Monday, March 11, 2013 Volume XXIII Issue VI

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Diet distressStudents tells about her eating disorder and the effects it has.

>>>>Page 10-11

To the topVarsity boys’ team talks about their trip to the state tournament.

>>>>Page 8

After six months of battling with

her Stage IV liver cancer, senior Brittany Vann passed away on Feb. 17.

Vann left an impression on her friends, family and teachers that can never be forgotten. She was a girl who was known for being bubbly and fun. At the same time, she was also known for always sticking up for herself

It is the ninth inning. The smell of gravel and popcorn fills the air. Dust hangs

low, peppering the white and black cleats of the sweat-stained players on the diamond. The sun beats down from above, and pitcher Andrew Beach, an “impact player” and lefty, can only hope his team can hold themselves up for the finals. He does not know yet that it is the last inning of his life.

When Andrew graduated from high school in 2006, having transferred to Sparkman in 2005, he had already distinguished himself as a Division 1 player for a team that had made it all the way to the state quarter finals. This was no surprise: Andrew and his father, Herman, had always enjoyed playing catch at home, and Andrew had a natural knack for the game.

“Andrew just battled. He was what we in baseball call a grinder. Just grinding at bats, biting on the mound. He always kept us in the game. Guys wanted to compete behind him. He brought a high level of intensity. He hated to lose,” former assistant baseball coach Chris Telaga said.

After his last season, he decided to attend UAH in the hopes of graduating from pharmacy school. For Andrew, the future looked bright. Then, all of that changed. Many of those who wrote letters to the family still remember the date: July 20, 2012. According to Herman’s description of the event on his Facebook page, “Justice for Andrew Beach,” founded to raise awareness for Andrew’s sudden and terrible demise, a drunk driver claimed his life.

“At approximately 8:10 P.M. Andrew departed our home … in his 2005 Acura … the same time, 58-year-old Gerald Gibbs and three companions departed the Just One More Bar near the corner of Pulaski Pike … Gibbs drove his 425-horsepower 2008 Dodge Challenger SR8 at top speed west … Andrew had proceeded four-tenths of a mile from our residence to the four way stop at Ready Section Road and Wall Triana ... Gibbs catastrophically slammed into the rear end of Andrew’s Acura at high speed, killing him instantly,” it reads.

The loss hit hard. The former baseball team was, according to Telaga, “just shocked.” Andrew’s family struggled to come to terms with the grief.

“He loved sports. Any sports. Andrew

and I began very early on. We were outside playing sports- both of my sons- basically all his life. He became very serious in baseball, and I followed. I spent many, many hours playing with him playing catch. Going to games. Constantly being together. Andrew and I were extraordinarily close,” Herman said

Though the investigation is still ongoing, no charges have yet been pressed against Gibbs, as Alabama law requires all evidence, including eyewitness and toxicology reports, be thoroughly collected and submitted to a court before Gibbs can be charged. Until then, he is likely to be out on bail.

“It’s really shattering to the parents to have a child killed in this fashion. It’s completely unexpected; it’s needless. It’s due to a criminal act. We don’t expect that to occur,” Herman said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2011. That year, it was the leading cause of death for teenagers. Many organizations, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, campaign to bring about awareness and change. Even at school, the central office provides information on safe driving courses, ranging from distractions to alcohol to simply improving awareness on the road.

Andrew’s peers described him as quiet, well-mannered and intelligent, excelling in everything he did despite having a less-than-athletic frame. Teachers noted how he often helped people with assignments. Spc. Courtney Emmett, a Military Police officer, wrote letters to Herman describing how Andrew had helped her struggling family settle into Huntsville. Some even depict him as a bit of a troublemaker or “jokester.” Now he serves as another death toll statistic- just another casualty to inebriation and an obituary in The Huntsville Times. But for the friends and family of the dead, no statistics or charts can bring much comfort.

“I’ve made a decision to dedicate my life to his memory. We’re looking at opportunities ... and one of the things we’re looking at is getting a scholarship program here at Sparkman High School [for a deserving athlete] … we just have to evaluate the details of that,” Herman said.

Jason FrostCo-Editor

Beachcont. pg. 02

and her friends.“Brittany always had

an intimidating tough girl attitude. So when we first met, you can bet I was nervous about this girl who was two feet shorter than me. But once I got to know her, she was so caring and so humble. She always respected people that respected her back,” senior Morgan Bowie said.

Vann had the ability to make the best out of

a bad situation and keep others happy as well.

“She was a great friend to me and could always make me smile. She is a wonderful person and will be missed dearly,” senior Casey Atchley said.

Along with her personality, Vann was known for playing softball and impressing people while doing so.

“The most memorable thing was her smile.

Second to that were her softball skills. I played with her when we were very little. She was so small she had the advantage to run around the bases in seconds flat,” Bowie said. TAP teacher Cassandra Thrower visited Vann every week to see her condition. Every time she went, Vann was smiling, even when she was in pain.

“She would ask ‘What am I missing at school?’

Here she is, going through this and she’s like ‘How is everyone doing?’ and ‘What am I missing at school?’ She had just an upbeat personality considering the circumstances,” Thrower said.

During her six months in a Birmingham hospital, Vann’s condition was back and forth weekly. According Thrower, Vann managed to stay positive and optimistic that things

would look up for her.“Everyone has tried

and prayed so hard for Brittany, it truly is unbelievable. And she would be so grateful. I would just like to say that I’m going to miss that girl so much. Someone told me that ‘She didn’t die and go to heaven, she ran to home base to play with the big leagues,’” Bowie said.

Students mourn senior, remember her fondly

Photo by Rebecca Arnold.

Itching to buyLearn where to find the oddities for cheap.

>>>>Page 12

One person is killed every half-hour due to drunk driving.

Each year approximately 16,000 people are killed in alcohol related crashes.

Alcohol is a factor in almost half of all traffic fatalities.

Statistics from dui.lifetips.com.

STOPDrunk Driving

Justice

Rebecca ArnoldCo-Editor

Search for

March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier2 News

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She figured her phone was just

lying in the passenger seat of her car, so it never crossed her mind that it would go anywhere. Why should she worry? However, when she reached her car, the door was wide open and her phone was not in the seat.

This scenario could happen to anyone, and it is not just cell phones that get stolen. Wallets, sunglasses, small trinkets, even a first aid kit can be stolen and sold online if a thief figures he or she can get some money out of it. The first mistake is leaving objects of value out in the open where anyone can clearly see it.

“Anytime you carry around things that are of value and you leave it somewhere, you are asking somebody to

Dangers of leaving valuables unattended

With the United States being the

most obese nation on the face of the earth, fast food chains are partly to blame. However, these in-and-out restaurants are starting to implement healthier choices.

“I think lots of people have finally come to the realization that we all need to watch what we eat. Obesity has become such a problem nowadays all sorts of fast food companies such as McDonald’s know the importance of the needs of their customers,” senior Morgan Bowie said.

While fast food restaurants’ goals are to provide a customer with quick service and quick meals, the world is changing to a healthier environment. McDonald’s is not the only fast food chain that is trying to transition into a healthier menu. Taco Bell now offers healthier choices for consumers to choose from.

“Taco Bell is trying to give more of a variety to consumers, like with the Fresco meal items and the Cantina meal items. Fresco menu items, like the Fresco tacos, all Fresco menu items have no dairy

Since ninth grade, senior Julia Tubbs

has been working hard to bring the recognition the school’s Junior Civitan club deserves and sprinkling small bits of humanity all over the place.

“I think that Julia’s work has definitely brought more attention and publicity to SHS’s Jr. Civitan club,” sponsor Benjamin Stevenson said.

Tubbs, who became a governor last spring, was awarded the Round Tuit award, which is achieved by raising $500 outside of Jr. Civitan.

She was then offered the chance to travel to Canada and stay with a host family.

“One embarrassing moment was the first night I was there and went to my host family’s home. I fell all the way down the stairs. My host dad asked me if my ‘bum’ was okay. It was fun teaching our Canadian friends slang that we say in America and them doing the same for us,” Tubbs said.

This journey to Canada was for the Jr. Civitan International Sno-Do. District governors from

Junior Civitan puts a new meaning in ‘sno’

Fast food becomes health nut friendly

come along looking for it. It only happens when there are two things present: need and opportunity. If you eliminated the opportunity, you do not become a victim,” assistant principal David Carroll said.

Another accidental yet dangerous mistake is leaving cars unlocked or even leaving the key inside. Some cars can easily be hot-wired, old or new, but leaving the key in the ignition is

products in them, along with the Cantina menu items,” senior Jasmyn Benford said.

Healthy food is not taking over the fast food world yet. While some people are branching out to a healthier lifestyle, others have not.

“Honestly, it seems like all of the healthy items are not big sellers. We sell probably around 40 salads a day. We sell a smaller amount of parfaits

and oatmeal,” senior Lauren Ratliff, who works at McDonald’s, said.

While the economy stays in a fast-paced environment, fast food will stay popular. However, it might take some time to make the switch to healthy fast food.

“I believe in time that we will transition. Maybe not the next five years, but sometime in the future we will,” Ratliff said.

How many calories are in your fast

food salad?

Zaxby’s McDonald’s Chick-fil-A= 100 calories

around the world attend this snowy expedition.

“Sno-Do is an event that takes place every year in January in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It’s kind of like a bike-a-thon or something. The ‘Sno’ is the fun part of riding snowmobiles and snow tubing, and the ‘do’ is the part about raising money,” Tubbs said.

Tubbs was invited to this convention after becoming a governor, making her in charge of reports, dues, projects and fundraisers for the

North Alabama district, the biggest district consisting of 44 clubs. She also plans and leads two district meetings a semester. All the money the 20 plus participants raise goes to the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Birmingham.

