thebackseat of a car, being cursedat and called rude names, andbeing stuck behind the slowestwalkers of all time, etc.

This is not a pleasant way tospend the day at school. If stu-dents all follow the sameguidelines, the hallway can bea much friendlier place.

The first change is getting stu-dents to maneuver the hallwaysimilarly to the way theywould would an actual road.Stay on the right side, watchout for fellow hallway travelersand do not bump into anyone.

Next, personal displays of af-

fection, most commonly knownas “PDA,” should be limited. Asimple, quick hug or a peck onthe cheek is okay. However,taking up the whole hallwayand blocking students frompassing by engaging in a fullembrace with one’s significantother is not okay. It is inappro-priate, insensitive, and simplyrude.

The last thing that should becorrected is the disrespect stu-dents show each other while inthe hallway. People get infights, people yell at those whoare in their way, and peoplecause a lot of hurt feelings. Re-member, you are not the onlystudent at DHS. All of us aretrying to accomplish one thing--getting to class. It would bemuch easier to do that if wecould avoid disrespect alto-gether.

The next time you think be-havior in the halls is terrible, re-member these tips. Spread theword. It only takes a little effortto make the halls better foreveryone who walks throughthem.

How being kind canaffect others’ lives,your own

Hallway Manners: Problem for all

Photo by Savannah Johnson

Illustration by Aaron Adkins

9TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Editorial

Staff Editorial

Sportsmanship -- a word we all know, es-pecially when we are playing or watch-ing any kind of sport. The dictionary

defines “sportsmanship” as conduct and at-titude considered as befitting participants insports, especially fair play, courtesy, strivingspirit and grace in losing. Sportsmanship isfollowed not only by players, but also by thefans attending the game as well, or should be.

The biggest game for all sports at DHS isthe Dyer County game. Almost every studentfrom both schools attends this game. The ri-valry between the two schools has been evi-dent for many years and probably will notcease anytime soon.

Rivalry and competition can be fun and ex-citing for many people. However, there is afine line between fun competition and justbeing mean. Sportsmanship is crucial to goodcompetition.

Of course, it is natural for each team to bebiased against the other. However, the badsportsmanship coming from not one, butboth sides of the court at theDyersburg/Dyer County game hosted byDHS on January 5th was out of control.

Dyer County High School, the visiting sidefor the evening, was a mad sea of orange andwhite. A wide variety of physical and verbalprofanity was used.

The mascot provides a positive confidence

boost for the team and its fans. The displayfrom Dyer County High School’s mascot didnot exhibit the actions a mascot should show.

Destruction of property is against the law.The Choctaw mascot destroyed a prop be-longing to Tommy the Trojan. The DyerCounty mascot also stood in the path of Tro-jan cheerleaders while they were tumblingand cheering.

Cheerleaders remind us to have schoolspirit. School spirit did not seem to be themost important thing considering the actionspresented by the Dyer County High Schoolcheerleaders.

Dyer County’s cheerleaders gave a newmeaning to “crossing the line” when theycrossed the barrier between the two teams.They proceeded to get in the way of Dyers-burg cheerleaders’ cheering. The Choctawcheerleaders were also verbally abusive to-wards the DHS student section and fans.

Verbal abuse was not only displayed bycheerleaders but by the Dyer County studentsection and fans. Yelling and cheering is ap-propriate for a big basketball game, exceptwhen it is directed negatively towards theother team’s fans. Inappropriate languagewas used by the Choctaw cheering section asthe Dyersburg dance team performed. Manyinappropriate statements were also made byDyer County fans directly to Dyersburg’scheering section.

It is much easier for people to blame othersinstead of themselves, especially in this par-ticular situation. Much of the blame for thechaos of the basketball game is immediatelygiven to Dyer County High School. However,no one wants to consider their own actions.DHS fans were guilty of profanity and nega-tive comments as well.

Before the game started, the student sectionbooed every Dyer County fan that passed.When the game began, they began yellingand chanting negative statements to the DyerCounty fans, players and even the game offi-cials.

Students having fun at a sporting eventmust keep in mind that the reputation of theschool is made by their actions.

After the game, two fights were started, oneamong the teams and the other in the parkinglot. Fighting can cause serious safety issuesand is not necessary for an after-game activ-ity.

Maintaining a level of good sportsmanshipis always a wise thing to do, especially insports when one is playing a rival team.Sportsmanship should be in the forefront ofeveryone’s mind during school events, butespecially during rivalry games.

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11TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Features

St. Valentine: He died for loveHave you ever won-

dered how Valen-tine’s Day got started

and why we celebrate it the way we do? Everyyear on February the 14th, couples across the world

hand each other presents and tell each other those threelittle words, “I love you.”

About 2,000 years ago, a man named Valentinewas caught marrying Christian couples and other-

wise aiding Christians who were at the time beingpersecuted by Claudius in Rome. As soon as Valen-

tine’s actions were discovered, Claudius imprisonedValentine until he would be put to death. While in jail,

he fell in love with the jailkeeper’s daughter. Before hisdeath, it is rumored that he wrote the young girl a letterand signed it “From your Valentine,” a phrase still usedtoday when one is signing Valentine’s Day cards.Though the actual story of Valentine is still vague, itwas said that he was a sympathetic, heroic and roman-tic male, viewed as a saint for standing up for his

faith, as well as other reasons. Though February14th wasn’t actually made Valentine’s Day by

Pope Gelasius until around 496, it is still dedi-cated to St. Valentine.

Fast forward about 2,000 years to the modern dayworld of 2010. Whether you give your mate a teddy

bear, flowers, chocolate or even jewelry, weknow Valentine’s Day is a day especially

set aside for love. Everyone has a giftthat stands out in his mind,

whether it is some-thing he gave or received

“The best gift I ever received was thishuge teddy bear from my uncle when I wasten,” sophomore Demetra Barr said.

