Winter 2014
Aggie Advocate
Volume I Issue 2
photo courtesy of Mary Smith
AHS Homecoming Attendants Features 2014 Homecoming Attendants Q & A with Mayor Tracy Honea Alumni Wall of Fame Aggie Basketball Aggie Band
Albertville High School 402 East McCord Avenue Albertville, AL 35950
Contents
December 2014~Volume I, Issue 2
AHS Homecoming Attendants 9 Homecoming is a time-honored tradition at Albertville High School, so we bring you the 2014 AHS Homecoming Attendants.
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Dealing with Depression 21 If you or a loved one suffer from depression, you are not alone. Globally, more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression.
21 Sections
3 Accolades Abound 9 Homecoming Attendants 12 Aggie Week 13 Teacher Spotlight 15 Q & A With Mayor Honea 19 Alumni Wall of Fame 21 Dealing with Depression 23 Aggie Band 25 Aggie Basketball 1
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Staff Aggie Advocate [Print/Design] Jennifer Altamirano Carly Daniel Laura Garcia Lola Garcia Angel Godinez Briley Hardin Cody Hill Jessica Lee Sayra Martinez Taylor Mason Molly-Katherine Millwood Tania Nieto Adam Rains Adviser: Wendy Aycock
AggieVision [Web/AV] Ana Antonio Tanner Dickerson Noah Fowler Martha Gomez Noah Kirkland Alex Lands Dylan Langley Jenny Lara Heather Leeth Leo Mariano Ashlyn Masters Angie Ochoa Taylor Ogle Bobbie-Anne Oliver Johnna Reeves Allison Smith Wyatt Smith Ashleigh Stephens Esther Ulloa Baylon Wood Adviser: Jeanne Walker A special thank you to English teacher Annsonnetta Golden for proofing the Aggie Advocate. 2
Accolades Abound
Front Row: Jessica Lee, Molly-Katherine Millwood, Martha Gomez, Ana Antonio, Angie Ochoa, Laura Garcia, BobbieAnne Oliver, Noah Kirkland; Second Row: Briley Hardin, Allison Smith, Johnna Reeves, Leo Mariano, Jennifer Altamirano, Sayra Martinez ; Third Row: Angel Godinez, Carly Daniel, Taylor Mason, Jenny Lara, Tania Nieto, Lola Garcia; Fourth Row: Dylan Langley, Esther Ulloa, Ashlyn Masters, Ashleigh Stevens, Alex Lands; Back Row: Noah Fowler, Baylon Wood, Tanner Dickerson, Cody Hill, Adam Rains; Not Pictured: Heather Leech, Taylor Ogle, and Wyatt Smith
Congratulations to both the Aggie Advocate and AggieVision Staff for their hard work and dedication. Both teams have received accolades for the work put forth so far during the 2014-2015 school year. The AggieVision Staff is responsible for filming and photographing school and community related events, while the Aggie Advocate Staff is responsible for publishing the online magazine, Aggie Advocate. The AggieVision Staff received recognition for their work with Tyler May in filming and broadcasting the Aggie football games. This year, AggieVision added filming and broadcasting away football games to their line-up. Through demonstrating an excellence in broadcasting, AggieVision Staff was recognized as a
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Certified Producer for post-season football content by the NFHS Network. This means that the AggieVision Staff was chosen from among hundreds of schools nationwide that streamed football games during the 2014 football season. The Aggie Advocate Staff was recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education Child Nutrition Program for their work in the first edition of the Aggie Advocate. The articles titled “World School Milk Day 2014!” and “Second Chance Breakfast” were presented during the Child Nutrition Program’s annual conference as a way to show program directors a way to market their programs. ~Mrs. Aycock & Mrs. Walker
Longest Reserved Ticket Holder Albertville High School would like to recognize a long time Aggie fan Mr. Leon Carr. Mr. Carr has been a reserved season ticket holder longer than any Albertville citizen. Mr. Carr has bought tickets to each Aggie home football game for 58 consecutive years. In a ceremony on McCord Field at Aggie Stadium, Principal Paul McAbee presented Mr. Carr with two lifetime athletic passes, as well as two lifetime reserve season tickets. Albertville High School appreciates Mr. Carr's long support and wishes him many more years watching the Aggies. ~Angel Godinez
photos by Ana Antonio
Home Game Tickets 1956 to 1970- 7 tickets 1970 to 1990- 5 tickets 1990 to present- 3 tickets
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Marshall County Youth Leadership
photo by Wendy Aycock
photo by Tiger Do