“The CIRC develops treatments and therapies for the developmentally disabled. For example, they work with children with autism and Down’s syndrome,” Tubbs said.

For a trip of such magnitude, preparation

was an important factor. Tubbs attended an international convention in the summer which provided breakout sessions for the new governors about to embark on the adventure to Canada.

“The sessions were just for governors to help you gain ideas for fundraising and decide on goals. I wrote letters and sent or delivered them to the Civitan clubs in my district, the 44 Jr. clubs in my district, as well as family and friends. I spoke at the AL North Civitan Convention and had a

table with flyers and donation forms at my Jr. District meetings to gain support,” Tubbs said.

Tubbs made a goal to raise $2,000 for the trip. As a result of her hard work and fundraising, she raised $3,650.

“I had to write tons of ‘thank you’ notes,” Tubbs said.

After borrowing cold weather gear from friends and family, Tubbs headed up to Canada with the other district governors to have fun in the Canadian winter wonderland.

“I was really nervous

about going to the event. But I was really proud of myself for raising the money I did. Plus, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Tubbs said.

Tubbs took the opportunity this experience offered and created memories and made friendships that will last for a lifetime. She also took away other lessons that will resonate throughout her entire life.

“I took away a certain independence, being so far away from family. I gained many new relationships and contacts. I’ve gained more respect for people who live differently than I do. I’m not afraid to meet new people. I am so proud to be a part of this organization,” Tubbs said.

Back at home, Tubbs’s achievements have been noted and appreciated by many, creating a successful pathway for other Jr. Civitan members to follow.

“I am all but sure that we will have many step up to continue to help make this group a success,” Stevenson said.

Hopping the border. Senior Julia Tubbs spends the last moments of her time in Canada bonding with a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. Tubbs was able to go to Canada through the Junior Civitan program. Photo courtesy Julia Tubbs.

Kasey StenderEntertainment Editor

Drew SchrimsherBusiness Manager

Beachcont. from pg. 01But for those who

knew him, the world is radically altered. His friends, who had fallen out of contact, were met only by a corpse at visitation. His dorm room will remain empty

for the remainder of the UAH semester. His family will never enjoy his company at cookouts. And his father will never be able to play baseball with him again.

“It’s something you carry with you for the

rest of your life,” Herman said. “Andrew was my principle focus in life for 25 years, and he was my best friend and a person that loved me more than anyone else in the world. There’s no substitute for the loss of your oldest son.”

just begging for trouble. Thankfully, nothing this extreme has happened yet. If a break-in does occur, it should be reported to the office and the police on campus.

“First of all, I assess the situation. If there is any damage, I make a report for breaking and entering, and then we go from there as far as notifying their parents. And I check the cameras to see if they caught him out there,” Deputy Jerome Heard said.

Brittany RobertsonWeb Editor Are you in danger?

Facts about Alabama crimes

Violent crimes increased by 330%

(1960-2011)

Theft increased by 579%

Vehicle theft increased by 373%

Murder decreased by 73%

N

N

N

NRecords from http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/alcrime.htm.

March 11, 2013 The Crimson Crier News 3

In the wake of the Newtown school

shooting, schools across the country have been on high alert in regard to school safety.

Re-evaluating safety plans and practicing drills are just a few of the precautions schools have been taking to prepare for any emergency that may arise.

On Jan. 31, when the school was put in lockdown as a precautionary measure because of a nearby high-speed chase, a large majority of students questioned whether or not it was a drill. Students also worried about their safety when they realized what they were experiencing was, in fact, “the real thing.”

“I felt like I was going to die, because my class wouldn’t shut up,” sophomore Noah Lombard said.

While students may wish they could be made

School reassesses safety drills in wake of Newtownaware of threatening situations, every drill must be treated as if it is real. Drills allow faculty and staff, as well as students, to iron out the kinks of their critical incident plans, which direct a class’ actions based on the emergency.

“I know that there is some tension and anxiety around not knowing, not only with the lockdown situation but also with the weather and those kinds of things, but as a whole we do real well with it. We don’t necessarily want to say that it is a drill or not a drill because we need to have a sense of taking all those kinds of things very seriously to the point that we react appropriately regardless of the c i r c u m s t a n c e s , ” principal Manuel Wallace said.

Past events have proven just how effective practicing drills can be.

On April 27, 2011, students came to school under a tornado watch. As soon as a tornado warning was issued, students dropped down into their safe positions in the hallways. This is a position and behavior that has been into the minds of every child since kindergarten.

“You have to use common sense and go with what your gut is telling you,” assistant principal Tandy Shumate said.

Shumate, who has attended several conferences about dangers facing schools and is passionate about school security, stresses schools can always be better prepared. Educators continue to learn ways to make schools safer, albeit often by analyzing mistakes made by others that ultimately led to tragedy.

“Unfortunately we’ve had several things that have taken place nationally that’s created a heightened awareness of that. I think if you were to ask me this question three, four, five

years ago, it wouldn’t be taken as serious, but I think we all understand the state of crisis we are in from an educational perspective from schools on a national basis,” Wallace said.

The county school system requires that schools participate in certain drills every so often, such as monthly fire drills. School officials also meet with community leaders, such as the county commissioner and first responders, such as HEMSI and fire departments, to discuss the way emergencies are handled and to plan for every possible situation the school may be put in.

“There will be times when we might have a drill that’s going to be correlated with not only our school but our first responders and our central office, and in those events we will say, ‘Hey guys, we’re going to do a lockdown drill,’ for instance, for the sake of making sure that we look

at our soft spots and things we need to improve on and have those observers who will be here to work with that,” Wallace said.

In the past, SWAT teams have practiced after hours in the school and fire departments have performed walkthroughs to become familiar with the school and its layout.

“Anyone who needs to know has the right to know how we function,” Shumate said.

For example, students may question why masks are not allowed at school functions. James Holmes wore a mask when he killed 12 and injured 58 people in a Colorado movie theater. Shumate cites connections like this that require schools to have strict dress codes and to take precautions that may seem to students to be “overkill” or “pointless.”

“Sparkman High School is unique in the fact that we have some real unique challenges. One, we have a large

student body. Two, we have a very confined environment, meaning that it would be great to have more space, more parking, more classrooms, more of a lot of different things, but our body works real well to work through our unique situations,” Wallace said.

W a l l a c e complimented the students and teachers on their performance during the recent lockdown, saying they did “fantastic.”

“God forbid it’ll ever happen here, but we’re not immune. No one is. We need to know what to do, how to do, in the event of those particular situations to keep yourself safe. So, like anything else, practice makes perfect. No, we’ll never be perfect, but we need to do things that will minimize loss and conflict if we ever happen to be in that situation,” Wallace said.

What does it take to delay?

Everyone knows that feeling of hopeful anticipation on the nights before and mornings of possible school delays and closings that the unstable Alabama weather often brings in winter. We watch the news and check news websites obsessively and run to the phone every time it rings, hoping to hear the voice of superintendent Dr. David Copeland announcing Madison County schools are delayed two hours or classes are cancelled.

But just what exactly goes into the process of

School official explains process of delaying classSarah Jarnagin

Reporter

Erin RountreeReporter

In the past, around 1,200 students a

day would be taking graduation exams. This year that number has dwindled to an average of 280 students a day.

Graduation exam week used to be a week when students who had passed their graduation exams would just stay home. Now the exams will still be going on, but school will be the same as well.

“In the past, we have had to put kids in the gym because of teachers administrating the tests. It was understood that if they had parent notes, they would just stay home and use their parent notes. Now we don’t have as many students or teachers administrating

Gears shift away from graduation exams toward finalsthe tests, so class and school will continue as normal other than teachers being relocated to other parts of the school. Those that planned to take off during this time will not have that luxury this year. School will be in session full force,” assistant principal David Carroll said.

The reason for this massive drop in students taking the graduation exam is that sophomores are no longer required to take it.

State legislatures passed a policy requiring end of course testing in all classes. This end of course testing will replace the graduation exams for sophomores and future classes after them. However, some students do not like this

change.“I don’t like not having

to take the graduation exams because I would have stayed home all of the days I did not have to take one,” sophomore Elliott Daniels said.

Other students think this change makes sense and

Will BartelReporter

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determining whether entire school systems are closed, delayed or released early? Dan Evans, Director of Operations/Auxiliary for Madison County schools, describes the process of deciding on school delays or closings as long and extensive. The process begins as soon as the school system hears from Emergency Management that there is a possibility of inclement weather. The school system relies mainly on Emergency Management for its information and expertise.

“We have a

team consisting of the superintendent, multiple directors and coordinators who are tasked with gathering information,” Evans said.

A team of five people begin their day as early as 3 a.m., driving the roads to help determine if it is safe for school to start. The team’s evaluation of the roads is given to the superintendent no later than 5 a.m., along with a recommendation for that day.

“The superintendent is also in contact with Huntsville City and Madison City to determine what they are going to do. Finally, he uses all of the data collected to make an informed decision,” Evans

said.Once Copeland

comes to a decision, that information is sent immediately to the local news stations to be broadcast. Copeland records a message that is then sent out to all parents and employees through the School Messenger Program.

Safety is the factor taken into consideration on days when road conditions are questionable due to the weather.

“There is no one condition that always says delay the start. Usually it is multiple factors that cause the roads to be unsafe for travel. What we look at is the road

safe for a driver who is being careful, following the rules for wet or slick roads and being attentive to the conditions present. If someone can drive with these conditions met, then we determine it is safe to travel. If we determine that a safe driver following the rules cannot safely drive on the road conditions of that day, then we either delay or cancel school,” Evans said.

It is a common misconception that schools get delayed because the roads are too perilous for school buses to run. But the school system must look at much more than that.

“The overall safety of

everyone is what we look at. More than 50 percent of our students ride the bus each day, so we must always look at bus safety when making decisions,” Evans said.