“The best gift I ever gave to anyone was candywith a card and two shirts,”sophomore Madison Hinkel

said.Giving and receiving gifts is a big part of

Valentine’s Day, but sometimes people forget thatgifts are not the main reason. Valentine’s Day isabout sharing love and showing that special some-one, or your family, how much you love them.

“Valentine’s Day is such a special day because itgives people a chance to show how they feel about eachother,” senior Mason Liljenquist said.

In the dictionary, love is defined as having a pro-foundly tender, passionate affection for another per-son. Everyone has his own definition of love, andsome love is deeper than others.

“Love means you accept people no matter whattheir flaws are,” Barr said.

Whether you are young or old, single or taken,married or divorced, you can still celebrateValentine’s Day and make it one of the most

loving days of the year. Just remember the real mean-ing of Valentine’s Day. It is not about the gifts, butabout showing your love and appreciation tothose around you.

Sharing Love:SophomoreHayden Alfordgives sophomoreBailey Tidwellflowers to showhis ValentinesDay spirit.

“The best gift Iever received wasa Charlie Brownbox of chocolates

in the fourthgrade

because thefinest girl in

school gave themto me.”

-Loren Newsom

“The best gift I ever got was when myboyfriend at the time asked me what Iliked. I told him I like anything pretty,good smelling, something I could cud-dle with, and I liked hugs and kisses.He went and bought me a rose (some-

thing pretty), a candle (somethinggood smelling), a teddy bear (some-thing to cuddle with) and Hershey

kisses (for kisses).”-Caitlin Armstrong

Photo by AuraMae Northcutt

Aura Mae NorthcuttReporter

12 Volume 42 TrojanTorchFeaturesIssue 4


Even though spring seems faraway, the end of winter is thebest time to catch the new spring

trends in stores.Like always, the colors are light, con-

sisting of pastels and whites. If you area bold dresser, you can dare to wearwild floral patterns. However, there arealso subtle floral patterns for those whoare not comfortable with wild styles.Cardigans that are bright can be wornover a lighter colored shirt to bring outa stylish cardigan; this style can also beworn the other way around accordingto Forever21.com.

The top ensemble can be worn with adark pair of jeans that is cropped orrolled at the ankle. “My favorite articlefor spring is boyfriend capri jeans,”freshman Madison Hall said. Theboyfriend jeans are baggy jeans withcuffed ankles.Spring shoes consist of colorful or neu-

tral flats; thesecan be wornwith a croppedpair of jeans.Colorful rain-boots are greatfor the springshowers. How-ever, suede flatsand boots are anew steal this

season because of their neutrality andtexture. A big comeback from last sea-son is the gladiator sandals that manywore last year.

Accessorize your outfit with a shortdenim jacket, which can also be wornwith floral skirts. One can also acces-sorize with cashmere sweaters, addinga thin belt wrapped around the outfitand colorful bracelets. “Accessories thatcan help make the transitions from win-ter to spring are scarves that are light inmaterial and color, ballet flats, tightswith spring items and cardigans,” jun-

ior Mary Baker said.Many accessories were used in the

winter, but matching them with lightcolored clothing helps you reuse itemsfrom your closet instead of spending afortune on fashion.

Great places to find these springtrends are Forever 21, American Eagle,Target, Wal-Mart and other low-pricestores. These stores have wide selec-tions this year.

“Great places to shop are Peebles andJC Penney’s. I like looking for new

sweater vests at these stores,” junior IanHunt said. One can also recycle itemsfrom the closet. That way you do nothave to buy new clothes for the newseason; just wear clothes you alreadyhave.

Great looks for guys this season arelight-colored polos like blues, pinks ororanges. Also you can dress itup with sweater vests, likethose suggested by Hunt.

“Even though fashion isnot as important to guys,we still like to dress niceevery once in awhile. An easy arti-cle for guys towear during thespring is a light-colored buttondown top,” sen-ior Cason No-bles said.

“Spring feels likea rebirth to me. It’s afresh start for every-one,” senior AlissaPlewa said.

Take the opportu-nity this spring to em-brace yourself and thenew year. Also, shed theheavy jackets andsweaters and dresslighter. Be free.

New spring fashion sheds winter bundle

Sporting Spring Fashion: CasonNobles (left) poses next to a lockerwearing fashionable spring clothes.Above: Madison Hall poses for thecamera wearing a sweater dressand Ugg boots.

“Spring feels likea rebirth to me. It’s

a fresh start for everyone.”-Alissa Plewa

Styling a Cute Look: JuniorAstin Harris shows her springspirit by wearing cute jeanswith a bright colored polo.

Photos by Jaylin Gardner


Katie TaylorEditor

Weatherman: “Good morning, West Tennessee! Looks likeyou have snow in the forecast for the tri-state area. Andlet me tell you, it is going to be fierce! Schools are closing

everywhere, and people are heavily stocking their homes. Even Wal-mart is announcing an early closing...you know this is going to bebig!”

Since snow is a universal form of precipitation, all of the world’sstudents - except in places where it is extremely hot - run into a sim-ilar problem: what is one to do when it is cold outside?

Games frequently play into wintertime activities. Students not onlystay inside but also venture into the big outdoors.

“I like to play Bop-It inside when it is cold,” junior Denisha Ceasarsaid.

“I play football with a bunch of people outside,” junior MatthewDaily said.

Hot food on winter days is a welcome oasis from the stifling cold.Many have their traditional favorites.

“I like to eat chili or hot soup,” math teacher Patricia Gam said.“I like to drink hot chocolate and sit by the fire,” math teacher Joy

Norman said.

Winter brings not only a cool atmosphere but also an often freezingtemperature. Students cope with this change with their choice ofclothing.

“I layer a bunch of clothes and usually wear sweats,” freshmanCorena Hasselle said.