Albertville High School students have the opportunity to represent their school in the Marshall County Youth Leadership (MCYL) program. This program is designed to prepare and build leadership resources within the county. It was created in the 1990s as a project for young people in Marshall County. Students will learn leadership skills from communicating with each other and participating in teamwork activities. Science teacher, Mrs. Deeya Holland, is the MCYL sponsor for Albertville High School. Mrs. Holland pointed out that one of the goals of this program will be for members to “receive an intense view of the civic and governmental leadership though contact with institutions that keep the county solvent and moving forward.” The five members to represent Albertville High School this year in the Marshall County Youth Leadership program are Tiger Do, Raquel Martinez, Madeline Mitchell, Sarah Waldrep, and Jessica Cortez. In addition to developing new leadership skills and enhancing skills that already exist, participants gain new knowledge about their county and acquire new relationships with peers and community leaders.
"It's an honor to be a part of this magnificent and talented organization that leads us to be more educated and develop our leadership skills.” Raquel Martinez
"Students will learn more about our county, gain additional leadership challenges, and make connections with business leaders, local and state government officials, and peers,” stated Mrs. Holland about the valuable experience students will gain through this organization. Monthly meetings are held at various locations. Each meeting has a specific theme (such as team building, communication, goal setting, ethics, and more). The meeting in November focused on community service projects, specifically Christmas Coalition. This community service project focuses on sponsoring children for Christmas. According to Mrs. Holland, there are certain expectations to meet to be considered for the Marshall County Youth Leadership program, "participants should be open to new ideas about learning, involved in extracurricular activities, sensitive to diversity, willing to make a commitment of both time and energy, a team player and an individual, a good student and someone who is recognized as a leader." Upcoming juniors interested in getting involved with this organization must submit an application packet and interview with a panel of members of Marshall County Leadership Challenge. If you would like more information, please see Mrs. Holland. ~Lola Garcia
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Learning Life Skills
photo by Esther Ulloa
photo by Deneen Leach
photo by Deneen Leach
“We want our students to learn how to live independently and have the skills required to find employment after AHS.” Paula Kaylor
photo by Esther Ulloa Students at Albertville High School are participating in a program to teach everyday life skills. The students participate in learning activities each week at the Alumni House on Alabama Avenue. According to special education teacher Paula Kaylor, the students go to the Alumni House to learn daily living skills. These skills may include activities such as cooking or cleaning. Students also have a chance to learn how to wash clothes and perform routine yard maintenance. According to Mrs. Kaylor, “ Learning these skills is necessary for our students to live independently and be employable once they exit high school.” The students enjoy cooking different dishes each, and, of course, enjoy eating them! They also participate in a craft while there.
photo by Esther Ulloa photo by Deneen Leach studying Native American culture and art. Mrs. Kaylor and Mr. Joey Powell felt that “having a speaker come with authentic artwork and artifacts would be a good way to finish the unit.” At the end of the presentation, the students were taught a traditional Native American dance and were allowed to handle many interesting Native American artifacts. Mrs. Kaylor believes “their favorite part was being able to try on the skins and furs of the different animals that he had brought with him.” ~Briley Hardin
In addition to the skills learned at the Alumni House, students were also treated at the high school with a visit from a Native American speaker. The students had been
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Advanced Placement Math
In each edition of the Aggie Advocate, we will focus on a different Advanced Placement (AP) course that is offered at Albertville High School. AHS students can choose from the following Advanced Placement courses: AP Language and Composition, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and AP Government. In this second edition of Aggies Advocate we will focus on Advanced Placement Calculus.
photos by Martha Gomez
exam are reached. The AP exam is scheduled the first week of May and it will be given at the Albertville High School campus during school hours. To earn college credit students are required to score a 3 on the exam or higher. The amount of college credit earned depends on the college students choose to attend, but students who reach the criteria will earn at least 1 credit.