Parents also hold power in determining whether their student attends class on days with inclement weather.

“We rely on parents to make informed decisions into whether they think it is safe for their child to drive or for them to drive and drop a child off at school. We do not intend to substitute our judgment for that of a parent when it comes to the safety of their children,” Evans said.

creates a better learning environment during testing week.

“I like the new graduation exam set up. I would much rather be in class learning than be bored and sit in a gym all day,” junior Ryan Thornton said.

“I feel like they could probably release one hallway at a time.”

-- junior Eric Busby

“Better spots for lockdown and let

teachers carry tazers.”-- sophomore Andrue Olsen

“I didn’t think they were that bad. They

were just fine.”-- senior James Holder

“More orderly places that are marked

better.”-- junior Rhaven Triplett

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Who should

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March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier4 Opinion

The Crimson Crier

Co-Editors-in-Chief.........Rebecca Arnold, Jason FrostNews Editor..........................Lee RobesonOpinion Editor....................Sierra FridelleLifestyles Editor..............Heather WebsterSports Editor.....................Kenneth HarrisEntertainment Editor..........Kasey StenderSpread Editor......................Riley Wallace Copy Editor.........................Brandi WhyteWebsite Editor......................Mick Walters Brittany RobertsonPhoto Editor..........................Daniel JudgeBusiness Manager..........Drew Schrimsher

Reporters..........................Will Bartel, Tanner Burns, Bria Calhoun, Chris Delatorre, Katlin Gillespie, Taylor Holder, Sarah Jarnagin, Beryl Kessio, Bailey Mehok, April Oberman, Erin Rountree, Grant Taylor

Adviser.........................Erin Coggins, MJE

PolicyThe Crimson Crier is an open forum for free expression by the Sparkman High School Community. The Crimson Crier is a student-run publication produced in the state of Alabama. All final design, reporting and content decisions are the responsibility of the student journalists of Sparkman High School under the guidance of their adviser. The views articulated in The Crimson Crier do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, Sparkman High School or the Madison County school district. Copies are distributed to the faculty, staff and student body free of charge. The Madison County Record prints 1,000 copies, eight times yearly.

The Crimson Crier is a member of Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Alabama Scholastic Press Association and Southeastern Interscholastic Press Association

Letters to the EditorThe Crimson Crier will print all letters to the editor as long as space will allow, and may edit letters for grammatical mistakes. All letters to the editor must be signed and include contact information of the writer. Letters can be dropped off at the Sparkman High School newsroom (127) one week prior to publication.

www.crimsoncriernews.com@TheCrimsonCrierThe Crimson Crier 2616 Jeff Road Harvest, AL 35749 256-837-0331

Wanna Comment?Write to us!

Letters to the Editor are accepted in Room 127.Be sure to sign your letter and

The Crimson Crier will print it the next issue.

Thank you so much for the spread about adoption in the last paper; it is certainly encouraging to see an alternative to abortion. I think

that teenage (and early 20s) pregnancies are met with the attitude that it is a disaster- not only a life changer but life wrecker. Yet by selflessly going through a pregnancy and giving her baby up for adoption, a young lady may change the life and world of not only the baby but also the adoptive parents. My husband and I were indeed blessed by such a lady, and I thank God every day for her. There are countless other couples throughout the state and nation who are waiting- sometimes over a year or two- for someone to give up what they perceive as a “mistake.” Their mistake can be another’s biggest blessing.

As for the reporting, Rebecca did a wonderful job with the article, and I appreciate her as well as the staff for being cooperative and understanding about us not providing a photo as well as having our article pulled from the online edition. Finally, I enjoyed reading the viewpoints of Lauren Oliver and Meg Willis, as they are both students of mine, and I did not know their stories.

Thank you for bringing awareness to this issue and for always having an outstanding paper,

Amy Dobbs

Letter to the Editor

There, their, they’re. Everything will be all right.There is something profound and utterly amazing about the Internet.

It is the one source of limitless communication, information, business and, unfortunately, ignorance that one can find in an instant, practically anywhere. But as with all things, it is only good in moderation.

The Internet can be a hub for intellectual discussion: economics websites, forums of political or theological discussion, fact verification services- all manners of proselytizing and validation are readily available at the click of the button. But so too are sources of pure misinformation, formerly only existent in certain news racks and pharmacy pamphlets handed out by radicals. Some warlord in Dubai just lost a million dollars to a rogue businessman, and he is just giving it away. And do not get me started on enlargements on things other than one’s checkbook. We have the means at our disposal to find out whether or not a politician is lying to us, but many of us would rather use that same source of information instead to look for “proof” that person or an opponent is an insane, Nazi-loving, dog-licking, pot-farming nutcase with five mistresses and a toy poodle that recites Karl Marx. It seems that in a sea of opinions, people want what goes down easiest.

And they will make sure everyone else knows about it. With the prevalence of communication comes another terrible reality: anonymity. Oscar Wilde once said, “Give [a man] a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” There is a certain amount of cowardice (and courage) people find hiding behind a username. Cyberbullying has become a hobby for many members of this generation, and there are entire websites dedicated to fanning argumentative flames all over YouTube. Instead of educating themselves, sharing their interests and enhancing their own lives, people use the Internet to start fights and worship cats. Add a few hieroglyphics and we might as well rename the Microsoft servers “Egypt.”

The Internet is one of the first steps our society is making to a truly global society. And as trade opens up on the international level, as networking grows to include cultural influence and as the world begins to accept the inherent lack of privacy and availability of limitless knowledge, it has to learn how to handle that information carefully, lest we be destroyed by it.

So what can one do when the world is at his or her fingertips?The answer to that question is not so simple, but there are a few good practices

people would do well to remember as they take up surfing the web as a hobby: verify credible sources, question what you read, be polite at all times and if you find a troll under a bridge on the Information Superhighway, do not feed it. It just may eat you alive.

Jason FrostCo-Editor

PDA. Wonderful for some, but mostly

just plain awkward to witness. However, some people take it too far. I have seen girls and their boys sucking face in the middle of the hallway. I mean, really is it that hard to get your own space and suck face elsewhere?

Students seem to be more interested in creating new kissing techniques more than anything else. Everyone calls PDA a stupid rule and gets around it mostly by making nice with the teachers, who then overlook it because it will only cause more problems.

Brittany Robertson

Web Editor

Stop, don’t touch them there

The Twinkie-esque vehicle has

served as a symbol of safe transportation for years, but in recent events, the safety of school buses has rolled into the spotlight once again.

The argument is that the school bus is the safest ground transportation and the safest way to transport a child. But what happens when an angry parent or homicidal manic easily storms the bus, threatens students and chaos and tragedy ensues? The amount of times an unauthorized person has boarded a bus is alarming. In fact, one can find a list of at least 16 counties and systems in which instances like this have happened. Just recently in Midland, Ala., a 66-year-old man climbed into a bus, killed its driver and then kidnapped a 6-year-old boy named Ethan, holding him hostage for over 140 hours in an eight-by-six underground bunker. Ethan was rescued after law enforcement raided the bunker and killed the kidnapper.

Kasey StenderEntertainment Editor

Currently, there is little penalty for boarding a bus unauthorized, but a bill was recently filed by Alabama Sen. Cam Ward that would make it a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.

This most recent incident has brought attention to all the safety issues that surround the modern school bus. Being as large and yellow as it is, a school bus stands out on the road. Yet with over 23 million young whippersnappers across the world riding the bus every day, the majority of buses do not have seatbelts, except for the driver’s seat. What are the reasons behind such an atrocity? Cost and design. We Americans are so cheap we will not even provide a simple seatbelt for our children to be safe on the way to school.

Modern bus designers, who do not trust wriggling kids to use seatbelts properly, say buses are built specifically to absorb impact and to keep the passengers safer in a crash. This method, called compartmentalization, is said to make the average bus 40 times safer than

a family car. Still, that is no reason not to have the extra and desperately needed protection of seatbelts. These are our children– we should make sure they are safe in every possible way

The danger of the hulking bus is not always from the outside. The driver of the bus has the lives of dozens of children in his or her hands every morning and afternoon. Background checks are not required for bus drivers. If you were a parent, would you like to put your child’s life in the hands of a criminal? There are multiple cases in which a driver has disregarded basic traffic rules such as red lights or turning too sharply and overturning.

The factors of bus safety are numerous, but the fact that so little action to improve it cannot be justified. The lives of the youth of America are, or should, be cherished and protected. It took the death of a driver and the kidnapping of a child to alert people to the severe lack of safety in one of the most iconic items in America.

The whee ls on the bus may be unsafe

Internet bickering has become a hobby

STAFF EDITORIAL

Nobody takes drills seriously until something actually happens. When events happen, students turn it into a joke. When students pull the

fire alarm or view drills as get out of jail free cards, we are not prepared for when the drills are not drills anymore.

People who tend to joke around during drills will have difficulty being serious when there is an actual situation. When this happens, they are endangering not only themselves but everyone around them.

This became clear last month when the school went on a lockdown during third block. We knew if lunch was interrupted then it must be the real deal.

The combination of having so many drills and knowing when the school will have these drills causes students to assume every “drill” is just a drill. Through having random, unannounced safety checks, students and teachers alike would be encouraged to take all drills and emergencies with the same level of seriousness.

After all, we never know when a drill could turn into a real-life situation.

The floor is way too

dirty to sit on!

Artwork by Rebecca Arnold.

Artwork by Mikala Buwalda.

Once upon a time, public display of affection was viewed more as a sign of being a harlot unless you were married. Public display of affection, now and then, is very awkward to witness no matter what your relationship status is.