Many students have traditions or favorite pastimes that are savedas inside activities especially in the wintertime climate.

“My family makes snowflakes to cover the windows of our house,”freshman Emily Taylor said.

“I get my writing notebook out and draw random things,” fresh-man Laura Beth Cherry said.

Other students take boredom to the extreme by participating in un-usual activities.

“I rip the wheels off of my skateboard and ride down the hill at theYMCA,” freshman Katherine Keller said.

But when everything is said and done, many feel that snow offersthe perfect opportunity for some family and friend bonding.

“I build snowmen with my children,” Norman said.“I like to go sledding with some of my friends and later drink hot

cocoa!” senior Allison Hutson said.

Frosty is back!Students, teachers welcome wintry activities

Sitting Tight: Junior Kandis Williams and sophomores Alyssa Watkinsand Will Fowlkes have a toast while sitting inside on a cold winter day.

Photo by Katie Taylor

Photo by Alex Jacobi

Shelby Pleasant Reporter

Not many people under-stand how their energybills get so high, but it is

not that much of a mystery. Peoplebelieve their high bills are due tolights being on, but that is not thecase.

“I believe that lights and stuffbeing left on costs the most in en-ergy bills,” junior Kalli Parr said.

A helpful website that has a listof common household items andhow much they cost isadvisor.lbl.gov.

According to the website,though, lights are not a big sourceof the energy costs. Normal lightsonly cost 0.5 cents per hour.

According to another helpfulwebsite, www.wreg.com, somethingthat really tends to run up a bill isany kind of charger. Whether it isa phone charger or a computercharger or any other kind, charg-ers suck energy big time. Even ifnothing is charging, the charger isstill using energy. Just beingplugged in costs thirty cents anhour.

Other appliances that use up alot of energy are a freezer and re-frigerator. A stand-alone freezeruses 18 to 20 cents per day.A refrigerator alone uses36 cents a day.

The main wayto figure out ifsomething is usingelectricity is to check tosee if you notice“life” in it. A light on

or a sound coming from the objectis a good indicator that energy isbeing used and raising the energybill.

A way to conserve energy and re-duce that bill is to unplug any-thing that is not being used. Justturning it off is not good enoughfor some things. Also try not to useobjects that use a lot of energy orswitch to more energy-efficient ob-jects.

“I turn off my power strips whenI’m not using them and when I’mnot home,” junior Ricky Kirbysaid.

“We save energy at my house byonly using what needs to be onand turning everything else off,”freshman Kate Pitts said.

To help reduce the amount ofmoney on wasted energy the web-site www.vampirepowersucks.comwas created. It has helpful infor-mation on how to reduce theamount of energy consumers useand how to decrease the amount

spent on energy.


Jackson LayReporter

The first of the modernOlympic Games washeld in Athens, Greece,

in 1896. Since then, theOlympics has expanded, grow-ing into an event that encom-passes nations and athletesacross the globe. The winterand summer Olympics first be-came separate competitions in1924 and began to be hosted ondifferent years in 1994.

The 2010 Winter Olympicswill be held in Vancouver,Canada, which will soon be-come the site of competitionfor over 80 different countries.To become the host city of theOlympics, Vancouver had tosubmit a bid, be selected as anapplicant city, be chosen as acandidate city and finally bevoted the host city during ameeting of the InternationalOlympic Committee, or IOC.Along with Vancouver, sevenother cities submitted a bid forthe IOC’s consideration.

The cities that submittedbids were Salzburg, Austria;PyeongChang, Republic ofKorea; Andorra Vella, Andora;Bern, Switzerland; Sarajevo,Bosnia-Herzegovina; Harbin,

China; and Vancouver,Canada. Out of these eight, theIOC Executive Committee thenchose four to become the can-didate cities. They wereSalzburg, PyeongChang, Van-couver and Bern. However,Bern withdrew its applicationin September of 2002.

The next step called for a voteof the IOC to determine whichof the three candidate citieswould be selected as the hostcity. There were two rounds ofvoting, and the city with theleast votes was dropped afterthe first round. In the firstround, PeyongChang was inthe lead with Vancouver in sec-ond and Salzburg in third.Salzburg was dropped, and thesecond round started. WithSalzburg gone, the votesmoved to Vancouver, whichbeat PeyongChang by threevotes.

The decision for Vancouver tohost the Winter OlympicGames was made on July 2,2003. Since then, Vancouverhas begun preparations to ac-commodate the thousands ofathletes and fans that will soonswarm the Canadian city.

See related article on p. 4

Vancouver selected as site for 2010 Winter Olympics

Photo by Shelby Pleasant

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Emma Caylor Sports EditorSavannah JohnsonEntertainment EditorAndrew LeganFeatures Editor

The Trojan Torch polled over ahundred students of all agesto come up with the ideal

way to start a new relationship.Students were polled on what theyare attracted to, their thoughts onrelationships and their biggest turnoffs. So here are the results for yourten-day relationship forecast.

How to get a girl or guy in 10 days

Day 1. Get his or her attentionGirls: The first step to take whentrying to get that special guy iscatching his eye. Fifteen percent ofthe girls we polled said the waythey caught their crush's eye wasdressing extra cute, while 20% saidsaying, “Hey,” or starting a conver-sation is a good way to make a firstimpression. Red Alert: Getting aguy's attention does not meanchanging who you are. If you donot wear heels, then suddenlywearing heels is not going to get you the guy who will like you foryou. Girls sometimes go wrong when they try too hard to get a guy'sattention. If he is not picking up on little hints, let it go; do not try todo something crazy.Guys: Be subtle. Do not be creepy, but compliment her. Most girlswill be trying to catch your attention. Acknowledge that and smileback. If you have a funny nature, lighten the mood with a joke.