The rigors of this course will not only prepare Mrs. Cheryl Roberson is one of the mathematics students for the AP exam, but it also meets teachers at Albertville High School. Mrs. expectations of a math class at a four year Roberson currently teaches AP Calculus, university. Mrs. Roberson spends at least Algebra II with Trig, online classes MTH forty minutes each day preparing each lesson. 100 and MTH 112, and is the sponsor for Students are “expected to look over the notes the Algebra II Math Team. Mrs. Roberson and examples covered in class each night.” In believes that “taking an AP course is a great addition to the notes and examples, students are way to prepare for college.” Mrs. Roberson is also given free response and practice exams to a graduate from the University of Montevallo complete outside of class. “All of the material is with a Bachelor’s degree in both Mathematics connected to the previous materials.” According and Biology. Mrs. Roberson also received a to Mrs. Roberson, “each exam given is made up Master’s degree in Education from Jacksonville of AP or the AP style question” to give students State University. a more reliable experience of what is expected on the AP exam. If you have any questions Students who take AP Calculus have the concerning AP Calculus, or the AP Calculus opportunity take the AP exam and obtain exam, please see Mrs. Roberson. college credit if certain requirements on the ~Laura Garcia
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Congratulations to Mrs. Amy Greer
photo by Wendy Aycock
Mrs. Amy Greer, a mathematics teacher at Albertville High School, was selected as one of the Alabama educators who will develop the Pre-AP and Pre-Calculus curriculum for the Alabama State Department of Education. Mrs. Greer currently teaches Algebra II with Trig, , Analytical Math, and Pre-Calculus. AHS Assistant Principal Deidra Tidwell recognizes the importance of this distinction for Mrs. Greer: “We are thrilled that Mrs. Greer was chosen to be a part of the A+ College Ready Team for Pre-AP Pre-Calculus. Mrs. Greer is an expert teacher and her experience teaching Pre-Calculus makes her an excellent choice to be on this team. Her leadership will benefit students at AHS and across the state of Alabama.” On the honor, Mrs. Greer states, “It makes me a little nervous…not because I think I can’t do it, but because I am one of the five people responsible for what every AP practice teacher in the state involved with A+ College Ready will be using to teach their class.” Mrs. Greer was ask to be a part of the five educator team by Kitty Morgan, as Mrs. Greer was e-mailing and asking about available resources because there were none for Pre-Calculus. Mrs. Greer was told that the curriculum was about to be developed and she was then asked if she wanted to help and be a part of the creation of the curriculum. “There is a committee of five people who will develop the curriculum. We already have the lessons. We have to correlate them with the course of study and put them in a logical teaching order,” according to Mrs. Greer on her role as one of the selected Alabama Educators. Mrs. Greer will attend many different meetings throughout the development of the Pre-AP and Pre-Calculus curriculum, along with the others members. The curriculum will be completed and ready to use for the 2015-2016 school year. ~Laura Garcia
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2014 Homecoming Attendants
photos courtesy of Mary Smith Front Row- Alyssa Angel, Lauren Wordlaw, Jenny Carbajal, Hannah Short Back Row- Amie Benjamin, Anna Clay Adams, Tessa Zweck, Lexie Blackstone, Alexis Gregg, Alondra Hernandez
Senior Homecoming Attendants
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Alyssa Angel
Hannah Short
Jenny Carbajal
Lauren Wordlaw
Junior Homecoming Attendants
Lexie Blackstone
Tessa Zweck
Sophomore Homecoming Attendants
Amie Benjamin
Anna Clay Adams
Freshman Homecoming Attendants
Alexis Gregg
Alondra Hernandez 10
2014 Homecoming Queen 2014 Homecoming Queen Alyssa Angel (Escorted by Jonathan Mason) Question: What was your reaction at winning Homecoming Queen?