However, PDA, like any rule, can be bent into a pretzel without being broken completely. The code of conduct states: “Public display of affection is considered inappropriate behavior on campus or at school-sponsored activities. Hugging, kissing or students with their arms around each other are

prohibited.”Any student who

reads this would notice that hand holding is not prohibited, and an argument can even be made over the exact definition of “kissing.” Is a small peck on the cheek really that scandalous? I thought this was the twentieth century, not 1940s. I personally like PDA, however I call it private display of affection. People have no reason to know anything about my private life and, frankly, I do not want to witness it. Not everyone enjoys public displays of affection- and even less people enjoy watching it.

March 11, 2013 The Crimson Crier Opinion 5

Riley WallaceSpread Editor

D i s s e n t a b o u n d s o v e r w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s f a m eFame should be attributed to both good and bad celebrities

“How people act in front of other

people.”

-senior Victoria Tagliari

“Being in a really big movie or a TV show.”

-junior Megan Tooley

What makes a person famous?

“It is whether they have that it factor.”

-junior Chris Naquin

“They just have to look pretty and have

talent.”

-sophomore Ashlyn Drummond

“The successes he or she has

accomplished.”-junior

Taylor Burns

“Good looks.”

-sophomore Noah Romine

T h e F i n a l W o r d Sierra FridelleOpinion Editor

It first became apparent with

Beyonce’s song “Run the World (Girls).” It further progressed during the election and was clearly seen during this current awards season.

Women of all shape, color and size are ruling things. The Tina Fey and Amy Poehler-hosted Golden Globes reunited the two best friends and former Saturday Night Live comediennes. Oh, and they received the best ratings in six years, eradicating the reign of alcohol-soused louse, Ricky Gervais. The viewings did not just come from the red-carpet show, however, as the women

Courtesy nwhm.org.

Attention does not guarantee fame to glory seekers

Daniel JudgeReporter

It is an argument that has been around since Hol-lywood came to be. What makes one famous,

and when does one actually get to be considered famous? Here is a hint, performing an idiotic act or eating something funky does not qualify one as fa-mous.

First, look at the definition of famous: having a widespread reputation, usually of a favorable nature; renowned; celebrated. Key words there are favorable and celebrated. Just think about that for a second, as it will only take a few before common sense kicks in.

I know what you are thinking right now, and I agree with you. Never has anyone celebrated an “exotic” dish someone was dared to eat. Never has anyone celebrated an idiot purposely causing harm to his or her self. If you do celebrate that kind of stuff, please know I will never be taking my precious time to check out your YouTube channel.

“Fear Factor” used to be a must watch with mil-lions of viewers every week. The show forced the con-testants on a mission to $50,000 to eat something ab-stract and disgusting every week. Yet, I bet if I asked anyone who claims he or she was a “Fear Factor” fan, he or she could not name or recognize any contestant who participated. Being famous takes more than one accomplishment- real accomplishments too, not little videos.

A favorable act is one the majority of people would do in a heartbeat if they could, like sing, act, dance, compete in the Olympics or any other sport one can practice and earn his or her achievements. Before YouTube, there was a system in place that did not need fixing. Everyone knew what good talent was and what deserving acts were. If something is not broken, do not fix it. The saying has been around for ages, but it rightfully applies to so many situa-tions, like this one.

Take the latest dance trend, the Harlem Shake. There are videos going up left and right of random people doing the dance, each one receiving 1 million to 10 million views. Are these people considered fa-mous? They put themselves out there and performed, yet we do not even know their names. They are not famous. It is a good try, but until multiple people rec-ognize who it is, until photographers are speeding down the road to snap a picture, whoever it is, should not and is not famous.

To be famous is a prestige people have earned and should be proud to have. Unfortunately, with all the crazy people coming out of the grapevine, the accomplishment one usually would feel when he or she reaches the plateau is being tarnished down to attention whores who are using whatever means necessary to reach a position where a few people will recognize them. The people who go to the extreme are also tarnishing their own names. Have a little re-spect for oneself and the people who actually earn the title.

Vloggers and bloggers and video fanatics do not deserve the spotlight, for they are neither

formally trained nor paced on a deadline. Most are annoying and post nothing of substance. Fame ill-earned is not fame at all and garnering attention from YouTube and other social media sites is the most ill of all. Or, at least, some say such things.

What we fail to realize is that not only the stupid are offering their craft to the 800 million visitors YouTube caters to each month and hitting it off. It is not only those throwing themselves from preposterous heights who find themselves suddenly popular on virtual media platforms. In fact, legitimate artists, filmmakers and even personal trainers reach out to the world through the use of quick and easy videos, and are being rewarded for it.

San Francisco-based fitness guru Cassey Ho, operator and star of the popular Blogilates YouTube account provides short, thorough workouts for those who might not find the time to make it to a gym. The cast and crew behind the Lizzie Bennet Diaries- a modern interpretation of Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”- work hard to produce videos that are not obviously filmed on a camera phone. A cappella performer Heather Traska spends months on each performance video, turning out an amazing product each time.

And all of them could be considered “famous.”Why should they not be? We work and play at the

speed of light, so why are our celebrities not allowed to come from short videos? The world operates from a cell phone interface, after all. Why then should our celebrities not come from them?

Many of them are even of more quality than the reality television stars we so cling to. None of them leap from houses or said something dumb on national television. They use their talents, their skills, their hard work and have earned every follower, every viewer. And they have a lot of them; if “fame” is defined by how well people know your name, they have it in the bag.

Meanwhile, on the dark side of the Internet, people are becoming infamous in a shadow of the same manner. This is the place we reserve for the stupid and miscalculated. This is where people eat worms and practice projectile sneezes. These are the ones who will be known only for the weird they did and not the impact they had. They get viewers too, and their names are still known. These are the dark reflections of our television stars, and they should deserve their fame just as much as our grossest icons.

We live in a society that rewards with attention, even the negative. There cannot be argument, therefore, that the disgusting are not reaping the same rewards as our bringers of light and good advice.

After all, fame is fame, and fame is relative, and we have awarded it to whomever dares to throw in his or her bid and fight to earn our attentions.

T a k i n g c u r s i v e h a n d w r i t i n g o u t o f c u r r i c u l u m i s d e t r i m e n t a lBria Calhoun

Reporter

A new phrase that pop culture is

using today is “DEAD,” which means something that is not cool, will not be done or is not going to be fun.

In recent years,

students have not learned how to write in cursive. It used to be that in the third grade one would learn to write in the formal language, but it has come to my attention that cursive handwriting has been taken out of the educational curriculum. I

want to know why.It has been said that

cursive is difficult to read, time-consuming and confusing. But is that the truth? Or are teachers and students too lazy to teach or learn the art? The answer to these questions is a huge, fat

Women’s History Month

demolished all of their competition, including the testosterone-fueled AFC championship game. And they did it all in Charlotte Olympia stilettos.

Awards for women piled up at the Globes. Lena Dunham took home the award for Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy for her creation “Girls,” and she was the first female to do so since Fey won for “30 Rock” in 2008. Dunham is only the second woman to win this award in the twenty-first century.

Females did not just show up at awards shows. The 113th Congress will have the most female

senators in history, 20, which is still a shamefully low number, but it looks like things might actually get done in the legislative branch this year.

Women also asserted themselves in the 2013 presidential election. The numbers speak for themselves. Exit polls indicate 53 percent of males voted for Mitt Romney and 55 percent of women voted for Barack Obama. Forget about battleground states, in the next election, look forward to battle of the sexes.

Another record number for women is the 21 female CEOs on the most recent Fortune 500 list. These women have broken into a big boys’ club of business. The women are not confined to the typical areas of beauty and health, instead choosing

to branch out to tech companies and defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin.

These recent advances do not mitigate the current crisis for women in the world, however. Two out of every three illiterate adults in the world are female. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women with full-time jobs still spend more time doing household activities than men. Even though women are gaining a foothold as major players in all areas from art to entertainment to business, how much progress have we made when women still make less than men at equivalent jobs?

Until women are paid accurate and fair wages for the work they complete, our job is not finished. Until women make up more than 4.7 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, our

yes. By teaching cursive to a student, you are teaching them the basis of a signature. If a person does not know how to write in cursive, then how will he or she know how to sign a bill? If a person cannot at least write it, he or she should be able to

read it.By teaching students

to read cursive first, students will then learn to recognize the letters and then may be able to write it. Writing in cursive is not difficult. It just takes practice.

Any type of

handwriting is important, whether it be print, cursive, even hieroglyphics. And when one writes a letter down, make sure your t’s are crossed, i’s are dotted and o’s are closed.

We at least owe our children that.

job is not finished. Until women account for more than one-fifth of Senators,

March

our job is not finished.Our job is not

finished.

184

81916

The 19th Amendment p a s s e s a l l o w i n g w o m e n ’ s

suffrage

1919

The first woman is elected to

the House of Representatives.

The first W o m e n ’ s R i g h t s Convention

is held.

1910

The first s u f f r a g e parade is held in New York City by the Women’s P o l i t i c a l

Union.

his students and walks around the classroom so he can still participate in discussions with his students.

Amber has been married to Matt for one and a half years, and she believes that his hearing does not affect their relationship.

“With his hearing aids in, we can have as good of a conversation as you and I are having now. The only time he ever seems to struggle is if we are at a football game and there are hundreds of people around that his hearing aids pick up on. Most of the time, everything is completely normal,” Amber said.

March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier6 Lifestyles

Hearing is one of many senses that enables people to better understand the world

around them, and going through life with an altered sense brings along new battles everyday.

Matt Staggs, a frequent substitute teacher and husband of English teacher Amber Staggs, is one of 12.5 million Americans who uses hearing aids. Matt first had to use a hearing aid when he was only 2 years old.

“Doctors told my mother that she had some sort of tumor, and in 1984, they didn’t know what to do with a seven-month term pregnant woman. The options were to take me out early or go full term and see what happens. My parents chose to take me out early, and ultimately some of the nerves in my ear are not fully developed, and that is why I am 50 percent deaf,” Matt said.