Day 2. Get to know him or her; break the iceGirls: Getting to know a guy is the most crucial part of finding yourspecial someone. Starting small talk is a good way to find out thingsabout the guy. Red Alert: If a guy is not responding well or being short,this may be a sign that he is not interested. Girls and guys often makethe mistake of missing those "hints" that the other person may not beinterested. If you and your guy are making progress, try step 3.Guys: Find out things about her so you know what to talk about.Also find things you have in common, or maybe you can create an in-side joke. Try to notice simple things about her. According to our poll,noticing her simple beauties is very important.

Day 3. Get out of the "friend zone"Girls: Yes, ladies this is the step when the guy should make hisfirst move. Eighty-five percent of girls say that the guy shouldmake the first move, and ladies, 60% of guys think they should,too. However, this may not be what happens. Fifteen percent ofstudents say that it does not matter who makes the first move,and with shy guys, the ladies might have to help things along.To make a transition from "friends" to "friendly," a nice compli-ment or a longer text messaging relationship might occur. Sixout of fourteen guys say being yourself makes them want to bewith you. So do not try too hard during this step. Red Alert: Girlssometimes make the mistake of going right out and telling theguy they like him. This may work, but it could be a huge failureat this point as well. Playing hard to get is not always bad.Guys: Guys make the first move. Girls often do not feel comfort-able making the first move, so step up because this is your re-sponsibility. Do not be afraid to be the man.

Friends First: Freshman Clark Newsom shows his funny side while telling a joke tofreshman Andriota Gorman to break the ice and create conversation.

Photos by Savannah Johnson


Day 4. Look for opportunities to hang out with either friends orone-on-oneGirls: If the sparks are flying between you and your guy, now is thetime to hang out. Girls polled said that hanging out with a groupthat you both know is a good excuse to be around each other. Youboth feel comfortable around the same friends, so that will take awaysome of the nerves and jitters. After hanging out in a group setting,try some one-on-one time, if you are comfortable with that.Guys: Hang out with a group first. That way you both feel comfort-able. Be open to hang out with her friends. Seeing her with her closefriends will show you what she is truly like.

Day 5. No rushingGirls: The worst thing to do at this point is to rush into somethingyou are not ready for. See how things are going after hanging out. Ifthings are feeling awkward, do not force it. If things feel right, thenkeep seeing how it goes. If he is faster paced than you, tell him that.Never do anything you are not ready for.Guys: Do not rush her. If you want things to last, give her time. Rush-ing it could ruin everything, and you could be left with nothing!

Day 6. Make sure you both want the same thingsGirls: Make sure the two of you are looking for the same things inthe relationship. Make sure he is not looking for something serious,and you are looking for something fun or vice versa. Over 75% ofstudents said that there was not a difference in being friendly andflirting. If you are the other 25%, then you need to be with a guy alsoin that 25%. Dating someone who is on a different track is a recipefor disaster. Guys: Do not lead the girl on. Make sure you are both looking forthe same thing because things could get awkward if you are not. Ifyou do not feel the chemistry, do not drag it out longer than needed.End it before she is hurt too badly.

Day 7. Do not be desperate Girls: Not jumping into a six-day relationship is a good idea. Playing"hard to get" can slow things down and let you realize if the two ofyou are really good for each other. Hanging out again may be the an-swer you need to put your decision over the edge.Guys: Do not overwhelm the girl. This could creep her out. Do notbe too clingy too soon: that is a red flag for most girls. As a matter offact, do not be clingy ever!

Day 8. Do not over thinkGirls: Your fellow classmates answered that getting too serious is nota good plan. When looking and getting to know your new guy, donot over think everything. Just relax and have a good time. Remem-ber this is only high school.Guys: Do not get too wrapped up in the girl. Things are too early totell if the relationship is going to be serious. Remember that you areboth young, and there is plenty of time for other relationships.

Day 9. Catch the hintsGirls: Day 9, so to speak, should be telling you now if he is readyfor a commitment or not. Guys say that girls usually do not catchthe hint that they are not interested. They said that if they stoptext messaging you or keep the conversation short, it is a signthey do not want anything more from this friendship. Guys alsosaid that if they want you to know they like you, they will tellyou. If he is avoiding the question, that is a red flag. Do not getcaught up in the hints; it will not turn out well.Guys: This goes for you, too. If the girl is not text messaging youback, or she is avoiding you, that is not a good sign. If things aregoing well, be honest with her. If you like her, tell her. If you arenot feeling the vibes, be respectful. Girls are fragile.

Day 10. Today's the dayIf your guy or girl and you have passed all these steps, then you

are relationship-ready. Remember, you are only in high school,and now is the time to have fun. Let it flow. If it does not worklater, it is not the end of the world. But who knows, maybe yourrelationship will last a lifetime!

WARNING: Results may vary. Side-effects are a broken heart oran unsuccessful relationship.

Showing their Affection: Juniors John Richards andLacee Morgan have been dating the entire school year.

There and back again: Sam ShankleReporter

Originally from Portageville, Missouri, Coach Jeff Branhamhas lived in Dyersburg for 33 years. He started teaching in1963 and has been at Dyersburg High School since 1977.

Branham taught driver’s education and economics and is now stillsubstituting after a 47-year teaching career.

“I originally came to Dyersburg to stay for two years. I wentthrough some problems in my life, and the community and schoolwere so nice that I decided to stay. I’ve always enjoyed being aroundthe students; they keep me young,” Branham said.

In Portageville, Branham played football, basketball, track and base-ball. Branham continued his athletics in college. He played footballat Arkansas State and later on, baseball at Martin.

“He and my grandad played football together at Arkansas State,”senior Sara Frye said.

After graduating, Branham continued his passion for sports overthe years, coaching football, basketball, track, cross country, baseball,softball, golf, swimming, shooting and wrestling.