Alyssa Angel: I was shocked and couldn’t believe it. Question: What is it like to be Homecoming Queen? Alyssa Angel: I still can’t believe it. It’s honoring and something that I’ll be able to remember for the rest of my life.
Question: What is your favorite thing about Homecoming Week?
Alyssa Angel: My favorite thing about Homecoming Week is always the parade. I loved getting to march in them, but his year I had the privilege of riding in the Homecoming Court car. photos by AggieVision Staff
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Aggie Week
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Teacher Spotlight:
Mattie Cofield
“I think everyone has a passion. It wasn’t until I was 18 years on a ski trip to Colorado that I discovered mine.”
photos courtesy of Mattie Cofield
Question: How long have you been snowboarding? Mrs. Cofield: Nine years. Question: When did you first become interested in snowboarding? Mrs. Cofield: My freshman year in college at The University of Alabama. I went on a school sponsored ski trip to Colorado and absolutely fell in love with, not only the sport of snowboarding, but with Colorado as well.
Question: Where is your favorite place to snowboard? Mrs. Cofield: Steamboat Springs Colorado for sure. Question: Is there any special type of training you do? Mrs. Cofield: There is no special training I do now. The very first time I went, however, I took a one hour private lesson to cover the basics of staying up on the snowboard and how to stop. Everything else I have learned has been from trial and error. I do think, though, to be able to snowboard successfully all day, one needs to be in good physical shape, as it is an extreme sport which requires a great deal of physical exertion.
Question: Why do you love snowboarding? Mrs. Cofield: Nothing in this world gets me quite as excited
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as being at the top of a beautiful mountain on a powder day snowboarding. Snowboarding down an advanced slope amidst beautiful scenery is as exhilarating as it gets to me! I will say though, that it is a bad habit to have living in Alabama with minimal snow and mountains. I am going skiing over Christmas break this year in Vermont, just 5 miles south of the Canadian border in a town called Jay Peak. I have never been there and really look forward to it! ~Molly-Katherine Millwood
Teacher Spotlight:
Ashby Frazier
“ Wakeboarding is truly a sport that can never be mastered. New tricks, styles, and techniques are constantly being created. .” Question: How long have you been wakeboarding? Ms. Frazier: I have been riding behind boat and winch for
photos courtesy of Ashby Frazier
14 years and started riding cable about 8 years ago.
Question: When did you become interested in wakeboarding?
Ms. Frazier: I grew up around the water and have skied and slalomed as long as I can remember, but I got interested in wakeboarding sometime around the late 90’s.
Question: Do you compete in wakeboard competitions? Ms. Frazier: Yes, usually several during the spring/ summer months although in the past couple of years I have gotten more involved in the business end. When it’s not the off season I work part time for Flip Side Watersports, a cable park in Birmingham, AL and for Wake Factory, a wakeboard event promotional company based out of Guntersville, AL.
Question: What do you do to prepare yourself for competition?
Ms. Frazier: First and foremost I try to keep my body as healthy as possible by keeping a clean diet. During the off season I do weight training and cardio combined with activities to work on balance and board control such as long boarding, snowboarding, and trampoline training. When it’s pre-season and competition season I try to ride two 1520 minutes sets a day at least 3-6 times a week. During the summer months I sometimes ride two sets in the morning and two sets in the afternoon. ~Molly-Katherine Millwood
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Q & A with Albertville Albertville Mayor Tracy Honea is an Albertville native. Mr. Honea has been involved in many civic organizations over the years, including serving on the Albertville City School Board, the Albertville City School Foundation Board, the Albertville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and as president of the United Way of Marshall County. Mr. Honea was gracious enough to go along with a little Q&A.