In addition to the use of hearing aids, Matt was able to quickly learn how to read the lips of the people he is talking.

“I really didn’t learn it, but it just started clicking during middle school. It was taught to me as I was growing up as something I needed to keep doing, but I just picked it up over time,” Matt said.

For Matt, his main focus is centered on speech clarity. Even if someone is speaking in the right volume or pitch, it is difficult for him to understand what they are saying if they mumble or speak in a lazy accent.

“I have to always make sure I look at people when they are talking. Even if I am talking to someone and they turn around and continue talking, I lose some ability to focus on what they are saying. To get around the mumbling and accents, I always read lips as I’m hearing, and that tends to help me with my day-to-day interactions,” Matt said.

Although he has loss of hearing, Matt did not let that deter what he did during middle school and high school. As a seventh grade hockey player, Matt decided that he wanted to get into better shape and

Grant TaylorReporter

started to run cross country in the hockey offseason.

“Eventually I wasn’t putting on enough weight to continue to play hockey, so I continued to run cross country. My freshman year I earned a varsity letter and I was running at a pace that was fast for my grade, so I just stuck with it,” Matt said.

Cross country and track and field turned out to be the right decision, as he continued to have success, setting many school records that still stand. Matt soon got scholarship offers from colleges including Fresno State University, Texas A&M and several other small Christian schools.

However, Matt chose to be a walk-on at the University of Alabama instead.

“Practices were around three hours long, six days a week. It was a very fun time for me to run, but we also had around five Kenyan runners on the team. I knew I was getting a lot faster, but not nearly as fast as the Kenyan guys. It felt like I was in a race everyday. I was on a team that was really, really good and was fortunate to be on it,” Matt said.

Whenever he ran, Matt usually chose to run without his hearing aids because they were not waterproof and so he could keep all his focus on running.

“There was one time I was running in a park in southern California, and a couple days later on the trail I ran on, a mountain lion killed a biker. I got lucky because I didn’t have hearing aids on that particular run, but whether I have the hearing aids in or not, it doesn’t affect my running,” Matt said.

Matt, who is a certified history teacher and is now subbing, tries to make it understood in his classrooms that he is hard of hearing but does not want to make his hearing an excuse. He tries to build a rapport with

Watching over. Substitute teacher Matt Staggs watches over the class. Staggs tells students about his overcoming of disability to motivate them. Photo by Brandi Whyte.

Hearing disability fails to disable substitute teacher

Flashes of motion and color soar

through the air as sophomore Joey O’Brien performs the Master of Puppets. Complete concentration and focus must be used in order to succeed. As he ends his trick, he bows proudly and thrusts his yo-yo into the air. Yes, his yo-yo.

One day when he was bored, O’Brien found a Duncan Butterfly yo-yo at his house. He picked it up and began to yo-yo. This is how it all began.

“I yo-yo because it is fun and entertaining. It entertains other people as well,” O’Brien said.

Most people have never heard of yo-yoing

April ObermanReporter

being a hobby. But, to some, it is so big that it is even considered a “sport” to them.

“More people are doing it now than before. Around here, it is not very big. If you go to bigger cities, you can typically find a group of at least five to 10 yo-yoers,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien competes in tournaments for his yo-yoing on occasion. He has participated in competitions in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. O’Brien went to the state yo-yo contest in 2009 and took home the title of the second best yo-yoer.

In yo-yo contests, the goal is to have the best freestyle scores. Yo-yoers are allowed two and a

half minutes to freestyle, or do whatever tricks they want.

“There are three to five judges, and they have a negative and a positive clicker. For things that they think are good, they give you positive points. The same goes for negative,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien’s preferred yo-yo is a C3 Winningbird. He has also been seen with a 303 Baseline, a YoyoJam SFX and a One Drop 54.

Winning for O’Brien is not the easiest object to conquer, but he does not always need proper practice.

“Depending on the competition and how serious I am, I’ve been known to go up on stage and improv. That is what

I did when I won second in the state,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien shares his craft with others as well. One of O’Brien’s friends, Brennan Holder, is receiving yo-yo lessons from O’Brien.

“He is a really good teacher because he is good at visually instructing and explaining how to do tricks,” Holder said.

O’Brien believes in hard work. He does not recommend this hobby for everyone.

“I don’t really try to [recommend it], because if I have to try to get someone’s interest, they probably won’t go very far. You need a strong drive to get through the tedious, yet extremely important basics,” O’Brien said.

Yo-yo enthusiast takes home second place in state, gives lessons to others

There comes an age when all children must grow up and leave the confines of their homes

and the security of their families, some sooner than others.

Senior Tommie Johnson left his father’s house more than two years ago. Johnson’s father would get drunk and beat him.

“The only reason I stayed at my house is because I needed to be there for my brother and take care of him. I would rather be the punching bag and not my brother,” Tommie said.

He used to bounce between his parents until finally he was left with his dad. Tommie describes his mother, who currently lives in Mississippi, as “kind and wonderful,” a stark contrast to his father.

“My childhood, just say it’s a struggle moving from state to state swapping between parents. It’s hard to make friends, but after awhile you get older, you learn how to adapt to certain situations,” Tommie said.

His journey to independency began on a normal school day in September of 2011. This is when Tommie cut his ties with his father due to his life being put in danger the day before. These events occurred after Tommie went to live with the Brasel family.

“I was at the Brasel house for two years, and it was just my time to move out. They had problems of their own. I was literally on the street for two weeks,” Tommie said.

Mick WaltersWeb Editor

After his stint on the street, Tommie had nowhere to go. He found a way to keep some normality. He arranged with a close friend to keep his clothes in the friend’s car, and if the friend would drive him to school he would go. Eventually Tommie found his way around to asking one more person for help. That person is a friend and colleague of his, senior Jake Higgs.

“His family was another family to let me in, and I just explained my life because if I’m a part of this family they should know me,” Tommie said.

Tommie is not the only one benefitting from his arrival. The family has opened up their house and has received a friend.

“I enjoy him being at the house because it’s like having a brother my own age that I can hang out with,” Higgs said.

Independency is a goal of Tommie’s, and it starts with a job. Senior Curtis Casteven, a friend of Tommie’s, was able to get Tommie a job as a dishwasher. His goal after graduation is to become fully independent.

“[I hope to go into] the military for five years and have my brother move in with me. That is what I would like, but things never go how you want, so you just have to be prepared,” Tommie said.

School is still a priority for Tommie. Even without parents to force him to go, he goes. Most students would jump at the chance to not have to go to school, but Tommie keeps attending.

“As his counselor, I applaud him for attending

school without parental guidance … I believe he can make it to graduation and I pray that he does,” counselor Tracy McCall.

Even with his strong determination, Tommie still faces family hardships. Tommie has not seen his mom in eight years and his brother in two years. Temarcus Johnson and Tommie talk over Xbox Live every now and again. Tommie knows Temarcus is going through a struggle because he lives with his dad. Sadly, Tommie cannot save his brother yet, but he continues to fight.

“This is what I have to say, my side of the story. The struggle is real, and my motto is to ‘Just smile and move forward,’” Tommie said.

Senior takes life into his own hands, files for emancipation

Joey-O’. Sophomore Joey O’ brien shows off a few of his favorite tricks. O’Brien picked up his first yo-yo one day when he was bored, and it has been his hobby ever since. Photo by Avery Walker.

1604 Hughes Road256-325-6378

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Robin’s NestMonogramming

For all your monogramming needs!

March 11, 2013 The Crimson Crier Lifestyles 7

Doctors, lawyers, nurses– every student has thought about what his or her life is

going to be like after high school.Alumnus Luke Fitzgibbon, who

graduated in 2007, did not go down any of

Rebecca ArnoldCo-Editor

It is entertaining to imagine what future

anthropologists might think of us when they unearth our artifacts in 50 or 100 years.

People today spend hours searching for and puzzling over the artifacts of the past. There are TV shows, stores and communities dedicated to the art of antique collecting.

History teacher Dr. Chris Paysinger has been collecting antiques since his college years.

“I was crazy poor. But I took my tax refund every year and bought one good item. I bought mostly furniture that was fairly affordable,” Paysinger said.

Over the years, Paysinger has gone through phases of collecting different antiques. He has collected valuables from the Civil War era, World War I bayonets and furniture, just to scratch the surface.

“I am really into old photos right now … I especially like 1840s- 1860s photos of really, really ugly people. I have one photo of a guy with the most disgusting beard ever. And one of a guy whose hands are so big they look like lobster claws,” Paysinger said.

Paysinger is always on the lookout for new, unique antiques. While he does not have one specific place he likes to shop, he

Sarah JarnaginReporter

enjoys junk shops and auctions.

“Junk stores are awesome. I don’t want items to be pristine. I want chipped gilt and dark, smooth patina,” Paysinger said.

While no one else in Paysinger’s family collects anything, he receives old family items from his grandmother, and his daughter has started watching antiquing TV shows and is obsessed with old things. He and his family treasure items handed down from his grandmother.

“My grandmother is really great about passing on family items now and the story that goes with them. She gave me a first edition, 1905 copy of ‘The Klansmen’ a few years ago that had been a relative’s who had been a teacher. It is the book that defined the Old South and resurrected the KKK. Tucked inside was a photo to her from a student of hers who went off to World War I. It was taken in France and he inscribed it, ‘To my dear teacher, Miss Paysinger.’ It is framed and hanging in my living room,” Paysinger said.

Even Paysinger’s house reflects his love of antiquing. A few years ago, Paysinger and his wife bought a house in downtown Athens that was built in 1825.

“We have redone everything in it just about. The last few years

we have been buying Federal era items that would match the house. I bought a killer 1830s gilt and faux tortoise mirror a few weeks ago … for cheap. The 8-year-old across the street says our house is like a museum. Old stuff is everywhere. Who wants stuff from Pottery Barn on your walls when you can have cool old stuff that is really cheaper?” Paysinger said.