“Dyersburg High School is great and filled with a wonderful groupof kids that have to take the rap for a few misbehaviors,” Branhamsaid.

Branham is perhaps the most laid-back member of the faculty, butit is clear that his actions speak louder than his words.

“He is never too busy to stop whatever he is doing and help some-one. He is very loyal to the school and will do anything it asks of him,no matter how unpopular the job may be. He has been great fun towork and teach with,” keyboarding teacher Nancy Austin said.

Branham has entertained classes throughout the last 47 years with

his bewildering stories. From stories of teaching Sheryl Crow’s sisterto swim to his old sports stories, Branham has been there and doneit all.

“If you mention someone’s name, Coach Branham knows them andhas a good story,” secretary Athena Kanable said.

Coach Branham, although appearing as someone who has accom-plished many feats, is still very much a down-to-earth man. In hisfree time he likes to hunt, fish, shoot trap, make arrow heads andmost importantly, raise his grandchildren.

“Not a truer friend can be found,” assistant principal Willie Colesaid.

“My favorite memory of the past is the birth of my two grandsons,”Branham said.

Students and faculty have taken a real liking to Coach Branham.He always has something to say or a story to tell. “Whenever youtalk to him, you learn something new,” sophomore Chelsea Taylor

said.“I’ve worked with Coach Branham for 35 years, and he has one of

the biggest hearts you”ll find,” Coach Doug French said. “In footballhe would bite your head off if you messed up, but he would do any-thing for anyone. Branham’s methods of doing things in football aremuch better than the techniques of new coaches. He is a also a very good friend.”

Perhaps Branham is a man who cannot be summed up in words,but his dedication to the school is undeniable. Senior Parks Penning-ton said it best: “Branham is everywhere.”


On the Lookout: Coach Jeff Branham keeps watch over agame of basketball after 47 years of teaching.

“Branham is everywhere.”-Parks Pennington

Photo by Sam Shankle

A true Coach Branham tale

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20 Volume 42 TrojanTorchSportsIssue 4

Chris WagnerReporter

Boys’ soccer is starting up their seasononce again, and this year promises toplease. The boys started January 4th

with pre-season conditioning.Despite the cold, the team has been practic-

ing outside every Monday, Tuesday, Thursdayand Friday at the middle school in an attemptto have an advantage once the season starts.

If the conditions are unsuitable for outdoorplay, the team practices inside at the Cumber-land Presbyterian gym.

“The preseason has been pretty good so far,”sophomore Will Fowlkes said.

The team will be announced February 14 withthe season officially starting February 24 withthe pre-season jamboree at North Park in Jack-son. The team will play up to 5 games that willhelp coach Greg Stapleton determine what theteam needs to work on to prepare for the offi-cial season. The first official match is March15th against Madison.

“Madison is a perennially strong team. It willbe a test,” Stapleton said.

The season will last around 3 months, with16 to 20 games. However, it will be longer ifthe soccer team continues to win during tour-nament time.

Last season, the team lost in the regionaltournament to USJ and was not able to ad-vance to the state tournament. Now, the teamhas high hopes for the upcoming season. “Wehave high expectations, but we will be a prettyyoung squad. However, our ultimate goal isthe state tournament,” Stapleton said.

The team will face some tough competitionthroughout the season. “Martin Westview isalways a concern in the district and region.And Madison and Kingsbury will be a chal-lenge come sectional time. USJ, JCS andNorthside have moved to other classifications,but Kingsbury was a AAA state tournamentteam last year and is now AA,” Stapleton said.

“I think this team will have the capabilitiesto reach the state tournament, but in order todo that, they have to do three things: prepareearly, stay focused and work harder than anyother team,” Stapleton said.

Ginny RoperOpinion Editor

With two state champions and athird place state title under itsbelt, the Dyersburg High

School track team is hoping for anothersuccessful year. Although it is early in theseason, the runners are already warmingup and getting ready for what this yearhas in store.

“We are just starting, but we have a lotof last year’s talent returning,” said girls’track coach Amy Beckley. “The only ob-stacle is replacing the shot put and discus(thrower).”

“I like associating with the other teamsbefore running, and winning!” juniorArielle Haynes said.

Players have been conditioning withwarmups, plyometrics, speed and lateraldrills and techniques.

“I don’t like conditioning when the stop-watch comes out,” junior Bria Taylor said.

“You have to make it in a certain amountof time, and if you do not, you have to do(the drill) all over again.”

“I hope to win state in the mile and thetwo mile and hopefully qualify for the800,” senior Loren Newsome said.

With the season just opening and a newboys’ coach in the works, track teammembers are working toward overcom-ing any obstacles ahead of time and im-proving on individual skill work. “We may not have a state champion, but

we will still score points,” Beckley said.“I hope to be able to run a five-minute

mile this season,” freshman Heath Hop-good said.

Track officially begins this spring with ajamboree March 13 in Memphis, then aregular season meet March 23 in Benton,Kentucky. The coaches invite everyone tocome and support the Trojans.

Boys soccer team anticipates upcoming spring season

Track looks to a successful season

Photo by Chris Wagner

Photo byGinny Roper

Passing the Ball: Senior Cason Noblesworks with his teamates.

Working Hard: Track members Bria Taylor,Ariel Haynes and Anna Horn begin thier pre-season conditioning in the DHSLibrary

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22 Volume 42 TrojanTorchSportsIssue 4

looking back at ten yearsof the best events in sportsDecade in review:

10. 2008 U.S. Open: Before Tiger Woods dominated the tabloids, Woods dominated the golf coursein his incredible performance at the 2008 U.S. Open. The phenom pulled out one of the gutsiest vic-tories of professional sports as he took down Rocco Mediate in a 91-hole classic with a broken legand a torn ACL.