What do you hope to accomplish for the city of Albertville in the upcoming year? I hope for strong, continuous growth with our retail base. As our retail base grows, so does our city. We are also working on our downtown revitalization and continue to encourage all sectors in our community to get involved and help us to keep moving forward in helping Albertville grow.
city council members and committees as we work to move the city forward. I am responsible for the day-today operations of the city.
What do you like most about Albertville?
The people and the sense of community. We have the die-hard folks that have lived here their entire lives and love this city and still remain here with their families. Then we also have younger folks that are moving back to their hometown of Albertville and are working to do their part in making Albertville a great place to live, work, and play. It’s encouraging and refreshing to see the younger generation coming back. Our community and the people who are truly working to help Albertville grow are dedicated to this city and I’m honored to be a part of it.
What advice would you give young people that an interest in politics? Always follow your What do think are some of the most important have dreams, listen to your heart, and work hard because issues facing Albertville? ordinary people can accomplish great things. Retail Leakage is perhaps one of the largest issues our city faces. When people spend their money in Albertville and shop in Albertville, we are able to do more that benefits the entire city. We are working to get more shops, restaurants, business in Albertville so that folks are able to and want to shop locally in our city.
What does your schedule consists of on a daily basis?
It’s difficult to describe a day since most days look different. It’s fast and furious for sure but fun too. I rise early and head to the office at City Hall where my assistant and I go over my schedule for the day. My days are usually packed with meetings. Sometimes the meetings are about economic development with various community leaders; other times I’m meeting with department heads and helping them with issues they may be facing within their department; I also answer calls and meet with citizens and help resolve and address city operational issues they may have; I also meet with
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What are your hobbies/interests outside of your job?
I love music (Eric Clapton, Vince Gill, Larry Carlton, John Mayer to name a few), football, and spending time with my wonderful family and friends that I am blessed to have.
Mayor Tracy Honea When did you decide you wanted to become the mayor of Albertville?
I decided about year before I ran. I decided I wanted to run because I wanted to help make positive changes in my hometown and help it grow.
Is there anything else that you would like the good citizens to know about you, the mayor’s office or Albertville in general?
As a home grown Albertvillian, one of you, I want the absolute best for this city and its citizens. The Mayor’s office will continue to promote the city of Albertville and work to shine a positive light on it and make progress. Also, we are now working to vastly improve our online presence and will launch a new city website next spring so be on the lookout for that next year! We’re also now establishing a social media presence and launched our Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/albertvilleal) and will launch Twitter and Instagram pages in the coming weeks. Go “Like” our Facebook Page! We like being “social” and being able to connect and communicate directly with our citizens in this facet.
photos courtesy of Tracy Honea
What is one thing you wished more people knew about Albertville?
That our population and surrounding area can support a much larger retail base of stores at which our citizens can shop. We have the largest population in the county and are the heart of Sand Mountain. We are working diligently to expand our retail base in Albertville. ~Molly-Katherine Millwood
Seated: Albertville Mayor Tracy Honea Back Row: Albertville City Council Members Nathan Broadhurst, Charles Bailey, Carolyn Crump, Jill Oakley, Ben McGowan
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JROTC Impacting Lives
photos by Mason Wilson
The Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corp (JROTC) is a vital component at Albertville High School. Since its inception in 1916, the JROTC program in the United States has been preparing students to become productive citizens and to understand the value of the armed forces to the United States. JRTOC’s primary role was as a recruitment tool for the branches of the United States military; however, JROTC benefits young people in many more ways. Recruits in JROTC receive training in military customs and drill instruction, as well as emphasis on character development, leadership skills, and the importance of community service. Albertville High School is fortunate enough to have two JROTC instructors, Colonel Terry Thomas and Sergeant Major Joe Foshee. These instructors work with students from grades 9-12. Their cadets then provide programs for other Albertville schools as well as perform community service for Albertville High School and the community of Albertville.