History teacher Jodi Blanchette has recently started getting into the world of antique collecting. She focuses on finding items that have personal meaning to her or her family.

“I like to collect things that are old. I appreciate things that have a history behind them and objects that can tell a story. I will collect something from history or something meaningful from my past or meaningful to my family on a personal level,” Blanchette said.

Blanchette chooses to search antique stores, estate sales and small businesses when she goes antiquing.

“It takes skill to be able to go into a place that’s not an antique store and find something that they don’t know they have. It’s also best to look around when you travel. When I lived overseas, I would

those roads. Now, he is a trainer at SeaWorld in San Antonio.

“I was a competitive swimmer and diver. I have always had a love for animals and a love of the water,” Fitzgibbon said.

In 2009, Fitzgibbon had the opportunity to get an internship to SeaWorld in order to be a camp counselor. While there, he saw the Shamu show that

changed the way he thought about his career.

“After watching the relationship between the killer whales and the

trainers, I knew that was what I

wanted to do. To inspire people the way I had been

while caring for some of the most impressive animals on the planet,”

Fitzgibbon said.While only a high school degree is

required for Fitzgibbon’s job, he says a college degree in marine biology, zoology,

biology or physiology is preferred. Along with that requirement, Fitzgibbon had to go through six months of animal training, get his scuba certification and pass the swim test in order to get the job.

Usually, Fitzgibbon spends his mornings preparing the numerous types of fish that are necessary to feed

all of the animals. After breakfast, however, Fitzgibbon has no set schedule on what to do and when to do it.“There is rarely a ‘normal’ day at my job.

Our daily schedules are very dependent on the animals and how they are acting,” Fitzgibbon

said.Fitzgibbon was inspired to get a job by the

killer whales, and he has been working with them for the majority of his time at SeaWorld. However, he changed stadiums recently and now works with different animals, including beluga whales and white-sided Pacific dolphins.

During his time in high school, Fitzgibbon was enrolled in science teacher Leslie Machen’s marine biology class, which allowed Fitzgibbon to get a closer look at aquatic life. When Machen found out Fitzgibbon had earned a job at SeaWorld, she was “thrilled.”

“The competition for jobs at SeaWorld is extremely tough, and for Luke to get one speaks very highly of him. To have the opportunity to work with such amazing animals, Luke could possibly have the best job in the world, outside of teaching of course,” Machen said.

By having Fitzgibbon in her marine biology class and teaching him in middle school, Machen got the chance to see Fitzgibbon in two different environments and got to know him better.

“Luke was a great student. He is among my all-time favorite students. He was friendly, outgoing, had a lot of school spirit, was easygoing, always smiling and was just a nice person. He was the same way in middle school. Naturally, he was the type of student you wanted your whole class to be like,” Machen said.

Fitzgibbon returned to Machen’s class to pay back the favor of teaching. He talked to the biology students about how his summer camp experience led to his training, how to keep the whales entertained and how they actually train the whales.

“He answered questions from the class. Those questions ranged from how long are the whales pregnant, who names the whales, how do you tell them apart and what’s the difference between whales and dolphins. He also answered questions about the death of the trainer and what has happened to the whale since then. Luke had everyone’s undivided attention.,” Machen said.

Fitzgibbon’s job combines two of his passions, water and animals, to make a career that Fitzgibbon loves.

“I love my job. It’s very challenging and physically demanding. Even on the worst of days there is an awesome animal just a few feet from you. It’s hard to have a bad day at work working with them,” Fitzgibbon said.

Photo courtesy Renderosity.com. Edited by Heather Webster.

look around for things,” Blanchette said.

In addition to old books, such as a book of Mother Goose nursery rhymes, and family heirlooms passed down from her parents, Blanchette owns a particularly unique antique: a plate from Germany before the Berlin wall fell that she found at an estate sale.

“In estate sales, kids are selling their parents and grandparents’ things because they don’t have room and things like that and they don’t know what they’re getting rid of. When you’re collecting plates, on the back, look for the symbol of where it was made. The logo

or crest tells what time period it’s from. You have to have that to prove the authenticity,” Blanchette said.

Blanchette hopes to expand her antique collection in the future. Paysinger has no plans to stop anytime soon either.

“I love the hunt. But a piece must really mean something to you. I know it the moment I see it. And somehow it usually is the most expensive item in a shop to which I am drawn. If this teaching thing doesn’t work out, I think I might just do this antique stuff for a living,” Paysinger said.

History teachers’ love for old extends beyond classroom

Alumnus nets whale of a job at Sea World

Average salary for Sea World trainers:

$18-$21 per hour +$26 for every time they enter

the water.

Courtesy Seattlepi.com.

A beard throughout the ages. Dr. Chris Paysinger laughs at one of his favorite antique pictures, the “guy with the most disgusting beard ever.” Paysinger uses his antiques in the classroom so students get a feel for history by touching items. Photographs are Paysinger’s new hobby. Photo by Brandi Whyte.

March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier8 Sports

Kenneth HarrisSports EditorSTATE TOURNAMENT

Top 10 Quotes on theFor the first time since 1997, the boys’ varsity basketball team played their way into the state championship game in Birmingham. The team had to play a former coach, their arch-rival Hazel Green four times, and the number one team in the state, Carver-Montgomery to make it to the final game. Although they fell short in the final game against Mountain Brook, the team gave the school and the community a new and energized look at basketball.

1. 2.

Team falls short in final game

Lamonte Turner

“It was nice and overwhelming.I had a nice time and it was a learning experience for the futureplayers.

”

Rakiya Battle

“

3. Justin GarrettDevin Hankins 4.

5. 6.

7.

Coach CogginsJim Wall

Will Crowell 8.

9. 10.

The

Roa

d to

the

Fina

ls

Area TournamentHazel Green

Sub-regionalsJames Clemens

RegionalsHillcrest

Regional ChampionshipHazel Green

Final 4 GameCarver

Jason Russell

Marcus JeterErik Daneri

Photos by Jarvon Pope

Championship GameMt. Brook

67-53

48-41

64-59

67-61 79-68

53-74

“We didn’t have my leadership on the court. With me being the floor general and playing the outcome would have been different.

”

“It was fun playing on the big stage. It was something I hadn’t done before.

”

“It was a once in a lifetime experience. I’m still shocked. The emotion set in the next day and it hurt to lose your last game, the championship game

”

“It was good to bond with the team. It brought us together when we needed it most.

”

“It was fun and a great atmosphere and I enjoyed being with my teammates.

”

“I was nervous when we were about to play both games and excited when we beat Carver. I was upset and angry when we lost the championship.

”

“It was an experience I will never forget and it will be one of my best memories.

”

“It was a life altering experience for our players to play in the Final Four and they will look back and be happy with that because not every player and coach makesit that far.

”

“It was a great opportunity to play in front of so many fans. I had not done that before. We made memories as a team that I will never forget.

”

All bets were off. With overtime against

number one ranked C a r v e r - M o n t g o m e r y drawing to a close, senior point guard Rakiya Battle drove down the court to attempt a lay up. He missed the shot and fell out of bounds, slow to get up.

Despite the loss of Battle, who suffered a broken leg, the team was able to knock off Carver and was set to play Mountain Brook in the championship game.

The team had a hard-fought road to get to the championship. Coach Jamie Coggins took over leadership of the team for the first time and had great expectations from the very beginning.

“Our goal was to always play for a state championship,” Coggins said.

The players lived up to expectations and reached the area tournament. After an easy win against Bob Jones, the team took a victory against the James Clemens Jets to advance through the tournament. They were Wallace-bound.

After an eventful tournament, including taking Hazel Green into double overtime after being down by 10 at the half, the team came away victorious. They were in the final four. The team pulled off the unthinkable, beating Carver-Montgomery and their superstar forward Jeremy Johnson by 11 points in overtime. The final score was 79-68.

”There were lots of people in the stands, and we were going against the number one team in the state, we started strong and that’s what made us win the game at the end, even though I got hurt, I’m still proud of my team for the win,” Battle said.

Sophomore Lamonte Turner scored a team high 27 points against the number one team.

“I didn’t want my team to lose. I knew if I got in rhythm then they would. My teammates fed me the ball and that was part of it,” Turner said.

With their point guard out, the team advanced to the championship game.

“As the floor general, I feel it could have been a different outcome if I had played,” Battle said.

In a game riddled with fouls, the team struggled to keep up with their Birmingham-based opponents. The team got into foul trouble early, causing Coggins to go deep into his bench.

“The guys were inexperienced but they played hard,” Coggins said.

The team lost the championship game, 74-53. Turner and senior Will Crowell were named All-Tournment.

“It was a great year. We made a good run. We just fell a little short. The team has nothing to hang their head about,” Coggins said.

March 11, 2013 The Crimson Crier Entertainment 9

Tube socks. Old hats. Rugs. Macklemore. All of these things a person expects to find at the stereotypical flea market lurking in his or her mind.

In the real world, however, flea markets are treasure troves. You may have to do some digging past the Elvis Presley collectible plates, but there will be some gems, maybe even a Princess Di plate. North Alabama does not exactly seem like a hotbed for antiques and delightful bibelots.

Sierra FridelleOpinion Editor

Hard Times Thrift ShopThis thrift shop is also located on Highway 72, but

in a ghost town. In fact, the advertisements for the Hard Times Thrift Shop are on old board staked into the ground along the sides of the highway. The store itself is something out of a spaghetti Western. Parts of the building are constructed with old glass bottles instead of bricks. Some of the roof is even lined with old plates. It truly feels like stepping into the past, as its method of heating is old potbellied stoves stoked with actual wood. This store, like the Limestone Flea Market, is comprised of many different vendors. The majority of vendors have old Johnny Cash records and Coke bottles for sale, but they also have hidden houseware gems like multicolored sparkling glass bottles. The Thrift Shop also has a grand library of everything from dictionaries to old Sears catalogs. There is even a stack of hidden Playboys secreted away next to one of the doors.