7. 2008 NCAA Basketball Championship: The stands were starting to empty. Everyone in thestadium thought that Memphis had it in the bag. Then Kansas made their run and pulled withinthree points of Memphis with sixteen seconds left. Memphis missed three out of four possiblefree throws that would put the victory out of reach in the last minute of regulation. Kansas guardMario Chalmers drained the shot that put the game into overtime as time expired. Kansas thenwent on to dominate overtime and added another championship to their already crowded wall.

Jacob StegemanReporter

The past decade created many memorable moments and outstanding games in the world of sports. From Tiger Woods winning his 14thmajor championship without an ACL to “The Catch” by David Tyree against the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl, the decade willbe remembered as one of the greatest in the history of sports in the United States. The students of DHS took a poll to pick the top games

of this great decade.

9. 2009 Super Bowl: Coming into Super Bowl XLIII, the match-up between the Pittsburg Steelersand the Arizona Cardinals favored Pittsburg in a landslide victory. Most were predicting ablowout and figured it would not be worth watching. What we got, however, was one of themost exciting Super Bowls in its 43-year history as Pittsburg won on a last-second touchdownpass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes.

8. 2006 NFL AFC Championship: Peyton Manning had some of the best numbers in the historyof the game and was on track to becoming the best statistical quarterback in NFL history. Whathe did not have was a Super Bowl under his belt. He had gotten close many times before, buthad always seemed to struggle in the biggest games. This was his chance to prove the criticswrong. He silenced them by leading a 17-point comeback against the rival New England Patriotsto go on to win his first Super Bowl.

6. 2008 College Football Regular Season: Texas came into the game as the number one team in the nation.They were looking to keep their chances alive for a national title. Texas Tech had other plans. The Red Raiderstrailed 33-32 with eight seconds left. Everybody knew what was coming, but the Longhorns could not stopit. Graham Harrell threw a fade route to star wide-receiver Micheal Crabtree and crushed Texas’s hopes asCrabtree ran into the end zone.

23TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Sports

2. 2009 Big East Tournament: Very rarely does a game go into overtime. However, it seemed likeneither Syracuse nor Connecticut wanted to lose as the game went into six overtimes. When one teammade a run for the win, the other team fired back with an identical run to tie. It seemed like nobodywould win. Then Syracuse came alive in the sixth overtime to beat Connecticut 127-117. After six over-times, three hours and 46 minutes, the game they thought would never end finally ended.

3. 2006 Rose Bowl: USC came into the national championship on a 34-game winning streak.They had the Heisman winners from the past two years. There was just too much star power onthe team for them to lose to Texas. Then USC met Vince Young. Young put up 200 rushing yards,267 passing touchdowns and three touchdown runs, one of which happened with 19 seconds leftto put Texas up 41-38. USC’s 34 game winning streak was snapped at the worst time.

1. 2007 Super Bowl: The pursuit of perfection was the theme of SuperBowl XLII. The New England Patriots came into the game with an 18-0record. All they needed was one win against the six-seed New York Giantsto go down in history as the only team to go 19-0 in a season. It would takea miracle for the Giants to win. That is exactly what the Giants got. Eli Man-ning dropped back to pass on fourth down with under a minute left in thegame. A swarm of Patriots defenders surrounded Manning, and it lookedlike the game was going to end with a sack. Then the Giants were blessedwith the miracle. Eli Manning somehow avoided the sack and launchedthe ball downfield. David Tyree leaped up in the air and clamped the ballagainst his helmet for the completion. A pass to Plaxico Burress for thetouchdown made the Giants Super Bowl champions by a score of 17-14.

5. 2007 Fiesta Bowl: If there ever was a true David versus Goliath match-up, it was Boise State vs.Oklahoma. Oklahoma was a proven powerhouse in college football, and Boise State was a no-name Cinderella story. There was no way Oklahoma could lose to the Broncos. At least that is whateveryone thought until Boise State ran a backyard football trick play to win the game in tripleovertime. David beat Goliath in a stunning fashion.

4. 2008 Olympics: Michael Phelps came into the 2008 Olympics as the face of American sports. Hewas expected to win a total of eight gold medals at the event to break the record of seven. Phelps ac-complished his goal, but it did not come as easily as most expected. His relay team had to come frombehind in the last leg of the race. He then won his eighth gold medal of the games by 0.01 seconds inhis favorite race, the 100 meter butterfly.

24 Volume 42 TrojanTorchEntertainmentIssue 4

Anna Claire BradshawEditor

Walt DisneyP i c t u r e sbrings the

timeless tale about theprincess and herslightly green and am-phibian Prince Charm-ing to the big screenwith The Princess and theFrog. The Americanfairytale is a Broadway-style film set in theFrench Quarter of NewOrleans in the 1920s.

Tiana, a hardworkingwaitress, is more wor-ried about gettingenough money to starther restaurant than im-pressing the newly-ar-rived and carefreePrince Naveen of Mal-donia. Upon arrival inNew Orleans, Naveenis transformed into afrog by the evil voodoomagician, Dr. Facilier.

Naveen stumbles intoTiana and asks her to

kiss him, thinking thatshe is a princess. Thekiss does not break thespell; instead of Naveenturning human again,Tiana turns into a frogas well.

With the help of atrumpet-playing alliga-tor, a hopelessly roman-tic Cajun firefly and anold blind lady who livesin a boat in a tree, Tianaand Naveen must raceto break the spell andfulfill their dreams.

No 3D glasses are re-quired because WaltDisney Animation Stu-dios made the decisionto return to the timelessartform of hand-drawnanimation for this film.The musical numbersand two dimensionalanimations give thisfilm the sense of “oldschool” Disney.

The Princess and theFrog will be released onDVD in April 2010.