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JROTC Veterans Day Program The AHS JROTC is responsible for the Veterans Day program each school year to honor those brave servicemen and women that serve in the branches of the United States military. The program includes presentation of the colors by the JROTC Color Guard, recognition of local servicemen and women that have or are currently serving in the military, and a presentation by one of the honorees. This year, Colonel Thomas arranged for a patriotic performance by Lieutenant Colonel (USAF-Ret) Dave Dunlap that featured the meaning behind Yankee Doodle Dandy. The students and guests enjoyed the performance that featured a combination of history, song, and dance. LTC (Ret) Dunlap even included a section in his performance where he encourages audience participation. LTC (RET) Dunlap provided a history of the United States using an educational and fun approach. In the end, a great time was had by all who attended the Veterans Day program and all left with a renewed send of patriotism and appreciation for our service men and women who have and are currently serving the United States military. ~Cody Hill photos by Martha Gomez
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AHS Distinguished The AHS Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame was created to recognize and honor outstanding graduates of Albertville High School who have excelled in their profession and/or made significant contributions in their community. Inductees from each year are featured on the AHS Wall of Fame located in the high school. Students have an opportunity to listen to one of each year’s inductees at a special program held in the Albertville Fine Arts Center and are hopefully inspired by these role models to pursue their own dreams as they
leave AHS. This yearly event also promotes pride in Albertville and Albertville City Schools. Nominations are received throughout the year and may be mailed to the Albertville City Schools Central Office. Eligibility requirements include that the recipient must have graduated or attended AHS at least ten years ago, has been recognized for a high level of achievement in his/her field, demonstrated leadership, character, and service to his/her community. Nominations for posthumous awards are also accepted.
Mr. Richard Butler graduated from Albertville High School in 1960. After graduation he attended Auburn University, where he graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and the University of Tennessee, where he earned a graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering. Mr. Butler married his high school sweetheart, Sarah Graeme Smothers, in 1965 and then spent his entire career with Sverdrup Technology in Tullahoma, Tennessee, eventually serving as company president from 1994-1999. Mr. Butler is a six-time United States Open Class Soaring Champion and has represented the USA in the World Gliding Competition as a team pilot on seven international soaring teams from 1976 thru 2014. Mr. Butler led an international team of aeronautical engineers in the design of what is presently the world’s highest performance sailplane, the Concordia. In 2007, Mr. Butler was inducted in both the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame and the USA Soaring Hall of Fame in New York.
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Mr. Henry Brown Cribbs, Jr., graduated from Albertville High School in 1960. Mr. Cribbs is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. Mr. Cribbs was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army and spent three years serving in Nuremburg, Germany, achieving the rank of Captain. In 1970, Henry returned to Albertville and became a partner in Cribbs Tire Service. Continuing a sport that he learned from his father, Mr. Cribbs excelled at skeet shooting. At the World Skeet Shooting Championship in Georgia, Mr. Cribbs tied for the World Champion in the 410 Gauge and became RunnerUp to the World Champion. Also in 1971, Cribbs reigned as a 12 Gauge Champion with a perfect score of 100 in the Magic City Open Skeet Shoot. In 1972, Mr. Cribbs won his first Alabama State Skeet Championship title in the 12 Gauge, Runner-up 410 gauge champion and High Over-All Runnerup. Mr. Cribbs was named to the Alabama State Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame in 2000 and All-Zone Senior Team in 2006. Henry has been married to Albertville native Gayle Plunkett Cribbs for 50 years. They have two children, Dianna Cribbs Adams and Brown Cribbs.