Limestone Flea MarketHoused in what looks to be a warehouse off of

Highway 72, the Limestone Flea Market appears to be the typical flea market, full of people hawking things they bought at the $1 section at Walmart. When you wind your way towards the back of warehouse, it is like stepping through the wardrobe. There are vintage records featuring Aerosmith to Zebrahead and everyone in between. If a person’s parents were not packrats, there is also a record player for sale. If antiques are the thing, Limestone also has a section of gently used, beautiful furniture. The most impressive portion of the Limestone Flea Market is the gaming section. Tucked away in a corner is a shop owned by a tall, geeky man who probably still lives with his mother. On display in glass cases in his store are hundreds, if not thousands, of games. Ranging from the Genesis to the Nintendo 64 to the current Xbox 360, the games he owns and sells span generations. In fact, the seller goes so far as to guarantee that if he does not currently own a game, he can get his hands on it within 24 hours.

New season, new music, artists to listen to this spring

Winter has finally drizzled away and spring is next to start. As the weather changes, so

does a person’s taste in music. Teens listen to songs that get them pumped up for summertime, rolling down the window and cranking the music up as loud as it can possibly go.

But what happens when we get sick of the same old music, especially those Taylor Swift love songs? With a new season, it might just be time to have a fresh start in music. Listen to someone different or try a genre that is outside your comfort zone.

“Home” by Phillip Phillips is a popular down-to-earth song that actually has meaning and is easily relatable. It has an upbeat acoustic guitar chording that brings to mind folk rockers such as Mumford and Sons. “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men sounds as if it would be a creepy song because of the band name, but in fact it is about the past and losing someone. It may sound depressing and sad, but it is actually a great song. There is no comparison to just how unique the song is.

“If I Didn’t Have You” by Thompson Square can be described as a wonderful and emotional country song describing how hard life can get and that one person who has always been there. If you do not like country, try going through some popular country songs. They all have a meaning, one way or another, and “If I Didn’t Have You” is one of them.

Kaitlin GillespieReporter

“Slats Slats Slats” by SkrillexFor all of the haters out there who say Skrillex is

ridiculously dumb should actually try and listen to a song or two. Skrillex is the band to listen to when a person wants to get pumped up. They really have the energy built into their songs. A good song by them would be “Slats Slats Slats” which is upbeat and does not have a purpose.

“Forever Now” by Ne-Yo is a sappy love song that girls will love. Taking a step out from the usual Justin Bieber hits, Ne-Yo has also been known for his love songs. “Forever Now” is a song someone would play around Valentine’s Day or right after a breakup.

Out of the 7 billion people in this world, not every individual is going to love the same artists or songs. That does not mean a person should still not try and listen to something different. Since spring is mostly about joyful and energetic songs, it would not hurt to

1593 Hughes Rd, Suite F.

Madison, AL

256-325-9642

www.studio180fitness.com

-University pickers3024C University Drive Huntsville, AL 35806

t

Student explores local flea markets, finds unique items

-Dreambox1021 Nick Davis Rd Madison, AL 35757

-Hartlex Antique Mall 181 Hughes Rd Madison, AL 35758

Other Local

Flea Markets

go from heavy metal and rap to country and pop.

to try:

Moremarvolousmelodies

The Lumineers

Bruno Mars

Mumford and Sons

Imagine Dragons

Local NativesFoster the People

Matchbox Twenty Alabama Shakes

Blue October

iGot ht e

?ch

-Madison Flea Market8600 W. Highway 72

-Builders Square Flea Market2601 North Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL

Photos by Brandi Whyte.

March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier10 In-depth

DYINGTO BE

TH N

An eating disorder strikes as an atomic

bomb does. Families, friends, coworkers all seem to fall beneath the burden: the impact zone. But, unknown to many is another group that feels the weight on them: an unintentional and unlikely group of victims who have never even considered claiming the diseases for themselves.

Perpetually thin junior Rachel Cunningham has faced rumors for all her life, being regularly questioned about her method of maintenance and often being accused of having a disorder herself, though she has never even considered needing to lose weight.

“[Someone tells me] at least once a week, if not more often. Normally I’m just like, ‘Are you kidding me? Do you see how much I eat?’ People just assume that I don’t eat. I eat obscene amounts of food, and people still think that I’m bulimic or something. It’s kind of frustrating because I’m not,” Cunningham said.

On the contrary, in fact, for the trait is one she claims she inherited from generations past, ingrained in her genes as simply as hair or eye color. There is a marked difference between her and the rest of her family, however, about which

she has developed theory after theory about for almost all her life.

“I’m thin, I guess. I’m ‘long and lean’ as my mother puts it. I’m the smallest out of my family. We’re fairly thin, but I’m the skinniest. I was born early, so i t ’ s

l i k e I never caught up to everyone else. In the womb. I wasn’t even born that much earlier, but I’ve always been the littlest in my family, and it runs in my family, and I take after my grandmother’s side of the family,” Cunningham said.

Despite the opinions of others, she has not allowed her experiences to color her view of others or the way they live their lives, offering them the

courtesy that she does not feel she was always given.

“I was little and I ate a lot of food. I don’t know why people would just assume that because they

see me eat, and they know it’s not a small person thing. You can’t just assume that about people. So I don’t look at people and think, ‘Yeah, she’s probably an anorexic,’” Cunningham said.

And though constantly fighting such biases, Cunningham refused to allow it to affect her own mind set of self-confidence or push her

to become what she had so long defended herself from.

“I’m aware that I have imperfections, but I’m still really confident in myself. And I feel like everyone should feel like

that. Nobody’s perfect. We’re all going to

have things we don’t

l i k e a b o u t

ourse lves , and you should

kind of celebrate diversity. Be glad that

you’re unique to yourself and stop trying to be like somebody else, because you’re made like you and you’re made to be you. Be glad. If you are a little overweight, who cares? Live it up,” Cunningham said.

Meanwhile, fellow junior Carla Grayson has faced a similar trial, her willowy frame being questioned since middle school, though she quotes

athletics as the method for keeping her weight down.

“I’ve always been skinny. Some people know that I eat a lot, but some people don’t. So, the people who know I eat a lot know I’m not anorexic, but people who don’t know me might think, ‘Oh she’s really skinny, and she’s been skinny for a really long time, so she’s anorexic.’ I play volleyball, and then I think it’s genetics. Some people are just naturally skinny. [My family is] kind of in between,” Grayson said.

The questions have had their scars on her, however, prompting a negative self-image that she strove hard to overcome, finally coming to terms with herself in high school, despite rising social pressures from her fellow students.

“I used to get asked a lot. It doesn’t bother me because I’ve gotten over it. I mean, I used to have insecurity problems about ‘Oh, I’m too skinny,’ but then I grew up and it doesn’t matter what you look like as long as you treat people right. After I got into high school and boys started wanting more of a figure, I wanted to get over that. I’m not looking to please other people. I’m only looking to please myself and keep myself healthy,” Grayson said.

Eating disorders affect more than the starving

...it doesn’t matter what you look like as long as you treat people

right.-Carla Grayson

Defining Disorders

Bulimia: eating massive

amounts of food and then

“purging” immediately

afterAnorexia: not

eating or severely restricting caloric

intake

Orthorexia: obsession with eating “pure”

food

Riley WallaceSpread Editor

March 11, 2013 The Crimson Crier In-depth 11

How much does your weight matter to you?

Starting in the fourth

grade, senior Anna Huddleston began to look at herself with distaste, unable to look in the mirror and see beauty. In ninth grade, this negative mentality escalated to the point that she began purging while her parents were away.

“I have bulimia,” Huddleston admitted.

She kept this a secret throughout her freshman year, hiding her problem from everyone who loved her. Her close friends started to pull away as the mood swings started and she lashed out at them.

She was not her former self, and they started to notice.

“I started getting really, really upset and just angry all the time,” Huddleston said.

She purged to rid of the guilt, and it worked. But a few minutes later, a different guilt came over her. She knew she was hurting herself, but she could not stop.

“[I felt] really scared and mad and angry and disappointed in myself. It wasn’t a good feeling,” Huddleston said.

As tenth grade was starting, her mother and youth leader confronted her. “Everyone’s worried about you. What’s going on?” they said. They helped her to get her life

back on track.“It made me feel

a lot better. I got my perspective back where it was supposed to be, and I was better. Well, it took some time, but I was better after that,” Huddleston said.

Watching a friend or loved one go through an eating disorder is hard, but, even if it does not seem like it, there are ways to help. When a bulimic tells a friend about his or her problem, he or she trusts the friend not to tell anyone about it. But to help someone recover from bulimia, intervention and serious therapy are essential to overcoming this issue.

“When we care about someone with an eating disorder, our natural

tendency is to see the

eating

disorder as a problem and to try to help the person get rid of that problem. But you need to remember that an eating disorder is not only a problem in itself, but also an attempted solution to a different problem,” health teacher John Turnbough said.

Last year, Huddleston suffered a relapse, and her mother took her to therapy for a couple of weeks. She has not returned to her old habits since.

“Change is slow and full of relapses and setbacks. This can be frustrating, and both the person with the eating disorder and her family and friends can feel impatient. Once they go through that, that’s a day to day thing,” Turnbough said.

Imagine starving but never eating. You are scared, scared everyone will make fun of you. That everyone will call you fat, call you a loser and tell you to lose weight. Do they not realize that is what you have been trying to do? Will anyone ever understand?

Ten to 15 percent of all Americans suffer from an eating disorder. Anorexia and bulimia are the most common types of eating disorders. Ninety-five percent of people with eating disorders are between ages 11 and 20, the most common ages for bullying, puberty and emotional and physical changes.