Lauren BrooksReporter

Dear John is one of NicholasSparks’ best selling novelsturned to film. This movie

has a number of adaptations, as didA Walk to Remember and The Note-book. The film stars ChanningTatum (Step Up) and AmandaSeyfried (Mamma Mia!). The storycenters around two young lovers,John Tyree (Tatum) and SavannahLynn Curtis (Seyfried).

John, a soldier on temporaryleave, first meets Savannah, who isa student on spring break, while atthe beach. Over the next severalweeks the two become inseparable,savoring their time together beforethey must part.

John returns overseas to base,while Savannah returns to school.To keep in touch, they begin towrite a series of love letters, which

follow in a continuous stream forthe next seven years. However, thecourse of the next seven years doesnot run so smoothly. They are onlyable to see each other sporadically,and even though they continue tolove each other unconditionally,tragic events occur that changetheir lives forever.

Following the September 11th at-tacks on the World Trade Center,John feels it is his duty to extend histour, separating him longer fromSavannah.

The two begin to grow apart astime and distance take a toll on thetwo lovers. A series of events teststhe strength and durability of theirlove. Only time will tell if their lovecan withstand the hardships oftheir lives.

Dear John opened in theaters Feb-ruary 5th.

Dear John captures heartsof viewers nationwide

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Photos courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

25TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Entertainment

Andrew LeganFeatures Editor

With the arrival of theirsixth album, Alter theEnding, Dashboard

Confessional brings a new levelof honesty to their music. Thetwelve-track rock CD suppliessome of the fullest sounds Dash-board Confessional has created.

Their previous album, TheShade of Poison Trees, focused ona mellow acoustic style. How-ever, Alter the Ending brings allthe instruments out as the vol-ume is pumped up. Acoustic in-fluence is still present in thesongs, but an electric style ismore prominent.

Although the CD is electric-rock, Dashboard Confessionalhas maintained their traditionalacoustic sound by supplying asecond disc with acoustic ver-sions of the songs, availablethrough purchase of the deluxe

version. Some songs, such as “No News

Is Bad News,” combine the elec-tric and acoustic styles to createa unique melody.

The album begins with “GetMe Right,” a song based on astruggle with faith and a desireto be “right” with God. Leadsinger Chris Carrabba's vocalsdefine the mood of the song.

“Belle of the Boulevard,” thealbum's pre-released single, is anencouraging message to those ina difficult situation in life.

The title track, “Alter the End-ing,” emphasizes persistenceand determination in challeng-ing times.

The rest of the tracks focus onsubjects between faith, love andmemories. Dashboard Confes-sional holds nothing back in thisnew release.

Elizabeth BumpasReporter

Need something to dofor Valentine’s Day?Just in time for the sea-

son of love, Valentine’s Day willhit theaters on February 12,2010.

The movie has the most A-listcelebrities ever to be in one film.The star-studded cast includesAnne Hathaway, Jennifer Gar-ner, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Lat-ifah, Jessica Biel, BradleyCooper, Topher Grace, TaylorLautner, Julia Roberts, PatrickDempsey, Jamie Foxx, JessicaAlba, Hector Elizondo, GeorgeLopez, Eric Dane, Kathy Bates,Shirley Maclaine, EmmaRoberts, and Taylor Swift.

The film, directed by GarryMarshall, is a romantic comedyset in Los Angeles. It involvesthe intertwining story lines ofmany characters as they try tofigure out love and romance onValentine’s Day. People havecompletely different experi-ences on the romance holiday,both romantic and not so much.Valentine’s Day gives an equalrepresentation of both.

Whether enjoying a great rela-tionship, like the characters Tay-lor Lautner and Taylor Swiftplay or feeling alone as the char-acter Jessica Biel plays, viewersare sure to enjoy this fascinatingand entertaining tale.

Romance comedy provides Valentine’s entertainment:

New Dashboard Confessional CD creates electric sound

Making Music: Members of Dashboard Confessionalpose for the cover of their new CD.

Stargazing: Looking at the stars takes on a new meaningwith these nineteen A-list celebrity cast members of the up-coming movie Valentines Day, coming February 12.

With or without a sweetheart

Walt CarterReporter

Fifteen years after James Cameron first dreamt his image of futur-istic aliens, Avatar was released on December 17th, 2009. Itquickly became the the highest grossing movie of all time. Prov-

ing that it can keep up with today’s competition, Avatar is fulfilling itspotential of being an astonishing movie.

A walk through the world of Pandora during the year of 2154 is abeautiful and majestic experience for viewers. There are plants allaround with a moonlight glow lighting up the Pandoran forest withan array of colors and patterns. These plants glisten as if they are filledwith neon, catching the eye immediately. As well-designed creaturesroam the forest, the fluorescent gleam of the flowers glistens on thecreatures’ amphibian-like skin, making them seem more astonishingthan any other earthly being.

The flowers are just the beginning of many creations that most peopleare incapable of imagining. The trees are colossal, containing manywinged animals. These winged animals include the Ikran which areflying amphibians with the beauty of a monarch butterfly. This worldis something beyond belief.

Even though the technology is the best available, and the surround-ings are beautiful, the story has been controversial for many. The storyline is the repeating of history, a common theme throughout the movie.Avatar is easily comparable to the movie and story of Pocahontas. Justas humans took over an alien race for Unobtanium, the white men tookover Indians for gold.

In Pocahontas, John Smith is the main character who falls in love withPocahontas. In Avatar, Jake Sully falls in love with Neytiri. Both thesegirls are a part of the main protagonist’s rival. These main charactersboth have to choose between who they love and the race they belongto. In both movies, they end up making one question their own race.In Avatar, the viewers want to see the Avatars defeat the egotistical hu-mans, and in Pocahontas, they want the savages to overtake the greedywhite men. Many people see this as a betrayal of their own kind, anddo not understand the true theme of these movies.