Alumni Wall of Fame Dr. Martha Hagood, a 1941 graduate of Albertville High School, was her class valedictorian. Dr. Hagood went on to graduate from Howard College (Samford University) in 1945 and then from the University of Alabama Medical School in 1949. In February 1953, Dr. Hagood was appointed a missionary by the Southern Baptist Mission Board. She served as an OBGYN specialist at Japan Baptist Hospital, Kyoto, Japan, from 1953-1966. From 1967-1995, she was a “genuine bush doctor” stationed at Eku, Nigeria. During the Biafran War in 1967, Dr. Hagood and eight other missionaries stayed at the 100-bed Eku Baptist Hospital to care for the wounded and to keep the hospital from being taken over by either army. Upon retirement, Dr. Hagood was a familiar figure in Alabama, speaking for the cause of Christ and on behalf of world missions. She resided in Columbia, Alabama, until her death on September 9, 2013. She was a much loved person by all who knew her because of her devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ and her fortythree years spent serving others on the mission field. Charles McPherson, Sr. (“Mac”), attended Albertville High School and graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in business, and then he attended the University of Alabama with a degree in chemistry. Mr. McPherson began his career with Shell Oil Company’s Marine Division in Houston, Texas, as a lubrication engineer. On April 1, 1971, Mr. McPherson formed McPherson Oil Products in Oneonta, Alabama. After 35 years of buying, building and expanding what is now The McPherson Companies, Inc., Mr. McPherson is serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, Mr. McPherson continues to emphasize the family oriented atmosphere at TMC, always stressing the importance of TMC’s environmental responsibilities. Mr. McPherson has also been a generous donor of scholarships to seniors graduating from his alma mater. In his spare time, Mr. McPherson enjoys fly fishing anytime, anywhere, with his old Lambda Chi fraternity brothers and his 1959 Albertville classmates. Willie “Bill” Wilks, upon graduation from Albertville High School in 1942, enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Mr. Wilks was transferred overseas to Norwich, England, where he became a Sargent in the 458th Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Force Division. On a mission in France, Mr. Wilks was injured and was awarded a Purple Heart for his service to his country. In 1952, Mr. Wilks opened Wilks Battery Company in downtown Albertville and then expanded to Wilks Tire & Battery Service in 1959. Mr. Wilks retired in the mid 1990’s, turning the business over to his sons. Gratefully, Mr. Wilks lived long enough to see his dream of a separate facility for servicing commercial trucks become reality. Construction was completed in February 2002 on the Wilks Truck Tire & Service Center, just two weeks before his death. Mr. Wilks was a member the VFW and American Legion. He also served on the Albertville Planning Commission and enjoyed making Albertville a more attractive area for business and a better place to live.
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DEPRESSION
Globally, more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression
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epression. To many people this is just a word used by “sad” and “attention-seeking” teens, which is usually because most people do not take depression in a serious manner. Many people think depression is just a “phase”. Living with depression is not a joke and it is most definitely not a “phase”. Depression is just like any other sickness, except you don’t catch it like the flu. People do not just wake up one morning and decide they are going to become depressed; it slowly creeps up on a person and takes over everything in their body. No one wants to be depressed; it happens against their own will. Living
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with depression is a constant everyday battle of, “Should I fight it or should I just give up trying?”
Here are some signs/symptoms of depression in teens:
• Constantly irritable, sad, or angry • Nothing seems fun anymore, Teens living with depression don’t see the point of trying is far more common than we • Feeling bad about yourself wish to believe. Living with • Sleeping too much, not depression, a person thinks no sleeping enough one understands; therefore, • Frequent, unexplained no one can help them. There headaches is not a way to truly describe • Anything and everything what depression feels like, makes you cry everyone experiences it • Weight gain or loss without differently. consciously trying • Trouble concentrating Depression can occur for many • Feelings of helplessness or reasons including heredity, hopelessness environment, medications you • Thoughts of death or suicide may be taking, substance abuse, and even the season.
photos by Cody Hill, edits by Taylor Wilson
If you know someone suffering from these symptoms, do not just sit back and hope they will get over this soon; depression does not just go away that easy. And whether the person wants to admit it or not, they need help. You can help them by simply letting them know you are there for them and they do not have to go this journey alone. If you yourself are suffering from depression, get help. It may seem like you will live with depression forever and it will never go away, but it does.
You have to ask for help. Do not be scared; asking for help does not make you weak. Look to your friends and family for support; you don’t have to go this journey alone. No one wakes up deciding to be depressed, just like no one wakes up deciding they are not going to be depressed anymore. It just is not that simple. Remember that depression is an illness, not a sign of weakness. If you or someone you know suffers from depression, realize that there are people and organizations in place to help
you. At your school, please talk with a counselor. There are also national organizations available to help you.