“Society, through TV, magazines, advertising, etc., is focused on appearance. This causes people to place body image as central to one’s feelings or self-worth, overshadowing any other accomplishment or achievement. People are constantly trying to achieve that ‘perfect 10’ physical standard that is portrayed by the media,” counselor Lorri Haynes said.

It is common for most who have eating disorders to be in denial, and often the family members or friends are in denial, too.“It is hard to watch anyone you love suffer and hurt themselves. Oftentimes there is a sense of helplessness and blame,” Haynes

said.Despite what people may assume, there are more side effects to anorexia and bulimia than just losing weight and looking “perfect”

for society. Side effects of any eating disorder include: acne, tooth decay or loss, osteoporosis (a bone disease that increases risk bones breaking or fracturing more easily), kidney failure, suicide, amenorrhea (loss of menstrual period in females), dehydration and death. Not only does an eating disorder affect a person physically, but it also affects a person mentally.

“They may cause people to feel tired and depressed. They can decrease mental functioning and concentration and lead to malnutrition with risk to bone health, physical growth and brain development,” Haynes said.

Eating disorders are usually particularly easy to spot on a friend of family member. Dramatic weight loss in a short period of time, wearing baggy clothes to hide body shape, obsession with calories and fat content of foods, obsession with exercise, frequent trips to the bathroom following meals and use of or hiding diet pills are just a few common symptoms someone might have.

If a student knows or suspects a friend of family member of having an eating disorder, speak up and have a voice. There is no telling how many lives need to be saved.

“We almost lost a student to this disorder. It should not be taken lightly and is a lifelong struggle. Her fight with the disorder began by her peers teasing her about being overweight. I want to encourage people to be kind to each other. Words can do more damage than we will ever know,” Haynes said.

Counselor shares crucial steps for coping with disorders

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Senior’s bulimia introduces new lesson to fellow students

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tleHeather WebsterLifestyles Editor

Taylor HolderReporter

March 11, 2013The Crimson Crier12 Entertainment

With the opening of Tea with Thee by Victoria, the art of tea is not just for the British anymore.

Sophomore Kara Kennedy and her family opened up the tearoom, located on Hughes Road in Madison, in February. It has always been a dream for her grandmother, Victoria Barlowe.

“I decided to open a tearoom because I love tea. I lived in New York when I was a child. During that time we started having tea every day. It has been a morning ritual all my life as well as other times through the day,” Barlowe said.

The opening of the business has been bittersweet. Barlowe’s

husband, who passed away last year, always indulged her passion about tearooms and the family opened the business in part of his honor.

“The whole tearoom has to do with him because we were planning on opening and getting this accomplished for him because that is what he wanted for my grandmother,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy has helped her grandmother from the start, passing out tea and answering questions people had at the Madison YMCA community event. Kennedy will continue to help by working as a hostess on the weekends and during the summer.

“I know helping my grandmother means a lot

to her. She has worked so hard, and the least I could do was help paint and set up for the opening day,” Kennedy said.

Through the struggles and sweat, every member of the family pulled through to help Barlowe, not just Kennedy but her mother and aunts also. They sacrificed time and plans to help with various tasks such as brainstorming, advertising and shopping for essential items.

“I quit my job at Verizon Wireless to help. It does take a lot of time but is well worth it,” Kennedy’s aunt Tara Newlin said. “It was my parents’ dream to open up a tearoom, and I see a little bit of my father in everything. He would be so proud and excited.”

Tea with Thee will not only be a tearoom but a boutique as well. The business serves various teas including sweet, mango black and strawberry kiwi green tea. Foods will include scones, sandwiches, wraps, paninis and desserts. The boutique portion will sell teapots and cups, china and crystal.

“I think that our

customers will think Tea with Thee is a nice place to sit and relax. The tearoom looks very mature because of the environment and is for all ages,” Kennedy said.

The daily hours for the tearoom is from Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Being one of the few tearooms in Alabama, they hope to be successful and

Family follows dream, opens a new tearoom and boutique

Kaitlin GillespieReporter

share with everyone their love of tea and provide a quiet place for locals to enjoy a conversation and a meal.

“To me a tearoom is not just a place to have lunch or tea but an oasis in the midst of a busy world. A place that makes me feel so pampered and relaxed that when I leave I am already planning a return visit,” Barlowe said.

One sugar or two? Local tearoom and boutique is the product of family’s labor and dream. The tearoom is located on Hughes Road in Madison in the Hartlex Antique Mall shopping center. Photo by Kaitlin Gillespie.

When Thomas Edison invented the first commercially-available light bulb in 1879, voracious readers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief.

No longer would bibliophiles have to read by candlelight, straining their poor eyes in order to finish a captivating tome in the late hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning. Although it is no longer necessary for today’s readers to rely on candlelight, books and candles still make a perfect pair. After all, there is nothing quite like curling up with a new novel, the distinctive smell of the book’s pages mingling with the soothing aroma of a candle, the flame’s soft glow creating a peaceful ambiance in which to read. Such an experience can only be bettered by one thing: a custom-made literary candle decoupaged with book pages.

Materials: A candle, Mod Podge or similar adhesive, a paintbrush, a lighter and a book, preferably one that is either disliked or a duplicate.

Tear pages from the book, making sure to have enough to cover the candle. In a safe area, such as over a sink, carefully use the lighter to burn the uppermost edges of the pages in order to give them an aged, vintage feel.

Using the paintbrush, apply Mod Podge to the entirety of the candle. Secure each page onto the candle one at a time.

Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the pages in order to secure them more firmly and protect them from sparks. Add additional coats if needed. Once dry, your candle is ready to be lit and enjoyed with a great book.

Craft Corner Brandi Whyte

Copy Editor

Step One

Step Three

Step Two

Rico and Ja’mari. Rico meet Ja’mari on Facebook and had a relationship with him. Ja’Mari claimed that he was a model and traveled a lot because of it. Rico had to make a decision on whether to stay in the U.S. or go to England where his mom is sick. Nev goes and investigates and finds out that Ja’Mari has not been honest with Rico. Rico decides to stay in the U.S. to continue his relationship with Ja’Mari, but after he tells him all his details about whom he really is.

The show has become a popular hit, with tons of people glued to their television sets on Monday nights to see who is the next victim of a catfish hoax.

These events are

similar to the Manti Te’o catfish hoax, when the Notre Dame linebacker was part of a prank that involved his girlfriend who everyone thought was real and turned out to be a fake person.

To me, the show is very entertaining, but also creepy at the same time. It is interesting how people take so much time out of their lives to act like a different person just to pursue a relationship.

With season one ending, fans of the new show will be waiting patiently for season two, which is supposed to have even more drama than season one.

So, if you are bored on a Monday night or you think you are being fooled, turn in.

Students find gains through Lent

Kenneth HarrisSports Editor

Lent is a Christian festival that is in

preparation for Easter, the day of Jesus’s resurrection. Roman Catholics heavily stress the importance of the festival as a time for penance and reflection.

Sophomore Mary Kopp has celebrated Lent for as long as she can remember with her devoutly Catholic family. She sees the 40 days as a time to give up something for Jesus since she believes He sacrificed Himself for humanity.

“If I didn’t have to, I still would. I want to grow closer to Him, and I think this is one of the best ways to do it. He’s done so much for me. This is the least I could do,” Kopp said.

Kopp plans to give up Instagram, TV, Youtube and Twizzlers. The practice of sacrificing something can be agonizing, Kopp says. She describes it as craving a food that you cannot have. But in the scheme of things, Kopp appreciates this time of the year to give up a few comforts.

“By giving up certain things, I feel like I’m

growing closer to Him. As for my life in general,” Kopp said, “It makes me realize how insignificant those things are.”

Senior Rosie Martinez is giving up Mexican food and cursing and is going to read the Bible more for Lent. She has a great sense of accomplishment after Lent and feels spiritually and mentally invigorated. To Martinez, Lent shows the faith and respect she has for Jesus and her Catholic religion.

“It is important for me to do this because Jesus did while he was in the desert, and he was tempted by the devil but did not give in. So by me following through with this,” Martinez said, “it not only lets me know that I’m strong enough to overcome the devil’s temptation, but I also have enough love for my religion to persevere through it.”

Martinez’s first experience with Lent, a couple years ago, was a powerful one. It is such a miraculous story that she thinks people would not believe her if she told them what happened. It all started with her uncle. Doctors said that he only had six months to live because of his aggressive

cancer. He was dying and Martinez was desperate for that to change.

“I asked God to please relieve my uncle from his cancer, which had spread throughout his whole body at that point, if I followed through with my promise of giving up any kind of meat for lent and sweets and junk food,” Martinez said.

What happened next, Martinez calls a miracle. She remembers how much stronger her faith became after she received some good news.

“A couple months after Lent was over and I had followed through with my promises, we got a call saying that most of the cancer had gone away. There was still some but they were able to remove that through a surgery,” Martinez said.

When all was said and done, Martinez learned someone can overcome anything if he or she puts his or her mind to it. Even though Kopp is not sure whether or not she will go back to her old habits, she shares what she has learned through celebrating Lent.

“Jesus is really all you need. It’s all worth it in the end,” Kopp said.

Beryl KessioReporter

Dangerous hoax now MTV reality show

Photos by Brandi Whyte.

We all do it. Add pictures of us

on Facebook, add people who go to our school or that we meet on the weekend at functions. We start talking to them. This is catfishing.

Catfish, not the fish that we Americans love to catch and eat, is when a person pretends to be someone else and begins talking to other people as that identity.

MTV’s new show ”Catfish” has become a big hit. Director Nev Schluman, who was catfished himself back in 2009, decided to make a TV show helping people who are having problems similar to what he had.

In season one we meet