Our civilization today is destroying our environment by constructingstreets, buildings, and cities that knock down our beautiful forests.Sully starts out on the side of the humans, but as he sees the actualbeauty of nature, he begins to realize that the humans are wrong fortrying to take over such a majestic atmosphere. James Cameron useshis futuristic technology to exaggerate a perfectly set up world to em-phasize the theme. Sully has to choose between either killing innocentbeings or saving an adventurous civilization. The point is not that Sullybetrays his own kind, but that he makes the right decision by savingthousands.

I give Avatar five stars for its amazing and upscale techniques thatwill change the future of movie making. I recommend everyone towatch this movie in 3D to get the full effect of what the movie is allabout.

26 Volume 42 TrojanTorchEntertainmentIssue 4

Rachel ChaffinReporter

In the opening of Leap Year, viewers learn of a longstanding tradition in Ireland. The tradition is that onFebruary 29, a woman can propose to a man. After

waiting years in vain for her boyfriend to step up, Annadecides to try this tradition. So, she packs her bags andprepares to visit him on the job in Dublin. However, a vi-olent storm on the coast puts her in Wales, hundreds ofmiles from Dublin with only two days left until her lastchance at marriage. Now, her matrimonial fate rests in thehands of Declan, the cynical cab driver who mocks the tra-dition Anna is chasing. Along the way, Anna comes tolearn more about her would-be-knight in shining armorand herself.

Amy Adams gives a charmingly funny performance inthis traditional romance story. In a world where impracti-cal romance movies rule the screens, it is refreshing to seeone with realistic views on love. Adams and her co-starMatthew Goode give an amazing performance as a bick-ering yet loving couple who know what is really importantin life. Leap Year starts out the new year getting five out offive stars. For a great comedy that the whole family willenjoy, this movie is perfect.

Avatars advanced technology awes viewers

Family-friendly Leap Year; Romantic comedy set in Ireland, Wales

Tangled by Tradition: Anna is torn between matters of the head andheart in this romantic comedy out in theaters.

Photo courtesy of www.slashfilm.com

Photo courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Emma CaylorSports Editor

Do you remember your first love? Can you explain in full detail thesilly feelings rushing around in your stomach the time you gotyour first kiss? Or are you wondering what it would be like to be

“on the other side?” In Alice Sebold’s novel The Lovely Bones, Susie Salmon experiences many

of the same feelings, but in a different way. Susie is an average 14-year-oldgirl living with her parents and two younger siblings. Her life has severalperks including having her first kiss and bonding time with her dad. Every-thing was going right until December 6, 1973, on Susie’s walk home fromschool.

Susie is lured into a disaster that ends up costing her her life. She is bru-tally murdered and does not have the chance to tell anyone; her spiritmerely brushes by a high school companion, Ruth Connors.

Throughout the rest of the novel, Susie communicates through Ruth as aspirit. The novel tells the tale from Susie’s point of view in heaven. It ex-plains how Susie watches over her family as they struggle to handle herdeath. The family goes through trying times as her mother leaves town andhas an affair with the local detective. However, that is not the worst thingSusie Salmon has to go through. The book gives descriptive images of herwatching as her friends fall in love and how she longs to talk to them.

This book is filled with twists and turns and an intensive fight to findSusie’s murderer. This book, from the eerie atmosphere to the inspiringending, is a must read.

Also, look out for The Lovely Bones movie which is still in theaters. Themovie is full of suspense and will have viewers on the edge of their seatsthe whole time. The book and the movie are very similar. Director PeterJackson did a fantastic job of portraying the important themes throughoutthis well-written novel. Susie Salmon, Saoirse Ronan, and Jack Salmon,Mark Wahlberg, did a good job with acting the part with a stellar perform-ance by Lindsey Salmon, Rose McIver as well. The movie has great specialeffects and a suspenseful tone.

I recommend reading the book before seeing the movie but getting outof order would not mess up a thing.

The Lovely Bones offers perspective from the afterlife

27TrojanTorch Volume 42 Issue 4Entertainment

Hitting Theaters: The Lovely Bones gives insight to thein-between in both the book and the movie.

Photo courtesy of wired.com

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February and MarchSunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

2nd and 3rd hrExams

No SchoolPresidents Day

BB at Obion Coat 6/7:30

Olympics begin

Happy ValentinesDay

DECA State Competition 6th-9th

Dyer Co.YouthLeadershipProject GradMeeting at 6

DMS Tour 8:15-11

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

Soccer Jamboreeat JCS

Choir Solo and Ensemble

1st hr ExamsTop 10 Talent ShowDismiss at 11:30

Honoring Glover: Sophomores JosephSmith, Madison Hinkle, Regan Watson, KaylaWright and Hayden Alford dressed up asGlover to show their appreciation. Studentssported pullover sweaters, giant rings of keysand walkie talkies.

BB at Gibson Coat 6:30/8

Talent Show Spring pics

4th and 5th hrExams

Glover honored by DHS

Photo by Andrew Legan

Photos by Whitney Reynolds

Principal and Athletic Director TerryGlover was honored by DHS faculty

and students on Tuesday, January 26th. Thestudents and staff planned secretly to dressas Glover would. That night at the basket-ball game, Glover was honored with a giantSargent Master Key, signed by all the staff.Stories were read about how Glover had im-pacted students over the 47 years that he hasbeen at DHS.

“I think we will all miss him around herevery much,” substitute Anne McCogan said.

“If Mr. Glover ever ran for politics, his op-ponents would be in trouble,” secretaryAthena Kanable said.

“Without grandpappy this school and itsathletics would not be what they are,” sen-ior Tyler Lyons said.

“He is a cool teacher and he did so muchfor football. He is one of the best principalsthis school has had,” senior Jeremy Mazesaid.

Dressed to Impress: HunterFair was one of the best dressedfor Glover Day. He buzzed thetop of his head, wore a sweaterand carried keys.

March Begins Late Start 9:15




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