Some of these organizations include: • National Institute for Mental Health www.nimh.nih.gov • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.morethansad.org • Anxiety/Depression Association of America www.adaa.org
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Aggie Band Takes on Continuing a time honored tradition, the Aggie Band, participated in the 95th annual Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Along with the parade, band members, family, and community members also toured Philadelphia and New York. The band members raised funds through fundraising from selling cookie dough and boxes of fruit. The trip cost $900 per person, but as Blake Smedley pointed out, the trip was worth the cost. Blake said the most exciting
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thing about the trip was “seeing the Statute of Liberty” and the best memory was “having the band’s group picture made in Times Square.” Albertville’s own Kassie Millwood, librarian at Big Spring Lake Kindergarten, participated in the parade as a balloon holder for the Nutcracker balloon. A great time was had by all and back home, family and friends were thrilled to see the parade broadcast from Philadelphia. Congratulations to the Aggie Band for another great performance!
photo by AHS Pics
photo by Dianna Adams
photo by Dianna Adams
photo by Lori Loveday
Philadelphia and New York
photo courtesy of Chris Lindley
photo by Dianna Adams
photo by Lori Loveday
photo by Lori Loveday
photo by Lori Loveday photo by AHS Pics
photo by AHS Pics
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AHS Boys Basketball The Aggie basketball teams have high hopes going into this season. The first official game for the varsity boys against Etowah was a victory for the Aggies with a score of 62-50. Avery Nevels with 16 and Ryan Brown with 11 led the Aggies. "Ryan Brown, Sam Renfroe, Irvin Cruz, and Avery Nevels all worked hard over the summer and have shown improvement," said varsity boys head coach Patrick Harding. This win gave them the boost of confidence needed to start a good season. Harding started coaching because of the love of the game and the impact he has on the players’ lives. The next win came as the Aggies faced Oxford with a final score of 46-37. Preparing for a game is not easy, but hard work pays off. A normal Aggie practice consists of fundamental skill development, shooting, handling, and passing the ball. Coach Harding tells the players, "Be good at what happens." Once again we were not let down as they took us to yet another successful win, this time against the Arab Knights. This was an astonishing win for the Aggies with a score of 72-34. Senior Sam Renfroe shared that their pre-game ritual is a clap they started to pump them up before a game starts. Renfroe set a school record with 8 three-pointers. The record was previously held by PD Dahlke. The first loss came from Spain Park. It was a shutout. This did not phase the Aggies as they bounced back and beat Jefferson Davis by a mere 4 points. "You have to work hard every day to get better. You might not be the most talented, but if you work hard it will really pay off in the long run," said Renfroe. The Aggies did not disappoint as they played the Oxford Yellow Jackets a second time beating them 49-38. Coach Harding hopes to make it to the regional playoffs in February. That is their main goal. ~Carly Daniel and Jessica Lee
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photos courtesy of Spring and Mona
Nothing But Net
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AHS Girls Basketball
The varsity girls have also had a good start this basketball season. Coach Shankles’ hopes for the girls this year is to improve each and every day and to compete at a high level, but to also enjoy the process. The game against Hokes Bluff gave the Lady Aggies a win with the final score of 52-45. Jill Shearer says it is very important for the girls to work together.
"If you don't work together, then you will make terrible passes and have awful communication." Jill Shearer
The Lady Aggies traveled to Gadsden State to take on Glencoe and came out with a win by 5 points. Shearer says that her most favorite thing about the sport is the adrenaline the game brings. She says that every moment counts and you have to make the best of it. Just like the boys, the girls have only had one loss so far this season to the Arab Knights. The Lady Aggies didn't accept defeat. They came back strong against Locust Fork with a win of 67-53. Coach Shankles gives his girls the advice to wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction. He says that's the only way for them to improve themselves. ~Carly Daniel and Jessica Lee
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Nothing But Net
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Aggie Advocate pitchfork by Adam Rains
photo by Lola Garcia
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